[MyAppleMenu] Oct 31, 2009

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** New iMac Owners Complain About Performance Problems <http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9140163/New_iMac_owners_complain_about_performance_problems?source=rss_opsys>
Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

Owners of Apple's new iMacs, including the pricier 27-in. model, have reported major performance problems with their machines, including extremely sluggish playback of Flash-based video, according to posts on Apple's support forum.

**** Chinese iPhone Has No Wi-Fi <http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tidbits_main/~3/nY9tt1q9p8s/10707>
Glenn Fleishman, TidBITS

The reason for this omission is the Chinese government's efforts since 2003 - in fits and starts - to promote a proprietary security standard for 802.11 devices called WAPI (WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure; WLAN standard for wireless local area network).

**** Mac Mini (Late 2009) Benchmarks <http://rss.macworld.com/click.phdo?i=1570656fbf36a311bc6b2eef1522287e>
James Galbraith, Macworld

With its considerably faster 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor and 4GB of RAM, it’s no surprise that the new $799 Mac mini was noticeably faster in our tests.

**** Three iPhone Things That Bug Me <http://www.myapplemenu.com/2009/10/31/LM021859/>
Heng-Cheong Leong, MyAppleMenu

1. Cover Flow.

2. Mobile Safari likes to crash.

3. iTunes likes to automatically start playing when I remove or insert the headphone.

**** Get Cozy With Comics On Your iPhone <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10387167-2.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
Don Reisinger, CNET News

If you're a fan of comic books, you should also be a fan of the iPhone. Apple's smartphone is home to several neat comic-book apps designed specifically for those who want to enjoy harrowing stories of their favorite heroes in the Digital Age.

**** Noise Buster 7.0 Adds Snow Leopard Support, Enhancements <http://feeds.macnn.com/click.phdo?i=418f9786b5510eb4528185db8d5a76c9>
MacNN

The application is designed to remove noise in the color and luminance layers of images, both separately and together. The upgrade delivers a series of new features including support for Adobe Photoshop Elements 8, 64-bit Adobe Photoshop CS4, and Snow Leopard, as well as improvements to both the noise reduction algorithm and interface. 

**** Why Your 3-year-old Needs An iPhone <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.cnet.com%2F8301-17852_3-10387474-71.html&usg=AFQjCNFKeKZLk2_FK4yjyKbGg8u0L50E9Q>
Chris Matyszczyk, CNET News

If putting an iPhone into their hands makes them happier and smarter, and, well, hushed in concentration, then might this not be a good thing?

**** Why An iPhone Could Actually Be Good For Your 3-Year-Old <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/magazine/articles/2009/11/01/why_an_iphone_could_actually_be_good_for_your_3_year_old/?page=1>
Neil Swidey, Boston Globe

Parents who hand smart phones to their preschoolers as a distraction are shocked to see how quickly the kids become pros. They may worry about such early screen time. But for this generation of “mobile kids,” portable, wireless technology promises to improve the way they learn.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** What Are Women Fighting About? <http://www.moreintelligentlife.com/content/emily-gould/what-are-women-fighting-about>
Emily Gould, Intelligent Life

Women are often the cruellest critics of other female writers. Where does this anger come from, and at what expense?

**** Taking The Novel Seriously <http://feeds.guardian.co.uk/~r/theguardian/books/rss/~3/155hn9KPftw/rana-dasgupta-novel-seriously>
Richard Lea, Guardian

The winner of a literary prize is sometimes surprised, often delighted, seldom ever disappointed. But when I finally caught up with the novelist Rana Dasgupta, speaking on a patchy mobile phone as he drove through rural India a couple of weeks after his novel, Solo, had been voted the winner of the Guardian's inaugural Not the Booker prize, he confessed that he found his victory "very depressing".

**** What To Write Next <http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=2634e81d1f17fed27daeb2be17130ec5>
Colson Whitehead, New York Times

I recently published a novel, and now it’s time to get back to work. If you’re anything like me, figuring out what to write next can be a real hassle. A flashy and experimental brain-bender, or a pointillist examination of the dissolution of a typical American family? ­Generation-spanning door-stopper or claustrophobic psychological sketch? Buncha novellas with a minor character in common? To make things easier, I modified my dartboard a few years ago. Now, when I’m overwhelmed by the untold stories out there, I head down to the basement, throw a dart and see where it lands. Try it for yourself!

**** A New York Forkful <http://feeds.nytimes.com/click.phdo?i=ff9eab72939a37d8dedd90971024a429>
Dawn Drzal, New York Times

In 1815, Paris had 3,000 restaurants; New York had none. (In fact, the word itself wouldn’t enter the American lexicon until the middle of the 19th century.) Those forced to eat out could choose between “a slab of beef or mutton with potatoes and gravy” at a boardinghouse or chophouse, reports William Grimes, a New York Times domestic correspondent and formerly the newspaper’s restaurant critic, whose latest book is a chronicle of New York’s transformation from a Dutch village at the edge of the wilderness to what he sees as the most diverse restaurant city in the world.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Public Service Satisfies <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_448351.html>
Jessica Lim, Straits Times

More than 80 per cent of Singaporeans are satisfied with public service here, according to a recent study conducted research company Forbes Research.

**** Zoo Cleaner's Death Suicide <http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_448438.html>
Khushwant Singh, Straits Times

Zoo cleaner Nordin Montong, 32, deliberately got himself mauled to death by two white tigers on Nov 13 last year, said state coroner Victor Yeo, who recorded a verdict of suicide on Friday. Why the Malaysian ended his life was however not evident.

**** Needy Seniors Working The Streets Are A Reality <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_448541.html>
Tan Teck Leng, Straits Times

Even if one disproves the dire circumstances of one individual, the problem is not non-existent.

**** Have Balance, Please <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_448537.html>
Ken Kwek, Straits Times

As a film-maker and dramatist, one of the things I continue to question is the criteria for censorship, and the censor's lack of balance in reflecting the public's values and respecting the artist's craft.

**** Singapore Will Do Its Part If ... <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC091031-0000124/Singapore-will-do-its-part-if-,,,>
Channel NewsAsia

The Republic may not be under any international obligations to make "absolute cuts" in carbon emissions, but it must - and is prepared to - do its part in tackling the global problem of climate change, said prime minister Lee Hsien Loong.

"Unlike many bigger countries, we face serious limitations in switching to alternative energy sources or reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. Nevertheless, we are a responsible member of the international community, and we have to bear our fair share of the collective global effort to reduce carbon emissions," he said, at the launch of the Clean and Green Singapore campaign at HortPark on Friday.

**** People's Association Songwriting Competition And Copyright Thuggery <http://thinkingbetterthinkingmeta.blogspot.com/2009/10/peoples-association-songwriting.html>
Sam Ho, Sam's thoughts

Why would a stat board bother about owning full rights to someone else's song? They probably want to save up on paying royalties and licenses. And if they exclusively own the song, they could profit from royalties themselves. But isn't the PA about fostering community togetherness? I find it unjustifiable they adopt this "peripheral competency" of owning rights to a bunch of songs.

**** 新老之争，所争何事？ <http://www.zaobao.com/yl/yl091031_011.shtml>
严孟达, 联合早报

吴资政的三点提示，有为这次的争论起定音的作用。美国、澳洲等直到今天都还被普遍视为移民国家，那我们建国方44å¹´ï¼Œè¦å¦è®¤æ–°åŠ å¡æ˜¯ä¸ªç§»æ°‘ç¤¾ä¼šç¡®ä¹Ÿä¸å®¹æ˜“ã€‚è€Œä¸”æˆ‘å›½è¿˜åœ¨æŽ¥å—ä¸€æ³¢åˆä¸€æ³¢çš„ç§»æ°‘ï¼Œç§»æ°‘ç¤¾ä¼šçš„ç‰¹å¾åªä¼šè¶Šæ¥è¶Šå¤šï¼Œè€Œä¸æ˜¯æ¸è¶‹æ·¡è–„ã€‚

**** Lee Kuan Yew On Asia Pacific Arrangements <http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/10/30/lee-kuan-yew-on-asia-pacific-arrangements/>
Peter Drysdale, East Asia Forum

Lee’s speech traversed the implications of the shifts in world power and the institutional changes that are under way or in contemplation, and deserves close study, especially for those who are students of how thinking in Singapore might develop towards the Rudd and Hatoyama proposals for renovating regional architecture.

**** Singapore's New Breed Of Bar <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftravel.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F11%2F01%2Ftravel%2F01headsup.html&usg=AFQjCNGoec4Gt-f09SHTPLeTFNHeA42rFA>
Christine Chow, New York Times

As Singapore’s thirst for cocktails has grown steadily over the last few years, a new generation of bars and clubs has emerged in some memorably unusual places.

**** High Life: Singapore <http://dianepernet.typepad.com/diane/2009/10/high-life-singapore.html>
Sameer Reddy, Diane, A Shaded View On Fashion

The Singapore Tourist Board was kind enough to extend an invitation to experience the country's five-star hospitality options. Here I'm reporting on my favorite part of the experience: the incredible hotels that they booked me into.

**** Asia Ministers Fear Climate Impact On Business <http://news.google.com/news/url?fd=R&sa=T&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F3f833c6c-c544-11de-8193-00144feab49a.html&usg=AFQjCNGWqgbbHYriPZnSPGIZkyJINmgDuA>
Financial Times

Ministers from two of Asia’s tiger economies have said worries about climate change must not compromise business, casting further doubts on whether an international framework on greenhouse gas emissions can be agreed at Copenhagen in December.

**** Recession Hits Singapore Unevenly <http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=insightdownsouth&file=/2009/10/31/columnists/insightdownsouth/5013452&sec=Insight%20Down%20South>
Seah Chiang Nee, Malaysia Star

While the rich few rejoice, many Singaporeans are making do quietly.

**** Shanmugam: Singapore Is NOT A Country <http://www.temasekreview.com/2009/10/31/shanmugam-singapore-is-not-a-country/>
The Temasek Review

For a fouth day running, Singapore Law Minister K Shanmugam tried desperately hard to convince a skeptical audience that Singapore is a “democracy”.

**** Freedom Press Index Divorced From Reality? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2009/10/freedom-press-index-divorced-from-reality/>
Gangasudhan, The Online Citizen

Instead of making sweeping judgements that the index is absurd, the government would do well to consider what press freedom really means and look at the rather simple criteria on which it fails.

**** A Little Lesson In Logic <http://www.myapplemenu.com/singapore/2009/10/31/LM125455/>
Heng-Cheong Leong, MyAppleMenu

If A then C, and if B then C, does *not* implies that A == C.

Given that the citizens of city A voted in the same party year after year, and citizens of city B voted in the same party year after year, if city A is democratic, that does not imply that city B is also democratic.

**** Nurse Says Singapore Model Way To Go <http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/PRISON-wrap-up-copy-for-web>
NationNews.com

The Barbados Prison Service plans to adopt a Singapore model of rehabilitation for inmates. That was one of a number of best practices that Superintendent of Prisons Lieutenant Colonel John Nurse said they planned to look into after the closing of the 11th annual general meeting and conference of the International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) at Hilton Barbados.

**** Singapore And The Gum Thing <http://waywardlife.posterous.com/singapore-and-the-gum-thing>
Waywardlife’s Posterous

I propose a gumfree world. If I had a billion dollars I would buy lobbyists and make it a priority.  Until then, I will have Singapore.