The End of the World - Again!

I'm sure some of you will remember Harold Camping, the evangelist who predicted the end of the world (no doubt he was a tad surprised when it didn't happen on schedule, more than once). Well since his unfortunate demise (one he missed predicting as chance would have it) it would seem that someone else has stepped into his well worn shoes.



Yes, now a popular televangelist from San Antonio named John Hagee has stated that the four lunar eclipses scheduled to begin this month (April 2014) — also known as "blood moons" — are a sign that biblical prophecies are about to come true, as detailed in his book, "Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change"

The lunar eclipse that occurred on April 15 was the first of four consecutive eclipses that Hagee claims are a "world-shaking event," according to the New York Daily News. Astronomers refer to a series of eclipses such as this as a tetrad. While a tetrad isn't a common occurrence, they have happened in the recent past. The last such series happened in 2003 and 2004, and seven more will occur this century. But the fact that tetrads and lunar eclipses are natural occurrences doesn't faze Hagee in the least.

Apparently "God is controlling the sun, the moon and the stars to send our generation a signal that something big is about to happen" Hagee writes in his book, as quoted in the Daily News. Yes he has a whole book on the subject which lucky for him he had the time to write.

And what is the big predication I'm sure you are all wondering, well ... wait for it ... because it's a prediction of earth shaking consequences that once you read it your life will never be the same again. Here it is, in all it's glory

"Something big is going to happen"

Yes, that's it people, an astounding revelation of epic and controversial proportions as I'm sure you'll agree.

Of course Hagee is no stranger to controversies. In 2008, Hagee was criticised for blaming Hurricane Katrina on a New Orleans gay and lesbian rally. "There was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other Gay Pride parades," Hagee said on NPR. "And I believe that the Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans."

I have no idea why there are so many people in the world that listen to these self proclaimed evangelists, it doesn't take a sane rationale human being more than one look to recognise bullshit when they hear it.

There are times when I really despair for the future of the human race.

Singapore Songkran Failure

I have to laugh when I heard that Singapore will hold its own “Celebrate Songkran 2014” festival at the Padang open field opposite Singapore’s City Hall. In my opinion it is nothing more than a blatant attempt to try to cash in on the festival itself by the Singapore Tourism Board. Songkran is a festival that welcomes in the Lunar New Year and is celebrated in many countries but famous in Thailand for the uninhibated celebrations with water a plenty.



Just as the Grinch stole Christma now Singapore is trying to steal Songkran, chasing visitors to attend its own version of the traditional Thai New Year water festival. No doubt the Singapore Tourism Board realised that at this time of year tourism figures go down as many people all over the world and even from Singapore head to Thailand during this period for the festivities. So they decided to jump onto the bandwagon in what has got to be the most dismal failure ever. So much so that I would advise the organisers to quietly quit their jobs to save themselves from further embrassment.

Yes, Singapore will celebrate Songkran but there will be no water pistol fights, celebrity dunk stations, or really, any kind of water fun at Singapore's first Songkran water festival on April 12 and 13. The organisers of Celebrate Songkran 2014 at the Padang have taken heed of the national campaign to conserve water and dropped the water-based activities.

Instead, (sic) they will host a Water Conservation and Water Heritage Exhibition in conjunction with national water agency PUB.

And so the very meaning of Songkran has been diltued (pun intended) before it's even got of the ground. You see the use of water isn't just a frivalious activity, no, it is meant as a blessing and a sign of respect. In fact it is the most fundemental element of the festival itself, so without it there can be no Songkran.

Local reaction in Thailand has been swift to the news that Singapore intends to hold its own Songkran festival at the same time as Thailand's traditional festival. Indeed the Culture Surveillance Bureau director Yupa Taweewattanakijbaworn is reported to have said "Singapore is using the festival to promote tourism, without acknowledging the value of the traditions behind Songkran". And it would seem given the distinct lack of water available at Singapore's small scale copycat version the words have proven to be true.

In my opinion Singapore simply cannot compete for this Thai festival and it's attempt to do so it quite frankly laughable. It will be the LAST place anyone with any interest in Songkran would want to be. You see Thailand doesn't celebrate Songkran in a tiny little field with no water, no, it's a Country wide celebration involving every member of the community because THAT is what Songkran is really about.

I have been to Songkran many times, and although I hadn't planned on going this year I might just change my mind in silent protest.

Shame on you Singapore.

An Open Letter

An open letter sent to Faith Community Baptist Church, Nation Council of Churches in Singapore  and to The Real Singapore.



To whom it may concern

While I appreciate anyones right to follow the religion of their choice, that choice is between them and their God. Any beliefs they may hold as a result of that choice cannot be placed across the wider society as a whole, many of whom do not follow that same religion. With respect, while as an individual they are free to challenge any decisions the government may make with regards to the laws of the land, that challenge should not be one that is based solely on their religious belief. We are a secular country with a separation of religion and state and are striving to build a society based on “Justice” and “Equality” regardless of “Religion” as enshrined within our Nation’s pledge.

Any religion is free to advise it’s followers on how they should conduct their life in accordance with that religion’s morals, principals and/or beliefs. However, such advice should be limited to those individuals and in the correct forum. I did not, nor will I ever give anyone dominion over my beliefs.

In my personal view the Christian religion is clearly biased in relation to anything to do with LGBT and seeks every opportunity for that biased view, based on its religious beliefs, to be aired publically. I, like many others, do not support that same view. I will not challenge your religious beliefs in this area as I have no right too, but likewise you have no right to challenge mine or to try to impose your view on me or the wider society. If you feel that followers of your religion need to have such religious beliefs made law in order to adhere to them then there is a fundamental disconnect with your understanding of the role of religion in a secular state.

Already in Russia innocent people are being bullied, raped, mutilated, tortured and murdered simply because of who they are. In Uganda the same is happening now as a result of a change in the law there. In both cases these changes have been in part driven by religion. I cannot believe that any God would endorse this violence against individuals who have broken no law, who have committed no crime, who are worthy of our love and respect. And just as religion is in part to blame for this situation, religion must by association hold itself accountable for the direct suffering of these same people.

Recently a federal Judge has ordered Pastor Scott Lively to stand trial for crimes against humanity under international law for his alleged role in the persecution, arrest and murder of gay people in Uganda. The federal judge went on to say that ‘The history and current existence of discrimination against LGBTI people is precisely what qualifies them as a distinct targeted group eligible for protection under international law. ‘The fact that a group continues to be vulnerable to widespread, systematic persecution in some parts of the world simply cannot shield one who commits a crime against humanity from liability.’

Religious beliefs, like mankind must evolve and we have seen examples of this evolution already.  Gone are the days of drunken debauchery of its clergy and the mass murder of innocents through the inquisition and crusades and witch hunts. Gone are the days when a wife must be shriven for consummating her marriage, gone are the days when it was forbidden to handle the Eucharist and so on. History, if anything, shows us that change is possible.

I am saddened to the very core of my being as I write this knowing that it will do little to change anyone’s views today, and though I am not a Christian I pray that the Christian community see’s the light and love of the God they follow and come to understand that all of his creations are equal in his eyes and worthy of our love and respect and not our condemnation for simply being who God intended them to be.

Stand up for Equality

I have to admit to being extremely annoyed recently with the amount of negativity that has been directed at the original HPB FAQ on sexuality from the christian community. On top of that it then comes to light that there was a publication distributed with cut and paste scripts that gave tips on who and what to write titled “family.foundation.future SUPPORT 377A a simple guide to giving feedback” which is believed to be addressed to pastors and leaders under the LoveSingapore movement, urging the church to take action against the repeal of Section 377A.



While I have no issue with anyone's religion, or their religious beliefs, I am tired of having those same religious beliefs rammed down my throat at every opportunity, and equally tired of seeing challenges at attempts to build Singapore as an inclusive and progressive society simply because it does not aline to those same christian religious beliefs.

"We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society based on justice and equality so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation" SINGAPORE NATIONAL PLEDGE : 1996

As a citizen of Singapore each of us is familiar with the words of our national pledge a pledge many of us have spoken many times before. But there are elements within our society that seek to undermine it. They are intent on pushing their agenda based on their religious beliefs as the social norm, and intent on ensuring the inequalities in the law among Singapore citizens remain unchanged. As long as the majority of Singaporeans remain silent then their voice will be the only one heard.

We need to ensure that all of our voices are heard so that any debate that affects us as citizens of Singapore is not one sided. All of us should be concerned, not only with the moral future of Singapore, but with Justice and Equality for all citizens. We should not allow a religious minority to attempt to define a moral view that is based on their religious beliefs, especially one that affects all citizens of Singapore.

We must register our strongest unwavering support for the continued separation of state and religion to minimise the influence of these religious organisations so that all decisions made in relation to the laws that govern Singapore apply to all citizens of Singapore without any religious bias.

So I've taken a leaf from their book so to speak and edited and updated the publication I mentioned previously. My version is titled "Justice.Equality.Progress Supporting Our Nation's Pledge a simple guide to giving feedback".

You can read it, or download it by clicking on the image below. Feel free to share it around too!.


















                       Click to view, right click and select "save as" to download

Spending with a Conscience

The goal of any company be it large or small is to make a profit and/or to satisfy it’s shareholders and ensure that analysts confidence remains high in that companies ability regardless of market trends to continue to make a profit. And each year those same companies are challenged to make even more than the year before. It’s an never ending cycle.



Many companies have ethical and corporate social responsibility polices and work within those boundaries in the countries they operate. Indeed, it has to be said that many do good work in those same countries as a result.

But is it enough?

I would love to see a trend where companies put those ethical and corporate social responsibilities above all else. While we can sign petitions and write letters to our MP’s etc urging countries that blatantly violate human rights to rethink their policy’s it’s never going to have any real or lasting impact. Not really.

But imagine if a company decided that it would no longer allow its products to be sold in a country as a result of its poor track record in Human Rights. And now imagine if other companies decided to follow suit. Imagine if companies put the never ending drive to increase profits second to the broader picture.

Imagine if companies got together and formed a forum where they discussed and based on agreed criteria (which would take some trashing out I know) which countries they would no longer do business in, and that more and more companies joined that forum because “we” the consumer decided that “we” would only buy products from companies that put that ethical and corporate social responsibility first.

“We” as citizens of a global economy have a responsibility to ensure that our money is spent wisely. That it is not given to companies and corporations for the sole purpose of making a profit. That rather, every coin we spend is done so with the foresight of supporting this imaginary ethical and corporate social responsibility forum as though it was in fact real.

We are as guilty as anyone else of supporting human rights violations because we help to fuel the economy’s and companies that operate in those areas. Most times we look for bargains to get the most for our hard earned money, and no one can fault us for that. After all, money is not easily come by. And yet if that cheaper product is cheaper because its been made in a country that exploits child labour are we really doing the right thing?

As much as we shout out at politicians and those large corporates for them to do more we also have a part to play. And we often tend to forget, in the search for a bargain, that the power of our dollar and where we spend it will have a lot more impact than any protest or petition.

So, when you hear on the news more of those terrible stories of human rights violations and are outraged by them (as no doubt the majority of us will be), look to where you have spent your hard earned money and ask yourself the question … am I supporting that without even knowing it?

Each of us needs to make a decision on where we as individuals stand and what we stand for, and as much as we point the fingers at others to “do something” we also need to start doing something about it ourselves in one of the easiest ways possible, by spending with a conscience.

“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want” - Anna Lappe

Applause for the HPB FAQ on sexuality

I’ve lived in Singapore for 17 years, the majority of my friends are Singaporeans and yes I am a new Citizen. In the past I tended to read the news in and around Singapore with a passing interest but lately it seems to becoming more and more important to me to understand what is going on since it now effects me directly.



The recent HPB flurry on the internet has left me a little speechless. Here was a government body doing what it is suppose to do, representing ALL of Singapore citizens and providing each and every one of them with avenues that they could peruse for issues that concerned them. It deserved to be applauded for that effort alone.

Instead so called Pastor Lawrence Khong of Faith Community Baptist Church lashed out at the recent HPB FAQ on sexuality saying that the FAQ was "shocking and deeply upsetting". Why? because it mentioned homosexuality? He is reported to have labelled same sex relationships as "unnatural" emphasising that such relationships do not allow procreation and to have taking issue with organisations that are "LGBT-affirming". He is reported to have said that instead, other support groups such as Liberty League, who believe that they can 'cure' homosexuality, should have been suggested instead.

I’m sorry Pastor Lawrence Khong but in my opinion you are an idiot. It is clear that you have no concept of what you are talking about at all on this subject. Not only that, but with the suggested alternatives you mention you are actually quite harmful and I would even consider you a menace to society. You label same sex relationships as “unnatural” even though there is evidence of the same throughout nature itself and you mention “procreation” as though that is the sole purpose for any relationship. I’m sure there are many people in Singapore who will take exception with that view, and many Women who have far more to offer society than their ability to produce babies.

There are countless testimonies that so called “cures” for homosexuality DO NOT WORK. Even the people who pioneered it to begin with have already apologised to the LGBT community for the harm they have inflicted with their misguided perception that sexual orientation can be cured. It cannot. It is an intrinsic and fundamental part of any individual.

A similar stance was then apparently supported by Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan yesterday who hit out at one of the responses, which said homosexual and heterosexual relationships are not too different. Writing on his Facebook page, he said: “I cannot agree that ‘A same-sex relationship is not too different from a heterosexual relationship’. The two relationships are different and they go against the Government’s policy of promoting heterosexual married couples to have healthy relationships and to build stable nuclear and extended family units.

Just because the government is promoting heterosexual married couples does not make a heterosexual and homosexual relationship different at any fundamental level other than the parties involved. What a stupid comment. Provided both are based on mutual respect, trust and love both have been proven to be equally sustainable. All of this family unit, married couple, procreation etc that’s being pushed down people’s throats, I just find it all so amusing.

Here are people up in arms over something like homosexuality in a city that has legalised prostitution and repealed the laws that make oral and anal sex a criminal offence between heterosexual couples. Almost everyday in the newspaper there’s one story or another of a heterosexual couple who have fallen by the wayside one way or another, from underage prostitution to sex for favours and I’m sure anyone reading this has already read more than a few examples.

In fact just recently PAP MP Lim Biow Chuan is reported to have said during Jack Neo's extramarital affair scandal that he showed support for Neo. He said: "Since he is remorseful over this incident, he should be forgiven. Actually, a man who has a good career development would find such scenarios unavoidable"

WHAT!!!!

And then there’s the comments about how people aren’t ready to accept homosexuality is Singapore so we will go with the will of the people. Funny, people weren’t up for having their medisave payments increased or the CPF reduced or fare hikes or changes in ECP pricing. It’s amazing how the government decides to cherry pick which public opinion it will follow while discarding the rest into the “we know best” pile.

As a new citizen, I really am uncertain about the future of Singapore. It seems that Singapore is becoming a less inclusive society and that many natural Singapore citizens are left feeling marginalised with policy decisions that affect them directly.

The HPB deserves our resounding applause for the effort in put into creating an all inclusive FAQ, one that represented ALL CITIZENS of Singapore. And many of the politicians in Singapore can learn a lesson from that. Its a shame however that it will now no doubt amend it’s FAQ to avoid the spot light it finds itself under and Singapore will become a little less inclusive as a result.

Those that spoke out against the original HPB FAQ on sexuality should hang their heads in shame and shoulder the responsibility for that step backwards. I would remind them, and everyone, that the word “equality” is enshrined in our nations pledge and for me it remains a hope that it becomes more than just a word in this Singapore I call home.

Singapore a Police State?

Is Singapore at risk of becoming a police state? It’s a question I’ve been pondering on reading about the bill to enhance police powers at little India. This of course is in response to the recent riot there, the first to happen in Singapore in over 40 years.



The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is introducing a temporary Bill that would provide Police with enhanced powers for one year to deal pre-emptively with potential threats to public order in Little India. No doubt this temporary measure is in lieu of something more permanent that still needs to be trashed out.

Under the enhanced powers, police officers would be allowed, for instance, to search a person for alcohol. Police officers holding the rank of sergeant and above would be empowered to raid any place within Little India, without a warrant, if the officer reasonably suspects an offence has been, is being, or likely to be committed. And while I’m sure there are enough regulations to ensure there is no abuse of these powers, the fact that they exist at all is a little scary.

Search on suspicion, raid without warrant on suspicion, and that’s just the beginning.

The Bill also proposes that the Commissioner or an authorised officer have the power to ban people from entering Little India for up to 30 days if their presence or actions are likely to threaten public order. Although how that would be enacted I’ve no idea given that I’ve no idea how a it will be deemed that a person’s presence or actions are likely to threaten public order. It’s very broad.

Other features of the Bill include a general prohibition against the sale, supply, and consumption of alcohol within this area, with a permit regime to be introduced to allow such activities to be carried out under specific conditions. There will also be powers to allow the swift cancellation or suspension of any business licence of a licensee who commits or is reasonably suspected of contravening the law.

I’ve no issue with banning the consumption of alcohol in public places. In fact it’s a pretty good idea. And I’ve no idea (nor do I think anyone has at this stage) how much alcohol is responsible for the recent riot, no doubt there are other factors that we may never know about and no doubt it was probably a combination of them all that caused the problem.

What does concern me is that we have built an invisible wall around little India, with an invisible gate and an invisible border crossing system wherein different laws are being applied. And it looks like this is only the beginning.

What’s next I wonder?

The Calm before the Storm

There's a rumbling recently in Singapore. A small yet persistent background noise that is almost too soft to hear, but not quiet. A gentle noise that you can almost ignore if you try hard enough but try as you might you still know it's there and it inevitably it creeps back in.



It seems more and more people are putting a voice to their frustration across a whole range of issues here in Singapore. From foreign talent and the huge number of debates and online blogging on the issue to the education system within Singapore and pretty much everything else in between. It seems nothing is taboo and the voices of criticism are slowing rising. When I compare Singapore today to the Singapore I first knew 18 years ago it's a very different place.

So what's changed?

Gen X has grown up and Gen Y is not far behind. And their voices are definitely getting louder. These generations have had a much broader exposure to the world, a wealth of information at their finger tips so to speak and unparalleled ability to connect in the growing world of the internet.

It must surely come as no surprise therefore that the MDA is looking to license sites that provide news stories about Singapore in what many see as the first step in an attempt to limit these same voices, an attempt that the MDA has denied. It has the power of course to restrict access to certain sites (as we've seen already in the recent case of the website Ashley Madison), so there's no doubt it has the ability to block any wayward sites that break these new licensing agreements too. Only time will tell how it will actually implement it's policies in this area.

It seems as though more and more fingers are pointing at the government to change, to represent the people as much as it does the country and not to make it's citizens feel so disfranchised and marginalised. And while those voices may only appear as a ripple for now, even a tsunami has humble beginnings.

"Daring S'pore vice-principal speaks up" was one of the headlines that greeted me this morning with respect to vice-principal Pushparani Nadarajah, who was responding to speakers and teachers’ discussions of making every school a good and has been quoted as saying "How many of our leaders and top officers who say that every school is a good school put their children in ordinary schools near their home? (Only) until they actually do so are parents going to buy (it)." The headline in of itself says so much, not only about the perception of the climate here in Singapore, but also about how people are finding their voices and speaking out. Although that said, there’s already some quite mumbling online about the future of said Vice Principal as a result. Watch this space on that one I guess.

Indeed there are now many places to turn too on the internet where these voices can be found from "The Real Singapore" with it's often probing commentary to my own personal favourite "The Heart Truths" a blog to keep Singaporeans thinking by Roy Ngerng. Indeed the amount of research and material offered in Roy Ngerng's posts on a wide variety of topics is staggering and very well presented. I highly recommend you take the time to pay it a visit.

It seems people have grown up and can no longer be fobbed off with anecdotes, they are finding their voice and if the last general election is anything to go by they are not afraid of using it.

Maybe we’ll even see another change to the GRC setup. In the last election held in 2011 the current government won slightly over 60% of the overall vote yet still managed to take 81 out of 87 seats. From that result it was clear that the GRC system did not seem to reflect the way people voted, a fact that has not been lost on the voting population.

The next general election in 2016 will prove to be very interesting. Of course all the signs are that it would take a monumental shift to force a change in government which on the whole is unlikely to happen. Although, that said, if the government doesn't listen a little more to the voices of it's own citizens it will be an interesting election to watch.

Yes there's a gentling rumbling in Singapore.

Dear Anonymous

Let me begin by saying I like many Singaporeans applaud your efforts, but I hope they do not backfire on you. The Singapore government will not take your threats lightly and as I'm sure you know will bend over backward trying to uncover who you are to shut you down.  In the end they may even tighten internet restrictions further blaming your efforts for the need to do so in an attempt to ensure public opinion is swayed against you.



I know many Singaporeans share your views, but Singaporeans in general tend not to voice those opinions much since they know that they will have very little effect and many are scared of what the potential backlash might be if they do. Maybe that last statement isn't as true today as it has been in the past but it's still an undercurrent that remains. It will be interesting to see on the 5th of November how many people wear red and black, although in truth I'm not expecting these silent voices to become any more visible.

The Singapore Government may have it's faults but then what government doesn't. It's true that they have done a good job as far as the country is concerned but in doing so they have, as many people would argue, neglected the needs of it's own citizens. Indeed there are many posts around the internet on how Singaporean citizens are starting to feel like second class citizens in their own country not only as a result of the Governments stance on foreign talent but also as a result of it's clear favouritism to PAP supporters. Let's not forget Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's open admission that PAP wards are favoured for HDB upgrading exercises for example. "Between the people who voted and supported the programme and the government, and the people who didn't, I think if we went and put yours before the PAP constituencies, it would be an injustice" he is reported as having said to 1,200 students who were attending a Ministerial Forum organised by the National University of Singapore (NUS) Students' Political Association.  Just one example of many that could be drawn from.

You've taken the Straits Times to task over the mis-reporting of your own message. Although at the same time I doubt they will take you seriously given that they have been known to stand by their reports and reporters regardless of how factually correct or incorrect a report may have been. The media in general is out to sensationalise, it makes for better reading after all. And the words "media controlled state" have been used many times in reference to Singapore by many sources.

You've also left a message for Mister Lawrence Khong (assuming it's a real message from Anonymous). I have always found his views laughable and I find it hard to believe that any sane individual can actually believe some of the rubbish he comes up with, or that he has the nerve to attempt to interfere with social policy.

But let's get back to your original message and the rationale behind it which was to "protest the implementation of the internet licensing framework". Your protest is noted, but lets face it that framework is going to go ahead regardless.

You then go on to say that "We demand you reconsider the regulations of your framework or we will be forced to go to war with you. For every single time you deprive a citizen his right to information, we will cost you financial loss by aggressive cyber intrusion." Again lets face it, there is going to be no reconsidering of the framework based on those demands. It's simply not going to happen.

Let's be honest, no country or government is going to let itself be held to ransom, and any such ransom demand will be dealt with by the full weight of the many resources (internal and external if need be) at it's disposal. I have no doubt as I post this such action is already underway and it will lead to the inevitable conclusion. The only question is how long it will take.

I'm sure I'm not saying anything that you don't already know.

Although that said let me also add that your efforts have not gone unnoticed by the many Singaporeans who happen to agree with you. But you are fighting a war that you cannot possibly win. And while many may see your actions as supporting a silent majority, according to some proclaiming war against the Government could actually contravene the penal code, and the possible penalty for that in Singapore could be as extreme as death.

The message is clear, somethings are worth fighting for. It's an important message for anyone to understand and one that I believe many Singaporeans (if the flurry of tweets and Facebook post are anything to go by) have heard.

I guess we won't really know until 2016 how well that message has been understood.

Project Ara and Phonebloks

Phonebloks, a concept phone that is built from detachable bloks that allows a user to switch out components as and when they want, looks set to become a reality. In what Motorola calls Project Ara, the advanced Technology and Products group is working with Phonebloks creator Dave Hakkens on an "endoskeleton (endo) and modules" with a timeline to a Module Developer's Kit (MDK) release by the end of 2013.



If it works out it will probably be the most significant innovation for mobile phones this century. Hakkens has described his design as a "phone worth keeping" -- with the ability to upgrade piece by piece and (hopefully) never experience obsolescence again. As new and better bloks are developed you simply swap out the component blok on your phone for the new one. And if you don't need a camera on your phone then you could use a bigger battery blok to take up the space and so on.

It means that as there are new developments in the industry you no longer need to change your whole phone, instead you just change or upgrade the related blok. And if companies get behind this development it means you will have a much wider choice of what components you want to use making your phone truely personal.

Motorola says it was already working on what it’s calling Project Ara when it bumped into Hakkens. Project Ara is designed to be a “free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones,” says Motorola.

“We want to do for hardware what the Android platform has done for software,” writes Motorola, adding that it’s goal is “to give you the power to decide what your phone does, how it looks, where and what it’s made of, how much it costs, and how long you’ll keep it.”

For more information you can follow Phonebloks online and join the growing community of over 381 million people world wide who think that this is an awesome idea!

FCBC and MOM

One of Singapore's biggest independent churches has been ordered by the Government to compensate a female church worker fired because of her alleged adulterous relationship.

She complained to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in September 2012. In August 2013, Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin decided she was "dismissed without sufficient cause". He ordered the church to compensate the woman's salary and maternity benefits of $7,000.



The ministry said that it looked into the complaint and found that the woman was "dismissed without sufficient cause within six months of her delivery date" and that the church did not give her the salary and maternity benefits she was entitled to under the Employment Act.

Recently it would appear that the church in question has told The Straits Times that it plans to file papers on Wednesday seeking a High Court judicial review of Mr Tan's decision. A judicial review is when an applicant takes a public authority to court to seek redress of a particular decision over which the applicant feels aggrieved.

The church says it wants the case reviewed as it believes Mr Tan acted unconstitutionally in interfering with how the church manages its own affairs. And forgive me if I laugh out loud at this point.

While the church in question can hire and fire who it wants and for whatever reason it wants it does not have the right to do so in a way that over rules any secular laws that protect an individual. And the day when a church has the effrontery to challenge a secular law is a very black day indeed.

While everyone is free to follow the religion of their choice, no religion should ever think that it is above the law or that it has the right to influence any secular law or policy. As a religion do what you are there to do, nurture the souls of your congregation and do so in quiet humility and modesty.

Singapore House Prices

Recently a colleague in the office mentioned she and her husband were looking to buy an apartment. I thought I'd see if I could help them out as if there's one thing I love its renovation planning. I seriously think I missed my vocation on that one. Anyway I started my search and lets face it its been a long time since I looked at property. I was totally shocked!. What the hell has happened to house prices in Singapore!.



Suddenly 3 bedroom condo's even way outside of the CBD area are priced over $1 million to $1.6 million. How the hell is anyone suppose to afford their our property at those ridiculous prices! And why are they so high? I mean seriously it's on the verge of ridiculous!

All the so called cooling measures simply have not worked because the people who are buying up apartments have the money and don't mind spending it. House prices are so damn high now that the average Singaporean cannot afford it. And yes I know the government is doing it's best to ensure that everyone has their own home. From HDB to Executive Condo's and with the whole approach to CPF usage. But the price of condos in general in Singapore is just crazy and Singapore citizens are being literarily priced out of the market.

I seriously think that the government needs to start to rethink its strategy because the bubble will burst at some point and when it does there's going to be hell to pay, and a lot of people hurt financially in the fall out. It is inevitable and anyone who thinks otherwise is not living in the real world. And when it happens the majority will no doubt just cut their loses and run (after all they can afford to) and it will be the Singapore citizens who are left holding the can at the end of the day.

So here's my solution and it's pretty simple and straight forward. If you are not a Singaporean Citizen then you should have pay an additional 25% investment tax. Many countries already have an investment tax in place and its there for exactly this reason, to prevent external influences from driving up prices. It would be an instant way to cool down the market.

But I'm not sure now if its' already too late. I think any hard measure the government adopts at this stage could very well be the cause of the market taking a nose dive. But I also think that that needs to happen and its better if it happens sooner (and in a controlled manner) rather than later (in some sort of panic reaction).

Just how high can house prices go before it's too late. Or maybe its too late already. I have to admit that the price of property in Singapore is starting to scare me because that bubble is getting awfully big and is really not sustainable in the long term.