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Maybe it's possible to raise a born leader if you name your baby after one of our presidents' kids. The names presidents have chosen for their children are not only inspiring, they range from classic to beautiful to unique. A throwback pick, like Jimmy Carter's son Donnell, or a more modern choice, like Barack Obama's daughter Sasha, may be the perfect moniker for your baby boy or girl. And with the upcoming election keeping us busy, presidential baby names have more significance than ever. Many presidents had children with the same names John, for example, appeared in the families of several presidents so we simply listed the first appearance of each name. But you can attest that some names are traditional, some probably won't be used any time soon and some are unusual enough to be making a comeback. Which names do you like the best, and which names were the most surprising to you? Abigail: Daughter of John Adams Abraham: Son of Martin Van Buren Abram: Son of James Garfield Alice: Daughter of John Tyler Allan: Son of Herbert Hoover Amy: Daughter of Jimmy Carter Andrew: Son of Andrew Jackson Anne: Daughter of John Tyler Arabella: Daughter of John Kennedy Archibald: Son of Theodore Roosevelt Barbara: Daughter of George W. Bush Benjamin: Son of William Harrison Calvin: Son of Calvin Coolidge Caroline: Daughter of John Kennedy Carter: Son of William Harrison Charles: Son of John Adams Chelsea: Daughter of Bill Clinton Chester: Son of Chester Arthur Christine: Daughter of Ronald Reagan David: Son of John Tyler Donnell: Son of Jimmy Carter Dorothy: Daughter of George H. W. Bush Doud: Son of Dwight Eisenhower Edward: Son of Abraham Lincoln Eleanor: Adopted daughter of George Washington Eliza: Daughter of James Garfield Elizabeth: Daughter of John Adams Ellen: Daughter of Ulysses S. Grant Elliott: Son of Franklin Roosevelt Esther: Daughter of Grover Cleveland Ethel: Daughter of Theodore Roosevelt Frances: Daughter of Rutherford B. Hayes Francis: Son of Grover Cleveland Franklin: Son of Franklin Pierce Frederick: Son of Ulysses S. Grant George: Legal ward of George Washington Harriet: Adopted daughter of James Buchanan Harry: Son of James Garfield Helen: Daughter of William Taft Herbert: Son of Herbert Hoover Ida: Daughter of William McKinley Irvin: Son of James Garfield James: Son of James Monroe Jane: Daughter of Thomas Jefferson Jenna: Daughter of George W. Bush Jesse: Son of Ulysses S. Grant Jessie: Daughter of Woodrow Wilson John: Stepson of George Washington Joseph: Son of of Rutherford B. Hayes Julia: Daughter of John Tyler Julie: Daughter of Richard Nixon Katherine: Daughter of William McKinley Kermit: Son of Theodore Roosevelt Lachlan: Son of John Tyler Letitia: Daughter of John Tyler Luci: Daughter of Lyndon Johnson Lucy: Daughter of Thomas Jefferson Lyon: Son of John Tyler Lyncoya: Adopted son of Andrew Jackson Lynda: Daughter of Lyndon Johnson Malia: Daughter of Barack Obama Manning: Son of Rutherford B. Hayes Margaret: Daughter of Zachary Taylor Maria: Daughter of James Monroe Marion: Daughter of Grover Cleveland Marshall: Legal ward of James Polk Martha: Stepdaughter of George Washington Martin: Son of Martin Van Buren Marvin: Son of George H. W. Bush Mary: Daughter of Thomas Jefferson Maureen: Daughter of Ronald Reagan Michael: Son of Gerald Ford Millard: Son of Millard Fillmore Natasha: Daughter of Barack Obama Neil: Son of George H. W. Bush Octavia: Daughter of Zachary Taylor Patricia: Daughter of Richard Nixon Patrick: Son of John Kennedy Patti: Daughter of Ronald Reagan Pauline: Daughter of George H. W. Bush Pearl: Daughter of John Tyler Quentin: Son of Theodore Roosevelt Richard: Son of Zachary Taylor Robert: Son of John Tyler Ron: Son of Ronald Reagan Russell: Son of Benjamin Harrison Ruth: Daughter of Grover Cleveland Rutherford: Son of Rutherford B. Hayes Sarah: Daughter of Zachary Taylor Sardis: Son of Rutherford B. Hayes Scott: Son of Rutherford B. Hayes Smith: Son of Martin Van Buren Steven: Son of Gerald Ford Susan: Daughter of Gerald Ford Susanna: Daughter of John Adams Tazewell: Son of John Tyler Theodore: Son of Theodore Roosevelt Thomas: Son of John Adams Ulysses: Son of Ulysses S. Grant William: Son of William Harrison Winfield: Son of Martin Van Buren | 4 | 99,900 | lifestyle |
Asphalt 8: Airborne Asphalt 8: Airborne The best arcade racing game series reaches a new turning point! Perform dynamic, high-speed aerial stunts in an intense driving experience powered by a brand-new physics engine! Play Asphalt 8: Airborne Sniper Fury Sniper Fury The time for diplomacy is gone. We are calling for the best sniper in the world to join us as we take aim at evil, wherever it hides. Try over 130 missions with unbelievable 3D graphics and top-secret weapons. Play Sniper Fury Modern Combat 5: Blackout Modern Combat 5: Blackout Create a squad, add your friends and test your individual and team skills against other squads! Is single player your thing? Then step into a world on the brink of anarchy and shoot your way out of one dire situation after another to expose a lunatic who's trying to tear the world to shreds. Play Modern Combat 5: Blackout Dungeon Hunter 5 Dungeon Hunter 5 The legendary Dungeon Hunter series returns with a vengeance! Play the most intense and immersive hack 'n' slash game ever! After stopping the demon invasion in the Kingdom of Valenthia, the world remains shattered, crumbling at its very core destruction and desolation seeping from its wounds but even when we try to rebuild, things never go back to how they once were... Now, things are different. Play Dungeon Hunter 5 Disney Magic Kingdoms Disney Magic Kingdoms When Maleficent casts an evil spell on the Kingdom, ridding it of all of its powerful magic, can you help bring it all back? Relive the thrill of Disney Parks and create the most fantastical Park of your dreams in Disney Magic Kingdoms! Play Disney Magic Kingdoms Despicable Me: Minion Rush Despicable Me: Minion Rush Experience the brand-new Despicable Me: Minion Rush! Gru's loyal yellow mischievous Minions are ready for their tastiest challenge yet: Collecting exotic fruits to make yummy jelly! Jump, roll, dodge and scramble against others in fun, fast-paced missions. Play Despicable Me: Minion Rush Gods of Rome Gods of Rome An epic fighting game set in an age of myth and legend that's designed to offer a stunning experience! The souls of the most powerful gods have been summoned to brutal battle. Fight to restore peace in the most graphically amazing game for Windows. A pantheon of champions is yours to train to new heights as you enter an epic story full of daily challenges, mystical prizes and PvP combat. Play Gods of Rome UNO & Friends UNO & Friends Playing UNO with friends, family, and millions of fans worldwide has never been easier. Join one of the largest free online mobile gaming communities and enjoy an all-new free multiplayer experience, competitive leaderboards and fun customization options that let you shout 'UNO!' on a whole new level! Play UNO & Friends March of Empires March of Empires Break away from reality and ascend to the throne through the art of war! Claim your title as Highland King, Northern Czar or Desert Sultan, and join this genre-redefining strategy game where you will wage constant war for real territorial conquest! Play March of Empires Pastry Paradise Despicable Me: Minion Rush In the mood for a yummy match-three puzzle? Join Hannah, the sweetest chef in the land, and stop Mr. Moelleux from filling the world with cheap mud cakes and canned custard! Play Pastry Paradise | 6 | 99,901 | entertainment |
Airbnb Snorkelling and scuba diving enthusiasts everywhere dream of diving into Australia's Great Barrier Reef, but few have the opportunity to sleep on the natural world wonder until now. Airbnb Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling and scuba diving enthusiasts everywhere dream of diving into Australia's Great Barrier Reef, but few have the opportunity to sleep on the natural world wonder until now. Airbnb is giving guests the chance to win a free night's stay in a floating apartment on top of the Great Barrier Reef , located off the coast of Queensland, on July 13-14. The lucky winner and their three guests will have an unprecedented view of the world's largest coral reef from the water-based abode, which has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a sitting area with a sofa, according to the Airbnb listing page. The experience includes an underwater swim with the host, a tour of the Reef's beautiful private coral gardens, and lunch on the beach made by the celebrity chef Neil Perry. Airbnb is holding the competition in tandem with the upcoming release of Disney Pixar's "Finding Dory," the sequel to "Finding Nemo" which is set on the Reef. To win, Airbnb users can submit their reason for why they and their guests deserve to stay on the Reef on the listing page by June 30 at 11.59 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time. Airbnb will cover travel costs to and from the apartment for international winners, according to a spokesperson from the company. Check out photos of the unique apartment below. When you're staying in a floating apartment, you definitely don't need windows. The main bedroom and sitting area offer an unprecedented view of the surrounding Reef. The bathroom is conveniently located to the side of the bedroom, though it's not clear where the toilet is located. The kids' room, which follows the "Finding Nemo" and "Finding Dory" theme, offers another spectacular view, while the bunk bed adds another vantage point to enjoy the scenery from. As well as gorgeous views, guests have the luxury of jumping directly into the Reef from the living room. Underwater, guests are sure to spot a variety of marine life. There are millions of fish, 100 kinds of jellyfish, 133 types of sharks, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins living in the Reef, according to the listing. On arrival, guests will go on a dive led by their host, Pascal, a local who knows the Reef well having lived on a boat there himself. For the one land-based part of the experience, guests will have a secluded late lunch on the beach under this canopy. Lunch will be served by the renowned chef Neil Perry, who'll use fresh North Queensland produce and sustainably sourced seafood to create a delicious meal. | 2 | 99,902 | travel |
The Cubs are trying to get out the vote for the MLB All-Star Game with a new retro-style commerical featuring David Ross. Check out the hilarious campaign. | 1 | 99,903 | sports |
The Never Trump movement is once again calling for the Republican Party to dump Donald Trump at its convention in Cleveland. Republican lawmakers say that is ridiculous. "I think that's a pipe dream," Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told TPM on Thursday. Prominent Republicans have been distancing themselves from Trump all week after he suggested that U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel was biased against him in a case involving Trump University because the judge was "Mexican." The statement forced House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to call the comment "racist" during his roll out of a GOP poverty plan Tuesday and brought Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) to rescind his support of the Republican nominee. But, as they have throughout Trump's rise, Republican senators are beyond skeptical that anything can be done now to stop Trump despite the calls from conservative pundits like Erick Erickson and Hugh Hewitt. After a spring of contested convention chatter that never materialized, most lawmakers even those at risk of loosing their re-elections because of Trump have finally accepted their 2016 election fate. "People need to wake up and realize, he got more votes than any Republican in any primary in history, that the last big vote day .. .he won five East Coast states and he won every county in those states. There may be individuals that would prefer a different candidate. Voters are who have made Donald Trump our nominee, and we need to respect that," Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) told TPM. Burr faces re-election in 2016 in a state that Mitt Romney won by only two points in 2012. "The people have spoken," Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), another member up for re-election, told TPM. "It's not the politicians' party ... For a bunch of elected people to decide they know better would be a mistake for the party's future." But conservatives pushing to get rid of Trump argue that having the businessman on the top of the ticket imperils the party's future in an even greater way. Conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin wrote in the Washington Post Thursday that "it is dawning on Republican candidates and elected officials that condemning racist remarks while supporting the racist candidate requires an unsustainable level of cognitive dissonance." Trump wants to ban Muslims from the country, he's attacked a federal judge on the basis of race, and would seek to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, all in an election year when Republican officials had hoped to make inroads with one of the country's fastest growing minority populations. At one point, conservatives hung their hopes on Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the leader of the 2013 shutdown over Obamacare and a tea party hero, to challenge Trump. On Thursday, even Cruz wouldn't comment on if he'd be willing to try and wrestle the nomination from Trump at the convention now. "I will leave political punditry to those who get paid for doing that," Cruz said. Most Republican senators doubted the rules allowed dumping Trump as the nominee at this stage in the game. "The delegates decide that," said Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio). "It doesn't seem like that is practical because the delegates have been named." Those who have never supported Trump, say there is only one strategy left: containment. "I don't see how that works," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) "We've made our bed. Now, we're gonna have to lie in it." This article was written by Lauren Fox from Talking Points Memo and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. | 5 | 99,904 | news |
(Bloomberg) -- Merchant Customer Exchange, a consortium of retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp., ceased development of its mobile wallet and is refocusing on supporting partner JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s mobile-payment service, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company removed its wallet, CurrentC, from the Apple App Store last weekend. The last day for consumers trying the app to use it is June 28, CurrentC said on its website June 6. In May, MCX said it would fire 30 staffers -- or about 40 percent of employees -- and postpone a nationwide roll-out of the service. Formed in 2012, MCX was challenged from the start. Shortly after launching a trial in Columbus, Ohio, the product was hacked. And the app wasn't easy to use: Consumers could only link their checking accounts or store credit cards, like Target's REDcard, rather than bank-issued debit cards. While Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google rolled out their mobile wallets several years ago, MCX struggled to get its own off the ground. As a result, its biggest member, Wal-Mart, decided to introduce a mobile wallet. Other retailers began accepting Apple Pay and Android Pay, effectively ending their efforts to build their own wallets -- and left CurrentC searching for bank partners. Last year, MCX joined with Chase to bring Chase Pay, the bank's mobile wallet, at 40 participating retailers, restaurants and gas stations. That partnership is now expanding. In announcing the product delay and job cuts in May, Chief Executive Officer Brian Mooney said MCX will concentrate on "working with financial institutions, like our partnership with Chase, to enable and scale mobile payment solutions." But Chase is its only partner so far and the focus of all its efforts, said the person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. Chase Pay is in use on websites of 1-800-Flowers.com, Drs. Foster & Smith, eBags and Gerber Life Insurance Co. The bank has also signed up coffee chain Starbucks Corp. and Shell Oil Co. gas stations to introduce Chase Pay in their physical stores later this year. "We've not announced future timelines or plans around the app but we're looking forward to analyzing and learning from the data we gleaned throughout the beta," MCX said in a statement. To contact the reporters on this story: Olga Kharif in Portland at [email protected], Olivia Zaleski in San Francisco at [email protected]. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Crayton Harrison at [email protected], Paul Barbagallo ©2016 Bloomberg L.P. | 3 | 99,905 | finance |
Tennessee Titans running back DeMarco Murray is listed as the team's top dog on the depth chart with rookie Derrick Henry backing him up. Though, this doesn't mean Murray will necessarily be receiving the lion's share of the carries this season. Shedding a bit of light on how the Titans plan to run the ball this year, offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie shared this. "I believe in just doing whatever we have to do, whatever is necessary to win the game,'' Robiskie said, via Jim Wyatt of the team's official website . "Obviously we'll have it situated going into the game, and figuring, 'Hey, we want to go this way or go that way.' If we get to going in the game and some guy gets the hot hand and that's what it takes to win the game then that is what we are going to do." The primary goal for the Titans would be to improve their 25th-ranked rushing offense from last season. If this means keeping the guy that's performing best on the field, then so be it. Robiskie reiterated that the attempts won't be plotted out ahead of time between Murray and Henry. "We are not going to sit down before the game and say, 'So and so has to have 20 carries, or he has to touch it 25 times.'" While this plan of attack will hopefully work wonders for the team's offense, it is not necessarily what those who play fantasy football want to hear. Murray is certainly capable of a workhorse load considering his 1,845 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns with the Dallas Cowboys back in 2014. On the other hand, Henry carried the ball 395 times for 2,219 rushing yards and a whopping 28 touchdowns en route to earning the Heisman for Alabama last season. At this point in time, Murray appears content with the system. "We have a lot of good running backs on this team, so I think everybody is going to get a fair share of carries. Obviously (getting a lot of carries to get into a rhythm) is important for some guys. It just depends on how the game goes." We will have to see how the season plays out and if Murray's sentiment remains the same. It wasn't too long ago that Murray expressed his displeasure with his limited role on the Philadelphia Eagles' offense when he split time with Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles. Hopefully, everybody can set their egos aside and work together cohesively to help the Titans achieve more than the three wins they managed last year. | 1 | 99,906 | sports |
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel to the Greek island of Lesbos next week to meet with refugees and draw global attention to their plight. Ban will make the trip on June 18 as part of a European tour that will also take him to Brussels, Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Athens. "I will visit the Greek island of Lesbos next week, to assess the situation and to show my solidarity," Ban told reporters on Thursday. "Hundreds of Syrians and other refugees and migrants continue to die in the Mediterranean while making perilous journeys out of war and persecution," he said. The visit comes as Ban enters the final months of his tenure as UN chief and as the United Nations prepares to host a major international meeting in September on the world refugee crisis. World leaders are to agree on a new global plan to resettle refugees at the September 19 meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York. Ban will met with European Union leaders in Brussels and hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg on June 16. | 5 | 99,907 | news |
Japanese automotive giant Toyota said Thursday it was considering legal action against the official campaign for Britain to leave the EU in the June 23 referendum for using its logo and implying it backs a Brexit. In a statement, the company said the use of the Toyota logo in Vote Leave campaign literature "could mislead the reader into thinking that Toyota endorses the Vote Leave campaign". "We offer no such endorsement and further we are considering a formal legal complaint at this unauthorised use of our trademarks, which infringes our rights as the owners of the Toyota brand," it said. Toyota, which employs 3,400 people and has two factories in Britain, is one of six "major companies" cited in Vote Leave literature as saying that "they'll stay in the UK whatever the result of the referendum". Johan van Zyl, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Europe, said in February that the EU referendum was a matter for the British people, but said continued membership "is best for our operations and their long term competitiveness". Some of the other companies named by Vote Leave -- Nissan, Vauxhall, which is part of General Motors, General Electric, Unilever and Airbus -- also cried foul. "This is a complete misrepresentation of Unilever's position," said a spokesman for the company, adding that it had complained to Vote Leave and intended to complain to the Electoral Commission watchdog. "We firmly support Britain remaining." A spokesman for GE UK also told AFP that it had not given permission for its logo to be used, and said it had made its position clear in two public letters "supporting the UK's continued participation in the EU". Nissan said it was not aligned to any political campaign, but a spokeswoman noted a statement from February saying that "the company believed it made the most sense for jobs, trade and costs for the UK to stay within Europe". | 3 | 99,908 | finance |
While the media buzzes with announcements of Hillary Clinton's "historic" nomination as the first female major party nominee, much of America is saying: "Who cares?" Perhaps some of it has to do with President Obama's historic win in 2008. People are now used to the idea of non-white men being president. It's now just a matter of who wants to run rather than someone needing to break down some kind of barrier. For Clinton specifically, she doesn't inspire the enthusiasm that Mr. Obama did in 2008, mainly because she's seen as part of the Democratic establishment rather than a fresh face. My God, she's been in the public eye for some 40 years, she's hardly a political outsider. She's seen as just another politician the same kind of politician who gives politicians bad names. She's corrupt, she's under FBI investigation, she's enriched herself and her family through public service and she's belittled women who accused her husband of rape while claiming to stand with accusers. She hasn't been in the private sector since she was made a partner at the Rose Law Firm, conveniently after her husband became governor of Arkansas. Also convenient, the firm began bringing in big-name clients after she was brought on board. Her current email scandal and FBI investigation make her unfit to be president, it's very possible that state secrets fell into the hands of hostile nations because she wanted "convenience." If a non-hacker who simply guessed her password was able to get into her emails, an advanced hacker would have had no problems. And this doesn't seem to bother her at all, aside from the toll it may take on her campaign. The Clinton Foundation, which she and her family continue to use to enjoy fabulously wealthy lifestyles, accepted millions from foreign governments while Ms. Clinton was Secretary of State. She used her connections to get husband Bill lucrative speaking gigs in other countries as well. You can't tell me she's qualified for the presidency when she's so blatantly bought-and-paid-for. But she won't be indicted for her emails, of course not. She's too big to jail. She's Hillary Clinton and it's going to take an extreme act of courage on the part of the federal government to actually hold her accountable for what she's done. I'll believe it when I see it. Leading the charge of the "Who cares?" coalition are millennials , who don't see Ms. Clinton as the feminist hero the most ardent modern outrage feminists claim she is. She rode her husband's coattails to get where she was (we millennials were old enough to remember learning about her through President Bill Clinton, though I personally lived in Arkansas briefly while he was the governor), and doesn't have much more to her name than the titles she has been given due to her marriage. She bought a house in New York (well, a wealthy family friend paid the mortgage on a house in New York) so she could run for Senate after her family left the White House. Her name and husband's influence helped win her the election. She ran for president in 2008 because of her name, lost, and was given the position of Secretary of State as a consolation prize, which she's now using as experience to run for president again. Beyond all of this, she's just not a likeable candidate. People talk about presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's "temperament" for president, but we're banned from talking about Ms. Clinton's for fear of being called a sexist. A new book from a former secret service officer claims Ms. Clinton had a " Jekyll and Hyde " personality and that Bill and White House staff were afraid of her. Her campaign says the officer is just trying to cash in, but it's not the first time a former secret service officer described her as volatile. Maybe they're both lying, but Ms. Clinton has done plenty of provably bad things to make one believe it could be true. Things like, calling her own supporters sexist , or getting testy with the press during her extremely rare press conferences. Ms. Clinton may be the first female nominated for the presidency by a major political party, but she is not the female politician one should hope for. | 5 | 99,909 | news |
Fear is on the rise and so is the price of gold. Gold futures for August (@GC.1) hit a three-week high Thursday, rising to $1,272.70 per ounce, just under a key resistance level of $1,275. The yellow metal is up about 20 percent year to date, and some high-profile investors like George Soros and Stanley Druckenmiller have made no secret that they see bad times ahead in the markets and gold is a safer bet. "As far as the geopolitical element, it's certainly not a chicken little atmosphere," said Jim Steel, chief commodities analyst at HSBC. "I think there's enough uncertainty facing the global economy and even some geopolitical tensions to keep buying the gold market." Investors believing they need to have gold in their portfolio as a hedge against the outcome of easy central bank policies and for other safety reasons are fueling a run in the metal. Some analysts say gold could easily climb above $1,300 an ounce. In fact, DoubleLine Capital CEO Jeff Gundlach likes it , and he says gold could go to $1,400. Soros has reportedly been buying both gold and gold mining shares, while Drunkenmiller told investors last month to get out of stocks altogether and buy the yellow metal due to concerns about China's economy and the Fed 's easy money policies. Analysts say there are a host of reasons investors are loading up on gold, and at some point later this year, the U.S. presidential election could be seen as one of them. "I think that the you've got 'Brexit' coming at you. You have a Spanish election coming at you in a week and a half and that is terribly confusing. It looks like the left is going to win. You have rising nationalism in France. You have the strike in France. You have one thing after another," said Dennis Gartman, publisher of The Gartman letter. Other worries include rising tensions with China in the South China Sea, and Nigeria where militants have shut down oil production. Gold has also moved higher as the dollar pulled back, a phenomena helping other commodities. The greenback has weakened as the Fed's forecast for rate hikes was rolled back to two this year from four. The metal got a lift after last week's surprisingly weak May U.S. jobs report cast doubts on whether the central bank can raise rates at all this year. "I think the key element more than any one geopolitical issue, even as much as the Fed holding off a spate of rate rises, is some economies moving into negative rates. That has been very good for gold. When you look at when the gold rally began it is very close to the issue of bonds with a negative yield," said Steel. "If you look at all the economies that have a negative yield, they add up to a little over 27 percent of the world's GDP. ... Negative yields are a powerful cocktail for gold. They eliminate the opportunity cost of owning gold." Steel said the move into the metal has been steady, not an excited gold rush spiking prices. "Basically, the rally has been entirely investment led," he said. That is opposed to a rally driven by physical demand, with buyers in the biggest markets India and China now less active. "It's kind of like having a table with a leg missing. It's heavily investment led. I'd feel better with a longer-term rally if we had a physical component. It does present upside roadblocks further up," he said. One major catalyst for the rush into gold is the June 23 U.K. vote on whether to leave the European Union. Gartman said the move in gold is clearly tied to the referendum, as the euro is weakening against the safe haven Swiss franc as well. "The fact here is just a vote on Brexit, whether it succeeds or not, is not a good sign for the European Union," said Jim Wyckoff, senior analyst at Kitco. He said Brexit is not expected to succeed, but if it did the fear is that the EU itself could begin to unravel. "If the euro is going to go away you're seeing people buy gold with euros as a safe haven play," he said. "If Brexit passes, what's the next step? ...The U.K. pulls away from the European Union. Are some of the periphery countries going to pull out? ... That leads to the thought of what happens to the euro. Some people are going to take their euros and buy gold because buying gold today is there for down the road if the euro is no more," he said. "That's not mainstream but it's something people are thinking about." Wyckoff said if gold breaks the $1,275 per ounce level, he next target is $1,308, its high for the year. That is a level that would bring in new buying and drive the yellow metal higher. Steel said ETFs have been big buyers of gold this year. Year to date, all ETF investment has risen by 12 million ounces, and now holds 52 million ounces. The SPDR Gold Trust ETF GLD (GLD) is the largest. | 3 | 99,910 | finance |
Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this past January, 12-time All-Star Mike Piazza simply isn't sitting back ready for all those accolades to be thrown his way in Cooperstown. No, he's going across the pond for a pretty interesting business venture. The 47-year-old Norristown, Pa., native announced that he has purchased a majority share of A.C. Reggiana 1919 , an Italian soccer team. Extremely Excited to announce I have agreed in principle to acquire a majority share of @LegaPro side @AC_Reggiana1919 Mike Piazza (@mikepiazza31) June 8, 2016 Piazza and Italy? OK, that makes some sense. Interestingly enough, Piazza made sure to note that it's a majority share. Unlike other former stars, he's not simply taking on a 1 percent or 2 percent interest in the club. This is no small investment from Piazza, who fancies himself a fan of European soccer. A.C. Reggiana 1919 is based in Reggio Emilia and plays in the Lega Pro football League. The club is said to be valued at 4.85 million Euros ($5.5 million in American currency). | 1 | 99,911 | sports |
Avraham Liber had only traveled from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to meet his friends for an ice cream at the heart of the Israeli city's modern, upscale Sarona market area on Wednesday. In the same restaurant, the Max Brenner chocolate shop, two suited Palestinian cousins from the West Bank village of Yatta sat down after ordering dessert, concealing two "Carlo" sub-machine guns that they would use to kill four Israelis. As the men rose from their seats, firing ammunition at diners in the tables around them, Liber sat frozen 10 meters behind them. "There's a certain slow motion that happened in my mind at that second," he says. "You're suddenly taken out of this frivolous activity that you're busy with, and you realize okay there is a man there, I see him, he's 10 feet in front of me, he has a rifle in his hand and he is shooting people." RELATED: Israel revokes travel permits, deploys troops after attack in Tel Aviv kills 4 The 30-year-old mental health worker from Jerusalem says that he did not freeze "in the sense of total shock" but that he had a moment of realization. "It almost made sense to me. It was almost like, okay this is really where I live, this is really the reality of our world. There are really people that are that upset that we are enjoying our ice creams that they thought the best thing to do would be just to kill a couple of us," he adds. "We are so busy securing ourselves, with nice coffee shops and security guards, and feeling that life is okay. Part of the reason I didn't run was because at that moment you realize, what's the difference? I could run there and maybe there is some other guy shooting there. It's just all a battlefield really." Survival instinct eventually kicked in and Liber ran to safety, finding refuge with fellow Israelis at an apartment block, who provided water, phones and shelter. Israeli security forces captured the two shooters following the attack and now the residents of Tel Aviv must continue to lead their lives with the prospect of further attacks in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Wednesday's attack has made them more defiant to carry on, rather than shying away from their normal daily lives. Shani Mizrachi, 30, a medic for Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom, was one of the first responders at the scene of the attack. She treated one of the Israelis shot who would eventually lose their lives, Ido Ben Ari, a 42-year-old father-of-two who worked in a senior management position at Coca-Cola's Israeli branch. She took Ben Ari to the hospital upon seeing his severe gunshot wound to the chest. After he reached the intensive care unit, Mizrachi rushed back to the scene to treat survivors of the attack and victims of trauma. "There was one young girl, doing what I do in my free time, sitting in a restaurant with her friends, then she saw the terrorist shooting people next to her and she got under the table," she says. "She was sitting in my ambulance and crying, saying that it could have been her. It was terrible." The incident left Mizrachi filled with adrenaline but exhausted from the current wave of violence. The only solace she could contemplate at the end of her shift was at the bottom of a bottle. "To be honest, I just met my friends, a few guys that work together, so we are like psychologists for one another, and we just drank ourselves until we lost consciousness," she says, citing the local beer at a bar under her apartment. "I was holding the glass with two hands and drinking it like I was starved. I was drinking to chill and relax. The adrenaline is crazy after these kinds of events. You can run four kilometers and you won't get tired." Paradoxically, she says that continuing with work is the only way that she can forget about Wednesday's bloody scenes, the very incidents that bring her face-to-face with the violence of the conflict. "I am pleased that I need to work a double shift of 17 hours because new patients will assist me to leave these events behind," she adds. "If I leave myself at home I would probably be eating my brain with a spoon." For Liber, it is the same. "Obviously, to some degree, in the next couple of days, I am going to feel wary and very conscious of public places and things like that," she says. "At the same time, the crazy part about it is that we get used to this. The mind has a way of adapting and that is the scary thing. Life continues on. There is no time for sleep in this war." | 5 | 99,912 | news |
At age 67, Thomas C. Davis should be enjoying all the perks of a long and distinguished career at the pinnacle of Wall Street and the Texas business elite. These include golfing at the prestigious Dallas Country Club and Preston Trail Golf Club, where he was a member; trips to Las Vegas and golf tournaments on the private jet he co-owned; and fractional ownership of two professional sports teams, the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars. What he faces instead is the prospect of 20 years or more in federal prison and millions of dollars in fines. Last month, Mr. Davis pleaded guilty to 12 felonies for a brazen insider trading scheme in which he leaked a stream of confidential information about the Dallas-based Dean Foods while he served as the company's chairman. When questioned by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2014 and lawyers from the Securities and Exchange Commission last year, he lied, compounding his securities fraud by committing perjury. And after the F.B.I. agents left, he took a prepaid cellular phone he had used to leak the information and threw it into a creek near his Dallas home, destroying evidence and obstructing justice. Mr. Davis's crimes have received relatively little attention, in part because of the blaze of publicity that accompanied the flamboyant professional sports gambler William T. Walters, who was accused of being his co-conspirator, and the three-time Masters golf champion Phil Mickelson. (Mr. Mickelson wasn't charged but netted nearly $1 million from the Dean Foods tips and agreed to forfeit the proceeds plus interest.) Mr. Walters pleaded not guilty last week to 10 felony counts. What led to Mr. Davis's actions? His plea hearing, coupled with the S.E.C. and criminal complaints, and interviews with people who know him, offer some clues. For one thing, Mr. Davis was so desperate for money he even took from a charity. According to the S.E.C., Mr. Davis ran a charity that raised money for a Dallas shelter for battered women and children. The charity, tax records show, was Shelter Golf Inc., which held an annual one-day pro-am golf tournament at Preston Trail to benefit Genesis Women's Shelter & Support. The event typically raised over $400,000 and, after expenses, contributed about $300,000 a year to Genesis. Mr. Davis was a co-president and trustee of Shelter Golf; the golf legend Lanny Wadkins was one of five other trustees. According to the S.E.C., in August 2011, Mr. Davis told his assistant to write him a check for $100,000 on the charity's account, which he then used to cover an overdraft in his personal checking account of $80,000. "This $100,000 check resulted in a significant shortfall in the amount available for donation to the battered women's shelter," the S.E.C. said in its complaint. "Davis first delayed the charity's donation to the shelter and later wrote a check for a partial amount only after prompting by the shelter leader and promising another $100,000 by the end of the shelter's fiscal year." Mr. Davis eventually repaid the $100,000 using money he had obtained as part of the insider trading scheme. Many of his former colleagues on Wall Street were stunned by the charges against the distinguished white-haired Mr. Davis, a Harvard Business School graduate and a Navy veteran, who, in contrast to Mr. Walters and Mr. Mickelson, both known gamblers, was seen as a pillar of the business establishment. In addition to his long tenure on the Dean Foods board, culminating in being named chairman in 2013, Mr. Davis served on at least nine other corporate boards, including Triton Energy, Suiza Foods, and the Dallas-based Colonial Bank (now owned by BB&T Financial). He was chief executive of the Concorde Group and a founder of Bluffview Capital, both investment firms. Before that, he was a managing partner at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, where he was head of banking and corporate finance for the southwestern United States and handled many mergers and acquisitions. He left after Credit Suisse acquired the firm in 2001. As someone actively involved throughout his career in confidential deals, Mr. Davis would have been acutely aware of insider trading law. "This was a shock," said John C. Coffee Jr., a professor and expert on insider trading at Columbia Law School who has written about the failure to charge Mr. Mick elson . "He, of all people, should have known better." But the annals of insider trading are filled with people who knew better, from Ivan Boesky to Rajat Gupta. What's perplexing is their motives. Like Mr. Davis, they were already rich and successful beyond most people's dreams. At his plea hearing last month, Mr. Davis said he knew that his actions were "wrong and unlawful" but otherwise shed little light on why he turned to insider trading. But clearly, he needed money, despite his years of bonuses as a highly paid investment banker and his lucrative directors' fees. According to the S.E.C.'s complaint, by April 2010 Mr. Davis was in "desperate" financial straits. He owed the I.R.S. $78,000. His brokerage account was heavily margined, and he had run up tens of thousands in credit card debt. He owed $550,000 to one of his investment funds. Mr. Davis sought salvation in gambling and in Mr. Walters, whom he met decades earlier on a golf course. The two often played together, especially when they were both living in Southern California. The insider trading scheme began around June 2008, when Mr. Davis tipped Mr. Walters to Dean Foods' coming earnings. It isn't clear who came up with the idea, but Mr. Walters, an active investor, often expressed an interest in how Dean Foods was doing. There was no explicit agreement for Mr. Davis to share in any proceeds from Mr. Walters's trading. Rather, as Mr. Davis put it at his plea hearing, "I expected that I would receive personal benefits in the form of business opportunities and a potential source of capital." As Professor Coffee put it, "This is a perfect example of a favor bank, which is exactly how Wall Street works." However vague the terms of their deal, they clearly knew that what they were doing was wrong. Mr. Walters gave Mr. Davis a prepaid cellular phone for use when conveying inside information and told him to use the code "Dallas Cowboys" when referring to Dean Foods, the government asserted. Mr. Davis finally came knocking in April 2010, when he met with Mr. Walters in Las Vegas and asked for money. Mr. Walters arranged a loan of $625,000, which solved the immediate demands of the I.R.S. and his investment firm. But his spending continued. In just one month, March 2011, Mr. Davis ran up gambling losses of $200,000 at one Las Vegas casino. He owed $178,000 for the private jet. And he had to cover the $100,000 he had taken from the charity. (The overdraft had occurred when the casino cashed in his "markers" after Mr. Davis failed to make good on the gambling losses.) This time Mr. Walters guaranteed a $400,000 line of credit for Mr. Davis, who promptly drew down $350,000 of it. And Mr. Davis repaid Mr. Walters's $625,000 loan, with interest. Mr. Davis ultimately received over $1 million in "loans" from Mr. Walters, most never repaid. As it turned out, that was a pittance compared to the $43 million in profit Mr. Walters reportedly reaped from Mr. Davis's tips a sum Mr. Davis learned of only in the course of the investigation. Despite Mr. Davis's reputation as a skilled deal maker, that will surely rank as one of the worst insider trading deals in history, and it may help explain why Mr. Davis is now cooperating with the government against Mr. Walters. A lawyer for Mr. Davis, Thomas M. Melsheimer at Fish & Richardson in Dallas, declined to comment. The government has shed little light on Mr. Davis's motive, other than that he needed money. The S.E.C. said he did little to adjust his expensive lifestyle after leaving Credit Suisse in 2001. He experienced a sharp drop in his income, went through an expensive divorce soon after and suffered big investment reversals during the 2008 financial crisis. None of that is a crime. Mr. Davis is hardly alone in trying to maintain the illusion of wealth and prosperity even as his personal finances veered out of control. But after a lifetime of success, Mr. Davis was too proud and too embarrassed to admit any of this and turn to his wealthy friends and fellow golf club members, though many would have been willing to help, according to a person close to him. (This person and others insisted on anonymity because the situation involved a pending criminal matter.) "Some people would risk anything rather than suffer that kind of personal embarrassment," Professor Coffee said. "And once you've decided you're willing to risk anything, you can get into deep, deep trouble." | 3 | 99,913 | finance |
WASHINGTON President Obama officially endorsed Hillary Clinton for president Thursday, saying his former 2008 rival and secretary of State has "the courage, the compassion and the heart to get the job done." The long-awaited naming of Obama's preferred heir apparent comes two days after Clinton appeared to clinch the Democratic nomination with a string of primary victories in California, New Jersey and New Mexico. Obama announced his endorsement in a video posted on Clinton's campaign web site. With subtitles and photos of Obama and Clinton working together, the video appeared to have been recorded days ago probably as early as Tuesday, based on what Obama was wearing and certainly long before Obama's meeting with Sen. Bernie Sanders Thursday morning. But Obama spoke about the meeting in the past tense, making it clear that he was only waiting to tell Sanders of his decision personally. "I had a great meeting with him this week, and I thanked him for shining a spotlight on issues like economic inequality, and the outsized influence of money in our politics, and bringing young people into the process. Embracing that message is going to help us win in November," Obama said. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest declined to give details of the Obama-Sanders meeting, but said. "I think it's fair to say Sen. Sanders was not surprised at all by today's announcement." The endorsement message was an explicit call to unify the Democratic party. "Secretary Clinton and Sen. Sanders may have been rivals during this primary. but they're both patriots who love this country. And they share a vision for the America that we all believe in," Obama said. "Those are the values that unite us as Democrats. Those are the values that make America great. Those are the values that are going to be tested in this election. And if we all come together in common effort, I'm convinced we won;t just win in November, we'll build on the progress we've made and we will win a brighter future for this country that we love." The response from the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, was swift: "Obama just endorsed Crooked Hillary. He wants four more years of Obama but nobody else does!" he tweeted . Earnest said the video was taped in the White House residence, consistent with past practice of making political statements from the president's home, not his office. And while he would not say who wrote the script and produced the video, he said it was not done at taxpayer expense. Earnest also hinted that Obama had privately supported Clinton all along. "I did not ask the president about which box he checked on his ballot, but I'm not aware that he changed his mind at any point during the primary," he said. | 5 | 99,914 | news |
Everything your need to know to secure a flyaway tablecloth and prevent bugs from diving into drinks. Everything your need to know to secure a flyaway tablecloth and prevent bugs from diving into drinks. Find enough seating If your patio furniture alone won't cut it, bring kitchen stools and dining room chairs outside. You might also consider renting furniture; folding chairs and tables can run between $1 and $6 a piece. For a cheaper option, ask neighbors if they would lend you their weatherproof furniture for the day. (Don't forget to invite them to the party and help them move the items you borrow.) Check out these tips to clean your patio and lawn furniture . Let there be light When the sun goes down, don't leave guests in the dark. Try stringing holiday twinkle lights in a straight line, X- or V-shape for an elegant look, or drape them across tree branches for a more whimsical feel. To prevent guests from tripping on extension cords, secure them the the ground. Bend a six-inch piece of wire into a U-shape, position it over the extension cord, and push the wire into the ground. Tiki torches and candles are other great ways to add light and create a warm atmosphere. Secure a flyaway tablecloth Don't let a little wind dictate how you set the table. Use a sewing machine (or even a few concealed safety pins) to add small pocket pouches to the inside corners of your tablecloth. Fill the pockets with stones to keep the tablecloth weighted down (see full instructions on Curbly). Another option: Stick Velcro onto the legs of your table and the corners of your tablecloth. Keep bugs at bay Don't force guests to swat mosquitoes all night. Set up a fan near your primary seating area (mosquitoes are notoriously weak fliers) and place citronella candles around the remaining clusters. Additionally, have bug spray available for guests. This might be why you're a mosquito magnet . Get guests mingling The best parties are the ones where different groups of friends get to know each other. Position the bar or keg as far away from the entrance as possible in order to to draw people out into the space. Want to facilitate a ton of conversation? Look into renting rectangular tables as opposed to circular ones. Rectangular shapes allow guests to have private conversations as well as enjoy and pop into the ones going on around them. Brush up on your hosting skills with these simple ways to make everyone in the room (or yard!) relax . Keep bugs out of drinks Don't let glasses of sangria become swimming pools for pests. Try this trick: place a cupcake liner over the top of a glass and poke a straw through the center. Keep things looking fresh by choosing a patterned liner and a pretty straw (see full instructions at Martha Stewart). Avoid cup chaos by placing a magic marker at your bar station. Guests can write their names on drinks. Prevent full bellies before dinner While everyone loves an amazing spread of appetizers, you also want guests to still be hungry come dinner. Let partygoers know what time you plan to serve the main course and remove appetizers approximately a half hour before. Replacing finger food with condiments and other toppings will send a subtle cue that the party is entering a new phase. Perfect your grilling technique with these expert tips. Amplify music outside No need to rent or borrow expensive sound equipment. Simply position your iPod doc or home speakers so that the speaker points toward the wall of your house (as opposed to facing out toward the yard). The sound will bounce off the wall and amplify to the perfect volume. Serve icy cold drinks Keep drinks chilled without watering them down by placing your punch bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice. Use a plastic container to freeze a giant ice cube, which will melt slower than a ton of smaller cubes. To go the extra mile, prepare flavored ice. Simple pour whatever juice or lemonade you plan to serve into an ice cube tray and allow it to freeze. For added pizzazz, pop a berry into each cube. Try these creative uses for ice-cube trays . Cool down overheated guests A great host wants her guests to be as comfortable as possible at all times. And in the summer heat, that means keeping them cool. Have at least one bucket stocked with hot-weather essentials: think sunblock, bug spray, personal fans, and water spritzers. Additionally, dip dollar-store washcloths in water and display them in a bucket of ice. Guests can take one and apply it to wrists and other pressure points to cool down. Check out these tricks for beating the heat without A.C. | 4 | 99,915 | lifestyle |
ANCHORAGE, Alaska A severely wounded man initially thought to have been stabbed in Alaska's largest city was more likely mauled by a bear, authorities said Thursday. A bear sighting was reported Thursday around the area where Anchorage police believe the injury occurred Wednesday night. The area is a corridor for wildlife including black and brown bears, and moose. Someone who saw the man stumble out of the woods and collapse called police and the man was taken to a local hospital. "When we spoke with medical staff, when they looked at the wounds and injuries, they said they were more consistent with an animal attack like a bear mauling versus knife wounds," police spokeswoman Jennifer Castro said. Police at the scene saw what looked like the marks of something being dragged, she said. The man, whose name was not immediately released, was listed in critical condition at the hospital, according to police. Someone reported seeing a small black bear about 10 a.m. Thursday in the vicinity, according to state Department of Fish and Game spokesman Ken Marsh. Responders were at the scene looking for the animal. "Of course, we don't know if this bear had anything to do with it," he said. "But they're looking very closely." Agency biologists also were inspecting the scene. Marsh said they found the site of the injury about 150 yards into the woods. Responders found blood there and trampled grass and what looked like some sign of a struggle, according to Marsh. "They still haven't determined whether it was a bear attack or moose attack or whether or not it's a mauling at all," he said. The pinpointed area is on private property near trails around an area in southwest Anchorage known as the Campbell Creek estuary, according to Marsh, who alerted a couple of local walkers about the possibility of a bear attack. He said the pair decided to head in another direction. "They did an about-face," he said. | 5 | 99,916 | news |
A top pro-Hillary Clinton super-PAC is going after Donald Trump's standing with Latino voters, releasing a series of ads Thursday compiling some of his controversial comments about Hispanics. The 30-second "A Racist Statement" spot focuses on Republicans' reactions to Trump's remarks regarding federal judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is overseeing cases against Trump University. It begins with an interview clip of Trump denying that his claims that Curiel is biased against him because of his ethnicity were racist. Then it flips through a series of Republicans publicly disavowing the attack. It features footage of Sens. Lindsay Graham (S.C.) and Mark Kirk (Ill.) - who withdrew his endorsement of Trump over the scandal - Republican commentator Ana Navarro, and the two top-ranking Republicans in Congress, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who called the remarks "textbook" racism. The ad ends on a black screen with the words, "Donald Trump is wrong for America." Curiel, an Indiana-born federal judge with Mexican parents, has been at the center of political debate since last week, when Trump publicly said Curiel could not provide unbiased judgment in a Trump University case because of his ethnicity in light of Trump's proposals on immigration. "He's a Mexican. We're building a wall between here and Mexico," Trump said in a recent interview. The Curiel scandal has proven unusually difficult to manage for the presumptive Republican nominee. While Trump has built his campaign around unapologetic controversial statements and policies, his opponents have struggled to keep up with the mogul's media savvy. But the attack on Curiel's heritage has given Democrats ammo to use against down-ballot GOP candidates and court Hispanic voters. Luis Miranda, head of communications for the Democratic National Committee, said Wednesday Democrats will not let Trump escape from his past comments. "We're gonna make it stick. It's not up to him," Democratic operative Maria Cardona said at a forum on Latino voters organized by Florida International University in Washington. A second 30-second spot by Priorities USA, "The Choice is Ours," recalls Trump's inaugural campaign speech in June, and his oft-quoted remark that Mexican immigrants "bring crime" and are "rapists." The ad plays the words over images of a traditional family at the dinner table, interspersed with Clinton delivering messages such as, "We need to show humanity with respect for people who are working and contributing right now." "We're going to have a deportation force," Trump is heard saying. The PAC also released two 15-second ads, one using words from Clinton and another playing Trump's "they're rapists," quote over images of families. Priorities USA has launched a $90 million ad campaign to run in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Virginia, Politico reported. | 5 | 99,917 | news |
Police officers are using a new technology, called ERAD machines, to siphon funds directly from drivers' pre-paid cards in the course of ordinary traffic stops. The tactic, which cops have deployed for months in states like Oklahoma, is a new twist in "civil forfeiture," a controversial legal process that lets police seize funds from motorists if they suspect money is tied to a drug crime. Critics, however, liken the practice to banditry--noting the police use forfeiture to pay themselves, and that citizens must take extraordinary legal measures to get their money back. The arrival of the handheld ERAD machines, which stands for Electronic Recovery and Access to Data, comes at a time when fewer people are carrying cash. They work by imitating the payment terminals found at ordinary retailers, and allowing cops to slurp up the values found on pre-paid cards for Visa, Starbucks and so on. For now, it appears the ERAD devices are only able to siphon funds from pre-paid cards, and not from a driver's personal bank account or credit card. According to Matt Miller , a senior attorney at the Institute for Justice, the advocacy group first became aware of the ERAD machines several months ago. Miller says law enforcement groups have been touting them as a way to seize funds from drug dealers, many of whom use pre-paid debit cards to move funds around. Indeed, a recent press release from the Department of Homeland Security talks up the benefits of ERAD technology. "[L]aw enforcement seized approximately 1,000 cards from a suspected drug trafficker. With this technology they were able to identify more than $48,000 in funds that were loaded onto the cards," said the release. "Since it was put into field testing, the Prepaid Card Reader has resulted in approximately $1 million dollars being seized by state and local law enforcement agencies from suspected criminal activity. " The trouble, says Miller, is that drug dealers are far from the only ones who use pre-paid debit cards. He points out that a growing number of employers are using services such as Visa Payroll, which encourages them to pay workers through the cards. Miller says that law enforcement typically offers an example of using ERAD in order to seize funds in the event a driver is found with a suspicious stack of 50 pre-paid Starbucks cards in the truck of a car. But in reality, the police may also be using it to suck up funds from a single card in a driver's wallet. "The tech seems to have come out of nowhere and there's no oversight of this," he said. "A w hole lot of these cases are for forfeitures of $500 or $800." He adds that the overwhelming majority of the seizures result in default court judgments, often because people don't have the means or will to fight the police in court. Americans stripped of cash, cars -- and now cards The controversy over civil forfeiture soared to national attention in 2013, in part thanks to a scorching New Yorker article called " Taken " that described how certain police departments are effectively using traffic stops to rob citizens of cash. Comedian John Oliver also took up the subject in a widely-watched 2014 episode of Last Week Tonight . Most of the incidents arise in so-called "forfeiture corridors" in states like Texas and Pennsylvania, where police officers confiscate cash from motorists, even though many of them were using the cash for legitimate small businesses or personal matters. Typically, the police do not even bother filing a criminal drug charge, but instead just bring a forfeiture case to keep the cash. In the event the motorist who once held the cash wants to recover it, he or she is required to intervene in the case, the time and cost of retaining an attorney and attending court is often not a viable option. The cops win almost every time. Civil liberties groups like the Institute for Justice have notched a few victories. In February, for instance, the group forced an Oklahoma Sheriff's Department to return $53,000 it lifted from a Christian rock band during a stop over a broken tail-light. While civil forfeiture raises numerous due process questions, a broad-based Constitutional victory has proved elusive, in part because governments have been quick to walk away from cases that come under close legal scrutiny. Meanwhile, the Obama administration, which took steps last year to rein in a federal law encouraging the seizures, decided to backtrack in March and allow the forfeiture program to continue. It will be interesting to see how many law enforcement agencies decide to make ERAD machines part of their day-to-day operations. While Oklahoma has acknowledged to using 16 of the devices, it's unclear for now who else is using them. Miller, the lawyer, says for now the privacy concerns are real, remarking, "You have a police officer with a scanner that might go into someone's bank account. It raises red flags with due process and the fourth Amendment." | 3 | 99,918 | finance |
Tom Brady, professional football player, and Gisele Bündchen,model and yoga enthusiast, are very into wellness. Are you surprised? Me too! Instead of stuffing their faces with fast food, the couple who best epitomize the platonic ideal of physical health are in fact the platonic ideal of physical health. Appearance is reality! According to their chef, Alan Campbell, here is what these two personal friends of Donald Trump eat: "80 percent … vegetables … and whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, millet, beans. The other 20 percent is lean meats: grass-fed organic steak, duck every now and then, and chicken." But what don't they eat , you ask? Chef Alan is even more expansive here: "No white sugar. No white flour. No MSG … [no] iodized salt … no tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, or eggplants … I'm very cautious about tomatoes. They cause inflammation." Anyway, their diet caused a mild "scandale" when Campbell was interviewed by Boston.com a website that is literally devoted to Tom Brady at the exclusion of all else (except for priests and different ways to cook scrod). Everyone thought it was too rigid! But of course, I saw it as a challenge. As a Rhode Island woman, I read Boston.com all the time, even though Rhode Island is both cooler and warmer , so I have been waiting for Tom and Gisele's diet to become common knowledge for years, ever since I started dieting as my job. And that day finally arrived! Vive la France! Preparation: The day before I go on this diet, I eat a lot of eggplant parmesan and go shopping for millions of vegetables, even ones I've never bought before, like red cabbage. I also read many long and thorough articles in Boston.com just to brush up on current events (sample: "12 Actors Who Should Play Tom Brady "). Very informative! Day 1: Tom Brady has never had a cup of coffee in his life ! Never! In his life! He's just "never tried it." Is that why he's so handsome? He even looks good in a driving cap, which no one does, not even the editors of Boston.com or the citizens of Boston, try as they might to make it happen. So one of the first challenges on this diet is to give up coffee, the light of my life and the fire of my loins. I have never actually done this before. When I wake in the morning, I feel the familiar ache in my head that tells me I need caffeine. But instead of responding to it like a drone who is controlled by an overlord, I just let it settle into an intense and unusual headache that never goes away. Thus, instead of my habitual extra-extra-iced coffee from Dunkin', I start my day with a green juice from Juice Press, a very expensive store near my office that only serves juice. Green juice is apparently one of Tom Brady's 2-year-old daughter's favorite foods. (Who would play her in the movie? Mary Kate Olsen?) Look at this picture for proof! After several hours of work, I am starved and go to get vegetable soup a paltry lunch, but a Gisele favorite. Look at this picture for proof! This family really does advertise their consumption of healthy foods. Not only do their chefs give interviews to the clamoring and desperate reporters of Boston.com (who otherwise would be writing this article or this article ), they also do their own marketing. On Gisele's Instagram there are millions of pictures of her doing yoga on a huge tree , or drinking out of a coconut , or kickboxing . I wonder what the point of it all is. I guess I will never know! Finally, for dinner, I decide to make what Campbell once described to Boston.com as "comfort food." It's a "quinoa dish with wilted greens [and] garlic toasted in coconut oil. And … this cashew sauce with lime curry, lemongrass, and a little bit of ginger." Although this is not what I thought comfort food was, it is delicious (I make the cashew sauce, which goes great with quinoa). I am not even hungry at the end of it, although I still have a headache. Days 2 and 3: Being without coffee is hard. It reminds me of when I took a duck boat tour of Boston: One only feels worse the longer the ordeal goes on. You know, Tom Brady wasn't always the health nut he is today. For years, he just lived his life, being handsome and successful and playing golf with " incredible businessmen " whom he really likes a lot! As he got older, however, he decided he wanted to play football until some advanced age, like 107. Enter legendary Patriot Willie McGinest (who played in the NFL for 14 years), who told Tom about a "doctor" named Alex Guerrero whom he credited with lengthening his career. So now Tom goes to this doctor (he's not a doctor) and is his disciple. Guerrero advocates an unorthodox training program that combines a strict diet and an exercise regime that focuses on muscle pliability. In an article in the New York Times detailing his miracles, Guerrero honestly sounds a lot like St. Francis of Assisi . He heals calf injuries with only the touch of his hand, and he makes ice cream out of avocado. All he has not done is tamed a ferocious wolf. Bostonmagazine.com later posted a large article about how this doctor is a quack , but honestly, I think they are just jealous of his proximity. At one point during the week my mother and sister came to visit me and wanted to go to Umami Burger. This was terrible torture for me, because Umami Burger is my all-time favorite restaurant! There is really nothing worse than just eating a plain meat patty at Umami, but I did it in a spasm of the self-denial and journalistic integrity I am famous for. During the summertime, Tom and Gisele "love" raw lasagna, and so eventually, I take a trip to Candle 79 on the Upper East Side, the only place I could find when I typed "raw lasagna' into Yelp. It's a pretty fun restaurant, and raw lasagna is just a piece of a zucchini with some pesto and cashew cheese on it. It's not even heated up! It's just, like, a salad. Da y 4: After a weekend of vacation, during which I ate two hot fudge sundaes, I am back to start afresh. To finish this diet, I will eat like like Tom and Gisele do when they are on vacation in Costa Rica. I am so excited! Maybe they will be more fun on vacation. According to their private chef in Costa Rica, Joanne Gerrard Young , this does not seem to be the case. In an interview with the website Well and Good, she described the Bradys' vacation diet as an "80/20 raw diet, with big colorful salads and lots of fresh veggies." But do they eat hot fudge sundaes? "They didn't want to do desserts anymore," said Joanne. Apparently, they only like raw vegan deserts now. Luckily, Joanne published several vacation recipes for your average cook to try at home. I started my day off with a Joanne-designed smoothie which included various fruits and supplements. It was only passable, like every smoothie I've ever had. Still, it had fruit, which was a big luxury. I thought about taking a picture of it, but where would I put it? I still don't have the password to my Instagram, because I lost it. I was busy all day and missed lunch (which is incredibly unusual for me), so by dinnertime I was absolutely ravenous. All told, I made several dishes for dinner and they were all unsuccessful in different ways. Joanne's Swiss Chard Summer Rolls were just a series of chopped vegetables held together by Swiss Chard. Joanne's Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho was ruined by my pineapple allergy (I swapped in watermelon, mistake). Joanne's Creamy Coconut noodles were pretty soupy and flavorless, and Joanne's Coconut Mango Cream Pie wasn't ready until the next morning. This was pretty unhealthy for the Brady family, too. Look at all the fruit these foods contain! Still, I went to bed so hungry I had a pain in my stomach the next morning. I felt like Tom Brady's dad, also named Tom Brady, who once said , "Sometimes we'll go over to Tom and Gisele's house for dinner ... and then I'll say afterward, 'Where are we going for dinner?'" In conclusion, living like Tom and Gisele is hard. You have to live in Boston and you have to eat nothing. You have to do yoga in a tree, you have to take pictures of yourself doing yoga in a tree, you have to wear Uggs everywhere because it's so cold, like a wind tunnel, and also because you are an Uggs spokesman. | 7 | 99,919 | health |
Free agent Roddy White has narrowed his future down to two very specific options. The 34-year-old receiver says he'll either sign with a Super Bowl contender or retire from the NFL altogether. Not other scenario interests a player with over 800 catches and 10,000 receiving yards. "When my agent and I went down the list and I saw the teams that really needed wide receivers, I was like, 'Wow, I really don't want to go there,'" White said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution . "I knew I couldn't win with any of those teams. At this point of my career, I don't want to be dragging my feet in Week 13 just to have an opportunity to be 4-10 next week." A former first-round pick of the Falcons, White spent his first 11 seasons in Atlanta in the process becoming the franchise's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. The Falcons cut the veteran receiver in early March. His market has been very quiet since, likely due to White's specific requirements for a new club. He could have a long wait. White caught just 43 passes for 506 yards and one touchdown over 16 games last season, representing his lowest yearly totals since 2006. That said, a contending team in need of a receiver could come calling late in the summer, when injuries start taking a toll during training camp. White is no longer a go-to option in the passing game, but his veteran chops and productive history could give him an opportunity come July or August. He's willing to wait into the regular season before retiring. "I'll let it go into the season, maybe Week 4 or 5," White said. "If it doesn't happen, I'll be putting my cleats on a power line, just like Marshawn Lynch." It's hard to blame White for waiting for a contender. A playoff participant just four times in 11 seasons, White has also never played in a Super Bowl. The Falcons haven't had a winning season since 2012, when the franchise advanced to the NFC Championship Game but lost to the San Francisco 49ers. >" 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"> Roddy White Career Receiving Yards and TDs | PointAfter | 1 | 99,920 | sports |
President Barack Obama formally endorsed fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton for president on Thursday. Obama described himself as eager to get out and campaign for her. The endorsement comes just days after she gained the delegates needed to secure the party's White House nomination. In a video message released by the Clinton campaign, Obama said "I don't think there has ever been someone so qualified to hold this office. | 5 | 99,921 | news |
If you have your heart set on an affordable Tesla , but don't have the patience to wait for the release of the Tesla Model 3 , a new entry-level variant of the evergreen Model S sedan was just revealed. In reality, this isn't really a new model. The 60-kWh variant of the Model S was discontinued last year, but has now re-emerged wearing a similar price tag and the visual updates introduced earlier this year. Tesla claims the new base Model S will return 210 miles of range, and scuttle to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, silently rushing to a top speed of 130 mph. If all-wheel drive is a priority, buyers can opt for the dual-motor option, which Tesla says "will bring even more range and performance." Prices for the "new" Model S 60 begin at $66,000 for the rear-wheel drive model, and $71,000 for the dual-motor configuration. One interesting point to note, however, is if customers decide they need more range and power, Tesla will upgrade their 60-kWh battery pack to the 75-kWh specifications. Essentially, the only thing separating the Model S 60 from the 75-kWh is a fancy set of programs that limits battery output. Configure the new Model S 60 here . | 9 | 99,922 | autos |
CLEVELAND - Klay Thompson was still sore Thursday, one day after his hard collision with Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov in Game 3 of the NBA Finals - but Thompson was talking mostly about his left thigh, not his feelings toward Mozgov. Wednesday night, in the wake of Mozgov's screen - which left Thompson hobbling and with a contusion - Thompson called it "kind of a dirty play." He backtracked a bit before Thursday's practice at Quicken Loans Arena. "As I watched the replay, it might have just been bad luck, too," Thompson said. "A knee to the thigh never feels good. I don't think he meant to do it maliciously, but usually when someone sets a screen, you do it with your chest or something. "But I'm not going to hold a grudge. It's basketball. I've just got to play through it and get right. I'll be good for tomorrow." Cavs coach Tyronn Lue defended Mozgov, who was called for a foul on the first-quarter play. Thompson went to the locker room for treatment and returned to the game midway through the second quarter. "Timo was running in to set a high pick-and-roll, and at the same time the ball handler (Kyrie Irving) was moving going forward," Lue said Thursday. "So he (Mozgov) just tried to stop and they ended up running into each other. But I wouldn't say it was a dirty play." Thompson planned to take it easy Thursday, mostly riding a stationary bike to get loose. He expects to play Friday night in Game 4, with the Warriors holding a suddenly precarious 2-1 lead in the series. "It's just sore," Thompson said. "It's one of those injuries where it doesn't really hold you back; it's just there, nagging. A lot of guys have that at this point of the year, so you've just got to play through it." Thompson is averaging only 12.0 points per game in the Finals, far below his output in the regular season (22.1) and the first three rounds of the playoffs (26.2). Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: ronkroichick | 1 | 99,923 | sports |
To see wonderful species in the wild is becoming increasingly difficult, but a trip to one of these incredible places may just give you a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse. Sumatran Orangutan Considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Sumatran Orangutan is endemic to this small Indonesian island. Over the past 75 years, experts believe logging and deforestation on Sumatra have caused numbers to drop by around 80%, with just 7,000 left in the wild at last estimate. Most of the remaining orangutans survive in the province of Aceh, on the northernmost tip of the island. Puerto Rican Amazon Also on the IUCN's critically-endangered list, the endemic Puerto Rican Parrot population fell to an all-time low of 13 birds in 1975, with loss of habitat, cag-bird trade and pest control to blame for the crisis. Since then, conservation efforts have seen a slight rise in numbers to between 50 and 70 birds in the wild. The best chance of seeing them is in the Rio Abajo State Forest, where 20 captive-bred birds were released in 2006, marking the beginning of a second population in the wild. Western Gorilla The critically-endangered Western Gorilla is native to West Africa, including Cameroon, Central African Republic and Gabon. Here, the problem is not loss of natural habitat but hunting and outbreaks of the Ebola virus. Though it is difficult to know how many are left in the wild, experts are worried that the gorillas' low reproduction rate coupled with major threats has decimated the population. The Ebo/Ndokbou forest in Cameroon is still believed to hold an outlying population. Arabian Leopard The Arabian Leopard, also on the IUCN's critically-endangered list, can be found spread throughout the Arabian peninsula. Most recent estimates place the remaining population at fewer than 200 mature individuals, with continuing loss of numbers due to habitat loss, hunting of its wild prey and even retaliatory killing in defense of livestock. The biggest subpopulation is thought to be in the Dhofar mountains of southern Oman. Waved Albatross This critically endangered bird breeds on Española island in the Galapagos. It is believed that modern fishing techniques and hunting for human consumption and feathers are the major reasons for a decrease in population, which is estimated to have declined by as much as 19% over the last 84 years. Though occasionally sighted off the coast of Panama and Colombia, the birds' main breeding ground remains the southern part of Española island and potentially Isla de la Plata off Manabí province, Ecuador. Sumatran Tiger Estimates put the number of endemic Sumatran Tigers in the wild at somewhere near 500. The critically endangered species is suffering particularly due to habitat and prey loss, as well as illegal poaching for domestic trade. Black Crested Gibbon This critically endangered species appears sporadically throughout parts of southwestern China, Laos and Vietnam. Its population has experienced a decline of roughly 80% in the past 45 years, mostly due to hunting and loss of habitat. Though the Laotian population is small, with 13 distinct groups being recorded in the Nam Kan valley, and a total population nearing 200. Black-headed Spider Monkey The Black-Headed Spider Monkey is endemic to Ecuador. According to the IUCN, there are just two populations remaining one in the Chongon Colonche Mountain Range and the another in the Cotacachi-Cayapas Reserve. The organization has registered a decline of more than 80% over the past 45 years, with severe habitat loss and hunting to blame. Black Rhinoceros Found throughout several eastern and southern African countries, the Black Rhinoceros population has declined by a shocking 96.7% in the past 45 years, mainly due to poaching. Numbers bottomed out at 2,410 in 1995 but have since increased to over 4,000. One of the best places to sight them is in Namibia, where numbers are believed to be steadily increasing. Mediterranean Monk Seal This endangered seal species can be found throughout the coasts and islands of the Mediterranean Sea. It shot onto the IUCN's critically endangered list in 1996, a year before more than 200 animals died in one mass-mortality event in 1997 on Cabo Blanco, on the coast of Africa. Today only around 400 survive in the wild, with most found on the Ionian and Aegean Sea islands. Bactrian Camel The critically endangered Bactrian Camel can be found in isolated regions of both China and Mongolia. The IUCN has predicted that over the next 45 years, its population faces a reduction of 80%, due to the effects of continued hunting and severe loss of habitat due to human construction. The Lop Nur Wild Camel National Reserve in China is one of the best places to see the animals in the wild, where it is hoped they will remain protected. Hawksbill Turtle Hawksbill Turtles can be found throughout the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, with nesting still occurring in 70 countries around the world. As a result of over-exploitation of adult females and eggs, as well as degradation of marine habitats, the turtles are now considered critically endangered. Hawksbills are notoriously difficult to track, though diving sites in the Coral Triangle, stretching from Indonesia and the Philippines to the Solomon Islands, offer some of the best chances of seeing them. Sumatran Elephant Considered critically endangered by the IUCN, the Sumatran Elephant has been increasingly threatened by huge deforestation across the island. In 2008, the population size was considered to be roughly 350, though this has likely since decreased. Way Kambas National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra's Lampung most likely hold the biggest populations left. Javan Rhinoceros Though it used to be found throughout Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, the only places this rhino species can now be found is on Java and in very small numbers in Vietnam. An estimated 40-60 animals live in the area on the western tip of Java in Ujung Kulon National Park, which offers the best chance of seeing these creatures in their natural habitat. California Condor After all remaining birds were put into captivity in 1987, an intensive conservation program has managed to provoke a small but growing population of California Condor into the wild once again. They can be seen in the skies above California and northern parts of Arizona, as well as in Baja California in Mexico, where the reintroduction program released six birds into the Sierra de San Pedro Marti in 2002. Asiatic Cheetah Though it used to appear across southwest and central Asia to India, the critically endangered Asiatic Cheetah is now found only in Iran. Though its current population appears to be stable, there are only an estimated 60-100 left in the wild. Red-Vented Cockatoo The Red-Vented Cockatoo is endemic to the Philippines. There are roughly 1,000 birds estimated to be left in the wild, after loss of natural habitat and hunting for the cage-bird trade decimated populations in the 1950s. Now protected, there are thought to be 440-700 on Palawan, by far the best place to see them in the wild. Gharial Crocodile Though they used to stretch from Pakistan to Myanmar, Gharial Crocodiles are now only found in small numbers in India and Nepal. The biggest threat to their population size is the damming and diversion of the rivers that make up their natural habitat. The Chambal River is one of the best places to spot these creatures, with 68 nests recorded in 2006. Hector's Dolphin Endemic to New Zealand, Hector's Dolphins are amongst the rarest cetaceans in the world. Recent studies would suggest that the overall population numbers over 7,000, most of them to be found off the coast of South Island. | 2 | 99,924 | travel |
Former Uber Technologies Inc and Lyft Inc drivers in Austin, Texas, on Thursday accused the ride-hailing companies of breaking a federal law by abruptly halting operations in the city after voters backed a measure requiring them to fingerprint drivers. The lawsuits filed in federal court in San Francisco, where the companies are based, said Uber and Lyft violated a law that requires companies to give 60 days notice to employees before a "mass layoff." Uber spokesman Matt Kallman declined to comment. Lyft did not respond to a request for comment. The companies suspended services in Austin on May 9, two days after residents voted to keep the city's law requiring Uber and Lyft, just like taxi companies, to conduct fingerprint-based background checks of their drivers. About 10,000 Uber and Lyft drivers lost their jobs, Uber said at the time. The companies consider drivers to be independent contractors, and Thursday's lawsuits are the latest to claim they are actually employees under various federal and state laws because of the degree of control Uber and Lyft exert. They appeared to be the first cases against the companies brought under the 1988 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which was designed to give workers time to adjust to the loss of employment. Companies that violate the law, which includes an exception for "unforeseeable business circumstances," are on the hook for wages and benefits workers would have earned during the 60-day notice period. The lawsuits said the named plaintiffs, who are seeking to represent classes of Uber and Lyft drivers from Austin, have been unable to make up for the loss of income. Drivers around the country have sued Uber and Lyft claiming the companies misclassified them as independent contractors and deprived them of overtime pay, tips, reimbursements and certain employment protections. In April, Uber agreed to pay up to $100 million to 350,000 drivers in California and Massachusetts to settle claims that it owed them reimbursement for gas and mileage and withheld tips. Lyft has proposed a $27 million settlement of a similar case involving California drivers. Federal judges in San Francisco last week held hearings to consider both settlements. The cases in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California are Johnston v. Uber Technologies Inc, No. 3:16-cv-03134, and Thornton v. Lyft Inc, No. 3:16-cv-03135. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; Additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi) | 3 | 99,925 | finance |
WASHINGTON For the longest-serving woman in the House of Representatives, who also happens to be a Democrat, Hillary Clinton's historic moment on Tuesday night was not exactly an unalloyed joy. That's because Rep. Marcy Kaptur, of Ohio, was an ardent supporter of Bernie Sanders and still is. So how did she feel, watching a woman in her party become the first female to secure any major party's presidential nomination while also watching her chosen candidate fall short? "Actually, I was proud of both of them because of the way they've conducted this campaign," she said in a video interview for Roll Call's "Power Brokers" series. "They didn't mercilessly tear one another apart." There were still some pretty testy moments though, no? "Compared to the other side? Hey, in the way that this job goes, I thought it was light L I T- E on both sides," even if they "probably didn't think so." As to what Sanders should do now, she does have one short-term plan in mind: "Let him get a night's sleep!" Now 69, Kaptur grew up in Toledo, where her mother was a union organizer and her family owned a small grocery store. The first in her family to attend college, she was pursuing a doctorate in urban planning at MIT when she was recruited to run for Congress in 1982. She has been serving ever since. Marcy Kaptur is known as a progressive and a populist in the House. Kaptur was herself invited to join a presidential ticket in 1996 that of independent candidate Ross Perot, with whom she agreed in opposing the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade treaties she sees as having decimated the country's manufacturing base and devastated the middle class. "I opposed them with every ounce of strength I had" and fought President Bill Clinton "with vigor" as he pushed NAFTA through Congress, she said. In the end, though, she turned down Perot's invitation to run, in part because "at the time, I was caring for a very ill relative and I just didn't think it was my time." A progressive once named "most valuable member" of the House by the Nation, she's also a populist who refers to "this place of Washington" as "really a false creation" with a "very insulated economy" cushioned by government jobs, unlike her district back in Ohio. She describes New York City as "the big financier of outsourcing. … They really aren't involved in producing either, like in the places I represent; they just move the widgets around the board" and hold inordinate sway in Congress. The long Democratic primary campaign was more than worth it, in her view: "I am so proud that someone who had to struggle for everything he had … was able to figure out a way to reach millions of people and deliver a message about jobs and the economy, about the inequality of incomes and opportunity, about the next generation and how we're going to make education affordable for them. I mean, he took it out there and the public heard him." Of Clinton, with whom she's disagreed on Iraq, trade and more, she said, "You have to admire her for her fortitude and for her ability not to be bitter and to continue; I think that's a very strong message in itself." With other Sanders supporters adamant that the seven members of Congress who endorsed him stick with him now and Clinton supporters eager that they do the opposite how much is she feeling the cross-pressures? "I'm not feeling that right now," she said. "There's a human factor here. They've both been in exhausting campaigns and I think you have to give a little bit of time for the dust to settle." So, will many Sanders supporters actually switch their allegiance to Trump, as some have said they're tempted to do? "I don't think Bernie Sanders would want that to happen." As for the threat Trump poses to Clinton, Kaptur said that's "uncertain right now because he really has stumbled in some major ways. I don't know how you" here she emits a small laugh, though not really out of amusement "recover from this." Knowing how Ohio's diversity brought so much to her state, she said, "I couldn't understand how someone from New York City, with the kind of business experience that he has, could be so offensive to Muslims, to women, to Mexican-Americans I mean, it confounds me. I kept thinking, 'Is this an act?'" Whatever the answer, she said, Sanders supporters have to be careful now: "They can't be viewed as kamikaze or, you know, crazy; they need to be disciplined, they need to be focused …and take this incredible opportunity. What if those forces could help us elect a Democratic Senate and House again?" So, she really thinks the House is in play? "I always think the House is in play," she said, smiling. | 5 | 99,926 | news |
The Greatest Moment in Sports This Week is Lorenzo Cain robbing the Orioles Pedro Alvarez of a home run in Baltimore. Relive the insane catch. | 1 | 99,927 | sports |
Michigan man, Stan Larkin, survived on an artificial heart for 18 months before undergoing a successful heart transplant last month. He says the experience has been an "emotional rollercoaster". Rough Cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 99,928 | video |
Last week, former Stanford student Brock Allen Turner, 20, was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman behind a campus dumpster during his freshman year in 2015 and sentenced to six months in county jail by Santa Clara County Court Judge Aaron Persky . In the wake of his sentencing and his victim's powerful impact statement that revealed the horror of sexual assault, parents across the country are asking what they can do to help fight rape culture, and at what age can they start sending children messages that will discourage the behaviors and mindsets that contribute to it? TODAY Tastemaker and child development expert and pediatrician Dr. Deborah Gilboa agrees. She suggests some simple ideas to keep in mind that could protect and prevent kids from the beliefs that perpetuate rape culture: 1. Don't force your kids to hug or kiss anyone even relatives. Even you. "If each individual has the right to say no, then that means they always have the right to say no," Gilboa told TODAY Parents "You may require your child to make eye contact, speak politely to a family member or friend, but please don't allow them to be guilted or forced into showing or accepting physical affection. The mixed messages are too much for them to process." 2. Avoid sexualizing or romantacizing your kids' friendships. "It's adorable to see your toddler give another a kiss or take baths together and if it happens spontaneously, that is nothing to worry about or stop, assuming it's OK with both kids," Gilboa said. "The trouble starts when we take pictures and post them on social media you know they'll see them someday or keep telling stories about 'Kelsey's little boyfriend.'" 3. Tell kids how to behave, not how to feel. "When we say to a child, 'There's nothing to be scared of,' or 'Don't be mad,' we tell them that their feelings are wrong," said Gilboa. "Kids need to know that all of their feelings are acceptable. Not all of their behaviors are, and we need to guide those behaviors. Try, 'I understand you're frustrated, but you may not hit.'" 4. Talk to tweens and teens about sex. A lot. "Help them understand that their desires and feelings are totally valid, but that no one else is ever responsible for helping them manage those desires," Gilboa said. In an article in the Washington Post that has itself gone viral , University of Florida law professor Stacey Steinberg and licensed clinical psychologist Jennifer Sager, PhD outline their ideas for parenting young children even toddlers and preschoolers in a way that could fight against the behaviors and mindsets that contribute to rape culture. "While many parents discuss with older children and teens how to improve their safety in this culture, families are often silent about these issues during the early stages of childhood development," the authors write. "Yet it is during this crucial period that parents can give children the most effective tools to recognize these high risk attitudes in society." In their article, Steinberg and Sager suggest teaching young children to respect their own and others' emotions and to understand that no means no, but to also leave room for the possibility that someone might change their minds. The authors told TODAY Parents said that the work of fighting against rape culture also extends beyond the home. "We need to allow our children to fail and learn how to graciously accept rejection," said Sager. "We are starting to do this better in terms of academics and sports we don't always push for the A, we accept when our children aren't picked for a team. We need to teach this in the social arena as well." Steinberg added, "It's not only parents who need to consider letting children experience disappointment When kids are sad or mad, we need to allow them space to safely express their feelings, but we need not fix them. We need to allow our children to sit with their emotions and accept that things will not always go their way." After the past week's focus on the sexual assault case at Stanford, Steinberg said it is crucial that parents acknowledge that rape culture does exist and the part that parents can play in fighting it. "We owe it to our children to shift this culture," she said. "We all want our children to enter adulthood armed with the best tools to steer their life's course." | 4 | 99,929 | lifestyle |
It'll be the purrfect place for cat and coffee lovers alike Although there have been a series of cat cafe pop-ups over the years , cat lovers felt a little left out when LA's first permanent dog cafe opened in March . Well now fans of furry felines will have their own cuddly cafe when Crumbs & Whiskers opens this fall. The concept comes out of Washington D.C., where a reservation to the cafe is $15 per person for 75 minutes of time, plus the cost of food and beverages. Walk-ins can score 15 minutes of kitty time for $5.50. Taking over a former waxing shop on 7924 Melrose Avenue just one block west of Fairfax, the central location should be the perfect place to de-stress over cat cuddles and a cup of joe. Beverages and snacks will come for a yet-to-be determined local cafe. Cattucino, anyone? Crumbs & Whiskers 7924 Melrose Avenue Los Angeles Now Watch Cat cafe to open this weekend: | 0 | 99,930 | foodanddrink |
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Carolina Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis believes the team's future is secure in North Carolina. Francis on Thursday became the latest high-ranking person to rebut reports the team is a candidate for relocation; currently the NHL is weighing its options for possible expansion. ''From Day 1, everybody's said the same thing,'' Francis said. ''We like this market, we've got a great lease with the arena here and we believe in this market.'' Organization officials have maintained that the Hurricanes aren't going anywhere, but they've still had to spend much of an exasperating offseason shooting down the possibility. In a meeting with media members to discuss the NHL draft, Francis was asked about the reports and said, ''It's been going on forever, and despite everything we say to the contrary, it doesn't seem to go away.'' He said he's had ''zero contact from (people in the) league who would tell me anything differently'' about the team's future. The main off-the-ice item on the NHL's agenda is whether to expand to Las Vegas and/or Quebec City, with a decision expected to be finalized June 22 when the league's board of governors meets. The options include putting a new club or clubs in place for the 2017-18 season, declining to expand or deferring to a later date. A city bypassed for expansion could try to court an existing team. Peter Karmanos Jr., the team's 73-year-old owner, announced his desire two years ago to find a local buyer who will take on part or all of his majority interest, but he wants to remain in charge as part of what he called his ''succession plan.'' Questions about the Hurricanes' financial situation arose in recent weeks after Karmanos was sued by three of his adult sons for $105 million in a Michigan court. The sons say he defaulted on the repayment of a loan he took out from a family trust and used it to support the team. Commissioner Gary Bettman told SiriusXM Radio this week that the lawsuit ''led to unfortunate speculation about the Hurricanes'' that is ''unfounded.'' ''The fact of the matter is, that franchise has been in good hands, remains in good hands and we don't see that changing in the near future,'' Bettman said. ''And frankly, we don't see the franchise relocating anywhere.'' On the ice, it's been a struggle lately for the Hurricanes, who reached two Stanley Cup finals and won their lone title in 2006. They've only made the playoffs once since then (2009) and their current seven-year drought is the longest in the Eastern Conference. Not surprisingly, attendance fell: Carolina ranked last this season both with an average home attendance of 12,204 at the 18,680-seat PNC Arena and at just 65 percent of capacity. That was their lowest per-game average since they moved into the building for the 1999-2000 season. But there's tangible reason for optimism, with a roster stocked with young players making a late playoff push last season and raising expectations to make the postseason in 2016-17. Karmanos said last July that ''we'd have to be idiots to move from here,'' largely because of the team's lease for PNC Arena. It extends through 2024 and is considered one of the most team-friendly in the league. Under the agreement, Gale Force Sports and Entertainment - which operates both the team and the arena - receives all parking and concession revenue from events at the arena except those involving North Carolina State, which plays its men's basketball games there. It also shares the naming rights revenue with the school and the Centennial Authority, the group responsible for maintaining and improving the arena. Both Jeff Merritt, executive director of the Centennial Authority, and Clyde Holt, the Authority's general counsel who negotiated the agreements, declined comment. --- Follow Joedy McCreary at http://twitter.com/joedyap. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/joedy-mccreary | 1 | 99,931 | sports |
If we're being honest, things don't look good for the San Jose Sharks heading into tonight's must-win Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final (8:00 ET; NBC, CBC, TVAS). The Pittsburgh Penguins have undeniably been the better team through the first four games of this series. They're deeper, faster and have executed their game plan with merciless efficiency. Given a chance to clinch on home ice, they'll be fired up to bury their opponents. But don't be too quick to toss the Sharks on the cart. They're in trouble, but they're not dead yet. "The one thing about our group is there's a lot of belief in our game and in each other," coach Peter DeBoer said. "The other thing about our group is they've been on the other side, up 3-0, saw how quickly that vanished against L.A. three or four years ago. We have some guys that vividly remember that. They know how quickly one win can turn the momentum." One win. For a team that's advanced past three strong opponents already this spring, that should be doable. But how to climb that hill? It's critical that they give themselves a chance to play with the lead at some point. Scoring the first goal? That'd be ideal. The Sharks are 9-2 when they get it, so it's significant ... but the game doesn't have to turn on it. The pressure to get on the board first has been building as the series has worn on, and you could sense the sag in the Sharks when they didn't break the ice in Game 4. They have to guard against that kind of letdown if it happens again in Game 5 and stay the course. Ultimately, the only lead that matters is the one at the end of the game. To get there, they have to focus on creating more opportunities. Matt Murray's been good in net for the Pens, but he's not stealing this series. And he's shown some vulnerability from time to time. Two of the past three goals they've scored (Joel Ward in Game 3 and Melker Karlsson in Game 4) were stoppable shots. Testing him more often is key. And if they can get him moving side to side, so much the better. Getting those chances hasn't been easy to this point because the Penguins are doing two things exceptionally well: blocking shots and applying double-team pressure as soon as a Shark touches the puck. Both of those tactics have derailed San Jose's offense and generated waves of turnovers to kickstart their own transition game. But do the math. If two defenders are pressuring one attacker, that means someone is being left unattended. With better execution, the Sharks identify that open man, get the puck to him and catch the Penguins scrambling to the next assignment. Simple? Not hardly. The Pens really are just that good. But doable? Absolutely. After all, San Jose's execution on the other side of the puck has shown clear signs of improvement. Take Game 4, when the Sharks limited the Penguins to just 20 shots after allowing an average of 38 through the first three games. "I think we did a better job [with our] sticks," DeBoer explained. "I think early in the series, we were just giving them a little bit too much room. They slung a lot of pucks to the net. Our awareness in that area was much higher." If they can change their execution one way, there's hope they can do it the other as well. And finally, they need to take advantage of the environment. There'll be nearly 20,000 fans packed into Consol Energy Center on Thursday night, all waiting to see the Pens skate the Cup for the first time on home ice. It's disingenuous to suggest that puts the pressure on Pittsburgh, but there's some weight to the expectation that they're going to finish this series off. That may open a window for the Sharks. And for a team that knows something about sending the other team's fans home unhappy, that might be all they need. "We were the best road team in the league," DeBoer said. "I think we're confident on the road." The Sharks have come a long way this spring. With no room for error, the coach expects their best effort of the series. "I think our guys are up for some heavy lifting," he said. We feel we can get it done." More shots. A lead. A win. Take it home for Game 6. They're not dead yet. | 1 | 99,932 | sports |
Sheriff Troy E. Nehls of Texas helped rescue a dog who was abandoned during the historic flooding. He then decided to add her to his family. Keri Lumm (@thekerilumm) reports. | 5 | 99,933 | news |
As Donald Trump's various fantasy goals go, winning New York in November doesn't even top the list it lags behind building an enormous, Mexico-paid wall on the border, deporting more than 11 million people, and winning California in the general. Still, the idea of an Empire State win is outlandish. New York hasn't voted for a Republican presidential contender since 1984, but then again every state save one went GOP that year. Democrats have a more than 3-million-person lead in voter registration, 5.8 million to 2.7 million . President Obama won more than 63 percent of the vote in 2012, besting his 2008 total. Hillary Clinton leads Trump by around 20 points in polling, although it's very early. Related Story How Much Will Trump Cost the Republican Party? But not only has Trump set his sights on winning his home state, he's also hired a pollster to assist him. Not just any pollster: He's reportedly hired John McLaughlin , infamous for working on Eric Cantor's primary campaign in 2014, when the then-House majority leader lost to upstart Dave Brat. McLaughlin's internal polling heading into the race showed Cantor leading by 34 points . National Republicans warned other candidates away from using McLaughlin. Even better, Trump was introduced to McLaughlin by Dick Morris, the one-time Clinton consigliere-turned-professional crank . (Morris recently became chief political correspondent for the Trump-aligned tabloid National Enquirer , leading The Hill to finally drop his column. New York reports that the Trump campaign is in talks to hire Morris, which would fit with its focus on '90s Clinton scandals, though the Trump team denies it.) Trump's New York co-chair is baseball-bat-brandishing Buffalo businessman Carl Paladino, who tells CNN, "Upstate will give us a wave in this election, and my instruction from HQ is really simple. It's one word: Win." If anyone knows about winning statewide elections in New York, it's Paladino, who lost the 2010 gubernatorial race to Andrew Cuomo by 29.5 points. The point here is not to harp on New York specifically. (Though if that's what you're into, Philip Bump has you covered .) Trump really does seem to badly want to win his home state, but every presidential campaign builds infrastructure in states it won't win there's always the possibility of an October surprise, and besides, you want to make your opponent work for a win, spending money and energy they would otherwise use in swing states. What is concerning for Trump backers and Republicans (the Venn diagram of overlap between those groups seems to be in perpetual flux) is that it appears to be distracting from the rest of the crucial work of building a presidential campaign. For most intents and purposes, there appears to be no Trump campaign. CNN has a blockbuster report Thursday digging into this. For example, Trump has no state-level campaign director in Ohio or Colorado, two top-shelf swing states. Across the map, Republican officials say they're just waiting to hear on what to do from either Trump or the Republican National Committee, but so far they're hearing very little. "I'll say that as far as building the infrastructure of a campaign, the RNC has been doing it for many years," Trump said at a press conference in May. As my colleague Molly Ball points out in an insightful tweetstorm (not a contradiction in terms!), there's some confusion, or at least opaque wording, in the CNN piece, revolving around the difference between having state-level organization and putting together a ground game. In 2012, Mitt Romney most certainly had state offices, but he also largely left ground game to the RNC. "The Romney campaign doesn't do the ground game," then-RNC Political Director Rick Wiley told Ball in 2012 . "They have essentially ceded that responsibility to the RNC. They understand this is our role." (You may recall Wiley as the guy Trump recently hired, then unceremoniously fired a few weeks later.) Perhaps the Romney 2012 campaign isn't an example that Republicans would want to emulate, but that's different from suggesting that what Trump is doing is unprecedented. The RNC offers a degree of continuity that a presidential campaign can't, and disagreements between state party committees and campaigns can make for tension, as the Democrats ably showed after the 2012 campaign. Moreover, the RNC has been focused on building its ground-game capacities since the post-2012 autopsy report . To be clear: None of this means that the RNC is especially great at building a ground game. It just means Trump isn't crazy to cede the ground to it, especially given how weak his campaign was at things like voter turnout during the primaries. Insofar as the lack of state organization goes, is this simply a symptom of a rookie campaign? Growing pains that began after Trump clinched the nomination? Not really. Back in April, with Trump's campaign faltering, he laid off scads of staffers in early states , whereas Clinton has maintained her organization, laying groundwork for the general. Then in May, Politico reported on the increasing heartburn of state-level Republican operatives who'd been promised cavalry from the RNC and were getting increasingly anxious about the silence from Washington. A related and intertwined problem is Trump's lack of fundraising. Although he once said he'd raise $1 billion , his new fundraising team mostly constituted by the RNC, of course is working to depress expectations, saying there's little chance he'll raise that much. In fact, many members told The Wall Street Journal they haven't even done any work yet. There's a vicious cycle at work here, which is that as donors see the Trump campaign in chaos, they're unwilling to fork over their hard-earned cash. Why back a candidate who's rending the Republican Party apart, doesn't follow conservative orthodoxy, and seems to have no idea what he's doing with the money? Trump, naturally, says he's unperturbed. "There's no reason to raise [$1 billion]," Trump told Bloomberg . "I just don't think I need nearly as much money as other people need because I get so much publicity. I get so many invitations to be on television. I get so many interviews, if I want them." In an interview with The New York Times , he cited social media as a replacement: "He noted that he is nearing the ability to reach 20 million people by himself through his personal Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, providing an alternative way to reach the public, even if it's largely a one-way conversation." That seems to represent a basic misunderstanding of what campaigns do. It's hard to imagine that Trump could replace media buys, from television to web advertising, through his simple star power and social media; using a single national portal for his message skips over the opportunity to hammer home locally important messages. And it leaves out all the other stuff that campaigns spend on, like going out and identifying prospective voters, winning them over, getting them to register, and then convincing them to vote. Let's see a Twitter account do that! Why does Trump think he can do this? He's surely been encouraged by his success in the primary. It's also the model he has used during his business career. The Trump Organization has a famously small staff for a company of its (reported) size. Trump has made his name by being extremely available to the media, and by franchising essential operations out of house: He sells the rights to use his name to a developer, and then they do all the work. That's more or less what he's proposing to do with the campaign. He'll syndicate his name to the RNC, and the party will run his campaign. Interestingly, Trump tweeted a defense of his undersized campaign this week, then deleted it an hour later : "I am getting bad marks from certain pundits because.I have a small campaign staff. But small is good, flexible, save money and number one!" Winning campaigns tend to win by innovating, improving the process of running for president, or at least convincing reporters they did after the fact. But what Trump is attempting to pull off here isn't refining or improving best practices for what we know can win a campaign today. It's throwing it all out the window. Since Trump is trying something so different, it's hard to completely reject it as foolhardy. Maybe he can really pull this off. But by all of the known metrics, it makes no sense. The flap over Trump's racist attacks on Judge Gonzalo Curiel has kept the attention away from how little Trump is doing to build up state teams and raise money, and so has his focus on places like California and New York. But he doesn't seem to be using the time he's bought to build up anything resembling a real presidential campaign. | 5 | 99,934 | news |
Ethan Waldman wanted to cut his living expenses. He already shared a two-bedroom rental house with a friend, but Waldman, 31, suspected he could save more living alone in an untraditional space a tiny home. "I saw it as a way to reduce what I spent on rent, a way to own a home for not too much money and a home that could be moved," says Waldman, who blogs about his experience . Four years later, Waldman now splits his time between his 220-square-foot home in Morristown, Vermont, and his fiancée's condo in Burlington. He estimates that he saves about $1,250 to $1,300 a month through drastically reduced utility costs and not paying rent. Slideshow: Click here to take a closer look at these 3 tiny houses Waldman is part of the so-called tiny home movement that has grown in popularity if not actual numbers. There aren't many statistics tracking the number of tiny home dwellers and U.S. Census figures show that the median size of new home has grown more than 10 percent compared to a decade ago and is more than 50 percent larger than in 1985. But tiny home living has captured the mainstream consciousness thanks to popular TV shows including Tiny Home Nation , Tiny Home Builders, and Tiny Home , Big Living blogs and conferences, all dedicated to this unconventional kind of abode. Many would-be tiny home owners are attracted to the environmental benefits of a smaller footprint, the pared-down lifestyle that goes against American consumerism, and not least the financial savings that come with living small. "I don't feel the financial dread I used to, thinking about how I have a 30-year mortgage and will be paying this into our 70s," says Jody Brady of the Simply Enough blog , who now lives in a 12-foot by 24-foot home in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia with her husband and owns the house outright. As for her previous home, a 3,500-square-foot house in Arlington, Virginia? "That house owned us," Brady, 59, says. The cost of building a tiny home Click to see more of the Waldman House Despite other savings, constructing a tiny home requires a significant upfront financial commitment. For instance, Waldman's house cost $30,000 in materials and $13,000 in labor; he outsourced the cabinets, roofing and insulation but did the rest himself. He paid for most of it through savings, some of which he gathered during the construction process. Related: 10 Tiny but Luxurious Homes Brady paid for her tiny house from proceeds from her previous home's sale, which sold for $850,000, and the sale of many of her possessions. All in, the house cost $40,000 to build, entirely for materials since she and her husband built the house. While the Waldman and Brady houses were cheaper than a larger home the average cost of an average home to a homebuilder is $289,415 the price per square foot is higher. Waldman's home cost $150 per square foot (considering materials and labor) and Brady's cost $139 per square foot, compared to $104 per square foot for an average new home, according to the NAHB (using only construction costs). But Andrew and Gabriella Morrison of Ashland, Oregon, were able to construct their tiny home for about half that at $55 per square foot. That included their 207-square-foot home with a 110-square-foot loft, plus a 160-square-foot sleeping cabin for their son and a 120-square-foot one for their daughter. "It took us four months to build it," says Gabriella, who runs TinyHouseBuild with her husband. "It was just Andrew doing all the work. We never hired out. Our total costs including cabinetry and appliances was $33,000." Don't forget the land It's not the cost of building the house that tiny home builders have to consider. There's also the expense of the land, which is typically wrapped up into the total cost of a traditional home. Waldman rents the land his home sits on, using a work-rent trade. He provides web design for the land owner instead of paying rent. Related: The Best Home Improvement Projects for Your Money The Bradys live on a plot that is owned by a friend, who they pay about $225 to $250 a month for the land, storage space and use of her washing machine and dryer. Click to see more of the Morrison House The Morrisons, however, own their land and paid $65,000 for the 5.5-acre property, which is cheap compared to other plots of similar size in their area, largely due to a lack of a septic system. "If it had an approved septic system, it would have cost three times as much," says Andrew. They ponied up an additional $18,000 to create an acceptable septic system, which turned out to be less expensive than buying a septic-approved lot. But that's still a lot of dough, considering the Morrison's shelled out $116,000 in cash for land, construction and a septic system. That's more than half of the median U.S. home price. Mortgage savings Despite the substantial upfront money involved which often is enough for a 20-percent down payment on a regular home these tiny home owners save big on not borrowing money, in both the short term and long term. First, there is the savings every month from not making a mortgage payment. For instance, the monthly mortgage payment on a $160,000 loan is $764 (30-year fixed at 4 percent). That's a big chunk of change every month. Then there's the interest that you never get back, to tune of $115,000 over the 30 years on the same home loan. "About 27 percent of your salary goes to housing, which equates to more than 10 hours of a 40-hour workweek," says Andrew Morrison. "How many hours of your life do you want to spend working for your house?" Energy savings Smaller homes in general come with lower utility costs, so a tiny home offers even bigger savings. Waldman spends $100 to $150 a month on average for heating and electricity. His heating system uses propane. Both the Morrisons and Bradys invested in solar power for their tiny homes, which required more money up front. The Morrison's spent $8,000 after tax credits for a solar system. They spend about $75 a month on propane for heating water and cooking. They also have a gas generator for winter that costs about $50 a month for three months. Click to see more of the Brady House The Bradys shelled out $5,000 on a solar generator that supplies most of the home's energy. They run the hot water heater, microwave and refrigerator off-grid electricity, which costs about $25 a month (including water), or $300 a year. "At our house in Arlington, we paid $3,000 for electric, gas and water for the year," Brady says. They also splurged on a wood stove for the winter months for $4,500. Other costs The other costs of furnishing a tiny home run the gamut. The Brady's wanted an alcohol-burning stovetop and oven, which cost $1,500. An electric one would have been much cheaper at $300, but it would waste more energy. In general, appliances designed for small efficiency apartments can be relatively inexpensive, while those made for boats and RVs are costlier. Waldman's water heater, which is designed for a boat and smaller than other off-the-shelf ones, cost $1,500. Generic ones typically run between $300 and $800. A special composting toilet can go for anywhere between $800 and $2,000, which is a lot more than a run-of-the-mill porcelain one for $100. Waldman opted to build an economical, bucket-style sawdust toilet instead. But his shower is lined with pricey copper roofing shingles that add some style. "In a tiny home, you're able to use expensive, quality material that you may not have been able to use in a bigger home," he says. "But because of the scale of the house, these rich materials were affordable." Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: 29 Islands You Can Buy for the Price of a House Here's Why You Should Never Co-Sign a Loan 14 States With the Hottest Housing Markets | 3 | 99,935 | finance |
With the summer solstice on June 21, look at some places around the world you can experience almost 24 hours of daylight! Rovaniemi, Finland A popular destination for viewing the Northern Lights, the Finns consider the Lapland capital the official home town of Santa Claus. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Longyearbyen, Norway Famous for vast stretches of cotton grass fields in the mountain valley north of the town, Longyearbyen is one of the northernmost towns in the world. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Murmansk, Russia The port city is famous for its cultural and archaeological artifacts, including the Lenin icebreaker a decommissioned 1950s nuclear-powered ship that is now a museum. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Tromsø, Norway Known for its spectacular scenery, the city is home to the world's northernmost university the University of Tromsø. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Inuvik, Canada Experiencing an average of 56 days of 24-hour sunlight in the summer, the place has several beautiful attractions, including the famous Our Lady of Victory Church, which is also called Igloo Church. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Hammerfest, Norway Situated on the northwestern coast of the island of Kvaløya, the town is famous for its ice-free harbor and Melkøya Island, which has a large natural gas-processing station. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, US Fields of wildflowers during the brief Arctic summer provide a welcome habitat for migratory birds such as sea ducks, geese and swans and animals such as the caribou, which visit during June and July to give birth to and raise their young. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Ilulissat, Greenland Featuring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Icefjord, the city is also famous for its beautiful landscape, dog sledding and cultural exploration. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Boden, Sweden Situated near the coastal city of Luleå, it is famous for river valleys that give the region its character and offer beautiful natural views. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Sisimiut, Greenland Located on the coast of the Davis Strait and dotted with several brightly colored houses, the city offers summer activities such as whale safaris, trekking, fishing and hunting. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Bodø, Norway One of the largest towns in Norway, it is an excellent base for visiting the country's famous attractions, including Saltstraumen, Svartisen glacier and the islands of Lofoten. Sunlight on the solstice: 24 hours Oulu, Finland Oulu is a blend of old-world charm and modernity. While its city center is spread across islands linked with cycleways and bridges, it is also an important technology center and one of Europe's "living labs." Some of its attractions include kauppatori (the market square) and the Turkansaaren open-air museum. Sunlight on the solstice: 22 hours 2 minutes Fairbanks, Alaska, US Popularly called the Golden Heart City, the land with a rich gold mining history has several attractions, including Chena Lake Recreation Area and University of Alaska Museum. Sunlight on the solstice: 21 hours 49 minutes Reykjavik, Iceland The high point during summer here is the setting of the sun, which is best viewed either from the lighthouse at Grotta in Seltjarnarne or the waterfront by Sólfar the Sun Voyager sculpture (pictured). Sunlight on the solstice: 21 hours 8 minutes Whitehorse, Canada Named after the Whitehorse rapids on the Yukon River, the city has some of the cleanest and pollution-free air in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. Sunlight on the solstice: 19 hours 9 minutes | 4 | 99,936 | lifestyle |
Forget fancy superfoods these nutritious powerhouses are essential staples for any healthy diet. Peaches and nectarines: Packed with potassium Forget fancy superfoods these nutritious powerhouses are essential staples for any healthy diet. Everyone knows that bananas boast high amounts of potassium, but two small peaches or nectarines have more of the essential mineral than one medium banana, boosting nerve and muscle health. The skins, in particular, are rich in antioxidants and insoluble fiber. And for those watching their weight, peaches are a healthy way to add sweetness to any diet. Bake, broil, or poach them to create pies, cobblers, and other desserts. Pineapple: Powerful anti-inflammatory Grilled, frozen, dried, or fresh, this sweet and tangy tropical fruit is jam-packed with bromelain, an anti-inflammatory enzyme that has been shown to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as increase fertility. Try these other inflammation-fighting foods . Grapes: Heart healthy As one of the world's oldest and most abundant fruit crops, grapes have been proven to ward off heart disease and high cholesterol, thanks to high levels of the antioxidants quercetin and resveratrol. Each little bulb is also a great source of potassium and iron, which prevent muscle cramps and anemia. Stick with the purple or red kind, as they contain the highest concentration of healthy compounds. Kiwi: Loaded with vitamins Beneath its fuzzy skin is a sweet fruit loaded with vitamins C and E, both strong antioxidants that protect against cancer and promote eye health. Kiwis are also low in calories and high in fiber, making them ideal for weight loss. Because they can last up to four weeks when stored in the refrigerator, they are a great snack to keep all year round. Learn more about the health benefits of kiwis . Mangoes: Immunity boosters Mangoes are becoming increasingly popular among nutritionists due to their exceptionally high levels of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A to promote bone growth and a healthy immune system. Even more, these exotic treats are packed with more than 50 percent of your daily vitamin C that's more than oranges provide. Apples: Brain- and heart-healthy One medium apple is low on calories (only 80!) but heavy on quertecin, a powerful antioxidant that protects brain cell degeneration, which can lead to Alzheimer's disease. Adults who eat apples are less likely to develop high blood pressure, according to one study. Apples can also lower cholesterol and prevent colon cancer , as well as promote healthy teeth and weight loss. Don't forget to eat the skin, too it's especially rich in disease-fighting compounds like flavonoids, which reduce the risk of heart disease. Here are the best ways to eat apples . Pomegranates: More antioxidants than red wine or green tea Pomegranate juice has two to three times the antioxidant capacity of red wine or green tea, and is also a great source of potassium, which sustains energy and controls high blood pressure. Research shows that drinking ¼ cup of pomegranate juice daily could improve cardiovascular health, lower cholesterol, and help with erectile dysfunction. However, talk to your doctor before you drink regular amounts of pomegranate juice, as it can sometimes negatively interact with prescription drugs. Top salads with pomegranate seeds for a vitamin-packed meal, or try any of these other healthy salad recipes . Grapefruit: Vitamin C powerhouse Although oranges are a great source of vitamin C, grapefruits pack a bigger punch. Just half of a grapefruit contains nearly 50 percent of your daily vitamin C, as well as high levels of fiber, potassium, and vitamin A. Studies have suggested that grapefruit can alleviate the symptoms of arthritis and repair damaged or oily skin and hair. It's little wonder that this delicious fruit is no longer just a breakfast staple. Here are more surprising health benefits of grapefruit (and two dangers to watch for). Bananas: Healthy on-the-go snack A banana is the perfect on-the-go snack, already wrapped and full of potassium and fiber to promote long-lasting energy and keep you alert all day long. And since it contains no fat or salt, bananas are a much healthier snack option than a granola bar or bag of pretzels. Want to make your bananas last longer? Here's a trick: Store them in the refrigerator after they're ripe. Although the peel may turn brown, the fruit underneath will stay delicious for three to five extra days. Don't know what to do with your overripe bananas? Here are uncommon uses for bananas . Blueberries: Anti-aging powerhouses Long considered one of the beloved 'superfoods,' these sweet treats are tiny but mighty, loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C to help fight disease, as well as anthocyanin, a pigment shown to boost brainpower. One study found that people who ate the greatest amount of this fruit were less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. | 7 | 99,937 | health |
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) Former Yale basketball captain Jack Montague has filed a lawsuit accusing the Ivy League university of wrongfully expelling him over a sexual assault allegation. The suit filed Thursday in federal court in Connecticut names Yale as a defendant along with two university officials who were involved in processing the complaint against Montague. The lawsuit says the woman consented in October 2014 to have sex and also asserts she later came back to Montague's room to spend the night. It alleges the woman had a relationship with Montague previously and was misled into participating in a complaint process initiated by Yale. A Yale spokesman says the lawsuit is factually inaccurate and baseless and the university plans a vigorous defense. Montague was expelled from Yale in February. | 1 | 99,938 | sports |
Now you can see what the computer is thinking. | 8 | 99,939 | video |
Why is obesity becoming the norm? And is there any way to reverse the trend? Americans have set a new record for obesity, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of 2015 when the data was gathered, 30.4 percent of U.S. adults were obese according to their body mass indexes. That's up from 19.4 percent when the CDC started tracking obesity in 1997. The figure has risen steadily ever since. For the report, researchers surveyed more than 8,000 Americans over age 19, asking them to divulge their weight and height. Then they calculated the participants' BMIs and categorized people as "obese" if they had BMIs of 30 or higher. It's worth noting that BMI isn't a perfect measure of health because it doesn't differentiate between muscle mass and fat. But experts say it's a good enough barometer for estimating the obesity rate in the population. "We are not mistaking an epidemic of 'totally awesome muscles' for an epidemic of obesity," says Men's Health weight loss advisor David L. Katz, M.D. In fact, since the findings are based on self-reported data, the actual obesity rate may be even higher, says William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., an obesity researcher at George Washington University. Take a look at the data to see how Americans have ballooned since the 90s. Except for 2003, obesity rates have steadily increased every single year. The survey also finds that people age 40 to 59 are most likely to be obese. Men in this age group have higher rates of obesity compared to women. Dr. Katz says cultural forces are to blame: The food industry markets pastries and sugary cereals as suitable breakfasts and news organizations spread confusing messages about diet and weight loss. Dr. Dietz, who previously served as the director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the CDC, thinks lack of self-awareness may play a role. Obesity is becoming the norm, and people are accepting it as such, he says. "There are many people who think they don't need to lose weight, when they actually do," he says. Although it may be common, obesity is, in fact, dangerous. It raises your risk for diabetes , high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, stroke, arthritis, and certain cancers, according to the CDC. How to Solve the Obesity Epidemic The best way to tell if your weight has become unhealthy is to measure your waist at its largest point, says Dr. Katz. This method won't confuse muscle mass with fat. If you top 40 inches, that's a sign of trouble, he says. Losing the weight isn't going to be easy. But for smart steps that will take you in the right direction, check out Where to Start If You Have More Than 50 Pounds to Lose . Even if you're currently at a healthy weight, the odds are stacked against you. People tend to gain 1 to 2 pounds a year from age 20 to 39, new research from Brown University finds. Small steps can reverse that trend, though: One study found that people who made doable changes to their daily routines, like walking an extra mile or cutting 100 calories from their diet, lost 1.2 pounds and kept the weight off for two years. And keeping your own weight down may be the key to solving the obesity crisis for future generations: There's a known link between parental and childhood obesity, says Dr. Dietz. "Preventing obesity in that 20- to 39-year-old age group may have promise for reducing the prevalence of obesity in kids, too," says Dr. Dietz. | 7 | 99,940 | health |
Mourners, including civil right leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson and boxing promoter Don King, pay tribute to boxing great Muhammad Ali at a Muslim funeral service, as part of the culmination of services in Ali's home town of Louisville, Kentucky. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 99,941 | video |
Negative interest rates are creating financial turmoil around the world and opportunity in the U.S. Investor money has been flocking to American federal, corporate and municipal bonds throughout the year but at an especially intense level in recent weeks as global central banks continue to cut rates in hopes of stimulating the moribund world economy. Fixed income-focused exchange-traded funds pulled in a one-day haul of $906 million on Tuesday, part of $40 billion in inflows thus far in 2016, according to FactSet. Equity funds, by contrast, have seen $6.7 billion in outflows. The story is similar for actively traded mutual funds, where U.S. equity-based funds have seen $75.6 billion in outflows and bond funds, according to TrimTabs, have taken in about $53.6 billion. The move comes as an increasing number of governments around the world show negative yields. The Japanese 10-year government bond (JP10Y-JP) was at -0.13 percent Thursday, while the German two-year yield was at -0.54 percent and Switzerland's 10-year yielded -0.43 percent. Private banks over the past several days have threatened various measures should the move to negative yields continue. In the U.S., money has been flowing across asset classes, with corporate bonds and municipals showing particular strength. Government bond auctions of late also have been solid, with Thursday's reopening of $12 billion in 30-year bonds producing its second-lowest yield in history. The big ETF winner in terms of total inflows has been the iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond (AGG) fund, which tracks all investment-grade bonds across the government and corporate spaces. It has taken in $5.7 billion in 2016 and is up 3.1 percent year to date, which actually slightly trails the S&P 500 (.SPX) 's 3.4 percent gain. Over the past week, the iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond (LQD) fund has pulled in just short of $430 million and has gained a solid 6 percent year to date, outpacing any of the major stock market averages. After warning clients heading into the year that this was finally going to be the year that bonds fell out of favor, Wall Street is slowly changing its tune. Deutsche Asset Management, for instance, is advising clients to go for fixed income. In its most recent chief investment officer outlook, released Wednesday, Deutsche said U.S. stocks are likely to be about 2.5 percent below current levels in 12 months. "Against the backdrop of high political uncertainty and market volatility, we expect only moderate returns for 2016," said Stefan Kreuzkamp, Deutsche's CIO and managing director. "On a risk-adjusted basis, this favors bonds over equities." That's not the only thing keeping the wind at the back of bonds: A plodding Federal Reserve , which is now widely expected to hold off on a rate increase this summer, will keep yields low and the dollar in check. Plus strengthening oil prices have dimmed worries over massive corporate bond defaults. However, there are concerns that the market may be getting ahead of itself. "The Fed's forward guidance is too aggressive, but the bond market's expectations are too complacent. The actual path forward for short-term interest rates should fall between those divergent estimates," Jim DeMasi, managing director at Stifel Fixed Income, said in a note to clients. "Current levels for intermediate and long-term Treasury yields seem unreasonably low in the context of sustained moderate economic growth and gradually firming inflation." With negative rates spreading and the U.S. offering at least some yield, the money flow seems likely to continue. DeMasi recommends clients keep focus on shorter duration. | 3 | 99,942 | finance |
A seagull turned orange after it fell into a container filled with the Indian dish, Chicken Tikka Masala. Wildlife experts say a factory left the curry outside. The bird was trying to fish out some pieces of meat and somehow fell into the food. Rescuers showered the bird to get all the oil off its feathers. While the seagull looks clean now, it still smells like dinner. The bird's skin now needs to be restored of its natural oils that keeps it waterproof. | 8 | 99,943 | video |
Who doesn't love fudge? This creamy confection is one of the most delicious treats known to man, and thankfully there are still plenty of shops across America that are making it the old-fashioned way, turning out some truly spectacular (and creative) specimens. America's 25 Best Fudge Shops Who doesn t love fudge ? This creamy confection is one of the most delicious treats known to man, and thankfully there are still plenty of shops across America that are making it the old-fashioned way, turning out some truly spectacular (and creative) specimens. #25 Blocks of Fudge, Block Island, RI Family run for more than 25 years, this tiny family-run fudge shop (named Rhode Island's best by Rhode Island Monthly), is turning out some incredibly unique flavors, including peach cobbler fudge with fresh peaches and Nilla wafers. All fudge is made on-premises, and the huge variety of flavors include peanut butter chocolate, penuche (brown sugar and vanilla), chocolate-coconut, and Snickers. Find more information on Blocks of Fudge here. #24 The Fudge Shoppe, Flemington, NJ In business since 1961, this Flemington institution turns out some stunning chocolate creations, but it is best known for its good old-fashioned chocolate fudge. The team keeps it simple here with only a handful of flavors, including chocolate nut, vanilla, peanut butter, and chocolate peanut butter. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Find more information on The Fudge Shoppe here. #23 Littlejohn's Candies, Los Angeles and San Francisco What started as a Los Angeles English toffee shop is today a renowned candy shop with locations in L.A. and San Francisco . No visit is complete without a taste of this spot's fudge, which is available in nine flavors including chocolate peanut butter, rocky road, penuche, and divinity walnut. Find more information on Littlejohn's here. #22 The Fudge Pot, Chicago One of Chicago's finest candy shops since 1963, The Fudge Pot was founded by a second-generation candy maker named Jim Dattalo, who was trained in the candy-making arts by his uncle, an employee of the Mars Candy Company. Today it's run by Jim's son David, who's turning out a wide variety of traditionally-made fudge. Find more information on The Fudge Pot here. #21 Sweet as Fudge Candy Shoppe, Philadelphia This Philadelphia confectionery , located inside Philly's renowned Reading Terminal Market , serves a huge variety of handmade sweets including, as the name might imply, fudge. Handmade on a daily basis, flavors include cappuccino, crème brûlée, dulce de leche, mint cookie, and peanut butter explosion. Find more information on Sweet as Fudge here. #20 Winfrey's, Massachusetts Winfrey's was founded by the husband and wife duo of Stuart and Christine Winfrey in 1979; today there are four locations across eastern Massachusetts. Old-fashioned fudge is one of Winfrey's specialties, and with a wide variety of flavors including chocolate cashew caramel, chocolate cheesecake, cranberry walnut, cookie dough, mudslide, and rocky road, the selection will keep you coming back for more. Find more information on Winfrey's here. #19 Aunt Leah's Fudge, Nantucket This quaint little fudge shop , which was founded by a retired teacher nearly 20 years ago, is today a Nantucket must-visit. More than 30 varieties of fudge are available, including cappuccino nut, chocolate M&M, Oreo, chocolate praline, cookies and cream, snickerdoodle, and crunchy chocolate peanut butter. They're all handmade in the old-fashioned way. And when you're there, don't forget to stock up on chocolate covered cranberries! Find more information on Aunt Leah's here. #18 Z. Cioccolato, San Francisco This family-owned San Francisco sweet shop makes fresh fudge, taffy, and truffles. Its fudge comes in some varieties you won't find anywhere else in America. California Earthquake (milk chocolate, coconut, and walnuts), chocolate caramel brownie, chocolate orange swirl, cookies and cream, creamsicle, and Cougar Butter (milk chocolate, caramel cream, coffee, caramel, and peanut butter) are just a few of its unique selections. Find more information on Cioccolato here. #17 Murray Hotel Fudge Company, Mackinac Island, Michigan The Murray Hotel , which has been welcoming travelers to Mackinac Island for more than 130 years, has an in-house fudge shop, which is the stuff of legends. Claiming to serve the largest fudge selection on the island, it's all made fresh daily and flavors include blueberry cheesecake, Butterfinger, and turtle. Find more information on Murray Hotel Fudge Company here. #16 Marshall's Fudge and Candy Co., Mackinaw City, Michigan Opened in 1952 and expanded to seven locations by the mid-60s, today Marshall's is located in Mackinaw City and is still made according to its traditional recipe. Vanilla triple chip, rocky road, chocolate peanut butter, penuche, and maple are some of Marshall's most popular flavors. Find more information on Marshall's here. #15 Frankenmuth Fudge, Frankenmuth, Michigan Since 1964, fudge-makers at Frankenmuth Fudge have been making their fudge in a copper kettle and hand-paddling it on a thick marble slab. The plain chocolate fudge is the one that put this shop on the map (and is still the top seller), but other top-selling varieties include mint chip, cookies and cream, vanilla nut, pistachio, and maple. Find more information on Frankenmuth Fudge here. #14 Jefferson Fudge, Jefferson, Texas One of the finest candy shops in Texas, Jefferson Fudge , which opened in 1979, sells more than 20 different varieties of fudge today from a counter that's more than 30 feet long. Fudge is handmade and the staff will let you try any variety you like, so make sure you sample the vanilla pecan, peach pecan amaretto, apricot nut, maple nut, peanut butter, and chocolate pecan before you settle on one. You know, just to be certain. Find more information on Jefferson Fudge here. #13 May's Candy, Mackinac Island, Michigan May's , which has been a Mackinac Island institution since opening in 1881, has been run by five generations of candy makers. Its English toffee and peanut brittle are legendary, but its old-fashioned fudge, in flavors like amaretto chocolate chip, rum walnut, coconut, blueberry, and cherry, is a showstopper. Find more information on May's here. #12 Kilwins, Various Locations Kilwins was founded in 1947 by Don and Katy Kilwin, and today there are nine locations as far and wide as Ann Arbor, Michigan and Atlanta . The fudge recipe used at all the locations was created by Don and Katy themselves, and crafted on marble slabs. Top selling flavors include classic chocolate, sea salt caramel, and turtle; with seasonal favorites including egg nog and peppermint stick. Find more information on Kilwins here. #11 Wisconsin Dells Fudge, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin This fudge shop opened in 1962 and today has four locations in town. All locations are still making fudge the old-fashioned way, in small batches using high-quality ingredients including Wisconsin cream and butter. Favorites include turtle, double dark chocolate, peanut butter, maple nut, and butter pecan, made with twice the butter. Find more information on Wisconsin Dells Fudge here. #10 Fudge Corner, Rochester, Minnesota All of the fudge produced at Fudge Corner is made by hand by the owners, from scratch, in small batches, daily. Every recipe was developed via trial and error, and to date the shop has rolled out a whopping 140 varieties. While they're rotated throughout the year, surprising flavors include licorice, candy cane cream, prickly pear, banana cream pie, ginger snap, strawberry cheesecake, chocolate bacon, Kit Kat, and even lavender! Find more information on Fudge Corner here. #9 Sweet Prairie Home, Bethany, Oklahoma Sweet Prairie Home was founded by a mother and daughter team in a small shop off Route 66 in 2013 after many years spent making fudge for festivals and holiday markets. Each batch is made by hand in a water bath kettle using the highest-quality ingredients possible, with seasonal flavors including caramel apple pie, carrot cake, eggnog, gingerbread, and chocolate cherry walnut. The duo has also mastered a fudge that's made with fructose and isomalt instead of white sugar. Because the wholesale operation is booming, the shop is only open when the team is processing orders, so if you're planning on dropping by make sure you call ahead to make an appointment! Find more information on Sweet Prairie Home here. #8 The Fudge Factory, Tarpon Springs, Fla. Located on the historic Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida, The Fudge Factory has been turning out handmade fudge since 1988. Made using an old family recipe, copper kettles, a marble slab, and a paddle, it doesn't get more traditional than this. 14 flavors are available there, including chocolate peanut butter, chocolate mint, rocky road, maple walnut, and penuche walnut. Find more information on The Fudge Factory here. #7 Ryba's Fudge Shops, Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Chicago A Mackinac tradition for more than 60 years, today Ryba's spends its summers on the island and moves to its winter home in Fraser, Michigan, from November to April (there are also two locations in Chicago). Its fudge is made by hand on big marble slabs, with flavors including Oreo, chocolate pecan, chocolate macadamia, German chocolate, and maple pecan. Find more information on Ryba's here. #6 Murdick's Fudge, Mackinac Island, Michigan; and Martha's Vineyard Murdick's was one of the first candy shops to open in Mackinac Island back in 1887, and has been making fudge according to a recipe passed down by founder Jerome Murdick's mother since day one. Today there are several local Michigan locations as well as three stores and a bakery on Martha's Vineyard, making fudge the old-fashioned way using copper kettles and marble slabs in full view of the adoring public. Flavors include butter pecan, chocolate cherry, double chocolate caramel sea salt, Michigan Maple Walnut, and Traverse City Black Cherry. Find more information on Murdick's here. #5 Li-Lac Chocolates, New York Li-Lac has been producing some of New York's finest chocolate (and fudge) since 1923. Its old-world, artisanal approach is still in practice at its factory in Brooklyn. While Li-Lac is best known for its selection of more than 140 chocolates, its fudge, made the same way for more than 90 years, is a must-try. Find more information on Li-Lac here. #4 Provincetown Fudge Factory, Provincetown, Mass The Provincetown Fudge Factory opened in 1984, but you can be forgiven for thinking it opened in 1884. The fudge is hand-crafted in small batches using high-quality ingredients; the fact that each batch is hand-paddled in copper pots and can take up to eight hours results in a truly superior product. Its fudge is also available in some fun flavors, including Bailey's Irish Crème, chocolate chip swirl, chocolate marshmallow, coconut, cranberry walnut, and chocolate peanut butter. Find more information on Provincetown Fudge Factory here. #3 The Mill Fudge Factory & Ice Cream Café, Bristol, NH Located in a charming former grist mill in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, The Mill makes its fudge using an old family recipe and ingredients including Cabot butter and Callebaut Belgian dark chocolate. Supporters of the Slow Food movement, the owners (who opened the shop in 2006) are turning out some fun and creative fudge, in flavors including New Hampshire maple, natural peanut butter, chocolate raspberry, chocolate salted caramel, cranberry maple nut, and Cabin Fever Maple Whiskey. Find more information on The Mill here. #2 Aaron Murdick's Fudge, Frankenmuth and Mackinaw City, Michigan The Murdick family are the kings of fudge, and this offshoot , with locations in Frankenmuth and Mackinaw City, carries on the family legacy in a great way. Whereas the Mackinac Island and Martha's Vineyard locations of Murdick's were sold by the Murdick family in 1969, these are still in the family and fudge is made with a whole lot of care here in the traditional way. Flavors include chocolate cherry, German chocolate, maple walnut, mint chocolate chip, and rocky road. Find more information on Aaron Murdick's here. #1 JoAnn's Fudge, Mackinac Island, Michigan JoAnn's has been in business since 1969; today there are two Mackinac Island locations as well as one in Mackinaw City. Fudge is made daily in its quaint and charming shops with the highest quality cream and butter available, cooked in copper kettles over a gas flame and cooled on marble slabs, and is available in 29 varieties including butter pecan, double dark chocolate, pumpkin pie, and raspberry truffle. The fudge here is classic and simple, and just about perfect. Find more information on JoAnn's here. | 0 | 99,944 | foodanddrink |
This 1971 Chevrolet big-block Chevelle Wagon is more than your average grocery getter. Take a look at all the mods. Even the most die-hard Chevelle fan has to admit that the typical array of two-door coupes and sedans tend to blend together after a while. Two-doors have always been the popular choice for classic Chevys. They carried the performance standard, from the Z-16 to the 454SS, and ruled the streets of America. So naturally everyone wanted the same. As with any popular trend, there are always the rebels, the non-conformists, the budget handicapped A-body fans who want their car to stand out from the rest of the lemmings at a show or cruise night. These are the Chevy nuts that make us question their sanity, and our own place in the space-time continuum. More Detroit classics on MSN Autos When a New York customer had a bile beige Malibu wagon shipped to his shop in San Antonio, Texas, Jeff Lilly was at a bit of a loss. Said customer had a large family and wanted a cool-looking vintage family cruiser that would light up the tires, handle well, and be a problem-free, drive-anytime, fun car. Like most station wagons, this 1971 had seen a hard life. The first order of business for Lilly's crew was to strip it down to its skeleton. The Nixon-era beige interior was pitched along with the front bench, which would soon be replaced by a pair of Chevelle buckets that also made room for a custom center console. Every nut, bolt, screw, and trim tab that was on the car when it left the factory, came off. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook With the front clip removed and the main body stripped down, a thorough cleaning and blasting was done, taking the car down to bare metal. Once back in Jeff's shop, all the areas needing rust repair were marked, and Nat Ramirez and his body crew quickly got to work. The driprails, in need of repair, were simply shaved off to clean up the wagon's lines. The rest of the body was painstakingly repaired using all custom-fabricated parts and metalwork done by Jeff and his guys. The only exception was the cowl hood, which is an aftermarket reproduction. While the body was receiving treatment, the frame was blasted clean and resealed. Once done, new suspension parts from Global West were hung up front, including 2-inch drop spindles. Binders are factory GM single-piston monsters clamping down on 12-inch factory rotors. Out back, the factory rear was pitched in favor of a Currie 9-inch unit with disc brakes on the end and 3.55 gears with a limited-slip in the center chunk. More custom cars on MSN Autos With the body and frame ready, they were reunited so the dry building process could begin. With a fuel-injected Chevrolet Performance Ram Jet 502 destined to go up front, the factory gas tank was modified to accept a fourth-gen Camaro in-tank fuel pump assembly, along with some extra baffling welded in to keep the fuel-injection pump immersed even under hard cornering and launches. Inside, a custom center console was made up to fit the Richmond six-speed going behind the 502, house an oil pressure gauge, and speakers for the new sound system. Because the car's owner wanted a fold-down third-row seat installed (optional in '71, just not installed on this particular car), a custom subwoofer box was built to fit between the second- and third-row seats. More classic muscle on MSN Autos With SS buckets and a Chevelle gauge cluster going in up front, SS-style door panels were made for all four doors. Headrests to match the front buckets were fabbed up for the second-row bench, and a salvage yard third-row seat was totally refurbished and covered in the same black material the rest of the seats were covered in after new foam was installed. After over two years of work, the car was sprayed in a custom mix of BASF Flyin Purple basecoat then covered with clear to protect it from the sun. Everything was reassembled, and the Purple People Eater, as the guys had dubbed it, hit the streets once again. The ecstatic customer couldn't have been more pleased, and on sunny New York days enjoys hauling his family around in the cruiser, and lighting up the tires whenever he pleases thanks to the 502's healthy amount of torque. Like Chevelles? This 427-Powered 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Turns Heads Track Tested LS7-powered 1968 Chevrolet Chevelle Numbers-Matching 454 Big-Block 1972 Chevelle SS Has An Even Rarer Option | 9 | 99,945 | autos |
A rare red ruffed lemur named "Ony" was born three weeks ago at the San Diego Zoo. Rough Cut (No reporter narration). | 5 | 99,946 | news |
Cam Newton announced Thursday that he will be retiring the 'dab,' so we take a look back at some of its best moments. | 1 | 99,947 | sports |
Recipes often call for softened butter, which mixes well with the other ingredients. Butter at this stage is also ideal for spreading on bread or stirring in seasonings to make flavored butter. Here's how to soften butter. | 0 | 99,948 | foodanddrink |
Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he is dropping out of Wimbledon due to a wrist injury. The same injury caused the former world No. 1 to withdraw from the French Open. | 1 | 99,949 | sports |
The merger of pipeline companies Energy Transfer Equity and Williams Companies has been approved with conditions, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday. Energy Transfer's proposed acquisition of Williams has been in doubt for months, with Williams accusing Energy Transfer etp of actively trying to break the $20 billion deal. The two companies have sued each other. The commission said it would approve the merger on condition that the companies agree to sell Williams' 50% stake in an interstate natural gas pipeline that serves Florida, particularly its electric power companies. The antitrust approval was the last regulatory hurdle for the deal and Williams is committed to closing it as soon as possible, the company said. A representative of Energy Transfer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The merger, announced last September, was intended to create more stability for both companies in the face of low oil prices. The companies are set to face off in Delaware's chancery court on June 20 over tax issues that Energy Transfer says are hobbling the deal, as well as claims by each party that the other had broken their contact. Williams shareholders are scheduled to vote on the deal on June 27. Under the current terms, the merger has to close by June 28 or the agreement expires. | 3 | 99,950 | finance |
Two capybara have escaped from the Toronto Zoo and have yet to be caught. Josh King has the story (@abridgetoland). | 5 | 99,951 | news |
Less than 200 Bryde's whales exist in the world. | 8 | 99,952 | video |
A cat's meow saved her life in Southern California. | 5 | 99,953 | news |
Disney CEO Bob Iger says that the U.S. corporate tax rate should be lowered and tax loopholes closed. | 3 | 99,954 | finance |
Copa America 2016 is center stage for many of the most glamorous soccer fans in the world. Here's a few of the most beautiful strutting their stuff. Fans take a selfie before the match between Brazil and Haiti at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on June 8. A Peru fan cheers for her team's captain Paolo Guerrero before they face Ecuador at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on June 8. Paraguayan fans cheer the players during a match against Colombia at Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on June 7. A Colombia fan cheers the players before their match against Paraguay at Rose Bowl on June 7. Colombia fans wait for the match against Paraguay to start on June 7. Supporters of Argentina before the team's match against Chile at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on June 6. A Chile supporter cheers her team before their match against Argentina on June 6. A fan holds her dog wrapped in the Argentine flag before her team's face-off with Chile on June 6. Chile supporters wait for the match against Argentina to begin on June 6. Supporters of Chile take a selfie before their team face Argentina on June 6. A dejected Uruguay fan is surrounded by cheering Mexico fans during a match at University of Phoenix Stadium on June 5. A Costa Rica fan dances during the match against Paraguay at Camping World Stadium on June 4. An Ecuador supporter cheers her team before they play Brazil at Rose Bowl on June 4. A Colombia fan is decked up in his team's colors ahead of the encounter with the United States at Levi's Stadium on June 3. Colombia fans pose outside the Levi's stadium before Los Cafeteros' clash against the United States on June 3. Colombia supporters before their team's opening game against the United States on June 3. A fan waves the Colombian flag before her team plays the United States on June 3. | 1 | 99,955 | sports |
When Jennifer Sekerak took son Joshua for his age-one check-up, the pediatrician saw no need to test for lead poisoning. The baby wasn't yet walking, she recalls the doctor saying, so was unlikely to be playing around hazards like lead paint. Over the next year or so, Joshua was twice hospitalized for mysterious symptoms. He began refusing food and eating dirt. There was violent head-banging, sleeplessness, skin lesions, vomiting. "He stopped talking, he wanted to eat dirt, and he would scream like a banshee," Sekerak said. "To be honest, he was like a wild animal." Once, Joshua was rushed to the hospital in Boardman, Ohio, and diagnosed with severe anemia, a common finding in lead-poisoned children. Hospital staff told Sekerak her son, enrolled in Medicaid, might have lead poisoning. But the hospital, Akron Children's at Boardman, did not test his blood for lead, she says. Citing federal privacy rules, a hospital spokeswoman declined comment. At the mother's urging, a new pediatrician tested him at age two. His blood lead concentration was 19 micrograms per deciliter, nearly four times the level Ohio defines as lead poisoning and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers elevated. Had Joshua been tested earlier - as Medicaid and Ohio rules required - the family could have more quickly removed him from a lead-infested rental house, Sekerak said. Joshua's case is not unique, a Reuters investigation found. Nationwide, millions of children are falling through the cracks of early childhood lead testing requirements. Blood lead tests are mandated for all children in 11 U.S. states and Washington, DC. In addition, Medicaid requires that the one-third of all U.S. children enrolled in the program, which provides health care for low-income and disabled people, be tested at ages one and two. Some other states mandate tests for all children in areas with exposure risks, such as housing with lead paint or lead-tainted soil. Yet, in a review of data in nearly a dozen U.S. states, Reuters found just 41 percent of Medicaid-enrolled one- and two-year-olds had been tested as required. And in some states requiring tests, more than half the children were missing a test. The full scope of under-testing is impossible to gauge: Data tracking testing rates and results from the CDC, Medicaid and many state health agencies is incomplete and unreliable. The CDC said its own tracking of lead poisoning rates isn't conclusive, citing insufficient data from states and changes in testing patterns that make comparisons over time challenging. Yet Reuters documented a sweeping testing gap in the data that could be verified. The shortfalls leave some children vulnerable to prolonged lead exposure, among the most insidious, and preventable, early health risks. Lead poisoning can lead to a lifetime of severe mental and physical ailments. Some 500,000 U.S. children under age six have blood lead levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter or higher, the CDC estimates, the level at which it suggests "public health actions." "When we fail to provide lead poisoning tests to children who need them, it's a tragedy," said Dr. Leonardo Trasande, associate professor of pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine. "Unfortunately, a lot of pediatricians and health care providers have taken their eye off this ball." Concerns about lead exposure grew dramatically after news that the water supply in Flint, Michigan had been poisoned. Michigan does not require universal testing for lead exposure, and state officials only began to acknowledge a serious water contamination problem in Flint months after a local pediatrician showed them evidence: Lead levels in her patients' blood were spiking over the CDC's threshold. "If you don't test, you never really know," said Joel Schwartz, an epidemiologist at Harvard University's school of public health. "You might think you don't have a problem, and you might be wrong." A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM Reuters reviewed data from state health departments, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the CDC. Reporters sought testing information from health departments and Medicaid program administrators in each state, interviewed more than two dozen health experts, and spoke with 15 families whose children were poisoned. Symptoms of under-testing span the country: Pennsylvania has childhood lead-poisoning rates nearly double Flint's. But the state doesn't require universal blood testing, so just 26 percent of children are tested by age three. At least three states - Utah, Kansas and Alaska - said they do not recognize or follow a federal requirement to test Medicaid children. Among the U.S. children for whom two tests are required by age three, millions receive no test or just one. Rates vary widely by state. Top performers test 80 percent of children repeatedly. South Carolina tested as little as 5 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children in 2014. After lead abatement efforts triggered a decades-long decline in child lead poisoning rates, the trend appears to be stalling. Based on testing results reported to the CDC, the percentage of children with blood lead levels double the agency's threshold has remained steady, about 0.6 percent, the last five years. The testing shortfall is one reason the CDC is unlikely to achieve its goal of eradicating lead poisoning among U.S. children by 2020, public health specialists say. There are many causes for the gaps. Surveillance funding and data collection have been cut, and many states rely upon parental questionnaires to identify at-risk children to test. Several leave the testing option to pediatricians. Testing guidelines, and the questionnaires, mostly target children in areas where older housing can expose them to lead paint. They often do not address another important risk, lead-tainted drinking water. Ironically, the United States' success in reducing lead poisoning is one reason for testing lapses. Lead was banned from most paints in 1978, from gasoline in the early 1980s, and, more recently, from new household pipes and fixtures. Average childhood lead levels have fallen by more than 90 percent since the late 1970s. Since then, however, research has shown that even low levels of exposure can stunt a child's development. Symptoms of poisoning - neurological impairment and behavior disorders - can be hard to distinguish at first. Once enough lead accumulates in blood and bone, the damage is irreversible. Negative health impacts of lead can begin at blood concentrations below the threshold used by the CDC, which says no level of exposure is safe. LIFELONG STIGMA Ingesting lead can sicken people of any age, but it takes the heaviest toll on small children, whose developing bodies readily absorb it. By school age, children with a history of lead exposure can exhibit poor attention and impulse control, with lower intelligence and academic performance - a stigma that can follow them through life. "The lower your IQ, the more trouble learning, the more likely you are to drop out of school, to be delinquent, to be incarcerated," said Dr. Morri Markowitz, director of the lead poisoning program for the Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City. Although many exposure impacts are irreversible, poisoned children can benefit from therapy aimed at improving cognitive abilities. A high test result should be followed quickly by informing the family of lead risks, or intervention. Home inspections may spot sources of poisoning to be fixed. As recently as the 1990s, the CDC recommended tests for all U.S. children. Since then, its guidelines have changed. The CDC still says all "at risk" children should be tested but now encourages some states to devise a "targeted" approach. After a 2012 budget cut, the CDC was forced to slash funding to states for lead poisoning prevention programs by some 90 percent. Though much of the funding was restored, several state health agencies cited dwindling CDC funding for their lead poisoning programs as one reason more children aren't tested. More than a dozen states do not report local testing results to the CDC. In many states using a targeted approach, parental questionnaires help decide which children to test, based on risk factors such as living in older housing. Around 25 million older U.S. homes or apartments contain lead paint, with most located along the East Coast and in the Midwest. Yet Flint serves as a potent reminder old paint isn't the only exposure risk. Lead can leach into drinking water from pipes, a problem discovered recently in Mississippi, Ohio and at New Jersey and Oregon schools. Lead-tainted water from unregulated private wells is also a danger for up to six million Americans, Reuters reported in March. Soil, cookware, and some imported toys, candies and spices can contain lead. Parents with careers or hobbies involving lead items - such as oil drilling, hunting or fishing - may bring the risks home. Reuters reviewed the risk-assessment questionnaires health clinics give to parents in a dozen states. None asked about potential water contamination from lead piping or sink fixtures. Before Flint, "lead risks were not being recognized as much, even though the research shows that there is no safe level of lead in blood," said Dr. Jennifer Lowry, a pediatrician at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City. Chair of the Council on Environmental Health at the American Academy of Pediatrics, she supports universal testing. A blood lead test is the only cheap and reliable way to identify a lead-poisoned child. Finger-prick testing at a pediatrician's office can provide initial results in three minutes. The tests range in cost, from as little as $7. ROOTS OF FAILURE In Ohio, Joshua Sekerak wasn't tested until he was two years old. He should have been tested a year earlier, because he was on Medicaid and lived in a high risk area. Ohio mandates universal testing for children in ZIP codes where old housing is prevalent. About two-thirds of the state's children should be tested under those rules. Ohio also requires tests for Medicaid children. Actual testing falls short of Ohio's guidelines, mirroring the U.S. problem. Last year, Medicaid recorded payment claims for 41 percent of one- and two-year-olds enrolled in the insurance program in Ohio. The state's Medicaid administration said some additional children were screened for free, but did not quantify how many. Among all Ohio two-year-olds, less than a third got tested in 2014, state data show. In Cleveland, a staggering 13.7 percent of children tested had lead levels above the CDC's threshold, state data show. Following the contamination in Flint, 4.9 percent of children exceeded the threshold. California, the nation's most populous state, requires tests for all Medicaid children. Medicaid paid for enough lead tests to cover just one in three enrollees, last year's claims data showed. "Improvements are needed" in testing and reporting, the state's Department of Health Care Services told Reuters, vowing to redouble its efforts. In some states, the testing gap is small. Vermont and Massachusetts screen around 80 percent of children repeatedly. But across all 11 states that require universal screening, millions miss out. "Only a fraction of the children who should be tested are being tested," said Dr. Stanley Schaffer, who runs a pediatric program in industrial Rochester, New York. New York State law requires testing for all children at age one and again at two. But statewide, only 55 percent of children have received their two required tests by age three, state data shows. Outside New York City, the rate drops to around 40 percent. In some counties, it's below 10 percent. Schaffer pushed measures to test as many children as possible, and the rate at his pediatric ward now reaches 90 percent. Among the reasons for under-testing: Some doctors don't order the tests or are unaware of the rules; children miss appointments or parents don't follow up on test referrals; Medicaid and health departments do little to enforce testing requirements. Medicaid has required testing of enrolled children since 1989, a CMS spokesman said. Arizona, the only exception, received a Medicaid waiver authorizing it to test only some enrolled children. To get it, Arizona showed it collects ample lead surveillance data to ensure at-risk children are referred for blood testing. But health administrators in at least three other states told Reuters they do not require testing or recognize the federal mandate. "There is no requirement in Kansas for Medicaid-enrolled children to be tested for blood lead levels," said the state's Department of Health and Environment. Utah and Alaska also said they don't require testing. In Utah, health official Sam Lefevre said the state has lower than national average lead poisoning rates, and its Medicaid children were not at higher risk. That several states do not recognize the Medicaid requirement drew surprise from attorney Jane Perkins, a child healthcare advocate at the National Health Law Program. In the 1990s, Perkins led a successful nationwide class action lawsuit to force laggard state Medicaid programs to comply with testing requirements. Now, Perkins says, her litigation team is investigating whether these states are flouting requirements. AWAY FROM THE CAMERAS Flint has become a symbol of mass failure to protect low-income children. When President Barack Obama visited May 4, he urged all Flint parents to have their children's blood tested for lead. Less attention has been drawn to regions with higher lead poisoning rates. A year after Flint's switch to corrosive river water, nearly 5 percent of children tested there had blood lead levels above the CDC's threshold. In as many as 11 states, the rates of poisoning surpass that mark, according to the agency's data. Across Pennsylvania, 9.4 percent of children tested in 2014 had levels above CDC's threshold, a state report said. "There are probably a thousand kids in Philly with lead levels over 10 (micrograms per deciliter) and that number should be zero," said Donna Cooper, executive director of the Philadelphia-based nonprofit Public Citizens for Children and Youth. For at-risk children, testing should continue after age two, experts said. In the Bronx, a four-year-old named Jaida was only recently discovered to have lead poisoning, with blood levels more than four times the CDC standard. That prompted inspections of the home where she lives with her mother and grandmother. Old lead paint was found on walls. Jaida, smiley and energetic, has had hyperactivity and therapy for a speech impediment, said her grandmother, who had contractors removing the old paint. In the meantime, Jaida and her mother lived in one of four lead-free apartments at Montefiore hospital's "lead safe house," designed to keep children away from the homes where they were poisoned while lead is removed. The safe house is often full, said program director Markowitz. In Ohio, after Joshua Sekerak was diagnosed with lead poisoning, weeks passed before a state inspector arrived at the family rental home. It was infested with lead paint, paint dust and contaminated soil. Before Joshua's diagnosis, his family was unaware of the lead exposure dangers, and their century-old rental house had passed a building inspection. With word of their child's illness, the family moved to a new, lead-free home. At age four, Joshua has the verbal skills of a child half his age. He uses diapers and drinks from a baby bottle. He needs therapy and psychiatric medications. The special needs pre-school class Joshua attends recently sent the family a nylon harness device, to prevent injuries, and he is harnessed during the ride to school in the district's van for children with disabilities. His attention span is around 15 seconds. Shortly after Joshua's lead poisoning was discovered, doctors told Serenak he also qualified for an autism diagnosis. At home one recent morning, Joshua showed a fascination with railroads. He lay down next to a toy track, repeating "choo-choo train." He fixated on a tablet video of a freight train crushing a can on the rails, banged on doors and stared out the window. When his dad came home from working on a farm, Joshua ran to him with a hug. The house is several blocks from a busy freight train crossing. Jennifer Sekerak has installed alarms on the doors, but is haunted by the possibility Joshua may find a way out. "If that happens, he will go straight for the train tracks," she said. "I wish he'd been tested earlier," the mother said. "I don't know who to be angry with - the doctors, the landlord, myself?" (Edited by Ronnie Greene) | 5 | 99,956 | news |
President Obama says #ImWithHer. | 8 | 99,957 | video |
The All-Ford Nationals is one of those events filled with too much to see, even for folks who attended the full three days on June 3-5 2016. Held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, this event, now in its 22nd year, set a record for attendance with over 50,000 people passing through the gates, and for Ford cars registered with exactly 3,135 spread over 82 acres. No doubt, Mustangs made up the biggest part of that total. Roughly two out of every three Mustangs was a late-model, with the balance being 1978 and older. Of course, this is the All-Ford Nationals, so anything with a Blue Oval is welcome and likely to attend, including used parts in a huge swap meet, and brand new parts from a plethora of vendors stretched out along the huge midway. Related Link: See photos of the 2016 Ford Mustang on MSN Autos The biggest vendor of them all, of course, is Ford Motor Company; Ford is a heavyweight at this show. They set up their Mustang Garage, where trained tech's from Fred Beans Ford of Boyertown, PA installed cold-air kits, performance-tuned mufflers, handling packs, lowering springs, and more. Ford also showcased their performance car line-up, offering a shuttle service to those who wanted to test drive the latest vehicles at the Expo Center. Roush Mustangs turned out in abundance to celebrate Roush's 40th anniversary. Susan Roush McClenahan, accomplished drag racer and daughter of Jack Roush, signed autographs and displayed her propane-powered drag Mustang. Another 40th anniversary this year is the '76 Starsky & Hutch Torino and TV show. Paul Michael Glaser, aka David Starsky, and Antonio Fargas, aka Huggy Bear, signed autographs for fans. In one row on the Fairgrounds, we counted 22 Starsky & Hutch Torino's lined up. 2016 is also the 50th anniversary of Ford's Bronco. Seth Burgett launched his new company, Gateway Broncos of St. Louis, Missouri, at this year's Nationals. Burgett served lunch in his tent, and featured the music of Nashville recording artist Payton Taylor. Burgett builds classic Broncos with modern day Coyote powerplants. Other highlights included the burnout contest, the Ms. Carlisle beauty contest, and the event culminated with a cruise downtown on Saturday night. Of course one of our favorite moments was on Friday, where event organizers revved up the show by arranging 150 plus Mustangs of all model years into the shape of an American flag. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook | 9 | 99,958 | autos |
A pair of federal drug agents were convicted Thursday for lying to investigators about running an exotic club in New Jersey. A jury in Manhattan agreed with prosecutors that Glen Glover, 46, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey and David Polos, 52, of West Nyack, New York, mislead the Drug Enforcement Administration about their stake in the Twins Plus Go-Go Lounge in South Hackensack. The two had been charged with conspiracy and making false statements for submitting national security forms in 2011 that stated they had no outside employment. Polos, a former Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Glover, a DEA Information Technology Specialist, were running an exotic club where drug use was rife and dancers many of whom were illegal immigrants engaged in sex acts with their clients, prosecutors said. The jury announced its verdict after deliberating for three hours. "Dave is a hero DEA agent," said Polos' lawyer, Marc Lee Mukasey. "He's a hero. We respect the jury verdict, but we don't think that he committed any crime." Glover's lawyer, Cathy Ann Fleming, said she was "shocked" by the verdict. Glover and Polos were arrested in May 2015. Glover has been placed on an indefinite suspension. Polos retired shortly before he was arrested. They each face a maximum of five years in prison. | 5 | 99,959 | news |
It was a historic night that called for soaring rhetoric and unvarnished authenticity. Instead, Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump delivered victory speeches on Tuesday that leaned heavily on campaign clichés in many cases, the same ones. (Watch the full speeches by Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump .) On the page, anyway, the ideological and stylistic chasms that separate them start to dissolve in a sea of overlapping oratorical devices, similar phrases and at times identical word choice. Are their speechwriters out of juice? Or is the hackneyed phrase just too irresistible? We identified the passages that sounded the most alike: TRUMP: Tonight we close one chapter in history and we begin another. CLINTON: Now you are writing a new chapter of that story. It's a country, not a book. But this speechmaking construct won't die. Mrs. Clinton tries to infuse the familiar trope with the concept of inclusivity. Mr. Trump just trots out the same old wooden metaphor. _____ TRUMP: This is not a testament to me, but a testament to all of the people who believed real change ... CLINTON: Tonight's victory is not about one person ... So we all owe so much to those who came before and tonight belongs to all of you. It's not really about me, it's about you! But let's be honest: it's really about them. This age-old device is a clever way to claim a mandate without sounding self-aggrandizing. Mr. Trump makes the most direct claim of humility. Mrs. Clinton makes a richer historical reference to previous barrier brea kers. _____ TRUMP: And our country will never, ever back down. CLINTON : Our history has moved in that direction, thanks to generations of Americans who refuse to give up or back down. There's no backing down from this bromide. _____ TRUMP: I've traveled to many of our states and seen the suffering in people's eyes. CLINTON : And I learned about those persistent problems and the unfinished promise of America that you're living with. Ever since Bill Clinton found the most economical way to say it in 1992, speechwriters have striven to complicate the sentiment: "I feel your pain." _____ TRUMP: This election isn't about Republican or Democrat, it's about who runs the country. The special interests or the people. CLINTON : We want a government that listens to the people, not the power brokers ... Everyone is a populist in 2016, even residents of Fifth Avenue and Chappaqua, N.Y. _____ TRUMP: Our campaign received more primary votes than any G.O.P. campaign in history. CLINTON : The first time in our nation's history that a woman will be a major party's nominee. Everyone wants to make history. Mrs. Clinton's breakthrough carries greater weight, but Mr. Trump not to be outdone tosses in his own milestone. _____ TRUMP: To those who voted for someone else, in either party, I'll work hard to earn your support. CLINTON : But whether you supported me or Senator Sanders or one of the Republicans, we all need to keep working toward a better, stronger America. The olive branch. Both extend it to their skeptics, without much creativity. _____ TRUMP: I'm going to fight for you, the American people. I'm going to be your champion. I am going to be America's champion. CLINTON : I hear you. I see you. And as your president, I will always have your back. Two approaches to the same trite message. Mr. Trump, ever the pugilist, deploys a slightly more combative construction "fight for you." Mrs. Clinton takes a gentler and more supportive approach: "I will have your back." _____ TRUMP: The beauty of America is that it brings us all together. CLINTON : Because we are stronger together. Let's say it together, folks: These campaigns need a thesaurus. Find out what you need to know about the 2016 presidential race today, and get politics news updates via Facebook , Twitter and the First Draft newsletter . | 5 | 99,960 | news |
While most water births are successful , they can also be risky, according to American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists-a fact that one Oregon mom can certainly attest to after tragedy struck during her own water birth in December 2011. Amy Benton was told by midwives at the Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, OR, that she was an ideal candidate for a water birth. In fact, Rich Rogers, the attorney who represents the Benton family, told Oregon Live that Amy was advised "that [a water birth] is just as safe and even more safe [than traditional vaginal or C-section births]." But according to court documents, Amy was not a good candidate for a water birth, because her pregnancy wasn't considered low risk. Despite the fact that her child's fetal heart rate was abnormal when she was admitted to the hospital, the midwives proceeded with the birthing plan, submerging Amy in the tub and failing to continuously monitor the fetal heart rate or consult obstetricians, according to Rogers. The Benton family's lawyers maintain that if the midwives had regularly monitored the baby with a waterproof device like a Sonicaid, they would have realized sooner that there was a problem with the fetus' heart rate and that mom needed to deliver via C-section immediately - not push. Instead, Amy's son, Luca, was delivered vaginally and deprived of oxygen for 15 minutes . "The baby they pulled out appeared for all intents and purposes, dead," Rogers told Oregon Live. All that time under water with no vital checks caused severe brain damage-now 4 years old, Luca lives with birth-induced cerebral palsy and can't walk or talk. Luca's parents were awarded $13 million after initially seeking damages upwards of $36 million; the settlement is reportedly the largest in at least a decade for a hospital malpractice case. In response to this sad story, the American College of Nurse Midwives and the American Association of Birth Centers issued a joint statement saying that they believe water births are a safe alternative for expectant mothers, according to Oregon Live. "Yes, a water birth can be a safe option for some women, but a woman should be an ideal candidate and [it seems Amy Benton] was not cleared as low risk," Dr. Lindsay Appel, an OB/GYN at Mercy Medical Center tells WomansDay.com. "Water births should not be performed for women with any complications in pregnancy." And while some women opt for water births at home, Dr. Appel is not on board. "Labor courses can be unpredictable and fetal distress can occur rapidly in certain situations, even in women who have uncomplicated pregnancies," she says. "Having access to an anesthesiologist, an operating room, and postpartum medications is of utmost importance. It is possible for a patient to have a natural labor with minimal interventions while in the hospital, but if the need for intervention arises the patient is safest in a hospital setting." In a 2014 statement , the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists said that there are currently no known benefits to delivering a baby in water. (h/t Fit Pregnancy ) | 7 | 99,961 | health |
Major League Baseball suspended Manny Machado for four games and fined him $2,500 for charging the mound after he was hit by a pitch from Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura on Tuesday at Camden Yards. A person familiar with MLB's decision confirmed the length of Machado's suspension. He spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the suspension has not yet been announced. Machado is expected to appeal the suspension. It is not yet known what discipline Ventura may receive. This is not the first time Ventura and Machado have ignited bench-clearing incidents. In April 2015, Ventura received a seven-game suspension after he instigated a brawl with the Chicago White Sox. Last June, he stared down Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout on a play at the plate that resulted in a bench-clearing scrum. Machado served a five-game suspension after a June 2014 incident during which he intentionally threw his bat toward third base after an apparent brushback pitch against the Oakland Athletics. Earlier this season, MLB suspended Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor eight games for his punch to Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista. His suspension, which was reduced by one game, was the harshest penalty among 14 players and coaches involved in the brawl. GALLERY: ORIOLES-ROYALS BRAWL | 1 | 99,962 | sports |
NEW YORK The city has started painting teal rectangles in pedestrian plazas in Times Square to confine the costumed Elmos and Spider-Men who pose for photos and solicit tips from tourists. The color-coded Designated Activity Zones are meant to rein in the pushy panhandlers who have flooded the area, in some cases harassing passers-by to pay for photos with them. Workers started painting the Designated Activity Zones on Wednesday. Under a law signed by Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio in April, street performers and costumed characters can be issued summonses or even face arrest if they are caught operating outside the eight designated rectangles. Each area is painted teal and measures 8 feet by 50 feet. Some lawyers and performers say the new rules infringe on performers' First Amendment rights. "It's the wrong approach. It invites litigation through a civil case or possibly could be used as a defense in a criminal case," lawyer Norman Siegel said. "The legislation has created a no-free-expression zone in the quintessential public space, the Crossroads of the World." But attorney Linda Steinman, representing the Times Square Alliance business group, said the new rules are consistent with case law permitting restrictions on the time, place and manner of speech. "It's not a ban on anything," Steinman said. Yamil Morales, who dresses as the Mad Hatter from "Alice and Wonderland," said the new rules "are against the Constitution and against the understanding we have with this area." He added, "There could be a lot of arrests, which is bad because these people have families that they are supporting." Some of the conflict has been over the expectation of tipping after the performers take pictures with tourists. Times Square Alliance president Tim Tompkins said that in the past a lot of tourists didn't realize a tip was expected and the performers were often "aggressive about insisting on a tip." The organization originally handed out fliers to tourists reminding them that tipping is optional. But as the new zones go into effect starting June 21, the alliance will be posting signs with the message, "If you take a photo with an entertainer, please note tipping is expected." A team of 10 Times Square Alliance workers will begin an education blitz next week to inform the performers and the public about the new rules. | 5 | 99,963 | news |
It turns out that the retro movement isn't going anywhere. And for good reason - some are beautiful works of art and are resurrecting a level of craftsmanship we haven't seen in a while. Robert Hoekman Jr's "The Build" not only pays homage to some of the best custom builders in the world but also lends a helping hand to those looking to build their own masterpieces. With gorgeous photography sprinkled throughout, we get intimate one-on-ones with John Ryland of Classified Moto, Alan Stulberg of Revival Cycles, Jared Johnson of Holiday Customs, Jarrod DelPrado of DP Customs and Max Hazan of Hazan Motorworks, as they dish on how to build your very own from sourcing a "donor" bike to fabricating custom parts. Whether you're looking for a gift for yourself or the bike lover in your life, "The Build" is a must-have. A coffee table book this is not. Available now from Octane Press or Amazon . | 9 | 99,964 | autos |
There's something for everyone in this collection of apps and games for all tastes. Watch TV & Movies Netflix Get the free app as a part of your Netflix membership and you can instantly watch thousands of TV episodes & movies. If you are not a Netflix member sign up for a one-month free trial. Get the Netflix app Listen to music Pandora This app brings you the Pandora you love and gives it a unique Windows twist, allowing you to pin your favorite stations to the Start screen, or see what's playing by glancing at your Pandora Live Tile. Get the Pandora app Get social Facebook Keeping up with friends is faster than ever. See what friends are up to, share updates and get notified when friends like and comment on your posts. Get the Facebook app Get the news USA Today The latest news stories, photos, and videos you've come to expect from USA TODAY are now available in a beautiful way on your phone, tablet, or desktop. Staying informed has never been this quick, easy, or enjoyable. Get the USA Today app Check the weather The Weather Channel Make confident decisions based on the world's most popular weather app. Fast-loading radar maps show past and future radar. Map layers show rainfall, snowfall, road or satellite views, traffic and more. Get the Weather Channel app Find a recipe Yummly Recipe recommendations based on your tastes, the most powerful recipe search, your digital recipe box, personalized diets, allergies and more. Want Healthy? Quick? Italian? Gluten-free? Create a personal food experience that finds the recipes you want. Get the Yummly app Watch the game WatchESPN The free WatchESPN app lets you keep up with your sports anytime, anywhere on your Windows computer or tablet. Watch live games and studio shows with 24/7 access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, SEC Network and more. Get the WatchESPN app Manage your money MoneyPoint MoneyPoint will help you to maintain your accounts, transactions, schedules, payees, budgets and goals. Get the MoneyPoint app Get fit Daily Workouts Your own personal trainer wherever you are! Daily Workouts provides great 5 to 10 minute daily workout routines for men and women that step you through some of the best exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home. Get the Daily Workouts app Get organized Cozi Family Organizer There's nothing stationary about your life, so why depend on a family calendar that hangs on a fridge or wall? Cozi is the surprisingly easy way to organize the family. Get the Cozi Family Organizer app Play cards Simple Solitaire Enjoy the classic game of Solitaire on Windows. Simple Solitaire loads fast and is completely free. It works great on both your desktop and tablet computer running Windows. Play Simple Solitaire Solve a puzzle Candy Crush Saga Join Tiffi and Mr. Toffee on their sweet adventure through the Candy Kingdom. Travel through magical lands, visiting wondrous places and meeting deliciously kookie characters! Play Candy Crush Saga Go retro Disney Crossy Road Tap and swipe your way to a record-setting number of steps with 100+ Disney and Pixar figurines while dodging crazy and unexpected obstacles. Play Disney Crossy Road Get strategic March of Empires Break away from reality and ascend to the throne through the art of war! Claim your title as Highland King, Northern Czar or Desert Sultan, and join this genre-redefining strategy game where you will wage constant war. Play March of Empires Fight villains Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 Assemble a team with the Avengers, Daredevil, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, and other Super Heroes to battle Ultron, Baron Strucker, and more epic Super Villains! Play Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 Start your engines Asphalt 8: Airborne Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Bugatti... they've got 'em all! Feel the thrill of gravity-defying racing across 40+ high-speed tracks. Race in real-time multiplayer action for up to 12 opponents & dare your friends to ghost races. Play Asphalt 8: Airborne Go to outer space Radiant Defense Radiant Defense is a tower defense game set in a vibrant universe invaded by countless alien hordes. Build your space fortress any way you wish, set up wide variety of weapons and traps and let the invasions begin! Play Radiant Defense Take a gamble Caesars Slots Escape to Vegas and find your lucky slots jackpot. Play 70+ exclusive slots games like Elvis, Pink Panther & Lucky in Paris. Play Caesars Slots Find hidden objects Mirrors of Albion Mirrors of Albion will take you to mystical Victorian-era London fraught with intrigue, crime, and suspense. Solve challenging puzzles and experience the game's unique story by tackling countless quests. Play Mirrors of Albion Go to war Sniper Fury The time for diplomacy is gone. We are calling for the best sniper in the world to join us as we take aim at evil, wherever it hides. This is not a game. There is no room for remorse here, so shoot to kill. Play Sniper Fury | 6 | 99,965 | entertainment |
The battles never seem to end for Uber's legal team. This time around, the ridesharing service faces big fines and multiple charges in France, where Uber has faced hard-fought battles against the government and traditional taxi drivers who accuse the company of illegal practices. The biggest fine rings up at about $500,000, which a French judge says is due to the company's UberPop service. UberPop is a low-cost option for riders looking for basic transportation, usually in no-frills economy cars. The total fine was closer to $900,000, but the court suspended half of it, meaning Uber would only pay the other half if it violates the law again. UberPop drivers, the court ruled, skirted France's taxi licensing and insurance requirements, which usually costs taxi companies thousands of dollars to acquire. Taxi companies in Paris, for example, must pay a one-time fee of $300,000 to obtain a license, The New York Times reports. UberPop launched in Paris in early 2014, but the company cancelled the service last summer following backlash from taxi drivers . In addition to the large fine, a French judge hit two Uber executives each with a $28,500 fine. Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty leads Uber's operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, while Thibaud Simphal is the company's General Manager in France. Both were charged with running deceptive commercial practices and being complicit in operating an illegal transportation service. According to The New York Times, the penalties could've been much worse. The aforementioned executives could've faced jail time and a fine of $340,000 each. Additionally, Uber's fine could've topped $1.7 million. The company says it will appeal the ruling. Despite the setback, Uber continues to operate in France, though, with pricier options like uberX, UberVAN, and UberBERLINE. That's not the case in Austin, Texas, where tough ridesharing laws recently forced the company to suspend all operations in the city . Source: Uber, The New York Times 1 , 2 | 9 | 99,966 | autos |
Forbes magazine has released its list of the highest-paid male and female athletes for 2016. We look at the top five names from both categories. 1. Cristiano Ronaldo 2016 earnings: $88 million 2015 earnings: $79.6 million The three-time FIFA Ballon d'Or winner has successfully broken the 50-goal mark for six seasons in a row for Real Madrid. Ranked as the club's all-time leading scorer, his contract with Real Madrid is worth over $50 million a year. Some of his sponsors include Nike, Tag Heuer, Sacoor Brothers and Monster. 2. Lionel Messi 2016 earnings: $81.4 million 2015 earnings: $73.8 million Messi has won FIFA's player of the year award five times. Some of his achievements include most goals scored for Barcelona and also in a calendar year. His contract with Barcelona includes many bonuses for such feats, which add to his overall wealth. Adidas is one of his main sponsors. 3. LeBron James 2016 earnings: $77.2 million 2015 earnings: $64.8 million The Cleveland Cavaliers forward has won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. He created history when he reached his sixth straight NBA Finals in 2016. In 2015, Nike signed James to the first lifetime contract in the company's 44-year history. 4. Roger Federer 2016 earnings: $67.8 million 2015 earnings: $67 million The 17-time Grand Slam champion has earned $60 million in earnings from endorsements and appearance fees. Federer has long-term deals with several top brands such as Nike, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz and Credit Suisse. In his 18-year career, he has won $98 million in prize money. 5. Kevin Durant 2016 earnings: $56.2 million 2015 earnings: $54.1 million Oklahoma City Thunder player Kevin Durant has an average of 27.4 career points per game, the best among active players and third all-time. Last year, Durant launched his own underwear line in partnership with Neff and Foot Locker. Some of his sponsors include Nike, 2K Sports, BBVA, Orange Leaf, Sparkling Ice, Beats and The Players Tribune. (2016 figures as of June 8; 2015 figures as of June 12) 1. Serena Williams 2016 earnings: $28.9 million 2015 earnings: $24.6 million In 2015, Williams won three Grand Slams Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, and was rewarded with lucrative bonuses. Her career prize money of $77.6 million is almost twice as much as any other female athlete. Some of her sponsors include Nike, Pepsi and JPMorgan Chase. 2. Maria Sharapova 2016 earnings: $21.9 million 2015 earnings: $29.7 million Sharapova continues to be one of the highest-earning female athletes, despite being in the middle of a doping controversy. On June 8, 2016, she was handed a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation for failing a drug test during the Australian Open tournament in January. One of her main sponsors, Nike, recently announced its decision to continue its sponsorship with the Russian athlete, despite the doping charges. 3. Ronda Rousey 2016 earnings: $14 million 2015 earnings: $6.5 million The mixed martial artist faced a stunning defeat by Holly Holm in November last year but struck gold with endorsement deals with brands such as Reebok, MetroPCS, Bud Light, Buffalo Jeans and Fanatics. In February 2016, Rousey appeared as one of the three cover athletes on Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue. 4. Danica Patrick 2016 earnings: $13.9 million 2015 earnings: $13.9 million In August 2015, Nature's Bakery decided to sponsor Patrick for the 2016 season after GoDaddy stepped out. Some of her personal sponsors include Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Nationwide and Tissot. 5. Agnieszka Radwanska 2016 earnings: $10.2 million 2015 earnings: $6 million The Polish tennis player and world number 3 has lucrative deals with Lotto, Babolat, Lexus, and Rado, thanks to her brilliant performances in 2015, including winning the WTA Final. (2016 figures as of June 7, 2015 figures as of Aug 13) Click here for the full list of female athletes. Click here for the full list of male athletes. | 1 | 99,967 | sports |
On Friday, there will be a public funeral service held for Muhammad Ali at the KFC Yum! Center in his hometown of Louisville, Ky. And in accordance with the late boxer's wishes , we should all expect a huge turnout at the event. Ali's family gave away 15,000 free tickets to the service on Tuesday, because as his daughter Laila said during an interview this week, "He said he wanted it in an arena so everybody can come and be there...Trust me, if 10 million people come, that's not going to be enough for him. He's going to be like, 'That's it?'" The 15,000 tickets available to the public were distributed in less than an hour with nearly 10,000 people lining up outside for tickets before the KFC Yum! Center box office even opened: They're opening up the box office early at the KFC Yum! Center. There are almost 10,000 people in line already. pic.twitter.com/Rna0J1mbTf Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) June 8, 2016 However, some wannabe entrepreneurs are trying to use their free tickets to turn a small, fairly inconsequential profit by scalping them for up to $100 on sites like Craigslist and eBay . According to USA Today , there are also some people trying to trade their tickets for valuable goods in an effort to get around the scalping laws that are in place in Kentucky. Scalping in the state is punishable by a fine of up to $250. The practice has angered Ali's family spokesman, Bob Gunnell, who talked to the AP about it. "Muhammad Ali wanted this to be a free event, an event that was open to all," he said. "It is deplorable that some people are trying to profit off of the solemn service as we celebrate the life of Muhammad Ali." WDRB reporter Sterling Riggs also reported that the Louisville Metro Police Department are working with sites like Craigslist to stop scalping from taking place: UPDATE- LMPD, "Do not scalp tickets to Ali's memorial service. It's illegal. We have a team working with web-sites to stop scalpers." Sterling Riggs (@SRiggsWDRB) June 9, 2016 Those who weren't able to obtain a ticket to the funeral will be able to watch the streamed version online. | 1 | 99,968 | sports |
Efforts to choke off the finances of the Islamic State group have left it unable to pay its fighters and spurred corruption within the group, a senior US official said Thursday. Daniel Glaser, the Treasury's assistant secretary for terrorist financing, told Congress that a combination of bombing attacks on IS cash stores and oil shipments, locking it out of the banking system, and cutting off Iraq government cash flows to IS-controlled areas, has left the group struggling financially. "As a result of these efforts, ISIL is struggling to pay its fighters and we have seen a number of ISIL fighters leaving the battlefield as their pay and benefits have been cut and delayed," he said, using the US's preferred acronym for Islamic State. "When we see indications that ISIL cannot pay the salaries of its own fighters and is trying to make up for lost revenue elsewhere, we know we are hitting them where it hurts.... ISIL, like any terrorist organization, needs money to survive," he said. In written testimony for a House of Representatives committee hearing on security threats, Glaser said the US government's focused attack on the financial resources of Islamic State and other groups the US dubs terrorist have had significant impact. Al-Qaeda, which has relied traditionally on money transferred from the Gulf region, has felt the result of efforts to block that funding, with the help of financial authorities in Gulf countries, he said. But he said Gulf states need to do more using domestic laws to freeze funds and assets of suspect groups and individuals. Glaser also claimed significant successes in cutting off finances for Lebanon's Hezbollah in efforts that have stretched from Asia to Latin America. "Our actions are creating a hostile operating environment for Hezbollah, raising its costs of doing business, restricting its ability to move funds, and diminishing its revenue base," he said. | 5 | 99,969 | news |
As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the Irish Hills for racing at Michigan International Speedway, here are seven things you need to know. It's off to the Irish Hills of Michigan this week, where Sunday the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will compete in the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Here are seven things you need to know about Sunday's race, with coverage beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET on FS1: Sunday's race will be the 15 th of 26 races in the Sprint Cup regular season. Nine different drivers have already won races and are all but locked into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. That leaves seven open slots and a lot of drivers eager to win and get a slot in NASCAR's playoffs. In June 2012, Dale Earnhardt broke a four-year winless streak at MIS when drove to victory in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, which on that day carried a Batman-themed paint scheme for the movie "The Dark Knight Rises." Carl Edwards has two Michigan wins and is the only driver with a single-digit average finish here. Edwards' average finish at Michigan is just 9.652. Jimmie Johnson has led 646 laps here, most of any active driver, but he has only one win at this track. NASCAR will experiment with a new lower downforce package this weekend, which should cut cornering speeds and improve passing. The same package will also be run later this summer at Kentucky Speedway. NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson was the best ever at this 2-mile track, earning 10 poles and nine race wins, both of which are records. Roush Fenway Racing's Greg Biffle has won four times at MIS, tops among active drivers. In fact, his last victory in any Cup race was right here 2013, 107 races ago. Kyle Larson's crew chief, Chad Johnston, was suspended for this race because of a lug nut violation at Pocono. He's the third crew chief suspended for lug nuts in the last two races. There have been six different winners in the last six Sprint Cup races at Michigan. The last repeat winner here was Biffle, who won in the second Michigan race in 2012 and the first in 2013. Since then, Joey Logano, Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Matt Kenseth have all won here. | 1 | 99,970 | sports |
Political attack ads all too often try to spin an opponent's jaywalking tickets into felonies. As an example, consider Virginia Rep. Randy Forbes' claim that his GOP primary opponent, Scott Taylor, "violated federal election law 19 times." The claim results from overreaching by opposition researchers. The fact is, the Federal Election Commission has cited Taylor's 2010 campaign committee for one and only one violation, for which the fine was $0. The other 18 "violations" were actually automatic "request for additional information" notices that the FEC staff continued to send to the defunct Taylor campaign committee for years, seeking additional reports and saying that the campaign "may" be violating reporting requirements. But the FEC finally decided in 2015 to let the matter drop without initiating any further enforcement action. The Forbes campaign has repeated this claim of 19 "violations" again and again. It appears on a Forbes website devoted to attacking Taylor as a "rule breaker" who isn't fit for office. And it appeared in a companion TV spot that first aired last month. Where does the Forbes campaign come up with the other 18 "violations?" Here's what really happened: In 2010, Taylor a former Navy Seal sniper and a member of the Virginia House of Delegates ran and lost a bid for the GOP nomination for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District U.S. House seat. Afterward, the campaign filed a routine financial report with the FEC showing that it had raised a total of nearly $42,000, had no outstanding debts or bills, and still had a little over $21,000 in the bank. But the next quarterly report deadline came and passed with no other report from Taylor. Even an inactive committee of a defeated candidate must continue to report what they do with any leftover money, so the FEC found "reason to believe" that Taylor's committee (and several others) had violated reporting requirements. For Taylor's committee, the FEC staff proposed an administrative fine of $990. The Taylor campaign was asked to respond. That matter was resolved a few months later, after the Taylor campaign filed a tardy "termination" report stating that it hadn't raised or spent any money since the previous report. The FEC sent a letter, dated April 29, 2011 , stating a "final determination" that the campaign committee (but not Taylor himself, technically) and the committee's treasurer had violated the reporting requirements of the federal campaign law. The commissioners voted to close the file without assessing any fine. Unfortunately for Taylor, his "termination" report showed that the campaign had a cash balance of $34,281.72, which had somehow increased from the $21,127.64 cash balance shown on the previous report, even though no new donations or expenditures were noted. Whatever the amount of leftover cash, campaign committees can't properly be terminated until accounts are zeroed out. So an FEC analyst sent the campaign a letter stating, "it appears that you have not yet met the requirements for terminating your committee," and adding that the campaign "must submit a statement explaining how it plans to dispose of residual funds." Taylor's campaign didn't respond. And for years thereafter, like clockwork every three months , the FEC staff sent "RFAI Failure to File" notices. In the FEC's bureaucratese, "RFAI" stands for " Request for Additional Information. " The FEC states that an RFAI "affords the committee/filer an opportunity to correct or clarify the public record, if necessary." So these are not official findings of a violation, which only the FEC commissioners themselves may make after formal proceedings. The staff-generated notices said " you may have failed to file " a required report, which "may" result in penalties. We stress, "may." Why didn't the Taylor campaign respond and clear up the matter? When we asked the current campaign manager Scott Weldon about this, he said the FEC kept sending its notices to a mailbox that the 2010 campaign ceased using after filing its "termination." That's plausible. The address was 2100 Mediterranean Avenue #247 , and that was the address of a " Mail Depot " location, where mailboxes could be rented. The FEC finally gave up a year ago. On June 11, 2015, an FEC staffer sent a letter to the old Taylor campaign treasurer stating that "the Commission intends to administratively terminate your committee." The letter added, "As such, your committee is no longer obligated to file reports." We'll note briefly here that this is only one example of "opposition overreach" by the Forbes campaign. Forbes claims Taylor " has been convicted in at least 4 different courts across the country, at times failing to even appear, and having a warrant issued for his arrest." According to PolitiFact Virginia , which ran down all the court records, those convictions were all for traffic violations dating back to as long ago as 1999. One was for driving 99 mph in a 65 mph zone. The one bench warrant for failure to appear for a hearing was issued by a Virginia Beach judge in 2004, but Taylor was later cleared. PolitiFact Virginia, a partnership between PolitiFact and the Richmond Times-Dispatch , quoted his campaign manager as saying that Taylor was away on a military exercise at the time. Forbes claims "Scott Taylor accumulated massive debt resulting in $1.5 million in judgments against both him and his two businesses." That's true, as far as it goes. One $620,000 (plus interest) judgment came in 2009, and resulted from a business dispute after a Florida condominium project went sour during the recession that began in December 2007. Another more recent judgment resulted from another soured business venture. That one was for $147,000 for unpaid rent and associated court costs incurred by a fitness center owned by Taylor. Virginia voters go to the polls June 14 . Forbes has represented the neighboring 4th Congressional District since 2001, but is switching districts to run in the 2nd District this year because a court-ordered change in his old district made it more competitive for a Democrat. The 2nd Congressional District incumbent Rep. Scott Rigell, who beat Taylor in the 2010 primary and went on to win the general election, is retiring after three terms in office. https://www.sharethefacts.co/share/825f4f63-4605-4192-b2f0-8f8998082002 | 5 | 99,971 | news |
DIETRICH, Idaho Anonymous phone callers from distant area codes have unleashed tirades of invective on the residents of this tiny rural town. Strangers cruise its paved and dirt roads, seeming to drive through just for a look. And come fall, Dean Grissom's 7- and 11-year-old grandchildren will be going to another school. "Their parents think the kids aren't safe," said Mr. Grissom, 57, who works for the Idaho Fish and Game agency. He said that sending the children to classes in Shoshone, eight miles away, was unnecessary in his view, but that he understood the parents' fears. A town he loves has been damaged. There is a lot of debate here about what happened at the town's only school on Oct. 23 after a football practice: an assault, a racist attack, bullying, a failure of supervision by school officials, or some combination. Hardly anyone disputes, though, that this town of 350 people has been shaken to the core. Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter State and local prosecutors say that several white football players bullied and brutally assaulted a mentally disabled black teammate in a locker room that October day, shoving a coat hanger into his rectum while other boys held his arms. Two of the players accused in the attack were charged as adults with felony sexual assault and could face life in prison if convicted. A third teammate has been charged as a juvenile. A preliminary hearing on the criminal charges is scheduled for Friday. In addition, a $10 million federal civil suit was filed last month by the boy's adoptive parents, Tim and Shelly McDaniel, who are white. In it, they accused the school district and its administrators, trustees, employees and volunteers of failing in their legal duty to protect the McDaniels' son, who they say endured months of racist taunts, humiliation and physical abuse. After the locker-room attack, the boy required treatment at two hospitals for rectal injuries. "The school district and individual defendants acted with deliberate indifference to the harassment, humiliation, mental and physical abuse and mistreatment of the plaintiff by students of the district and thereby permitted and caused him to be bullied, beaten and raped," the lawsuit said. In big ways and small, the repercussions of both the crime and the family's response are already rippling out, no matter what happens in court or at the school, which has 245 students in grades K-12. Mr. McDaniel, 60, who has taught science at the school for 21 years, put the family's house up for sale last month and is looking for work elsewhere. The cars and trucks that sometimes slowly cruise by out front, he said, and the funny looks he gets around town have unnerved him and his wife, who is 51. On July 1, a state law allowing Idahoans to carry a concealed weapon without a permit will take effect, and Mr. McDaniel said he planned to be armed after that. "If I could be gone today, I'd be gone," he said, sitting outside in the yard on a recent afternoon as dogs wandered about near chicken and goat pens. The McDaniels stood out here in rural Idaho even before the locker-room episode. Over the years, they have adopted 20 children of various races white, Hispanic and black many of them with physical, mental or emotional troubles, including autism and fetal alcohol syndrome. A few years ago, Mr. McDaniel raised hackles by teaching sex education in his science classes with illustrations that some critics said were too graphic, and one of his daughters led a campaign on Facebook to save his job. The legal terrain to come is a minefield in itself, education law experts said. Courts have generally recognized that school officials cannot be everywhere all the time, and have not typically held teachers, administrators or coaches legally responsible for occasional bullying. But that deference can fade when race, religion or disability is involved, said John Dayton, a professor of education law at the University of Georgia. In those cases, courts have sometimes tilted hard the other way, he said, if they find that a clearly vulnerable group or category of students was not sufficiently protected. Other education experts said the central question raised by the McDaniels' lawsuit whether school officials should be held responsible for failing to stop a culture of bullying before it escalates to violence had become harder to answer as new and different ways of bullying have proliferated. "The expectation of supervision has increased," said Ann E. Blankenship, an assistant professor of educational leadership at the University of Southern Mississippi. Technology, she added, "opens the door to bullying opportunities 24 hours a day." Don Heiken, Dietrich's mayor, has publicly called on the school to fire people involved in the football program, who he said must have been aware that bullying, if not outright racism, was getting worse. The boy, according to his parents' suit, was stripped of his pants on the bus after one football game, while other students took photos. He was "continuously" subjected, the suit said, to "wedgies" his underwear yanked sharply upward, sometimes so violently that he came home with torn shorts. "They had to have known," Mr. Heiken said in an interview. It probably did not help, Mr. McDaniel said, that in a school where sports are hugely important, his son was unskilled at football. Unable to remember the plays, the boy was called offsides crossing the scrimmage line before the ball was snapped six or seven times in a row in a single game, his father said. Dietrich itself, about 35 miles from Twin Falls and about 60 miles from the resort community of Sun Valley, is changing and growing, which has become part of the discussion about what happened here. The population has doubled in the last couple of decades and is expected to double again even faster, according to a planning presentation made recently to the town council. Lynn Johnson, 78, said "outsiders," as he called the wave of newcomers, were changing the town where he has lived for the past 42 years, and not always for the better. Both of the students charged as adults in the case Tanner Ray Ward, 17, and John R. K. Howard, 18 were relatively new to the community, for example. The defendant being tried as a juvenile has not been named in court documents. "Neither of them boys are from Dietrich," said Mr. Johnson, who drove a school bus and did maintenance work for the school for 17 years. "It wouldn't have happened without them." A lawyer for Mr. Ward declined to comment, and a lawyer for Mr. Howard did not respond to phone messages. The school superintendent and principal, both defendants in the civil suit, did not respond to emails and phone messages. Mr. Grissom, who lives just a few blocks from the school, said that he knew and admired the McDaniel family, and that he thought that admiration was shared in much of the town. That they would move away was one more piece of the damage, he said. "People look at this and say a lot of people are prejudiced here," Mr. Grissom said. "They're not." | 5 | 99,972 | news |
WASHINGTON Senator Elizabeth Warren is planning to endorse Hillary Clinton tonight in an appearance on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show, according to a Warren adviser. Warren moved up her timeline to endorse Clinton she had initially planned to do it next week. As of 1 p.m. Thursday, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont had no plans to meet with Warren, according to Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs. | 5 | 99,973 | news |
91-year-old Serina Vine, a veteran of World War II, had no living relatives to attend her funeral. A friend used social media to get the word out when she found out only four people were expected at the homeless woman's memorial service. More than 200 people showed up to mourn the loss of a stranger. Serina was laid to rest with full military honors at the Quantico National Cemetery in Virginia. | 8 | 99,974 | video |
How tough is it to win at NASCAR's highest level? Plenty tough. In the nearly 6 ½ years and 230 races since the start of the 2010 season, just nine NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers have posted double-digit victory totals. That works out to about 1.5 victories per year. Should be easy, right? It's not. Which is exactly why so few people have managed it. Here are the nine who have. CARL EDWARDS, 11 -- If nothing else, Edwards is consistent. Since 2010, he's won two races a season four different times, including this year. TONY STEWART, 11 --After going winless in the 2011 Sprint Cup regular season, Stewart won five of the 10 races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. That hot streak propelled him to his third series title. JOEY LOGANO, 13 -- Winless in points races so far this year, Logano won a series-high six times last year and five more in 2014, all with Team Penske. BRAD KESELOWSKI, 18 -- Already a two-time winner this year, Keselowski won six races in his championship season of 2012 and five more in 2014. MATT KENSETH, 19 -- Since moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2013, Kenseth has won 13 races, an impressive total. He likely will add to that total before the year is out. DENNY HAMLIN, 19 -- In 2010, Hamlin tore the series up, winning eight races. But this year, he got the crown jewel as he won his first Daytona 500. KEVIN HARVICK, 21 -- Always a front-runner, Harvick's career has taken off since joining Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. He won the Sprint Cup title that year, finished second in 2015 and leads the points standings now. KYLE BUSCH, 21 -- What's scary is that the younger Busch is just now entering the prime of his career and still has a huge upside. He already leads the series in 2016 with three victories. JIMMIE JOHNSON, 30 -- Not much you can about Johnson's numbers other than to note that they are truly staggering. No wonder he's a six-time Sprint Cup champion and the active leader in series victories with 77. | 1 | 99,975 | sports |
Second-degree murder charges were authorized this afternoon against a 50-year-old Battle Creek man suspected of plowing through nine cyclists, killing five, on Tuesday. Charles E. Pickett faces five counts of second degree murder, along with four counts of reckless driving causing serious impairment. The charges were authorized by District Judge Haenicke at the request of Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting, who was holding a press conference this afternoon. It wasn't immediately clear when Pickett will be arraigned. Pickett has no history of traffic violations in the state, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's Office. State records also show no criminal history in Michigan. A Facebook page for "Charlie E. Pickett" shows numerous sexually provocative memes and a profile picture with a skull and revolvers that reads, "Never water yourself down just because someone can't handle you at 100 proof." The most recent post, dated May 30: "Pissed because people only care about their bull****. and of course when s*** gets tough the(y) feed ya to the wolves." Kalamazoo WWMT reports a news crew that visited Pickett's home in Battle Creek was chased away: "Newschannel 3 went to Pickett's home on Wednesday for comment, but the family threatened to chase us off the property with a front end loader, and followed us in a car before a brief verbal exchange took place," according to the station's website. The cyclists were members of a group, dubbed "The Chain Gang," that made regular rides every Tuesday evening. The cyclists were riding up a hill on a two-lane road in Cooper Township, north of Kalamazoo, just after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when a a blue Chevrolet pickup plowed into the group from behind, killing five of them and injuring four, according to authorities. The five cyclists who were killed were identified as Debra Ann Bradley, 53, of Augusta; Melissa Ann Fevig-Hughes, 42, of Augusta; Fred Anton (Tony) Nelson, 73, of Kalamazoo; Lorenz John (Larry) Paulik, 74, of Kalamazoo; and Suzanne Joan Sippel, 56, of Augusta. The injured cyclists are Paul Douglas Gobble, 47, of Richland; Sheila Diane Jeske, 53, of Richland; Jennifer Lynn Johnson, 40, of Kalamazoo; and Paul Lewis Runnels, 65, of Richland. "As members of the Kalamazoo community we have all been dealt a devastating blow by the deaths and injuries of so many innocent people," Getting said in a news release Thursday. "Our hearts are saddened for the victims, their families and friends who are trying to cope with this tragedy. As a community, we must reach out to them and give them our support as we all struggle to deal with what has happened." Contact Robert Allen @rallenMI or [email protected]. | 5 | 99,976 | news |
The Cleveland Cavaliers looked like an entirely different team Wednesday night when they blasted Golden State in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. That performance may have been in part down to a tirade directed at them by an assistant coach after Game 2. According to Chris Haynes of Cleveland.com , normally mild-mannered assistant Phil Handy let the team have it in the locker room after their Game 2 blowout loss on Sunday, essentially calling them out for not fighting back in what Haynes describes as "a profanity-laced tirade." "He's an Oakland boy, and we went out to Oakland and got our ass whipped twice," said forward Richard Jefferson. "He was pissed off. He has to show up there every day. It means a lot to him, it means a lot to us, and for us to go out there and play the way we did was embarrassing. Look, we personally feel that no team should handle us the way they did the last two games, and it was disrespectful. "It definitely wasn't normal [for Handy to speak up], but sometimes people step out of their norm and say what they feel needs to be said, and it was definitely something that needed to be said." Cavaliers players said that Handy's outburst impacted how they played in Game 3, in which they showed more fight and desperation in a 30-point victory. Golden State seemed unprepared for Cleveland's physicality and desire. In fact, Steve Kerr openly called his team "soft" after the defeat. If you ask the Cleveland players, Handy's wakeup call was a big catalyst in that. | 1 | 99,977 | sports |
A US sandwich chain is being sued for locking its low-paid workers into non-compete agreements more typical of high-tech workers or top executives. The state of Illinois, where Jimmy John's is headquartered, accuses the company of requiring employees to sign clauses barring them from working at competing sandwich stores within two miles of one of its outlets for at least two years after leaving the company. "By locking low-wage workers into their jobs and prohibiting them from seeking better paying jobs elsewhere, (Jimmy John's) companies have no reason to increase their wages or benefits," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in a press release announcing the lawsuit. Employers typically use non-compete agreements when workers have access to confidential company information or trade secrets. High-tech companies might require them of employees writing proprietary code. But in recent years, use of such agreements has expanded, and has been the source of some debate, especially in the tech industry where workers say they are used too often. There have been reports of non-compete agreements popping up in a range of other professions, from yoga instructors to camp counselors. Jimmy John's, which has 2,500 stores across the United States, said in a statement that it had stopped requiring the agreements. "We made clear to the Attorney General that we would never enforce a non-compete agreement against any hourly employee that might have signed one," the company said. In a similar lawsuit last year, a federal judge refused to grant an injunction against Jimmy John's non-compete agreements, because the judge said the agreements were never enforced. When asked why the Jimmy John's required them in the first place, a company representative declined to comment. Laws on non-compete agreements vary among US states. Some, such as Massachusetts, have relatively permissive laws, while others, such as Illinois, restrict the agreements to cases where there is a legitimate business interest. | 3 | 99,978 | finance |
CINCINNATI (AP) The Bengals have agreed to a three-year contract extension with running back Giovani Bernard that runs through the 2019 season. The second-round pick from 2013 was entering the final year on his original deal. Bernard splits time with Jeremy Hill in the backfield. He ran for a career-high 730 yards last season and had 49 catches for 472 yards. He holds club records for catches by a running back (56 in 2013) and most yards receiving in a game (128 against Arizona last season). Overall, Bernard has run for 2,105 yards and caught 148 passes for 1,335 yards in three seasons. His 89-yard touchdown run in 2014 is the second-longest in club history. --- AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL | 1 | 99,979 | sports |
U.S. burger chain operator Wendy's Co said it had discovered additional instances of unusual cyber activity at some of its 5,700 locations in the United States. The new discoveries are a result of the company's continuing investigation into unusual credit card activity at its restaurants. The company said it had disabled the malware in cases where it was detected. Wendy's in January said it was investigating reports of unusual activity with payment cards used at some of its restaurants. (Reporting by Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta) | 3 | 99,980 | finance |
The 13 Best-Selling Cars Through May 2016 From Cruze to Camry, Sonata to Sentra Nearly half the year has flown by and along with it, lots of new cars from dealer showrooms. Could 2016 could be another record-breaking year for the U.S. auto industry? It's possible, but for now, check out the 13 best-selling cars so far in 2016. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook 13. Kia Soul 58,299 units The Soul hatch isn't just a popular car in the small-car segment, it's also Kia's best-seller through May. With year-to-date sales of 58,299 units, the Soul just barely came out ahead of the Nissan Versa sedan and hatch, which was good for 57,778 units. Explore the Kia Soul on MSN Autos 12. Chevrolet Cruze 68,065 units General Motors is on a mission to cut weight from its cars, and the new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is the latest proof of that. Chevy claims the new Cruze is up to 250 pounds lighter than its predecessor, which helps with handling and fuel efficiency. The new Cruze has only been on sale a few months, so it could move up the ranks by the end of the year. Research the Chevrolet Cruze on MSN Autos 11. Hyundai Elantra 73,892 units The new 2017 Elantra continues Hyundai's practice of packing more luxurious amenities and fancy tech than you'd expect on top trims. A few of the Elantra's stand-out features include heated rear seats, adaptive cruise control, and HID headlights that can turn around corners. Learn more about the Hyundai Elantra on MSN Autos 10. Ford Focus 83,653 units The Focus ST and RS are the superstars in the lineup, but models with the 2.0-liter I-4 are better sellers. In all, the Ford Focus accounted for 83,653 units through May 2016, making it the fourth best-selling model in its segment. Ford Focus news and reviews on MSN Autos 9. Hyundai Sonata 92,547 units SUVs and crossovers are the top-sellers for some automakers, but not in Hyundai's case. The midsize Sonata sedan continues to be Hyundai's top-selling model overall, with 92,547 units sold through the first five months of this year. Explore the Hyundai Sonata on MSN Autos 8. Nissan Sentra 102,293 units Thanks to an extensive refresh, the Nissan Sentra is up 15.3 percent through May, landing in third place in its segment. Active safety tech is now available on the 2016 Sentra, which is quieter than its predecessor. Research the Nissan Sentra on MSN Autos 7. Chevrolet Malibu 104,187 units The new-for-2016 Chevrolet Malibu is significantly better than its predecessor. Not only is it lighter, but it offers more passenger room, new and efficient engines, and fancy safety features like a pedestrian alert system for the driver. Learn more about the Chevrolet Malibu on MSN Autos 6. Ford Fusion 120,313 units The Ford Fusion is doing relatively well so far, outselling a few of its refreshed competitors including the Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata. That said, the refreshed 2017 Ford Fusion (pictured) arrives in showrooms soon, with tweaked sheetmetal, an improved interior, and more tech. Ford Fusion news and reviews on MSN Autos 5. Honda Accord 140,548 units The Altima wasn't the only midsizer to get refreshed for model-year 2016. The revised 2016 Honda Accord benefits from more technology including its available package of active safety tech features. Styling has also been updated, with 19-inch wheels available. Research the Honda Accord on MSN Autos 4. Nissan Altima 142,220 units For 2016, the Nissan Altima received a face-lift, new standard features, and a new sporty SR model that adds a sport-tuned suspension and visual upgrades such as a rear spoiler. The revisions appear to have helped, as the Altima is currently the second best-selling midsize sedan after the Camry and just slightly above the Honda Accord, which outsold the Nissan in May. Research Nissan Altima pricing on MSN Autos 3. Toyota Corolla 151,243 units The Corolla lineup may not have the depth of its competitors like the Civic and Ford Focus, but the sedan continues to sell well for Toyota. Soon, we'll start seeing the refreshed 2017 model (pictured) on the road, and that could boost numbers closer to the new Civic. Learn more about the Toyota Corolla on MSN Autos 2. Honda Civic 158,030 units Styling is bolder, powertrains are new, and sales are up 22.0 percent, to be exact. The 10th-generation Civic is shaping up to be a hit for Honda and sales should only get better with the introduction of the hatchback and sportier variants including the Civic Si. Honda Civic news and reviews on MSN Autos 1. Toyota Camry 167,199 units The Camry has led the midsize segment for more than a decade and there's no sign of that changing this year. So far, Camry sales have totaled 167,199 units, which is actually down 6.3 percent from last year, but thousands of units ahead of the Nissan Altima and Honda Accord. Research the Toyota Camry on MSN Autos | 9 | 99,981 | autos |
Most of us have been in this situation: We're out bar hopping with friends, ready for the next round, but we already have a full glass in hand. We can blame it on our refined college skill to devour copious amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time, but researchers suggest we shouldn't put the blame on ourselves completely. According to a recent study published in the journal BMC Public Health , larger glasses change our perception, specifically when it comes to wine, leading us to drink faster and order more. Previous research has found a correlation between the size, shape, and color of a wine glass and how much alcohol is consumed. For example, when we serve our own wine, how much we pour is influenced by these environmental factors. In regards to white wine, we pour nine percent more than if it were red, because it is harder to see. We tend to pour up to 12 percent more into wide red wine glasses than narrow white wine glasses. Meanwhile, we pour up to 12 percent more if we're holding our wine glass in our hands versus pouring into a glass set on a table. However, how does our drinking behavior change when a bartender pours us wine versus self-serving wine at a restaurant? In an effort to explore portion size and alcohol consumption , researchers from the University of Cambridge's Behavior and Health Research Unit (BHRU) decided to play some "dirty tricks" on patrons of the Pint Shop in Cambridge, from mid-March to early July 2015. The establishment has separate bar and restaurant areas, both selling food and drink. Wine in 125 milliliter (ml) or 175ml servings could be purchased by the glass, which is usually a 300ml size. By the bottle, the standard size is 750ml, while in a carafe, it's 500ml or 1000ml. Three similarly shaped wine glasses that varied in sizes between 250ml, 300ml, and 370 ml were used in the shop for eight straight nights. The researchers then analyzed sales data to see how the size of a wine glass affected how much patrons drank. The findings revealed wine sales went up 9.4 percent when wine was served in larger glasses, compared to standard-size. This increase was more pronounced in the bar area, at 14.4 percent, than an 8.2 percent increase in the restaurant area, where most glasses are poured by customers from bottles. "We found that increasing the size of wine glasses, even without increasing the amount of wine, leads people to drink more," said Dr. Rachel Pechey, study co-author the BHRU at Cambridge, in a statement . Although it remains unclear why this is the case, researchers speculate larger glasses could lead us to perceive there's less wine in a glass, causing us to drink faster and order more. People may order more wine because they believe they got less than a full glass when served larger glasses. Pechey notes: "But it's interesting that we didn't see the opposite effect when we switched to smaller wine glasses." In other words, smaller wine glasses did not encourage people to drink less. A similar 2015 study found our beer glass shape could influence how drunk we are likely to get. The findings revealed bars using straight-sided glasses reported less alcohol consumption than drinking from curved glasses. This is because we're more likely to misjudge the halfway point in curved glasses. These studies have public health implications, suggesting being mindful of glass shape, size, and volume can possibly help curb binge drinking and lead heavy drinkers to consume alcohol at a slower pace. In the U.S., binge drinking is the most common pattern of excessive alcohol use, says the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Binge drinking is defined as a pattern of drinking that brings your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08g/dL or more. This happens in men when they've had five or more drinks, and in women when they've had four or more drinks in a span of two hours. Alcohol consumption is a risk factor in major public health problems like Type 2 diabetes, cancer and liver disease, so "glass size might be an effective target for intervention," according to the researchers. They also believe the findings could prompt maximum glass sizes to become a condition of alcohol licenses in the future. So, avoiding the use of larger wine glasses could potentially curb binge drinking, and even prevent the onset of several diseases. Source: Pechey R, Couturier DL, Hollands GJ et al. Does wine glass size influence sales for on-site consumption? A multiple treatment reversal design. BMC Public Health. 2016. | 7 | 99,982 | health |
You have to feel bad for Kevin Love these days. The Cavaliers forward is having his reputation impugned after Cleveland rolled to a Game 3 win with Love on the sidelines. Meanwhile, he's dealing with the after-effects of a concussion -- a ridiculously painful injury made worse by the fact that there's no real way for the outside world to understand what you're going through. When you break a leg, we see the cast. When you injure your brain, the best we can do is dissect vague "symptoms." Thanks to that lack of clarity, there are some not-so-nice fans out there calling Love soft. But don't let Andrew Bogut hear you say that, because the Golden State Warriors big man is having none of it. "Right now, there's probably people calling Kevin Love 'soft' and those people are idiots. You don't mess around with the brain. [...] You can be a hero now in the NBA Finals in 2016, and in 2021, you will be sucking food through a straw. And you won't give a [expletive] about what you did in 2016." Bogut's speaking from experience. He suffered what he claimed to be his first diagnosed concussion of his life earlier this year, and he told reporters back in November that the injury had him slightly shaken up: His fiancee told him his "whole personality was different. I was cranky. I was snappy. It's scary, man. Like it can actually change your personality," Bogut said after returning to action Monday night. "It was my first one, and I hope it's my last because that (stuff) is absolutely horrible." As of Thursday afternoon, Love hadn't yet been cleared for Game 4 on Friday night, although there are early reports that he expects to play, potentially off of the bench. Until then, we just hope that he's able to get healthy as soon as possible. Bogut's right -- you don't mess around with the brain. | 1 | 99,983 | sports |
This horse Pinto loves to horse around with her owner She made her way out to a pasture and way just lying there waiting to get attention. A passerby reported a dead horse on her property and called her up but she knew that Pinto was just trying to get some attention. After refusing to move for a few minutes the stubborn anima finally got up on her feet. | 8 | 99,984 | video |
Bisri Adib, a writer and translator in the small Indonesian town of Rombang, spends hours a day fighting the self-described Islamic State. His weapons of choice? Facebook posts, WhatsApp messages and funny memes. Adib, 36, is one of the 500 or so Indonesian "cyber warriors" who are using social media to counter the ISIS propaganda machine. They work from coffee shops, internet cafés, university campuses, their offices (stealthily) and their homes; on smartphones, laptops and shared computers. Their message: that Islam's tolerant, pluralistic side is the true faith. Their target: young Muslims who are being lured by ISIS' fundamentalist vision of good vs. evil. "We try to set a 'perimeter' around aggressive Islam so that it doesn't spread beyond those who are already radicalized," Adib said. Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, which has been largely resistant to radical movements. But in the past two years, over 600 Indonesians are believed to have defected for ISIS-controlled territories. The Islamic State's vast propaganda machine is a major factor: Its supporters send over 90,000 social media messages every day. And it has its own news agency, Amaq, which breaks stories for a global audience. The counterattack is coming from Nahdlatul Ulama, a moderate Sunni Islamic movement launched in Indonesia nearly a century ago that now claims 50 million members worldwide . NU was originally founded to stem the spread of Wahhabism, a militant, ultra-conservative version of Islam that originated in Saudi Arabia. It's Wahhabism, along with Salafism , another originalist strain, that underpins the ideology of the Islamic State today. NU promotes Islam Nusantara, or "Islam of the Archipelago," a tolerant, expansive form of the faith that arose from Indonesian Muslims' centuries-long co-existence with Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists. Adib and his fellow cyber warriors are just the latest volunteers -- and social media is just the latest weapon -- in its international battle to beat back extremism. A Wall Around Extremism Adib joined NU when he was a 20-year-old college student. He believes that NU's liberal approach to religion, education and civic life contains the "antidote" for extremism. And he thinks the internet is particularly well-suited to disseminate this message. "The Prophet [Mohammed] said, ' La taghdab -- don't be angry,'" he told The Huffington Post. "We try to make the image of Islam as fun as possible. That's why memes and tweets are the best way to spread our ideas." On Facebook, Adib said he posts silly memes that poke fun at extremists as well as earnest text posts that extol moderate Islam. He's active in several WhatsApp groups, both public and closed, where people exchange anti-ISIS memes. He isn't on Twitter himself, but he said many of his fellow volunteers are, and they spend hours conversing with pro-ISIS accounts. The Islamic State's propaganda is aimed at vulnerable Indonesian youth, especially in large cities like Jakarta and Yogyakarta, according to Adib. The extremists cite the Quran as justification for ISIS's militant efforts. One way Adib and his fellow volunteers try to counter that is by providing alternative interpretations for those religious quotes. They do this both on individual Twitter accounts -- like @savicali, @teronggosong and @mbah_lalar -- and on group accounts -- like @kbaswaja and @ansorcybermedia. They rally around hashtags like #ayomondok and #antiwahabi. Adib also trains additional volunteers at a local madrassa, or religious school, two or three times a week. It is largely basic instruction on how to set up a Facebook or Twitter profile, how to optimize posts for social media and how to share content with like-minded volunteers. "Many young people are full of positive Islamic content in their mind, but they are not capable of uploading these thoughts to social media," he said. So he shows them how. Outside of a handful of volunteers at NU headquarters in Jakarta, the members of the anti-propaganda initiative are, like Adib, spread out across the islands of Indonesia. An informal network has been working online for at least six years (going back to when the main extremist threat was al Qaeda , not ISIS), according to Yahya Cholil Staquf, a senior NU official. But he said the volunteers have ramped up their efforts in the last six months. Social Media Has Its Limits Fighting a cyber war is far from simple. Nava Nuraniyah, an extremism expert at the Indonesia-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, offers some words of caution. Facebook and Twitter -- two of the main platforms used by the cyber warriors -- are already sort of passé among extremist circles, she said. Rather, ISIS's current media of choice are messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp, which are encrypted end-to-end . (That means only the sender and the receiver can read messages. No third party can, including the app designers.) ISIS is also known for constantly shifting its messaging platforms. BOM JAKARTA. ANJING-ANJING ISIS #bukanislam #islamituindah #islam #iloveislam #islammyreligon #islammylife A photo posted by dayat petrasanga (@sangapetra22) on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:09am PST But it's not enough to engage in anti-extremist efforts online, said Nuraniyah. "It's good that these volunteers are giving a voice to the silent majority of moderate Muslims," she said. "But just putting your ideas out there doesn't really target those who are most vulnerable to radicalization." The problem is that many of Indonesia's would-be radicals aren't Facebook friends with those posting moderate content, or following them on Twitter, or part of their messaging groups. Too often, the two sides may be missing each other online. "In Indonesia," Nuraniyah said, "jihad is a social activity" -- not just a social media activity. "People get recruited online, through social media, but their further radicalization occurs offline, in study groups and meetings." Those face-to-face gatherings happen in public places, at mosques and madrassas. Nuraniyah argues that such radicalizing activities must somehow be disrupted or limited in order to stem the growth of ISIS. She suggested that the Indonesian government cooperate with religious leaders at the municipal or village level to prevent such meetings. David Against Goliath Against the daily deluge of ISIS propaganda, there is a David-and-Goliath quality to the Indonesian volunteers' missives. But NU is extending its reach every day. It has established several websites to promote its moderate views, developed an Android app , broadcast sermons on its online TV channels , and even released a feature-length film . So far, the NU cyber warriors have worked almost exclusively in the Indonesian language, said Staquf, and not in Arabic, which is the lingua franca of many ISIS advocates. But he said he hopes to add Arabic outreach. For its part, the Indonesian government has found it difficult to effectively attack the Islamic State's message. "There is no state-induced politicization of religion in Indonesia," said Rohan Gunaratna, a security studies professor based in Singapore. "So the Jakarta government is not officially countering these foreign influences or promoting moderation and toleration." When the Indonesian government decided to block access to some two dozen websites last year due to their "radical content," it did so with a clumsy hand that caused a major public backlash. "The websites were puritanical and sympathized with Salafi ideology , but they were not actually violent or terrorist," said Nuraniyah. Human rights groups came to their defense on the grounds of free speech. That uproar illustrates the challenges that await any broad government efforts to quash non-violent extremism, Nuraniyah said. But the voices of private citizens like Adib and his fellow cyber warriors aren't so constrained. Every day, they grapple with the multi-headed beast of ISIS propaganda. | 5 | 99,985 | news |
15 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Drink Caffeine 15 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Drink Caffeine Are you the type who needs that first cup of coffee in the morning before you say a single word? Think about how often you drink caffeine on a weekly basis. It is really helping you or actually hurting you? Caffeine is considered a stimulant; this could work for you or against you. It has the ability to speed up your central nervous system, increase your alertness and help improve your memory . However, too much caffeine can give you the "jitters," increase your blood pressure , make you nauseous and cause insomnia . It is commonly found in beverages including coffee, tea , sodas and energy drinks , and, the truth is, these caffeinated drinks can be addictive. You may feel withdrawal symptoms such as headaches , loss of concentration and drowsiness. It's important to reduce your intake of caffeine slowly to avoid these symptoms. Caffeine can promote positive and harmful effects on your body . The key is drinking it in moderation. Continue reading to find out what happens to your body when you drink caffeine. 1. Your heartbeat increases Caffeine raises your adrenaline , which in turn increases your heartbeat. Patients who already suffer from abnormal heart rhythms may endure skipped beats and palpitations. Make sure you drink caffeinated drinks in moderation, consuming too many drinks in a short amount of time may have harmful effects on your heart . 2. Detoxes the liver and cleanses the colon According to research , about two cups of coffee daily could help sufferers of liver disease. When taken as an enema, caffeine has shown to have effects on cleansing the colon . 3. Increases attention span Caffeine has been proven to improve alertness, energy, concentration and clear-headedness. According to research , a 75mg serving of caffeine (the amount found in a regular cup of coffee) has been proven to help increase attention. However, higher intakes do not necessarily result in additional increases of alertness. 4. You may get jitters or feel restless "Jitters" are a nervous and anxious feeling that can prevent you from concentrating and sleeping well. If you get jittery every time you consume caffeine it may be because you are consuming too much of it, you are drinking it too often, or you are drinking it on an empty stomach. 5. Helps improve memory In Japan researchers have shown that caffeine increases memory. According to a study out of Johns Hopkins University, a 200mg caffeine pill helped boost memory consolidation. 6. May suffer from anxiety Anxiety is a major issue ; it can put you at risk for a variety of health related problems. Similar to the "jitters" mentioned earlier, caffeinated drinks have the ability to put you in a state of short term anxiety. You may experience negative thinking, nervousness and fatigue. For individuals who already suffer from anxiety, consuming caffeine may only make your symptoms worse. *See: 7 Natural Remedies for Stress and Anxiety 7. Insomnia According to WebMD , it takes about five to seven hours, on average to eliminate half of your caffeine intake out from your body. After eight to 10 hours, 75% of the caffeine in your body should be gone. That being said, if you drink caffeine too close to your bedtime, it will cause you to have a restless night sleep and may even cause insomnia . *Tip: Don't consume caffeine six hours before bed. 8. May cause addiction According to research , it is believed that 3 out of 4 regular caffeine users are addicted to the substance . "After addiction, withdrawal from the use of caffeine can cause mood swings and irritability, similar to the symptoms of withdrawing from a narcotic or alcohol." 9. Wakes you up "Caffeine can affect some neurotransmitters that normally keep the blood vessels slightly closed. This causes your arteries to remain wider, allowing more blood to flow through them, which brings more oxygen to your brain and tissues to make you feel more awake," according to livestrong.com . Tip: Start your morning with a Ready to Drink Chameleon Cold-Brew . 10. Helps relieve post-workout muscle pain Research has shown that caffeine has positive effects on relieving muscle pain . The University of Illinois found that there was significant reduction in quadriceps muscle pain after giving individuals caffeine compared to a placebo pill ( WebMD ). 11. May help prevent weight gain Caffeine has been shown to boost weight loss and even prevent weight gain . According to Mayo Clinic , caffeine is appetite suppression; it may reduce your desire to eat for a short time. It may also stimulate thermogenesis, which may help burn extra calories throughout the day . 12. Increases blood pressure For those who are sensitive to caffeine, a rise in blood pressure is common. If you already have high blood pressure , it may be wise to cut out caffeine altogether. 13. Stimulates you fast Caffeine has the ability to enhance sport and workout performance . It increases alertness which aids in extended periods of exercise. It has been also shown to help athletes train harder and longer. *See more ways caffeine enhances your workout here . 14. Can prevent headaches "More than one in 10 Americans, including one in 6 women, have migraines, but many have been told mistakenly that they have a sinus or tension headache," according to WebMD . Headache triggers include, stress, hormones and even food. Luckily, studies have shown that caffeine may help certain types of headache pain. *See: Signs You're Having a Migraine 15. Pregnancy "For pregnant women or those attempting pregnancy , the March of Dimes suggests fewer than 200 mg of caffeine per day. That's largely because in limited studies, women consuming higher amounts of caffeine had an increased risk for miscarriage," according to WebMD . | 7 | 99,986 | health |
Data on U.S. oil rigs could be interesting Friday afternoon, if they show another week of increased activity. Baker Hughes rig data is released at 1 p.m. ET, and it comes in a week where oil crossed $51 for the first time since since July 2015. At $50 per barrel, analysts have expected to see a return of some drilling activity, and last week's data showed nine oil rigs were added. That makes a total of just 10 new rigs this year. "It's going to be a big deal. If there's a jump of double digits, it's going to be significant. Anecdotal reports show there's some activity in the Permian Basin, in particular, where the breakevens are about $35," said John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital. There is also consumer sentiment at 10 a.m. ET, and it is expected to dip slightly to 93.5 from 94.7. The Federal budget is released at 2 p.m. ET. Stocks had their first negative day in four on Thursday with the S&P 500 down three points to 2,115. At the same time, Treasury yields continued to decline across the curve as global bond yields fell. The German 10-year bund was yielding a low 0.03 percent. The U.S. 10-year continued to trade just above the year's low yield, and was at 1.68 percent in late trading. Traders have been watching to see if the S&P can break above its all-time high of 2,132, even after last week's disappointing May jobs report. However, Thursday's sell-off was a positive, according to Scott Redler, partner with T3Live.com. "It burnt off some of the overbought conditions. The market was definitely overbought," said Redler, who watches the market's short-term technicals. "I think there was a little rotation into some tech names Amazon (AMZN) is still near highs, Apple (AAPL) is holding in there and Facebook (FB) looks all right. Oil didn't fall apart." Redler said it was a positive that the S&P held 2,010, which had been a level of resistance, and if technology continues to draw in buying, that could help lift the market to new highs. "The next move for the bulls will be to take out 2,132 with authority. Every time the bears have a chance to take the ball back, they blow it," he said. Jack Ablin, CIO of BMO Private Bank, said the market is getting pricey and lacks catalysts. "We like commodities and REITs. We've been in the utility dividend companies, but they're expensive now. We maybe downshift to mid-caps, but we're still defensive and we still have cash," he said. "I'm not sure what it would really take for it to break out. At some point we're going to need something fundamental," he said. Oil has been a mostly positive factor for stocks this week, and is up about 4 percent week to date even with a decline in West Texas Intermediate crude futures Thursday. WTI closed down 1.3 percent at $50.56 per barrel. Oil's decline to about $26 per barrel in February had been a major headwind for stocks when it was in decline. "It's not in the abyss. We just didn't know earlier in the year how low it would go. It held a systemic risk element. When it turned that corner, we had a lot of risk come out of the market, but at the same time I think on a day-to-day basis, it appears to be serving as a global growth barometer to the extent you have prices trend higher. That's the big missing ingredient in what we're looking for in these markets. It's growth." Oil has been getting an added lift from disruptions in Nigeria, Canada and elsewhere as well as the decline in U.S. oil drilling. However, for the first time in four months, the government reported this week that oil production actually rose, albeit a slight 10,000 barrels a day. Oil production is down about 800,000 barrels from its peak to recent levels of 8.75 million barrels a day. As oil production fell, Baker Hughes reports rig count fell too, now at 325 oil rigs compared to about 1,600 in October 2014. "The E and P companies are lined up. It's like 'start your engines,'" said Oppenheimer energy analyst Fadel Gheit. "They are tempted. They are not in yet. They are still in line. There's no question in my mind they are a lot closer to the turnaround or the turning point than they were only a few weeks ago." Gheit said the companies will want to see that prices above $50 are sustainable. Analysts expect some companies can start to resume some drilling at $50, but it will take a price over $60 to bring back most shale drilling. Harold Hamm, CEO of Continental Resources, told CNBC on Thursday that he now sees oil at $69 to $72 per barrel at year end, up from his prior forecast of $60. He also said the company will be conservative about adding new rigs, but it is going to complete 195 drilled (but not completed) wells by year end. He did not say when the company would add production. Gheit said Hamm's forecast appears high. "The realistic expectation is going to be $55 to $65. I would not be surprised to see oil prices knocking on $60 [by year end]," he said. If the industry does start drilling, he said, there's a risk it could begin to add too much oil to a still oversupplied market with high inventories. "It will be a self-correcting mechanism. In my opinion it will be a circuit-breaker. It's going to be like you don't want to accelerate so much so fast. The market condition will serve as a reminder. Don't push your luck. You're going to create oversupply again," Gheit said. He also said the return of U.S. oil could have more immediate impact on world prices since it is no longer restricted by the oil export ban. | 3 | 99,987 | finance |
In a series of dueling tweets between the presumptive presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton responded to Donald Trump's tweet about President Obama's endorsement with "Delete your account." | 5 | 99,988 | news |
A group of researchers in the UK have determined that serving wine in larger glasses could cause people to drink more, according to Scientific American , and it all has to do with how people perceive the amount in the glass. The BioMed Central Public Health study builds on the theory that larger plates can entice people to eat more food, with a hypothesis that the same could be true for larger wine glasses. The researchers had a restaurant in Cambridge, England change up the size of its glasses over eight two-week spans, and they observed the effect on people's ordering. Switching from a standard 300-milliliter glass to 370 on the larger side and 250 on the smaller side, keeping the pours between 125 milliliters and 175 milliliters, the study found that serving wine in smaller glasses produced no measurable effect, while the larger glasses prompted guests to order more, causing a 10 percent increase in wine sales. Further investigation into this effect will continue, but the researchers may one day make recommendations on the implementation of a standard-sized wine glass to reduce overconsumption. "Ensuring that all glasses were below a certain size could be one criterion amongst alcohol licensing requirements," according to the study. Earlier this year, the UK's chief medical officer issued new guidelines for alcohol consumption, slamming the notion that moderate drinking can benefit heart health, and recommending both men and women drink a maximum six or seven beers or small glasses of wine a week. Another recent report from researchers at the University of Victoria in British Columbia poked holes in certain studies of moderate drinking, revealing significant issues when it came to separating groups of lifelong non-drinkers and occasional and former drinkers. | 7 | 99,989 | health |
(Bloomberg) -- Lenovo Group Ltd. is adding experimental technologies to its smartphones in a bid to grow its business, trying to overcome declining personal computer shipments and a competitive mobile market. The Beijing-based company said Thursday it will introduce a phone that uses a Google sensory technology named Tango, and announced two new Motorola handsets that can be augmented with additional equipment via 16 "magic dots" in their backs. At an event in San Francisco, the company also announced a partnership with networking vendor Juniper Networks to extend its data center unit. "Over the past two years Lenovo has been transforming, making major acquisitions in mobile and infrastructure to expand beyond our core PC business," said Yuanqing Yang, the company's chairman and chief executive officer. "I was told we'd better launch something pretty exciting." Lenovo is looking to phones for growth to offset a struggling PC market. Lenovo was the largest single vendor of PC shipments in the first quarter of 2016, according to IDC, but shipments declined 8.5 percent on a year earlier. The company acquired the Motorola smartphone business for $2.8 billion in 2014 to help it hedge against this weakness, but turning those phones into major sales has proven to be a challenge. Competitive Market Lenovo faces an uphill battle trying to regain its share of the mobile phone market against renewed competition from local rivals like Huawei Technologies Co. Its smartphone sales in China fell 85 percent compared to a year earlier, Jenny Lai, an analyst at HSBC, wrote in a note to clients following Lenovo's fourth-quarter results in May. Lenovo reported a full-year loss of $128 million compared with net income of $829 million a year earlier. "Lenovo will step up its mobile investments in order to achieve targets," she said. "Financial year 2017 will be a transitional year for Lenovo with flat shipments and continued operating losses in mobile business." To boost sales, Lenovo is turning to new technologies. The company will release a phone called the Phab2 Pro in September that uses technology from Alphabet Inc.-subsidiary Google called Tango. The system lets the phone host augmented reality applications, like software to help people navigate the world, play virtual domino and dinosaur games, easily measure spaces in households and add in three-dimensional models of furniture. With the Phab2 Pro, Lenovo will be the first company to field AR technology on smartphones without the need of a headset, separate device or attachment to a powerful computer. The cost of the Phab2 Pro will start at $499. "Lenovo is creating a new kind of AR experience that is more portable, more practical, and will be even more popular," Yang said. New Handsets The company also will release two new Motorola handsets, the MotoZ and MotoZ Force, that can be upgraded with additional equipment via what the company is calling Moto Mods. This lets people easily add battery power, speakers, projectors and other hardware capabilities to its phones by fastening the equipment with 16 "magic dots" -- or high-powered magnets -- to the phone's back. "Now your phone is not just your phone," Yang said. With Moto Mods, the phone "can transform into whatever you wanted it to be or needed to be," he said. Lenovo is not alone in seeing value in adding more capabilities to its smartphones. Google plans to do the same via an in-development technology called Project Ara, that lets consumers swap different capabilities of their phones in and out according to their needs. And Lenovo believes that these new phones will drive further demand for its enterprise business as well. "Of course all of this connectivity creates huge new demand for cloud infrastructure that is safe, reliable, easy to access, and of course easy to deploy and easy to expand," Yang said. --With assistance from David Ramli To contact the reporter on this story: Jack Clark in San Francisco at [email protected]. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at [email protected], Andrew Pollack, Alistair Barr ©2016 Bloomberg L.P. | 3 | 99,990 | finance |
Draymond Green is an unabashed trash-talker on the court, ready to get in any opponent's face at any time. But on Thursday, the outspoken Warriors forward directed his venom toward his own team after Golden State's 30-point loss in Game 3. "We were extremely soft," Green said after practice Thursday, via ESPN . "We got bullied, punked, whatever word you can find for it." Green wasn't done attacking his team. When asked about any adjustments the Cleveland Cavaliers might have made that changed the momentum of the series, Green didn't let up. "There was no X or O adjustment they made. They punked us," Green said. Kerr didn't go as far as saying the Warriors got "punked", but he did intimate after the 120-90 loss that the Warriors showed no fight. "They just punched us right in the mouth, right in the beginning," Kerr said Wednesday. "We were turning the ball over like crazy. Soft. We were extremely soft to start the game, and they set the tone with their intensity." The defending champions need to get more out of their backcourt if they want to stay in control of this series that appeared to be all but wrapped up for the Warriors after Game 2. Steph Curry is averaging 16 points on 44 percent shooting from the floor while Klay Thompson is scoring 12 points a game on 37 percent shooting through the first three games of the Finals. But Green wasn't as concerned about the statistics as he was about the effort or lack thereof shown by Golden State. "Wasn't about shooting percentages," Green said. "We lost that game when we stepped on the floor and got punked from the jump ball." | 1 | 99,991 | sports |
SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The last five years have been mostly barren ones for the Phillies. Once perennial contenders, they have not had a winning record since 2011. In the midst of that, their farm system languished too. But the last few months have been kind for the organization. The end of the Ruben Amaro Jr. era finally brought prospects to restock for the long haul. And after Amaro was fired last fall, Matt Klentak, the new general manager, was charged with turning around the moribund franchise. Thursday night provided the Phillies the latest opportunity to build a new foundation. After a 63-win season last year, they held the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball Draft. At 7:12 p.m., they selected Mickey Moniak, an 18-year-old center fielder from La Costa Canyon High School (Ca.). "This is a middle of the field player," Klentak said. The way baseball is today that was a major factor. He's athletic and he can really hit." The Phillies invested heavily in scouting Moniak. They had a member of their organization at every one of his games and Klentak saw him in person. Johnny Almaraz, the team's scouting director, saw a player who could eventually hit more than 20 home runs a year and play Gold Glove defense. His acumen in center field, Almarez said, is so high that he believes Moniak could play there in the majors right now. Still, it took time for Moniak to separate himself from the pack and leap to the top of the draft. The Phillies began to identify him as the possible first pick last month. But they also used most of their allotted time to make their selection Thursday night for a reason, Klentak said and noting multiple factors determined the decision. Moniak, who has drawn comparisons to former All-Star Steve Finley, could be a linchpin of the next generation of Phillies stars. Their only other No. 1 pick in franchise history was Pat Burrell in 1998. Burrell eventually was a part of the 2008 World Series winning team, with a nucleus that was built on homegrown talent. Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels were all Phillies draft picks. Now, the Phillies are in the position to wait again and hope they can rebuild from the bottom. "It's going to take time," Ed Wade, a special assistant of baseball operations for the club and its former general manager who drafted those past stalwarts, said. "I don't think anybody at this stage believes that the club that's on the field right now is necessarily is going to be the one that could become the core nucleus for years and years. But there's certain key elements in place right now that could give a lot of people reason to be optimistic about what the future holds if the younger guys come on in the system and if events like tonight pay off then it could happen sooner than later." High school talents, like Moniak, was popular at the top of the draft. Ian Anderson, a right-handed pitcher from New York, went third overall to the Braves. Riley Pint, a right-hander from Kansas, went fourth to the Rockies. Nick Senzel, a third baseman from the University of Tennessee, went second to the Reds. Anderson was the first player taken who watched the draft from the MLB Network studio here. "It was better than expected," he said. "I was nervous. I was shaking I was so excited. It was great." A.J. Puk was the first college pitcher taken, going sixth overall to the Athletics. "A lefty out of Florida that I love everything about," Pedro Martinez said on MLB Network. "This kid has no ceiling." Just as conspicuous was the player who wasn't taken in the top-10. Jason Groome, the 17-year-old lefty from Barnegat (NJ) High School was once projected to be the top overall pick in the draft. With a fastball that sat in the low-to-mid 90's and a knee-buckling curveball that was considered the best in the draft, Groome was once a prospect to go to his hometown Phillies. Instead, he had to wait until the Red Sox stopped his fall with the 12th overall pick, banking that his talent will supersede the warts that let him drop to them. "Just because people say something," Groome said. "It doesn't mean it's going to happen." By the time Groome, a Red Sox fan, was drafted, he wasn't watching the television. He overheard his name as he texted back a friend and then went wild, along with his family as they watched from his cousin's home. And those in Groome's inner circle believe that he could be in the majors sooner than most think. "From a consistency, from a smoothness, from a projectability, I think Jay can be in the majors and will be in the majors by 20," Kevin Schneider, one of Groome's personal coaches, told USA Today. Moniak, however, did not wait and already had a new home while Groome waited. And he thinks one skill will stand out above all others for him in Philadelphia. "I'd say my hit tool," Moniak said. "Who doesn't love to hit." | 1 | 99,992 | sports |
The 'Mom' actress and 'Jurassic World' actor show off some moves they learned from professional wrestler Dave Bautista. Watch! | 6 | 99,993 | entertainment |
There was a lot of confusion surrounding the selection of Will Craig by the Pittsburgh Pirates at No. 22 overall in the MLB Draft, but it turns out it was all an error. Craig pitched and played third base in college for Wake Forest, but it was with his bat where he really stood out. For that reason, most viewed his future as a pro coming as a position player. That's why the way his pick was announced by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred was so surprising. When Manfred announced that Craig was the Pirates' pick, he referred to the youngster as a pitcher. That announcement led to MLB Network, which was televising the draft, to freak out. They began exclaiming how surprising it was to see the Pirates view Craig as a pitcher. Keep in mind that Craig challenged for the ACC triple crown by batting .379 with 16 home runs, 16 doubles and 66 RBIs this season. The year before, he batted .382 with 20 doubles and 13 home runs as a sophomore. He has posted an OPS of 1.097 during his college career. You don't typically turn players with that kind of power into a pitcher. Craig did 13.1 innings as a freshman, and last year he made seven starts and pitched 44.1 innings with a 6.09 ERA. This season he was 2-0 with a 3.54 ERA, 9 saves and 25 strikeouts, so you could see how that would appeal to some teams. But MLB Network quickly corrected the record that there was an error on the commissioner's card, leading him to say Craig was being drafted as a pitcher, when in fact he was not. | 1 | 99,994 | sports |
A student pilot and his flight instructor have been missing for nearly two weeks after their plane took off from a California island in overcast conditions. Woodland Hills, California insurance broker Edmond Haronian, 50, and flight instructor Jason Glazier, 50, went missing on May 28 after their plane took off on a return flight from Catalina Island. Authorities confirmed to CBS Los Angeles that the men did not file a flight plan. The aircraft departed Catalina Island Airport on Saturday afternoon, but failed to make it back to Van Nuys Airport, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told the Los Angeles Times . Haronian's family is offering $150,000 for information that leads to his body and $250,000 if Haronian is found alive. "We would like to have closure," Haronian's brother, Edwin Haronian, told ABC 7 . "And we would like to accept it if we find some clue that it actually crashed." The family said they had nearly given up hope until they found photos Haronian posted on Facebook showing that he had reached Catalina. Searches by the Coast Guard, Sheriff's department and others have found no sign of the men or the plane and no distress call was received. Haronian's family said the fact that no wreckage has been found gives them hope that he is still alive. "We still haven't given up hope," Haronian's ex-wife, Rose Haronian, told CBS LA. The family says they will keep searching until they have an answer. "[We need] something that we can work off of because right now, it's unbelievable that a plane just goes missing in thin air," said Eddie Bardi, Haronian's son. | 5 | 99,995 | news |
With the Sharks and Penguins combining for five goals in the first period, neither goalie began Game 5 all that well. But San Jose's netminder sure stepped up in a tremendous way in the second period. With the Sharks up 3-2 in the final few minutes of the frame, Penguins center Nick Bonino found the best scoring chance of the playoffs. And then Martin Jones ' leg performed grand larceny: Martin Jones steals away a goal from Nick Bonino pic.twitter.com/DUr6yxAxok Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) June 10, 2016 The save preserved the Sharks' 3-2 and they eventually went on to win 4-2, leaving the Penguins with a 3-2 series lead. It could be one Sharks fans remember for ages. | 1 | 99,996 | sports |
The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) is bleeding chips today, and one of its recent top performers is the one now doing most of the damage. Shares of BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) have been on a roll in the last few months, soaring on the back of rebounding iron ore and oil prices. From a low of just $14.06 earlier in the year, the shares were trading for as much as $19.96 during yesterday's session but have since come falling back down to earth. They have dropped 3.6% today alone, and 5.3% since hitting that high, to trade at $18.90, while Rio Tinto Limited's (ASX: RIO) shares have also fallen 2.4%. That comes after BHP's London-listed shares also fell 3.1% overnight, with Rio Tinto's London shares also dropping 2.4%. It appears the slump in BHP's share price can be attributed to a pullback in the price of copper. Copper, which is one of the miner's core commodities, is in high supply right now with stockpiles around the world growing. Part of that is due to a decline in demand from China as its economy slows down, with the supply and demand imbalance forcing the price lower. At the same time, oil prices also suffered a setback overnight. Although oil prices remain well above the low levels they traded for earlier in the year, there is still uncertainty regarding the sustainability of the rally, and whether producers will take advantage of the upswing in price to flood the market with fresh supplies once again (which would likely force the price lower). Like copper, oil is one of BHP's most important markets, so a pullback in the price is seen as a negative for the miner. Indeed, BHP's shares have enjoyed a remarkable run over the last few months. The strong rally in price has likely been enough to tempt some investors back into the miner's shares, with some wondering whether today's dip is another opportunity to load up on the Big Australian. In the near-term, there is every chance that BHP's shares could climb higher. After all, iron ore is still trading above US$52 a tonne and oil prices could rebound again from here. However, there is also a high level of uncertainty regarding the mining space in the medium and long-\ terms, which could have a material impact on BHP's shares, over time. At $18.90 per share, I just don't think the risk versus reward trade-off is balanced in investors' favours. The shares could rise higher, but I'd be much more willing to put my money behind some of the market's other attractive opportunities rather than take a chance on BHP. | 3 | 99,997 | finance |
Venezuela edged closer to the Copa America Centenario quarterfinals courtesy of a hard-fought 1-0 win over Uruguay on Thursday. A first-half goal from Salomon Rondon was enough for the Venezuelans, all but confirming Uruguay's elimination in the group stages. The result moves Venezuela to first in Group C on six points, while Uruguay sits last without a point from their first two games. A Mexico draw with Jamaica will confirm Uruguay's exit from the special-edition centenary tournament, and also seal Venezuela's progression to the last eight. The second half of the contest was marred with confusion as Luis Suarez warmed up but had not been named in the squad. However, the Barcelona star did not feature, and was not shy in expressing his frustrations with the Uruguay coaching staff. Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez made four changes to the starting lineup from their 3-1 loss to Mexico, bringing in Cristhian Stuani, Gaston Ramirez, Alvaro Gonzalez and Gaston Silva for Diego Rolan, Nicolas Lodeiro, Matias Vecino and Alvaro Pereira. Venezuela's Rafael Dudamel made just the one change to his side that beat Jamaica 1-0, replacing Luis Seijas with Adalberto Penaranda, and it was they who started the brighter of the two sides. While Venezuela pressed forward early and put the Uruguay defense under pressure, they found it difficult to create any clear-cut opportunities on goal. Uruguay had a good chance to open the scoring in the 15th minute through Edinson Cavani after Gonzalez set him up with a cutback, but the Paris Saint-Germain forward fluffed his shot. Cavani came close again just past the half-hour mark when he looked set to get on the end of a Ramirez free kick, but he was unable to get any connection on the ball as it went off the post and out for a goal-kick. However, it was Venezuela that took the lead in the 36th minute, with a goal that came out of absolutely nothing. Alejandro Guerra broke down the right and spotted Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera off his line, and while the Galatasaray man made a good save to tip the ball onto the bar, Rondon reacted quickest to convert the rebound. Tabarez made no changes at halftime as Uruguay looked to turn things around, and an early free kick was blasted into the wall by Cavani. The Salto-born forward then played a ball in for Stuani who laid it off for Ramirez, but the former Southampton man's first-time shot went well wide of the goal. Stuani came close to equalising in the 52nd minute with a shot on the turn, but his effort went just over the crossbar, to the relief of Venezuela goalkeeper Daniel Hernandez. Cavani had shouts for a penalty waved away and Venezuela almost made it 2-0 seconds later on a counterattack, but Muslera made a great save from Penaranda one-on-one. Tabarez made all three substitutes in the closing stages as they looked to find an equaliser, and came closest through Cavani. The 29-year-old was straight through on goal but somehow completely missed the target, while second-half substitute Romulo Otero missed an open goal for Venezuela in the dying stages, but it mattered little as they held on for the slender victory. | 1 | 99,998 | sports |
With the San Jose Sharks ' shot at a Stanley Cup on the line on Thursday, Sharks defenseman Brent Burns would suffer no fools before Game 5. Especially if that "fool" happened to be a loud Penguins fan in a wig and a cape. Brent Burns gives a loud fan a wake up call. He almost hit the opening too! pic.twitter.com/75ipCXBilE Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) June 10, 2016 Just imagine if that had actually gone through the photographer's well! After all, we know how large those things are . The Sharks stayed alive with a 4-2 win. | 1 | 99,999 | sports |
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