[MyAppleMenu] Jan 18, 2007

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

[News]

*** Big Mac Makes Way For The iPod Index
<http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,21079626-31037,00.html>
Colin Brinsden, AAP

In a sign of the times, a Sydney-based bank has developed a new indicator for foreign exchange movements based on Apple's iPod music player, and as an alternative to the long-standing Big Mac Index.

*** Apple Unveils Three More 'Get A Mac' Ads
<http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&newsID=16977>
Jonny Evans, Macworld UK

*** OS X Leopard Set For Late Spring Release
<http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&newsID=16983>
Jonny Evans, Macworld UK

Apple experts have announced an intensive Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard training session in the UK this June -- as evidence mounts of a late spring release of the hotly anticipated new OS.

*** Apple Results: Mac Sales Exceed Industry Sales Patterns
<http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?RSS&newsID=16985>
Jonny Evans, Macworld UK

"We grew at three times the market," said Tim Cook. "Underneath that, if you look in some specific markets, like the US, we gew at 31 per cent versus market growth of 3 per cent."

*** Steve Jobs Say Aple Will, In Fact, Charge $5 For 802.11n Updater
<http://wifinetnews.com/archives/007320.html>
Glenn Fleishman, Wi-Fi Networking News

Jobs replied, simply, "It's the law."

*** Apple TV Tops Best Seller List At Apple Store
<http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=2411>
AppleInsider

*** Apple's iPhone Has Wall Street Chattering
<http://news.com.com/2100-1041_3-6150982.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-20&subj=news>
Elinor Mills, CNET News.com

Apple sold 21 million iPods during its first quarter, but financial analysts asked almost as many questions of Apple executives Wednesday about a product that won't ship until June.

*** We Ask, Quark Answers
<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/expo/2007/01/quarkresponse/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Jackie Dove, Macworld

*** Apple's Steve Jobs Is Comapny's $20 Billion Asset
<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aPqao156ye_Y&refer=home>
Connie Guglielmo, Bloomberg

If Jobs were to leave, shares of Apple might drop 25 percent or more, analysts say. That would erase about $20 billion in Apple's market value.

*** Apple Reports Record-Breaking $1 Billion Profit
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/01/17/appleearnings/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Jim Dalrymple, Macworld

Apple on Wednesday posted a record-breaking $1 billion profit on record revenue of $7.1 billion for the first fiscal quarter of 2007 ended December 30, 2006.

[Opinion]

*** Why Steve Jobs Is Hyping The iPhone Patents? Because He Made A Bad Deal
<http://techdirt.com/articles/20070117/191446.shtml>
TechDirt

Apple made a really dumb business decision in locking themselves up with Cingular.

*** The Resignation Of US Attorney Kevin Ryan: What It Could Mean For Apple
<http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2007/01/the_resignation.html>
Peter Burrows, BusinessWeek

My guess is that Ryan's departure means the odds of criminal charges against Apple or Steve Jobs got a bit longer today.

*** Blogs On The Run!
<http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/br/article/626149/blogs-run/>
Ardi Kokah, Brand Republic

Apple's worldwide launch of the new iPhone will mobilise the next wave of user generated content.

*** The iPHone User Experiene: A First Look
<http://www.asktog.com/columns/070iPhoneFirstLook.html>
Bruce Tognazzini, Ask Tog

Traditional cell phones are dull, limited, and at end-of-life. iPhone is glorious, and it is only the beginning.

*** The Best And Worst Of Expo
<http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/01/17/expowrap/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Macworld

*** Expo's Lackluster Games Pavilion
<http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/gameroom/2007/01/expo/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Peter Cohen, Macworld

This was the most grim Games Pavilion I can remember in just about all my years of coming to Macworld Expos, and it really set my teeth on edge.

[Review]

*** Acrobat 8 Professional: Industry Standard Application Institutes New Features
<http://www.macworld.com/2007/01/reviews/acrobat8/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
Filipe Pereira Martins and Anna Kobylinska, Macworld

Acrobat 8 Professional is a giant leap forward, especially in the area of collaboration.

[Wintel]

*** Uninspiring Vista
<http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/17992/page1/>
Erika Jonietz, MIT Technology Review

Ironically, playing around with Vista for more than a month has done what years of experience and exhortations from Mac-loving friends could not: It has converted me into a Mac fan.

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

[News]

*** Touch Screens For Many Fingers
<http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=18079&ch=infotech>
Kate Greene, MIT Technology Review

Researchers and startups have far bigger plans for multi-touch screens than the novel interface on Apple's iPhone.

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

[Life]

*** How Cinema Lost Its Soul
<http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/film/features/article2160412.ece>
Ronald Bergan, The Independent


>From Bunuel to Warhol, film used to be thrillingly experimental, but now we have to look to other art forms for the avant-grade.


*** In New 'Quality TV,' Dark Is New Light: CSI-ing Of America
<http://www.observer.com/20070122/20070122_Ron_Rosenbaum_culture_ronrosenbaum.asp>
Ron Rosenbaum, New York Observer

Darkness has become a signifier for deepness, for deep seriousness -- most often a substitute for it, alas.

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

[Ramblings]

*** We Are All Rich
Heng-Cheong Leong

Tan Wee Ko <http://straitstimes.asiaone.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=7532758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:a42840a0f7130110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>, writing in Straits Times: People on buses during this period [mid-morning till late afternoon] are unlikely to be in a rush to reach a destination or else they would have taken alternative transportation.

So, all Singaporeans are rich, and if they are in a rush, they'd simply go buy a car and drive all bus lanes, eh?

Idiot.

[News]

*** Singapore Girl, Asia's Barbie, Ready For A New Look?
<http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2007-01-18-singapore-airlines-flight-attendant-advertising-campaign_x.htm>
Jan Dahinten, Reuters

Former flight attendants reject the sexism charge and many take pride in a profession that lost much of its glamour since air travel became an everyday phenomenon.

*** Union Lets Fly As SingAir Reveals Plan To Cut Jobs
<http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/union-lets-fly-as-singair-reveals-plan-to-cut-jobs/2007/01/17/1168709827477.html>
Sydney Morning Herald

Singapore Airlines' campaign to gain access to the Sydney to Los Angeles route has come under attack after it said this week it planned to sack 10 per cent of its Australian workforce.

*** Thai Military Officials Say Diplomatic Spat With Singapore Won't Harm Military Ties
<http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/18/asia/AS-GEN-Thailand-Singapore.php>
Associated Press

Thailand's coup leaders sought to assure Singapore on Thursday that a diplomatic row sparked by the ousted Thai prime minister's recent visit to the city-state would not damage military cooperation between the countries.

*** Expert: Singapore 'Business As Usual'
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=116123>
Bangkok Post

The squabble between Thailand and Singapore will not affect business and trade ties of the private sector, according to executives of the Federation of Thai Industries and Asean Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

*** Thai Public Support Actions Against Singapore: Survey
<http://nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30024492>
The Nation

The Thai public supported the Surayud government's reaction against Singapore for permitting ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to meet a top senior official and they demand an apology from the island country, an opinion survey has found.

*** Heavy Vehicles Cannot Use Johor Causeway From Sept 1
<http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/state_news/news.php?id=242008&cat=st>
Bernama

"The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that Bangkok had no option but to retaliate against Singapore, but refused to reply to a Singapore statement that Thailand had over-reacted in the matter."

*** Singapore May Lose Army Training Site
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/18Jan2007_news02.php>
Wassana Nanuam, Manop Thip-Osod and Achara Ashayagachat, Bangkok Post

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that Bangkok had no option but to retaliate against Singapore, but refused to reply to a Singapore statement that Thailand had over-reacted in the matter.

*** Thailand Halts Singapore Tit-For-Tat
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=116116>
Bangkok Post

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisted that Bangkok had no option but to retaliate against Singapore, but refused to reply to a Singapore statement that Thailand had over-reacted in the matter.

*** Six University Students Protest At Singapore Embassy
<http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/18/headlines/headlines_30024472.php>
The Nation

A group of six Ramkamhaneg University students gathered in front of Singapore Embassy in Bangkok to protest the island state's permission for ousted prime minister to meet its deputy permanent secretary.

*** Infocomm Industry To Hit S$40b In Revenue For The First Time
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/253202/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

*** Bilateral Strife: Thailand Sends Mixed Signals To Singapore
<http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/01/18/headlines/headlines_30024445.php>
The Nation

The head of the Council of National Security, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, yesterday sent Singapore mixed signals even as the two allies squabbled over political sensitivity and national sovereignty.

*** Chiam Faces NSP Breakaway
<http://www.todayonline.com/articles/166480.asp>
Loh Chee Kong, Today

After months of murmurings in the opposition circles, this could hte moment of truth. The National Solidarity Party will decide today whether to break away from the Singapore Democratic Alliance.

*** Here Comes The Bus... But We'll Have To Run For It Because...
<http://tnp.sg/news/story/0,4136,121567,00.html?>
Lee Pei Qi, The New Paper

This bus stop is unique. No bus has ever stopped there since it was built. Why? Because there is a railing which is built right in front of it.

[Opinion]

*** Singapore's Miscalculation
<http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/18Jan2007_news22.php>
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Bangkok Post

Singapore's leaders keep shooting themselves in the foot. They never got Thailand right. In view of their latest diplomatic blunder, perhaps they never will.

*** A Levels Mean More Than A Ticket To University
<http://straitstimes.asiaone.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=f832758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:7c3acbccc7030110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>
Shirin Ong Hui Lin, Straits Times

*** Stop Criminialising The Young Over Wi-Fi 'Theft'
<http://straitstimes.asiaone.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=7532758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:04b4cbccc7030110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>
Waleed Hanafi, Straits Times

*** Examining Singapore's Ties With Burma
<http://hovivo.blogspot.com/2007/01/examining-singapores-ties-with-burma.html>
Holland Village Voice

*** No Cause For Celebration
<http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2007/01/no-cause-for-celebration.html>
Mr Wang Says So

Singapore is the easiest place in the world to pay a worker peanuts; make him work overtime; and then sack him without compensation.

*** From Bitter Medicine To Bitter Peasants
<http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/136449.html>
mollymeek

The pain inflicted on peasants since 1997 have produced lots of good results indeed. Just that not everyone says it has been worthwhile.