Selling pressure recedes after rout, Syria in focus

By Rodrigo Campos

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed Wednesday as selling pressure abated following stocks' worst day since June as the United States and its allies appeared ready to strike Syria in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack on civilians.

Wall Street has fallen for two days on Syrian concerns, since U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's remark late Monday that Syria's use of chemical weapons was "undeniable."

Investors worry about rapidly rising energy costs as a result of the impending conflict and their impact on the consumer, and that progress in efforts to rein in the U.S. deficit may begin to reverse, said Rick Meckler, president of investment firm LibertyView Capital Management in Jersey City, New Jersey.

"The market has reset to a lower level to reflect that," Meckler said. "The expectation is (a move on Syria) will be contained but only the actual action and reaction will determine that. The biggest fear here is a much wider conflict."

The United Nations Security Council was set for a showdown on Wednesday after Britain sought authorization for Western military action against Syria that seems certain to be vetoed by Russia and probably China.

Energy shares could be in focus as Brent crude hit a six-month high and U.S. crude hit its highest in more than two years on concerns the conflict may further destabilize the Middle East.

Gold prices rose to 3-1/2 month highs above $1,430 an ounce as the Syria tensions raised its appeal as a safe-haven asset.

S&P 500 futures fell 1 point and were slightly below fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 9 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 3 points.

The S&P 500 index has fallen 2 percent in the past two days and the CBOE Volatility Index <.vix> has risen 20 percent, reflecting investor uncertainty.

U.S. government housing finance authorities are pressing JPMorgan Chase & Co for at least $6 billion to settle lawsuits over bonds backed by subprime mortgages, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Shares of mining equipment manufacturer Joy Global fell 3.5 percent in premarket trading after it reported a lower profit for the third quarter and said orders fell.

The National Association of Realtors issues Pending Home Sales for July at 10:00 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT). Economists in a Reuters survey expect a 0.5 percent drop compared with a 0.4 percent decrease in June.

(Editing by Bernadette Baum)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/futures-flat-rout-syria-focus-113323628.html

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Sony Smart Bluetooth headset shown in Xperia Z Ultra teaser video

Sony announced the Xperia Z Ultra towards the end of June and almost immediately after dropped a pair of teaser videos on YouTube. The channel had been quite since, however it looks like the latest Xperia Z Ultra teaser video has appeared. This one has arrived showing off what Sony is calling ?efficiency in an ultra slim smartphone.?

Some of the highlights in the video touch on the handwriting recognition and multitasking, but there was still a little bit more to see including a look at the Smart Bluetooth Headset. Some of these features have been mentioned before, but it is nice to see them in action. That thought seems to apply to the use of a stylus or pencil for taking notes. Sony is showing what looks to be a regular refillable pencil in this particular video.

Sony also talks multitasking and efficiency with what is referred to as the ?small apps.? Here we see the calculator app which sits on top of the note the user is currently working on. The other aspect with this handset is the size. The display is 6.4-inches and it looks like Sony has done a few things to make it more reasonable to use in an everyday situation. This was revealed in a few examples.

The keyboard can be adjusted to a one-handed mode, which is basically just a shrunken down version of the full-sized keyboard. Without actually getting hands-on this is hard to judge, but is nice to see that Sony took some thought in this regard. The other aspect dealing with the size comes in with taking calls and we are fairly certain many have thoughts of holding this 6.4-inch monster up to their ear.

Well, in this case Sony has the Smart Bluetooth headset, which is basically a small handset that can be help up to your ear (without looking foolish). Otherwise, while not covered in this video, the Xperia Z Ultra also has 4G LTE connectivity along with a Snapdragon 800 processor, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and an IP58 rating against water and dust. With that, we are expecting the Xperia Z Ultra to arrive during the third quarter of the year.

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Source: http://androidcommunity.com/sony-smart-bluetooth-headset-shown-in-xperia-z-ultra-teaser-video-20130705/

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$84-million removal of a dam on Carmel River set to begin

More than 90 years ago the San Clemente Dam rose on what John Steinbeck called in a novel "a lovely little river" that "has everything a river should have."

These days, that's not so true of the Carmel River, which empties into the Pacific Ocean just south of Carmel. The river is overpumped. Flood plain has been lost to development, and the silted-up San Clemente is vulnerable to collapse in an earthquake, threatening 1,500 downstream structures.

But next month, in what officials say is the state's largest-ever dam removal, work will begin on a three-year project to dismantle the 106-foot-tall concrete dam and reroute half a mile of the river.

The demolition will open up 25 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for a threatened population of steelhead trout, help replenish sand on Carmel Beach and eliminate a huge headache for the utility that owns the dam.

"I can't tell you I know anyone who wants San Clemente to stay," said Robert MacLean, president of California American Water, an investor-owned utility that provides water to about 100,000 people on the Monterey Peninsula.

Built in 1921 about 18 miles from the river's mouth, the dam hasn't been used as a water source for years. Deemed seismically unfit by the state in the early 1990s, it also has suffered the ultimate fate of dams.

It filled up with sediment. Most of what San Clemente now holds back is dirt and gravel, not water.

There is enough sediment piled behind the dam's arch to fill 250,000 dump trucks. Figuring out what to do with it was a major challenge. Letting the dirt wash downstream would increase the flood risk. Trucking it out would be expensive and disruptive. Filling up a canyon was an environmental no-no.

So project managers decided to leave it where it is. Instead of moving the dirt, they are going to move the river channel, diverting half a mile of the Carmel into the bed of a nearby creek that flows into the river just above the dam.

"It really is innovative," said Joyce Ambrosius, Central Coast supervisor of the federal National Marine Fisheries Service, which has worked with the utility and the California State Coastal Conservancy on the dam removal.

An official groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday for the project, which will cost about $84 million. American Water is putting up $49 million. The state is contributing $25 million from previously authorized bonds, and the federal government is providing $2.4 million.

The rest will have to be raised from foundations and private sources, including the Nature Conservancy, which has committed $1 million to the effort.

"We saw this as part of a bigger-picture effort to restore the Carmel River and bring it back to life," said Trish Chapman of the coastal conservancy.

American Water is also under state order to stop pumping from downstream wells that are drawing from the lower reaches of the 36-mile river. That is forcing the utility to develop new supplies, which, along with the dam removal, will add about $30 to the average monthly residential water bill.

Although the dam has a fish ladder for migrating steelhead, it's not a very good one. Fishery managers hope that free passage will increase spawning and boost the dwindling number of south Central Coast steelhead.

Biologists estimate that there are only about 500 steelhead on the river, which provides some of the region's best habitat for the fish. Like salmon, steelhead are born in fresh water, spend several years in the ocean and then return to their native rivers and streams to spawn.

Getting rid of the dam will also help another threatened species, the California red-legged frog, by eliminating the reservoir ? a breeding ground for bullfrogs that eat the red-leggeds.

The dam property includes 928 acres of chaparral and oak woodlands that American Water will donate to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management ? the federal government's largest landowner ? when the demolition is complete. Neither the state nor the U.S. Forest Service, which manages the nearby Los Padres National Forest, wanted the land.

The river will not be dam free when the San Clemente structure is gone. The Los Padres Dam lies about five miles upstream. It too is filling up with sediment. But it is still used for water supply, and MacLean said his company is just beginning to evaluate its options for the Carmel's last dam.

bettina.boxall@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/7Q7p6id9JGk/la-me-dam-removal-20130624,0,1760255.story

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Successful Experts Talk about Their Personal Injury Legal Advice ...

Appearance on the web for private damage legal professionals which are reputable. You will certainly be astonished in terms of please click what you can locate a good deal out using this method. Choose a legal professional that has knowledge about your specific scenario. Meet up with a number of legal representatives prior to hiring a single. Many offer you a cost-free evaluation in an attempt to obtain your scenario is something they can take care of. This is the time you what you will definitely pay out along the way. Be sure that any paperwork related to your individual damage scenario. Ensure that you maintain all medical doctor information, care directions, and doctor remarks. Also conserve duplicates of email messages that your physician could have mailed you regarding your injury. Not doing so might make is look like you happen to be untruthful or manipulating the legal court method. You need to look for a retainer contract prior to getting a lawyer. This means you know ahead of time how much the attorney will charge so there are actually no excitement later. You have to locate a lawyer who may have experienced lots of personal injury to handle your circumstance. You must obtain an lawyer that has experience. Should you don?t do that, you might be capturing druk katalog?w your self inside the ft .. You should not shift your vehicle after you?ve possessed an accident unless a police force officer tells you to.The different need to simply be going on amid a hectic road or highway. Do not wait for taking legal counsel after you have been injured. You could possibly encounter due dates you may data file a go well with. You have to speak to excellent lawyers straight away and inquire about output deadlines regarding the legal action. Gather the contact details for witnesses for your crash. A legal court scenario usually takes a significant although along with the legal representative demands exact assertions as soon as they start to plan for it. People transfer and end up forgetting information, so getting someone?s information right then and there might be what really helps to earn your circumstance. When you have an automobile crash or get injured at your workplace, you need legal counsel without delay. Time is important in relation to this type of such claims. Be sure you have an legal professional prior to supplying any insurance coverage promises adjusters or anybody else. Whichever is claimed bring facts in case the matter head to test, so be very careful. Be sure to always keep good SEO Forum records of each and every penny you must spend in coping with your own personal damage. Include every thing, like personalized residence problems, doctor trips, medications and so forth. If your scenario goes toward demo, it won?t be employed to determine your judgement. Tend not to give your case with anyone without having your attorney initial. Pick a legal professional you never know the area inside of and obtain references from earlier clientele.Different businesses and lawyers and companies have various skills. You need to work with a legal representative who has a successful track record in working with your specific form of injuries you?ve continual. Tell the truth with all of medical doctors regarding your medical doctor relating to your accidents and then any soreness or pain you sense. Exaggerating your traumas by undergoing needless treatments or therapy which may actually be dangerous. You need to be sincere to better your circumstance. Because you are now aware of what to expect, you may be more willing to decide what the next thing should be. Are you ready to identify a legal professional? Have you been in the wrong or perhaps not? This article will help you advance. When you have endured a private injuries, you might be presently aware about how vital it is actually for you to get appropriately paid back. Talk to several legal professionals before purchasing someone to handle your case. A lot of legal professionals offer you free consultation services to determine if they could handle your case. This will highlight let them know regarding your situation and they tell you about service fees. Make sure you always keep paperwork of your own injury situation which means you be ready for legal action.Have somebody else consider the images if you?re incapable of do it. Do this immediately after you are able to.

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Source: http://progvariada.net/sin-categoria/successful-experts-talk-about-their-personal-injury-legal-advice-with-you/

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The Adorable Mini-Sports Car Has Gotten a Remarkable Upgrade

As you may or may not remember, a few years ago we posted photos of these incredible, half-scale sports cars that?despite being called "children's cars"?are more badass than any car any adult could ever hope to own. And although the junior cars' visionary, Nathan Redfearn, was getting ready to shut down production, the beautiful, tiny, and fully-functional cars struck a chord with so many people that they were able to keep going?much to our benefit. And now they're even getting an awesome new upgrade.

In the words of Redfearn himself:

The strange thing was, the week before you wrote the article, my wife and I had decided we were going to stop producing the junior cars, as they were so incredibly labour intensive to produce and not so profitable. We were very limited to how many we could manufacture?3 cars per month!

The night before your article came out, I was just telling my cousin who lives in Australia how we planned to wind down that business. He was telling us how crazy we were to do so. The next morning we woke up to more than 300 inquiries for our junior cars. Over the coming weeks, as other websites and blogs picked up on the story, we were literally inundated with inquiries for our cars.

But before his work really took off, it all began when Redfearn decided to share his love of classic cars with his then two-year-old nephew, Ayrton. He wasn't satisfied with the quality of toy car currently floating around, so taking matters into his own hands, Redfearn sketched out a child-sized Porsche 356 model and ultimately built the actual prototype and fiberglass molds in the street outside their home in Saigon.

Thus, Group Harrington was born.

While the toy cars were more of a hobby at first, Redfearn found himself handling two years' worth of orders after the post went live. But with this renewed interested, he decided to do a complete overhaul to his cars' design and spent the last two and a half years developing the newest model. In his own words:

Our old models were essentially very pretty go karts. Rear engine, single wheel drive, no suspension, single rear disk brake, small scooter wheels, and very much hand built with each part being machined and made individually. Almost no parts aside from the engines and wheels and gear knob were interchangeable between the models. Also, the cars were a little small?at least for adults to use.

So starting with a clean sheet of paper, I decided to make the new models as REAL cars on a miniature scale. As such, our new models have the following features:

Front mounted engine.

Rear wheel drive.

Limited slip differential.

Independent suspension all round.

Rack and pinion steering.

Disk brakes front and rear. Brembo 4 pot calipers!

Separate steel chassis.

Adjustable pedal box so both adults and kids can comfortable fit.

Rear mounted fuel tank with electric pump.

Wide custom made alloy wheels.

Opening hood and trunk.

Open grilles with more than adequate cooling (this was hard to do with rear mounted engines)

Bright LED lights.

While there are, of course, small differences between each junior car, pretty much everything under the skin (suspension, drive, axles, brakes, etc.) is totally universal, making them far easier to fit and consequently produce. With a team of 32, Redfearn is now able to produce 8-10 of the junior cars every month. And these rides don't just look sweeter, they're handling better too:

The difference in terms of performance is staggering. They are lighter, faster, handle incredibly, and are far more comfortable to sit in and drive. Even though they are only 110cc, they can reach 73 kmh in standard tune. It doesn't handle like a go cart, but like a car! And the weight balance front to rear is great?they are the most flattering car to hoon and drift that I've ever tried.

Another thing we took into account was the ability to modify, tune, and customize. The engines are 110cc quad bike engines built by Loncin (a Honda subsidiary). We've been using these engines for 9 years and have nothing but praise for them. Never once has one broken on us or any customers we've heard rom. They're basically the standard Honda engine found in cub motorbikes, trikes, quad bikes, PT bikes, etc. These ones are 110cc 3 speed with reverse semi-auto (no clutch) and an electronic ignition with electric start. You can buy after market tuning kits for them, which can boost the capacity to 190cc and double the power. The chassis are more than capable should someone wish to do this. We have also designed it so you can change the gearing very easily?without pulling the car apart (there's access from underneath).

Right now, the group is in the process of producing the AC Cobra and Ferrari 250 California Spyder, with plans to launch the Jaguar XK120 and Aston Martin DB5 soon. They're currently accepting orders, but you can also check out one of their distributors in any of the following countries: UK, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait. You can also check out videos of the cars in action on their YouTube page. And for as absolutely gorgeous as these cars are?they also look damn fun to drive. Check out the Group Harrington site for the whole lineup.

Thanks to Nathan Redfearn for the photos and update!

Source: http://gizmodo.com/the-adorable-mini-sports-car-has-gotten-a-remarkable-up-563566055

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Engadget Podcast 349 - 06.21.13

"You don't have Facebook? Then how do you get on Farmville?," asks Brian as Peter explains his disdain for the world's largest social network. While Tim was relatively mum on that subject, it turns out he broke his Google Glass... somehow. So, while the aforementioned bearded wizard works on getting a replacement -- and 3D printing a better case -- feel free to hear about this week's biggest stories in consumer electronics by streaming our newest episode below.

Hosts: Tim Stevens, Peter Rojas, Brian Heater

Producer: Joe Pollicino

Hear the podcast:

Filed under: Podcasts

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/hz1iE-DhiyU/

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Friend: James Gandolfini died of heart attack

Actor James Gandolfini's sister Leta Gandolfini, at center in black, arrives with unidentified people at the morgue of the Policlinico Umberto I hospital where the body of Gandolfini is kept, in Rome, Friday, June 21, 2013. James Gandolfini died Wednesday night after suffering a cardiac arrest while vacationing with friends and relatives in Rome. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Actor James Gandolfini's sister Leta Gandolfini, at center in black, arrives with unidentified people at the morgue of the Policlinico Umberto I hospital where the body of Gandolfini is kept, in Rome, Friday, June 21, 2013. James Gandolfini died Wednesday night after suffering a cardiac arrest while vacationing with friends and relatives in Rome. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Michael Kobold, a family friend of actor James Gandolfini, meets the media at the Exedra Hotel in Rome, Friday, June 21, 2013. Kobold said an autopsy confirmed the actor died of a heart attack and that there was no evidence of foul play or substance abuse. He said the body of the actor has been turned over to a funeral director and that the family is working to get through the red tape to get the body back to the United States. Gandolfini died Wednesday night after being discovered in a Rome hotel room by a family member. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Michael Kobold, a family friend of actor James Gandolfini, leaves after meeting the media at the Exedra Hotel in Rome, Friday, June 21, 2013. Kobold said an autopsy confirmed the actor died of a heart attack and that there was no evidence of foul play or substance abuse. He said the body of the actor has been turned over to a funeral director and that the family is working to get through the red tape to get the body back to the United States. Gandolfini died Wednesday night after being discovered in a Rome hotel room by a family member. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Michael Kobold, a family friend of actor James Gandolfini, takes questions from the media at the Exedra Hotel in Rome, Friday, June 21, 2013. Kobold said an autopsy confirmed the actor died of a heart attack and that there was no evidence of foul play or substance abuse. He said the body of the actor has been turned over to a funeral director and that the family is working to get through the red tape to get the body back to the United States. Gandolfini died Wednesday night after being discovered in a Rome hotel room by a family member. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Michael Kobold, family friend of actor James Gandolfini, center, leaves the morgue of the Policlinico Umberto I hospital where the body of Gandolfini is kept, in Rome, Friday, June 21, 2013. James Gandolfini died Wednesday night after suffering a cardiac arrest while vacationing with friends and relatives in Rome. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

ROME (AP) ? An autopsy on James Gandolfini has found that the "Sopranos" star died of a heart attack, with no evidence of substance abuse or foul play, a family spokesman said Friday.

Michael Kobold told reporters that Gandolfini's body has been released to a funeral director and that the family was working with the Italian government to speed up the bureaucratic red tape to get the body back to the United States soon.

While the process can take up to 10 days, Kobold said the family was hoping to have the body repatriated by mid-week with a funeral planned in New York by June 29 at the latest.

Gandolfini, 51, died Wednesday night. His body was discovered in a Rome hotel room by a family member.

He had arrived in Rome on Tuesday and spent his first full day in the Eternal City with his teen-age son, visiting the Vatican and staying at the luxury Boscolo Exedra hotel. They dined together in the hotel on Wednesday night, awaiting the arrival in Rome of Gandolfini's sister, Leta.

"He had a wonderful day," Kobold said of the father-son vacation.

Asked if Gandolfini had a history of heart problems, Kobold said he was healthy.

"There's nothing out of the ordinary. It was a heart attack. It was a natural cause," he said in response to questions about the autopsy. "There was no foul play, no substance abuse. None of that."

The Associated Press couldn't independently confirm the results of the autopsy, and it wasn't clear if Italian officials would independently release them.

In 2002, allegations of drug use by Gandolfini spilled into tabloid reports during his divorce case with his first wife, Marcy Wudarski. Gandolfini's then publicist Dan Klores was quoted as acknowledging the actor's prior drug and alcohol abuse, but claimed it was "a problem that existed in the past."

Morgue officials at Rome's Policlinico Umberto I hospital said the U.S. Embassy had told them not to speak to the media, and that a family representative would provide information about the autopsy. Kobold, a longtime family friend, said he had been asked by the family to act as its spokesman.

Kobold provided no written evidence of the autopsy results. The director of the emergency room at the hospital, Dr. Claudio Modini, said on Thursday prior to the autopsy that Gandolfini had suffered a cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest can be due to a heart attack, a heart rhythm problem, or as a result of trauma.

Leta went to the morgue on Friday to formally identify the body.

Gandolfini was to have helped preside over the closing ceremony on Saturday of the Taormina Film Festival in Sicily. The festival instead is organizing a tribute to him.

His portrayal of criminal Tony Soprano in HBO's landmark drama series "The Sopranos" was just one facet of his rich legacy as an actor in movies and plays.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-06-21-James%20Gandolfini-Italy/id-dccb4b67fd3542bb849ea335f724fdc1

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