What's with all the loud bangs tonight (July 5) downtown?

[bruinbear]

Yeah I wonder how much it costs the Singapore Govt to put up so many shows every year.

You mean how much it costs me, the taxpayer. Every year at this time I sigh just thinking of my hard-earned money literally going up in smoke.

If you pay a lot of taxes, it probably means you earn a lot, given Singapore's relatively low tax rates.

So good for you!

[kaseyma]

Has anybody got some recommendations as to the best places to see/watch the air display and fireworks. If it's in the same restaurant, even better. We have one of our mother's up so we'd like to show her (and us) the first ND in a bit of style!

Also, which day is the public holiday - if any - the Friday or the Monday?

I think the Saturday itself is the public holiday since some companies still work Saturdays. If your company doesn't work Saturdays they will probably give you the Monday after off.

That's the way it is.

Used to be that Saturday was a work day (or at least half a workday) for most companies.

So, the post office, banks and government offices should be open.
If your company chooses to give you Monday off, it will be an opportunity for all those errands you've been putting off.

[Wind In My Hair]

If you pay a lot of taxes, it probably means you earn a lot, given Singapore's relatively low tax rates.

So good for you!

I like your positivity BB! I don't pay a lot of taxes (thank goodness for tax deductions as a self-employed!), don't begrudge what I do pay, and earn more than I need. For all that I am grateful. I just wish they would do something more meaningful with our taxes than NDP rehearsals. Oh well, I suppose nation-building qualifies as meaningful.

[bruinbear]

Well I was just being factual.

I find that Singaporeans, especially those who haven't worked overseas in high-tax countries before (which is most of the Western developed world anyway), tend to take the low tax environment here for granted.

And many Singaporeans don't even know what a capital gains tax is because they never had one. (Again taking things for granted you see)

[Wind In My Hair]

Some reading comprehension may come in handy. What in my post led you to think that I am not aware of our low tax rates or the fact that we have no capital gains tax? All this is not even under discussion. I merely stated my preference for how taxes are spent. This may help (not a very good analogy but remember I am operating under the stress of replying to a post of total irrelevance):

Parent to child: I wish you would spend your allowance on books instead of sweets as I think books are better for you.

Child: You are taking me for granted! Do you know you already give me less allowance than my friends get from their parents? In fact I don't even ask you for extra money when you get a pay raise or a bonus and most other children do demand that of their parents. You have obviously never been a parent to other children so you don't appreciate what you have here. You should think about how lucky you are instead of taking me for granted!

[kaseyma]

Yeah I wonder how much it costs the Singapore Govt to put up so many shows every year.

You mean how much it costs me, the taxpayer. Every year at this time I sigh just thinking of my hard-earned money literally going up in smoke.

Think of this as an investment in national pride and the social fabric that keeps the country running and safe.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The investment in national pride is for sale on ebay with around $100 being the going rate for NDP tickets. National Pride? I've never been able to get a ticket since they moved to the national stadium all those years ago. I did see the last ones before moving to the national stadium but they were open with no tickets needed at the Padang back in 82 & 83. Nothing like what is seen today.

My wife has never seen one and she's Singaporean. Bit of a bummer actually. Some seem to "win" or "chope" as the case may be, tickets every year. I've actually given up now as I figure the best and most comfortable seats are in my living room.