[MyAppleMenu] Apr 20, 2011

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Wed Apr 20 18:59:00 EDT 2011

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple Reportedly Rejecting Apps With Install Perks <http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20055382-248.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=News-Apple>
Josh Lowensohn, CNET

Following murmurs of Apple making changes to its App Store ranking algorithms to devalue the effect of downloads alone, new claims have been made that Apple is actively rejecting applications that include features designed to boost installations.

**** Camino, A Fast Alternative To Bloated Heavyweight Browsers <http://lowendmac.com/ed/royal/11sr/low-end-camino.html>
Simon Royal, Low End Mac

**** iMac Supplies Constrained, Indicating Possible Refresh Soon <http://www.tuaw.com/2011/04/19/imac-supplies-constrained-indicating-possible-refresh-soon/>
Steven Sande, TUAW

If supplies of certain iMac models are any indication, a refresh of Apple's all-in-one iMac may be in the works. This would be the first update of the iMac line since July 27, 2010, when the Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 machines first became available.

**** Bento 1.1.3 For iOS <http://www.macworld.com/appguide/article.html?article=158941>
Jeffery Battersby, Macworld

Bento could and should be the best standalone database for your iOS device, unfortunately you still need a Mac to make it truly great.

**** Per Se Offers Immersive Writing Experience On The Mac <http://www.macworld.com/article/159335/2011/04/perse.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Joel Mathis, Macworld

Developers of a new personal journaling app for the Mac are promising to restore the “pen and paper feeling” to the act of writing on your computer.

**** Tackling Account Access Problems After An OS X Update <http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20055434-263.html>
Topher Kessler, CNET

While rare, sometimes after updating OS X either with an upgrade or with an intermediate patch users have found that an account on the system may no longer be accessible. This may be because the system refuses to accept an account password, or because the account no longer appears. While such problems may have you initially consider reinstalling OS X and restoring from a backup, you may be able to fix the problem without doing this.

**** Portal 2 Review: Our First Perfect 10 <http://techland.time.com/2011/04/19/portal-2-review-our-first-perfect-10/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+timeblogs%2Fnerd_world+%28TIME%3A+Techland%29>
Evan Narcisse, Time

**** Bento 4 <http://www.macworld.com/article/158903/2011/04/bento4.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Jeffery Battersby, Macworld

The necessary addition of label printing gives Bento 4 what it needs to make it a practical database application, while thoughtful enhancements to existing tools and features give it more depth than should be expected of such an inexpensive application. Combined, these features make Bento 4 the best consumer-oriented database you’ll ever lay your hands on.

**** Got An iPhone Or 3G iPad? Apple Is Recording Your Moves <http://radar.oreilly.com/2011/04/apple-location-tracking.html>
Alasdair Allan, O'Reilly Radar

All iPhones appear to log your location to a file called "consolidated.db." This contains latitude-longitude coordinates along with a timestamp. The coordinates aren't always exact, but they are pretty detailed. There can be tens of thousands of data points in this file, and it appears the collection started with iOS 4, so there's typically around a year's worth of information at this point. Our best guess is that the location is determined by cell-tower triangulation, and the timing of the recording is erratic, with a widely varying frequency of updates that may be triggered by traveling between cells or activity on the phone itself.

**** Hey, Wonderful: There’s A Location-tracking File On My iPhone. <http://ihnatko.com/2011/04/20/hey-wonderful-theres-a-location-tracking-file-on-my-iphone/>
Andy Ihnatko's Celestial Waste of Bandwidth (BETA)

Apple should treat this like a serious problem. I’ll be very, very pleased if I or anybody else can get a statement from them explaining what this file is for, and how the next iOS update will secure it.

**** Quicksilver Productivity Utility Gets Dusted Off, Again <http://www.macworld.com/article/159353/2011/04/quicksilver.html#lsrc.rss_main>
David Chartier, Macworld

Though a couple of community-driven betas surfaced over the years, helping Quicksilver limp into compatibility with new versions of Mac OS X, a new team of developers has now picked up the reins, aiming to unify the disparate open-source branches and return the app to its former glory.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** The Next Frontier: 3-D Audio Comes To The eBook <http://www.thestar.com/news/books/article/977190--the-next-frontier-3-d-audio-comes-to-the-ebook>
Elizabeth Haggarty, Toronto Star

Welcome to the world of the 3-D audio book, except it’s not packed with brackets and comic-book sound effects but rather audio clips to click on as you flip through the pages of your latest read.

**** Watson And Healthcare <http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/industry/library/ind-watson/>
IBM

How natural language processing and semantic search could revolutionize clinical decision support.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Zero Degrees Of Empathy By Simon Baron-Cohen: Review <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/8450325/Zero-Degrees-of-Empathy-by-Simon-Baron-Cohen-review.html>
Alasdair Palmer, Telegraph

This fascinating and disturbing book is an examination of why some people are viciously, violently cruel to others. “They’re evil” is the standard answer to that question, but as Simon Baron-Cohen points out, invoking evil isn’t really an explanation. It simply raises the question: but why are some people evil?



SingaporeSurf
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**** Look At Reality, Not The Rhetoric: Workers' Party <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110420-0000482/Look-at-reality,-not-the-rhetoric--Workers-Party>
Tanya Fong, Today

Look at the reality, rather than listen to rhetoric - that was the response from the Workers' Party after its motivations and the strength of one of its candidates' connection and commitment to Singapore were questioned.

Asked about the scrutiny the WP has received from the PAP, party chairman Sylvia Lim said: "I think they're looking toward the campaign (period) and how Singaporeans might support the WP or otherwise. So they'd want to shape public opinion in their own fashion. "It's important for Singaporeans to look at the facts and look at our candidates in terms of what they've been doing and how they've been connected to Singapore and look at the reality rather than the rhetoric."

**** GE: Former Reform Party Vice-chairman May Rejoin Party <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123754/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

Former Reform Party (RP) vice-chairman and member of its Central Executive Committee (CEC) Alec Tok has said he is considering rejoining the party. He said he received a call from an RP member asking him to return.

Secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam confirmed this with Channel NewsAsia, adding that "some Reform Party members are keen that he returns".

**** The Challenges Of Convincing Electorates’ Minds <http://yeejj.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/the-challenges-of-convincing-electorates-minds/>
Yee Jenn Jong

It will take a long while for people to accept that sometimes when one joins the opposition cause, it can simply be because he or she believes it is another way to serve the country. One can serve through community projects, in grassroots, with the ruling party and why not with the opposition?

**** New PAP Candidates By Religion <http://kentridgecommon.com/?p=11187>
Christopher Ong, The Kent Ridge Common

According to this document, out of the new candidates, 8 are Christians, while 2 are Catholic, Buddhists and Muslim. There are also 8 candidates with no specified religion.

**** Not Hard To Understand Why He Returned <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_658684.html>
Jonathan Boon, Straits Times

Is it that hard to fathom that a man could decide to return to serve his country after having defended it once?

The prospects in Singapore for Mr Chen are not spectacular. Should he be elected, would the allowance provided by the Government for MPs even cover what he earns as a corporate lawyer? Yes, voters should ask themselves why Mr Chen would give up making money to fight for the betterment of our society.

**** Stick To The Original GRC Framework <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_658685.html>
Hwang Teng Aun, Straits Times

The four-, five- and six-member GRCs structurally disadvantage the opposition. As a consequence, we have had the majority of MPs entering Parliament uncontested. We now face a situation where PAP candidates with limited experience are likely to enter Parliament uncontested while better qualified opposition candidates may not get elected.

**** GE 2011 – Going Down The Sewers Already? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/ge-2011-–-going-down-the-sewers-already/>
Howard Lee, The Online Citizen

And so it begins. Lacking the reasonable position to call into doubt the quality of opposition candidates, the ruling People’s Action Party has resorted once again to slime-balling. All these years, we have voted into power a party that has never been able to fend off the best fielded candidate in elections without resorting to character assault, questioning their motives, social labeling, and name calling, when there is no justifiable need to. I know politics is dirty, but to do this repeatedly is really becoming shameless, and for the electorate, tiring.

**** Legacy Of SM Goh <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2011/04/legacy-of-sm-goh.html>
Singapore Notes

On the eve of announcement of the Polling Day, Goh declared "Ground may not be sweet for GE". In a nutshell he admitted that the government has failed to address the rising cost of living, despite all the talk about keeping the Singapore dollar high to fight off imported inflation.

He even criticised his own party's manifesto unveiled on Sunday, which was painted with such broad strokes that it spelled out no clear solutions for our country's ills. "I frankly would like an elaboration on the challenges facing Singapore, because I do believe we are going into a period of uncertainties." He was quick to highlight that the manifesto, the strategy, the new media campaign, messages "are all done by PM and his team," neatly absolving himself responsibility for the end result.

**** Letter To ST Forum From Ms Sylvia Lim <http://wp.sg/2011/04/letter-to-st-forum-from-ms-sylvia-lim-4/>
Sylvia Lim, Workers' Party

By again raising the question of Show Mao being outside Singapore for a long time, is the PAP signaling to Singaporeans that the return of a successful Singaporean is not welcome? Or is his loyalty being questioned simply because he is with WP?

**** Foreign Investors To Take Hit As Shuanghui Set For More Falls <http://www.forexyard.com/en/news/Foreign-investors-to-take-hit-as-Shuanghui-set-for-more-falls-2011-04-19T095311Z-UPDATE-1>
Reuters

A group of foreign investors including Temasek and Goldman Sachs may face more losses on their investment in Chinese meat producer Henan Shuanghui whose shares are expected to fall further this week due to food safety concerns.

**** A Bad Feeling <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/04/bad-feeling.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

Chen Show Mao spent 40 of his 50 years out of Singapore. There is this rumour that he may be disqualified to stand for election under the 10 year residency condition.

**** Letters From Vui Kong – The First Letter: Prison Life <http://webelieveinsecondchances.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/letters-from-vui-kong-–%C2%A0the-first-letter-prison-life/>
We Believe In Second Chances

自杀？我没有想过。生命是用来珍惜，不是用来浪费的。

**** MP Doesn't Know The Bus Routes In His Ward After Serving There For Years? <http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2011/04/mp-doesnt-know-the-bus-routes-in-his-ward-after-serving-there-for-years.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mrbrown+%28mrbrown%29>
mrbrown

This was shared by a forummer when his mother tried to get her MP to make changes to the bus route that runs through their estate. The MP (or his people) sent the letter to the wrong bus company.

Actually, if I am not mistaken, LTA -- i.e. the government -- has already taken over the planning of public bus routes.

**** Police Report Filed Against Corrupted Election Practice By famiLEE LEEgime <http://uncleyap-news.blogspot.com/2011/04/police-report-filed-against-corrupted.html>
Kengho Yap, News Release By Uncleyap

In respect of Parliamentary Election Act Chapter 218 Sections 58 & 60, on Corrupt Practices I strongly suspect that a serious violation against the above listed laws had been breeched by People's Action Party in the interest of wining this election announced for 7.Maly.2011 polls.

**** "Chief Of Armskote" CPL Tan Writes An Open Letter To MG (Ret) Chan <http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2011/04/chief-of-armskote-cpl-tan-writes-an-open-letter-to-mg-ret-chan.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mrbrown+%28mrbrown%29>
mrbrown

"Your performance in the civilian world has attracted much criticism so far which I am not surprised. You have been labelled as 'arrogant', 'condescending', 'I know it better than all of you' 'poor PR skills' and 'poor speaking skills'. I do not blame you for acting like that. Even you acted like that ever since day 1 in your SAF days, it would not affect your career progression at all. You still would be the chief of army nonetheless and as I have said earlier, you were destined for big things because of your status as the President’s Scholar. But to be respected as the leader of a nation and its people, you have a lot to work on."

**** GE: Opposition Fielding Better Qualified Candidates For GE 2011 <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123837/1/.html>
Ken Teh, Channel NewsAsia

Five of the National Solidarity Party's (NSP) candidates have postgraduate degrees, and its current slate is over double the size of the team it fielded in the last General Election. "By joining opposition we actually have more to contribute. First off, a-one party system is not sustainable over the long-term, sooner or later there will come a time when we need a viable alternative and we need to build the foundation to that now," said Ms Poa.

For the Workers' Party, qualified candidates like lawyer Chen Show Mao, who has degrees from Oxford, Harvard and Stanford universities, make up its largest team since the 1988 elections. Worker's Party chairman Sylvia Lim, said: "We would do our best to give Singaporeans the best choice that we can at every election. So I think over time I believe that the calibre of our candidates has improved, and we will continue to work at, I mean that is our aim."

**** 政治观察家：工人党夺集选区 胜算取决于排阵 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110420_005.shtml>
蔡添成, 联合早报

反对党阵营参加来临大选的目标是争取在集选区取得零的突破。本地政治观察家认为纵观各政党之中实力最强，最有可能拿下一个集选区的属老牌政党工人党。要如何抬高胜算，则取决于它的排阵。

对于这次大选可能出现的局面，这两位学者都作出相当保守的预测，认为有可能出现的两种情况，一是只有工人党继续保住后港区的议席；另一是反对党成功攻破一个集选区，并拿下几个单议席选区，但这是属于最乐观的预测。

**** Ministerial Salaries Is The PAP’s Achilles Heel <http://fearfullyopinionated.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/ministerial-salaries-is-the-paps-achilles-heel/>
Fearfully Opinionated

Our system is one that works? So if you pay your ministers, say, $80,000 per month instead of the current $130,000 or so, the government will fail? You mean if we don’t pay $1.5 million a year to the Ministers they will quit their jobs? At the end of he day PM Lee has to play the “I know you don’t like it, but we know best and you don’t” card. Which might have worked 20 years ago, but not today. But I thought that the PAP had weathered the ministerial salary storm before, surely they can do so again right?

Not only does the high salaries itself invoke unhappiness among the electorate, the very fact that they are paying themselves (using taxpayers money) such a large among makes that particularly vulnerable to any and every screw-up made by the government. Orchard Road flooded? You earn $3 million a year should have done a better job. Mas Selamat escaped? You earn $3 million a year, there is no excuse. Housing Prices becoming unaffordable? I don’t care what kind of measures you trying to do. You have been earning millions for X number of years, and this is the best results you produce? There really isn’t a response the PAP can say that wouldn’t make the situation worse for them.

**** The Famous 27 Year Old Girl Is Now Parked Under Marine Parade GRC <http://chantc.blogspot.com/2011/04/famous-27-year-old-girl-is-now-parked.html>
My Little Corner

After the widespread disapproval of the youngest candidate to be fielded for this election, I'm surprised that she is still in the list of candidates and parked under the Marine Parade GRC no less (although it's not confirmed until nomination day).

A democratic election is meant to represent the will of the people, the citizens. After widespread disapproval, I would expect that the party to withdraw the candidate and give her greater exposure so that she will be ready for the next election. To put her under a GRC helmed by the SM after such widespread disapproval from the citizens, is the party telling us that our opinions mean nothing to them?

**** Let's Focus On The Real Issues <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_658737.html>
Danny Quah, Straits Times

Ultimately, returning to Singapore makes us cherish our Singaporean identity more. By contrast, some of my friends who are rooted here, because of comfort and familiarity, develop an inertia or even apathy towards national progress and society.

This election isn't about the personality of Mr Chen or the People's Action Party's youngest new candidate, Ms Tin Pei Ling. It is about the future of Singapore. The real issues revolve around our livelihood, economic growth, generating jobs and sustaining Singapore's prosperity.

**** Singapore Pools, Turf Club Adding To Gambling Concerns <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_658727.html>
Narayana Narayana, Straits Times

If all these gaming establishments are indeed minting money, it can come only from a losing public. In such a scenario, Mr Lim's fears of the potential social costs must be taken seriously.

**** Not A Myth If It Hasn't Happened <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_658687.html>
Chong Foo Sin, Straits Times

Although it is simplistic to think that so long as we have more opposition members in Parliament it would automatically lead to better things, it is equally naive to believe that a multi-party legislature would automatically lead to gridlock and political theatre.

Ms Indranee ended her letter by highlighting the fact that many thoughtful American observers lamented that due to their political system, many policies could not be passed. My question then is how many of these observers would actually want to trade their multi-party system for a single-party one. I doubt there would be many.

**** Singles Left To Fend For Themselves In HDB Market <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_658686.html>
Ong Pei Leng, Straits Times

The singles are left to fend for themselves. They have to compete with married couples, permanent residents and others who do not qualify to buy a new HDB flat but still prefer to live in an HDB environment.

**** Chen And The Second Political Awakening <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_658682.html>
Soh Ah Yuen, Straits Times

We should view their return as a nation's calling. They and their families must have agonised over the options and finally decided to forgo their comfort zones (apart from the financial loss) to serve their countrymen back home. Moreover, the odds are heavy against opposition candidates and there are no "sure wins" for them.

I see the sudden influx of professionals joining the opposition as a second political awakening. The first was in the late 1950s, led by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew against the colonialists, which gave rise to independent Singapore. We should give this second awakening a chance.

**** Personal Attacks On WP's Chen Will 'Backfire' ..... <http://de-leviathan.blogspot.com/2011/04/personal-attacks-on-wps-chen-will.html>
De Leviathan @ Sg

Two past PAP manifestoes had failed to address and solve the common Singaporeans' future for the last 10 years in the face of globalisation, do you expect to see any "difference" to come from new PAP candidates, in the like of Ms Tin Pei Ling to even MG Chan Chun Sing, who are groomed within the "closed" warm PAP "cocoon" and political culture; to initiate a change while under the tutelage of SM Goh and MM Lee?

An intelligent Electorate should be looking at "a new shopping list for a better detergent" and Chen Show Mao could be just that "detergent" Singaporeans are looking for.

**** The Self-pwning Straits Times Forum? <http://miyagi.sg/2011/04/the-self-pwning-straits-times-forum/>
Miyagi.sg

Chua Shen Yong wrote let ters to both Straits Times and Today, and I’ll leave it to you to decide what happened.

**** Did The PAP Use PR’s To Inflate The HDB Prices? <http://singaporeelection.blogspot.com/2011/04/did-pap-use-prs-to-inflate-hdb-prices.html>
Singapore Election Watch

**** Live Life. <http://pussyfootsteps.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/live-life/>
Live Life.

My friend shared an observation his Dutch friend once made of Singapore – Singaporeans only borrow land (99 years) and cars (10 years) from the government. Is it so obvious to outsiders? I didn’t see it until very recently.

We have just started to look for clarity and answers. We know that our future is shaped by the choices we make now. We are also clear that the choices we make now are shaped by the future we see is possible.

**** GE: WP Introduces Four Election Candidates <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123891/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

They are WP deputy treasurer Lee Li Lian, CEC member Mohamed Faisal Abdul Manap, senior IT consultant Gerald Giam Yean Song and treasurer Eric Tan Heng Chong.

The party is expected to field about 20 candidates to contest four GRCs and four SMCs.

**** PAP Marine Parade Facebook Calls Commenter "Ignorant" <http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2011/04/pap-marine-parade-facebook-calls-commenter-ignorant.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mrbrown+%28mrbrown%29>
mrbrown

A simple announcement over the dissolving of Parliament results in the Marine Parade PAP Facebook moderator calling a commenter "ignorant".

**** Chen Show Mao And The PAP’s Politics Of Distraction <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=6592>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

The opposition can gain a advantage over the PAP if its candidates can display a passion to serve and a commitment to the long term good of Singapore. Furthermore, the onus is now on the opposition to argue where the PAP has failed to deliver in the last 5 years in terms of policy making. There are a wealth of hot-button issues, from the cost of living, to foreigners, to HDB home prices. In each of these issues, Singaporeans have tasted their first dose of incompetent government.

It is now up to the opposition to turn these issues into votes.

**** GE: Professionals, Former Civil Servants Among SPP Volunteers <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123913/1/.html>
Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia

The Singapore People's Party (SPP) said it has good support from professionals and former civil servants who have stepped forward to volunteer their services and the party will deploy them accordingly in the run-up to Polling Night.

The SPP team for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC has been out and about, understanding the needs of residents.

**** Neesoon.org iPad Giveaway Contest Halted <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123927/1/.html>
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia

A contest which offered residents a chance to win an iPad if they connect with a website set up to raise the profile of PAP candidates for the new Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) has been suspended with immediate effect.

The initiative has raised questions about whether it contravenes election rules. A post on the site now says the contest is suspended since Parliament has been dissolved. The contest will resume on the same terms after the election.

**** Alec Tok 'Unlikely' To Rejoin Reform Party <http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_659042.html>
Straits Times

**** Singapore: Bloggers Criticize PAP Manifesto <http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/04/20/singapore-bloggers-criticize-pap-manifesto/>
Global Voices

**** The Dilemma Of Housing Singaporeans <http://newasiarepublic.com/?p=27495>
Christopher Pang, New Asia Republic

Despite all the statistics available and demographic studies conducted, our government have proven time and time again they are extremely poor at anticipating market demand and preferences of the market. They built bigger flats when market preferred smaller flats. They built more when markets needed less. To prevent such problems, they then decided on BTO because they are such a poor forecaster of market needs. In this situation, they will never face this problem of making losses because of their poor forecast. As supply will never exceed demand, prices will continue to escalate no matter what cooling measures are in place.

**** Yaacob Ibrahim Proposes That Malay Be Taught As Foreign Language To Halt Decline In Fluency <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=6596>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

**** Your Vote Is Secret <http://wp.sg/wpge/your-vote-is-secret-3/>
Workers' Party

The Workers’ Party has participated in every General Election since the independence of Singapore. Based on our experience, we are certain that the vote is secret.

For anyone who is still in doubt, do bear in mind that tampering with the electoral process is illegal and tantamount to breaking the law. Doing so is not in the interest of the government as its power and legitimacy will be in question and its reputation tarnished locally and internationally. The government actually has more to lose if it fails to ensure that the vote is secret.

**** Reform Party To Contest West Coast GRC, Avoid Three-corner Fight <http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_659130.html>
Straits Times

The Reform Party has pledged to avoid entering into any three-corner fights after it announced its intention to contest just one GRC - the five-man West Coast GRC.

**** GE: NSP Will Contest Marine Parade GRC, Says Goh Meng Seng <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123939/1/.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

The National Solidarity Party's Secretary-General Goh Meng Seng said on Facebook, that the party plans to mount a "historic" campaign in Marine Parade.

One of the NSP's candidates is 24-year old Nicole Seah.

**** GE: SDP Confirms It Will Contest 2 GRCs, 2 SMCs <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123949/1/.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

The SDP has stated that it is contesting the Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, a four member division and the Bukit Panjang and Yuhua single seats.

**** Workers’ Party Introduces First Slate Of Candidates <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/workers’-party-introduces-first-slate-of-candidates/>
Deborah Choo & Kirsten Han, The Online Citizen

In response to a question about where the candidates will be fielded, Mr Low said that information would only be known after Nomination Day. However, he said that voters would probably already have a sense of where candidates will be contesting.

When asked about possible WP candidate Mr Chen Show Mao who has been the subject of much attention in the mainstream media recently, Mr Low said that Mr Chen had already responded to most of the questions posed by Education Minister Mr Ng Eng Hen in his letter to the Straits Times. He added that he did not want to say more on Mr Chen’s behalf, and said that Mr Chen would respond in due time.

**** Vote Out Of Belief, Not Fear <http://newnation.sg/2011/04/vote-out-of-belief-not-fear/>
Dannon Har, New Nation

My beef is with people refusing to stand up for what they believe in, when they should be voicing out their concerns for a future they want to see happening in Singapore.

Seriously, if we look closely enough at the PAP government’s current policies and scrutise it, can we confidently say that we are able to sit down and stay passive?

**** Low-value Property Will Sustain Poverty <http://trulysingapore.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/low-value-property-will-sustain-poverty/>
Yours Truly Singapore

**** Deadlock Bogeyman <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/deadlock-bogeyman/>
Yawning Bread

The “deadlock” argument is just a bogeyman. Under no plausible scenario is this election going to produce a hung parliament. Far more likely, this election is going to produce a supermajority again, and for the next five years, Singapore remains politically in the Third World, with all the abuses that connotes.

**** The Men In White Are Always Right <http://www.economist.com/node/18587622?story_id=18587622&CFID=168893251&CFTOKEN=52943713>
The Economist

There is no sign yet of a fraying of the basic compact between the PAP and Singaporeans, who trade some individual freedoms for the prosperity and stability provided by an efficient ruling party. However, at this election the usual triumph of the PAP will not disguise the fact that many Singaporeans do feel dissatisfied. There is even a possibility, some analysts think, that the PAP’s share of the vote could dip below 60%. Although that will not stop it piling up its usual mountain of MPs, at that point “the men in white”, as the PAP are called after their plain attire, may have to revisit some of their longstanding policies. Otherwise the rift between the aspirations of the electorate and the composition of their representatives in parliament may become too wide.

**** Opinions Matter! But No Comments Please. <http://cheezburger.com/View/4663376896>
Cheezburger.com

**** PAP MPs Not Out Of Touch: Still In Denial? <http://singaporeelection.blogspot.com/2011/04/pap-mps-not-out-of-touch-still-in.html?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed>
Singapore Election Watch

PAP should have the intellectual and moral courage to realize the flaws in GRC, and scrap it. This will help win back the respect and support of Singaporeans.




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