TR EMERITUS

Qingdao Port, Qingdao, Shandong Province, PRC An investigation into metals financing in a northeastern Chinese port city has cast a chill in Singapore, where a surge of business financing imports into China has bankers increasingly worried. A Chinese company's alleged use of metal as collateral to get loans from several international banks shows that commodity-backed loans are not as safe as bankers assumed. More and more of these loans originate from Singapore as international banks move their China business out of Hong Kong, leading Chinese firms to set up shop in the tropical entrepot to tap offshore dollar liquidity. Last week, Qingdao Port said police had opened an investigation into alumina and copper held at Dagang Port, one of several ports under its management. Traders rushed to move metal out of Qingdao. Read more: www.cnbc.com/id/101752322  Read More →

With the World cup starting today (tomorrow morning our time), one thing I know, is that, our elite anti-PAP cyber-warriors are not footie fans. That can be the only explanation why they have not be sounding the alarm on how the PAP PA is trying to attract younger, non-elite S’poreans by screening footie games. The PAP, unlike these cyber-warriors realise that football is the new opiate of the masses A few weeks ago it was reported that the People’s Association (PA) publicised which Community Centres will be hosting screenings of first-round World Cup games. According to a table released by the PA on its website on Monday (May 26), all 30 Centres participating in the live screenings will televise the first match involving host Brazil and Croatia on June 13. More recently there was an announcement that the total number of CCs screening the matches ‘live’ would be increased to 40 and that more matches will be shown. 40 Community Clubs (CC) islandwide will be showing World Cup matches live and for free as well. Buona Vista CC for instance, will screen the matches in its multi-purpose hall, which has a seating capacity of 300. There will also be fringe activities such as football-related contests. In a statement earlier this month, the People’s Association said it hopes the sessions will inspire community bonding. It also hopes to ignite passion for football. (CNA on Tuesday) Err… what about helping PAP connect with younger S’poreans? This move to screen World Cup matches followed a screening of second tier EPL matches http://atans1.wordpress.com/2014/01/28/epl-vote-buying/. And we know who has the rights to EPL and WS here, don’t we? All in the cause of next GE? And there’s more. There will be a PAP PA 2.0: The Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC), previously announced last year at the National Day Rally, held a short brief for potential volunteers* … The PA is increasingly showing its age. Example: In 2012 the defeated PAP MPs for Aljunied GRC Mrs Lim Hwee Hua and Mdm Cynthia Phua stepped down as grassroots advisers to Aljunied ”grassroots organisations” to be replaced by 71-year old Professor Brian Lee and 62 year old Mrs Daisie Yip both much older than the two defeated PAP MPs. I said, Oh dear, are things so bad at the grassroots in Aljunied that the People’s Association can only find two extremely old chickens (too old for the slaughter-house) to replace the defeated PAP MPs who were no spring chickens themselves? http://atans1.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/pap-in-aljunied-grc-no-room-for-young-blood/ This is a far cry from the days when PA “organisers and activists”, as LKY called them, were trained in PAP ideology and in how govt ministries worked, and sent to community centres to organise recreational, cultural and social events. The idea was for them to become via the organising of these activities, the “natural” community leaders. The YVC seems to be a return to the PA of the 1950s and 60s: Young Singaporean and PR volunteers (aged between 15-35) in the Youth Volunteer Corps attend a short residential camp and volunteer for semesters of service (from 3 – 6 months) for either local or overseas community projects. The programme, built from existing NYC programmes such as the Youth Expedition Project (YEP) will entail volunteers working in ‘diverse’ teams to create community service solutions to serve critical, broad community needs: education, health, special needs, arts, sports and heritage, and environment. Volunteers will be matched to interests they wish to pursue, and they will be provided with resources from partnering NGOs and government, particularly the $100 million National Youth Fund which the YVC will tap into. (http://wisemental-king.sg/post/80881286433/youth-volunteer-corps-a-powerhouse: wisemental king comes across as a wannabe YVC leader, juz read his posts) Hitler had his V1 (today’s cruise missiles) and V2 (today’s ICBMs) secret weapons. Are televised footie and the Hitler LKY Youth Volunteer Corps the PAP’s secret weapons for winning back Aljunied and Punggol East in the next GE*. In addition, of course, to one PritamS. BTW, I’m glad that the WP has cottoned on to the danger of Pritam S. As recommended here: If WP is smart, they should lock Pritam S in a padded cell, and when the next GE is called, announce that he will not be standing again. He is a liability in a party with men of substance and quiet achievement like Low, Show Mao and JJ. http://atans1.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/low-shows-the-usefulness-of-non-action/ One gd thing about Pritam S is that he plays footie, but sadly with a PAP MP team. *Or at least in shoring up the popular vote so that it doesn’t fall further or result in a loss of another GRC? Cynical Investor Source: Thoughts of a Cynical Investor  Read More →

Roy Ngerng This is the kind of company PAP breeds – growth in profit and nothing else matters. Employees are just digits to churn and roll the money in. However, one should not forget that company is staffed with humans, not machines. The ability to take care of human resources far outweighs the ruthlessness of profit growth. Any PR personnel (with the exception of those brainwashed by PAP doctrine, probably this author’s company is a typical example) will advise their CEO that if employees are treated well and with respect, employees will be highly motivated and extremely productive. Maximizing profit is a very natural consequence of productive employees. I ever read the philosophy of a very big well known Japanese late CEO whose belief in his working life is “Make People before making Product”. And this multinational Japanese company has survived for generations, still very well respected worldwide even today. Roy should be given long no pay leave to allow him to complete his mission. This is a win win situation. Roy can focus to rally his cause and TTSH will show the compassionate side of the company which will be gratefully felt by its employees. Sacking Roy just instils fear, probably what TTSH wanted, to its employees which simply translates to extremely low productivity. Just tell me which employee wants to run the extra mile for possibly ‘wrong’ doings. Just work smart and do just what the boss says, nothing more and nothing less. Rest of time just shake legs or gossip. What kind of service then can customers expect from TTSH? In such case, given the choice, you probably do not want to use TTSH. Such spiraling downwards will just destroy TTSH in the long run, won’t it? So my view is TTSH will never be my choice when an alternative exists even if it costs more. TTSH appears to be cold blooded, a typical PAP bred company. Roy should be given no pay leave * Comment appeared in: TTSH perfectly right to sack Roy  Read More →