31/10/2013

A Dose of Alternative Media

Daily SG: 30 Oct 2013



Life is Short, Have an Affair?
– Inspiration: Let’s Stop Ashley Madison From Contaminating Our Beautiful Country
– A Sporean In Melbourne: Ashley Madison in Singapore – whats wrong with a little fun?

Daily Disclosure
– TR Emeritus: Defending Transitioning’s call to boycott La Fondue
– Thoughts of a Cynical Investor: Alison McElwee: 3 bites = Tammy’s death?

A Vote for Change
– Anyhow Hantam: Can the PAP be Ousted in the Next Elections?
– Chinaporean: The PAP has shown that it is not capable of engaging with its citizens!
– [FB] Jolovan Wham: Tan Chuan Jin: The Minister of Motherhood Statements


read more

Straits Times distorts Anonymous’ message, tempting fate

anonymous-st
The Straits Times has distorted the original message by Anonymous, the hacker collective

In the original YouTube video, Anonymous specifically addressed their threat to the Singapore government.

However, in the ST report that came out after the Anonymous video went viral, the headline was distorted to be “YouTube video by “Anonymous” hacker group threatens to attack Singapore”. Attacking Singapore government and attacking Singapore are very different things.

ST is tempting fate.

related:
S’poreans cry out for Yaacob Ibrahim to protect them from Anonymous

read more

Razer CEO tells students it’s okay to waste time, get an ‘F’ grade
Techinasia.com, 30 Oct 2013
Tan Min-Liang, the Singapore-born CEO and creative director of gaming hardware Razer, is like a mini Steve Jobs.

Besides emulating the Apple visionary’s dress of black top, blue jeans and sneakers — except that he replaces Job’s turtleneck with a V-neck and doesn’t tuck in his shirt — Tan also shares the same obsession for product design and cutting-edge, premium gadgets.

Tan observes that people can be too caught up with results and artificial metrics. In schools, students are told that they have to pass examinations, and failing will destroy their lives.
But in the greater scheme of things, nobody cares, especially when you get an ‘F’ in something that’s not reflected in the work you want to do. Full story

read more

PLIGHT OF SINGLE MOTHERS IN SINGAPORE



In his latest book “One Man’s View of the World”, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew lamented the low Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Singapore. He admitted giving up trying to solve the problem because despite several incentive programs married couples seemed reluctant to procreate or to have more than two children.

Providing incentives to married couples to have children is fine in itself, as child rearing is a costly long-term venture. With the parents having to support the children for twenty years or more, any measure that can help reduce the burden on the parents is most welcome. Unfortunately, such measures are only open to married couples, not to single mothers.

This flawed ruling appears to make sense since the Singapore government wants to deter women from having children out of wedlock. However, this is only a superficial appearance; in reality, this unfairly discriminates not only against the single mothers whatever the circumstances that made them single mothers but also their entirely innocent children. Moreover, far from encouraging women to get married and have children, it may deter more cautious women from doing so for obvious reasons.

read more

SDP: Afternoon of skill and passion



Then there were two. And it was last year’s finalists that beat 11 other teams and made it all the way again to this year’s SDP Futsal Competition finals. UC Boyz and Team Unknowns (the 2012 champions) battled it out for the championship and the latter exacted sweet revenge by beating their rivals 2-0.

The venue was packed with 17 teams, 150 players, and scores of supporters who had congregated at the Golazo futsal complex at Jurong West to participate in the third annual tournament.

The competition, which went on for five hours, comprised the round robin stage followed by a knock-out format in the quarter- and semi-finals.
As in the past two events, Saturday’s competition was no less passionate with teams going at it hard and fast. The players, many in their late teens and early 20s, lit up the pitches with their lightning speed and skillful ball control.

read more

Yet another pledge to increase low-wage workers’ pay

incomegrowth

In the accompanying Jobs and income growth table, it shows that Singapore’s Cumulative growth, real median household income (2007-2012) was 17.7%, the highest among the 8 developed countries in the table.

Income per household member grew only 13% in 5 years? However, according to the Department of Statistics’ (DOS) Key Household income trends 2012, “Cumulatively between 2007 and 2012, the median monthly household income from work of resident employed households rose by 16 per cent in real terms (Table 3). Taking into consideration changes in household size, the median monthly household income from work per household member rose by 13 per cent in real terms over the same period”.

So, how is it possible that the DOS says that real household income growth for the same 5 year period was 16 per cent, against the 17.5 per cent cited now at the 3-day NTUC conference?

read more

YOUR VIEW: 'Is Singapore my home, daddy?'

Universal Studios Singapore is one of Singapore's favourite playground for tourists.
Yahoo Newsroom/Yahoo photo - Universal Studios Singapore is one of Singapore's favourite playground for tourists 

"Is Singapore my home, daddy?" A seemingly innocent question asked by my 4-year-old son.

Early Saturday morning, I brought him to Universal Studios Singapore at Sentosa. There was a performance by street dancers at the Sesame Street area.

It was a performance my son enjoyed. During a part of the performance, the dancers asked the audience which part of the world they came from. The dancer would announce the country followed by the audience response. Of the countries announced, there was a big response from the mainland Chinese, Philippines and Indians around.

read more

If the Americans had bugged PM’s phone…

If the Americans had bugged the Singapore Prime Minister’s handphone, what do you think they would have overheard yesterday? We gather that they could hear only the PM’s side of the conversation as his cell network was disrupted after a fire somewhere knocked out some cables… He is in France by the way.

PM: Charles, what do you think you’re up to telling everyone that Joo Chiat is fully private property? Build some flats there for goodness’ sake. You think you can retain those 300 votes which got you your seat? …

Charles Chong: But… indistinct… crackle crackle… when will you… GE…

PM: I haven’t decided. Really. If I have, I’m not telling you.

read more

PUB steps up efforts to prepare for monsoon season

National water agency PUB has stepped up efforts to prepare for the upcoming Northeast Monsoon season.

According to the Meteorological Services Singapore (MSS), the rainfall this season is expected to be slightly above average compared to previous years.

Singapore is in the midst of the inter-monsoon season which is why heavy rain warnings and flash floods have been a common sight in various parts of the island over the past few weeks

read more

The Independent Singapore News