High-Frequency Traders Ripping Off Investors, Lewis Says
2014-03-31 00:09:27.261 GMT
By Nick Baker and Sam Mamudi
March 30 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. stock market is a rigged
game where high-frequency traders with advanced computers make
tens of billions of dollars by jumping in front of investors,
according to author Michael Lewis, who spent the past year
researching the topic for his new book “Flash Boys.”
While speed traders’ strategies, developed over the past
decade with help from exchanges, are legal, “it’s just nuts”
that they’re allowed, Lewis said during an interview televised
today on CBS Corp.’s “60 Minutes.” The tactics are too
complicated for individual investors to understand, he said.
“The United States stock market, the most iconic market in
global capitalism, is rigged,” Lewis, whose books “Liar’s
Poker” and “The Big Short” highlighted Wall Street excesses,
said during the interview. The new book comes out tomorrow.
“It’s crazy that it’s legal for some people to get advance news
on prices and what investors are doing,” he said.
Everyone who owns equities is victimized by the practices,
in which the fastest traders figure out which stocks investors
plan to buy, purchase them first and then sell them back at a
higher price, said Lewis, a columnist for Bloomberg View. To
show how lucrative the tactics are, Lewis said a technology firm
spent $300 million to build a line that would shave three
milliseconds off the time it takes to communicate between New
Jersey and Chicago, then leased it out to securities companies
for $10 million each…..
His latest target, high-frequency trading, comprises a
diverse set of software-driven strategies that have spread from
U.S. equity markets to most developed countries as computer
power grew and regulators tried to break the grip of centralized
exchanges….
There are no surprises why this rigging of the stock market could go on
for so long as the lawmakers were mostly paid by the big boys to shut up
and look the other way. But to write about front running by a few
milliseconds to make profits is just skimming the surface of this
devious criminal activity. It is the privy of market information on who
is buying/selling what, the volume, price, the short positions etc etc
that is ripping the innocent investors through the act of plugging their
computers into the exchanges that is doing more damages than just high
speed trading. They are not telling the host of advantages of having
super computers attached to stock exchanges to make trading an almost
sure win bet.
The criminals must be brought to justice, the stock exchanges sued and
compensations be paid to the innocent investors who have lost their
pants trading in the market. Anyone or govt bodies approving its
practice are complicit to the crime.
Below is a Wall Street Journal report dated 1 Apr 14.
‘The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a wide-ranging
investigation into high-speed trading with an eye on whether some firms
are acting on fast-moving market information that isn’t available to
other traders.
The investigation, launched about a year ago, involves a range of
trading activities and is still in its early stages, according to a
senior FBI official and an agency spokesman. Trading ahead of other
investors based on information about orders that other investors can’t
see could violate insider-trading laws, the spokesman said….’
4/01/2014
China US relations – Different fears
The rise of China as a contender to challenge America supremacy and
world hegemony is the biggest fear of the Americans. They have ruled the
world since WW2 and could dictate to the world at will, invade
countries, conduct wars, conduct regime change, blackmail and impose
sanction on any country it chose to call enemies. The Americans said you
cannot have nuclear weapons or WMD, that’s it. Refusal to obey will
lead to war, sanctions or regime change or outright assassination of the
country’s leaders.
The rise of China as a counter force to prevent America from doing all the above is not going to be accepted willingly by the Americans. The Americans would want to fly its military aircraft up and down China’s coast, sail its naval ships all over the seas of China. It also wants to fly its B52 bombers into China’s ADIZ at will. It also wants to be able to strike at Chinese embassies anywhere in the world at its own time and choosing. But with the rise of China, all these will have to stop sooner or later. With the rise of China, China too would want to fly its military aircraft along the American coasts, its naval ships in the eastern Pacific Oceans and the western Atlantic Ocean. And it would want to strike back at will should the Americans dare to do a Belgrade again. These are the fears of the American Empire.
The Chinese fear is all about what the USA will do to prevent its rise as a superpower peacefully. It fears that it will have to fight a war with the Americans and its allies along the way. It fears that the Americans will put obstacles on its path in all its activities across the world. The Chinese fear a premature full scale war with the Americans when it is not ready to return favour for favour with the Americans.
Across the world, many countries under the influence of the West also fear the rise of China. They fear China because they were told to, for centuries, by the western powers that China is a rogue and expansionist nation. They fear China because they refused to think who actually conquered and colonized them and dictating how they should conduct their relations and affairs. They fear China because they live under an illusion created by the west that China is a monster and the Americans are their savior. And they unconsciously choose to be under the control and dictate of the Americans rather than be free nations to choose their own destiny without being control by any superpowers. They did not know that the fear of China is an illusion created by the western powers to entrap them like fearing a shadow.
The Americans have a real fear of losing its pole position and the freedom to do as it pleases. China has a genuine fear that the Americans are trying in everyday to throw a spanner in its works or to start a nuclear war.
The rest of the world that claims to fear China has an irrational fear planted in their heads by the western powers. There are a few with self created fear of China when they made claims to Chinese territories as theirs. Other than those with competing claims, the fear of the rest of the world of China is simply foolishness. They do not fear the Americans as they have got used to being bullied and dictated by the Americans and this has become second nature and an accepted norm of living with the American Empire. They don’t mind the Americans spying on them and waiting to destabilize their countries when the Americans are unhappy with them.
Many countries in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and across Asia have been victims of American bullying for decades since WW2 and are seeing the enemy as it is, the real and not imaginary enemies planted in their heads.
There is a new beginning in the horizon when the world will be more equal with more superpowers emerging to balance the American Empire from doing as it pleases, for running roughshod over weaker countries at will.
The rise of China as a counter force to prevent America from doing all the above is not going to be accepted willingly by the Americans. The Americans would want to fly its military aircraft up and down China’s coast, sail its naval ships all over the seas of China. It also wants to fly its B52 bombers into China’s ADIZ at will. It also wants to be able to strike at Chinese embassies anywhere in the world at its own time and choosing. But with the rise of China, all these will have to stop sooner or later. With the rise of China, China too would want to fly its military aircraft along the American coasts, its naval ships in the eastern Pacific Oceans and the western Atlantic Ocean. And it would want to strike back at will should the Americans dare to do a Belgrade again. These are the fears of the American Empire.
The Chinese fear is all about what the USA will do to prevent its rise as a superpower peacefully. It fears that it will have to fight a war with the Americans and its allies along the way. It fears that the Americans will put obstacles on its path in all its activities across the world. The Chinese fear a premature full scale war with the Americans when it is not ready to return favour for favour with the Americans.
Across the world, many countries under the influence of the West also fear the rise of China. They fear China because they were told to, for centuries, by the western powers that China is a rogue and expansionist nation. They fear China because they refused to think who actually conquered and colonized them and dictating how they should conduct their relations and affairs. They fear China because they live under an illusion created by the west that China is a monster and the Americans are their savior. And they unconsciously choose to be under the control and dictate of the Americans rather than be free nations to choose their own destiny without being control by any superpowers. They did not know that the fear of China is an illusion created by the western powers to entrap them like fearing a shadow.
The Americans have a real fear of losing its pole position and the freedom to do as it pleases. China has a genuine fear that the Americans are trying in everyday to throw a spanner in its works or to start a nuclear war.
The rest of the world that claims to fear China has an irrational fear planted in their heads by the western powers. There are a few with self created fear of China when they made claims to Chinese territories as theirs. Other than those with competing claims, the fear of the rest of the world of China is simply foolishness. They do not fear the Americans as they have got used to being bullied and dictated by the Americans and this has become second nature and an accepted norm of living with the American Empire. They don’t mind the Americans spying on them and waiting to destabilize their countries when the Americans are unhappy with them.
Many countries in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and across Asia have been victims of American bullying for decades since WW2 and are seeing the enemy as it is, the real and not imaginary enemies planted in their heads.
There is a new beginning in the horizon when the world will be more equal with more superpowers emerging to balance the American Empire from doing as it pleases, for running roughshod over weaker countries at will.
Do not underestimate the stupidity of Sinkies
The founding generations who turned a fishing village and a swamp into a
thriving modern city state were mostly uneducated or undereducated
peasants and coolies. There were barely a handful of graduates then that
made this miracle happened. So credit must be accorded to the real
talents. After the success there was a sudden realisation by the real
talented that the Sinkies were really daft and untalented and they could
not understand how they could build this modern city with their poor
genes and limitations. It is a deep mystery like the disappearance of
MH370.
There was a real and urgent need to bring in the genuine talents from around the world. There were many real talents in the 3rd World slums who were really talented but did not have the opportunity to prove their worth to turn their slums into thriving metropolis. These were the real talents, hungry and impatient to prove themselves that should be quickly imported to replace the daft Sinkies. And the Sinkies accepted it all grudgingly knowing that these 3rd World talents were the really better than them even if they were fakes.
And the replacement exercise of daft Sinkies began at all levels in full steam. The daft CEOs that built business empires and financial institutions like banks should also be replaced with the new talents to run their banks. By the way, these new talents have never built a bank or started a business before but they are talented to bring the daft Sinkie businesses and empires to a higher plane. The daft Sinkies are no longer able to do any better for the institutions they helped to build, nurture and grow to where they are today. They must be replaced as quickly as possible.
The only group of Sinkies that are irreplaceable are the crème of Sinkie talents, the politicians. These will not be replaced by foreigners, no way when they are near immortals. The Sinkies would not allow it to happen. The Sinkies will tenaciously vote them into power so that they can continue with the talent replacement scheme until all daft Sinkies are replaced by talented foreigners.
The Sinkies can only aspire for the good life and hopefully they will be spurred to work harder and harder and remain as daft as ever, unthinking and not thinking. What is the good life to the daft Sinkies? This can be seen in the advertisements for high end properties and luxury stuff. Sinkies can only attain the good life if they marry a talented angmoh or foreigner. Oh, I need to qualify, only the pretty and desirable Sinkie females have this privilege to a good life. The talented angmohs have good taste too and would only want beautiful Sinkie lasses to share their good fortune. Now where is Anton? The advertisements made it very clear that daft Sinkie men are hopeless and would never be able to afford such high end luxuries and pretty women. Perhaps they were dull and ugly too.
The adverts say it all. Only the angmohs are the talented and are able to afford the good life and provide for the beautiful women. And they are not only talented but very good looking too, the perfect specimen not found in Sinkie men. In fact all advertisements of anything good, talented, expensive, good taste, luxurious, are part and parcel of the angmohs and foreigners. These are things that daft Sinkies would never possess because of their poor genes. This is not a case of self deprecating I am very sure.
How then should the Sinkies not be replaced by the talented and good genes of foreigners? I am sure all the daft Sinkies will nod in agreement and adore the talents and capabilities of the foreigners. They must be aspiring to want to buy a new set of foreign DNAs and get them injected into the eggs of their spouses and hoping that science will make their progeny as talented and well endowed as the angmohs.
Wonder how long will it take for all the dull Sinkies to be replaced by the talented foreigners? But not to worry, the Sinkies are waiting patiently and eagerly to be replaced. They know that this is the best thing ever to happen to them, and it is good for the country too. They will accept their fate in quiet obedience. They will be no protest or resistance to their replacement.
As I said, please do not underestimate the stupidity of daft Sinkies. Many are hoping that the replacement exercise will be completed faster to save them the waiting and the agony. They know that they are unworthy and there is nothing they can do about it. What is the point when they are born daft and unpleasing in every way and unable to compete with the foreign talents? They should be thankful and grateful to their dear leaders and the foreign talents to liberate them from their misery.
April 1st should be gazetted as a Sinkie Day, a national holiday.
Kopi Level - Green
There was a real and urgent need to bring in the genuine talents from around the world. There were many real talents in the 3rd World slums who were really talented but did not have the opportunity to prove their worth to turn their slums into thriving metropolis. These were the real talents, hungry and impatient to prove themselves that should be quickly imported to replace the daft Sinkies. And the Sinkies accepted it all grudgingly knowing that these 3rd World talents were the really better than them even if they were fakes.
And the replacement exercise of daft Sinkies began at all levels in full steam. The daft CEOs that built business empires and financial institutions like banks should also be replaced with the new talents to run their banks. By the way, these new talents have never built a bank or started a business before but they are talented to bring the daft Sinkie businesses and empires to a higher plane. The daft Sinkies are no longer able to do any better for the institutions they helped to build, nurture and grow to where they are today. They must be replaced as quickly as possible.
The only group of Sinkies that are irreplaceable are the crème of Sinkie talents, the politicians. These will not be replaced by foreigners, no way when they are near immortals. The Sinkies would not allow it to happen. The Sinkies will tenaciously vote them into power so that they can continue with the talent replacement scheme until all daft Sinkies are replaced by talented foreigners.
The Sinkies can only aspire for the good life and hopefully they will be spurred to work harder and harder and remain as daft as ever, unthinking and not thinking. What is the good life to the daft Sinkies? This can be seen in the advertisements for high end properties and luxury stuff. Sinkies can only attain the good life if they marry a talented angmoh or foreigner. Oh, I need to qualify, only the pretty and desirable Sinkie females have this privilege to a good life. The talented angmohs have good taste too and would only want beautiful Sinkie lasses to share their good fortune. Now where is Anton? The advertisements made it very clear that daft Sinkie men are hopeless and would never be able to afford such high end luxuries and pretty women. Perhaps they were dull and ugly too.
The adverts say it all. Only the angmohs are the talented and are able to afford the good life and provide for the beautiful women. And they are not only talented but very good looking too, the perfect specimen not found in Sinkie men. In fact all advertisements of anything good, talented, expensive, good taste, luxurious, are part and parcel of the angmohs and foreigners. These are things that daft Sinkies would never possess because of their poor genes. This is not a case of self deprecating I am very sure.
How then should the Sinkies not be replaced by the talented and good genes of foreigners? I am sure all the daft Sinkies will nod in agreement and adore the talents and capabilities of the foreigners. They must be aspiring to want to buy a new set of foreign DNAs and get them injected into the eggs of their spouses and hoping that science will make their progeny as talented and well endowed as the angmohs.
Wonder how long will it take for all the dull Sinkies to be replaced by the talented foreigners? But not to worry, the Sinkies are waiting patiently and eagerly to be replaced. They know that this is the best thing ever to happen to them, and it is good for the country too. They will accept their fate in quiet obedience. They will be no protest or resistance to their replacement.
As I said, please do not underestimate the stupidity of daft Sinkies. Many are hoping that the replacement exercise will be completed faster to save them the waiting and the agony. They know that they are unworthy and there is nothing they can do about it. What is the point when they are born daft and unpleasing in every way and unable to compete with the foreign talents? They should be thankful and grateful to their dear leaders and the foreign talents to liberate them from their misery.
April 1st should be gazetted as a Sinkie Day, a national holiday.
Kopi Level - Green
3/31/2014
MH370 – The slips that spoke a louder truth
3 weeks have passed and there is not a single shred of concrete evidence
to tell what happened to MH370. We are back at square one with many
people furiously rushing to the Antarctics where all the ‘evidences’ are
pointing, that there is where the aircraft had crashed. We have heard
all the leads, some supposedly very real, some like real, some very
technical, some plain speculative and some plain idiotic, but all saying
one thing, MH370 crashed in the Antarctics. Now, if these did not smell
a rat, what else could? Is there someone trying to lead everyone by the
nose to the Antarctics?
Throughout this period of panicky search, grasping at anything that moved, what was really telling a more compelling story could be from the slips that popped up along the way. The first slip came from the Malaysians claiming that they saw a few blips heading towards the Malacca Straits and then northwest. This was later refuted when the Indonesians said their radars in the same area did not see anything. Of all the people, the Indonesians were a neutral party and have no interest to want to lie or hide anything. In fact this claim by the Indonesians is very material to dispel more speculative claims later. I will elaborate this as I go along.
The next major slip came from the Indian Govt claiming that they could not afford to switch on their radars all the time, in another words they did not see anything, or they were not going to reveal what they had seen. This is also a very important leak if you know what the Indians were really saying.
The reports that islanders in the Maldives saw an aircraft flew very low over the island on the morning of MH370’s disappearance was meant to be another lead. To make the story more convincing, they added that the aircraft was painted in the same red and white as MH370. Though flying very low, they could not see the MAS logo on the aircraft. What did that say? From all angles and explanations, there was no reason for MH370 to be in Maldives and not flying at that level. What was the intent of this lead or mislead?
The most important leak or slip came when PM Abbott found it so important to rush to call Najib personally when all he got was a couple of images of debris in the Antarctics. And the Australians even thought it an earth shattering discovery to hold a press conference on this find. What did Abbott know, or what were the Australians trying to tell the world? Yes, without any concrete evidence, they were pointing to the Antarctics as the crash site. Were they pulling everyone’s ear to look there?
This was followed by two theories of a suicidal pilot and an aircraft flying on auto pilot, the pilot being dead, and in both cases somehow must head towards where the Australians said was the crash site, a remote corner that is really out of this world. What coincidences! There must be a big magnet there, or a black hole.
Then technical proof came from Immarsat with pings showing two arcs, a northern and a southern arc where the aircraft could fly. And of course it must be the southerly one and must be pointing to the site the Australians said so. And nobody remembered or wanted to remember that the Indonesians categorically denied seeing any aircraft on their radar screens. A southerly flight path must be seen by many Indonesian radars. A dead pilot would not be evading radars anymore. So would a suicidal pilot with 238 dead bodies keeping him company on his last 7 hours of flight. The thought of flying an aircraft with all the dead bodies alone, and a dead co pilot sitting beside him would be enough to scare him to death.
Nonetheless more debris was captured on satellite cameras but never to be seen by ships or aircraft searching in the area. And so was the silence of the black boxes, presumably in the area but not sending out any signals to be heard.
The leads or slips got more important and hilarious with the finale coming from Najib who conclusively declared that the aircraft crashed at the spot the Australians said so and all passengers were dead. The important thing is what was said to Najib or shown to him by the Australians to make him so convinced, so confident to go public to pronounce the passengers dead and the MH370 ended there, and the case was closed? Without revealing the information given to him by the Australians he appeared quite stupid and this was not missed by anyone. Probably he is now regretting what he had said as the information passed to him was top secret and he could not go public to redeem himself. Did the Australians know something that nobody knows?
The biggest mystery about this incident is the role of the Americans. Does anyone notice that the Americans have deliberately taken a minor role while Australia is assuming the leadership? It is abnormal for the Americans, with its number One superpower status, the amount of high tech equipment and satellites at its disposal, and its consistent policy of wanting to show who is the boss man but chose to take a step back in this search? And someone pointed out rightly that it took the Americans a whole 3 weeks to deliver their blackbox seeking underwater craft to the Australians. This would take another 4 days to reach the site, just about the end of the battery life of the blackboxes.
From all the slips and leaks and the false leads, a picture can actually be painted to tell a better story of what happened to MH370 and how it ended up in the Antarctics and still untraceable, and its blackboxes still dead.
Throughout this period of panicky search, grasping at anything that moved, what was really telling a more compelling story could be from the slips that popped up along the way. The first slip came from the Malaysians claiming that they saw a few blips heading towards the Malacca Straits and then northwest. This was later refuted when the Indonesians said their radars in the same area did not see anything. Of all the people, the Indonesians were a neutral party and have no interest to want to lie or hide anything. In fact this claim by the Indonesians is very material to dispel more speculative claims later. I will elaborate this as I go along.
The next major slip came from the Indian Govt claiming that they could not afford to switch on their radars all the time, in another words they did not see anything, or they were not going to reveal what they had seen. This is also a very important leak if you know what the Indians were really saying.
The reports that islanders in the Maldives saw an aircraft flew very low over the island on the morning of MH370’s disappearance was meant to be another lead. To make the story more convincing, they added that the aircraft was painted in the same red and white as MH370. Though flying very low, they could not see the MAS logo on the aircraft. What did that say? From all angles and explanations, there was no reason for MH370 to be in Maldives and not flying at that level. What was the intent of this lead or mislead?
The most important leak or slip came when PM Abbott found it so important to rush to call Najib personally when all he got was a couple of images of debris in the Antarctics. And the Australians even thought it an earth shattering discovery to hold a press conference on this find. What did Abbott know, or what were the Australians trying to tell the world? Yes, without any concrete evidence, they were pointing to the Antarctics as the crash site. Were they pulling everyone’s ear to look there?
This was followed by two theories of a suicidal pilot and an aircraft flying on auto pilot, the pilot being dead, and in both cases somehow must head towards where the Australians said was the crash site, a remote corner that is really out of this world. What coincidences! There must be a big magnet there, or a black hole.
Then technical proof came from Immarsat with pings showing two arcs, a northern and a southern arc where the aircraft could fly. And of course it must be the southerly one and must be pointing to the site the Australians said so. And nobody remembered or wanted to remember that the Indonesians categorically denied seeing any aircraft on their radar screens. A southerly flight path must be seen by many Indonesian radars. A dead pilot would not be evading radars anymore. So would a suicidal pilot with 238 dead bodies keeping him company on his last 7 hours of flight. The thought of flying an aircraft with all the dead bodies alone, and a dead co pilot sitting beside him would be enough to scare him to death.
Nonetheless more debris was captured on satellite cameras but never to be seen by ships or aircraft searching in the area. And so was the silence of the black boxes, presumably in the area but not sending out any signals to be heard.
The leads or slips got more important and hilarious with the finale coming from Najib who conclusively declared that the aircraft crashed at the spot the Australians said so and all passengers were dead. The important thing is what was said to Najib or shown to him by the Australians to make him so convinced, so confident to go public to pronounce the passengers dead and the MH370 ended there, and the case was closed? Without revealing the information given to him by the Australians he appeared quite stupid and this was not missed by anyone. Probably he is now regretting what he had said as the information passed to him was top secret and he could not go public to redeem himself. Did the Australians know something that nobody knows?
The biggest mystery about this incident is the role of the Americans. Does anyone notice that the Americans have deliberately taken a minor role while Australia is assuming the leadership? It is abnormal for the Americans, with its number One superpower status, the amount of high tech equipment and satellites at its disposal, and its consistent policy of wanting to show who is the boss man but chose to take a step back in this search? And someone pointed out rightly that it took the Americans a whole 3 weeks to deliver their blackbox seeking underwater craft to the Australians. This would take another 4 days to reach the site, just about the end of the battery life of the blackboxes.
From all the slips and leaks and the false leads, a picture can actually be painted to tell a better story of what happened to MH370 and how it ended up in the Antarctics and still untraceable, and its blackboxes still dead.
Hsien Loong – the govt doing the right thing
This is what Hsien Loong said during his tour of Britain to a British
audience. The statement was an absolute truth 20 or 30 years ago but
this is no longer the case as the sentiment has changed. And this is
best proven by the electoral defeats in the last two by elections. Hsien
Loong and his party could still believe that it is so, and this is
expected as they must believe that they were doing the right thing.
Can’t imagine the outcome if they did not believe that they were doing
the right thing in the first place.
On the other extreme, especially the moods and comments in the social media, things are not looking right for his govt. There has never been so much anger among the people, so many grievances and so many ‘right’ policies but seen as bad policies being paraded as anti citizens or bad for the citizens. But this is just a perception of course, and depending on who you are, where you are, there are many who would still swear by the PAP as the best govt there is. Some are still enjoying their golden years with unbelieveable comfort and luxurious lifestyle they have never imagined could happen.
There are always many views and many angles to look at a situation. But some of the policies are going to have very serious impact on the nation and people in times to come and could make or destroy all the good works built over the last 40 years. The high cost of living, of properties, of medical, and of everything, are serious matters that cannot be ignored. But none is more threatening, divisive and dangerous than the open door immigration policies that led to the surge in population and the influx of foreigners. There are many signs of a mismatch and tensions, that the foreigners would supplant and undermine, undercut the docile population that have been domesticated and no longer know the law of the jungle, how to fight as a clan, how to cheat, and the survival of the fittest.
Singapore is in a way like Israel. The Israel of today is dominated by a new breed of Israelis, the migrants from Europe. They have taken over from the native Israelis, the original people of the land. They are the new rulers of the land. But the saving grace is that they are quite homogeneous in a way, with a very strong historical sense of being, of being a people with a common destiny.
The rojak citizenship of Singapore is itself a problem. Before this rojak becomes a complementary mix, the original people of the founding generations are now faced with a new threat from a breed of foreigners with very different attitude, aggressiveness and motivation. The new citizens are here to grab everything they could for themselves, from the founding generations. They may look similar but they are very different in many ways. They are aliens and they do not take kindly of the domesticated citizenry. Even at this early stage of their presence there are all the signs or repugnance, abrasiveness and thuggishness that the original citizens could be bullied, taken advantage of and dismissed as and when they pleased. And no one is holding them back.
The future Singaporean mix is not going to be like the Israelis, one people, one nation. It is going to be many people and no nation. Or worst, alien people ruling over the original Singaporeans, in a way more like Troy.
Are the govt really doing the right thing? This is a very subjective question and many would disagree as many would agree. What is the future holding for the original Singaporeans with the govt thinking they are doing the right thing?
Kopi Level - Yellow
On the other extreme, especially the moods and comments in the social media, things are not looking right for his govt. There has never been so much anger among the people, so many grievances and so many ‘right’ policies but seen as bad policies being paraded as anti citizens or bad for the citizens. But this is just a perception of course, and depending on who you are, where you are, there are many who would still swear by the PAP as the best govt there is. Some are still enjoying their golden years with unbelieveable comfort and luxurious lifestyle they have never imagined could happen.
There are always many views and many angles to look at a situation. But some of the policies are going to have very serious impact on the nation and people in times to come and could make or destroy all the good works built over the last 40 years. The high cost of living, of properties, of medical, and of everything, are serious matters that cannot be ignored. But none is more threatening, divisive and dangerous than the open door immigration policies that led to the surge in population and the influx of foreigners. There are many signs of a mismatch and tensions, that the foreigners would supplant and undermine, undercut the docile population that have been domesticated and no longer know the law of the jungle, how to fight as a clan, how to cheat, and the survival of the fittest.
Singapore is in a way like Israel. The Israel of today is dominated by a new breed of Israelis, the migrants from Europe. They have taken over from the native Israelis, the original people of the land. They are the new rulers of the land. But the saving grace is that they are quite homogeneous in a way, with a very strong historical sense of being, of being a people with a common destiny.
The rojak citizenship of Singapore is itself a problem. Before this rojak becomes a complementary mix, the original people of the founding generations are now faced with a new threat from a breed of foreigners with very different attitude, aggressiveness and motivation. The new citizens are here to grab everything they could for themselves, from the founding generations. They may look similar but they are very different in many ways. They are aliens and they do not take kindly of the domesticated citizenry. Even at this early stage of their presence there are all the signs or repugnance, abrasiveness and thuggishness that the original citizens could be bullied, taken advantage of and dismissed as and when they pleased. And no one is holding them back.
The future Singaporean mix is not going to be like the Israelis, one people, one nation. It is going to be many people and no nation. Or worst, alien people ruling over the original Singaporeans, in a way more like Troy.
Are the govt really doing the right thing? This is a very subjective question and many would disagree as many would agree. What is the future holding for the original Singaporeans with the govt thinking they are doing the right thing?
Kopi Level - Yellow
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