[MyAppleMenu] May 25, 2011

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Wed May 25 18:59:00 EDT 2011

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

**** Gray Progress Bar Showing At Start-up <http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20065863-263.html>
Topher Kessler, CNET

**** Apple Releases Logic 9.1.4 To Support iPad GarageBand Songs <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/05/24/apple_releases_logic_9_1_4_to_support_ipad_garageband_songs.html>
Daniel Eran Dilger, AppleInsider

Apple has released an update to Logic Pro and Express that supports opening projects created with the GarageBand app for iPad, in addition to other minor bug fixes.

**** Wired Magazine For iPad Updated: Now Supports In App Subscriptions <http://appadvice.com/appnn/2011/05/wired-magazine-ipad-updated-supports-app-subscriptions>
Joe White, AppAdvice

**** Apple Acknowledges Mac Defender Malware, Promises Software Update <http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/05/apple-acknowledges-mac-defender-malware-promises-software-update.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica

Apple has decided to publicly acknowledge the Mac Defender malware that seems to be creeping onto Mac users' computers. The company posted an online support document Tuesday evening that outlines how to identify and get rid of the program, which attempts to trick users into handing over their credit card information. The company also promised to issue a software update soon that will specifically hunt out and remove Mac Defender and its variants.

**** How To Add Lyrics To Your iTunes Tracks <http://www.macworld.com/article/160021/2011/05/add_lyrics_to_itunes_tracks.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Kirk McElhearn, Macworld

**** Intego: New Variant Of Mac Trojan Horse Doesn't Require A Password <http://www.macworld.com/article/160090/2011/05/intego_mac_trojan_horse_macguard.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Lex Friedman, Macworld

Intego on Wednesday warned Mac users that a new variant of the Mac Defender Trojan horse doesn’t require that you provide an administrator password during the installation process. Like its predecessors, the latest version of the Trojan horse—which calls itself MacGuard—masquerades as virus detection software, in hopes that victims will key in their credit card details into the bogus interface.

**** Copying iPhoto Images Over A Network <http://www.macworld.com/article/160091/2011/05/copy_iphoto.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Christopher Breen, Macworld

**** Russian Company Cracks iOS 4 Hardware Encryption <http://www.macworld.com/article/160095/2011/05/iphone4_cracked_encryption.html#lsrc.rss_main>
John E. Dunn, IDG News Service

Having cracked Apple iPhone backups last year, Russian security company ElcomSoft appears to have found a reliable way to beat the layered encryption system used to secure data held on the smartphone itself.



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

**** The Case—Please Hear Me Out—Against The Em Dash <http://www.slate.com/id/2295413/?from=rss>
Noreen Malone, Slate

Modern prose doesn't need any more interruptions—seriously.

**** Book Review: 'The Uncoupling' <http://www.latimes.com/features/books/la-et-0524-book-20110524,0,5592228.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+features%2Fbooks+%28Los+Angeles+Times+-+Books%29>
Margaret Wappler, Los Angeles Times

But a moment longer of staring into the sun of this mighty topic could've done this clever novel good. What's the point of sex if you don't have the long, thoughtful cigarette afterward?



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

**** Pay Review Should Cover Civil Servants <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_672291.html>
Ng Kheng Liang, Straits Times

While top civil servants are doing a job and it is fair that they aspire towards career promotion, they are also there to serve the larger good of Singapore. It would therefore be fair to suggest that their salaries be scrutinised in a similar manner to that for their political bosses.

**** Change Within PAP Needs Change In PAP Personnel Mindset <http://sgpublicpolicy.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/change-within-pap-needs-change-in-pap-personnel-mindset/>
Scrutinizing The Singapore Government

When will the PAP elites ever got to recognize the fact that the citizens are not stupid and can easily see through such sour grapes expression on, of all places, Facebook which spreads like fire.

**** SBS Move To Block Phone Apps: A Lose-lose Situation <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_672302.html>
Tan Jiaqi, Straits Times

Free-market competition in the apps would naturally result in many competing and better apps, and force developers to produce those that provide information that is as accurate as SBS'.

**** Horrific Transport <http://singaporecommuter.blogspot.com/2011/05/horrific-transport.html>
Singapore Commuter

The problem of poor bus service goes back umpteen years. In all those years, nothing much has changed and with rising transport fares through the years, you get pretty genuinely disgruntled commuters.

**** LeeKuanYew-istan Forever <http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/05/24/leekuanyewistan_forever?page=0,1>
Parag Khanna, Foreign Policy

But as the octogenarian exits the stage, the challenge is how to inspire a new generation of public servants to advance the Singapore model rather than just materialism. Patriotism may no longer be Singapore's goal, but rather a more postmodern concept suited to the increasingly multiethnic landscapes of the world's leading cities: stakeholdership.

**** Ebony Tower <http://piaroh.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/ebony-tower/>
Words Of The Cze

**** The Mandatory Death Penalty <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/05/39002/>
David King, The Online Citizen

**** Blk 686B Residents Affected By Emotional Trauma <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4846-blk-686b-residents-affected-by-emotional-trauma->
SIngapore Democratic Party

Many of the residents shared stories of their continued psychological discomfort when using water from the supply system of the block. We were told by parents that their children are still afraid to use the water.

In addition to the traumatic experience, several of the households that the SDP spoke to cited issues of lack of security and personal safety as a result of the murder and security breach of the water-tank.

**** REACHing Out? Try A Little Humility First <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/05/reaching-out-try-a-little-humility-first/>
Howard Lee, The Online Citizen

REACH remains a black-hole, and the ruling party has been happy to let it be that way. This has resulted in a growing distrust of the channel, chiefly by the online community, which ironically is the key group that the ruling party needs to build trust with.

**** It’s Payback Time! <http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/05/25/its-payback-time/>
Maxwell Coopers, Free Malaysia Today

If there was indeed “pain” that should have been felt, it was not felt by the powers to be. But, oddly it took an election and the withdrawal of general support for the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) for it to come around.

It just has to be payback time for the PAP!

**** 新加坡大选没有输家:执政党纠偏、反对党历练 <http://nf.nfdaily.cn/nfdsb/content/2011-05/25/content_24571204.htm>
李思磐, 南方都市报

一位当地媒体管理层告诉我，他们在选前接触人民行动党高层，得到的信息是，人民行动党内部已经做好输掉一个集选区的准备。“有准备和没准备，这心态是不一样的。”作为一个有准备的“输家”，比起往届选举，人民行动党顺应了民意潮流，表现出了一定的宽容大度，使得这次选战，表现为朝野之间的君子之争。如选举法增加了反对党非选区议员席数，给他们政治表现的舞台；关于新媒体竞选手段的放宽，明显有利于反对党的宣传攻势；而这一次也没有任何反对党候选人遭遇法律麻烦。

**** Ministerial Salaries: Social Compact Or Commercial Contract? <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/ministerial-salaries-social-compact-commercial-contract-132939894.html>
P N Balji, Yahoo!

The two main arguments for high salaries -- a corrupt-free government and the recruitment of top talent -- should not apply anymore. Anti-corruption is a trait that is embedded in a Singaporean's DNA. On top of that, a powerful and non-compromising Corrupt Practices and Investigation Bureau can be a strong deterrent to those who want to have their palms greased.

As for top talent, well, high salaries may not be a big draw after all. Look at the new PAP candidates who were given ministerial positions; not one was from the private sector. Anyway, convincing such people to join government ranks should be the work of the PM and his Cabinet. Let that be one of their KPIs.

**** Reform Agenda Can Backslide Unless Free Speech And Human Rights Entrenched <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/reform-agenda-can-backslide-unless-free-speech-and-human-rights-entrenched/>
Au Waipang, Yawning Bread

Consequently I consider it a little dishonest intellectually for the government to keep repeating this mantra about high salaries being needed to prevent corruption. Decent salaries do, but marginal utility falls off rapidly beyond a certain point. Worse yet, that same dishonesty holds us back from developing the truly useful tools that DO prevent corruption: citizens’ right to access information, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly. In other words: Human rights.

**** Follow Up: HDB Leases Will End At <i>Zero</i> <http://pengtoh.blogspot.com/2011/05/follow-up-hdb-leases-will-end-at-zero.html>
Pengtoh's Blog

**** Bring Eric Tan Back To The Party: WP Volunteers <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/05/bring-eric-tan-back-to-the-party-wp-volunteers/>
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen

The group, which includes volunteers who helped with the party’s East Coast GRC team in the May general elections, has circulated a petition which it will send to the party’s Central Executive Council (CEC) eventually.

**** Dead Bodies In Water Tanks, MRT Graffiti, And The Outsourcing Menace <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=6876>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

Outsourcing in itself is not a bad thing. Cost-reduction is of course welcome. But when you outsource a piece of work or contract to an external entity, you have to ensure that security is maintained, and that service levels are not affected.

**** SIA To Set Up Wholly-owned Low-cost Carrier <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_672545.html>
Karamjit Kaur, Straits Times

In an announcement that took the industry by surprise, Singapore Airlines said on Wednesday that it will set up a new wholly-owned low-cost carrier.

**** Hougang SMC Explains Its Water Tank Guidelines <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_672540.html>
Ernest Luis, Straits Times

"All water tanks in the HDB blocks of Hougang SMC (Single Member Constituency) Estate are locked. Cleaners do not have access but if they are required to access the roof to do any cleaning works, a HGTC officer is required to be present to monitor and check the works."

**** ‘Don’t Peg Ministerial Pay To Private Sector’s’ <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/don-t-peg-ministerial-pay-private-sector-101622016.html>
Liyana Low, Yahoo!

Ministers' pay should not be pegged to the top wages in the private sector in Singapore, but rather to the salaries of government officials in other countries or to median incomes, said netizens.

**** Who Is Supposed To Pay For The New Water Tank In Woodlands Block 686B? <http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/05/25/who-is-supposed-to-pay-for-the-new-water-tank-in-woodlands-block-686b/>
The Temasek Review

The question we would like to ask is, who is actually responsible for the cost of replacing the water tank? Should it be Sembawang Town Council or EM Services? Since Sembawang Town Council has outsourced the township management to EM Services, shouldn’t EM Services be responsible for the lapses?




More information about the applesurf-list mailing list