Obama's inaugural speech " sheer rhetoric" . BY Linh Dinh

Obama’s inaugural speech ‘sheer rhetoric’     Written by  LINH  DINH

Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:47AM

U.S. President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech was a “sheer rhetoric,” which many Americans know that “the situation is much different,” an analyst said.  

“In his inaugural speech, Obama said a decade of war is now ending and that the U.S. will walk to resolve future crises peacefully, but that is all rhetoric,” author and activist Linh Dinh told Press TV’s U.S. Desk on Tuesday.

“Because Obama is starting new wars, you know it is the attack on Libya and the hell that he is creating in Syria is entirely instigated by the United States, and he’s now provoking China.” he added. “The Prime Minister of Japan is visiting Washington DC next month, and this man is quite literally a nutcase. He is a very dangerous man. He denies that Japanese troops committed atrocities during World War II. He denies there were comfort women, that is, sex slaves, Korean sex slaves, during World War II, so he is the new Japanese prime minister, and he is an ally in the US provocation of China, so that’s another crisis that the US is starting, and why is the US doing that? It’s because the USS thrives in the war business. That’s the only business it has left.”

After taking his second inaugural oath of office in front of the Capitol building on Monday, Obama declared misleadingly that “a decade of war is now ending,” while pledging to maintain America’s superpower status through a global military presence.

“America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crisis abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation,” Obama said in his speech.

Jonathan Tan - The AIM saga taking the spotlight again


The internet is buzzing again with more disclosures of the AIM saga. Someone has disclosed an ex staff of NCS, Jonathan Tan, posting his achievements that included his work with the Town Councils amounting to $30m and a software licence fee of $5m. (S$30 million deal with Singapore Town Council. Software license at S$5 million. This is found in his Linkedin page). How are these numbers related to the cost of developing the Town Council Management System is going to be interesting. The $30m could include hardware and software development and the $5m could be a one time license fee, or would the Town Council be required to pay more license fee for continuous used are not clear.

Some netizens are already screaming their heads off by assuming that the management system costs $30m and being sold for $140,000. On face value it looks quite ugly. But given proper and creative accounting, everything will be in order. There will be fair wear and tear and a large portion could go to hardware and equipment.

There is this thing called depreciation or writing down of goodwill. So if all these have been written off as goodwill or depreciation, there is no value left to the software. And those who think that a $30m system selling at $140,000 will incur a big loss will be mistaken. When the residual value is 0, the $140,000 will become pure profit. Yes, selling the software for any amount is profit.

You may choose to disagree with my ingenious reasoning and explanation.

When the govt starts to throw money…

The latest babies and families $2b package is another of the govt’s way to throw money at the people. This is not a bad thing and the people welcome it. What I think the govt should take heed is that before they start to throw money, please be reminded that the money is from the people, it comes from the people. And if not enough, the govt will introduce more direct or indirect taxes on the people. The people will ultimately foot the bill and some will benefit some will not, some will benefit more and some less. What the govt should also be mindful is who the money is given to.

The unequal distribution of the country’s wealth could become unacceptable and a big problem when some recipients are deemed as undeserving of the handouts or should not benefit fully from such programmes. What some Sinkies have in mind are the direct beneficiaries of such govt schemes especially when they are new citizens. Giving new citizens equal rights and opportunities as a citizen is not an issue per se. What is troubling citizens is the throwing of money from the public coffers to new citizens. There are many schemes, from housing to education and medicare when being a citizen could mean a lot of savings and may even lead to a lot of instant monetary gains.

New citizens receive immediate monetary profits in housing when they are eligible ot buy direct from HDB while some Sinkies are not even allowed to, in education fee subsidies, in subsidies for public hospitals, educational opportunities etc etc. Should new citizens be entitled to such monetary rewards almost immediately when they become a citizen? A new citizen could reap hundreds or tens of thousands of dollars by simply becoming a citizen and scoot off when it is time to trade in the profits.

The latest $2b package would likewise benefit the new citizens most. Should new citizens qualify for such monetary or money equivalent benefits like all citizens? Should not there be a qualifying period to phase in govt benefits and subsidies for new citizens? Could there be a gradation of benefits in relations to how long a new citizen has been here? Why should new citizens be eligible or be entitled to financial reward when they have not done much in this island?

What do you think?

More schemes, more conditions for babies and housing

All the rules and restrictive conditions are simply unnecessary when the fundamentals are right. Today the govt is rolling out another $2 billion package to stimulate more births and more babies. It also tweaked the conditions for housing priorities.

All these are reactive policies, measures that try to patch holes caused by bad policies and assumptions. Why is the govt now so desperate for Sinkies to have more babies when all it needs is to import more fully grown adults, immediately productive? Why are the people not having more babies in the first place? What kind of life will our children lead when everyone is just an economic digit and each one will contribute to buy a million dollar pigeon hole and keep several hundred thousand dollars in the CPF dunno for who to use?

Then the housing fiasco that is going to balloon into the biggest monster Sinkies have to live with and many will have to suffer for the 99 year lease pigeon hole and paying for the main part of their lives. A 3,500 sq ft landed property can be had for $400k just across the causeway. Sinkies are going to live and work for the pigeon holes over their heads. And they cannot afford to stop work, both must work to pay for it. How to make babies and look after babies? No sweat, hire foreign maids and the babies will grow up speaking and behaving like FTs and can blend with FTs easier.

Why has the housing problem reach such a scale? And the tweakings and the conditions, are they really helping when all the govt needs to do is to do away with most of them and just simply build for the Sinkies. A caution here. Don’t turn every foreigner into a new Sinkie to add to the demand and the problem. The solution is so simple and no need more complex rules and conditions to confuse everyone without solving but adding to the problem.

Punggol East – What if the PAP loses?

At this point in time, the PAP and WP are looking quite evenly matched and it could be anyone’s game. If the PAP were to win this election, it would just be another by election and all things return to its normal state of affair. A new face just got elected to replace another PAP MP.

What if the PAP loses and WP wins another seat? There are many things to read into such an eventuality. Firstly, it is another chip off the PAP’s fortress. It would add another opposition party into parliament. What I think would be of greater significance will be the perception of the voters and future of the political scene. Would this win by the WP be seen a milestone of sort that will chart the direction of the next GE?

From the opposition camp, it will be a comforting assurance that things are looking brighter, that the PAP is no longer the party to watch. It will definitely be encouraging for those wanting to join the opposition in the next round. It will be much easier for the opposition parties to recruit more supporters and potential candidates.

On the other hand, those thinking of saying yes after being invited for tea could have second thought. When such a well qualified professional with all the potential to be an office holder could lose to an average Singaporean from the opposition camp, it must mean something. It would be a reminder of Chiam See Tong’s less than pristine academic papers beating an elite, the best of the best that the PAP could find.

The myth that a highly qualified candidate donning the PAP’s white and badge is a sure win formula will be just a myth. It is something else that is the deciding factor. PAP brand, high and impeccable qualifications, big potential, all the praises from the ministers and even the PM would mean nothing now.

What is this new element that will henceforth decide the fate of an election? What is apparent is that it is not about the candidate as long as the candidate is good enough, decent and willing to serve the people. Then could it be the party, PAP or WP? Or could it be the ruling party and any opposition party?

Or could it be the policies, the more good years that are being rejected by the people, that the people want change and the PAP brand is no longer what the people want? It may be a combination of many factors for the people to want a change, a breath of fresh air. The old formula and the old policies are no longer workable. The people have lost faith in a party that has lost its bearing and leading the people and country down the wrong path. This would prove very difficult and costly for the PAP to make a comeback.

Many will be wondering. Many academics will be thinking. Many strategists will be asking and wanting to know why, and to make new prescriptions. All will be back to the drawing board, to do some deep thinking, to seek enlightenment and hopefully a new way forward.

Yes, a resounding victory for the WP would send many reeling into disbelief.