[MyAppleMenu] Mar 6, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================
**** Easy Typing With A Little-Used iPhone Feature ****
<http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/easy-typing-with-a-little-used-iphone-feature/?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Roy Furchgott, New York Times


> Shortcut is great for oft-used phrases or answers to common questions. It has saved me numerous times from having to type my mailing address, my lengthy e-mail address, or a polite “no thanks” for invitations to events in distant cities.



**** Correct Spelling From The Keyboard ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/165696/2012/03/correct_spelling_from_the_keyboard.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Kirk McElhearn, Macworld



**** Adobe Ships Photoshop Lightroom 4 And Cuts Price In Half ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/165603/2012/03/adobe_ships_photoshop_lightroom_4_and_cuts_price_in_half.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Jackie Dove, Macworld


> Adobe has released version 4 of Photoshop Lightroom, its professional photo management application, following a beta period of about two months. But perhaps the biggest news is that Adobe has permanently cut the price of Lightroom in half. Version 4 is priced at $149, as opposed to the $299 shipping price of version 3. The upgrade price is now $79, as opposed to the previous upgrade price of $99. "Lowering the price makes Lightroom more accessible to a broader range of photographers—from pros to amateurs,” said Tom Hogarty, Lightroom's principal product manager.

> The new Lightroom upgrade focuses on improving photographic results and providing a more complete workflow than previous versions. "Photographers have been asking for [workflow improvements] for quite awhile, and they've been having to use different tools to achieve those results. Now we're really at the point where we're saying that a complete workflow is now within Lightroom," Hogarty said.



**** Small-Biz iPad Use Explodes ****
<http://www.portfolio.com/business-news/2012/03/05/ipad-use-nearly-quadrupled-among-small-business-owners>
Michael del Castillo, Portfolio.com


> And with the expected unveiling this week of the iPad 3, it's practically a sure thing to predict that entrepreneurs and business owners will continue to embrace Apple's tablet. After all, the iPad already has done a stellar job of making most tablet alternatives business failures.



**** Eavesdropping Antennas Can Steal Your Smart Phone's Secrets ****
<http://www.technologyreview.com/communications/39855/?ref=rss>
Tom Simonite, Technology Review


> At the RSA computer security conference last week, Gary Kenworthy of Cryptography Research held up an iPod Touch on stage and looked over to a TV antenna three meters away. The signal picked up by the antenna, routed through an amplifier and computer software, revealed the secret key being used by an app running on the device to encrypt data. An attacker with access to this key could use it to perfectly impersonate the device he stole it from—to access e-mail on a company server, for example.



**** Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.7.3 Supplemental Update ****
<http://www.macstories.net/news/apple-releases-mac-os-x-10-7-3-supplemental-update/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+macstoriesnet+%28MacStories%29>
Federico Viticci, MacStories


> Apple just released a “supplemental update” to OS X 10.7.3, resolving ”an issue when restoring a Mac from a Time Machine backup.” Apple also adds in the release notes: ”This update is recommended for users running 10.7.3 with Time Machine backups.”



**** Square Announces Register For The iPad ****
<http://www.macgasm.net/2012/03/05/square-announces-register-for-the-ipad/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+macgasm%2Fmain+%28Macgasm%29>
Joshua Schnell, Macgasm


> Square, the popular company behind those cute little credit card dongles for your iPhone, has just released announced Register, an iPad application that is taking direct aim at replacing the clunky cash registers of yeasteryear that still dominate the retail scene.



**** Changing Your Apple ID's Email Address ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/165681/2012/03/change_appleid_email.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Christopher Breen, Macworld

For those times when you have to abandon an email address.


**** Apple Names The App Store 25 Billionth Download Winner ****
<http://www.loopinsight.com/2012/03/05/apple-names-the-app-store-25-billionth-download-winner/?utm_source=loopinsight.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+loopinsight%2FKqJb+%28The+Loop%29>
Jim Dalrymple, The Loop


> According to Apple, the 25 billionth app downloaded, Where’s My Water? Free, was downloaded by Chunli Fu of Qingdao, China. Chunli Fu will receive a $10,000 iTunes Gift Card.






The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** At The Restaurant Of The Future, This Gadget Takes Your Order ****
<http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/03/at-the-restaurant-of-the-future-this-gadget-takes-your-order/253855/>
The Atlantic



**** Papers Put Faith In Paywalls ****
<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203833004577251822631536422.html>
Russell Adams, Wall Street Journal


> As more newspapers close the door on free access to their websites, some publishers are still waiting for paying customers to pour in.

> The numbers of readers signing up so far suggest that at many papers, "paywalls" aren't about to reverse publishers' deteriorating finances. Yet the results aren't discouraging industry executives, who say their efforts are succeeding in shoring up the core print business after years of declines.






MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================
**** Mug ****
<http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/poem/2012/03/_mug_by_michael_ryan.html>
Michael Ryan, Slate



**** You’d Better Run ****
<http://www.tnr.com/article/poetry/magazine/100991/youd-better-run>
Natalie Shapero, The New Republic



**** For Deliverymen, Speed, Tips and Fear on Wheels ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/nyregion/for-food-delivery-workers-speed-tips-and-fear-on-wheels.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&seid=auto&smid=tw-nytimesdining&pagewanted=1&adxnnlx=1330956261-rv1STcIDPvKysxUkZJjUDw>
J. David Goodman, New York Times


> Deliverymen and women have few defenders or advocates. They lack the cultural aura that once gave bad behavior by bicycle messengers an outlaw appeal. Nobody romanticizes deliverymen — and they are almost all male — as urban cowboys.






SingaporeSurf
====================================
**** Singapore Rest Day For Maids Still Behind International Standards - Human Rights Watch ****
<http://www.interaksyon.com/article/26122/singapore-rest-day-for-maids-still-behind-international-standards---human-rights-watch>
InterAksyon.com


> The new Singapore policy, announced on Monday, takes effect only for new contracts beginning January next year and does "not address the exclusion of domestic workers from other key labor protections in Singapore's Employment Act," Human Rights Watch noted in a statement released Tuesday.

> HRW noted that, "Given the imbalance of power between employers and domestic workers, there is significant risk of abuse that employers may coerce workers to sign away their day of rest."



**** By-elections: By The Book, The Constitutional Way ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/03/by-elections-by-the-book-the-constitutional-way/>
Gordon Lee, The Online Citizen


> For members of the PAP to suggest that the WP is or was against clear time-lines for the calling of by-elections is simply deceitful and further scandalises the dirty political system which they preside over.



**** Govt Paid Mercer S$860k For Work With Salary Review Committee ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1187350/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> Mr Teo added that the chairman and members of the Ministerial Salaries Review Committee were all volunteers and they were not paid an honorarium or any other fees.

> The committee engaged Mercer to support the committee's work with their technical expertise on human resource and remuneration issues.



**** MEWR To Ban Subletting Of Hawker Stalls ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1187323/1/.html>
Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia


> From next month, new hawker stallholders will no longer be allowed to sublet or assign their stalls to another person.

> However, Ms Fu acknowledged that it is not easy for a stallholder to operate a stall for a full day. Thus, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will permit joint tenancies, and do away with the requirement that each stall can only have a single tenant.



**** Seven Towns To Get New Hawker Centres ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_774369.html>
Tessa Wong, Straits Times


> Seven towns around Singapore will get new hawker centres in the next five years, announced Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu on Tuesday. The towns are: Bukit Panjang, Yishun, Pasir Ris, Jurong West, Admiralty, Tampines and Punggol.

Time to start complaining why your place have no hawker centers.


**** Government To Set Up New Department Of Public Cleanliness ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_774362.html>
Tessa Wong, Straits Times


> Currently, multiple government agencies are involved in cleaning common public areas. [senior minister of state for the environment and water Resources Grace Fu] said her ministry agrees with several MPs, who have criticised the arrangement, that this is not optimal.

> Hence, the DPC was created as an integrated agency that will better manage cleaning contracts, improve service standards and improve the Government's responsiveness to public feedback.



**** Singapore Entrepreneurs Have To Be Willing To Fail ****
<http://www.zdnetasia.com/singapore-entrepreneurs-have-to-be-willing-to-fail-62304098.htm>
Liau Yun Qing, ZDNet



**** ST Kinetics To Clear Name Amid Reports Of Links To Corruption Probe ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1187283/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia



**** MFA Addressing Rising Demand For Consular Assistance ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1187290/1/.html>
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia



**** Singapore To Give $50 Million To Asean: Shanmugam ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_774330.html>
Tessa Wong, Straits Times



**** Internet Freedom: A Young Singaporean’s View ****
<http://kirstenhan.me/2012/03/06/internet-freedom-a-young-singaporeans-view/>
Kirsten Han, Funny Little World


> You don’t fight closed minds by closing them down. You fight closed minds with even more openness.



**** My Eyebrows Rose Thrice, Part 3: Hurtful ****
<http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/my-eyebrows-rose-thrice-part-3-hurtful/>
Alex Au, Yawning Bread


> It’s quite ironic that this government knows very well Singapore cannot compete on the basis of cheap labour cost. It’s no use racing to the bottom, they remind citizens, we just have to create value to justify our higher labour cost. So why does the same government insist on racing to the bottom with respect to lowest tax rates for the rich? Why don’t we focus on creating value instead?

> Might it be because this government is a captive of rich Singaporeans, and what better way to justify low tax rates for themselves than to argue that the foreigners must have that? And while we’re at it, hold ordinary Singaporeans hostage by threatening that they (the rich and “talented”) will decamp if their privileges are withdrawn?



**** The $1.1 Billion Package To Expand Bus Capacity – Who Is The Government Subsidising? ****
<http://hri-kumar.blogspot.com/2012/03/11-billion-package-to-expand-bus.html>
Hri Kumar


> We cannot simply mandate that the PTOs add these 550 buses to improve service levels. First, because it goes significantly beyond the service levels under the current regulatory framework. Second, the PTO’s bus operations are already running operating losses, and the 550 additional buses in particular are projected to be a loss-making operation. The cost of acquiring and running the 550 buses are beyond what can be recovered through revenues from these buses.



**** Singapore Top Carbon Emitter In Asia-Pacific: WWF ****
<http://news.yahoo.com/singapore-top-carbon-emitter-asia-pacific-wwf-200802255.html>
AFP


> The environmental advocacy group said Singapore's 2010 per capita gross domestic product of more than $40,000 -- one of the highest in the region -- fuelled exorbitant consumption habits.

> But the group also fingered the corporate sector and in particular the construction industry for crowning the tiny city-state as the region's top per capita carbon emitter.



**** $1K-flat For The Poor: More Unbelievable Contradictions	 ****
<http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/5168-1k-flat-for-the-poor-more-unbelievable-contradictions>
Singaore Democratic Party


> If flats are so affordable for the poor, how is it that more and more have to rent? Funny how in just six months the scenario has changed so dramatically. Perhaps DPM Tharman should check with the PM. Only one of them can be right.



**** Yong Vui Kong Files Affidavit Alleging Unequal Treatment ****
<http://secondchances.asia/yong-vui-kong-files-affidavit-alleging-unequal-treatment/>
We Believe In Second Chances



**** Blimey, The Govt Is Still Talking About Affordable Housing ****
<http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2012/03/blimey-govt-is-still-talking-about.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News


> Two pay checks and 30 years to pay the mortgage. Right? Affordable in the past was one pay check and 15 to 20 years to pay. The difference between the two formulas for affordability is like heaven and hell. 



**** Singapore To Grant Mandatory Day Off For Maids ****
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i_OJjd5efvkZIq_0WzP76n3EMWRA?docId=CNG.7ce214ed2bf910d9d222c782a5fc5c3e.11>
AFP


> The Philippine embassy in Singapore welcomed the announcement. There are about 65,000 Filipina maids in the city-state, according to embassy estimates.

> "This progressive policy change by MOM is a clear recognition that the rights of domestic workers are just as important as the rights of any other worker in Singapore," said charge d'affaires Neal Imperial.



**** æ–°åŠ å¡å‡­ä»€ä¹ˆè¶…è¶Šé¦™æ¸¯ï¼Ÿ ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl120306_002.shtml>
纪赟, 联合早报


> 如果详细分析经济数据，我们就会发现，真正让二者之间拉开差距的还是亚洲金融危机，即在这次危机之后，香港花了整整十年才将自己的国内生产总值恢复到了1997å¹´çš„æ°´å¹³ï¼Œæ¢è€Œè¨€ä¹‹ï¼Œå°±æ˜¯é¦™æ¸¯å¤±åŽ»äº†æ•´æ•´åå¹´ã€‚è€Œåœ¨æ­¤ä¸€å±æœºä¹‹ä¸­ï¼Œæ–°åŠ å¡ç”±äºŽæ”¿åºœæŽªæ–½å¾—å½“ï¼Œå°¤å…¶æ˜¯é‡‘èžç®¡åˆ¶çš„å¾—åŠ›ï¼ŒåŸºæœ¬ä¸Šå¯ä»¥ç®—æ˜¯å¾—ä»¥å…¨èº«è€Œé€€ã€‚

> å¦‚æžœè¯´äºŒè€…ä¹‹é—´çš„æœ¬è´¨æ€§å·®å¼‚ï¼Œéžå¸¸æœ‰å¯èƒ½è¿˜æ˜¯å¾—ç›ŠäºŽæ–°åŠ å¡ä»Žæœªå¤±åŽ»çš„å¼ºçƒˆå±æœºæ„Ÿã€‚ä¸Žé¦™æ¸¯ä¸åŒï¼Œå¾ˆå¤šæ–°åŠ å¡äººéƒ½ç›´è¨€éžå¸¸ç¾¡æ…•é¦™æ¸¯èƒŒåŽæœ‰ä¸­å›½å¤§é™†è¿™æ£µå¤§æ ‘å¥½ä¹˜å‡‰ï¼Œè€Œæ–°åŠ å¡åˆ™åªèƒ½è‡ªå·±æ‰“æ‹¼ï¼Œç‹¬è‡ªåº”å¯¹ä»»ä½•å¯èƒ½å‡ºçŽ°çš„å±æœºä¸ŽæŒ‘æˆ˜ã€‚å› æ­¤æ–°åŠ å¡å†³ç­–å±‚åˆ¶å®šæ”¿ç­–éžå¸¸æœ‰é’ˆå¯¹æ€§ï¼Œæ—¢æœ‰é•¿è¿œè€ƒè™‘ï¼Œä¹Ÿæœ‰éžå¸¸åŠ¡å®žçš„çŸ­æœŸè§„åˆ’ã€‚



**** å°šè¾¾æ›¼ï¼šä½ æ˜¯ä¸ºèµšå–æ”¿æ²»ç­¹ç  åˆ˜ç¨‹å¼ºï¼šè¿™åªæ˜¯ä½ çš„æƒ³è±¡ ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp120306_025.shtml>
何惜薇, 联合早报


> å°šè¾¾æ›¼è¯´ï¼šâ€œæˆ‘æ„Ÿè§‰åˆ°ä½ æ”¹å˜ç«‹åœºæ˜¯å› ä¸ºä½ è§‰å¾—è®¨è®ºä¸­å°ä¼ä¸šèƒ½è®©ä½ èµšå–æ”¿æ²»ç­¹ç ã€‚æˆ‘ä»¬éƒ½åœ¨è®¨è®ºä¸­å°ä¼ä¸šï¼Œä½ è§‰å¾—å¯¹å®ƒä»¬è¡¨ç¤ºåŒæƒ…æ˜¯å€¼å¾—é‡‡çº³çš„ç«‹åœºã€‚â€



**** 女佣每周休一天 有人欢喜有人愁 ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp120306_027.shtml>
联合早报


> åœ¨ä¸€ç‰‡å«å¥½å£°ä¸­ï¼Œæœ‰é›‡ä¸»åˆ™åæ˜ ä»–ä»¬çš„é¡¾è™‘ï¼Œæ‹…å¿ƒè¿™ä¼šåŠ é‡é›‡ç”¨å¥³ä½£çš„ç»æµŽè´Ÿæ‹…ã€‚



**** Citizens Concerned Over Lack Of Social Mobility ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/03/netizens-concerned-over-lack-of-social-mobility/>
Kumaran Pillai, The Online Citizen


> The proverbial saying of, “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” comes to my mind. The $60k grant is like giving the poor the fish. What we need is egalitarianism of rights that every individual in our society has a fair and equal opportunity to partake in our economic progress.  I leave you with a question, have the poor in our nation become a forsaken lot? 



**** Getting Homemade Foods Off The Black Market ****
<http://grist.org/sustainable-food/gettting-homemade-foods-off-the-black-market/>
Brie Mazurek, Grist


> In California, for instance, it’s currently a misdemeanor for home artisans to sell their goodies in the open marketplace. Case in point: Last June, Department of Public Health officials in San Francisco shut down ForageSF’s popular Underground Market, which featured mostly home producers, because its sellers were not compliant with local and state regulations.

> But due to a campaign launched by the Sustainable Economies Law Center, the laws might change this year. The Oakland-based SELC recently teamed up with Los Angeles Assembly Member Mike Gatto to introduce the California Homemade Food Act,  a “cottage food” bill that would legalize the sale of certain foods produced in home kitchens.

Singapore should seriously look into doing something similar.
Previously: <a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1186038/1/.html">MP Urges Home-Based Food Catering Business For Women</a> (Channel NewsAsia).


**** Not Quite Correct, Tharman ****
<http://atans1.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/not-quite-correct-tharman/>
Thoughts Of A Cynical Investor


> What about the “premium” that one pays to ensure that one is covered for life?

You can't have your cake and eat it too. (Yes, you should, on the other hand, be able to not have the cake and not eat it, something that the government failed to provide.)


**** Bus Stop Designed To Overcome Site Constraints ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120306-0000064/Bus-stop-designed-to-overcome-site-constraints>
Helen Lim, Land Transport Authority, Today


> However, this stop along Bukit Timah Road has insufficient space to site a shelter parallel to the bus bay. As traffic flow along this stretch is often heavy, especially during peak hours, a bus bay is necessary to prevent buses at this bus stop from obstructing traffic.

I am quite satisfied with the LTA's answer, as I fail to see any better solutions besides removing the bus bay or removing the petrol station behind the bus stop.


**** Public Housing To Be Built At Bukit Brown ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120306-0000062/Public-housing-to-be-built-at-Bukit-Brown>
Sumita Sreedharan, Today


> The southern part of Bukit Brown, where the Old Police Academy stands, will be developed for public housing as an extension of Toa Payoh, revealed Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin yesterday.



**** India Bans Six Defence Firms For 10 Years ****
<http://www.newkerala.com/news/2011/worldnews-168184.html>
NewKerala.com


> India Monday banned six defence firms, including four foreign companies, from doing any business in the country for 10 years beginning 2012, following the chargesheeting of a former Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) chief in a graft case.

> The companies banned are Singapore Technologies, Israeli Military Industries, German Rheinmetall Air Defence, Russia Corporation Defence and two Indian firms, defence ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar told reporters here.



**** No More Shark's Fins At Swissotel, Fairmont ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/Singaporeinbrief/EDC120306-0000079/No-more-sharks-fins-at-Swissotel,-Fairmont>
Today


> Together with affiliate Fairmont Singapore, the two hotels' combined 16 restaurants have now completely eliminated shark's fins from all of its menus, said Swissotel The Stamford in its press release.

Good for them.


**** New Legislation Will Not Prevent Shameful Exploitation Of Foreign Domestic Workers ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/03/new-legislation-will-not-prevent-shameful-exploitation-of-foreign-domestic-workers/>
Jolene Tan, The Online Citizen


> The problem is that the MOM continues to provide an option for employers to compensate workers in lieu of a rest day. In reality, this may not be substantially different from the status quo.



**** Melting Superman Sculpture At Singapore Art Museum ****
<http://www.highsnobiety.com/news/2012/03/05/melting-superman-sculpture-at-singapore-art-museum/>
Highsnobiety.com


> The sculpture is fittingly entitled ‘No One Can Save Us Now’.