Usman Harun – A call for wise leadership

Chan Chun Sing said that this issue required the presence of wise leadership, for more dialogue to prevent the fanning of a flame, to prevent creating an external issue to divert domestic problems. And Yudhoyono cautioned against over reacting and dragging a good relationship developed over the years back to the past.
 
Both statements are words of caution to warn the young turks from behaving like they are, hot behind the ears. The Indonesians had done something that we cannot agree on and we are reacting. As far as the Indonesians are concerned, this is their domestic matters and who are we to interfere and tell them what to do and what not to do. Now, who is fanning a flame, creating an external problem to divert from domestic issues or over reacting and dragging a good relationship into the past?
 
How significant is the naming of a naval ship after the two terrorists, yes they were terrorists to us but heroes to the Indonesians, compares to the hundreds of thousands killed by the Japanese during their invasion of the island?
 
The laying of the wreath at the two terrorists’ grave by LKY, their equivalent of a hero burial site, our Kranji War Memorial, must have closed the chapter and their act forgiven. Why the big outcry that would lead to nothing but hostility when quiet diplomacy would have been more appropriate in this case? If we can forgive the Japanese, allowed their PM to honour war criminals that they regarded as national heroes without a whimper of protest, what is so different with the naming of a naval craft?
 
Yes, we need wisdom. Where is the wisdom coming from? Are we still searching and waiting for wisdom to appear over the horizon?

Singapore welcomes Japan’s military role?

At the Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Fullerton Forum held on 13 Jan 14, Singapore’s Minister Ng Eng Hen told the Japanese to ‘assure her neighbours as it beefs up military’. Japan is rearming, the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has visited the Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japanese militarism, and sending out a message that Japan is proud of its militant past and aggression against East and Southeast Asian countries. The Japanese PM is paying homage and honouring the Japanese soldiers and war criminals who committed brutal and barbaric aggression against Japan’s neighbours in WW2, including colonizing Singapore and brutalizing its population with hundreds of thousands murdered in broad daylight.
 
Only China and the two Koreans were fuming at this act of defiance and treachery by the Japanese PM. The other Asian countries have not breathed a word. Many must have forgotten or forgiven the Japanese for their invasion, looting and bombing and atrocities against their countries.
 
Now Japan is rearming, just like it was before it invaded Asia and SE Asia. Japan’s military strength is second only to China and could easily do a repeat of WW2. No one is protesting except of course China and the Koreas. The rest of the Asian and SE Asian countries do not believe that they would be invaded by Japan again and in a way supported, or tacitly supported the rise of a new militant Japan.
 
Does Singapore also forget what the Japanese did to its people, ruling the island by force and coercion? Does Singapore also support a strong militant Japan that could do another Syonanto? The memories of the vicious Japanese hordes here and the pain they inflicted, the lives they murdered in broad daylight are still vivid to many who are still alive. Many may want to forgive the barbarity of the Japanese, but would we want to encourage another militant Japan?
 
Should the world stop the rearmament of Japan? With the new geopolitical forces in play, with the Americans needing the Japanese to fight a proxy war to contain China, no one, not even the Americans that suffered a Pearl Harbour would mind having a strong military Japan.
 
The forces and factors that could lead to a WW3 are in the making with the tacit approval of all the victims of past Japanese aggression. Japan has dropped its pledge on not going to war. The Pacifist Constitution is being annulled and revamped to allow Japan to conduct wars. Thanks to their American minders who are so happy to have Japan as their top fighting dog. If there is retribution, let’s hope Japan will nuke the USA one day.
 
PS. Why are we reacting so strongly to the Indonesians naming a naval ship after two terrorists who killed 3 people and wound 33 while condoning Japan’s remilitarization and the honouring of war criminals by their Prime Minister in Yasukuni?

Foreign talent and the suicide of nation states

‘Switzerland voted in favor of new immigration curbs, risking a backlash from the European Union and thwarting the ability of companies to hire top talent abroad.’
 
European nations are waking up to the hole they dug for themselves with an open border and freedom of immigration under the guise of foreign talents. And every asshole is talking about the goodness of hiring foreign talents at the expense of the well being of their own citizens. Smaller nation states like Switzerland would be the first to feel the pain and is now taking actions to stop this idiocy. More European states would do so in times to come.
 
When one is talking about talents, countries that have a big pool of trained talents would have the benefits of exporting their talents overseas when there are silly political leaders willing to sell their countries freely. China and India would eventually fill the whole world with their talents. In smaller states, the top jobs could easily be replaced by these talents when their pool is so huge, more than 2 billion people to choose from among them. It is a simple number game.
 
When would the idiots realize that this game cannot be played under laissez faire terms when it is as good as no rules? When this is the case, small states could be taken over by states with big populations. It is as good as selling out the whole country to foreigners.
 
Is this the new world order? Is this something that citizens desired at their own peril? No, it is not the new world order. It is small nations courting their own demise, willingly, voluntarily, and stupidly. The big powers would be there to grab these silly nations who are willing to lose their sovereignty in the name of ‘meritocrazy’ and thinking that they could get a free ride from foreign talents. They would get a lift for sure, from a stick shafted into their arse.

Kopi level - Green

Sonic Gear Ear Pump Studio Pro

I have never really promoted any products before. And I am going to promote this ear phone voluntarily, not being paid for it. I happened to be browsing around at Challenger and came across this beautiful headphone. I had seen many expensive ones but this one was really striking, if you like the awesome size of the ear piece which is in vogue. It looked so good, attractively designed and well made.
 
After looking at it for a while I returned it to the shelf. But I kept walking back to take a second and third look. I had no intention to buy anything. It was a very appealing piece of headphone. And the most appealing part was the price tag. It was likely to be the top model for Sonic Gear. I have used a pair of Sonic Gear table top for my computers and never regretted. It was great value for money.
 
Now this headphone was beckoning to me. Then I told myself, what the hell, it was only $39.90 before discount for members of Challenger. I must say I have several headphones and in ears and I absolutely do not need this piece of equipment.
 
I paid for it anyway, just to test out what it was going to be like compare to my Sony Studio Monitor which was a very good piece of headphone. And I don’t expect this less than $40 piece to be close to it in performance. Even if it is a few notches down, how to complain? It cost only a fraction of what I paid for my Sony.
 
I could not believe my ears when I plugged it into my system. It came very very close to my Sony. Unbelieveable! The sound quality is good enough for listening. The clarity, spatial and transparency. The bass was reasonable when the volume was pushed up. For $40, this is a great piece of headphone, and damn good looking too.
 
The headphone may not produce as good a sound on the mobile phone or a small pocket player. But once plug into a reasonably good system it comes to live.
 
It is worth many times the $40 I paid for. I thought I was just having fun throwing away $40 for a piece of toy. It was a pleasant surprise, and a headphone to keep and listen to. If you do not want to spend $300 or $400 for a branded phone, this is an excellent alternative.

I am a big time property developer

My unsold properties are seeing their values stagnated and not rising. My profits are not growing. This is bad. How can the govt do this to me? Nevermind if I have made millions and billions in the last decades and laughing to the banks, having an extremely good life from the profits that I have made. Now I am not happy as my properties are not making the kind of profits that they should be making. My gosh, the price actually came down by 1%! Horror, I am having nightmares, cannot sleep. Please don’t remind me that the prices have appreciated by 100% or 200% over the last decade. That is my good fortune. I am very clever and talented. I have foresight to go into property development and took the RISK. Yes I took the risk to make millions and billions. I am sooooo talented.
 
Hey govt, you must tweak your policies on curbing property speculations. I have invested so much money in building these properties, how can I make a loss? Didn’t you say that the value of properties can only go up, only in smaller percentages? You have to tweak your curbs so that I can make my profits.
 
Oh, I am only selling to foreigners and making profits from foreigners. This is good right? And if you give me the chance, I will buy up the whole island, develop them into good class properties and sell them to the foreigners. What, selling the whole island? That is not my problem. My only interest is to make money as a developer. Selling the whole island is not my problem.
 
Quick, quick, tweak your policies so that I can make more money then I will buy more land from you and sell the properties to foreigners. You happy, I happy.