Some ramblings after I managed to recover from my endless bouts of laughter after watching the above:

1) Is it me or did anyone get uncontrollable bouts of laughter when he/she heard about this? Or maybe it's just because, like my brother, I laugh at things I'm not supposed to laugh at.

2) The voice of the chinese newscaster immediately brings into mind the image of 公公 and 婆婆 sitting in front of the telly watching the nightly 10 o clock news. Hm mm, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

3) I love the use of "兴致勃勃" in describing the tourists and locals who came to take pictures of the merlion under repair. 我们兴致勃勃地到了动物园。 我们兴致勃勃地到了海滩。 我们兴致勃勃地去看闪电击中过的鱼尾狮。

4) There must be something in the art of fengshui that states that nothing sharp should be protruding out of someone/something's head. How then should they attach the lightning rod to the merlion? Sticking out of its side like a broken-off arrow? hmm. Or maybe technology allows for a lightning conductor without a lightning rod.

5) I wished they had a video of the actual thing happening － apparently it sounded like a bomb exploded. the poor merlion.