#Singapore Land Authority

[railsistem]

Singapore LTA Awards Two Civil Contracts for Cross Island Line

Singapore LTA Awards Two Civil Contracts for Cross Island Line

Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded two civil contracts for the Cross Island Line project. The first contract is for the design and construction of the Punggol interchange station for the Cross Island Line – Punggol Extension (CPe). The second is for the design and construction of a bored tunnel between Fairways Drive and Sin Ming Walk as part of the Cross Island Line Phase 2…

[felassan]

The Infocomm Media Development Authority is a statutory board under the Singapore Ministry of Digital Development and Information. It has a website which has things like ratings classifications for video games for its region (Singapore).

This is what it lists and describes for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, bolded emphasis mine -

"Extended Classification Information ‘Dragon Age The Veilguard’ is an action-roleplaying game set in the fantasy lands of Thedas. The protagonist takes on the role of Rook to explore a world where corrupt ancient gods have broken free and are trying to wage destruction. Rook must gather a powerful team of companions to save the world. The game is rated M18 for nudity and sexual references. From a third-person perspective, the player controls Rook to traverse through varied locations, interact with other characters, undertake quests and battle fantastical enemies (creatures, demons, and humanoids comprising humans, elves and other fantasy races. The player can choose to customise the protagonist’s race, gender, faction and combat class, which determines the weapons, abilities and powers that can be used in combat against enemies. Over the course of the game, the player can recruit companions of various race and gender to the cause. Completing quests and defeating enemies earns the player characters gold and experience to level up, unlock new skills, and purchase items. Some scenes may depict female characters topless, such as during the character customisation screen or in certain romance scenes. As the narrative progresses, the player can develop relationships with party members, and optionally pursue a romance with some, including with same-sex human and fantasy characters. These may culminate in scenes of intimacy depicting the characters kissing and embracing, with some accompanying suggestive dialogue before the screen fades to black alluding to sexual activity. The M18 Classification Guidelines permit “depictions of same-sex kissing and hugging”, and “some homosexual content, if discreet in treatment and not gratuitous”. There are scenes of realistic violence depicted during battle sequences and in some cutscenes. Characters are slashed and stabbed by melee weapons or shot by arrows and magic projectiles, with blood splattering and staining surfaces. During exploration, the player may come across bloodstained environments, and carcasses and corpses sprawled about, hung aloft or impaled by objects. A scene depicts an animal being sacrificed during a ritual and exploding in a large burst of blood. The dialogue contains some use of the expletive “f**k” and its variances, as well as the use of crude words such as “asshole”, “bastard”, “damn” and “shit”."

[source, via]

The animal sacrifice part is interesting. I wonder what kind of ritual, to whom or for what purpose? Tevinter, blood magic, Venatori..?

[man-and-atom]

Anyone who can make something of this piece is welcome to.

In one scenario highlighted by the Energy Market Authority in its 2050 committee report, nuclear energy could supply about 10 per cent of Singapore’s energy needs by 2050. This could potentially form a larger proportion of Singapore’s energy mix post-2050, once nuclear tech has been proven viable, said Prof Chung.

Electricity currently accounts for about 30% of Singapore’s energy consumption. Supplying two-thirds of that from fission within five years or so would seem to be entirely practicable, when we look at examples from Pickering to Barakah. It is difficult to see how the “viability” of atomic power there needs any proving which hasn’t been accomplished, for instance, by Finland, which has about the same population and also depends heavily on fuel imports.

In addition, newer nuclear power-plant designs like SMRs are being developed, and they have the potential to be much safer than many of the traditional power plants in operation today.

Claims that small modular reactors will be safer than existing nuclear generating units, like claims that extensive new research on atomic power safety is needed, are uselessly vague and even misleading without some illumination of just what deficiencies in safety are to be alleviated. What information is available seems to leave little doubt that fission is far and away the safest means of supplying energy on an industrial scale.

While severe nuclear accidents are few and far between, nuclear power has earned itself a bad reputation after disasters such as those in Fukushima and Chernobyl.

Must we reiterate that the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami killed twenty thousand people? It is hard to understand why the damage to the reactors at Fukushima Daiichi is painted as the main story of that terrible day, except perhaps that it happened so much more slowly. The real “nuclear disaster” was the large-scale, long-lasting evacuation imposed, even though releases of radioactive materials from the stricken reactors were too small to justify (according to international standards) more than a “shelter in place” order.

We can certainly understand that the citizens of Singapore, with its small land area, would not want to risk losing any of that to something like the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, but the Pickering accident of 1983 is proof positive that there are well-established power reactor designs available now that pose no such danger, and can be located without fear even in the environs of the largest cities.

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Shōgun!

Shōgun: The much-anticipated Japan-set show has finally landed.—Cosmo Jarvis as the English ship pilot John Blackthorne, whose vessel was wrecked upon the Japanese coast in the early 17th century. After losing his ship to a violent storm, the English navigator finds himself in an endless web of complex politics and power play in Japan and is forced to deal with the two most powerful men in Japan these days. He is thrown amid a war between Toranaga and Ishido, who struggle for the title of Shōgun which will give ultimate power to the one who possesses it.

The term shōgun, which means “general who quells barbarians,” is an ancient military term that was adopted in the twelfth century for the dominant warlord who held political and martial power in Japan while the emperor in Kyoto maintained his position as figural head of state and cultural leader.

Shōgun (1980)

Richard Chamberlain at an event for Shōgun 1980) Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images - © 2012

The original Shōgun, a five-part miniseries based on James Clavell’s best-selling 1975 doorstop, was a massive hit when it aired on ABC in 1980. Nearly a third of American households tuned in to watch a cast led by Richard Chamberlain and the iconic Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune retell the tale of an English navigator’s adventures in feudal Japan. The series won three Emmys and three Golden Globes. The series and book triggered a wave of interest in feudal Japan.

Toshirô Mifune at an event for Shōgun (1980) Photo by NBC/NBCUniversal via Getty Images © 2012

Shōgun: The First Novel of the Asian saga. Set in the year 1600, it tells the story of a bold English pilot whose ship was blown ashore in Japan, where he encountered two people who were to change his life: a warlord with his own quest for power, and a beautiful interpreter torn between two ways of life and two ways of love.

Shōgun is a 1975 historical fiction novel by James Clavell, set during the late Sengoku period in Japan. It serves as the first novel in the internal chronology of the author's Asian Saga. A notable best-seller, by 1990 the book had sold 15 million copies worldwide.

About the author

James Clavell, the son of a Royal Navy family, was educated in Portsmouth before, as a young artillery officer, he was captured by the Japanese at the Fall of Singapore. It was on this experience that his bestselling novel KING RAT was based. He maintained this oriental interest in his other great works: TAI-PAN, SHOGUN, NOBLE HOUSE and GAI JIN.

Clavell lived for many years in Vancouver and Los Angeles, before settling in Switzerland, where he died in 1994.

Shōgun (2024)

The new Shōgun, whose two-episode premiere comes to FX and Hulu, is not a remake so much as a radical reimagining. Adapted directly from Clavell’s novel, this sprawling, 10-part historical drama takes a far broader view than its predecessor. The series will have a total of 10 episodes, releasing a new chapter every week following the premiere. The release of its first two episodes is on Tuesday, February 27th 2024.

Shōgun is a historical drama based on James Clavell's novel, focusing on English sailor John Blackthorne's experiences in Japan and the power struggle among various leaders. Pilot John Blackthorne, also known as Anjin-san, is the protagonist of James Clavell's 1975 novel Shōgun.

The novel is inspired by the real-life story of William Adams, an English sailor who travelled to Japan in the 1600s played a crucial role in Japan's overseas trading, and rose to high rank in the service of the shōgun. The series follows fictional Englishman John Blackthorne's (Cosmo Jarvis) transforming experiences and political intrigues in feudal Japan in the early 17th century. Shōgun assigns details to characters that match their historical counterparts and has influenced other works, such as video games and films.

Hiroyuki Sanada headlines Shōgun as Lord Yoshii Toranaga. The Japanese actor and world-renowned martial artist is most known for his roles in films such as John Wick: Chapter 4, Bullet Train, Mortal Kombat, 47 Ronin, Army of the Dead and The Last Samurai . Shōgun isn't his first foray into television either, having appeared in Season 3 of The Last Ship, Seasons 2 and 4 of Westworld, and Season 6 of Lost.

With Shōgun, for the first time after more than three decades of work in his nearly 60 years of acting, the icon Hiroyuki Sanada took on the project of a lifetime. He received his first-ever producer credit on the show, painstakingly poring over every detail of the production’s lavish, nuanced portrait of feudal Japan. And he found himself giving a performance unlike any he’d given before.

To this end, actor Hiroyuki Sanada was brought on board not only to play the lead role of wise, strategic Lord Yoshii Toranaga, but also as an executive producer. Sanada, a major star in his native Japan, has enormous experience in period dramas there.

The main cast of Shōgun also features Cosmo Jarvis, British actor playing the lead in the series, which was shot over 11 months in Vancouver. Jarvis featured in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi series Raised By Wolves, as well as Peaky Blinders, where he was the tragic, shell-shocked Barney, part of the plot to assassinate Oswald Mosley.

Cosmo Jarvis, as John Blackthorne, his bestial and brooding, vibe couldn’t be any more different from Richard Chamberlain’s slickness. When John Blackthorne’s beleaguered ship drifts into a Japanese harbour where his ailing crew are taken hostage, he finds himself first used as a pawn in the local power struggles, before being appointed a samurai complete with his own army.

Anna Sawai (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters) as Toda Mariko, Tadanobu Asano (Thor) as Kashigi Yabushige, Hiroto Kanai as Kashigi Omi, Takehiro Hira (Gran Turismo) as Ishido Kazunari, Shinnosuke Abe (13 Assassins) as Toda Buntaro. Moeka Hoshi as Usami Fuji, Tokuma Nishioka as Toda "Iron Fist" Hiromatsu, Yasunari Takeshima (Silence) as Muraji, Yuki Kura as Yoshii Nagakado, Fumi Nikaido as Ochiba No Kata, Tommy Bastow (EastEnders) as Father Martin Alvito, Yuka Kouri as Kiku, Yoriko Dōguchi as Kiri No Kata, and Ako (30 Rock) as Daiyoin / Lady Iyo.

Shōgun is Epic! Strap yourself in for a wild adventure in feudal Japan. This lavish adaptation of the classic samurai novel is a beautiful, intellectual fare that amply rewards your full attention. But be warned: it’s gruesome from the get-go. Highly recommended if you enjoy top tier drama 🎭

“Shōgun” is created for television by Rachel Kondo & Justin Marks, with Marks serving as Showrunner and Executive Producer alongside Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, Michael De Luca, and Kondo. The series is produced by FX Productions. “SHŌGUN” PREMIERES EXCLUSIVELY ON DISNEY+ IN THE UK AND IRELAND TODAY 27th FEBRUARY 2024.

#Shōgun #general #JamesClavell #book #pilot #RichardChamberlain #JohnBlackthorne #Ishido #Toranaga #LordYoshiiToranaga #Japan #series #feudalsystem #HiroyukiSanada #CosmoJarvis #AnnaSawa #TadanobuAsano #HirotoKanai #TakehiroHira#ShinnosukeAbe #FX #Hulu #Disney+ #RichardChamberlain #ToshirôMifune

[script-a-world]

Submitted via Google Form: Official Languages

Can I create a small country that uses multiple official and common every day languages? Like 5 official languages and it's very common to hear 10 more languages in use every day on the streets. Signage would always be in the 5 official languages and it's not uncommon to find the other languages available in places as well. It's going to be a very ethnically diverse place and multiracial. I am imagining that only 5% of the population would be monolingual. 95% would be bilingual, 70% trilingual, 40% quadrilingual or more. How could schooling work? All local schools are required to pick one of the official languages as the main medium and as mandatory study, one of the other official languages as well as a third non-official language, with the majority of schools having on offer 3-4 other languages. Also, how would this affect sign language? Could the deaf community as a whole create a main sign language since it would be a small community. If I have an 8 million population, and only 0.1% would sign as a main language that'll be 8000 people. Why would they want to be divided further, since sign is a language in itself. Part 2: Oh, uh the question I asked about languages, when I say small country I mean it's like size of Hawaii's Big Island, although 30% would be sparcely inhabited. I guess those places could be a bit relaxed in language needs?

Tex: It would need to be a very cosmopolitan place, and likely both a place that’s economically-dependent in its wider world but also geographically located in an area that can sustain lots of sea, land, and possibly also air travel.

If you’re talking about a place the size of anything in the context of Hawai’i, then that decreases the likelihood of a sizeable native population. In all practicality, one or two languages will win out as the lingua franca due to sheer consideration of making a brain juggle multiple languages at a time.

If you’re having the local schools focus on one or maybe two languages for education, then those will likely be the languages that become de rigeur for participating in that society; the other languages by dint of lower popularity might become regional, or relegated to specific societal functions (religious, academic, etc). The language(s) that money moves in is going to be your predominant indicator of linguistic trends.

It’s not uncommon for many countries to have bilinguality or even trilinguality, it’s just that such a culture will accrue meanings for each language to a particular function. You might be able to sort things out like that, i.e. bakeries speak language A because of X history, recreation centers speak language B because of Y reason, hospitals speak language C because of Z reason.

Utuabzu: This sort of multilingual society is more common than most monolingual people often assume, both across the world and across history. Monolingualism is actually fairly uncommon. Countries varying in size from India* to Luxembourg have multiple official languages and get along just fine. Size isn't really an obstacle here - Vanuatu has over 1000 languages - nor are density or development - Singapore has 4 official languages and quite a few more community ones, and Switzerland famously has 4 official languages and very strong and healthy regional dialects.

In these situations it's not uncommon for something called diglossia (or polyglossia) to occur. This is a situation in which people divide up domains - broad categories of contexts - between languages. So, for example, in Kinshasa a Bakongo person might speak Kikongo at home and with close friends of the same background, Lingala on the street, kiSwahili in the marketplace and French at school or when dealing with authorities. This is a division of domain (Kikongo for the domestic domain, Lingala for the informal public domain, kiSwahili for the commercial domain and French for the educational and governmental domains). This also commonly happens with dialects of a language, and if you speak one yourself you can probably notice yourself doing this, speaking the local dialect with friends and family in casual contexts and a more standard form of the language with teachers and officials in formal contexts.

Something that should be noted is that these situations can be stable for long or even indefinite periods, such as with Swiss German dialects and Standard German in Switzerland or English and Cantonese in Hong Kong, or they can be unstable, with either the P (prestige) form edging out the NP (non-prestige), such as with Métropolitain French with Occitan in southern France** or the NP edging out the P as people see it as elitist or pointless***.

Multilingual education is also a lot more common than monolingual people often assume, and has been around for a long time. The Austrian (and later Austro-Hungarian) Empire used first language primary education through its entire history, transitioning to German or Hungarian higher education, and for a very practical reason. It's a lot easier to teach kids the basics of literacy and numeracy in their first language rather than simultaneously teaching them a foreign one. Especially when the community has low literacy levels among adults, so their parents can't help. Italy didn't start teaching primary school in Italian until the 20th Century (though this was as much a function of a severe shortage of teachers who could speak it as anything else - estimates say as few as 2.5% of Italians could speak Italian in 1860).

Multilingual education is also not detrimental to overall educational quality. The system generally considered best in the world - that of Finland - is multilingual, requiring students to be able to speak both Finnish and Swedish. Even in places with less prestigious minority languages - such as Wales or New Zealand - multilingual schools are often preferred, because among other reasons they tend to have better outcomes than their monolingual peers. It's not uncommon in these places to see monolingual parents putting their kids into these schools - usually originally set up to help revitalise the language - for the quality of the education rather than for any cultural or emotional connection to the language.

So, the most likely model for an education system here is one that starts with first language (L1) instruction in the first few grades, gradually introducing one of the official languages, first as a subject in its own right and then as a medium of instruction for other subjects. By 'middle school' or equivalent you might see the L1 reduced to a subject, with the primary official language taking over as the general medium of instruction, and another official language beginning to be introduced in the same manner, potentially along with a foreign language, especially if it is a regional or global lingua franca. By high school it would generally be expected that the kids are competent in at least their main official language and can get by in their secondary one, and focus would shift more to preparing for university or other higher education. This might mean teaching more in the regional/global lingua franca if the higher education system primarily operates in that language - likely if the country is small and thus also generally reliant on foreign students to boost enrollments to a sustainable level.

In a country this size, there's probably a general 'street' language, the one that people use in casual encounters with strangers in the market or on a bus or something, where they don't know what other languages this person speaks. These are often either the language that came to fill the commercial domain - since everybody needs to be able to talk to merchants - or the one that dominates the government domain - since everybody needs to be able to communicate with authorities, or at least understand what they're being ordered to do. If the former, it's generally the language of the group that historically dominated trade - like kiSwahili across Eastern and Central Africa or Malay across insular South East Asia. If the latter, it's generally the language of the most powerful group, usually the one that united the country, like Amharic in Ethiopia or Farsi in Iran, or of a colonising power, or of a religious authority, like Spanish and Portuguese across Latin America, French across much of Africa or English in South Asia, or sometimes just the largest group, like Guarani in Paraguay (though this usually overlaps with the unifying group).

Often, when a country was unified very quickly by an outside power, like colonised places such as Papua New Guinea or Vanuatu, or had a very large number of immigrants (voluntary or otherwise) from many language backgrounds, such as Hawai'i**** or slave colonies like Haïti or Suriname, a creole forms and takes the role of street language -  Tok Pisin, Bislama, Hawai'ian Pidgin, Haitian Créole and Sranan Tongo respectively.

It's also not uncommon for there to be a prestige language, sometimes a long dead one, that gets used for ceremonial, religious, scholarly or legal purposes - or once was and left behind a bunch of borrowed words in the languages that displaced it - like Latin across much of Western Europe, Koine Greek across most of Europe, Sanskrit across the Indosphere (the region historically influenced by Indian civilisations), Classical Chinese across the Sinosphere (the area historically influenced by Chinese civilisation), Classical Arabic across the Islamic world, Ge'ez in Ethiopia. Think of how much legal and scientific jargon in English is borrowed from Latin and Greek. Similar things occur in other languages.

As for signed languages, they can be stable at quite small population sizes - New Zealand Sign Language isn't going anywhere - because d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing (HoH) people sort of need them to communicate comfortably, without requiring implants or lipreading or subtitles. When signed languages get displaced, it is generally by other signed languages, eg. Hawai'i Sign Language being displaced by American Sign Language. Any language can be stable at a low speaker number, so long as transmission between generations remains high. Basically so long as kids are still being taught the language by their parents, the language is generally going to stick around.

*India gets bonus points for the array of different scripts in use, further complicating matters.

**This usually occurs when a government uses the education and legal systems to deliberately suppress regional languages in favour of the national one.

***British English gives us a good example here, as Received Pronunciation (RP) - that weird, stilted form that you hear from old recordings of British politicians and royals - was edged out of the government domain by a form closer to the regional dialects, particularly those of South-East England.

****Immigration from Asia and Southern Europe into Hawai'i actually begins before the Hawai'ian kingdom was overthrown by the US, and Hawai'ian Pidgin (actually an English-based creole, but the name stuck) actually emerged in independent Hawai'i.

[usafphantom2]

F-22 slaughters 'high altitude object' over Alaska, with still uncertain origins

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 02/10/23 - 19:07 in Military

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor shot down a high-altitude object off the coast of Alaska on February 10 by order of President Joe Biden, authorities announced - but unlike the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down after transiting through the continental US last week, the origins of this new object and its purpose remain obscure.

The spokesman for the National Security Council, John F. Kirby described the object as unmanned, based on observations from fighter pilots who ran to find it, and said it was "approximately the size of a small car", with no indication of any surveillance payload or control or self-propulsion capacity.

The object was flying at approximately 40,000 feet, Kirby said, representing a danger to civil air traffic and demanding that it be shot down. He was first detected on the night of February 9 and the fighter pilots made an effort to observe him, Kirby said.

At least one more flight was sent the next morning, and the object was shot down in the northeastern part of Alaska, Kirby said, landing in frozen waters in the Arctic Circle.

In a separate briefing, the Pentagon press secretary, Brig. General Patrick S. Ryder said that an F-22 from the Elmendorf-Richardson Joint Base in Alaska fired an AIM-9X missile to take down the air vehicle, which he described as being the size of a car. Neither Ryder nor Kirby specified whether it was a balloon or perhaps a drone of some kind. Regardless, it was shot down by the same type of aircraft and missile as the Chinese surveillance balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4.

Ryder also confirmed many of the same details as Kirby, adding that the operation was led by the US Northern Command Alaskan Command, assisted by the Alaska Air National Guard, Federal Aviation Administration and FBI. NORTHCOM has started recovery operations.

Tags: Military AviationF-22 RaptorUSAF - United States Air Force / US Air Force

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[clarabowmp3]

HAHA i am on the “poor” side (i live in a hdb) and having that much land is also incomprehensible to me like isnt there land scarcity in sg pls 😭😭😭😭 i have read the trilogy though and apparently the author was on that side of singapore and he said that the series was based entirely off of his childhood!!

TRILOGY??? BASED OFF HIS CHILDHOOD???? HUHH??? no way. NO WAY!! ig mayyybe possible if we're talking abt a sg a few decades ago when land was not as scarce, maybe? and the country not so overpopulated? still tho they must be rlllyyy rolling in the dough

[annarellix]

Neom: A Novel from the World of Central Station by Lavie Tidhar

The city known as Neom is many things to many beings, human or otherwise. It is a tech wonderland for the rich and beautiful; an urban sprawl along the Red Sea; and a port of call between Earth and the stars.

In the desert, young orphan Elias has joined a caravan, hoping to earn his passage off-world. But the desert is full of mechanical artefacts, some unexplained and some unexploded. Recently, a wry, unnamed robot has unearthed one of the region’s biggest mysteries: the vestiges of a golden man. In Neom, childhood affection is rekindling between loyal shurta-officer Nasir and hardworking flower-seller Mariam. But Nasu, a deadly terrorartist, has come to the city with missing memories and unfinished business. Just one robot can change a city’s destiny with a single rose—especially when that robot is in search of lost love.

My Review: Lavie Tidhar is one of my favorite write and he could write a shopping list and my review would sort of “tought provoking, gripping, original, entertaining”. I love his alternate historical novels, his fantasy novels, and his work as editor of world sci-fi anthologies. That said NEOM is a great story, it made me think of a mix of dream and dystopia. A place for the young and rich which is not far from the reminder of a far away past. A novel that kept me reading, moved me to tears for an old automaton being destroyed, love the characters. I enjoyed it, found it entertaining but it also made me think as the descriptions of NEOM are so similar to those of our world. It can be read as a stand-alone but I would recommend to read Central Station to appreciate all the nuances of this story I strongly recommend it, many thanks to Tachyon Publications for this digital copy, all opinions are mine

The Author: British Science Fiction, Prix Planète, and World Fantasy Award winning author Lavie Tidhar (A Man Lies Dreaming, The Escapement, Unholy Land, The Hood) is an acclaimed author of literature, science fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, and middle grade fiction. Tidhar received the Campbell, Xingyun, and Neukom awards for the novel Central Station. In addition to his fiction and nonfiction, Tidhar is the editor of the Apex Best of World Science Fiction series and a columnist for the Washington Post. His speaking appearances include Cambridge University, PEN, and the Singapore Writers Festival. He has been a Guest of Honour at book conventions in Japan, Poland, Spain, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, China, and elsewhere; he is currently a visiting professor and writer in residence at the American International University. Tidhar currently resides with his family in London.

Website: http://lavietidhar.wordpress.com/ Twitterl: @lavietidhar

Book page: https://tachyonpublications.com/product/neom/

[obiternihili]

There's like a weird layer abstracted from the blatantly obvious where I'm not entirely confident the authoritarian vs libertarian dichotomy is real.

Like there's obviously a difference between zero tolerance policies and scaled responses on one hand, and believing as a heuristic that it's best not to micromanage vs being a bit of a control freak on the other.

But you can also get weird products if you factorialize that, for example.

You can get someone who doesn't believe in lifting a figure unless it's to pull a trigger; you can get someone who's passionate for an extremely nuanced, everyone's values maximized approach and because of that passion ends up with such a martyr complex they think they're only one can do it.

Like I feel like I should say that there's an obvious difference between regimes like Russia and Sweden, but I don't think it's necessarily right to continue using the terminology of that scale that was invented to bolster support for the libertarian party anyways.

Because, like, if you look at American politics, where you find "anti-authoritarians" you usually find small-government authoritarians; the libertarians generally want to be kings of their land so they can enforce segregated trad values on their families and small communities. The Bert to Nazi pipeline is real enough that I don't feel like defending it. And plenty of places claiming to be devoted to libertarian freedom just aren't which is why the Berts are even worse about not true scotsmanning them than commies.

Anarchists are infamous for reinventing shit like HOAs and their tendency to advocate lynching (even if it's not the overtly racist kind) in place of a rule of law. There's a love hate thing going on with half the anarchists celebrating or being horrified at their murder of Spanish clergy. They don't claim it, but if you actually study the culture revolution, in many ways it was anarchist in nature, with a complete teardown of the old order and a collapse of non-local leadership leading to a mess of often conflicting local policies. Part of the reason for the CCP's "authoritarianism" is in direct response to the CR's excesses and "democrazy".

On the other hand, like, just in general it's not really that hard to find authoritarians who reserve absolute authority but refuse to exercise that authority unless absolutely necessary. Like, teachers in classrooms often, some parents are reluctant to punish or do anything, etc.

For symmetry reasons I'd write a bit about China, Singapore, etc not necessarily being that bad in practice, if still not great. And then separately probably try to illustrate how you get things like an authoritarian federal government forcing local and state governments to give poors/minorities/workers their rights. And point out how shit like monopolies tend to happen with laissez faire rules while protection rackets are often one of the first things to happen without a ""monopoly on violence""

then i'd probably link daniel kahn's "freedom is verb" as if a song is a valid form of argument and leave it off

but i just grew really tired in the middle of writing this for some reason

[captaintrainblog]

Part 5 of SMRT Rolling Stock Preview. You guys have been waiting for these 2 brothers to be previewed. Well, here it is! The 5th and 6th gen series rolling stock in the Kawasaki family.

Let me introduce you the two names. They are Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CSR Qingdao Sifang C151B and Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CRRC Qingdao Sifang C151C. Lots of people said that these train are the same variety but what about the designs? Well observation shows they are different. Let me run through the scale on these brothers.

First off is the C151B trains also known as KSF B. The Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CSR Qingdao Sifang C151B is the 5th generation rolling stock in SMRT that was manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CRRC Qingdao Sifang.

The C151B trains has it's specialized SMRT livery more commonly to the refurbished C651 (SIE). The interior on the train has no foldable seats. About the same average to the KSF A trains. The KSF B trains were manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries CRRC Qingdao Sifang and was built in Qingdao Shandong China together with the KSF C trains.

There is a huge TV screen (Staris 2.0) that shows the station information displays and advertisements. With regards on the CBTC signalling system on the North South & East West Lines, the newly freshed C151B trains were delivered to Singapore on 12 April 2017.

Under the Tuas West Extension on the East West Lines, the KSF B trains went through rigorous testing in train depots & on the mainlines to ensure the signaling system works and passenger comfort. On the 16 April 2017, first EMU set 601/602 made its debut on the North South Line for passenger service operations.

The Tuas West Extension made its opening for commuters on 16 June 2017 whereas additional of C151B train sets were also made its debut on the East West Lines during train service operations.

Lastly on the 6 May 2018, the KSF B trains deployed on the whole section on the East West Line for the CBTC signalling system full day trials.

Moving onto, the Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CRRC Qingdao Sifang C151C. One of it's greatest livery that showed the red and green symbolized the mainlines. The front logo on the driving trailer was placed by the word Land Transport Authority.

The KSF C trains is the 6th generation rolling stock series that was deployed on the North South Line on 30 September 2018 during its debut day. At Tuas West Depot, EMU set 703/704 was shown in the video preview. Inside of it, there are tip-up seats, original seatings and the Staris 2.0 more similar to the KSF B.

The tip-up seats for its purpose was to have more standing and sitting capacity for commuters.

The KSF C trains were manufactured by Kawasaki Rail Car Corp CRRC Qingdao Sifang and was built in Qingdao Shandong China. In addition, more C151C trains were purchased for more train service capacity.

During the debut day, EMU sets 701/702 & 703/704 was the first set to be deployed on the North South Line operations. But then, as the debut day went by, 703/704 had returned to the train depot due to defects on the train while 701/702 was running.

Today, all the spamming deployments of KSF trains on the North South Line are common, some of them are East West Deployments.

That's all for part 5 of SMRT rolling stock preview! Now you have a clear and better understanding about these two brothers. Same same but different. Stay tuned for more preview updates on Tumblr!

[southeastasianists]

Acclaimed Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas described it a masterpiece of experimental architecture. Singaporeans were drawn to it for its atmosphere and the abundance of cheap Thai food. For Thais living in Singapore, it was a home away from home.

Golden Mile Complex, also known as Little Thailand, was sold in 2021 to a consortium which will redevelop the building. As it has been gazetted as a conserved building by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, its physical structure is likely to be preserved. However, the same cannot be said for its unique character. Its tenants – a mix of inexpensive Thai eateries, seedy bars and tiny shops selling Thai perishables – were given until May 2023 to move out. Now that they have dispersed, they are unlikely to return.

As an era in the building’s history ends, it is timely to look back at its history, which goes back five decades.

Building Golden Mile Complex

Officially opened on 28 January 1972, Golden Mile Complex was an urban renewal project by the government to “redevelop and rejuvenate the slum-ridden areas in the Singapore city centre”.1 In the 1960s, the site was home to squatter settlements, small-time furniture and rattan makers, and the Kampong Glam Community Centre.2

In June 1967, then Minister for Law and National Development E.W. Barker announced that the area would be one of 14 urban redevelopment projects which would be transformed – resulting in modern skyscrapers, luxury apartments, hotels and shops – to give rise to a “new look Singapore”. These projects would involve the participation of private enterprises.3

Singapura Developments won the tender for the three-acre site that would eventually host Golden Mile Complex with a proposal for a building by the architecture firm Design Partnership (now known as DP Architects), which was then helmed by William S.W. Lim, Tay Kheng Soon and Koh Seow Chuan. The three men had convinced Singapura Developments to bid for the site in May 1969, offering the unusual proposition for a single building that would integrate shops, offices and apartments. Although the concept differed sharply from the government’s original proposal for luxury apartments on the plot, Lim, Tay and another architect, Gan Eng Oon, proved their design could work with an economic feasibility study that included precisely calculated land and sale prices.4

The all-in-one design of Golden Mile Complex marked a significant shift from how city planners in Singapore then traditionally segregated areas into different zones for “live, work, play”. In fact, it embodied Lim’s vision for “megastructures” that would contain all the functions of a city within a building, which he believed to be the future of Asian cities.

“We must reject outdated planning principles that seek to segregate man’s activities into arbitrary zones, no matter how attractive it may look in ordered squares on a land use map. We must reject arbitrary standards laid down that limit the intensive use of land,” said Lim and Tay as part of an essay for the Singapore Planning and Urban Research Group that was published in Asia Magazine in 1966.5 This vision was realised in Golden Mile Complex: a concrete megastructure that became one of the earliest mixed-use developments in Singapore and Asia.6

In January 1970, Singapura Developments began marketing the property and declared that “The Golden Mile Race Is On”. All 64 apartments were snapped up within a month, and most of the offices and shops were sold by the time building works commenced in May 1970.7

The building was originally named Woh Hup Complex, after the parent company of Singapura Developments. Rising 16 storeys, the edifice was designed in the Brutalist style popular in Europe and North America from the 1950s to the 1970s.8 It was constructed in a stepped terraced design held up by two end pillars that each adorned a star logo by Singapore’s leading graphic designer William Lee.9 Such a facade maximised waterfront views for the 64 apartments and maisonette penthouses spread across the topmost seven floors.

The next six floors housed 210 offices and studios to complete the tower that was seemingly pried apart in the middle. This sheltered a residential play deck facing Beach Road on the 10th storey while letting in natural light and ventilation into the office corridors and a three-storey podium. The latter comprised 360 shops that sat atop a basement carpark for 550 vehicles.

Completing the facilities was a four-storey residential car park at one end of the building that was topped with an open-air swimming pool overlooking the former Crawford Park. All these different functions were connected by corridors, including a “street” that ran through the podium of shops. The result was an interiorised environment designed to “encourage human interaction and intensify public life”.10

A Hub of Modernity

Woh Hup Complex was part of a pioneering wave of shopping centres to open in Singapore in the early 1970s, along with People’s Park Complex in Chinatown and Tanglin Shopping Centre and Specialists’ Centre in the Orchard Road area.

Like many of the complexes built then, Woh Hup Complex was also a strata-titled development. This form of property ownership was introduced by the government in 1968 to allow individual owners to have a share of a land. It allowed property developers to quickly recoup their investment by tapping on a pool of buyers, and also enabled individuals to participate in the on-going modernisation of Singapore.11

Woh Hup Complex offered shop lots in various sizes, starting from a 144-square-foot lot for just $16,500.12 The prices were lower compared to other shopping centres because the complex was at the city centre fringe. But its developer remained bullish about its prospects. “We offer easy parking, no frayed nerves while coming up here,” said T.M. Yong, a director at Singapura Developments. “Our shop owners will most probably be able to offer goods at lower prices.”13 The earliest tenants in the complex were an eclectic mix of shoe retailers, beauty salons, photo studios, furniture suppliers, travel agents, eateries, restaurants and nightclubs.14

As one of the first buildings to offer modern office spaces in Singapore, Woh Hup Complex attracted many businesses too. Singapura Developments and its parent company Woh Hup as well as Design Partnership set up offices in the building.15 The complex also became known for its many architecture and engineering firms, including OD Architects who were conceiving the masterplan for the National University of Singapore’s Kent Ridge campus, Cardew and Rider Engineers who were working with Design Partnership on Marina Square, and several engineering firms involved in the construction of Singapore’s up-and-coming Mass Rapid Transit network.16

But a decade after the complex opened, there were complaints of interrupted water supply, faulty air-conditioning and lifts, leaking roofs, rotting ceiling boards, rubbish piling up along the corridors, and broken or missing lights.17 These were reported after Woh Hup exited the property market and sold Singapura Developments along with its properties to City Developments in 1981.18 Woh Hup Complex was then renamed Golden Mile Complex.

The Rise of “Little Thailand”

By the mid-1980s, many of the building professionals had moved their offices elsewhere and Golden Mile Complex became better known as the haunt of foreign construction workers, specifically those from Thailand.

After work, particularly on Sundays and public holidays, homesick Thai workers thronged Golden Mile Complex to drink Singha beer, catch up on news back home by reading Thai newspapers, and listen to Thai music on cassette tapes. The draw for most was the various eateries selling Thai food at reasonable prices on the ground floor. Not only did these establishments serve food just like home, they served them on tables and chairs “scattered in front of food shops” or along the corridors and the concourse – just “[like] a street corner in Haadyai or Bangkok”.19

Golden Mile Complex was also the terminal for tour buses plying the Singapore-Haadyai route operated by travel agencies located in the complex and the neighbouring Golden Mile Tower. As the Thai clientele in the complex grew, it became referred to as “Little Bangkok” and “Little Thailand”.20 The Thai community injected new life into what was then a rapidly ageing Golden Mile Complex, and attracted even more shops to serve the community. A tailor in the complex reportedly expanded from one shop to seven to sell all things Thai, while a “100% genuine Thai style” disco named Pattaya opened in 1988 on the second floor.21 There was even a 50-seat “cinema” that screened kick-boxing specials and Thai features at $3 a ticket.22

In 1986, the Straits Times reported that Golden Mile Complex “would be a ghost town but for the office workers, who appear at lunch time, and the Thais, who have made it their haunt”. Dorothy, a secretary working in an architecture firm in the complex, told the Straits Times: “Before the Thais started coming here about four years ago, the place was very dead. Now, it’s sometimes so noisy that you get a headache.” Because fights would occasionally break out, she was not a fan of the place. “For Thai food, I’d rather go to Joo Chiat,” she added.23 Her sentiments were shared by many other Singaporeans who avoided Golden Mile Complex on Sundays.

As one shopowner explained: “Our Sunday business has been hit. Some customers stay away because of the Thai character of the place.” A food stall operator added: “The Thais linger for hours, drinking beer and eating their favourite beef noodles. Sometimes, they fight among themselves over a few drinks.”24

It did not help that migrant workers and the complex were often in the news for the wrong reasons. As part of the government’s massive crackdown on illegal migrants in March 1989, 370 suspected Thai undocumented workers at Golden Mile Complex were nabbed in a single operation.25

National Icon or National Disgrace?

In 1994, Rem Koolhaas visited Singapore and marvelled at its development in his seminal essay “Singapore Songlines”. He was particularly captivated by Golden Mile Complex and People’s Park Complex, which he praised as “‘masterpieces’ of experimental architecture/urbanism”.26 On his next visit to Singapore in 2005, Koolhaas said: “These buildings were not intended to be landmarks but became landmarks. Yesterday, I went to see all the buildings again, and they are absolutely stunning, radical and amazing.”27

While Koolhaas and many in the architecture fraternity saw Golden Mile Complex as the future, most Singaporeans regarded it as a relic of the past. By the 1990s, a slew of new shopping centres had sprung up near the complex, including Raffles City, Bugis Junction, Suntec City, Millenia Walk and Marina Square. Many felt Golden Mile Complex and other strata-title malls were simply no match for these single-owner developments that could plan a more attractive retail mix to woo shoppers.28 A 1996 article in the Straits Times assessed that Golden Mile Complex was unlikely to change because of its ownership structure and should simply “fill [the] low-end gap”.29

The disconnect between Golden Mile Complex’s celebrated architecture and its decline came to a head in 2006. During a parliamentary session on 6 March, then Nominated Member of Parliament Ivan Png called it a “vertical slum”. He was particularly irked by how each individual owner had added “extensions, zinc sheets, patched floors, glass, all without any regard for other owners and without any regard for national welfare”, resulting in “a terrible eyesore and a national disgrace”.

“The appearance of Golden Mile Complex appals me whenever I drive along Nicoll Highway. It must create a terrible impression on foreign visitors arriving from the airport. How can we be a world-class city in a garden? The Golden Mile Complex is just the most extreme of how a strata-title property can deteriorate,” he said.30

This came just after Golden Mile Complex was featured in Singapore 1:1 – City, a publication showcasing significant architecture and urban design in the city-state.31 “That’s a real joke!” said Png. “Can you imagine if that thing was standing on the Singapore River between OCBC Building and UOB Centre?” He added: “It just gives me goosebumps. It’s so close to the city, yet it’s so unlike Singapore – orderly, tidy, everything neat. It’ll drag us down.”32

Not everyone agreed with his criticism. Retiree Evelyn Ong, who moved into the complex in 2005, immediately booked her 11-storey apartment after seeing the breathtaking views. She said: “Once I stepped in and saw the view, I said book, book, must book.” She bought her 1,000-square-foot apartment for about $310,000, and spent about $70,000 on renovations to make it look like a holiday resort. “I think I’m very lucky. It’s so difficult to find such a nice view. Every day, I sit here (at my balcony) and I can see the beautiful lights at night.” She agreed that more could be done to spruce up the building though.33

The local architecture fraternity pushed back against Png’s comments. In August 2006, Calvin Low, a trained architect and journalist, kickstarted a monthly series on local architecture in the Straits Times and titled his first article “Golden Mile Still Shines”.

“The architectural thesis that GMC [Golden Mile Complex] represented was revolutionary – not just for Singapore but globally, too. It stood as a concrete realisation of the architects’ vision of a futuristic city-within-a-building that offered a whole, new integrated way of living in a modern, tropical, urban Asian context,” he wrote.34

In November the same year, a collective of architects, designers and artists known as FARM launched “Save the Modern Building Series”, a lineup of talks to raise awareness of the complex and other pioneering modern buildings such as Pearl Bank Apartments.35 In November 2007, the inaugural architecture festival, Singapore ArchiFest 07 – organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects to celebrate Singapore’s built environment – featured tours of the complex conducted by architecture students from the National University of Singapore.36

A Landmark Saved, a Community Lost

In August 2018, news broke that more than 80 percent of the owners of units in the complex had agreed to put the building up for an en bloc sale at $800 million. This came hot on the heels of the sale of another modernist icon, Pearl Bank Apartments,37 just six months earlier. Heritage and architectural experts were dismayed at the news. “It will be a tragedy and a great loss to Singapore if the en-bloc sale results in the demolition and redevelopment of such an important urban landmark with such high architectural and social significance,” said heritage conservation expert Ho Weng Hin.38

Although architects and academics petitioned for Golden Mile Complex to be conserved, residents were in two minds about it. The complex’s long-time residents confessed they could no longer keep up with the building’s maintenance needs. “The problem is that it’s an old building, and when it rains, the water seeps through some of the walls. The building has water-proofing issues,” said Ponno Kalastree, who had lived and worked there since 1989. He was among those who had voted for the sale and was planning to downgrade to a Housing and Development Board flat, but admitted that he would miss the place.39

To the surprise of many, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) told the Business Times in October 2018 that they have “assessed the building to have heritage value, and is in the process of engaging the stakeholders to explore options to facilitate conservation”. “Modern architecture, dating from our recent past, is a significant aspect of our built heritage, and we have selectively conserved a number of such buildings. Where there is strong support and merits for conservation, we will work with the relevant stakeholders to facilitate the process,” said the URA. This meant that the existing building could be retained while a new block would be added next to it.40

The tender closed in January the following year without any offer, and a second tender launched just two months later with the same terms and price tag of $800 million suffered the same fate.41

Almost one year after the two failed collective sales, the URA announced in October 2020 that it was officially proposing Golden Mile Complex to be conserved in light of its historical and architectural significance.42 When it was gazetted a year later in October 2021, Golden Mile Complex became the “first modern, large-scale strata-titled development to be conserved in Singapore”.43

The owners relaunched an en bloc sale in December that year at the same price of $800 million.44 This time, the sale was successful and the complex was sold in May 2022 to a consortium comprising Far East Organization, Sino Land and Perennial Holdings. Although their bid was $100 million lower than the reserve price, the owners agreed to the sale within “a record time of 15 days”.45

At the point of publishing this essay, the new owners have yet to reveal how they plan to redevelop Golden Mile Complex, though it is unlikely that any of the former tenants will return. The battle to conserve Golden Mile Complex has, ironically, cost the community who kept it alive when others moved on to swankier new buildings. But all, however, is not lost. The redevelopment of Golden Mile Complex could serve as a model for how other similar buildings in Singapore can be conserved and enjoy a new lease of life for the future.

[seocompany1010]

The Impact of Social Proof on SEO Rankings

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, social proof has emerged as a powerful factor influencing consumer behavior and search engine optimization (SEO). As businesses strive to enhance their online visibility, understanding how social proof impacts SEO rankings becomes essential. If you're looking for strategies, partnering with a search engine optimisation company Singapore can provide tailored solutions that integrate social proof into your SEO efforts.

What is Social Proof?

Social proof refers to the psychological phenomenon where individuals look to the actions and opinions of others to guide their own behavior. In the digital world, this translates into user-generated content, reviews, testimonials, and social media interactions that can significantly influence a potential customer's decision-making process. Here are some key types of social proof:

Customer Reviews: Feedback from previous customers can greatly enhance credibility.

Testimonials: Endorsements from satisfied clients showcase the value of your products or services.

Social Media Mentions: Engagement on social media platforms signals trust and authority.

How Social Proof Affects SEO

While social proof may not directly influence search engine algorithms, its effects ripple through various aspects of SEO that can ultimately impact your rankings. Here’s how:

1. Enhanced User Engagement

Search engines prioritize user engagement metrics, such as time on page and bounce rate. When users find valuable content backed by social proof, they are more likely to stay on your site longer, reducing bounce rates and signaling to search engines that your content is relevant. Consider these tips to enhance user engagement:

Include customer testimonials on landing pages.

Showcase user-generated content in blog posts.

Create engaging visuals or videos featuring real customers.

2. Increased Trust and Credibility

Social proof fosters trust, which is crucial for converting visitors into customers. When potential clients see positive reviews and testimonials, they are more likely to view your business as credible. This trust can lead to increased click-through rates (CTR) from search results, positively impacting your SEO. Here’s how to build trust:

Highlight user reviews prominently on your website.

Use case studies to demonstrate successful outcomes.

Ensure that all testimonials are authentic and relevant.

3. Boosting Local SEO

For businesses targeting local markets, social proof plays a vital role in local SEO. Positive reviews on platforms like Google My Business can improve your rankings in local search results. To leverage local SEO, consider:

Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google and Yelp.

Responding to reviews to show engagement and care.

Including location-based keywords in your content and profiles.

Strategies to Leverage Social Proof for SEO

Integrating social proof into your SEO strategy involves a multi-faceted approach. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Optimize Your Google My Business Profile

A well-optimized Google My Business profile can enhance local visibility. Ensure that your profile is complete with accurate information, and encourage reviews from happy customers. The more positive reviews you have, the better your chances of ranking higher in local searches.

2. Showcase Testimonials and Case Studies

Create dedicated pages or sections on your website for testimonials and case studies. These elements provide tangible evidence of your success and build trust with potential clients. Optimize these pages with relevant keywords, such as those associated with your services and search engine optimisation company Singapore.

3. Utilize Social Media

Leverage your social media platforms to gather and showcase social proof. Share customer testimonials, success stories, and user-generated content. Encourage your audience to engage with your brand, which can lead to increased visibility and traffic to your website.

4. Incorporate Reviews into Your Content

Integrate customer reviews into your blog posts and other content. This not only adds authenticity but also improves user engagement. Ensure that these reviews are relevant to the topics you cover, enhancing both user experience and SEO.

Conclusion

The impact of social proof on SEO rankings is undeniable. While it may not directly influence algorithms, its effects on user engagement, trust, and local visibility are significant. By integrating social proof into your SEO strategy, you can enhance your credibility and attract more customers. Collaborating with a search engine optimisation company Singapore can help you implement these strategies effectively, ensuring your business stands out in the competitive digital landscape. Embrace the power of social proof, and watch your SEO rankings soar!

[blockchainx]

Legal Guide to Real-World Asset Tokenization

Tokenization of real-world assets is changing how we look at ownership, investing and asset management. Fractional ownership, liquidity and global access are just some of the opportunities that tokenization creates by transforming physical assets such as land, commodities or pieces of art into digital tokens on a blockchain. Nevertheless, it is vital to navigate the legal aspects of asset tokenization to ensure compliance and avoid running into regulatory obstacles. This guide to real-world asset tokenization presents a brief summary of important legal aspects to bear in mind when tokenizing real-world assets.

1. Understanding the Legal Framework

Real-world asset Tokenization refers to the con­ver­sion of title rights into digital tokens, which are saved on a blockchain. By their char­ac­ter, these tokens can be classified in different ways – as sta­blecoins, security tokens or util­ity tokens. depending on the rationale behind most real-world assets. Security tokens are subject to compliance with strict regula­tions (such as security laws) in many jurisdictions.

2. Jurisdictional Regulations and Compliance

Asset tokens legal requisites differ widely with the region. For instance;

United States: Tokens that stand for real asset ownership according to SEC rule in general are classified as securities requiring compliance with laws such as the Securities Act of 1933.

European Union: It is under Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation that the EU does have an all-inclusive framework wherein emphasis on transparency and protecting investors are key.

Asia: Singapore and Japan among others have created strong structures for tokenization usually needing to register with local authorities.

Before engaging in the process of tokenization, it is important for businesses and investors alike to do proper due diligence and comprehend the various regulations including the local laws.

3. Smart Contracts and Legal Enforceability

In asset tokenization smart contracts act as a pillar owing to the fact that they are self-executing contracts whose terms are coded directly. Nonetheless, there are serious concerns about the suitability of using these contracts in legal cases. There are automated executions provided by smart contracts; however, these must additionally be in line with the existing contract laws. Thus, the parties involved need to ensure that the terms of smart contracts remain unambiguous and valid from a legal perspective. Furthermore, it may be necessary to support them with conventional legal agreements.

4. Investor Protection and Consumer Rights

To pull in institutional and retail investors, tokenization platforms should ensure strong investor protection implementations. This encompasses making available information regarding the tokenized asset, inherent dangers, and legal entitlements. Additionally, it is crucial to enforce Anti Money Laundering (AML) as well as Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures to align with the international benchmarks and earn investor confidence.

5. Intellectual Property and Ownership Rights

The tokenization of things like artwork, patents, and intellectual properties introduces legal complications. This means that one must elaborate on who owns an asset plus how an owner can use it or if it generates income via royalties. By doing so, every person comprehends their entitlements and obligations hence diminishing chances for arguments.

6. Tax Implications

The taxation of tokenized assets is a developing area and varies widely across jurisdictions. Tokenization can trigger different tax obligations, such as capital gains tax, value-added tax (VAT), or income tax. It is vital for asset owners and investors to consult tax professionals to understand their liabilities.

Conclusion

For many, it is hard to believe that tokenization can replace the “real” assets. Nevertheless, it has become a trend in the market today. However, like every coin has two sides, aspirations for a digitized currency are always accompanied by unfortunate legal challenges. Therefore, those who wish to be part of this tokenization revolution must develop a thorough understanding of everything related to legislation, regulation and codes, which are going to control such businesses; how smart contracts could get executed; how the securities exchange is protected from scams; and how taxation will affect these transactions. Despite following these guidelines to real-world assets tokenization, investors should always stay tuned on changes in law or consult with appropriate professionals in order to avoid possible problems and adhere to laws.

[visaonline09]

FOR DANISH CITIZENS - NEW ZEALAND Government of New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority NZeTA - Official NZ Visa Online - New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, New Zealands officielle online-visumansøgningsregering i New Zealand

Rosengårdscentret, Ørbækvej 75, 5220 Odense, Denmark

+45 66 15 78 22

info@newzealand-visas.org



NZ Visum til brasilianske statsborgere Den mest enkle og bekvemme metode til at NZ-visum til norske statsborgere afslutte New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority eller NZeTA online ansøgning er  NZ-visum til statsborgere i Malaysia at tage et par minutter og udfylde hjemmesiden. Kun en lille smule grundlæggende information er påkrævet som dit navn, NZ-visum til Japan-borgere pasoplysninger, helbred og ankomstdatoer. NZ-visum til Macau-borgere Du kan enten sende os en e-mail eller uploade dit seneste ansigtsbillede. NZ-visum til Andorra-borgere  Du kan tage billeder med din eller dine familiemedlemmers mobiltelefon. Billedet behøver ikke at NZ-visum til Bahrain-borgere  være særlig specifikt, fordi vi sørger for at justere dit billede, for at det  NZ-visum til argentinske statsborgere er acceptabelt af immigrationsofficererne. New Zealands regering foretrækker, NZ-visum til Chile-borgere, at du ansøger New Zealand Visa Online ved hjælp af NZeTA-ansøgningsformularen. NZ Visa Island Citizens  Du skal foretage betaling med et debet- eller kreditkort online efter at have udfyldt en kort ansøgningsformular online. New Zealand Visa Online  Når du betaler gebyrerne for at komme ind i New Zealand,  New Zealand Visitor Visa betaler du allerede for International Visitor Levy, som allerede er inkluderet. Easy New Zealand Visa  Hvordan ville du modtage en godkendt NZ Electronic Travel Authority eller NZeTA for New Zealand. New Zealand Tourist Visa Når du har afsluttet NZeTA online ansøgningen, vil fila-godkendelsen blive sendt til dig via e-mail om 72 timer eller mindre. Nogle gange kan det tage længere tid på grund af baggrundstjek. Fast Track New Zealand Visa NZeTA eller New Zealand Visa Online vil blive forbundet med det pasnummer, Urgent New Zealand Visa der bruges til at udfylde NZETA-ansøgningsformularen. På det tidspunkt, hvor visummet kontrolleres ved immigration og grænsekontrol i lufthavnen, vil visumgodkendelsen blive gennemgået af betjenten. Det er bydende nødvendigt, at du tager e-mailen med godkendelse eller udskriver på papir. New Zealand Visitor Visa Der er ingen grund til at besøge ambassaden på noget tidspunkt eller få et fysisk stempel på passet. NZ Visa for Hong Kong Citizens  191 lande er berettiget til at komme med havet og 60 lande er berettiget til at komme med fly. Alle lande er berettiget til transit med Auckland International Airport. NZ Visa for Singapore Citizens Følgende lande er berettiget til at komme til New Zealand med fly ved hjælp af NZeTA eller NZ Visa Online-metoden, Frankrig, Estland, NZ Visa for Kuwait Citizens Grækenland, Tyskland, Sverige, NZ Visa ansøgning  Portugal, NZ-visum til Kuwait-borgere Storbritannien,  Easy New Zealand Visa Slovenien, Danmark, Letland, NZ Visa for U.A.E Citizens  Malta, Ungarn, Litauen, NZ Visa for Switzerland Citizens Spanien, Irland , Luxembourg, Slovakiet, Italien, Kroatien, NZ Visa for Andorra Citizens  Polen, Holland, NZ Visa for Uruguay Citizens Bulgarien, Belgien, Online NZ Visa Cypern, Tjekkiet, Østrig, NZ Visa for Oman Citizens Finland og Rumænien. NZ-visum til Mauritius-borgere The most simple and convenient method to finish the New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority or NZeTA online applicationis to take out a couple of minutes and fill on the website. NZ-visum til Oman-borgere Only a little bit of basic information is required like your name, passport details, NZ Visa for Israel Citizens  health and arrival dates. You can either email us or upload your latest face photo. NZ Visa for Chile Citizens  You can take photo with your or your family members mobile phone. Photo doesn't have to be NZ Visa Application very specific because we will take care of adjusting your photo for it to be acceptable by the immigration officers. NZ Visa for Brazil Citizens New Zealand Government prefers you to apply New Zealand Visa Online  NZ Visa for United States Citizens using NZeTA Application form. NZ-visum til schweiziske statsborgere You need to

[swldx]

RNZ Pacific 1109 3 Sep 2024

9700Khz 1058 3 SEP 2024- RNZ PACIFIC (NEW ZEALAND) in ENGLISH from RANGITAIKI. SINPO = 55333. English, s/on w/bellbird int. until pips and news @1100z anchored by Koroi Hawkins. § The Papua New Guinea parliament is sitting this week and top of the agenda is again the plan by the opposition to try and remove Prime Minister James Marape. A series of efforts by the opposition to bring a vote of no confidence so far this year have come to nothing and Marape said he has the numbers to avoid removal. Last week, he said he was "relaxed" and "confident" at the possibility of being ousted. The opposition is yet to name its alternate for the prime ministership. § The Pacific Islands Forum has submitted to China's demand to remove the mention of Taiwan from the final communique of the leaders' summit that concluded in Tonga this week. Kiribati wants to see consequences for whoever is behind the Taiwan communique bungle, after Beijing's special envoy to the region cried foul at the inclusion of Taipei in the outcomes document. § The Cook Islands are trying to legally license the starlink internet connectivity. § Over 200 members of the Samoan community in Aotearoa gathered at Le Maota o Samoa last week in South Auckland's Mangere to discuss the citizenship bill. They shared their views with Acting Prime Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters and the NZ First Party to ensure Green MP Teanau Tuiono's bill to restore the citizenship of Samoans that was removed by the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act 1982 bill will go through the second and third reading. § A Samoan coroner has ordered an inquest into the tragic death of the 47-year-old linesman who was electrocuted while working on a power pole in July and succumbed to his injuries on 3 August 2024. The incident wasn't properly reported to authorities. § Pope Francis lands in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, kicking off a historic trip to the Asia Pacific region. He will also travel to Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore as part of his visit, which is expected to focus on inter-religious harmony. The 12-day trip will mark the longest time the pontiff has spent away from the Vatican. § Russian President Putin arrived in Mongolia Monday evening without incident, despite the host country being legally obligated to arrest him on an International Criminal Court warrant. § Sports. @1108z "Pacific Waves" anchored by female announcer. Cancer rates around Guam epidemic levels due to American nuclear weapon tests post WWII. Backyard fence antenna, JRC NRD-535D. 100kW, beamAz 325°, bearing 240°. Received at Plymouth, MN, United States, 12912KM from transmitter at Rangitaiki. Local time: 0558.

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FOR DUTCH AND EUROPEAN CITIZENS - United States American ESTA Visa Service Online - USA Electronic Visa Application Online  - Immigratiecentrum voor visumaanvragen in de VS.

Welke persoon moet USA Visa Online aanvragen? Als u een staatsburger bent van een land dat een pact heeft gesloten met de VS voor het Waiver of Visa-programma, en u heeft ook GEEN Visits Visa voor de VS, dan komt u in aanmerking. Uw reis duurt korter dan drie maanden. Uw voornemen om Amerika te bezoeken is voor zaken of recreatie. U moet een nieuwe autorisatie of een Amerikaans visum aanvragen voor één persoon of een groep personen. WELKE documentatie is nodig om USA Visa Online aan te vragen? Een geldig(e) paspoort(en) van een Visa Waiver Program. Uw land moet in de lijst met Visa Waiver-landen staan. U heeft een legitiem e-mailadres nodig om US Visa Online te krijgen. Bezoekersnoodcontactpunt smartphone en e-mail. Wanneer u het formulier invult, opstuurt en de verwerkingskosten betaalt, krijgt u een ESTA-aanvraagnummer dat u online kunt volgen voor de Amerikaanse visumaanvraag. Elke toegestane individuele US Visa Only heeft een geldigheidsduur van 2 jaar en maakt meerdere bezoeken aan de VERENIGDE STATEN VAN AMERIKA mogelijk. Als uw paspoort binnen minder dan twee jaar verloopt, is uw USA Visa Online slechts geldig tot de vervaldatum van het paspoort. In veel landen is USA Visa Online toegestaan, waaronder Israël, Portugal, Duitsland, Letland, Nederland, Griekenland, Liechtenstein, Zweden, Andorra, Finland, Frankrijk, Ierland, Brunei, Kroatië, Zwitserland, Italië, Estland, Australië, Korea , Zuiden, Japan, IJsland, Spanje, België, Litouwen, Noorwegen, Hongarije, Slowakije, Denemarken, Luxemburg, Taiwan, Slovenië, Oostenrijk, Polen, Verenigd Koninkrijk, San Marino, Nieuw-Zeeland, Singapore, Chili, Monaco, Tsjechië, Malta . Als het doel van de reis toerisme of zaken is, dan  Which person should apply for USA Visa Online. If You are a citizen of a country which has a pact with USA for Waiver of Visa Program, and you also DO NOT have any Visits Visa to USA then you are eligible. Your journey is for less than three months. Your intention to visit America is for business or recreation. You need to apply for a new authorization or USA Visa for one individual or a group of person. WHAT documentation is needed to apply USA Visa Online A Valid passport(s) from a Visa Waiver Program. Your country should be in the List of Visa Waiver Countries, you need a legitimate e mail address to get US Visa Online. Visitor emergency point of contact smartphone and email. When you complete and put up the form and pay the processing charge, you will get an ESTA application number that can be tracked online for US Visa Application. Each permitted individual US Visa Only is for 2 years validity and allows multiple visits to the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. If your passport expires in less than two years then your USA Visa Online will be valid only till the passport expiration date. Many countries are allowed USA Visa Online, some of them include, Israel, Portugal, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Greece, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Andorra, Finland, France, Ireland, Brunei, Croatia, Switzerland, Italy, Estonia, Australia, Korea, South, Japan, Iceland, Spain, Belgium, Lithuania, Norway, Hungary, Slovakia, Denmark, Luxembourg, Taiwan, Slovenia, Austria, Poland, United Kingdom, San Marino, New Zealand, Singapore, Chile, Monaco, Czech Republic, Malta. If the purpose of the trip is Tourism or Business then .

Address :Charles Petitweg 35, A10, 4827 HJ Breda, Netherlands

Phone : +31 70 362 7755

Email : info@usaestavisaonline.com

Website : https://www.usa-visa-online.org/nl/visa/

Business Hours : 24/7/365

Owner / Official Contact Name :James Charleton  Gibsons

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