[MyAppleMenu] Oct 3, 2011

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Mon Oct 3 18:59:00 EDT 2011

MyAppleMenu
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**** Virtual Showdown: Parallels Desktop 7 And VMWare Fusion 4 Reviewed <http://arstechnica.com/apple/reviews/2011/10/virtual-showdown-parallels-desktop-7-and-vmware-fusion-4-reviewed.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss>
Dave Girard, Ars Technica

I think it's safe to call Parallels Desktop 7 the winner here. Despite the incredible gains in VMware's 3D performance, it's still harder to find a scenario that favors VMware Fusion, whether for performance, features, or the interface.

**** Kensington Orbit Wireless Mobile Trackball <http://www.macworld.com/article/162511/2011/10/kensington_orbit_wireless_mobile_trackball.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Dan Frakes, Macworld

Trackballs are a bit of a niche market—in my experience, you either love them or dislike them, and far more people are in the latter category than the former. But for those of us who are trackball fans, Kensington’s Orbit Wireless Mobile Trackball is the first one I’ve found that’s compact enough to take on the road while still being good enough to make me want to bring it along.

**** How Take Control Makes EPUBs In Pages <http://tidbits.com/article/12472?rss>
Michael E. Cohen, TidBITS

Nonetheless, the adoption of Pages, with all of the work we had to do to get there, is beginning to pay off for us: we are able to produce new Take Control books and revise existing books more quickly and efficiently than ever, and with more attractive results for the EPUBs. Not bad for a few dozen hours of hard thinking and research, and with a word processor that costs less than $20!



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Tweet Science <http://nymag.com/print/?/news/media/twitter-2011-10/>
Joe Hagan, New York Magazine

Twitter is building a machine to convert 140 characters on Barack Obama, Ashton Kutcher, narcissism, the struggle for human freedom, and Starbucks into cash—and quick, before its moment passes. Is this asking too much of even the world’s best technologists?



SingaporeSurf
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**** Standards Body To Look Into Slimming Ad <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC111003-0000162/Standards-body-to-look-into-slimming-ad>
Ng Jing Yng, Today

The ad's depiction of a distraught overweight woman finding happiness only after she loses 20kg - which slimming centre London Weight Management claims to be based on a real life story - has sparked an outcry.

**** Retiring Plans Getting Topsy Turvy <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/10/retiring-plans-getting-topsy-turvy.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

How did we arrive at this pathetic and desperate position when we were one of the biggest savers in the world?

**** Govt Reviewing CPF Policies For Older Workers: Tharman <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_719316.html>
Cai Haoxiang, Straits Times

The government is reviewing its policies on Central Provident Fund (CPF) contribution rates, especially where older workers are concerned. Deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the government is also consulting unionists and employers to see how the review can be carried out.

**** HDB Resale Prices Up While Pte Property Moderates <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1156905/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

Flash estimates on property prices show that buyers are willing to pay more for HDB resale flats while those purchasing private property are showing caution. The rise comes as the Housing & Development Board ramps up the supply of new flats.

**** 尚达曼： 国家储备透明度 不应给人看透透 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp111003_019.shtml>
联合早报

尚达曼指出，国家储备也是新加坡“国防”重要环节，不仅仅是财务方面的战略资产，若将来发生重大事件，人民的子孙将能有办法去应付困境。他说，负责管理国家储备的其他机构如淡马锡控股和新加坡金融管理局，也已提供所有的财务方面的细节，金管局每个月会公布外汇储备数额。

**** 继续在国会采负责与理智态度 工人党议员要就事论事 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp111003_010.shtml>
游润恬, 联合早报

工人党媒体小组组长严燕松（34岁）表示，新人参与国会辩论的论调，将跟工人党资深议员过去十多年一贯的论调一样——负责任、理智、就事论事。

他说：“我们看到其他国家的议员陷入口水战，我们不要新加坡走那条路，我们从政不是为了要跟谁搏斗，而是为了反映一些需要被反映但目前被忽略了的观点。如果这些观点刚好是跟政府唱反调的，那我们还是得提出。”

**** “五年不涨消费税　不是信口开河” <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp111003_003.shtml>
何惜薇, 联合早报

副总理兼财政部长及人力部长尚达曼接受本报记者专访时强调：“除非有一定的把握，否则我不会信口开河。这点我是很谨慎的。”

尚达曼受访时重申政府在上个任期里已经进行了重要的财政改革，包括在2007年把消费税率从5％增至7％，以及在2009年实施新的国家储备净投资回报（Net Investment Returns, NIR）框架，透过扩大净投资收益的定义来增加可动用的国家储备投资收入。

**** Ex-railway Land Named Rail Corridor <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1156917/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

**** 六个邻区组屋杂费调整　阿裕尼后港部分居民本月起缴付较低杂费 <http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201110020417-279993.html>
联合早报

**** Singapore-Malaysia Set To Discuss Transportation Issues Between Two Countries <http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=617226>
Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah, Bernama

**** Climate Change In Singapore: Floods Due To Higher-than-average Rainfall To Be Expected <http://www.eco-business.com/features/climate-change-in-singapore-floods-due-to-higher-than-average-rainfall-to-be-expected/>
Francois Perreault, Eco-Business

Singapore will most likely be receiving higher-than-average rainfall due to climate change, and the Lion City will need to mitigate the potential higher risks of floods that come with increased precipitation, said experts at a seminar last week.

**** 35 Major Bus Stops Selected For Expansion As Bus Hubs <http://app.lta.gov.sg/corp_press_content.asp?start=x270s2044xb0l6jt3emodfjkf49n8zbpun91e3zsdnck71kj88>
Land Transport Authority, Singapore Government

To enhance the bus commuting experience, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will upgrade and expand 35 selected major bus stops which function today as transit hubs where multiple bus services call and with high commuter traffic.

The 35 selected bus stops will be expanded to allow more buses to berth in the bay for simultaneous boarding and alighting activities, reducing the average time each bus needs to dwell at the bus stops. This, in turn, will help shorten waiting times and improve journey times for commuters. It will also help relieve traffic congestion as a result of buses queuing along the road to enter into the bus bays, especially during peak hours.

**** Permanent Secretary Post Changes Announced <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1156977/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia

**** Vehicle Growth Rate To Be Moderated, ERP May Be Tweaked: Lui Tuck Yew <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC111003-0000492/Vehicle-growth-rate-to-be-moderated,-ERP-may-be-tweaked--Lui-Tuck-Yew>
Leong Wee Keat, Today

The current 1.5 per cent vehicle growth rate will be reduced over the next three years. And there might be possible tweaks to the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system for the evening peak periods at certain roads.

These are some plans Transport minister Lui Tuck Yew has when he spoke to reporters, last Thursday. He also said more new train lines were in the pipeline.




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