Fake News Checklist

 

Why Tolerance is Intolerable (A comment on a message of tolerance to LGBT)

[From a Facebook Post in June 2015 - I think it was a commentary on why we are intolerant of LGBT.]

It is going to take a while because the issue is tied up in values. And when one's position is informed by values, tolerance is intolerable.

Why? Because if you believe in the One True God, then what of other believers of other faiths? Obviously their gods are false. Then how can one tolerate those of other faiths? Obviously only in a patronising way. Not necessarily OVERTLY patronising. But in your heart of hearts, you KNOW you are the follower of the One True God (OTG, reg'd trademark), and those of other faiths are obviously wrong, deluded, and hell-bound.

How else can you tolerate them except with the Knowledge that they are wrong, but you have to keep your mouth shut because, hey - multi-culti, diverse and fruity, let's all just get along or the ISD will get you for sedition?

So we "tolerate" other faiths.

Childish Singaporeans

[From June 2013, when an Indonesian Minister called Singaporeans "childish"because they were clamouring for him to fix the haze problem.]

While I don't agree with the idiotic Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Ensuring Bribes get to the Right People (or whatever his official title is), I can understand why he is irked by Singapore clamouring for effective action. His constituents have long given up expecting their political leaders to do anything, so it is a vicious reality check for him to realise that in other countries you say what you'll do and then you do what you said you'll do.

So when he called Singaporeans "childish", he is saying in effect, "you expect me to do something just because I'm coordinating minister or some such political leader? You are naive! No other country works like your obsessive compulsive mentally disordered little red dot! Grow up!"

A half-baked CPF top-up scheme.

[First Drafted in Jan 2021]

So the govt has a matching top-up scheme (Jan 2021) to help Singaporeans aged 55 to 70 who do not even meet the Basic Retirement Sum in their CPF.

It's capped at $600 a year.

Up to 5 years, so technically, it's capped at $3000.

For reference the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) is currently $96,000. (those turning 55 in 2022)

Do we need to say this again?

Every few years, some bright (and not so bright) mind will have an epiphany (or what he, or she thinks is an epiphany) and suggests the revolutionary idea of NS for Women. Like it is an incredible and groundbreaking  idea. Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has put paid to the idea. 

"The minister pointed to how some had suggested, during the debate on the White Paper on Singapore Women’s Development, that women be enlisted for reasons of gender equality, in potential roles like nurses or teachers.
“Having reached this position of strength, should we for the sake of gender equality, now introduce NS for women?” he asked, highlighting how the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), despite reduced manpower, has remained operationally ready by using technology and optimising resources.
“I think there are distinct pitfalls if conscription is implemented for any other reason than the critical need of military defence, whether it is for men or women.”
The “primary reason” for enlistment must remain to train a soldier who is able to defend Singapore, and to repel if not defeat an enemy who wants to invade the country, Dr Ng said... 

“These are inadequate justifications or reasons to mandate that someone must suspend individual liberties as a civilian, give up two years of his or her life, and if they do not, they go to jail, as our courts have sentenced NS defaulters.”

Female recruits who will go on to become regulars at the Basic Military Training Centre on Pulau Tekong
on Feb 11, 2020. (Photo: CNA/Try Sutrisno Foo)

He goes on to state that there is no need to conscript women now. Yes, in times of emergencies, women, younger men (teenagers) and older men would be conscripted as was done in Ukraine. But we are not in that position today, and hope never to be.

Singapore Militarily

I had previously noted that the third most popular post on this blog, as of this writing, is "Singapore's Aircraft Carrier Ambition"... and that is an understandable hazard with mandatory National Service -- we all think we are armchair Generals.

So this blogpost is for the armchair generals (you know who you are!)

First a video:

The video describes how Singapore's military strategy evolved from "Poison Shrimp" to "Porcupine" and then to "Dolphin". It also covers how the Israelis helped Singapore set up our Military, and the nature of their help. 

Singapore's Global City Strategy - From SG History Unauthorised.

From SG History: Rajaratnam's vision of Singapore as a Global City

From the IPS Singapore Perspective 2022 video:

How did Singapore, the "Accidental Country" become the Nation that it is today?