My take (or rather, Talkingcock.com's take) on the Mid East Crisis

from talkingcock.com

lip
ranting

I am Singaporean

Watch the new movie by Colin Goh... Singapore Dreaming, out on September 7th.

lip
ranting

I am a responsible boy

Those who know me know that I have a little leftover from my Christianity days in my wallet - a little card with "I am a responsible boy" on one side, and "I am a responsible girl" on the other.

So on this card, it reads:

1) The parents of my girlfriend place their trust in me, I will not violate it.

2) I will respect my girl friend as I expect other men to respect my sister.

3) I will respect womanhood because my mother is a woman.

4) I will not ask my girl friend to do nothing that I would be ashamed of if my mother found it out.

5) My gf has given me honour and pleasure to her company

6) It is wrong for me to expect more in payment for this date

7) my gf will be a wife and mother some day. She must be an example to her children and the pride of her husnband. I will help her to be as pure and decent as I want my own wife to be.

8) Manhood means strength of character as well as body. Lack of self control is a sign of weakness. I want my gf to know I am manly.

9) God is everywhere, sees everything, knows everything. Darkness may hide me from people, but it cannot hide me from God.

Some points: Ignore point number 9, because frankly, I don't really want any religious or biased views. In fact, the current debate over PMS (pre-marital sex), (not pre-menstrual stress), is mainly the conservative Christians versus the liberals. Well, the conservative Chinese are in the Christian corner as well, but throwing religion into this debate is just like throwing eggs at me. - messy and useless.

So it is with some interest that I observe the contents of my wallet today. A leftover from my 14 year old days, together with a square consumer good manufactured from latex in India. (which of course, has remained in there for a very very long time. My roommate gave it to me:).

After being in America for sometime now, I realise that there is something magical about putting 17-19 year olds together, away from home for extended periods of time. You start hearing groans and creaks from above your dorm, and shouts and (shhhhhh) sounds from right next door (personal experience). And the entire college dorm environment is just sooo... convenient for quickies - closet -check, room, -check, classroom -check (at night). Especially with free booze and frat parties and you have the classic ingredients for an episode of girls-gone-wild or college-drunk-parties.com. And what makes it even more acceptable is that it is SOOO prevalent, and going by the "fitting-in" culture of college life, everyone just starts accepting and stop criticising.

Which brings me to a very interesting point about PMS. Many people are still against it, but then, they gradually start accepting it, with pressure from friends, bfs, - you know, the hey, why are you so uptight? and so uncool?... and frankly, I don't know where I stand on this issue anymore.

Maybe it's the male thinking. A hard to ignore (pardon the pun), extension to your body that just sticks out (really really pardon the pun) and is so obvious. (okay now, stop it). After all, the abundance of porn and the internet means that guys jerk off at least once a day (Admit it). So they start wondering what sex is like, and what it's all made out to be.

Gone are the days where people wait till they get married. Frankly, I'm a realist. I don't expect my future wife to be a virgin. That's a commodity that's as rare as a good voice from me. And with the current "Sex-sells" catchphrase in marketing and on MTV today, you're going to find younger and younger children who know about sex - hell, last I read, some 11 year old in Britain was already having sex with her 12 year old bf.

And so you brag to your friends about it. (isn't that what all guys do). but what if you really really love someone? Would it cheapen a relationship? Some say PMS makes a relationship stronger. Others say it doesn't. Frankly, I believe in the latter - after all, if you spend all the time having sex, very soon, u're not going to enjoy walks by the beach, or swimming in the pool. All you're going to want to do is to just have sex 24/7, or until it drops off.

So it's not healthy for a relationship or is it? I don't know. Married couples have sex because there is a strong trust and respect already in place. In PMS, the respect is lost, and the girl doesn't trust anymore. That makes for a lousy marriage in my opinion, and would be gone faster than Rachel and Ross's marriage.

So what is it? That guy wants sex- and also wants to respect the girl. The girl doesn't -but wants to prove she loves the guy. Where is this tit for tat, pull and shove going? Nowhere. The best cure I can think of for all American college kids is to place them in military bunks -12 to a room. Then, they'll just find a broom closet to have sex in.

On another note - went swimming in a german public pool yesterday. Couples making out in front of Children in the pool - GOD, i don't wanna know what's in the water. And Danya (my colleague's child) is very very cute. It's amazing how children can be so irritating at 10 years old (my brother) when they're family, and so adorable when they're not.

Then again, children is a blog topic to be put on hold - till I'm 25 at least:). Wait a moment, I already have a draft :-).

lip
ranting

Absolute 2006

Because I have to do this.



lip
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Singapore - Thoughts

I had an interesting discussion this morning with my colleague on Singapore. In brief, she's a German lady married to a Singaporean. It was an interesting debate on the Singapore school system that started my train of thoughts - about how she moved away from Singapore because her daughter needed to go to school, and the Singapore school system is too restrictive and too competitive. Of course it is.

That's why we have scholars. And thats why we have the PAP.

Singaporeans don't get a chance to think much. By that, I mean independent expression of their own ideas. Most of our thoughts are curtailed by the government - in its quest to keep dissenting voices down, the school system has suffered, changing from one which children have vivid imaginations and can argue and think critically, to one where rote learning and memory work is valued over creativity and critical thinking. Result: A society where there are invisible boundaries for each and every single citizen - where no one bothers to voice their opinions because of the climate of fear - fear of prosecution (aka mrbrown), fear of being ostracised... Just plain fear.

Of course - The PAP will say - HEY! We allow dissent (with conditions a: That it is within the party, b: that you don't air your views to the media to show PAP solidarity and c: you better listen to those people who have the surname Lee).

Then again, when I read in the Sunday Times FRONT PAGE - about the PAP secretary general Lee Hsien Loong at a PAP gathering, I wonder why party news is in a National Newspaper. And the headline reads- BATTLE BEGINS NOW FOR NEXT POLLS, SAYS PM.

PM. Not secretary General of the PAP. PM. PM Lee Hsien Loong.

And poor Sylvia Lim, a Temasek Polytechnic Lecturer, can only air her party opinions in Worker's Party newsletter. Then again, SPH may just be the publishing arm of the PAP - A BIG party newsletter publisher.

Called the Straits Times.

Excuse me while I puke over my computer.

And a few pages in, is an article on Mr. Li Hongyi, who garnered a PSC scholarship to study at MIT. Excuse me. Why do we need to know about this certain Mr. Li Hongyi? Oh!!!! He's the PM's SON!!!! Of course the party needs to know about him wayyyy before he ever enters politics - it's the party newsletter after all!

I'm disgusted and sick of Singapore. Be sure, I'm going to vote WP in 2011. And if I ever earn enough money, so I can pay my lawyer fees when I get sued for defamation, I will join the opposition:)

This is what happens when the government allows critical thinking and dissent only among the top 2% of the population. You get a body of drones working, and the top minds leave Singapore.

At last count - 15000 Singaporeans studying abroad (according to Confluence 2006). And I bet you, not all 15000 are going back to the Sunny Island we call... Home.

lip
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Free Music on the Internet

This blogger is posting free albums online for downloads. While I'm against music piracy (seriously I AM! All my albums are bought off BMG or amazon)=p, I'm not against a little testing...

Hopefully he's based in a country with not so strict piracy laws, like Sri Lanka, or DPRK.

Good luck to you.

lip
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After Minister's sons become pre-enlistees

According to ICA, on average, 100,000 pre-enlistee passport holders have their passports extended annually.

To avoid this inconvenience and cost, MINDEF has decided to remove passports-controls for these NS-liable males and allow them to be issued with passports of full validity.

This means, pre-enlistee passport holders will no longer need to renew their passports once every 1 or 2 years. - CNA /dt

Seriously, a long overdue move my the SG Gov.

lip
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Hello

Haven't updated this site for a week...

Anyway, some new developments: I am currently almost $1k in debt =p. However, I'm surprised and appalled at the Citibank Customer Services. Ok, situation is like this:

1) I have to transfer money between 2 Citibank accounts based in the US. I am in Germany now, and I can't do the transfer online, because I do not have a SSN (Why is this always so necessary), and thus, I have to go to Citibank, swipe my card and enter my pin to transfer money.

2) Now, in Germany, the situation is totally different. There's Citibank GLOBAL Transfer - Catch is, I need to be a US citizen with a US account. *sweat drop*. that's fine, so what are my options?

a) To write a cheque in dollars - and cash it to the said account over here. Fees - Exchange rate fees, + service fees. Not worth it.

b) Wire the money - I need to withdraw cash in Euros - Then all the exchange rate fees will set in... Wtf.....

In short, I'm screwed.

lip
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Sportfrende Stiller

lip
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I am Singaporean..

lip
ranting

54, 74, 90, 2006

1 und 2 und 3 und 54, 74, 90, 2006
ja so stimmen wir alle ein.
Mit dem Herz in der Hand und der Leidenschaft im Bein
werden wir Weltmeister sein

Wir haben nicht die höchste Spielkultur.
Sind nicht gerade filigran.
Doch wir haben Träume und Visionen
und in der Hinterhand nen Master Plan.
Für unseren langen Wege aus der Krise
und aus der Depression,
lautet die Devise nichts wie rauf auf den Fußballplatz

1 und 2 und 3 und 54, 74, 90, 2006
ja so stimmen wir alle ein.
Mit dem Herz in der Hand und der Leidenschaft im Bein
werden wir Weltmeister sein.

Die ganze Welt greift nach dem goldenen
doch nur einer hält ihn fest,
so ist das nun einmal.
Die ganze Welt spielt sich um den Verstand,
doch der Cup bleibt in unserer Hand.

1 und 2 und 3 und 54, 74, 90, 2006
ja so stimmen wir alle ein.
Mit dem Herz in der Hand und der Leidenschaft im Bein
werden wir Weltmeister sein

Beim ersten mal war es ein Hammer,
beim zweiten mal war es Glück,
beim dritten mal der verdiente Lohn
und diesmal wird¢s ne Sensation.

1 und 2 und 3 und 54, 74, 90, 2006
ja so stimmen wir alle ein.
Mit dem Herz in der Hand und der Leidenschaft im Bein
werden wir Weltmeister sein

54, 74, 90, 2006
ja so stimmen wir alle ein.
Mit dem Herz in der Hand und der Leidenschaft im Bein
werden wir Weltmeister sein

(Translated Chorus)
1 and 2 and 3 and 54, 74, 90, 2006
we all join in such a way.
With the hearts in the hand and the passion in the leg
we will be world champions

lip
ranting

Guys versus other Guys

There seems to be some sort of friendly competition going on among guys. It's like it's almost unspoken that each guy will try to better the rest:).

Must be the alpha-male/Neanderthal mentality that still exists in the guy's brain.

lip
ranting

4 more weeks

That's 1 more laundry day.

1 more rent day.

62 more baths.

31 changes of underwear.

6 changes of pants.

4 more grocery days

23 more work days.

and counting down.

lip
ranting

Photos

Took a drive up to a mountain yesterday in an MX5 convertible with my boss. It's interesting to ride a convertible. Rather low, and quite powerful, and quite nice too. I want a convertible.


I have a package from the US:)


Look! It's FOOD!


Spaghetti!

lip
ranting

Devil's Advocate

10 Things the Government has done right:

1) Singapore is ranked #2 in the World Competitiveness Ranking according to the AT Kearney's Foreign Policy Article. Now, Competition means that prices should be low and consumers should be facing competitive prices in the market. Of course, inflation is always present in any economy, so if the Prata Man revises his prices up by 1 cent, then Singaporeans would also have to revise their income up by the same percentage. It's called, "real income" versus "nominal income".

2) In Singapore, 48.5% of the total population is employed. It is ranked 12th in the World in terms of employment vis a vis total population. In the labour market, 3.3% of the population is unemployed, a far cry from the 10 +% in Germany. Now, we are an Asian country, so in comparison to other Asian countries, we are on a comparable standard.

CIA's World Fact Book says:

Singapore, a highly-developed and successful free-market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest West European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP rising by 8% - by far the economy's best performance since 2000 - but growth slowed to 5.7% in 2005.

Now, the citizens complaints:

1) The wage gap is increasing. The Government is "not doing enough" to help the poor in Singapore. To this, there are two questions.

a) Who are the poor in Singapore? Is the poor those able to afford healthcare? Or those who are not able to afford that brand new spanking hi-fi system that your neighbour has?

Response: The government has in place a social welfare system - Medicare, CPF etc. that tries it's darnest to secure the living standard of the retirees. Now, we aren't as poor as people in Africa, but we sure are going to raise hell if one doctor's appointment costs $20% of the monthly budget. And so we have "needs based" financing, and this comes under fire too, because, who are we to draw the line between who is needy and who isn't? Who? A Civil SERVANT? Don't make me laugh. The line has to be drawn, it has to be done by someone, and whether the cut of is 25% or 20%, there will be disgruntled citizens who feel "left out" of "progress".

b) Press Freedom. According to "Reporters without Borders", Singapore is ranked 140th out of 167th countries in the 2005 Worldwide Press Freedom Index.

Response: So we want press freedom. As Lee Hsien Loong said (jokingly I hope, though not in the same "joke" as Mahathir), what if we have more opposition members in Parliament? "Then I have to think of ways to FIX THEM, . . . and this will distract me from my work" (paraphrased). Now, I challenge other citizens, who likes to be wrong? Who likes to be stood up to, and challenged, and debated against? (Maybe Wong Shi Ming), but then again, Asians in general are non confrontational and would rather seek mediation then outright debate. Think whether the American System would work in Singapore. If someone 50 years your elder comes along and gives you advice, you'll be branded a "Fucktard" if you dare stand up against your elder. It's Asian roots, Confucian values etc. etc. In short, PATERNALISTIC GOVERNANCE i.e. I'm smarter than you, so listen to me, Your Father.

And of course, we all knew how Germany and Hitler turned out.

The truth is, Singaporeans hate to lose face. We hate to be proven wrong, and we want to be right in everything we do. That is why my Mum has such a big ego (yes mum, you do), that is why I hate to be judged, that is why Philip Yeo exists, that is why Sim Wong Hoo lost Creative's lead in the Harddisk MP3 player market to Apple. (Remember the Nomad Jukebox?) That is why Aztech lost it's lead in Thumbdrive technology. When on top, Singaporeans get complacent. They get comfortable, and they rest on their laurels.

Of course, I could go into the whole tirade about the Judiciary system and how it affects Singaporean mentality (essentially, a jury system encourages political participation and critical thinking - and the ability to bring a case to court easily would be much better (a value judgement)).

Which is why, I admire people who have the guts, the ability, and the daring to dream big. You call them cocky, you try to put them in their place, but in the end, they follow their big dreams and end up in a place further than you'll ever be in.

So, what does this have to do with Press Freedom now? In a nutshell, everything. The government requires it's aura of invincibility to stay intact, in order to push and cajole the country towards economic progress, and to do that, it requires acceptance of its packages, its price raises, its schemes and "pay-more-everywhere". While the layman points to $125 bn in reserves and wonders why a small bit can't go to him to help offset the inevitable inflation. Economics and public policy is not that easy, and frankly, there will always be dissent in any country. The thing is, while other countries accept dissent, Asian countries in general seem to abhor dissent, and focus on Confucian "harmony". Bullshit.

There will always be dissent. But whether dissenting voices are heard, and whether they influence government policy is another discussion altogether.

Think about the 60s, when the US was embroiled in Vietnem, when Muhammed Ali was against the draft, when there were mass protests in the Universities. Now, I think the students are realised - the government does what it does without giving a shit about what you think. They think they know best, we think we know best, what gives?

So Singapore, loosen up, let the dissenting voices be heard. We all feel better that way, and continue to do the job. Dissent is essentially a "complaint department" of the country, and who doesn't know what Singaporean's favourite hobby is? You say democracy doesn't work, and thus it hasn't been tried out. Well, one day, if the Worker's Party leader Sylvia Lim doesn't screw up as big as Dr. Chee has, then Singapore would be a Bi-party state, and frankly, I would like that to happen - if only to give ordinary Singaporeans a platform to voice their dissent.

Until they realise the government doesn't give a damn to what you think:)

P.S. I'm not participating in Partisan Politics, just expressing my viewpoints on Political Theory and Social Thought =p

lip
ranting

The Government screws up again.

And so we read mr brown's column in TODAY newspaper and a press secretary for MICA (the Ministry of Information, Communication and the arts, Ms. K BHAVANI, drafted a reply that accuse mr brown of being a "partisan player" in politics.

Some quotes:

Our IT plans are critical to Singapore's competitive position and will improve the job chances of individual Singaporeans. It is wrong of mr brown to make light of them.

Lemme see, I know of a few dads who are out of jobs precisely because they went into the IT industry. Furthermore, I'm assuming this was in reference to mr brown's satire about the cashless system embedded in our bodies, which we know is HUMOR. and frankly, if the government screwed up once by asking as to go into the IT sector, they might screw up again. (Biotech sector anyone?)

I've been doing Swiss Market Research, and Singapore is NO WHERE CLOSE to where the Swiss are, and they have hundreds of patents, hundreds of GLOBAL players in the Biotech industry. e.g. Novartis, Phonak and they have Technopark Zurich, Technopark Winterthur, Technologiezentrum Linth and Schaffhausen Industry and Technology Center.

We have autocratic Philip Yeo and Biopolis. Score Switzerland 1, Singapore 0.

Furthermore, that comment on mr brown's autistic daughter is totally insensitive and totally CRAP. I know, these Civil Servants are likely to be PSC scholars, who have no EQ, who skip army and who think they own the whole world. You know what? You are wrong. You may have a high IQ that places you in the top 1% of the world when you are primary 6, but when it comes to the age of 36, the ability to get along with people matters more than how fast you can calculate and how much about the universe you know.

I understand where the government is coming from, with the need to raise living costs and at the same time, maintain its competitiveness in the world AND at the same time, make sure Singaporeans are not left behind. But the action of 1 civil servant just serves to highlight how high handed and how self-righteous these government officials can be. Being a future public servant, I'm ashamed.

And to think my CEO just joined the PAP. No contest in the East elections of course, but mark my words, the younger batch of Singaporeans are fed up with the PAP and LKY style politics. We are educated in the ways of Arendt, Polanyi, Hayek, and other Political Theorist. We have the education and we are not afraid to challenge the government, because the world is our oyster.

So to convince these Singaporeans to stay, these intellectual bourgeosie, and to drive the economy into the 21st century, well, it is time to take a look at the management of the country, to see if the executive is responding to the people's needs, and to be more democratic (which DOES NOT EQUAL CHAOS), and less high handed.

Until then.

lip
ranting

Michigan Football Movie

lip
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How Happy I Am

You Are 92% Happy

It's unlikely that you know anyone happier than you. You know how to be happy, no matter what life throws at you.

How Happy Are You?

Your Love Style is Pragma

You believe love is logical - or at least it should be You've thought a lot about what you want from someone And to say you have a checklist would be an understatement You may even have a plan for how you will fall in love All you've got to do is meet the perfect person!

What's Your Love Style?

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