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Say NO to internet regulation in Singapore.
Daily SG: 3 Oct 2008
Posted by singaporedaily on October 3rd, 2008
The Passing of JBJ
- Sgpoitics: Details of JBJ’s funeral this Saturday at Mandai Crematorium
- Xtralicious: Paying respects to JB Jeyaretnam at wake
- Chemical Generation Singapore: The Romanticisation of JB Jeyaretnam and the Eulogy Meme
- JGNews: Never on a bended knee: a tribute to JBJ
- ed’sperience: In Memoriam: JBJ. Is ’supposing otherwise’ irrelevant to Singaporeans?
- Princess from the Planet of Venupitarius: The Man from Anson
- Think Happiness: Remembering Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam
- Warblings Of A Little Bird: A Tale of Two Letters for JBJ’s Sons
- Mindblogging Stuff: Rest in peace, JBJ
- Sgpolitics: A legacy that will always be an inspiration: A tribute to JBJ
- Feed Me To The Fish: Don’t They Know How To KISS?
- Bishan Busy Body: to the late JBJ: may we continue the good fight
- Yaw Shin Leong: A Tribute to Uncle Joshua Benjamin Jeyaratnam
- My Singapore News: JBJ - The most enduring fighter
- Recruit Ong: A true patriot has passed away
- Simply Gab: In Memory of JBJ
- UncleYap: Good News! JBJ Book Availiable (limited)
- HWZ: Mr JB Jeyaratnam has passed away!!!
Power to Cost the People
- Extreme Prejudice: Electricity Tariff Revision - October 2008
- EDMW: Singapore Power Made $1.086 BILLIONS in PROFITS - Now Hike 21% in price to earn even more!
- VR-Zone: Households to see average rise of about 21% in electricity bills from Oct
- Sg-Forums: Electricity bills up 21%
Melamine in my Milk
- Food Fads: More products discovered to contain melamine in Hongkong [Thanks ecko as]
Pink Issues
- Sam’s thoughts: Blocked TV: Am I a bad programme?
Sports
- Hard Hitting in the Lion City: EPL this Month
Daily Discourse
- Blog of The Not So Sensitive New Age Monk: Finding love in SG Inc
- A Poor Scholar: Meritocracy and its flaw
- The boy who knew too much: The uncooperative banks of Singapore
Infoblogoramus
- TOC: NTU students to hold “Stand Up For Media Freedom” event at Speakers’ Corner
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Dear valued readers,
We received this recently in JUST STUFF.
“Aaron
http://www.aims.org.sg | aaronlow@aims.org.sg | 160.96.200.36
Hi there, Aaron from AIMS here. I’ve read with great interest your take on AIMS and the blogopshere. I also noted that you said you have persuaded the Brotherhood to send its report to us.
Is this report it? If so, we will archive it for our purposes.
Would be very useful if you can likewise publish or send us your thoughts on how to build trust between government and Netizens.
From Suggested Solutions for managing e-relationships between netizens and government / Part 1 / Preamble, 2008/09/29 at 3:16 PM”
How shall I respond? Well ordinarily, I would have just obliged the request.
However, let us never forget, recently there was a systematic program out there to blacken our name with faith sensitive and racist remarks.
Now you see my problem. If I do not carry out my threats then who we believe me in future?
Do you see the problem, I am in?
Guild, I want you to withhold the report and give it to only the govt one day AFTER aims has made their final recommendations.
My decision is final. You may however release Part 2 whenever you see fit.
This will remind you all not to fuck with us in future.
Remember I did not start his war. But if you start a fire what did you expect me to do?
Let this be a lesson
Harphoon
October 3rd, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I have included the recently completed version of the Part 2 (executive summary) - pls note substantial portions have been deleted for security reasons; such as a critique on the Gomez report / I dont know why they are hidding info.
But I shall leave it at that.
http://dotseng.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/suggested-solutions-for-managing-e-relationships-between-netizens-and-government-part-2-the-challenges/
Enjoy
Y2K
October 4th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Dear valued readers,
I register a few questions that we will respond to.
(1) Firstly, why is the brotherhood anti-TOC?
A: We do not have a problem with TOC per se. We live and let live. That’s our online motto.
Having said that, if there is a “problem,” with TOC it is one that resides in our readership.
Many of our readers are very concerned there are issues relating to integrity and accountability in TOC.
In plain and simple English, they are uncomfortabel with the idea TOC takes money and this is a fact, not a rumor. If you dont believe me, you can go and ask the person who gets $500 a month to write. Even my Ah Kong doesn’t give me that sort of pocket money, so you cannot blame reasonable people for thinking who else in TOC might be on the take?
These are very serious issues.
Thanks
Y2K
October 4th, 2008 at 11:16 am
“If the govt wants to project online and should they choose to align themselves with TOC.
I say, the very best of luck to them in the way I would have said it, if I were born in the 1800’s watching the Titanic sail off for the first time from Portsmouth.
That is the surest way to die. As by doing that, firstly, you would have made enemies with us and probably 70% of thinking blogosphere.
Think about that. Remember always, we want Govt to succeed. Always keep that at the back of your head.”
Harphoon
October 4th, 2008 at 11:37 am
Just a question, perhaps two.
1) Why do you chaps think the government should even have a role in the blogosphere? I personally do not think the government should even have an institutionalised role in the blogosphere, by virtue of its current role and perceived notion of a hegemon.
2) Isn’t the $500 thing settled once and for all, to be in the past?
Cheers.
October 4th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Hi Loyola,
(a) “Why do you chaps think the government should even have a role in the blogosphere?”
Firstly, let me just say, they want nothing better than for govt to stay well clear of blogosphere.
Having said that many of them see the govt’s foray into our net very much in Gulliver terms, that’s to say, they see the govt as a clumsy and brain damaged giant who wants to prosper in blogosphere but doesn’t even have basic life skills like how to add or subtract etc
Neither can they shoo the govt away, as Lilliputians are usually no match against giants.
So what we may be seeing is a rudimentary form of constructive engagement.
This is why I think if you read very carefully what they have written so far, it is very much like one of those comic road maps or dummies publication series book to guide the govt giant i.e OK, we have marked out this area for you to shit, so that you don’t contaminate our water supply – if you want to do your laundry, please do it here, so that you don’t cause a tsunami – if you want to fart, do it in that direction, as its down wind, so that no one in X or Y village dies of gas poisoning etc
From what little, I see they don’t want the govt to come in here and turn our world upside down as that will seriously affect their economic interest and alter the balance of power, so they want to be able to control the speed, trajectory and even be able to issue instructions.
This they can only do if they can get their best diplomats to whisper into the ears of the giant, bear in mind, the giant doesn’t know many things and he is not very clever, so he would do well to get good advisors on his side. Also notice, if he bumps into buildings or trips it all affects us.
So from what I see the brotherhood are trying to fashion him oversized color coded shoes along with coming up with oversized street maps, like stop, go here, reverse there, urinate here etc
At the same time, many in the brotherhood, especially those in the mercantile space guilds (merchant class) and the ASDF (the mandarins) see the giant as a strategic asset. They want to use him to move mountains or to do earth works or something and perhaps even from time to time help them kill their enemies etc.
So what they see here is a mixture of crisis and opportunity.
But first of all, they need to communicate using one common language. It is something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUcOaGawIW0&feature=related
(b) To you second question, I personally have no issue with the money part. I felt this was well explained and its pretty cut and dried, but what I think you cannot discount so easily is the general sentiments in blogoland, especially from our own readers. They are not stupid. They see the MSM promoting TOC day in and day out and so they connect the dots and go on further to ask why?
I believe one question we regularly get asked is why there is so little collaboration between TOC and BP and one reason for this is because we simply cannot associate ourselves with people who take money (real or imagined). We would face a readership boycott, if we are seen collaborating with them in any way or form. So my post was merely to allay the fears of many of those in blogosphere that the BP will remain independent to better serve the interest of our readership.
Thank you Loyola, I am sorry to be wind bag, but I felt there is a need to be clear and precise as this affects so many people.
The director general of the FILB
Y2K
October 5th, 2008 at 12:48 am
You see TOC has a very simple way of making sense of their flat world. You notice everyone who criticizes them is jealous of them. Have you noticed that?
Truth of the matter is no one gives a shit about them. You also noticed in Thursdays write up, they managed to get a dime for dozen hack in ST to do a piece about them and what did they do there?
They fingered wayangparty & co. And what did that two bit reporter do? Did he even give wayang a right of reply? Nope. In fact, he just wrote it like it was fact. So you really have to ask yourself, where’s all this going?
To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t think very much of wayang, but I do believe everyone has a right to basic fairness and some respect. This is not too much to ask in a civilized world.
You need to all ask yourself whether that ST hack even gave wayangparty and his gang a right of reply? And if not why not? Along with whether that’s even fair?
Fact of the matter remains; and we are prepared to go to court on this; money was given and money was in fact taken; when an allegation was made; they ran here and ran there; deleted this and that; folks there is no rocket science here; so as a reader you really need to ask yourself, what’s happening here?
That’s to say, you really to sit yourself down and connect the dots and always keep this at the back of head every time when you log on to TOC.
I mean if you just read and read and take it all in without even asking that simple and fundamental question – then what can I really say?
To us the decision is crystal clear.
We can never collaborate with people who take money on the side, never. For me it is a matter of principle.
And don’t worry, they will never come after us, they will just pick on small fry like wayang or you. They know only too well, if they come after us, we will gladly take them to town.
Good night all
Y2K make sure this is posted in APICS and PBK as well. I think most of our readers may be there rather than here.
Harphoon
October 5th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Dear Aaron from AIMs,
I have got very good news for you.
At 0630 gmt today – our ASDF team informed me that they were able to successfully stabilize many of their models. They are now in the process of road mapping the final part 3 of the proposal i.e finding you all case studies which you may be able to profile into effective tools.
This will take some time.
You see, I’ve had a change of heart. I went cycling with Y2K this afternoon and he has managed to persuade me to share this report with AIMs.
Y2K is a young man, he is idealistic and believes in goodness, so I felt obliged to humor him.
It’s always good to have friends like Y2K in the brotherhood Aaron. No one could have pulled it off except Y2K.
There is one thing. Listen very carefully to me. We don’t want to be referenced, mentioned or even acknowledged – do I make myself clear?
If we are even mentioned once in the MSM, I’ve hold you personally responsible, do you understand?
Don’t worry Aaron, I am very sure there is no shortage of hack academics who will probably tell you they were working on the same thing for a book or something like that. We will leave it to their very capable hands to carry on the charade. We want no part of it. As far as we are concerned, we came, we saw, we conquered.
There used to be a time, when those things were so very important to us, especially during the time of Darkness. But in my brief tenure as leader of the brotherhood, I have reached a new realization. In just these few months, I feel as if, I’ve lived 10 lifetimes so all those things are meaningless to me now – very much like what this man said
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f61KMw5zVhg
At the end of the day, we do what we do because we enjoy it. That is what drives us. As gamers, we revel in mystery and the thrill that accompanies discovery; that is why we write the things we do; it’s a very good way to understand humanity and to make sense of who were really are and where we should be going.
I’ve realized we no longer need others to edify us or give us a sense of meaning.
Those things are childish.
So take our work, review it and we sincerely hope you find it useful.
We wish the government well and god speed.
If there is anything we can do to help, feel free to contact Y2K.
Cheers
Head of the Brotherhood
Harphoon 2008
October 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am
From 2008/10/05 at 10:23 AM
Hi Harphy boy
I happen to have some gfrens visiting singapore next weekend from Malaysia. I was wondering is it possible for you to chaperone us around and show us how those marvel boys in asdf do their work.
I feel while most of us know what darkness does. Very little if anything is known about the asdf. From what I see, they seem to be studying this and that, but for why remains uncertain.
Another thing, I wish to state is, all of you promised us that the BP readers will get a chance to contribute to the final outcome of the report to Mr Cheong. Are you ppl going to keep your promise.
Finally, what if our gahmen decides to ally themselves with theonlinecitizen. From the way I see it, there is no smoke without fire. The way the ST seems to be supporting them and disregarding wholesale the rest of blogosphere, suggest very strongly to me this is just another softening drive.
I am sorry for being so losoh, but we really have so little opportunity to talk with you ppl closing this line and that no end.
Take care and do write
Kitty
From 2008/10/05 at 10:39 AM
Just a small question to the Singapore Daily. I think you are doing a great job. I just want to ask a question. Why is it EVERY single article produced by Theonlinecitizen is aggregated and why is it, they always get the RECOMMENDED read tag. Could you kindly share with us how some of you come up with this so called RECOMMENDATINS. I mean what KPI’s do you usually use and what is your criteria for evaluation.
I am compiling a list of your recommendations and I will post it here sometime next week to show you how the SAME people seem to get a RECOMMENDED tag.
Brotherhood care to comment?
Many thanks. Always remember we are in the e-engagement era and I hope if you can share with us what appears to be a question that I am sure many bloggers and readers would also like to know.
I mean the last thing you want to be tarred and feather with is to be accused of building up Theonlinecitizen by stealing readers from many of the bloggers here.
Many thanks
Kitty
From 2008/10/05 at 10:48 AM
Hey brotherhood did you know about this whole thing abt the “recommended” tags? Maybe it is time for you people to restart the Intelligent Singaporean? You know it is terrible when you can’t even trust people to delivery objectivity, its bad enough with ppl taking $ and bribes on the side, but this really makes me think. I have done a compilation based on a 3 month spread and I have noticed 3 names come out, every single one of the blogger 13. eg Gerald Gaim, Yawning bread etc.
So I believe, I have a right to ask HOW DO YOU PPL IN SINGAPORE DAILY COME OUT WITH THE KPI’S AND CRITERIA FOR AWARDING A ‘RECOMMENDED’ READ. IF IT IS A SUBJECTIVE, IMHO, THEN PLS SHUT UP, WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN U PPL RAILROADING US OR SUBTLELY DIRECTING US TO THINK THIS OR THAT. WE ALREADY HAVE THE MSM TO THAT.
So kindly share with us. Many thanks
Kitty
[consolidated]
October 5th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
My take is this hello kitty, there are a lot of stupid people out there. And one segment of this stupid crowd actually believes they can pull you or I by the nose to make you read this or that; or to say this is good and that is bad etc. In my book that has to qualify as a form of indoctrination and propaganda. There is no other way to put it across but to call a spade a spade!
Fact remains if TOC is really so good then why does one have to keep on proclaiming the “truth” or obvious 9 out of 10 – when was the last time you saw an advertisement for a Rolls Royce? After a while anyone with an IQ of 5 below idiot will draw the logical straight line conclusion, if it is so good then why does it require repeating? Result: disbelief, cynicism along with skepticism.
So it is a stupid strategy that only stupid people will use.
In my view it always pays to be a bit skeptical and cynical, that’s a healthy condition as it provokes one to always question the assumptions which are always commonly forwarded; I mean if you end up fat, unsociable and poor one day because you listened to someone in TV or just read everything someone said is the best thing since sliced bread; how to you blame?
In my book, you have no one to blame but yourself. You deserve to be fat, unsociable and poor as you did not do what was most needful – exercise your free will and to lead your life wisely.
It will be interesting to see what the webmaster says, but don’t hold your breathe, in some cases, if what you said is true TOC was referenced in nearly 9 out of 10 articles, I don’t know who in their right mind is going to defend the indefensible, they either have to be stupid or very clever in my opinion. In either case, I read what I want, I write what, I want to write and where I walk is where I go. I don’t need to emulate anyone, not even Darkness – I am my own man.
As for the Intelligent Singaporean, that is a good idea, but what if it sparks off an arms race? Then how?
You see we have already accepted one reality here which most blogs dont factor in when they come online; we will always be discriminated, we will always be hunted and we will always be marginalized.
I believe what will not kill us will have to make us stronger.
Cheers
Harphoon
From 2008/10/05 at 5:44 PM
Bernard leong made that very clear to us. Then the national library board. Then TOC. But notice, we are still around.
[Consolidated]
October 5th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
From 2008/10/05 at 8:06 PM
You see with all the race mail, hate speech, faith post from zombie, teddies etc.
I am not exactly the best person to be the nicest person these days. Somewhere at the back of my head, I am still wondering why were these post allowed to get through the filter.
To be frankly honest, I am just waiting for the merest excuse to restart the Intelligent Singaporean.
Rest assured, I have a feeling this will be last time the webmaster here will be doing this recommendation shit.
See I do NOT even give one flying fuck whether they band us or not.
And you really need to ask why?
Maybe we have a plan B?
Have you considered that? To be perfectly honest, I just don’t have time for stupid ppl these days.
Cheers
Harphoon
From 2008/10/05 at 8:24 PM
If any of you have any other complains bring it to me. We have sorted out the recommendation shit. If it occurs again come next week, we will sort it out.
As for the webmaster here, I want you to all to consider this. Relationship was good to excellent before, so how did it fuck up? Why?
I want you all to think about that and please don’t say I am overeacting. I have been very patient, but let us say every man has a snapping point, mine has been reached.
Send my regards to Many Teddies
Harphoon
[consolidated]
October 5th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
From 2008/10/05 at 9:23 PM
Or maybe hello kitty you can share with all of us how many times TOC gets a “recommendation” tag along side other sites.
Meanwhile the Singapore Daily. You can respond to her question.
Or maybe I shall rethink my offer to Aaron of AIMs again.
Make sure you give your reply before business day 1700 hr tmr.
I want you ALL in the Singapore Daily to ask - how did the relationship with you ppl and brotherhood deteriorate to such an extent.
That will be all. Whether AIMs get their final instalment of the report depends on how satisfied I am with your explanation.
Harphoon
From 2008/10/05 at 9:28 PM
So make sure you come with a good explanation, come up with something shallow and stupid and AIMs gets nothing.
As she said, what metrics do you use?
What is your criteria etc.
Tmr all of you will earn your salary for the very first time.
Harphoon.
[Consolidated]
October 6th, 2008 at 11:37 am
I don’t recall tagging “Recommended” to every article from one source..
“exercise your free will and lead your life wisely”. Excellent advice.
October 6th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Calling all bloggers,
I don’t have any misgivings many of the proposals forwarded by the ASDF of the brotherhood to our gahmen will work brilliantly.
Firstly, they have been careful to adopt a traditional and orthodox dont rock the boat approach, designed to appeal to people who are basically of the same genre as themselves.
Secondly, it will be effective in placating most if not all of gahmen’s worse fears.
Only one should always be mindful of the ASDF. Firstly, who are the ASDF? Though they number only a few, this small group of Mandarins wield a disproportionate influence over the international gaming community, virtually every aspect of politics, economics, trade and commerce comes under their purview.
They have managed to successfully whirl their way into the upper echelons of RPG by selling brain power to the highest bidder. You could even say for any gaming community to gain ascendancy, they would do well not to be in the bad books of the ASDF.
As a result, they operate one of the largest gaming extortion syndicates second only to the Russian mafia. Every gamer is forced to pay tribute to the ASDF as a retainer. The joke is the call it a retainer fee. If one doesn’t pay, one cannot even gain access to the simplest stages of playing the game. They would not even be able to transverse the infinity of space. As the ASDF have all the houses who have monopolized space fold under their thumb screws. If one refuses to pay, one may be bullied into submission. As the ASDF has a right of veto in the Internationale Confederation (the UN of the gaming world). There are some estimates that the ASDF to date is one of the wealthiest family in the gaming fraternity.
As interplanetary power brokers. The ASDF of the brotherhood sell themselves as “valued advisors” and counselari’s. They are especially fond of presenting their patrons space stations, but what they don’t tell you is, you would also have to buy ONLY brotherhood manufactured space ships as all their cargo bays are only designed to fit their space ships. You will also have to buy into their operating system as all their communication platforms are commoditized. And you would also have to be signatories of their interplanetary treatise, which allows the stationing of a garrison of brotherhood troops in your territory. In effect, they will own you!
If gahmen buys into their logic, I don’t doubt for one moment it will all work wonderfully to produce all top drawer results. However bear in mind, that brotherhood plans are rarely structured from A to Z. Instead they are deliberately designed strictly along a turn key logic, that is to say, you will always need them to return again at the completion of each phase to move on to the next.
This is what I call the 1 step foward, 2 step back shuffle ultimate con job which they have perfected to a veritable science. It is during the mature stages when they are needed most that they will begin to manifest their true colors. They will send their guilds to talk to you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSV9S2Ol3bc
Then they will begin to demand terms and concessions by turning the thumb screws. Neither are they coy about it. If they dont get their way, they will seized it by force of arms.
By this late stage self determination and emancipation would dissolve into a distant memory. In short, you will be so wholly dependent on them that they will own every aspect of your destiny and more.
I wonder should our gahmen even be dealing with this people? You all have absolutely no idea who you are dealing with. I rather take my chances with the devil any day! The way I see it, hell looks like a five star hotel compared to where the brotherhood are taking all of us.
To most of us, it is just a game, but to these people, I cannot tell you how real it is.
brotherhood squirmer
[rescued from akismet]
October 8th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Whatever it is boys. I think, you should still try to get the report ready and submit it to Mr Cheong and the rest before the shop closes.
Whether they mention you or not is not the point. Whether you get tagged as a recommended read or not is not important either. Whether the press mentions you or not is even less of a case. You should all do it for our sake and in remembrance of Darkness.
Darkness fought against community moderation. He did it all alone. As many of you refused to even help him. As some of you believe it is best to let the matter be and simply close the door in a mind your own business attitude.
But if you all also noticed, he also did not once care whether they replied to any of his questions. That was why I believe they failed. He kept on hitting them again and again and again. From every angle and he hit so hard that when AIMS said no to the whole idea of community moderation, they just went down for the count and stayed down.
The fact of the matter is this, the internet is a very funny place everyone knows who is really who here, so if you say, you are going to do something and you let a fly in the ointment spoil it all.
What does that really say about you? What does that say about Darkness, your leader? I cant help thinking Darkness would have done it very differently.
Be good
October 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Dear all,
Everyone please remain calm. I am very sure, there will be plenty of time to look into all these matters which some of you have raised, like how come 9 out of 10 times, Gerald Giam, Yawning Bread and TOC seems to bag 90% of the “recommended” tags> Along with other questions like how does the Singapore Daily actually make the decision to accord these tags? And how come not even a single article written by darkness has ever received a tag? Frankly speaking even I am very interested to know.
My primary job for the time being is to stop this matter from escalating any further. I want the fire to die down, not to fuel it to greater heights. I don’t believe that will be constructive.
The brotherhood have informed me in their quite matter of fact style, they will NOT be submitting their final part 3 to AIMs ANY longer.
As they do NOT consider the reply given by the Singapore Daily to Hello Kitty’s question satisfactory, that is all they have said. No elaboration beyond what I have just mentioned.
Instead, they will ONLY submit it, one day AFTER Cheong Yip Seng officially makes his recommendations to our govt.
I did inform Harphoon that if they did that, then it would be pointless as the boat would have sailed by then. He said, they should have made those calculations before they replied then.
They all seem to stand in one line on this. That’s the funny thing about brotherhood, when they think, they are under attack. Everyone puts aside their differences and they lock their shields together and everyone looks up to the leader, in this case, it’s Harphoon.
The only group within the brotherhood that doesn’t agree with the decision are the ASDF, as they are the one’s doing 99% of the donkey work, so that’s perfectly understandable. My feel is this may not be a very good time to press the matter further. It looks pretty terminal and final at this stage.
Reg
Y2K
From 2008/10/08 at 6:15 PM
“Instead, they will ONLY submit it, one day AFTER Cheong Yip Seng officially makes his recommendations to our govt.”
Correction.
I meant to say, they (brotherhood) will submit it, at the SAME TIME as when AIMs makes their official recommendations to our govt.
Thxs
Y2K
[Consolidated]
October 8th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
The people I really feel sorry for are the lads in the asdf.
They have been working non stop. Even running their simulations on 3 consecutive shifts using 3 teams, they seem very down hearted by the sudden turn of events.
Every concept in their report is like a component in a rocket. It’s subjected to a battery of relentless testing and ceaseless proofing, till it is 100% by every practical definition of the word. If it fails even so much as once in a hundred, it’s stripped down and a new team is assigned and rebuilt from zero again. And they do this not once, but again and again and again and god knows how many times. Till when they fire it up everything works so perfectly that it is really like a dream. From what little I have been able to spy out its really a brilliant piece of work and the credit must surely go to Vollariane (the head of the asdf). I have spent a lot of time with the asdf, in this past few weeks and I really must say, I now see things in a different light. It was an effort that all of us in blogoland could be really proud of.
As it is, what can I say? Always remember, I am just Y2K, a humble cog in a very big machine.
From 2008/10/08 at 8:22 PM
I happen to know the brotherhood very well, they have asked a question and they will not give up.
My advise to the Singapore Daily is to do one of the following,
(1) Drop them (the BP) completely from the aggregation list of blogs exactly in the same way TOC boycotts the brotherhood press.
(2)Alternatively, supply a detailed explanation - why is it ONLY TOC, Gerald Giam and YB regularly makes up 90% of the “recommended” read list and why is it NOT a single post by Darkness has been tagged as such.
(3) Insert a foot note in their weekly review, stating categorically the bp does NOT want any part in this selection process. And is therefore excluded.
One thing is clear, they are not afraid of you.
Why should they be? They have no shortage of options.
Besides did you not know the Singapore Daily ONLY accounts for less than 3% of their readership in JUST STUFF.
You mean you actually believe those ranking stats in technocrati - did you know the brotherhood knows at least 50 ways how to manipulate them?
Do you see how it is when you have options?
Y2K.
As I said, I do not want the fire to grow bigger, but it has, what can I do?
I can guarantee you one thing like the issue with bernard leong, the national library board etc. This will not just go away.
It will always stay there, till today they are still asking why did the Singapore Daily allow Many Teddies to take pot shots at them.
I fear they planned it all along. I fear this is pay back time. You see darkness taught those boys one thing,
“keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.”
It is the end game and who suffers?
You guess right, our government. You could say they overplayed their position, dont you think so?
Good night, I have a feeling this will be my very last post.
Y2K
[consolidated]
October 9th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Hiya all,
Why so dead pan serious? This is probably none of my business, but it looks very bad. And what is bad is usually no good for the readers and writers. I am not just referring to BP, but also the rest of the bloggers out there. While I believe the bp could have adopted a less confrontational stance to put across their point to the singapore daily administrators. Nonetheless, I believe they have asked a perfectly valid question that has been at the back of the minds of most bloggers.
Why is it only a certain select few regularly get a recommended label? If it occurs infrequently, then I can understand, but the problem is it just seems to be the same people all the time.
So naturally many people will begin to wonder what is this whole idea of promoting these reads? Is there a plan here to subtlely steer the writing direction in blogosphere by handing out brownie and reward points? So it is not unusual for them to demand to know, how are these decisions to award a recommended read made? What for instance is the criteria?
Whatever it is, it has certainly backfired. And now the admin of the singapore daily will have one of the 3 choices presented by Y2K. I hope whatever decision is made we can all still get a very straight forward explanation on how these recommended read decisions are made. And whatever this goes, I hope that the Singapore daily will try to sort out their differences with the Brotherhood press. Even if you people give in to their demands, but the readers here benefit, you will still be doing a public service that benefits most. But if you fight them, they will fight you back and not only will they do that, they will up the ante and start to be a moving target like the way they used to be, posting all over the place. If that happens who wins, as readers, it will make navigation a hell and as a aggregator you will only reflect one side of the coin.
Best to make peace and maybe just aggregate them, but make it clear that they dont want to be part of your recommended selection. That will also mean, they will never ever get recommended, but then again even if it were otherwise, they were not recommended any way, so what do they lose? That way everyone wins and no one loses, least of all, us readers.
Just remember this all. Just because the comments line is empty doesn’t mean a whole lot of people is watching this stand off. I was informed of this via SMS. That is how bad it is.
Another thing it will be a great loss to blogosphere that the brotherhood have decided not to cooperate with AIMS. Our hopes there have been dashed. And despite all your great work, it will be all for nought, as it will just end up in the dustbin.
All for what I wonder? For people who are so smart you people can be so incredibly dumb.
Thanks
October 9th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
It’s so sad, right. That they can be such a bully that they DEMAND a right to reply, they DEMAND that their vicious spew be marked by others for praise, OR ELSE! I would be laughing if it weren’t so much like a certain group of people we all know.
October 9th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Guild
Extend Part 3 to one month after the official submission by AIMs.
Thank you and if we are not aggregated here.
Burn it!
Harphoon
How do you fight fire, with fire of course.
I warned you all, but it seems you ppl don’t seem to take me seriously.
So as you can see I have to treat you like a $20 prostitute.
Who is to blame for this?
Harphoon
October 9th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
We asked a perfectly valid and legitimate question.
(a) how does the singapore daily derive at a “recommended” tag. Is the same way as Mr Raju of the National Library board when he decides to put on his curry leaf crown, as we do not know!
(b) Why is it NOT as single one of Darkness article has been tagged as recommended? And why is it the same ppl seem to be tagged as the recommended read?
You deal with that, meanwhile when you allow comments like October 9th, 2008 at 5:49 pm to go through we will go after you.
As for NLB, the end of the year is coming and I believe the next 100 is scheduled to be listed.
You actually believe we have forgotten?
You must be joking. You have no idea how long we have been waiting for this.
Harphoon
October 9th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Singapore Daily,
You are doing a fine job. Don’t worry too much about this so called “brotherhood”. I think its just crazy person study too much and with a lot of time to write nonsense and piss people off. I’m surprise you are so patient with them. I banned them from my blog long ago because of their nonsense.
October 9th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Pls bear in mind the curry leaf reference is not a racist statement - the curry leaf as I understand it just happens to be an imperial symbol, Helichrysum italicum - in times antiquity it was considered auspicious for leaders to bear it as a symbol of authority.
You see, you cannot touch me on the technicalities, I know how to play this game only too well.
Harphoon
October 9th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Not “banned them”. It’s “banned him”. I think its only one person.
October 9th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
It is very simple question - how does the Singapore Daily come out with the recommended tags?
What criteria do you use? It isn’t even my question. As I understand it, it was actually asked by one Hello Kitty.
Why can’t you just answer the question?
LOL
Harphoon
October 9th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Yeah sure, one person is so smart that he can squeeze the whole world in his brain.
Yeah sure!
Let me tell you what you numbskulls have. One IP. That is all you have. One IP. And what else? Nothing else.
Good night
Harphoon.
I have a right to ask this question and on record, I asked it, even if the cost to us was so very high. As I believe every netizen deserves to know.
On record, you the Singapore Daily, did not answer it. And you will simply have to live with that reality.
And the rest of blogosphere have to ask why?
As much as you want to gloss over the facts and treat it as trivia, that is as good as it will ever get.
Harphoon
October 9th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Calm down guys. To answer your question about the recommended tags: I thought it might be useful for people who just have time to quick read a couple of articles for the week. So I put a sort of “thumbs up” to some of the articles that I personally enjoyed reading. There’s no other criteria, really. It’s a personal opinion I thought I’d share with everyone. Some will agree with my choices, some will disagree. There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing. Maybe the word “Recommended” gave some of you the wrong idea, but I actually tried putting small thumbs-up images initially but they messed up the alignments.
g
October 9th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
No one is going to help you in the whole of blogosphere. They’re just going to fold their arms and watch silently.
You know why don’t you? Because deep down inside every writer’s heart. They basically, ALL want to know the answer to the SAME question that Hello Kitty raised.
That’s to say, they’re all wondering at the back of their heads whether all this awarding of Brownie points isn’t perhaps some master plan by someone or some group to rail road them to write and think in a certain way that is “acceptable” to ONLY a certain group of people.
And let me share with why, that’s such a lousy idea in the long term.
First of all, its insincere and secondly it darn right insulting to my intelligence.
Because if you really want people to write in the particular way that you believe is “constructive” and “good” to serve whoever.
Then the last thing you should ever do is to keep on highlighting the SAME blogs every single week.
You know why don’t you? Because people aren’t stupid like what you people seem to believe.
At some point they will begin to ask, why is the Singapore daily promoting the SAME blogs every single week as the recommended reads?
I mean what is the probability of that happening again and again and again and again. Probably the same as winning the national lottery twice in a row.
If they are really so good in the first place, then why is there even a need to keep on repeating the obvious? So they can’t be very good can they?
And you know what will happen after that, don’t you?
Yeap, terminal skepticism and cynicism will begin to creep in.
Not only will they begin to do the direct opposite of what you want them to do. They will even start to think the direct opposite of what you want them to think.
And you can’t blame them, because that is normal reaction of well balanced people who have a deep spirited sense of pride and self esteem whenever they realize someone else is trying to control and manipulate their minds.
You’re in effect insulting their intelligence and disrespecting their right to free will.
And that is why we feel the need to speak out.
I know what is the cost to us. I am not stupid. I know it only too well, but have always been a honest man in blogosphere. So I will never allow it to happen in my watch.
Above all have you ever considered why most people in blogosphere will just fold their arms and watch all this quietly by the sideline?
Have you ever considered one theoretical possibility. We could very well just be proxies. Yes acting on the behalf of other bloggers. Always remember just because you don’t see people talking about you doesn’t mean they aren’t talking. It just means they want you to believe, they aren’t talking about you.
Think about that next time when you decide to embark on another great social experiment on behalf of you know who. Or do you want me to tell them?
That will be all.
Harphoon 2008
October 10th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Hi G.
Good morning. It may be a good idea to just let leave it at that. Frankly, speaking, I’ve always suspected that was your main motivation all along and there was nothing really subversive and insidious about it.That is what I have been trying to tell them all along, so it is good, you confirmed it (I just want to tell all, I never e-mailed ‘g’ privately. You can all check it up with him as well)
I think October 9th, 2008 at 11:03 pm goes a long way to heal the rift and bring about understanding.
You may not realize this. But you may have also checkmated Harphoon in one move at 11:03.
Let me share with you why, although I have spent only a short period in Primus Aldentes Prime, I have taken the trouble to study their culture, it’s essentially a gaming culture.
You see they cannot win by just crushing their opponents with impunity. For them to score a win point, it’s a highly ritualized and stylized affair like Chinese Opera, two elements are required, one is sportsmanship, this roughly accounts for 75%. The other is the technical strike which only accounts for 25%.
That means if they defeat you in the same way as lets say the unsportsmanship manner in which a political party once fixed up an opposition MP by declaring him a bankrupt and casting him into the wilderness, they don’t win as much as lose big time.
In brotherhood gaming culture, there is no greater sin than to strike down the unarmed. If any man breaks this social convention, he will not only be shunned by his own tribe. He will be denied fire, shelter and water and all his credits and estate will be confiscated and given to the one who he once vanquished. He is in effect habis, finished, kaput. No one is above the law and this is tribal law, it is enforced socially by the elders and it’s effects infinitely worst than black letter law.
Harphoon is a wise man, he knows this only too well. He knows this is where he would have to stop and simply accept your explanation. He knows too many people are watching in the shadows. And he knows that if he pushes the matter further, there is a real danger the rest will strike him down. He knows. The rules of their game are crystal clear, he has to stop here.
I hope everything returns to the way it used to be, this is no good for either you people, us or any of our readers. No one wins and everyone loses.
Y2K
October 10th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
:)
Y2K is spot on. Just stay down for the full count and avoid eye contact. He can’t do anything, if you just drop your ray gun.
It cant be very different from this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2agLCjMY7og
Good thing is this is probably how they will treat our gahmen as well.
I am just wondering. Does this all mean, we all press the reset button and you ppl are going to go online and submit the Part 3 report to Mr Cheong Yip Seng & gang?
I am sorry for asking this questions, but it is very confusing, as I am dylexic and this is really like following a basket game, I lost track of the ball.
Colgate People
October 10th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
To Sgdaily
“Calm down guys. To answer your question about the recommended tags: I thought it might be useful for people who just have time to quick read a couple of articles for the week. So I put a sort of “thumbs up” to some of the articles that I personally enjoyed reading. There’s no other criteria, really. It’s a personal opinion I thought I’d share with everyone. Some will agree with my choices, some will disagree. There’s nothing wrong with disagreeing. Maybe the word “Recommended” gave some of you the wrong idea, but I actually tried putting small thumbs-up images initially but they messed up the alignments.”
Why didn’t you come up with this explanation in the very beginning when they asked you for it?
Instead, if memory serves, you gave them some smarty pants reply like, see post No.13 above
“I don’t recall tagging “Recommended” to every article from one source..
“exercise your free will and lead your life wisely”. Excellent advice.”
Next time when someone ask you the time, don’t go and tell them what sort of panties your gf is wearing or what you had for breakfast, just answer the flipping question. When you don’t answer the question that is when all the mind games and speculation starts.
Guess what? Those space looney’s may believe you, but I don’t believe you. Not even for a bit. You know why? I have checked out all the list of recommended reads that you have highlighted and I have discovered they ALL have one thing in common. The vast majority of the blogs mentioned are exactly the same bloggers that the strait times keeps promoting no end. And you recommended is designed to side track us all from the main issue in blogoland. Dont believe go check JBJ last week and notice there is only one recommended read among maybe 30 to 40 post. Hey not only that, it was the mildest of the lot, as Lucky Tan is known to be a light weight. So maybe you can tell us what is the chances of that happening on even a very good friday?
Good luck on the long shot, you’re going need alot of luck on this one. I really don’t think anyone here really believes you.
I don’t think the brotherhood believe you either to be perfectly frank and honest with you. For anyone to take the position they did, they would have had to say, “fuck the relationship, lets burn the bridge first, and latter figure out how to cross it.”
Dont trust you. Dont believe you.