In this issue of AGJ, we take a look at power dynamics. In celebration of Singapore'a 52nd birthday, check our some of the colourful aspects of Singapore's culture since independence in 1965. We also sneak a peek at the timeline of independence in other parts of Asia. We take a look at the rise and fall of the great empires in history, and also learn about the area with the most powerful earthquakes and volcanoes. Consider the different sources of energy that give power to our homes and motor vehicles - some are sustainable, some questionable, and some threatening in escalating climate change. From this, we know that power - in all its various forms - can be a force for good and bad. It can be volatile and unpredictable and, as history teaches us, can bring destruction when placed in the wrong hands. We take a look at some of Asia's maddest monarchs, whose whims and fancies and paranoia made them infamous.

true