Thank you!

Tell that to Vivian.
I’m really confused whether that’s a guy or a gal.
What a name!

I think even the Inter-School Soccer Tournament has done better than that.
But I’ve to take my hat off to this chap.
Still living in self-denial, still got the cheek to chide CSJ…on MSM.
Well what can I say…
A Dr telling another Dr.
What a blind Ophthalmologist!

Even school-going kids can see that the whole damn thing is a failure well before the start of YOG.
Must be dreaming…this Vivian character.

“Live Your Dreams, Fly Our Flag”
If that is our dreams, then my advice to Dr is…
“Leave Your Dreams, Just Fly Our Flag”

Boys Football features Haiti, Vanuatu, Montenegro, Bolivia, Zimbabwe, and Singapore.

Are you sure you still have “desperate” interest in such a desperate field?

I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to experience first hand the mockery of the Academy. The problems go far deeper than this one pathetically misguided professor. The Singaporean citizenry has no hope going forward unless it is able to carve out a refuge of independent critical thinking.

Will you be watching any Youth Olympic Games competition?

1. Yes, I’ll be at most competition venues to catch the action live

(1% 40 votes)

2. Yes, I’ll watch selective games in person

(1% 45 votes)

3. Yes, if any Singapore athlete enters the finals

(1% 24 votes)

4. Yes, I’ll catch the action only on TV

(4% 163 votes)

5. I’m not interested at all

(90% 3492 votes)

6. What’s YOG about?

(3% 127 votes)

CNA Live Link: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/polls/index.php?action=vote&id=494&ranid=9885&voteNr=5

In any case, I’m not trying to justify the spending. The tone of what I wrote should suggest that I have a general distaste for technocratic planning that is so willing to force sacrifices on the people (in the form of opportunity cost, if nothing else) in trying to win something as whimsical as foreign investors’ impression of the country. I’m not sure what our marketing department is (Tourism Board?), but I happen to agree that it needs greater scrutiny.

It’s obvious the govt is chasing after events like YOG and F1 for international publicity. But heaven forbid if we dare to ask “Is it worth it?” or “How is this benefiting us?” or “Is there a way to measure just much we’ve impressed the world? When will we know when that’s been achieved?” It’s taxpayer money being spent; when we ask questions, rah-rah propaganda is fed to us, when we’re unenthusiastic, we’re berated for it. Spontaneity has to be dictated to us! (Even secondary school kids can see through this hypocrisy.)

As for the patriotism of the average Singaporean, one can’t (and really shouldn’t) judge from the NDP or its coverage. Of course everything on TV and in the mainstream media will be edited to show everything Singaporean in the best light.

I think we’d probably be wrong to assume that something the Singapore government organises is mostly for local consumption. That few Singaporeans care about the games doesn’t really derail the true mission, methinks – it’s simply one big marketing campaign for Singapore in the likes of Formula 1 (which is not too different, IMHO, only more glamorous). In fact, the exhortations in the article make it clear: Local enthusiasm would serve as another means of advertisement. As long as it impresses other people, that would be enough. I’m sure the lessons of the Beijing Olympics were not lost on the ruling elite – the people may have to pay a price, but the publicity is ‘priceless’.

Besides, I wouldn’t underestimate the patriotism of your average Singaporean. That NDP continues to be received with a not insignificant degree of reverence every year already says something about the identity issues this young country has.

I agree with what you said, though I must add that catch-up would only be a partial description. What our new leaders seem to be obsessed with are big emotional firework lets-get-a-big-hug extravaganzas i.e. flashiness.

They want only flashy, gaudy, loud events.

Which actually, for me, has reached the point of fascination. Have they ever considered how such events realistically contribute to the nation, economically, socially, or politically?

We financed a Malaysian to go plant our flag at the South Pole. We mobilized the military and the media to support the event. Ten years down the road, how many people outside Singapore remembers this? Except of course, the Malaysians who continue to mock us.

IMF 2006. They obviously wanted a venue protected from disruption and protests. So we provided them that. In the end, they turned around and bit us about our anti-demonstration position. We actually ended up with and enforced police state reputation after that.

What was it all for?

I would be more proud of Singapore if we had put the $389 million to help the needy.

These new initiatives, on the other hand, are copies of other nations’ successes. We are trying to play catch-up with them, but are already too far behind the curve to level with the leaders.

Now, why? Because when we had the opportunities to bite back then, we (or our leaders?) did not have the courage to do so, or simply did not see them as opportunities.

The only way forward? Find more USPs, instead of playing copycat.

What did any of this amount to? As recent as a month ago, an American asked me how come Singaporeans can speak English.

I think SG is strong in certain areas, like our economy (relatively speaking), our business practices, our social harmony (at least to a degree), and these are the things we should niche market. All these attempts to foray into other aspects, honestly they end up as a big bill, forgotten, and most if not all of the time, someone’s personal glory rather than the nation’s pride.

Next, these guys are going to whisper the goodies of this efficient wonderland to their loved ones. Guess what?

All the smarties are going to decend onto this island, thirty years later…intelligent people gone up by one-third! I want to be still alive then!

All thru one sports event…and see how the little money has bought fresh, smart FT!

Not convinced yet on this beautiful island? Wait till you see the aerial pictures of the mighty city and MBS beamed all over the world during the coming F1 race!

“So, how much do you want? Do you want three meals a day at a hawker center, food court or restaurant?”