Ok, this time, it's Minister for Home Affairs Mr. Wong who has interrupted my hiatus. Mr. Wong says, "Get real. Come on, we live in the real world in Singapore." He was answering a Straits Times reporter on the question of fear.
Opposition parties and many Singaporeans believe that there is a climate of fear. This prevents people from wanting to speak up or stand for elections. What is your response?
You read the newspapers. People write long commentaries, punchy articles that are highly critical of government policies. Is there fear? People appear in forums and dialogues and ask questions. Is there fear? What is the consequence of saying something that is challenged? Is the consequence being locked up in jail, disappearing in the middle of the night and you don't come back? Get real. Come on, we live in the real world in Singapore.That's nice to know! And I was worried for so long that someone would drag me away in the middle of the night! BTW, I really like the way he says it, so cute, oh come on! You got to me kidding me!! :) Anyway, the reporter also asks him about the Films Act that prohibits 'political films'.
Does the law apply to television stations that put out interviews and programmes on PAP ministers?
That is not a political video. That's a broadcaster and a content provider doing a job. It is done in other places. The minister is explaining himself, his policies and how he wants Singapore to move ahead.Finally, the
OBi-wan Kenobi marker is revealed! Sort of. Essentially, one would just need to be a broadcaster and content provider 'doing a job'. Hmm... is someone with an Internet connection hooking up a blog and publising Podcasts considered a 'broadcaster'? Anyway, the way I'm seeing this given Mr. Wong's answer, it's less a political issue now, and more of an issue of 'fairness' (since a 'broadcaster', by right, should be fair and balanced.)
Back to hibernation.
Orchestra Wars is found in the comments section.
5 comments:
Can't help posting can you?
And what's the baton? Why do I have one? I don't want it!
This music baton (pr. berTARN) is known as a 'meme', an idea that goes around the Internets. It's not physically real, it's a metaphor.
When you run in a relay race, your teammate will pass you a baton, and you continue running with it. Sometimes, one can be careless and drop the baton. In this instance, the runner would have to bend down and retrieve it, then continue running. Time will be wasted. So it's good to transfer the baton cleanly, so that one can get on with the race.
In an orchestra, a baton is the 'stick' that the conductor uses to signify to everyone the timing of the beats. It's also used to hit a musician if the conductor doesn't like him or her. It's quite effective for this purpose. That's why musicians are scared of the conductor. And that's why you never, ever, see the musicians arguing with the conductor in the middle of a concert. The musicians know better than to pick a fight with someone who has a baton. It is a lethal weapon in the hands of a capable conductor.
You have a baton because I pass it to you. You don't have to do anything with it, there's no obligation. You can even imagine that nothing really happened. Actually, it's true: nothing really happened. Since you don't want it, you can just ignore it. It's quite all right, the sun will still rise tomorrow.
However, should you change your mind and decide that you do want it, all you need to do is to copy the thing into your own blog, and then pass the baton on to five more gullible people. Then when they ask you what a baton is, you can then answer them since I've just told you.
Isn't the Internets full of fun activities that the whole family can enjoy, Alison? LOL
SPOILERS AHEAD!!
A long time ago in an orchestra far, far away...
Musicians of the Galactic Orchestra rehearse Dvorak's 'New World Symphony'. All is not going well. There is a disturbance in the Force and the players are agitated. Oboe-wan Kenobi, once a Jedi Knight who played the oboe, has since become Jedi Master in the Clef Wars, and is now playing the larger oboe called the English horn. He thinks it's 'so uncivilised', that name, since it's neither English nor a horn. He prefers to call his instrument the 'cor anglais'.
Rehearsal has progressed to the second movement, Largo. (Listen here.) The whole symphonic piece depends on his playing of the solo part. Oboe-wan Kenobi takes it slow, mindful of its haunting melody and the sad tale it represents. The conductor, Anakin SkyConductor, however, is not impressed...
[ANAKIN] Faster...faster!! Use your aggressive feelings, Oboe-wan. Let the hate flow through you!
[OBOE-WAN] Never! This is a very slow movement. I'll never turn to the Dark Side. You've failed, SkyConductor. I am a Jedi...
[ANAKIN]: I should have known the Jedi were plotting to take over . . .
[OBOE-WAN]: From the Sith!!! Anakin, Darth MuSidious is evil!
[ANAKIN]: From the Jedi point of view! From my point of view, YOU are evil!
[OBOE-WAN]: Well, then you are lost!
[ANAKIN]: This is the end for you, my English horn player. I wish it were otherwise. Don't make me kill you.
[OBOE-WAN]: Anakin, my allegiance is to Dvorak ... to his vision!
[ANAKIN]: If you're not with me, you're my enemy.
[OBOE-WAN]: Only a Sith Lord deals in absolutes. I will do what I must.
(OBOE-WAN uses the Force and a first violinist's bow flies into his hand.)
[ANAKIN]: You will try.
(Anakin raises his conductor's baton to attack stance. They fight. Cue music from John Williams...)
I am not an idiot. I know what a baton is. I said "what's THE baton?". So obviously I know what a baton is. Just not in the context of this blog.
So there.
hahaaa I knew what you said in the beginning actually... LOL
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