HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: godfrey@sscvx1.ssc.gov (LAURENCE GODFREY)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Sense of Humour (no apologies for British spelling here)
Date: 9 Oct 92 00:05:00 GMT
Organization: Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1

Do Singaporeans have a sense of humour?  I have seen absolutely no
evidence for any in the mails I have received, and I recall when
shopping in a mall there that shop assistants are incapable of laughing
at jokes.  Perhaps it is just a different sense of humour.  I know that
the Thai, for example, do not understand sarcasm, but it seems that 
Singaporeans do not understand any western forms at all.

Could anyone who is still talking to me on this network please translate
a Singaporean joke so that I can understand what does make them laugh
(I guess that they do laugh there).

Laurence
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg (Othman Ahmad)
Subject: Re: Is freedom a 'Western' value?
Organization: Nanyang Technological University - Singapore
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1992 05:59:17 GMT

Mr Khoo Siau Cheng (iscksc@nuscc.nus.sg) wrote:
: scheme for "four-generation staying together" (don't know what the
: actual name is) by learning the social problems arised in the western
: 
Hey, I do not know that there is such a campaign going on in Singapore.
Even if there was such a campaign, it is an absolute failure given the
small size of HDB flats, and the desire by well-off youngsters to live by
themselves away from their parents.
	This trend is happening to all races, at least who are more affluent,
such as graduates.

The current campaing is to encourage women to marry as early as possible,
as early as a 4 year old!

--
Othman bin Ahmad, School of EEE,
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 2263.
Internet Email: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg
Bitnet Email: eoahmad@ntuvax.bitnet
From: ciar04@vaxa.strath.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: Email in Bristol University, UK
Date: 8 Oct 92 17:32:50 GMT
Organization: Strathclyde University VAX Cluster

In article <BvqBG3.6FD@mtholyoke.edu>, gewong@mtholyoke.edu (G.e.R.m.a.I.N) writes:

> I was wondering if anyone knows how I can find
> out the email address of a friend at Bristol.
> I tried fingering "bris.ac.uk" and "bristol.ac.uk"
> These machines are not being recognised... (didnt' 
> even get a "connection refused" or something like 
> that)

According to my Site Look-Up, Bristol University has the email

             bris.ac.uk

#----------------------------------#-------------------------------------------#
|  W.H.Watt                        #  JANET:                                   |
|  Dept. of Accounting & Finance   #           w.h.watt@uk.ac.strath.vaxa      |
|  University of Strathclyde       #  Rest of the World:                       |
|  Glasgow                         #           w.h.watt@vaxa.strath.ac.uk      |
|  United Kingdom                  #                                           |
#----------------------------------#-------------------------------------------#
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: smustopo@nyx.cs.du.edu (sofjan mustopoh)
Subject: Re: Sense of Humour (no apologies for British spelling here)
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 92 11:37:19 GMT

In article <8OCT199218055794@sscvx1.ssc.gov> godfrey@sscvx1.ssc.gov (LAUR
NCE GODFREY) writes:
>Do Singaporeans have a sense of humour?  I have seen absolutely no
>evidence for any in the mails I have received, and I recall when
>shopping in a mall there that shop assistants are incapable of laughing
>at jokes.  Perhaps it is just a different sense of humour.  I know that
>the Thai, for example, do not understand sarcasm, but it seems that 
>Singaporeans do not understand any western forms at all.
>
>Could anyone who is still talking to me on this network please translate
>a Singaporean joke so that I can understand what does make them laugh
>(I guess that they do laugh there).
>
>Laurence



    I laught now. looking at our inability to understand each other 
 :) :), but then i always jokes. but then again i'm indonesian...
 come on guys post some jokes here.

   muskie.


Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: luphouh@engin.umich.edu (Lup Houh Ng )
Subject: Re: Query : Canadian Tourist Visa (?)
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 92 05:55:31 EDT
Organization: University of Michigan Engineering, Ann Arbor
Summary: Travel to Canada from U.S. on Singapore passport
Distribution: usa
Keywords: travel, visa, Singapore, Canada, customs

In article <1687BF2C0.CHEGERH@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu> CHEGERH@YaleVM.YCC.Yale.Edu writes:
>      I will be travelling to Canada as a tourist, on a Singapore passport.
>Do I need a tourist visa?  I will be entering Canada from the U.S. The

As a few others have pointed out, you don't need a visa. However, if
you are a student in U.S. on a F-1 visa, and you do plan to re-enter
U.S.  from Canada, obtain your Foreign Student Advisor's signature at
the back of your I-20. I am not quite sure about the other types of
visa, though. :(


In article <chun.718857503@gargoyle.uchicago.edu> chun@gargoyle.uchicago.edu (Chun-Kuen Ho) writes:

>if i had told the
>officer at the drive-thru check point that i were an american, he probably
>would have just waived me pass.

Uh, do it at your own risk. I have a friend who tried just that when he 
was returning to the U.S. He was caught lying about his status to the U.S.
officer at the Detroit-Windsor customs and was denied entry even when he
produced his valid British passport and I-20 later. I think his U.S. visa
was revoked - otherwise the poor guy wouldn't have to return to U.K. to
apply for a new one.

--- luphouh

-- 
Lup-Houh Ng, Computer Engineering | luphouh@engin.umich.edu 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor | Bitnet: luphouh@UMICHUM 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: smustopo@nyx.cs.du.edu (sofjan mustopoh)
Subject: Deliberate Mistake
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 13:18:01 GMT



   Encik Othman in his posting asking me to quote
   his alleged deliberate mistake verbatim.
   
   Sure so that you can defend it with a different
   line of excuse. So Can win the arguments with 
   others and now you want to pick a war with me
   huh ??
     go back to your posting and you figure it out.

   Muskie
   Smustopoh@nyx.cs.du.edu
   UK07802@mik.uky.edu
   Compu Serve  71054,2723


Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: mhmann@nyx.cs.du.edu (Me Mann)
Subject: Re: RE : SINGAPORE LAWSE (sic)
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 92 15:57:08 GMT

In article <Ieow2aa00WBKM8sNtR@andrew.cmu.edu> hw0r+@andrew.cmu.edu (Heng Wong) writes:

>    From what I have seen, Godfrey was airing a view, he stated a fact
                                                                 ^^^^^^
>and a lot of people took offense at that. People are jumping down his

Are you sure he only stated a fact? This God-Fried fellow is wanting attention.
He is not only notorious here but in s.c.thai.  He seems to be at odd
with people in Thailand and Singapore! So the best is ignore him.

>    Human rights are good, yes. Never questioning the authorities is
>not. Have you ever read '1984'? I'm not calling anyone Big Brother, but
>if we follow without questioning, doesn't that just take away a little
>bit more of our humanity? If the Singaporean way was to always obey what
>we were told, nothing new would ever be learned. That's why most of us
>are in  school for. To learn.KInd of self-defeatist, eh?

What is human right if there is not enough to eat and there is 
chaos and disorder? 

>stupid, but maybe it isn't. Flame wars are good, but name calling and
>bickering are another thing. Moderation, love it.

Flame war is inherently name calling, isn't it? SO it is not really good
other than allowing  you to practice insulting people. On the otherhand
level-headed discussion is good and beneficial. 

-Mann
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: SINGAPORE LAWSE
From: Amos.Omondi@comp.vuw.ac.nz (Amos Omondi)
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 23:20:56 GMT
Organization: Dept. of Comp. Sci., Victoria Uni. of Wellington, New Zealand.

In article <CLIPPER.92Oct8173742@grace.csd.uwo.ca> clipper@grace.csd.uwo.ca (Khun Yee Fung) writes:
>Amos> When I was at Changi earlier this year, I went to the men's room and 
>Amos> found a man, in an official-looking uniform, seated in a chair facing 
>Amos> the stalls.  He appeared to be monitoring the activities in the room.  
>Amos> Can anyone tell me what was going on?
>
>Well, there was one guy behind a glass window inside the men's
>washroom of London England's Westminster undergound station when I
>entered it. No big deal but that was the first time I saw an office
>inside a washroom.
>
>Khun Yee


There is no need to get defensive.  All I wanted to know was what the guy 
in Changi was up to, given claims that there are no such people; that 
question could have been answered without dragging London in.  As far as 
I concerned, if "Toilet Police" means that the toilets are always clean and 
in good order, then I have no problem with it; in fact I would recommend 
it many places I have been to.
From: cheu@venus.its.uci.edu (Kelvin Cheu)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: Cheap Airfare???
Date: 16 Oct 92 21:00:48 GMT
Reply-To: cheu@venus.its.uci.edu (Kelvin Cheu)
Distribution: world,local
Organization: University of California, Irvine

In article <1992Oct16.095300.3855@arizona.edu>, kkc@desert-gw.ece.arizona.edu (Kee Koon Chua) writes:
|> Does anyone out there know of any cheap airface from LA-S'pore-LA or SF-S'pore-SF ??
|> 
|> Thanks in advance,
|> Kee Koon Chua
|> Dept. of ECE
|> 
|> 

A month ago I posted an article about this.  You can call the Singapore
Airlines US hot-line no. 1-800-742-3333.  Hope that the offer of us$600
round trip is still on.

Kelvin
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: rswiftrw@cc.curtin.edu.au (Rod Swift)
Subject: Re: Take it as a joke
Organization: -=[ Curtin University of Technology ]=-  Perth, Australia
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1992 04:31:24 GMT

In article <3335@peking.gdwb.oz.au>, mlt@gdwb.oz.au (Mee Teng) writes:
> A number of netters feel offended now and then by En. Othman
> Ahmad's racist comments & eccentric views. Well if you know the person has
> SERIOUS mental problems, perhaps you won't feel so perturbed.
> After all what do you expect to come out from the mouth of a
> person who is mentally unsound ?  Besides, En. Othman  does 
> contribute some useful stuff like checking up PC prices, info
> on KK etc. (Don't take that too seriously too though ).
> 
> By the way, the latest rumour is that NTU hires him as a clown
> to entertain the stressful students and staff there. I believe
> this got to be true ; what else would NTU need him for ??
> We should count ourselves lucky to have him in this net to 
> entertain us for FREE! (except of course you got to pay for
> the pop corn !! :)  )

I spotted him as "Bozo the Clown" when I was in NUS recently while
making an overseas tour of the SE Asian region.

His red nose looks extremely silly.

Mabe he could do better as a performing seal or a puppet.  He seems to
be well suited as a puppet, but who will stick their hand where to operate
the said puppet.

Rod
-- 
|            . . .   . . . . .          "It leaves us galloping up Diarrhoea|
|        +  +  +     +  +  +  +  +                  Drive without a saddle."|
|    *   *   *       *   *   *   *   *                                      |
|R    o    d         S    w    i    f    t        -- Kryten from "Red Dwarf"|
+-----------------------------------+---------+-----------------------------+
|  Curtin University of Technology  |  Perth  |  RSWIFTRW@cc.Curtin.edu.au  |
From: mlt@gdwb.oz.au (Mee Teng)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Take it as a joke
Date: 13 Oct 92 02:14:50 GMT

A number of netters feel offended now and then by En. Othman
Ahmad's racist comments & eccentric views. Well if you know the person has
SERIOUS mental problems, perhaps you won't feel so perturbed.
After all what do you expect to come out from the mouth of a
person who is mentally unsound ?  Besides, En. Othman  does 
contribute some useful stuff like checking up PC prices, info
on KK etc. (Don't take that too seriously too though ).

By the way, the latest rumour is that NTU hires him as a clown
to entertain the stressful students and staff there. I believe
this got to be true ; what else would NTU need him for ??
We should count ourselves lucky to have him in this net to 
entertain us for FREE! (except of course you got to pay for
the pop corn !! :)  )


Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: iscksc@nuscc.nus.sg (Mr Khoo Siau Cheng)
Subject: Re: RE : SINGAPORE LAWSE (sic)
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 02:13:14 GMT

In article <wsuasB2w165w@student.business.uwo.ca> vickeong@student.business.uwo.ca (Victor Jiun-Wen Keong) writes:
> 
>What we have here is something great.
> [stuff deleted]
>we (I say we in the 
>general sense) were brought up to respect our elders, honour 
>their teachings, guidance and act on it, WITHOUT QUESTION. And 
                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>these are the exact rudiments of the Confucian ethics our 
>government has been promoting as we matured as a nation. 
> 

As much as I like to agree with your entire message, Victor, I beg to
differ at this point.  There is a different between "Zhong" and
"Yu-Zhong" (loyalty and blind loyalty). The former is advocated by
Confucious, but not the latter. 
Although we are brought up to respect our elders, honor their
teachings, guidance and act on it, we aren't brought up not to
question about them. At the very least, I was taught to differentiate 
between Zhong and Yu-Zhong in my high school.

-- Siau Cheng



Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: elelko@nuscc.nus.sg (Free Man)
Subject: Re: Mat Setia and satellite parabolic antenna and the 5% dude
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 12:58:41 GMT


   i recall that the satelite facility in my former uni in kl, has the
capability of tapping signals from the palapa satelite. so, should that
facility be screened too ??? hmm ... noticed then that tv programming of
m'sia's neighbours were pretty liberal !


=========================================================================

Looi Kwok Onn
EE Dept,                              "Jim, I have no ego to satisfy",
National University of Singapore.      Spock.
elelko@nuscc.nus.sg

=========================================================================
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: af620@yfn.ysu.edu (Andrew Tan)
Subject: Re: Muslims converting to other religions in England!
Reply-To: af620@yfn.ysu.edu (Andrew Tan)
Organization: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, OH
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 00:05:22 GMT


In a previous article, siong@fraser.sfu.ca (Siong Heng Chan) says:

>fajack@cc.usu.edu writes:
>
>>In article <1992Oct8.075137.5803@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg>, eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg (Othman Ahmad) writes:
>
>>> 	So you muslim students, look after our girls. At least be nice to them.
>>> This JPA ruling of not allowing students to get married is just stupid. I
>>> can't blame them when liberal parents are the ones who demanded the ruling.
>>		        ^^^^^^^
>>	Shouldn't it be conservative ?
>
>
>Yeah right!  This Othman has been constantly contradicting himself!!!!  For
>some unknown reason!!! :)  What is this, Othman!  Buck up.  If you want to
>argue, argue/flame correctly!  Contradicting yourself doesn't seem to help in
>your arguments somehow..... :)

Ai-sayyyy....Encik Othman Ahmad, I already bought my first class seating
complete with popcorn and "rojak" already. So far you have been a NO SHOW;
worst off, you've been contradicting yourself. Like this how can???



I want my money back! REFUND!
ATAN
   

>
>
>>> 
>>> HOw about US students. I also hear horrow stories about murdering babies.
>>> 
>
>>	What the heck you are refering here ?  You seem to be reading a
>>lot of 'weird' things about US overthere.  Are they selling National
>>Enquirer in Singapore ?
>
>
>
>Worse still, I think that Mr. Othman is subscribing the  "Weekly World
>News"  !!!
>
>
>siong
>
>
>
>>Jack Teh
>>> : 
>>> --
>>> Othman bin Ahmad, School of EEE,
>>> Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 2263.
>>> Internet Email: eoahmad@ntuix.ntu.ac.sg
>>> Bitnet Email: eoahmad@ntuvax.bitnet
>>> 
>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: u907736@postoffice.utas.edu.au (Edmund Chia)
Subject: Re: racial harmony, not a dream...
Organization: University of Tasmania (Australia)
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 07:23:59 GMT

In article <3345@peking.gdwb.oz.au>, mlt@gdwb.oz.au (Mee Teng) writes:
> 
> siong@fraser.sfu.ca (Siong Heng Chan) writes:
> >Stadium Negara hugging their neighbours, regardless of race, hugging
> >strangers, congratulating each other etc...  That one brief moment,
> >everyone was one race, MALAYSIANS.  I'm not really good at describing
> >a situation, but I think you get the idea...  The real situation
> >is a hundred times better than how I can describe here...
> 
> 
> What can I say ? except that you are TOO naive, ignrant & simple
> minded !! Obviously you have not stepped out of your shell yet. This
> is fact and not meant to be an insult. 

stuff deleted

>  Of course, who dosen't ?? But does that mean anything ?? That is your
>  side of the story. 
> 
> 
> >So, there you have it, who says that racial harmony in Malaysia is a 
> >dream????
> 
> It is a nightmare.

Stuff deleted

> You sure have. Secure & safe under the shell !


I believe Siong Heng Chan was not being naive, ignorant or simple-minded.
I believe racial harmony in Malaysia is not simply a dream and certainly
not a nightmare.
I believe people who hope for and are working towards secure and harmonious
race relations are not hiding under a shell.
Good on you Siong Heng Chan for seeing the side of race relations which is
not clouded by prejudice and well-worn cynicism, for looking towards the
a better future in spite of a bloody past.

Edmund
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
From: godfrey@sscvx1.ssc.gov (LAURENCE GODFREY)
Subject: Re: Article by Sumiko Tan of The Straits Times
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory
Distribution: soc.culture.asean
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 19:50:00 GMT

In article <Bw64pw.AM4@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>, ysoh@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (CaRa SoH)    writes...
> 
>Oh wow! So 48% rated Singapore as THE "Model Country for the World", and
>30% claimed that NOTHING can be learnt from other countries.........
>Talk about BIG ego.
>Cara Soh
>Indiana University 


I think these figures are quite consistent with most of the postings from
Singaporeans in response to criticisms in this newsgroup.  Perhaps this
can be put in perspective by asking the question "just how many countries
in the world have attempted to copy Singapore's example so far?".  I
can't think of one just at the moment.

I think that this simply proves that indoctrination of young people (and
old ones too) by manipulation of the media, control of what is taught in
schools etc. is a very successful technique.  Can anyone remember 1984
(orwell?)

Laurence
From: jbfink@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Adder)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: RE : SINGAPORE LAWSE (sic)
Date: 8 Oct 92 06:44:48 GMT
Article-I.D.: miavx1.1992Oct8.114448.13413
Organization: Legion of Dynamic Discord

In article <1992Oct8.021314.19172@nuscc.nus.sg>, iscksc@nuscc.nus.sg (Mr Khoo Siau Cheng) writes:
> In article <wsuasB2w165w@student.business.uwo.ca> vickeong@student.business.uwo.ca (Victor Jiun-Wen Keong) writes:
>> 
>>What we have here is something great.
>> [stuff deleted]
>>we (I say we in the 
>>general sense) were brought up to respect our elders, honour 
>>their teachings, guidance and act on it, WITHOUT QUESTION. And 
>                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>these are the exact rudiments of the Confucian ethics our 
>>government has been promoting as we matured as a nation. 
>> 
> 
> As much as I like to agree with your entire message, Victor, I beg to
> differ at this point.  There is a different between "Zhong" and
> "Yu-Zhong" (loyalty and blind loyalty). The former is advocated by
> Confucious, but not the latter. 
> Although we are brought up to respect our elders, honor their
> teachings, guidance and act on it, we aren't brought up not to
> question about them. At the very least, I was taught to differentiate 
> between Zhong and Yu-Zhong in my high school.
> 
> -- Siau Cheng
> 
> 
> 


Applause to Siau Cheng.
One should never be loyal to a government simply because it IS a government.  
Big deal!  There are a lot of governments.  Loyalty should arise from one's 
RESPECT of the government in question.  One way one learns how to respect one's 
government (and hence, develop loyalty to it) is to question.  Are they doing 
the "right thing"?  If so, then hurrah!  They deserve loyalty, and will receive 
it.  If not, think!  What is wrong, and what can I do to HELP it?

Blind loyalty is STUPID.

adder
From: mlt@gdwb.oz.au (Mee Teng)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: Muslims converting to other religions in England!
Date: 7 Oct 92 22:58:58 GMT

sci240s@monu6.cc.monash.edu.au (Wey Jing HO) writes:

>Are you correct here? If you are, and if I read it correctly, you mean to say
>that muslim is not people who believe in certain (namely, Islam) religion?

In Malaysia, the moment a Malay is born, like it or not, he
or she is 'stamped' with Islam, if the person wants to be called
Malay & retain Bumiputra status. So Malay, like En. Othman pointed
out is not exactly a race, because a Malay who denounces Islam is 
not a Malay anymore. Confusing ? Malay is one of the very few
peoples where a religion is born with them. In other words there
is no freedom of choice of religion for 'Malay'.
From: ustai@memstvx1.memst.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Subject: Re: Malaysia's Atom PC=M$1600
Date: 12 Oct 92 00:08:19 GMT
Organization: Memphis State University

In article <1992Oct11.161247.4614@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>, hykok@nyx.cs.du.edu (HY KOK) writes:
[munch munch]
> 
> True, why pay more for less.  Not only the price of 386 are falling, the
> price of 486 are dropping like mad too.  I hear Intel is planning to release 

	Only in USA.  In M'sia, the price of PCs is still very high, for 386's
and above.  486's still cost M$12000 and above (the cheapest I saw, list priced
at M$15000+).  I believe that prices for computers are quite high (due to
taxes) in UK and Australia too...

> it's new P5 chip, probably early next year, while Cyrix will have it's
> equivalent version called M1.  If you have the money or resources, I probably 
> won't look at any machine below 486.  With a 486 it will probably won't

	Look at the Income per Capita in M'sia...  Still below US$10 grand I
believe.  Take half away for a 486 and....  However, I too recommend nothing
lower than a 486...  but then I am in USA now...

> be obsolete for at least 5 years since there aren't many application 
> software written to support P5 yet.  However, if you are a crazy hacker like
> me, then you probably would like to look into workstations rather than a PC.

	*sigh*  Don't talk about that...  My friend is working on an Indigo... 
something like his personal machine....  *sigh*  Anyone knows of a cheap second
hand working workstation???
	Oh yeah, if a train stops at a train station, what happens at a work
station??? :) :)
	Ciao.

-Tai