A Bigger Red Dot

Today Singapore has come of political age.  While it is true that the ruling PAP party was returned to power, (deservedly so in many peoples minds) with 60% of the vote (14% less than the previous election), it is equally true that there has been a very large swing towards the Opposition parties.

The very idea that 40% of the 2.35 million eligible voters would choose not to vote for the PAP would have been unheard of two decades ago.

93% of Singaporeans turned out to exercise their vote which shows the level of interest in GE2011.

The big news of the night was the Workers Party win in Aljunied GRC, a rather large 'red dot' in the heartlands, which automatically gives them five seats in the new Parliament.

Three senior Ministers of the last government lost their seats in Alujnied including a distraught Foreign Minister George Yeo, who will no doubt become Ambassador Yeo in the near future. To his credit he remained a gentleman in accepting his defeat.

Hougang too remains firmly in opposition hands.

There remain two electorates that may be subject to a recount, Joo Chiat where the PAP is ahead by 400 votes on election night and Potong Pasir where the margin is even tighter - a mere114 votes.

Thanks to social media's influence on the young and Facebook stars such as Nicole Seah, even safe havens such as Marine Parade were given a wake up call.

The NSP managed to capture 44% of the vote in this electorate although, as predicted, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong's PAP team were returned to office.

Last night's results also saw the demise of Singapore's longest serving opposition politician- one of two in the last Parliament. Due to boundary changes and party swapping Chiam See Tong had to contest the Bishan-Toa Payoh electorate where his SPP party only managed to get 43% of the vote.

So behind the numbers what does this all mean?  The return of a stable government in a volatile economic environment is a real plus and the PAP's stewardship through the toughest of recessionary times should not be forgotten.

Despite this acceptance, the people of Singapore have signalled strongly to the government that they are not happy with the status quo; especially the growing wealth gap, the influx of foreign workers, rising prices and the cost of housing.

While six Opposition members is a small percentage of the total house they should be able to provide a stronger voice for the people's concerns.   If the government chooses to not address these issues we could see a very different result in five years time and true repentance.

Related articles

• What George Yeo's loss means for Singapore
• Singapore's ruling party loses multi-seat constituency - Reuters (news.google.com)
• Singapore's Lee Retains Power With Smallest Margin Since 1965 - BusinessWeek (news.google.com)

Flying High Again

Image via WikipediaSingapore's Changi Airport is the world's favorite once again according to Airports Council International.

It is notable that seven of the top ten airports are in Asia / Sth East Asia. Only one in the UK/Europe and a similar number in the USA make the top ranking which says something for customer design and efficiency.

The article states that :
"Heathrow in London came in 99th, with travelers criticizing its long security lines and poor "ambiance." Dublin Airport placed 98th, Germany’s Frankfurt Airport ranked 126th and Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris even closer to being the worst in the world, at 137th"

My visits through Heathrow suggest no ambience at all -  even the new terminal has no soul. Changi by comparisson won 25 'best" awards in 2010 alone.

Related articles

• ASQ Best Airport Worldwide 2010 (hasayang.wordpress.com)
• How Singapore Changi Airport has created the most lovable airport brand in the world (simpliflying.com)
• Heathrow 'risks losing status a major hub' (thisismoney.co.uk)

Cooling Off Day - May 6th

The race for Aljunied seems to be getting more heated by the minute so it is probably a good idea to have a 'cooling off day' in three days time,  the day  before the vote takes place in Singapore.

Singapore netizens have not taken too kindly to reported statements that Aljunied voters will have " five years to live and repent" if they vote in the opposition and this may backfire for the PAP at the ballot box.

It will be interesting to see the election results on May 7th. and the battles won and lost between the parties.

The Inventiveness of Man

I recall making many visits to The Bath-House, Rotorua's Museum of Art and History, which as its title suggests was once a Victorian styled sanatorium and mineral spa. The opening of the Bath House in 1908 coincided with a visit to Rotorua by the American Rear-Admiral Sperry and 200 of his officers.

The Bath-House

Sited on the edge of a volcanic sulphurous vent, The Bath-House allowed local and overseas visitors to 'take the waters' as a cure for their aches and pains.

Unfortunately sulphur and and other minerals associated with volcanic activity are not conducive to the longevity of museum collections and the then directors had a long standing battle with these elements.

This was also the age of even stranger cures and health devices.  Most of the latter used electricity to deliver their curative effects. The fact that they were in most cases pseudo-science bordering on quackery mattered not a jot.

So it was with some delight that I came across online, the "Prostate Gland Warmer' which was manufactured in 1925 and promised 'healing below the belt'.

From the picture above it would appear that this 'warmer' was plugged directly into a normal lighting socket and I leave it to the reader's imagination to decipher where the other end was inserted.

According to the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices this device was originally invented in 1918 and came with the promise that it would "stimulate the abdominal brain".

This should not be confused with the The Recto Rotor, "The Latest and Most Efficient Invention for the Quick Relief of Piles, Constipation, and Prostate Trouble." Ouch!

Not all inventions of the time were for internal use.  Equally important was the promotion of good health through exercise.The Dumb-Bell Cane pictured below gave one 'the physique of an athlete without wasting a moment'.

Quackery still exists and the gullible are still taken in by promises of miracles cures.  I wrote earlier about some of these we came across in Singapore, such as the irradiated ankle socks which promised to improve circulation.

Related articles

• Device Collection Online
• Public Bathing