[MyAppleMenu] Feb 23, 2011

[applesurf at myapplemenu.com]

MyAppleMenu
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**** iTunes Store, In Trying To Help, May Say Too Much <http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/220265/itunes_store_in_trying_to_help_may_say_too_much.html>
Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service

The iTunes Store allows people to gift content such as music to another user. A person can compile a list of up to 100 songs to gift to someone else, and the iTunes Store checks to see if the recipient already owns the content, wrote Andrew McAfee , principal research scientist at the Center for Digital Business at MIT's Sloan School of Management.

"This is done with good intentions -- to keep users from gifting music that the recipient already has -- but the implementation of this feature opens up privacy concerns: if the check reveals duplicates, iTunes tells the gifter about one of them," McAfee wrote.

**** Subscription Rule Not For SaaS Access? <http://www.marco.org/3449240589>
Marco Arment

He only said that Apple didn’t create the subscriptions for SaaS apps, not whether SaaS apps can use them (are we prohibited from using them?), or whether we’re required to use them.

**** Review: Sparrow 1.0.1 <http://pcweenies.com/2011/02/22/review-sparrow-1-0-1/>
The PC Weenies

If you live and breathe G-mail like I do, you’ll find there’s a lot to love with Sparrow, particularly if you have multiple G-mail accounts.

**** RapidWeaver 5 Review <http://www.macworld.co.uk/digitallifestyle/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=3261829&olo=rss>
Rob Beattie, Macworld UK

Bolstered by a wide range of innovative plug-ins, page types and customisable third-party themes, it lets you add your own custom HTML and CSS, making it suitable for creating a wide range of personal and business websites.

**** Apple Updates Software For 6th Gen iPod Nano <http://www.macworld.com/article/158073/2011/02/ipod_nano_software_11.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Jonathan Seff, Macworld

New in the 1.1 software are the abilities to completely turn off the iPod (rather than just put it to sleep) and to control music or radio playback using the Sleep/Wake button.

**** The iPad Data Dilemma: Where Cloud Storage Can Help <http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/the-ipad-data-dilemma-where-cloud-storage-can-help-834>
Mel Beckman, InfoWorld

Tablets and cloud storage seem like a marriage made in heaven, but it takes third-party apps to bring them together.

**** Quark Launches QuarkXPress 9 <http://www.macworld.com/article/158019/2011/02/quark9news.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Jackie Dove, Macworld

The new version of QuarkXPress—which will integrate the new App Studio and Blio e-reader design functionality in the package—will allow designers to publish directly to digital devices, notably the iPad and eventually other tablets, as well as to e-readers, smart phones, and other cross-media systems. Version 9 will also offer new design-automation features to assist in the production of multimedia documents and periodicals for print, Web, and interactive Flash (SWF) media.

**** Yet Another Free Way To Sync Mac Files Online <http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/yet-another-free-way-to-sync-mac-files-online>
Alexis Kayhill, Mac 360

**** 4 Ways To Make Mac Dialog Boxes Smart And Easy <http://mac360.com/index.php/mac360/comments/4-ways-to-make-mac-dialog-boxes-smart-and-easy>
Jeffrey Mincey, Mac 360

On every new Mac I install Default Folder. It’s a Mac app that extends the functions in the dialog boxes. There are four notable functions that make using Default Folder a pleasure, even for experienced Mac users.

**** Apple Loyalists Fight Succession Proposal <http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/apple_loyalists_fight_succession_BqOsuKxfn8TtD54lZTUxiK>
Garett Sloan And Kaja Whitehouse, New York Post

Apple investors are on track to vote down a proposal that would force the tech giant to reveal its succession plan, sources told The Post.

**** Four Reasons To Rip CDs Without iTunes <http://www.macworld.com/article/158059/2011/02/four_reasons_rip_cds_without_itunes.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Kirk McElhearn, Macworld

In some cases, you may not want to rip CDs with iTunes: you may want to rip to formats that iTunes doesn’t support, such as FLAC; you may want to make an “accurate” rip; you may want to rip CDs using a database other than the Gracenote database that iTunes accesses to get information about your music; or you may want to rip audiobooks. Here are some reasons why you might want to rip differently.

**** A Photographer's Workflows For The MacBook Air <http://www.macworld.com/article/158048/2011/02/photography_workflows_mba.html#lsrc.rss_main>
Derrick Story, Macworld

**** Apple Event On March 2…and It’s Definitely iPad. <http://ihnatko.com/2011/02/23/apple-event-on-march-2-and-its-definitely-ipad/>
Andy Ihnatko's Celestial Waste of Bandwidth (BETA)

Overall, I’m expecting a “refresh” rather than a reboot of the iPad. I wouldn’t be shocked if there was a price drop, either. Nothing dramatic…but even a $49 drop on the cheapest iPad would inflict an amount of pressure on both new, competing tablets and ebook readers that would be geometrically greater than the amount of effort Apple would need to spend to make it happen.



The Tomorrow Weblog
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**** Watson Goes To The Hospital <http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/32427/?ref=rss&a=f>
Katharine Gammon, Technology Review

Last week, IBM's Watson computer beat two human competitors on Jeopardy. Before the contest was even over, IBM and Nuance, a leading maker of voice-recognition software, announced plans to put Watson to work in the health-care industry.



MyAppleMenu Reader
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**** How We Know <http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/mar/10/how-we-know/?pagination=false>
Freeman Dyson, New York Review Of Books

The story of the drum language illustrates the central dogma of information theory. The central dogma says, “Meaning is irrelevant.” Information is independent of the meaning that it expresses, and of the language used to express it. Information is an abstract concept, which can be embodied equally well in human speech or in writing or in drumbeats. All that is needed to transfer information from one language to another is a coding system. A coding system may be simple or complicated. If the code is simple, as it is for the drum language with its two tones, a given amount of information requires a longer message. If the code is complicated, as it is for spoken language, the same amount of information can be conveyed in a shorter message.

**** "Ghost Light": A Sharp, Shrewd Romance In The Irish Theater World <http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2011/02/22/ghost_light_joseph_oconnor/index.html>
Christopher Byrd, Salon

It is O'Neill's voice, by turns vulgar and classed-up, that centers the novel and invests it with a stubborn optimism.

**** Dear Mr. Dickens, You’re Great! Love, Me. <http://www.obit-mag.com/articles/dear-mr-dickens-youre-great-love-me>
Suzanne Strempek Shea, Obit

The lack of forwarding addresses didn’t stop a group of acclaimed writers and poets from penning fan letters to their deceased literary heroes.



SingaporeSurf
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**** Judge Dismisses Appeals By SDP Members And Supporters <http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110223-0000227/Judge-dismisses-appeals-by-SDP-members-and-supporters>
Ong Dai Lin, Today

The High Court yesterday dismissed the appeals of several Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) members and supporters in three separate cases of illegal assembly and procession.

**** Singapore Looks To Store Oil In Caverns Under The Sea <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/business/energy-environment/21iht-renoilstore21.html?_r=1>
Sonia Kolesnikov-jessop, New York Times

Beneath the seabed west of Singapore, hundreds of laborers are working around the clock to carve out a network of tunnels and caverns that will eventually provide an enormous, secure storage space for oil.

In addition to the rock caverns, JTC has also recently concluded a technical feasibility study to build a “very large floating structure” for oil, based on similar fuel-storage platforms in Japan.

**** Pre-Election Singapore Clamps Down On Social Media <http://www.asiapacificmemo.ca/pre-election-singapore-social-media>
Netina Tan, Asia Pacific Memo

Unlike the Egyptian government that shut down internet access, the Singapore government uses innovative legalistic techniques to control the cyberspace. The current clamp down reflects the PAP government’s insecurity and fear of the large crowds that have turned up at opposition rallies.

**** Nine Members Leave Reform Party <http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_637947.html>
Kor Kian Beng, Straits Times

The opposition Reform Party (RP) has been rocked by the mass resignation of at least nine members, including five in its top decision-making committee and a couple regarded as potential candidates for the upcoming general election.

**** é©æ–°å…šæ ¸å¿ƒå…šå‘˜é›†ä½“é€€å…š <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110223_018.shtml>
周殊钦, 联合早报

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**** 义顺中和义顺东料变数大 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110223_002.shtml>
谢燕燕, 联合早报

è¿™ä¸¤ä¸ªå•é€‰åŒºçš„çŽ°ä»»å›½ä¼šè®®å‘˜ä½•ç‚³åŸºå‰¯æ•™æŽˆï¼ˆä¹‰é¡ºä¸œï¼‰å’ŒçŽ‹é›…å…´ï¼ˆä¹‰é¡ºä¸­ï¼‰éƒ½æ˜¯è¡ŒåŠ¨å…šçš„å®¿å°†ï¼Œæœ‰ç€ä¸°å¯Œçš„ä»Žæ”¿ç»éªŒï¼Œä½†ç››ä¼ ä»–ä»¬æœ‰å¯èƒ½åœ¨æ¥å±Šå¤§é€‰æ—¶å¼•é€€ï¼Œè®©ä½ç»™æ–°è¡€ã€‚

**** 反对党或出动60人 与行动党争多区议席 <http://www.zaobao.com.sg/sp/sp110223_001.shtml>
蔡添成, 联合早报

据反对党领袖透露，以现有选区来看，阿裕尼集选区、白沙—榜鹅集选区、碧山—大巴窑集选区、惹兰勿刹集选区、淡滨尼集选区、裕廊集选区、西海岸集选区和麦波申、杨厝港、义顺中、波东巴西、蔡厝港等单议席选区，都已经有反对党人盯住。由于单选区被反对党人视为胜算较高，而且僧多粥少，反对党领袖现在也不排除一些单选区出现三角甚至多角战的可能性。

**** The Addiction Of The "Cheap Foreign Labour" Dru <http://youngsingaporean.blogspot.com/2011/02/addiction-of-cheap-foreign-labour-drug.html>
Majulah!

And if we had not depend so much on Foreigners for labour, our industries would have innovated to make better use of the increasingly more expensive workers than the current situation of sticking to the same "proven" formulae; and our workers would have increased their productivity purely because of the companies initiatives to make better use of them, and not get criticised and humiliated by our PAP leaders whom thought they knew better.

**** An Education In Spending <http://singaporedesk.blogspot.com/2011/02/education-in-spending.html>
Singapore Notes

**** Many Big Earners In Singapore Pay Less Tax Than Hong Kong Counterparts <http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/asia/singapore/2011/02/23/292097/Many-big.htm>
China Post

While the top tax rate of 20 percent has not changed, many of the really big earners in Singapore are still better off than their counterparts in Hong Kong. The key level for those in the salary stratosphere is SG$491,587 or US$386,043, of chargeable income a year.

**** Key Members Of Reform Party Resign <http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2011/02/23/key-members-of-reform-party-resign/>
Faris, Yahoo!

“We left because we had differences of opinion. That is common in any organization,” said Ms Poa, who spoke on behalf of the group.

Asked about the group’s plans, Ms Poa said those who quit were considering whether to join another party or to set up a new one. “We still want to participate in the coming election. If we are unable to stand as candidates, we would probably help out as volunteers in other parties,” she said.

**** Singapore Jan. Inflation Accelerates <http://www.rttnews.com/Content/AllEconomicNews.aspx?Node=B2&Id=1559267>
RTTNews

Singapore's annual inflation rose to 5.5% in January, owing to higher costs of transport, housing and food, the Department of Statistics said on Wednesday.

Excluding accommodation costs, the consumer price index was 5.3% higher in January 2011 compared with a year ago. The cost of transport climbed 18.4% annually on account of higher prices of cars and petrol. Housing cost moved up 5.3% following higher accommodation costs and electricity tariffs.

**** Singapore's Inflation Hits 3-year High <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/1112491/1/.html>
Jonathan Peeris, Channel NewsAsia

Data released on Wednesday by the Department of Statistics (DOS) showed that the consumer price index (CPI) rose by 5.5 per cent on-year. This is higher than the 4.8 per cent forecast by economists and compared to the 4.6 per cent on-year rise in December last year.

Standard Chartered Bank economist Alvin Liew said that this is "unlikely to be the peak inflation reading for Singapore".

**** RP Press Release On The Departure Of Nine Members <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/02/rp-press-release-on-the-departure-of-nine-members/>
Reform Party, The Online Citizen

**** No Quiet Place To Sleep, For A Night-shift Worker <http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110223-0000520/No-quiet-place-to-sleep,-for-a-night-shift-worker>
Aung Khaing, Today

**** Not A Question Of Malay Loyalty <http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/02/23/not-a-question-of-malay-loyalty/>
Richard Lu, The Temasek Review

**** S'poreans Fear Inflation May Rise Further <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1112569/1/.html>
Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia

As the inflation rate hits a new high, Singaporeans are scrambling to manage costs because they fear things could get pricier in the next few months.

**** Reform Party Chief Issues 'Unexpected' Statement <http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1112582/1/.html>
Teo Xuan Wei, Channel NewsAsia

Opposition Reform Party chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam has hinted there was a challenge to his position in the party, in a statement that was described as unexpected. Mr Jeyaretnam claimed he had offered to step aside from the secretary-general position and said he was ready to give his full support to party member Mr Tony Tan, or whoever wanted the job.

**** Tony Tan And Hazel Poa Responds To Rp’s Press Release <http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/02/breaking-news-update-tony-tan-and-hazel-poa-responds-to-rps-press-release/>
The Online Citizen

Tony did give an “Ang Pow” to a CEC member which was meant for his children as it was Chinese New Year.  He did the same thing last year during Chinese New Year with exactly the same amount.  There is absolutely no bribery involved.  We gave out a lot of “Ang Pows” during Chinese New Year and had not thought this was something that needed explaining.