Michael Petraeus - Angmoh tua kee

 This Polish blogger Michael Petraeus, better known as ‘Critical Spectator’ in TRE, recently stirred up controversy again by making disparaging remarks about everyday Singaporeans. He is so interested in the affairs of Singapore and Singapore's election. Some Singaporeans would flip in front of him because he is a white man. The angmoh tua kee syndrome is very deep in this ex British colonial city state. Anything angmoh is good, big, strong and friendly. The English version of this angmoh tua kee syndrome is called Pinkerton Disease.

I tried to check on this angmoh tua kee and found one of his sites where he claimed a lot of things that he can do, to provide services to companies, company solutions, marketing, advertising etc etc, claiming that he has a lot of working experience and contacts. I checked out his linkedin page. The page is as good as empty although there were some loose messages there. There is no trace of who he is, where he has worked, no past experience and occupation, no companies associated with him, no friends. If he is a business professional, he would be very proud of his working experience, his qualifications, education, alma mater, and the companies he had worked with. All blanks. Perhaps after reading this he may quickly update his personal profile in linkedin to make it more real to the gullible and unwary.

Another telltale sign, he apparently does not work for any company ie unemployed. Where is his source of income? Stationing in this most expensive city state needs a lot of money to survive. With no direct income, why would a Poles be here, and spending time interfering in Singapore politics and the politics of Asia and South East Asia? How could he survive and pay for his living expenses doing sweet nothing?

For people who are cynical or politically aware, this is a typical CIA operator. Only foolish Singaporeans would be easily taken by this angmoh tua kee without wanting to know who he is, what he is and where he is coming from. Or any Pinkerton is a white god, to bow to, and to idolise and to be happily screwed by this angmoh tua kee.

China's J10 C destroys western myth of technology superiority

 The Americans and the West have been bragging and glorifying their superiority in military technology and weapons system. The impenetrable Iron Dome, the 100% kill rate of the Patriot missiles, the invincible THAAD defence system etc etc and the sneering and downplaying of Russian and Chinese weapon systems filled the pages of western media.

The slipper wearing rebel Houthis have demonstrated and destroyed all the American myths about their aircraft carrier task forces, punching holes all over the Israeli Iron Domes and Patriot defence systems, making them a laughing stock. The American aircraft carrier group and the Israeli defence systems were in tatters, letting the drones and missiles, hypersonic missiles, to hit them freely, unstoppable. And Iran too had demonstrated the same about the highly hyped impenetrable Israeli Iron Dome and what David Sling, all doomed to fail. Iran can hit any part of Israel it wants.

Still lying and laughing at other weapon systems and gloating and drunk in American and western weapon and technology superiority? As they said, the test is in the pudding. Only an actual encounter between American and western weapons against the Chinese, Russian, Iranian or North Korean weapon system then the truth will be out. No more hyping and bragging. What is real is real.

The Rafales are claimed to be the best in Europe, in the league of the best American fighter aircraft, built for air superiority. China's 4th gen J10 C is not the best of the PLAAF but as good as any in the western world. But listen to the so called western military experts, the J10 C is nothing compares to western superior fighter jets. India also thought so and bought 36 pieces to counter Pakistan and China. The Indians thought they have the game changer and walking around like a peacock. They immediately flew 4 Rafales to threaten the Pakistanis in Kashmir, thinking the Pakistanis would cower in fear.

Pakistan scrambled two J10 C to intercept the Rafales. The J10 C have longer range air to air missiles and radar system and also electronic jamming system. Before the Rafales knew what was happening, they were detected, their avionics jammed, locked on by the J10 C radar. The Pakistanis could have fired and knock off one or two in the process. The Rafale pilots knew they were done, turnaround and fled. They dared not proceed into Pakistanis airspace.

This was a big embarrassment and disappointment to the Indians, thinking they have paid for the best but really mediocre fighter aircraft and with mediocre weapons and radar systems. The Deputy Chief of Air Force in charge of this mission was immediately fired. The Rafales, the game changer, were defeated even before the war has started. And before this happened, India actually ordered and paid for another 24 of these highly hyped air superiority aircraft. Now, India is furious with the French for selling them duds. Would India cancel the recent order?

As the American and the West continue to encounter Russian, Chinese or Iranian weapons, more embarrassing situation will appear and they will have no where to hide their faces. All their crowing about how great and superior their weapons were, and how primitive and elementary of other weapon systems will come back to smash them in their faces.

The slipper wearing tribesmen of Yemen, the Houthis, are taking on the world's number one military power, the USA, and are still in control of the Red Sea. The American aircraft carriers are afraid to come close to Yemen, staying as far as they could for safety.

Now, who is India going to turn to for game changing fighter jets after their game changer, the Rafales, have proven to be duds? Don't even think of the F35s. These would turn out to be the most expensive duds and likely to be more inferior to the Rafales. Only fools would believe in American hypes to pay through their noses for these F35 duds.

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.