Xi meeting Putin. Modi flirting with Trump

 Xi will be in Moscow on 7th May to attend Russia's Victory Day parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945. Hitler was soundly defeated and left with its army in tatters. Russia lost about 27 million during this conflict, a massive sacrifice indeed.

Besides closing ranks with Russia in that celebration, Xi will be discussing further improvement in relations with Putin. Modi had also been invited, but will not attend, sending a junior minister instead. Are relations souring between Moscow and New Delhi? Left to be seen, with Modi chumming up with Trump and being fed poison by J. D. Vance and now being forced to buy expensive USA weapons in order to reduce the trade imbalance. Modi was the first to race to Washington to kiss Trump's arse, hoping to get preferential treatment. He was humiliated instead. Now this conflict with Pakistan is his hope to rescue his deflated ego. Deaths from terrorism and insurgency had been a normal feature in India throughout the decades with tens of thousands losing their lives, but Modi had always turned a blind eye. Now the Kashmir attack has his undivided attention, and opportunity I would say, to show his concern and salvage his ego.'

Anonymous

Big run on supermarkets for Christmas presents coming

 Trump is caught in a trap that he set up on his own, or should I say in a trap set by China. In an effort to destroy China's manufacturing dominance and Chinese investments in other countries, Trump's tariffs are turning friends and allies that have Chinese investments against the USA.

Well and good, if Trump has already put in place a manufacturing base to welcome back investments to set up factories under his plan. But nothing of the gloating has been translated in action. No raw materials secured, no supply chains set up, no plans to train skilled workers and instead chasing away scientists, engineers and academics, and just hoping for investors to fly in blind under his con-job.

Instead of creating jobs, Trump is doing the opposite, with thousands of jobs now lost among port workers, truckers, retail outlets, agricultural sector, aid workers, Federal jobs and even propaganda generation related workers in USAID and Voice of America. The loss of jobs is right before our eyes; but the job creation is still a myth.

Trump has no solution to the empty shelves in retail outlets, just asking USA citizens to buy less, which is in reality creating a panic buying spree now spreading across the states. Can USA citizens be expected to 'hang tough' in the face of shortage of consumer products mainly from China, and particularly food from its own agricultural sector now crippled by lack of undocumented workers to do the harvesting. What about replanting that has to be done for next season? Farmers will have to pay an arm and a leg to employ mainstream USA workers, backed by Unions that will not settle for cheap wages unlike undocumented workers.

It is going to take a massive effort now to roll back the damage done by Trump's tariff. The ships carrying manufactured products are not leaving Chinese ports for the USA. The ships on the high seas are turning around for other destinations in the Global South and renegotiated contracts have to be made with Chinese manufacturers to return to the status quo. How long will that take?

Anonymous

GE2025 - The rationale for sample count

 Sample counting of votes was still practised in this election. Until today, I still cannot figure out any good or sensible reason for such a process. It is purely a waste of time and resources. There are very good reasons for a chef to taste a sample of the food he is preparing to ensure it is just right. Sample tasting gives the chef a chance to correct anything that he has missed. He may need to add a little more salt if it is not enough, or add a little more water if there is too much salt. Sample tasting is a last chance to make any final adjustment or correction.

Sample counting does not give anyone a chance for any final adjustment or correction. The votes have been cast and are all lying in the boxes or on the table. So, what is so great about knowing a sample count that may be close to the total count or may not be? What if the sample count says there is a big swing of votes for or against the ruling party? Premature ejaculation or agony for the candidates or their supporters?

With so many AI platforms available, some even for free, why not take advantage of AI to make sample counts, easy, fast and efficient. After all sample count is just sample count, a kind of an educated guess.  In the 21st Century, in a modern smart city or wanting to be a smart city, does Singapore still needs to depend on the fingers to do the counting, like in sample counting? The farmers also no longer use human fingers to pick cotton.

Just musing.

WW3 already started with the white savages starting wars one after another

 WW3 has started. Do not be deceived by the rogue regime in Washington that it is for peace. It has started a world wide tariff war against the whole world with no exception. It is America first, America must be the richest and most powerful regime in the world, ruling the world. Every country must acknowledge this hard truth, bow to the Emperor in Washington. Trump minced no words by telling world leaders to kiss his ass, beg for forgiveness and charity, make him happy or else.

The hot war has started in Ukraine, the massacre in Gaza, in the Middle East and Africa. America's pit bull, Israel, is openly talking about attacking Iran, with no respect or regard to international law or world opinion. Iran is living peacefully. Why can't Iran have its own nuclear weapons or nuclear power plants when the Americans have thousands of nuclear bombs, and Israel also have them and threatening to use them against Iran? The American and Israeli terrorists have no respect for national sovereignty. The gangsters in Washington are behind them. The world is now under threat from the American and Israeli terrorists and unable to say or do anything. No one dares to condemn the Israeli threat against Iran. The American terrorists have also deployed their nuclear bombers to within striking distance of Iran. The whole world pretending not to hear, not to see, hapless!

The American, Brit and Israeli terrorists are bombing Yemen, a poor little country with impunity. No one is coming to the aid and defence of Yemen. It would be taken over or bomb to oblivion by these state terrorists if no country is coming to help them. The world is dominated and controlled by the white savages and gangsters but spreading the lie that they are for peace and China is the threat.

Another war front has started in South Asia between India and Pakistan. India has been given the greenlight to attack Pakistan, and American and Israeli weapons have landed in India. India, the attack dog of the Americans, loves to be assigned the role and not missing a second to get ready to attack Pakistan. They tried to intimidate Pakistan with their overhyped superior Rafale but had to flee when jammed and locked on by Pakistan's fighter bought from China.

Another lame dog in the South China Sea is allowing the American terrorists to deploy their aggressive weapons and forces in Pinoy islands near China to threaten China and to choke off Chinese warship entering the Pacific Ocean. This is an aggressive threat of war against China, preparing to attack China.

Several African states are still under the control of American and European terrorists, the French mercenaries, and are threatened with military coups and regime change.

Emperor Trump bluntly declared he is taking over Greenland, Canada, Mexico, Panama Canal, Gaza, without any words of condemnation and resistance from the world. Even the UN has lost its voice. The evil American Empire is on an expansionist path, to take over the world, piece by piece, salami slicing. A term invented by the American propaganda to attack China and used frequently by silly Asean leaders to echo the American narrative. Many smaller states are hoping and praying that it would not happen to them, hiding quietly in the corner hoping not to be noticed. No one dares to open his big mouth to condemn American, western and Israeli aggression against small states.

World War 3 has started and moving your way. Country by country would be taken over. The rest of the world are still sleeping or pretending to be sleeping with some really believe they will not fall victim to the American Empire, with some happily and eagerly waiting to be part of the American Empire.

Countries of the world must unite against the rogue regime in Washington. China, Russia, Iran etc etc must take the lead, call on the rest of the world to be on their side to stop the rogue evil American Empire. Pretending to be neutral, not acting, is not an option. The consequence of a disunited world is to fall victim to the American Empire one by one. Would the rest of the world let Iran be the first to all?

The only good sign, Russia and China have acted by sending forces and weapons to Burkina Faso and Iran. Egypt, Turkey, Iran, China have acted by sending weapons to Pakistan. These are not enough, but a positive sign that countries of the world are waking up to the threat of invasion by the evil American Empire. There is no time to wait and see and hope everything will be fine. It can only be fine if the world is ready to stand united against the forces of evil, the forces of Satan...to stop WW3 from starting.

The American Empire is watching to see how the world reacts to their threats and will be embolden by inaction, by appeasement, by reticent and cowardice, and by a divided world not daring to face the American Empire head on. The American Empire and the Israelis believe in using force and this can only be stopped if the rest of the world are willing to meet force with force. Russia and China are strong enough to take on the Americans and the Israelis and will be stronger with the rest of the world in support.

GE2025 - My two cents worth

My two cents worth thinking about the result of GE2025, which some may disagree.
To call it a landslide win for the PAP is a tad too loud without looking at the quality of the smaller parties taking on the PAP. Their share of votes was just dismal, with two coming out with 1% and 0%. Unheard of and even worse than the two independent candidates. It is a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth. They brought down the share of votes for the opposition, while making the PAP seem soundly supported in every way. It was a cluster of weaker opposition parties that provided the PAP with an improved margin over 2020, nothing more.

To think that the WP made no progress is also quite mistaken. Aljunied GRC came out level as in 2020, while Sengkang improved by about 3% and Hougang gained 1%. And all this came about despite all the demonization of the WP's image over the last couple of years. Elsewhere, the WP has done creditably in Punggol GRC, Tampines GRC and East Coast GRC and almost won Jalan Kayu SMC. WP's share of votes was all well within the 45 to 47% range. This is despite the WP's team running against top ministers and middle level ministers within the PAP ranks. No shame. Give the WP another few years working the ground and the result could be different.

One other point I want to mention is the mantra that crowds at WP rallies do not translate into votes. Are Aljunied GRC and Sengkang GRC not the answers to those questions? How do they fall to the WP? The same is going to happen with elections further down the road, in areas won marginally by the PAP in 2025, especially on the Eastern flanks. Just keep denying the obvious and let the ground move their support.

The other pertinent observation is the two independent candidates doing so well, with one even better than a candidate from a smaller opposition party. That was telling. What this indicates to me is that voters in those two constituencies are looking for a more credible opposition party to contest in the two constituencies, not a less credible opposition candidate doing the rounds.


Anonymous