[MyAppleMenu] Jul 5, 2010

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** So How Do Steve Jobs' Emails Really Get Written? <http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20009652-71.html?part=rss&amp;subj=news&amp;tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
Chris Matyszczyk, CNET

**** Lenovo: Apple Is Losing Out In China <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/604d1d54-87b9-11df-9f37-00144feabdc0.html>
Kathrin Hille, Financial Times

Speaking of Apple’s chief executive, Lenovo’s founder and chairman, told the Financial Times: “We are lucky that Steve Jobs has such a bad temper and doesn’t care about China. If Apple were to spend the same effort on the Chinese consumer as we do, we would be in trouble.”

**** Four Ways To Speed Up iWeb '09 <http://www.macworld.com/article/152072/2010/07/speediweb.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Adam Berenstain, Macworld

iWeb ’09 lets you create attractive Web sites quickly, but quickly isn’t always fast enough. The following tips will help you save time designing, publishing, and sharing your creations with the world. There’s no time like the present to work faster, so let’s get started.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** "An American Type": The End Of Henry Roth <http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2010/07/04/an_american_type_henry_roth/index.html>
David Kipen, Salon

Over the last 20 years, Henry Roth has evolved from an elderly long-silent prodigy, after the manner of Harper Lee, to a posthumous prolific cottage industry -- a kind of upmarket L. Ron Hubbard, but with genius instead of E-meters.

**** "Faithful Place": Tana French Turns The Detective Story Inside Out <http://www.salon.com/books/laura_miller/2010/07/04/faithful_place/index.html>
Laura Miller, Salon

Part Raymond Chandler, part Roddy Doyle, crime fiction's rising star takes it into mesmerizing new territory.

**** An Honest Exit <http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/07/12/100712fi_fiction_mengestu>
Dinaw Mengestu, New Yorker

**** Puff Piece <http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2010/07/12/100712po_poem_ashbery>
John Ashbery, New Yorker

**** Cancer <http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2010/07/12/100712po_poem_plumly>
Stanley Plumly, New Yorker



SingaporeSurf
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**** WP's Sylvia Lim, Low Thia Khiang Re-elected To Posts <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1067547/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

Four new members have been elected into the Workers' Party's Central Executive Committee, while Chairman Sylvia Lim and Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang have been re-elected to their posts.

**** Are Singaporeans Paying For Monkeys? <http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/2010/07/are-we-paying-monkeys.html>
Singapore Recalcitrant

The trend of ministers, including the Prime Minister, of showing indifference towards occurences and happenings that the public view as affecting their security and welfare is disquieting, to say the least. There are very considerable criticisms by netizens on the ministers' haughty attitude. It automatically brings up the question that the astronomical salaries that the prime minister and his ministers get are really what they deserve and a fair charge on the taxpayers' fund.

**** The HDB Conundrum II <http://nabbedd.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/the-hdb-conundrum-ii/>
It's all about Amelioration

Whatever it is,  the very immediate challenge is the need for the current ruling party to see the problem, admit the policy flaws and address them. However,  I  really wonder if they are up to it anymore.

**** Satellite-based ERP Not The Answer <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_549617.html>
Soh Star, Straits Times

The current system works because it is supported by the psychology of human behaviour. It has highly visible gantries and fees levied are displayed prominently. Motorists remember the location of gantries as well as the fees levied and ERP timing, so they think twice about driving on roads clearly marked by gantries. A satellite-based ERP system, on the other hand, does not have these features.

**** SMRT Chief Missed The Point <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC100705-0000045/SMRT-chief-missed-the-point>
Jake Teo, Today

An average figure does not take into account variation between passenger loads of each individual train. An average figure also does not take into account how Singapore's population congregates in certain town centres; leaving only one stop to make the difference between an empty or congested train.

**** That Sounds Like A Plan To Me <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC100705-0000049/That-sounds-like-a-plan-to-me>
Lim Poh Seng, Today

I think SMRT's plan for buses to "run parallel to MRT lines in a bid to alleviate overcrowding" during peak periods is a good idea. A discount could be given for those who choose to take the bus because of the increased time taken to reach their destinations. Announcements could be given at MRT stations for commuters to take the bus as an alternative when the crowd gets bigger during peak periods.

**** Finally, Something To Complain About Singapore <http://zewt.blogspot.com/2010/07/finally-something-to-complain-about.html>
As Zewt As It Gets

I have to say, Singapore is terribly un-environmental friendly. Usage of plastic bags, plastic cups, styrofoam containers, disposable plastic cutleries are as rampant as corruption in Malaysia. When I told them I used to bring my own container to pack food, they were astonished.

**** Baroness Vadera To Join Singaporean Sovereign Wealth Fund Temasek <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/7871546/Baroness-Vadera-to-join-Singaporean-sovereign-wealth-fund-Temasek.html>
Richard Tyler, Telegraph

It is understood that fund, which lost at least 20pc of its value during the financial crisis, wants access to Lady Vadera's financial and geopolitical expertise, as it restructures parts of its S$127bn (£60bn) investment portfolio.

**** Services At DBS, POSB ATMs Resume After Disruption On Monday <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1067612/1/.html>
Mok Fei Fei, Channel NewsAsia

Banking services at Singapore's largest lender, DBS, have resumed. Services at its DBS and POSB ATMs were disrupted as early as before 7am on Monday. The problem was attributed to technical difficulties though details were not specified.

**** Singaporeans – Never Good Enough <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/07/singaporeans-never-good-enough/>
The Online Citizen

**** Beyond Public Transport.... <http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2010/07/beyond-public-transport.html>
Diary of A Singaporean Mind

The PAP leaders have this habit of pointing out what they think is wrong with Singaporeans and demanding Singaporeans improve themselves. However, when Singaporeans suggest much needed improvements to our transport system, our public housing and flood control mechanisms, the first thing they do is deny there is something wrong and once the evidence become overwhelming and there is no way to deny the facts, the 2nd thing they do is blame something else (other than their policies) for the problems we face. The PAP leaders who are paid the highest salaries in the world should be the ones to do a "betterer" job....

**** Singapore And The Art Of Crafting Cities <http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100704/BUSINESS/707049907/1005>
Angela Giuffrida, The National

Many are looking to Singapore as a model for inspiration.

**** Anwar: Malaysia Could Have Kept Tanjong Pagar <http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/anwar-malaysia-could-have-kept-tanjong-pagar/#When:00:08:03Z>
The Malaysian Insider

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim continued to pour scorn on the Najib administration’s recent land-swap deal with Singapore, saying Malaysia could have retained ownership of Tanjong Pagar had it wanted to.

“Tanjong Pagar is our land... this land is KTM land,” the de facto PKR chief said last night after a meeting with Johor party leaders here.

**** DBS Customers Vent <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_549779.html>
Lai Han-Wei, Straits Times

**** Is Our Crowded Trains Safe? <http://wonderpeace77.blogspot.com/2010/07/is-our-crowded-trains-safe.html>
WonderPeace

It is unacceptable for the CEO of SMRT to acknowledge that she knew the trains are overcrowded but not do anything because they have not reached the stage where SMRT needs to employ 'pushers' or 'crush load' level.

**** SDP Leader Fined For Making Speech Without Licence In April 2006 <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1067625/1/.html>
Shaffiq Alkhatib, Channel NewsAsia

Secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party, 44-year-old Chee Soon Juan has been fined S$5,000 for making an address without a licence at the open space between Blocks 259 and 260 Bangkit Road at Bukit Panjang on 15 April 2006.

**** Forward Urban Planning Not As Good As Vaunted? <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/forward-urban-planning-not-as-good-as-vaunted/>
Yawning Bread

Crowded trains today? I suspect we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

**** Singapore's Detailed Response To The Allegations In The 2010 State Department's TIP Report <http://www.news.gov.sg/public/sgpc/en/media_releases/agencies/mica/press_release/P-20100703-1/AttachmentPar/0/file/Detailed%20Reponse%20TIP%20report%202010%20(Final).pdf>
Singapore Government

The fact is that Singapore does not have a serious TIP problem. The mere reliance on absolute reported and prosecution figures as a basis to judge Singapore's commitment against the TIP problem is superficial and perfunctory at best. Singapore has a comprehensive and holistic three-pronged approach of Prevention, Prosecution and Victim Assistance which the US has chosen to ignore. This three-pronged framework has proven to be an effective deterrent in the trafficking of persons to Singapore, a fact that is borne out by the extremely low number of substantiated cases.

We recognise that the US, in dealing with its own TIP problems, has developed its own mechanisms and measures. Different countries adopt different approaches and it is a matter of what works for each country. Singapore will continue with its calibrated and pragmatic approach to TIP issues, and review this if necessary, rather than blindly follow a one-for-all operating model just to achieve a better technical ranking on the US TIP Report.

(Note: Link goes to a PDF document.)

**** Govt To Appeal To S'pore For Clemency In Yong's Sentence <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/5/nation/20100705171433&sec=nation>
Loh Foon Fong and  Joshua Foong, The Star

Foreign minister Datuk Anifah Aman said his ministry would write to the Singapore government to plead for clemency in the case of Sabahan Yong Vui Kong, who was sentenced to death last year for drug trafficking.

"We sympathise with what had transpired and will do everything possible within our powers or diplomatic means to solve the problem," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby Monday.

**** Taken For A Ride <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/07/taken-for-a-ride/>
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

**** Some Say Bus Fares Up 40% After New Calculation <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1067695/1/.html>
Liang Kaixin/Sharon See, Channel NewsAsia

Some commuters have called the Channel NewsAsia hotline, saying the fare for the journey from Kranji MRT Station to Johor is up by 40 percent - from $1 to $1.40.  This has affected many who are working or studying in Singapore, as they are also not allowed to cross the Causeway on foot.

**** Malaysia To Seek Clemency For Yong Vui Kong <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/07/breaking-news-msian-foreign-minister-to-seek-clemency-for-yong-vui-kong/>
Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen