With the advent of the Media Development Authority (MDA) revising its media code of conduct which could possibly result in tighter censorship rules on electronic and digital content on top of current broadcasting and print sectors, we imagined how an excerpt from a recent mrbrown blog (www.mrbrown.com) might have been edited:Friday, March 30, 2007Behold our new Toilet Bowl Stadium!

Singaporeans love speed. Don’t believe us? Just ask the traffic police. That fascination with being fast and furious could, however, explain why ubër car racing tournament Formula 1 Grand Prix may very possibly be making its way to our shores as early as next year.Once again, the world will have its eyes on us and, as always, we need to show everyone what’s so unique about Uniquely Singapore.

Long blonde hair, check. Singer-songwriter, check. Legendary status, check. Funky old lady, check. The album Blue—huh?It was bound to happen sooner or later. In a curious case of mistaken identity, a local newspaper made a little booboo recently when a journalist, who had conducted an interview with legendary jazz and folk singer Rickie Lee Jones, mistook her for the other folk singer Joni Mitchell instead.

Mere mortals couldn’t care less, but for the city’s many fashionistas, the annual Singapore Fashion Festival is heaven-sent. Dubbed as one of Asia’s major fashion festivals, the event constantly draws many tai-tais, fashion buyers and the well-heeled to witness shows from local and international designers and labels. What’s striking about this year’s line-up is local labels that collaborate with major sponsors to do their thing—such as Baylene with L’Oreal Paris and Francis Cheong with Lee Hwa.

After sitting through the Golden Globe and Academy Awards, we’re awfully tired of all these award acceptance speeches. They weren’t exactly what one would call inspiring to begin with, but they’ve become so cliché. And, with the Life! Theater Awards around the corner, we thought we’d come up with a thank-you speech template to spice up these glorified pats on the back a little.“Oh, my god! Oh, my god! I can’t believe... I mean, I never dreamed..! Who would’ve thought that my simple story about _________ (a. lesbians, b. poverty, c. poor lesbians) would affect so many people?

The results of the Budget 2007 have been met with mixed reactions from many Singaporeans. Some are glad (the elderly and the lower income), some are lukewarm (the middle income) and some are just downright unhappy (whiners with nothing else better to bitch about).Now, we’re not suggesting that the government try the impossible and please everyone all the time–because if there’s one group of people that’s hard to please, it’s definitely Singaporeans.

Oh, joy. The Chingay Parade is about to hit Orchard Road yet again for another round of oddly designed and eyebrow raising costumes, painfully horrid music, sweaty crowds, and, of course, blindingly gaudy floats—all in the spirit of bringing Singaporeans together! Now, forgive us our cynicism, but we fail to see just how all of that is supposed to inspire us to come together, instead of sending us running a mile.In all seriousness though, we think Chingay is a good idea; it’s just that the execution could use a little bit of work.

And you thought the Merlion sporting sunglasses last year was jarring. Singapore Airlines (SIA) recently invited ad agencies to propose a revamp of the Singapore Girl, the company’s iconic stewardess.As the Singapore Girl has been around for 35 years, we knew that the very idea of altering this mainstay in any drastic way would draw flak from critics. We reckon SIA’s best bet is to make our Singapore Girl even more Singaporean!

The crackdown on smokers puffing away in non-smoking areas has taken a more covert route recently. Plainclothes public health inspectors from the National Environment Agency (NEA) conducted sting operations at two coffee shops along Bukit Batok Ave 3, which have resulted in a number of busted smokers, all of whom found their wallets lighter by $200 each.It’s great that the NEA’s stepped up measures to curb this problem, but what we’ve got a qualm with is the resulting consequences of these offenders’ actions. We mean, really—a fine? Come on, NEA!

After seeing posters all over the place promoting the G.E.M.S. (Go the Extra Mile for Service) campaign, it occurred to us that Singaporeans seem to have perfected the art of using acronyms to make generally mundane campaigns much more attractive than they have any right to be. G.E.M.S.! Doesn’t that just scream out at you; just grab your attention and dazzle you with its wit and style?OK, maybe that’s exaggerating it a little.