[MyAppleMenu] Aug 15, 2005

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/>
Mac news for Mac people

[News]

*** Free Internet Access Boosts Benefit Of School Laptops
<http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/1864487.shtml>
Kennebec Journal

Free internet access boosts benefit of school laptops.

*** E-Waste And iWoes
<http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/24045/>
Zack Pelta-Heller, AlterNet

Computers and their accessories contain toxins such as mercury and lead, causing massive environmental damage worldwide. But not all of the major computer companies are serious about reducing waste.

*** TV Tries Shaky Hand At Podcasting
<http://www.wired.com/news/digiwood/0,1412,68503,00.html?tw=rss.TOP>
Randy Dotinga, Wired News

Podcasting is turning conventional wisdom about TV broadcasting on its head as thousands of people sign up to download and listen to free, audio-only versionns of their favorite shows or special MP3-only programming.

*** Apple UK Grabs 11% Education Market
<http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=12344>
Jonny Evans, Macworld UK

Apple has seen its UK share of the education market spring to 11.1 per cent, according to Gartner figures cited by Apple.

*** October Is China's 'iPod Month'
<http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=12343&Page=1&pagePos=12>
Macworld UK

Chinese Mac users are preparing an October campaign focused on Apple's iPod.

*** Sound Check: Mixing It Up With iPods On The Digital Nightlife Scene
<http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/14/LVG12E3Q0O1.DTL&type=tech>
Lisa Hix, San Francisco Chronicle

What started as a tech-inspired experiment known as MP3Jing has mushroomed into a worldwide phenomenon in three years.

*** Apple: Deaf To The Rent-A-Tunes Beat
<http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2005/tc20050815_2062_tc024.htm>
Heather Green and Peter Burrows, BusinessWeek

Apple still has no plans to enter the nascent subscription music market, despite widespread industry whispers.

[Opinion]

*** What Is The Ideal iPod Competitor?
<http://news.softpedia.com/news/What-Is-the-Ideal-iPod-Competitor-6359.shtml>
Softpedia

Companies that invest money and effort into dethroning iPod shouldn't have skipped the digital music history classes and understand once and for all, that iPod is the result of a once in a lifetime moment, which cannot be recreated even if they add two wheels and a 5TB hard drive.

[Sidetrack]

*** Your iPod's Battery Running Low?
Heng-Cheong Leong

Pee on it <http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=JH1416533B&news_headline=worlds_first_battery_powered_by_wee_developed>.

*** Even Singaporeans Do Not Like Creative
Heng-Cheong Leong

Sure, the local media will bring out Sim Wong Hoo once in a while whenever there is a need to showcase a local technology success story (now that Third Voice has died). But that doesn't mean <http://tomorrow.sg/archives/2005/08/15/an_apple_a_day.html> that we Singaporeans have to like Creative products. :-)

Hey, support the Mac, then we'll talk, okay?

*** Why Apple Still Needs Windows: The Sequel
Heng-Cheong Leong

We all know that iPod will not be the success it is today if it weren't for Windows-compatibility.

Now, we discover, via Scobleizer, that even iPod vending machiens <http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034363287@N01/33966176/> runs on Windows <http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034363287@N01/33966178/>.

*** Another Sign That Microsoft Will Not Produce Another Internet Explorer For Mac OS X
Heng-Cheong Leong

It has been called different names, like Internet Explorer, Microsoft Internet Explorer, MSIE, and probably other unprintable names by Microsoft's competitors, but now, Microsoft itself has a new name for it.

The next version of the browser will be called Windows Internet Explorer 7 <http://www.downloadsquad.com/2005/08/14/internet-explorer-7-gets-new-name-new-logo/>. We are getting into specifics now: one, it is for Windows only, and, two, it is part of Windows.

The Tomorrow Weblog
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<http://www.myapplemenu.com/tomorrow/>
Emerging Technologies. Innovative Applications. New Economy

[News]

*** Will Sticks Lick Broadband Fix?
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8938152/site/newsweek/>
Steven Levy, Newsweek

It's great that new ideas might help extend broadband to the boonies, but why not hasten the process with a national policy that recognizes the importance of universal service, and invests wisely to give everyone access to the net at geek-pleasing speeds?

MyAppleMenu Reader
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/reader/>
The other things in life

[Life]

*** What, No Tip? Service Charge Faces Struggle At Restaurants
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/15/nyregion/15tips.html?ex=1281758400&en=02a3ead5060eb510&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
Patrick McGreehan, New York Times

Is the right to stiff the waiter as American as apple pie?

*** Super Power
<http://www.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2005/08/14/super_power/>
Chris Berdik, Boston Globe

In a notoriously segregated city, shoppers of all races are flocking to a fast-growing supermarket chain called Super 88. Its founder triumphed through communist invasion, shipwreck, and fire. Now, he wants to change the way you shop for groceries.

*** Black Guy, White Music
<http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1093705,00.html>
Ta-Nehisi Paul Coates, Time

How I stopped worrying about my hip-hop cred and fell in love with Bjork.

*** Every Man Is An Island
<http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,6000,1548054,00.html>
John Harding, The Guardian

>From The Odyssey to The Beach, islands have been one of the most powerful and magical inspirations to writers.

*** From Love To Longing To Protest, It's All In The Tilt Of The Postage
<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/15/national/15stamps.html?hp>
Ian Urbina, New York Times

For most people, the front of an envelope is simply a place for addresses and postage, and a crooked stamp indicates little more than that the sender was in a hurry. But for others, this tiny sliver of real estate is home to a coded language, hidden in plain sight, that has been passed down through the generations for more than a century.

[EOF]

*** Halal Burger Bar Opens In Paris
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,11882,1549272,00.html>
Jon Henley and Mary MacCarthy, The Guardian

France's first restaurant serving halal meat in an American-style fast-food setting has opened in the suburbs of Paris.

SingaporeSurf
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<http://www.myapplemenu.com/singapore/>
Life in the city

[Ramblings]

*** Random Searches On Singapore MRT Trains
Heng-Cheong Leong

I've send the following e-mail to Ministry of Home Affairs...

Hi,

Previously, MRT passengers are subjected to random searches of bags and belongings when entering MRT stations. It was stated then that passengers can choose not to have their bags searched by disagreeing to the search and leave the station.

However, in today's report by Channel NewsAsia http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/163270/1/.html>, "Special armed police unit begins MRT patrols", it is reported that:

"Bags and items being checked onboard trains will soon become a common sight for the 1.2 million commuters using the MRT daily."

This implies that bags and belongings will no longer be searched just at the entrance to stations, but also inside moving trains. Does this mean a change in policy in regarding the passengers' right to refuse searches? Can any passengers decline random searches and leave the MRT train and station without incurring any harm on themselves due to the "shoot to kill" policy by the armed police unit? What is the proper procedure, if available, for refusing random searches?

Thanks. I look forward to your clarifications.

Leong Heng Cheong

[News]

*** Special Armed Police Unit Begins MRT Patrols
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/163270/1/.html>
Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

*** New Hospital To Open Before 2010 To Help Ease Patient Load At TTSH
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/163295/1/.html>
Farah Abdul Rahim, Channel NewsAsia

*** Parliament Okays Bill To Let Private Sector Build And Sell HDB Flats
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/163300/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

The successful tenderer will also have the flexibility to decide on the design of the flats, the flat mix and their pricing.

*** What's Behind The Election Divide?
<http://www.asia1.com.sg/st/st_20050815_334686.html>
Lydia Lim, Straits Times

*** Andrew Kuan To Quit As PAP Member
<http://www.asia1.com.sg/st/st_20050815_334608.html>
Peh Shing Huei, Straits Times

"It's time to move on."

*** Where's That Yellow Ribbon Now?
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/66699.asp>
Loh Chee Kong, Today

He paid his dues in prison but when he tried to start a new life, his taxi licence was revoked.

*** Singapore President Wins New Term As Elections Panel Disqualifies Rival
<http://news.ft.com/cms/s/f9c337ea-0d28-11da-ba02-00000e2511c8.html>
John Burton, Financial Times

The deicision by the election committee at the weekend to reject Mr Kuan was expected after several unflattering disclosures about the former corporate finance executive were made in the state-guided media.

[Opinion]

*** No-Contest Is Disturbing
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/66734.asp>
Wayne Soon, Today

If the eligibility criteria is such that for two consecutive elections not a single Singaporean was able to pose a challenge for the country's top post, then perhaps we may have to consider whether the criteria needs to be reviewed.

[Entertainment]

*** Singapore Serves Spicy Eats, Sexy Slings
<http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=05SUN140805>
Thuy Hang, VietNam News

Singapore proves an essential destination for anyone on a culinary tour of Asia, with Chinese, Indian and Malaysian flavors mingling together for big tastes in one tiny city-state.

The Shuffle by MyAppleMenu
==================================================
<http://www.myapplemenu.com/podcast/>
Life is random. More tunes, less talk.

[Tunes]

*** The Final Rewind
<http://www.tryad.org/demo.html>
try^d
<http://www.tryad.org/mp3/Tryad_-_The_Final_Rewind.mp3>