Follow the discussion thread here (ignore the blatant trolls).

Been monitoring with extreme interest the debacle surrounding AWARE’s power-grab by supposed Christian conservatives (I refuse to use the word fundamentalists, it’s just too strong).

Most discussion revolves around the as-yet-unknown agenda of the new AWARE exco, (in particular their stance towards GLBTQ issues), along with the way they muscled themselves in.

This mini-putsch has highlighted the severe danger faced by key organizations being similarly grabbed by right-winged Christians. Today it might be AWARE, tomorrow it might be CASE, next month it could very well be SPCA itself.

AWARE is the first battleground, and while some have argued for old AWARE members to give up and go form another group, I am adamant that this must not come to pass. If AWARE falls so easily, it opens up the very real possibility of the hijacking of other groups.

Having worked in 2 Christian companies in my career, I have seen first-hand how it disrupts processes and focus on what should really matter – an organization’s objectives. If AWARE stands up for all women, it should remain a secular organization because not all women are Christians. It should bring a broad range of opinions and perspectives from the leaders who are from all walks of life – not limited to Christian women.

AWARE, because it stands up for all women in Singapore, must not fall into the Christian right-wing camp, exactly because not all women are Christians. And the same goes for any other organizations who champion the causes of groups of people.

And what is particularly infuriating, is the way that Christians who claim to do good, should know better than to just grab power. It’s tactless, and it’s tasteless.

Ms. Josie Lau, the new president for AWARE, will be giving her first TV interview since taking up the president post, 10:30pm tonight 19th April 2009 Talking Point, Channel News Asia.

And this was the exact response I had today while catching up on my daily news reading. It’s like entering the twilight zone of the newpaper world, with weird facts and random mumbo jumbo in publication everywhere.

1. 150 AWARE members seek vote of no confidence in new executive committee

I remembered clearly watching the TV pilot of Gene Roddenberry’s (of Star Trek fame) Planet Earth when I was younger. In that show, men were slaves for breeding and hard labor – and everything else was run by women.

Upon looking back, it is definitely a fantastic idea. Imagine, a man has 3 square meals a day, a (not so comfy) cell to stay in, and all he needs to do is flex his muscles… and screw!! What a dream.

Seeing how the recent AWARE real life drama is being played out, sadly, women are hardly close from ruling the world. Whatever happened to subtle politics?

2. Parliament passes new Bill to manage law and order

Under the new Bill, three types of activities will require permits: Those that demonstrate support for or against views or actions of any person, group of persons or any government; those that publicises a cause or campaign; and those that mark or commemorate any event.

Many sporting and recreational activities will be exempted. This means that 50 per cent of activities that now require permits will no longer be regulated by permit.

Oh wow, 50 percent! How about asking yourself the real question – why does so many sporting and recreational activities need a permit in the first place?

Maybe we can start mass walking, shouting, and holding placards as a cardiovascular sport. That way, we won’t need no stinkin’ permits.

3. Samurai Ergonomics

I don’t get too tired, as I can rest my chest against the desk when I need to.

WTF? Srsly? This made it to the Gizmodo site, and April Fool’s over?

Encountered this while reading a news article on how the Bush administration setbacks global climate issues (Agence France-Presse, 2008-12-14).

A man comes to the White House asking to see Bush. “He doesn’t live here anymore,” he is told. The next two days he comes again asking the same question, and receiving the same answer.

On the fourth day, the exasperated guard shot back: “I’ve already told you, he’s no longer here.”

“I know, I know,” the man replied. “But it’s such a pleasure to hear you say it.”

What a bag of laughs – and this coming from a France ambassador to a major news agency!

Very interesting article on the NY Times today with regards to Google’s content access policies and procedures "Google’s Gatekeepers" :

The most powerful and protean of these Internet gatekeepers is, of course, Google. With control of 63 percent of the world’s Internet searches, as well as ownership of YouTube, Google has enormous influence over who can find an audience on the Web around the world. As an acknowledgment of its power, Google has given Nicole Wong a central role in the company’s decision-making process about what controversial user-generated content goes down or stays up on YouTube and other applications owned by Google, including Blogger, the blog site; Picasa, the photo-sharing site; and Orkut, the social networking site. Wong and her colleagues also oversee Google’s search engine: they decide what controversial material does and doesn’t appear on the local search engines that Google maintains in many countries in the world, as well as on Google.com. As a result, Wong and her colleagues arguably have more influence over the contours of online expression than anyone else on the planet.

An insight and statement to Google’s content restriction ethos – "Google refused, arguing that one nation’s government shouldn’t be able to set the limits of speech for Internet users worldwide." :

Wong decided that Google, by using a technique called I.P. blocking, would prevent access to videos that clearly violated Turkish law, but only in Turkey. For a time, her solution seemed to satisfy the Turkish judges, who restored YouTube access. But last June, as part of a campaign against threats to symbols of Turkish secularism, a Turkish prosecutor made a sweeping demand: that Google block access to the offending videos throughout the world, to protect the rights and sensitivities of Turks living outside the country. Google refused, arguing that one nation’s government shouldn’t be able to set the limits of speech for Internet users worldwide. Unmoved, the Turkish government today continues to block access to YouTube in Turkey.

I’m just surprised that this core team of three can handle so much – they are really capable people. Back when I was with a print paper, the editors had a hard time vetting through just news for the region. Google, on the other hand, handles content for the world.

And we thought only Singaporeans were kiasu. This from the News Tribune article "Black Friday darker than usual." :

In Columbus, Ohio, Nikki Nicely, 19, jumped onto a man’s back and pounded his shoulders when he tried to take a 40-inch Samsung flat-screen television to which she had laid claim. “That’s my TV!” Nicely, 19, shouted. “That’s my TV!”

A police officer and security guard intervened, but not before Nicely took an elbow in the face. In the end, she was the one with the $798 television, marked down from $1,000. “That’s right,” she yelled as her adversary walked away. “This here is my TV!”

Is it worth getting elbowed in the face for a savings of about 20%? On a darker note, this is the first time a death has happened due to Black Friday – a staff employee of Wal-Mart, Long Island, NY, was trampled by frenzied shoppers.

A Wal-Mart worker on Long Island died after being trampled by customers who broke through the doors early Friday. And fights and injuries occurred around the country at some other stores operated by Wal-Mart, the nation’s leading discount chain and one of the few retailers thriving in the current economy.

We are all just animals, really. In fact, I think we’ve regressed in the evolutionary chain.