[MyAppleMenu] Dec 23, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** How U.S. Carriers Fool You Into Thinking Your iPhone 4S Is Unlocked <http://www.forbes.com/sites/marcwebertobias/2011/12/22/how-u-s-carriers-fool-you-into-thinking-your-iphone-4s-is-unlocked/>
Marc Weber Tobias, Forbes

What consumers need to understand is that there are actually four different versions of the iPhone 4S: Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and Apple. Only the Apple phone, available from their stores or on-line, is fully unlocked and can be used on any carrier. The other phones are permanently locked and cannot ever be used on another carrier in the U.S. Even if you spend $800 for an unlocked phone as I did and dedicate it to a single U.S. carrier, you are locked into that carrier forever if you want to keep using the iPhone. Neither Apple or the other carriers will fully unlock your carrier phone.

**** Find My Friends Review <http://www.macworld.com/appguide/app.html?id=1147634&expand=true>
Dan Moren, Macworld

The idea of sharing one’s locations evokes strong reactions, and Apple’s done an adroit job of addressing the concerns that many have about such technology without rendering its app completely toothless. Find My Friends may still not be for everybody, but for those who use it, it turns out to be not only handy but surprisingly fun.

**** Unwrapping A New Mac: Simple Tips Everyone Needs To Know <http://www.cultofmac.com/135885/unwrapping-a-new-mac-simple-tips-everyone-needs-to-know/>
Jonathan Zschau, Cult Of Mac

**** Tired Of The Mac’s Dock? Try A Tab Launcher Instead <http://mac360.com/2011/12/tired-of-the-macs-dock-try-a-tab-launcher-instead/>
Ron McElfresh, Mac360



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** BlackBerry Winter <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8975483/Exclusive-Christmas-story-by-Rose-Tremain-BlackBerry-Winter.html>
Rose Tremain, The Telegraph



SingaporeSurf
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**** Racing Away From Racism <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/racing-away-from-racism/>
Alex Au, Yawning Bread

I have so many stories about racism in Singapore, I feared it would mean 10,000 extra words to this article. Finally, I decided that, going by the experience of Seng Han Thong, frugality in words might be the better virtue.

**** Seng Han Thong: When An Apology Is Not One <http://mollymeek.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/seng-han-thong-when-an-apology-is-not-one/>
Molitics

I do respect your right to deny that you were being discriminatory if you had indeed been maligned, but I think it reeks of insincerity when you decide to call your denial an apology. 

Whether you are racist at heart is secondary here. When you singled out two races, your words suggested that Malays and Indians do not speak English well regardless of whether you really think so, and the fact that you left Chinese people out is clearly not a linguistic error.

**** The PAP’s Biggest Problem: The Silent Majority <http://newnation.sg/2011/12/the-paps-biggest-problem-the-silent-majority/>
Belmont Lay, New Nation

The thing that disturbs me the most as a casual observer of everything that has unfolded in the past two days since Seng got lynched, is the absence of people who might think it necessary to put in a good word or two for him.

**** Jalan Besar Ideal For LionsXII Debut: FAS <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC111223-0000018/Jalan-Besar-ideal-for-LionsXII-debut--FAS>
Ridzal Sa’at, Football Association Of Singapore, Today

The Football Association of Singapore explored the option previously of utilising the Marina Bay Floating Platform, but it does not meet the technical specifications required by FIFA and the Football Association of Malaysia to host night matches.

**** SMRT, Be Reasonable In Enforcing Rules <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC111223-0000047/SMRT,-be-reasonable-in-enforcing-rules>
Raymond Anthony Fernando, Today

Do MRT staff not know that giddiness could cause a person to collapse, just as with those suffering from diabetes, who would need a drink or sweet when their sugar level is low?

**** More Handgrips Needed In The Trains <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC111223-0000050/More-handgrips-needed-in-the-trains>
Victoria Goon Thuai Kam, Today

It is especially difficult for passengers during peak hours and should be looked into for safety reasons.

**** Extended Wait For Lift Upgrading? <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC111223-0000006/Extended-wait-for-lift-upgrading?>
Esther Ng, Today

Responding to Today's queries, HDB said a working committee - which includes Mdm Phua, grassroots leaders, town council representatives and design consultants - has been formed to "look into the LUP proposals for the precinct". However, it did not give an estimated polling date. 

**** Time To Reconsider The N-word? <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC111223-0000087/Time-to-reconsider-the-N-word?>
Conrad Raj, Today

Why should all that money go to a few thousand shareholders when it could result in lower fares for all?

It is not fair that while public funds are used to build the infrastructure, the profits go into the pockets of a relatively few shareholders. In any case, there's no real competition between the two operators as they do not ply identical routes. 

**** PAP And The Christmas Spirit <http://atans1.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/pap-and-the-christmas-spirit/>
Thoughts Of A Cynical Investor

**** Singapore’s Inequality Battle <http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2011/12/23/singapores-inequality-battle/>
Elvin Ong, New Mandala

These ongoing public debates about the level, type and form of social welfare policy should definitely be encouraged and are unlikely to die down any time soon. Yet one wonders whether these debates miss the point. Rather than debate about policy, the real debate could be about politics instead.

**** Media Can't Tweet From Courtrooms In Singapore <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_748091.html>
K. C. Vijayan, Straits Times

The courts here will not follow Britain's move last week to allow the media covering hearings to tweet and use hand-held devices to communicate with others outside the courtroom.

**** This Flat Is A Tuition Centre <http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20111222-317592.html>
The New Paper

Under HDB's Home Based Small Scale Business Scheme, home owners are permitted to conduct private tuition in their flats, but they can teach not more than three students at a time.

**** Trains On Track To Resume Normal Service: SMRT <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/trains-on-track-to-resume-normal-service--smrt.html>
Jeanette Tan, Yahoo!

Beleaguered train operator Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) says that a train fault on its North-South Line on Thursday morning that caused service delays was an isolated one and will not impact its progress toward getting service back to normal frequencies and speeds.

Commuters travelling into the city experienced jerky rides and extended pauses at stations on their way to their destinations, telling Yahoo! Singapore that their journeys were extended by up to more than 20 minutes.

**** We Need Anti-racism Watchdogs, But They Should Protect Their Credibility <http://journalism.sg/2011/12/23/we-need-anti-racism-whistleblowers-but-they-should-protect-their-credibility/>
Cherian George, Journalism.sg

To come to such a conclusion requires us to look into his heart, and we are better off leaving such soul-searching to the individual concerned and his maker.

**** Government Insider To Head MRT Investigation <http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/5088-government-insider-to-head-mrt-investigation>
Singapore Democratic Party

Had the government been serious about this safety and health investigation, it would have appointed someone manifestly independent of the Executive to ensure public confidence was satisfied. It has not done so: it has taken shelter in the appointment of an acolyte, and one without any experience in handling an investigation of this magnitude and seriousness.

It is to be earnestly hoped that it has not done so to ensure that embarrassing (and potentially dangerous) findings are concealed. The onus will be on Mr Ong to show that this is not so.

**** Sorry Dr George, We Disagree <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/12/sorry-dr-george-we-disagree/>
The Online Citizen

TOC’s editors were of the view that Mr Seng was adopting the purported SMRT comments as an expression of his opinion, as opposed to disagreeing with them (which Mr Seng now claims he is doing). Mr Seng’s comments were made in response to a question by the presenter about whether poor communication was exacerbating public transport woes. Hundreds of TOC’s readers, having had the opportunity to independently view and analyze the video of the exchange, arrived at the same conclusion.

**** The Bottomless Monetary Contribution Of Singaporeans <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/12/bottomless-monetary-contribution-of.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

**** Singapore Inflation Accelerates Unexpectedly <http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201112230146rttraderusequity_0029&title=singapore-inflation-accelerates-unexpectedly>
RTTNews.com

Inflation in Singapore accelerated unexpectedly in November, reaching its highest level in three months, driven mainly by higher costs of food, transport and housing, the latest data from the Department of Statistics showed Friday.

Excluding accommodation costs, the consumer price index was 4.4 percent higher in November compared to the same month last year.

There was a 11.6 percent rise in transport cost due to significant increase in certificate of entitlement premiums and petrol prices. Food prices went up by 3.6 percent, as a result of higher prices of prepared meals, seafood, dairy products and eggs, fruits, vegetables as well as chilled meat.

**** New Seat Belt Rules For Anyone Below 1.35m, Tests For Motorbike Learners <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_748142.html>
Shuli Sudderuddin, Straits Times


>From Jan 1 next year, anyone below the height of 1.35m will need to be secured with a child restraint appropriate for the person of that height and weight, use a booster seat to supplement the seat belt or an adjustable seat belt.


**** There Was No Need For TOC To Cry Wolf <http://www.raviphilemon.net/2011/12/there-was-no-need-for-toc-to-cry-wolf.html>
Ravi Philemon

**** Flash Floods Hit Several Areas In Singapore <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1173046/1/.html>
Julia Ng/Wayne Chan, Channel NewsAsia

**** Report On Political Salaries To Be Submitted By Dec 30 <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1173050/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

In a media release on Friday, chairman Mr Gerard Ee said the report will be submitted to the prime minister by December 30. Mr Ee also said as to how and when the report will be made public, the committee will stand guided by the PM.

**** Flash Floods In Several Parts Of Singapore Including Orchard Road <http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=636281>
Bernama

Flash floods hits several areas of Singapore including the republic's most famous shopping alley, Orchard Road, following prolonged heavy rain in the southern and central parts of the city state Friday.