[MyAppleMenu] Apr 6, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** TenFourFox: The Best Browser For PowerPC Macs Running Tiger? <http://lowendmac.com/misc/11mr/tenfourfox.html>
Charles Moore, Low End Mac

**** How To Set A Mac To Tell You When To Take A Break <http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/how-to-set-a-mac-to-tell-you-when-to-take-a-break>
Alexis Kayhill, Mac 360

Why not have your Mac tell you when to stop what you’re doing and do something else that’s worth your time and effort? That’s Harmony.

**** Review: Nuance PDF Converter For Mac <http://it-enquirer.com/2011/04/05/review-nuance-pdf-converter-for-mac/>
IT.Enquirer

**** Developer Of Bestselling iPhone App Says Just 5% Of Buyers Opt For In-app Purchases <http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/04/06/developer_of_bestselling_iphone_app_says_just_5_of_buyers_opt_for_in_app_purchases.html>
Josh Ong, AppleInsider

**** Mozilla Firefox 4 <http://www.macworld.com/article/158489/2011/04/firefox4_review.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Nathan Alderman, Macworld

Firefox 4 isn’t the fastest browser, and its interface still leans more toward wonkishness than elegance. But when loading and browsing, it feels far fleeter to me than the increasingly sluggish Safari. Firefox 4 offers fast, fun, full-featured browsing with few compromises, and it’s well worth a try.

**** First Look: QuarkXPress 9 <http://www.macworld.com/article/159009/2011/04/quark9fl.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Galen Gruman, Macworld

**** Is Your iPhone’s Camera Spying On You? <http://appadvice.com/appnn/2011/04/iphones-camera-spying/>
Bryan Wolfe, AppAdvice

**** How To Make iTunes' Genius Mixes Smarter <http://www.macworld.com/article/159036/2011/04/itunesgeniusmixes.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Dan Miller, Macworld

**** Outlook For Mac Getting Calendar Sync With iOS, But Not MobileMe <http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/04/outlook-for-mac-getting-calendar-sync-with-ios-but-not-mobileme.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss>
Jacqui Cheng, Ars Technica

Outlook for Mac will soon be able to sync calendars, notes, and tasks with your iOS device. Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it plans to release Office for Mac 2011 Service Pack 1 (SP1) next week, which will bring the new syncing support to Outlook along with other stability and security updates to the suite. But while users will be able to sync their Outlook calendars to their iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches, they won't be able to sync them easily with Apple's own MobileMe service.

**** Creating iTunes Account Without A Credit Card <http://www.macworld.com/article/159068/2011/04/itunes_no_credit.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Christopher Breen, Macworld

**** Apple's New "iAd Gallery" App Violates Apple's App Guidelines And Probably Should Have Been Rejected <http://www.businessinsider.com/iad-gallery-app-guidelines-2011-4>
Dan Frommer, Business Insider

Let us direct your attention to guideline 2.13, "Apps that are primarily marketing materials or advertisements will be rejected."



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** A Desktop For Web Computing <http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/37289/?ref=rss&a=f>
Tom Simonite, Technology Review

A new website offers another take on moving personal computing online.

**** Educational Building Blocks: How Minecraft Is Used In Classrooms <http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2011/04/educational-building-blocks-how-minecraft-is-being-used-in-the-classroom.ars>
Andrew Webster, Ars Technica



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** Death And Taxes <http://nymag.com/arts/books/reviews/david-foster-wallace-2011-4/>
Garth Risk Hallberg, New York Magazine

Why David Foster Wallace still demands our attention.

**** It's Hard To Make Predictions, Especially About The Future <http://reason.com/archives/2011/04/05/future-babble>
Ronald Bailey, Reason

The new book Future Babble explains why dart-throwing monkeys are better at predicting the future than most pundits.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Goh Joke Tong – Everyone Hates Him <http://onesingaporean.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/goh-joke-tong-everyone-hates-him/>
One Singaporean

The latest to disagree with his views is no other than the man at the very top – PM Lee himself.

**** On Dealing With Missing Pots And Flower Garlands During Election Time <http://www.cnngo.com/singapore/life/say-what-mrbrown/mrbrown-dealing-missing-pots-and-flower-garlands-during-election-tim>
Mrbrown, CNNGo

Other possible gracious ways to ask include:

"Please allow us the honor of gracing your lovely home and sharing with you our vision for the country and your estate, in particular our vision of improved rubbish chutes and upgraded toilet seats for us all."

Or …

"Your MP would like to extend his apology for being so busy running your estate and country, only appearing at your door once every election, and humbly asks to come into your home, to shake your hand and carry your babies."

Instead, we get the equivalent of:

"Hear ye, hear ye, peasants of the land. Your MP and Minister has magnanimously chosen your blessed household to shine his awesome presence unto! Please put on your best apparel, remove your potted plants and wash your hands before his Lordship arrives!"

**** Why The Tin Pei Ling Saga Just Won’t Die Down <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=6525>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

If this trend continues, we can hope that Singaporeans in the future will not so easily succumb to the temptation to vote for the incumbent PAP in a GRC just so as to guarantee that the minister will retain his post. It would be a very positive development if Singaporeans begin questioning whether the PAP GRC team as a whole will serve their interests best, rather than base their judgment simply on the electoral heavyweights like the ministers.

**** Mandarin Political Forum <http://trulysingapore.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/mandarin-political-forum/>
Yours Truly Singapore

You said the People’s Association had been planning for old folk activities and amenities more than thirty years ago in anticipation of an ageing population. Still, the more important issues of old folks not having enough to retire and of the decreasing old age support ratio weren’t adequately addressed. The mad scramble to boost our birth rates in recent years indicates a fire fighting nature and a conspicuous lack of foresight on the part of our government.

You said the future of this country is not about having more opposition mouths but getting the most talented people to be elected into the government. But the people have always responded positively to this call by voting in nearly all the talented people the PAP has fielded. But look at what we have gotten in return? The country is flooded with foreigners with no adequate provision of housing for them. This has in turn caused property prices, the most basic determinant of cost of living to spiral out of hand. This is what your call to vote in the PAP talents have brought to our country.

**** Yong Vui Kong, Fall Guy <http://theowlcritic.blogspot.com/2011/04/yong-vui-kong-fall-guy.html>
The Owl

But Vui Kong was not just the fall guy for the drug smugglers. He is now a fall guy, for Singapore's government. Their use of the death penalty to deter drug smugglers, does not work. But they continue with their policies, all the same.  An execution every once in a while, serves to remind the public, that they are tough on crime, even if it achieves little else.

**** Getting To Know The Opposition <http://blogs.straitstimes.com/2011/4/5/getting-to-know-the-opposition>
Kor Kian Beng, Straits Times

The focus should be on who has the better ideas in ensuring a sustainable, viable future for Singapore. Like a person whom I deeply respect once told me, we should not be pro-PAP or anti-PAP, nor pro-opposition or anti-opposition.

Rather, we should be pro-Singapore and anti-stupidity.

**** Going Beyond Charisma Politics <http://blogs.straitstimes.com/2011/4/5/going-beyond-charisma-politics>
Aaron Low, Straits Times

I met him for lunch about two years ago and he made the same remarks to me, stressing that "voters cannot always rely on Low Thia Khiang or Chiam See Tong to carry the opposition flag". “I want the WP to become a party that stands on its own two feet and can attract votes when I’m no longer around. That is my long-term goal,” he said.

Such a goal is difficult to achieve, no doubt, but it is an important one if we want the political system here to mature.

**** Rookie In Single Ward Makes Even Less Sense <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_653364.html>
Monica Chia, Straits Times

The situation is different when a newcomer is grouped with experienced politicians. I believe in leadership renewal. The arrangement of having a new candidate understudy the experienced veterans allows for a smooth transition.

**** Our Heritage Is Not For Sale <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_653353.html>
Martin Chang, Straits Times

National institutions will become a part of our daily lives and national psyche. They should be a source of public pride and not a monument to the power of money.

See Also: Ex-MP Deserves Praise For His Stand [http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_653272.html], by Ong Siew Chey , Straits Times, Rename Hospitals After Their Locations [http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_653273.html], by Seah Geok Hong, Straits Times, Names Of Public Buildings Shouldn't Be For Sale [http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_653268.html], by Mindy Hsu, Straits Times.

**** About That Skin Centre Appointment Slot... <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_653276.html>
Dherry Brandon Lee, Straits Times

Restructured government hospitals make the same amount of money from subsidised patients and private patients because the subsidies are paid for by the government. Thus, there should be no reason to discriminate against subsidised patients.

But the real issue here is that restructured government hospitals, unlike private hospitals, are funded by taxpayers' monies and their goal should be to provide affordable quality health care to the citizens, regardless of their social status and income. That should be the responsibility of every government.

**** Four-cornered Fight In Radin Mas? <http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_653497.html>
Andrea Ong, Straits Times

**** Lie-To-The-People Sessions <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2011/04/lie-to-people-sessions.html>
Singapore Notes

Asked why it still rains shit water, MP Michael Palmer outright lied, "sometimes, due to budget constraints, projects take time to implement".

The 16 town councils manage more than $1 billion in sinking funds. Prior to the financial meltdown of 2008, Aljunied Town Council alone had $84 million in its sinking fund. It stashed away so much cash, they parked $44 million with investment bankers, an increase of about 33 per cent over the $30 million in 2005/2006. Rather than meet mundane contractors to fix leaking ceilings, they preferred to convene with (and be feted by) fund managers about esoteric derivatives and Collateralized Debt Obligations. Holland-Bukit Panjang and Pasir Ris-Punggol parted with about $12 million and taken to the cleaners with troubled structured products like Lehman Minibonds and Merrill Lynch Jubilee Series 3.

**** åº”åŠ é€Ÿè£…ç½®åœ°é“æœˆå°å®‰å…¨é—¸é—¨ <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl110406_005.shtml>
翁精敏, 联合早报

可惜装置闸门的工程，进展速度似乎缓慢了一些，以致不幸的意外事故仍继续发生。若能够早一日完成工程，就能早一日减少不必要的人命伤亡。

**** NSP Tony Tan Questions Financial Prudence And MOM’s Ergonomic Designer Chairs <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/nsp-tony-tan-questions-financial-prudence-and-moms-ergonomic-designer-chairs/>
Tony Tan, The Online Citizen

Going forward however, Singaporeans should start querying such expenditure. The government, for its part, must understand that our silence is not our consent, when it comes to spending the taxpayer money. Specifically in this case, we would like MOF’s view on whether this spending practice of procuring designer chairs is a good and acceptable practice.

**** PAP: Time To Change Your Messages <http://atans1.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/pap-time-to-change-yr-messages/>
Thoughts Of A Cynical Investor

**** 'There Won't Be Another MM' <http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_653261.html>
Yen Feng, Straits Times

Minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew is 'unique' and there will only be one 'MM', said prime minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday night.

'You can give him any title, but he is Mr Lee Kuan Yew, he's unique,' PM Lee said at an NUS ministerial forum held at the University Cultural Centre in Kent Ridge.

**** Why Are Cancer Treatments Not Subsidized By Government Owned Hospitals? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/why-are-cancer-treatments-not-subsidized-by-government-owned-hospitals/>
Choi Lim Siew, The Online Citizen

You probably already know this since you are the Minister of Health, but why is cancer treatments and cancer drugs not subsidized by the government?

I am going to a government owned hospital, SGH afterall. The treatments are thousands and thousands of dollars each cycle, the drugs are hundreds of dollars per pill. Why are they not being subsidized? Unlike you, I do not have super scale salary to buy such great insurance plans. Are you requesting for those who can’t afford treatment to die?

**** PAP Considered Splitting Into Two-party System: Why Now? <http://rogerpoh.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/pap-considered-splitting-into-two-party-system-why-now/>
Spotlight On Singapore

Have you noticed how, on the brink of the election, the PAP is all sweet reasonableness, gentlemanly and respectful towards the opposition? 

It is all a public relations exercise so don’t be fooled. With the general election in the offing, it’s wise to put your best foot forward.

**** The General Elections: Abilities And Perspectives Over Curriculum Vitae <http://guanyinmiao.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/the-general-elections-abilities-and-perspectives-over-curriculum-vitae/>
Guanyinmiao's Musings

**** Unconvinced By PM Lee’s Arguments <http://ge2011.theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/unconvinced-by-pm-lees-arguments/>
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen

Instead of having an “A” team made up of only PAP members, we should look to support a top team of parliamentarians in the House made up of the very best from all parties. This is what is more important and desirable than the PAP’s narrow vision of a House made up completely and only of those wearing white.

**** Where Is Vivian Balakrishnan's YOG Food Poisoning Report? <http://singapore-lighthouse.blogspot.com/2011/04/where-is-vivian-balakrishnans-yog-food.html>
Singapore Social And Political Thoughts

Vivian Balakrishnan seem to have been too busy nowadays to care about being accountable to the people. He promised a report, and its about 8 months and we are still waiting for the report.

**** The Samuel Wee Forum Letter – An Undeniable ST Screw Up <http://fearfullyopinionated.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/the-samuel-wee-forum-letter-an-st-screw-up/>
Fearfully Opinionated

So either he is incompetent or he is unprofessional.  Either way, this appears to be an undeniable ST screw up, which is potentially a serious issue this close to the elections.

**** Reasons For Not Joining Politics: Lack Of Privacy, Political Climate ... <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110406-0000438/Reasons-for-not-joining-politics--Lack-of-privacy,-political-climate-,,,>
Esther Ng, Today

**** Huge Uproar Over PM Lee's Comments <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/pm-lee-don-t-upgrading-pay-less-tax-20110405-231901-526.html>
Faris Mokhtar, Yahoo!

The highest-rated comment came from Yahoo! user Chia, who posted, "Upgrading is not delivered solely based on policies. It is driven by money from the reserves. The money comes from the people and not from PAP." He added that,  "It (upgrading) is a national building programme. A nation does not belong to any party but the people." Another Yahoo! user, Davido, said, "I can't believe the PM said that, my only respect left for him is that he is candid enough to admit not all wards are treated equally." User VKH was also appalled at the PM's comments.

He wrote, "I thought that as PM, he was there to represent ALL the people, without favour or preference. He is not the PM of just those he voted for, but for each and every Singapore citizen, including those who did not vote for him or his party... How can the PM say that if you vote for PAP, you get nice chocolate cake and coffee, but if you vote for other party you only get water and biscuit?"

**** A Statistical Analysis Of The CNA Political Forum On Singapore’s Future <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/a-statistical-analysis-of-the-cna-political-forum-on-singapores-future/>
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

What is the source of this statistic? To the best of my knowledge, no Ministry of Manpower (MOM) report or media report has ever disclosed this data. So, is the speaker privy to data that no one is aware of?

If so, then, it obviously raises serious issues of transparency and accountability – why is it that only when there is a political debate on TV does such data become available?

**** It's About You, Not PAP <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4707-its-about-you-not-pap>
James Gomez, Singapore Democratic Party

For days on end we are hearing that this election is about PAP`s “self-renewal”, “4G leaders”, its new candidates, its line up of candidates in GRCs and its long term survival as the ruling party.

We have heard nothing specific about policies the PAP will introduce to reduce the suffering it has caused to the people of Singapore.

**** General Election Become PAP Election? <http://onesingaporean.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/general-election-become-pap-election/>
One Singaporean

Do we want a government which refuses to listen to its people and do whatever it likes – such as paying itself obscene salaries including a mind-numbing 8 months worth of bonuses for its ministers?

Do we want a government which only springs to life when its dominance is at risk – once every five years? Suddenly, as the election nears, you see PAP ministers coming out with upgrading programmes, monetary handouts, introducing more trains and run them more frequently, cutting the influx of foreigners, increasing the number of BTO flats, etc.

The question here is this: what happens after the election if the PAP wins a convincing majority again?

**** Sir, With All Due Respect... <http://blinkymummy.blogspot.com/2011/04/sir-with-all-due-respect.html>
野人俱乐部

So stop deluding anyone that she is a young candidate whom young voters can align with. And stop making it worse by raising Mee Siam Mai Hum points, revealing your own lack of understanding of the lower rungs of the Singapore society.

**** æ–°åŠ å¡çš„å¤–æ¥äººå£ä¸Žâ€œç¦åˆ©è›‹ç³•â€ <http://opinion.china.com.cn/opinion_14_14114.html>
暨佩娟, 人民网

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**** We Are Here To Serve <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4708-we-are-here-to-serve>
Vincent Wijeysingha, Singapore Democratic Party

**** The Coming S$2.7 Trillion Bailout <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/the-coming-s2-7-trillion-bailout/>
Yawning Bread

When the crash looks like it will happen, the government will likely step up SERS, making themselves the biggest buyer of HDB flats in order to reassure the market when all other buyers are fleeing. Then when market valuations are pointing south, the government is likely to establish a floor valuation (i.e. decoupling it from the fast-sinking free market price), to reassure existing leaseholders that they will get more or less the expected value of the flat based on previous bubble delusions. Effectively, the government will be forced to underwrite near-worthless “assets” and bail out citizens whose nest-eggs are evaporating.

What is the cost of that bail-out to come? It’s hard to say because we don’t know what stratospheric prices HDB flats will have reached. But if we assume today’s average price of about $250,000 per typical flat, and add a bit more, say to S$300,000, and multiply this with the present stock of over 900,000 flats, it comes to S$2.7 trillion.

**** Mary Poppins Time In Singapore <http://www.pressrun.net/weblog/2011/04/mary-poppins-time-in-singapore.html>
Pressrun.net

As the televised debate showed, ministers and ruling party MPs don’t  necessarily eat opposition politicians for breakfast or dinner even when the latter are rattling their chain. Singapore is a civil society; we have it on tape.

**** One-sentence Open Letter To Mr Lee Kuan Yew <http://blackandwhite999.blogspot.com/2011/04/one-sentence-open-letter-to-mr-lee-kuan.html>
Justin Choo, Black & White

In your twilight years, please show mercy and compassion for Yong Vui Kong.

**** Prevent Ferry Terminals From Becoming 'White Elephant' <http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=576864>
Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa, Bernama

The Tanjung Belungkor and Changi ferry terminals are in danger of becoming 'white elephant' projects as they are rarely utilised by the public.

**** Standards Set Too High For Political Talent? <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110406-0001205/Standards-set-too-high-for-political-talent?>
Leong Sze Hian, Today

We may be suffering from too much of a good thing, as they say, because even given the sterling credentials, achievements and track record of new candidates this election, most Singaporeans may feel they are not "good enough" for politics. This, in my view, may be a significant contributing factor to our lack of talent in the policitical sphere.

**** GE: MP Sam Tan On Possible 4-way Fight At Radin Mas <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1121087/1/.html>
Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia

Mr Tan said he has yet to see any opposition activity in the ward.

**** General Election TV Debate: To What End? <http://newasiarepublic.com/?p=26748>
Donaldson Tan, New Asia Republic

How the new Opposition candidates must challenge the ruling party is not disagreement-in-principle, but along the line of execution, monitoring and prioritisation of policy objectives. All eyes are on the Opposition to turn the coming General Election into a watershed one!

**** Avoiding The Grip Of Singapore Inc <http://www.smh.com.au/business/avoiding-the-grip-of-singapore-inc-20110406-1d4i8.html>
Eric Ellis, Sydney Morning Herald

What the Singapore media won't write is that Australia's rejection of the SGX bid comes at an embarrassing time for the long-ruling Lee regime, unhindered by the trifles of democracy since 1959, a grip on absolute power challenged only by China, North Korea and Cuba. It's the early throes of election season in Singapore, and the Lees are keen to avoid any jasmine-like suggestion that might flower from elsewhere. But this mistake will be noticed.

That's not Canberra's concern, but Swan's spurning of the SGX bid throws another harsh spotlight on a more pressing Singaporean problem. Its power elite's reluctance to devolve corporate and political power, to give up the perks, the fat salaries, the clubby ride, has allowed its government-owned corporations to become massive entities that have outgrown Singapore's relatively small economy. They must continue to do deals to grow, to deliver the returns the government must produce to justify to its increasingly sceptical people their continued grip on power. And yet, when they reach for control of flashy assets such as the ASX, they frequently bump against the very ''national interest'' argument that has denied this deal.

**** Make GE 2011 Referendum On GRC? <http://singaporegirl.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/make-ge-2011-referendum-on-grc/>
Food Fuels Me To Talk...

Instead, the Opposition should use their sore point to their advantage. This they can do by making the GE 2011 as a referendum on GRCs. Use this as their rallying cry!

If voters respond by thrashing the PAP at the GRCs come polling day, then the Opposition will have gotten their point across. Which is: Singaporeans don’t like unqualified candidates sneaking into Parliament by the coat-tails of seasoned seniors.

**** PAP Can Represent Everyone’s Interest? Thanks, But No Thanks <http://newnation.sg/2011/04/pap-can-represent-everyones-interest-thanks-but-no-thanks/>
Belmont Lay, New Nation

If you’re gay, or if you’re staunchly single, or if you’re divorced, or if you’re a swinger, or if you’re a single parent, or if you’re homeless, or if you’re liberal-minded, or if you’re a hippie, or if you’re really old, or if you’re really poor, or if you lack next-of-kins, you’re screwed.