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Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Reaction against the casinos 

Not one, but two?! Does the Government firmly believes that "good things come in pairs"?

It's no surprise that the Government gave the go-ahead for the building of a casino in Singapore. But what's surprising is that they are building two casinos! The country must be desperate to build two casinos at one go. Even our friendly neighbouring country only has one, and Singapore in this case really demostrated the kiasu attitude: it's not enough to have one, but two!

"Have two or more, if you have afford." Sounds familar? Quoted out of context, but fits perfectly in this case.

Forget about using the term "integrated resort": a casino is a casino, and using alternative terms is just trying to water down the impact of the decision. Media whitewash at work...

10 minutes ago CNA reported that although the construction of the casinos will bring a 1-point boost to the country's GDP leading up to operation in 2009, what happens after that depends on the ability to attract tourists to the casinos. If depending on the tourist dollars doesn't work, what's next? God forbid that my guesses are realised, but the next "logical" decision would be to relax the social safeguards and make money out of the locals in order to sustain the investments. If two casinos are not enough to sustain the economy, build more! Build more!

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Sunday, April 10, 2005

Lost a son, gained a brother 

It was both a moment of joy and also a moment of loss.

One of my guys under me was invited by my Spiritual Father to be one of his Twelve. (Those who are in FCBC should know what I am talking about.) He was one dear member; one who has showed faithfulness and consistency in the cell group, and has shown great support to all network events. He is one person who loves God, and has showed a steady spiritual growth over the past year or so since he accepted Jesus in his life.

Being one of my more faithful member, it is natural that I felt a sense of loss when I released him to be one of my Spiritual Father's Twelve. However, the feeling of joy greatly eclipsed the sense of loss, knowing that I have prepared my member worthy to receive greater spiritual input directly from my Spiritual Father. What an honor! :)

My attitude is always to see my Spiritual Father succeed. I've understood the importance of forming the Twelve in a ministry (a principle reinforced through this year's G12 Conference that has just concluded), and it has always been my heart that he forms his Twelve as soon as possible. Only then can God grow his ministry!

Now that my Spiritual Father's Twelve is complete, I just felt a sense of greater release into the ministry. I can now fully concentrate in forming and building my Twelve! Amen!

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Monday, April 04, 2005

No casino for me 

Here's an article from the local satirical website, TalkingCock.com, on how having a casino will affect Singapore in more than just economic benefits...

Personally, I'm dead against having a casino in Singapore. Economic benefits aside, having a casino will mean more bankrupts and more broken families. Putting families and communities on the line in exchange of the nation's prosperity sounds wrong to me. Sounds like dirty money; a business that exploits the weakness of human greed. How effective the social safeguards will be is anybody's guess, with a high possibility that such safeguards will be relaxed or even abolished completely over time.

Despite the Government's assurance that no decision will been made until the formal announcement later this month, anybody can see that by asking for proposals for the "integrated resort", they are sending a signal—intentionally or otherwise. I dare say I'm a pro-government guy (given their track record), but this time round I'm really disappointed with them considering the casino in the first place.

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Saturday, April 02, 2005

Slackjacks 

Go visit the Slackjacks.

They're my bunch of crazykat friends who I got to know in my final year in Hall. Fun and adorable, currently 3 out of 5 of them are still single. They represent the image of people leading a varsity life beyond lectures, assignments and exams.

5, 10 years down the road, I really hope to keep in touch with them. They're really a fun bunch of peeps.

Come to think of it, after the Block Concert some weeks ago, I finally can say "goodbye" to the hall—there were plenty of new and unfamilar faces, and most of those that I know will either graduate this year or move out of hall. But it's been a fun year, being an ex-hostelite, going back once in a while to disturb my ex-neighbours.

It's really the people that make the difference, not the building.

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