Front page news of thenewpaper read like this, ‘Govt log-in data on sale
on dark web – Email addresses and passwords were ‘not leaked from
government systems but from officers who used them for personal
purposes’. Ok, the data were not leaked, but using them for private
purposes would only reveal the email addresses, how did the passwords
got ‘leaked’ or stolen? Passwords are not things that are laid in the
open to be picked up.
The article said among the agencies named by a Russian cyber security
company IB ‘were the Government Technology Agency(Gov-Tech), Ministry of
Education, Ministry of Health and the Singapore Police Force. MOH has
been in the news for losing 1.5 million SingHealth patients’ personal
data, including Hsien loong’s, also breaches including illegal access of
72 HealthHub accounts and the infamous ‘leaked of information of 14,200
patients from the HIV Registry and improper handling of data belonging
to more than 800,000 blood donors by a vendor last week’.
First question, were these leaked or stolen information arising from
hacking by external sources? Or were they leaked by internal sources, or
were they leaked due to mishandling or mismanagement? The ways the data
were leaked or stolen have different implications. If from external
sources hacking into the system, that is a protection problem, poor
firewalls or anti hacking systems installed. If from internal sources,
then who were the parties involved, Singaporeans, locals or foreigners
hired to maintain the IT systems, or if due to mishandling or
mismanagement, like the HIV case, the culprits and problems are
different and needed to deal with differently.
The most frightening and dangerous part in the chain of IT protection is
internal sources. Like they said, it is very difficult to prevent theft
from within, thieves living inside the premises.
So what is what? Were the problems highlighted, with so many ministries
involved, a matter of officers using their govt emails freely,
indiscriminately, showing off their passwords to everyone, or was this a
more serious problem that cannot be brushed away so simply and
innocently? Cannot tell, don’t want to tell or telling it as something
so innocuous?
Smart city with smart people or dumb city with dumb people?
3/22/2019
3/21/2019
Italy – The BRI is a new paradigm for humankind towards a share destiny
When UK joined the AIIB, the Americans freak out. The dam of opposition
against this China initiative was broken and the rest of Europe and
other pro western countries took the cue and joined AIIB as well leaving
the Americans alone in the wilderness. But although the AIIB was a key
pillar to support the BRI project, some of the key European countries
ironically are still resisting to join the BRI. The western narrative is
that BRI is a Chinese strategy to divide Europe, to invade and colonise
Europe. The ludicrous narrative from Washington and major European
capitals is unbelievable. The assets are built in their soil and they
have complete control over them and could seize them for any false flag
incidents or fabricated excuses.
China’s BRI or the New Silk Road is about building connectivity, roads and rails and sea routes to connect Europe and Africa through Central Asia to China that would improve and facilitate communication and transportation for trade. It is not about building walls like what Trump wanted to keep countries and people apart. And according to the western anti China narrative, this BRI is bad and would lead to war.
Italy is now standing up to challenge the American and western narrative by looking at the BRI as a new paradigm for a community of humankind, a share common future and destiny for humankind. And Italy is going to be the first G7 country to break the dam of resistance and lead Europe into the BRI. Italy is not the first European country to do so. 13 other European countries have already signed MOU on the BRI with China, including Spain, Portugal, Greece and many East European countries.
The Italian initiative to break ranks with the Americans and G7 countries has caused a major uproar in the US and the Americans freak out again, literally. The Americans even warned the Italians not to sign the MOU or face consequences as if the Italians are joining forces with China militarily to go to war with the Americans.
Italy is not going to be told what to do against its national interest like Germany is not going to stop using Huawei’s 5G technology because the Americans said so. Like the East European countries, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece have joined the new poor of European countries. Together they see hope in the BRI to bring economic growth, trade and development for their countries. Many cities in France and Germany, two major European countries still sharing the same hostile thinking as the Americans in opposing China for political reasons, are going against their govts and want to be part of the BRI.
The BRI and the immense benefits it is bringing to all the 156 countries in the project are too good to resist. Italy is not going to miss the boat. The BRI is going to revive the deteriorating economy of the Italians and this is a new hope to stimulate growth in Italy, linking Italy to Central Asia and China and also to Africa.
Nothing is going to stop Italy, not cry wolf rhetoric, and Italy is going to do the right thing for its own good. Xi Jinping is visiting Italy in the next couple of days to welcome Italy into the BRI. Once done, all the defences and negative allegations against China and the BRI would break down, and the rest of Europe would fall in line.
The last bastion of resistance is the USA. Would it be left out in the cold alone again, or would it also fall in and be part of the new paradigm of a common destiny for all humankind, a more connected world and grow and prosper together instead of warmongering, starting and fighting wars?
PS. Schiller Institute’s Helga Zepp LaRouche enthusiastically welcomed the decision by Italy to sign an MOU with China, to join the Belt-and-Road Initiative (BRI), as it demonstrates that the City of London geopolitical networks are losing their ability to dictate policy in Europe.
China’s BRI or the New Silk Road is about building connectivity, roads and rails and sea routes to connect Europe and Africa through Central Asia to China that would improve and facilitate communication and transportation for trade. It is not about building walls like what Trump wanted to keep countries and people apart. And according to the western anti China narrative, this BRI is bad and would lead to war.
Italy is now standing up to challenge the American and western narrative by looking at the BRI as a new paradigm for a community of humankind, a share common future and destiny for humankind. And Italy is going to be the first G7 country to break the dam of resistance and lead Europe into the BRI. Italy is not the first European country to do so. 13 other European countries have already signed MOU on the BRI with China, including Spain, Portugal, Greece and many East European countries.
The Italian initiative to break ranks with the Americans and G7 countries has caused a major uproar in the US and the Americans freak out again, literally. The Americans even warned the Italians not to sign the MOU or face consequences as if the Italians are joining forces with China militarily to go to war with the Americans.
Italy is not going to be told what to do against its national interest like Germany is not going to stop using Huawei’s 5G technology because the Americans said so. Like the East European countries, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece have joined the new poor of European countries. Together they see hope in the BRI to bring economic growth, trade and development for their countries. Many cities in France and Germany, two major European countries still sharing the same hostile thinking as the Americans in opposing China for political reasons, are going against their govts and want to be part of the BRI.
The BRI and the immense benefits it is bringing to all the 156 countries in the project are too good to resist. Italy is not going to miss the boat. The BRI is going to revive the deteriorating economy of the Italians and this is a new hope to stimulate growth in Italy, linking Italy to Central Asia and China and also to Africa.
Nothing is going to stop Italy, not cry wolf rhetoric, and Italy is going to do the right thing for its own good. Xi Jinping is visiting Italy in the next couple of days to welcome Italy into the BRI. Once done, all the defences and negative allegations against China and the BRI would break down, and the rest of Europe would fall in line.
The last bastion of resistance is the USA. Would it be left out in the cold alone again, or would it also fall in and be part of the new paradigm of a common destiny for all humankind, a more connected world and grow and prosper together instead of warmongering, starting and fighting wars?
PS. Schiller Institute’s Helga Zepp LaRouche enthusiastically welcomed the decision by Italy to sign an MOU with China, to join the Belt-and-Road Initiative (BRI), as it demonstrates that the City of London geopolitical networks are losing their ability to dictate policy in Europe.
3/20/2019
The Americans at their baddest best
The main media are quite reticent about the developments in Venezuela
and the dirty parts played by the Americans to conduct regime change to
bring down popularly elected President Maduro. The latest, all are
options on the table, meaning an invasion and war. This is how lightly
the evil Americans treat war, death and destruction of other countries
and their people. The Americans are addicted to war.
After imposing trade sanctions against Venezuela to cripple its economy and bringing hardship to the Venezuelans, including destroying the value of its currency, it is now pressuring its allies to stop trading with Venezuela. India has been told to stop buying oil from Venezuela and the leverage, to remove India from the most favoured nation in trade with the US.
Is this what you called influencing the policies of another country? Is this not interfering with the domestic affairs of another country? How more bad things would the Americans do to convince the world that it is an Evil Empire? I think every country knows that but are living in fear that they would be next. So the next best thing to do, other than coming out openly to support the mischief of the Americans, is to shut up.
No country is going to tell the Americans that they are breaking all protocols and decency in international relations, not following the rule of law. No country would say anything in the name of rule of law when the world’s number One Outlaw is doing its evil best to destroy another country.
In the meantime the Venezuelan people are suffering from the sanctions with inflation running at record level, not due to mismanagement of Maduro but trade sanctions and the conspiracy of the white regimes to steal and rob their wealth, their oil, their assets and money in the western country’s banks. And the Venezuelan people did not have a clue who did it to destroy their country and their lives. And the western propaganda machine is putting all the blame on Maduro and praising the unknown CIA trained Guaido as the legitimate leader.
The latest, a week of nation wide blackout due to power failure done by you know who. People died. People that were hooked onto machine when their lives depended on power supply just died. Who were behind this? Maduro told his people he knew who did it. No need to guess. And who suffered from it? No need to guess. Who got blamed for it, Maduro of course.
Take heed, when the Evil Empire is at its baddest, the whole world cringed and hid themselves under the table, not to be seen or heard, or they would be the next victim of the Evil Empire. No one would be brave enough to open his big mouth to tell the Evil Empire to obey the rule of law based on principles.
Be frightened of the evil white men when they are out to kill and destroy. They are extremely vicious and hostile, and very destructive at their best.
How many idiots out there still claiming that the Americans are peace loving people, to be invited to be the policemen of the world, the guardian of peace, not the perpetrators of wars?
After imposing trade sanctions against Venezuela to cripple its economy and bringing hardship to the Venezuelans, including destroying the value of its currency, it is now pressuring its allies to stop trading with Venezuela. India has been told to stop buying oil from Venezuela and the leverage, to remove India from the most favoured nation in trade with the US.
Is this what you called influencing the policies of another country? Is this not interfering with the domestic affairs of another country? How more bad things would the Americans do to convince the world that it is an Evil Empire? I think every country knows that but are living in fear that they would be next. So the next best thing to do, other than coming out openly to support the mischief of the Americans, is to shut up.
No country is going to tell the Americans that they are breaking all protocols and decency in international relations, not following the rule of law. No country would say anything in the name of rule of law when the world’s number One Outlaw is doing its evil best to destroy another country.
In the meantime the Venezuelan people are suffering from the sanctions with inflation running at record level, not due to mismanagement of Maduro but trade sanctions and the conspiracy of the white regimes to steal and rob their wealth, their oil, their assets and money in the western country’s banks. And the Venezuelan people did not have a clue who did it to destroy their country and their lives. And the western propaganda machine is putting all the blame on Maduro and praising the unknown CIA trained Guaido as the legitimate leader.
The latest, a week of nation wide blackout due to power failure done by you know who. People died. People that were hooked onto machine when their lives depended on power supply just died. Who were behind this? Maduro told his people he knew who did it. No need to guess. And who suffered from it? No need to guess. Who got blamed for it, Maduro of course.
Take heed, when the Evil Empire is at its baddest, the whole world cringed and hid themselves under the table, not to be seen or heard, or they would be the next victim of the Evil Empire. No one would be brave enough to open his big mouth to tell the Evil Empire to obey the rule of law based on principles.
Be frightened of the evil white men when they are out to kill and destroy. They are extremely vicious and hostile, and very destructive at their best.
How many idiots out there still claiming that the Americans are peace loving people, to be invited to be the policemen of the world, the guardian of peace, not the perpetrators of wars?
3/19/2019
The Rape of the Stock Market
There use to be a saying, the stock market is always there. No matter
how quiet or depressing is the state of market activities, the stock
market will not die or go away. This use to be the unspoken truth but I
am increasingly seeing the stock market dying or shrinking to a point
that it is no longer meaningful.
The whole rational for the existence of a stock market has been eroded by the proliferation of derivatives and computer tradings. Derivatives are instruments that piggyback on stocks and diverting interests from trading stocks directly, thus undermining the real value of stocks. The more funds are diverted to trade in derivatives, the lesser will be the interests in stocks. Algo and computer trading are more dangerous to the values of stocks as they have no interest or respect for the real value and prices of stocks. They trade either way to profit and could drive the prices of stocks against their real values, against their fundamentals. As a result, stock prices are in their doldrums and many are undervalued and defeat the purpose for listing. When listed companies could not raise funds from the market due to unacceptably low PEs against high listing fees and costs, many good companies would choose to delist instead.
Yes, there will be IPOs. But these are desperadoes wanting to raise some funds from the public. Unfortunately such fund raisings are likely to be a one time affair. After listing, through lack of investor support and a stock market in coma, many stocks would end up as penny stocks, worthless, left to die prematurely and ended up being suspended from trading.
The short sighted fund managers and exchange administrators could not see further than their eyes as to where the stock market is heading. Without the stock market, there would not be any derivatives to talk about. Without the stock market, the REITs too would disappear. Without the stock market, the computer traders would have no where to trade and exploit the small investors.
The whole stock gambling industry is based on the existence of a stock market, real or fictitious. Neglect and allowing the stock market to die a natural death would drag the whole industry into the grave.
New gambling chits could be devised as variation of derivatives without the stock market. Some may think this is a viable option, trading in fictitious paper instruments in place of real stocks and shares. If the administrators continue to choose to let the stock market peters away as an irrelevant or obsolete beast, can there still be computer trading, derivatives, fund investments, online trading etc etc that are parts and parcels of a thriving finance industry? The stock market is the corner stone on which a whole industry is built on.
The stock market depends not only on the derivative writers, the algo and computer traders, but also on the listed companies and the investors. A stock market that only protects the derivative writers and algo/computer traders and failed to protect the interests of listed companies and investors would lose its raison d’tre to exist. When companies see it futile to list in a stock exchange there will be no need or interest in the exchange.
Whither the stock market? Why is the stock market dying? When would the abuse and rape of the stock market be put to an end?
The whole rational for the existence of a stock market has been eroded by the proliferation of derivatives and computer tradings. Derivatives are instruments that piggyback on stocks and diverting interests from trading stocks directly, thus undermining the real value of stocks. The more funds are diverted to trade in derivatives, the lesser will be the interests in stocks. Algo and computer trading are more dangerous to the values of stocks as they have no interest or respect for the real value and prices of stocks. They trade either way to profit and could drive the prices of stocks against their real values, against their fundamentals. As a result, stock prices are in their doldrums and many are undervalued and defeat the purpose for listing. When listed companies could not raise funds from the market due to unacceptably low PEs against high listing fees and costs, many good companies would choose to delist instead.
Yes, there will be IPOs. But these are desperadoes wanting to raise some funds from the public. Unfortunately such fund raisings are likely to be a one time affair. After listing, through lack of investor support and a stock market in coma, many stocks would end up as penny stocks, worthless, left to die prematurely and ended up being suspended from trading.
The short sighted fund managers and exchange administrators could not see further than their eyes as to where the stock market is heading. Without the stock market, there would not be any derivatives to talk about. Without the stock market, the REITs too would disappear. Without the stock market, the computer traders would have no where to trade and exploit the small investors.
The whole stock gambling industry is based on the existence of a stock market, real or fictitious. Neglect and allowing the stock market to die a natural death would drag the whole industry into the grave.
New gambling chits could be devised as variation of derivatives without the stock market. Some may think this is a viable option, trading in fictitious paper instruments in place of real stocks and shares. If the administrators continue to choose to let the stock market peters away as an irrelevant or obsolete beast, can there still be computer trading, derivatives, fund investments, online trading etc etc that are parts and parcels of a thriving finance industry? The stock market is the corner stone on which a whole industry is built on.
The stock market depends not only on the derivative writers, the algo and computer traders, but also on the listed companies and the investors. A stock market that only protects the derivative writers and algo/computer traders and failed to protect the interests of listed companies and investors would lose its raison d’tre to exist. When companies see it futile to list in a stock exchange there will be no need or interest in the exchange.
Whither the stock market? Why is the stock market dying? When would the abuse and rape of the stock market be put to an end?
3/18/2019
The white truth - New Zealand a safe and peaceful country
In a Facebook post on Friday, Mr Shanmugam condemned the attack as a "horrific massacre".
"New Zealand is a peaceful country. Seen as a model of race relations," he said. "Today it suffered a horrific massacre of 49 innocent persons."
"Hours later, an Australian senator issued an Islamophobic statement, describing Islam as a violent, fascist religion, and said it promoted savage beliefs," said the minister. "He also attacked the Prophet, and blamed Muslim immigration for the massacre."
Added the minister: "The senator’s statement is sickening. It is completely unacceptable. And he issued it when people are grieving."
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/christchurch-shootings-fraser-anning-shanmugam-comments-11350736
"New Zealand is a peaceful country. Seen as a model of race relations," he said. "Today it suffered a horrific massacre of 49 innocent persons."
"Hours later, an Australian senator issued an Islamophobic statement, describing Islam as a violent, fascist religion, and said it promoted savage beliefs," said the minister. "He also attacked the Prophet, and blamed Muslim immigration for the massacre."
Added the minister: "The senator’s statement is sickening. It is completely unacceptable. And he issued it when people are grieving."
Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/christchurch-shootings-fraser-anning-shanmugam-comments-11350736
The above CNA article shows the divergence of views between the whites and the coloured people, or between an Australian white politician and a Singaporean minister. One condemned the massacre of the innocents and another blamed the religion and its beliefs. Trump even said that the hatred against the Muslims and Islam is a minority view. Sure, enough minorities to kill so many people in broad daylight.
Another glaring difference is that white supremacist and racist groups are not monitored the way the others are monitored and often left alone, unmonitored and free to spread their extremist views.
Another interesting white view of truth is this comment about how safe New Zealand is against this shooting, and also parroted by Shanmugam above, that New Zealand is a peaceful country.
'The attack has shocked New Zealanders, who are used to seeing around 50 murders a year in the entire country of 4.8 million and pride themselves on living in a secure and welcoming place.'
This is reported in another article in CNA. Notice the glaring discrepancy? New Zealand is a peaceful country, a secure and welcoming place with 4.8m people and an annual statistics of 50 murders. Singapore has nearly 6m people, how many murders are there annually here? Can you imagine we have 50 murders in a year? If that is the case, no one would dare to come to Singapore. But in New Zealand, 50 murders is an accepted normal and good enough to call the country a secure and welcoming place.
Now another 50 dead will be added to make it at least 100 for year 2019, and by the year end could be more.
How many of you would accept a country with a population of 4.8m and 50 murders a year as a peaceful and secure place? Thanks for this report, or else we would not know that there are so many murders in New Zealand. We always have this impression that New Zealand is a safe and welcoming place. I have changed my mind about this peaceful picture of New Zealand.
50 murders a year or at least 4 murders every month.
PS. New Zealand is a peaceful country because they have planted that in your mind. Even Shanmugam parroted that notion above. Now with this statistics, do you still want to believe that New Zealand is a peaceful country? Of course the academics would say it depends on your definition or formula for peaceful. If 50 murders a year for a 4.8m pop is the yardstick for a peaceful country then it is peaceful. This is called technically peaceful according to a formula or yardstick.
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