[MyAppleMenu] Feb 5, 2009

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Thu Feb 5 18:59:00 EST 2009

MyAppleMenu
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**** Look Before Leaping... And Formatting Hard Drives <http://www.macworld.com/article/138628/2009/02/oopsdatagone.html?lsrc=rss_main>
by Rob Griffiths, Macworld

**** Apple Says 17-Inch MacBook Pros Will See Further Delays <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/02/04/apple_says_17_inch_macbook_pros_will_see_further_delays.html>
by Slash Lane, AppleInsider

Apple said Wednesday that it's facing unexpected delays related to its new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pros and won't be capable of shipping orders for at least another two weeks.

**** Tough Economy Cooling MacBook Demand <http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/02/04/changewave.on.mac.demand/>
by Electronista

A new study published today by ChangeWave reveals that the sudden recession has likely had a chilling effect on MacBook sales. As the number of people looking to buy notebooks over the next 90 days has dipped from 8 to 6 percent in January, fewer are also looking to buy one of Apple's portables.

**** Apple UI Complaint: The Way To Set A Default View For Folders <http://stevekudelko.com/?p=220>
by Steve Kudelko

It's kind of a pointless little pet-peeve, but it's irritated me since Leopard hsa been released.

**** Apple And Six Years To Operating System Parity <http://www.macnightowl.com/2009/02/apple-and-six-years-to-operating-system-parity/>
by Gene Steinberg, MacNightOwl

**** Fourth Time's The Charm? Apple Seeks Georgetown's Blessing <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/02/04/ST2009020401930.html>
by Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post

Three times, Apple has presented plans for its first Washington store. Three times, a panel of architects has suggested a return to the drawing board. Each time, Apple came back with a drawing that was more contemporary and as full of glass as the first, if not more.

On Thursday, Apple returns for a fourth round with the Old Georgetown Board, as the panel is known, this time with a drawing that is virtually identical to the first.

**** Exploded iPod (Still Works) <http://anerroroccurredwhileprocessingthisdirective.com/2007/11/10/exploded-ipod-still-works/>
by [An Error Occurred While Processing This Directive].com

I love exploded diagrams of objects where you see every piece of the thing. I had the idea to try and make a real life version of one, and picked my iPod to be the victim. The catch was, I wanted it to work even in its exploded form.

Wow!

**** For Popular Mac Bundles, Update Not An Upgrade <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/04/AR2009020403270.html>
by Rob Pegoraro, Washington Post

Moving from iLife '08 to '09 makes more sense than an upgrade from iWork '08 to '09.

**** DC Store Design Finally Approved <http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2009/02/03/dc-store-design-finally-approved/>
by ifo AppleStore

After several denials by a District of Columbia architectural commission, Apple has finally obtained approval for its planned store on Wisconsin Avenue in the Georgetown district of the city, and it’s a stunning new design that includes a rear interior atrium with planted trees.

**** Playing With Toys? <http://www.shufflegazine.com/2009/02/05/playing-with-toys/>
by Paul Castle, Shufflegazine

So while my Apple devices are fun to play with, they continue to be a great bon when it comes to getting serious work done.

**** Review: Rayman Raving Rabbids <http://www.macworld.com/article/138619/2009/02/raymans_raving_rabbids.html?lsrc=rss_main>
by Peter Cohen, Macworld

If you’re not a Wii owner and the idea of a bunch of mini-games featuring nutty cartoon bunnies sounds appealing, Rayman Raving Rabbids can be appealing. But if you’ve already tried it on the Wii, you’re going to find that the gameplay loses a lot in translation.

**** Review: iWeb '09 <http://www.macworld.com/article/138644/2009/02/iweb09.html?lsrc=rss_main>
by Deborah Shadovitz, Macworld

Its improved uploading capabilities, easy-to-use widgets, and more straightforward interface will be worth the price of the upgrade. Using the program for professional purposes remains more of a challenge. It’s not designed for professionals, but it can be a great way to start your Web presence.

**** Mathematica Home Edition Released <http://www.macworld.com/article/138664/2009/02/mathematica.html?lsrc=rss_main>
by Peter Cohen, Macworld

**** Review: Duck Shoot Tickles For Short-Term Fun <http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2009/02/review-duck-shoot-tickles-for-short-term-fun.ars>
by Erica Sadun, Ars Technica

There's just not enough gameplay to learn from and return to, although it's fun for its relatively short play life.

**** So Many iPhone Apps, So Little Time <http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/so-many-iphone-apps-so-little-time/>
by David Pogue, New York Times

Even when the economy is crashing down around us, there’s still amazing power in a single good idea. And the one on display here--pricing software so low that millions of people buy it without batting an eye--is turning a few clever programmers into millionaires.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Google &amp; The Big Ideas <http://gigaom.com/2009/02/03/google-the-big-ideas/>
by Om Malik, GigaOM

**** Sun's Missing Mojo: MIA Until When? <http://news.cnet.com/8301-10787_3-10156025-60.html>
by Charles Cooper, CNET

Truth be told, it was a compelling performance. I just wonder how long it's going to take before the story line ever jibes with facts on the ground. Panglossian optimism has its place, but Sun's CEO insists on painting a sunny picture that never quite takes shape as envisioned.

**** Ah, Yes, More About Me? Here Are '25 Random Things' <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/fashion/05things.html?ref=todayspaper>
by Douglas Quenqua, New York Times

As with anything on the Internet, why this particular distraction has suddenly become a phenomenon is anyone’s guess. For most, it seems to be a creative way to indulge in social networking without coming off as needy or shamelessly self-absorbed.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** That Dogma Won't Hunt <http://www.slate.com/id/2210507/?from=rss>
by Witold Rybczynski, Slate

Why are architects so obsessed with schools and rules?

**** A Heimlich In Every Pot <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/opinion/04nathan.html?_r=1>
by Joan Nathan, New York Times

It was the best party I had ever hosted. And then I almost died from choking on too big a piece of chicken.

**** The Pursuit Of Happiness <http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20081215-000001.xml>
by Carlin Flora, Psychology Today

Has the happiness frenzy of the past few years left you sad and anxious? Herein we report the surest ways to find well-being.

**** The Great Girl Gross-Out <http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/02/05/girlie_gross_out/index.html>
by Rebecca Traister, Salon

Female writers are getting more graphic than ever about the messy realities of their bodies. Is it too much information, or enlightened honesty?



SingaporeSurf
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**** Lui Tuck Yew Wants A Cyber Panopticon <http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/214910.html>
by Mollymeek

Lui's latest comments are interesting because his criticism is based on the idea that the internet should be self-regulatory. It reveals what an ideal world, online and offline, must be to him. A self-regulated world.

**** A Consolidation Of My Views On Budget 2009 <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=2151>
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

**** Repeated Calls For GST Cuts And Help For SMEs In Budget Debates <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/406860/1/.html>
by Ng Baoying, Channel NewsAsia

Members of Parliament repeated earlier calls for a cut in the Good and Service Tax (GST) during the budget debate in Parliament on Wednesday. There were also requests for more pro-active help schemes for small and medium-sized businesses.

**** TV Licence Fee Among World's Lowest <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_334323.html>
by Pam Hu, Media Development Authority, Straits Times

The TV licence fee of $110 has remained unchanged since Jan 1, 1994. It is among the lowest in the world, even as the cost of producing Public Service Broadcast programmes has risen over the years, and there are more free-to-air TV channels today for consumers to enjoy.

I wonder how one can claim our TV license is among the lowest in the world, when 300 mllion people living in the United States, for one, pay $0 for their television.

**** Opposition MP Low Has Valid Concerns <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_334332.html>
by Joey Yeo, Straits Times

The rebuttals by the PAP MPs showed that they had failed to understand the nub of Mr Low's concern.

**** To View Town Council Reports... <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/300423.asp>
by Albert Teng, Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council (On Behalf Of The 14 PAP Town Councils), Today

The Town Councils' annual reports for 2008 will be available to the public once the audited financial statement is approved by the Ministry of National Development.

**** No GLC Investments In Las Vegas Sands And Its Subsidiaries <http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/My%2BMoney/Story/A1Story20090204-119322.html>
by My Paper

**** 南京司机不愿去新加坡高薪开巴士 <http://news.sina.com.cn/o/2009-02-05/023315112013s.shtml>
by 毛丽萍, 现代快报

近日，新加坡某巴士公司在江苏招聘200名巴士司机，月薪最高达8000多元人民币。但昨天，记者了解到应聘者并不多，报名的只有100多人，而且基本上是外市的，南京籍的很少。

巴士司机工作时间长，上早班的司机需要凌晨三四点就出门工作，夜班司机则需工作到凌晨一二点，“新加坡本地人对巴士司机这份工作都不看好，觉得太苦，巴士公司招聘也常常碰壁。”负责招聘的屠小刚经理告诉记者。

**** A Most Stupendous &amp; Audacious Undertaking - Singapore's Government <http://nasu-dengaku.livejournal.com/141603.html>
by Nasu Dengaku

Something in Singapore's national cutlure allowed the country to work extremely well.

**** Is The Crowd Telling Us A Story? <http://eok.net/2009/02/04/is-the-crowd-telling-us-a-story/>
by Benjamine Koe, The Eok .Network

I believe the online community is a great source of feedback, but it's the story of the collective that carries meaning.

**** Why Singapore Can't Succeed In Arts Just Yet <http://kkyz14.blogspot.com/2009/02/why-singapore-cant-succeed-in-arts-just.html>
by The Temple Of Thoughts III

Compared to other countries, nationalistic pride keeps their streets clean. Singapore hire foreigners to clean up the streets at night.

**** PAP MPs Should Reflect On Blogosphere's Response To Attack On Seng Han Thong <http://wayangparty.com/?p=4841>
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club

To defend the PAP will be an unacceptable anomaly.

**** Is The Gahmen Going To Regulate Cyberspace Now? <http://aaron-ng.info/blog/is-the-gahmen-going-to-regulate-cyberspace-now.html>
by Aaron Ng, Hear Ye Hear Ye

The bottomline is that in any democratic space, there are all kinds of people with all kinds of ideas and oopinions. There will always be people on the extremes.

**** Half-Million Is The New Benchmark <http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2009/yax-976.htm>
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread

All ministers' pay comes from taxpayer money, so yeah, it can be compared to how government aid is used in such companies.

Secondly, the government now thinks that our economy is tanking so badly that the case for raiding the reserves is justified. THat's like seeking bailout, is it not?

**** NSP Budget Response 2009 - Extensive But Not Comprehensive <http://www.nsp.sg/press_releases.php?more=106>
by National Solidarity Party

**** Diversity And Eating One's Proverbial Cake <http://celluloidreality.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/diversity-and-eating-the-proverbial-cake-which-you-have/>
by Celluloid Reality(s)

We cannot tell individuals what to think, and it is wise not to do so. Everyone understands the bacteria analogy, that little “infections” serve to strengthen the entire corpus, and hence harmless voices and opinions, fiery or not, serve the same purpose.

How else would you know that you are being positive if there is no Other to measure this against. If you are a caring ,decent chap, your identity is strengthen in opposition to the Other, the antithesis of what you stand for personally.

**** Procreation 'Not Our Forte,' Says Singapore MP <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jtGqK1Osk7n1O0SuVINIyR0c74tA>
by AFP

A Singapore lawmaker has a simple explanation for the city-state's lack of babies: procreation, he says, is "not our forte."

Loo Choon Yong also suggestd that because more free time did not necessarily result in more babies, people should work on Saturdays, a report in The Straits Times said.

Shouldn't the logical conclusion be that, instead of Sunday, the weekly rest day should be based on the wife's ovulation cycle? :-)

**** Strict Or No Freedom? <http://chorlor.sgbutterfly.org/archives/935>
by Ms Chor Lor.com

**** Shield Us Good, Mock Us Bad, Says Lui <http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2009/yax-977.htm>
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread

I don't think Lui understands what are the justifiable limits to free speech. Saying things hurtful to people in power is not a reason for censorship. Nor is expressing childish sentiments.

Did moderators fail in their jobs when they chose not to shield PAP members from unkind remarks? The junior minister is using a very self-serving test to make his judgement.

**** Sensible Suggestion But Was Unfortunately Shot Down <http://aaron-ng.info/blog/sensible-suggestion-but-was-unfortunately-shot-down.html>
by Aaron Ng, Hear Ye Hear Ye

Come on, PAP. Sylvia Lim is essentially suggesting aiding people who are trying to help themselves. What is there to disagree with?

**** Koo Tsai Kee's Non-Rebuttal To WSJA's Criticism <http://wayangparty.com/?p=4834>
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club

Prof Koo conveniently ignored the key question posed by the editorial: Why does our consumption comprise only 40% of the GDP, much less than the average 55% of other Asian countries ?

**** Lui Tuck Yew Should Recall What His PAP Colleague Wee Siew Kim Said In 2006 <http://wayangparty.com/?p=4852>
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club

To Mr Lui and the other PAP MPs out there, please remember what your own kind has said by heart: If you do not like what netizens say, you and your minions have the right of rebuttal. Unlike your compliant, syncophantic and spineless print media, the New Media can never be regulated by any third parties.

The problem is: you are in the minority in cyberspace and you should be asking yourselves why.

**** Self-Regulation Fail? <http://ephraim.blogspot.com/2009/02/self-regulation-fail-on-my-way-home.html>
by Ephraim Loy, A Writer's Blog

If I may counter his words, I had seen many encouraging statements and comments on Facebook which wished Mr Seng well. There was also a Facebook group started to rally support and wish him well. Clearly, we cannot afford to make such fallacious judgments based on one incident.

**** 20,513 Took Up Singapore Citizenship In 2008 <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/407031/1/.html>
by Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia

More immigrants became Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents (PRs) in 2008. Minister-in-charge of population, Wong Kan Seng, said the increase could be due to the good economy and not because of a change in immigration policy.

**** Saving Jobs Will Have Bigger Impact In Boosting Singaore Economy <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/407036/1/.html>
by Ng Baoying, Channel NewsAsia

Finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the government believes keeping Singaoreans employed and helping businesses stay afloat makes more sense. He said a GST cut is unlikely to help Singaporeans or businesses as powerfully.

**** Money Got Enough: Defence Budget Increases By 6% Despite Recession <http://military-life.blogspot.com/2009/02/money-got-enough-defence-budget.html>
by Military Life: Memoirs Of A Conscript In The Lion City

I seriously question the wisdom of flinging our hard-earned tax dollars down the bureaucracy that is Mindef. What next big weapons systems is in Mindef's radar?

**** Media Advertising In Singapore Down 6.4% In Q4 On-Year <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/407028/1/.html>
by Cheryl Frois, Channel NewsAsia

Amid the global recession, some experts predict this year's advertising budgets may shrink by 15 to 20 per cent.

**** Higher Cap Will Benefit Few <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_334602.html>
by Straits Times

Raising the $2,000 cap for personal income tax rates would benefit only a very small group of taxpayers and significantly impact on government revenues, said finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Parliament on Thursday.

**** Reserves May Be Used Again <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_334613.html>
by Straits Times

The government, which is tapping its past reserves for the first time to fight Singapore's worst recession, cannot rule out a further drawdown in the event of another exceptional situation,s aid finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Thursday.

**** We'll Upgrade Your Lift For You, Sir <http://www.ragsstudio.com/2009/02/05/ill-upgrade-your-lift-sir/>
by Ragsstudio

I think we have to be moving out.

**** Land Sales Go To Reserves <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_334618.html>
by Fiona Chan, Straits Times

When the government sells land in Singapore, the revenues collected usually go into its past reserves rather than its current savings. Finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam disclosed this in Parliament on Thursday in resonse to a question from Workers' Party MP Sylvia Limon how much the government has in its current reserves.

**** Speech By Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister For Finance, At Budget 2009 Debate Round-Up Speech <http://www.news.gov.sg/public/sgpc/en/media_releases/agencies/mof/speech/S-20090205-2/AttachmentPar/0/file/Budget%20Debate%202009%20RUS_tomedia.doc>
by Ministry Of Finance, Singapore Government

(Note: Link goes to Microsoft Word document.)

**** We Don't Need No Regulation... <http://empty-vessels.blogspot.com/2009/02/we-dont-need-no-regulation.html>
by Empty_Vessels

It is akin to trying to condemn the ocean for being wet. Sorry: Can't do anything about it even if we wanted to.

**** No Credible Information Of Whereabouts Of Mas Selamat Kastari <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/407081/1/.html>
by Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia

Home affairs minister Wong Kan Seng said his ministry has no credible information on the whereabouts of Mas Selamat Kestari, the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader who escaped last year.

**** Google Phone On The Way <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_334689.html>
by Serene Luo, Straits Times

Singapore will be the first country in Asia to get the Google phone.

**** Civil Service Hires Older Staff <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_334701.html>
by Straits Times

The public service, the biggest employer in Singapore, is hiring more older officers and also re-employing those over 62-year-old, said Mr Teo Chee Hean, minister in charge of the civil service on Thursday.

**** Lui Tuck Yew's Admonisment Of Netizens Misses The FOrest, The Trees, And Even The Overhead Bridge <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=2162>
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net




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