MINDEF's English Lessons

[Maxus-MIFA9]

  On 11/10/2014 at 3:18 AM, Jamesc said:

Absolutely nothing wrong with spending money to train a foreign military officer in language skills.

 

But what amazes me is that 1.3 billion people and a standing army of 2.2 million

they couldn't find s rising star that is proficient in English? How much potential can this officer have?

Especially in the area of military diplomacy.

 

 

In countries like China and North Korea, their leaders idealogy are very much different....

 

Their mindset are tune to such old fachion that when an officers is well verse in other languages, he will be branded to have Western (outside) influence or thinking. So they are waries of such officers ...

 

Maybe can blame it to their past history (Ching dynasty) where outside influence breaks down their country.

[Myxilplix]

  On 11/8/2014 at 12:56 AM, Neutralsg said:

Remember the spending on bicycles by NParks?

 

 

The NParks bicycle saga only came about because of super digging by someone in EDMW, which raised the question and public awareness until bopian they have to investigate.

 

If nobody dig, there would not have been any investigation. KBW's first response was to dismiss the possibility of wrongdoing, but he was proven wrong ultimately.

 

 

 

Edit: I know it was sarcasm but some people still dunno how it came about.

Edited November 10, 2014 by Myxilplix

[Mustank]

  On 11/10/2014 at 3:57 AM, Myxilplix said:

 

The NParks bicycle saga only came about because of super digging by someone in EDMW, which raised the question and public awareness until bopian they have to investigate.

 

If nobody dig, there would not have been any investigation. KBW's first response was to dismiss the possibility of wrongdoing, but he was proven wrong ultimately.

 

i think now they super scared those super diggers

[Andylkkg]

Internet is a sure serious business. A new force to reckon with nowadays!

[Darryn]

I see people dig n dig n dig about the tender process, who the tender was awarded to and more ---

 

Which is fine, if the process was robust it will stand scrutiny.

 

I still find though that looking at the tender process, and who won the tender misses the bigger point -

 

SHOULD MINDEF BE PROVIDING ENGLISH TUITION.

 

This is much more relevant than anything else -

 

And do note, regardless of whether or not the tender is "proper" - $70 per hour for customised, indiviualised and specialist (remember it had to cater to his area of profession) is not outrageous or very expensive for one on one english tuition.

 

heck - I have NO training, and didn't have to provide course materials, but 10 years ago I was being paid $40 per hour for teaching english as a second language

[Jamesc]

  On 11/10/2014 at 3:36 AM, Mustank said:

 

best post of the thread!!!!

 

this guy sure look like some godfather or the joker, someone you dont want to mess around with

 

 

"Among his troops, Jackson was christened "Darth Vader" and "Prince of Darkness", owing to his temper and gravelly voice."

 

[Jamesc]

  On 11/10/2014 at 3:51 AM, Picnic06 said:

 

In countries like China and North Korea, their leaders idealogy are very much different....

 

Their mindset are tune to such old fachion that when an officers is well verse in other languages, he will be branded to have Western (outside) influence or thinking. So they are waries of such officers

 

Maybe can blame it to their past history (Ching dynasty) where outside influence breaks down their country.

 

Then sending him to Singapore would be the worse thing that could happen to him.

 

He will be brain washed into Capitalism and Free Market Economics and

 

Bourgeoisie imperialism as well as democracy.

 

No wonder they send someone with limited English capability.

 

I would have done the same.

 

[Jamesc]

  On 11/10/2014 at 4:17 AM, Darryn said:

I see people dig n dig n dig about the tender process, who the tender was awarded to and more ---

 

Which is fine, if the process was robust it will stand scrutiny.

 

I still find though that looking at the tender process, and who won the tender misses the bigger point -

 

SHOULD MINDEF BE PROVIDING ENGLISH TUITION.

 

This is much more relevant than anything else -

 

And do note, regardless of whether or not the tender is "proper" - $70 per hour for customised, indiviualised and specialist (remember it had to cater to his area of profession) is not outrageous or very expensive for one on one english tuition.

 

heck - I have NO training, and didn't have to provide course materials, but 10 years ago I was being paid $40 per hour for teaching english as a second language

 

The British had this problem with the World Service.

 

The people were complaining that their TV and radio licencing money

 

were being used to entertain the rest of the world for free.

 

Then they found out that World Service was paid by the Foreign office.

 

This is money spend very well to influence the rest of the world on UK

 

foreign policy. I remember Communist countries used to have world

 

radio to brain wash us but their programs were so bad no one listened to them.

 

A little bit hard to brain wash someone when they don't listen to you.

 

[Jamesc]

  On 11/10/2014 at 5:49 AM, Roadrunner2029 said:

This is the age of information warfare. When the world accepts your culture, there is no need to spare a single troop to defend your land. Japan is doing very well since the war. ROK caught up in the past 10 years. PRC is also trying to catch up.

 

 

 

You are absolutely right.

 

This is called "soft power".

 

No need to send in your army, open up a country by doing business with them.

 

No need to invade Africa to get their minerals, help them build their ports and mines

 

and export their natural resources to us.

 

What I am most worried about is ROK. They are slowly taking over the world.

 

They influence us with their K Pop with 2NE and Girls Generation and K drama

 

and get us to give them our hard earned money for their S5s and Note 4s.

 

I have already been brain washed and I will do anything Yoona from GG says.

 

I already miss going there on holiday, I have been there 5 times and was there only

 

in July. The poison is strong, now where can I get some nice bbq kalbi and seafood pancakes

 

and Makgoli to wash it all down?

 

[Kb27]

The commoner send their children to public school to learn English.

The richer folks send their children to private school to learn English.

The obscene rich send top class English tutor into their homes.

 

So why did MINDEF put up a tender just for one single officer to learn English, using taxpayers money ?

Are they not supposed to use wisely public taxpayers' money ?

 

There's the English standard to measure by, the British Council.

 

They didn't even bother sending him there, but put up a tender instead.

 

MINDEF should come clean and explain why they put a tender.

[Mustank]

  On 11/10/2014 at 6:14 AM, Roadrunner2029 said:

American pop culture likely the most successful in human civilization, but could also be attributed with bringing relative peace in most of Europe and Asia for the longest time. I believe most of Kpop producers and strategists were trained in America to begin with, combine that with Nippon-style kawaii and hentai marketing. even amtk also kneel down.

 

 

 

like this?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wckZcVFLU24

[Darryn]

  On 11/10/2014 at 6:22 AM, Kb27 said:

The commoner send their children to public school to learn English.

The richer folks send their children to private school to learn English.

The obscene rich send top class English tutor into their homes.

 

So why did MINDEF put up a tender just for one single officer to learn English, using taxpayers money ?

Are they not supposed to use wisely public taxpayers' money ?

 

There's the English standard to measure by, the British Council.

 

They didn't even bother sending him there, but put up a tender instead.

 

MINDEF should come clean and explain why they put a tender.

I don't agree.

 

Once you have established that someone at this level, with this background, needs a somewhat customised english course, then a tender of this nature is very reasonable.

 

What the real question that needs answering - why is mindef paying to bring the english of a participant in one of their courses up to scratch? Shouldn't it be the responsibility of the "sending" party?

[Goldbug]

PLA officer tutor by her, you think happy boh?

 

Edited November 10, 2014 by Goldbug

[Kxbc]

  On 11/6/2014 at 9:56 PM, Camrysfa said:

 

MINDEF got not much choice. Our military has no real war experience & relatively young compared to PLA.

So, it is very venerated that a big power wants to send someone over to learn. It is like Raffles Institution going to a neighbourhood school to study?

So it must take good care of this VIP student.

As many have said, it is an investment for future needs.

 

 

good point.

 

however, there are many people who just want to argue for the sake of arguing because they think that this is a PAP rather than a govt decision.

 

even if it had not been the PAP dominated govt in power - ok, let's assume WP dominated - it would be the same end result. this is building int'l relationship ah.

 

[Kxbc]

  On 11/10/2014 at 6:30 AM, Darryn said:

I don't agree.

 

Once you have established that someone at this level, with this background, needs a somewhat customised english course, then a tender of this nature is very reasonable.

 

What the real question that needs answering - why is mindef paying to bring the english of a participant in one of their courses up to scratch? Shouldn't it be the responsibility of the "sending" party?

 

i am not sure if that PLA officer does indeed not know his As, Bs and Cs. Perhaps his English language proficiency is that of that say maybe a Pri 6 student? and that course might be somehow tailored slightly to take in appropriate armed forces jargon.

 

On another note, some forummers mentioned about using MOE teachers. I am not sure if we do indeed have spare teachers seating around in the Buona Vista HQ waiting to be called up for such ad hoc projects?

 

Or should we have sent in a translator into the class? my goodness! a civilian in a high level military course to translate. would that not lead to leakage of top secret military info where perhaps a terrorist-to-be pretending to be a translator might find useful? and the course will likely last a month, at least 5 days a week and 8 hours a day. engaging a trnaslator, even one who has passed security clearance, will likely cost more than $26k and likely disrupt the flow of the class work.

 

[Neutralsg]

Yes and in all fairness to the general public who are more often than not sensible, their voices get louder only when they think it justifies such response.

  On 11/10/2014 at 3:57 AM, Myxilplix said:

 

The NParks bicycle saga only came about because of super digging by someone in EDMW, which raised the question and public awareness until bopian they have to investigate.

 

If nobody dig, there would not have been any investigation. KBW's first response was to dismiss the possibility of wrongdoing, but he was proven wrong ultimately.

 

 

 

Edit: I know it was sarcasm but some people still dunno how it came about.