World Bloggers Association

I have just founded the World Bloggers Association(WBA). I have proclaimed myself as the Emperor of this Association. All bloggers of the world shall now be my members and they must pay homage to me daily. They are also to pay a blogging fee for the right to blog in the free world of bloggers. The first two bloggers paying homage to me shall be appointed as the King of Eastern Blogosphere and King of Western Blogosphere. Those following behind will be appointed as Kings in their respective regions. And for those who are late in joining, they have my permission to appoint themselves as Kings of whatever their fancies. Redbean, Emperor, World Bloggers Association (WBA)

Extraordinary budget working

Public transport companies are going to cut fares! The sun is rising from the west! Did I hear it right? This is an industry whose cost can only go up and not down, so how can it drop fare prices and remain profitable? The extraordinary budget to the rescue. They are going to pass the savings to the commuters. Without this budget, prices will continue to go one way, up. Public transport is the only business that is dependent on fuel price, labour cost and equipment renewal. This is an unique industry. No other industry is affected by fuel price, labour and equipment renewal cost. That is probably why the cost of other industries do not affect the prices of their goods and services. Oh, there is another industry where the price must go up. Rentals and property prices. They must be dependent on fuel, labour and equipment renewal as well. I nearly miss this one. Oops, actually I miss a lot more industries and services. They all depend on fuel price, labour cost and equipment and the prices must go up. And there are industries or services that don't depend on fuel prices or equipment renewal, but the price of their services must also go up? How so? On the contrary, there are industries that depend on all 3 but the price of their goods and services only come down, or can come down. How so? Ah, extraordinary men with extraordinary skills and ideas. Only real extraordinary men can provide better services, better quality goods at lower prices or at the same price. The rest are all bull even if they called themselves supertalents. The only thing super about their talent is to collect super pay.

Where is the wow factor?

We have this extraordinary budget, marked by the first time that we have to dip into the reserves. Wow? Where is the wow factor? Why don't people get this feeling but feeling ordinary? $2.6b for family and $4.4b for homes. These together add up to $7b. Quite a substantial sum. If only they be given to the less than 1 million Singaporean households directly with each household getting $7,000, would it be more meaningful in times like this? And confining it to citizens only, the number of households could be just 500,000 and each household can receive $14,000 each. This will be the kind of angpow that will give the wow in the budget. The amount of effort put into dividing this sum under the budget is great and complicated. The amount given is so diversified that it would not create any ripple effect on the recipients. It is extraordinary to hand out such a big budget but not getting the feeling that it is a great relief from the people.

The exciting blogosphere

How could the old media(TOM) match the excitement in blogosphere? Last few days have been tremendously invigorating, amusing and exhilarating. The cooking class and the lesser mortal episodes were given full coverage, something that TOM can never do. There were plenty of vinegar, chilly, pepper and salt added to make the cooks irresistible to savour. TOM must be able to report them as profusely as the new media or they will lose out on the readership. Unfortunately this is something they cannot keep up with. But credit must go to TOM for firing the first shot. The new media simply followed through, seized the initiative and covered grounds that were taboo to TOM. And TOM could do nothing about it except to watch silently on the sideline. Come to think of it, if TOM and the new media could work hand in hand, wow, it will be an exciting new recipe.

Extraordinary budget in extraordinary time

$20.5b of aid package for the people and industry to tie over a difficult period. How did we end up in such a state that needs extraordinary measures? Don't we have extraordinary men and women doing extraordinary things to keep us in good shape? Or are we still looking for extraordinary men and women to make sure that we don't end up in such a state in the first place? Where were the extraordinary men and women? Enjoying their Porches and Louis Vuittons. I heard that these are the things to accumulate once a person has arrived. But these are common stuff now. Everyone has it. The next statement of having arrived is to attend Le Cordon Bleu culinary courses. That is a creative way to separate from the ordinary.