Prompt, credible and impartial investigation

Hilary Clinton said that the US had agreed to a prompt, credible and impartial investigation on the Israeli attack on Aid Ship heading to Gaza. This is her response to the UN's call for an investigation. I am wondering why the UN did not call for a prompt, credible and impartial investigation. And I am wondering why the US, UK and the South Koreans went ahead on a partial investigation without any independent party involved. What is the difference between the type of investigation conducted by the US, UK and South Koreans and a prompt, credible and impartial investigation? Was it prompt, was it credible, was it impartial?

Praying for abundance

The City Harvest Church is in the limelight for the wrong reasons, and many quarters are pointing an intimidating finger at it. Some remarks were not very pleasant. I have heard a little about what CHC is doing and the very positive comments by the believers on what they are doing, and the wonderful pastor in Kong Hee. I look at CHC as a revolutionary church, one that is taking the Christian movement to a new age. When wealth is everywhere, there is no need for poverty. Yes, we should be praying for abundance, give more and receive more in return. Generosity will be rewarded. There is no necessity today to want to be poor, to live in a state of poverty as a precondition to go to heaven. Why should people who work hard for what they have be wrong because they are too rich, and theoretically should not be in heaven. This concept or belief will rule out many of the successful people from being in the company of God. Let's celebrate wealth and richness. Let's be rich and live a good life of abundance. Let there be no guilt for living well and wanting to live well. And with wealth, many good things can be done, to be generous and kind to the less fortunate. Without wealth, it is difficult to even offer help and assistance. Wealth and abundance are good. Many non Christians are practising this all their lives. My parents too have been visiting temples to pray for abundance. Many of other religions or no religion too have been visiting houses of worship to pray for wealth and abundance. I am no exception. Anyone think that it is wrong to pray for abundance and live in abundance? Anyone does not want to live a life of abundance and want to live like Mother Teresa?

Building a nation

Building a nation, they used to call it nation building, is not about setting up a business, hire and fire, pick the best and discard the worst. A nation is about a people with a share history, some common identity, and a share destiny. It is not about fair weather friends, come when the weather is fair and vamoose when things get bad or there are green pastures elsewhere. It is about sticking together, looking after the able and disable, yes, no one is left behind. And many more. The last thing about nation building is to clamour for foreigners at the expense of your own people. To disadvantage your own people and tell them they deserve it if they don't buck up and there are many foreigners queueing up at the door to replace them. There is this relationship, an unwritten bond, to stick together for good or for the worst. When leaders forget and think that the less able can get lost if they are unable to keep up and will be most happy to bring in fair weather foreigners, give them a pink ic and call them citizens, then we are not talking about nation building. We are just running a corporation, hire and fire, no misgivings, no gratitude, no attachments. The people don't owe anything to the govt or the country and vice versa. Just a business contract.

Kim Jong Il is a madman, also a genius

Kim Jong Il is a madman that runs a very poor country for more than 50 years from the time of his father. And the North Koreans are still not starved to death and could build nuclear weapons and maintain an army that could over run the south with the word go. And the status quo is only maintained with the presence of American troops and backed up by Japanese pledge to join in to defend the South. Could a mad man and a very poor country really to that? Oh he is also a genius. And there was ‘a thorough investigation showing that the North Koreans are responsible,’ for the sinking of a South Korean corvette Cheonan. This is the most concrete evidence so far. Beyond any reasonable doubt. And Kim Jong Il did this just to attract world attention to feed his ‘dangerous personality disorder – “malignant narcissism” …which involves “extreme grandiosity and self absorption”. Isn’t this what George Bush was suffering from? Ok, Ok, I did not make this up. The above information can be found in William Choong’s article in the ST yesterday. He is a senior writer. I am wondering why he is so sure that the information was true and factual. How did he know, or those people who have no contacts with Kim, know that he is mad, and also a genius? Did they diagnose him or treat him? And I also wonder why William Choong is so sure that the evidence on the sinking of Cheonan is not fabricated but the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The Americans and South Koreans said so? There is another page on mypaper today showing satellite photos purportedly of the palace of Kim Jong Il and proclaiming that this is a man who lives a lavished lifestyle. Looking at the images, the size of it was nothing compare to the football stars or Michael Jackson's estate or much bigger than any residence of heads of states. The question is that why are we so obsessed with North Korea and so happy to read unsavoury news about that country? Do we have an axe to grind, do we have an agenda, are we anti North Koreans? Or are we just being fed by the western media to attack the North Koreans without knowing it? The West have an interest to paint the North Koreans as black and bad as they can to justify their political interests. Do we have such an interest?

Israelis raid on Aid flotilla

Israel conducted a raid on the Aid Flotilla heading to Gaza in international water. 10 of the Arabs or Turks were killed and several wounded. The US as usual expressed regrets! That's all. And they were asking for blood in Korea. The saddest part is that all the Arab world could do is to demonstrate and cry for revenge. And revenge is something they are incapable of. And an even saddest part is that they will be hit and hit again by the Israelis at will, any time, any place, and all the Arabs could do will still be demonstration and crying for revenge, beating their own chests and hurting themselves. China was in the same shit hole when it was weak and helpless. Today, see who dares to attack or hit out at China. The Belgrade Incident will never be repeated again. That was the last incident that the Chinese will accept without hitting back. The next time China will hit back. Iran and North Korea are getting stronger, and to think of hitting these two countries is a dicey thing. For the attackers will not know what would hit them in return. There is merit in being strong and powerful and being able to defend yourself. For the rest of the Arab world, enjoy your crying and demonstration. They can continue to do these eternally if they remain weak, divided, and helpless. The Arabs are the Sick men of the Middle East.