"Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else's can shorten it." - Cullen Hightower

***

"The point here is of course, is that a system of censorship, manufactures its own consent. If you are told every day right through school that you are a conservative, immature and volatile populace, you might be inclined to believe it. This makes the practice of surveys to ascertain the views of Singapore “heartlanders” on censorship an almost self-fulfilling act"

***

My parents were saying Amsterdam is very notorious in Europe, so I should be careful. I told them "notorious" doesn't mean "dangerous".

In fact, Singapore is itself notorious in the developed world as a place where you will get caned for chewing gum.

***

The Associate on visiting Vietnam:

"Am in a temple outside ho chi minh city which worships a beholder and whose prophet claims victor hugo and sun yat sen as his first disciples"

"Am on an island where they worship coconuts i must say its an improvement over christ"

***

Someone: what do you think about valentine's day?

does it mean anything?
is it as special as it is made out to be?

Me: http://gssq.blogspot.com/2005/02/valentines-day-special-one-of-two.html

Someone: lol
interesting :)

yes, your analysis is quite accurate
insecurity

i mean, if the only day in the year that i get flowers from my BF/GF is valentine's... time to rethink the relationship
romanticism should be there all the time
not just on Feb 14

Me: nono
why do you need flowers in the first place :)

Someone: it is a metaphor, dear
small acts like that matter

Me: uhh
... women

Someone: i guess that's the difference btwn men and women
men tend to see the big things that women do for them not the small things
we notice if our partner makes the bed in the morning without being asked

Me: and women see the small things
not the big things
hehe

it's clear which is a fairer approach!

Someone: lol
well if everyone was the same...it would be rather boring, wouldnt it?

Me: there's a curse which goes: "may you lead an interesting life"

***

Puppies used as drug mules - "First there were drug mules. Now there are drug puppies. Police have arrested a Colombian gang that planned to smuggle heroin worth millions of dollars into the United States in labrador puppies."

Fear dominates Western culture in the face of militant Islam - "Which leads me to question the extreme tenderness with which so many governments and media outlets in the West treat these outbursts of outrage. It is assumed that Muslims have a common, almost always bristling, view about their faith, which must be respected. Of course it is right that people's deeply held beliefs should be treated courteously, but it is a great mistake - made out of ignorance - to assume that those who shout the loudest are the most representative."
Having been unavailable recently, I'll just post this as it brings up something new.