[MyAppleMenu] Nov 27, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** A Look At Apple’s Spot-the-Shopper Technology <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/25/a-look-at-apples-spot-the-shopper-technology/>
Brian X. Chen, New York Times

A Black Friday visit to the Apple Store in Palo Alto, Calif., offered a glimpse of the new technology Apple is using to speed purchases.

A store employee, Diego Aguirre, demonstrated an internal application running on iPod Touches that, for the last few weeks, has had the ability to show the in-store location of a shopper who has come to pick up a purchase.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Turn On The Server. It’s Cold Inside. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/business/data-furnaces-could-bring-heat-to-homes.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Randall Stross, New York Times

The paper looks at how the servers — though still operated by their companies — could be placed inside homes and used as a source of heat. The authors call the concept the “data furnace.”



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** What Muncie Read <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/books/review/what-muncie-read.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Anne Trubek, New York Times

As we lurch into the digital age, people are kicking up hoary generalizations about Americans and their reading habits. “No one reads anymore,” “Kids used to read ‘Hamlet,’ not ‘Twilight,’ ” “We used to have more time to read.” But these canards are based upon conjecture, anecdote and idealized views of the past. In fact, we know very little about which books Americans used to page through: the history of reading is largely circumstantial, based upon diary entries or sales figures.

**** The Man Of Numbers: Fibonacci's Arithmetic Revolution By Keith Devlin – Review <http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/nov/27/fibonacci-numbers-keith-devlin-review?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
David Bodanis, The Guardian

Fibonacci means much more to the story of modern mathematics than the number sequence that bears his name.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Shark's Fin Still On Menu For Many Singaporeans <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_738276.html>
Straits Times

Most Singaporeans are still saying yes to shark's fin soup, despite a growing movement worldwide to stop the hunting of sharks for their fins.

**** It Takes 9 Months For Dental Appointment <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/11/it-takes-9-months-for-dental.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

Looking down memory lane, the kind of free dental care we had in the 50s and 60s was world class, heavenly, actually out of this world. And it was a time when our country was really poor, and probably not enough dentists too.

**** Preparing For The Global Crunch <http://thestar.com.my/columnists/story.asp?col=insightdownsouth&file=/2011/11/26/columnists/insightdownsouth/9976068&sec=Insight%20Down%20South>
Seah Chiang Nee, The Star

The real test for the political leaders is not whether Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong can eventually restore Singapore’s economic health. He can when the world recovers. The question is how badly Singaporean assets and jobs will be affected by the recession.

Another issue is whether the crisis will result in a wider income gap, with the poor in worse condition than before.

**** Friday Assaults <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/11/26/friday-assaults/>
Alex Au, Yawning Bread

**** YPAP Call For Fairer Fares And Past Precedence <http://www.raviphilemon.net/2011/11/ypap-call-for-fairer-fares-and-past.html>
Ravi Philemon

For the record, the public transport operators have been "considering" for about 2 years if people with disabilities should have concessionary travel.

**** HOME To Set Up Anti-human Trafficking Centre In S'pore <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1167812/1/.html>
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia

Plans are underway for a one-stop resource and help centre for human trafficking in Singapore. Led by the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME), the initiative marks another step towards Singapore's effort to address the problem.

**** It's A New Phase In S'pore Politics: Khaw <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC111127-0000015/Its-a-new-phase-in-Spore-politics--Khaw>
Saifulbahri Ismail, Today

He said the party has to find ways to improve the lives of not only the lower-income but also those in the middle-income group. This will require much resources at a time when Singapore's economy is maturing and when growth will slow. Mr Khaw also called on the party to adjust its approach and style to strengthen the emotional connection with the people. In particular, it must connect with the younger generation, understand their aspirations, and engage and work with them.

**** 1/3 Empty Or 2/3 Full?: Suggestions For Sensing The Commitment Of Singapore Permanent Residents Towards National Service <http://kementah.blogspot.com/2011/11/13-empty-or-23-full-suggestions-on.html>
David Boey, Senang Diri

Losing the support of one in three NS-liable SPRs is a loss that can be measured from annual enlistment numbers. But we should not fret over the loss of uncommitted SPRs because they are likely to make poor soldiers, policemen or civil defence rescuers.

More damaging is the loss of support from the wider Singapore population if MINDEF fails to explain the issue properly in future.

**** Dr Yaacob's Excuse To Regulate The Internet? <http://www.raviphilemon.net/2011/11/dr-yaacobs-excuse-to-regulate-internet.html>
Ravi Philemon

**** Netizen: Stop Bullying MP Baey <http://news.insing.com/tabloid/netizen-stop-bullying-mp-baey/id-de1b3f00>
InSing

**** Why Not Orchid For Elton? <http://blog.dk.sg/2011/11/27/why-not-orchid-for-elton/>
Dee Kay Dot As Gee

It is time for all these LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) discrimination to end. It’s almost year 2012. Open up your mind.

**** The Persistent Social Media Notice Board (Or "Singapore Police Force's First 'Facebook Arrest'") <http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2011/11/persistent-social-media-notice-board-or.html>
Ivan Chew, Rambling Librarian

**** Avoid Top-down Policy Making, Urges MP <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1167917/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

Instead of always trying to complete the second and third reading of bills on the same day, he suggested allowing MPs to form committees to further scrutinise the laws.

He said they can do so by consulting activists through channels like policy forums and suggesting changes.

**** How Do We Define A S'porean Youth Parliament? <http://www.publichouse.sg/categories/topstory/item/273-how-do-we-define-a-sporean-youth-parliament?>
Raymond Lau, Publichouse.sg

**** Southeast Asian Nations Look At Nuclear Power <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/business/global/28iht-RBOG-NUKE-SEA28.html?_r=1>
Sonya Kolesnikov-jessop, New York Times

In Southeast Asia, where there is no working nuclear power plant, six countries have expressed interest in nuclear power or are considering it as an option.

**** YPAP Rally At Speakers' Corner. Better To Use The Phone <http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/5058-ypap-rally-at-speakers-corner-better-to-use-the-phone>
Vincent Wijeysingha, Singapore Democratic Party

As the youth wing of the party currently in government, would it not have been far more sensible – and effective – to seek a meeting with the relevant ministers and officers to put their case? Since the Government has a 54.8% share in SMRT and various government-linked entities also have shares in SBS Transit, the decision to mount a rally to call for lower fares is baffling.

Or perhaps the government has already decided to lower polytechnic transport fares and when the announcement is made, the governing party’s youth wing will appear to have landed a coup?

**** Mr Singh, Are You Not Also Just Saying That Because Of Signals From The Top? <http://thetwophilo.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/mr-singh-are-you-not-also-just-saying-that-because-of-signals-from-the-top/>
Thetwophilo's Blog