Let's start the week with some light-hearted stuff, shall we?

Nice photo.

Hilarious.

Something an ex-colleague may enjoy -- but considering he owns a Playstation 2 and goes for much more complex games, he may find this insulting. :)

I can't get software to translate this ad, so what do you think the fancy headgear is for?

Above links obtained from recent posts on Dave Barry's Blog. Haven't been following it that much, but this guy hasn't lost any steam. Very enjoyable during slow shifts.

Was reading a 3-week-old issue of Time magazine today, and was quite surprised to learn that certain American states consider sodomy a punishable crime. Some of you may raise your eyebrows at my statement, but my shock stems from the fact that the U.S. is perhaps one of the most gay-tolerant nations on the planet, and yet homosexuals got hauled up on at least 1 high-profile occasion for being in bed together ( a neighbour with a grudge called the cops ). This story has a happy ending, of course -- the defendants appealed, and the Supreme Court threw the conviction out the window and reversed the entire law.

As expected, there've been cheers from the pro-camp, and complaints from the opposition. Some worry that support for the "immoral lifestyles" of gays will lead to a breakdown in the very fabric of society, etc etc. Yes, we've heard it all before, and Singapore, or should I say, the Singapore government, is extremely sensitive about such issues. Don't foresee a change in the legal system here anytime soon, but at least someone recently suggested employing known homosexuals in "key positions". The reaction? Very bad. I recall seeing a whole page of letters from irate readers, citing the usual reasons against such a move -- "Homosexuality is a sin!", "If politicians or key officials are openly gay, our children will get the wrong idea."

Come ON! Even I, as a Christian, don't condemn homosexuals. The Bible clearly states that it's against God's teaching, but lots of them are probably baptized and equally, if not more devout, than some churchgoers. I just don't see how their sexual orientation should be an obstacle to employment -- if this happened in America, a major lawsuit would arise, and guess who will win?

Sure, the U.S. appears to be very forgiving where sins are concerned. Ex-President Bill Clinton is a prime example, being allowed to serve out his term despite the Monica Lewinsky debacle, and continuing to receive accolades for an otherwise sterling 8-year presidency. Maybe it's our strict Asian upbringing that makes us so resistant to change. Or maybe local scandals are just very well-concealed.

My two cents. :)