Money Talks – it’s not everything, but everything is money

In Singapore, it pays to work for the government / civil service

Where else do government leaders / top civil servants get paid so much?

Already high, yet still 55% increase in ministers’ salaries. PM Lee said it’s to attract the brightest talents and to curb corruption – but will humans be ever satisfied?

PM Lee’s, 55 salary would have jumped from RM5.58 million a year (RM465,000 per month) to RM7.03 million a year (more than RM585,000 per month), 5 times more than that of George Bush, president of the world’s most powerful economy. And much more than PM Abe of Japan, Asia’s biggest economy. And he’s not the one earning the most – the President earns more.
With immediate effect, the salary structure:

President – $3,187,100 (24.9% increase),

Prime Minister – $3,091,200 (25.5% increase),
Senior Minister – $3,043,300 (13.5% increase),

Minister Mentor (Lee Kuan Yew) – $3,043,300 (13.5% increase),

Deputy Prime Minister – $2,452,500 (18.8% increase),

Minister and Senior Perm Sec – $1,593,500 (32.5% increase) (MR4 Grade),

Entry Superscale Grade – $384,000 (3.3% increase) [SR9 Grade],

MP – $216,300 (23.2% increase)

The government, led by Lee Kuan Yew launched a major campaign to convince the nation but has so far failed.

Middle class Singaporeans earn an average of S$1,500 (RM3,400) a month. The poorest 10% earn S$300 (RM680.70) a month.

In a survey at AsiaOne’s website, only 11.4% supported the idea, 83.7% said no & 4.9% abstained.

Who wants to run for office in Singapore?

source

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Only 30% of most expensive domains sold in 2006 actually in use

Dailydomainer.com reported in January that  of the 100 highest priced domains sold last year:

• 18 have been developed
• 8 redirect to a developed site
• 5 are affiliate sites
• 6 currently under development
• 9 don’t work at all
• … and 54 show PPC (pay per click) ads.

This means that a large percentage of the domain market’s high end is fueled by domainer-to-domainer sales, and/or that most “traditional” sales (to end users) go unreported.

The report goes on to list the domains. I have selected domains which cost more than half a million US dollars:

Posted in general | No Comments »

Unimaginable luxury in Malaysia for the super-rich philanthropist

In conjunction with the upcoming Malaysian F1 GP in early April, Mandarin Oriental Hotel is offering super-rich philanthropists a way to spend their money for charity: offer its Grand Presidential Suite to the highest bidder from April 6 to 8.

Check out these details:

• Starting bid: RM260,000 for minimum 2 nights’ stay at the suite, located at the hotel’s 30th floor. That means it could very well go up much higher than this amount. It’s been said many times before, but it’s worth saying again: you’re gonna burn, in 2 nights, what most people toil for a lifetime to earn.
• a personal butler; 
• champagne breakfast in bed for 2 persons specially prepared by the hotel’s executive chef valued at RM3,630;
• limited and exclusive Formula One and Paddock Club passes for two persons valued at RM30,000!!!
• Hawaiian spa treatment for two persons at the hotel’s The Spa: tailor-made spa experience, valued at RM79,000: provided by widely celebrated Lomi Lomi star therapists Katrina Wagner and Michael Schoernig, specially flown in from Switzerland. So the rate is like: RM20,000 per hour per person??
• a chauffeur-driven limousine BMW 7 Series at guests’ disposal at any time of the day to any destination of choice within the Klang Valley, valued at RM20,000: available 24 hours a day for 3 days from the time of airport pick up. Then I might as well go on a crazy joyride of my life at 4 am.
• a specially prepared Formula One extravaganza dinner with wine pairing for two persons at Pacifica Grill & Bar, worth RM49,000. Served with an exceptional selection of fine wines specially flown in Europe. I wonder what kind of wine would push prices up that high.
• Exclusive His and Hers Chopard designer watches, valued at RM98,810, given as welcome gifts. The watches are adorned with diamonds and sapphires and set in white gold steel. I don’t want that watch – I can never wear it anyway – scared of burglars.

source

Posted in general | 1 Comment »