Sigh. I think i've got to be a bit less...accommodating on the roads. Or rather, less...soft. Sigh.
Today, i knew that i had stopped my car a bit too far on the right from the parallel lots on the left side of the road. Parking would be difficult. But, because there were so many cars behind waiting for me to park, i went ahead anyway. The result? i scratched the car parked in front of me. Thankfully, i was driving really slowly so it was just tiny spots of scratched paint. Still, a loss of $70 has gotta hurt.
Then, on the way back home, i was almost at the gate of my house when i noticed that the car behind me was still following very closely behind, even though my hazard lights were on. Maybe he thought that i had turned them on by mistake. I didn't want to have to make him hit his brakes, and there was no way for him to change lanes at the moment, so i turned into my house as fast as i could. The result? I mounted the curb on the way in. No damage to my car. But still.
I feel...rather weak-willed. It's time to toughen up. In the right way, of course.
Anyway, i heard this morning that Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam a.k.a. J.B. Jeyaretnam has passed away with a heart attack. Quite a pity, really, because he had just started a new political party, and i was waiting to see what would happen.
In any case, well...i do think that he became a little impatient with the way things were progressing towards the end of his political career (he probably wanted to see change happen before he passed on). I think he was a little too much of an idealist and didn't really try to persuade the PAP to embrace his ideas by mentioning the economic benefits that might result (although he'd reply by saying that benefits were not the point...some things needed sacrifice).
He'd hit out at both politicians who did not want to give citizens much in the way of liberties, as well as those who favoured slow, progressive change towards a more free country. He made enemies of both camps as a result, which largely limited his effectiveness. He was brash and combative, and he used too much of the stick, with not enough carrot.
But still, i'd also like to think of myself as a supporter of free speech, human rights and liberty for all, and i'm all for a MORE democratic process of choosing governments (notice that i didn't say PURELY democratic). And i really wish that more people saw J.B. Jeyaretnam's ideas for what they were, instead of bristling at the insults in his words and simply dismissing them out of hand. Without paying them any heed, and taking them for granted.
So for what it's worth, bravo, Mr Jeyaretnam, for being an ever-suffering maverick and a champion of constitutionalism, free will, and democracy in Singapore. And God bless your soul (if there really is a God out there, of course).
My friend and i wish to attend his funeral to pay our respects...anyone else interested? It's on saturday though, so it'll depend on whether i've done enough of my LAWR assignment by then. I'm also not sure where the funeral services will be held. It'll be a serious and somber occasion anyway, so make sure you wear black.
And on a completely unrelated note, i realised, while on the phone today, that the tone and accent of her voice sounds a lot like someone i know. A lot like HER. Weird, that i only noticed now.
