"For the ancient Maya, it was a huge celebration to make it to the end of a whole cycle," says Sandra Noble, executive director of theFoundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. in Crystal River, Florida. To render December 21, 2012, as a doomsday or moment of cosmic shifting, she says, is "a complete fabrication and a chance for a lot of people to cash in." ^[13]

-Wikipedia

It seems that the theory that the climate will self-correct is beginning to hold more water.  

My guess is that as long as the earth's water remain on earth within the hydrological cycle, the earth will self-cool as temperatures increase.  In order for the earth to become permanently warmer, water from earth would have to be lost totally.  Eg, get sucked away to outer-space or something. 

The other way for the earth to really get heated up I think would be an increase of heat the earth takes in from the sun.  Eg. the Sun's intensity increase or maybe we get closer to the sun. 

Originally posted by the Bear:

actually, they should cut the number of MPs

KNN Singapore so small, we got so many MPs.. so many of them is 'chiak liao bee' type... don't even know they're there...

some more got dunno what Mayor and what rubbish Minister of State, Senior Minister of State... KNN as if the $*#& Minister is so useless he needs people around to help him be minister?

and if they are so useless, why the hell are we paying them millions for?

You forgot one more. "Minister without Portfolio."

No need F-15 to worry about MiG-29s.  The F-16s are more than sufficient to take them on. 

Yeah, maybe might be a good idea to station a permanent maritime strike- squadron in range.  Anytime a merchant ship comes under attack by a pirate, they can just signal for help there.

 

Lets put it this way.  

Suppose you are a secret friend of Mas Selamat.  Secret.  You are a friend, but not publicly announced.

And Mas Selamat has a list of open FRIENDS to call, eg Osama, al-Zawahiri etc... Does it make sense for him to include You in the list if both of you intend to keep your friendship under a shroud of plausible deniability?  

In any case, Singapore's relationship with the US has never been one of official alliance (proven fact due to lack of treaties), but honestly speaking, plausible deniability has been a presumption on my part.   

Still, because we do not have an official alliance, there was no reason to include us.

 

2ndly, We don't even know what other agenda was part of Obama's conversation with them.  Singapore doesn't have to fit into EVERY plan that Obama has planend for the US around the world. 

It is simply PRESUMPTIOUS of you to assume that Obama did not call Singapore because of "Despotic leaders" as you claim.  Moreover, it even contradicts Obama's publicised policy of talking to people without pre-conditions.   Obama's intentions as announced in the run up of his elections is to open communications with people the US has trouble with, and not just offer the silent treatment.

If the US is willing to do this for potential adversaries, isn't it counter-intuitive for the US to cold-shoulder friends and regional partners who offers facilities and bases for their Navy?  Hello?

 

Singapore's JSF partnership is due the fact that we were willing to throw in our chips $ into the program.  No doubt, JSF intends to market into South Korea and Japan, unfortunately, they aren't interested when they know that there's something better known as the Raptor.   Hence, they don't intend to throw money into joining the JSF partnership.  If Japan and South Korea wanted to, they can easily do it by just contributing and joining the program.  Singapore is in because we were willing to throw in the chips, no doubt influenced by our Mexican advisors. 

 

I think I've had enough of this.  I realized that all your replies have been nothing but an effort to get me to keep coming back to engage in your empty nonsensical and unproven argument.  

I'll leave it to the rest of the rational users following this thread to decide whose argument is more persuasive, logical and backed up by facts. 

Originally posted by Cpt.ZR:

I think weapons should just have those normal basic functions okay liao.

Imagine you are selecting over 25 different CPU modes.. then u shoot half way got one voice say..

 

"Pls reconsider this option, because it is not suitable for your environment"

Will you be pissed?

and also, what if all those advance gadget spoils how leh. no more 25 profile to use. Just a SAR 21 / m4 / ak with a nade launcher and maybe a 3x zoom enough liao la.

 

think must be handphone meh.. got general, silent, outdoors profile ? lol

I agree, only 2 mode is needed.  Air burst or non-airburst. =D

Oprah?!  How did that come up?

 

@4Justice,  your Vader mask counts only if it has infra-red vision and can assist in targeting for the shoulder cannon. 

Originally posted by AndrewPKYap:

 

 

It is becoming very clear that the opposition will never earn the trust of Singaporeans because they have a critical weakness.

They have no idea how to run the economy or at least, they cannot show, they cannot express their economic strategy if they have one.

Sad, it looks like there is no alternative but to let the despots destroy Singapore with their policies of greed for public money and self serving policies. 

 

First time I agree with you.  (Paragraph 1 and 2)

But I'd question the views of some who would like Singapore to be a democracy more like the US and similar western countries. Does a Confucian culture like ours really suit a western style democracy?

 

I hardly think I'm Confucian in my beliefs and practices.  The new generation of Singaporeans who are more westernized are coming up.  Time for a change don't you think?  After all, why should a generation of westernizd Singaporeans be governed by Confucian standards that obviously do not reflect the will of the people?

The problem here is not with the politics but rather the quality of the future leaders.  Both the governing party and opposition party MUST have a high calibre of leadership (brain power) in order for a future multi-party legislature to exist effectively.

Current standards opposition members are just too low to risk anything other than token opposition to policies.  Opposition needs to show that they have people who can think far ahead in good rationality for Singapore especially in crafting economic policies. That needs to change before we can see any changes in the political climate.

 

Originally posted by charlize:

So how?

 

This year all the girls cannot go Zoukout?

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~~~~~~~

Originally posted by angel7030:

Who took my Uncle medicine away?? damn!

Some guy took it mistaking it for viagra.

Artboon?

GIC to invest in Temasek???  Isn't that like transfering money from left hand to right hand???

I think thats enough talk about security policies... =D

Originally posted by 4Justice:

when u have me in your sights it might be abit too late, and u might want to check u're still intact down south. ^^

Scary....

not sad. for obvious reasons xD

And why hire hitmen when I collect my trophies personally? Sausages and meatballs mounted on a plaque hung over my fireplace make a great conversational piece! ^^

 

Monster...

 

Say Tankfanatic, don't you think 4Justice is beginning to sound like the Predator from AvP?  Blades, guns and over-inflated level of confidence...  All she's missing is the mask and a self-destruct nuke-on-a-wrist thing. 

Have you guys wondered how much time it takes our dear lionnoisy to dig up all those nice looking pictures,links, charts n diagrams to substantiate his post? 

There's really quite a lot of stuff there really.  

Lionnoisy, r u a full time forumer or something?

Originally posted by Fatum:

this discussion is not going to go anywhere since the mod's already indicated where he stands ...

but I think that "they" see "medical troops like our team like angel fall from the sky" (sic), is really a bit too much of hyperbole

if that's the case, our chaps needn't have bothered with side arms and assault weapons would they ? ...

and the "they"  in my mind, doesn't just include the talibans, or even just the afghans ... alone ... there are plenty of elements in our region who doesn't like us being in Iraq and afghanistan too ....

people may think I'm a being anal over what seems to be a non issue, but I do not think we should be so complacent over something so potentially sensitive like deployments to afghanistan ....

 

 

 

Yeah but in this case, Mindef has already identified him.  And the Taliban or Al Qaeda sure ain't gonna ambush him outside Sungei Gedong.  

But hey, good point to bring up.  Becareful when posting about unit references.  Some units are not supposed to exist.  Not in the case of ATI though.. =D

Originally posted by oldbreadstinks:

no leh, i've been around since 03 and atobe's been throwing insults since then whenever arguements/debates are lost. most of his stuff also anti govt rather then helpful info.

maybe he thinks if he push people away through personal attacks means he win the arguement liao.

 

Yeah, quite a testament to his character ain't it?  I wonder what does he do in real life?  I certainly do hope he's not an opposition MP or anything, else Singapore opposition scene is doomed.  

 

From a study by Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies - (Pg 4 of 8) - it reported that "during 2004 the two countries continued to negotiate the Singapore-U.S. Strategic Framework Agreement, which will further define defense and security ties - although the exact details are not yet public. Frank Lavin, U.S. Ambassador to SGP, has defined this Framework Agreement not as a formal defense alliance, but as an agreement that will facilitate greater cooperation in terms of joint exercises.... The signing of an agreement is also likely to facilitate Singaporean access to U.S. defense technology."

Hey Atobe, why didn't you highlight the part in red instead when you first post that up?

Just a quick question great economic guru for Singapore,

If we all hoard our money, and money stops circulating, wouldn't the government have to print more money?  If thats so, wouldn't our hoarded value drop ANYWAY?

I don't think they can demand to see your IC unless they explicitly identify themselves (plain clothes) to be police officers and show you their warrant card.  

However, how many people in Singapore can tell apart a real and fake police warrant card?

Worst still, maybe that guy identify himself as some ISD officer with an even more obscure warrant card that probably no one outside MHA would recognize.  

Hence, just tell the officer to arrest you and bring you back to police station on the grounds that you really don't know if he is a real police officer.  I heard the coffee is quite good...

What kinda party does he mean ah? 

The "party" in MMORPGs, or "party" in political associations?  Or does he mean party as in "clubbing?"

Whats the diff between "Bitch" and "Slut?"

So the later batches will end up with those D & G quality ones?

Originally posted by LazerLordz:

Fatum is right.  While the images are Opsec cleared, please do not identify our lads who are doing a job in an hostile environment.

Suck thumb, Mindef posted up pictures of him without blurring his name-tag. 

Can't fault shinkansen there...

Don't you know that the Tiongs have infiltrated the SAF?  So many scholars nowadays from there...

Soon enough, SAF will change name to the PLAS= People's Liberation Army Singapore. 

 

Oh yeah, about Orchard Towers.  

Guess who likes to visit the trannies and pros there??

 

The US Navy and Marine Corps!  

Saw lots of squids and jarheads like to hang out there for the "girls."  

Originally posted by stupidissmart:

As usual I find name calling and claiming "shotgun" as "short gun" and pig sticker with pig tail etc... pretty childish... If someone do not agree with him, he just start insults at their login name... It is rather...

 

...

Well, at least you know what kinda person is behind those words.

 

Atobe, allow me to indulge myself and seek your entertainment further.

You say that MoUs can be legally binding some cases.  Do you even know what these cases are where they are legally binding?

Following that, does Singapore have any existing treaty for the above mentioned MoU with the US to "legally" amend and attain "factual treaty status"?  Please go give MFA a call or do you whatever research you see fit.  I know for sure, there was not preceding treaty for the above MoU to amend, and hence not legally binding.  

 

The Non-Aligned Movement is just a membership, signifying that they are not a member of a power bloc, and nothing like a formal alliance unlike NATO. It does not penalize its members for seeking friendship and cooperation in time of peace.  There is no such thing as "active" membership.  Its just membership or no membership.  

Singapore's decisions to help out in Iraq is perhaps partially helpful to improve ties with the US, but there are very utilitarian views from LKY about it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/07/AR2008030702429.html

There are greater security implications with the power balance in the middle east that LKY, or Singapore is /ought to be concerned with.  

 

Perhaps to refine my argument further.  Obama's called up close allies, countries which have official treaties with them.  Singapore's status is not one of official "Ally."  Neither Singapore nor The US State Department's official stand on our relationship is one of "alliance."  We are partners in many ways, but not in official status allies.

I'm not even worried about the nuances of our level of cooperation with the US simply because my argument is about status

Your argument is that Obama did not call Singapore because he did not want to speak to despots.  Can you prove it with any facts?  I'm not asking you to prove whether LKY is a despot, I'm asking you to prove Obama's explicit views on Singapore, and that his views affected the decision not to talk to us.  How can you possibly prove that?

The link between our authoritarian government and Obama's non-inclusion of Singapore into his list of allies to call, is something you totally made up.  Your Inference.  Now known as the "atobe doctrine."

And honestly speaking, your argument is going OUT THE WINDOW, the moment Obama's administration talks to Singapore. 

Your points on LKY are good, but nonetheless have no relevance unless you are able to prove the above.  Until you can do that, I'll just treat it as the "populist"  smoke bomb that it is. 

Look amateur, the reason I think you so, is because you construct an argument out of inference and feelings.  Opinions are nice to have, but don't really hold any weight in an argument unless it is an opinion from an authoritative source, which you are not. 

 

You can call me whatever names you want, it just goes to show how immature and amateurish you are in arguments.  Looks like after this episode, a number of users have seen that for themselves.  You overlook the blatantly obvious facts (in this case status), and you construct an argument out inferences made out of non-relevant facts (Singapore's authoritarian government, LKY). 

What does that go to show about you?  Reckless, irrational and immature.  Just like CSJ when he was younger.  Making audacious claims without having factual evidence to back him up.  

So what other names are you gonna call me now?