[MyAppleMenu] Aug 29, 2011

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Mon Aug 29 18:59:00 EDT 2011

MyAppleMenu
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**** How-to: Run New Media Center Software On Your Original Apple TV <http://arstechnica.com/apple/guides/2011/08/how-to-put-boxee-or-xbmc-on-your-original-apple-tv.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica

You can actually watch all manner of other content on an old Apple TV if you're willing to tinker. The two most popular software interfaces are a version of Boxee and a version of XBMC, both designed for the original Apple TV. Here, I offer you a chronicle of my own experiences setting up these both solutions, and show you how to do the same.

**** Customized Core I7 Mac Mini Offers iMac-like Performance <http://www.macworld.com/article/161896/2011/08/customized_core_i7_mac_mini_offers_imac_like_performance.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Roman Loyola, Macworld

For general use, the BTO Mac mini can keep up with the 21.5-inch 2.5GHz Core i5 iMac. But the iMac fares better with software that can take advantage of multiple cores or graphic-intensive tasks.

**** Read Me: Four Social-media Sites For Bookworms <http://www.macworld.com/article/162005/2011/08/read_me_four_social_media_sites_for_bookworms.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Serenity Caldwell, Macworld

Having recently gotten back into the “Read a Book a Week” habit, I figured I’d give these services a tour and see what exactly they have to offer readers—and if they’re better at enticing me to keep track of my page-count than the promise of an ice cream sundae.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Javascript Cryptography Considered Harmful <http://www.matasano.com/articles/javascript-cryptography/>
Matasano Security

The problem with running crypto code in Javascript is that practically any function that the crypto depends on could be overridden silently by any piece of content used to build the hosting page.

**** Building Crowds Of Humans Into Software <http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/38447/?ref=rss&a=f>
Tom Simonite, Technology Review

Enabling software to punt its toughest tasks to humans should result in smarter mobile apps and other programs, say the founders of the newly launched company MobileWorks. The startup makes it possible for programmers to build human intelligence into their software using crowdsourcing—the practice of parceling out relatively small parts of a larger problem to many different people over the Web.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** What Killed American Lit. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903999904576468011530847064.html>
Joseph Epstein, Wall Street Journal

Only 40 or 50 years ago, English departments attracted men and women who wrote books of general intellectual interest and had names known outside the academy—Perry Miller, Aileen Ward, Walter Jackson Bate, Marjorie Hope Nicolson, Joseph Wood Krutch, Lionel Trilling, one could name a dozen or so others—but no longer. Literature, as taught in the current-day university, is strictly an intramural game.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Unused Material To Be Considered For Disclosure <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110829-0000171/Unused-material-to-be-considered-for-disclosure>
Ng Jing Yng, Today

The prosecution will now consider unused material during a court trial to decide if the material should be disclosed to the defence counsel, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said in a statement.

The prosecution's stance comes after the case of Muhammad Kadar and his older brother Ismil Kadar, who were charged for murdering an elderly housewife while robbing her in 2009. Mr Ismil, whose charge was later reduced to robbery with hurt, was eventually acquitted last month - after the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction because it found his confessions to the police unreliable.

**** Singapore Hands Over Water Treatment Plants To Johor <http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/8/29/nation/9390552&sec=nation>
Nelson Benjamin, The Star

Johor will soon control at least 43 out of the 44 water treatment plants in the state after Singapore's Public Utilities Board (PUB) hands over two of the plants this Wednesday. The Skudai and Gunung Pulai water treatment plants which were both built and managed by PUB for 50 years will be handed over to the state government together with two pump houses in Pontian and Tebrau.

With the handover of all the four assets, which are worth millions of ringgit and covering an area of 3,301ha, the state will be able to produce a total of 681 million litres of treated water per day.

**** 'If I Hadn't Run, Many Would Have Spoiled Votes': Tan Jee Say <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_707153.html>
Tessa Wong, Straits Times

Mr Tan Jee Say shrugged off suggestions that his participation in the presidential election contributed to Dr Tan Cheng Bock's loss in the race.

He said those who voted for him may not necessarily have voted for Dr Tan, if it came down to a two-horse race between Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Dr Tony Tan.

**** There's Definitely A Division In The PAP: Tan Cheng Bock <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_707152.html>
Andrea Ong, Straits Times

The presidential election results reveal a split right down the middle of the People's Action Party, a division the PAP will have to keep an eye on, Dr Tan Cheng Bock said yesterday.

**** 'I'll Welcome Input From Old Friend Cheng Bock': Tony Tan <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_707149.html>
Li Xueying, Straits Times

Incoming President Tony Tan yesterday said he would welcome input from runner-up Tan Cheng Bock, who had garnered a substantial level of support from Singaporeans.

He was responding to a question at a press conference on whether he would appoint Dr Tan Cheng Bock to the Council of Presidential Advisers - an idea mooted in some quarters as a way to unify the country in the wake of an election that saw almost equal numbers of votes going to both.

**** 国人是否存在大分歧　议员看法不一 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110829_007.shtml>
黎远漪, 联合早报

对此，摩绵—加冷集选区议员唐振辉认为，与现任总统纳丹总统相比，新总统可能还有另一大重任，即可能需付出更多努力来团结国人，也同时得在任期内争取所失去的支持。

如切区议员张有福则持有不同的看法。他认为陈庆炎与陈清木的平台颇为相似，两者都愿意为了人民利益而努力与政府合作。因此，张有福并不认为两者有太大的不同，以致于将选举结果看成是选民之中出现了大分歧。

**** At 80 Per Cent, We Were Tying: Tan Cheng Bock <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/even-80-per-cent-were-tying-tan-cheng-152113179.html>
Alicia Wong, Yahoo!

Dr Tan Cheng Bock says he and eventual winner Dr Tony Tan were neck and neck until the votes from Sembawang came in on Polling night.

He said, "I think the party has to have a critical look at their own way of doing things. I think they have to learn how to fight again."

**** Unifying S’pore Needs More Than A Figurehead <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/unifying-pore-needs-more-figurehead-235108898.html>
Andrew Loh, Yahoo!

When the dust from this year's two national elections have settled, it is the policies affecting our lives which will determine if we indeed have "confidence for the future". Bridging the social divide would be crucial in deciding if we will "secure our future together".

All eyes, thus, are now on PM Lee.

**** Singapore Vulnerable If US Falls Into Recession <http://www.cnbc.com/id/44284606>
Geraldine Tan, CNBC

This is because Singapore’s trade with the U.S. accounts for about 20 percent of its GDP – the largest exposure among emerging Asian economies.

**** ‘The Genie Is Out Of Singapore’s Political Bottle’ <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/genie-singapore-political-bottle-013759052.html>
P N Balji, Yahoo!

An obedient population fed on slogans like Many More Good Years and A Swiss Standard Of Living are fighting back as they find daily challenges like inflation, overcrowding, long hours at work just becoming unbearable. And they are showing their angst at the ballot box.

**** Ministerial Salaries – Can Economics Explain? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/08/ministerial-salaries-can-economics-explain/>
Ivan Png, The Online Citizen

**** Tantamount To A Humiliation <http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/08/singapore-elects-new-president>
The Economist

The realisation that more than 60% of Singaporeans voted against the government’s favoured candidate will presumably provoke more soul-searching within the PAP. Some will take it as proof that the party must move further and faster in opening up to adjust to the “new normal” of a political system with a sizeable opposition. Others, however, may take the opposite view: that too much liberalisation has led to a fading of the fear of the unpleasant repercussions that used to deter critical commentary and opposition activism. In short, that Singaporeans are forgetting who knows best what's good for them.

**** SBS Transit Appointed Downtown Line Operator <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1149842/1/.html>
Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia

The announcement was made by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which also says the Downtown Line is the first rail line put up for competitive tender under the new rail financing framework LTA adopted in 2010.

Among other things, the licence period for the appointed operator is shorter - about 15 years, down from the existing 30 to 40 years.

**** Dolphins And Captivity Don’t Mix <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/08/dolphins-and-captivity-dont-mix/>
Elisabelle Aruldoss, The Online Citizen

**** A Change To Singapore's Political Landscape <http://www.mysinchew.com/node/62911>
Lim Mun Fah, Sin Chew Daily

Even though Tony was openly supported by dozens of unions and associations, as well as being secretly "blessed" by the People's Action Party (PAP), he was able to only won a narrow margin by less than 1%. It was indeed an embarrassing victory. It has not only set a blow to the personal prestige of "the people's President", but as well brought another shock after the general election in May.

**** Factors In Tan Kin Lian's Election Loss <http://singaporenewsalternative.blogspot.com/2011/08/factors-in-tan-kin-lians-election-loss.html>
InSing.com

**** Singapore Democratic Party Elects New Central Executive Committee <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_707252.html>
Tessa Wong, Straits Times

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has elected a new central executive committee with a mix of old and new members.

But noticeably absent in the line-up are two relatively new faces that are also seen as more pro-establishment than most of the party's veterans.




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