Lloyds Banking Group said today that it would axe another 650 jobs and shut a site in Nottingham as part of a raft of changes.

The part-nationalised group also revealed plans to close a 265-strong network of Halifax-branded counters based within firms such as solicitors and estate agencies in a move expected to hit a further swathe of workers, although not directly employed by Lloyds.

Lloyds said it had struck a deal with the Post Office to allow Halifax customers to pay in cash and cheques at the 12,000 PO branches.

Today’s job losses will largely hit insurance and back office based staff in Nottingham and Chester, according to the bank.

NEW YORK (AP) — IPhone users can now insure them against loss or accidents, but Consumer Reports says it isn’t worth it.

The AT&T authorized policy has a $12 monthly fee and a $199 deductible for the latest iPhone model.

Replacing a phone can be costly. Although the iPhone 4 costs $199 or $299 with a two-year contract with AT&T, customers would need to pay the full retail price of $599 or $699 to replace a phone in the middle of the contract.

Repairs aren’t cheap, either. One Apple retailer and repair shop in New York charges $149 to replace a cracked screen and $99 for a broken microphone or charging port.

But an insured owner who loses a phone after one year would have paid $144 in fees on top of the $199 deductible. T

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As Data Scientists we are regularly asked about interesting trends taking place on LinkedIn. One of the biggest trends in the professional space last year was the economic collapse. Reports from numerous sources all tell a similar story — the economic downturn has affected thousands of companies with millions of workers laid off.

At LinkedIn we have a unique view into the ebbs and flows of labor markets and one trend we noticed was there were beneficiaries of these large-scale upheavals.  

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The revelation came during a panel discussion at the IAB Annual Leadership Meeting 2010. One of the panel members, Anamitra Banerji, is Twitter’s head of product management and monetization. In response to a question about timing, Banerji seemed to indicate that Twitter could begin a launch of some sort within the next month.

Obviously, it’s probably not a good idea to hold your breath given how long it has taken Twitter to monetize. And even if the company does roll out an ad service, it may be limited in scope and highly experimental.

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Setting up a workstation for the workplace or for the home office, should include the person or the people using the workstation. Utilising ergonomic office equipment will increase productivity, reduce the risk of injury and may assist in reducing any current repetitive strain type injuries. Poor posture and poor office furniture will increase fatigue and stress for users and increase the risk of soreness to the shoulders, neck, back and wrists. Here is some information to developing a good ergonomic office.

Office Furniture

The desk should be adjustable and the height should be varied to suit users.

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