mechanical monsters!

Was watching my dad operating the excavator with an electromagnet appendage and it got me thinking, hey, wouldn't it be great if the entire user interface of the excavator could be revamped? We could attach tactile gloves on the user and the user can just use his arms like the control thats really intuitive, kinda like the nintendo Wii. And then we could have it for both arms, and user can use both hands at the same time productively. I know, this might be a huge waste of money, but it might also be a great boost in productively, and it moves machine operators up a little bit in a value chain. If exoskeletons could be built to boost ordinary human strength, then you might not need so many menial labourers. of course, the military would be using that technology first, but eventually, construction industries will use it even more. Simply because the demand will be there. Or that is what i hope. Fat draems

Which brings me to my next point. That we might have walkers derived from such construction machines, and the future of warfare changed. a lot.

Sphere: Related Content

Singapore needs a New Yorker

I think that Singapore needs something like a New Yorker - social satire, good writing, witty jokes and all.

More importantly, Singapore needs a more vibrant intellectual social scence, kind of like the salons during Enlightenment Paris, where smart people hung around and talked to each other. In today's context, it would be TED-like, and keeping the conversation going about ideas and how to do them.

I think of the print media sometimes, and I think that the print media as it is will have to adapt. It is trying to adapt, like, ST has its STOMP, and a lot of popular culture stuff that's user-driven and all.

My worry is that ST becomes just a government's mouthpiece which - sucks - . TOC is doing a rather decent job being an aggregator of news and commentaries from the blogosphere, but, there is a sense of wanting something more.

Of course people love and hate the government, of course all of us has something to say, and today we can have that freedom.

People who make information-aggregating tools - they will be the rich ones for a while. It would be so powerful if tools exist for people to organise their information in an easy manner that is intuitive and easily-accessible.

Oh well. Some dream.

Sphere: Related Content

There isn't much...

I haven't been writing, I know, but I have been thinking still. Here I am, here all the yong people are, with all of these technologies - I think right now we should begin to see ourselves as actively building the future that we will own. I think that right now, we really can do something, and all we need is to DARE ourselves enough and we'll do it. Not just big macro changes, like revolutions or whatever, but if we can start micro-revolutions of our own, like talking to people enough, eventually, things can get done, and things will happen. We just need to believe it.

I know I haven't walked enough of Singapore and all, and I haven't known enough what goes on everywhere, but I'm just extremely distracted. I'm torn between high-tech and low-tech stuff, and I'm just torn and divided everywhere. I am unfocused, because I can't decide where to put my focus on, and I'm just, hesitating all the time to commit to anything. Which isn't a good place to be at.

I guess I'm really just waiting for university. Aaargh.

mnstr: I know this is old shit, and I know I really need to go and do something. But I will. And I need time.

Sphere: Related Content

Lessons from running a camp at MGS primary

That the inequalities in Singapore are more complicated than I expected. Apparently, the divide between the elite schools and the non-elite schools are much deeper than I expected. I mean, I sort of already anticipated the kind of issues that I would come across, but I didn't realised the complexity that actually causes the inequalities. As it turns out, income inequality is only one kind of inequality that exists in Singapore.

The real factor that causes extreme elitism, or simply elitism of the worst kind was that, the culture between neighbourhood schools and elite schools ARE really different. And elite schools ARE really better, in terms of inculcating MORE POSITIVE values to the students, giving them self-belief and confidence, THINGS THAT ARE SORELY MISSING in neighbourhood schools other than the exceptions. What are also missing in neighbourhood schools are GOOD teachers who believe in students, and a POSITIVE culture for achievement, where students are more than another statistic, but are treated as whole persons.

It was an eye-opener handling those kids who are barely 10, 11, 12 years old. At their age, I feel like a DUNCE now. I think I BARELY made it to where I am today. There were too many opportunities for me to fall through the cracks. Already I can see why Tan Li Feng could be a president's scholar, because I am seeing people of her kind of assertiveness and dominance, focus and drive, things I barely recognised as important till late secondary/JC level.

So the main learning point is: HOW DO YOU NURTURE A CULTURE OF PERSON-CENTRED EXCELLENCE IN SINGAPORE EDUCATION, SO THEY CAN EXCEL FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES? How would it look like? What are the steps? What are the obstacles?

(On another note: It would take a different kind of NIE to produce a different kind of teacher who is more than just concerned about the big fat bonuses. Though it is an incentive, it is an incentive of a wrong type. )

And last of all, I think that LOVE IS THE REAL BUILDER OF COMMUNITIES.

Sphere: Related Content

olpc and some other stuff

I am beginning to be interested in bringing OLPC to Singapore especially to the lower-income group. Of course I did my homework, and it's rather disappointing the way MOE has done its ICT. It's frankly speaking, bullshit that allows vendors to gain extra profits at no value-addedness to the kids. Its sad that our children have to withstand shit like that.

Oh well. lately I've written 2 essays about my life and how it has led to me where I am today, on the edge of everything. It's great that I have found a group of people to relate to, to talk to, people who have the dare and the courage to fight for their ideas and live every moment of their lives to see it becoming a reality. I don't know why, but I just don't have the guts yet, probably because there are too many things pulling me in different directions.

Things won't work out so well yet, I guess, and for now, my life is this mess that's struggling to self-organized.

Till another time.

Sphere: Related Content