Constructive Deconstruction

Maybe Britney Spears should just stay in psych rehab longer…

I just chanced upon the news of Britney Spears being placed under the “conservatorship” of her father, James Spears…which only happens when someone is deemed to be unable to care for him/herself or their affairs.

I’ve read the reports on how early fame can cause really whacky outcomes in people. But how could someone end up like that? She’s been in and out of psychiatric treatment so often that it makes me wonder if they might have been too lenient on her. Maybe she should just stay in there longer until they can properly help her recover…I doubt being thrown back into society is helping with her rehab.

I also think people(the paparazzi) should also give her a break. Clearly, they’re not making things any better.

Why go to a JC when you can get your A Level cert from…McDonalds!

The British government has granted McDonald’s the right to hand out A-levels, “a qualification … recognized around the world and … used as a sort of entrance exam for some universities” on the basis of its training programme.

( Source : Boingboing )

Can you imagine this…After the release of the O Level results…

Son : Dad, should I go JC, Poly or McDonalds? My friends are all going McDonalds….
Dad : Son, follow your heart….what do you want to be? What’s your ambition?
Son : I’ve always…always dreamed of being a Burger Meister!

Be careful when aligning yourself with Google

Just read this piece of news where Google boots IncrediMail from their Adsense program. What’s interesting is how this affected their stock price…overnight. A $45m company one day, 30m the next. 

 
( Image Courtesy of Techcrunch )

Google clearly has a huge bargaining chip but startups are going to have to start finding ways of making sure they can sustain themselves without completely selling their souls to the Mighty G…

Bug in Facebook Mobile Makes Emails Free For All

Apparently, someone found out a security hole on the mobile site for Facebook that makes your email address visible to anyone regardless of your security settings.

I’m sure it’ll get fixed in a jiffy. But it does remind everyone how vulnerable we are when it comes to our data privacy. Maybe it’s time more stringent measures are legislated when it comes to social networks handling user information…

A disturbing security hole has been discovered by a user of the mobile site for Facebook.

No matter what level of privacy you have set on your email address, it is visible on the contacts page (seen on a Windows Mobile device). No word as of yet if it this error can be replicated on phones running other operating systems, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if that were the case.

This is a recent discovery, and shouldn’t be too difficult to rectify once the Facebook security team gets on it. But until the problem is remedied, it’s free-for-all on stalking your exes.

( Source : Mashable )

Want to get a Nobel Prize? Don’t think about it.

It’s interesting to read that finally they’re pushing for people to follow their passion. Heh, i’m even glad that they pointed out to the students that some of the Nobel Prize winners were not straight A kids.

I really think people should go for what they love because in the end, not only will the person be happier, the passion itself is fuel to really great things…and this isn’t just for R&D.

All that said, I hope that the stuff they talk about in the article gets translated to action. It’s taking far too long for people to break out of their textbook paperchase mindset.

Mr Tharman said: “If you focus on what you love and if you spend time on what you love, you usually do well. And it is more so in the knowledge-based world than in the manufacturing world.

“Because to achieve the real breakthroughs, you have to bear in mind that most of your time is going to be spent facing dead ends, being on the wrong track and having to start again, and you only keep at it at research if you are passionate about it.”

( Source : CNA )

Glitch in CPF system results in higher take home pay for some civil servants

Yup, more moola in their pocket. But before anyone thinks this is good news,

“To offset the extra amount which had been mistakenly added in the take-home pay, the department will recover this sum from next month’s pay.”

It’s rare that you see glitches at that level. I wonder what other non-publicised errors have occured…

Some civil servants, including teachers, got a surprise when they received their pay slips on Friday.
Their take-home pay was higher than usual.
This was due to a glitch in the system when it came to the deductions for CPF contributions.
And as a result, the employees’ and employers’ contributions were reduced.
For example, Channel NewsAsia understands that for some, only between four and eight per cent of their Employee’s Contribution was deducted, instead of the required 20 per cent.
It’s not clear how many people were affected.

( Source : CNA )

When A Prime Minister Goes on Leave…

I never noticed it until now that when the PM goes on leave, it makes the news. It must really suck to have the world watching your every move…but I guess it comes with the territory.

…I wonder if, just like movies and storybooks, the acting PM will pull off some surprise…haha

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be on overseas leave from Monday (December 24) to Sunday (January 6).
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar will be the Acting Prime Minister during Mr Lee’s absence. - CNA/ac

( Source : ChannelNewsAsia )

GoogleTalk and Windows Live Messenger will Finally Talk

Windows Live Messenger 9(in testing) is finally able to communicate with gTalk. Apparently, they’re also trying to integrate AIM and ICQ (yes. ICQ! ).

It’ll be awesome when the day comes where I just need one IM to rule em all.

Apparently Microsoft has succeeded in getting Live Messenger 9 (currently in private testing) to communicate with Google Talk, and they are working on integration with AIM and ICQ also.  Seeing as how Live Messenger 8 already talks with Yahoo Messenger, we could be getting very close to a polished, officially released, messenger hub.

( Source : Mashable! )

Off for ICT

I am off for ICT and will return on the 21st November 2007. I might be able to pop by on the 20th since it’s a public holiday.

This is the suckiest time ever comforted only by a phone call last night. Thanks. 

14 Cab Drivers Caught for Overcharging and Refusing to Pick Up Passengers

So they’re doing spotchecks…I can’t help but feel sorry for them because most of them do what they do for their families. It’s a case of doing the wrong things for the right reasons.

That said, i doubt this sort of enforcement would make much of a difference unless their team of inspectors increase in size manyfold. They should be focusing on tweaking the mechanics of the cab system instead…

Since October 24, 130 errant taxi drivers have been caught. LTA also issued over 50 Notice of Traffic Offences to these errant taxi drivers.
So far, nine will have their vocational licences revoked. Another 10 will have their vocational licences suspended for up to eight weeks.

( Source : The Straits Times )