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I have often said many events, whether hosted locally or overseas, present valuable teaching moments. Local thought leaders and domain experts have a responsibility to share their knowledge publicly, sparking meaningful debates that drive collective growth. Ancient Greeks gather in public places called agora for these public debates which helped build and protect their democracy. Ordinary citizens gathered to discuss politics, vote on new laws, and hold their leaders accountable. It was also a place for philosophers to challenge common sense and discover the truth. Unfortunately this is a rarity in Singapore despite the convenience of social media instead of an agora. One of these rare thought leaders is lawyer Michael Han who writes regularly. I enjoy reading his posts even though I disagree often with his views when it comes to politics. The difference between Michael and someone writing like me, is he writes from a position of authority. That behoves upon him mor...

"Deep in the shady sadness of a vale Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn Sat gray-hair'd Saturn, quiet as a stone, Still as the silence round about his lair; Forest on forest hung about his head..." John Keats (Hyperion) In that beautiful epic poem of evolutionary change, Keats described the forlorn figure of Saturn (Roman version of the Greek's Kronos), leader of the Grecian pantheon the Titans, sitting alone in the forest like "The Thinker", reflecting on their loss to the Olympians under Jupiter (Zeus).  We are at the moment in history when a civilisation seems to pause at the forest's edge, listening to the fading echoes of one order before the uncertain thunder of another. Our age feels at such a twilight interval. Our generation has the unique experience of witnessing civilisational change, but unfortunately, as frogs in the boiling water, most of us are unwary of what's happening with the bigger picture.  Like the Titans hearing ...

Controlled scarcity pushes price up. We see this with the crypto market. We see this with the diamond trade. We see this with art auctions. We see this with Good Class Bungalows. We see this with Certificate of Entitlements (COE) for vehicles.  SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp) engineered scarcity on both sides of the market, cultivating extraordinary demand through exclusivity, Musk's reputation, and a trillion-dollar growth narrative while limiting the supply of tradable shares. SpaceX's initial IPO raised US$75Bn which is now the biggest IPO in history, surpassing Saudi Aramco's US$25.6Bn in 2019. Musk has earned the title of the world's first trillionaire.   We have seen lots of mention of Musk's wealth and the capitalisation of SpaceX in media and podcasts of financial experts, but all are just estimates as final prospectus was not yet available. SpaceX has filed their S-1 on 12 Jun 2026 now available on Edgar. Straits Times and CNA never show you ...

"The reasonable man is the man on the Clapham omnibus" This is the iconic British legal quote by Lord Bowen (19th century) explaining in a witty way that the legal standard isn't a genius or a professor; it is just a random, ordinary commuter riding public transit. In legal context, the term "reasonable man" or "ordinary mind" is foundational to contract law, tort liability, and the standard of reasonableness. Defamation cases hinge heavily on how words are interpreted. Courts evaluate statements based on their "natural and ordinary meaning" which includes literal statements and implicit insinuations. Judges determine how a "reasonable man" would interpret the words in context. This isn't just about dictionary definitions; it includes the subtext, tone, and overall impression left on the audience.  The "reasonable man" doesn't mean any Tan, Ahmad or Subramaniam. Common law principles describe this person as...