Three dead, hundreds evacuated, cars stranded in Colorado flooding

By Keith Coffman

BOULDER, Colo. | Thu Sep 12, 2013 12:24pm EDT

 

(Reuters) - Flash flooding caused by torrential downpours in Colorado has killed at least three people and forced hundreds to flee to higher ground as rising water caused buildings to collapse and stranded cars, officials said on Thursday.
Heavy rains fell in Colorado's biggest urban areas, stretching 130 miles along the eastern slopes of the Rockies from Fort Collins near the Wyoming border south through Denver and Colorado Springs.

Kari Bowen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder, Colorado, northwest of Denver, said more than 6 inches of rain had fallen on Boulder and up to 8 inches were measured in the foothills west of the city.
"These constant rainstorms we typically don't see" in eastern Colorado, Bowen said.
A Boulder County Office of Emergency Management spokesman said conditions were "extremely dangerous" and that up to 4 inches of additional rain was expected to fall in the region on Thursday.
At least two people died in flooding in Boulder County, one when a home collapsed. The body of a third victim was found in Colorado Springs, about 100 miles to the south, officials said.
"There is water everywhere," said Andrew Barth, the spokesman in Boulder County. "We've had several structural collapses. There's mud and muck and debris everywhere. Cars are stranded all over the place."
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for central Boulder County, and Boulder Creek, which runs through the city of Boulder, jumped its banks. Overnight, a separate flash flood warning was issued for southeastern Colorado.
Emergency crews searching door-to-door in Jamestown, outside Boulder, found one body while evacuating residents who were stranded in canyons above the city, Barth said. Sheriff's officials said at least one other person in the county had been killed. The body of a man killed in Colorado Springs was found by police on flood watch foot patrols, the city's fire department said in a statement.
The University of Colorado's Boulder campus evacuated more than 400 students from ground-floor campus housing overnight, said Ryan Huff, a spokesman for the campus police. All city government offices were closed, a city spokeswoman said.
In Broomfield, a small town just northwest of Denver, three people were rescued from an upside-down car that was swept into a washed-out culvert along a roadway with two other vehicles, the Boulder Emergency Management Office said.
(Additional reporting by Chris Francescani; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Grant McCool)

Thursday, September 12, 2013 - By Unknown 0

Apple shares drop by more than 5% after new iPhone launch because investors fear the handsets - at $549 to $849 - are too expensive

• Shares in Apple ended at $467.7 on Wednesday following the launch of its new iPhones - a drop of 5.4 per cent
• Analysts concerned iPhone 5C is too expensive for emerging markets
• The handset costs more than the average monthly income in China
• Apple's smartphone market share fell to its lowest in three years in JuneApple's shares fell more than 5 per cent on Wednesday, following the launch of its new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.
  The share price ended at a one-month low of $467.24 at midday after at least three brokerages downgraded the stock.
  It is thought that investors were put off by the price of the handsets, especially the so-called 'cheap' iPhone 5C which starts at £469, claiming they weren't low enough for Apple to attract new customers, especially in emerging markets such as China.
  
  Enlarge  
  

  Apple's shares fell 5.4 per cent on Wednesday, following the launch of its new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. The price ended at $467.24 before rising marginally to $467.71. Investors were put off by the £469 price of the iPhone 5C claiming it wasn't low enough for Apple to attract new customers
  At an event in Cupertino on Wednesday morning, Apple's CEO Tim Cook and senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller unveiled two new handsets.
  The iPhone 5S is a high-end successor to the current iPhone 5 model and comes in gold, silver and slate, with a fingerprint scanner built into the 'home' button and starts at £549.
  The iPhone 5C, which before the event was rumoured to be Apple's first 'budget' handset, comes in a range of five colours and has the same screen and camera as the current iPhone 5 model.
  

  More...

  • Death of the password? Experts predict iPhone fingerprint scanner could kill codes off - but warn technology 'isn't any more secure than a PIN'
  • Apple fails to impress: Cut-price iPhone 5C isn't cheap enough and the upmarket 5S is gimmicky, claim industry experts
  Cook also announced at the event that the firm would be discontinuing the iPhone 5 after the new handsets go on sale on 20 September.
  Rumours had suggested that the price of the bargain phone would be around £63, yet the handset price starts at £469, which industry experts claimed was still too expensive for low-end customers.
  Analysts also accused Apple of misleading customers by showing the handset costing $99 during the event, yet that price was on a two-year contract and monthly payments weren't announced.
  

  WHY IS CHINA SO IMPORTANT TO APPLE'S SUCCESS?

  

  Around a third of the world's handsets are sold in China to half a billion people, yet only 12 per cent of these phones are made by Apple.
  Korean rivals Samsung is the leading smartphone manufacturer in the region, with Chinese brands including Huawei and Lenovo also popular.
  Apple is still a popular choice in China, but predominantly with the Chinese elite, and Carl Howe, vice president of Yankee Group's Consumer Research group told ABC News: 'Rumor has [Apple] that they make more money in any of the five stores in China than they do in the Fifth Avenue store in New York.'
  Apple phones in China cost around the same amount as the average person's monthly salary in urban areas, or three months wages for a bus driver, for example.
  The 5S is due to sell in China for 5,288 yuan (£547) and the 5C for 4,488 yuan (£464) and the handsets, which will be available from 20 September, will be launched in China at the same time as other major territories for the first time ever.
  Howe continued that although China is Apple's second largest market, there is a large percentage of the population that it is not able to attract.
  

  The phrase 'iPhone 5S' was the most popular search term on Sina Weibo, China's most widely used social network, on Wednesday, while 'iPhone 5C' didn't appear on the top searches list.
  Users questioned why anyone willing to fork out well over 4,000 yuan for a smartphone would not just pay a bit more for the premium 5S model.
  Apple's share of the China smartphone market slipped to five per cent in the second quarter, according to research firm Canalys, behind not just Samsung but also Lenovo, ZTE, Huawei and Xiaomi Technology.
  'Even though Apple has a lower end iPhone now, its price is still considered mid-end in China and not low-end,' said Sandy Shen, a Shanghai-based analyst for Gartner.
  Around half of China's smartphone shipments are in the 700-1,500 yuan range, said Shen, but competing on those prices isn't an attractive prospect for Apple.
  'Considering Apple's old rival Samsung and domestic players such as Huawei, Lenovo and Coolpad all have phones in that category, Apple will still lose out in market share in these key segments,' she said. 
  No UK network operators have released contract pricing yet.
  'Investors were put off that Apple's price point didn't go low enough to attract a new market. It doesn't have the same range in price that Apple's competitors have,' said Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist at Janney Montgomery Scott in Philadelphia.
  'It doesn't have the same range in price that Apple's competitors have,' he added.
  'We believe Apple is foregoing a valuable and relatively easy way to return to earnings growth.'
  
  
  

  Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, unveiled the iPhone 5C on Tuesday. In the U.S the device starts at $99 on a two-year contract yet experts have called this misleading because monthly costs weren't announced. When bought outright, the handset is $549, or £469 in the UK
  Apple recently lost smartphone market share to main rival Samsung, dropping to 14 per cent - its lowest for three years - because of ‘lacklustre’ iPhone 5 sales and tougher competition from rivals.
  Analysts predicted that Apple would be looking to boost sales in emerging markets, such as China, and this was bolstered by the fact Apple held a mirror event in Beijing, and announced the iPhone 5S will also be made available in China at the same time as other countries for the first time ever.
  Rivals including Samsung and Huawei do well in emerging economies because their handsets are cheaper to produce, so cost less.
  To put this into perspective, the 5C will sell for 4,488 yuan (£464) in China, which is more than the average monthly urban income for the country. 
  
  
  

  Apple unveils two new iPhones

  
  
  

  Apple's CEO Tim Cook, pictured, unveiled the iPhone 5C in California on Wednesday. Analysts predicted Apple would be looking to boost sales in emerging markets, such as China to rival Samsung and Huawei, yet the 5C will sell for 4,488 yuan (£464), which is more than the average monthly urban income for the country
  
  If the drop in Apple's share price was to hold or remain low, the fall would be biggest single-day slide since 24 January.
  Still, Apple's shares climbed 28 per cent between the start of July and Monday ahead of the launch as anticipation began building about the company's next iPhone.
  Despite many investors being critical of the announcement, four others raised their target prices.
  Nomura Equity Research increased its target to $480 from $420, for example.
  Reaction among industry experts and consumers was mixed.
  Apple's profit for the quarter which ended on 29 June, fell 22 per cent as gross margins fell below 37 per cent from more than 42 per cent in the year-earlier quarter.
  UBS, which cut its rating on Apple's stock to 'neutral' from 'buy,' cited a survey of 35,000 Chinese consumers conducted by ChinaDaily.com that found only 2.6 per cent of respondents would consider buying the cheaper iPhone 5C.
  'We worry that Apple's inability/unwillingness to come out with a low-priced offering for emerging markets nearly ensures that the company will continue to be an overall share loser in the smartphone market until it chooses to address the low end,' Sanford C. Bernstein analysts said in a note. 
  

  THE IPHONE 5S: FIRST IMPRESSIONS

  
  

  

  MailOnline's Mark Prigg was given hands-on time with Apple's new iPhone 5S following Wednesday's launch:
  'Apple's iPhone 5S is without doubt an evolution rather than a revolution.
  'Despite this, the 5S is the best looking phone on the market, and the new champagne cover is surprisingly nice - and thankfully not as bling as it looks in some pictures.
  'However, the most obvious addition is the phone's fingerprint sensor, which could render passwords and even bank PIN codes obselete.
  'After spending around 90 seconds teaching it your fingerprint by moving your hand around, you simply tap where the home button is to unlock your phone.
  'It’s simple, and, in limited testing, works flawlessly - although there are doubts over its ability to cope with sweaty hands.
  'For anyone that has to use a passcode for their corporate email, the fingerprint sensor alone is a huge timesaver. It's also very fast - simply press to the home button, and the phone powers on and recognises you in under a second.
  'The noticeably faster processor that makes it seem far snappier in use than 5 is also a decent step forward, as it the entirely redesigned camera which is a big improvement.'

Thursday, September 12, 2013 - By Unknown 0

Why men need women's hormones too: Oestrogen is vital for sex drive and avoiding obesity, say doctors

• These symptoms were previously often put down to falling testosterone levels
• Men with too little oestrogen can develop 'male menopause' symptoms

1. These include weight gain, loss of libido and muscle weakeningMen need the ‘female’ hormone oestrogen to maintain their sex drive and avoid obesity, new research suggests.
   Men who have too little oestrogen in their bodies can develop certain ‘male menopause’ symptoms – such as diminished libido.
   They are also more likely to put on weight.
   ‘A lot of things we think are due to testosterone deficiency are actually related to the oestrogen deficiency that accompanies it,’ said Dr Joel Finkelstein of Massachusetts General Hospital.
   Testosterone is the main male sex hormone.
   Men's bodies convert some of it into oestrogen, and levels of both decline with age.
   However, it is usually thought that the problems some men experience as they age are caused by a lack of testosterone when, actually, it could be their falling oestrogen levels that are to blame.
   The study involved 400 healthy male volunteers, aged 20 to 50, who were given monthly injections of a drug to temporarily reduce their testosterone production to pre-puberty levels.
   They were then given various doses of testosterone gel or a dummy gel to use. Half were also given another drug to prevent testosterone's conversion into oestrogen.
   Designing the study this way allowed researchers to compare the effects of different levels of each hormone on things like strength and body composition.
   After 16 weeks, researchers saw that muscle size and strength depended on testosterone, body-fat mass depended on oestrogen, and both hormones were needed to maintain normal sex drive and performance.
   

   More...

   • Could 'milk and cookie disease' be making your child ill? Doctor fears bedtime treats could cause string of health problems
   • Does anorexia have a genetic link? New theory suggests the disorder may not be purely down to social pressures
   The results mirror animal research – mice that are altered so they do not make oestrogen become fat and have no sex drive.
   And in male-to-female transsexuals, ‘there's actually evidence that when those men are given oestrogen, it helps their libido,’ Dr Finkelstein said. 
   The new study was too short to see long-term benefits or risks, such as the effect of testosterone supplements on the heart, mental sharpness, prostate enlargement or cancer.
   
   
   

   Men who have too little oestrogen in their bodies can develop certain 'male menopause' symptoms such as diminished libido. They are also more likely to put on weight
   
   Also, abruptly and artificially depriving men of testosterone the way the study did may not be the same as when it falls naturally and gradually over time.
   Further research is needed, but the results may boost the case for giving testosterone to prevent frailty in older men, the authors write.
   Low testosterone may contribute to less muscle and bone strength and mobility, impaired thinking skills, heart disease and other problems.
   ‘This is a big public health issue,’ Dr Finkelstein said. ‘If the changes with aging are due to these things, then potentially replacing these hormones in men might ameliorate these changes.’

Thursday, September 12, 2013 - By Unknown 0

Vladimir Putin's comments on American exceptionalism, Syria cause a fuss

(CNN) -- If Vladimir Putin wanted to get America's attention, he's done a pretty good job.

The Russian president's opinion piece arguing against military intervention in Syria, published on The New York Times' website late Wednesday, set off a flurry of reactions -- some outraged, some impressed, and some just plain bemused.

Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez said the piece made him almost want to throw up, and House Speaker John Boehner said he was "insulted."

Putin said he wrote the article "to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders

But he appeared to have raised some hackles with the last paragraph in which he disputed the idea of American exceptionalism.

It was a reference to President Barack Obama's address on Tuesday night, in which he said that while America can't be a global cop, it ought to act when in certain situations.

"That's what makes us exceptional," Obama said. "With humility, but with resolve, let us never lose sight of that essential truth."

Putin's answer to that?

"It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation," he wrote.

He concluded with the line, "We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord's blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal."

The White House shrugged off the fuss around Putin's jabs at Obama, describing them as "irrelevant."

Obama himself ignored a question about it on Thursday.

His aides sought to push the spotlight back on fast-moving diplomatic efforts to turn Syria's chemical weapons over to international control, a prospect led by Russia.

The important thing is that Putin is "fully invested in Syria's (chemical weapons) disarmament," a White House official said.

'Hey Putin'

Thursday, September 12, 2013 - By Unknown 0

D.C. Mayor Vetoes 'Living Wage' Bill Targeting Large Retailers

Washington, D.C., Mayor Vincent Gray has vetoed a controversial "living wage" bill that would have forced large retailers such as Wal-Mart to pay a 50 percent premium on the district's $8.25 per hour minimum wage.
When the bill was approved by the city council in July, Wal-Mart said it would abandon three of the six stores it planned to build in the district, was too much.
Since then Gray, a Democrat, has been mulling whether to sign the Large Retailer Accountability Act, as the bill is known. On Thursday, he ended weeks of speculation and vetoed it.
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, a supporter of the act, said he was "disappointed" by the mayor's decision, which he said was "not good for workers."
A letter sent by Mendelson to Gray said the bill was "not a true living-wage bill, because it would raise the minimum wage only for a small fraction of the District's workforce," according to
The Post quotes Wal-Mart spokesman Steven Restivo as saying the veto is "good news for D.C. residents," saying Gray chose "jobs, economic development and common sense over special interests."
He said that if the council fails to override the veto, "all stores are back on."
Other major retailers, such as Target and Home Depot, also opposed the bill.
In a statement from the National Retail Federation, spokesman David French thanked Gray "for his leadership on this important issue. With a stroke of his pen, the Mayor brought power back to D.C.'s 'Open for Business' sign."

Thursday, September 12, 2013 - By Unknown 0

Assad: Syria to hand over chem arms in 1 month, only if US drops strike plans

Syria's decision to place its chemical weapons arsenal under international control was the result of Russia’s proposal rather than the threat of a US military strike, President Bashar Assad has told a Russian TV channel.
“Syria is handing over its chemical weapons under international supervision because of Russia,” Assad said in an interview with state-run news channel Rossiya-24. “The US threats did not influence the decision,” he added. 
Within days Damascus promises to submit to the United Nations all documents required for joining the chemical weapons ban treaty.
"When we see the United States really wants stability in our region and stops threatening, striving to attack, and also ceases arms deliveries to terrorists, then we will believe that the necessary processes can be finalized," he was quoted as saying.
The Syrian president also called on the US administration to drop its plans for military action “with far-fetched reasons as a cause for the attack.”  
“Terrorists are trying to provoke American strike against Syria,” Assad said. The opposition forces get chemical weapons from abroad, he added. 
Both the Syrian government and rebel forces have blamed each other for the chemical weapon attack in a Damascus suburb on August 21.
The interview was recorded on Thursday and will be aired later.
On Monday, as the White House was pushing for congressional approval of the military strike against the Syrian regime, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urged Damascus to put its stockpile of chemical weapons under international control.
Moscow also called on the Syrian government to join the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. 
Syria accepted the proposal and agreed to sign the sign the Chemical Weapons Convention. 
Moscow’s initiative was also welcomed in Washington. President Barack Obama urged the US Congress to postpone a vote to authorize military action, and said he was seeking a diplomatic solution to the Syrian conflict. 
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russia's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, accompanied by groups of experts, were scheduled to meet in Geneva late Thursday to discuss in detail Moscow's plan to dispose of Syrian chemical weapons. 
Ahead of the meeting, Lavrov said that not just Moscow and Washington would supervise the placing of Syrian chemical weapons under international control, but that specialists from other countries would also be involved in the process.
“We are not going to usurp these arrangements in the Russian-US format,” he told a media conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Thursday, Interfax reported. “International specialists, experts of the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, must take part in this work. We and our American colleagues are already holding a substantive dialogue with them.” 
Lavrov also said he hoped Russia and the US would live up to international expectations in resolving the Syrian crisis.
“True, a lot depends on Russia and the United States, but the two of us will never deliver results unless our initiatives enjoy the support of the people of the region and the international community,” Lavrov said in an interview on a visit to Kazakhstan, before flying to Geneva. He added: “We need to solidly plan our initiatives on international legal principles.”

Thursday, September 12, 2013 - By Unknown 0

10 questions about iPhone's fingerprint sensor

Arguably the most fascinating feature unveiled during Apple's iPhone event Tuesday is Touch ID, a fingerprint sensor included with the iPhone 5s.
With the device launching on Sept. 20, we answer 10 questions about the iPhone's latest feature.
1. What is it?
Touch ID is a fingerprint sensor that sits on the home button of the iPhone 5s.
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2. What does it do?
It allows users to perform certain functions on the iPhone by simply placing their thumb or finger on the home button.
3. How will I use it?
Touch ID can replace the "slide to unlock" feature as well as numeric passcodes to access your phone. You can also make purchases on iTunes, the App Store or iBooks with just your fingerprint.
NEWS: Apple juices up iPhones, adds colors
4. Will it work with apps?
Third-party app developers will not have access to Touch ID. For now, users will only see compatible apps from Apple.
5. How does it read my fingerprint?
To set it up, iPhone owners will place and hold their thumb or finger on the home button several times. Using a capacitive touch sensor, Touch ID will "take a high-resolution image of your fingerprint and intelligently analyze it to provide accurate readings from any angle," Apple says.
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6. Where is my fingerprint stored?
Apple says a user's fingerprint will be stored in a "Secure Enclave" on the smartphone's processing chip. It will never get stored on Apple servers or iCloud, the company says.
7. So if enabled, will I be the only one that can access my phone?
Nope. Apple says Touch ID will support up to five fingerprints.
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8. What if it has trouble reading my fingerprint?
Passcodes and the "slide to unlock" options will remain as backups if, for example, you're wearing gloves and can't access Touch ID.
9. What if I don't want to use it?
It's optional. You can still opt for numeric passwords to secure your device.
10. What makes the sensor so special?
Touch ID adds another layer of security for users seeking something beyond passcodes. If implemented properly, industry experts say the fingerprint sensor could also open the door for expanded use of mobile payment services. However, with the NSA scandal potentially tarnishing the reputation of tech giants such as Apple, it's tough to tell how many users will embrace fingerprint recognition.

Thursday, September 12, 2013 - By Unknown 0