[MyAppleMenu] Jan 16, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

**** Bad Apple TV Upsets Owner <http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/problemsolver/ct-biz-0116-problem-mcginnis-20110116,0,1000196.column>
Jon Yates, Chicago Tribune

"I know there are a lot of other people with this problem," he said. "Apple needs a patch to Bonjour that works properly."

McGinnis said one of the reasons he bought the Apple TV was because of Apple's reputation for producing easy-to-use products. In the end, it was anything but easy.



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

**** Darkness On The Edge Of The Universe <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/16/opinion/16greene.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Brian Greene, New York Times

In a great many fields, researchers would give their eyeteeth to have a direct glimpse of the past. Instead, they generally have to piece together remote conditions using remnants like weathered fossils, decaying parchments or mummified remains. Cosmology, the study of the origin and evolution of the universe, is different. It is the one arena in which we can actually witness history.

**** The Modesty Of The Porn Generation <http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/01/15/porn_in_relationships/index.html>
Tracy Clark-flory, Salon

When it comes to smut, we're much more shy -- and basically human -- than the media narrative would have you think.

**** Tracing Those Angry Birds To The Dawn Of Man <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703779704576074222543274268.html>
Matt Ridley, Wall Street Journal

Predicting parabolas is something humans just seem to find intriguing. How else do you explain golf? Or the awe in which we hold good quarterbacks in football and good spin bowlers in cricket?

With the exception of the archer fish, which knocks insects off leaves with well-aimed jets of water, no other animal uses parabolic trajectories.



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

**** "Why Would You Not Want To Live In Singapore?" <http://scaredyguen.blogspot.com/2011/01/why-would-you-not-want-to-live-in.html>
A Greenhorn's Blog

Singapore may be able to import world-class technologies and talents from all over the globe, she still cannot bring in enough worldly opportunities and experiences to the young minds who have seen and crave globalization. Not with all the lines drawn up. For those of us who want to become Mark Zuckerberg, I doubt she will prove enduring enough to embrace quirky characters with ambitions that big.

**** Hawkers Query Rents At New Food Centre <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_624767.html>
Straits Times

Hawkers from the iconic Bedok Food Centre are worried about possible rent hikes after they move to a new centre.

**** Singapore: Even Their Problems Are More Efficient <http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2011/01/singapore-even-their-problems-are-more.html>
William A. Jacobson, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion

Everyone is forced into this program, though, and one of the few measures one can make that is immediately profitable, without waiting to benefit from the savings plan, is to invest in real estate. As such, one can imagine that real estate in Singapore always dances the line of a bubble.

**** 当地铁变得拥挤 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl110116_007.shtml>
李集庆, 联合早报

å…¬å…±äº¤é€šæ‹¥æŒ¤çš„çŽ°è±¡æ˜¯ä¸€ä¸ªéœ€ä»Žå¤šæ–¹é¢å…¥æ‰‹æ‰èƒ½èˆ’ç¼“çš„é—®é¢˜ï¼Œå•é å…¬å…³æ‰‹æ³•å’Œè½¯å®£ä¼ ç»å¯¹æ— æ³•è§£å†³ã€‚è€Œåªè¦é—®é¢˜å¾—åˆ°é€‚åº¦è§£å†³ï¼Œä¹˜ååœ°é“æˆä¸ºä¸€ç§æ¯”è¾ƒè½»æ¾æ„‰å¿«çš„ç»åŽ†ï¼Œåœ°é“å…¬å¸çš„ç›ˆåˆ©ä¹Ÿè‡ªç„¶ä¼šæœ‰å‡ºè‰²çš„è¡¨çŽ°ã€‚

**** TOC Gazetted: It’s Not About Politics, But Media <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/01/toc-gazetted-its-not-about-politics-but-media/>
Howard Lee, The Online Citizen

Whatever the outcome of this situation, the desire to speak up for everyday Singaporeans cannot waiver. We need to continue our association with this community, not because it represents any political interests, but because it echoes our own wishes as citizens, online or otherwise.

And it is in our interest to ensure that fair and open debate continues in this community, to continue holding traditional media and our leaders accountable for any inability to represent us. Our participation should not change because of TOC’s gazetting. If anything, it should be stronger, because what is at stake the future of online media in Singapore – a media that we can finally call our own.

**** Minimum Wage: The Problem Or The Solution? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/01/minimum-wage-the-problem-or-the-solution/>
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

Maintaining the minimum wage does not necessarily mean that low-wage workers’ wages remain stagnant. After all, even if one’s wages remain stagnant, it is still better than Singapore low-wage workers’ declining wages.

**** Coming EGM: Wealth Creation And Social Justice <http://atans1.wordpress.com/2011/01/16/coming-egm-wealth-creation-and-social-justice/>
Thoughts Of A Cynical Investor

**** My Thoughts On The Online Citizen Getting Gazetted As A Political Association <http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2011/01/my-thoughts-on-online-citizen-getting.html>
Gilbert Koh, Mr Wang Says So

The gist of the idea is that the Singapore sociopolitical blogosphere should be as big as possible, so that its collective influence is far and wide, and yet sufficiently diffuse, so that the PAP lacks obvious targets to attack.

**** Lee Says Singapore Needs Strong Defence To Exist <http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/news/article_1612056.php/Lee-says-Singapore-needs-strong-defence-to-exist>
DPA

Singapore founder Lee Kuan Yew justified the city-state's defence spending as necessary to resist any possible pressure from its larger neighbours.

Having been criticized as an authoritarian leader intolerant of dissent, Lee said the Singapore government was not preventing political competition. 'What we are preventing is duds getting into parliament and government. Any person of quality, we welcome him, but we don't want duds,' he said.

**** NTUC Chief Opposes Minimum Wage <http://trulysingapore.wordpress.com/2011/01/16/ntuc-chief-opposes-minimum-wage/>
Yours Truly Singapore

In a climate of depressed wages, the minimum wage helps boost wages. The so-called ‘maximum’ wage of $1,200 is still higher than the $800 that the worker is currently getting.

**** Response To Issues Raised In T. Rajendran’s Letter To Temasek Review <http://ypcms.pap.org.sg/2011/01/yp-empower-response-to-issues/>
Young PAP

We agree that Singaporeans must make a stand, and not allow foreigners to try to influence and take over what is uniquely Singaporean. However, we must also be able to embrace change that is good for our country, so that we can continue to prosper and grow from strength to strength.

**** Reform Party Leader Pledges To Fulfil Father’s Vision <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/01/reform-party-leader-pledges-to-fulfil-fathers-vision/>
Deborah Choo And Joshua Chiang, The Online Citizen

The Reform Party does not want to be a mere ‘voice’ in parliament but to form the next government of Singapore even if it takes ‘a hundred years’.  Party leader Kenneth Jeyaretnam articulated this vision at a rally at Hong Lim Park on a wet and soggy Saturday afternoon.

**** De-link COE Prices <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110116-0000449/De-link-COE-prices>
Ng Mui Lan Jessica, Today

One of the key factors that leads to high COE prices is that it is bundled with the car price and included in the financing package. In order to bring COE prices to a more sensible level, COEs should be delinked from car pricing and paid by the successful bidders in cash.