[MyAppleMenu] May 30, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple Store Now Selling Nest Thermostat: Automated Toastiness To Cost $250 ****
<http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/30/nest-thermostat-pricing-apple-store/>
Mat Smith, Engadget


> Aside from sharing some design DNA, the thermostat unit can also be controlled from iPhones, iPads, iPods and Macs -- we presume that Android functionality is still there.



**** Tip Of The Week: Multitasking Gestures On The iPad ****
<http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/tip-of-the-week-multitasking-gestures-on-the-ipad/?gwh=AF483C326A5AE361A241BA71BD038934>
J.D. Biersdorfer, New York Times


> Want an alternative way to jump back to the iPad’s main screen without fumbling around for the Home button? The “multitasking gestures” feature, new with last year’s iOS 5 update, lets you use movements from all four fingers on the screen to replicate certain functions normally performed by clicking the Home button once or twice.



**** Cook: Apple Will "Double Down" On Siri And Secrecy ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1167011/cook_apple_will_double_down_on_siri_and_secrecy.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Jason Snell, Macworld


> Answering questions from conference hosts Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher, Cook said his company is doubling down on Siri, played coy about Apple’s approach to the gaming and television markets, and spoke emotionally about Jobs’s death.



**** Prevent Automatic List Creation In TextEdit ****
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57443266-263/prevent-automatic-list-creation-in-textedit/>
Topher Kessler, CNET



**** Cannot Access Secured Web Sites After OS X Update ****
<http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57443155-263/cannot-access-secured-web-sites-after-os-x-update/>
Topher Kessler, CNET


> For some, it seems to be rooted in network configurations since the problems only happen when the system is behind a corporate proxy or firewall configuration, and not at home. However, this is not shared by all people with this issue, and others cannot seem to get any secured Web site to load regardless of the network configuration.



**** Apple Doesn't Lobby Much And That's Fine ****
<http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/05/29/apple_doesn_t_lobby_much_and_that_s_fine.html>
Matthew Yglesias, Slate



**** Apple CEO Tim Cook: Steve "Taught Me That The Joy Is In The Journey" ****
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/05/apple-ceo-tim-cook-steve-taught-me-that-the-joy-is-in-the-journey/>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica


> Cook took the opportunity to reflect upon the lessons he learned from Jobs before his death last October, explaining that the founder never wanted Cook to dwell on what he would have wanted after he died. Instead, Jobs wanted Cook to avoid thinking about the past and instead look to the future, focusing on creating the next great thing.

> "When he called me to his home to talk about being the CEO and subsequently the discussions we had, he told me, 'I witnessed what happened at Disney when Walt passed away,'" Cook said. "He said that people would go to meetings, and all sit around and talk about, what would Walt have done? How would he view this? And he looked at me with those intense eyes that only he had, and he told me to never do that, to never ask what he would do. Just do what's right. And so I'm doing that."

You don't have to a CEO to say those words. Tell your kids too.


**** Is There An Easy Way To Encrypt Files On A Mac? Yes. Easy And Free ****
<http://bohemianboomer.com/2012/05/is-there-an-easy-way-to-encrypt-files-on-a-mac-yes-easy-and-free/>
Jeff Mincey, Bohemian Boomer



**** ‘Apple’s Crystal Prison’ ****
<http://brooksreview.net/2012/05/eff-bs/>
Ben Brooks, The Brooks Review


> One of the best reasons for a closed system is privacy and security. I don’t know about you but my iPhone contains massive amounts of very private data. From bank passwords, credit card numbers, and access to all my bank accounts. If the system were open I would have no guarantee that that data was still safe — hell even with Apple my address book is occasionally uploaded for no reason. If Apple has a hard time policing every app when they go through the approval process, how would I as an individual approve an app to make sure it was on the up and up?



**** In Major Redesign, Daylite 4 Integrates With Native iOS Apps ****
<http://gigaom.com/apple/in-major-redesign-daylite-4-integrates-with-native-ios-apps/>
Weldon Dodd, GigaOM


> Daylite 4, the new version of the Mac and iOS CRM solution from Marketcircle, gets its first major redesign in a long time. Daylite has a decade-long history with the Mac as a powerful CRM tool that helps businesses keep track of customers, sales and related projects.



**** Transfer email from one Mac to another ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1166999/transfer_email_from_one_mac_to_another.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Christpher Breen, Macworld



**** Path Finder 6 ****
<http://eggfreckles.net/files/path-finder-6.html>
Egg Freckles


> Path Finder is more than a browser though, it is an ultra wide Swiss Army knife chock of multi prong tools waiting to get work done. I would recommend Path Finder to anyone who is discontent with the options of the Finder, or works with multiple remote servers on a regular basis. The dual pane view and tabbed browsing make juggling multiple Finder windows unnecessary, and the popup File Transfer queue keeps all of the activity in one place.



**** Holy Crap, I’m Programming On My iPad: A Web Developer’s Look At Diet Coda ****
<http://josephschmitt.me/post/23738549352/diet-coda>
Joseph Schmitt


> Diet Coda is great. Seriously. This app might not be your first choice to do serious work on (yet). However, if the only reason you’re taking your huge, heavy laptop with you on that otherwise relaxing vacation is just in case you get the 5-alarm-fire call from your boss because of a major bug that needs to get fixed <i>right now</i> (don’t they all?), Diet Coda and an iPad with an LTE/3G connection could be all you need.



**** WWDC 2012 Schedule Posted, Keynote Confirmed, App Released ****
<http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/05/wwdc-2012-schedule-posted-keynote-confirmed-app-released/>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica






The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Slick New Chromebook, First "Chromebox" Desktop Out From Samsung Today ****
<http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/05/slick-new-chromebook-first-chromebox-desktop-out-from-samsung-today/>
Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica






MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Finding Zen And Book Contracts In Beijing ****
<http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/may/29/zen-book-contracts-bill-porter-beijing/>
Ian Johnson, The New York Review Of Books


> Porter’s new status reflects the growth of China’s own middle class. Many are willing to pay for real books, movies and music, and not just make do with cheaper, pirated editions. That’s allowed a growing number of foreign authors to make real money in China, as long, of course, as they do not discuss political themes overtly—explicitly political works would not pass China’s censors. Porter’s books do have a political undertone, with his characters ignoring or seemingly ignorant of Communist Party efforts to control religion, but he is an observer rather than a commentator. And while he makes humorous references to local officials (he calls them “trolls”) and the indignities that sometimes accompany travel in China, his principal focus is on the country’s culture and religious traditions.



**** "The Spoiler" By Annalena McAfee ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/29/books/the-spoiler-by-annalena-mcafee.html?_r=1&gwh=DDEB540D872571BF62F69854A9BCFAA7>
Michiko Kakutani, New York Times


> Take “Scoop,” Evelyn Waugh’s classic sendup of journalism, and replace its hero, a clueless nature columnist, with a perky Bridget Jones gal, move the time frame from the 1930s to 1997, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what Annalena McAfee’s first novel, “The Spoiler,” aspires to be.






SingaporeSurf
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**** Indonesia To Move To Single Time Zone, Matching Singapore Clock ****
<http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/indonesia-to-move-to-single-time-zone-matching-singapore-clock/521144>
The Jakarta Globe



**** SingTel Gets Record Fine After Mobile Phone Glitch ****
<http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/30/singtel-fine-idUSL4E8GU3UE20120530>
Eveline Danubrata, Reuters


> Singapore's telecom regulator on Wednesday imposed a S$400,000 ($313,300) fine on Singapore Telecommunications' mobile phone unit, the largest-ever financial penalty handed out to a telecom firm in the city-state.



**** Biased Reporting In The Straits Times ****
<http://furrybrowndog.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/biased-reporting-in-the-straits-times/>
Furry Brown Dog


> However ST apologists want to spin it, it becomes very hard to deny that the Straits Times is biased in its reporting and coverage through selective use of headlines, photo choice and placement.



**** Singapore’s Maid Addiction ****
<http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/120529/singapore-maid-domestic-servant-labor-rights>
Patrick Winn, GlobalPost


> Throughout metropolitan Asian cities, live-in servants are not uncommon in wealthy homes. But go-getter Singapore appears particularly reliant on its 200,000-plus maids. Compared to their American counterparts, Tamarind said, Singaporean parents are more in need of maids.

> Singaporean men are often unwilling or too busy to help with childcare or housework, she said, and Singapore’s dominant ethnic Chinese population expects home-cooked meals that are more difficult to prepare than Western food. Different expectations of cleanliness also come into play. “We prefer our floors to be cleaned daily,” she said, “because we let our babies crawl all over the floor.”

Also: <a href="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1204503/1/.html">Stricter rules to bring in Indonesian maids</a> (Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia)


**** Singapore To Ease Car Control Measures; May Help Ease Inflation ****
<http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/05/30/singapore-to-ease-car-control-measures-may-help-ease-inflation/>
Dow Jones


> Singapore will allow its car population to grow at a faster pace in the next few months than previously announced, a move expected to reduce the cost of owning a car and ease inflationary pressures in the city state.

> "It's a positive move for inflation, hopefully COE premiums may stabilize," said Selena Ling, the head of treasury research at OCBC Bank. The current economic and political turmoil in Europe will also help ease inflationary pressures because of the "negative wealth effect" that comes from market caution, she added.



**** Overseas Votes For Hougang By-election Evenly Split ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1204487/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia



**** Shopping For A Centre ****
<http://www.economist.com/blogs/analects/2012/05/hong-kong-hub-arts?fsrc=gn_ep>
M.T., The Economist


> “Art Basel has been looking at Asia for a long time and we seriously considered three possibilities: Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong,” according to Marc Spiegeler, one of the two directors of Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach. It soon appeared that each of the other two would be less than ideal. Ease of doing business and a guarantee for the freedom of expression were of paramount importance to Art Basel’s choice. “If you want to bring the top international galleries you can’t restrict them too much in terms of what they can show. You don’t want people to live in constant fear of having their booth shut down or censors come in and telling to take works away,” in Mr Spiegeler’s words. That stands in the way of Shanghai, at least.



**** Cuts In Vehicle Growth Rate To Be Gradual ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1204468/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah, Channel NewsAsia


> The rate, which affects the supply of Certificates of Entitlement (COE), will be lowered from 1.5 per cent per annum to 1 per cent per annum from August 2012.

> The LTA had originally planned to cut the vehicle growth rate more quickly, from 1.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent per annum, starting August.



**** The Curious Case Of The Cookie Jar That Was Not ****
<http://ideacauldron.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/the-curious-case-of-the-cookie-jar-that-was-not/>
The Idea Cauldron


> If the WP continues along its path of promoting centrist positions that eschew populist histrionics ( like ummm … say the SDP?), it will continue to grow in strength by appealing to the broad middle class swing voters. If people’s material needs are adequately met or exceeded, they will more often than not seek to preserve the status quo when push comes to shove. We know that everyone wants to tweak the system but let’s face it, no one really wants to rock and upset the boat.



**** The People Vs Cheapo Food Bloggers And Bad English ****
<http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.com/2012/05/people-vs-cheapo-food-bloggers-and-bad.html>
The Hungry Bunny



**** The PAP Deserves The Voters They Get ****
<http://isaiahlim.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/the-pap-deserves-the-voters-they-get/>
This Is Premium Writing, No?


> Just days ago, some 40 Bishan residents signed a petition against the building of a nursing home in their neighborhood with reasons such as “blocked air flow” and “the old folk will be groaning right into my home”. This was not an isolated incident. We have become very materialistic and selfish.

> I suggested to my PAP friend that if this is the Singapore he wants, then his party should continue their pork barrel politics. They will get the voters they deserve but they should not complain when their voters are shortsighted and unreasonably demanding.



**** My Posting On Desmond Choo’s Facebook On 30May2012 ****
<http://happyangelclub.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/my-posting-on-desmond-choos-facebook-on-30may2012/>
**快乐天使**Happy Angel**


> Your reply and clarification into this matter is very important. This is because the reporter Mr.Chua Eng Wee of LianHe  ZaoBao told me on phone in the evening of 19 May 2012 that someone from your group had called to SPH and requested to add in one sentence for their news report. 

Previous: <a href="http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120530-0000047/Straits-Times,-Zaobao-challenge-Lows-remarks"> Straits Times, Zaobao Challenge Low's Remarks</a>: (Today): Speaking to Today, PAP Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng, who sits on the government parliamentary committee for information, communications and the arts, reiterated that "no one can control the media and any responsible media would want full editorial independence".


**** Kenneth Jeyaretnam’s Open Letter To The Minister For Finance ****
<http://theonlinecitizen.com/2012/05/kenneth-jeyaretnams-open-letter-to-the-minister-for-finance/>
Kenneth Jeyaretnam, The Reform Party, The Online Citizen


> The Reform Party is not in principle opposed to increasing Singapore’s commitment to the IMF though we note that both the US and China have so far failed to agree to do so. However one of our main objectives is to ensure that there is effective Parliamentary scrutiny of the Executive with the aim of ensuring transparency and accountability in government. This objective is surely in line with the IMF’s own standards for good governance.



**** 白沙－淡滨尼及勿洛7月起先调涨 全岛垃圾收费将逐步划一 ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp120530_001.shtml>
é™ˆç´«ç­ , 联合早报


> 从今年7月起，白沙－淡滨尼及勿洛的居民将率先支付更高的垃圾收集费。明年10月，其他一些地区的垃圾收集费也将相应调整。到了2015å¹´ï¼Œå…¨å›½æ‰€æœ‰å®¶åº­éƒ½å°†æ ¹æ®ä½å±‹ç±»åˆ«æ”¯ä»˜åˆ’ä¸€è´¹ç”¨ã€‚

> 环境局表示，整合垃圾收集领域是为了应付不断上涨的燃料和人力成本，并且减少资源的浪费，同时提高业者之间的竞争力。



**** Lessons For The PAP ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_804577.html>
S. Ramamirtham, Straits Times


> The PAP should learn from this and avoid bringing up character issues. Instead, it should focus on issues that matter to the voters at large.

> The voters now are not those of yesteryear who would readily believe the old guard PAP leaders, as the nation's survival was at stake. The younger generation is less interested in such tactics.



**** 342åº§åŸå¢“åå•æ²¡æœ‰å…¬å¸ƒçš„åŽŸå›  ****
<http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl120530_008.shtml>
林玮琪，陆路交通管理局, 联合早报


> 其他342åº§åŸå¢“çš„åå•åˆ™æ²¡æœ‰å…¬å¸ƒï¼Œå› ä¸ºå®ƒä»¬çš„å¢“ç¢‘ä¸æ˜¯éƒ¨åˆ†æŸåæˆ–è¢«æŽ©åŸ‹ï¼Œå°±æ˜¯ç¢‘æ–‡å·²ç»æ— æ³•è¾¨è®¤ã€‚ä¸ºäº†è¡¨ç¤ºå¯¹æ­»è€…ä¸Žæ­»è€…å®¶äººçš„å°Šæ•¬ï¼Œå¹¶åœ¨åŸåœºç®¡ç†äººçš„å»ºè®®ä¸‹ï¼Œä¸ºåŸå¢“è¿›è¡Œç¼–å·çš„å°ç»„å°å¿ƒç¿¼ç¿¼ï¼Œç¡®ä¿åœ¨æ²¡æœ‰å®¶äººçš„åŒæ„ä¸‹ï¼Œä¸ç§»åŠ¨è¿™äº›åŸå¢“çš„ä»»ä½•éƒ¨åˆ†ï¼ŒåŒ…æ‹¬å¢“ç¢‘ä¸Šçš„é¢œè‰²ã€‚å°ç»„ä¹Ÿå°½é‡ä¸å¹²æ‰°è¿™äº›åŸå¢“å’ŒåŸå¢“çš„å‘¨å›´ï¼Œä»¥å…æŸåå®ƒä»¬ã€‚å› ä¸ºè¿™äº›åŸå¢“çš„åå­—éš¾ä»¥è¾¨è®¤ï¼Œæˆ‘ä»¬æ²¡æœ‰å…¬å¸ƒå®ƒä»¬çš„åå•ä»¥å…é€ æˆæ··æ·†ã€‚ä¸è¿‡ï¼Œæˆ‘ä»¬è¿˜æ˜¯åœ¨åŸå¢“æ—æ’ä¸Šå°æœ‰ç¼–å·çš„æœ¨æ¡ï¼Œè®©å®¶äººç¡®å®šç¥–å…ˆçš„åŸå¢“æ˜¯å¦å—åˆ°å½±å“ï¼Œå¹¶å‘æˆ‘ä»¬ç™»è®°ã€‚



**** Review Parent Volunteer Scheme ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_804737.html>
Chan Peck Lian, Straits Times


> A volunteer is someone who performs a service without expecting payment or favours in return. This should be the value our children should learn.

How do children learn the idea of <i>quid pro quo</I> then?


**** Give Credit Where It's Due ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_804756.html>
Tan Say Yin, Straits Times


> Similarly, there is no doubt that Mr Yaw Shin Leong and Mr Png Eng Huat were ushered into Parliament riding on the coat-tails of Mr Low Thia Khiang.

Someone here is confusing a party with a GRC.


**** Low Explains Comments On Media ****
<http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_804757.html>
Low Thia Khiang, Workers' Party, Straits Times


> In the recent campaign, I detected biased reporting, calculated to damage the Workers' Party (WP) candidate and the party itself. For example, the front page of The Straits Times last Wednesday showed a large photo of party chairman Sylvia Lim and myself talking to each other with grim faces at our rally, with the candidate in between, with the headline 'WP faces allegations of dishonesty'. This was after the accusations had already been publicly clarified.

Let's move on.


**** Of PRs And Citizens ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120530-0000073/Of-PRs-and-citizens>
Cherie Ball, Today


> Is it fair to require a second-generation male PR, who is a citizen of another country and whose parents contribute to the Singapore economy, to commit to two years in NS without the same benefits as a citizen?



**** Straits Times, Zaobao Challenge Low's Remarks ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC120530-0000047/Straits-Times,-Zaobao-challenge-Lows-remarks>
Today


> Speaking to <i>Today</i>, PAP Member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng, who sits on the government parliamentary committee for information, communications and the arts, reiterated that "no one can control the media and any responsible media would want full editorial independence". 



**** The Straits Times Conundrum ****
<http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/2012/05/straits-times-conundrum.html>
Singapore Recalcitrant


> There is no doubt that the PAP campaign in the Hougang by-election was aided and abetted by the mainstream media, especially the Straits Times, the PAP Government's propaganda organ, despite its vehement disavowal. But it did not reckon with the indomitable spirits of Hougang voters who were not only not swayed by the MSM onslaught but were steadfast in their loyalty to the Workers' Party.



**** Why The Difference In NS And Education? ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC120529-0000139/Why-the-difference-in-NS-and-education?>
John Buckle, Today


> It appears that the government expects the sons of PRs to serve NS, yet be last when considered for primary school registration.



**** What If I Get Fielded In Hougang Or Aljunied? ****
<http://politicalwritings.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/what-if-i-get-fielded-in-hougang-or-aljunied/>
Political Writings


> Singaporeans must remember that every MP is elected to serve them, not to renew the PAP’s cabinet. They must break out from 50 years of conditioning by PAP. And they must make sure that they elect don’t give so-called ministerial-calibre candidates a free ride into Parliament in 2016.