My Life No Important

Google Translate Poem

2011-06-09T01:43:00.001-07:00

To
Ming
The edge
With
Live it
Between
Ears cut magic show bite
Knife
Ordered by calling Table Tennis
Bamboo shoot
Remember
Help
Chau
Play

A
Magic Ear
State
Coffee
State Bar of intestinal
Double
Mountain hundred
Do not mind pouring a few to
The
Shan Mian

Singapore election survey

2011-05-03T04:06:00.000-07:00

Please help and fill out this election survey for the 2011 parliamentary elections. Results will be released after the election:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDBnZ2JfMEFNMkl2aVZVaXdsRHd6cmc6MA

Shadrake on Justice Singapore Style

2010-10-30T03:56:00.000-07:00

This is an open letter that I have received from Alan Shadrake, who presently faces prison time in Singapore. I am publishing this letter to help in whatever form I can. I believe Alan wrote his book to throw light on a problem that needs to be reformed. He should not be seen as a threat to the Singaporean government.

I am being prosecuted and facing jail for exposing prosecutorial scandals in Singapore – scandals this PAP dictatorship doesn’t want decent Singaporean citizens to know about. One particular heinous scandal concerns Guiga Lyes Ben Laroussi, a Tunisian and valuable ‘foreign talent’ who was the main drug supplier to Singapore’s so-called High Society Drug Circle in 2004.

This destroyer of lives was allowed to escape Singapore after facing a mandatory death penalty charge. The charge was then ‘negotiated down so he would receive a jail sentence of between 20 and 30 years in prison instead.

Then another miracle happened: He was allowed bail in the sum of $280,000, given his passport back and allowed to leave Singapore. This could only have been done with the connivance of top government officials because they feared he would expose bigger names if he were to be sent to the gallows.

I exposed this and other prosecutorial scandals in my book Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock, because I hate injustice. While this evil drug baron – friend of the rich and privileged in Singapore - is enjoying his life of luxury in his mansion on his family estate in Le Bardo, Tunisia, Singapore is preparing to hang more pitiful drug mules – perhaps some who helped Guiga get rich.

How is it that this evil drug trader managed to escape justice? I cannot get my passport back and be allowed to leave Singapore. They are determined to punish me first!

I am facing a six months prison sentence for exposing this and many other prosecutorial scandals. There are two other charges hanging over me arising from my book one of which carries as two year prison sentence. My medical and mental problems have been horrendous. I almost bled to death in the street six weeks ago from internal haemorrhage. Had I not been rushed to hospital I would have collapsed and died without anyone knowing the cause until it was too late.

Where is the justice in what they are now doing to me? Did anyone notice that Guiga Lyes Ben Laroussi had escaped justice? Did the Straits Times publish this scandal and demand with massive headlines that Guiga should be extradited back? It did not. Why not? The answer is in my book. But what happened when a Romanian diplomat ran away in March 2010 following a fatal traffic accident? Screaming headlines in the Straits Times and all the local media for him to be brought back and tried.

Guiga Lyes Ben Laroussi, big time destroyer of lives – including his own Singaporean girlfriend, Mariana Abdullah – has been on Interpol’s wanted list for five years. The head of Interpol is Singapore’s very own former police chief Khoo Boon Hui! No attempt has been made to bring him back. His lawyer, Subhas Anandan, has said his powerful family will tell the Tunisian police to ‘go fly a kite’ if they attempt to arrest and have him extradited.

This is yet another scandal in this saga. Perhaps I would have been better treated had I been a major drug syndicate boss.

Amazingly, Law Minister, Mr. K. Shanmugam recently told TODAY that the death penalty for drug offences here is a “trade-off” the government must make to protect “thousands of lives” if drugs became freely available. He further explained that if Yong Vui Kong (now on death row with 36 others) escapes the death penalty, drug lords will see it as a sign that young traffickers will be spared and will then use more of them as drug mules. “You save one life here, but 10 other lives will be gone. What will your choice be?” he added.
My choice, Mr. Shanmugam? If anyone has to be hanged, start with drug barons like Guiga Ben Laroussi!

Here are some of those young people Mr. Shanmugam believes should have been hanged: Flor Contemplacion, Angel Mou Pui-Peng, Vignes Mourthi, Shangmugam Murugesu, Amara Tochi, Thiru Selvam, Zulfikar bin Mustaffah, Rozman Jusoh, Chuek Mei-mei, Nguyen Van Tuong, Tsang Kai Mong Elke, Poon Yuen-chung. I will continue my fight to get justice for all of the above and those who are bound to follow and I will remain a thorn in Singapore’s side regarding injustice until the day I die!

Alan Shadrake
A Prisoner of Singapore
October 29, 2010

Danger in Switzerland: Keep your Windows Closed

2009-01-27T06:11:00.000-08:00

The square and streets leading to the Federal Palace in the capital, Bern, were being sealed off completely by police, the Federal Chancellery said.

Employees in the building and adjacent houses were advised to keep all windows and balcony doors leading to the main square closed, it said. The public in general and photographers in particular were ordered to stay away from balconies and rooftops.

Is the SPF being partisan? - by mrbiao

2008-09-10T01:34:00.000-07:00

Strangely, mrbiao deleted this insightful article, so I thought it would be in the public interest to republish it. Nevertheless, I would like to note I disagree with this article in some points. I do think all parties should have to organize open air events if they do not cause chaos. However, since on party in Singapore has a record of doing that, there is no basis for refusing a permit!

Is the SPF being partisan?

By mrbiao ⋅ September 9, 2008

Today’s ST Forum carried a response from the SPF about a letter written by someone who questioned why the Workers Party’s application for a permit for its anniversary cycling event last year was rejected, while a similar event held by the PAP Community Foundation’s was allowed.

Police do not issue permits for outdoor political events in public places due to the potential for disorder and unruly behaviour. This applies to events organised by all political parties. For this reason, police rejected WP’s application to hold a mass cycling activity in East Coast Park, to commemorate its 50th anniversary in September last year.

The event on Aug 31 was very different. The permit was issued after [1] taking into account the organiser and the nature of the event. It was organised by the PAP Community Foundation, which is a registered charity and [2] not a political party. The event was [3] not assessed to have the potential for disorder and unruly behaviour. It was a carnival that involved children and families from various kindergartens and educational institutions. [4] The Prime Minister, as guest of honour, and a few other guests, made their entrance by cycling a short distance. During the event, a sum of $664,000 (which had been raised earlier) was distributed to 17 charities, including Beyond Social Services, Children’s Aid Society and Chung Hwa Medical Institution.

I attempt to explain this response from the SPF using the Theory of Reasoned Action.

The Theory of Reasoned Action states that behavioural intention is a function of attitude and subjective norms. Attitudes is defined as ” the sum of beliefs about a particular behavior weighted by evaluations of these beliefs”, while subjective norms is defined as “the influence of people in one’s social environment on his/her behavioral intentions”.

We can apply TRA in various areas, including politics in Singapore.

From SPF’s reply, we can derive that they probably have positive beliefs and evaluations for the PAP, and negative ones for the WP. [1] implies that the SPF issued the permit as it believes the PAP Community Foundation is a law-abiding organization. That’s fine, until you see how it implies that the WP, comparatively, is deemed as less credible. I thought Singaporeans are often taught not to discriminate?

[2] is an attempt to justify the SPF’s decision (the behaviour) based on a techicality - that the PAP Community Foundation is a charity. However, we all know that the PCF is at the end of the day, an orgajization related to the PAP which is obviously a political party. Nice try. Perhaps the opposition parties should register some charities to do good for the society as well as to use them for applications to the SPF for permits to hold events where opposition MPs are the VIPs.

[3] tells us about the SPF’s attitude towards PCF (not assessed to have potential for unruly behaviour and disorder). This again when looked at in the context of the SPF’s nay and yay decisions for the WP and PCF respectively, tells us that the SPF has no faith in the WP’s ability to keep their events orderly and, worst, implies that WP members are deemed to have potential for unruly behaviour.

[4] is the outcome of these predispositions, beliefs and attitudes. While it is a factual statement describing what happened at the event, it is odd that such a statement included in the SPF’s reply. It seems to be an endorsement of the PCF’s good work, which is strange since the police should not be seen as taking sides with a charitable organization, or any other private organization (remember, the basis for the decision to issue a permit was based on the technicality that the PCF is a charity).

As for subjective norms, I am wondering if it can be applied to this situation based on the hypothesis that the pro-PCF attitude may be a result of SPF’s norms of siding with pro-government organizations (i.e. those related to government organs or the ruling party).

I am of course not saying that the SPF was wrong in its decision not to issue a permit for the WP. Afterall, the anniversary event is primarily held for the purpose of commemorating a political party’s anniversary. The pertinent issue is about how the SPF’s reply seems like it is taking sides.

At the end of the day, I think whatever decision (and media statements) the SPF makes should be based solely on merits of each case and not on generalizations based on the identity of applicants.

John McCain - Reformed Maverick - Must see!

2008-09-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

John McCain is the Flip-Flopper of the Century!

Sarah Palin - My Worst Nightmare

2008-09-03T23:20:00.000-07:00

First-time Governor Sarah Palin (Pale-In) may have delivered a great speech at the Republican National Convention, but... If appearance is really what counts the most, I think she has a mountain to cross.

She is the kind of woman that I can only imagine in my nightmare. Straight-laced, joyless, and tough with moral values. She would be the aunt I gratefully never had but would have feared the most. I just couldn't bear watching her speech in its entirety. It pains my eyes, it raises nightmares. Hillary (Clinton) is also a tough woman but at least she looks good! Better than the other choices of former President Clinton, anyway.

Even watching her mute gives me the shudders. I just hope that she will disappear from TVs after this year is out.

Of nationalism

2008-04-18T07:42:00.000-07:00

Nationalism makes people blind. When the nation is more important than the rights of the individual, it is dangerous. When there are censorship in the name of the nation, a few priviliged profit, while the mass loses. And the best part: the mass does not complain because it is in the interest of the nation!

"If the government takes harsh measures to crack down on protesters, of course I support that," she said. "This is an issue of national pride and national esteem. The Olympics are our best opportunity for the outside world to see how far we've come."

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/18/asia/18china.php?page=2

This quote shows that the Chinese can never understand what the West really thinks about the Tibet issue. It has nothing to do with negative media coverage, but all about censorship of the press, suppression of dissent, and the lack of visibility in China. When the Chinese block journalists, it is just normal that there is speculation emasse.

US$30,000,000.00 in Shenzhen, Republic of China

2007-03-12T14:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I received another spam e-mail. This one is really funny. It claims to be from the Bank of China in Shenzhen, but the author mixes the People's Republic of China up with the Republic of China (which is Taiwan). Bad mistake! Furthermore, the Bank of China website is: www.bank-of-china.com, not www.bankofchina.com!


I am Zhu Li, Bank Manager of Bank in China, Shenzhen branch.
I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you.

On November 6, 2001, a British Oil consultant/contractor with the
Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation, made a numbered time (Fixed)
Deposit for twelve calendar months, valued at US$30,000,000.00
(Thirty Million Dollars) in my branch. Upon maturity, I sent a
routine notification to his forwarding address but got no reply.

After a month, we sent a reminder and finally we discovered from
his contract employers, the Chinese Solid Minerals Corporation
that he died from an automobile accident. On further investigation,
I found out that he died without making a WILL, and all attempts
to trace his next of kin was fruitless.

No one will ever come forward to claim it. According to Laws of
Republic of China, at the expiration of 6 (six) years, the money
will revert to the ownership of the Chinese Government if nobody
applies to claim the fund.

Consequently, my proposal is that I will like you as a foreigner
to stand in as the next of kin to the man so that the fruits of
this old man's labor will not get into the hands of some corrupt
government officials. This is simple, I will like you to provide
immediately your full names and address so that the attorney will
prepare the necessary documents and affidavits that will put you
in place as the next of kin.The money will be paid into your
account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 40%
for you.

There is no risk at all as all the paperwork for this transaction
will be done by the attorney and my position as the Branch Manager
guarantees the successful execution of this transaction.
If you are interested, please reply immediately via the
private email address: zhuli23@yahoo.com.cn

Thanks and regards.

Zhu Li.

A Perfect Prediction

2007-01-30T06:04:00.000-08:00

This quote fits well with Singapore today. Guess who said this.

I am told [repression] is like making love – it's always easier the second time.

The first time there may be pangs of conscience, a sense of guilt. But once embarked on this course, with constant repetition, you get more and more brazen in the attack and in the scope of the attack.

All you have to do is to dissolve organizations and societies and banish or detain the key political workers in these societies.

Then an intimidated press and the government-controlled radio together can regularly sing your praises, and slowly and steadily the people are made to forget the evil things that have already been done.

Or if these things are referred to again they're conveniently distorted and distorted with impunity, because there will be no opposition to contradict.

Does corruption control undermine fairness and stability in society?

2007-01-15T05:40:00.000-08:00

Muhammed Ali, Acting Assistant Director, Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau, Singapore gave this presentation in Bangkok, Thailand:

In Singapore we have a very strong anti-corruption policy which recognises that corruption control:
a. has a strategic significance in national development;
b. provides a source of competitive advantage. Investors are happy doing business
if there is an efficient, clean and transparent environment without being
encumbered by bribery;
c. is part and parcel of good governance for the common good of the citizens;
d. contributes to the meritocratic ideal, levelling the playing field because unchecked corruption has the following detrimental effects;
e. distorts accepted and cherished values, particularly achievement orientedness and diligence;
f. undermines fairness and stability in society;
g. subverts the course of justice and weakens the rule of law especially if bribes are paid to prevent law enforcement, there will be contempt and hostility towards authority

I think e through f make corruption control appear like a bad idea. Even though this is likely an error, I believe, Thaksin also thought corruption control was bad for Thailand!

A Candle for Singapore's Shackled Political Opposition

2006-12-01T05:44:00.000-08:00

Bush Praises Singapore As a Model Asian Nation

2006-11-16T03:14:00.000-08:00

Fox News reported today that Bush

praised Singapore as a model for the rest of Asia. He said the prime minister's advice makes it "easier to conduct wise foreign policy."

President Bush seemed to regret the recent defeat of his party in the mid-term elections. He probably was thinking that if he had the Singapore system in place in the US, all those critics would have no chance. And when Bush attacked Iraq and he had everyone behind him, he really conducted "wise foreign policy," so wise that even after the so-called "victory" the "final throes of the insurgency" reveal a destabilized country in which violence is rampant. Was this such a wise decision, Mr. President? Was the oil in Iraq worth the price?

On a final note, it's a pity Bush did not read this open letter.

Dirty Politics in Singapore

2006-05-01T00:42:00.000-07:00

The People's Action Party (PAP) is engaging in smear campaigns, the kind of dirty politics which have become an infamous part of American elections. The character assassination of James Gomez from the Workers' Party is an example of the tactics of the ruling party's desperate reelection campaign. The difference between the US and Singapore, however, is that the ruling party in Singapore is not fighting for reelection but for hegemony, which also entails a larger election victory than at the last election, when the PAP was able to garner 75.3% of the vote.

James Gomez' failure to hand in a form for application as a minority candidate might be seen as frivolous in most countries but not in Singapore, where something like this becomes a scandal. The issue of improprieties at the National Kindey Foundation (NKF) only recently becomes a 'saga' and does of course not refect on the ruling party. No matter that the NKF's CEO T.T Durai was an important member of the PAP or the wife of former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Tan Choo Leng, was its patron.

Singapore is a strange country: A small mistake becomes a scandal because it could reflect on how someone serves in office, while big scandals (one may remember Lee Hsien Loong's involvement in the sales of condos) just become side issues. Of course much is to blame on a media that cannot separate propaganda from news.

This leaves me to wonder how dirty tactics such as the character assassination of James Gomez reflect on the leaders. That's something worth thinking about.

Singapore Election Date Set

2006-04-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

Today the president in Singapore dissolved parliament and announced the date for the next election, which is set to take place within less than three weeks, on May 6, 2006. The upcoming election will be an important test for the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as it will be his first election since the son of the former prime minister and founding father Lee Kuan Yew was appointed to his office in August 2004.

It is expected that the ruling party, the People’s Action Party (PAP), will be reelected as it has been since its first election victory in 1959. This year’s election comes amid favorable economic growth, which the ruling party hopes will help it to increase its election result from 75% in the 2001 election. The ruling party hopes an increase in the election result will give Lee Hsien Loong the necessary mandate.

At the present the ruling party holds 84 of the 82 elected seats in parliament and has made it its goal to recover the two seats occupied by a candidate of the Worker’s Party and a candidate of the Singapore Democratic Alliance.

Recently, the ruling PAP has upped the stakes when former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced that wards, which vote for the opposition, would not be eligible to upgrades of public housing. Almost 90% of the population lives in public housing. This was accompanied by cash handouts to individual citizens, officially termed Progress Package, which marks the first time the government has directly offered money to the people before an election. In the past benefits have only been given in form of indirect benefits.

This year also marks a shift in the tactics of the political opposition. In the past opposition parties have stressed their intention of always remaining part of the opposition. This has changed this year as the opposition is more united than ever before and is furthermore expected to contest more than half of the seats. The Worker’s Party, the strongest opposition party under the new leadership of the Sylvia Lim, made this point very clearly in its most recent manifesto: “As a political party, the long-term goal of the Workers’ Party (WP) is to be an alternative government.”

Nevertheless the extremely short election period, the difficulties of the opposition of communicating with its potential voters as well as raising campaign money, and recent announcements that the government will regulate the internet more rigorously during the election will make it an uphill battle for the opposition.

The Lie that Started the Iraq War

2006-04-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post (interesting graphic) today revealed that intelligence showed that what has been repeatedly used to assert that there are weapons of mass destructions was only a harmless hydrogen producing truck.

The three-page field report and a 122-page final report three weeks later were stamped "secret" and shelved. Meanwhile, for nearly a year, administration and intelligence officials continued to publicly assert that the trailers were weapons factories.

It seems that someone is shelving the really important information, while revealing selectively misleading news (see my previous post). How can such an important report just be shelved??? To claim that no one looked at the report and especially that the president didn't know about it is either a terribly stupid act or was don on purpose to start the war against the war. I am afraid the latter is more likely!

The Plame Is on Bush

2006-04-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

Dubbed the "Leaker-in-Chief" by the Los Angeles Times, President Bush was accused today of having authorized selective leaks concerning weapons of mass destruction. The White House reponse was not a denial but an assertion of the president's right to declassify information. How that is done, however, also seems to be in the hands of the president. Even if it is legally justifiable, the president's selective revelations that may have led to the Plame affair and to the war in Iraq are morally wrong.

I have made the argument before that the President should be impeached, but this time I think we can move the charge from high cimes and misdemeanors to treason.

Why treason?

The arguments in favor of WMD in Iraq led America into a bloody, drawn out conflict with a country that was not at all a danger to the United States. Iraq was stable, very authoritarian, but not a haven for terrorists. Iraq would have been better off without Saddam Hussein but Iraq today would be better off without the daily violence and lawlessness (for example: today's explosion that killed between 40 and 80). Iraq is in such a bad shape, that the American government even pays to get some good stories published. Sad but true. Iraq has also become a haven for terrorists and has increased hatred against the United States.

The war amounts to treason because it betrayed many American lives and threatened the future safety, power, image, and position in the world of the United States of America. It has also led to a negative image of democracy even though a true democracy should safeguard the population from the government.

Therefore I think Bush should be impeached. It is the only moral thing to do. I know it's not realistic but it is the only right thing to do!

Indecision 2006 - Singapore Edition

2006-04-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

With apologies to Jon Stewart, I would like to use this forum to present my ideas for an "Indecision 2006 - Singapore Edition":

It's only been a bit more than a year ago when one brave student, called Jamie Han, stood up and asked Lee Kuan Yew about freedom of speech. Lee had this to say:

Well, you have the Internet - put up a website. You know how to put up a website? If you don't, I know a friend who can help you.

Well, what does Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts Balaji Sadasivan have to say about free speech during the upcoming election?

There are also some well-known local blogs run by private individuals who have ventured into podcasting. The content of some of these podcasts can be quite entertaining. However, the streaming of explicit political content by individuals during the election period is prohibited under the Election Advertising Regulations. A similar prohibition would apply to the videocasting or video streaming of explicitly political content.

Now, in the past, I have thought that only explicit sex streams were forbidden, but now Mr. Balaji is telling me that explicit politoporn is too. Well, so much for those who claim that porn and politics are two different things.

If President Bush Were Average Joe...

2006-04-02T00:50:00.000-08:00

... then he would be like Homer Simpson. Let's think about it: Homer Simpson has the possibility to destroy the atomic plant in which he is working by just pushing a button, the President has a similar button, only that it would destroy much more.

I can imagine Homer saying: "That's a question-I-don't-answer question." But in reality that's what Bush said.

I also can imagine Homer saying this after getting the Freedom House report: "Little print, no pictures." But, d'oh, it was Bush again.

The Good news: The Simpsons will already be on the big screen in 2007.
The Bad news: The next presidential elections are only in 2008.

How Cheney Stays Alive

2006-03-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

Today it was "revealed" that Cheney wants all television sets to be turned to Fox News - The "Right" View on News - when he checks into a hotel. This is clearly in anticipation that any controversial news could agitate him too much - and with decaffinated coffee, this is the only recipe for survival for Dick Cheney. And, of course, I almost forgot to mention his tactic to shoot first.

Pres. Bush: Warmonger?

2006-03-16T03:22:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post reports today that President Bush will announce his continued focus on reemptive war:

"If necessary, however, under long-standing principles of self defense, we do not rule out use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. When the consequences of an attack with WMD are potentially so devastating, we cannot afford to stand idly by as grave dangers materialize."

This kind of language is very dangerous. It alerts the world that the only remaining super power is willing to use its power. It will lead to arms races (already seen in China) and sends a wrong message to the world: The US administration continues to erode the impression that it is a benign power. Thank you Pres. Bush!

MSNBC's Tom Curry: Misleading his readers

2006-03-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

Sometime's I come across something that is so misleading that it needs to be rectified. This time it is a comment from Tom Curry concerning Russ Feingold's attempt to introduce a resolution to censure the president. The author writes:

Feingold’s resolution would censure Bush for ordering surveillance by the National Security Agency (NSA) to listen in on conversations of al Qaida suspects outside the United States with persons inside the United States.

This is misleading because it alleges that Bush ordered secret surveillance
a) that the operation was targeted (while it was clearly not) and
b) perhaps even legal despite the fact that there never was a warrant

In reality we should be aware that., for better or for worse, the President has limited yet another basic right, the right to have once conversation private if there is no reason to believe that the conversation contains anything illegal. This, however, is but one of the steps that Preisdent Bush (with the help of Congress and the support of many including Democrats such as Joe Lieberman) has done to strengthen national security at the expense of basic freedoms.

If the terrorist's goal had been to do this they have succeeded. When the US calls for human rights violantions in many countries, you have to increasingly admit that the US cannot claim to represent liberty. It's a realy pity!

Russ Feingold is Right: President Bush Should Be Censured

2006-03-13T23:58:00.000-08:00

A president who has so blatantly broken the law, in my opinion, should at least be censured if not even impeached. But with a Congress controlled by Republicand and Democrats too afraid to challenge Bush on such an issue, even a censure remains unlikely.

The New York Times quotes Vice President Dick Cheney as saying: "The American people already made their decision. They agree with the president." This seems to suggest that the American president can unravel the great American democracy if he has the support of the American public. It is sad that the slow slide into authoritarianism can be justified as necessary in terms of national security but wars have been used before to undermine democratic states around the world, especially in those countries with a strong executive.

"Our forefathers fought for the right to fee speech."

2006-03-03T05:06:00.000-08:00

What probably is a typo, the New York Times, quoted Pamelyn Ferdin, president of a radical animal rights group and former child star, said that "Our forefathers fought for the right to fee speech." While this was meant as a complaint againts the recent convictions of six members for terrorism and "Internet stalking", it reminded me of another country, half way around the globe, called Singapore, that has just charged one of its most outspoken critics in contempt of court "because he made critical comments about the Singapore judiciary"(Reuters). Dr. Chee Soon Juan was earlier declared bankrupt after failing to pay S$500,000 in damages awarded to former prime ministers Goh Chok Tong and Lee Kuan Yew for allegedly misleading Parliament.

If speaking freely can cost you S$500,000, then it is indeed the right to fee speech that founding father Lee Kuan Yew seems to have fought for.

Copyright and the Web

2006-02-23T03:01:00.000-08:00

I believe U.S. District Court Judge A. Howard Matz does not know much about technology when he decided that Google had violated the copyright of images from a porn magazine when they appeared in the image search engine. If you want to restrict your content, you can do it. Perfect 10, the site with artificial model-type nudes, can even decide to exclude its site from search engines altogether. This, however, is also not in their interest because visitors will no longer be lured to their site.

Aside from excluding your site, or parts of it, you can also use many security features, such as setting up a secure portal. I furthermore believe that this verdict is problematic for the whole internet as a platform for free exchange of information. Without the ability to search website even for pictures, the internet loses its ability to exchange information.

President Bush - Threat to Democracy

2006-02-15T00:04:00.000-08:00

It has become increasingly clear that the Bush administration is a threat to democracy. From warrantless wiretaps to claims that some forms of torture are legal, from secret prisons and imprisonments without trial, from using only supportive data to start a war to refusing to release important information to a public, this presidency has constantly undermined American democracy. This has been helped by a Republican Congress that has willingly surrendered power to a strong executive, an executive that is perhaps the strongest in the democractic world. And I would like to agree with David Ignatius when he writes about an "arrogance of power", and this power corrupts! From strong executive power to dictatorship is only a small distance.

If the terrorists' goal has been to destroy American democracy, they have succeeded, despite all the claims to the contrary after September 11.

American Hypocrisy: Is Love Worse than Violence?

2006-01-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

Grant Theft Auto (GTA) is an extremely violent computer game. Its makers have earned millions of dollars through the game that allows the player to shoot bad guys and ordinary people alike and rewards other illegal behavior.

The LA government now is suing the game pulishers because of hidden sex scenes in the game. Los Angeles-based City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo "wants the company to surrender the approximately $10 million in profits, and is demanding a $2,500 fine for each untrue or misleading statement the company purportedly made about the game. The unkindest cut - Delgadillo wants the company to stop marketing the game to children." (Techtree.com) The game's rating was already changed from "Mature 17+" to "Adults Only 18+," after the sex scenes were revealed and a re-rated version without the explicit content was released.

So the sex scenes make this game "adult only"? Is violence less harmful to children than sex? Does normal sexual behavior (as shown here) really harm children more than the bloody violence?

Google's Hypocrisy

2006-01-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

Why is Google fighting for privacy in the U.S. and filtering content for the Chinese government? Google's saying "Don't do evil" just sounds hollow. I am deeply disappointed at the company and believe it is no better than its competitors Yahoo or Microsoft.

Google's decision to filter sensitive topics from Web searches in China is a major triumph for the regime's campaign to have the Internet censor itself, observers said Thursday, amid mounting criticism of the move.

Is only Google willing to fight for privacy?

2006-01-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

John Shinal writes:

Even more troubling to Hendricks was that Google's search rivals, including Yahoo Inc. and Time Warner Inc.'s AOL unit, did provide the government with search result data. Microsoft Corp. declined to comment on whether it received a subpoena, but a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, which sued to overturn the 1998 law, told MarketWatch the software giant did.

Is Google really the only one willing to fight such a dangerous subpeona?

Bush Versus Privacy

2006-01-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

The Bush administration has proved once again that it is not a champion of American values, including that of privacy. Even if their goals seem good (namely fighting child pornography), they want data that could potentially be used against Americans for all kinds of reasons.

The Washington Post writes:

The Bush administration, seeking to revive an online pornography law struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, has subpoenaed Google Inc. for details on what its users have been looking for through its popular search engine.
Google has refused to comply with the subpoena, issued last year, for a broad range of material from its databases, including a request for 1 million random Web addresses and records of all Google searches from any one-week period, lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department said in papers filed Wednesday in federal court in San Jose.

It is only ironic that Google fights for privacy rights in the US, while it seems to comply with censorship rules in China. (see for example this article)

New Reason to Boycott Microsoft!

2006-01-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

Micrsoft is definetly not a guardian of free speech, they are a business organization with their only focus on profit! Moreover Micrsoft itself is a company whose products often puzzle the user and an ambition to monopolize the world of computers, it is not difficult to see why the software maker is killing free speech!

The Associated Press reports: "Microsoft Corp. has shut down the Internet journal of a Chinese blogger that discussed politically sensitive issues, including a recent strike at a Beijing newspaper."

Business Week online commented on the move:

The news that Microsoft shut down a Chinese blogger's site at the request of Beijing officials is bringing a renewed focus on the role U.S. companies play in helping China control the Internet.

Congressional Report: Bush Broke the Law

2006-01-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post today reported:

A report by Congress's research arm concluded yesterday that the administration's justification for the warrantless eavesdropping authorized by President Bush conflicts with existing law and hinges on weak legal arguments.

If the program conflicts with the law, Bush apparently has broken the law. I believe this qualifies as a high crime and misdemeanor. The constitution clearly states that "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America." The president does not have the right to initiate a program such as this without the consent of Congress or the Judiciary!

More Trouble for Palestinians

2006-01-03T06:07:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post today writes: "Palestinian Campaigns Begin As Delay Looms". As if the Palestinians didn't already have so much trouble, but now Tom DeLay (R-Texas) might be entering Palestinian politics! I really feel sorry for them! Because of his indictment for violation of election laws, DeLay recently had to vacate his leadership position in the House of Representatives. Sources suggest that he may be probing different avenues for his political career.

Neither a Champion of Freedom at Home or Abroad

2005-12-26T13:01:00.000-08:00

To expect President Bush like Fred Hiatt or Jim Hoagland to be the champion of freedom, is to expect Easter and Christmas to fall on the same day. He has neither shown a full commitment to freedom at home or abroad. His talk of bringing freedom is just that: talk. In the US, freedom has been undermined from wiretapping, spying, secret investigations, arrests without warrant, the Patriot Act, and an almost enigmatic justification, the now almost mythic September 11th and abroad the US has cooperated with countries that have not shown any inclination to freedom, from Russia to Saudi Arabia, while castigating others such as North Korea or Cuba and even attacking and forcing regime change in Iraq where the ultimate outcome remains unclear. Iraq may yet become a theocracy much like its neighbor Iran.

Democracy is a great thing and it needs to be protected. I really hope that the American Congress will finally step in to preserve American democracy from the dictatorial rule of executive privilige and make it clear that the Constitution intended a balance of power. Those powers not specified within the Constitution should be defined by Congress and not the President. And to make it clear: Only Congress has the right to declare war and therefore only Congress should be able to decide whether the President can use war time powers or not!

Pres. Bush's Admission He Allowed Eavesdropping Warrants Impeachment

2005-12-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

President Bush's admission today that he authorized eavesdropping of average Americans warrants impeachement because it violates the basic principle of democracy in America. How can the average American be protected from a government that is willing to limit the freedom of everyone. The CIA was set up with the express prohibition of spying on Americans. How can a president dare to challenge the right of every American to privacy (even if not mentioned in the Constitution) and the right to a fair trial.

The Washington Post writes that Bush allowed the eavesdropping of people suspected to be connected to al Qaeda.

He defended his decision to sign the secret order, calling the program a "vital tool in our war against terrorists" and "critical to saving American lives."

However, what would prevent the president to employ this measure to political enemies as well? Especially if he labels them traitors?

If we want to secure our democracy we cannot allow al Qaeda to win. Bush, however, is doing just that by destroying basic American principles!

Hopeful Signs China Is Changing!

2005-12-12T01:39:00.000-08:00

In a surprise move, the Chinese government arrested the police commander for the shooting of villagers in Dongzhou, 125 miles northwest of Hong Kong.

The Washington Post reports:

The main official newspapers in the provincial capital of Guangzhou said that "the commander at the scene dealt with the situation improperly and brought about mistaken deaths and accidental injuries," and that he has been detained by local prosecutors as part of a criminal investigation.

This is a huge step into the future and hopefully only the beginning of a sea change in the way Chinese authorities deal with the rising protests that trouble the country.

Richard Cohen is Right: Rumsfeld Should Be Sacked

2005-12-06T03:22:00.000-08:00

Richard Cohen writes one of the most stinging rebuke of Donald Rumsfeld. I totally agree with him and I think it is already overdue that Rumsfeld is sacked. But with one of the most incapable White Houses in American history, it will take some time before mistakes will be corrected. Unfortunately these mistakes are huge!

Yet the man who has had prime responsibility for Iraq, for planning for the war, waging it and then occupying the country, remains precisely what he has been all this time -- the head of the American military, the secretary of defense, the very honorable (but not very capable) Donald Rumsfeld. His mistakes, miscalculations and arrogant dismissal of dissent have cost American (and Iraqi) lives and prolonged the conflict. If there has been a worse secretary of defense, it could only be Robert McNamara. History has hung Vietnam around his neck like a noose.

(emphasis added)

That's the McCain I Like!

2005-12-05T04:57:00.000-08:00

After becoming quite submissive to the Bush administration, McCain returns to his principles. The Washington Post writes: McCain Will Not Bend On Detainee Treatment.

Asked on NBC's "Meet the Press," in light of his current discussions with national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley, whether he would accept any compromise, McCain, answered, "No . . . I won't. We won't." McCain was tortured while a prisoner of the North Vietnamese.

That's the McCain I like!

"We are not anti-China. We are here to fight for the rights we should have as citizens!"

2005-12-05T03:15:00.001-08:00

On Sunday, thousands went on the street in Hong Kong to protest for greater political representation. Can Hong Kong become the key to solving many of the problems China is facing today?

The Washington Post writes:

Tens of thousands of people marched through Hong Kong on Sunday to protest the slow pace of democratic reform in this former British colony, but the territory's Beijing-backed leader again rejected demands to set a timetable for achieving universal suffrage.

It will be a torturous road still for the city-state. But if Hong Kong does not move toward greater political freedom, it will lose out to other large Chinese cities like Shanghai.

Money and Politics: Gov. Craig (R-Idaho) Loves $$$, Kills Messenger

2005-11-30T00:35:00.000-08:00

Power corrupts. Sometimes it leads to scandal but more often it is done within the legal framework of the system. This time a senator's need for election funding has driven him to destroy a scientific agency because he doesn't like science if its against his biggest donors! And then he made himself a scientist and claimed: "False science leads people to false choices." What a shame!

The Washington Post writes:

(T)he mathematics of protecting salmon swimming in the nation's largest hydroelectric system can hurt your pocketbook -- particularly in the Northwest, where dams supply power to four out of five homes, more than anywhere in the country.

Gov. Warner (D-Va.) Commutes Death Sentence

2005-11-30T00:18:00.000-08:00

Governor Mark R. Warner today averted what was likely to become America's 1000th execution since the reinstatement of the death penalty by the Supreme Court in 1976. The governor's remarks should also be heard in other cases with an execution pending. The Washington Post writes: "Warner said in a statement that the destruction by an Arlington County court clerk of DNA evidence that might have cleared Lovitt convinced him." He continued:

"In this case, the actions of an agent of the Commonwealth, in a manner contrary to the express direction of the law, comes at the expense of a defendant facing society's most severe and final sanction," Warner said in the statement. "The Commonwealth must ensure that every time this ultimate sanction is carried out, it is done fairly.

Fairness is the key! In any legal case it is the responsibility of everyone to be fair. This is especially true in the case of the death penalty. The Singaporean government should closely listen to Gov. Warner's words.

"I am going to send you to a better place"

2005-11-29T14:02:00.000-08:00

The Australian wrote an article about a rare political protestagainst the death penalty in Singapore. The artist is a Solvenian art student. (The picture here is my own impression)

Titled "I am going to send you to a better place", the now infamous send-off from veteran hangman Darshan Singh, the disturbing artwork is the only act of open defiance in the city-state during the final days of condemned Australian drug-trafficker Nguyen Tuong Van.

I feel sad for Ngyuen Tuong Van and his family. His brother's life was destroyed by drugs, his will end because he was foolish enough to have carried drugs, and his mother will suffer the most. I am hoping like many others probably against all odds that his life may be spared.

If You do eBay, You Need Nerves of Steel

2005-11-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

As unimportant as my life is, I love it very much. But eBay, or should I say certain individuals on eBay, can drive you crazy. Some claim they sent an item but you never receive what you have ordered. Then you check and see there are a number of other users who had the same fate. You think: The mail does not lose anything that often! So either the person lives next to an extremely unreliable post office or he just does not send certain items. I think it must be the latter. Maybe I was too hasty to write this in his profile, which I marked as neutral, but he gives me a minus.

But generally I think people on eBay are very slow in replying to e-mails and sending items. Right now I have won four other auctions but I have not heard from the seller after writing an e-mail inquiring the exact postage. (That has been a week ago)

I absolutely disagree with the respondents in the 2004 Ponemon Institute and TRUSTe survey that found eBay to be the most trusted website.

eBay's community-based approach to e-commerce is likely a major factor in instilling trust among its users. The combination of feedback — comments that helps users build credibility and establish positive reputations — and an in-house customer support team create a safe environment whereby users feel protected.

As for me, I think I have lost my trust and prefer from now on to rely on Amazon, where it may cost more to sell items but where there is also more security if you do not receive an item!

An Uncertain Future for a Great Country

2005-11-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

Today's Washington Post features a lengthy article on the struggles of Chinese farmers. What could be precedent, outside organizers entered the picture of one of the rising number of farmer uprisings.

Taishi has become a milestone in the peasant uprisings that increasingly are breaking out around China, generating open concern in President Hu Jintao's government and in the Communist Party. In Taishi's rebellion, outraged local farmers for the first time received help from outside political activists and Beijing-based intellectuals whose politics were shaped in part by the 1989 democracy movement.

I hope that the societal changes in China won't lead to a violent revolution. Violence has never helped anyone. The Chinese government and the entrepreneurs, both homegrown and foreign, should realize that individual lives count.

Xinhua Press Reports on Australian Campaign to Save Man's Life

2005-11-22T05:48:00.000-08:00

The Xinhua Press (the official press agency of the Chinese government) today published an article on Nguyen, the man doomed to be executed by Singapore's draconian judicial system.

Human rights body Amnesty International wants (Australian prime minister John) Howard to raise the imminent killing of Van Nguyen as a formal agenda item at the meeting at which Howard will be among more than 50 world leaders.

If Amnesty International would just be recognized by all countries. No matter who perpetrates human rights violations, there needs to be an independent organization willing to speak out for every powerless human being in this world.

War in Iraq Was Mistake from the Beginning but there is No Way Out!

2005-11-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post today wrote in its editorial Irresponsible on Iraq:

(W)hat is at stake is not an election but a war in which American soldiers are being killed and wounded almost every day and in which one possible outcome is a major victory for the Islamic extremist movement that carried out the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

If the outcome can really be the victory of the Islamic extremist movement, then President Bush's attack on Iraq clearly has exacerbated the situation. It was indeed a most irresponsible act to invade Iraq.

But I agree that it is irresponsible to withdraw now. Instead it should be recognized that more troops and more money is needed. I am against the draft but if it is necessary, it should be done. The same goes for tax increases. Bush should admit that the needed funding for his war must be realized, that spending cuts are unlikely and that the money just can't come from lenders indefinetly!

Life Has no Value on the Gallows

2005-11-20T10:17:00.000-08:00

The planned execution of the convicted Australian drug trafficker Tuong Van Nguyen in Singapore has reminded me that life, i.e. human life, often has little worth. Ngyuen's motives were not even considered in the decision to go ahead with the cruel, inhumane and inappropriate punishment. Despite helping the Australian police, he received no clemency from Singapore's cold judicial system. Instead his mother received a letter informing her of his son's execution much like a tenent receiving a notice that the phone line will be cut due to failure to pay the bills, only more cruel, of course.

No News is Good News

2005-10-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

Apparently the old saying is as good as it has always been. To write something about nothing, however, seems like a waste of time. Nevertheless it is no longer a waste of paper or ink but only a waste of bytes. So this Sunday, there is nothing new. Just work, food, and fun! The only good thing is that today it wasn't raining as much as it was yesterday. But now that I have started to talk about the weather, I should really stop because I am certainly boring and perhaps even annoying should some bored person really read this ;)

Welcome

2005-09-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

This is my beginning. But who cares? There are way too many blogs out there so that anyone would care to read this one! I am not handsome so I could offer nude pictures and I am not smart enough so that I could offer some insight into humanity's woes. I am just an average nobody.