[MyAppleMenu] Apr 10, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Moonwalking With Einstein By Joshua Foer – Review <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/apr/10/moonwalking-einstein-joshua-foer-review?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Oliver Burkeman, The Guardian

Being able to recite the kings and queens of England means little, surely, compared with knowing where to find that information online in a matter of seconds, along with all the presidents of America, 30 recipes for spaghetti carbonara, the full text of Paradise Lost, and pretty much anything else. To invest precious time and energy enhancing my capacity for rote learning would seem eccentric. But such eccentrics do exist. The most talented (and, apparently, the most eccentric) spend their lives on the competitive memorisation circuit; the endearingly geeky world that Joshua Foer sets out to explore in this witty and revelatory book.

**** The $100 Million Pond <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/04/10/the_100_million_pond/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Ideas+section>
Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow, Boston Globe

A growing number of environmentalists, scientists, and economists have embraced the concept of putting a price tag on nature, which is reframed as “natural capital” and “ecosystem services.” Rather than casting nature as some abstract, awe-inspiring entity, or as a luxury trumped by economic imperatives, they see it as a provider of an array of specific, identifiable services that are vital to our well-being. And increasingly, they are deploying sophisticated methods to arrive at precise and credible dollar values. They hope that their painstaking analyses will lead to smarter decisions about land and water management. And, more broadly, the thinking is that hard numbers will resonate more than odes to Mother Earth — that dollar figures will allow people to better understand their own reliance on natural goods and services, as well as the costs of neglecting or destroying them.

**** I [Heart] The OED <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/04/10/i_heart_the_oed/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Ideas+section>
Jan Freeman, Boston Globe

A dictionary can, of course, “have dignity,” but its standing depends on scholarship, not censorship.

**** Out There In The Dark, All Alone <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/10/movies/the-24-hour-movie-and-digital-technology.html?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Manohla Dargis, New York Times

While many of us still go to movie theaters, the 24-hour movie now also comes to us, though sometimes us may be just one person sitting alone at a desk or on a train and staring at a glowing box. This new portable movie is convenient, and certainly wired-up companies like the new ways they can pump images to your devices. But it isn’t moviegoing as we have understood it for most of history.



SingaporeSurf
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**** What On Earth Is The Ground? <http://thinkingbetterthinkingmeta.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-on-earth-is-ground.html>
Sam Ho, Sam's Thoughts

Given the mix of different political leanings and ideas as well as how differently defined the "ground" is with more opposition participation in Parliament, more of the "ground" will be covered.

**** We Make You The SDP Promise <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4719-we-make-you-the-sdp-promise>
Singapore Democratic Party

By making our promises explicit, the SDP is effectively inviting our constituents to track the performance of our Parliamentarians. A party that makes no promises before elections, cannot be held accountable after the elections. We want our voters to know clearly what they are voting for and what they can expect when they elect our candidates into Parliament. 

**** WP Unveils Manifesto And Campaign Slogan For GE <http://ge2011.theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/wp-unveils-manifesto-and-campaign-slogan-for-ge/>
Bhavan Jaipragas, The Online Citizen

Ms Lim says the opposition should work towards occupying one-third of the seats in parliament to block such amendments. “It is in the national interest to restore our parliament’s role as a robust check to keep the government accountable. It is our view that the ruling party’s MPs cannot do this as they have to support the government agenda during voting,” she says.

Mr Singh, who outlined chapters in the manifesto dealing with governance, justice, arts and media, was emphatic about the WP’s call for a freedom of information act to be enacted. Such an act would allow citizens access to  information from the stateand would be crucial in allowing citizens to make informed economic decisions, for example. Mr Singh cites the purchase of property as one area where such information would be crucial to the public..

**** Believing In Your Own BS <http://harishpillay.wordpress.com/2011/04/09/believing-in-your-own-bs/>
Harish Pillay, Life One Degree North, One-O-Three Degrees East

We, as Singapore citizens, can help snap the ruling elite out of their stupor and hypnosis. By voting in non-PAP candidates into parliament, we will finally have the best Singapore we can have. A Singapore that we do not have to “believe in our own BS”. A Singapore that we can be truly proud to represent every one of us. A Singapore that Singaporeans can truly call their own.

**** Temasek Holdings: Several Key Singapore Assets Sold To Foreigners <http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/04/09/temasek-holdings-several-key-singapore-assets-sold-to-foreigners/>
The Temasek Review

“As a long-term international investor, Temasek welcomes investment opportunities from foreign or local investors in Singapore,’’ it said. ‘‘Indeed, Temasek has sold several key Singapore assets to foreign buyers in open international bids”.

“Such key assets sold to foreigners include the three major Singapore power generation companies, each of which generates about 30 per cent of Singapore’s electricity requirements. Australian buyers too have participated and won in such international bids for Temasek assets in Singapore,” Temasek said.

**** GE: Lim Boon Heng To Retire <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121873/1/.html>
Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia

Minister in the prime minister's office Lim Boon Heng has announced he would be retiring from politics.

**** GE: Study Opposition's Proposals Carefully <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121881/1/.html>
May Wong, Channel NewsAsia

The Workers' Party also made several proposals, such as pegging the prices of new HDB flats to the median incomes of qualifying households and assessing citizenship applicants based on a points system. Mr Wong said such ideas may look attractive, but it's important to scrutinise the plans.

**** A Letter To Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong <http://kirstenhan.me/2011/04/10/a-letter-to-prime-minister-lee-hsien-loong/>
Kirsten Han, Funny Little World

I understand that Singapore is trying to keep its residents safe by taking a tough stance on drugs. But does toughness have to cancel out sympathy, compassion and mercy?

Vui Kong was just a drug mule. He was the bottom of the chain, a mere pawn in a bigger game. His death will have no effect on the drug supply. The drug lord who used him has probably recruited 10, 20 more mules since his arrest. Killing him will achieve nothing. It will send no signal to the drug lord, who probably does not even remember his name.

Vui Kong has made a mistake, and he is trying to make himself a better person.

**** GE: SPP Names 2 GRC Candidates <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121893/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

The Singapore People's Party (SPP) unveiled on Sunday two candidates who would join veteran opposition MP Chiam See Tong in fighting the ruling People's Action Party in Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

One of them is 43-year-old Benjamin Pwee, a former government scholar and officer in the Administrative Service. Speaking to reporters in Mandarin and Cantonese, Mr Pwee said he grew up in Bishan and had joined his father in grassroots activities, so he knows the area well.

The other new candidate is 35-year-old Wilfred Leung, who was Mr Chiam's campaign manager in the last General Election. Mr Leung was a town councillor in Potong Pasir between 2006 and 2010.

**** ST Must Correct Huge Mistake On Front Page <http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4720-st-must-correct-huge-mistake-on-front-page>
Singapore Democratic Party

Even more egregious is that instead of having our logo on the banner, you put up some other party's.

This is sloppy reporting at its worst. It is unforgivable that your newspaper would make such a fundamental and glaring mistake over such important news.

Ballot papers in Singapore carry the party logo and symbol recognition is an important aspect of voting behaviour among Singaporeans.

**** GE: Reform Party In Talks To Share Candidates With Other Opposition Parties <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121912/1/.html>
Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia

The Reform Party is in talks with other opposition parties about the possibility of sharing candidates, says its secretary-general, Kenneth Jeyaretnam.

**** GE: WP's Chen Show Mao Wants To Help Build Strong Opposition <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121916/1/.html>
Ken Teh, Channel NewsAsia

He has been called the Workers' Party's 'secret weapon', but corporate lawyer Chen Show Mao said the true weapon would be the votes of Singaporeans during Polling Day.

Mr Chen made a public appearance at a walkabout in the single ward of Joo Chiat on Sunday.

**** Chiam’s GRC Team Taking Shape <http://ge2011.theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/chiams-grc-team-taking-shape/>
Benjamin Cheah, The Online Citizen

Mr Pwee has the pedigree one would expect from the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) candidates. He is the Managing Director and principal consultant with I-deo Asia.  The forty three-year-old is multilingual, and holds a Masters of Arts from Cambridge University.  He was a Singapore Government Merit Overseas Scholar, and has served as a career diplomat in the Foreign Service, an officer in the Administrative Service, and in the Ministry of Home Affairs Headquarters. He has also served as chairman for the PAP’s youth wing in Thompson. Mr Pwee’s father is a grassroots leader.

In spite of his qualifications, he declined to join the PAP. He believes that there should be greater discourse in Parliament and for more voices to be heard. He wishes to represent the people of his generation, and the elderly citizens who have ‘invested their energy and effort’ in Singapore. He wants to let them know he has ‘grown under their contributions’, and is now able to make their voices heard in Parliament.