Mutatis Mutandis

Life is short and we don't have all the time on our hands to do all the things we wished we could. Thus, excuse me, if for this blog, I give you the brass tacks of past events, sometimes mutatis mutandis.

(1) Let us not confuse ourselves semantically if some French decides to set up a brasserie. This in no way denotes a lingerie shop. And do note that legal briefs are not legalised undergarments, which the government has gazetted. St Joan of Arc was beatified and canonised. Mother Theresa, on the other hand, is awaiting canonisation, having been beatified. Confused? Good. And a canon is not a cannon. A caveat can be a legal term. The point is: take note of the semantical meanings of words in its biological, linguistic and even theological context.

(2) I forgot to mention that "Chicken Little" had so many themes going for it. It was about ostracism, about being different and not conforming. See how Chicken Little suffers for his beliefs when he digs his heels in.

It was about prejudices and discrimination when a Mother admonished her daughter against eye contact with Chicken Little. It was also about community ties where all the animals would rally to a community emergency at the knell ( hee hee as in death knell? Quite appropriately, don't you think?) of a tower bell.

It was about single parenting and family ties. It was about sticking by your friends through thick and thin. It was about helping out an "alien" (read this as being double entendred as well) lost and left behind in a foreign land. It was about traditional roles of women in upholding harmony in the family and maintaining healthy checks and balances and being a voice of reason , comfort and good counsel.

It was about dramatic licence in churning out bigger than life-size heroes by the media. It was about good sportsmanship, the underdog, the loser, a prayer and just how a one throw-of-the-dice-kind of opportunity turned failure into success.

"Chicken Little" was all these and more. Walt Disney has proven itself not only to be a movie producer for young minds alone but for adults of all ages. In fact, I think it is the savoury adult who can discern the subtle allegories in the film.

(3) I met up with someone and somehow cosmetic surgery figured in our conversation. I am all for simple works-in-progress like a little nip and tuck there, a double eyelid , a jab to smoothen out the wrinkles and a grind or zap to even out the pocks marking an acne-scarred face.

However, I draw the line at a total facial or bodily reconstruction involving gory major surgery like breast implantation. I guess that means epidermal ones as compared to the subterranean subcutaneous types that reach into your bones, innards, arteries and veins .

I was stunned too when he drew my attention to how uncanningly similar three female superstars looked. Either they shared a common ancestry through introgressive hybridisation or they had the same plastic surgeon.

(4) I would like to draw your attention to the Animals And Birds Act (Chapter 7) and my own legally drawn up Pets Act (Chapter 1). This gazette deals primarily with the exportation, transhipment, importation , the prevention of the spread of diseases and the possession of live stock.

Its moniker says all but its short interpretation of animals and fish had a more far-reaching logomachy than just mammals (other than Man and such as dogs and cats ) which under its "fish" category includes crustacea, turtles and marine sponges while it dissertates that animals may include any living creature/s as prescribed for purposes of the Act.

Herein lies the catch. The ambiguity of the Act. The Special Provisions applying to dead animals and birds (other than dogs and cats) has it being directed by an authorised officer the appropriate means of disposal, usually by burning.

However The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals articles (Sections 41 and 42) define "animals" unambiguously and spells out in no uncertain terms what constitutes cruelty.

Since we are still in on the Acts, I might add that some ordinances have been repealed and re-enacted or amended. We often do not have the revised edition or the re-enactments ready on hand for examination. Case in point, The Multi-level Marketing And Pyramid-Selling (Prohibition) Act which had a Year 2000 Amendment Act now known as the Excluded Schemes and Arrangements Order.


Finally I am not a night owl or nocturnal creature and you will find me at my most dazed and most vulnerable there and then. So if any investigative State powers so decide, under any Acts of seizure, to pounce on me, please don't do it in the wee-hours of dawn or under the cloak of the dark night (as I hear they invariably do).


And knock. Don't just barge in. You won't want to find me naked or in my knickerbockers now, would you ?

P.S: Danny Boy, enjoyed that hot simmering salsa with you that night, this blog is specially written for you and your ilk.