The Singapore Daily

Countdown to Elections
- The Bosonic State: The Secrecy of an Overseas Vote
- TOC: Vivian Balakrishnan – fallen off the speeding boat?
- The Temasek Review: Chee-Chiam cat-fight and the art of shooting oneself in the foot
- Icarus Flew Too High: Chiam, Lina et al. A Disgrace for Singapore Politics
- utopia8787: Vote PAP out Facebook Message

Housing Singaporeans
- TOC: HDB: Cannot withdraw cash profits anymore when you sell?
- The Temasek Review: Singaporeans spent 68 percent of annual CPF contributions on housing
- Singaporean Skeptic: Comparing a HDB property to a financial asset (bond).
- Musings From the Lion City: Choice

Gahmen and New Media
- The Temasek Review: The futility of engaging the PAP in both real life and cyberspace
- Small steps for Social PR: Astroturf where the grass is same same but different

Strangers in a Strange Land
- TOC: Singaporeans furrow their brows over water festival
- The Temasek Review: Singaporean working in China lashed out at grouses of Singapore PRs

Poor in Stingypore
- ambiguity: Vivian’s Virulent Verbilization

Healthcare & Healthcare Providers
- Singapore Alternatives: Health Care System: Where is the role of PAP Govt in taking care of Singaporeans?

Lee vs NYT
- Outside the Beltway: NYT Apologizes for Singapore Truth
- Business Insider: New York Times Apologizes And Pays $114,000 For Breaking Secret Promise Not To Say Something Someone Didn’t Like

Religion
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Spreading the Prosperity Gospel in Singapore..

Daily Discourse
- Blowin’ In The Wind: Singapore Inc: Competition Ltd, high-tech but
- guanyinmiao’s musings: Singapore’s Generation X, Y, Z: Shaking Off The Temptations Of Generalisations
- Jacob 69er: Singapore first among ASEAN to make list of top 10 biggest arms importers. And then there’s the Iron Dome.
- Singapore Life and Times: Putting your best mouth forward
- TOC: ASEAN human rights commission stumbles at first hurdle [Thanks Hazel]

Life, the universe and everything
- Seelan Palay’s Blog: César Chávez (31.03.1927 – 23.04.1993)

Selected News Stories
- The Jakarta Globe: Singapore a Global Hub for Wildlife Trafficking: Activists
- The Star: Teen girl asks counsellor for sex guidance
- Bloomberg: Temasek, Seeking Mining Assets, Invests $100 Million in Platmin
- Bernama: Parliament: JB-Singapore MRT Project Should Be Implemented Fast
- Sun2Surf: Opportunity, money and equality
- Reuters: Special report: High-rollers, triads and a Las Vegas giant
- Newsweek: The Scary New Rich
- The Medical News: Vertical living kids
- NYT The Lede: Moscow Commuters Post Grim Video and Photos Online After Bombings
- Reuters: The only real way out: Entrepreneurship
- Boston.com: Earth Hour 2010 [26 photos]

March 31st, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Comments (2)

Housing Singaporeans
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: CPF for housing = Miserable Retirement?
- Singapore Alternatives: HDB: Myths and Truth II
- Trapper’s Swamp: The problem with government forums

Gahmen and New Media
- Trapper’s Swamp: Still misunderstanding new media

Countdown to Elections
- Sgpolitics.net: SDP’s open letter to all opposition supporters

ERPains, Trains & Automobiles
- My Little Corner: Shortening the bus route may not resolve the frequency problem
- Singapore Commuter: Hub and spoke

Religion
- Andrew: Inside & Insights: Reasons why I am Arising and Building
- Cheat Grace: 3rd Example of cheatgrace pastor’s plagiarism [Thanks Deep Throat]

Lee vs NYT
- journalism.sg: Singapore leaders sue IHT, maintaining hardline defence of their integrity

Daily Discourse
- Trapper’s Swamp: Charged with what?
- The Asia File: Is Singapore working with Israel on a missile defence system? [Thanks Ben]

Life, the universe and everything
- The Kent Ridge Common: Upfront with: Ceriph
- The Pattern Trader: Why Traders Fail – Lesson 2
- blankanvas: first asian boy
- The Long and Winding Road: Where the stork once visited: Prinsep Street (Rochor to Middle Roads)

Selected News Stories
- Asia Sentinel: Singapore’s Gaming Gamble
- ST Forum: Euthanasia not the answer..
- Reuters: Cost burden of chronic illness in Asia growing
- Politifact: Top 10 facts to know about [US] health care reform
- NYT: How the Health Care Overhaul Could Affect You
- NYT: Doctors Offer Thoughts on Cutting Health Care Costs
- Spiegel online: ‘What Is So Bad About Dying?’
- AP: Miracle under scrutiny in John Paul beatification
- CNET: Can you appeal a YouTube ban?

March 30th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

Gahmen and New Media
- TOC: Engaging Singaporeans in new media: focus on the issues
- The Kent Ridge Common: Astro-turfing: What should count, and what shouldn’t
- Singapore Recalcitrant: The Prime Minister’s Conundrum
- Random Thoughts Of A Free Thinker: “Astroturfing” and rising property prices
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: What if I can’t write well?
- My sketchbook: Where do the feedback REALLY goes to?

Housing Singaporeans
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: “The govt is exploring how it can further tie a person’s CPF to the purchase and sale of an HDB flat”
- Singapore Life and Times: More or Less
- Singapore Aspirations: On foreigners owning property in Singapore
- Musings From the Lion City: Asset Rich, Cash Poor
- My Little Corner: Who sets the market rate? Private sector or URA?
- It’s all about Amelioration: Of Property Bubbles.. [Thanks Nabil]
- Singaporean Skeptic: Some silly Singaporeans think they can actually benefit from their HDB ‘assets’.
- Temasek Hedge: Cheong logic: property markets operate in mutually exclusive universes in Singapore

Countdown to Elections
- The Temasek Review: The Historical baggage between SDP and the Singapore media
- On Nation and State: What is a representative government?
- Trapper’s Swamp: Banning GRC walkovers

Poor in Stingypore
- TOC: Poor? Government “will deliver meals to you”
- Icarus Flew Too High: “We will deliver meals on wheels to you…”

Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!
- TOC: PAP, ignore Sheng Siong debacle at your risk

Budget 2010 Debate
- Sgpolitics.net: Minimum wage and productivity take centre stage at SDP forum

Strangers in a Strange Land
- The Temasek Review: Singapore bus company mass recruiting PRC bus drivers from Chengdu, China

Lee vs NYT
- voix.deviant: Down the memoryhole [Thanks Ian]
- Blowin’ In The Wind: Reporters Without Borders raps Singapore
- Yahoo News: Stop suing journalists: RSF tells Singapore leaders

We are against Capital Punishment
- TOC: Yong Vui Kong – the defence’s argument

Healthcare & Healthcare Providers
- Singapore M.D.: Top 10 Challenges In The Emergency Department

Religion
- TOC: Church member critical of City Harvest Church’s investment in Suntec

Goal 2010
- Blowin’ In The Wind: Why rant against Fifa? Boycott World Cup

Daily Discourse
- The Temasek Review: Our Poor Employment Practices – Lack of retrenchment benefits
- Barnyard Chorus: A Rant, If I May

Life, the universe and everything
- Zach’s Thought Blot: The End of Nations

Selected News Stories
- The Star: 4,500 – and still counting
- Jamaica Gleaner News: The downside of casinos
- Bangkok Post: Catching a ruthless mangda — the pimp who promised the world
- ST Forum: New property index shouldn’t be restrictive
- ST Forum: Timely reminder for Singapore’s insurance firms
- BBC: Skyful of Lies
- WSJ: Before They Were Titans, Moguls and Newsmakers, These People Were…Rejected
- NYT: The Widening Scandal in the Church
- Reuters: Bollywood film breaks new ground on sex in India
- Telegraph: Ford sells Volvo to Chinese car maker Geely for $1.8bn
- The Economist: Devolving Volvo
- CrackTow: The Human Alphabet Designs (27 Photos)

March 29th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Comments (2)

“We are far too remarkable to be repressed.”
theinkhorn

“This country is not a religious battleground, and if we are still sensible, should never be one.”
Callan Tham

“Singapore needs to evolve away from the very bare definition that a country is defined by geographical boundaries. Singapore needs to be a well-articulated idea.”
Tribolum

“..is there a need for this creature, permanent residency?”
Singapore Aspirant

“Talking a 30 year loan is not a trivial thing – during the 30 years, many things can happen include the high likelihood of interest rates going up, job loss, illness, etc”
LuckySingaporean

This week’s roundup and recommended reads after the break.
More »

March 27th, 2010 | Category: Weekly Roundup | Leave a comment

Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!
- TOC: TOC Editorial: Sheng Shiong’s extortionate increase – a failure of political representation
- I’m getting personal: Join SAVE OUR WET MARKETS! SAVE OUR HERITAGE!

Countdown to Elections
- The Kent Ridge Common: Why we should go ahead with the walkover ban [Thanks Lester]
- ST Forum: Banning walkovers unfair

Strangers in a Strange Land
- My Singapore News: Going ahead with the Water Festival? [Thanks Eddie]
- utopia8787: 20 March 2010 Weekly Saturday Speech – Influx of Foreigners

Housing Singaporeans
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: The TRUTH about Housing affordability in Singapore..

Lee vs NYT
- Reporters Sans Frontières: Open letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
- The Asia File: Singapore outplays the international media again [Thanks Ben]
- Blowin’ In The Wind: $114,000 paid for nine words

Little Green Dot
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: Singaporeans urged to save water
- Carpe Diem: Nestle contributing to deforestation

ERPains, Trains & Automobiles
- Singapore Aspirations: On providing public transport for the disabled

Religion
- Irreligious: A City Harvest member writes to the Commissioner of Charities (CoC) [Thanks Terence]
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Mega-churches.. Mega-finances..
- Singapore Aspirations: On the City Harvest Church and S$310 million

Daily Discourse
- The Temasek Review: What exactly is the Singapore identity which binds us together?

Life, the universe and everything
- Mathia Lee: freedom of expressing

Infoblogoramus
- Wild Shores of Singapore: Be a part of Singapore’s new natural history museum!

Selected News Stories
- ST Forum: Premium questions for motor insurers
- Business Insider: 12 Bubblicious Global Cities Where Luxury Real Estate Is Booming
- Guardian: How China’s internet generation broke the silence
- NYT Automobiles: G.M. EN-V: Sharpening the Focus of Future Urban Mobility
- The Daily Beast: The 40 Deadliest Fast-Food Meals
- Daily Intel: Facebook Snagged in IKEA Promo Hoax
- The Frame: Bird singing contests [large photos]
- The Independent: Revealed: the bid to corner world’s bluefin tuna market [Thank Jenn]

A plug for our friend Seelan.
Attend SDP’s Alternative Economic Programme forum this Sunday

After publishing a series of articles on their Alternative Economic Programme, the SDP is organising a forum this Sunday to collect public feedback on their proposals. Please feel welcome to attend and participate:

28 Mar, Sunday, 2-5pm
A Public Discussion: The SDP’s Economic Alternative Programme
Hotel Grand Pacific (formerly Allson Hotel), 101 Victoria St, Victoria Rm, Level 2

For more info, read here.

March 26th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

Ju Daha 주다하 (born 16 Dec 1985) is a Korean model and race queen. Pictures after the break.

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March 26th, 2010 | Category: Daily ChioBu | Leave a comment

Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!
- TOC: Universities increase fees: $677m net investment loss?
- The Temasek Review: Sheng Siong increased rental by 30 percent at the 5 wet markets bought by them
- I’m getting personal: SDP’s worst fears about Sheng Siong come true

Countdown to Elections
- The Temasek Review: Understanding the attitude of the PAP

Strangers in a Strange Land
- Singapore Aspirations: On Singapore citizenship and permanent residency

Sin City
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: The TRUTH about the casinos!
- Musings From the Lion City: What For?

Little Green Dot
- The Gigamole Diaries: Climatology – Post-Normal Science

National Service
- Military Life: America’s War Dead [Thanks Panzer]

Re education
- guanyinmiao’s musings: Increase Engagement Of Singapore Sports Agencies In Physical Education

Religion
- The Temasek Review: City Harvest Church continues to come under fire from skeptical Singaporeans on ST Forum over its purchase of Suntec stake

Lee vs NYT
- Blowin’ In The Wind: New York Times apology to PM Lee and his father
- NYT: Times Co. Settles Claim in Singapore
- Reuters: New York Times pays damages to Singapore’s leaders
- Asia Sentinel: Singapore’s Lees Cow the International Herald Tribune Again
- The Future of Capitalism: NY Times Settles With Singapore
- NYT: [The] Apology
- Singabloodypore: All in the Family [The offending article]

Lee vs Chee
- journalism.sg: Journalist defends interview with Chee: he really was evasive
- The Temasek Review: Dr Chee Soon Juan replies to Zaobao journalist’s clarification on her Facebook

Daily Discourse
- The Temple Of Thoughts 3: Your Rights to Seating
- TOC: Early childhood teachers: Why are they being frowned upon?

Life, the universe and everything
- New Asia Republic: Give me Liberty or Give me Death!
- Blowin’ In The Wind: Facebook, not news, reigns in Singapore
- Barnyard Chorus: Happy Ada Lovelace Day

Infoblogoramus
- blankanvas: the white party 2010

Selected News Stories
- ST Forum: Why labour mobility may be difficult
- Haaretz: For Singapore, not Sderot
- Reuters: UPDATE 1-IMAX plans digital theater system in Singapore
- The Times of India: Singapore is best city for Asian expats!

This is the last daily news contribution from Gerald Ho as he takes time off to pursue other interests. If you come across an interesting news article from sources other than our state media that you feel should be shared, do email us. All the best Gerald!

Now that’s what I call a Final Year Project. Awesome work by the Comp Science guys from the University of Tromso in Norway.

March 25th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

It’s Google.cn no more. Starting 23 March, all traffic to Google.cn has been routed to Google.com.hk. Perhaps a minute of silence?

But Google is still maintaining it’s office in China for other Google products like Android. Gmail is still available in China. (Thankfully) Anyway, I’m sure the geeks knows how to get pass the great firewall of china easily.

News
- Google Blog: A new approach to China: an update
- BusinessWeek: Google Said to Have Made No Progress in China Dispute
- BBC: Chinese web users boycott Google
- MercuryNews: Joining Google, GoDaddy.com will halt some services in China
- PCWorld: It’s Official: Facebook Rules the Web
- Cnet: HTC fires back at Apple patent complaint
- Arstechnica: Complete ACTA text finally leaked
- InformationWeek: Palm Sales Plunge 29%
- TechGoondu: Garmin-Asus M10 available in Singapore 27th March
- Engadget: HTC EVO 4G is Sprint’s Android-powered knight in superphone armor
- Cnet: Sprint 4G phone packs ‘snappy’ silicon
- Engadget: HTC EVO 4G, Nexus One, and Droid face off on the charted field of battle
- JustinLee.sg: Windows 2000, XP SP2 and Vista End of Life Support
- NYTimes: Opera Mini Browser, Coming to an iPhone Near You

Reviews | Guides
- Engadget: Samsung Galaxy S hands-on
- WilfridWong.com: Experiencing Free Navigation And More
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: First Look: Lenovo Skylight
- TechieLobang: Sony Bloggie MHS-PM5K Review
- Benchmark Reviews: Microsoft Arc Wireless Keyboard Review

March 25th, 2010 | Category: Daily Tech | Leave a comment

Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: What has Jurong Town Council done to justify the S&C hike?
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Corporatization of Wet Markets ….Part 2
- Singapore Dino: Sheng Siong takes leaf from PAP book as it hikes market rent by 30%

We are against Capital Punishment
- Readings From A Political Duo-ble: Why the mandatory death penalty project will end up hurting the anti-death penalty cause?
- TOC: Do heartlanders support the Mandatory Death Penalty?
- TOC: The Moratorium on the Mandatory Death Penalty campaign

Strangers in a Strange Land
- The Temasek Review: Immigrants will exert heavy burden on limited public resources in Singapore 20 years down the road
- TOC: Bridging Gaps- Malaysian and PRC Scholars Speak of Struggles

Housing Singaporeans
- Singapore Alternatives: HDB: Myths and Truth I

Daily Discourse
- Tribolum.com: A Place in Our Hearts
- Sgpolitics.net: Killing the Dying
- The Temasek Review: PAP’s Singapore Economy: Starting Ahead, Finishing Behind – Comparing the experience between Singapore and South Korea
- TOC: Sexual harassment and sanctity of the workspace
- The Itch To Write: Why the need for TV Licence

Life, the universe and everything
- Irreligious: Religion and shit

Infoblogoramus
- TOC: MARUAH Pillar Talk – Human Rights in Singapore History: Questions, Assertions or Parenthesis?

Selected News Stories [Thanks Gerald Ho]
- CNET reHASHplus: Is fiber a vanity project for Singapore?
- Bloomberg: Singapore Consumer Prices Rise a Second Month as Economy Grows
- Reuters: UPDATE 1-Temasek bullish on mining in Mongolia, Africa
- The Frame: World Water Day [large photos]
- Boston.com: World Water Day [large photos]
- Reuters Life: Modern Etiquette: Ringing in good mobile phone manners
- The Big Money: Facebook’s Global Sprawl
- Business Insider: 10 Luxury Business Hotels That Will Make You Forget You’re On Business
- Reuters Soccer: Messi at start of long journey to becoming the best ever

March 24th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

We are against Capital Punishment
- TOC: When discretion could have saved a life: The case of Rozman bin Jusoh
- TOC: Presumed, presumption, deemed – and we take your life

Countdown to Elections
- The Temasek Review: Frustrated Singaporean wants walkovers to be banned in the next general election

Housing Singaporeans
- Singapore Alternatives: HDB for retirement financing? Think again..

Strangers in a Strange Land
- The Temasek Review: How uncontrolled immigration can destroy a nation: A comparative case study of the Korean kingdoms of Balhae (渤海) and Silla (新羅)

ERPains, Trains & Automobiles
- ambiguity: MRT Screen Doors: (Insert Synonym For Stupid Here)

Religion
- New Asia Republic: Religion and pluralism in a divided world
- Trapper’s Swamp: Christian Post attacks “secular society” again

Re education
- guanyinmiao’s musings: Introducing A Joint Singapore Universities Application System

Daily Discourse
- The Temasek Review: One in three poly or varsity graduate on contract job
- Michael Fernandez: The Scars of Detention
- The Asia File: US ambassador rows back from Singapore democracy comments

Life, the universe and everything
- The Long and Winding Road: Where a car once plunged into the sea: The Mata jetty in Sembawang
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: Standard Time by Mark Formanek
- Irreligious: Sports and spirituality: Uncle C. Kunalan

Infoblogoramus
- Moving Higher In Souped-up Heuristically Agon Moment: L’OREAL Beauty Sale
- XinYun @ SG: Event: Ben & Jerry’s Free Cone Day

March 23rd, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

Countdown to Elections
- Sgpolitics.net: Has incoming US ambassador to Singapore David Adelman embarrassed Kenneth Jeyaretnam?
- Yaw Shin Leong: A Collective Opposition Roar? Not Just Yet
- Seelan Palay’s Blog: Is Singapore a democracy?
- Trapper’s Swamp: We are the only ones who can change this country
- The Temasek Review: Lees and Shahs of Iran: The Day After Tomorrow

Strangers in a Strange Land
- The Temasek Review: Real earnings of Singaporeans decline as population of foreigners increase
- Hear Ye! Hear Ye!: Migrant workers should not be denied the right to know their rights

Healthcare & Healthcare Providers
- TOC: Gerard Ee – right in slamming physician assisted suicide
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: US Health care Reform Fight to End..

Re education
- The Kent Ridge Common: NUS raises tuition fees, cites ‘higher costs of operations
- Trapper’s Swamp: Universities announce fee hikes
- ambiguity: The Reason For Education
- The Sun Shines on Singapore: Chinese Language Education

Little Green Dot
- Wild Shores of Singapore: SiReNT, coastal erosion and mangroves
- The Gigamole Diaries: Impact of climate change in Singapore??

Woman No Enough
- TOC: Celebrity scandal – transgression, media circus, spectacle

Daily Discourse
- The Kent Ridge Common: Should City Harvest be taxed?
- Michael Fernandez: The Left-Wing Trade Unions in Singapore, 1945-1970
- Singapore Dino: Why is SR Nathan discussing official matters on a private visit?
- Loh and Behold: Co-existing with the Birds?
- Jacob 69er: {Video} SDP’s Let’s Talk with Dr James Gomez
- ERPZ: Coercion of Free Markets
- che det: DEMOCRACY [Thanks Gerald]

Life, the universe and everything
- Irreligious: Sports and spirituality: Interview with a 16-year old windsurfer

Infoblogoramus
- Miss Glitzy’s Monologue: Let’s Care and Celebrate! [Thanks DK]
- SGEntrepreneurs: Events For The Week – 21-27 Mar

Selected News Stories [Thanks Gerald Ho]
- ST Forum: Taxing time with mum’s insurer
- The Star: Red light area gets out of line
- Times of India: Some Creative Messiness, Please
- EIU: Sovereign Ratings
- Reuters: Health expenditure around the world
- Reuters MediaFile: Dot-Com: ‘Three Letters and a Punctuation Mark’ That Changed the World
- NYT: America’s Real Dream Team

March 22nd, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

“Concessionary travel for the disabled is merely a question of moral imperatives that strikes deep into our hearts, and the answers in Parliament on Thursday suggest that we have none.”
Khairulanwar Zaini

“..both public transport and public housing are BASIC SOCIAL SERVICES. Entities that provide these basic social services have more social responsibility that just mere private enterprises.”
Goh Meng Seng

“But today, the driver has long forgotten that the car is not just for the young and adventurous – it is for the children and for the elderly; for the handicapped and the unlucky too.”
Gangasudhan

“It is often one’s flaws that makes us human, and thus beautiful. As you desperately try to hide your flaws, you also hide yourself. Singapore, isn’t it about time that you let us see the real you?”
Surya

..”the liabilities of entrenching a generation of Singaporeans who are ‘barely have their heads above water’ have dire social and economic consequences for the next generation.”
Ian Choo

This week’s roundup and recommended reads after the break.
More »

March 20th, 2010 | Category: Weekly Roundup | Leave a comment

Budget 2010 Debate
- New Asia Republic: Why not a living wage?
- Gerald Giam: Tackling income inequality should be Govt’s top priority
- Ian On The Red Dot: Wages & Productivity – Building A Cathedral From Scratch
- The Temasek Review: Eight Reasons Why Foreign Workers Will be Preferred Over Our Local Ones
- Gerald Giam: Low Thia Khiang: Don’t cut pay of workers who reach 60
- Gerald Giam: Low Thia Khiang: Give part-time and contract workers have good training opportunities

Countdown to Elections
- Sgpolitics.net: Has Singapore a Future?

Housing Singaporeans
- All About Money: Oh what a tangle web..
- Who Moved My Singapore Cheese: Farce

Strangers in a Strange Land
- The Temasek Review: GLC Keppel Corp mass-recruiting Malaysians for jobs in Singapore

Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!
- TOC: $2 billion in PAP town councils’ sinking funds but need to increase charges?
- The Temasek Review: Declining wages of Singaporeans and the continued denial of PAP leaders

Re education
- The Temasek Review: 3 local varsities raise fees for Singapore students again

Lee vs Chee
- TOC: ST and LHZB censor Chee’s letter on PAP undermining Singapore’s interests

Daily Discourse
- Trapper’s Swamp: Broad definitions make for bad laws
- New Asia Republic: On rights and freedom of action [Thanks Donaldson]
- The Temasek Review: Only 11 cases of successful Public Assistance (PA) applicants from July 2008 to December 2009
- guanyinmiao’s musings: The Same Old Chinese / Mandarin Dilemma
- The Kent Ridge Common: KRMF 2010 takes a positive turn

Life, the universe and everything
- The Long and Winding Road: The magical hill with a fairy-tale like mansion that was Mount Sophia
- Singaporean Skeptic: It is called football (not soccer)!

Selected News Stories [Thanks Gerald Ho]
- CNN Go: It’s finally open — First look (and ride) at Universal Studios Singapore
- Reuters: Universal Studios Singapore courts 8 for lucky launch
- Crosscut: Singapore’s national dish: Hainan chicken rice
- The Age: Australia faces housing affordability ‘time bomb’: developer
- Reuters: Recession left “walking wounded” workers
- NYT Opinion: Changing the Vatican’s Response to Abuse
- Reuters: The promise of seven blood baths in Bangkok and no violence [bloody pics]
- Crack Two: Pollution makes for nice pics [large pics]

March 19th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Comments (2)

Maki Horikita (堀北真希 born 6 Oct 1988) is a Japanese actress. She had her acting debut in 2003 as a U-15 idol and has since starred in a number of Japanese television dramas, television and magazine ads, and films. Born Marina Hara, Horikita started appearing in TV advertisements in 2003. Her first photobooks featured her as a gravure model, but she gradually dropped gravure modeling to concentrate on her acting career. After gaining much recognition in numerous TV dramas, she bagged a Best Actress award for her lead role in the 2007 adaptation of the gender-bender manga Hana-Kimi (Hanazakari no Kimitachi e, 花样少年少女). In the same year, she was chosen by Vogue Nippon as one of its eleven recipients of the prestigious Women of the Year award.

Pictures from her last photobook S (Oct 2008) after the break.

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March 19th, 2010 | Category: Daily ChioBu | Leave a comment

Budget 2010 Debate
- Trapper’s Swamp: The Bogeyman of the “West”
- Blowin’ In The Wind: Defence spending around the world

Countdown to Elections
- Seelan Palay’s Blog: Why bloggers must disregard cooling off day
- The Temasek Review: Comparison of LIVE parliamentary debates of 5 countries and the “wayang” in the Singapore Parliament

Housing Singaporeans
- Singapore Alternatives: HDB’s Flawed Policy Direction
- The Temasek Review: Prices of resale HDB flats may rise further as PR quota reached in several estates
- En Bloc Block Blog: “Where laws end, tyranny begins.”

We are agsinst Capital Punishment
- TOC: Do we not have room for remorse, repentence and conversion?
- Rachel Zeng: Merely a co-incidence?

ERPains, Trains & Automobiles
- TOC: Re-tune the COE quota
- department of crappy engineering: manned but unmanned

Healthcare & Healthcare Providers
- The Gigamole Diaries: Cord blood banking – should you, or shouldn’t you?

Daily Discourse
- The Temasek Review: Why are surveys and rankings about Singapore always spectacular?
- TOC: Don’t stand in the way of evolving social workers

Life, the universe and everything
- The Pattern Trader: Why Traders Fail – Lesson 1
- Small steps for Social PR: Are Starhub MaxMobile Elite Users Getting What They Are Paying for?

Selected News Stories [Thanks Gerald Ho]
- Guardian: Heroin smuggler challenges Singapore death sentence
- Bloomberg: Singapore’s Export Growth Accelerates as Recovery Strengthens
- Reuters: In asset shift, Temasek checks out tech sector
- CNET: Singapore telcos talk LTE: Should you care?
- Washington Post: A stunning AIDS fact
- BBC: Too many visit GPs with minor ailments, campaigners say
- Reuters: Business must change to earn back the public’s trust

March 18th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

Budget 2010 Debate
- Gerald Giam: Sylvia Lim: Tier electricity pricing to favour small consumers
- The Temasek Review: Misleading ST article on “rise” in productivity when it continues to decrease in 2009

Countdown to Elections
- TOC: TOC Editorial: Cooling-off day may lead to heated confusion

Housing Singaporeans
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Debt and Delusion..
- Trapper’s Swamp: HDB flat prices to remain high, COV to stay

We are agsinst Capital Punishment
- Lianain Films: “For Me, I’m Hoping For A Miracle” [Thanks Seelan]

Strangers in a Strange Land
- Blowin’ In The Wind: More locals than foreigners hired after 2 years

ERPains, Trains & Automobiles
- guanyinmiao’s musings: Elevating Singapore’s Public Transportation By A Notch
- Brad’s Blog: MyTransport.SG: Why LTA Really Killed the ‘Park-a-Lot’ iPhone App

Healthcare & Healthcare Providers
- The Gigamole Diaries: Unethical screening – a timely warning

GIC, Temasek State Fund Investments
- The Grand Moofti Speaks: Singapore, Temasek, good governance and the Linaburg-Maduell Transparency Index

Woman No Enough
- TOC: Gagged by the church – Foyce Le Xuan
- Singapore Recalcitrant: The Misguided Heroism of Minister George Yeo
- The Sketch Times: Ohhh… Jacky Boyyyyy…
- Jarrod’s Infernal Emissions: I’mA brief interlude.. [Thanks Seelan]

Re education
- Random Thoughts Of A Free Thinker: “From an elite school”;《名校出身》

Daily Discourse
- journalism.sg: Independent Judiciary requires respect and support of public
- The Temasek Review: Why do we need so many PAP strawberries MPs in Parliament?
- Michael Fernandez: The Scars of Detention [Thanks Seelan]

Life, the universe and everything
- The Temasek Review: Singapore National Football Team: Let’s talk about statistics
- The Long and Winding Road: My stroll through the streets of that made up the Mahallah: Selegie Road

Now Showing
- Open Contours: Beyond the Model [Model Citizens]
- Cooler Insights: Of Love, Loss and Luscious CGI [The Lovely Bones]

Selected News Stories [Thanks Gerald Ho]
- Free Malaysia Today: Falling prey in the Lion City
- BusinessInsider: Singapore’s Huge Bet On Sex And Gambling Is About To Pay Off Big Time
- Guardian Gallery: Thailand protesters pour human blood on government’s gates
- NYT Health: When Your Partner Is a Sex Addict
- BBC: Baldness ‘could be good for your health’ say scientists
- Reuters: People leave unique trail of germs
- Dailymail: The super-sized 43st mother who is determined to become the world’s fattest woman
- Boston.com: Shanghai prepares for Expo 2010 [large photos]

Super White

via Who Moved My Singapore Cheese, who has dedicated this song to Mr Affordable.

March 17th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Comments (3)

News
- StraitsTimes: Transport info on the go
- Techgoondu: IT Show 2010: new Core i3 and i5 laptops rule
- sangsara.net: New Google Blogger templates narrowly arrive before second coming of Jesus
- Cibailang: Yes, confirmed, Facebook sets up office in Singapore
- TechieLobang: SingTel and Ericsson Ride the Waves of LTE Technology
- JustinLee.sg: Don Syme – Introduction to F#

Reviews | Guides
- LesterChan.net: Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight
- Tech65: Gear65 #53 – Handii Go10 Tablet PC
- Techgoondu: Free Unlimited Plants vs Zombies, Bejewelled2, Zuma and more

March 17th, 2010 | Category: Daily Tech | Comments (1)

We are against Capital Punishment
- Jacob 69er: Singapore’s Court of Appeal reserves judgment in Vui Kong’s appeal hearing
- TOC: M Ravi: Death penalty should not be dispensed ‘in an automated, robotic, spasmodic approach’
- TOC: Discretion to the judges – judgment reserved
- covered in his blood: A Bleak Take of the Court of Appeal and Yong Vui Kong [Thanks Paul]
- Rachel Zeng: Court of Appeal reserves judgement on Yong’s appeal

Housing Singaporeans
- Singapore Alternatives: Give us HDB Flats AT COST, NOT 30yrs mortgage Enslavement!

Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!
- The Temasek Review: Wages of Singaporeans declined by 3.2% as PAP ministers increase their own pay by 8.8%
- Blowin’ In The Wind: Long-term unemployment rising in Singapore

Woman No Enough
- Singapore Aspirations: On the Jack Neo sex scandal and sexual harassment in the workplace [Thanks singaporeaspirant]
- Trapper’s Swamp: It might be real news now

Daily Discourse
- New Asia Republic: Finding our way in New Asia
- The Rot Within: Two orthogonal distinctions
- Icarus Flew Too High: The Human Rights Paradox
- Barnyard Chorus: This is STupid
- Silent Eloquence: Singapore, the misunderstood child

Life, the universe and everything
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: Singapore National Figure Skating Championships to be held in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
- Good Morning Yesterday: Central Business District Petrol Stations
- Wild Shores of Singapore: What do you think about diving in Singapore?

Selected News Stories [Thanks Gerald Ho]
- The Independent: Singapore bling: Is the city-state ready to party?
- Reuters: Big rise in arms imports threatens SE Asia: report
- AFP: Developing world has launched ‘arms race’: think-tank
- Reuters IN: INTERVIEW – Opposition chief tells Singaporeans: Don’t be afraid
- Reuters: UPDATE 1-ST Telemedia buys stake in Malaysian 3G firm
- Reuters: Q+A-Is Malaysia heading to an early election?
- BBC: Media tycoons wanted: Make your own newspaper
- Reuters: Herpes and other most-read surprises
- Guardian: Absent-mindedness is a middle-aged male problem, research shows
- BBC: Deep breathing ‘cuts stress as much as massage’
- NYT Gadgetwise: America’s Top Phone Makers? Not Who You Think
- DailyFinance: We Are the World Wide Web! Happy 25th Birthday, Dot-Com

March 16th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Leave a comment

Budget 2010 Debate
- Gerald Giam: Sylvia Lim asks for concessionary travel for disabled on public transport
- Gerald Giam: Raymond Lim once proposed a way for “completely free” public transport
- TOC: Lonely out of the gravy train
- Singapore Alternatives: Transport Minister vs HDB Minister
- The Temasek Review: Why PAP MPs are no more but a “wayang” in Parliament
- Mr Wang Says So: The Strange History of Productivity in Singapore [Thanks Gerald]
- My sketchbook: How many civil servants to fix a light bulb?

Countdown to Elections
- TOC: Time for someone new to drive Singapore
- The Kent Ridge Common: Does the alternative media have anything to fear?
- Majulah!: New rulings for political chatters online.
- Singabloodypore: PAP nervous about New Media, introduces “guidelines”
- The Temasek Review: No need for Minister Lui Tuck Yew to teach netizens how to “self-regulate” themselves
- Mindblogging Stuff: Heaven & Hell (political version)

We are against Capital Punishment
- TOC: The story of a boy
- Seelan Palay’s Blog: Yong Vui Kong’s appeal on March 15

GIC, Temasek State Fund Investments
- The Asia File: Temasek’s Malaysian governance problem: what happened next
- Yours Truly Singapore: ‘Not realistic’ for GIC to avoid making any losses

Healthcare & Healthcare Providers
- Singapore M.D.: HIV in Singapore

Woman No Enough
- Irreligious: There’s a Jack Neo in all of us
- Cooler Insights: The Age of (Im)Morality and Immortality
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: Jack Neo Affair Scandal Press Conference
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Morality is not so easy..
- Icarus Flew Too High: Jack and George, o..
- The Lycan Times: Give us a break!
- TOC: Getting into bed with Jack Neo
- AWARE: AWARE’s comments on the Jack Neo affair [Thanks Gerald]
- The Star: Backseat frolics backfire [Thanks Gerald]

Daily Discourse
- TOC: Press Muse – Singaporeans dreaming
- New Asia Republic: Rights: The foundation of a free society
- guanyinmiao’s musings: Cease The Climate Change Lethargy
- Singapore Life and Times: A sharing we will go
- Singaporean Skeptic: Some Singaporeans are Real Bastards.

Life, the universe and everything
- Growing your tree of prosperity: If women are not choosy, men will have no standards. [Thanks Wai Chung]
- Eco WALK the talk: Knock, Knock, your Green Postman is here! [Thanks Bhavani]

Selected News Stories [Thanks Gerald Ho]
- Guardian: Lehman Brothers: Repo 105 and other accounting tricks
- Reuters Dealzone: Graphic: How “Repo 105″ worked
- Reuters: Factbox: Examiner’s findings of claims against Lehman officers
- Business Insider: Will Ernst & Young Survive The Lehman Fiasco?
- AP: Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund starts to open up
- NYT Consults: Assessing Your Risk of a Heart Attack
- Guardian Gallery: Thousands protest in Bangkok

March 15th, 2010 | Category: Daily Sg | Comments (1)