10/16/2010

Temasek Review versus Temasek Review

What is this tussle all about? A case of copy rights, a business wrangle, a political issue or what? One is an internet forum and another a corporate newsletter. Can they share the same name, or does one Temasek Review interferes with another Temasek Review? The target audience or readers are obviously different. What if one Temasek Review is registered internationally? Would it make any difference? Where is the boundary in cyberspace? I hope mysingaporenews is not being used by some other corporations. I have heard of mypaper and your news so far. Will I be looking forward to some nasty surprises from a conflicting claim? And I think redbeanforum is quite safe. At least it has no grand labels attached to it. The closest similarities are tomatoes, apples and oranges and perhaps peanuts. I hope Temasek Review may be able to squeeze some juice from it's name. Or would it be the other way round? Would the word 'pap smear' be banned?

17 comments:

  1. I just got a letter from you know who saying I cannot use my nick because people may think I am not who I am and he is not who he is! WTF!

    But who am I to argue? Who can shout loudest call the shots but I ain't gonna go down without a fight.

    No Sir!

    He is a zillionaire and I am just a thousandhair. But who cares?

    Hehe.

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  2. I've just posted on their site encouraging them to "respectfully" decline to have their name changed -- maintaining the "friendly" atmosphere initiated by the "friendly" Temasek Holdings.

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  3. Wally: one thing about my nick is that I doubt I'll get hassled because some rich and powerful institution/ individual wants to use my name.

    However I am prepared to get hassled for satirizing or perhaps even ridiculing the country's motto. But so far no one has had the testicular fortitude to fuck with me.

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  4. Keeping it friendly: Singa,
    the Friendly, Kind Lion. (with the creepy smile)

    Now how fucking ghey
    is that?

    They've gone and fucked up the age-old reputation of the lion -- king
    of the jungle
    , king of beasts, a superlative hunter, a pride
    of the pride -- whose roar is to be both feared and revered...and
    turned the icon of this magnificent animal into a coterie
    of smiling idiots
    .

    Gee, I wonder what sound this "pussy-fied" lion makes?

    Take something wonderful, and really fuck it up good and proper.

    Only in Singapore lah!!

    Oh, but for Temasek's sake, please be "friendly".

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  5. Temasek Review seems to have given up their name. I mean the TR of cyberspace. They are not contending the friendly letter from Temasek Holding and will be changing their name.

    I am wondering what can Temasek do to them if they are operating from Bahamas or somewhere outside Singapore? The editorial team that are Singaporeans and residing here can simply resign and stay out of the way of any legal suit.

    Then again, they choose to take a friendly stance and not contesting. Maybe Temasek Holding can reciprocate by a friendly offer of some compensation for promoting the name Temasek Review. It is now world famous vis a vis the internal review for chosen clients only. It is a household name now.

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  6. Matilah,

    One fine day, someone will write to you to say please change your nick to Majullah Singapura instead of Matilah. The carrot for doing so? Ten crates of Dom Perignon 1990.

    Hehe.

    Mr. Bean,

    If Temasek Review, the website that is, refuses to change its name, there is actually zilch that TH can do. The only plausible reason why they are agreeing to the change is perhaps to show the powers that be that they are after all not unreasonable people and if someone asks nicely, the right thing to do is to try and comply wherever possible. With the kind of vituperative postings on the site, you can be pretty sure that they ain't gonna be cowed by threats, real or otherwise.

    Hehe.

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  7. Lol...
    Temasek was coined(named) by the sultanate of yore.
    Was it copyrighted ?

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  8. Guys, If someone asked you "nicely" if they perform gerbilling on you would probably at the very least you would "politely decline" in other words "cordially refuse to comply/ reject their offer". (unless of course I am mistaken and you are into this sort of activity)

    If you lost your temper at them, no one would consider your reaction "unreasonable" -- same as some else asking to rename your property just because they would like to use the name you had first. so they ask "nicely" -- it's a fucking ploy man -- the "intelligent" way to play it.

    It is the same manipulation applied to anyone asking someone else for something which would be of great value to them to give up. Like a husband asking his wife for permission to fuck his secretary -- of course you would ask nicely... you come to the table bearing gifts and with a tongue so sweet your words sound like music!

    It is sad that the TR gave in. My friendly response would be to suggest that they -- TH -- change their plans and call their venture something like: "Rubbish -- The Review of Temasek Holdings" -- it's just a suggestion, you get the picture.

    Wally:

    Sure if they ask "nicely" and offer a big fat carrot, I will consider. But I will "tarek" until they are dried out...I learnt this trick from whores...many times I kena tarek until dry...ah, we all learn from our emotional choices.

    Anyway no problem -- I have several other nicks: Mampus lah, Malu lah, Lee Kunt You...I'm always open to offer.

    But there's the difference Wally: A robber says in a hostile tone: "Give me you car or I'll kill you".

    The "free trader" sweetly says: "I like to buy your car. Will you take X rupees?

    If I am intimidated about my nick -- no fucking way I'll budge. But ask nicely...ah! Negotiation -- my favourite game!

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  9. Did TR gave in? If they do, I am disappointed. By the way, I do understand that the site is hosted overseas and a few of the regular contributors are not stationed here either.

    How a certain Dr Joseph Ong fits into the picture I am not too sure. But I think Dr Ong's career path is going to get rocky for sure, knowing what kind of pressure will be exerted on his boss.

    In a way, I am more familiar with the name TR and I think so do most people who posted comments regularly. I think they should at least retain the name TR to maintain continuity and familiarity for those who are, by now, used to that name.

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  10. Gee, if Temasek Review refuses to change its name, it will go out of existence and that I can be sure. They know how to do it. The law is up to them to change.

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  11. Many of us forget that we are in cyberspace. So is Temasek Review. There is no physical boundary. We don't exist in any space.

    We can be sitting in our office or home, and with a flick of the switch, Temasek Review is on our screen. So we assume that it is in Singapore. If you are sitting in New York, London or Beijing, you flick the switch and Temasek Review is in front of you.

    Temasek Review or any blog and internet forum does not exist in Singapore. The only thing that can exist here will be the owners of the forum/blog or if it is registered here. In this TR case, they claimed that they are living overseas. So what is the issue?

    If they continue to operate as they are, what can Temasek Holding do to them? Get a court injunction to block TR from the local network? Possible?

    We are not talking about a physical thing, a news publisher. We are talking about thin air that transcends international boundary, that exists in cyberspace and nowhere else.

    This is a different realm of reality. Can someone who owns a name in Orchard Road claims ownership of this name throughout the whole world?

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  12. Please do not come to heaven, it belongs to me !

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  13. Don't worry, the Sinkiputras would love to stay in paradise on earth for as long as they can. If possible, they would not want to go to heaven.

    We have everything here, and more jazzy. What do you have in heaven: )

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  14. Virgins that will remain virgins forever.

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  15. I am sure there is more to it then a domain name change.

    Why do they allow TR so long to make a name for itself, with such a huge following, and not take action in the initial stages? Why take action now? Was it because they do not know who owns it? Hard to believe.

    Was the coming election part of the reason and they know TR will go all out to capitalise on their popularity in getting messages, videos, rally speeches across to readers during the campaigning?

    I still remember the visual impact made by Yawning Bread during the last election. TR obviously can take a leaf from Yawning Bread and do more with their manpower, wider reach and feedback.

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  16. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  17. Yes redbean. I don't know why so many Singaporeans KPKB.

    I absolutely love Singapore. Now the Sun Festival is about to kick off -- I see Sharon Stone is coming over. Wah, lau sui or what?!?

    Just a reminder to the folks out there, including Wally:

    The "Matilah_Singapura" nick comes from my belief that Singapore will eventually end up in a steaming pile of smelly shit -- where people are dying or dying to leave and the whole infrastructure and capital stock is wiped out for one reason:

    The People didn't do what it takes to look after their own country because they have a belief -- redbean is a good example of this belief -- that "The Government" is supposed to "look after" the people.

    And of course, those of us who are smart enough know that if you expect the govt to "look after" anything because you are just too lazy, stupid, self-absorbed and apathetic to do it for yourselves, and expect "political solutions", you deserve the eventual catastrophic failure of your country.

    So relax, do your own thing and enjoy the temporary utopian-bliss of Hotel Singapore!

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