Singapore's National Anthem Majulah Singapura !

Majulah Singapura

Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura

Happy 57th Singapore ; My 5 wishes for the country

THE SMALL COUNTRY THAT COULD ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS, JUST LIKE DAVID

As we celebrate and reflect as our sovereign nation, Singapore turns 57 today, I have the following wishes for our country.

1. Racial and Religious Harmony  - 9.5 out of 10 (Well Done !)

Our ruling party for the last 57 years the PAP should be commended on this. We have a truly harmonious racial and religious tolerant country thanks to their far sighted policies in ensuring public housing and  schools have quotas for all ethnicities. Though the policies are not perfect, we grow up with friends and colleagues of different races, and the rate of intermarriage amongst races while not large, is significant.

Hence, we better understand and respect each other's cultures better with each passing year.

Lets Maintain this and Keep it Up.

2. Ang Mo Dua Ki mentality - 7 out of 10.  (Bad, Needs improvement downwards !)

We should cast out any doubt that no race nor society is truly superior. The subconscious mind of many Asians fed on US soft power for the last 77 odd years needs to be reset. Movies like Top Gun, Rambo series and hit Netflix series like Peaky Blinders, and their like must be overcome with many more Asian blockbusters.

The fact that many expatriates are in our midst, should not equate to our service  staff subconsciously giving them elite service and pandering to their whims while neglecting our people. This must and will change.

More Assertiveness and interaction with foreign people in social and online settings with meaningful topics. More debates and shared discussions for all. 

I do note that the public courts also give the Westerners a light touch when it comes to sentencing for unruly, drunken and poor behaviour to our public servants like the Police.

Why ?

3. Public Housing Prices are too High - 8 out of 10 (Needs improvement downwards!)

Kudos to the Government and HDB for designing and building high quality flats. They come at prices ranging from S$ 350,000 to over $500,000 which in many other countries (Australia) one can purchase a landed house (in suburbs not near city) and possibly with  a car too.

Public Housing Prices are becoming an Asset Class which if not carefully managed will become a Buyer's Trap for young couples who will end up working over 25 years just to pay off the mortgage (S$400,000 for example at 2.5% interest compounded will be S$800,000 in over 20 years time).

Somethings must be done to redress this else, it becomes a Debt Trap for the Young.

4. Car COE Prices - 13 out of 10 (Ridiculous and the System Needs a Complete Overhaul).    

We need to overhaul the COE, there is already so many additional taxes like ARF and Purchase Levies as well as ERP prices, one either must be crazy rich or just crazy to go out and buy a saloon car (Japanese) which will cost close to (now) $200,000 or US$ 120,000.

This is almost 5 times of what you can purchase for this SAME CAR MODEL in most parts of Europe.

Again, a New and Fairer System for All. A suggestion  Singapore citizen owners bid at two bands (below 1600 cc and below 2000 cc)  Foreign owners and luxury car owners at another 2 bands. Assuming the foreign owners and luxury car owners are prepared to pay premium (sometimes over a million dollar), then let the prices for those bands fly high. Why penalise the local Singaporeans who compete with the rest in the CC range ?  

5. Income Inequality - 9.5 out of 10 ( Worldwide Problem ; We happen to be worst than most !).

We have a meritocratic society, based on justice and equality (no doubt the words from the Sinagore Pledge). However, some are more Equal than others simply due to the fact that they have money, lots of it. The prevailing sentiment is that there are quite a number of foreigners with money (lots of it) and are pushing up prices of private properties (for own stay, rental, or business use) as well as cars and luxury goods. 

This is not good, as it leads to the perception that ALL Singaporeans are well to do, which is definately NOT TRUE.   

Rich People's expressions of their monetary purchases are easily seen by the number of new luxury cars and watches costing hundreds of thousands worn on the arms of the Neuveau Riche. This will ultimately cause envy in segments who 'do not have' and we must be mindful of the segmentation of society purely on monetary (earnings or where they live) terms, which is not healthy in the long run. 

The Income Inequality stems mainly from the new citizens and PR who have moved here and started buying high end properties and cars en masse. Seeing them flaunting their wealth is not good for the everyday Ah Beng and Ah Lian. On the other hand, if they make good, what they choose to spend on is purely their perogative. 

I have no sympathy to those who lost their fortunes on the scammers who peddled luxury watches (as highlighted in news recently). Caveat Emptor. Those who buy 'assets' remember, what goes UP also does come DOWN. 

What suggestions do I have ? I have 2 broad swathes below 

1. Make Money Management and Finishing Classes Compulsoty in Upper Secondary

2. Teach Basic Human Values as Subjects in Primary School. Do not assume Values are Universal and families will teach and impart upon all kids. One Subject per Year (6 in total)

(a) Kindness / Goodness

(b) Honesty   

(c) Empathy and Compassion

(d) Moral Integrity

(e) Humility  / Deference of Ego 

(f) Sharing / Tithing or Donation

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE

 

  

Learn Greek in 30 Minutes - all the Basics you Need

Well, this gives you  a clue as to where we are going (one of 2 places)  for our annual 2 week holiday ; heh heh.

Gia Legome Marc, Herw Poly 

Efharisto 

Sas Efpharisto Poly 

Its all Greek to me ! 
 

Supply Demand in Equilibrium Economics 101

This lecturer is really good ; He puts the concepts of Supply and Demand Curves, the law relating to Oversupply or Surpluses and Undersupply or Shortages so simply that it is brilliant. 

Carpe Diem 
 

Be the Master of your Time ; It is the most precious 'commodity' you have, apart from good health

Today I did something I am really proud of. I went and did some 'me' time. I am currently the sitting President of Ken Shin Kai karate club and have been attending the school for the past 20 years attaining the level of 3 Dan (Sandan). As a routine, I have always set aside time every Sunday to go and help coach the students in the dojo which is based at Tanglin CC.

The dates and times are below, and a shout out for the costs for membership to the karate class :

              With Shotokan Exponent Danail Georgiev in Wurzburg 2010

Ken Shin Kai Karate

Tanglin CC (245 Whitley Road, S'pore 279829.

Date ; Every Sunday

Time : 6.00 pm till 7.30 pm.

As time is running fast away, as our School Song goes, I decided to go for a little drone practice near my house. The forest around my housing estate is really a Godsend for me, as I have been regularly running around the estate for a good 20 odd years, even during the times, we were living at Keng Chin Road, just opposite the current abode.

The practice was really fun, and so was the walk in the cool evening around the estate. I am mindful that my knees, and heels have been used so many times in so many marathons (10 full, 10 half and possibly  3 - 410K runs), that I have to keep whatever cartilage and bone strong for my elderly and finally twilight years.

As I write this post, I am happy that I used the time for me. For my enjoyment and for my health and happiness.

The balance between work, rest and exercise is always a dynamic thing. But the most important thing is that I must be in charge of all of that time.

Carpe Diem my friends. 

 

 

Sudoku Techniques # 1 #2 # 3 and End Game

 

Why Do I Love to Play Sudoku ?

This is my all time favorite pastime. The reasons I play it I will list them down. The game is very simple, there are 81 squares filled only partly with the number 1 to 9. Each row and each column can ONLY have one of that same number (that is Row 1 has only one of the number 1 and so on and so forth. The same rule applies for each Column.

No such rule applies for any diagonal lines in any Sudoku.  

The way Sudoku games are designed are as such. The simpler Sudokus fill up many numbers in the 9 x 9 matrix square, hence it is easy to deduce your way through.  As you get to the more difficult games the use of many different strategies must apply. The harder Sudokus leave you with less than 30 squares filled up while the simpler Sudokus fill up to 50 squares.

Here are the most common techniques or tricks to solve almost any sudoku. Do note that there is only 1 right answer and up to 80 wrong answers, hence you need to be very patient, have a lot of focus and some basic intelligence. I list the following below, and one day I will try to elaborate it as simply as I can for the beginner and intermediate players to help them along their games.

1.Elimination (along each row, column or even each square of 9)

2.Doubles

3. Trebles

4.Outright counting 

5. Gwendolin's Thread (this is doing a 50 / 50, going with 1 (of 2 possible) number and leaving a trail if you end up wrong somewhere further down the game. If that happens, you backtrack and take the second number and you will normally win the game. 

6. Elimination and Deduction (very advanced players can use this).

Why do I love this game ? 

1.It stretches my deductive capabilities 

2. increases my focussing on the topic.

3. I am forced to apply logic in most games

4. I am also using my numerical skill in rapid counting and using numerate skills

in addition,  is a very healthy and rewarding pastime compared to numerous other hobbies such as 

a) drinking

b) clubbing

c) smoking

d) congregating in coffee shops or 'chasing the wind' at the Clubhouse  Pool Bars 

I am very comfortable in my own skin.