A recent study revealed that Singapore’s adult literacy proficiency is below the OECD average. This raises concerns about the competitiveness and employability of Singaporean workers, especially older ones whose language mastery may have atrophied over their lifetimes. What can be done to stem this decline? Elsewhere, an expat tech executive was featured in the news for doing food delivery outside of his working hours, and subsequently donating his earnings to charity. Why are some online celebrating and calling him a “role model”? Is there more to this curious side quest of his?

(00:00) Folklory
(00:40) Intro
(11:07) Do Singaporeans Speak Bad English?
(39:21) Expats Now Doing Food Delivery
(59:58) One Shiok Comment
(01:02:58) Expats Now Doing Food Delivery

Folklory

• If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to help you create a personal podcast for a loved one. Get started at Folklory.com

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Do Singaporeans Speak Bad English?

• Singapore adults' ability to read or write in English is below OECD average. What's the problem?
• Do Adults Have the Skills They Need to Thrive in a Changing World? | Report by OECD
• Singapore improves in OECD ranking of adult skills, but atrophy in literacy a concern
• Singapore students rank top in maths, science and reading in OECD study

Expats Now Doing Food Delivery

• The expat who raised S$7,000 in 11 months doing food deliveries in his free time and donated it all to charity

One Shiok Comment

• Comment by cryizzle
• Comment by Lawrenc139

One Shiok Thing

• Tim Urban: Why I Brought My Toddler to Watch SpaceX’s Flying Skyscraper
• Brisbane Roar FC v Canberra United FC - Shark Highlights | Ninja A-League 2024-25 | Round 10

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

In an interview with ST to mark the start of the school year, Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing made the point that the quality of teachers is a far more important determinant of success than class sizes. In the context of the increasing difficulty of recruiting teachers, we discuss if his comparison makes sense. Elsewhere, a 38-year-old man was arrested for slapping a 6-year-old child that had kicked his own child at the playground. Why are some commenters not immediately condemning the violence, and saying “orbigood” instead? 

(00:00) Words of Wisdom
(00:55) Intro
(19:15) Does Class Size Matter?
(38:33) Is It Ever OK to Hit a Child?
(56:44) One Shiok Comment
(58:33) One Shiok Thing

Nominate a Senior over 60 for Words of Wisdom!

• We’ll be recording 60 Folklories with 60 Singaporeans above 60 yrs as part of our “Words of Wisdom” Project for SG60
• Nominate someone by clicking here, and we’ll be in touch with you to get more information!

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Does Class Size Matter?

• Teacher quality more important than class sizes, says Chan Chun Sing

Is It Ever OK to Hit a Child?

• Boy, 6, allegedly slapped by man for pushing his child at Jurong mall playground, police investigating
• Man, 38, arrested for allegedly slapping boy, 6, in Westgate

One Shiok Comment

• Comment by u/buttenhor
• Comment by poteato12

One Shiok Thing

• 10 Inspiring Moments That United Singaporeans In 2024 | On The Red Dot Year-End Special | Singapore
• Secret Level - Official Trailer

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

In our last episode for 2024, we’re talking about major screw-ups. SingPost dramatically fired its CEO and two other top executives recently. The plot thickens with new details that have just emerged, involving whistleblowing and a subsequent cover-up. We discuss this with actor Andie Chen, and end up wondering: what kind of company *is* SingPost anyway? Also, a music festival on Sentosa has angered attendees over weather-related evacuations which caused them to miss performances. That’s all for the year. Roll on 2025!

(00:00) Tell You First
(00:50) Intro
(04:30) SingPost Fires its Top Management
(33:35) Music Festival at Sentosa Angers Attendees
(50:45) One Shiok Thing

Our New Podcast, TELL YOU FIRST

• Check out our new edutainment podcast that dives into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know! This week, we talk about the Koro crisis of 1967, when Singaporeans got into a mass panic about disappearing genitals!!
• Listen on melisten
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

SingPost Fires its Top Management

• SingPost board outlines details of proceedings that led it to fire its CEO and two senior executives
• SingPost esponse_to_Comments_Queries_from_Stakeholders
• Commentary: Don’t forget the whistleblower(s) who did the right thing at SingPost
• SingPost sackings: 'Internal investigations' into whistleblowing reports will not be published, firm tells SIAS
• SingPost sackings: 'Unprecedented' for a Singapore firm to fire 3 top executives, shows severity of issue, say experts
• [Sep 2024] SingPost closes 12 post offices in two years, pivots to new service model | The Straits Times

Music Festival at Sentosa Angers Attendees

• Music festival at Sentosa incurs attendees' wrath due to long ads & evacuation that caused many to miss performances

One Shiok Thing

• The Imperfectionist: You can't hoard life
• Foxhole 1.0 Inferno Official Launch Trailer

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak 

You’ve been waiting for this one. Just when we thought 2024 would close out quietly, a national regulator makes a rare, alarming blunder, then the government rolls out two ministers and a chief executive for a press conference and public apology. After all this fuss though, we’re still no clearer what the deal is with our National Registration Identity Card numbers. Should they be confidential, or not? How vulnerable are we, when they are revealed? And how did such a misunderstanding even arise? Separately, we look at a bizarre Straits Times headline about consumer electronics chain Gain City.

(00:00) Folklory
(01:16) Intro
(08:08) Government Apologises for NRIC Debacle
(48:08) Apparently Gain City Is Influential?
(53:22) One Shiok Comment
(55:23) One Shiok Thing

Folklory

• If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to help you create a personal podcast for a loved one. Get started at Folklory.com

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Government Apologises for NRIC Debacle

• S'poreans' NRIC numbers publicly listed on new ACRA website, no login or payment required
• [2019] Illegal for non-public sector organisations to copy or hold your NRIC from Sept. 1, 2019
• Govt apologises for Acra lapse, will accelerate efforts to educate public on proper NRIC use
• Commentary: NRIC debacle boils down to the legal difference between identification and authentication
• PDPC guidelines to be updated to 'align with new policy intent', after government said it plans to stop masking NRIC numbers

Apparently Gain City Is Influential?

• Gain City named most influential company in Asia, absorbing GST for some items till Dec 29

One Shiok Comment

• Reddit comments on YLB #602

One Shiok Thing

• Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin A. Abbott
• Why I disappeared - Matt D’Avella

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

It’s fair to say that Yip Pin Xiu has had a good 2024. Singapore’s most decorated paralympian extended her streak with another two gold medals in Paris this year, and she just got engaged! In this episode, she hits the YLB studio to tell us about the challenges of competing on the world stage, and whether or not it’s okay to ask about persons with disabilities about their condition (hint: how you ask is more important than what you ask). She also gives us the inside scoop on what it’s like to have your likeness sculpted by Madame Tussauds.

(00:00) Intro
(00:51) Pin Xiu's Achievements
(03:41) Personal Life & Engagement
(07:58) Balancing Sports & Personal Life
(13:11) APEX Swimming & Philosophy
(18:12) Paralympics Experience & Challenges
(25:32) Future Goals & Reflections
(29:41) Mental Stress and Team Dynamics
(37:53) Role and Impact of Paralympic Athletes
(49:37) Post-Paralympics Experience
(54:23) Perception of Paralympic vs Olympic Athletes
(57:26) Pin Xiu's Madame Tussauds Wax Figure
(01:04:29) Public Speaking Journey
(01:07:53) Advocacy and Influences
(01:11:53) Why Wedding Planning is a Nightmare
(01:17:02) One Shiok Thing

Nominate a Senior over 60 for Words of Wisdom!

• We’ll be recording 60 Folklories with 60 Singaporeans above 60 yrs as part of our “Words of Wisdom” Project for SG60
• Nominate someone by clicking here, and we’ll be in touch with you to get more information!

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Find Yip Pin Xiu here!

• Instagram

One Shiok Thing

• Dash & Lily Season 1 Trailer
• Little Miss Sunshine - Official Trailer [HD]
• World Christmas Market Singapore

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

Our sponsor - OPPO

• This episode is brought to you by OPPO!
• FOMO keeps us connected to our phones 24/7. But what happens on our phones is often way less important than all the meaningful things happening in front of us!
• So this holiday season, remember that your phones can wait but life can’t. So enjoy the present!
• Check out more stuff from OPPO at https://www.oppo.com/sg/

We’re rolling into the year-end party season and we can expect a lot of people to be on their phones, capturing the festivities. But how much is too much? Can we put down our phones for a minute? Can we learn to enjoy each other’s company just like in the good ol’ days? In this episode, we talk to Adele Chan, photographer, self-professed tech junkie and editor-in-chief of lifestyle magazine NYLON Singapore on what steps she takes to live in the moment while with her loved ones, or while meeting friends at social events. And, since her job makes her something of a lifestyle/fashion authority, what her tips are for Singaporeans as we get ready to ring in 2025?

(00:00) Intro
(02:13) Role and Responsibilities of an Editor-in-Chief
(07:11) Tech Events and Social Interactions
(10:53) Challenges of Screen Time and Digital Habits
(12:27) Setting Boundaries with Technology in Family
(13:54) Role of Technology in Work-Life Balance
(19:33) Impact of Technology on Social Etiquette
(21:52) Fashion, Style, and Self-Perception in Singapore
(26:38) Photography and Portraits
(29:05) Adele's Tussle With Brett Anderson
(35:42) AI and Technology in Photography
(38:00) Digital vs Analog Lifestyle
(41:32) Parenting in the Digital Age
(47:39) Perception of Singapore Globally
(51:47) Local Perspectives on Culture
(52:29) Pride in Singapore's Identity
(57:49) Disconnecting from Technology
(01:00:23) One Shiok Thing

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Find NYLON and Adele here!

• NYLON SINGAPORE Instagram
• Adele’s Instagram

One Shiok Thing

• The first jungle gym was meant to hack kids' brains
• The Quarry | Official Announce Trailer | 2K
• Food Republic @ The Woodleigh Mall

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

We’ve made it to episode 600! And what better way to celebrate it than to record it live in front of an audience of 60+ YLB fans, right on the cusp of #SG60. It’s the end of the year and everyone’s doing up their lists, so we thought we’d do a recap of 2024! But this time, no need for Google Trends, no need for mainstream media affirmation, because we are talking about the top 10 most streamed topics of the year, according to YLB! It was a riotous evening at @27AnnSiang (home of RICE Media) that also featured a standup comedy set from @donsayone, an interview with a YLB fan, and a post-show Q&A session for those who turned up. Thank you one and all, you’ve truly made our year!

(00:00) Intro
(02:55) 10 Hottest Episodes of YLB 2024
(04:50) 10.
(10:42) 9.
(15:22) 8.
(20:39) 7.
(27:29) 6.
(31:31) A Listener Takes the Stage
(38:50) 5.
(44:48) 4.
(51:20) 3.
(52:52) 2.
(57:37) 1.
(01:03:48) One Shiok Thing

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Find @donsayone, our Opening Act here!

• Full video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvWxwfWV2B0
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@donsayone
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/donsayone 

Top Topics of 2024, according to Yah Lah BUT

• Number 10
• Number 9
• Number 8
• Number 7
• Number 6
• Number 5
• Number 4
• Number 3
• Number 2
• Number 1

One Shiok Thing

• Robbie Williams - Forbidden Road (Official Lyric Video) | Taken from ‘Better Man’ Soundtrack
• LUIGI THE TITAN

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

This episode we’re talking about Luigi Mangione, whose alleged murder of the CEO of UnitedHealth on a sidewalk in New York has captured global attention. What could have motivated him to do such a thing? Why is he being hailed as a hero by some people online? And what is his tangential connection to Yah Lah But? Closer to home, we try to figure out how a local cosplayer gained enough of a following that she was able to offer her fans some very unusual services at the recent Singapore Comic-Con. Hey, no judgment!

(00:00) Tell You First
(01:00) Intro
(07:46) CEO of US Health Insurer Murdered
(33:24) Local Cosplayer Offers Unusual Services
(52:44) One Shiok Comment
(55:04) One Shiok Thing

Folklory

• If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to help you create a personal podcast for a loved one. Get started at Folklory.com

Our New Podcast, TELL YOU FIRST

• Check out our new edutainment podcast that dives into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know!
• Listen on melisten
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

CEO of US Health Insurer Murdered

• What we know about Luigi Mangione, Ivy League grad charged in CEO's murder
• UnitedHealthcare shooting: Luigi Mangione has San Francisco ties
• Luigi Mangione’s Reddit Page Lays Out Long List of Ailments
• California shooting suspect used fake story to gain access to school
• What Luigi Mangione's social media accounts reveal about him

Local Cosplayer Offers Unusual Services

• S’pore dudes pay S$50 each for S’porean comic con personality to eat Pocky from their mouth

One Shiok Comment

• Comment by matery1982
• Comments on #598

One Shiok Thing

• Ricky Gervais: Comedy, Football and Brotherly Bonds With Roy Keane
• 28 Years Later Trailer

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

The GE2025 hype train has left the station, and you know we love us some political punditry. So today we’re discussing a CNA report on how political parties are having trouble finding new blood for GE2025–going as far as interviewing people who turned down invitations to enter the field. Why is there increasing resistance to joining politics, and what does this bode for the country? What kind of candidates are more likely to appeal to voters today? In other news, Swiss Air crew on a Bangkok-Zurich flight secretly recorded 2 passengers having sex in the first class galley… but it’s the crew who might be in trouble for violating the couple’s privacy! European priorities, eh?

(00:00) Folklory
(01:16) Intro
(06:50) Hard to Find Candidates for GE2025
(40:37) Swiss Air Crew Film Passengers Having Sex
(52:56) One Shiok Comment
(55:01) One Shiok Thing

Folklory

• If you’re looking for a meaningful gift, we’d love to help you create a personal podcast for a loved one. Get started at Folklory.com

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut/
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Hard to Find Candidates for GE2025

• Growing voters' expectations and public scrutiny hampering Singapore political parties' recruitment efforts

Swiss Air Crew Film Passengers Having Sex

• Explicit footage of couple having sex in flight goes viral, crew under probe for leaked video
• 🇨🇭 First time on Swiss First class. LX 181 BKK to ZRH.

One Shiok Comment

• Comment on Spotify Wrapped

One Shiok Thing

• ROSÉ - APT. in the Radio 1 Live Lounge
• Culinary Class Wars | Official Trailer

Mics and Headphones from @shure

Chairs from @ergotunechair

The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak

We know Singaporeans are an obedient lot, but will we heed the latest guidelines from the Ministry of Social and Family Development? They’ve just issued advice on appropriate caregiving boundaries between parents and children, which covers bathing, nudity, and expressing affection. Joining us for this potentially awkward conversation is comedian Jacky Ng, fresh from stints in Bali and KL. We also talk about the robot nurses that NUH is getting next year, and what other jobs robots might be coming for in the near future…

(00:00) Words of Wisdom
(00:56) Intro
(09:02) MSF Tells Parents: Don’t be Naked with Your Kid
(35:14) NUH is getting Robot Nurses
(51:53) One Shiok Thing
(56:18) Jacky and Friends: By The River

Nominate a Senior over 60 for Words of Wisdom!

• We’ll be recording 60 Folklories with 60 Singaporeans above 60 yrs as part of our “Words of Wisdom” Project for SG60
• Nominate someone by clicking here, and we’ll be in touch with you to get more information!

Our New Podcast, TELL YOU FIRST

• Check out our new edutainment podcast that dives into a fascinating array of topics you never knew you needed to know! This week, we talk about the Koro crisis of 1967, when Singaporeans got into a mass panic about disappearing genitals!!
• Listen on melisten
• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple

Find us here!

• Our Website: https://www.ministryoffunny.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/YahLahBut
• Telegram: https://t.me/YahLahButPodcast
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yahlahbut
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/yahlahbut
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@yahlahbut

Find Jacky!

• Instagram
• Jacky’s Website

MSF Tells Parents: Don’t be Naked with Your Kids

• New MSF guidelines for appropriate caregiving boundaries between parents and children
• MSF guidelines: Parents to avoid bathing children of opposite genders who can do so by themselves
• [Sep 2024] Less serious child abuse cases in Singapore on the rise: Inaugural report on family violence

NUH is getting Robot Nurses

• Robot nurses that monitor patients’ condition, issue medicine to be piloted at NUH in 2025
• LTA | 10 Years of Gracious Commuting

One Shiok Thing

• Adam Sandler: Love You | Official Trailer
• Himesh Patel reads the most hilarious response to a university rejection letter

Mics and Headphones from @shure
Chairs from @ergotunechair
The Meat Club: Use the code “YLB20” for $20 off your order at https://themeatclub.com.sg/yahlahbut 

Edited and mixed by Tristen Yeak