One of the all time classics - Desperado

This classic from the 70's by the Eagles is a tune which I am playing on my Keyboards at home, for easy access I have pasted it on my Blog. Its best played without any Autotune or Drum Beat and goes well with any Karaoke singalong.  

Small HK apartment, but many possibilities ; Creativity at its best !

6 million dollar question, can life be comfortable with 6 million inhabitants ?

        

                                   
                                                           Too close for comfort ? 
 

         The recent comment by our Prime Minister during the post National Day rally, stating that Singapore could manage with 6 million people, set many people questioning the feasibility as well as the possible liveability with 6 million in our midst. 
        
      Yesterday, in our newspapers, they interviewed people from economists, gerontologists, social experts and urban planners for their views on this 6 million. 2 key points stick out, 

1. The urban population density will be raised from 12,000 per square kilometer to 14,000 per square kilometer.  That is a lot of people per square kilometer ! Singapore will have to build not only upwards (40 to 50 storey skyscrapers) as well as build downwards (perhaps 10 to 20 levels below the ground).

2.     The social expert was concerned about the human and sociological impact on people citing experiments on mice whereby 3 mice in a cage, can coexist quite harmoniously, while 10 mice will be pushing and shoving, and competing for the top of the cage for the best 'air'.
Life would be very messy and ultracompetitive. People with the big hinterland like China, USA, even Malaysia can always move to the countryside and take things easy, costs of things and life in general would be slower. For us in our city state, we would have to emigrate.

       How realistic those scenarios may be, as currently with 5.3 million inhabitants, I can only  hazard and extrapolate, we are already witnessing more unsocial and crude behavior in lifts, trains, and malls for example. 

      One key point, is that for Singapore to progress economically, if there is no further productivity from our population, then we have to import people and businesses to prop up the GDP numbers. We all want to have our salaries moving upwards 5 - 7% year on year to tide and manage inflation. So, if our people cannot move upwards and create more value added services or killer products, then we need the new people to create them for Singapore.

       True ?     

Ed's Update Mar 2025 

We officially hit 6 million inhabitants in early 2025. The roads are full, the country seems packed, but we are still doing fine.

The super aging of our society means, realistically that for Singapore to continue on its economic development model of 2 - 3 % per annum without breaking the retirement bank, we have no option but to continue to attract and keep top value people. The citizenry may complain but the consensus is that if nuclear families only have 0 or 1 children, then we need to continue to grow our society through immigration.

Painful ? Yes.

Necessary ?  (deep breath) Yes.

The flipside is to look at super aged society like Japan. They have ghost towns and ever decreasing population. There are homeless, and many young people have difficultly finding and holding on to jobs. There are many sleeping rough and relationships and family bondings are at an all time low.

Recession is the time for great opportunities, do I dare to seize them ?

        This month saw the PMI or purchasing manager's index shrink to 47.8, the lowest in 6 months and proves that on the whole, the economy is suffering a technical recession, where 2 successive quarters have contracted with the previous ones, so Singapore is in a recession. Its yet to be felt, but people in the know are quietly disposing the additional or non-essential assets to ride through, should the measures and jobs situation get worse.

       I for one, and doing just that, but I am also hedging my bets so to speak, by selling anything and everything wherever I can, leveraging on contacts, goodwill, and even friendship. Its the time for boys and goondhus (stupid fellows) to grow up and experience first hand, how it is to survive in the dog-eat-dog world.

      Singapore may be well poised with a compliant workforce, competitively priced, but rents costs and  dollar costs per worker (including levies) are far higher than many other countries. We have no choice but to move up the value chain. If the new  'big thing' doesn't materialise for say 6 months - that is a killer product which will get everyone, to buy, such as the IPhone 5 or the move towards a greener earth leading to green based products, we will be facing the worst scenario, stagflation, whereby the economy will stagnate or even stay in negative zone while inflation (weakining of money) goes on unabated. Singapore needs to manufacture, and export things,  20% - 25 % of our workforce are employed in this sector, and contributes to 1/12 th (8% ) of the overall GDP.  Furthermore, with the interrelation of things, banks and lenders will be hit too, with foreclosures and monetary recalls.

    

      Its a scary thought.

Another marathon year end ? Will I be able to do it ?

                                               2010 marathon, when I still looked fit !

     This year,marks my half-century milestone. I will turn 50 next month and I am struggling physically from training for my year end ritual, the Standard Chartered Marathon. Having done 6 full marathons thus far (including 2011's edition), I am less challenged by the event and more challenged by just getting up in the morning and heading out for that all important 10K and build up. I will set myself a target in 8 weeks, here it is in full public view.

                 First 4 weeks

      Wk 1 (Oct 6 - 13)       40 km ;    10, rest, 10 , rest, 5, 5, rest
      Wk 2 (Oct 14-21)       40 km ;    10, rest, 10,  rest,5, 5, rest
      Wk 3 (Oct  22 - 29)    50 km ;    15 km, rest, 10, 5 10, 10, rest
      Wk 4 (Oct 30 - Nov 5) 50 km    15km, rest,10, 5, 10, 10, rest

      If I can't keep to this pace, owing to injury, work committments (age and social committments not excuses for not training) - I will give up this precious goal.  

     Seize the Day !!