Why I Blog
"For centuries, writers have experimented with forms that evoke the imperfection of thought, the inconstancy of human affairs, and the chastening passage of time." "Yet the interaction it enables between writer and reader is unprecedented, visceral, and sometimes brutal." Find out more about blogs and some reasons behind blogging.
A Boy's Life
Enlightening article about transgender children. Is gender simply a social construct? The article suggests that genes are the more important determinants. "Maybe we really have to think … that we don’t come to this world neutral; that we come to this world with some degree of maleness and femaleness which will transcend whatever the society wants to put into [us]."
The Hyped Panic Over 'War of the Worlds'
"Many people, including scholars, will continue to believe something they intuitively suspect: that the media manipulate... rational individuals into emotional mobs. But notice how those who believe this never include themselves in the mob. We are... very susceptible to the notion that others are more persuadable than ourselves." Article on Media.
Showing posts with label articlesofnote. Show all posts
Showing posts with label articlesofnote. Show all posts
16 November 2008
19 October 2008
13.10.08 to 19.10.08
Race, Gender and the Media in the 2008 Elections
"Charges of sexism, reverse sexism, populist feminism, anti-feminism -- and permutations on the theme -- were doled out in abundance. Prominent in the mix was the role of the media, both amplifying and exacerbating misconceptions to the public." Interesting article. Useful for those spotting Media questions in GP.
Why Do We Need Economic Growth?
"But whilst economic growth may be a necessary condition for the relief of poverty and can be desirable for middle- and high-income people too, it is not enough on its own. Governments and society need to be judged on so much more than simply whether their economies are growing. " Growth is good, but growth alone is not enough.
"Charges of sexism, reverse sexism, populist feminism, anti-feminism -- and permutations on the theme -- were doled out in abundance. Prominent in the mix was the role of the media, both amplifying and exacerbating misconceptions to the public." Interesting article. Useful for those spotting Media questions in GP.
Why Do We Need Economic Growth?
"But whilst economic growth may be a necessary condition for the relief of poverty and can be desirable for middle- and high-income people too, it is not enough on its own. Governments and society need to be judged on so much more than simply whether their economies are growing. " Growth is good, but growth alone is not enough.
15 October 2008
06.10.08 to 12.10.08
Smoke Photography/Smoke Art
Amazing photos (:
Does Religion Make People Nicer?
"The cognitive awareness of gods is likely to heighten prosocial reputational concerns among believers, just as the cognitive awareness of human watchers does among believers and non-believers alike". Insightful article.
Sarah Palin's Body Language And Why It Should Worry You
We have seen and heard so much about the new Republican celebrity over the radio, television and internet (most notably Saturday Night Live shows of Palin impersonation). It is time to find out some interesting tidbit of analysis on her.
Amazing photos (:
Does Religion Make People Nicer?
"The cognitive awareness of gods is likely to heighten prosocial reputational concerns among believers, just as the cognitive awareness of human watchers does among believers and non-believers alike". Insightful article.
Sarah Palin's Body Language And Why It Should Worry You
We have seen and heard so much about the new Republican celebrity over the radio, television and internet (most notably Saturday Night Live shows of Palin impersonation). It is time to find out some interesting tidbit of analysis on her.
6 October 2008
29.09.08 to 05.10.08
The Bad Glazier
"There are certain natures, purely contemplative and totally unfit for action, which nevertheless, moved by some mysterious and unaccountable impulse, act at times with a rapidity of which they would never have dreamed themselves capable." An interesting prose describing the impulse of doing something we would not normally do.
Plight of the Little Emperors
We have all bemoan our relative lack of success in academia at one point or another, but do take a step back and look at the bigger picture, and perhaps we should feel fortunate that our situation in Singapore is not as dire as that in China.
"There are certain natures, purely contemplative and totally unfit for action, which nevertheless, moved by some mysterious and unaccountable impulse, act at times with a rapidity of which they would never have dreamed themselves capable." An interesting prose describing the impulse of doing something we would not normally do.
Plight of the Little Emperors
We have all bemoan our relative lack of success in academia at one point or another, but do take a step back and look at the bigger picture, and perhaps we should feel fortunate that our situation in Singapore is not as dire as that in China.
28 September 2008
22.09.08 to 28.09.08
Online Literacy Is A Lesser Kind
"Educators must keep a portion of the undergraduate experience disconnected, unplugged, and logged off... That is a new mission for educators parallel to the mad rush to digitize learning, one that may seem reactionary and retrograde, but in fact strives to keep students' minds open and literacy broad." I agree. There is no need to completely computerize learning.
Does Globalization Encourage Rational Extremism
"The notion that the world is metamorphosing into a single global milieu of interconnected and mutually-dependent constituents is as popular as it is biased." Excellent language. Find out more about the tripartite relationship between globalization, nationalisation and extremism here.
"Educators must keep a portion of the undergraduate experience disconnected, unplugged, and logged off... That is a new mission for educators parallel to the mad rush to digitize learning, one that may seem reactionary and retrograde, but in fact strives to keep students' minds open and literacy broad." I agree. There is no need to completely computerize learning.
Does Globalization Encourage Rational Extremism
"The notion that the world is metamorphosing into a single global milieu of interconnected and mutually-dependent constituents is as popular as it is biased." Excellent language. Find out more about the tripartite relationship between globalization, nationalisation and extremism here.
21 September 2008
15.09.08 to 21.09.08
On Stupidity
"Different generations have different ways of knowing — different configurations of multiple intelligences. Pick your era and your subject: How many of us know anything about farming anymore or how to read the changing of the seasons? How many of us know how to repair an automobile or make a cake from scratch?" And the questions seems to be this: have we 'digital natives' become more stupid?
How to Remember Information for Exams
Shows several interesting memory techniques we can employ in our daily struggle with remembering stuff (or more specifically, mugging stuff)!
Bureau-crazy
"Bureaucrazy is the legal cousin of corruption. Its impact can be more devastating than corruption because of its ubiquitous nature. In many other countries, corruption thrives in an environment of heavy bureaucrazy which serves as its substrate for life." Enlightening read. May double up as good insights for GP conclusions!
"Different generations have different ways of knowing — different configurations of multiple intelligences. Pick your era and your subject: How many of us know anything about farming anymore or how to read the changing of the seasons? How many of us know how to repair an automobile or make a cake from scratch?" And the questions seems to be this: have we 'digital natives' become more stupid?
How to Remember Information for Exams
Shows several interesting memory techniques we can employ in our daily struggle with remembering stuff (or more specifically, mugging stuff)!
Bureau-crazy
"Bureaucrazy is the legal cousin of corruption. Its impact can be more devastating than corruption because of its ubiquitous nature. In many other countries, corruption thrives in an environment of heavy bureaucrazy which serves as its substrate for life." Enlightening read. May double up as good insights for GP conclusions!
14 September 2008
08.09.08 to 14.09.08
Doubt, Distrust, Delay
"The inside story of how Bush's Team dealt with its failing Iraq strategy." Very intriguing read into what's happening behind scenes of Iraq war. Both historians and non-historians should take a look!
The Feisty Minority
Racism. Shine or whine? Good read with nice statistics.
Meritocracy's Hidden Danger
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his ability." "Singapore's meritocratic system has been practised so extremely that it is starting to show signs of becoming a victim of its own success." Fiction or reality? You decide.
"The inside story of how Bush's Team dealt with its failing Iraq strategy." Very intriguing read into what's happening behind scenes of Iraq war. Both historians and non-historians should take a look!
The Feisty Minority
Racism. Shine or whine? Good read with nice statistics.
Meritocracy's Hidden Danger
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his ability." "Singapore's meritocratic system has been practised so extremely that it is starting to show signs of becoming a victim of its own success." Fiction or reality? You decide.
8 September 2008
31.08.08 to 07.09.08
Disadvantages of an Elite Education
Oxford, Harvard, Yale? They may be the best, but being the best isn't always the best.
Important work can be done while daydreaming
"Daydreaming builds on this fundamental capacity people have for being able to project themselves into imaginary situations, like the future. Without that skill, we'd be pretty limited creatures."
The Creative Personality
Very interesting article about some defining traits of a creative person. "A psychologically androgynous person in effect doubles his or her repertoire of responses. Creative individuals are more likely to have not only the strengths of their own gender but those of the other one, too."
Oxford, Harvard, Yale? They may be the best, but being the best isn't always the best.
Important work can be done while daydreaming
"Daydreaming builds on this fundamental capacity people have for being able to project themselves into imaginary situations, like the future. Without that skill, we'd be pretty limited creatures."
The Creative Personality
Very interesting article about some defining traits of a creative person. "A psychologically androgynous person in effect doubles his or her repertoire of responses. Creative individuals are more likely to have not only the strengths of their own gender but those of the other one, too."
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