Stocks drop back on mixed US jobs figures

LONDON (AP) ? A mixed U.S. jobs report took the edge off global stock markets Friday as it suggested growth in the world's largest economy is not accelerating as quickly as some had hoped.

The U.S. economy added a net 162,000 jobs in July, the fewest since March and below analyst expectations for a rise of 183,000. The previous two months' gains, meanwhile, were revised down.

The hiring was nevertheless strong enough to lower the unemployment rate to a 4 ? -year low of 7.4 percent, from 7.6 percent. Forecasts were for a more modest dip to 7.5 percent.

Paul Ashworth, analyst at Capital Economics, said that taken as whole, the report "isn't going to stop the Fed from reducing its monthly asset purchases at September's meeting."

Europe lost its early gains to trade lower, with Germany's DAX down 0.1 percent at 8,403.20 and France's CAC 40 sliding the same rate to 4,038.96. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.5 percent at 6,652.11 as Royal Bank of Scotland shares shed 4.2 percent on disappointing earnings.

U.S. stocks were poised to fall on the open. Dow futures lost 0.1 percent to 15,535 while the broader S&P 500 futures dropped almost 0.1 percent to 1,699.70.

The drop may in part be due to the fact that markets had risen this week on upbeat data from the U.S. So the mixed figures on Friday were a good opportunity for investors to cash in on the recent gains.

In Asia, markets ended higher. Japan's Nikkei 225 index surged 3.3 percent to 14,466.16, with export shares boosted by a weakening yen. Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.5 percent to 22,190.97 while in mainland China, the Shanghai Composite Index rose less than 0.1 percent to 2,029.42.

South Korea's Kospi was up 0.1 percent and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 1.1 percent.

Asian markets had been buoyed by a survey of Chinese industry showing manufacturing activity unexpectedly ticked up in July.

Corporate earnings, meanwhile, were mostly upbeat in the region.

Shares in Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. rose 4.2 percent after posting first-half profit that was up nearly a quarter over the year before. Sony Corp. rose 0.7 percent after the Japanese electronics giant returned to profit in the January-June period. Toyota reported a sharp rise in profits.

Benchmark crude for August delivery was down 66 cents to $107.23 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose $1.86 on Thursday.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3269 from $1.3226 late Thursday. The dollar fell to 99.17 Japanese yen from 99.49 yen.

___

Kelvin Chan in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/stocks-drop-back-mixed-us-jobs-figures-131243214.html

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Does plastic surgery make you pretty? The jury's out

By Andrew M. Seaman

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who get facial plastic surgery may look younger than they did before the procedure, but that doesn't mean they're more attractive, according to a new study.

Researchers found that a group of independent reviewers thought plastic surgery patients looked about three years younger after their procedures than before. But their attractiveness ratings for the patients didn't change.

"It confirms what we suspected that patients will appear younger? However, we weren't able to determine a statistically significant improvement in attractiveness in face altering procedures," said Dr. Joshua Zimm, the study's lead author.

But Zimm, of the Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Institute of North Shore-LIJ Health System in New York, told Reuters Health the study's design may have limited his team's ability to pick up differences in attractiveness.

Previous studies have found that people who have facial plastic surgery - such as face or chin lifts - end up looking a few years younger than they did before their procedure, but none have looked at whether they end up being more attractive.

"When we do a consultation with a patient, we're often very careful not to say they'll look much younger or more attractive? Typically we'll tell patients they'll look more refreshed and less tired," Zimm said.

For the new study, he and his colleagues showed 50 independent reviewers photographs of 49 patients before and at least six months after their facial plastic surgeries, which happened between 2006 and 2010.

Each reviewer saw a before or after photo of every patient and was told to guess the patient's age and rate his or her attractiveness on a scale from 1 to 10.

On average, the reviewers believed people were about 2.1 years younger than they actually were in their "before" photographs. On their "after" pictures, reviewers guessed they were 5.2 years younger than their actual age.

That worked out to about a three-year reduction in a person's perceived age, according to findings published in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.

There was no difference, however, in how the reviewers rated patients' attractiveness in before and after photos.

"I think there are a lot of points in this study that sort of temper our result on the attractiveness score," Zimm said.

For example, the study only included photographs of a small number of patients, most patients were rated in the middle of a 10-point attractiveness scale and reviewers only saw either the before or after photos of each person.

"I think all of those factors led to an underestimation of the results," Zimm said. "It's certainly not a definitive answer on attractiveness."

According to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, facelifts typically run for close to $7,000 and eyelid work and forehead lifts for about $3,000 each.

Dr. Steven Bonawitz, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, said the results make sense.

"I think it may be surprising to a lot of people thinking about these operations, but as I thought about it I wasn't terribly surprised," said Bonawitz, who wasn't involved with the new study.

"The procedures they did are generally done as rejuvenating procedures. They're done to make people look younger," he said.

"It's important in discussing these procedures with patients that we describe them appropriately."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/135LhTw JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, online August 1, 2013.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/does-plastic-surgery-pretty-jurys-172833137.html

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Apple battling U.S., states over proposed e-book limits

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Apple Inc is headed for a showdown with the U.S. government and dozens of states, which on Friday urged that tough new restrictions be imposed on the company for illegally conspiring to raise e-book prices.

The changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Justice and 33 U.S. states and territories are designed to stop Apple from committing further antitrust violations after U.S. District Judge Denise Cote on July 10 said Apple had a "central role" in a conspiracy with five major publishers to raise e-book prices.

"Under the department's proposed order, Apple's illegal conduct will cease, and Apple and its senior executives will be prevented from conspiring to thwart competition," said Bill Baer, head of the Justice Department's antitrust division.

Apple is fighting back. In a court filing, it called the proposed injunction a "draconian and punitive intrusion" into its business that would hurt consumers and competition, and that it was "wildly out of proportion."

"The resulting cost of this relief - not only in dollars but also lost opportunities for American businesses and consumers - would be vast," it said.

Cote will weigh both the arguments at an August 9 hearing in her Manhattan courtroom. A damages trial might follow.

Despite Apple's protests, analysts have said the bigger issue for the Cupertino, California-based company in this case might be damage to its reputation, not financial harm. Amazon.com Inc commands about 65 percent of the U.S. e-books market, while Apple's share has been estimated in the single digits.

LIMITS ON DEAL MAKING

The government's plan, which still needs court approval, would require that Apple end its contracts with the five publishers and be banned for five years from entering contracts that would effectively the raise prices of e-books sold by rivals.

The publishers included Lagardere SCA's Hachette Book Group Inc, News Corp's HarperCollins Publishers LLC, Pearson Plc's Penguin Group (USA) Inc, CBS Corp's Simon & Schuster Inc and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck GmbH's Macmillan. All settled with U.S. regulators.

Apple would also be blocked from cutting deals with providers of movies, music and TV programs for its iPad tablets and iPhones that would likely increase the prices at which rivals might sell such content. It would also require providers to lower prices for Apple if they lower them for rivals.

Officials also want to make it easier for consumers to compare e-book prices by requiring Apple for two years to let Amazon, Barnes & Noble Inc and other rivals provide links to their own stores within their iPad and iPhone apps.

The proposal should solidify online retailer Amazon.com Inc's dominance in the e-books market.

The DOJ proposal "hands Amazon yet another win," said Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords, an e-book publisher and distributor that works with Apple, Barnes & Noble, Sony and others. "Why isn't the DOJ forcing Amazon to play fairly? This is the question the publishing industry wants answered."

"Apple brought much-needed competition to the e-book market and now the government is trying to undermine them."

Albert Greco, a book-industry expert at the business school of Fordham University, said the remedy proposed by the department of justice "does not address the long term issue of book pricing in the United States."

While the trial was fair, "I am not sure they looked at the book publishing industry in much detail," he said, adding that it is unclear how it will impact the industry broadly.

Under the proposal, Apple would also be required to hire a full-time internal antitrust compliance officer and employ a court-appointed external monitor to ensure its compliance with antitrust law.

Government officials said the changes would permit Apple to compete "vigorously and lawfully" in the e-books market.

Apple countered that the changes seek unnecessary relief for harm already remedied under the settlements with the publishers and impose "broad, invasive, and vague" requirements unrelated to Cote's findings. It urged Cote to reject the injunction entirely or approve a "narrower and more modest" alternative.

"APPLE SEIZED THE MOMENT"

Federal and state officials accused Apple of conspiring with the publishers in late 2009 and early 2010, as the iPad was being launched.

They said the conspiracy caused some e-book prices to rise to $12.99 or $14.99 from the $9.99 that Amazon charged.

Evidence damaging Apple's case included emails from Steve Jobs, its chief executive, that the officials said reflected a desire to boost prices.

"Taking advantage of the publisher defendants' fear of and frustration over Amazon's pricing," Cote concluded, "Apple seized the moment and brilliantly played its hand."

In their settlements, the publishers agreed to pay more than $166 million for consumers' benefit. None admitted wrongdoing.

The case is U.S. v. Apple Inc et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 12-02826.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington, D.C. and Poornima Gupta in San Francisco; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-states-propose-remedy-apple-e-book-price-140035259.html

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How to Install Loft Insulation Yourself - Energy Efficiency - Home ...

How to Install Loft Insulation Yourself

4 views This article is copyright free and is published in Energy Efficiency ? Home Improvement Joined: Apr 25, 2013

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If you opt for blanket loft insulation, which is the most popular kind, then you should have no problem installing it yourself even if you have little or no DIY experience. There is no need to pay for a professional contractor to come round to do the job for you. However, there are some potential hazards and it is important to prepare yourself appropriately and take all of the necessary precautions to ensure that you do the job properly while staying safe. The following guide will walk you through the process of installing blanket loft insulation.

Preparations to Make

Follow the steps below to plan and prepare for your loft insulation project.

? Determine the amount of insulation your loft is going to need. A single roll of blanket insulation should cover just under fourteen square meters. A typical two-bedroom terrace house, for example, will need about four rolls in total while a three-bedroom detached house will need at least eight. These are only guidelines, however. It is still important to accurately measure the surface area of the loft to avoid buying too much material. The recommended depth of insulation is 270mm, so if you are topping up existing installation, you should not need so much or you can buy thinner rolls. You should also determine the width of the spaces between the joists.

? Determine the size of the hatch leading into your loft space to make sure that you will be able to fit the rolls of insulation through it.

? Thoroughly clear out the loft. You will need a clean and organized space to work with when it comes to making further preparations and installing the insulation.

? Lag any cold water pipes. Once you have insulated your loft, the space above the insulation will be much cooler. If there are any cold water pipes in this area, they may freeze during particularly cold weather. To make sure that this doesn't happen you should lag them with an adequate amount of insulation material. If the cold water tank is in the roof space, you should ensure that this is properly insulated as well. You can purchase a special insulative jacket to place over any standard-sized water tank.

Installing the Insulation

Follow the steps below to safely and properly install the rolls of insulation.

? Get something to walk on such as some heavy boards or planks lest you risk damaging the ceiling while installing the rolls of insulation.

? Wear suitable clothing which fully covers your arms and legs. You will also need a dust mask, a pair of goggles and some gloves. These precautions are necessary if the insulative materials consist of things such as mineral fibre or glass wool as they are highly irritant when working with them for an extended period. If you are using material made from sheep's wool, you will not need to take these precautions.

? Start unravelling the first roll of insulation at the far end of your loft. You will need to cut it to fit in some case. For this, you will need either a sharp knife or a large pair of scissors. When laying out the insulation, be sure to leave a couple of centimetres between the edge of the material and the eaves as this will help to promote airflow and prevent damp.

? Place a second layer of insulation if you want it to be more effective. If you place a second layer, then lay it the other way around so that it covers the joists.

? Attach some insulation material to the back of the loft hatch. Many people forget about this and wonder why their loft insulation is less effective than it should be. Simply nail or tape some of the material onto the hatch.
Some Additional Safety Tips:

? Keep the insulation material comfortably far away from any lighting fixtures or chimney stacks. This will help to decrease fire risk.

? Avoid putting insulation underneath any cold water tank that you might have in your attic. Instead, fold up the insulation material around it and use a tank jacket.

About author: Laura Ginn

?Laura Ginn knows that when it comes to insulating your home you should start in the most important area, loft insulation. Compare energy prices with uSwitch and discover just how much more money you could save on your energy bills.

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Canon's 1080p Legria mini camcorder makes it easy to film... yourself

Though we got tired of the word "selfie" in about 1/8000th of a second, it's true that snapping yourself can be tricky, especially on video. Canon wants to aid and abet such vanity with the Legria mini, a 1080p camcorder with an ultra-wide angle lens, flipscreen and built-in stand. To make sure that we, er, you look as good as possible, Canon's equipped it with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, DIGIC DV 4 processor, 12.8-megapixel still shooter, stereo audio and 160 degree wide lens (170 degrees for stills). You'll also get built-in WiFi, an iOS app, DLNA support, time-lapse, slow motion and mirror image recording and playback. There's even a decidedly HTC Zoe-like feature which takes a four second video when you snap a photo, and assembles them together when you're ready. All of that should help keep your Vine, Video on Instagram and other filmic pipelines full. Check the PR and video after the break for more.

Filed under: Cameras, Canon

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/qhfE2bIurwg/

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Bird brains predate birds themselves: 'Flight-ready' brain was present in some non-avian dinosaurs, CT scans indicate

[unable to retrieve full-text content]New research provides evidence that dinosaurs evolved the brainpower necessary for flight well before they actually took to the air as birds. Based on computed tomographic scans, the study takes a comprehensive look at the so-called "bird brain," revealing that at least a few non-avian dinosaurs had brains that were as large or larger than that of one of the earliest known birds, Archaeopteryx.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/93uJWh4c2g8/130731133157.htm

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New Android apps worth downloading: Zagat update, LiveHive, Freak Tower

Find a great restaurant to enjoy this week with the help of Zagat, the trusted restaurant guide app. It just got a big update that adds a revamped user interface, among other handy features. We've also got LiveHive, a productivity app that makes it easy for teams of coworkers to stay coordinated and share files from various sources with one another. Finally, Freak Tower is a management simulation game in which players construct the tallest tower they can, and then defend it from giant monsters.

Zagat update (Free)

What?s it about? Restaurant guide app Zagat brings users information about restaurants in several different cities, providing information about where you should eat, how good the food is, how much it costs and more.

What?s cool? Zagat is a well-known and trusted name in restaurant guides. For years, it was available only in print, but with the rise of mobile apps, you can now get Zagat restaurant information instantly, no matter where you plan to eat. The app includes expert restaurant reviews and ratings, as well as recommendations for where to eat for any occasion, and some powerful search capabilities. Zagat's latest update has reworked the app's user interface with a new look, adds the ability to look at menus before you head out to various restaurants, and provides lots of articles to read as well as rating info.

Who?s it for? Zagat currently supports nine major U.S. cities, so be sure your city is supported if you're looking for reliable ratings on restaurants.

What?s it like? Both Yelp and YP Local Search & Gas are great for getting local ratings on businesses, including restaurants.

What?s it about? LiveHive is a productivity app that helps coworkers stay in sync, providing the ability to team members and managers to see how far along each person is and share documents and files.

What?s cool? LiveHive is all about keeping you and your coworkers informed. The app allows teams to create common workspaces for various projects, allowing one user to share important documents from sources such as Google Docs, while another updates the ?Activity Stream? that lets team members see how far along everything is. LiveHive also includes the ability for managers to choose who can see what in the app, and provides extras like the ability to share info across social networks as well. The app provides three free workspaces for users to manage and share among coworkers.

Who?s it for? LiveHive is great for employees looking to keep members of a team organized.

What?s it like? You might also try Google Docs and Dropbox for coordinating and sharing various files and documents.

What?s it about? Create and manage a tower filled with residents who live and work within the confines of the building in Freak Tower ? but beware of the attacking giant monsters that you'll have to ward off from time to time.

What?s cool? Freak Tower is a simulation title, so it's primarily concerned with building and maintaining the ?tower? part of the title. Players add rooms, install businesses, attract new residents and assign those residents jobs in hopes of earning more money and other resources and further expanding their tower. In addition to managing businesses such as seedy night clubs and used car dealerships, however, you'll also have to help defend your tower from attacking monsters bent on destroying it. Keeping your citizens healthy will result in them helping out in your tower's defense, and you can raise your own monster to stand as a defender against various creatures.

Who?s it for? Players who enjoy simulation titles with a bit of a humorous twist should cehck out Freak Tower.

What?s it like? Check out Tiny Tower and Sky Burger for more management action.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Source: http://www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/13617-new-android-apps-worth-downloading-zagat-update-livehive-freak-tower

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