Facebook lets users limit data shared with apps

Facebook lets users limit data shared with apps
 

SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook introduced new features on Wednesday that let users limit how much personal information they share with third-party mobile apps, a move meant to quell privacy concerns as the social network seeks to become a top entry port to the Internet.

In recent years, Facebook Inc has successfully encouraged a growing number of third-party app makers to allow users to log in with their Facebook identity rather than, say, by entering an email address or creating a dedicated account.

 

The result has been an influx of valuable data for the world's No. 1 social network, but concerns have also mounted about third-party developers gaining access to private information.

 

Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said at Facebook's developer conference in San Francisco on Wednesday that a new version of Facebook's log-in tool, called "log in anonymously," would let users control what information they allow third-party apps to see.

 

He told developers the tool would let users feel more comfortable about logging into apps using Facebook.

 

"By giving people more power and control, they're going to trust all the apps that we build more, and over time use them more. And that's positive for everyone," said Zuckerberg.

 

The revamped log-in screen will let users select which personal information stored on the social network, such as an email address, birthday or items that they have "liked" on Facebook, can be accessed by any particular app.

 

The user's names and gender will remain visible to the app.

 

On Wednesday, the social network also rolled out a new service to distribute ads across a network of mobile applications, opening the door to a new source of revenue.

 

The service, which has been in the works on for some time, allows mobile-app makers to insert various ads within their software, with Facebook sharing advertising dollars with the developers.

 

"This is really the first time that we're going to help you monetize in a serious way on mobile," Zuckerberg said.

 

Facebook faces tough competition in the active mobile ad network market. Google Inc's AdMob service already allows advertisers to distribute ads to mobile apps, while Twitter Inc said on Tuesday that its MoPub ad network can reach 1 billion mobile users.

 

Twitter's MoPub, which serves as an advertising management tool for app publishers, will allow mobile apps to feature ads for the Facebook audience as well as other networks, the two companies said.

 

Facebook began testing a mobile ad network with a limited number of advertisers and mobile app publishers in January. It plans to expand the number of app makers that can use the service, although it did not provide a time frame for when the system will become broadly available.

 

The new mobile ad system, dubbed the Facebook Audience Network, will leverage Facebook's more than 1 million advertisers and its own ability to target users based on their traits.

 

Facebook generates the bulk of its revenue from ads that appear on its own Web pages and within its own mobile app. By distributing ads across a constellation of independent mobile apps, Facebook effectively expands its advertising space, opening the door to more revenue.

 

To get access to the extra ad space, ad networks typically share the revenue with their partners. Facebook will share most of the ad revenue with apps makers, as is standard in the industry, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters

.--Reuters  1 May 2014

 

DIY car fixes for car noobs

April 29, 2014

You don’t have to be a stellar mechanic or get into a Grease frenzy with you four-wheeled friend - knowing a few of these DIY tricks to get your car running can save you a good sum of money in emergency mechanic help.

By Balkish Rosly

Having a car is an unparalleled convenience.

For those who have been diligently driving as a means of transportation; doing without their precious vehicle is akin to cutting off a limb.

Many would not know how to get about!

But a car isn’t just a wee bit expensive to keep; it also takes care and effort to keep it running in tip-top shape (or even able-to-move-out-of-the-driveway shape).

You don’t have to be a stellar mechanic or get into a Grease frenzy with you four-wheeled friend – knowing a few of these DIY tricks to get your car running can save you a good sum of money in emergency mechanic help.

Change a tyre

It could take up to an hour to wait for a superhero (or in our case, the AAM tow truck) to fix a flat tyre at the highway.  So why not be prepared for the lemons in life and learn how to change a tyre before the catastrophe occurs?  In fact, it is recommended for car drivers to try changing their tyres at home at least once. This way, one might eliminate the need to scratch one’s head in agitation when stuck at 2am on the highway on a misty night.

Here’s how:

Step 1: Park your car at a solid, level surface to stop the car from rolling away.
A sudden flop of a tyre on the road could send a driver to panic mode. If this situation occurs, immediately turn on your hazard light and park at the side of the road. Also, try to find a solid level surface if possible and double check that you have applied the hand brake and set the gear to the parking mode. This may not be possible if you’ve got a completely busted tire and the car just isn’t budging but if possible; do try.

Step 2: Place a heavy object such as a rock, concrete, spare wheel in front of the front and back tyres.
For those who are stranded by the roadside, always keep a lookout of the traffic before exiting your car. Safety first! Next, place a heavy object in front of the wheels to stop the car from rolling away.

Step 3: Take out the spare tyre and the jack
Here’s where a prior practise will be handy! When purchasing a car, do inspect where the tools are hidden. These tools are usually hidden in the trunk and usually bolted to the car. So it’s best to learn the skills of removing the tools beforehand. Also, it is very important find out the correct way to place and use the jack. Many Malaysian cars have molded plastic along the bottom, and if you don’t place the jack at the right spot, the plastic might just crack when you start lifting.
Extra tip: Check the air in the spare tyre at least once a month to avoid further frustration.

Step 4: Raise the jack until it is supporting (but not lifting) the car
The jack should be firmly in place against the underside of the vehicle. Check to make sure that the jack is perpendicular to the ground.

Step 5: Remove the hubcap and loosen the nuts
If you tyre has a hubcap, remove it so you’ll see the lug nuts (see image above for what these are!). To loosen the nuts, use the lug wrench that came with your car or purchase a standard cross wrench (this type of wrench will provide more leverage). Loosen the nuts by turning counter clockwise; you don’t actually need to remove them all the way, it is sufficient to break the resistance. Those nuts could be really hard to bulge even for a person with super Hulk strength; so if all else fails, use your body weight or stomp on the wrench.
On the first step, the jack has yet to lift the car – by keeping the wheel on the ground, you’ll make sure that you’re turning the nuts instead of the wheel. Also, don’t lose the nuts!

Step 6: Crank the jack to lift the tyre off the ground
When cranking up the jack, be sure to lift high enough to remove the flat tyre and replace it with a spare. As you lift, make sure that the car is stable. If the car starts to wobble, lower the jack and fix the problem before fully lifting the car. Additionally, if you notice the jack lifting at an angle or leaning, lower and re-position it so that it can lift straight up.

Step 7: Remove the nuts completely and remove the flat tyre
Place the flat tyre under the vehicle so in the event of a jack failure the vehicle will fall on the old wheel, hopefully preventing injury.

Step 8: Place the spare tyre and replace the nuts
Tighten the nuts until they are all snug. To ensure that the tyre is balanced, tighten them in a star pattern around the tire, one nut across from another, give each nut a full turn until they are equally tight. There’s no need to go crazy and upset the jack, there is plenty of opportunity to tighten those nuts once the spare tire reached the ground.

Step 9: Lastly, lower the car to the ground
Remove the jack and finish tightening the nuts and replace the hubcap. Drivers, don’t simply leave your old tyre on the side of the road! Place it on your trunk and immediately visit your mechanic to inspect to cause of the flat tyre. The fee to cover a small puncture (‘tampal’) will usually cost RM5 to RM10. However, a more severe problem might require a complete tyre change which could cost a minimum RM200 – RM300 per tyre. You’ll want to replace this so you’ll always have a spare for the next untoward tire deflation.

Jumpstart a Vehicle

Uh oh, your car won’t start? There are several factors as to why your car decided to quit on you, and a dead battery is usually the main culprit. No doubt, it will cost a lot of money to call the mechanic or a tow truck to jumpstart the dead car. Instead, get a friend or even a stranger to help you out for free! After all, all you need is a running car with a good battery and a set of jumper cables.
First things first, it is important to store a jumper cable in your car trunk – this also makes it easier to beg for strangers to help you out (especially in a parking lot).  Most people realise the importance of storing a jumper cable in the car, and yet don’t. Generally, it costs around RM25 – RM55 to purchase a cable from your local mechanic. Then again, although getting a boost is a fairly easy task, it can be a dangerous process if the correct guidelines are not followed.

Step 1: Hold on! Check your battery
Before calling a friend or a stranger for help, make sure that your battery can actually take a jump-start. There are several ways to check for this.
If your batter has vent caps, look inside to see if the electrolyte solution has frozen. Additionally, check for cracks in the battery casing or if there is a whitish residue around the battery terminals. If you tick yes on any of these problems, it is safe to say that a jumpstart will not revive your car to life (doesn’t hurt to try though!)
After establishing your battery’s conditions, check to make sure that the battery of the other driver’s car is of a voltage that is higher or matches yours.

Step 2: Turn everything off
Make sure that everything is turned off in your car or the car with the dead battery. This includes ignition and lights.

Step 3: Park the cars at an appropriate angle
Get the car with the good battery to park near your car, at a distance where the cable would be able to connect these two vehicles.

Step 4: Identify the red positive terminals and black negative terminals on both the batteries.
Here’s how you connect the cables:
Red cable to positive: Connect the red cable to the positive side on BOTH cars.
Black cable to negative: Connect the cable to the negative side on the GOOD battery. DO NOT attach the other black cable to dead battery. Instead, attach the last black clip to an unpainted metal surface on your car that isn’t near the battery (you could use one of the metal struts that holds the hood open).

Step 5: Start your vehicle
First, start the car with the good battery. Wait a minute or two to give the dead battery a chance to charge. You may need to rev both cars at some point to increase the charge. How do you know if it’s time to turn on the engine? Try turning on the lights on the dead car. If it works, voila! Your car is good to go.

Extra Tips!
Most car batteries last between 4 to 5 years, but could only last up to 3 years in hot climate countries (that’s us).
Ask your mechanic on ways to preserve the battery longer such as cleaning steps and more!

Keep your wiper blades in great shape

Wiper blades are one of the most important parts of the vehicle. Despite this, many car owners pay little or no attention to these unsung heroes. Typically, good wiper blades will set you back between RM40 to hundreds of ringgit. However, you could minimise the need to change your wiper blades with these easy to do maintenance process!

Tip 1: Always check the wipers
First, make sure that the arms of the wipers are as tight as possible. This will ensure that the blades are not loose and the surface of the windshield can be cleaned at ease!

Tip 2: Don’t forget to clean them
Clean them! As a rule thumb, tend to your wiper blades every 3 months with a clean wet cloth to remove any dirt or debris. Every six months, dip a cloth in vinegar and run it down the length of the blade to thoroughly clean the blade and preps it for any dressing you will put next. After cleaning with vinegar, dab some rubber protectant onto a cloth and rub lightly onto the rubber blades. If you’re feeling a little frugal, Vaseline or any other petroleum jelly will suffice (a light dab will do – don’t go overboard!)




Fix a Minor Scratch 

Let’s face it, even the most experienced driver is bound to endure a minor scratch on the car. Sometimes it might not be your fault, but the road is filled with reckless drivers and psychopaths with a key in hand. So what’s a car owner to do? The most obvious option is to visit the mechanic and pay hundreds of ringgit to fix a tiny scratch on one’s car door. However, for those who don’t have hundreds of ringgit to spare, you could always try to fix it yourself!

Anatomy of a scratch
First things first, it is important to know the depth of your scratch. Sometimes, they might not even be scratches at all! Sometimes, you can find these when you brush against an object while driving – the object doing the rubbing may be softer than the paint, thus depositing its materials onto your car.
To determine this, these marks are usually raised above the paint, not sunken into it. A simple test could determine this – Try to gently dig at the scratch, if it goes deep, then you’re in trouble. However, if it’s raised and the mark seems to be from a rubber, plastic, or paint,  it may come off easily with an aerosol tar or adhesive remover. Stubborn marks often can be removed with acetone or lacquer thinner on a soft rag.
Oh no, it’s a scratch!
But lo and behold! It is a scratch, and now you’re slumped at the thought of the repair cost. First, you need to determine the severity of the scratch. A scratch that appears thin and white that only goes through the clear coat is relatively easy to fix, while a deeper scratch that penetrates into the primer (scratch is usually body coloured or show the steel colour) are harder and require more steps.
Most car wash companies in the Klang Valley offer to diminish the scratch at a monumental cost of up to hundreds and hundreds of ringgit! However, there is actually a cost-friendly way for you to be rid of that pesky scratch (Tip: Try on a very small area of the scratch if you’re unsure of what you’re doing!).

Fix the scratch
Minor scratches, ones that don’t go through the clear coat of a car paint can often simply be polished out with compound. Yes, this removes some of the clear coat, so polish the minimum area necessary or you’ll have to re-paint some of that protective top layer.

Step 1: Clean the scratched area!
Thoroughly clean the panel after you’re done to remove the abrasive compound. First, clean the surface to remove surface dirt.

Step 2: Polish
Apply a small amount of polishing compound to the pad that comes with it, or even to a terry cloth or microfiber cloth and slowly polish only a small area of the scratch. After a couple of dozen strokes, use a clean cloth to buff the area dry and check on the scratch. Go slowly to avoid sanding through the clear coat, and check often to see if the scratch is still visible. Aside from polishing the car, you could also try products like Fix It! Pro pen which is actually a clear coat resin packaged like a marker pen (priced at around RM8 in Malaysia). Additionally, those who are brave enough to fix a base-coat or primer scratch could head on to popular mechanics for the complete DIY steps!
Safety first, folks!

Photo credit: Google images

Balkish Rosly is an Investigative Journalist of SaveMoney.my, an online consumer advice portal which aims to help Malaysians save money through smart (and most of the time painless) savings in their daily banking, technology, and lifestyle spending habits.

Recall of power banks raises concerns

Report from The Straits Times (Singapore) dated 30 April 2014 :-

Recall of power banks raises concerns

Challenger alerted customers to "overheating" problems for Valore vPower 7800 mAh and 5200 mAh, sold for $79.90 and $59.90 respectively. It is offering customers a one-for-one exchange until May 31, or a refund for those that are still covered under the product's warranty.

 

SINGAPORE - Electronics retailer Challenger is recalling 12,000 units of portable power banks due to a problem of overheating that could lead to a fire or explosion - sparking a call for such products to be regulated here.

 

Challenger took out a quarter-page colour advertisement in The Straits Times yesterday to alert customers of possible overheating in two powerbank models sold under the Valore brand.

Valore is Challenger's house brand that includes powerbanks, charging and HDMI cables, LED light accessories, and DVR recorders.

Challenger's notice is as follows:

Product Safety Advisory Notice

 

Dear valued customers,

We attach great importance to the satisfaction and safety of our customers who purchase our Valore products. We have recently discovered that there may be certain issues, such as overheating during charging and discharging, while using the above two Luminours Colour Series model of Valore Power Bank products.

 

Our commitement to our customers' safety has prompted us to proactively notify our customers by issuing this product safety advisory.

 

Cusomters are advised to immediately stop using these two models of Valore Power Bank products and return to us at the below address for:

 

Refund on either model: No receipts required for ValueClub members. Non-members must produce valid receipts.

 

OR

Product exchange on either model: No receipts required for ValueClub members or non-members.

- The VL-PB150 Power Bank will be exchanged with the Pebble PB-300 Power Bank.

- The VL-PB170 Power Bank will be exchanged with the Neon Astro VL-PB106 Power Bank.

 

The designated location for all product exchanges and refunds is at the Challenger Megastore Customer Service Department at Level 6 Funan DigitaLife Mall. This location is open 11am to 8pm daily.

 

The product exchange will end on 31 May 2014, while the refund is applicable within the warranty period.

 

For further enquiries on this matter, please email support@challenger.sg.

 

We are also proactively notifying our customers of this advisory, and are prepared to replace or to make a full refund on these two models of affected Valore Power Bank products.

 

For further enquiries on this matter, please email support@challenger.sg.

 

We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this product safety advisory to our customers, but we do believe that ultimately it is our responsibility to ensure our customers' safety.

Online sharing boosts value: Study

Report from AFP dated 30 April 2014 :-

Online sharing boosts value: Study



WASHINGTON - In the online world of sharing and "likes," the recommendations of friends, family and even strangers turn out to have real, measurable value.

Positive online recommendations can boost the price consumers are willing to pay by an average 9.5 per cent, found a study released Tuesday claiming to be the first of its kind.

Negative recommendations meanwhile can reduce the likelihood of purchasing a product or service by up to 11 per cent, said the study commissioned by the social data company ShareThis and The Paley Center for Media.

The study highlights the theoretical value of sharing on social media instead of the actual impact on prices.

Kurt Abrahamson, chief executive of ShareThis, said the findings are nonetheless significant in measuring the value of online sharing - such as clicking the "like" button on Facebook, sharing a link to a product or posting a review on rating websites.

"This is the first time someone has tried to quantify the value of recommendations and sharing," Abrahamson told AFP.

"If you are able to generate positive buzz, it does have a significant value."

The study, to be released at a conference in New York on Wednesday, indicates that online recommendations influence consumer purchases more than price and brand, and carry nearly as much weight as face-to-face recommendations.

"There's no question consumers are actively looking online for recommendations and content to help them decide what to buy," said Abrahamson.

"We've all known that social sharing is important, but it's been difficult to measure its impact on consumer spending - until now."

A key finding is that positive online recommendations enable manufacturers and retailers to charge more.

The impact can range from less than a dollar for grocery items to around US$30 (S$37.70) for technology produces and upwards of US$9,000 for an automobile.

The report examined several types of online sharing, including personal recommendations via email or social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn; recommendations of websites like Yelp; in-person or face-to-face recommendations; and professional reviews.

Abrahamson said the message from the study is that brands and marketers should make it easy to share online, and draw from the social world to help promote their products.

But he added that companies should be cautious about trying to manipulate reviews and shared content.

"The voice still needs to be authentic," he said.

"You need to provide the channels for consumers to share, but if you try to manipulate it too much, it runs the risk of creating a backlash."

 

Easiest way to become a bankrupt

Report from The SUN (Malaysia) dated 27 April 2014 :-

Easiest way to become a bankrupt

PETALING JAYA: Swiping the credit card is the simplest way to mounting debt and the fastest way to becoming a bankrupt.

Of the more than 100,000 people who sought the assistance of Credit Counseling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) so far, 22.8% have been declared bankrupt due to poor financial management, Nanyang Siang Pau reported today.

AKPK financial education trainer Dr Desmond Chong said one does not need a guarantor or collateral to apply for a credit card.

One can always apply for another card from another bank after using up all the credit of the current card, he said, adding that the process is simple and easy.

Chong told the daily that according to the AKPK statistics, of the 103,768 people who sought help with the agency as of end-February this year, poor financial management was the main reason why people went bankrupt, accounting for 22.8%.

He said lack of prudence in financial management results in people spending beyond their means and taking up fresh loans as they service old debts and this is the main reason for the high bankruptcy rate in the country.

Chong said greed, lifestyle and circumstances lead to borrowing by individuals.

He said because of greed, some borrow big amounts to invest or make fast bucks, others pursue a lavish lifestyle, and live beyond their means, whereas there are those who borrow money due to circumstances such as incurring high medical bills themselves or because of family members.

He said one should set aside a sum equivalent to three to six months of one's average monthly expenses for emergency purposes.

The most popular destinations for travellers around the world

April 26, 2014

Here’s a breakdown of the top dream destinations cited when travellers were asked which countries they’d like to visit in the next 24 months if money were no object.

A large-scale travel survey has revealed the top bucket list destinations among travellers around the world.

While Italy and Australia topped the global wish list, TripAdvisor’s bi-annual TripBarometer survey also breaks down travel preferences among respondents from different countries.

For example, while US respondents named Italy, Australia and Ireland as their dream destinations, the US was cited as the most popular destination among Greek, Israeli and Spanish respondents.

Here’s a breakdown of the top dream destinations cited when travellers were asked which countries they’d like to visit in the next 24 months if money were no object:

Top of global wish list: Italy and Australia each received 32 percent of the global vote.

Canada is the dream destination for Australians and New Zealanders.



The USA is the top destination for Spaniards, Israelis, Italians, Greeks and Turks.

The Caribbean is the top bucket list spot for Austrians, the Irish and South Africans.

Italy is the dream location for Americans, Brazilians, Mexicans, and Russians.

Australia tops the bucket list of French, German, Portuguese, Swiss and Canadian travellers.

New Zealand is the most popular destination for Indian and UK travellers.

Interestingly, Asian travellers buck the international trend and cite regions closer to home as their top destinations:

Japan is the top pick for Malays, Thais and Indonesians.

China is the top pick for the Chinese.

For the full report visit http://www.tripadvisor.com/tripbarometer.
- AFP Relaxnews

34 Ways To Make Your Stuff Last As Long As Possible

34 Ways To Make Your Stuff Last As Long As Possible

If you’re in the process of trying to save money, every little bit counts. These tips will help you stretch that dollar. via buzzfeed

1. Make your candles burn longer by placing them in the freezer for 24 hours prior to using.

thebrainybuyer.com

The freezer hardens the wax, which slows the burning process.

2. Cut your sponges in half.

happymoneysaver.com

Nary a better feeling than using a brand new, clean sponge.
You can also spray them with a little vinegar to keep them fresh.

3. Mix your nice hand soap with water and dispense from a foam handwash bottle.

endorsedbyigor.blogspot.com

4. When the eraser on your mechanical pencil gets down to an infinitesimal nub….

pinterest.com

Prop it up with a little piece of crumpled up paper.

5. Make a bouquet of flowers last longer by adding a capful of vodka.

whoknewtips.com

It’ll keep bacteria at bay. Add a pinch of sugar, too, for nourishment. If you don’t have vodka, a capful of bleach will also work.

6. Use an olive oil bottle for your dishwashing liquid.

pinterest.com

Only a few drops will come out at once, which will keep you from wasting product.
Just make sure it’s clearly labeled so no one accidentally starts cooking with it!

7. Store your salsa and marinara sauce jars upside down in the fridge.

It’ll prevent mold from sprouting up.

8. Placing a paper towel in with your salad lettuce will keep it fresh all week long.

pinterest.com

The paper towel will absorb the moisture, which is the culprit for wilting lettuce.

9. Break your bananas apart.

bforbel.com

As an alternative, if you wanted to keep the bananas in a bunch, you could wrap the stems with aluminum foil.

10. Double your butter by whipping it with equal parts water.

callherblessed-angela.blogspot.com

Store it in an old margarine container. It makes an easy spread that’s half the calories. Just don’t use it for baking.
If you feel skeptical, read more about it here.

11. Store onions, garlic, and shallots in a paper bag punched with holes.

theyummylife.com

They’ll be as fresh and firm in 3 months as the day you bought them.

12. Keep your bread fresh with the celery trick.

pinterest.com

13. Don’t touch your cheese when you are cutting it.

fabulesslyfrugal.com

The bacteria from your fingers will make it grow moldy faster. Instead, when cutting a block of cheese, keep your hands over the plastic.

14. Add a dab of butter to the cut ends of cheese.

laurenconrad.com

Spread it on with a knife.

15. Buy organic milk.

slashfood.com

It lasts a lot longer, and it’s better for you anyway.

16. Dab your skincare, don’t dollop it.

simplystated.realsimple.com

Dab small dots onto your face instead of rubbing a big dollop in your palms and rubbing.

17. Add a couple drops of saline solution to your mascara when it starts to dry out.

creationsbykara.com

18. Save a bottle of old, thickened nail polish with just a couple drops of nail polish thinner.

thedailyvarnish.com

thedailyvarnish.com

Whatever you do, just don’t use nail polish remover!

19. Swipe your nails with vinegar before applying nail polish — it’ll make your manicure last for 2+ weeks.

ladywiththeredrocker.com

20. Store your foundation in the fridge.

oliviapalermo.com

It’ll make your foundation go on smoother, and keep the product from oxidizing and going rancid.

21. To keep your hair color in longer, use an SPF.

urbanewomen.com

Mix one teaspoon of milky SPF 25 sunscreen and ½ cup of water and shake in a spray bottle. Spray into your hair before going out into the sun.

22. Keep the colors in your clothes brighter by adding a pinch of salt to your laundry load.

pinterest.com

23. Keep your pantyhose from running by placing your hosiery in the freezer for 24 hours

Via woodbury-middlebury.patch.com

Freezing actually strengthens the fibers, allowing the material to last more than a couple of wears

24. When washing your jeans, turn them inside out and marinate them in vinegar before washing.

onehundreddollarsamonth.com

This is especially important for dark jeans that you don’t want to fade. Fill a sink up with water and add a cup of distilled white vinegar. Allow the jeans to marinate in for about an hour.

25. In general, your laundry should be air dried when possible.

trenttsd / Flickr

It’ll keep the color from fading, and the fibers stronger.

26. Only use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste every time you brush your teeth.

afrtosh /It does the same job as a long strip of toothpaste.

27. Sharpen your razor on a pair of jeans to make them last longer.

wikihow.com

Run the razor (away from you), along the length of a pair of old jeans, about 10-20 times. Now turn the razor and push the razor toward you another 10-20 times.
Also, always remember to dry off your razor completely after using in the shower.

28. To keep your hair dryer from crapping out, suck the debris out of the back vents with your vacuum nozzle.

This will keep the hair dryer from overheating, which can lead to your dryer shorting out.

29. Alternate between two different pairs of shoes everyday.

This allows your shoes to decompress and dry out from the moisture and sweat. This tip is especially important for running shoes. So if you chronically go through shoes, this is a great solution to ensure that your shoes last as long as possible.

30. Here’s how to keep your dry erase markers writing beautifully, longer:

31. Put your cereal in the freezer to keep them from going stale.

Via reddit.com

This is a great tip if you keep a large variety of cereals around.

32. Keep the needles from falling off your Christmas tree by submerging the cut end in a pint of water with one capful of bleach.

However, DON’T do this if the roots are still on your tree. Or if you have pets who might end up drinking the water.

33. Make your printer ink last as long as possible.

apartmenttherapy.com

Try using a font called “ecofont” that has tiny holes in it so you save on ink. Also, since black ink runs out faster than colored ink, print out your non-business-related matters on magenta or cyan ink.

34. Keep your laptop unplugged when not in use to ensure the battery lasts as long as possible.

lifehacker.com

Especially your Macbook. To quote from Apple’s Website: “Apple does not recommend leaving your portable plugged in all the time.”
If your battery life keeps getting shorter, it might be time to recalibrate your battery.

Yuan to become major currency in world trade:HSBC

Report from The Nation (Thailand) dated 25 April 2014 :

Yuan to become major currency in world trade:HSBC

HSBC foresees a sharp increase in the use of the Chinese yuan in global trading and payment, in particular in China's trade with emerging markets.

Also, in the next five years HSBC expects more than 30 per cent of China's total global trade to be settled in yuan.

Wei Wei Ng, head of international countries, Asia-Pacific Global Trade and Receivables Finance of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation ( HSBC), said yesterday that the yuan will play a more important role in global trading. Countries trading with China like Asean nations and emerging markets should prepare for more use of the yuan in international trading in order to reduce risk from exchange rate instability.

According to the financial services company, Swift, which monitors international currency flow, as of December 2013, yuan had become Europe's second most-used currency after the US dollar.

From just 3 per cent in 2010, the yuan is now used to settle about 18 per cent of China's trading in the global market. But the figure is expected to increase to 30 per cent of trading value in 2019. In trading with emerging markets, by 2015, the bank expects more than half of China's trade with emerging markets, worth about US$2 trillion, will be settled in yuan.

"Companies should be aware of using a variety of currencies in trading, with yuan playing a more important role in international trading amidst China's continued economic growth," said Ng. She added that by 2015, yuan would become one of the top-three global trading currencies. She said that although China's economy has seen a slowdown in growth, its economy has seen a huge increase compared with other nations. In the first quarter of this year, China's economy grew 7.4 per cent.

In addition, the HSBC reviewed that businesses still have positive outlook for the medium and long-term growth of the global economy, in particularly Asia market.

According to the latest survey of the bank, the Trade Confidence Index (TCI) in the second half of 2013 rose to 113, from 112 in the first half last year. The index above 100 shows a positive outlook.

The bank forecasts global trade growth of 8 per cent per annum until 2030. Trade in Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, is expected to grow 10 per cent per annum to 2030.

Of the 25 countries covered by the forecast, China already accounts for almost a fifth of total merchandise trade and this share is expected to rise to above 30 per cent by 2030.

India, meanwhile, is expected to become the world's fourth-largest exporter of goods during the same period as it would see a seven-fold increase in the value of its exports.

To ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness in global trading in the long run, Wei also suggested countries and businesses in Asia to focus more on investing in innovation and research and development.

Due to the higher cost of labour, innovation and R&D will be needed for long-term development of business.

For instance, China now spends the equivalent of 1.8 per cent of its annual GDP on R&D, a near doubling of its expenditure in the past 20 years ago.

 

Amazon.com's revenue sees an increase

Report from Reuters dated 25 April 2014 :-

Amazon.com's revenue sees an increase

SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon.com Inc's revenue grew more than expected for the first quarter, largely offset by a sharp increase in spending on technology, content and new warehouses as the e-commerce company branches into new businesses.

Amazon's international unit, which accounts for 40 percent of sales, continued to be a drag as sales growth slowed to 18 percent during the quarter. Global unit sales, a closely watched measure of how many items Amazon has sold, also decelerated, rising only 23 percent.

 

The company is investing heavily in new markets abroad, particularly China, where it faces tough competition with Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba.

 

"A lot of the things that we've done - making sure that we have the right pricing in place on behalf of the customers, making sure that our service levels are where we need them to be - those are the things we continue to work on in China," Chief Financial Officer Tom Szkutak said during a conference call.

 

"Is it a large investment? Yes, it is. And that investment has increased over the past several years."

 

Szkutak added that Amazon was "encouraged" by the weekly growth in Prime users, even after the company increased the price of the service by $20 last month.

 

Shares of Amazon, which is also aggressively expanding its lineup of devices and computing services to sustain its growth pace, were little changed in after-hours trading.

 

The Seattle-based company's first-quarter revenue rose 23 percent to $19.74 billion, boosted by North American sales. This bested the average Wall Street estimate of $19.4 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Amazon reported earnings per share of 23 cents, in line with expectations.

 

Operating margins were predictably razor-thin at around 1 percent. Amazon is spending big on a range of projects, including developing its own original shows and video games, as its core retail business comes under pressure.

 

"They continue to struggle with the level of profitability they should be seeing, but how can you do better when you're 'investing' for the future?" Forrester Research analyst Sucharita Mulpuru said in an email.

 

The company is also moving more forcefully into hardware with the debut of its Fire TV video streaming box, as well as a long-rumored smartphone.

 

First-quarter operating expenses shot up by 23 percent. Amazon's fulfillment costs rose 29 pct, while its technology and content spending was up 44 percent.

 

But Amazon faces a few near-term hurdles, including new laws in several states forcing the company to collect sales taxes. A recent study showed Amazon sales fell 10 percent in such states, and analysts said this was one factor that pinched Amazon's unit sales growth over the last two years.

 

The e-commerce company also faces heightened competition abroad from rivals such as Alibaba, which is laying the groundwork for what could be the largest initial public offering for a technology company.

 

The first-quarter report comes as Amazon tries to build the case for its Prime service after hiking its annual fee to $99 from $79 last month. Prime users get unlimited two-day shipping, access to streaming video and other perks.

 

This week alone, Amazon unveiled two initiatives to stem defections, including a deal to stream older shows from HBO, the premium cable channel owned by Time Warner Inc.

Thailand's selfish super-rich

Report from the Nation (Thailand) dated 17 April 2014 :-

Thailand's selfish super-rich

        Chao Phraya river passing through Bangkok

 

Recent reports of wealthy individuals in the West choosing to bequeath most of their money to charity rather than to their children indicate a growing trend.

John Roberts, a British entrepreneur worth £500 million (S$1 billion), has gone even further, telling the media he plans to leave his entire fortune to charity and that his children would be "getting nothing".

Roberts says he has passed on to his children the words he heard as a child from his father: "I'll give you the best start in life I can afford and what you do with it is up to you." He says he wants his five kids to be "happy and normal" in their chosen careers.

Meanwhile Bill Gates, the world's richest man, with a personal fortune of $76 billion (S$95 billion), has vowed not to leave his Microsoft fortune to his three children.

Gates says that he prefers to give his children a good education so they can rely on their own abilities rather than their parents' fortune.

Promising large portions of your wealth to charity might not yet be the norm, but it is a rising trend in developed countries.

Some 122 billionaires have signed up for Giving Pledge, a campaign started by Gates and business magnate Warren Buffett to encourage the world's richest people to donate more than half of their fortunes to charitable causes, either during their lifetime or as a legacy.

Gates and Buffett have been joined by familiar names like Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, filmmaker George Lucas, CNN founder Ted Turner, Virgin Group's Richard Branson, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk. They've all "made the pledge".

Sadly this idea has yet to catch on among Thailand's super-rich families, despite many being even wealthier than some of those committed to Giving Pledge.

 Certainly some wealthy Thais donate money to charity, but the practice is far from universal and motivations are often questionable.

The desire for publicity often outweighs generosity, for example.

The idea of "giving back to society" needs to be taken up and promoted among wealthy Thais.

They should be aware of how their fortune derived from the country and its people.

Of course those who operate honestly gain their wealth through risk, hard work and diligence, but their profits are also built on the labour and patronage of their less-well-off compatriots.

There is an inherent selfishness in the concept that wealth should be kept within families, passed on from one generation to another.

Greed is bound to be amplified when people feel they need to amass wealth not just for themselves but also for their children and grandchildren.

Such selfish disregard for the wider society finds its most extreme expression in the rampant corruption that has made many of our bureaucrats, businesspeople and politicians wealthy at the expense of taxpayers.

Perhaps if more wealthy Thais were to set an example by teaching their offspring that hard work is the route to wealth, we could begin tackling the root causes of major societal problems like corruption.

Weirdest insurance policies around the world

April 18, 2014

Check out some of these far-out things insured by some rich and eccentric people the world over.

 

By Caitlyn Ng

It is apparent to most that insurance is big business – but just how much? Check out some of these far-out things insured by some rich and eccentric people the world over. You’ll soon notice that possibility and probability have very little to do with many of these in policies!

Awesome anatomies
What does Mariah Carey the singer, Angela Mount the wine expert, Ken Dodd the comedian and Jeff Beck the guitarist all have in common? They all insured parts of their awesome anatomy (legs, taste buds, teeth and fingers respectively)! If you think that’s ridiculous, try considering the fact that the body parts these famous people have insured are also part of how they became famous. For example, Jeff Beck (who was ranked fifth in the Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”) once sliced his finger when he was cutting carrots.
After that, he decided that it would be safer to insure all ten of those precious digits for a cool US$11.8 million (RM38.2 million) just in case anything else more serious were to happen to them!

Fabulous follicles
You would have thought that people would love to do anything they can to get rid of body hair, which can be deemed as unsightly. That is apparently not the case for these people who found a need to insure their body hair! Merv Hughes is one of those people who feels that his gloriously impressive moustache helped to make him one of the most prominent cricketers in the field.
Of course, his skill as a right arm fast bowler should be the main reason how he has an outstanding presence in the first place, but he decided to take out an insurance worth approximately US$400,000 (RM1.3 million) on his handlebar moustache anyway while playing for Australia’s national team.

Lucky lottos
If ever you feel the insecurity of your current batch of employees having a high chance of winning the lottery and suddenly resigning, therefore leaving you high and dry, you needn’t have to worry any more if you’re in the United Kingdom! There is a special kind of insurance that employers can purchase if they fear two or more of their employees will walk out on them by winning the National Lottery.
However, there is a major clause to fulfil before one can claim on this insurance: that the two employees who are about to resign must win during the same drawing, which actually sets the odds of anyone collecting on this policy absurdly high but leaves the insurance company laughing all the way to the bank. That is of course, they managed to find enough gullible companies to sign up.

Game show gamble
By now, many people would have already heard of the game show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”, thanks in part to the movie that made it popular: Slumdog Millionaire. This is an international television game show franchise that has its presence in more than 100 countries worldwide. Believe it or not, the American version of the show actually bought insurance in the rare event that a brilliant genius were to win the coveted ultimate prize money. When one were to look at it from that perspective, it became a question of “who wants to be the one to pay out that much money?” as opposed to the question of “who wants to be a millionaire?”!

Alien abduction
“Look, what’s that in the sky? Is it a bird? A plane? It’s a UFO!” How many times have we seen movies and TV series that involve an extraterrestrial being? Countless times. And most of them decide to make landfall in America, the land of the free, so it seems. It should thus come as no surprise that these insurance policies are sold in the USA where many people have a strong fear of being abducted by aliens. There have been sales in the thousands already, therefore proving just how many people have this concern.
You can get an insurance policy for as low as $25 to $50 (about RM81 to RM162) for a lifetime policy, fantastic protection against the psychological and physical trauma you may experience. However, proving that you were abducted by an alien will be necessary before you can claim.

Meeting monsters 
If aliens and UFOs weren’t enough of a problem already in our society, we now have to contend with stories of monster sightings. One such monster that has survived the test of time is the Loch Ness monster that resides in the lake of the same name up in the Scottish Highlands. Also referred fondly as “Nessie” by the locals, the sightings of this creature is not backed by the scientific community. That didn’t seem to stop whiskey company, Cutty Sark, who once offered a US$1.5 million prize to anyone who is able to catch that mythical Scottish lake inhabitant alive.
Fearing that someone would indeed be able to turn up at their doorstep with Nessie on a leash, the company then took an insurance policy to safeguard themselves against that ever happening!

Caitlyn Ng is an Investigative Journalist of SaveMoney.my, an online consumer advice portal which aims to help Malaysians save money through smart (and most of the time painless) savings in their daily banking, technology, and lifestyle spending habits.

Facebook rolls out 'nearby friends' feature

Report from AFP dated 18 April 2014 :-

Facebook rolls out 'nearby friends' feature



SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook on Thursday began rolling out a feature allowing users of its mobile app to use smartphone location to discover friends near them.

The optional "nearby friends" feature "helps you discover which friends are nearby or on the go," said product manager Andrea Vaccari in a blog announcement.

"If you turn on Nearby Friends, you'll occasionally be notified when friends are nearby, so you can get in touch with them and meet up," Vaccari said.

"For example, when you're headed to the movies, Nearby Friends will let you know if friends are nearby so you can see the movie together or meet up afterward."

With the feature, Facebook takes a page from other location-based services including the network Foursquare, numerous dating apps and the recently launched social network aggregator SocialRadar.

With the Facebook feature, Vaccari said, "You can choose who can see if you're nearby (for example: your friends, close friends, or a specific friends list) and you can turn it on and off at any time."

He added that the location sharing must be mutual: "You and your friends both have to turn on

Nearby Friends and choose to share with each other to see when you're nearby.

Your friends will only be able to see that you're nearby if you share this info with them and vice versa."

Facebook will also allow users to share a precise location with the particular friends for a set period of time.

"When you share your precise location, the friend you choose will see exactly where you are on a map, which helps you find each other," said Vaccari.

Facebook had an estimated 1.23 billion users at the end of December, and more than one billion who use the social network on a mobile device.

The "nearby friends" feature will be available for Android and iPhone users in the United States over the coming weeks.

Just what to do after work?

Report from The Straits Times (Singapore) dated 16 April 2014 :-

Just what to do after work?



The global financial crash of 2008 not only diminished the savings of workers nearing retirement, but it also altered mindsets about the work cycle. In America, most people have to work their way back to the point where they originally had been ready to call it a day. With welfarism squeezed after the Clinton reforms and European workers being put on notice of a tightening of benefits, retirement is becoming a misnomer in the West. Workers are bracing themselves to continue on the job for as long as they have to.



Singaporeans will need to be no less realistic about what essentially is now a life choice and less of a mandated cut- off. Workers here are denied a margin of cushion as the economy is more exposed than most to external shocks. Job security is less assured as downturn cycles get shorter between recessions. With Central Provident Fund retirement savings pitched at a bare living minimum, on current configurations, longer working careers will increasingly be their lot if they wish to have a reasonable level of comfort when the income stops.



But a snapshot poll by Randstad, a recruitment firm, found that four in 10 respondents wanted to be able to retire at 55. One must suppose this is more wishful thinking than a considered judgment, taking into account ever rising living and health-care costs, paying for children's tertiary education and a little margin left for indulgences, like travel. Not to mention that more people are living longer these days and so will have to make whatever retirement funds they have stretch for longer. Most respondents were sensible but it is significant that even among them, their favoured stop-work age of 60 is two years short of the official retirement age of 62. Unofficially, better performing workers can expect to be active until age 67, where the re-employment bar could be raised to from the present 65.



Two points arising from such surveys are worth pondering. If these imply negative perceptions about continued job availability for seniors, there is work to do for employers and state planners. Is there employer resistance to keeping older workers despite mandated re-employment? But if findings are indicative of an aspiration, Singaporeans must be prepared for the adjustment. How they might fill their time would be as relevant a consideration as knowing if there is enough money to retire on in a relatively expensive city. Would they be content with an idle existence for two or more decades? When the golfing and buddy-lunch routine become stale and reading unread books turns out to be more chore than pleasure, reality will strike home with a vengeance. To enjoy their retirement years, workers might have to invest time and effort to develop hobbies and pastimes that they might engage in meaningfully. It is also important for seniors to remain connected so that they are not isolated from other people as well as developments of the day.