We are doing just fine

While in the church, the pigs were at their usual selves, gorging at the huge buffet spread. Napoleon looked at the table and at the other pigs and smile. ‘We are doing well, exceptionally well. Everyone agree?’ The rest of the pigs just nodded their heads without looking up, too busy feeding themselves and no time, no interest in anything else. Their hands were full, their mouths were full, their pockets were full, life was really good.

‘Oh about those noises that you heard, just tell them to live within their means and don’t over indulge in anything they can’t afford. Tell them space is a problem and flats will be smaller. We need the space for another 5 millions to ensure the buffet table is full all the time. There is no need to farce about that. We will design the small flats so well, cost a bit more money though, that they will not know the difference. In fact their quality of life will definitely not be affected. And tell them to walk, good for them. A Brompton bike is the Rolls Royce of all bicycles. Good for the bottom and riding on it for hours would not feel the strain. The bottom will feel just as good and happy. With such excellent bikes there is no need for cars. Advise them that cars are too expensive for them. Tell them to be prudent. And make sure they don’t squander away their CPF. Someone work on this, make sure their CPF savings are put to good use, for their own good.’

Nobody said anything. They continued gorging with the food, endless food and endless choices. Life was good, damn bloody good. 

Now who is complaining? Anyone not helping themselves with the buffet or not invited to the buffet only got themselves to blame, when the best will get the best. From each his best and to each his needs. Some need more, some need less.

History repeating itself

When 14 Chinese landed in Diaoyutai, a Chinese island, they were arrested by the Japanese coast guards. And Japan retaliated by allowing 14 Japanese to land at the island to plant the Japanese flags. And China is as helpless as before, like in the19th and early 20^th centuries when Japan violated China proper. And what could China do? The old China govt protested vehemently. So did the old Chinese of yesteryears. That did not stop the Japanese from encroaching and seizing more and more concessions and land from China, including war damages.

The Chinese govt and the Chinese people today are protesting like their past govt and past Chinese over this recent incident. And the Japanese continue to violate Chinese territories and refused to return the islands they conquered from China. History is repeating itself all over again. Would the ending be the same, with the Chinese rubbing their backside and walk away, humiliated by the Little Japan?

Protests have broken up in many Chinese cities to boycott Japanese goods. No protest from Taiwan and the Chinese diaspora yet. It is acceptable for Sinkie Chinese not to join the PRC Chinese as the forefathers of Sinkie Chinese did not come from China, probably from the USA or UK. But how could Taiwan step aside and pretend that it has nothing to do with it? Didn’t it claimed to be the govt of China once, and didn’t it claim to own Diaoyu and the surrounding islands?

It would be quite different if Taiwan and the Chinese across the world boycotted Japanese products like they did during the Second World War. It would be better if the Koreans also join in the boycott. The result this time would then be very different. Though China is good enough to deal the Japanese a bloody nose, it is restraining itself for the time being. If the Japanese continue their foolishness, this time China should exact a replica of the 21 Demands from the Japanese, plus interests.

Would there be a worldwide boycott of Japanese goods by Chinese around the world? No need to count on Sinkieland.

Another way to deal with the Japanese farce is to let 40 fishing boats from China and Taiwan to sail to Diaoyu. China and Taiwan would then send a fleet of coast guard ships to prevent those in the fishing boats to land on Diaoyu, but land they would with the coast guard boats doing a big wayang. But they must approach fully armed and ready for battle with the Japanese coast guards.

Just a photograph for viewing pleasure

A miracle happened

Yes, I was told a miracle happened last week. Many were living witnesses to this one in 2000 years event. I was told that someone died. Everyone knew about it but would not say it out. But news spread like wildfire through words of mouth and the new media, twitter etc. It was the biggest open secret. It was no hoax.

He died and was resurrected on the third day! Then again no one was there to witness the resurrection. Then he walked into a big party to the surprise of everyone. And it put to rest all the doubting Thomases and the disbelievers, he has risen and was seen by many. 

He is the One. He has come. The second coming is here. Go forth and spread the good news. The One shall henceforth live forever.

Happy Hari Raya Aidilfitri to everyone

Wanton killings of Chinese by White Americans

Readers if you have other knowledge of white people's atrocities and killings against Chinese people in other parts of the world please add in to this blog.


August 13, 2012, 5:00 am12 Comments
Picturing the Remnants of Anti-Chinese Violence
By DAVID W. CHEN

Many people try to pay homage to historic sites by preserving or taking stock of whatever remains. Tim Greyhavens, a photojournalist from Seattle, wants to highlight a slice of history by challenging his audience to fill in the blanks.

For a new online project, Mr. Greyhavens pinpointed, based on records and interviews, the locations of dozens of anti-Chinese incidents in the American West that occurred more than 100 years ago. After traveling to those locations, he then photographed whatever exists there now.

The exhibit offers an entry point into a little-known and ignominious chapter of ethnic cleansing in American history that, viewed more than a century later, seems stunning for the sheer breadth and brazenness of racially motivated violence.

From the mid-1800s until the early part of the 20th century, towns up and down the Western Seaboard, stretching into Wyoming and Colorado, lashed out against Chinese immigrants by rounding them up, often at gunpoint, and kicking them out. Dozens were killed and injured, and houses were set on fire.

Sometimes, the aggressors — who included mayors, judges and businessmen — acted out of economic fears. Sometimes, they acted out of cultural fears. But the Chinese also fought back, filing lawsuits and organizing boycotts, among other means. Yet much of that history is now largely unknown, even in the places where the violence transpired.

But instead of depicting that violence, Mr. Greyhavens opts for a minimalist approach. There are no people in his photos. No historical markers noting that thousands of Chinese immigrants were expelled or killed. Just frame after frame of seemingly mundane rail yards, downtown intersections, industrial zones and more, in the hauntingly titled exhibit, “No Place for Your Kind.”

“I wanted these photos to represent that all these people had been removed,” Mr. Greyhavens said in an interview. “Here’s something where time has passed, and what was there before was just gone. How do you represent something that’s not there? And what is there that can possibly be visually interesting, especially in these dull urban landscapes?”

Mr. Greyhavens began his project in 2008, when he stumbled upon a reference to a place called “Chinese Massacre Cove” in Hells Canyon along the Oregon-Idaho border. After reading up on the events, he began to “notice parallels between what happened then. and what is taking place in our country right now,” he explains in the exhibit. “Both periods are marked by a widespread lack of understanding of other cultures.”

The project’s name comes from a newspaper article from the time, describing one of the incidents. A map of the Western United States serves as an index, allowing viewers to click specific locations and read short historical summaries.

The clearest juxtaposition between past and present is his entry for Eureka, Calif., which offers images from 2011 and 1885 of Eureka’s former Chinatown. Mr. Greyhavens’s favorite photo, perhaps, depicts the only surviving home from a former Chinatown in Rock Springs, Wyo. Tensions between white and Chinese mine workers at the Union Pacific coal mine led to the destruction of 79 homes owned or occupied by Chinese.

“There is nothing about that picture that says, ‘Oh, I want to live there, even now,’ ” said Bob Nelson, museum coordinator of the Rock Springs Historical Museum, who assisted Mr. Greyhavens. “It just needs to be recognized, so it never happens again. People knew about it here, and they’re embarrassed, and I think they’re trying to atone.” 


PS. More details of the atrocities committed by the White Americans are posted in www.redbeanforum.com under the same heading in the World/International Affairs column.

Apathy, disinterest or a case of empty heads

There appears to be a closure to the cleaner woman case against the PM on the requirements to call for an election when an MP vacated his seat during his term of his office. After a long wait and full of anxiety, the case ended like being doused with a pail of cold water. The Judge Pillai ruled that there was no need for the PM to call for a by election to fill an empty MP seat. It is the PM’s absolute discretion when to hold it and can actually delay and not holding it at all. And it seems that this is final and, other than getting the law amended, that’s it.

From a layman’s point of view, there appears to be many loopholes in the judge’s interpretation of the law. But layman’s opinion does not mean anything to the court. The thing is whether the legal profession see anything wrong with the judge’s interpretation of the law or fully agree that the brilliant judge’s ruling is clinically perfect, flawless? If this is the reason, then no one can find fault with the law and the legal fraternity. But if it is a case of apathy, disinterest, not my business, or full of empty heads, then it is a sad ending.

Nothing of this case was heard till this morning when Elgin Toh wrote his commentary in the ST. He dealt with the legal and political implications and consequences of the ruling. The ruling that the PM has absolute discretionary power when to hold a by election is as good as saying no by election, and no MP for the constituents if he so decided. Definitely this must not be the intention and spirit of the law. And political expediency would mean that the constituents may have to go about their affairs without an MP which is unsatisfactory and undemocratic.

The basis of a democratic system is to have an elected representative of the people to be in parliament to be their spokesperson, to speak on their behalf and to cast votes on their behalf. In reality the last bit is of course a myth as MPs normaly do not ask their constituents on how to vote. They vote according to the dictates of their parties.  But this must not rob the people of their right to have a MP of their choice in parliament. The ruling implies that a PM can deny the people this right, albeit indirectly and irresponsibly.

Then again, if the view of a lawyer MP is right, the election is to elect a govt, and when a govt is in place, having or not having an MP is superfluous, secondary, not necessary. Is this really the spirit and intention of the constitution on election laws?

Would there be further discussions from the elite and the brilliant and learned counsels trained in law, and politicians who believe in democracy and democratic processes on this matter? Getting the constitution amended to patch up this hole or anomaly is as good as fat hope under the current political climate.

The silence, the fait accompli, seems to suggest that this matter is closed, or not important or relevant to worth further discourse from our thinkers and elite. Hopefully Elgin Toh’s probing article would stimulate some interest and a new enlightenment in this election law, in the constitution and in practice.