Suddenly, Samsung And Others Are Trying To ... - Business Insider

Samsung

Samsung's teaser photo for its new Smart TV.

Three years ago, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave a keynote presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show where he showed off a Slate PC, the company's interpretation of a modern-day tablet.

It wasn't anything special, basically just the regular desktop version of Windows 7 running on a big touchscreen device.?

A few weeks after Ballmer's keynote, Steve Jobs introduced the first iPad, the device that truly kicked off the tablet craze and the one that's still the most popular tablet today.

The subtext here is pretty obvious. Before CES 2010, rumors had been building up about a tablet from Apple. No one knew what to really expect. Would it be the regular Mac software running on a touchscreen? Would it have a DVD drive? Would it cost $1,000? $2,000?

The hype forced the hand of Microsoft and its PC hardware partners, and many cobbled together a bunch of Windows 7 tablet prototypes to show off at CES before Apple could unveil its tablet. Most were vaporware and never launched. And those that did launch did so after the iPad and were largely ignored.

It's happening again.

CES 2013 starts in a few weeks, and the conference's big theme is already emerging. Everyone will be talking about Smart TVs, or web-connected sets with streaming video and apps built in.

Samsung recently teased its new take on the future of television, showing photos of its "Smart Hub" interface on the big screen. LG announced a set that runs on Google TV

Expect that to be the centerpiece of Samsung and LG's CES presentations. And expect to see similar offerings from other TV makers like Panasonic and Sony with interfaces either powered by their own software or Google TV.

Again, it's obvious what's going on here. Rumors about Apple's plans for television just won't die, especially when CEO Tim Cook drops big hints like he recently did in an interview with Brian Williams. Some think it'll be an actual television set with a radical new interface that can replace the clunky one on your TiVo or the box your cable provider gives you. Some think it'll be a new box that can turn any TV into an Apple TV. Maybe it's both.

What we know for sure is Apple is working hard to make the living room its next big thing and that has the competition nervous enough to start cranking Smart TV concepts before Apple can launch its own.?

But it's a dangerous path that can lead to half-baked products that are rushed out just because Big Boy Apple might have plans for a TV later next year.

You're going to see a lot of hype surrounding Smart TVs during the next three weeks or so. It's going to be all anyone can talk about in January. Then it'll fizzle away because the products won't actually launch for several months. Or they'll be too expensive. Or the initial reviews and reactions will be horrible. Or all of the above.

Then Apple will release its own take on TV (whether at the end of 2013 or some time in 2014) and everyone will forget the competition even exists.

It's the Slate PC all over again.

UPDATE: A lot of people seem to think I'm implying Smart TVs are a new thing. They're not. I know they're not. What I am saying is that there will be an intense focus on them during CES and in 2013 as Apple prepares its own new TV product. For example, Samsung has been teasing its new TV for weeks.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/suddenly-samsung-and-others-are-trying-to-make-an-apple-tv-before-apple-can-2012-12

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Air Bagan survivors tell of terrifying landing

Australian advertising executive Anna Bartsch, a survivor of a Christmas Day crash-landing of a Fokker 100 jet, speaks about terrifying tales of escape during an interview at a Yangon hotel where the airline lodged passengers after evacuating them from the scene, in Myanmar, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. "We felt the first bump, then a few big bumps and then (started) sliding very fast," she said. The aging Fokker 100 jet was carrying 71 people, including 48 foreigners, from Yangon via Mandalay to Heho airport, which is the gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake. Carrier Air Bagan said it had found the plane's black box and was investigating the accident that killed two people. (AP Photo/Zin Chit Aung)

Australian advertising executive Anna Bartsch, a survivor of a Christmas Day crash-landing of a Fokker 100 jet, speaks about terrifying tales of escape during an interview at a Yangon hotel where the airline lodged passengers after evacuating them from the scene, in Myanmar, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. "We felt the first bump, then a few big bumps and then (started) sliding very fast," she said. The aging Fokker 100 jet was carrying 71 people, including 48 foreigners, from Yangon via Mandalay to Heho airport, which is the gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake. Carrier Air Bagan said it had found the plane's black box and was investigating the accident that killed two people. (AP Photo/Zin Chit Aung)

Members of Myanmar Fire Brigade team gather near a damaged Air Bagan passenger plane in Heho, Shan State, Myanmar, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. The Air Bagan flight packed with Christmas tourists crash-landed on a road in central Myanmar on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring 11, officials said. Four foreigners were among the injured, state television reported. It said the fatalities included an 11-year-old passenger believed to be a Myanmar citizen and a man riding a motorcycle on the road where the plane came down. (AP Photo)

Australian advertising executive Anna Bartsch, a survivor of a Christmas Day crash-landing of a Fokker 100 jet, speaks about terrifying tales of escape during an interview at a Yangon hotel where the airline lodged passengers after evacuating them from the scene, in Myanmar, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. "We felt the first bump, then a few big bumps and then (started) sliding very fast," she said. The aging Fokker 100 jet was carrying 71 people, including 48 foreigners, from Yangon via Mandalay to Heho airport, which is the gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake. Carrier Air Bagan said it had found the plane's black box and was investigating the accident that killed two people. (AP Photo/Zin Chit Aung)

Air Bagan managing director U Htoo Htet Htwe speaks about a Christmas Day crash-landing of his airliner during a press conference at a hotel where the airline lodged passengers after evacuating them from the scene, in Yangon, Myanmar, Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. The aging Fokker 100 jet was carrying 71 people, including 48 foreigners, from Yangon via Mandalay to Heho airport, which is the gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake. Carrier Air Bagan said it had found the plane's black box and was investigating the accident that killed two people. (AP Photo/Khin Maung Win)

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) ? Survivors of a Christmas Day crash-landing of an airliner in Myanmar told terrifying tales of escape Wednesday as carrier Air Bagan apologized for what it called the worst accident since it started flying in 2004.

Details of the crash remain unclear but airline officials told a news conference Wednesday that they found the plane's two black boxes and were investigating what went wrong. So far, officials have blamed heavy fog for the aircraft's crash into a rice paddy field where it burst into flames. Two died and 11 were injured, including four foreigners.

The Fokker 100 jet was 21 years old but passed inspections at annual renewals of its air worthiness certificate, the officials said. On Tuesday, it was carrying 71 people, including 48 foreigners, from the city of Yangon via Mandalay to Heho airport, which is the gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake.

"We felt the first bump, then a few big bumps and then (started) sliding very fast," said 31-year-old Australian advertising executive Anna Bartsch. Her boyfriend, Stuart Benson, described the landing like "a roller coaster" ride.

The plane came to a stop and they felt relief ? then panic.

"In my window I saw the flames, and it was hot and we knew straight away we didn't have much time to get out," Bartsch said during an interview at a Yangon hotel where the airline lodged passengers after evacuating them from the scene.

Passengers rushed up the aisle to the front door, which was initially stuck shut, she said.

"We didn't know then that the wings had come off," Bartsch said.

The door was quickly forced open and passengers raced from the plane, some in shock and some suffering smoke inhalation, she said. Once on safe ground, Bartsch said she saw the pilot and co-pilot with bloodied faces and other people with serious burns.

"It's amazing that the injuries were not more serious," she said. "It could have been much worse."

A flight attendant told reporters Wednesday that the crew realized something was wrong only when the plane hit the ground.

"We shouted, 'This is an emergency'," said flight attendant Khaing Su Naing, adding that despite one of the two doors initially getting stuck the crew evacuated the plane 90 seconds after it stopped moving.

The accident has raised concerns about the safety standards of Myanmar's overburdened airlines as foreign visitors have flocked to the Southeast Asian country which is emerging from a half-century of military rule.

Air Bagan is one of a half dozen private airlines that fly domestic routes in Myanmar. After one plane was destroyed in Tuesday's crash its fleet now consists of five planes, including four ATR turboprops and another Fokker 100, which is no longer made.

"We deeply apologize to all our passengers and to their family members," the airline's managing director Htoo Thet Htwe told the news conference. All passengers were paid $2,300, he said.

"This is the most serious accident Air Bagan has ever had," he said. In 2008, one of its planes overshot a provincial airport's runway, spun out of control and crashed, causing the wings and tail to snap off. Many passengers were injured but none died.

Air Bagan has said "the plane hit electrical cables about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Heho airport as it descended and landed in rice fields."

The Information Ministry said the pilot mistook a road near the airport for the runway before stopping in a nearby rice paddy. It was unclear if the plane made its crash landing on the road or the rice field.

All fatalities were Myanmar citizens, including a man riding a motorcycle where the plane came down and a tour guide aboard the plane. There were earlier reports of an 11-year-old child also among the dead.

___

Associated Press writer Jocelyn Gecker contributed to this report from Bangkok.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-26-Myanmar-Airplane%20Accident/id-7b38ed9565b649d88256d9a1c5d0897d

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Jack Klugman dies in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Jack Klugman, the prolific, craggy-faced character actor and regular guy who was loved by millions as the messy one in TV's "The Odd Couple" and the crime-fighting coroner in "Quincy, M.E.," died Monday, a son said. He was 90.

Klugman, who lost his voice to throat cancer in the 1980s and trained himself to speak again, died with his wife at his side.

"He had a great life and he enjoyed every moment of it and he would encourage others to do the same," son Adam Klugman said.

Adam Klugman said he was spending Christmas with his brother, David, and their families. Their father had been convalescing for some time but had apparently died suddenly and they were not sure of the exact cause.

"His sons loved him very much," David Klugman said. "We'll carry on in his spirit."

Never anyone's idea of a matinee idol, Klugman remained a popular star for decades simply by playing the type of man you could imagine running into at a bar or riding on a subway with ? gruff, but down to earth, his tie stained and a little loose, a racing form under his arm, a cigar in hand during the days when smoking was permitted.

He brought a city actor ideal for "The Odd Couple," which ran from 1970 to 1975 and was based on Neil Simon's play about mismatched roommates, divorced New Yorkers who end up living together. The show teamed Klugman ? the sloppy sports writer Oscar Madison ? and Tony Randall ? the fussy photographer Felix Unger ? in the roles played by Walter Matthau and Art Carney on Broadway and Matthau and Jack Lemmon in the 1968 film. Klugman had already had a taste of the show when he replaced Matthau on Broadway and he learned to roll with the quick-thinking Randall, with whom he had worked in 1955 on the CBS series "Appointment with Adventure."

"There's nobody better to improvise with than Tony," Klugman said. "A script might say, 'Oscar teaches Felix football.' There would be four blank pages. He would provoke me into reacting to what he did. Mine was the easy part."

They were battlers on screen, and the best of friends in real life. When Randall died in 2004 at age 84, Klugman told CNN: "A world without Tony Randall is a world that I cannot recognize."

In "Quincy, M.E.," which ran from 1976 to 1983, Klugman played an idealistic, tough-minded medical examiner who tussled with his boss by uncovering evidence of murder in cases where others saw natural causes.

"We had some wonderful writers," he said in a 1987 Associated Press interview. "Quincy was a muckraker, like Upton Sinclair, who wrote about injustices. He was my ideal as a youngster, my author, my hero.

"Everybody said, 'Quincy'll never be a hit.' I said, 'You guys are wrong. He's two heroes in one, a cop and a doctor.' A coroner has power. He can tell the police commissioner to investigate a murder. I saw the opportunity to do what I'd gotten into the theater to do ? give a message.

"They were going to do cops and robbers with 'Quincy.' I said, 'You promised me I could do causes.' They said, 'Nobody wants to see that.' I said, 'Look at the success of "60 Minutes." They want to see it if you present it as entertainment.'"

For his 1987 role as 81-year-old Nat in the Broadway production of "I'm Not Rappaport," Klugman wore leg weights to learn to shuffle like an elderly man. He said he would wear them for an hour before each performance, "to remember to keep that shuffle."

"The guy is so vital emotionally, but physically he can't be," Klugman said.

"We treat old people so badly. There is nothing easy about 80."

The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, he was born in Philadelphia and began his acting career in college drama (Carnegie Institute of Technology). After serving in the Army during World War II, he went on to summer stock and off-Broadway, rooming with fellow actor Charles Bronson as both looked for paying jobs.

He made his Broadway debut in 1952 in a revival of "Golden Boy." His film credits included Sidney Lumet's "12 Angry Men" and Blake Edwards' "Days of Wine and Roses" and an early television highlight was appearing with Humphrey Bogart and Henry Fonda in a production of "The Petrified Forest."

His performance in the classic 1959 musical "Gypsy" brought him a Tony nomination for best featured (supporting) actor in a musical.

He also appeared in several episodes of "The Twilight Zone," including a memorable 1963 one in which he played a negligent father whose son is seriously wounded in Vietnam. His other TV shows included "The Defenders" and the soap opera "The Greatest Gift."

In a 1987 interview in the New York Daily News, he said, "once I did three hourlong shows in 2? weeks. Think we'd do that now? Huh! But then it was great. I did summer stock, played the classics. Me!"

Throat cancer took away his raspy voice for several years in the 1980s. When he was back on the stage for a 1993 revival of "Three Men on a Horse," The Associated Press review said, "His voice may be a little scratchy but his timing is as impeccable as ever."

"The only really stupid thing I ever did in my life was to start smoking," he said in 1996. Seeing people smoking in television and films, he added, "disgusts me, it makes me so angry ? kids are watching."

In his later years, he guest-starred on TV series including "Third Watch" and "Crossing Jordan" and appeared in a 2010 theatrical film, "Camera Obscura."

Klugman's hobby was horse racing and he eventually took up raising them, too.

A horse Klugman co-owned, Jacklin Klugman, finished third in 1980's Kentucy Derby and fourth in that year's Preakness Stakes.

"I always loved to gamble," he said. "I never got close to a horse. Fate dealt me a terrible blow when it gave me a good horse the first time out. I thought how easy this is.

"Now I love being around them."

Klugman's wife, actress-comedian Brett Somers, played his ex-wife, Blanche, in the "Odd Couple" series. The couple, who married in 1953 and had two sons, Adam and David, had been estranged for years at the time of her death in 2007.

In February 2008, at age 85, Klugman married longtime girlfriend Peggy Crosby. His attorney Larry Larson wrote in an email that Klugman is also survived by two grandchildren and that memorial services have not been set.

In 1997, Klugman was sued by an ex-girlfriend, Barbara Neugass, who claimed he had promised to support her for the rest of her life. But a jury rejected her claim.

___

Biographical material in this story was written by former AP staffer Polly Anderson.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jack-klugman-dies-los-angeles-231248929.html

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Japan stocks rally as yen continues to weaken

A man walks in front of the electronic stock board of a securities firm showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 126.55 points to 10066.61 in Tokyo, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. Japan?s benchmark stock index jumped Tuesday as a softening yen helped boost the country?s powerhouse export sector. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

A man walks in front of the electronic stock board of a securities firm showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 126.55 points to 10066.61 in Tokyo, Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. Japan?s benchmark stock index jumped Tuesday as a softening yen helped boost the country?s powerhouse export sector. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

A man walks in front of the electronic stock board of a securities firm showing Japan's Nikkei 225 index that rose 126.55 points to 10,066.61 in Tokyo Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. Japan?s benchmark stock index jumped Tuesday as a softening yen helped boost the country?s powerhouse export sector. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

BANGKOK (AP) ? Japan's benchmark stock index jumped Tuesday as a softening yen helped boost the country's powerhouse export sector. The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo rallied 1.4 percent to close at 10,080.12, with export shares leading the way.

The yen traded at a 20-month high of 84.95 yen in New York after incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe turned up the pressure on the Bank of Japan to adopt a 2 percent inflation target. During a televised program Sunday, Abe said he will consider revising the Bank of Japan Act if the central bank refuses to act at next month's policy meeting, Kyodo News Agency said.

That's designed to fight deflation, or continually dropping prices, which deadens economic activity. The Japanese economy has been stuck in deflation for two decades. On Monday in Asia, the dollar stood at 84.77 yen.

Mazda Motor Corp. gained 2 percent, while Nikon Corp. advanced 2.3 percent. Nomura Holdings jumped 6.3 percent.

Stocks in mainland China posted strong gains. The Shanghai Composite Index jumped 2.5 percent to 2,213.61. The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index surged 2.4 percent to 855.79. Shares in real estate, financial services and travel-related companies led the gains.

Poly Real Estate, China's second-largest listed developer, gained 4.7 percent while industry leader China Vanke soared 6 percent.

Markets in Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand were among those closed for Christmas.

On Wall Street on Monday, the last day of trading before Christmas, stocks fell on concern that time is running out for lawmakers to reach a budget deal to avoid the U.S. going over the "fiscal cliff."

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 0.4 percent to close at 13,139.08. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 0.2 percent to 1,426.66. The Nasdaq composite index fell 0.2 percent to 3,012.60.

For weeks, discussions between the White House and Congress over a budget deal have been the main driver in markets. If a deal isn't reached by the start of 2013, automatic spending cuts and tax increases worth hundreds of billions of dollars will be imposed ? which many economists think could push the U.S. economy back into recession.

Most markets across Europe were open for only half a day on Monday and won't reopen until Thursday.

As well as monitoring developments in the U.S. over the coming days, investors will be keeping a close watch on what's going on in Italy ahead of a general election in February.

Over the weekend, outgoing Prime Minister Mario Monti indicated that he would be willing to return to the role if pro-reform parties back him. Monti has won praise for his economic reforms and efforts to get a grip on the country's borrowing. Italy has the second-highest debt burden among the 17 EU countries that use the euro. Only Greece's is higher.

Meanwhile, Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos., said in a report that China's apparent oil demand rose 9.1 percent in November from a year earlier to 42.96 million metric tons, an average of 10.5 million barrels per day, the highest on record.

___

Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson

___

AP researcher Fu Ting contributed from Shanghai.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-12-25-World%20Markets/id-5fa15a75973a4f438c6bc649f27a9189

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Critical Review

An article review of Yunfei? Chong ,2011.? ? The Research on how Chinese vocational education break through the current bottleneck of its development , Concurrent discussion on how to establish the mechanism of school enterprise cooperation in Chinese vocational education?. ????Zhengzhou Railway Vocational and Technical College

This article focuses on ?how to develop Chinese Vocational Education by establish the mechanism of school-enterprise cooperation . The authors have stressed the cooperation between schools and enterprises that appear to have a problem in creating a program of bilateral cooperation which respectively provide help to achieve a common goal or a win-win due to? the failure of the government to encourage partnerships between schools and enterprises.; government-lead ?. The author aims to highlight the collaboration between industry and academia like ?Dual System?? vocational education models in Germany that provide job internship ,one of the reason for difficulty of school-enterprises cooperation; administrative subordination;. Yunfei mentions that perhaps almost vocational colleges perfom actively, but it not accompany with enterprise or industry that did not contact the colleges forwardly.

This article is significant given that the difficulties of school-enterprise cooperation is lack of talent training as well as evaluated by educational expert. ?However as a result of somewhat abstract implications, the article would perhaps only be of interest on ?co-sponsorship mechanism and policy guarantee especially on government-lead.? The authors have used ?vocational education models to describe the government- lead in developing countries like ;Amerika, England, Germany and Japan; and to compare the efficient model of personnel training.Although showing differences in ??implementation but strives to achieve the common goal of providing provisions to ensure the training is going well.The author mention it provides good reference to strengthen the government ?lead, strengthen the legislation of vocational education, strengthen the overall plan and supervise, and establish the cooperation mechanism.

The author has started writing specifying keywords should be known and so began a discussion on the topic. The author have a very good in processing due to problems in school-enterprise Cooperation is more specific that can identify the cause of how the occurrence constraints to progress chinese vocational education. The topic has an objective to be achive.The author has made a claims that government-lead is the only way to break through the current bottleneck of vocational education development but ?an evidence was provided is not reliable. The conclusion also are drawn just a simple word and not complement. The principal of the text can be better organized

As a conclusion it can be said that the author has managed to transfer information on how to solve the bottleneck problem as experienced by chinese vocational education which should strengthen the school-enterprise cooperation.? To the success of this cooperation must be the government in terms of provision of assistance and reform The author seems to only look to the government-lead, although the schools are supposed to provide entrepreneurship education as recommended by Robert Kowasaki in her book, rich dad, poor dad where he suggested that education for entrepreneurship have since translated children from school. Similarly, vocational education should start at school with teachers who are trained as discussed by Qiu Feiyue and Lifang Le (2010). Quality education will produce a quality student . I am? agree with Malaysia system vocational school that was up grade to be a college and develop the teachers skill.

Source: http://citve1213.blogspot.com/2012/12/criticle-review-1-ahmad-sashwani-azmi.html

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Guest Blogger: Outdoor Lighting Ideas to Dress Up Your Backyard

?Entry #1959, December 24, 2012

More and more people these days are looking for ways to make the most of their outdoor home property they have, mainly because it?s such a bad time to try to sell it off in order to upgrade to a larger house. For this reason, plenty of homeowners are looking to increase their usable square footage. Some will do this by finishing the basement or attic to create a new room, or even converting the garage to a bedroom, man cave, or spacious home office. But not everyone has these options. Instead, you might turn your eye towards the backyard with a mind to design an outdoor living space that acts as a valuable extension to your home. And while it?s simple enough to throw in some outdoor furniture and a pre-fab fountain, you?ll have to do a bit more work if you want to create a truly useful space. So you might want to add some lighting to your outdoor lounge, and here are just a few illuminating options to consider.

Backyard lighting idea

Image via: KBC Developments

Outdoor lighting ideas

If the back porch light is too weak to reach even the edge of the patio, much less the rest of the backyard, but your flood lights are bound to blind anyone unfortunate enough to turn towards them after dark, then you might be looking for a happy medium that leaves your space adequately lit without trying to mimic the glare of high noon in an artificial medium. And there are several different styles of lighting that can deliver the effect you seek. The only problem is that you may have to do some prep work, running electrical wiring to ensure that there?s enough juice to light the entire yard without blowing a breaker or starting a fire, as well as potentially putting up poles and a webbing of wires to hold the lighting aloft.

String lighting ideas

For overhead illumination you should think about hanging anything from strings of globe lights (bare or covered with paper lanterns) to icicle holiday lights. You can crisscross them through the yard space in order to create a romantic and festive atmosphere. Or if you have plenty or hearty foliage and trees in the yard, you may consider stringing them up from these instead for a more organic feel. You could also add rainfall lights for a neat effect, or hang colorful and ornate glass lanterns found at your local imports store. And if you?re feeling really crafty, consider buying some fishing floats, still in the netting, and having holes cut in the top to accommodate a bulb for some cool, custom lighting.

backyard lighting idea

Image via: Pedersen Associates

Of course, you could probably save yourself some time and money by taking an old-school approach to the lighting, and?here are more outdoor light?options that could fit the bill. Just place cocktail tables around the yard with lanterns or candles for lighting sans electricity. You could even add tiki torches. Or look into the wide variety of solar powered lights available. They not only come on short rods that can be stuck in the ground to illuminate pathways, but you can also find small, portable globes to set on tables, as well as solar powered string lights to hang around the yard. You could illuminate your entire space via the power of the sun if you live in a temperate climate.

For more outdoor lighting ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Source: http://stagetecture.com/2012/12/guest-blogger-outdoor-lighting-ideas-to-dress-up-your-backyard/

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Useful Credit Card Tips And Tricks For You | Jim McGilvary's Home ...

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People all over the world use bank cards to help them get the things they need to achieve their goals. Credit cards can make life easier and provide a sense of freedom in the financial realm. However, it is vital that one looks into all their options and does their homework before opening any credit card accounts. The article below covers some of the basic credit information to help consumers achieve that balance.

Do not lend out charge cards under any circumstance. You may trust your friend, but it can cause problems. It is never a good idea to let friends use your card. They may make too many charges or go over whatever limit you set for them.

If you want to hang onto a credit card, make sure that you use it. Inactive accounts are usually closed by most creditors. The best way to ensure your account stays open for when you need it is to use a card occasionally. Remember to pay them off in full each month to avoid accumulating debt.

TIP! Fully pay off your monthly credit card charges when you receive the bill. Unless your credit card has 0 percent interest, every month that your card carries a balance, a finance charge is added.

All people with charge cards should get a copy of their credit report at no cost each year and look to see that everything is right. Compare the information on the report with your credit card statements and be certain they match.

Try to avoid credit card providers who charge an annual fee. Usually, no annual fees cards are offered to those with better credit scores. Fees can quickly eliminate the perks associated with any offers that accompany the card. Calculate it in your head. Annual fees are usually found finely written into the terms and conditions of the credit card, not in the promotional materials. Put your reading glasses on. Assess whether the card?s fees are a more substantial factor than the its possible benefits. Many times, they don?t.

TIP! Talk to the credit card company if you are having financial problems. Companies will sometimes set up payment plans for their customers.

Remember that you can always contact your credit card company directly and attempt to negotiate a new annual percentage rate if what you?re paying now is too high. A lot of times they will bring it down for you. This can wind up saving you a great deal of money, especially if you often carry a balance.

When closing card accounts, leave one open to help you build good credit. Try to make the one that you leave open the card with the longest history, as well as a strong payment record. Doing so helps show that you have handled one account well.

Do not charge everything on credit in an attempt to get points for rewards. If you want to accumulate airline points, you might rack up enough for a ticket if you make all your purchases on a single card. However, those tickets may end up costing you an a ghastly amount after racking up charges and interest rates.

TIP! Use your credit cards on a regular basis so that your accounts are not closed. If you do not use your card for a long period of time, the credit card company may close the account.

Always know the rate of interest on all your charge cards. This is very important: prior to singing up with a credit card company, be sure you know what rate you?re paying. If you aren?t aware of the rate, it could turn out to be much higher than you initially thought. If your interest rate is high, there is a good possibility that you won?t have enough money to pay your debt at the end of the month.

Always review the monthly statements for your credit card accounts. You need to do this regularly with each statement you receive. If you put this task off for weeks, you might not recall each and every transaction. Also, if you wait, you risk not fixing a problem if it currently exists.

Bank cards offer users financial flexibility and an ability to build a good credit history. When credit is used responsibly, it is great. However, poor credit habits have mired many consumers in ruin. This article has contained some valuable advice that can help any consumer to make educated credit card decisions that enhance their life and prevent credit pitfalls.

TIP! If you are looking for a secure card, try to stay away from a prepaid card. Prepaid cards are not credit cards at all, and they don?t report to any of the credit bureaus.

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Source: http://leucabiz.com/blog/useful-credit-card-tips-and-tricks-for-you-2/

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