Singapore Mirror - February 2014
Wedding Debt
I read about a $110K wedding. Have you read about the ones where newly wedded couples were already steep in the red, not in the tradition but red in their accounts before they really got started by being carried away with their impressive ceremony being that they are the most important couple for the day? Of course, it is a special day and it deserved to have a bit of grandeur but why would you need a $10k photo shoot in an exotic destination to start with? Will you be staring at it everyday or will it be collecting dust in a store room in the years to come? $2,000 per table at a grand hotel expecting your guests to chip in? Should it not just be invitation to people who are closely related and friends who are warm without thinking about the pay back in hong pao? Such opulence are unnecessary even if you are wealthy but at least if you are wealthy, you just burn a small hole but when you are a wannabe, you simply turn a dream into a nightmare all by yourselves. Be prudent as at the end of the day, your wedding is just between two people. Anything else is pretentious. If you have relatives or friends who judge you by this, then they are not worth having. Spend within your limits so and without debt. Remember it is for the both of you. The greatest gift is to give each other within your means.
Car Park Complimentary Ticket
What was with the lady who got into a frenzy just because the car park complimentary ticket did not work. How much did it cost her such that she refused to move her vehicle which caused a big jam at the shopping mall car park. Did those who ran out of patience came to her and offer to pay for her? May be if you did, your life could be in danger. She was also in danger as she offended so many people they could have flip her car one side. I cannot believe such a thing has happened.
Car Park Complimentary Ticket
What was with the lady who got into a frenzy just because the car park complimentary ticket did not work. How much did it cost her such that she refused to move her vehicle which caused a big jam at the shopping mall car park. Did those who ran out of patience came to her and offer to pay for her? May be if you did, your life could be in danger. She was also in danger as she offended so many people they could have flip her car one side. I cannot believe such a thing has happened.
Anton Casey
He did a needless, thoughtless and stupid thing showing how ungrateful he was and got rightly chided. Just because you have a little sports car, lived in private housing and have a dream job with a certain lifestyle? Increasingly, while their wallets are being lined, they become shallow. He paid his dues and hope he learnt his lesson. The more worrying thing for me is that Anton Casey is just the scapegoat for all the unwanted attention. Actually, there are more Anton Caseys around and even among Singaporeans. Don't believe me? To learn from this episode, we should stop talking about him and start looking at our own hearts and behaviour, seriously.
He did a needless, thoughtless and stupid thing showing how ungrateful he was and got rightly chided. Just because you have a little sports car, lived in private housing and have a dream job with a certain lifestyle? Increasingly, while their wallets are being lined, they become shallow. He paid his dues and hope he learnt his lesson. The more worrying thing for me is that Anton Casey is just the scapegoat for all the unwanted attention. Actually, there are more Anton Caseys around and even among Singaporeans. Don't believe me? To learn from this episode, we should stop talking about him and start looking at our own hearts and behaviour, seriously.
Student Scolded Teacher
In my time, the teachers would slap you and even if they slapped you by mistake, you go back to tell your parents about it, you would have gotten slapped a second time at home. Even our parents whacked us for doing wrong without hesitation. What is happening to our society today? Not easy to be a teacher these days. Parents should do a thorough examination of themselves too how we came to this stage.
In my time, the teachers would slap you and even if they slapped you by mistake, you go back to tell your parents about it, you would have gotten slapped a second time at home. Even our parents whacked us for doing wrong without hesitation. What is happening to our society today? Not easy to be a teacher these days. Parents should do a thorough examination of themselves too how we came to this stage.
Indonesia Warship
There is nothing we can do to what other countries named their warship. It is their sovereign right. Some countries do treat their war criminals as heroes. For me, to come in as civilians and bombed civilian targets was cowardice. What is the difference between this act and that of a terrorist? It is right that Singapore do not keep quiet. In fact, neither should everybody else who are not Singaporeans or from other countries. Hitler did not become who he was in a day. He was emboldened when others kept quiet.
But it if were politics due to the coming elections that is one thing and the Indonesian minister's clarification that there was no ill intention was good. Naming a street Harun or Osman is one thing but warships? Some people may even offer suggestions that they were only carrying out orders of their military general or the President of the time. I would ask you if you were working under a corrupt boss or an accomplice or partner in crime, would you not be charged accordingly even if you were only obeying orders? Were there sinister intentions? When people or countries are more economically successful and if they are big they tend to project their power, to desire a bigger influence or to restore their glory days. Ex German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt was a drafted soldier and it took him 8 years until he understood that he was serving a criminal government. He was never a Nazi and was against the Nazi but he was doing nothing about it. From then when he understood, his life changed. Let us hope that it ends here and cordial relationship can return through mutual trust and respect.
There is nothing we can do to what other countries named their warship. It is their sovereign right. Some countries do treat their war criminals as heroes. For me, to come in as civilians and bombed civilian targets was cowardice. What is the difference between this act and that of a terrorist? It is right that Singapore do not keep quiet. In fact, neither should everybody else who are not Singaporeans or from other countries. Hitler did not become who he was in a day. He was emboldened when others kept quiet.
But it if were politics due to the coming elections that is one thing and the Indonesian minister's clarification that there was no ill intention was good. Naming a street Harun or Osman is one thing but warships? Some people may even offer suggestions that they were only carrying out orders of their military general or the President of the time. I would ask you if you were working under a corrupt boss or an accomplice or partner in crime, would you not be charged accordingly even if you were only obeying orders? Were there sinister intentions? When people or countries are more economically successful and if they are big they tend to project their power, to desire a bigger influence or to restore their glory days. Ex German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt was a drafted soldier and it took him 8 years until he understood that he was serving a criminal government. He was never a Nazi and was against the Nazi but he was doing nothing about it. From then when he understood, his life changed. Let us hope that it ends here and cordial relationship can return through mutual trust and respect.
Road Bullies
We are seeing more of them everyday. I saw video clips of another taxi driver challenging another driver spouting vulgarities, another of a driver and a taxi driver fighting on the road, a few Caucasians cyclists flouting traffic rules and challenging motorists and this under graduate threatening and harassing other road users. He pleaded for his girlfriend and his parents to be left out of it. He has got a point because otherwise threatening his girlfriend and parents over it became cyber-bullying so what difference does it make of the rest? You are angry with him but doing so made you exactly like him. For him and others would be aggressors, think before you act. Whether you are at work, or anywhere else, whatever you say or do will have a cause and effect situation all the time. For every action, there will be reactions. Others can get your family into it inevitably which is something you and only you can control by always behaving in a dignified manner. If you had not started it this would not have happened. Even if he was not attacked on cyber space, his family would also have been dragged into it in different ways. Everyone should simply exercise self-control. Do not say you don't have it or can't. Humans are superior to animals because we have this special gift.
We are seeing more of them everyday. I saw video clips of another taxi driver challenging another driver spouting vulgarities, another of a driver and a taxi driver fighting on the road, a few Caucasians cyclists flouting traffic rules and challenging motorists and this under graduate threatening and harassing other road users. He pleaded for his girlfriend and his parents to be left out of it. He has got a point because otherwise threatening his girlfriend and parents over it became cyber-bullying so what difference does it make of the rest? You are angry with him but doing so made you exactly like him. For him and others would be aggressors, think before you act. Whether you are at work, or anywhere else, whatever you say or do will have a cause and effect situation all the time. For every action, there will be reactions. Others can get your family into it inevitably which is something you and only you can control by always behaving in a dignified manner. If you had not started it this would not have happened. Even if he was not attacked on cyber space, his family would also have been dragged into it in different ways. Everyone should simply exercise self-control. Do not say you don't have it or can't. Humans are superior to animals because we have this special gift.
HPB
Nobody would envy HPB. It is a thankless project where you have to tread carefully. You could offend every religion or you would offend LGBT activists. Either way you loose. Was it spelt out clearly that this was meant to help those who are confused or felt troubled with their sexuality and provided them with the helpline to go to? We all have gay and lesbian friends or relatives and other than their sexual preferences, they are good people, talented people who should rightfully be treated like anyone else without discrimination. It should not be any other way. Some who struggle with their sexuality certainly needed help. However, for HPB FAQ to state that same sex relationship is not too different from a heterosexual relationship " seemed to me that HPB is promoting it. Even a few MPs thought so but the Minister explained it had to be read in context.
There is no neutrality because in trying to be neutral, you may not wish to state a certain point and you will end up looking bad. If it was an innocent error, it just meant that the presentation could have been done clearer and better but I am sure that it must have been approved at various levels before it was introduced and why was the original article's helpline referenced only a hotline run by trained LGBT?
What the HPB need to do is to come out with something more comprehensive and very clear that gives no room for misunderstanding from all quarters. This will unite all Singaporeans regardless of race, language, religion or sexual orientation. This is nothing new and happening around the world in similar fashion and is more like an issue of more freedom or less. Perhaps we can look at Boston, USA and learn something from there. Singapore will have to find it own feet and way. HPB may have created more friction than serve a good purpose. In my opinion, everyone can have a say then more people can see both sides of the coin and decide for themselves what is good.
All government agencies should stay neutral on such issues otherwise it gives the impression that some people with agenda has infiltrated it. Whether it is the public/private or religious sectors, any folks with personal agenda regardless of issues should be carefully watched. This is how the world can quickly changed and things can go wrong. If it is just an innocent slip up (we have been slipping up everywhere recently), then fine. You learn from it and make informed decisions. I mean choice of words can mean different things really. Just look at this:
Nobody would envy HPB. It is a thankless project where you have to tread carefully. You could offend every religion or you would offend LGBT activists. Either way you loose. Was it spelt out clearly that this was meant to help those who are confused or felt troubled with their sexuality and provided them with the helpline to go to? We all have gay and lesbian friends or relatives and other than their sexual preferences, they are good people, talented people who should rightfully be treated like anyone else without discrimination. It should not be any other way. Some who struggle with their sexuality certainly needed help. However, for HPB FAQ to state that same sex relationship is not too different from a heterosexual relationship " seemed to me that HPB is promoting it. Even a few MPs thought so but the Minister explained it had to be read in context.
There is no neutrality because in trying to be neutral, you may not wish to state a certain point and you will end up looking bad. If it was an innocent error, it just meant that the presentation could have been done clearer and better but I am sure that it must have been approved at various levels before it was introduced and why was the original article's helpline referenced only a hotline run by trained LGBT?
What the HPB need to do is to come out with something more comprehensive and very clear that gives no room for misunderstanding from all quarters. This will unite all Singaporeans regardless of race, language, religion or sexual orientation. This is nothing new and happening around the world in similar fashion and is more like an issue of more freedom or less. Perhaps we can look at Boston, USA and learn something from there. Singapore will have to find it own feet and way. HPB may have created more friction than serve a good purpose. In my opinion, everyone can have a say then more people can see both sides of the coin and decide for themselves what is good.
All government agencies should stay neutral on such issues otherwise it gives the impression that some people with agenda has infiltrated it. Whether it is the public/private or religious sectors, any folks with personal agenda regardless of issues should be carefully watched. This is how the world can quickly changed and things can go wrong. If it is just an innocent slip up (we have been slipping up everywhere recently), then fine. You learn from it and make informed decisions. I mean choice of words can mean different things really. Just look at this:
Hidden Good
These days you get to watch more and more videos being uploaded where people set up videos to catch you in "certain situation" and watch how people generally react. For example one has a guy bullying and roughing up another and then they tested the public to see how each reacted. Some just walked away while others intervened. Another has a man posing as homeless who walked into a restaurant and got dismissed by the guy manning the restaurant and they tested how the rest reacted. One has a man harassing a woman or a person of a certain religion or minority race being picked on, a snatch theft situation, etc. Probably some of these are well meaning, to create awareness, etc. but I wonder if people are doing these things for the common good or for their own fame? To get more hits on facebook and youtube?
Silviu Ionescu
It took too long but somehow we know now that Romania has uphold justice and did the right thing. A chapter has been closed. Ionescu merely goes to jail. The damages could not be undone. There were lives lost, injuries and trauma suffered by his victims which cannot be erased in a lifetime. That is how important a person should carry his responsibilities let alone an ambassador. It is not just a serious traffic offence I am talking about. Each and everyone of us in our selfish ways can bring untold misery to others and ourselves in many different ways and many do not realise it till it is too late.
Finally, our police must remember their own slogan like "low crime does not mean no crime". No riot does not mean no riot. Why focus on catching a few foreign workers giving their friends a haircut?
Our Botanic Garden's ponds have dried up. The swans may have evacuated and gone for happy hours elsewhere. We ought to be grateful that we are not in trouble in spite of the dry spell where it has not rain for a month. We have to hope that we will continue to be blessed with great leaders who has the foresight, vision and real leadership to overcome and achieved our survival.
It took too long but somehow we know now that Romania has uphold justice and did the right thing. A chapter has been closed. Ionescu merely goes to jail. The damages could not be undone. There were lives lost, injuries and trauma suffered by his victims which cannot be erased in a lifetime. That is how important a person should carry his responsibilities let alone an ambassador. It is not just a serious traffic offence I am talking about. Each and everyone of us in our selfish ways can bring untold misery to others and ourselves in many different ways and many do not realise it till it is too late.
Finally, our police must remember their own slogan like "low crime does not mean no crime". No riot does not mean no riot. Why focus on catching a few foreign workers giving their friends a haircut?
Our Botanic Garden's ponds have dried up. The swans may have evacuated and gone for happy hours elsewhere. We ought to be grateful that we are not in trouble in spite of the dry spell where it has not rain for a month. We have to hope that we will continue to be blessed with great leaders who has the foresight, vision and real leadership to overcome and achieved our survival.
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