US China Trade War entering new phase - the best outcome

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump declared Friday that he had "hereby ordered" American companies with operations in China "to immediately start looking for" an alternative after Beijing announced a series of retaliatory tariffs....

The U.S. has said it plans to impose 10% tariffs on $300 billion of Chinese goods in two steps, on Sept. 1 and Dec. 15. China responded Friday with new tariffs on $75 billion of U.S. products in retaliation, deepening a conflict over trade and technology that threatens to tip a weakening global economy into recession.

China also will increase import duties on U.S.-made autos and auto parts, the Finance Ministry announced. Tariffs of 10% and 5% will take effect on two batches of goods on Sept. 1 and Dec. 15, the ministry said in a statement. It gave no details of what goods would be affected but the timing matches Trump's planned duty hikes....Yahoo News

The US China Trade War has a lot of similarities to the Korean War, aka the Anti American Imperialism War to the Chinese. In that war, the US under the command of Gen MacArthur, a personality not much different from Trump, entered the war with the full might of the American military power. The overwhelming imbalance in the forces of the two adversaries was stark and the North Koreans could only retreat. MacArthur marched towards the Yalu River in triump, beaming like an invincible war hero. Then China entered the theatre and struck back. The rest is history.

Trump started this war with China with guns blazing, shooting everything sight. For the initial phase of this war he appeared to be winning and China was being pushed back like the North Koreans. The war has reached a similar stage as the American forces at the Yalu River. China is digging and and fighting back. China is going to take the initiative and turn the table.

Are the Americans going to win or flee? Trump has ordered a withdrawal of all American companies in China, back to America just like MacArthur did when he was swarm by the Chinese Volunteer Armies. How would this turn out? Can American companies afford to retreat to the homeland, across the Pacific Ocean? What would happen to Ford and GM when they lose the biggest car market in the world and returned to a saturated home market that have grown sick of them and facing the onslaught of Japanese, Korean and European cars? Ford and GM's lives were extended and saved because of the move to China. Without the Chinese market these two American dinosaurs would have their lives ended in double quick time. So would many other American companies with operations in China, the electronics, computers and mobile phone and other high tech companies.

The outcome, Trump would raise its tariffs wall higher and banned all Japanese, Korean and European imports and the world would hit a recession that Trump has been working on for so long. Go ahead Trump, don't stop at 15%, go the max, 30% and what happens?

If the American economy is doing so well, Trump would not be so desperate to want to cut interest rate even to zero. Trump is so desperate that he even blamed Fed Chairman Jerome Powell as the enemy of the US, worse than Xi. Despite all his fake tweets of how well the American economy is doing, the truth is the opposite. More than 938 American farmers have gone bankrupt and more coming, and more farmers committing suicide because of Trump's reckless and unthinking policies promoted by the war hawks.

Trump will fail very badly. But the war hawks and their war industries would get a boost when the world goes into turmoil, rising tension and more wars. Well done Trump, this is the best outcome you can achieve in your presidency.

Thank you very much and bye bye the American Empire. Remember the Korean War?

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the richest of them all?

This table was posted in the TRE by Kenneth Jeyaratnam when he picked up Ho Ching for defending Hsien Loong's salary that for what Hsien Loong has done for Singapore, growing the population and GDP, his salary is justifiable. And there is Piyush Gupta's $11.9m salary to support the case that Hsien Loong is not overly over paid though relative to other world leaders it appeared so.

My posting of this article is not to discuss about Hsien Loong or Ho Ching's salaries. What is interesting and mysterious about the above table is the true wealth of each of the heads of govt. Who do you think is the richest of them all? I think this is indeed a very difficult question to answer.

Of the cuff Trump looks to be the richest with his billions earned from business, not from being head of govt/state. Xi Jinping looks very poor given his $29k and the leader of the most populous country of nearly 1.4b people. And of course Mahathir is a poor as a church mouse despite his billionaire sons whose fortune dunno came from where. Exceptional talents indeed.

In my view, Carrie Lam and Boris Johnson are the two genuinely poorer leaders of the lot.

What say you?

Periscopic Insights : ( 1 )USA stole Hawaii and Half of Mexico territories

It is good timing for Redbean  in his article in My Singapore News today  'The USA the  Thief Shouting Thief', to warn "The silly governments and media of the world must start thinking and not to repeat the American white lies and be part of this Evil Empire , destabiling the world and starting wars everywhere."

The cocoon politicians of the silly governments of the non-white third world and their mass media reporters and journalists may either be really ignorant of the endless strings of evils committed by USA and the West against non-white countries in Asia, Africa, and the Americas or may be out of their selfish self-interest they choose to ignore the truth and ingratiated with the Evil Empire and the West out of false thinking that US and Western Might is Right.

May be to keep the third world countries well informed of the intrinsic evil of USA and the West , My Singapore News and Global Times may have to publish the evil militant political cum religious and military doctrines and philosophy of the United States and the West from time to time. Southernglory1 will for such purpose may periodically publish brief information under the heading, "Periscopic Insights" about the Evil Empire and its western allies . In fact we can gauge some insights about the Evil Empire from websites like Global Times, Press TV, Russia Insider, New Eastern Outlook, Counterpunch.org and Strategic Culture Foundation.

Periscopic Insights : 1  500 Years Curse of Western Domination.

Base on its satanic political cum religious militant doctrine , "The Doctrine of Christian Discovery", white men from Europe justified its merciless and brutal conquests of the Americas, both North America, South America and Central America as well as Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Africa. This has been going on for the last 500 years and it hasn't stopped and is continuing in the present time as seen in Iraq, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan of the Middle East and in Venezuela, Cuba, Necaragua, Honduras, Guatemala , Bolivia and Costa Rica of Latin America.

In their killing paths of conquests white men have no qualms in their killings, murders, assassinations and genocide of natives in the lands they conquered since killings, genocide and aggression is in their blood and genes.

The United States, 'How It is Formed'

The United States is an illegal and illegitimate country contrived out of the bloody conquests and genocide of wholesale population of native Americans as well as robbing of half of former Mexican territories which now comprise the states of Florida, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and California.

The United States has illegally occupied half of Mexico's lands and is now unashamely telling Mexico to pay for a racist wall to uphold and legitimise its illegal holdings and to show white surpemacists 'might is right'. USA is an outrageous hypocrite in trying to portray itself as a defender of other countries' rights.

Hawaii

Moreover how did the United States got Hawaii, if anyone cares to know. USA just, US  invaded Hawaii in 1905 and after dethroning the queen of Hawaii and killing over 300,000 Hawaiian resistant patriotic fighters, US just grabbed Hawaii.

The United States has now flooded Hawaii with hundreds of thousands of white settlers who now occupy the most fertile and productive lands of Hawaii and the best and most scenic parts of the cluster of islands. Nevertheless the native Hawaiians have never lost hope and have not given up their fight to drive away imperial United States to achieve their independence. To the lofty glorious and patriotic intent of the native Hawaiians, all countries of the world and the United Nations must play a vital role to help the native Hawaiians achieve their goal of gaining ultimate independence from the Evil Empire.

Whenever the United States talk of democracy and human rights its intent is just to delude the world for it is using the terms as a smokescreen and an ulterior motive to enslave other countries under its rigid hegemonic control. When the United States talk of bringing democracy and human rights to your country it is more certain to bring death and sufferings to your country. This can be seen and witnessed now in Arab countries of Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen in the Middle East and in Venezuela, Bolivia, Necaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemals and Panama in Latin America.


Southernglory1

Saturday, 24th August, 2019

The USA, the thief shouting thief

The new US Defence Secretary Mark Esper has again repeated the charge that China is destablising the Indo Pacific Region. What did China do to deserve this daily accusation by this Evil Empire run by evil men and women in Washington?

Who is the rogue, the gangster that is fighting wars all over the world? Who is the rogue nation that is threatening countries with wars and sanctions, crippling their economies and driving their citizens into poverty and despair? Who is the rogue country that is instigating and provoking wars in the Indo Pacific Region? Who is the rogue country that is threatening Iran with war and amassing a huge military force in the Persian Gulf area?

The evil Americans are using the same tactics over and over again to accuse other countries as the aggressive and assertive party and diverting attention from their own wicked and evil acts all over the world. Did China do any of the hostile acts mentioned above? Zero!

Why is China on the receiving end of this baseless accusations daily? China must stand up to accuse the evil Americans of all their crimes and hostilities against countries of the world, or war crimes, invasion and false flag incidents to start wars. China cannot continue to keep quiet and let the devil set the agenda. China must go on a media spree to broadcast to the world how evil and warlike is the evil American Empire, how they attacked this and that country, how they crippled the economies of smaller countries and caused untold hardship to their people.

China and the rest of the world must speak up. And silly nations and their silly media must stop publishing the American white lies about China and other peaceful countries and tell the truth, who is the real warmongers and trouble maker in the whole word.

How can China, a peaceful country, conducting trades and infrastructure building to help nations all over the world be the destabilizing agent but the world’s number one warmongering nation, the Rogue Nation of the world be seen as the peaceful country defending peace and stability, or as the policeman of the world?

The silly govts and media of the world must start thinking and not to repeat the American white lies and to be part of this Evil Empire, destabilizing the world and starting wars everywhere.

Rohingyas – Evil men and women at work

Evilness in this world can come from men and women in white, wearing a halo over their heads and claiming to be doing the right thing and the good thing. The Rohingyas are victims of these men and women in white robes. They are being herded back to be raped, beaten, slaughtered and butchered by their ‘host’ country.
 
No, the Myanmese are not the evil ones. They are doing what is needed to rid their country of a people that don’t belong, cannot belong and cannot get along with the rest of the Myanmese. The Rohingyas have no place in Myanmar. Their religion and way of life are acrimonious and in conflict with the Myanmese. They were not supposed to be there but due to political reasons and persecution.
 
The Rohingyas are not to be blamed. The Myanmese are not to be blamed. Both of victims of the people in white robes. The ultimate reason for a long and endearing peace without more discrimination and bloodshed is to separate the two people that are as good as oil and fire. Put them together and they would burn and self destruct.
 
Why is it that the people in white robes, the so called angels of peace, the ‘good’ people, the caring and compassionate people, insist of shafting the Rohingyas into Myanmar to be discriminated, attacked and killed, and not to countries that have similar religion and way of life, with people that would accept them and willing to live with them? Why aren’t Bangladesh be taking back and resettle the Rohingyas in its own land when they would blend and mixed with the same people and live as one people?
 
Resettling the Rohingyas in Myanmar is like resettling the Jews in Israel, a cancer to the Myanmar that would fester and grow over time and would invite more cruelties and atrocities between the two people. The solution for a better life for the Rohingyas is not in Myanmar. The Rohingyas know this and refused to go back to Myanmar where tragedies would be repeated on them and their children and the children of their children.
 
For God’s sake, for goodness sake, shoot the men and women in white first, for insisting in prolonging and perpetuating this tragedy on the Rohingyas. Their fake solution is no solution. Their intention is evil to the core. They are planting the seed of hate in Myanmar for Myanmar to be engulfed in racial conflict and strife forever. The Rohingyas are their pawns to cripple and destroy Myanmar. The Rohingyas can be killed, discriminated and suffered in Myanmar is non issue as long as they achieved their goal to bog down Myanmar in perpetual war with the Rohingyas.
 
If the world wants to save the Rohingyas, the last place to put them in is Myanmar. We are all witnesses to the evilness premediated by the men and women in white robes in sentencing the Rohingyas to an endless torture, suffering, tragedy and painful death.
 
Evilness has its root it fake good intention in the guise of human rights.

Singapore Masters Athletics (SMA) suspended by Singapore Athletics (SA)

Minister Josephine Teo in a group picture with SMA officials. Dep President Samuel on her right, President Glory Barnabas on her left, Secretary General Kannan immediately behind her and the rest of the committee members. Advisor to SMA is Fatimah Lateef, not present. Picture credit to TOC.


 
There was a petition launched recently to check on some violations by SMA and also a letter to Grace Fu on the same matter. The petition garnered more than 1352 signatures from the small community of masters athletes, including support from more than 10 local clubs and members and supporters from regional masters clubs.
 
The appeal letter to Grace Fu also triggered SA to conduct an investigation that led to the suspension of SMA from all activities except the ongoing registration of masters athletes participating in the Asian Masters Meet in Kuching in the first week of December. SMA is expected to explain its case to SA including submission of club meeting minutes, election of members etc etc as a follow up to the investigation.
 
The issues that led to the petition and letter to Grace Fu include:
1. Compulsory centralized training for masters athletes
2. Staying in the same hotel and spouses not allowed to accompany the athletes
3. PRs not allowed to participate (Note: this point was not in the letter to the minister)
4. Qualifying times/marks. Masters athletes that did not meet these criteria not allowed to participate
5. Masters athletes would also be judged on their attitude, character and behavior to represent Singapore
 
These criteria are new and not imposed by the World Masters Athletics, WMA and Asia Masters Athletics, AMA but unilaterally set by SMA.
 
SMA is one of more than 10 local athletic clubs that have masters membership. The biggest masters club in terms of paid membership is SMTFA. SMTFA is also the first masters club formed in Singapore. Most of the clubs are unhappy with SMA for unilaterally setting the above rules and criteria without consulting them, and furious as the rules are unnecessary and violate the ethos of WMA, AMA and the objectives of masters athletes, ie maximum participation from masters athletes including fellowship and camaraderie with their spouses.
 
The most critical issue is centralized training for masters athletes to raise standards of participation and to dismiss masters meets as a fun event. Masters athletes are seniors in age, and many very senior in their professions. And given the law of nature, many would have some medical conditions and in worse case scenarios some are in worse shape than para athletes. Just to be able to compete at their age and condition is already a great achievement. Pulling the ageing body to train is itself a heavy task, when the heart is willing but the body unwilling.
 
The standard of competition is still very high among the masters athletes at international levels, ie regional and world meets. A notable example is Bill Collins who did 12.2 sec for 100m at age 66 after recovering from muscle atrophy. Not many young men can clock this kind of time. The national, regional and world competitions on their own would set the standards of participation at a very high level, not simply for fun as the laymen would think.
 
Like the marathon, many would just want to compete for personal satisfaction, to have done that. I have seen uncles and aunties in their 80s and 90s struggling to compete in 5km and 10km walk. Even in their own time is no mean feat. Our local hero, uncle Kor Hong Fatt is 87 and still walking and winning gold medals, despite having gone through some serious medical conditions.
 
Do not dismiss masters athletes as being there for fun. Participating in masters athletic competition for personal satisfaction and goals is very trying and demands a lot of training and discipline. Try running 100m at 100 years old. Many are already struggling to keep fit in their 60s.
 
Masters athletic competition is real competition, keeping fit and also about making friends and having a little fun. Any seniors who think this is child play, having fun, should try to drag themselves to the track and do some running, jumping or throwing to see how they fare and whether their ageing bodies can take it.
 
All the masters clubs and masters athletes are hoping that at the end of this unhappy saga, more will be done for masters athletes, better organization and understanding, recognition and support from the govt, to promote healthy lifestyle and healthy living for senior citizens, tangible support like those given to para athletes, not just lip service. There are more than half a million seniors wanting to live life longer and healthier and to support ActiveSg activities.
 
It is high time the govt recognizes the needs of senior citizens and put the money where their mouth is.
 
With so many masters athletes clubs here, no one club should be allowed to set their agenda without consulting other clubs and to discriminate against other clubs especially in participation and representing Singapore in international meets.

 PS. Below are a few comments from a post in TOC on the suspension of SMA by SA.

"The man at the centre of the SMA controversy, its Deputy President Mr Samuel Veera Singaram told the Straits Times that he was taken by surprise by the suspension....

Mr Singaram is, unfortunately, no stranger to controversy.

He is known to have created issues when he was with Singapore Swimming Association as a technical official.

He was also jailed in 1994 for criminal breach of trust and cheating when he was a manager of the Sembawang Sports Club."

Just a legal question, can a person that has been jailed for CBT be allowed to hold office in a public club and also involved in fund raising and financial matters of a club?

CPF contributions to go up – huat ah!

The good news in Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally is a slew of increases in CPF contributions for the seniors. CPF contributions for all employees 55 years and above will go up. Employers will contribute a bit more, and employees also will contribute a bit more. As an example in thenewpaper, ‘For someone who was 55 in January this year and earns $3,000, both he and his employer contribute 13 per cent or $390 a month to his CPF savings. In January 2021, the contribution rates for each such party would go up to 14 per or $420 a month. That works out to $360 more in contributions each per year for employer and employee.’
 
CPF would be getting another $720 from each account of employees who are 55 year and above. How much more would be added to the CPF Board and to the national reserves? According to thenewpaper article, there are now about 450,000 Singaporeans aged 65 and above and this would double to 900,000 by 2030. My estimate is that there are 30,000 in each age group, so taking age 55 to age 70, an equivalent of 15 years, this group would have 450,000 heads. At 60 percent employed, it would come to 270,000 employee/accounts. And at $720 more per employee per year, savings in the CPF would be bloated by $194.4m annually.
 
While the seniors are happy with the higher contributions, presumably it would benefit them with more zeros in their CPF statements, who is the real or biggest beneficiary?
 
CPF Board huat ah! The national reserves, huat ah! Uncles and aunties, huat ah! Uncles and aunties can now smile bigger looking at their CPF statements, so much money there.
 
This is another win, win and win solution. You say smart or not? All winners, no losers. The employers contribute one additional percent from their payroll. The employees take home one per cent less from their pay check. But overall the employees’ CPF savings get fatter, get richer. And the Hsien Loong said no funny schemes to raise withdrawal age or retention of CPF monies…at least for now. Not sure in the future some smart alecs would say CPF got a lot of money, lets think of some compulsory schemes to take some more money from the CPF members.
 
PS. The new CPF contribution rates take effect on 1 Jan 2021.