[MyAppleMenu] Feb 15, 2007

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

[News]

*** Apple takes On Exchange Server
<http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q1.07/8DFEC70D-ED31-46AD-B23A-558AF0473F91.html>
RoughlyDrafted

Apple is leveraging the power of open source development in a new effort to directly target Microsoft Exchange Server. A new standards based, open source Calendar Server will debut this year with Leopard Server.

[Opinion]

*** This Is Your Mac On Drugs
<http://blogs.smugmug.com/onethumb/2007/02/14/this-is-your-mac-on-drugs/>
Don MacAskill, SmugBlog

The Mac Thinks Different. Color #e3823c is different on Macs. Except sometimes.

*** Download Biz Has To Change, Or Digital Sales Will Be Playing A Swan Song
<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/kevinmaney/2007-02-13-online-sales-music_x.htm>
Kevin Maney, USA Today

Nearly six years after the introduction of iTunes and the iPod, online music has failed to interest the vast majority of the world's music consumers.

*** A Lazy Web For Mac Apps?
<http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2007/02/a_lazy_web_for_mac_apps.html>
Bruce Stewart, O'Reilly Network

Would developers monitor a resource like this for possible projects?

*** iPhone Competitors Not There Yet
<http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/02/14/HNiphonecompetitors_1.html>
Nancy Gohring, IDG News Service

Since Apple announced it would soon start selling a combined music player and mobile device called the iPhone, industry experts have predicted that competing cell phone makers would rise to the challenge and start producing equally exciting phones. They may yet to do that, but so far they haven't.

*** Even Mac Poseurs Are Laughing At You
<http://1moresg.wordpress.com/2007/02/14/even-mac-poseurs-are-laughing-at-you/>
1 More Sg Blog

You realize that even poseurs laugh at your fix...

[Review]

*** MediaCentral 2.5
<http://www.macobserver.com/review/2007/02/15.1.shtml>
Jeff Gamet, Mac Observer

If you are looking for a single point for managing and viewing your movies, streaming internet content, viewing photos, and listen to music, MediaCentral is the all-in-one app you've been waiting for.

*** Reclaiming Disk Space Under Mac OS X
<http://www.computerworld.com/blogs/node/4597>
Ryan Faas, Computerworld

One way to reclaim hard disk space is to actually reduce the contents of your applications themselves.

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

[News]

*** Data Centers' Growing Power Demands
<http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=18188&ch=infotech>
Kate Greene, MIT Technology Review

A report issued today estimates that the overall electricity used by servers -- computers that make up the networks of organizations, from small businesses to giant financial institutions -- doubled between 2000 and 2005.

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

[Life]

*** He Cooks. She Stews. It's Love.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/14/dining/14beta.html?ex=1329109200&en=5551a90284483f1d&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
Katherine Wheelock, New York Times

True, life with an alpha cook can mean sitting back and watching while someone else prepares restaurant-quality wild mushrom risotto on a quiet Tuesday night. But it can also mean putting up with small culinary humiliations and an unending patter of condescending remarks.

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

[News]

*** Budget Statement 2007: Ready For The Future, Ready For The World
<http://app.sprinter.gov.sg/data/pr/2007021501.htm>
Singapore Government

*** GST Rate To Rise To 7% From July 1
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258757/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

In his Budget Statement on Thursday, Second Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said it is prudent to implement the increase now in one step, while the economy is still strong.

*** Government To Give Out $4b GST Offset Package
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258786/1/.html>
Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

A $4 billion GST offset package will be given out over five years to help Singaporeans cope with the hike in the Goods and Service Tax on July 1st.

*** Singapore To Invest 3% Of Its GDP On R&D Annually By 2010
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258795/1/.html>
Tung Shingyi, Channel NewsAsia

To mitigate the risks of R&D investment, efforts would need to be allocated to specific areas, said Second Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.

*** Maid Levy, Road Tax Adjusted To Offset GST Hike
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258803/1/.html>
Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia

The broad-based Cess that applies to F&B outlets will also be abolished.

*** Older Singaporeans To Get Up To $1,000 In Senior Citizens' Bonus
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258808/1/.html>
Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia

All older Singaporeans aged 55 and above will get a Senior Citizen's Bonus as long as their annual Assessible Income is not more than $100,00. The amount they get will also depend on the annual value of their home.

*** Beer And Stout To Be Taxed According To Alcoholic Content
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258819/1/.html>
Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

Second Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the change was a rationalisation of duties and was not aimed at generating additional revenues.

*** Singapore To Raise Employers' CPF Contribution By 1.5% From July
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258752/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

Second Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced the government has decided to increase CPF employer contribution rate by 1.5 percentage points to 14.5 percent from July 2007.

*** HDB To Convert 3 And 4-Room Blocks In Boon Lay And Woodlands Into Rental Flats
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/258732/1/.html>
May Wong, Channel NewsAsia

The Housing Board will convert 3 and 4-room blocks in Boon Lay and Woodlands into 1 and 2-room rental flats to help meet the demand for such flats.

*** Singapore Punishes 6-Person Protest
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=116814>
DPA

Six followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement have been fined the maximum 1,000 Singapore dollars for taking part in an illegal assembly protesting treatment of fellow practitioners in China, news reports said on Thursday.

*** Indonesian Activists Back Ban On Sand For Singapore
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070214/sc_afp/indonesiasingapore_070214104618>
AFP

Indonesian rights and environmental groups have called on the government to maintain its ban on sand exports, the latest irritant in relations with neighbouring Singapore.

*** Singaproe's Condo Craze Highlights Rich-Poor Divide
<http://asia.news.yahoo.com/070214/3/2xiki.html>
Reuters

For years, Singaporeans measured success by "the five Cs" -- cash, car, condominium, credit card, and club membership. But such trophies, especially condos, remain firmly out of reach for many Singaporeans.

*** Singapore's Elite In Biomedical Project Row
<http://www.ft.com/cms/s/ec4f22dc-bc49-11db-9cbc-0000779e2340.html>
John Burton, Financial Times

There are worries at Biopolis, the main research facility, that Mr Yeo's departure from A*Star could weaken the programme.

[Opinion]

*** Shame, Singapore
<http://allafrica.com/stories/200702150224.html>
Morenike Taire, AllAfrica.com

While politically conscious policy makers have tried to emphasize, in defining terms of justice, reformative rather than punitive measures in dealing with criminals, the death penalty remains in far too many countries, including Nigeria and Singapore.

*** Disgusted: Forced To Marry And Reproduce?
<http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/139279.html>
mollymeek

*** Don't Get Distracted By Glamour, Just Focus On Public Transport
<http://www.straitstimes.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=f832758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:e719cf46d10c0110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>
Gene Kam, Straits Times

If policymakers would just focus on the fundamental objectives of designing and implementing a public transport system, then the result will doubtless evolve into a 'world-class' one in time to come.