[MyAppleMenu] Apr 17, 2011

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Sun Apr 17 18:59:00 EDT 2011

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

**** Apple Revamps/Rebrands Discussion Forums As Apple Support Communities <http://www.tuaw.com/2011/04/16/apple-revamps-rebrands-discussion-forums-as-apple-support-commun/>
Michael Grothaus, TUAW

**** To Upgrade, Or Not? <http://www.macworld.com/article/159078/2011/04/ihnatko.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Andy Ihnatko, Macworld

Collectively, the past month served as a reminder that a piece of hardware should only be replaced if it’s about to stop working (whether it’s worn-out or just not up to challenges that didn’t exist when you first bought it) or if the new one can transform the way you work. Otherwise, you’re just being a big, dopey consumer.

**** Apple Now Using Samsung SSDs In MacBook Air? <http://www.anandtech.com/show/4275/apple-now-using-samsung-ssds-in-macbook-air>
Kristian Vättö, Anandtech



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

**** The Cookbook Collector By Allegra Goodman – Review <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/apr/17/cookbook-collector-allegra-goodman-review?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Francine Prose, The Guardian

Not long ago, in Manhattan's Chinatown, I watched a young woman texting on a terrifyingly sophisticated piece of electronics while waiting to pay for an abacus and a purple glass Buddha. I thought of her several times while reading Allegra Goodman's The Cookbook Collector. For among the novel's astute observations is the curious fact that, at least for the privileged, one perk of contemporary life is a certain fluidity about which century one can live in, from moment to moment.

**** Food City <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2011/04/17/food_city/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Ideas+section>
Paul Freedman, Boston Globe

In researching the history of American restaurants and preparing a new college course on the history of food, I surveyed hundreds of menus from Boston restaurants in the mid-19th century. What they revealed is that not only are many aspects of Boston’s restaurant past more glamorous than we might imagine, the menus are far more diverse than those of most restaurants today. When Bostonians went out to dinner, they expected — and got — a range of dishes that would seem overwhelming to modern diners.



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

**** Visiting Residents On Pulau Ubin <http://geraldgiam.sg/2011/04/visiting-residents-on-pulau-ubin/>
Gerald Giam

Residents lived very simply. We were surprised to learn that their homes do not have electricity or piped water. They had their own diesel generators which they only used at night; and water was collected from wells which they dug themselves. One resident told us that the government had promised them years ago that they would be provided electricity and water, but this has yet to happen. Unsurprisingly, many residents are moving back to the mainland.

**** Why Cry Over Spilt Milk? <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=6569>
Wong Wee Nam, Sgpolitics.net

Unfortunately, this is really a very weak rationale for supporting what he obviously considered a vice. Such a rationale can then be used to support of all kinds of other vices. The reason becomes even weaker when we see that the bulk of the jobs would go to non-Singaporeans. It is not difficult to see that the huge profit, derived from the pockets of Singaporeans will not go back to Singaporeans but to the foreigners who own the casinos. It is also not difficult to see that social costs would outweigh the gain from the jobs created.

**** Heart Of The Housing Issue : Cost Of Land..... <http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/04/heart-of-housing-issue-cost-of-land.html>
Diary Of A Singapore Mind

HDB's mandate is to build affordable homes. Unfortunately, nobody bother with the definition of the word "affordable" which has become one of the must abused words in Singapore. Does affordable means median annual income times 5 or 10? Does affordable simply means being able to service your housing loan which have tenures of 10, 20 or 35 years? Because affordability was not defined, we have politicians arguing that it is still affordable after a 50% surge in prices.

When Tharman talks about the relatively constant average quantum (23%) that 1st time buyers use to service loans, it counts only people who can afford a home - many can't afford homes give up looking for one. Also, they keep the quantum constant by buying homes smaller than what they want or need at less desirable locations and the tenure for loans has increased - in the past people finish paying their loans in 10 years or less now the tenture can be as long as 3 decades....there is a big difference between paying 23% of your income for 10 years vs 30 years.

**** 宁可放过，不可杀错 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl110417_002.shtml>
叶鹏飞, 联合早报

这种基于对人性的悲观认知，决定了治理的基调，不但在社会福利政策上显得没有同情心，在其他领域如对廉价租赁组屋设下严苛的条件、限制乐龄人士特价使用公共交通的时段、公共医疗津贴上的支付能力调查（means testing）等等，处处表现了一种怕被坏人利用，而宁可杀错，不可放过的心态。

慎用纳税人的钱当然是对的，但矫枉过正的副作用，却也同样不乏值得探讨的社会成本。首先，正因为对弱势群体的援助“政出多门”，名目繁杂的措施，导致许多需要帮助者不知何去何从，以至于最后仍然求助无门。社青体部高级政务次长张思乐坦承，连他自己每天都接触这些措施内容的人，都搞不清各个细节，更遑论一般民众了。

其次，这种根据特定情况个案援助的做法，让弱势者必须四处奔走，一些有工作但收入低微，甚至需要一天打两份工的人士，根本就没有时间精力去求助。而且，目前援助机构“守株待兔”，待援者不求不助的基本原则，或许会让一些人穷志不短者干脆默默承受；对比之下，统一且制度性的福利保障安全网，显然更有人情味，也更顾及弱势者的基本尊严。

**** Lesson In Love For Country During Tough Times <http://trulysingapore.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/lesson-in-love-for-country-during-tough-times/>
Yours Truly Singapore

But without voting rights in parliament, any alternative perspectives or views are simply brushed aside by our strong government. People raised alarm bells about rising housing prices four years ago. It wasn’t acted upon. Instead there were denials after denials until prices finally reached stratosphere.

**** Hokkien Video Shatters Viewing Record, SDP To Apply For Permit <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4736-hokkien-video-shatters-viewing-record-sdp-to-apply-for-permit->
Singapore Democratic Party

The Singapore Democrats will make an application to the Media Development Authority to make DVDs of the clip for distribution to households so that everyone will be able to watch it. We are also looking into applying to the Elections Department to screen the video during the SDP's nightly election rallies.

**** BBC Radio Presenter Forced To Endure 14-hour Flight While Having A Heart Attack After Pilot 'Refused To Land' <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1377675/Airline-refused-divert-plane-passenger-heart-attack.html>
Daily Mail

A BBC radio presenter who suffered a heart attack while flying home from covering the Japanese tsunami may take legal action against the airline after it refused to divert the jet to the nearest hospital.

Max Pearson had to endure the 14-hour Singapore Airlines flight in cardiac arrest and now, according to colleagues, has been left with long-term heart damage as a result.

**** GE: PAP Unveils Manifesto <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123298/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

In its manifesto, the PAP said Singaporeans can count on the Party to do the best for the people from all walks of life, and to keep the people united through good and bad times.

**** GE: Reform Party Gives Way In Two SMCs, One GRC <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123301/1/.html>
Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia

It will give way to the National Solidarity Party in Jurong GRC, the Singapore Democratic Party in Yuhua SMC and the Singapore People's Party in Hong Kah North SMC. The party said it is doing this in the interest of opposition harmony.

**** Girl Locked Up In Library After Closing Hours, But Staff Insisted She Wasn't Inside <http://dswww.stomp.com.sg/site/servlet/segment/stomp/sgseen/this_urban_jungle/607658/girl_locked_up_in_library_after_closing_hours_but_staff.html>
STOMP

"The library staff had certainly neglected their duties when closing up, and had not checked the library thoroughly. Also, they should not have denied the family or the Lot 1 management entry to do another search since they knew the missing girl had last been to the library."

**** Papsicles 2 <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/papsicles-2/>
Yawning Bread

When you buy a new flat from the HDB, you deplete your present and future savings paying for your flat. The money you pay goes to the HDB. Part of it goes to pay for the actual construction of the block, but a large (though indeterminate because of lack of data) part of it goes ultimately to the Singapore Land Authority based on a notional value of the land your block sits on. That money that is paid to the land authority is considered part of the national reserves. In short, your personal savings have been sucked out and piled onto the state’s savings.

Of course, the government is never going to admit that they have sucked away all your savings. What they say instead is that your liquid savings (present and up to 30 future years’ worth depending on the term of your mortgage) has been exchanged for an asset.

Here we go again. I argued recently that 99-year leaseholds cannot keep rising in value indefinitely. For a minister to make this claim once again is in fact the irresponsible thing to do. When the HDB says your money buys this “asset” that will keep going up in value, it is nothing less than an invitation to walk into a chamber of smoke and mirrors.

**** GE: SDP To Contest In Three Constituencies <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123321/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

They are Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and the single-member constituencies (SMCs) of Bukit Panjang and Yuhua.

Dr Chee said his party is working on another constituency but would reveal where it is at an appropriate time.

**** GE: Cheaper Housing Key To Securing Future, Says NSP <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123328/1/.html>
Wayne Chan, Channel NewsAsia

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) has said there would be no future for Singapore if the People's Action Party cannot secure cheaper housing for future generations.

NSP's Secretary General, Goh Meng Seng said: "At this moment, we know that we have about S$300 billion of reserves. And I think it is about time that we can do with a lower growth for the reserve. And I would rather (have) a lower reserve growth than HDB raiding the people. Raiding our young generation with high cost of housing."

**** Singapore's Ruling Party Promises More Jobs, Better Living Standard In Election Manifesto <http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201104170335dowjonesdjonline000184&title=singapores-ruling-party-promises-more-jobsbetter-living-standard-in-election-manifesto>
Dow Jones

Singapore's ruling party led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Sunday promised more jobs and higher investment in education and infrastructure building as it seeks re-election in polls that are likely to be announced as early as next week. The party promised to build more homes and refurbish existing residential estates, apart from promising grants to the poor to enable them to buy their own homes.

**** Okay, Look <http://blog.toomanythoughts.org/2011/04/okay-look.html>
Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, Too Many Thoughts

Does any of this make for a healthier, more principled level of discussion about politics in Singapore?

**** GE: Reform Party Responds To PAP's Manifesto <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123342/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

In response to the People's Action Party's (PAP) manifesto, Reform Party's Secretary-General Kenneth Jeyaretnam said the PAP has failed to raise median household income significantly over the last decade.

As a result, he asked why should the electorate trust the PAP to do better over the next decade when global economic conditions are likely to be worse.

**** Why So Few Private Sector Talents Joining The PAP? <http://sg-truth.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-so-few-private-sector-talents.html>
Michael Lim, Sg Truth

If the party can no longer boast of having the best minds, or, at an even more fundamental level, remain relevant in the context of an age of great economic uncertainty, then it ought to either refresh itself or just stand aside. Having its spin doctors make excuses in the subservient mainstream media and blaming others for being ‘risk averse’ is doing a great dissservice to Singapore.

**** GE: SDA Comments On PAP's Manifesto <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123344/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia

The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) has said it is glad the People's Action Party's (PAP) manifesto is addressing what the SDA has been advocating - to build a better Singapore for Singaporeans.

"Whatever the points the PAP has presented, I will say it would be very good for this country, but I think that however, they have mentioned securing the future together, which means that they alone cannot actually (achieve) what they have listed...so as a Singaporean who is actually putting on different colours, who (is) representing the people, I would have a greater role to be involved, to monitor and to chip in my views and ideas, and to ensure that programmes are generally truly represent the whole nation and people of Singapore."




More information about the applesurf-list mailing list