Cauldron of Life

This is a series on life and the fire one has to go through in life. Surviving the cauldron of fire of life, one comes out as solid steel. Failure will see a melting down and turning into scrap iron. Living is a test of will, a test of character to survive in a path one chose to tread. It is not a walk in the garden. There are many twists and turns and one could be burnt any time in this journey of a life time.

Heavenly beasts - Pi xiu

This is another series of photopaintings that I have created with the help of Mother Nature. The image has never been seen before. They are not the mystical dragon or lion or the qiling. The closest I could relate this to is the pixiu, a smaller creature claimed to be the proetector of the owner and his wealth. Many images of the pixiu have been crafted, mostly in stone or jade, and displayed in homes or business premises. This photopainting could be hung on the wall at the entrance area, or the reception area of an organization in place of the carved varieties.


The unique feature of this kind of photopainting using the Art of RAR technique is that the images must first be photographed using a camera as the originals are unrecognizable in the water and will be there only momentarily. They will only appear in the full glory after some processing. This is a very unique and revolutionary way of painting, like painting the thoughts of Nature.

My tree of Life series is also created in the same manner.

A little mystery, a little miracle, a whole new way of painting.

The fearsome population numbers

We need a population growth of 25,000 to 30,000 immigrants a year to sustain our society and economy, so said the wise men. There is no better solution. This is probably another CBF solution that is the best and nothing but the best. No other mortals will be able to think of anything else out of this box, the box that all the super talents’ brains are boxed in.

If these new annual intakes, they are mostly adults, were to turn citizens and move into a single ward constituency like Hougang, what kind of impact it will have on the social and political balance of the ward? Hougang only has about 23,000 voters. At 25,000 to 30,000, there will be one Hougang equivalent of voters in the making every year. On the other hand, the babies being produced by the citizens would need another 21 years to come into stream.

Don’t pray pray with this kind of input.

Should the govt mandate a wage hike for low wage workers?

The above was the topic for discussion in the Talking Point programme of CNA this week. It was interesting to how the different sides presented their for and against arguments to raise pay for low wage workers and how the issue of productivity seemed to be a natural instinctive reaction to the pro govt view. The need to raise productivity was the most important position for the pro govt representative. No productivity, no need to talk about pay hike.

I would like CNA and its programme hosts, Dominic Loh and Daniel Martin, to have a similar programme, this time to discuss raising Ministerial Pay and the issue of productivity thrown in. It will be nice to see if productivity is an issue and a fundamental reason to be used before any pay hike for ministers and for that matter, the President.  Was or should productivitybe an issue or a primary factor in raising Ministerial Pay?

I think CNA’s viewership will be instantly raised if such a topic is being put on air.

Completing a cycle of change

The poor peasant Chinese were pouring out of China about a hundred years ago. They were driven out of their motherland to seek work to feed themselves. Staying back in China was not an option. Jobs were scarce and earning a living was tough going.

By mid 1950s onwards, they were still poor. Poverty and going hungry were the normal then. Things started to improve in the 70s onwards. Life was more bearable and food was not so scarce. The common mode of transportation was the bicycle.

For the Chinese that headed out to Singapore, the 70s and 80s were times of rapid growth. They were getting richer and faster and living was less of a challenge. Buying a home and a car were the norms. Bicycles were discarded for the four wheels with a roof, a prestigious symbol of success.

Fast forward to the present, some Chinese are returning home as jobs were in abundance and livelihood is no longer such a big challenge. Singaporeans too are marching back to China when job opportunities were more challenging in the island.

In China, the Chinese are building homes like Singapore did in the 60s and 70s and buying properties, and property speculation became a national past time. Bicycles were swopped for the four wheel status symbols. More people are getting rich faster.

Singaporeans are downsizing and buying smaller and smaller homes with more money to pay. Cars are getting out of reach and more Singaporeans are taking to public transport and bicycles. The story will come full circle when Chinese Singaporeans start to return to China in hoards, to seek jobs and better living conditions, to buy bigger homes and be car owners once again.

PS. The super rich are having a good laugh at such articles. Get out of my elite and uncaring face.