US economy accelerates at 2.5 percent rate in Q1

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. economic growth accelerated to an annual rate of 2.5 percent from January through March, buoyed by the strongest consumer spending in more than two years. Government spending fell, though, and tax increases and federal budget cuts could slow growth later this year.

The Commerce Department said Friday that the economy rebounded from an anemic 0.4 percent annual growth rate in the October-December quarter. Consumer spending surged at an annual rate of 3.2 percent ? its biggest jump since the end of 2010.

Growth was also helped by businesses, which responded to the greater demand by rebuilding their stockpiles. And home construction rose further.

Government spending sank at a 4.1 percent annual rate, led by another deep cut in defense spending. The decline kept last quarter's increase in economic growth below expectations of a 3 percent rate or more.

Many economists say they think growth as measured by the gross domestic product is slowing in the April-June quarter to an annual rate of just 2 percent. Most foresee growth remaining around that subpar level for the rest of the year.

GDP is the broadest gauge of the economy's health. It measures the total output of goods and services produced in the United States, from haircuts and hamburgers to airplanes and automobiles.

Across-the-board government spending cuts, which began taking effect March 1, have forced federal agencies to furlough workers, reduced spending on public projects and made businesses more nervous about investing and hiring.

Consumers' take-home pay has also fallen because President Barack Obama and Congress allowed a Social Security tax cut to expire. A person earning $50,000 a year has about $1,000 less to spend this year. A household with two high-paid workers has up to $4,500 less. Consumers' take-home pay is crucial to the economy because their spending drives roughly 70 percent of growth.

Americans appeared to shrug off the tax increase at the start of the year. They spent more in January and February, powered by a stronger job market.

But hiring slowed sharply in March. And consumers spent less at retail businesses, a sign that many were starting to feel the effects of the Social Security tax increase. Economists expect spending to stay weak in the April-June quarter as consumers adjust to smaller paychecks.

Ben Herzon, an economist at Macroeconomics Advisers, said the tax increases could shave roughly 1 percentage point from growth this year. He expects the government spending cuts to reduce growth by about 0.6 percentage point.

The drop in government spending cut growth in the January-March quarter by 0.8 percentage point. Three-fourths of that decline came from defense spending.

Already over the past two quarters, the decline in government spending has marked the sharpest six-month contraction since the Korean War ended in 1953, Capital Economics noted.

Income growth slowed sharply after a surge in the final three months of 2012. The fourth-quarter gain had reflected a rush to pay dividends and make bonus payments before higher tax rates took effect Jan. 1. Incomes were also held back last quarter by the higher Social Security tax.

The jump in consumer spending, along with slower income growth, meant that the saving rate fell to 2.6 percent of after-tax income in the first quarter. That was down from 4.7 percent in the October-December quarter.

The first-quarter growth figures will be revised twice more based on more complete data.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-economy-accelerates-2-5-percent-rate-q1-123150284.html

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Samsung Electronics profit jumps ahead of Galaxy S4 debut

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd reported on Friday its sixth straight quarter of profit growth ahead of the debut of its latest Galaxy smartphone, the South Korean IT giant's biggest assault on rival Apple Inc yet.

By launching the Galaxy S4 in the United States on Saturday, Samsung is taking aim at Apple's home market at a time when the iPhone maker appears to have hit a snag. Earlier this week, Apple reported its first profit decline in more than a decade and indicated no major product releases until the fall.

Samsung is widely expected to resume posting record quarterly profits, after a hiatus in January-March, as the S4 is dispatched to 327 mobile carriers in 155 countries.

This week, Samsung has kicked off a massive advertising campaign for the S4 and set up mini stores at Best Buy locations to promote the smartphone. Initial orders have surprised on the upside, with the firm expecting a short-term supply crunch.

Early success of the S4 is crucial in determining the extent of the expected second-quarter record earnings for a company that gets more than 70 percent of its overall profit from mobile devices.

The new S4, which sports a host of software-enabled features, is seen as stealing a head-start on what's widely expected to be an upgraded iPhone later this year. But the Galaxy phone has drawn mixed reviews so far.

Profit from Samsung's mobile division jumped 56 percent to a record 6.51 trillion won in the first quarter, accounting for nearly three quarters of the firm's entire profit, the company said on Friday, before the stock market open.

Samsung, which doesn't provide smartphone sales figures, likely sold 68-70 million smartphones in the quarter ended March, up from 63 million in the previous quarter, according to five analysts.

By contrast, second-ranked Apple said on Tuesday it shipped 37.4 million iPhones in the March quarter, up from 35.1 million a year ago, but down sharply from 47.8 million in the previous quarter.

Samsung's first-quarter overall operating profit increased 54 percent from a year ago to 8.8 trillion won ($7.9 billion), broadly in line with its earlier estimate and almost on par with the fourth-quarter's record of 8.84 trillion won.

Shares in Samsung, valued at around $215 billion, have risen 2 percent in the past three months, beating a 21 percent decline in Apple and a 1 percent drop in the wider market.

(Reporting by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Ryan Woo)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-electronics-profit-jumps-ahead-galaxy-s4-debut-103335938--finance.html

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Sunil Tripathi body found; Brown student was misidentified in Boston bombing

Based on photos from the Boston Marathon bombing, social media postings suggested Brown student Sunil Tripathi might be the suspect.?Reddit apologized for the 'dangerous speculation.'

By Brad Knickerbocker,?Staff writer / April 25, 2013

This undated photo shows Brown University student Sunil Tripathi. The Rhode Island medical examiner's office on Thursday identified a body pulled from waters off a Providence park as that of Tripathi, missing since mid-March.

Courtesy of Brown University/Reuters

Enlarge

Among the mistakes in early reporting of the Boston Marathon bombing was the implication that Brown University student Sunil Tripathi, an Indian American, was somehow involved.

Skip to next paragraph Brad Knickerbocker

Staff writer and editor

Brad Knickerbocker is a staff writer and editor based in Ashland, Oregon.

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After the FBI released pictures and video of the bombing suspects, posters to online sites Reddit and Twitter speculated that Mr. Tripathi looked like one of the suspects.

The 22-year old philosophy major had been missing since March 15.

On Thursday a body found two days earlier in the water at a Providence, R.I., park by the university crew team was identified as that of Tripathi.

Identified by dental records, the body was described by Providence Police Cmdr. Thomas Oates as having been in the water for "some time."

But before that, the burden on Tripathi?s family ? and on many Indian Americans ? was frightening.

He had left behind his cell phone and a note that apparently didn?t say much, writes Amy Davidson in the New Yorker. ?But [it] was enough to remind his family of what they already knew: that he had suffered from depression, that they wanted him to come home, that they would do nothing but embrace him if he did.?

For hours ? until brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were identified as the prime suspects in the Boston bombing ? the Tripathi family agonized about what they knew to be wildly erroneous information posted about Sunil.

?What followed ? was horrifying for those of us living away from our country of origin,? writes Shivangi Misra in Mint, an Indian business newspaper published collaboratively with the Wall Street Journal. ?With each passing tweet, the chorus to establish Tripathi?s guilt grew. And with it, grew the fear of retribution that the Indian community in the US would likely face in the coming days.?

On Monday, Reddit general manager Erik Martin apologized for the "dangerous speculation" that "spiraled into very negative consequences for innocent parties."

In a blog post, reported by USA Today, Mr. Martin specifically apologized to the Tripathi family "for the pain they have had to endure."

"The Reddit staff and the millions of people on Reddit around the world deeply regret that this happened," he said. "We all need to look at what happened and make sure that in the future we do everything we can to help and not hinder crisis situations.?

The shoot-from-the-lip nature of social media continued after Tripathi?s body had been found and identified.

?Alas! An Indian killed by hyper nationalist racists in the US for mistaken identity,? one Facebook poster wrote, only to acknowledge some time later when the true circumstances of Tripathi?s death had been pointed out ? by another Facebook poster ? that ?I should have been more circumspect.?

Brown University President Christina Paxson sent a message to the campus community Thursday saying?Tripathi ? the brother of two Brown graduates ? would be remembered for his "gentle demeanor and generous spirit," the Associated Press reports. She described him as an accomplished saxophonist and a "serious, thoughtful, intellectually curious student and a brilliant writer."

In the statement Thursday, the family asked for their privacy to be respected and urged the public to ?exercise caution and treat human lives with delicacy.?

?This last month has changed our lives forever, and we hope it will change yours too,?? the family wrote. ?Take care of one another. Be gentle, be compassionate. Be open to letting someone in when it is you who is faltering. Lend your hand. We need it. The world needs it.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/_Jvl-r5a28c/Sunil-Tripathi-body-found-Brown-student-was-misidentified-in-Boston-bombing

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Mailbox Is Working On An iPad App, With Desktop And Android Clients ?On The Roadmap?

Given the fairly nutballs hype surrounding the launch of Mailbox for iPhone (and its crazy queues), you could probably assume that they'd bring the app to other devices and platforms ? and you'd be right if you did. The company recently started letting users know of their upcoming projects: an iPad app is in the works, with Android and desktop clients "on the agenda".

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/5ra5rCNmDMQ/

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Museum find proves exotic 'big cat' prowled British countryside a century ago

Thursday, April 25, 2013

The rediscovery of a mystery animal in a museum's underground storeroom proves that a non-native 'big cat' prowled the British countryside at the turn of the last century.

The animal's skeleton and mounted skin was analysed by a multi-disciplinary team of Durham University scientists and fellow researchers at Bristol, Southampton and Aberystwyth universities and found to be a Canadian lynx ? a carnivorous predator more than twice the size of a domestic cat.

The research, published today in the academic journal Historical Biology, establishes the animal as the earliest example of an "alien big cat" at large in the British countryside.

The research team say this provides further evidence for debunking a popular hypothesis that wild cats entered the British countryside following the introduction of the 1976 Wild Animals Act. The Act was introduced to deal with an increasing fashion for exotic ? and potentially dangerous ? pets.

The academics believe such feral "British big cats" as they are known, may have lived in the wild much earlier, through escapes and even deliberate release. There is no evidence that such animals have been able to breed in the wild.

The study of the Canadian lynx, rediscovered by research team member Max Blake among hundreds of thousands of specimens at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, details records unearthed at the museum which showed the animal had originally been mislabelled by Edwardian curators in 1903 as a Eurasian lynx ? a close relative of the Canadian lynx.

The records also showed that the lynx was shot by a landowner in the Devon countryside in the early 1900s, after it killed two dogs.

"This Edwardian feral lynx provides concrete evidence that although rare, exotic felids have occasionally been part of British fauna for more than a century," said lead researcher, Dr Ross Barnett, of Durham University's Department of Archaeology.

"The animal remains are significant in representing the first historic big cat from Britain."

Co-author Dr Darren Naish, from the University of Southampton, added: "There have been enough sightings of exotic big cats which substantially pre-date 1976 to cast doubt on the idea that one piece of legislation made in 1976 explains all releases of these animals in the UK.

"It seems more likely that escapes and releases have occurred throughout history, and that this continual presence of aliens explains the 'British big cat' phenomenon."

The researchers point out in their paper that Eurasian lynxes existed in the wild in Britain many hundreds of years ago, but had almost certainly become extinct by the 7th century. Laboratory analysis of the Bristol specimen's bones and teeth established it had been kept in captivity long enough to develop severe tooth loss and plaque before it either escaped or was deliberately released into the wild. Ancient DNA analysis of hair from the lynx proved inconclusive, possibly due to chemicals applied to the pelt during taxidermy.

Julie Finch, head of Bristol's Museums, Galleries & Archives, said: "Bristol Museum, Galleries and Archives were pleased to be a part of this ground-breaking research, which not only highlights the importance of our science collections, it establishes the pedigree of our 100-year old Lynx and adds to our knowledge and understanding of 'big cats' in the UK.

"Our museum collections are extensive and caring for them requires the considerable skills of our collections officers. We have an amazing collection of taxidermy animals on display and we welcome museum visitors to come along, to take a closer look and discover more about the natural world."

Dr Greger Larson, a member of the research team from Durham University and an expert in the migration of animals, said: "Every few years there is another claim that big cats are living wild in Britain, but none of these claims have been substantiated. It seems that big cats are to England what the Loch Ness Monster is to Scotland.

"By applying a robust scientific methodology, this study conclusively demonstrates that at least one big cat did roam Britain as early as the Edwardian era, and suggests that additional claims need to be subjected to this level of scrutiny."

The lynx is now on public display at the museum.

###

Durham University: http://www.dur.ac.uk

Thanks to Durham University for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127891/Museum_find_proves_exotic__big_cat__prowled_British_countryside_a_century_ago

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Earbits Brings Its Indie Music Discovery Service To Android

Earbits, a free music service where independent musicians and labels can pay to promote their work to fans, is launching its first mobile product today ? an Android app. It's been more than two years since the Y Combinator-backed startup first launched. That seems like a long time for a music service to go without a mobile app.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/6-B_dovqo9A/

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Home floor lamp toronto Improvement Tips For Success | zdarma ...

Home floor lamp toronto Improvement Tips For Success

Home improvement is such a broad subject. Because it offers such a wide array of options, home improvement can seem a bit daunting and overwhelming. Most people may think they need a contractor to do these seemingly time consuming, impossible tasks. The thing is: you can do it yourself! This article focuses on teaching you how to complete simple, everyday home improvements by yourself, no contractor necessary. Before you know it, you will be so savvy in home repair, all of your friends will be knocking on your door for help with their homes!

Protect yourself when you change the blades in your utility knife. While changing the blade, wrap tape around the old blade before tossing it in the trash. By doing this, the sharp edges of the blade will be covered. When taking out the trash, or packing down the trash, the sharp edges will not be able to hurt anyone with the tape wrapped around them.

Use carpet samples to carpet a whole room! Retail stores often throw away their samples. Cut each sample up into smaller pieces and tack or glue them into place for free floor covering. Cut them in identically sized pieces for a tile effect or cut them in irregular geometric shapes for an abstract look.

Make some simple fixes around your home. Things like squeaky doors, sticky cabinets or worn out address numbers really make an impact on the potential buyer. It makes them wonder on how you actually take care of the home and may make them question whether or not they want to make an offer.

If you are looking to add some value to a property you are planning on selling, you should think about remodeling your kitchen. The kitchen is the family center. It is the single most critical factor in influencing buyers. If you recreate the kitchen in a home, the value of the home that you are trying to sell instantly increases.

A great way to increase the value of modern light fixtures Toronto a home is to clean out the grout in ceramic tile. This will instantly make old tile look newer, which, consequently, increases the value of your home. This is a quick fix that could mean a few extra dollars in the long run.

You should make sure that a home with any additions is properly zoned and has all of the licenses that the area requires. There are some people who will build additions without permission first. If an addition is not registered, your insurance company could refuse to give you full insurance.

Know your area. If your home is in a subdivision or small town, you do not want your home to stick out like a sore thumb. Look around before you decide to do any outer renovations, and try to fit in, at least a little. Homes that do not fit are homes that usually have a harder time should you ever choose to sell.

When doing home improvement projects on your house, sometimes remodeling unfinished areas offers the most affordable opportunities to increase the value and functionality of your home. Refinishing the basement of your home not only increases the amount of usable living space in your house, it also will give your home better market value.

Paint a room. If you are looking for a home improvement project that takes a bit of time and effort, then painting may be for you. Make sure you have all the proper equipment to do the project, and go for it. A freshly painted room can do wonders for any home.

Have a clear path and share it with everyone working on the home. Many issues that arise with home improvement, occur when people are not communicating their wishes with each other. Your partner may want a golden bathroom, but if you have not taken the time to discuss it, it could lead to problems down the road.

Be flexible with your time. While you may expect a project to be done in a few weeks, you may need to plan in advance for it to take a bit longer. Life can sometimes lighting stores in mississauga get in the way of project completion, so spare yourself from disappointment, by giving a little leeway.

Always shut off the water if working near pipes. Home improvement projects in the kitchen or bathroom may not always involve pipes, but shutting off the water can prevent any mishaps from becoming catastrophes. Know where your main water shut-off valve is, and use it any time you are working in these areas.

When you are trying to narrow down which home improvements to tackle first, a good plan is to make a wish list first, of everything that you would do if you could do it all. Go through your home and figure out what needs fixed and make a note of each item. Then you can begin to prioritize what items are the most pressing and what you can afford to fix first.

Before making renovations on your home, you should determine the amount of time you plan on living in your house. Your budget improvements will vary according to this estimate. If you plan on selling your home in the next year, you should make sure you renovate the parts of your house that interest potential home buyers.

When you are designing your kitchen, think hard about whether you want an open or closed kitchen floor plan. If you like to be able to talk with your family, watch television and generally know what?s going on in the rest of the house while cooking, you may want an open kitchen plan. However, if you would prefer for the kitchen clutter to stay hidden, you may prefer a kitchen with a door that can be closed.

See? That was not so gruelingly hard, was it? While home improvement may seem like it is something you should pay somebody else to do, you can save money and do it yourself! The do-it-yourself tips located in body of this article explain exactly how to do it, all the while making your tasks fun and easy. While following the tips provided in this article, your home is on its way to being the talk of the town, in a good way!

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Source: http://zdarma-hry.info/77/home-floor-lamp-toronto-improvement-tips-for-success/

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