Response to the New Blogger's Challenge

First of all, I'll like to thank all my readers for showing interest in my article regarding the state of the Singaporean blogsphere. To be honest, I have only written it because I felt that there is some truth in Mr. Wang's commentary, that there is a still a need for balanced, yet critical voices in order to establish a credible counterweight to the mainstream press.

Having said that, based on my anecdotal observation of the vast number posts that has mushroomed in the last couple of days responding to the Prime Minister's National Day Rally speech, it has proven to a certain extent that people will be willing to talk about the things that matter to them, when it is the time to do so. Therefore, the waxing and waning of social-political participation should not seen to be as alarming as it is made out to be. I hope that should at least put Mr. Wang's mind at ease for now.

Also, while it would have been nice to be able to have participated to Mr. Wang's new blogger's challenge, there are a number of reasons why I will not be doing so. Firstly, being away from Singapore, I have no access to the transcript of what has being said. Secondly, the contents of the rally, while interesting, will probably not affect me much materially, making it hard for me to be emotive about. Thirdly, there will be plenty of people who will have expressed more articulately what I've wanted to say. Lastly, my perspectives of the world are not confined to this 48-by-24 km island anymore, after spending so many years overseas. Politics that interests me may not be immediately relevant to the Singaporean audience.

However, I do want to take this opportunity to thank everybody for the readership that I have received for the last couple of days, however my thoughts on computing will remain as the mainstay of this blog, even though I will chip in my 2 cents worth whenever it is called for.