Reading Dawn’s thoughts on the Cat on MRT tracks incident, one has got to wonder why Singapore bureaucracy has this tendency to stick around in the revolving door, and go with the flow to nowhere. Doesn’t it get motion sick at some point? Or rather, how long does the Singapore bureaucracy like to punish itself and those it affect before it does something and drag or throw itself out of it and perhaps give relief to the affected populace?
Dawn says:
“… the staff member may not have felt empowered to do this – or to face the consequences especially when the management may not already be very cat-friendly to begin with. I remember at least one case where I wrote in to offer our help because we were told that the unsterilised cats were usually rounded up and sent to the AVA if there were complaints or if they were found to be a ‘problem’.
So what needs to be done? Clearly what this episode shows is that there should be some manner of procedure or protocol devised so that staff members DO know what do in future. This would ensure that we don’t have to cross our fingers and hope that if this happens again, the staff member knows something about cats.”
And consider the train service disruptions which jolt us out of our complacency every so often. The LTA says it takes a serious view of service disruption. But there’s been 92 instances of disruption over a 3 year period, and it’s always the same old same old in the bag of grievances when the letters of complaints flood the media. About how staff don’t seem to know about crowd control, traffic direction, or plain don’t know what they’re supposed to do. About alternatives which are non-existent or cause more “hardship” to the already inconvenienced commuters.
Do we dare hold out much hope that a SOP will be set in place to handle kitties in stations, or that itthe SOP in place will actually be followed, or even applied correctly?
The powers that be keep relying on the same tired old excuses for keeping status quo.
Curiously, I keep thinking about the latest Tiger Beer ad making the TV rounds when I think about our situation.
Not that I’m stumping for the frothy or want some morose dousing, but it does demonstrate a life lesson (the ad, not the draught), which is saying quite something since beer ads never make much sense (though the Heineken ones I always found most palatable among the hordes).
The ad is no philosophical dissertation for sure. Two guys fighting over the last bottle in the bucket — can’t they just order more? – decided on arm-wrestling, and end up trying to one-up each other, morphing into bigger and stronger opponents which also happen to counter the other guy’s latest incarnation. The winner morphs into a blond hot chick and wins by shorting the circuits of his robotic rival.
No, there is no kitty involved but how cool that instead of being stiff-necked, conventional, and deadboxed into the one-track idea of bigger must be better, the winner takes stock of the situation (while in the very pleasing form of a buff Jungle Man who stares down silverbacks), basically jumped out of the box and threw his then stronger-than-Jungle-Man robotic foe out of orbit with his twist on oneupsmanship. Imagine if he had been lazy and conformed with the flow, and morphed into something stronger than stronger-than-Jungle-Man-robot instead. Bore, broken record, tiresome, credibility depreciation. Vicious cycle.
Whenever I see the ad, I ask myself the million dollar question: why can’t the powers that be do the same when confronted with ideas, facts, or complaints about Singapore ’s cats? Have a tiger or whatever’s their poisons of choice, untie the knots they’re in and LOOK the issues in the eye rather than trotting out and nursing those so-old template responses that don’t do a thing except tighten the knots they’re in, and grind our noses in it. Vicious cycle, anyone?
Maybe this post should be titled “Saatchi & Saatchi for government” instead. [EDIT: Or maybe I don’t want that actually, imagine legislation that decree ad-watching quotas on citizens… ]
Footnote
Remember: if you come across an SOS, whether from a fellow human or a little kitten, don’t just walk away. And drink responsibly.
Products like Hello Kitty and famous anime movies like Kiki’s Delivery Service are great examples of how much the Japanese adore their feline friends.
Cats are cool and all, but nothing weirds me out more than when a cat does something that is very human-like, such as standing upright on its hind legs.
We came across three great videos showing weird cats that can stand for quite some time.
I was just sent this video about horses that are used for carriage rides in New York City. Incidentally, I went by a horse show today and saw some horse rescue groups. Some of the horses were kept in such horrific conditions that they are now blind. One was tied to a stall for so long that even though it is no longer tied by its neck, apparently it doesn’t know it. You can visit the Horse rescue group at Horsenet They also have a bunch of cats on the premises, almost all of which are already sterilised..
I came across love this little vid and want to share it with everybody.
I could go on my typical ramble and soapbox my way through reality and animal-utopia , but I’ll keep it simple:
I think this demonstrates how affectionate, gentle, friendly and peaceful cats can be among themselves. Great plus point that they are all tipped-eared. I love the black cat especially, so busy making eyes, turning belly up, head-butting, and talking all at the same time.
She’s got a very small voice but she’s beautiful. I love how she’s the bridge between the video maker and her more timid tabby buddies.
All the cats need is to be respected as living creatures sharing our space and allowed to live their lives. They don’t need interference or intervention from people, barring the very crucialmojo-stealing of course.
Can’t help wondering if they are related. In any case, I hope they stay together, safe and healthy always.
The Himalayas are a crucial source of water. Much of South Asia’s water supply depend on the Himalayan glaciers. However, since 1962 the glaciers on a whole are smaller by 20% than in 2001. This is due to an increasingly warmer climate. The recession of the Himalayan glaciers could lead to severe flooding downstream but that is only the start of the problem. If the glaciers disappear, what, then, becomes of the millions of South Asians depending on the water that flows down from the Himalayas?
The video shows that changes in the patterns of precipitation in the already parched region of Inner-Mongolia are leading to severe shortages of freshwater. This plays an integral role in the spread of desertification in China’s Inner Mongolia. The desertification of the onece thriving grasslands have adversely affected the nomadic people in the area. Their way of life had literally turned to dust. This comes with an economic cost as well with sandstorms causing a billion a year annually.
The number of ships visiting the Antarctic is growing; and that brings an increasing risk of accidents that could pollute the coastline and the Southern Ocean. James Barnes says governments must act now to protect the white continent Antartica is not owned by any nations and thus, only protected by weak regulations. The Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition is calling on all the governments party to to begin working in concert to ensure the highest standards for vessels operating in the region, to limit access by vessels which lack appropriate equipment, to set clear protection standards for sewage and ballast water, and to take the actions needed over the longer term to protect the Antarctic environment. Is this a pragmatic international treaty that everyone could agree upon?
If global warming does not cease, humans may have to retreat to the poles. That is the prediction by Dr Lovelock. After reading a newspaper column in which Dr. Lovelock predicted disastrous warming, Mr. Bloom teamed up with Deng Cheng-hong, a Taiwanese artist, and set up Web sites showing designs for self-sufficient Arctic communities. There is already an intensifying push to develop Arctic resources and test shipping routes that could soon become practical should the floating sea ice in the Arctic routinely vanish in summers. We may have to resort to such a retreat if global “heating” continues.
A Japanese article translated to English on the history of chopsticks and how the habit of bring portable chopsticks suddenly got lost as we progress into an age of convenience and as we grow with age. The waribashi phenomenon needs to be stopped and we should all bring along our own chopsticks. Read on to see beautiful chopstick designs reflecting different cultures and styles.
Thirty years ago, the scientist James Lovelock worked out that the Earth possessed a planetary-scale control system which kept the environment fit for life. He called it Gaia, and the theory has become widely accepted. Now, he believes mankind’s abuse of the environment is making that mechanism work against us. His astonishing conclusion – that climate change is already insoluble, and life on Earth will never be the same again. The article explains why Gaia, is wrecking vengeance on all of us and how the consequences of anthropogenic activity will only accelerate further.
Posted onApril 2, 2008bycalsifer|Comments Off on The Dog, the Cat and the Rat, plus some freaked-out fatties
Filched off Dawn’s blog. There’s a message in there somewhere.
All three stars seem relaxed and at ease with each other and the situation. You’ll notice the dog’s tail is constantly awag, the cat’s tail still (plus kitty licks poochie, a lot), and the rat is calmly perched on cat.
Thanks to Judith for sending this in. This video comes via a user on youtube.
This is rather the polar opposite of a recent farce that took place in Singapore. If you go to the webcast site of Stomp and search for “Cat Kong”, you’ll find a video of a contest that purports to crown the largest cat in Singapore. Viewing the video, and I only managed less than a min before I closed the browser in disgust, told me two things:
The owners who brought their cats to the contest are either ignorant or oblivious to the stress their cats they subject the poor kitties to. Almost every cat was hyperventilating.
The search for Cat Kong should have been named FAT Kong. It is nothing more than a promotion of obesity, which is deterimental to cats, just as with humans.
From that angle, this event is more a human ego-boosting event, and another clever PR stunt, than something kitty would benefit from.
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Posted onDecember 22, 2007bycalsifer|Comments Off on Catmasutra muvee – street cats in the lion city
This is a beautiful video (link filched off ocean’s blog)
The scene of traffic in heavy rain, plowing through roads 5ocm or so deep in water left a deep impression.
Singapore is a tropical island state, sitting one degree north of the equator. There are two seasons here only – wet and wetter. Despite the definitions of season, bright sweaty 35° celsius days intermingle with cold (sub) 20° celsius thunderstorm-soaked days and nights. When it rains here, it monsoons – rain that literally throws down water cats and dogs.
Looking for caregivers in these areas
China's Shocking DOG and CAT fur trade.
'Pet' Foods and Animal Testing Policies.
Circuses.com: Please say "No", because animals can't.
Tipped Ear Clan 
Bureaucracy, boxes, beer. Blech
Reading Dawn’s thoughts on the Cat on MRT tracks incident, one has got to wonder why Singapore bureaucracy has this tendency to stick around in the revolving door, and go with the flow to nowhere. Doesn’t it get motion sick at some point? Or rather, how long does the Singapore bureaucracy like to punish itself and those it affect before it does something and drag or throw itself out of it and perhaps give relief to the affected populace?
Dawn says:
It’s like the long long slate of mrt track “intrusions”. Only now are we getting platform screen doors for the doorless above-ground stations.
And consider the train service disruptions which jolt us out of our complacency every so often. The LTA says it takes a serious view of service disruption. But there’s been 92 instances of disruption over a 3 year period, and it’s always the same old same old in the bag of grievances when the letters of complaints flood the media. About how staff don’t seem to know about crowd control, traffic direction, or plain don’t know what they’re supposed to do. About alternatives which are non-existent or cause more “hardship” to the already inconvenienced commuters.
In place is a SOP which received a parliamentarian airing, so why are there still so many unhappy commuters who complain about the same things each time?
Do we dare hold out much hope that a SOP will be set in place to handle kitties in stations, or that it the SOP in place will actually be followed, or even applied correctly?
It’s also the same old same old in the bag of grievances us minions caregivers have about how we and the kitties living in Singapore’s streets are treated.
The powers that be keep relying on the same tired old excuses for keeping status quo.
Curiously, I keep thinking about the latest Tiger Beer ad making the TV rounds when I think about our situation.
Not that I’m stumping for the frothy or want some morose dousing, but it does demonstrate a life lesson (the ad, not the draught), which is saying quite something since beer ads never make much sense (though the Heineken ones I always found most palatable among the hordes).
The ad is no philosophical dissertation for sure. Two guys fighting over the last bottle in the bucket — can’t they just order more? – decided on arm-wrestling, and end up trying to one-up each other, morphing into bigger and stronger opponents which also happen to counter the other guy’s latest incarnation. The winner morphs into a blond hot chick and wins by shorting the circuits of his robotic rival.
No, there is no kitty involved but how cool that instead of being stiff-necked, conventional, and deadboxed into the one-track idea of bigger must be better, the winner takes stock of the situation (while in the very pleasing form of a buff Jungle Man who stares down
silverbacks), basically jumped out of the box and threw his then stronger-than-Jungle-Man robotic foe out of orbit with his twist on oneupsmanship. Imagine if he had been lazy and conformed with the flow, and morphed into something stronger than stronger-than-Jungle-Man-robot instead. Bore, broken record, tiresome, credibility depreciation. Vicious cycle.
Whenever I see the ad, I ask myself the million dollar question: why can’t the powers that be do the same when confronted with ideas, facts, or complaints about Singapore ’s cats? Have a tiger or whatever’s their poisons of choice, untie the knots they’re in and LOOK the issues in the eye rather than trotting out and nursing those so-old template responses that don’t do a thing except tighten the knots they’re in, and grind our noses in it. Vicious cycle, anyone?
Maybe this post should be titled “Saatchi & Saatchi for government” instead. [EDIT: Or maybe I don’t want that actually, imagine legislation that decree ad-watching quotas on citizens… ]
Footnote
Remember: if you come across an SOS, whether from a fellow human or a little kitten, don’t just walk away. And drink responsibly.
Comments Off on Bureaucracy, boxes, beer. Blech
Posted in Animals, Cats, Complaints, Humour, Letters & Rants, Rambling / Minion wunderings, Singapore, Social Commentary, SOS Singapore, Vids
Tagged advertisement, bureaucracy, Cats, dhoby Ghaut, homeless animals, human-animal conflict, Humour, NEL, red tape, saatchi & saatchi, Singapore, Social Commentary, society, tiger beer ad