of cows and government...

Photo from Google search

Found this take on the different forms of government:

"Totalitarianism:
You have two cows. The government takes them and denies they ever existed. Milk is banned.

Representative Democracy:
You have two cows. Your neighbors vote for someone to tell you who gets the milk."

Link

Politics 101 for the everday man.

random rants

Current Affairs 101
Year-end Exam

Instructions to candidates:
Choose the most unlikely scenario that has come true. Only one answer is correct.

1. Andrew Kuan not given certificate of eligibility to run for presidency.

2. LTA invokes Land Acquisition Act on Hock Hee Building, a private estate.

3. Government paints a rosy picture about economy.

4. My new bed frame and mattress were delivered today, right on time as the merchant promised.

sian 3/4...

Stuck in a place with no cellular service + crappy toilet facilities. Ironically, there are a total of 4 net-connected PCs available. Good thing my supply of disposable underwear will last until the next commute home. Thus have I come to this conclusion: All great world-conquering armies had one thing in common, the Romans, Mongolians, Greeks, Ming sailors under Admiral Cheng Ho and perhaps even the British East India Company when they colonized half the world - an unending supply of clean undies.

Have underwear will travel.

Indeed.

of assassins and power...

assassination
n.
1. murder of a public figure by surprise attack
2. an attack intended to ruin someone's reputation

*****

So it has begun. My namesake's character dragged through the mud in what's supposedly a dignified race for the land's highest office.

Link

Lurid details may be found in today's propaganda channels mainstream media, with more to come in the days ahead.

Another sad and sorry chapter for 1984-ville.

Protest in Singapore? Really?

Photo from Yahoo news website

Found this on Yahoo News:

"Riot police broke up a rare demonstration by four people demanding greater transparency and accountability in Singapore's state-managed pension fund and other government-linked agencies.
A dozen anti-riot police wearing helmets and knee-high protective gear and carrying shields and batons formed a phalanx outside the offices of the Central Provident Fund (CPF) as a commanding officer approached the demonstrators."

Link

There must have been some sort of implicit approval by the authorities for this to happen. Maybe a stupid pre-election stunt.

Oh yeah, and I bet the protective gear worn by the riot police was just in case they get paper cuts from the transparency, which is what the right-most protester seems to be holding up.