Quotes:

Here in Singapore, rural development and agricultural development are not sexy matters.

We're all transitioning. Except for Singapore, everyone is transitioning, always.

There's a secret to that... Professors would give us so many readings... If I was given a book, I'd read the first page, get an idea, and skip.

[On Locke] Happiness is a euphemism for property.

The Minister of Home Affairs recommends, and the President says: *light voice* Okay!

You make that representation ot the advisory board: 'I'm not a terrorist, I'm a freedom fighter'... The most dangerous thing he has is a water balloon in his flat.

[On Powerpoint] I asked you, for presentations - you can send me your preferences by email. Like zis, like zis, like zis, or like zis? *advances text on a slide with 4 types of animated transitions*

[On dynamic games with complete information] I know everything. He knows that I know everything. I know that he knows that I know everything. And - you get the idea.

You are rational. I know that you are rational. I stop here. But smart people will go to infinity... This is my project, I should know.

First mover ard'vahn'targe [Ed: French pronounciation of 'ge']

[On a one shot game where 2 firms decide on OSes] If they install Macintosh, they gain less, because Windows [is] more open.

[Written] Mackintosh (Macintosh)

[On the payoff table where one party has the first mover advantage] It's ok if you didn't understand it. I also didn't understand it when I saw it [for the] first time... I was completely lost.

I will illustrate how to get the first term... Look how kind I am.

[On killing students] No maths. Logic. Work it out graphically... You'll find it very enlightening. 'An instructive experience'

[Me on Honey-Lemon: It looks like pee] Is it good? [Me: Yeah, it's good pee.] *Tch*

In Minford and Peel, there is no lag term, but I like to be original, so I included the lag term. Which makes it much more complicated... much more interesting.

[On a hard model] Walsh reformulates the model with inter-temporal optimization but the results don't change very much.

How come there're a lot of CAP 5s in Business? [Student 2: Business easy mah]

[On being hit on by gays] I've gotten used to it... So for 3 guys have tried to pick me up... [Me: How many girls have tried to pick you up?] 0. The statistics don't work in my favour.

[On reforming the ISA] I argued that if you don't torture, how do you get the guy to confess?... [Student 2: You meet all sorts of scary people in class]... [Instructor: Before we go on, note that torture is not part of the law... We are Singapore, but still.]

[On the ISA] A law like this scares innocent people... Sometimes rightly, because they're guilty.

Che Guevara is a gay icon... You don't have to be gay to be a gay icon.

[On wrongful conviction and 30 year declassification] You send a bunch of flowers to the family and say 'sorry'

[On the presumption of guilt and preventive detention] One of my honours student... he was in the MRT station. 'How to make a bomb' Books on extremism. He was writing an essay... Muslim guy. (students)

Say I'm a Chemistry teacher... I love the language. I have lots of books on anarchism. I'm on my way to buy materials for a class experiment.

'Oh my god. The second half of the semester is all about Marxism. He's indoctrinating students... He's a threat.'... You can also view porn and say it's for education.

We're going to start by showing you clips from a film I don't consider to be great, from a filmmaker I also don't consider to be great, but it resonates with Singaporeans... I'll show you some clips from the film 'I Not Stupid'.

Democracy: people have the idea that this place will turn into Singapore.

I'm interested in your expectations. Do you want me to wear a tie every day? [Someone: Jacket] Jacket.

From time to time I will call on you... just to keep you awake.

My expectation from you is that I can easily get an A from you.

My grouse with most of the modules in this school is that they are all Economics based. Whine whine whine.

You want to specialise as a generalist?

In the 1950s, the argument was 'People are poor because they are poor'. It's a tautology.

The Solow growth model is interesting in paper (on)

[On trust] If you leave your umbrella on the subway in Japan there's a high chance that it will return to you.

Singapore has a different model of accountability... Accountability is internal, within the government, within the party... In the US... Separation of powers. Ambition counters ambition. In communist countries like China, Vietname - internal norms.

Africa got the most aid per capita, but had the least growth. East Asia got the least aid per capita, but had the most growth.

In a centralised government like Vietnam, I don't think one-party government is the best choice for development... There is ideology.

The President needs 5 years of education, but the clerk needs a College Degree. It's perverse... Democracy corrupts and too much democracy corrupts absolutely.

I'm a year 3. I should be hiding in a hole somewhere.