who is the boss?

I remember this story that was often repeated about the relationship between a man and a woman, pre and post marriage. During the courtship stage, the man is all gentle and nice, opening doors, pulling chairs, waiting for his date and promising everything under the sky. The man will build a career, buy a car, build a house, diamond rings, holidays and all the goodies to charm the woman. And the woman will enjoy all the attention for those brief moments of courtship. Quietly the man would be saying to himself, 'Wait till after the wedding night then you know.' And sure after the wedding, when the rice is cooked, the man becomes the boss. What holding doors, pulling chairs? Go and prepare food, wash clothing, and look after the babies. And don't try to complain or the woman would get slap. If talk more nonsense, they will be locked up, in the house. Who is the real boss is only known after the contract has been signed. And the cycle gets repeated every now and then. And the woman never learn, and will find another man to boss them around.

in celebration of militarism

Today I would like to celebrate the might and arrogance of being militarily powerful. The last few weeks we have seen how the North Koreans flexed their muscles and how the Americans and Japanese started dancing to the Korean tune. And then Japan stood up and tell the world, including China and the two Koreas that they are military strong enough to take on anyone and will not hesitate to knock out North Korea. These are signs of pure military arrogance. And the world went along happily without any protest. Now Israel has even gone one step further. They choose to hit any part of the Middle east they like and nobody can stop them. The poorly equipped and divided Arabs are minced meat on the chopping block. Helpless and pathetic. While the Americans, the backer of the Israelis, sit by and enjoy the spectacle. So is the rest of the western world. Military might is right. Power comes from the barrel of the gun, so say Mao. Respect and right to live in peace comes from being militarily strong and self sufficient. Any country that is militarily weak is asking to be raped. And no one is going to apologise for doing it and no one is going to condemn the rapists. This is the new world we are living. Actually it has always been like that. Weaken your defences and you will be trampled upon. No leaders, in their right mind, will voluntarily disarm themselves. In fact they should do the reverse.

world conned by the japanese

The world has been conned by the Japanese. I have seen a map published in the Nihon Keisai Shimbun showing where the Korean missiles had landed. And for simplicity of explanation, if one divides the Sea of Japan into 4 quarters from the Korean to Japanese coast, the missiles landed on the first quarter nearer to the Korean and Russian coasts. Even the flight path of the missiles was pointed to travel parallel to the Korean and Russian coasts, avoiding the direction of Japan. What this proves is that the North Koreans are careful and did not want to be accused of firing the missiles in the direction of Japan and thus becomes a provocative act. There is no chance of the missile falling down on Japan even if there is engine failure. It is the Japanese that insisted that the act was provocative. This is the same kind of logic Bush used against any adversarial nation. Just called them aggressor, axis of evil, and that gives them a reason to attack or invade that country. The Japanese is using the same principle as an excuse to attack North Korea. And this is a very dangerous principle to live by. Actually the Japanese is the hostile and provocative aggressor instead of the North Koreans. A similar Marco Polo Bridge incident!

to believe in what we hear or see

We have all the time been living between believing and the truth, between what is spoken to please and what is real. I have posted what Vivian said here just like I have posted many things said by many people. Then it is for them to live out what they said or to dismiss what they said by their own subsequent actions. Boonyang has finally replied. What came out in his reply is as if the govt have been repressed and cannot respond to the public. And respond they did. And with one stroke, they completely wiped away everything that Hsienloong had said for the last few years and during the election. Let me recollect some of the things that Hsienloong stood for. Starting with the slogan, Staying together, Moving ahead. The way Brown was silenced clearly showed that it is a we against them divide. We are the boss and when we do not like what you said, disappear for good. This brings to the second point about encouraging people to speak up, listening to alternative views, have a debate on ideas, the right of reply. Why is it so difficult to debate about such an important issue raised by Brown and generate more interest by getting the population involved, discuss it thoroughly? Would this not encourage the people to be more participative, more involved with national issues and really feel that we are all together in the same boat? The impression created now is a very high up authority that talked down to the people and will not hesitate to brush aside any dissenting voice. This is like taking 20 steps back at one go. Where are we now? And how is Vivian going to go about engaging the people when a comment by Brown is stamped out with so much force? Why is there no confidence to engage the people in a constructive debate? And I think it is very unfitting to demand the people for solutions when they are paid to find the solutions. I have stated this many times before. When you are paid at market price, paid for your worth, you are expected to deliver your worth. There is no free lunch. Now they are being paid breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper. Please deliver. And there is no need even to say thank you when they delivered. It is purely a business contract. Once we take this road, it is no longer a sacrifice for the country and nation. There is no sacrifice. It is all bull. Everyone is paid adequately or more than adequately to do their job. And it is the right and reasonable expectation of the people to demand for the best when we paid for the best.

reckless japanese militarism

After reading reports from all quarters, we are seeing a group of jokers that are more reckless and thoughtless in Tokyo than those in the White House. Shinzo Abe wanted to carry out a preemptive strike. And all quarters in Japan are drumming up support for this action claiming that the ordinary Japanese also wanted Japan to strike first. Do these idiots really know what they are in for? A handful of bombs to knock out North Korea's nuclear capability? No way. Once the first bomb flies, it is all out war. And every missile in North Korea will fly into Japan. Of course the Japanese first strike could be in the same manner. Try to imagine the casualties! It will dwarf Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Millions will be wiped out from both sides. And South Korea will not stand on the side line. Its missiles will follow the path of the North Koreans into Japan. No, the North Koreans will not strike South Korea. It will be a war between the two Koreas and Japan. It will be Year Zero for Japan for sure. Let's see how cocky and reckless the Japanese will be. There is no guarantee that a first preemptive strike can take out all of North Korea's capability and that North Korea has no second strike capability. And for sure, South Korea will be the third strike which Japan did not count on in her equation. Come on Japan! Let's go, bomb North Korea!!!