Links - 21st July 2010

"One thing you will probably remember well is any time you forgive and forget." - Franklin P. Jones

***

A China Girl's Adventures - "I had read the Newspapers and understand that many Singaporeans are unhappy with foreign workers, and I just thought it would be a good idea for them to see the other side of the coin, to experience how hard we work, how much we go through. Life is not bed-of-roses for us... I am determined to come back to Singapore to work as it is the only place where Mandarin is quite well accepted and I feel at least quite at home and yet I can earn more than what I can at home"

S'poreans of all faiths must continue to show tolerance, understanding SM Goh - "Followers have a social duty to speak out against those who hold offensive views towards other religions or communities. It's only through such swift and categorical rebuttals that people from other religions can be assured that the offensive views are not held by the religion's mainstream members."
What he didn't say: "Report people to the police at the drop of a hat"

Solitary refinement - "Personally, I like silence. I think it is a sign of great intelligence, emotional closeness and quiet reflection. For a woman, silence is a sign that something is deeply wrong in the relationship. "We just don't talk anymore," is one of the complaints I hear most often from my wife's friends in long-term relationships. "She never shuts up," is what her long-suffering husband will probably say. My wife just makes up jobs to fill the gaps in conversation. "You know what we could do?" (By "we" she means "you".)"

Why is it so hard for the Heads or Ministers to say “I’m sorry”? - "I searched for relevant local examples in the article of apologies by CEOs and Heads of GLCs and government bodies but found none. Only the much publicised apology of Mr Piyush Gupta, Group CEO of DBS was mentioned... I believe the discerning public of Singapore would be generous to forgive when a sincere apology is given. Giving standard and evasive responses and “regrets” by the PR person is not only unsatisfactory, but also may add insult to injury"
That's because DBS has viable competition...

How facts backfire - "Researchers discover a surprising threat to democracy: our brains"

Cats were eating man, 74, found dead with mom - "74-year-old Herbert Walden likely died of a heart attack... [his mother] likely died of dehydration sometime after her son died. The woman relied on her son’s care and their trash-filled home didn’t have running water."

BOULETroulette - "La vie, c'est comme une boîte de chocolats, tu sais jamais sur quel boulet tu vas tomber !"
NOSTALGIEroulette
VUVUZELAroulette - "Life is like a box of chocolates you never know which vuvuzela you're gonna get!"

Why Facebook friends are worth keeping - "In 1973, sociologist Mark Granovetter showed how the loose acquaintances, or "weak ties", in our social network punch far above their weight in their influence over our behaviour and choices (American Journal of Sociology, vol 78, p 1360). Granovetter found that a significant percentage of people get their jobs as a result of information provided by a weak tie. Subsequent studies have revealed that weak ties benefit our health and happiness. Granovetter suggested that this is because these friends-of-friends aren't like you, yet they are likely to be similar enough in social outlook and personal interests to have a positive influence... Facebook's own researchers found a correlation between subjective well-being and site use"

YouTube - safetyvid - "Weird safety video! Weird!"
This is good shit

The Power of Breasts - "It was not until years later that I discovered the true power of breasts. I could garner attention and get things I wanted by the simple fact that I had them... From centuries of old, women have been using their sexuality to get what they want... Many of these women would claim they are empowered through harnessing their sexuality and feminine wiles... In my 30s, I slowly discovered what I like to call my feminine charm and subsequently softened my apparel. Unlike using one’s sexuality, one’s feminine charm encompassed intellect, humour, wit and many of my inner qualities... I use my feminine charm on both men and women of all ages and feel at ease that I am not discriminating... I am sure that my breasts are being noticed, however they serve more as a backdrop. As for using my sexuality, I retain the use of that for nothing other than getting sex. "
I'm surprised AWARE published this, since they've become more feminist since the takeover attempt

It'll get hotter in S'pore - "The average daily temperature in Singapore could rise by between 2.7 deg C and 4.2 deg C from the current average of 26.8 deg C by 2100, Parliament was told on Monday."

Lianhe Wanbao refutes explanation by Singapore Police - "Lianhe Wanbao has refuted publicly the official explanation given by the Singapore police in handcuffing one of its photojournalist Mr Shafie Goh during his course of duty last Saturday... the Singapore police accused Mr Goh of posing a danger to the public and obstructing the police officer in discharging his public duties"
In the US & UK, photographers also get harassed & detained for taking pictures. The difference is there's usually an apology.

Muslim woman sues Somerset Medical Center for religious discrimination - "A Muslim, Mohammedi wears traditional garb, including the hijab, or head scarf. The Basking Ridge woman believes it is her religious duty to maintain modesty before strange men, and an EKG calls for wires to be applied to the chest, shoulders and wrists. Instead of heeding her request, officials let her languish in the emergency room for five hours until 3:10 a.m.... "There is no obligation to require hospitals to have a physician on staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week based on their sex, religion or nationality""

Inside insides - "Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Foods"

Google vs. World: 79 Places Google is Being Sued or Blocked (Map)

Muslim bus drivers refuse to let guide dogs on board - "While drivers can use their discretion to refuse to carry non-disabled passengers with dogs, they are compelled to accept guide dogs under disability discrimination law. Yesterday both the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and the National Federation of the Blind confirmed the problem was common, and, according to the latter organisation was 'getting worse'."

YouTube - Urinal Hand Washing Epic Fail - Subtitled - Haarlem 105 TV moment BPOP 2010 handen wassen

Genetic Study Solves Which Came First -- The Chicken or the Egg

The Big Lies People Tell In Online Dating « OkTrends - "REALITY: People are two inches shorter in real life... taller people, up to a point, have more sex. But as far as messages go, shorter women actually seem to get more attention... REALITY: People are 20% poorer than they say they are... We did a little investigating as to whether a person's stated income had any real effect on his or her online dating experience. Unsurprisingly, we found that it matters a lot, particularly for men... REALITY: The more attractive the picture, the more likely it is to be out-of-date... REALITY: 80% of self-identified bisexuals are only interested in one gender"

S.A. Wilson's Therapy Blend organic coffee - "One of the comments we've heard is "Hey, this stuff tastes horrible." Well, you're absolutely right, it does taste horrible, but you're not supposed to drink this blend are you? It has been blended and roasted solely for enema use and as far as that goes no other coffee can surpass it. Using our special 3 stage process we have developed a blend of coffee that is unsurpassed, containing higher levels of the prime elements required for an effective coffee enema."

A special report on gambling: The risk instinct | The Economist - "Undoubtedly gambling, like other addictions, depends on a complicated mixture of brain chemistry, environment and socialisation. Howard Shaffer, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, notes that the rate of pathological gambling in America has remained relatively constant for the past 35 years, despite a huge expansion in the opportunities on offer. There was a spike in the late 1990s but levels have dropped since then. Dr Shaffer draws a parallel with a classic virus-infection curve: high at the beginning as those most susceptible fall ill, but gradually tailing off as people adapt."
So much for the Monkey-See, Monkey-Do theory of socialisation