The PM has acknowledged the bigger role played by the bloggers in giving feedback to the govt, or the govt listening to their grouses and acting on them. Outside of the establishment set ups, outside of the political system and intrique, there are a few more prominent voices in cyberspace that are gaining a bigger follower for their unrestraint and non party views, views that are personal, objective, neutral and perhaps strongly critical of the wrongs of our socio political system.
Among the more established bloggers are Lucky Tan of Diary of a Singaporean Mind, FeedMeToTheFish of the blog with the same name. Lucky has been providing very good economic analysis of what affects the current situation and thinking. Fish is more critical and cynical about the social and political mess we are in. There are also Molly of MollyMeek and the hilarious Mr Brown to add a little light hearted perspective to an otherwise hardcore political reporting. I could add a few more. Cyberspace is growing and can easily outgrow the main media in terms of numbers of bloggers and articles put out.
I would like to add two former newspaper men who have left the corridors of power and more or less on their own and free to offer critical and objective views of their own. Seah Chiang Nee may be free lancing for the Star in Malaysia, but he is still writing profusely on developments in the city state. And occasionally there is PN Balji who would chip in with his two cents worth. Their contributions have given cyberspace more authority as they were not minnows without any credentials.
2012 is likely to see more voices being heard in cyberspace and may these pioneers and stalwarts continue to write and contribute to the buzz and oomphs of cyberspace.
1/03/2012
Medicare for Senior Citizens
Malaysia - Senior citizens can look forward to a healthy start to the new year - they can seek outpatient treatment at government hospitals and clinics without having to fork out a single sen.
Effective yesterday, the Government abolished the token RM1 (S$40 cents) payment senior citizens needed to pay each time they sought such treatment.
The Health Ministry announced in its latest circular that patients aged 60 and above would be exempted from making any payment for outpatient treatment at government hospitals and clinics.
This means that these patients will enjoy medical consultation, check-ups and medication at no charge at all.
The circular, issued by ministry's finance division secretary Wong Foong Lai, stated that the exemption was in appreciation of the contributions made by senior citizens.
Senior citizens would only have to pay a nominal fee if they required specialist care, treatment or hospitalisation…
Lim Wey Wen
If the above were to be in the ST all Singaporeans will know that it must be a joke. But that is real in Malaysia. If only our govt were to treat our seniors better and provide them free medical consultation in poly clinics for common illnesses and cough and colds where no hospitalisation and expensive medical treatment are needed. Our govt is so much richer than Malaysia. If they can afford it, why can’t we? Ok, asking for anything free is like asking to eat in hawker centre, foodcourt or restaurant. How about charging a flat fee of $3 or $5 for the seniors, and NO MEAN TESTING needed?
Many oldies are finding basic healthcare cost quite unbearable. It would be a dream start for 2012. But as they said, tan ku ku. There is no free lunch in paradise. If any oldie is thinking of getting free medical care, try to get admitted into a charity home and go perform in one of the charity shows on TV, and show the world how pathetic and pitiful he is. Then only will he get some charity for free.
Effective yesterday, the Government abolished the token RM1 (S$40 cents) payment senior citizens needed to pay each time they sought such treatment.
The Health Ministry announced in its latest circular that patients aged 60 and above would be exempted from making any payment for outpatient treatment at government hospitals and clinics.
This means that these patients will enjoy medical consultation, check-ups and medication at no charge at all.
The circular, issued by ministry's finance division secretary Wong Foong Lai, stated that the exemption was in appreciation of the contributions made by senior citizens.
Senior citizens would only have to pay a nominal fee if they required specialist care, treatment or hospitalisation…
Lim Wey Wen
If the above were to be in the ST all Singaporeans will know that it must be a joke. But that is real in Malaysia. If only our govt were to treat our seniors better and provide them free medical consultation in poly clinics for common illnesses and cough and colds where no hospitalisation and expensive medical treatment are needed. Our govt is so much richer than Malaysia. If they can afford it, why can’t we? Ok, asking for anything free is like asking to eat in hawker centre, foodcourt or restaurant. How about charging a flat fee of $3 or $5 for the seniors, and NO MEAN TESTING needed?
Many oldies are finding basic healthcare cost quite unbearable. It would be a dream start for 2012. But as they said, tan ku ku. There is no free lunch in paradise. If any oldie is thinking of getting free medical care, try to get admitted into a charity home and go perform in one of the charity shows on TV, and show the world how pathetic and pitiful he is. Then only will he get some charity for free.
A medal for Mah Bow Tan
Many Singaporeans may be unhappy with him and his arrogant housing policies and how it affected their lives and their income. Because of that, many have forgotten to look at the good side and achievements of this man. He was handed a $2b problem, more than 10,000 units of unsold HDB flats. There was initial panic when so much money was tied up in unsold properties.
Then he did a miraculous feat. Within a few years he not only sold all this flats, and the sale was so good that he turned a surplus into a shortage. As a result, HDB was able to sell its flats at higher and higher prices, bringing in great profits, though it surprisingly registered an unfortunate big loss in one year. The gist was that he was the best seller of properties. The best property salesman in the number of properties sold.
He also taught the complacent young people in family planning. Many have taken for granted that marriage is a thing that just happened and buying a flat is so easy. He is not going to make it easy for them in their careless approach to setting up a family. He made them plan ahead. He made them plan at least 3 to 5 years ahead, and the penalty was to get married without a flat in waiting. He would only build public flats when his order book was full. Period. And this demanded the buyers to plan carefully. It also cut down on spurious applications and long queues for flats. Only genuine buyers needed register.
He also encouraged the higher income young couple to buy private properties instead of HDB. He maintained the eligibility ceiling at a level that many had no choice but to go private or ended up no housing at all. There were many advantages which many young people did not see, like low interest rates and high demand for flats with influx of foreigners. Those who took his cue are now smiling as their properties would have appreciated many times despite the high mortgages they took. It indirectly also helped to boost the economy and GDP with higher consumption and borrowing. Those who did not listen to his advice only got themselves to blame. And many are still flatless and not eligible for public housing any more while private housing went beyond their reach.
Mah Bow Tan’s other achievement is conservation. By not building too many flats, the land was kept in reserve instead of wanton building for the sake of building. He knew how precious and limited is our land bank. And because of this, he went one step further by building flats of smaller sizes, saving on land, material and cost. The cost savings went into the furnishing as well, smaller space needed smaller furniture and lesser furniture. Great savings for the owners. Micky mouse flats become a fad and a new way of life and with assurance by HDB that the quality of life would not be affected.
While the people took for granted the ownership of public housing, the tight policies made the people more aware of how important owning a flat was, and how valuable a flat as well. Many are so happy that the same flat, after using and staying in it for so many years, can still fetch higher and higher prices. They are feeling so much richer.
This man deserves a medal for his foresight and nature conservation policies. If he did not hold down on the building programme, all the land would have been built up and no space left for anything. Don’t just look at the negative side. There are goodness in badness and badness in goodness.
With 2011 in the past, let’s give this man a medal for his achievements in public housing and conservation.
Then he did a miraculous feat. Within a few years he not only sold all this flats, and the sale was so good that he turned a surplus into a shortage. As a result, HDB was able to sell its flats at higher and higher prices, bringing in great profits, though it surprisingly registered an unfortunate big loss in one year. The gist was that he was the best seller of properties. The best property salesman in the number of properties sold.
He also taught the complacent young people in family planning. Many have taken for granted that marriage is a thing that just happened and buying a flat is so easy. He is not going to make it easy for them in their careless approach to setting up a family. He made them plan ahead. He made them plan at least 3 to 5 years ahead, and the penalty was to get married without a flat in waiting. He would only build public flats when his order book was full. Period. And this demanded the buyers to plan carefully. It also cut down on spurious applications and long queues for flats. Only genuine buyers needed register.
He also encouraged the higher income young couple to buy private properties instead of HDB. He maintained the eligibility ceiling at a level that many had no choice but to go private or ended up no housing at all. There were many advantages which many young people did not see, like low interest rates and high demand for flats with influx of foreigners. Those who took his cue are now smiling as their properties would have appreciated many times despite the high mortgages they took. It indirectly also helped to boost the economy and GDP with higher consumption and borrowing. Those who did not listen to his advice only got themselves to blame. And many are still flatless and not eligible for public housing any more while private housing went beyond their reach.
Mah Bow Tan’s other achievement is conservation. By not building too many flats, the land was kept in reserve instead of wanton building for the sake of building. He knew how precious and limited is our land bank. And because of this, he went one step further by building flats of smaller sizes, saving on land, material and cost. The cost savings went into the furnishing as well, smaller space needed smaller furniture and lesser furniture. Great savings for the owners. Micky mouse flats become a fad and a new way of life and with assurance by HDB that the quality of life would not be affected.
While the people took for granted the ownership of public housing, the tight policies made the people more aware of how important owning a flat was, and how valuable a flat as well. Many are so happy that the same flat, after using and staying in it for so many years, can still fetch higher and higher prices. They are feeling so much richer.
This man deserves a medal for his foresight and nature conservation policies. If he did not hold down on the building programme, all the land would have been built up and no space left for anything. Don’t just look at the negative side. There are goodness in badness and badness in goodness.
With 2011 in the past, let’s give this man a medal for his achievements in public housing and conservation.
1/02/2012
2012 a year of give and take
Many ordinary people will understand this give and take phrase to mean you take some, you give some, or you give some and you take some. It is so simple as that, or is it?
Different people have different takes when comes to give and take. Some say those who have been taking should stop taking and those who have been giving should stop giving, and the role be reversed. The takers should start to give and the giver should start to take.
Another view is that the taker should continue to take since he is the taker and the giver should continue to give since he is used to be the giver. And there are variations to how much to take and how much go give. The familiar formula is to take $1,000 and give $1. Oops, sorry, this is not about money. Money is not in the picture. In that case the position of giver and taker means different things. When money is concerned, the taker is always at the advantage. If not money, then the taker is at the losing end, taking shit and whatever.
Yes whatever, in the end it is likely that the taker will continue to take as it has become habitual. On the giver side, he too will be giving all the time. And it will still be a give and take situation, some will take and some will give. Some will take more and some will give less.
Different people have different takes when comes to give and take. Some say those who have been taking should stop taking and those who have been giving should stop giving, and the role be reversed. The takers should start to give and the giver should start to take.
Another view is that the taker should continue to take since he is the taker and the giver should continue to give since he is used to be the giver. And there are variations to how much to take and how much go give. The familiar formula is to take $1,000 and give $1. Oops, sorry, this is not about money. Money is not in the picture. In that case the position of giver and taker means different things. When money is concerned, the taker is always at the advantage. If not money, then the taker is at the losing end, taking shit and whatever.
Yes whatever, in the end it is likely that the taker will continue to take as it has become habitual. On the giver side, he too will be giving all the time. And it will still be a give and take situation, some will take and some will give. Some will take more and some will give less.
1/01/2012
The inevitable change
2011 set the stage for change in a new world with new players. The Americans tried very hard to retain its number One super power status and to contain the challenge coming from an emerging China. Much as it tried, American power is dwindling in the midst of economic failures and a mountain of debt. America continues in its pursuit of military power and control, getting itself embroiled in wars, in sanctions, in interfering with the domestic politics of every country on its good book or in its bad books. It poked its finger into Myanmar and North Korea, two countries that have nothing to do with the lives of Americans. While the North Koreans are mourning the death of its leaders, the Americans are furiously engaging the South Koreans on how to deal with the North Koreans when it is totally none of its business. It still thinks it has the privilege and resources to mess around the world.
Domestically we are seeing a party on the defensive. The ruling party has expended all its political capital and with every minister a liability rather than an asset to the party. Without political capital, something that it callously chose not to build over the last decades, it is looking at social capital to fall back on. How much social capital is there when it neglected building on it like political capital?
Singaporeans went through a very painful phase of ‘nothing can be done’, it is all due to market forces, wide income gap is good and natural, that is growth. High housing prices are beyond the govt’s control, so is high cost of living, market forces at work. The high intake of foreigners labelled as foreign talents is for the good of the people, like it or not. It can’t be helped. It is not the norm or responsibility to build housing for the people when they needed it. The govt will dictate when they want to build and how many to build, and 3 to 4 years wait is a take it or leave it position. So what can the people do about it other than to accept it as the norm.
Many people benefited from the govt’s policies of market forces, including very high pay, very high property prices. Those who have plenty kept piling their plates higher and higher when they could live for generations without having to work. The average Singaporeans continue to make ends meet and whine quietly. And the people were told to accept it as normal in a meritocracy. The rich will get richer and the poor poorer. Can’t be helped.
Many things were taken for granted. Retaining more and more of the people’s money in the CPF/Medisave is done against their wishes as if the money belongs to the govt becomes a norm. No need to consult the people. Just legislate to make it legal.
Is there really much social capital that the govt can tap on or call upon when the social economic system benefits only a small group of elites at the expense of the majority? The elites and talented are very happy, very, very happy, as they get richer and richer with favourable govt policies. So are the foreigners and the foreign talents. No where can they find a system that is so friendly to them than Singapore. And they would threaten to move some where if govt policies were not favourable to them. We owe them a living. On the other hand the average Singaporeans are finding life getting tougher for themselves and were told that they have themselves to blame.
Does the ruling party really believe that things are getting better for them and not getting worst for the years to come? The Americans are going to face tougher time ahead, like it or not. The only thing they have left is power, power to destroy, to impose sanctions, to coerce, to start wars. As the born again convert of Americanism, everything the Americans do, we follow. Would the blind believer follow the leader to the same end?
Domestically we are seeing a party on the defensive. The ruling party has expended all its political capital and with every minister a liability rather than an asset to the party. Without political capital, something that it callously chose not to build over the last decades, it is looking at social capital to fall back on. How much social capital is there when it neglected building on it like political capital?
Singaporeans went through a very painful phase of ‘nothing can be done’, it is all due to market forces, wide income gap is good and natural, that is growth. High housing prices are beyond the govt’s control, so is high cost of living, market forces at work. The high intake of foreigners labelled as foreign talents is for the good of the people, like it or not. It can’t be helped. It is not the norm or responsibility to build housing for the people when they needed it. The govt will dictate when they want to build and how many to build, and 3 to 4 years wait is a take it or leave it position. So what can the people do about it other than to accept it as the norm.
Many people benefited from the govt’s policies of market forces, including very high pay, very high property prices. Those who have plenty kept piling their plates higher and higher when they could live for generations without having to work. The average Singaporeans continue to make ends meet and whine quietly. And the people were told to accept it as normal in a meritocracy. The rich will get richer and the poor poorer. Can’t be helped.
Many things were taken for granted. Retaining more and more of the people’s money in the CPF/Medisave is done against their wishes as if the money belongs to the govt becomes a norm. No need to consult the people. Just legislate to make it legal.
Is there really much social capital that the govt can tap on or call upon when the social economic system benefits only a small group of elites at the expense of the majority? The elites and talented are very happy, very, very happy, as they get richer and richer with favourable govt policies. So are the foreigners and the foreign talents. No where can they find a system that is so friendly to them than Singapore. And they would threaten to move some where if govt policies were not favourable to them. We owe them a living. On the other hand the average Singaporeans are finding life getting tougher for themselves and were told that they have themselves to blame.
Does the ruling party really believe that things are getting better for them and not getting worst for the years to come? The Americans are going to face tougher time ahead, like it or not. The only thing they have left is power, power to destroy, to impose sanctions, to coerce, to start wars. As the born again convert of Americanism, everything the Americans do, we follow. Would the blind believer follow the leader to the same end?
12/31/2011
Fallen myths and discredited policies
When the concept of super talents in politics was first proclaimed in an edict, the people quietly accepted it as there was nothing to dispute the fact that the country has been very well managed, from the Third World to the First World. Albeit a little flaws here and there, overall the country was in the pink of health and the people were rich and happy.
With this edict out of the way, it was easy to put meat onto this claim. The country needed the best talents to keep it going from prosperity to prosperity. And the best talents needed to be paid the best. The best talents would not want to sacrifice their careers and money making opportunities to serve the country and people if they were to be under paid. It made sense. So they went piling on the plate.
Till sometime last year, this year is not over yet, there were strong indications of more pay hikes for the political leaders. Something like how much you want, $3m, $5m or $10m? No one knows exactly how much the politicians were taking home except the basic pay.
The year 2011 proved to be a turning point of sort, a watershed in many ways. Hot on the heels of the Mas Selamat Escape in 2008, a series of bloops continued to fall on the faces of ministers in charge. Transportation, floods, Youth Olympics, Housing, cost of living, foreign talents and unemployments of local PMETs, all added to become a big pool of grievances.
The ground shift was felt in the May General Election. George Yeo was shaken even before the voters went to cast their votes. Hsien Loong made a quick public apology in his election speech. And the ruling party lost a GRC, an unsinkable contraptions that was not meant to sink, but sank it did, taking with it two ministers and a couple of top talents in the govt. It was only one GRC, but the psychological and emotional impact of this event was like saying more to come.
The appearance of Chen Show Mao, a truly super talent with international standing and a super income to boot, stood for the opposition and willing to accept a paltry $13,000 as an MP allowance. Small relative to what he could get but huge in many ways to what many MPs could get relative to their incomes. He could earn many times more. This act alone shattered the myth that super talents would only be enticed by money to serve the country and people.
Against this backdrop, the ruling party added to their wound with more questionable and doubtful super talents in their teams and hilarious accounts flooded the media. It was like the strike of a thunderbolt. The super talent myth was gone. There was disbelief as well as affirmation that it was all a myth.
With the fallen myth and the discredited policies that affected the lives of citizens adversely, the super salaries of politicians became a big issue. Suddenly it was seen as unjustifiable, grossly overpaid, leading to Hsien Loong calling for a Salary Review Committee to relook into the whole formula of out of this world salary for the ministers. And the first comment from Gerard Ee, who was tasked to do the review, was that the ‘final answer must include a substantial discount on comparable salaries in the private sector.’ A discount or a substantial salary cut is what the people are expecting. No body in his right mind would think that paying the ministers so much is right. And no ministers were in the right mind to stand up to defend their salaries as deserving and appropriate.
The report by the Committee has been submitted to Hsien Loong and all eyes and ears are waiting eagerly to see what the Committee has recommended. The year 2011 marks the end of the super talent concept and salaries in politics.
With this edict out of the way, it was easy to put meat onto this claim. The country needed the best talents to keep it going from prosperity to prosperity. And the best talents needed to be paid the best. The best talents would not want to sacrifice their careers and money making opportunities to serve the country and people if they were to be under paid. It made sense. So they went piling on the plate.
Till sometime last year, this year is not over yet, there were strong indications of more pay hikes for the political leaders. Something like how much you want, $3m, $5m or $10m? No one knows exactly how much the politicians were taking home except the basic pay.
The year 2011 proved to be a turning point of sort, a watershed in many ways. Hot on the heels of the Mas Selamat Escape in 2008, a series of bloops continued to fall on the faces of ministers in charge. Transportation, floods, Youth Olympics, Housing, cost of living, foreign talents and unemployments of local PMETs, all added to become a big pool of grievances.
The ground shift was felt in the May General Election. George Yeo was shaken even before the voters went to cast their votes. Hsien Loong made a quick public apology in his election speech. And the ruling party lost a GRC, an unsinkable contraptions that was not meant to sink, but sank it did, taking with it two ministers and a couple of top talents in the govt. It was only one GRC, but the psychological and emotional impact of this event was like saying more to come.
The appearance of Chen Show Mao, a truly super talent with international standing and a super income to boot, stood for the opposition and willing to accept a paltry $13,000 as an MP allowance. Small relative to what he could get but huge in many ways to what many MPs could get relative to their incomes. He could earn many times more. This act alone shattered the myth that super talents would only be enticed by money to serve the country and people.
Against this backdrop, the ruling party added to their wound with more questionable and doubtful super talents in their teams and hilarious accounts flooded the media. It was like the strike of a thunderbolt. The super talent myth was gone. There was disbelief as well as affirmation that it was all a myth.
With the fallen myth and the discredited policies that affected the lives of citizens adversely, the super salaries of politicians became a big issue. Suddenly it was seen as unjustifiable, grossly overpaid, leading to Hsien Loong calling for a Salary Review Committee to relook into the whole formula of out of this world salary for the ministers. And the first comment from Gerard Ee, who was tasked to do the review, was that the ‘final answer must include a substantial discount on comparable salaries in the private sector.’ A discount or a substantial salary cut is what the people are expecting. No body in his right mind would think that paying the ministers so much is right. And no ministers were in the right mind to stand up to defend their salaries as deserving and appropriate.
The report by the Committee has been submitted to Hsien Loong and all eyes and ears are waiting eagerly to see what the Committee has recommended. The year 2011 marks the end of the super talent concept and salaries in politics.
Temasek cutting losses
KARACHI:
Fed up with mounting losses at its only major investment in Pakistan, the Singapore-based Temasek Holdings is selling off its stake in NIB Bank and is reportedly in talks with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, sources told The Express Tribune.
Senior management officials at NIB Bank were so tight-lipped about the transaction that, not only did they refuse to discuss the matter, but they even refused to go on the record as having said that they have no comment. Neither the ICBC not Temasek Holdings were available for comment, despite repeated attempts to contact them by The Express Tribune….
Temasek certainly has reason to be unhappy. The Singaporean state-owned institutional investor has ploughed about $540 million into NIB Bank and has thus far seen the bank make close to $400 million in losses. At the close of trading on Wednesday, NIB Bank had a total market capitalisation of approximately $154 million, which values Temasek’s 74% holding (through its subsidiary Bugis Investments) at $114 million….
The above are the starting paragraph of an article titled, ‘Cut your losses: Temasek may be selling off NIB to China Bank’ by Farooq Tirmizi in The Express Tribune.
I could sense a little sarcasm and sneering by the author that Temasek is making such a huge loss. But smug not, for Farooq did not know how big is Temasek’s portfolio and this loss is just a pittance compared to all the big gains it is making elsewhere. I bet in the next annual report Temasek will announced another scintillating result with profits in hundreds of millions, after minus this small loss. For every loss of a few hundred millions, it will be covered by gains of many hundred millions. That is how good the track record of Temasek.
Our reserves are in good hands with the best money can buy managing them.
Fed up with mounting losses at its only major investment in Pakistan, the Singapore-based Temasek Holdings is selling off its stake in NIB Bank and is reportedly in talks with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, sources told The Express Tribune.
Senior management officials at NIB Bank were so tight-lipped about the transaction that, not only did they refuse to discuss the matter, but they even refused to go on the record as having said that they have no comment. Neither the ICBC not Temasek Holdings were available for comment, despite repeated attempts to contact them by The Express Tribune….
Temasek certainly has reason to be unhappy. The Singaporean state-owned institutional investor has ploughed about $540 million into NIB Bank and has thus far seen the bank make close to $400 million in losses. At the close of trading on Wednesday, NIB Bank had a total market capitalisation of approximately $154 million, which values Temasek’s 74% holding (through its subsidiary Bugis Investments) at $114 million….
The above are the starting paragraph of an article titled, ‘Cut your losses: Temasek may be selling off NIB to China Bank’ by Farooq Tirmizi in The Express Tribune.
I could sense a little sarcasm and sneering by the author that Temasek is making such a huge loss. But smug not, for Farooq did not know how big is Temasek’s portfolio and this loss is just a pittance compared to all the big gains it is making elsewhere. I bet in the next annual report Temasek will announced another scintillating result with profits in hundreds of millions, after minus this small loss. For every loss of a few hundred millions, it will be covered by gains of many hundred millions. That is how good the track record of Temasek.
Our reserves are in good hands with the best money can buy managing them.
12/30/2011
Hormuz the next flash point
This will be the big one. No peace in the Middle East with the Empire threatening to impose sanctions on Iran to cripple its economy. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour when the West and the US tried to strangle its economic development and curtailing its access to oil and natural resources. Iran is not going to stand still and allow the Americans to hurt its economy. It is threatening to close the Straits of Hormuz if the US applied sanctions against her.
The US has sent its aircraft carrier John C Stennis to the Hormuz. US Chief of Staff, Gen Martin Dempsey has revealed that they are planning to attack Iran once the White House gives the clearance. Israel is opening talking about a preventive strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
It is Iran’s fault to force the peace loving Empire and Israel to want to attack it. Blame it on the Iranians. A new coalition of peace loving countries will be gathered to attack the hostile and unfriendly Iran. God bless the peace loving countries. Iran must be destroyed and there will be peace on earth. Iran is only the third country to be attacked by the peaceful countries and the peace loving Empire. One by one they will be attacked by the hordes of hyenas dressed like angels.
Next to be attacked by the peace loving countries and Empire will likely be Pakistan, North Korea and China. All these are aggressive warlike countries planning to attack countries of peace loving people. So the peace loving countries and Empires must strike at all these war mongering countries to maintain peace.
The logic of peace loving countries that daft peace loving people of the world are expected to believe and swear by it. Only peace loving countries will provoke and attack other countries in the name of peace and start wars. With America around, the world can be guaranteed to have wars every day, in the name of peace.
The US has sent its aircraft carrier John C Stennis to the Hormuz. US Chief of Staff, Gen Martin Dempsey has revealed that they are planning to attack Iran once the White House gives the clearance. Israel is opening talking about a preventive strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
It is Iran’s fault to force the peace loving Empire and Israel to want to attack it. Blame it on the Iranians. A new coalition of peace loving countries will be gathered to attack the hostile and unfriendly Iran. God bless the peace loving countries. Iran must be destroyed and there will be peace on earth. Iran is only the third country to be attacked by the peaceful countries and the peace loving Empire. One by one they will be attacked by the hordes of hyenas dressed like angels.
Next to be attacked by the peace loving countries and Empire will likely be Pakistan, North Korea and China. All these are aggressive warlike countries planning to attack countries of peace loving people. So the peace loving countries and Empires must strike at all these war mongering countries to maintain peace.
The logic of peace loving countries that daft peace loving people of the world are expected to believe and swear by it. Only peace loving countries will provoke and attack other countries in the name of peace and start wars. With America around, the world can be guaranteed to have wars every day, in the name of peace.
Tough to get retail investors into stock market
Where have all the retail investors gone? Why is it that so few are interested in the stock markets? Despite all the efforts to woo them, systems and designs tweaked for their benefits, the best stock market in the world, the fastest high speed computers to hand millions of trades in a few seconds, where are the traders? Is it that Singaporeans are allergic to trading stocks?
No body knows why, or no one wants to see what is really wrong with the market? Everyone playing the 4 proverbial monkeys, see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing and do nothing. It is sad that there are so many super talents, including foreign talents, but no one knows or wants to know the truth. And yet, everyone in the industry knows what went wrong. What a farce!
And they all appear to be in a state of shock! Why ah? Why Singaporeans did not want to dabble in stocks? Stock market got no pulling power? We do not have this, we do not have that, we need more marketing to lure the suckers to buy snake oils!
Just flash back the memory to 1993, everyone, housewives, students, hawkers in the market, were all in the market, dabbling in stocks. Everyone was talking nothing but stocks. PhDs and highly qualified professionals were giving up their jobs to be in the market. And we have stocks, plenty of stocks from two markets to trade with. No need big foreign funds, no need high speed computers, no algos, and the stock markets were roaring.
The stockbrokers were smiling, the remisiers were hard pressed for time to breathe, the employees were in glee with 12 months bonuses. Property booms because there was so much liquidity and many people became rich. There was buzz, big buzz instead of big bust.
Today, with high speed computers, big foreign funds, plenty of them, algos, big trading volumes, but you could hear a pin drop inside a broking house. The industry is dying. The broking houses will go into the red if things did not turn around. The remisiers will become taxi drivers or housing agents if these are still available. Anything will be better than to become a remisier. The staff in the brokerages will see retrenchment coming.
A lucratic industry turning to a ghost town. 10,000 people will soon lose their jobs. What is happening? No one knows. All the people supposed to know did not know. Can you believe it? Then who should know? God knows.
No body knows why, or no one wants to see what is really wrong with the market? Everyone playing the 4 proverbial monkeys, see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing and do nothing. It is sad that there are so many super talents, including foreign talents, but no one knows or wants to know the truth. And yet, everyone in the industry knows what went wrong. What a farce!
And they all appear to be in a state of shock! Why ah? Why Singaporeans did not want to dabble in stocks? Stock market got no pulling power? We do not have this, we do not have that, we need more marketing to lure the suckers to buy snake oils!
Just flash back the memory to 1993, everyone, housewives, students, hawkers in the market, were all in the market, dabbling in stocks. Everyone was talking nothing but stocks. PhDs and highly qualified professionals were giving up their jobs to be in the market. And we have stocks, plenty of stocks from two markets to trade with. No need big foreign funds, no need high speed computers, no algos, and the stock markets were roaring.
The stockbrokers were smiling, the remisiers were hard pressed for time to breathe, the employees were in glee with 12 months bonuses. Property booms because there was so much liquidity and many people became rich. There was buzz, big buzz instead of big bust.
Today, with high speed computers, big foreign funds, plenty of them, algos, big trading volumes, but you could hear a pin drop inside a broking house. The industry is dying. The broking houses will go into the red if things did not turn around. The remisiers will become taxi drivers or housing agents if these are still available. Anything will be better than to become a remisier. The staff in the brokerages will see retrenchment coming.
A lucratic industry turning to a ghost town. 10,000 people will soon lose their jobs. What is happening? No one knows. All the people supposed to know did not know. Can you believe it? Then who should know? God knows.
The proper perspective of history
Many people tend to write about social political developments in Southeast Asia as if these countries were there from time immemorial. The truth is that many of these countries we see today and took for granted were never countries in the normal sense. Many were colonies or disorganized states of a different nature, and some have not even reached statehood in whatever counts.
Singaporeans used to use the familiar dates of 1819 as the founding of Singapore and 1959 when we were given self rule, but still a colony of the British Empire, not an independent country. Then came 1963 and 1965, when we became part of Malaysia and then truly independent as a nation. And there was the blip in 1941 to 1945 when we were conquered and became part of the Japanese Empire.
What was the state of Singapore in 1819? Was it a state, a country, with local govt, with a head of state, or was it a natural territory that was still evolving? There was the Johore Sultanate, with a Temengong and village chiefs. It was then probably called Temasek, or was it called something else? It did or did not have a name until Raffles landed and claimed this land as part of the British Empire and ceded it from the Johore Sultanate? It was so easy then. And he named the island Singapore or Singapura. The people, not citizens, became British subjects, owned by England. I don’t think they called themselves Singaporeans or British or Malayans. There was no Malaya as a single entity or country then.
Sounds quite funny really. There were the sultans who owned parts of the peninsula separately but no country that we know of today. They were regrouped by the British as Federated and non Federated states. There was no Malaya to talk about till 1946. A Federation of Malaya came about only in 1948 as a British colony. It only became an independent state in 1957. As a country, Malaya was even younger than me.
Singapore only gained self ruled in 1959, but still a British colony, not a country. Only in 1963 were we given the honour of calling ourselves Malaysians, citizens of a country. This short lived affair lasted for two years before we gained our independence as Singapore. Then could we call ourselves Singaporeans. Were there Singaporeans before 1965, Singaporeans of an independent country?
Until 1963, the people were a mixed of migrants with different nationalities and at best could called themselves British subjects. They didn’t have a country to pledge loyalty to but to raise the Union Jack and sing ‘God save the King/Queen’. Oh, in the period under Japanese Occupation, they were actually Japanese subjects, Japanese conquered people. And every racial group was on their own to look after themselves. You want schools for your children, go and build yourself. Raise your own fund, the govt of the day did not care who you were or your needs as a people.
No one bothered about integration or welcoming them. No one bothered what was happening to another racial group. Neither would the British be bothered. To them, all the residents were their subjects and each might hold different loyalties to wherever they came from.
And all the changes happened about 50 years ago. Could Singapore go and join the rest of the newly minted countries to claim the islands in South China Sea? We were just migrants, then British, then Japanese, British again, then Malaysian and now Singaporeans.
Now we talk about rights as citizens, equal under the law. We demand to be treated equally. We can get angry if feel discriminated. Before all these today, what rights could we talk about then? Everyone was on their own, to make the best of the day.
What’s next? American or International citizens?
Singaporeans used to use the familiar dates of 1819 as the founding of Singapore and 1959 when we were given self rule, but still a colony of the British Empire, not an independent country. Then came 1963 and 1965, when we became part of Malaysia and then truly independent as a nation. And there was the blip in 1941 to 1945 when we were conquered and became part of the Japanese Empire.
What was the state of Singapore in 1819? Was it a state, a country, with local govt, with a head of state, or was it a natural territory that was still evolving? There was the Johore Sultanate, with a Temengong and village chiefs. It was then probably called Temasek, or was it called something else? It did or did not have a name until Raffles landed and claimed this land as part of the British Empire and ceded it from the Johore Sultanate? It was so easy then. And he named the island Singapore or Singapura. The people, not citizens, became British subjects, owned by England. I don’t think they called themselves Singaporeans or British or Malayans. There was no Malaya as a single entity or country then.
Sounds quite funny really. There were the sultans who owned parts of the peninsula separately but no country that we know of today. They were regrouped by the British as Federated and non Federated states. There was no Malaya to talk about till 1946. A Federation of Malaya came about only in 1948 as a British colony. It only became an independent state in 1957. As a country, Malaya was even younger than me.
Singapore only gained self ruled in 1959, but still a British colony, not a country. Only in 1963 were we given the honour of calling ourselves Malaysians, citizens of a country. This short lived affair lasted for two years before we gained our independence as Singapore. Then could we call ourselves Singaporeans. Were there Singaporeans before 1965, Singaporeans of an independent country?
Until 1963, the people were a mixed of migrants with different nationalities and at best could called themselves British subjects. They didn’t have a country to pledge loyalty to but to raise the Union Jack and sing ‘God save the King/Queen’. Oh, in the period under Japanese Occupation, they were actually Japanese subjects, Japanese conquered people. And every racial group was on their own to look after themselves. You want schools for your children, go and build yourself. Raise your own fund, the govt of the day did not care who you were or your needs as a people.
No one bothered about integration or welcoming them. No one bothered what was happening to another racial group. Neither would the British be bothered. To them, all the residents were their subjects and each might hold different loyalties to wherever they came from.
And all the changes happened about 50 years ago. Could Singapore go and join the rest of the newly minted countries to claim the islands in South China Sea? We were just migrants, then British, then Japanese, British again, then Malaysian and now Singaporeans.
Now we talk about rights as citizens, equal under the law. We demand to be treated equally. We can get angry if feel discriminated. Before all these today, what rights could we talk about then? Everyone was on their own, to make the best of the day.
What’s next? American or International citizens?
12/29/2011
Can Singaporeans be so cruel?
Members of a family who repeatedly tortured a 10-year-old relative over two years and left him permanently disfigured were yesterday sentenced to jail.
The boy - who started living with his grandaunt and her family when he was four, after his mother went to prison - was beaten repeatedly, burned and had his fingers cut. …
The court heard the boy was hit last year on his mouth with a hammer, causing a tooth to fall off and his mouth to bleed.
This was after his grandaunt found out he had finished some fried rice meant for the family.
A few months after the incident, the boy was again abused for allegedly stealing food and playing with the knobs of the gas stove.
His grandaunt asked her three daughters to restrain the boy while she splashed hot cooking oil on his face and body. She also cut his fingers with a pair of scissors, and pressed a hot iron and ladle on him….
The boy now suffers from facial deformities, including a distorted lip margin and a flattened nasal bridge.
The above extracts were taken from the ST.
The boy - who started living with his grandaunt and her family when he was four, after his mother went to prison - was beaten repeatedly, burned and had his fingers cut. …
The court heard the boy was hit last year on his mouth with a hammer, causing a tooth to fall off and his mouth to bleed.
This was after his grandaunt found out he had finished some fried rice meant for the family.
A few months after the incident, the boy was again abused for allegedly stealing food and playing with the knobs of the gas stove.
His grandaunt asked her three daughters to restrain the boy while she splashed hot cooking oil on his face and body. She also cut his fingers with a pair of scissors, and pressed a hot iron and ladle on him….
The boy now suffers from facial deformities, including a distorted lip margin and a flattened nasal bridge.
The above extracts were taken from the ST.
Singapore a safe haven for money
The developers are worried that the recent property curbs may dampen the property market and lead to a recession. I think they are unduly worried and the fear is misplaced. Singapore is the choice estate for the rich to park their money, good or bad money, as long as they can get them in. The attractiveness of Singapore is a stable and good govt and a system of rule of law. Once the money is in and legally accepted, the money is safe.
With so much money floating around the world and seeking a safe place to hide or park, where else but Singapore. For this reason, more money will keep flowing in as other places are turning bad. Switzerland has lost its attractiveness when its privacy status is being challenged, and with foreign govts being able to pry open private accounts. The Arabs are also starting to realize their stupidity for putting money in Europe and the US when the Americans could seize them at will. And the US dollar is no longer a safe hedge for the future.
The developers should have no fear as foreign money are aplenty and will keep coming in as long as the door is open. In fact they should prepare for a flood of foreign funds into the island. The price of private high end properties should never be an issue as the reason for the money to be here is safety. And there are plenty of these monies wanting to come in.
Stop crying wolf. They could hold their prices or even expect the demand to increase. How much more land can this piece of rock sell to foreigners? And the prices are guaranteed to go up and up. The best hedge against inflation, and very safe.
With so much money floating around the world and seeking a safe place to hide or park, where else but Singapore. For this reason, more money will keep flowing in as other places are turning bad. Switzerland has lost its attractiveness when its privacy status is being challenged, and with foreign govts being able to pry open private accounts. The Arabs are also starting to realize their stupidity for putting money in Europe and the US when the Americans could seize them at will. And the US dollar is no longer a safe hedge for the future.
The developers should have no fear as foreign money are aplenty and will keep coming in as long as the door is open. In fact they should prepare for a flood of foreign funds into the island. The price of private high end properties should never be an issue as the reason for the money to be here is safety. And there are plenty of these monies wanting to come in.
Stop crying wolf. They could hold their prices or even expect the demand to increase. How much more land can this piece of rock sell to foreigners? And the prices are guaranteed to go up and up. The best hedge against inflation, and very safe.
Super high speed train for paradise
The ageing SMRT train system is looking like a goner. Instead of high speed it has to operate on slower speed. And instead of a smooth free ride, getting train disruptions and delays are going to be a daily affair. So what else needs to be done to improve the system of mass rapid transportation? I am including the words ‘mass’ and ‘rapid’ in case people think it is meant to be otherwise.
First step, send the international head hunter agencies to go on a world wide hunt for a true blue foreign talent to helm the organization. Local talents definitely won’t do, good at scoring As only in examinations. Regional talents, well, proven still not good enough.
Once such a true blue foreign talent comes on board, even 30 years is ok, tell him we want the best MRT and let him go to work. Soon we will have the world’s best super high speed train running from Tuas to Changi, only these two stops. At 500kph, it would take only 5 min for the journey. There is no possibility of more stops if the train is to hit the top speed. It would be a super fast journey, no jams, like taking a river bus from Clark Quay to Marina Barrage.
When the system is in place, commuters can take the snail train to Tuas or Changi to get to their destinations super fast. This will definitely help alleviate the jams in the city as commuters will all be travelling outwards to Tuas and Changi.
Why would they want to go to Tuas and Changi is not the problem as long as the train is super fast. And we have another claim to make, the fastest public transport system in the world. Never mind if it is empty. The train computer can generate images on the windows to give the impression that the trains are full, full of activities.
Never mind if it costs billions of dollars. It is other people’s money. And can get reporters to write about how good the super high speed train is, all the good stuff. It is all about the future, proactive, planning ahead for higher demands, looks very good too.
If, after blowing the trumpet for a while and the truth is that the super high speed train is not doing what it should be, well, it was a good wet dream. The foreign talent can say good bye and collect his fat severance pay to live forever, happily ever after. As for the white elephant, still can show the world we have the fastest super high speed train running, all paid for by the people.
First step, send the international head hunter agencies to go on a world wide hunt for a true blue foreign talent to helm the organization. Local talents definitely won’t do, good at scoring As only in examinations. Regional talents, well, proven still not good enough.
Once such a true blue foreign talent comes on board, even 30 years is ok, tell him we want the best MRT and let him go to work. Soon we will have the world’s best super high speed train running from Tuas to Changi, only these two stops. At 500kph, it would take only 5 min for the journey. There is no possibility of more stops if the train is to hit the top speed. It would be a super fast journey, no jams, like taking a river bus from Clark Quay to Marina Barrage.
When the system is in place, commuters can take the snail train to Tuas or Changi to get to their destinations super fast. This will definitely help alleviate the jams in the city as commuters will all be travelling outwards to Tuas and Changi.
Why would they want to go to Tuas and Changi is not the problem as long as the train is super fast. And we have another claim to make, the fastest public transport system in the world. Never mind if it is empty. The train computer can generate images on the windows to give the impression that the trains are full, full of activities.
Never mind if it costs billions of dollars. It is other people’s money. And can get reporters to write about how good the super high speed train is, all the good stuff. It is all about the future, proactive, planning ahead for higher demands, looks very good too.
If, after blowing the trumpet for a while and the truth is that the super high speed train is not doing what it should be, well, it was a good wet dream. The foreign talent can say good bye and collect his fat severance pay to live forever, happily ever after. As for the white elephant, still can show the world we have the fastest super high speed train running, all paid for by the people.
12/28/2011
Pakistan another powder keg
Pakistan is poised for a big explosion, a military coup. The Army Chief came out to deny that a coup was in the making. What is worrisome is the discovery of a note from a Pakistani leader asking the US to intervene to prevent a coup from happening. What a recipe for disaster! Now, who sent that note out for help? Or was there really a Pakistani leader that sent out such a note inviting a foreign power to move in to his country? Is that a sign that a certain foreign power are planning to meddle with Pakistan’s internal affair?
There were also talks of coup in China and in North Korea. Where would the support for such coups to come from? There have been frequent rumours in the media that these leaders are weak and the dissident groups are waiting to oust them out, and a coup is the perfect weapon.
No coup has happened in China or in North Korea since the end of WW2. Coups happened quite frequently in Arab land, in the Philippines, in South Korea, in South Vietnam, in Thailand, in Indonesia, but not even in North Vietnam. They are considered unstable govts but never had coups. Only stable countries have had coups.
Pakistan got to be very careful as the coup makers are working overtime for a coup, maybe with outside help.
There were also talks of coup in China and in North Korea. Where would the support for such coups to come from? There have been frequent rumours in the media that these leaders are weak and the dissident groups are waiting to oust them out, and a coup is the perfect weapon.
No coup has happened in China or in North Korea since the end of WW2. Coups happened quite frequently in Arab land, in the Philippines, in South Korea, in South Vietnam, in Thailand, in Indonesia, but not even in North Vietnam. They are considered unstable govts but never had coups. Only stable countries have had coups.
Pakistan got to be very careful as the coup makers are working overtime for a coup, maybe with outside help.
The illegal casinos
Casinos started in a small way, and all illegal. They gambled with match sticks, cards, dice, beans, and some even have their manual roulette tables. Things changed when the sophisticated mafias started to engage engineers and technology experts to create new and more interesting games. For their huge investments to be profitable, they must find willing casino operators to use their machines.
They went to entice the casino operators with high turnovers, high gambling activities and with a sure win formula. They will pay the casino operators a fee and the casino operators will have to accommodate them with how the rules of the games should be played. Some casino operators even bent the rules for the big mafia boys.
And the mafias brought in their expensive and highly computerized machines into the casinos. They explained that the machines would do all the works, and all kinds of gamblers can play the machines. The operators only need to provide coins, $1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c and even 1c. The smaller bets were good, would attract many more small gamblers. And the operators obliged without question asked. The operators could just go to sleep and collect their dues.
As long as the mafias kept paying the operators their dues, the operators did not care and did not want to know what the mafias were doing. The machines were rigged to maximize profits. The odds in favour of the mafia machines could be as high as 90% or 99%. And they kept cleaning up the gamblers, big or small. They happily scooped up everything quietly. The operators also happily collected their fees and shared their big dividends among themselves.
The casinos were still illegal, of course. No responsible govt was going to let such casinos to operate freely to rip off the innocent and ignorant gamblers. But the mafias had big plans. It all started in America. They wanted to operate casinos legally and started to buy up the law makers. The law makers might be greedy, the govt could made do with more revenue. But there must be laws, responsibilities, to manage the mafias and prevent them from sending every gambler to the cleaners.
Other than a hefty gambling tax, the responsible govt imposed many conditions and rules for the casinos to operate legally and within limits. The odds must be controlled, no more 90% or 99% wins. The gamblers must have a fair chance of making some wins as well. Basically the mafias were not allowed to cheat the small gamblers in an unfair game. They might be allowed to bring in their sophisticated machines, but the responsible govt would want to know how the machines work and how to monitor them to prevent excesses and rampant cheating.
The govt was also smart enough to set up a regulatory body to monitor, supervise and regulate the casinos and the mafias and their machines. Of course the casino operators would want to regulate themselves. But no stupid govt would allow that to happen. They could not let the operators regulate themselves and work hand in glove with the mafias and their machines to cheat the gamblers. To allow the casino operators to regulate themselves was like asking the fox to guard the hen house. To close an eye and not wanting to know how the machines work and how much advantage they had to manipulate their winnings was criminal. It was a dereliction of responsibility to the innocent and ignorant gamblers who were citizens to be protected by the govt.
The responsible govt won. They allowed the casinos to operate under strict regulations, controlled and supervision. The odds in their machines were controlled and dictated by the govt. And everything was in order, with checks and balance and a fair and equitable system for both the casino operators, the mafias and the gamblers. Only such a system is sustainable.
Only an irresponsible govt would allow casinos to operate freely and in cahoot with the mafias, and to allow the mafias a free hand to do whatever they want, even rigging their high speed computerized machines to cheat the gamblers. No where in the world would this be allowed to happen. No where. Unless the govt is also in cahoot with the casino operators and the mafias.
They went to entice the casino operators with high turnovers, high gambling activities and with a sure win formula. They will pay the casino operators a fee and the casino operators will have to accommodate them with how the rules of the games should be played. Some casino operators even bent the rules for the big mafia boys.
And the mafias brought in their expensive and highly computerized machines into the casinos. They explained that the machines would do all the works, and all kinds of gamblers can play the machines. The operators only need to provide coins, $1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c and even 1c. The smaller bets were good, would attract many more small gamblers. And the operators obliged without question asked. The operators could just go to sleep and collect their dues.
As long as the mafias kept paying the operators their dues, the operators did not care and did not want to know what the mafias were doing. The machines were rigged to maximize profits. The odds in favour of the mafia machines could be as high as 90% or 99%. And they kept cleaning up the gamblers, big or small. They happily scooped up everything quietly. The operators also happily collected their fees and shared their big dividends among themselves.
The casinos were still illegal, of course. No responsible govt was going to let such casinos to operate freely to rip off the innocent and ignorant gamblers. But the mafias had big plans. It all started in America. They wanted to operate casinos legally and started to buy up the law makers. The law makers might be greedy, the govt could made do with more revenue. But there must be laws, responsibilities, to manage the mafias and prevent them from sending every gambler to the cleaners.
Other than a hefty gambling tax, the responsible govt imposed many conditions and rules for the casinos to operate legally and within limits. The odds must be controlled, no more 90% or 99% wins. The gamblers must have a fair chance of making some wins as well. Basically the mafias were not allowed to cheat the small gamblers in an unfair game. They might be allowed to bring in their sophisticated machines, but the responsible govt would want to know how the machines work and how to monitor them to prevent excesses and rampant cheating.
The govt was also smart enough to set up a regulatory body to monitor, supervise and regulate the casinos and the mafias and their machines. Of course the casino operators would want to regulate themselves. But no stupid govt would allow that to happen. They could not let the operators regulate themselves and work hand in glove with the mafias and their machines to cheat the gamblers. To allow the casino operators to regulate themselves was like asking the fox to guard the hen house. To close an eye and not wanting to know how the machines work and how much advantage they had to manipulate their winnings was criminal. It was a dereliction of responsibility to the innocent and ignorant gamblers who were citizens to be protected by the govt.
The responsible govt won. They allowed the casinos to operate under strict regulations, controlled and supervision. The odds in their machines were controlled and dictated by the govt. And everything was in order, with checks and balance and a fair and equitable system for both the casino operators, the mafias and the gamblers. Only such a system is sustainable.
Only an irresponsible govt would allow casinos to operate freely and in cahoot with the mafias, and to allow the mafias a free hand to do whatever they want, even rigging their high speed computerized machines to cheat the gamblers. No where in the world would this be allowed to happen. No where. Unless the govt is also in cahoot with the casino operators and the mafias.
Seng Han Thong’s affair continues
This episode does not seem to want to fade away. And the developments make the issue more confusing with some red faces in some quarters. Luckily SMRT was safe as there were records to prove what the PR executive said.
Seng Han Thong had apologized and nobody is demanding an explanation, which means apologies accepted but no need to explain further. This should have been the closure. Then Shanmugam came out to explain why Seng Han Thong is not a racist. This was followed by Hri Kumar saying more or less the same and that some blog sites have misquoted him or did not report the case fairly.
What then is the position of Halimah Yacob who was obviously not happy with the statement in the beginning? So, after all the explanations, hopefully she is now happy that it was all a wild goose chase and there was nothing to it. And there is a happy closure. All is a big misunderstanding due to poor command of English and misquoting.
Let’s move on.
Seng Han Thong had apologized and nobody is demanding an explanation, which means apologies accepted but no need to explain further. This should have been the closure. Then Shanmugam came out to explain why Seng Han Thong is not a racist. This was followed by Hri Kumar saying more or less the same and that some blog sites have misquoted him or did not report the case fairly.
What then is the position of Halimah Yacob who was obviously not happy with the statement in the beginning? So, after all the explanations, hopefully she is now happy that it was all a wild goose chase and there was nothing to it. And there is a happy closure. All is a big misunderstanding due to poor command of English and misquoting.
Let’s move on.
Ah Long rules the land
Reading from the media and the unceasing pressure put on residents by Ah Longs and his guerilla painters and fire starters, it is obvious that Ah Longs have won the war. They are getting more outrageous and destructive in their attacks on innocent flat dwellers. Their coercive methods include taunting and terrorizing the whole neighbourhood and residents are living in fear.
Shall I congratulate the Ah Longs for their nasty and lawless acts? Why are the Ah Longs so indefeatable, so creative and deceptive in their harassment of residents? They seem to be more superior in their tactics and no one is able to terminate them.
One possible option is for residents to pay for hire guns to go after them and take them down like the wild wild west when the law was incapable of dealing with the hoodlums. It would provide jobs for the jobless as bounty hunters.
Is it really so difficult to remove these terrorists?
Shall I congratulate the Ah Longs for their nasty and lawless acts? Why are the Ah Longs so indefeatable, so creative and deceptive in their harassment of residents? They seem to be more superior in their tactics and no one is able to terminate them.
One possible option is for residents to pay for hire guns to go after them and take them down like the wild wild west when the law was incapable of dealing with the hoodlums. It would provide jobs for the jobless as bounty hunters.
Is it really so difficult to remove these terrorists?
12/27/2011
An act of war
Many people still believe that the sinking of the Choenan was committed by the North Koreans, except the South Koreans. I am not preview to the full facts, and so are many people. But from afar, one can still make some logical assessments based on the facts available and the actions of the parties concerned. It may not be right but at least it must be logical and not just some blind belief based on the most corrupted source of information, the media that have a private agenda for printing the story. Then there are media that were told to print, some paid to print and some simply print, believing that it was innocent facts.
The South Koreans are begging for war with the North Koreans, conducting regular and provocative war games with North Korea’s arch enemy the US. The US are most eager to precipitate a war in the Korean Peninsula with everything to gain, gaining a bigger foothold at China’s doorstep with permission to station more troops and bases, more control over the South Koreans who would be fully be dependent and beholden to them, the opportunity to sell more weapons to South Korea and Japan, and other countries and making more money and influence. And the opportunity to start a war outside of the US with the Asians killing themselves, and next to China, would be a great bonus.
The South Koreans have a reason to want to go to war. The US have all the reasons to want a war with the North. All they need is a good reason for them to attack the North. The Choenan was the best reason ever presented to them. It was an act of war. No buts, a serious enough incident, the sinking of a naval ship with many seamen dead.
Then one may ask, what was holding back the two protagonists who are bent on a war with the North and given this great opportunity, refrained from doing so? I am not going to discuss why the North Koreans were so stupid, knowing that this was what the South and the Americans were waiting for. The only reason was that they were mad. And many believe this too.
Why would the South Koreans hold back? And why weren’t they be pushed by the US who were so trigger happy to do so? I bet the US was pushing them real hard to start that war. The South Koreans chickened out at the face of war? Obviously not. The last thing they wanted to do was to plunge into a war for the wrong and stupid reason, a false flag incident.
Some may think the two Koreans are mad, but they are definitely not stupid. They might be led by the nose by the Americans, but they would not be fixed by some party or parties to go to war. They would have thoroughly examined the wreckage for the conclusive evidence that it was a hostile act by the North. And if it was, they have no reason not to go to war. It was South Korean lives killed, property destroyed and national pride at stake, the credibility of the govt.
Why didn’t they go to war if they have the proof? Why were they able to ward off the pressure from the Americans who wanted them to attack the North? The North Koreans committed the first act of war! The world opinion and the UN would be on their side. The South Koreans would die to defend their country when attacked and their own people killed.
What is happening? No guts to go to war? Or they did found some conclusive evidence, ….that it was not the North Koreans who sank their ship and killed their sailors?
You may have your own reasons to still want to believe the North sank the Choenan. Good for you.
PS. Please excuse me for belabouring this issue. Forget about the Koreans. The moral of my posting is to remind people not to take the information from the media, particularly politically sensitive information for granted. Think a little and try to see through the issue. You may see something, you may not. If thinks are too hazy, don't jump to conclusion and allowed the scheming parties to fix your thinking. The joke is on you.
The South Koreans are begging for war with the North Koreans, conducting regular and provocative war games with North Korea’s arch enemy the US. The US are most eager to precipitate a war in the Korean Peninsula with everything to gain, gaining a bigger foothold at China’s doorstep with permission to station more troops and bases, more control over the South Koreans who would be fully be dependent and beholden to them, the opportunity to sell more weapons to South Korea and Japan, and other countries and making more money and influence. And the opportunity to start a war outside of the US with the Asians killing themselves, and next to China, would be a great bonus.
The South Koreans have a reason to want to go to war. The US have all the reasons to want a war with the North. All they need is a good reason for them to attack the North. The Choenan was the best reason ever presented to them. It was an act of war. No buts, a serious enough incident, the sinking of a naval ship with many seamen dead.
Then one may ask, what was holding back the two protagonists who are bent on a war with the North and given this great opportunity, refrained from doing so? I am not going to discuss why the North Koreans were so stupid, knowing that this was what the South and the Americans were waiting for. The only reason was that they were mad. And many believe this too.
Why would the South Koreans hold back? And why weren’t they be pushed by the US who were so trigger happy to do so? I bet the US was pushing them real hard to start that war. The South Koreans chickened out at the face of war? Obviously not. The last thing they wanted to do was to plunge into a war for the wrong and stupid reason, a false flag incident.
Some may think the two Koreans are mad, but they are definitely not stupid. They might be led by the nose by the Americans, but they would not be fixed by some party or parties to go to war. They would have thoroughly examined the wreckage for the conclusive evidence that it was a hostile act by the North. And if it was, they have no reason not to go to war. It was South Korean lives killed, property destroyed and national pride at stake, the credibility of the govt.
Why didn’t they go to war if they have the proof? Why were they able to ward off the pressure from the Americans who wanted them to attack the North? The North Koreans committed the first act of war! The world opinion and the UN would be on their side. The South Koreans would die to defend their country when attacked and their own people killed.
What is happening? No guts to go to war? Or they did found some conclusive evidence, ….that it was not the North Koreans who sank their ship and killed their sailors?
You may have your own reasons to still want to believe the North sank the Choenan. Good for you.
PS. Please excuse me for belabouring this issue. Forget about the Koreans. The moral of my posting is to remind people not to take the information from the media, particularly politically sensitive information for granted. Think a little and try to see through the issue. You may see something, you may not. If thinks are too hazy, don't jump to conclusion and allowed the scheming parties to fix your thinking. The joke is on you.
US dollar going to the sewage
Saddam had to go when he schemed to replace the US dollar for trading oil. This was a dangerous move that would jeopardize the already weak dollar. When countries have no need to use the dollar to buy/sell oil, the demand for US dollar is going to go down the sewage.
This was the logical reason put forth by many economists that explained why the hoax of WMD was shafted down the dead brains of the heads of Allied governments who then parroted the whole hoax to their people as truth, and joined the gang of the ‘Willing Coalition to kill Saddam and Iraqis’.
The Chinese and the Japanese have just signed an agreement to facilitate trade between the world’s number 2 and number 3 economies using Yuan and Yen, by passing the need to buy US dollars. The implications of this development on the US dollar are severe.
China is also working with the Asean states to promote the use of Yuan. And why not when the US dollar is slipping into the drain? Commercial transactions using US dollars are so treacherous that seemingly profitable deals may end up a big loss with the currency depreciating daily. It is a matter of time before the US dollars be dumped and turned into banana currency.
And hither will the TPP go when the Yuan starts to replace the US dollar as a reliable currency for trade? There is no need for war for the US economy to collapse. When the dollar becomes a useless piece of paper that no one wants, that will be the end of the Empire. It may come much sooner than expected.
This was the logical reason put forth by many economists that explained why the hoax of WMD was shafted down the dead brains of the heads of Allied governments who then parroted the whole hoax to their people as truth, and joined the gang of the ‘Willing Coalition to kill Saddam and Iraqis’.
The Chinese and the Japanese have just signed an agreement to facilitate trade between the world’s number 2 and number 3 economies using Yuan and Yen, by passing the need to buy US dollars. The implications of this development on the US dollar are severe.
China is also working with the Asean states to promote the use of Yuan. And why not when the US dollar is slipping into the drain? Commercial transactions using US dollars are so treacherous that seemingly profitable deals may end up a big loss with the currency depreciating daily. It is a matter of time before the US dollars be dumped and turned into banana currency.
And hither will the TPP go when the Yuan starts to replace the US dollar as a reliable currency for trade? There is no need for war for the US economy to collapse. When the dollar becomes a useless piece of paper that no one wants, that will be the end of the Empire. It may come much sooner than expected.
Ominous signs
The MRT trains have been running fairly smoothly for more than 20 years. Recently so many incidents and faults occurred in a span of a few weeks. And despite doing a complete check, faults are popping up frequently like the popping of champagne bottles. The regular disruption is now becoming the new normal and commuters better live with it, just like ponding in Orchard Road.
Should the whole train system be removed as it seems that it has reached the end of its usable life? Or it is just an ominous sign of bigger things to come, when seemingly things in good order just keep breaking down?
Should the whole train system be removed as it seems that it has reached the end of its usable life? Or it is just an ominous sign of bigger things to come, when seemingly things in good order just keep breaking down?
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