[MyAppleMenu] Mar 24, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

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

**** Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion Server: Apple Replaces Samba For Windows Networking Services <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/03/23/inside_mac_os_x_10_7_lion_server_apple_replaces_samba_for_windows_networking_services.html>
AppleInsider

The Samba team has moved active development of the project to the more strict GPLv3 license, which prevents Apple from using the software commercially. 

Developers report that Apple has internally officially announced that it will pull Samba from Mac OS X Lion and Lion Server, and replace it with Windows networking software developed by Apple.

**** Mac Daddy Serlet’s Surprise Departure More Of A Planned Transition <http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20110323/mac-daddy-serlets-surprise-departure-more-of-a-planned-transition/>
John Paczkowski, All Things D

While the timing of the announcement might seem odd–Apple is ramping up for the release of Lion, the next iteration of OS X–the truth of the matter is that this is a planned transition.

“There’s no acrimony there,” one source close to the company told me. “Bertrand’s just decided it’s his time to move on. Avie (Tevanian, former senior vice president of software engineering) handed off to him and now he’s handing off to Craig. It’s just a changing of the guard.”

**** PowerPoint With Few Bells, But Finally On The Go <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/technology/personaltech/24smart.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Bob Tedeschi, New York Times

For those who want to create a rough draft of a presentation, or who worry about their laptop crashing on the eve of a big business meeting, Documents To Go offers the ability to cobble together a passable piece of work on the phone.

**** A New App Shares Photos With, Well, Everyone <http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/a-new-app-shares-photos-with-well-everyone/?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Sam Grobart, New York Times

Color is a photo-sharing app, but it takes the practice in a new, more open direction, in that it shares your photos with whoever else is using the app in close proximity to you. If popular photo-sharing apps like Instagram are like Facebook, where closed networks of friends share images, Color is more like Twitter, in that it is far more public.

**** Mission Creep On Online Reading Services <http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/24/mission-creep-on-online-reading-services/?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Joshua Brustein, New York Times

Social experiences certainly play a part in the way that people read on the Web, but there are also plenty of social platforms that are doing a good job of providing those experiences. Like the Kindle, both Readability and Instapaper are meant to facilitate a simpler, quieter form of reading, and both do it well. Readability quieted the Web browsing experience down, while Instapaper moved articles out of the browsing experience altogether. By adding more features, both ventures now seem at risk of muddying up their missions.

Sometimes it is better to keep it simple.

**** How To Create Custom Toolbars For Microsoft Word 2011 <http://www.macworld.com/article/158396/2011/03/wordtoolbars.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Kirk McElhearn, Macworld

If you work with Microsoft Word 2011, you may find the program’s toolbars and ribbon practical ways to access functions you use often, such as formatting, alignment, and highlighting. But the toolbars and ribbon are stacked at the top of the program’s windows, reducing your vertical space. With today’s widescreen monitors, it makes sense to have toolbars at the side of your main window, so you can see more of your text while you work. It can also be useful for toolbars to contain the commands you really use—some of which may be deeply buried in menus. Here’s how to customize your Word 2011 toolbars to fit the way you work.

**** Flare 1.0 <http://www.macworld.com/article/158771/2011/03/flare_image_editor.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Ben Long, Macworld

Novice users will find themselves easily creating cool photo effects, and even experienced users will appreciate the program's ease of use, though they might be a little frustrated by the lack of basic adjustments.

**** Why I Don’t Do Sales On The App Store <http://carpeaqua.com/2011/03/23/why-i-dont-do-sales-on-the-app-store/>
Justin Williams, Carpeaqua

If anything it cheapens the value of your product. In most cases, people claim codes because they like the idea of getting something for free, even if they have 0 intention of ever using it.



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

**** Is The Short Story Really The Novel's Poor Relation? <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/mar/24/is-short-story-novel-poor-relation?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Chris Power, The Guardian

It may be a minority interest, but the brevity of the form acknowledges the world's vastness and ambiguities.

**** The Mysterious Genesis Of Books <http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/mar/24/the-mysterious-genesis-of-books?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Rick Gekoski, The Guardian

When asked where my books come from and what they are about, I'm often at a loss – the impulses are from the deep unconscious.



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

**** SDA Unveils Its First Batch Of Election Candidates <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1118405/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia

**** Why No Refund By GIRO? <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110324-0000030/Why-no-refund-by-GIRO?>
Chin Kee Thou, Today

**** SDA 'Will Not Back Out Of Wards' <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110324-0000095/SDA-will-not-back-out-of-wards>
Ng Jing Yng, Today

The Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) reiterated yesterday it wants to avoid three-cornered fights in the coming General Election. Still, it insisted that it will not back out of wards where it thinks it has a winning chance.

The alliance, comprising the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS) and Singapore Justice Party (SJP), has expressed its interest to contest in the single-seat wards of Punggol East, Radin Mas, Sengkang West and six-member ward Pasir Ris-Punggol.

**** A Climate Of Fear Or A Self-defeating Concept? <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110324-0000071/A-climate-of-fear-or-a-self-defeating-concept?>
Teo Xuanwei, Today

The fact that netizens are freely and openly commenting on political matters online shows there is no fear, argued PAP's Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Michael Palmer.

Two opposition party chiefs, the Reform Party's Kenneth Jeyaretnam and the Singapore Democratic Party's Dr Chee Soon Juan, were quick to rebut Mr Palmer, pointing to the defamation suits that PAP leaders had brought against Opposition politicians in the past.

**** Low Thia Khiang: No NCMP Seat For Me <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110324-0000092/Low-Thia-Khiang--No-NCMP-seat-for-me>
Teo Xuanwei, Today

As speculation mounts over whether Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang will lead a team to contest a GRC, he reiterated yesterday that should he be defeated at the polls, he will not take up a Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) seat.

And he will resign if his party compels him to do so. Mr Low made the remarks in response to deputy prime minister (DPM) Wong Kan Seng's comments that the parliamentary system has made provisions to allow more Opposition voices in the House.

**** Public Transport: Focus On Service <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_648431.html>
Tim Mou Hui, Straits Times

Despite SMRT's claims that demand remains very low, it cannot deny that there are some who would be well served with an extension of its night train services. SMRT should remember that it is providing a public good as a public transport operator, and it would do well to think beyond cost-benefit economic analyses.

**** Singapore Exchange Should Look At 'Plan B' <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704050204576218050649830210.html>
Sam Holmes, Wall Street Journal

With his proposed $8.3 billion tie-up with the Australian exchange facing increasingly stiff political opposition the Singapore Exchange's chief executive, Magnus Bocker, should probably look more closely at his "plan B."

**** Mr Wong Kan Seng, Please Don’t… <http://singaporegirl.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/mr-wong-kan-seng-please-dont/>
Food Fuels Me To Talk...

…score your own goal!

**** Straits Times! Why You Edit Until Like That? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/03/straits-times-why-you-edit-until-like-that/>
Muhammad Hydar, The Online Citizen

This raises more questions. How many of ST’s forum letters have received such manufactured make-overs? Why was Mr Wee’s edited letter published when it is significantly different from the original?

Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said, “If you read something in the Straits Times or on CNA, you must know that it’s real”.

Well sir, I have read Mr Wee’s letter in ST and I know for a fact that it is not real nor is it the truth.

**** Channel Newsasia Bars Dr Chee – Again <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/03/channel-newsasia-bars-dr-chee-%E2%80%93-again/>
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen

I hope CNA realizes that its role as part of the mainstream media is to be a platform for the parties to express their positions freely, at a crucial time when Singaporeans need information to make an informed choice in the General Election.

Trying to dictate to the parties on who should be their representatives is just stupid, really.

**** Form Govt? RP Says It's Ready, WP Says It's Not <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_648675.html>
Amresh Gunasingham, Straits Times

The ability of the opposition to form a government and run Singapore drew diverging views from two opposition party leaders yesterday.

The Workers' Party (WP) does not think it is ready, but the Reform Party (RP) thinks it is.

**** The Days Of The Mandarins Are Numbered <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2011/03/days-of-mandarins-are-numbered.html>
Singapore Notes

Looks like deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng let loose a whopper of a blooper when he said "over time, it (PAP) will field fewer Chinese-educated ones". That's when you start to notice that the recent PAP line up announced is mostly English educated, Chinese and "less likely to cause riots". Ignore the anomaly who embraces the ISA ("for pragmatism") even though his own flesh and blood father was locked away without benefit of trial with that instrument.

**** Nothing Is Free <http://hardhitting-nobs.blogspot.com/2011/03/nothing-is-free.html>
Musings From The Lion City

I’m not privy to the negotiations but I don’t understand why the WP is getting stick for this. A lot of people in Singapore like to group all the opposition together but that I think is wrong. The opposition parties in Singapore are just that; they are different political parties each with their own separate aims and policies. Why should the WP sacrifice a winnable seat to other opposition parties? 

**** Let The Carrot Sweeten The Hearts And Minds? <http://rachelzeng.wordpress.com/2011/03/24/let-the-carrot-sweeten-the-mind/>
Rachel Zeng

Oh I see.

**** I will vote for you reason #3 - IF you gimme back my Merlion <http://cloudywindz.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-will-vote-for-you-reason-3-if-you.html>
Today's Mostly Cloudy

If you can give us back our Sentosa. We used to go to the cheap chalets in Sentosa and hang around and de-stress. Now rich new immigrants stay at the expensive bungalows and Singaporeans go to the casino to get poorer and more stressed.

**** Foo Mee Har’s Strength Highlights PAP’s Weakness <http://ge2011.theonlinecitizen.com/2011/03/foo-mee-har%E2%80%99s-strength-highlights-pap%E2%80%99s-weakness/>
The Online Citizen

Or maybe the PAP this time has set the bar very low. The two batches that have been introduced so far have displayed a remarkable homogeneity, hinting at the dearth of the talent pool the PAP is fishing from. Half the candidates so far have been from the NTUC, and if media reports are accurate, as many as nine NTUC people will be part of the new slate.

At this evening’s press conference, deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng asked Singaporeans to consider carefully what the motivations of the opposition were in wanting to win a Group Representation Constituency (GRC).

The question would be more aptly put to those running on the PAP ticket: it is these new and untested characters that have to explain why they deserve to ride on the coattails of heavyweight ministers into Parliament.

**** Opposition Responds To DPM's 'Short-change' Accusation <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_648674.html>
Jeremy Au Yong & Kor Kian Beng, Straits Times

DPM Wong's call prompted Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang to make similar accusations against the PAP, especially on the electoral boundaries report released on Feb 24.

He felt the changes in the electoral boundaries leave Singaporeans unsure about who their MP is, until close to the general election.

Mr Low said: 'The PAP has been swopping candidates all over the place, Singaporeans do not even know if their MP will remain there... PAP has short-changed Singaporeans in that way, in a big way.'

**** 选前报道 行青团区主席陈佩玲 23年来最年轻候选人？ <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110324_006.shtml>
陈能端 孙伟伦, 联合早报

å¯é æ¶ˆæ¯æŒ‡å‡ºï¼Œäººæ°‘è¡ŒåŠ¨å…šé’å¹´å›¢è·å…°â€”æ­¦å‰çŸ¥é©¬åŒºä¸»å¸­é™ˆä½©çŽ²ï¼Œå¾ˆå¯èƒ½ä¼šåœ¨æ¥å±Šå¤§é€‰æŠ«ç”²ä¸Šé˜µã€‚

如果真是如此，28岁的陈佩玲将是行动党自1988年以来，派出的最年轻竞选代表。

**** 选前报道 民联要推出20多名候选人 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110324_014.shtml>
陈锦柏 蔡欣颖, 联合早报

æ–°åŠ å¡æ°‘ä¸»è”ç›Ÿç»§ä¸»è¦çš„æ–°åŠ å¡äººæ°‘å…šé€€å‡ºä¹‹åŽï¼Œä»è¦åœ¨æ¥å±Šå¤§é€‰å¤§å±•æ‹³è„šã€‚å®ƒæ˜¨æ™šåœ¨é©¬æ¥æ°‘æ—æœºæž„å¤§åŽ¦æ€»éƒ¨å¬å¼€è®°è€…ä¼šï¼Œæ‰¬è¨€æœ‰å¤šè¾¾20名候选人准备参选。

不过这个人数远远超出民联至今表明要角逐的议席。它表明要角逐三个单选区及一个集选区的总共九个议席。

民联秘书长林睦荃（43岁，M1首席工程师）解释，民联会考虑把剩余的候选人派到没有其他反对党角逐的集选区。

**** GRC Bids 'Not For Selfish Reasons' <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_648681.html>
Kor Kian Beng & Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times

Mr Low, secretary-general of the Workers' Party (WP), led the charge yesterday, accusing the PAP of practising double standards. Speaking to reporters at his meet-the-people session, he said: 'Renewal is important not only to the PAP but also to the opposition, if an opposition party wants to continue to play a role and give Singaporeans a choice during elections and to help safeguard the future of Singapore.'

**** DPM Wong Fires Salvo At Opposition: PAP Jittery Over GRC? <http://rogerpoh.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/dpm-wong-fires-salvo-at-opposition-pap-jittery-over-grc/>
Spotlight On Singapore

My advice to the PAP is to fight fair and square. This way you won’t alienate voters, particularly fence-seaters and those who subscribe  to the principle of fair play.

**** False Uniforms, And 'Fresh' Faces In Singapore <http://theowlcritic.blogspot.com/2011/03/silly-uniforms-repressive-politics-in.html>
The Owl

What they are is an entirely false set of hypocrites. With, we grant them, fat paychecks. Like apparently attracts like, if the new set of PAP candidates are any measure. They quickly don, like Kim's little helpers, the PAP's white uniforms, rendering them instantly cogs in the PAP's ugly political machinery. Hyped and ready to participate in unfair elections, support repression and even, in the case of one particularly unprincipled and sycophantic fellow, promote the very laws that incarcerated his father. 

**** Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign Message <http://simplygab.blogspot.com/2011/03/singapore-anti-death-penalty-campaign.html>
Simply Gab

Mandatory death penalty sentences coupled with an uphill task to prove reasonable doubt for innocence is a dicey combination.

**** Are S’poreans Afraid To Talk Politics? <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/poreans-afraid-speak-politics-20110323-121406-428.html>
Alicia Wong, Yahoo!

**** Media As Politics In Singapore <http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/MC25Ae02.html>
Megawati Wijaya, Asia Times

Singapore's People's Action Party (PAP)-dominated politics are increasingly being contested online and over social media like blogs, Facebook and Twitter. Pushed by the perceived pro-PAP bias of the mainstream media, Singapore's opposition parties are using various new media to communicate with voters and express dissenting views. Alternative news websites, including The Online Citizen and Temasek Review, have won strong followings by presenting more opposition views in their news mix. 

With general elections expected to be held by June, it remains to be seen if opposition parties can translate their blogs, tweets and telecast videos into actual votes. The PAP, which has dominated Singapore's politics since 1959, now controls 82 out of 84 seats in parliament. The PAP has come under consistent criticism of curbing the national debate through laws that suppress free speech and co-optation of the mainstream media. But new media platforms are fast changing the way politics are contested in this wealthy city state.

**** Jayakumar Not Contesting In Upcoming GE <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1118626/1/.html>
Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia