23 Jokes of 2014

Below is a list of events/sayings, not in any order of merit that made it to my list of Jokes of 2014. The list is not exhaustive but I am exhausted listing trying to remember the long list of queer things that happened in the year.
 
1. Prime Modi is the Asian of the Year awarded by the Straits Times. The citation of his great achievements, ‘he met many head of states’.
2. Singapore will be in deep trouble when PAP is voted out in the next GE.
3. Philippines are buying 3 patrol boats to counter the PRC Navy in the South China Sea. And Vietnam also bought 3 submarines to do the same against China’s submarine fleet of 65.
4. The Malays are the new beggars in Malaysia by Mahathir.
5. Australian PM Abbott knows the location of the missing MH370 aircraft.
6. The New York policemen are fearing for their lives and are afraid to answer calls for help by the public. They rather remain in the safety of the police station.
7. Singapore is building smart cities in India. Modi is more realistic and only aspires to build more toilets.
8. Holding a protest rally in Hong Lim Park can be sued for public nuisance.
9. Elected Members of Parliament wanting to hold a community event need to get approval from grassroot leaders that are non elected volunteer community leaders.
10. Over charging a client by millions of dollars is not overcharging but over billing, therefore not an offence.
11. A young foreigner, stranger with no relationship, could obtain a Lasting Power of Attorney to manage the assets of a very rich widow.
12. Millionaires and billionaires begging the govt for help.
13. The world’s most highly paid leaders need to travel overseas to learn from leaders around the world earning a fraction of their income on how to take care of the aged.
14. HDB lost $2b building public housing.
15. Oil prices fell by 40% and public transport companies are asking for fare hikes.
16. Communist China is the world’s biggest economy, over taking the USA and Japan, two top capitalist countries.
17. Singapore’s financial centre cannot find Singaporeans with the required skill sets for banking and finance but can find them in the 3rd world villages.
18. Singapore, the top financial centre in Southeast Asia, is starting to plan for Sinkies for top management positions in the banking and finance industry starting in 2014.
19. Sinkies would allow anyone in the world to replace them in jobs in Singapore and believing these people are more talented than them, daft Sinkies.
20. There is no law against rogue traders cheating on tourists. Oops, they are not cheating, just clever and operating within the laws.
21. CPF is our money, or is it?.
22. God created the world and made Adam and Eve. Everything else is Made in China. (This is quoted from a blogger called Flabbergasted posting in TRE)
23. It cost $120k to get rid of 230 rats or more than 500 Singapore dollars per rat. This is more than what a person on social assistance scheme would receive in a month.

Kopi Level - Green

PAP has done exceptionally well in molding the thinkings of the daft

There is a believer who openly confessed that he did not mind being a dog to a good owner. Is this being humble, self deprecating, deference or what? Why would anyone wish to be a dog and be so proud of it? This is just a small example of how successful PAP is in winning the hearts and minds of the people. Today it is indispensable as the political party to rule this country. No one else is able to do so. This message has taken root in the brains of the daft as an unquestionable truth. No other political party has the talents to run this country, only PAP can. And Hsien Loong summed it up by saying that Singapore would be in deep trouble if PAP lost the next GE. Many are so domesticated that in the absence of the owners they would be lost. They are unable to live on their own, find their own way in life. They are badly dependent on the good owner, the PAP.
 
Take a look at another view. All the political talents are with the PAP. All the other parties have no talent. Where do these talents come from? Are they not the Ah Kows and Ah Huats, the Ahmads and Subramaniams who lived next door to you? How did they become super talents and talented born politicians to rule this country overnight?
 
The answer is very simple. All the PAP needs to do is to hang a PAP badge on their chests and make them wear white. Abracadabra, there you are, one talented politician coming out from the hat. You want more, abracadabra, another one from the hat. Those pulled out from the opposition parties’ hats are duds, must be duds, and would not know how to run a country. They would not have the talents like the likes of the Desmonds and the Victors to serve you.
 
The expectation and confidence in PAP candidates are legendary, mythical. The PAP can even pull out rats from the hats and people will call them political talents, the political leaders that will know how to rule the people well. They could also pull out foreigners (given pink ICs) that were here for a few years to offer to the people as political leaders, and the people will believe and accept them as the best people to rule them. Maybe being migrant stocks, Sinkies love to be ruled by foreigners who are new citizens.
 
This is how powerful the PAP has become. The believers and converts will simply believe with no question ask. Everyone pulled out from the PAP hat is as good as gold and worth every cent paid to them. Your future depends on them, the instant political leaders from the PAP hat. One day working as a soldier, lawyer, doctor, tomorrow become instant national leaders, born to rule. Reject them at your own peril. You shall repent if you don’t vote for them.
 
Some may think that this is a myth that the PAP has spun. But they are very effective and very real after believing it for so long. It has become second nature. Like the story books of yore, the prince was always charming and the knight in shining armour. Who would dare to imagine that the princes in the fairy tales could be ugly and duds? The charming princes will always ride off with their fair princesses and live happily ever after.
 
When would the daft stop believing in fairy tales?

Kopi Level - Green

High cost of living undermining family formation

Childcare fee is now averaging around $800 and would be $1,000 next year. Some childcare centres are quoting $1,500 per child. This means a two child family with children in childcare centres would need to cough out $3,000 just for the basic childcare fees. How much more would the family need to provide for the living expenses of two children in a household. And how much would the family need for the full household expenses of two working adults, to provide a roof over their heads, not mentioning a family car.
 
An average two child family would still be trying to make ends meet with a $6,000 monthly income. It is time to stop listening to fools who are claiming that $1,000 income can buy a 2 rm HDB flat or enough to live on. Stop spreading lies as the total living cost for a family is much more than $1,000 and this sum is unbearable, below subsistence or poverty level in this most expensive or one of the most expensive city in the world.
High cost of living is not a joking matter. Even an average family with a $6,000 household income would be greatly stressed and in debt if misfortune hits, like a major illness for one member of the family, or if one member loses his/her job to a foreigner.
 
How could an average family afford to live comfortably with anything less than $5,000, without financial worries like a blade hanging over their heads, to even dare to have two children? And all the cocks are yelling at the Singaporeans to have more babies to help the economy, to provide workers for the economy. Is this a reasonable call? Are they going to provide for the living expenses of the children? Just childcare fee is enough to break a family’s small income.
 
How many parents are so irresponsible to think of having more than one baby if they have a household income of less than $6,000? What kind of life would they be living when more than 50% of their hard earned income would go straight to paying childcare and much more to bring up two children? And there are people complaining that $100k a month income is not enough for their family to live well. And can they expect people to live decently with less than $5,000 and to have two children to raise?
 
What is going on? For the super talents with more than $10k or $20k income or more, paying $3,000 monthly for childcare is bearable when there are a lot of spare cash for other things of comfort. For many average Singaporeans, please, they are not daft and they know the sums. Not having baby is the logical and responsible choice when the cost of living is so high.
 
Did I hear the cocks crowing? $1,000 or $2,000 is enough to raise a family and have children to contribute to the economy?

Kopi Level - Green

QZ8501 – Another statistic in air accident?

When news of the missing Air Asia QZ8501 hit the airwaves, it was greeted with sadness that another bad accident happened. It was just that except for the shock and the thoughts of the grief of the affected members related to those on board. Painful yes, and the attention would be at the families and friends and how to help them cope through this period of uncertainties, and a likely tragedy. A couple of hours after the aircraft was declared missing, and missing the ETD at Changi, everyone was preparing for the worst. It looked that way, and any hope was for miracles to happen.

36 hours have passed, the dust settled, and the picture becomes clearer. Bits and pieces of the story came together. The families and friends are not going to have high hopes by now. What appeared to be another air incident is starting to look not so ordinary again. The initial failure of a May Day call could have been due to many reasons, lightning strike or an air explosion that did not give the pilot a chance to make the mandatory call they were trained to do in an emergency.

Scores of ships and aircraft have been searching the area for more than one and a half days and came up with nothing. No debris, no oil slick and most of all, the fail safe beeping from the black boxes were also not detected. This is mysterious. The boxes were programmed to do exactly this, to beep when in the water or there is a crash. This is one of the most vital functions of the black boxes, to lead the way to the crash site, to help and facilitate in locating the aircraft and the boxes. What is happening?

To reconstruct, there are some uncanny similarities to MH370. The aircraft was approaching mid point between Jakarta and Singapore and an air traffic handover was expected soon. It was in the early hours of the morning, in darkness. The aircraft made changes in heading and flight levels though the circumstances in this case were established, due to bad weather. And the aircraft was gone and no longer on radar. There was no May Day call in both incidents. And early searches proved in vain, no wreckage, no debris, no oil slicks. Now to look at the air traffic communication and radar recorders to determine the exact sequence of events and what transpired between pilot and air traffic controller. No terrorist agencies claiming responsibility for a job done.

Some of the dissimilarities, so far nothing confirmed, were that there was no mad or suicidal pilot flying the aircraft. No sensitive equipment on board or confirmed yet. No cargoes of mangosteens mentioned. The passenger manifest was mostly Indonesians, no sensitive PRC Chinese scientists that could link to international espionage and intrigue.

Here are some unusual news bits. An Indonesian who was supposed to be on the flight but cancelled his trip, received a strange farewell message from his friends on board saying ‘Goodbye forever’. Was this meant to be a cheeky message among friends or something else? Another piece of news, a sister of a passenger received a message saying that aircraft had landed in Belitung East and all passengers were safe. This latter message should be easy to confirm and by now when nothing is heard, is likely to be a hoax.

Kopi Level - Red

Rats, I am out of touch!

In my earlier post on the rats at Bukit Batok I made a conservative guesstimate on how much it would cost to get rid of the rats problem. Off hand someone suggested that it would cost $30k to get the job done. And that was huge to cull 300 rats at $100 each. How wrong he was though I too thought that would be reasonable, to kill a rat. $100 a piece!
 
Someone pointed to me that the Chinese media has reported that the whole operation costs $120k. My God, that would be $500 for 1 rat as slightly more than 230 rats were caught. That sum of money could buy 1,000 roast pigs to feed a lot of people.
 
I can’t imagine rats are so highly priced, must be golden rats or pedigree rats. And hope the $120k is the final number and no more over and above to add on.
 
I am really out of touch with the cost of everything.

Complain some more lah. Who do you think will pay for it?

Kopi Level - Red

Can PAP change? That’s seems to be the hope of some in the Silver Brigade

I was reading this article in TRE, ‘Can PAP change without being pushed to the edge?’ written by a Silver Brigade, a self confessed PAP supporter for 60 years. Having lived with disappointments after disappointments, he is still cherishing the hope of a PAP changing from it present belief system to the old PAP that was for the people, a PAP that won the hearts and minds of the Silver Brigade when they were young. What the article did not say is that the PAP has changed, no longer the party they would want to support. But no PAP leaders or believers would think otherwise and believe that they are still for the people and working for the good of the people. They said so. There is no need to pass a verdict on whose thinking is the truth. If anyone still cannot see the truth and unwilling to face the truth, he deserves to live the fate he so believed.

I would not touch on the PAP version of the truth, that they are a party for the people. Assuming they are right, let them believe so. Let those who believe so to keep on believing. Let me pick up from the view of this Silver Brigade veteran called Hawking Eye. Many in the social media shared his view that the PAP is no longer the same PAP they knew. The question therefore is whether this hope of a PAP returning to its old self, of being a party for the people and serving the people, is realistic.

Since 2011, has the PAP changed? During the electioneering, some thought that with Hsien Loong crying and pleading to be given a chance to right the wrongs, there was hope that things would change for the better. What happened? What has changed? I am not going to provide any answers as everyone will have his or her own answer to that. For those who believe in God, they may say God is kind and is giving the PAP a lot of chances to change.

Did the loss of Aljunied GRC make the PAP change? Did the loss of Hougang and the by election change the PAP? Not sure? A forced event in Punggol East to test the PAP, was the most unexpected, but another clear signal to see if the PAP was going to change? It led to a super talent biting the dust by an unknown and ordinary Singaporean. Would this wake the PAP up to change? One more chance, the Presidential Election and the dismal 34% must be a very clear indication that change is a must.

What do you think? Did the PAP change? Did the Little India Riot change anything on the foreign influx and immigration? Is there any change on the PWP? Is there any change on the CPF? Is there any change on the hiring of local PMEs versus foreigners? Did the Job Banks and FCF mean anything or make any difference? Are there real changes to the high cost of living, property prices, medical fees etc etc?

Got change or no change, you tell me lah? What is the AHPETC episode saying about the PAP? Is there any real hope of change or is it wishful thinking? Have the people waited long enough, hoping against all hopes? Should the people still be hoping for the PAP to change or they should give up hope?

For those who have seen positive changes, good. For those who are still not seeing any change and everything is just the same, then what? Where to go from here? Still hoping like Hawking Eye, for another 60 years for change, or hoping for God to give more warning signs that change is needed?

Should the people still be asking can the PAP change at this stage of the game? How many more years would the people want to continue asking this question? I know the Silver Brigade have not much time left and their places would be replaced by new members coming of age to join the Brigade. I know that people who are born daft would be daft forever. Those conditioned to be daft, when shown the way, should wake up and stop being daft. Or would they choose to remain daft as that is an easier and more comfortable way to live. Let things be, let’s live on hope. I think buying lottery tickets is another avenue for the hopefuls.

The asking of the question, can PAP change, is a giveaway answer.

Kopi Level - Red

The rats are greedy, so says the lion

The lion was feasting after a new kill. The carcass of the antelope spreaded below his dripping jaws of antelope meat. It was a great feast that would last several days. While the lion was enjoying his sumptuous meal, a few rats were hurrying around taking little bites at the meat. The lion did not bother as it was busy taking his fill.

Soon more rats appeared and started to nibble at the meat but staying away from the lion’s sight. One rat managed to rip a small piece of meat and ran away with it. Now the lion got angry when he saw that. ‘You rats are greedy!’ He roared and at the same time lashed his paw at the rats. ‘Why can’t you be satisfied with the nibbling and must tear a piece away?’

The rats meekly jumped back and stared at the mountain of meat before them and the eyes of the lion. That big chunk of antelope could feed the whole rat community for several days. Each rat would be very happy with a small bite of the meat. The lion was having his lion’s share and calling the rats greedy.

The rats could not talk back of course. They spoke in different language and would not understand the other. Size mattered too. No matter how angry the rats were, they could not do anything except watching the lion eating his hearty meal all to himself.

Many thoughts ran through the heads of the rats. Greedy lion still dared to scold them little rats as greedy for a small piece of the antelope. They kpkb but could only dream of what they could do to the lions and his greed if they had their way. As it was, nothing would happen to the rats and the lion.

This is the law of nature, the lion is at a higher pecking order and the rats are meant to be contented to be scavengers, picking the leftovers and the crumps. Any desire by the rats for more is greedy. Having a mountain of meat for itself is normal to the lion. The lions must have their lion’s share.

Accept your fate rats. Don’t be greedy or you will be squashed by the lion’s paw. Know your proper place and all things will be fine, all peace under heaven.

Kopi Level - Red

Air Asia QZ8501 - A sad piece of news to close the year

Air Asia flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore disappeared early this morning, 6.17am. It was due to arrive at Changi at 8.30am. No news has been heard from the aircraft after it got clearance from Indonesia Air Traffic Control to climb higher to avoid weather.

A full Search and Rescue mission has been going on since this morning from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. 155 passengers and 7 crew were on board, mostly Indonesians, with 1 Singaporean, a Briton, a family of 3 Koreans and a Malaysian.

Our hearts are with the families and friends of those missing.

Children handcuffed by police for theft

The photo shows 2 young boys being handcuffed by police officers at the traffic junction near I12 Katong. In the post, Ms Ang, who is a volunteer for children’s development needs, said, “I just saw three very young kids under handcuffs. Pains my heart that the police (would) handcuff young kids.”
The boys had allegedly stolen some shoes. They were then driven to a police station in a police car. (Full article in TRE).

The above is copied from a post in TRE titled, 'Police handcuff very young boys for theft'. I am not going to say anything. Just ask, 'Are we proud of this?' To build smart city more important or to bring up smart people? This is what happens to a country of daft people.

I wept.

PS: The American police shot dead a boy with a toy gun. They could not make out if it was a toy or the real McCoy when the boy went shouting, 'bang, bang, bang'.

A time for forgiveness, a time to let go

The politics of Thailand centres around one man, a man god, the Thai King. He is not involved in politics but he is politics. Thaksin Shinawatra was one of his politics. The former Prime Minister, a people’s Prime Minister, has been criminalised and forced to exile from Thailand. Many politicians that were not in the right side, including Yingluck pending prosecution, were also charged and found guilty of whatever crimes the court could prosecute them.

The Thai people have thus been divided, and there were even talks of a breakaway Thai Republic from the power centre in Bangkok. This was found to be just wishful thinking. A better and less dramatic development would be to hope for a King’s amnesty to pardon all the political ‘criminals’. This has not happened and not much time is left for the King to have a change of heart and to leave a legacy of a divided Thailand that could precipitate in a final break up of the country when the King is passé.

In the last few days of the King’s reign and time, many Thais are hoping for a national healing, a time to forgive and to start a new chapter of national reconciliation. Would the King’s last act be an act of generosity and magnanimity for the good of Thailand? Or would he leave behind a Thailand in a state of tension and leading to a rejuggling of power and control, or worst, in his absence? The King is still able to make his last wish come true for the good or bad of Thailand.

Singapore may not exactly be in the same dilemma but shares a lot of similarities. Behind the façade of law and order and stability, many unseen forces are at work and waiting to happen. When there is still time left, would it be good that some kind of amnesty equivalent or mercy be shown to the fallen and the exiled that happened to be on the wrong side of the political divide?

Amazing Grace is a very power song to heal the wounds and cleanse the souls. An act of Amazing Grace can remove a big boulder on the hill top that was placed there strategically, and waiting to be rolled down the slope to flatten whatever on its path of fury and vengeance. There is an urgent need for healing, to bury the hatchet, to shake hands and let the past fade into history with minimal acrimony.

There is never a good time, never too late, to bring home our Singaporeans overseas who still believe and call this island home. Any time is a good time to bury the hatchet, bury the hate and bitterness of past rivalry. These are the things that one should not keep in the heart forever or to bring along to paradise.  Better to settle the debt in this world and go with a clean conscience, they say RIP, or it would be paid by the next generation. The sons and daughters of Singapore have a right to return to home. This honour and graciousness would be extended to them sooner or later. And many would like to take credit to bring joy to the hearts of Singaporeans, to see our long lost sons and daughter coming home, to be one of us again.

Goddess of Mercy too would put on a smile should there be an amnesty for all Singaporeans wanting to come home. Lay down the butcher’s knife, look back, the shore is beckoning. 

The time is now and here. 

Kopi Level - Yellow

 

The Interview – The continuing saga of Sony Pictures

I painted a scenario of what could really happen to the attack on Sony Pictures and how Obama and his gangsters jumped in to create a farce by pointing the finger at North Korea with the re enacting of another fabricated ‘WMD’ case as an excuse to attack the North Koreans. Vital US interests are at stake. The South Koreans are getting a bit uncomfortable with the entrenched position of American bases in their country and are making moves to evict the Americans soonest possible. As respectable independent country and with national pride, they cannot be a semi colony of the Americans forever. It is a very shameful state of affair and very unhealthy to be made a tool of American world hegemony.

The Americans are aware of this discord and the only reason for them to hang on and dig in, to remain in South Korea, to keep South Korea as a semi colony to do its bidding, is to stir up more shit of the North Korean threat. The Americans need military tension and a state of war in some corners of the world, the further away from the USA the better, to promote the sales of American weapons and to continue to be the undisputed Emperor and Empire of the world.

Having set the Arab world in flame that would last several decades, they are now wriggling their way out and to create another hot spot to exploit. When the rest of the world are bickering and fighting each other, the American war industry would be the sole beneficiary of the conflict, not the ordinary Americans that may end up as cannon fodder.

The threats and attacks on Sony Pictures are great excuses to open a new theatre of war. My earlier position was that the attack on Sony Pictures was another false flag incident created by the Americans. A group called the Lizard Squad has now claimed ownership of the attack on Sony. In a statement, ‘I have the nation on strings’ on its Twitter site, a new picture has emerged. The Lizard Squad did not say they had the Americans or the US on strings. The North Koreans would use that kind of relationship language. A new likelihood is that the Lizard Squad is a home ground hacker group in the US. And for attacking Sony Pictures PlayStation and Microsoft XBox after the Americans have brought down the North Korean computers system, it is another sign that this group is not in North Korea and their ability to strike at Sony Pictures and Microsoft is intact, and very likely in US soil.

The North Koreans were angry with Sony Pictures but not with Microsoft Xbox and also did not have the capability to hit at both though claimed to be able to do so by the White House. And having failed to drive a wedge between China and North Korea, failing to turn China against its closest ally, the attack naturally will turn towards China. They are now accusing China for aiding the North Koreans in the attack despite the appearance of the Lizard Squad.

The attacks on Sony and Microsoft are side shows that have been hijacked by the White House, and Obama has replaced Bush, to fabricate another ‘WMD’ accusation to start something very big and very hostile against the North Koreas. This is just the beginning. More accusations and fabrications of ‘truths’ would be printed in the western media, claiming reliable intelligence sources, to prepare the world to accept an attack against North Korea. The tension in the Korean Peninsula must be raised to justify the American bases in South Korea and in Japan, another semi colony.  

Without the ‘spectre’ of the ‘evil’ North Korean regime, there is no reason for the two countries to allow American troops in their countries and to be under the domination of the American Empire. Both want peace but the Americans would not allow it. Both are capable of holding the North Koreans at bay should there be a war but the Americans insisted that they need the Americans’ protection and bases in their soil. Without the Americans provoking the North Koreans, the neighbours would have mended their relations and lower the tensions in the region.

The world must prepare for more trouble in East Asia. The Americans need to create another war to justify their presence, their role as the Emperor to wage wars and to make profits from weapons sales. The UN has been roped in to be the accomplice in provoking and attacking the North Koreans, starting with the accusation of human rights violation and war crimes. Many of the willing cronies would soon join in under the threats of either you are with US or against US.

Who would be paying the heavy price when war breaks out? The two Koreans would be killing each other and bombing their cities to oblivions. Japan and China would also be dragged in and suffer the consequences of war.

Kopi Level - Green

What Singapore needs is smart Singaporeans, not smart city

The story of a smart city is the way to go forward, so much promise like having paradise on earth. On the other hand many have rightly said that an infrastructure that is going to do every small little thing for the people would take away the people’s instinct to think and make them stupid in the process.

What Singapore, or any country, needs are smart people. If you are still not sure what that means, look at Japan. Japan is a country of smart people. Smartness in this case is not like making everyone a super talent, but making everyone a thinking person, a caring person, everyone thinking that he is a Japanese and Japan is his country, his home. When the people, like the Japanese, think that way, you would have very little need to have to depend on computers to keep the country in order. The people would not only be disciplined, responsible and proud of being citizens of the country, they will keep the country clean and in order. No more littering, no more graffiti and would even pick up litters left by careless people.

Smart people would transform a country into a garden paradise with very little effort and very little mechanization or computerization. Alas, you can only have such a country like Japan when the people are of one mind, think alike and acting and responsible, and very country proud, like home proud.

How could this happen in a country where half the population is made up of prostitutes and vagabonds? Would the building of a smart city help to turn it into a better place to live in when the prostitutes and vagabonds, people who have no attachments and ownerships in the island and would just treat the island like a cheap hotel? Even an expensive hotel will be turned into a rubbish dump after the guests checked out.

And the sad part, we are getting dafter while the new hotel guests are not any better either. Smart city or smart people which way to go forward? When the people are daft and cannot be taught, then smart city is the way to go, provided the daft people can still be taught to press buttons and follow instructions. And provided the city is not filled with prostitutes and vagabonds that have no attachment or concern to the city’s state of affairs.

Taiwan and South Korea are probably the next to rise to the level of the Japanese, with smart people and not totally dependent on smart machine and smart city that would make them more daft. The social achievements of Japan as a country and people far outweigh all the economic numbers that other countries are chasing. Japan as a well organized country and a nation of smart people is an act that is very difficult to follow and impossible for a country that has turned itself into a cheap hotel filled with 3^rd world inhabitants and daft citizens that don’t even know that this is their country.

And to make the situation more depressing is that any Sinkie that turns 55 also loses his brain, becomes irresponsible and mindless, stupid is the word.

Kopi Level - Green

A new world order, a new asymmetrical warfare

The movie, ‘The Interview’ by Sony Pictures has given rise to a new phenomenon in interstate rivalry and warfare. Anyone can now conduct a war from the comfort of his bedroom in any corner of the world, if he is connected to the internet. Sony Pictures or the Americans, were blackmailed by some unknown hackers, could be another false flag incident, to abandon the screening of the movie in American theatres and theatres around the world. The threats from the North Korean side could be real. The actual execution of the threat is suspicious. Are the North Koreans that sophisticated? What happens to all the derogatory comments and analysis by so called great analysts that this is a very backward country? How could they become so intelligent and sophisticated in leading edge technology overnight? To make this look real, some great western minds were tasked to paint a different picture that the North Koreans are really very smart people and can do the damage that was done. Anyone smell a rat? Anyway this is another issue.
 
The new threats did not come from the possession of WMD but a computer and a set of keyboards. With the knowledge of computer technology and hacking, the hackers can declare war on anyone anywhere.
Sony Pictures was defeated. The mighty American movie industry was defeated. The Americans were defeated. Who says you can have your freedom and do whatever you want, anywhere you want? You cannot even have your freedom of choice to watch a movie the Americans produced in America. The ballgame has changed.
 
Yes, the North Koreans said so. What, who? You mean the North Koreans can now censor the movies to be screened in American cities? In a way, yes. Sony Pictures and the theatres were held at ransom by the North Koreans, one of the poorest and technologically deprived nation in the world, particularly in internet and computer technology. North Korea did not have the Silicon Valley, Microsoft, IBM, HP, and all the software giants with leading edge computer technology. How could they do it, to bring Sony Pictures and the Americans on their knees? How could they have the audacity to tell the Americans and Sony Pictures not to screen the Interview and both quietly acceded to their demands?
 
The fact that Sony Pictures made a slight change to release the movie online and limited screening told of another story. This threat was so important that even Obama was involved. And Sony changed its mind after a big hacking took place in North Korea when most of they computer networks were down, to prove a point. Sony felt safer that the Americans could do the damage to the North and Sony needed not fear. But not all the theatres are willing to take the risk. What was America and Obama telling Sony and the rest of the world, Who done it in the ‘attack’ by the North Koreans and the counter attack by the Americans?
 
The power of the internet has reached another level. Controlling the internet is going to make a difference in world affairs. Your freedom, or the American freedom, is now limited by the very people who feel offended or victimized by American freedom to do as they pleased. And in an all out electronic warfare, the Americans are going to be on the wrong side of the equation when everything in America is hooked onto the computers.
 
A country like North Korea ironically would end up the upper hand by not having all their systems hooked up on the computers. It is like being hooked on the power grid. Switch off the power or interrupt the power will stall the whole system and network. The manual system, not on the power grid, not dependent on electrical power, not hooked onto the computer system, will continue to function normally.
 
The whole of the western world, computerized and connected, will become as vulnerable as the weakest link in the system. The enemy only needs a young boy or girl and a keyboard to bring down the mighty systems and networks from his/her bedroom. Yes it can be done.
 
Welcome to the brave new world of computer technology and internet. The rules of the game have changed and the entry barrier is quite low. The little nerd can control everything in your system and wreak havoc if he is able and capable of doing at minimal cost. The whole American military system, nuclear system, financial system, power grid, transportation, communications, etc are vulnerable to hacking threats and can all be accessed and be brought to a halt by the press of a few buttons.
 
This is asymmetrical warfare at its best when the gap of military power, technology and hardware can be narrowed and bridged by the intelligence of software and clever little schoolboys and girls. The North Koreans have found a way and is showing the world how it can be done. Or are the Americans showing the world that it can be done? The full potential of this warfare has yet to be determined and exploited.

Kopi Level - Yellow

Barry Desker – Dual citizenship?

Below is what I quoted from an article posted in the The Real Singapore on what Barry Desker wrote in the Straits Times.
 
Professor Barry Desker believes that Singapore should allow dual citizenship and Singaporeans should welcome new citizens and encourage their integration into the Singapore society. I have heard in the rumour mill that Singapore is pondering over this idea of dual citizenship and the thought of who would benefit from this and who would pay a heavy price for it is really scary and plain stupidity. For Barry to write about it means that some dangerous idiots are seriously toying with this idea, just like nuclear power station and the fait accompli 6.9m population.
 
Let me just point out a few pertinent points in Barry’s article on this devious scheme.
"We should revise our laws to permit dual citizenship, which benefits some who are permanent residents but do not wish to give up the citizenship of their land of birth….It would also allow the growing numbers of Singaporeans working abroad to retain their links with Singapore."
 
Is the introduction of dual citizenship a solution to Barry’s interest on the above and concern of the influx of foreigners here?
 
"…the unsustainable sharp influx of foreigners granted permanent residence, as well as employment permits, in recent years has resulted in a backlash, making the issue of immigration politically toxic,” …and to alleviate the fear of younger Singaporeans and their "concerned about competition for university places or preferred jobs".
 
And how would dual citizenship help to remove the worry of older Singaporeans feeling stressful with neighbours speaking in alien languages and different lifestyles as well as the congregation of new ghettos of new immigrants and expatriates from certain nationalities congregating in preferred locations?
 
"The past year has seen rising anti-immigration sentiment in Singapore," Prof Barry added…"MRT trains are crowded, hospital beds always full, traffic jams occur frequently, once-quiet parks are filled with foreign workers on weekends…The rapid pace of the foreign influx resulted in growing criticism and an undercurrent of resentment reflected in social media sites."
 
So, with all the problems that he is acknowledging, are these problems going to go away or will get worst with dual citizenships? The contradictions are too glaring that I am too tired to even want to talk about it. Just ask what is going to happen to National Service, to all the policies that discriminate between citizens and non citizens, the privileges of citizenship, subsidies to medical care, schools, school fees, public housing and housing prices, and the angpows from the nation’s surpluses in the form of national bonuses, employment, rights to vote etc etc.

It is highly unusual for a man intellect, and expressing reservations and concerns on high population but advocating dual citizenship in the same breath. Why is he making such strange comments? I can’t help but to ask Barry what he has been drinking. Dual citizenship must be good for the Singaporeans right, how?

Kopi Level - Yellow

Singapore can help Andhra Pradesh

A Professor Venkata Reddy from Andhra Pradesh is visiting Singapore as a tourist. What he saw here impressed him immensely to write a strong word of thanks for Singapore to help Andhra Pradesh to become a modern city and a role model for India.  In his article posted in the TRE he wrote this,

‘Andhra Pradesh is poised not only for a new capital with the forthcoming aid of Singapore, but also for “Singapore-style living”. There are many things – diligence, discipline and devotion to duty – that the people of Andhra Pradesh can look forward to learning from Singaporeans.

Though Andhra Pradesh is known for its rich resources, both natural and human, it has yet to harness them to become a strong state industrially and economically. Singapore could be a source of inspiration for the people of Andhra Pradesh to develop the habits of hard work and self-discipline.
Singapore is well known throughout the world for its cleanliness. It could serve as a role model for Andhra Pradesh.’

Where is this professor from? Is Andhra Pradesh a city in India?  Didn’t this professor know that Singaporeans are daft, lazy, lack of talent, lack of discipline, lack of skill sets and that they are gradually being replaced by the hard working and very talented Indians from India and other 3^rd world countries? How could Singaporeans be a good example for the people of Andhra Pradesh to emulate? How could Singaporeans be good enough to help to rebuild the city Andhra Pradesh into a modern city?

The diligent, disciplined and devoted to duty Singaporeans are extinct, dead and gone. And the only talented workers in Singapore are from India. If Singapore is going to rebuild Andhra Pradesh, it is likely to hire Indians from India and send them to Andhra Pradesh to do the work and get paid at Singapore’s salary rate. Give it another few decades there will be no talented Singaporeans left as they would all be replaced by talented foreigners. And very likely the new Andhra Pradesh would be built by India Indians using ex Singaporean’s money.

Now, am I making any sense or is the professor making any sense? Today is Christmas and everyone must be singing Santa Claus is coming to town in Andhra Pradesh.

PS: Would anyone want to offer a chair to this professor in one of our world class institutions or think tank schools to tap on his talent as a distinguished professor on smart cities?

Kopi Level - Green

Christmas wish list for the New Year

A year has come and gone. Only a week left before the dawning of another year and as usual there will be hopes for a better tomorrow to many. To some, the days may not be brighter no matter how much they hope and pray.

To the many who are already living a rich and eventful life, when everyday is a bliss, they must be wishing that nothing changes, and everyday be the same happy day forever. As a country and a people, many are not sharing the wealth and prosperity of the successful and the widening social and economic divide is there as a reminder that things could be better and have to better for those on the wrong side of the divide. Those that have lost their jobs and retired, those going to lose their jobs, those going to retire, unless they have bags of gold under their beds, the high cost of living and medical care will be their utmost concern when the income stream is diminishing or just living on their savings.

I would like to share the traditional 7 wishes for the seven days of Christmas with all Singaporeans.

The first wish is for Singaporeans to live with pride and dignity in their home country.

The second wish is for a new govt that practises honesty, transparency and accountability to the people of this island.

The third wish is for a new govt that the people do not have to fear, but respected.

The fourth wish is for the Silver Brigades to continue to live a productive life, those that can work should continue to work in decent and respectable jobs and not fearing when they would be replaced by foreigners.

The fifth wish is for the return of the CPF savings to the people and not for it to be turned into another animal, can see but cannot touch.

The sixth wish is for the lowering of the cost of living in basic needs like food, medicine, education and childcare.

The seventh and final wish is for an inclusive society where more able, honest and self less Singaporeans would step forward to serve the people fearlessly.

These are very simple wishes but not easy to be fulfilled and not likely to come true if there is no real change in the political system. We have seen only cosmetic changes so far and there were as good as nothing changes. Let’s hope 2015 will be a year of real positive changes for the betterment of Singaporeans and their future generations.

Kopi Level - Green

Obama bent on starting more wars

As if there are not enough problems and terrorist threats around. The Australian PM Abbott is warning the Australians of more terrorist attacks in Australian cities. And the attacks are also very likely in western countries as well, with a big one coming in the US or UK, the two strongest protagonists against the IS. But have no fear. The Americans did not think they have enough problems in hand. They are stoking the amber in the Korean Peninsula to open another front. They have started another war in East Asia.
 
The accusation of North Koreans attacking Sony Pictures became an assault against the Americans and a reason for war. The American people are going to be dragged into another war they have no say and with a more formidable opponent with nuclear arsenal. The two Koreans would provide the cannon fodder, destruction to their countries and death to their people, by courtesy of the great and peace loving Americans! All the instruments of war have been activated with the media spreading the American lies that the North Koreans had attacked the Japanese Company. It is like the attack on the South Korean navy ship all over again. And the North Koreans have already been pronounced guilty and no further investigation is needed.
 
No, the North Koreans are not allowed to defend themselves to find out the truth of the attack and the attackers. The American jury in the White House has convicted them of crimes they denied doing but not allow to prove otherwise.
 
And the US had launched its first attack at the North Koreans, bringing down its entire computer system. But the US denied it has anything to do with it. Who else would dare to provoke the North Koreans and has a reason to want to provoke the North Koreans and has the capability to do it?
 
Even the useless UN is being roped in to accuse the North Koreans on violation of human rights and threatening to charge the North Koreans for ar crimes and crimes against humanity, the same things committed by the CIA and the Bush Administration against the Muslim/Arabs and in cruel form than was reported by North Korean defectors. What the Americans are claiming against the North Koreans were hearsays. What the Americans committed against the Muslim/Arabs were confessions and solid evidence of cruel and inhuman torturing of captives of war. And the Americans and the useless UN are not going to charge the Bush Administration and the CIA for war crimes and crimes against humanity but going to charge the North Koreans based on hearsays.
 
Is the world going to continue to stomach the nonsense, lies and distortion of truth by the Evil Empire? Is the world going to let the Americans start another war in East Asia?
 
When would the rest of the world put a stop to this American adventurism and war mongering against nation states at their convenience and to stop looking the other way?
 
The Sony Picture on the assassination of the North Korean leader is not as innocent as it is put up to be. It could create and encourage copy cat assassins. It is suggesting to the North Koreans to assassinate their President. It has a subtle message, pretending to be a comedy, but telling the North Koreans that assassinating their President is alright, quite fun actually. To plant the assassination idea in the heads of the North Koreans and South Koreans is mischief.
 
Sony would be fair to make a film on the assassination of Obama or George Bush and see how the Americans would react to it. It could lead to the assassination of Obama overnight, or George Bush. It is Sony Pictures and the Americans Christmas present to the North Koreans.
 
PS: Want to try the same kind of movie with the MDA?

Kopi Level - Green

NYPD – The hunter the hunted

The series of street demonstrations against the police in the US is starting to take its toll. The repeated stories, one coming after another, of police happily shooting coloured people on the false pretext of their lives were in danger and they needed to protect themselves by killing the other party, including a child with a toy gun that trained policemen cannot tell the difference, were proving too much for the victims, their families and their friends and righteous people.
 
Within a week, three NYPD officers were shot dead in two incidents. These have struck fear among the men in blue. They are now the targets of their victims and their sympathizers. They are now really in fear. And it was reported that they would not respond to calls for help. If this is true, then what are the police for? What can the police do when they fear leaving the safety of the police station and would not respond to people in trouble? ‘Put own safety first, that is the order for New York Police.’ This is not a joke. This is very serious order from the top.
 
Where is Robocop? The US might as well replace all the policemen with Robocop instead. What happens to the trigger happy police officers? Isn’t this the moment they are looking for, a situation that would allow them to fire from their hips, and every street patrol is like a gunfight made in Hollywood.
 
Things are now complicated by the ascendance of the IS in the Middle East and their sympathizers would want a bit of action at home base, in the streets of New York and many be other cities as well. Would there be more street warfare, gunfights in every street corners, or police officers being stalked and ambushed in the streets of New York?
 
The nature of the ball game changes over night. The police are on the run. They are entrenched behind the fortress of their police station for safety. The question, how long are they going to hide behind the walls of safety? Would there be anarchy in the streets when the police have gone hiding?

Kopi Level - Green

What is Christmas?

This day is now better known as a festival for giving and merry making when children can expect a lot of presents and the young can party and be happy in countries of plenty. To the Christians this is a day when God came in the human form, in Jesus the Christ, more than 2000 years ago. And Jesus came with a solemn and yet happy message. The end is near and there will be a new beginning, a better life for those who want it out from the old decadent regime of an old religion and an old god.
 
The Pharisees had got too much power, gotten too rich, they had forgotten about the plight of the people. They only thought of themselves and how to get richer and be more powerful. It was all about ruling over the people and controlling the people. The people who did not belong to the church of the Pharisees were driven to the mountains to follow Jesus Christ, getting poorer and poorer despite toiling day and night. Life was getting more difficult and there was nothing to look forward to until they heard that there could be a better tomorrow.
 
God sent his son to bring hope to the people. The days of the Pharisees were numbered. The Pharisees were just exploiting the people with their own God and religion. The believers were told of the good news, of a new church and a better life of joy and plenty. There would be a new dawn over the horizon, and a paradise waiting when a new king would be enthroned. And the new king will prepared many mansions for them in paradise.
 
The Pharisees would fight but in vain, but before putting down many of God’s messengers. The new king would triumph. Light would triumph over darkness. The evil Pharisees would be history.
 
This is the message of Christmas.
 
Merry Christmas! Go forth and spread the good news.

Kopi Level - Green

Obama and Kerry – The Asians are stupid

The sinking of South Korean warship Choenan was the act of the North Koreans. The shooting down of MH17 was by pro Russian rebels. The hacking of Sony Pictures was the act of North Korea as well. China was told by Kerry to cooperate with the Americans to bring the North Koreans to task. And this was supposed to be a secret negotiation but is being splashed across all the major western media to let the North Koreans know that China is working with the US and is now its enemy.
 
The Americans and western media think that they can simply drive a wedge between China and North Korea, two close allies just be issuing statements to undermine their relationship of several decades. China has made an official statement today to dispel the American accusation that the Sony attack was done by the North Koreans and demanding proof for such wild accusation, or another false flag incident.
 
And to make the accusation real, the Americans are painting the North Koreans as the most formidable experts in cyber warfare and technology. North Korea is now not a backward and unsophisticated country but a giant in cyber technology that could rival the US and take on the whole world.
 
The North Koreans knew the American game of inciting and agitating tension in other parts of the world, to provoke and start wars. Obama even threatened military actions to strike at North Korea. They never learn their lessons and think they can go on lighting fires everywhere. The North Koreans have responded by saying that they would attack the Pentagon and the White House and everything in the US if the Americans dare to start another war. If the American bluffology that the North Koreans are that good in cyber warfare, they better be prepared to go on a run, and hide behind high walls like the NYPD.
 
The North Koreans would carry out the threat if the US continues to provoke them. If they can do so much damage to Sony Picture, hacking into all the American agencies would not be an issue. Or the Americans knew that the North Koreans were unable to do so and the Americans could attack them with impunity. This also means that the attack on Sony was done by you know who, and the Americans knew very well who did it other than the North Koreans.
 
The Asians and the rest of the world would not be conned by the Americans and western media to fight among themselves anymore. China would not desert the North Koreans and would remain their closest ally and would protect the North Koreans at all cost should the Americans open another theatre of war in East Asia.
 
The American game of deceit and treachery to start wars everywhere, to get the Afro Asians to fight among themselves is as transparent as the glass house they are living in. No one is going to believe the Americans and allow the Americans to make them go to war with their neighbours, particularly their close allies. The game of deceit and treating Asians as fools is over, game over.

Kopi Level - Green