May Day

I have been following the election so closely by being physically there and lapping up all materials available that it has taken its toll on me. I have no time to write. It is such a heavy responsibility bestowed upon me. No one can say they know until they have done due diligence. Add on the years of doing these things and you can say I am a veteran. Come on, this is better than the World Cup - close to home and once every 4-5 years.

What is May Day? It is an international radio signal used by air crafts and ships in distress. It is used with voice radio transmission when in serious danger. Morse uses an SOS in lieu but Mayday is transmitted on guard frequency. The pilot is required to repeat the word "Mayday" thrice followed by the call sign then the nature of distress and the intention with aircraft or ship position.

This call sign originated in 1923 - a senior radio officer in London Frederick Mockford was asked to think of a word to indicate distress which must be easily understood by all. At the time, most air traffic was between London and Paris so he suggested "Mayday" which in French is "m'aider" short for venez m'aider which basically means "come help me". It is one thing to hear this when watching a movie and another when you are on board that ship or plane.


First Of May


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gewTWM6fH0


Let me share with you this lovely song from the Bee Gees. Many of us would have sung it umpteen times. ...when we were small Christmas trees were tall but now we are tall and Christmas trees are small...and you don't ask the time of day. As we grow we see things differently. Things have change. Success brings new problems. Ah Changes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcWfpPgeAP4

The other May Day is the First of May, synonymous with International Workers' Day aka Labour Day, a public holiday for most countries. It originated from a fight for an eight hour work day. It originated from Australia when they achieved victory for improved employee rights. We all work for a livelihood - rich or poor. Some have more perks and others more hardship.

All people who work make tremendous contribution to self, family and nation and I speak for homemakers too. Honour thyself. You deserve it. The world does not move or improve without you. Yet as we do so, we can get tired, perplexed and stressed out mentally, physically and spiritually. We are stretched. That is why Jesus said: "Come to me all ye who labour and I shall give you rest." Rest we must but we have to slog again. This May Day I honour all of you - each and everyone of you! Remember the worker. This May Day I was able to visit Election Rally sites on several occasions.


These few pix were at opposition rallies.

I have been attending rallies since the 80s when I watched then PM Lee at Finlayson Green. Back then opposition do not have many good candidates.

Today's opposition candidates could connect very well with the people. They are not disgruntled folks with a personal vendetta. They are well educated. They are more like you and me, a neighbour, a relative, a colleague, a friend. They have a real passion and spoke from the heart. They are savvy too.

The electorate has become a lot more sophisticated and savvy too.

Although the crowd has been huge, there are still many who do not take an interest in this education. May be they think they already knew everything. Dr. Goh Keng Swee once said that a minister's ignorance of the subject that he is in charge of greatly exceeds his knowledge of it.

The leaders in the old days were different and I am not just talking politics. Even in the business world, some or many of today's leaders sit in Ivory Towers, planning from a desk looking at data to make decisions. They do not even meet or talk to customers then they make decisions.

Today is another time another place. Even a mascot was unveiled. Like a family day outing.

Dr. Vincent Wijeysingha just after an interview. I found many political candidates are like just turning up for work with their bosses watching while the others spoke from their hearts with passion and conviction.

This one is at a PAP rally where PM was talking.















DPM Wong shaking hands with well wishers.













Finance Minister Mr. Tharman in his usual affable self. I like him.













BG Tan greeting well wishers.













PM leaving after his speech.













Mr. Tharman whisking past but stopping to greet.

This May Day allows us time to reflect. Why do we work? We work to earn a living, to learn some skills, to be connected, to exercise our brains, for the family, blah, blah, blah. Then we face a daily bombardment of a world of materialism. We battle against aging and our health. We strive for better finance, better relationships. What else is there? Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Once we have certain things we want to express ourselves more. Inevitable.

As workers work hard for many years, they also have real fears that they do not have enough for old age. By the time they are 55-60 an age for grand fathers, they have to be responsible for their own money. Some may foolishly squandered it but by and large others wish to enjoy the golden age and the twilight of their years. Statistics can tell us we may averagely live up to 75 years of age. Like it or not, some will go earlier before they even reach 65. They want to have most of their money if not all to enjoy the last lap of their lives. The younger generation has to worry at a younger age just by looking at property prices and the rest of us are debating whether it is cheaper to die or go to a hospital and if you die you will still have to hope a priest can come and say a free prayer: "What you see is just the shell, the nut has already gone" because otherwise you may have to pay and get a line to a call centre in India or the Philippines to say the rites.

This May is special because it is election year, month and the week. What better way to crown it than by making Cooling Off Day a national holiday. That way you will not only be cool but you will surely chill. As we grow and share, a beer company could sponsor us with free flow, it cost less than lift upgrading. Besides, everyone will be happy after a few tippers regardless. As if we do not have enough stress, in our hands they placed each man with one vote. That all powerful one vote could cause an incumbent party to fall or an opposition to cruise to victory. A government which most Singaporeans do not wish to loose and an opposition which Singaporeans want to have. Is this not possible? Will both sides treat one another with decorum, respect and dignity and work together for the common good of Singapore regardless of affiliation? Why not? What would be Singapore's political legacy?

Will our government come closer to the people? Can they connect to our young people. Can the government see where the problem is? Will they talk down to people? Can they engage the new, younger generation and embrace the people? It is the same like parents-children relationship. Sometimes there are strains, unhappiness or things get taken for granted. Sometimes, even your own children rebel against you or disobey you and you may feel hurt. Sometimes, they may even say things that hurt you but no matter what they are your children. You want things done for their good but they wanted more independence, more freedom. So you must treat them like a friend. Embrace and connect with them. Do not shoo them away.

I do not know about you but think, cool down and vote wisely. As for me, I lie down with Tears On My Pillow as I ponder over Singapore's future. You have read the papers, watch video clips on Youtube, read articles on the Internet or attended rallies. Some talked about Singapore 50 years from now. Nobody will know what will happen but what we will be like in 50 years time is dependent on what we are doing now. The process will lead to the result. So do the right thing. Do you want a minster out? Do you want to continue without opposition and left with just a whimper? Heavy stuff and if you one are not prepared or one track minded then you are caught in a quandary. If you are in such a situation, start preparing for the next one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqUG6YBgLAw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5foZ7GcH65w


Sparta And Athens

We saw the movie or have read military doctrine based on 300 about Sparta. The other city is Athens both from Greek history. Young children in Sparta were taken away and trained as superior warriors. They select their own leaders and appoint their own king always selecting the best forming their elite. When you watch 300 the movie they were brave - 300 men taking on the entire Persian army. At the end they still crumbled. Athens, meanwhile was a city of great philosophers offering many different schools of thought which helped them to survive. Sparta was brave, very well organised but very brittle. Athens' saving grace was their very diverse thinking.

My hope is for Singapore to not only survive but do exceedingly well for the longest time till kingdom comes in a very civil way which will make us proud. I have always say that when you cut me open, the blood that spills is red and white in droplets of a crescent moon and five little stars that will form into a little red dot. I believe there are many like me out there. In whatever we do, make sure that it is never divisive. All Singaporeans know our government is good. We know our own father is very good too but sometimes our father can make mistakes in trying to do good or may be he could get swindled, cheated or have other misdemeanors despite his years of experience and wisdom. Or a person might change.

The Pledge

Always remember the Singapore Pledge. It is easy to say it from the head by memory since we do it since young. To say it with a clenched fist to the heart and let every word resonate within you and mean it and do everything in accordance to it is another thing. That means that in everything you do, listen to the pledge and adhered to it. Word for word. Deeply etched.

"We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for the nation."

Simple yet profound. Do not deviate from it one bit.

Osama

May has become a very interesting month. Might as well be. After this, the holidays dry up. There was this big news about Osama. The bread seems to have been buttered on both sides. If you are a news anchor you may need a double confirmation because you get the name wrong as Obama then you get a different kind of trouble.

Thinking he has been living in some caves when he is living in a large house flanked by a golf course in Pakistan. He would have been a single handicapper. Look at the golf course.


http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2011/5/1/osamas-pakistan-cave-had-a-golf-course.html


This May is special. May the best man wins and let all Singaporeans come together as one. We had better learn to help and take care of and love one another. Do not do dastardly things to one another even the smallest ones despite our disagreement. The world firstly watch how we treat our own and each other.

Now that is first world. Remember the pledge and how it originated. Get back to basics and not forget our roots by drifting too far away. Success is always good but at what price? 7 May. Vote wisely. I pray for the right and best outcome.