[MyAppleMenu] Nov 24, 2009

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** NoteBook 3.0v366 <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tidbits_main/~3/f90L6tULV1k/10778>
Doug McLean, TidBITS

**** Apple Set To Propose Damages In Psystar Case" <http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple_set_to_propose_damages_in_psystar_case/>
Jeff Gamet, The Mac Observer

Apple is set to files its brief on Monday detailing the damages and injunction details it wants to see imposed on Psystar for building and selling unauthorized Mac clones.

**** Normal Business , Not Apple "Problems", Cause Developer Diversification <http://industry.bnet.com/technology/10004184/normal-business-not-apple-problems-cause-developer-diversification/>
Erik Sherman, BNET

Are there problems with Apple being too controlling? Yes. Is it a problem when one company can become the gatekeeper and bottleneck preventing independent businesses from reaching potential customers? Yes. However, that’s not driving iPhone developers away. Nor is a single anecdote that itself isn’t a good fit for the thesis proof of a trend that “a growing number” of registered iPhone developers are “branching out to build apps for Android and other operating systems.”

**** Apple's iPhone App Store Approvals A Necessary Evil <http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/182836/apples_iphone_app_store_approvals_a_necessary_evil.html>
Tony Bradley, PC World

There have been some questionable approvals and shady rejections, but overall Apple is doing something right because every other mobile operating system platform wishes they had an app for that and wants to be the Apple App Store when they grow up.

**** Latest Jailbroken iPhone Worm Tries Filching Bank Passwords <http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/apple/~3/2UBwMbi8LeE/malicious-attacks-continue-against-jailbroken-iphone-users.ars>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica

Users who have jailbroken their iPhones just can't catch a break—another malicious worm is making its way around the Internet and tries to steal bank passwords for users in the Netherlands, Portugal, Hungary, and Australia. Users with locked-down iPhones are still safe.

**** Apple Launching New iPhone Ads Tonight <http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2009/11/apple_launching.html>
Arik Hesseldahl, BusinessWeek

The ads can’t help but be viewed against the backdrop of the fight between Verizon Wireless and Apple’s partner AT&T, the one that’s spawned a lawsuit for Verizon’s “There’s A Map For That” TV spots. Here we see Apple doing its part as both a good AT&T partner, and touting a great feature of the iPhone all at once.

**** Why Spaces Is My Favorite Leopard (And Snow Leopard) Feature <http://lowendmac.com/misc/09mr/using-spaces.html>
Charles Moore, Low End Mac

**** Rick Smolan: “The Obama Time Capsule” <http://www.apple.com/pro/profiles/smolan/?sr=hotnews.rss>
Joe Cellini, Apple

A custom coffee table book by co-author and publisher Rick Smolan takes you back to — and into — the story of Obama’s rise to the presidency. Says co-author and publisher Rick Smolan: “Every component of this project, from photo editing to design to video, was created entirely on a Mac.”

**** Rural Radiology Consultants Paying Less For More <http://www.apple.com/science/profiles/bakker/?sr=hotnews.rss>
Apple

Using a Mac Pro as the keystone of his rural radiology practice in Bemidji, Minnesota, Dr. Hilton Bakker is able not only to reduce the costs of his own practice but those of the hospitals who use his services. Says Bakker: “If hospitals can use Mac technology to do radiology cheaper, that’s my goal. Health care costs too much. If I can do my little bit to make it cheaper, that’s cool.”

**** iPhone Web Apps As An Alternative To The App Store <http://daringfireball.net/2009/11/iphone_web_apps_alternative>
John Gruber, Daring Fireball

The argument that you can make iPhone web apps that are “good enough” misses the entire point of iPhone apps — the entire point of the iPhone itself, even — all of the things that drive Twitter users to pay $3, $4, or $5 for apps that do the same things that can be done for free by loading Twitter’s web site in MobileSafari. “Good enough” is not good enough on the iPhone.

**** Schiller's Spin On App Store Issues Ignores Real Complaints <http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/apple/~3/sKkpm4J60lE/schillers-spin-on-app-store-issues-ignores-actual-complaints.ars>
Chris Foresman, Ars Technica

Apple SVP Phil Schiller is back in the press attempting to defend Apple's need to act as gatekeeper for the iPhone App Store. However, his comments seem more like spin and less like actual improvement.

**** Why Apple Is A Joke In The Business World: Gartner <http://apcmag.com/why-apple-is-a-joke-in-the-business-world.htm>
Angus Kidman, APC

Employees might like iPhones, but Gartner says Apple doesn't have a clue how to do computers for business at anything like a reasonable price.

**** Why It's Gotten Straight Stupid To Buy A Mac Pro <http://gizmodo.com/5411073/why-its-gotten-straight-stupid-to-buy-a-mac-pro?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmodo%2Ffull+%28Gizmodo%29>
Mark Wilson, Gizmodo

The Mac Pro was once the only viable option for a OS X lover in need of serious horsepower for tasks like editing media. Now, with the new iMac? I think it's straight up stupid to buy a Mac Pro.

**** What's Apple Smoking? A Steve Jobs Lackey Explains <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcbayarea.com%2Fnews%2Ftech%2FApple-Defends-iPhone-App-Approval-Process-jw-71813522.html&usg=AFQjCNHsSE7l1f_13YVGvzJFUjg-BugCSg>
Jackson West, NBC Bay Area

**** Can Apple's iPhone 'Walled Garden' Continue To Thrive? <http://www.pcworld.com/article/182839/can_apple_iphones_walled_garden_continue_to_thrive.html>
Jacqueline Emigh, PC World

As other mobile phone environments begin to catch up to the iPhone, will Apple still be able to maintain a "walled garden" for mobile phone users, reminiscent of AOL's approach to the Internet in years gone by? That scenario is looking increasingly unlikely.

**** Opinion: In Depth With Apple's Snow Leopard Server <http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9141187/Opinion_In_depth_with_Apple_s_Snow_Leopard_Server?source=rss_opsys>
Ryan Faas, Computerworld

We dig in to explain the new networking, performance and collaboration improvements.

**** Users Report Issues With Apple's New Core I7-based iMac <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/11/24/users_report_issues_with_apples_new_core_i7_based_imac.html>
AppleInsider

Apple's new top-of-the-line 27-inch iMac with an Intel Core i7 processor has shown up dead on arrival or with a cracked screen for some who have purchased.

**** Hey, Apple: Why Not Trust Your Most Trustworthy iPhone Developers? <http://technologizer.com/2009/11/23/hey-apple-why-not-trust-your-most-trustworthy-iphone-developers/>
David Worthington, Technologizer

More transparency and partnership would go a long way. It is a huge disincentive to invest in the development of an app only to see it be rejected. Apple can be a better partner, and still protect the sanctity of its “shelves.”



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** IBM Taps Into Group Language Translation <http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10403523-93.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
CNET News.com

IBM employees are currently using text translation software that can instantly convert documents, Web pages, and even instant messages between English and 11 other languages. The software, christened "n.Fluent," is being "crowdsourced" or tested among IBM's 400,000 employees across 170 countries.

**** Open Content Management Standard Could Debut Next Year <http://www.infoworld.com/d/applications/open-content-management-standard-could-debut-next-year-737?source=rss_infoworld_news>
Chris Kanaracus, Infoworld



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Warhol Inc. <http://artnews.com/issues/article.asp?art_id=2784>
Eileen Kinsella, ARTnews

Two decades after the artist’s death, the Andy Warhol brand is stronger than ever, as collectors continue to pay top prices for his work, curators study obscure aspects of his career, and consumers snap up products—from candy to condoms—plastered with his imagery.

**** They Died, And Lived To Tell All About It <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/health/24books.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Abigail Zuger, New York Times

When the moment came to unplug the corpse from its charger and plug in its immensely expensive replacement — executioner, stay your hand: Look who’s waking up!

**** 36 Arguments For The Existence Of God <http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/goldstein09/goldstein09_index.html>
Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, Edge

Here it is then: the sense that existence is just such a tremendous thing, one comes into it, astonishingly, here one is, formed by biology and history, genes and culture, in the midst of the contingency of the world, here one is, one doesn't know how, one doesn't know why, and suddenly one doesn't know where one is either or who or what one is either, and all that one knows is that one is a part of it, a considered and conscious part of it, generated and sustained in existence in ways one can hardly comprehend, all the time conscious of it, though, of existence, the fullness of it, the reaching expanse and pulsing intricacy of it, and one wants to live in a way that at least begins to do justice to it, one wants to expand one's reach of it as far as expansion is possible and even beyond that, to live one's life in a way commensurate with the privilege of being a part of  and conscious of the whole reeling glorious infinite sweep, a sweep that includes, so improbably, a psychologist of religion named Cass Seltzer, who, moved by powers beyond himself, did something more improbable than all the improbabilities constituting his improbable existence could have entailed, did something that won him someone else's life, a better life, a more brilliant life, a life beyond all the ones he had wished for in the pounding obscurity of all his yearnings, because all of this, this, this, THIS couldn't belong to him, to the man who stands on Weeks Bridge,  wrapped round in a scarf his once-beloved ex-wife Pascale had knit for him for some necessary reason that he would never know, perhaps to offer him some protection against the desolation she knew would soon be his, and was, but is no longer, suspended here above sublimity, his cheeks aflame with either euphoria or frostbite, a letter in his zippered pocket with the imprimatur of Veritas and a Lucinda Mandelbaum with whom to share it all.

**** Why A Good Cover Makes A Good Book Better <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2009/nov/23/good-cover-good-book-nabokov?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Wayne Gooderham, The Guardian

Call me shallow (actually, please don't) but I think a good cover can be a significant component of a good read.

**** Funeral <http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=3d0c35ef1990212ca8b86e735f70a9f4>
Rosanna Warren, Slate Magazine



SingaporeSurf
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**** Lessons From Singapore's Bio-science Hubs <http://www.massdevice.com/node/5174>
Nik See, Mass Device

Singapore's transformation into a hub for biomedical investment, research and development holds lessons for the Massachusetts medical device industry.

**** Singaporean Flavors <http://www.foodproductdesign.com/articles/2009/11/singaporean-flavors.aspx>
Robert Danhi, Food Product Design

In Singapore, foodies are not just a group of folks from the more-affluent parts of the population. Every socioeconomic level within this small city-state, which comprises only 246 square miles—and is home to over 100,000 registered hawker food stalls—has a keen interest in food. This provides a platform for one of the most-dynamic, multiethnic and pervasive food cultures around. We can look to Singapore for more than just what is delicious—we can learn how to improve our food quality, increase foodservice turnaround and get ideas on how to create collective eating arenas for food.

**** Comic Relief <http://www.insing.com/news/nightlife-leisure/Comic-Relief-/id-4a1d0200/>
Laura Dozier, Time Out Singapore

In Singapore comics face an especially unusual set of circumstances - full of possibility, but also riddled with grey areas. Given that standup often thrives on shock value, and that we live in a country that has a rocky relationship with free speech, the question begs to be asked: 'What cannot be joked about in Singapore?' 

**** Test For Immigrants? <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_458148.html>
Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times

The idea of a citizenship test - already used in countries such as the US, Britain and Australia - was raised in Parliament on Monday by Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC). In response, community development, youth and sports minister Vivian Balakrishnan called it an 'interesting and quite sensible suggestion' and said the Government will study it.

**** PRs Own Under 5% Of Flats <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_458151.html>
Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times

Permanent residents occupy less than 5 per cent of all Housing Board flats, and are living in estates across the island. Nevertheless, the government will keep an eye on the situation to ensure that no PR and foreigner enclaves develop. National development minister Mah Bow Tan said this when responding to Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang GRC).

**** $320b The New Limit <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_458157.html>
Sue Ann-Chia, Straits Times

The government will be able to issue more securities like bonds, after Parliament approved raising the limit of its borrowings from $250 billion to $320 billion. Explaining the need for a higher amount, Second finance minister Lim Hwee Hua said the government is close to reaching the current ceiling of $250 billion, with more securities likely to be issued.

**** Be Realistic, Home Buyers <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_458160.html>
Jessica Cheam, Straits Times

The Housing Board (HDB) cannot meet all expectations of home buyers even though the standard of housing has increased over the years, said national development minister Mah Bow Tan. Addressing Parliament on Monday, he said some buyers seemed to have unrealistic expectations.

I wonder who raised the expectations of the citizens... eh? (Especially during election years...)

**** Too Early To Give A Rollback Date <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC091124-0000053/Too-early-to-give-a-rollback-date>
Yasmine Yahya and Esther Fung, Today

Measures taken to cool the property market seem to have had the desired effect, said national development minister Mah Bow Tan, who signalled that the Government may remove certain anti-speculative measures in future if the property market stabilises or weakens - but it is yet too early to say when. 

**** So, What Makes Someone 'Suspicious-looking'? <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC091124-0000033/So,-what-makes-someone-suspicious-looking?>
Robert Day, Today

I visit Singapore from England two or three times a year, and I am always amused by the security announcement broadcast over the MRT sound system. The female announcer asks passengers to "report any suspicious-looking person to the authorities".

**** Implement Two Systems Of Property Taxation <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_458033.html>
Patrick Sio, Straits Times

Rented-out properties should be taxed on their actual income rather than reply on an assessment which can be prone to error of judgment.

**** Price Of Bilingualism <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_458210.html>
Pauline Tan, Straits Times

I have pondered in the past few days whether we would have stayed in Singapore if the bilingual policy in the early 1990s had been less harsh. My answer would probably be yes.

**** The Extend Of Influx Of Foreigners <http://singaporealternatives.blogspot.com/2009/11/extend-of-influx-of-foreigners.html>
Goh Meng Seng, Singapore Alternatives

For 35 years of nation building, we only have 136100 PR. But within 9 years, we have an increase of over 300%?

**** The Utility Of Electoral ’Suicide Squads’ <http://kelvinteowrites.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/the-utility-of-electoral-suicide-squads/>
Kelvin Teo Writes

Is there any utility in electoral ’sucide squads’? Yes, there definitely is as it reduces the likelihood of bigwig ’special’ candidates appearing at ‘troubled’ GRCs other than their own, which may result in the swing of support towards the latter’s party.

**** "Should I Stay Or Should I Go?" <http://zahir.tumblr.com/post/254110638>
The Emancipation Of My Brain

If ‘grooming tomorrow’s leaders’ was supposed to be the bottom line, then the training wheels would have to come off some time. And by training wheels I meant the convenience of peer influence.

**** Back In The Saddle <http://us.asiancorrespondent.com/the-asia-file/back-in-the-saddle.htm>
Ben Bland, Asian Correspondent

I can only conclude that the government had a problem with something I wrote. I'd love to know what it was but all my attempts to elicit this information, through official and unofficial channels, have failed thus far.

**** Wide Range Of Cost In Building Flats <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC091124-0000115/Online-Only---Wide-range-of-cost-in-building-flats>
Esther Ng, Today

National development minister Mah Bow Tan said in Parliament: "The total cost of building flats varies based on when we build, where we build and what we build. It includes cost of land, as well as cost of construction of the flats and ancillary services. It varies from $230,000 for a 3-room flat in Punggol to $530,000 for a 5-room flat in Tiong Bahru."

**** Use Of Public Funds By Boon Lay CC For Grassroots Event At Condominium To Promote “Community Bonding” <http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/11/24/use-of-public-funds-for-grassroots-event-at-condominium-to-promote-community-bonding/>
The Temasek Review

I felt it is not right for public funds to be used for a function held at a condominium especially during the current economic downturn which has affected many Singaporeans.

**** Dumb Answer, Dumb Answer <http://todayinsingapore.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/dumb-answer-dumb-answer/>
Today In Singapore

This must be the most blatant affront to the people’s expectation of an elected representative – he refuses outright to give a response to a tabled query from a fellow parliamentarian.

**** 装安全带座位减少 ä¸€äº›æ ¡è½¦æ˜Žå¹´æ¶¨ä»·10ï¼… <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp091124_008.shtml>
杨雪慧, 联合早报

ä¸ºäº†å®‰è£…å®‰å…¨å¸¦ï¼Œæ ¡è½¦çš„åº§ä½å‡å°‘äº†ï¼Œä¸€äº›æ ¡è½¦ä¸šè€…ä¸ºç»´æŒè¥è¿ï¼Œå†³å®šä»Žæ˜Žå¹´èµ·è°ƒé«˜è½¦èµ„ï¼Œæ¶¨å¹…ä¸€èˆ¬è¶…è¿‡10％。

**** Is Linking HDB Upgrading To Votes Pork Barrel Politics? <http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2009/11/is-hdb-estate-upgrading-pork-barrel.html>
Diary of A Singaporean Mind

**** Asia Sentinel Loses A Singapore Correspondent <http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2159&Itemid=189>
Ben Bland, Asia Sentinel

If self-censorship is rife among foreign reporters, who can simply leave the Lion City when they fall foul of the authorities, imagine the predicament faced by Singaporean journalists. Even if they cross the unwritten line of acceptability unwittingly, they are subject to a form of internal exile, forced out of their jobs and made to somehow conjure up an alternative career if they are to feed and house their families.

It is little wonder that the sage advice of one professor of journalism at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University to an eager student reporter was: "If you want to do journalism, don't do it in Singapore."

**** Temasek Announces Major Bond Offer Plan <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jOSrZV2e-Y1K4dNm5E0_hdUAF7wA>
AFP

State-linked Singapore investment firm Temasek Holdings on Tuesday said it plans to raise 600 million Singapore dollars (433 million US) from new bond offerings. The latest news follows an announcement in October that the firm would raise 1.5 billion US dollars through a 10-year bond offer under a capital raising programme worth 5.0 billion US dollars.

**** Singapore Visitor Arrivals Slip 0.5 Pct In Oct <http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSSIN49273520091124>
Nopporn Wong-Anan, Reuters

Visitor arrivals in Singapore in October fell 0.5 percent from a year earlier, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said on Tuesday. Singapore is trying to expand tourism as part of efforts to reduce economic reliance on manufacturing.

**** Johor Assembly: 15000 Johor Students Study In S'pore <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthestar.com.my%2Fnews%2Fstory.asp%3Ffile%3D%2F2009%2F11%2F24%2Fnation%2F20091124153133%26sec%3Dnation&usg=AFQjCNHCJQhximhP9I-yBGxWDdVfIsqD2w>
Desiree Tresa Gasper and Austin Camoens, The Star

About 15,000 students from Johor study in private schools in Singapore, viewed by many as having a world-class education system.

**** Broken English And Poor Chinese <http://www.mysinchew.com/node/31916>
Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily

It is going to become a bilingual world. It will be a greater advantage if we can master more languages. But when will our young people no longer afraid to communicate in English and Singaporean young people no longer afraid to speak Chinese?

**** Singapore Prefers Competent Leaders <http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/news/16574>
HumanResources

While most countries rate "honesty" as their most admired characteristic in leaders, Singapore rates "competence" more highly than any other country in the world.