Quora Answer: If Singapore-Flagged Vessels are at Risk, Traversing the Strait of Hormuz, will the Singapore Navy Protect Them?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If Singapore-flagged vessels are put at risk, traversing the Strait of Hormuz, will the Singapore Navy protect them?”

If Singapore-flagged vessels were threatened in the Straits of Hormuz, the Republic of Singapore Navy is quite capable of deploying to the Persian Gulf.  Singapore has deployed to the region before, but always as part of a multinational effort under the auspices of the United Nations, never as a belligerent.  The most recent deployment to the region was as part of the international effort to curb piracy in the Gulf of Aden, at the western entrance to the littoral waters of the Arabian Peninsula.  The Straits of Hormuz is at the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula.

The being said, the RSN is not expected to be deployed there anytime soon, because Singapore is not involved with any dispute with Iran.  We are not America’s bitch, antagonising the Iranians just to give Trump a jingoistic erection.  That would be the UK, and Jeremy Hunt, as foreign secretary.  Iran is not going around arresting ships.  They are retaliating against the seizure of their own vessels, and the strangulation of their economic lifeline by the Americans, and their British sycophants.

Quora Answer: If Monogamy is Natural, Why Do Many Relationships End because of Affairs?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If monogamy is natural, why do so many relationships end because of affairs?”

Relationships do not end because of affairs.  Affairs are indicators that the relationship was already over, as far as one party is concerned, and they are considering options.  Sometimes, the party involved in the infidelity does not have the moral, or psychological, courage to admit it.  Or, as is often the case, they consider the legal or financial too high to initiate a proper break-up.

People assume monogamy means that we are obliged to be with the same person until death.  That may not necessarily be so, because people grow apart for various reasons.  We are monogamous, for the most part, because our societal structure and cultures are geared towards nuclear families, with clearly defined gender roles.  Even when those roles evolved, they still adhered to some form of societal norms.

Polygamous relationships are exceptions, based on circumstance, that evolved into culture.  In many societies, it was the privilege of the ruling class, as a means to ensure the propagation of the line, and keep wealth within the family.  In nomadic cultures, aside from being a source of prestige, it was also a means to ensure that children were taken of, and seen to belong to a family, or lineage.

None of this, however, is definitive proof that we are either monogamous or polygamous.  These are developments within the context of society, culture.  They are not biological.  The only biological consideration is the need for a male and a female to procreate.  It does not necessarily necessitate the father of the child staying.

As women gain equal status in society, and assert their role, polygamy has faded away.  Women are no longer property, and part of a man’s estate.  They are partners in a relationship.  This is why, as societies advanced, monogamy became a feature, and polygamy is considered anachronistic.

Quora Answer: If I make $100,000 Annually, Do I Save for Retirement or Live Comfortably?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If I make $100,000 a year, would it be better for me to live simply and comfortably, or save and invest the money for retirement?”

None of your goals are mutually exclusive.  It is possible to be comfortable, and still have money set aside for your retirement.  This is where good budgeting comes in.  Assuming you are young enough, you have greater options, because the mortality charges applicable in certain financial instruments such as insurance investment plans, are negligible.

Retirement planning generally considers an extended investment horizon.  This allows greater tolerance for inclement market conditions.  You have the option of a mix of pure investment such as mutual funds; and for liability mitigation, such as through specific types of insurance plans, that allow an immediate estate creation.

Quora Answer: If I Invest $10 Million in the Bank, What Annual Return Should I Expect?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If I invest 10 million in the bank, what would I be looking at for my annual return?”

The question itself is not very clear.  There are different sorts of banks.  In your case, assuming that you have that amount, I would assume that it has to be an investment bank.  Merchant and commercial banking have different areas of focus, and they do not have the sort of investment products that an investment bank has, and thus cannot give you that sort of returns.

With that amount, you are considered a High Net Worth client, meaning that you have access to investment products that people who do not fall into this category will not even know exist.  Your risk profile in this case should be at least balanced.  Anything lower, and perhaps fixed deposits, or government bonds would be more your thing.

Depending on the investment horizon, the type of securities, the currency and other forms of exposure and the liquidity you are looking at, a good investment banker can give you at least 8% per annum, without you getting involved in leveraged and high-risk products.  There are fund managers affiliated through the banks that can offer much higher of course, but the fine print is full of disclaimers since they cannot guarantee the principal.

Quora Answer: If I am the Beneficiary of a Will, but with No Means to Ascertain It, is There a Way to Collect My Inheritance?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If I am the beneficiary of a will, but cannot find the will, and do not know the name of the lawyer who made out the will, is there still a way to collect my inheritance?”

How are you certain that you are the beneficiary of the will, if you do not have a copy of it?  Assuming the person has told you, it could have been changed.  One way to avoid all this uncertainty is for wills to be filed at a registry of wills.  But even then, you have no right to see it even if the benefactor is deceased, unless you are the executor of the estate.  You will have to trust the probate process.  Due to personal data protection laws, you have no right to a process of discovery.

Quora Answer: If Hong Kong Declared Independence, Would China Invade Militarily?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If Hong Kong declared independence, would China invade militarily?” 

There are a few assumptions here, and they are all mistaken. 

Firstly, Hong Kong is in no position to declare independence.  It has never been independent, it does not have an independent military force, and the previous British Administration was never interested in an independent Hong Kong, and never drew a road map for that eventuality.  For any territory to declare independence in the current era, it requires two things: a legal basis under international law, no matter how flimsy; and a state actor that would sponsor or guarantee it.  Hong Kong has neither.  Claims about human rights and freedom of speech are insufficient to claim independence. Hong Kong’s economy is so dependent on the Chinese hinterland, it cannot claim economic independence.  It has never had autonomy in foreign relations.  It does not even have a sufficiently distinct ethnic or linguistic identity from southern China.  Such is China’s position, there is no country that would sponsor Hong Kong’s independence claims.  Even the US cannot bear the political and economic cost of this.  Aside from its harbour, Hong Kong is not sufficiently strategic to an external state actor. 

Secondly, China does not need to invade Hong Kong.  Hong Kong is Chinese territory, and as an important port and major city, the PLA has a significant garrison, which is right next to the old governor’s mansion.  It is not a case of moving assets into the territory, when they are already there.  From a political perspective, a successful independence bid by Hong Kong would spell the end of the CCP.  The Communist Party cannot afford to lose credibility.  This would also signal to restive regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang, which are very much in the political and economic periphery, that the CCP does not have the political will to enforce hegemony, leading to a rise in civil disobedience, and eventual rebellion.  This will also embolden an actual independence movement in Taiwan.  China cannot countenance that.

Quora Answer: If I Do Not Tell Anyone about My Insurance Policies, How Will My Beneficiary Know about It When I Die?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “If I buy life insurance, and do not tell anyone, how will my beneficiary know about it when I die?”

When you pass away, as part of the probate process, the lawyer will write to every bank and insurer to check if you have an account or a policy.  This may take months.  Should you have a will, and an executor, it is part of his job to distribute the proceeds according to the will.

Alternatively, nominate the policy, and bypass the probate process.  Your beneficiaries will be directly informed by the servicing financial advisor.  This takes days, or weeks.