Cars a necessity?

This is something that is really getting on my nerves.
 
The number of people that complains and complains that COE is too high and that cars are a necessity for them and there family etc etc etc. We are really a city of whiners and disillusioned people, but I think this fellow really takes the cake.

Cars a luxury? Not for us

How about a ballot to replace the bid system?

Letter from Mark Ho 05:55 AM Apr 12, 2010

ARE cars really luxury items that many of us can do without?

I would argue cars are not a "luxury" when one needs to transport young children, elderly folk and bulky goods. One is not guaranteed a seat on public transport when you most need it, and they are poor alternatives when one has to transport big, heavy items.

Besides, the time saved on transport when one owns a car helps families bond - just by virtue of allowing parents to get home faster to spend quality time with their children. Is family bonding time a luxury we should consider doing without?

If the intent of the COE system is to control the number of cars on the road, why do we need a COE bidding system, since it promotes unhealthy speculation? Just controlling the number of COEs (perhaps by ballot system) should suffice - without bringing money into the equation.

Seriously Mark?  One is of course not guaranteed a seat, did you also know that your CPF rate is not guaranteed, your job is not guaranteed, your interest rate and money with the bank is also not guaranteed? The only guaranteed thing right now in this country other than walkovers is that you have been leading a way too sheltered life! Do you know that there are entire families who are homeless and live in tents on beaches? Do you know that there are people in Singapore that can't even afford to take public transport to go for a job interview? Have you ever seen pregnant ladies on the public transport every morning? Elderies and family carrying kids, baggages and disabled people? They too used the public transport on a daily basis. What makes you and your family so fucking special? You are an elite ah?!

Having a car helping a family bond is one of the most ridiculous thing I have heard in recent times. Are you implying that roads are too congested so you end up 'bonding' more in traffic jams? Family bonding times take place at anytime, all the time. I bond with my family by making it a point to have dinner together at least once a week. I bond with my family by calling them and asking about them during my lunch hour. I bond with my family by going on trips together. I certainly do not bond with them in a car cos that would (1) be dangerous if i am not paying a 100% while on the road and (2) if i were stuck in a jam, more often than not, I will be in a irritable mood that is not really conducive for bonding.

Finally, on proposing a ballot system for COE, I would like to ask what happens if someone like you, who considers a car a necessity, does not get one? Or do you simply assume that because you are special and have 'real' needs, you will be guaranteed one?

Wake up dude and be realistic!

Disclaimer: My family own ONE car for nearly 10 years that we share, and while there are undoubtly convenience in owning a car, it still IS a luxury, not a necessity at all! Kids take the school buses, my mum would take the occasional taxi for her medical checkups, and the adults take the public transport daily for work. 

Empty vessels make the most noise

Was doing some bedtime reading before heading to bed when i saw the following article on CNA

It is healthy that there's political contest in S'pore: Ng Eng Hen

By Lynda Hong | Posted: 11 April 2010 1940 hrs

It is healthy that there's political contest in S'pore: Ng Eng Hen

SINGAPORE : Education Minister Ng Eng Hen on Sunday said it is healthy that there is political contest in Singapore.

He was responding to reporters who asked him about the recent activity by opposition parties in various constituencies.

Dr Ng joined 300 residents in Toa Payoh for some Sunday morning exercise.

Elaborating on his point that political contest is healthy, Dr Ng said he would encourage would-be candidates and opposition parties to meet residents so that residents could ask them questions about what they stood for.

He said: "I think it is healthier for Singapore, rather than just appearing before the elections and then not continuing. I have noticed that opposition parties are doing this more regularly, and I think all-in-all, it is good for politics in Singapore."

Dr Ng said PAP MPs assume that there would be a contest each time, and so the MPs have been working the ground to improve the lives of residents.

This point was also emphasised by Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong at a separate community event.

Mr Gan also told reporters that there has not been a shortage of ideas within the ruling party.

He was asked to respond to Reform Party leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam's comments in a TODAY interview that a one-party system will lead to a society closed to new ideas.

Mr Gan said that PAP MPs have been proactive in implementing their ideas.

He said: "During the last recession, you also see that we have rolled out many initiatives, including the Jobs Credit, SPUR and so on.

"They were very effective in helping our companies and workers cope with the recession and allowing our economy to recover very strongly, very quickly since the second half of last year."

Mr Gan added that the PAP MPs have also been focused on serving the residents and improving their estates. - CNA/ms

Not wanting to elaborate too much on the highlighted text, but based on my own personal very unscientific, biased and non-proven experience, I would like to re-account on the following,

I have lived in my current estate since year 2001. I have NEVER seen any walkabout by ANY political parties until 2006. Given that my estate was previously a walkover GRC, only to be remove and gazetted into another zone for the 2006 elections, it wasn't all that surprising. That was the first time I started seeing any parties appearing in or near my estate. So BOTH parties i would say are guilty of what Mr Ng mentioned, "just appearing before the elections". It was during this period though, that attending rallies etc that i know more or what each candidate, not just their party stood for, before I cast my first ever vote in 2006.

Fast-forward to today, 2010. My estate is a PAP ward. Over the last few years, I have seen the Workers Party people around my area, but they didn't come door to door I assume, cause I never did get to speak to them, but I recognised them through their party uniform. I also saw Mr Low twice, and said hi to him because I know and recognised who he is. On the other hand, I have yet to ever see any PAP people around my area, maybe they weren't wearing the party uniform, or they were not doing any group event, I honestly do not know. I have NEVER seen my MP, who is a full minister, and probably very busy with his work to come down from his ivory tower to talk to us lesser mortal.

Or maybe its just me who never had the good fortune of running into them when I'm in around the estate, and/or that I'm never home when they visited my place over the last couple of years. Just for the record, I think I have struck 4d about twice over the last couple of years, yet I have not met my MP before. So my personal conclusion is that, its easier to strike 4d than meeting your my MP?

Random rant: Our lovely transport system

Just came back after meeting a few ex-colleagues earlier today. Haven't been taking the public transport at this kinda peak hrs for some time and wasn't expecting what I am about to experience.

It was 6pm at AMK station, heading towards Jurong East with one of my colleague staying in the same direction. As its the peak hour (or so I assumed), I expected the train interval to be like 2-3mins each. To my surprise, the board indicated 6 mins. Nevermind lor, just wait... and while waiting, crowd kept piling in. We were standing at the arrows pointing in, but soon people starting standing right smack where the door is gng to open, with the arrow pointing out. Train was packed to the brim and we couldn't squeeze in at all, only those fucking ugly singaporeans (and/or foreigners) whom squeezed their way in without waiting for the people to alight first managed to get in. Fuckers.

Next train took another 6 mins. 12 min of fucking waiting time during peak hour. Nice.

Jammed packed again, managed to squeeze in this time, but it was so bloody packed that me and my ex-colleague's lips were almost touching. No joke. It was damn embarrassing for both of us. Luckily for us both, our breath didn't stink.

Anyway, we tried to make some conversation during the journey and the issue of single gender train carriages came up. She wished that there will be a carriage entirely for women and perhaps the old folks.

"Imagine its you right now so its not so bad, but there are times where I'm being packed so closed to a stranger that we're almost kissing, its not alright at all" she laments.

I can understand where she's coming from but a couple of reasons seem to make this impossible.

Looking at the load right now, imagine a female only carriage is half empty, who is to stop anyone from packing into them? how are you gng to enforce it? Will in results in fights/arguments?

Others such as the wheelchair bound and family with kids etc will start to demand their own carriages. Can I than request that we ban eg kids strollers from entering any other carriages? While we're talking about kids strollers, i think its ridiculous when they enforce strict requirements on foldable bicycle but not strollers. Have you ever seen the size of one of those 3 in 1 kinda stroller?

I just wish we had a better system with more trains and shorter waiting time.

A little project

I recently started this little project at 750words.com

I know I haven't been blogging alot. Other than being busy with work, the other reason for me not blogging more regularly is that I try to blog only when I have something relevant to say. I keep multiple blogs, for personal, tracking etc.

750words.com is interesting because I can basically dump all my thoughts there, and it even does an analysis of the entries to breakdown what they think they know about you from these entries. Its something like writing analysis if you like, which so far has been holding my attention. You should check it out.

MEASURES TO ENSURE A STABLE AND SUSTAINABLE PROPERTY MARKET

From: http://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/newsreleases/2010/news19022010.htm

In a nutshell, the govt plans to curb speculation through imposing the following,

1. Seller’s Stamp Duty (SSD) on Residential Properties Sold within 1 Year
2. Lowering Loan-To-Value (LTV) Limit to 80% for Housing Loans

A few question marks come to my mind immediately.

I can understand that the govt is keen to nip the impending bubble in the bud, but why nothing for HDB? Prices for HDB has been going upwards steadily largely due to the fact that PRs are allowed to 'speculate' in them in a way that seems to me to be more detrimental to property prices as compared to that of the private housing market.

Secondly, the 2 new rules in itself doesn't seem to me that its going to have much of an impact in curbing speculation because

1. A quick search through the sub-sale caveats lodged since Oct09 showed that only about 10% of them are 'flipped' within one year of purchase. So this new ruling will at best only affect up to 10% of all sales?
2. Most financial institutes are already being prudent (due largely to the crisis) and not offering any 90% loan at all. Redundant?

Impact is going to be minimal at best, probably 'scaring' investors off for a few months, like the last time they took away the interest absorption scheme.

I seriously dunno why they even bother.

Another bond offering for Temasek

Frankly, I'm slightly disturbed. This is Temasek's 5th bond offering in as many months. Is Temasek really running out of money??

An other note, so far all the bonds have been rated triple A if I remember correctly, which is the highest grade possible. Given that even Warren Buffet's BH shares have been downgraded recently, I guess its safe to say that Temasek finances are still well and strong.

I wonder why Temasek not make the bonds available to the general public though. From what I know, they are only available to institutional investors. Given the relatively attractive yield of ~ close to 4%, they probably wouldn't have any problems raising the funds they need.

Maybe they get a better rate 'borrowing' from our CPF funds? Just a thought

Wakemate

I'm not exactly what you call an impulsive shopper. In fact, most often than not, I would shop around, read reviews, make comparisons before I made a final purchase. However, I kinda bucked the trend today. I'm not sure why I did it, but I just had to get this.

http://wakemate.com/

Basically this little thing here tracks your sleep to wake you at the optimal time and collects data that can tell you how to improve your sleep quality. I always had trouble sleeping well at night. On average, I sleep only 4-5 hours on weekdays. No matter how tired I am during the day, I can't fall asleep until around 2-3am every night, and I get up for work at about 7am, dead tired. Although this thing is not gng to help me sleep at night, if it makes me less tired, its well worth the money. Not to mention I'm a sucker for statistics and data. I track my spending habits, my investments, my income, my workouts and being able to track my sleep somehow feels perversely exciting. Not sure if it really works, since its a pre-launch and there's no reviews.

Can't wait to get my hands on it. :)