Mr Leong should be the Accountant General, in my opinion.

Many of our govt policies only make sense to the PAP. Maybe the govt should purchase a copy of this book as well.

would have been a better video if the surrounding ambient sound were to cut down….yes I agree He is making more sense to the recent nonsense that the MIW has been bull-crapping of late.
Maybe TOC should consider interviewing Mr Leong in a studio or a quieter surrounding.

Why can’t the paid by the $millions top civil servants and ministers think be as curious, inquisitive, sharp, analytical, caring, sincere and forthright as Mr Leong?

Perhaps, they are already too drunk with the amount of sudden wealth that LKY and his son are giving them on a platter for fear of corruption in their blood?

We certainly could do with more people like Mr Leong in Singapore. People with brains but with their hearts in the right place.

Policy makers aka scholars, without an understanding of how the working man functions, have done more harm than good by implementating punitives rules over the years ! Profits at all cost have resulted in hardships for many !
Hope the book will raise some awareness as they affect most of us in our daily lives !
Mr Leong abilities to grasp and dissect policies with Fairness and Compassion is admirable !

Transport – We call it ‘public’ transport, but every year the ball is always on the ‘public listed’ side.

CPF – Where the trustee, but not the beneficiaries, has full right over the beneficiaries’ money.

Healthcare – Where tightening the subsidy is the only preoccupation of this basic government function. Even advises citizens to seek foreign medical services if they cannot afford local ones?

Charity – What’s the heck with all these ‘We are one’, TV charity shows and fund-raising events, when they said GST income would be used to help the poor.

Investment – How to grow your money when local banks have GIC as stakeholders, and the CPF rates are pegged to the local banks’ rates?

Employment – It hurts to see our elders and lowly educated citizens being outsourced by cheap foreign labour, on the pretext of competitiveness.

Education – Schools are where one’s career path are prefabricated, and childhood dreams lose their innocence to pragmatism.

Credit – A double-edged knife that cuts the cash-poor citizens who are living from hand to mouth. Don’t even think of saving for rainy days or retirement. And there’s no government loan for citizens who can’t afford university education. Get it from their parents’ CPF, but pay back in cash plus interest.

Housing – Affordability has a new explanation. It comes with a repayment term of 30 years, with both husband and wife working and contributing to a leasehold unit. Worst, they get all the blame when their children get into trouble.

Just personal experience. May or may not resonate with other readers here.

I really want to buy the book. Is it available in Popular or Kinokuniya?

If there is any nomination for awards, I will definitely nominate Mr Leong. He tirelessly works, thinks and writes on behalf of so many Sporeans concerning their welfare but not just that, contribute towards the improvement of the country by pointing out flaws. If the ruling party keeps praising themselves, how can the country improve? Is there really nothing need improving?

But knowing this govt, people like Mr Leong will never get ‘public’ recognition, so may I suggest TOC start an awards day. Readers can nominate writers, or any community workers they know, write and publish what they have done on this site and all TOC visitors to this site can vote nominees. The highest vote gets awarded with a little medal of recognition.

Awards can be given out for outstanding contribution either in writing or physical work to improve the society or peoples lives. It will also give an idea how much awareness, appreciation & support are garnered for these people who are not in the Govt’s good books.

Yeah the government always say, we have policies in place to help the needy. yeah boy… dont worry too much. ah ha ha

This issue of more people unable to service their mortgages is much more serious than the problems faced by the flat owners.

Do you know how the financial crisis and Lehman collapse etc started?
In the US for many years, loans were given to people who were barely able to afford it (subprime loans).. it was good for political purposes, every citizen happy and the government was seen as efficient and caring. (Just like in singapore, govt said, no worries, everyone can afford, stretch loan to 30 years) . Then one fine day when the market conditions changed and and home prices did not pick up, and home owners started to default as employment opprtonuities and salaries did not keep up, More people could not pay their mortgages, ….the conniving bankers in wall street had to think of a way to save the banks, because if overwhelming number of loans start to go bad, the banks will collapse. So they repackage the risks of these bad loans into small parcels of “cdos” which found its way in Lehman notes, DBS HN, Pinnacles, et. al.

When the great bubble finally burst the financial collapse happened in 2008 and the whole world changed.

So my friends, beware. If more and more loans get default, all the big banks in Singapore will be in big trouble, aka. usa subprime crisis….

Today we don’t worry much.. 1 in 12 default is ok. But if govt keep on telling the citizens, you can afford don’t worry, pay over 30 years, then, as time goes on, 10 years 15… who is to say the mortgagee can still keep his job over 30 years? It is a stupid, brainless assumption. So, down the road, if more loans default we will have a subprime crisis. Telling someone who earns $2000 a month he can afford a HDB flat of $400,000++ stretch over 30 years, is no different from creating sub-prime loans which resulted in world financial chaos down the road.

I do not believe it is correct to buy anything on instalment for more than 10 to 15 years. It is extremely dangerous and wreckless path which the government is trying to create to justify itself that “hdb prices are affordable”.

Zero

It is reported that the Malaysian Government plans to implement GST in 2011. The main different between the Malaysian GST and our GST is that the essential items such as agricultural products, poultry and livestock products, sugar, rice, flour, cooking oil and eggs will be exempted from the new tax. In addition, services such as public transport, school and factory buses, tolls, healthcare and education will not be TAXED.

Our GST applies to every single items including essential and necessary everyday items and yet this S-hole multi-million dollars paid government unashamely claimed that the implementation of GST is to help the poor.

PAP *pui*

If more people like Mr. Leong willing to stand out for the next G.E. i am very sure pap top leader can not sleep well. he is the person should stand out for Singaporean to vote me into parliament. not the man interview by pap and become yes man then give Singaporean to select

If Mr Leong is willing, I suggest that 10% of the proceeds from the sales of this book be used to set up a foundation fund to tackle issues faced by the Homeless, Destitute & Burdened (HDB for short).

Those of us buying the book will be pleased to know that we are indirectly helping the victims of such oppressive govt policies.

1) Sekani Dorbai on November 26th, 2009 11.10 pm
“Mr Leong should be the Accountant General, in my opinion. ”

Would he go the way of PJ?

I mean to serve the country, to put it in a diplomatic kind of way.

Uniquely city, 1st world to 3rd world……..looking back the last 10 years, all the flawed …;F1 – F9 policies implemented, have greatly implicated wide spectrum of societal issues across on all its citizens …… the crack-lines are getting wider and leaking fast……real sad……

Talking about charities, i think it is high time to stop the beggings.
And the way to stop it is to stop donating.
I have called many time in the past to stop ‘giving fish’ to the poor and under privileged through the large Non Governmental Organizations, Social Welfare Organizations and so called Voluntary Welfare Organizations. My rationale is that all these organizations have huge teams of so-called volunteers who are paid to do the job of soliciting donations. They have huge offices and even own buildings that are resplendently furbished and executives paid like top management staff.

Many of their donation campaigns are large scal shows that are costly to host in themselves. So, all in all, when the fishes(donations, alms) one donates go through the organizations, those that are supposed to benefit from the donations only get the bones, tails, fins and scales of the fishes. The people who need the donations or the donations intended for them hardly get to taste the flesh of the fishes or the fleshes of the fishes have became ‘expenditures’ in the processes of the campaigns.

I do encourage everyone to give, to donate and help, do it directly, avoid donating large sums of cash, cheques or vouchers. Do give foods, clothings(used or new), daily essentials such as oil, towel, toothpaste, soap etc directly to those who need them.

The never-ending charity campaigns in Singapore have also, in my view, relegated the duty and obligation of the Government to take care of the citizens. And the Government seems most happy to have its’ duty and responsibility ‘voluntarily’ taken over by the large charity organizations, many of which have got ’surplus donations’ for investments(gamble).

Let us be kind and sympathetic, however, we should not go about it blindly.

Yourstruly: patriot

17) patriot

I noted some donated used stuff, doneted out of good intent , are actually end up in our poorer neighbours’ shopping streets.

“Can you imagine walking to every HDB block and every floor that you go, every 12 flats that you count, one of them is in arrears by more than three months?”

That is assuming that everyone in the entire block is still paying their loan.
33,000 is 8% of all the HDB housing loans
So, as stated, 1 in 12 of flats still repaying their loans.
But total units HDB built exceeds 900,000 units, so is in really that every 12 flats that you count, one of them is in arrears by more than three months?

book is available in times or borders.

can contact me if you want a copy of the book. we will give thought to whether a portion of proceeds should go to charity. thanks!

I also hope that financial advisors, like the author, will also give good advise to their clients that will not get them into a hole they cannot climb out, and not push their products just to close a sale, as many became broke as a result of taking lousy advice from people they trusted.

@ PitifulSingapore
The $million ministers and top civil servants have been feeding on dog’s food almost everyday. They are already brain-dead and spineless! That’s why we are witnessing the many sad state of affairs in S’pore today.They will certainly not risk their outrageous pay by coming out to champion the causes of the ordinary citizens. Issue like the minimum wage which has been raging on for years.Issue like giving more assistants for the poor and needy.Issue like concession fares for the elderly in transportation at all time of the day. And many more.What they are interested is,by the end of the month to see whether the fat cheques they
received has all the zerooos in place!

KopitiamApek#18:

Thank You very much for the information though i do not know how You are able to ascertain it. If the information You gave is indeed the case, then all the more donors will have to be prudent in givings, there could be abuses and even scams.

Bear in mind that SIN is a city of possibility, i am just borrowing somebodys’ words, it is also a unique city, so all kinds of possibilities exist, including two legged wolves in sheep skins. Try not not fall prey, especially the generous people.

Take care and cheers!

patriot

You the govt bothers about all these problems faced by the citizens? do you? while on the other hand our MBT can still tells you outright lies that his ministry lost $2billions just to help the citizens sibsidizing their hdb flats but choose to keep their record books undisclosed till today.

23) patriot

Yes. we just give from our heart. Those who can stoop low enough to exploit others kindness will always be around.

There is a entire shopping mall (converted and turned a bit downmarket after it could not sustain as a regular mall) in our neighboring island that sells all second hand stuff from our island.

We have some collection points all over our island by some charity groups for public to dump their old stuff. These are not donated to the poor but sold to secondhand traders who then sell them to our neighbours, much the same as the recycling companies does with the stuff we throw out in the reclying bins..

insurance saleman selling books

///Mr Leong, a very much in-demand expert and commentator on financial and social issues///

Old Chinese Strory: Old Mr Wang sells melons, buys the melons himself and praises his own melons.

Maybe we can each buy a few copies of the book and resell them to friends closest to us. That will help sell and spread the word quicker. You know how some people may show interest but are lethargic in their action.

Publsih it as an eBook accessable to all in TOC site. Then all can read it. There is already a donation button on this website.

Hi Patriot #17

There are still charitable organisations out there who are genuinely helping the poor who cannot get support due to grey areas. These are the churches and temples. I know of a church who is helping the needy (despite their religious beliefs). It has claimed they are helping the poor and needy cos some of them just could not get help from the right organisation. Here’s one the scenario of a needy family they are helping:

A family of four. The husband is in jail. The wife needs to take care of her two young children. One of them is a special needs child (probably austistic or low IQ or has disabilities) that need to go to special needs school. She can’t go to work cos her two children are in different school sessions and different schools. She asked for some financial assitance but was rejected. The reason? They said she is fit to work; she could employ a maid to look after her children so she could go to work. The woman is not highly educated so what what kind of a job can she work to earn enough to employ a maid and still have money to support the family? Hence she turned to the church.

So you see there are grey areas whereby some really needy people can’t receive assistance. Other then monetary assistance, they also help the poor like giving free tuition to the poor children, free counselling etc. I also applaud temples who offer free meals to the poor. We need kind charitable organisations to help them. These organisations do not publicise their charitable efforts.

Kopitiamapek #18

“I noted some donated used stuff, doneted out of good intent , are actually end up in our poorer neighbours’ shopping streets”.

I don’t know this is happening… Sigh. I agree with you. We must give from our hearts (and what we can afford). We must not lose our compassion..

SG Girl Next Door

Compassion without wisdom is no compassion. It is naivety or stupidity!

As “welfare” has become a “dirty word” in the vocabulary of our dear PM Lee,
so is “charity” an equally “dirty word” when we are reminded of what TT Durai has done in NKF and what Min Yi has done in Ren Ci Hospital.

Compassion is good and noble, but it can also be exploited by wolves in sheep skins, many of which are hanging around at every corner waiting for opportunities to exploit your weakness (and stupidity).

Even world charitable organisations, such as the UN Disaster Relief, the Red Cross and many others have been exploited. The foodstuffs and medical items donated by international bodies and forwarded by the UN relief staffs simply ended up in many shops and certain unscrupulous govt officials’ store houses, without being accounted for!

So, wake up and don’t be so naive!!!

Hi SG Girl: and good morning to All;

most Singaporeans are aware that many religious organizations are doing a great job in charities without blowing trumpets or soliciting funds publicly. Most get their funds from their believers and followers. I must say that these charitable acts of these organizatiions have been in practice for a very long time universally.

The difference between ENTERPRISING charitable organizations and lately, commercial entities such as Mcdonald, Courts and some others involved in charity and those ‘quiet/silent’ alms giving organizations is that the Formers are profit driven business enterprises. The Business Entities are simultaneously making their so-called charity acts as advertisements for their products and brands, some killing three birds at one go; increasing business, making themselves more wellknown and gaining themselves a ‘good samaritian’ accolades/tags.
BUT, some like me, get put off by such charity acts.

As i have said above, let’s give whenever we can, but to be naive and be exploited is to be foolish and worse when one relieves the duties of those responsible, rendering them not responsible for the duties they MUST fulfilled.

Apparently from the informations imparted by Mr KopitiamApek and You, things are not working as they should. Beware of the wolves in sheep skins that are perpetually around.

Nice having interactions with You all.

patriot

while this video and interview was taken some time back,
it is still relevant now as the Problem is still there.

30) SG Girl Next Door
32) patriot

We cannot wait for the elusive “perfect world” situation where everyone does right to happen before we open our heart to give.
There will always those who ride on the bandwagon of charity when they really want publicity and improving bottom lines, as there are religous orgs that do charity to entice others to join their belief.

When I give my help to a poor guy on a wheel chair selling 4D tickets, I know for sure he gets it. When I give to some stickers peddling helpers in some charity drive, I give and hope they do right.

30) SG Girl Next Door

The sad thing is that people who are in dire straits oftentime are the ones that gets the raw deals. And thus the vicious cycle goes on.

You forgot to include Telecommunication which is beginning to suck for households that have been misguided to switch to SingTel’s MIO. See my article Loose Ends…on one1.lah… http://one1.lah.cc/2009/11/

Hi Patriot (32) & KopitiamApek (34)

I do agree but we individuals can only help very few needy people. Whereas those ‘enterprising organisations” can reach out to many. So its ok to let them achieve the “charitable image” they want. Ultimately they will donate to the relevant people after their marketing campaigns.

Helping the needy comes in monetary and non-monetary forms. Few years ago after the tsunami, I helped out in an organisation to sort out donated clothings and packed them into cartons. Its tiring you know? And I spang my back muslces too but no regrets. Cos I knew my little effort could help those in need.

Let not a few “wolves in sheeps’ skins” stop your charitable efforts. Do what your means can afford. :)

A great weekend to of you!

Cheers

The gahmen introduce many policies about work life balance and old age integration with the community and such.

Frankly speaking I am not from a well to do family (considered living in the slums/ghetto of singapore). Housing prices are so expensive, couples have a family and 4 parents to feed, need to work to pay off loans and loans and loans… how could us citizens take care of our parents when we are struggling to take care of ourselves? How to fulfill the filial duties of the children to our parents when we are all living on the fine line?

Foreigners who came to Singapore to work will always ask one question. Why are the elderlies still working?

Why are we working such long hours?? Why do we need to pay 30 years to finish off the housing loans?

Our Ministers are really disconnected with the people. Just look at what the labour minister and minister for MND says.

One said we have to be good, fast, efficient and cheap, while the other still day dream that houses are affordable while not revealing the profit and marginal cost of building.

Is our gahmen white washing everything?
Looks like it

With

I was at a wet market hawker centre 2 days ago having brunch. Then came along an “foreign talent” who’s faking a limp, and pushing a speaker-cart, whilst singing to the tunes of some Chinese traditonal folksongs. What truly saddens me is that Singaporeans do not think twice about dropping $2notes into his ca$h tin; yet doe not bat a single eyelid at the 70-odd year old elderly cleaner who’s picking up the mess at the tables after he diners.
Why are we blindly donating? Is it a case of making ourelves feel better cos we “donate”to the needy?
Why can’t we give these monies as tips instead for those poor Local uncles & aunites who are wAy past their retirement age, and yet needed to toil their lives to make a Humble salary of $700 or so per month just to make ends meet?
After all, they are the ones who are cleaning up after your mess.
And not To some overstayers who may have swam across the straits Ina rubber tube!

Will Dubai crisis lead to F1 or F9?
Will election be delayed?
I ever said, even if some good news of minor recovery now,
next year will be Unpredictable where No one really will know what crisis is to come when.
Cos this is possible, there would have been no crisis to begin with.
Are there sg companies which are affected or will be affected by this dubai crisis?
I heard some people asking people to invest in middle east.
So now how?

#38) bongiovi

you are so right, three months back, my foreman who has been working here for over 8 years asked me the same question….”why is it that our old folks can’t retire and enjoy their twlight years?….he can’t understand because bcos everyone knows singapore is a rich country”

I replied…”in singapore only the govt is rich, but the people are poor”

Do read UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland) “Prices and Earnings 2009″ report and you will see why Singaporeans are in deep s***. Little wonder that our mainstream media didn’t give publicity to this UBS report!

Here’s the UBS web-link (pls scroll down until you see above report title):
http://www.ubs.com/1/e/wealthmanagement/wealth_management_research.html

In my blog, I did an abridged extract from the UBS report to compare Singapore with:
(a) Zurich – we aspired to be “Switzerland of the East”
(b) Tokyo, Hongkong, Taipei, Seoul – the other Asian dragons
(c) Kuala Lumpur – for geographical proximity
(d) Next nearest rival – for statistical comparison

I think I’ve got the answer why Singaporeans are in deep s***
(pls scroll down to Para 9 and double-click on the embedded table):
http://singaporeenbloc.blogspot.com/2009/10/horse-dumbstruck-by-mutant-three-hump.html

Dear Mr Leong,
Kindly enlighten the citizenry
how will this Dubai Crisis affect singapore going forward to 2010 given that economy is most accurate based on hindsight ?

If Financial Crisis can be known in advance AND can be stopped, would it not have been prevented in the 1st place? Would it not mean there would have been no Financial Crisis to begin with?

Assuming No one really knows the Economy or knows when Crisis will strike again, What Guarantee / assurance is there for the Future?

Anyone’s guess is as good as an economists?

Thanks The Pariah @ #42 for the comparison table.

I noted :
1. The Cost of Livingfor Sg is HIGHER than TaiPei and Seoul
2. But Sg Wage Index is the Lowest among these 3.
3. Also Sg has the Lowest Domestic Purchasing Power compared to all the countries in the table.

4. singaporeans work longer Hours than worker in Zurich, Tokyo, Taipei.

5. Sg Price Level incl rent / energy is higher than Taipei and Seoul.

I wonder, can sg and especially its citizens sustain based on high cost of living and comparatively lower income and influx of cheaper 3rd world ‘talents’?

How much more livable can a city with 6.5million be? Less Congestions? Cheaper ERP? Less communicable diseases? Less Crowded Malls and Exhibitions centers? Less Expensive? Higher Demand but cheaper cost of goods and services?

Seems like very soon there will be 6.5mil people and no way to Reverse this trend liao. At least new citizens are here to stay.

Lets accept this Collectively, as we always have.

I liike to hear from our esteemed talent for the job ‘creation’, how does he assure there will be millions of jobs created when the population reaches 6.5mil ?

Definitely i assume there is a masterplan already since this 6.5 million is on target?

Good expose.
One advice to the team. Do interviews in quieter environments NOT where the interviewer/interviewee has to compete for audio from noisy background. The main objective is to hear the views. If readers/viewers has to strain to listen or some views are lost, then it defeats the purpose. Doesn’t mean the background has to be in the center of a noisy busy bus depot just to illustrate that one is asking about public transport. Background is only cosmetic.

Reading and knowing the evils is one matter. What really counts is VOTING away this evil. Do things that matter. If we waste our votes, it a certainty that eventually, NEWLY created rules will destroy any voting power left. Imagine soon enough, the entire Singapore island will fall under one GRC-Tg Pagar!!!
Anything nonsensical is VERY possible with our current administration.
Be informed and take the right action. Do it for ourselves and those we love down the generation.

issues that matter also can include :

1. Rate and cumulative number of citizens who migrated.
2. Rate and cumulative number of new citizens
3. Rate of influx including FTs.

I wonder would points 1 and 2 affect the Trend of Increasing support for Opposition?

Do spend a minute and think about it.

yours truely, Fleeing Dogman, FD1

Hi Novia Chin,
“Seems like very soon there will be 6.5mil people and no way to Reverse this trend liao. At least new citizens are here to stay.”

There is 1 way.

Think the PAP should buy a copy & read what the Regular Joe is going thru! Actually, I am sure the PAP knows about these problems long time ago, just that they think they could push us to the limit & see if where we will snap; just like a coach pushes his trainee to see if he could shave off a one-tenth of a second in the 100m dash!

Problem is, the only person that matters is MM Lee & he is still calling the shots & what he learnt many years ago is been applied here today! He has not changed much & to him, an unproductive person is better off dead or in JB! Many a times, we hear our ministers uttering rubbish like Affordable & Subsidised; do you think these useless million dollar ministers could utter those wisdom without MM Lee’s blessing?

The only thing is that those tricks worked in the 60s, 70s, 80s & maybe 90s, but it wont work now cos of the internet & informations are been passed on at the speed of light. He wont be able to cover up mistakes by this A-Team & even with his tight control of the media, things get leaked out pretty quick. I am sure if MAS Selamat’s Escape happened in the 80s, we probably wont hear about it at all & I doubt the A-Team needs to announce the Town Council’s losses; guess many bad mistakes were made in those lost years & not reported! However, it’s so different now & I really think he should move together with technology & not treat us as idiots!

He’s still the puppet master & Alpha male in the pack; nobody is willing to stand up against him for fear of losing his million dollar rice-bowl or becoming a bankrupt in exile! Therefore, you have 82 PAP MPs doing nothing much but collecting tonnes of taxpayers’ money! When was the last time you recalled a MP stepped up & proved his worth? Honestly, besides shaking hands, planting trees, attending religious functions & appearing every 4years, what has he done for you? And I am not talking just about upgrading the lifts or building leaking covered walkways or state of the art basketball court; it’s expected of them & it’s our money anyway!

I will get the book & hopefully, my humble contribution will help Mr Leong & make Singapore a better place for our children

I bot 2 last time at the launch.
Very nice reading material . All based on Facts.
Good reference material.
Have been re-reading several articles every now and then. Very thought provoking at times as well.
With this book, I know i have the facts with me.

Thanks TOC team and Mr Leong for this book. Would like to buy some copies. May i know is it still available at Kino book shop?

By the way, talking about F1 or F9, I wonder is streetdirectory A1 or F9 for showing the following ERP rates info:
http://s832.photobucket.com/albums/zz247/hansontan/?action=view&current=ERPratesbendemeernotfree.jpg

On 1st Dec 2009 Mon: the ERP rate for Bendemeer ERP is shown to be Free at all times.
That morning, I drove past that gantry at between 8:30am to 9:00 am and was deducted $0.50.

Just to share with readers. Let me know if i am missing something why it said free but was not.

Singapore is unique indeed.

1. Last Time Stop-At-2 policy. Now, going for 6.5million with 1 million or so already entered. Why last time stop at 2 when the city can accomodate 6.5million according to this 6.5million target?

If can set 6.5million target surely can accomodate them? So why last time did not allow more citizens to be reproduced?

2. based on Expo and Convention halls jam packed situations, how can the existing infrastructure handle so many more people?
So, what is the Reason to increase to 6.5million? To have more immigrant new citizens so that …… ???

Can Opposition question them for us? We need clarity and justification and assurance that the infra can handle.

in the older days, it was cheap to support several children compared to now.

I wonder if last time there was no stop-at-2 would we have to resort to inviting so many new immigrants?

why policy like that?

F1 or F9?

I will tell them on Polling day.

[...] Click here to order a copy of Sze Hian’s book, Issues That Matter: Uniquely Singapore – F1 or [...]

I am thinking if I should buy a copy of the book and send to my MP…

go Mr Leong!!!

something to consider will be that some flats have already been paid in full esp those bought when the prices were <100k decades back as loans were much shorter then, as such maybe it's not 1 in 12 flats but 1 in 13 or 14, just a thought…

with the Gahmen only contributing the AMAZING $50,000 to Haiti, may I suggest that TOC donate at most 10% of the proceeds to help Haiti? Help is appreciated no matter how small. thanks.