President Halimah Yacob posted on Facebook on 8th Jan about the recent case of a pest control technician who was jailed for potentially exposing the public to COVID-19 by refusing a swab test and returning to work. In the same post, she called out employers who have incentive policies that penalize workers when they take sick leave due to COVID-19. What can we expect to arise from the attention on this topic? Elsewhere, a global travel website listed SG as the “Most Instagrammable Place In The W...
Jan 19, 2022•51 min•Ep. 257
In December 2021, around 469 OCBC customers were conned of a total of $8.5 million by an SMS phishing scam, leaving many bewildered victims stripped of their life savings overnight. Many customers have since come forward to question the bank’s response to the scam, asking if more could have been done to prevent this. Elsewhere, YouTuber Naomi Wu called out Razer for false advertising on the purported N95 certification of the Razer Zephyr mask product, which led to Razer amending their marketing ...
Jan 17, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 256
It’s our 250th episode, and to commemorate the occasion we’ll answer the deepest and most exciting questions, as chosen by YOU! How we deal with rejection, how to start your own podcast, and the worst disagreements we’ve ever had - we answer these questions and many more in this loooooooong episode! Our upcoming National Gallery event at the Light To Night Festival: ARTSPLAINING FT. MINISTRY OF FUNNY & ASSISTANT CURATOR JENNIFER K.Y. LAM - register here Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for de...
Jan 14, 2022•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 255
WHO experts warned that repeating booster shots of the COVID vaccines is not a viable strategy going forward against emerging variants. In Singapore though, Minister of Health Ong Ye Kung recently said that we may need annual booster shots in the future. What should we make of this difference in messaging? Elsewhere, a Bentley driver draws the ire of the internet and even Minister Chan Chun Sing himself, by threatening to run over a security officer in order to force his way into Red Swastika Sc...
Jan 12, 2022•50 min•Ep. 254
So after a protracted back and forth between Australian authorities and his legal team about his medical exemption from vaccination, tennis superstar and vaccine-hesitant Novak Djokovic has won the court battle to avoid deportation and to compete in the Australian Open. Why has this story divided opinion around the world? Elsewhere, Soh Rui Yong’s 2.4km challenge finally happened, and he actually didn’t win this time! Who were the winners and who gives a hoot about this event anyway? Reminder: H...
Jan 10, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 253
HELLO 2022! We can’t think of a better way to welcome the new year than by defying COVID restrictions, which is what a few hundred revelers did on NYE when they congregated as a group at Clarke Quay and improvised their own countdown party. The authorities have promised to comb CCTV footage to identify the culprits, but what exactly are they looking for? Elsewhere, actress Jacelyn Tay was ridiculed by Xiaxue and other online commentators after she publicly shared a conversation with her 10-year-...
Jan 07, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 253
So this is 2021! In a look back at this crazy year, we deep dive into the Top 10 Trending News as collated by Google Trends. Some of these topics might be familiar as we covered them on our podcast, while others might surprise you, in a “WTF?” kind of way. We’re also doing a festive season giveaway of a Google Nest Hub courtesy of our friends at Google, so listen up to find out how to participate! And one last thing: for the first time ever, catch us at a YLB live show in 2022! Find us here! FUN...
Dec 28, 2021•1 hr 42 min•Ep. 252
Today we discuss tennis and badminton, and how SG has made waves in both racquet sports in the last couple of days. First, the mysterious case of Peng Shuai that has captivated global media in the past month sees another major twist; this time, it’s SG’s very own Lianhe Zaobao which publishes the first video interview with the tennis star since her explosive posts alleging sexual assault first surfaced on Chinese social media. Why is everyone watching and dissecting this interview? Second, SG sh...
Dec 20, 2021•57 min•Ep. 251
2 lions broke free of their enclosures at Changi Airport this week and had to be tranquilized by a team from Mandai Wildlife Group. While they are currently safe and stable, photos surfaced of their less-than-ideal transit conditions, which raised questions about the lions’ origins and destination. Elsewhere, host Steve Harvey gets flak for asking Miss India to do an animal impersonation onstage during the Miss Universe 2021 contest, rather than asking her about her background in advocacy. Did S...
Dec 18, 2021•48 min•Ep. 250
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh finally gave his side of the story in the Raeesah Khan saga to the Committee of Privileges, in a 9-hour grilling session fronted by Minister Edwin Tong. But how much closer are we to the truth after today? Elsewhere, New Zealand took a bold step toward a smoke-free future by making it progressively harder for young people to legally obtain cigarettes. Could this ever work in Singapore? Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for detailed show notes and mindblowing d...
Dec 13, 2021•58 min•Ep. 249
At a panel discussion on future skills featuring an appearance by Minister Chan Chun Sing, a straw poll showed that a majority of the attendees were only “slightly confident” that their skills would be relevant in a few years' time, while 19% expressed that they were “not confident”. How should we interpret this data point about the SG workforce? Elsewhere, the CEO of Better.com, Vishal Garg, has apologised for how he handled the layoffs of 900 employees at his company, which was done over a Zoo...
Dec 09, 2021•55 min•Ep. 248
In another twist in the Raeesah Khan saga, former MP Yaw Shin Leong came out on Facebook to dispute Pritam Singh’s account of events surrounding his expulsion from WP in 2012. Who’s telling the truth? Elsewhere, a Sugarbook user complained to the MOE about a teacher who allegedly advertised herself on the platform as a “sugar baby”, saying that teachers should be held to a “higher standard”. Is it wrong for an educator to moonlight as a “sugar baby”? Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for detailed ...
Dec 07, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 247
On Friday evening, an interim report featuring Raeesah Khan’s testimony was released by the Committee of Privileges, and it painted the Workers’ Party in a bad light. Most damning of all was that the WP leadership allegedly asked Khan to keep up her lie in Parliament. We dissect the report and her explosive testimony. Elsewhere, Grab finally listed on NASDAQ, making a billionaire out of founder Anthony Tan - at least momentarily, until the share price subsequently dipped more than 20%. What does...
Dec 05, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 246
Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan abruptly resigned from her position as an MP and from the party on Tuesday afternoon, just hours before she was due to face an internal disciplinary hearing. WP’s leaders came out with the details of what happened, and it turns out that they knew of Khan’s lies a lot earlier than the public. How did this happen? Also, Singapore tied with Paris in second place on The Economist’s list of most expensive cities in the world, only behind Tel Aviv. What should the averag...
Dec 02, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 245
In the past week, a new variant of COVID was identified in South Africa, and it was named the Omicron variant. The CEO of Moderna has said that the current vaccines are likely to be less effective against this variant, and several countries have shut their borders to prevent its spread. What about here in SG? Elsewhere, YouTuber MrBeast created a jaw-dropping real Squid Game competition and setup for his latest video, and like its source material, the video went crazy viral worldwide. However, i...
Dec 01, 2021•54 min•Ep. 244
Actor, father, entrepreneur, and now metaverse evangelist Andie Chen tells us about relocating during a pandemic, the differences between Singapore and Taiwan, and how the metaverse is going to take over! Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for detailed show notes and mindblowing discussions! YLB's own TikTok featuring 2 boom-llenials attempting to connect with Gen Z uwu Our YLB YouTube channel to watch videos of all our guest interviews! Our NEW YLB IG account run by our intern, Daras! FOLKLORY - T...
Nov 26, 2021•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 243
In a speech about “identity” at the Institute of Policy Studies, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong acknowledged the struggles of marginalised groups and assured them that they were all part of the “Singapore family”. Does this truly signal an upcoming change in the status quo? We break down his speech and Q&A. Also, the SG Army announced that the traditional 5BX, the bane of every soldier’s existence since the inception of NS, will soon be replaced by a more structured stretching regime. How wi...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 242
Protests broke out across Europe over the past weekend, as Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark all saw demonstrations against the latest COVID restrictions meant to curb the “fourth wave” of the virus hitting Europe. We compare the situation in these countries with that of SG. Also, we discuss the results of a Pew Research Center study that surveyed what people in different countries find meaning in. The results for Singapore were quite surprising! Find us here! Our YLB...
Nov 22, 2021•56 min•Ep. 241
Based on MOH's latest National Population Health Survey, which collected data from over 6,000 Singaporeans and PRs aged between 18 to 74, SG’s obesity rate has risen to the highest level since 2010. Is this really a surprise, given the COVID situation? Elsewhere, Jack Neo apologized for naming the character played by a transgender actress in his upcoming movie ‘Amanda Man’, and also announced that they will be changing the character’s name. Why the outrage? Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for de...
Nov 20, 2021•57 min•Ep. 240
Minister of Transport S Iswaran recently revealed that SG is in talks to continue hosting the F1 night race next year. Having only discussed this topic on YLB #165 in June, we revisit the debate of whether SG should move on from the F1 race. Elsewhere, Shanmugam wrote a Facebook post that called out the “hypocrisy” of media outlets and activists that had supported Amos Yee when he was convicted for wounding religious feelings in SG many years ago. Is there any merit to his call-out? Love from ou...
Nov 17, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 239
A court injunction was served at the VIP preview of a new Kaws showcase at Marina Bay that featured a 42-metre-long inflatable created by the artist. We run through all the key players involved in this debacle and try to make sense of the situation. Elsewhere, Kendall Jenner wore an ultra-revealing dress to her BFF’s wedding reception, and posted selfies on Instagram. Users on Twitter reacted angrily, saying that nobody should wear THAT to a wedding. Are the complaints legit? Find us here! Our Y...
Nov 14, 2021•56 min•Ep. 238
SG has finally allowed F&B outlets to play background music, albeit only “soft recorded music”. This comes alongside the easing of several other measures that signifies SG’s move towards living with COVID, so we discuss what the next couple of weeks will look like. Elsewhere, YouTube announced that after extensive testing, it will be making private the numbers of “Dislikes” from all videos going forward. Supposedly, this is for the benefit of creators, but is it really? Find us here! Our YLB...
Nov 11, 2021•59 min•Ep. 237
This past week, the impending execution of a convicted Malaysian drug trafficker who allegedly has “severe mental disabilities" drew criticism from activists, international NGOs and even billionaire Richard Branson. Nagaenthran Dharmalingam’s execution has since been delayed as he tested positive for COVID-19 in prison, but why the sudden international scrutiny on his death sentence? Also, Healing The Divide, an anti-vaxx group based in Singapore, was deemed to have violated YouTube’s policies a...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 236
To recognise their “courage and invaluable work”, the Ministry of Health will be awarding 100,000 public healthcare workers $4,000 each. We discuss what this gesture means, and if it’s enough to stem the tide of healthcare workers leaving the industry in 2021. Elsewhere, an F45 fitness studio faced backlash for posting a “Happy Deepavali” greeting video featuring 2 of their members making racially insensitive gestures. How could this have happened, after the racial issues we’ve been facing in th...
Nov 07, 2021•55 min•Ep. 235
Eeeeeyakkkkk! There was a lot of buzz recently when WWE unveiled their first ever Singaporean wrestler, Dante Chen. But what does it really take to make it to the pinnacle of the wrestling business? We speak to the pioneer of the local wrestling scene, Andruew Tang AKA “The Statement”, and find out how Singapore Pro Wrestling has coped with the hiatus on live events, and how he intends to bring more Singaporean talent to the next level. Find us here! Our #YLB Subreddit for show notes Our YouTube...
Nov 05, 2021•58 min•Ep. 234
There was a bombshell revelation in Parliament on Monday, as Workers’ Party MP Raeesah Khan admitted that her past account of accompanying a sexual assault victim to the police station had been fabricated. What’s next for the youngest ever MP? Also, Elon Musk promises to sell billions of dollars of Tesla stock to fund a UN campaign if it can really help end world hunger. Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for detailed show notes and mindblowing discussions! YLB's own TikTok featuring 2 boom-llenial...
Nov 03, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 233
It's a short one today, folks! Singapore-born footballing talent Harry Birtwhistle, 17 years old, has been offered a professional contract to play with the Wolverhampton Wanderers of the Premier League, but has been disallowed from skipping his National Service obligations or even renouncing his SG citizenship to pursue the opportunity. Is this a fair move by MINDEF? How will this decision factor into young SG athletes’ futures as they chase their dreams? Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for deta...
Oct 31, 2021•52 min•Ep. 232
National Development Minister Desmond Lee unveiled the new PLH model under HDB, which aims to keep public housing in prime locations “affordable, accessible and inclusive for Singaporeans”. What difference will it make for the average SGean? Also, to the chagrin of a few other local authors, Wang Lei, the getai singer, was selected to speak on “dying trades” as part of the Singapore Writer’s Festival. Why the anger? Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for detailed show notes and mindblowing discussi...
Oct 28, 2021•47 min•Ep. 231
Over the weekend, it was revealed that local and foreign delegates at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum (NEF) to be held from 16th-19th November would be allowed to dine together in groups of up to 5 at pre-designated restaurants in the city, in spite of the current curbs that limit dining-in to a maximum of 2 people until 21st November. Double standards? Elitism? Why are so many people furious? In the same weekend, Xiaxue broke the internet by dropping a feature-film-length interview with Sylvia ...
Oct 26, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 230
On the movie set of “Rust”, in which Alec Baldwin is acting and a producer, a prop gun in the actor’s hands misfired and killed their cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Does Hollywood have a problem with safety? Also, the courts rejected a man’s guilty plea after he had live-streamed his tense and allegedly xenophobic row with a bus driver. Why did they do so? Find us here! Our YLB Subreddit for detailed show notes and mindblowing discussions! YLB's own TikTok featuring 2 boom-llenials attempting ...
Oct 24, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 229
