Blanc - Hi.

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I don't think the "micro management" is at it's worst in Singapore - not by a long shot. It is true that the Singapore government tries to do so and in a lot of what they attempt, they somehow come out smelling roses. But they have goofed up royally as well. ...................................................................

If you don't mind my asking in front of everybody, how do you stand it, living there?

Sure you may ask and I would venture an answer. Promise me that you will answer the same question as to where you live (Pacific Northwest I assume - ah, how I would love to move back there!). How do I stand it living here? I don't really know. This is my home after all. Warts and all. I was born here 38 years ago. When I was born, Singapore was a British Crown Colony (as Hong Kong was up until June 30th this year). In 1963, we joined our northern neighbour, Malaysia, and became a state within that country. In 1965, we got booted out. I was 6. The country was in shambles to say the least. We are nothing but a piece of island about 600 sq km (or 230+ sq miles for the metric-challenged Americans :-)), with no natural resources, save for a population them of about 1.5M and a great natural harbour. We have a racial mix of 70% ethnic Chinese, 15% native Malays, 10% ethnic Indians and about 5% so-called Others. What holds this cocktail together - nothing except for the hope for a better life. My parents were immigrants - they came to Singapore after WWII from India for a better life. These people are willing to put up with "nonsense" to make money and dream to retire to their motherlands during their twilight years. My parents are now Singapore citizens and so are over 3 million others now. They are not planning on any form of retirement in any other country - this is their home. The formula that saw Singapore be transformed from a 3rd world dump to a 1st world city is now not valid. People of my generation have seen the transition and now we are able to assert ourselves as full citizens of a island city state and are beginning to do so in an increasing manner. The Internet is helping in that direction.

Do you get very frustrated (it sounds as though you might), and want to leave for Anguilla?

Yes, I am frustrated at times - aren't we all. But I can do pretty much what I want. This is not a police state by any definition. I am able to buy what I want, pay for it in any form I choose and generally go about my life as I please. The income taxes are ridiculously low (much much lower than in the US) and the general standard of living is good.

Do you remind yourself not to litter with those gum wrappers you're not supposed to have anyway.

Why would I have to remind myself? Good habits are all that it takes. Have you checked your city's ordinance to see if littering is an offence and the penalty it carries? What is it that just because in Singapore there are signs that state the obvious, it immediately becomes a problem? True, if the society is naturally gracious, there is not need for such reminders - but the social habits of the populace in earlier days warranted that. No apologies are really needed, but things have to be placed in perspective. The unfortunate thing about the international media is that they are always picking bones on the most silly of issues and the some of the bozos in the local government here have such thin skins that they get very excitable for no reason.

what do you think when you're being incentivized to find a sexual partner and produce children, or to Do This and Not do That or risk painful punishments?

Hmm. This is what I mentioned in a previous post that there are some things the lobotomized parts of the government does that is shamefully stupid. Just laugh it off. The govt loves to micromanage. The generation of Singaporeans who grew up post independence (1965) have been brought up in that sort of environment. But, unlike their parents, this post-1965 generation does not ask how high when asked to jump, but asks why.

Do co-workers become critical of each other's petty "crimes", do you feel opressed all around, or is it not as bad as it seems from here?

Spot on. It is all a matter of perspectives and type and quality of information that is being fed. We need opening of minds and exchange of information to remove misconceptions. Sometime in 1989 (I was living in Seattle then) I was bombarded by e-mail from a chap from somewhere in eastern Europe on how I could defend Singapore when there are people starving on the streets, libraries without books, children malnourished etc etc. I don't know what he was smoking, but it sure made for a interesting read. I sent back a note asking him to clarify what he was saying, to which he replied that that was the type of information he was being fed by their media. Perhaps a more balanced perspective of Singapore can be gotten at www.sintercom.org. Open your minds. No, this is not a god-forsaken place. It's home and it's livable. Come visit us. Buy me some chewing gum, I'll buy the beers. So, now to come back to the first line. Tell me how you can tolerate living in wherever that it you live in? Regards. -- Harish Pillay h.pillay@ieee.org Singapore *** Ask me about Linux *** http://home.pacific.net.sg/~harish