The PM's speech sounded pretty safe, but that's alright. I like what he seems to be doing here and the majority of the people do as well. I would be hanging my Singaporean flag, but couldn't find one...I'm still looking though. I've been warned not to help myself to one! 
HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!!Wind In My Hair wrote:Ah, the food. Yes, that's a big part of what makes Singapore home to those of us who have lived abroad. We'll make a Singaporean of you yet.sundaymorningstaple wrote:Not at all. It's just that sometimes it's easy to forget there is a real world out there that is much different than this cocoon that is Singapore. However, I did actually go 11 years between 1984 and 1996 without stepping foot in the US so yes, sometimes it's easy to forget. Especially since I love the local food.Wind In My Hair wrote:I didn't quite understand the bit about needing the US flag to keep you grounded in reality though. You mean you sometimes forget you are not Singaporean?
You can't be serious about Singapore being a cocoon though. We are one of the most international cities in the world, busiest airport, Asia and Australia as our playground, over a quarter of our population are foreigners, goodness knows how many of the rest are PRs from all parts of the world... maybe you're hanging around your HDB estate too much. Come on downtown... there are almost as many blondes as brunettes walking along Orchard Road these days.
no offence taken. if you feel that this place is a cocoon, who am i to disagree? we are all entitled to our opinions. i feel cramped here too and leave the country every other month just to get away for a while. i stay on because this is my country, my roots are here. and i love it.Anonymous wrote:id agree with the "cocoon"- its a mental and emotional cocoon they're in here in Singapore- yes yes dont take it personally- but ive been here a loongggggg time and i am Asian- lived and mingled with dustbin man up to the ministers-- definitely mentally and emotionally cocooned- more sporeans need to go and LIVE in another country- not just travel but live in another country- try something third world and a developmed nation too- then they will have a better idea of 'life' as it were--
WIMH, no need to apologise. I'll try to explain and I hope your able to get the gist of what I am trying to say.Wind In My Hair wrote:i apologise if my questions sound a little confrontational, it's just that i really wonder how these flippant judgements come to be passed.
Any suprise to know why historians call him "Asia's Phillosopher King"??I give LKY 110% as a leader and as a visionary. But, he has made his fair share of mistakes of which I am sure you are as aware of as he is and I am so I won't even start there.
thanks for explaining. the flippant comments i referred to were not yours. i can accept that you find singapore a cocoon. i sometimes feel that way too and even if i didn't, you are entitled to your opinion. what i took issue with was some guest's comment that all singaporeans "should" live overseas to know what 'life' was all about. having your personal opinion is one thing. getting on your (not yours, his) high horse and telling the rest of the world what they should do is another.sundaymorningstaple wrote:WIMH, no need to apologise. I'll try to explain and I hope your able to get the gist of what I am trying to say.Wind In My Hair wrote:i apologise if my questions sound a little confrontational, it's just that i really wonder how these flippant judgements come to be passed.
come on, we don't do that. honestly, i doubt people who say that boast about it. we say that when people criticise some of our policies and we defend the need for it by pointing out that because of our racial and cultural make-up, riots and such would be commonplace (and were) without some policies perceived by outsiders as draconian.sundaymorningstaple wrote:the fact that Singapore likes to run around the world yelling "look and us, we are a multi-racial, multi-cutural country" only makes Singapore look silly.
i agree totally with you. LKY was a great leader, and even so admits himself that he made some mistakes. i am a product of one of those 'mistakes', so i should know.sundaymorningstaple wrote:Please, do not take me the wrong way, I give LKY 110% as a leader and as a visionary. But, he has made his fair share of mistakes of which I am sure you are as aware of as he is and I am so I won't even start there. He was going to do it his way or else and now there are certain segments of the population with major problems.
i did not accuse anyone of hating singapore. and am glad to know that you don't.sundaymorningstaple wrote:What I am trying to say is just this.....Criticism is usually just like a bucket of sand (A lot of irritant and not much more) but if you sift through that sand you will often find some golden nuggets of wisdom that can change your life or your country. Or another way is, don't throw the baby out with the dirty bath water. Please do not confuse criticism with hate. None of us hate Singapore. Why would I stay here 23 years if I hated it.
don't get me wrong. i enjoy hearing your opinions along with a few others. else i wouldn't bother staying on this board. i do have a problem getting along with people whose arguments beg logic. no need to apologise, i am guilty of the same. it's amazing how one gets drawn into these discussions!sundaymorningstaple wrote:Whoa, that got a little longer than I intended, sorry...
sms
Well said SMS, I feel very much the same way, about UK, There are good and bad points, in every Country, and probably the people that do travel and reside in many Countries, often wonder why these golden nuggets are not adapted to improve societies, and standards of living.sundaymorningstaple wrote:WIMH, no need to apologise. I'll try to explain and I hope your able to get the gist of what I am trying to say.Wind In My Hair wrote:i apologise if my questions sound a little confrontational, it's just that i really wonder how these flippant judgements come to be passed.
I am an American Citizen, I am at the front end of the babyboomer generation haveing been born just after WWII. I am an ex-chopper pilot circa 1965-68 in Vietnam. I was not in favour of the US going to Vietnam, that said, yes, I did protest for a while but ultimately it is still my country and I went to war. When I came back we marched, protested, put down our leaders and created all kinds of havoc. To this day, all Americans complain about our Country and so does the rest of the world. This is okay by me. Stick & stones...., but, at the end of the day it is still my country and I'll still fight for her even while I b1tch and complain. As an American, I don't get too upset when foreigners try to "meddle in our affairs", Hell, they might be able to teach us something. Don't forget, the fact that Singapore likes to run around the world yelling "look and us, we are a multi-racial, multi-cutural country" only makes Singapore look silly. What do you think the US is but 70 times bigger. What do you think Australia is? Believe me, it's no big deal.
Singapore has had to import almost all of it talent across the past 40 years. If they had to import all that talent to create the basic infrastructure, what make you so sure that the leaders had "all" the talent necessary to run the country the best way. Please, do not take me the wrong way, I give LKY 110% as a leader and as a visionary. But, he has made his fair share of mistakes of which I am sure you are as aware of as he is and I am so I won't even start there. He was going to do it his way or else and now there are certain segments of the population with major problems.
What I am trying to say is just this.....Criticism is usually just like a bucket of sand (A lot of irritant and not much more) but if you sift through that sand you will often find some golden nuggets of wisdom that can change your life or your country. Or another way is, don't throw the baby out with the dirty bath water. Please do not confuse criticism with hate. None of us hate Singapore. Why would I stay here 23 years if I hated it. I have a 100 hectare waterfront farm on the east coast of the US to retire to.
Whoa, that got a little longer than I intended, sorry...
sms
oops! Soory timed out rather quickly, I posted the aboveAnonymous wrote:Well said SMS, I feel very much the same way, about UK, There are good and bad points, in every Country, and probably the people that do travel and reside in many Countries, often wonder why these golden nuggets are not adapted to improve societies, and standards of living.sundaymorningstaple wrote:WIMH, no need to apologise. I'll try to explain and I hope your able to get the gist of what I am trying to say.Wind In My Hair wrote:i apologise if my questions sound a little confrontational, it's just that i really wonder how these flippant judgements come to be passed.
I am an American Citizen, I am at the front end of the babyboomer generation haveing been born just after WWII. I am an ex-chopper pilot circa 1965-68 in Vietnam. I was not in favour of the US going to Vietnam, that said, yes, I did protest for a while but ultimately it is still my country and I went to war. When I came back we marched, protested, put down our leaders and created all kinds of havoc. To this day, all Americans complain about our Country and so does the rest of the world. This is okay by me. Stick & stones...., but, at the end of the day it is still my country and I'll still fight for her even while I b1tch and complain. As an American, I don't get too upset when foreigners try to "meddle in our affairs", Hell, they might be able to teach us something. Don't forget, the fact that Singapore likes to run around the world yelling "look and us, we are a multi-racial, multi-cutural country" only makes Singapore look silly. What do you think the US is but 70 times bigger. What do you think Australia is? Believe me, it's no big deal.
Singapore has had to import almost all of it talent across the past 40 years. If they had to import all that talent to create the basic infrastructure, what make you so sure that the leaders had "all" the talent necessary to run the country the best way. Please, do not take me the wrong way, I give LKY 110% as a leader and as a visionary. But, he has made his fair share of mistakes of which I am sure you are as aware of as he is and I am so I won't even start there. He was going to do it his way or else and now there are certain segments of the population with major problems.
What I am trying to say is just this.....Criticism is usually just like a bucket of sand (A lot of irritant and not much more) but if you sift through that sand you will often find some golden nuggets of wisdom that can change your life or your country. Or another way is, don't throw the baby out with the dirty bath water. Please do not confuse criticism with hate. None of us hate Singapore. Why would I stay here 23 years if I hated it. I have a 100 hectare waterfront farm on the east coast of the US to retire to.
Whoa, that got a little longer than I intended, sorry...
sms
Myself I'm ex cavalary and AAC aircrew, miss the old choppers quite alot! I'm also very proud of UK, but politics, I'd rather not get into any discussion about!
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