Requirements For A Maryland Home Improvement License ?

Have you ever think that you know adequate about home improvement? Let?s wait and watch if we can complete some of the gaps with all the latest info from home improvement experts. Home improvement projects can be heavy around the pockets. Just as much as we want to provide the projects to expert contractors who can deliver excellent results, sometimes, it?s just more practical to possess a little exercise and do these projects without the help of contractors. People dig to their savings or resort to different loans just to finance these projects which in turn ensures they are lose their financial momentum.
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Home improvement strategies might help do-it-yourself enthusiasts make the most of their home improvement projects. Generally, most people who undertake home improvement projects do so for two major reasons. The first purpose of a home improvement project will be the addition of recent elements (e.g. sofa couch) that will improve the physical aspect of the house.
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A home improvement project is generally a worthwhile venture that has many advantages. Most home improvement projects arise from your certain need inside home. In contrast, other type of home improvement projects are aimed toward upgrading the house.
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Any home improvement project whether small or big requires considerable planning. Every home improvement requires time and expense, both of which are resources that can not be replaced once spent. Meticulous planning helps make certain both resources are utilized wisely to experience the desired results.
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Before undergoing any home improvement project, you should take into consideration every facet of the project. Avoid heading into any project without first considering the pros and cons in order to avoid wasting time, energy and cash. Fortunately, there are various resources that are available to homeowners interested in undertaking a home improvement project.
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The data about home improvement presented here can do one of two things: either it?s going to reinforce what you know about home improvement or it will teach you something totally new. Both are good outcomes.
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Here are a few do-it-yourself home improvement projects ideas that can cut back on expenses and generates savings from the project.
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1) Painting
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In case a family is tired and tired of the current colors of their house, they could do the painting themselves. Painting the home together is a good way to bond and enjoy yourself while increasing the home at the same time.
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Many people who try to paint their houses have problems which are related to the improper selection of painting materials. You must remember that cheap paint isn?t the way to go when painting your house.
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2) Kitchen
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Installing ceramic tiles about the countertop or the floor is one. There are a lot of resource materials which are out there, especially on the web that gives a step-by-step guide concerning how to install these ceramic tiles.
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3) Installing wallpapers
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Giving a home?s walls a new look is undoubtedly a great way to do home improvement. Wallpapers may be easily obtained from home improvement shops and stores. Different designs include hand prints that are imported, you will find heavy textured wall papers, you will find designs that are embossed.
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There you go, some basic ideas on how to go about giving you better home without the help of contractors. It will take a lot of practice, serious amounts of dedication to obtain your home improved, however, if done properly, the method and the output will give great satisfaction.
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When word gets around your command of home improvement facts, individuals that need to know about home improvement will start to actively seek you out.

Should you enjoyed our short article, you will probably love this also => lighting fixtures. Stop by, you might be amazed!

Source: http://all-articles-directory.com/requirements-for-a-maryland-home-improvement-license/

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London shares get gold medal bounce

London shares got a gold medal bounce on Thursday, opening higher in the wake of Britain's first victories of the Olympics and some strong corporate results.

The benchmarket FTSE 100 index gained 14.79 points or 0.26 percent to 5,727.61 at 9:49 am.

The London market outperformed continental European bourses after Bradley Wiggins snatched gold in the men's cycling time trial and Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won on the water in the women's rowing pairs.

A slew of corporate second quarter earnings figures was led by medical equipment maker Smith & Nephew, which reported a 6 percent rise in trading profit and 2 percent improvement in sales.

It also announced a 50 percent increased in the quarterly dividend as part of a new "progressive dividend policy". S&N shares lead the FTSE 100 gainers, jumping 2.05 percent to 673 pence.

International Airlines Group, owner of British Aiways, added 1.11 percent ahead of its results statement on Friday.

BAe Systems dropped 1.92 percent to 306.40 pence following the defence manufacturer's announcement of flat first half profits and falling sales.

Earnings after taxation eased to ?474 million in the six months to June from ?478 million in the same part of last year, BAE said.

Sales tumbled 11 percent to ?8.33 billion while pre-tax profits dropped 5.2 percent to ?655 million.

However, the group's order book grew to ?40 billion from ?39.1 billion a year ago.

Thomas Cook sank 4.48 percent to 16 pence as it fell into the red in the group's third quarter, hit by challenging trade and higher costs.

Europe's second largest travel company suffered an underlying operating loss of ?26.5 million in the three months to June, it said in a trading update. That compared with a profit of ?20.1 million in the year-earlier period.

"This (loss) reflects the challenging trading environments across all markets and increased operating costs," the group said in the statement.

Sales retreated 6.0 percent to ?2.29 billion, while net debt jumped to ?1.099 billion from ?902.5 million.

Aggreko eased 2.59 percent to 2,065 pence as investors decided the temporary power specialist's interim results were not as good as they had hoped.

Pretax profit jumped 23 percent to ?148 million on sales up 15 percent to 734 million. Aggreko raised its dividend by 15 percent and reiterated a prediction that the company will deliver "good growth" in the full year.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/london-shares-gold-medal-bounce-090612460.html

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Miramax signs streaming deal with Amazon subsidiary LoveFilm

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Miramax continued its aggressive push into digital streaming Tuesday, announcing that it has signed a new deal with LoveFilm in the U.K. and Germany.

Subscribers to the Amazon subsidiary will get access to Miramax titles like "There Will Be Blood," "Jackie Brown" and "The Aviator."

Since being sold in 2010 to a group of investors that included construction magnate Ron Tutor, Miramax's new leadership has focused on exploiting the studio's catalog of titles through distribution deals with the likes of Hulu and Netflix. It is interested in maximizing revenue from its film library and not concerned with creating new films.

LoveFilm is available on the PC, Mac or via Sony's Playstation3, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Apple's iPad and Internet-connected TV sets and Blu-ray players.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/miramax-signs-streaming-deal-amazon-subsidiary-lovefilm-004549692.html

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Childhood defiance correlated with drug dependence

ScienceDaily (Aug. 1, 2012) ? Childhood defiance is correlated with drug dependence whereas inattention suggests a susceptibility to smoking.

Children who exhibit oppositional behavior run the risk of becoming addicted to nicotine, cannabis and cocaine whilst Inattention symptoms represent a specific additional risk of nicotine addiction. Nevertheless, hyperactivity in itself does not seem to be associated with any specific risk of substance abuse or dependence. This is what researchers at the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center's (UHC) Research Center and the University of Montreal concluded following a 15-year population-based study published in Molecular Psychiatry.

In order to delineate the roles played by inattention, hyperactivity, opposition, anxiety and adversity, the behavior of 1,803 children between 6 and 12 years of age were evaluated annually by their mothers and teachers. Over half the participants were females. The study revealed that by the age of 21, 13.4% were either abusing or addicted to alcohol, 9.1% to cannabis, and 2.0% to cocaine. Tobacco addiction was a problem for 30.7 % of the participants.

The link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in childhood and substance abuse in adulthood was already known. However, very few studies have been undertaken into the particular and respective roles of behavioural symptoms such as opposition that are often concomitant with ADHD (without being part of the disorder), attention deficit and hyperactivity. Furthermore, at least as many girls as boys were sampled in order to assess the potential impact of gender on the findings.

"By taking into account the unique effect of inattention and hyperactivity, which had seldom been considered separately before, we came to realize that the link between ADHD symptoms in childhood and substance abuse in adulthood was overestimated and hyperactivity in itself did not seem, in this study, to predispose for future substance abuse," observed Dr. Jean-Baptiste Pingault, a postdoctoral fellow and first author of the study conducted under the supervision of Drs Sylvana C?t? and Richard E. Tremblay, both researchers at the Sainte-Justine UHC's Research Center and professors at the University of Montreal.

"We have rather observed strong oppositional behaviors to be associated with cannabis and cocaine abuse. In ADHD symptoms, only inattention is closely correlated with nicotine addiction," he continued. As for the impact of gender on findings, the study reveals opposition and inattention play a largely identical role in girls and boys. However, within the context of the study, it was established that boys consumed more cannabis and alcohol, while girls smoked more cigarettes.

Opposition and Drug Addiction

The strongest behavioral predictor of substance abuse lies in frequent oppositional behavior in childhood, which can be recognized through traits such as irritability, being quick to "fly off the handle," disobedience, refusal to share materials with others to carry out a task, blaming others and being inconsiderate of others. In fact, in strongly oppositional children, the risk of tobacco abuse, once other factors were taken into account, was 1.4 times higher than in children who exhibited little oppositional behavior. The risk is 2.1 times higher for cannabis abuse and 2.9 times higher for cocaine abuse. It should be noted that the mothers' evaluations provided further essential information in relation to the teachers' evaluations. In fact, some children who were declared highly oppositional by their mothers, but not at all by their teachers, also ran a higher risk of substance abuse and addiction.

Inattention and Smoking

The other important correlation established by the study was the link between inattention and smoking. Very inattentive children had a 1.7-fold increased risk of becoming addicted to tobacco. The degree of inattention even reveals the intensity of future nicotine addiction. The link supported the hypothesis that inattentive people would use tobacco as a "treatment" to help them concentrate.

"If other studies can establish a chemical relation of cause and effect between ADHD symptoms and smoking, we could suppose that treating inattention symptoms would make it easier to quit smoking. Until this is demonstrated, our study's findings nonetheless suggest that the prevention or treatment of inattention and opposition symptoms in children could reduce the risk of smoking and drug abuse in adulthood," concluded Dr. Pingault.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Universit? de Montr?al.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. J-B Pingault, S M C?t?, C Gal?ra, C Genolini, B Falissard, F Vitaro, R E Tremblay. Childhood trajectories of inattention, hyperactivity and oppositional behaviors and prediction of substance abuse/dependence: a 15-year longitudinal population-based study. Molecular Psychiatry, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/mp.2012.87

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120801112607.htm

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Planning A Wedding Party - Relationship Articles, News and ...

Marriage ceremony is one of the most memorable events in an individual's life. Usually, young couples would like to go all out and make no compromises in making this occasion the most memorable. The drawback of this is that they go beyond their budget and end up with debts before they start their wedded life. With a view to avoid this, the best choice is to organize a well planned wedding budget that will help you to avoid unwanted expenses. Should you be wondering how to plan a wedding cheaply with no compromises, here are some helpful hints for you.

The wedding dress is perhaps one of the costliest aspects of the wedding. The wedding costume is something which you will be wearing only once in your life time. Ask yourself if you actually want to pay thousands of dollars on a dress that is just going to find a place in your wardrobe once the event is over. You have various other inexpensive options which you could consider. You can consider buying a second hand dress from any of your friends or relatives. There are stores that also offer wedding dresses on rent at nominal rates.

If you are looking for solution to "how to plan a wedding cheaply", the answer would certainly be proper management of your wedding finances. Food for the wedding dinner party is an aspect which requires to be thought out with care. Most couples spend a significant amount on food, a lot of which reaches the garbage can the next day. Placing an order with the wedding catering company without taking into consideration the actual number of invitees who will be attending the wedding ceremony will lead to wastage of food, and also money. Draw up a invitee list and arrive at a rough figure before you place the order.

You possibly can save costs on the invitations as well is you are running on a strict budget. Instead of getting your cards from professional printers, you possibly can design customized cards with the help of your friends and print them at home. For people staying in different countries, you can actually consider sending e-invitations rather than couriering the invitation cards to their residential addresses that may cost you a significant amount of money.

The location for the reception also costs a whole lot of money. Nevertheless, you can reduce the expenses by making small changes. Instead of booking a huge reception hall to entertain your guests, you may think about choosing a beach wedding or nature wedding in a park or your backyard garden.

You could also keep expenses low by purchasing wedding supplies in bulk from wholesale vendors. Decorative objects such as linen, centerpieces and streamers can be bought from these wholesale vendors. You can also buy flowers from wholesale vendors and save a whole lot of money.

If you want more specific information, visit Dream-Weddings-On-A-Budget.com now.

Source: http://relationshipsa-z.blogspot.com/2012/08/planning-wedding-party-how-to-plan.html

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Protesters demonstrate against nuclear power plants at Japan's parliament

Anti-nuclear activists protest against nuclear power plant in front of Japan parliament in Tokyo

Protesters hold placards and shout slogans as they march to form a 'human chain' around Japan's parliament in Tokyo, to demonstrate against nuclear power plants. Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people protested against nuclear power plants outside Japan's parliament on Sunday.

The protesters, including pensioners, were pressed up against a wall of steel thrown around the parliament building. Some broke through the barriers and spilled onto the streets, forcing the police to bring in reinforcements and deploy armoured buses to buttress the main parliament gate.

The protest came as results from rural Yamaguchi showed that Tetsunari Iida, an advocate of renewable energy, had lost his bid to become governor. He was defeated by a candidate backed by the opposition Liberal Democratic party (LDP), which promoted nuclear energy during its decades in power, Kyodo news agency reported.

Iida, who wants Japan to give up nuclear power by 2020, had promised to revitalise Yamaguchi's economy with renewable energy projects and opposed a project to build a new nuclear plant in the town of Kaminoseki.

Energy policy has become a major headache for prime minister, Yoshihiko Noda. Weekly protests outside the PM's office have grown in size in recent months, with ordinary workers and mothers with children joining the crowds.

On Sunday, the protesters, holding candles, took their demonstration to parliament. Many had marched past the headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Co, the company at the heart of Fukushima disaster, the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.

"We are here to oppose nuclear power, which is simply too dangerous," said Hiroko Yamada, an elderly woman from Saitama prefecture near Tokyo.

"[Noda] isn't listening to us. He only listens to companies and Yonekura," she said, referring to Hiromasa Yonekura, the chairman of Japan's biggest business lobby.

An upset victory by Iida would have put pressure on the government which is considering an energy portfolio to replace a 2010 programme that would have boosted nuclear power's share of electricity supply to more than half by 2030.

Noda, who approved restarting two reactors recently, has said he would decide on a new medium-term energy plan in August, but reports said that decision could be delayed.

Experts have proposed three options: zero nuclear power as soon as possible, a 15% atomic share of electricity by 2030, or 20-25% by the same date compared to almost 30% before the Fukushima disaster.

Under pressure from businesses worried about stable electricity supply, Noda has been thought to be leaning towards the 15% option, which would require all of Japan's 50 reactors to resume operations before gradually closing older units.

The growing anti-nuclear movement, however, may make that choice difficult.

Multiple inquiries into the Fukushima nuclear disaster have pointed to the failure by authorities and energy companies to adopt strict safety measures and disaster response plans.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/30/nuclear-protests-japan-fukushima-disaster

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7 Ways to Green Your Pet | Eco-friendly Dogs and Cats

It?s tough to have a completely eco-friendly pet in the house. I buy organic, all-natural, sustainable pet products when I can, but the truth of the matter is that I?ll probably never compost his you-know-what (yes, people do that) or make his dog food. I make small changes where I can. Here are some simple ways (with perhaps the exception of number 3) you can green your pet.

1. Clean pet fur with a wet glove. Instead of buying lint rollers with removable tape sheets, try a regular old kitchen glove. Get it wet and mop up fur. It works particularly well with cat hair and longer pet hair, however, not so much with my dog?s short hair.

2. Avoid clumping cat litter. My cats (RIP) used clumping cat litter. It is bad. Not only does it contain silica, which is a carcinogen when inhaled (and you know how the cats can kick up that litter dust), but clumping cat litter also contains sodium bentonite which clumps up to 15 times it?s size. Think of that non-biodegradable yuck hanging out in the landfills. Read more about it on Moderncat.

3. Potty train your cat. Fur-real, people. Experts might argue that flushing cat you-know-what down the toilet isn?t totally eco-friendly, so it depends on what your alternative is. Clumping cat litter seems to be especially awful for the environment so if non-clumping or natural cat litter is too difficult for you, order up a cat potty training book. And, then come back and tell us if it really works!

4. Buy biodegradable poop bags They cost ever so slightly more, but we like (I have a little bit of trouble opening them up sometimes, however, but I?m ok with it) PoopBags Biodegradable Waste Pickup Litter Bags 7 Ways to Green Your Pet.

5. Repurpose old things. I almost bought a sewing machine after I read an article in Martha Stewart Living about how you can take old baby socks, insert catnip and sew them closed to make a baby sock cat toy. It?s ridiculously cute, too.

6. Donate unwanted items to local animal rescue or shelter. It saves the organization from spending unnecessary money on items they need and helps you repurpose things you don?t need.? Animal rescues typically need blankets, old bedding, pet bowls, towels and other household items. Check the website of your local rescue or shelter to see if they have a wish list.

7. Make your own pet food. Or, if you don?t want to go to that extreme, find a dog food company with eco-friendly practices and/or recyclable packaging. We?ve been happy with Honest Kitchen and though it?s more expensive, it?s human-grade food and you get a free box after approximately 10 boxes. I also have a dog treat recipe from Honest Kitchen that your entire family can eat. Humans might want to add a dollop of honey on top, however. Jiving your pet?s eating with your helps save packaging waste as you?ll buy less treats, etc.

See what the other San Diego Honda (sponsors of this post) Moms have to say about going green by clicking the logo below. And, go enter to win some cash. They?re giving away $500 per week and a grand prize of $3000!

LikeMomsBadge1 7 Ways to Green Your Pet

Source: http://lajollamom.com/2012/07/ecofriendly-green-pets-dog-cat/

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Enhance Your Dwelling With These Home ... - Energy Efficiency

Home improvement doesn?t have to be an expensive, time-consuming task. New window dressings, replacing flooring or making simple repairs can make a home feel fresh and inviting. In the article below, you will learn some great tips and tricks dealing specifically with improving your home.

Putting weatherstripping in your home will ensure that you will have a better energy footing. This is a cheap method to make your home more energy efficient. The difference will also be pleasantly noticeable.

If you add some functional items at the entry of your house, you can make the space more useful. A small table can be used to hold a tray for your keys and change, and a small bench can be utilized for removing wet shoes. You can also incorporate a mirror for that last minute appearance check as you head out your door. This attention to detail takes a potentially unused space and turns it into an organized and attractive area.

Dusting and preventing dust buildup is importnat. Just a few days could allow for quite a bit of dust to build up and cause allergy issues in the home. By dusting you will remove those allergens as well those pests such as spiders or ants.

If your house has an air system or a central heating system that is over 7 years old, you might want to upgrade and get a new one. New heating systems can save on your electric bill by causing your home to do less work. Additionally, newer systems run quieter.

When thinking of improving your house, think which room is the one you want to improve first. Remember, it is not crucial to improve everything at the same time; you can work on one room and then move to the next. You should plan ahead and look for price deals on required project items. A great way to save cash in home improvement is by planning ahead.

Practice composting procedures to reduce waste. You can easily create a compost pile by designating a space in your backyard and putting things like coffee grounds, fruit peels, vegetables or eggshells in it to compost. This will reduce your trash output and give you fertilizer for your garden.

Consider refinishing an old, ugly bathtub instead of replacing it. If your tub is made of porcelain, there are many places to get it refinished. Additionally, these companies can also refinish the old tile surrounding your tub so it doesn?t have to be replaced either. There?s no point to replace these unless water damage is sufficient in these areas.

Before you begin your next home improvement project, develop an itemized budget. Underestimating will only lead to a heap of financial problems down the road when remodeling. When developing a budget, get several estimates and budget in extra money for unforeseen complications.

You may be thinking of installing a conventional fireplace to heat your home; however, this isn?t always the best choice. Besides any consideration of the looks (and smells) of such a fireplace, you need to know that it is never that efficient. A great deal of the air it heats escapes directly up the chimney. These types of fireplace also require fresh air, which is provided by your home. This means that there will be less breathable oxygen in the air.

Don?t be in a rush to start your home improvement ideas without proper forethought and consideration. Before you even touch the paint can, take time to cover all furniture and surfaces in your work area. Paint splattered on furniture can ruin it. Sheets can be used to cover the furniture and protect it from possible drips or smears from paint.

When looking to sell your home, be sure to define all of the spaces in your home. A family room should have appropriate furniture and accessories, as should an office. Well-defined areas will help buyers visualize how the space can be properly utilized. This can make selling a house easier.

It doesn?t matter if you want to update colors or do a complete makeover, there are a lot of affordable options for your home improvement. With some creative thinking, you can achieve the look and feel you have always wanted. Use the information shared here when you are doing your next home improvement project.

Richie Vee, the site?s editor, is the Chief Engineer of one of the largest Platinum LEED buildings in NYC. His extensive engineering experience helps guide consumers through home improvement projects for the average homeowner. Using home solar energy and roofing repair ideas to save them money.

Source: http://www.energyefficiencyconservation.com/enhance-your-dwelling-with-these-home-improvement-tips-2/

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Editor's desk: Mainstream geniuses, Olympic rights, and streaming wrongs

I spent most of last week laughing it up in Winnipeg with my fellow fuzzball's from Mobile Nations -- that'd be Phil Nickinson of Android Central, Daniel Rubino of WPCentral, and Kevin Michaluk from CrackBerry.com, in order. We spent a few days figuring out where the network was, and most importantly, where we're going through the rest of 2012 and into 2013. You'll be hearings -- and seeing -- a lot about that soon.

But let's jump back out of hyperspace for a moment and take a look at the week that was...

Stressing over Apple's new Genius ads

Apple aired three new ads during the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, and the first ads I'm aware of focusing on Apple Retail. Some folks didn't like them, some folks did. Whether or not we like something is different than whether or not that thing is good or bad. I dislike a great many things I'll happily admit are good or even brilliant.

Here are the only two questions that matter when it comes to the new Apple ads:

  1. Who was the target?
  2. Did Apple hit that target?

Far as I could tell, Apple was aiming squarely at people for whom computers and computing situations are stressful. People with no idea how to handle their digital photos, videos, presentations, or even purchases. People who want to make an anniversary video or photo book or just have their stuff work.

As much as iOS isn't for geeks, neither are these ads (and neither is Mountain Lion for that matter). They're for the mainstream. They were the Apple Store equivalent of the Midas Muffler guy commercial. And the message was simple -- don't stress over computers or computing tasks, just come to Apple and the Apple Store, and the Mac, and everything will be okay.

If you already know about Apple Stores, if you know the difference between a Genius and a Creative, if you couldn't care less about photo books and long ago set up your perfect Keynote deck, then these ads clearly weren't for you.

Apple already has you. They want everyone else.

Speaking of the Olympics

While NBC's Olympic coverage sounds like a bag of hurt, CTV (Canadian TV) is doing a bang up job, at least on the iPhone app. You can pick your events and stream them right to your iPhone, both live and previously recorded. There are a lot of events I want to watch that don't get a lot of TV coverage, like Judo and fencing. With the CTV Olympics app on iPhone, I simply pick Judo and watch, even on my TV. Yeah, there are ads I can't skip, but the app is free so that's no big deal.

There's no AirPlay in the app itself, but the main AirPlay controls in the Fast App Switcher aren't blocked, so they work, even if the picture is letter boxed and pillar boxed, making it needlessly small).

If NBC is really doing that bad a job, shame on them. Those that embrace the future will inherit it. Cheers to CTV for doing it better.

Now let's get it right.

Speaking of streaming

It's great that Apple's got iTunes in the Cloud music, movies, and TV shows in a lot more countries now. What's not so great is that, while I can stream all of the above to my Apple TV, I can't do the same on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac. I have to download them.

And that sucks, because typically I just want to watch something once, and right away, and not wait for a download and then delete it right after to save space.

Other than licensing restrictions and typical Hollywood myopia, why can't this just work across iOS and iTunes?

Back to business

Keeping it short this week so I can work on something big for tomorrow. And something small. Any guesses?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/vpYi2XHGMPE/story01.htm

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EYES ON LONDON: Lebron's making friends, sad seats

USA's Lebron James looks up the court during the first half of a preliminary men's basketball game against France at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 27, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

USA's Lebron James looks up the court during the first half of a preliminary men's basketball game against France at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 27, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

First Lady Michelle Obama hugs USA's Kobe Bryant after Team USA defeated France in a preliminary men's basketball game at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 29, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Germany's Julia Rohde lifts during the women's 53-kg, group B, weightlifting competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 29, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

Tarlan Karimov of Azerbaijan (in blue) competes against Musa Mogushkov of Russia during the men's -66kg judo competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 29, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Mexican gymnast Elsa Garcia Rodriguez Blancas performs on the balance beam during the Artistic Gymnastics women's qualification at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 29, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

(AP) ? Around the 2012 Olympics and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of the games to you:

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LEBRON'S LEAP

Nothing like an Olympics to boost your social media profile, it seems.

LeBron James has acquired almost 600,000 new Facebook fans in the last week, with Kobe Bryant coming in second in terms of popularity with an extra 78,000.

But Kobe's still the top Olympian on the social media site in terms of overall numbers.

Facebook has released the following overall fan figures:

Kobe - 13.57 million

LeBron - 11.93 million

Roger Federer - 11.23 million

Maria Sharapova - 7.8 million

Usain Bolt - 7.07 million

? Ian Phillips ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/phillipsian

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LONELY SEATS

The rows of empty seats at some Olympic venues have enraged sports fans in London who tried but failed to get Olympic tickets.

And now the seats are putting their side of the story across ? through Twitter, naturally.

An account, (at)Olympic seat, emerged on Sunday evening.

"I feel so empty," read one post, accompanied by an avatar of empty seats.

"It was my lifelong ambition to be an Olympic seat," read another tweet. "To provide rest and comfort for cheering sports fans. I feel like such a failure."

? Rob Harris ? Twitter http://twitter.com/robharris

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BELLE OF THE BAR

The Americans dominated the afternoon qualifying for women's gymnastics, but Britain's athletes got the loudest cheers.

An ovation greeted Britain's Beth Tweddle, who earned a 16.133 on the uneven bars for the top score of the session.

"I was nervous," she admitted later. "It was nerve-wracking to do the bars last."

Tweddle, at 27, is the oldest member of the team and Britain's most decorated gymnast. She's never won an Olympic medal, however.

Her performance Sunday helped Britain make the team finals, four years after they missed the last slot at the Beijing Games.

"We know we're not going to be able to touch USA, Russia, China," Tweddle said. "We are the level below them. Four years ago, we wouldn't be looking at that, so we are getting better."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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IT'S OKAY, ROOMIE

Jordyn Wieber has released a statement of support for close friend Aly Raisman, who bumped her out of the all-around gymnastics finals.

Wieber, the reigning world champion, had to watch Raisman's performance knowing a strong showing would keep her out of the individual competition. She left the arena sobbing after missing the cut.

"It was hard because of course I wanted that spot. But I also wanted Aly to do her best for the team," she said.

The two are roommates here at the London Games. Wieber will be relegated to cheerleader now as Gabby Douglas and Raisman compete for the all-around title.

"It has always been a dream of mine to compete in the all-around final of the Olympics," she said. "I'm proud of Aly and Gabby and happy that they reached the all-around and I was able to help the team get to the Finals. It was always going to be close between the three of us doing all-around and in the end it is what it is."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/jennafryer

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DRENCHED TO THE BONE

Thousands of fans lined the Olympic women's cycling road race course ? all 87 miles (140 kilometers) of it ? despite the pelting rain, standing three or four deep in hopes of simply catching the blur of a cyclist. Police outriders were cheered, since riders usually followed soon after.

The rain would ease up for four or five minutes Sunday, then return with a vengeance. Who knows how the riders could stay upright or even see.

? Danica Kirka ? http://twitter.com/danicakirka

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HANDING OUT HUGS

After the first U.S. win, a hug from the first lady.

The U.S. men's basketball team cruised to a 98-71 victory over France in their Olympic opener on Sunday and got quite the reward.

Michelle Obama watched the game, a few rows back. At the final buzzer, the entire team came over for a hug, one by one.

"It was a very special moment," Carmelo Anthony says. "For her to be sitting over there and supporting us, we just wanted to thank her for coming."

? Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http://www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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PICTURE YOURSELF IN A BOAT ...

They might not pilot a Yellow Submarine, but two British sailors have received a good-luck message from Beatles legend Paul McCartney.

The 70-year-old musician sent a note Sunday to Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes, who will compete from Monday in the men's 49er competition ? in which a crew of two sail in a high-performance skiff.

"Wishing you the very best of luck on the Lovely Rita in the games. Happy sailing to you both," McCartney said in his message, referring to their boat.

McCartney, who sang at Friday's opening ceremony, told the two British sailors that he shared their passion, and loved "to potter about" on his small dinghy.

Morrison wrote on his blog that the Beatles were Britain's "greatest-ever band" and said he and his teammate "were looking to emulate" the group's success as they take to the water.

? David Stringer - Twitter http://twitter.com/david_stringer

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DOUBLE ACT

It's Simon and Esther Manzke's first trip to an Olympic Games and they are trying to stand out from the crowd.

Both are wearing small German carnival-style top hats with a piece of cord connecting them and a dumbbell dangling inbetween. Today they have tickets for weightlifting.

"The hats are multifunctional, we have a net for beach volleyball tonight," said Simon, a student from Hamburg. "We are trying to be creative, we know people in the U.K. love hats."

As the siblings headed off to an arena, some London volunteers ran up to them and asked for a photo. "Crazy German people," one shrieked.

Here's the picture: http://bit.ly/MUBGZ6

? Fergus Bell ? Twitter http://twitter.com/fergb

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PISTORIUS TRAINS

Out in leafy west London, double-amputee Oscar Pistorius gets to run in relative peace. That will all change pretty soon.

On Sunday, Pistorius ran 200-meter splits alongside teammate Ofentse Mogawane, pounding down a university's tree-lined track on his carbon-fiber blades as a handful of curious staff members and students watched on.

It'll get far busier for the 25-year-old "Blade Runner" from Wednesday, when he makes his first formal media appearance in London ahead of his historic debut Saturday in the 400 heats at the Olympic Stadium. He'll also be on South Africa's 4x400 relay team.

Among those cheering him on: His 90-year-old grandmother who's making the trip over to London from South Africa.

?Gerald Imray ? Twitter http://twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP

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NI HAO, KONICHIWA

There's a sure sign the world's best players are about to take the floor at the table tennis venue: Mandarin and Japanese translators are arriving. Let's hope someone shows up to help with Korean.

The world's two top-ranked women ? Ding Ning and Li Xiaoxia of China ? play Sunday night. No. 3 Kim Kyun-gah of South Korean and No. 4 Kasumi Ishikawa of Japan also play. The top 12 women in the tournament are all from Asia. No. 13 is Viktoria Pavlovich of Belarus. Nos. 14 and 15 are China-born players who represent the Netherlands and Poland.

Even Singapore uses two players born in China ? Feng Tianwei and Wang Yuegu.

? Stephen Wade ? Twitter http://twitter.com/StephenWadeAP

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All IN A DAY'S WORK

What was supposed to be a full day of work for 150 British soldiers has turned into an afternoon watching women's gymnastics.

Staff Sgt. Marc Robson of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery said he was told Sunday to send the soldiers to the North Greenwich Arena for the qualifications rounds. He said he's rotating soldiers in and out, and those outside the arena are performing their security tasks as planned.

The move came after Olympic organizers were criticized for the number of empty seats seen on television.

Robson said the troops were enjoying themselves.

"I was told to let the boys come in and enjoy the show," Robson said. "Look at them, they seem to be liking it just fine."

? Jenna Fryer ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennafryer

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DOES YAO SPEAK FRENCH?

There are so many media who showed up to cover Team USA vs France that organizers eventually closed off the press area and wouldn't allow any more inside the arena.

One media member stood out ? or, more accurately, up ? more than any other. Yao Ming was in attendance as a Chinese broadcaster.

There was talk of making the press tribune standing room only. If they do, pity the guy stuck behind him.

?Jon Krawczynski ? Twitter http:/www.twitter.com/APKrawczynski

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GREAT ATMOSPHERE

It's the closing seconds. The score is 60-56. The crowd is going crazy. Which Olympic final is this, you ask?

Hardly. It's a group stage basketball game between two countries little known for their basketball ? Tunisia and Nigeria.

The 12,000-seat venue is at least 95 percent full and the crowd has been raucous throughout the mid-morning game. As the game ends, the players of both teams are given a standing ovation.

The next game, Australia vs. Brazil, is a similar affair. There is constant clapping and cheering and the noise reverberates around the arena. The public address announcer organizes the fans, though it's not like they need much encouragement; the fans do the wave and stomp and clap to "We will rock you."

If there's one thing London organizers promised, it was passionate fans. At the basketball venue, they're definitely delivering.

? Peter Wilson ? Twitter: www.twitter.com/peterrwilson

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EDITOR'S NOTE ? "Eyes on London" shows you the Olympics through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across the 2012 Olympic city and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item, and get even more AP updates from the Games here: http://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-07-29-OLY-Eyes-on-London-Package/id-0d52a9c620214490a88de0ab3a5bd12a

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