Yes, Singapore has been hit hard by the worldwide credit crunch. It started when taxi drivers and other workers lost their shirts when AIG went under – so low are the interest rates at Singapore’s banks that people are encouraged to buy insurance policies with pay-out plans, and annuities, and many people had trusted the […]
Below I’ve pasted in a couple of scans of discarded cigarette packs, in order to show you what a cigarette health warning looks like if your Surgeon-General is NOT in bed with the tobacco industry. These packages are made in Indonesia, probably for the Singapore market (which is why they’re printed in English). I just […]
The singles scene here is dire, apparently. Everyone is too busy working to date. No dating, no offspring, and nobody to support the elderly population. The solution? Encourage marriage! Once married, it’s hoped the couples will take advantage of the Baby Bonus to assist them in reproducing. The Prime Minister is of course behind the […]
Singapore has certain things it wants its citizens to know, and signs are one way it alerts them. Our university is located next to a secondary-growth rainforest, which also is a live firing range for the Singapore military. So if you venture near the borders of the university you’ll see a sign like the one […]
You can get a foreign maid to take care of your house and/or children, and there’s a complete set of laws to protect both you and her. The maid earns $300-$400 a month, but it costs you about $1,000. This is because you pay for her airfare from the Phillipines (both ways), three thorough medical check-ups annually […]
OK, with the election of Obama we all know that democracy can claim to be somewhat restored in the U.S. So it’s time to turn our attention to other forms of democracy! I heard a story last night I thought I’d pass on about democracy in Singapore. As you may know, the government in Singapore […]
The Singapore government builds roads and train tracks, creates bus routes and the world’s nicest airport, and runs a really great airline. Fares on public transit and taxis are very low, probably subsidized, certainly controlled. The government builds and runs schools and universities; it builds and sells high-standard public housing; it hires armies of cleaners, […]
No, you don’t get caned in Singapore for gum possession. But they don’t sell it here, and you can’t bring in a lot. Here’s the reason: When the government created the MRT, the wonderful fully automated train system that moves people about cheaply and quickly, they put sensors in the doors to avoid crushing people. […]