A sermon from elle

elle(from UK) says: Here is my 2 cents worth. People who dare not speak out are afraid of the judgement of others who may penalise them or at least laugh at them. So how do we cure that problem? (1) To dare to speak out means that you have to be confident of your views, you must know that you are right with your views and that no one will be able to challenge your views. So how can you be sure you have views that no one can challenge? And how do you can you gain such knowledge? God gave you eyes to see. He also gave you a brain to use to analyse the good from the bad. Today, man has given you the tools to learn. It is the Internet. You could easily learn enough to write 10 PhD thesis from the Internet. There are all the libraries available to you on the Internet. All you need is patience, perseverance, and time to learn and to analyse. (This last trait, the ability to analyse, and to have cognisance of all the facts is up to you and may depend on your experience and maturity.) But this Internet university is open and free to all, if you have access to the Internet. Once you know the truth you will want to share your knowledge with others. Imagine being able to find out answers like, (1) Is there a god? (2) Whose god has all the answers? (3) Is that preacher or that Professor telling me the truth? Or does he know what he is talking about? (4) What is a Taoist? or Buddhist? or Christian? or a Jew? or a Muslim? It may take you 10 years of research, but at the end you will know the answers. Now, in the 21st century all this information is available to you, free, and on tap, and it is up to you to find out for yourself. If you care to find out, that is. But people are lazy and want to be spoon fed. Those who want to be spoon fed will never have the cognisance to see the truth anyway so they are a waste of time. SO MY CHALLENGE TO YOU IS; "IF YOU ARE IGNORANT, IT IS YOUR OWN DOING." (2) Now, back to my original article. (By the way I have replied to the author but have not yet received a reply.) Singapore has been a "Nanny State" for too long. It is time the people were weaned from it. That article clearly spells out why Singapore is a Nanny state. Today, Singaporeans must be able to speak out, discuss, and learn about the world about them. They have to know the real world, with "warts and all." So that they will know which way they want to go and what is there in the real world. You can only learn that when you can talk freely about it, not guided or controlled discussions. I know, most of the time I have acted as a "Devil's advocate" but I have not acted our of malice. I have wanted to entice more of you to discuss the issues of life, of problems of the world, and how it will affect the lives of people in South East Asia and the future of your children and their children. There I go again preaching a sermon. End off. The above post is in Redbeanforum in the World Affairs section.

To move on or to hold on?

I posted a thread on some of the outstanding angsts that have still to be resolved or waiting for a solution. My friend Wally suggested that it is better to move on as many have done so. That's how life is, and how things should be. Make your noise and move on. The question is, should we or should we not? The media has its own role and function cut out for it. It also has its own agenda and will move on when needed to or to hang on and repeat their stuff for as long as they want it in their own ways. Take the issue of housing prices and welcoming foreigners. The media is not moving on and let the issue pass. The internet allows an issue to be rehashed for as long as the people want them to, and not dependent on the media to support or discard them. The people now has the internet of their own and can set their own agenda for discussion. No one can say let's move on and nothing will be heard anymore. But they can if they want to, by closing down the internet. There is still this prevalent idea that we should go on and welcome more foreigners. Some may support this for good reasons while some are just parroting this view without thinking. In all things, there is always a breaking point when enough is enough, from not enough to excessive and eventually destructive. Just like greed in the US. We all paid the price for it. We started from a swamp, poorly inhabited and needed more people to build this place. We grew and prospered with more people adding to the vibrancy of the island. The question is when is enough, and are we breaching it? How many more can we take before the seams burst? This brings me back to the white mice theory. One mouse or several mice in a cage will quickly multiply when there is enough space and food. But if not managed, they will soon over multiply and strain the limited space and resources. The sad ending is that when food and space are scarce, they will fight and eat each other up. How far are we from reaching this point in our immigration policy and welcoming of foreigners? When will welcome turn into frown and disgust? And when will the newcomes find it tough here and turn against their hosts, demanding for their share? We are no longer an unpopulated swamp. We are one of the most densely populated little piece of rock on earth. We are pushing the limits and the limits will be hit as a matter of time. So don't anyhow just say have more foreigners, increase the population for more economic growth. The economic numbers may be admirable. But there is a social and political cost. Should we move on when issues are affecting us and stuck with us, or we pretend and see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing, and all will pass? We are not talking about celebrities and the type of clothes they wear.

Time to recollect the unsettled issues

Nothing heard of the high motor insurance premium anymore. Or people are busy trying to find a solution in their wet dreams? Then the fear of being hospitalised by an expensive sickness and being bankrupted by the helfty hospital bill. Maybe the fear is no longer there and everyone has accepted the fact that this is it. Or people have found alternative solutions, not to be hospitalised when that day comes. The jailed CPF money in the hundreds of thousands per person, almost untouchable. CPF holders must have resigned to this fact. And the surging prices of public housing. But many will be jumping in joy. Huat ah! Good to many and bad to a few. So it is ok to let the prices go sky high. These are some of the issues that need to be taken out from the cupboard for airing now and then. Or else Rip Van Winkle will go back to sleep. Oh I almost forgot. The PR and foreigner issue. I am waiting to here from some elected representatives of the people to say something in defence of the citizens rather than the foreigners. Come to think of it, none have actually come out with such a stand. I may be wrong but still scratching my head trying to recall if there was any.

Robbery or theft in paradise?

Oct 26, 2009 Family on camping trip robbed By Muhd Nurluqman A FAMILY on a camping trip was robbed on Oct 24 at the southernmost point in Sentosa. The family of eight had pitched a tent at the small islet at around 8.30pm and realised that three bags that they had placed inside the open tent were missing a couple of hours later. The above was posted in Singapore Kopitiam. I think it was taken from a press report and Muhd Nurluqman is a reporter or sort of. The question is whether the family was robbed or the bag was stolen when they left it inside their tent. To be robbed is pretty serious in this island paradise. On the other hand petty theft can still occurred if one is careless with one's belonging and tempting the thief to be.

Singaporeans are crazy!!!

This post is not about being anti foreigners or PRs. It is about the crazy or mad people in Singapore. Everyday we are listening to sermons and lectures about how to take good care of foreigners, make them happy, accommodate them and welcome them into our lives. We need to be good, be kind and be generous to them, or else they will all go away. Singaporeans must not forget that charity begins at home. And for the govt, the first priority is to look after the well being of its citizens. Or is it? Should the priority be reversed and taking good care of foreigners comes first, and Singaporeans second? Enough is enough, and people should stop coddling and embracing foreigners like lovers or their saviours. It is the most stupid bullshit we are being spammed daily. What about us Singaporeans? If MPs think that it is their role to look after foreigners, to spend their precious time on how best to look after foreigners, let the foreigners vote for the MPs.