- Safe haven, safe house | Senang Diri
Two short stories on military operations shrouded in secrecy. - “Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu | io9
Is it just me or is anyone else supremely annoyed by the remarks made by the ang moh commentators who didn’t understand the Asian tradition of familial bonds and filial piety? - Tige is the man | Nature: International Weekly Journal of Science
“‘Tonight we make history,’ Tige declared. ‘For the first time in humanity’s long flight from the trees, we dare to be truthful.’And with one final flourish, he passed his hand in front of his face and let down his guard”.
The age-old mask/visor/veil motif of hiding behind appearances resurrected for an imagined age where we withdraw from sharing more than necessary.
- Shanghai Nights | The Butterfly Tales
Was very amused by the twist in the hedonistic tale. - Expert: Guys don’t want casual sex! | Salon
“The evolutionary argument…goes that guys have the ability…to produce hundreds of children per year, and they can never quite be 100 percent sure that any child is theirs, so they should spread their seed widely. But what gets left out of that is the fact that if you want your genes to go beyond that next generation — beyond your children to your grandchildren — then your odds are better if you actually stick around and help raise that kid until that kid is old enough to pass on his or her genes”.
Category - Shared Items
- My dog: the paradox | The Oatmeal
On the insane hilarity that dogs provide. - A Nobel for the art of matchmaking | Nature: International Weekly Journal of Science
“The work of Shapley and Roth shows that there is room for economic theory outside the ruthless cut-and-thrust of money markets — and that, perhaps, in that more cooperative world, it can be more effective”. - Why Can’t Twitter Be Like Foursquare? | Sangsara
“Whatever you think of Foursquare and the people who use it, you can’t deny that this is what everyone would love Twitter to continue being, and what the company seems bent on defying: a confident social platform open to innovative ways of being used”. - A Primer on Greek Mythology: Part I — The Gods and Goddesses | The Art of Manliness
Good for general knowledge; awesome if you’re a literature student trying to navigate literary allusions and the like. - American Baby Names Are Somehow Getting Even Worse | Deadspin
“You’d think that baby names have reached their apex of ludicrousness. But you’d be wrong. Oh, dear reader, you’d be so, so wrong. Americans are getting even worse at naming children, and they show no signs of correcting themselves. Think Jayden is the bottom of the barrel? My friend, I combed through this survey and found names that would confuse and terrify you”.
As someone named Laremy, I see the irony in me posting this link – but I can assure you my name isn’t as bad as some of the stuff you’ll see on this list.
- Bogus Bonuses and C.E.O. Salaries | Dan Ariely
“One of the most common justifications for hefty C.E.O. compensation packages is that if the leaders of industry are not paid well, the so-called best and brightest will no longer flock to fill the corporate ranks, and will instead go elsewhere… . While this sounds somewhat plausible, as it turns out, a new study shows that it’s just not true”. - When Forgiveness Isn’t a Virtue | The Wall Street Journal
“…research shows forgiveness has a dark side. At first it may help the person who has been hurt to let go of anger, resentment and desire for revenge. But forgiving also may encourage the transgressor to do it again. Experts say reaching true forgiveness is a journey that may take years. And it is best not to forgive too soon”. - Mock the Vote | The Bygone Bureau
Mock elections in US schools – when do you think this’ll happen in Singapore schools? - Guardians of Privacy | The Scott Adams Blog
“Apparently there is a right kind of guardian for every type of asset. I was thinking about this as I wondered about the best way to protect personal information. My suggestion is nuns… . That sort of person is unlikely to suddenly turn evil and accept a bribe. And nuns don’t fear death because they are sure the afterlife is an upgrade. I think nuns would be well -suited to resisting government pressure”. - An Alternative to Democracy? | Freakonomics
Conceptually interesting but I think it’ll create an even greater imbalance in the Singaporean political system.