Farewell Lee Kuan Yew

[inflames]

One of the times I went through Changi 2 or 3 years ago I had quite a long transit, so I took advantage of the free tours they offer. Basically you just get on the bus and drive into town stop once for half an hour then go back to the airport. There was a guide on the bus talking about the different things we were seeing and at one point she launched into the quite the Gobbelesque speech of how all this was possible thanks to the Singapore government "and the father of the nation our beloved Lee Kuan Yew". It was quite appropriate that Yew rhymes spew because it was a gag inducing moment. Anyway RIP old fellow, I still like Singapore, make sure you take the big wallet though.

Last time I was at Singapore airport I elected to stay there for my wait, and I encountered several times some guards walking around with machine guns. I mean this is a secured area where no passengers are supposed to have weapons with them.

I sure as hell wouldn't bother going on some tour of Singapore - it would probably make a tour of Branson seem interesting.

Not surprised about them being there with machine guns (not that I've noticed them in any of my trips) - for one, Indonesia has a terrorism problem and the entire area is known for drug smugglers (fly frequently between SIN and BKK and see how quickly it takes for your stuff to start getting searched every time). They also seem to be on the lookout for Australians and Europeans who try to smuggle drugs (due to the whininess of their governments about the death penalty).

[yanpa]

One of the times I went through Changi 2 or 3 years ago I had quite a long transit, so I took advantage of the free tours they offer. Basically you just get on the bus and drive into town stop once for half an hour then go back to the airport. There was a guide on the bus talking about the different things we were seeing and at one point she launched into the quite the Gobbelesque speech of how all this was possible thanks to the Singapore government "and the father of the nation our beloved Lee Kuan Yew". It was quite appropriate that Yew rhymes spew because it was a gag inducing moment. Anyway RIP old fellow, I still like Singapore, make sure you take the big wallet though.

Last time I was at Singapore airport I elected to stay there for my wait, and I encountered several times some guards walking around with machine guns. I mean this is a secured area where no passengers are supposed to have weapons with them.

I sure as hell wouldn't bother going on some tour of Singapore - it would probably make a tour of Branson seem interesting.

What's a "tour of Branson"?

I went to the trouble of arranging almost a day-long layover once so I could check Singapore off my list. Did a bus tour to pass the time, was much fun watching the waves of rainwater slosh back and forth on top of the open top bus. Anyway Singapore duly checked off list.

Airport has nice showers.

[inflames]

What's a "tour of Branson"?

Branson, Missouri

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branson,_Missouri

[Mock Cockpit]

Well it's obvious you blokes have never visited the Four Floors of Whores. And they say Singapore has no cultural attractions.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Well it's obvious you blokes have never visited the Four Floors of Whores. And they say Singapore has no cultural attractions.

I keep hearing about that. Unfortunately I was with my girl when I went so I wasn't able to explore all Singapore has to offer. I'm surprised by all the negativity on here though. It's not the most exciting place on earth but it was a nice place to spend a few days. Of course I was fucking my brains out every night and had some locals who were friends of a friend showing us the best places to eat so maybe that made it better. Most the guys I know who go there on business trips fairly regularly seem to like it ok as a place to visit not live. They say the same thing about Sydney.

[Wage Slave]

You didn't miss anything I assure you. A collection of pricey and bland bars is all. Or at least was all when I had to spend time there.

[Mock Cockpit]

Well it's obvious you blokes have never visited the Four Floors of Whores. And they say Singapore has no cultural attractions.

I keep hearing about that. Unfortunately I was with my girl when I went so I wasn't able to explore all Singapore has to offer. I'm surprised by all the negativity on here though. It's not the most exciting place on earth but it was a nice place to spend a few days. Of course I was fucking my brains out every night and had some locals who were friends of a friend showing us the best places to eat so maybe that made it better. Most the guys I know who go there on business trips fairly regularly seem to like it ok as a place to visit not live. They say the same thing about Sydney.

It will be or has been redeveloped, was certainly scungy when I went there but that was part of the charm.

[yanpa]

What's a "tour of Branson"?

Branson, Missouri

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branson,_Missouri

Can't say I've heard of heard of the place, assumed it was an obscure reference to Virgin Dick. Still, "Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede" sounds quite intriguing.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Here's a Lee apologist's take.

The Western press has relentlessly trotted out the opinion that Lee Kuan Yew built Singapore’s undeniable economic success at the cost of fundamental civil liberties.
Much as I understand that it is in the West’s fundamental DNA to assert certain inalienable freedoms, as a Singaporean, I strenuously object that there has been any such trade-off.

Some of my Western friends who have never lived here for any period of time have sometimes self-righteously proclaimed, no doubt after reading the clichés in the media, that they could never live under the ‘stifling and draconian’ laws that we have. My answer to them is simple: are you the sort to urinate in public when a toilet isn’t available, the sort to vandalise public property, the sort that would leave a mess in a public toilet that you share with your others? Are you perhaps a drug smuggler? Because we execute those. Or maybe you molest women? Because we would whip you. Are you the sort that would get drunk and then get into fights and maybe beat up a stranger in the bar? Back home you may get away with it but if you are that sort, then maybe this place isn’t for you.

In short, are you a civilised person who wants to live in a civilised society? Because the things you cannot do in Singapore are precisely the sort that civilised people should not do anyway. If you are, you have nothing to fear.

[kurogane]

Those are all valid points, and while I do laugh at the Stuff White People Like umbrage people take at the idea of having their freedom to be douchebags restricted, it still comes across as subaltern arrogance, which is the flip side of old white racism not its transencendence. And that doesn't even begin to address the simian barbarity of their justice system. I really, really wanted Clinton to bomb those monkey fucks for beating that stupid American vandal kid.

This just came to mind, but I have enjoyed a few good laughs at you and a few others complaining of how peaceful and civilised Japan is compared to Things Back Home; I can't help but giggle at how you can make North American/Anglosphere style emospastic douchebaggery and violence sound like it has its own charms, and I laugh at myself for almost wanting to agree a bit.

Singapore just sounds kind of shit, to be honest. Hot, crowded, hyper urban and full of Chinese run by a pissy old school mandarin authoritarian.................nej tak.

[Russell]

Chewing chewing gum is obviously the sort that civilised people should not do anyway...

[Mike Oxlong]

Chewing chewing gum is obviously the sort that civilised people should not do anyway...

Sticking used gum under desks and tables, or spitting it onto sidewalks and streets is perhaps uncivilized. Not a caning offense, but...

[Wage Slave]

And they certainly have no business criticising their government - And definitely not daring to campaign, protest or stand for election. I remember reading some PAP MP explaining in the Straights Times. We do things according to our culture. Any opposition or criticism is regarded as an insult and a threat and we respond accordingly. According to our tradition a head count referred to the number of heads of the opposing group you cut off, har har.