A MythBusters Segment On Traditional Chinese Popcorn Makers Has China Laughing At American Ignorance

A segment for Discovery's MythBuster series about a traditional Chinese popcorn maker has suddenly become the subject of scorn amongst Chinese netizens.

The segment, first uploaded to YouTube in November, showed the hosts don a bomb suit and stand behind protective glass to use the traditional machine, which uses pressure to "pop" the corn:

For reasons that aren't entirely clear, the segment has become a big issue in China in the last few days, with CCTV and other news organizations picking it up.

The problem seems to lie with the fact that many Chinese street vendors use these popcorn makers every day without the use of a bomb suit. Ernest Kao of the South China Morning Press points to this video:

For some Chinese netizens, the MythBusters segment is another example of American ignorance. The top comment on the video, which has been given the thumbs up by 52 other users, reads:

Now I am fully convinced Americans are truly stupid. We Chinese used this way to make popcorns for hundreds of years, with a loundry bag attached to it to catch popcorns. LOL. americans, you never cease to amaze.

Kao at SCMP points to some more examples of criticism, including our favorite: “Americans are a joke. Have they not seen the world?”

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/XToJbMV1pro/mythbusters-popcorn-segment-riles-china-2013-1

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New Credit Card 'Checkout Fee' Arrives This Weekend

--> Credit Card Checkout Fee SurchargeThis Sunday marks the first day that consumers could start paying an extra fee just for using their credit card to make purchases. But don't panic: It's unlikely to kick in right away, especially at the biggest retailers.

First, a bit of background. The fee in question is widely described as a "checkout fee," and starting on Jan. 27, retailers will have the option of charging it on any purchase made with a credit card. The fee came about as a result of a settlement reached in July 2012 between merchants and credit card networks, and is intended to help defray the costs of the swipe fees charged by those networks. As such, it can't be higher than what the merchant actually pays as a swipe fee -- usually between 1.5% and 3% of the transaction.

The settlement was actually merchants' second swipe-fee victory in recent years. The first came in the form of the Durbin Amendment, which capped swipe fees on debit card purchases at 21 cents per transaction. The July settlement didn't cap swipe fees on credit cards, but it did give retailers the right to pass them on to consumers -- if they choose to.

"I don't think we're going to see a mass amount of surcharges come the deadline," said Ruth Susswein of Consumer Action, which has led the charge in educating consumers about the impending fee. Retailers, she says, are more likely to introduce the fee gradually. "It might creep into costs of shopping over time."

Indeed, it's still unclear whether the nation's larger merchants actually plan to take advantage of their new right to add surcharges.

"I would be very surprised if Walmart or Costco or Target or any of the other mega-discount retailers did something like this," said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education for SmartCredit.com. "Their pitch is, 'Hey we're cheaper than the competition.'" Ulzheimer added that if a big retailer was considering charging the checkout fees, they would start out by testing them in a few select markets to see how consumers responded.

So if you do see checkout fees, it's more likely to be at smaller retailers, which tend not to be winning on price anyway. In fact, Ulzheimer noted, you've probably already seen small merchants charge a form of credit card checkout fee in the past, by offering lower prices to customers paying with cash -- for instance, at a gas station. Now that they're allowed to call the credit card surcharge what it is, more small merchants will try out variable pricing.

Tens of millions of customers will never see checkout fees, though. That's because 10 states have formally banned the practice, a list that includes California, New York, Florida and Texas.

If you don't live in one of those 10 states, though, you could potentially see signs alerting you about checkout fees as early as this Sunday. If you do, you can avoid them by paying with cash or a debit card -- or by taking your business elsewhere.

Matt Brownell is the consumer and retail reporter for DailyFinance. You can reach him at Matt.Brownell@teamaol.com, and follow him on Twitter at @Brownellorama.



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Source: http://dailyfinance.com/2013/01/24/new-credit-card-checkout-fee-starts-sunday/

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Here's The Good News For Apple (AAPL)

Jony Ive

A lot of normal people are looking at Apple's earnings results and asking themselves a pretty reasonable question: "What exactly is the problem here?"

After all, iPhone sales of 47.8 million units were up on a year over year basis, despite the fact that Apple only had 13 weeks to sell the iPhone this year versus 14 weeks for the year before.

Revenue and profits were new records for Apple. Apple can't make enough iPad Minis to keep people happy. And, oh yeah, it has $137 billion in cash.

Yet, the stock fell 11% in reaction to earnings. And to listen to some people, you might think Apple was going to close up shop tomorrow.

What exactly is the problem here?

Objectively, there is no problem. Apple is still a very strong company making products people absolutely love.

But, Apple's growth has fallen significantly. There was a time when it was producing mind boggling growth. As that growth took off, investors and analysts rejiggered their expectations for the company. And those expectations quickly got out of control.

Now expectations are being reset. The iPhone isn't going to take over the world. The iPad isn't going to be as lucrative as the iPhone. And it's highly unlikely Apple has another magic money machine like the iPhone.

Remember, Apple collects $640 per iPhone sold, with ~50% of that as profit. There will never be another Apple product as profitable that sells in such volumes. So, even if Apple comes out with a TV, it won't save Apple's sliding revenue and profit growth.

And the truth about the iPhone as currently constructed is that it has largely run its course. Its hyper-growth era is over. It will still grow, just not in the same tremendous way.

Yes, Apple is still a very healthy company, but contrary to expectations it is mortal. It will not fly to the moon. The $1,000 price targets are going away.

And, weirdly, that's sort of good news. The resetting of expectations gives Apple more room to breath. It won't have to live up to impossible standards. It can start beating expectations again.

If Apple's lucky, the stock will come back to life. If it doesn't, it doesn't. It won't mean Apple's products aren't great. It just means investors don't like the stock.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/ZURDLhpDS2Q/heres-the-good-news-for-apple-2013-1

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Benefits of Credit Card Debt Consolidation

Consolidation Loans with Bad Credit Is debt consolidation a good solution for my credit card debts? Debtors, upon realizing that in a few years their credit cards would have accumulated thousands of dollars through interests ask the same question. Credit card purchases, in many instances are actually more expensive because of high interest rates. Someone [...]

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Source: http://www.legaldebthelponline.com/2012/06/29/benefits-of-credit-card-debt-consolidation/

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CRAMER: Apple Is No Longer Magical, It's Like IBM, Or J&J (AAPL)

Here's Jim Cramer's rambling take on Apple's earnings.

Bottom line: Don't over think this stock. It's no longer magical without Steve Jobs. It lost its momentum. Don't make a statement buy by getting into it.

Via: 9 To 5 Mac

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/vn8qEBeGroQ/cramer-apple-is-no-longer-magical-its-like-ibm-or-jj-2013-1

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I Use Facebook To Check On My Monitor Repair, Samsung Just Goes Ahead And Sends Me Better One

Graeme has two Samsung monitors, and has had them repaired under warranty a few times. Two years into his three-year warranty, he sent a monitor that snapped off its stand in for repair. Not terribly worried, he checked in on it using Facebook. Samsung took this as an indication that he was unhappy, and should be sent a larger, newer, … [More]

Source: http://consumerist.com/2013/01/23/i-use-facebook-to-check-on-my-monitor-repair-samsung-just-goes-ahead-and-sends-me-better-one/

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Gallup's Poll On Obama's Gun Control Proposals Is Incredibly Revealing

Barack Obama

Americans support nine of the White House's key proposals to reduce gun violence, according to a new Gallup poll released Wednesday. That includes support for controversial measures such as a reinstatement of the expired assault weapons ban and banning high-capacity magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Notably, though, Gallup did not attach the proposals to Obama or the White House. Americans reacted with more support to the individual measures in this poll than they did when Gallup polled on the general subject of Obama's proposals.

In that poll, 53 percent of respondents said they would want their representative to vote for the new laws, compared with 41 percent who did not.

In the new Gallup survey, however, all nine key proposals were favored by at least 54 percent of respondents.

"The question does not tell respondents that all nine proposals come from Obama's recently released plan to reduce gun violence; however, the wordings used to describe them intentionally follow the White House's 'Now Is the Time' plan descriptions," Gallup senior editor Lydia Saad wrote along with the poll.

Here's a look at how each proposal stacks up:

Gallup Obama gun control

The proposals are somewhat popular across party lines. A majority of Republicans support seven of the nine steps. And 49 percent of Republicans support the reinstatement of an assault weapons ban. However, only 39 percent favor a high-capacity magazine ban. A majority of self-identified Independents also favored all options except the high-capacity magazine ban.

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/businessinsider/~3/MKb4tX5d8rY/obama-gun-control-gallup-poll-assault-weapons-magazines-newtown-ct-2013-1

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Anheuser-Busch Wins Another Budweiser Round In 100-Year Fight Against Czech Brewer

It seems Goliath has won this bout with David, if you consider Anheuser-Busch InBev to be well, a giant towering over a Czech brewery fighting for the right to call its beer Budweiser. Over here in America we mostly only ever see the King of Beers we’re used to, but in Europe, it’s a whole other long, contentious story.… [More]

Source: http://consumerist.com/2013/01/23/anheuser-busch-wins-another-budweiser-round-in-100-year-fight-against-czech-brewer/

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Learn The Value Of Canny House loan Research

There is certainly zero hesitation produce that propane is a wonderful long-term expense. We have actually peaked within our power to increase creation meaningfully, just as we now have with gentle essential oil. I do think in order for there to become an increase in long-term propane supply, you have to supply incentive to producers [...]

The post Learn The Value Of Canny House loan Research appeared first on legal debt help online.

Source: http://www.legaldebthelponline.com/2012/06/27/learn-the-value-of-canny-house-loan-research/

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