Gee, I’m not sure why I didn’t catch on to this earlier - it could be the brain-washing liquid sloshing around in my mind, but Molly brought up an important point on small increases on hospital fees. That was when the eureka moment unburied itself from the heap of nonsense, and leapt into my mind with the magnitude of a mini-shock.
Remember how the PTC and the PAP government keeps expounding on the merits of small incremental hikes in bus fares to “minimise the impact of eventual fare hikes” and that “it is better than having one big price increase a few years down the road”? Well, the sad truth is, you pay more during these incremental increases than you do if the increase was done at one shot.
Take an example:
2007: Stage 1-4 bus fares: $0.60
2008: Stage 1-4 bus fares: $0.61
2009: Stage 1-4 bus fares: $0.62
2010: Stage 1-4 bus fares: $0.63
Ignoring leap years, assume that somebody makes two trips a day, the total amount forked out by one person for the bus fare would be: 0.60 * 365 * 2 + 0.61 * 365 * 2 + 0.62 * 365 * 2 + 0.63 * 365 * 2 = 438 + 445.30 + 452.60 + 459.90 = 1795.80
Now, if things were different, and the price was increased in chunks - as and when it is really required: (we’ll assume that the price was hiked by 3 cents in 2010 because fuel prices went into stratospheric )
0.60 * 365 * 2 + 0.60 * 365 * 2 + 0.60 * 365 * 2 + 0.63 * 365 * 2 = 438 + 438 + 438 + 459.90 = 1773.90
Total savings for consumers had price hikes been done as and when it is required in this scenario: 1795.80 - 1773.90 = 21.90
Now, the scenario I put out here is unrealistic. Firstly, the “small increases” referred to are in the ballpark of 5 to 10 cents, secondly, it assumes that the cost of maintaining the transportation system can only go up. Passengers stand to save a lot more than the cumulative $21.90 if the PTC only approved fare hikes only when it is needed.
I won’t go into the other areas in this issue, as the point I merely wish to highlight is how the public is being led to believe that small increases are beneficial to them. This is also an important lesson to me: the dangers of mis-information is very real. Having The Straits Times as the main staple diet of local news will lead to a biased grasp on the issue at hand. Thank goodness for the Internet.
Scribbled under:
Current Affairs
When you have no time to blog, you have to be thankful for other like-minded people in the world to say your mind.
Update: Molly has decided to give out some awards. Head on over to participate in the ceremony.
The legislation of morality is a hallmark of a country of inequality. Seen an extreme example yet? Try Nazi Germany. What NMP Thio is suggesting is to enshrine the morality of “The Majority” into the laws of the country, as a yardstick of the country’s stand on a particular issue. Wait a second… Just which “Majority” are we talking about?
Are we talking about “The Majority” who believe that non-believers of their religion will burn in hell? “The Majority” who believe that the government has no business using their money to buy compulsory annuities? Or “The Majority” which believes that casinos should not be legalised in Singapore?
That’s right: there is no single issue on which there is a set “Majority” that would agree with you on any issue. No country can properly define a set of moral rules that sets out a country’s acceptance of any issue in the world, unless you are running a theocracy. In this case, democratic countries set out laws that protect the liberty of a person to pursue his own life, on the condition that any actions taken do not harm another person’s liberty to pursue their own private life. This forms the basis why robbery, murder, rape, paedophilia, drug smuggling are all illegal.
Of course, we all know that Singapore is far from being a democratic country - there is no better way to explain away how “The Majority” failed to have their say on the issue to have gambling outlawed in the country. Repealing 377A holds no tangible economic benefits to Singapore that introducing casinos to Singapore would, and the government has taken extreme care to over-ride the concerns of “The Majority” in favour of attracting the foreign dollar. Like the Prime Minister has implied, the retention of 377A without active prosecution is a compromise - though this compromise is not what he makes it out to be. It is a compromise by the PAP government in the face of ramming issues like compulsory annuities down the country’s throat as a “democratic” measure. After having so many bread and butter issues go their way, they probably feel that there is a need to show that the opinion of a vaguely defined “Majority” actually matters.
In a way, things get more complicated. The country gets entangled in a fight between the people who want this discriminatory law to be abolished, and the ones who want it to stay in order to police the private lives of individuals. Both parties forget that short of significant economic benefits, none of the sides get their way. Even “The Majority”, celebrating their victory against the gay-rights movement do not realise that the shrewd government has just bought political will for another few more rounds of policy throat-ramming. Ideology in any form has no place in Singapore, unless it can bring in money, like how integrated resorts can.
Already, Shianux is urging people to migrate from Singapore. While you might be able to earn a living here, people of ideology are unable to thrive in Singapore. Even Sim Woon Hoo, often trumpeted as the shining beacon of Singaporean Entrepreneurship, did not make his fortune in Singapore. If you find that Singapore life is not for you, I am suggesting that you go elsewhere; there is no use fighting the system the way it is. I would say more, but short of a change in the local social climate, it would be hard for true democracy to be realised in this country.
I wish you all the best.
Scribbled under:
Current Affairs
No, it has nothing to do with pulling on a scary mask and screaming like a wild hyena in the office (though I will know you read my blog if somebody ever complains of a freak doing that around the room). More like, someone has found a way to make HP printers show a message other than that boring “Ready” you see every single time you drag your feet to the print corner.
“Insert Coin” is too tame a word to zhng the network printer with. A truly spooky, stalky thing pkchukiss would do is to write up a script that allows him to insert the name of the victim on the fly. In fact, it makes an excellent incentive to help clear the office out by 5.30pm, especially if you have a hardworking boss who, as a permanent fixture to the working environment, refuses to go home short of 2 hours before the start of the new day.
“Look behind you Mr Tan!”
It is a fortunate thing for Singapore Polytechnic that pkchukiss no longer has lessons in the computer labs. Had he learnt of this hack one semester earlier, the school technicians would have had gone crazy trying to troubleshoot the following status message on the school’s network printer:
“Out Of Power”
Scribbled under:
General
KC tagged me 13 days ago, but since I’ve been busy at school, Friday is the time where I temporarily forget about school work, and get some leisure blogging done:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. List eight (8) random facts about yourself.
3. Tag eight people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment on their blogs.
1) As you’ve read previously, Pkchukiss takes a very dim view of people who try to tell other people how to live their lives.
2) My laptop, an Acer 5685WLMI, is one of the few Acer notebooks that had never been into the service centre. While I don’t rule out poor workmanship, taking care of it is probably one of the reasons why it has survived for the 6 months it has been in my possession. (Or could it be that extended warranty casting a protective spell over the notebook?) Regardless of what people say, given another chance, I would still get the extended warranty and insurance, because it is worth its money. If you’re lugging around your computer every day, it helps minimise your loss if you ever manage to spoil the stuff.
3) I have not gone for a single CCA activity since I started school in 16 April 2007. I’ve joined SP Cyclists, but they don’t seem to have any activities going on. Right now, I’m thinking of joining two more CCAs, so that I can be more active in them. As if my time isn’t stretched out enough!
4) I am a manga and anime fan. You know, the stereo-type of an otaku, a geeky, skinny spectacled man obsessing over Japanese cartoons? It’s wrong. I’m fat.
5) There was this one time when I got really angry at someone who pushed his way roughly into the MRT train while I was alighting that I gave the man the middle finger. Since I’m fat, I got away with it (he’s a geeky, skinny spectacled man).
6) I believe that I have telekinetic abilities. I’ll always attract geeky, skinny spectacled men whenever I take MRT trains. Wait, could that be because nobody is fatter than I am?
7) I am usually a very quiet person, who keeps my thoughts to myself. If you ever took a general elective module on psychology, you would classify me as a melancholic. But don’t let that stop asking me out. I enjoy everybody’s company, that is if you don’t piss me off. See #1.
 Finally, I have a phobia for phone calls: if an unknown number appears on my caller ID, I’ll panic (in my mind). So, don’t try to call me from a phone number I don’t know about. Unlisted numbers are worse, you’ll make my circuits fry just making me debate on whether I should answer the phone. And you know when tempers short circuit; it isn’t good to have a geeky, fat otaku breathing down your neck.
Since I haven’t been doing any commenting these days, I’m not sure if I should be tagging anyone. Anyway, if you would like to pick up this tag, please leave a comment, so that I can link it to your tag.
Scribbled under:
General
The saga continues… the anti-gay faction probably decided to find someone with more experience in writing letters to the Straits Times forum - for in the blockquote lies the next salvo:
NMP overstepped role in championing gay cause
I AM writing in response to the article, ‘NMP to submit Parliamentary Petition to repeal gay sex law’ (ST, Oct 12).
As a Nominated MP, Mr Siew Kum Hong is supposed to be non-partisan and should not be affiliated with any particular political group.
However, he has chosen to be the sponsor of a parliamentary petition to present the homosexual agenda.
While he is free to present his personal views on any issue, Mr Siew has overstepped the boundary as an NMP when he chose to represent the homosexual interest group.
MPs in Parliament have to run for election, look after their constituents’ interests and represent their views. As an NMP, Mr Siew bears no such burden.
He should not adulterate the NMP role further by becoming the proxy representative of the homosexual interest group.
This is especially so as the Government has already taken one year to review the Penal Code, with input from various consultation channels, and taken into consideration the views of the majority of Singaporeans who are for maintaining family values and preserving Section 377A of the Penal Code.
Jenica Chua Chor Ping (Ms)
… and what a low-blow that was. Uncontent with just claiming that gays are forming political groupings (I don’t see any evidence of that), Ms Chua is accusing Mr Siew Kum Hong (who submitted a parlimentary petition for the repeal of 377A) of overstepping the boundary as an NMP, by aligning himself with the gays.
The last I’ve checked, gays are not forming themselves into political groups; neither have they been campaigning for the repeal of 377A. In fact, the people Ms Chua is talking about belongs to a group of Singaporeans who believe that the law has absolutely no place dictating a person’s actions.
In an exchange with xizor2000 yesterday, I outlined an example of how the 377A is absurd. The fact is, that law is also unconstitutional (see section 2 of the Open Letter in the link for more information). As a Member of Parliament, and a Singaporean, it is his duty to fight and uphold the Constitution. Therefore, his action is definitely above board.
Now, let’s examine why the anti-gay faction reacted in this way.
Fear of gays
The anti-gay faction didn’t want the law to go away, because it was either unconscionable from their religious point of view, or they fear that gays would have sex everywhere in the streets, and turn the whole world into a world of perpetual homosexuality.
Let’s get a reality check: It is a logical fallacy to say that gays will manage to turn people into homosexuals if they could. That statement alone implies that human beings can be educated to change their sexual orientation. If there is such a power existing in the world, it would be disastrous. It is also irrational to believe that gays would have sex everywhere in the streets if there is no law prohibiting it, simply because the police will arrest anybody who attempts to have any kind of sexual activities in public.
It is a slippery slope argument to say that making sexual activities between two males legal will cause pro-gay groups to lobby for more rights. Even if there are pro-gay groups doing so, are they so different from the AWWA (Asian Women Welfare Association) and industry lobbies?
Low blow a knee jerk response
I would classify Ms Chua’s letter as an attempt to galvanise outsiders of their cause to join in the fray. However, is the cause to discriminate against a minority of the country whom has no capacity to harm anybody the right one? Whenever Ms Chua recites the pledge, “To build a democratic society, based on Justice and Equality”, does she realise how contrary her views are to this sentence?
The majority can be wrong sometimes
Galileo Galilei, the inventor of the telescope was persecuted for claiming that the earth revolves around the sun. Later on, he was vindicated… years after he died. While the newspapers in this country may claim that the majority of the country are still against gays, the fact doesn’t change that 377A is still a discriminatory law, a contravention of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.
Let’s repeal this, and stop telling a person what he can’t do with his personal life. Repeal 377A Now!
Scribbled under:
Current Affairs, General
Now, I’m really busy today, so the fact that I’m even blogging today is a telling event on its own.
KC is infuriated by a letter that was published in the forums section in the local government controlled broadsheet, The Straits Times.
I read that letter myself, and I’m really annoyed at how the editors at that newspaper are allowing such illogical ramblings to be printed. It’s the word Incompetence splashed in big bright red right in front of my eyes. Had I turned in an argument such as the letter writer’s for my assignment, I would have failed my English essays. That’s right, even in secondary school, you will get an automatic F for an essay that makes baseless allegations. The story to take home today (for all those who are still schooling), is that there is no “cause and effect” relationship between the removal of a law that discriminates against a person’s choice of lifestyle, and “the disintegration of our social fabric”
You will get brownie points with your teacher if you cut out that article today, and share it during the next English lesson. Firstly, the lady has neglected to mention how repealing a law would cause Singapore’s social fabric to disintegrate. More likely, she couldn’t draw any link, because there isn’t any in the first place. I can make a similar claim that “choosing to eat curry puffs while you walk would lead to the destruction of the country’s moral fibre”. You can see immediately that this claim is illogical at best, while teachers would ask you to stop reading “Pkchukiss - Reality Wine” because the blogger writes rubbish. I think it is really sad that this letter even managed to be printed - in fact, I’m starting to doubt some people’s capacity for logical thinking - wow, do we see a potential cause and effect relationship developing here?
On all my postings, I have invited conservatives who believe that 377A should not be repealed to post their arguments why they believe so in a logically sound comment. So far, I have yet to receive any postings, nor have I read any (on both print materials and online) that fits this criteria. The invitation remains open, though I doubt anyone will take up this offer; besides, it is so much easier to resort to fear-mongering to get your way.
Scribbled under:
General
Ok, so I’m getting a tiny bit of a writer’s block these few weeks; (though I would love to have you believe that the reason nothing new is up is because I wanted more people to see me lamblasting homophobes)
Things are starting to snowball, and I’m having a little trouble catching up now that I’m sticking out sorely at school. Lecturers are coming up to me, asking me to join various stuff. You would think it is normal for this kind of attention to come after the result upset last semester; but even lecturers I don’t know personally are asking me to join competitions, go for certification courses, and more.
Personally, I enjoy this attention - perhaps this is what it feels like to have people coming up to you in person to offer you a place in a competition! The pressure to say yes is kind of an issue for me though… I haven’t really sorted my rejection mechanisms out yet - that is something I need to do before the Great Flood comes (which I’m jabbing blindly in the air to be around 2 weeks from now). Already, I’m involved in:
… and I just joined another CCA at school. I know it is crazy to commit to so many things, so if more stuff starts coming in next, I’ll have to start rejecting the nice lecturers; after all, they just want to stretch me out a little bit more. All I need to know now is how best to reject further competition offers. I suspect the office keeping some sort of a secret file on me, and They are scribbling furiously inside it right now.
Before I forget, the National Infocomm Quiz is coming soon! Vote for my team (SMIT 7) at the National Infocomm Quiz website! Click on “Online Quiz”, and answer 3 questions correctly to vote for my team! (Yeah, I know it is a real hassle, and the questions are most likely way out of the league of a non-geek; they probably want to stop the widget from becoming a popularity contest.) Feel free to SMS, call or MSN me for the answers to the questions if you run into any problems.
Scribbled under:
General
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