Onthenappysanside...

It's time for some wacky weekend stuff but before that, I want to put here two video clips I came across. One is Lee Kuan Yew sharing his thoughts on national identity at a local forum moderated by Tommy Koh (2009); the other is the former minister mentor being interviewed by Charlie Rose on "the price for prosperity and security" (2011):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s28NO5A_2PQ&hl=en-GB&gl=SG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU9wbSK9jnQ

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'Failed' Catwoman of Singapore?

This appeared in today's ST (April 5):

I recall Mr Goh saying, in his letter, that he had come across SCDF rescue vehicles in his neighbourhood, and upon inquiry was told (not sure by whom) that a cat had just been rescued. Not one to want to see taxpayers' money used in this manner, Mr Goh asked if the SCDF was the appropriate agency to carry out such rescues.

Well, the joint SCDF-Police reply is what you see above. It was not a cat but a woman who was "stuck in a tree"! Hmm, it's not everyday that someone gets stuck in a tree in Singapore. Kids here don't climb trees anymore. And it was a woman who was out on a limb (drumroll for clever pun, please). Maybe she was trying to be Singapore's...

Here's one more cat video... a feline that can "walk" on its hind paws!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MJgKDYk5zQ

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Something fishy

This is one of the attractions at the new River Safari...

Okay, I'm impressed. It is a big fish. But it lives -- and swims -- in the water, right? A man typically walks on land, right? So how often does man encounters fish and gets knocked unconscious "with a swipe of its fin"? Since it is highly sought after as food, is the reference here to the risk the fishermen take? One can ask so many more questions...

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The strange case of the disposable babies

Liane was a Napisan baby. We had to string out all the washed cloth nappies -- disinfected in Napisan -- on the washline to dry. The more she pooed (which was often), the more nappies were hung out, like a train of surrender flags! (Wished we had taken pics). Guess I was Mr Nappy San then, hence onthenappysanside (the header above).

Lynn, coming along much later, was a Pampers baby. Disposable diapers were like, um, sliced bread (you know, that saying about "the greatest invention since...").

All that was so long ago. Then I saw this series of ads, starting with this one...

Okay, I suppose the meaning is clear. Strictly, if one must stick in an adjective, the phrasing should be "infant diapers" (after all, there are "adult diapers" nowadays). But I would call them simply "diapers", or "disposable diapers". But what does this ad below suggest?...

There are "disposable babies"? Or this one...

These are "active babies" and they are still "disposable"!

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Of convicts and a lighthouse

Okay, one final quibble with regard to how the English language can trip one up:

Built by convicts? I suppose they owned the lighthouse too? To avoid any unintended and hence absurd meaning, this caption above should have been written thus: "Built with convict labour, Raffles Lighthouse...".

How about this cartoon panel?...

So, be careful when sticking in adjectives, or in not using these noun/noun phrase modifiers when one should, to avoid any ambiguity arising.