[MyAppleMenu] Oct 6, 2009

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================

**** The iPhone Finally Gets Flash Apps — But Not Flash Websites <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Venturebeat/~3/YBQV6WAe3aM/>
Anthony Ha, Venture Beat

Previously, if you built a cool Flash game to run on the web and you wanted it to work on the iPhone, you’d have to write the app again, with new code. Now you can just build the app and the Flash Creative Suite can create a new version that’s downloadable to iPhones from Apple’s App Store.

**** Apple's Logo Lunacy: 5 Previous Trademark Tiffs <http://www.bing.com:80/news/rssclick.aspx?redir=http%253a%252f%252fwww.networkworld.com%252fnews%252f2009%252f100509-apples-logo-lunacy-5-previous.html%253fhpg1%253dbn>
Jr Raphael, PC World

Apple wants to keep Woolworths Supermarkets from putting an apple into its logo. It's not Apple's first image-driven fight.

**** How The iPhone App Store Resurrected The Lone Wolf Programmer <http://www.edibleapple.com/how-the-iphone-app-store-resurrected-the-lone-wolf-programmer/>
Edible Apple

The level playing field that the app store provides has given all developers the ability to strike it rich, and much like how the iPhone wrestled away much of the control that mobile carriers had grown accustomed to enjoying, the app store has wrestled away the dominance that a handful of large game publishers exerted over the gaming industry for quite some time.

**** What's In Store For The Future Of QuickTime? <http://thedigitallifestyle.tv/home/2009/10/5/whats-in-store-for-the-future-of-quicktime.html>
The Digital Lifestyle.tv

**** Mac, Windows Marketing Doesn't Match Reality In The Home <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pcworld.com%2Farticle%2F173143%2Fmac_windows_marketing_doesnt_match_reality_in_the_home.html&usg=AFQjCNFqoKZYRbNsei8Ue3MDmd5slSGYcw>
Jeff Bertolucci, PC World

Does this digital diversity in the home mean it's time for Apple and Microsoft to soften their ad campaigns a bit?

**** Adobe Website Blames Apple For Blocking Flash On iPhone <http://feeds.macnn.com/click.phdo?i=62c26bbf6a05f85ae416215fb918e57a>
MacNN

Adobe's mobile website contains new information that directly blames Apple for preventing the company's Flash Player from being allowed onto the iPhone platform. Visitors attempting to install Flash Player on their iPhone are reminded that the project has stagnated due to Apple's rules.

**** Apple Approves 'Politically Charged' iSinglePayer App <http://feeds.macnn.com/click.phdo?i=0875ab70e2b5b7876f37b63dd8dc3002>
MacNN

Apple has reversed course and approved iSinglePayer, an iPhone app advocating health care reform in the US. The app had initially been rejected for being "politically charged," as it contains charts and information regarding single-payer health care systems. 

**** Bells, Whistles For Time Machine <http://feeds.chron.com/~r/houstonchronicle/techdrmac/~3/57lMyXA1uIQ/6653876.html>
Bob Levitus, Houston Chronicle

Time Machine was designed from the start to be drop-dead simple and Apple is doing the right thing by keeping it that way. Fortunately, third-party developers have taken those wishes to heart and created three free or dirt cheap utility programs that do those things and more.

**** Fusion 3.0 Gains Snow Leopard, Windows 7 Aero Support <http://feeds.arstechnica.com/~r/arstechnica/apple/~3/nfXN8CJxE1s/fusion-30-gains-snow-leopard-windows-7-aero-support.ars>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica

The next version of VMware Fusion has been announced, and it comes with numerous new features that users will undoubtedly love. Snow Leopard support, the latest gaming support, and support for Windows 7 features all top the list, as well as a new Migration Assistant to help those moving their PCs over to a virtual machine.

**** Caterpillar, Duke, Apple Are Winners In Frank Derivatives Plan <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloomberg.com%2Fapps%2Fnews%3Fpid%3D20601103%26sid%3DakOx3L8Z6yR0&usg=AFQjCNHwOcZiQbR9dL4hx87wiUNfH1nG3w>
Bloomberg

Apple Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and Duke Energy Corp. are among companies that come out ahead in draft derivatives legislation offered by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank. Frank would exempt such “end-users,” companies that hedge their own risks through derivatives, from new rules and collateral requirements applying to banks and other participants in the $592 trillion derivatives market.

**** Finally, Some Kudos For Apple From An Environmental Group <http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ByteOfTheApple/blog/archives/2009/10/apple_wins_kudo.html>
Peter Burrows, BusinessWeek

Yes, you read that right. Although it’s been criticized by the likes of Greenpeace in the past, today two related groups called Clean Production Action and ChemSec issued a report that highlighted Apple as one of seven companies that are leading the pack in terms of eliminating toxic substances from electronic poducts.

**** Video Maneuvers: Surprising Flip Keeps Apple's iPod Nano At The Top <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bostonherald.com%2Fbusiness%2Ftechnology%2Freviews%2Fview.bg%3Farticleid%3D1202540%26srvc%3Dbusiness%26position%3Drecent&usg=AFQjCNFE42Kn9rXKxA4zd5x5fDk8QH0uUw>
Tom Rose, Boston Herald

What does a company do when a best-selling product is ready for its yearly update? If the company is Apple and the item is the iPod nano, then they cram as many new features into it as possible without raising the price.

**** VMware Fusion 3.0 Makes Windows Look Like Mac <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.computerworld.com%2Fs%2Farticle%2F9138963%2FVMware_Fusion_3.0_makes_Windows_look_like_Mac&usg=AFQjCNFxhXBYn7uHJirTBH7r2-8njR5Epw>
Eric Lai, Computerworld

The upcoming version of VMware Inc.'s Fusion software for Mac-Windows desktop virtualization includes an interface overlay called "Unity" that erases Windows' long ubiquitous Start taskbar in favor of Mac OS X's Dock, and replaces the Windows Search with one closely resembling Mac OS X's Spotlight search box.

**** Bell, Telus To Carry iPhone In Canada <http://feeds.macnn.com/click.phdo?i=8fa016efdbf8eb9b8ccc7cf65bb2f827>
MacNN

Canadian carriers Bell and Telus have announced separate deals with Apple, ones which will let them both carry the iPhone 3G and 3GS beginning in November.

**** Revealing Mac OS X's Single-Application Mode <http://db.tidbits.com/article/10624>
Lewis Butler, TidBITS

That's right, the original single-application mode in Mac OS X Public Beta is still with us. Although it was always intended as a simple option for people who are not computer experts, it turns out to be an interesting option for the power user.

**** On Authoring iPhone Apps Via Flash CS5 <http://jeffrock.com/post/205303852/on-authoring-iphone-apps-via-flash-cs5>
Jeff Rock

You really want to trust them to manage your memory, translate your code and keep up with Apple’s SDK?

**** PDF Checkpoint 1.1 Improves PDF Compression <http://www.pheedcontent.com/click.phdo?i=a430132691b0c19b9346826983f35fc4>
The Mac Observer

**** Apple, Google, Others Named In Patent Infringement Suit <http://feeds.macnn.com/click.phdo?i=548ed1765b2bcf40ece3ce65f07b8d3b>
MacNN

**** The Price Of The Top Grossing iTunes Apps <http://feeds.oreilly.com/~r/oreilly/digitalmedia/mac/~3/oeTp7Z4vEx8/the-price-of-the-top-grossing-itunes-apps.html>
Ben Lorica, O'Reilly Media

**** AT&T Changes Tune, Allows VoIP Over Cell Network <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=b93cc61c7e178b54c532e35ddea3b646>
Dan Moren, Macworld

All engines, full reverse! That’s the order AT&T seemed to be giving on Tuesday when it announced that it would be altering its existing policy to allow Internet phone applications such as Skype to place calls over the iPhone's cellular data connection.



MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================

**** The Main Reason To Eat Local <http://www.pheedcontent.com/click.phdo?i=f3103b2892d2fbb38d8ea587154ce893>
Helene York, The Atlantic

There's a reason we require chefs to source a minimum of 20 percent of their food stuffs locally: it tastes better.

**** <i>Gourmet</i>'s Legacy <http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=779c429f2544c0ab4dd12317c4ac98c2>
Laura Shapiro, Slate Magazine

The magazine is closing, but we'll always have the Gourmet cookbook.

**** How Condé Nast Is Like General Motors. <http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=1422ae6dc4dbd3d7db1ba1783fe1d3c4>
Jack Shafer, Slate Magazine

Although the privately held Condé Nast isn't as financially distressed as the bankrupt General Motors, and although the magazine business couldn't be more unlike the car business, the two distraught companies share woes.

**** Charles And The Women: Darwinian Psychology Meets The Female Body <http://www.australianreview.net/digest/2009/09/griffiths.html>
Paul Griffiths, Australian Review of Public Affairs

Women have often been in the front line of the struggle between evolutionary psychologists and their critics.

**** In Nomine Patris et Felis <http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=d5ee6cc37b44932d6e646c63f60ca3fc>
Robert Pinsky, Slate Magazine

Christopher Smart's extremely spiritual poem about his cat.

**** Do Readers Really Want Video-book Hybrids? <http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2009/10/06/vooks/index.html>
Laura Miller, Salon

When it comes to fiction, the medium is not the message: injecting a bit of video into a mediocre story is not going to suddenly make it compelling. Books that really work succeed by doing what novels do best: immersing readers in a world blended of equal parts of the author's imagination and their own.



SingaporeSurf
====================================

**** Avoiding Doomsday <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_438540.html>
Tan Chak Lim, Straits Times

Whatever the long-term scenario, the public expects that, at least for the telecast rights to World Cup 2010, the Media Development Authority (MDA) does not remain passive. Whoever wins the rights must share with other service providers at a price determined by MDA if they cannot agree among themselves. Do not deny those with access to only MediaCorp channels or who cannot have SingTel's mio TV yet, this quadrennial extravaganza.

One question is this: what is the cost of additional regulations to the taxpayers, and how much does the non-football-watching public have to pay to 'subsidize' the airing of foreign sports entertainment for the few people who do watch?

**** Buses, Trains, ERP And ... <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC091006-0000039/Buses,-trains,-ERP-and-,,,>
Gregory Gerald Danker, EZ-Link Pte Ltd, Today

We are pleased to inform the writer that currently, ez-link cards can be used for payment at more than 5,000 non-transit merchants touch points across Singapore.

Note the use of 'merchants touch points', not merchants. The list of merchants -- much less than the figure of 5,000 -- is listed here [http://www.ezlink.com.sg/business/business_list.jsp].

**** Parking: When 5 X $2 Does Not Equal $10 <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC091006-0000041/Parking--When-5-x-$2-does-not-equal-$10>
Kent Tan, Today

How does using 5 x $2 coupons differ from displaying a single $10 coupon?

Very simple: this is to plug a loophole. Since parking coupons are not tied to a particular car park, coupons can easily be reused elsewhere.

**** Buses: Display Stage Numbers, Please <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC091006-0000042/Buses--Display-stage-numbers,-please>
Ong L S, Today

The new signs installed on upgraded bus stops around the island do not display the corresponding stage number for the buses plying those routes. Without this information, passengers are unable to check the fare they have to pay, or whether the sum deducted from their ez-link card is accurate.

The larger question: why are still using 1970s technologies in determining bus fares?

**** CapitaLand's Mall-nopoly <http://www.todayonline.com/Comment/EDC091006-0000056/CapitaLands-Mall-nopoly>
Conrad Raj, Today

**** Has Singapore Lost The Race To Hong Kong? <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/ZobK/~3/0BMKCAWyl7w/has-singapore-lost-race-to-hong-kong.html>
Imran Ahmed, The Grand Moofti Speaks

Unfortunately, Singapore's stock exchange has not provided a solid foundation from which to build a regionally competitive capital market. The inadequacies of size and liquidity are painfully evident to local and regional market participants.  

**** Singapore Air, Cathay 'Magically' Fill Planes, Mask Yield Slump <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bloomberg.com%2Fapps%2Fnews%3Fpid%3D20601081%26sid%3DaAiaToFIWTv4&usg=AFQjCNESLqLr0svIQ-oMEN_gtin3g4yPFg>
Chan Sue Ling, Bloomberg

Singapore Airlines Ltd. and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. are flying fuller planes. Profits may take longer to recover.

**** Singapore Prepares To Embrace High-rollers <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F702a5884-b1ce-11de-a271-00144feab49a.html&usg=AFQjCNGiRMODutsWYHGOEkpraVyCypejew>
Kevin Brown, Financial Times

Many Singaporeans are sceptical about the concept of resorts combining gambling with family entertainment, fearing they may bring gambling addiction and even crime to the tranquil city. However, the operators appear confident the casinos will generate substantial revenue.

**** The Fullerton Hotel - Historic Singapore At Its Finest <http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/05/the-fullerton-hotel-historic-singapore-at-its-finest/>
Annie Scott, Gadling.com

The Fullerton Hotel is a luxury hotel in the heart of Singapore with a claim to fame that few hotels can boast: it used to be the post office.

**** Why It Was Wrong To Allow Competition <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_438546.html>
Kenny Ching, Straits Times

Competition works only if certain assumptions are met, namely perfect information and free entry and exit of consumers and firms. In Singapore, those assumptions fail and the small market simply cannot sustain more than one hegemonic player in a capital-intensive industry.

So, why are we not removing barriers to better information and entries by new players, but are instead looking into regulations to make the companies grow into 'too-big-to-fail' sizes?

**** Mum Gets Daughter Back <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_438484.html>
Selina Lum, Straits Times

A mother who had her child taken away because she was deemed too controlling was reunited with her seven-year-old daughter on Sunday after the High Court overturned the decision of a lower court.

**** Some Disagree On Idea Of Casinos Funding Charities <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1009533/1/.html>
Zul Othman, Channel NewsAsia

**** æ–°åŠ å¡ä¸–å§é£Žæ³¢é—¹å¤§ 选美赞助商 拟告主办机构 <http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp091006_007.shtml>
杨荣发, 联合早报

**** PAP MPs Jumped To The Defence Of Singapore “Quitter PR” Zhang Yuanyuan <http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/10/06/pap-mps-jumped-to-defence-of-singapore-quitter-pr-zhang-yuanyuan/>
The Temasek Review

It is disappointing that the MPs, who are supposedly close to the grassroots, are unable to grasp the real concerns of Singaporeans and make no comments on the government’s immigration policy.

**** HDB, Town Councils Are Partisan Bodies <http://callantham.org/blog/2009/10/6/hdb-town-councils-are-partisan-bodies.html>
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp

Civil servants know which side their bread is buttered, and fear career stagnation or even losing their jobs if they dare to risk angering their paymasters. This is why PAP-run Town Councils have the temerity to gamble, and subsequently lose, at least S$16 million dollars in taxpayers money without the need to account for them.

**** Singapore Police Took No Action Against Hanging Of China Flags Though It Is Clearly Against The Law <http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/10/06/singapore-police-took-no-action-against-hanging-of-china-flags-though-it-is-clearly-against-the-law/>
The Temasek Review

**** Reform Party Backs 'Wanted Man' <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_438662.html>
Elena Chong, Straits Times

The Reform Party's secretary-general and a central executive committee member turned up in court on Monday to support a party member, who is wanted by the United States authorities for alleged terrorism activities and brokering an arms deal with the Tamil Tigers.

**** Singapore Pays $30M For East Side Garage <http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/singapore-pays-30m-for-east-side-garage-at-318-east-48th-street>
Adam Pincus, The Real Deal

The Singapore government paid $29.5 million for a 40,000-square-foot garage building near the United Nations that will be converted to office space, a broker on the deal said.

**** Why The Removal Of Jobs Credit May Also Mean The Removal Of Your Job <http://singaporeuncletrader.wordpress.com/2009/10/05/why-the-removal-of-jobs-credit-may-also-mean-the-removal-of-your-job/>
Temasek Hedge

Here’s the killer: the current government worry about falling productivity – partially as a result of JC – will be neatly taken care of once the JC is removed, almost inevitably leading to employers slashing the workforce, and forcing the remainder to take up the slack.

**** Singapore's Bipolar Beauty Queen <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fasiasentinel.com%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26task%3Dview%26id%3D2085%26Itemid%3D189&usg=AFQjCNF2i6bPc4pXS73ncOeFCxL_dQpqOQ>
Ben Bland, Asia Sentinel

When 19-year-old student Ris Low stepped forward to receive the Miss Singapore World crown in the Island ballroom of the Shangri-la Hotel back in July, she was blissfully unaware that it would turn out to be a garland of thorns.

**** No Protection From Fraud <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_438725.html>
My Paper

The results of the study, released yesterday, showed that 70 per cent of the most-visited sites here send e-mail that do not bear electronic signatures, which verify that they had been sent by the legitimate websites.

**** 移民要报效中国 é˜…å…µç¾Žå¥³é­æ–°åŠ å¡äººç‚®è½° <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chinapressusa.com%2Fobserver%2F2009-10%2F05%2Fcontent_251468.htm&usg=AFQjCNGbLm-35AINVqLSj9E9-zpclyfl_A>
美国侨报

æ–°åŠ å¡è¿‘å¹´æ¥æœ‰å¤§æ‰¹ä¸­å›½å¤§é™†ç§»æ°‘ï¼Œç”±äºŽæŽ’æŒ¤åˆ°æ–°åŠ å¡æœ¬åœ°äººçš„å·¥ä½œï¼Œå› è€Œå¼•å‘ä¸€äº›æ–°åŠ å¡äººåœ¨å…¬å…±åœºæ‰€æŽ’æŒ¤ä¸­å›½å¤§é™†ç§»æ°‘ï¼Œæœ€åŽè®©æ€»ç†æŽæ˜¾é¾™ã€å†…é˜èµ„æ”¿æŽå…‰è€€çº·çº·å…¬å¼€å‘¼åï¼Œè¦æ–°åŠ å¡äººæŽ¥çº³æ–°ç§»æ°‘ï¼Œå¼ºè°ƒæ–°åŠ å¡çš„ç¹è£éœ€è¦é æ–°ç§»æ°‘å’Œå¤–æ¥äººæ‰ã€‚

**** Official Reply From Government On The Zhang Yuanyuan Fiasco <http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/10/06/official-reply-from-government-on-the-zhang-yuanyuan-fiasco/>
The Temasek Review

With the exception of lower housing and education subsidies and CPF contributions, PRs enjoy the same rights as citizens except that they are not permitted to vote.

**** Domineering Justice <http://todayinsingapore.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/domineering-justice/>
Today In Singapore

**** S&CC Charges As A KPI For Town Councils Will Not Benefit Residents <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC091006-0000220/Online-Only---SCC-charges-as-a-KPI-for-town-councils-will-not-benefit-residents>
Leong Sze Hian , Today

KPIs should motivate councils to serve residents better, instead of making life more difficult for financially stressed residents.

**** Pre-General Election Campaigning <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/10/pre-general-election-campaigning/>
Donaldson Tan, The Online Citizen

The pre-General Election campaigning is already in full swing. While some opposition political parties have quietly begun their weekly walkabouts to reach out to the community in their targeted wards, the People’s Action Party has begun their onslaught with eye-grabbing headlines on the Straits Times.

**** Judge Acquits SDP Leaders <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/2881-breaking-news-judge-acquits-sdp-leaders>
Singapore Democrats

In a stunning decision, District Judge John Ng acquitted leaders of the Singapore Democrats who were charged with taking part in a procession on 16 Sep 07. Judge Ng said that the walk “did not cause inconvenience to the public, affect traffic flow or make noise which disturbed the public peace.”

Citing definitions in the Oxford and Collins English dictionaries, the Judge said that he could not accept the Prosecution's “simplistic” interpretation that “so long as a group of 5 or more people walk[ing] from one point to another point in a public place to commemorate an event” constitutes a procession.

**** Judge Acquits SDP Four Over Walking Case <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/judge-acquits-sdp-four-over-walking-case/>
Yawning Bread

One is also reminded of the case of Senior District Judge Michael Khoo who acquitted the late J B Jeyaretnam of nearly all charges when in 1986, he was accused of mis-stating his Worker’s Party accounts. Jeyaretnam was an indefatigable opponent of the ruling party. Not only was Jeyaretnam’s case retried under a different judge (with the usual result), but Khoo himself was transferred out of his job into the Attorney-General’s Chambers. This move was widely seen as punishment for deciding the case the way he did.

Another thing to watch out for is whether the government will now amend the law to write in a definition for “assembly” and procession” that will catch all future walkabouts with a political message. It’s known as killing Singapore with a thousand cuts.

**** Not The Most Articulate Leader <http://callantham.org/blog/2009/10/6/not-the-most-articulate-leader.html>
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp

As citizens, let us get mad at our national leaders, but for good reasons, and not just pop a vein whenever they say something stupid. It's very unhealthy if you opt for the latter, and worse yet, makes us mirror images of the same people we criticise.

**** Yale In Singapore? <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yaledailynews.com%2Fnews%2F2009%2F10%2F06%2Fyale-in-singapore%2F&usg=AFQjCNEe8JMopwAn32SrZgT-X15ehZgqtQ>
Vivian Yee, Yale Daily News

Yale is turning its international attention southward from China to lend a hand to the National University of Singapore. The Southeast Asian island’s largest university invited Yale administrators and professors to consult at the end of June on a new liberal arts college that NUS hopes to open. Administrators have not decided the extent of Yale’s commitment to the project, and there is no timeline for the college’s opening.