Political Correctness

Name:         CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:      Political Correctness

Visit Time:  5/11/2008 3:48 PM

Remark:

This is the biggest racial contest of the free world. Congratulations to Obama who has successfully made political correctness history. How many times has the phrase "a black President for the White House" been said the campaign? My biggest concern now is that this historic win is going to create big racial division and tension in the United States and other parts of the world, if the economy is going to slide, and unemployment to rise. I sincerely hope that this is not going to occur in Melbourne City, State and Federal elections here when a Chinese stands for an election and keep emphasing of his/her ethnicity.

Oil - The Slippery Problem

Name:         CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:      Oil - The Slippery Problem

Visit Time:  20/06/2008 1:52 AM

Remark
It is beyond comprehension that someone wakes up one morning and decides that the oil is running out, and tells the world that the oil price has to go up. With so many experts and gurus in the US, they don’t seem to have any idea about the oil stockpile in their country. It is just ridiculous that after a few days of good run, they can come out with assessment like the demand of oil will be great due to forthcoming cold winter.

The Y2K bug scared the hell out of everyone (not me, though) the world might come to an end, aeroplanes would fall from the sky, the hospital equipment would cease to function, and all the mumbo jumbo. Al Gore travelled round the world warning the world about global warming and won a Nobel Prize for it. The world starts to press the panic button, worrying that once the polar ice were to melt, the land mass will be submerged like Atlantis – the lost continent. Did anyone ask Al Gore whether the world would still survive without the ice in the Polar Regions? Could the rising sea level be beneficial to replenish many drying and dried lakes/rivers, or turn the increasing areas of deserts into oases?

Kevin Rudd, on 16/6/2008, said that “right now we had the greatest global oil shock in 30 years. We know for a fact that prices are up 400 per cent since the Iraq war, 100 per cent in the last 12 months alone.” Does this imply that the oil consumption has increased fourfold since the Iraq War, or was it that the Iraq War, which started for some God only knows reason, created such a big shortage of oil supply? Has the world progressed twice as fast since last year?

If world leaders don’t have the guts to stop this spiralling increase of oil prizes, but to wait for the supply and demand theory come to realisation, the world will grind to a halt and cause irreparable and irreversible damage. The cruel and opportunistic oil suppliers and the middlemen who make megabucks out the misery of mankind are the greatest global terrorists creating untold hardship, starvation, social unrest to millions, if not billions, of people worldwide.

There is a simple solution to this complex problem – workers of these suppliers and companies unite and strike, bringing these heartless people onto their knees and beg for mercy!

The Goal for Peace

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     The Goal for Peace

Visit Time: 20/06/2008 12:35 AM

Remark:

SIMON JACOBS should be nominated for Nobel Peace prize for his effort in promoting Aussie Rule football which may lead to peace between Palestine and Israel one day.

Islamic shool

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Islamic School

Visit Time: 29/05/2008 1:51 AM

Remark:

Many Christian churches run Sunday school. Can the Muslims do likewise? After that being said, will the residents in Camden oppose a Wesley College or Trinity College be constructed on the proposed site? I don’t agree with those residents declaring the rejection of the school plan as a victory for "decency" (whatever it means). I consider that It as a “victory” of naivety and ignorance.

The Muslim community in Camden should not treat this as a matter of racism. It is just common human nature. Human beings are territorial and full of suspicion. People divide their countries into states and territories, suburbs, cities, and streets. Not many people welcome intrusion by outsiders. There are enough movies showing how human beings can be so easily frightened by landing of foreign (Martian) spacecraft on earth. Closer to earth, we don’t welcome foreigners coming within the territorial waters uninvited.

RBA and interest rate increase

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     RBA and Interest Rate Increase

Visit Time: 29/05/2008 12:41 AM

Remark:

One of the key determining parameter used by the Reserved Bank of Australia (RBA) to increase interest rate is the inflation rate, which is derived from the consumer price index (CPI). The CPI is calculated based on a "basket of goods". The rising price of petrol has a flow-on effect on other items such as utility, transport, foods, wages, etc. These items, plus petrol are all included in the basket of goods. Using prices to determine inflation rate is rather illogical and nonsensical.

The higher prices, through no fault of the consumers, should not be considered as inflation. Redefinition of the word inflation based on increase in quantity consumed instead of money expended seems to be fairer and equitable.

The action taken by the RBA Board to increase interest rates for the past few months may help to dampen demand in many sectors, but the longer term impact may lead to business closure, loss of employment, rise in marriage / family breakup, mental and psychological suffering, theft and burglary. In addition to its main responsibility in determining monetary policy, and maintaining financial system stability, the RBA should also take on board social consciousness.

The methodology employed by the Reserved Bank of Australia’s (RBA) to increase interest rate can aptly be described by the acronym GIGO – garbage-in-garbage-out.

Nelson's listening tour

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Nelson's Listening Tour

Visit Time: 10/04/2008 2:51 AM

Remark:

What happens to all the elected MP’s? Shouldn’t they be listening to the people in their electorates all the time, and response to the people’s needs? It is sad that it takes a disastrous defeat for the leader of any party to understand the meaning of communication and to show empathy towards his / her fellow people. No matter what the real motives behind these politicians are, listening tours do make the public feel good, feel wanted, and feel important. Do politicians listen to their family members, colleagues, mates, professional people that provide them services like the accountant, hairdresser, sandwich bar owners, etc?

Most, if not all, politicians are reactive, and sometimes responsive to the cry of the people. They lack creative and innovative ideas, positive attitude, implementable policies, challenging thoughts and motivating dynamics. Every politician needs to remember that on one hand the public wants to voice their views and grievances. On the other, the public also like to be on the receiving end, listening to what the politician has to offer, and how he / she would resolve or deal with the situations or crisis.

Listening tour should be a regular event, not just for the leader only, but also for elected MP’s. As what most marketing student would say, marketing is simply selling what people want to buy. Indeed, there are better ways to win an election!

Carbon dioxide storage

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Carbon Dioxide Storage

Visit Time: 10/04/2008 1:37 AM

Remark:

Has any impact study been done on the carbon dioxide storage underground? While this sounds like a great idea in slowing down global warming, I am concerned that this will lead to environmental, ecological and geological disasters. How is the storage reservoir constructed, and with what material? When carbon dioxide is dissolved in water, it forms carbonic acid. The destructive effect of carbonic acid, generally known by the public as acid rain, is evident in many sculptures, monuments and buildings. In higher concentration, carbonic acid can change the pH of the soil, which may probably destroy organisms living in the soil. If carbon dioxide is to be stored in compressed form, the pressure may cause instability in the soil structure, and may even create man-made volcanic eruption one day.

Ban recreational fishing

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Ban Recreational Fishing

Visit Time: 16/01/2008 2:45 AM

Remark:

If whale hunting is an issue with Australia, fox hunting in England, seal hunting at the Pole, duck shooting in many parts of the globe, then we should add onto the list – recreational fishing.

Just like all mentioned, recreational fishing should not be considered as a sport. Ordinary humans don’t hunt for food, and therefore, recreational fishing is a cruel excuse to keep the sadistic entertained. It is, in fact, more revolting to use small fish as bait to catch bigger fish. It is about time, the Greenies do sometime about this cruel sport. Better still, persuade your friends to forget about the next fishing trip!

Banks - triple dipped

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Banks - Triple Dipped

Visit Time: 16/01/2008 2:28 AM

Remark:

What a load of rubbish that due to the subprime crisis, banks have to pay more to raise or repay overseas borrowing? On the contrary, the interest rate in US has been dropping, and our currency versus the US increasing.

To illustrate this with a simplified example, if our currency has risen from 80 cents to 88 cents per US dollar, the increased percentage is (88-80)/80*100% = 10%. If the interest rate were to increase, not decrease in this instance, from 5% to 8% in US due to the subprime crisis, the increase is just only 3%. By repaying the loan in US dollars, the banks netted a gain of 7%. The banks are crying poor, but in fact they are making more money now than they claimed to have outlaid.

By charging more from the least afforded, the banks are evil and morally corrupted

Christmas 2008 comes early for former nurses

Name:        CHAN, Sin Fong

Subject:     Christmas 2008 Comes Early for Former Nurses

Visit Time: 16/01/2008 1:49 AM

Remark:

“Today the Prime Minister launched an $87-million program to entice thousands of nurses who have left the profession to come back with cash bonuses of $6,000.” Tomorrow, the former nurses come back to get the cash bonuses, and the day after, the nurses resign and live happily ever after with the bonuses!