Friday, March 18, 2011
Dilemma of the Poor
Dear Mr Tan
Hope you can publish my experience for comment.
This morning I was at a food centre and an old lady in a wheel-chair selling tissue paper told me, "I saw government people giving presents to foreigner workers. Here I am struggling to survive."
I said with the election coming, shouldn't you vote opposition to change things."Can I vote opposition?" she asked with a searching eye. I said assuringly that government agencies that helped her would still be around if the PAP lost.
"I would vote PAP. I will have to vote for them till my dying day. I only hope they do more for us disadvantaged folks," the old lady answered with a sigh of resignation.
Herein lies the dilemma of the poor. They depend on the government for handouts, but are afraid a change will be for the worst. Better the devil you know than the one you don't.
TCH
Hope you can publish my experience for comment.
This morning I was at a food centre and an old lady in a wheel-chair selling tissue paper told me, "I saw government people giving presents to foreigner workers. Here I am struggling to survive."
I said with the election coming, shouldn't you vote opposition to change things."Can I vote opposition?" she asked with a searching eye. I said assuringly that government agencies that helped her would still be around if the PAP lost.
"I would vote PAP. I will have to vote for them till my dying day. I only hope they do more for us disadvantaged folks," the old lady answered with a sigh of resignation.
Herein lies the dilemma of the poor. They depend on the government for handouts, but are afraid a change will be for the worst. Better the devil you know than the one you don't.
TCH
Ad-hoc payment through the Internet
Here is my proposal for a convenient method of allowing ad-hoc payment through the Internet. I hope that the Monetary Authority of Singapore will consider it.
A journey of frustration - DBS Internet Payment
Dear Customer Service Manager of DBS Bank
I enclose a feedback for your attention. May I request that you send this feedback to your CEO, Mr. Piyush Gupta?
Please acknowledgement my request promptly.
Dear webmaster of MAS
Please assist me to forward this feedback to your colleague in MAS that is in charge of regulating the banks.
I search the MAS website and could not find any person to send this feedback to.
Please acknowledge my request and tell me who you have forwarded it to.
Donate to the Japan Disaster Fund
Read here
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_645264.html
I urge Singaporeans to donate to the Japan disaster through the Singapore Red Cross. You can donate through ATM or write a cheque.
Cheque donations made payable to the 'Singapore Red Cross Society' and sent to the Singapore Red Cross at 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486. You should indicate at the back of the cheque the following: Japan Disaster 2011, the name of the donor, contact number and address.
From today till April 13, customers of OCBC, DBS and United Overseas Bank can also make a donation via ATM, mobile and Internet banking. Donors can get more details by logging on to the banks' websites.
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_645264.html
I urge Singaporeans to donate to the Japan disaster through the Singapore Red Cross. You can donate through ATM or write a cheque.
Cheque donations made payable to the 'Singapore Red Cross Society' and sent to the Singapore Red Cross at 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486. You should indicate at the back of the cheque the following: Japan Disaster 2011, the name of the donor, contact number and address.
From today till April 13, customers of OCBC, DBS and United Overseas Bank can also make a donation via ATM, mobile and Internet banking. Donors can get more details by logging on to the banks' websites.
Small Business Topics | BusinessAndLegal.ie
What you will find on http://BusinessAndLegal.ie is a lot of information (helpful I hope!) about many of the problems that afflict small business owners.
My unique experience of 24 years (and counting) experience as a self employed small business owner, sole trader and company director give me a good insight into these problems.
My training and experience as a legal professional also add to that experience and allows me to see things from both sides of the fence to a certain extent.
The links below will take you to various sections of this site and cover a myriad of problems that are commonplace now.
Problems like
- bankruptcy,
- debt collection,
- employment law,
- company formation,
- residential letting of property,
- property law,
- landlord and tenant law,
- intellectual property rights,
- copyright,
- trade marks,
- data protection,
- consumer rights,
- creating an online business,
- partnership law
- personal injury claims
- small business finance
- residential letting agreement template,
- looking at a small business for sale
- and more.
A mature person
I spoke to a German lady who married a Singaporean and had lived in Singapore for 30 years. She explained the key feature of the German education system to me. During her time, and that was 3 decades ago, she was selected to be in the "gymnasium" stream. Students who had the ability to think logically and abstractly were selected for this stream. This was the stream that went into university and, during her time, comprised the top 5% of each cohort.
On completing the gymnasium school, she received a Certificate of Maturity. Her school principal told her that shw was certified to be mature, which meant that she was able to think and decide on her own, and to learn new things on her own. She was "mature".
I was impressed with this approach. It is what education should be. I find that our education system produced a different type of person, who is not confident of taking decisions and responsibility. Our education system do not produce "mature" people.
A university professor, who has taught for many years, observed that many Singaporeans mature when they are 40 years old. Before that, they were not confident and had to be told what to do. I agree with her observation about the (lack of ) maturity of Singaporeans. Some never mature at all.
Tan Kin Lian
On completing the gymnasium school, she received a Certificate of Maturity. Her school principal told her that shw was certified to be mature, which meant that she was able to think and decide on her own, and to learn new things on her own. She was "mature".
I was impressed with this approach. It is what education should be. I find that our education system produced a different type of person, who is not confident of taking decisions and responsibility. Our education system do not produce "mature" people.
A university professor, who has taught for many years, observed that many Singaporeans mature when they are 40 years old. Before that, they were not confident and had to be told what to do. I agree with her observation about the (lack of ) maturity of Singaporeans. Some never mature at all.
Tan Kin Lian
Buying motor insurance directly
My friend wish to share his pleasant experience
http://thinkhappiness.blogspot.com/2011/03/buying-motor-insurance.html
http://thinkhappiness.blogspot.com/2011/03/buying-motor-insurance.html
Think of the poorest person
Dear Mr. Tan
How I wish to say this at each opening of our parliamentary sessions.
Think of the poorest person you have ever seen and ask if your next act will be of any use to him.
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)
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