8/10/2017

John G Roberts Jr, American Chief Justice’s commencement speech at Cardigan Mountain School

We welcomed The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States, as our Commencement speaker. Father to Jack Roberts ’17, Chief Justice Roberts addressed his son’s class with advice for the future.
 

“From time to time, in the years to come, I hope you will be treated unfairly, so that you will come to know the value of justice,” he said.
 

“I hope you will suffer betrayal because that will teach you the importance of loyalty.
Sorry to say, but I hope you will be lonely from time to time, so that you don’t take friends for granted.
 

I wish you bad luck again, from time to time, so that you will be conscious of the roll of chance in life, and understand that your success is not completely deserved, and the failure of others is not completely deserved either.
 

And when you lose, as you will from time to time, I hope every now and then your opponent will gloat over your failure.
 

It is a way for you to understand the importance of sportsmanship.
 

I hope you will be ignored, so you know the importance of listening to others, and
 

I hope you will have just enough pain to learn compassion.
 

Whether I wish these things or not they’re going to happen, and whether you benefit from them or not will depend upon you ability to see the message in your misfortunes.”
 

PS. This is a speech about humility that the high and mighty that think they would never fail, never fall and always have good luck smiling at them should read and ponder. No one is infallible and luck would run out one day. It is only when.

31 comments:

Speedwing said...

Hi Redbean, Nice and very thought provoking speech many of us should note.

Anonymous said...

Aiyoh, uncle the west wisdom can also be found in the east even much earlier, the Chinese proverb says 危机 ,居安思危,唇亡齿寒 etc t some of those idioms gathered from the 5000+ yrs of Chinese cultural heritage & wisdom, but our Ah Loong only prefer the Western wisdom bcis of their weaponry superiority..wat a gullible chap...

Anonymous said...

There is great wisdom in the sayings. You can rule for centuries but one day, you will fall. This happened to Rome, England and even many dynasties in China.

Anonymous said...

The problem is, when you have not reached the peak of power, you will think these are thought provoking advice that should be heeded.

But the other problem is, when you have reached the peak of power and can do as you please, you would brush aside these thought provoking advice as noise to be ignored, because no one can stop you.

And the other problem is that, those already at the top of power will never think they will lose their power, and they will always start to underestimate their opponents, deride their abilities, sabotage their aspirations and call them dafts.

Overconfidence is the greatest enemy of the most powerful. Humility is never the hallmark of the powerful and strong.

Anonymous said...

That is why they have to run road when they fell from power. And when in power, refused to let go.

patriot said...


lt is Universal Truth
that
ABSOLUTE POWER
CORRUPTS
ABSOLUTELY.
HOWEVER,
SINKIES ARE FINE
TO STAY OBLIVIOUS
TO THE TRUTH.


Patriot

Anonymous said...

Wa! Wa! Wa!

Tan Kim Lian has a very interesting article on LHL!

Visit his blog. Must read!

Hahaha,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Anonymous said...

This judge s central principle: luck is not always with you. You will fail. Many things do happen by random: success kena jackpot, 4D, 7D 8D. Failure: accident, heartattack, bad news. These bad luck can wipe off all the high sounding and feelings of success. When the consequence is: Sgd drop in value.

Little usa used to have high sounding success in GDP income per capita, High sgd whatever. It considers itself 2 levels higher than neighbor at causeway other side. When Sinkies take the chance to tour the other side, they discover the relief of cost pressure that side. Sinkies gloat on their neighbor s struggle is already a habit.
Now neighbor s GDP can hardly below 2.5 but far more. 4 years ago in 2013, Sinkieland GDP was 15.2%. Now the whole ASEAN average 6% GDP, but one smallest city has 2.5%.

When Trump/ Mattis threaten NK with fleets harboring near NK, NK s plan to attack Guam may add attacks on fleets on their way. US cannot do without fleets. Can NK miss out Changi Naval base as target? The attack plan for Guam will be ready by mid Aug.
What Kim wants is to confront SK armed forces. The battles will be "fire and fury" on Seoul. Will Trump dare?

When Sinkies Changi is hit, Sgd will fall. Things importing from Malaysia must pay more, at current rate. Malaysia has banned speculative rate of ringgit at sinkieland.

Buying Sgd to keep Sgd high needs Usd and other currencies. Sinkies Exports are ruined by hiring foreigners to do production for at least 15 years long. The end products are poor, many close their shops. Take a look at what have been produced by sinkieland: go sim lim, go super mar to look at foods, canned foods, sweets, electrical etc Which is from sinkieland? Go tourist spots to look, which groups are from China, the main source of sinkieland visitors.

How to earn Usd to keep Sgd high against Ringgit for next 10 years?

Sinkieland paid millions and millions dollars to politicians. Do they help to build a system to encourage local citizens to excel using their learning in languages, subjects (medical, engineering, admin, marketing, finance etc), culture ? The politicians give the jobs opportunities to foreigners to try out, to gain the skills and leave Sinkieland. Sinkies lack the experience to use their brains, not to mention learning new skills sets. Taking up jobs as receptionists, standing up shop floor sales, waitress/er, guards, delivery men/women, Sinkies are left with these choices.
There is little hope to keep the Sgd high as current with feeding foreigners first policy is in place.

Voters must vote for opposition to avoid high inflation in foods, water, electricity and property debts when Sgd drop in value.

Do not hope to have low Sgd then learn about the missing luck of high Sgd.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

"Voters must vote for opposition to avoid high inflation in foods, water, electricity and property debts when Sgd drop in value" unquote.

No use talking to the 70% dafties. The PAP knows fully well that Sinkies are greedy, selfish and kiasi and kiasu, and they tailored their policies to feed the dafties' appetites, much like the Western nations pushing opium to China to make them weak centuries ago.

Red Dot is much like a welfare state now, in substance, but fiercely denied. Public money have been spent in kind to buy votes, but construed as rewards for loyalty to the PAP.
Does that differ from what Taksin/Yingluck government did in using public money to subsidise rice prices to help farmers, also construed as vote buying? And what has been the consequence for Taksin/Yingluck? Is Thailand a first world country? They do not brag about this I would think.

Now Red Dot's GDP growth is lower than some ASEAN countries and I think the good old days are over. But will that change the thinking of the 70%? I think not. Sinkies are not Hongkies or Taiwanese. They lack the courage to ask for change!

Anonymous said...

Singaporeans are so lucky that they paid their leaders millions of dollars. If not, GDP will be negative. Can't even smell 2.5%. 2.5% is a miracle achieved by the million dollar leaders.

Be grateful.

Anonymous said...

1:38pm
The 61%, a drop from 70% after one year, are those on streets. It was a fast drop of 9% just 12 months when ah long took over.
The positive signs are WP mp in parliament are asking point to point question. One asked by CSM about the specific conditions for the PM to sue was that type voters cheering for. CSM did not take eel like kind of answer to swing away the main point asked upon. This is the improvement needed for voters to cast more votes on opposition side.

The basic are measured by voters consciously: where are the good jobs gone to? To ah neh? they can find out. Slowly these loyalist Pap voters will tell Pap betrayal is part of the game as this Judgment said it.

The most comprehensive benefits to a voter is not NS certainly. It is a long term liability. Some discounts on purchases are not because that depends on purchases, in turn depends on job income.

When Pap create more well to do foreigners depending on good jobs in Sinkies and widening the gap of income between citizens PR EP, as the situation has been going, there is NO stability.

There will be unrest to make the whole situation uncontrollable. Pap is scared, similar to Little India night could happen due to jobless problem or income gap poverty problem.

Opposition s tightening of inflow immigrants and reducing good jobs based on EP contracts being kept by foreigners will hit the nail in coming years, when jobs are harder to come by.

61% is not likely the outcome. Most likely it is gonna be 54%.

b said...

That kind of speech only can be used to bluff kids. Pain does not make someone more compassionate. Pain only makes someone stronger, more ruthless and brutal.

b said...

PAP bringing in foreigner and replacing locals policy is a ponzi scam. As with all ponzi scam, it will fail.

Anonymous said...

10.58 am, I think TiKL may be invited to drink Kopi lor

Anonymous said...

What I like to see is the opposition asking more peritinent questions in Parliament, but what I would not like to see is the PAP, finding it difficult to handle such questions, becoming more desperate, and going to great lengths to erect more hurdles and enact more rules for the opposition to clear.

What we are now witnessing concerning the AHTC issue is, to my mind, a concerted attempt by the PAP to try and make sure the three stalwats of the WP do not qualify to stand for the next GE. They have used the same tactic with Dr Chee. Convict him, jailed him, let him out and he is now not considered a threat to the PAP by any means.

As it is, what we are witnessing concerning the current debate on the EP, shows that the PAP will go to all lengths to make sure that, they and only they, have a say in who can and who cannot stand as a candidate, and using race as a factor now. Opposition are just noise to them, conveniently ignored and brushed aside. Who knows what will come next?

We can't know when and how they will tighten election rules further down the road, but it certainly won't be good for the opposition. And I fear the worse for the opposition in time to come.

But if the dafties choose the path of dictatorial rule wrap in democratic skin, so be it!

Anonymous said...

North Korean Gen Kim has submitted plan to attack Guam with 4 Mars 12 mid range missile travelling 3356km passing Japan. The ball is now at Kim Jong An s desk.

This report means warning for war. Sinkieland is the close ally of US should tell Kim Jong An to observe international laws and UN resolution not to fire missiles. Trump will reward with dinner with him. Otherwise, US has got itself stuck.

Anonymous said...

This s not a problem to US.

"In the event of a North Korean nuclear attack on Guam, Japan’s new defense minister said Thursday that his country’s military could shoot down the missiles before they reach the U.S. territory."

Anonymous said...

China will offer Malaysia advanced rocket launchers and a radar system to be based on the southern tip of Johore.

The rockets fired at Singapore would be very effective in killing a few hundred thousand PRCs and a few hundred thousand Malaysians working in Singapore.

Very GOOD ! Bring it on !!!



Anonymous said...

1. Japan cannot shoot down all the 60 missiles fired simultaneously.

2. Japan itself will be targeted, especially its anti-missile sites and military airports and naval bases.

3. When Japan attacks North Korean Forces or Missiles unprovoked, Russia and China will have an excuse to enter into the conflict. Kapan is actually the primary target in any conflict in East Asia.

Anonymous said...

Watch this youtube video. Listen to what Donald Trump said back in 1999 about pre-emptive strike on North Korea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8LTlJy36pA

So, there is consistency in Donald Trump's intention. Now he is the President. I think North Korea knows what Trump will do. That is why North Korea has been going all out to ensure their nuclear capability is achieved as soon as possible, ignoring whatever UN sanctions and other countries advice.

I think China and Russia are also well prepared for an eventual Nuclear War with the US.

Remember, China and North Korea have no second strike capability. Therefore, they will not will for the US to strike first (pre-emptive strike).

Singapore, Japan, Okinawa, Guam, Hawaii, South Korea and Taiwan will be collateral damages.

Anonymous said...

I think that if North Korea launches missiles that threaten U.S. soil first and the U.S. retaliates, China will stay neutral. If the U.S. and South Korea carry out strikes and try to overthrow the North Korean regime and change the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula, China will prevent them from doing so.

Anonymous said...

Correction:

Remember, China and North Korea have no second strike capability. Therefore, they will not wait for the US to strike first (pre-emptive strike).

Anonymous said...

I think that if North Korea launches missiles that threaten U.S. soil first and the U.S. retaliates, China will stay neutral. If the U.S. and South Korea carry out strikes and try to overthrow the North Korean regime and change the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula, China will prevent them from doing so.

by Anon @ August 10, 2017 11:50 pm

Whether US strikes first or North Korea strikes first, there is no difference in changing the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula. US's retaliation on North Korea will still change the political balance of the Korean Peninsula.

China cannot afford to wait for the US to strike first. No matter what China has to strike first, otherwise all her nuclear warheads might not have a chance to fire off. China is surrounded by over 400 US Basses plus US satellites' continuous surveillance upon all China's Nuclear Firing Bases and storage areas.

Anonymous said...

How to benefit from the North Korean crisis?

Short Singapore shares and hope that the conflict escalates.

Anonymous said...

BREAKING: TRUMP JUST GAVE THE ORDER TO THE AIR FORCE - TURN NK TO ASHES!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foB6TMQPwyU

Anonymous said...

North Korea is likely to fire off intermediate-range ballistic missiles at the US island Guam.

“North Korea is likely to push ahead with the missile launches, if they think they can get away with it,” said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Security and Defense Forum. “Unless the US describes it as a declaration of war, there is no reason not to fire the missiles.”

Kim Dong-yup, a missile expert and professor at Kyungnam University’s Far East Institute, agreed that the North would carry out its plan, adding that the reclusive regime would not have announced such plans unless it was fully prepared for a US response.

Anonymous said...

If NK turn to ashes, what is going to happen to SK being on the same peninsula?

Surely the nuclear ashes may fly south, so what happens to SK? This is not just another two small devices dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Apart from contamination from the nuclear bomb itself, what about hitting all the nuclear devices that may be on the ground and releasing more nuclear ashes that will hit Russia and China? Would they just sit still?

I guess the US can just treat SK as 'colateral damage' if they disappear too!

The game is not as simple as just turning NK into ashes. There are more factors at play.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

Trump is proving himself to be more reckless than Bush Junior. In the first Korean War, President Truman removed mad MacArthur for attempting to nuke China.

This round Congress would have to remove Trump before he starts WW3.

And China has more than second strike capability. Its nuclear power subs could launch nuclear weapons at sea plus all its mobile and hidden silos in the main land. All American cities are within range of Chinese and Russian ICBMs.

Anonymous said...

Second strike capability is very important. That is why Kim's testing of submarine launched missiles, which if coupled with their program of miniaturisation of nuclear warheads, is why the US is so worried.

A first strike taking out land based missiles on NK soil may not be the end of NK. Turning them to ashes will surely and definitely invite retaliation from submarine launched nuclear missiles reaching US cities.

What about the unknown factor of Russia and China stepping in? They have all the capabilities to turn the US into ashes too!

But worry not. When that time comes, it does not matter whether you voted PAP or WP, the result is going to be the same. We will all be radiated as well, whether they strike us directly or not.

Anonymous said...

As what I said here on Thursday August 10, 2017 11:50 pm !!
"I think that if North Korea launches missiles that threaten U.S. soil first and the U.S. retaliates, China will stay neutral. If the U.S. and South Korea carry out strikes and try to overthrow the North Korean regime and change the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula, China will prevent them from doing so."

Now Foxnews report:
China’s government says it would remain neutral if North Korea attacks the United States, but warned it would defend its Asian neighbor if the U.S. strikes first and tries to overthrow Kim Jong Un’s regime, Chinese state media said Friday.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/08/11/china-pledges-neutrality-unless-us-strikes-north-korea-first.html