TriNetre - Archive for August 16, 2005
(no longer updated)
On my return trip from Munich a couple of weeks ago, I forgot to transfer the Swiss army knife I usually carry around in my backpack into the check-in baggage. The cabin baggage screener stopped me and politely pointed out that I have a knife in my bag. "Oh efff.." I almost shouted out, "Sure trouble ahead". But instead the guy asked me to open my bag and I showed him my knife. He asked me to check the knife in. Luckily Surya was carrying a bag that could be checked in, So off she went with the knife, while I stood there, gathering my belt and rest of the stuff, with a red face.
I wonder what would have happened if this had happened in US. I am pretty sure they would have escorted me off to an interrogation room. I shudder at the mere thought of it.
Good God! Look at the riot police that turned up to disperse four peaceful protesters outside the Central Provident Fund Building in "downtown" Singapore.
Monica Kumar, 45, one of the protesters, said they had been insipired by public outrage that followed revelations last month that the chief executive of Singapore's biggest charity, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), was being paid 350,000 US dollars annually.
The scandal sparked an online petition signed by more than 40,000 people and forced the NKF chief executive, T.T. Durai, and the entire board to resign.
"In reality, the NKF is reflective of the entire system in Singapore where public matters are run in a non-transparent and non-accountable manner," the protesters said in a statement.
(via Nimbupani)
