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The man who created the technology behind status updates and user check-ins on social networks told CNBC he was tinkering around for the next big idea that could change the world. No, it's not Mark Zuckerberg. Neeraj Jhanji created a mobile social network called ImaHima in 1999 that could send users status and location updates from their friends via mobile phones. Back then, social networks were in their nascent stage and Zuckerberg was still in high school. Jhanji got the idea on a Saturday morning in Tokyo , walking towards a crowded neighborhood train station. He wondered if any of his friends were nearby to join him for lunch. "I remember taking the phone out of my pocket, looking at it, and thinking: the phone knows where I am ... it also knows where my friends are. So why doesn't it tell me [if anyone's nearby]?" he told CNBC's " Capital Connection " on Thursday. ImaHima gained popularity after its release, but never conquered the U.S. market, and as social networks and the mobile ecosystem evolved with the emergence of key players including Facebook, Apple, Google and Twitter, ImaHima fell out of the picture. But Jhanji's foresight saw him patent the technology used to create ImaHima as early as 1999. When Facebook (FB) turned its sights onto the mobile platform, Zuckerberg's company "came knocking, interested in the patents," said Jhanji. Facebook acquired the patents from Jhanji in 2013 for an undisclosed sum. Jhanji said he was not allowed to speak about the details but added, "[Facebook] got a very good deal." Now, Jhanji said, he was looking around for a new project that could create an entirely new industry. For that, he created a company called Tinker that has offices in Silicon Valley and Singapore. "We're trying to come up with new innovations that could be the start of something." The company already has several products out. One of them - Pasteasy - lets users copy and paste documents, files photos and videos from one mobile device to another over WiFi. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook . | 3 | 99,700 | finance |
SAN FRANCISCO With outcry growing against those who stood by a former Stanford University swimmer who sexually assaulted an unconscious woman, a childhood friend and a high school guidance counselor have apologized for writing letters of support urging leniency for Brock Turner. The case against the one-time Olympic hopeful has gripped the country, with letters to a judge from Turner's family and friends drawing outrage from critics who say they are shifting blame from a 20-year-old who won't take responsibility for his actions, while a searing message the victim read to Turner at his sentencing has been called a courageous account of the effect the assault has had on her life. Taking into account more than three dozen letters from character witnesses and a recommendation from the county probation department, Santa Clara County Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Turner to six months in jail and three years' probation for attacking the intoxicated 23-year-old woman behind a campus dumpster in January 2015. He cited Turner's clean criminal record and the effect the conviction will have on his life. The term triggered criticism that a star athlete from a privileged background had gotten special treatment. Prosecutors had asked for six years in prison. Turner will only serve three months behind bars, with his expected release date listed as Sept. 2, according to online inmate records. County jail inmates serve 50 percent of their sentences if they keep a clean disciplinary record. Calls to the county Department of Correction weren't immediately returned Thursday. Defendants can solicit letters of support from family, friends and others for judges to consider before sentencing. One of them came from Kelly Owens, a guidance counselor at Oakwood High School in Dayton, Ohio, where Turner attended. She had told the court that her former student was "absolutely undeserving of the outcome" of a jury trial that resulted in his conviction of three felony counts of sexual assault. "I plead with you to consider the good things the positive contributions he can make to his community if given a chance to reclaim his life," Owens wrote. She regrets writing a letter to the judge and acknowledged it was a mistake, her school district said in a prepared statement Wednesday. "Of course he should be held accountable," Oakwood City School District Superintendent Kyle Ramey quotes Owens as saying. "I am truly sorry for the additional pain my letter has caused." Ramey declined to comment beyond his statement or make Owens available for an interview. Leslie Rasmussen, a childhood friend of Turner's, also faced blowback for writing a supportive letter. She had blamed campus drinking culture and political correctness for his drunken life choices. "I was not there that night. I had no right to make any assumptions about the situation," according to a posting Wednesday on a Facebook page that appears to be Rasmussen's. "Most importantly, I did not acknowledge strongly enough the severity of Brock's crime and the suffering and pain that his victim endured, and for that lack of acknowledgement, I am deeply sorry." Rasmussen didn't respond to messages sent via Facebook. A listed phone number appears to be disconnected. People angry about her letter took to social media to demand Rasmussen's indie rock band Good English be dumped from at least four shows that included some Brooklyn clubs hosting a small music festival. The graphic message the victim read in court gained widespread attention as she described her anger and emptiness. Vice President Joe Biden released an open letter to the woman Thursday. "I do not know your name but your words are forever seared on my soul," wrote Biden, who penned the 1994 Violence Against Women Act and is involved in the White House's "It's On Us" campaign against campus sexual assault. "Words that should be required reading for men and women of all ages. Words that I wish with all of my heart you never had to write." ___ Associated Press writers Paul Elias in San Francisco and Ann Sanner in Dayton, Ohio contributed to this story. | 5 | 99,701 | news |
Some Summer days, it's too hot to even consider baking. But even the greatest heat waves shouldn't stop you from satisfying your sweet tooth. With puddings, panna cotta, cheesecake, and lots and lots of fruity options, there's no reason to turn on the oven when you have the choice of these 25 no-bake desserts. Frozen Mojito Pie Sweet and salty dessert fans will love these frozen mojito cakes . The salty pretzel crust is topped with a frozen mojito and cream cheese filling. Frozen Yogurt Fruit Bites Freeze yogurt and fruit together for these delectable bites . Icebox Cake Make a giant Oreo icebox cake , and watch people flock for a bite. Saltine Ice Cream Sandwiches There's no need to raise your eyebrows! Salty saltines add tremendous flavor when used in ice cream sandwiches . No-Bake Watermelon Cake It looks like cake on the outside, but slice it open to reveal a whole watermelon ! No-Bake Speculoos Cake As it turns out, speculoos makes for a spicy no-bake cake . S'mores Snack Mix No campfire? No problem! Drizzle melted chocolate over graham cracker cereal and garnish with mini marshmallows for an on-the-go s'mores snack mix . Ginger Limeade Granita For those who prefer sour to sweet, try ginger limeade granita , a frozen dessert with flaky, tart ice chips that will awaken the palate. Old-Fashioned Icebox Cake There's actually no cake at all in this icebox cake. Chocolate wafers soak up the moisture from whipped cream to create a soft, cake-like texture. Watch the video to see how it's done, and then print out the recipe . Mini Grasshopper Pies With an Oreo crust and minty marshmallow filling, mini grasshopper pies are a cooling, colorful way to end a meal. Chocolate Trifle Giada De Laurentiis is all for effortless desserts that can be enjoyed on the couch. Her chocolate trifles feature chocolate cake cubes and a chocolate custard dolloped on top. No-Bake Crème Brulée Crema Catalana is a lemony, refrigerated custard. It's coated in flame-torched sugar, similar to crème brulée . Ice Cream Cake Beginning bakers should spring for this ice cream cake with whipped cream, ice cream sandwiches, coffee liqueur, and crushed peppermint candy. Almond Nutella Let's be honest; almond chocolate spread is dessert. Spread it on toast or cookies. Better yet, just grab a spoon. Chocolate Fudge Make a large batch of this salt-flaked fudge , cut it into bite-size pieces, and keep it in the freezer for convenient grabbing. Sorbet With Citrus Vodka and Lime Zest Sometimes the best desserts are the ones that are thrown together last minute. Freshen up store-bought sorbet by topping it with citrus vodka and lime zest. German Chocolate Pudding Cups Like the decadent cake but cooler and lighter for warm weather, these German chocolate pudding cups are layered with a coconut pecan custard. Strawberry Semifreddo Sometimes you don't want to go through the trouble of making ice cream. This strawberry semifreddo is the ultimate "lazy" person's ice cream recipe. Blackberry Fool A blackberry fool with Calvados only contains four ingredients, so it's as easy as it is light. No-Bake Cheesecake No need to heat up the oven to make cheesecake. This no-bake cheesecake is made with graham crackers, cream cheese, and condensed milk. There's no raw egg involved, which means there's no need to bake! Nanaimo Bars Nanaimo bars , the legendary bar made famous by Vancouver housewives in the 1950s, is similar to a seven-layer bar with graham cracker, almonds, coconut, and chocolate. Rather than condensed milk, this bar has a creamy pudding layer. Roasted Strawberry Thyme Panna Cotta Gelatin and cream set to create these creamy strawberry panna cotta cups. Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pudding What's not to love about the classic pairing of peanut butter and chocolate? We imagine that peanut butter and chocolate pudding cups would make great frozen pudding pops too. Blueberry Gelatins Melt-in-your-mouth grape gelatin with blueberries is a refreshing dessert that won't weigh you down with any heavy cream. Add a splash of Champagne or vodka for a spiked version. Eton Mess The Eton Mess originated in the 1800s at a distinguished British public school. The strawberry, heavy cream, and meringue cookie mixture was originally served after an important annual cricket game. | 4 | 99,702 | lifestyle |
A shepherd lost 1,000 sheep after falling asleep in Spain. Thankfully with the help of police they were all returned. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) explains. | 5 | 99,703 | news |
The Stanford University freshman convicted of raping an unconscious woman outside a fraternity lied when he told his sentencing judge he had little experience with partying prior to his arrival on campus, a prosecutor claims. Brock Turner, now 20, was sentenced last week to six months in county jail for the January 2015 assault, a ruling that drew strong criticism in the Stanford community and across the nation. Santa Clara County jail records list his release date as Sept. 2, three months after his sentencing. Early release for good behavior is common in California and many other states. Turner, in his court statement seeking a probation sentence, said he was "shattered by the party culture" at his school. "Coming from a small town in Ohio, I had never really experienced celebrating or partying that involved alcohol." He added that he "looked to the guys on my swim team as family" and followed their lead into weekend partying. The San Jose Mercury News , however, reports prosecutor Alaleh Kiancerci said in her sentencing memo that texts and photos found on Turner's cell phone indicate he used alcohol and drugs in high school. "The text messages also referenced doing acid or trying to find a 'hook up' to purchase acid both in high school and while at Stanford," Kiancerci wrote. | 5 | 99,704 | news |
A bird that turned bright orange after falling into a vat of chicken tikka masala has taken the internet by storm. The seagull, nicknamed "Spice Gull" by The Guardian , was apparently looking for some food at a factory in Wales when he fell in a tank of food waste filled with the tomato-based dish. Don't worry, though, it's okay to giggle at the strange situation. The bird, which the internet has also dubbed "Gullfrazie (a nod to the Indian dish jalfrezi) is doing just fine. He was rescued by workers and taken to a wildlife hospital nearby. Using liquid soap, they were able to clean him up, returning him to his normal color though the flavorful scent hasn't quite worn off yet. Staff at the hospital told The Guardian that, "He smelled amazing, he really smelled good." The staff found him to otherwise be in good health, despite being "a bit skinny," which is probably why he was trying to get food from the factory in the first place. He's being fed meat as well as dog and cat food to gain weight, which we'd bet he prefers to the spicy fare he found himself swimming in. Spice Gull is probably all curried out at this point, anyway. | 4 | 99,705 | lifestyle |
There are many Ikea products that have reached icon status since the Scandinavian home retailer was founded in 1943, but perhaps the most immediately recognizable - if not the most prevalent - is the oversize blue Frakta shopping bag . With its logoed handles, spacious waterproof body, and flat-folding design, the $1 staple can be seen swinging from shoppers' shoulders around the globe, holding everything from laundry to groceries, toys to plants. Well, all that is about to change - kind of. At Ikea's annual Democratic Design Days summit held at its Almhult, Sweden, headquarters, the megastore announced a design collaboration with cult Danish decor brand Hay if you've checked out their New York pop-up shop in the MoMA, then you're already obsessed with the midcentury modern meets contemporary label. At the forefront of the upcoming Ikea x Hay collection is an overhauled Frakta shopping bag. Instead of bright blue, the iconic shopping bag will be awash in a chic check print of white and dark, earthy green (the hue borders between olive and hunter). The Frakta's aesthetic makeover lends it a sophistication usually reserved for much pricier bags, while its function remains as boundless as always. The 70-piece Hay collection isn't due to hit stores until 2017, but samples of the updated Frakta were the hottest commodities at the summit, where attendees elbowed each other out of the way to reach the bag giveaway pile, and security guards strictly enforced the one-per-person rule. | 4 | 99,706 | lifestyle |
NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) -- Second-seeded Johanna Konta of Britain bowed out in the second round of the Nottingham Open when she lost to Saisai Zheng of China 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday. Konta, at a career-high world ranking of 18, hurt her hip and needed on-court treatment twice in the second set. She called the injury "a small niggle" and said she would play in Birmingham next week. Saisai reached her first quarterfinals since February following losses in five consecutive main-draw opening matches. She will face another local, 208th-ranked Tara Moore, who reached her maiden WTA quarters by upsetting eighth-seeded Christina McHale of the United States 6-2, 6-2. Ashleigh Barty of Australia defeated Andrea Hlavackova of Slovakia 6-0, 4-6, 6-4 to set up a quarterfinal with top-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic. Also, Tamira Paszek of Austria advanced when Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia retired with a right knee injury while trailing 6-3, 3-1. | 1 | 99,707 | sports |
A one-star Navy admiral will plead guilty Thursday to lying to federal investigators in the "Fat Leonard" corruption scandal, his attorney said, which would make him the highest-ranking officer so far to be convicted in the case. Rear Adm. Robert Gilbeau, a special assistant to the chief of the Navy Supply Corps, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in San Diego late Thursday afternoon, court records show. He will plead guilty to one count of making a false statement to investigators, said David Benowitz, his defense attorney. "In this unfortunate situation, he accepts responsibility for the decisions he made and for his conduct," Benowitz said in an email to The Washington Post. In the modern history of the Navy, only a handful of admirals have faced criminal prosecution. Just one admiral has been court-martialed since the end of World War II. A few others have been charged with crimes by civilian authorities shortly after they retired from the service. Benowitz did not elaborate on the nature of the allegations against Gilbeau. Documents in the case were not publicly available before the admiral's scheduled appearance in court Thursday. Capt. Amy Derrick, a Navy spokeswoman at the Pentagon, said the Justice Department had informed Navy leaders that Gilbeau would plead guilty Thursday. She said she had no information about the details of the plea agreement. Several individuals familiar with the investigation told The Post last month that Gilbeau was under scrutiny by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) for his ties to Leonard Glenn Francis, a Singapore-based defense contractor who pleaded guilty last year to bribing scores of Navy officials. Gilbeau, 55, came to know Francis known in maritime circles as "Fat Leonard" for his girth during several deployments to Asia and was also under investigation for his relationships with other contractors when he served in Afghanistan in 2012 and 2013, according to the individuals familiar with the investigation. Gilbeau departed Afghanistan shortly after Francis, 51, was arrested in an international sting operation in San Diego in September 2013. Francis has since admitted to bribing Navy officials with cash, sex and gifts worth millions of dollars so he could win more defense contracts. His company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, provided critical support for the Navy's 7th Fleet for a quarter-century by resupplying and refueling submarines and ships in ports throughout Asia. The investigation has become perhaps the biggest corruption scandal to strike the Navy. A federal prosecutor said last year that 200 individuals were under investigation. Of those, about 30 are admirals, Navy officials have said. Including Gilbeau, 14 people have been charged so far in federal court; all but one have pleaded guilty. In addition, a former Navy contracting official has been charged with corruption by Singapore authorities. Gilbeau is a 1983 graduate of the Naval Academy in Annapolis. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq in 2007. In a statement, Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, said Gilbeau's "behavior is inconsistent with our standards and the expectations the nation has for us as military professionals. It damages the trust that the nation places in us, and is an embarrassment to the Navy." Today's Headlines newsletter The day's most important stories. Sign up He said the Navy is fully cooperating with the Justice Department. But in strongly worded comments, he also indicated that the Navy's leaders needed to do more to police themselves. "We must go further," he added. "We must hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of behavior, and work tirelessly to restore any damage that has been done to these crucial relationships." Ray Mabus, the secretary of the Navy, credited NCIS, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and other federal agents for doing "impressive work to discover the corruption in these cases." He said the Navy now has "some of the strongest counter-fraud efforts in the government." According to court records and interviews, however, Navy personnel had warned NCIS as long ago as 2004 that Francis and his firm were ripping off the Navy. No charges were brought against Francis until 2013, in part because he had bribed an NCIS special agent and other Navy personnel to feed him sensitive law-enforcement files and warn him whenever his firm was suspected of overcharging the Navy. That inside information enabled Francis to outwit investigators for years. | 5 | 99,708 | news |
During the crucial last leg of Freddie Gray's ultimately fatal transport in the back of a Baltimore police van last year, there were only two other people present: the driver, Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., and Donta Allen, an arrestee placed on the other side of a thin metal divider from Gray. Given his unparalleled proximity, Allen since has been a figure of considerable intrigue in the criminal cases brought against Goodson and five other Baltimore officers in relation to Gray's transport and death. That's in large part due to contrasting statements he has made one to police in which he said he believed Gray was "trying to knock himself out" in the back of the van, and others to the media recanting that statement. Now, as Goodson's trial begins Thursday, Allen is back at the center of the case with questions once again about his potential testimony, his inconsistent statements and the prosecution's cloudy history of flirting with putting him on the stand, before ultimately deciding his contradictions outweigh his potential contributions to their case. In court documents unsealed Wednesday, Goodson's defense attorneys asked Judge Barry G. Williams to dismiss the case entirely because prosecutors never disclosed they had an extended proffer session with Allen a year ago, not long after the charges against the officers were brought. They said the meeting should have been disclosed whether the prosecution believed it valuable to the defense or not, and that the prosecution has failed to disclose discoverable evidence twice before making this failure their "third strike." The request was denied Thursday morning by Williams. He also ordered prosecutors to produce any other evidence in any of the cases of the six officers charged in the arrest and death of Gray by Monday. Attached to the documents, public for the first time was a transcript of Allen's taped statement to police the day of the incident. In it, Allen told police that it sounded like Gray "was banging his head against the metal, like he was trying to knock himself out or something." Allen said he thought there was "a dope fiend" on the other side of the divider purposefully banging his head, four or five times. "It was like he wasn't doing it hard and [expletive], but he was definitely banging himself in the head. I know he was." Allen also said that it was a "smooth ride." Goodson is charged with second-degree depraved heart murder, which carries a potential 30-year prison sentence, three counts of manslaughter and other charges. Earlier this week, Goodson elected a bench trial, in which Williams will be the sole decider of his legal fate. Prosecutors have countered that Allen provided nothing at their meeting in May 2015 that required disclosure to the defense, and described Allen's comments there as entirely unreliable and contradictory so much so, in fact, that they don't intend to call him as a witness. To "prosecutors' recollection," they wrote in their response filing in which they acknowledged not recording or taking notes on the meeting "what had been intended by counsel for the parties as a standard proffer session quickly became a farcical, unproductive meeting from which emerged no new information about the case." Williams has scheduled a hearing to discuss the defense's motion ahead of Goodson's trial on Thursday. In doing so, he unsealed both sides' filings on the matter, making public for the first time a range of documents and communications between prosecutors and defense attorneys about Allen. One contains the transcript of Allen's statement to police on the day of Gray's arrest. In another, prosecutors say that Allen told them that police found drugs on him, though he would later be released without charges. Others highlight past instances where prosecutors have been called out by the court for failing to disclose evidence. How Williams will rule on the latest defense motion pertaining to Allen is unclear. It's also unclear whether Allen, now 23, will testify in Goodson's case. Prosecutors say they don't intend to call him to the stand, but also that he will be transported to Baltimore from a state prison in Hagerstown, where he is serving a 10-year sentence for violating probation on a 2013 armed-robbery conviction in case the defense wants to call him. From the start, Allen's potential testimony has been viewed as problematic. On April 12, 2015, Allen was arrested on a minor offense near North and Pennsylvania avenues shortly after and not far from where Gray was arrested. After he was arrested, police requested a transport van to pick him up. That radio call went out just as Gray was being checked by Goodson and Officer William Porter at another location. Porter has said Gray was asking for a medic at the time, but that he did not believe Gray was in serious distress. Goodson has never provided a statement to police. Receiving the call, Goodson drove the van to the location of Allen's arrest, and Allen was placed in the back of the van on the other side of a metal divider from Gray. Goodson then drove the van to the Western District police station, where Gray was pulled out unconscious and not breathing. Gray died a week later from a severe spinal cord injury that prosecutors say he suffered in the van. Defense witnesses in Porter's trial contended that Gray was likely injured during the last leg of the trip, when Allen was also in the vehicle. That theory limits the amount of time that Gray was both in police custody and in serious distress. Witnesses for the prosecution, meanwhile, have alleged that Gray was injured sometime between the van's second and fourth stops, well before Allen was placed in the van, and that he would have been too injured to move much in the back of the van when Allen was also in it. Allen's statement to police on the day of the arrest has not played a central role in the court proceedings against the officers to date. That's likely in part because in the days following, Allen recanted and denied that statement in media interviews. On May 1, 2015, the day Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby announced charges against Goodson and the five other officers, Allen was back at the intersection of North and Pennsylvania avenues, where he had been arrested, celebrating the charges and again distancing himself from his statement to police. "I'm so happy we got justice for Freddie," Allen said that day, adamantly arguing that he had heard "very little banging for like four seconds" in the van and nothing else. "I know that man for a fact did not hurt himself," Allen said. After that day, Allen quickly found himself in legal trouble again. Prosecutors in York County, Pa., filed charges against him in October for forging a check in July 2015. Before Porter's December trial, which ended in a hung jury and mistrial, Baltimore prosecutors filed a motion to secure Allen's transport from the York County Prison to serve as a potential witness. Allen was transported, but was never called to the stand. On Dec. 23, back in York County, Allen pleaded guilty to forgery under a negotiated deal with prosecutors there. He was sentenced to a prison term between his time served, which was 111 days, and 23 months, said Kyle King, an administrator in the York County District Attorney's office. On May 2, however, Allen was again transported to Baltimore for a court hearing in which prosecutors said he had violated the terms of his probation in the armed robbery case. At that hearing, Allen was found guilty of violating his probation and sentenced to 10 years in prison, court records show. Gerard Shields, a spokesman for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, said Allen since has been incarcerated at the Maryland Correctional Institution in Hagerstown. [email protected] | 5 | 99,709 | news |
You know the feeling of displacement you get when you revisit somewhere you once knew intimately? Everything's the same, but everything is different. Certain immovable objects poke through the mists of time, but they're half-obscured by newer, bigger things and take on a different look and feel. I've got that uncomfortable feeling. I'm in a GT-R. Well, it looks like a GT-R, anyway, and there's a big GT-R badge staring back at me from the steering boss. Yep, definitely a GT-R. But the gearbox is sweetly polished, the diffs don't wind up and grind and grate at every low-speed maneuver, the steering feels light, and the ride is quieter, more compliant. I've traveled barely a quarter mile, but I know that Nissan's all-action hero is barely recognizable at low speeds. I just hope the beast is lying in wait just below the surface. A fully tamed Godzilla isn't Godzilla at all, right? So this is the 2017 Nissan GT-R . It seems Nissan has updated this car every 10 to 15 minutes since its 2008 launch, but this is the most significant round of revisions since those first cars rolled out of the factory and changed our perception of performance cars forever. Too big a statement? Nope. The GT-R really did start a new era. However, while we've seen a whole new generation of 911 Turbo and GT3 since that landmark day, plus the new Audi R8 , a whole new supercar family from McLaren , and the start of a new philosophy at Ferrari with the 488 GTB , the GT-R has only been tweaked incrementally here and there. It remains a phenomenal car, but it's definitely fallen behind the very curve it defined in the first place. How to right that particular problem? I suspect the real answer is the next all-new GT-R. In the meantime, we have this car. As usual for a new model-year GT-R, Nissan gently massaged the power, fiddled with the suspension, and made the shell more rigid. The latter has happened so often, you wonder if the first GT-Rs were made of Jell-O. The headline figures are 565 horsepower at 6,800 rpm (up 20 hp) and 467 lb-ft of torque (up 4 lb-ft) from the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-6, plus a 3,933-pound curb weight and a price of $111,585 for the Premium model an increase of $8,200. What's more significant, though, than these formulaic tweaks is the philosophical shift to make the GT-R more "mature" and habitable. Besides the mechanical refinement offered by the revised dual-clutch gearbox, there's also a brand new interior featuring more tactile materials, a slightly more harmonious design (don't expect R8 levels of architectural beauty), a better touchscreen, and, as before, Bose noise-cancelling technology. It still feels like a big car. You sit relatively high, and the GT-R initially seems like a suit jacket that's two sizes too big. The interior is much better, though. It's not exactly a Bentley Continental GT, but the leather is softer, the shapes and fittings feel more elegant and yet substantial, and though you can still find plenty of hard plastics it's not so obviously light-years behind the competition. I can't help thinking this stuff doesn't matter to hardcore GT-R fans and that the efforts don't propel it anywhere near the levels of a Porsche 911's sophistication, so it will struggle to convince non-believers that the GT-R is a similar proposition. But it's a decent attempt at revitalizing the interior, nonetheless. If the interior is only a qualified success, the GT-R's refocused mechanical and chassis package seems instantly more ambitious and better executed. You'll definitely notice the quietness of the gearbox and diffs first if you've ever driven an earlier GT-R model. They really used to clonk and grind like a racer with a spool diff, but now the Nissan performs low-speed maneuvers almost effortlessly. It's not quite as seamless as a BMW M DCT 'box or Porsche's PDK, but it's close enough. For me that heavy-industry vibe was all part and parcel of the GT-R experience, but I can see why the newfound refinement could appeal on a day-to-day basis. The smoother, lighter steering is also impressive. It's still laced with real feedback but there's less intrusive "noise" streaming back at you and tugging the car into cambers. In combination with the stiffer shell and more fluid suspension setup, this helps the GT-R to feel more comfortable and relaxing. The engine is fitter than ever. Throttle response is sharp and clean, and the car's small hike in torque feels bigger because it's spread across a very wide band. Basically any time you get on the throttle the car responds with greater enthusiasm. It even sounds happier. A new titanium exhaust system has at least two benefits: First, it allows you to say, "I have a titanium exhaust." Which is cool. Second, it makes the bruising V-6 howl a more musical song that really does ramp up the sense of occasion. Rather worryingly, however, is the fact the melody is assisted by "Active Sound Enhancement." This system, like others, uses the speakers to augment the naturally occurring noises. It sounds horribly contrived, but in practice you don't notice it too much. The GT-R still feels heroically fast, of course. The launch-event venue weaves from Dsseldorf, Germany, to a place called Spa in Belgium, and on the short stretches of unrestricted autobahn it punches hard and then pins you against the ropes, speed building with a frightening relentlessness. A Corvette Z06 or 911 Turbo S might outperform the GT-R these days, but when you experience it hurtling from 80 to 160 mph in one crashing wave of acceleration, it's hard not to believe that this is very definitely Fast Enough. Ah yes, Spa. Home of a little racetrack called Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. You may have heard of it. Nissan has kindly provided us with a couple of hours here to test the GT-R to its limits, to see if the new shape's aerodynamic benefits are really detectable to mere mortals, and to have a lot of fun. Sadly, it's raining the way it only can at Spa. When we arrive, the thick Ardennes forest is shrouded in foreboding mist and fog. It's also almost dark. If this was any other car launch the track session would be canceled, but the Japanese engineering team seems happy. "This is perfect weather to demonstrate the GT-R," they beam. Sure enough the track opens a few minutes later. Rather unbelievably, they're absolutely right. The GT-R cuts through the water and mist and simply flies up the iconic Eau Rouge corner and later down through the long, fast left, named Pouhon, which feels like walking a tightrope. This whole place echoes with its racing history, from Formula 1 to the most devastating of sports cars, and is enthralling just to experience. But rather than wonder at Spa's majesty, I find myself agog at the GT-R's pace, grip, and balance in these most treacherous conditions. It feels more neutral than previous GT-Rs, resisting understeer well and then transitioning into oversteer with an easy grace. The brakes are fabulously powerful and show no sign of fade. The new car confounds my nagging doubt that Nissan might have dumbed down the GT-R to make it more relaxing in everyday driving. Nope. It's still a really hardcore driver's car. Now, these are indeed very much GT-R-flattering conditions. In the dry I'm sure the GT-R's weight would be more of a handicap, and I suspect the supple setup could result in more pronounced understeer. But right here and now the GT-R feels superbly sure-footed but also adjustable and playful. It's also much more confidence-inspiring through standing water than before, something I'd noticed on the wetter sections of autobahn, too. For any track-day fans thinking of visiting Spa in rain and fog and with nightfall just starting to nibble at the red and white curb stones, the 2017 GT-R is the tool for the job. What about back in the real world? Well, the much more polished low-speed manners will please many, and the quieter, more refined ride quality also holds real appeal. The GT-R's talents have been stretched just a little wider, and I can imagine driving one every day with all the comfort and convenience of something like a 911. That certainly wasn't the case previously. More heartening for me and, I'm sure, other people who buy into the whole GT-R cult is that the uncompromising, exciting, madly fast, and outrageously capable supercar still lurks just below the surface. You want the full-on, hair-on-fire GT-R experience? Just ask and it shall be delivered. Godzilla has been tamed just enough. Poke it with a stick, though, and its teeth are even sharper. By the end of my time with the new GT-R, that sense of being displaced was long gone. It's still not perfect, it's still not for everyone, but it remains the real deal. 2017 Nissan GT-RSpecifications On Sale: Summer Price: $111,585 (base) Engine: 3.8L twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6/565 hp @ 6,800 rpm, 467 lb-ft @ 3,300-5,800 rpm Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch automatic Layout: 2-door, 4-passenger, front-engine, AWD coupe EPA Mileage: 16/22 mpg (city/hwy) L x W x H: 185.4 x 74.6 x 53.9 in Wheelbase: 109.4 in Weight: 3,933 lb 0-60 MPH: 2.8 sec (est) Top Speed: 196 mph | 9 | 99,710 | autos |
Wells Fargo (WFC) has made its fair share of mistakes over the years, but investors know better than to bet against its stock. The nation's third biggest bank by assets is the least shorted stock on the KBW Bank Index, which tracks 24 of the nation's leading lenders. Only 0.42% of Wells Fargo's outstanding shares are currently sold short, according to data from YCharts.com. That compares to an average short interest ratio of 3.7% on the large-cap bank index. The next closest bank is JPMorgan Chase (JPM), which has a short interest of 0.63%. 10 Least Shorted Bank Stocks on the KBW Bank Index Percent of Shares Sold Short Wells Fargo 0.42% JPMorgan Chase 0.63% Bank of America 0.73% First Niagara Financial 0.87% US Bancorp 0.88% Bank of New York Mellon 0.92% Citigroup 0.92% Northern Trust 1.03% PNC Financial 1.11% Capital One Financial 1.29% Data source: YCharts.com. On one hand, this is surprising. I say that because shares of Wells Fargo trade for a 47% premium to the bank's book value. That is much higher than the nearly 40% discounts that shares of Bank of America and Citigroup trade for. It's well above JPMorgan Chase's valuation as well. Shares of the nation's biggest bank by assets trade for an only 7% premium to book value. This suggests that Wells Fargo's shares have further to fall than those of its megabanking counterparts if the industry takes a turn for the worse. And, to be clear, this isn't an unreasonable thought, given the upcoming vote in the United Kingdom over whether to separate for the European Union, in addition to the fact that the Federal Reserve has intimated recently that it may soon clamp down further on big bank profits by requiring them to reduce leverage. On the other hand, however, there's little doubt that Wells Fargo has earned its lofty valuation. Even though interest rates are near zero, which crimps bank profits by reducing the income from their loan and securities portfolios, it continues to earn a double-digit return on equity. Its ROE last year was 12.7%. That exceeds Wells Fargo's estimated 10.4% cost of equity capital and thus means that the California-based bank is creating value for its shareholders despite the challenging environment. Wells Fargo also proved before, during, and after the financial crisis that it's one of the most prudently run banks in the country. It avoided the most toxic types of subprime mortgages in the lead-up to the crisis. It more than doubled in size during the downturn as a result of its bargain-basement acquisition of Wachovia. And Wells Fargo is one of the few big banks that have been permitted by regulators to ratchet up their dividends to the extent that it's paying out more per share today than it did eight years ago. So, yes, Wells Fargo's shares may seem expensive compared to the likes of Bank of America, Citigroup, and even JPMorgan Chase. But there's little reason to think that they'll head demonstrably lower anytime soon. And given its industry-leading short interest ratio, you needn't just take my word for this. SPONSORED: A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here . | 3 | 99,711 | finance |
Shares of Domino's Pizza (NYSE: DPZ) are down nearly 7% since the end of April. The decline was largely fueled by the fast food giant's disappointing first quarter report. Although sales rose on an annual basis, they missed the analyst consensus, and even worse, earnings similarly fell short of expectations. Domino's slowing growth is likely attributable to rising competition, both within the pizza space and the fast food world in general. But Domino's profitability was also hit by rising labor costs. Changes to the minimum wage in New York City in particular took a toll on Domino's bottom line during the period. Domino's is confident that it can manage around a changing labor environment, but as momentum for a higher minimum wage builds throughout the country, Domino's business could struggle. $15 an hour by 2018 There were a total of 12,692 Domino's stores operating at the end of the first quarter. Of those, 385 were company-owned with the rest owned and operated by franchisees. The company collects a portion of each franchisee's sales in the form of a royalty rate (5.5% for domestic operators and an average of 3.1% for international ones) but is not responsible for operating costs, including labor. It is, however, responsible for those costs at its corporate stores. Many of those stores are in New York City. Every Domino's located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens is company-owned and operated, which means changes in the New York labor market more directly affect Domino's financials. At the beginning of the year, the minimum wage for fast food workers in New York City rose to $10.50 an hour, up from $8.75 previously. More increases are coming, and by the end of 2018, Domino's will be forced to pay its workers in New York City a minimum of $15 an hour. Although the overwhelming majority of Domino's stores are owned by franchisees, company-owned stores are important to its financials. Last quarter, Domino's corporate stores generated nearly 18% of its revenue and a similar percentage of its gross profit. During the company's April earnings call, CFO Jeff Lawrence cited rising labor costs as a key reason for its lower-than-expected profitability. "The operating margin in our company-owned stores decreased to 24.6% from 26.2%, driven primarily by higher labor rates . . ." he said. Domino's isn't the only company under pressure In response, Lawrence explained the company's plans to focus on efficiency. Managers will make do with fewer employees (". . . as the wage rate goes up, stores tend to get better and more efficient about managing labor hours"), relying instead on technology (". . . we have a technology platform that [has] also driven efficiencies and we think gives us opportunities to drive more efficiencies going forward"). In recent years, Domino's has made it a point to invest in online apps and other services to handle orders, reducing the number of employees needed to work the phones. More improvements could come over time. Domino's management also takes solace in the fact that its competitors face the same problem, and they may not have the scale or the technology to compete as effectively. Lawrence added, ". . . our competition has to deal with all of the same things . . . we feel good about where we are." Other major fast food restaurants have made similar remarks in recent quarters, including McDonald 's (NYSE: MCD) and Wendy's (NASDAQ: WEN), which both cited a rising minimum wage as a threat to their business. In January, McDonald's CFO Kevin Ozan discussed how higher labor expenses dragged on the company's results, ". . . higher incremental labor costs in the U.S. [offset margin gains in the business] . . . [driven partially by] minimum wage increases [in] several states . . . [rising wages] negatively impacted fourth quarter U.S. margins by about 350 basis points," he said. Meanwhile, Wendy's business is performing well, driven by the successful implementation of its "4 for $4" promotion, but its labor costs are also rising, ". . . [W]e are seeing about 5% to 6% [wage] inflation. Some of that is driven by minimum wage," Wendy's CFO Todd Penegor said during the company's May earnings call. Like Domino's, Wendy's plans to respond by investing in technology. "[Wendy's] will continue to invest in technology . . . like self-order kiosks, mobile order, mobile pay . . . [and] we will continue to invest in the back of the house . . . [to remove] labor around things like temperature controls and checking, scheduling . . ." he said. Better technology should reduce the labor needs for these companies and mitigate the effects of a rising minimum wage in major markets around the country. However, it's a significant risk factor that investors should watch closely in the years ahead. States like California and New York have implemented strong minimum wage laws. If the federal government or other states follow this trend, just as Washington D.C. recently announced, these businesses could feel the pressure. SPONSORED: A secret billion-dollar stock opportunity The world's biggest tech company forgot to show you something, but a few Wall Street analysts and the Fool didn't miss a beat: There's a small company that's powering their brand-new gadgets and the coming revolution in technology. And we think its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early-in-the-know investors! To be one of them, just click here . | 3 | 99,712 | finance |
It's not that different from running any other business. A man with intense eyes crouches over a laptop in a darkened room, his face and hands hidden by a black ski mask and gloves. The scene is lit only by the computer screen's eerie glow. Exaggerated portraits of malicious hackers just like this keep popping up in movies and TV, despite the best efforts of shows like Mr. Robot to depict hackers in a more realistic way. Add a cacophony of news about data breaches that have shaken the U.S. government , taken entire hospital systems hostage , and defrauded the international banking system , and hackers start to sound like omnipotent super-villains. But the reality is, as usual, less dramatic. While some of the largest cyberattacks have been the work of state-sponsored hackers the OPM data breach that affected millions of Americans last year, for example, or the Sony hack that revealed Hollywood's intimate secrets the vast majority of the world's quotidian digital malice comes from garden-variety hackers. And for many of those cybercriminals, hacking is as unglamorous as any other business. That's what a group of security researchers found when they infiltrated a ring of hackers based in Russia earlier this year, and monitored its dealings over the course of five months. The researchers were with Flashpoint, an American cybersecurity company that investigates threats on the dark and deep web. Their undercover operation began when they came across a post on a Russian hacker forum on the dark web a part of the internet that's inaccessible to regular browsers that read very much like a get-rich-quick ad you might find on Facebook. "Good day. This offer is for those who want to earn a lot of money via, shall we say, not a very righteous path," the ad began, according to Flashpoint's report. "No fees or advance payments from you are required, only a large and pure desire to make money in your free time." Related video: Lessons from Mark Zuckerberg's hacking The post went on to say that candidates weren't required to have any particular prior experience. "Even a schoolboy" could do the job, the ad says, and the low-risk work comes with potentially high rewards. The Flashpoint researchers assumed a fake identity and responded. They got the job, and were admitted to a small cybercrime ring loosely organized around a single crime boss, who farmed out much of his grunt work to a group of 10-15 "affiliates." The group specialized in ransomware, a type of virus that infects a computer or server and locks away its contents with strong encryption. The attacker then demands a ransom any amount from several hundred to several thousands of dollars in exchange for the keys that will free the encrypted files. In the crime ring, the business relationship was clearly delineated: The boss programmed custom ransomware viruses, which he then distributed to his affiliates. It was the affiliates' job to infect targets and demand the ransom. Once they deployed the malware, the easy part of the job falls to the boss. He communicates with victims, extracts ransoms via Bitcoin, and shares 40 percent of each payment with the affiliate. "It's easier than ever for someone without any technical knowledge to engage in cybercriminal activities." To convince the boss of their fake identities as Russian hackers, the Flashpoint researchers played along with his demands. "He thought that we were actually committing crimes," said Andrei Barysevich, the firm's director of Eastern European research and analysis. "He thought that we were infecting random people's computers, and that we received payments from them, when in reality it was us doing it all in house: We infected our own computers, we made our own payments." Barysevich would not reveal how many computers the researchers infected, and how much money they paid out to the ransomware boss. Posing as one of the kingpin's 10 or 15 affiliates, the researchers found that they were afforded a surprising measure of independence. Affiliates were expected to find their own victims and set their own ransom demands. Some preferred to cast as wide a net as possible, using networks of compromised computers called botnets to infect many computers at once. Others preferred to chase high-value targets like rich individuals or critical services think hospitals or government agencies that might be willing to pay much higher ransoms to regain access to their systems. Flashpoint found that the average payout from a successful ransom ask was about $300. But not every infection led to a payout: In a large-scale, opportunistic attack, between 5 and 10 percent of victims actually pay the ransom, Barysevich said. With 10 or 15 associates working to infect new victims, the crew was only able to extract an average of one ransom a day. Nobody's getting filthy rich with that sort of cash flow, but the ransomware boss certainly makes out well. The ringleader made about $7,500 a month, Flashpoint estimated about 17 times the average monthly salary in Russia. Even the boss's affiliates, who get less than half of each ransom that they extract, make a decent wage. They earned an average of $600 a month, or about a 40 percent more than the average Russian worker. That's a pretty good salary for a position that doesn't require sophisticated technical skills. Barysevich says most affiliates relied on other people for the tools they needed to infect computers, like buying already-established botnets. Cooperative models that free cybercriminals from having to actually program a virus has opened up the criminal-hacking field, allowing a much larger and more diverse group of people to enter. "It is easier for someone without any technical knowledge, without any engineering skills, to engage in cybercriminal activities right now, compared to, say, five years ago," Barysevich said. "And it will get even easier in the coming years." | 3 | 99,713 | finance |
When it comes to muscle cars, conventional logic equates convertibles with compromise more show means less go. Heavier than their coupe counterparts and often more softly sprung and with flimsier structures, ragtops have almost always lagged behind hardtops when asked to do what these cars were designed to do in the first place: go fast. No Shake 'n' Quake In the case of the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible, however, throw that logic out the window. Not only is the new automatic the quickest convertible pony car we've ever tested, it utterly rejects the notion that a ragtop must be shakier, softer, or less rewarding to drive than its coupe counterpart. Powered by the same torque-rich, 455-hp 6.2-liter pushrod V-8 engine as the insanely quick automatic 2016 Camaro SS coupe, this convertible shot from zero to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds just 0.2 second slower than the steel-roof model and stuck to the skidpad surface with an amazing 0.96 g of lateral grip. More impressively, this car hits 60 mph 0.3 second quicker than the previous-generation Camaro ZL1 convertible which had 125 more horsepower! and holds the road within 0.01 g of that supercharged beast. What little daylight exists between the test numbers of the automatic-equipped Camaro SS coupe and convertible can be attributed to the ragtop's extra 206 pounds. It's mass with a purpose, at least, as some of the extra poundage comes from an underbody X-brace in the middle of the floorpan and a Y-brace in the rear, yielding structural solidity that, from the driver's seat anyway, rivals that of the coupe. We noticed no squeaks, no rattles, and no rearview-mirror shake. The steering remains as razor-sharp and tactile as the coupe's, and our 152-foot stop from 70 mph is outstanding and that's without the $3200 optional Brembo brake calipers that helped yank the hardtop down from the same speed in 147 feet. Clearly, unless you're going to hit the track in this thing, save your money on the brakes. You may need it for bail or, perhaps, to rent storage space for your goodies, as the trunk volume is only seven cubic feet with the top up and considerably less with the top down. To save you the trouble of looking it up, the Camaro SS convertible also bests the current Ford Mustang GT convertible which we've tested only with the manual transmission in acceleration, cornering, and braking. That Ford droptop takes 0.2 second longer than its coupe counterpart to get to 60 mph (4.7 seconds versus 4.5); holds the road less tenaciously (0.90 g versus 0.96 g); and, at 157 feet, takes five feet longer to stop from 70 mph. Getting Your Bronze On The Camaro SS convertible excels at traditional convertible tasks such as bronzing the faces of its occupants, encouraging extroversion, and, well, looking good. Our test car arrived in a classy Nightfall Gray over saddle-colored Kalahani leather upholstery, with 20-inch gray-painted wheels filling the fender wells. During our time with the car, we got more smiles and thumbs-up from passersby and other motorists than we could count. And when the styling didn't get people's attention, the optional dual-mode exhaust did. Well worth the extra $895, the system takes the SS's exhaust note from a burble to a blast with the slightest tap of the go pedal. You'll never know how many sound-reflective surfaces you drive by every day until you do so in one of these. As with all versions of the sixth-generation Camaro, the interior design has been taken to a new level, and the ragtop just makes it that much easier to show it off. It's still weird to have the navigation screen canted downward, but it makes sense in the convertible, since it makes it easier to see in bright sunlight. The low windshield is a double-edged sword: It provides a true al fresco experience with the top down by not coming too close to your noggin, but it also limits outward vision when the top is raised. In fact, the cabin is pretty cavelike with the top up, especially in the back seat. The second row, incidentally, isn't much more useful than that of the coupe which is to say, not very useful at all. At least the convertible's rear seats have the potential for unlimited headroom. Top up, the blind spots are epic, to the point that changing lanes becomes a nerve-wracking affair. Hardtop or soft, the 2016 Camaro is dynamically rewarding and, in SS form, really quick. The more versions we drive, the more this car proves worthy of the 10Best Cars trophy we awarded it this year. It's hard to believe the SS is soon to be the middle child in Chevrolet's Camaro convertible lineup, with the 640-hp 2017 Camaro ZL1 convertible arriving in dealerships sometime during the fourth quarter of this year. Given the ZL1's 185-hp advantage, we imagine it will make 4.1 seconds to 60 seem glacially slow. For now, though, the SS convertible is the king of the mountain. Specifications VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door convertible PRICE AS TESTED: $54,075 (base price: $49,795) ENGINE TYPE: pushrod 16-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection Displacement: 376 cu in, 6162 cc Power: 455 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 455 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm TRANSMISSION: 8-speed automatic with manual shifting mode DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 110.7 in Length: 188.3 in Width: 74.7 in Height: 53.1 in Passenger volume: 85 cu ft Cargo volume: 7 cu ft Curb weight: 3966 lb C/D TEST RESULTS: Zero to 60 mph: 4.1 sec Zero to 100 mph: 9.6 sec Zero to 130 mph: 17.4 sec Zero to 150 mph: 28.7 sec Rolling start, 5 60 mph: 4.2 sec Top gear, 30 50 mph: 2.5 sec Top gear, 50 70 mph: 2.8 sec Standing ¼-mile: 12.6 sec @ 113 mph Top speed (governor limited): 155 mph Braking, 70 0 mph: 152 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.96 g FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 17/28 mpg C/D observed: 18 mpg | 9 | 99,714 | autos |
A Greek newspaper publisher on trial for blackmail died on Thursday when his luxury jeep caught fire on an Athens motorway, a police source said. State agency ANA said the Porsche Cayenne jeep driven by 42-year-old Panagiotis Mavrikos came to a halt in the motorway's fast lane after bursting into flames. "There was a loud noise like an explosion," an eyewitness told Mega TV. Mavrikos, the owner of several minor newspapers, was arrested in February with two other journalists and accused of extorting advertising funds from state corporations. The trio were questioned following a complaint by the press officer of Greece's state water utility Eydap, who subsequently had her phone tapped by police. Mavrikos, 42, who denied any wrongdoing, had been conditionally released pending his trial. | 5 | 99,715 | news |
The news that Brock Lesnar would come out of retirement to fight at UFC 200 shocked both the worlds of mixed martial arts and professional wrestling. Lesnar only recently had re-signed with WWE to continue his successful return to that company in 2012, after becoming UFC World Heavyweight Champion in 2008. Of course, one of the reasons Lesnar ventured back to WWE was his forced retirement from UFC due to bouts with diverticulitis. But why now, after five years away from the octagon, would Brock Lesnar return? Why would UFC build its marquee UFC 200 event around a part-time star from another promotion? And why would WWE risk its biggest attraction in an environment where the winner isn't predetermined? The simple answer is that all three parties are desperate. All three parties see the reward if things go well, but there is inherent risk for each party depending on the result at UFC 200. Even as Lesnar told ESPN , "It's actually win-win for everybody as long as I do win ." The easiest place to see desperation is with Brock Lesnar himself. He even admits as such. Lesnar told ESPN of his need to prove himself one last time in the octagon after his forced retirement. Perhaps more than any other person who participates in combat sports entertainment (maybe the best term to gather MMA and pro wrestling, although it's a stretch), Lesnar defines himself as an athlete. And if one is to be considered the greatest athlete in his field, he has to be willing to accept all challenges and remove all doubt about his career. That's what fighting at UFC 200 allows Lesnar to do. A victory over Mark Hunt (with Lesnar as an underdog after his absence from UFC) will do a lot to validate the accomplishments Lesnar previously experienced. And let's face it, even Vince McMahon probably wouldn't have a lot of success telling Brock Lesnar what to do. If Lesnar is desperate to work for UFC, even during the middle of his new WWE deal, he's going to do it… because he's BROOOOOOOOCK LESNAR (*Paul Heyman voice*). But what happens to Lesnar's drawing power if he doesn't win? Can he ever go back to UFC? Will his drawing power in WWE, which has been based on his legitimacy as former UFC champ, be at all harmed if he gets knocked out? One thing is for sure, Lesnar isn't planning on answering those particular questions. It's also very clear to see the desperation the UFC is under entering UFC 200. Its top two most marketable stars, Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor, lost their last fights. With the defeat of Rousey's conqueror Holly Holm, there was no immediate rematch of revenge for Rousey to take part in at UFC 200. Thus, the marquee women's bout at UFC 200 will feature new Women's Bantamweight Champion Miesha Tate defending against Amanda Nunes. Clearly, the UFC will miss out on Rousey's crossover appeal to bring in casual fans who were so amazed by her dominance as champion and drawn to her budding movie career. Also, UFC 200 will be absent its most brash personality in McGregor after losing a stare down with UFC head Dana White over… a missed press conference? In the short term, White showed all UFC fighters who the boss was by orchestrating McGregor's removal from the UFC 200 card in his own rematch with Nate Diaz. In the long term, all of UFC was placed in a sticky situation.The company lost its two most marketable stars for its marquee event. The main event now features a rematch between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, two terrific fighters, but neither with the mainstream appeal of McGregor or Rousey. In fact, the most notoriety for either fighter is Jones' various troubles outside the octagon. So UFC was backed into a corner and had to do something to boost its buy rate by bringing in casual fans. Thus, it went for a past star for the UFC and a current star for WWE. Say what you will about the "fake" wrestling angle, but several sports would do anything for the consistency in WWE's ratings every single week. And if there's one person who can wash away the line separating professional wrestling from MMA, it's Brock Lesnar. Lesnar has brought a legitimacy to WWE that hasn't been felt since the days of spectacles like Andre the Giant. And Lesnar's previous success in the octagon means he needs almost no build to his next fight. It truly seems like a win-win for both. But there is significant risk for UFC on both sides of the spectrum, although it will likely achieve its immediate goal of drawing eyes to the company's marquee event. If Lesnar wins, what does that say about the state of the UFC heavyweight division that a part-time, retired, professional wrestler came in on a hotshot deal and won? And if Lesnar loses, how foolish will UFC look trumpeting the return of a former champion, only to find out he isn't the man he used to be? However, in this potential win-win situation, the party with the most to lose is the WWE. Almost no matter the result, the WWE may be hurt by what unfolds at UFC 200. Of course, if Lesnar loses to Mark Hunt, who will never be confused with one of the UFC's all-time greats, it will be an unmitigated disaster for WWE. It's made another long-term investment in Brock Lesnar at a time when the company is still trying to find solid footing in its PG, post-Attitude era. Don't think the WWE is still trying to find its way? Just look at how consistently it relies on part-time stars like Lesnar or "surprise" appearances from legends like the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Even Shane McMahon wrestled in one of the main events of WrestleMania this year! If Lesnar returns to WWE's SummerSlam fresh off a loss in the octagon, it'd definitely take some of the shine off of his persona. In allowing Lesnar to fight in UFC 200, WWE is gambling that it can continue its momentum into the mainstream at the risk of going backward quite a bit. The more interesting outcome, though, is what happens if Lesnar wins at UFC 200? And not just wins, but wins in dominant fashion? Do you think Brock Lesnar would be content with a single comeback fight that resulted in a dominant victory? Would the UFC? Why wouldn't Lesnar take this "one-off opportunity" and make it a full-fledged comeback to regain the UFC Heavyweight Championship? Yes, a Lesnar loss may leave WWE with a diminished star, but a Lesnar victory may leave WWE without its prized attraction entirely. If Brock Lesnar could get out of his WWE contract for a single contract fight, surely he could take things a step further and leave WWE entirely if his UFC comeback is successful. So why would WWE take such a gamble? It's just as desperate as UFC and Brock Lesnar. Above all else, WWE craves mainstream acceptance and attention. Much has been written about the growing association between WWE and ESPN and the WWE's quest to again reach the heights of its late-'90s relevance and popularity. Certainly, since his return, Brock Lesnar has been a game-changer in that regard. Would ESPN really give WrestleMania the time of day if it wasn't for the presence of a former UFC champion? Go back and watch ESPN's interview with Brock Lesnar revealing his UFC 200 involvement and notice how much attention WWE gets mentioned in the discussion it's incredibly revealing. Sure, now there are rumors of a flourishing partnership between WWE and UFC in the wake of the UFC 200 announcement. But does anyone honestly believe these two promotions can coexist in a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship? They are effectively two competing territories fighting for the same viewers. And no matter the result at UFC 200, the two have entered into a high-stakes game of poker with Brock Lesnar as the big prize. The resolution will entirely depend upon the result of the fight, as all the questions above will have to be answered. What's certain is that the outcome of Brock Lesnar's UFC appearance will affect the future of both companies in ways that will be felt for years to come. | 1 | 99,716 | sports |
For the past 36 years, Pat Craig has worked tirelessly to rescue large carnivores and rehabilitate them at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado. Most of the animals there were taken in from zoos, circuses or saved from abusive owners. | 8 | 99,717 | video |
Tanned skin, flirty dresses, hot nights they all add up to some serious romantic possibility. But how can you make summer 2016 your sexiest EVER? From old-school movies to moonlit makeout sessions, here are 10 activities that will put you in the mood for love. 1. Bring a Picnic Basket Any date feels dreamier when there's picnic basket present filled with all your favorite things (cheese, wine, the good lube ). Don't forget a soft blanket for staring at the sky (or whatever else...) together. 2. See a Moonlight Movie Most cities and small towns have outdoor movies playing during the summer. Pack up a sweet treat and a nip of something naughty, and go watch an old movie complete with the night sky and the sounds of summer. We recommend Some Like It Hot. 3. Forget '50 Shades of Grey' Christian Grey is such a yawn. Check out 50 Shades of Kink , written by respected sex educator and feminist Tristan Taormino. Tristan has literally written the book(s) on sex. 4. Go Skinny-Dipping Everything's better when wet ! Especially when you're buck naked. Whether you're swimming solo or have some company with you, it's time to finally put that backyard pool or secluded lake to proper use. 5. Get Drunk on Wine Coolers Because nothing will have you feeling more like a giddy schoolgirl than sharing a bottle of Bartles & Jaymes' best. 6. Head to the Fair Share some fried dough and laugh till your sides hurt on the tilt-a-whirl. Top off the night with a makeout session in the backseat of his car, moonroof wide open. 7. Have a Rom-Com Marathon Is it just way too hot outside? Pop some popcorn, turn up the AC, and indulge in a marathon of your favorite romantic comedies. Might we suggest: When Harry Met Sally, 10 Things I Hate About You, 500 Days of Summer, Someone Like You, and The Princess Bride. And while you're at it, throw in Basic Instinct. 8. Let the Thunder Roll Big storm a-brewin'? Get the candles out, turn off all things electric (phone included!), snuggle up, and listen to the rain. 9. Choose the Lawn Lots of great artists are touring this summer! Hello, Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, Halsey, and wait for it Blink-182. Save some money on tickets and choose lawn seats over the pavilion. That way you can pack a picnic and cozy up. 10. Watch The Taylors Relationship on the rocks? Hey, it happens. Get back on track by watching the inspirational Eric and Tami Taylor of Friday Night Lights tackle life's biggest ups and downs. | 4 | 99,718 | lifestyle |
ALBANY, N.Y. New York's highest court ruled Thursday that Bank of America must disclose to an insurer communications it had with Countrywide Financial six months before the bank bought the mortgage lending company in 2008. The insurer, Ambac Assurance Corp., claims in a lawsuit that Countrywide illegally misrepresented its mortgage-backed securities. The Court of Appeals ruled attorney-client privilege doesn't shield hundreds of communications between the two institutions and their lawyers from Ambac as it collects evidence for its fraud lawsuit. Ambac guaranteed payments on securities issued by Countrywide subsidiaries between 2004 and 2006. "Ambac argues that the very communications Bank of America withheld from disclosure would have revealed that the merging entities structured their transaction to conceal Countrywide's fraudulent dealings and leave potential victims without recourse," Judge Eugene Pigott Jr. wrote. "Defendants ... respond that there is no evidence of actual abuse in this case." Pigott, writing for the four-judge majority, noted that attorney-client privilege in New York is generally lost when communications are shared with third parties, except when they relate to pending or anticipated litigation such as with co-defendants in criminal cases. He rejected the bank's argument that privilege should apply more broadly to any common legal interest, concluding that any benefits of that would be outweighed by lost evidence, along with the potential for abuse. Judges Sheila Abdus-Salaam, Leslie Stein and Eugene Fahey agreed with him. In a dissent, Judge Jenny Rivera wrote there's already a "crime-fraud exception" to attorney-client privilege that permits disclosure of communications related to future wrongdoing. A referee in the Countrywide case reviewed and distilled the 366 communications at issue to 110 deemed privileged, she noted. Attorney-client privilege encourages the free flow of information "essential to legal representation," Rivera wrote. "The majority's contention that application of the privilege might lead to misuse is purely speculative." Judge Michael Garcia agreed with her. Calls to attorneys for Bank of America and Ambac were not immediately returned. | 3 | 99,719 | finance |
This tip for storing lemons is so easy. Accoring to Food.com , if you refrigerate lemons in a bowl of water, they will keep for up to three months! It sounds insane, but I'd be willing to give it a try. And if you want to extend the life of a lemon even futher, freeze the zest and the juice separately. | 4 | 99,720 | lifestyle |
President Barack Obama endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in a web video posted online by her campaign Thursday. | 5 | 99,721 | news |
Despite eating (what I thought was) a wholesome breakfast every morning, the pounds weren't dropping. So why was I not losing weight? All the experts say breakfast is key to boosting metabolism, after all. I didn't realize I was making three huge mistakes, but once I changed them, I could see the difference in how my body looked. Bye-Bye Granola Cereal was my go-to breakfast all the way from elementary school through college. Although sweet, delicious, and easy, it was the worst breakfast for me. It's full of sugary carbs and not much fiber or protein. I even went for the healthy stuff like Kashi's GoLean Crunch, granola, and Raisin Bran, but cereal is cereal, and it's not the most nutritious choice on the menu. I started focusing on getting 13 to 20 grams of protein , at least six grams of fiber, and 10 to 15 grams of healthy fats. So I ditched the boxes for a blender and started sipping on smoothies . I also do overnight oats because it reminds me of cereal - I'm huge fan of the brownie batter and banana cashew . What Time Is It? Not sure where I heard that you're supposed to eat first thing in the morning and to never skip breakfast, but I followed that advice diligently. I ate within a half hour after waking up, around 7:30, even if I wasn't hungry (99 percent of the time I wasn't). I'm convinced it turned on my hunger because by 9 a.m., I was starving, which translated to eating two breakfasts, and that meant twice the calories. No wonder I wasn't slimming down! Now I wake up, get in a workout, and usually don't feel hungry until 9 or 10. Listening to my body's cues when it comes to breakfast has carried through to other parts of my day. I eat when I'm hungry, not when the clock tells me to . Tablespoons Aren't Just For Baking Another huge mistake? I never measured anything. When I was eating cereal, I grabbed a huge bowl - way bigger than your typical soup or salad bowl - and poured with abandon. I usually mixed three different cereals; added raisins, nuts, and blueberries or banana; and used Very Vanilla soy milk. Holy calories! No joke - my bowl was easily pushing 600. Same went for oatmeal, yogurt with fruit and granola, toast, or smoothies. I got out my cups and spoons and measured everything, making sure it was around 400 calories. To this day, I still measure everything to avoid accidentally eyeballing higher amounts. | 7 | 99,722 | health |
A small plane has crashed outside an ACE Hardware store in southeast Houston near Hobby Airport, killing at least three people, officials say. A car was struck but no one is believed to have been inside. James Valles reporting (BNO News) | 5 | 99,723 | news |
14 Pork Tenderloin Recipes That Are an Instant Feast Throwing a dinner party ? Pork tenderloin to the rescue! This crowd-pleaser is impressive while not being too complicated, and can be roasted along with a myriad of sides for a one-pan dinner . Here are our all-time favorite recipes to get you on your way. Grilled Pork Tenderloin in Charred-Chile Adobo The key to this adobo is truly burning the chiles and spices. Not browned, not toasted burned. GET THE RECIPE Pork Loin with Cherry Vinaigrette A peppy cherry dressing is a natural pairing for pork. GET THE RECIPE Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Porcini Broth Pork tenderloin is a delicious lean cut, but it can get dry quite easily. Use an instant-read thermometer and cook pork to 140° to ensure juiciness. GET THE RECIPE Weeknight Porchetta We cut corners on the classic Italian dish using bacon and skipping the multiday air-drying process. It's not traditional, but it sure is delicious. GET THE RECIPE Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Shallots Skillet roasted pears and shallots give this tenderloin a little something called "va-voom." That's a technical cooking term, FYI. GET THE RECIPE Pork Tenderloin with Kale and Kimchi Cooking kimchi with greens mellows the intensity while still delivering a ton of flavor. Swap out the kale for swiss chard, or mustard greens for something a bit spicier. GET THE RECIPE Roast Pork Tenderloin and Apples with Mushroom Sauté The ingredient list for this recipe is insanely small. You're looking at dinner. GET THE RECIPE Pork Tenderloin with Date and Cilantro Relish This recipe is perfect for date night get it? But seriously, it's even better in a pork sandwich for lunch the next day. GET THE RECIPE Pork Tenderloin with Plum Chutney Apple is pork's natural BFF, but this plum chutney also slays. GET THE RECIPE Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin with Rhubarb Compote There's a theme here. Pork, meet rhubarb . Rhubarb, pork. Now live happily ever after on our plate. GET THE RECIPE Green Curry Pork Tenderloin Start this recipe one day ahead; the pork is best if it is left to marinate overnight. GET THE RECIPE Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Salsa This spicy-tart cherry salsa is killer. GET THE RECIPE Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Baby Carrots Ancho chile is your friend in this crowd-pleasing recipe. GET THE RECIPE Redeye-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Black-Eyed Peas Redeye glaze, AKA: ham, coffee, sorghum syrup, and more. It's a Southern delicacy. GET THE RECIPE | 0 | 99,724 | foodanddrink |
LONDON (AP) -- Rafael Nadal pulled out of Wimbledon on Thursday, citing the left wrist injury that forced him out of the French Open. The two-time Wimbledon champion said on his Facebook page that he made the decision after consulting with his doctor and receiving his latest medical results. "I won't be able to play at Wimbledon this year," the fourth-ranked Spaniard said. "As you can all imagine, it's a very tough decision, but the injury I suffered at Roland Garros needs time to heal." Nadal had already pulled out of next week's Wimbledon grass-court warm-up at Queen's Club. Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament of the year, starts on June 27. Nadal's spokesman, Benito Perez-Barbadillo, said the player's wrist will be in a cast for another two weeks. After that, Nadal will begin anti-inflammatory treatments and physiotherapy. Wearing a brace on his wrist, Nadal pulled out of the French Open before his third-round match in Paris. He said then that he expected to be ready for Wimbledon. Mens Tennis Grand Slam Leaders | Graphiq Nadal, winner of 14 Grand Slam titles, won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010. He was unable to defend his title in 2009 after withdrawing with a knee injury. He was runner-up in 2006, 2007 and 2011. Nadal has only once made it as far as the fourth round since 2011, including a first-round loss in 2013, along with second-round exits in 2012 and last year. It's unclear whether Nadal will be able to play at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August. He has been chosen as Spain's flag carrier for the opening ceremony. Nadal missed the 2012 London Olympics because of an injury. The Wimbledon referee's office confirmed Nadal's withdrawal. He will be replaced in the main draw by another Spaniard, Albert Montanes. Wimbledon also announced withdrawals of Spain's Tommy Robredo (elbow) and Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis (shoulder). They will be replaced by Portugal's Gastao Elias and Facundo Bagnis of Argentina. | 1 | 99,725 | sports |
Former NBA player Eddie Johnson grades the performance of Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue. | 1 | 99,726 | sports |
South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer LG has launched a TV that repels mosquitoes in order to help fight malaria and dengue fever in India. The Mosquito Away TV works just like a regular television, but it also features a device that uses ultrasound technology to emit short wavelength, high frequency sound waves that are inaudible to the human ear but can apparently be heard by insects like mosquitoes, which stay away as they hate the sound. LG says that the TV doesn't emit any harmful radiation while in use and is an improvement over traditional methods of getting rid of mosquitoes, which include constant outdoor fogging of residential, business and public buildings using low volumes of toxic chemical insecticides. The TV has to be in use for the sound to be emitted however. Dengue fever and malaria both spread by infected mosquitoes continues to be a leading health threat in Asia and Africa. In 2015, India experienced its worst dengue fever outbreak in years with over 10,683 confirmed cases putting a strain on hospitals around the country. "LG is constantly introducing products based on Indian Insights, making them more meaningful for the Indian consumers. The new Mosquito Away technology in television is an extension of this philosophy, transiting beyond viewing experience and truly building a healthy environment at home," said Howard Lee, LG Electronics' Director of Home Entertainment. "We at LG want to deliver innovation at its best for our customers and we hope that this product will be beneficial for them." But does the technology actually work? Not many details have been released about the new TV, but this is not LG's first foray into anti-mosquito technology it is already selling a Mosquito Away air conditioner in 18 African countries using the same ultrasonic sound waves device to repel the insects that issues sound waves between the 30kHZ to 100kHz range. Controlled laboratory tests carried out by the University of Ibadan of Nigeria found that on average, the air conditioner repelled 62.7% of the mosquitoes over a 24-hour period when the Ultra Sonic setting was switched on. The use of ultrasonic devices for insect pest control has been researched in great depth, but multiple scientific studies over the last 20 years have found that these devices often do not work. Nevertheless, there continues to be a great interest in developing new hardware devices tuned to specific frequencies that might possibly repel mosquitoes. So it is not known how effective these new TVs will really be, and indeed, on the Mosquito Away air conditioner product page, LG warns consumers that the technology's effectiveness in repelling mosquitoes might actually vary in actual use and should not replace any other protective measures that are used. IBTimes UK has contacted LG for more details about the Mosquito Away TV and is waiting for a response. | 3 | 99,727 | finance |
Imagine retiring to a high-rise apartment where a doorman greets you and a concierge arranges for tickets to the latest show along with complimentary transportation. Or perhaps you'd rather spend your retirement enjoying European river cruises or golfing at the best courses in the country. While these may seem like retirements reserved for the wealthy, these lifestyle options could be within reach for retirees with more modest means. The key is to identify retirement priorities and focus money there, financial experts say. Freedom equals happiness. Steve Cordasco, owner of Cordasco Financial Network in Philadelphia, says many high net-worth people live relatively modest retirements. Since they often spend years living within their means to accumulate wealth, they continue to be restrained in their spending during the senior years. High-wealth retirees may not necessarily be using their money to buy luxury yachts and gold-plated dishware, but their money does buy them something else: freedom. "Those who are happier in retirement [are those who] have more freedom," Cordasco says. Having plenty of money in the bank ensures these people are able to do whatever they want, whether its spending their summers at a second home or taking the grandkids out for ice cream each week. Those with smaller nest eggs may not have as much money to play with, but they can still take their lead from rich retirees. "It's not how much money you have; it's your enjoyment of it," says Ken Moraif, founder and senior advisor at Dallas-based Money Matters. Travel is not only for the rich. Advisors say people are often surprised at what is affordable in retirement and what ends up costing significantly more than expected. Travel, for instance, is often considered a hobby for the rich, but there's no reason less-wealthy retirees can't also see the world. Moraif says seemingly luxury travel such as European river cruises can be just as easily pursued by someone with more modest means. "The wealthy person might be in a room with a living room and a library," he says. "You can do the same trip in a smaller room." Both Moraif and Cordasco say they have helped clients find a way to fit their travel dreams into a reasonable budget. Cardasco worked with a retired utility lineman who wanted to live overseas with his wife in retirement. While Naples, Italy, was out of the budget, gated communities in Thailand and Puerto Rico offered the amenities and lifestyle they craved at an affordable price. Meanwhile, Moraif's client dreamed of playing the best golf courses in each of the 50 states. To make that a reality, the couple sold their house and bought an RV to travel the country, using money from the house sale to fund their adventure. "They feel like they're having a very luxurious retirement," Moraif says. While retirees may be surprised at how easily they can travel within their means, they may be shocked by the price of dining out. "It's what can kill a budget in retirement," Cordasco says. For those who want to live like they're rich , fine dining might need to take a backseat to free up money for other expenses. Consider the total cost. If travel is not a priority, many of today's retirement communities offer a luxury lifestyle closer to home. At The Clare in downtown Chicago, residents live in a 53-story building that comes complete with a full-service concierge, pool, wellness center and five on-site dining options. "The views they have are pretty spectacular too," says Kyle Exline, executive director of The Clare. For access to this luxury living, residents must pay a steep entrance fee that starts at around $300,000 for a one-bedroom apartment. Monthly fees begin at $3,000 after that. If that sounds like a lot, Exline says it's not out of reach for current homeowners. He notes the sale of an existing home often gives residents enough cash to cover the entrance fee, and the monthly cost includes meals, transportation and, most importantly, long-term care. "Where the value really kicks in is when someone needs an extra level of care," Exline says. As a life-plan community, The Clare offers on-site assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care for those who need additional services as they age. The care is guaranteed for life at roughly the same rate charged for independent living. That represents significant savings for seniors, especially considering that the annual cost of a private room in a nursing home runs an average of $92,378, according to a 2016 Genworth survey. Talk to a financial advisor first. For those who aren't keen on living in the city , life-plan communities are located throughout the country in a variety of settings. Exline recommends seniors discuss both their current and expected future expenses with a financial planner. While it can be an expensive initial investment, luxury communities can actually be an affordable option once you factor in all the included living expenses, not to mention long-term care. However, living like you're rich may be more about your state of mind than how much money is in your bank account. As Cordasco reminds clients who are worried about money in retirement, "There are a lot of people like you, and they are doing quite well." Copyright 2016 U.S. News & World Report | 3 | 99,728 | finance |
Much has been made of the support presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has gotten from "angry white men" in 2016: working-class white, male voters in industrial states whose livelihoods were threatened by trade and technology. A new report shows how quickly they're shrinking as a group. The working class -- defined as people in the workforce with less than a bachelor's degree -- will soon be "majority-minority," or majority people of color, well ahead of when the general population crosses over. The transition to a majority-minority working class will happen in 2032, 11 years ahead of when America's population at large becomes mostly nonwhite. Economist Valerie Wilson of the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute reached these findings using historical patterns for educational attainment and long-term projections on the workforce. Because African-Americans and Latinos currently have lower educational attainment, their growing share of the population will shift the makeup of the working class even more rapidly. "The working class is now already more diverse than is perceived in terms of the images you see of the disgruntled working-class white male, but that population is going to become even more diverse in the future," Ms. Wilson said. As of 2013, two-thirds of working Americans were working class, and the working class was 62.6% white. As overall educational attainment continues to climb, that share of the working population will fall to 57.8% by the 2032, the year it becomes majority-minority. Ms. Wilson recommends policy prescriptions that broadly support the working class, like higher minimum wages and targeting full employment. But she also said attention should be focused on issues that disproportionately affect people of color, such as criminal-justice reform, noting that racial disparities often transcend class. For example, there are racial wage gaps between black workers and white workers at every level of the economic ladder, she said, citing forthcoming research. If racial inequities persist in educational attainment, employment and wages, that has implications for the strength of the U.S. economy, especially as workers of color grow as a share of the working class and the population at large. "You either hear about the class-based policies or the race-based policies and don't really get the message that those things are connected, because we have a changing demographic," she said. | 5 | 99,729 | news |
The Säbener Strasse, usually a hive of bustle and activity, is quiet during the summer break, but that is no reason for boredom: there is the EURO 2016 and a quartet of legends at fcbayern.de. Four Bayern legends answer four questions each. Klaus Augenthaler, who is now 58 years old, answers today's questions. fcbayern.de: Mr Augenthaler, how closely do you follow FC Bayern nowadays? Augenthaler: "Very closely. I'm at the Säbener Strasse on a regular basis, I watch home matches at the Allianz Arena and away matches on TV. I've never lost the feeling of belonging to the Bayern family. A while ago Philipp Lahm jokingly asked me if I wanted to drop by from time to time because they needed a fourth card player." ( laughs ) fcbayern.de: You won seven German championship titles with Bayern. Which title was the most beautiful one? Augenthaler: "The 1986 championship. We never topped the table from Matchday 1 to 33. Only after the last one." fcbayern.de: You're known as a dedicated angler. Can you compare chasing fish to chasing titles in football? Augenthaler: "No. Fishing is the exact opposite. As a player or coach you're always stressed and under pressure. I've always relaxed when fishing." fcbayern.de: You'll return to the bench as coach of sixth-tier SV Donaustauf this summer. Why does it appeal to you? Augenthaler: "I've secluded myself a little over the last few years. Now I'm looking forward to taking up a position in football again. Maybe I can teach the amateurs a few things." Klaus Augenthaler profiled: At FC Bayern: 1975 - 1991 as player, 1991 - 1997 as coach and assistant Position: libero Competitive fixtures/goals: 548 / 74 Career record: seven German championship titles (1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990), three DFB Cup titles (1982, 1984, 1986), three Supercup titles (1983, 1987, 1990), two Goal of the Month awards (April 1982, August 1989), scorer of the year 1989, scorer of the decade (1980's) Part 1: Bixente Lizarazu > | 1 | 99,730 | sports |
Few companies have enjoyed more hype over the past few years than electric carmaker Tesla. And not without reason: Tesla is the most successful automaking startup in decades and has almost singlehandedly made electric cars cool. Yet the automaker has also been struggling with the quality of its vehicles. On Thursday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed it was investigating a possible safety problem with the suspension of Tesla's flagship Model S sedans. The reported flaw is the latest in a long series of quality and reliability problems with Tesla's vehicles. Industry analyst Edward Niedermeyer, who blogs at the Daily Kanban , argues that Tesla's challenges with vehicle quality are only going to get worse in the coming years. Tesla is preparing to release the Model 3, whose modest $35,000 price tag is designed to appeal to mainstream customers. And Niedermeyer argues that middle-class customers are less forgiving of quality problems than the wealthy customers Tesla has served so far. Tesla's basic problem, Niedermeyer argues, is culture. Industry leader Toyota conquered the American car market with a rigorous manufacturing process that emphasized quality and reliability above all else. But Tesla has a freewheeling Silicon Valley culture that values innovation and creativity over reliable execution. We spoke by phone last week. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Timothy B. Lee: You're skeptical that a Silicon Valley company like Tesla can become a major player in the auto business. Why do you think cars are different from software? Edward Niedermeyer: To boil it down to the most essential issue, it's a question of scale. With software, you have a fixed cost of development that is oftentimes quite high, but once you have a viable product and you pay off that fixed cost, your variable cost to scale beyond that is almost nonexistent. You're literally just copying code. With automobiles, not only do you have immense fixed costs in research and development, tooling up factories, creating testing, but once you've done all the development work for a car, you still have a process of scaling. Not only are the variable material and labor costs much higher than in software, but you also have a lot of details that can go wrong. Cars have become so reliable and so easy to use that we think about them less than we ever have in the 100-plus-year history of the automobile. This is one reason we don't appreciate this depth of complexity. Not only are cars different from software in very fundamental ways, they're much more complicated than anything else consumers buy. Cars use a wide variety of materials, built into components and subassemblies by massive global supply chains. Car companies have to choose and develop the right materials and components, maintain their uniformity and integrity throughout that supply chain, and ensure that they operate reliably in almost every imaginable condition on Earth. A great example is the problem of mold growing from inside the Model S's roof , particularly in Norwegian cars. Because its large panoramic sunroof is difficult to manufacture and install to a precise specification, Model S roofs often leak. A lot of those leaks are so small that customers might not notice. But because Tesla used an organic-fiber pad at the edge of the sunroof, aggressive molds invade at alarming rates in certain climates. This kind of complex, cascading defect is why automakers value their accumulated institutional knowledge and spend years testing vehicles. TBL: It seems like Tesla's early cars the 2008 Roadster and the 2012 Model S were lauded for their innovative designs and were well - received by customers. But you're skeptical about the Model 3, which is more affordable and aimed at a mass market. What's the difference? EN: It's a common misperception that the more expensive the car, the more people expect out of it. The opposite is true: the cheaper the car, the more people tend to rely on it, and the more reliability and quality come into play. The car business is a very risk-averse business by nature. It's capital-intensive and relatively low-margin. The first 50 years or so after the Model T (in 1908) was focused on technology development. People pushed the limits in terms of power, styling, futurism. Since the 1970s or so, it's reverted to a kind of more pragmatic, utilitarian mode. The market has become more mature. Toyota and Honda have really made their names on quality and reliability, not exciting futuristic values. In a lot of ways, Tesla is a throwback to an earlier era of the auto industry. They tap into the idea that there is new technological space to be conquered; you get there by focusing on performance, on building a very attractive, appealing car. That's what Ferrari and Lamborghini did between the 1930s and the 1960s. I think that parallel is worth looking at, because neither Ferrari nor Lamborghini is known for quality. If you operate in the high end of the market, consumers appreciate performance and design. If their Ferrari or Lamborghini breaks down, they have their chauffeur take them in a Mercedes or a Lexus. It's not the end of the world that Tesla's quality has been bad so far, because they're operating in a luxury space. But as they move down market with the Model 3, reliability and quality are going to be real issues. The level of quality they've achieved in the Model S is not going to be sufficient to succeed in the $30,000-to-$50,000 price range. TBL: Is it really that hard to improve manufacturing quality? Elon Musk is a smart guy, and he recently put his desk at the end of the Model X assembly line so he can personally keep an eye on the progress there. EN: Anything is possible. Obviously they've proven doubters wrong before. So I'm not going to say that it's impossible for them to do it again. But raising quality is very different from the things they've done to gain market position so far. One parallel that's worth thinking about is General Motors. This was the most successful car company in the world for the better part of a century and the most valuable company for a period of time. Then they got surpassed on quality in the 1970s, and they still haven't caught up. So the question is what makes the quality of Japanese companies? I think you can trace that back to Toyota, which developed the Toyota production system and just as importantly a broader corporate philosophy called the Toyota way. It systematizes everything about the production of automobiles. For example, the need to keep plants operating at a high rate meant you'd let defects go down the line and fix them at the end. One of the things Toyota did was when the defect came down the line, you stop the line and you trace the defect back to its root and fix it, then you restart production. This is just one example. To this day, they're still the leaders in quality. Nobody has caught up with them. TBL: But GM in the 1970s was a big, bureaucratic organization tied down with a lot of union rules. It seems like it should be easier for a young and nimble company like Tesla to pivot and adopt a more Toyota-like production philosophy. EN: It's certainly more likely because they're not at the point where Ford and GM and Chrysler were when they faced that challenge they already had tens of thousands of workers and faced much more inertia. But in the first half of the 20th century, Detroit was the equivalent at the time of Silicon Valley today. Yes, Tesla is a startup culture, but they demonstrate an arrogance that is similar to the arrogance that Detroit demonstrated in the past. When a culture works really well, there's an assumption that it can be universalized. I think that shows in the thinking that Silicon Valley culture will apply to manufacturing. But what does startup culture emphasize? It emphasizes flexibility, individual effort, and working long hours to reach ambitious goals. What it's not is regimented. But the only way to make money in cars is at huge scale. And scale creates immense complexity. And as you go up the volume scale, it becomes more challenging. So if your goal is to make your car company a mass-market player, you have to bake in the regimentation and the production system from the get-go. When I say companies are risk-averse, it's because success in the car business is not about reaching out into the unknown in order to achieve unprecedented things. It's about driving waste, inefficiency, and defects out of your production machine. That is what Toyota's innovations enabled it to do. It systematized every aspect of development and production. TBL: What do you think about the approach Google has taken to the car business? EN: Google's strategy is the counterfactual that makes me especially nervous about Tesla. Google's core technology is the autonomous drive capability, and I think they have to be closely watching Tesla and the struggles they've had. So Google has hired some very high-profile people from the car business. They have former Ford CEO Alan Mulally on their board . Lawrence Burns, the former research and development boss for General Motors, is a consultant for them. The head of their autonomous car program is John Krafcik, one of the auto industry's most respected veterans. It's a dream team of real tier-one automaker experience. With their accumulated knowledge and looking at Tesla's struggles they know that building their own car is a fool's mission. They also recognize that Silicon Valley culture is fundamentally different from manufacturing culture. They realize there are plenty of car companies and car factories in the world. Even before autonomous drive comes out, there's a likelihood that shared mobility will begin to impact demand for cars, leaving spare production capacity for autonomous vehicles. What fundamentally sets Google apart is that these auto people know how hard building cars is. It is not only an intellectual challenge, it's a discipline challenge. Managing that level of complexity requires a certain amount of accumulated knowledge; building that from scratch is incredibly difficult. And these systems are already highly automated. It's not like the car guys are doing purchase orders on paper. They already need to be highly software-driven in order to make current levels of complexity work. I'm not sure how much room Silicon Valley has to improve that. If they do, they should develop the capability and sell it to the car companies. So Tesla is fundamentally an old-school car company. They sell you a desirable, high-performing vehicle that you own. Google is trying to transform mobility without becoming a car company. Their focus is on autonomy. They have the leading position right now in terms of self-driving capability. They're going to continue to build on that. TBL: It seems like the danger of partnering with existing car companies is that they could be too set in their ways, and too resistant to making the kind of changes that are required for self-driving cars to be really successful. EN:At first, there was this sense that Google was going to directly take on the car companies and take them out of business. The car companies, without question, have cultural biases that prevent them from wanting to develop autonomous vehicles. These companies have been around for 100 years. They've only ever sold vehicles to drivers, and the vast majority of their profits came from selling cars to drivers. Because cars are low-margin, you have to find ways to pad that margin, and they do it with things that appeal to a driver, like a more powerful engine or a sport suspension. Fully autonomous vehicles will be fundamentally different. But Google has singlehandedly pushed autonomy from being a science experiment to something that's going to be viable. They have forced the car industry to accept that things are changing. So what Google is doing is very pragmatic. Instead of having this existential battle between human drivers versus robot drivers, they've shown that this technology works and argued that they need to work together. It's going to be very disruptive to car companies' business to manage the change from driven vehicles to autonomous vehicles. But they're not fighting it. They're going along with it. I think this is something that's emerged in the last year. What both sides have realized is that Google can avoid massive investments in very low-margin aspects of the business, while car companies can stay with the times if they work with Google or other startups. TBL: It seems like we're going to see some big changes in the car industry over the next decade. Which car companies do you see as best positioned to navigate those changes? EN: You see two responses. You see General Motors and Nissan initially trying to get on this wave of excitement and saying, We're going to set aggressive timelines for autonomous capability. GM made the biggest investment by buying Cruise . I've done a bit of research on Cruise and I'm not super convinced by them. I'm not convinced that GM didn't massively overpay. Toyota has a much different approach. They are basically making a long-term investment in the research capabilities for autonomous driving. Their deployment strategy is super conservative. They are deploying in bits and pieces. They're starting off by putting low-level semi-autonomous safety functions in all of their vehicles. That's in part due to their culture and in part due to their experience of the unintended acceleration scandal of 2010, where they were basically accused of having self-driving cars. As far as I can tell and I spent a lot of time covering it it was basically bull*** and kind of a witch hunt. But the legal liability risks are very high. It's very easy for people to make mistakes and blame the car for their mistakes. So in some ways that's an incentive to go full autonomy. But even for a company like Toyota with $80 billion in the bank, there could be liability issues that could challenge the fate of the company. So they are incredibly conservative about deployment, and they will not deploy anything unless it works in 99.9 percent of use cases. That contrasts with what Tesla is doing, a public beta test. They say they are. They admit it. Frankly, that is an incredibly risky proposition. I think Tesla has a halo right now. I think we have a celebrity news cycle where we tend to build things up and break them down. Once Tesla reaches a critical point in that hype cycle, the public beta test of autopilot software could be part of what destroys them as a company. I personally tend to like Toyota's approach, because they accept and own the conservative nature of the business. So they don't fool themselves that they're going to do this leapfrog approach. | 3 | 99,731 | finance |
June 9 (Reuters) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris, the leading U.S. Senate candidate from the state, has joined the outpouring of criticism against a six-month jail sentence given to a former Stanford University swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Harris, speaking to reporters in the San Francisco Bay area on Wednesday, said she was concerned that the "victim's voice was not heard" at the trial. "It was not respected, and she was not given dignity in the process," said Harris, a Democrat, according to video from a local television station. With the comments, Harris has become the most high-profile elected official in California to question the sentence for former Stanford student Brock Turner, 20, last week by a Santa Clara Superior Court judge. Prosecutors had asked for a six-year prison term. "When someone is facing a 14-year (maximum sentence), which is what I believe was the exposure in this case, there has got to be extraordinarily mitigating facts to reduce it down to what I believe ended up being six months," Harris told reporters. "And I don't know if the facts actually merit that kind of mitigation." Officials have said the judge, Aaron Persky, has received death threats since imposing the sentence, even as he faces a possible recall effort led by a Stanford law professor. Joseph Macaluso, a spokesman for the Santa Clara County court, has said Persky is prohibited from commenting on the case because Turner is appealing his conviction. Macaluso was not immediately available for comment on Thursday morning. In a Fox News interview on Wednesday, one of the two students who intervened in the assault, Carl-Fredrik Arndt told host Greta Van Susteren that Turner did not seem drunk. "I mean, he could run," Arndt said. "He could speak without slurring at all." The national uproar over the sentence, fueled in part by the victim's statement detailing the January 2015 assault in graphic terms and its repercussions on her life, is part of the growing outrage about rape on U.S. college campuses. On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio posted a live video to his Facebook page of several people, including his wife, Chirlane McCray, and actress Cynthia Nixon, reading the letter the victim read in court addressing her attacker. Actress Lena Dunham offered support for the victim on her Twitter page on Wednesday, posting a video about sexual assault. The case also struck a nerve internationally. Social media users in China have begun protesting Turner's sentence on the networking site Weibo, BuzzFeed reported on Thursday. The Weibo posts frequently include images of the women holding signs with messages of indignation. "It is rape when she's unconscious," one sign reads. "It is still rape when he is a good swimmer." (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; in Los Angeles and Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Marguerita Choy) | 5 | 99,732 | news |
U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan unveiled a national security policy featuring stronger defense on Thursday, part of his agenda to unify Republicans after a divisive primary campaign, but softening some of the hard lines taken by the party's presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump. The plan is sharply critical of President Barack Obama, blaming the Democrat for "eight years of broken promises, concessions, and retreat" in the Syrian civil war, nuclear deal with Iran, chilly relations with Russia and dealings with a bellicose North Korea. It would overturn or back away from what Obama allies see as his foreign policy achievements, including the Iran deal and his moves toward normal relations with Communist-ruled Cuba. And it criticizes efforts to close the Guantanamo detention center. "It's not too much to say that our enemies no longer fear us and too many of our allies no longer trust us. And I think this is a direct result of the president's foreign policy," Ryan said as he and other House Republicans introduced the plan at the Council on Foreign Relations. While not providing figures, the plan also calls for an end to military rollbacks and demands "adequate, predictable budgets." Trump, whom Ryan has endorsed in the presidential race, has made a promise to erect a massive wall along the Mexican border - a centerpiece of his campaign. The plan announced on Thursday includes a range of border security measures such as "high fencing," aerial surveillance and radar, but not a large wall. The plan echoes some of Trump's concerns about Muslim immigrants, with calls to tighten refugee screening and discussion of ways to prevent the radicalization of youths. "We must constantly reassess our defenses in order to find and close security gaps so that Islamist militants cannot slip into our country undetected," Ryan's plan said. Representative Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, said the intention was not to target followers of any one religion, but to do everything possible to not admit those who would attack Americans. "What we have to do is target the threat and make sure that they don't come in," said McCaul, one of several Republican committee chairmen who joined Ryan at the report presentation. NOT ISOLATIONIST The plan is not isolationist. It takes a strong line on battling militants abroad, saying the United States must keep all options on the table and "eliminate terrorist sanctuaries." Trump has been critical of some U.S. alliances. Ryan's plan, in contrast, underscores the importance of NATO. It also includes many standard Republican policy prescriptions, such as strong ties to Israel, advocacy of severe sanctions on Iran and an insistence that Washington should stand up to Russia. It also calls for more trade agreements and says foreign aid programs should make recipient countries self-sufficient. The plan calls for increased security for diplomats and facilities overseas. In that context, it mentions the 2012 attacks on Benghazi, which many Republicans cite to criticize then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Trump's rival in the White House race. Several of Thursday's speakers criticized Clinton as they blasted Obama's foreign policy, because she was the nation's top diplomat during the first four years of his term. Democrats sought to tie the plan to some of Trump's most controversial statements, including his rejection of alliances like NATO, advocacy of waterboarding and calls for attacks on the families of terrorist suspects. "Perhaps this agenda is light on details because the Republican presidential candidate has offered a truly disturbing vision of America's role in the world," Representative Eliot Engel, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement. Ryan, the country's highest-ranking elected Republican, has described the agenda as a way to offer voters a coherent policy message for 2017. He unveiled an anti-poverty agenda on Monday. Initiatives on regulation, constitutional authority, healthcare and tax reform are expected in the coming weeks. (Additional reporting by David Alexander, writing by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Bernard Orr) | 5 | 99,733 | news |
Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos on Thursday urged economic powerhouse Germany to invest more in Europe and help stimulate growth in the lacklustre European economy. "We have a northern economy who have zero interest rates and to me as an economist (the lack of investment) is crazy," Tsakalotos told a conference in Brussels. "It just can not be the case that in Germany for instance there are not a lot of projects... when we have almost zero interest rates," he said. Germany is often criticised for choosing to save and slash spending instead of spreading the benefits of its strong economy to its European partners, especially in the eurozone. The European Commission as well as the IMF have put Berlin on notice for overly reining in spending. After three bailouts, Tsakalotos is responsible for guiding Greece back on to its feet after six nearly uninterrupted years of recession. "If Europe doesn't invest now, in 20 years when we hope interest rates will be higher because we've returned to growth, they will regret that in a period of low interest rates they didn't," Tsakalotos added. | 5 | 99,734 | news |
Four baby raccoons were found nestled in the engine of a car by a technician at a dealership in Texas. The babies attempted to find shelter from the rain after their home was flooded. So they found refuge in a warm, sage shelter under the hood of a car. They pulled out the little babies and gave them warm milk and pillows before a Wildlife Rescue Organization arrived. They will be raised there until they're ready for the wild. | 8 | 99,735 | video |
Each year, another player comes into the league whom we are all supposed to believe is the next generational skater. Nathan MacKinnon was heralded as such, as well as Aaron Ekblad, and the list goes on and on. Hockey seems to do this more so than any other sport. Each year, we as fans and writers look for the player to bring hockey from obscurity into the limelight. While Patrik Laine may not be the best player in this draft, he sure as hell has an opportunity to change the way we think about the game. This quote from Laine in a Puck Daddy article is absolutely sensational: "I think I have the ability to someday become the best player in the NHL. Maybe other guys are good at many different things, but not really good at one thing. I think I am," Laine said at the NHL Scouting Combine on Saturday. "Toronto has a tough decision to make." The NHL always seems to cringe when any player has any sort of arrogance to him. It is labeled as "unbecoming," when in reality, it means writers covering these players are old and stodgy. Consider how the media often treats P.K. Subban. Embrace the new, the shiny and the verbose. Hockey is a great game with a great history. The problem for the league is that no one cares. Give people a reason to care. Laine isn't what we have seen before, and that is good. Not being able to understand his confidence doesn't mean you need to knock him down a couple of pegs. Sit on your hands and watch the magic unfold in front of you. Inevitably, Laine will celebrate in a way that upsets his opponents, and some columnist will write an opus about how he doesn't respect the game. While writing this opus, in the same breath, the writer must be blinded by what hockey actually is a game. This is supposed to be fun. Not only for players and coaches, but for fans too. Laine has a chance to make hockey fun again. Don't you want to find out where it leads? | 1 | 99,736 | sports |
Innovation is worth celebrating. Food & Wine recently released its list of the best new restaurants in the US. The restaurants that were selected are all doing some incredibly original and ambitious things with food. Despite having only been opened within the last year, these 10 restaurants have already made their mark on the food world. Innovation is worth celebrating. Food & Wine recently released its list of the best new restaurants in the US. The restaurants that were selected are all doing some incredibly original and ambitious things with food. Despite having only been opened within the last year, these 10 restaurants have already made their mark on the food world. Keep scrolling to see them. Brewer's Table at Surly Brewing Minneapolis, MN 520 Malcolm Avenue SE Located directly above the Surly Brewery, Brewer's Table pairs a rotating menu with their house-brewed beer. For $70 per table guest, diners can enjoy four courses complete with beer to accompany each course. Cala San Francisco, CA 149 Fell Street At Cala you can find tacos and tostadas made with fresh seafood and local ingredients. This Bay Area hot spot transforms traditional food truck fare into elegant and authentic Mexican cuisine. On the weekdays, stop by the Cala counter to grab a $3.50 Mexico City-style taco for a quick, flavorful bite. Death & Taxes Raleigh, NC 105 West Hargett Street Named after the building's previous occupants a mortuary and a bank this restaurant is chef Ashley Christensen's latest endeavor in the culinary world. Inside, you will find a 1,900-pound wood-burning stove used to make the restaurant's signature dishes, including grilled pork chops and clams. High Street on Hudson New York, NY 637 Hudson Street This place is the perfect place to grab a bite any time of the day. At breakfast you can find fresh baked bagels and pastries. At lunch, dine on creative salads and classic sandwiches, including duck meatballs on a homemade roll. At dinner, grab your friends to share plates and pastas accompanied by unique cocktails and local beers. Launderette Austin, TX 2115 Holly Street This gourmet American restaurant offers a separate "snacky bits" section on their menu, featuring fried olives, beef tartare, burrata, labneh, and a rabbit and hawk dish. Launderette's unique food selection helps to keep Austin weird ... and delicious. Locol Los Angeles, CA 1950 East 103rd Street Locol takes fast food to a new level with top-quality ingredients and affordable prices. The $6 crushed tofu and veggie stew bowls are the most expensive items on the menu, and you can grab a cheeseburger topped with tangy chile "awesome sauce" for just $4. Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio Chicago, IL 1020 West Madison Street Pasta lovers, take note. At Monteverde, guests can watch as chef Sarah Grueneberg makes homemade pasta. Large mirrors hang above this table, allowing guests to see the process of creating traditional and original pastas, like wok-fried strangozzi noodles. Shaya New Orleans, LA 4213 Magazine Street This trendy Israeli spot offers a modern spin on traditional dishes. The smell of fresh pita fills the restaurant and serves as the perfect utensil to scoop up the unique hummus flavors on offer. Bring friends to share dishes packed with diverse flavors from the Holy Land. The Dabney Washington, DC 122 Blagden Alley NW You can find locally sourced, Mid-Atlantic ingredients in every one of The Dabney's dishes. The open kitchen features a wood-burning stove and allows guests to watch as their family-style dishes are prepared. The restaurant also features a variety of ciders and beers to accompany the flavorful American cuisine. Townsman Boston, MA 120 Kingston Street For fans of fresh seafood, Townsman is the place to go. Be sure to order the Grande Plateaux, a platter of local shellfish with a selection of cures, terrines, and seasonal pickles. | 0 | 99,737 | foodanddrink |
New Orleans Saints defensive end Hau'oli Kikaha has suffered a torn ACL and is likely to miss the 2016 season. Kikaha was a second-round pick out of the University of Washington in the 2015 NFL Draft. Rough news for the Saints: DE Hau'oli Kikaha tore his ACL, sources say. Last year's second-round pick likely done for the season. Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 9, 2016 Kikaha, 23, had a strong start to his rookie season with four sacks and three forced fumbles in his first six games before an ankle injury slowed him the rest of the year. The team was planning to move him from outside linebacker to defensive end full-time this season, but he reportedly tore the ACL in practice this week . Kikaha had torn his ACL twice at the college level, though it's unclear which knee sustained this most recent injury. His absence will be a substantial loss for a New Orleans defense that ranked 31st in the league last season. | 1 | 99,738 | sports |
Trying conventional cigarettes is no longer a teen rite of passage, but trying e-cigarettes might be becoming one, a new government survey suggests. Nearly half of high school students surveyed in 2015 tried vaping, while only a third smoked a tobacco cigarette, according to the nationwide survey of 15,000 students released Thursday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of students who reported taking even one puff of a tobacco cigarette dropped from 70% in the early 1990s to 41% in 2013 and 32% in 2015. But 45% of the students in the 2015 survey had tried vaping inhaling nicotine-infused water vapor from e-cigarettes, pipes, pens, hookahs and other devices. Fewer were regular smokers or vapers: 11% had smoked tobacco cigarettes in the 30 days before the survey, down from 16% in 2013; 24% had vaped. It was the first time CDC included e-cigarette use in the long-running Youth Risk Behavior Survey. But another government survey on teen smoking, released in April, found smoking numbers fell while vaping numbers rose between 2011 and 2015. What remains unknown are the health effects of this shift including whether teens who use e-cigarettes are more or less likely to eventually become tobacco smokers. There's also concern about the direct effects of inhaling nicotine and other ingredients in vaping products. "We don't' know the long term impact, and yet there's a lot of messaging saying this is s safe alternative," said Amy Lukowski, a psychologist specializing in smoking cessation at National Jewish Health in Denver. The potential effect of nicotine on young brains is especially worrisome, she said. The devices "offer one more pathway to addiction," said David Dobbins, chief operating officer of Truth Initiative, a non-profit advocacy group fighting tobacco use and critical e-cigarette marketing to youths. The growth in vaping occurred during a period in which the products were largely unregulated. But that is changing. In May, the FDA announced new rules that will outlaw e-cigarette sales to minors. Industry groups, including the Smoke-Free Alternatives Trade Association and the International Vapor Association, support the ban on sales to minors, while opposing other parts of the new rules. They say e-cigarettes are safer alternatives for adult smokers. Regulators and educators also continue to fight youth tobacco use. On Thursday, California became the second state, after Hawaii, to outlaw all tobacco sales to people under age 21. Smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing 480,000 people each year, according to The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. The decline in smoking is just one piece of good news in the CDC youth report. It also shows long term declines in teen sexual activity, physical fighting and alcohol use. On the other hand, condom use and HIV testing are in decline, while rates of bullying and texting while driving held steady, said Stephanie Zaza, a CDC official who presented the data during a telephone press conference. "We are encouraged that high school students are making some better choices," she said. "We still have progress to make." | 7 | 99,739 | health |
Your teams. Your favorite writers. Wherever you want them. Personalize SI with our new App. Install on iOS or Android .? South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius sat down with a British television network for his first interview since shooting and killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentines Day 2013. Pistorius gives his account of what happened on that night and why he was convicted to investigative journalist Mark Williams-Thomas in the special titled "Oscar Pistorius: The Interview." During his trial, Pistorius claimed he acted in self-defense and mistook Steenkamp for a burglar. Pistorius is living in his uncle's mansion before being sentenced on Monday. Pistorius was originally convicted of manslaughter but was upgraded to a murder by an appeals court last December as the original judge made a "fundamentally flawed" judgment in their ruling. The Steenkamp family declined the opportunity to be a part of the program. Pistorius' family claims that the Paralympic champion was not paid for the interview. The interview will air on Great Britain's ITV on June 24. • 100 athletes and storylines to watch at the Rio Olympics Pistorius is best known for becoming the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics as he made the semifinal round of the men's 400 meters. - Chris Chavez | 1 | 99,740 | sports |
The 2016 Stanley Cup Final has been exciting for fans of both franchises overtime goals, Metallica riffs, Beast Mode intros and more Sidney Crosby than you could possibly handle. With the Pittsburgh Penguins currently leading the series 3-1 heading into Game 5, the San Jose Sharks must do the impossible to prolong the series: win on the road and steal the Penguins' shot at finally securing the Cup on their home turf. San Jose has been chasing Pittsburgh from the start, failing to secure a lead in any of the four games played thus far. It is a strange feeling for the men in teal, with the struggle in large part coming from veteran players such as Joe Pavelski, who has failed to score a goal in the championship series despite leading the Sharks in regular-season (38) and playoff goals (13). The Penguins have been taking advantage of the Sharks' slow starts, with solid play from Conn Smythe Trophy contenders Sidney Crosby and rookie goalkeeper Matt Murray. Can the Sharks use desperation to turn the tide, or will the Pens win out? Here are five players to watch during Game 5's survival of the "lit-est." Sharks Right Wing Joonas Donskoi The Finnish menace scored perhaps the biggest goal of the series in Game 3, aiding the Sharks in bouncing back from two straight road losses and securing San Jose's first ever Stanley Cup victory on home ice. "It's game in, game out different guys stepping up to the plate," said center Joe Thornton of the rookie's score after the game. "It was huge he scored. Some clutch goals. He's always around the puck. He always wants the puck." Donskoi, fondly referred to as "Donk," has played in all 22 postseason games, scored six goals (two of which were game winners), dished off six assists and recorded 32 shots on goal. His eagerness for the puck and youthful exuberance may just help the Sharks overtake the Pens and bring the Final back home for Game 6 at the SAP Center. Penguins Center Evgeni Malkin People forget that although Sidney Crosby, at 21 in 2009, became the youngest captain in NHL history to lift the Stanley Cup, it was Evgeni Malkin who skated away with the Conn Smythe Trophy that year. And with good reason. Malkin scored 36 points in 24 games as the Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings to win their third title. That Malkin, the one who scored at will and briefly took over his teammate Crosby and rival Alex Ovechkin as the best player in the world, is gone. Injuries have robbed him of regular-season time, and at 29, he no longer plays with the abandon of his younger self. Malkin was something like hockey's version of Russell Westbrook. At times he would collect the puck at his own goal line and play one-on-five the whole way down the rink. He was mesmerizing. Now, it looks like Malkin has comfortably taken a supporting cast role with Pittsburgh. The Penguins have relied more on speed and depth than their two superstars to put themselves within one win of a fourth Stanley Cup. But at some point, Malkin needs to be a difference maker the same way Crosby was in Games 1 and 2. Maybe he's heating up at the right time. After going scoreless for the first three contests, Malkin scored a power-play goal and added an assist in Pittsburgh's 3-1 victory in Game 4. For all of the posts San Jose has hit and the goals that Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton haven't scored, the Sharks still haven't seen a full-throttle Malkin. If that changes Thursday night, watch out. The Bay Area will have to wait, oh, say, two days for its coveted championship. Sharks Right Wing Joel Ward First off, Ward wears No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson, which automatically makes him our guy. He is one of the few black players in the NHL, a mantle he clearly wears proudly . The funny thing about Ward is that he is a rookie player in a veteran body, meaning he has the drive, physicality and endurance of a young gun but the mentality and ice savvy of a seasoned veteran (which he is). He is a leader and has a reputation of coming up big in playoffs, something the Sharks desperately need right about now. He did it in Nashville and again in Washington . With the Sharks, Ward has collected six points (five goals, one assist) in his last five games. Four of his seven playoff goals have come in the third period, and three of seven have either tied or won the game (and a series with apologies to Boston). Also, fun fact: The Sharks are 4-0 when Ward scores a goal this postseason. So watch out for one of his signature Fulton Reed slap shot goals to get the Sharks in gear. Sharks Goaltender Martin Jones The San Jose goalkeeper has been the real MVP of this championship series. Seriously, Jones is a bionic netminder. Through 22 games, the most any Sharks goaltender has played in the postseason, Jones holds a .920 save percentage. In Game 3 of the Final, he stopped 40 of 42 shots, marking the second time in the series he had to face 40+ shots in a single game. He is quick to shut down angles and stays very sharp on his corners, frustrating opposing attackers and giving his defense a chance to catch up. Jones' ability to fend off the Penguins' onslaught of shots has kept the Sharks in all four of the Final games thus far but has yet to completely inspire his attack men to many goals of their own. If he can get some help from the guys up front, there is no doubt the Sharks would have an edge on Pittsburgh. Penguins Goaltender Matt Murray There's been an element of "here we go again" that has crept into Pittsburgh's playoff run. It's most notably been found in net. Take, for example, Game 3. The Penguins led late in the third period, only to lose the game thanks to two soft goals. Say what you will about Donskoi's game-winner, but Matt Murray, the rookie who has been exceptional at times, was in poor position for the shot. He was down as Donskoi circled to the net, almost as if the goalie didn't know NHL players shoot from there at times. And given his experience, or lack thereof, he may very well not have known. When Murray, 22, has faltered, it's been a lack of concentration. Ward's straight slap shot that tied the game in the third caught him off-guard as well. Similar lapses cost Murray his net during the Eastern Conference Final against Tampa Bay. The erstwhile Marc-Andre Fleury replaced him in Game 5 to middling results, which briefly reopened a goaltending controversy. Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan stuck with his rookie and has been rewarded for it. Save for Game 3, Murray has played well in the Stanley Cup Final, especially in the third period of Game 4. But you have to wonder what an early goal Thursday might do to Murray's psyche, what that will do to Fleury's own head and what that will do the Penguins fans' collective heart rate. A 3-1 lead is a fragile thing in hockey. Pittsburgh's goaltending is in safe hands until it's not. | 1 | 99,741 | sports |
The VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX) traded higher Thursday after billionaire George Soros told the Wall Street Journal that he bought gold and gold miners on the back of a more pessimistic view of the global economy. Fellow billionaire investor Carl Icahn told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Thursday that Soros' bearish bets have merit because the stock market has been artificially boosted by prolonged low interest rates. The GDX was last up about 1.5 percent on the day. The gold miners ETF has been on a tear this year as investors ran to safe-haven assets in an uncertain global economic climate. The GDX is up nearly 92 percent in 2016, and 40 percent in the last year. CNBC's Gina Francolla and Matt Belvedere contributed to this report. | 3 | 99,742 | finance |
Kylie Jenner and Tyga are hanging out again, plus more celeb news Alleged exes Kylie Jenner and Tyga take a spin in his Ferrari Is it really over between Kylie Jenner and Tyga? That's what the gossip blog Teatenders (via the Mirror ) was left wondering after a spy photographed the supposed exes zooming around town in a red Ferrari this week. In the pic, Kylie's riding shotgun, facing Tyga who appears to be on the phone. Not exactly the most lovey-dovey get-together of all time but the two seemed to have kept their distance from one another, at least publicly, since their latest split, which was said to have been pretty final . Neither Kylie nor Tyga have said much either way about what's up between them these days, although sources have indicated they broke up over a money issue (aka the $2 million loan Tyga reportedly thought was a gift from his 18-year-old lipstick pro lovebird). And while both Kylie and Tyga are rumored to be seeing new people, Teatenders has another take on the split -- and a theory on the potential reconciliation. "Guess Tyga couldn't take being irrelevant any longer," reads the caption on their Ferrari pic, "the publicity stunt is over!!" Never say never. Harry Styles' home was vandalized One Direction isn't making many friends with their hiatus. Not long after Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan received threatening phone calls, a vandal tagged Harry Styles' North London home with a giant, black scrawl of a certain four-letter word that starts with "c." The graffiti appeared on a white, outside wall of the singer's house in the Hempstead neighborhood. And while the hashtag "#CanYallRespectHarry" started trending after the incident this week, outlets like GossipCop have implied all the attacks could be related to the guys' decision to take a break from the band. On the bright side, Harry's place should be nice and clean by the time he gets home; he's currently in France filming "Dunkirk" with Christopher Nolan. Has Charlie Sheen settled his child support cases? Three months after Charlie Sheen filed to drastically reduce the monthly child support he pays his exes, Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller, an insider tells Radar they may have worked out a settlement. Charlie, Denise and Brooke were all due in court June 7, June 8 and June 15 to discuss Charlie's $45,000-a-month plea, but "they called in both times to have the hearing taken off the calendar," leading those involved to believe "they're trying to settle it privately," according to the website's courthouse source. Charlie's been forking over $55,000 a month to both women, but asked that the figure be lowered to $10,000 a month because of what he called his current "financial crisis." Earlier this year, American Express sued the actor for about $300,000 over unpaid credit card bills and late fees. No comment, as of yet, from Charlie's rep. Color chameleon Emma Stone's a redhead again Red hair, don't care. Following a brief foray into the purportedly more fun world of blondeness -- and a trip to the dark side for the Met Gala -- Emma Stone's locks are back to their usual cardinal color -- and judging from the smile on her face when she left Meche salon in Los Angeles on June 8, she's happy to be a redhead again. When Emma lightened up a few years back, around the time she was shooting 2012's "The Amazing Spider-Man," the actress told MTV she was naturally blond, though she's bounced back and forth for the better part of the past decade. The latest blond stint lasted only a few weeks. Leonardo DiCaprio shows his Beyhive stripes When Beyonce unleashed her apparently earth-shattering sneeze at Citi Field in New York this week, Leonardo DiCaprio was one of the thousands of Beyhive members in the crowd rocking out to her a cappella version of "Love on Top." A spy tells the New York Post Leo was "dancing up a storm" with a bunch of models (we know, shocking) and his wingman for the evening, Richie Akiva, whose clubs Butter and 1OAK are two of Leo's regular haunts. Bethenny Frankel shops for a new pad -- with her new beau Things must be getting pretty serious for Bethenny Frankel and her new man, Dennis Shields. Page Six reports the SkinnyGirl honcho and her businessman boyfriend spent some time house-hunting in New York this week. For help, they turned to "Million Dollar Listing" star Fredrik Eklund (because one wealthy reality star deserves another), who showed them a handful of downtown Manhattan real estate opportunities "in the $10 to $30 million range," according to Page Six. At the high end was a $29.99 million penthouse with a private pool at 11 North Moore St. The pad boasts five bedrooms, five and a half baths, a private elevator, 28 windows and more than 3,000 feet of outdoor space in Tribeca. It probably helps that she's no longer shelling out $12,000 a month in spousal support to her ex, Jason Hoppy. But as the Post points out, Dennis brings major bucks to the relationship: His company, LawCash, provides loans to folks involved in lawsuits at what the tab describes as "hugely high" fees. Richard Gere gets cozy with his much-younger girlfriend It was a public anniversary of sorts for Richard Gere, 66, and his 32-year-old girlfriend, Alejandra Silva at the annual Taormina Film Festival in Italy this week when the couple stepped out for a private celebration of "Time Out of Mind," Richard's latest film. The pair came out as a couple at the same festival last year, although the Daily Mail reports they may have starting dating a year or so earlier. Either way, photos from the event suggest they're both pretty smitten with one another. Richard, who split from Carey Lowell in 2013, spent much of the evening with an arm around his much younger Spanish socialite gal pal as she smiled gracefully amid the flashbulbs and buzz of attention. Alejandra was previously married to Govind Friedland, whose father is a billionaire mining magnate. They have one son together. Yolanda Hadid details Lyme Disease battle in new book Amid health problems in recent years, Yolanda Foster has struggled to convince everyone from fans to doctors that her Lyme Disease is real -- as is her pain. Now, she hopes to shine a light on her experience with the illness in order to help others learn more about it and better support those who may be suffering from it. Her forthcoming book, "Believe Me: My Battle With the Invisible Disability of Lyme Disease," is due in February 2017 on St. Martin's Press, and will give her a chance to speak "... candidly about the strain her illness put on her previously picture-perfect life," according to a statement the publisher gave E! News . "While doctors continued to dismiss her pain and friends debated her health diagnosis," the statement continues, "Yolanda realized her mission and higher purpose of her journey is to use her newfound platform to educate, and bring awareness to the stigma surrounding chronic Lyme in order to bring hope to other sufferers who have been misdiagnosed and battling the invisible disability of chronic disease in general." Martha Stewart is not a fan of 'Orange is the New Black' When "Orange Is the New Black" returns to Netflix on July 11, Martha Stewart will not be joining the binge-watch bandwagon. The lifestyle guru experienced her own version of the show when she was locked up in federal prison more than a decade ago and as she told Chelsea Handler this week, there's no TV equivalent to real-life. "When you live through something like 'Orange Is the New Black,' the real characters are better," she said (via Jezebel ). "It's not as good as the real thing." Is Jessica Simpson pushing for a Las Vegas residency? This gal's perfectly happy with her billion-dollar fashion career, as-is, thankyouverymuch. A new report from InTouch claimed Jessica Simpson was hoping to score "a Vegas residency and [prove] to everyone that she's still got it," a la Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. Not quite, says a rep for the singer-turned designer and businesswoman. According to GossipCop , there's zero truth the report. | 6 | 99,743 | entertainment |
Dropping the L-bomb in a relationship means things are about to get serious unless, of course, he jumped the gun and said it too soon. Is he genuine or just caught up in the moment? Though early relationship feels (the ones where you fall head over feet) can be intoxicating, relationship experts warn that it might be a red flag if he's quick to say "I love you." "'I love you' shouldn't be said lightly," says "Dr. Romance" Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., psychotherapist and author of Love Styles: How to Celebrate Your Differences. "If it is, it's meaningless." Here are seven signs your guy is saying those three magic words too early on: 1. You haven't been dating for at least three to six months Of course, there are always exceptions if you've been spending every waking minute together vs. only seeing each other once or twice a week. But in general, if your guy tells you he loves you before you've been dating for three to six months, he could be mistaking love for something else. "I'm a big believer in time. I wouldn't feel really confident if someone is saying it before six months because what they are is infatuated," says sociologist Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Washington and the author of The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples. "Am I going to bet the farm on that?" 2. You haven't had sex yet If you haven't yet slept together and he says "I love you," watch out. It could be a ploy to get you into bed. 5 Ways men say 'I love you' without actually saying it "A man may say 'I love you' during sex, or to obtain sex, but don't necessarily think he really thought it through or means it," warns Tessina. "It's not a commitment in any way." 3. You haven't spent enough time together to form a good foundation for a relationship It sounds pretty simple, but plenty of us are just caught up in the moment when the L word is first uttered. But if you haven't spent real, quality time together and your relationship still feels on shaky ground, there isn't enough there yet for it to be true love. "Any time before you've spent time together and gotten to know each other is way too soon for either of you to say 'I love you,'" says Tessina. "There's no way either of you can know. I believe 'love at first sight' is only in hindsight." 7 Signs he's really, truly the one She says many of the couples she counsels come to her with high expectations of "instant" relationships and romance, and equally high frustration levels when things don't unfold that way. "Internet dating, coupled with movie and TV images of instant 'love at first sight' create expectations that prohibit people from getting to know anything about the character of the person they're dating, and don't give the couples a chance to develop what I call the 'infrastructure' of a long-lasting relationship," Tessina says. 4. Your guy is unwilling to commit to a future with you Many women assume that "I love you" means he's in for the long haul. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. If he says it but can't back it up with a commitment of some kind to you, tread lightly. "In general, when the woman hears a man say 'I love you,' she doesn't think he's just saying 'That's what I feel like this minute,'" Schwartz says. "She's thinking there's the implicit promise of a much deeper relationship and this could lead to a commitment ... [as if he's] saying, 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you.'" If he says it because he's just "feeling loving at the time" but hasn't considered what the relationship means to him, it might be a red flag. 5. He says it in the heat of the moment Too often, a guy will tell a girl he loves her when they're kissing, having sex or caught up in the excitement of the "honeymoon stage." If that happens in your relationship, don't take it too seriously quite yet. If you're in that infatuation phase, "saying 'I love you' is more about your feeling of being excited and stimulated and wanting to have a stronger connection," says Jeanette Raymond, Ph.D., a licensed couples therapist and the author of Now You Want Me, Now You Don't!. "It has little to do with 'loving' the other, because that would involve empathy, tolerance and acceptance of who they are." 6. He says it after a milestone experience you share, but your relationship isn't there yet Maybe a relative has just died, or one of you has landed a new job. When you go through an experience like that together, it can be bonding and make you feel full of love for each other. But is it really love? Not necessarily, if the rest of your relationship doesn't measure up. No really, all the single ladies don't need anyone to put a ring on it "Depending on the context, those three words can [be said] because he has just given you a surprise party, or stood up for you against a chastising parent or spent lavishly on you," says Raymond. "It varies with the ebb and flow of the connection." 7. You aren't even close to feeling like you love him If the man you're dating tells you he loves you and you don't feel that way at all, then it's probably premature. So take it with a grain of salt. "If a woman is not even close to that in her emotions for him, then she might veer away because she doesn't feel anything like that toward him and doesn't want to lead him on," Schwartz says. "If somebody says 'I love you' way before you're in that position, it's a high-risk maneuver. It can scare somebody off." So what do you do if your guys drops the "L" word and you feel like it's too soon? Talk to him about it, suggests Tessina. "Ask him what he means," she advises. "Why does he love you? Is it a commitment? If it's really time to say it, you should be able to discuss it with each other. If asking scares him away, he didn't mean it anyway." But if those three words do happen to be uttered early in your relationship, it's not always the kiss of death. Sometimes, it can actually be a positive. "If you really love the person and it's not just about your hormones raging, it's never too soon," Raymond says. "It's an expression of your esteem and recognition of their good qualities. Why not think of it as saying something nice about the other one?" Originally published April 2015. Updated May 2016. | 4 | 99,744 | lifestyle |
PARAMUS, N.J. Asked the same question a number of ways, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh was showing a little frustration at the Next Level Football Camp at Paramus Catholic High School. "Everyone is just out here coaching," Harbaugh said. "You're evaluating what improvements they make. You're telling them what to do, how to do it, what they did right and did wrong. That's just coaching and teaching. "Everybody keeps saying the obvious thing, that this is all about recruiting. I disagree. I've disagreed with that premise since it's inception. If it really helped recruiting that much, then people would have been doing this. We are doing this because we really enjoy it. You can believe it or not, I don't care." Harbaugh added that Michigan already knows the 200-250 players that it's recruiting and could recruit them from Ann Arbor rather than a 30-stop camp tour over thousands of miles. Harbaugh's statement is contrasted by many at the the satellite camp, which included coaches from 45 colleges and the Baltimore Ravens and 640 high school players. According to many of the coaches there, the point was to coach, evaluate talent and be seen, and for the players and their parents, they were there to learn and to get noticed. "Our biggest thing is evaluations," said Syracuse head football coach Dino Babers, who said he brought his entire coaching staff to the camp. "You get to see these kids play football and move in space. I think that's big." Maryland also had a big presence at the camp, said Terrapins defensive coordinator Andy Buh. "We have seven or eight coaches out here," Buh said. "The biggest thing with this amount of numbers (of campers) is there's a bunch of college coaches giving back, that's No. 1. No. 2, it gives us an idea of what kind of talent is up here in northeast New Jersey. We feel like this is an extension of our back yard." In 2008, the NCAA changed the rules for the spring evaluation period in April and May to forbid head coaches from going on the road to see recruits. That makes the month of June that much more important to see players and be seen by them, said Villanova assistant head coach Mark Ferrante, who will take over as the school's head coach following next season, when longtime coach Andy Talley retires. "June has become a huge, huge, evaluation-slash-camp month," Ferrante said. "We could go to something like this every day, that's how many of them are. New Jersey is a big state for us. Starting with John Robertson, from Paramus, our last four quarterbacks in a row that we have signed on scholarship have all been from North Jersey." Before the camp began, an anonymous group claiming to represent Rutgers fans claimed responsibility for leaving magnetic R's with a teddy bear and a letter for Harbaugh on the field at Paramus. The letter, signed by "The Order of Bulls Blood" told Harbaugh to "go home" and "You are stealing our sons and daughters. A speech is one thing, Football is another." In a post on Twitter, Harbaugh decried the secret society's actions. RELATED: Rutgers secret society tells Harbaugh to go home Brian Niland, the vice president of operations and safety at Paramus Catholic, said the security at the camp was nothing unusual and that much more would be used for Harbaugh's commencement address to the Paramus Catholic graduates Thursday at the Prudential Center in Newark. Michigan has eight players from New Jersey on its spring football roster and that doesn't include the Wolverines' most prominent 2016 signee, American Family Insurance ALL-USA Defensive Player of the Year Rashan Gary , a Paramus Catholic defensive lineman, who stopped by Wednesday's camp. Harbaugh's "invasion" of New Jersey is controversial to some. Rutgers head coach Chris Ash invited Ohio State's Urban Meyer and other coaches to his own satellite camp in Madison, 30 miles, away and pulled in roughly 1,000 campers. "There has been push back from people," Harbaugh said. "I'm all for it (the other camp)," he said. "It's all what's best for the youngsters. The more opportunity for them, the better. It's really not competition at all. As coaches, there's no competing going on. It's just coaching." While Michigan's camp at Paramus was announced first, Ash insisted the Rutgers camp with Ohio State and Temple being scheduled for the same day was not about competition. "People can say what they want," he said. "It's not about us and Paramus," Ash told N.J.com . "It's not about us and Michigan. It's about trying to brand ourselves and promote the game of football. Unfortunately, I think it's been portrayed that way. That's unfortunate. That's not what this is about. We're out here just trying to have a good time and coach some ball." All of that was irrelevant to Sharlon Pringle, the father of Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) defensive back Randy Pringle, who will be a senior next year. "He needs both coaching and exposure," Pringle said. "At the same, time he needs exposure more because we want to get a scholarship. That's what it's all about." | 1 | 99,745 | sports |
During the Atlantic City casino boom in the 1980s, Philadelphia cabinet-builder Edward Friel Jr. landed a $400,000 contract to build the bases for slot machines, registration desks, bars and other cabinets at Harrah's at Trump Plaza. The family cabinetry business, founded in the 1940s by Edward's father, finished its work in 1984 and submitted its final bill to the general contractor for the Trump Organization, the resort's builder. Edward's son, Paul, who was the firm's accountant, still remembers the amount of that bill more than 30 years later: $83,600. The reason: the money never came. "That began the demise of the Edward J. Friel Company… which has been around since my grandfather," he said. Donald Trump often portrays himself as a savior of the working class who will "protect your job." But a USA TODAY NETWORK analysis found he has been involved in more than 3,500 lawsuits over the past three decades and a large number of those involve ordinary Americans, like the Friels, who say Trump or his companies have refused to pay them. At least 60 lawsuits, along with hundreds of liens, judgments, and other government filings reviewed by the USA TODAY NETWORK, document people who have accused Trump and his businesses of failing to pay them for their work. Among them: a dishwasher in Florida. A glass company in New Jersey. A carpet company. A plumber. Painters. Forty-eight waiters. Dozens of bartenders and other hourly workers at his resorts and clubs, coast to coast. Real estate brokers who sold his properties. And, ironically, several law firms that once represented him in these suits and others. Trump's companies have also been cited for 24 violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act since 2005 for failing to pay overtime or minimum wage, according to U.S. Department of Labor data. That includes 21 citations against the defunct Trump Plaza in Atlantic City and three against the also out-of-business Trump Mortgage LLC in New York. Both cases were resolved by the companies agreeing to pay back wages. In addition to the lawsuits, the review found more than 200 mechanic's liens filed by contractors and employees against Trump, his companies or his properties claiming they were owed money for their work since the 1980s. The liens range from a $75,000 claim by a Plainview, N.Y., air conditioning and heating company to a $1 million claim from the president of a New York City real estate banking firm. On just one project, Trump's Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, records released by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission in 1990 show that at least 253 subcontractors weren't paid in full or on time, including workers who installed walls, chandeliers and plumbing. The actions in total paint a portrait of Trump's sprawling organization frequently failing to pay small businesses and individuals, then sometimes tying them up in court and other negotiations for years. In some cases, the Trump teams financially overpower and outlast much smaller opponents, draining their resources. Some just give up the fight, or settle for less; some have ended up in bankruptcy or out of business altogether. Trump and his daughter Ivanka, in an interview with USA TODAY, shrugged off the lawsuits and other claims of non-payment. If a company or worker he hires isn't paid fully, the Trumps said, it's because The Trump Organization was unhappy with the work. "Let's say that they do a job that's not good, or a job that they didn't finish, or a job that was way late. I'll deduct from their contract, absolutely," Trump said. "That's what the country should be doing." 'Visibly winced' To be sure, Trump and his companies have prevailed in many legal disputes over missing payments, or reached settlements that cloud the terms reached by the parties. However, the consistent circumstances laid out in those lawsuits and other non-payment claims raise questions about Trump's judgment as a businessman, and as a potential commander in chief. The number of companies and others alleging he hasn't paid suggests that either his companies have a poor track record hiring workers and assessing contractors, or that Trump businesses renege on contracts, refuse to pay, or consistently attempt to change payment terms after work is complete as is alleged in dozens of court cases. In the interview, Trump repeatedly said the cases were "a long time ago." However, even as he campaigns for the presidency, new cases are continuing. Just last month, Trump Miami Resort Management LLC settled with 48 servers at his Miami golf resort over failing to pay overtime for a special event. The settlements averaged about $800 for each worker and as high as $3,000 for one, according to court records. Some workers put in 20-hour days over the 10-day Passover event at Trump National Doral Miami, the lawsuit contends. Trump's team initially argued a contractor hired the workers, and he wasn't responsible, and counter-sued the contractor demanding payment. "Trump could have settled it right off the bat, but they wanted to fight it out, that's their M.O." said Rod Hannah, of Plantation, Fla., the lawyer who represented the workers, who he said are forbidden from talking about the case in public. "They're known for their aggressiveness, and if you have the money, why not?" Similar cases have cropped up with Trump's facilities in California and New York, where hourly workers, bartenders and wait staff have sued with a range of allegations from not letting workers take breaks to not passing along tips to servers. Trump's company settled the California case, and the New York case is pending. Trump's Doral golf resort also has been embroiled in recent non-payment claims by two different paint firms, with one case settled and the other pending. Last month, his company's refusal to pay one Florida painter more than $30,000 for work at Doral led the judge in the case to order foreclosure of the resort if the contractor isn't paid. Juan Carlos Enriquez, owner of The Paint Spot, in South Florida, has been waiting more than two years to get paid for his work at the Doral. The Paint Spot first filed a lien against Trump's course, then filed a lawsuit asking a Florida judge to intervene. In courtroom testimony, the manager of the general contractor for the Doral renovation admitted that a decision was made not to pay The Paint Spot because Trump "already paid enough." As the construction manager spoke, "Trump's trial attorneys visibly winced, began breathing heavily, and attempted to make eye contact" with the witness, the judge noted in his ruling. That, and other evidence, convinced the judge The Paint Spot's claim was credible. He ordered last month that the Doral resort be foreclosed on, sold, and the proceeds used to pay Enriquez the money he was owed. Trump's attorneys have since filed a motion to delay the sale, and the contest continues. Enriquez still hasn't been paid. Unpaid hourly workers Trump frequently boasts that he will bring jobs back to America, including Tuesday in a primary-election night victory speech at his golf club in suburban New York City. "No matter who you are, we're going to protect your job," Trump said Tuesday. "Because let me tell you, our jobs are being stripped from our country like we're babies." But the lawsuits show Trump's organization wages Goliath vs David legal battles over small amounts of money that are negligible to the billionaire and his executives but devastating to his much-smaller foes. In 2007, for instance, dishwasher Guy Dorcinvil filed a federal lawsuit against Trump's Mar-A-Lago Club resort in Palm Beach, Fla., alleging the club failed to pay time-and-a-half for overtime he worked over three years and the company failed to keep proper time records for employees. Mar-A-Lago LLC agreed to pay Dorcinvil $7,500 to settle the case in 2008. The terms of the settlement agreement includes a standard statement that Mar-A-Lago does not admit fault and forbids Dorcinvil or his lawyers from talking about the case, according to court records. Developers with histories of not paying contractors are a very small minority of the industry, said Colette Nelson, chief advocacy officer of the American Subcontractors Association. But late or missing payments can be devastating for small businesses and their employees. "Real estate is a tough and aggressive business, but most business people don't set out to make their money by breaking the companies that they do business with," she said, stressing she couldn't speak directly to the specifics of cases in Trump's record. "But there are a few." In the interview, Trump said that complaints represent a tiny fraction of his business empire and dealings with contractors and employees, insisting all are paid fairly. "We pay everybody what they're supposed to be paid, and we pay everybody on time," he said. "And we employ thousands and thousands of people. OK?" The slot-machine cabinets Despite the Trumps' assertion that their companies only refuse payment to contractors "when somebody does a bad job," he has sometimes offered to hire those same contractors again. It's a puzzling turn of events, since most people who have a poor experience with a contractor, and who refuse to pay and even fight the contractor in court, aren't likely to offer to rehire them. Nevertheless, such was the case for the Friels. After submitting the final bill for the Plaza casino cabinet-building in 1984, Paul Friel said he got a call asking that his father, Edward, come to the Trump family's offices at the casino for a meeting. There Edward, and some other contractors, were called in one by one to meet with Donald Trump and his brother, Robert Trump. "He sat in a room with nine guys," Paul Friel said. "We found out some of them were carpet guys. Some of them were glass guys. Plumbers. You name it." In the meeting, Donald Trump told his father that the company's work was inferior, Friel said, even though the general contractor on the casino had approved it. The bottom line, Trump told Edward Friel, was the company wouldn't get the final payment. Then, Friel said Trump added something that struck the family as bizarre. Trump told his dad that he could work on other Trump projects in the future. "Wait a minute," Paul Friel said, recalling his family's reaction to his dad's account of the meeting. "Why would the Trump family want a company who they say their work is inferior to work for them in the future?" Asked about the meeting this week, Trump said, "Was the work bad? Was it bad work?" And, then, after being told that the general contractor had approved it, Trump added, "Well, see here's the thing. You're talking about, what, 30 years ago?" Ivanka Trump added that any number of disputes over late or deficient payments that were found over the past few decades pale in comparison to the thousands of checks Trump companies cut each month. "We have hundreds of millions of dollars of construction projects underway. And we have, for the most part, exceptional contractors on them who get paid, and get paid quickly," she said, adding that she doubted any contractor complaining in court or in the press would admit they delivered substandard work. "But it would be irresponsible if my father paid contractors who did lousy work. And he doesn't do that." But, the Friels' story is similar to experiences of hundreds of other contractors over the casino-boom decade in Atlantic City. Legal records, New Jersey Casino Control Commission records and contemporaneous local newspaper stories recounted time and again tales about the Trumps paying late or renegotiating deals for dimes on the dollar. A half-decade after the Friels' encounter, in 1990, as Trump neared the opening of his third Atlantic City casino, he was once again attempting to pay contractors less than he owed. In casino commission records of an audit, it was revealed that Trump's companies owed a total of $69.5 million to 253 subcontractors on the Taj Mahal project. Some already had sued Trump, the state audit said; others were negotiating with Trump to try to recover what they could. The companies and their hundreds of workers had installed walls, chandeliers, plumbing, lighting and even the casino's trademark minarets. One of the builders was Marty Rosenberg, vice president of Atlantic Plate Glass Co., who said he was owed about $1.5 million for work at the Taj Mahal. When it became clear Trump was not going to pay in full, Rosenberg took on an informal leadership role, representing about 100 to 150 contractors in negotiations with Trump. Rosenberg's mission: with Trump offering as little as 30 cents on the dollar to some of the contractors, Rosenberg wanted to get as much as he could for the small businesses, most staffed by younger tradesmen with modest incomes and often families to support. "Yes, there were a lot of other companies," he said of those Trump left waiting to get paid. "Yes, some did not survive." Rosenberg said his company was among the lucky ones. He had to delay paying his own suppliers to the project. The negotiations led to him eventually getting about 70 cents on the dollar for his work, and he was able to pay all of his suppliers in full. Unpaid based on 'whimsy' The analysis of Trump lawsuits also found that professionals, such as real estate agents and lawyers, say he's refused to pay them sizable sums of money. Those cases show that even some loyal employees, those selling his properties and fighting for him in court, are only with him until they're not. Real estate broker Rana Williams, who said she had sold hundreds of millions of dollars in Manhattan property for Trump International Realty over more than two decades with the company, sued in 2013 alleging Trump shorted her $735,212 in commissions on deals she brokered from 2009 to 2012. Williams, who managed as many as 16 other sales agents for Trump, said the tycoon and his senior deputies decided to pay her less than her contracted commission rate "based on nothing more than whimsy." Trump and Williams settled their case in 2015, and the terms of the deal are confidential, as is the case in dozens of other settlements between plaintiffs and Trump companies. However, Williams' 2014 deposition in the case is not sealed. In her sworn testimony, Williams said the 2013 commission shortage wasn't the only one, and neither was she the only person who didn't get fully paid. "There were instances where a sizable commission would come in and we would be waiting for payment and it wouldn't come," she testified. "That was both for myself and for some of the agents." Another broker, Jennifer McGovern, filed a similar lawsuit against the now-defunct Trump Mortgage LLC in 2007, citing a six-figure commission on real-estate sales that she said went unpaid. A judge issued a judgment ordering Trump Mortgage to pay McGovern $298,274. Turning the tables on lawyers Even Trump's own attorneys, on several occasions, sued him over claims of unpaid bills. One law firm that fought contractors over payments and other issues for Trump New York City's Morrison Cohen LLP ended up on the other side of a similar battle with the mogul in 2008. Trump didn't like that its lawyers were using his name in press releases touting its representation of Trump in a lawsuit against a construction contractor that Trump claimed overcharged him for work on a luxury golf club. As Trump now turned his ire on his former lawyers, however, Morrison Cohen counter-sued. In court records, the law firm alleged Trump didn't pay nearly a half million dollars in legal fees. Trump and his ex-lawyers settled their disputes out of court, confidentially, in 2009. In 2012, Virginia-based law firm Cook, Heyward, Lee, Hopper & Feehan filed a lawsuit against the Trump Organization for $94,511 for legal fees and costs. The case was eventually settled out of court. But as the case unfolded, court records detail how Trump's senior deputies attacked the attorneys' quality of work in the local and trade press, leading the firm to make claims of defamation that a judge ultimately rejected on free speech grounds. 'Tons of these stories out there' Trump claims in his presidential personal financial disclosure to be worth $10 billion as a result of his business acumen. Many of the small contractors and individuals who weren't paid by him haven't been as fortunate. Edward Friel, of the Philadelphia cabinetry company allegedly shortchanged for the casino work, hired a lawyer to sue for the money, said his son, Paul Friel. But the attorney advised him that the Trumps would drag the case out in court and legal fees would exceed what they'd recover. The unpaid bill took a huge chunk out of the bottom line of the company that Edward ran to take care of his wife and five kids. "The worst part wasn't dealing with the Trumps," Paul Friel said. After standing up to Trump, Friel said the family struggled to get other casino work in Atlantic City. "There's tons of these stories out there," he said. The Edward J. Friel Co. filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 5, 1989. Says the founder's grandson: "Trump hits everybody." Contributing: John Kelly, Nick Penzenstadler, Karen Yi, David McKay Wilson | 5 | 99,746 | news |
I don't know what Bernie Sanders is going to do from here on, and I'm not going to presume to advise him on his next steps. He's earned the right to figure out for himself what's next for his campaign and the movement he has launched. But let me tell you this: He's already succeeded beyond anyone's imagining. I remember when he launched his campaign in April 2015. The media labeled him a "fringe" candidate. Comedians made fun of his hair and his frumpled look. Related: Ripples of a revolution: what will Bernie Sanders' supporters do next? Political junkies smirked. How could a 74-year-old, political Independent, Jewish, self-described democratic socialist take on the most powerful political machine in modern history? How dare he rail against the establishment, the mainstream media, and the moneyed interests? They said he had a "zero chance" of getting anywhere. Then he won 22 states. And in almost every state even in those he lost - he won vast majorities of voters under 30, including a majority of young women and Latinos. By March he had accumulated more votes among voters under 30 than had Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump combined. He also received the most votes from people under 45. Related: America's voting system is broken. It's time to overhaul it | Trevor Timm He has helped shape the next generation. Even more remarkably, he did it without Superpacs or big money from corporations, Wall Street and billionaires. He did it with small contributions from millions of us. He's shown it's possible to come within a stone's throw of getting the Democratic nomination for president of the United States (granted, it's not really over until superdelegates vote July 25), without selling your soul or compromising your conviction. That's a big deal. It gives lie to the often-repeated claim by Democratic candidates that, while they believe in reforming America's campaign finance laws, they won't run "with one hand tied behind their back," and therefore must rely on big money in order to compete effectively. With a powerful message delivered by a messenger with passion and conviction, small donations will pour in. Related: Five things people should stop saying about Bernie Sanders | Trevor Timm He's also inspired millions to get involved in politics and to fight the most important and basic of all fights on which all else depends: to reclaim our economy and democracy from the moneyed interests. Unless and until that happens, nothing else that's important for America to do can be done. It's not possible to reverse climate change when big energy companies dominate politics. It's hard to achieve equal opportunity when big corporations and Wall Street pay for special privileges and corporate welfare. We can't have a sane foreign policy when military contractors hold sway. There's no way the nation can get healthcare costs under control when big pharmaceutical companies and giant insurance companies have so much influence in Washington. Sanders has forced a serious debate about many of the initiatives he has proposed, such as the necessity of single-payer healthcare, free tuition at public universities, a $15 minimum wage, busting up the biggest Wall Street banks, taxing the financial speculation, expanding Social Security, imposing a tax on carbon and getting big money out of politics. These proposals will shape the progressive agenda for years to come. I predict many will ultimately be enacted. Just as progressive leaders at the turn of the last century "fighting" Bob LaFollette, William Jennings Bryan, and Hiram Johnson laid the foundation for Teddy Roosevelt's era of progressivism, Sanders has laid the foundation for a new progressivism. And because America now finds itself burdened as it was then with wide inequalities of income, wealth, and political power, his leadership has been essential. Sanders' courage in taking on the political establishment has emboldened millions to stand up and demand our voices be heard. Regardless of what Sanders decides to do now, he has ignited a movement that will fight onward. We will fight to put more progressives into the House and Senate. We will fight at the state level. We will organize for the 2020 presidential election. We will not succumb to cynicism. We are in it for the long haul. We will never give up. | 5 | 99,747 | news |
Looking for ways to shake up the roster, the struggling Chicago White Sox cut ties with Mat Latos and signed veteran slugger Justin Morneau. Latos, 28, was designated for assignment. Morneau, who signed a one-year, $1 million deal, was immediately placed on the 15-day disabled list while he recovers from offseason surgery to repair the primary flexor in his left elbow. The fortunes have turned on Latos, 28, after a brilliant start to the 2016 season. The veteran right-handed pitcher began the season 4-0 with a 0.74 ERA. Since April 30, he's gone 2-2 with a 7.25 ERA over seven starts and the White Sox have lost 20 of 26 games. With the addition of James Shields in a trade and resent performance, Latos became the odd man out in the rotation. Latos, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract in January, broke camp despite a rough spring, The White Sox have 10 days to trade Latos or release him. Morneau is a former American League MVP and a four-time All-Star. "Justin provides us with a quality veteran threat from the left side who fits into the middle of the batting order," said Rick Hahn, White Sox senior vice president/general manager. "We have been speaking with Justin, who is just a year and a half removed from winning a batting title with Colorado, for the last several months and moved forward with this deal once Justin was ready to ramp up his baseball activities. He is close to being ready to begin a rehab assignment, and we project him available in Chicago sometime in mid-to-late July." Morneau, 35, is a career .282 hitter with 241 home runs over 13 seasons. | 1 | 99,748 | sports |
We interrupt your summer vacation plans with the depressing news that you could have a lot more time off if you lived and worked in a different country. Sorry to be a downer, but GetVoiP recently released a list of 40 countries that have the most and fewest vacation days and the U.S. didn't fare too well. To create the list, GetVoiP, a cloud computing advisor, used data from the Organization for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD), Center for Economic and Policy Research, and International Labor Organizations, and examined the labor laws of countries around the world. Brazil came out on top, with 30 paid leave days and 11 public holidays, giving its citizens 41 vacation days a year. That's more than two months off! But the biggest question those of us currently planning summer getaways are asking is: Where does the U.S. fall on the list? The data finds that the average American receives 16 paid leave days and 10 holidays, which totals 26 vacation days. However, researchers argued that this could be a high estimate, as not all those paid leave days or holidays are required by U.S. law. Boo! Even with 26 days off, the U.S. still came in at number 34 out of 40 on the list. Before you get too angry at our nation's unfortunate lack of vacation days, take a moment to be grateful you aren't living in Mexico. Number 40 on the list, Mexico offers the fewest days off: 14 (six paid-leave days and eight public holidays). What a sorry number. Though, the study does mention that the number of paid-leave days could increase by tenure. So if you're glad you have more days off than you would in Mexico, but you're still thinking of relocating to up your vacay time, you might want to consider moving to Brazil, France, Malta, Iceland, or Austria. Time to switch gears from vacation plans to moving plans. Malta, here we come! | 4 | 99,749 | lifestyle |
Jerry Kelly achieved a PGA Tour milestone on Thursday by making his 600th career start. That's a lot of miles logged in courtesy cars. But Kelly isn't alone in the tour's 600 club and in fact, one of its fellow members, David Toms, is also in the field this week at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. So naturally, the tour gave them a cake in celebration. Mmm. Looks good. Not a bad bonus for two guys who have earned nearly 70 million dollars combined. That's right. David Toms ($41.7 million in 605 starts) and Jerry Kelly ($27.9 million), both 49, have earned nearly 70 million dollars combined. Not too shabby. And a special shout-out to DT, the 2001 PGA champ, for playing his way into the U.S. Open earlier this week. In case you're curious, Jay Haas holds the tour record for most career starts with 799 (How do you stop on 799, Jay?!). Incredibly, Haas has also made nearly as many cuts (592) as Kelly and Toms have made appearances. On the European Tour, Miguel Angel Jimenez was the player who reached the 600 mark most recently. When Jimenez hit that number he was given a decanter of fancy whiskey. Not surprisingly, this looked like it pleased the Spaniard very much. More from Golf Digest: The Hottest PGA Tour Wives and Girlfriends How Tiger's Swing Has Changed [This Weekend's Best Golf Instagrams](http://www.golfdigest.com/gallery/the-week-in-golf-in | 1 | 99,750 | sports |
Jack Montague, the former captain of the Yale basketball team, has filed a lawsuit against the university after he was expelled following a sexual assault allegation. FOX61.com has the details of the lawsuit , which stem from a school committee on sexual misconduct finding that that Montague had engaged in non - consentual sex with a female student in fall 2014. Montague's attorney, Max Stern, said he and the female student slept in Montague's room four times in the fall of 2014. The lawyer said the woman consented to staying in the room and/or having sexual relations with Montague three times. The fourth time they were together they had intercourse, and then the woman left the room and returned some time later and stayed the night. She later said that last time was not consensual, though Montague maintains that it was. Montague was expelled in mid-February and was set to graduate on May 23. He averaged 9.7 points and 3.0 assists per game in his senior season. "The expulsion not only deprives Jack of the degree which he was only three months short of earning but has simultaneously destroyed both his educational and basketball careers," his attorney said in a statement. | 1 | 99,751 | sports |
Whether or not you recline your seat , legroom on an airplane is one of the most hotly contested issues in the skies today so much so that Congress has even gotten involved . And while we may gripe about the shrinking of those precious inches over the years , one man is actually alleging something far more serious: that the lack of legroom nearly resulted in his death. On a recent Air Canada flight from Chile to Toronto, 6'2 Colin Savage says he was forced to stay in his economy class seat for most of the 10-hour flight due to turbulence. After returning to his home in Victoria, British Columbia, Savage visited a doctor because of "horrible" pain in his lower back. Savage was then told he had deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can occur when travelers stay in a small, cramped space usually for more than four hours with little or no movement. According to Savage, resulting blood clots traveled from his leg, through his heart, and into his lungs. Doctors at the hospital told him he had nearly lost his life, reports Canada's CBC News . For their part, Air Canada responded to Savage's complaint by noting that there is no conclusive medical evidence linking flying specifically to being the sole cause of DVT; instead, they said DVT is actually the result of pre-existing medical conditions. This is mostly true: The World Health Organization reports that prolonged periods of immobility on long-distance travel, whether by car, bus, train, or air, all pose similar risks for DVT. According to the American Society of Hematology , risk factors include pregnancy, recent surgery or trauma, obesity, and inherited blood-clotting abnormalities. In the U.S., it is estimated that 900,000 people annually are affected by DVT and resulting pulmonary embolisms (PE), and up to 100,000 die from it. And while the longer the flight, the more at risk you are for developing a clot, there are some precautions you can take to minimize your risk: Stay hydrated. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and when you're seated in the air, walk around once an hour to get the blood moving. Can't get up? Stretch your legs by flexing and relaxing your calf muscles and feet; rolling your ankles; and clenching and spreading out your toes, all of which can help circulation. View our complete list of the best new hotels in the world. | 7 | 99,752 | health |
Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder taught one fan the importance of paying attention at baseball games -- even in the outfield seats. Fielder hit a home run in the fourth inning of Thursday's game against the Astros, and the fan -- who was using her phone -- reacted quickly as the crowd stood up to catch the ball. She saw the ball just in time and instinctively protected her face with her phone. The phone did not survive. The ball hit the phone and took a bounce a few rows back. She didn't get the ball, which would have added insult to the broken phone if not for the Fox Sports crew providing her with an autographed baseball. I'm sure should would have preferred a new phone, though. | 1 | 99,753 | sports |
WASHINGTON (AP) The World Health Organization says women who live in areas where Zika is spreading should consider delaying pregnancy, since there's no other sure way to avoid the virus' devastating birth defects. The WHO stopped short of recommending that couples put pregnancy on hold. "It's not saying they should delay. They should be given the information about it and offered that as an option," WHO spokeswoman Nyka Alexander said Thursday. Zika is rapidly spreading through Latin America and the Caribbean, and health officials in several affected countries have made similar recommendations. But the WHO's guidelines, updated last week, could affect millions of couples who live in outbreak areas. Zika causes only a mild and brief illness, at worst, in most people. But it can cause fetal death and severe brain defects in the children of women infected during pregnancy. There is no vaccine. In outbreak areas, the main defense is to avoid mosquito bites. But Zika also can be spread through unprotected sex with a man who was infected. Around the world, health officials have advised pregnant women not to travel to areas where Zika is spreading. And the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has additional advice for nonpregnant travelers: Women should wait at least eight weeks after a Zika illness, or possible exposure to the virus, before trying to conceive. Men who had symptoms should wait at least six months before trying, the CDC recommends. In response to the WHO's new guidelines, the CDC said health care providers should discuss Zika's risks and how to prevent infection, and provide information about contraception. "As part of their pregnancy planning and counseling with their health care providers, some women and their partners residing in areas with active Zika virus transmission might decide to delay pregnancy," the agency said in a statement. Zika also can be a hazard to the scientists studying it. The University of Pittsburgh said Thursday one of its researchers accidentally stuck herself with a needle during a Zika experiment and went on to develop symptoms. Pitt officials said the lab accident occurred last month and the researcher has recovered and returned to work. Nearly 700 infections have been reported in U.S. states. All were people who had traveled abroad, or who had sex with someone who did. The virus is spreading in Puerto Rico and health officials say clusters of illnesses are likely in the mainland U.S. as mosquito season heats up. On Thursday, CDC Director Tom Frieden made another plea for Congress to quickly provide funding needed to battle Zika. "Give us the money so we can work with American women and children and families to monitor the effects of Zika, so we can do a better job at killing mosquitoes to protect American women, and so we can develop better tools to diagnose Zika, to control mosquitoes and ultimately, with NIH in the lead, to find a vaccine to protect women," Frieden said. The Obama administration requested $1.9 billion in February, to allow officials to continue Zika prevention efforts and begin studying long-term effects of people infected by the disease. In Congress, the House and Senate each passed Zika bills that would provide funding at levels lower than the administration's request. The Senate voted late Wednesday to begin talks with the House on compromise legislation. The Senate proposal includes $1.1 billion without spending cuts to offset the expense, while the House has backed a $622 million measure with cuts elsewhere. ___ Associated Press writers Mike Stobbe in New York and Kathleen Foody in Atlanta contributed to this report. | 7 | 99,754 | health |
We've rounded up 13 of the best hiking trails around the world perfect for your next adventure. We've rounded up 13 of the best hiking trails around the world perfect for your next adventure. Time to lace up your boots and hit the trail ... This post was originally published in 2013. It has been updated with new information. West Coast Trail The 47-mile West Coast Trail was created in 1906 to save shipwreck survivors along the rocky west coast of Vancouver Island . Now, the trail, open for hiking May 1 through September 30, is so popular it even has its own reservation system. Image via CNTraveler.com Kalalau Trail The Kalalau Trail is the only way to access this rugged section of Kauai 's coastline. Those who make the 11-mile hike are rewarded with access to the secluded Kalalau Beach. Image via CNTraveler.com Tour du Mont Blanc The Tour du Mont Blanc covers more than 100 miles and passes through three countries: Switzerland, Italy , and France. (The circuit is also home to the ultra-marathon event, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, where the winner usually finishes in about 20 hours.) Image via CNTraveler.com Sentiero Azzuro Everyone knows Cinque Terre for its stunning views and quaint seaside villages, but it's also home to the Sentiero Azzuro (or literally "Blue Trail") that connects the villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare. Image via CNTraveler.com Appalachian Trail The 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail stretches from Georgia all the way to Maine, crossing through 14 states. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee (pictured here) is home to 71 miles of trail. Image via CNTraveler.com Mount Kilimanjaro Even though it's more than 19,000-feet tall, Mount Kilimanjaro is billed as the "world's tallest walkable mountain," and with good reason the peak requires no technical mountaineering skills to summit. More: The 20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World Image via CNTraveler.com Torres del Paine Chile's Torres del Paine might be one of the world's most popular trekking destinations, but it still earns a spot on our list for its icy glaciers , snow-covered mountains, crystalline lakes, and beautiful valleys. The ultra-ambitious can hike the Full Circuit crossing the entire park in nine days. Image via CNTraveler.com Bibbulmun Track The Bibbulmun Track stretches for more than 600 miles along Western Australia 's coast. The track, known for its mellow terrain, is particularly beautiful during autumn. Image via CNTraveler.com The Narrows The Narrows trail follows the Virgin River for 16 miles through southwestern Utah's breathtaking Zion Canyon. You'll get wet, sure, but we think you'll agree it's worth it. Image via CNTraveler.com El Choro Inca Trail While Machu Picchu Inca Trail gets most of the glory in South America, savvy travelers have started seeking out less-touristed routes . The four-day El Choro trek traverses a 15,000-foot pass. Image via CNTraveler.com Santa Cruz Trek The 30-mile Santa Cruz trek is one of the most popular routes in the Peruvian Andes. Beginning in the charming Peruvian town of Huaraz, the trek crosses the 15,580-foot Punta Union Pass. Image via CNTraveler.com Tongariro Northern Circuit The Tongariro Northern Circuit encircles Mount Ngauruhoe, New Zealand's most active volcano . In addition to craters and lava pits, hikers can also take in the scenic Emerald Lakes. Image via CNTraveler.com Israel National Trail The Israel National Trail winds its way 600 miles across Israel, from the Lebanese border all the way to the Red Sea in the south, passing through ancient Roman ruins (pictured) and Judean Mountains in the process. View our complete list of the best new hotels in the world. More from Condé Nast Traveler: The 10 Best Beaches in Florida The 20 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America The Friendliest and Unfriendliest Cities Around the World Image via CNTraveler.com | 2 | 99,755 | travel |
MIAMI A Philadelphia woman admitted suffocating her 7-month-old son and 3-year-old daughter with a bedsheet during a visit to Florida, authorities said Thursday. Sophia Hines, 40, took a bed sheet and held it over the mouth of her son, St. Leo, according to a police report. She then used the same bed sheet to cover the mouth of her daughter, Ariel. Hines was being held without bail at the Broward County Jail. She has been charged with two counts of premeditated murder, which could potentially carry the death penalty. No attorney was listed to represent her. Police say Hines gave them no explanation for her actions. The homicides occurred during a visit to a relative's home in Miramar, located a few miles north of Miami. Police said Hines arrived a week ago with her two children. They also said Hines stayed by herself with the kids until she called the relative, Neisha Nettleford, on Wednesday afternoon and told her to "come home now." The report said that Nettleford saw Hines crying as the two children lay side-by-side and in a face-up position on a bed in a master bedroom. A neighbor told WTVJ-TV (http://bit.ly/1U7X0xb ) that a frantic woman went to his home to use his phone and made several calls. "She just seemed a bit hysterical," he said. Two police officers responded to the 911 call and were directed to an apartment behind the Miramar home, said police spokeswoman Tania Rues. Rues said that police performed CPR on both of the victims until fire rescue arrived and pronounced the children dead. Rues added that the person who called 911 has not been identified. | 5 | 99,756 | news |
Many are blown away by Kaia Gerber 's beauty and the undoubted fact that, by the age of 14, she's already quickly following in her mom Cindy Crawford 's supermodel footsteps. So what happens when you get the two beauties in one photo shoot ? They prove that they truly are the world's hottest, most badass mommy-daughter duo. | 6 | 99,757 | entertainment |
Brock Lesnar's return to fight at UFC 200 will enter him into the pool of fighters tested by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), but it did not require him to undergo four months of testing prior to his fight as stipulated in the UFC's drug testing code. The UFC's anti-doping policy in coordination with USADA states that a fighter returning from retirement is required to submit to drug testing for four months prior to a bout. "An athlete who gives notice of retirement to UFC or has otherwise ceased to have a contractual relationship with UFC may not resume competing in UFC bouts until he/she has given UFC written notice of his/her intent to resume competing and had made him/herself available for testing for a period of four months before returning to competition." Clearly, Lesnar didn't submit to that testing process considering he just signed his contract to fight Mark Hunt at UFC 200 this past weekend so it was impossible for him to submit o four months worth of testing. LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 2: Frank Mir (red/black shorts) def. Brock Lesnar (white/black shorts) - Submission (knee bar) - 1:30 round 1 during the UFC 81 at Mandalay Bay on February 2, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC There is a clause in the UFC anti-doping policy that does allow for Lesnar to still fight, however, and only enter into the drug testing pool as of this week after his contract was signed. "UFC may grant an exemption to the four-month written notice rule in exceptional circumstances or where the strict application of that rule would be manifestly unfair to an athlete." According to UFC officials in a statement obtained by Yahoo Sports , Lesnar was deemed exempt based on his contractual situation due to his current employment with WWE and needing their permission to return to fighting. "While conversations with the heavyweight have been ongoing for some time, Lesnar required permission from WWE to compete in UFC 200 and only agreed to terms and signed a bout agreement last Friday," UFC officials said. "He was therefore unable to officially start the Anti-Doping Policy process any earlier. "UFC, however, did notify Lesnar in the early stages of discussions that if he were to sign with the UFC, he would be subject to all of the anti-doping rules. Lesnar and his management have now been formally educated by USADA on the policy, procedures and expectations." LAS VEGAS - JULY 11: UFC heavyweights Brock Lesnar (R) battles Frank Mir (L) during their heavyweight title bout during UFC 100 the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino on July 11, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images) J. Kopaloff Getty Images North America So Lesnar will be subject to drug testing between now and his fight with Hunt on July 9 just like every other fighter on the roster, but he didn't have to submit additional testing before signing with the UFC again. For his part, Lesnar's opponent did say when speaking to FOX Sports earlier this week that he hoped the former heavyweight champion would be tested like all the other athletes. "They said (I was fighting) Brock Lesnar and I said make sure he gets tested, that's all I was thinking about," Hunt said. According to the USADA website , the athlete database for testing is updated once a week with the last results posting on June 1. Lesnar was eligible for testing as of June 6 so if he's been tested this week, his results will show in the system as of the next update. Lesnar faces Hunt in the co-main event for UFC 200 on July 9 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. | 1 | 99,758 | sports |
Up to this point, digitally-savvy millennials have propelled much of the growth in online spending. Yet a new report suggests that as the group's influence spreads, a broader majority of shoppers could be on the verge of mimicking their habits, thereby fueling a sustained period of online sales growth. According to the research, released Thursday by Goldman Sachs, older millennials (ages 25 to 34) are more likely than any other generation to spend most of their clothing budget online. Separate data collected by the firm over time has found the online spending habits of 35- to 44-year-olds have lagged this group by about one to two years, with those between ages 45 and 54 straggling another two or three years. Given that Goldman pegs the acceleration in millennials' digital adoption to late 2014, the firm predicts that U.S. apparel and accessories sales growth will increase by a steady 20 percent over the next four years. That compares to gains of less than 10 percent just six years ago. "This means an additional $50 billion of sales will migrate online over the next four years, a revenue base equivalent to apparel and accessories sales for Macy's (M) , Nordstrom (JWN) and Kohl's (KSS) in all channels combined," the report said. "At that rate, online penetration of the apparel and accessories category will reach 25 percent in four years, with further adoption across the age and income spectrum." Goldman's report comes one day after a separate study by UPS and comScore found that for the first time in its five-year history, "avid" online shoppers who make two or more purchases online in a typical three-month period completed more than half of their purchases on the web during that timeframe. According to Goldman's research, nearly 35 percent of millennials already spend most of their apparel budget online. That compares to roughly 30 percent for those between ages 35 and 44, and closer to 15 percent for those between 45 and 54. Similarly, UPS found that millennials complete on average 54 percent of their purchases online. That compares to 49 percent for non-millennials. Young adults are also spending more on their smartphones than their older counterparts, UPS found. Whereas 63 percent of millennials said they've bought an item on their smartphone, only 41 percent of Gen Xers and 19 percent of baby boomers said they've done the same. This growth is notable given mobile's robust revenue gains during the latest winter holiday season . Yet millennials aren't the only variable expected to power the next phase of online apparel shopping. Goldman also lists the influence of affluent consumers; improvements in digital technology; and, of course, Amazon (AMZN) 's expansion into this category as likely contributors. Indeed, online sales trends have slowed at many traditional retailers, with Forrester saying earlier this year that Amazon's domestic retail business accounted for some 60 percent of overall digital revenue growth between 2014 and 2015. To be sure, apparel is the leading category for overall online spending, according to comScore. But Goldman's research underscores that even as online shopping matures, making way for fewer new adopters, consumers are allocating more of their money toward the web. According to the Commerce Department, online sales increased 14.6 percent in 2015, compared to growth of 26 percent a decade earlier. Even as the web steals sales from physical stores, it still accounts for less than 10 percent of overall retail spending, according to the government data. | 3 | 99,759 | finance |
Tides are changing Chipotle Mexican Grill has had a tumultuous year between the bouts of food-borne illnesses and plummeting sales, but it has managed to emerge from the mess of E. coli-related issues. But the pile-on continues as other chains take advantage of the shifting fast-casual market food and begin to climb past the Denver-based chain in customer ratings. Moe's Southwest Grill , which got its start in Atlanta in 2000 and now has more than 600 locations worldwide, is reaping significant benefits from Chipotle's downturn . The chain has been named "brand of the year" in the Harris Poll's category of fast-casual Mexican restaurants, unseating Chipotle, which took the top prize for the last three years but failed to even make the top four in 2016. This year, Chipotle was bested by Taco Bell, Qdoba Mexican Grill, and Baja Fresh Mexican Grill. The Harris Poll ranked this year's brands based on more than 97,000 responses from United States customers, and Moe's was praised for its willingness to listen and respond to diner feedback and needs. "We really view the competition as share of stomach," Moe's president Bruce Schroder said previously . Moe's is part of Focus Brands Inc., which operates chains such as Carvel, Cinnabon, and Auntie Anne's Pretzels, among others. On February 8, when Chipotle closed all of its restaurants for a food safety self-check, Moe's took out a full-page ad in USA Today to emphasize its openness. Overall, Moe's has seen a 5 percent increase in foot traffic thanks in part to Chipotle's struggles, according to a Placed survey . Chipotle still has some loyalists, however, such as the Washington man who's working toward his goal of eating a meal from the chain 366 days in a row . | 0 | 99,760 | foodanddrink |
Tesla is under review for a potential defect in the suspension of its Model S and received a warning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for dissuading customers from contacting the agency about the issue, NHTSA confirmed in a statement to MarketWatch on Thursday. "NHTSA learned of Tesla's troublesome nondisclosure agreement last month," said Bryan Thomas, a NHTSA spokesman, in the statement. "The agency immediately informed Tesla that any language implying that consumers should not contact the agency regarding safety concerns is unacceptable." The review will determine whether NHTSA will initiate a formal investigation, which could lead to a safety recall, according to a Reuters report . Details of the faulty suspension and the resulting notice from Tesla appeared in a post on the automotive blog Daily Kanban on Wednesday. Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. RELATED: Model X owner defends wife after Tesla blames her for crashing pricey SUV RELATED: Tesla breaks into the top 10 most valuable car brands RELATED: Tesla on track with production goals, Pacific Crest says | 3 | 99,761 | finance |
"Delete your account." Hillary Clinton's snarky tweet Thursday to her White House rival Donald Trump was among the funniest of the campaign. Almost as funny as it was awkward. The message by the 68-year-old secretary of state -- actually written by a young staffer, a Clinton aide told AFP -- was in response to the latest broadside by Trump, who had commented on how "Obama just endorsed Crooked Hillary" on Thursday. "He wants four more years of Obama but nobody else does!" the presumptive Republican nominee added. When Clinton trolled back, social media exploded. Within two hours her message was retweeted 200,000 times, making it "the most retweeted tweet of the campaign!" according to Clinton's social media director Alex Wall. With "Delete your account," Clinton, who has struggled to connect with young voters, embraced the quick-witted dry humor of America's millennials. But it also triggered ferocious comebacks from her critics over use of a private email account while she served as America's top diplomat -- a scandal she has been unable to shake. Republicans including Trump have savaged her for her judgment, saying she put US national security at risk, and have accused her of deleting key emails that she did not want Americans to see. "@HillaryClinton, If anyone knows how to use a delete key, it's you," the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Reince Priebus, wrote in a stinging tweet of his own. Trump, known for his sharp tongue on social media, returned fire against Clinton, mocking her less-than-spontaneous attempt at hipness. "How long did it take your staff of 823 people to think that up -- and where are your 33,000 emails that you deleted?" he wrote. Clinton turned over some 30,000 emails to State Department officials after she stepped down from the job in 2013. But she also said she deleted more than 30,000 other emails that were of a personal nature and not related to her work as secretary of state. | 5 | 99,762 | news |
Get your sleepy-time sips on. 5 Bedtime Beverages That Can Help You Lose Weight There's not much worse than a night of tossing and turning in the sack. After all, poor sleep is intricately tied to weight gain, skewed hormone levels, next-day munchies, and blood sugar and insulin issues, says Bridget Murphy, R.D.N., C.D.N., at NYU Langone Medical Center . To score some quality shuteye, you've got to be careful about what you sip before you crash. While you probably know that having caffeine and sugar too close to bedtime can mess with your sleep, other nutrients can actually help you build muscle, improve your blood sugar stability, and burn fat . Here, five beverages you should give a taste at night if you're looking to lose weight. A glass of milk (warm or not) can help you sleep more soundly, thanks to a healthy dose of tryptophan and calcium, says Murphy. And more sleep means less next-day cravings getting in the way of your pounds-dropping goals. For women hitting the gym (i.e. you!), milk s casein protein is slow to digest, which could help you build muscle all night long, per Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise research. The result: a faster metabolism and easier weight loss, says Murphy. We don't recommend drinking fruit juice very often around here, but a small glass of 100 percent grape juice before bed may help you sleep and burn fat as you dream, says Murphy. Research published in Cell Reports suggests that insulin secretion at night (caused by consumption of simple carbs, like juice) regulates the body's circadian rhythms. And a 2015 International Journal of Obesity study found that resveratrol, an antioxidant contained in grapes, converts calorie-storing white fat into calorie-burning brown fat . It's a one-two punch. In case you've heard, yes, wine is also rich in resveratrol. Unfortunately, alcohol isn't the best pre-bed drink. In one University of Melbourne study, sleepers who drank booze before bed exhibited nighttime brain wave patterns similar to people who received small electric shocks all night long. Sounds pleasant, right? A hot mug of this sleep-inducing tea increases your body's levels of glycine , a neurotransmitter that relaxes your nerves and acts as a mild sedative. Another cool trait of chamomile: It spikes your core body temperature so that your system responds by drastically cooling itself, lulling you to sleep . What's more, chamomile has been linked to improved glucose control and weight loss, says Murphy. Just make sure that any tea you drink before bed is caffeine-free and stay far, far away from "detox" teas . (Learn how bone broth can help you lose weight with the Bone Broth Diet .) Made from fermented milk, this probiotic-rich beverage works on your gut microbiome to increase levels of healthy bacteria, promote proper digestion , and help you to absorb vitamins and minerals more effectively, says Murphy. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has also tied the yogurt-like beverage to improved sleep and better exercise performance . Boom. Soy, in milk or protein powder form, is brimming with the amino acid tryptophan. And why is that important? According to Birmingham University research, it can improve sleep quality by acting as a precursor to drowse-inducing melatonin , says Murphy. She notes that apart from helping you drift off, tryptophan also decreases cortisol levels to help fight belly fat. For the best benefits, include some Greek yogurt in your protein shake. It'll supply your muscles with a generous helping of casein protein for better post-workout recovery, she says. | 7 | 99,763 | health |
In an open letter released Thursday, Vice President Joe Biden told the Stanford University sexual assault victim who remains anonymous but whose impact statement has gone viral that she was "failed" by many people and institutions. Biden did not directly address the six-month county jail sentence handed down by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky to Brock Allen Turner, which victims rights advocates called a slap on the wrist. Fueling national outrage was the revelation Thursday that the now-registered sex offender may be released from jail three months early for good behavior. Inside the courthouse, Persky is seeing a backlash, too. The judge has reportedly received anonymous death threats and potential jurors have refused to serve on trials assigned to him. Biden focused his letter not on the justice system, but on the victim he called a "courageous young woman" and "a warrior." "The statistics on college sexual assault haven't gone down in the past two decades. It's obscene, and it's a failure that lies at all our feet," Biden wrote in the letter, first provided to Buzzfeed . "And you were failed by anyone who dared to question this one clear and simple truth: Sex without consent is rape. Period. It is a crime." Biden, who has made stopping campus rape a centerpiece of his vice presidency, was largely responding to the victim-impact statement read aloud by the 23-year-old woman at Turner's sentencing hearing last week. In her statement addressed to the defendant, she wrote in graphic detail about what happened the night of Jan. 17, 2015 and the emotional toll of the sexual assault she's faced ever since. The entire 7,244-word account will be read into the congressional record next week, according to the office of Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough. Turner's sentence followed a unanimous jury verdict, which found the former champion swimmer guilty of three felony charges: assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated or unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person. Prosecutors had sought six years in state prison for the offenses. The judge said he had weighed Turner's lack of criminal history, character and his demonstration of remorse in his decision. In addition to the sentence, a letter written by Turner's father defending his son sparked further outrage across the country, as nearly one million people, as of Thursday, signed an online petition to remove the judge, who won re-election unopposed Tuesday night. The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office and Public Defender's Office have said they do not support Persky's removal from the bench. Though Biden didn't make his opinion known on Persky or the outcome of the trial, he wrote to the victim, "You will never be defined by what the defendant's father callously termed '20 minutes of action.'" "What you endured is never, never, never, NEVER a woman's fault," Biden continued. "And while the justice system has spoken in your particular case, the nation is not satisfied." Kimberly Veklerov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: kveklerov | 5 | 99,764 | news |
Billy Ray Cyrus is campaigning for the return of the mullet! The Achey Breaky heartbreaker himself showed up to the Country Music Television awards on Wednesday night sporting a throwback mop on his head. His new TV show, 'Still the King', will feature the mullet, as well as a new campaign video the country crooner posted to YouTube. "Take a look at this Kentucky waterfall I used to have," Miley's dad says, marvelling at his former self. He added, "You could ride a kayak down that hair. A family of four could white water raft down that hair and make memories for a lifetime." | 8 | 99,765 | video |
You get regular peanut butter cookies (and we love 'em) and then you get all these good things, which are just next level! Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache Sandwich Cookies Why would you eat just one peanut butter cookie when you could eat two peanut butter cookies, sandwiched together with chocolate ganache and a creamy peanut butter filling? Get the recipe here. Soft-Baked Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Cookies Love a chocolate cookie, but also a massive PB cookie fan? Listen up! These are your babies: a soft-baked peanut butter cookie swirled handsomely with a chocolate cookie and decked out with choc chips to boot! Fluffernutter Cookies These genius fluffernutter cookies capture all the goodness of a fluffernutter sandwich, but instead of bread, they feature chewy peanut butter cookies wedged together with light, fluffy marshmallow frosting. Straight back to childhood we go! White chocolate Reese's pieces peanut butter cookies The nutty goodness in these guys comes not from peanut butter itself but from peanut butter chips. Throw in some white chocolate chips and Reese's pieces and you have a super cheerful and rather irresistible recipe on your hands! Click here to read more. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe These peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are a real win because of how quick and easy they are to prepare. Requiring no mixer and just 10 minutes prep time, they're a cinch to whip up when cravings (or guests) come knocking. Extra-Chewy Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies Peanut butter on peanut butter on peanut butter? Don't mind if we do! Make these extra-chewy peanut butter sandwich cookies with plenty of indulgent peanut butter buttercream frosting and send yourself to PB heaven. Reese's marshmallow peanut butter chip cookies Hold up...did that just say Reese's AND marshmallow AND peanut butter all in one humble cookie? It sure did! And you know you want it. Get the recipe here. Thick And Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies If we told you that these perfectly-formed chocolate peanut butter cookies contain no flour and no butter would you even believe us? Either way, it's true, which makes them a scrumptious gluten-free treat that is very difficult to refuse. Snickers Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies When you've finished drooling, you can find the recipe for these incredible Snickers stuffed peanut butter cookies here. Yes, they are drizzled with caramel and chocolate as if they weren't amazing enough already. Coconut Flour Peanut Butter Cookies With PB2 These little fellas are vegan-friendly and gluten-free but are still full of flavor thanks to the fabulous pairing of PB2 and coconut flour. It's never been tastier to be healthy! Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Oatmeal is the sneaky secret ingredient here. It gives extra chewiness and depth to your cookies, without overpowering the dreamy peanut butter flavors and the melty choc chip bits. Get the recipe here. Peanut butter skillet cookie A skillet cookie makes for a brilliant dessert for two, or for one! Top this simple, 6-ingredient peanut butter skillet cookie with a dollop of vanilla ice cream and grab your spoon for a lip-smacking, comfort-filled meal clincher. Soft And Chewy Toffee And Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies What happens when you skip the flour and butter and throw in a bunch of milk chocolate toffee bits? These melt-in-the-mouth toffee and milk chocolate PB cookies, that's what! Happy baking! | 0 | 99,766 | foodanddrink |
LONDON (AP) Buckingham Palace has released a new Annie Leibovitz portrait of Queen Elizabeth II to mark the celebrations of her 90th birthday. The monarch is shown in a soft-toned image with her husband, Prince Philip, at Windsor Castle just after Easter. Both are smiling, but only just. The queen, Britain's oldest and longest-reigning monarch, turned 90 on April 21. She usually celebrates her birthday privately, but this year's milestone served as the jumping off point for weeks of celebrations. Her birthday will be marked officially as usual with the Trooping the Color ceremony Saturday. A lunch on the Mall, the road leading to Buckingham Palace, will be held Sunday to celebrate the queen's patronage of 600 organizations, together with street parties and events around the country. | 6 | 99,767 | entertainment |
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- The sharpest air traffic controller we've ever seen is good under pressure, thinks on his feet, and reacts quickly. And he's only eight years old. "Well I don't think there's any denying it -- he's got the cool factor down to a T," said Brian Edwards, Piper's partner. That cool factor is easy to spot in pictures, moments of social media gold, earning Piper the airport K9 a global following . The 8-year-old border collie sits tight on the tarmac with the Coast Guard hovering only feet away, or as the Blue Angels taxi by, but the goggles and ear guards he wears aren't just a photo op. He's on the job. Piper protects aircraft at the Traverse City, Michigan airport from birds and other wildlife. Here he hones in on geese near the main runway, and they take off as he chases after them. Plane bird strikes can be catastrophic. Coast Guard Pilot Lt. Commander Charlie Wilson is one of Piper's biggest fans. "We've got engine inlets right here in the aircraft where if a bird gets sucked in to an engine especially at a critical phase of flight, that engine is lost," Wilson said. "Birds have a devastating effect on aircraft and keeping them flying." In Piper's two years on the job, they are already noticing a difference. "I've been in a number of airports, they usually shotgun blanks," said Wilson. "Birds get used to that, they know, hey, it's just a sound, nothing's going to happen, but when you deploy a dog that actually chases after them and they have that fight or flight instinct, they go running, and they remember that." Brian Edwards, Piper's partner, has had the dog for three years. "I get to work with my best friend every day," he said. Despite not being previously trained, it only took this old dog about a year to get comfortable on the tarmac. "The airport is his home, I have to drag him out of here whenever we leave," said Edwards. It was Edwards idea to post pictures on Instagram, now Piper has about 10,000 more followers than Traverse City has residents. He's become the mascot for the airport. "Absolutely he has, I think he's become the mascot for the whole town," said airport director Kevin Kline. That's nothing to shake a stick at -- and honestly, Piper would rather you throw it. | 5 | 99,768 | news |
Destruction can be so "cool." | 5 | 99,769 | news |
U.S. equities finished lower on Thursday as an ongoing rally in Treasury bonds and a drop in long-term interest rates dampened spirits. This is a side effect of last Friday's disappointing payrolls report, which torpedoed the odds of a June or July interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve. While this was initially considered a good thing for liquidity addicted markets, the drop in long-term interest rates has weighed on bank stocks on net interest margin concerns. Also, we continue to see a steady bid in the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEXCBOE: VIX ) for the second consecutive day, a sign options traders are buying up put option protection against an equity pullback. In the end, the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.1%, the S&P 500 lost 0.2%, the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.3% and the Russell 2000 ended the day 0.6% lower. T-bonds were stronger, the dollar was higher, gold gained 0.8% and crude oil lost 1.3% to close at $50.58 a barrel. 7 Stocks to Sell and Take Profits on Now! Government bonds worldwide have been rallying, pushing U.S. 10-year yields under 1.7% a level that was last seen during the stock market rout at the beginning of the year. German 10-year bond yields traded below 0.03%. Around $10 trillion in global government bonds are now trading with a negative yield, a vote of no confidence in the recovery from fixed-income traders. Music streaming icon Pandora Media Inc (NYSE: P ) jumped 4% on an analyst upgrade from Axiom on the belief it is poised to capture further market share and makes an attractive acquisition target, but settled at a gain of 1.2%. Read more from Anthony Mirhaydari and other top money experts Financials led the decliners, down 0.8% followed by materials, down 0.6%. Bank stocks lost 1.3%, with Bank of America Corp ( BAC ) down 1.7% and Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE: WFC ) also down 1.7% near its 50-day moving average. Groupon Inc (NASDAQ: GRPN ) lost 6.3% on reports of tepid customer engagement and growth. Restoration Hardware Holdings Inc (NYSE: RH ) lost 21.2% on disappointing forward guidance that was 36% below the consensus midpoint due to larger-than-expected operational costs. Watch stock market volatility to increase further as we head into the Federal Reserve's policy announcement, press conference, and release of updated economic and rate hike forecasts next Wednesday. 5 Big Bank Stocks at Big Risk Right Now Technically, stocks remain stalled at an epic three-year resistance level near Dow 18,000 as fundamental factors from an ongoing earnings recession to very extended valuations metrics remain serious and intensifying headwinds. Anthony Mirhaydari is founder of the Edge and Edge Pro investment advisory newsletters. A two-week and four-week free trial offer has been extended to MSN Money readers. | 3 | 99,770 | finance |
You may go years without changing the tires on your car or admittedly, longer without even thinking about changing the tires on your car. Airliners, which literally weigh tons more than your average Subaru, don't have the same luxury. Southwest Airlines, for example, usually changes tires every five to six weeks, and in the past year, it has used nearly 40,000 of them, an airline spokesman tells Condé Nast Traveler. That's a lot of rubber, so airlines and suppliers are constantly thinking about how they can be more sustainable and less wasteful. This usually means retreading the tires as many times as possible JetBlue, for its part, says it can retool and reuse a tire seven times before it is no longer viable. But let's back up. Many airlines, including Southwest, American, JetBlue, and Frontier, do not own their tires. Instead, they have contracts with companies like Goodyear, which allow them to use, reuse, and then return the tires. "They [Goodyear] actually own them and they guarantee so many landings and takeoffs per tire," Frontier Airlines spokesman Jim Faulkner says. Tires at the plane's nose usually wear out first, Faulkner says. At Frontier, front tires tend to last an average of 219 landings, while main landing gear tires can go for about 394 landings. Tires usually wear out quicker at higher altitudes and in warmer temperatures, and airlines say tires on some types of planes wear out faster than others. And though carriers prefer to change tires during aircraft downtime, sometimes that's not possible: On occasion, they must change tires when passengers are on board. And when they do they, they jack up the plane, just as on a car. (You can feel the cabin rise slightly.) But what happens when tires can no longer be retread? According to a Goodyear spokesman, many aircraft tires end up on farm equipment, and a company called Gensco Tire specializes in turning plane tires into tractor, wagon, and backhoe tires. Even after being retread many times, they're excellent for field use, according to the company. "Pound for pound," Genscoe says on its website, aircraft tires "are the most highly engineered, well constructed, and expensive tires in the world." American, which changes tires on each plane every 60 to 90 days, says roughly two million pounds of its tires get recycled every year, with some ending up as rubber mulch for playgrounds and sports fields. At its facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the airline takes the process one step further by recycling the water it uses for cleaning wheels and brakes. A company called Covanta trucks the water away, and then destroys contaminants in it, before using it to to help make energy: In Tulsa, American says it generates nearly 90 tons of wheel wash water each month. Who knew airline tires were good for more than just takeoffs, landings, and rolling down the runway? View our complete list of the best new hotels in the world. | 2 | 99,771 | travel |
Despite pledges by TSA and several airlines to fix those interminable lines at airports , some travelers aren't taking any chances: They will avoid air travel altogether this summer. That's according to a new survey from the U.S. Travel Association , which found that one in five of the 2,500 U.S. residents polled will either take ground transportation to get around, or will simply stay home rather than deal with long lines at airports . For the travel industry, that's obviously bad news, because those traveling by road or rail won't venture as far, the association's economists note, estimating the lost travel spending could total $4.3 billion for the three-month summer peak season. "To put these figures in perspective, the problems at TSA security lines are costing our economy almost a billion and a half dollars in spending and more than 12,000 jobs every month," said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. And if you are among those still planning to take your chances at the airport, you might want to check out a new "misery index" for fliers from Milecards.com , which also helpfully calculates flight delays and other aggravations to calculate an overall "misery score" for airports around the country. The higher the number is, the more stressful the airport. The worst airport, by this measure, is Newark Liberty International Airport , with a misery score of 95, earned by having the lowest on time ranking, being among the five worst for on-time departures, and ranking in the ten worst for getting planes to the gate at their scheduled arrival time. New York's other two airports LaGuardia and JFK didn't fare much better with a score of 94, a dubious metric they share with Chicago O'Hare. If you're on the West Coast, you're in better shape, with San Jose and Portland ( your second favorite airport in the U.S.) offering the least miserable experience, with scores of 11 and 12 respectively, earned by being in the top 10 for on-time arrivals and in the top three for getting planes to their gates on time. RELATED: How to Get Through Your TSA Check Faster | 2 | 99,772 | travel |
Many of us associate Imodium as the "go-to" solution for diarrhea, but the drug increasingly is being abused as a way to get high, especially for those trying to wean themselves off opioids. Unfortunately, like most drugs, Imodium abuse comes with serious health consequences, such as heart problems. Now, the Federal Drug Administration is contemplating whether to start monitoring Imodium sales, as it does with many over-the-counter cough medicines. Imodium, or loperamide , its main active ingredient, is a common medication used to treat occasional diarrhea and works by decreasing the number of bowel movements a person has or by making the stool less watery. However, when taken in excess, the drug can cause a euphoric feeling and is commonly abused for this reason. Unfortunately, America is currently experiencing a surge in opioid abuse, and as a result, Imodium abuse is simultaneously on the rise. For example, one press release cited a 10-fold increase in Imodium-abuse postings to a web-based form from 2010 to 2011. Although most Imodium abusers cite that they use the drug to help treat their withdrawal symptoms from other more serious drugs such as heroin, these numbers are still very troubling due to the drug's serious side effects. In high doses, loperamide can cause abnormal heart rhythms and disturbance. This risk can increase if the drug is taken along with other medication that can react with loperamide, NBC News reported. Since the drug was first approved in 1977, the FDA got reports of 48 cases of serious heart problems connected to the drug, Newser reported. Ten of these cases were fatal, and more than half came after 2010, reflective of the nation's new opioid crisis. What's more, most experts believe that a large number of loperamide-related heart problems go unreported. "This is another reminder that all drugs, including those sold without a prescription, can be dangerous when not used as directed," William Eggleston, PharmD, of the Upstate New York Poison Center, in Syracuse, New York, who recently lead a study on Imodium abuse in the U.S. said in a recent statement . Abuse of opioids in the United States is largely attributed to over-prescription of pain medications by doctors. For example, between 2000 and 2014, around half a million people in the United States died as a result of drug overdose this comes out to about 78 deaths each day from an opioid overdose, Medical Daily reported. Many users will often turn to non-prescription means, such as heroin, to get their fix once they become unable to get their drug-of-choice. Some states, such as Florida , are taking measures to address this epidemic by enforcing laws to better monitor the prescription of these medications, and results have been promising . The disturbing news of more widespread Imodium abuse has caused some researchers to push for the regulation of the drug's sales. "We continue to evaluate this safety issue and will determine if additional FDA actions are needed," the FDA said, as reported by NBC News. In addition to monitoring, the FDA states that the public needs to become more aware of the problem. The public is urged to take immediate action if they see that someone has fainted or stopped breathing following suspected or confirmed Imodium abuse. | 7 | 99,773 | health |
The Florida Gators will rename their football field after former head coach Steve Spurrier, reports Thomas Goldkamp of 247Sports.com. Spurrier retired in the middle of last season, which was his 11th year with the South Carolina Gamecocks. Spurrier coached at Florida from 1990 2001 before leaving for a job with the NFL's Washington Redskins. Spurrier was extremely successful during his tenure at Florida, winning six SEC titles and a national championship in 1996. Spurrier left the Gators with a 122 27 1 record, including a 87 12 mark in conference play. Spurrier also starred at Florida as a player, competing for the Gators from 1963 66. He won the Heisman Trophy after his senior season. • ELLIS: Which new coaches can win now? The Gators currently play at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, with Spurrier responsible for giving the stadium its nickname, "The Swamp." | 1 | 99,774 | sports |
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a hero to liberal progressives ideologically aligned with Bernie Sanders' anti-Wall Street rhetoric, will endorse presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton Thursday night on MSNBC's the Rachel Maddow Show. The endorsement will come during an exclusive live interview beginning at 9 p.m. Warren's announcement comes the same day President Barack Obama formally backed Clinton in a video lauding her qualifications for the job. Both lawmakers had remained neutral throughout the sometimes bitter primary race between Sanders and Clinton, although the president was long thought to favor his former secretary of state. But Warren, who has made banking reform the centerpiece of her political career, was actively recruited as a potential Democratic primary challenger to Clinton. Vice President Joe Biden also discussed with Warren the possibility of choosing her as his vice presidential pick when he was mulling whether to enter the race last year. | 5 | 99,775 | news |
Arx Pax, the firm behind the Hendo Hoverboard, is selling its hover engines to companies interested in harnessing the technology in industries such as manufacturing and transportation. The Los Gatos, Calif.-based firm announced Wednesday that its HE3.0 hover engines are available for purchase. Arx Pax is also selling a package of scaled-down hover engines to companies that want to develop hover-based technology prototypes. "For the first time ever, we're putting out this technology for anyone that is interested in its potential," Arx Pax CEO Greg Henderson told FoxNews.com. Related: Marty McFly's hoverboard is finally real, and it's on Kickstarter right now Arx Pax's Hendo Hover subsidiary hit the headlines in 2014 with the launch of its initial proof of concept hoverboard , which used the firm's Magnetic Field Architecture (MFA) technology to provide magnetic levitation. MFA continues to generate plenty of buzz - Arx Pax has been even been touting the technology as a way to protect people and structures in natural disasters such as earthquakes. HE3.0 hover engines are being sold for $9,999 a pair. A Magnetic Field Architecture (MFA) Bundle of four scaled-down hover engines is priced at $1,589. "The MFA bundle allows people to explore propulsion and control much more readily," explained Henderson. Related: Hoverboard company Arx Pax touts hover engines for Elon Musk's Hyperloop Ball Aerospace and Pampa Technologies, which specializes in industrial automation, are beta customers for the MFA Bundle, according to Arx Pax. "We're super excited about a lot of different industries and how the technology can be applied," said Henderson. The hover engines, he explained, could be used in semiconductor manufacturing where delicate components must not be exposed to moving parts while the heavy load capabilities of the engines could be useful in industrial manufacturing. "Forklifts require a lot of space," he said. "To have the ability [with hover engines] to turn on a dime could really solve the problem of 'the last inch of logistics'." Related: NASA taps hoverboard company Arx Pax to build space 'tractor beam' Henderson told FoxNews.com that, under good conditions, one of the company's hover engines is able to lift 220 pounds. The company will soon be announcing news about the heavy lift capabilities of its hover engines, he added. Last year, Arx Pax entered into a Space Act Agreement with NASA focused on MFA which will be used to build micro-satellite capture devices that can manipulate and couple satellites from a distance. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers | 3 | 99,776 | finance |
June 9 -- Tim Miller, adviser to Our Principles PAC, and Republican strategist Ben Ginsberg discuss whether delegates to the Republican National Convention should change the rules to prevent Donald Trump from securing the party's nomination on "With All Due Respect." | 5 | 99,777 | news |
The Philadelphia Phillies selected California prep outfielder Mickey Moniak with the first pick in Major League Baseball's draft Thursday, their reward for a 99-loss season in 2015. Moniak, a center fielder from Carlsbad, Calif., is an advanced hitter for his age who doesn't yet possess elite power. He has committed to UCLA, although the Phillies likely would not have selected him without assurances that he would sign. The slot value of the No. 1 pick is $9 million, but the Phillies could disperse some of that bonus money to later picks. Moniak becomes the Phillies' first overall selection since slugger Pat Burrell in 1997. "Collectively, we believe Mickey was the best player available in the draft," Phillies scouting director Johnny Almaraz said in a statement. "He's a true center fielder with incredible offensive ability and the potential to be a perennial All-Star." In 29 games this season, Moniak hit .476 with seven home runs, 12 triples, 46 RBIs, 40 runs scored and a .921 slugging percentage. He was the Gatorade California Baseball Player of the Year and finished his four-year varsity career with a .390 average, 105 RBIs and 105 runs scored. The Cincinnati Reds followed by selecting Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel, who is perhaps the biggest bat who's closest to the major leagues. While the club is far away from drafting for need, he does make for a nice potential replacement for Todd Frazier, traded to the Chicago White Sox in the offseason, A closer look at the top picks in the draft (this post will be updated pick-by-pick): 1. Phillies Mickey Moniak, OF, La Costa Canyon High (Carlsbad, Calif.) Comment: Committed to UCLA, but possesses advanced hitting skills for his age. *** 2. Reds Nick Senzel, 3B, Tennessee Comment: Good power potential and sound defensive ability, he could move quickly toward Cincinnati. *** 3. Braves Ian Andrerson , RHP, Shenendehowa High School (N.Y.) Comment: The first high school pitcher taken in the draft. At 6-3, Anderson is a good strike thrower with a 92-95 mph fastball. *** 4. Rockies Riley Pint, RHP Saint Thomas Aquinas High School (Kansas) Comment: Pint, 18, has an electric arm with a fastball clocked at 100 mph. He has ace potential, but needs to improve his mechanics. *** 5. Brewers Corey Ray, OF, Louisville Ray, 21, is the best combination of tools and polish in the college class. A 30-stolen base threat at the pro level, Ray is an elite runner that has developed 15-20 home run type power. His athleticism and multi-faceted game will allow him to advance rapidly. 6. Athletics A.J. Puk, LHP, Florida Comment: At 6-7, 230 pounds, Puk is the top college pitcher on the board. He averages a 93-97 mph fastball to go with a devastating swing and miss slider. His upside was not reflected in an uneven junior year, but his physical tools suggest a strong chance he's a middle-rotation pitcher as he progresses. *** 7. Marlins Braxton Garrett, LHP, Florence High School (Ala.) Comment: Garrett uses a high leg kick to throw a fastball in the 91-93 mph range and has an advanced curveball for a prep pitcher. *** 8. Padres Cal Quantrill, RHP, Stanford Comment: Son of former major league reliever Paul Quantrill, he's recovering from Tommy John surgery and did not pitch this season. At his best, the 6-foot-3 righty works at 92-95 mph with advanced command. *** 9. Tigers Matt Manning, RHP, Sheldon High School (Calif.) Comment: A two-sport star in high school who didn't start pitching until his junior year. At 6-foot-6, Manning has superior athleticism and a fastball that tops out in the high 90s. *** 10. White Sox Zach Collins, C, Miami (Fla.) Comment: A left-handed hitting catcher, he may be the most pro ready in the draft. He's extremely disciplined at the plate and has a great bat. *** 11. Mariners Kyle Lewis, OF, Mercer Comment: Baseball America's college player of the year, Lewis has a prototype 6-foot-4, lean build and an advanced hit tool. He has power to all fields - with potential 30-homer pop - and a good first step in the outfield. *** 12. Red Sox Jason Groome, LHP, Barnegat High School (N.J.) Comment: Arguably the best prep lefty we've seen in the draft since Clayton Kershaw, His ball explodes from his hand at 92-95 mph, topping upwards of 96-97 and he owns a plus curveball. *** 13. Rays Joshua Lowe, 3B, Pope High School (Ga.) Comment: A unique combination of power, speed, and elite arm strength, Lowe truly has superstar potential. He could be a potential 30 home run threat in the pros. *** 14. Indians Will Benson, OF, The Westminster Schools (Ga.) Comment: At 6-6, a great athlete with power. He has plus tools and could be a 30 homer lefty bat as a pro. | 1 | 99,778 | sports |
Kansas City pitcher Yordano Ventura was suspended nine games and Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado was penalized four games Thursday after their brawl earlier this week. Major League Baseball also fined each player an undisclosed amount. This is the second straight season Ventura has been suspended -- he drew a seven-game ban last year after an altercation with the White Sox. "It's just kind of tough when you have to play short because of something that someone else kind of got going," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said before Thursday night's game at Toronto. On Tuesday night in Baltimore, Ventura hit Machado in the back with a 99 mph fastball in the fifth inning. Machado charged the mound and punched Ventura in the head as the benches emptied. Ventura and Machado both have appealed their suspensions. They can continue to play until the process is complete. "They came up with a decision and obviously I'm going to appeal it," Machado said. "We'll see what happens." Machado was in the starting lineup Thursday night against the Blue Jays. Showalter said he doesn't expect Machado's appeal to be heard while Baltimore is in Toronto for a four-game series. No matter what happens, Showalter said it will be difficult to cope without Machado, who is batting .303 with 15 homers and 37 RBIs. Baltimore is already minus shortstop J.J. Hardy, who has been sidelined since May 1 with a broken left foot. This is the second career suspension for Machado, who sat out five games in 2014 after throwing his bat toward third base following an inside pitch from Oakland's Fernando Abad. Machado appealed that suspension but the penalty was upheld. The Royals next play Friday night in Chicago against the White Sox. The trouble between Ventura and Machado started earlier in the game. Machado got brushed back by two fastballs, then flied out and had words with Ventura. The next time up, Machado was hit. After the game, Orioles star Adam Jones said he was glad Machado defended himself and said he would pay any fine. "Tonight, Manny handled it himself and I couldn't be happier for him," Jones said then. "I knew it was going to happen. (Ventura) has electric stuff and the talent is all there, but between the ears, there is a circuit board off balance. I don't get it. I don't get it." A talented hard thrower who can be temperamental, Ventura got into skirmishes with the Angels and the Athletics early last season before his dustup with the White Sox led to a suspension. | 1 | 99,779 | sports |
A US admiral is set to plead guilty Thursday to lying to federal investigators in a bribery scandal that has tarnished a number of high-ranking navy officials. Admiral Robert Gilbeau will admit to making a false statement before a federal judge in San Diego, his attorney David Benowitz told AFP. Few admirals in the history of the navy have been convicted of a felony charge. Gilbeau will be the highest ranking officer to be convicted in the so-called "Fat Leonard" probe linked to a Malaysian businessman. The US Navy previously said that it had censured three other admirals for their roles in the widening scandal linked to Leonard Francis, a Singapore-based defense contractor who pleaded guilty in January to bribing a number of Navy officials. Francis admitted that his company -- Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA), which provided port services -- plied naval officers with cash, prostitutes, Cuban cigars and Kobe beef to ensure US Navy ships stopped at ports where GDMA operated. Francis earned the nickname "Fat Leonard" in maritime circles because of his girth. Benowitz underlined that Gilbeau was admitting to making a false statement to investigators and was not confessing to taking bribes. "Rear Admiral Gilbeau did in fact make a false statement during the course of an important investigation," Benowitz said. "In this unfortunate situation, he accepts responsibility for the decisions he made and for his conduct." He added that Gilbeau potentially could be sent to prison for the charge. "We are fighting extremely hard to ensure that he does not receive any incarceration," Benowitz said, noting Gilbeau's distinguished 37-year career during which he was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. He did not provide details on the false statement. The corruption scandal has shaken the American navy, with several officers pleading guilty and another arrested in the case. In March, Captain Daniel Dusek was sentenced to 46 months in prison for giving classified information to GDMA in exchange for prostitutes and lavish gifts. He was also ordered to pay a $70,000 fine and $30,000 in restitution to the navy. In one instance, according to court records, Dusek arranged for the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to stop at a port terminal in Malaysia owned by Francis. The 2010 port visit cost the United States about $1.6 million, officials said. As part of his guilty plea, Francis admitted he bilked the US military out of tens of millions of dollars by routinely overbilling for fuel, tugboat services and sewage disposal. He agreed to forfeit $35 million that he made in the scheme and to repay the navy whatever amount the court decides. | 5 | 99,780 | news |
Add Shaquille O'Neal to the list of sports stars who are moving real estate this summer. The former NBA legend has dropped more than $1.1 million on a property outside Atlanta, which makes for a convenient commute to his work at Turner, where he's an NBA commentator for TNT. O'Neal's house does not disappoint: The property features two separate homes, along with a large backyard pool and a barn. Combine the two home and you're looking at 7,400 feet of space -- more than you and I might need, but just the right size for the Big Diesel. Take a photo tour of Shaq's new acquisition, which actually seems like a lot of house for that modest price. Let's all move to Atlanta! Curb Appeal The main house is a five-bedroom, six-bath monstrosity. One has to wonder how often that sixth bathroom will get used. Related: Shaq Thought Phil Jackson Used Weed For Meditation 30 Miles From Downtown Atlanta The main house was built in 2008, while the smaller home had been constructed in 2006. Related: Watch Shaq Put On Wig, Crush 'Maniac' On 'Lip Sync Battle' Space To Roam Shaq's new home is sitting on 14.3 sprawling acres of Georgia countryside. Related: NBA Stars Read 'Mean Tweets' On Jimmy Kimmel Live Great For Entertaining The pool area also features a hot tub, and there's a half-bath built off the house that's designed exclusively for pool use. Related: 14 NBA Stars Who Won MVP And Title In Same Season Pool Party It remains unconfirmed whether the pool is deep enough to completely submerge Shaq. Related: Shaq's Hand Engulfs Reporter's Head Pastoral Retreat The property sat on the market for more than a year before Shaq swooped in and bought it. Class, Class, Class Please tells us the piano comes with the house. Shaq tickling the ivories is an all-too-perfect-image. Related: Shaquille O'Neal Uses Multiple Disguises In Undercover Lyft High Ceilings Non-Negotiable The oversized windows aren't bad, either. Related: Shaquille O'Neal: The Big Entrepreneur Dinner Is Served The dining room seats more than 12 people, according to the listing. Related: Shaq's Unconventional Dinner Order Stunning Finishes Shaq's new kitchen has an open floor plan with a view out onto the pool. Related: For Kobe's Final Act, He Answers One Last Challenge From Shaq Built For Big Eaters Granite countertops and custom cabinets highlight Shaq's new kitchen space. Kick Up Your Feet Shaq got a relative bargain on the house, which was originally listed for $1.275 million. Related: Shaq Steals Show In Surprise Wrestlemania Appearance King-Sized Bedroom The master bedroom features his and her walk-in closets. Luxurious Bath Space And a whole two-thirds of Shaq can fit into that bathtub. Related: Titus Beats Shaq In Shooting Contest Game On A gaming center is one of three entertainment features in the finished basement, along with a fitness room and ... Every Night Is Movie Night The home theater can seat a dozen people in its plush chairs, all of which offer a great view of the screen. Popular On ThePostGame: -- 16 Incredible Photos Of Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s New House -- Muhammad Ali Only Played Golf Once, But The Story Is Incredible -- 16 Stunning Pictures Of Stephen Curry's Home That's Listed For $3.895 Million | 1 | 99,781 | sports |
BALTIMORE Baltimore prosecutors alleged Thursday that the police officer driving the van in which Freddie Gray was fatally injured gave him an intentional "rough ride," pointing to video that shows him running a stop sign and crossing the center line. The accusation was made by Chief Deputy State's Attorney Michael Schatzow in opening statements at the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. as prosecutors seek to convict him of second-degree depraved heart murder, three counts of manslaughter and other charges in Gray's death. Goodson's lead defense attorney, Andrew Jay Graham, said prosecutors can't prove their case. He said testimony will show the medical examiner initially believed Gray's death to be a "freakish accident," and said the defense will dispute the timeline of the injuries by calling Donta Allen, a second detainee in the van. He described Goodson as a good cop and docile person, and said prosecutors have overreached by charging Goodson and his fellow officers. "An accident can be just an accident, and the cause can be the person himself," Graham said. He closed by saying, "Freddie Gray's death was a tragedy, but asking to convict a good officer to satisfy a desire to have someone to blame will just make a tragic situation worse." The opening statements came after a 90-minute hearing in which Circuit Judge Barry Williams, who will decide Goodson's fate instead of a jury, blasted prosecutors for failing to disclose to the defense a meeting they had with Allen last year. Williams said Schatzow, the second-highest-ranking prosecutor in Baltimore, was not grasping the rules surrounding discovery of evidence. He directed prosecutors to take inventory of the evidence in all the pending cases in Gray's arrest and death and disclose on Monday any other information they have withheld. "My concern becomes what else is out there," Williams said to Schatzow. "If your office doesn't get (discovery obligations), I don't know where we are at this point." Goodson is the third of six officers to go to trial in Gray's arrest and death. Last month, Officer Edward Nero, who participated in Gray's initial arrest and helped load him into the police van, was acquitted of all charges by Williams. Before that, a hung jury in the trial of Officer William Porter resulted in a mistrial. Porter is slated to be tried again, but will be called as a witness by prosecutors at Goodson's trial to support their contention that officers had multiple opportunities to help a severely injured Gray and didn't take action. Porter testified at his own trial that Gray did not show clear signs of injury, but also that he told Goodson that Gray should receive medical attention. Police officers and expert witnesses have testified at the prior trials that officers routinely ignored agency rules directing that detainees be secured with a seat belt. They agreed that the ultimate responsibility fell to the van driver. Schatzow said Goodson was "never in any danger from" Gray and had no reason not to seat-belt him. Failing to do so caused his injuries, Schatzow said. "He was injured because he got a 'rough ride,'" Schatzow told Williams. "He was injured because of the way the officer transported him." Video of Gray wailing and dragging his legs during his arrest sparked cries of police brutality last April, but prosecutors are not alleging that Gray was injured in any way during his arrest. Before Thursday, prosecutors had presented evidence of a diving-type injury that caused his injuries inside the van, but had not directly alleged that Gray was hurt as a result of aggressive driving by the van driver. Schatzow said video shows the transport van turning from Riggs Avenue onto Fremont Avenue and running a stop sign. Goodson later stopped the van, walked to the back and looked in on Gray. "He knows Mr. Gray has been injured" at that point, Schatzow alleged. He noted that Goodson did not call in to dispatchers that he was making the stop, though his next move was to ask for another officer to come help him check on Gray. Goodson is the only officer of the six who has not given a statement to investigators about what happened that day. Graham contended that the call for help showed Goodson harbored no bad intent toward Gray, which he said is required for prosecutors to prove the charges against him. Graham sought to place blame for Gray's injuries on Gray himself. When officers put Gray stomach-first on the floor of the van, they placed him in what they deemed was a safe position "if Mr. Gray had just stayed there," Graham said. Graham said Gray had faked being hurt and caused a scene during his arrest, and officers were wary of getting too close to him inside the cramped quarters of the van. Several officers were involved in loading Gray into the van, but Goodson was not among them. Graham said that Goodson at various points deferred to the directions of supervisors, such as when he went to pick up another prisoner instead of taking Gray to a hospital. He said there's no evidence Goodson was aware of any medical problems requiring prompt attention. Graham also alleged that the medical examiner who performed Gray's autopsy believed he died as a result of an accident, but changed her opinion after working with prosecutors "under a very pressurized situation." He also indicated the defense plans to call Allen as a witness. Allen told police on April 12, the day of Gray's arrest and seven days before he died, that Gray was bashing his head into a partition that divides the back of the van. Allen later publicly recanted, saying he only heard a faint tapping. At a hearing Thursday morning before the trial, Williams determined that prosecutors had violated discovery rules by not disclosing a meeting they had with Allen in May 2015, in the presence of his attorney, Jack Rubin. Rubin last week notified defense attorneys about the meeting, and they asked that Williams dismiss the charges against Goodson. Schatzow told Williams that the meeting was unproductive, and said prosecutors didn't believe they were required to alert the defense to such a meeting. Schatzow added that he believed Allen had been coached to lie by police in exchange for not being charged with drugs found in his pockets that day, though he admitted he had no evidence of such a claim. Williams said Schatzow's position on disclosure was wrong, and it caused the judge to be concerned about other information being withheld. "I'm not saying you did anything nefarious. I'm saying you don't understand what 'exculpatory' means," Williams said, referring to the type of information prosecutors must disclose to the defense. Williams has twice previously ruled that prosecutors failed to turn over information in the case. He told Schatzow he would hold him "personally accountable" for anything found in their weekend review of evidence, and said Schatzow and the state's attorney's office could face sanctions. Prosecutors called seven witnesses Thursday afternoon, including an officer who supervised Goodson's field training in 2000 and other trainers who taught him first aid and how to load a prisoner into a police car. Herbert Reynolds, the first-aid instructor, said officers are taught they have a "duty" to seek medical aid and that it is not up to them to decide whether a prisoner is faking injury. Under cross-examination, he agreed there was no duty to act if the officer didn't "readily" observe medical distress. | 5 | 99,782 | news |
The Duchess of Cambridge's hair is a hotly monitored topic by royal enthusiasts the world over. Whether it's up, down, with bangs or in a pony , everyone has something to say about her locks. So we couldn't help but notice something when the media phenomenon formerly known as Kate Middleton attended the 40th anniversary dinner for SportsAid , a charity that supports young athletes, in London Wednesday night. Her hair, with its loose wave, perfect length and precise part, was looking especially fantastic. It was, dare we say, a royal slam dunk. As if the delightful 'do weren't enough, the duchess looked radiant in a stunning, form-fitting royal blue Roland Mouret gown with shoulder cut-outs that's still available in a few sizes and is on sale (!) on the designer's website. A look back at some of Kate's recent hairstyles shows that while she always looks great, there's just something extra special about tonight's look. Perhaps she's finally done growing out the bangs of 2015? Whatever it is, it's working. | 4 | 99,783 | lifestyle |
No one wants to be the kid at the front of the bus who loses his lunch money to the school bullies. It's sad for the Toyota Yaris, then, that it's so easily beaten up on by others in its segment. Our testing shows it to be slower, louder, less comfortable, and less useful than the other kids on the small-car bus, including, inexplicably, some of those riding in the back of the sales race. They eat its lunch. When 10 is a Poor Grade For starters, it's impossible to ignore the Yaris LE's subpar, 106-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and wildly outdated standard four-speed automatic transmission. A 2015 update designed to smooth gearchanges seems to have improved shift quality, but it would take more ratios to quiet the Yaris's loud protestations when coaxed to highway speeds. Getting it to 60 mph took 10.2 seconds; competitors with more power and six-speed automatics are quicker, including the Ford Fiesta at 8.7 seconds, the Hyundai Accent at 9.9 seconds, and even the forgotten Kia Rio at 9.5 seconds. Acceleration from 50 to 70 mph in our top-gear test took an alarming 7.3 seconds; we categorize this statistic as a measure of "passing time," but it's also a key metric when merging onto a freeway. Competitors with stronger engines and more gears for their automatics to choose from when downshifting generally are a second or more quicker in this test. Our suspicion that engine revs were pegged near the top of its range during even moderate acceleration will have to go unconfirmed, because Toyota neglected to install a tachometer. The Yaris is quite a bit quicker when equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, but that's not available on the LE four-door hatchback we tested, only the three-door base L model and the top-dog SE. Even so, it's still a five-cog manual gearbox when many competitors have six-speed transmissions. Dressed Like a Cut-Rate Superhero In our opinion, the Yaris's exterior design, despite the 2015 update, also trails the pack. The nearly flat pieces of metal that make up the door panels look cheap when compared to the undulating curves of the Scion iA a Mazda 2 in Clark Kent glasses which will adopt the Yaris nameplate for 2017. Our test car's black-and-red paint scheme was its only extra-cost option ($500), though several staffers said they would pay extra to forgo it. (One driver said it looked like a dollar-store knock-off version of a Superman action figure, the kind that uses the wrong colors to skirt copyright infringement.) Give Toyota its due, at least, for the 2015 facelift that added character to the Yaris's nose in the form of a much larger grille and overstated air intakes. At least the front end is distinctive, if not exactly attractive. One of the main draws of a subcompact hatchback is that such cars often are quite fuel efficient, thanks to their low curb weights and small engines. The Yaris's 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine makes just 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque, and all signs point to it being a fuel-sipper. EPA rated at 32 mpg combined, it delivered 30 mpg during our testing. That's about par with the 29 to 32 mpg we've recorded for others in the class, but the iA earns a whopping 37-mpg combined rating from the EPA, and we got 36 mpg in our real-world test of the automatic version of that car. Reluctant to Turn, and to Stop The Toyota's lateral grip of 0.83 g falls just about in the middle of the pack, although the car suffered excessive understeer on the skidpad, and we found a similar propensity to plow on highway ramps. The 185 feet it required to stop from 70 mph is a figure usually seen from much larger cars (the gargantuan Lexus LX570 SUV stopped two feet shorter). This is a disquieting trait shared by many inexpensive subcompacts, most likely attributable to relatively small all-season tires tuned for long life and fuel economy, not short panic stops. If you get a Yaris going fast, leave plenty of stopping distance ahead. It's hard to imagine any driver patient enough to mat the accelerator for the long wait to achieve the Yaris's drag-limited top speed of 108 mph. High speeds are accompanied by significant road noise despite Toyota's efforts to mitigate the drone with the 2015 update. Both the Ford Fiesta and Hyundai Accent are quieter at wide-open throttle, the Fiesta by one decibel and the Accent by five. Inside, there are a few appealing details. A large windshield and low beltline offer excellent visibility, so attentive drivers should never be surprised by a car hiding in the blind spots. A standard 6.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity also includes an auxiliary jack and a USB port; its operation was both intuitive and useful. You'll look in vain for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in any Toyota, though, as the company is going its own way on smartphone connectivity. The cloth seats were a bit thinly padded for our taste and feel cramped for larger drivers, but they at least have aesthetic appeal, which is more than we can say about some budget-car interiors. Many Better Alternatives Bumping up to the automatic-transmission SE trim level for an additional $1260 brings a six-way adjustable driver's seat and leather touches on the steering wheel and shifter. The tachometer we missed in our test car comes standard in the SE, as do LED lights. A rear spoiler is a perplexing addition, but adds some character. The bottom-level L trim is two-door only, and loses the aluminum wheels, power mirrors, and chrome detailing that came standard on this LE. The Yaris's lone windshield wiper, standard on all trim levels, is perhaps its most endearing feature, softening some of our frustration with this little guy. But even the cutest little rain-wiping system around couldn't offset these serious gripes. The gas and brake pedals are placed unusually close to the driver push the seat back to get some legroom and you find the non-telescoping steering wheel rather too far away, necessitating a bent-knees, extended-arms posture worthy of its own asana. Admirers of the Honda Fit's super-versatile seats and surprisingly functional cargo hold will be disappointed by the Yaris's stowage area. With all seats up, the difference between the two cars is barely more than one cubic foot. However, with the Yaris's rear seats folded flat, which we appreciate, its compact spare tire raises the load floor and precludes hauling bulkier items that the Fit can accommodate. Cargo volume would seem adequate for this segment if it weren't for the Fit and its flexible interior layout or the Hyundai Accent's comparatively huge space behind the rear seat. The Yaris's persistent understeer and numb driving dynamics might be forgivable in such an inexpensive car indeed, they used to be the norms in this class if it weren't for the bucket-of-fun Ford Fiesta. Ditto bland styling and the more handsome Accent. The Yaris is an affordable car that might pass muster for Toyota loyalists, but the segment has moved on. Instead, we'd recommend the 2017 Yaris iA (née Mazda 2), already available as the 2016 Scion iA. Sorry you got beat up, Yaris. Next lunch is on us. Specifications VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback PRICE AS TESTED: $18,265 (base price: $16,930) ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection Displacement: 91 cu in, 1497 cc Power: 106 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 103 lb-ft @ 4200 rpm TRANSMISSION: 4-speed automatic DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 98.8 in Length: 155.5 in Width: 66.7 in Height: 59.4 in Passenger volume (C/D est): 86 cu ft Cargo volume (C/D est): 16 cu ft Curb weight (C/D est): 2417 lb C/D TEST RESULTS: Zero to 60 mph: 10.2 sec Zero to 100 mph: 37 sec Rolling start, 5 60 mph: 10.4 sec Top gear, 30 50 mph: 5.5 sec Top gear, 50 70 mph: 7.3 sec Standing ¼-mile: 17.8 sec @ 78 mph Top speed (drag limited): 108 mph Braking, 70 0 mph: 185 ft Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.83 g FUEL ECONOMY: EPA city/highway driving: 30/36 mpg C/D observed: 30 mpg | 9 | 99,784 | autos |
In the never-ending quest to have your cake and eat it too, one investor has come up with a potential solution. Janus Capital Group jns, a Denver-based investment firm managing $191.3 billion in assets, launched four new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) filled with weight loss and health-related stocks. There is the Obesity ETF, which comes with the tagline "Invest in the Battle Against Obesity" and the ticker symbol "SLIM." Then there is Janus' Health and Fitness ETF, with the ticker "FITS," whose motto implores investors to "Invest in our Passion for Fitness." Of course, you don't have to share Janus' passion for fitness, nor fight fat personally, to invest in the funds. Shareholders are welcome to stay home eating cake while hoping they make money on other peoples' weight loss struggles. Indeed ETFs are inherently designed for lazy investors, as they are not actively managed--meaning even Janus itself won't be busy trading the stocks in the funds, which mirror an index designed by a different firm. The top holding in the Obesity ETF, accounting for nearly 20% of its portfolio, is Novo Nordisk nvo, a Danish pharmaceutical company specializing in treatments for diabetes, a disease associated with obesity. Nike nke , meanwhile, makes up a similar percentage of the Health and Fitness ETF as its biggest position. Janus' other new products include the Organics ETF (Whole Foods wfm is its largest holding) and the Long-Term Care ETF (with ticker "OLD," it invests in senior housing companies and biotechs developing drugs for aging-associated diseases). The funds follow a recent spurt in ETFs created to track certain stock niches, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, such as the BioShares Biotechnology Clinical Trials ETF (BBC) andVan Eck Global's Market Vectors Generic Drugs ETF (GNRX), which just started trading in January. The new funds could attract investors seeking to be more selective in their biotech and pharma investments, as broad-based industry ETFs have recently performed terribly due to concerns about drug price regulation. The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) is down 19% year to date, while the iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF (IHE) has fallen 8%. If only the average investor could shed pounds as easily as biotech stocks have shed value. | 3 | 99,785 | finance |
What if we told you your ideal island paradise has been under your nose the whole time? Which US island should you visit this summer? We all dream of an idyllic island getaway, but what if we told you it's right on your doorstep? Believe it or not, the US is home to a huge variety of islands to suit every type of traveler. So whether you want a trip to explore the great outdoors or seek some luxury solitude, there is island within American borders that is tailored to all your travel needs. And the best part? You can forget the hassle of renewing your passport! Best for nature: Maui, Hawaii When it comes to nature, the Hawaiian island of Maui has it all. It is a must-visit destination for anyone who loves the outdoors. From lava flows and bamboo forests, to waterfalls and canapes of green, there is no limit on this island's beauty. It is also home to the Haleakala National Park which you can explore via the stunning Waimoku Falls Trail. Best for sports: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina Long known as a golfer's paradise, Hilton Head Island is heaven for any sports enthusiast. From tennis, to volleyball and polo, the island plays host to many prestigious sporting events throughout the year. Surrounded by sunny beaches and lush greenery, it is not a bad destination to explore between games either... Best for hiking: Kauai, Hawaii On the island Kauai you can hike through some of the most dramatic sights Hawaii has to offer. Waimea Canyon, also known as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific", is fantastic to discover on foot, whilst boat and helicopter will give you different perspectives on "Hawaii's Island of Discovery." Best for escaping the crowds: Amelia Island, Florida Amelia Island is a timeless destination known for pristine nature and uncrowded beaches. Its tranquility makes it a perfect romantic getaway for couples to spend some quality time together. Best for wildlife: Chincoteague Island, Virginia On Chincoteague Island you can watch ponies run wild, catch or dig up your own seafood and take refreshing walks on its beaches. The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is a wonderfully unspoiled spot for bird watching, horseback riding, swimming and biking. Every summer since 1925, all of the feral ponies on Assateague are rounded up for the world-famous annual Pony Swim over to Chincoteague. Best for nightlife: Key West, Florida You're guaranteed a good time on Key West. Head straight to Duval Street, sometimes described as the "Bourbon Street of Florida," which overflows with rowdy bars and thumping clubs. Come during the island's hallmark festivals for a truly wild experience. Best for watersports: Marco Island, Florida Whether its waverunners, parasailing, sailing, windsurfing, swimming or fishing, this island has water activities to suit your lifestyle. With 3.5 miles of gleaming sands, washed by a shimmering turquoise gulf, Marco Island is the perfect water-sports destination. Best for families: San Juan Islands, Washington Off the coast of Washington await 172 named islands, and many more that have yet to be named, all offering exploration. The three main islands for family visits include Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Island. There are plenty of activities to keep your children occupied here, including the Funhouse, a hands-on museum/science center/art studio/game center. Best for sunsets: Golden Isles, Georgia Georgia's small archipelago is known as the Golden Isles for its dune-covered beaches that turn gold at sunset. The most popular of the barrier islands are Tybee - which is closest to Savannah - St. Simons - which is home to the wonderful and uber family-friendly Cloisters - and Jekyll, which is protected as park land. Best for variety: Galveston Island, Texas Less than an hour from downtown Houston, Galveston Island is 32 miles long and has 32 miles of beach. But this island also has so much more to offer including, historic architecture, shopping and dining, and lots of family-friendly attractions and accommodations. Best for culture: Oahu, Hawaii Oahu s rich cultural heritage is everywhere you look; in its traditions, people, music, food, and land. Highlights include historic Chinatown; the Punchbowl, a crater-turned-cemetery; and Waikiki, the iconic beach, dining and nightlife area. West of Honolulu is Pearl Harbor, site of the 1941 bombing attack and home to the USS Arizona Memorial. Best for views: Whidbey Island, Washington It's about 25 miles from downtown Seattle to the dock in Mukilteo, but the commute is half the fun once you're on the ferry to Clinton on Whidbey Island, the Puget Sound views begin. The views of Deception Pass are spectacular. | 2 | 99,786 | travel |
(Bloomberg) -- Thomas Perkins, the co-founder of venture-capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers who provided early financing to technology giants such as Google Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Sun Microsystems Inc., has died. He was 84. He died Tuesday at his home in Tiburon, California, following a long illness, the New York Times reported, citing an assistant to the executive who the newspaper didn't identify. The Harvard Business School graduate left his job at Hewlett-Packard Co. to establish Menlo Park, California-based Kleiner Perkins with Austrian-born engineer Eugene Kleiner in 1972. Opening with $8 million and later joined by Frank Caufield and Brook Byers as partners, the firm invested in tech companies over the next two decades, leading to the Silicon Valley boom that ushered in the Internet Age. Perkins coupled his investing with an active management role in the enterprises he helped to finance. He was an early supporter of the biotechnology industry, serving as chairman at Genentech Inc. for 15 years, and was on the board of Tandem Computers Inc., Hewlett-Packard and Compaq Computer Corp. 'Hands-On' "His influence as a Silicon Valley pioneer is huge," Byers said in a 2006 interview with the alumni association of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Perkins's alma mater. "His hands-on activist management style has now been propagated throughout the venture capital world." Hewlett-Packard helped turn Northern California's Silicon Valley into a major technology hub and remained a constant presence in Perkins's life. He guided the company in the 1960s to the advent of minicomputers, refrigerator-size machines that began to take market share from larger mainframes; learned the venture-capital trade from co-founder David Packard; and joined the board after helping engineer its $18.9 billion purchase of Compaq in 2002. After a year's retirement, Perkins returned in 2005, only weeks before Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina was fired in a boardroom tussle over the company's post-merger strategy. Board Games In her 2006 memoir, "Tough Choices," Fiorina described how she was "appalled by the reemergence of Tom Perkins and the very active role he was clearly playing" while her board colleagues displayed "an irrational urgency" to reinstate him. "I believed that I had been brought back to the board -- the warhorse -- to stiffen everyone's resolve, and if Carly wouldn't budge on at least some of the changes the board sought, to take decisive action to find a new CEO," Perkins wrote in "Valley Boy," his 2007 book. Thomas James Perkins was born Jan. 7, 1932, in Oak Park, Illinois, to Harry and Elizabeth Perkins, according to Marquis Who's Who. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and computer science at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1953 and an MBA at Harvard Business School four years later. Laser Company While working his way up the ranks at Hewlett-Packard in San Francisco, Perkins spent nights and weekends in nearby Berkeley to develop a laser company, University Laboratories, during the 1960s. He later guided it into a merger with Mountain View, California-based Spectra-Physics and then served on its board, according to the MIT article. Perkins was general manager of Hewlett-Packard's computer division from 1965 to 1970, and oversaw the development of the minicomputers that would become the company's core product. Ambitious and hard-driving, he was known to jump on desks when the phone rang, loudly counting out the rings to make sure someone answered it by the third one, according to Joe Schoendorf, later a venture capitalist at Accel Partners. Perkins left Hewlett-Packard's board in 2006, after charging Chairman Patricia Dunn with approving an investigation of alleged boardroom press leaks that included spying on reporters and executives' phone records. As a venture capitalist, Perkins was, at one point, chairman of 14 companies that Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers funded, including three listed on the New York Stock Exchange, MIT reported. Romance Author After two marriages, Perkins wrote the 2006 romance novel "Sex and the Single Zillionaire" about a New York financier struggling to cope with the death of his wife. Encouraged by his second wife, the best-selling author Danielle Steel, Perkins wrote the 288-page book in only 100 hours over 30 days, according to an article in the New York Times. As owner of the 289-foot "Maltese Falcon," the world's largest clipper yacht, Perkins enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle and purchased a penthouse in the Millennium Tower overlooking San Francisco Bay in 2009. "I'm not a billionaire, I'm a multimillionaire," Perkins said in a January 2014 interview with Bloomberg Television's Emily Chang. "I've created some billionaires, but I unfortunately am not one." In January 2014, he caused an uproar after writing a letter published in the Wall Street Journal in which he compared the "demonization" of the wealthy 1 percent of Americans to Nazi Germany's persecution of Jews. Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, where he was a partner emeritus, distanced itself from the comments and said Perkins hadn't been involved with the firm "in years." With his first wife, the former Gerd Thune-Ellefsen, Perkins had a son, Tor Kristian, and a daughter, Elizabeth Siri. Thune-Ellefsen died in 1994. He married Steel in 1998 and divorced the following year, according to Marquis Who's Who. To contact the reporter on this story: David Henry in Frankfurt at [email protected]. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Charles W. Stevens at [email protected], Steven Gittelson ©2016 Bloomberg L.P. | 3 | 99,787 | finance |
A pop star, an Oscar winner and several rappers all identify with the religion Donald Trump's latest executive order banning travelers from certain seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US for 90 days didn't sit well with much of Hollywood. Here are 15 celebrities that you probably didn't know were Muslim and could be somehow affected by Trump's ban. Zayn Malik The former One Direction singer hasn't been too vocal about his religion. He garnered a worldwide trending topic #respectforZayn when Bill Maher compared him to the Boston Marathon bomber. Ice Cube The former N.W.A rapper has said, "What I call myself is a natural Muslim , because it's just me and God. You know, going to the mosque, the ritual and the tradition, it's just not in me to do. So I don't do it." Ellen Burstyn Burstyn was raised Catholic and then began her journey to Islam by practicing Sufi Islam . She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." Mehmet Oz Better known as Dr. Oz , the TV personality hosts a talk show that discusses popular health concerns. Oz was named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in 2009 by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, a leading Muslim group. Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid The Somali supermodel (and widow of the late rocker David Bowie ) most commonly known as Iman is Muslim. Her name means "faith" in Arabic. She's said she considers herself Muslim even though she doesn't practice. DJ Khaled In an interview with Larry King , Khaled described himself as a Muslim and then said "I practice it, but I could do a better job." Aasif Mandvi This actor-comedian, best known as a former correspondent on "The Daily Show," has openly criticized the fact that he has to spend so much time defending his religion instead of engaging in open dialogue about it: " I have a complicated relationship with my own faith." Lupe Fiasco The Chicago native isn't one to be quiet about his beliefs, but the fact that he's Muslim is something many might not be aware of. In an interview with Katie Couric in 2014, he addressed the struggles of being Muslim while in the entertainment industry. Mike Tyson Muhammad Ali wasn't the only boxer who is Muslim. In an interview with Fox News , Tyson says "I'm very grateful to be a Muslim." He has also said "Praise be to Allah," in an interview following a fight. Dave Chappelle One of the most well-known comedians, Chappelle told Time Magazine in 2005, "I don't normally talk about my religion publicly because I don't want people to associate me and my flaws with this beautiful thing. And I believe it is a beautiful religion if you learn it the right way." Fareed Zakaria The host of CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" says he is neither a practicing Muslim nor is he very religious, but he self-identifies as Muslim nonetheless . Zinedane Zidane The legendary soccer star most known for exiting his career with an infamous headbutt heard around the world, is Muslim . Busta Rhymes The Grammy-nominated artist is probably best known for rapping a mile a minute on some tracks. He has stated "I live my life by Islam and at the end of the day I think that's pretty much what grounds me." Cat Stevens Better known now as Yusuf Islam, converted to Islam in the 1970s. Islam went on a pretty long musical hiatus after his conversion. Omar Sy The French actor, best known for his role as Bishop in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," is Muslim. He was also listed in the World's 500 Most Influential Muslims publication in 2016. | 6 | 99,788 | entertainment |
What's really interesting about this car is that it comes with the ability to be a better one or at least a more powerful one. | 3 | 99,789 | finance |
CLEVELAND Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue insisted he hasn't thought about his potential lineup quandary for Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night. He soon might need to choose: Kevin Love or Richard Jefferson ? Love returned to practice Thursday he had a "great workout," Lue said as he tries to recover from the concussion symptoms he experienced after taking a Harrison Barnes elbow to the head in Game 2. Love missed Game 3 as he went through the NBA's concussion protocol. He will be re-examined Friday afternoon, 24 hours after Thursday's practice. Jefferson replaced Love in the starting lineup for Game 3 and helped the Cavs cruise to a 120-90 victory. Cleveland's defense clearly improved with Jefferson in the lineup, partly because that allowed LeBron James to slide over to power forward and defend Draymond Green . "Whatever the situation, I'll be ready to go," Jefferson said after Thursday's practice. "I think Kevin will be ready to go before the end of the series, without a doubt." Jefferson bristled at suggestions the Cavs are better without Love. Public sentiment in Cleveland seems to fall with starting Jefferson on Friday night, even if Love is cleared to play. "Kevin is a big part of our team," Jefferson said. "He's one of the main reasons we're here. When we lost a couple games in Toronto, or when we struggled in Games 1 and 2 of this series, it wasn't all his fault. "Nobody particularly played well in those first two games, so to put that on one individual is unfair." Love averaged 11 points and eight rebounds in the series, before leaving Game 2 early in the third quarter. Bounceback history: Warriors players universally agreed with head coach Steve Kerr calling their Game 3 effort "soft." As Green put it, "We got bullied, punked and any other word you can find for it." The Warriors are counting on their season-long habit of bouncing back after losses. They did not drop consecutive games all season until the Western Conference finals, when Oklahoma City smacked them by 28 and 24 points in Games 3 and 4. "We'll respond," guard Klay Thompson said. "The best part about this team is everyone's so competitive that we're all embarrassed by Game 3. We really are. So we're going to have a better showing (Friday). I really believe that." Offensive resurgence: Maybe the Warriors slacked off on defense Wednesday night. Or maybe the Cavs simply got tired of missing so many shots. They scored 89 and 77 points in losing Games 1 and 2 of the series. Then, in Game 3, they had 89 points by the end of the third quarter and finished with 120, their highest total since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta. "Our offense was our biggest problem in those first two games," Jefferson said. "That was really uncharacteristic of us. … We just couldn't score enough points. Then we finally got out of that little slump." Briefly: Wednesday night's loss ended a seven-game winning streak for the Warriors against Cleveland, dating to last year's Finals. … General manager Bob Myers planned a side trip to Pittsburgh on Thursday to watch Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Sharks and Penguins. Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. | 1 | 99,790 | sports |
"Brock Turner needs to die." It's what the Internet savagely called for after the former Stanford swimmer was sentenced to six months in jail last week for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster in 2015. Prosecutors had asked for six years in prison. The judge, who also went to Stanford, said he worried a harsher sentence would have a "severe" impact on Turner's life. "Brock Turner needs to die in a hole" read one tweet. "I want nothing more than brock turner to die," said another. And this one: "Dear Brock Turner and everyone who even remotely supports him; kindly crawl into a pit of flames and die." It would surprise no one if Emily Doe, the 23-year-old woman Turner assaulted, felt the same. But perhaps one of the most overlooked parts of her remarkable statement is that she doesn't. Doe, who has chosen to remain anonymous, wrote an utterly devastating, exquisitely crafted 12-page statement on the incident. She read portions of it in court before Turner was sentenced. Her message saturated the news all week. The statement has been revered for its unflinching details of her trauma: "I learned that my ass and vagina were completely exposed outside, my breasts had been groped, fingers had been jabbed inside me along with pine needles and debris." It's been extolled for its eloquence: "I wanted to take off my body like a jacket and leave it at the hospital with everything else." It's been presented as a paragon of solidarity: "To girls everywhere, I am with you." What has received little attention are two extraordinary paragraphs on page 10, where she challenges Turner to make a new name for himself. "The world is huge, it is so much bigger than Palo Alto and Stanford, and you will make a space for yourself in it where you can be useful and happy. ... I fully support your journey to healing, to rebuilding your life, because that is the only way you'll begin to help others." Sometimes it's unfathomable, to those who have experienced trauma and violence and especially to those who have not, that victims can forgive their perpetrators. We don't know what's in Doe's heart, but her words reveal it isn't vengeance. When the crimes are heinous, forgiveness seems illogical, even impossible. But we see, time and time again, that it's not. In Steubenville, Ohio, a mother said she forgave her daughter's rapist. In Charleston, S.C., family members of the nine people murdered inside a historic black church told shooting suspect Dylann Roof of all the precious things he took from them, before saying they forgave him. In the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, a mother whose 6-year-old son was gunned down wrote a book about how she learned to forgive gunman Adam Lanza. Fred Luskin, director of the Stanford Forgiveness Project , says while forgiveness isn't essential, his research shows it's the fullest expression of healing. When he defines forgiveness, there is no mention of the perpetrator. "Forgiveness is making peace at some level with the parts of your life that weren't the way you wanted them to be," said Luskin, who argues that forgiveness is a skill that's taught. "She could have said you're a terrible human being you should rot in hell, but she wanted to be seen as so much more than a person who has been violated," he said. "She wanted to be seen as a living, breathing human being that's dealt with her suffering." In the Charleston church shooting, what felt so exceptional was the families told Roof they forgave him mere days after police say he gunned down their loved ones. "The people in that church had made the decision because of their religious beliefs that Jesus wanted them to forgive," Luskin said. "That was already decided for them, but they still had to work through it, and the media didn't stay around long enough to document that experience. " Others argue that while forgiveness may be part of some victims' journeys, mercy is not required to heal. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network President Scott Berkowitz says recovering from trauma is specific to each victim. Forgiveness is not fundamental. It says more about our relationship with ourselves, our families and our god than it does about our ability to heal, he says. "Victims thoughts about forgiveness tend to be very personal and can vary so much," Berkowitz said. "I've talked to many victims who felt that was a really important part of their journey and recovery, and as they expressed that it allowed them to not have to relive the trauma everyday. That helped them move on and to re-engage with their family or their job or their school. But by the same token there are many survivors where that's not a part of how they approach their recovery." Some experts even say forcing forgiveness can be harmful. In Psychology Today, Deborah Schurman-Kauflin writes that you don't have to forgive, even if you feel pressure to. She says "the truth is that forgiving may be the worst thing you can do." If it eludes you, it means it's not healing for you at this time, she says. The devastation of what happened to Emily Doe is hard for us to wrap our minds around; she spent the last year wrapping her own head around it. So where does that leave the public? "You have to understand that none of us know how to deal with evil," Luskin says. "None of us. There's just something so wrong about somebody raping somebody unconscious, there's something so wrong about that, that you can't make it right. We all have to struggle with the questions of 'How do people do this? And if they can do it to them, they can do it to me. I'm not safe in the world.' We get scared, and we react really harshly. But it's the fear talking." Emily Doe feels the fear. She felt it the morning after as her sister drove her home, scratches on her body, bandages on her skin, her vagina sore, her underwear missing. She feels it now, when she takes walks in the evening, when she's with friends. She feels it as she moves through life. And yet, she hopes Turner will rewrite his story. "Right now your name is tainted, so I challenge you to make a new name for yourself, to do something so good for the world, it blows everyone away," she wrote. "You have a brain and a voice and a heart. Use them wisely." If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org and receive confidential support. | 5 | 99,791 | news |
Shawn Stefani, Tom Hoge and Seung-yul Noh shared the FedEx St. Jude Classic lead at 5-under 65 on Thursday. Little wind and perfect though fast greens created near perfect scoring conditions at the TPC Southwind. Some extra rough requiring tight shots also provided a good test for players preparing for the U.S. Open next week at Oakmont in Pennsylvania. RELATED: Leaderboard Hoge had a bogey-free round with five birdies in the morning group. This is only the second time Hoge has played the event, but he has qualified for the U.S. Open twice in Memphis and tied for 12th at Southwind last year. "I don't know if it's the food or the water or what it is, but Memphis has been good to me," Hoge said. "Hopefully, I can keep it going." Stefani was the lone player teeing off in the afternoon to work his way into a tie for the lead and stay there. The Texan was 5 under between Nos. 7 and 10 with an eagle at No. 9 where Stefani was just trying to avoid the water with the hole tucked left. "It was nice to see one go in for a change," said Stefani, who has made only eight of 20 cuts this season. "Most of them have been hitting and spinning back going in the water this year. It is nice to kind of see some balls going my way and shots going my way for the day." Dustin Johnson, the 2012 champ here, was in the group at 66 with Steve Stricker, Jamie Donaldson, Colt Knost, Brian Gay and Miguel Angel Carballo. Retief Goosen, Scott Stallings and Justin Leonard a two-time champ here all shot 67s. Henrik Norlander of Sweden had a share of the lead with two holes to play among the final players on the course. But he three-putted from 4 feet on the par-3 eighth and finished with a 67. Phil Mickelson matched defending champion Fabian Gomez of Argentina at 70. Johnson had a share of the lead too with three holes left after going 6 under between Nos. 16 and No. 2 with an eagle and four birdies. He might have had the top of the leaderboard to himself if not for what happened during the rest of a roller-coaster round that also featured a double bogey, three bogeys and three other birdies. He said he feels as if he's playing well with the exception a few lapses in concentration. The last came on his final hole at the par-4 ninth when he came up well short of the hole, resulting in his third bogey and dropping him a shot back of the leaders. "Obviously, I hit a lot of great shots and, you know, just a little disappointed I made a bogey on the last hole being in the middle of the fairway," Johnson said. "I pulled my wedge shot a little bit, but it's right there. I mean, 15 feet from the hole you got to get that up and down. Have to hit a great chip shot. All in all, it's a good day. 4-under out here is not a bad score but I feel like I'm playing a lot better than that." That Johnson is. He finished third at Memorial last week for his seventh top 10 this season, and a tie for 28th at The Players Championship in May is his worst week since tying for 41st at Pebble Beach in February. But Johnson has a streak of winning at least once a year the past eight years, and he also is prepping for the U.S. Open after his agonizing three-putt on the final hole of that major a year ago to miss out on a playoff. "I'm very excited. The game is in good shape all around," Johnson said. "Everything is working pretty well. Just a few poor swings today but other than that, I made most of the putts." Goosen is playing after a three-week break to prepare for Oakmont, and he needs to work on his putting to finish off more birdie chances. Hitting the fairways is a must this week. "Generally there's not much rough, and this year we have rough," Goosen said. "Hitting fairways this year is a premium, and in the past you could miss a few fairways and get away with it. But you get punished this time." | 1 | 99,792 | sports |
It's about time we get some flying cars, and one of Google's co-founders is trying to help make them a reality. | 8 | 99,793 | video |
Anna Kournikova and Enrique Iglesias have been in a on-again, off-again relationship for over 15 years. But despite the long-term relationship, the couple haas shared little to no pictures of one another. However, that now seems to be changing. | 6 | 99,794 | entertainment |
A pair of 2017 Acura NSX hybrid supercars will compete in the grueling Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb later this month. The cars will participate in the Time Attack 1 and 2 classes. Drivers for the two NSX supercars include two brothers from Acura's North American engineering team: James Robinson will be driving in the Time Attack 1 class and Nick Robinson in the Time Attack 2 class. " Pikes Peak is like no other race in the world and offers a unique opportunity to showcase the power and performance of our products," said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of the Acura Division, in a release. "We are excited for this year's 'Race to the Clouds' to test the endurance and engineering of the Acura NSX and our advanced powertrain technologies as well as an expression of our racing spirit." The race cars' powertrains are unchanged from the production car and feature the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 engine, nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, Rear Direct Drive Motor powering the rear wheels, and the Twin Motor Unit that distributes power to the front wheels via an electrically powered torque vectoring system. Total system output is rated 573 hp and 569 lb-ft of torque. Earlier this year, rumors swirled that the cars headed to Pike's Peak would lose their front motor system for a rear-drive-only setup and be campaigned as an Acura NSX Type-R variant. The Time Attack 1 class car, piloted by James Robinson, has been modified with a custom high-flow racing exhaust and reduced mass by taking weight out of the chassis. James, who works in the powertrain development group, drove a first-generation Acura NSX at Pikes Peak in 2012 and 2015. The second car, driven by Nick Robinson, in the Time Attack 2 is a production car upgraded with the requisite racing safety equipment. Nick, who was in charge of the new NSX's dynamic performance, won the PP250 class last year. Additionally, an NSX-inspired 4-Motor EV Concept will be raced in the Electric Modified Class. That vehicle is powered by an all-electric, 4-motor Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) powertrain, which is said to be an evolution of the system that won the 2015 Pikes Peak Challenge Exhibition class. Tetsuya Yamano will drive the 4-Motor EV Concept. The new car is said to have three times more power than the CR-Z-based electric prototype Yamano drove in 2015. Acura says the 4-Motor EV Concept is the world's first application of four-wheel independent torque allocation. This year, the all-electric prototype will feature an NSX body. Acura will again return as the Official Pace Car sponsor. This year the automaker will provide a new Acura NSX, an Acura TLX sedan, and an Acura MDX crossover for the event. The 100th anniversary of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is scheduled for June 26. Source: Acura | 9 | 99,795 | autos |
J.G Holland once said, "The mind grows by what it feeds on," which is why getting motivated and staying motivated is all about the brain food. 20 Foods That Make You Motivated By Cassandra Talmadge J.G Holland once said, "The mind grows by what it feeds on," which is why getting motivated and staying motivated is all about the brain food. Slaying your goals has never been more straightforward, and the science backs it up: If you consume garbage, you'll project garbage. (There is no polite way of putting this.) The truth is that getting motivated is easy. But staying motivated, even under the best possible circumstances, can be crazy difficult. For this reason, we've compiled 20 foods that increase focus, memory, and reaction time, as well as control stress and fight depression and anxiety. The healthy mind can commit, prioritize, eliminate distractions, and conquer and it all starts with your diet. So load up on these foods during your next grocery run, and when cravings for junk food kick in, take a strategy out of this playbook on 25 Ways to Stop Thinking About Food . 1. Tuna Tuna and we don't mean "Chicken of the Sea" contains 69% of your daily dose of vitamin B6, which is backed by endless research linking it to motivation. In fact, according to Japanese researchers, low dietary levels of vitamin B6 translate to a depressed mood . When we're depressed, we don't accomplish much. And that's not all; the University of Maryland Medical Center has use vitamin B6 as a way to both prevent and treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The developmental disorder is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity all things that make accomplishing tasks and staying focused extremely difficult. 2. Spinach Research from Harvard Medical School found that consuming green leafy vegetables (like spinach) slows the rate of cognitive decline. Bonus: Popeye's favorite food improves learning capacity and motor skills, as well as protects the brain from oxidative stress (which can cause Alzheimer's Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Dementia). 3. Whole Grains Aside from being an energy-boosting complex carb, whole grains are packed with folate. The B vitamin boosts blood flow to the brain and is sometimes used to treat bipolar depression. Not sure how to insert more whole grains in your diet? Check out these 50 Best Overnight Oats Recipes ! 4. Blueberries Whether you're trying to gain weight loss motivation or improve your focus and engagement, blueberries are one of the most lethal weapons. In fact, a recent study found that subjects who ate one cup of blueberries a day for two weeks scored significantly higher in classroom tests than those subjects who did not, likely due to increased brain cells in the region of the brain (the hippocampus) that's responsible for memory. 5. Pecans When it comes to memory, brain development, depression, and post-workout fatigue, pecans pack a mighty punch because of their choline levels. In fact, according to research, athletes who took 2.8 grams of choline one hour before running ran faster times than when they ran without it (2:33 versus 2:38). If you're an endurance athlete, get munching, and don't forget to check out these 25 Best Foods for a Toned Body ! 6. Sunflower Seeds Depression and insomnia are two of the biggest roadblocks when it comes it getting and staying motivated. Luckily, you can naturally fight them both with a handful of sunflower seeds. Why? The magic tiny bullets contain tryptophan, an amino acid that's converted to serotonin in the brain. 7. Greek Yogurt Yogurt contains tyrosine, an amino acid that produces both dopamine and noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter that mobilizes the noggin and body for action. We chose the Greek's version because it's brimming with muscle-building protein and calcium, which improves nerve function. In short: Get lean, alert, and happy with some greek yogurt ! 8. Flaxseed Whether you choose to sprinkle flaxseed into your smoothie or pancake batter, you'll be doing your goals a huge favor. The superseed boasts alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) a healthy fat that improves function in the cerebral cortex or the area of the brain that processes sensory information. 9. Green Tea Part of attacking your goals is knowing when to it's time to hustle and when it's time to regroup. A cup of green tea can do just that, thanks to catechins, which help you mentally chill out. The potent tea also helps you maintain a positive outlook, enhances memory, fights mental fatigue and boosts focus. 10. Grass-Fed Beef Aside from being naturally lower in calories and void of sketchy hormones, grass-fed beef is packed with iron, a mineral that plays a vital role in being a go-getter. In fact, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women with healthy iron levels performed better on mental tasks and completed them faster than those with poor iron status. 11. Kale Feeling kinda flighty lately? Whip up some kale chips. The manganese in the superfood increases concentration and brain function. It also contains amino acids that increase alertness and mood. What's more? One serving of the leafy veggie contains 1180% of the daily recommendation for vitamin K, which recent research suggests reduces the chance for mental decline. 12. Strawberries There's no shortage of the ruby berries during June, and it's a good thing if you're feeling motivated. Studies show that consuming two or more servings of strawberry aid in memory function, thanks to fisetin, a flavonoid that promotes signaling pathways. Feeling a little overwhelmed lately? Try making a list while you nosh on your berries. Whether you want to remodel your home or run a marathon, you don't just wing it on game day. You're much less likely to forget what you write down! 13. Walnuts Aside from amazing fuel for the brain (because of omega-3 fatty acids), walnuts help serotonin levels in the brain. Both our mood and our appetite are controlled by this chemical, making the nut a powerful weapon against binging, insomnia, depression, overeating and other compulsive behaviors. Guilty of overeating? Check out these 15 Easy Ways to Reset Your Diet . 14. Eggplant Do you usually ditch the skin of eggplant? Don't. It contains a nutrient called nasunin, which enhances communication between brain cells, keeping you sharp and on point. To reap the veggie's motivating benefit, try slicing eggplant in half-inch pieces and roasting them with olive oil. 15. Pumpkin Seeds Before you conquer your day, munch on a handful of pumpkin seeds. Available year round, just a few of these tiny guys deliver the full recommended daily amount of zinc. And guess what? Zinc gets your memory and thinking skills into top shape. The more alert you are, the better equipped you are to handle whatever is thrown at you. P.S. You don't have to wait till autumn to get your pumpkin fix; pick up a can of the pureed version and check out these 20 Healthy Pumpkin Recipes for Weight Loss ! 16. Coffee There's no reason to nix your cup of joe. In fact, coffee increases dopamine in the brain the chemical that enables us to plan ahead and resist impulses so we can achieve our goals. Drink up! 17. Avocado According to Kansas State University, avocados help keep brain cell membranes flexible and contribute to healthy blood flow, thanks to their unsaturated fat content. Moral of the story: Ask for extra guac. 18. Tomatoes We've got a pretty good reason for you to throw fresh garden tomatoes into your salad, sauce, and onto your burger. Research suggests that lycopene, an antioxidant found in the fruit, protects the cells of your noodle from free radical damage, which causes inflammation. When brain swelling occurs, ADHD, anxiety, depression and brain fog are often the result. Speaking of inflammation, don't miss these 20 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Weight Loss . 19. Dark Chocolate By now you know that the right kinds of dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher) can protect you from cancer and even promote weight loss, but it gets better. Ever notice how much happier you are after a square of the divine cocoa? Dark chocolate increases the production of endorphins and serotonin in the brain, as well as triggers the release of dopamine. And aside from giving you bliss, flavanols boost blood supply to the brain, enhancing concentration and focus. A small amount goes a long way, so just have a little square and resist scarfing down the whole bar. 20. Water The body is comprised of 73 percent water so it only makes sense that when our supply is low, we don't function properly. Even a mild case of dehydration impairs cognition. What happens to your body when you don't drink enough water ? We become irritable, lethargic, and distracted. In order to slay your goals, you need to drink at least two liters of water each day. Bottoms up! | 7 | 99,796 | health |
Rally drivers shift gears and hit a giant table soccer pitch ahead of the Rally Italia. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 99,797 | video |
NEW YORK Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump met with dozens of top fundraisers and potential donors here Thursday, kicking off an aggressive push to expand his campaign's fundraising base in the first meeting of his national finance team. The real estate mogul spoke to about 60 donors who are interested in funding his bid at a luncheon at the Four Seasons in midtown New York, blocks from Trump Tower. Key members of his staff and the Republican leadership, including Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, attended the fundraiser. In his remarks to the group, Trump stressed the need to rebuild the country, a central theme in his White House campaign. Reassuring supporters that he can win in November, Trump made the case that he will appeal broadly to Americans across demographic groups, saying that his strong performance in the GOP presidential primary contest proves that he has wide support. The mood at the luncheon and strategy briefing was enthusiastic as top RNC and campaign officials laid out their plans for the general election campaign. Despite the campaign's late start in setting up a fundraising infrastructure, there was a widespread sense of optimism that the group would be able to begin pulling in significant sums, according to participants. The candidate wasn't asked about the controversy over his attacks on the impartiality of U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is overseeing a pair of cases related to the Trump University for-profit education business. But the real estate developer told the group that he will convince Americans he has no biases, according to people in the room. Trump has attacked Curiel in highly personal terms, igniting a firestorm of criticism after he suggested that Curiel's ethnicity posed a conflict of interest in the two cases he is overseeing against Trump University. Curiel, who is of Hispanic descent, was born in Indiana. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie a key Trump ally and a major liaison to establishment Republicans defended Trump during the meeting, according to several attendees. John Catsimatidis, a wealthy businessman who ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York in 2013, said that Christie moved to assuage concerns over the recent weeks of controversy, saying that "people make mistakes, [then] they take it back." "I think Donald is learning how to be a candidate the way I learned how to be a candidate," said Catsimatidis, who has also donated to Hillary Clinton's campaign. Trump's chief strategist, Paul Manafort, said after the meeting during a brief gaggle with reporters that the campaign is confident it will be able to raise enough funds to win in November. He did not give a firm fundraising goal. Already, around 30 state chairs have signed on to raise funds. Trump is set to headline a busy stretch of fundraisers for the rest of the month, from Virginia to Arizona. Still, his team has a small window to crank up its finance operation in order to bring in the hundreds of millions needed to fund his campaign and the party. By the end of June 2012, presidential nominee Mitt Romney had already raised $140 million in conjunction with the RNC. | 5 | 99,798 | news |
If you've ever walked into a friend's home and were immediately hit with a whiff of "eau de canine," then you know where we're heading with this. Believe it or not, it's possible to be a dog lover without that strong dog scent following you and your pup around wherever you go. Choosing a notoriously neutral dog breed and sticking to a regular grooming schedule can leave your furry companion smelling fresh as a daisy: 1. Poodle The experts at PetPlace.com recommend poodles for people who prefer dogs that naturally have low odor. These fluffy pups come in three sizes, from toy poodles that are ideal for apartment dwellers to the standard poodles that love larger accommodations, and have a hypoallergenic coat that may reduce allergic reactions. 2. Bichon frise Another dog that tends to be a good breed for allergy sufferers, the bichon is a low- to no-odor dog that doesn't shed much but requires regular brushing. These playful pups also have a load of energy and love physical activity. 3. Collies Lassie had more going for her than being a loyal life-saver. She was also a collie, a clean breed pleasantly noted for not having a doggy odor. Keep in mind, though, that collies do shed and need regular brushing. 4. Basenji The basenji is an ideal pet for the dog lover who wants a breed that is quiet and easy on the nose. Basenjis, also known as the barkless dog, are energetic canines with a short coat that needs minimal grooming and doesn't have the typical doggy odor. 5. Maltese These graceful, gorgeous pups have a full-body mane of hair that needs regular brushing, but they are easy on the nose and considered a clean dog breed. Their small size and gentle spirit make them ideal companion dogs. 6. Beagle According to the American Kennel Club , beagles are one of the most popular dogs in the United States. If you, too, are a "Snoopy" fan and want a dog with no odor and low-maintenance grooming, beagles will make you a happy camper. 7. Boston terrier The experts at WhosYaDoggy.com classify Boston terriers as having little to no odor. This small, gentle dog requires a minimal amount of grooming and makes a great house pet. 8. Pomeranian Described by the American Kennel Club as energetic, cocky and animated, Poms are easy on the nose and delightfully eager to please their pet parents. Though they are energetic, because of their small size they don't require much exercise. 9. Samoyed These bright, alert, and high-energy dogs don't stink, but their long, luxe coat needs regular brushing to prevent mats. Make sure you have plenty of room and exercise for this fluffy, hugable pup. 10. Dalmatian Another low- to no-odor breed according to WhosYaDoggy.com, dalmatians, the iconic "firehouse dog," are intelligent, high-energy dogs that thrive in a family environment. Keep in mind that they do need regular exercise and brushing to minimize shedding. An extra tip: Minimize the doggy odor Regardless of breed, any dog can emit an unpleasant or strong odor, according to Kathryn Barkley, grooming salon manager at Petco in Encinitas, California. She recommends regular bathing and grooming, as well as feeding your furry friend a high-quality dog food. "A lower-quality food that contains a lot of fillers can often make a dog smell bad because the odors come out through the skin and coat," she explains. "In addition, feeding a formula with fish can sometimes make a pet's coat have a slight fish odor." | 4 | 99,799 | lifestyle |
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