[MyAppleMenu] Feb 14, 2011

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Mon Feb 14 18:59:00 EST 2011

MyAppleMenu
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**** The Mac App Store: It's An Honor Thing <http://www.macworld.com/article/157823/2011/02/honor_thing.html>
Michael Gartenberg, Macworld

Apple’s approach is simple. It’s an honor thing. The company believes that, given the choice, people will do the right thing. It also understands that anti-piracy techniques don’t stop pirates, but they do get in the way of honest users.

**** Apple Supplier Responsibility: 2011 Progress Report <http://images.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_SR_2011_Progress_Report.pdf>
Apple

(Note: Link goes to a PDF document.)

**** How To Switch To Google Calendar <http://www.macworld.com/article/157778/2011/02/googlecal.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Lex Friedman, Macworld

With the free Google Calendar, I found a scheduling solution that lets me keep myself organized, continue using the iOS Calendar app, give my family and coworkers easy access to my availability, and easily add new appointments from anywhere. Here’s how I set things up.

**** How To Use Your Mac’s Dock To See An App’s Windows <http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/how-to-use-your-macs-dock-to-see-an-apps-windows>
Jeffrey Mincey, Mac360

My favorite little add on App for Mac users with clutter disorder is HyperDock. If you use the Mac’s Dock, you will like this app.

**** How To Power Manage Your Mac’s Windows <http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/how-to-power-manage-your-macs-windows>
Jeffrey Mincey, Mac360

**** Apple To Buy Components Worth $7.8 Bln From Samsung Electronics This Year - Report <http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110213-704284.html>
Jung-Ah Lee, Dow Jones

Apple Inc. is expected to purchase components used for its handheld devices from Samsung Electronics Co. worth about $7.8 billion this year, the Korea Economic Daily reported Monday, citing industry sources.

**** Random Ideas Releases Wasabi To-do List App <http://www.macworld.com/article/157906/2011/02/wasabi_app.html?lsrc=rss_main>
Danny Gallagher, Macworld



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** "The Rise And Fall Of The Bible": Rethinking The Good Book <http://www.salon.com/books/laura_miller/2011/02/13/rise_and_fall_of_bible/index.html>
Laura Miller, Salon

"The Rise and Fall of the Bible" is a succinct, clear and fascinating look at two phenomena: what Beal calls "biblical consumerism" -- in which buying Bibles and Bible-related publications and products substitutes for more meaningful encounters with the foundational text of Western Civilization -- and the history of how the book came to be assembled.

**** The Moral Crusade Against Foodies <http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/03/the-moral-crusade-against-foodies/8370/ >
B. R. Myers, The Atlantic

Gluttony dressed up as foodie-ism is still gluttony.



SingaporeSurf
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**** CPF’s Repeated Insistence On Woman Staying Overseas To Pay Up <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/02/cpf’s-repeated-insistence-on-woman-staying-overseas-to-pay-up/>
The Online Citizen

**** Deconstructing Meritocracy <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/02/deconstructing-meritocracy/>
Khairulanwar Zaini, The Online Citizen

Human talent constitutes our greatest asset, but our meritocratic system ill-serves this potential. For the numerous benefits that it may have delivered, meritocracy has neglected a larger number of us. It is time we summon the moral courage to problematise meritocracy and talk about those who have been left behind unfairly.

**** Singapore: A Cheap Play On Asian Growth <http://www.moneyweek.com/investments/stock-markets/moneyweek-asia-singapore-a-cheap-play-on-asian-growth-00904>
Cris Sholto Heaton, MoneyWeek

Singapore has made mistakes in its attempt to push its economy in new directions. Attempts to promote the Singapore exchange to Chinese firms looking for a foreign listing, led to lower standards and a series of scandals, as I discussed here: Why you must tread carefully in emerging markets. The better Chinese firms have listed in Hong Kong and New York and won't be back.

And the budget's focus on productivity reinforces one thing. Singapore has failed to produce a single world-beating large company. Its largest government-linked companies (GLCs) are often inefficient and lack innovation. Their existence squeezes smaller, more innovative private-sector rivals. That's unlikely to change until the politics does, irrespective of how much money is thrown at the problem.

**** Malaysia’s “Balanced Growth” Better Than Singapore’s “Higher Growth”? (Part 1) <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/02/malaysias-“balanced-growth”-better-than-singapores-“higher-growth”-part-1/>
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

Even though Malaysia’s inflation per annum increase at 2.4 per cent, from 2000 to 2009, was marginally higher than Singapore’s, the important outcome to ordinary Malaysians is that they generally had a higher real wage growth than Singaporeans.

What is perhaps the most significant difference between Malaysia and Singapore, from the perspective of wages, may be that Malaysia has already approved the implementation of a Minimum Wage, whereas Singapore’s Government is still against having one.

**** 马宝山：新人来淡滨尼 是为熟悉基层和选区运作 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110214_007.shtml>
李静仪, 联合早报

对于淡滨尼集选区是否会有别的新候选人加入，领军的国家发展部长马宝山昨晚受访时口风很紧。

**** 颜金勇将领军转战丰加集选区？ 他承认近年密切参与该区活动和规划 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110214_006.shtml>
郑景祥, 联合早报

近来盛传颜金勇在来届大选将到丰加集选区领军，他昨天接受本报访问时承认这几年来他非常密切地参与丰加区的活动和规划，最终是否会在来届大选被派到丰加区率领其他候选人竞选，则要看李显龙总理的决定。

**** 朱倍庆宣布将率先为后港居民办两件事 每周以茶会友 医疗辅助计划 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110214_005.shtml>
周殊钦, 联合早报

几乎已被视为人民行动党后港区候选人的基层组织第二顾问朱倍庆昨晚宣布将为区内居民推出两项计划。一是从本月21日起每周一晚上七时在后港民众俱乐部举行“以茶会友”活动，以“接见”有意和他谈天下事、反映问题或纯粹聊天的居民。

他所提出的第二项计划是旨在协助后港区低收入家庭的医疗辅助计划。区内只要发现低收入家庭的任何成员患有慢性疾病，就能透过这项计划向他们提供一些帮助。

**** Is Singapore’s Education System Too Dependent On Information And Communications Technology (ICT)? <http://guanyinmiao.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/is-singapore’s-education-system-too-dependent-on-information-and-communications-technology-ict/>
Guanyinmiao's Musings

**** SMRT Given Maximum Fine <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1110605/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has imposed the maximum fine of S$50,000 on SMRT for the Changi Depot incident on the May 17 last year.

**** Singapore Tattoo Scene - My Thoughts And Views... <http://www.noelboyd.com/2011/02/singapore-tattoo-scene-my-thoughts-and.html>
Singapore Tattoo Scene

There seems to be this unwritten censorship rule which till this day, I'm trying very hard to understand. Take for example the internet show I hosted earlier this year. I tried very hard to get the media involved and was willing to be interviewed at any time of the day. But each media representative I spoke to mentioned they couldn't run a positive article about tattoos. I swear, that's exactly what was said! From the biggest local news channel to the various newspaper, they all said the same thing!

**** Dear Thomas Friedman: Serious In Singapore, But So What? <http://hpronline.org/world/dear-thomas-friedman-serious-in-singapore-but-so-what/>
Alastair Su, Harvard Political Review

In order to properly understand Singapore’s government, you just can’t disentangle its “less-than-free politics” from its “attitude” and treat them as independent from each other, since it is Singapore’s political institutions that drive its government’s success. A closer analysis of these institutions will reveal that they are hardly applicable to the U.S., thus making Friedman’s observations nice to know, but ultimately pointless.

**** Train, Bus Depots To Get Security Boost <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1110609/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

The Public Transport Security Review which was undertaken after the Changi Depot train graffitti incident in May last year, has found there is scope to enhance security at public transport facilities like train and bus depots.

In a statement issued on Monday at the conclusion of the review, the Public Transport Security Committee (PTSC) said this includes more stringent perimeter security measures, such as installing steel welded mesh fencing, as well as augmenting security patrols and checks at these depots.

**** Political Climate Change And Rising Tides, Part 2 <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/political-climate-change-and-rising-tides-part-2/>
Yawning Bread

The Singapore government will not tolerate violence, but they stand aside and sometimes even condone psychological lynching. I speak about their shabby treatment of lesbian, gay and transgender (LGBT) citizens.

**** The Online Citizen "Is A Political Association" <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1110648/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

Mr Shanmugam explained that the website provides coverage, commentary and analysis of political issues and also organises on-line and off-line campaigns to change legislation and government policies.

**** Will We Hear More Dialects On The Big Screen? <http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2011/02/14/allowing-more-dialect-on-the-big-screen/>
Alicia Wong, Yahoo!

There are no public guidelines on the amount of dialect allowed in film, but some believe there are unspoken quotas guiding the censors’ decision-making process.

Mr Tong said, the production team had wondered if they should include more Mandarin but decided to go ahead to make the film as authentic as possible and deal with any issues later on, rather than self-censor. He described the outcome as an “utter surprise”.

**** Singapore May Impose More Property Measures To Cool Market <http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-02-14/singapore-may-impose-more-property-measures-to-cool-market.html>
Shamim Adam, Bloomberg

Singapore may take further measures to cool the property market if needed following last month’s curbs, Mah Bow Tan, the city’s minister for national development, said in Parliament today.

**** Income Up 0.3%: Everyone Got Govt Benefits? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/02/income-up-0-3-everyone-got-govt-benefits/>
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

After last year’s record 14.7 per cent GDP growth, this 0.3 per cent real increase is very small indeed.

**** Private Lottery Duty For Fruit Machines Lowered <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1110665/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) is lowering the private lottery duty for fruit machines to 9.5% of actual gross turnover instead of the 12% planned earlier. Second minister for finance, Lim Hwee Hua, told Parliament that the reduced tax rate of 9.5% takes into account the data and feedback from all the clubs and the change in Singapore's gaming landscape.

**** Reality TV Show "Lose To Win" Suspended <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1110666/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

Reality TV show "Lose to Win" - a 12-week weight management challenge by the Health Promotion Board - has been suspended. This follows the death on January 22 of a man who took part in the group exercises as a returning alumnus.

**** Oral Answer To Question On North-South Expressway (NSE) <http://app.mot.gov.sg/News_Centre/Latest_News.aspx?GUID=3F7zifLdWKGay4sdPhE/VFbnqMZREFe9+Wyu6EynzsIewbdUSV6QY1bDpuRkmLaJ5bOWvJGmLHyoa8c9RvLUASDd/IQxFryTG4qe8MUJ/OD7Vf/Jiv/P2h/NOQcRXsX/bUYg58d4i7o+x5mdajV/9sHrXRJm+0HTk1ZczmUXeXv4wtVsZzEO3DCBXLM3Yqhv>
Ministry Of Transport, Singapore Government

As far as possible, LTA has designed the NSE as a full tunnel in the highly urbanised areas. However, this was not always feasible. The NSE was designed as a semi-tunnel between the SLE and south of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9, and between Sin Ming Avenue and north of Pemimpin Place after careful consideration. In order for these stretches to be full tunnels, more land would be needed for ventilation buildings. These are large buildings, each requiring around 15,000 square metres of land. They have to be sited close to the tunnel, and at certain intervals to fulfil ventilation requirements.

**** SAF Procedures For Vehicles Are "Fundamentally Sound": Defence Minister <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1110652/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

Deputy prime minister and defence minister Teo Chee Hean said procedures at the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) for vehicle mounting and starting are fundamentally sound.

**** HDB Abolishes Sibling Scheme <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1110682/1/.html>
Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia

The government said they can either rent a room or a small flat from the open market. It said with the liberalisation of the subletting market for HDB flats over the years, the Citizen-Singapore PR sibling scheme, introduced since 1990, is now no longer necessary.




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