Clarence's GP Blog

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Ruuud Awakening

Ruud's future set to be decided in next 24 hours

No man has ever turned his back on Sir Alex Fergurson and lived to tell the tale at Manchester United. Since his early days, the fiery Scot has been known to rule Old Trafford with an iron fist and legendary Manchester United players such as Paul Ince, David Beckham and Roy Keane are only a few of those who have crossed swords with the Scot and found themselves dumped the very next minute.

Only a few months after getting rid of club captain Roy Keane, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, the club's top goal-scorer, has found himself in hot soup after being accused by Sir Alex of trying to disrupt team spirit. In Manchester United's long history, no man has ever been deemed irreplaceable and Van Nistelrooy certainly is not going to be the first to earn that title.

I believe that if anyone becomes larger than life and looms a larger figure than the team, that individual has to go. This is not a matter of politics, nor is it about wanting to be in the limelight all the time. It is all about ensuring the stability of a team. I believe many management gurus will tell you that this happens not only in sporting teams but out in the corporate world.

A winning team does not require stars, but team players who are willing to work hard to make stars out of each other. I believe Van Nistelrooy is past his best and it seems complacency, arrogance and ill-discipline has begun to creep into him and it is only a matter of time the Scot wields his axe.

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Flying robot attack "unstoppable": experts

Bombs in the form of flying robots a real threat



In todays society, technology has contributed to the progress of mankind in several ways. But it has also contributed to its downfall and one day might lead to the destruction of humanity.

Remote-controlled aircrafts are now widely available and authorities fear that they might be used for terrorist attacks the way suicide bombers are being employed.

Maybe not as destructive an invention as the dynamite, these remote-controlled light aircrafts can be deadly if coupled with satellite positiong systems to achieve pin point accuracy of its targets. Authorities still have no idea how to deal with threat in this form and it looks like they won't be reaching a general consensus soon either.

Terrorism in its many facets has gained ground again because of this "toy". Regulation of sales of such unmanned vehicles should be put in place in order to prevent the aircraft from landing in the wrong hands but truth be spoken, there is only that much that can be done. The question today is no longer if terrorists attacks would happen but only when? Again it boils down to the importance of maintaining diplomatic ties with countries around us and at the same time instill social mechanisms to weave a community fabric that will ensure that we all stick together as one people no matter what the circumstance.

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Confessions Obtained Under Torture Invalid

The Sunday Times Pg 25 - May 7 2006
Civilian Trial 'unlikely' for terror suspects

I can almost hear all the human rights activists all over the world whoop in delight as Civilian Courts rule that confessions obtained under torture are invalid.

Often we hear of "conspiracy theories" where prisoners in blacksites (illegal detention centres) are interrogated using illegal substances such as "truth-serums" or inhumane treatment is dished out just to get these detainees to talk. Many debate about the legitimacy of such means of gathering information. Many believe that there is no choice as an entire nation's security could be at stake, others believe we must observe the rights of another human being and not violate his humanity.

I believe that today we must strike a balance in order to serve up a win-win situation. I believe that certain methods of interrogation that might seem harsh have to be made legal so that interrogation sessions with suspect detainees are successful and the necessary information is obtained. However, property monitoring by watchdog bodies and NGOs are also imperative in making sure soldiers and military personnels do not cross the line.

At the end of the day, everyone is working towards safety and peace for their country and I believe this cannot be achieved unless everyone is able to compromise and work together.

PM Lee's 1st Victory

The Sunday Times Pg 1 - May 7 2006
PM gets his strong mandate

The PAP has won a landslide victory again in the recent General Elections. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong won 66.6% of votes, the citizens granting him his wish of a strong mandate to lead the nation.

Although this year's elections saw an increase in the number of votes for opposition candidates, there is still no doubt about who is running the country and who will eventually have the last laugh.

When people think of the PAP, many exclaim that they make use "pay & pay". Others have suggested they are arrogant. But I believe that they are still the most credible party in Singapore. I mean, say what you want about their style of working. We have definitely been through some tough times with them in leadership. But look where it has brought us!

No one thought a tiny island surrounded by big countries in the South East of Asia would ever make it. But thanks to the MM Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of the PAP, today we are more than a tiny red dot on the world map. And it seems I'm not the only one echoing such sentiments. Survey has shown many young, first time voters have chosen to vote for the PAP!

I believe that with PM Lee at the helm, Singapore can only look forward to a brighter and more prosperous future.