Go forth and multiply...be careful...

The message is loud and clear. Produce as many babies as you can. There are so many perks, goodies and money to be had. So why not, it is like striking lottery. Before the ordinary people get carried away and reopen their child bearing factories, a little caution is warranted. Do not create more miseries. Do not bring children into this world if they are to be deprived of the basics. It is not cheap to bring up children. Unfortunately the unthinking and unable to afford parents will be the one going to produce more, and to perpetuate their miseries as the down and out, producing more waiters and waitresses, more office boys, cleaners and sweepers etc etc People must be responsible to themselves and the children they are bringing into this world. Before they jump in happiness, think again about the future of the children. Can they provide them with enough to live life like normal children?

Have medal can kick asses

We have our table tennis medal. Nothing else matters. Let's celebrate. Forget about Gao Ning. Anyway who is Gao Ning? Did he win any medal? This looks like the message we are getting from all corners of Singapore. It is time for big celebration man. Pour the champagne and don't ever bring up the ugly news. We went to Beijing as Team Singapore. We also believe that as a team, no one shall be left behind. Was Gao Ning left behind? At first I heard that his coach was running a high fever. Then it was another player's coach. And his coach went to help the other player. And he was left to play without a coach. Every player had a coach to guide, to comfort, to sooth nerves, to psychic the player, to be a moral boosters, to be part of a team. Gao Ning was not part of a team? He was not Team Singapore? He played his game alone, by himself, in a world stage for all to see. Is that how we treat our player in Team Singapore? The table tennis battle was brought home. Team Manager Antony Lee was sacked. No, his term expires. No he wasn't sacked. Which is more embarrassing? Who should be sacked?

Difficult time, no need for by-election

This is what Nazry Bahrawi said in his article in Today. We are in difficult time, we cannot afford to waste time for a by election. Ooooh, does it mean that come 2011, and if Singapore is hit by a recession, no need to call for General Election? Quite logical really. The Ministers and MPs will be working their guts out trying to bring us out of the recession and cannot spare the time for a General Election. And a General Election is a costly affair too. Save the money for a better day and skip the election. So, now is bad time, the four MPs can help out. Why waste time and resources for a by election? Did we hear that more and more people are seeking help from the MPs in such time? Would the increasing load makes it more urgent for Bukit Batok to have a full time MP to help all those in need of help? Let me think about it again. It is a very difficult question to answer.

Your story, you decide

I have just read a post in YPAP on a video clip in Youtube, specially made on the tussle for the organs of Sim Tee Hua a few years back. You can view it here, HOTA Saga - Sim Tee Hua http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE2u0l083Nc. What is important about this video, which is also about Youtube and cyberspace, is that you, everyone of you, is now master of your own destiny, in a way. You determine and decide what you want to say, when you want to say it, how you want it told, and how often you want it retold. No issue will die and fade away. If no one wants to talk about it, or someone says move on, you can totally ignore that person and continue to do what you deem fit. This changes the whole equation completely. And this HOTA Saga video will be in Youtube forever until it is removed. After viewing the video again, there is one point I want to make here. The medical profession and all its wise men, people that are as wise as god, can have their learned definition of brain dead. To them, once a person is brain dead, he is dead. On the other hand, the peasants, the people like you and me, have our own interpretation of what constitute death and when a person is considered dead. When the heart is still beating, the person is still breathing, the body is warm, or when the hand can still grip, there is still life. The wise men may disagree, but that is the definition of the peasants and that is how they live life. The wise men may disagree and use the authority of their super knowledge and the law to squash any protest from the ordinary beans, they will win and can do what they want, but the victims and their related ones will never agree with them and will never forgive them. We have human bean justice and rights and wrongs here on earth. What if there is another justice and rights and wrongs system in the next realm of existence? Who knows? The thing is that what some wise men think is right may not be right to other people. What if they err? Medical knowledge is progressing everyday and a next truth is found every moment. The truth today is not the ultimate truth and a new truth is waiting to be discovered tomorrow. The other disgusting part about the whole episode is the unthinking enforcement of a medical directive that has become law. It was totally devoid of humanity and compassion. Totally inhuman, insensitive, robotic or machine like in the execution. The bad taste and the pain and suffering of the victims will always be etched deeply in their minds. Did anyone learn something out of that episode and become more human? Has the execution of such an incident been carefully reviewed and modified? Who dares claim that he is absolutely right in such cases, that a brain dead man is dead and not an ounce of a chance that he may live?

A medal to boot

I wanted the title to be 'A medal to show', but it seems that 'A medal to boot' is a more appropriate one. So we have our Olympic medal, what's next? Malaysia have sent a man to the moon. Do we also want to send a Singaporean to the moon to cook the biggest plate of fried kway teow? We have sent our teams to climb the Everest, the Artics and Antartics. We have our name splattered all over the Guinness Book of World Records. We have added another one after this Olympic, for offering the biggest bounty for a gold medal. What would all this greatness lead us to? A greater country, a more respectable people, a more cohesive society, more nationalistic, more chest thumping moments? I can appreciate the fun part, and this also goes to the record breaking feats in the Guinness Book, but there is a big difference. The feats for Guinness were done in jest, a social event, and with little cost. An Olympic medal is no child's game. It takes many years to nurture and train an athlete, together with a host of people and training programme, medical, nutrients and other facilities. It is not small money. Now that the medal is in our pocket, and the hilarious excitement has died down, shall we ask the same question again? Is it worth it? Will we be cheering and rooting for Usain Bolt in London in 2012 or some minute Kenyans running the distance events for us? The Chinese have proven that their hothouses could turn little Asians in world champions. What were needed are patience, perseverence, financial resources, pain and sacrifices. The children paid a very heavy price for it. They were weaned away from their parents at 5 or 6 years old, actually taken away from their parents, at a time when parental love and warmth were the things they needed. We could do the same. But the emotional price is too high. We could hardly find any parents here willing to dump their children in hothouses at that tender age. The children may not recognise them in their next visits. And we cry that we cannot produce world class champions. How can, when everyone sees the academic school system as the end all of a good life, no parents dare to let their children fail in our education system. It will be the end of their road to a good life. So we shall continue with instant tree solution. Buy, buy. If we are willing to pay, 10 gold medals will be within our means. So is the road to the next world cup. Its elementary.