CNN.com - Blair and Gates in doodle mix-up - Jan 31, 2005

A dose of humour to start your day. The BBC version is funnier but I can't seem to find it..=)

Old vodka whacks its rivals

A very interesting exercise when one considers as the article points out, that vodka is distilled to a purity which it is suppose to have no taste, odour or mark of distinctiveness. Which probably explains why it's the choice for mixers.

It does throw up a whole host of related side issues of which one is why Absolut has such a stranglehold on Singapore's perception of good brands of Vodka (I've definitely heard of Smirnoff, but that's probably because it was the vodka of choice in MMU Worlds). A good bit of it probably has to do with the strong branding via advertising that Absolut has.

Just as interesting is that this is one of the few 'premium' alcohol that is probably in your average citizens prize range. One needs only to think of high end wines or cognac to decide how many of us will have the opportunity or inclination to purchase such brands.

Cheerios!

CNN.com - Virginia strikes down state fornication law - Jan 25, 2005

Interesting to find out that certain states in American have laws against Adultary. Turkey was forced to strike it off its proposed amendments to the criminal law when the EU protested.

BBC NEWS | Americas | Gates' $750m vaccination pledge

Much as I dislike the Wintel (Windows and Intel) Monopoly, I cannot help but admire what this family is doing. This is real philanthropy, the use of one's own wealth to do good and not what some companies are doing under the guise of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) where they are giving away company (shareholder) money to good causes. Yes, the causes may be good, but it's easy to donate other people's money isn't it?

More importantly, I think Gates is doing the absolutely right thing in targeting their donations to where they are most useful. The most famous case was his turn about on the so-called 'digital divide' where he decided to donate the money to end hunger and disease instead on the simple basis that there are more important and basic considerations at stake even before one could or should consider others.

Cheerios!

BBC NEWS | Americas | US right attacks SpongeBob video

I think this says a lot about the Christian Right and Focus on the Family (*nuff said*), I wonder how they would feel if people start attacking shows like Touched by an Angel and 7th Heaven for it's obviously rightist fundamentalist Judeo-Christian ethics properganda.

If anyone wonders why I support the Casino, it's because victory for the anti-Casino groups would in turn mean victory for the anti-choice, conservative and paternalistic religious right locally.

Okay, rant aside, issue at stake here, should a cartoon character which has been identified (or classified or adopted as it may seem) as a Gay Icon (even if its original intention were not as such) be then allowed to be propergated to Children.

Let us for the sake of argument put aside the obvious point that homosexuality is not an evil that we should not tolerate for the automatic argument would be that it ought to be propergated to Children to learn the value of tolerance for the diversity of values. But putting that aside for the moment and we lump homosexuality together with other things like sexual intercourse and the nude body as Things-Children-Should-Not-Know-About-Though-It's-Obvious-They-Will-Find-Out-About-It-Anyway category, would Spongebob Squarepants be as readily identifiable as a gay icon?

While it is an argument that something has become a gay icon and which is then used to promote such a lifestyle, the problem is that it seems incongruous that Children would pick up on that point, and even if they did, would somehow be persuaded to become homosexual all of a sudden.

At the end of the day...gee now...

Cheerios!

CNN.com - Attorney meets the 'jury pool from hell' - Jan 18, 2005

*A little dose of Sureal Reality to Start your Day*

Were that all jurors were so honest as to their...um...shortcomings.

*First Day of School*

The time table for Monday is pretty bad read PACKED...and it's the first day of school.

So here's a break in what has otherwise become essentially a newsblog, here's something from my life (assuming there are people voyeuristic enough to want to read it...which scarily enough apparently there are)

Legal Analysis, Writing and Research (9 - 9:40): Statutory Interpretation -> Yes, I know you're thinking about catchall phrases but trust me, it ain't always that simple. See s.9 of Misuse of Drugs Act and you'll understand...what the hell does intend mean?

Contracts (10 - 1045): Discharge by breach...weee... Conditions-warranty distinctions, innominate terms anyone?

Intro to Legal Theory (1130 - 1): Watched first part of "Trials at Nuremberg", basically about prosecution of the judges. VERY VERY VERY good, you won't need a law education to understand it. Balanced though a tad heavy handed here and there

LAWR Tutorial (2-4:30): Struggled with Misuse of Drugs Act

CNN.com - Judge orders drug addict to stop having children - Jan 5, 2005

Confluence of both reproductive rights and parental responsibilities clashing with the rights of the State to determine those rights and in particular the extent to which the Judicial branch should determine them.

Fascinating...

*Updates will resume shortly*

Dear all (who are still actually visiting this site), the blog is not dead. I have just returned from K.L. from a 9-day debating competition.

We didn't break but considering the circumstances, I think we did as well as we could.

Cheerios!