A Whole New World

A Whole New World

Just a few quick rhetorical questions.

On the proposed integrated resorts (aka casinos)

1. What if our integrated resorts (IRs) didn't take off because in so trying to protect Singaporeans from gambling, the casinos were deemed too small by the big rollers?

2. Which ministry will the IRs fall under? Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, or will there be a new Ministry of Integrated Resorts?

On F1 racing in Singapore

3. Who will make sure that the F1 drivers keep to the speed limits while racing in Singapore?

4. Why can't we designate the stretch of expressway from Changi Airport to Tuas Singapore's official race track and allow cars to race each other every Sunday?

On being labelled plastic bag junkies of the world

5. What's wrong with winning?

A Challenge

A Challenge?

I knew this was coming some way or another. It was unintentional that I had juxtaposed my casino piece and personality disorder test side by side. It's really Blogger's fault, because they list by days. This means that all the posts within one day will be placed within the same bounds.

Now, here is the interesting nugget: A highly enlightened soul, no less, from USA asked:

"All right, you talked me into it.

How much do you want to bet that this is a common profile for bloogers.

I mean bloggers."

I've got a challenge.

Well, fortunately for me, I'm no oppressive compulsive gambler who has to take on every challenge thrown in my face. I'm no indiscriminate gambler who frizzles away every single cent I have. I'm controlled and cultured and I know the social ills of gambling. I am a gentleman and gentlemen challenge each other to duels, not lowly gambles.

Betting is not good. The odds are always in the house's favour. More often than not, the social bettor loses his or her bet. So, it's better to earn your keep through sheer hard work than gambling.

We all know how bad gambling is. So no matter how tempting the proposition is, the best thing to do is to stay away. Not engaging in an activity like betting is not cowardly - it's akin to saying no to unprotected sex, saying no to smoking, saying no to drugs. It's the RIGHT thing to do.

Of course, I'll do just the right thing. Exactly the right thing. Nothing less than the right thing.

I'll bet my bottom dollar most bloggers have profiles similar to that one shown below.

Personality Disorder Test Results

Personality Disorder Test Results Paranoid |||||||||| 38% Schizoid |||||||||||||||||| 74% Schizotypal |||||||||||||||||| 78% Antisocial |||||||||||||||||||| 90% Borderline |||||| 30% Histrionic |||||||||||||||| 66% Narcissistic |||||||||||||||||||| 90% Avoidant |||||||||||| 50% Dependent |||||||||| 38% Obsessive-Compulsive |||||||||||||| 54%

Take Free Personality Disorder Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Casino?

Casino?

The taglines of the casino opposers have been casiNO, caSINo, and CAsinO (a play on the China Aviation Company, CAO, which is going bankrupt because of the rogue CEO).

Today, the dust has settled. We, Singaporeans, are getting not one, but TWO casinos. These dens will be a part of larger integrated resorts meant to attract tourists. In fact, these resorts will be touted as family entertainment centres.

Well and good.

I am a strong believer of family values (though I have absolutely no faith in the entity called marriage, which is prone to self-destruct. But that'll be another blog entry, I suppose). I had my reservations and am still an opposer of the casino.

I know myself well. A decade back, throw me in the den with enough cash at hand and I'll squander them faster than you can say "GO"! I am a big stakes person, especially if I don't have to watch my budget.

But with age comes wisdom. About 5 years ago, while I was in Monte Carlo, I went to feed the slot machines. I spent 30 minutes at the machines, made $15, took my money and scooted out of the casino. And I spent the rest of the day sitting with rueing tour mates who had lost at the machines. Some of them lost $300 in a mere 15 minutes!

Well, I've also paid my price at gambling. I lost RM 100 ($45, USD25) over 12 hours in Genting Highlands feeding 1 sen (RM 0.01) jackpot machines. I must also confess that I did not play throughout the entire 12 hours. If I had, the losses would have been at least 5 times of what I had lost.

The odds are always in favour of the house. I am always aware of that. If I had a couple of tens to dump and I've really no place to dump them, I probably would go into a casino and walk around and play some.

I've learnt enough to know how to limit my losses. But I don't think many people have learnt this intricate skill. Psychologists have long agreed that gambling is the only instance where negative reinforcement actually leads to the increase of an undesired action. Says a lot about gambling!

I've seen my fair share of people gambling their lives away. I have seen how debts accumulate to hundreds of thousands over a weekend of horse racing. Trust me. You really don't want to be a part of a family where such ills befall you.

Looking at things, I can only hope that there will be stern enough measures to tackle indiscriminate gambling. If drug takers can be jailed so that they can turn over a new leaf, I think incorrigible gamblers who land their families in dire straits, too, should be put behind bars. I would think this isn't punishment enough for them.

Loansharks should also be caned and jailed. Enough said.

Introducers to loansharks should be jailed as abettors and accomplices. They should be jailed and caned.

Casinos which operate money lending facilities or extend credit to local gamblers ought to lose their lisence. Or fined S$5 000 000. Their choice.

Banks should pool resources to ensure that their clients do not abuse the unsecured line of credit for gambling. There should be legislation to protect the family members' living, even if another in the family is being persecuted for gambling.

All application for bankruptcy arising from gambling will be thrown back and the bankrupt is to be jailed with immediate effect. The family and the matrimonial homes and properties shall not be seizable by the creditors.

I'm getting carried away. But I think I am making some sense here (I hope). After all, the purpose of a casino is to effect what Robin Hood, Communism and Social Welfare failed to do - to legitimately ROB the RICH to clothe the poor. If the poor goes in to give, then the purpose would have failed.

My Favourite Things

My Favourite Things

Rain drops on roses

Well, well, let's start from the very beginning. A very good place to start. When it rains, it begins with "some small drops", then it pours they become "damn big drops". "Damn big drops"! The wonderful things that wet the ground. "Damn big drops"! And almost all Singapore motorists cannot drive...

Singapore drivers and motorcyclists have a very bad habit of not respecting each other and other road users. To cut the long story short, everyone thinks they own the road.

Motorcyclists in Singapore are mostly demented adults who were deprived since kindergarten days. When they were kindergarten kids, their teachers disallowed them from doing their "join-the-dashes" assignments. That's why when they grow up, they compensate their loss by using their bikes to join up the road lane marking dashes. They never figured out that most of them are not exactly that slim (Singapore has just revised downwards it's BMI readings!) and not exactly that agile (we don't have that many people who are actually Cirque du Soleil calibre) and thus, they only learn their lessons when they go under wheels.

Other motorcyclists drive in lanes that they should not drive in. Today, I witnessed a motorcyclist who was flung off his bike along a three-lane road. His bike lay in the extreme right lane (where he ISN'T supposed to be) and the motorcyclist was sprawled in the second and third lanes. The traffic slowed to a crawl and when I finally drove past him, I just went, "That's great! One less moron on the road!"

And whiskers on kittens

Erm, Singapore cats and dogs, but especially cats, are really not road-trained. They are mostly strays and they cross at the most inopportune moments. Every time I drive past a patchwork on the road, I go "Meow! Hahahah....! Meow"

When the dog bites, when the bee stings

Went to eat at Pioneer Seafood at Tuas today. As it was, I was already in a bad mood because of a whole series of idiotic, time-wasting, nonsensical meetings for the past few days and also the thought of continuing meetings of the same type in the coming two days already made me feel really vile.

So, went into a so-called higher end restaurant to eat. But alas, I had to fight with flies. I had to defend my food from flies, chase them away and at times, the flies help themselves to my food!

Before dinner, I was swatting flies.

I was combatting the pests for the next two dishes.

By the third, I was exasperated. I called the manager and asked him what he's doing about the flies. I can't eat in a place where I'm fighting with flies for food. The flies have stopped on enough places for me to declare the entire table a biological hazard.

By the fourth dish, I was cursing. Our chopsticks, bowls, plates and all were changed because I complained that they were already contaminated.

The straw that broke the camel's back was the fifth dish. Seafood fried rice came up. I asked the waitress to portion out two bowls for us, which she did. We were still eating our fourth dish when the flies landed on the fried rice.

That's it!

I threw down my chopsticks, called the manager, told him I can't eat and fight with flies at the same time, and called for the bill. I pointed out very very clearly to him that the restaurant's hygiene needed relooking into. If his systems are in order, the vectors would not be such a niusance. Anyway, he was unfortunate for a fruit fly landed on my plate as I riled at him.

The manager walked to the cashier, came back and told me that since the restaurant was unable to satisfactorily allow me to complete my meal, he couldn't bill me. Anyway, I told him too that I'm not here for a free meal.

I slapped $50 on the table and walked off.

[For the interested, the meal is likely to have cost $97 thereabouts, and we've got 3 dishes (out of 6 or 7) uneaten.]

I simply recount all my favourite things and then I don't feel so bad.

Unbelievable

Someone should really really go to the Dictionary of Names and key in the 5 letter word for male reproductive organ. It's a male name.

Enough said.

Name Analysis

From Old Whig's Blog.

Eugene

Your name of Eugene gives you a very happy-go-lucky, spontaneous nature. You see the humorous side of many situations and can laugh at yourself as well as at others. This name gives you a musical, artistic nature and you would do well in any occupation in the entertainment field. You have many friends because of your generous, happy nature, but if crossed you have a quick temper, although your annoyance does not last too long. You do enjoy an argument and will at times say things just to get others going and then you sit back and enjoy the debate. You lack system and order and find it very difficult to budget and save money. This name creates a nature that can be the life of the party, but many times you can become involved in emotional situations against your better judgment. Your compassionate nature causes you to be too generous and you often give more than you can afford to. You are too fond of sugars and starches, thus you could have a weakness in your liver, kidneys, or skin, creating pimples or eczema. While this name gives you a wonderful personality, and attracts much love and friendship, it is far too emotional and scattering an influence and will not allow the material accumulation nor personal happiness you should have.

Dictionary of Names

World Mourns Pope's Death

World Mourns Pope's Death

"Our beloved Holy Father John Paul has returned to the house of the Father," said Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, announcing the death of the Pontiff, who died on Saturday, 2 April 2005, at 9:37 p.m. (1937 GMT) in his Vatican bed after an extended struggle with ill health.

His dying word was "Amen," newspapers said.



My sentiments exactly.

What so bad about death?

What so bad about death?

On March 31, 2005 at approximately 9.05am, Terri Schindler-Schiavo lost her nearly 14 day struggle against starvation and dehydration and died at the Hospice Woodside in Pinellas Park, Florida. Her family was not permitted to be with her as she passed. Terri's family and the volunteers of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation have vowed to focus the Foundation, named for her, on assisting other desperate families in their efforts to protect vulnerable loved ones. Updates will be posted soon.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "Whoever stands idly by without trying to prevent the death of Terri Schindler Schiavo becomes an accomplice to murder", said Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

The death of the severely brain-damaged woman "would represent a homicide in which it is impossible to idly stand by without becoming accomplices," he said in a March 31 interview with Vatican Radio.

The cardinal said having Schiavo die of starvation and thirst was "one of the most inhumane and cruel" ways to die.

"Beyond the possible political exploitation" of the Schiavo case, her "painful, heartbreaking agony" should be enough to force humanity to prevent what will be an otherwise tragic end to her life, said the cardinal.

So, what did the cardinal do about the ailing Pope? Nothing. So, if you are not facing the issue, you probably are not FIT to speak. So, shut up!

Blog from David Scott Anderson

I have avoided this debate so far. After reading Megan's heartfelt post I will only say a couple of things.

1. If I were lying in a hospital bed for 15 years, I would hope my family would be unselfish enough to let me go. Terri is not going to improve. If there were conclussive proof that there were a chance for that, this would be a non argument.

2. I resent the politicizing of a family decision. If the same thing happened to me, I would not want my Mother, father, sister, brother, arguing with my wife about her decision or my wishes, when they were not there.

3. This case makes a nice diversion from Tom DeLay stinking up Capital Hill.

4. I am a Christian and I believe Terri will not be at peace attached to a machine for the next God knows how many years.

MURDER, no... Terri died 15 years ago. Before you give me the shame on you line, I want one just one person, to show me conclussive evidence that there exist a possibility (A good one, not a theoretical one, that Terri will ever leave that bed and live a normal or near normal life.)

THE TERRI SCHIAVO INFORMATION PAGE Concerns The Legal Aspects Of The Overall Schiavo Saga

Did she have a living will?

No. If she had, this case would probably never have generated much controversy. The one sure lesson to be taken from all of this is that each of us should have a living will. Florida law permits living wills and defines how and when they may be effective.

If you take away the "evil" allegations that have been leveled against everyone, it's easy to see what you're left with.

You're left with a woman who suffered a heart attack 15 years ago, who essentially died but was resuscitated, though not entirely. Her brain had suffered enormous damage from the heart attack.

Doctors hired by Terri's husband say the deterioration of Terri's brain left her without thoughts or feelings, that the damage is irreversible, and that Terri's life-like appearance is merely the result of brain stem activity -- basically involuntary reflexes we all have. An independent doctor hired by the court reached the same conclusions. Doctors hired by Terri's parents did not dispute the physical damage done to Terri, but they claim there are new therapies that could improve her condition. In two separate trials, the trial court found such claims of potential improvement to be without merit.

A physician practicing as a hospitalist in Texas wrote:

What about Terri's right? Yes, what about her "right to die" and her right to decide how she would want to spend her life? In her current condition she is unable to express her wishes (if she in fact is capable of having wishes at all). The courts have already heard the arguments and have made a decision. It is a travesty that any government would step in to intervene on any single case. It's a case of political bravado that makes any conservative legislator (and the Gov.) look good in the eyes of the voters but not a single politico will spend a second of their lives in Terri's shoes nor caring for her daily and watching a horrendously slow death and decay as the years drag on. Thank God I don't live in Florida where the government decides when and how it will allow people to die!

So Terri Shiavo is a big deal, right? I reckon so. The Schindlers must be damned rich, damned free, damned idealistic or all three. Can't see how so, if otherwise.

Now, contrast Terri with this other person.

Pope Losing Consciousness, Condition Is `Very Grave'

The 84-year-old pope is not in a coma, Navarro-Valls told reporters at 11:30 a.m. in Rome. He said he may give another briefing at 5:30 p.m. By the pope's bedside are his personal secretaries, Stanislao Dziwisz and Monsignor Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, both from his native Poland.

The pontiff, who asked not be taken back to hospital, yesterday received the blessing for the dying after suffering heart failure and running up a high fever.

Pope Edges Near Death As Faithful Pray and Wait

On Thursday night, John Paul received Holy Viaticum, a special Holy Communion provided to Catholics as they near death, according to Vatican officials.

The pope suffered heart failure and oscillating blood pressure Friday after developing a urinary tract infection Thursday, the Vatican said. Informed of the gravity of the situation, he gave instructions that he would rather remain in the Vatican than reenter Gemelli Polyclinic hospital in Rome, where he has been treated over the years for a variety of illnesses, the Vatican said.

Friday, from his bed in his Vatican apartment, he had listened to a reading of the story of Jesus's crucifixion, made the sign of the cross repeatedly and co-celebrated a Mass, according to an emotional Navarro-Valls, the Vatican spokesman. The pontiff, 84, was "lucid, fully aware, and, I must say, very serene," Navarro-Valls said.

Pope John Paul II is slipping in and out of consciousness, the Vatican spokesman said Saturday.

"We cannot speak of a coma technically," said spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls at a morning briefing for reporters. "From this dawn, the conscious state has been seen to be compromised."

The Genoa newspaper Il Secolo XIX (The Age)reported that John Paul, with the help of his private secretary, had written a note to his aides urging them not to weep for him. "I am happy, and you should be as well," the note reportedly said. "Let us pray together with joy."

So, the preserver of lives lies in his apartment in the Vatican and bravely faces death, knowing that it is inevitable.

And yet, the already dead had been forcibly kept alive through artificial means.

What an irony!

2 Trips That Changed My Life

Two Trips That Changed My Life

I made two trips over the past two years (2003 and 2004) and the sum total of the experience changed my life entirely. I live life as fully as I can and I know when I should give up the pursuit of certain things. I learn the value of contentment and I also learn that money, indeed, cannot buy happiness.

I've not found enlightenment or entered the state of selflessness but I've become more willing to speak my mind, spend my money and time, or do something that can bring back happiness and stability to my life. It's not being fatalistic, but being at peace with nature, with your inner self.

I've stared right into my core and on many occasions, covered my face in shame when I reflect on my life so far. During introspection, I have shed some tears of regret, smiled at my foolishness, hated myself for my stubbornness and stupidity, laughed at my happy thoughts and basked in the glory of my past successes. I am not a perfect person, but I have dared to take the first step out to come to terms with who I am inside. How many people out there will really dare to face their true inner selves?

I'll share with you the turning points of those trips.

2003, I went to Yunnan, China. Shangri-La was the place where I finally learnt what is the value of a breath. The Chinese have this thing about needing your breath to be smooth flowing. I'll tell you that in Shangri-La, for some reason which I can no longer recall, I was so fuming mad that I raised my voice slightly at the waitress. But to my amazement, I could not even finish my sentence! Because of the high altitude, I had to pause half-way, inhale, before I can resume speaking. And because of the breathless condition that I felt for the first time in my life, I knew what it meant to have a smooth airflow. I simply could not carry on my tirade. I sat down, and resolved never to lose my temper over needless things again. Since then, I have been rather successful.

2004, I went to Sri Lanka. I needn't say more about the tsunami that struck. What happened to the people in Sri Lanka taught me about the fragility of human life, of death. What were previously sights of beauty and tranquility turned into gory dumps of death for the gentle, peaceful people. The tsunami, which I had earlier predicted, left me indelible lessons.

Through these two trips, I've learnt the gift of living and the inevitability of death.

I have become a more contented person. I know when to let go. And I know what I am really pursuing now are my happiness and worth of and in life. These are very important to me.