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Madrid 1974: A Retro Spy Comedy Through the Secret Files of a Chaotic Bureaucracy

Description

A cinematic retro series set in a fictional 1974 Madrid, blending spy comedy, bureaucratic absurdity, street chases, secret archives, analog surveillance and vintage Spanish urban life. The images recreate a world of confidential folders, smoky offices, rotary telephones, typewriters, old taxis, crowded markets, railway stations, rooftop antennas, hidden laboratories, newspaper presses and suspicious government corridors. The atmosphere feels like a lost espionage farce from the seventies: serious men in ill fitting suits, anxious messengers, improvised agents, comic confusion, urgent missions and a constant sense that every secret operation is seconds away from becoming a public disaster.

The collection moves between interior and exterior scenes with strong narrative continuity: intelligence offices full of papers, tense investigations, chaotic pursuits through Madrid streets, undercover activity in cafés and markets, and surreal technical experiments in improvised laboratories. Its visual language combines photorealistic period detail with comic exaggeration, creating a nostalgic but dynamic tribute to classic European spy parody, Spanish popular culture and analog detective fiction.

These images have been generated by Artificial Intelligence.

SINGAPORE: There is a growing mismatch between fresh graduates’ salary expectations and the realities of the job market, as a recent report pointed out. Singaporeans who commented, however, asked about the bonuses of top executives, as well as the high salaries ministers receive.

A June 1 video from CNA titled “Fresh grads in Singapore may need to taper salary expectations amid uncertainty: Analysts” cited a survey from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of residents aged 22 to 28, which said that graduates in most fields earned less than they had anticipated when entering the workforce.

One-third of university graduates who rejected job offers cited low pay as the reason, showing that salary considerations were a major factor in job decisions. The other reasons for turning down job opportunities were the applicants deciding to wait for better opportunities or concerns about job interest, workplace culture, or career advancement prospects.

The report featured experts who said graduates often aim for higher starting salaries because they believe initial pay significantly influences future earnings and career progression. However, the survey found substantial gaps between expected and actual salaries, particularly among graduates in engineering, science, and information technology, who earned roughly S$500 to S$750 less than expected. The gap was even greater for graduates in business administration and natural and mathematical sciences. Graduates of law, education, and fine and applied arts courses generally met or exceeded their salary expectations.

Furthermore, while MOM expects wages to continue to rise, employers are likely to adopt a more cautious approach to salary increases due to global economic uncertainty and inflation concerns. Analysts warn that graduates who maintain unrealistic salary expectations may prolong their job search and risk missing valuable opportunities. Employers may also face challenges, including longer hiring processes and higher offer rejection rates. These conditions could contribute to underemployment, where individuals work in roles that do not fully utilise their skills.

What Singaporeans are saying

Netizens commenting on the piece understandably expressed dissatisfaction, given that the news affects the youngest cohort of workers who are struggling amid a tight job market, even as jobs are eaten away at by Artificial Intelligence.

The negative feelings appear to be further amplified by top executives of large companies bringing home millions in bonuses, as well as the high salaries that ministers receive, which are among the largest in the world.

“Ministers/MPs need to taper minimum 50% of their salaries,” a YouTube user wrote. 

“Ministers should walk the talk,” another agreed.

“Then ask those in top management not to get fat bonuses every year,” a commenter added.

Others pointed out that some jobs in Singapore have been outsourced to foreign talent who were likely to have paid much less for education.

On Reddit, a user on the platform said that those who own property are the lucky ones.

“You know who the winners are? Only those who inherited properties from their grandparents or parents. One sliver of a shop space in Toa Payoh is going for 9k. Wow,” they wrote. /TISG

Read also: Jobseeker shares employer he interviewed with specifically looked for ‘job hoppers’

This article (‘Ministers should walk the talk’: Singaporeans react to advice for graduates to lower salary expectations) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 — The ringgit opened higher against major currencies but eased against the US dollar today, as market sentiment remained cautious ahead of the release of the United States Consumer Price Index (CPI) data tonight.

At 8 am, the local note depreciated to 4.0600/0640 against the greenback from Tuesday’s close of 4.0580/0630.

Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the foreign exchange market is expected to remain guarded ahead of the highly anticipated US CPI report.

“Bond traders appear to be upping their bets for a 25-basis-point interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve this year, in light of the robust jobs data and higher inflation expectations going forward.

“This could mean that the US dollar would be well supported in the near term,” he told Bernama.

The ringgit traded higher against a basket of major currencies. 

It rose against the Japanese yen to 2.5312/5338 from 2.5332/5365 at Tuesday’s close, was higher versus the British pound to 5.4286/4340 from 5.4329/4395, and gained against the euro to 4.6832/6878 from 4.6915/6972 previously.

The local currency mostly strengthened against regional peers.

It appreciated versus the Singapore dollar to 3.1536/1570 from 3.1563/1604 yesterday, and was up against the Thai baht at 12.3239/3432 from 12.3531/3732 previously.

However, it was marginally lower against the Indonesian rupiah to 224.8/225.1 versus 224.7/225.1, and was unchanged against the Philippine peso at 6.59/6.60 as the previous close. — Bernama

As Japanese retail analyst BCN+R described earlier this year, DJI had a massive market share in the video camera market in 2025. The Chinese tech company's dominance has only strengthened so far in 2026.

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SINGAPORE: Singaporean workers appear to be feeling growing pressure in the job market after analysts said fresh graduates may need to taper their salary expectations.

Just last month, Aslant Legal founder and recruiter Shulin Lee also said that Singapore workers are not “hungrier” than foreign workers, as she explained why companies she’s working with are letting go of Singaporeans and hiring talent from neighbouring Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines instead.

With these comments, a netizen questioned, “You’re not hungry enough, but you also should not ask for more. Which one is it?”

Online comments surfaced after a June 1 Channel News Asia (CNA) report titled “Fresh grads in Singapore may need to taper salary expectations amid uncertainty: Analysts”, which cited a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) survey of residents aged 22 to 28 who said they were earning less than they had anticipated.

The report also highlighted that a third of university graduates rejected job offers due to low pay. Analysts explained that this was because graduates believe a higher starting salary provides a buffer in case of slow salary increments and its influence on their future earnings.

However, they warned that, with companies becoming more cautious on pay increases amid global uncertainty and inflation risks, unrealistic salary expectations may lead graduates to miss out on opportunities and prolong their job search.

Commenters did not hold back from reacting online. One user quipped, “Funny how we need to keep accepting lower and lower wages despite productivity improving and inflation increasing”, while another said, “Funny how analysts never ask businesses to taper their expectations of consumer spending power and lower prices.”

Questions about Singapore being “pro-business, not pro-workers” also surfaced.

A third, meanwhile, rattled off what Singaporeans were being asked to do: raise the city-state’s fertility rate, fund their parents’ allowance, upskill to be ready for an AI-ready economy, support local businesses, and more.

A fourth remarked that the “winners” are those who inherited properties from their grandparents or parents, as “[they] don’t have to do much”. /TISG

Read also: ‘It’s a prediction problem’: Recruiter’s comment on Singaporean workers not being ‘hungrier’ than foreign workers gets more backlash

This article (‘Not hungry enough’ and asking for too much? Singaporeans question mixed messages to workers) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.

SINGAPORE: People’s Action Party (PAP) Minister Jeffrey Siow has come under fire from some Singaporeans after remarks he made in a recent interview encouraging young people to embrace uncertainty and pursue unconventional career paths.

Speaking to CNA, Mr Siow said young Singaporeans should not view uncertainty as something to fear but rather as an opportunity to forge new paths. The Acting Minister for Transport, who also co-chairs the Government’s Economic Strategy Review (ESR) committee on Global Competitiveness, urged youths to move beyond traditional career routes and seize opportunities in emerging industries.

He argued that adapting to a rapidly changing economy requires more than simply acquiring new skills. Instead, he suggested that workers may need to fundamentally reinvent themselves to stay relevant as economic strategies evolve.

While Mr Siow emphasised that the Government remains committed to supporting workers and businesses through challenging global conditions, his comments sparked a wave of criticism online.

Many critics focused on what they saw as a disconnect between the minister’s own career trajectory and the realities faced by ordinary Singaporeans navigating an increasingly uncertain job market.

Mr Siow spent more than two decades in the civil service before entering politics. A recipient of a Public Service Commission scholarship, he attended Cornell University and subsequently built a 24-year career across various government agencies. During that time, he served as Principal Private Secretary to former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and sat on the boards of several statutory bodies.

He was also the most senior civil servant among a group of public officers who resigned from the civil service shortly before the 2025 General Election. He was later fielded as a PAP candidate in Minister Tan See Leng’s team on Nomination Day and entered Parliament after the team secured victory. Within days, he was appointed to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s Cabinet.

Against that backdrop, some Singaporeans questioned whether someone they perceive as having enjoyed a stable and protected career path is well-positioned to advise young workers to embrace uncertainty.

Several commenters described Mr Siow as an example of what is commonly referred to in Singapore political discourse as a “Minister-in-Waiting” or MIW. The term is often used to refer to younger politicians and senior civil servants who are perceived to be groomed for future ministerial appointments and leadership positions.

Facebook user Hillary Yeo was among those who criticised the minister’s remarks, describing him as a “man who spent 24 years on Singapore’s most well-paved road (telling) young Singaporeans not to fear uncertainty and walk a new one.”

Others were even more direct in their criticism.

One commenter called the minister a “joker,” arguing that his comments demonstrated how “out of touch” he appeared to be with the struggles faced by ordinary Singaporeans.

Another netizen challenged Mr Siow to experience the realities of the private-sector job market, writing, “Talk is free. Why doesn’t he resign and apply for a job outside and fight for jobs with foreigners?”

A second commenter echoed that sentiment, saying, “Seriously though, talking the talk is way easier than actually walking the walk. Maybe we should switch roles for a bit and see how it feels on the other side. It’s all about putting our money where our mouth is, right?”

The discussion also took on a political dimension, with some commenters linking Mr Siow’s remarks to broader concerns about the ruling party and Singapore’s political leadership.

One commenter wrote, “He is right about unpaved roads. That’s why it’s time to vote the PAP out. We have to be brave and walk the unpaved road. Only then will we really be able to change Singapore for the better.”

This article (Transport Minister slammed for urging young Singaporeans to not fear uncertainty and walk a new road) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.