tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post5765860502988774048..comments2024-03-19T18:44:15.041+08:00Comments on Little Stories: The Risk of Disease on a Very Crowded Little Red DotGilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-77442174002650886152009-06-26T17:06:51.195+08:002009-06-26T17:06:51.195+08:00I'll definitely be a "quitter" befor...I'll definitely be a "quitter" before S'pore population reaches 6.5m people!<br /><br />SAF should be able to take down Johor by then! So what's the problem with 6.5m people?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-87607121755784686592009-05-06T04:24:00.000+08:002009-05-06T04:24:00.000+08:00Make that Greedy Buffons. I have to wait six month...Make that Greedy Buffons. I have to wait six months to get an appointment for a root canal treatment at the Singapore Dental Clinic, two months for a cardiologist to see me and then four months to have a nuclear scan. I walked into a private clinic for a shoulder pain and can get an MRI done the very next morning. I am sure any foreigner can get immediate treatment when he can afford to pay for something as simple as a shoulder pain but a local have to wait months even for a life threatening condition involving the heart. It all boils down to whether one can pay or not. Perhaps our sons should adopt the same principle when they are drafted into National Service!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-70112930154774151522009-05-05T05:55:00.000+08:002009-05-05T05:55:00.000+08:00Mr Wang,
You are right. In an epidemic situation,...Mr Wang,<br /><br />You are right. In an epidemic situation, all nations would quite rightly close their doors to Singaporeans and let it be "contained" on our island, right or wrong. Better to let 4 (or 6) million people perish/suffer than infect the rest of the 7 billion. I wonder about the subsequent consequences on relationship between the survivors and the rest of the world though ...Chee Wai Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12854913855936196475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-35457386201412399902009-05-04T16:44:00.000+08:002009-05-04T16:44:00.000+08:00To annon 4 May 11:05am
Building on the Macdonald'...To annon 4 May 11:05am<br /><br />Building on the Macdonald's, the more people you have on a piece of limited land, the more economic transactions you can have on that land. The more "valuable" that piece of land is.<br /><br />It doesn't matter you are selling burgers, toilet bowls, or night soil. It is not the selling, but the number of economic transaction you make which goes into the valuation of that land.<br /><br />This, is why we have wonderous rentals even in a unprecedented recession, and the land "investors" get richer in spite of us getting poorer.<br /><br />So the more people you have...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-91925501034479591762009-05-04T14:11:00.000+08:002009-05-04T14:11:00.000+08:00Anon May 2, 2009 11:59 pm:
I didn't mention the d...Anon May 2, 2009 11:59 pm:<br /><br />I didn't mention the days of our double-digit growth, to make the point that we are backsliding.<br /><br />I mentioned the days of our double-digit growth, to make the point that there's no obvious relationship between population size and economic growth (Singapore used to achieve much higher economic growth, when its population was much smaller).Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-3795610958980772372009-05-04T11:05:00.000+08:002009-05-04T11:05:00.000+08:00I still don't understand how bumping the populatio...I still don't understand how bumping the population to a magic number is necessary for economic growth. So far, no one in PAP has answered that clearly, they just sidetrack it all the time.<br /><br />Is it really necessary? Can someone please enlighten?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-74582638341119058522009-05-04T10:12:00.000+08:002009-05-04T10:12:00.000+08:00All of you should go read about Macdonald's.
On w...All of you should go read about Macdonald's.<br /><br />On why Harry Sonneborn described Mac as a real estate company which happens to sell fast food. Then think of how this is applied to Singapore.<br /><br />Except, Mac, is a business. Singapore is a country where you don't and can't just fire anyone.BUffon Menoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-17655153017637410962009-05-03T13:35:00.000+08:002009-05-03T13:35:00.000+08:00I used to be able to walk into any arriving trains...I used to be able to walk into any arriving trains, board them swiftly and enjoy the ride to work every morning. Even if there was no available seats, I could still flip open a book, do some readings. Its a little activity I did to make the ride a pleasurable. Zoom forward 5 years, I find it a pain taking the train to work nowadays, as its mostly cramped, and needless to say there's no longer room space for holding out a book. You stare blindly into the space, someone's back. <br /><br />I would consider that as an anecdotal evidence of a downgrade in the standard of quality living. Wheres the promised Swiss standard?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-57789429826122857372009-05-03T09:34:00.000+08:002009-05-03T09:34:00.000+08:00Economic growth,there are three factors that grow ...Economic growth,there are three factors that grow economy.<br /><br />1.Increase of workers-usualy limited in a country as most depend on natutal birth.<br /><br />Singapore registered the highest population growth in the world during the last couple of years.<br /><br />2.Increase in capital-GIC,TMK accumulated the largest capital pool in the whole world,but now possibly no more no.1 since they lost about $250 billion on paper.<br /><br />3.Increase in productivity:very hard and difficult,clever guys do not do this,they want a quick fix and easy way out.<br /><br />Singapore has the lowest productivity gain in the developed world,even though our wages are very low.<br /><br />Singapore is not a your normal country,there is no reason why we cant enjoy double digit growth years after years.and that is where many prominent economists got that wrong,they cant imagine how PAP can pump up the workers and the capital,it normally does not happen in a democratic country.<br /><br />Many economists came to the conclusion that Singapore voters have the highest IQ in this world,you read that in 154th all the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-4228316833050999962009-05-02T23:54:00.000+08:002009-05-02T23:54:00.000+08:00mr wang, upon reading your article for the second ...mr wang, upon reading your article for the second time, i would like to mention a basic economic principle. the production possibility frontier. <br /><br />it's really is a very basic and fundamental concept to the study of economics, but it also addresses the need for a certain degree of unemployment in a country to makeup for depreciation in our capital goods. it also explains why there are "the good years" where we posted double digit growth. we (or even china and india currently) had double digit growth because there was a history of under utilization of resources and hence were not producing at the fullest potential. does a single digit growth mean that we are back sliding? not necessary so. if after a period of double digit growth, we slide to a single digit eventually for a while (unless there was some big event like the credit crisis which crippled the global economy), it is fairly normal and merely shows that we are working very closely to the borders of our current production potential.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-12796134779579783002009-05-02T23:49:00.000+08:002009-05-02T23:49:00.000+08:00First, many big guys have said that our scholars m...First, many big guys have said that our scholars must have the guts to go against popular sentiments to make decisions.<br /><br />But for HDB, they shrink the size of the flats because "Singaporeans are asking for it", despite our "family friendly" policies. Heh.<br /><br />And with smaller flats, but national service of having more kids, when a parent is down with say, flu. That's good luck to everyone in the small area. Not to mention, the very expensive medical care due to poor planning by some units resulting in too small a number of doctors produced from NUS.<br /><br />Buffons. Indeed.<br /><br />Thanks Mr Wang.BUffon Menoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-81245941035117468862009-05-02T10:23:00.000+08:002009-05-02T10:23:00.000+08:00How is your policy makers rewarded? Are their perf...How is your policy makers rewarded? Are their performance bonuses tied to GDP? Increasing population is a sure-fire way of increasing GDP.<br /><br />A no-brainer.<br /><br /><I>Unfortunately we are led by buffoons.</I>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-60918768356965568552009-05-02T08:22:00.000+08:002009-05-02T08:22:00.000+08:00Wai Lee:
If there were in a major epidemic crisis...Wai Lee:<br /><br />If there were in a major epidemic crisis in Singapore, then in all likelihood Malaysia and Indonesia would place restrictions on the number of Singaporeans who can get in. In the worst case scenario, they would simply close their borders to Singaporeans.Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01027678080233274309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-46448114453904053252009-05-02T08:05:00.000+08:002009-05-02T08:05:00.000+08:00I'm a Singaporean holidaying in Mexico for a month...I'm a Singaporean holidaying in Mexico for a month and was in Mexico City several days ago. Authorities considered shutting down the Metro system in this city of 22 million people. Imagine that! Public transport is one of the best ways to catch the flu, sneezing and holding the same rails, etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-30320556396905578972009-05-02T05:04:00.000+08:002009-05-02T05:04:00.000+08:00Anonymous May 1, 2009 4:02 PM -
I had originally ...Anonymous May 1, 2009 4:02 PM -<br /><br />I had originally wanted to argue the same thing you did (that it is moot whether to consider country or city density), but that's actually not true. <br /><br />If a major epidemic crisis were to hit Singapore, people *will* flee to Malaysia or Indonesia or anywhere else they can get to. At the collapse of society, refugees will go anywhere that is safe ... not simply somewhere safe in your own country.Chee Wai Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12854913855936196475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-88477487767457039752009-05-02T03:17:00.000+08:002009-05-02T03:17:00.000+08:00Dear AndrewGung,
i am actually quite surprised t...Dear AndrewGung, <br /><br />i am actually quite surprised that you did not feel that an increase from 4.5m to 6.5m is significant just because the global population is on the rise. Singapore already has quite maximised the potential of urban planning (which unfortunately is the whole island and not just some capital in some country) to the fullest extent here and yet they intend to incrase the population. and the increase of 2m is no small number given the amount of land that we have, irregardless of whether that increase of 2m is through in the flux of foreigners or through increase in local babies. There are many considerations when you want to increase the population by half, housing concerns, health and welfare concerns. No doubt our government has considered these problems when they declared this, but perhaps they have been overly optimistic of the capacity of our tiny red dot. You may say that we have the option to build upwards, but given our current technology, a sky city for 6.5m is quite out of reach, or at least given the time from now to the target year for 6.5m. <br /><br />During a world wide pandemic, assuming every city averages out a certain fatality rate, singapore given it's dense population, will have quite a high number of fatalities in absolute terms. <br /><br />Also, higher the population, higher opportunities that there is a lot of human traffic between singapore and other countries. that really makes the spread of a contagious disease widen much faster in a global sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-88186179831542589542009-05-02T01:22:00.000+08:002009-05-02T01:22:00.000+08:00I'm more worried about being shoved off the MRT pl...I'm more worried about being shoved off the MRT platform during peak hours, than getting SARS or swine flu in the trains...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-15437300405907614642009-05-01T23:19:00.000+08:002009-05-01T23:19:00.000+08:00"Unfortunately we are led by buffoons. They actual..."Unfortunately we are led by buffoons. They actually seem to believe that 6.5 million is some kind of magical number."<br /><br />Let us hope that whatever consequential "damages" can be undone and repaired which I doubt will happen soon. Those buffoons must be staying in not-so-crowded residential areas and not having to travel regularly on the public transport during peak hours - where inhaling vehicle exhaust while along the road or waiting for buses or breathing in a heady mix of strong perfume / hair styling spray from working commuters is getting worst and worst.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-31631122100374419462009-05-01T22:08:00.000+08:002009-05-01T22:08:00.000+08:00There stands a good chance the figure came from dr...There stands a good chance the figure came from drawing upon Israel's population size which is about 7.5million.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-82753686441415829282009-05-01T22:00:00.000+08:002009-05-01T22:00:00.000+08:00Oh, by the way, what percentage of our scarces lan...Oh, by the way, what percentage of our scarces land was taken by golf courses for the pleasure of a select few.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-82366410187686020062009-05-01T18:46:00.000+08:002009-05-01T18:46:00.000+08:00The crowding at mrt stations is really disgustg, o...The crowding at mrt stations is really disgustg, one swine flu sneeze..wildfire..i too dun want to be there when sg mrt system has to support even more people~Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-72609029504808686342009-05-01T16:36:00.000+08:002009-05-01T16:36:00.000+08:00With the current population, we now have to queue...With the current population, we now have to queue and wait for at least 3~4 weeks for an appointment to see our specialist doctors at our govt restructured hospitals before we actually find out what is actually wrong with us. <br /><br />With the population rising to 6.5m, it is most likely that the queueing period for treatment of serious illness at our govt hospitals would at least doubled.<br /><br />However if one is prepared to pay as a private patient, our specialist doctors in govt hospitals are suddenly readily available to give immediate attention, with courtesy of our money-faced govt.<br /><br />Meanwhile, those peasants who cannot afford private treatment, you can wait for your turn. Who cares if you can't wait any longer.Alan Wongnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-82970093640198042802009-05-01T16:02:00.000+08:002009-05-01T16:02:00.000+08:00Arguing over city or counry density is moot. In Sp...Arguing over city or counry density is moot. In Spore there is no hinterland or countryside for you to escape to when a epidemic strikes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-78765413382013130342009-05-01T14:40:00.000+08:002009-05-01T14:40:00.000+08:00Are they still sticking to the 6.5 m projection? I...Are they still sticking to the 6.5 m projection? I thought there was a change of mind when they looked at the transport situation. I do not take the MRT very often because I am a retiree, but I can definitely see the huge difference between now and about 8 years ago, in terms of train ridership, even during office hours. It definitely cannot cope with 6.5 m people.<br /><br />Lost CitizenAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4405345292513335071.post-41156028753021240292009-05-01T14:01:00.000+08:002009-05-01T14:01:00.000+08:00Correct me if i am wrong.. If we talk abt japan th...Correct me if i am wrong.. If we talk abt japan the most crowded places(cities) would be Tokyo or maybe Osaka. In kyushu or hokkaido (other areas). <br /><br />Anyway, the world's population is on the rise.. more and more places would get more and more crowded. During a world wide epidemic, Would it really make a difference if singapore's population is 4.5million or 6.5 million? <br /><br />AndrewGungAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com