Comments on: Random thoughts en route – Singapore

By: Merv

Merv — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:31:27 +0000

“Like many great leaders, he felt that if society did well, then those in it would get the rewards – and financially – and in many other respects also – no one could argue that he was wrong”.

No sure about having that: having absolutely no political rights; where freedom of expression is quashed, in favour of total acquiescence to the State’s dictates. Not too sure about that at all.

By: baz

baz — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:16:31 +0000

Two things stand out from our trip to Singapore.
Leaving the airport was like walking into a sauna.
We were having a drink at the bar of our hotel and I mentioned the lack of police. Barman indicated two separate casually-dressed men, reading their papers and having a beer. Say no more.
Love those orchids!

By: barry

barry — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:50:12 +0000

The legal system and style of justice in Singapore should give everyone reason to think about the balance between what we have here in NZ -where personal responsibility isnt high on the list of many people – compared to that of Singapore, where it is high on the list. I think their response to violence is more productive than ours (several strokes of the cane versus 3 years in jail. We all know jail doesnt work, and the cane seems to work in Singapore) and I do like their attitude to family care. You get higher taxes if you do not look after your parents as they get older – ie: why should everyone else pay – they have their own family to look after.

Yes – the place may seem a little sterile and enviously you (BE) dont think anyone should be as happy as many of the younger ones seem to be (its not old Ireland BE!)- but its got a lot going for it.

L.Q Yew obviously thought years ago that the greater good was society – not the individual. Like many great leaders, he felt that if society did well, then those in it would get the rewards – and financially – and in many other respects also – no one could argue that he was wrong.

By: Jill Brookes

Jill Brookes — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:55:50 +0000

I am sure I recall one Pita Sharples being denied entry to Singapore several years ago simply because he sported a top-knot [instead of the pony-tail he now has].

By: JC

JC — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 02:53:17 +0000

The Perfume Pagoda trip is definitely worth it!

We’re thinking about it, but it’s pissing down with rain and misty. If the weather clears up, we’ll definitely go. Off now on a tour of the city.

Question: if you took the horns out of the cars, could they still drive?

By: Daleaway

Daleaway — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:34:58 +0000

Two little experiences:

I was on a bus tour of historic Singapore, when the tour guide quipped about their parliament : “Sit on their backsides and drink tea all day – I could do that!” The driver then said something to her in Chinese and she looked terrified, apologised, and begged us all to ignore her stupid mistake as that was not what she had meant to say. She was really frightened.

A photo of an elderly homeless female found living in a public park had been in that morning’s Singapore paper, with the instruction from the police that her family were urged to come and pick her up and look after her in future (no benefits).

I also got a look at their high school history textbooks, which were incredibly biassed.Talk about history being written by the winners – these were written to keep the government in power.

Singapore is harsher than even I had expected.

By: Paul Reynolds

Paul Reynolds — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:38:53 +0000

Enjoy Hanoi!
The traffic is intense! That said, I totally loved it – especially the energy of the people.
I reckon when they really get the hang of capitalism it will be all over for the likes of NZ. These guys work from dawn ’till dusk!

The Perfume Pagoda trip is definitely worth it!

By: Merv

Merv — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:20:48 +0000

Gee, only the “once”?

By: Tom Semmens

Tom Semmens — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:16:12 +0000

“…And someone’s just been sentenced to six strokes of the cane here for breaking a glass in the face of a man he’d never met for no reason anyone could ascertain…”

It is Singapore, someone probably got the G-23 paxilon hydrochlorate mix wrong that day.

By: JC

JC — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:23:17 +0000

Thanks, Ben – it’s a dilemma, isn’t it?