[MyAppleMenu] Mar 26, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Condé Nast Takes A Couple Of Its iPad Magazines Retina ****
<http://www.macgasm.net/2012/03/26/conde-nast-takes-a-couple-of-its-ipad-magazines-retina/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+macgasm%2Fmain+%28Macgasm%29>
Joshua Schnell, Macgasm



**** Tame Lion's Resume Features ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1166029/tame_lions_resume_features.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Sharon Zardetto, Macworld



**** Apple CEO Tim Cook Showed Up In Beijing Apple Store ****
<http://technode.com/2012/03/26/breaking-apple-ceo-tim-cook-showed-up-in-beijing-apple-store/>
Ben Chiang, TechNode



**** How To Make Basic Edits In iPhoto For iOS ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1166001/how_to_make_basic_edits_in_iphoto_for_ios.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Alexandra Chang, Macworld


> iPhoto is one of the most packed and powerful iOS photo apps we’ve seen, so there’s a slight learning curve when using it to spruce up your photos. Here’s how to use some of the app’s tools to make basic edits. Instructions are based on the iPad version of iPhoto for iOS, but it's easy to extrapolate the same techniques for the iPhone 4 or 4S.



**** My Short Trip To Foxconn ****
<http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/25/2900889/my-short-trip-to-foxconn>
The Verge



**** Wacom Inkling Lets Designers Sketch On Paper ****
<http://tidbits.com/article/12870?rss>
Steve McCabe, TidBITS


> It is a useful way of transferring freehand artwork or graphical notes to a Mac, and will likely be attractive to many people who need to record aspects of the world around them graphically.



**** Hey, iBooks, Where Did All My Books Go? ****
<http://tidbits.com/article/12879?rss>
Matt Neuburg, TidBITS


> It seems clear that Apple thinks that ebooks are like songs. They think there’s an analogy between books and songs (and movies, along with some similar types of data, such as TV shows and podcasts), and we can see that analogy in operation if we consider the global nature of these kinds of file.

> The upshot is that I lost my books, and if you’re managing books manually, you might lose yours too, unless you’re careful.

Oh, and backup everything.





The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Disruptions: At Amazon, The Robot World Comes A Little Closer ****
<http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/disruptions/?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Nick Bilton, New York Times


> Or, as the company says on its Web site, using “hundreds of autonomous mobile robots,” Kiva Systems “enables extremely fast cycle times with reduced labor requirements.”

> In other words, these robots will most likely replace human workers in Amazon’s warehouses.






MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** The Brain On Love ****
<http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/24/the-brain-on-love/?hp>
Diane Ackerman, New York Times


> All relationships change the brain — but most important are the intimate bonds that foster or fail us, altering the delicate circuits that shape memories, emotions and that ultimate souvenir, the self.



**** A Far-Off Island Where The American Dream Curdles ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/26/books/the-master-blaster-by-p-f-kluge.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss>
Janet Maslin, New York Times


> The main character in P. F. Kluge’s stingingly funny new novel, “The Master Blaster,” isn’t a person. It’s a location: Saipan, a very small island with a big, bizarre place in history. Saipan is one of the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific, north of the Solomons and west of the Marshalls. It was a site of brutal fighting during World War II, grimly commemorated by one cliff nicknamed Suicide and another called Banzai. Its neighbor is Tinian, the island from which the Enola Gay took off to bomb Hiroshima.

> When Saipan became a United States Commonwealth in 1978, it took on a different kind of strategic advantage. The island was conveniently exempted from usual American tariffs, the minimum wage and immigration laws. And up sprung factories, exploiting low-paid immigrant workers. 



**** Arthur Krystal: The Excuses Of A Mean Book Critic ****
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/arthur-krystal-the-excuses-of-a-mean-book-critic/2012/03/22/gIQAUSdAWS_blog.html>
Ron Charles, Washington Post


> I look longingly at the fist-fights in British newspapers and wish we could roll up our sleeves more often in this country. But that would require aggrieved authors to fight back, instead of quietly enduring critics’ abuse.






SingaporeSurf
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**** News: Singaporeans To Get Priority In P1 Balloting ****
<http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2012/03/news-singaporeans-to-get-priority-in-p1.html>
Diary Of A Singaporean Mind


> It is incomprehensible how a govt that is so determined to make Singaporeans students pay more, can just fully sponsor so many foreign students who come here and get educated in university for free. 



**** George Yeo Should Be President ****
<http://politicalwritings.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/george-yeo-should-be-president/>
Political Writings


> For it is the PAP which has refused to work with the opposition. From mad attack dog Vikram Nair and Constitutional interpreter Hri Kumar to its senior Cabinet ministers like K Shanmugam, Teo Chee Hean and even the PM himself, the PAP has gone on the offensive to try to cut down WP members in Parliament.

> Comparing WP’s proposal with Nigerian scams, blaming WP for causing Hougang voters to not be represented in Parliament, trying to pin down Pritam Singh on whether he believes our media is controlled by the Govt, trying to embarrass WP MP’s for not giving credit to bloggers in their Parliamentary speeches, etc.— all these unprovoked attacks have come from PAP MP’s and ministers in Parliament.



**** Thoughts On Singapore ****
<http://blog.arlomidgett.com/2012/03/25/thoughts-on-singapore/>
A Midgett Blog


> Oksana decided to declare the big container of gum she’d just purchased in Kuala Lumpur. When she did, the customs officer opened up the canister and looked inside.  When he saw all those chiclets, he shook his head and tsk tsked us.  “You can’t bring gum into Singapore,” he said.  Oksana was already resigned to losing it; she simply sighed and picked up the rest of her stuff from the x-ray belt.  But then the customs agent leaned in and said, “Here. Hold out your hand.”  He then shook out a generous portion and smiled.  What the hell, I thought, and stuck my own hand out.  He winked and gave me a handful, too.



**** National Bonus For Political Appointment Holders ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120326-0000129/National-Bonus-for-political-appointment-holders>
Today


> Political appointment holders from Parliamentary secretary to deputy prime minister will get a pro-rated National Bonus of 1.618 months in March, announced the Public Service Division today.

> Based on the approved formula, the 2011 National Bonus is 2.625 months, but since the new salaries took effect on 21 May 2011, the pro-rated amount will be 1.618 months, to be paid in March 2012.



**** NUS Scholar Sun Xu Disciplined For Online Remarks ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1191310/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> NUS' board of discipline has given him an official reprimand, slapped him with a $3,000 fine and further required Sun Xu to perform three months' community service before he's allowed to graduate.

> NUS has also informed Sun Xu that his undergraduate scholarship benefits have been terminated for the final semester as his behaviour was unbecoming of a scholarship holder.



**** Calls For Singapore Consultant To Be Removed From UN Convention ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_781828.html>
Grace Chua, Straits Times


> The NGO accused him of being a representative of the shark-fin industry, which they say is driving some shark species to extinction.



**** Whispers Of An Otherwise Silent World ****
<http://thelongnwindingroad.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/whispers-of-an-otherwise-silent-world/>
The Long And Winding Road


> The streets around the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) are ones that once spoke to me. It was on these streets and some that are no more that as a schoolboy, I had spent four years wandering through a little more than three decades ago, developing a strong attachment to them as they were back then.



**** Tests On Snapped Cables Which Caused NEL Disruption Still Ongoing ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1191292/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah, Channel NewsAsia


> Transport minister Lui Tuck Yew said NEL operator SBS Transit is "pushing hard" for a preliminary answer on the cause of the incident and address any shortcomings. "I would like to get this done as quickly as possible, of course, but some of it is beyond their control."



**** From ‘Inclusive Society’ To ‘Time To Work Together’, Can The PAP Change? ****
<http://theway2pjtl.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/from-inclusive-society-to-time-to-work-together-can-the-pap-change/>
The Way To Piji Tailai


> Looking at the above and other examples, you can judge for yourself whether the PAP government is inside or outside our inclusive society. 



**** Singaporeans To Get Absolute Priority Over Permanent Residents When Balloting For Primary School Seats ****
<http://sgboleh.blogspot.com/2012/03/singaporeans-to-get-absolute-priority.html>
Boleh! Boleh!


> It should be the right thing to give education priority for Singaporean kids over foreigners and I am surprise it took MOE so long to realize that. To me Singaporean should be given first priority whether in education, jobs or housing since that is the point why we are Singaporean. Should no priority be given to Singaporean in our home country I wonder why are we we bother to even be Singaporean... 



**** Campaign To Preserve Singapore's Chinese Cemetery Pushes On ****
<http://seayouthsayso.com/campaign-to-preserve-singapores-chinese-cemetery-pushes-on>
Kirsten Han, SEA Youth Say So



**** Higher GST Relief For S'poreans Returning From Overseas ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1191274/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> From April 1, Singaporeans returning from overseas and tourists can enjoy more Goods and Services Tax (GST) relief. Those who spend more than 48 hours abroad will be able to enjoy GST relief of up to S$600 - double the current amount of S$300. The Singapore Customs said the amount has been revised upwards to keep pace with rising expenditures, and brings the relief amounts closer to international norms.



**** February Inflation Slightly Eases To 4.6% ****
<http://sbr.com.sg/economy/news/february-inflation-slightly-eases-46>
Singapore Business Review


> It was the first time in months that food prices fell, which led to the decline of inflation from its 4.8% perch in January despite rising rentals, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore (MTI).



**** First Step In Taking Back The Country ****
<http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2012/03/first-step-in-taking-back-country.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News


> When as citizens, you are the real owners and masters of this land of yours, then only can the people live more confidently and be proud of their country and citizenship. This is our country, this is our home.



**** 旧火车站部分停车场将重开 ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp120326_005.shtml>
吴淑贤, 联合早报


> 火车站停车场将与隔邻的市区重建局（URAï¼‰åœè½¦åœºåˆäºŒä¸ºä¸€ï¼Œåœè½¦ä½ä¹Ÿå°†å¢žåŠ ï¼Œç›¸ä¿¡å¯èˆ’ç¼“å‘¨ä¸€è‡³å‘¨äº”ä¸€ä½éš¾æ±‚çš„æƒ…å†µã€‚



**** Tuas: A 'Different' Part Of Singapore ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_781675.html>
Rinaldo Romani, Straits Times


> Rubbish lines the roads and cleaning is seldom carried out. Many eating places are dirty and infested with flies, and packs of dogs roam the streets.

> Public transportation is badly organised, with routes taking many twists and turns. Also, transit times from MRT stations to the area are extremely long.



**** Extend Some New HDB Flats To Singles ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120326-0000067/Extend-some-new-HDB-flats-to-singles>
Tan Cheon Kheong, Today



**** Foldable Seats Can Boost MRT Efficiency ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120326-0000043/Foldable-seats-can-boost-MRT-efficiency>
Brandon Eng, Today


> We could count on peer pressure to get commuters to stand rather than sit when the train is packed.

Is today April Fool's Day already?


**** Is There A “Psychology” Of The “Upper-middle Class” In Singapore? ****
<http://ayummysliceoflife.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/is-there-a-psychology-of-the-upper-middle-class-in-singapore/>
A Yummy Slice Of Life



**** Bukit Brown: Democracy Isn’t A Ballot Paper ****
<http://newasiarepublic.com/?p=37003>
Huang Z'ming, New Asia Republic



**** Hougang BE: Pragmatism And Far-sightedness Must Rule The Day ****
<http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=7459>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net


> The priority now for the other opposition parties is to grow themselves and form a united force capable of taking on both the WP and PAP at the same time. A three-way fight in Hougang would only be an unnecessary distraction and send a confusing message to the electorate. It would be naive and unwise. It would hurt the WP as well as themselves.