[MyAppleMenu] Jul 19, 2010

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Mon Jul 19 18:59:01 EDT 2010

MyAppleMenu
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**** Antennagate: If You Can’t Fix It, Feature It! <http://www.mondaynote.com/2010/07/18/antennagate-if-you-can’t-fix-it-feature-it/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+monday-note+%28Monday+Note%29>
Jean-Louis Gassée, Monday Note

With the advantage of hindsight, an obvious question arises: Why didn’t anyone in Jobs’ entourage—or on Apple’s Board of Directors—take Steve aside to reason with him, to remind him of a few customer relations tenets?

**** Apple Finally Buries Its Original Spirit And Moves On <http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/07/18/apple-finally-buries-its-original-spirit-and-moves-on/>
Warner Crocker, Gotta Be Mobile

The telling point will be if journalists and bloggers who get granted access bring up the “antennagate” issue when they probe features of the next big thing Apple unveils. I’m betting that they don’t, as memories are short things. Apple is too.

**** Despite Attention To iPhones And iPads, Apple's Desktops And Laptops Still Going Strong <http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15525846?nclick_check=1>
John Boudreau, San Jose Mercury News

**** Apple’s Biggest Asset Is Not The iPhone 4 <http://www.kippreport.com/2010/07/apple’s-biggest-asset-is-not-the-iphone-4/>
Sam Potter, Kipp Report

The crisis press conference was no different to the usual Jobs show; the same tried and tested performance, the same pro-Apple audience. But in watching its execution I realized something; it doesn’t matter what I think of Steve’s presentation style, because I am neither the target audience nor the majority. Ultimately, Jobs’ presentation skills play precisely and perfectly to his audience, time and again, and they always succeed, and that is what makes him a great orator.

**** Post-Mortem: No Hair Shirt For Steve Jobs <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/business/media/19carr.html?_r=2&ref=media&pagewanted=all>
David Carr, New York Times

If you can’t attack the message, attack the messenger. That’s a maxim of modern public relations, one that’s on display every day in Washington, on cable TV and, last Friday, on stage in Cupertino. But, with its long history and reputation for efficacy, Consumer Reports is the opposite of a juicy target.

**** iPhone 3G And 3GS Battery Test: iOS 3 Vs. iOS 4 <http://www.macworld.com/article/152768/2010/07/ios3_ios4_batterytests.html?lsrc=rss_main>
James Galbraith, Macworld



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** OpenStack: An Open Source Cloud Project Emerges <http://gigaom.com/2010/07/18/openstack/>
Om Malik, GigaOM



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Not So Grand Illusions <http://www.slate.com/id/2258247/?from=rss>
Wendy Smith, Slate Magazine

Allegra Goodman has rediscovered her sense of humor. Not that her new novel lacks seriousness: With a plot propelled by the dotcom bubble and a principal character in the wrong place on 9/11, it tackles big, contemporary topics. But The Cookbook Collector takes a welcome step back from the dark brilliance of its predecessor, Intuition. A grim tale of possible fraud at a cancer research lab, that novel displayed all of Goodman's searching moral intelligence and virtually none of the wit or amused savoring of human folly found in such previous works as Paradise Park and The Family Markowitz. In her new novel, she works on a larger social canvas than ever before, armed with an awareness that to comprehend all the scheming and the sorrow, wit is indispensable.

**** The Sabbath <http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2010/07/26/100726po_poem_carelli>
Anthony Carelli, New Yorker

**** The Man With Many Pens <http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2010/07/26/100726po_poem_wells>
Jonathan Wells, New Yorker

**** The Dredgeman’s Revelation <http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/07/26/100726fi_fiction_russell>
Karen Russell, New Yorker



SingaporeSurf
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**** Singapore Arrests British Author Of Death Penalty Book <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/18/singapore-british-arrest-alan-shadrake?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Mark Tran, The Guardian

Alan Shadrake's arrest came two days after Singapore's Media Development Authority lodged a police report. The Foreign Office in London said it was seeking more information from local authorities.

The 75-year-old's latest book, Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice In The Dock, contains accounts of high-profile cases in Singapore involving the use of the death penalty, and includes interviews with a former executioner, Darshan Singh. Published by a Malaysian company, the book was first released in Malaysia.

**** The Buzz With Dr Lim Hock Siew's Political Video <http://abdillahzamzuri.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/the-buzz-with-dr-lim-hock-siews-political-video/>
Abdillah Zamzuri

**** MPs Clarify On Community Events Costs <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1070077/1/.html>
Alicia Wong, Channel NewsAsia

In weeks to come, community clubs will be handling one of their most expensive events, the National Day dinners. According to some members of Parliamant (MPs), the costs run up to a five-figure sum.

However, they are quick to add that much of the cost is offset by the tickets residents buy to attend the sit-down dinner.

**** Let Film Be Available For Public Discussion <http://thinkingbetterthinkingmeta.blogspot.com/2010/07/let-film-be-available-for-public.html>
Sam Ho, Sam's thoughts

Historical accounts are based on oral narratives, apart from publications and state releases. It is important that we do not silence individuals who were part of Singapore history.

**** The Neglect Of Professional Responsibility By The Mainstream Press <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/07/the-neglect-of-professional-responsibility-by-the-mainstream-press/>
Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen

Tell the journalists this: by your silence and your neglect of your professional responsibility, you will be complicit in a boy’s hanging.

**** Alan Shadrake’s Crime? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/07/alan-shadrake%e2%80%99s-crime/>
Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen

Criminal defamation brings the resources of the State to bear in what is essentially a question of protecting personal reputations. So what agitated the authorities enough to arrest Alan Shadrake for criminal defamation, amongst other charges?

**** Marina Barrage And The Floods.... <http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2010/07/marina-barage-and-floods.html>
Diary of A Singaporean Mind

**** Are Current Flood Prevention Measures Effective? <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_555098.html>
Linda Loh, Straits Times

As a country that strives to be a world-class city, our urban planning authorities need to buck up. Imagine how Singapore would appear if floods took place during international events such as the International Monetary Fund meetings and the upcoming Youth Olympics?

**** Unfair To Blame Foreign Hirings <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_555093.html>
Liang Kaicheng, Straits Times

Surely, Mr Tan is aware that companies are naturally inclined towards hiring young and energetic individuals, many of whom have budding families of their own, and who, unlike himself, certainly need the salary.

Is our economy only large enough to hire "young" and "energetic" workers, and have no room for experienced and mature workers? Is it only one or the other?

**** A Climate Of Fear <http://kixes.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/a-climate-of-fear/>
Funny Little World

You don’t quite notice how much the climate of fear, anxiety and paranoia weighs on you until you’ve been away for some time, enlightened, and then return to Singapore only to feel the burden drop back down on your shoulders with a palpable thud.

**** 淹水将成常态？ <http://www.zaobao.com/yl/yl100719_001.shtml>
吴俊刚, 联合早报

我国是个小岛，地势也相对平坦，没多少高出海平面很多的高地，加上城市密集发展，到处是钢骨水泥森林，因此，我们的确无法期望完全没有水患的发生。但是，过去一个月来的三次雨后淹水，不免让人产生这样的疑问：接下来，淹水现象是不是会从罕见变成常态？

**** 投资20万开小众书店 排遣寂寞 收获友谊 <http://www.zaobao.com/fk/fk100719_004.shtml>
徐鑫, 联合早报

**** 新移民经营中文书业 开拓不同市场策略 <http://www.zaobao.com/fk/fk100719_001.shtml>
徐鑫, 联合早报

**** Petition To Free Man From Singapore Death Sentence <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/19/nation/6690660&sec=nation>
Lee Yuk Peng, The Star

An online petition is racing against time to collect as many signatures as possible by Aug 22 to save Malaysian Yong Vui Kong, convicted of drug trafficking, from being hanged in Singapore.

**** Rethinking The Measure Of Growth <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/business/energy-environment/19green.html?_r=2&src=busln>
Wayne Arnold, New York Times

In considering this risk and the increasing evidence of the toll that rapid economic development is already taking on Asia’s environment, economists and other experts in Asia have taken up the call to re-examine the prominence of economic growth as a measure of policy success, particularly the use of gross domestic product.

Asian governments have become particularly enthralled with gross domestic product statistics for validation, becoming what Vishakha Desai, the president and chief executive of the Asia Society in New York, has called “G.D.P. junkies.”

**** Over-Zealous; Nothing More <http://hardhitting-nobs.blogspot.com/2010/07/over-zealous-nothing-more.htmll>
Musings From the Lion City

Mr Goh wasn’t in danger and he was taking photos of a common occurrence in Singapore. Let’s not make too much out of this; sounds like nothing but an over-zealous police officer to me.

**** Five-Hour Handcuff Imprint <http://everythingalsocomplain.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/five-hour-handcuff-imprint/>
Everything Also Complain

**** Global Media And Singapore's Bureaucrats <http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2597&Itemid=214>
Asia Sentinel

Will the media moguls of the United States fight for their open-market principles against the Singapore government's arbitrary demands? Or will they, after a brief skirmish, surrender like their counterparts in the print media to Singapore authoritarianism at the unspoken behest of a US government anxious to keep its Singapore facilities and executives desperate to keep their cushy Singapore expatriate living standards?

If they fight, Singapore's reputation as offering a free and fair playing field for foreign business will suffer. If not, the way is open for governments all over Asia to act in a similar fashion to determine not just what their citizens can view on TV but how much they pay.

The issue is not about the right to censorship but the right to normal commercial bargaining.

**** Singapore Arrests British Author <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10680143>
BBC

The arrest of 75-year old Mr Shadrake came while he was in Singapore to promote his book. The government told the BBC last week that the book had not been banned but that the government had the right to advise book stores not to stock it.

Mr Shadrake told AFP news agency before his arrest that he expected trouble. "If they do anything, it'll just draw more attention to it all, and they have no defence," he said.

**** With Singapore As Model, Milwaukee Carves Niche As Water-technology Hub <http://www.jsonline.com/business/98719254.html>
John Schmid, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

As industries and populations put ever-greater demands on drinkable sources that are growing more scarce and polluted, water infrastructure is a rapidly developing, $425 billion-a-year part of the global economy. It's little wonder that a handful of regions want to become centers of water innovation. Singapore by all accounts is the most advanced, leading a small group that includes Israel and Dubai - as well as metro Milwaukee.

**** To France, To The Ecoles! <http://dlzj.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/franceecole/>
Icarus Flew Too High

**** Singapore Night Festival - New World 2010 <http://bout-loud.blogspot.com/2010/07/singapore-night-festival-new-world-2010.html>
Blogged Out Loud!

**** The State And Scarcity <http://www.bastiatinstitute.org/2010/07/18/the-state-and-scarcity/>
Per Bylund, Bastiat Institute

Political solutions cannot replace subjective valuations of real owners and users. They only make things worse: adding a politically negotiated fee for usage of politically enforced commons does not make it a market solution. Two wrongs don’t make a right – two wrongs only make it double-wrong.

**** New Rules SG #3 <http://theinkhorn.wordpress.com/2010/07/18/new-rules-sg-3/>
Ambiguity

**** Government: Your Friend And Also Enemy <http://blogging4myself.blogspot.com/2010/07/government-your-friend-and-also-enemy.html>
Blogging For Myself

**** China: The Grey Swan <http://www.dailymarkets.com/stock/2010/07/18/china-the-grey-swan/>
Vitaly Katsenelson, Daily Markets

Singapore is one of the most non corrupt countries in the world; this may explain in part the government’s success. China is not Singapore.

**** Random Discourse – Floods & A Handcuffed Reporter <http://www.nowhere.per.sg/?p=1491>
The Lycan Times

Just what excuse will Yaacob Ibrahim give this time round after the PUB cleared the blockage at that culvert or whatever? Perhaps some contractor didn’t do a good job, eh? After being paid a million dollars for his alleged talent, the million dollar minister cannot expect us to be forgiving or patient in the face of such repeated fiascos.

**** Minister Yaacob Ibrahim Responds To Questions On Floods <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1070180/1/.html>
Mustafa Shafawi, Channel NewsAsia

Minister for the environment and water resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said there are plans to implement drainage improvements to several major canals and drains.

He said an urgent review of the Stamford Canal is also being undertaken.

**** PUB Advising Orchard Road Businesses On Flood Early Warning Systems <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1070181/1/.html>
Mustafa Shafawi, Channel NewsAsia

Since the flood on Orchard on June 16, national water agency, PUB, has been engaging the managing agents of affected premises as well as the Orchard Road Business Association to recommend early warning systems and structural measures to limit the impact of flash floods on premises.

Minister for the environment and water resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim told Parliament on Monday that these measures include flood barriers and road humps to protect basement car parks.

**** Futile To Block Radical Sites <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_555305.html>
Straits Times

Blocking radical websites would be a futile exercise as the architecture and reach of the Internet make it practically impossible to interdict all such sites, said deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng in Parliament on Monday.

"The common goal of [education] efforts is to help Singaporeans who chance across radical teachings in the guise of religion to see through the falsehood and not be led astray. These community efforts are a positive development and we hope even more community organisations and leaders will step forward to do likewise,' said Mr Wong.

**** LTA To Bring Forward 2 Key Measures To Enhance Safety Of Transporting Workers <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1070187/1/.html>
S.Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

By February next year, all light lorries used to transport workers will have to be fitted with canopies and higher side railings.

Heavy lorries used to transport workers will need to comply by August 2011. And the minimum deck space per seated worker will be doubled to 8 square feet by then as well.

**** Singapore's Approach Has Never Been 'GDP Growth At All Costs': Dr Amy Khor <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1070246/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

Dr Amy Khor stressed that Singapore's policy has never been a "GDP growth at all cost" approach.

She says a responsible government takes a balanced approach towards developing a country. This means taking a holistic account of economic, social and security needs for the benefit of citizens, so that progress is broad-based.

**** Why Orchard Road Flooded <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_555341.html>
Straits Times

'The runoff from this initial rainfall flowed down the canal. When it reached the middle section of the can (from Cuscaden Road to Grange Road0, it coincided with the funoff from the second burts of rain which fell over the entire catchment at 10.10 am.

'This generated a combined storm flow that caused the water level to rise rapidly and overlow on Orchard Road. The situation was worsened by debris carried into the canal by the first first of rain.'




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