Man child Trump throwing tantrum...close the strait, open the strait, close the strait...

Trump has now blockaded the Strait of Hormuz after the failure of the talks in Islamabad, Pakistan. After weeks of begging allies and cronies to help keep the Strait open, Trump is basically putting another lock in place to prevent oil from leaving the Persian Gulf. That failure to persuade allies to help in preventing the closure of the Straits has soured relations between Washington and Europe all for nothing. Now he is begging allies to do the exact opposite of his earlier plea.

The earlier boasting by Trump about USA minesweepers having cleared the mines in the Gulf is more a figment of Trump's imagination. Trying to push the narrative that the Iranians themselves do not know the location of those mines is a lame excuse that contradicts the minesweeping story.

The blockading is, without a doubt, an attempt to stop China from navigating the Strait to access Iranian oil, the main motive rather than the talking about Iran going to have nuke within two weeks. But such move is going to affect all countries, the USA and its allies included. Trump can gloat about the USA have more oil than it needs. Why are pump prices still going skywards if the USA has so much oil? What is the point when the USA has eventually to import finished products that are now being made with more expensive energy and will also cost more. That will affect the USA as much as China.

Worse to come is the threat by Iran to close the Bab Al-Mandeb, the other channel that could provide a lifeline for Saudi Arabia. That is going to affect allies like Japan, South Korea and Europe.


Anonymous

Trump is realistically the anti-Christ

Trump is realistically the anti-Christ, the Satan out to destroy the world. Now, going after the Pope and Catholic Church reveals the devil that he is.

When economic destruction fails using trade and tariff wars, when military destruction fails exposing the vulnerabilities of the USA military, the use of religion is the last resort and we are seeing it. Should I say, history is repeating itself when religion was the overpowering weapons used against the North American Indians, the Aborigines of Australia and the South Pacific Islanders. But it failed to work elsewhere - in China in particular where five thousand years of civilization and roots of heritage prevented the conversion of the Chinese to Christianity. Not totally ignored, but only small segments were converted, as is the case of anything pertaining to human nature.


Anonymous

Underemployment by choice or something more serious?

SINGAPORE: Nearly one in five Singapore workers was overqualified in 2025, though this rate remains lower than in other high-income economies, according to a study by the Manpower Ministry (MOM) that was released on Tuesday (Apr 14)....
DRIVEN BY CHOICE

Among overqualified workers, about nine in 10 – or 17.7 per cent of the workforce – were in roles below their qualification levels, often due to preferences such as work-life balance, flexibility or career transitions.

According to MOM, the share of involuntarily overqualified workers (1.7 per cent) has remained low and stable – at below 3 per cent – over the past decade, suggesting limited structural mismatch in the labour market.

Those who voluntarily take on roles below their qualifications most commonly cite job stability (31.1 per cent), the ability to use their skills (25.3 per cent), and interesting work (24.4 per cent). Others prioritise flexible arrangements such as suitable working hours and flexible schedules, highlighting a wide range of personal motivations. CNA

This problem of Singaporeans being underemployed, ie working at a lower level job than what they are qualified for, can be easily explained away. A personal choice, flexibility, worklife balance, or like graduates becoming taxi drivers to be their own boss... may be a superficial treatment of a very serious problem in Singapore. Using statistics for comparison to feel good about it, that it is normal, is not normal. Why would anyone spend hundreds of thousands of good money, time and stress, to get a higher qualification but then chose to work in a lower level and less paying job? It just does not make sense. Why would a graduate want to become a hawker or food deliverer or a taxi driver? There may be a very few cases with genuine reasons, but this situation is abnormal, illogical, irrational, unacceptable, more likely a forced choice. What is the truth?

There have been many reports of foreign employment agencies making comments that Singaporeans are not suitable for jobs because their qualifications and experience are less attractive than foreigners from God knows what universities, from God knows where, and God knows what experience. There were also remarks that the interviewers, often foreigners, somehow would bypass Singaporeans and preferred foreigners in job placement. Foreigners discriminating against Singaporeans in Singapore. True? Proud of it? No need to bother? Foreigners are so talented, our saviours?

How valid and relevant are surveys is subjective though they are meant to be objective. Underemployment affects Singaporeans in many ways, individually, socially and the general wellbeing of the country. If more and more Singaporeans ended up underemployed, ie being replaced by foreigners of questionable background and qualification, what does it mean for the country and people in the long run? Would Singaporeans ended up as second class citizens, the pariahs in their own country with scintillating degrees but becoming buskers, asking for alms? Busking can be fun and a good source of side income for the students while studying. Would Singapore end up being run by foreigners, foreigners bossing over Singaporeans and despising and ridiculing Singaporeans as unqualified, unsuitable, lack the right experience, poor work attitude, no talent, no drive, do not want to be CEOs, despite their over expensive and highly hyped qualifications from the world's top universities, and best, reporting to foreigners with dubious, unverified qualifications and resumes?

This problem of unemployment must be looked into seriously and not brush aside with superficial excuses by Singaporeans responsible for the well being of Singaporeans. Are there safeguards, systems or organisations that are in place to take care of Singaporean's interests, to ensure that Singaporeans are not cheated or shortchanged in their own country, the country where they not only pledged loyalty to but also donned uniforms to defend with their lives? Singaporeans deserve to be treated better in their own country and not just like any foreigners. Citizens to be treated equally with foreigners is an insult to Singaporeans.

If Singaporeans, PR are not citizens, continue to be sidelined in one way or another, intentionally or unintentionally, and losing their rightful place in their own country, what is the point of calling themselves citizens and doing National Service? The govt owes a great responsibility to ensure that every Singaporean does not lose out to foreigners in getting decently employed befitting his qualifications, NOT underemployed. One way is for all govt agencies, ministries, GLCs to have Singaporeans to head their HR departments and be fully in control of job placement with preference for Singaporeans.

What do you think, Singaporeans?

World leaders are walking around with a halo over their heads

 Is there any genocide in Gaza? Are the Palestinians being bombed out of their homes and dying from thirst and starvation? No, dunno. Do not want to know.

Is there any war crimes when the American and Israeli terrorists bomb and kill Iranians? No, dunno. Killing Iranians is to save the Americans. It is the bad Iranians that are bombing Arab and Muslim countries and blocking passage through the Strait of Hormuz. And the Iranians have killed 40,000 people. Who are the 40,000 people? Dunno, just cooked it up in the bar after downing some alcohol.

Not only the world leaders did not know of anything happening in the Middle East, even the fictitious UN is the same. See nothing, hear nothing, say nothing, do nothing. The world is so peaceful, no war, no war crimes, no genocide, no one is being killed. And every country is so well behaved, living by the American gangster rules based order, want anything just go and take it. Want to kill anyone, just go and kill, go and bomb anything they like. Trump maybe thinking of taking over the Vatican and make himself the Pope.

This is the world order or disorder the world is living by and pretending that there is no evil around them.  The bad guys are the Iranians, Arabs and Muslims. They are subhuman, animals, and killing them is ok. Even God and Jesus Christ have been summoned by the KKK pastors into the Oval Office to bless the Satan incarnate to go and kill more Iranians, Arabs and Muslims. And everyone is so happy seeing how God and Jesus are blessing the Satan incarnate. That is perfectly normal.

America is Great Again, the most virtuous and peace loving country or Empire in the world. They need to kill the Iranians, Arabs and Muslims because these are very bad people, animals, need to bomb to the Stone Age. Oops, when killing Iranians, Arabs and Muslim, it is NOT killing. No one in his right mind will be talking about it. It is taboo even to the most principled ones. Not one single world leader disagree. Some even vowed support for the evil American Empire and Satan incarnate. Some want to kiss his ass. Some want to take photo op with him. Some handing him all the money he demands, happily, just to kiss his ass. See how happy the Arabs and Muslims were when lunatic Trump was in their countries demanding for alms. They were falling all over him. See how proud those leaders were when taking photo op with lunatic Trump the pedophile in his Piss Board party.

Whatever Satan incarnate said is true, is good for America and the free world. Just cannot trade with Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and countries that Satan incarnate forbids. The world is so free and peaceful for everyone. And everyone is so happy, blameless, guiltless, walking around with a halo over his head. There is peace and order in the free world, see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil, do no evil. The halo is getting bigger and brighter. And the nose is growing longer.

The USA is no longer the must go to or must rely on country anymore

 USA allies are all fake allies, most of them being coerced to be so under the USA's perennial threat using the 'You are either with us or against us' doctrine.

The facts are undeniable, the coercion factor obvious and the outcome can sometimes be surprising when allies start to see the woods from the trees. The war against Iran has given an indication of what allies may do when it is against their national interest. It is no longer a doctrine cast in stone that they must obey at any cost.

When the shit hits the fan, alliance will fracture as is happening now. Canada had been the closest ally of the USA for decades. But when the pressure exerted is too unreasonable, even close allies cannot tolerate the humiliation. They will fight back. The USA is no longer the must go or must rely on country anymore. That is history, as opportunities have opened up all around the world for countries to depend on. China led the way and the world realize that the shackles can be taken off.

The biggest irony of it all is taking a serious look at what Henry Kissinger said about being friends of the USA. As friends of the USA, countries have to toe the USA line, like it or not, with little choice. They have to be dragged into wars they do not want, form alliances that could undermine their own interest and create animosity with countries they do not want to antagonize. Enemies on the other hand have more room to ignore what the USA demanded and not necessarily have to fall in line. That is the reality that Henry Kissinger did not say openly, but we can tell the difference.

Anonymous