[MyAppleMenu] Apr 25, 2007

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** Options Troubles Aren't Over For Apple <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/4746975.html>
by May Wong, Associated Press
The SEC said it did not plan to pursue any further action against Apple itself, which cooperated with the government's probe, but it stopped short of saying its investigation was closed.

**** Perfect iPod Moments <http://www.wordyard.com/2007/04/24/ipod-moments/>
by Scott Rosenberg, Wordyard
I'd argue that those of us who are not as shuffle-happy as Levy can feel a bit of extra pride: By virtue of our active personal DJ-ing, we become, instead of passive observers of serendiptious moments, more like coauthors of our own pleasurable juxtapositions.

**** First Look At Coda 1.0 <http://theocacao.com/document.page/456>
by Scott steven, Theocacao
I still haven't had a good real sit-down with it yet, but my basic reaction is this: /somebody finally got it right/.

**** In Love With A Font <http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2007/04/in_love_with_a_font.html>
by Francois Joseph de Kermadec, O'Reilly Mac DeveCenter Blog
That gem lives within the Coda bundle and is called "Panic Sans.dfont".

**** The iPod Isn't Just ABout Listening To Music Anymore <http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4744786.html>
by Jeannie Kever, Houston Chronicle
The iPod changed the way we think about music, a cultural shift that has infiltrated jogging trails, surgical suites, public transportation and even private homes. Now Apple is trying to expand its reach into all digital media, through the new Apple TV and the upcoming iPhone.

**** Apple Faces Unfair Criticism For Its Green Ways <http://weblog.infoworld.com/sustainableit/archives/2007/04/apple_faces_unf.html>
by Ted Samson, InfoWorld
Apple seems to be unfairly getting a worse rap than anyone else.

**** Freeverse Releases Periscope <http://www.tuaw.com/2007/04/24/freeverse-releases-periscope/>
by Scott McNulty, The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Periscope is a webcam utility that adds a bunch of cool features to your Mac's webcam.

**** Analysis: Apple SEC Case Playing Out In Public <http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/04/24/applesecindustry/index.php>
by Robert Mullins, IDG News Service
Legal and business experts will have a lot to learn from how the case against former Apple lawyer Nancy Heinen grinds its way through the courts.
Because most cases of stock options backdating by U.S. public companies have been settled out of court, and because Heinen is planning to fight her charges, the case could be one of few played out in open court, legal analysts say.

**** Coda Criticism <http://code.jalenack.com/archives/coda-criticism/>
by Jalecode
I don't understand this. The connections between components aren't very aparent to me. It feels like 6 separate apps all put into the same window.

**** What Did Anderson's Parting Shot Mean? <http://blogs.business2.com/apple/2007/04/what_did_anders.html>
by Pilip Elmer-DeWitt, Apple 2.0
This doesn't mean the SEC buys Anderson's version of events. Although they declined to comment on Anderson's statement, they did send other signals.

**** SEC Sues Ex-Apple Counsel Over Options Backdating <http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9711918-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Tom Krazit, CNET News.com
The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a lawsuit against Nancy Heinen, the former general counsel at Apple, saying her actions led to "fraudulent" stock option backdating at the company.
But the SEC said it doesn't plan to file any actions against Apple as a company, and simultaneously filed and settled a lawsuit against former chief financial officer Fred Anderson over his alleged participation in the backdating scandal.

**** Midnight Inbox 1.1.5 <http://www.macworld.com/2007/04/reviews/midnightinbox/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
by Jeffery Battersby, Macworld
Beautifully designed and built on sound organizational principals, Midnight Inbox 1.1.5 shows a great deal of promise and is an excellent tool for those who want to bring GTD to their Mac desktop. For the rest of us, the program needs more documentation and fewer assumptions about how well we already understand the GTD process.

**** Mac Backers Bash MacBook Hack, Defend OS X's Mettle <http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9017720&source=rss_topic123>
by Gregg Keizer, Computerworld
They're 'in denial,' retorts a vulnerability researcher.

**** Ex-Apple CFO: Jobs Told Me To Backdate Options <http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9017703&source=rss_topic123>
by Nancy Well, IDG News Service
Apple CEO Steve Jobs told former chief financial officer Fed Anderson to backdate stock options, according to a statement issued today by Anderson's attorney.
According to the statement from Anderson's attorney, Anderson "cautioned" Jobs that the grant for executives would have to be priced based on the date of the board agreement "or there could be an accounting charge," and also told Jobs the board would have to confirm it had given prior approval for the grant dates "in a legally satisfactory method."

The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Google Gradually Assembling Office Secret Weapons <http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=437?tag=fdc3>
by David Berlind, ZDNet

**** A Tool For Finding Life In Outer Space <http://technologyreview.com/Infotech/18581/>
by Brittany Sauser, MIT Technology Review
A new robotic device to map the ecosystem of one of earth's ice-bound lakes could be used to search for life on other planets.

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Critical Mass <http://insidehighered.com/views/2007/04/25/mclemee>
by Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed
We have something in common: It is very easy for others to take what we do for granted. As far as most civilians are concerned, printed matter is generated by parthenogenesis, then distributed across the land like the spores of a ripe dandelion, transmitted by the wind.
We know better. We do what we can with our shrinking budgets &mdash; secure in the knowledge that the work itself is worthwhile, if not always secure in much else.

**** Violence All Around Us, And We're Numb <http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/25/DDGDMPE72E1.DTL>
by Steven Winn, San Francisco Chronicle
It occurred to me, as I was sitting through "Grindhouse," that it might be a kind of Mannerist work, a late-stage, extravagantly self-referential indulgence in violence turning back on itself and consuming its own tail. Maybe, I thought, this is a Moment in movie history. I don't really believe that, but it was pleasing to think about it for a while, when the blood was covering a helicopter windshield or another skull was split wide open by a bullet.

**** New Planet Could Be Earthlike, Scientists Say <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/science/space/25planet.html?ex=1335153600&en=64ef381a9ba655d6&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
by Dennis Overbye, New York Times
The most enticing property yet found outside our solar system is about 20 light-years away in the constellaton Libra, a team of European astronomers said yesterday.

**** Foie Gras Makers Struggle To Please Critics And Chefs <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/25/dining/25foie.html?ex=1335153600&en=ff27af5c60e569d5&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
by Juliet Glass, New York Times
Producers are trying to use more humane methods to fatten the livers of geese and still satisfy chefs.

**** In-Flight Couplets Composed During A Bomb Alert <http://www.slate.com/id/2160157/>
by Alfred Corn, Slate

**** This Little Piggy <http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/04/25/hotheads/index_np.html>
by Heather Havrilevsky, Salon
With Alex Baldwin's latest travails, the world wonders, "What's so wrong about name-calling, stupid?"

**** If You Want To Know If Spot Loves You So, It's In His Tail <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/science/24wag.html?ex=1335067200&en=e6221beb05eaf364&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>
by Sandra Blakeslee, New York Times
When dogs feel fundamentally positive about something or someone, their tails wag more to the right side of their rumps. When they have negative feelings, their tail wagging is biased to the left.

SingaporeSurf
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**** Treaty To Mark "New Chapter" In Singapore-Indonesia Ties: Analysts <http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070425/wl_asia_afp/singaporeindonesiadiplomacy_070425071447>
by Martin Abbugao, AFP
A landmark extradition treaty between Singapore and Indonesia to be signed Friday will "open a new chapter" in sometimes testy bilateral ties but should not be seen as the only solution in Jakarta's anti-corruption drive, analysts say.

**** Flying In The Face Of Reason <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/272357/1/.html>
by Tor Ching Li, Today
Flying different aircraft is not as easy as changing cars, the Singapore International Airlines pilots' union said yesterday in a rebuttal of the company's assertion the day before.

**** Singapore A Graft Haven No More <http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20070425.B08&irec=7>
by Tony Hotland, Jakarta Post
Indonesian citizens accused of corruption have long sought refuge in Singapore, something that is likely to change after the leaders of both countries sign extradition and defense treaties later this week.
Foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said Tuesday that the extradition agreement would lead to the arrests of a number of Indonesians living in Singapore, who are also believed to have substantial bank acounts and investments in the country.

**** Singapore's Rich Splash Out With A Vengeance <http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/singapores-rich-splash-out-with-a-vengeance/2007/04/25/1177459766912.html>
by Reuters
Celbrity-chef dinners, huge pay hikes, and hot properties with a garage for the Ferrari and a berth for the yacht... some people in Singapore are living it up.

**** No Need To Merge: SMRT Boss <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/185052.asp>
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
Efficient public transport sector here doesn't require restructuring, she says.

**** Singapore Haven For Criminals? <http://sybreon.blogspot.com/2007/04/singapore-haven-for-criminals.html>
by Shawn Tan, Thought Chronicles
There are many rich people in south east Asia who need a place to hide their stash. Singapore could just be the answer to their needs.

**** The Most Stupid Mistake That Our Ignorant Government Is Doing In Education <http://www.ahyap.com/blog/stupid-malaysia-education.php>
by AhYap's Blog
Malaysia trains thesre smart students for 13 years. Singapore train them for 4 years /only/ and have them work for Singapore for the next 30 years.

**** Indonesia Hopes Extradition Treaty With Singapore To Be Retroactive <http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=258617>
by Mohd Nasir Yusoff, Bernama
Indonesian attorney-general Abdurahman Saleh hopes the extradition treaty to be signed by the Indonesian and Singapore governments soon will be retroactive so that it can be used to net corrupters from former president Suharto's era.

**** Singapore's Temasek, GI To Follow Own Strategies - Lee <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070424/3/481lv.html>
by Reuters
Singapore's top investment agencies, Temasek Holdings and Government of Singapore Investment Corp. (GIC) will adopt different investment strategies and won't see a change in top leadership, a government minister said.
GIC chairman Lee Kuan Yew dismissed talk that Ho Ching &mdash; his daughter-in-law, who heads Temasek &mdash; may move to the GIC, a rumour that's circulated in Singapore's financial markets for weeks.

**** How Much Will The Pinch Hurt? <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/185030.asp>
by Christie Loh, Today
Chances are, the rosy economic climate will embolden businesses to slap on bigger price tags in order to cope with higher operating costs.

**** Source Of MRT Suicide Clip Footage A Mystery <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/185048.asp>
by Derrick A Paulo, Today
More than two months after clips of two suicides on MRT tracks were posted on the internet, the case of the unauthorised SMRT recording has ended without any conclusive source of the leak.

**** Censors Do Explain Decisions On Films <http://www.straitstimes.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=7532758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:87b1871b50422110VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD>
by Amy Chua, Media Development Authority, Straits Times
BFC provides explanations for its decisions on films. Film distributors and exhibitors can also approach BFC for more details. In addition, press statements are issued on films of wider interest to the public.

**** Are They Ready For A Levels? <http://tnp.sg/news/story/0,4136,128578,00.html?>
by New Paper
That's the question for the first batch of Integrated Programme (IP) students, who skipped the O-level exams.