[MyAppleMenu] Oct 29, 2007

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** iPhone: Apple's Cross-Platform Innovation Dilemma <http://counternotions.com/2007/10/29/iphone-dilemma/>
by Counternotions
The dilemma for Apple here is: should it index iPhone's rate of innovation to what's available on Windows or port currently Mac-only technologies to Windows as it has to provide an equal measure of user experience to all iPhone users?
/There is a third option: work with Google to have iPhone and iPod work with 'cloud computing' that is going to be so popular, if we believe the experts, in the Windows-land./

**** iTunes Launches Indie Film <http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-burns29oct29,0,12681.story?track=rss>
by Los Angeles Times

**** New Parental Control Options In Mac OS 10.5 Leopard <http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/10/29/new-parental-control-options-in-mac-os-105-leopard/>
by Wesley Fryer, Moving At The Speed Of Creativity
The entire purchase price of the Leopard operating system update is justified, in my view, by these enhance dparental control options.

**** Apple, Leopard, And The Hacker Community... <http://the.inevitable.org/anism/2007/10/28/3753/>
by Scott C. Lemon, The.Inevitable.Org/anism
What is sad to me is that somewhere within our society there seems to be a growing acceptance of stealing and theft of property and services.

**** A Couple Of Days Of Leopard <http://www.economics.com.au/?p=1160>
by CoreEcon
I do need to rave about the most amazing screen saver. It takes your photos and assembles them in sequence into a set of mosaics made up of other photos.
/If you have been mesmerized in the past by the Genie effect (with the Shift key pressed) and the iTunes visualization, be prepared to be mesmerized again. Do check out the mosaic screensaver in the Leopard, especially if you have lots of photos in your iPhoto library./

**** My Weekend With Leopard And CS3 <http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/creative/2007/10/leopard-creative-suite-3/index.php?lsrc=mwrss>
by James Dempsey, Macworld
If you're holding off on upgrading to Leopard because you rely on your Mac and Adobe's Creative Suite 3 to earn a living, my experience would indicate that you have no worries.

**** Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard: The Ars Technica Review <http://arstechnica.com/reviews/os/mac-os-x-10-5.ars>
by John Siracusa, Ars Technica
In many ways, Leopard feels like a new beginning. While Tiger conslidated the gains made in 10.0 through 10.3, pinning down APIs and dipping its toe into a few possible future directions for the GUI, Leopard charges bravely forward, choosing one particular new look and mandating it everywhere, redesigning all of the most prominent visual elements of the interface, and shedding old technologies like cat fur.
What's emerged is quite a strange beast: beautiful on the inside and, well, a bit unlovely on the outside. I hope a few years of user feedback will file down some of the sharper edges, even as my dream of a radical new look is ostponed until 10.6 or later. It'd also be nice if Apple would finally make a decision about the successor to the HFS+ file system some time this decade.

**** Mac Journalism, Or When Emotion Clogs The Brain <http://db.tidbits.com/article/9272>
by Jeff Carlson, TidBITS
I know that people have strong views, and I want to encourage freedom of expressions. But ranting for the sake of ranting is just a waste of our (your and my) time. I understand why mainstream journalists who don't cover the Mac get defensive and start throwing out words like "Mac zealots" and "cultists" when they cover Apple; they no doubt get much, much more volume of this type of email and don't know how to hande it.

**** Living With Defaults <http://www.oreillynet.com/mac/blog/2007/10/living_with_defaults.html>
by Francois Joseph de Kermadec, O'Reilly Mac DeveCenter Blog
I've spent the past couple months attempting to "re-learn" using my Mac with progresively more default settings. Guess what? I'm much happier. Not because I agree with them all but because I have a lot less to worry about when switching machines.

**** Evaluating The Leopard Installation Process <http://db.tidbits.com/article/9271>
by Joe Kissell, TidBITS
Yet again, Apple has made substantial improvements to the installer, and in general, the Leopard installation is easier and more reliable than the Tiger installation was. Also, yet again, some aspects of the upgrade process can cause unexpected problems.

**** Interpreting Apple <http://buzz.vox.com/library/post/interpreting-apple.html>
by Buzz Andersen
Apple, like any company, is composed of a large number of pragmatic individuals, most of whom don't have any sort of agenda beyond trying to do their job and meet what are usually pretty demanding project deadlines.

**** Leopard Drivers Hint At Upcoming MacBooks <http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/10/28/drivers.hint.at.macbooks/>
by MacNN

**** Apple Acknowledges Some Leopard Installation Problems <http://www.news.com/8301-13579_3-9806005-37.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20>
by Tom Krazit, CNET News.com

**** Getting To Know Time Machine <http://db.tidbits.com/article/9270>
by Joe Kissell, TidBITS

**** Leopard Stupidity <http://www.thinkmac.co.uk/blog/2007/10/leopard-stupidity.html>
by Rory Prior, ThinkMac Software
Leopard is pretty nice, there's a lot to like. But there are some really stupid things too, mostly visual and since I'm a visual kinda person I feel compelled to complain about them!

The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** The Semantic Web Goes Mainstream <http://www.technologyreview.com/Infotech/19627/?a=f>
by Kate Greene, MIT Technology Review
Radar Networks is unveiling a new tool that provides a smarter way to find information and increase productivity.

MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** If The World Could Write... <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/25/AR2007102502856.html?nav=most_emailed>
by Michael Dirda, Washington Post
Tolstoy's unflinching "War and Peace," in a new translation, takes us inside historic battles and contradictory hearts.

**** The Wisdom Of Fathers <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/25/AR2007102502387.html>
by Bryan Burrough, Washington Post
Two books pose off-beat questions and provide clever answers.

**** The Difference Myth <http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/10/28/the_difference_myth/>
by Caryl Rivers and Rosalind C. Barnett, Boston Globe
We shouldn't believe the increasingly popular claims that boys and girls think differently, learn differently, and need to be treated differently.

**** Looking For Their Children's Birth Mothers <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/magazine/28biological-t.html?ref=magazine>
by Maggie Jones, New York Times
Adoptive parents are increasingly trying to pry open international adoptions by searching for the biological mothers of their children. But finding them can turn out to be the easy part.

**** Insult <http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/poetry/2007/11/05/071105po_poem_ryan>
by Michael Ryan, New Yorker

**** May We Congratulate You On Your Divorce <http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2007/10/29/divorce_announcements/index.html?source=rss&aim=/mwt/feature>
by Nora Zelevansky, Salon
Couples are commemorating shattered vows with the same kind of fanfare accorded their marriage &mdash; complete with announcements, parties and even vacation funds.

**** Snooze Or Lose <http://nymag.com/news/features/38951/>
by Po Bronson, New York Magazine
Overstimlated, overscheduled kids are getting at least an hour's less sleep than they need, a deficiency that, new research reveals, has the power to set their cognitive abilities back years.

SingaporeSurf
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**** ERP Rates Going Up Again For Third Time This Year <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/308462/1/.html>
by Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia
Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates are going up again for the third time this year. There will also be new gantries erected.

**** Government To Look Into Firefly's Request To Fly To Singapore <http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news_business.php?id=292806>
by Bernama
The government will consider the application by community airline Firefly Sdn Bhd to operate from Subang to SIngapore, transport minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said Monday. "We will certainly look seriously into Firefly's appeal but again this is a bilateral issue, so we need to talk to Singapore," he said.
Firefly is a 100 percent owned subsidiary of national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS).

**** PM Assures Singaproeans Of Affordable Housing <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_171583.html>
by Straits Times
Mr Lee stressed that the government will make sure that the property market stays in balance over the long term.
/But the idea of affordability means different things for my parents' generation, and my generation. What will my children's generation face? Perhaps, it's time we have a formula for what "affordability" really means./

**** Singapore Trade Minister: Economy Not Overheating <http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20071029%5cACQDJON200710290037DOWJONESDJONLINE000004.htm&>
by Dow Jones
"I don't see a serious problem with overheating (in Singapore's economy)," trade and industry minister Lim Hng Kiang said Monday. "There are some supply side constraints and we're taking steps to address them."

**** Singapore Must Adapt To Change To Stay Ahead: PM Lee <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/308362/1/.html>
by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

**** Singapore Banks Refuse To Do Business With Burmese Airline <http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/singapore-banks-refuse-to-do-business-with-burmese-airline/2007/10/26/1192941338579.html>
by Connie Levett, Sydney Morning Herald

**** Message On CPF Changes Getting Through To Singaporeans: PM <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/STIStory_171559.html>
by Straits Times
Speaking at the opening of NTUC national delegates conference on Monday, Mr Lee said the CPF message is not easy to understand but the government has made special efforts to reach out to the public.

**** Orchard Road To Undergo S$40m Rejuvenation: STB <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/308356/1/.html>
by Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
The entire Orchard Road belt will be divided into three zones with three themes - flower, forest and fruit, reflecting the history of the area.

**** Let's Repeal Extremism <http://bombayblooze.blogspot.com/2007/10/lets-repeal-extremism.html>
by Glasgowgloom

**** Singapore Faces Property Shake-Up <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ce993312-8580-11dc-8170-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1>
by John Burton, Financial Times
Shares in Singapore property developers are expected to come under pressure on Monday after the government revealed tough measures to curb speculation in the city-state's booming property market.
See Also:
S'pore Property Stocks Fall After Scrapping Of Deferred Payment <http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Money/STIStory_171580.html>, by Yang Huiwen, Straits Times.

**** Singapore Man Sues Woman For Passing Herpes - Paper <http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20071029/tap-singapore-herpes-c3bb44c.html>
by Reuters

**** Non-Repeal Of 337A: Remember Rosa Parks And Don't Give Up! <http://nofearsingapore.blogspot.com/2007/10/non-repeal-of-377a-letter-to-forum-page.html>
by Huang Shoou Chyuan, nofearSingapore

**** Singapore Raises Noodle Prices <http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7008975811>
by Paul Icamina, AHN
The worldwide shortage of wheat that has driven up the price of bread around the world is now driving up the price of noodles in Singapore.

**** ERP System: It's Time For Higher Fees <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/219215.asp>
by Marianne Maes, Today
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) should consider digging deeper into the pockets of car owners. Funds generated from ERP fees can also be used on public transport facilities.
/I suggest we should even go a step further, and having funds collected from car owners and road users to subsidise public transportation operational needs./

**** Now, Kids Are Covered, Too <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/219236.asp>
by Channel NewsAsia
To help parents meet medical treament costs for their children, all newborn Singapore citizens and permanent residents will be automatically covered under MediShield from December, the health ministry said.

**** 377A: Hell Hath No Fury Than A Self-Righteous NMP Out To Persecute <http://theartificialconstruct.blogspot.com/2007/10/377a-hel-hath-no-fury-than-self.html>
by The Artificial Construct
Rather than the slippery slope down condoning of gay sex, incest, paedophlia, etc., I think the slippery slope we're in danger of rapidly sliding down unnoticed, like the proverbial frog in boiling water, is the one where the Christian right, learning from the successful examples from its bigger, stronger brethren in the US, is seeking to influence and commandeer politics and public policy.

**** Make Public Transport Available After Midnight At Changi Airport <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_170795.html>
by Richard Thong Kok Mun, Straits Times

**** Police Trained To Handle Difficult Situations <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_171447.html>
by Toh Yong Chuan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Straits Times
We would like to assure Mr Law that our police officers are trained not only to know the law and their powers under the law, but also how to handle difficult operational situations with sensitivity, flexibility and balance while upholding it.
See Also:
No 'Maybe's, Police Action Should Be Sound <http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_171039.html>, by Law Sin Ling, Straits Times.

**** When You Can Withdraw From CPF Before Age 55 <http://www.todayonline.com/articles/219207.asp>
by Christie Loh, Today
Since 1965, the CPF Board has allowed members to make such wthdrawals if a permanent disability leaves them unable to work.
The rule was further relaxed last year when the government said the provision would also apply to those who contracted a severe medical illness, including one that is terminal.