[MyAppleMenu] Apr 14, 2011

applesurf at myapplemenu.com applesurf at myapplemenu.com
Thu Apr 14 18:59:00 EDT 2011

MyAppleMenu
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**** Apple’s AirPlay Seed Begins To Take Root <http://gigaom.com/apple/apples-airplay-seed-begins-to-take-root/>
Darrell Etherington, GigaOM

Major players in the online video business may still be reluctant to embrace AirPlay, but plenty of small developers are seizing the opportunity it provides to bring content from the mobile screen to the living room television.

**** Review: TextSoap 7 <http://apple.it-enquirer.com/2011/04/13/review-textsoap-7/>
IT.Enquirer

TextSoap has been the text cleaner of choice for many years. If you needed to quickly convert HTML into plain text or strip quotes from random sentences, TextSoap was the only application that was really up to the job. This application has now been upgraded to version 7, and it’s an upgrade more than worth the price.

**** How To Boot To Safe Mode In OS X <http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20053679-263.html>
Topher Kessler, CNET

Often when troubleshooting systems, you might wish to boot into Safe Mode to run in a minimized boot environment to test if a third-party extension or add-on is causing problems with your machine. In addition, booting to Safe Mode also runs some cleaning and maintenance routines on your system, which can help iron out problems.

**** Tweetbot’s Got Personality <http://shawnblanc.net/2011/04/tweetbot-review/>
Shawn Blanc

For me, what makes a good app great is the little things — the small areas where attention to detail was given and where something that could have been normal was instead made extraordinary.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Would You Sign My Kindle? <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/fashion/14NOTICED.html?_r=1>
Stephanie Rosenbloom, New York Times

The growing demand for more-elegant solutions has software and marketing companies scrambling to propel book signing into the digital age.

**** Can An Algorithm Spot The Next Google? <http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/37387/?ref=rss&a=f>
Jim Giles, Technology Review

A startup analyzes tweets, patents, and lots of other data in the hopes of identifying the next big thing.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** The Obituary Writer Has The Upper Hand <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/14/books/the-coffins-of-little-hope-by-timothy-schaffert-review.html?partner=rss&emc=rss>
Janet Maslin, New York Times

A faint but important frisson of fear runs all through this seeming lightheartedness, giving the book a spooky undercurrent. After all, Essie is one of what she calls the town’s “death merchants.”



SingaporeSurf
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**** The Indians Are Coming! The Indians Are Coming! <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2011/04/indians-are-coming-indians-are-coming.html>
Singapore Notes

The kopitiam crowd knows it, minister mentor confirms it, the enclaves are already in place. The new arrivals are thumbing their noses at government initiatives to spread them out. MM minced no words: if they congregate, they buy second hand homes, resale homes and stick together, that will be a problem. Having said that, he concedes defeat, "But when the Indian immigrants buy condos in the East Coast, we can't stop them. So there will be a disportionate number of North Indians among dwellers in the East Coast."

**** Democracy Big And Small <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/democracy-big-and-small/>
Yawning Bread

For several years, the town council in my area was spending lots of money on landscaping contracts. All sorts of ornamental plants sprouted overnight. This was all well and good except that the more useful stuff like adding covered walkways between apartment blocks and down to bus stops were not done. That this would have been higher priority than pretty planters would have been obvious if they asked even a handful of ordinary residents. Eventually the covered walkways were built, but not before it became clear that ornamental plants were very costly to maintain, they being rather susceptible to weeds.

The member of parliament for my area must have been an avid collector of suggestions from Residents’ Committees, because soon after, and undeterred by the defeat by weeds, a new “bright idea” took form. Gym equipment — stationary exercise bike, treadmill, etc — for old folks’ corners were installed in void decks. However, I don’t think many senior citizens were consulted, because no one was ever seen using them after the day of the opening ceremony. Within six months rust and dust had vanquished these shiny hopes.

By far, the biggest monument to folly, however, was the hard court. In an excellent article by reporter Cheow Xin Yi, Today newspaper wrote about a 3,000 square-metre open space that was once a grassy field on which neighbourhood boys could kick a ball around, now paved over and turned into a sizzling frying pan on sunny days. The reason the Town Council did that was to allow temple groups to put up street operas virtually all year round. Big money could be made through auctions conducted on high-decibel speakers.

**** Why PAP Needs The Upgrading Crutch.... <http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/2011/04/why-pap-needs-upgrading-crutch.html>
Diary Of A Singapore Mind

Having found a way to unfairly coerce the electorate to vote for them, they make fewer adjustments in policy formulation thinking that winning votes is just a matter of dangling bigger and bigger upgrading carrots before voters - we are starting to see upgrading plans in excess of $500M ...very soon we will have billion $ upgrading plans. At the same time, voter frustration builds up and unhappiness with the PAP festers as the PAP go along the same path without making the long overdue changes. When the upgrading carrot loses its effect, there can be abrupt shifts in voting patterns that will catch the PAP off guard. Some people say that this coming election will be another "foregone conclusion" like the last 5 elections but I think it is a lot harder now to guess what goes on in the minds of voters.

**** Don’t Just Cry, Minister Lim — Do Something About It <http://www.sgpolitics.net/?p=6556>
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net

Then again, despite Mr Lim’s claim that he has fought hard for the working poor, he has never been widely known for championing the rights of locals in a consistent manner.

He is more well known, in fact, for claiming during a 2008 Parliamentary session that we have to allow pretty beer girls from China to be hired at coffee shops so that supposedly less attractive local beer girls can remain employed.

If Mr Lim feels strongly about certain issues, that he should put his feelings into action rather than merely weep in front of the television camera. If Mr Lim is serious about speaking up for the poor, then he should do something about it, outside the PAP.

Otherwise, history will merely record him as a politician who left in tears, but who did not proceed to put his convictions into real action.

**** Sitoh Has New Game Plan, Ready To Tackle Potong Pasir <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110414-0000404/Sitoh-has-new-game-plan,-ready-to-tackle-Potong-Pasir>
Teo Xuanwei, Today

Instead of "mega events involving 4,000 to 5,000 residents", he has chosen to hold "small, intimate events of 40 to 50 residents" after the 2006 General Election (GE) as a new way of "fostering closer bonding and collecting meaningful feedback".

If he gets the go-ahead, Mr Sitoh would be contesting against Mr Chiam's wife, Lina, 62. When contacted yesterday, Mr Sitoh declined to elaborate on what he wrote in the newsletter, in which he also gave residents an update on lift upgrading programmes in the ward - a major municipal issue in the 2006 GE. Mrs Chiam pointed out yesterday that it is the town council - run by her husband - that co-pays for the lift upgrading.

**** WP Reiterates Call On Price Of HDB Flats <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110414-0000412/WP-reiterates-call-on-price-of-HDB-flats>
Tanya Fong, Today

Workers' Party (WP) assistant webmaster Gerald Giam has reiterated the party's call to peg the price of Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats to the median income of eligible buyers, and for flats to be affordable enough that mortgages can be paid off in 20 years instead of 30.

Mr Giam said the high prices for the HDB flats and for housing in general "is very much because of the PAP's asset enhancement policies ..."

Said Mr Giam: " ... We want the prices to be pegged to wages rather than to the market. This is public housing, this is not a profit-making endeavour ... The prices of these new flats should be based on the incomes of the average Singaporeans."

**** Workers' Party Defends Manifesto <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110414-0000413/Workers-Party-defends-manifesto>
Tanya Fong, Today

To PA deputy chairman and People's Action Party (PAP) chairman Lim Boon Heng's defence of the PA's "never-ending" role of building community bonds, Ms Lim said that Residents' Committees and Citizens' Consultative Committees could not be relevant in their current form. "We're all in favour of ground-up leadership that arises organically," she said. "The residents in their own areas, to elect their own leaders - we feel that is a much better system in terms of having citizen activism ... rather than having a top-down structure that has become very politicised. It's much better for people to feel empowered."

Mr Lee said the preference given to PAP wards represented an incentive to vote for the ruling party. But Ms Lim said: "We still think it's immoral. If they want to incentivise voters, they can use PAP funds, not public funds."

**** PAP's Private Sector Problem <http://hardhitting-nobs.blogspot.com/2011/04/paps-private-sector-problem.html>
Musings From The Lion City

I’m one of the few people in Singapore who do not care about the high salaries our ministers are getting but even I will ask this question, “Why are we giving such salaries to our ministers if it doesn’t help get people into the government?”

This is one question many, many Singaporeans are asking right now. Right now about ¾ of the new PAP candidates are from the public sector and frankly that’s just too many. The PAP cannot just say “it found it hard to recruit talent from the private sector,” it need to give a good reason why that is the case!

**** Getting Heard In Singapore – Can Anot? <http://kirstenhan.me/2011/04/13/getting-heard-in-singapore-can-anot/>
Funny Little World

When putting my personal experience against the statement made by PM Lee, I found that they didn’t match. So what does that tell us about his statement? What should we think about his statement?

It is true that you can get yourself heard in Singapore. But is it really true that you can get yourself heard by enough people to really push for change? After all, at the end of the day that is the sort of “getting heard” that matters.

Who needs the “getting heard” that doesn’t make any impact at all?

**** New Watch Group's Aim Is To Monitor, Not Control, Prices <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_656482.html>
Cindy Keng, Ministry Of Trade And Industry, Straits Times

The watch group's objective is not to control prices. Keeping prices artificially low is not sustainable and will create other problems such as hoarding, shortages and black markets.

**** About Chen: Time Will Tell <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_656474.html>
Benjamin Chow, Straits Times

For an older citizen like me who was born, bred and has remained rooted in Singapore, the return of a fellow citizen home to share his expertise and experience is always welcome. At the same time, I am wary of those who choose to return when the pickings are ripe.

**** Worker’s Party Wants To Abolish PA <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/04/workers-party-wants-to-abolish-pa.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

Worker’s Party has made the abolishing of the PA as one of their key objectives if they win the election. I would like them to add another, the abolishing of all the elitist conditions for the office of the elected President.

**** Singapore Economic Growth Quickens, Prompting Tighter Policy <http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-04-14/singapore-allows-faster-currency-gains-as-gdp-grows-twice-estimated-pace.html>
Shamim Adam, Bloomberg

Singapore’s economy grew at the fastest pace in three quarters, an expansion that prompted the central bank to tighten its monetary policy. The country’s currency rose to a record.

Singapore’s consumer prices gained 5 percent or more in the first two months of 2011. The government expects inflation to moderate and average 3 percent to 4 percent this year, “assuming no further escalation in global oil prices,” trade minister Lim Hng Kiang said in parliament this week.

**** Question Time, But With No Answers <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/question-time-but-with-no-answers/>
Howard Lee, The Online Citizen

For among the many sidesteps that the PM made at Question Time, this one point was a gross error: Politics is not about the tussle for power where the opposition tries relentlessly to trip up the incumbent and win votes as a consequence. That view, again, represents the interests of the authoritative voice.

Politics is about the delegation of power, in terms of a vote of confidence from the people to their elected representatives. And they have every right to delegate this power to those they believe will represent their interests best.

This will be an election where the electorate says enough is enough. Instead of simply letting history repeat itself, this election will be one where the electorate feels a need to be the key difference, driver and determinant of our own future. Whatever our choice, it will finally be a choice made personally, as every vote should be, and our choice to be logical or emotional about it.

**** NSP’s New Faces Share Their Plans For Singapore <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/nsp-faces-share-plans-singapore-20110413-072422-843.html>
Alicia Wong, Yahoo!

**** 选前报道 宏茂桥集选区 蓝彬明将从容应对四角战 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110414_008.shtml>
顾功垒, 联合早报

无党派候选人黄文优和其他反对党人士“看上”盛港西选区，使得这区可能出现四角战，负责这一区的宏茂桥集选区议员蓝彬明医生从容应战，他说：“我们已在大选备战的最后阶段，只要按下按钮就可以冲刺！”

**** Wijeysingha: An ‘Establishment’ Man Taking A Different Path <http://satayclub.net/2011/04/wijeysingha-an-establishment-man-taking-a-different-path/>
Timothy Goh, Satayclub.net

Dr Wijeysingha feels that at the end of the day, politics and social work stem from the same basis of values – “that human beings are important and have the right to live a fulfilling and dignified life”.

The SDP, he says, is a “coherent” party, “constructive about programmes” and “compassionate to the less fortunate.” This view is in stark contrast to the picture that the state-controlled mainstream media paints of the SDP, often depicting it as being destructive, radical and out-of-touch with the grassroots, preferring instead to focus on abstract concepts such as human rights.

**** 选前报道 林瑞莲反驳李显龙总理 “收回成本”概念并非要政府倒贴 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110414_006.shtml>
李敏雯, 联合早报

工人党主席林瑞莲说，该党政纲提出要推出公共巴士服务计划，推行“收回成本”（Cost Recovery）的概念，并非要政府倒贴。

林瑞莲说，工人党没有使用过“福利制度”这个字眼，事实上，工人党与上届大选时的竞选政纲一样，鼓励政府采取“需求导向”（needs based），来给予人民援助。

她指出，人民行动党政府认为家庭应该是有需要者的第一道防线，但这只在理想的情况下可行。“我们曾经看到一些家庭关系变得紧张，正是因为政府没有及时伸出援手而家庭资源已被耗尽，这也等于把问题转嫁到下一代，长远来看是无法持续的。”

**** A Tale Of Two ‘New Citizens’ <http://satayclub.net/2011/04/a-tale-of-two-new-citizens/>
Wong Wen Shan, Satayclub.net

The fact that Mr Chen went through NS despite apparently having the option not to do so (for instance, he could have waited until later in life to become a citizen, or he could have become a citizen of the US) has endeared him to many Singaporean voters, while Dr Puthucheary’s comments about ‘saving kids’ lives’ seem to have come across as being dismissive of the sacrifice that every Singaporean male is required to make to safeguard the security of the nation.

Perhaps this is a result of many Singaporean men resenting the fact that two of their prime years had to be spent in military service, which can be physically and psychologically draining. The fact that Mr Chen volunteered to put himself through this ‘hardship’ has helped him to come across as one of them, while Dr Puthucheary seems to have alienated himself by failing to appreciate their ‘suffering’.

**** PAP’s Economic Theory: Raise Taxes To Deal With Economic Slowdown! <http://politicalwritings.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/paps-economic-theory-raise-taxes-to-deal-with-economic-slowdown/>
Political Writings

A decision to raise or lower GST cannot be made on the basis of one year’s GDP or even two; it is a relatively permanent decision that will have a significant and lasting impact on all economic activity in Singapore.

What an irresponsible statement from the PM!

**** Still Safe To Read, No Ban On Alan Shadrake’s Book – Yet <http://newnation.sg/2011/04/still-safe-to-read-no-ban-on-alan-shadrakes-book-yet/>
Belmont Lay, New Nation

**** PAP Let Aljunied GRC Down <http://singaporeelection.blogspot.com/2011/04/pap-is-danger-of-losing-this-aljunied.html>
Singapore Election Watch

**** Do We Want Powerless MPs In Parliament? <http://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/singaporescene/want-powerless-mps-parliament-20110413-211723-098.html>
Andrew Loh, Yahoo!

There seems to be a glaring misunderstanding by the PAP about what exactly it is that Singaporeans desire. I would suggest that it is not just having opposition voices to speak up on issues which Singaporeans are looking for, but that these alternative voices have the backing of law — i.e. full voting rights — to stop the government from pushing through legislation.

**** The SDP Promise - Our MPs' Pledge <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4730-the-sdp-promise-our-mps-pledge>
Singapore Democratic Party

**** GE: NCMP System Not Set Up To Change Government Policy, Says PAP Chairman <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1122754/1/.html>
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia

He said: "The NCMP has every right to speak on every subject in parliament, so if an NCMP has done his or her homework, and have strong views to express that is different from the government, there is no obstruction to that.

"The NCMP is not set up to change government policy, the NCMP is set up to highlight whatever weaknesses there may be in government policies and if the NCMP can do that in parliament, I think his or her standing will be quite different come the next election."

**** S’pore Needs To Break Away From Risk-averse Culture <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/spore-needs-to-break-away-from-risk-averse-culture/>
Yee Jenn Jong, The Online Citizen

We often hear Singapore is a small market. We make it even smaller because there are few opportunities to develop good start-ups. Government officials play it safe by preferring large companies for contracts, even when smaller companies can fulfil the requirements at a lower cost. We run GLCs so well that its leaves SMEs little space to develop. We suck the top talents up by tying them down with scholarships at a young age. We make things too safe in Singapore because we are afraid to fail. We label people who fail - in school, in work and in business. We teach students there is a right and a wrong way to do things. Hence they become progressively afraid to try unconventional ideas.

In this 21st century, we need to figure how to train students for job types that they will do 10-15 years later that do not now exist. We cannot use the same approach as we did when Singapore need only train good manpower for MNCs. We need to train creative people to take on the world. We need resilience in our people to dare to try, dare to fail and dare to rise up again if they fail.

**** PAP Is Not Singapore, PAP Renewal Is Not Singapore Renewal, And Parliament Is Not A Feedback Channel <http://ge2011.theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/pap-is-not-singapore-pap-renewal-is-not-singapore-renewal-and-parliament-is-not-a-feedback-channel/>
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen




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