[MyAppleMenu] Mar 21, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================
**** How I Use Evernote For Work ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1165855/how_i_use_evernote_for_work.html#lsrc.rss_main>
David Sparks, Macworld


> You may not have considered how useful and versatile Evernote can be for business use. Here are some of the ways I’ve incorporated it into my workflow.



**** Now Can We Start Talking About The Real Foxconn? ****
<http://go.bloomberg.com/tech-blog/2012-03-20-now-can-we-start-talking-about-the-real-foxconn/#prclt-EmADb1cu>
Tim Culpan, Bloomberg


> To the public, a story about a 19-year-old shrugging her shoulders and claiming work is not so bad just can’t stand up against a 12-year-old working the iPad factory lines. The naïve and youthful smile of a kid having found his first girlfriend at a Foxconn work party pales in comparison to a crippled old man holding an iPad for the first time. Compared to the lies, the truth just doesn’t make good theater.



**** First Look: MyTunes Pro HD ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1165340/first_look_mytunes_pro_hd.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Christopher Breen, Macworld



**** Tests Confirm New iPad’s Display Is Close To Studio Reference Quality ****
<http://venturebeat.com/2012/03/20/new-ipad-screen-tests/>
Devindra Hardawar, VentureBeat


> While most of the tech press has focused on the new iPad’s increased screen resolution, Soneira says the improved color saturation is “equally responsible for its wow factor.” Compared to the iPhone 4S and iPad 2, which display 60 to 64 percent of the standard color gamut, the new iPad hits a “virtually perfect” 99 percent of the color gamut. And because of proper calibration, the new iPad offers vibrant colors that aren’t overly saturated like some OLED displays.



**** Seeking To Save Chinese History In Singapore ****
<http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4350&Itemid=195>
Kirstin Han, Asia Sentinel


> As one of the biggest Chinese cemeteries outside China – proof of the history of large-scale Chinese immigration in Southeast Asia – the cemetery is also home to a variety of flora and fauna, and 86 bird species. 12 of the 86 species have been identified as critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable.



**** How To Navigate Apple's Crowdsourced Product Support ****
<http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-57400832-2/how-to-navigate-apples-crowdsourced-product-support/>
Lance Whitney, CNET



**** Simplify The OS X Finder To Look Like A Retro Mac OS Classic Style ****
<http://osxdaily.com/2012/03/20/simplify-os-x-finder-retro-mac-os-classic-style/>
OS X Daily


> You can bring much of that traditional simplified Finder styling to OS X with a few minor adjustments.

The problem, of course, the OS X Finder doesn't behave like the old Finder.


**** Seven Ways To Free Up Drive Space ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1165698/seven_ways_to_free_up_drive_space.html#lsrc.twt_danfrakes>
Macworld


> For most of the past decade, many people had more drive space than they knew what to do with. Hard drives got bigger and bigger while prices went lower and lower. So it probably comes as a surprise, as you prepare for spring cleaning, to realize your drive may be getting full. The popularity of digital media means that many people are storing huge video files and thousands of photos and music tracks. Just as significantly, a growing number of computers are using solid-state drives (SSDs), which, while speedy, offer considerably less capacity than traditional hard drives. Even a modest iTunes or iPhoto library can quickly fill up a MacBook Air’s 64GB or 128GB SSD, leaving little room for anything else.



**** Review: Bad Apple ****
<http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/39925/?ref=rss>
Simson L. Garfinkel, Technology Review


> Taken one at a time, each of these decisions made good business sense. Most of Apple's customers—the digital consumers—weren't using these products and features. Apple clearly can't be all things to all users. But in each of these cases, the company avoided the extra effort required to satisfy creative elites, catering to the mainstream market instead. This strategy is sure to be profitable at first, but in the long run, it will rob Apple of the very differently thinking content creators and software developers who made the Mac great.



**** Review: Three iOS-app-controlled Toys ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1165997/review_three_ios_app_controlled_toys.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Lauren Crabbe, Macworld


> There’s something endearing about a tiny, remote-controlled toy. It’s nearly impossible not to love the way it romps around your carpet, gets stuck under your desk, and antagonizes your housepets. We got our hands on three little robotic friends that can be controlled through your iOS device and, of course, we took them for drives.



**** More Consumer Reports Sensationalism ****
<http://www.marco.org/2012/03/20/consumer-reports-sensationalism>
Marco Arment


> Any reasonably competent, well-intentioned writer or editor would assume that most people reading this would think the new iPad gets hot, implying severe discomfort and a significant flaw that will affect nearly everyone who uses it, rather than merely warm, which would imply an occasional minor inconvenience for the few people who might notice and care.



**** Basil Review ****
<http://www.macstories.net/reviews/basil-review/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+macstoriesnet+%28MacStories%29>
Federico Viticci, MacStories


> Basil is a fresh take on “smart recipe books” that lets you to keep your recipes neatly organized in a clean interface that gets out of the way, but it’s also smart enough to facilitate the process of cooking better.



**** How To Become A Battery Miser: Tips For Saving Battery Life On The iPad ****
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/03/battery-miser-tips-for-saving-battery-charge-on-ipad.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss>
Cesar Torres, Ars Technica



**** Separating The Baby From The Bath Water ****
<http://daringfireball.net/2012/03/baby_from_the_bath_water>
John Gruber, Daring Fireball


> The actual truth — that underage workers have been discovered, that over 100 workers had been harmed by exposure to n-hexane, that there were a rash of suicides-by-jumping and as a result Foxconn dormitories now have gruesome safety nets installed — has already been reported. And these facts were all reported by, among others, Apple itself. Now, you can argue that Apple’s reporting of these facts has been presented euphemistically, to present the facts in the company’s favor. But the fact remains that Apple itself has acknowledged and reported all that we know to be true about problems with the company’s Asian supply chain.

> Daisey told an entirely different story. Daisey’s story was this: Not only did those things happen, but they are all ongoing problems, right now, today, and they are so rampant, so commonplace, that a big white American wearing a Hawaiian shirt — a man who’s never before been to China and speaks neither Mandarin nor Cantonese — can simply travel to Shenzhen, China and stand outside the Foxconn gates with a translator for a few shifts and he will find workers as young as 12, 13, and 14 walking out. Any day, every day. That in the course of a single six-day trip, that same man could encounter a man who lost the use of a hand while assembling iPads and a group of workers poisoned by n-hexane, and that a man would drop dead after working a 34-hour shift. Just another week at Foxconn. That was Mike Daisey’s story — and it bears no resemblance to anything anyone else has reported.



**** Make An iPhone, Android App Without Knowing A Line Of Code ****
<http://www.fastcompany.com/1825568/mobile-apps-close-to-the-apps-20-era-become-almost-off-the-shelf>
Kit Eaton, Fast Company


> The idea behind AppBuilder, JamPot's VP of Sales Matthew David explained to Fast Company, is simple. By using its web interface, pretty much anyone, no matter their coding expertise, can create a smartphone app and have it running on their device within minutes. They're not web apps, not a clever HTML5 app-like experience--they're genuine native apps, optimized for each platform's particular foibles. And within a couple of weeks, makers expect AppBuilder to support Windows Phone 7 with all the, as David phrased it, "fantastic" attributes of Metro.






The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** After 2 Years Of Testing, Venmo Opens Payment Service To Public ****
<http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/20/after-2-years-in-beta-venmo-opens-payment-service-to-public/>
Jenna Wortham, New York Times


> After more than two years in beta testing, Venmo, a mobile payments service that lets people send money to their friends, is opening its doors to the public on Tuesday.






MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================
**** Angry Words ****
<http://chronicle.com/article/Researchers-Findings-in-the/131260/>
Tom Bartlett, The Chronicle Of Higher Education


> But before any Hollywood premiere, it's worth asking whether Everett actually has it right. Answering that question is not straightforward, in part because it hinges on a bit of grammar that no one except linguists ever thinks about. It's also made tricky by the fact that Everett is the foremost expert on this language, called Pirahã, and one of only a handful of outsiders who can speak it, making it tough for others to weigh in and leading his critics to wonder aloud if he has somehow rigged the results.



**** A Robot Stole My Pulitzer! ****
<http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2012/03/narrative_science_robot_journalists_customized_news_and_the_danger_to_civil_discourse_.single.html>
Evgeny Morozov, Slate


> Don’t miss the irony here: Automated platforms are now “writing” news reports about companies that make their money from automated trading. These reports are eventually fed back into the financial system, helping the algorithms to spot even more lucrative deals. Essentially, this is journalism done by robots and for robots. The only upside here is that humans get to keep all the cash.



**** Bound & Gagged ****
<http://www.literaryreview.co.uk/cohen_02_12.php>
Nick Cohen, Literary Review


> We need new ways of thinking about censorship. The first step is the most essential. Only when we have the courage to admit that we are afraid can we begin the task of extending our freedoms.






SingaporeSurf
====================================
**** Bukit Brown Trumps All Popular Parks Here ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120321-0000172/Bukit-Brown-trumps-all-popular-parks-here>
Robin Bond, Today


> Singapore is developing parks for popular use, such as the newly reopened Bishan Park, but nice and popular as it is, it is not "natural". Trees were felled, allotment gardens were abolished, and above all, a meandering, rock-strewn riverbed has no place in the natural world. It is man-made.

> Bukit Brown is natural, beautiful and without equal in Singapore; we will be poorer from its destruction.



**** Dangerous Delusions ****
<http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/03/annals-development>
R.C., The Economist


> A century-and–a-half serving the trading interests of the hegemonic economic and political power of the day, the British Empire, turned that swamp into a thriving port and a bustling, prosperous multi-racial community. Singapore’s post-independence politicians can take enormous credit for steering their little island-nation to its present heights, but they did not inherit a Timor-Leste or Rwanda.



**** No Money, No Retirement ****
<http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2012/03/no-money-no-retirement.html>
Singapore Notes


> That political lure of "asset enhancement" has turned into an I.E.D. - improvised economic disaster. Add the expectation of home-owners seeking to make handsome profits from selling their homes and, Prof Hui said "the future of our next generation will be in jeopardy as it will not be sustainable."



**** Why Should I Pay For Someone Else's Healthcare?	 ****
<http://www.yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/5190-why-should-i-pay-for-someone-elses-healthcare>
Singaore Democratic Party


> Many are retrenched through no fault of theirs and may find themselves out of work and out of income. When they fall ill do we not have to provide them medical care? Or do we leave them to die?   If they are nursed back to health, they will be able to return to the job market and contribute to the economy which benefits everyone. Again the smart thing to do.

> And remember, the unemployed include people like our elderly parents. The SDP Plan pays for their medical care as well. It also includes housewives who stay home and look after the family but who are not considered employed.

> So before you ask why you should pay for someone else's healthcare especially when they are unemployed, think of your parents, your spouse, your children and yourself. You might just be very glad that you did.



**** SG Productivity Sucks & Here’s Why ****
<http://singaporegirl.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/sg-productivity-sucks-heres-why/>
Food Fuels Me To Talk



**** Taiwan-Singapore Soup Turns Bitter-sweet ****
<http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/NC22Ad02.html>
Jens Kastner, Asia Times


> The Singaporeans have for decades insisted on a strong US military presence in the Asia-Pacific region and are offering the Americans usage of naval facilities for warships. The main function of which is to counter China's maritime presence in the region's seas. Such a move against Taiwan would suggest the Singaporeans made a swift u-turn and had begun dancing to Beijing's tune. 

> This would've set alarm bells ringing in Washington as well as in China-wary regional capitals, further complicating the US's evolving strategy of cementing alliances and extending its physical presence in Southeast Asia. A perceived drift into Beijing's orbit - and perhaps even making use of China's long-standing offer to switching from Taiwanese to Chinese soil for military training - wouldn't benefit the SAF much, given its dependency on sophisticated US-made weapon systems. 



**** Common Identity In The Wake Of Constant Development ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/03/common-identity-in-the-wake-of-constant-development/>
Ghui, The Online Citizen



**** Singapore Seeks Public Input On Parks Makeover ****
<http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2012/03/21/singapore-seeks-public-input-on-parks-makeover/>
Shibani Mahtani, Wall Street Journal


> The “destination parks” will incorporate a level of public consultation that is rare in Singapore, and communities will have a hand in deciding what they want out of their public parks. 

> The announcement from Singapore’s most powerful voice in government, its prime minister, comes just as authorities are in a tussle with activists over a number of other green spaces around the island – notably, a historic cemetery known as Bukit Brown.

> While Bukit Brown is a rare historical treasure in Singapore, some say that the case for preserving it is different, since the space — infrequently visited, except when relatives pay their respects to their dead ancestors — probably does not do much to enhance the prices of property around it. In Singapore, where land is at a premium, some analysts say that spending millions on new parks and green developments – such as the “co-created” parks – may have a more pragmatic purpose, ensuring that an old estate stays competitive price-wise.



**** Singapore Shells Out For Security ****
<http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2012/03/21/singapore-shells-out-for-security/>
Shibani Mahtani and Chun Han Wong, Wall Street Journal


> While a newly-politicized Singapore demands increased social spending, analysts say that Singapore continues to shell out on defense in response to one of the world’s biggest spenders on arms – China.



**** Unemployed Should Not Get Free Healthcare: Yahoo! Readers ****
<http://sg.news.yahoo.com/unemployed-should-not-get-free-healthcare--yahoo--readers.html>
Jeanette Tan, Yahoo!


> Yahoo! Singapore readers took issue with the idea of unemployed citizens enjoying free healthcare, while others felt that the plan was not dealing with the right issues.



**** By-election Buzz Picks Up In Hougang ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_779923.html>
Andrea Ong & Teo Wan Gek, Straits Times


> A few weeks ago, Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang - his former Member of Parliament - came by and introduced a new face. 'This is Png Eng Huat. Please give him your support,' Mr Low said in Mandarin.

> Another recent visitor to his shop was Mr Desmond Choo, 33, the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate in Hougang in last May's General Election. He has dropped by four times in the last month.

No other people from other parties?


**** Shut Down Regularly For Full System Checks ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_779887.html>
Chen Sen Lenn, Straits Times


> MRT lines should be shut down periodically to undergo scheduled maintenance which should be carried out on a sector-by-sector basis during an off-peak period or weekend.

We were told that MRT services cannot run overnight due to maintenance needs. Now, it seems, it cannot even run daily too.


**** 品德为什么不能与金钱挂钩？ ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl120321_003.shtml>
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**** A Picture Speaks A Thousand Ironies ****
<http://article14.blogspot.com/2012/03/picture-speaks-thousand-ironies.html>
Article 14



**** Capital Offence. 26 Charges. All Dropped. Why? ****
<http://andrewlohhp.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/capital-offence-26-charges-all-dropped-why/>
Andrew Loh


> It is also quite clear to me, even after reading the AG submissions in response to M Ravi’s submissions, that the AG clearly owes the court and the public an explanation.

> The issue here, therefore, is whether the courts have the power to adjudicate how the AG uses his prosecutorial discretion powers.