[MyAppleMenu] Apr 18, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
====================================

**** MacFlux 3 <http://www.macworld.com/article/158833/2011/04/macflux3.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Adam Berenstain, Macworld

Designers looking to build quick template-based sites may be better served by RapidWeaver. But if you’re looking for a powerful, affordable way to create more sophisticated sites, MacFlux 3 is well worth considering.

**** Apple Files Patent Suit Against Samsung Over Galaxy Line Of Phones And Tablets <http://mobilized.allthingsd.com/20110418/apple-files-patent-suit-against-samsung-over-galaxy-line-of-phones-and-tablets/>
Ina Fried, All Things D

In the latest intellectual property suit to hit the smartphone industry, Apple is suing Samsung, alleging the Galaxy line of phones and tablets infringe on a number of the company’s patents and trademarks.

**** How An SSD Affects The 13-inch 2.3GHz Core I5 MacBook Pro's Performance <http://www.macworld.com/article/155955/2011/04/13inmbpssd.html#lsrc.rss_main>
James Galbraith, Macworld

What does the extra money buy in terms of performance?



The Tomorrow Weblog
====================================

**** The Rise Of The 99-cent Kindle E-book <http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-20037800-82.html>
David Carnoy, CNET



MyAppleMenu Reader
====================================

**** Breaking Bad News <http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/ideas/breaking-bad-news?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MoreintelligentlifeTotal+%28moreintelligentlife.com+-+total%29>
Sally Williams, Intelligent Life

For decades, the way bad news was broken was, as one official British report put it, “deeply insensitive”. Now we do it better, thanks to the efforts of one American widow.

**** Cutting Greens <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/241678>
Lucille Clifton, Poetry Foundation

**** The Science Of Why We Don't Believe Science <http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/denial-science-chris-mooney>
Chris Mooney, Mother Jones

How our brains fool us on climate, creationism, and the vaccine-autism link.



SingaporeSurf
====================================

**** New Malaysian Metropolis Taking Shape Near Singapore <http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gJsrsuPMmYhM3JuPeu0GBpIJX2NA?docId=CNG.eb63d08c46fc03277ee2b129a6b13866.dc1>
Martin Abbugao, AFP

A new metropolis three times the size of neighbouring Singapore is taking shape in the foothills of southern Malaysia, where officials and investors have equally huge ambitions for the city.

The new plan calls for a low- to medium-rise business district that will serve the requirements of small and medium businesses seeking cheaper locations but enjoying quality living standards.

**** Two Questions On Preventing Enclaves <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_657974.html>
Ang Hak Heng, Straits Times

Is subletting of flats or rooms subject to any policy or quota similar to that of the EIP and non-Malaysian PR quota? If it is not, how does the government ensure a balanced ethnic mix and prevent enclaves forming in public estates?

As the EIP and non-Malaysian PR quota are important, are private housing estates subject to similar restrictions? If they are not, how does the government ensure a balanced ethnic mix and prevent enclaves from forming in private estates?

**** The Why Behind The Where <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110418-0000274/The-why-behind-the-where>
Neo Chai Chin, Today

**** Stop Playing The “Fear-of-failure” Card <http://yeejj.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/stop-playing-the-fear-of-failure-card/>
Yee Jenn Jong

Dr Yaacob and many other PAP leaders know ours is a risk-averse society and hence they play this card constantly. Yet I wonder what they have to say about their own recent failures; in letting a crippled terrorist escape, in failure to plan our infrastructure to cope with the influx of immigrants, in managing the flooding situation, in handling mix-ups during YOG, and so on.

If we allow the current situation of having only one hugely dominant party to control everything, the same sub-prime problem can happen. The pegging of ministers salaries to economic growth and pay of the top earners may encourage decisions to boost GDP without considerations to the benefits to the ordinary people and without due considerations to long term impacts.

**** The Unauthorized Annotated PAP Manifesto <http://mollymeek.wordpress.com/2011/04/17/the-unauthorized-annotated-pap-manifesto/>
Molitics

Voters, you may be selfish enough to vote for the status quo if it benefits you or foolish enough to vote for against your own future, but will you be cruel as to vote against your friends, your fellow Singaporeans, your country?

**** PAP 2006 Election Manifesto Promise – Success Or Failure? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/pap-2006-election-manifesto-promise-%E2%80%93-success-or-failure/>
Andrew Loh / Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen

The promise to “redesign old jobs” so that they would “pay more” has not, it would seem, been delivered. Cleaners and road sweepers, for example, now earn around $650 a month, which is down from around $800 in 2005.   Among the general population, Singapore workers had only a 1.4 per cent per annum real wage increase in the last 10 years.  2008 and 2009 saw negative real wage growth, with real earnings falling by 3.2 and 1.2 per cent in those two years respectively – this despite the fact that Singapore workers put in one of the highest number of work hours per week in the world, at 45.9 hours, surpassing South Korea which had the highest work hours in the world in 2008.

84,000 remain unemployed in June, of which about 16,500 had been out of work for more than 6 months. The hardest hit are older workers. Close to half of all resident job seekers were those who are about 40 years old. Better-qualified workers, such as the PMETs (professionals, managers, executives and technicians), accounted for more than half of those made redundant.

**** Having NCMPs Not The Same As Having Elected Opposition MPs <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_657977.html>
Sylvia Lim, Workers' Party, Straits Times

My comments on the different voting rights between Non-Constituency MPs (NCMPs) and elected MPs were made precisely to highlight that the two offices are not the same. I was not arguing for equivalent powers for NCMPs.

The public should, therefore, also not be confused that having opposition NCMPs is the same as having opposition elected MPs, nor buy into the ruling party's exhortations in this direction.

If the public want a more direct and effective check on the ruling party, they should elect opposition MPs who will provide political competition, both in Parliament and on the ground, so that Singapore will have insurance for the future if the ruling party declines.

**** Pragmatism Shouldn't Be Only Consideration <http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/OnlineStory/STIStory_657913.html>
Lee Jing Yng, Straits Times

Good deliberation can occur only when groups with truly different ideologies, not bound by one-party discipline, are able to come together to each present their perspectives and understand why it can or cannot work.

Only then can the resulting resolution or compromise claim to have been fully looked at from all angles and not just based on the most pragmatic reasons.

**** PAP Manifesto Video Slammed By Viewers <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/pap-manifesto-video-slammed-by-viewers/>
The Online Citizen

Out of the 115 comments posted by viewers, virtually all of them criticised the video and the PAP.

“Looking at the PAP manifesto and the WP manifesto side by side, it is fairly obvious that PAP’s is severely lacking. Just vague promises without any details on how they will implement it,” said berukblue.

“Looking at the PAP manifesto and the WP manifesto side by side, it is fairly obvious that PAP’s is severely lacking. Just vague promises without any details on how they will implement it,” said berukblue.

**** A Little Tale <http://catherinelim.sg/2011/04/17/a-little-tale/>
Catherine Lim

**** The Proof In Black And White <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/04/proof-in-black-and-white.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

The days of tyranny of the old media is over. Their monopoly of news and information is compromised and news presented to the public cannot be the same again.

**** â€œæ”¿æ²»ä¿é™©è®ºâ€ä¸æ— é“ç† <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/yl/yl110418_007.shtml>
何伟民, 联合早报

æ–°åŠ å¡äººæœ‰å¿…è¦å°½æ—©å‡†å¤‡ï¼Œè®©åœ¨é‡Žå…šå…ˆåœ¨å›½ä¼šç´¯ç§¯æ”¿æ²»ç»éªŒï¼Œå¦åˆ™åœ¨é‚£ä¸€å¤©åˆ°æ¥æ—¶æŽªæ‰‹ä¸åŠã€‚å°æ¹¾çš„æ°‘è¿›å…šå°±æ˜¯æ²¡æœ‰å‡†å¤‡å¥½ï¼Œä¸€ä¸Šå°æ‰§æ”¿ä¾¿æ¯«æ— ç« æ³•ï¼Œæœ€ç»ˆè¿˜æ˜¯è®©å›½æ°‘å…šå–ä»£ã€‚

**** What's Wrong With Nationalising The MRT Operations? <http://chantc.blogspot.com/2011/04/whats-wrong-with-nationalising-mrt.html>
My Little Corner

**** In Retrospect: Miss Sylvia Lim And The NCMP Scheme <http://guanyinmiao.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/in-retrospect-miss-sylvia-lim-and-the-ncmp-scheme/>
Guanyinmiao's Musings

The key is this: Opposition political candidates – especially those newcomers with no prior first-hand parliamentary experience – should not be too quick to dismiss the NCMP scheme; at the same time, if Singaporeans are genuinely desirous of having opposition politicians represent the electorate’s interests or having more concerted alternative voices in the Government, then they must be prepared to reflect these desires at the ballot box.

**** Did Tin Pei Ling Contravene Elections Rule? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/did-tin-pei-ling-contravene-elections-rule/>
The Online Citizen

In other words, anyone who conducts “election activity” before nomination day would by definition not have a “written authority” and hence would be in breach of 83(2).

Does Ms Tin’s appeal to viewers to “please vote for me” constitute an infringement of the Act?

**** Pork Barrel Politics In Singapore By The PAP <http://singapore-lighthouse.blogspot.com/2011/04/pork-barrel-politics-in-singapore-by.html>
Singapore Social And Political Thoughts

Instead of looking into minimum wages, welfare of the aging population, high cost of housing and cost of living, the PAP still resort to Pork Barrel Politics....

**** About Time To Come Clean <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2011/04/about-time-to-come-clean.html>
Singapore Notes

It is imperative, for the sake of the people and the nation, that HDB's books be opened for public scrutiny. The alternative is just too ugly to contemplate. The only upside is that a minister could move to Changi Prison.

**** National Service Being Insulted <http://mysingaporenews.blogspot.com/2011/04/national-service-being-insulted.html>
Chua Chin Leng, My Singapore News

In a brief few days, the national institution of NS has been insulted over and over again by people who are pleasantly disposed to FTs and new citizens. And this hurts, it hurts very badly to all NS men and ex NS men. The years of sacrifice that they gave to the country now seems meaningless. In just a few days, NS is no longer as important as it was. The rite of passage for all young Singaporeans is being brushed aside as something lesser, as little as any economic activity.

**** Dr Chee Under Virtual House Arrest During Elections? <http://ge2011.theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/dr-chee-under-virtual-house-arrest-during-elections/>
Elliot Aruldoss, The Online Citizen

Dr Chee’s status as an undischarged bankrupt has made him unable to contest the upcoming elections. The Parliamentary Elections Act, provision 83 states: ‘No person who is an undischarged bankrupt shall take part in any election activity’. And this is the reason for his apparent ‘house arrest’.

Therefore, could the simple act of chatting with local residents outside his home or office be misconstrued as ‘conducting an election activity’- a breach of the law? Would Dr Chee be unable to buy food from the local hawker center for fear of being accused of promoting his campaign? For now, the duration of this ‘house arrest’ remains unclear. However, with Dr Chee being unable to venture outdoors during the GE due to this vague political quarantine, one wonders if the SDP is going into the elections with its hands tied firmly behind its back.

**** GE: MM Lee To Stand In Tanjong Pagar GRC <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123505/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

Singapore's minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew has confirmed his candidacy for Tanjong Pagar GRC in the coming general election. For the coming polls, the Tanjong Pagar GRC team is expected to comprise minister mentor Lee, Ms Indranee, Mr Baey, MP for Jalan Besar GRC Dr Lily Neo, and new candidate Major-General Chan Chun Sing.

**** PAP Party Manifesto Loves Your Feedback <http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2011/04/pap-party-manifesto-loves-your-feedback.html>
mrbrown

**** 'Ground Is Not So Sweet This Time' : SM Goh <http://www.straitstimes.com/GeneralElection/News/Story/STIStory_658254.html>
Grace Ng, Straits Times

The ground is not so sweet for this coming election, amid rising costs and inflation, said senior minister Goh Chok Tong on Monday.

But the People's Action Party will not duck such hot-botton issues, said SM Goh said in an interview with the Singapore media, wrapping up his visit to China.

**** Electing Movers Of Pleas <http://yawningbread.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/electing-movers-of-pleas/>
Yawning Bread

Singaporeans are by and large just not politically aware. The tendency to see MPs as little more than movers of pleas may well be the norm.

**** GE: Members Of Committees That Certify Minority Candidates Appointed <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1123481/1/.html>
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia

The President has appointed members of two key committees that will certify whether or not the minority candidates in the coming general election belong to their respective communities.

**** Scrutiny Of Manifestos – PAP’s Double-standards? <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/04/scrutiny-of-manifestos-paps-double-standards/>
The Online Citizen

**** The SDP Promise: Let's Talk With The People, Not At Them <http://yoursdp.org/index.php/news/singapore/4737-lets-talk-with-the-people-not-at-them>
Singapore Democratic Party

Instead we have the ministers telling Singaporeans that they have to work cheaper, better, and faster and that we have to be kicked to make us work harder. We are not entitled to ask why.

This is not democracy.

**** Numbers Oddity In S'pore <http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3134&Itemid=233>
Asia Sentinel

Flash quarterly GDP statistics are a misleading waste of time that only benefit financial market trading volumes.

That conclusion might easily be reached by reference to Singapore’s flash official data – not to mention China’s. This is not to suggest that the Singapore figures are deliberately distorted or that annual data based on full data collection are significantly inaccurate. But the wild swings in Singapore’ quarterly numbers are at odds with common sense views of what is happening in the real economy.

**** The Fallacy Of The GRCs <http://singaporerecalcitrant.blogspot.com/2011/04/fallacy-of-grcs.html>
Singapore Recalcitrant