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Friday, July 07, 2006
browncast: thank god it's friday
We're back with our regular show! Thank God it's Friday!
Audio file for the mrbrown show 7 July 2006: thank god it's friday
(MP3, File size: 2.1mb, Time: 00:04:48)
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Friday, July 7, 2006 at 01:40 PM in Popular | Permalink
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» Silence in from lemondroplets
Silence in clarity [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 10, 2006 2:41:18 PM
» Silence for from lemondroplets
Silence for clarity [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 10, 2006 5:15:23 PM
» Sarcastic Silence: A lame entry by Molly from mollymeek
Molly's Letter to mr-brown-the-devil-incarnateTM if anyone is interested: [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 11, 2006 12:06:04 PM
Comments
huh i get it
Posted by: me | Jul 7, 2006 1:43:10 PM
Sigh. It's a sad state of affairs mb. But rest assured, we will always support your blog and podcasts.
Posted by: V | Jul 7, 2006 1:49:17 PM
that means anything also cannot say.
better don't say, better don't say
Posted by: sgn | Jul 7, 2006 1:58:08 PM
TGIF! better keep my comments to my self lar ;)
Posted by: komment | Jul 7, 2006 2:03:38 PM
haha ya. better don't say la. silence is golden. anything else is partisan.
Posted by: laopokcar | Jul 7, 2006 2:05:53 PM
Shh!!!!!
Posted by: JustMe | Jul 7, 2006 2:06:23 PM
ai yah, go for lunch, better don't say lah .... got it, got it.
....bo chap lah, fcuk lah.
It is deah lah, what to do, just bo chap lah ... indifference is the best policy now lah.
Posted by: bochap | Jul 7, 2006 2:07:00 PM
Haha. this is a good one. A intelligent way of suaning the authorities.
Posted by: tiger4 | Jul 7, 2006 2:07:22 PM
Shhh!!! Big Brother is hearing...
Posted by: Hou | Jul 7, 2006 2:10:14 PM
Go for lunch better la,
then can talk about the food.
Wait... later kena by the Ministry of Fine Fools, i mean , Ministry of Fine Foods. Better not la...
Dun say better, else "cheng sim"
Posted by: Maverick | Jul 7, 2006 2:11:13 PM
ROFLMAO!
oopss sorry ... ssshhhhh ....
Posted by: Trish R | Jul 7, 2006 2:20:28 PM
but seriously, i think it is a blessing in disquise for mr brown.:)
maybe richer for it.
Posted by: wink | Jul 7, 2006 2:21:27 PM
lolz. Better not say.....
Better not write.....
I think better act it out as a mime then... ;)
Posted by: "Dr." Bob | Jul 7, 2006 2:25:23 PM
Haha ....
Better don't say....
Also cannot draw - sekali become seditious cartoons.
Singaporeans are so lucky ... only need to eat and sleep.
When Boss ask for suggestions, better don't say hor!
He may make you become a partisan player, no play play, this one.
Then he sack you, conveniently.
Posted by: overseas singaporean | Jul 7, 2006 2:26:29 PM
http://forums.delphiforums.com/sammyboymod/messages?msg=110451.1
Wot Dha Phac, my favourite Bak Chor Mee no more selling. Stall closed down already.
Heard that it's due to too many fish balls that goes with the mee, which pissed off an officer, who remarked that "If you put too many fish balls, than it will be treated as Fish Ball Mee and not as Bak Chor Mee."
The officer blasted that the mistake is serious, as the public will be mislead, confusing Fish Ball Mee with Bak Chor Mee, and later may demand to have balls in every mee.
However, many fans that support the Bak Chor Mee stall express disappointment and anger. They suspect it is the Char Kway Tiao stall few units away which is behind all this. Said one who declined to be named, "All the while we have only that Char Kway Tiao stall here, and we thought only Char Kway Tiao is the best; then this Bak Chor Mee stall open shop and we enjoy it very much because we realized that this Bak Chor Mee have balls, an ingrediant that is missing in Char Kway Tiao. But just when it is becoming popular, it is closed down! Wot Dha Phac!".
Posted by: from sammyboy | Jul 7, 2006 2:51:16 PM
.
Posted by: zhihao | Jul 7, 2006 2:53:25 PM
Sigh. Something is seriously wrong here.
It is one thing for a politician (i.e. Dr Chee, to get into trouble like this. As is it the same for journalists properly inducted into the industry.
Mr Brown is one of us. His column was created because he was able to connect with us, the common people, and he has. In a way that transcends the humour, wit and commentary in his writing.
I'm stationed in Bangkok, a place I was taught had equally, if not more, suppression of media than my own country has. But maybe my timing was a bit off, because when I arrived, the Thai government was in crisis and journalists and people alike took to the streets like media censorship and culling of political commentary was an alien concept to them. During that time, the local English language newspaper had a section called Guru (much like our IS magazine) which ran whole sections dedicated to the satire of the street protests, documenting the protests (not mobs, mind you) to the most strangest of detail (from vendors selling Thaksin Get Out T-shirts and green mangoes to the participants who were, frankly, just there to have a bit of beer and fun).
Satire. Exactly like what Mr Brown is doing.
In another time, this may have been stopped. But it wasn't.
In a different country, this would have led to the shutdown of the newspaper and tanks rolling in to run over any dissidents who stood in the way of the government. But it didn't.
Life in Bangkok, in the whole of Thailand, has carried on, much like it has the past 10-20 years. The only difference is, the people here are happier, because after all that shouting and screaming and mango sticky rice and beer, they now know they have a voice, and it can be heard.
We had a voice. It was one man. An average Singaporean with a simple life made a little easier some ways, and little more difficult in other ways, by the governance he is under. And now, he is being made an example to us all. And all is quiet.
Mr Brown was a revolution in Singapore mass media. He and countless others, Mr Miyagi, Kway Teow Man, Gladys Goh and many others, they are all revolutionaries. Simply by being themselves.
There is a silent roar on the Internet, but the roar is silent where it really matters.
Posted by: halozero | Jul 7, 2006 2:58:43 PM
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060706/1/41xsk.html.
it mentioned that Mrbrown, real name unknown. WTF?!
Posted by: no real name | Jul 7, 2006 3:02:49 PM
lol .... funny, and as usual you nailed the issue. and how sad .... everything also cannot say.
all the way mb!
Posted by: ice331 | Jul 7, 2006 3:16:42 PM
The URL posted by 'no real name' has an extra '.' at the back. In case u guys can't get it to work, it should be this:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060706/1/41xsk.html
Posted by: Panda | Jul 7, 2006 3:18:07 PM
Haha! The silence is deafening. I like that. :)
Posted by: Skipper | Jul 7, 2006 3:19:49 PM
Cool~ I like.
Posted by: bunkey | Jul 7, 2006 3:21:06 PM
Hurray!! M Brown & co is back. Ooops!! hush.....
(Whisper) MB spirit is restored, forces is out...(Tiam tiam lah)
...................
Posted by: meow | Jul 7, 2006 3:26:17 PM
"Nth to talk already lah" dun liddat lah mr brown..
haha.
Posted by: frzncherry | Jul 7, 2006 3:37:18 PM
Mr Brown,
The Silence is Deafening man! Keep it up!
DOM
Posted by: DOM the clown | Jul 7, 2006 3:38:00 PM
Aiyo, don't like that lah. The govt never said that u all cannot say mah. Just remember to send in for censorship and approval seven days before scheduled podcast can liao...u all act like that ah, really made our constituition look like constipation lidat
Posted by: mornigside | Jul 7, 2006 3:41:03 PM
oh no, i hope SDP won't come and recruit you!
Posted by: rotp | Jul 7, 2006 3:55:58 PM
SShhhhhh....not so loud..........
YES Sir, we hear you loud and clear...Go Go Go
Posted by: fish them | Jul 7, 2006 4:02:46 PM
Thanks god it's Friday! So who needs Today? ;)
Posted by: Wanderer | Jul 7, 2006 4:13:53 PM
i so don't get it... =/
Posted by: GirlJ | Jul 7, 2006 4:19:11 PM
BNS: "Better Not Say"
You football fans out there know of one of the goal celebrations with the goalscorer putting his finger to his lips, symbolizing the the "ssshhh" sign?
Good to get a T-shirt like that in these times!
Mmm....maybe all S-League scorers can do the same.
Posted by: boman | Jul 7, 2006 4:36:21 PM
Ha ha . . . Now that's the true blue (or white) Singaporean expected.
If we have nothing good to say, better not say. MICA approved.
Posted by: Yamasam | Jul 7, 2006 4:52:17 PM
Hilarious!
Posted by: leach | Jul 7, 2006 4:58:51 PM
I am Malaysian so does it mean I can simply say anything ar??
Mr. Brown, I must admit that this podcast was very "hard" to listen to. I don't know if anyone else felt it but I felt like so uncomfortable listening to that. It felt so weird that I can't describe it. It's like a bit "pek chek" where ppl talk half way then don't talk... especially that Mr. Miyagi... he talks, then slowly goes into a whisper or totally don't say anything. The out-tro was like the ultimate part... no semangat at all.
Please bring usual podcast or Johny back. I'll die listening to this if this goes on.
Posted by: uncleahpek | Jul 7, 2006 5:03:57 PM
How come this podcast never mention sponsor? Don't tell me they pulled out because of the recent issue?!
Posted by: Seraphim | Jul 7, 2006 5:06:30 PM
Why are you still pushing the boundaries, Mr. Brown? Have you not learnt your lesson?
Posted by: IrCTP | Jul 7, 2006 6:38:54 PM
you are great!!! as usual, hitting the nail on the head. hahahaha... good one guys. keep it up!
Posted by: Desmond Lim | Jul 7, 2006 7:09:41 PM
uncleahpek, don't worry, this is a special "suaning" broadcast. If you haven't been aware of the recent going ons...(where have you been??!!), this is to "shoot" back at the govt.
when I heard the broadcast I can only smile and shake my head..*sigh* what to do, what to do?
Posted by: BugSy | Jul 7, 2006 7:10:27 PM
I like it! I like it! This is the best Singapore podcast ever! Won't be surprised if you guys get a National Day Award for this! The MIW are celebrating like crazy: "We did it! We did it! We managed the Internet!"
Posted by: Jui Keng | Jul 7, 2006 7:30:35 PM
aiyah...bitch over things in the kopi tiam during lunch lah...that`s about all Singaporeans ever do (except for the heroic Brown)!!! May the force continue to be with you.
Posted by: isitjustme | Jul 7, 2006 8:00:19 PM
*gagged*
lolz...
Posted by: Ark | Jul 7, 2006 8:10:20 PM
As they say: You know, I know... I loved the podcast! It's classic and so classy. We KNOW! Gosh talk about paying lip service to them. Well, we'll see how the lava erupts one day when Singaporeans are that fed, up!
Posted by: seever serven | Jul 7, 2006 8:25:40 PM
well the gahmen cant complain bout this podcast...
Posted by: bong | Jul 7, 2006 8:52:51 PM
Man, this sure is entertaining the hell out of me.
Sure, we must be stark idiots to need *ahem* bodies to censor this, that, filter this, that, and all that malarchy.
Sure, we don't have a mind of our own, and we can't make our own better judgment of what's good and what's not for ourselves.
Whatever lah, we support you, Mr. Brown. Don't lose heart.
Posted by: Neh-bu-lah | Jul 7, 2006 8:54:04 PM
As they say, no comment is also a comment.
Posted by: daryl lim | Jul 7, 2006 9:00:21 PM
Better don't say... Hahaha! Anything also don't say, just pay taxes and obey like dogs... Welcome to Singapore, BETTER DON'T SAY!!!
Posted by: David | Jul 7, 2006 9:14:55 PM
Please suspend all the Pro PAP Journalists as well for being partisan and politicised.
There are train loads of them. Everyday churning out Pro PAP news until like PAP is God.
They paint Opposition like demons so they are partisan as well.
Please be fair in implementing laws(if any) and policy.
I can name some for you: Chua sisters, Loh Chee Kong, Aaron Low, Nicholas Fang etc.
Please suspend all of them as well.
Posted by: xxx | Jul 7, 2006 9:44:23 PM
from the comments so far, i sense a majority being entertained by this podcast. for me, i just feel upset about it... in essence, i feel that...
hiya. i think better not say too. just feel upset about that it has to come to this. now i worry how i do my football blog too...
Posted by: sggooner | Jul 7, 2006 10:48:53 PM
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
This is great!
I am in admiration of your courage. Stand for election next GE and you'll win.
Democratic Brown Party. (DBP) and your party can have a lopsided smiley face as a logo. It'll even look like our flag.
(:
Posted by: Tigerkiller | Jul 7, 2006 10:51:44 PM
Actually it is pretty sad as well as entertaining... that silence just feels damn eerie to me... wierd...
oh btw panda, the link doesnt work anymore... the site's been pulled out by singapore noes who...
Posted by: Matsukaze | Jul 7, 2006 11:21:05 PM
i mizz johnny =(
Posted by: HaRou | Jul 7, 2006 11:24:14 PM
we are Silent Nation....wat do you expect.....wait, wait I got nothing to say !!
Posted by: soundless | Jul 7, 2006 11:43:28 PM
any guys realise that the main story in Today's paper today shown in the photo is a fitting tribute to this podcast?
;)
Posted by: cherub | Jul 8, 2006 12:30:02 AM
Best.Podcast.Ever!!After the iamsingaporean one by Mr.Brown that is...ummm...can i say that?Wait kenna censor..
Posted by: Songsblade | Jul 8, 2006 1:08:38 AM
halozero wrote: "In a different country, this would have led to the shutdown of the newspaper and tanks rolling in to run over any dissidents who stood in the way of the government. But it didn't."
It might have something to do with them having a king as a non-partisan final arbiter. And moreover, a wise and benevolent one who's widely-respected in (and outside) his country. ;)
Posted by: SimpleSandra | Jul 8, 2006 2:16:26 AM
All the gahmen want, are hamsters on the wheel. Unfortunately, the knowledge economy they oso wan, need brain to power.
brain = think
hamster+brain = thinking hamster
thinking hamster + wheel = why run when they want me to? I own my own feet!
*smack*
thinking hamster body owned by MINDEF. 2 weeks every year. Must run. Cannot stop.
Hamster - brain = running hamster
Hamster w/o brain = no knowledge
no knowledge = no knowledge economy
Import knowledge = imported knowledge economy + hamster
E.o.M.
Posted by: KiWeTO | Jul 8, 2006 2:46:48 AM
Billiant piece of work! I like it! Mr Brown at its best! Keep it up! I couldn't help laughing....
Posted by: Be Good | Jul 8, 2006 4:49:15 AM
Shhhhh ..... Brilliant!!! Shhhhh .....
Posted by: daffodils | Jul 8, 2006 11:27:45 AM
love the pod cast, but aiya... better not say...
Posted by: H | Jul 8, 2006 3:18:00 PM
Oh ya, will there be "better not say" t-shirt?
Posted by: H | Jul 8, 2006 3:30:15 PM
damn, if sillypore gonna carry-on with this sh*... can't imaging what it'll be like... and the future will be... with the great citizen going... how cannot be %*#@... politicians are... the good news is... that your son will be... at the rate we're going... the best in the world.
[only hear the... $#%&@]:D
Posted by: bookie | Jul 8, 2006 4:16:06 PM
Hilarious as usual. I was laughing all the way! Hahahahaha........
Nothing to comment? Cannot champion a single issue? Or you have already sent the message out? Very "partisan", very "distorted". Wah! you are now another level up, man!
Posted by: denzuko1 | Jul 8, 2006 8:25:56 PM
sibei jialat and konfusing leh. on 1 hand gahvement encourage young singapro-eans to voice their opinions but the other hand when u speak too loud they clamp u....wat the gahvement 1 har?
Posted by: Zenus | Jul 9, 2006 1:45:18 AM
You all dont say? ok (sorry huh) i buay tahan liao i say something..
The French are now in the World Cup Final...again
In WC 1998,they won. Our unique leader said they had done well, and Singapore and France were alike in many ways, and subsequently much hopes and resources were put in, and then we had the Goal 2010.
The French packed up early in WC 2002, our dear friend said they were old, did not upgrade themselves, and Singapore should learn from the their mistakes.
Now WC 2006, they are in the Final again, sure must have something to comment.. so now what huh, my beloved policy maker? Quick say something leh, i want to place bet early...dont wait till the game finish then say, too late liao.
When WC people(World Class, not World Cup)can fart whatever and whenever they like, and we ordinary people had to put up with those nonsense example that darn-stupid 2010 idea.
When we the Citizens of Singapore, hope to contribute by giving comments on their ideas and policies, it is very likely that our ass will be stubbed.
What a unique place to live in.
Posted by: Just Me | Jul 9, 2006 3:35:20 AM
http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/114313.html
How would MICA have potentially reacted to the latest podcast? see Mollymeek!
Posted by: I love Molly | Jul 9, 2006 9:54:07 AM
Pls lah, singapore in the 2010 world cup, got to be kidding me man.. we got so many foreign players already so jia lat.. pls lor.. ask gahment go and dream la.
Posted by: wahliaoeh | Jul 9, 2006 12:13:16 PM
better be careful ... the following can be construed as being partisan player -
in addition to "why you say what you said", you can't escape if
why you say you din say
why you dun say what you say
why you dun say what you din say
gahmen can interpret everything. they very smart. all scholar.
Posted by: Socrates Lee | Jul 9, 2006 4:53:13 PM
I missed the "Brown" silent protest.
It's a good start, but knowing how the govt work, it's not the best course of action.
I suggest we start a wear brown week. You don'thave to wear it everyday, but when you do wear brown and you see another person in brown, just greet each other and shout "So say we all". It's prefectly legal.
Let's try for a week,we can always extend it to a month. Spread the news and flood the MRTs, Buses, Cafes, hawker center.
Let's create an impact.
Posted by: myfreenation | Jul 9, 2006 11:21:57 PM
Speaking out is an expression that you care. Keeping silent is to wait for the mistakes to amplify and the system to fail.
Sadly, someone (not brown) thinks it's the other way around.
(http://lemondroplets.spaces.msn.com/blog/cns!26F399664A850E81!263.entry)
Posted by: zHuAz | Jul 10, 2006 10:11:07 AM
In the words of Hopper the grasshopper.
You let one ant stand up to us, then they all might stand up! Those puny little ants outnumber us a hundred to one and if they ever figure that out there goes our way of life! It's not about food, it's about keeping those ants in line. That's why we're going back! Does anybody else wanna stay?
That's right, we are the ants (the rest of us) and they (the P8P and the elites) are the grasshoppers.
Posted by: Ants | Jul 11, 2006 10:13:36 AM
i laughed so hard at this. great job mr brown.
Posted by: crea | Jul 12, 2006 12:17:29 AM
Sent similar letters to Straits Times and Today earlier this week but both didn't publish my letter.
To: The Editor, Today (Voices)
A fellow Singaporean wrote a hilarious article in your newspaper about the rising cost in Singapore last week. He was chided by Ms K Bhavani, Press Secretary to the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, for “distorting the truth”! I'm concerned with the tone of her response, and hopes it is not representative of the general mindset of the of the Government.
Ms Bhavani wrote “…There was no reason to suppress the information. It confirmed what we had told Singaporeans all along, that globalisation would stretch out incomes”. Would suggest that Ms Bhavani try asking some of the lower-income Singaporeans what’s “globalization” and chances are not many would understand what exactly is globalization and its implication on economies, incomes and links to their daily life. Consequently, some level of frustration with the widening income gap could be expected among the lower-income Singaporeans. Unhappiness about rising cost of living is normal and I really don’t see the need for MICA to over-react on a humorous article that complains about rising cost. As the ministry for “information” and “communications”, I would suggest that it should not adopt a “I told you so already” attitude. Instead continue to strive for more effective ways to foster understanding among Singaporeans, especially the less educated, lower-income groups, and prepare Singaporeans about changes going on with the economy.
Another quote from Ms Bhavani: “Our IT plans are critical to Singapore's competitive position and will improve the job chances of individual Singaporeans. It is wrong…to make light of them.” Any grand IT master plan with the intention of improving Singapore’s economic competitiveness will not work if there is an insufficient pool of creative Singaporeans. To create the conducive environment that inspire talents to want to work in Singapore, I think promoting a culture that accepts “loosening up a bit” and “having a sense of humor” have higher priorities over all those high-tech infrastructure.
Ms Bhavani expected the writer to “offer constructive criticism and alternatives”. The writer touches on many issues, including issues such as widening income gap, something which even top-notch economists do not have perfect solutions for. It is really not realistic for the average Singaporeans to offer “alternatives” whenever they want to raise concerns or comment about some issues.
A not humorous issue that was discussed in the writer’s article and in Ms Bhavani’s response was the issue of special needs children education. I was surprised parents of special needs children are subjected to Means Testing to determine their children’s education subsidies from the Government!
The mission of our Ministry of Education reads “provide our children with a balanced and well-rounded education, develop them to their full potential, and nurture them into good citizens, conscious of their responsibilities to family, society and country.” I would have assumed that ‘our children” refers to all Singaporean children. I was surprised to find out that children with special needs are excluded from the compulsory education legislation. And special needs schools are run mostly by welfare organizations. Apparently, MOE only provides part of the funding and the rest have to come from NCSS and donations. Education for special needs children should not be treated as “charity”, it is the basic rights of every Singaporean child!
Could the relevant ministries reveal how much government funding per year a special needs child is given and how is that compared to that spent on normal, gifted, sports etc school programmes?
Another aspect of special needs education is the training of special needs teachers. It seems that currently special needs teachers have to juggle full-time teaching with part-time training at NIE, whereas normal school’s teachers receive a full-time 1 year paid training programme. Why the difference?
Could the relevant ministries shed some light on the above?
Posted by: bestregards | Jul 13, 2006 9:56:43 PM
This is truly hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud.
It was great hearing the Singapore accent again after having moved away over 10 years ago now. It is sad to see that little progress has been made in over a decade. And on my part, I simply couldn't live in such an oppressive country.
Keep up the good fight, albeit in your own very imaginative ways!
I love it, well done and thanks.
Fabien
Posted by: fabien | Jul 15, 2006 3:29:42 AM
I have gradually grown to like Mr. Brown and his articles. So real, reflective and true. Go for it, You are my idol, Mr. Brown. You have my support.
Posted by: TheFlowerGirl | Aug 21, 2006 12:19:33 PM
