Where is Singapore

Extremely livable

2010-09-28T18:10:00.009+08:00

This is from the interview of Andres Duany, The Man Who Reinvented the City, by Kevin Charles Redmon in The Atlantic.

But I think the most interesting experiment of all is Singapore. Singapore had nothing going for it. No raw materials. And you got a kind of top-down government that was almost completely enlightened, putting education first and so forth, and you have this city that is extremely livable.

Comparing to Las Vegas, but not about casinos

2010-09-14T20:25:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Vicious cycle for urban biking, by Scott Nowicki in The Rebel Yell.

The best way to describe my experience in Singapore is by comparing it to what I consider the worst possible cycling condition on the planet — crossing the Las Vegas Strip.

Some things are cheaper while others not

2009-02-21T16:54:00.003+08:00

This is from the blog post, Singapore vs Cambodia cost and standard of living, by Diana Saw in Cambodia Calling.

Big-ticket items such as houses and cars are very expensive but eating out and transportation is comparable to Cambodia, sometimes even cheaper than Cambodia.

Intelligent government

2009-02-16T19:02:00.000+08:00

This is from the article, Immorality of bushfires, by Gregory Clark in Japan Times.

Societies have several ways to hold themselves together and make people behave. One is strict Taliban-style punishments, with fear as the binding agent. Another is more ideological, cerebral even, with religion (Islam), post-revolutionary legitimacy (China, Vietnam), nationalism or good, intelligent government (Singapore, Scandinavia) as the binding agents.

Certainly will not, really?

2009-02-12T17:15:00.001+08:00

This is from the article, Paris Bike Plan Goes Kaput, by Cliff Kuang in FastCompany.

It's worth noting that similar programs exist in Lyon and Copenhagen, and they haven't had the same troubles. Meanwhile, you might look at Paris's bike problems as merely an indicator of very deep sociological problems in the city—its immigrants are infamously discriminated against. Remember, this was a city riven by riots two years ago. London's bike program might fare similarly; San Francisco's might not; and Singapore's almost certainly will not.

We have close ties

2009-01-29T22:55:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, My granddaddy Deng Xiaopeng, in China Daily (page 22) by Chen Jie.

A year later, she returned to Beijing and set up JoYa, a PR and fundraising company, with her friend Jocelyn Ang from Singapore. Their first project was a charity gala ball, an event she had become familiar with in the United States.

Another type of foreign talents

2009-01-19T18:02:00.000+08:00

This is from the article, One man's quest to find first black winner of the Tour de France, by Xan Rice in guardian.co.uk.

Nicholas Leong, [edited] a 40-year-old commercial photographer from Singapore, Leong has already invested nearly three years and tens of thousands of pounds of his own money in his quest to prove Kenyans can transfer their running success into the almost exclusively white world of professional cycling.

"In 106 years of the Tour de France there has never been a single black rider," said Leong, at the start line in Iten last weekend. "I am trying to help change that."

Processing something we don't have

2009-01-17T02:47:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, How Malaysia Can Cope With and Overcome the Effects of the Global Economic Crisis, by Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in Lim Kit Siang blog.

Consider that despite having no oil resources, Singapore is among the top three global players in trading, refining and manufacture of oil and gas equipment.

Are congestion charges considered incentives?

2009-01-16T20:14:00.001+08:00

This is from the article, Drive and Cycle: An innovative concept for commuting, by RUSHTRACK in Ode.

Just recently the U.S. government even went so far as to acknowledge bicycle commuters as worthy of tax relief in a similar way that drivers are. Incentives, such as new bike lanes and congestion charges, such as those instituted by London, Stockholm, and Singapore, have set the stage for a change in the way the world travels and commutes.

The short-cut approach

2009-01-12T22:54:00.000+08:00

This is from the article, Cities of the future, by Stefanos Evripidou in Cyprus Mail.

Malaysian urban planning expert, Dr Goh Ban Lee highlighted two approaches to urban management. One is the building of integrity and social responsibility so you don't need CCTV cameras everywhere or even road bumps. “Like in Germany and Japan, though that took up to 200 years to achieve,” he said.

Or the short-cut approach: massive state intervention. Lee referred to Singapore, using the example of the American youth who was punished with painful lashes by the authorities after falling foul of the country's strict vandalism laws.

Technology park

2009-01-12T18:48:00.000+08:00

This is from the article, Cities of the future, by Stefanos Evripidou in Cyprus Mail.

Singapore whose capita per income was one third that of Spain in 1965 now has a per capita income 70 per cent higher than Spain after focusing on its own component of excellence. It is currently engaged in a top-down experiment called One North to create a new generation of technology parks dedicated to multimedia and biotechnology. The idea is to combine working areas with living areas to create a symbiosis between business ecologies and urban life, where residents, artists, venture capitalists live and work together in the same spot. By creating such an exceptional location, they hope to attract and retain diverse talent.

Learn Mandarin and breathe [less polluted] air

2009-01-08T19:25:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Teach your kids Mandarin, in The Straits Times.

WHEN asked for his advice on how to survive the financial crisis, global investment guru Jim Rogers often tells his interlocutors: 'Teach your children Mandarin.' The 66-year-old financial commentator has practised what he preaches, in 2007 selling his mansion in New York and moving his family to Singapore.
'I am (in Asia) because this is the exciting part of the world. This is the future, and I want my children to grow up knowing Asia, and knowing things Chinese,' he said during an interview from his exercise bike.

Indeed, he said his five-year-old daughter is now a fluent Mandarin speaker.

He had thought about moving to China or Hong Kong, but decided against it because of air pollution, adding: 'I don't want to breathe Hong Kong air.'

What works for us may not work for US.

2009-01-05T10:00:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Making rush hour costly, by Maria L. La Gang in ChicagoTribune.com.

America's second-most-congested city wants to become the first to institute congestion pricing. The goal: Reduce downtown traffic, improve the environment and raise money for further transit fixes.

A similar effort failed in 2008 in New York.

London, Stockholm and Singapore already have drawn lines around key districts and charge drivers for entering at peak times. London officials believe their original system cut traffic by 21 percent and increased public transit use by 36 percent.

Come here to study, maths and science.

2008-12-26T15:36:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Asian students top performers in maths, science, in Sify news.

Hong Kong SAR and Singapore were found to be the top performing countries in maths at the fourth grade level, followed by Chinese Taipei and Japan.
The report also said that Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, England, Latvia, and the Netherlands also performed very well.
As regards mathematics achievement at the eighth grade, the researchers wrote that Chinese Taipei, Korea, and Singapore were the top performing countries, followed by Hong Kong SAR and Japan. There was a substantial gap in average mathematics achievement between the countries.
Hungary, England, the Russian Federation, and the United States performed similarly.
In science achievement at the fourth grade, Singapore turned out to be the top performing country, followed by Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong SAR. Japan, the Russian Federation, Latvia, England, the United States, Hungary, Italy, and Kazakhstan also performed very well.
At the eighth grade in science, Singapore and Chinese Taipei again had the highest average achievement, followed by Japan and Korea.
England, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Hong Kong SAR, and the Russian Federation also performed well.

Weather and cycling

2008-12-26T10:36:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Christmas Riding Around The World, in the blog Cycling tips, hints and tricks.

In Singapore a good friend of mine tells me that it’s 30C and raining there so there’s no Christmas Eve group ride. Bunch of softies.

Money is coming, oh no!

2008-12-19T17:04:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore's star rises as Switzerland stumbles, by Neil Chatterjee and John O'Donnell in the International Herald Tribune.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this month such scrutiny in the West could lead to more European money flowing into the country, a hot talking point in the industry.
[deleted]
But European cash comes with the risk that Singapore too could be targeted in the crackdown on tax havens. "I expect Singapore to come under pressure, too," Prime Minister Lee said.

Did we forget to name it?

2008-12-19T16:41:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore math makes a difference, by Kristen A. Graham in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Just a handful of schools were using Singapore math five years ago. Now, the number exceeds 1,000, experts say. FACTS, the only school in the region using it, routinely hears from others that are interested. A Delaware school will soon adopt it.
California and Oregon allow schools to use the texts, and some Utah legislators are pushing for all schools there to adopt the curriculum.

Four languages, but only Tamil may not be enough

2008-12-17T00:58:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, 15-25 yr-olds most active users of AIDS helpline, in The Times of India.

The city-based helpline has been getting calls from not only rural Maharashtra, but also Bangalore, Delhi, Rajasthan, and even Dubai, Singapore and Africa!

The exception

2008-10-31T12:42:00.003+08:00

From the article, At this rate the world’s financial architecture will have been remade before November 15th, by Brad Setser in Counciloil Foreign Relations.

First, all the countries that got access to the Fed’s swap lines are US allies, and all except Singapore are democracies. Russia may be part of the G-8 but it is outside of this club.

Relatively speaking, it is still for the poverty-stricken.

2008-10-08T13:03:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore public housing: 'A nation of homeowners', in AFP.

Public housing is often associated with poverty-stricken slums and other social ills but Singapore's high-rise apartment blocks built by the government are an exception.

Just by pragmatism and reason isn't so bad.

2008-10-08T12:50:00.001+08:00

This is from the article, Lessons on governance from Singapore, by James Shikwati in Business Daily.

The biggest lesson from Singapore is that they do not simply copy and paste policies – the country is run on the basis of pragmatism and reason!

Thumbs up to Abdeali

2008-09-20T18:01:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Muslim invites Catholic nuns and friends from other religions to break Ramadan fast, in the Catholic News (Singapore) by Daniel Tay.

On Sep 8, instead of breaking fast with other Muslims, Abdeali invited friends from other religions to join him in iftar, the evening meal after fasting. The gathering that evening at the Muslim Kidney Action Association included at least four Canossian sisters, a Methodist bishop, several Buddhist monks, a Hindu swami, a Taoist priest, a Jain monk and two Brahma Kumaris.

In general, are corporates better run than nations?

2008-09-18T09:49:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Final Thoughts on Singapore, in Everything Everywhere blog by Gary Arndt after his second visit to Singapore.

One of the things I came away with was how Singapore, while a country, is run almost like a corporation.

Lets be the model to implement these laws properly!

2008-09-16T15:40:00.005+08:00

This is from the article, Innocent until proven positive, by Nadja Popovich in McGill Daily about the challenges faced in implementing such laws.

Laws criminalizing the transmission of HIV, in their various forms, have been implemented from Texas to Zimbabwe, Sweden to Singapore, transgressing cultural and economic boundaries.

World-class city after successfully implemented its vision = best?

2008-09-03T07:36:00.005+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore model more suited to city, The Times of India about Mumbai's administrators now feel Singapore's model is more suited for its redevelopment as a world-class city.

Before working on the plan, the experts studied the concept plan prepared a few decades ago for Singapore, which is considered the most successful city in the world for effectively implementing its vision document.

It is not about holding on, but passing on

2008-08-29T07:38:00.000+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore: An Island of Commodities, in CommoditiesOnline.

For the record, Singapore is the sixth wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita. And soon, the world's most efficient city state may become the global hub for commodities trading.

Still a model?

2008-08-14T09:50:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, China Sees Singapore As a Model for Progress, by Nicholas D. Kristor in The New York Times in 1992.

One of the most illuminating statements he [Mr. Deng, Xiaoping] made was this: Singapore's social order is rather good. Its leaders exercise strict management. We should learn from their experience, and we should do a better job than they do.

Truly foreign talents

2008-06-26T00:44:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Foreigners bolstering Singapore's birth rate: report, in Reuters Life! by Melanie Lee, editing by Miral Fahmy.

A total of 16,232 babies were born in Singapore between January and May, with about 25 percent having foreign fathers and about 36 percent with foreign mothers, ...

Nature is better developed than concrete

2008-06-26T00:32:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, A tidal wave of humanity, in Independent Online.

Cities like Singapore and Busan, South Korea, show it is possible "to grow at breakneck speed without undermining nature," said Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity.

Average is no longer average

2008-06-23T00:32:00.003+08:00

This is from the AFP article, Singapore: Asia's Switzerland for millionaires.

The tiny, tropical island-state, Southeast Asia's most advanced economy, has emerged as a centre for the wealth management industry which caters to an elite breed called high net worth individuals, or HNWIs.

"Smart" may be truly stupid

2008-06-22T23:15:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore Medicine, in the blog Stupid Malaysia.

Singapore has not only positioned itself as a financial capital, leading innovator in the arms industry, petroleum processing centre, biotechnological centre. It has now almost emerged as a medical hub. Providing unsurpassed medical treatment and care to well paying patients either from countries where medical treatment are prohibitive and countries in which expertise are lacking.

What are teachers for?

2008-06-18T19:37:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore emerging as 'tuition nation', in The Earth Times by DPA.

Ninety-seven out of 100 students queried in primary, secondary and junior colleges have either private tutors or attend extra lessons at centres.

So pervasive is the practice that some dub the city-state the "tuition nation," the poll report said.

Singapore mathematics teachers, I think you are in demand.

2008-06-16T09:44:00.006+08:00

This is from the article, Lawmakers seek Singapore's help on how to best teach math, by By Lisa Schencker in The Salt Lake Tribune.

Singaporean eighth-graders scored first in the world in math on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study in 2003. Nine countries' students outperformed U.S. eighth-graders in the study.

A model's model

2008-06-12T06:07:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore Airlines Inspired By Air India? in The Kamla Bhatt Show.

This is a two-part interview. In Part-1 Raj talks about the connection between Air India and Singapore Airlines, and how with laser sharp focus the airlines emerged as one of the top airlines in the world. How did Singapore Airlines do it? How did they do their branding and marketing? How did Singapore Airlines emerge as a trend setter known for its excellent service, innovation and marketing?

The nature, the rent, the haunt, the traditional colonial house

2008-06-12T05:49:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, In Singapore, a House Steeped in Tradition, in the New York Times, Great Homes and Destinations by By Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop about a house at S$22000 rent.

The Pickerings’ is one of 33 black-and-white houses around the Mount Pleasant area; there are similar pockets elsewhere in the city. The houses are magnets for expatriates but unloved by Singaporeans, for whom they have sinister associations. “Some of the more senior taxi drivers don’t like to come here at night,” Mrs. Pickering said. “These houses were taken over by the high command of the Japanese military during the Second World War, and some Singaporeans believe they’re haunted.”

Competitors from India coming

2008-06-12T05:29:00.006+08:00

This is from the article, Mumbai improves ranking in attracting foreign investment, in The Economic Times.

In terms of overall ranking, Mumbai has been placed at 48th spot with London retaining the top slot as the global economy's most influential city, it said.

In addition to London, top five positions are occupied by New York, Tokyo, Singapore and Chicago.

Different numbers increase at different rates

2008-06-10T17:31:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Health care - another embarassing (but inspiring) Singapore comparison, in Stephenfranks.co.nz by Stephen Franks about the Healthcare Systems.

When I first visited Singapore, from recollection their per capita incomes were about half ours. Now they earn an average US$4500 more per capita. They spend in total on health US$ 1,140 per person, about half what we spend.

Wish Rwanda great success

2008-06-04T23:30:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Rwanda Strives to Become High Technology Hub for Africa, in Voice of America by Cathy Majtenyi
Kigali about Rwanda transformation into "the Singapore of Africa".

"We are trying to be the hub within this continent. We are trying to be a services hub, we are trying to be a point of reference for the other countries on the continent in terms of how a third-world country can take itself from the state that most people in the world know Rwanda was in 1994, to a middle-income status country by the year 2020. That really is what Singapore has done," Nyirishema said.

A honeymoon place

2008-06-02T13:03:00.003+08:00

This appear in the article, Big Breaks, in Sunday Heralds by Travelguru.

Top International Honeymoon destinations such as Madives and singapore provides ample oppurtunity to tourists for relishing their outings.

Is it because of good health care and/or high living costs?

2008-06-01T08:49:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Our Pro-poor health care policy rewarded, by Professor Chula Goonasekera in The Island Online.

We are a tropical country with a 20 million population. Its birth rate and death rate are reducing with a reduction in population growth. Currently life expectancy in Sri Lanka is estimated to be 68 for males and 75 for females. As a result, our population pyramid had now begun to invert and Sri Lanka is expected to be the third oldest country in Asia after Japan and Singapore by 2010 in the Asian region. Unfortunately, to date, we are yet to pay sufficient attention to care for our increasingly aged population.

SM = Singapore Maths

2008-05-28T16:18:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore Math: Intensive Teacher Trainings, in the Dyslexia Tutor: News Resources by Adrienne Edwards about Singapore Maths.

When the US Department of Education commissioned a study in 2005 to find out why Singapore, a country with a population half the size of New York City, ALWAYS scores No. 1 in a widely accepted comparison of global math skills, it concluded, “Singapore’s textbooks build deep understanding of mathematical concepts through multi-step problems and concrete illustrations that demonstrate how abstract mathematical concepts are used to solve problems from different perspectives.”

Not good enough for next generation

2008-05-17T20:52:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Why Israel is the world's happiest country, in Asia Times Online by Spengler.

The contrast of Israeli happiness and Arab despondency is what makes peace an elusive goal in the region. It cannot be attributed to material conditions of life. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia ranks 171st on an international quality of life index, below Rwanda. Israel is tied with Singapore on this index, although it should be observed that Israel ranks a runaway first on my life-preference index, whereas Singapore comes in dead last.

A non liberal democracy

2008-05-11T16:17:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, City-state a role model for the world, in The Star Online by Seah Chiang Nee about the many merit of Singapore.

Well-known author Catherine Lim painted this possible scenario for Singapore in 2030: “China rises to superpower status as the US declines and is in a position to offer an alternative to the discredited Western liberal democracy.

“In its skilful blend of authoritarianism and capitalism, its (China's) system is not unlike Singapore’s.

“If Singapore and China become thus twinned on the world stage, the Lee Kuan Yew model of governance will have achieved an international acceptance that the PAP could never have dreamed of.”

Though a model, still not good enough

2008-05-10T17:34:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Cyclone Nargis May Bring Change In Its Destructive Wake, Georgie Anne Geyer in Yahoo!News.

In Southeast Asia, where China has accomplished a 10 percent growth rate for several years, where Singapore has become the model of development for the world, and where countries such as once ethnically torn Malaysia have found ways to thrive, Myanmar is more and more an anomaly.

Tiny physically, but not so in certain areas

2008-04-30T09:35:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Intellectual Property & Development, in Latin Business Chronicle by John Murphy.

Though Singapore is a tiny country compared to India, it has managed to attract four times as much direct investment from around the globe — about $200 billion — much of it in high-wage sectors that are reliant on intellectual property. Consider these examples:

* Lucasfilm Animation, owned by George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars films, opened its only digital animation studio outside the United States in Singapore in 2005.
* BMW recently set up its first design studio outside Germany or the United States — in Singapore.
* Pfizer recently opened a $600 million manufacturing facility in Singapore.

We aren't that rich :(

2008-04-29T00:21:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore fears maid exodus to Hong Kong, Taiwan, on Reuters by Gillian Murdoch.

Indonesian and Sri Lankan maids are paid S$280 ($200) a month in Singapore, and Filipinas up to S$350 ($256).

That is less than half what they can earn in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where employers pay $506 and $550 respectively.

In education, size doesn't matter

2008-04-16T20:14:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Ministry gears to improve education quality, in Daily News of Republic of Botswana on education.

As a soft qualitative skill, he said some countries such as Singapore and USA were leading in the maximisation of human capital that drives their national economy.

But, even hands-on techniques and models drawing can be memorized

2008-04-07T13:08:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Elementary math lessons in Wentzville will change to Singapore method, in STLtoday.com by Jessica Bock.

WENTZVILLE — Singapore is coming to Wentzville in the form of math lessons.
Educators hope Singapore math will help develop students who are mathematical thinkers, rather than memorizers. The method has gained interest from teachers in the United States in the last decade.

A place reps from two worlds meet up

2008-04-06T18:36:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, U.S., North Korea to Hold Nuclear Talks in Singapore, in Bloomberg.com by Chen Shiyin.

U.S. chief nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill will meet with his North Korean counterpart in Singapore next week to continue talks on dismantling the communist country's atomic program, the State Department said.

In a V-shaped belt

2008-04-06T14:30:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, The End of the End of History, in The New Republic by Robert Kagan.

a "V-shaped belt" of pro-American democratic powers "stretching from Northeast to Central Asia." When the navies of India, the United States, Japan, Australia, and Singapore exercised in the Bay of Bengal last year, Chinese and other observers referred to it as the "axis of democracy." Japan's prime minister spoke of an "Asian arc of freedom and prosperity" stretching from Japan to Indonesia to India.

Talents, an important resource

2008-03-29T16:38:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Southern Africa: SADC Integration Key to Skills Flow, in AllAfrica.com by Anthony Jongwe Harare.

Successful economies have long understood the nexus between the strength of their human resource base and the level of development that can be achieved. This explains why countries without any significant natural resources other than human capital have achieved high levels of development. A case in point would be Singapore and Japan, which saw the long-term wisdom in investing heavily in their human capital and translate such investments into economic success.

Investments by global companies

2008-03-27T19:54:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Are product patents anti-consumer?, by Business Standard Reporter in New Delhi.

India is the second-largest talent pool in the world. Yet, investments by global companies continue to gravitate to China, Hong Kong and Singapore. India received $8 billion in FDI last year as against China's $63 billion!

A once collapsing company here helped somewhere else

2008-03-25T22:17:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Nigeria: Grappling With Jigawa, in allAfrica.com by Ibrahim Sheme about Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State inherited what he calls a failed state.

In Kazaure, we are owing Informatics of Singapore, they were just on the verge of collapsing when I came.

We are the subject of study

2008-03-23T09:59:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Dan Rittschof and the Duke University Urban Tropical Ecology field course, 2005-2008, at Otterman speaks wordpress about a course that study ecology in Singapore.

Duke University: Department of Biology: Graduate Level Biology Course 216. Sojourn in Singapore: Urban Tropical Ecology. The mix of human ecology, tropical diversity, disturbed habitats and invasive species in Singapore. How Singapore maintains and enhances the quality of life of its citizens while radically modifying its environment. Research on politics, management or biology. Travel to Singapore required. Taught in Beaufort. Consent of instructor required. Instructor: Dan Rittschof. 3 units.

In the middle of an outsource chain

2008-03-21T00:06:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Affymetrix to outsource jobs to Singapore, By Kirsty Barnes in Outsourcing-Pharma.com.

Singapore has established itself as a popular destination for pharma and biopharmaceutical firms in terms of manufacturing, boasting a number of top companies on it shores, who are lured by its Asia-Pacific proximity, lower cost base compared to the west, and reputation for high quality output.

We are the third this time

2008-03-17T22:32:00.001+08:00

This is from the article, The Hamilton: Upcoming condo equipped with garage in the sky, in Lushhome :: Online news and information on Singapore property market.

But when built, it will become the first residential high-rise in Singapore, and only the third in the world after developments in New York and Dubai, to have this vroom-with-a-view parking feature.

We still don't think we are good enough

2008-03-14T23:26:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Ghana: People Just Like U.S. Have Gone to the Moon, in the Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra) by Appiah Kusi Adomako about Ghana's slow development rate.

Our contemporaries such as India, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore have become technological giants.

We were greener

2008-03-13T16:04:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Johor Bahru Speakers’ Club, by Amy Lam.

The red brick hospital building where her husband Kee Chin works, can still be recognised even with with new wings added on. During my childhood visits in the 1950s, our families feasted on crabs by the seafront with the view of lush green jungles across the causeway to Singapore, quite a contrast with today’s view!

The Chinese in Malaysia is "better"

2008-03-09T10:02:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, FEW, POOR AND SCATTERED - India has a stake in ethnic peace and stability in Malaysia, in The Telegraph by Sunanda K. Datta-Ray about the situation of Indians living in Malaysia.

The Chinese who comprise 23.7 per cent of Malaysia’s 27 million population are also perturbed by the drift from secularism, which alone can unite a multi-racial state in contented peace. The election announcement during the Chinese new year celebrations was seen as an insult. UMNO’s 2005 general assembly — when the party’s youth chief brandished a traditional Malay dagger (keris), threatening to bathe it in Chinese blood — awakened memories of the horrendous 1969 race riots. But the Chinese have weightage of numbers (they are in a majority in 26 constituencies), wealth (several millionaires), and political power (Penang state has a Chinese chief minister). They also have China and Singapore (especially Lee Kuan Yew) behind them. Indians are helpless in contrast.

Size of 203 wells

2008-03-09T09:52:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Journey for peace - Christian peacemaker team travels to philippines to promote harmony, by Linda Leicht in News-Leader.com about contamination near an old military base in the Philippines.

It was that water, from 203 contaminated wells around the base — the size of the country of Singapore — that caused Crizel's leukemia, her mother said.

Hot but not yet boiling

2008-03-06T23:09:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore ranked top Reit market in Asia-Pacific, in lushhomemedia.com sourced from Business Times about REIT markets.

The findings also showed that China, India and Vietnam are ranked as the top three hot property growth markets in Asia-Pacific for the next five years. Singapore, which ranked fourth, was the highest placed established Reit market. Good growth is also expected in Malaysia.

Small and tiny, but...

2008-03-06T19:53:00.001+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore Takes on a World Mission, in CBN News by George Thomas about growing Christian communities.

Singapore maybe a small country, home to some four million people. But today, the tiny island has some two thousand short-term and long-term missionaries scattered around the world.

It would be nice to have in par neighbour

2008-03-05T20:36:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Selangor vs. Singapore, in Elizabeth Wong blog by Benjamin Tan.

... Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo recently commented that Selangor is in a position to compete with our southern neighbour, Singapore. He said that in a few years times, the country’s so-called ‘most developed state’ would be in par with the city state of Singapore.

A benchmarked hub

2008-03-05T17:12:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, New airport set to make Hyderabad a key hub, in Thaindian news.

"We have benchmarked the airport with the best in the world. In the landscape it is benchmarked with Singapore and in operations with Munich Airport,” he said.

"Why people prefer Dubai and Singapore is because there is connectivity to all the destinations and we hope that this facility will make Hyderabad the new hub because the flying time to the city from all destinations in India except Delhi is one hour and to Middle East and South East Asia three to five hours,” he said.

Good medical care for everyone with $

2008-03-05T17:01:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Ailing AL leader Jalil leaves for Singapore at 11:55pm, in TradingMarkets.com.

Jalil, who was Sunday granted 30-day parole on humanitarian grounds in view of his critical condition, will take treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital as he had earlier undergone treatment there several times.

Talents accommodating

2008-03-05T16:45:00.001+08:00

This is from the article, The “miracle” on Jalan Gasing, in Save Bukit Gasing blog by Sharaad Kuttan.

... a more elaborate anecdote: that a leading immunologist based at Chicago University had trouble finding a job in Malaysia and was eventually hired in Singapore and given PR status. He referred to this human resource as “our treasures”: the frustration was thick in his voice. Lee took the microphone and underscored what he felt to be the problem: the lack of political leadership.

From virtually unheard of to the whole world knows

2008-03-05T16:21:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Singapore: Top Official Says Terror Fugitive Likely Still In Singapore, from Associated Press on the escape of the al-Qaida-linked Jemaah Islamiyah leader, Mas Selamat.

Security breaches are virtually unheard of in tightly policed Singapore, an island nation of 4 million people that is a 45-minute boat ride from Indonesia where Mas Selamat is alleged to have links with militant groups.

The beginning

2008-03-02T23:00:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, Tun Razak’s legacy – his vision, in The Star Online by Karim Raslan about "an apocryphal story from the 1960s".

Basically, the story runs like this: At the time of Separation – Singapore’s departure from the federation in 1965 – Tun Abdul Razak Hussein realised that Umno needed more young leaders in the party.

Great visionary: Razak had the foresight to enrol the brightest young Malays.
Faced with, amongst other things Lee Kuan Yew’s considerable rhetorical skills, Razak wanted young Malay leaders – grounded in their own faith and culture – who would be able to speak and if necessary debate both in Malay and English.

Among the targets

2008-03-02T22:53:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Graduating from high school to al-Qaida; Conclusion of a two-part series, in The Niagara Fall Reviews by John Robbins.

Still, despite his earlier admissions to taking part in a foiled plot to blow up U.S. embassies in Singapore and Manila, Jabarah was unable to bring himself to denounce bin Laden and unwilling to accept being described by federal prosecutors as a "deadly serious terrorist."

Many Muslims live here

2008-03-02T22:38:00.003+08:00

This was from the article, The Muslim News Awards for Excellence shortlist, in The Muslim News.

Karen Armstrong is an author who writes extensively on religion. A former nun who describes herself as a ‘freelance monotheist’, she has advanced the theory that fundamentalism in religion is a response to and a product of modern culture. Ever since 9/11 she has been in demand all over the world as a speaker and writer to explain Islam and ‘religious fundamentalism’. Last year these visits included trips to Malaysia, Turkey, Jordan, Singapore, and Egypt, where she received an Al Ahzar award for services to Islam. Among the numerous books she has authored are: the best-selling A History of God, Muhammad: Prophet for Our Time, and Islam: A Short History.

No raw fuel here

2008-03-02T18:02:00.000+08:00

This is from the article, Bunker Race - Sri Lanka CPC to link with GAC for bunkering, in Lanka Business Online.

Bunker prices in Colombo are high because of limited supply and the need to ship the fuel from overseas, mainly Singapore.

Tourists from everywhere are welcome here

2008-03-02T17:49:00.000+08:00

This is from the article, Chennai on Singapore Tourism Board's radar, in Chennai Online.

With more than 90,000 tourists from Chennai visiting Singapore last year, the city has become the latter's largest market in South India, and the second behind Mumbai in the country, a Tourism executive said.

Something not wanted for, ideally.

2008-03-02T17:35:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, "Mumbai helpline counsels AIDS patients from Dubai, China", by Prashant K. Nanda in Thaindian News.

“I have tested HIV positive, how will I face my family?” asks a voice from Dubai on telephone. From a clean basement in a dingy building here, a counsellor answers the question. Counsellors at Population Service International (PSI) also guide AIDS patients from China, Singapore and the Gulf on how to live a better life.

In this case, one is better than none or more.

2008-03-01T17:24:00.006+08:00

This is from the article, Local builder, teacher to leave for mission trip, in Cleveland Daily Banner by Joe Brooks about Andrew Frazier's family following God’s call to serve as missionaries in Singapore.

“ICS is the only international Christian school in the country of Singapore. It is a pre-k through 12th grade school of about 400 students,” Tracy said.

Shopping around

2008-03-01T16:42:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, NYC Shops Cater to Euro-Toting Tourists, by Eva Woo in BusinessWeek in relation to the recent decline of USD.

For economists, the tourism boom also drives home the broader forces at work behind the dollar's decline. Those same forces have led to a surge in foreign investment in the U.S. Big financial houses such as Citigroup (C) and Merrill Lynch (MER) recently raised billions from government funds in Kuwait, Singapore, Korea, and elsewhere. Foreign purchases of U.S. assets last year set a record of $405.7 billion, according to Thomson Financial (TOC), up 92% from $210.9 billion in 2006. The dollar's decline is "part of a broader adjustment needed to bring the U.S.'s trade deficit down," says Brad Setser, an international economics researcher at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Don't want, or don't need to subsidize?

2008-02-29T17:48:00.005+08:00

This is from the article, BN not cobbled together for political expediency, in The New Straits Times Online by Hardev Kaur about the coming election in Malaysia.

The world trade talks under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation are stalled, if not dead. Protectionist sentiments are on the rise; so, too, inflation pressures. In Singapore, consumer prices are at their highest since 1982. In other countries in the region - Thailand and Indonesia - they are at a multi-year high and prices are rising faster than interest rates.

Malaysia, which is one of the most open economies and highly dependent on trade, has been able to stand up well. Government policies and subsidies have cushioned much of the price rises. The government spends some RM81 billion on various subsidies, including food and fuel.

Wandering alone in a variety of spirituality

2008-02-29T17:36:00.005+08:00

This is from the article, The Community of More, a personal story by Bill Ashlock in FAITH HOUSE Manhattan blog.

Today my life floats between California (my home of homes), Singapore (my home of work), and New York City (my home of hope). In Singapore, I am energized by the confluence of cultures, spirituality, and people. It is a wonderful mix. Individuals, religious thoughts, and institutions respected and held in honor. Yet, people still wander alone.

Rush, but don't rush madly

2008-02-29T17:24:00.004+08:00

This is from the the article, Abuse On Women- Whose Fault? in CounterCurrents.org by Stree Mukti.

Culture, Mr Chairperson we are sure you will agree, is not only about language, dress, food or rituals… it is also about how one generation facilitates and works to help the next generation to live in harmony and in peace. Do you ever wonder whether we are doing this for our coming generation in our mad rush to "develop" and become a Singapore or an America in the shortest possible period?

Becoming a world financial power

2008-02-28T13:10:00.004+08:00

This is from the article, Kuwait's role to promote media outshines others in Gulf region, in the Arab Times, Kuwait News.

'With the current turbulences of the stock markets, Kuwait, like Singapore, is now ready to become not only an oil power but a world financial power. The country gives as well the feeling that it invests money with a very accurate sense of opportunity, avoiding wastes and useless showoffs,' said Mettan.

Human rights is but one of the many type of rights

2008-02-27T15:48:00.005+08:00

This is from the article, The penalty of death, in the Jamaica Gleaner about high murder rate by Robert Buddan.

... The United Nations introduced a resolution for a worldwide moratorium on the death penalty in December 2007. One hundred and four countries supported the resolution, with 54 voting against and 29 abstaining.

[...]

Singapore, a country which many admire for its tough discipline, say that its opposition to the death penalty was on grounds of criminal justice and was not seen as a human rights issue the way it is in Europe. This is how the Caribbean sees it as well.

Nigeria = "please reply urgent" emails?

2008-02-27T15:17:00.005+08:00

This is from the article, When ‘they’ think ‘Nigeria’, what do they think? in "Nigeria's most influential and respected daily business newspaper" (as claimed in their website) by Tolu Ogunlesi. It is asking the big question, "Can the government of Nigeria succeed in selling Nigeria without the consent and support of Nigerians?"

Imagine for a second that you were not Nigerian. That instead, you came from Australia, or Singapore, or Luxembourg, and that you had never left your country before.
But you had access to CNN, and to the internet, and to magazines like Time, Newsweek and the Economist. [...]

It's very likely that you'd assume the following about Nigeria : Nigeria is a country/tribe/ethnic group/township in Africa , so there's probably a war or wars going on there (A lot of Hotel Rwandas and Blood Diamonds).

Like all African countries, it must have loads of poor folks - fly-swathed, [... bunch of poor stuffs].

HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Ebola, Poor them. [... some stuffs on language and oil]

Relatives of their dead politicians (who always seem to be dying either in car accidents or violent coup plots) love to send emails chock-full of multimillion-dollar business proposals and with titles like "Urgent Urgent" and "Please Reply ASAP". [...]

There's a long queue of them in the Sahara, stretching from their border, headed Europe-wards...

The truth, sadly, is that there is (some) truth to most, if not all, of the above. But the truth again is that there is yet another truth, which is this: there is more to Africa, and Nigeria, than money-laundering politicians, gun-running warlords and "please reply urgent" emails.

An approach to tackle manpower shortage

2008-02-27T09:56:00.006+08:00

This is from the article, Robot arms race seen underway, where an expert calls for international discussion on robotic weapons.

Several nations are developing robot weapons, with the United States in the lead, ...

Canada, South Korea, South Africa, Singapore, Israel, China, some European countries, Russia and India are also getting in on the robot-weapons act, Sharkey added, with these last two developing unmanned aerial combat vehicles.

Adopting Jamaica's programmes in 1970's

2008-02-26T21:35:00.002+08:00

This is from the article, Unspeakable treachery, about Barack Obama by Dawn Ritch in the Jamaica Gleaner.

When Michael Manley took over the government of Jamaica in l972, Jamaica's economy was one of the fastest growing in the world, and Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore was adopting our programmes. Now we're killing each other and selling cigarettes by the side of the road, while Singapore has become a First World country.

World's largest container port hub

2008-02-15T13:20:00.003+08:00

This is from the article, The New Silk Road and Ibn Battuta, in The Daily Reckoning by Chris Mayer about shipping.

Shipping companies are actively pursuing new routes. Perhaps through the ice-free Arctic passages, as I've written to you about before. Right now, Singapore is still king. It is the world's largest container port hub. Singapore, sitting in the Strait of Malacca, is the hinge that links Asia's shipping lanes with Europe. (I'd love to get to Singapore sometime in 2008.) Some of the excess may bleed into airfreight. China alone plans 48 new airports over the next decade, to add to its current total of 130. It's been called the "Silk Road in the sky."