Daily Lessons from Life 17-22 October 2014 - Foreign Beggars and Others

Happy and Healthy Diwali (or Deepavali) to all People who celebrate this New Year.

Were away in the country with NO ACCESS to my blog the last few days, so here are some catch up:

1. Beggars deliberately chop off camel's hooves to help them beg for money - AsiaOne forum

This is a VERY SICK practice. I wonder what the laws enforcement agencies and the officers do the SICK people who did this? Also if the people of that COUNTRY accept it, I rest my case. It is NONE of my business since I DON'T live there and am NOT a citizen there.

However, there were reported sighting of FOREIGN beggars in Singapore who begged on a regular basis. IF something remotely similar to the atrocity and cruelty mentioned about happened to animals, or worst, a human being, the culprits MUST be arrested, put on a fair trial, put away in jail if need be, and then be deported AFTER serving the lawful sentences past by our fearless and impartial courts! Period!!

Of course, for those who begged in our favourite hawker centers, is it the responsibility of the NEA or the SPF or maybe the newly created 'Municipal Services Office' (MSO) to tackle this issue?

2. S'pore to make cycling 'viable transport option for short trips': Khaw - AsiaOne 22 Oct 2014

This is GREAT NEWS as I just came back from a 2-day bike ride with some long time friends in Chong Ming Island, Shanghai, PRC. This after a 4-day bike ride in Taiwan in 2013!

The main challenges to overcome will be:

a. the hot and humid weather conditions in Singapore - how to make it as comfortable for the riders as possible. Especially at the END of the ride. e.g. showing facilities and refreshment; e.g. those bikes with a roof like those I saw in Paris should make it a pleasant casual ride!;

b. ease of picking up the bikes at the start and return at the end of the journey without having to return at the 'starting location';

c. affordability and ease of payment e.g. electronic payment cards should do it easily!;

d. investment in 'biking lanes' and may include radical measures like: NO car in the CITY CENTER at all!! Can we, the current car owners and aspiring car owners, stomach/handle this?

I look forward to the day this vision becomes a reality!

3. Paralysed man walks again after breakthrough treatment - Oct 21, 2014 AFP

I could not agree MORE with Pawel Tabakow, consultant neurosurgeon at Wroclaw University, who led a team of surgeons in removing one of the patient's olfactory bulbs before transplanting cultured cells into the spinal cord. said: "To me, this is more impressive than a man walking on the moon. I believe this is the moment when paralysis can be reversed." Tabakow said it was "amazing to see how regeneration of the spinal cord, something that was thought impossible for many years, is becoming a reality".

I have some friends who were stroke patients and some managed to recover quite a bit of movements BUT never completely. For the paralysed person, this will be a godsend!

Another inspiring vision that I could not wait to see becoming a regular reality after this FIRST successful case!!

4. Hong Kong's CY Leung says poor would dominate free vote - AFP 22 October 2014

"HONG KONG: The city's leader has said open elections would result in Hong Kong's many poor dominating politics, as his government headed into talks with activists who have staged three weeks of rallies. In an interview with foreign media, carried in the Wall Street Journal and International New York Times just hours before the talks were due on Tuesday (Oct 21), embattled Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying reiterated his position that free elections were impossible."

I am TOTALLY dumbfounded by the remarks made by Mr CY Leung here! His PR way has been lampooned as 'what NOT to say in front of media' and it shows - AGAIN!!

The man is supposedly quite intelligent and smart and business savvy. That's why he was successful in his multi-million dollar real estate agency and valuation practice before he got 'voted' to be the Chief Executive (CE) of Hkg SAR. BUT, honestly, he is being brutally honest or he simple does not care about HOW to improve the 'poor' SO THAT they have NO INCENTIVE to 'rock or even sink the boat' that is Hkg SAR! i.e. to eliminate the reason for FEARING that the 'many poor' will DOMINATE politics in Hkg SAR!!

This is actually QUITE SICK for the CE to be saying this to the PEOPLE of Hkg SAR! To NOT have a response will be inhuman!! No wonder some democratic lawmakers there are worried that this CY Leung's statement will CONVINCE the 'poor' that he and his administration are NOT interested in lifting them from poverties. In fact, Hkg SAR is for the rich and powerful! The rest don't count! Yes?

Is this CY's real self, unmasked? Heaven forbid!!

5. NParks cancels approvals for Han Hui Hui's Hong Lim Park (HLP) event this Sat AsiaOne Oct 21, 2014

How will the netizens respond to this 'cancellation' of Ms Han's application to hold events at HLP? Hopefully one of reason and rationality!

Personally I feel that it is the right decision as Ms Han's case for causing a ruckus in HLP a few weeks back is still under investigation and unsettled.

It will be reckless and inappropriate of the authority to allow her to continue to held potential 'emotional' events at HLP for now.

Of course, the EXISTING case should be settled as quickly as possible so that Ms Han can plan her other activities using HLP. A place dedicated to Singaporeans for them to EXPRESS their opinions which are different from the government and to exercise their rights to 'freedom (with responsibility) of speech'!

6. (Finally) President Joko's Inauguration

He is NOW officially the President of Indonesia. A unlikely winner in a country that has one of the biggest Muslim population. A country that used to be dominated by President from a military or religious background! Mainstream parties if you like.

So, his Presidency is a MAJOR breakthrough in our big neighbour, Indonesia. Our political leaders congratulated him and expressing the desire to continue the friendly and mutually beneficial relationship at all fronts - economy, cultural, sports, military, etc.

I hope his army or navy can LOOK PAST the monument that S'pore government planned to erect at MacDonald House to commemorate the victims of the 'terrorists bombing' many years ago by 2 Indonesian marines. This 'old incident' was re-told recently and created much 'unhappiness' and '2nd guessing' of the intention of the Indonesia Navy for naming a battle ship after that 2 convicted marines. I thought that episode HAD BEEN CLOSED and both nations have MOVED ON after trading the 'necessary barbs' demanded by the 'people of both countries'.

Alas, we have to build a Monument. Seriously this will help Singaporeans be on the alert about the 'intention' of our biggest friendly neighbour? Is this necessary?

Let's hope everyone in power will respond rationally and understand the need to stay low for such an OLD INCIDENT under a very unique and different circumstances THEN and a much friendlier situation NOW!