Gaza Massacre – All quiet on the Western Front

When China sneezes or stretches its arms or legs, the whole western media would be up in arms lashing at China for being assertive, being aggressive and all the jazz. The tirades of vindictive news and so called analyses would flood the front pages of western media, filled with hatred, contempt and vehemence and sting. All China did was to trade, to protect their territories against pesky little countries who came around scratching. And no one was killed or even wounded. But in Washington, the crazy trigger happy cowboys would be asking for blood, for sanctions or military intervention. Many Arab and Middle Eastern countries were victims of such western hatred against Asians and Africans. At the slightest excuse they would bomb them out of existence.
 
The Gaza Massacre has been going on for weeks, and the death toll has passed 1,000 and increasing daily and rapidly. Where are the bleeding heart western journalists and media and their cries to protect the weak, the innocent, the old and the young? Silence, total silence.
 
Israel can go on killing the Palestinians, but the western journalists and media will be very quiet. They just dunno what to say? So would the crazy cowboys in Washington. Killing the Arabs is normal. Israel is friend.
Where are the tough talks of sanctions, sailing the 6th Fleet into the Mediterranean as a show of force to stop the Israelis from massacring the Palestinians? Fat hope. They are in it together. The great White God would not move a finger to save or protect the coloured people. Let the killing continues.
 
God bless.

Kopi Level - Green

An American experience

This is an often quoted story of why the white Americans would move out of their neighbourhood once a black family moved in. It is stereotyping to a certain extent but it is a general rule other than the exceptions. The value of the properties in the neighbourhood suffered an immediate fall. No white Americans would want to live in a smelly slum, crime infested, and different social behavior or way of life.
 
The value of a neighbourhood is affected by the people living there. The value of properties in Bukit Timah and Tanglin will plunge if it is turn into a smelly slum akin to the US. The value of all properties in Sin City will fall if 3rd World people flooded the island and make this their home. The Singaporeans will just move out.
And you cannot expect the 3rd World people to retain the character of the island when they are in the majority. When they are small in numbers, they would comply with the current social norms and behavior. Notice the increasing litters, empty beer bottles all over the island? What happened to the clean garden city?
When they take over, their norms and behavior will be the new normal. Go visit their favourite haunts in the islands and feel that you are in their country and ask yourself is this what you want for your Sin City?
 
Your HDB flats would not be the same when the foreigners and foreign workers moved in. They lived under different norms, different comfort levels, different cleanliness and hygiene standards. The value of the flats in the block will be affected once the foreigners become a majority tenants. It will be like the American neighbourhoods. But they could move out. In Sin City, many could not afford to move out and would have to bear with the new normal brought about by the new comers.
 
From 3rd World to First World and back. Can we really remain as a 1st World city if half of the people here are from the 3rd World, with 3rd World social habits, cultures, norms and standards? We are even losing our clean and green image and the daft asses are blaming the Singaporeans for it. Progress?

Kopi Level - Green

CPF an asset or liability to the govt?

We have been told that our CPF is part, or a major part, of our national reserves. It must therefore be an asset. As such, it is good to keep growing the reserves with more and more CPF money in it. And as an asset, you don’t have to worry about returning it. Our national reserves cannot be used anyhow right? It would need the President’s approval, if I am not mistaken, to touch our national reserves. So to touch our CPF money, which is part of the reserves, is unthinkable. Can see cannot touch. It is sacred, part of the national reserves. A govt can only spend the surplus revenue it generated.
 
What if the CPF is a liability to the govt, a borrowed fund that must be returned? If our CPF is a liability, then there would be no incentive to keep it in the reserves but to reduce it when there is a surplus, to reduce the liability. And if it is a liability, the funds managing it must also be thinking about redemption by the members. When CPF members hit 55, they are going to withdraw their CPF savings. But when funds managing the CPF money do not think it is a liability that is subject to withdrawal and redemption, there is no need to ensure that the fund is liquid to meet such requirements. The funds can invest for the long term, and when there is no need to return, and the long term can be forever.
 
Why is the CPF saving the nation’s reserves when it is the people’s money that must be returned? Is this an international convention, an accounting convention, to regard the people’s savings as national reserves and an asset that does not need to be returned?
 
Can anyone clarify on these contradictions?

Kopi Level - Green

Singaporeans should go the dodo way

I am starting to question myself as to who really built this city. One thing for sure, it cannot be Singaporeans. Singaporeans are simply daft and got no talent. If there are any Singaporeans with some talent, they can only be found in the govt, earning millions happily paid by the daft to control them.
 
There was this great city paradise once called Singapore that was handed to the Singaporeans. Now it is turning into a 3rd World slum, or soon it will be one. The Singaporeans are so ungracious, they are so unkind, they are so wicked, this part is true if you know how some of them abused their maids, and they are xenophobic also.
 
And the island, once the cleanest city state in the world, is now getting so dirty with litters and rubbish everywhere, it is going to become a slum. It must be the fault of the daft Singaporeans. And despite years and years of education and no littering campaigns, they still cannot cut this bad habit and keep on littering. Look at the beer bottles and plastic bags all over the place, in public parks, in open fields, everywhere.
The Singaporeans are incorrigible, cannot be taught to be gracious, to look after a clean city handed to them for safe keeping. And they can all boast about being 1et World citizens, being very well educated, but they could not keep their little island clean.
 
No wonder the govt is replacing them with foreigners from the 3rd World that are better in all ways, even in cleanliness. The foreigners came to sweep the grounds and keep the grounds clean. The foreigners are very nice people, very kind, very gracious, and do not litter.
 
As for the Singaporeans, they don’t even treat this island as their country and feel very happy to litter everywhere, dirty everywhere, because it does not belong to them. It is good to have the foreigners here to teach the Singaporeans how to live well and live clean, keep their city clean.
True or not? Do the Singaporeans deserve to go the dodo way?

PS. Every silly bugger, local and foreign, is pointing the finger at the Singaporeans. This must be the right thing to do, so I just join the bandwagon, in Singaporean bashing.

Kopi Level - Green

CPF – No good reason to hold back the people’s money after 55

Over the years, and in the last few weeks, many people have been regurgitating the same few reasons for the govt to withhold or retain the people’s life savings for as long as the govt so decides. And none of the reason is acceptable, reasonable, logical, sensible, justifiable, morally ethical, believeable… without sounding deceitful, childish and foolish, to hold back the life savings of a few million citizens of sound mind, sensible, responsible, mature, knowledgeable, experience and financially able to manage their own money. Many of those reaching 55 are well educated men and women holding very responsible positions in top management, professionals, but all lumped together like the ignorant, reckless, irresponsible and uneducated peasants that would throw away all their money in a moment of fancy or be cheated of everything.

The top reason, what if they spend all their money quickly? So?
The next hot favourite, what if they spend their money on pretty mei meis or go to Batam or Bintang or Lijiang? So?
What if they go to the casinos and gamble everything away? So?
What if they splurge on cars or luxury items to live like a king for a few days? So?
What if they really did not know how to manage their money? So?
What if they got cheated by the con men and con women? So?
What if they adopted some pretty god daughters who happily addressed them as sugar daddy? So?
What if they stand on top of a building and threw all their money away? So?
What if they live to 80, 90 or 100 years? So?

There are many reasons that we cannot think of, cannot imagine of, that a person would squander all his money withdrawn from the CPF? So? For every one of these reasons, or a combination of these reasons, or for all the above reasons, is it good enough a reason for the govt to withhold the money of all the innocent, sensible and responsible from them at 55?

The act of withholding all the people’s money just because of a few that would squander their money away, one way or another, is as good as condemning every one reaching 55 as idiots, irresponsible, imbeciles, and stupid. All will be found guilty and must be punished for a crime they did not commit or would not commit but on the assumption that they will commit. What kind of reasoning is that? What kind of justice is that? Everyone presumed guilty, presumed to be reckless and irresponsible with their money?

Such a reasoning and action cannot even hold water in a 3rd World country where the majority of the people are uneducated and ignorant. We are talking about a population of educated, widely travelled, experienced, knowledgeable and responsible people at the prime of their lives and would remain so for another 20 or 30 years! Why can’t they be trusted with their own money? Which boy or girl in the govt said so?

And this is not even an issue. There is no good reason to retain or keep a person’s life savings from him when he/she reaches 55. Absolutely no good reason. Period. Even if he is of unsound mind, his family should have the right to take care of him and his money. This is private matter. What has the govt got to do with it?

To accede to such logic is a very dangerous precedent. In the same thinking, all the people can be put in jail to protect their lives as some are found to jump onto train tracks or walked into the reservoir. Could a well educated populace be stupid enough to say such reasoning is good, healthy and ethically correct to be used to restrict or restrain the freedom of the people and the use of their money? It is unbelieveable that some really think it is ok.

What right has the govt to meddle with the people’s money? It is not your money, dummy.

Kopi Level - Green

The history of mercenaries or foreigners in uniform

In modern history, the practice of using foreigners or employing foreigners in uniform was likely to originate from the colonial powers. The European powers, the Japanese, all recruited foreigners to be soldiers and policemen, to assist them in controlling their colonies. The British were notables for having army units in big numbers, regiment sizes, in India to govern the Indian subcontinent. And during the wars, these units were ordered to fight side by side with the British soldiers.

The Japanese recruited the Koreans and Taiwanese to rule their colonies in Southeast Asia, as defensive forces, guarding installations and some as fighting units. What was clear in the composition of these foreign uniform units was that they were used to control the colonies and foreigners. The Japanese would not, never, use the Koreans or the Taiwanese in Japanese soil to guard and check the Japanese citizens.

This was the same for the British and other European powers. The foreign soldiers would only be used to control the subjects of the Empire, never to control and to have authority over their own kinds. The Indian military and police units were used to control the Indians and rule India. The Gurkhas too were to control the colonies and to defend the Empire. And these units were always commanded by the British or the Europeans in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

No sensible country with some pride and dignity, and ‘thinking’, would recruit foreigners and give them authority over their own citizens. There is also the security risk of foreigners revolting against the masters as had happened in India and right in Singapore by the Sepoy Line units.

Today, would there be countries that would voluntarily go ahead to recruit foreigners into their military and police forces to have authority over their own citizens, to guard and rule over their own citizens? What would it look like if a country recruited foreigners to ‘protect and defend’ its territory, to guard its immigration points, key installations and depots and to ‘protect its people’ or to prevent its people from mischiefs or civil disobedience? What would it be like if the foreigners in uniform were to arrest the citizens for whatever reasons or to shoot at the citizens?

And the ultimate security fear, if the foreigners rebelled and take over the country? The British, Japanese and European powers were too smart for that. They only used the foreigners to guard and rule over foreigners, and with their own officers in charge. They were the masters and would rule the foreigners, never the other way. Never would they allow foreigners to rule over their people in the days of Empires.

Things have changed today with the blurring of nationalities and citizenship. The karmic retribution has resulted in the colonial masters having to absorb subject people from their former colonies to be their citizens, and to be in uniformed. And the dark Africans and Asians could be arresting English men and women in the streets of London or French in Paris. But it would not happen in Japan. It is unthinkable to the Japanese to have foreigners in uniform in their homeland and to have authority over the Japanese. Japan would still be Japan and belong to Japan. England and many European countries are gradually being colonised by the very people they colonised in the days of Empires. There is a process of reversed colonisation in Europe.

Kopi Level - Green

VEP – The most expensive ERPs

Singapore govt decided to raise vehicle entry permit fees for vehicles coming in from Malaysia. Easy revenue! What’s wrong with collecting more money? Malaysia also agrees and decides to raise fees for vehicles going through Malaysia, in and out. Both govts are now very happy as they will be the winners, collecting more money for the coffers. Some say it is a tit for tat reaction by Malaysia. And to be one up on Singapore, it is raising toll fees for vehicles entering and exiting Malaysia as well. Singapore govt responded by saying it will match whatever increases the Malaysians will imposed. Tit for tat?

Who would be unhappy, the commercial vehicles that have no choice but to go in and out of both countries. The cost will just go up. The visitors, the tourists from both sides would also have to pay more. The workers working in both sides of the causeway would also have to pay more. Then the people from Singapore who have bought homes and living across the causeway would have to pay more too. It will become very unattractive if they have to commute daily to Singapore. The new charges will be quite prohibitive for those who thought the homes were bigger and cheaper.

The bigger picture, Iskandar Economic Zone, all the property developers too, would be affected. The advantages of lower cost over Singapore would be eaten up in no time if fees and taxes keep going up. Those people eyeing properties in Iskandar, or those wanting to relocate their businesses would have to recompute their costs and the comparative advantages.

Actually the commercial vehicles coming into Singapore would not bear the cost. They would simply pass the buck. And many businesses would also do likewise. The main casualties would be the developers and the Iskandar project. Would investors get cold feet, would potential property buyers get cold feet knowing that out of the blue some rules will change against their favour?

On Singapore’s side, the masses would be the one paying for the VEP hike and toll fees. The food, vegetables, fruits and goods coming from Malaysia would just be priced higher. And those who holiday in Malaysia often, or those who went in for their daily shopping, would no longer find it cheap to travel there. Some retail businesses in Johore would be affected for sure.

While everyone would have their pockets affected in one way or another, both the Malaysian and Singapore govts would be the beneficiaries and their coffers fattened. Or is it a conscious decision to reduce the flow of people and goods from both sides? Oh, one positive point, the roads on both sides of the causeway could be freer with less vehicles. And the jams at the Causeway would be relieved.

Looking at it from another angle, it appears that one made the decisions consciously with clear objectives in mind, a decision made using the head. The other made all the decisions with the heart, and not sure what would be achieved and the negative consequences.

Kopi Level - Green

CPF not the only way in retirement plans

For those who have been following the public discussion on the CPF schemes and how it should be tweaked into a better system must be very assured of how good the improved version 1.01 would be, or must be. The experts have them all worked out. The new system would be carefully structured and calibrated to apportion the CPF savings for retirement, for medical, for emergencies, for sudden short of funds, and for the savers to retire comfortably with no worries.

I would not hazard to guess how much one would need to put into the CPF to have peace of mind and no financial worries in the golden years. And it would likely have to prepare the people to save enough to live till 100 years.

All this sounds so good. The main assumption is that the people can afford to save all the money they need to save. Question, what about those who cannot afford to save? What about those who don’t even have enough to meet their daily needs?

There is also this tussle between saving enough to retire and live comfortably or a scheme that treat the CPF as one of many other provisions for old age, and that a compulsory scheme should only dictate one to provide for the minimum or basic needs. Even the Medishield Life which I thought was on the right track in providing for the basic coverage, there are people, rich people, who wanted the Medishield Life to provide for B1. If this is an upgrade for those who are able to pay for more, it is fair. If this is used by the rich for their rich nees, and used as the premise for computing the premiums for all, then the not so rich would end up sharing the cost of the rich.

I still think that such compulsory schemes should be designed to cater for the lowest denominator, the basics while the extras should be an options for those who demands for them and able to pay for them.  Do not make the poor pay for the fancies of the rich in a public compulsory scheme. And the CPF must not be thinking of becoming the only means of savings and thus must be loaded up for a comfy retirement for the rich. People have many other ways to provide for their retirement and CPF is not the only way. Do not impose a savings schemes on the people that cannot afford to have one. And do not make the CPF the mother of all savings schemes to provide for everything under the sky. Not many can afford such a comprehensive and rich scheme, or need such a scheme. Many would rely on family support for their golden years and even regard the CPF as superfluous.

There are many roads leading to Rome.

Kopi Level - Green

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

While the Muslims here and the rest of the world are celebrating the end of Ramadan, the killings of the Palestinians continue in Gaza. More than 1,000 Palestinians have died in this new violence after three Israeli boys were killed in West Bank. Where were the Western human right provocateurs and govt when they are needed to put a stop to this slaughtering of the civilians? Killing Palestinians is ok

The Israelis are in total control of the West Bank and Gaza and with overwhelming superiority in fire power, they would use them happily and readily with no hesitation. There is no inhibition on the part of the Israelis as no Arab country could do anything, and no Western country will lift a finger to stop the killings. And any Arab country that dares to intervene would only incur the fury of the Israelis and the West. It is a one sided sideshow that is allowed to go on unrestrained. The Western powers would simply look the other way, and the only power that could restrain the Israelis has little reason to do so.

The Palestinians, their lives and their right to live as ordinary people, were abandoned by the West the day they moved the Jews into their land. They could only cry and cry but helpless and powerless. So were the Muslim countries as the world’s Number One superpower would not allow anyone to come to the aid of the Palestinians. Obama might shed a few crocodile tears as if he bothers, to make a show of it. Most of the time the Americans would act so civilise, please talk, no military intervention like they did in Iraq, Libya, Syria and elsewhere, to do anything but forcing the Israelis to stop. They have been ‘wayanging’ for the last 70 years. And the daft Arabs and the Muslim world are still placing hope on the Americans and the Western powers to save the Palestinians. They never learn, they did not know who is the real devil behind the killings.

This must be the biggest joke of the century. Would the West spare a thought for the poor Palestinians? Oh, why should they? The Palestinians are the bad guys, the Israelis are the good guys. Didn’t they kill 3 Israelis boys? The revenge killings of more than a thousand Palestinians did not make the Israelis the bad guys. And good guys will only support the good guys.

If only the balance of military power is not one sided, the Israelis would not be so trigger happy to strike. They knew that they are in control and it is up to them to dictate, to attack or not to attack the Palestinians, to kill or nor to kill the Palestinians.

Would anyone wish to send best wishes to the Palestinians in the equivalent of Hari Raya Aidil Fitri? Power is right, might is right. If the Palestinians want to live a decent life, they have to be as strong as the Israelis, but that is not going to happen with the Americans and the Western powers on the side of the Israelis. They would not allow the Palestinians to be military strong to take on the Israelis.

More protests at Hong Lim on Gaza killings? Would there be justice for the Palestinians? Who decides? Who is behind it?

Kopi Level - Green. Thank you everyone.

CPF - If they spend all their savings then how?

Heard Chuan Jin using this same argument again at the CPF forum. So? Is this an acceptable reason for the govt to hold back the people’s life savings? Many people would not have enough savings in their CPF anyway. This is a normal scenario in all countries. But very few would be so desperate to need govt handouts. So?

Whether people spent away their life savings prematurely, many would not have anything left or enough to feed themselves past 70 anyway, is a different problem and a different matter. Many would have other means and sources of income to keep them going. And for those who don’t have any money left, not necessary squandering their CPF savings away, as they just did not have the means to save enough, not clever enough to earn millions, what is the govt going to do about them?

Just because some people have some savings in their CPF, does it mean that the govt can grab hold of this money on the excuse or pretext that they would spend them and would have nothing in old age? How many have the good fortune to have enough savings to last through their lives?

What is the govt going to do with people that have no savings and still need to live on? These are stupid people, irresponsible people, they deserve to starve to death? Smart people and responsible people may also end up in such a situation through a stroke of bad luck or misfortune.

It is not a reason or a good reason for the govt to hold on to the people’s money in the CPF on the ground that they people would spend them and left with nothing. Many would spend them, for the right or wrong reasons. So? Is this a justifiable reason, morally and ethical reason to hijack the people’s savings, all the people’s savings, because a few may need help? Even God would not have the audacity or arrogance to make such a decision, to take the people’s money away from them.

Life is not so simple as one would expect it. Save, save a lot, be thrifty, be responsible and you will be alright. Some of the super talents and millionaire ministers may end up bankrupt and needing govt assistance one day.

What is the problem with the govt’s justification to withhold the people’s life savings, to manage it at its own discretion, without needing the consent of the people, the owners of the money?

What is the govt going to tell those who would not live past 65 or 70 and did not have the chance to spend their life savings to live a few good days or a few good years. There will be more who would not benefit from their life savings due to premature death than the few who would need govt assistance.

Please tell the people it is your right as a democratically elected govt to do such a thing.

Kopi Level - Red. Where is everyone?

World of Internet Brigade revealed

‘Much has been mentioned within the internet about the existence of the PAP Internet Brigade (a.k.a “PAP IB”), but few know how this secretive group operates, and who their puppet-masters are. The Singapore Hall of Shame (SHS) was given exclusive access to their inner workings thanks to one of their former members; Agent Kelly.

My Compass

The SHS plans to publish a series of articles, shedding light on their structure, their identities, and their methods. As a start, we explore the secretive Facebook Group, “My Compass”.

There are 4 “My Compass” administrators whom co-ordinate communication strategies for 260 members. Access to this by invitation-only group, is via recommendations of existing trusted members.

  

Upon receiving instructions by the administrators, unquestioning members spring into action to counter unfavourable chatter forming against PAP members or its linked entities. They operate in large numbers with the primary objective of drowning out negative comments and derailing the discussions on the internet.

In addition, they also monitor Facebook activities of opposition parties, and call for reinforcements to help counter statements that are critical of the ruling party. On mundane days, typical actions including like-ing the FB pages of the PAP MPs to boast the popularity of MPs. Some of their communications and actions are captured below:’ This is part of an article posted and reposted in several sites in the social media.

A people’s initiative, spontaneous, not financed by any body. What does this mean? On one side there is a group that is financed by a powerful organization, not sure if they are paid, to attack other bloggers and stirred shit in the social media. This is a very unethical thing that no respectable people will do, and no respectable organization will support and finance.

On the other side, there is a group of vigilantes formed by the people to defend those people being attacked. There is righteousness and high moral ground on the side of this group of people to defend justice against rogues and mercenaries out to harass and unnerve innocent people.

With these two groups of people engaging in battle in the social media, who would likely to be respected by the masses? Who would look like the evil doers, the despicable and the shameless?

The Singapore Hall of Shame group is like the freedom fighters taking on the gangsters. It would really be nice if they could expose the rogues and shame them in public. They would bring disgrace to their families if they are made known to be engaged in such hideous activities against their fellow men. And if they can be linked to whatever organizations, it will look ugly and embarrassing no matter how they denied their associations with such unethical practices.

Would the presence of the SHS bring about the end of such dubious activities in the social media or at least restrain their masters from going all out to embarrass themselves thinking that they could get away with it? The internet is very transparent despite the veneer of anonymity. All activities can be traced, by both sides.

Kopi Level - Green

SIA was just so lucky

According to all the information floating around, an SIA plane, ‘SQ 351 was 25km or just 1min 40sec behind MH 17 at 777′s cruise speed of 905km/h’. Whew! I doubt the rebels were monitoring the IFF or transponders codes the aircraft was sending out. Why did they shoot at MH17 and not other aircraft? One theory, they were aiming at Putin’s aircraft that was expected to be there about the same time. If that was the case, it could not be the works of the rebels as they are pro Russians. Here’s the Freudian Slip.

If it was the work of the rebels, and if they have IFF equipment, it is unlikely for them to want to shoot down a Malaysian aircraft. Malaysia is on friendly terms with the Russians. Any agency with IFF capability would know what they were shooting at and could decide otherwise. For any agency knowing that it was MH17, and to shoot it down, it must be done on purpose.

The other scenario that they just shoot at anything that was moving without knowing what it was could be a possibility. But would the culprits, whichever party, be so reckless to shoot at anything that moved and risked shooting down a friendly aircraft? It all points to the possibility that the culprit knew who they were shooting at.

If it was pure chance, trigger happy reckless rebels that did not care what they were shooting, what the hell was going on, then SIA was just sooooo lucky and MAS was just soooo unlucky. This is not a mindless and purposeless war, anarchy, with everyone was just shooting for the sake of shooting. No, do not think the people involved are stupid, did not know what they were doing. Give them some respect and credit for knowing what they were doing.

Could such a decision to shoot down an aircraft, possibly a civilian aircraft on a know flight corridor be made without thinking, without knowing what aircraft it was? The people with an agenda would want the world to believe what they want to make out of it.

Like the sinking of the Choenan, who would be blame for the downing and who would gain from it? These may give some idea as who could be behind it.

Kopi Level - Green

Cost of land of HDB flat

Roy Ngerng wrote in his latest article claiming that the cost of land of an average HDB flat is about $200,000 for a $300,000 flat. This will be raised in the 3rd ‘Return Our CPF’ protest rally at Hong Lim on 23 Aug. I am not sure how Roy derived at this number. Taking it as a good estimate, presuming Roy has done his homework, let’s see what this figure means?
 
Assuming that Roy is talking about a 1000 sq ft flat. And assuming that the block is 24 storey high. Now multiply that $200,000 by 24, it will give $4.8m. It will mean that each sq ft of the land will cost $4,800. Is this a reasonable sum to pay for a 99 year lease land on which a 99 year lease flat is built on? And the figure will be a staggering $6,000 per sq ft if it is a 30 storey high block of flats, and more if higher.
 
How much is the land cost in the private sector? Looks like Roy’s number is too high, or is it another undiscovered truth that Roy is going to talk about?

Kopi Level - Green

Getting tough on the US isn’t easy

William Pesek wrote an article in the Today paper titled, ‘Getting tough on China isn’t easy’ on 22 Jul. He quoted Hillary Clinton’s statement in 2009, ‘How do you deal toughly with your banker?’ I have thus redirected the same question and ask, ‘How do you deal toughly with your gangster debtor?’
 
China has bought up over US$1.3 trillion of Treasury Bills and in a way financing and paying for the Americans’ extravagance that often ended in China bashing. Most of America’s international policies were targeted at China and backed up by a huge military expenditure, to contain China, ironically paid by China. And the Americans are complaining about China, how to contain China to prevent it from overtaking the Americans as the world’s number One economy and military power.
 
This is the strangest relationship of the 21st Century. China paying the Americans to support a huge military force that they used to threaten China in every disagreement, dispute or contested situation, ranging from economics, trade deficits to regional squabbles far away from the American continent.
 
And the best part, the US is trying to get tough with China, talking tough with China and very eager to use force against China to prove who is in charge, financed by China. And China is paying for the aggressive and provocative stance of the Americans. The Americans are the friendly party, the non provocative one. The Chinese are the aggressive one, the provocateur. And the Americans are sending its military everywhere to confront the Chinese in business suits and bags of goods to trade.
 
From China’s perspective, it must be very tough lending so much money to a thug, an international gangster that only believed in the use of force and went about carry guns and bombs instead of peaceful negotiation. And this thug is threatening not to pay what he owes to China and devising all kinds of schemes to wash away its debt, printing money and more money that China cannot do anything about. Would China be able to get its money back if this gangster borrower decides not to pay? It is really very tough when the gangster puts his big gun on the table in every discussion as a show of force.
 
China is really finding it very difficult to get tough with this borrower, with debt up to his eyebrows, and demanding to borrow more when it does not have the same big gun to bring to the table to say no. Isn’t it precarious to lend so much money to a thug that China has no means of overpowering and worst, the thug is challenging the lender to a fight whenever an opportunity presents itself? It is playing wargames in China’s courtyard and telling China what can you do about it.

Who is finding it tough with who?

Kopi Level - Green. Nearly Blue. Thank you and kopi on me on 23 Aug at Hong Lim.

CPF – What is there to tweak?

To many CPF members, all they want is to get their money back at 55. What is there to tweak? To the govt, it could mean a few things. They believe they were doing all the right things and could afford to be deaf. Now when the muffler had be snatched away, they found the noise too painful to bear, and with a lot of genuine complaints that cannot be ignored, that what the govt was doing to the CPF was unacceptable. Apparently the govt is acknowledging that not all is well.
 
Credit must go to Roy and Hui Hui and their team of speakers, not forgetting the protestors that spent time and money to get to Hong Lim, rain or shine. No one can keep a rotting carcass in a box forever without the stench reaching out to hit everyone.
 
Now is tweaking time instead of scheming time. And the govt is going to tweak the CPF, but it is still not going to return the money to the people at 55. This part die die cannot be tweaked. So, would all the impending tweaks mean anything or change anything?
 
What is the main issue? What is the main bugbear? Would the tweaking deal with the real problem, the real unhappiness of the people?
 
What do you think? Roy, please tell them the truths, gently, nicely. If they don’t understand or don’t want to understand, keep repeating, keep repeating.
 
The govt is still practicing selective listening. The part on returning the money at 55 is still not heard, would not be heard.

Kopi Level - Green. Nearly Blue. Thank you. Kopi for those going to Hong Lim on 23 Aug on me.

The Western wolf pack gnarling at Putin

Shooting down a civilian aircraft and killing so many innocent people is simply unacceptable, bad. 298 passengers and crew died for nothing and someone must pay for this crime. Practically all the European leaders, including Australia, are up in arms with fingers pointing in the eyes of Vladimir Putin. Guilty! And there is Australia’s Tony Abbott jumping the gun again, making a guilty comment on the Russians without needing any confirmation of evidence.
 
More sanctions will be up against the Russians. Of course, if guilty, the Russians deserve it. They deserve world condemnation, not only from the Western powers.
 
How many million Iraqis, innocent civilians were killed by the fake invasion of Iraq on WMD charges? David Cameron is thumping down the Russians, telling the Russians, shooting down the M17 was unacceptable. Did his predecessor say anything about faking a lie to invade a country and killing millions of the innocent civilians as unacceptable? Oh, he couldn’t. He was part of the party that made the decision and invaded Iraq. Did any Western power condemn the invasion of Iraq as crimes against humanity?
 
They are going to charge Putin for crimes against humanity. No, I am not defending the Russians or Putin. They need to answer for this crime if they are guilty. Is there anyone, any Western power, standing up to point a finger at George Bush and Tony Blair for crimes against humanity for the millions of Iraqis killed and wounded. No, it was not a war. It was a framed lie to invade a country. Only Mahathir has the decency to call a spade a spade.
 
Hypocrisy? Anyone say hypocrisy? Wait till they nominate George Bush and Tony Blair for the Nobel Peace Prize for the peace they brought to Iraq.

Kopi Level - Green

President Jokowi

I always find him a lighter version of Obama. Don’t you people think he looks like Obama? Now we have two presidents with Indonesian connections.
 
The election of Jokowi as the new President of Indonesia is the continuation of a winning streak for the country since Gus Dur. Indonesia has enjoyed the blessing of the last few presidents who were more progressive, economy driven and honourable. Yudhoyono has done very well to keep the Indonesia polity and economy on an even keel and growing in peace and stability. This election would be very different without Yudhoyono’s calming and firm hands to ensure that no dirty business was allowed to spoil the party. This is Yudhoyono’s greatest legacy in an election that started with a big dark cloud hanger in the air. Many bad and ugly things could happen and Jokowi would be in no position to do anything but to face defeat.
 
As I said earlier, when a country is blessed to do well, good men and women would step forward to lead the country. If Jokowi had lost, Indonesia would be in for a tough time, and so would be the stability of the region. Indonesia could see any term of progressive govt and policies instead of politicking and frauds.
 
Look at China and the USA. China too is blessed with a continuous string of good men and women at the helm and is growing richer by the days. China would be in deep shit if Bo Xi Lai and his gang would to be in charge today instead of Xi Jinping. On the other hand the USA is blessed with some clowns in the Presidency and teams of evil men and women till today. And the USA is going down, unstoppable. And looks like it is going to get worse with Hillary Clinton flirting to be the next President and the Americans love her. The USA deserves Hillary to bring an end to Pax Americana. That is the fate of the Americans.
 
When countries are to do well, good men and women would appear. On the contrary, when a country is on the decline, average men and women and rascals will take over the rein to hasten the fall.
 
Indonesia is lucky to have President Jokowi and a new team in charge, a clean slate not tarnish or implicated by historical baggages.

Kopi Level - Yellow

CPF savings backed by Govt’s substantial assets

This is what Tharman said about your CPF savings, ‘Singaporeans who wonder if their CPF monies are safe can rest assured, because their CPF savings are backed by a govt that has substantial assets in excess of its liabilities’. In the same line of thinking, the Americans need not worry about the debts they owed to the whole world as they are backed by substantial assets in excess of their liabilities, ie the land from LA to New York and Chicago to Houston.. When forced to pay up, they could sell their aircraft carriers and their nuclear arsenals. Or they could sell the Rocky Mountains as well. Similarly the Greece govt needs not file for bankruptcy. They could sell their islands, the ancient ruins and whatever.
 
Are we supposed to feel assured by this kind of statements and this kind of asset backings? Would we be comfortable if the CPF money is gone and the govt starts to patch up the holes by selling the power stations, the heritage sites, SIA, DBS etc etc if the Net Investment Returns Contribution(NIRC) is not enough. Oops, I forgot, we have many billions or trillions of reserves to take on the first charge.
 
OK, OK, now I am feeling quite assured. At worst, just sell a few islands or the whole island. But this is hardly possible as it is impossible to lose so much that we need to sell the whole country right? We have so many valuable assets to sell just in case. Our CPF have a lot of assets to back it up, very very safe.
 
What do you think? Safe or not?

Kopi Level - Yellow

CPF is not just a game

Chuan Jin used the analogy of a game to describe what is happening to the CPF scheme at the CPF Forum organized by the Institute of Policy Studies. He was referring to the changing conditions and said that the rules of the game had changed, conditions had changed. The CPF scheme is not about a game but about the people’s life savings for retirement. The govt must get this straight and not to confuse with govt pension schemes where the fund comes from the public coffer. The govt can change all the rules of a pension scheme, no one will care or object to it. The money in the CPF scheme comes from the pocket of the people, saving for their retirement. Please don’t suka suka change the rules without the people’s consent.
 
The compulsion to save in the first part of the people’s life, up to 55 years old, is a necessary evil. The second part or the next phase must be the return of the money to the savers. It is as simple as that. The govt has no moral right to keep the people’s money at its own pleasure. Legislating it to be legal is still not right. Taking this further, the govt might as well legislate the savings of the people in the banks, like in Greece and take a portion of it?
 
Put it simply, the money must be returned to the people at 55. Period. Given the changing circumstances and life expectancy, the younger generations may have to relook at what is a reasonable age to take back their savings. For those in their 50s and above, they should be taking back all their savings at 55. The good hearted govt can think of ways to design favourable and attractive schemes like annuity plans, or savings plans with higher interest rates to entice the people to leave their money in such schemes, VOLUNTARILY, after 55. The people must be allowed to exercise their choice on what they want to do with their money, NOT the govt’s money. This is basic human decency! Can the boys and girls understand this?
 
No more funny schemes to retain the money in the CPF compulsorily because the boys and girls said so. The govt can no longer treat the people as daft peasants of the 3rd world, unthinking, irresponsible with their money and helpless. The people are well educated, well informed and definitely not daft, definitely smarter than many of the policy makers.
 
And what is this thing that people must keep on contributing to their CPF regardless of how old they are when they have to apply or renew their licences? After certain age, it is time to take out the savings, time to stop savings for tomorrow that can really be the next day or the next hour. For those who have a lot of money, they can go on and on saving even if they are 100 years old. Those are different kind of people.
 
What say you, boys and girls?

Kopi Level - Green

SIA no longer the best airline

For so many years we have taken for granted that SIA was the best airline in the world. The latest result, SIA was not first, not second, but third best in the world. No panic, it is just one of those things. We cannot always be number One right?
 
We are slowly getting accustomed to the new normal, to be not the best, to accept errors, almost daily breakdowns of public transports as the new normal. No longer were the days when the CEOs would wet their pants when things went wrong. Would there be worrying faces among the top management in SIA or among the political leaders? Don’t think so.
 
I think there is no need to worry too. We just need to bring in more foreign talents into SIA and we will be back to number One spot soon. The problem with SIA now must be the lack of foreign talents and Singapore Girls no longer motivated to join SIA. Our Singapore Girls were once unbeatable in their graces and service. What is happening?
 
We need the foreign talents to uplift SIA and teach our local girls how to serve well and regain the top spot as the number One airline in the world. Maybe never mind, getting tired of being number One.

Kopi Leveln - Green

MH17 – A new twist

In a world dominated by big power politics and competition for control and supremacy, there is a new twist to the fate of MH17. Discussing this version of a conspiracy theory is not meant to be disrespectful to the victims and their families. It is just a theory that is making its round and with Putin making it official.

This centres around the possibility that MH17 was not shot down by a SAM but by the air to air missile of a fighter jet. Do not be surprised as this is that much more realistic and credible than a pilot wanting to fly an aircraft full of dead passengers to the Antarctic, or a commercial aircraft on its way to Beijing turned and flew on auto pilot towards the Antarctic. And the whole world is made to look like fools to believe in these stories.

What are the reasonings behind this new story of MH17? One, a SAM firing from the ground would be seen by many for miles away and must have a lot of eye witnesses to testify the sighting and possibly even with video evidence from handphones. The military would also have the missile tracked.

It was a good opportunity to fly a false flag and to make the Russians be blamed for it. And who is the expert in false flag incidents? The messages that were floated of conversations by the rebel forces admitting that they had shot down the civilian aircraft that came out immediately was too good a coincidence. And it is only proper to question why would the rebels want to admit such a grave mistake on air and easily available for all to see?

Other than pointing the finger at the Russians and leading to a world condemnation, the incident was timed so well to coincide with the Israeli attack on Gaza, a tactical move to divert media attention on the massacre of the Palestinians.

And did anyone notice that no Americans were on board that ill fated aircraft? And why is MAS a convenient sacrificial lamb? If this theory turns out to be true, Malaysia must know that it has friends at the wrong places, or enemies. There are many other claims of evidences pointing that it was indeed another conspiracy but were too Hollywood like and a challenge on the logical mind, good fictional stuff.

The most basic question, why would the Russians or rebels want to shoot down a civilian aircraft and take the blame for it. There were rumours that MH17 flew off course or were diverted away from the main air corridor.

Russia is demanding a fair and open investigation on the incident. The investigators must not be from only one camp like the investigators on the sinking of the Cheonan Incident when only the Americans and their allies were party to it and promptly accusing the North Koreans as the culprit. Could MAS/Malaysia be the target of two conspiracy attacks?

Caught in between interstate rivalry, or a fight between the superpowers, the truth could be as unreal as fiction, or fiction could become the truth.

And Australian PM Abbott is again the spokesman for the western powers and seemed to know everything, just like the MH370 incident. It is scary when Abbott seems to appear in all the places, and acting like a smart alec.

Kopi Level - Green

A country gone money mad - $29b fine for lung cancer victim

A Florida court ordered RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company to pay compensation amounting to US$23.6b or S$29b to the wife of a smoker that died of lung cancer. What kind of judgement is that? How did the judges come to decide on such a huge sum of money as compensation? I know, life is priceless. No amount of money is good enough. The next case could be US$1 trillion!
 
I hope such madness would not be copied here. We are the wide eyed fans of the US system and many people would be rubbing their hands in glee, that such a sum of money as compensation can be used as a precedent, as a reference point for awards here. They would say the American courts have awarded S$29b, so awarding $1b or $500m would be peanuts.
 
We are excellent students of following the Americans. Whatever the Americans are doing, we will eagerly embrace with open arms as the right thing to do, the way forward.
 
Ok, lung cancer patients can now hope to strike it rich, by consuming more cigarettes. This is like a new way of striking it very very rich. Would it become the new normal here? This is definitely better than jumping into Bedok Reservoir or from a high rise flat to get their hands on their CPF savings.
 
What do you think?

Kopi Level - Green

Time to get rid of the prostitute mentality

Our immigration policy is not much different from what is happening in Geylang. Anyone can walk through the door, pay a fee, have fun and then walk away. And if one has a bit more money, can double his fun and stay longer. Anyone, regardless of nationality, can walk into a whore house and be treated very well, like a good customer, a value customer.
 
We have foreigners turning new citizens to be appointed in top jobs, in parliament as MPs and ministers. We have foreigners turning new citizens and instantly qualified to buy public flats at below market value, enjoyed medical and education subsidies, entitled to national bonuses etc etc.
 
Are we being generous, unthinking or being silly? We were once a country of immigrants, a colony of the British who did not care a damn what citizenship meant as long as it served their interests in the short term. Our forefathers were immigrants squatting in a country that was yet to be a nation, a colony actually.
 
We are now an independent state, a nation, NOT a city state still work in progress to be a nation. We cannot allow people to treat this as a non country or non nation. We are citizens of this country and we own this place as a collective people. The foreigners are outsiders. If they want to be one of us, they have to pay a price. A prostitute also demands a price. We don’t have to offer ourselves for free or worse, to give foreigners an incentive, subsidized housing, subsidies and bonuses to be one of us. Unless we are just a pariah state that no one wants to be here. Or simply a cheap prostitute.
 
Hey, we are first world, a country with a lot of jobs and well paying jobs that made many foreigners very rich. There is a long queue waiting to come in, some paying to snake heads to be smuggled in. Why are we so silly to pay them to come in, to beg them to be nice to our people, and even deprecating ourselves to tell the foreigners they are here to help us when many are shits or beggars begging for a job?
 
It is time that we put rules and regulations on foreigners wanting to be one of us. NS is a must, if we are good enough and they are desperate enough to want to come in. No subsidies for the first 5 years or so. No public office like MPs for new citizens, only for those born here. No sensitive appointments. No top jobs unless the person is so damn good that no daft Sinkie talent is good enough to fill the job. Are there really such people around that no Sinkie is better?
 
We have seen many fakes and mediocres everywhere being carried on the shoulders as talents. What a joke? Actually the joke is on ourselves for being so silly to praise the fakes and bow before them.
Maybe everything here is fake. We are a 3rd World city in a mess. Our people are all daft and need to be helped. The foreigners are here to create jobs for us. We need to worship the foreigners like Gods.
 
Go watch the Patriot, Yue Fei showing in Channel 8. It is about an emperor that thought he was doing all for the good of the people, but actually to protect his self interest, his throne. And he was willing to kneel to the foreigners wanting to occupy his country to protect his rule.

Kopi - Level - Green

Mary Jo White – A stupid woman?

‘Mary Jo White, the SEC chairman, said on June 5 when
announcing initiatives that would increase supervision of electronic traders and dark pools that the stock market is neither broken nor rigged. Individuals are “doing better” now than they did when trading was manual, she said at a conference sponsored by Sandler O’Neill & Partners LP.’ – Bloomberg
 
If you want to know what is a stupid woman, this is one, unless of course she was saying all the above under a different agenda. Obviously she knew what she was saying was stupid but she just had to say it or else…. Dark pools and high frequency trading are under investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation and New York attorney general. Is this woman saying that these agencies are stupid and doing the unnecessary, wasting their time and there is nothing to investigate. What is her agenda?
 
In the same Bloomberg report, ‘“It’s not an open market,” said Sriram Srinivasan, chief executive officer of Wall Street Investment Management in Chantilly, Virginia, and a poll respondent. “People that do not have access to the dark pools are going to lose. And it is nine out of 10 investors that are losing.”’
 
Those who are benefitting from this unfair practice and a rigged market would say they are ‘misunderstood and a target of demagoguery’. What is there to misunderstand when there are unfair advantages and lack of transparency in the way high frequency trading and dark pools are operating?
 
Unfair trading practices, lack of transparency and differential access to information are all forbidden by market rules and regulations. The SEC must provide a fair and level trading field. Traders can be charged for violation of the exchange’s rules and regulations.
 
Why are the Americans so polite and refused to call a spade a spade, a crime a crime? And why is the SEC Chairman still professing that there is nothing wrong with the two practices? The market is not rigged? Of course she is not stupid. The issue is, why is she pretending that something that is not right is right? Would she be renaming the SEC as New York’s Stock Exchange and Casino? The decadence of the American system has reached a state when regulators are prepared to allow people to cheat the system and look the other way. And many silly Asian exchanges are blindly following what the SEC is doing. It is fine for the Americans, it must be fine for us.
 
Heheh, it is fine for all the airlines to fly over Ukraine. The ICAO said so. It should be alright for us to fly there as well.

Kopi Level - Green

The most evil form of taxes

I have not seen a hospital bill for a long time. I am still wondering whether these bills are subject to GST. Anyone got any idea on this? I can’t imagine that people who are sick, some dying and seeking medical treatments would have to pay GST. I hope I am wrong, being taxed when one is sick and suffering from terminal illnesses. Such bills are often in tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. A 7% GST on $100k is $7,000!
 
What about those suffering from diabetes and kidney problems that need regular dialysis? Are they paying GST as well on their bills?
 
And with the push and pleading by the govt for more baby makings, and with a tin of baby milk powder costing $50 or more, would anyone think it is timely to remove GST from baby food at the very least.
If medical bills and baby food are still being taxed, would the prudent govt start to have a change of heart and reconsider if such life and death items be taxed exempted? Too troublesome and difficult to work out and need 56 man years?

Kopi Level - Green

Healthcare: I’m thankful we have a prudent SG govt

“No matter how much the government raises taxes, there is no consolidating the budget unless social welfare spending is curbed,” said Robert Feldman, head of Japan economic research at Morgan Stanley MUFG in Tokyo. “If the government continues to let the spending swell, it will get out of control.”….
National budget outlays on social welfare spanning health care to pensions climbed 23 percent over the five fiscal years through March 2015. Medical-related spending, which accounted for 32 percent of social welfare outlays in fiscal 2012, is forecast to soar 54 percent to 54 trillion yen in fiscal 2025, according to the welfare ministry.
Abe needs to put more priority on social-welfare reform to prevent the system from becoming unsustainable, said Hitoshi Suzuki, a senior researcher of Daiwa Institute of Research in Tokyo….
I am thankful that we have a very prudent govt in Singapore. You should all be thankful too. Our govt spend prudently and ensure that basic healthcare services are provided without burdening the whole system.

By Concerned Citizen on unfettered bashing of our govt

This Concerned Citizen wrote an article posted in the TRE with the above heading on the excessive healthcare spending by the Japanese govt. He quoted a Washington Post/Bloomberg post with the above comments. The gist is that Japan was overspending on healthcare and this is becoming unsustainable even if taxes continue to go up. And this is the reason why this Concerned Citizen felt so appreciative of our Govt for not overspending in healthcare. He is very concerned that our Govt will go down the road of welfarism.

I can share his concern and agree with him that we have such a prudent govt that did not spend excessively in healthcare. But he is only right in knowing a little of the truth. Our Govt had sent two study missions to Japan led by Boon Heng and Gan Kim Yong, one to study how to solve the ageing problem and the other about healthcare. From the dearth of information on these two trips after their returns, I can only hazard a guess that they found that there was nothing much that we could learn from the Japanese.

The revelation by Concerned Citizen and the Bloomberg report confirmed that the Japanese experience was nothing useful and maybe irrelevant to our case. If the report is true, then Japan is facing a crisis that would get graver by the days. We must not go along that path. And we don’t have to. We are in a very superior position financially as we did not spend much in healthcare. The people are paying their own medical bills. Now the Medishield Life Scheme will make sure that the people would foot their own bills without burdening the Govt.

The end result is that the Govt would have a lot of money for other pursuits from the savings in healthcare. We are so comfortable that we could use the money to party and party like there is no tomorrow. Next year we could see the country partying the whole year round, with big budgets for celebrations within the country and with countries around the world. We can invite foreign dignitaries here to party and they will invite us over to party in their countries.

We are very rich. We have so much money to spend on happy things. We could spend billions and billions on mega projects that would require hundreds of millions of dollars for annual maintenance. We bought top universities almost lock, stock and barrel. We owned think tank schools with scholars from the world, paid by us handsomely of course, to come here to think.

Notice that I use the word, ‘We’? Yes, we the people are paying for it. See how comfortable we are? We could have such a good healthcare scheme and with so much money to spend in other good to have glorious and fun stuff. Wait for the next National Day when we parade the F35s and our aircraft carriers.

By being prudent in healthcare spending, we can afford not to be prudent in other areas. Don’t worry, be happy. Money is not an issue. Prudence? When we have so much money to spend, there is no need to be prudent. We only have to be prudent in healthcare.

Kopi Level - Green

Ee Hoe Hean Club - Pioneers Memorial Hall

I visited a few millionaire clubs in Chinatown with a few friends yesterday. The most famous of these clubs is the Ee Hoe Hean Club at Bukit Pasoh. This is the place where many political activities took place in the early 1900s and during the 2nd World War. Tan Kah Kee made this his centre for the anti Japanese movement and to raise fund for the Nationalist army fighting the Japanese in China. This was where he hid during the Japanese Occupation before escaping overseas.

In honour of Tan Kah Kee and the pioneers, the Club has converted the ground floor into a museum called the Pioneers' Memorial Hall. Tan Lark Sye, the founder of Nantah and who contributed a handsome sum of $5m at that time to the University, Lee Kong Chian and several others were mentioned with exhibits of their history in display. Below are some photos that I took during the brief visit.

The pics from top to bottom. The Club Building, Main Entrance used for the Pioneer's Memorial Hall, Side Entrance to the Ee Hoe Hean Club, Tan Kah Kee exhibits, Tan Lark Sye and Lee Kong Chian exhibits, Other Pioneers, Plague on the Pioneer's Memorial Hall. The last pic shows visitors taking photo with a wax figure of Tan Kah Kee in the Hall.

When your heart beats with the rhythm of the drum

This phrase from the French Revolution song strikes a cord to many oppressed people around the world for decades and will go on to drum the heartbeats of more oppressed people in the future.

When your heat beats with the rhythm of the drums in The Miserables is like the mass consciousness coming together to think like one and act as one. When the consciousness of the people becomes one, an uncoordinated thought of the people somehow becomes the thought of everyone in the masses, it is a kind of mass awakening. It is a rare event, but often happened in the historical pasts to move a people in a common direction, with a common purpose, for a common goal.

The actions of the unruly and uncoordinated masses gelled together with an unconscious consciousness of what is best to do and what is the right thing to do. No one could envisage what really went on in the minds of the people in the Hougang and Punggol East by elections. No one was there to tell the people how to vote for the best result for the interests of the masses. Even if someone tried, the people would not necessarily do as told.

The strange thing about Hougang and Punggol East was that they all thought and acted in the same way, as one people in a calculated move of sophistication. The way the masses came together to vote in a similar manner, as if they were thinking as one, was a very powerful force. It was like the force was with them and they were the force.

When the unconsciousness of the people is one, their hearts beat with the rhythm of the drums and they move as one, act as one. The unconsciousness is emerging and becoming clearer as the people becomes one people. Some call it people power. It is here and growing, a strange phenomenon that arises like being guided by the invisible hand. The force is here, you can feel it in the air. The moment has come for a momentous change.

Kopi Level - Yellow

3rd World saving 1st World jokes

Chris K:
 

A retired German engineer told me last month that he could not believe that a first world infrastructure is being serviced and maintained by cheap third world workers. They do not have the necessary skills or standards of diligence, he said. Can’t but keep laughing these days as these apologists are scrapping the bottom of the barrel by comparing us to third world standards in their pathetic attempts to hold up the government’s well-remunerated posteriors.

The above joke was posted by Chris K in TRE. Let me reword the above quotes to apply to the 1^st World Singapore. Some super talented politicians here said this 1^st World city must import 3^rd World talents to run its 1^st World banking and finance and IT industries. And they have the necessary skills and standards of diligence to take over from the 1^st World Singaporeans.

And some also said, the 3^rd World talents are here to help the 1^st World talents and to create jobs for them.

And some 3^rd World recruiting agencies were quoted to have said they could not find the talents needed for this 1^st World city from its 1^st World talent pool, graduated from its world class 1^st World universities, but could find all the talents from 3^rd World countries with the skill sets and experience to fill the 1^st World jobs in this 1^st World city. And none of the first world super talents would stand up to object to this silly thought. Maybe they agee and believe that it is not silly.

Now tell me which is the better joke? 

Kopi Level - Green

MH17 – The wisdom of hindsight

Many questions are being asked about why MAS continued to fly the route taken by MH17 when there is a war going on. Until it was shot down, no one was clever enough to ask such questions. And everyone, including ICAO, thought it was safe to fly that route.  Today paper reported, ‘“We’ve flown this route for many years; it’s safe and that’s the reason we are taking this route,” said Mr Liow Tiong Lai at a news conference in which reporters questioned why the airline had chosen to fly over a war zone.’ What else could he say?

Liow Tiong Lai is not going to get away from this explanation. So would the MAS when the mood is to find a scapegoat, when all the clever fingers were pointing at everyone that could possibly take the blame. I would not blame anyone of them.

Everyone was just following the conventional wisdom. If one monkey can do it, so can all the monkeys. No all the monkeys are scattering for safety. This kind of group think can justify murders in broad daylight as well. You often heard of govts justifying their actions because one monkey was found to be eating shit, so they made use of that solitary example to make their people eat shit as well. What’s wrong, so and so had done it. We are not the first one to do it.

It is not often that a maverick would stand out to say something different. When the chief monkey said so, all the monkeys would join in to sing the same song. Look at all the clowns involved in the search for MH370, they still believe that a crazy pilot or an aircraft on autopilot would fly it to the Antarctic. Can you believe it? And the second theory is that it must be done by the mad pilot. Why would he want to fly to that God forsaken place? Oh, to bury the aircraft so that no one could find it? Is that a reasonable explanation? And how could a single pilot managed to control an aircraft full of passengers and crew and even prevented them from making a single call out? Can a single pilot do that?

Anyway, sometimes it is a blessing to have someone who could think differently, who could challenge conventional wisdom, proactive thinking, without being a genius, to avoid a crisis. Often such a person would face a lot of opposition and resistance from the conventional thinkers and may even be seen as a trouble maker with whimsical thoughts that is best to be ignored.

The blame game will go on and on and will be repeated over and over again. No one would want to think tangentially, or to think unconventionally. The MH370 party is the best example. Everyone is still listening to the chief clown. No one is willing to think different and look at alternative and more logical explanations. Yes, they will continue to waste time and precious resources playing in the Antarctic like silly boys in search of a red herring.

Kopi Level - Green