Internet: WYSIWYG

Calvin Cheng, the ex NMP, wrote to the ST forum today with the title, ‘Seeking clarifications on line a disturbing trend’. This is one of his statement referring to Ravi Philemon’s internet comments on the haze and N95 mask problems, ‘That said, his actions were part of a rather bewildering and disturbing trend: that of questioning the veracity of govt statements during a national crisis, and the belief that it is better to clarify uncertainties over the Internet rather than with govt agencies.’
 
Calvin Cheng’s argument is not about questioning the govt but about using the internet to do so. His assumptions are that the internet is full of nonsense from unqualified and unreliable people. Only the govt and the respective official agencies will have the expertise and to tell the truth. He even asserted, ‘In a crisis, our Govt has never been known to lie. It is ridiculous to think it would start now.’
 
Ahem, I am sure all of you reading the above are raring to say your piece about how ridiculous and flawed his assertions are. All I can say is that the internet is WYSIWYG, minus the biases of the editor and whoever that thinks that the right answer should be what they think is best to be printed. In the internet, everything you see is what the bloggers want to say, minus those with a hidden agenda which can be quite easily to fish out. Many bloggers are genuine and simply expressed what are in their minds, untainted by political considerations and the need to say the right thing.
 
The reasons why people are seeking the internet to express their views speak for themselves, and why they are not going to the main media or the agencies concerned. Other than not having faith in getting a reasonable reply, what they sent in may not see daylight and could end up in the waste bins. The internet is also a very convenient and efficient means for circulation of information, instant and immediate, no need to wait for the sun to rise. And it is the platform for everyone with no one thinking that he is the lord and his views prevails.
 
Step aside main media. You are history, partly of your own doing, partly due to the advancement in technology. The internet is now a platform of choice of the people to air their views and grievances. And there is nothing bewildering or disturbing about this trend.

How to fix the COE system?

On the covering page of Today paper is a full page on the COE system with the question ‘How do you fix the COE system? There are three more questions following this, ‘Why not make car buyers pay what they bid for their COE? Or should COE just be balloted? What should COE categories be based on?
 
The unhappiness over the COE system has been on going for many years. Occasionally people would raise their grievances for a while but soon forgotten. The Govt knows best and this is the best system they could come up with. The fact that this system is coming up for criticism year in and year out and for Today to put it in an exclusive page and a TV programme dedicated to it speak a lot about how good or shitty the system is.
 
Why is this system allowed to go on for so long? The answer is obvious. Or maybe everyone can see the problem but our super talents could not. Their thoughts are more intelligent and they could see all the merits of the system but the farmers could not. So, like the clever deaf frogs, they knew that this is the best way to go and no time to waste listening to the daft.
 
Everyone in the street can see the flaws of this system, how is it that the Govt thinks that this is the best and is willing to overlook the flaws? Now I am being silly. Where got flaws? Let me tell you the merits of this system. If I am very rich, I can guarantee myself getting the COE and paying the least despite bidding for $1m. See, the system is so good to me, the rich man. And who is the one suggesting that I should pay the $1m that I bidded? Don’t be stupid can. How can you make me pay $1m for a COE? I only bid to make sure that I got the certificate with no intent to pay the million dollar lah. Siao.
 
As for the Govt, it is so generous to make sure that everyone pays the lowest successful bid. How can anyone blame the Govt for being so kind? Imagine paying $1m for a COE and another bidder pays $50 for it? Such injustice cannot be allowed. The Govt must be fair to all the bidders. Everyone pays one price, the lowest price. See, fair or not? The people must be very grateful to such a considerate Govt that thinks for their own good.
 
And if everyone were to pay what he bids, it is so complicated and messy. It will drive everyone nuts to compute the exact amount for every car during transfer or rebates or whatever. With one price, so easy to calculate, use fingers also can.
 
Doesn’t the system encourage everyone to bid as high as possible knowing that they need only pay the lowest? Doesn’t this in a way lead to the price to be artificially higher than it should be? Really ah, cannot be lah. Buyers still only pay for the lowest bid so even if the price is unusually higher it is okay what. Good for Govt revenue and money can be used to improve public transportation and roads better. It is a good thing.
 
Shouldn’t the bidders pay for the price they bidded since it is their own free will to bid high? Cannot, not fair for the rich to pay higher COE and the poorer buyers pay lower COE. The Govt must ensure that there is fair play for everyone. Have you heard of leveling the playing field?
 
This COE system is about as good as it gets. Now who thinks he is smarter than the super talents and wants to change the system? Every good idea has been thought through and found to have other problems and not workable in the long run. Let’s stick to this present system and move on. No need to waste more time on it. But if it is just to allow the people to let off some steam, then it is ok to talk about it and let the people think, for once, that they are smarter than the super talents and have cleverer ideas to contribute. There is a saying that the fools may have something wise to learn from ya? Swee boh?

When the police cannot protect the citizen, who will?

‘The police came down took our statements separately and this is what Officer Lynkamillah told me:
 
1. They cannot arrest Sonuvabitch because it's not in the rulebooks, despite having assaulted a girl.
2. They issued me a medical form to go to the hospital for check ups. Best part? I HAVE TO PAY THE BILL! No compensation whatsoever.
3. I have to go down to the central police station to speak to whoever I need to speak to in order to pursue the case IF I wanted to. Which means at the moment there are no investigations whatsoever and they cannot charge Sonuvabitch for anything.
4. Since Sonuvabitch holds a pink IC, the case would take about a year before anything is done.
 
Excuse me?
That is the biggest insult I've heard all night. I was assaulted and nothing can be done. I put my trust in the police because I thought they would protect a normal citizen like me. Never have I been more wrong. The way Officer Lynkamillah was so apathetic and not the least bit apologetic, about not being able to haul Sonuvabitch's ass to lock up, really disappoints me.
And I quote them, "You will not be arrested if you or your friends punch Sonuvabitch back."
 
The above is posted by a Etterorua Red in The Real Singapore in her post, ‘I was punched twice by some guy and police said they can’t arrest him.’ The two girls were insulted by a stranger who made them up to be prostituted and insulted them by taunting them for $20. She slapped him and got punched twice. Called the police and regretted for wasting her time.
 
If the police are not there to protect innocent citizens from being beaten up, who is there to protect the citizens? Is it now a sport to beat up Singaporeans and walk away? Just make sure it is not grievous hurt and it will be fair game. The police will come if summoned, take down the statements and you got to say thank you to them. You have to pay for justice by engaging a lawyer to sue the attacker, provided you have his particulars and the money to pursue the case. For the not so rich Sinkies, tough.
 
What is happening to this City? Can the citizens feel safe any more? Can anyone blame her for saying, ‘I have lost complete faith in humanity and in the police?’ What do you think? Should the citizens be protected from assault, from being beaten up?

Would we be facing a situation when the bullies would say, 'I beat so what? Sue me lah, sue me lah!'

You can play the game, so can I

WASHINGTON: The United States told China in talks on Thursday it was "very disappointed" that Beijing did not hand over US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden when he fled to Hong Kong. (Quoted from CNA)And elsewhere around the world people are standing up to defend Snowden. In Germany, the Germans too are calling to defend and protect this man. ‘Demonstrators stand in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate to show their support for US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden. (AFP/Ole Spata)
 
The Americans were furious. This is how it feels when another country harbours or protects your dissidents. China has been furious for too long and for too many times when the Americans snubbed them in their face by protecting and even smuggling Chinese dissidents out of China and hosting them in big publicity events in the US to embarrass China. Of course the Americans could not remember how many times they did this to China and other countries. And now they are furious over Snowden, they are feeling hurt!
 
This is the beginning of a game that if the Americans can play, others too can play. If the Americans can spy and snoop at other countries, conduct cyber espionage and attacking other countries computer systems, other countries too can do the same to them. American exceptionalism is now international exceptionalism. Everyone has the right to play the same game. And there will be more Snowdens and Assanges coming out of America.
 
America must get use to being on the receiving end from now and going forward. Just like cyber hacking, the US can hack China and China can hack at the US. It is two way traffic. The days when American can do anything to any country as it liked is over. America can no longer fly U2 spy planes over the territories of other countries to photograph whatever they fancied freely. They may be tempted to fly drones instead. But be warned that other countries can do likewise.
 
The world has changed and America no longer can dominate and dictate to the whole world. So, would America now hand over Chinese dissidents to China?

Vivian Balakrishnan: Help hold down health costs

Vivian spoke to a batch of graduating medical students about the higher callings of medicine and the need to hold down medical costs. Though the call is genuine it is only going to be another vain effort just like the rising cost of properties and the general high cost of everything.
 
The high medical cost is something that the new graduates cannot do anything about. They are like someone caught in a high speed treadmill and unable to stop running. The high cost is partly contributed by their seniors in the profession who more or less set the standard for pricing their expertise. But they too are victims of a vicious cycle of high inflation.
 
Who is the culprit for high and ridiculous medical cost? The medical professionals have to foot the bills for their practices and also to earn enough to live well and with dignity. A large portion of their cost is property cost either in rentals or in acquiring the property for the practice. And property is also needed for the medical professionals to live well. In other words, the main culprit is high property prices. Who is the bugger causing high property prices?
 
And there is a whole lot of other prices and costs going up and passed to the consumers. The high cost of owning a few luxury cars, the expensive lifestyle and holidays etc etc will be borne by the consumers for sure. The sad part is that many consumers of medical services are the average Sinkies that barely have $10k in their savings and medical bills can come to tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands.
 
How can medical cost be brought down? How can young medical graduates help to bring down medical cost when they have to quickly earn enough to cover their investments in the medical education and the overheads, properties for practice and living, and all the trimmings of a good life they are looking forward to? We cannot expect the doctors to live poorly can we?
 
What has happened to this noble profession that was once so highly regarded to one that is no different from another money making profession? Who contributed to this devious state of affair? It is easy to make such a call to keep medical cost down, or any cost down. Does the high inflationary system allow it to happen? Who is responsible for the high inflationary system?