[MyAppleMenu] Jan 10, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple, RIM Deny Claims Of Data Backdoor For Indian Government ****
<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/09/apple_rim_indian_government_backdoor/>
Iain Thomson, The Register


> An Apple spokesman told <i>The Register</i> that the company denied giving any access to the Indian government to its systems, although he couldn't comment on the veracity of the memos themselves.



**** 5 Minutes On The Verge: Sparrow's Dom Leca ****
<http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/9/2685044/sparrow-dom-leca-5-minutes-on-the-verge>
Thomas Houston, The Verge


> In the past two years, Mac users got a great desktop email client alternative in the form of Sparrow, an elegant app with a unified inbox, full range of keyboard commands, Gmail labels, multiple account support, and Growl compatibility. The Sparrow team is at work on a dedicated iOS app, set for release this winter. Based in France, co-founder Dom Leca spared a few moments of his time to answer some of our pressing questions on apps, technology, design, and much more.



**** Sparkbox Is A Repository For Your Creative Inspiration ****
<http://lifehacker.com/5874568/sparkbox-is-a-repository-for-your-creative-inspiration>
Adam Dachis, Lifehacker


> When you find an image you find particularly inspiring, you often want to save it. If you save a lot of these images, they can be hard to sort through and find as needed. That's where Sparkbox can help. It's a repository for your creative inspiration.



**** Daily Mac App: TurboCollage ****
<http://www.tuaw.com/2012/01/09/daily-mac-app-turbocollage/>
Mel Martin, TUAW



**** How To Use Services In Mac OS X ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/163996/2012/01/how_to_use_services_in_mac_os_x.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Kirk McElhearn, Macworld


> One of the little-known time-saving features of Mac OS X is services—hidden, single-feature commands that you can access from a special Services menu, or, sometimes, from a contextual menu. These features are generally provided by applications—built-in OS X applications or third-party programs—and let you quickly preform actions that usually require launching additional programs and taking many steps. Here are answers to frequently asked questions about how to find, use, and manage services.



**** Select And Copy Text Within Quick Look Previews ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/164668/2012/01/select_and_copy_text_within_quick_look_previews.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Lex Friedman, Macworld






The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Sony Bloggie Live Lets You Live-Stream Video Over Wi-Fi ****
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/247484/sony_bloggie_live_lets_you_livestream_video_over_wifi.html>
Tim Moynihan, PCWorld


> Even within the realm of those new connected camera offerings, the Sony Bloggie Live pocket camcorder has a unique twist: It allows shooters to live-stream video to the Web while filming, and the camcorder is able to receive short messages through an online service as you're shooting.






MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Life In The Woods ****
<http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/poem/2012/01/_life_in_the_woods_by_doug_ramspeck.html>
Doug Ramspeck, Slate



**** You Say You Want A Devolution? ****
<http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2012/01/prisoners-of-style-201201>
Kurt Andersen, Vanity Fair


> Since 1992, as the technological miracles and wonders have propagated and the political economy has transformed, the world has become radically and profoundly new. (And then there’s the miraculous drop in violent crime in the United States, by half.) Here is what’s odd: during these same 20 years, the appearance of the world (computers, TVs, telephones, and music players aside) has changed hardly at all, less than it did during any 20-year period for at least a century. The past is a foreign country, but the recent past—the 00s, the 90s, even a lot of the 80s—looks almost identical to the present. This is the First Great Paradox of Contemporary Cultural History.



**** We Need To Talk About Ronald ****
<http://www.thesmartset.com/article/article01091201.aspx>
Greg Beato, The Smart Set


> In 2012, Ronald McDonald is essentially a clown without a country.






SingaporeSurf
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**** Timelier Updates On Train Services: SMRT ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175953/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah, Channel NewsAsia


> SMRT admits there has been too much focus on rectifying the fault rather than keeping commuters informed of the situation.



**** Netizens Are Intrigued By Mr Lee’s Action ****
<http://news.insing.com/tabloid/netizens-are-intrigued-by-mr-lee-s-action/id-f9263f00>
Lina Chan, InSing


> A video of Mr Lee Kuan Yew walking away from a speech made by Ms Tin Pei Lin has gone viral.



**** S’pore Telcos May Revise Pricing Of 3G Packages ****
<http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/fit-to-post-technology/pore-telcos-may-revise-pricing-3g-packages-073953723.html>
Xavier Lur, Yahoo!


> The report, released on Monday, cited plans by local telcos to reduce generous data caps, scrap the current unlimited data option in 3G packages, and roll out more usage-based plans in the future.

> The review comes after the ever-increasing adoption of instant messaging platforms and Voice over IP (VoIP) applications such as WhatsApp and Viber. Such tools allow mobile users to send text messages and make phone calls for free, thus eroding the need to pay for costly voice calls or SMS, the report noted.

Like telcos everywhere, they are not happy with losing the ability to charge sky-high prices for that few KB of data that SMS messages use.


**** Singapore Land Transport Operator SMRT's CFO Resigns ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Money/Story/STIStory_650262.html>
Reuters


> Singapore subway, bus and taxi operator SMRT said on Monday that chief financial officer Lim Cheng Cheng has resigned to pursue her own personal interests.

A CFO's role typically includes squeezing more profits out of revenue.


**** Ties With S’pore On Best Footing ****
<http://www.thesundaily.my/news/261705>
Azman Ujang, The Sun


> Let's get our act together and do our best to achieve what Najib and Hsien Loong have set out to do.



**** Potong Pasir – A Town That Is Losing Its Soul? ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/01/potong-pasir-a-town-that-is-losing-its-soul/>
Andrea, The Online Citizen


> When once we would be greeted with smiles and cheery good mornings, they are now strangers going about their own business. You see, the workers used to consist of folks who were residents themselves. They knew everyone and everyone knew them. This is changing, with the appointment of new contractors for various services. Even in the case when the same worker now works under the new contractor, she seems to now lack the cheeriness and bounce in her step. No time to say good morning or smile, but seems to be in a rush to meet her KPIs for the day.

> The personal touches, which once made this town so appealing and comforting, so homely and kampong-like seem to have all vanished now. Sure, new lifts, new coats of paint, a new supermarket, are nice; but they can’t replace sincerity and spirit. Some of this spirit still lives in its older residents, but something which I fear, will be lost soon. The PAP machinery and changes have moved in – slowly, turning this quaint little town into something bland, and unfeeling.



**** Plight Of Older Workers In Singapore Continues ****
<http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/5102-plight-of-older-workers-in-singapore-continues>
Singaore Democratic Party


> This is the tragedy of the Singapore system. It is one where the state can, and often does, exploit the people in order to raise profits. Whether we can raise productivity by cultivating a secure and happy workforce is another question altogether.



**** From The Gallery: Confusion Over The Hybrid Creature Called The MRT ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-3/Story/STIStory_753746.html>
Li Xueying, Straits Times


> The whys and hows of the December breakdowns will be, as Mr Lui promised, thoroughly thrashed out as the Committee of Inquiry does its work. But the longer-term question of the best way for Singapore to structure the financing and the operating of its public transport is a trickier one.

Everyone is confused about who owns what, who does what, and who's responsible for what.


**** Political Parties Can Rent Housing Board Shophouses ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/Parliament/Story/STIStory_753788.html>
Straits Times


> Political parties may rent or sublease Housing Board shophouses to use as their headquarters 'as long as the intended use does not cause disamenities to residents'. National development minister Khaw Boon Wan made this clear in a written reply to Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam on Monday.



**** Shorter Housing Board Flat Leases Not Feasible ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/Parliament/Story/STIStory_753787.html>
Straits Times


> Young married couples, who form the vast majority of new HDB flat buyers, need their first flats to help them upgrade to larger homes or private properties when their families grow, said Mr Khaw. Furthermore, if their first flats have shorter leases, these couples may have limited chances of using their flats to buy into studio apartments when they retire, he added.

i'm not sure I understand the argument here. Is Mr Khaw saying that we need to make sure all our flats to appreciate in value to counter inflation, because the money in the CPF accounts cannot?


**** The Real Cost Of GST ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_753543.html>
Tan Kin Lian, Straits Times


> There is also the multiplier effect of GST, as small businesses may not be able to get the full benefit of the refund from GST input. The higher cost of living faced by employees as a result of GST has to be reflected in their salaries, leading to a multiplier effect.



**** A Minister's Most Vital Attribute ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_753547.html>
Daniel Chan, Straits Times


> What are the professional skills, knowledge and training a minister requires? Of late, we have seen ministers changing portfolios in a short span of time. A minister of manpower is made to look after health. A health minister suddenly takes care of housing. So how does one price talent in this case?



**** 议员要求重开与地铁平行巴士服务 交通部长有所保留 ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp120110_013.shtml>
联合早报


> 他昨天在国会回答议员李美花（宏茂桥集选区）的提问时，举地铁上月18æ—¥å»¶è¿Ÿå·è¡Œï¼Œä»¥å¯¹æ•´æ¡å—åŒ—ä¸Žä¸œè¥¿çº¿è½¨é“åŠæ‰€æœ‰åˆ—è½¦åšå½»åº•æ£€æŸ¥çš„é‚£ä¸ªæ˜ŸæœŸå¤©çš„æƒ…å†µä¸ºä¾‹ï¼ŒæŒ‡å‡ºæ°‘ä¼—åŸºäºŽå„ç§åŽŸå› æ˜¾ç„¶è¾ƒå€¾å‘äºŽæ­åœ°é“ã€‚

If the minister believes that there is low demand for bus routes that parallel the MRT network, perhaps he should just open up these routes to free competition, without fear that this will make our precious MRT system unprofitable. And I do mean free competition: no regulations on fares, schedules, routes (so long as the buses stop only at MRT stations), and the width of the bus doors. I'm pretty sure the <i>real</i> private sector is more innovative than the two monopolies we have right now.


**** Breathless In The City ****
<http://www.publichouse.sg/categories/topstory/item/372-give-us-a-city-in-which-we-can-breathe>
Andrew Loh, Publichouse.sg



**** Consider The Kopitiam ****
<http://poskod.sg/Posts/2012/1/9/Consider-the-Kopitiam?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+poskodsg+%28POSKOD.SG%29>
Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, Poskod.sg


> In contrast to hawker centres, coffeeshops come and go, rise and fall according to the rhythm of economic and social desire. They’re also a different breed from food courts, those air-conditioned, plastic simulacra of street life. 



**** Bayfront, Cove Stations' Names Create Confusion ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175704/1/.html>
Lian Cheong, Channel NewsAsia



**** MDA, MediaCorp Explore Ways To Provide Subtitles For Hearing-impaired ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1175694/1/.html>
Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia


> Dr Yaacob said the government is exploring the solutions with MediaCorp to try to provide subtitles as much as possible for programmes that have national significance.

> "However, I also seek the Member's understanding that such subtitling solutions can be resource-intensive, especially for 'live' broadcasts, so we need to find a solution that is practical and sustainable."