Saturday, August 29, 2009
Telecommuting is a trend for the future
More people are working from home, i.e. telecommuting. It has positive and negative aspects. Find out more here.
Mecca - for Muslims only
I wanted to visit Mecca. My friend said that this not possible. Mecca can only be visited by Muslims. This is posted in large signs along the road to Mecca.
I have a guide book that explains the rites of Hajj, Umrah, Ihram, Tawaf, Sai, etc. It was quite educational.
I have a guide book that explains the rites of Hajj, Umrah, Ihram, Tawaf, Sai, etc. It was quite educational.
Shopping in Jeddah at midnight
I went to the Balad (old town) at midnight. The roads are congested. Many people travelled at night in Jeddah. Night becomes like day in the hot summer.
The streets at Balad is busy and crowded. I enjoyed the architecture of the old buildings. The windows are constructed with thin strips of wood allowing the women to look out into the streets, without being seen. My friend said that the roads in Cairo Egypt also have similar structures.
I left the souk (market) close to 2 AM. That is the time that most shops close in Jeddah during Ramadan.
The streets at Balad is busy and crowded. I enjoyed the architecture of the old buildings. The windows are constructed with thin strips of wood allowing the women to look out into the streets, without being seen. My friend said that the roads in Cairo Egypt also have similar structures.
I left the souk (market) close to 2 AM. That is the time that most shops close in Jeddah during Ramadan.
FISCA Committee
Someone expressed the concern that the FISCA committee may include people working for the banks. He had his money burnt through the Mini-bond and does not trust people anymore (including FISCA).
There is no need for this worry. The people from the banks will not be interested to sit in the FISCA committee. Even if they personally support the aims of FISCA, they will not dare to be involved (for the sake of their jobs). Similarly, most financial advisers are not likely to support or be involved with FISCA.
At present, we only have a protem committee in FISCA, and some of these members do not wish to be in the limelight. This is a temporary situation. FISCA will have to call an election. The profile of the elected Committee members will be put up in the website after the election.
FISCA will have the other challenge. How to get the financial experts to be involved in the work. Do not think that all this information can drop easily from the sky. Consumers should support FISCA now, if they do not wish to see their money burnt again in the future.
Tan Kin Lian
There is no need for this worry. The people from the banks will not be interested to sit in the FISCA committee. Even if they personally support the aims of FISCA, they will not dare to be involved (for the sake of their jobs). Similarly, most financial advisers are not likely to support or be involved with FISCA.
At present, we only have a protem committee in FISCA, and some of these members do not wish to be in the limelight. This is a temporary situation. FISCA will have to call an election. The profile of the elected Committee members will be put up in the website after the election.
FISCA will have the other challenge. How to get the financial experts to be involved in the work. Do not think that all this information can drop easily from the sky. Consumers should support FISCA now, if they do not wish to see their money burnt again in the future.
Tan Kin Lian
Friday, August 28, 2009
A nation run by scholars
Two senior persons, a company director and a businessman, expressed a similar view. They are concerned that Singapore is now run by scholars who do not have experience about the business environment and try to solve the problems by writing papers.
The handling of the mini-bond crisis is an example. Although the initial response of the authority was appropriate, the subsequent events (especially after the Hong Kong settlement) needed a new response. But, the scholars were not able to handle this type of situation.
There were incidences of cheating in motor insurance claims. The situation is getting worse over the years. Reports made to the authority were not followed up or investigated, but were pushed aside. The insurance companies were asked to solve this problem, but they do not have the regulatory power.
Many foreign workers reported that they had to pay a large sum of money (USD 9,000) to get a permit to work in Singapore. There were a suspicion that a large part of this money goes to the pocket of the employer who held the work permits.
A minister was reported to have said that as the payment was made in a foreign country, it falls outside the jurisdiction of Singapore. Surely, an investigation can be done in Singapore to see if the employer had received some payments?
This lack of practical experience applies not only to the senior levels of the civil service, but higher up in the chain of command. We have to move away from writing papers to the real issues faced by the people in Singapore.
Tan Kin Lian
The handling of the mini-bond crisis is an example. Although the initial response of the authority was appropriate, the subsequent events (especially after the Hong Kong settlement) needed a new response. But, the scholars were not able to handle this type of situation.
There were incidences of cheating in motor insurance claims. The situation is getting worse over the years. Reports made to the authority were not followed up or investigated, but were pushed aside. The insurance companies were asked to solve this problem, but they do not have the regulatory power.
Many foreign workers reported that they had to pay a large sum of money (USD 9,000) to get a permit to work in Singapore. There were a suspicion that a large part of this money goes to the pocket of the employer who held the work permits.
A minister was reported to have said that as the payment was made in a foreign country, it falls outside the jurisdiction of Singapore. Surely, an investigation can be done in Singapore to see if the employer had received some payments?
This lack of practical experience applies not only to the senior levels of the civil service, but higher up in the chain of command. We have to move away from writing papers to the real issues faced by the people in Singapore.
Tan Kin Lian
Jeddah - shopping during Ramadan
The shopping mall next to the hotel opened in the afternoon. I went into the supermarket to buy a few drinks and snacks. There was no staff at the checkout counters. Some customers, who had done their shopping, were waiting at the counter.
I learned that the counters were closed for 15 minutes, while the staff went for their prayers. They returned back later, and it became busy again. The customer told me that this would happen three times each day (even outside of Ramadan).
I learned that the counters were closed for 15 minutes, while the staff went for their prayers. They returned back later, and it became busy again. The customer told me that this would happen three times each day (even outside of Ramadan).
Opponent of US health reform yield fear weapon
Read this report.
* Fear motivates people more than facts
* Study shows people will seek facts to support beliefs
* Positive emotional appeals can counter the effect
* Fear motivates people more than facts
* Study shows people will seek facts to support beliefs
* Positive emotional appeals can counter the effect
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