GBUF - 26 May 25

 

#GBUF #sriGINthoughts #26May25 #GoodBadUglyFunnyTrusk

Last week, education found itself in the spotlight – twice, through incidents that unfolded tens of thousands of miles apart.

📕 In Singapore, the prestigious National University of Singapore (NUS), currently ranked 8th globally, decided it was time for some spring cleaning. Unfortunately, this meant literally dumping over 9,000 books from the now-defunct Yale-NUS College library—into the bin. The university cited an “operational lapse” while following “standard library practice.” Many, however, saw it as a “1984” moment of historic revisionism: throw away the books, and perhaps you can erase the memory of the Yale-NUS experiment altogether. After a solid public furore (and a lot of egg on the institutional face), NUS salvaged most of the books and is now giving them away for free on May 28. #ShredEducation 📘

🏠 As NUS shredded its books, Donald Trump attempted to shred Harvard—by attempting to block it from enrolling or hosting foreign students. While a judge has temporarily stalled this draconian measure, the damage is done. Thousands of students are now left uncertain about their academic futures. Universities across the U.S. are on tenterhooks, waiting for the next political guillotine to drop. Students across the world are looking more seriously at alternatives in Europe and Asia. O #MAGAEducation, what a rage! 🛫

🚙 Speaking of rage, road rage is universal. Someone overtakes you from the wrong side. Someone honks incessantly. Someone else flashes the middle finger. Your blood pressure spikes. You breathe in, chant “All is well,” and slowly return to normal. Unfortunately, elephants don’t quite work the same way. On a Malaysian highway near an elephant crossing, a conscientious driver stopped and turned off his car’s headlights to let a herd pass. The impatient drivers behind him, however, honked—startling the pachyderms. The result? Three elephants ambled up and smashed the first car to smithereens. Rage is truly universal. #ToughTuskers 🐘

🐶 In Singapore, the rules around pets in public housing (HDB flats) are strict. Only certain breeds of dogs are allowed, and only one dog/cat per flat. It’s a no-pets policy otherwise – much like that infamous condominium in Bangkok that made news last week. But humans being humans, rules tend to get bent. One flat owner housed a noisy, rule-breaking dog, much to the frustration of a neighbour. So, what did the neighbour do? He took matters into his own hands, or more accurately, his own fangs. He released two large snakes into the corridor, declaring: “I couldn’t carry the bigger one today!” Somewhere, Salazar Slytherin is smiling. #EyeForAnEye 🐍

🟠 Meanwhile, in the U.S., the political corridors are shifting—yet again. Elon Musk, once an ardent cheerleader of DOGE and certain political figures, appears to be stepping back. Following the passing of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” Musk is apparently disillusioned. He has hinted at reducing his political involvement to focus instead on achieving a “sustainably abundant future.” But Trump is sustaining his abundant rhetoric ensuring the future is a guesswork for all. He’s threatened a 25% tariff on phone makers, called Putin “absolutely crazy” (pot, meet kettle?), and delayed tariffs on the EU after their calls for “respect.” #SwampIsThick 🦌

₹ And India, now the world’s fourth-largest economy, ahead of Japan with a GDP of approximately $4.3+ trillion, is on a diplomatic overdrive. She sent out envoys all over the world on a PR blitz to tell the world on how Operation Sindoor was a necessary and repeatable action against a truant Pakistan. Naturally, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, the diplomat-par-excellence is drawing all the attention with his suave and eloquent deriding of DJT, sitting in NY. #DipOps 🗣

And finally, the best for last.

🏎 Kush Maini just became the first-ever Indian to win an F2 race at Monte Carlo. That alone is a tremendous achievement. But the wag had a little extra spice: “He’s from Bengaluru. After navigating the moon-craters they call roads over there, Maini must’ve become ‘bahoot khush’ at seeing a proper, smooth road, and floored it!” 🤣 I am sure people would hope that some of the enhanced GDP would flow onto the roads & not just flood waters! #SmoothRace 🚩

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