The World This Week

– that Austria’s highest court rejected an appeal by right-wing British historian David Irving and upheld his conviction for denying the Holocaust, the Austria Press Agency reported. The Supreme Court denied the appeal during a closed session last week, APA said, citing a preliminary communication from the court. A court spokesman did not return repeated calls for confirmation. In February, a Vienna state court convicted Irving of denying the Holocaust and sentenced him to three years in prison. (Maybe they should sentence him to 30mins in a refurbished, working gas chamber in Auschwitz instead. If he survives 30mins in a gas chamber full of Zeklon-B gas, he can then go free.)

– that Pope Benedict XVI quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam. “The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war,”the pope said. “He said, I quote, ‘Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.'” (It’s a bad passage to quote, even when you don’t agree with it.)

– that Pope Benedict XVI rebuked his fellow Germans and other Western societies, saying they often shut their ears to the Christian message and insisting that the modern world’s science and technology alone cannot combat AIDS and other social ills. Addressing 250,000 pilgrims at an open air Mass, Benedict said modern people suffer from ‘hardness of hearing’ when it comes to God and complained that ‘mockery of the sacred’ is viewed as an exercise in freedom. (They will and can mock no more when the Son of God returns for His thousand year reign. Then every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is God! Bow now, or bow later.)

– that Pope Benedict rejected the use of God’s name to justify hatred and fanaticism. (It is only the sons of Satan who will utter words of hatred and murderous intent in the name of the Almighty.)

– that the head of the Israeli army’s Northern Command resigned becoming the first – and probably not the only – senior officer to quit in light of the army`s failures during the war with Hezbollah. A military statement said that Maj. Gen. Udi Adam ‘asked to resign his position in the near future. The chief of staff has accepted (the)… request’. (Under a false sense of invincibility, some Israelis have grown complacent. Time for them to pay for this delusion.)

– that terrorist group Hezbollah committed war crimes in its conflict with Israel by targeting civilians with rockets packed with metal ball bearings, rights group Amnesty International said. It said around a quarter of the nearly 4,000 rockets that Hezbollah launched into Israel during the 34-day war were fired directly into urban areas. (Hezbollah would prefer you just talk about Qana, and nothing else.)

– that Hezbollah parliamentarian Hassan Fadlallah said that by criticizing Hezbollah’s actions alongside those of Israel, Amnesty ‘has tried to equate the executioner with the victim’. Fadlallah said Hezbollah was exercising ‘its legitimate right of self-defense’. At the start of the war it had targeted only Israeli military sites, he said, but later fired at Israeli towns in response to Israeli strikes. (Might as well just say you were always aiming for Israeli military sites but you missed.)

– that there’s no evidence Saddam Hussein had a relationship with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his al-Qaeda associates, according to a Senate report on prewar intelligence on Iraq. Democrats said the report undercuts Warmonger Bush’s justification for going to war. The declassified document being released by the Senate Intelligence Committee also explores the role that inaccurate information supplied by the anti-Saddam exile group the Iraqi National Congress had in the march to war. (Use backside to think also know Saddam’s got nothing to do with al-Qaeda. Osalah hates Saddam man!!)

– that the top Taliban military commander said that NATO’s claims to have killed more than 200 insurgents were propaganda and warned that his men would target journalists who reported ‘wrong information’ given by the U.S.-led coalition or NATO. “They are saying that they have killed 200 Taliban but they did not kill even 10 Taliban,” said Mullah Dadullah, Taliban military commander for south and southeastern Afghanistan. “They are just destroying civilian homes and agricultural land. They are using the media to do propaganda against the Taliban.” (Body count does not matter as long as the war is won. And Dadullah can use better excuses for his lust for murder.)

– that Japan’s Princess Kiko will give birth on Wednesday, with many hoping for a baby boy who would become a long-awaited male heir – and end for now a battle over whether a woman can sit on the throne. Newspapers prepared extra editions and bridal and baby-related companies prepared to do brisk business once the 39-year-old princess gives birth by Caesarean section. If Kiko gives birth to a boy, it will be the first male heir of the world’s oldest monarchy to be born since her own husband Akishino in 1965. (Stop keeping the fools in suspense already!)

– that Princess Kiko gave birth to the royal family’s first boy in more than 40 years, ending for now a succession crisis and silencing calls to let a woman sit on the throne. The princess, just one week shy of her 40th birthday, gave birth to the third in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, the palace said. “This morning Princess Kiko had an imperial prince,” an Imperial Household Agency spokesman told AFP. (Masako can now breathe a sigh of relief.)

– that Japan’s new imperial baby – the first male born in 41 years – has been named Hisahito during a traditional ceremony in hospital in the capital, Tokyo. The baby was born to the emperor’s second son Prince Akishino and his wife Princess Kiko, on 6 September. Prince Hisahito is third in line to the Chrysanthemum throne, behind Crown Prince Naruhito and his own father. (For a moment I thought someone was talking about the now defunct chain of Hisatomo restaurants in Singapore.)

– that Taiwan is ‘doomed’ if Chen Shui-bian is allowed to ride out corruption charges and serve a full term, his chief opponent said in an interview ahead of a mass protest to oust the lea-duh. “What concerns Chen Shui-bian are his personal, rather than national, interests,” railed Shih Ming-teh, the former chairman of Chen’s ruling DPP. “Taiwan will be doomed if we let him and his corrupted and ruthless interest group to run the country until his term ends in May 2008,” Shih told AFP in an interview. (It’s high time the DPP lose it all for the money-grabbers they are.)

– that Chen Shui-bian protestors in Taiwan are now planning a general strike and a siege of the palace in their bid to oust the Taiwanese lea-duh. But the move has raised concerns about a possible disruption to the economy. The anti-Chen mega protest in Taipei is turning a deeper shade of red. Well into its first week, the rally is showing no signs of abating as thousands continue their push to oust Chen Shui-bian on grounds of alleged corruption. (He won’t go. The best way to make him go would be to elect a legislature supportive of a recall.)

– that Malaysia has banned an edition of Easy Finder, a Hong Kong magazine which ran semi-nude pictures of a pop star as she changed backstage at a concert. The secretly photographed pictures of Gillian Chung – one half of the chart-topping duo Twins – have caused a furore in Hong Kong, where celebrity and political heavyweights joined protests calling for curbs on the media. (Easy Finder, where are the Charlene Choi photos? Don’t sweat it because there are certain some perverts out there still burning a candle for you.)

– that Ma-mathir’s humiliating defeat in a grassroots party ballot shows he is finished as a force in Malaysian politics after waging a bitter anti-gover-min campaign, analysts said. But observers warned that although Ma-mathir suffered a major blow in the vote which bars him from addressing the ruling party’s annual assembly, his days as a critic are far from over. (The Cantonese have a fitting comment for such people: 死剩把口 [All is dead except for the mouth].)

– that Mama-thir has dramatically escalated the feud with his successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi by accusing the prime minister and his party of bribery to silence him. Ma-mathir failed in his bid to address the dUMNO General Assembly although Mr Abdullah says he will still be invited to attend. He has accused Mr Abdullah of bribing members of the ruling party to vote against him in an election to block his bid to address the dUMNO General Assembly. Mama-thir said: “I accept I have lost because they used bribery in order to win the elections.” (Why is there a need to bribe at all, Mama? You are no longer in a position to distribute power within the party. No one would care to elect you to go in there to make noise when they have no benefits from it. Being head of this party for donkey years you should know by now how your party works!)

Singapore This Week

– that investment company Temasek Holdings has reported a strong set of earnings for its financial year ended March 2006. Its net profit jumped 71% to S$12.8 billion, compared with the previous year. The better showing was driven by the strong performance of companies it invested in, and good solid returns on divestments. Revenues increased 18% to S$80 billion and the total value of its investment portfolio also grew 24% to S$129 billion. (And you will still only get 4.5% for your special account in CPF and need to pay a $3.05 levy on Medisave use.)

– that according to the gover-min, the rate of jobs going to foreigners has been increasing from 30% (21,500 of 71,400 jobs) in 2004, to 44% (49,800 of 113,300 jobs) in 2005 to 46% (37,400 of 81,500 jobs) in 2006. (And there are no unemployed Singaporeans who are qualified for these jobs?)

– that a plan by animal rights ‘activists’ to hold a ‘naked’ protest was met with stark firmness by the Singapore police, just days before the IMF – World Bank meetings are due to start. Sending a strong message to any would-be unauthorised protesters, the authorities detained and deported three activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). PETA had earlier sent out a media release stating they planned to hold a ‘naked’ protest outside a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet along Victoria Street, with their members covered with a banner. (Are these ‘activists’ vegetarians?)

– that according to PETA, the 850 million chickens killed annually for KFC are ‘tortured’ by, among other things, having their throats slit while they are still conscious and being scalded to death in defeathering tanks. (Want a steamy plate of sea-hum – cockles?)

– that nusiness has nosedived between 40 and 70% for many tenants at Suntec City Mall since the tight security and road closure were enforced around the area. Selo Ozcelik, the operator of Deli Turk, says his restaurant has seen better days even during SARS and the World Cup season. (1/3 of the month bad business and no appreciation whatsoever. We even get criticised as ‘authoritarian’ simply for not barring entry to 27 trouble makers.)

– that the road closures in and around Suntec Singapore are making some motorists see red. Besides the inconvenience of taking an alternative route, those already in the Restricted Zone have to pay for an additional Electronic Road Pricing or ERP charge to drive into Suntec. Before the road closures – motorists could stay within the Restricted Zone and easily drive to the Suntec area. With Nicoll Highway, Raffles Boulevard and Temasek Boulevard closed due to the IMF-World Bank meetings, motorists have to use alternative routes – like the ECP and Rochor Road, Republic Avenue and Republic Boulevard from Crawford Street, as well as from Beach Road via the Ophir flyover into Republic Boulevard. But this means they have to drive out of the Restricted Zone – incurring an additional ERP charges. LTA says this is a temporary inconvenience till the roads re-open after 20th September, when the meetings end. (Why not the LTA just inconvenience itself by turning off the piece of junk called the ERP?)

– that at Changi Airport, delegates expected to fly in two days ago are only just beginning to do so, and limousine drivers are the worst hit by the unexpectedly slow traffic. Singapore 2006 organisers have asked Comfort Delgro to standby 300 taxis at the two terminals, and over the last two days, such messages have sent hundreds of limousine cabbies to the airport only to wait some 4 to 10 hours – for just one or two passengers. (Drive around town and wait for call better earnings right?)

– that Singapore’s tough public security guidelines have come under the spotlight ahead of next week’s annual meeting of the World Bank and IMF. The Singapore gover-min has banned more than 20 foreign activists from entering the country, even though they had invitations from the Bank and the IMF. The police also set tough restrictions for demonstrations by civic groups and on activities by delegates at the meeting and several preliminary events. Those on the banned list include representatives from the World Development Movement in Britain, Thailand’s Focus on the Global South, the Freedom from Debt Coalition in the Philippines and the Forum on Indonesian Development. (Criticise WHAT?! It is not as if they are going to take the protests into consideration. That’s not mentioning, if they value the suggestions / complaints / comments / protests of these groups, they would have made them a member. Hypocrites.)

– that the restrictions have drawn criticism not only from activist groups, but also from the World Bank president, Paul Wolfowitz. He has urged Singaporean authorities to ease the regulations and to allow a ‘strong dialogue’ to take place during the meetings. (What dialogue? Put them as a member of the World Bank then!)

– that the World Bank and IMF annual meetings are held in Washington for two years in a row, then are held overseas one year. The meetings usually draw thousands of activists and protesters, particularly in Washington. Most protesters are concerned about the policies of the two multilateral financial institutions that they say do not help impoverished nations. Over the past decade, the two institutions, along with other multilateral organizations, such as the World Trade Organization, have begun to work with rights groups and aid agencies, and even welcome peaceful protests. (Oh really? It makes one wonder just how much they have ‘worked with’ them that they still have so much to protest about.)

Trivial, Jokes and Thoughts from Discussions

– that in September 2006, Germaine Greer’s column in The Guardian newspaper about the death of Australian Steve Irwin attracted criticism for what was reported as a ‘distasteful tirade’. In an interview with the Nine Network’s A Current Affair, Greer said she ‘really found the whole Steve Irwin phenomenon embarrassing and I’m not the only person who did, or indeed the only Australian who did’ and that she hoped that ‘exploitative nature documentaries’ would now end. (What a bee-ach. Why didn’t you pick on him when he’s still alive?!)

– that in her column in The Guardian newspaper, Greer said the wildlife warrior displayed the ‘sort of self-delusion it takes to be a real Aussie larrikin’. “There was no habitat, no matter how fragile or finely balanced, that Irwin hesitated to barge into,” she wrote. “Every creature he brandished at the camera was in distress.” (Oh? She can talk to animals? Buzz off, bee-ach.)

– that asked whether she felt out of touch with most Australians given the wave of mourning that has swept her homeland since his death, Greer replied: “I don’t care what I’m being called, I hope I’m out of touch with what idiots are thinking.” (This is the kind of highly educated people my dad would have commented ‘dok see pin’ [Literally: study diapers [读屎片] in Cantonese. Meaning: study for shit / naught.])

– that angry Australian lea-duhs have told Germaine Greer to ‘put a sock in it’ after the feminist said the animal world had finally taken revenge on Steve Irwin. In an article in British newspaper The Guardian following Mr Irwin’s sudden death, Ms Greer said she had ‘not much sympathy’ for Mr Irwin if he was grappling with the stingray that killed him on the Great Barrier Reef. Mr Irwin was fatally stabbed in the heart by a stingray’s barb while snorkelling off Port Douglas in far north Queensland. (Remind me to celebrate when this stupid bee-ach gets her final recall from the maker.)

– that American magazine Steppin’ Out – which describes itself as the number one entertainment magazine in New York and New Jersey – was much more barbed in its criticism of Mr Irwin, labelling him ‘deceased asshole of the week’. “So while Australians mourn the loss of their beloved wildlife warrior, today the animal kingdom breaths a sign of relief and toasts to more peaceful times ahead,” gossip writer Chaunce Hayden wrote. (Chaunce Hayden has just managed to get itself onto my top 10 ‘International Assholes’ list.)

– that fans trying to avenge the death of popular television wildlife star Steve Irwin may have killed as many as 10 stingrays and cut off their deadly tails, a conservationist said. Irwin, 44, daredevil star of the popular ‘Crocodile Hunter’ programme on the Discovery Channel, was killed last week when stabbed in the chest by a stingray tail barb while filming off the Great Barrier Reef. (Stop harming wildlife if you honor Irwin’s memory.)

– that the software that claimed to provide increased privacy whilst surfing the web has been criticised by computer experts and the blogging community. The application Browzar has been branded ‘adware’ by many because it directs web searches to online adverts. Some technical experts also say Browzar, which claims to leave no trail of webpages visited, does not work. (Don’t be lazy and learn how to wipe out your own surfing trail yourself.)

– that it turns out that Microsoft has made a blunder with Windows Vista. ‘Vista’ in Latvian means ‘fowl’. Yes, that’s right. People are awaiting the release of Windows ‘Chicken’. The word ‘vista’ is also used as a slang term meaning ‘frumpy’ when referring to a dumpy woman, according to a story from Agence France-Presse. (It’s a good thing they didn’t name it Windows ‘Danai’. Danai is ‘Big Breasts’ in Chinese.)

– that according to a recent YouGov survey for Investors in People, a third of all respondents said that they would like to fire their boss. Almost 1-in-4 said that they could do a better job themselves. Topping the list, 65.7% of Dresdner Kleinwort staff interviewed thought that they could do a better job than their boss. (Ouch!)

– that Asia’s richest man, Li Ka-shing, urged Asians to adopt a culture of philanthropy, saying charity is also a way of investing for the future. “In Asia, our traditional values encourage and even demand that wealth and means pass through lineage as an imperative duty,” the Hong Kong business tycoon said in Mandarin at the Forbes Global CEO Conference here. “I urge and hope to persuade you, especially all of us in Asia, that if we are in a position to do so, that we transcend this traditional belief. Even if our gover-min structure is as yet not geared towards supporting a culture of giving, we must in our hearts see building society as a duty in line with supporting our children.” (Sure. Maybe ask your son Richard to help out some of those poor investors who got everything wiped out with their PCCW and Tom.Con shares.)

– that a Swiss driver blamed Canada’s lack of goats as possible roadside obstacles for his speeding through the countryside after police nabbed him, an official said. The driver was caught travelling 161km/h on Canada’s busiest highway between Montreal and Toronto. (Right. Next time, he’ll say it’s the lack of shitting bulls.)

– that a friend suggested that we should not be angry with people – like Xiasuay – who used toilets for the disabled. (For all you known, their disabilities may not be visible. Some of these people may have disabled private parts.)

– that Elton John appears to have ended his public feud with George Michael, saying, “George and I are fine.” Two years ago, John said the former Wham! star was miserable and needed to get out more. Michael responded with a furious open letter saying John was no friend of his. (Since both of them are of the same sexual orientation, they should be able to settle matters where the sun doesn’t shine.)