Avenue Odd

(This is reportedly based on an actual experiment conducted in the U.K.)

Put eight monkeys in a room. In the middle of the room is a ladder, leading to a bunch of bananas hanging from a hook on the ceiling.

Each time a monkey tries to climb the ladder, all the monkeys are sprayed with ice water, which makes them miserable. Soon enough, whenever a monkey attempts to climb the ladder, all of the other monkeys, not wanting to be sprayed, set upon him and beat him up. Soon, none of the eight monkeys ever attempts to climb the ladder.

One of the original monkeys is then removed, and a new monkey is put in the room. Seeing the bananas and the ladder, he wonders why none of the other monkeys are doing the obvious.

But undaunted, he immediately begins to climb the ladder.

All the other monkeys fall upon him and beat him silly. He has no idea why.
However, he no longer attempts to climb the ladder.

A second original monkey is removed and replaced. The newcomer again attempts to climb the ladder, but all the other monkeys hammer the crap out of him.

This includes the previous new monkey, who, grateful that he's not on the receiving end this time, participates in the beating because all the other monkeys are doing it. However, he has no idea why he's attacking the new monkey.

One by one, all the original monkeys are replaced. Eight new monkeys are now in the room. None of them have ever been sprayed by ice water. None of them attempt to climb the ladder. All of them will enthusiastically beat up any new monkey who tries, without having any idea why.

And that is how most of corporate culture is established.

Picture taken off Flickr.com. Originally Uploaded on July 16, 2008, by law_keven

At the time of this publishing, the Bush administration would have transited out of the White House to live their post-presidential life.

The inauguration of the Obama administration would mark the start of a new chapter in not only in the United States’ history books, but in those of the the world over.

The African-Americans of the United States have played such a large part in shaping the country’s history, but never once, a role as powerful as this, never, as the President of United States. Never, the leader of the western world.

May the world listen, to this man who promised change, and give him what support we can. Daunting would be his task, in these times of political and social crisis. May he rule with a clarity of mind that many before him lacked, guided by the vision of the late Martin Luther King, and the collective wisdom of his predecessors. For he will need all of that, and then some.

For all that he was, President Bush was most remembered in the role of Commander-in-Chief. His strong stand of Good versus Evil constituted the making and breaking of his administration. There really is nothing above or below the war in Iraq.

The inauguration speech by Barak H. Obama, was peppered with words like prudence, humility and restraint. He makes clear that America is not entitled to do as it pleases. Which is in stark contrast with all that was the Bush administration.

May Mr. Obama bring the United States, and with her, the rest of the world, to a new era of peace, prosperity, and above all, justice. Quoting his words, “so help me God”. So help him God.

The right to vote has always been central to a democratic governance. However, it has to be noted that there are countries where citizen are made to vote. They have to vote.

Singapore, where I live in, is one such state.

Is voting the only time a democratic government has to be totalitarian?

When people vote, they want to feel that they are voting for something they actually want. Say there are two parties, and both parties do not offer what a certain citizen wants from a government, but still he has to vote. How is that democratic?

Isn't the right NOT to vote a given under democratic governance?

PICTURE WAS UPLOADED BY Luna Park ON FLICKR.COM ON DECEMBER 16, 2005