I will not be updating this blog any further as I am very busy with my current projects.
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Goodbye
VIDEO: Christian woman destroys deities offerings and altars erected by worshippers at HDB void deck
Youtube.com, 19 Oct 2014
This was first reported on facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=784882841573050
This was first reported on facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=784882841573050
iPhone 6 went on sale in China without any fanfare to the disappointment of Apple folks in Cupertino
Gsmarena.com, 17 Oct 2014Many were expecting China to be one of the initial launch countries for the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but that didn't happen. Following the announcement of the devices, there was much speculation as to why Apple didn't receive timely certification from the Chinese authorities for the new phones.
At the Beijing Apple store, only around 100 people waited in line this morning prior to its 8 am opening time. These were all customers who had pre-ordered the devices. The reason for the small queue has to do with the fact that the handsets have been available at carrier stores and in other places since midnight.
This calm and peaceful launch contrasts with what happened, for example, at the same Beijing venue in May 2011, when the white iPhone 4 got released. Then a fight between customers and employees broke out. And in January 2012, on the first day of iPhone 4S sales, a delay in the Apple store's opening led to something of a riot. Full story
Singaporean graduates are facing a bleak future as jobs get scarcer with the unabated influx of foreign degree-holders
A university degree may no longer be the golden ticket to an ideal job in Singapore amid a growing pool of degree holders and fast-changing economy.
In 2013, 2.3 percent of graduates were underemployed - highly skilled workers engaged in low-paying or low-skilled positions or that could only find part-time jobs - a tick higher from 2.2 percent in 2012, according to the Ministry of Manpower.
Retrenched middle-aged degree holders that face difficulty in re-employment are at the heart of underemployment, according to Hui Weng Tat, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Policy, but underemployment among graduates is on the rise due to a culmination of factors.
"Wages in Singapore are high and companies often look to reduce cost by outsourcing low-added value roles. Unfortunately, this means that roles for graduates can be hard to come by as Singapore becomes more of an executive hub," Emmanuel White, regional director of Hudson Singapore, told CNBC via email. Full story
Singapore exports suffer 8.8% drop in September
Singapore's exports in September rose less than expected as sales to Europe contracted and shipments to the United States slowed, adding to concerns that a sluggish global economy may bite into the city-state's exports.
On a month-on-month seasonally adjusted basis, NODX dropped 8.8 percent, much weaker than the 4.0 percent decline forecast in the poll.
Exports to the European Union declined 3.6 percent in September, compared with a 7.0 percent rise the previous month. Full story
SIA bails out loss-making Tiger Airways by making it a subsidiary
Comment: If the dscounted air travel business is highly lucrative, then Tiger Airways must be doing a real fuck-up job losing money year after year.
Wall Street Journal, 16 Oct 2014
Singapore Airlines plans to convert its perpetual convertible capital securities into Tiger Airways shares, a move that will increase Singapore Airlines’ stake to 55% from 40%, Tiger Airways said in a statement on Friday.
ingapore Airlines progressively increased its stake in Tiger Air over the last few years, and making it a subsidiary could improve cooperation with Scoot Pte. Scoot, which is Singapore Airlines’ long-haul budget unit, is already working with Tiger to jointly sell tickets and offer connections on each other’s flights as Singapore Airlines seeks to increase its presence in the lucrative discount air travel business. Full story
Singapore Airlines plans to convert its perpetual convertible capital securities into Tiger Airways shares, a move that will increase Singapore Airlines’ stake to 55% from 40%, Tiger Airways said in a statement on Friday.
ingapore Airlines progressively increased its stake in Tiger Air over the last few years, and making it a subsidiary could improve cooperation with Scoot Pte. Scoot, which is Singapore Airlines’ long-haul budget unit, is already working with Tiger to jointly sell tickets and offer connections on each other’s flights as Singapore Airlines seeks to increase its presence in the lucrative discount air travel business. Full story
Several of Singapore's top Tai Chi masters are trained by SAF
The Alternative View Facebook, 15 Oct 2014
Do you know... Lim Teck Yin, the CEO of Sport SG (formerly Singapore Sports Council) was a BG and Commandant at SAFTI?
Now we know where he learnt his taichi skills from: the same place as Tan Chuan Jin, Lee Hsien Loong, Chan Chun Sing and Lui Tuck Yew.
Link
Do you know... Lim Teck Yin, the CEO of Sport SG (formerly Singapore Sports Council) was a BG and Commandant at SAFTI?
Now we know where he learnt his taichi skills from: the same place as Tan Chuan Jin, Lee Hsien Loong, Chan Chun Sing and Lui Tuck Yew.
Link
MHA says it is unsafe for motorists to stop their vehicle after hitting an animal on the road
SINGAPORE: The police have rejected calls to penalise motorists who negligently run over any kind of animal, a move that has upset some groups here which have been lobbying for such changes.
Animal welfare activists who have been clamouring for more animals to be covered under the Road Traffic Act have expressed their disappointment, after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told TODAY on Wednesday (Oct 15) that it had decided against changing the Act which, among other things, requires motorists to stop and help certain animals if they knock them down.
Its spokesman told TODAY: “In the recent review of the Road Traffic Act, the MHA decided against adopting the proposal of the Animal Welfare Legislation Review Committee after careful consideration. Our main concern was that it is not always safe for a motorist to stop his vehicle (e.g. when travelling along a busy expressway) after hitting an animal.”Full story
Four Indian nationals jailed for $570k GST fraud in Singapore
Four Indian nationals in Singapore were Wednesday given jail terms ranging between three and four years for fraudulent Goods and Services Tax (GST) tourist refund claims of about $570,000.
Sundar Panneer Selvam, 46, Baskaran Uthirapathy, 28, Pounraj Natarajan, 25, and Gobi Raman, 31, were held guilty for money laundering.
Sundar, Baskaran and Pounraj also face bribery charges.
Sundar was given a four-year jail term and ordered to pay a penalty of $292,977; Baskaran's sentence was three and a half years and a penalty of $237,596; Pounraj got 45 months and a $201,130 penalty; and Gobi, three years and a $202,045 penalty. Full story
VIDEO: Hong Kong police caught on tape carrying protestor to a dark corner for a severe beating
Liveleak.com, 15 Oct 2014
VIDEO: PRC man caught masterbating while watching porn on his handphone in Woodlands Regional Library
The Real Singapore
I want to share with your readers of a video I took at Woodlands Library. This China guy is watching pornographic materials on his phone in the library and I was shocked that he started touching himself right in front of us. I also caught him throwing glancing at my girlfriend while 'pleasuring' himself. Whenever he stares at my girlfriend he will touch himself faster.
I am shocked and totally apalled by this sort of public indecency behaviour. Isn't it illegal to do this kind of thing in public? Full story
I want to share with your readers of a video I took at Woodlands Library. This China guy is watching pornographic materials on his phone in the library and I was shocked that he started touching himself right in front of us. I also caught him throwing glancing at my girlfriend while 'pleasuring' himself. Whenever he stares at my girlfriend he will touch himself faster.
I am shocked and totally apalled by this sort of public indecency behaviour. Isn't it illegal to do this kind of thing in public? Full story
Only 20 of 1,042 units at Marina One Residence sold during the weekend, dampening Temasek's hope of making a killing from this joint development with Khazanah
Poor sales were recorded on the first day of launch for Marina One Residences with only 20 units sold last Saturday, according to media reports.
This is a sharp turnaround from the strong build-up seen during the preview phase, which saw more than 300 units taken up since 3 October, many by bulk buyers.
Singaporeans account for about 70 percent of buyers, while the rest are PRs and foreign nationalities. The top three groups of overseas buyers are from Malaysia at 20 percent, followed by Indonesia and China.
When contacted, a spokesperson for the developer M+S told PropertyGuru there were no further sales updates at this time.
M+S appears to have adopted a cautious approach to selling units at the development. Just one of its two towers is available for sale right now and only 372 of the total 1,042 apartments have initially been released. Full story
Netizens slam City Harvest's Sun Ho for blaming God on her involvement in Crossover Project
Yahoo! News Singapore, 14 Oct 2014
Sun Ho has acknowledged for the first time in public that she herself was having trouble reconciling the image of a pastor’s wife with her pop music persona as the “Chinese Geisha”.
Referring to the Crossover Project — the church’s mission to evangelise using secular pop music — the 42-year-old wife of City Harvest founder Kong Hee said, "There were moments during the Crossover, when I felt alone and I seldom talk about this, of course I had my US team, but it was just a hard mission".
“Many times, I asked God how long more I had to do it”, she said, before revealing she felt like “giving up” several times throughout the Project.
As part of the project, which started in 2002, Ho worked with music performers and producers like Wyclef Jean and Diane Warren. She released several songs including the reggae hip-hop number, “China Wine”, where she adopted the persona of a gyrating scantily-clad “ Chinese Geisha” in the music video which cost US$1 million to produce.
The music video quickly drew a barrage of scorn and criticism from netizens, who questioned how such music could support the church’s mission. Full story
Singapore footballer says new Sports Hub is 'more about money' than sports
Yahoo! Sports, 14 Oct 2014
“You’ve sold out, haven’t you? You’re more about money, moving in a direction I don’t understand. Honestly, I miss the old you,” said Singapore footballer Baihakki Khaizan in an Instagram post on Monday.
The 30-year-old national defender, a veteran member of the Lions team for over a decade, described Singapore's billion-dollar Sports Hub as “all fancy”, with “all the bells and whistles”.
But he missed the old Kallang stadium, which was completely torn down in 2011 to make way for the new state-of-the-art Hub.
The post attracted over 4,000 Likes and numerous comments agreeing with his sentiment. Full story
Female commuters express their fear of sexual harassment from drunk and horny foreign nationals on late night MRT trains
I want to say again, I am not discriminating foreigners or xenophobic based on their skin colour or religion or race. I am just worried for my own safety because I have been sexually harassed many times while taking the last MRT train home. I can't take the normal train hours due to my work schedule and I really worry for my own safety and the safety of other female passengers.
Some of these passengers just keep staring at you as if they are going to rape you. A security patrol of 2 man walking up and down the train throughout the whole journey would really add a lot of security to the train and adds a lot of comfort to women like me that takes the last train home. Full story
What is so special about this FT accountant from Myanmar that she should received such a light sentence for abusing her maid? What message is the court sending to all FT maid employers with such lenient punishment?
Singsupplies.com, 13 Oct 2024SINGAPORE - An accountant who abused her maid and got her to perform humiliating acts on camera was fined more than $12,000 on Monday.
Permanent resident May Thu San Kyaw Nyein, 34, began abusing the 25-year-old woman from Myanmar barely a week into her employment in October 2012. After accusing her of not washing a prayer vase and milk bottle properly, she ordered her to do 80 squats.
Later Nyein, also from Myanmar, slapped the maid's head and pulled her hair at her home in Tanglin Road.
A Community Court heard Nyein would film the helper on CCTV and later show her footage of things she had apparently done wrong. Link
OPINION: SAFVC scheme reaffirms the 2nd class status of local citizens
Redwire Times, 12 Oct 2014
The SAF expects Singaporeans to sacrifice for their country, but says it shouldn’t tie down these fresh-from-the-oven locals because they “will not give their best”. It gives them a choice of vocation, but not Singaporeans. Is it possible that the powers that be believe Singaporeans can’t be trusted to choose the vocation that they can serve the best in, even though it might be the toughest? If true, that is an utter insult to born and bred citizens.
Square pegs rarely fit in round wholes, unless they come under a whole lot of pounding. New recruits can choose the vocations they believe they will excel in, and where does that leave our square-peg Singaporean men? Under their leadership of course. New citizens, doing a short-term stint, lording over full-fledged locals of 18 years and over — this just highlights who the SAF considers important in the overall scheme of things. Even if the new recruits can show our local sons a thing or two, how will this setup affect the morale, and the loyalty of our troops? Full story
The SAF expects Singaporeans to sacrifice for their country, but says it shouldn’t tie down these fresh-from-the-oven locals because they “will not give their best”. It gives them a choice of vocation, but not Singaporeans. Is it possible that the powers that be believe Singaporeans can’t be trusted to choose the vocation that they can serve the best in, even though it might be the toughest? If true, that is an utter insult to born and bred citizens.
Square pegs rarely fit in round wholes, unless they come under a whole lot of pounding. New recruits can choose the vocations they believe they will excel in, and where does that leave our square-peg Singaporean men? Under their leadership of course. New citizens, doing a short-term stint, lording over full-fledged locals of 18 years and over — this just highlights who the SAF considers important in the overall scheme of things. Even if the new recruits can show our local sons a thing or two, how will this setup affect the morale, and the loyalty of our troops? Full story
VIDEO: Debt collectors behaving like loanshark thugs harassing and threatening a debtor at his HDB flat
Is the police going to take stern action against these hooligans for causing public disturbance?
Link
Link
Govt-linked loss-making Tigerair shrinks it business further with the dropping of it's Perth route
Australian Aviation, 13 Oct 2014Perth has lost a second carrier on the Singapore route with Tigerair Singapore to drop service to the West Australian capital in early February 2015 as part of the low-cost carrier’s network review.
A Tigerair Singapore spokesperson said decision to end service to Perth was made after careful consideration and confirmed the last flight to depart Perth for the city-state would be TR2717 on February 7 2015.
“The suspension of the Perth route is part of Tigerair’s network review process and is in line with our route rationalisation strategy,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement on Monday.
Perth was one of three destinations Tigerair Singapore was stopping services to, with the low-cost carrier dropping flights to Bandung, Indonesia, at the end of October and ending its Singapore-Phnom Penh route on November 11. Full story
Creative problem solving - PAP style
The Alternative View Facebook, 12 Oct 2014
Town Council removes stone tables at Circuit Road void decks to "stop" illegal gambling.
This follows a similar decision in Little India in which coffeeshops stopped selling alcohol in glass bottles to prevent these bottles from being used as weapons in fights.
Circuit Road residents had also complained about people sleeping at the void decks. Why don't the Town Council fence up the void decks too? Link
Town Council removes stone tables at Circuit Road void decks to "stop" illegal gambling.
This follows a similar decision in Little India in which coffeeshops stopped selling alcohol in glass bottles to prevent these bottles from being used as weapons in fights.
Circuit Road residents had also complained about people sleeping at the void decks. Why don't the Town Council fence up the void decks too? Link
Public outcry forced SMRT to postpone it's decision to bid for London taxi firm until after GE
Reuters, 12 Oct 2014
Singapore public transport operator SMRT Corp Ltd said on Monday that it has decided not to make a bid for London-based taxi firm Addison Lee.
Sky News reported on Saturday that SMRT was in the early stages of considering an 800 million pound ($1.3 billion) offer for the firm, which is currently majority-owned by private equity firm Carlyle Group.
"Having considered the matter, the company has decided not to make a bid at this stage to acquire Addison Lee," SMRT said in a statement to the Singapore stock exchange. Link
Sports Hub fails to get grass to grow faster for it's pitch in time for Brazil-Japan match after spending $1.5 million on special floodlights - report
Omy.sg, 12 Oct 2014就快在下周二举行的巴西对日本足球友谊赛，因体育城的国家体育场草皮被轰像“沙地”，当局砸150万元装强烈泛光灯照射草地，以加快草皮生长。
新加坡体育城（Sports Hub）占地35公顷、耗时6年、耗资13亿元建造，但体育场草坪自启用后，一直被人诟病。
体育城体育场8月16日举行首场足球赛，由新加坡挑选队对垒意大利甲级队尤文图斯。尤文图斯主帅阿莱格里不让明星球员特韦斯上场，赛后他解释不想冒险让球星在“沙场”受伤。 Full story
Appalling pitch condition at spanking new billion-dollar glamourous Sports Hub threatens to sour big night for Singapore
Thenational.ae, 11 Oct 2014
Singapore’s plan to boost its international profile by staging a glamour football friendly between Brazil and Japan could backfire due to the appalling state of the playing surface at the centrepiece of the city-state’s US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) Sports Hub.
The field seemed to have as much sand on it as grass and was cut up in several areas when it was viewed by media earlier in the week.
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) acknowledged the poor surface but declared it fit for use late on Thursday.
“We are of the view that the pitch is playable and the game can proceed if the match commissioner and teams agree,” the FAS said in a statement.
“However, we are also of the opinion that the condition of the field is far short of expected international playing standards, which could affect the standard of play.” Full story
Related:
Following the footsteps of PAP Ministers, Sports Hub CEO Onn Jin Teik blames everything but himself - The Alternative View Facebook
Singapore’s plan to boost its international profile by staging a glamour football friendly between Brazil and Japan could backfire due to the appalling state of the playing surface at the centrepiece of the city-state’s US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) Sports Hub.
The field seemed to have as much sand on it as grass and was cut up in several areas when it was viewed by media earlier in the week.
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) acknowledged the poor surface but declared it fit for use late on Thursday.
“We are of the view that the pitch is playable and the game can proceed if the match commissioner and teams agree,” the FAS said in a statement.
“However, we are also of the opinion that the condition of the field is far short of expected international playing standards, which could affect the standard of play.” Full story
Related:
Following the footsteps of PAP Ministers, Sports Hub CEO Onn Jin Teik blames everything but himself - The Alternative View Facebook
OPINION: Why an openly Christian group was permitted to preach their values via workshops within the secular Singapore school system?
Why is it that an openly Christian organisation (www.focusonthefamily.com) was permitted to conduct such a workshops within the secular Singapore school system?
This level of influence challenges the idea of a secular state. Nowhere else is a person more vulnerable to conditioning that at school which is perhaps why groups with social agendas are so keen to gain access. This is a dangerous precedent and one we need to keep in check. And this isn’t the first time such an attempt has unfolded.
The entire episode highlights the excessive influence wielded by a group that represents only a small percentage of Singapore’s population — close to 20 per cent of Singaporeans identify as Christian and less than half this number again would identify as members of hard line evangelical movements.
Yet somehow, despite their absolute numbers this minority has time and time again taken it upon itself to speak and act on behalf of the so-called moral majority. The even more recent Penguin-gate saga is another example of this very narrow base of values seeming to influence the secular civil space.
The Internet is rife with theories as to why this happens: That conservative churches on account of being organised, funded and attended by the educated, wealthy and well-connected wield a disproportionate influence on our state. Full story
VIDEO: Father canes his baby's sole for crying
Liveleak.com, 10 Oct 2014
A disturbing video has emerged from the Middle East, of a father who "disciplines" his baby as she screams in pain. And to make it worse, it would appear he is being encouraged to continue the beating in the background by the mother.
The video shows the father has taken a plastic hanger and positioned it around the baby’s feet, before he whacks the bottoms of her feet with a rod.
The video had originally been posted on the Arab version of al-Jazeera, by the father in the video, who lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The father of the child complained that people shouldn’t judge him for “only educating her”, before he removed the video.
A disturbing video has emerged from the Middle East, of a father who "disciplines" his baby as she screams in pain. And to make it worse, it would appear he is being encouraged to continue the beating in the background by the mother.
The video shows the father has taken a plastic hanger and positioned it around the baby’s feet, before he whacks the bottoms of her feet with a rod.
The video had originally been posted on the Arab version of al-Jazeera, by the father in the video, who lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The father of the child complained that people shouldn’t judge him for “only educating her”, before he removed the video.
CPF activist Han Hui Hui allegedly denied food and drinks during her 8 hours detention inside Cantonment Police Complex
TR Emeritus, 11 Oct 2014Not only was the main organiser of @ReturnOur CPF protest denied food, her personal notebook and belongings were also (unreasonably) seized by the police, said Han Hui Hui of her 8-hour long ordeal at the Police Cantonment Complex (PCC).
The investigating officer (IO) also tried to prevent Ms Han from calling her lawyer Mr M Ravi, but fortunately the call went through before the IO snatched away her mobile phone.
The police had summoned Ms Han to assist in an investigation into an alleged offence of unlawful assembly yesterday (10th Oct), related to the recent #ReturnOurCPF event which clashed with the YMCA event graced by Minister Teo Ser Luck . Full story
Related:
Singapore Police is now claiming that permit for #ReturnOurCPF protest was revoked - TR Emeritus
SMRT plans to make a whopping S$1.64 billion bid for London's minicab operator Addison Lee
Sky News, 11 Oct 2014
One of Singapore's largest transport groups is examining an £800m takeover bid for Addison Lee, London's biggest minicab operator.
Sky News has learnt that SMRT Corporation, which is listed on the Asian city state's stock exchange, is at the early stages of considering an offer.
Addison Lee's owner, the private equity group Carlyle, has kicked off an auction of the company for which it paid £300m just 18 months ago.
News of SMRT's interest in Addison Lee comes just a month after it announced a joint venture agreement with Hailo, the London-based taxi mobile application developer. Full story
Related:
Singapore's SMRT Steers £800m Addison Lee Bid - Yahoo!
Ex-NMP & YPAP Calvin Cheng involved in price fixing case - report
While looking up unrelated things on the internet, I was quite surprised to find the following which involved Calvin Cheng very intimately. Basically, Calvin Cheng “played a central role” in price-fixing as president of the Association of Modelling Industry Professionals (AMIP). On 23 November 2011, the Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) found 11 modelling agencies guilty of price-fixing, using the AMIP as a “front” for collusion.
“CCS notes that the evidence shows that Calvin Cheng, as then president of the AMIP, played a central role in coordinating the actions of AMIP members.” (point 213h, page 85 of Infringement Decision, Case number CCS 500/002/09 dated 23 November 2011) Full story
Related:
CALVIN CHENG: I DIDN'T QUIT YPAP BECAUSE OF A "PUBLIC OUTCRY" - The Real Singapore
Singapore condo builders face difficulty in servicing $23.5 billion debt as construction binge causes prices to slump further
Singapore’s listed developers and real-estate investment trusts face their heaviest burden of near-term maturities on record just as home prices drop.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the 80 property companies on Singapore’s stock exchange reported a combined S$23.5 billion ($18.5 billion) of borrowings that have to be repaid within a year in their latest filings, Bloomberg-compiled data show. The looming debt wall comes as the vacancy rate for condominiums soared to the highest since 2006, pushing prices to the lowest in almost two years, according to data from the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Full story
Construction sites are Singapore’s deadliest workplaces: NGO
Unreasonably high productivity targets and huge workloads are major factors contributing towards the high number of deaths in the construction sector in Singapore, a HealthServe report stated.
The non-governmental organisation (NGO) has submitted this report to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). In it, it notes there were 12 deaths at construction sites in the first quarter of 2014 alone, out of a total of 19 deaths.
Since the report, completed in August, was released, there have also been a number of other deaths at construction sites, including one worker who died this week at Pioneer Turn after the third-storey platform he was working on collapsed. Two others were also injured and MOM has closed the site while it investigates. Full story
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in hot soup over advice to women not to ask for pay raise
Time.com, 9 Oct 2014
According to Satya Nadella, good things come to women who don't ask
Gender pay gap got you down? Take a crash course from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s Etiquette Academy For Polite Young Ladies: Smile pretty and don’t be so unbecoming as to ask for a salary bump. After all, a raise is a lot like a male suitor, and if you pursue it, you might just drive it away.
“It’s not really about asking for a raise, but knowing and having faith that the system will give you the right raise,” Read Write reports Nadella said Thursday at an event meant to celebrate women in the tech field.
“That might be one of the initial ‘super powers’ that, quite frankly, women [who] don’t ask for a raise have,” he added. “It’s good karma. It will come back.” Full story
Related:
Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Microsoft CEO Tells Women Techies to Trust “Karma” on Pay Inequity - Recode.net
According to Satya Nadella, good things come to women who don't ask
Gender pay gap got you down? Take a crash course from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s Etiquette Academy For Polite Young Ladies: Smile pretty and don’t be so unbecoming as to ask for a salary bump. After all, a raise is a lot like a male suitor, and if you pursue it, you might just drive it away.
“It’s not really about asking for a raise, but knowing and having faith that the system will give you the right raise,” Read Write reports Nadella said Thursday at an event meant to celebrate women in the tech field.
“That might be one of the initial ‘super powers’ that, quite frankly, women [who] don’t ask for a raise have,” he added. “It’s good karma. It will come back.” Full story
Related:
Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Microsoft CEO Tells Women Techies to Trust “Karma” on Pay Inequity - Recode.net
Apple's Jony Ive accuses Xiaomi of committing theft
While some may see Xiaomi, Samsung, and other players in the smartphone race as iPhone copycats, Jony Ive sees it as downright “theft.” That was the clear takeaway from Ive’s interview at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit today.
“I don’t see it as flattery, I see it as theft, and it’s lazy,” remarked Ive when asked about Xiaomi, a Chinese tech company whose phones bear a striking resemblance to the iPhone. Full story
Related:
Filipino wife of Singapore man who jointly operated 9 illegal sex dens with 55 Filipino prostitutes was granted PR by ICA
Omg.sg, 9 Oct 2014警方捣毁相信是历来最大的卖淫集团之一，夫妻档表面经营9家夜店，暗地里聘请55名外籍女郎在夜店卖淫，4年来牟利超过100万！
这对夫妻分别是40岁的夜店老板洪文生，和她31岁的外籍妻子安妮，她如今已是本地永久居民。
根据案情揭露，洪文生在2003年通过朋友认识妻子，两人在2009年8月结婚。同年6月间至去年8月间，洪文生在乌节路一带的乌节商业中心和卡佩芝大厦开设了9家夜店。由于“事业”扩充，他聘4经理帮他打理业务。4年多里，他聘请55名来自菲律宾的女郎，到旗下夜店当“表演艺人”，但暗地里，这些女郎卖淫赚皮肉钱。
洪文生把卖淫活动当成有规模的事业来经营，并以积分制度来抵债的方式“操纵”妓女。 Link
Related:
Prostitution kingpin Ang Boon Seng and Filipino wife Ylarde Anne Asuncion plead guilty - Hardwarezone Forum
Malaysia also banned screening of Tan Pin Pin's exile film after pressure from it's ally
Yahoo! News Malaysia, 9 Oct 2014PETALING JAYA, Oct 9 — Human rights group Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (Komas) accused Putrajaya today of trampling on civil rights by allegedly pressuring it into cancelling its screening of the banned Singaporean documentary on political exiles.
Its executive director Anna Har said Komas was merely trying to create avenues for better civil discourse and had not intended to “drum any propaganda” into anyone by screening th controversial film.
“It also violates our freedom of information and expression,” she complained.
Har who is also the director of Freedom Film Fest (FFF) director, was reacting to the forced cancellation of the screening of the Singaporean production on political exiles in the city-state. Full story
OPINION: PAP grassroots and supporters spreading bigotry?
The Alternative View Facebook, 9 Oct 2014
PAP Supporters are calling for Han Hui Hui's citizenship to be revoked.
The last we checked, the Constitution grants fundamental civil liberties to all citizens, whether new or old. This means Han Hui Hui is entitled to her right to protest within Hong Lim Park as the law prescribes.
And if we look back in history, we can also find a parallel for these PAP supporters' action in the Nazi Third Reich, specifically in 1935 when Hitler passed the Nuremberg Laws depriving Jews of their citizenship.
So who is spreading bigotry now? Link
PAP Supporters are calling for Han Hui Hui's citizenship to be revoked.
The last we checked, the Constitution grants fundamental civil liberties to all citizens, whether new or old. This means Han Hui Hui is entitled to her right to protest within Hong Lim Park as the law prescribes.
And if we look back in history, we can also find a parallel for these PAP supporters' action in the Nazi Third Reich, specifically in 1935 when Hitler passed the Nuremberg Laws depriving Jews of their citizenship.
So who is spreading bigotry now? Link
Alibaba-distributed mobile game exposes users' private video online
Users of one of only two games on Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA)’s instant message service have found movies of themselves uploaded to China’s most popular video site after the developer failed to notify users the files would be stored online.
The videos of people playing the charades-like game Feng Kuang Laiwang, many showing users in underwear or naked while playing at home, appeared on Youku Tudou Inc. (YOKU)’s website. App developer Zhejiang Zhile Network Co. apologized on its official Weibo account, Youku deleted the videos and Alibaba referred questions to the developer. Full story
Singapore will not replicate Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, says researcher at Rajaratnam School of International Studies
Eastasiaforum.org, 8 Oct 2014
There are three main reasons why the protests in Hong Kong will not be replicated in Singapore.
First, the institutions and structures present in Hong Kong are supportive of democracy, as opposed to Singapore’s, which inhibit it. Prospects for democracy in Hong Kong are supported by three key factors: a vibrant and relatively independent media landscape, an autonomous intellectual and academic community, and fiercely independent unions.
Singapore’s media is tightly controlled. Legislation such as the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act grant the Minister wide powers and discretion to allow or disallow newspapers from operating.
The relationship between unions and the Singapore government is also a symbiotic one. The secretary general of the National Trade Union Congress is also a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office. And while strikes can be legal, the requirements for legality are so onerous that they are very unlikely to happen unless sanctioned by the National Trade Union Congress. Full story
Vietnamese oil tanker seized by pirates in Singapore waters
Vietnamese authorities are searching for an oil tanker feared to have been taken by pirates just 40 minutes after it departed Singapore for Vietnam almost one week ago.
The Sunrise 689 was carrying 18 crew and 5,200 tonnes of oil when it left Singapore's Horizon port on October 2, according to the Vietnamese News Service (VNS).
The ship's owner, the Hai Phong Seafood Shipbuilding Join Stock Company, reported that it lost contact with the ship within an hour of its departure, VNS said.
The missing ship, Sunrise 689, was last detected in the middle of a busy shipping zone in the Singapore Strait. Full story
Indian readers of NYT complain that a cartoon by Singaporean cartoonist Heng Kim Song had "disparaged" their beloved country
UT San Diego, 6 Oct 2014
The New York Times apologized for an editorial cartoon in its international edition that critics said mocked India's Mars Mission by showing a man in a traditional dhoti and turban, leading a cow on a leash and knocking on the door of the "Elite Space Club" while inside two bespectacled men in bow ties look perplexed by the sound.
The cartoon was published online Sept. 28 after India's Mangalyaan probe began orbiting Mars at a cost of $74 million (4.5 billion rupees) which BBC News reported was "one of the cheapest interplanetary space missions ever."
Late Sunday, Andrew Rosenthal, editorial page editor for The New York Times, apologized via Facebook.
"A large number of readers have complained about a recent editorial cartoon in The International New York Times, about India's foray into space exploration. The intent of the cartoonist, Heng Kim Song, was to highlight how space exploration is no longer the exclusive domain of rich, Western countries. Mr. Heng, who is based in Singapore, uses images and text - often in a provocative way - to make observations about international affairs. We apologize to readers who were offended by the choice of images in this cartoon. Mr. Heng was in no way trying to impugn India, its government or its citizens. We appreciate that readers have shared their feedback, which we welcome." Full story
The New York Times apologized for an editorial cartoon in its international edition that critics said mocked India's Mars Mission by showing a man in a traditional dhoti and turban, leading a cow on a leash and knocking on the door of the "Elite Space Club" while inside two bespectacled men in bow ties look perplexed by the sound.
The cartoon was published online Sept. 28 after India's Mangalyaan probe began orbiting Mars at a cost of $74 million (4.5 billion rupees) which BBC News reported was "one of the cheapest interplanetary space missions ever."
Late Sunday, Andrew Rosenthal, editorial page editor for The New York Times, apologized via Facebook.
"A large number of readers have complained about a recent editorial cartoon in The International New York Times, about India's foray into space exploration. The intent of the cartoonist, Heng Kim Song, was to highlight how space exploration is no longer the exclusive domain of rich, Western countries. Mr. Heng, who is based in Singapore, uses images and text - often in a provocative way - to make observations about international affairs. We apologize to readers who were offended by the choice of images in this cartoon. Mr. Heng was in no way trying to impugn India, its government or its citizens. We appreciate that readers have shared their feedback, which we welcome." Full story
OPINION: Manpower crunch? So why we need 5 shopping malls in Jurong alone?
The Alternative View Facebook, 7 Oct 2014
After rolling out the Pioneer Package which in reality provides very limited real financial help, Lee Hsien Loong has been harping on the manpower shortage and how the PAP government intends to help the SMEs.
If there is indeed a manpower shortage, why are we seeing a mushrooming of shopping malls particularly in Jurong? Why do we need 5 mega malls in Jurong when they all sell the same things?
Aren't these commercial malls taking away much needed manpower resources from the SMEs?
Link
After rolling out the Pioneer Package which in reality provides very limited real financial help, Lee Hsien Loong has been harping on the manpower shortage and how the PAP government intends to help the SMEs.
If there is indeed a manpower shortage, why are we seeing a mushrooming of shopping malls particularly in Jurong? Why do we need 5 mega malls in Jurong when they all sell the same things?
Aren't these commercial malls taking away much needed manpower resources from the SMEs?
Link
FT to start replacing local judges soon
Bloomberg, 7 Oct 2014Singapore’s move to allow foreign judges to hear commercial cases may boost its standing against regional rival Hong Kong where concerns have mounted that its judicial independence is being undermined by China.
While the commercial court will “absolutely” boost Singapore’s reputation, those with a negative perception of the country’s judiciary aren’t going to change their minds, according to Law Minister K. Shanmugam, whose previous clients as a lawyer included government leaders who successfully sued opposition politicians for libel.
Singapore pushed ahead with its legal services reform despite concerns from some that it might lead to foreign law firms dominating the market as they do in Hong Kong. Full story
Ex-PAP PRC grassroot leader Yang Yin's wife might be charged for failure to report her husband's CBT offence
Hardwarezone Forum, 7 Oct 2014
被民事诉讼缠身的杨妻翁燕丹，若对杨寅涉及的失信罪知情不报，或可能面对刑事罪！
中国籍前导游杨寅（40岁）被指侵占富婆钟庆春（87岁）4000万元财产一案，杨寅与妻子翁燕丹（34岁）如今双双遭富婆外甥女莫翠玲（60岁）起诉索赔并且冻结财产。较早时，杨寅涉失信罪名被商务事业局调查。
资深律师阿莫勒（Amolat Singh）表示，如果杨寅确实有犯下失信罪名，妻子翁燕丹（34岁）又没有及时举报，是有可能犯下刑事罪的。“她或许会说自己对这些事情并不知情，但他们是夫妻身份，因此也不容易辩说。”
换句话说，杨妻除了面对民事诉讼外，也可能面对刑事罪。目前，翁燕丹已经带着两名孩子回到杭州居住。 Link
被民事诉讼缠身的杨妻翁燕丹，若对杨寅涉及的失信罪知情不报，或可能面对刑事罪！
中国籍前导游杨寅（40岁）被指侵占富婆钟庆春（87岁）4000万元财产一案，杨寅与妻子翁燕丹（34岁）如今双双遭富婆外甥女莫翠玲（60岁）起诉索赔并且冻结财产。较早时，杨寅涉失信罪名被商务事业局调查。
资深律师阿莫勒（Amolat Singh）表示，如果杨寅确实有犯下失信罪名，妻子翁燕丹（34岁）又没有及时举报，是有可能犯下刑事罪的。“她或许会说自己对这些事情并不知情，但他们是夫妻身份，因此也不容易辩说。”
换句话说，杨妻除了面对民事诉讼外，也可能面对刑事罪。目前，翁燕丹已经带着两名孩子回到杭州居住。 Link
Tan Pin Pin's 'To Singapore, With Love' film was banned because it contains lies, says Yaacob Ibrahim
XINMSN News, 7 Oct 2014
Tan Pin Pin's To Singapore, With Love is not a historical documentary presenting a factual account, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim told Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 7). The film's "one-sided portrayals" are designed to "evoke feelings of sympathy and support for individuals" who in reality chose to leave Singapore and remain in self-exile, he added.
Dr Yaacob said the film gives a misleading account of these individuals' past, and makes no attempt to present an objective account of the violent Communist insurrection that they had participated in and have not renounced. Full story
Related:
Screening banned film in Singapore would be 'condoning' violence used by group: Yaacob - Yahoo! News Singapore
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