Well, This Ain't THAT Bad.

Turkmenistan's nutso president, Saparmurat "Turkmenbashi" Niyazov, has issued various decrees in the past banning everything from opera and ballet to long beards and gold caps for Turkmen G's.

Yes, the Turkmenbasher is surely without a doubt one piece of work. But at least he did the rest of the civilised world one big favour.

He has outlawed lip-synching.

Niyazov has ordered a ban on lip synching performances across the tightly controlled Central Asian nation, citing "a negative effect on the development of singing and musical art," the president's office said Tuesday.

Tell us something that we decadent Westerners don't know.

Under Niyazov's order, lip synching is now prohibited at all cultural events, concerts, on television - and at private celebrations such as weddings.

Translation: Ghastly Simpleton is now considered an enemy of the Turkmen state.

The good news: if you can neither play nor sing, don't fake shit.

The bad news: those who do neither may resort to bad karaoke.

Oh, what the hell... 'tis a small price to pay to encourage creativity.