Yah Lah But

In a stunning reversal, a High Court Judge publicly released the names of 6 trainee lawyers who had been caught cheating in the Bar exam. Is the punishment commensurate with the crime? Also, a former Grab driver accused of attempted rape of his intoxicated 19-year-old passenger in 2018 was acquitted. Contrary to what you might expect from the circumstantial evidence, a large number of online comme...

According to a recent IPS working paper, a majority of workers prefer to continue flexible work arrangements going forward, even as Singapore lifts its COVID restrictions. What will employers need to look out for in these results? Elsewhere, Netflix announced its first decline in subscribers, and at the same time also revealed that they will be launching an ad-supported tier of subscription. What...

A recent video featuring a Singaporean man, Jonathan Neo, singing a Christian worship song in the middle of a flight has gone viral, with critics and detractors calling for tolerance from the other side. What do we make of both sides’ arguments? Closer to home, an ugly spat between a clinic assistant and an irate customer spilled onto social media when CCTV footage showed the mother throwing items...

In line with Singapore’s nightlife industry opening up, we go through an opinion piece about the F&B industry’s woes in increasing productivity amidst a manpower crunch. Are AI kitchens and robot servers the way forward? Also, we discuss the viral image of a grandmother helping her grandson urinate into a bottle in the open at Tiong Bahru Plaza’s food court. Do we have a right to be outraged?...

We discuss the bombshell announcement that caught everyone by surprise, right before the long weekend: Lawrence Wong has been anointed the leader of the 4G leadership in the Government. Was it really a surprise though? How are the other candidates reacting to the news? Elsewhere, Elon Musk’s flirtations with Twitter came to a head when he announced an audacious bid to acquire the public company fo...

Another viral CCTV video showing a collision between an errant cyclist and an unsuspecting pedestrian has once again renewed calls for greater regulation of cyclists. Is there a deeper reason why we haven’t nipped the problem of dangerous cyclists in the bud? Also, investigations of PAP’s ex-candidate Ivan Lim have been completed, and it appears that he’s been cleared of any wrongdoing. Still, wha...

In a dialogue with The Wall Street Journal editorial board in early April, PM Lee warned that the US should not define the war in Ukraine as a battle between democracies and autocracies, as that would immediately place China on the defensive. This was just one of many truth bombs he dropped; what other interesting nuggets of knowledge did he share? Closer to home, Malaysian influencer and Penthous...

According to a study conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and CNA, Singaporeans have become more open to having a non-Chinese prime minister or president. Having just appeared in the topically-relevant CNA documentary “Regardless of Race”, we break down the study’s findings and figure out what it means for our future. In the United States, a Minnesota-based eBay seller was discovered...

It was a real pleasure this week to have Dr Janil Puthucheary, Chairman of OnePeople.sg and Senior Minister of State at MCI, swing by the YLB studio for a chat. We speak to him about his experience helming the CNA documentary, “Regardless of Race” (which we also appeared in), the secret MP’s football team, and even discuss whether Will Smith should be punished! Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for...

The slap that was heard around the world! By now, everyone has heard or has aired an opinion about whether Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars ceremony is justifiable. We discuss why it’s not a straightforward answer. In SG, chaos ensued at Swatch stores due to the large crowds that queued to buy the Omega x Swatch moonswatch collaboration. Why the crazy hype for this non...

Late on Sunday night, the government issued a POFMA direction correction to Wake Up Singapore regarding the alleged story of a miscarriage that occured under KKH’s watch. What is the general sentiment towards Wake Up Singapore now that the truth is out? Also, an opinion piece on Mothership about wedding ang bao market rates triggered fierce debates online; $370 for a dinner at Capella Hotel? Can w...

On Thursday, PM Lee announced the easing of COVID restrictions in Singapore, most notably the limit on group sizes and the mask mandate outdoors. We discuss some of these measures and how people are feeling about them. Elsewhere, the restaurant group Tung Lok shamed one of its customers on social media after he ordered and refused to pay for his dish, an Irish duck; the customer allegedly disputed...

Lia Thomas, a transgender collegiate athlete from the US, sparked fierce debates this past week when she competed in and won several women’s events at a NCAA swimming competition. Many called this a moment of change for the sport, while others were appealing for the NCAA to disallow transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports entirely. How can one talk about this dicey issue without gett...

The Kim-Kanye-Pete controversy took a dark turn when Kanye West used a racial slur to attack Trevor Noah, which led to the suspension of his IG account. Wait, what Kim-Kanye-Pete controversy; why are we even talking about this celebrity feud? Is it really newsworthy or is there something deeper to discuss? Closer to home, otters went on a killing spree in Yio Chu Kang and decimated a private pond...

In the run up to the Johor state elections last weekend, Malaysian politicians went back and forth about whether Singapore would have been more or less developed if it was under Umno’s rule. Why was Singapore dragged into this debate between political rivals? Elsewhere, at her second round match at the tennis tournament, the Indian Wells Masters, Naomi Osaka was reduced to tears by a fan shouting...

As we move beyond the pandemic, can the no-MC-needed sick leave policy that many employers have been practising still continue into the future? Also, the UK government sanctions Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich for his close ties to the Kremlin, but is this fair for the fans of the club? Support our Folklory journey towards 100 customers in 100 days! We'll help you turn your favourite memories into...

Against the overwhelming trend of corporations pulling out of or cutting business ties with Russia, Uniqlo doubled down on its decision to keep its almost-50 stores open in the country. The CEO even justified the decision by stating that clothing is a basic human need. Does their explanation have any merit? Closer to home, a pair of dog owners refused to cancel their Gojek booking after the driver...

Last Friday, Minister Josephine Teo defended the government’s stance of financially supporting SPH Media Trust to the tune of $900 million over 5 years. She explained the government’s stance and answered questions posed by Pritam Singh and Leong Mun Wai. What underlies the concern about SPH Media Trust’s funding and business models? Also in parliament, MP Shawn Huang nearly came to tears when reco...

In parliament, Minister Shanmugam commented on the courts’ recent judgement in the constitutional challenge to Section 377A, and reinforced that the government will not proactively enforce the law. Is this a step in the right direction? In the same parliamentary sitting, MP for West Coast GRC Ang Wei Neng put forth a “radical idea” of setting expiry dates on degrees conferred by local universities...

In this episode, we speak to local creative Dew Francis of “Just Saying” fame, and discover what it takes to produce and star on Singapore’s most beloved online talk show. Known for being “raw” and “authentic” in everything he does, Dew also reveals how COVID changed him for good, including how it motivated him to get in the best shape of his life. Oh, we also have a deep philosophical debate abou...

In the past few days, the news cycle has been dominated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. What is going on, how are people around the world responding, and how should we in Singapore think about this? We also discuss how detrimental the ban on team sports has been for the national psyche, and dissect the MTF’s decision to postpone the resumption.   Our new Sci-Fi Comedy: "Mars Poyi Sernthuttom!"  ...

To celebrate the launch of our MARS TV series, we have one of the stars from the show as a guest; today, actress/writer Malene Waters touches down on YLB’s “campsite”! In her first ever podcast, Malene goes deep about her obsession with Excel spreadsheets, her Twitter beef episodes, and why she’s so into serial killers! You can catch our awesome new TV series MARS POIYI SERNTHUTTOM starring Malene...

On Monday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung sent a letter to public healthcare workers to boost their morale and encourage resilience in the face of the Omicron wave. Did it have the desired effect? Elsewhere, SG influencer Chrysan Lee called out cyber bullies and other lewd commentators who made jokes about her chest being flat. Is this the most effective way to deal with cyberbullying today? Our new...

Last Friday, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong delivered his first-ever budget proposal, with the theme “charting our new way forward together". We talk through the major points with Reggie, founder of the Financial Coconut (TFC), whose team focuses on all things-related to money. In this episode (Part 1), we’ll cover the first 2 main talking points:(1) the GST hike and (2) new taxes on the wealthy....

Iris Koh, the founder of anti-vaccine group, Healing the Divide, raised over S$96,000 in one week to foot her legal fees in court hearings. Are there that many anti-vaxxers in SG willing to help her by donating that much money to her? Also, one of SG’s top runners, Soh Rui Yong, was excluded from the SG contingent travelling to May’s SEA Games based on his conduct. Is this a fair outcome for Soh a...