The danger of using false logic and reasoning to justify an unjustifiable act is like using a lie to cover another lie. The new lie conceived will need to be a bigger lie than the first, and every subsequent lie will become bigger and more indefensible. And every attempt to defend or cover the lie will make the liar look more stupid and the faked logic more untenable. It is only a matter of time when the lies fall through and the liar falls flat on his face.
The logic that GST is to help the poor, foreigners to help the citizens, foreigners are more talented, new citizens are Singaporeans, like one of us, high pay to prevent corruption, high minister pay is the right thing to do, HDB flats are affordable and driven by market forces, etc etc have started to have that hollow ring.
The people are starting to question these logics and starting to disbelieve in them. No matter how often are these songs being sung or printed as the real stuff, the good stuff, the truth will surface to tell a false logic is a false logic.
I recall a story of a poor family having a great reunion dinner behind closed doors. And they were celebrating and offering each other roast pork and chicken in a very happy and generous way. And they were toasting each other with cognac. Anyone outside will be so envious of the party and the feast they were having.
Peeping through the door, the truth was plain and clear, that they were sharing red and white potatoes and drinking plain tea. But they were living a life of make beliefs, just to feel good and be happy. The good thing was that they knew that they were deceiving themselves for the moment. It would be sad if they did not know that they were living a lie. It would be sadder if they were living under other people’s lie.
4/18/2012
4/17/2012
The myth of a vibrant stock market
If we lower the commission rate there will be increase in trading volumes which will translate into more business and more commission. When there are more foreign funds operating and trading in our stock market, trading volume will increase, more vibrancy, oh I forgot, more oomph, and sure more business, and more commission. When there are more stocks, derivatives, structured products, there will be more business, more commissions, and dunno more what.
When our stock market is linked to more stock markets, the sky will fall down, money will fall into the laps of everyone as business across the world can be done here. We will be a one stop business and financial centre and all will be doing roaring business. All the stock brokers and broking houses and all the supporting staff will be looking towards a windfall, not a downfall.
And we are nearly there, and daily trading volume is in the billions. And commissions must also be in the millions at least. And stock prices must have shot through the roof with such vibrant trading activities. The phones must be ringing non stop and remisiers will have no time for lunch. Yes, extended trading hours, no lunch break, business will go up by at least 10%.
What is real? Many stocks are now penny stocks, quite a number are worth less than 1c and listed in the main board. And where is the commission? Where are the investors and traders? Who is doing all the trading? Machines, really? But never mind if the machine can generate more trading and more commissions. Good times are here.
We have done everything right according to the norms and practices and conditions of Wall Street. We even invested in the world’s fastest computer to facilitate greater trading volumes in micro seconds. The best fund managers are all here trading in our market. Everything is going to be right. Trust me. Now be patient and wait, just wait.
When our stock market is linked to more stock markets, the sky will fall down, money will fall into the laps of everyone as business across the world can be done here. We will be a one stop business and financial centre and all will be doing roaring business. All the stock brokers and broking houses and all the supporting staff will be looking towards a windfall, not a downfall.
And we are nearly there, and daily trading volume is in the billions. And commissions must also be in the millions at least. And stock prices must have shot through the roof with such vibrant trading activities. The phones must be ringing non stop and remisiers will have no time for lunch. Yes, extended trading hours, no lunch break, business will go up by at least 10%.
What is real? Many stocks are now penny stocks, quite a number are worth less than 1c and listed in the main board. And where is the commission? Where are the investors and traders? Who is doing all the trading? Machines, really? But never mind if the machine can generate more trading and more commissions. Good times are here.
We have done everything right according to the norms and practices and conditions of Wall Street. We even invested in the world’s fastest computer to facilitate greater trading volumes in micro seconds. The best fund managers are all here trading in our market. Everything is going to be right. Trust me. Now be patient and wait, just wait.
What the train is saying?
‘Stop, stop, help, help, I can’t go on anymore.’
No you can, our population is only 5m, and we will have a few more millions coming in.
‘No, no, really, can’t take anymore. I am not designed to take so many commuters.’
No you can. The trains in Tokyo can, so why can’t you? You are only half filled, running on half capacity.
‘Stop it, I say. All my parts are starting to fall off, can’t you see? I will run to a halt if you don’t stop adding more commuters to my load.’
Don’t worry lah, a few more wouldn’t kill you lah. Those car owners who have to give up their cars will come on board soon when they cannot afford the new COEs. Take a deep breath and carry on.
“Aaaaahhhhh…….’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
……..
No you can, our population is only 5m, and we will have a few more millions coming in.
‘No, no, really, can’t take anymore. I am not designed to take so many commuters.’
No you can. The trains in Tokyo can, so why can’t you? You are only half filled, running on half capacity.
‘Stop it, I say. All my parts are starting to fall off, can’t you see? I will run to a halt if you don’t stop adding more commuters to my load.’
Don’t worry lah, a few more wouldn’t kill you lah. Those car owners who have to give up their cars will come on board soon when they cannot afford the new COEs. Take a deep breath and carry on.
“Aaaaahhhhh…….’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
‘Your attention please, this train will be delayed due to a mechanical fault. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.’
……..
Lim Chong Yah’s model no productivity
The main bug bear to Lim Chong Yah’s shock therapy is productivity. It is logical that before one raises the wage of workers, one has to take into account many factors, competition, costs and of course productivity. How can anyone think of getting big pay hike without complimentary productivity? The raising of worker’s income is a very serious matter and much deeper understanding and thoughts need to be put into it unlike bloggers like Redbean who would post anything that appears in his mind and in 5 minutes it is in mysingaporenews. No depth, no analysis.
I think the good professor must have spent many hours seriously contemplating on the problem and the solutions. It is not a wild shot. It is definitely a serious proposition that is supported by economic and academic considerations. An economics professor of his stature does not spout nonsense like bloggers, and his proposition should at least be placed on the tables for serious discussions. Bloggers can freely criticize anything without thinking. But to criticize the works of an economics professor who has done deep thinking before coming out with his recommendations, due diligence is needed from anyone who would want to dispense his criticism to do justice to the professor. Be respectful. Put in some effort to understand what the professor was saying before shooting off the hip.
Productivity may be an important factor in raising wages. But in the real world, wages or salaries can be raised by using other factors and considerations other than productivity. One standard methodology is to do a market survey and compare job values. And jobs of similar values should be paid similar pay. So when one is paid more, the other also must be paid more. This method is silent on productivity. It just says since you got so much, I also want to be paid so much.
Another way is to peg one’s salary to other people’s salary. Just assume one’s job is more important than others. So if other people earn more, one’s income will also go up accordingly. No need to talk about productivity. Just wait for the more talented and enterprising to work harder, to earn more, then one just tag on the bandwagon. When other people earn more, one must also earn more. What’s the correlation? Beats me. Where is the element of productivity? Who cares?
Oh, productivity is meant only for workers. Workers and farmers really produce goods of value and thus their productivity is important. When one’s job does not produce anything of value except talking cock, there is no need for productivity? Productivity is irrelevant to raise pay in such cases.
I think the good professor must have spent many hours seriously contemplating on the problem and the solutions. It is not a wild shot. It is definitely a serious proposition that is supported by economic and academic considerations. An economics professor of his stature does not spout nonsense like bloggers, and his proposition should at least be placed on the tables for serious discussions. Bloggers can freely criticize anything without thinking. But to criticize the works of an economics professor who has done deep thinking before coming out with his recommendations, due diligence is needed from anyone who would want to dispense his criticism to do justice to the professor. Be respectful. Put in some effort to understand what the professor was saying before shooting off the hip.
Productivity may be an important factor in raising wages. But in the real world, wages or salaries can be raised by using other factors and considerations other than productivity. One standard methodology is to do a market survey and compare job values. And jobs of similar values should be paid similar pay. So when one is paid more, the other also must be paid more. This method is silent on productivity. It just says since you got so much, I also want to be paid so much.
Another way is to peg one’s salary to other people’s salary. Just assume one’s job is more important than others. So if other people earn more, one’s income will also go up accordingly. No need to talk about productivity. Just wait for the more talented and enterprising to work harder, to earn more, then one just tag on the bandwagon. When other people earn more, one must also earn more. What’s the correlation? Beats me. Where is the element of productivity? Who cares?
Oh, productivity is meant only for workers. Workers and farmers really produce goods of value and thus their productivity is important. When one’s job does not produce anything of value except talking cock, there is no need for productivity? Productivity is irrelevant to raise pay in such cases.
4/16/2012
The big guns are trained at Lim Chong Yah
The big guns have been rolled out and lined up with their cross hairs on Lim Chong Yah. This is the first time that a biggie from the establishment is standing in front of the firing squad. Ngiam Tong Dow did his fair share of criticism and seemed to get away with it. In Lim Chong Yah’s case, looks like he is going to be burnt on the stake.
Given his credential as a renowned economics professor, his past appointments and contributions as Chairman of the NWC, and his connections, it is intriguing to see where the attacks are coming from. Would it turn into a free for all whereby anyone from the winning camp will start to take potshots at the professor? And if that happens, what is the story behind it?
Has the good professor fallen out of grace, going to fall out of grace, or is his shock therapy shocking people out of their comfort zones? This is an interesting development to watch. It will reveal a lot of unspoken truths as the plots thicken. It could also be another watershed, with more thinkers changing side and more stepping forward to call a spade a spade. And the final moment will come when the people realize that the mandate of heaven has been withdrawn and a regime change is on the way. By then the cards will all be opened and a new alignment of forces will take place as has been the case in history.
Given his credential as a renowned economics professor, his past appointments and contributions as Chairman of the NWC, and his connections, it is intriguing to see where the attacks are coming from. Would it turn into a free for all whereby anyone from the winning camp will start to take potshots at the professor? And if that happens, what is the story behind it?
Has the good professor fallen out of grace, going to fall out of grace, or is his shock therapy shocking people out of their comfort zones? This is an interesting development to watch. It will reveal a lot of unspoken truths as the plots thicken. It could also be another watershed, with more thinkers changing side and more stepping forward to call a spade a spade. And the final moment will come when the people realize that the mandate of heaven has been withdrawn and a regime change is on the way. By then the cards will all be opened and a new alignment of forces will take place as has been the case in history.
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