Where chaos stops and more chaos ensues. Where Filia plays the electric keyboard.
Where anything goes.
-//o_O\\7 *Home of the Awful, Mediocre and Pathetic* -//u_u\\7
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Where chaos stops and more chaos ensues. Where Filia plays the electric keyboard. Where anything goes. -//o_O\\7 *Home of the Awful, Mediocre and Pathetic* -//u_u\\7 |
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Sunday, August 17, 2003 Ah, so there IS news today. More specifically, the nation is making it a point to highlight the news today. Yes, it's the National Day rally. Apparently, it's supposed to "rally" the people and make them feel good about things and such, and also to show the government's stand (and our dear PM's personal views) as well. Um, so do you feel good after watching it? Assuming you watched it of course. I made it a point only to tune in about halfway through, because I'm not particularly concerned about the government's views about what has happened because it usually ends up in a lot of lauding or congratulating about things. Not that I know what they were congratulating about, but I can sort of guess. Terrorism and SARS. I'm not too interested in learning the names of numerous terrorist leaders whose names don't rhyme with popular tourist resorts (except for Osama bin Laden, who's been too much of a burden to be ignored), although I did learn many interesting new meanings for SARS. Apart from the perennial Singaporeans Are Really Scared, there's also Schools Are Really Shut (hooray?) and Sixteenth April Return School (right.) and one more I forget because it wasn't as silly. To me, what's more important is the future, so once the acronym CPF came over the TV I was glued to the set. Basically, for those who didn't watch, CPF contributions are not going to return to 40%, and they'll probably be cut further to 30%. Plus, the cap for CPF-contributable salary will be reduced to less than $5000 (which has already been reduced from $6000), and there'll be more restrictions on CPF withdrawal. And why was I listening, since I probably won't be taking a job in Singapore and thus needing to contribute to CPF? Because I like money ^_^;;. Also, halfway through I realised that this might very well be PM's (Goh Chok Tong, whose name has already become synonymous with his job) last National Day Rally. I don't particularly love him, but I have respect for smart people, and PM is probably one of the smartest people in the Singapore government, or rather, the PAP. I'm pretty certain I can name plenty of unintelligent fellows (and one lady) who got into the government thanks to walkovers. As the talk progressed, he seemed older, and more tired. Maybe, despite whatever image he may seem to project, he's just a sad, tired and old man. A smart man, for sure, but one who will soon pass into the annals of history as the second Singaporean prime minister, and probably the second greatest ever. Who's next? In the words of PM, "Loong", someone whom I feel exactly fits the description PM provided of him. Over national television. Basically, he's a hard, uncompromising fellow, as can be seen from his various speeches slamming whatever opposition politician, outside body or whoever who's criticising the government or the PAP at any point in time. I can't imagine myself, in the future, being happy that he's become the Prime Minister. Well, then again I couldn't say the same for PM either but I wasn't old enough to make any sense out of it. Despite whatever Purvis or any other British teachers might be saying in class, I do respect at least some Singaporean politicians. Well, I also do know when those I respect are talking nonsense (which is why I skipped the first part of the speech where all the jokes and laughter was), but I'm going to miss many of them when they leave. Not that I would cry, but rather I'd just feel the loss. I'd only cry when they pass away. And so far I've only cried when the best president Singapore has ever had, and the only elected one, passed away. It so happened that he was not only smart, but talented as well. Although he was also a politician, but who remembered that once he became the leader? That's the mark of a good president ... when nobody bothers to remember what their "contributions" were before they became president. Ronald Reagan was a B-movie actor, and whoever's in charge of Singapore now was a director of the ISD. Well. We did not despair. We did not despair. You know what that reminded me of? It's like in Richard III, where Richard is constantly haunted by the ghosts of the people he's killed who keep telling him over and over again. Despair and die. Despair and die. posted by Charlotte | 3:17 pm
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Disclaimer : The Slayers and Filia Ul Copt and all images thereof are the property of Hajime Kanzaka and Rui Araizumi. I don't own any of them, although if I had a choice I would want Filia ... ~//n_n\\7 |
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