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Thursday, December 28, 2006

Greed!

As I stated in my Our Condo post, real estate prices are going "through the roof" in Singapore. Philips' agents are still working to negotiate a new lease for us, and Philips has agreed to pay a 39.7% increase just so that we won't have to relocate in January and then move back to the U.S. next December. However, we've been informed that our avaricious landlady will not agree to a "diplomatic clause" -- allowing us to break the lease if necessary (and with compensation).

This building is up for tender in January. EVERYONE knows that this building will not remain standing once purchased by a developer. Do you think this woman gets it??? OK, we're Americans and we were born at night, just not last night?

So, we're looking at a different unit in the same tower as well as another condo building nearby. Our contract is only for another year, I can live with most of this stuff in boxes. I won't like it, but I'll do it because this is getting down to principles.

Here's the definition of "avarice" Merriam-Webster Dictionary online:

avarice

One entry found for avarice.

Main Entry: av·a·rice
Pronunciation: 'a-v&-r&s, 'av-r&s
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin avaritia, from avarus avaricious, from avEre to crave -- more at AVID
: excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain : GREEDINESS, CUPIDITY

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

'Avarice' is singapore's 'middle name'. I recall a chinese philosopher of yore stating that the state serves as the supreme moral exemplar from which all entities take their behavioral and attitudinal cue. Well, not in those words exactly, but i suppose that's what it means when socio-psychological perspectives are utilised to make sense of it.

nice blog btw.