Has relying on tech made us more stupid?

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efficient technology can be an impediment to learning. Only through effort and repetition, without shortcuts, can we truly retain useful knowledge.

 GPT-3, one of the world’s most advanced artificial intelligence systems. It can do things that would have been considered science fiction just a few years ago, such as generate realistic-sounding articles, or translate between languages it has never seen before. It does so by learning from a vast amount of text, and then making predictions based on that data.

the AI-generated text was “unique”, it allowed students to evade anti-plagiarism detection software

Practice makes perfect. We’ve all heard of the “10,000 hours rule” – the amount of intensive practice supposedly needed to master something – but we have many ways to make the same point: repetition means remembering. Remembering means learning and mastering. 

For Qns on convenience, impact of AI and tech.....

Hotpot chain Haidilao offers discounts for PSLE pupils based on grades, then changes mind

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“Simply show the staff the PSLE score and enjoy $30 discount off.”

World Cup in Qatar caps big gulf push into international sports

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revelling in a sense of pride in her nation’s new visibility on the global stage.

Qatar and its resource-rich Gulf neighbours have poured billions of dollars into international sports, buying teams and sponsorships and hosting events, in part to bolster their global clout but also out of a desire to diversify their economies, attract tourism, further their foreign policy goals and stoke nationalism at home that legitimises their authoritarian rule.

Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup, ...For the country of 3 million people, the month-long tournament is the culmination of 12 years of preparation and more than US$200 billion (S$274.8 billion) in infrastructure spending, subsumed into a grand nation-building project for a state the size of Connecticut surrounded by more powerful neighbours.

 critics accuse Gulf governments of using sports to cleanse their international reputations amid accusations of human rights abuses, sports mean a great deal more than a better image abroad for the Gulf’s hereditary rulers.

diversify its oil-dependent economy, and sports can spur job creation and consumer spending. Across the Gulf, public health advocates want to use sports to encourage physical activity among populations that struggle with childhood obesity and diabetes.

Discrimination against LGBTQ people and the treatment of migrant workers have cast shadows over the tournament.

A last-minute decision to ban beer at the stadiums also caused an outcry from fans.

The government’s efforts to link itself with the international community are partly motivated by Qatar’s vulnerabilities, which include its own self-defence,

“Most Western and European countries have a bad image of us...“We want to improve the way they look at us. We want to change their view, first of all, of Islam

Qn: ‘Staging major sporting events brings nothing but benefits to the host country.’ Discuss. (Cam. 2021)

Eyes wide shut: Parents in China tape kids’ mouths closed to prevent buck teeth, despite risks

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Parents in China are known to go to extreme lengths to ensure that their child – usually the only one they will have – has the best that they can offer.

Having good looks – loosely defined as a sharp jaw, fair skin and prominent features – is considered a way to stand out down the line amid intense competition for jobs and even in the marriage market. 

For qns on beauty/appearance and parenting....

Recommended by Golden Horse: Sylvia Chang wins Best Actress, Hong Huifang and S’pore film Ajoomma left empty-handed

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Although it is a bit regrettable that there is no way (for me) to bring the Golden Horse back to Singapore today, it is a great honour to be able to attend such a big event

Being here at Golden Horse this week already made me feel like a winner, to be surrounded by so many of my film-making peers here from the region and to be recognised alongside them

Qn: ‘It is not winning, but taking part, which matters.’ How acceptable is this as an approach to life? (Cam. 2022)

China-US decoupling will give way to a ‘profoundly dangerous’ world: Tharman

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Imagine a world where China and the US are decoupled in trade, in investments, data, payments, financial systems, intellectual property creation. That would be a profoundly dangerous world

A multipolar world was never going to be frictionless. But it is much safer than a world that is decoupled

China-US relations have soured in recent years, starting in 2018 with tit-for-tat import tariffs and, more recently, a US ban on exports of certain advanced semiconductor technologies.

See also a related post HERE.

For Qns about globalization and self-sufficiency

Qn: How far should countries aim to be self-sufficient? (Cam. 2011)

What a film about a poor Gansu farmer says of China’s quest for soft power

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the movie industry “an important battlefield for ideological and propaganda work”, one that reflects the growth of China’s soft power.

Critically acclaimed films such as Ju Dou and Raise The Red Lantern by Chinese director Zhang Yimou that dealt with sensitive themes and raised censors’ hackles when they were released in the 1990s would not make it to cinema screens today, said observers. They see the Chinese film industry gradually moving towards movies of the Mao era, with recent nationalistic blockbusters such as the Wolf Warrior action movies, or patriotic films like My People, My Homeland, emphasising themes of heroism or featuring self-sacrificing officials or party members.

artistic expression must “serve the people and socialism”.

Movies are a tool in this effort to spread “zhengnengliang” or positive energy – booster shots of faith in the party’s leadership that have become all the more important considering challenges such as Covid-19

Movies hold up a mirror to our societies. To be sure, there is America’s Top Gun to match the Wolf Warrior movies, but the likes of Nomadland and Parasite do not flinch from showing the imperfections in American and South Korean societies, respectively.

For Qns on movies and censorship....

Singapore Writers Festival: British author Jeanette Winterson addresses sex bots, hope for humanity

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what separates humanity from AI: “Computers are faster than any human will ever be. When that thing starts thinking, whatever it means, what we’re left with, the only thing that we’re going to be left with is actually the thing that we need most, which is our emotional intelligence, our capacity to love, and to make decisions that are based on compassion, not greed

the focus on Stem (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) should instead be on Steam, including the arts. “Everything is an act of imagination. Nothing ever happens that doesn’t start as an idea in somebody’s head. It is because we can imagine that we can do the things that we do.”

Reforestation could boost water security in vulnerable regions in the Asia-Pacific: Study

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Planting up forests can help soak up planet-warming carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but a new study has shown that reforestation efforts could also boost water security for some regions in the Asia-Pacific.

As water consumers, these habitats draw in water from the soil through their roots and release it into the atmosphere through the process of evapotranspiration, which occurs when trees release water vapour through their leaves. When forests release water into the atmosphere, they help to increase the humidity in the air.This stimulates the formation of rain clouds, either over the forest basin or elsewhere, since air moisture could be transported over long distances by winds. 

There is considerable potential for more research into reforestation as a transboundary nature-based solution for climate mitigation, as well as for water and food security.”

Qn: Discuss the importance of nature in your society.

S’pore to propose tougher international regulation for trade of 2 native songbirds

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The down-listing of the white-rumped shama is good news, and we can hear the beautiful song of this species in the wild more often.

Qn: Since the extinction of species is a natural phenomenon, is there any point in trying to prevent it? (Cam. 2022)

Technology advancements, decarbonisation drive could boost push for nuclear power in S’pore

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A fragmented world will make it tougher for countries to band together to achieve their climate targets, the report noted, which means Singapore must resort to other means to decarbonise its energy mix, apart from relying on cooperative mechanisms such as clean energy imports.

For Singapore, a very important factor is the energy security that nuclear energy can provide

For Singapore, around 95 per cent of the city state’s electricity supply is dependent on natural gas imports from countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, making it vulnerable to crises in the global energy market and reliant on planet-warming fossil fuels.

There have been recent signs of promise as small modular reactor (SMR) designs and floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) are being developed that are more suitable for Singapore....very promising in terms of increased safety and require much less area around them to be of low population density

New rules to make social media firms accountable for online harms

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the Bill will empower the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to issue orders to social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, to take down egregious content....Failure to comply may attract a fine of up to $1 million, or a direction to have their social media services blocked here.

why private messaging services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are not covered by the Bill, even though image-based sexual abuse largely takes place via private channels.... “The short answer is that there are legitimate privacy concerns.”

Forum: Consumers also play major role in ensuring food security

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As more consumers purchase locally farmed eggs, vegetables and fishes, the local demand will keep our farms commercially viable and spur our farmers to become more productive. Strong local support will also encourage our farms to upscale their businesses and invest in technology and innovation so that they can increase their capability and capacity to produce more with less and in a sustainable manner. 

Relate to SAJC Prelim 2022 AQ on urban farming.....

She has heart failure but cares for husband who has schizophrenia and his father who has dementia

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She said she feels stressed caring for her husband and father-in-law on top of her own conditions, and hopes for more government support in the form of grants and financial aid.

“Caregiving is a full-time job, but it is not paid

About 51 per cent of the primary caregivers surveyed reported feeling stressed “often or all the time”, compared with 40 per cent of the general population.

“It can be a very isolating experience if you don’t have a network.”

Qn: In your society, is it more challenging to care for one's parents today? (Cam. 2022)

More interest in hiring people with disabilities in sectors facing manpower crunch

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The increase in hiring is still confined mostly to sectors such as hospitality and food and beverage (F&B) that are facing severe manpower shortages, while sectors such as tech, logistics and healthcare have only started opening up to hiring people with disabilities. 

Flexible work arrangements have also let some trainees take on jobs in data annotation, where they can work from home.

Those with intellectual disabilities or autism, who may need more accommodations, have a harder time getting jobs than people with physical disabilities

Employers, on their part, must be willing to redesign work processes, with the understanding that people with autism work best in structured environments with clear tasks and goals

5G robots, other innovations may help healthcare system cope with ageing population

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Innovations such as these will help the nation’s healthcare system cope with future challenges, such as a limited labour force arising from a greying population

look into virtual reality and augmented reality innovations in the training of medical students and healthcare professionals.

Currently, robots are already being used to deliver medication to patients at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). These robots are now being considered for other uses, such as helping people navigate in hospitals

TTSH’s Medical 3D Printing Centre, which is located at CHI. The 3D printing centre started operating in 2020 and has come up with 250 models for various uses, including body parts to help patients understand their medical conditions and why they have to undergo certain procedures.

patients can use the HealthHub app to register themselves at a clinic and find out the number of patients ahead of them

The use of artificial intelligence to predict and prevent falls in patients

Qn: 'Technology in healthcare has gone beyond what is necessary.’ Is this a fair comment? (VJC Prelim 2022)

‘Emergency’ COP27 climate meet must deliver on finance for poorer nations, envoy says

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COP27 is a chance to bridge divides around the common threat of climate change... The meeting is “an opportunity for those who otherwise are in an adversarial mode to come together around an issue that no one challenges is existential”. 

Rich nations have failed to fully live up to a promise made over a decade ago to provide US$100 billion (S$141 billion) in annual climate finance by 2020. The money is meant to help poorer nations fund green energy investments and projects to adapt to climate impacts.

The international community must act and support those worst affected and least responsible with funding and solutions

COP27 comes as major UN reports show the world is far off course on meeting the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels.....Glasgow’s COP26 aimed to keep the 1.5 deg C goal alive. “Hopefully we can take it off life support and move it in a better direction as well

Qn: How far do you agree that developed nations should bear greater responsibility when it comes to the climate crisis?

Hazardous smog chokes India’s capital, sparking calls to close schools

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The world’s most polluted capital is blanketed in smog every winter as cold, heavy air traps construction dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from the burning of crop stubble in the neighbouring states to clear the fields for the next crop.

“What is happening with air pollution in Delhi is nothing short of a crime against humanity!” author and socialite Suhel Seth wrote on Twitter. “There’s a total collapse of accountability!”

S’pore not likely to use AI in sentencing in foreseeable future: Chief Justice

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several states in the US, including Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, have adopted AI risk assessment tools that use demographic data and offence-related data to assess an offender’s risk of recidivism.

the tool was far more likely to incorrectly assess black offenders as having a high risk of recidivism than it was to make the same error regarding white offenders.

underlying algorithms are opaque, and the offender does not have an opportunity to test the data and assumptions that underlie them, which could reflect biases

For qns on technology and AI