Singapore Monitor - August
I am not sure if I could give the title as Singapore Monitor anymore because the more I write about issues of life the more I find that wherever you may be, whatever your station in life, whichever period you may be in, however you are, we the human race are always in the same boat going on a journey but yet instead of pulling together we go in different direction because of pride, ego and selfishness. Not until a super storm that threatens to destroy all asunder on the boat do we wake up and begin to realise we have to overcome together like the Brotherhood of Man. Even if we have the brotherhood of man, there will be someone who will seize power, take all the money and manipulate.
Life is indeed so fragile and unpredictable and we are all subjected to the vagaries of life bar none but yet many live recklessly. An old friend of mine recently read about Robin Williams and said to me that from what he read he saw quite a high percentage of the personality in me. I was wondering if they were good or bad then he mentioned "melancholic", one of the descriptions. Melancholic means saddening or depressed. We are all subject to mood changes. Some have wild mood swings, others may just wake up and do not feel happy for no reason. Perhaps its aging, maybe it is menopause, andropause or you just really needtopause. Tired?
I told him I am not melancholic but sanguine which means cheerful, optimistic, hopeful and confident.Please see a previous article (highlight, right click and click open link):
http://gforce-guru.blogspot.sg/2014/08/the-four-temperaments.html
Therefore, I think I should just call it "Current Affairs". Do not be mistaken about the word though as there was a real case of an idiot who was having an affair overseas and he went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a complaint.
CPF
Just recently, PM made a National Speech where he clarified about the situation and I mostly agreed with his assessment which was what I wrote that when I spoke to people most do not comprehend fully what is was about. Now we know PM can sing as he then broke out into a song, just two phrases and our CPF minimum sum went up $6k to $161K. Powerful. But then it was a lovely song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwoft2Hlafk
In the past, I thought we used to explain such policies very well in advance and with clarity. What happened? It also goes to show people only read what they want to read.
NLB
A book of penguins caused an uproar but have since quietened down. My first thought was what was a theme like that doing in a children's section? If a young child ask you a question say about sex or life and death, are you going to read several books to him or her? No. You should ask the child what he or she thinks about the subject, understand from their level of understanding then you will know how to explain to them up to a certain level. So the books were at the wrong place. Should the library then pulp the books? No, pulping would be like burning books. Parents must decide what they allow their children to read. Better to let people have information and people must educate themselves to be discerning from what they read.
But then again, we have a lot more educated people these days and even the educated got even more educated but do we have a better world today? It is easier to be educated in the engineering and science faculties than for a person to be educated as a person. That is the truth. Without the humanities - the quality or state of being human, without music and entertainment, without the arts without laughter and the appreciation of beauty, human life is but a mundane existence.
Flying In War Zone
Why do airlines not take the responsibility of totalling flying away from any war zone? Even if it costs more. Commercialism? What is of paramount importance? Will it work if an airline announced that they will fly far away from a war zone for your safety therefore, they have to charge more?
Everyone will go to the cheaper airline no matter where they fly. So customers must demand to know more. Everything has a price. Now that something has happened, both airlines and passengers must learn a lesson here.
http://gforce-guru.blogspot.sg/2014/08/the-four-temperaments.html
Therefore, I think I should just call it "Current Affairs". Do not be mistaken about the word though as there was a real case of an idiot who was having an affair overseas and he went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lodge a complaint.
CPF
Just recently, PM made a National Speech where he clarified about the situation and I mostly agreed with his assessment which was what I wrote that when I spoke to people most do not comprehend fully what is was about. Now we know PM can sing as he then broke out into a song, just two phrases and our CPF minimum sum went up $6k to $161K. Powerful. But then it was a lovely song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwoft2Hlafk
In the past, I thought we used to explain such policies very well in advance and with clarity. What happened? It also goes to show people only read what they want to read.
NLB
A book of penguins caused an uproar but have since quietened down. My first thought was what was a theme like that doing in a children's section? If a young child ask you a question say about sex or life and death, are you going to read several books to him or her? No. You should ask the child what he or she thinks about the subject, understand from their level of understanding then you will know how to explain to them up to a certain level. So the books were at the wrong place. Should the library then pulp the books? No, pulping would be like burning books. Parents must decide what they allow their children to read. Better to let people have information and people must educate themselves to be discerning from what they read.
But then again, we have a lot more educated people these days and even the educated got even more educated but do we have a better world today? It is easier to be educated in the engineering and science faculties than for a person to be educated as a person. That is the truth. Without the humanities - the quality or state of being human, without music and entertainment, without the arts without laughter and the appreciation of beauty, human life is but a mundane existence.
Flying In War Zone
Why do airlines not take the responsibility of totalling flying away from any war zone? Even if it costs more. Commercialism? What is of paramount importance? Will it work if an airline announced that they will fly far away from a war zone for your safety therefore, they have to charge more?
Everyone will go to the cheaper airline no matter where they fly. So customers must demand to know more. Everything has a price. Now that something has happened, both airlines and passengers must learn a lesson here.
Pink Dot
Most of us have friends, relatives who are gay or lesbian. They can be better people than other regular straight men or women. Many are very talented people as well. No one should discriminate them in anyway. That would be an injustice. The West have long ago been championing such a lifestyle to get a voice and be accepted, then same sex marriage and later child adoption. The argument continues if these things are nature of nurture. I leave this to your own findings and conclusion.
The most important thing is firstly despite our differences, we are still Singaporeans. We can agree to disagree. Just like any other political views. We can't agree all the time. However, before we join any group or support certain causes, we must know perfectly what they are all about and what is the real agenda. Not just in this bit other kind of groups of movements. For example some terrorist leaders are having a ball of a time in a foreign countries surrounded by women, sipping wine and champagne eating caviar while you are killing yourselves silly. If we could not be united as a nation, we shall surely fail and fall. All the king's horses and all the king's men could not put humpty dumpty together again.
Sungei Road
If you talk to different people, you will get different views. Some say that there is no love lost as it really is a thieves' market but I grew up to like the place for its uniqueness. I remember following my dad there when I was very young and the Sungei Road laksa was doing business on a push cart. Another one bites the dust.
Fishball Stick
Life is a conundrum. If you throw anything you get caught and you get a fine for a few hundred dollars and may have to do Corrective Work Order. Another threw a fish-ball stick and suddenly a municipal office is born. Thanks to the inconsiderate fellow for his disgusting habit for helping provoke a decision and provide a solution. Warning! Please note that you should not go around throwing things.
ALS
I hated ALS because it was the old name of ERP as it was then known as Area Licensing Scheme. The latest ALS charitable acts have people from all over the world including many famous persons following suit. Nothing wrong if you have participated for a good cause. There are many other charities in need of your help and I do not like to follow. My way would be the Patrick Stewart way. Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju5VxyM3S4o
Also read this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-kosinski/icebucketchallenge-why-yo_b_5656649.html
Write a cheque, similar bucket of ice, get a glass and fill it with several ice cubes, pour some whisky or vodka and bingo! The water can be saved as it is a precious resource. Others are dying without water. Spare a thought. It is always not how much you give or what you give but to let others know and feel that someone still cares. Charity need not always be big mega projects. When you show a kind act when no one is watching that is charity. Charity is love. If everyone does a little on their own each day and each opportunity it is a big thing. Someone who receives a loving act or kindness will pass it on.
There was an old man who was walking on a stretch of beach one morning and from a distance he saw what looked like a woman dancing on the beach. As he got close, he could see that the woman was picking up star fish left stranded on the sandy beach and throwing them back into the sea and so he enquired: "What you are doing". The lady replied: "The sun is coming up and the tide is going out so I have to throw them back into the sea or they'll be stranded". "But the beach stretch for miles and there a thousands of them, it does not make a difference" the old man said. The lady smiled, picked up another star fish and as she tossed it back into the sea said: "This one does!"
Israel v Hamas Or Whoever Is Fighting
There are always two sides to a story and there will always be biased and prejudiced people. In a war there will always be propaganda. I am not here to tell you who is right or who is wrong. A war that has gone on and off for so many years, there will be wrongs on both sides. In every country, every race or religion even among people in the same nation or same race but different dialects there will be good and bad people. You can read for yourselves stories from both sides so I will not elaborate neither do I want to pick a side.
In a war nobody wins. Only the people who quite often create a war are laughing. We can use money to build schools and hospitals or use it to buy rockets and weapons. Never teach our children hatred for they are the future. I am glad that there is a ceasefire now and hope that it lasts. What both sides need are leaders who have to courage and people who are tired of the ravages of war and say enough is enough. If the young in Palestine and Israel can take such a stand then there is hope for the future. 180,000 people died in Syria but few people said anything. ISIS are killing innocent people. All the violence is sickening regardless of which nation you belonged to or what religion is your faith. All these are all about the politics, money and power. Do not be hoodwinked by any propaganda. God tell you this and that. If you believe in God then he must be a supreme and good God. Then he shall not ask you to kill. The world should come together as one and find a solution on the ISIS situation. If we don't and it spread it is like allowing Hitler to grow.
It is here that I remembered John Lennon when he said "Give Peace A Chance": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhyiqGIJQus
But the greatest is Lennon's Imagine:
Imagine there are no countries. It isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one. I hoep someday you'll join us and the world will live as one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju5VxyM3S4o
Also read this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-kosinski/icebucketchallenge-why-yo_b_5656649.html
Write a cheque, similar bucket of ice, get a glass and fill it with several ice cubes, pour some whisky or vodka and bingo! The water can be saved as it is a precious resource. Others are dying without water. Spare a thought. It is always not how much you give or what you give but to let others know and feel that someone still cares. Charity need not always be big mega projects. When you show a kind act when no one is watching that is charity. Charity is love. If everyone does a little on their own each day and each opportunity it is a big thing. Someone who receives a loving act or kindness will pass it on.
There was an old man who was walking on a stretch of beach one morning and from a distance he saw what looked like a woman dancing on the beach. As he got close, he could see that the woman was picking up star fish left stranded on the sandy beach and throwing them back into the sea and so he enquired: "What you are doing". The lady replied: "The sun is coming up and the tide is going out so I have to throw them back into the sea or they'll be stranded". "But the beach stretch for miles and there a thousands of them, it does not make a difference" the old man said. The lady smiled, picked up another star fish and as she tossed it back into the sea said: "This one does!"
Israel v Hamas Or Whoever Is Fighting
There are always two sides to a story and there will always be biased and prejudiced people. In a war there will always be propaganda. I am not here to tell you who is right or who is wrong. A war that has gone on and off for so many years, there will be wrongs on both sides. In every country, every race or religion even among people in the same nation or same race but different dialects there will be good and bad people. You can read for yourselves stories from both sides so I will not elaborate neither do I want to pick a side.
In a war nobody wins. Only the people who quite often create a war are laughing. We can use money to build schools and hospitals or use it to buy rockets and weapons. Never teach our children hatred for they are the future. I am glad that there is a ceasefire now and hope that it lasts. What both sides need are leaders who have to courage and people who are tired of the ravages of war and say enough is enough. If the young in Palestine and Israel can take such a stand then there is hope for the future. 180,000 people died in Syria but few people said anything. ISIS are killing innocent people. All the violence is sickening regardless of which nation you belonged to or what religion is your faith. All these are all about the politics, money and power. Do not be hoodwinked by any propaganda. God tell you this and that. If you believe in God then he must be a supreme and good God. Then he shall not ask you to kill. The world should come together as one and find a solution on the ISIS situation. If we don't and it spread it is like allowing Hitler to grow.
It is here that I remembered John Lennon when he said "Give Peace A Chance": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhyiqGIJQus
But the greatest is Lennon's Imagine:
Imagine there are no countries. It isn't hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one. I hoep someday you'll join us and the world will live as one.
http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/john-lennons-imagine-made-into-a-comic-strip/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRhq-yO1KN8
The world does not need more successful people. The world really need peacemakers, healers, restorers and lovers of all kinds. We need to restore your faith in humanity:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=580103812111306&set=vb.253878101400547&type=2&theater
We are just talking animals. Shouldn't we be as kind to humans? In this world there exists many factions. People are greedy and selfish by nature. When you have the wrong type of leaders, they manipulate and sacrifice you for their personal needs. So be extremely careful when you pick your leaders or when you support a certain cause. The saddest thing is when you become a pawn on the chess board. Be watchful at all times.
Let me share with you Balthasar Gracian:
Watchfulness is the only guard against cunning. Be intent on his
intentions. Many succeed in making others do their own affairs, and unless you
possess the key to their motives you may at any moment be forced to take their
chestnuts out of the fire to the damage of your own fingers.
Damaging fingers is one thing. If the fingers are your lives? Or your family's?
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