10/17/2011

Cheng Bock’s next move

As an experienced fighter in Parliament, and being a veteran in PAP, Cheng Bock knows how the system works, how PAP works. He is the man to watch what is happening in Parliament. He will know what is real and what is unreal, and if there is any wayang, he too will know.

He is now telling the PAP MPs to stand up and speak for what they truly feel and want for the people. But there is a limit to this when the Whip is enforced. So how? Can the MPs go against the Whip?

So very likely the MPs can only speak out violently if the Whip is lifted. And when they do, Cheng Bock will be watching to see who is speaking out of their conscience or just doing it for show.

Then what if Cheng Bock knows the real McCoy versus the MediaCorp variety? Is he going to call them up for a lecture? Or is he going to write them a nasty letter to tell not to bluff? Or is Cheng Bock going to build up a new base for the next GE, hand picking those that he thinks will be of like minds, as an alternative party?

While Cheng Bock is watching, everyone else will also be watching.

No show at Raffles Place

Everyone seems to be disappointed at the no show for Occupy Raffles Place on Saturday. Some conveniently put the blame on the police for warning people not to participate or risk breaking the law for illegal assembly. Should it be a surprise at all? I knew from the very moment when the call of Occupy Raffles Place came out that there will be no such protest. And there is no need for me to bring my camera to cover the event. And I save $2 on mrt fare too.

Corporate greed and corruption is indeed a very serious problem in Europe and America. Everyone in the financial centres and those in govts are just as corrupt and greedy. That is why the Americans and Europeans are angry. And that is why their economies are facing the worst financial crisis today. They are expecting a revolution to cleanse the corporate world and their govts of greed.

Take a look at paradise. Take a deep breath and look again. Everything is just fine. Where got financial crisis? The economy is booming and everyone is so happy making millions and buying properties and cars even if they are the most expensive items in the world. When the economy is so well managed, when there is no corporate greed or corruption, there is obviously no need to Occupy Raffles Place. So Raffles Place was like a cemetery on Saturday, not even a devil dared to be there.

Our corporations are run by the most honest and highly moral people money can buy. They may be a bit expensive to be bought, but they are definitely honest and would not be affected by the corporate greed and corruption in corporate America and Europe. They earn their millions fairly and squarely, and honestly. They are worth every cent they are being paid.

So why should people be disturbed by the no show for Occupy Raffles Place? This is uniquely Singapore, the only paradise on earth that is not tainted by corporate greed and corruption. The protestors can go and occupy anywhere else, but it will be meaningless to Occupy Raffles Place. It is the only sensible thing to do.

10/16/2011

I will die if I retire

More and more people are claiming that they will die if they retire. Some were very rich and some were very poor. For the very poor, I know they will surely die for many reasons. For the very rich I know they will not die for many reasons.

Sunday is always a good time to talk cock and sing song. I have never been doing this for quite some time. So this morning I shall indulge in some talk cock amusement. As I was saying earlier, the poor losers will surely die if they retire. Many just got not more than $200 in their wallets to last them a week. Many may not have the money to pay for the medical bills. Many will have family commitments, children in school, dependents that need them to foot the bill. If they retire, their dependents will kill them or they will kill themselves out of embarrassment if they cannot fulfil their family responsibilities.

But why should the super rich and very clever people talk about dying if they retire? I am very sure no one has ever died because of retirement. I am also very sure that the academics and medical experts would not have any conclusive proof that people can die because they got retired.

So what’s the beef? My intuition is that they would not die at all. Just go and place a big bet with them, whether it is 1 year, 3 year or 5year after retirement, that they will live on. I think it is more like dying, dying that the million dollar paycheck is gone, dying that all the big titles is gone, dying that the glamour and power and the cronies fawning on them too will be gone. Psychologically these are the more real reasons for people who fear retirement.

The rich and clever people are so rich and so clever that they have so many wonderful ways to amuse themselves if they do get retired or lose their jobs. They could let their imagination runs wild with their talents and money, and have a wild wild time if they so retire. So what I think is another reason for them to say that they will die is that they are born just to work. They have no ability or unable to comprehend that there is a wonderful life waiting for them to indulge in should they retire. It must be a mental block. Surely if you tell them to work without a gaji they will quickly disappear before you could complete your sentence. I have yet to see any of these clever people work for free after retirement. I think they will not accept any appointments as chairman or director, or even the presidency if there is no money to take.

There is plenty of evidence that only the losers will work for free. Many will volunteer their time in social services, helping other losers, and even make great suggestions on how to make this country a better place, for free. The clever ones would ask how much if they have to lift a little finger for anything.

I think I have enough of talking cock for today. If Bill Gates will to say that he can eat and fart at the same time, like it is a damn big deal, many clever people will sure want to make the same claim all because Bill made the claim.

10/15/2011

Empty your wallet

The financial health of the young working class Singaporeans starts when they enrolled into tertiary education. For the more fortunate there is the PM scholarship, or papa mama scholarship to fall back on. The bills for their education will be picked up by papa and mama. For the less fortunate, they will have to take an education loan or to slog it out with some part time jobs to get by.

On completion of their first degree education, presumably they have taken an education loan, it is time to pay back. The PM scholarship recipients may also think of repaying their papa and mama. This will take out some of their exposable incomes which could have gone to their savings.

How long does it take for the young to save $100k or $200k for their deposits for their first flat? 5 to 8 years will be quite a reasonable time to save that first $100k/$200k for a tertiary educated young couple. And this sum will be clean off from their savings the moment they make that big decision, to get married and buy that property, public or private.

And for the next 30 years, the bulk of their savings will go to that property with little savings left. They would be quite lucky if they have enough money to meet the minimum sum requirements in the CPF and the Medisave. During this time, the family will be growing, with babies, and the need to pay for that precious car that a growing family needs at an average of $100k or $300k for 3 cars in 30 years. Come to think of it, the car is more expensive than a flat. A $400k will be useful for 99 years or costs $40k every 10 years, assuming there is zero value at 99 years. A cheap working man’s car is going to cost $100k every 10 year.

How much savings will a young couple starting out life today in 30 years time? By the time they hit the CPF withdrawal age, they will be lucky if there is some extra above the two minimum sum schemes to take out some money to spend. And this is only possible if there is no major health problem and admission to hospital which would likely empty everything in the Medisave and still not enough, and needing cash top ups. Hopefully there will be some cash savings available, not forgetting the PM scholarships they have to provide for their children.

What happens, for the fortunate few, everything will be just enough, everything just affordable, and the wallet nicely empty by the time they have to call it a day.

10/14/2011

Occupy Raffles Place

The Occupy Wall Street Movement is spreading across America and has reached Europe and Asia as well. We have Occupy London and now Korea, Malaysia, the Phillipines, Thailand on 15 Oct. Some Singaporeans are also talking about joining the Movement with Occupy Raffles Place this Saturday at 2.00pm. A facebook entry has been set up but meeting with lukewarm response. The police too have also taken to warn any would be demonstrators that it is illegal to do so except maybe Occupy HongLim.

The Movement started in New York where the protestors calling themselves the 99% are denouncing the greed in the finance industry, particularly the bankers and the Stock Exchange. They are saying that the huge income gap is unacceptable and the greed in Wall Street must be stopped.

How would this take shape here where the huge income gap is sung like a song, that it is perfectly a normal state of affair? From the look of it, it is going to be a non event. The people are happy with the big income gap and the greed all over as many are beneficiaries to the prosperity in every corner of the island. Everyone is feeling richer by the minutes while the income gap keeps widening. It is a good thing by the way.

Maybe they should change the tag into Celebrate Raffles Place. The turn out could be better and the festive mood may put the police more at ease.

Yes, yes. Not Occupy Raffles Place. Celebrate Raffles Place by the 99% of which many are millionaires also. They can also shout, Corporate Greed Is Good.