Many people are still angry at the high price of $90 to watch the FIFA World Cup on cable television. They compared it to the price 4 years ago, which was just a fraction of this price.
It is sad to see that the cost of this item has increased many fold, due to the wrong kind of competition, i.e. competing for the rights to broadcast the matches, rather than to bring down the price for consumers.
The lesson has now been learnt, and changes have been made for the future, i.e. to require content owners to broadcast on several platforms.
Back to the World Cup. If the price of $90 is divided by the number of matches, the cost per match is relatively low and can be shared by several members of the family. Even friends can be invited. Compare this with the cost of watching one match at stadium, which must be more than $100.
It will be a good idea for several neighbours to share the price of $90 and to arrange to watch the games together. It will foster the spirit of neighbourliness.
Tan Kin Lian
Monday, June 7, 2010
Price of security
Singapore used to be a safe, peaceful and orderly place. People respect the law. There are sufficient law enforcement officers who are dedicated to their jobs and are respected.
This situation has changed. We hardly see a policman on the road today. Many people prefer comfortable jobs in offices, especially the banks, rather than be a policeman on the beat. There must be an increase in crime in recent years, although they are not reflected in the statistics. Are the statistics reliable?
We have seen an increse in cheating cases involving motor insurance claims and sales of unregulated financial products. Thre are insufficient manpower in the law enforcement agencies to investigate these cases.
On the other hand, we have many older people who remain unemployed for many years. The younger people have taken over their jobs in the offices. But, there are insufficient people who want to be policemen.
The home affairs ministry may celebrate their ability to meet the key performance indicator of reducing manpower cost (which may earn a performance bonus for the people in charge), but this is at the expense of security in our society.
The recent incident of grafitti on the MRT train is an example of how bad things have become. What if there was a bomb planted in the train?
Something is wrong with the priorities in our society.
Tan Kin Lian
This situation has changed. We hardly see a policman on the road today. Many people prefer comfortable jobs in offices, especially the banks, rather than be a policeman on the beat. There must be an increase in crime in recent years, although they are not reflected in the statistics. Are the statistics reliable?
We have seen an increse in cheating cases involving motor insurance claims and sales of unregulated financial products. Thre are insufficient manpower in the law enforcement agencies to investigate these cases.
On the other hand, we have many older people who remain unemployed for many years. The younger people have taken over their jobs in the offices. But, there are insufficient people who want to be policemen.
The home affairs ministry may celebrate their ability to meet the key performance indicator of reducing manpower cost (which may earn a performance bonus for the people in charge), but this is at the expense of security in our society.
The recent incident of grafitti on the MRT train is an example of how bad things have become. What if there was a bomb planted in the train?
Something is wrong with the priorities in our society.
Tan Kin Lian
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Inflated claim
Many motorists have encountered this experience. The car in front stopped suddenly. The car at the bank knocked into the bumper. It was a small scratch. Both parties agreed not to file any claims.
Later, the motorist of the rear car received a claim, usually through a lawyer, for a sum that is way above the actual damages. It seemed that the damages have been inflated. If you do not settle the claim, the lawyer would file a legal suit and take you to court.
What would you do, if you received an exaggerated claim? Share your views here.
Tan Kin Lian
Later, the motorist of the rear car received a claim, usually through a lawyer, for a sum that is way above the actual damages. It seemed that the damages have been inflated. If you do not settle the claim, the lawyer would file a legal suit and take you to court.
What would you do, if you received an exaggerated claim? Share your views here.
Tan Kin Lian
Land banking - Gathering on 12 June
The leaders of the investor group are arranging a gathering of investors as follows:
Date: Saturday 12 June 2010
Time: 10.30 am
Place: Speaker's Corner, Hong Lim Park
They wish to organise the investors to seek the recovery of their investments on the land banking products. If you are involved in this product, you can attend the gathering and submit your particulars and make contact with the other investors. The gathering can decide on collective action.
They have invited me to speak at this gathering. The organisers will be alerting the media for this gathering to be publicised and covered.
Please take part in this survey.
Date: Saturday 12 June 2010
Time: 10.30 am
Place: Speaker's Corner, Hong Lim Park
They wish to organise the investors to seek the recovery of their investments on the land banking products. If you are involved in this product, you can attend the gathering and submit your particulars and make contact with the other investors. The gathering can decide on collective action.
They have invited me to speak at this gathering. The organisers will be alerting the media for this gathering to be publicised and covered.
Please take part in this survey.
Morality and money
Would a reputable lawyer advise a client to write a contract that is "within the law" but in essence is cheating the public?
Many people consider this situation to be all right for the following reasons:
- it is all about making money, i.e. legal fees
- their duty is to the client (who pays their fees)
- if the law is not clear, it is acceptable for the lawyer to take advantage of the unclarity.
I wonder if the lawyer has a duty that is above making money? Do they have a moral duty to ensure that the society is honest and fair?
I remember an episode in the move "Godfather" where the inhouse lawyer consider it to be his duty to protect the mafia family from being prosecuted under the law, but in all other respects, what the mafia family does is not his concern. Has this type of thinking invaded our society?
The shady practices used to be the work of small time lawyers who seek quick profit. In recent years, these types of practices appear to be acceptable to reputable firms, who have become motivated by greed.
Tan Kin Lian
Many people consider this situation to be all right for the following reasons:
- it is all about making money, i.e. legal fees
- their duty is to the client (who pays their fees)
- if the law is not clear, it is acceptable for the lawyer to take advantage of the unclarity.
I wonder if the lawyer has a duty that is above making money? Do they have a moral duty to ensure that the society is honest and fair?
I remember an episode in the move "Godfather" where the inhouse lawyer consider it to be his duty to protect the mafia family from being prosecuted under the law, but in all other respects, what the mafia family does is not his concern. Has this type of thinking invaded our society?
The shady practices used to be the work of small time lawyers who seek quick profit. In recent years, these types of practices appear to be acceptable to reputable firms, who have become motivated by greed.
Tan Kin Lian
School holidays
I estimate that 20% of Singaporeans are on holiday during June. This is reflected by less cars on the road and less vistors to my blog in June. If you access to some official statistics, please share them here.
A fine society
Singapore used to be a "fine" society. There is a fine for littering and for jay-walking (i.e. crossing the road against traffic regulations". This has been relaxed for the past one or two decades. Nowadays, jay-walking is no longer enforced.
The environmental agency is now taking action to enforce littering. It is time to take action to enforce other aspects of our law, such as jay-walking and cheating. We need to revert back to our fine and orderly society.
Tan Kin Lian
The environmental agency is now taking action to enforce littering. It is time to take action to enforce other aspects of our law, such as jay-walking and cheating. We need to revert back to our fine and orderly society.
Tan Kin Lian
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