4/17/2013
Singapore’s changing demography
The population of Singapore used to be 75% Chinese, 12% Malay, 8% Indian and 5% Others or thereabout, plus or minus here and there. What is the racial distribution today? Assuming that this racial mix remains fairly unchanged, the distribution will be 37.5% Chinese, 6% Malay, 4% Indian and 2.5 Others. How so? Coz the other 50% has gone to foreigners, either PRs or transient workers. And what is the racial mix of the 50% foreigners? My guess, 50% from India, 30% from China, 10% from Philippines and 10% for the rest of the world. I don’t have the official data and this is just a guesstimate. Add this to the whole population mix and we will have (37.5 + 15) 52.5% Chinese, (4+25) 29% Indians, (3+5) 8% Malay if the Pinoys are categorized as Malays, and 5% for the rest of the world. I think this mix can be seen in the trains or buses and can be confirmed by a random check on the commuters inside a train cabin or inside a bus. I stress again, the numbers are educated guesses.
What does the new mix imply or how would it affect the social and cultural pattern of the population? Let me just look at one specific area, language or lingua franca. Singapore has been selling itself as a destination for education with English as a predominant language. English is our lingua franca and foreign students can come here to be immersed in an English speaking world. This is particularly attractive to the PRC and Korean students and also students from Asean who wanted to become more proficient in English. The students could get not only a quality education but also learn a useful English language by interacting with the locals.
This advantage has changed. When the foreigners are a minority, they could turn everywhere, every corner to find a Singaporean to talk to, in English. Now this is becoming a rarity. For every Singaporean they met, they will meet another foreigner. Even in the schools and universities, the number of foreigners is increasing. It will mean that foreign students will have lesser opportunities to learn the English language, in particular the PRC students, many will end up speaking Mandarin and not English. This could also apply to students from other countries when they too find it difficult to associate or communicate with Singaporeans in English.
When Singaporeans are a minority or near minority, the Singapore culture, way of life and even the English language will have lesser room to express itself. The only people that could benefit from this demographic shift are actually the Singaporeans. Singaporeans will now be more international, having been exposed to more foreigners, integrated with more foreigners, and could even learn some Tagalog, Hindi and perfect their Mandarin. It would be reversed integration in a way as the dominant Singaporean way, culture and language will no longer be dominant anymore. Singaporeans are no longer the dominant or outright majority people in the island.
As they said, or joke about, Singaporeans need not have to leave the island to see the world. Hop into a train and he will be in a sea of international citizens. If they want a little more of India, go to Little India. And there is China Town and Geylang, and Beach Road to be in Bangkok or Orchard Road to be in Makati, or Botanic Garden to feel more like in the Philippines. Singaporeans can save a lot of money from travelling when the world is at their doorstep.
The demographic change has a lot of tangible benefits for the Singaporeans sure. Singapore is truly an international city and Singaporeans are international citizens.
4/16/2013
Free travel on MRT on week days
A one year trial for free travel on the MRT will commence on 24 June. Everyone travelling early on the train will definitely love it. It is so unbelieveable that things can be had for free in this no free lunch City. I just hope that it will not cause more problems than solving problems. Keep the fingers crossed that the trains will not be jam packed by foreigner workers early in the morning just for the free ride.
Commuters must exit from 16 stations in town to enjoy the free ride. The stations are,
‘Bugis, Chinatown, City Hall, Clarke Quay, Dhoby Ghaut, Lavender, Orchard, Outram Park, Raffles Place, Somerset, Tanjong Pagar, Bayfront, Bras Basah, Esplanade, Marina Bay and Promenade…Commuters who exit at these stations between 7.45am and 8am will be given a discount of up to 50 cents off their train fare. The Government will be funding this one-year trial.
Boston Marathon Explosion
2 dead and more than a hundred injured when two bombs blew up at the finishing line of the Boston Marathon yesterday. It may be due to gas containers blowing up in nearby kitchen, nothing related to terrorist acts, so nothing to worry about. Police are still investigating.
The chilling truth is that it is coming home. The 911 did not deter the Americans from continuing to start wars and conduct military aggression against other countries in foreign soils. The Americans think that it is their right to conduct wars and terrorism in other countries and they are safe at home. The war is coming home. Terrorist acts are coming home.
Now there is no where to run and no where to hide. Would the Americans start to rethink of their crimes overseas, regime change, wars on WMD and think that they can do it repeatedly with impunity? Or would they be more retrospect and introspect and top meddling with other countries affairs, stop killing the innocents of other countries and brush them off as collateral damages.
The dead and injured at the Boston Marathon are also collateral damages of American war atrocities across the world. Take the message, read the message, terrorism is coming home to roost. No where is safe. Basketball matches have to be cancelled, baseball matches have to be cancelled, football matches, theatres etc etc have to be cancelled. Life is not going to be the same anymore.
Make car driving ‘tougher’
I am floored by the brilliant suggestion of Adjunct Associate Professor Paul Barter of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy that in order to improve the road conditions, one way is to ‘make driving less attractive and restrict it as a transportation option while making alternatives, such as public transport, more desirable than driving.’ Why can’t our super talents think of such a wonderful idea, and why is it that we always need a foreign talent to tell us the obvious?
Make driving tough, unattractive, difficult and expensive, higher COE prices must be one of them, or can make it more palatable by other similar schemes. Make price of cars more expensive also can. Erect more ERPs, make parking even more expensive, send the Traffic Cops to issue more summons, etc etc. Now, all these added together would definitely make driving less attractive and make the roads freer. How come it takes so long for the Govt to come up with such a solution really baffles me.
The same philosophy or mentality can be applied to other problems facing the country. Housing is a big problem. Everyone wants to buy bigger and bigger homes. The solution, make home ownership less attractive. Raise property prices, more taxes on more properties, higher stamp duties, more taxes on profits, etc etc, will definitely make the people stop buying properties and instead opt for rentals or just staying with parents.
What else can be made less attractive? Schools, branded schools, make it very difficult and expensive to be enrolled in branded schools. That will keep the demand for such schools low. Additional conditions like parents must be multi millionaires, millionaires would not do as many Singaporeans are already millionaires, or make them put upfront a million dollar deposit. That would surely work.
I think this concept has many applications and will definitely be very effective as well. I am skipping hospitalization as the concept has already been in practice and people feared being admitted to hospitals. But given the long queue, hospitalization charges can go higher to cut down the queue and waiting list.
Let’s do it, make everything less attractive when the demand is too high and causing problem. The criteria and conditions for running for Presidency is one good example, no big demand for it. Can also apply to running for MPs. Then there will be lesser hassle as many would not qualify or cannot afford to put down a big deposit to lose.
4/15/2013
British empire manipulates situations to wage global wars: Mike Billington
Netizens can view more of international affairs at the blog : Press TV
Press TV conducts this interview with Mike Billington
The US’ arms sales to China’s and North Korea’s neighbors appear set for significant growth amid regional security jitters. Washington’s provocative decision comes as territorial disputes between China and Japan over a disputed group of islands in the East China Sea are raging. Meanwhile China’s Foreign Ministry has warned about infringement of its sovereignty by Japan with regards to the islands.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Mike Billington, wit the Executive Intelligence Review from Arlington to shed more light on the issue at hand. Billington is joined by two additional guests on Press TV’s News Analysis program: Chris Bambery, political commentator from London and Linh Dinh, writer and political analyst from Philadelphia. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mike Billington, our guests have mentioned the US in a number of occasions so let me introduce the US in this scenario. It just came out last week, US arms sales to Asia set to boom, that is what the headline read. White House to boost security partners armed might, economic rewards for the US to lead to enough US sales in South and East Asia to more than off set a slowdown the European arms-buying.
I mean how do you see that? Is not the US in a sense fanning a rise of militarism in the region? And on the other hand why does not the US want to enforce diplomacy between the two countries?
Billington: Well, I think that you have to look at to this historically first of all. That you are dealing here with a classic British policy.
Remember that the British successfully manipulated Japan into launching two world wars. One, when they went to war with China over Korea in 1894 which led ultimately into World War I, and then in the 1930’s when British and their allies in the US around JP Morgan and his friends financed and pushed Japan into the Manchurian invasion and what ultimately led to World War II.
And it is certainly the hope of Wall Street and London and Obama, the puppet to the Wall Street-London crowd, that they can push Japan into a confrontation with China now, whose purpose is to break up any alliance between the United States and China and with Russia as well.
Now the view from London, as you know, from the economists in the Financial Times is that they are going to be successful in manipulating this war calling the new Japanese government of Shinzo Abe, rightwing, anti-China and so forth.
I do not believe that. I think that it is possible but it is highly unlikely. Remember that this entire incident was started by Mr. Ishihara, the former mayor of Tokyo, a British asset who views Russia and China as Japan’s enemies, who wants nuclear weapons to counter them and who intervened here, in a peaceful situation to buy these islands; the government then foolishly, under the previous government, stepped in and had them nationalized, but it was Ishihara, a puppet of this global financial crowd, who launched this confrontation, precisely to stir up this confrontation with China and to try to drive the United States into a confrontation with China, which unfortunately, this idiot president that we have here in Washington [President Obama] is following London on every step, pushing for an encirclement of China as he is with an encirclement of Russia with ABM systems and military policies in Syria and Iran, which are aimed at provoking a war with Russia, a war that will likely be thermonuclear.
Press TV: Mike Billington, let us cut away the fluff here. If you were to give us a timeline in terms of a confrontation that may occur; how quickly do you think that this may happen? Given the fact that I would think that the US also needs to ..., well they have said, the Pentagon Chief, Leon Panetta, defense policy in the region calls for the US military to expend military-to-military relationships well beyond the traditional treaty allies.
He is referring, I assume, to the Association of South East Asian Nations [ASEAN]. So what about looking at it in terms of Taiwan?
Billington: Not only the South East Asian Nations [ASEAN], the irony here is that the US military headed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dempsey are probably the leading force that can prevent this war.
They do not agree with Obama, they do not agree with Wall Street or the city of London and your previous speaker [Chris Bambery] who identified the London-Wall Street axis is exactly right.
So it is in that light that you see the placing of these X-band radar systems, second one in Japan and the one that they plan to put in the Philippines. The upgrading of the ABM systems and a ring around China, claiming falsely that this is a defense against North Korea just as they claim falsely in Europe that the ABM systems are [in] response to Iran, when in fact those systems have only one purpose which is to prevent a counterstrike from Russia or from China and therefore it is very serious strategic threat to both Russia and China.
So we are sitting on the brink. If this president, Obama, is not removed through impeachment or through forcing him to resign now, on the grounds of his very, very serious crimes in Libya, in allying himself with the al-Qaeda forces in Syria and in Libya; removed and prevented from pushing this imperial British line of warfare, so that we can get down to the business of the implementing of a new world financial system around the Bretton wood’s approach with a Glass-Steagall [Act] so that we can begin working with our true allies, Russia and China as great nations, with whom we can work to develop the world, as Franklin Roosevelt [32nd President of the United States] wanted to do and as the best of the US military leadership and intelligence leadership wants to do.
This is not American interest that are pursuing this insane war policy nor the hyperinflationary bailout of the British-American banking system.
This is an empire, which is the enemy of the Americans as much as it is an enemy of the British people and China and Russia. This is what is at stake and it is very, very short-term. This could be literally any day or any week if these wars are kicked off through an attack on Syria or Iran or perhaps, even to start in Asia as it has [had] in the past.
MY/JR
Press TV conducts this interview with Mike Billington
British empire manipulates situations to wage global wars: Mike Billington
Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:15PM GMT
Interview with Mike Billington
View of London and of Obama and not necessarily the US military by the way; is that they need a war, they need a war especially with Russia and China to prevent an alliance of the Russians, the Chinese and the US, which is the only alliance that could break the power of a London-based financial empire.”
A prominent analyst tells Press TV that the London-based empire is after waging war between the US on one side and Russia and China and other Asian nations on the other side to maintain its financial power.
The US’ arms sales to China’s and North Korea’s neighbors appear set for significant growth amid regional security jitters. Washington’s provocative decision comes as territorial disputes between China and Japan over a disputed group of islands in the East China Sea are raging. Meanwhile China’s Foreign Ministry has warned about infringement of its sovereignty by Japan with regards to the islands.
Press TV has conducted an interview with Mike Billington, wit the Executive Intelligence Review from Arlington to shed more light on the issue at hand. Billington is joined by two additional guests on Press TV’s News Analysis program: Chris Bambery, political commentator from London and Linh Dinh, writer and political analyst from Philadelphia. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.
Press TV: Mike Billington, our guests have mentioned the US in a number of occasions so let me introduce the US in this scenario. It just came out last week, US arms sales to Asia set to boom, that is what the headline read. White House to boost security partners armed might, economic rewards for the US to lead to enough US sales in South and East Asia to more than off set a slowdown the European arms-buying.
I mean how do you see that? Is not the US in a sense fanning a rise of militarism in the region? And on the other hand why does not the US want to enforce diplomacy between the two countries?
Billington: Well, I think that you have to look at to this historically first of all. That you are dealing here with a classic British policy.
Remember that the British successfully manipulated Japan into launching two world wars. One, when they went to war with China over Korea in 1894 which led ultimately into World War I, and then in the 1930’s when British and their allies in the US around JP Morgan and his friends financed and pushed Japan into the Manchurian invasion and what ultimately led to World War II.
And it is certainly the hope of Wall Street and London and Obama, the puppet to the Wall Street-London crowd, that they can push Japan into a confrontation with China now, whose purpose is to break up any alliance between the United States and China and with Russia as well.
Keep in mind that we are in the midst of the biggest financial breakdown crisis in the history. The entire European and American financial system is bankrupt, they are printing money at unprecedented rates, creating a hyperinflation and the view of London and of Obama and not necessarily the US military by the way; is that they need a war, they need a war especially with Russia and China to prevent an alliance of the Russians, the Chinese and the US, which is the only alliance that could break the power of a London-based financial empire, which is now in the state of total collapse, and replace it with a development-oriented creditary system.
Now the view from London, as you know, from the economists in the Financial Times is that they are going to be successful in manipulating this war calling the new Japanese government of Shinzo Abe, rightwing, anti-China and so forth.
I do not believe that. I think that it is possible but it is highly unlikely. Remember that this entire incident was started by Mr. Ishihara, the former mayor of Tokyo, a British asset who views Russia and China as Japan’s enemies, who wants nuclear weapons to counter them and who intervened here, in a peaceful situation to buy these islands; the government then foolishly, under the previous government, stepped in and had them nationalized, but it was Ishihara, a puppet of this global financial crowd, who launched this confrontation, precisely to stir up this confrontation with China and to try to drive the United States into a confrontation with China, which unfortunately, this idiot president that we have here in Washington [President Obama] is following London on every step, pushing for an encirclement of China as he is with an encirclement of Russia with ABM systems and military policies in Syria and Iran, which are aimed at provoking a war with Russia, a war that will likely be thermonuclear.
Press TV: Mike Billington, let us cut away the fluff here. If you were to give us a timeline in terms of a confrontation that may occur; how quickly do you think that this may happen? Given the fact that I would think that the US also needs to ..., well they have said, the Pentagon Chief, Leon Panetta, defense policy in the region calls for the US military to expend military-to-military relationships well beyond the traditional treaty allies.
He is referring, I assume, to the Association of South East Asian Nations [ASEAN]. So what about looking at it in terms of Taiwan?
Billington: Not only the South East Asian Nations [ASEAN], the irony here is that the US military headed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dempsey are probably the leading force that can prevent this war.
They do not agree with Obama, they do not agree with Wall Street or the city of London and your previous speaker [Chris Bambery] who identified the London-Wall Street axis is exactly right.
This does not serve British interest, it does not serve the American interest as nations. It serves the interests of the empire, the financial institutional empire, which has always been historically known as the British Empire or the Venetian Empire but the timeline is extremely short because we are looking at a situation where if Obama continues with his colonial regime change policy with Tony Blair and Cameron backing it up full steam by launching a war against Syria or perhaps even before Syria Iran; this will provoke a war with Russia.
This could be literally in weeks and if it becomes a war it is going to be a thermonuclear war and if it is a war with Russia, the likelihood is that they will immediately be at war with Russia and China.
So it is in that light that you see the placing of these X-band radar systems, second one in Japan and the one that they plan to put in the Philippines. The upgrading of the ABM systems and a ring around China, claiming falsely that this is a defense against North Korea just as they claim falsely in Europe that the ABM systems are [in] response to Iran, when in fact those systems have only one purpose which is to prevent a counterstrike from Russia or from China and therefore it is very serious strategic threat to both Russia and China.
So we are sitting on the brink. If this president, Obama, is not removed through impeachment or through forcing him to resign now, on the grounds of his very, very serious crimes in Libya, in allying himself with the al-Qaeda forces in Syria and in Libya; removed and prevented from pushing this imperial British line of warfare, so that we can get down to the business of the implementing of a new world financial system around the Bretton wood’s approach with a Glass-Steagall [Act] so that we can begin working with our true allies, Russia and China as great nations, with whom we can work to develop the world, as Franklin Roosevelt [32nd President of the United States] wanted to do and as the best of the US military leadership and intelligence leadership wants to do.
This is not American interest that are pursuing this insane war policy nor the hyperinflationary bailout of the British-American banking system.
This is an empire, which is the enemy of the Americans as much as it is an enemy of the British people and China and Russia. This is what is at stake and it is very, very short-term. This could be literally any day or any week if these wars are kicked off through an attack on Syria or Iran or perhaps, even to start in Asia as it has [had] in the past.
MY/JR
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