[MyAppleMenu] Aug 5, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** The Web, Apple, NeXT And The Evolution Of Search <http://blogs.computerworld.com/18742/the_web_apple_next_and_the_evolution_of_search>
Jonny Evans, Computerworld

**** Sandvox 2.1.6 Helps Build Sophisticated Websites <http://www.macworld.com/article/161101/2011/08/sandvox216.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Adam Berenstain, Macworld

If you want a simple way to create attractive interactive websites, Karelia Software’s Sandvox 2.1.4 may be the ticket. Its template-based WYSIWYG tools make building sophisticated pages a snap. But this convenience comes with limited design options that might vex users expecting to create truly unique-looking sites.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Dana Spiotta Writes Firmly In The Moment <http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-dana-spiotta-20110803,0,7537867.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+features%2Fbooks+%28Los+Angeles+Times+-+Books%29>
Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times

"Seventies Los Angeles is really not ever very far from my mind, for some weird reason," says author Dana Spiotta, a former Angeleno who now lives in upstate New York. "I just love '70s Los Angeles."

The city plays a big part in her latest novel, "Stone Arabia," which is generating the same kind of excitement that Jennifer Egan's Pulitzer Prize-winning "A Visit From the Goon Squad" did last year. An exploration of creativity, fame (or non-fame), family, memory, the enthusiasms of youth and the dismays of middle age, "Stone Arabia" is also steeped in the vast distractions of our current moment.

**** Review: 'My American Unhappiness' By Dean Bakopoulos <http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-ca-dean-bakopoulos-20110807,0,4148370.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+features%2Fbooks+%28Los+Angeles+Times+-+Books%29>
Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times

In other words, "My American Unhappiness" is a novel of First World problems, but it's so in touch with that state of privilege that it won't abide taking it all, or itself, too seriously. 

**** A Trick Of The Mind <http://reason.com/archives/2011/08/02/a-trick-of-the-mind>
Ronald Bailey, Reason

Looking for patterns in life and then infusing them with meaning, from alien intervention to federal conspiracy.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Flat Plan <http://www.economist.com/node/21525464>
The Economist

Singapore has always been a popular place for wealthy Indonesians and Malaysians to park their money, but the big difference now is the influx of Indians and, more importantly, Chinese.

**** Mastering The Art Of American Eating <http://www.themorningnews.org/article/mastering-the-art-of-american-eating>
Mike Deri Smith, The Morning News

Hoping to kick-start a change, I decided to live the U.S. government’s definition of a healthy lifestyle for a month. My hope was that I could replace my lethargy and slobbiness with physical activity and greater mental resilience. If similar experiments in masochistic, time-specific life changes—everything from Super Size Me to The Year of Living Biblically—were to be believed, enlightenment was just a short burst of extremism away.

**** Dr. Patrick Tan An Exceptional Talent? <http://blogging4myself.blogspot.com/2011/08/dr-patrick-tan-exceptional-talent.html>
Blogging For Myself

**** Mindef: Disruption For Medical Course Applied Uniformly <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_698669.html>
Desmond Tan, Ministry Of Defence, Straits Times

Prior to 1992, disruptions were also allowed for NSFs to obtain medical degrees in approved overseas universities.

Longer periods were granted for those admitted to universities in the United States, where medicine is a graduate course. Medical students there are required to complete a pre-medical component for a general undergraduate degree before being accepted for the Doctor of Medicine course proper.

**** Like It Or Not, This Tan’s Walking On Air <http://newasiarepublic.com/?p=31298>
Owen Tan, New Asia Republic

It may be early days yet, but if we are to consider this advantage that Dr Tony Tan has over the rest of the candidates, he has pulled himself a considerable distance ahead of his rivals – even before Nomination Day.

**** Study On KL-S'pore High-speed Rail <http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/5/business/9238910&sec=business>
John Loh, The Star

A pre-feasibility study for Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) system will be concluded in a few weeks, Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) director Ahmad Suhaili said.

**** Transport Fares Up From Oct 8 <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110805-0000105/Transport-fares-up-from-Oct-8>
Today


>From Oct 8, adult card fares for buses and trains will increase by 2 cents per journey. Senior citizen concessionary fares will increase by 1 cent per journey. There will be no change to child and student concessionary card fares.


Those paying cash on public transport will see cash fares increase by 10 cents. There will be no change to senior citizen and child and student cash fares.

The public transport operators have also extended senior citizen concession hours to full day throughout the week.

**** Tiger Australia Creates More Trouble For Parent Company <http://www.smh.com.au/business/tiger-australia-creates-more-trouble-for-parent-company-20110804-1idtb.html>
Andrew Heasley, Sydney Morning Herald

Troubles worsened for the grounded Tiger Airways Australia yesterday when Australia's aviation safety regulator uncovered more deficiencies just as its woeful financial performance dragged down the group's latest international results.

**** Singapore’s Developers Plan More Suburban Office Space As Demand Increases <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-04/singapore-s-developers-plan-more-suburban-office-space-as-demand-increases.html>
Chien Mi Wong, Bloomberg

Singapore’s developers are building more office space in the city’s suburbs as companies including Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN) shift some operations away from downtown to cut costs, according to Cushman & Wakefield Inc.

**** The Simple Things Are Free <http://andrewlohhp.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/the-simple-things-are-free/>
Andrew Loh

While undoubtedly and understandably most Singaporeans will be disapppointed and even appalled at the PTC giving in to the public transport operators’ application for fares to be raised, I nonetheless applaud the PTC for extending concessionary fares to all hours throughout the week for elderly folks.

This is something which some have called for and which should have been done long ago. Still, better late than never.

**** You’re An Entrepreneur. Really? (Part 2) <http://blog.geeksphere.net/2011/08/05/youre-an-entrepreneur-really-part-2/>
Geeksphere.net

The government is not your HR department. Stop whining, and start trying to solve the problem. Yourself.

**** Singapore Orders Target Drones <http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2011/08/04/Singapore-orders-target-drones/UPI-86301312457047/>
UPI

The government of Singapore has contracted U.S. company Composite Engineering Inc. to supply its armed forces with high-speed aerial target drones.

**** Change Or No Change? Then Or Now? <http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4918-change-or-no-change-then-or-now>
Singapore Democratic Party

These are the policies that vex the people. And yet, just barely three months after the elections, the prime minister is back to his old ways and doing what the PAP knows best - making the elite richer on the backs of the ordinary folk. 

**** Chess Politics, Or Just My Imagination? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/08/chess-politics-or-just-my-imagination/>
Howard Lee, The Online Citizen

Whether the outcome on polling day re-establishes the status quo or not is of little consequence. What is key to note is that, instead of learning from the general elections and starting to listen to the ground, the political elite has chosen, once again, to influence the election environment by trying to (re)define the boundaries of play.

**** NTUC Suggests Ideas For "Singaporeans First" Employment Strategy <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1145240/1/.html>
Sharon See, Channel NewsAsia

The first is to have a dependency ratio to hire professionals, managers and executives (PMEs), much like what is currently in place to hire work permit holders.

The second is to introduce labour market tests where employers have to show they have tried all means to hire locals first.

**** Elections Do Not Change President's Powers <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_698918.html>
Tessa Wong, Straits Times

Law minister K Shanmugam said on Friday that the process of direct elections does not change the scope of the Elected President's powers as set out in the Constitution.

And the Constitution states that the President can speak on issues only as authorised by the Cabinet, he said at a Institute of Policy Studies forum.

**** Can’t Help Feeling For The Tans Especially The Father <http://atans1.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/cant-help-feeling-for-the-tans-especially-the-father/>
Thoughts Of A Cynical Investor

The Tans should give each communications adviser a few tight slaps.

**** 1 Percent Transport Fare Hike Sparks Debate Online <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/public-transport-council-approves-1-per-cent-fare-024419341.html>
Faris Mokhtar, Yahoo!

While the overall 1 per cent fare increase is significantly lower than the 2.8 per cent cap  allowed under the fare adjustment formula, many still wondered if it was justified.

Andrew Tan wrote, "We need to see results before price hike can be approved. Can we guarantee an improvement in service quality after 8 Oct?"