[MyAppleMenu] Nov 13, 2012

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================
**** Apple Gives In To Employee Perks ****
<http://professional.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324073504578115071154910456.html>
Jessica E. Lessin, Wall Street Journal


> Earlier this year, Apple told some employees about a new initiative called "Blue Sky" that allows a small group of staffers to spend a few weeks on a pet engineering project, according to three people told about the program.

> It is a more limited version of similar initiatives for hatching new ideas that have long existed in Silicon Valley. The most well-known of those is Google's "20% time," which allows employees to spend up to a fifth of their time on projects outside their normal responsibilities.

Keeping with the Jones.


**** How To Restore Data From Time Machine In Mountain Lion ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/1165784/how_to_restore_data_from_time_machine.html>
Leah Yamshon, Macworld


> Restoring data from Time Machine is just as easy as backing things up in the first place.



**** Fusion Drive: An Overview ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/2013805/fusion-drive-an-overview.html>
James Galbraith, Macworld


> Macworld Lab received a Fusion Drive with a build-to-order Mac mini. We’ve had a chance to experiment with it, and now we can answer many of these burning questions.



**** The iPad Mini And The Cost Of Retina ****
<http://www.marco.org/2012/11/12/ipad-mini-cost-of-retina>
Marco Arment


> Apple didn’t make an arbitrary decision to withhold Retina on the Mini to save money, upsell more buyers to the iPad 4, or “force” the first generation of iPad Mini owners to upgrade next year. They chose not to ship a Retina iPad Mini because it would be significantly worse than the previous iPads in very important factors.

Design is all about trade offs, and Apple is serious about designs.


**** Is Siri Really Apple’s Future? ****
<http://counternotions.com/2012/11/12/siri-future/>
Counternotions


> Siri stands as a monumental opportunity both for Apple as a transactional money machine and for its users as a new paradigm of discovery and task completion more approachable than any we’ve seen to date. In the end, Siri is Apple’s game to lose.



**** Apple Pulls AppleCare Protection Plans From Apple Stores And Authorized Resellers In Italy ****
<http://www.imore.com/apple-pulls-applecare-protection-plans-apple-stores-and-authorized-resellers-italy>
Allyson Kazmucha, IMore


> Apple has pulled AppleCare protection plans off their retail store shelves in Italy as well as advising authorized resellers not to offer them any further. Due to warranty protection set in place by the EU, Apple had recently faced the possibility of a temporary ban on their products in Italy. As of now, the only way for Italian customers to purchase AppleCare protection plans is online.



**** Glassboard Keeps A Family In Touch ****
<http://tidbits.com/article/13388?rss>
Kevin van Haaren, TidBITS


> Glassboard’s private group messaging system has proved a useful, and surprisingly easy, way to keep important communication channels open for my family when we’ve needed it most. If you’re looking for a way to keep in touch with a smartphone-using group, it’s absolutely worth a try.



**** Review: BusyCal 2.0 Remains Superior To Apple's Calendar ****
<http://www.macworld.com/article/2013736/review-busycal-2-0-remains-superior-to-apples-calendar.html>
Tom Negrino, Macworld


> The new Smart Filters and Find window save time and effort. The Quick Entry app is useful for glancing at today’s weather and agenda, as well as for adding new events and tasks. And since events and tasks go hand in hand for most people, BusyCal’s integration of the two is far superior to Apple’s separation into discrete Calendar and Reminders apps.






The Tomorrow Weblog
====================================
**** The Aha! Moments That Made Paul Graham's Y Combinator Possible ****
<http://www.fastcompany.com/3002810/aha-moments-made-paul-grahams-y-combinator-possible>
Robert Greene, Fast Company


> When it comes to funding startups, Y Combinator is an incubation machine. And behind it all are founder Paul Graham's unique insights about what constitutes true innovation.



**** Another Square Copycat: Bank Of America Launches Mobile Payments ****
<http://allthingsd.com/20121112/another-square-copycat-bank-of-america-launches-mobile-payments/>
Tricia Duryee, All Things D






MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================
**** Twists In The Tale Of The Great DNA Discovery ****
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/13/science/the-double-helix-review-twists-in-the-tale-of-the-great-dna-discovery.html?ref=science&_r=0>
Nicholas Wade, New York Times


> A feature that makes “The Double Helix” so unusual, as well as readable, is that Dr. Watson does not describe the discovery from the usual retrospective view taken by historians. Rather, his aim was to record his state of mind at the time the discovery was made.






SingaporeSurf
====================================
**** On The Banning Of Sex.Violence.Family Values ****
<http://www.visakanv.com/blog/2012/11/svfv/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=svfv>
Visakan Veerasamy


> There’s a lot of subtle racism in our society already, a film that draws attention to it won’t tear us apart, it sets us up to have some pretty important conversations about something that already exists.



**** National (Or Foreign) Population And Talent Division? ****
<http://leongszehian.com/?p=2041>
Leong Sze Hian



**** Is The Workers' Party Keeping A Low Profile? ****
<http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.sg/2012/11/is-workers-party-keeping-low-profile.html>
Singapore Recalcitrant



**** Food Centre Reports Success In Tray Return Program ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1236958/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> Most diners in the NTUC Foodfare cafeteria at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital returned their trays after they have eaten.

Personally, I don't think one can generalise a hospital cafeteria to other food centres such as hawker centres and shopping mall food courts. In fact, for the few times I've visited this particular hospital cafeteria before the current public campaign, many customers were already returning their trays. One can already find similar "success" at factory cafeterias too, even for those that are opened to the general public.
On a side note, the prices at this particular cafeteria is more expensive than the food prices in the Yishun neighbourhood (not counting Northpoint and Yishun 10, of course).


**** Concerns Over Govt's Projected Foreign Manpower Needs ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1236948/1/.html>
Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia



**** Effective SAF Despite Low Birth Rate And Ageing, Why Not The Economy? ****
<http://pijitailai.blogspot.sg/2012/11/effective-saf-despite-low-birth-rate.html>
否极泰来 Piji Tailai



**** Singapore Employers See 4.5% Pay Rise For 2013 ****
<http://sbr.com.sg/hr-education/news/singapore-employers-see-45-pay-rise-2013>
Singapore Business Review


> The increase is amongst the lowest in Asia.



**** Dual Public Housing System Would Not Be Feasible ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC121113-0000023/Dual-public-housing-system-would-not-be-feasible>
Lewis Kwong, Today


> Who would want to enter the open market if they could buy new flats under a Non-Open Market scheme at a lower price? The open market would probably collapse over time.

> Housing is not only for accommodation; for most people, it is also a lifetime investment against inflation that they think they can sell at a later stage.

And that's why if you want to use housing as an investment, you go buy one on the open market. For the rest of us, an NOM shelter over one's head is more than enough.
Oh, and we need the money from land sales? I'm sure we can manage. Condos will still be built. As well as shopping malls and office towers and bungalows and golf clubs and casinos.


**** S'pore Cannot Afford A Tiny Tear In Society's Fabric ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC121113-0000048/Spore-cannot-afford-a-tiny-tear-in-societys-fabric>
Fred Tan Wen Jie, Today


> We cannot afford even a tiny tear in our society's fabric. Tears always widen. Such compromise would lead to unthinkable consequences, a hypothesis I hope no one wants to prove right. To err on the side of caution is to ensure that we do not err at all.

Okay, everyone shut up and don't hurt Fred's feelings. And turn off the internet!


**** PA Can Help By Taking A Stance ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC121113-0000055/PA-can-help-by-taking-a-stance>
Jeffery Law, Today


> As a government agency that reaches to the masses, it can play a role in protecting the marine environment by taking a stance against the consumption of shark's fin at all its community events.

Why are different government agencies taking different stances on the same issue?


**** Is Singapore Worth Emulating? ****
<http://thediplomat.com/pacific-money/2012/11/12/is-singapore-worth-emulating/>
Anthony Fensom, The Diplomat


> With trade amounting to four times its GDP, Singapore remains susceptible to any further weakening in global demand. Yet for China’s leaders, its success in escaping the middle income trap while maintaining political control is the real lesson to be studied.



**** Too Much Discretion? ****
<http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC121113-0000059/Too-much-discretion?>
Amir Hussain, Today


> Said Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim: "A low-level courier who knows nothing about the drug network will go to the gallows, while another courier who has more information (and is presumably closer to the higher echelons) can escape death. This would be a perverse outcome."



**** Consider Capital Gains Tax ****
<http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2012/11/13/consider-capital-gains-tax/>
Alex Au, Yawning Bread


> So, raising taxes may be unavoidable, but which taxes? A capital gains tax may be worth considering.



**** Dr Yaacob Explains Reclassification Of Satirical Local Film ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1236728/1/.html>
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia


> "Only four members felt that the film could be allowed under an R21 rating. None of them agreed with MDA's initial M18 rating," Dr Yaacob said.



**** Each Singapore Grand Prix Race "Costs About S$150m" ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1236747/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> In a written response to Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Lina Chiam, the minister said that the government co-funds 60 per cent of approved costs for the race.



**** Govt Remains Fully Committed To Help Willing SMEs Restructure ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1236768/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah, Channel NewsAsia



**** SPP "Not Unhappy" Potong Pasir Void Deck Being Used By VWO ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1236760/1/.html>
Channel NewsAsia


> "I want to emphasise that SPP is not unhappy that block 108 is taken by a VWO for residents' welfare but rather, residents should be consulted and explained about the void deck being taken over," she said.



**** Khaw Boon Wan Clarifies Status Of Toa Payoh SERS Flats ****
<http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1236779/1/.html>
Sara Grosse, Channel NewsAsia


> Mr Khaw said on Monday the arrangement between EM Services and RWS is a commercial one.