"Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm." - John F. Kennedy

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Quotes:

Goh Chok Tong said: 'Look, woman. If you want to talk about politics, join a political party'. That was the most absurd expression I've ever heard.

[Student: There was this guy who snipped his pubic hair.]... That's the thing. We only think of it as snipping pubic hair... The whole press spectacularised the moment. Hardly anyone saw it.

[Instructor on the Necessary Stage: They were accused of being Marxist. Front page.] But the guy who runs it, isn't he Marxist?

[On consultative exercises] They file away everything that has been discussed... The next time we can talk about the exact same things. The illusion of democratic space... If you think they mean it, they smack you.

[Me: Where're you going?]... Maybe to the library. Somewhere where there's more girls.

Ronald Coase and Doug North never did maths. They said: Either you use maths or you do history or you explain things in a simple way.

What about when there's no haze? Singapore doesn't pay us for the clean air from our forests... If Professor Coase would solve this problem he would say this: Indonesia will pay Singapore the cost of the haze... In return Singapore will pay Indonesia the cost of clean air. Or at least the cost of not burning... then Indonesia can continue to smoke.

Labelling is very bad in Asia. In the US it's labelled down to the last milligram of sodium. That is why a lot of bad companies come here from the US... You buy a pack of Maggi from Malaysia, it says 'less sodium'. But when you eat it it's 50% sodium.

It's the kettle calling the pot black.

They have high environmental standards in the US... [So] Union Carbide went to India. Bhopal. The rest is history.

A true lawyer or a kwok lawyer (quack)

or'tor'nor'moos (autonomous)

If you think about it, all problems of society boil down to the principle-agent problem.

You think the United States is a Capitalist economy? Education in the US is socialist. School - free bus, high school and elementary school is free. Free school lunchs... You think China is a Socialist country? Education: everyone pays at cost.

I say to you before, if you do not come to the lecture I will shoot you. You all will come. Nash Equilibrium. (I've said)

I used to be Christian. [Student 2: I used to be Christian too. Their brainwashing machine breaks down.]

I'm in Year 4. I just want to pass. Just give me a B.

What usually happens at this point in the Semester is I'll get some food and annoy you with some semblance of meritocracy (?)

One political party offering something good, like giveouts (handouts)

[Student on Slavery: Like what you wrote in your article. They become more mature.] Was I so flattering about the army?... I believe it was something about brutalising.

He said he'd send in the army if they brought in other people [into government]. The army is made up of guys. What will the girls do? [Me: Have you heard of 'Lysistrata'?] No. [Instructor: You withdraw your sexual favours] You can try. [Student 2: You're not a guy!]

[On the illusion of political change through consultative exercises] Give them a carnival. They will act and jump up and down... At the end, it's Lent again. You go back into the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights.

[On youth apathy] Who among us is willing to be a Francis Seow? [Student 2: *raises hand*]

[On self-centredness in Singapore] Liberals are very self-centred. They are not willing to give up [anything for the greater good]... If that's the case we have already achieved it [liberal democracy]

[On the tutorial] Some of you should redo it. It's really inacceptable. (unacceptable)

It's difficult even for graduate student, so I probably won't give it for [the] exam. You should formulate beliefs based on your expectation of my actions... Sometimes beliefs are wrong. (students)