let the butchering continues, the american way

After watching the news and seeing all the pictures of devastation and the number of people displaced, wounded or killed, I find hope. There is hope for an everlasting peace in the Middle East. The Israelis must keep on pounding Lebanon until no one and no building is standing. That is the only way the Israeli know how to solve their problem. And they are very good and efficient in the way they carry it out. Give it another six months and there will be no Lebanon. And if the problem goes over to Syria, do it the same way, methodically. And the civilised world should come together and fight with the Israelis. Then the problem will be solved even faster. The final solution, the mother of all solution, is to wipe out all the Arabs in the Middle East. Then we will have eternal peace. God bless the chosen people.

a trip in contrast. continue

A trip in contrast. continue We hit the North South Highway in double quick time as the traffic was easy and flowing. Gone were the mad rush to the golf courses. Life seemed to have returned to the normal leisure pace. We did not encounter any traffic police road blocks to check our passports or motorists being caught for speeding. Maybe the number of Singaporeans coming over now did not justify the deployment of a police unit of cars, equipment and precious police manpower. No speed trap along the highway too. After exiting Ayer Hitam we headed west to Batu Pahat. We intended to go for Bukit Benang Golf Course but changed our mind and went to the old Batu Pahat Golf Course instead to enjoy the warmth of local hospitality. The road had widened into a 4 lane highway and made driving so easy. We were greeted with a sign board saying Cross Creek outside the club house. Hmmm, very American. A little sign of change. Other than that, the Club was as beautiful as it was, very well maintained, despite a cowgrass course. Plenty of flowers and colours. We had our tussles and arguments and all the digs at each other during the 18 holes. And in between the monkeys were screaming away. Then the 3 wild boars that dashed across the fairway while we were teeing off. Quite a refreshing experience for city folks. We drove out for lunch after 9 holes. The kopitiam was a 2 min drive. We had two big plates of loh may or mixed cuts, chicken, roast ducks, roast pork. Actually we double the order after the first one. Then laksa, wanton noodle, drinks plus 4 large bottles of Calsberg etc. $50 ringgits for the whole works for 4. A big plate of wanton noodle and a big bowl of wanton soup at $2.50 rm each. Dinner was more sumptuous. We went for the famous chicken rice by the sea, otah, chicken wings, carrot cake, clams, big prawns, vegetable, carlsberg, fruits, etc. This was followed by a round of Batu Pahat durians. RM$5 a kg of quality durians with rambutans thrown in by the seller for free as dessert. The whole trip, including caddie fees and tips, cost $110 ringgits. Now how much is that, less than S$50 for a day of golfing and pigging out. How far can S$200 stretch for 4 adults at home? The biggest surprise awaited us on the home leg. We took the side entrance for goods vehicles and were met with an eiree silence. Where were the thousands of Singapore cars and the long queues? We were the third car at the immigration. And only two counters were open. And on the Singapore side, we were the first car! And this was peak hour, 8pm on a saturday night. The best experience of the whole trip was of course the casual and friendly people we met around Batu Pahat and Cross Creek. It was so pleasant that made us want to return again. A little trip to memory lane.

A trip in contrast

A not too contrasting lifestyle but a widening cost of living. I have not been to Malaysia for quite a number of years. For old time sake one of my kakis decided that we should walk down memory lane again. We used to do that when golfing craze was at its height, when golfing in Singapore would cost a hand or a leg, when making money was also easy and spending money in our neighbouring country seemed so fun. We arrived at the causeway at 7.30am. Again we were slammed by the jams on our side of the causeway. When jams occurred on our side, they were the result of more intensive and thorough checks, nothing to do with being slakay or go slow attitude. Definitely not being understaffed or trying to make life easy to the motorists. So we grudgingly nailcrawled all the way to the immigration. Phew, by the time we got through, 45 min were gone. What a waste! The same number of vehicles were also expected to hit the Malaysian side and we should face a worst jam knowing their slakay tiadak apa attitude, go slow to irritate Singaporeans, and scolding Singaporeans for trying to rush through or appearing impatient. Well, where was the jam? We were in a queue of about 10 cars and were through in less 10 minutes. Now what is wrong? So we consoled ourselves that they simply let everyone through without checking. That made us feel better. But actually, there was no difference and all the procedures were followed. Across the causeway the first thing that greeted us was Mahathir. He was standing right across the road once we left the immigration. Huge masses of unfinished concrete with reinforced steel bars jutting into midair. And all the makeshift dividers, were all in a mess. The signs of the crooked bridge halted and abandoned halfway. Now I know why Mahathir was angry.( to be cont)

Prudence - the freedom to spend and to save

“The ordinary people must be able to enjoy and afford these six items at a reasonable price and only then will there be a meaning to us striving to achieve developed nation status,” Lee Hsien Loong said in launching the National Consumer Day celebrations at Bukit Batok here yesterday. “Such a status is not only meant for those who have the means. A developed nation must be for all.” The Prime Minister in emphasising his assurances made these comments on the six item: FOOD and clothes: “There should be adequate supply of food and clothes which are reasonably priced.” Homes: “House prices cannot be too expensive as everyone should be given the opportunity to own affordable homes or rent them at affordable cost.” Cars: “Consumers should also be able to buy cars at reasonably low prices because it had become a necessity for most people today. “Otherwise, public transportation services should be of high quality and the cost should remain low.” Education: “It should be affordable so that it will not prevent the poor from improving their lot.” Medical treatment: “There must be cheap and quality drugs and not expired ones. The cost of treatment must also be affordable.” Communication services (including Internet connection): “Every Sinkaporean must be able to enjoy such modern services,” he said. However, the Prime Minister reminded the people that they have to be smart consumers and be prudent with their spending. He said, as consumers, they should look out for good bargains when sourcing these six essential items. “We, on our part, will constantly monitor the inflation situation, but consumers should know their role as consumers to help ensure it is under control,” he said. The above was quoted from Sammyboy. I only take issues with two points, prudent and affordable. How can people be prudent and spent only on the amount they want to spend when they are expected to spend according to their income level in medical care and buying HDB flats? The other issue is affordability. Affordable according to who or what standard? A person earning $5k or $10k will find many things affordable as compare to one who is earning $2k. And one who earns a million a year will find everything is affordable. Shall HDB do away with income ceiling and let the people choose whichever flat they are comfortable with and not be coerced, by their income, to purchase bigger flats? After all the subsidy is market subsidy and not a subsidy on the cost of building the flats. In reality the subsidy is to reduce the profit that HDB could have made. The people must have the freedom of choice to spend only the amount they want to spend.

Middle East - The tide is changing!

I am just observing the wars in the Middle East, a contest of the West versus the Arabs/Muslims. It has been a case of modernity kicking the arses of medieval tribes for a few centuries. One side advancing and conquering the world with science and technology and another side allowing science and technology to pass them by. And in warfare, it is always one side beating the other. One side seems so formidable, and superior, and another so backward, primitive in a sense and helpless, poorly armed. And the weaker side is always on the losing end, being beaten by superior force and technology. Then came the American invasion of Iraq. It was so easy and the Iraqis scattered and ran. But that proved to be only for a moment. They have regrouped and starting to give hell to the invaders. The Americans are bogged down in a war they cannot win, like in Vietnam. That frightens the shit out of the the planners and decision makers in the White House and Pentagon. Superior force and superior men are losing grounds to the most fearful military strategy that have seen them lost in Vietnam. Guerilla warfare, asymetrical warfare, where superior arms and forces were helpless in a battlefield that is not defined and no enemies on the cross hairs. The Iraqis have stood the ground and are no cowards at they were thought to be. They are hitting back and American casualties are mounting. Yesterday, 9 Israeli soldiers were killed and 27 wounded in battle against the Hezbollahs. What, Israeli soldiers killed in battle! Never have such things or such numbers been counted on the Israeli side. How could the mighty and efficient and well trained Israeli soldiers got killed by the poorly equipped Hezbollahs? This success of the Hezbollahs, and their ability to launch rockets and missiles into Israeli territories are going to change the perception of the Arabs on the invincibility of the Israelis. The Israelis can be beaten. The young Israeli soldiers are just as green and lost as the young Americans sent into Vietnam. And they can be taken down just the same. This kind of thoughts is going to give the Arab resistance fighters a lot more confidence in themselves. Given more organisation and better weapons and the will to fight, they are taking out the Israelis. The myth that Israeli soldiers are too superior to the Arabs is crumbling down. There will be more Israeli casualties and more Israeli mothers will be crying. The tide is starting the change. The beaten are beating back.