The Dark Shadow Shrine

embrace the darkness; that you may see the light nestled within it......

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Race to replace nuclear power, coal puts strain on Germany

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Over the next three years, the government will also shut down all seven active nuclear plants in the country.....The about-face in German energy policies was triggered by the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in 2011, when a major earthquake and tsunami caused a nuclear accident at the power plant about 300km north of Tokyo, and the anti-nuclear protests that later broke out in Germany.

Nuclear energy, once supplying a third of the country's power needs, today provides a little more than 10 per cent of the national energy mix.
Last week's decision by the coal commission will also mean an end to brown coal mining, which now provides 32,000 jobs,

Wind power, largely generated in the north, has to be brought to the south, with new power lines which connect to power grids....But people have protested against the construction works, citing the damage to nature.

Qn: Can we rely on science and technology to solve our environmental problems?

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Trash to treasure: Turning waste to energy

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Note catchy title using alliteration and the Opening BANG!

the biogas produced in the process can power a large portion of Singapore's water reclamation plants.......The sludge and food waste are combined, and will go through what the agencies call "anaerobic digestion", also known as a biological process that breaks down organic materials to produce biogas - a natural fuel that is produced when organic matter reacts with bacteria.

Qn: Can we rely on science and technology to solve our environmental problems?

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

The real wall isn't at the border

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"It is not about this border. It's the border in here," Ali says, pointing to his head - "and that is gone, now."

If you zoom out enough in Google Earth, you'll see the lines between nations begin to disappear. Eventually, you'll be left staring at a unified blue planet. You might even experience a hint of what astronauts have called the "overview effect": the sense that we are all on "Spaceship Earth", together.

The walls of the future go beyond one administration's policies, though. They are growing all around us, being built by global technology companies that allow for constant surveillance, data harvesting and the alarming collection of biometric information.

It's possible to get a glimpse of where a digital border might lead from China. Look at its continuing experiment with social credit scoring, where a slip of the tongue or an unpaid debt could one day jeopardise someone's ability to board a train or apply for a job. When your keystrokes and text messages become embedded in your legal identity, you create a wall around yourself without meaning to.

Teenager takes on Davos elite over inaction on climate change

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"I want you to feel the fear I feel every day, and then I want you to act," she said. "I want you to act as if the house was on fire, because it is."
-- an interesting imagery being evoked here, that of mankind setting fire to his own house even whilst he is still living in it (esp apt if u think of global warming)

she had rejected the notion that "we are not doing enough to fight climate change"..."Because to 'not do enough', you have to do something. And the truth is we are basically not doing anything," she said.
The young environmentalist has become a prominent voice pressing the global elite to take action on climate change. She first came into the spotlight when she began skipping school every Friday to protest in front of the Swedish Parliament ---- 16-year-old climate crusader Greta Thunberg [think of her here on the same page as other young activists like Malala]

Instead of angst over the bicentennial, draw lessons from the past

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The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see....So the late British prime minister and famed orator, Winston Churchill, is once supposed to have said.

Climate change dominates discussion on last day

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What caught my eye was the placard held by the activist in the picture that says "There is NO Planet B".

"Put decisions into the hands of mums and grandmothers and you will see great things happen" she said, to applause from the hall.

'Invasion Day' protests draw thousands

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compare this reaction of the Australians to our reaction towards the Bicentennial Celebrations.....
Note the similarities btw Captain Cook having founded Australia vs Raffles founded Singapore, and the oppression of the locals by the colonizers...

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Peace and stability top priority for the world: Heng Swee Keat

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Note the use of figurative language to convey an idea more clearly, as well as to persuade...:

Another panellist, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, likened the rules-based world order to how a gardener tends to his garden while fending off a growing jungle.

He went on to cite a metaphor he heard at an earlier session: "Imagine if all of us were on a plane and the pilot and co-pilot are fighting.


Note also how the metaphor was value-added, something u can do when u want to use a closing BANG that makes reference back to an opening BANG...:

"I thought it was an interesting metaphor, but I hope that beyond the two pilots, we also have some autopilot that the rest of us can (rest our) hope on."

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Banksy mural sells for more than $174,000

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Banksy is now one of the more prominent artists mentioned in the media in recent months, making him an excellent example in ur essays if u r familiar with his works...He infmaously shredded his own painting in an auction last year after the painted has been successfully bidded by someone (see HERE). He was making a statement on consumerisma or something.

In the Season's Greetings mural of this article, the environmental message (pollution of factories) behind the artwork is obvious....
Like the pop-culture entry in a recent previous post, artworks are not just for entertainment; they often contain a message for the viewer, often an exhortation by the artist. If the aim is for the artwork to convey a message, esp if it's a message not confined to just the immediate surroundings, then there are grounds for the artwork to travel and not stay in its country of origin where it is produced.....
BUT sometimes, the piece of artwork exists in a kind of ecosystem with its surroundings, creating a 'dialogue' with them. In such instances, transplanting the artwork from its surroundings to a totally alien environment would have eroded much of its allure and its potential to 'tell the story' that the artist intended. For example, imagine having the Sphinx and the pyramids removed and transplanted into a modern museum, away from the wide expanse of the desert in which they are situated.....
BUT then again, like endangered animals kept in the zoo, if the country of origins are deemed incapable of preserving these valuable artworks from being destroyed (either by war, vandals, or harsh elements of the weather), then perhaps transplanting them to the care of other countries with the capacity to preserve them may not be such an inadmissible idea after all. To give an analogy, tigers belong to the wilderness, but if some external countries do not intervene to place these tigers in the safety of their own zoos, these tigers would have perished due to poaching and their shrinking jungle habitat, which the country of origin is incapable of tackling......


Qns:
1. ‘Works of art which have been removed from their country of origin should be returned.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2018)
2. In your society, to what extent is it acceptable for public money to be used for the acquisition of works of art? (Cam. 2017)
3. ‘For the majority of people, the Arts are irrelevant to their daily lives.’ How true is this of your society? (Cam. 2014)

WhatsApp limits message forwarding to 5 recipients to curb rumours

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Facebook's WhatsApp messenger service is globally limiting the number of times a user can forward a message to five, in a bid to fight misinformation and rumours, company executives said yesterday.

The popular messenger service, which has around 1.5 billion users, has been trying to find ways to stop misuse of the app following global concern that the platform was being used to spread fake news, manipulated photos, videos without context and audio hoaxes, with no way to monitor their origin or full reach.


The five-recipient limit expands globally a measure WhatsApp put into place in India in July after the spread of rumours on social media led to killings and lynching attempts.

The company's parent, Facebook, has been the subject of global scrutiny over its role in the spread of fake news and disinformation over the past year in particular.
The social network is under investigation in several countries for letting the data of millions of its users end up in the hands of Cambridge Analytica, a consulting firm that was working on Mr Donald Trump's 2016 US presidential campaign.

Monday, January 21, 2019

1MDB scandal: Goldman Sachs apology not enough, says Malaysia's Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng

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"An apology with US$7.5 billion, that is what matters."

Note exactly a suitable example for the qn below as Goldman Sachs is a company and not a country, but the argument is the same.....Talk is cheap. It's easy to just say sorry, but for the other party to accpet ur apology and forgive you, monetary reparations or restitutions need to be made.....

Qn: How far is it possible for one country to forgive another for its past actions? (Cam. 2015)

The healing power of forgiveness

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Qn: How far is it possible for one country to forgive another for its past actions? (Cam. 2015)

Bali police allegedly quiz Indonesian in Singapore without permit

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Qn: ‘In the global village we inhabit, there is no justification for national boundaries.’ How far do you agree? (Cam .2018)

Women in Singapore earn 9% less than men

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Singapore's Bicentennial: Our colonial conundrum

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For qns about the credibility of history....compare with Japanese whitewashing of their atrocities committed during WWII....Note the reasons why Singapore chooses to whitewash Raffles and even celebrate our oppressor.....

Note the opening BANG, as well as how the closing BANG echoes it...


But what about Raffles himself? Before he so graciously "found" us, Raffles led a violent assault in 1812 on Yogyakarta, killing civilians, looting and humiliating its local rulers. Yet here, he is today associated ubiquitously and proudly with excellence. The financial district is called Raffles Place. A top school and prestigious hospital are named after him. More disturbingly, we've taken to aping colonialism's legacy of excess and avarice in our consumer culture.
Few nations would fondly remember, much less glorify a former oppressor. We must suffer from some kind of Stockholm syndrome, a psychological condition where captives grow to feel affection for their captor and even rationalise their violence.

Eco special: Rallying cry to save the earth

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Useful examples of pop culture (movies, songs, etc)

Another example here is the recent blockbuster movie "Aquaman". If you think back on the movie, you will realise that it tackles issues on man's pollution of the envmt, and discrimination / social inclusivenes (half-blood vs pure blood). In the latter, realise that it has its precedence in "X-Men" and "Harry Potter".... In "Aquaman", instead of being seen as impure and contaminated (and thus inferior breed), this difference is celebrated and seen as special -- a uniquenes that allows Aquaman to be the bridge between the human and the sea world.....

Qn: Do films offer anything more than an escape from reality? (Cam. 2014)

Friday, January 18, 2019

Brexit: Crisis after crisis, Theresa May just plods on

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very funny read.....

look out for:
1) the use of anaphora (repetition of sentence structure) for emphasis and impact, esp in crafting of titles and in speech (think ur SW)
2) the numerous figurative language (think about some of the effects of its use, i.e. intention of writer)

-"No deal... No hope... No clue... No confidence," declares the Mirror. The Sun edits her photo onto the body of a dodo.

-This is the bizarro world that is British politics, a Groundhog Day in which Mrs May awakes every day to discover herself in a dire political crisis, and every day survives, in her grim, implacable way.

-The rallying of Tories against Labour's bid to bring down the government, which was defeated by a margin of 19 votes, did it again, the thing that had seemed impossible: It put wind into her sails.

-"She is indestructible," wrote the Independent sketch writer Tom Peck, reflecting on the events of the day. "She is the cockroach in nuclear winter. She is the algae that survives on sulphuric gas from sub-aquatic volcanoes, seven miles beneath the daylight. She is the Nokia 5210."

-"I am trying to be helpful to the Prime Minister, believe it or not, but this is pure robotic fantasy," Mr McDonald said. He grumbled about it later on Twitter, writing: "I tried. But alas, the robot within the PM kicked in and she stuck to her script."


Note also how the Brexit, similar to the record-breaking and still ongoing US govt shutdown, is an excellent example of a dysfunctional democracy....


Qn: Consider the view that efficient government is more important than democracy. (Cam. 2011)

Chinese fake goods proving real hard to stamp out

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Think of loyalty to brands....is resorting to brand counterfeits a betrayal of brand loyalty? or manifestation of that loyalty?

Qn:  To what extent is loyalty valued in today’s world? (CJC Prelim 2018)

Saturday, January 05, 2019

Robots aren't yet killing off all jobs, says World Bank

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While technological advances in automation are starting to handle thousands of routine tasks and will eliminate many low-skill jobs in advanced economies and developing countries, they are also creating opportunities for different, more productive and more creative jobs.

Instead of less advanced skills that can be replaced by technology, employers will increasingly be looking to hire people with advanced cognitive skills, like complex problem-solving, teamwork, reasoning and communication talents.



One major area of concern for the World Bank is the impact the technological shifts will have on developing countries in Africa and elsewhere hoping to catch up to more advanced peers.In the past, these regions could rely on growing their economies by taking advantage of low wages in their own country and opening up to foreign trade. But salaries are less relevant if machines replace more people, which could hinder the countries' efforts to catch up

'Good evening. I'm your robot cook, please enjoy your meal'

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the future is full of workers that don't eat, sleep or breathe.

There are a couple of 24-hour supermarkets with no cashiers or shop attendants. You enter the shop by scanning your phone or your face and payment is done through the phone.

the food was "edible" rather than "good".

Protests paralyse Kerala after women defy temple ban

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A colourful BANG for qns on traditions and discrimination....

Qn: 
1.     In your society, how far is equality for all a reality? (Cam. 2012)

2.     Can prejudice ever be eliminated? (Cam. 2011)
3.     How important is it for people in your society to retain a sense of tradition? (Cam. 2010)


Ads likening maids to goods resurface online

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Qn: To what extent should advertising be regulated?

Irvins Salted Egg's prompt apology may help brand, say experts

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Qn:  ‘There is no such thing as bad publicity.’ To what extent is this true? (Cam. 2015)

Chinese healthcare company Quanjian Group embroiled in scandal

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Relate to the issue on the ethics of business vs profits...recall previous examples such as the Volkswagen scandal, the Sanlu milk powder, Johnson&Johnson abestos scandal..... 

Bright side of landing on dark side of Moon?

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Its space programme has "a variety of motivations, ranging from national pride and international prestige to scientific and economic payoffs"

When asked by a reporter last March why China was going to the Moon, he said: "The universe is an ocean, the Moon is the Diaoyu islands, Mars is Huangyan island. If we don't go there now even though we're capable of doing so, then we will be blamed by our descendants. If others go there, then they will take over and you won't be able to go even if you want to. This is reason enough."

Nasa spends US$35.9 billion (S$48.9 billion) a year on its space programme, while China spends only US$4.9 billion.

Qn:  Can space research be justified nowadays? (Cam. 2011)

Koreans home in on the joys of traditional dwellings

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inconvenience/discomfort:
-Hanok were once despised for being notoriously cold in winter and hot in summer. To use the toilet, you had to step out into the courtyard.
-hardships associated with hanok in the past, such as burning coal to heat the floors, and having to deliver food to individual rooms from the courtyard as there is no common dining hall.

rebuttal:
-To make them more liveable in today's world, architects have added modern comforts such as wall insulation, air conditioners, glass windows and indoor toilets. 
-gets both the benefits of traditional and modern living.
-renovate a historical house to fit modern life.
-He and his wife can sit on the heated floor sipping tea in front of the window overlooking the courtyard at one moment, then watch TV in the basement living room the next.

-----------------------------------------


-In the same way that Singapore preserves shophouses and China protects courtyard houses, South Korea has been pushing to conserve old hanok.

-'We're Korean, but what makes us Korean if everything is Westernised?'"...devote the land to hanok after noting the pervasiveness of apartment complexes and "rising concerns over Koreans losing our identity and architectural culture from the accelerated destruction of hanok".

-promote the village as a tourist attraction


Qns: 
1. Assess the view that traditional buildings have no future in your society. (Cam. 2016)

2. Only modern architecture and modern art have a place in today’s world. How far is this true of your society? (Cam. 2011)