Straits Times took a shot at social media

Jumping on TRE’s error that the TRE had already apologized, the ST’s editorial on 15 June took a jab at social media in general and TRE in particular for being unreliable. Below is what it said.

‘Reliability is not the mainstay of social media of course, as it is essentially an online variant of coffee shop talk, amplified by the echo chambers of cyberspace. Hearsay, half truths, opinion masquerading as information, and ideological propaganda are feral features of this domain. Yet, if those behind sociopolitical websites made little effort to uphold even basic tenets – for example, opinions are free but facts are sacred – a collective slide to the bottom will be inevitable. Ultimately, it is the reading public that can help determine the directions of social media in Singapore.’

This is the Straits Times talking, the epitome of correctness and accurate reporting of news free from factual errors and propaganda, only the truth and nothing but the truth. This quality of the Straits Times and main media is unchallengeable given the resources and the number of professionals and editors editing and editing their articles before printing.  The puzzling part is that The main media here is ranked something like 154^th in the same category as 3^rd world and dictator regimes and dysfunctional society. Given its sparkling credential for reporting only accurate news free from propaganda, it should rightly deserve a place among the top few most credible main media in the world. Coincidentally Donald Trump has just bumped the Washington Post for being dishonest and put it under his blacklist.  This may be an exception, a leading newspaper being accused of dishonesty. It speaks only of one main media newspaper. The rest of the main media are just honest reporting news agencies. Their credibility is unquestionable. And Washington Post has replied that ‘The Post will continue to cover Donald Trump as it has all along – honourably, honestly, accurately, energetically, and unflinchingly.’ Between the two, one of them one must be lying throught its teeth and dishonest.

Readers who want to get the truth, honest news, no propaganda, must go to the main media. I am puzzled why there are readers who gave up their subscriptions of main media and went to the net and social media claiming that only in the net and social media that the real news and truths can be found, in the midst of half truths and untruths. Readers of social media know that there are many untruths and half truths in the social media and are wary and skeptical and very discerning. They are always on their guards against misleading news and half truths.

Can’t say that of the main media readers. They read the main media expecting to read the truths, not half truths or misleading news and thus would whole heartedly believe what they read, believing them to be the truths. If they are cheated, like reading the Washington Post, they only have themselves to be blamed for not raising their guards against dishonest news and propaganda. They expect the main media to tell the truth and thus are vulnerable should a main media prints dishonest and misleading news, even propaganda.

Would it be necessary to warn readers of main media to be on their guard against half truths, misleading news and propaganda in the main media? One thing for sure, if they are reading the ST, they can be sure of honest and uncoloured reporting, free from propaganda, only the truth and nothing but the truth.

What do you think?

Washington is the enemy of Americans and the world

I reproduced parts of an article by Paul Craig Roberts and the wicked truths he is telling his fellow Americans about, the real dangers facing humankind coming from Washington. Washington is in cahoots with the cabals and arms merchants to start wars for their own benefits and the poor Americans would have to send their boys and girls to war for them, to die for them when there is no reason to go to war. These are truths that the main media would not tell you.

“Fellow Americans, Wake Up & Escape The Matrix” | Paul C. Roberts

June 11, 2016 

Where Do Matters Stand?

On the eve of World War II the United States was still mired in the Great Depression and found itself facing war on two fronts with Japan and Germany. However bleak the outlook, it was nothing compared to the outlook today.

by Paul Craig Roberts

Has anyone in Washington, the presstitute Western media, the EU, or NATO ever considered the consequences of constant military and propaganda provocations against Russia? Is there anyone in any responsible position anywhere in the Western world who has enough sense to ask: “What if the Russians believe us? What if we convince Russia that we are going to attack her?”

The same can be asked about China.

The recklessness of the White House Fool and the media whores has gone far beyond mere danger. What do the Russians think when they see that the Democratic Party intends to elect Hillary Clinton president of the US? Hillary is a person so crazed that she declared the president of Russia to be “the new Hitler” and organized through her underling, neocon monster Victoria Nuland, the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Ukraine. Nuland installed Washington’s puppet government in a former Russian province that until about 20 years ago was part of Russia for centuries.

I would bet that this tells even the naive pro-western part of the Russian government and population that the United States intends war with Russia.

Ever since Russia stood up to Obama over Syria, the Russians have been experiencing hostile propaganda and military operations on their borders. These provocations are justified by Washington and its NATO vassals as a response to “Russian aggression.” Russian aggression consists of nothing but obviously false assertions that Russia is about to invade the Baltics, Poland, and Romania and recreate the Soviet Empire, the Eastern European part of which, together with the former Russian provinces of Georgia and Ukraine, now belong to the American Empire.

The Russians know that the propaganda about “Russian aggression” is a lie. What is the purpose of the lie other than to prepare the Western peoples for war with Russia?

There is no other explanation.

Even morons such as Obama, Merkel, Hollande, and Cameron should be capable of understanding that it is extremely dangerous to convince a major military power that you are going to attack. To simultaneously also convince China doubles the danger.

Clearly, the West is incapable of producing leadership capable of preserving life on earth.

What can be done when the entire West demonstrates a death wish for Planet Earth?

Until the criminal regimes of Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama, American presidents from John F. Kennedy forward worked to reduce tensions with the Soviets. Kennedy worked with Khrushchev to reduce tensions caused by US missiles in Turkey and Soviet missiles in Cuba. ….

Today life on Planet Earth is far less secure than during the darkest days of the Cold War. Whatever threat global warming poses, it is miniscule compared to the threat of nuclear winter. If the evil that is concentrated in Washington and its vassals perpetrates nuclear war, cockroaches will inherit the earth.

I have been warning about the growing danger of a nuclear war resulting from the arrogance, hubris, ignorance, and evil personified by Washington. ….

Before it is too late for Americans and all of humanity, arrogant Americans need to recall that “those who live by the sword, die by the sword.”….

Those few Americans who have any awareness are beginning to realize that the One Percent and the western governments that serve them are re-establishing feudalism. The brilliant and learned economist, Michael Hudson, has labeled our era the era of neo-feudalism.

He is correct. The majority of young Americans come out of university heavily indebted, primed for debtor prison. When half of 25-year olds cannot marry and form households, how can anyone believe that housing sales and prices are rising except as a result of speculative investors banking on rental income from a population that cannot even pay its student loans.

The United States is the sickest place on earth. There is no public or political discussion of any important issue or of the multiple crises that confront America or the crises that America brings to the world.

The American people are so stupid and unaware that they are capable of electing a criminal and a warmonger like Hillary president of the United States and be proud of it…..

It is extraordinary that once-proud, once-great European peoples look for leadership from a country of moronic non-entities who have pissed away the liberty, security, and prosperity that their Founding Fathers gave to them.

Fellow Americans, if you care to avoid vaporization and, assuming we do avoid it, live a life other than serfdom, you must wake up and realize that your most deadly enemy is Washington, not the hoax of “Russian aggression,” not the hoax of “Muslim terrorism,” not the hoax of “domestic extremism,” not the hoax of welfare bankrupting America, not the hoax of democracy voting away your wealth, which Wall Street and the corporations have already stolen and stuck in their pockets.

If you cannot wake up and escape The Matrix, your doom will bring the doom of the planet.

Kenna Police How? Your right to due process (Hong Lim Park 18 June 16, 5 -7 pm)

Just read this message in TRE for a public discourse on your right to due process at Hong Lim this evening. It is a bit late to put this up, but nevertheless here it is.

On 18 June, Community Action Network (CAN), Function 8 and Think Centre invite all concerned members of society to join us at Hong Lim Park for ‘Kenna Police How?: Your right to due process’.

Recent events have highlighted uncertainty among members of the public about the scope of police powers and how current procedures ensure due process.  These events include Law Society President Thio Shen Yi’s February 2016 call for immediate or early access to counsel, the Benjamin Lim case, and recent police action in response to alleged breaches of the Cooling Off Day regulations.

This event has been organised to allow members of the public to share their experiences with police investigations, as well as their concerns and suggestions for how the fairness, proportionality and consistency of police action can be best ensured.  Over 100 members of the public have indicated their intention to attend on Facebook, with 300 more expressing interest in the event.

“We urge more clarity about the rights of individuals in contact with police – especially vulnerable people like children or migrants,” said Kokila Annamalai, a volunteer with CAN.  “When can the police archive your email or confiscate your phone?  Do they need a warrant?  More awareness of the scope of these powers is needed.  It’s in everyone’s interests that justice is not only done, but also seen to be done.”

In January, as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations (UN), numerous UN member states made recommendations for Singapore to strengthen its protection of citizens’ rights to free expression.  At the time, the Singapore delegation to Geneva affirmed its support for the UPR process and stated its commitment to protect fundamental human rights.  We hope that the government will stand by its proclamations and welcome this event’s contribution to societal dialogue on advancing rights.

Among the speakers are civil society activist Vanessa Ho, who will address sex workers’ experiences with the police, Damien Chng of anti-death penalty group We Believe in Second Chances, and Function 8 member Pak Geok Choo.  Members of the public are invited to create placards at the event to express their views on police accountability and their ideas for how the protection of individual rights can be achieved.

We invite you to attend this important event and to cover it for your media channel.  For more information, please contact Kokila at communityactionnetworksg@gmail.com.

Civil Servants no direct access to internet

‘The Govt’s move to delink computers used by civil servants from direct access to the Internet is “absolutely necessary” to keep govt data and public services secure.’ Hsien Loong. When this policy takes effect in May next year, civil servants can only access the Internet through dedicated computers or through their personal computers. Hsien Loong has disclosed that there have been very determined attacks on the Govt’s IT systems and the threats are getting more severe and sophisticated. Just relying on the system’s defensive measures is looking like a losing proposition and it is best to cut the connections to the minimum. Hsien Loong quoted the possibility of personal data like NRIC numbers, addresses and income tax returns being hacked and put up for sale in the Internet. It is all about being safe and secure and the safety of citizens. Tiok, absolutely.

Given the same kind of logic and thinking, would the govt clamp down on immigration if more Singaporeans are being beaten by foreigners here or if the threats of terrorism increase, or if actual terrorist acts occurred? Or would it be too late by then? Data security cannot be more serious that personal security and safety and the threats of terrorism on our soil or in the heartland?

The preventive and proactive policies and measures taken to safeguard the data and information safety and security of our citizens should be extended to make sure citizens personal safety is protected and not compromised by the hoards of foreigners with unknown backgrounds living next door to our heartlanders or working in the same factory or office.  Why expose our heartlanders to such risks? Tiok boh? Important or not? No attack does mean we are safe. Terrorists planning to hit their home country from here do not mean we will be safe and they will not turn to hit us.

What are the govt going to do about these threats living with and among us?

Omar Mateen – Gay, terrorist or patriot?

The American establishment has been trying very hard to pin Omar Mateen as a gay or some petty rogue, anything but fighting for the cause of ISIS. They are trying to deny him the right to be called a warrior of ISIS, not to allow him or ISIS to claim credit for the attack. He is gay, he is anti gay! Maybe he is insane, mad?

But when more information came out, after speaking to his wife Noor Salman and those caught in the shooting in the Club, the picture becomes clearer. His call to 911 and what he said, ‘profess allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and also, ‘”We could hear him talking to 911 saying that the reason why he’s doing this is that he wants America to stop bombing his country,” said Ms Patience Carter,20, who was trapped in a bathroom stall at the nightclub as Omar prowled outside.’

This man was anything but mad. He was anything but gay. He had a family and a child. He was fighting for his country in a way he knew, in a way he could afford, against the American war machine that is devastating his country, killing his people. To his people, this man is their hero, a patriot, a martyr.

The Americans can call him whatever they liked, he was fighting a war against the Americans for invading his country. Was that wrong? Was he a terrorist? A gay? This man was meticulous. He picked his target carefully, did his recee several times to give him the best result when he struck. The number of deaths and injured by a lone gunman spoke for itself.

You make your judgement. And there will be many more Omar Mateens willing to fight and die for their countries as long as the Americans think it is right to invade their countries, bomb their land and kill their people. They are returning the favour to the Americans in the American homeland, to let the Americans have a taste of their own medicine.

Who is the hero, who is the villain? Who is the terrorist, who is the patriot? Would you do the same thing if the enemy invade and bomb your country and kill your people?

It is time the Americans reflect on their wars and the killings of innocent people in other people’s countries. You have no right to do that. That is not your Manifest Destiny. No one is going to condone your silly American Exceptionalism, to attack and kill people in their countries, to start wars everywhere.

But not to worry, many silly Asians and SE Asians are happy to welcome you to start a war in their backyards, in their countries.  They have spent a lot of money buying war machines and very eager to use them to prove that money is well spent, is worth it. War is fun, war is glory. War can make money and make heroes out of the dead and the dumb….and a lot of war collaterals.