[MyAppleMenu] Apr 9, 2007

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** The Myth Of Apple's Insecurities <http://weblog.infoworld.com/venezia/archives/011187.html>
by Paul Venezia, InfoWorld
The difference isn't market share, it's the foundation of the operating systems.

**** Hey Apple! Fix The Green Button Already! <http://theappleblog.com/2007/04/09/hey-apple-fix-the-green-button-already/>
by Eddie Hargreaves, The Apple Blog
Sometimes it zooms, sometimes it maximizes and sometiems it just does wacky stuff that no one can really explain.

**** Apple: 100 Million iPods Sold, And Counting <http://playlistmag.com/news/2007/04/09/ipodmilestone/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
by Peter Cohen, Playlist
Apple on Monday announced that the 100 millionth iPod has been sold. Apple claims that the iPod is the fastest-selling music player in history.
"At this historic milestone, we want to thank music lovers everywhere for making iPod such an incredible success. iPod has helped millions of people around the world rekindle their passion for music, and we're thrilled to be a part of that," said Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

**** Have Your Mac Say Bonjour To Tout Le Monde <http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2007/04/08/have-your-mac-say-bonjour-to-tout-le-monde>
by Iljitsch van Beijnum, Ars Technica
It turns out that the Bonjour that we all know and love has a little-known sibling that /does/ work across the internet: wide-area Bonjour.

**** Priced Out Of An Apple Desktop <http://viewfromthemountain.typepad.com/applepeels/2007/04/priced_out_of_a.html>
by Applepeels
What I am curious about is there anything left for me but an iMac? I guess I want more performance and flexibility than an iMac, but I do not think that I can justify the price of the new Mac Pro systems.

The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Laptops Vs. Learning <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/06/AR2007040601544.html?nav=most_emailed>
by David Cole, Washington Post
I am sure that the internet can be a useful pedagogical tool in some settings and for some subjects. But for most classes, it is little more than an attractive nuisance.

**** Why Do We Have A VoIP Patent Mess? <http://gigaom.com/2007/04/08/voip-patent-mess>
by Daniel Berninger, GigaOM
Lost among the legal theories, predictions of Vonage's demise, and the wishful claims Vonage's troubles are unique is the fact that the future of the VoIP industry depends on challenging vague, generic, overly broad patents.

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Novel Gazing <http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/04/08/novel_gazing/>
by James Parker, Boston Globe
The writer's guide as self-help genre.

SingaporeSurf
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**** Singapore IT Sector Facing Manpower Crunch <http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=17556>
by DPA
Singapore's information-technology sector is facing a manpower drought as competition for talent from other Asian countries intensifies, an employment survey released today said.
/My view: You think I'll get a 60 per cent raise? :-)/

**** Let's Forget Elections. Just Employ Ministers. <http://aaron-ng.info/blog/lets-forget-elections-just-employ-ministers.html>
by Aaron Ng, Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
I'm not convinced there's such a problem among the political appointees. I worry that by continuously increasing and emphasizing the monetary rewards, motivation for political office in Singapore becomes promarily about money, and not duty to serve. One day, we might really be putting out advertisements for the position of prime minister instead of holding an election.

**** MM Lee, Opposition MP Low Thia Khiang Debate Increase In Salaries <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/269372/1/.html>
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
Opposition MP Low Thia Khiang questioned the need for such high salaries for ministers and top civil servants to prevent corruption.
He said Singapore ranked below Finland, Denmark and Switzerland, in a UN report on how corrupt a country is, but these countries pay their top civil servants less than Singapore.

**** Meritocracy, At It's Best And Worst <http://www.mrbiao.com/blog/meritocracy-at-its-best-and-worst.html>
by This Lush Garden Within
I feel very sad for Singapore &mdash; with our leaders' patting their own backs and approving their own salary increments, while the below average Singaporean struggles to make a living.
See also: Adventures and random brain waves <http://happyamsguy.blogspot.com/2007/04/singapore-top-boss-insults-denmark.html>: Singapore top boss insults Denmark, Finland and Switzerland.

**** Proposed Change In Legal Framework To Empower SAF Personnel <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/269333/1/.html>
by Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
Search, detain, and use reasonable force against terror suspects &mdash; that's what the Singapore Armed Forces will be empowered with, in a propsoed amendment to the SAF Act tabled during parliament.
The defence ministry says the move will enhance Singapore's responsiveness to deal with threats and allow SAF personnel to take preventive action early.

**** Top Civil Servants Will Get A Pay Increase Of Between 14% And 33% <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/269330/1/.html>
by May Wong, Channel NewsAsia
Top civil servants' annual salaries will be increased by between 14% and 33%, and the average pay rise for the prime minister and ministers will be 25%.
See also:
Singapore government <http://app.sprinter.gov.sg/data/pr/20070409992.htm>: Ministerial statement by Mr Teo Chee Hean, minister-in-charge of the civil service, on civil service salary revisions, at parliament 9 April 2007.
Pearl Forss <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/269371/1/.html>, Channel NewsAsia: Ministers do not receive perks and they do not recieve more than one salary, even if they hold two or more portfolios.
Reuters <http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2007/04/09/singapore_ministers_get_60_pct_pay_hike_to_13_mln/>: Singapore's government ministers, already among the world's highest paid, will see their annual salaries jump by about 60 percent to an average of S$1.9 million, a minister told parliament on Monday.
AP <http://english.pravda.ru/news/world/09-04-2007/89337-singapore_salary-0>: The salaries of Singapore ministers will raise be more than 60 percent by the end of 2008 and the prime minister's pay packet will be boosted to a level that's five times that of the U.S. president, the officials said Monday.

**** Singapore Looking To Re-Open Granite Quarry <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/269297/1/.html>
by Channel NewsAsia
Singapore is looking at re-opening a granite quarry on Pulau Ubin, according to minister of state for national development Grace Fu.
She said that while Singapore looks to buy from as many sources as possible, to build its stockpile and work with the industry for more sustainable construction methods, one other alternative is to look into the local granite sources.
/My view: How about cutting down on wasteful en-bloc re-development, or building tunnels where even the LTA cannot justify ("Five Whole Minutes!") at all?/

**** Parlour Pinks Can't Stain Lee's Great Leadership <http://theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21507067-25377,00.html?from=public_rss>
by Greg Sheridan, The Australian
As has the rest of the region, we have benefited immensely from his leadership.

**** Singapore Circuit Layout Revealed <http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19001.html>
by F1 News

**** Singapore's Economy Probably Slowed On Fewer Electronic Exports <http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aQMgC_drm6kw>
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore's economic growth probably slowed in the first quarter as factories trimed production in response to easing demand for the island's electronic exports.

**** Singapore Workers In Big Demand For Key Jobs Abroad <http://www.straitstimes.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=6fadbe120b93a010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:fe3ac589f52d1110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>
by Keith Lin, Straits Times
Singaporeans are emerging as the 'foreign talent' of choice among employers in Asia and the Middle East, say headhunters seeking top managers.

The Shuffe by MyAppleMenu
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**** The Real You <http://blacklabworld.com/blw/pages/01e_plat.html>
by Black Lab
Click here to listen <http://blacklabworld.com/blw/mp3/blacklab_therealyou.mp3>.