Dogs, Cats, and People.

A response to Sumiko Tan's column on how it is easier to love a dog than a person

[From an article some time in early 2016, I believe.]

I agree. It is much easier to love a dog than a person. And we should always choose the easy way. Because that is the way to build character. And to grow as a person.

Cats are a little more difficult. Choose cats if you don't want too much character. Cats have enough character for both of you.

Conversation: The Three Conditions

"What happen to Tan Cheng Bock's appeal, ah?"

"Still no decision."

"That means, what?"

"That means, no decision yet lah! Are you trying to get me into trouble by speculating about possible conspiracy theories that might impugn the reputation and independence of our judiciary?"

"You so clever I am sure you can find a way to... "imp pune" the reputation of our courts without getting into trouble, lah!"

"Don't have. But I heard a joke - Tan Cheng Bock can run in this election if he fulfills three conditions."

"What conditions?"

Conversation: Nasi Lemak Burger Challenge? What Tokking You?

"Wat tokking you? Challenge, your head lah!"

"What you reading?"

"The stupid paper lah! Got no news or what? Some Malaysian burger place want to challenge Singapore's McDonald Nasi Lemak Burger!"

"Oh yes. I heard about that. Or read about it. What about it?"

"OK, first, McDonald (SG) comes out with the Nasi Lemak Burger. So now this MyBurgerlab (MY) "invented" the The Nasi Lemak Ayam Rendang Burger." 

The Rise of the Machines...

When autonomous vehicles become the norm, drivers will lose their jobs.

Taxi drivers.

Truck/lorry drivers.

There are about 26,000 taxis in SG. Assuming each taxi has a main driver and a full-time relief driver (as opposed to part-time reserve drivers who has another job), that's 50,000 drivers who will be severely affected by the loss of their (only) job.

Assuming there are an equal number of full-time lorry/truck drivers, we may have 100,000 drivers out of a job.

How will Singapore deal with the MASS unemployment of tens of thousands of low-skilled (or limited skills) workers?

Hawkers and hawking.

The hawker phenomenon occurred in Singapore because of a "unique convergence" of circumstances.

The social and economic circumstances that brought about the hawker culture in Singapore was a unique convergence in history. The very success of Singapore has move our circumstances beyond the economic need for hawkers to ply their trade.

What "unique convergence" of factors?

Thousand of people unemployed, needing a job and turning to hawking as a last resort, flooding SG with an abundance of hawker food, cheaply offered, and competing on taste and value for money. In the past.

Would the mass unemployment of tens of thousands of drivers lead to a repeat of that "unique convergence in history"?

Maybe we will see the Second Golden Age of Hawker Food in SG

Or maybe a Silver Age.

---- End of "Short & Sweet" segment ----

Conversation: Lee & Lee vs Lee

"Wah liao eh. If  the Old Man is still alive, he must be dem disappointed in his children, man!"

"I also say."

"And say until like that - that they have no confidence in their brother. I dunno what that even means! So they have no confidence in him as their brother, or they have no confidence in him as the PM?"

"Aiyah, this is just a family argument made bigger because the brother is the PM, and the father is LKY. And of course in a family fight, everything becomes bigger, and more important. So, the brother is not just trying to challenge the father's last will, he is betraying the values of the father. It is the exaggeration of a soap opera."

"I read also dunno what to believe. Can say until like that, meh? Then say that he can use the house for politics? How? If the grandson want to go into politics, all he has to say is that he is grandson of LKY. Whether the old house is standing or demolished will not make him not LKY's grandson, what!"

Who knew?

On Wed (April 26, Washington DC), US Senators were brought to the White House to be briefed on the North Korean situation,

Although the briefing was sobering, it was not revelatory, some of the participants said.

“There was very little, if anything new,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). “I remain mystified about why the entire Senate had to be taken over to the White House rather than conducting it here.”

Conversation: State-Assisted Funeral for Othman Wok

"Another Old Guard pass away." *sigh*

"Encik Othman Wok. He was a good man."

"Yeah. I remember when... That time... aiyah! Si lah. I must be getting old. I don't remember why he was a good man."

"Don't look at me. I too young to remember. I HEARD he was important in helping Lee Kuan Yew get the support of the Malay community in the early years. "

"Ah! Yah! Something like that. I remember something like that. That time there were quite a few riots and trouble about race. We needed strong people to hold Singapore together. Yeah. Mr Othman Wok was very important. It is right that we give him a State Funeral."