"Affordable" is a dirty word

A friend told me at the cricket club - the government leaders should not say that public transport fares are affordable or that medical care is affordable.

"Affordable" is a dirty word. It should not be used.

Why? It may be affordable to people who earn a high salary, but for people who earn a low wage, it is not affordable.

When a govt leader says that it is "affordable" they should think of the people who earn low wages, and understand that every dollar of increase is painful to them.

I agree with this point of view. I prefer a strategy where the cost of living is kept low, so that most people, including those at low wages, can afford to get by with what they earn. They can work harder to earn more, but they should not have to work hard just to "afford" the high cost of living.

I respect the first generation of PAP leaders, who kept the cost of living low. Remember the cost of HDB flats in the old days, and the rental of HDB shops?

When the cost of living increases due to property prices, GST and wasteful spending, it hits the ordinary wage earners very hard.

Bad PAP.

Why do locals have to earn a living as a taxi driver?

At the cricket club, I had a conversation with an old friend. He expressed concern about what is happening in Singapore.

He made an interesting remark - in other countries, such as Australia, UK and America, the immigrants have to make a living as a taxi driver because they are not able to get other more suitable jobs.

In Singapore, it is the locals who are not able to get other suitable jobs and have to make a living as a taxi driver. Why is this the case?

I said that it is caused by the dysfunctional policies of the PAP. We have serious problems, and the leaders do not seem to realize it.

We have to vote to change the govt at the next general election.

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

1. Did the HK Police use excessive force against the protesters?
2. Is it appropriate for the HK govt to call for a ban on the use of face masks?

Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

Be responsive to the wishes of the people

I asked the question - should a govt be responsive to the wishes of the people?

The initial response - 83% certainly, 17% impossible.

Surely 100% should agree with this motherhood statement? Why did 17% said that it is impossible?

Well, the 17% probably realize that it is difficult to determine the wishes of the people. In any issue, there will be some people who are in favor of one option, while others prefer another option.

Here is how we can find out the wishes of the people in a reliable way.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2009

No need for PSLE exams to be so tough

Education minister Ong wanted to change the education system to reduce the stress for students.

I followed his changes and declared that they do not address the root of the problem. I was proved right.

What happened?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2008

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

1. Do you prefer to keep the current wide network of bus services?
2. How would you describe the performance of President Trump?
3. Should the protester who was shot be charged for rioting?
4. How long should a pedestrian wait for the green man to appear?

Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

Quora: Donald Trump is considering delisting Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges. What effect will this have on the U.S., China, and stock holders?

Robin Daverman, World traveler answered.

It’s a bit strange. Chinese companies listing in the US is a rather recent phenomenon. There was absolutely NO Chinese companies listed in the US until 1994, when a Shangdong power company get a historic first listing on NYSE. Nowadays, most of the Chinese companies listed in the US have a US connection - American VCs made investment in them, or American funds made investment in them, or there is some kind of partnership agreement with major US companies.\\

These companies have their revenue and customer base in China. Listing in the US stock exchanges is to allow their US investors to get their investment back, with profit. So - do US investors not want their money and profit back anymore?

Also, it turned out that it’s MUCH HARDER to get listed in China’s stock market than in the US stock market. China doesn’t allow any company to go IPO unless it has been significantly profitable for 3 years prior. In the US, you just need a banker who likes your story. So in the past decade, the US investment banks have been VERY AGGRESSIVE in trying to get Chinese companies to go IPO in the US. It basically means that US investors are willing to take more risks on earlier-staged companies, in order to get higher returns if their growth strategy pans out.

Which is why this approach is rather bizarre, because the only reason these US investors invested in Chinese companies is to get higher returns, and this measure is going to depress the prices and essentially force these investors to sell at a loss. So not allowing people to make more money is good? This makes no sense - or is there a severe liquidity problem in the market (rumor)? Because if there is, then selling at a loss to gain some liquidity is better than being stuck.

But then, it’s reasonable to ask the follow-up question: with all those QEs and flooding the system with cash, where did all the cash gone, and why are (some) people hoarding cash?

Trump asks China to investigate his opponent

New York Times:

President Trump on Thursday openly called on China to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, an extraordinary request that mirrored the one he made privately to the Ukrainian president, which is at the center of his impeachment inquiry.

Critics argue that these requests, which seek foreign assistance in discrediting a potential opponent in the 2020 election, are an abuse of presidential power. By asking so publicly, Mr. Trump seems determined to push back against those charges.

Details: Mr. Trump was specifically referring to a business deal between Mr. Biden’s son Hunter and a fund that involved the state-owned Bank of China. The fund was announced in 2013, days after Hunter Biden had flown to China with his father, who as vice president was in the midst of a diplomatic mission.

A lawyer for Hunter Biden has said that he did not conduct any business related to the investment fund on that trip, and that he was not an equity owner in the fund while his father was vice president.

The inquiry process: House investigators on Thursday interviewed their first witness in the growing impeachment inquiry: Kurt Volker, the State Department’s special envoy for Ukraine, who was named in the whistle-blower’s complaint.

Reduce the waiting time at controlled crossings

A law was passed a few decades ago to make it an offense to jaywalk. All pedestrians have to go to a controlled crossing and wait for the green man to appear before crossing the road.

This law was implemented badly.

Why?
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=2005

Letters published in mainstream newspapers

Here are some letters published in the mainstream newspapers over the past three days.

Do you agree with the suggestions? Give each your vote.
https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/most_view.aspx

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

1. Do you prefer to keep the current wide network of bus services?

2. How would you describe the performance of President Trump?

Vote in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

WOTC - High fare for short distance travel

Wisdom of the Crowd: 86% of the participants disagreed with the current fare structure which gave a higher fare to the first operator for short distance travel.

See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1595

WOTC - Proposed increase in public transport fares

Wisdom of the Crowd: 97% of the participants disagreed with the proposed increase in public transport fares citing three reasons. Only 3% agreed that the proposed increase is necessary.

See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1594

Quora: Will the US regain its dominance over China?

Lance Chambers, Been involved in US politics since Kennedy assassination.

Answered Sep 16

It’s no longer about China and the USA. It’s now about an age-old situation where nations grow, become dominant, and then fade. It seems like an inevitable ending of great nations and today it appears that the US is going through exactly the same phase.

It has nothing to do with China it has to do with the American people and how they have evolved over the last century or so.

Nations start off hungry to move beyond what they have been and had in the past. They grow, some become very powerful while others fade. Then progress reaches a point where they seem to believe they are the best, the greatest, the most important, the smartest, the leaders of the free world, etc. You get the idea!

However, all this hubris leads to pride, complacency, feelings of greatness, of being unassailable and this leads to a situation where the nation seems to believe it is invulnerable. Today China is proving the fact that political and national evolution occurs and America is feeling that pain and the horror of the reality of its growing fall into obscurity and derision from nations that used to hold it in high esteem.

China will take over of that there is no doubt, but, even China will be surpassed, in the future by another nation that can offer something better to its people and maybe the world and then the cycle starts again.

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

1. Shooting of the young protester in Hong Kong
2. What happened to the United Nations?
3. The behavior of Singaporeans need to improve.
4. How do you describe the 4G leaders?

Vote in
https://www.tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

WOTC - Boris Johnson and Brexit

Wisdom of the Crowd: 32% of the participants in this survey said that Boris Johnson will lead Britain through Brexit, with or without a deal. The other 68% expect him to resign as prime minister or be voted out before that event.

See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1593

WOTC - Re-election of Donald Trump

Wisdom of the Crowd: 30% of the participations in this survey said that Donald Trump will be re-elected for a second term. The other 70% expected a different outcome.

See the breakdown of the votes in
https://tklcloud.com/Crowd2/chart.aspx?ID=1592

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

1. Shooting of the young protester in Hong Kong

2. What happened to the United Nations?

Vote in
https://www.tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx

Will there be a decision on the RTS rail link within the one month extension?

I was delighted to read an online summary a few days ago - both countries agreed to an extension of the RTS rail link, without penalty.

Wow! This is a change in attitude. Maybe it will lead to a climate of cooperation and friendship between the Singapore and Malaysia.

https://tklcloud.com/Feedback/feedback2.aspx?id=1996

Wisdom of the Crowd - New Issues

1. Why was the United Nations General Assembly rather empty when PM Lee spoke?
2. Will Boris Johnson lose his premiership soon?

Vote in
https://www.tklcloud.com/Crowd2/vote.aspx