Hiya ! 大家好！こんにちは！

12 July, 2008

Human Rights 人权

Wikipedia defines human rights as the "basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled."
So what are the basic rights and freedoms ?
To me the basic rights and freedoms should be subjected to condition that they will not adversely affect other people. eg. one cannot walk in a crowded area swinging his arms freely as he will hit others.
So, should we allow people to have freedom to speech that will result in racial unrest ? Just saw a YouTube video titled "Buddhism is stupid and evil." You may think this guy has his right to express his view but in Singapore, we are a multi-racial, multi-religious society, we have gone through racial unrest and we do not think we should allow people such a right.
In the name of Human Rights, other countries should not impose upon Singapore to do things their way. Let us have our right to decide.
It is not just the government policy, it is the majority Singaporeans' agreement.

Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states :
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood."
Sounds good, but why America attacked her brother Iraq ?

The Us detain prisoners captured in Afghanistan and currently being held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba without giving them the right to be trial in court, you call this Human rights ?

If you go to the US, the way you are treated by the immigration and the custom, you will wonder how could these people criticise others on Human Rights ?

10 July, 2008

成语猜谜

胡锦涛在八国峰会上说话 - 胡说八道。

08 July, 2008

Bangkok 0708 曼谷

Went to Bangkok with Ken and friends on 30 June 2008. They were there attending a 2 days hair dressing course.
We stayed at Amari Watergate Hotel, nice 4* hotel and well located in busy and noisy downtown. At night we went drinking at RCA, Bed Supper Club, Hyatt Hotel and a local club Songsalueng at Thonglor 21, Sukhumvit 55. Bed was nice but need to produce passport. For guys covert charge is 600 bahts, ladies are free.
Ken and friends went to Pattaya after the course and I moved into Metropolitan Hotel next to Banyan Tree. It is a nice and quiet hotel located at business district. The room is very big and the service is excellent.
Went for a one day trip to Tiger Temple which was amazing to see so many tigers in such a close proximity. So glad to be able to take photos with the tigers.
Tried to book for a dinner at Sky Bar on 64 storey of State Tower but it was fully booked from Thursday till Sunday. So settled with Breeze on 52 storey of the same building. We sat at the open area of the restaurant. In my opinion, it is more beautiful than Sky Bar and it serves Asian food too. After dinner we moved up to Distil Bar on 64 storey to drink.
I think it is a better option to dine at Breeze and drink at Distil Bar later than dinning and drinking at Sky Bar.
On the whole it was a great trip.

Very nice Chicken Rice stall at Petchburi Road opposite Pratunam Complex. Open from 11am. Must try. Saw people carrying guide books there.
在Pratunam 带有古早味的鸡饭。生意很好。好多人拿着旅行指南找到那儿去。一定要去，十一点开门。

Highly recommended Zanotti Italian Restaurant at Sala Daeng Rd turned out to be a so so place in my opinion. It is cramped, my steak was disappointing. I will rate it at 6 out of 10.
在Sala Daeng出名的Zanotti 義大利餐馆。结果有点失望。

A simple local restaurant which is nice and cheap but have to queue.
便宜好吃的小食店。要排队哦！

Near Somtam restaurant. Another good restaurant with nice Thai food.
Siam Square 不错的泰国餐馆。

Reclining Buddha
好命佛-睡佛。

At Metropolitan Hotel. I like the idea of projecting a clock onto the wall
在我住的Metropolitan Hotel，把鐘投影在墙上，这idea不错。

Floating Market
水上人家

River Kwai Bridge
桂河桥

Hellfire Pass is the name of a railway cutting on the Death Railway in Thailand. It was built by the POWs of the Australian, British, Dutch and Indians. Majority of the railway had been destroyed by the Royal Air force during the war.
泰缅死亡铁路记念馆

Tiger Temple 虎虎大睡

虎光山色

Tiger Temple.
不入虎穴焉得虎子

Four Faces Buddha
东张西望，瞻前顾后的四面佛

When in Bangkok, must go to State Tower at night. might go Breeze on 52 storey for dinner then drink at Distil Bar or Sky Bar on On 64 storey. Night view of Bangkok is fantastic.
在曼谷，一定要去State Tower 看夜景。先去52楼的Breeze 吃饭，再去64楼的Sky Bar 喝酒看夜景。

The Palace
皇宫

I was not allowed to get into the Palace as I was in shorts. Forced to buy a pair of paints at 100 bahts (S$4) to get in. And I like the paints,
穿短裤不能进皇宫，结果买了条新币４块的裤子来穿。

The Palace 皇宫

New Suvarnabhumi Airport of Bangkok.　
曼谷新机场

24 June, 2008

Wong Can't Sink

First, Mas Selamat's escape;
then, Escape bid by 2 detainees from the sub-court;
and now, Dad flies off using son's passport
He said : I have been reminding officers of the need for vigilance repeatedly after each lapse of human error. Obviously the message is not sinking in deep enough to the last man.
Too bad, Wong Can't Sink his message deep.
and do you believe Mas Selamat is still in Singapore ?
Guys, whatever you do, don't be the last man.

Read an email asking why when your maid run away, you are responsible and you will be fined $5,000. But when Mas Selamat ran away, the Minister got away with it ? Well ...

23 June, 2008

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, June 2008 南非，津巴布韋，博茨瓦納，

South Africa :
South Africa is a beautiful place but with high crime rate. UN ranked South Africa second for assault and murder per capita and first for rapes per capita in the World. The unemployment rate is 40%, the housing loan interest rate is 15%. Companies are moving to other countries leaving many buildings in the city of Johannesburg empty. We are warmed not to step onto the street of Johannesburg city as it is not safe. Viewing the city from the coach, we saw no other race walking in the street of downtown Johannesburg but only the blacks.
Is it better now for the black people in current situation or then under apartheid rules ?

Zimbabwe :
Victoria Falls is very beautiful, it is a place not to be missed. However, Zimbabwe is another country in trouble. Do you know the exchange rate ?
1US Dollars=7 billion Zimbabwe dollars this morning and it is 8 billion now at night.

Botswana :
We did not see much of Botswana. Only at the boarder near Zimbabwe for game drive at Chobe National Park. However, according to Wikipedia, Since independence Botswana has had one of the fastest growth rates in per capita income in the world. Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $16,450 in 2007.

Arrival at small Cape Town airport on 2nd June 2008. It was under extension work preparing for World Cup 2010.
为迎接2008年世界杯正在扩建開普敦机场

Beautiful place with slum
美丽云端下的貧民窟

Table Mountain. D place u must go when u visit Cape Town. D building is cable car station.
浮游云中的桌山索道站

View from Table Mountain.
曾经沧海难为水，除却桌山不是云

Proud Ostrich turned its head away when taking photo
鸟样

Victoria and Alfred Waterfront

Pub in Long Street

Harbour cruise

Another Slum

Spier Winery

Paid to visit this Cheetah but it pretended to be sleeping.

At least this eagle did not pretend to sleep

This is Seal Island but we saw Sea lions instead. Check Internet and found :
"earless seals (true seals, without ear flaps) and eared seals (sea lions, with ear flaps)"

Want to buy a house here ?

Penguin Island

Learned about this place since I was in primary school, Cape of Good Hope。

好望角。

Did you see it ? if not, click the photos. The signboard of this light house at Cape of Good Hope indicated that from this point to Singapore is 9667 KM.
好望角灯塔下的告板显示距离新加坡9667公里。