Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Calvin asks, "Dad, how come old photographs are always black & white? Didn't they have color film back then?"
"Sure they did," answered Calvin's dad. "In fact, those old photographs ARE in color. It's just that the WORLD was black and white then."
"Really?"
"Yep. The world didn't turn color until sometime in the 1930s, and it was a pretty grainy color for a while, too."
"But then why are old PAINTINGS in color?! If the world was black and white, wouldn't artists have painted it that way?"
"Not necessarily. A lot of great artists were insane."
"But... But how could they have painted in color anyway? Wouldn't their paints have been shades of gray then?"
"of course, but they turned colours like everything else did in the '30s"
"So why didn't old black ad white photos turn color too?"
"Because they were color pictures of black and white, remember?"
Later, Calvin says to Hobbes, "The world is a complicated place."
Hobbes replies, "Whenever it seems that way I take a nap in a tree and wait for dinner."
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I like this story because it illustrates the point that truth is usually simple and lies are complicated. So the whole thing about Minister's salary - simply put, in black and white, is about greed and enriching the rich.
Or is it?
The explanation for why Ministers pay must go up is also simple: it's lagging behind the benchmark and if Singapore is to attract talent in govt, it must pay Ministers better.
Then all the arguments about why Ministers' pay must stay low are complicated explanations about altruism, sense of duty, national service, honour, privilege and all that.
Someone did an interview with David Marshall, former Chief Minister of Singapore and he denounced the high $60,000 and $90,000 monthly salary of the PM and the Ministers then (1994). See this link:
http://thinkhappiness.blogspot.com/2006/08/meeting-david-marshall-in-1994.html
He went on to say that he only made $8,000 a month.
But that was 50 years ago. $8,000 a month in 1957 dollars? Back then you could get a bowl of mee for 5 or 10 cents. Now the cheapest you can get is $2. That's 20 to 40 times more. Extrapolating from that, $8k then is equivalent to at least $160k now. And that's not too far off from the new pay.
So how should ministers be paid? Should they serve for the sheer "joy and excitement of public service" as David Marshall says?
Complicated.
I'll take and nap and wait for dinner.
Calvin asks, "Dad, how come old photographs are always black & white? Didn't they have color film back then?"
"Sure they did," answered Calvin's dad. "In fact, those old photographs ARE in color. It's just that the WORLD was black and white then."
"Really?"
"Yep. The world didn't turn color until sometime in the 1930s, and it was a pretty grainy color for a while, too."
"But then why are old PAINTINGS in color?! If the world was black and white, wouldn't artists have painted it that way?"
"Not necessarily. A lot of great artists were insane."
"But... But how could they have painted in color anyway? Wouldn't their paints have been shades of gray then?"
"of course, but they turned colours like everything else did in the '30s"
"So why didn't old black ad white photos turn color too?"
"Because they were color pictures of black and white, remember?"
Later, Calvin says to Hobbes, "The world is a complicated place."
Hobbes replies, "Whenever it seems that way I take a nap in a tree and wait for dinner."
-----------
I like this story because it illustrates the point that truth is usually simple and lies are complicated. So the whole thing about Minister's salary - simply put, in black and white, is about greed and enriching the rich.
Or is it?
The explanation for why Ministers pay must go up is also simple: it's lagging behind the benchmark and if Singapore is to attract talent in govt, it must pay Ministers better.
Then all the arguments about why Ministers' pay must stay low are complicated explanations about altruism, sense of duty, national service, honour, privilege and all that.
Someone did an interview with David Marshall, former Chief Minister of Singapore and he denounced the high $60,000 and $90,000 monthly salary of the PM and the Ministers then (1994). See this link:
http://thinkhappiness.blogspot.com/2006/08/meeting-david-marshall-in-1994.html
He went on to say that he only made $8,000 a month.
But that was 50 years ago. $8,000 a month in 1957 dollars? Back then you could get a bowl of mee for 5 or 10 cents. Now the cheapest you can get is $2. That's 20 to 40 times more. Extrapolating from that, $8k then is equivalent to at least $160k now. And that's not too far off from the new pay.
So how should ministers be paid? Should they serve for the sheer "joy and excitement of public service" as David Marshall says?
Complicated.
I'll take and nap and wait for dinner.
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