[MyAppleMenu] Jan 6, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** A Few Thoughts On iTunes Match ****
<http://blog.nordquist.org/a-few-thoughts-on-itunes-match/>
Brett Nordquist


> iTunes Match is a “set it and forget it” service. Depending on the size of collection, it can a while to setup. The more obscure your taste in music, the more songs you’ll need to upload to iCloud. But once it’s working, there’s nothing to futz with. It doesn’t call attention to itself, and like most things Apple, it just works.



**** Apple’s Voice Recognition Siri Doubles iPhone Data Volumes ****
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-06/apple-s-voice-recognition-siri-doubles-iphone-data-volumes.html>
Jonathan Browning, Bloomberg


> Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s voice recognition software Siri has prompted users of the iPhone 4S to use almost twice as much data compared with the handset’s predecessor, placing greater pressure on operators, network firm Arieso said.

The phone has changed to a <i>data</i> device, not just a voice device. A telco that cannot handle the data traffic will not be a telco for long*.
* Certain monopolies excepted.





The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Real Connections In Game Land ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/arts/video-games/the-electronic-games-that-now-connect-us.html?_r=1&ref=technology>
Seth Schiesel, New York Times


> As games become ubiquitous, they are not only content but also context, context for mundane human relationships among people who don’t even consider themselves gamers.






MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** The Illuminations Of Reading By Candlelight ****
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2012/jan/06/illuminations-reading-candlelight?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+theguardian%2Fbooks%2Frss+%28Books%29>
Stuart Kelly, The Guardian


> We live high up in the hills in the Scottish Borders, so when the lights flickered and then failed this week, we were well prepared. The wood burner was stuffed with logs, a pot of water was put to boil on top of it and I set off for a confab with the neighbours. As dusk fell, just after three, I lit the candles in the front room and settled back down to read.



**** Creative Writing ****
<http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2012/01/02/120102fi_fiction_keret?currentPage=all>
Etgar Keret, New Yorker






SingaporeSurf
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**** Serving The People Or Self-serving? ****
<http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/2012/01/serving-people-or-self-serving.html>
Singapore Recalcitrant


> Ms Grace Fu has not proven herself to be exceptionally outstanding in her work. If anything , she comes across to the public as a run-of-the-mill type and not any talent to be crowed about. She should consider herself extremely fortunate to be appointed a senior minister of state and should not behave like a spoilt child just because of a minor pay cut.

> Ms Grace Fu could gracefully choose to go back to her former profession if she thinks that it would satisfy her ego.



**** Grace Fu Meme ****
<http://blog.dk.sg/2012/01/06/grace-fu-meme/>
Darryl Kang, Dee Kay Dot As Gee


> You know you made it big on the Internet when you started a Meme. I’m so proud to be a resident of Jurong GRC. One of my MP, Grace Fu, just started a Meme after posting her comments on the Ministerial pay cut at her Facebook page.



**** Now We Know This Grace Fu ****
<http://feedmetothefish.blogspot.com/2012/01/now-we-know-this-grace-fu.html>
Feed Me To The Fish


> Seet Ai Mee left. Lim Hwee Hua left. If you want to, I'm sure you are free to go. With your talents (as endorsed by LKY's PAPgotTALENTs), I'm sure you'll easily get another job that will pay you millions! Don't worry, should you (and the rest of PAP mintsters) leave, I doubt that my mother, wife, sister, daughter and grand daughter will end up as maids in other country.



**** SMRT CEO Saw Resigns As Subway Failures Trigger Public Singapore Protests ****
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-06/smrt-ceo-saw-resigns-as-subway-failures-trigger-public-singapore-protests.html>
Linus Chua And Kyunghee Park, Bloomberg


> SMRT Corp. (MRT) Chief Executive Officer Saw Phaik Hwa stepped down after Singapore’s worst subway disruptions on record led to calls for her resignation.

> “SMRT is signaling its intention to refocus on its core rail operations and assure the public that all efforts are made to ensure the smooth operation of its rail transport system,” Toh Yongrui, an analyst from UOB Kay Hian Pte, said in an e- mailed note. “In contrast to Ms Saw’s background in the retail industry, Mr Tan has experience in engineering, construction and operations through his previous appointments.”



**** SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa Resigns: A Lesson For Ministers? ****
<http://rogerpoh.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/smrt-ceo-saw-phaik-hwa-resigns-a-lesson-for-ministers/>
SpotlightOnSingapore


> Ms Saw has taken responsibility for the breakdowns by resigning. No excuses, no foot-dragging.



**** Fewer Shoppers Using NETS Payment On Friday ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175212/1/.html>
Evelyn Lam, Channel NewsAsia


> Since news of the ATM fraud broke, some retailers said they noticed fewer customers using NETS payment on Friday.



**** High Political Pay Valid Only When All Issues Tackled ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120106-0000148/High-political-pay-valid-only-when-all-issues-tackled>
Dudley Au, Today


> We do not expect our leaders to be altruistic. They have a right to a good life as citizens, in terms of financial stability, and to be paid for the stability they bring to the country. But to be the highest paid government leaders in the world?

One cannot lead with rewards so much higher than those being lead, regardless what formula one use.


**** Our Favourite Playgrounds Of Yesteryears ****
<http://remembersingapore.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/our-favourite-playgrounds-of-yesteryears/>
Remember Singapore


> The memories of these playgrounds are precious to a whole generation of Singaporeans born between the seventies and eighties. Today, most of them were demolished, with only a few of them forgotten in the corners of the old estates. It is a matter of time before they vanish and be replaced by the new plastic playgrounds with rubber mats.

> Deemed safer and more hygienic for the children, the new playgrounds have been installed all over the island since 1993. But their designs, which are almost identical to one another, seem to be lacking of some local elements.



**** Politicians With The Wrong Skills Set ****
<http://blogging4myself.blogspot.com/2012/01/politicians-with-wrong-skills-set.html>
Blogging For Myself


> Conversion or rebirth is very difficult. Often they rather go down with the ship. 



**** WP’s Statement On The Ministerial Salary Review Committee’s Report ****
<http://wp.sg/2012/01/wp’s-statement-on-the-ministerial-salary-review-committee’s-report/>
Workers' Party


> The Workers’ Party (WP) is of the view that the Committee’s proposal to peg ministers’ salaries to the 1,000 top income earners has created a flawed formula. These individuals make up just 0.06%1 of the workforce and are unrepresentative of the general population. The incomes of these “super-rich” Singaporeans generally rise much faster than the rest of the population, potentially escalating the salaries of ministers in subsequent years.

> WP proposes that MPs’ allowances should be pegged to the salaries of divisional directors in the Civil Service (excluding the Administrative Service). Civil service salaries are currently competitively benchmarked to general wage levels of Singaporeans. The salaries of ministers and the Prime Minister should be set at reasonable multiples of an MP’s allowance.



**** DBS Bank Finds 400 Cases Of Unauthorised Withdrawals ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175189/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> DBS Bank on Friday said it has found 400 cases of unauthorised withdrawals from the accounts of its customers. The bank said it has identified two ATM machines at Bugis that were compromised.



**** SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa Resigns ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175196/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> SMRT CEO Saw Phaik Hwa, 57, has resigned.



**** Grace Fu Should Consider Resignation ****
<http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2012/01/grace-fu-should-consider-resignation.html>
Gilbert Koh, Mr Wang Says So


> If they are not happy with their pay, they should just quit and get a more lucrative job elsewhere. After they resign as ministers, Singapore can replace them with other people who care less about the money, and care more about serving the nation.

> So I say this to all the ministers - if you're not happy with your pay, please quit. Now, rather than five years later. Do yourself a favour, and do the country a favour.



**** Highest-Paid Asian Leaders ****
<http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/Highest-Paid-Asian-Leaders-cnbcwp-1335402347.html?x=0>
Darren Connell And Ansuya Harjani, CNBC


> Multi-billion dollar corruption in India and a whopping 36 percent cut in the salary for Singapore's Prime Minister have once again raised the question: how much should politicians be paid?



**** Money Issues ****
<http://sgpublicpolicy.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/money-issues/>
Scrutinizing The Singapore Government


> Personally, I don’t find the cut satisfactory when using an international benchmark (comparing vis-a-vis the responsibility by leaders of other countries) but the results are pretty much within expectation. A drastic cut would literally cut away at whatever harmony and morale left in the PAP government, and an internal disintegration would be worse than leaving a portion of citizens being unsatisfied.



**** Dollar Amount Of Pay Still Too High ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120106-0000071/Dollar-amount-of-pay-still-too-high>
Wong Jiahui Alicia, Today


> While the majority of Singaporeans say they approve of the depth of the proposed cuts to ministerial pay, a straw poll of 100 Singaporeans found that many still feel that the absolute quantum of the salaries - the proposed S$1.1 million annual salary for an entry-level minister - is too high.



**** Complacency Is Singapore's Worst Enemy ****
<http://www.zdnetasia.com/blogs/complacency-is-singapores-worst-enemy-62303408.htm>
Eileen Yu, ZDNet


> Four service incidents in as many days. News-wise, it was an exciting week for us at ZDNet Asia, but it certainly doesn't bode well for Singapore which already has been embattled with various other "disruptions", including a series of train breakdowns, flooding--not ponding--and an apparent lack of social media "grace" among its local politicians. 



**** Customers Flock To POSB, DBS Sites To Check Accounts ****
<http://sg.news.yahoo.com/posb--dbs-investigate-rash-of-fraudulent-withdrawals.html>
Xavier Lur, Yahoo!


> Snake-like queues were spotted at DBS and POSB branches and passbook update machines around the island on Friday morning after DBS said it is investigating a total of over $200,000 worth of unauthorised withdrawals.

> Online customers also reported having encountered difficulties in logging on to their internet banking accounts since Thursday night.



**** Singapore Leaders Cut Pay, But Win Few Hearts ****
<http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2012/01/06/singapore-leaders-cut-pay-but-win-few-hearts/>
Chun Han Wong And Shibani Mahtani, Wall Street Journal


> But the move, the latest in a series of PAP remedies aimed at recouping support lost in a bruising general election last May, has attracted more brickbats than plaudits so far. Many citizens have expressed reservations, even derision, about the depth of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s reform pledges, saying the PAP hasn’t departed from its philosophy of elite governance, in which it emphasizes paying top dollar for top talent.

> Observers also criticized the government’s approach to reviewing political salaries for being too narrow in scope. By asking how ministerial salaries can be more appropriately linked to corporate pay, instead of formulating a remuneration policy that can win citizens’ support by framing public service as a calling, the government was seeking “technical” answers to a “political” question, former nominated lawmaker Siew Kum Hong wrote in his blog.

Do we have to wait until the next General Election before the government realizes this is not enough?


**** NTUC Fairprice, Singapore’s Largest Supermarket Chain, Says No To Shark Fin Products ****
<http://www.asianscientist.com/topnews/singapore-ntuc-fairprice-chris-lee-thern-da-seafood-stops-sale-shark-fin-products-012012/>
Asian Scientist



**** Ministerial Salary Review In Singapore ****
<http://thinkhappiness.blogspot.com/2012/01/ministerial-salary-review-in-singapore.html>
Dharmendra Yadav, Think Happiness


> If you are unhappy with the changes and want another benchmark adopted, you will need to vote in a different government because, like it or not, it is not going to happen with the PAP.



**** S’poreans Got Money Meh? ****
<http://atans1.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/sporeans-got-money-meh/#comments>
Thoughts Of A Cynical Investor


> Assuming, Khaw was not fibbing about the numbers, will the SDP, KennethJ, Lina Chiam or the many regular contributors to TOC and TR Emeritus who are forever harping that standards of living for the majority of S’poreans have fallen, explain how come so many ordinary S’poreans are rich enough to own cars (some even two) despite rising COE and HDB prices?

If the income gap has significantly widened, that could be another reason.


**** Define 'Sacrifice' In Our Political Context ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_752362.html>
Lu-Ann Ong, Straits Times


> Perhaps the meaning of 'sacrifice' can be better explained, clarified or justified by those who constantly insist that ministers make 'sacrifices' on account of their jobs.

Why do we want to have leaders who see their role as a sacrifice rather than an honour?


**** More Thoughts On Ministerial Pay Revisions ****
<http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7288>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net


> The best and brightest that our society has to offer are deterred from entering politics because the reputation of the political elite has been tarnished, because the honour and dignity of public service has been eroded. Until this changes, the PAP government will be fighting a losing battle in attracting talent.

There are many reasons why the PAP doesn't seem to be able to attract the best talents anymore -- a fact that even PAP members admitted recently. I'm pretty sure salary is not a reason at all.


**** Stop Tying Pay To Performance ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Commentary/EDC120106-0000003/Stop-tying-pay-to-performance>
Bruno Frey And Margit Osterloh, New York Times


> The evidence keeps growing that pay for performance is ineffective. It also may induce executives to take company-killing risks. There are other ways to motivate employees that yield better results at lower cost.



**** Do We Need Exorbitant Salaries To Negate Moral Hazard? ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120106-0000075/Do-we-need-exorbitant-salaries-to-negate-moral-hazard?>
Justin Ng, Today


> Do we need exorbitant salaries to negate moral hazard? And that would be the pivot of our society.



**** Another Yardstick To View Ministerial Salaries: Previous Pay ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120106-0000058/Another-yardstick-to-view-ministerial-salaries--Previous-pay>
Galen Yeo, Today


> Since salaries have been central to the issue of attracting top flight talent, perhaps the government should provide a clearer breakdown of our ministers' backgrounds and their salaries prior to being appointed.

> This exercise in transparency would boost public confidence, compared to the public making their own assumptions.

Transparency is more important than private privacy, when public monies are involved.


**** Reward Based On Input, Not Post ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120106-0000057/Reward-based-on-input,-not-post>
Paul Antony Fernandez, Today


> I am of the opinion, though, that an annual salary of S$550,000 for the Speaker of Parliament is not justifiable, as his role is merely to ensure that the House is in order. And in Singapore, there is no trouble during Parliamentary sessions.



**** Falling On Their Wallets ****
<http://www.economist.com/node/21542479>
The Economist


> It is a victory for democracy, Singapore-style. The knack of responding to voters’ complaints while sticking to its basic operating principles is what has kept the People’s Action Party in power ever since independence in 1962. After all, despite appeasing the voters, Singapore’s politicians remain the best-paid in the world: a minister will still get S$1.1m a year. No one feels too sorry for these sea-green incorruptibles—just as no one suggests that they will be any less virtuous for their pay cuts.



**** Answering The Wrong Question On Ministerial Salaries ****
<http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2012/01/answering-wrong-question-on-ministerial.html>
Siew Kum Hong


> But I do think that the Committee was asked to answer the wrong question. The Committee’s terms of reference had already pre-supposed that fundamentally, the proper way to determine ministerial salaries was to compare with private-sector salaries (“how do we calculate ministerial salaries taking account private sector salaries and other guidelines”). In other words, the Committee was only being asked to answer the technical question of precisely how to calculate ministerial salaries based on private-sector salaries.

> But to my mind, the question of ministerial salaries is actually a political one (“how do we determine ministerial salaries in a way that Singaporeans can and will support”). And so, we ended up with a technocrat’s answer to a technical question, when what we really needed was a political answer to a political question. Since we didn’t get that, the political criticisms I had referred to will almost certainly continue.