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June 12, 2016 would have been Anne Frank's 87th birthday. We remember this remarkable young woman with these photos. Anne Frank was a German-Jewish girl who died at the age of 15 at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945. She became famous around the world when her diary, which chronicles her life in hiding during the Nazi occupation of the Europe, was published. With June 12, 2016 marking what would have been the remarkable diarist's 87th birthday, we take a look at her life through pictures. "One day this terrible war will be over. The time will come when we will be people again and not just Jews! We can never be just Dutch, or just English, or whatever, we will always be Jews as well. But then, we'll want to be." - April 9, 1944, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." Anne (center) was born to Otto Frank (center, behind) and Edith-Frank Hollander on June 12, 1929 in Frankfurt, Germany. She had one sister, Margot (left), who was three years older than her. The Franks lived at 307 Marbachweg, a large house in a quiet multi-cultural neighborhood. In 1939, they were joined by Rose Hollander (Edith's mother), who lived with them until her death in January 1942. "I have loving parents and a sixteen-year-old sister, and there are about thirty people I can call friends." - June 20, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." Though Anne s childhood was relatively happy, it was overshadowed by the growing popularity of the Nazi Party and its leader Adolf Hitler. In early March 1933, Otto and Edith decided to move to the Netherlands to escape the Nazi persecution of the Jews with the help of Erich Elias (husband of Otto s sister Helene). In Amsterdam, Netherlands, Otto began working for a company that sold fruit extract pectin (Opekta Works). He found an apartment in Merwedeplein (Merwede Square), Amsterdam. The rest of his family joined him by February 1934. Our lives were not without anxiety, since our relatives in Germany were suffering under Hitler's anti-Jewish laws. - June 20, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." Anne Frank at Margot's 8th birthday party Soon after emigrating to Amsterdam, Netherlands, Margot joined the elementary school on Jekerstraat while Anne was enrolled in the Montessori kindergarten. However, once the pogroms began, the sisters were required to join the Jewish Lyceum as mandated by the new laws. In 1943 I started right away at the Montessori nursery school and I stayed there. In the last year my teacher was Mrs. K., the headmistress. At the end of the year we were both in tears as we said a heartbreaking farewell, because I'd been accepted at the Jewish Lyceum, where Margot also went to school: she went to the fourth grade, and I to the first. - June 20, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." Pictured: Anne Frank (front row left) and her sister Margot (back row right) at Margot's 8th birthday party in their neighborhood of Merwedeplein in February 1934. To avoid his company being confiscated by the new government, in 1941, Otto transferred his Pectacon shares to Johannes Kleiman. Later on, the company was liquidated and all the assets were transferred to Gies and Co., headed by Jan Gies (pictured with wife Miep). For Opekta Works, Otto did the same thing, allowing him to earn enough to survive. After May 1940 the good times were few and far between: first there was the war, then the capitulation and then the arrival of the Germans, which is when the trouble started for the Jews." June 20, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." Otto gifted Anne a red-and-white checkered cloth-covered diary shortly before her 13th birthday. Anne immediately started using this diary to document her daily life. Though her initial entries were mundane, as time progressed it reflected the changing social times. In one of her entries, Anne listed various restrictions imposed upon the Dutch Jews. "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in to anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support." - June 12, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank" House of Anne Frank at Niestadt As the Nazi Reichskommissariat Niederlande (civil government appointed after the 1940 Dutch surrender) tightened their stranglehold and anti-Semitic sentiment grew, the Franks decided to go into hiding in July 1942. The space behind Otto s office premises was fashioned into a secret bunker. This "annex" or Achterhuis was made up of a series of small rooms that could be accessed by a secret entry hidden behind a bookcase. Our freedom was severely restricted by a series of anti-Jewish decrees: Jews were required to wear a yellow star;… I don't dare do anything anymore, 'cause I'm afraid it's not allowed. - June 20, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." On July 5, 1942, Margot received her papers to report to 'work camp' in Germany and the next day, the Franks entered the secret annex. A week later they were joined by the van Pels family: Hermann, Auguste, and 16-year-old Peter. In November of the same year, they were joined by dentist Fritz Pfeffer, a family friend. Opekta's trusted employees were the only ones who knew of the existence of this secret bunker and its occupants. "So much has happened it's as if the whole world had suddenly turned upside down. But as you can see, Kitty, I'm still alive, and that's the main thing, Father says. I'm alive all right, but don't ask where or how." - July 6, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." Pictured: The occupants of the annex: Top row - Edith Frank-Holländer, Margot Frank, Anne Frank, and Auguste van Pels. Bottom row: Otto Franks, Fritz Pfeffer, Peter van Pel,s and Hermann van Pel. Anne Frank While the Frank family were in hiding for 25 months (1942 1944), Anne s diary was a historical record of her time in the secret annex. "Our many Jewish friends and acquaintances are being taken away in droves. The Gestapo is treating them very roughly and transporting them in cattle cars to Westerbork, the big camp in Drenthe to which they're sending all the Jews....If it's that bad in Holland, what must it be like in those faraway and uncivilized places where the Germans are sending them? We assume that most of them are being murdered. The English radio says they're being gassed." - Oct. 9, 1942, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." On Aug. 4, 1944, the people hiding in the annex were discovered by the German Police who were tipped off by an anonymous informer. The Franks, van Pels and Pfeffer were held at a detention center, and on Aug. 7, 1944, they were transferred to the Westerbork transit camp. "As I've told you, what I say is not what I feel, which is why I have a reputation for being boy-crazy as well as a flirt, a smart aleck and a reader of romances." - Aug. 1, 1944, an excerpt from "The Diary of Anne Frank." Pictured: A view of the attic of the Achterhuis. Soon after the arrest, Otto's colleagues Miep Gies and Bep Voskuijl returned to the Achterhuis and recovered the items left behind, including Anne's dairy and family photos, which they hoped to return to the Franks after the war ended. Pictured: A copy of the first edition of, "Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl" is seen on display at the Anne Frank Center on March 26, 2012 in New York City, United States. On Sept. 3, 1944, the group was on the last transport from Westerbork to Auschwitz concentration camp. As per the norm, upon arrival the men and the women were forcibly separated and none knew the fate of the other. Anne bore her incarceration with great compassion and strength, as recalled by those who witnessed her at the camps. Pictured: A view of the Westerbork transit camp. While their mother, Edith, perished at Auschwitz, Margot and Anne were relocated to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp on Oct. 28, 1944. Nine months after their arrest, Margot and Anne died within days of one another of typhus in March 1945, only a few weeks before the camp's liberation by the British on April 15. Otto Frank's typewriter Otto endured his internment at the Auschwitz concentration camp, becoming the sole survivor from the Achterhuis. He received Anne s diary and other family possessions saved by Miep Gies. Moved by Anne s candid description of their life during the war and her desire to be a published writer once she grew up, he endeavored to get the diary published. The diary was first published under the title "Het Achterhuis" (Diary of a Young Girl) in the Netherlands in 1947. Since its first publication, the diary has been translated in 67 languages and has sold more than 30 million copies. Pictured: A File photo taken in 2005 at the Holocaust Education Center in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan, shows the typewriter used by Otto Frank to transcribe his daughter's diary after the end of World War II. "The Diary of Anne Frank" was a stage adaption of the book by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, which premiered in New York City, United States on Oct. 5, 1955. It won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This was followed by a movie in 1959, which was a critical and commercial success. Pictured: A scene from the 1959 film based on "The Diary of Anne Frank." The house on Prinsengracht, where the group hid, and the neighboring area was in deplorable condition after the war. To save the house from demolition, the Anne Frank Stichting was set up in 1957 with the help of Otto. In 1960, the Anne Frank House was opened to the public, aimed at educating people about Anne's life and her ideals. Knud Knudsen with his Anne Frank bust Over the years, Anne's voice became an inspiration and a symbol of the youth affected by the war. She became one of the most recognizable faces of the Holocaust and in 1999 TIME magazine included her in their 'Most Important People of the Century' list. Pictured: German sculptor Knud Knudsen (left) stands besides Fritzi Frank, stepmother of Anne, looking at Anne's sculpture, which was unveiled in the yard of Anne-Frank School in Frankfurt, Germany in May 1981. | 5 | 99,800 | news |
Volkswagen camper vans are identified the most with long summer drives. A collection of great VW camper photos. Hit the road: Remember the VW camper van? The Volkswagen Camper Van is famously identified with the '80s hippie movement. A must-have for all road trippers, the VW Campers were spotted in great numbers in rock festivals and hippie get-together like the Woodstock festival, Lollapalooza and Bumbershoot. (Pictured) A 1966 VW Camper Van at the annual "Run to the Hills" festival, in Derbyshire, England. Held in the summers, this annual Volkswagen event is marked by rock and folk performances. VW Campers are noted for their incredibly spacious back, where you can fit in anything from a bed for two to a makeshift kitchen, making it a perfect vehicle for a summer getaway. This 1970-photo shows festival goers standing on top of a Camper at the Open Air Love and Peace Festival in Fehmarn, Germany, which featured the last live performance by Jimi Hendrix. This June 1962 photo shows a woman from Mitcham, London, U.K., on a camping holiday near Le Mans in her Camper specially fitted with a tent extension. Campers of the hippie movement were distinctly marked by graffiti made by their owner, often spreading the message of love and peace, as seen on this photo dating back to 1978. Other than hippies, the Campers are also greatly identified with surfers, especially in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. (Pictured) A Volkswagen Kombi Van in Taipa Bay on Jan. 2012 in Taipa, New Zealand. A wheelie is performed in a customized VW van by Jonathon Volkswagen-Beetle, who changed his name by deed poll because of his love for the German vehicles. Campers are lined up on display at the 2008 Vanfest at the Three Counties Showground on Sept. 13, 2009 in Malvern Wells, U.K. Since 1994, the annual event attracts over 8,000 VW vehicles. A VW Camper. A camper passes Glen Coe in Scotland. VW Camper rally in Kals, Austria. An exhibitor from California poses for a photo in front of painted Volkswagen Kombi minibuses during an exhibition on Dec. 8, 2013 in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. A Volkswagen Kombi minibus painted in flowers displayed during an exhibition on Dec. 8, 2013, in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. A Camper displaying the painting of a jaguar (panthera onca) on July 23, 2008 in Poconé, Brazil. Volkswagen Kombi owner Wanja Fuhrmann sits on a camping chair and reads a newspaper next to his Volkswagen T2 camper van built in 1975 near Landsberg, Germany, on Nov. 1, 2013. In Germany, the Kombis are nicknamed Bulli and have been a trusted partner for families during their vacations and long drives. In this Sept. 18, 2013 photo, advertising executive Marcelo Serpa drives his Volkswagen van, or Kombi, emblazoned with a "rolling mural," that he painted, through the streets of São Paulo, Brazil. Identified equally with surfers and hippies, the Campers are also used by budding musicians, as it provides ample space for them to pack their musical instruments and accessories when driving to different towns for their shows. Longest Volkswagen Kombi Longest Volkswagen Kombi in the world is seen in front of a garage in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, on January 19, 2016. It took more than a year to build and stretches to almost 25 feet long and has six wheels. Surfers wishing they had a VW van in northern California. A Volkswagen Type 2 camper. A 1973 Volkswagen Devon Camper van. VW Van against blue skies A VW Camper parked at Sunset Beach, Oahu,. VW Camper Van in San Francisco, 1967. 1975 VW Camper van. A Volkswagen campervan with a VW beetle in tow. A vintage Volkswagen Bus sits in a parking lot in Seattle, Washington. Volksworld Show in Sandown Park, UK, 2005. VW Van against blue skies. The front of a 1955 Volkswagen Oval-Window bus is seen at McNab Foreign Car garage that specializes in restoring VW vehicles on December 12, 2013 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Colorful Volkswagen van parked on Juanillo Beach, Dominican Republic. People sit outside a vintage Volkswagen van as they attend the 29th annual "MaiKaeferTreffen" (May Beetle meeting) in Hanover, Germany, on May 1, 2012. | 9 | 99,801 | autos |
FLOURTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- Jay Don Blake birdied three of the last five holes Thursday at windy Philadelphia Cricket Club for a 2-under 70 and the first-round lead in the Constellation Senior Players Championship. The 57-year-old Blake had five birdies and three bogeys on the A.W. Tillinghast-designed Wissahickon Course. He won the last of his three senior titles in 2012, and won at Torrey Pines in 1991 for his lone PGA Tour victory. ''Tough golf course out there and I'm just happy to get done with a couple under par,'' Blake said. ''Hit it pretty decent all day. ... Hit it well, played well and just kind of executed some good shots out there today.'' Blake birdied the first two holes, then bogeyed the par-4 sixth, par-3 eighth and par-4 11th. He rebounded with birdies on par-3 14th, par-5 15th and par-4 17th in third of the PGA Tour Champions' five majors. ''It was chilly early, still had some wind,'' Blake said. ''Luckily, the first couple holes were downwind so that was kind of a little help off to start. The first two holes, made birdie, so got off to a good start. Then we started about three, four holes right in a row just dead into the wind and it was cold, ball was going nowhere. It was just kind of survival.'' Vijay Singh bogeyed the par-4 18th to fall a stroke back along with Jeff Sluman, Brandt Jobe and Bart Bryant. ''It's a tough day,'' said the 53-year-old Singh, winless in seven career starts on the 50-and-over tour. ''Regardless of what club you've got in the hand, wedge or 9-iron or 3-wood, it's still long, gusty crosswinds. I played pretty good. I kept the ball in play most of the day, and unfortunately, had two three-putts, but that was pretty easy to do out here.'' The 34-time PGA Tour winner has made 15 starts this year on the regular tour. ''I think the last three or four events when I came over here, I kind of put too much pressure on myself that I have to win,'' Singh said. ''I just came this week just to have a good time and enjoy it and play good golf.'' Colin Montgomerie topped the group at 70. ''You get out of position off the tee and then you're struggling,'' Montgomerie said. ''But I think it's terrific, I really do. I think this is marvelous. This is a real major. This has a major feel to it. You could put these greens on any course worldwide and everyone would be thrilled with them.'' Two-time defending champion Bernhard Langer bogeyed three of his last four holes for a 71. ''It was really windy. That was tough,'' Langer said. ''Gusty winds, so it's difficult to control. And the greens are lightning fast. On 18, I was in the right bunker and it was downwind, down grain, downhill, hard to stop the ball, it just keeps rolling and rolling and ended up making bogey. You've got to be aware of trying to keep the ball below the hole, which is tough to do when it's windy like this.'' The German star won in 2014 at Fox Chapel in Pittsburgh and last year at Belmont in Massachusetts. ''It's a great venue,'' Langer said. ''It's any bit as good as the ones we played the last couple years. They always pick great golf courses and this is no exception.'' Sluman bogeyed 16 and 18 after reaching 3 under with a birdie on 15. Jobe also bogeyed the 18th. ''Overall, pretty happy with the day,'' Sluman said. ''Played solid golf in very trying conditions and this golf course is very challenging. It's a great test of golf.'' Billy Andrade, Scott Dunlap and Doug Garwood matched Montgomerie at 70. Tom Watson, at age 66, was in the group at 71. ''It's a Tillinghast golf course. I've played a lot of Tillinghast golf courses and they are difficult,'' Watson said. ''You really have to hit a lot of quality shots. The greens are very quick and, with this northwest wind, it played very tough today. ... This golf course is all you want.'' John Daly had a 76. Playing his fifth event on the tour since turning 50 in late April, he had a double bogey on the par-5 fifth, five bogeys and one birdie. | 1 | 99,802 | sports |
SAMMAMISH, Wash. (AP) -- Brooke Henderson made an early hole-in-one and birdied her final two holes to take the early lead Thursday in the Women's PGA Championship, the second of the LPGA Tour's five major championships. The 18-year-old Canadian, ranked fourth in the world, had a 4-under 67 on a cool day at Sahalee Country Club. Henderson aced the par-3 13th hole - her fourth hole of the day - to win a car. She closed with a short birdie putt on the par-3 ninth to take a two-shot lead. RELATED: Leaderboard Christina Kim and I.K. Kim followed at 69, with the afternoon wave still on the course. Three-time defending champion Inbee Park was in the featured group in the afternoon. The 27-year-old Park will become eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame at the completion of the round, making her the youngest player in tour history to reach the eligibility threshold and the first since Se Ri Pak in 2007. | 1 | 99,803 | sports |
WASHINGTON After months of debate, the U.S. is moving toward a decision to expand the military's authority to conduct airstrikes against the Taliban as the violence in Afghanistan escalates, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday. The official said a final decision has not been made. But there is a broad desire across the Obama administration to give the military greater ability to help the Afghans fight and win the war. The U.S. is likely to expand the authority of U.S. commanders to strike the Taliban and do whatever else is necessary with the forces they have to support the Afghan operations. The 9,800 U.S. troops still in Afghanistan, however, would still not be involved in direct combat. The official was not authorized to talk publicly about the discussions so spoke on condition of anonymity. The discussions, which are in their final stages, come as the Afghans struggle with a resurgent Taliban, particularly in the south. The U.S. has continued to conduct counterterrorism strikes against al-Qaida and Islamic State militants in Afghanistan. But strikes against the Taliban were largely halted at the end of 2014, when the U.S.-led coalition's combat role ended. Limited strikes have been allowed in cases of self-defense or when Afghan forces were in danger of being overrun. Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has discussed with Defense Secretary Ash Carter his recommendations for moves the U.S. can make to further assist the Afghans. And there have been ongoing conversations with the White House. Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook, asked Thursday whether the administration was looking at expanding the U.S. military's authorities to strike the Taliban more broadly, said: "In every step of our review of Afghanistan, the question of what's the best way to use our forces is something we're constantly looking at. It's also in the same sense that we're looking at the number of troops. We are always looking at the authorities question and the best use of our troops." Nicholson's predecessor, Gen. John Campbell, made it known before he left Kabul in March that he believed Carter should consider expanding U.S. military authorities to take on the Taliban. Also under discussion is whether the U.S. should reduce the number of American troops in Afghanistan to 5,500 as planned by the end of this year, or if a higher number is needed. Campbell favored keeping the troop level at the current total of 9,800 into next year. | 5 | 99,804 | news |
WASHINGTON U.S. government agencies are working on temporary rules to allow a private company to land a spacecraft on the moon next year, while Congress weighs a more permanent legal framework to govern future commercial missions to the moon, Mars and other destinations beyond Earth's orbit, officials said. That's the issue that we're wrestling with," said George Nield, head of the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation. "What is being looked at right now is a Band-Aid fix because the system is broken," Nield said at an American Bar Association space law forum in Washington on Wednesday. | 8 | 99,805 | video |
These picnic foods are all practical, easy-to-prepare, and, of course, tasty. Make sure you're fully prepared for your lunch al fresco by following our top tips and recipes for every possible picnicking situation. The Perfect Foods for Every Picnic: Our 40 Best Recipes There s no better way to spend a summer s day than by packing up a picnic and setting off to enjoy the warmth and sunshine and fresh air. Whether you re headed for a day at the beach , going for a long hike , relaxing with some outdoor drinks with friends , or hanging out with the kids in the park , we have the best, most suitable recipes for the occasion. These picnic foods are all practical, easy-to-prepare, and, of course, tasty. Make sure you re fully prepared for your lunch al fresco by following our top tips and recipes for every possible picnicking situation . Beach Picnic Sand-proof, fuss-free foods are the basic requirements for lunch on a hot beach where not just sand but also salt, sun, and a not-so-gentle sea-breeze are likely to ruin any vulnerable foods that you take with you. BBQ Chicken Summer Rolls Summer rolls are perfect for taking to the beach as they're self-sealed, so no sand can get in. Dip the fresh, crunchy summer rolls in a jar of homemade barbecue sauce for the tastiest picnic meal . For the BBQ Chicken Summer Rolls recipe, click here. Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies Oatmeal cookies make the best sweet snack for the beach: They can be eaten with your hands, they won't melt in the heat, and all kids and adults will love them. For the Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies recipe, click here. Frozen Water Freeze you water bottles before taking them to the beach so that the water stays ice cold even after sitting in the sun for a couple of hours. You'll be so grateful to have such a refreshing drink when the midday sun is burning down. Grilled Veggie Kabobs Grill your vegetables on skewers , and enjoy them cold on the beach later in the day. The vegetables won't go bad in the heat, and they can be eaten straight off the stick , avoiding the need for a knife and fork. For the Grilled Veggie Kabobs recipe, click here. Southwestern Quinoa Salad This hearty quinoa salad will really fill you up. The sweet corn kernels, rich black beans , and zingy cilantro come together to make a delicious salad . The quinoa grains are so small and light that if a quinoa-shaped grain of sand gets in, you may not even notice. For the Southwestern Quinoa Salad recipe, click here. Summer Pasta Salad This pasta salad is filled with summer's best, tastiest ingredients . It's coated in an Asian-inspired soy and sesame dressing, instead of the traditional mayonnaise , which means it won't go bad after a couple of hours in the sun. For the Summer Pasta Salad recipe, click here. Vegetarian Greek Wrap Swap the sandwiches for a wrap at your next beach picnic in order to avoid eating too many mouthfuls of sand. This vegetable- and hummus-filled wrap will satisfy vegetarians and carnivores with its rich, salty flavors. For the Vegetarian Greek Wrap recipe, click here. Whole Fruit While fruit salad may sound like a great idea for a summer picnic, if you're headed to the beach, it will end up being a sticky, salty, sandy disaster. Opt for whole fruits such as peaches and nectarines for an easier, less stressful, beach picnic. Picnicking in the Park A family-friendly day in the park calls for seasonal, refreshing dishes that will satisfy hungry, energetic kids, and relaxed, sun-bathing parents. Blackberry-Lemon Iced Tea Cool down on your picnic in the park with this refreshing homemade iced tea . Keep it cool in a Thermos flask , and bring a few blackberries to drop in as a pretty garnish when serving. For the Blackberry-Lemon Iced Tea recipe, click here. Charcuterie Board Start your picnic with a tasty, salty charcuterie board . Serving sliced salami, prosciutto, and ham is a decadent way to kick off the proceedings. Picnicking in the park means you can transport food there quickly and easily, so there's no reason not to indulge in your favorite cured meats . For tips on building a charcuterie board, click here. Cherry Tomato and Ricotta Tart Make the most of summer's ripest cherry tomatoes by roasting them in this fluffy, cheesy, buttery tomato and ricotta tart. For the Cherry Tomato and Ricotta Tart recipe, click here. Chicken Sandwich With Avocado Spread Keep your kids energized by feeding them these chicken and avocado sandwiches. They're easy to make, they're healthy, and the grownups will be more than happy to finish them off if the kids don't manage. For the Chicken Sandwich With Avocado Spread recipe, click here. Cold Sesame Noodles Pack up your picnic in takeout boxes instead of plastic wrap when you swap the sandwiches for these salty sesame noodles . They're easy to make and really are best when served cold. For the Cold Sesame Noodles recipe, click here. Crunchy Almond Biscotti Biscotti make the ideal picnic dessert . They're sturdy, can be made in large batches to feed a crowd, and are loved by both kids and adults. For the Crunchy Almond Biscotti recipe, click here. Fig and Goat Cheese Sandwich For a super elegant picnic, make this sweet and salty sandwich for all the grown-ups at your party. Ripe figs and soft goat cheese make the tastiest match. For the Fig and Goat Cheese Sandwich recipe, click here. Summer Fruit Hand Pies Self-contained hand pies are perfect for picnicking: There's no risk of spillage, no complicated serving equipment required, and they're always popular. Fill these pastries with your favorite summer fruit for the best seasonal picnic dessert. For the Summer Fruit Hand Pies recipe, click here. Hiking Picnic A light, portable, protein-packed meal is what's required of a hiker's lunch. You'll want to make something easy to carry to top of that mountain, where it will be enjoyed while you admire the spectacular views . Asian Peanut Broccoli Quinoa Salad This protein-packed vegan salad is just what every tired hiker needs . It's filling, light to carry, and full of protein , salt, and vitamins exactly what you require on an active day out . For the Asian Peanut Broccoli Salad recipe, click here. Classic French Cheese and Ham Baguette There's a reason the straightforward cheese and ham baguette is a classic: Nothing really beats such a simple sandwich when it's perfectly made. This baguette is perfect to take hiking as it will fill you up and won't get damaged while you walk. For the Classic French Cheese and Ham Baguette recipe, click here. Cookie Dough Energy Bites Keep yourself energized on your hike with these healthy and delicious cookie dough energy bites . These raw, plant-based snacks are perfect for eating while you're on the go. For the Cookie Dough Energy Bites recipe, click here. Gluten-Free Cookie Trail Mix No hiker's snack pack would be complete without a bag filled with trail mix . This crunchy mix is gluten-free , so everyone walking with you will be able to enjoy it. For the Gluten-Free Cookie Trail Mix recipe, click here. Healthy Seeds Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich A simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich is sometimes exactly what is needed after an exhausting few hours of exercising. The salty sweet flavors will satisfy you, and the mixture of protein-packed peanut butter and sugar-filled jelly will give you enough energy to keep you going for the rest of the day. For the Healthy Seeds Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich recipe, click here. Maple Oat Bars Make your own oat bars rather than buying the overpriced ones from the supermarket. These maple syrup-packed bars will give you a good boost of sugar-filled energy to get you up that hill even faster. For the Maple Oat Bars recipe, click here. Vegan Hummus Wrap These vegan wraps are transportable, healthy, and easy to eat on the go. They take less than five minutes to make, and are packed full of crunchy vegetables and creamy hummus for a satisfying, filling lunch. For the Vegan Hummus Wrap recipe, click here. Zucchini Chips Crunchy, salty chips are exactly what a hiker will crave after a couple of hours of intense walking. Make these chips and keep them in a Ziploc bag filled with air to stop them from getting crushed. For the Zucchini Chips recipe, click here. Boozy Picnic At a grownup summer picnic , chilled cocktails are a necessity. Keep them in a Thermos flask to keep them cool, and enjoy them alongside summery snacks and dishes that can be picked at and nibbled on all afternoon. Boozy Irish Brownies End your picnic with these alcohol-laced brownies . They're moist, rich, intensely chocolaty, and have a warming kick thanks to the addition of Irish whiskey to the brownie batter . For the Maia Yogurt Irish Brownies recipe, click here. Gazpacho-Style Wheat Berry Salad Inject a hint of Spanish sunshine to your grownup picnic in the form of this gazpacho-inspired wheat berry salad. The nutty wheat berries will help soak up the alcohol, and it would be a shame not to make the most of those ripe, summer tomatoes . For the Gazpacho-Style Wheat Berry Salad recipe, click here. Greek Salad Skewers This elegant picnic appetizer is adorable, healthy, and easy to eat, making it the perfect light accompaniment to your boozy cocktails . For the Greek Salad Skewers recipe, click here. Mexican Chocolate Popcorn While you laze in the late afternoon sun in a rum punch-fueled haze, you'll definitely want something to snack on. This Mexican chocolate popcorn is spicy, sweet, and crunchy: exactly what you'll be craving on a drunken summer Sunday. For the Mexican Chocolate Popcorn recipe, click here. Peach Tea Rum Punch Sweet and strong rum-infused iced tea is the ultimate summer picnic drink . This riff on a Long Island iced tea is packed with four types of alcohol, so it is definitely boozy picnic-approved. For the Peach Tea Rum Punch recipe, click here. Sangria Fruit Salad Everybody loves the alcohol-soaked fruit at the bottom of the jug of sangria . Lucky for you, we have transformed those delicious, sweet, boozy nuggets into an alcohol-laced fruit salad . For the Sangria Fruit Salad recipe, click here. Tuscan Bread Salad: Panzanella The fresh, Italian flavors of this classic Tuscan bread salad will immediately have you dreaming of a long, lazy lunch in the Tuscan countryside . For the Tuscan Bread Salad recipe, click here. Vodka-Spiked Pink Lemonade Transform your favorite childhood iced drink into a "grownups only" cocktail by adding a generous splash of vodka to your homemade lemonade : Refreshing, thirst-quenching , and pretty, all at once. For the Vodka-Spiked Pink Lemonade recipe, click here. Kids' Picnic Keep the kids well-fed and energized at every picnic you take them on during their summer vacation . Subtly sneak vegetables into their lunch, and give them plenty of manageable finger foods so they can eat in small bursts, rather than having to sit down for a long meal. Bacon Cheesy Whole-Wheat Pita Pockets Stuff a mini pita with crispy bacon, ripe avocado , and grated cheese, and you'll have a happy group of picnicking kids. For the Bacon Cheesy Whole-Wheat Pita Pockets recipe, click here. Blueberry Muffins Blueberry muffins are a great, fuss-free picnic dessert . Bursting with fresh summer berries and topped with a salty honey crumble, these really are the best blueberry muffins you've ever had. For the Best Blueberry Muffins recipe, click here. Breaded Chicken Fingers Coated in crunchy cornflakes and salty parmesan, these chicken fingers are the perfect transportable dish to serve at a picnic. Eat with your fingers, and enjoy them on their own or dipped into your favorite condiment . For the Breaded Chicken Fingers recipe, click here. Caprese Pasta Salad All your favorite summer flavors are incorporated into this kid-friendly pasta salad . The pasta is given an added boost of flavor as a result of using roasted red peppers marinated with olive oil and garlic, which makes this salad as popular with adults as it will be with the kids. For the Caprese Pasta Salad recipe, click here. Classic Lemon Bars Bright, sunny, and sweet lemon bars are what everyone will be craving on a warm summer's day. This tart and refreshing dessert will make the kids' eyes light up: There's a reason why it's a classic. For the Classic Lemon Bars recipe, click here. Hummus and Crudités Start your picnic with a fuss-free, kid-friendly, healthy finger-food: a bowl of fresh hummus and lots of crunchy crudités . Dipping carrot batons into a bowl of sweet potato hummus is a great way to get the little ones to enjoy eating their vegetables. For the Sweet Potato Hummus recipe, click here. Mini M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies Celebrate your summer picnic with every kid's favorite treat cookies . But this time, make them even better than usual by swapping the chocolate chips for M&M's : You will momentarily be every kid's favorite human in the world. For the Soft Batch Mini M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, click here. Summertime Lemonade Thirst-quenching homemade lemonade is exactly what is in order on a hot day of running around under the sun. This naturally sweetened, strawberry-infused lemonade will refresh and revive all those little, thirsty people. For the Summer in a Glass recipe, click here. | 0 | 99,806 | foodanddrink |
Just what you needed: 15 more reasons to invest in a waffle iron. But when you're tempted with coconut cream pie waffles, how can you not? Just what you needed: 15 more reasons to invest in a waffle iron . But when you're tempted with coconut cream pie waffles, how can you not? Ultimate Classic Waffles Let's start with the basics! You'll want this go-to recipe in your breakfast arsenal. Get the recipe for Ultimate Classic Waffles » Super Carb Waffles Complex carbs like the grains in this tasty waffle will fuel you for the whole day. Enjoy, you Energizer Bunny, you. Get the recipe for Super Carb Waffles » Fudgy Waffle Brownies Use butterscotch, peanut butter or chocolate chips to dress up this dessert-meets-breakfast masterpiece. Mmm. Get the recipe for Fudgy Waffle Brownies » Lemon Sour Cream Waffles Citrus brightens up the batter for these summery waffles. Make a bunch at once and stash 'em in the freezer. They'll make an easy breakfast on crazy-busy mornings. Get the recipe from Dinner at the Zoo » Spinach Protein Waffles These green waffles are packed with spinach, oats and Greek yogurt (shh!), so you can feel a little bit better about dousing them with butter and syrup. Get the recipe from Slim Sanity » Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Greek Yogurt Waffles Gluten-free folks will rejoice over this protein-packed, good-for-you breakfast. Get the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen » Pumpkin Spice Waffles Your wish for a year-round Pumpkin Spice Latte has been granted. Get the recipe from Lovely Little Kitchen » Lemon Blueberry Crumb Cake Waffles Psst ... You only need five ingredients to make this savory plate lemon, egg, blueberries, oil and boxed cake mix! Get the recipe from Carlsbad Cravings » Red Velvet Marble Waffles Sure, these sound like sugar overload. But really, they're made with non-fat Greek yogurt, unsweetened almond milk and other ingredients you can feel good about. Slow clap. Get the recipe from Cafe Delites » Easy Overnight Waffles Fact: Adding yeast to your batter and letting it sit overnight leads to the fluffiest (read: best) waffles ever. Get the recipe from Pretty Providence » Coconut Cream Pie Waffles Second fact: Brunch is better when the waffles taste like pie. Get the recipe from Cafe Delites » Maple Bacon Waffles We just said Maple...Bacon...Waffles. What are you waiting for? Get the recipe from Ashlee Marie » Cornbread Waffles Bring these stunners topped with chili, cheese and scallions to your next tailgate and see who complains. Get the recipe from The Chic » Churro Waffles This sugary fried dough is topped with all the sweetest things chocolate sauce, butter, strawberries and that's just the beginning. Get the recipe from Half Baked Harvest » Chocolate Espresso Waffles with Caramelized Bananas Gwen Stefani would call this gorgeous breakfast b-a-n-a-n-a-s! Get the recipe from Tending the Table » | 0 | 99,807 | foodanddrink |
This isn't a list about the essential items you need in your first kitchen , or even the items that will make cooking any recipe easier . Rather, it's a list about those favorite, well-worn, even handed-down things, sometimes the most humble of utensils, that are favored in la cucina italiana . A mezzaluna, wooden spoons galore, metal tubes for making cannoli, a knife for Parmesan, a rolling pin and fluted wheels for making pasta just a few of Emiko's favorite things. That's not to say that these items are limited to use in Italian recipes. In fact, the beauty of them is that these versatile tools often become essential to other tasks, too. Personally, having lived in a fairly nomadic state for a good part of a decade, any fancy cooking equipment I have is packed up in a box in a relative's garage somewhere on the other side of the world. I have with me what I can roll up in dishtowels and put in a suitcase . It's as low-tech as you can get ( Laurie Colwin , an advocate of simple kitchen equipment, would be proud) and involves quite a lot of wooden instruments, a Japanese knife, a round pastry brush, and a microplane grater. It has come to include some fluted pastry cutters found at an antique market; a little knife for cutting chunks of Parmesan cheese; a heavy, flat meat pounder; and metal tubes for making cannoli , bought after a visit to Sicily. When I moved to Italy, I became introduced to a number of tools that I had never owned or used before and in some cases, some I didn't even know existed . And now I've become attached to them. Take my husband's donna's passaverdura , or food mill , for example. It seems terribly old-fashioned, but there's nothing quite like it, mainly because of how it separates "the wanted from the unwanted," as Rome-based British food writer Rachel Roddy says of her favorite kitchen item , and in this it is unbeatable. The food mill is vital in the perfect minestra di pesce, or fish soup, where it will separate the unwanted fish bones and other bits from the juicy goodness that is the rest of the pulp and flavor. While I imagine it was invented purely for making passata out of tomatoes, I use it also for puréeing anything from sauces to mashed potatoes (because Italian kitchens don't have potato mashers) to fruit for jam. When I asked around, I found others had plenty of favorites too. Elizabeth Minchilli , gastronome and long-time resident of Rome, responded in a heartbeat: her mezzaluna , for finely chopping onions and herbs . Its "half-moon" shape is handy for finely chopping really anything I have a friend that uses it for making tabbouleh. It's also excellent for sauces. I think of the mezzaluna as an ancestor of the food processor. If you have a blackout but need to make pesto or salsa verde , the mezzaluna (much like a mortar and pestle) will do it just fine. Venetian food writer, Valeria Necchio , says her number-one kitchen utensil is the humble wooden spoon, one with a hole in it . I also have a thing for wooden spoons, particularly those flat, rectangular ones, and keep them in all shapes and sizes. Valeria uses hers specifically for stirring risotto. (In fact, it is sometimes called a girariso , a "rice rotator," as the large hole in it allows the rice to freely flow through the spoon in the opposite direction that you drag the spoon in, increasing the effectiveness of stirring and therefore helping to create a creamy risotto.) It's the poster-spoon for Maizena, a popular brand of cornstarch in Italy, where it's also the recommended utensil for folding airy batters (like that for sponge cake) and for mixing pastry cream. Others vouch for their kitchen items that hold emotional value. For food writer Domenica Marchetti , it's her old wooden chitarra that was given to her from her mother (who in turn got it from her mother), a stringed, wooden implement from used for cutting straight-edged Abruzzo-style spaghetti , along with her other "unplugged pasta tools," like the old hand-crank pasta machine and the little ridged gnocchi board. But if she had to pick between them, it would be the chitarra, "because there is nothing like a nice dish of spaghetti alla chitarra cut the old-fashioned way." In the same vein, there's nothing like the kind of pan that is so good and so trustworthy that it is passed on through the family and this is precisely what Andrea Falaschi, a third-generation butcher at Sergio Falaschi Macelleria in Tuscany's San Miniato, told me was his most valued kitchen item (and you'd think it would be a knife). Old pans, heavy iron ones, "that accompany us for years," he specified. Once, as an elderly woman in southern Tuscany was telling me some of her recipes, she interrupted herself to point out, "These are all made in a black iron pan. I can't tell you if they will come out all right in anything else." Emiko , a.k.a. Emiko Davies, is a food writer and cookbook author living in Tuscany, where she writes about (and eats!) regional Italian foods. You can read more of her writing on her blog . Photos by Emiko Davies What are your favorite kitchen items for cooking all'italiana? Tell us in the comments. | 0 | 99,808 | foodanddrink |
Click here for the DW special. Author: Matthias Liebing | 1 | 99,809 | sports |
Doug Gottlieb discusses Yordano Ventura being suspended 9 games and Manny Machado being suspended 4 games following their brawl. | 1 | 99,810 | sports |
When the history of the 2016 presidential election is written, Hillary Clinton's swift, snarky rejoinder to Donald Trump's Twitter attack on Thursday may well go unmentioned. Minutes after the Clinton campaign released a video in which President Barack Obama officially endorsed his former secretary of state, Trump hopped on his social network of choice and offered his assessment. "Obama just endorsed Crooked Hillary," Trump tweeted. "He wants four more years of Obama but nobody else does!" Six minutes later, Clinton fired back with "Delete your account," a common response on Twitter that amounts to a casual-yet-direct dismissal of another user's latest remarks. The retweets of Clinton's comeback came fast and furious. Within its first 90 minutes on the site, it became the most popular tweet she'd ever composed, with more than 140,000 retweets and 150,000 likes. It surpassed Trump's best showing on the site, his infamous Cinco de Mayo taco bowl picture. That one notched 84,000 retweets and 112,000 likes. In a sign that the Republican National Committee realized it might have been outdone in the Twitter battle, chairman Reince Priebus joined the fight by referencing investigations into Clinton's email practices at the State Department. "If anyone knows how to use a delete key, it's you," he wrote. If anyone understands social media can be used to define an opponent, it is Trump, who followed up with another message approximately two hours after Clinton's campaign targeted him. "How long did it take your staff of 823 people to think that up and where are your 33,000 emails that you deleted?" Trump tweeted. As for the attack that started the first Twitter battle of the general election, Trump's tweet is lagging far behind, with fewer than 40,000 retweets/likes as of Thursday afternoon. | 5 | 99,811 | news |
With a potent 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, the new Ford Fusion Sport offers a tremendous amount of torque. As Ford continues its tireless march toward the occupation of every nook and cranny of the performance car market, the U.S. automaker announced power output changes for the upcoming 2017 Ford Fusion Sport. Although Ford originally said the Fusion would receive 350 lb-ft of torque, it has been confirmed that the Sport will actually put a tremendous 380 lb-ft of torque down to all four wheels. Yes, we do mean the Ford Fusion, the very same staid Ford Fusion that competes directly with the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Sonata. Sure, the Camry and the Accord put down very respectable numbers when equipped with a V-6 engine, but where the Camry makes 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque, and the Accord spits out 278 hp and 252 lb-ft, the twin-turbo Fusion Sport drops an elbow on both cars with a mighty 325 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. If for some unfathomable reason you don't find this glorious preponderance of torque impressive, consider this: In 2016, the four-door, mid-sized Ford Fusion puts down more torque than both the Ferrari F430 and the legendary Ferrari F50. Aim the 2.7-liter EcoBoost cannon at BMW, and the torque output of the previous-generation BMW M5 is matched by your dad's next company car. Alright, let's calm down and pull some realistic comparisons. For one, Audi's freshly redesigned 2017 Audi S4 can't match Ford's tire-twisting figures. Where the Audi takes the lead in horsepower with 354 ponies, the Fusion fires back, beating the S4's 368 lb-ft of twist. The equivalent BMW 340i xDrive puts down 320 hp and 330 lb-ft. Both of these cars come in right at $50,000, while the Ford slots in at $33,475. Of course, this is all on paper and only tells half the story. The Fusion likely will not be able to hold its own on a curvy road as much as the German sedans would, and the Fusion's torque only jumps to 380 lb-ft through the use of 93 octane fuel. Any less, and the torque figure drops down to the originally stated 350 lb-ft. Regardless, the Fusion Sport represents a very affordable performance four-door alternative to the German autobahn cruise missiles. Look for more information on official performance data later this year. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook | 9 | 99,812 | autos |
Harley Pasternak has shaped some of Hollywood's strongest, healthiest bodies. From getting the already-fit Halle Berry in even better shape for Catwoman to training Amy Schumer for her role in Trainwreck to keeping Ariana Grande, Jessica Simpson , and Kim Kardashian camera-ready, he knows a thing or two about helping women shape up. So of course, when we sat down with him, we were dying to know all of his best fitness and weight-loss advice (and how he helps his star clients lose weight!). His top three tips for weight loss are simple, quantifiable, and easy to implement - starting now! It comes down to movement, sleep, and nutrition. Numbers to remember: 10K, 7, and 5. 1. Move at Least 10K Steps a Day "That is a minimum," said Harley. "For a lot of people, this is a real, simple thing to start with. I don't [tell clients] you need to start eating tofu, become gluten intolerant, whatever - just start moving. Be a little more active." He mentioned that one good choice leads to another, and starting with simple movement goals can build into something even bigger. It works, too. We interviewed a woman who lost 10 dress sizes by starting with a goal of 10,000 steps per day on her Fitbit . "All of the sudden, you start being conscious of other behaviors. You grab that scone in the morning and you realize, wait, 'I just got off the subway two stops earlier so I could walk a little bit; I'm gonna undo that and then some by making this food choice. Let me be a little more conscious about it. I'm gonna have half the scone, or instead of the scone I'm gonna have the apple.' It all starts with steps." 2. Get at Least 7 Hours of Sleep "Sleep has such a profound impact on weight lost, amongst the most!" he told us. There's science to back it up, too. Less sleep, more pounds. "We know hormonally when you don't get enough sleep [there's an influx of] ghrelin, leptin, and cortisol: one will make us eat more, one will stop us from burning body fat as efficiently, one will make us more vulnerable to store body fat." As if that wasn't bad enough, fatigue will also create more roadblocks on your weight-loss journey. Harley told us, "You'll be less likely to be active the next day if you're tired, and you'll mentally not be on par to make smart food decisions." Ready to lose weight? Start getting some zzz's. 3. Eat Protein and Fiber 5 Times a Day Harley recommends you get a large intake of protein and fiber, spread out over three meals and two snacks, every day, as well as healthy fats! "Protein, fiber, and healthy fats: that's the Holy Trinity of satiety." He noted that these nutrients are the things that make us feel full and spur our metabolism. To make sure you're meeting your daily needs, Harley recommends food logging. "I have a lot of clients take photos of what they eat, and at the end of the day they look at this visual log - you're eating it, taking a picture of it, logging it, writing it down, looking at what you did later." This is also to promote mindfulness and accountability. We also got a little insight as to what it's like to be one of Harley's star clients. "All my clients have to email me at night before they go to bed with a screenshot of their Fitbit app, [which shows] what they ate, how many steps they got, and how their sleep was the night before." Seems simple enough, right? | 7 | 99,813 | health |
Jennifer Lawrence recently starred in a lukewarm-reviewed biopic about Joy Mangano , an entrepreneur who made millions selling the self-wringing Miracle Mop on QVC. Related: What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Theranos's Fall From Grace Now, she's signed on to a film about Elizabeth Holmes, the CEO and founder of Theranos, a biotech company once valued at $9 billion. After a series of investigations exposed its miracle blood-testing product didn't work so well, Holmes, 32, has been knocked off her perch as one of the most successful female entrepreneurs of recent time. All of the drama will play out in the upcoming film. Adam McKay, who directed The Big Short and Anchorman , has taken on the project, according to Deadline . Related: Theranos Doesn't Just Need New Executive Assistants. It Needs a New Executive. No one knows what will happen next in the Theranos saga, but Holmes has not retreated from the company she founded as a Stanford sophomore. Theranos has bolstered its board with medical experts and is hiring dozens of new employees, including executive and personal assistants for Holmes. Most recently, Forbes has issued a new net worth for Holmes, knocking her down from $4.5 billion to virtually $0. It will be interesting who delivers the superior performance: Lawrence trying to portray another entrepreneur, or Holmes trying to recover from this debacle. Related: Jennifer Lawrence to Play Elizabeth Holmes in New Movie About Theranos Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes' Net Worth Is Now $0, According to Forbes Theranos Doesn't Just Need New Executive Assistants. It Needs a New Executive. | 3 | 99,814 | finance |
It seemed all along that Nick Saban was an unwilling participant in his conflict with Jim Harbaugh, and now he's doing his best to end the "beef." Saban spoke from his charity golf tournamen t on Thursday and said he has no issues with the Michigan coach. "I have no beef about Jim Harbaugh," Saban said. "Jim Harbaugh is fine with me. I didn't say anything about him and I'm not saying anything about him right now. Everybody has the right to manage their program like they want. I'm not in any way critical of anything he's doing or has done or anything else. I don't really care." The issues started when Saban expressed his concerns over satellite camps a practice Harbaugh took to the next level with Michigan. Harbaugh responded to Saban's concerns by firing a missile at him . Saban was clearly unaware that his criticism of Harbaugh would lead to such a harsh response, and you can tell he really doesn't want to be a part of this. "I'm worried about what we do, what our program does, what our players need to do, what our coaches are doing," he said. "That's enough for me; that's as much as I can handle." Harbaugh is truly asserting himself as top dog off the field. Now his teams have to match that on the field as well. And as of now, the Wolverines trail the defending champion Crimson Tide in that department. | 1 | 99,815 | sports |
SECAUCUS, N.J. The Philadelphia Phillies have selected California high school outfielder Mickey Moniak with the No. 1 pick in the Major League Baseball draft. Moniak, from La Costa Canyon High School in south Carlsbad, is the first prep outfielder to be taken first overall since Tampa Bay drafted Delmon Young in 2003. The selection Thursday night at MLB Network studios marks the first time the Phillies have led off the draft since they took Miami slugger Pat Burrell in 1998. The left-handed-hitting Moniak is 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds and is considered a five-tool talent whose stock rose throughout his senior season. He consistently hits to all fields with solid power to the gaps. Moniak is also an outstanding defensive player who has good speed and is expected to remain in center field in the pros. | 1 | 99,816 | sports |
The standoff between Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets is hardly over. While the two parties attempt to iron out the terms on a contract that would keep Fitapatrick playing in 2016, the Jets reportedly have not given away his locker. According to a report by Seth Walder of T he New York Daily News , Fitzpatrick's old locker remains open and available for him to move back. More than that, while the Jets look for a way to retain the free agent, Fitzpatrick is apparently busy rescuing children from trees and stuff. "Yeah. He's doing good," Marshall said, via the NY Daily News . "Yesterday one of his kids was stuck in a tree. So we were like Facetiming and he's like, 'Oh, I've got to get my kid. He's stuck in a tree.' He's funny. His beard is back. Like literally, all the way back." According to the report, Marshall didn't discuss any details regarding Fitzpatrick's contract situation and he advised his quarterback to "keep his head up." Apparently that's exactly what the veteran was doing when chatting with his receiver. Marshall is personally in a tough spot. He supports the return of Fitzpatrick and made that openly known when he and fellow receiver Eric Decker skipped out on the earlier off-season activities in protest. On the other hand, Marshall and Geno Smith are friends as well, even rooming together for a brief time when Marshall was traded from the Bears. At this time, all Marshall and the Jets' offense can do is fully participate and develop their rapport with Smith assuming that he could be the starter come Week 1. If the Jets and Fitz eventually come to terms, it is possible that he and Smith could compete for the starting job depending on how much Smith progresses in the upcoming weeks. On a side note, it is handy to know that Fitzpatrick can still agilely climb a tree and grow a beard faster than this year's Stanley Cup Finals participants. | 1 | 99,817 | sports |
WASHINGTON The Democratic Party began to unite around presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Thursday as President Barack Obama formally endorsed her candidacy and rival Bernie Sanders signaled he will soon drop out of the contest. In his endorsement, Obama called his former secretary of State possibly the most qualified person ever to run for president of the United States. "She's got the courage, the compassion, and the heart to get the job done," Obama said in a video released by Clinton's campaign. "I have seen her judgment. I've seen her toughness. I've seen her commitment to our values up close. And I've seen her determination to give every American a fair shot at opportunity, no matter how tough the fight that's what's always driven her, and still does." The long-expected endorsement came after Obama and Sanders met for more than an hour at the White House two days after Clinton secured enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination after a lengthy fight with the Vermont senator. Sanders and Obama appeared in good spirits as they walked together to the Oval Office, smiling and talking. Afterward, Sanders told reporters that he would stay in the contest through the final primary in Washington, D.C., next Tuesday. But in another sign that the primary battle was coming to an end, Sanders' remarks focused not on Clinton, but on presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Sanders said he spoke to Clinton Tuesday night, when she declared herself the nominee. "I congratulated her on her very strong campaign," he said. "I look forward to meeting with her in the near future to see how we can work together to defeat Donald Trump and create a government which represents all of us and not just the 1 percent." Obama and Clinton will campaign together Wednesday in Green Bay, Wis. a battleground state that Obama won twice. Obama's endorsement was an important step toward ending what had been a divisive Democratic primary season, said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute in New Jersey. "It sends a clear message to all Democratic leaders who have been quiet that it is now safe to come out in the open," Murray said. "And that avalanche will in turn send a message to Sanders' supporters that it is indeed over." Several prominent Democrats, who had declined to endorse in the race, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a favorite of the liberal wing of the party, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who dropped his bid for the nomination earlier this year, threw their support to Clinton. The Democratic comity came as Trump's campaign continued to be battered by denunciations from his fellow Republicans over remarks Trump made impugning a federal judge's impartiality because of his Mexican heritage. A coterie of Republicans leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, labeled the remarks "racist" though they said they would still back the nominee. On Thursday, Ryan reiterated his distress at Trump's comments in an appearance on MSNBC, saying Trump "has a ways to go to give us a campaign we can all be proud of." A quick closing of the ranks by Clinton and Sanders supporters would be welcomed by a Democratic leadership that was caught largely by surprise by the outpouring of support for Sanders, a 74-year-old self-described socialist who relishes being a champion of the underpaid, overworked American worker. In a year when Clinton was expected to walk away easily with the nomination, Sanders won primary contests in more than 20 states, collecting 12 million votes and the rock-star-like adulation of millions, many of them young. On Tuesday, he won caucuses in both North Dakota and Montana. Clinton, however, finished with a majority of the votes and of the delegates and a strong victory in California that helped deflate any remaining hopes that Sanders could somehow take the prize from her at the party's convention in Philadelphia next month. Sanders spent the day meeting with Democratic leaders, from Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to his colleagues on Capitol Hill. He focused steadfastly on Trump. "Donald Trump would clearly, to my mind and I think the majority of Americans, be a disaster as president of the United States," he said. "It is unbelievable to me, and I say this with all sincerity, that the Republican Party would have a candidate for president, who in the year 2016 makes bigotry and discrimination the cornerstone of his campaign," Sanders added. "I am going to do everything in my power and I will work as hard as I can to make sure that Donald Trump does not become president of the United States." Trump responded by Twitter saying "Obama just endorsed Crooked Hillary. He wants four more years of Obama but nobody else does!" Sanders returned to the Senate Thursday, where's he's represented Vermont as an independent since 2007, and found a universal, comforting message from his colleagues: Take your time. We like you and respect you. But don't take too much time. Sanders met with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, who praised him as "instrumental" to passing the Affordable Care Act six years ago. They discussed their Senate years together, and Reid, 76, wondered how Sanders, 74, had the energy to keep going. "During this whole campaign, I've never seen him tired but once," Reid said. "I feel I'm in a good place with Bernie. I feel Bernie's in a good place with my caucus, and I feel he's in a good place with the country," he said. "I'm not pushing him to do anything." House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, who endorsed Clinton just before polls opened there Tuesday, saw little serious risk in allowing Sanders to finish out his primary campaign. She said she understood why it's important to give Sanders and his backers time to heal. "It's hard. It's very hard," she said. "People have their hopes, their dreams, their aspirations riding on a candidate and sometimes it's really harder for the supporters to come to reconciliation than it is for the candidate." Sanders, who was a House member for 16 years before becoming a senator in 2007, "knows what's at stake in this election, what's on the line," Pelosi said. (Lesley Clark in Washington contributed.) | 5 | 99,818 | news |
Campbell Remess is giving back to sick children and families from his bedroom! He creates a handmade teddy bear each day for someone in need, and he's spreading his mission worldwide with his Project 365 by Campbell. | 8 | 99,819 | video |
WASHINGTON President Obama is taking his family on an end-of-the-school-year trip to two national parks next week to highlight the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. The three-day weekend trip will take the first family to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico and Yosemite National Park in California. Throughout his presidency, Obama has been an enthusiastic tourist in national parks, visiting iconic venues like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, the Florida Everglades and the Blue Ridge Mountains but also some lesser-known parks like Kenai Fjords in Alaska. He's also taken executive action to conserve millions of acres of federal lands under the Antiquities Act, and established the "Every Kid in a Park" program to give free admission to fourth graders and their families. "I want to make sure that the whole world is able to pass on to future generations the God-given beauty of this planet," Obama said in a Facebook video announcing next week's trip. Yosemite is one of the oldest national parks, first protected by Congress in 1864. It's the fourth most visited national park, with about 4 million people visiting the park each year. Carlsbad Caverns, located in the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico, includes the fifth largest natural limestone chamber in the world. | 5 | 99,820 | news |
California gun owners can be denied permits to carry concealed firearms in public unless they show a specific necessity for a weapon, a federal appeals court decided Thursday. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, overturning a 2014 ruling, said in a 7-4 decision that the Second Amendment does not give people the right to carry a concealed gun. "The Second Amendment may or may not protect to some degree a right of a member of the general public to carry a firearm in public," wrote Judge William A. Fletcher, a Bill Clinton appointee. "If there is such a right, it is only a right to carry a firearm openly." Gun owners said they expect to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court and also would challenge California's law banning residents from carrying guns openly. California law has allowed county law enforcement agencies to set rules that limit permits for concealed guns. Some rural counties have relaxed rules and make permits easily available, while most urban counties have stricter rules. Gun owners in San Diego County filed a lawsuit after they were denied permits for concealed weapons. Although they were trained in gun use and had met background checks, the applicants could not cite compelling reasons for why they needed the guns. The first 9th Circuit panel that considered the challenge said concealed weapon permits must be granted because the state had banned carrying guns openly in public. A 2012 California law took away the right of residents to carry unloaded guns in public with ammunition toted separately. Gun owners argued that the ban, in addition to county restrictions on concealed weapons, made it impossible to defend themselves in public. In a dissent Thursday, Judge Consuelo M. Callahan, a Ronald Reagan appointee, argued that depriving citizens of the right to carry a weapon in public both openly and concealed violated the Constitution. California counties' "limited licensing of the right to carry concealed firearms is tantamount to a total ban on the right of an ordinary citizen to carry a firearm in public for self-defense," wrote Callahan, who had been on the 2014 panel. "While states may choose between different manners of bearing arms for self-defense, the right must be accommodated," she wrote. Chuck Michel, the lawyer for the gun owners in the case, said his clients were disappointed but not surprised "given the political inclinations of the judges on this panel." He noted the ruling failed to decide whether California must permit residents to carry guns openly if they are prevented from carrying them concealed. The issue in the case involved the concealed carrying of weapons, and the court did not reach the question of whether the ban on openly carrying guns violated the Constitution. "California law bans open carry, so the constitutionality of that ban will now be tested in a new legal challenge," Michel said. The 2014 ruling prompted counties to hurriedly examine their policies for granting concealed gun permits. Most kept their policies in place, but the Orange and Ventura county sheriff's departments relaxed their rules, leading to a flood of applicants. The Orange County Sheriff's Department changed course again after the 9th Circuit decided to review the panel's 2014 decision with an 11-judge panel. Applicants in Orange County now need to state safety concerns and provide supporting documentation in order to receive a concealed carry permit. | 5 | 99,821 | news |
Darren McFadden is suing Michael Vick. No, not that one. The Cowboys running back is suing his former business manager, Michael Vick, for misappropriating money throughout McFadden's eight-year NFL career. Vick is accused of making bad investments for McFadden, including a failed bitcoin business venture that lost $3 million, according to The Associated Press . MORE: NFL's most underrated teams for 2016 The suit names Vick, who lives in Mabelvale, Ark., and 10 others simply referred to as "Doe." Vick told The AP on Thursday that he hadn't seen the lawsuit, and declined to comment immediately. McFadden said Vick is an old family friend whom he trusted to handle finances, which obviously didn't work out. McFadden was the No. 4 overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2008 NFL Draft, and initially signed a six-year, $60.1 million contract that included $26 million in guaranteed money. He gave Vick a power of attorney in August of 2008, but the suit claims Vick obtained that power through fraudulent documents. McFadden revoked Vick's power of attorney last month. "Rather than securing for Plaintiff a lifetime of financial security as Defendant Vick promised Plaintiff, Defendant Vick covertly used Plaintiff's income as his personal slush fund to subsidize his own lifestyle and expenses and to invest in his own projects," the lawsuit said. MORE: NFL's most overrated teams for 2016 McFadden told the Dallas Morning News on Thursday that he fired Vick six or seven months ago. "It's just one of those deals with me as a young guy I wasn't on top of my finances like I should have been and I trusted somebody to take care of everything for me and I don't feel like at the time he had my best interest," said McFadden, who has made an estimated $46.7 million in his NFL career. "It's just one of those things where going back and looking at everything numbers weren't adding up. "It's just something that's not right, so it's one of those deals where you want to go back and figure out what's going on and what went on. | 1 | 99,822 | sports |
Americans will officially be exposed to one of the most insane SUVs ever produced. Coming to U.S. showrooms early next year is the 2017 Mercedes-Benz G550 44, essentially the little brother to the gargantuan and ridiculous G63 AMG 6x6 (that never made it to America). The G550 44, however, is far from little. With an overall height of 7.3 feet, the G550 44 (read "four by four squared") is 11.7 inches taller than a normal G-Wagen. It also has a ground clearance of 17.2 inches, an increase of 7.9 inches compared to the standard version. The boost in ride height and ground clearance comes courtesy of its military-grade portal axles that are also featured in the 6x6. Also unique to the G550 44 is its suspension setup consisting of two dampers and two springs at each corner. Its footprint is much wider, too, with a front track width increased by 9 inches and a rear track that's wider by 10 inches. The 6x6 is stuffed with an AMG-built engine, but the G550 44 makes do with the 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 featured in the G550. Still, it offers plenty of grunt with 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. Once you've figured out how to climb into the cabin, you'll find an interior that is essentially identical to other G-Wagens, including an updated COMAND infotainment system with a larger 8-inch screen. Mercedes says the G550 44 will join the U.S. G-Class family early next year. Pricing hasn't been announced, but expect it to hover around or surpass the Mercedes-AMG G65, which commands $218,825. Source: Mercedes-Benz MORE ABOUT THE 2017 MERCEDES G550 4×4² 17 Reasons the G500 4x4 Squared Is the Most Awesome Benz Ever Testing Fate and Faultlines with the 416-hp Mercedes G500 4x4 Squared | 9 | 99,823 | autos |
CLEVELAND When the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors reconvene for Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night, watch Richard Jefferson during the first timeout. That, as much as anywhere else, is where you'll see what it takes for a 35-year-old who's in his 15th season to make this kind of impact on this kind of stage. "Last night (in the Cavs' 120-90 win in Game 3 ), when my body was sore, and I had nothing left, and during timeouts I'm just sitting on the bench because I need to just save every bit of energy I have," Jefferson, who had nine points and eight rebounds in 33 minutes while starting for the absent Kevin Love, told USA TODAY Sports. "During timeouts, you can't be standing up. The minute and a half that they give us, you try to sit there the whole time, because you're playing to exhaustion, you're playing until there's absolutely nothing left. Those little bitty moments sitting for a minute vs. standing for a minute those things add up over the course of the game." Regardless of what Cavs coach Tyronn Lue does with this Love quandary either keeping Jefferson in the lineup, as is expected, or putting Love back into his old role once he clears the concussion tests that kept him out of Game 3 Jefferson's impact on this Cavs' recovery is undebatable. Raise your hand if you saw this one coming (this hand, for the record, remains down). Even before Love suffered the Game 2 concussion that forced him out of Game 3 , Jefferson was a bright spot in an otherwise bleak loss. Jefferson's aggression on both ends continued in Game 3, when he set the tone during that early run that ignited the Cavs' home crowd a rebound, a drawn foul on Draymond Green, and a three-pointer for the 9-0 lead that prompted a Warriors timeout and led to Jefferson shouting "Let's (expletive) go!" over and over again. There is an irony to this, too, as Jefferson was with the Warriors for parts of two seasons before his departure helped put them on this championship path. In the summer of 2013, he was the salary cap casualty they needed in order to sign small forward Andre Iguodala. He had mentored the likes of Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes, and Ian Clark while clicking with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. And now, after that trade to Utah was followed by a season in Dallas and this Cleveland connection, he's the wise old man whose combination of competitive fire and do-everything play has them right back in this series. "He has kind of brought them a spark when it wasn't quite there," Iguodala said so perfectly. >" style="position:static;vertical-align:top;margin:0 auto;display:block;width:600px !important;max-width:100%;min-height:520px !important;max-height:none !important;border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="600"> Richard Jefferson Career Per-Game Stats | PointAfter The most impressive part, the thing that needs to be discussed even beyond Love's uncertain part in the Cavs' basketball theatre, is that Jefferson is making this look easy when it is anything but. The man has logged 1,204 games (regular season and in 10 playoff appearances) 36,079 minutes, and he's the first to admit that the tread on those wheels is getting pretty thin. But this is a special opportunity, a chance to win the championship that has always evaded him. This is as close as he has come since those first two seasons, when his New Jersey Nets reached the Finals in back-to-back years and fell to the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. Yet now, as he makes this shift from a role player who averaged 17.9 minutes during the regular season to a glue guy who has averaged 29.5 minutes in the past two games, the challenge is very different. And, to be frank, more tiring. "You've got to work twice as hard now to slow the (physical) decline," Jefferson continued. "When you're 25, you're trying to get gains. When you're 23, you're trying to get gains. Once you get to this point in time, you have to work twice as hard just to slow the decline, because if you don't work that hard, then the decline comes a lot faster. "If I'm not taking care of my body, if I'm not in shape year round. If I get off this season, and then I gain 15 pounds, and then all of a sudden I'm trying to lose that weight and now I'm having to work so hard and my body is banged up and my knees are sore because I'm carrying that extra weight. You really have to work year round just to slow the decline, probably after 30 or 31. Luckily, where I'm fortunate, is that medicine, staffs, massage therapists, there's so much more that you have access to from when I first came in this league, it's a whole 'nother world." There's no complaining, as Jefferson is ecstatic to be in this position. He's just begging his body to keep pace while this late chapter of his NBA journey is over. "It's easy to do it for 10, 12 minutes," Jefferson said. "People are like, 'Hey, you look great.' Well yeah, but that 10-12 minute stretch? I used to be able to do it for 30 minutes, for 40 minutes. So now when they ask me like, 'Hey Richard, we need you to do that now for 30 minutes.' I'm like, 'OK, I'm going to do the best I can,' because it's just really, really difficult, and it's tough. "There is a satisfaction to it, but there's also a satisfaction if it can be completed. I think that completion is what I'm really looking for. And if it's not completed (with a championship), it hurts even more, because you're so close to your ultimate goal." As if the pain of playing isn't enough. Follow Sam Amick on Twitter @Sam_Amick | 1 | 99,824 | sports |
SAMMAMISH, Wash. - It's official: Brooke Henderson wins this week's best sibling award. The World No. 4 won a Kia K900 after making the first hole-in-one of her LPGA Tour at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Thursday , but the 18-year-old isn't going to keep it for herself. "I'll donate it to my sister," she said after her round. "All year I have walked up on the practice rounds and said, 'see that car, if I get it, it's yours.' I didn't say it this week, but she ends up getting it." Brittany Henderson, who is caddying for Brooke this week, is pretty excited (obviously) but she's trying to calm herself down. "I don't have a car," she said. "I'm waiting until I actually have the keys ? I told her no take backs." Henderson's opening round 67 was the best of the morning wave, and will leave her in fantastic position going into the final three rounds. | 1 | 99,825 | sports |
Futures pointed to a lower open for Asian markets on the final trading day of the week, after a pullback in oil prices sent U.S. stocks lower, snapping the Dow and the S&P's three-day winning streak. Australia's SPI futures were down 0.5 percent at 5,335, compared to the ASX 200 (.AXJO) 's last close at 5,361.93. Nikkei (.N225) futures in Osaka were down 0.3 percent at 16,540, while the Japanese benchmark index finished the Thursday session at 16,668.41. Stateside, the Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) closed down 19.86 points, or 0.11 percent, at 17,985.19, the S&P 500 (.SPX) was lower by 3.64 points, or 0.17 percent, at 2,115.48 and the Nasdaq (.IXIC) composite ended down 16.03 points, or 0.32 percent, at 4,958.62. Oil ended three days' gains after a relatively stronger dollar likely led to profit-taking among investors, because prices are usually denominated in the dollar. But prices held above the psychologically key $50 level. Global benchmark Brent settled down 56 cents at $51.95 a barrel, while U.S. crude slipped 67 cents to $50.56. The dollar index (=USD) , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, climbed from lows around 93.565 on Thursday afternoon Asia time to about 94.048 as of 6:38 a.m. HK/SIN on Friday. Kathy Lien, managing director for foreign exchange strategy at BK Asset Management, said, "The smaller-than-expected increase in U.S. jobless claims helped [the turnaround in the dollar], but it has been a while since this report had any meaningful impact on the greenback. So the question now is whether today's reversals will turn into a ... bottom for the dollar." U.S. weekly jobless claims unexpectedly fell last week to a seasonally adjusted 264,000 versus a Reuters poll of economists that expected initial claims rising to 270,000. Markets in China and Taiwan are closed Friday for the Dragon Boat Festival. | 3 | 99,826 | finance |
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Former Police Officer Nouman Raja has pleaded not guilty in the shooting death of musician Corey Jones. It means Tuesday's scheduled arraignment on two felony charges has been canceled. Defense attorney Richard Lubin this week also formally submitted his client's demand for a trial by jury, and asked the court for "reasonable time" to file pretrial motions. Circuit Judge Samantha Schosberg Feuer is presiding over the high-profile case, after being assigned last week at random among criminal court judges. The next court date in the case is July 14. Raja, 38, was arrested June 1 after a Palm Beach County grand jury found the ex-Palm Beach Gardens officer's use of force was unjustified when he shot and killed Jones, 31, of Boynton Beach, at about 3:15 a.m. Oct. 18. State Attorney Dave Aronberg's office charged Raja with manslaughter by culpable negligence and attempted first-degree murder with a firearm. Lubin responded by calling the charges "mere accusations," adding: "Let's see what the evidence holds." Last Friday, Raja was released from Palm Beach County Jail after posting $250,000 bond; he was put on house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor. Lubin and Chief Assistant State Attorney Brian Fernandes, who is leading the prosecution, agreed to the bond amount without a fight. But the battle lines have already formed. On the same day Jones' family and its attorneys expressed relief about the charges Raja faces, Palm Beach County's police union stood behind him in what it described as a "a tragic situation that has affected everyone involved." The Police Benevolent Association, in a statement, called it "upsetting that a police officer met by a subject who points a firearm at him is not legally allowed to defend himself while in fear for his life." But that's not how Raja's arrest report detailed Jones' fatal encounter with Raja at an Interstate 95 exit ramp. Jones' SUV broke down on his way home from a gig with his reggae band Future Prezidents. Raja had been assigned to patrol parking lots in response to a string of late-night vehicle burglaries. Raja approached Jones in an unmarked cargo van in plain clothes without identifying himself as a police officer "a tactically unsound, unsafe and grossly negligent manner," the report reads. Unbeknown to Raja, Jones was on his cellphone with roadside assistance at the time, and a dialogue followed by gunshots was recorded, according to the report. Raja fired six shots from his personal .40-caliber Glock pistol, hitting Jones three times, according to prosecutors. Jones' licensed .380-caliber handgun, which was loaded but not fired, was found 41 yards away from his body. The recording shows that Raja fired three shots, waited 10 seconds, then fired three more times. At least one of those shots was fired as Jones ran away, because a bullet struck the back of Jones' upper right arm, according to the State Attorney's Office report. Investigators also determined that Raja continued shooting even after he had to realize that Jones had tossed his weapon in the grass near the rear of his SUV. "The intent of discharging his firearm was to kill Corey Jones," the report states. The bullet wounds in Jones' right and left arms would not have been fatal, but the bullet that hit the Delray Beach housing inspector on the right side of his chest, passing through a section of his heart and both lungs, killed him, according to medical examiner findings. The arrest report also includes a partial transcript of a 911 call Raja made from his cellphone 33 seconds after his final shot. "I saw him come out with a handgun. I gave him commands. I identified myself and he turned, pointed the gun at me, and started running. I shot him," Raja told the 911 operator. Raja was fired less than a month after the shooting, while an investigation by the State Attorney's Office, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and the FBI included interviews with 230 people from more than 30 states and three countries. The shooting's proximity to the interstate and nearby hotels resulted in the large pool of potential witnesses, officials said. Last week, attorneys for Jones' family and his survivors said they believe the recording from the roadside assistance call was the key for prosecutors' decision to file charges against Raja. "We can never, ever, ever overstate the importance of that audiotape," attorney Benjamin Crump said. The manslaughter charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison; the attempted murder count could bring a sentence of up to life in prison. | 5 | 99,827 | news |
(Bloomberg) -- Even in Asia's cutthroat world of wealth management, the news of a mass defection at RBS Coutts, venerable bankers to the British royals, came as a shock. Lenders battered by the financial crisis were fighting for Asia veterans who could bring the lucrative accounts of the region's growing ranks of millionaires, and Coutts rainmaker, Hanspeter Brunner, had jumped ship with a staggering 70 colleagues. Their destination: BSI SA, a small Swiss bank looking to get big in a hurry. That coup in 2009 set off a chain of events that has now thrust BSI into the center of the widening financial scandal involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd. The 1MDB affair has stretched from Malaysia to Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Switzerland, the Caribbean, Hong Kong and the U.S. and touched the upper reaches of global finance. But no bank has drawn more scrutiny than BSI and its operation in Singapore, where several well-connected bankers are now under investigation. Interviews and court documents tell a tale of rushed deals, lax scrutiny, million-dollar bonuses and huge sums channeled into obscure offshore funds with few questions asked. The investigations are set to add one more piece of the puzzle into what happened to 1MDB's missing billions. First link in the chain is Yak Yew Chee, one of the renegade band who defected with Brunner from Coutts, and the man who was to bring BSI and 1MDB together. Yak, 57, had longstanding ties with people involved in the Malaysian state fund, which was set up the same year Brunner left Coutts and tasked by Prime Minister Najib Razak to be "bold and daring." For a timeline on the rise and fall of a century-old Swiss bank, click here. Among those connections was the flamboyant Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, known as Jho Low, who partied with Paris Hilton and is a close friend of Najib's stepson Riza Aziz. Yak was Low's private banker at Coutts and he took the relationship with him to BSI, according to people familiar with the events. Low, chief executive officer of Hong Kong-based investment fund Jynwel Capital Ltd., has said he provided consulting to 1MDB that didn't break any laws and has been asked by a Malaysian parliamentary committee to assist in its probe of the fund. Low was the beneficial owner of multiple accounts at BSI and regularly made sizable transfers between them, as well as accounts he controlled at other banks, people familiar with the transactions said. Such large transfers would have typically raised red flags had they been between accounts with different owners, the people said. Low wasn't available for comment, according to a woman who answered the phone at his office. Yak's connections helped BSI's Singapore unit snag business worth about $2.5-$3 billion from 1MDB and Low, making him a star in the 143-year-old Swiss bank, the people said. 'Fantastic Success' A 2011 memo from the bank's CEO at the time congratulated Yak on his "fantastic business successes" and "immense contribution" to the Lugano-based bank, according to court papers Yak filed. Yak earned S$27 million ($20 million) from 2011 to 2015 at BSI, and some years made more than his boss Brunner, the people said. Yak's lawyer from Legal Clinic LLC said he couldn't comment. BSI said it continues to cooperate with authorities and declined to comment further. 1MDB said it had nothing to add to its previous statements on its ties with BSI. Coutts also declined to comment. Regulators in Singapore and Switzerland are at the forefront of investigations into transactions linked to 1MDB. The Malaysian Attorney General's office twice refused requests by the nation's central bank for criminal proceedings against the fund. The central bank has said a penalty imposed on 1MDB in April marked the end of its probe into the fund. Both 1MDB and Najib have consistently denied any wrongdoing. Singapore investigators have been especially damning of the way BSI operated. Ravi Menon, managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, called it "the worst case of control lapses and gross misconduct that we have seen in the Singapore financial sector." The nation's financial regulator said it would fine BSI about S$13.3 million and revoke its license in the city. While Yak may have helped bring in the 1MDB business, the investigation into where the money went largely centers around another Coutts defector: Yeo Jiawei. The 33-year-old banker has been described by prosecutors as playing a central role in the events that led to BSI losing its Singapore license. Yeo was a wealth planner at BSI who has appeared at social events with Low, 34, and recommended investment products to 1MDB, according to the people. As the investigations unfolded, Yeo in March asked his manager, Kevin Swampillai, to falsely inform police that money transferred to Bridgerock Investment Inc., a company beneficially owned by Yeo, belonged to someone else, according to court documents. Money Laundering Yeo was the first banker to be charged in relation to cases stemming from 1MDB investigations. He's been held by authorities since April 15, with nine charges against him, including money laundering, forgery and cheating BSI by hiding a $1.6 million annual payment he would have received from a Cayman Islands fund. The fund got $2.3 billion in 2012 from a subsidiary of 1MDB called Brazen Sky, according to a Malaysian parliamentary hearing report. Yeo's lawyer has said in court that he intends to fight the charges. Five others who defected to BSI from Coutts, including Yak, also face possible criminal action after being referred to prosecutors by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Only Swampillai, head of wealth management services, is still with the bank and he's been suspended, according to the MAS. Swampillai's lawyers at Aldgate Chambers LLC declined to comment. Yak said in an Aug. 14 e-mail, reproduced in court papers, that Brunner was trying to make him "a scapegoat of sorts for things that senior management knew and should assume full accountability for, not that there was anything that was done illegally." A committee, which included Brunner, approved and vetted major client accounts including those linked to 1MDB and related entities, according to the people familiar with the events. Brunner, a Swiss national, had also traveled to meet with the clients, the people said. Yak left BSI in February and a month later BSI announced that Brunner, 64, was retiring, thanking him for a "pleasant collaboration." Lawyers at NLC Law Asia LLC representing Brunner, who was named Asia's 'Outstanding Private Banker' by Private Banker International magazine the year before he moved to BSI, declined to comment. BSI as a whole, meanwhile, is being bought by EFG International AG. The takeover, proceeding at a reduced price, was approved by Swiss regulators on May 24, the same day that BSI's group CEO resigned and the Singapore authorities announced that its Singapore branch would be closed. The criminal case is Public Prosecutor v Yeo Jiawei, Singapore State Courts. --With assistance from Shamim Adam Elffie Chew and Chanyaporn Chanjaroen To contact the reporter on this story: Andrea Tan in Singapore at [email protected]. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sam Mamudi at [email protected], Adam Majendie ©2016 Bloomberg L.P. | 3 | 99,828 | finance |
Screenwriter Randall Wallace says he is writing a follow-up to the Biblical blockbuster "Passion of the Christ." The sequel will focus on the resurrection of Jesus. Wallace, who was nominated for an Oscar for the script of Braveheart, confirmed rumors on Thursday that he had begun writing a script about the resurrection. The screenwriter was a religion major at Duke University and says that he "always wanted to tell this story." No financial or studio backing has been lined up yet. Passion of the Christ earned $612 million worldwide on a budget of $30 million. | 6 | 99,829 | entertainment |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. California prison officials must let transgender inmates have more female-oriented commissary items including nightgowns, robes, sandals, scarves and necklaces as part of a settlement that will make California the first state to pay for an inmate's sex reassignment surgery, a federal judge ruled Thursday. Aside from providing the surgery for 56-year-old Shiloh Quine, the state agreed in August to provide some items to transgender inmates such as Quine who are housed in men's prisons. The proposed policy doesn't go far enough, ruled U.S. Magistrate Judge Nandor Vadas. He said transgender inmates housed in men's prisons should have many of the same items as are provided to female inmates. Shiloh and her attorneys argued the state was prohibiting some items "based solely upon gender norms" rather than security concerns. They objected to continuing to bar male inmates from having clothing designed specifically for women. Vadas agreed, saying the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation should give transgender inmates or those having symptoms of gender dysphoria in men's prisons at least some access to chains and necklaces, pajamas and nightgowns, robes, sandals, scarves, T-shirts and walking shoes. They should have supervised access to pumice stones, emery boards and curling irons, he ruled. But he drew the line at bracelets, earrings, hair brushes and hair clips, saying those may pose significant safety and security risks. "Transgender women like Shiloh shouldn't be denied items that every other woman in CDCR custody has access to," Ilona Turner, legal director at the Oakland-based Transgender Law Center, said in a statement. "We are pleased that the court recognizes the importance of having access to clothing and personal items that reflect a person's gender, and that denying items because someone is transgender is discrimination." Quine is serving a life sentence for murder, kidnapping and robbery at Mule Creek State Prison. The men's prison, which is in Ione 50 miles southeast of Sacramento, houses about 3,200 inmates. She is set for surgery in December. Kent Scheidegger, legal director at the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation, which supports crime victims, called Vadas' ruling "ridiculous." "Civil rights laws should not create a right to such minor matters. The civil rights of prisoners are to not be treated cruelly, and getting down to such details goes far beyond what a reasonable interpretation of civil rights laws would provide," he said. Moreover, the feminine items may cause problems in men's prisons, he said. "Sexual assault does happen in prison, it's a major problem and certainly people who have a feminine appearance are more likely to be targets," Scheidegger said. Corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton declined comment, citing the ongoing litigation. | 5 | 99,830 | news |
The Rangers topped the Astros 5-3 on Thursday afternoon. Prince Fielder hit his fourth home run of the season. Carlos Correa left the game with an apparent ankle injury. | 1 | 99,831 | sports |
Political upheaval, the Zika virus and a spike in crime are all looming over Brazil as it prepares to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. | 8 | 99,832 | video |
The House of Representatives, in a rare moment of bipartisanship, passed a bill Thursday to help Puerto Rico restructure its massive, $70 billion debt load and hopefully avoid defaulting on any more of its debt payments. The bill establishes a seven-person advisory board that will be in charge of negotiating with the island's creditors, who lobbied hard against any kind of federal intervention out of fears the Puerto Rico would not pay its full debt. The Obama administration, led by Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, has pushed hard to give the U.S. commonwealth some kind of relief, arguing that it has already cut back government services and needed some assistance. The bill, which passed 297-127 after a strong push by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., did not include any direct financial assistance, allaying fears from many Republicans about a possible bailout. Instead, it allows the oversight board to negotiate with creditors and avoid a lengthy, and costly, battle in court. Ryan argued on the House floor Thursday that Puerto Rico needed congressional assistance because, unlike every U.S. state, Puerto Rico is not legally allowed to file for bankruptcy to restructure its debt. Ryan said a failure to act would lead to a more difficult decision over bailing out the impoverished island. "This bill won't add a single dollar to the deficit," Ryan said. "This bill actually prevents a bailout. That's the whole point. The best chance creditors have to get what they're owed is this bill." The bill would also create a federal task force to look at ways that Puerto Rico can get out of the economic spiral that it's been in for decades. Part of the reason for the collapse was Congress' decision in 1996 to end a tax break that led U.S. pharmaceutical and petrochemical companies to establish subsidiaries in Puerto Rico. After the tax break ended, companies started leaving the island. Puerto Rico's government then started making up for the revenue shortfall by taking advantage of its unique "triple-tax-free" status. Purchasers of Puerto Rican government bonds do not pay federal, state or local taxes, which led investors to snatch them up anytime the island offered them. The bonds became so popular that they're now part of many American portfolios, whether they know it or not. Morningstar, an investment research firm based in Chicago, estimated in 2013 that 180 mutual funds in the U.S. and elsewhere have at least 5% of their portfolios in Puerto Rican bonds. The Puerto Rican government started relying on those bonds so heavily that its debt quickly outpaced the island's ability to pay them off, resulting in more than $72 billion in debt last year. Gov. Alejandro García Padila came into office vowing to bring that down, closing schools, hospitals and other government services. But by this year, he said there was nothing more his government could do and began pleading for the ability to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protections. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said that economic disaster is why a new federal task force is needed to figure out ways to help the island recover economically and pay off its debts. "I would hope that the task force would afford us the opportunity to see other ways that we can help the economic growth of Puerto Rico, to the citizens, our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico," she said on the House floor on Thursday. The House action was commended Thursday by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew, who said that "while it is not perfect, it will stem the crisis. "Time is of the essence," Lew added. "On July 1, Puerto Rico will face nearly $2 billion worth of payments that it does not have the money to make and in the absence of this bill, Puerto Rico faces a chaotic unwinding. Only continued bipartisan Congressional action can prevent Puerto Rico's crisis from getting worse. I urge the Senate to take up the bill without delay and send it to the President's desk." The bill now moves to the Senate, where leaders have said they want to find a solution before Puerto Rico's next big payment comes due on July 1. | 5 | 99,833 | news |
WASHINGTON Now that Senator Bernie Sanders is all but out of the race, Democrats can unite to take aim at Donald J. Trump. Their new sledgehammer is Senator Elizabeth Warren . In her day job, Ms. Warren cuts an imperious swath through the Capitol, striding down hallways, her jewel-toned jacket swaying behind her, refusing to speak to or even make eye contact with reporters. Small talk with elevator operators and other staff? Not her style. And the Democrat from Massachusetts is rarely front and center pushing major legislation. But beyond Mr. Sanders, no one captivates the aggrieved, angry left the way Ms. Warren does. Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter "What she is doing right now, focusing on the outrageousness of Donald Trump is really important," said Senator Tammy Baldwin, Democrat of Wisconsin. "In the universal sense I am always saying, 'Go, Elizabeth, Go!'" Ms. Warren was expected to officially endorse Hillary Clinton after carefully staying out of the race in which many of her Democratic colleagues enthusiastically endorsed Mrs. Clinton early on Thursday on the Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC. Mrs. Clinton's aides had been pressuring Ms. Warren for an endorsement, and the senator decided to do so after talking with Mr. Sanders over the weekend, aides close to her said. Ms. Warren shares Mr. Sanders's dislike of superdelegates, who are typically longtime Democratic officials and activists. She waited until Democratic primary voters across the country had their say, but before the superdelegates formally cast their votes, to weigh in. Mrs. Clinton's decisive victory in California's primary on Tuesday and Mr. Obama's endorsement on Thursday provided additional impetus for her endorsement, people close to Ms. Warren said. "She maintained her neutrality in the primary and that gave her a special space," said Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois. But her attacks on Mr. Trump were hatched in her own brain, and carried out with a combination of vehemence and apparent pleasure. Through speeches, carefully chosen television appearances and tweet storms designed to skewer the businessman's remarks, policies and dynamism, Ms. Warren has gone taunt-for-taunt with Mr. Trump, calling him a "loser," a "small, insecure money grubber " and "weak." And she is only warming up. "Donald Trump says they ought to look into Judge Curiel because what Judge Curiel is doing is a total disgrace," Ms. Warren said Thursday night in a speech to the American Constitution Society, addressing Mr. Trump's attack on a federal judge, Gonzalo P. Curiel, based on his Hispanic heritage. "No, Donald, what you are doing is a total disgrace. Race-baiting a judge who spent years defending America from the terror of murderers and drug traffickers simply because long ago his family came to America from somewhere else. You, Donald Trump, are a total disgrace." Ms. Warren has not confined her attacks on Republicans to Mr. Trump. She engaged Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, this week on the Senate floor when she tried to single-handedly move to confirm some judges Republicans are blocking. "The Senate's job is to provide advice and consent on the president's judicial nominees," Ms. Warren lectured as Mr. McConnell was forced to look on, before objecting. "There is no asterisk that says only when the majority leader has an embarrassing political problem or except when the president is named Barack Obama," she said. This spring, Ms. Warren, 66, embarked on a long string of ornery slaps at Mr. Trump on his favored forum, Twitter , calling his candidacy as a "serious threat" and calling him "a loser." She also called him out directly in one Twitter message that said: "Your policies are dangerous. Your words are reckless. Your record is embarrassing. And your free ride is over." Mr. Trump, whose thin skin becomes almost translucent when attacked on social media, responded by calling Ms. Warren "the Indian" and "Pocahontas" in reference to her disputed Cherokee heritage. Democrats are rather gleeful about Ms. Warren's role, because of her high profile and her stark contrast to Mr. Trump. She is also unlike Mr. Sanders, who often speaks along the same thematic lines as Mr. Trump on trade policy and whose supporters Mr. Trump has openly courted in recent weeks. This has led to inevitable talk of Ms. Warren as the number two on Mrs. Clinton's ticket. "She's played a great role," said Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California. "I think she should be one of the names considered." While that idea is appealing to many Clinton advisers and she is often mentioned as a possibility, the two have not shared the sort of warm relationship that could be required for such a partnership. Ms. Warren has suggested in the past that Mrs. Clinton was not as tough as she could have been on bank regulations. "Of course I've spoken with Senator Warren in the last few weeks," Mrs. Clinton told Bloomberg News . "We've stayed in touch over the campaign and I'm very much looking forward to having her good advice and counsel as we move to the general election campaign. I have the highest regard for her." Ms. Warren brings more to the table that a knack for a knifing riposte. She is also a formidable fund-raiser, having collected almost $50 million for her campaign committee since 2011, and she has a formidable mailing list of supporters. Mrs. Clinton made no mention of those attributes, but she did make a point of saying she supported the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , which Ms. Warren helped to start before wining her Senate seat in 2012. Ms. Warren has told friends she wants to stay in her current role. "I'd hate to lose her here," Mr. Durbin said. In the Senate, Ms. Warren's role has been more of an effective scold than a legislative heavyweight. For instance, last year she became the face of opposition for a trade bill championed by Mr. Obama, far more so than Mr. Sanders who, like Mr. Trump, is a strong critic of international trade agreements. On Thursday, the political gloves were off and the napkin was on the lap as she joined a rare bipartisan Senate lunch. She tucked into some Georgia barbecue as she sat for some time next to Senator Bob Corker, Republican of Tennessee, with whom she had worked on bills to reform government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. "When I talk to her we talk about policy overlap," said Mr. Corker, a supporter of Mr. Trump. After the lunch, two reporters followed Ms. Warren down a hallway to discuss her role in the party, her attacks on Mr. Trump, Mrs. Clinton, or even the barbecue she just ate. An aide repeatedly asked them to leave, as Ms. Warren pretended to examine the paint on the hall ceiling. Follow The New York Times's politics and Washington coverage on Facebook and Twitter , and sign up for the First Draft politics newsletter . Follow Jennifer Steinhauer on Twitter @jestei . | 5 | 99,834 | news |
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) Brandon Ingram very well could be the next big piece in the Los Angeles Lakers' increasingly interesting young core. And if the Duke shooter ends up on the West Coast, he'll be eager to add another championship banner to the walls of the training gym where he worked up a sweat Thursday. Two weeks before his basketball future is determined at the NBA draft, Ingram went through a full workout as part of a multiday introduction to the Lakers, a vaunted franchise rebuilding from its worst season. Ingram and Australia's Ben Simmons are the consensus top two picks, and the Lakers are almost certain to grab the player left behind by the 76ers. While Ingram spoke warmly of his initial interactions with the Lakers, he'll pursue his NBA career with the same passion in Philadelphia or Los Angeles. ''It doesn't matter at all,'' Ingram said. ''I want to go to the organization that wants me, and I want to develop in this league the best way that I can.'' Although new coach Luke Walton is still working for the Golden State Warriors, Ingram went through drills for general manager Mitch Kupchak's front office and the basketball development staff. He went to dinner with many of the same people Wednesday night. Ingram said he thought it was important to show the Lakers ''my determination and how I'm self-driven. Just trying to work as hard as possible on this court, and trying to show a little character outside the court. Showing exactly who I am, and trying to get a great feel for them.'' Ingram sees himself playing multiple positions in the NBA, a quality that likely would fit well with Walton's plan to install the best parts of Golden State's free-flowing offensive approach. Ingram doesn't flinch from draft analysts comparing him to Kevin Durant, either. ''I think being versatile is a part of this game nowadays,'' Ingram said. ''I think, with my body type and how tall I am and with the size I'm developing, I think it's going to be important for me to play different positions on the floor.'' After Kobe Bryant's long goodbye mercifully ended in April, Los Angeles survived the draft lottery and kept the second overall pick for the second straight draft. The Lakers chose D'Angelo Russell last year, and the point guard showed his enormous promise during Bryant's rocky farewell season. The Lakers' core includes forward Julius Randle, who would be a compelling physical counterpoint to Ingram, and rising guard Jordan Clarkson. They also have ample salary cap space to sign free agents after largely striking out in that market during Kobe's final years. Ingram is intrigued. ''You see a lot of championships and great players coming through here,'' Ingram said. ''As a kid, you dream of just being in a great organization and making your own brand. So coming into Duke, I had a goal to try to be a national champion. That didn't happen, but I wanted to be a great player there. And whatever organization is my next step, I want to be another great player there.'' While Ingram cooled down from his workout, Russell was doing shooting drills with a coterie of Lakers development coaches. Russell was a high school teammate of Simmons, but has spoken positively of both candidates to join him in purple and gold. Ingram's offensive versatility and skill are intriguing to his potential employers, even if his gangly teenage frame needs work. Ingram gained 25 pounds during his year at Duke, and he plans to keep adding mass. ''Just eat everything I can,'' he said with a laugh. ''Of course, I think (for) my weight, I can eat anything. I don't have a certain diet for myself. Just eating anything I can and staying in the weight room as much as possible. ... I know everybody in the NBA developed their body in the summer, so I'll try to do the same thing.'' Ingram said he'll work out for the 76ers at some point this month. Philadelphia general manager Bryan Colangelo has spoken warmly of Simmons, and observers increasingly think the LSU big man is the leader for the No. 1 spot. If that means Ingram is headed west, he can't wait for the challenge. ''Everyone around here are great people,'' Ingram said. ''They make you feel comfortable. I can say it's a family around the Lakers organization.'' | 1 | 99,835 | sports |
Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Andrew Napolitano on the Clinton email investigation. | 5 | 99,836 | news |
PALO ALTO, Calif. It could have been mistaken for any other late afternoon in the expectant days before graduation. Seniors shuttled four years of possessions from the Kappa Alpha fraternity into waiting U-Hauls that would carry them away from Stanford for the last time. But the students weren't talking just about commencement, or summer, or jobs ahead. Their conversations this week, like so many on this elite campus these days, kept turning to sexual assault. It was inescapable on their phones and laptops, what happened just a few hundred feet away and its lingering impact: A woman left one of their parties drunk, passed out behind a dumpster and was attacked by a Stanford swimmer. "We're horrified that this happened here," said Dominick Francks, 22, a Kappa Alpha brother majoring in atmosphere/energy and computer science. "Everyone is pretty blown away." As the nation was riveted this week by the victim's account of the January 2015 assault and its effects on her, this community has continued to cope with and learn from what has become a prime example of the problem of college sexual violence. Here, at Stanford, it overshadowed everything else. Within an hour of the victim's letter being posted online, Kappa Alpha fraternity brothers' phones lit up: "You need to read this." Fraternity members said they were deeply shaken by the letter, describing it as eloquent, eye-opening and brave. One said he hoped the letter would become required reading at Stanford. The case resonated nationally because it encapsulated the problem of sexual assault on campus, with all its complexities and jarring headlines, from the Baylor football team's assaults that led to the ouster of the school's football coach and president to high-profile cases at Vanderbilt, Florida State and so many others. People argued over whether binge drinking was to blame, or fraternity culture or the entitlement of privilege. Some saw it as proof that sexual assault is treated differently when the accused is an athlete, a campus leader, an outstanding student. A statement from Brock Turner's father arguing against jail time because the life his son had worked so hard to achieve would never happen and saying "That is a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 plus years of life" went viral. Here in Palo Alto, the impact is visceral. Inboxes and social media are full of links to petitions: People demanding better support from the university for sexual assault victims, calling on Stanford officials to apologize and pay for the victim's therapy, and asking the judge in the case to step down. A protest is planned for Sunday at an annual commencement event. "Everyone on campus is talking about it," said Dulcie Davies, a graduating sorority member who plays field hockey. "Everyone is sharing everything on Facebook." The reaction to the victim's letter was the culmination of many months of soul-searching, said Victor Xu, a rising senior who is managing editor of the Stanford Daily. It's a constant topic of conversation online and on campus, over dinner, in random conversations with friends and within families, he said. It was just outside the Kappa Alpha house last year that a freshman left the party drunk and sexually assaulted an unconscious woman. Turner, a varsity swimmer and Olympic hopeful, withdrew from the school, was banned from campus and was convicted of three felony counts of sexual assault. When the 20-year-old from Ohio was sentenced last week to six months in jail, three years of probation and a life as a registered sex offender many people were shocked. The prosecutor had asked for six years in prison. When the letter the victim read in court, 12 pages of eloquent agony, was published on Buzzfeed , it ignited: More than a million people signed online petitions demanding that Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky be removed from the bench, and a formal recall effort was launched. Persky got death threats. The events prompted difficult questions within the university's Greek system. Although Turner was never a member of Kappa Alpha, the fact that he met the victim at one of their parties, and assaulted her nearby, was troubling to many at Stanford. In recent months, fraternities have hosted women's groups to talk about sexual assault. Kappa Alpha had events on sexual health and masculinity. Members said they saw brothers break down in tears as they shared stories about pressure to succeed academically, athletically and with women and not show vulnerability. Fraternities had been on notice since July 2014, when sexist jokes at a toga party at Sigma Alpha Epsilon led to harassment complaints. The students later permanently lost their house. News of the Turner assault made women on campus feel less safe, Davies said. But the victim's letter, released last week, and the campus discussions in recent months, also had some positive effects, she said. "It just brought to light the smaller situations that happen," Davies said. "Now people are coming to terms with saying things like sexist comments are not okay. In the past, it would have been played off. Now people are willing to speak out against it." Students and faculty were divided about whether Stanford had done enough. Stanford has taken aggressive action in recent years to combat campus sexual assault , university officials say, including establishing a "yes means yes" affirmative consent standard in 2012 before it became California law in an attempt to avoid confusion about whether sexual contact is welcome. The school requires students to learn about prevention and changed how sexual assault cases are judged, with an expectation of expulsion when a student is found responsible for sexual assault. Next year's budget includes $2.7 million to counter sexual violence. A Washington Post analysis of federal data put Stanford among the top 10 schools with the highest number of rapes reported in 2014, with 26. "I think what [the case] boils down to is that there's a real disconnect between how people perceive rape that happens on campus and rape that happens off-campus. And, really, you know, rape is rape," said Matthew Cohen, a sophomore and member of the student senate. "It should be treated the same way whether it happens on university campus or not." Michele Dauber, a Stanford law professor who is friends with the victim, said that the university had yet to apologize. The woman was not a Stanford student. "They've never shown any remorse that this happened on Stanford property," Dauber said. "You create this culture, not of alcohol but of toxic masculinity, in which misogyny is really deep and it's always somebody else's fault." Dauber introduced a new course last year for sophomores on sexual assault at universities because she had "a line of girls" outside her door who said they had been assaulted. The students in the course later formed a group that advocates for sexual assault prevention. "Stanford looks at sexual assault cases from the lens of protecting its brand," said the group's organizer, Stephanie Pham. "Maybe it's this need to forge an image of a perfect university where sexual assault doesn't happen." Francks, the Kappa Alpha member, said he was home the night of the party in January 2015 but went to sleep early ahead of a morning golf event. He said more needs to be done. "Why are we training girls how not to get raped but not teaching boys not to rape?" Francks said. "A lot of changes need to be made. But some are happening already." Svrluga reported from Washington. | 5 | 99,837 | news |
Cleveland is a lot like love in that it inspires people to do crazy things. That's what Justin Bieber will tell himself, anyways, after he was involved in a brief punch-up with a guy that looks to be roughly a foot taller than him. Video of the brawl was shot around 11 p.m. on Wednesday near Bieber's hotel in downtown Cleveland. Bieber doesn't throw the first punch, but he does get a few licks in as the pair trade blows then become entangled. The fight was, like life, nasty, brutish, and short. It wasn't exactly Bieber punching Desiigner for stepping on his shoes, but what is? And apparently it was all over an autograph. Bieber's no-picture policy is well known, but apparently not to Lamont Richmond. Richmond claims to be the other guy in the fight and posted a video explaining the situation, also via TMZ . He doesn't exactly look like he caught a beating. Watch below. | 4 | 99,838 | lifestyle |
We've heard of wolves in sheep's' clothing, but this is ridiculous. Gizmodo reports on a string of robberies undertaken by people that gained access to iPhones by walking right up to them, taking them, and walking out of the store. Their cover was clothing similar to Apple Store uniforms, which have been converted to a single set of blue shirts rather than their previous seasonal rotation. The Upper West Side Apple Store was robbed twice in March , hit for a total of 67 iPhones with a retail value of nearly $50,000. The thieves reportedly targeted that location because it's a training store and therefore less likely to closely scrutinize unfamiliar people in correct attire. Another robbery with a remarkably similar modus operandi took place Wednesday as a man dressed as an employee liberated 19 iPhones from the Soho store. "The man grabbed 19 iPhones from a drawer inside the room, worth a total of $16,130, then handed them over to another thief," DNAInfo writes. "That man hid the phones under his shirt, and the pair walked out of the store." While it's not yet clear if the robberies are related, it is clear that Apple employees need to stop letting random people walk out with iPhones. | 4 | 99,839 | lifestyle |
CLEVELAND Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is nothing if not measured. He was calm last season when the Warriors trailed the Cleveland Cavaliers 2-1 in the NBA Finals only to reel off three consecutive victories. He was calm as a player, a key three-point threat for those championship teams with the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs. So it was hardly surprising to hear Kerr, a day after his Warriors were thrashed by the Cavaliers, speaking with a measured perspective despite his team's 30-point loss in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. "This is what the playoffs are all about," Kerr said. "The spotlight and the speculation and the criticism and the dramatic change in perception about what's happening. Fourteen hours ago, sixteen hours ago everything was great. We were doing great and 'Boy, what are the Cavs going to do? Are they going to get swept?' They're a great team, they win a game, now all the sudden it's lineup changes, and oh my god, Steph Curry, I can't play well and what's Klay going to do?" To be fair, the several hundred media members credentialed for the NBA Finals hardly knew what to do with themselves after some predicted a sweep after the Warriors won Games 1 and 2 by a combined 48 points. The Cavaliers, in contrast, hardly looked like the team that stormed through the Eastern Conference, the Warriors' switching completely taking the Cavs out of their offensive rhythm. But Kerr's point was taken. And it was clearly a message that resonated with his players as well. "You get paid a lot of money, you get criticized," said Klay Thompson, who himself was held to just 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting in Game 3. "To me, it's not that big a deal because I've learned it can change every game. We're up 2-0 and everything's feeling great and then you lose a game and it seems like the world's falling apart." Despite the lobsided nature of each game so far each winner has won by an average of 26 points each team has successfully defended home court. That shouldn't be surprising given that the Warriors are 11-1 at home this postseason, and the Cavs are 8-0. And yet not two days ago, it was the Cavs' season that was desperately on life support. But beyond the extreme nature of each result, whether Kerr will admit it, there is legitimate concern about how the Warriors have earned their 2-1 lead. It's the first time all season Curry has failed to score 20 points in three straight games. He attributed cheap fouls to breaking up his rhythm and forcing him to the bench, but he's looked nothing like the wizard who averaged 27.9 points in the conference finals. The Cavs' defensive closeouts on him have been superb, and he hasn't had much breathing room. Neither has his fellow Splash Brother, who's had his two worst shooting performances of the postseason in Games 1 and 3 with nine and 10 points, respectively. In an odd turn of events it was the Warriors' bench which bolstered their early NBA Finals lead, not their All-Stars. In an age when NBA benches typically shorten as the postseason progresses, it's a tribute to the Warriors' depth if there ever was one. Thompson, owning the fact that the starters weren't good enough, vowed Friday would be different. "The best part about this team is that everyone's so competitive, we're all embarrassed for Game 3," Thompson said. "We really are. We're going to have a better showing." Curry isn't immune to the expectations heaped on him as the NBA's first unanimous MVP. But he's also not callous enough to bemoan his poor individual effort when he was asked how he would rate his Finals thus far. "We're 2-1," Curry said, smiling. "We're up 2-1 right now and the story is still unfolding." Follow Mike Singer on Twitter @msinger . BEST PHOTOS OF THE 2016 NBA FINALS | 1 | 99,840 | sports |
LOS ANGELES A California mother was reunited Thursday with her abducted son, laying eyes on him and wrapping her arms around him for the first time in 21 years. Maria Mancia had been left with just a single photo of her son since his father took him in 1995. The boy she last saw when he was just 18 months old is now a man. Steve Hernandez, 22, was found living in Puebla, Mexico, and on Thursday morning was brought to the U.S. to meet his mother for an emotional reunion. "Now this anguish I've carried is gone now that I have my son back," Mancia told KABC-TV. "I spent 21 years looking for him not knowing anything." The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Child Abduction Unit had been looking for Hernandez through the years, searching for him in several states. Investigators then received a strong tip in February that he was in Mexico. The father, Valentin Hernandez, is missing and believed to be dead, authorities said. Investigator Karen Cragg, who led the search, said they had to approach Steve Hernandez delicately. "We used a ruse to contact him. We told him we were investigating his father and we needed his DNA to help locate his father," Cragg told The Associated Press on Thursday. "We didn't want to scare him off. We weren't sure what the circumstances were down there. We had to tread very carefully." The two parents and their toddler boy had been living in Rancho Cucamonga, California, in 1995. The parents were having relationship struggles. Mancia came home from work one day to find both the elder Hernandez and their son missing. The father had even taken all of their photos of the boy, including an ultrasound. Mancia had to write to a relative to get a picture. "That became the only photograph she had of Steve for the last 21 years," Cragg said. She immediately reported the boy missing and the investigation had been active ever since, first with the Sheriff's Department, then with DA's investigators. Neither the mother nor her child was told when Steve Hernandez was first found, lest false hope be created. Once the DNA sample was obtained in February, Cragg asked the Department of Justice if they could hurry on the test, knowing it could take several months. "They called me in two weeks and said it was a match," Cragg said. Cragg and her partner drove straight to Mancia's house. "It was like she didn't believe us at first," Cragg said. "She began to cry. She said she couldn't believe he was still alive." Because Steve Hernandez is a U.S. citizen, there were no immigration troubles returning him to the U.S., Cragg said. Authorities in both countries were hugely helpful in making it happen. He had no personal documents at all, but his mother had his birth certificate and more. The boy's father had told him that his mother abandoned the two of them. He now knows that wasn't true. And he now knows his mother. "I lived all these years without my mother, then to find out she's alive in another country, it's emotional," Hernandez told KABC. He said he plans to stay in the U.S. and hopes to attend law school, which he already started in Mexico. He hugged his crying mother when he finally met her. Then wiped tears from her eyes. ___ Associated Press Writer Amy Taxin contributed to this story from Santa Ana, California | 5 | 99,841 | news |
Bernie Sanders thundered through his stump speech at a campaign rally on Thursday, never once mentioning to the thousands who gathered to see him that his campaign is likely winding down. Speaking to about 2,000 supporters outside of RFK stadium on a cool evening on the outskirts of Washington, D.C., Sanders did not once mention rival Hillary Clinton or fighting her for the support of superdelegates at a contested Democratic convention. Instead, Sanders hewed closely to his stump speech, ticking through the litany of progressive issues that have long been the cornerstone of his surprising insurgent campaign. "This is the United States of America, where in the last 25 years we've seen the middle class shrink and shrink and shrink while almost all new wealth goes to the people on top," Sanders said. "That's not what this country is about, and together we are going to change that." The singular focus on the issues was a shift for Sanders, who as recently as Tuesday was vowing to fight to the bitter end for the Democratic nomination. The rally - which might be his last as a presidential candidate - closed out a busy day for Sanders that could presage his exit from the Democratic presidential race. Sanders met with President Obama and Vice President Biden at the White House early on Thursday. He left that meeting saying that he would work with rival Hillary Clinton and Democrats to defeat Donald Trump in the general election - the clearest sign yet that he's preparing to wind down his campaign. Obama released a pre-taped video announcing his endorsement of Clinton shortly after. The president will campaign with Clinton in Wisconsin next week. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a progressive hero like Sanders, endorsed Clinton Thursday evening. The writing is on the wall for Sanders after he fell short of Clinton in three of five states on Tuesday. He lost badly to the former secretary of State in California, where he had campaigned heavily and hoped to pull an upset. Clinton can now claim a majority of pledged delegates earned through primaries and caucuses. Barring catastrophe, superdelegates will push Clinton across the threshold needed to emerge with the nomination at the Democratic convention in Philadelphia in July. Democrats are closely watching to see how Sanders plays out the rest of the campaign and will likely see his Clinton-free speech Thursday as a positive sign. Still, not all of Sanders's allies appear ready to throw in the towel. Supporters Cornel West and Deborah Parker, both of whom will represent Sanders on the platform committee at the convention, criticized Clinton or expressed dismay over the state of the race. West called Clinton a "milquetoast neo-liberal," while Parker said she was "angry" and "hurt" over the outcome. "These past few days have been difficult," Parker said. But Sanders is under pressure from allies on Capitol Hill, and even some key progressive groups that backed his candidacy, like MoveOn, to begin the process of rallying his supporters behind Clinton. Sanders has long said he'll compete until all voters have had their say. The final Democratic primary is next Tuesday in Washington, D.C. "In a few days here in Washington, you'll be having the very last primary of the Democratic nominating process," Sanders said in closing. "It would be extraordinary if the people of Washington, our nation's capitol, stood up and told the world they're ready to lead this country into a political revolution." | 5 | 99,842 | news |
A Texas high school student revealed that she is an undocumented immigrant in front of her entire graduating class. Larissa Martinez made the confession during her valedictorian speech. | 5 | 99,843 | news |
PITTSBURGH - All the talk since the Sharks dropped Game 4 at San Jose was that they must score first in Game 5, something they hadn't done yet in the Stanley Cup Finals. They did, scoring just over a minute in, with Brent Burns putting one in from the left side, his first goal of the series. And 2:53 in, Logan Couture added another to give the Sharks a 2-0 lead - but alas for San Jose, even jumping out fast with a two-goal advantage wasn't enough: The Penguins needed less than three minutes to tie it up, first on a power-play goal by Evgeni Malkin after Dainius Zubrus was called for delay of game, and then on a Carl Hagelin's deflection of a shot by Nick Bonino. San Jose regained the edge at the 14:47 mark, when Melker Karlsson, in front of the net, buried a terrific pass from Couture. That's four goals in the first five minutes of the first period here in a wild Game 5 at Consol Energy Center, the fastsest four goals ever in a Stanley Cup Finals game. Couture's also was his first of the series. Malkin didn't score until Game 4 at San Jose. Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] . | 1 | 99,844 | sports |
MILWAUKEE -- No criminal charges will be filed in the death of a mother who was shot by her two-year-old son as she drove along a Milwaukee freeway , according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, which investigated the case. Patrice Price, 26, was driving her boyfriend's car on Highway 175 on April 26 when his loaded handgun slid from under the driver's seat and the toddler, who was riding in the back seat, picked it up, sheriff's officials said. The child fired the gun through the front seat, striking Price. A .40-caliber gun was recovered from the floor of the back seat behind the driver, along with a security officer's gun belt belonging to the victim's boyfriend, sheriff's officials said. The woman's mother was in the front seat with Price's one-year-old son. Family members said the older woman was able to put her foot on the brake and maneuver the car to the side of the highway after her daughter was shot. Price was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving efforts of first responders. Antonio Price previously said his sister was a great mother and always gave him good advice. Investigators found nothing illegal about the gun that belonged to Price's boyfriend, sheriff's department spokeswoman Fran McLaughlin said Thursday. Prosecutors from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office concurred with the sheriff's investigators findings, McLaughlin said. A spokesperson for the DA's office did not immediately return a call for comment. Relatives said Price had borrowed the car from her boyfriend because her vehicle, along with the boys' car seats, had recently been stolen. The case was similar to one in Florida recently in which Jamie Gilt, 31, was shot in the back by her four-year-old son who used a handgun that slid from underneath the front seat to the back where he was seated. Gilt survived the shooting. Putnam County sheriff's officials said the boy had recently learned how to unbuckle himself. He climbed out of his seat, picked up the gun and fired through the front seat, hitting his mother in the back, investigators said. | 5 | 99,845 | news |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Muhammad Ali's last wish was that people from all walks of life could gather together to bid him one final goodbye. Surely, he would have been pleased with what took place Thursday just a few steps from where he made his pro debut more than a half century ago. Boxing royalty mixed easily with common folks inside the convention center. Muslims prayed during the service attended by Christians, Jews and nonbelievers. And over on one side, those with sharp eyes saw civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson lean over a row of chairs to hug Louis Farrakhan, the head of the Nation of Islam. RELATED: Thousands gather to remember Muhammad Ali Yes, it would have pleased Ali, probably even more than will Friday's star-studded memorial service, which features at least one president and a king. These were his people, from spiky-haired Don King waving flags to 73-year-old Barbara Hillman, a black woman from Louisville clutching the tickets she received after getting up at 3 a.m. to get in line the other morning. All ages. All colors. All faiths. All there for Ali. ''Who else could pass away and bring all this unity and peace?'' asked Hillman, whose husband was in the same 1960 graduating class at Louisville's Central High as Ali. ''He has included everybody. Young, old, black, white and all religions.'' The grip that Ali has on this town was never hard to measure. There's a Muhammad Ali Boulevard and a Muhammad Ali Center, and in recent weeks his childhood home was opened for visits and figures to become yet another tourism attraction. Hardly anyone you talked to ever saw his fights, at least in person. That was for people in bigger cities with more money. But locals snapped up all the tickets to Friday's gala within an hour's time. They dressed up for Thursday's service and pressed toward the front, holding their phones up high to try and get a picture of Ali's casket coming by. Mostly, though, they seemed happy just to be part of the traditional Muslim prayer service known as Jenazah. ''We're going to be prayerful, calm and loving,'' an early speaker told the crowd. ''Muhammad would have wanted nothing more from us.'' There was never any need to worry about that. This may have been the place of Ali's first fight - a six-rounder against a 186-pound journeyman named Tunney Hunsaker - but this wasn't a day for fighting, or even thinking about fights. This was bigger than that. The man himself was bigger than boxing. As Cassius Clay he came back to his hometown after winning the gold medal in the 1960 Olympics, only to be denied service when he tried to eat at a Louisville Woolworth lunch counter. Enraged, he would tell a story - backed up by his brother Rahman - of walking down to the Ohio River and throwing his medal into the water. Now, as Muhammad Ali, he's the most celebrated person ever born in Louisville. Once hotly controversial he's now so beloved that his services had to be held in two different arenas. ''Like Martin Luther King, he worked for the betterment of mankind,'' said King, who promoted fights so epic they had names like Rumble in the Jungle and Thrilla in Manilla. ''They were both on the same page with two different courses of action. I loved the man. His spirit will never die.'' Jackson remembered Ali walking in with football legend Jim Brown to a hotel room in New York City on April 4, 1967, as King was preparing to give his famous anti-Vietnam war speech at the Riverside Church. It was a few weeks before Ali would refuse to step forward in the draft, and Jackson said his presence in the room both emboldened King and made him feel he had someone powerful on his side. A year later, King would be assassinated, and the nation was wracked by racial and political strife. ''Dr. King gave up his life, Ali gave up his career,'' Jackson said. ''Getting together that day was a big deal. The nation saw his support. He was not only a championship fighter but a human rights activist.'' He was both, but a great fighter first. He might have been the greatest heavyweight ever, though even those who tried to emulate him don't spend much time talking about what Ali did in the ring. ''I'm sure everybody in this room has wonderful memories of Muhammad Ali,'' said former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. ''To me he'll never die because of his heart and what he's accomplished that had nothing to do with boxing.'' On a warm day in Louisville, it would have been hard to find anyone who would argue with that. ---- Tim Dahlberg is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at tdahlberg(at)ap.org or http//twitter.com/timdahlberg | 1 | 99,846 | sports |
Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday night backed into endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, hours after President Obama threw his support behind her candidacy. Biden remarked at the American Constitution Society national convention that "God willing," Clinton will become the next president of the United States. The vice president's remarks came as he delivered a stinging speech criticizing presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump's attacks on a federal judge as biased due to his heritage. Other top Democrats who threw their support behind Clinton on Thursday included Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former Clinton rival and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley. Bernie Sanders on Thursday said he would campaign for votes ahead of Tuesday's primary in Washington, D.C., but said he would push for party unity after a meeting with Obama. | 5 | 99,847 | news |
Get your DNews Daily Bite weekdays at 12/11c on Animal Planet! | 8 | 99,848 | video |
A community is grieving as the newborn daughter of a beloved Mississippi surgeon passed away just one week after her mother died during childbirth. | 5 | 99,849 | news |
PHILADELPHIA Last summer, the U.S. national team traveled to Philadelphia to play a game that was perhaps the most frustratingly superfluous in its 100-year history. Instead of heading home after a stunning loss to Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals, the dispirited Americans were forced to travel from Atlanta and then face Panama for a bronze medal nobody really wanted. The U.S. certainly played like it didn't want to be at PPL Park (now Talen Energy Stadium), where it lost on penalty kicks. Asked Thursday afternoon how last year's trip to Philly compares to this week's, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann laughed. "Definitely a big difference, obviously," he said before training at the University of Pennsylvania. "The spirit is very upbeat. It's positive." • COPA AMERICA: Full standings, statistics, live gamecasts A comprehensive 4 0 triumph in a must-win game will do that. Thanks to Tuesday's Copa América Centenario rout of Costa Rica, the U.S. (1-1-0) is in prime position to get out of what Klinsmann called "the toughest group here." Three points against Paraguay (0-1-1) on Friday evening at Lincoln Financial Field will seal the deal. A draw likely will be enough as well, assuming Costa Rica (0-1-1) doesn't beat Group A-leader Colombia (2-0-0) by at least six goals. A loss means elimination. Last year in Philadelphia, Klinsmann hit his nadir as U.S. coach. This year, he's in position to renew his mandate by guiding the Americans to the quarterfinals. "This is it. This is already a knockout game on Saturday. This is it," Klinsmann said. "It's a one-off, and this is our goal, to go through that on Saturday and play the next one-off and learn how to win these one-off games to mature in our own way towards a World Cup where we can go further. "Our big dream is to get into a final four of a World Cup, rather sooner than later," he continued. "And these are the moments where you kind of tell your players, 'Don't be nervous about it. There's no reason to be nervous. But understand that moment. So let's go out there and just give everything you have.' Saturday night is a game where you expect the guys to go out there and really give everything have. If they do that, if they bought into this whole process, it's going to be a very exciting game." Paraguay is not a team the U.S. knows very well, although there is history between the two. They faced each other in 1930 at the first World Cup, where Bert Patenaude tallied the first World Cup hat trick as the U.S. clinched a berth in the semis. They met again at the 2007 Copa América in Venezuela, where Los Guaraníes notched a 3 1 win. The most recent meeting came in a March 2011 friendly, four months before Klinsmann took over. Paraguay's 1 0 win that day in Nashville tied the all-time series, 2-2-2. "This is a very unpredictable team," Klinsmann said. "This is a team that have individual players that can hurt you in a split second, like Colombia experienced [on Tuesday]. They thought the job was almost done and voom, [Paraguay] scores that one goal and if they don't go down to 10 men they were right on the verge to equalize that game. They're fearless. That's their nature. Last Copa América, final four. Previous Copa América [in 2011], second place. That tells you who Paraguay is. But I think we're very well prepared and we are definitely capable to beat them." Paraguay traditionally is known for its stout defense, which in this tournament is marshaled by 36-year-old Paulo da Silva and Club América star Miguel Samudio, a left back. But Paraguay certainly created its fair share of scoring chances against Colombia as well and as Klinsmann said, it has "players that can hurt you." The attack features FC Ingolstadt striker Dario Lezcano and a pair of Liga MX based forwards, Édgar Benítez from Querétaro and Jorge Benítez from Cruz Azul. The Seattle Sounders' Nelson Valdez has been coming off the bench. Paraguay will be hurt, however, by the absence of suspended playmaker Óscar Romero, who was ejected on Tuesday. • STRAUS: Guzan turns focus to Copa after harrowing Aston Villa year In a rarity under Klinsmann, the U.S. started the same 11 players in two consecutive games, but Tuesday's first-half switch from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 offered more balance against a Costa Rican team trying to overcome an early deficit. The Americans' seamless transition and Bobby Wood's performance as a center forward were promising and suggest they could be an option on Saturday. Klinsmann also will have to decide how prepared older players like Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey are for a third tense game in nine days. "The guys are ready for it," Klinsmann insisted. "They're all hungry. They're all sharp." During the Copa's first two games, the U.S. pretty much played to expectations. Klinsmann's team isn't yet at the level of Colombia , a World Cup quarterfinalist that entered the tournament ranked third in the world. But the U.S. is better than it showed at last year's Gold Cup, and it proved that with the rout of Costa Rica. Paraguay presents an interesting litmus test. La Albirroja isn't considered one of South America's elite teams. It isn't Argentina or Brazil. But Paraguay had qualified for four consecutive World Cups before missing out two years ago. It has contended in recent continental championships and certainly is the sort of team the Americans must get used to beating if they hope to make a World Cup final four. GALLERY: The fans of Copa América Centenario If the U.S. wins on Saturday and gets out of the group, Klinsmann can claim he's made progress toward that goal. If they fail, many will argue that the manager hasn't made nearly enough in five years at the helm. There is enormous pressure. But these are the games Klinsmann has wanted to coach, and his players definitely prefer them over the consolation slog they faced last year. They handled it beautifully on Tuesday in Chicago and now must do it one more time to reach the knockout stage. "We always saw the big picture," goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. "I think the panic button was probably hit by a lot of people on the outside of our camp [after the Colombia loss]. But we always knew the Costa Rica game was going to be a big game for us and we got the result that we needed. But at the same time, we're not getting ahead of ourselves because we know Saturday's result is just as important as the Costa Rica game." | 1 | 99,850 | sports |
When you're sitting in bumper-to-bumper on the freeway, moving an inch a minute, you sometimes wonder what it would be like to just soar to your destination. You know, kind of like a drone. Well, a Chinese drone manufacturer is on that, testing an autonomous drone taxi in Nevada later this year. Ehang, based in Guangzhou, says the drone could carry a person for up to 23 minutes up to 63 miles per hour. Both the company and the state hope it signals a future for the flying cars. Even if it may be a ways off, as the Guardian points out. "I personally look forward to the day when drone taxis are part of Nevada's transportation system," said Tom Wilczek, a defense specialist at Governor's Office of Economic Development, said in a statement. Nevadans were first introduced to Ehang's "intelligent aerial vehicles" at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year, according to NPR . It's unclear when this year the drone testing will start but they'll be working through requirements in the coming months. | 2 | 99,851 | travel |
Mexico booked its spot in the quarterfinals of the Copa America Centenario after overcoming Jamaica 2-0 in Pasadena, California, on Thursday. Javier Hernandez scored his 45th international goal and Oribe Peralta came off the bench to secure back-to-back wins for in-form Mexico, which withstood a spirited Jamaica display to eliminate Group C rival Uruguay in the process after the 15-time champions lost 1-0 to Venezuela earlier in the day. MORE: Neymar's Hollywood mansion | Could Trump ruin U.S. bid? In a rematch of the CONCACAF Gold Cup final, Hernandez opened the scoring approaching the 20-minute mark to move within one goal of the nation's all-time leading record and Peralta sealed the result nine minutes from time in front of 83,263 fans at Rose Bowl. The win extended Mexico's winning streak to 11 matches, while Juan Carlos Osorio's men are unbeaten in 21 games, dating back to last year's Copa America. Mexico made four changes - one of those forced due to Andres Guardado's suspension - to the team that stunned Uruguay 3-1, with Guillermo Ochoa, Yasser Corona, Jesus Duenas and Raul Jimenez coming in for Alfredo Talavera, Diego Reyes and Javier Aquino. Leicester City's Premier League-winning captain Wes Morgan returned to the starting lineup after being a substitute in Jamaica's 1-0 loss to Venezuela, replacing Kemar Lawrence, while Lee Williamson was named in place of suspended midfielder Rodolph Austin. The Reggae Boyz made a promising start in Pasadena and continued to threaten Mexico throughout the opening 45 minutes but they somehow went into the break trailing 1-0. Clayton Donaldson had Jamaica's first chance of the game in the seventh minute, running onto Williamson's throughball, however, the striker lashed his shot just wide of the post after timing his run to perfection. Mexico then went up the other end and broke the deadlock thanks to Hernandez after 18 minutes. A whipping delivery from Jesus Corona picked out Hernandez in the center of the box and the in-form Bayer Leverkusen striker glanced a header into the far corner of the net for his 45th international goal in his 83rd appearance. As the half wore on, the Jamaicans huffed and puffed but they could not find an equalizer despite two golden opportunities in quick succession approaching the break, with Garath McCleary's goal-bound shot blocked by Yasser Corona in the 35th minute and Michael Hector's effort turned away by Ochoa four minutes later. El Tri made an electrifying start to the second half and they almost doubled their lead within minutes of the restart following an inch-perfect cross from Jesus Corona that found Jimenez, but the ball proved elusive for the striker and Hernandez as it bounced across the six-yard box. The end-to-end tempo was thrilling as Mexico continued to peg Jamaica back in its own half, though the Caribbean nation did loom large at the other end via Giles Barnes and Donaldson, who was unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty just past the hour-mark after being taken to ground by Yasser Corona. Mexico came within a whisker of putting the match to bed in the 75th minute but Andre Blake got a hand to the ball to deny Hirving Lozano, though second-half substitute Peralta made sure of the points six minutes later after placing a shot across the keeper. | 1 | 99,852 | sports |
NASA scientists get ready for their first close-up look at Jupiter after a wait of nearly five years. Rough cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 99,853 | video |
Italian and British police face mounting accusations that they confused a notorious people smuggler with an innocent refugee, after some of the smuggler's former victims said they did not recognise the suspect extradited to Rome and paraded before the media. The accusations followed claims from the family, housemates and neighbours of Medhanie Tesfamariam Berhe that the 27-year-old had been mistaken for Medhanie Yehdego Mered, a 35-year-old smuggling kingpin supposedly deported from Sudan on Wednesday. Berhe, they say, was in fact a jobless refugee with no involvement in the smuggling business. The accusations create huge potential embarrassment for both the Italian authorities, who previously claimed to have seized "the boss of one of the most important criminal groups operating in central Africa and Libya", and Britain's National Crime Agency, which was involved in the Mered investigation and hailed the capture of "one of the world's most wanted people smugglers". Mered is a a well-known Eritrean people smuggler, based in Sudan and Libya, who has boasted of sending at least 13,000 people from Khartoum to Europe, via Libya and the Mediterranean Sea. Italy said he had been seized in Khartoum in late May and subsequently deported to Rome. But on Thursday, two men who said they were his former victims told the Guardian they did not recognise him from the images distributed by the Italian government. "I know [Mered] very well, I can recognise him very well," said Anbes Yemane, a 23-year-old Eritrean student who said he had been smuggled to Italy by Mered in December 2013. "That wasn't him." Yemane remembered being kept in squalid, cramped conditions by Mered before departure, with he and his fellow passengers being treated more like cattle than customers. "The conditions were very bad, and I was threatened by [Mered] personally. He used to threaten us with a gun. [But] from the picture that I saw from the Italians, that wasn't [Mered]." A second former customer, who asked not to be named specifically because he believed Mered was still at large in Sudan and therefore represented a threat to his relatives in Khartoum, said: "The person who was captured by the Italians is not the person who smuggled me. I know [Mered] very well and I've known him since 2011, and it would be very easy for me to recognise him. This isn't the smuggler. "He is very dangerous and very powerful, and as I have relatives still in Sudan, he may retaliate if he knows that I am the one giving this information." Who is Medhanie Yehdego Mered, 'the General'? video profile Meanwhile, in Sudan, Norway and Italy, members of Berhe's family maintained that it was their young relative, known to some friends by his ancestral name of Kidane, who had been confused for Mered. He had been randomly arrested by the Sudanese police in Khartoum in late May and then disappeared. Berhe's sister and flatmate, Seghen, claimed she had no idea where he was until he suddenly appeared handcuffed to Italian police officers in Rome on Wednesday. "That's my brother, and he's innocent," said Seghen, 30, after being presented with a photograph of the arrested man. "I haven't heard from him for two weeks until yesterday in the news. I have been searching for him in prisons in Khartoum, but they [said] there is no man [with] that name." Related: Eritrea has committed widespread crimes against humanity, says UN Berhe escaped Eritrea in October 2014, Seghen said, one of thousands of Eritreans to flee a government that the UN accused this week of committing crimes against humanity on its population. He allegedly went first to Hitsats refugee camp in Ethiopia, although the UN refugee agency, which runs the camp, would not confirm this detail publicly out of concern for the privacy of refugees. Then in March 2015 he allegedly moved to Khartoum to be closer to family members such as Seghen long after Mered is alleged to have begun his smuggling business. "[Berhe] is not a smuggler at all," said Seghen. "He hasn't been working at anything … My brother and sister support him." Another of Berhe's sisters, Hewit, said: "They thought he was a smuggler just because he had one of the same names as Mered. Medhanie is much younger than Mered and he doesn't even speak Arabic." Seghen and her family had enlisted the help of Sicilian lawyer Michele Calantropo, who flew to Rome on Thursday to attend the accused's first interrogations on Friday morning. Calantropo faces the unusual situation of representing clients who believe the defendant is a different man from the one the prosecutors think has been arrested. "There are no elements at the moment to confirm the identity of the man arrested in Sudan and extradited to Italy," he said shortly before leaving Sicily. Francesco Lo Voi, the Italian chief prosecutor, conceded the situation was unusual but would not comment further. "We are leading the appropriate investigations about this unusual situation," he told the Guardian. "At the moment all we can say is that the report of the extradited person, his arrest and his extradition in Italy were disclosed in an official document from the [UK] National Crime Agency, and by Interpol and the Sudanese authorities. We'll have more details tomorrow." The NCA did not update an earlier statement saying that it was "confident in its intelligence gathering process". On Thursday night, its website still maintained the agency had helped achieve the arrest of "one of the world's most wanted people smugglers", in a post that seemed to have confused Mered's first name for his last name. Additional reporting by Medhane Paulos | 5 | 99,854 | news |
The Marlins scored seven runs in the seventh inning to lift them in a 10-2 win over the Twins on Thursday. Ichiro Suzuki, Marcell Ozuna and Chris Johnson all contributed in the big inning. | 1 | 99,855 | sports |
The Yankees completed a four-game sweep of the Angels with a 6-3 victory on Thursday. Carlos Beltran hit a two-run double in the victory. | 1 | 99,856 | sports |
Fiat's roadster hails from Hiroshima, but it doesn't subscribe to Mazda's low-power philosophy. It's truly its own car, but is it better than the MX-5?If you've been following the protracted birth of this car, you probably know the basics: The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider is a Mazda MX-5 in an Italian-designed suit. It's built in Japan, and it was engineered by Mazda but sports a Fiat engine shared bones, different philosophies. A quick Miata aside: When we found out the latest MX-5 had less power than the NC-generation car that came before it, what got shouted down was the fact that it's significantly lighter, and it's also a damn riot to drive. It doesn't need more power, and we reaffirm this belief every time we get in one. I did just that, driving one to the airport to catch a flight to San Diego this week. With the MX-5's charms freshly in mind, I drove the 124 Spider in both basic Classica and posh Lusso trims on-road, and briefly sampled the sportier Abarth version at a long autocross-style cone course. What I really wanted to know is how much Fiat character found its way into the latest evolution of the Japanese interpretation of the classic European roadster. Whereas the MX-5 is stretched drum-tight over its hardpoints, the 124 Spider has an extended nose and tail; since the wheelbase is unchanged, this manifests in larger overhangs. To be generous, this body stretch increases the trunk space slightly and improves cooling to the turbocharged engine, which faces more significant heat-management challenges than Mazda's 2.0-liter. It also gave Fiat's designers some room to incorporate scallops for the LED-equipped headlights that recall the sealed beams on the original Fiat 124 Spider from 1966, those iconic twin power bulges on the hood, and an angular grille. Whether you consider the 124 to be attractive on its own, in comparison to the MX-5, or an appropriate homage to the original car is entirely subjective, but I'll weigh in with mixed feelings. Sharing a platform has its challenges, and recall that Fiat came into this development process late. This was supposed to be an Alfa Romeo, remember ? How that affected the design process isn't clear, and no one would cop to it, but it seems that the Fiat-ization of the MX-5 didn't happen at a leisurely pace, nor on Fiat's terms. I think it's less handsome than the MX-5 in general, but in certain colors (and in the Abarth trim) it's a looker. The front end is especially handsome, and the character line that kicks up at the door handle adds some real interest to the profile. The homely squared-off taillights are a disappointment compared to the MX-5's quasi-Jaguar units, but the power bulges on the hood are delightful. Softtop operation is just like the MX-5's: it's a simple operation accomplished easily from the driver's seat. See our demonstration below. I was disappointed to discover that the interior went in for only the most minor of revamps. Mazda's Connect infotainment system carries over, as do the gauges (although the Abarth has a red applique surrounding the central tach). The Mazda wheel wears a Fiat badge and a different rim, and the seats use the structure from the Miata's with Fiat coverings and altered stuffing. This is admittedly a non-issue if you're unfamiliar with how Mazda's interior bits look, and it all works just as well as it does in the MX-5. I think the Lusso's tan leather seats, with handsome stitching, look great. The biggest change is under the hood. The 124 Spider's engine is a version of the 1.4-liter, turbocharged inline-four from the Fiat 500 Abarth, fitted with clever MultiAir variable valve control technology. In that rambunctious little hatch, it sits transversely, but the 124's engine is modified to fit north-south in the engine bay and makes 160 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 184 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. It's a torque-rich, lower-revving unit with a 6,500 rpm redline. By comparison, the MX-5 makes 155 hp at 6,000 rpm and 148 lb-ft at 4,600 rpm, with a slightly higher redline. But the 124 Spider's engine is most notable for its lack of aural drama. Yes, turbocharged engines tend to have muted exhaust notes, but the 500 Abarth this engine is yanked from is famous for its raucous soundtrack. The Fiat 124 Spider simply doesn't sound as enjoyable as the MX-5, which achieves a perceptible and wonderfully tuned note that doesn't drone or intrude. Fiat reserves some melodrama for the Abarth version with its quad-tipped sport exhaust, and a Mopar accessory exhaust takes it one step further. Some of the quietness is due to additional sound insulation, including a laminated windshield and extra material in the soft-top but with the top down, the Fiat's generic, slightly growly exhaust note is hushed. One other mechanical difference worth noting is the transmission. The 124 Spider uses the last-generation Miata's six-speed manual, as its better suited to the torque output of the 1.4-liter Fiat engine. That adds a few pounds to the car, and it's not quite as snickety as the ND MX-5's buttery shifter. Overall, the lightest 124 Spider weighs 2,436 lbs to the lightest MX-5's 2,332 lbs. The Abarth automatic is the heaviest 124 Spider, at 2,516 lbs. Despite the additional poundage, weight distribution is the same as the MX-5 (without a driver) at 54 percent front, 46 percent rear and with a driver, close to 50-50. Fiat engineers had to retune the suspension to accommodate the 124 Spider's increased heft, but also weren't happy with the MX-5's propensity for body roll, so they fiddled some more to flatten things out. The other hardware control arms, bushings, and so forth is unaltered. The result isn't as compromised as it sounds, and some of the changes are positive. The 124 Spider doesn't crash as much over imperfections as the MX-5, and does corner more flatly. On the tight, windy sections up in the hills, the Classica's milquetoast tires were the main damper on fun. It'd take a skidpad to determine the Spider's handling handicap, but considered in isolation the 124 Spider displays excellent balance: dial in some steering and make further adjustments with your right foot. There's plenty of warning before you exceed the adhesion limits overcook it and it's at least as forgiving as the MX-5, if not more so. Go ahead and turn the traction control off; you're unlikely to get into trouble. The Abarth, with stickier tires and Bilstein dampers, adheres more but has the same mild-mannered breakaway characteristics. The other useful 124 Spider characteristic is the broad swell of torque in the midrange. When the turbocharger starts to puff heavily, there's enough grunt to power out of an understeery wallow. On windy public roads without a stopwatch in sight, the real fun was using brute force to churn out of one corner and truck over to the next. The extra muscle also made gear selection less important. Braking is excellent, progressive, and suited to the car; from what we experienced at the autocross, the optional $1,495 Brembos on the Abarth version are more aggressive. The MX-5's steering is notable in its lack of self-centering, and the Fiat's electric power steering tuning fixes that and also adds a meatier feel while remaining light at low speeds. As for the Abarth, I'm hungry for more time behind the wheel to see how that upgraded suspension does on the street, and how it compares to the MX-5. Even though the Abarth doesn't bring that much more additional power to the table, deriving its 4-hp increase entirely from the Abarth-specific exhaust, the underlying 124 Spider is no slouch. Whatever flavor of 124 Spider appeals to you, they're all reasonably priced . The basic Classica starts at $25,990, the Lusso at $28,490, the Abarth at $29,190, and the Prima Edizione is much less of a deal at $35,995, but what price exclusivity? A six-speed auto is available on all trims as a $1,350 option; we drove a Lusso with the auto, and while it's a bit slow-witted when called upon to drop a couple gears in a passing situation, is largely adequate and perhaps pleasant. The 124 Spider is fundamentally a mature, grown-up MX-5 that rides more smoothly and has easily accessible but moderate levels of power. The exhaust doesn't drone, and with the top up, it's much quieter than the MX-5 both of these qualities help fight fatigue from long hours on the road. Pair that with the smoother suspension and the Fiat 124 Spider brings some comfort and sophistication to the parts of the trip in between the tight corners. If you'd like to be inconsiderate, call the 124 Spider a boulevardier, although it'll comport itself just fine in the hills. Instead, I'd invite you to think of it as the grand touring version of an excellent sportscar. If I wanted to take a trans-continental roadtrip, I'd happily ride off in a manual-transmission 124 Spider, hit a few fun corners on the way, and climb out at the end of each day a little less exhausted. If it's an afternoon in the canyons or a day at the track, give me an MX-5. Whether the 124 Spider appeals to you will depend on what you value, so choose your own adventure. Related Video: | 9 | 99,857 | autos |
Consumers shop around to find or negotiate the best deal on a vehicle, but not everyone takes the time to find a car loan that works best for them . Auto loans are the third biggest source of household debt for Americans , behind mortgages and student loans. So, failing to negotiate a good deal on a loan can end up costing you big bucks. In an effort to put consumers in the driver's seat, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has unveiled a "Know Before You Owe" shopping guide for car loans. It provides step-by-step instructions to help you shop for a car loan, avoid common pitfalls and understand the actual cost of a loan. In a statement , Richard Cordray, CFPB director, says: "Consumers should feel like they are in the driver's seat when it comes to financing their car or truck. The CFPB's auto loan shopping sheet provides a roadmap for consumers to navigate the complexities of a loan. Consumers should know before they owe when it comes to the total cost, not just the monthly payments." Click here for more information on the "Know Before You Owe" auto loan initiative The CFPB recommends that you keep these tips in mind when shopping for a car loan: Look at the big picture beyond your estimated monthly car payment. "If you lower the monthly payment by taking out a longer loan, you pay more in interest," the CFPB explains. You don't want to end up upside down on a vehicle, where you owe more than the car is worth. Do your homework . Before going to a dealership, figure out how much you can afford each month and over the long term for a car payment. Then, figure in extra costs. Do you have a down payment? Do you need a co-signer on your loan? Do you plan on purchasing an extended warranty or extra car accessories? Shop around . The CFPB recommends shopping around and negotiating terms for a car loan that works for you. Banks, credit unions, auto dealers and other lenders all offer auto loans. Read before you sign . Purchasing a vehicle is a considerable financial investment, so take the time to review the car loan documents. Make sure you understand what you're signing. For more on this subject, check out " 4 Ways Car Loans Can Go Wrong and How to Avoid Them ." Share your car loan shopping experiences below or in our Forums . It's a place where you can swap questions and answers on money-related matters, life hacks and ingenious ways to save. | 3 | 99,858 | finance |
After the Omaha Hearts 77-0 drubbing to the Atlanta Steam, Heart coach Tony Doremus tried to get his team's attention. But it can be tough in this day and age. | 1 | 99,859 | sports |
With Awards Watch in its seventh season, it's time to tweak the format slightly. Rather than rotate through the three major player awards Most Valuable Player, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year each week, I'll be doing the column biweekly with a full survey of the competition for each award. I'll do this every other week until September, when the column will keep the all-awards format but run every week as the races go down to the wire. What follows is the first edition of the new Awards Watch, presented in what used to be called the lightning round, and while it finds familiar leaders atop all of the races save for the National League Rookie of the Year, there are some new names below in the top three. Note: All stats are through Wed., June 8. League leaders are in bold, major league leaders in bold and italics. Rookies are players who, prior to the current season, had fewer than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the majors or spent fewer than 45 days on the active roster prior to rosters expanding on Sept. 1. The number in parentheses after a player's name reflects his rank on the previous list. Most Valuable Player American League 1. Jose Altuve, 2B, Astros (1) Season Stats: .336/.414/.556 (165 OPS+), 10 HR, 36 RBIs, 45 R, 134 TB, 18 SB (95%) Altuve's early-season power surge didn't last into mid-May, as his game-tying three-run homer off the Rangers' Colby Lewis on Monday broke a 29-game home run drought. Don't confuse that homer drought with a slump, though: Altuve hit .330/.398/.400 over that span, continuing to provide value as a catalyst atop the order, on the bases and in the field. Meanwhile, the Astros have gone 22 15 since April came to a close, tied with Cleveland for the fifth-best record in all of baseball over that span. Where Altuve and Houston go from here will be fascinating to watch. Will Altuve's power level out or surge again? Can Houston, now just three wins away from a .500 record, climb back into the playoff hunt? I'd like to say that the Astros' ability to regain their contender status and Altuve's pursuit of the MVP award will be unrelated (they should be), but we all know that won't be the case. • MORE MLB: Immature Ventura's act wearing thin with Kansas City? 2. Mike Trout, CF, Angels (3) Season Stats: .309/.413/.553 (168 OPS+), 13 HR, 43 RBIs, 41 R, 120 TB, 8 SB (89%) Trout and Altuve are in a virtual tie at the moment. Trout has the less friendly home ballpark for hitters a fact reflected in his superior OPS+ and is the superior fielder. Altuve has ten extra stolen bases with no extra times caught stealing (both have been caught just once). Both have appeared in every one of their team's games. Through a fluke of the schedule and the superiority of the lineup around him, however, Altuve has made 20 more plate appearances and four more starts in the field (Trout has started at designated hitter three times). That's just enough to break the tie in his favor, for now. 3. David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox Season Stats: .338/ .425 / .728 ( 200 OPS+ ), 16 HR, 55 RBIs , 28 R, 142 TB , 26 2B Manny Machado deserves to be on this list, but I had an easier time leaving him off than I did Ortiz this week. Despite being a designated hitter who has sat out ten games thus far in his age-40 season, what Ortiz has done is mind-boggling. While ogling all of the bold and italicized type above, pay attention to that 200 OPS+. No qualified hitter has posted an OPS+ above 200 over a full season since Barry Bonds in 2004. Since the NL expanded in 1962, just seven hitters have finished a season with an OPS+ of 200 or better in a season in which they have qualified for a batting title: Willie McCovey in '69, George Brett in '80, Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas in the strike-shortened '94, Mark McGwire in '98, Sammy Sosa in 2001 and Barry Bonds six times between '92 and '04. Ten of those 12 seasons earned MVP recognition (McGwire and Sosa are the exceptions, with the latter losing out to Bonds). So, no, Ortiz isn't playing the field, but is that so terribly important when a batter is putting up numbers that recall some of the greatest hitting performances of the last half century? Here's a game I like to play: Let's factor in Altuve and Trout's base stealing into their slash lines. Give them each credit for their net steals in their slugging percentage (adding 17 total bases for Altuve, seven for Trout) and subtract the one time each was caught stealing from their on-base percentages. We'll do the same for Ortiz, crediting him for the extra base from his lone steal, just to be fair. The result is a .999 OPS for Altuve and a .985 OPS for Trout. Impressive as those figures are, even with base stealing factored in, Ortiz still has a 157-point edge in OPS over Altuve, a 171-point edge over Trout and a whopping 213-point edge over Machado (who has been caught stealing three times without succeeding once). Out of the top three: Manny Machado (2) • MORE MLB: Why Machado-Ventura fight will hurt O's the most Most Valuable Player National League 1. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Dodgers (1) Season Stats: 8 1, 1.46 ERA , 0.65 WHIP , 10.6 K/9, 18.17 K/BB , 7.7 IP/GS , 3 SHO , 264 ERA+ , 1.96 DRA Kershaw isn't just the best pitcher in baseball; to this point in 2016, he has been the best player in baseball. It tells you something when he takes on a weak-hitting team like the Braves, as he did in his last start, and every one is surprised and disappointed when he holds them scoreless for only six innings and actually walks a batter. This race isn't even close: By Baseball-Reference.com's Wins Above Replacement, Kershaw has been nearly a full win better than Altuve, Trout and the next man on this list. FanGraphs' WAR, meanwhile, has Kershaw as merely a half-win better than the next-best player. We're getting the privilege of witnessing one of the best pitchers in major league history enjoying what could be the finest season of his career. 2. Nolan Arenado, 3B, Rockies Season Stats: .289/.364/.587 (133 OPS+), 18 HR , 49 RBIs , 43 R, 132 TB Arenado is the only player to best Kershaw in any of the three major WAR statistics, edging him in Baseball Prospectus's Wins Above Replacement Player, 3.9 to 3.6. A significant amount of the credit for that goes to Arenado's play in the field: Per BP's numbers, only catchers Jason Castro and Buster Posey have been more valuable in the field, and by bWAR, only outfielders Adam Eaton and Kevin Pillar have been better with the glove. FanGraphs drops Arenado to seventh in the majors in terms of defensive value, but that still makes him the highest ranked fielder to draw consideration for my top three MVP candidates. Arenado's offensive numbers have been inflated by Coors Field, but if the worst version of him is the one in road greys, that's still a .271/.349/.504 hitter who also ranks as one of the handful of the most valuable fielders in the game. Did I mention that the 25-year-old Arenado has already drawn more unintentional walks this year than he has in any previous major league season and has been having bad luck on balls in play? As good as he has been this season, we have yet to see his best. • MORE MLB: Quiet Nola is perfectly fit to be rebuilding Phillies' ace 3. Daniel Murphy, 2B, Nationals Season Stats: .376 /.415/.610 ( 169 OPS+ ), 10 HR, 38 RBIs, 36 R, 133 TB Murphy's still a lousy fielder and seems unlikely to remain in this race over the long haul as his luck on balls in play continues to even out. But for now, I'm honoring his tremendous plate production over the first third of the season, including his continuation of his late-2015 power surge (he's just four home runs shy of his single-season high, set last year). Out of the top three: Aledmys Diaz (2), Bryce Harper (3) Cy Young American League 1. Chris Sale, LHP, White Sox (1) Season Stats: 9 2, 2.54 ERA, 0.94 WHIP , 8.3 K/9, 4.33 K/BB, 7.1 IP/GS , 3 CG , 1 SHO , 154 ERA+, 2.55 DRA The field of contenders for the AL Cy Young award this year is underwhelming compared to the deep and impressive list of elite pitching performances in the NL. Among Junior Circuit hurlers, only Sale has been what I would consider dominant, and even he has struggled of late, with just one quality start and a 6.48 ERA over his last three turns, all of them Chicago losses. Sale leads this race almost by default at this point, leaving this award wide open for any pitcher capable of putting together a dominant second-half run 2. Jose Quintana, LHP, White Sox (2) Season Stats: 5 6, 2.58 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 4.18 K/BB, 6.4 IP/GS, 152 ERA+, 2.70 DRA Quintana hasn't been as bad as Sale was in two of his last three starts, but he has also regressed from an early-season high. Since finishing his eighth start of the season with a 1.54 ERA, Quintana has managed just two quality starts in his last four turns, posting a 4.88 ERA over that span, with the White Sox losing all four games. The Chicago offense is to blame for the losses, as the team has scored just six runs in Quintana's last four starts, and those same players may have contributed to his struggles as well, as balls in play that were finding leather earlier in the season have been hitting grass and dirt. Still, that recent run of mediocrity might have pushed Quintana off this list entirely had there been a pitcher in the league more worthy of the spot. • MORE MLB: Picking baseball's worst contracts for each position Danny Salazar, RHP, Indians Season Stats: 6 3, 2.24 ERA , 1.13 WHIP, 10.7 K/9, 2.45 K/BB, 6.2 IP/GS, 201 ERA+ , 2.67 DRA Salazar is the new face on this list, and while even he has a dud in his recent history (4 1/3 IP, 4 R), at least that came against the powerful Red Sox in Boston a tough assignment for any pitcher. Salazar has been particularly dominant against the defending champion Royals this year, holding them to a single run in 15 2/3 innings over two starts and striking out 18, and he thus deserves some rather direct credit for helping Cleveland ascend to first place in the AL Central. Still, he continues to struggle with his control (he walked five Royals in his last start and has 4.3 walks per nine innings on the season). That has undermined his high strikeout rate, inflated his WHIP and resulted in an inefficiency that has limited his ability to go deep into games. Out of the top three: Rich Hill (3) Cy Young National League 1. Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Dodgers (1) Season Stats: 8 1, 1.46 ERA , 0.65 WHIP , 10.6 K/9, 18.17 K/BB , 7.7 IP/GS , 3 SHO , 264 ERA+ , 1.96 DRA In seven starts since the calendar flipped to May, all Dodgers wins, Kershaw has gone 6 0 with a 0.81 ERA, 0.54 WHIP and 23.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio, averaging eight innings per start. To put some of that in raw numbers: In 55 2/3 innings, Kershaw has allowed five runs, walked three batters, allowed 31 base runners, struck out 69 men and given up just one home run. He was good in April, too, going at least seven innings in every start that month, four of which were quality and three of which saw him strike out nine or more men. Since May began, however, his worst start, according to game score , saw him strike out 10 men against no walks as he held the Blue Jays to two runs over seven innings in Toronto. Again, that was the worst of his last seven starts. 2. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Mets (2) Season Stats: 6 2, 2.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 11.2 K/9, 7.92 K/BB, 6.3 IP/GS, 197 ERA+, 2.37 DRA Syndergaard's season took a bit of a detour when he threw a pitch behind Chase Utley two weeks ago , earning an instant ejection with one out in the third inning of what was then a scoreless game (the Dodgers went on to win, 9 1). He threw a scoreless inning of relief two days later, then returned to the mound for his next scheduled turn with a strong outing against the Marlins (7 IP, 2 R, 9 K). Nonetheless, the ejection and the lost innings from that game count against him. He has averaged 6.7 IP/GS without that abbreviated start bringing down that number, and that outing remains one of just two non-quality starts on the season. Not that he's likely to catch Kershaw anytime soon, but Syndergaard has his work cut out for him in staying ahead of the rest of the crowded NL field. • MORE MLB: Harvey-Fernandez duel recalls classic 1 0 battles 3. Madison Bumgarner, LHP, Giants Season Stats: 7 2, 1.88 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 10.4 K/9, 3.96 K/BB, 6.6 IP/GS, 208 ERA+, 2.78 DRA Bumgarner has made more headlines for his hitting than his pitching of late, which is a nifty trick given how well he has been pitching. Over his last six starts, all quality and all Giants wins, Bumgarner has posted a 0.84 ERA and 0.81 WHIP, averaging a strikeout per inning and 7.2 innings per start. He actually has made 10 consecutive quality starts (though he had two extra unearned runs in one of those), posting a 1.29 ERA over that larger span. Since allowing four home runs in his first 16 innings this season, he has allowed just three more in his last 70 frames. Out of the top three: Jake Arrieta (3) Rookie of the Year American League 1. Nomar Mazara, RF, Rangers (1) Season Stats: .321/.370/.495 (127 OPS+), 10 HR, 27 RBIs, 27 R, 97 TB The Rangers have the best record in the AL entering Thursday's action and are one of MLB's hottest teams, having gone 14 4 since May 20 the best record in baseball over that stretch to surge into first place in the AL West in the process. The 21-year-old Mazara has been one of the driving forces in that rise, hitting .348/.395/.580 over those 18 games, and he enters Thursday's afternoon tilt against the Astros with an active seven-game hitting streak. 2. Michael Fulmer, RHP, Tigers Season Stats: 6 1, 2.83 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 9.3 K/9, 3.06 K/BB, 6.0 IP/GS, 146 ERA+, 3.21 DRA Acquired from the Mets in the Yoenis Cespedes trade at last year's deadline, Fulmer made his major league debut on April 29 and showed enough promise to remain in the Tigers' rotation despite struggling in three subsequent starts. He found his groove with an 11-strikeout performance against the Rays on May 21 (7 IP, 1 R) and will head into his start against the Yankees on Sunday having not allowed a run since giving up a solo home run to Evan Longoria in the sixth inning of that game. That's 22 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings by the 23-year-old, giving him a 0.32 ERA over his last four starts, all quality starts and all Tigers wins. • MORE MLB: Injury bug biting hard in this week's Power Rankings 3. Chris Devenski, RHP, Astros (3) Season Stats: 0 2, 2.74 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, 3.25 K/BB, 3.0 IP/G, 150 ERA+, 3.36 DRA It only took one bad start for Devenski to get bounced from the Astros' rotation, but since that dud (2 IP, 6 R against the Red Sox in Boston), he has allowed just one more run in 9 1/3 innings of relief, striking out 11 against three walks over that span. He even got to pitch in a game the Astros won his last time out, working the final two innings of Houston's 12 2 victory over the A's last Friday remarkably the first of his 14 appearances this season to come in a winning effort. Still, while the 25-year-old righty hasn't thrown many high-leverage innings, his ability to eat innings is very valuable. Already this season, Devenski has three scoreless relief appearances of three or more innings, two more of two innings, as well as an appearance in which he allowed just one run in three innings of work. He has also stranded all seven of the runners he has inherited on the season. Valuable as his innings-eating may be, if he keeps pitching that well, the Astros will have no choice but to give him higher leverage work, be it in relief or the rotation. Out of the top 3: Byung Ho Park (2) Rookie of the Year National League 1. Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers Season Stats: .283/.345/.524 (135 OPS+), 14 HR, 35 RBIs, 39 R, 122 TB The only new face among this week's leaders belongs to a player who was expected to be here all along. The top prospect in baseball coming into the season after hitting .337/.425/.561 in 113 plate appearances last September, the 22-year-old Seager got off to a bit of a slow start but flipped the switch in early May. Batting .248/.306/.386 with just two home runs on the season on the morning of May 4, he has hit .311/.374/.629 with 12 home runs since, including five home runs in three games against the Braves last weekend. That should be a wake-up call to anyone who hadn't noticed his improvement to that point. 2. Aledmys Diaz, SS, Cardinals (1) Season Stats: .318/.350/.527 (133 OPS+), 8 HR, 31 RBIs, 40 R, 106 TB Incumbent St. Louis shortstop Jhonny Peralta returned from his thumb injury on Tuesday and found that his position now belongs to someone else. Diaz, the 25-year-old Cuban defector who didn't even make the Opening Day roster, has been so good this year that Peralta is now a third baseman, with Matt Carpenter shifted back to second base, Kolten Wong sent down to the minors and Jedd Gyorko seeing his role as a platoon infielder largely eliminated. That speaks to the Cardinals' confidence in Diaz going forward. His bat has cooled of late, however: He has hit just .269/.304/.404 over his last 13 games. 3. Steven Matz, RHP, Mets Season Stats: 7 2, 2.69 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.1 K/9, 4.69 K/BB, 6.0 IP/GS, 146 ERA+, 3.56 DRA In nine starts since getting torched by the Marlins in his season debut (1 2/3 IP, 7 R), Matz has gone 7 1 with a 1.69 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, a 5.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio and more than a strikeout per inning, averaging 6.5 innings per start. There has been no unusual luck on balls in play in that performance: That's a 25-year-old rookie straight dealing. In four starts since missing a turn due to a sore elbow, Matz has largely replicated those rate stats, with the exception of the ERA, which has swollen to an unsightly 2.45. If Matz's elbow is sound, this could prove to be a two-man race between him and Seager. Out of the top three: Trevor Story (2), Kenta Maeda (3) | 1 | 99,860 | sports |
Mini has transformed its Clubman wagon into an off-road beast. But unfortunately, just for this one-off concept vehicle. The Mini Clubman All4 Scrambler recently debuted in Italy where it showed off its knobbly tires ready to conquer light off-roading adventures. The wagon takes significant inspiration from the BMW R Ninet Scrambler motorcycle, including its raised suspension. The Mini also borrows the same Frozen Gray paint color and uses the same circular headlights as the motorcycle. Harkening back to the Mini Traveller cars from the 1970s, the All4 Scrambler comes with a handy luggage rack. Silver detailing around the grille surround, door handles, and windows gives the rugged wagon a hint of elegance. Inside the cabin, look for Alcantara and Nappa leather upholstery as well as "Scrambler" badging. In a weird way, the concept reminds us a bit of the Kia Trail'ster from last year. But somehow, this Mini looks like it would be more fun to take off the beaten path. We will likely never know, as both of these vehicles are only concepts. Mini debuted an all-wheel-drive Clubman model this year, although it features the same ground clearance as front-drive Clubman models. Previously, all-wheel drive was exclusive to the Countryman and Paceman crossovers. Source: Mini Follow MSN Autos on Facebook | 9 | 99,861 | autos |
Thailand's king Bhumibol Adulyadej marked his 70th year on the throne on Thursday, but who has reigned the longest overall? CNN's Max Foster reports. | 8 | 99,862 | video |
Click through for six hidden Facebook features that will forever change how you use the site. Remember when Facebook was just a place you'd go to post a silly message on a friend's wall? As with any growing company, the social network has done an especially good job at expanding its reach. Facebook has become a place you go to for news as well as friend updates, not to mention viral videos (here's looking at you, Chewbacca Mom ) and event planning. But did you know that you can also use Facebook and its Messenger app to play chess, shoot hoops, and even send special birthday videos? Yes, like Snapchat, Facebook continually delights with surprising new ways to make us even more addicted than we already are. Click through for six hidden Facebook features that will forever change how you use the site. Create A Personalized Birthday Video Why just post "happy birthday" on a friend's wall when you can record a video for them? Facebook's birthday video cam lets you choose from among six fun, birthday-themed background filters and record a special 15-second video. Just go to a friend's Facebook page on their birthday, and go to write a post like you normally would. You'll see a blue bar pop up that says, "Record a birthday video." Press that, and go crazy. Play Chess Introduce some competitive fun to your messages by breaking out the chess board. Type @fbchess in a thread on Messenger, and a chess board will show up on screen, designating who is black and who is white. It's not as lifelike as a Harry Potter game of Wizard's Chess, but it'll do. Save Articles For Later Unless you're scrolling through Facebook on the sofa, you probably don't have time to read all the articles that your friends have posted. That's where its handy bookmarking feature comes in. Click the downward arrow next to a post and tap, "Save link." You can read your saved links later by going to the "Saved" tab on your "Favorites" bar (in the app, you can access the "Saved" tab by first tapping the "More" button in the bottom right). Shoot Hoops Warning: This is insanely addictive. If you send a basketball emoji to a friend in Messenger, click on the basketball. You have now entered your own game (free throws only) of hoops. The score goes back to zero each time you miss, but you get a limitless number of tries. So you could actually play forever, and ever, and ever… Pay For Drinks Once you've entered your debit card (go to your phone's Settings and then Facebook to do so), you can send payments and request money from friends through Messenger. There isn't much that differentiates payments within Messenger from those on Venmo, but if you made drink plans on Messenger, it can be an easy way to keep the conversation (and its ensuing tab) in one place. Find Dinner Recipes The latest updates to Facebook Search made it easier to find many things, but recipe searching especially got a boost. Search for a meal, or specify by category (smoothies, for example), and you'll see relevant recent posts from friends, as well as popular articles and top posts from restaurants and media. | 3 | 99,863 | finance |
Back in college, I was on a nature hike with a group of students when we happened upon a stream. Some stepped carefully from stone to dry stone to get across; others waded through the water. I noticed a tree branch hanging overhead, so I took a running start, grabbed hold, and swung freely to the opposite bank. (It wasn't exactly wide.) A few more followed my lead. As I was helping them plant their feet, another hiker snidely asked why we were crossing that way. "Because it's fun," I said, lightheartedly. "It's irresponsible," he answered. I muttered something immature and went on my merry way, content at having found a little extra joy for myself and a few others. I hadn't thought about that hike in years until I was standing in front of a gleaming new 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet . Of course, Mercedes makes a ton of sensible sedans, wagons, and crossovers these days. But it's also been expanding its convertible lineup lately, with the C drop-top the latest and most affordable (relatively speaking) Benz cabriolet to date. And that means more people can have fun in the sun while traversing those asphalt and concrete streams. If you believe Mercedes is bucking a trend, you're not mistaken. The convertible market has been contracting, with the drop-top variant of the Lexus IS, the Volkswagen Eos, and Volvo C70 among others all going away in recent years. Benz, meanwhile, can't seem to build enough of them: C-Class, E-Class , S-Class , SLC, SL. Don't be surprised if a few more appear soon. Even without counting the Smart Fortwo Cabrio , you're looking at arguably the most expansive convertible lineup in the industry. This latest cabrio similarly expands the C-Class family more than ever before. Unlike its predecessors, the latest W205-generation model was envisioned from the get-go to include a sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible, and that's not counting the GLC crossover , GLC Coupe, and SLC roadster vehicles all loosely associated with the C-Class range. Sadly, the wagon is the only body style we won't be getting Stateside. There are also powertrain options that won't make the transatlantic voyage from Europe, where Mercedes will offer the new 2017 C-Class cabrio with two diesels and five gasoline engines and that's before delving into AMG territory. American buyers will have to get along with three engine options, but they're good ones. Benz's now familiar turbocharged trio for the C cab comes in four-, six-, or eight-cylinder flavors, with output more than doubling from one end of the range to the other. Our choices start with the C300, packing the automaker's 2.0-liter turbo four, good for 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, paired to the brand's nine-speed automatic transmission and available in either rear- or 4Matic all-wheel drive. The AMG C43 (previously known in sedan form as the C450 AMG Sport) is motivated by the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 with 362 hp and 384 lb-ft delivering the power to all four wheels through the same gearbox. Then there's the Mercedes-AMG C63 , which packs roughly the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 as the AMG GT and available in two states of tune: 469 hp and 479 lb-ft in standard form, or 503 hp and 516 lb-ft in S spec. The engine is mated to AMG's well-worn seven-speed automatic with power routing to the rear wheels. We had the opportunity to sample all three (the C63 in top S trim) on our test drive in and around Trieste, Italy, and found each to have its own personality. We started our drive at the top with the Mercedes-AMG C63 S. Where its rivals have been retreating to smaller, six-cylinder turbocharged engines, Benz and its Mercedes-AMG team have stuck to its eight-cylinder guns. Our verdict after several hours behind the wheel? Pure madness. How else would you describe an automaker channeling more than 500 horsepower to the rear wheels in one of its smallest models? Truth be told, especially on the relentlessly twisting, narrow roads along the coast of the Adriatic Sea, we found it a bit much. Maybe we'd be singing a different tune to this state of tune if were we driving it around a race track, with clearer lines of sight and no oncoming traffic. That said those inclined towards track sessions probably aren't choosing a four-seat cabrio no matter how nimble or powerful for the purpose. Really, a car like this is first and foremost meant to serve as a boulevard cruiser, which brings us to the C300 at the other end of the spectrum. Although it has less than half the horses as the C63 S, the C300 isn't exactly a slow poke. It'll run from 0 to 60 mph in sub-6, which was the gold standard not so long ago for performance luxury automobiles. Not surprisingly, next to the C63 the C300 felt decidedly more laid back and better suited towards cruising than speeding. It still proved willing to play in the twisty bits, though, and we even got the tail to step out a bit on a damp, winding road. For most buyers, the C300's comfort-oriented package should more than suffice and possibly make the journey that much more relaxing, as a cabriolet should. The C43 middle child emerged as our favorite. It fairly evenly splits the difference between the C300 and C63 in terms of displacement, cylinder count, and output, but its sporty demeanor and performance capabilities bring it closer to the eight-cylinder model, not a surprise given the AMG in the name. The C43 takes just 4.7 seconds to reach 60 mph, compared to 6.3 seconds for the C300, 4.1 for the C63, and 4.0 for the C63 S. It transmits its power through Benz's nine-speed gearbox (like the C300) and comes with all-wheel drive as standard equipment (optional on the C300 and not available on the C63). As you'd expect, it's a more willing dancer than the C300, but it won't threaten to bite your head off at every turn like the C63. It's also considerably lighter and a couple inches narrower than the C63, and shares most of its bodywork with the base model, making it easier to position on narrow roads than the somewhat overdone and unwieldy C63. Cycling through the dynamic control modes elicits an incremental transformation in the vehicle's behavior as the steering, transmission, and suspension alter their temperament from Eco and Comfort modes through Sport and Sport+. There's also a programmable Individual setting for the driver's own favored combination and even a Race mode for the C63. We inevitably favored the two Sport modes in whichever version we drove, but we were left with little doubt that each had its place. Regardless of which engine you choose and which mode you put it in, the new C-Class Cabriolet has a lot to offer as a whole. Packaging a four-seat convertible in an aesthetically pleasing form presents its own unique set of challenges, but to our eyes, the designers did a bang-up job. It feels well-built, and its interior is fitted with all the creature comforts and top-notch materials you'd expect from Mercedes. Despite the wide-open cabin, torsional rigidity felt solid with no trace of the cowl shake that once plagued open-top models. We resisted closing the roof as colder winds blew, taking advantage of the wind-buffeting mechanisms (including Benz's available Aircap wind deflector at the top of the windshield frame) to enjoy leisurely conversation even at highway speeds. But when the rain started falling, the acoustically insulated soft-top kept us well sheltered from the elements, taking just 20 seconds to open or close, even at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Two days of driving from Italy into Slovenia and back again didn't leave us as tired as we might have emerged from less pampering modes of transportation, and we dare say we enjoyed riding shotgun under the open sky almost as much as driving it. (Almost.) We did encounter a few small issues, however. Chief among them was a frustrating satellite navigation problem that routinely failed to distinguish between a curve in the road and turning off it, instructing us to turn where we needed to stay on course and failing to direct us which way to go at junctions. The wide center stack and console struck us as somewhat overbearing, especially swathed in the C63's glossy expanse of carbon fiber. And clearing the C63's massive side bolsters on ingress proved a small hurdle, though we appreciated how well the seats kept us in place once under way. Those relatively minor issues aside, we were impressed by Benz's transformation of one of its core models into an open-air experience that excels as both breezy cruiser and supercar-like performer. Equally striking, however, is how Mercedes has found the time and resources to add more convertibles like the 2017 C-Class Cabriolet to its stable and bring them to a new market segment where more customers can get at 'em. Chalk it up, then, as a win for the fun set, which cruise at their own chosen speed with the wind in their hair while thumbing their noses at the responsible crowd. 2017 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet Specifications On Sale: Fall Price: $51,000 (C300) (base RWD) Engines: 2.0L turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4/241 hp @ 5,500 rpm, 273 lb-ft @ 1,300-4,000 rpm; 3.0L twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6/362 hp @ 5,500, 384 lb-ft @ 2,000-4,200 rpm; 4.0L twin-turbo DOHC 32-valve V-8/469/503 hp @ 5,500-6,250, 479/516 lb-ft @ 1,750-4,500 Transmissions: 7-speed automatic, 9-speed automatic Layout: 2-door, 4-passenger, front-engine RWD/AWD convertible EPA Mileage: 18-23/25-30 mpg (city/hwy) (est) L x W x H: 184.5-187.0 x 71.3-71.9 x 55.5-55.2 in Wheelbase: 111.8 in Weight: 3,638-4,310 lb 0-60 MPH: 4.0-6.3 sec Top Speed: 130-174 mph | 9 | 99,864 | autos |
Light-duty pickup trucks are an American phenomenon. Factory-made Ford Model T pickups existed from 1925, and apart from Henry's clever centerline location of all the wheel reaction forces, most pickups have since followed Ford's precept of a steel ladder frame with a cabin for passengers, a front-mounted engine, and a box behind that for cargo. Most pickups had semi-elliptic springs for their beam axles front and rear, and even post-T-era Fords used them for their rear axles. Independent front suspension came on American full-size pickups only in 1965 (Ford), 1968 (GM), and hard to believe not until this century for Dodge. Until recently, Peugeot was the only European manufacturer to offer pickups. It used the front portion of its outmoded four-door unit-construction sedans for the cabin and put a sturdy live-axle chassis under the flat load bed with fold-down sides and tailgate, often with a covered-wagon canvas top over it. The ubiquitous Japanese pickups now used worldwide were just smaller copies of what we Americans thought pickups ought to be, as though God himself had ordained the crude pattern for them. When it created the Ridgeline 10 years ago, Honda broke dozens of assumed-to-be-inviolable rules about what a pickup was supposed to be. Despite that, it initially sold a lot of the easy-riding, unit-construction, semi-passenger-car four-door vehicles. But the Ridgeline was never really accepted by stalwart traditional pickup users who had only slowly succumbed to the lure of heaters, air-conditioners, power steering, automatic transmissions, and other passenger car accouterments for their work trucks. As sales figures fell, Honda started planning this more acceptable successor. One of the things Honda has done, which is reprehensible in design terms but probably necessary to make sales, is to provide a visual gap between the cabin and the bed side surfaces, just like "real" pickups. It reminds me of the tall, shiny "radiator" grilles on air-cooled Franklin V-12s completely fake technically, but psychologically required by the customers. Honda designers also gave the new Ridgeline a more traditional truck profile. While the former Ridgeline was only offered with all-wheel drive, the new model is available in a front-wheel-drive configuration. Front-drive pickups have always seemed an excellent idea to me, permitting a low load floor much like French delivery vans. But because of the need to emulate American trucks, the Ridgeline still has a high load floor. I think that's too bad. There is room for totally re-evaluating pickup design, but the only previous front-drive American-made models the VW Rabbit and Dodge Rampage were too small, too light, and not competitors for the real things. The Japanese haven't been able to fully crack into the full-size pickup market despite Tundras and Titans , and the Koreans haven't tried yet. But I bet Honda could do it, if only it would just totally optimize the design and forget about making visual clones. In the meantime, the Ridgeline is a really excellent vehicle. 1. These flexible-material wheelhouse bands allow the bottom of the Ridgeline to be protected against minor scuffs and shocks around its perimeter, and they reduce the visual height of the body sides. 2. Totally unnecessary separation of the cabin and the bed side panels make the Ridgeline more like a "real" truck. Whatever it takes. 3. This very nice rib runs through the door-handle finger indents and is picked up again at the rear of the bed side to carry all the way across the tailgate. 4. Vertical tracks are necessary in all four doors to allow the main glass panels to descend. 5. This very subtle crease that defines the front fender is rather nice and aligns with the bottom of the side glass. 6. The slightly raised center portion of the hood provides a bit of visual thrust. 7. The hood is further emphasized by the raised rib aligning with the main radiator grille opening. It's all quite refined but still "trucklike." Sort of. 8. The blunt part of the front end is relatively small, with the corners chamfered to allow the headlamps to direct air back along the body sides rather than over the hood. 9. The plastic bumper is carefully shaped to appear exceptionally sturdy, with just enough shaping around the lamps to give the ensemble a carefully composed but very tough look. 10. These small round lenses are emphasized by the sculpting above them. Inset from the face, they're well protected. 11. The outer lamps are quite large, which helps balance the overall graphic composition of the complete front end. It's not aggressive or tough, but it's far from the soft look of the earlier model that looked like a soap carving that had been washed once too often. 12. This small surface on the doors, set at about 45 degrees to the ground plane, adds visual length and subtracts visual height. A very nice surface detail. 13. With no need for aerodynamic trickery, the rear bumper fills out the perimeter footprint of the Ridgeline, giving the impression of space and substance. 14. There is very little brightwork on the Black Edition model shown here, but these small bars do a good job of defining the rear corners of the body and draw the eye downward. 15. The base line of the tailgate lies just below the Ridgeline badge, at least a foot above where the bed floor could be on a strictly front-wheel-drive pickup. But the deep trunk space below the bed is a useful innovation that would have to go in such a layout. 16. Fancy, power-operated backlight sliding glass is a refinement that pickup drivers would have laughed at 50 years ago. But it's very practical. 17. Stiffening the ribs in the roof panel help assure that the cabin does not resonate like a drum. 18. The wide metal surface repeats the wheelhouse trim profile and provides the truck with a sense of individual fenders on the plain body sides. 19. Extending the doors to the very bottom of the cabin is unusual, but does increase ease of access and eliminates shoes touching the exterior skin. 20. This handsome steering wheel is very much a typical passenger car design with multiple buttons and controls not at all what one normally thinks of as "trucklike." 21. The cowl over the instruments screen is nicely sculpted, with slight hard lines moving forward that transition into a flat plain across the entire glare shield. 22. These A/C vents are modeled to give the central panel the short bottom trapezoid shape of the vehicle's grille. 23. The seats are simple, their general aspect a bit sports car-like. 24. The bright trim around the transmission control is definitely more luxury car than truck, obviously the design intention. This is a family utility vehicle, not a truck at all. | 9 | 99,865 | autos |
It must be nice to be a billionaire. Alphabet CEO Larry Page, for example, has discreetly poured part of his wealth into two secret startups, Zee.Aero and Kitty Hawk, which are dedicated to building flying cars, reports Bloomberg. But making a classic science-fiction dream reality isn't even the coolest part. Apparently, Page turned the entire second floor of Zee.Aero's headquarters into a "man cave worthy of a billionaire" complete with a bedroom, climbing wall, and an actual rocket engine, courtesy of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. From Bloomberg: Page initially restricted the Zee.Aero crew to the first floor, retaining the second floor for a man cave worthy of a multibillionaire: bedroom, bathroom, expensive paintings, a treadmill-like climbing wall, and one of SpaceX's first rocket engines a gift from his pal Musk. As part of the secrecy, Zee.Aero employees didn't refer to Page by name; he was known as GUS, the guy upstairs. Zee.Aero employees got a few nice perks too, such as catered lunches, including at one point, $900 of catered barbecue. But Page didn't keep his secret office crash pad for long. Apparently, Zee.Aero expanded so quickly that eventually it needed the second floor for more engineers it now employs 150 people so Page had to move out his expensive paintings, workout gear, and collectibles. But it's not like he can't afford to build a new man cave. Anyone who can spend at least $100 million on the idea of a flying car, which may not ever come to fruition, has more than a little money to burn. | 5 | 99,866 | news |
U.S. President Barack Obama formally endorsed fellow Democrat, Hillary Clinton, for president. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 99,867 | video |
To celebrate 50 years of the Lamborghini Miura , the automaker has renovated its museum at its headquarters in Sant'Agata Bolognese, near Bologna, Italy. The official inauguration was held in conjunction with the first stage of the Miura Tour, an owner's rally celebrating the car's 50th anniversary. The layout of the museum and its displays offer a completely new visitor exerpience with multimedia displays and activities. "The inauguration of the new Museum on the same day as the Miura Tour sets off, sends out a clear signal on Lamborghini's commitment to honoring its history," said Lamborghini CEO Stefano Domenicali, in a release. "The Museum, which has been designed as an authentic experience for visitors, will be a key attraction for an ever-increasing number of arrivals around the world. The new layout provides a richer experience of the world of Lamborghini where our history, engines, design and technology come together in a journey from the brand's past to its future." The Lamborghini Museum originally opened its doors back in 2001, and the new look with white floors and gray walls better shows off the vehicles on display. The renovations were carried out with minimal interruption to daily activities and visitors, and all work was completed in a short amount of time. Lamborghini wanted the updated museum to tell the story of the brand's history, with the layout broken up into "chapters." Upon entering, visitors are greeted with the sound of Aventador and Huracan engines before witnessing the first Lamborghini, the 1963 350 GT, followed by the Miura. A rolling chassis display comes next, followed by innovations and newer models, which leads to an area showcasing Lamborghini concepts, the upcoming Urus SUV, and classic LM 002 SUV. The museum is split into two main areas on the upper floor, the first of which shows off all Lamborghini models, while the other displays the automaker's history in motorsports. The motorsports area features models like the Diablo GTR, Gallardo, and Huracan, along with two Formula 1 cars that utilize the Lamborghini V-12 engine. Two virtual reality systems and Super Trofeo films give visitors the opportunity to experience the vehicles further. The first floor is dedicated to the Miura , and only the roadster is on display in celebration of its 50th anniversary. The rolling chassis is displayed next to the vehicle. Visitors finish the tour with an exhibition of the Lamborghini Centro Stile, a place where the design team is working on the future of the brand. Check out the revamped Lamborghini museum in the photos above and below. Source: Lamborghini | 9 | 99,868 | autos |
However weird they may sound, some owners swear by these techniques so let's at least give them a shot, shall we? There's nothing I wouldn't do for my dog at least I thought so until I found out about some of the things people actually do for their dogs. The list of services offered for canines is almost endless, and while some of them offer solutions that may come in handy, you have to admit that many of them seem a little excessive when you're talking about a four-legged member of the family. However weird they may sound, some owners swear by these techniques so let's at least give them a shot, shall we? 1. Acupuncture Doggy acupuncture is a real thing, and it is used to treat everything from pain, to musculoskeletal problems, digestive issues, respiratory dysfunctions and even skin problems. Experts say that most animals don't even feel the tiny needles, though new treatments that use lasers in place of needles promise to be even more painless. 2. Psychic readings There's not a dog-owner who hasn't wondered what their dog was thinking from time to time. But you can put that wondering to an end when you enlist the help of a pet psychic. Find out what they're feeling, if they like their canine siblings, if you've really figured out their favorite brand of dog food and so much more. And even better? Some pet psychics can even do consultations over the phone . I'm sure your dog will be totally cool with barking into your cell on command. 3. Dye jobs You're not stuck with your natural hair color, so why should your dog be? If your dog's natural hair tones don't reflect the star that she is (maybe you should consult the psychic from above?), take her to a stylist who can transform her to a shade that's more fitting for her personality. If you're not into permanent changes, some salons can even apply a colored chalk to your dog's hair for some temporary color. We're told fuchsias and blues are big hits at the dog parks these days. 4. Pedicures The next time you take your dog to the groomer for a claw trim, don't stop there. Say goodbye to boring paws and add some color with a colorful pup pedicure . Just be sure they're using dog-safe, non-toxic polishes and stick-ons (because every dog paw needs a little bling). Your pup will be perfectly posh by the day's end. 5. Hypnotherapy If you have a high-strung dog that just never seems to settle down, hypnotherapy might be just what you need. No more will you fret over a dog that just won't go to bed when you want him to a hypnotherapist can teach you how to hypnotize your dog right off to dream land. 6. Chiropractic care OK, so this is one of those that might seem over the top, but actually serves a pretty good purpose. Many dogs suffer from spine issues, and we all know that back troubles can cause all kinds of pain and other troubles. If your pup is a back pain sufferer, a doggy chiropractor might just fix him right up. 7. Therapy There's nothing wrong with seeing a therapist we all know that. But taking your dog to see one might be a little too much hassle (not to mention exorbitant) for most pet owners. If you have behavioral issues that just can't be solved, though, it might be an option to consider. 8. Sound therapy This one might be a much cheaper (but still a bit weird) option for your anxiety-ridden dog. Studies have shown that certain types of music can help calm the nerves of dogs . Playing some tunes is a small price to pay for your dog's sanity, isn't it? 9. Plastic surgery In a world where we are fighting the urge to always look as perfect as possible, it's pretty sad that some pet owners are now even turning to plastic surgery for their pups. There are surgeries available to give your dog better shaped ears, wrinkle reduction, facelifts and even eyebrow correction. And for those male dogs feeling emasculated after being neutered, testicular implants are sure to put him at ease. 10. Gyms Walking your dog used to be a thing, right? Bonding time for you and your pet, plus a chance for you both to burn some extra calories. Apparently, pet-owners are out-sourcing that now, by dropping their dogs off at gyms to get a workout while they're at work. My cats were my kids, until I had a kid 11. Friend-finders Did you know that there's a Tinder for dogs? If you don't want your pup to be lonely at the dog park, you can set up a play date in just a few swipes using services like Meet My Dog. Photo: Meet My Dog via Facebook 12. Massage There's nothing like a good massage, and believe it or not, your dog can benefit from one too. If you have an aging or injured dog, massage therapy might be the way to ease some of his pain and get him back on his feet. I'm pretty sure I'd be jealous if my dog had a masseuse, though, since I definitely don't. 13. Swim lessons We just assume that all dogs are born knowing how to swim, but not all can. And if your dog is less than comfortable in the water, what do you do? Enroll him in swimming lessons , of course! At least that's the length some dog owners are going to to help their pups learn the doggy paddle. | 4 | 99,869 | lifestyle |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) In a victory for gun control advocates, a federal appeals court said Thursday people do not have a right to carry concealed weapons in public under the 2nd Amendment. An 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said law enforcement officials can require applicants for a concealed weapons permit to show they are in immediate danger or have another good reason for a permit beyond self-defense. The decision overturned a 2014 ruling by a smaller 9th Circuit panel and came in a lawsuit over the denial of concealed weapons permits by a sheriff in San Diego County. California generally prohibits people from carrying handguns in public without such a permit. State law requires applicants to show good moral character, have good cause and take a training course. In San Diego County, the sheriff required applicants to show supporting documents such as restraining orders against possible attackers to show good cause for a permit. The requirement prompted a lawsuit by residents who were denied a permit. During oral arguments before the 11-judge 9th Circuit panel, Paul Clement, an attorney for the residents, argued that the self-defense standard should be sufficient and asking for more violates the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms. California Solicitor General Edward DuMont countered that there was a long and rich tradition of restricting concealed weapons in cities and towns. California officials sought to intervene in the case after the San Diego sheriff declined to appeal. California officials said loosening concealed weapons permitting standards and allowing more people to carry guns threatens law enforcement officials and endangers the public. Clement countered that there was no evidence that crime went up in counties such as Fresno and Sacramento that had more permissive "good cause" standards. | 5 | 99,870 | news |
Just as the Copa America Centenario is truly starting to pop off, the "Summer of Soccer" is about to kick into an even higher gear with the European Championships starting on Friday. Before France and Romania get the ball rolling in the Stade de France, we've come up with 16 questions that will need to be answered over the next four weeks. That's a lot of questions, so let's cut the foreplay and get right to it. Will the tournament be safe? Just over six months removed from the Paris terror attacks, which included a hit at the Stade de France, safety remains the most critical issue. Unprecedented measures have been taken to try and ensure it, including deploying 90,000 police officers, soldiers, security guards and first responders, and setting up no-fly zones and anti-drone measures around all stadiums and practice facilities. Yet fear inevitably remains. France's foreign office cautioned visitors that "stadiums, fan zones, bars and stations" are all terror targets, as will be the hundreds of trains carrying them across the country. And after police thwarted another terrorist plot just this week, Interpol issued a "high threat" warning for an ISIS attack. How will the expanded field affect the quality of play? There'll be those who say expanding from 16 to 24 teams will have diluted the tournament, but it actually might only enhance it. Bumping every team's chance to make the Round of 16 leaves more room for error, and just might inspire bolder tactics. And a deeper field and extra round definitely brings in more cash, more fans, and better odds at juicy upsets and intriguing storylines. Either way, proponents and opponents of World Cup expansion will be watching closely how it all unfolds. Can France's defense hold up their end of the bargain? Les Bleus are stacked up top, but the defense is a worry. Jean Catuffe Getty Images The hosts are betting favorites to win it all despite a relatively inexperienced squad, and there's a simple reason for that. Even without Karim Benzema, who's sitting this one out over some, um, improprieties, France is absolutely loaded. But while Didier Deschamps has an embarrassment of riches in attack and midfield - oh God, that midfield - the back line could be Les Bleus' downfall. Losing Raphael Varane to a knee injury is massive, and Patrice Evra is somehow still a starter. Unless the midfield dominates, Hugo Lloris may need to be at his best if France want to win their second trophy on home soil in 18 years. Speaking of shaky defenses, can Germany figure out theirs? Germany were worried about their makeshift back line two years ago and ended up winning the World Cup, but at least that side had Philipp Lahm, its captain, playing in or ahead of it. Lahm and Per Mertesacker are now retired from the team, the hobbled Mats Hummels isn't ready for Germany's opener, and his replacement Antonio Ruediger just tore his ACL. With Bastian Schweinsteiger still unfit (again) and Ilkay Gundogan ruled out with injury (again), Jogi Low is also short of experienced defensive midfielders. Low could turn to either Shokdran Mustafi or Benedikt Howedes to fill the gaps, but Bayern starlet Joshua Kimmich and Liverpool's Emre Can are also options. No matter the solution, the backline won't have any experience playing together, and with just one clean sheet from their last nine games, Germany's defense looks wobblier than two years ago. Is Belgium's golden generation really up to the task? The Red Devils were a trendy pick in Brazil two years ago, but never really convinced despite reaching the quarters. Remember, they were a Chris Wondolowski sitter away from getting knocked out by the U.S. Have they gotten that much better since? Kevin De Bruyne is a bonafide star now and Toby Aldereweild suddenly became the best defender in the Premier League. But Eden Hazard's stunning dip in form and the loss of defensive anchor Vincent Kompany have cast some doubt over just how far Belgium, with zero games of Euro experience between them, can go. How will Roy Hodgson manage Wayne Rooney? Can Rooney and Vardy (and Kane) play together? Shaun Botterill Getty Images Stop us if you've heard this before - this is England's year! No, please, let us finish. Blind pre-tournament optimism may have routinely burst into flames by the second weekend over the last couple decades, but this year it isn't blind. The new-look Three Lions, who finished qualifying as the only team with a perfect record, are the youngest in the entire tournament, and led by Tottenham's Harry Kane and Leicester City sensation Jamie Vardy, one of the most exciting. Of all people, though, it's captain Wayne Rooney who could do them in. While Kane and Vardy lit the league on fire, England's all-time top scorer had a miserable campaign. Roy Hodgson will stick with Rooney anyway, pairing the three forwards together. Whether or not it works, and what Hodgson decides to do if it doesn't, might ultimately decide England's fate. Is Italy any good? Never sleep on the Italians at a major tournament, even if they try to lull you to sleep. Once again, the Azzurri are flying under the radar with a roster bereft of much attacking talent but, as per usual, anchored by a rugged Juventus defensive spine led by Gianluigi Buffon in goal and Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli ahead of him. Led by the intense (ex-Juventus coach) Antonio Conte, they just might outwork everyone else to spring another surprise like four years ago. If only Mario Balotelli was involved this year. Has everyone suddenly forgotten about Spain? Soccer is funny. Spain won three straight major tournaments from 2008 to 2012, but one shocking World Cup group stage exit later, the two-time defending champs enter Euro 2016 as perhaps third or fourth favorites. Hold on, let me double check something. Yup, turns out Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and David De Gea are all still on the team. Spain may have stunk in Brazil, but La Furia Roja deserve more respect and, should they win their tricky group, their draw will open up considerably. Germany, France and Belgium (if they win their groups) would all be on the other side of the bracket. Will anybody miss the Netherlands? Probably not. There'll be no flying Arjen Robben in France. Yuri Cortez Getty Images Is Cristiano Ronaldo's new supporting cast better? It should be. Two years after another disappointing World Cup, the Selecao has stocked up significantly on new talent. Valencia's Andre Gomes, Sporting's Joao Mario and William Carvalho, Porto's Danilo Pereira and Bayern's $40 million signing Renato Sanches are all 24 or younger and form one of the world's most promising midfields. They couldn't arrive at a better time for Ronaldo, who at 31 won't have many more chances at international glory and desperately needs help. Twelve years after making the final as a 19-year-old in his home country, this could be CR7's best opportunity to get there again. Can Zlatan finally make a run with Sweden? Even at 34, Zlatan remains the best out-and-out No. 9 in Europe not named Robert Lewandowski, and after having to sit out the last World Cup - an international tragedy - he's back for one last run with the national team. Unfortunately, the team has never been good enough around him to make any noise. In the Zlatan era, Sweden failed to qualify for the last two World Cups and crashed out of the group stage in the last two Euros. Zlatan only made a quarterfinal once, in 2004, back when he wasn't even a starter. The players around him aren't any better this time around, so a similar fate likely awaits. This could be Zlatan's final major tournament with Sweden. Jonathan Nackstrand Getty Images But prove us wrong, Zlatan. Please, please, please prove us wrong. What are the best games of the group stage? Germany vs. Poland will be a fun one, as should Turkey vs. Croatia, a rematch of an all-time classic quarterfinal at Euro 2008. Belgium vs. Italy in the "Group of Death" is perhaps the sexiest matchup, but the Azzurri probably won't allow it to be very watchable. Finally, there's Wales vs. England. Gareth Bale's Wales will relish a shot to upset their giant neighbors, while the whole of England seeks revenge for a devastating loss in the Rugby World Cup last year. This one could be an up-and-down, emotional affair, and one you cannot afford to miss. Which of the minnows make it out? Five nations qualified for the tournament for the first time - Albania, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Wales - while Hungary hasn't been here since 1972. Of those six, Wales are the most obvious threat to advance. Having the world's most expensive player ever in your midst will do that for you. But keep an eye out for Iceland and Wales' groupmate Slovakia. The latter, led by Napoli's Marek Hamsik, beat Spain in qualifying and Germany last weekend, while the former got out of a group with the Czech Republic and Turkey at the expense of, yes, the Netherlands. Who is the breakout star of the tournament? Every two years, one or two prodigious talents catapult themselves to the upper echelon of football fame, and Real Madrid will immediately try to sign them. Leroy Sane is going to be a star. Will this be the summer he blows up? Alex Grimm Getty Images This summer, the best bets to break out are Germany's Leroy Sane, England's Dele Alli and France's Kingsley Coman. The latter two burst onto the scene with Tottenham and Bayern this year, while Schalke's Sane just might play himself into Jogi Low's starting XI after the loss of Marco Reus. Who is the dark horse? Just twelve years ago, Greece won it all. Eight years ago, Turkey came this close to the final. In 1992, Denmark won the title despite only qualifying after Yugoslavia were barred just 10 days before the tournament as part of the United Nations' sanctions on the war-torn country. In short: weird stuff happens at Euros, and why not this year with a deeper field? David Alaba leads an Austria side that's perhaps its best ever. Lewandowski could keep Poland in any game. And after years of being "kinda good," doesn't it feel like Croatia are due for a crazy run to the semifinals a la the 1998 World Cup? Who wins it all? Germany. No, France. Spain for a third time? Hey, maybe it really is England's year. Oh, what do we know, just watch the games and enjoy. | 1 | 99,871 | sports |
A video posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on Jun 8, 2016 at 3:20pm PDT Platinum-blond is the color of the summer , and it's looking like bangs are a strong contender for style of the season. Just yesterday, Selena Gomez got fringe and today another celebrity joined the growing (or, um, cutting) trend: Bella Hadid. The model and newly appointed Dior Beauty ambassador posted a Boomerang video on Instagram showing off her new bangs. They're not the baby bangs we predicted would be big for spring, but instead a piece-y and eyebrow-grazing version that's the ultimate cool-girl stamp. (They're giving us Brigitte Bardot vibes, with a slight hint of Jean Shrimpton.) From what we can tell with a little googling, this is the first time Bella's experimented with the cut. Although, if beauty fake-outs run in the Hadid family, the new 'do could be the work of some believable synthetic add-ons. Most people grow out their fringe in hot weather to avoid the dreaded hair-sticking-to-forehead look. We're guessing Bella will manage to keep her cool and keep her hot new bangs completely on point. | 4 | 99,872 | lifestyle |
June 9 -- Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders discusses the campaign of presumptive republican nominee Donald Trump and vows to do all he can to be sure Trump does not become President of the United States. | 5 | 99,873 | news |
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) Oklahoma has dismissed Akolda Manyang from its basketball team after the 7-foot junior center was accused of aggravated robbery in Minnesota. Rochester police said in court documents that Manyang and another man were arrested early Wednesday after they allegedly assaulted a cab driver and took his keys. Manyang was charged Thursday with first-degree aggravated robbery, and court records don't list an attorney. The arrest comes a month after Manyang was charged in Oklahoma for allegedly punching a former Oklahoma football player. Oklahoma's assistant athletic director for communications, Mike Houck, said Thursday that Manyang is no longer on the team. Manyang played in 25 games last season and averaged 2.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game as the Sooners reached the Final Four. | 1 | 99,874 | sports |
Every single day there seems to be another hack. Every single day there seems to be another hack. A few weeks ago, we learned about one of the biggest data breaches in history thus far, where 117 million LinkedIn email addresses and passwords were stolen. And just today, we learned that 32 million Twitter users' credentials are being sold online. These things happen more often than you'd think, and they're not always immediately publicized. So, what can you do? While you can make a password as long and as complicated as possible , your efforts are fruitless if a company doesn't store that information properly. And unfortunately, you have zero control over that. But you do have control over one thing: where and when you use a password. If you reuse the same password for multiple websites, and then one site gets hacked, that means that any other website you use with that same password can also be hacked easily in an instant. And if you think, "Oh, yeah, but that will never happen to me " think again. We've rounded up the biggest, worst, and most notorious hacks from the past few years. Chances are you've had an account with at least one of these sites, which means your data has been exposed to, well, anyone who cares to find it (or buy it). For a good reminder on why you should never reuse a password, and how to make the annoying task of managing your passwords much easier , read on. And then you can check if your email address has been pawned in any of the previously mentioned hacks, here . Twitter Whelp, hackers reportedly used malware to steal the login credentials for 32 million Twitter accounts . Twitter wasn't actually compromised it seems that users had their password information collected by infected Firefox or Chrome browsers. So, the good news here is, if you only access Twitter through its Mac or smartphone app, you should be safe. Myspace Myspace may seem like ancient history, but if there's any chance you still use the same password as you did back in 2006, you could be in trouble. On June 11, 2013, 360 million Myspace users' passwords were hacked but we only just recently learned that the hack even happened . If you used Myspace before that date, chances are your email address and password were among those obtained. Fling In this case, hackers got way more than just a password and email address. Dating and hookup app, Fling, where much of people's personal accounts have information of the X-rated variety, was hacked in May . The hacker, known as "Peace," accessed millions of accounts and lots of information, including email addresses, birthdays, IP addresses, passwords, sexual desires, and more personal details which were then sold on the dark web. Victims have had their darkest fetishes, images, and messages all stolen from right out under them, likely without having noticed. LinkedIn What's safer than professional networking on LinkedIn? Apparently, a lot of things. In 2012, LinkedIn was majorly hacked, and the company thought it had remedied the issue by resetting the passwords of the affected users. Unfortunately, the breach was far larger than LinkedIn originally thought: Hackers gained access to more than 117 million emails and encrypted passwords of users , which were found being sold on a dark web marketplace called The Real Deal. Tumblr Tumblr suffered a massive data breach in 2013 , but only recently has the extent of the hack been discovered. The data that was obtained included 65 million unique emails and passwords, being traded and sold in the digital underground web. While Tumblr reset the passwords for affected accounts, if you use your pre-2013 Tumblr password anywhere else… You guessed it, time to change your passwords. Badoo Badoo is one of the most popular dating apps in the world, and while the company reports that its databases have not been compromised, some users have found their account information up for sale on the dark web. Last year, 57 million email addresses , cell phone numbers, and Facebook usernames cropped up online, possibly tied to Badoo or another dating site, Zoosk the source of the hack is still not clear. And just this week, usernames, dates of birth, cracked passwords, and email addresses of Badoo users ( around 127 million of them ) were again found in a data dump in this case, too, the how and the when of the hack are still unclear. Password Managers So, what can you do to help prevent your accounts from being hacked? Using a password manager such as LastPass (pictured) or 1Password is one of your best lines of defense. It is a free application that acts as a safety-deposit box for all your passwords. You can install it on any device, and it will secure and remember all your passwords for all of your sites, so you don't have to. You can easily manage all your login information and safeguard your data with secure encryption algorithms. | 4 | 99,875 | lifestyle |
We're used to seeing the duchess in pretty sheath dresses and fascinators, but when Kate Middleton throws on an evening gown, she looks exactly like a modern-day princess. At Thursday evening's reception for the 40th anniversary of SportsAid, an organization that helps to fund the careers of young athletes, Kate proved our point in an appropriately royal blue Roland Mouret gown. The elegant look stayed true to Kate's classic aesthetic, though you'll notice one trendy twist. With cutout shoulders, it's a dress that touches on one of Spring and Summer's biggest runway looks, adding a sexier finish to an otherwise more conservative gown. So, while we're always taking notes from Kate's carefully selected wardrobe, we're tuning in specifically to this and, namely, how to look for small details that set a classic look apart from rest. Not that Kate has any trouble getting noticed. Read on to see how she elegantly mastered eveningwear once again, adding glamorous hoop earrings and a minaudière. We're used to seeing the duchess in pretty sheath dresses and fascinators, but when Kate Middleton throws on an evening gown, she looks exactly like a modern-day princess. At Thursday evening's reception for the 40th anniversary of SportsAid, an organization that helps to fund the careers of young athletes, Kate proved our point in an appropriately royal blue Roland Mouret gown. The elegant look stayed true to Kate's classic aesthetic, though you'll notice one trendy twist. With cutout shoulders, it's a dress that touches on one of Spring and Summer's biggest runway looks, adding a sexier finish to an otherwise more conservative gown. So, while we're always taking notes from Kate's carefully selected wardrobe, we're tuning in specifically to this and, namely, how to look for small details that set a classic look apart from rest. Not that Kate has any trouble getting noticed. Read on to see how she elegantly mastered eveningwear once again, adding glamorous hoop earrings and a minaudière. Roland Mouret Cold-Shoulder Fluted Gown, Royal Blue ($3,710) | 6 | 99,876 | entertainment |
AYER, Mass. -- A husband and wife and their two adult children are accused of operating a drug lab in the family's large Massachusetts home. Sixty-three-year-old Bradley Heath Sr.; his wife, 61-year-old Diana Heath; their son, 22-year-old Bradley Heath II; and their daughter, 28-year-old Linley Heath were arraigned Wednesday on charges of manufacturing nearly pure THC, one of the active ingredients in marijuana. Two family friends, Lindsey Holston, 20, of Westford and Prachi Joglekar, 22, from Groton are also facing charges. After receiving tips, local and federal authorities executed a warrant at the Westford home around 8 a.m. Wednesday, where they discovered the lab in the basement. Westford is about 35 miles northwest of Boston. Authorities allege the defendants were manufacturing butane honey oil, which contains a potent amount of THC. The product was allegedly being sold under the name "Gold Street Extracts," reports CBS Boston. A lawyer for the elder Bradley Heath says the couple and their daughter are innocent and just happen to live in the home where the drug operation was discovered, reports CBS Boston. Bradley and Diana Heath reportedly work as real estate agents. A defense attorney for the younger Bradley Heath said he and Holston, his girlfriend, have legal medical marijuana cards, according to CBS Boston. Prosecutors said in court that there was an "overwhelming odor" of marijuana in the house and drugs with a street value of around $29,000 were found inside, the station reports. Police say the family was using butane to heat honey oil, which is a potentially dangerous process used to extract THC from marijuana, according to CBS Boston. There was a possibility the house could have exploded if butane levels built up and combined with an ignition source, but there was no explosion, the station reports. "Their alleged lab operations compromised the safety and security of their neighbors, as well as the law enforcement officials who arrested the suspects today," Middlesex District Attorney Marion Ryan said. | 5 | 99,877 | news |
A high school baseball player from Henry Sibley fouled one off his crotch and shot to internet fame. Check out the announcers hilarious reaction to the episode. | 1 | 99,878 | sports |
Vacation home rentals offer an alternative to bland hotel rooms. They can also be a bargain. Here are 50 unique rentals across the U.S. for $85 or less a night. GREAT STAY, GOOD DEAL From a shotgun house in Louisiana to a cozy log cabin in the woods in Alaska and a charming cottage in Kentucky, there are countless intriguing, colorful, and inviting vacation accommodations across the country that don't cost a small fortune. We searched Airbnb, HomeAway, and VRBO for interesting and affordable vacation rentals in every state. All the options on this list average no more than $85 a night (seasonal demand may affect the rate). The listings we found also consistently receive positive reviews from previous guests and are located in places that have much to offer visitors. The prices are for a basic rental and don't include service or cleaning fees. In addition, renters may be asked to provide a refundable security deposit to cover possible damage. GULF SHORES, ALABAMA Fish from a private dock or float in a sandy-bottom lagoon at this quaint and secluded beach cottage for $75 a night. Surrounded by trails for hiking, biking, and bird watching, the property also features golfing and a white sandy beach nearby. Slightly farther afield is Fort Morgan, and visitors can take a ferry to Dauphin Island. Past guests rave about watching jumping fish, birds, and crabs while relaxing on the dock. FAIRBANKS, ALASKA Just 20 minutes from Fairbanks International Airport, this handcrafted log cabin is set in a forest outside Fairbanks, in the Goldstream Valley. The area is famous for dog mushing, ski trails, and aurora viewing in winter. The cabin is also just 5 miles from a local downhill ski slope -- Moose Mountain. Warm-weather options include mountain biking trails and hiking to enjoy panoramic views of the Fairbanks area, which enjoys nearly 24 hours of sunlight during the summer. Wildlife in the area includes moose, fox, and cranes. The price for this rustic property averages $84 a night (higher during summer). PRESCOTT, ARIZONA This three-bedroom, three-bathroom mountain-style home bordering the Prescott National Forest is ideal for a family getaway, sleeping as many 10 guests. Previous renters rave about the property: the smell of pine, the sound of a gentle breeze through the trees, or watching birds, deer, and squirrels in their natural habitat. Nearby Prescott, meanwhile, offers antique stores, restaurants, and tons of history. Rates start at $85 a night. MORGAN TOWNSHIP, ARKANSAS A rustic duplex near Greers Ferry Lake and Fairfield Bay boasts a cabin atmosphere that includes wood walls and tin ceilings. Popular activities among guests include sitting on the deck soaking in the surrounding nature and stargazing without any nearby city lights to dim the brilliant night sky. Boating is also available close by. The average nightly rate is $78. GASQUET, CALIFORNIA Goats, chickens, cats, and dogs reside at this hand-built cabin deep in the Northern California woods. Located in a remote, off-the-grid village, the cabin offers two guests the chance to experience life in a sustainable eco-community. For $68 a night, guests rough it amid spring-fed streams and forests teeming with wildlife. But take note: Those who can't stand mosquitos, the sound of roosters early in the morning, or communal living, with a shared outdoor kitchen and communal bathhouse, may want to keep searching. DOLORES, COLORADO Situated on 10 acres near the San Juan National Forest, the Boggy Draw Cabin is fully furnished with everything travelers require for a rustic yet comfortable mountain cabin experience. There are hiking and biking trails nearby, as well as tubing and mining towns. In the spring and fall, visitors can watch cowboys herding cattle through the town of Dolores. Many visitors have enjoyed simply sitting on the front porch watching the horses wander in a nearby meadow. The property is also convenient to Durango and Telluride. It's listed for $80 a night. NEWTOWN, CONNECTICUT For $75 a night, visitors can stay in a reproduction barn on a 300-year-old property in rural Connecticut. Visitors enjoy local hiking trails and wineries on the Connecticut Wine Trail. The property is a little more than an hour outside New York City and close to attractions in Fairfield and Litchfield counties, as well as museums in Hartford and New Haven. MILLSBORO, DELAWARE For those seeking a stress-free beach vacation, this quaint home is located within driving distance of Rehoboth Beach and Boardwalk, as well as Dewey Beach and Bethany Beach. Boaters will enjoy having the Rosedale Beach public boat launch right next door. Surrounding community piers feature fishing and crabbing, both popular local activities. The house accommodates six people and is priced from $85 a night. SUNSET BEACH, FLORIDA This colorful cottage on Florida's central Gulf Coast is just a few steps from Sunset Beach. Built in the 1930s, the property, which rents for $82 a night, was recently updated and accommodates two guests. Amenities include a compact kitchen, living room with satellite TV, and free Wi-Fi. The private, rear yard includes a grill, lush tropical plantings, and outdoor lighting -- an ideal setting for barbecuing, eating, and relaxing. St. Petersburg is just 20 minutes away. Boat rentals, biking, and various watersports are available nearby. SAINT MARYS, GEORGIA Guests at Loggerhead Turtle Cottage can sit and watch boats making their way through the North River, walk a few blocks to visit the nearby waterfront, or tool around town on bikes. The recently remodeled 800-square-foot home includes French doors, hardwood floors, ceramic tiles, full kitchen with dishwasher, and private laundry. The nightly cost for the cottage, which sleeps four, is $85. PUNA COAST, HAWAII Known as House of Palms , this one-bedroom bungalow is located in a small Ohia forest within Hawaiian Paradise Park that's populated with palms and tropical plants. It is convenient to the Puna District's Red Road coast, beaches, state parks, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and Hilo, which includes a historic old town. The cost is $62 a night, a bargain by Hawaii standards. SAINT ANTHONY, IDAHO Searching for a place to swim, walk along the river, play at the beach, fish, and relax? This may be it. The Henry's Fork River and Beach House , which is $70 a night, accommodates eight people. Yellowstone National Park is about an hour away. CHICAGO This recently remodeled, family-friendly loft provides a great base for exploring all the Windy City has to offer. Situated in a renovated 1920s hotel, it includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms for a mere $69 a night. Lincoln Park, known as the Central Park of Chicago, is just across the street. The surrounding neighborhood includes numerous restaurants, farmers markets, Lincoln Park Zoo (free admission), and much more. INDIANAPOLIS Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, this accommodation in a historic 19th-century building includes park views, hardwood floors, and a light-filled living room. It's a few blocks' walk from the city's many attractions. A one-bedroom property that rents for $80 a night, it accommodates two guests. DES MOINES, IOWA Visitors renting this three-bedroom, three-bath home in the historic Westwood neighborhood are just 10 minutes from downtown Des Moines. The quaint house , which has hardwood floors throughout and ample gathering spaces, accommodates up to five guests and costs $83 a night. ANTHONY, KANSAS "A hidden oasis" is the way this property is described. An A-frame on a lake, with a private dock, this destination is all about boating, fishing, and swimming. The home boasts a deck overlooking the lake, a porch swing, and a fire pit for sitting outdoors and listening to bullfrogs and watching hummingbirds. The cabin costs $85 a night and accommodates four guests. STANTON, KENTUCKY Here's a chance to fulfill childhood dreams of bunking in a treehouse. Named the Flying Squirrel , this $85-a-night treehouse is situated in a secluded corner of the Red River Gorge Geological Area. Described as an off-the-grid property aimed at nature lovers, it sleeps just two people. A pullout sofa serves as the bed. The property backs up to 120-foot cliffs. NEW ORLEANS This renovated "shotgun" house is just a few miles from downtown New Orleans and within biking or walking distance of Bayou St. John, the Lafitte Greenway, the New Orleans Museum of Art, bars, music, and numerous restaurants. The $71-a-night rental has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a washer and dryer. SOUTH THOMASTON, MAINE Amenities at this classic two-bedroom Maine beach cottage include spectacular sunrises and views of dozens of islands in the distance. Visitors can even walk to some of the nearby islands during low tide. Other activities include exploring tide pools and boating, kayaking, or canoeing. Boaters will delight in observing seals sunning themselves on the rocks surrounding nearby islands. The house sits on a hill overlooking the ocean and rents for $61 a night. Although it has just two bedrooms, it can accommodate as many as 17 guests, according to the listing. OAKLAND, MARYLAND Glamping has become quite the trendy vacation experience, and this Maryland property offers an opportunity to jump on the bandwagon. The glamping huts offered through this listing, which are $85 a night, are located on 300 acres of private land, with miles of groomed trails and access to the Youghiogheny River. Five huts are available, and each is listed separately. It's possible to rent the entire "glampground," which sleeps up to 25, for events or gatherings. BOSTON Jamaica Plain is one of Boston's hippest neighborhoods, and this listing puts visitors right in the heart of the action. The nearby Avenue of the Americas (also known as Centre Street) is lined with shops and restaurants. Additional attractions in the neighborhood include the Arnold Arboretum and Jamaica Pond, both great areas for walking, biking, and boating. The two-room apartment includes a bedroom and sitting room (with a TV), a galley kitchen, and a garden for $75 a night. AU TRAIN, MICHIGAN This Michigan cottage features two bedrooms, a single bath, and a sizeable deck overlooking the nearby river. A stairway leads down to a river platform that's ideal for swimming, launching a boat, or simply relaxing. The property also includes a fire pit, barbecue grills, and two kayaks. It sleeps five people and costs $57 a night. FINLAND, MINNESOTA Escape from the pressures of everyday life at this secluded river cabin . Located on the Baptism River, near the shore of Lake Superior, the property accommodates three guests. It offers a deck with views of the woods, a full kitchen, and high-speed internet access. No other homes are visible or audible from the cabin, even though the property is a mere 10-minute drive from the historic town of Finland. The Lake Superior Hiking Trail and Boundary Waters Canoe Area are also convenient to the cabin. It's listed for $79 a night. BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI Palm Cottage is a small, charming property shaded by the boughs of a 300-year-old tree. The $75-a-night rental features amenities such as a private patio, barbecue grill, and hot tub. It's also within walking distance of a beach, shopping, restaurants, and a train depot. FREEBURG, MISSOURI This rustic log cabin includes a stone fireplace for cozy nights by the fire and a semi-private patio. Many guests describe it as the perfect romantic getaway and an ideal place to enjoy nature. Located near St. Louis and Scott Air Force Base, this "unique" rental sleeps four and costs $83 a night. LOLO, MONTANA Yet another log cabin , this $55-a-night home sits on 48 acres of land. The scenery includes mountain, trees, and a few horses. Activities in the area include hiking, Lolo Hot Springs, and Jerry Johnson Hot Springs. Also nearby is Lolo Pass, which offers hiking trails, cross country skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, and mountain biking. The cabin accommodates two people. PERU, NEBRASKA The Cabin at Honey Creek is a one-bedroom home that was constructed with an 1890s theme. Although it promises guests "a step back in time," the cabin does offer a few modern amenities, such as cable TV, a microwave, and a full bath. Surrounded by cornfields, hayfields, and a creek, days and nights are quiet and leisurely. The cabin accommodates two guests and is listed for $79 a night. SAND VALLEY, NEVADA Tiny houses are all the rage right now, and this property is a fine example. For $83 a night, guests stay in a "handcrafted" house situated on a working ranch. The owners describe the simple home as just 45 minutes -- and 100 years -- from bustling Las Vegas. The home, which includes a stove, fridge, compost toilet, and shower, sleeps three people. MONROE, NEW HAMPSHIRE For $80 a night, experience a mountainside cabin on 24 acres in Monroe, New Hampshire. The one-room cabin features cathedral ceilings, sleeps four, and includes an indoor propane stove and a gas grill on the front porch to cook meals. During winter, the cabin is accessible only by foot, snowmobile, or cross-country skis. OCEAN CITY, NEW JERSEY This rental property accommodates six guests and offers the chance to take the family to the Jersey shore for $84 a night. The home is located in the Garden District, a neighborhood with its own private beach. The condo is also just a few blocks from the famed Ocean City Boardwalk, and a bit farther off is Morningside Beach, known for beautiful sunrises. SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO Nothing says New Mexico more than a classic adobe home . The $83-a-night Casa Miguelita fills the bill. Rebuilt in 2015, Casa Miguelita features two bedrooms and modern amenities, including new appliances, finishes, and floors. Casa Miguelita is also just blocks from the famed Canyon Road, which is home to renowned restaurants and world-class galleries. BROOKLYN, NEW YORK New York City can be a tough place to find affordable accommodations, making this Brooklyn apartment is a rare find. For $85 a night, this modern, sunny one-bedroom , one-bath listing includes a flat-screen TV with cable service, stunning skylight, and wireless internet access. The property, which is 25 minutes from the Brooklyn Bridge, accommodates four people. WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA Two miles from scenic downtown Wilmington, this quaint carriage house has a private screened porch area and rear deck. It's situated next to Burnt Mill Creek, which offers wildlife-filled walks along its banks. Wrightsville Beach, meanwhile, is about 8 miles away. The property costs $79 a night and sleeps four guests. FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA Sleep in style when visiting Fargo in this modern one-bedroom apartment in south Fargo next to the Microsoft campus. The property, which costs $75 a night, features high ceilings, exposed ductwork, large living and kitchen areas, a den, and two baths. MILLFIELD, OHIO The attractions of this cute country house include manicured trails winding through 20 acres of woods, bird watching, and cross-country skiing. The home, which features hardwood floors and lots of natural light, is designed for two guests and costs $75 a night. OKLAHOMA CITY Located on a tree-lined street in one of Oklahoma City's prestigious historic neighborhoods, this 1,200-square-foot apartment is within walking distance of restaurants on Western Avenue and Uptown. Midtown, Bricktown, and the Paseo Arts District are just an Uber ride away. The apartment is adjacent to a wooded green belt and rents for $85 a night. PORTLAND, OREGON One of the country's most popular cities for tourists, Portland oozes charm and offers many picturesque accommodations -- but most don't come cheap. This one-bedroom apartment in a mid-century home costs $80 a night, and includes a private entrance, a large living area with sofa bed, a wet bar, and free Wi-Fi. What's more, great bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks are all within easy walking and biking distance. PITTSBURGH Located in the Mount Washington section of Pittsburgh, this third-floor apartment was completely renovated less than a year ago. The 940-square-foot unit, which accommodates up to four guests, features new appliances and restored wood floors and rents for $85 a night. The surrounding community includes parks, local bars, bakeries, and restaurants. Public transportation is about a half-mile away. WARREN, RHODE ISLAND Located in a historic village in the heart of New England, this two-bedroom apartment with hardwood floors and a private garden patio is all about charm and sightseeing. The unit is within walking distance of restaurants, shops, a park, and expansive waterfront. The East Bay bike path is minutes away, and three destination cities are within easy drives: Providence is 20 minutes away, Newport is 40 minutes, and Boston is about an hour. Nightly rental is $80. HILTON HEAD, SOUTH CAROLINA Hilton Head is famous for its beautiful beaches and stunning waterfront homes. This deluxe villa provides access to the beaches for $81 a night. The unit boasts ocean views and sleeps up to five guests. BERESFORD, SOUTH DAKOTA Historic Peterson Farm is home to Kate's Cottage , a one-bedroom, one-bath getaway built in the 1930s. Recently restored, the cottage is aimed at those looking for the peace and tranquility of country living. The hosts say the goal is to provide visitors a unique and comfortable retreat in a quiet, rural setting. As an added bonus, a light breakfast, delivered each morning to the front door, is included. The cost to stay is $83 a night. MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE A legendary city like Memphis offers plenty to see and do, and this two-bedroom bungalow in the Cooper-Young neighborhood provides a great base for exploring all its history and attractions. For $85 a night, guests are just steps from all the restaurants and activities of midtown. The home sleeps up to six guests, and features hardwood floors and spacious rooms. AUSTIN, TEXAS A clean, new space with hardwood floors and modern fixtures, this quaint bungalow is in central Austin near all of the city's attractions. The compact home includes a flat-screen TV, a king-size Murphy bed, and full bathroom with a skylight over the tub for relaxing soaks. The nightly cost is $71. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH For $75 a night, this stylish and colorful cottage accommodates five people. It includes an antique wood-burning fireplace, a mudroom for gear, and an outdoor patio, as well as on-site laundry and a dishwasher. The jazz-age home is within walking distance of Liberty Park, the largest and oldest outdoor park in Salt Lake City. The area also has many local coffee shops and historical landmarks. ROCHESTER, VERMONT The attractions at this $79-a-night unit include amazing views of Rochester Mountain, Mount Cushman, and Braintree Mountain. The conveniently located apartment is also just 4 miles from Rochester, a picturesque Vermont town that includes a large village green, trendy cafes and restaurants, and many places to participate in outdoor activities. Some of the area's best-known ski resorts, including Killington and Sugarbush, are just a short drive. RICHMOND, VIRGINIA This renovated, modern apartment overlooks Broad Street in downtown Richmond. It provides easy access to the area's vintage clothing boutiques, cafes, record shops, restaurants, and more. The unit sleeps up to three guests and is priced at $75 a night. SEATTLE A cottage in the heart of Seattle? Surprisingly, yes. This cabin-like home is a unique offering in a bustling city. Details include 12-foot ceilings, barn door hardware, a kitchen with granite countertops, and recycled old growth pine used on interior walls. In a city known for alternative thinkers, this property fits right in. The home, which is 1.4 miles from downtown and 2 miles from the Space Needle , accommodates two guests and goes for $85 a night. DAVIS, WEST VIRGINIA Surrounded by hayfields and whispering pines, this historic, cedar-sided cabin offers an idyllic retreat and an outdoorsman's paradise for $80 a night. Located on a working family farm and furnished with antiques, the cabin sits atop Bobolink Hill in the southern Canaan Valley and accommodates up to five guests. Canaan Valley State Park and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge are nearby, and the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is on the property's eastern horizon. Seneca Rocks, Otter Creek Wilderness, and Blackwater Falls State Park are all within an easy drive. GRANDVIEW, WISCONSIN Referred to as Mormor's Svenska Stuga (or Grandma's Swedish Cottage ), this three-bedroom, two-bath vacation home sits on 17 acres of land. Lake Owen and Lake Namakagon are just a few minutes away. Visitors to this Northwoods property have also enjoyed its two screened porches and the nearby hiking, biking, and snowmobile trails, as well as the sprawling Chequamagon National Forest. The cost to stay is $77 a night. BASIN, WYOMING Located in a region known as Big Horn Basin, this stone-facade cottage is more than a century old. The area's many attractions, including mineral hot springs, nightly rodeos, and famous museums, are an hour's drive away. Additional activities include fishing, hunting, and rock climbing. The unit costs $75 a night and sleeps up to six guests. | 2 | 99,879 | travel |
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Thursday said that Donald Trump "has a ways to go" to give Republicans a presidential campaign that they can be proud of. Speaking Thursday to reporters on Capitol Hill, Ryan was asked how he can support Trump after calling the businessman's remarks regarding a federal judge the "textbook definition of a racist comment." Trump's comments about Judge Gonzalo Curiel were unjustifiable, said Ryan, who added that he's glad Trump has "walked it back." "This is a long campaign and a long way to go," he said. "And he has a ways to go to give us a campaign that we can all be proud of." Ryan also defended Trump against accusations that Trump is thin-skinned. "I think his stage presence is different than what I would do but in my personal interactions with him I find him to have a very even-handed temperament," Ryan said. Trump has said that Curiel, who is presiding over a lawsuit against Trump University, has a conflict of interest in the case because of his "Mexican heritage," due to Trump's immigration policies. Curiel was born in Indiana to Mexican immigrants. | 5 | 99,880 | news |
FITZGERALD, Ga. Authorities say one of the seven people charged in the shooting death of a Georgia Lottery winner has escaped from prison. Ben Hill County Sheriff Bobby McLemore tells local news media that 28-year-old Earnest Anthony Holcomb escaped from jail Wednesday afternoon. McLemore was in the exercise yard before he went missing. McLemore says authorities still don't know exactly how Holcomb escaped, since there are 40 cameras in the area. Holcomb is 5-foot-9 and weighs about 150 pounds. Holcomb and six others are charged in connection to the fatal shooting of Craigory Burch Jr. in his home in January. The attack came two months after Burch won $434,272 from hitting the Fantasy 5 jackpot. All the suspects have been charged with malice murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. ___ Information from: WFXL-TV, http://www.wfxl.com/ | 5 | 99,881 | news |
WASHINGTON Bernie Sanders brought 12 million votes' worth of political capital to a series of high-level meetings in Washington on Thursday, with Democrats wondering just how he intends to spend it or squander it. The Vermont senator spent more than an hour at the White House late Thursday morning for an Oval Office sit-down with President Barack Obama, after which he struck a somewhat conciliatory tone but offered no clarity about his plans to either drop out or back presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton. Sanders' chances of becoming the Democratic presidential nominee are nearly nonexistent, dependent solely on a dramatic swing of support from superdelegates away from Clinton. But he entered Thursday's meeting with Obama, and a later one with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), with some bargaining chips, aware of Democrats' desire to avoid any whiff of intraparty dissent. Reading a prepared statement outside the West Wing after an hour-plus stay, Sanders cataloged the familiar list of issues that has driven his grass-roots campaign and he said he would "take to the Democratic National Convention" next month. But, in a nod to what Democrats want from him to throw his support to Clinton as she embarks on her general-election campaign, Sanders quickly attacked presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. Sanders said it was "unbelievable" to him that Republicans would nominate a figure "who makes bigotry and discrimination the cornerstone of his campaign." "Needless to say, I am going to do everything in my power and I will work as hard as I can to make sure that Donald Trump does not become president," he said. Sanders reaffirmed that he would contest the lone remaining Democratic primary, on Tuesday in the District of Columbia, primarily to argue for the city's right to full congressional representation. He was to rally in Washington on Thursday night. He also said he suspected that the complete counting of the votes in California's primary would show a closer margin. Then, he said he looked forward to speaking with Clinton about how to beat Trump, "and to create a government which represents all of us, and not just the 1 percent," his rallying cry for months on the campaign trail. White House officials did not immediately comment on the discussion between Obama and Sanders. The president, who remained neutral for most of the primary but has congratulated Clinton for securing the nomination, is waiting to endorse her out of respect for Sanders, who thanked Obama for staying on the sidelines during the race. "The good news is, is that although primary seasons are always tough … when you look at the issues, there's a pretty broad consensus about what it means to be a Democrat and what our values are, and what we're fighting for," he told donors in New York on Wednesday night. "And so I'm not too worried about us being able to come together." Clinton's campaign has instructed its top surrogates to hold off on public speculation about what Sanders should do next, to give him space to make what they ultimately hope is a decision similar to hers eight years earlier bow out with a full-throated endorsement of the nominee. But both Obama's and Clinton's patience with Sanders will only go so far, and they are prepared to move ahead on their own if Sanders signals he wants to fight on. Asked in an interview with the Washington Post if she worried Sanders might not be a full partner with her in the fall, Clinton said: "I certainly hope he will be." "He and his supporters understand how much is at stake, that we need to join together to defeat Trump. And I'm going to really reach out, do everything I can to persuade him," she said. As Sanders plots his future, an ideological ally is making moves of her own. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), already one of the most effective anti-Trump voices in the party and a hero to progressives, will join Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday night at an event where she intends to make a blistering critique of the GOP nominee. "Donald Trump is a loud, nasty, thin-skinned fraud who has never risked anything for anyone and serves nobody but himself. And that is just one of the many reasons why he will never be president of the United States," she will say, according to prepared remarks released by her Senate office. Warren's allies have let it be known that she intends to endorse Clinton soon, and is even intrigued by the idea of serving as her vice president. Figures close to her told the Los Angeles Times that it was Warren who was poised to "inherit the political power that Bernie woke up" in the country. Warren's positioning offers a clear warning to Sanders, should he overplay his hand. After his meeting with Obama, Sanders headed to Capitol Hill where Reid has made no secret of advocating for Warren as a potential Clinton running mate. At the same time, Democrats are interested in helping Sanders continue the movement he has launched, if he wants their input. An obvious landing spot for him would be back in Congress, where Sanders could play a more influential leadership role than he did before his presidential run. One opening could emerge at the helm of the Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee, which would provide a substantial venue to develop his proposals for free college, among others. That could be an even more powerful perch than a Cabinet position, following the model of former Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, who wielded influence when he held the committee's gavel. But those conversations appear to be driven more by Sanders than perhaps anyone else. Notably absent from his agenda Thursday was a visit to the other key Democratic leader, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). "He can lead the movement in his direction, or he can let folks like Barack Obama and Elizabeth Warren come lead it for him," said Steve Schale, who led Obama's campaigns in Florida in 2008 and 2012 and served as an adviser to the Draft Biden organization that urged the vice president to run for higher office last summer. "He has to help her get elected, he has to be seen as part of that. And at that point, I think he actually holds a fair amount of political currency with her." (Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.) | 5 | 99,882 | news |
At just 21, this Pakistani woman's challenging patriarchal norms and loving it. | 8 | 99,883 | video |
Britain's £1bn ($1.4bn) warships are losing power in the Persian Gulf because they cannot cope with the warm waters, MPs have been told. | 5 | 99,884 | news |
Behold the Twinkie, its helium-light cream filling sheathed inside four inches of luscious sponge cake, and all of it packed with enough artificial ingredients to survive the Apocalypse. Can the classic American snack cake possibly get any better? Two words: Deep. Fried. Hostess, the bakery company behind Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos and other treats, is rolling out fried Twinkies, long a staple of county fairs and carnivals. Just crack open the box, pop them in the oven for a few minutes and watch your blood sugar soar. Walmart will release the new Twinkies nationwide on August 22, a company spokesman said. Walmart, which worked with Hostess to develop the cake, unveiled the product last week at the opening of its Culinary & Innovation Center in Arkansas. The retailer will have exclusive rights to sell fried Twinkies for six months. Worried the cakes won't satisfy those late-night cravings? They come in chocolate, too. | 3 | 99,885 | finance |
Even if you think your salads are just fine, thanks, you could probably stand to learn a few tips that could make your bowl o' greens even better. Here, the common salad crimes you're likely committing and how to do better. 5 Mistakes You're Making That Are Ruining Your Salad Throwing together a salad is a lot like making scrambled eggs. Everyone thinks they're a pro, but in reality, almost everyone is doing it wrong . And chances are, that means you! Even if you think your salads are just fine, thanks, you could probably stand to learn a few tips that could make your bowl o' greens even better. Here, the common salad crimes you're likely committing and how to do better. 1. Washing your greens, but not drying Washing that fresh romaine, spinach, or arugula is a no-brainer. (Dirty, sandy salad? No thanks.) But unless you take the extra step to dry your greens thoroughly, you'll end up with a soggy salad. And since fat and water don't get along, your dressing won't cling to your greens, either. So after rinsing, always dry them. A salad spinner is magic, if you have one. But if you don't, just place the greens in a single layer on a paper towel, and gently press a second towel on top to soak up the liquid. 2. Loading your bowl with everything but the kitchen sink Sure, there's a time and a place to throw everything into the salad bowl willy-nilly. Like, when you're trying to use food that's on the brink of going bad. Otherwise, it's worth using a handful of ingredients that pair well together. That way, you get to enjoy salads with different flavor profiles instead of the same giant mish-mash. There's no official formula, but in general, aim for a leafy green, two to three other vegetables, a protein, one or two fun extras, and a dressing. Think: arugula with roasted beets and chopped cucumber, cooked lentils, chopped walnuts and crumbled feta, and lemon vinaigrette. Or chopped romaine with broccoli and sliced carrots, grilled chicken, diced avocado, and spicy peanut dressing. Drooling yet? 3. Skipping the seasoning If you're using bottled salad dressing or homemade vinaigrette that includes salt and pepper, you don't have to worry about this. But if you're the kind of person who just tops her salad with a drizzle of olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice or vinegar, you've gotta add a pinch of salt and pepper to make those flavors pop. Otherwise, it'll taste pretty blah. 4. Using the wrong amount of dressing It's no secret that dressing turns a bowl of what might otherwise count as literal rabbit food into a delicious meal. Still, it only works its magic if you add the right amount. To strike the right balance, aim for 1 to 2 Tbsp of dressing for every 4 cups of greens. 5. Adding your dressing right away Of course, drizzling on your vinaigrette is perfectly fine if you're planning on eating immediately. But if you're making a salad for later, do yourself a favor and hold off. The acid and salt in dressing causes the vegetables in your salad to start breaking down so hours from now, when it's time to eat, you're stuck with a limp, soggy mess. Ideally, you want to store your dressing separately and toss it with your salad at the last minute. But if you don't want to deal with multiple containers, put your dressing in first, before adding any veggies, so it sits at the bottom of your container or bowl instead of coating every single leaf. That way, your salad stays fresh, crisp, and delicious until you're ready to eat it. | 0 | 99,886 | foodanddrink |
Three people were killed when a small plane crashed on Thursday a few miles from Hobby Airport in Houston, the Houston Fire Department said, without providing details on the identities of those killed. Live video of the scene from Houston TV broadcaster KHOU showed the damaged plane in a parking lot of an Ace Hardware store. There has been no indication given yet on what caused the crash, the department said. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Bernard Orr) | 5 | 99,887 | news |
DEER LAKE, Pa. They have flocked here by the hundreds, on a pilgrimage, drawn by the past and the spirits whistling through the maples and beeches. The sign on one side of Sculps Hill Road read "Welcome To Muhammad Ali Training Camp." On the other side were two boulders, painted with the names of Sonny Liston and Jack Dempsey. Sixteen other boulders with the names of Ali's boxing heroes, painted by Ali's father as he was dying of cancer, ringed the property. Six bouquets were scattered around the Liston boulder, where Wednesday afternoon Don Gardner and Mike Pocquat, two retired cops from New Jersey, snapped pictures and grinned in awe. "Muhammad leaned up against this rock right here," Gardner said. They had driven hours to stand there. "Nostalgia," Pocquat said. "It's our childhood." Ali's memorial service will take place Friday afternoon in his home town of Louisville. But Ali's death resonated all over the world, uniquely so here, in the bucolic artists' community that housed Ali in the final stages of his career, the little town that experienced an eight-year brush with The Greatest. Ali built his training headquarters on a plot of land up Sculps Hill Road and became part of the community. Kids would rise at 5 a.m. so they could jog behind him on Drehersville Road. He showed them magic tricks and invited them over to watch old boxing matches on 16 millimeter film. When he spotted the place, then just a deer path up a dirt road, he turned to George Dillman, a beloved friend who would come to own the property. "I love the feel," Ali told him. "There's lots of energy." Dillman, a karate champion who once trained with Ali, has owned the camp since 1997. It remains largely intact, a piece of Deer Lake that somehow both stands apart and blends. Located about an hour northeast of Harrisburg, Deer Lake is busier now, a new highway lined with fast-food restaurants cutting through it. The parts around the lake and the cottages still look the same. At the 2010 census, 667 of 687 residents were white, and none were black. "I think we have the highest per capita income in Schuylkill County," Mayor Larry Kozlowski said, "which isn't a lot." The pugilistic enthusiasm of one man gained Deer Lake an association with boxing. Bernie Pollack, the owner of Pollack's Mink Farm, made a small fortune selling fur coats. The money allowed him to turn his boxing passion into more than a hobby. He started promoting fighters, from Golden Gloves to tenured pros, and inviting them to train on the mink farm, on which he built an outdoor ring. The seclusion of the place proved attractive. One of Pollack's fighters, Ernie Terrell, boxed Ali for the heavyweight championship in 1967 and lost badly. Pollack used the occasion for an introduction. Shortly thereafter, looking for a respite from bustling, media-choked gyms, Ali started coming to train on Pollack's farm. He liked the cool, fresh air and how the people in town allowed him to train in peace and blend in. The outdoor ring quickly proved untenable. When a storm interrupted his training, Ali decided the heavyweight champion required a permanent home. Pollack's brother owned land a few miles up Route 61, just less than six acres. Ali and his entourage drove Jeeps up the dirt road to inspect it. It was all woods and a small trail, but Ali envisioned his camp. Muhammad Ali: The World's Greatest | Graphiq Ali bought the land and started building. At first, Ali chopped down a tree, hardwood oak and ash, every day with an axe. He eventually constructed 18 buildings cabins for him and his entourage, a gym for a ring and heavy bags, a chalet, a bunkhouse for sparring partners, a mosque, a kitchen where Lana Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm X, cooked for him. Inside buildings, oil lamps provided light and heat. The boulders with names were placed around the perimeter Jack Johnson, Joe Frazier, Rocky Marciano, Ali himself. In a courtyard, he built a brick fireplace and set up three hexagonal picnic tables in front of it. He designed the cabins in a circle, mimicking the look from old Westerns he loved. He frequented the antique store in town and he bought an old-fashioned water pump. It's all still there. David Crouse is the Deer Lake borough council president now. He lived in Deer Lake all his life, and as a boy he would ride his bike to the camp and watch Ali train for hours. They developed a relationship, Ali doting on him. One afternoon, Crouse stayed at the camp so long his father went looking for him. He pulled into the camp as Ali was pulling out. "Hey, Champ," Crouse's father yelled. "Is Dave here?" "Is he a white boy?" Ali joked. "Then yeah, he's in there." By choosing Deer Lake, a world-famous, brazen and polarizing black man dropped into a tiny, homogeneous community. He didn't remain secluded in his cabins, instead becoming enmeshed in the town. Mostly, but not entirely, they welcomed him. "I'm sure there were people out there who didn't like him," Crouse said. "It wasn't like a town divided or anything." There were grumblings about his stance on Vietnam and his race. "There was a lot of prejudice at first," Dillman said. "I know it." Ali used his intellect and his charisma to deflect even the vilest. Rosemary Modesto, now Kozlowski's wife, worked as a waitress at the Deer Lake Inn in her mid-20s, for years waiting on Ali. He would come in with Bundini Brown and an entourage, sometimes seven or eight deep, sometimes with "two beautiful, tall black women," Modesto said. Ali spoke softly and ordered broiled fish, trying to eat healthy. The group tipped well "you do remember things like that," Modesto said. Modesto once mentioned she wanted to buy a Corvette, and Brown recommended a place in New Jersey where she could fetch a good deal. "When they came into the restaurant, they made it so they were just customers coming in," Modesto said. "Although it seemed like it should have been a big deal, it just wasn't." One morning, Crouse rode his bike to the compound, expecting a standard day, and instead he saw a parking lot jammed with cars and TV trucks. Brown led him in through the back door and whispered to be quiet, because there'd be filming. Crouse watched a man in a gorilla costume emerge, and Ali shouted from the ring, "There's Joe Frazier!" The cruel taunts that defined a rivalry were made at a promotional shoot in Deer Lake. "We realized, this is history here," Crouse said. "We didn't realize at the time." Like Modesto, Crouse remembers Ali speaking softly in most circumstances, revealing his bravado only for celebrities and cameras. He realized Ali lowered his voice in order to control conversations, forcing people to lean close and listen, really listen. Celebrities traveled to visit Ali Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr., Mike Douglas. Dizzy Gillespie played trumpet while standing in the ring. Ali always made time for kids. They would sit by him in his dressing room during post-sparring rub-downs. Many times, after a workout, Ali would call out to the kids, "You boys come back tonight at 7, we'll watch some boxing films." Many nights, the boys would watch Ali study reel-to-reels of Jack Johnson, the boxer Ali borrowed from most to create his incomparable style. One night in 1974, in preparation for the Rumble in the Jungle, Ali cued film of his opponent George Foreman. "He's a hard hitter, you know," Ali told them. "But he's slow. You know when it's coming." Ali further explained that he planned to negotiate loose ropes into the fight contract, because they would better absorb the energy from Foreman's punches when he leaned on them. That's how a 17-year-old David Crouse and a few of his buddies were among the first people on Earth to discover the Rope-A-Dope, the secret to Ali retaining the heavyweight title and the most famous gambit in boxing history. Ali visited the camp less after his career ended, but still he returned. When he learned of his Parkinson's diagnosis, Ali retreated to Deer Lake. He drove up and down the road and told neighbors of his fate, pleading with them not to tell anybody. He stayed for six months, collecting his thoughts. "He just wanted to be alone," Dillman said. In 1990, Ali returned to Deer Lake to re-open the camp as a sanctuary for unwed mothers. Crouse had kids of his own by then, and he drove behind Ali's bus. When Ali walked down the steps, Crouse greeted him. "Hey, Champ," Crouse said. "Remember me?" Ali's eyes lit up. He picked up Crouse's 3-year-old son, Brian, and kissed him on a cheek. Crouse handed Ali a promotional booklet he had signed in 1973. He signed it again, his hand trembling from Parkinson's. "He always said, 'I'm going to put Deer Lake on the map,' " Crouse said. "And he did." Against his desires, Dillman is selling the camp. He once trained karate students in the gym, and his attempt to convert the camp into a bed and breakfast failed. He wants to keep it, to pass it to his son, but he needs the money to settle a divorce. Since Ali died, buyers have "come out of the woodwork," Dillman said. He will sell only to someone who promises not to change the camp too much, he said, and two financially viable buyers have emerged. Ali returned to Deer Lake for the last time in 2001 or so, Dillman said, making a detour during an appearance in Philadelphia. He rode through the property in a limousine, too weakened from Parkinson's to leave the car. Even as his body withered, Ali's love for the place remained within him, undiminished by disease or age. The last time Dillman and Ali spoke over the phone, Ali brought up the camp. "Are my boulders still there?" he asked. "I love those boulders." Ali and Dillman hadn't spoken for years, Ali ravaged by his disease, their lives sliding in different directions. Not long ago, though, a photographer Dillman knew from the '70s visited Ali and showed him old pictures. The photographer called Dillman and told him a story about showing Ali the pictures. "He was told, blink once if you like, and blink twice if you don't like it," Dillman said. "Every time, he blinked once." More on Muhammad Ali: Obituary: Goodwill ambassador, boxing icon, dies at 74 Reaction pours in from around the world The legend of Muhammad Ali as told by Washington Post columnist Shirley Povich | 1 | 99,888 | sports |
If you are a product of the 1980s and a supercar nerd like me, the movie "Back to the Future" has a special appeal. The time-traveling action comedy solidified Michael J. Fox as a household name for his role as Marty McFly. Yet his costar would gain recognition well beyond what its builders ever dreamed of no, not Doc Brown, but the DMC-12 DeLorean that Brown and McFly used to travel through time. Now you have the chance to own one as what is probably the most well-maintained DeLorean in history, owned by Matt Farah from The Smoking Tire, is now up for auction. After a seriesof production delays, the DeLorean finally launched for the 1981 model year but wasn't met with much praise. The stainless-steel body was heavy, the engine weak, and the general build quality wasn't up to even the standards of 1960s Rover. By 1982, more than half of the 7,000 cars the company built remained unsold and left DeLorean $175 million in debt. John DeLorean, the company's founder and namesake, was arrested later that year and charged with cocaine trafficking after being videotaped during a sting operation. DeLorean had more than 59 pounds of cocaine with him when the feds arrested him. DEA agents subsequently found another 220 pounds of cocaine nearby, also belonging to DeLorean. The company was dead, the man in prison, and the weird little sports car mocked that is until "Back to the Future." Its stainless-steel body and crazy gullwing doors made it the perfect machine to travel through time for the movie. And as a young child, Farah developed a bond with the car and vowed to one day own one. Two years ago, he achieved that goal. The car has only 4,400 miles on its odometer, and last year Farah took the DeLorean to DMC Los Angeles for a"Fix Everything" package. This amounts to rebuilding the engine, installing new wiring, and fixing every item that is prone to fail. Essentially, the DeLorean was rebuilt to a much higher standard than the original ever was. Farah's DeLorean also has the upgraded Euro-spec Eibach suspension, giving it the correct ride height and still has its signature 15-inch silver alloys that perfectly preserve the car's presence. Inside the car, the headliner was replaced and the speedometer gauge upgraded to the 140-mph unit. Every original trim piece that could be saved was, and Farah even has the original DMC floormats that were found still wrapped in plastic in the car's trunk. When the engine was rebuilt, the DeLorean received DMC's Stage II Performance package, which includes upgraded cylinder heads, better flowing headers, new camshafts, and a new exhaust all good for around 200 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, although those numbers have not been verified on a dyno. Farah has kept detailed records on everything he has done and done research into the history of the car. The car will be sold with its original California blue plates, two sets of keys, the owner's manual, the original window sticker, original bill of sale, a DMC press kit, a showroom brochure, the warranty guide, a troubleshooting guide, its service log, and according to Farah, "a variety of other documentation." The auction of the car on Bring A Trailer ends in a few days, so if you want a minty DMC-12 DeLorean to relive your childhood and see what happens when you hit 88 mph, then I'd suggest you break open your piggybank because "if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" | 9 | 99,889 | autos |
More than 14,000 people had tickets to Thursday's Jenazah prayer service for the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali. The Jenazah is a traditional Muslim funeral service that was broadcast worldwide and streamed online. (June 9) | 5 | 99,890 | news |
Sometimes you go a little too far for a snack. That's what happened to a seagull that was scavenging in the garbage cans of a food factory in Wales. The unsuspecting bird fell into a thrown-away vat of chicken tikka masala, which dyed it completely orange. The pungent seagull was taken to Vale Animal Hospital in nearby | 5 | 99,891 | news |
When Parkinson's Disease slowly took away Muhammad Ali 's mobility and speech the two things he'd flaunted most extravagantly as a boxer he turned his fight inward, says Ali's daughter, Hana Ali . "He never got caught up in anything negative," she tells PEOPLE. "He wasn't living life thinking, 'I have Parkinson's.' He didn't let it control him mentally. He never complained or said, 'Why me?' He kept going. It was remarkable." Ali also refused to go into hiding after his diagnosis , less concerned about preserving his tough-guy image than living a full life and setting an example, she says. Even as his muscles froze and his ability to speak diminished, he attended many charity fundraisers and public events, including the memorable opening of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when 3.5 billion TV viewers watched Ali's trembling hand ignite the Olympic flame. "His lighting that torch said something about the human spirit," said NBC commentator Bob Costas. Michael J. Fox tells PEOPLE that after he went public with his own Parkinson's diagnosis in 1998 (he was diagnosed in 1991), Ali called and encouraged him to fight on. "He gave a lot of us a model for how to take things one day at a time," Fox says. "He knew how not to project too far ahead, to where [the Parkinson's] was taking him and what it was going to do to him in the future. He stayed in the present." A degenerative neurological disease, Parkinson's has no cure. As many as 10 million people suffer from the disease worldwide, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, and about 60,000 Americans are diagnosed every year. In later stages, patients become confined to a wheelchair or bed and often fall victim to infections such as pneumonia. Ali faced the inevitable with a sort of cheeky gallows humor, Hana says. "He almost died so many times, and he was always excited when he found out he was in the news," she recalls. "He was always asking, 'How long do they think I have to live? Is everybody sad? Is the world taking notes?' " Family friend John Ramsey recalls that on his final visit to Ali and fourth wife Lonnie at their Phoenix home in April, less than two months before Ali died on June 3, he bent his ear close to the fighter's mouth to hear some of the last words he could manage. "I was bad!" the fighter rasped. "You were bad," his friend assured him. "Even when he couldn't speak, he'd look at you with that sparkle," says daughter Rasheda Ali, who has become a Parkinson's Disease activist. "He was still in there. He was saying, 'There's a reason I got this disease. This is what God gave me, and I'm going to make the best of it.' " SLIDESHOW: Ali's incredible life | 1 | 99,892 | sports |
It didn't take long after Michael Bisping defeated Luke Rockhold at UFC 199 to win the middleweight title before a long list of opponents started banging the drum for the first shot at the new champion. At the top of the list is former middleweight king Chris Weidman, who called out Bisping with a harsh Instagram post on Thursday. Weidman just underwent successful neck surgery to repair damage that forced him out of UFC 199 when he was supposed to fight Rockhold in a rematch and now he has his sights set on Bisping's belt instead. "Hey Mike Bisping, was it a little easier saying my name before the opportunity of fighting me came? I don't hear you now," Weidman wrote. "I'm sorted out, bum. "Let's see you try to shut me up Nov 12th on the biggest stage in the world. The fairytale is over soon, believe you me." Along with the message, Weidman attached an interview Bisping conducted ahead of UFC 199 where he said he'd gladly give the former middleweight champion the first crack at his belt if he was victorious. "When I beat Luke Rockhold, Weidman can be my first defense," Bisping said. "And I'll shut that (expletive) up once and for all." The date Weidman mentioned is referencing UFC 205, which is set to take place in his home state of New York with the event scheduled at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It didn't take long after Weidman's message landed online for Bisping to take notice and respond. @ChrisWeidmanUFC bum? your coming off a loss to the guy I just Knocked out cold. Fight rockhold, win and we'll see. I call the shots. #facts michael (@bisping) June 9, 2016 Now that Bisping is the champion, he will likely hear a lot more of these call outs but it doesn't appear he's all that interested in facing Weidman in November at UFC 205. Who Bisping will face next is still a mystery, but he'll likely book his next fight before the end of 2016 so the contenders can start lining up now. | 1 | 99,893 | sports |
JERUSALEM Israeli security forces are cracking down on metal workshops in the West Bank suspected of manufacturing a crude homemade gun, which has emerged as the weapon of choice for Palestinian attackers in months of deadly assaults on civilians and soldiers including in this week's Tel Aviv shooting that killed four Israelis. Welded together from spare parts of various weapons and pipes, it looks like a short-barreled submachine gun, with a long magazine. The weapon, known by its street name "Carlo," was used by the two Palestinian gunmen who killed four people and wounded five others in a popular Tel Aviv area filled with crowded shops and restaurants on Wednesday night, as well as in several other attacks since the current round of violence erupted in September. "There has been an increase in security operations in and around the West Bank area to try and find factories where the weapons are made," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told The Associated Press. He said the quality of the workmanship varies from gun to gun, depending on the materials and the manufacturer. Palestinians have used them "in a number of terrorist attacks over the past few months," Rosenfeld said. According to an Israeli intelligence official, the homemade gun has become the weapon of choice for Palestinian gunmen, ousting the Kalashnikov that has traditionally been in use. Carlo's popularity stems from availability, he added. "Real weapons" are now hard to find and expensive in the West Bank due to raids carried out by Israel as well as those undertaken by forces of the Palestinian government, which rules about a third of the territory. Carlo is somewhat based on the Swedish "Carl Gustav" submachine gun because it's easy to copy with the materials at hand, the intelligence official said. Hundreds are believed to be in circulation, he added, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to talk to reporters. Over the last eight months and including the assault in Tel Aviv on Wednesday Palestinians have carried out dozens of attacks on civilians and security forces, mostly stabbings, shootings and car ramming assaults that have killed 32 Israelis and two Americans. About 200 Palestinians have been killed during that time, most of them identified by Israel as attackers. The rest died in clashes with Israeli troops. The assaults were once near-daily incidents but they have become less frequent in recent weeks. Rosenfeld said that in February, Palestinian attackers used a 'Carlo' to kill a young policewoman in Jerusalem. | 5 | 99,894 | news |
Barriers to ownership and competition, botched Chinese market penetration among the primary issues One thing about Japanese automakers every American knows "for sure": Their conquest of the U.S. market was orchestrated by a wily government that cunningly kept American brands out of its own. Yeah, you can make a case for that. But you can also make the case that with friends like their own government, Japan's automakers need no enemies. Especially now that Japan's bureaucrats seem hell-bent on cooking the goose that laid the golden egg, destroying within a generation their largest and most profitable industry. For starters, consider how Japan's politicians managed to deny their manufacturers pole position in the world's largest auto market. The Senkaku Islands are a barren group of bird rocks, nearly 1,200 miles from Tokyo but just 125 miles from Taipei, that no one has found a use for over thousands of years. While Japan is nominally in control, both China and Taiwan dispute its sovereignty. Still, the issue lay dormant for decades until 2012 when Shintaro Ishihara, Tokyo's ultra-nationalist governor at the time, moved to buy the islands from their private owners. When Japan's government responded by nationalizing them, anti-Japanese riots broke out across China. And no riot was complete until a Toyota had been torched. As Japan's outraged media foamed on about the value of oil that might, just might, be under the seabed, no one mentioned the real prize: China's auto market , by then the world's largest. Japanese brands already lagged the Germans. But from 2012 through 2015 Japanese makers' share of the Chinese market declined slightly to 16.6 percent as Europeans (notably Volkswagen) rose by 1.1 percent to 22.3 percent, with a rich German mix. GM and Ford meanwhile those Detroit zombies risen from the grave increased their Chinese market share from 11.8 to 12.5 percent. With GM still twice as big as Toyota and Ford closing fast on Japan's Big Three, Detroit may soon surpass Japan in China. Adding to the humiliation, South Korea's Hyundai/Kia has left Japanese makers in the dust. Japan's failure to dominate the world's largest auto market, literally in its own backyard, is a blunder of historic proportions, and the nation's right-wing politicians deserve full blame. The Senkaku debacle marked the moment of Japan's worst defeat since 1945, but it was decades in the making. By failing to do what they did so successfully with the U.S. heal the wounds of war, gain trade access, and win consumer hearts and minds Japan's government has badly damaged the future prospects of its most important industry. So they blew it in China. But haven't Japan's leaders managed to stoutly defend the home market? Earlier this year when CEO Mark Fields signed off on the notice that Ford Motor Company was pulling out of Japan because its market is "closed," you can bet the Czar of Dearborn had a wry smile on his face. As former CEO of Mazda, Fields knows Japan's market numbers better than anyone in Detroit. And those numbers tell a story like something out of World War I trench warfare: Everyone gets bloodied, but no one risks losing face by giving up an inch. Japan's market is "closed" like a shallow grave in a profitless stalemate between Godzilla and the Seven Dwarves: Toyota with roughly a half share and seven other home teams scrabbling for the scraps. Inefficient distribution networks make the cost of sales staggering. All brands have hideously over-proliferated model lineups. And it's a game of musical chairs; sales volume has dropped almost 13 percent over the past 10 years, in step with a rapidly aging and declining population. Meanwhile, the Germans have swooped in to cherry-pick the premium morsels from the pot. If all that isn't enough, Japan's government "helps" the home teams by mandating an artificial segment that foreigners won't enter for good reason. "Kei-cars," mini-vehicles limited to 0.7-liter engines, are unique to Japan: pop cans on wheels that wouldn't pass the crash test in most countries. Spawned by 1950s regulations meant to help farmers motorize, they are favored by generous tax breaks, lower insurance rates, and relaxed parking regulations (more on that later). Plus, in a high gas-tax regime they deliver great fuel economy. No wonder minis account for 40 percent of sales, all to Japanese makers, notably Suzuki and Daihatsu. This is hardly a gift to the automakers. Sold through Japan's high-cost sales networks, the average kei-car yields an even thinner margin than the barely profitable compacts Japanese brands sell. They require a separate product development stream, which is why Nissan and Mazda opt for badge-engineered product from Mitsubishi and Suzuki. If instead of kei-cars the manufacturers could each sell an extra 100,000 global B-cars at home, it would at least give them a useful boost in scale. Worse is the signal this incentive to thrift sends to a nation desperately trying to revive consumer demand and reflate its stagnant economy. Living in tiny dwellings crammed with Gucci bags and big-screen TVs, Japanese have little room for new stuff, but many more could swing a ride to drive with pride if their government didn't go out of its way to make car ownership such a dismal proposition. Buying a new car in Japan is a bureaucratic nightmare that starts with the 3 percent "vehicle acquisition tax" on top of an 8 percent sales tax. But you can't take your new toy home until you have a registered parking space within 2 kilometers of home. If an apartment dweller, renting one in central Tokyo will run you up to 90,000 yen monthly (about $838 U.S.) or half that in the suburbs. With your parking-lord's certificate in hand, you proceed to the local police, pay 2,100 yen (about $20) and hand-draw the location of your spot on a form. The cops then dispatch an official who measures your parking spot against the spec for your carnd woe betide you if it's a millimeter smaller! No wonder less than half the households in Japan's largest and wealthiest city own a car. If you live in a smaller burg and buy a kei-car, though, guess what: no parking registration needed. If you're still foolishly bent on owning a real car, each year you must pay vehicle tax under a complex formula, typically about 45,000 yen (about $419). Every second year you need a "sha-ken," a fitness inspection that inevitably costs 100,000 yen (about $930) since they always find something to fix. Once on the road, the fun rolls on. Although fuel taxes, totaling about 65 yen per liter, are lower than Germany, expressway tolls are highway robbery: 24.6 yen per kilometer, which means $36.50 to go 100 miles. But here's the best part: The speed limit is just 50 mph. Zoom-zoom! Missing no opportunity to dull your ride, Japan slaps world's most boring license plates on its cars. Where colorful U.S. plates express home-state pride Live Free or Die, baby! our monochrome plates shout out the transport ministry office that issued them. Only two plates nationwide are considered cool: Shinagawa and Shonan. My "Sodegaura" plates brand me as a hick. Little wonder that, even more than American millennials, Japanese youth are taking a pass on driving, especially as they are expected to attend a month-long driver training course costing 300,000 yen, or about $2,800. With world's best train system going everywhere, who needs the hassle? Even geezers are now hanging up the driving gloves. Since most Japanese commute by train, driving has always been a weekend hobby for men. But now that Japan enforces the world's strictest blood-alcohol limits absolute 0 people are too scared to drive after even a sip. Drinking in Japan is way more fun than driving. Guess which one now wins the weekend? What gets lost with all this? To sustain a world-leading car industry, a nation needs a vibrant automotive culture that captures the imagination of each successive generation, plus consumers continually willing to reward the home teams' best efforts. Germany's always had both in spades, and the U.S. seems to be getting its mojo back. Meanwhile, Japan persists in dulling down its automotive culture and pushing consumers to buy models no other market will touch. Within a generation that may well destroy the passion for cars and for quality that has driven Japan's car industry over 50 years. Sure, the government got the ball rolling, but it wouldn't have rolled far without the remarkable energy, diligence, and dreams of millions of Japanese engineers and line workers, people who are now retiring in droves. Who will replace them? With a national workforce set to shrink by 8 million over the next 15 years and an aversion to immigrants, Japan is going to have trouble staying at the forefront of the global industry no matter what. But even if robots take up the slack in the factory, automation can't replace the incredible passion and genius that Japan's baby boomers and their parents brought to the game. Japan's younger generation just doesn't have it. Having grown up in such a dismal automotive culture, who can blame them? The brands will survive, but likely as Japanese in name only. Tokyo and Nagoya may become the automotive answer to Delaware, with brass plates on hollow head offices. Still, maybe it's not too late. Instead of stamping it out at every turn, here's hoping that Japan's government learns to cherish and cultivate its automotive culture with the same care it shows to kabuki and ikebana. John R. Harris is a Canadian freelance writer who has spent the past 30 years in Japan. | 9 | 99,895 | autos |
If you think this is bad, you ain't seen nothing yet. In the midst of the most dramatic crackdown on free speech in China in decades, the Communist Party's propaganda department has been firmly rapped over the knuckles for not shaping public opinion and promoting the party's point of view forcefully enough Powerful government inspectors from the disciplinary commission issued a report Thursday publicly berating the propaganda department for not taking firm enough control of the Internet, the media, arts and the nation's universities. Since taking power more than three years ago, President Xi Jinping has significantly extended the Communists' control of the media, of universities and the arts, and of free expression on the Internet. In the past year alone, the U.S. State Department says, hundreds of human rights activists, lawyers, journalists and civil society leaders have been detained. Many remain behind bars. Still, there is clearly more work to be done. After a two-month review of the propaganda department, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection the body that also oversees the anti-corruption campaign issued a report on its website Thursday containing what the South China Morning Post described as "strong" criticism. "The effect of guiding culture and art to serve socialism and art is not obvious enough," Wang Haichen, the leader of the inspection team, was quoted as saying. "Its news propaganda is not targeted enough, or effective enough. "It needs to strengthen further its leadership of ideological work. It does not do enough in applying the principle of the party controlling the media in weak points like new media, or in coordinating thought and political work at universities." Xi has waged a campaign against what he calls "Western values" including free speech and democracy. He has urged universities to promote Marxism more forcefully and argued that arts should also serve the party's interests. He also paid a high-profile visit to the main state media outlets in February urging them to promote the party's interests at all times and show absolute loyalty. The CCDI clearly keen to make sure the leader's instructions are carried out to the letter, calling on the propaganda department to "resolutely implement the spirit of the important remarks" of Xi. Wang called on the department to produce timely and effective news, and "strengthen the appealing and infectious effect of propaganda." He urged it to effectively use and control the Internet, as well as "strengthen the coordination of ideological work at universities, and strictly control its guidance of textbooks and academic assessment." Propaganda also needs to have a clear stance in major questions of right or wrong, not hesitate to "show its sword" or make its voice heard on major principles, he said. Gu Jinglu contributed to this report. | 5 | 99,896 | news |
NEW YORK The troubles with kids these days ... are not as common as they used to be. U.S. teens are having a lot less sex, they are drinking and using drugs less often, and they aren't smoking as much, according a government survey of risky youth behaviors. "I think you can call this the cautious generation," said Bill Albert, spokesman for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Among a decline in several risky behaviors, a sharp decline in sexual activity stood out to researchers. The survey found 41 percent said they had ever had sex, after it had been about 47 percent over the previous decade. It also found marked declines last year in the proportion of students who said had sex recently, had sex before they were 13, and students who had had sex with four or more partners. The results come from a study conducted every two years by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The surveys included 16,000 students at 125 schools, both public and private. Participation was voluntary and required parental permission, but responses were anonymous. Results were released Thursday. National surveys have seen a leveling off in recent years in the proportion of kids who said they had sex, after earlier declines. That led researchers to largely attribute continuing declines in teen pregnancies and abortions to more and better use of birth control. But the new numbers suggest less sex is a factor, too. The drops are surprising enough that government officials said they'd like to see what the next survey shows to make sure it's not a statistical blip. If it is a true drop, the reason is not clear why. "We're trying to look at reasons why this might be happening," said Dr. Stephanie Zaza of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who oversees the survey. One possibility, Albert said: "It may be that parking at Lookout Point has given way to texting from your mom's living room couch," he said. In the new survey, about 42 percent said they played video or computer games or used a computer for something that was not school work for more than three hours per day on an average school day. Beth Mattey, who until last year was a nurse at a high school in Wilmington, Delaware, suggested a factor may be how much more common it is for teens to openly discuss sex and sexual orientation. "We want kids to have a healthy sexuality built around self-respect and self-esteem," said Mattey, who is now president of the National Association of School Nurses. Why would more discussion of sex reduce the amount of sex kids are having? One theory: "Culturally we may have shifted away from sex being a taboo that adolescents would sort of reach out for," said Beth Marshall, a Johns Hopkins University scientist focused on adolescent health. The survey found the 30 percent of the students surveyed said they'd had sex in the previous three months, down from about 34 to 35 percent reported in each of the previous six surveys. About 11 percent had four or more sex partners, down from the 14 to 15 percent seen over the previous decade. And about 4 percent said they'd had sex before they turned 13, down from 6 to 7 percent. Other findings from the survey: SMOKING Fewer than 11 percent of the teens smoked a cigarette in the previous month the lowest level since the government started doing the survey, when the rate was more than 27 percent. But the fall is not surprising another CDC survey has put the high school smoking rate at about 9 percent. DRINKING Just under a third had at least one alcoholic drink in the 30 days before the survey, down from 35 percent in the last survey and down from 45 percent in 2007. About 63 percent had ever had a drink, down from 66 percent in 2013 and 75 percent in 2007. VAPING The survey for the first time asked about electronic cigarettes, which have exploded in popularity in the past few years. It found about 24 percent had used electronic cigarettes or vaping products in the previous month a much higher estimate than seen in other recent CDC youth surveys. CDC officials noted that the surveys are done differently, so a variation in the numbers is not that surprising. TOKING A little under 22 percent of teens said they used marijuana in the previous month. That's down a bit from the previous two surveys. The proportion who said they had ever tried marijuana, and who had tried it before they were 13, also slid a bit. The finding is considered mildly surprising, but is consistent with drops in the use of other illegal drugs like heroin (2 percent), cocaine (5 percent), ecstasy (5 percent), and hallucinogenic drugs like LSD (6 percent). USING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS About 17 percent of the surveyed students said they had taken prescription drugs without a prescription, in response to a question that listed as some possible examples painkillers like Oxycontin and Vicodin and ADHD drugs like Adderall and Ritalin. That statistic has been declining, but is still alarmingly high, Zaza said. ___ Online: CDC study: http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm | 7 | 99,897 | health |
Billionaire investor George Soros is back to trading following a long hiatus, and he's making a series of bearish investments. WSJ's Geoffrey Rogow discusses with Tanya Rivero. Photo: Getty | 3 | 99,898 | finance |
The broadcasting rights from the 2017/18 season onwards have been sold, and the Bundesliga can be delighted with new record revenues. The German Football League (DFL) announced in Frankfurt on Thursday that it will receive a total of €4.64 billion over the course of four years, which amounts to an average annual revenue of €1.159 billion for the 36 Bundesliga clubs. "The outcome of the tender is a crucial step regarding the future viability of German top-class football. The Bundesliga is now in an ideal position to maintain its position among the three football leagues with the highest turnover and present sport at the highest level," DFL CEO Christian Seifert commented on the record result after the general meeting. "It's an excellent, even outstanding result," a delighted FC Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge commented. The total distributed among the clubs in the 2013/14-2016/17 period is €2.51 billion, €628 million per seasonon average. The DFL board will decide on the exact distribution among the clubs in the coming season. ZDF to broadcast matches live on free TV Not much will change for the consumer. Sky continues to be the main partner with regard to pay TV. However, Sky has lost a total of 45 Bundesliga matches to Eurosport, which will broadcast the 30 Friday matches, five Sunday and five Monday matches, the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 relegation matches and the Supercup. The no-single-buyer rule imposed by the Cartel Office has been met. On free TV ARD Sportschau continues to report on Saturdays from 18:30 CET. ZDF purchased the free TV live matches on Matchdays 1, 17 and 18 as well as the Bundesliga 2 relegation matches and the Supercup. The free TV rights for the Bundesliga 2 highlights on Friday and Saturday, currently held by Sport1, and a new format on Monday evening comprising condensed reports on all Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches, have not been sold yet. The reserve price has not been met in both cases. "We'll have further talks and assign the rights in the coming weeks," said Seifert. | 1 | 99,899 | sports |
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