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Scientists and public-health officials are a careful bunch who don't often paint doomsday scenarios. That is, unless they're talking about the issue of antibiotic resistance. More and more, as we learn that the threat of drug-resistant superbugs could literally spell our end, antibiotic resistance has become a worry akin to climate change: an overwhelming but intangible menace that can be difficult to rally around. Despite dire warnings about the health impact of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the issue is still abstract for many, industry has blocked efforts to tackle it, and legislation to address it has repeatedly flopped. We continue to abuse and squander one of the greatest and most life-saving gifts science has bestowed on us. The lack of action is baffling and only makes the problem of antibiotic resistance more terrifying. 1) Superbugs could soon kill more people than cancer There are billions of bacteria that live in and around us, most of which help us survive and thrive. But sometimes, we are exposed to bacteria that can make us sick. Antibiotics are chemicals from organisms in the world around us that can kill off these harmful microbes. In addition to curing us when we're ill, these wonder drugs revolutionized medicine and changed the scale of modern food production. But the use of antibiotics has a major downside: the more we consume them, the more quickly they stop working. Since Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic (penicillin, in 1928), he and many other scientists, public-health officials, and doctors have been sounding alarm bells over "antibiotic resistance." Antibiotic resistance refers to a natural phenomenon that happens in response to the medicine. Bacteria multiply by the billions, and typically a few will randomly develop a mutation in their DNA to outsmart the pharmaceuticals designed to kill them. This situation is magnified by the fact that we overuse antibiotics and often take them in incorrect doses. When we don't finish a course or when we give them to animals in very low doses to fatten them up, we create environments in which the weakest bugs are killed off but the strongest "superbugs" survive. In recent years, this misuse has sped up the natural process of resistance, rendering some antibiotics useless and causing experts to warn that we are at the " dawn of a post-antibiotic era " that amounts to a health "nightmare" and "catastrophic threat" on par with terrorism. Deaths attributable to antimicrobial resistance by 2050. ( Review on Antimicrobial Resistance ) In the US alone, antibiotic-resistant infections are associated with 23,000 deaths and 2 million illnesses every year. We've already seen a number of bacterial infections gonorrhea , carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae (or CREs), strains of tuberculosis that no longer respond to any of the drugs we have. Overusing antibiotics also kills off the good bacteria in people's bodies, potentially wreaking havoc on our microbiomes and weakening our immune systems. This means more people get sick, stay sick for longer , and die from resistant infections that we have no cure for while the costs of treatment of antibiotic resistance go up. A recent report commissioned by the UK government contains an alarming prediction: by 2050, antimicrobial-resistant infections will kill 10 million people across the world more than the current toll from cancer. This nightmare scenario isn't that farfetched for one simple reason: we keep failing to muster the action needed to stave it off. There has been an incredible amount of inertia in medicine, and the agricultural sector has for years denied the science for economic and political reasons. 2) Medicine would be undone without antibiotics With the discovery of bacteria-fighting antibiotics, such as penicillin in 1928, the maternal mortality rate dropped, too, as the drugs made childbirth and cesarean sections much safer. ( Slate ) It's not an overstatement to say that most of modern medicine and our health hinges on the effectiveness of antibiotics. Whenever you go to the hospital for an operation a hip replacement, an ACL repair, heart surgery almost without exception, doctors will give you a dose of antibiotics to prevent infection. Antibiotics also make the cesarean section, one of the single most life-saving procedures on the planet, possible. Without antibiotics that work, common medical procedures like hip operations, C-sections, or chemotherapy will become more dangerous, and some medical interventions organ transplants, chemotherapy will be impossible to survive. In one piece, science writer Maryn McKenna describes a world before antibiotics and what we'll face again when the ones we have fail: Before antibiotics, five women died out of every 1,000 who gave birth. One out of nine people who got a skin infection died, even from something as simple as a scrape or an insect bite. Three out of ten people who contracted pneumonia died from it. Ear infections caused deafness; sore throats were followed by heart failure. "It's almost unimaginable," said professor Kevin Outterson, of Boston University School of Law, "how going back to a pre-antibiotic era would affect US health care." Jirka Taylor , an analyst at Rand Corporation, said, "If you had a 5 percent chance of contracting an infection that had a 40 percent case fatality rate, would you still be interested in submitting to a relatively mundane procedure such as hip replacement, when your survival did not depend on it?" 3) We're making the problem worse by misusing antibiotics More often than not, we use antibiotics incorrectly and unnecessarily. In agriculture, farmers use small doses on animals to promote growth and to prevent infections (not treat them); in hospitals and clinics, doctors administer the drugs when they're not sure of a diagnosis or to satisfy patient demand for a treatment despite the fact that patients may be suffering from viral (and not bacterial) sickness. As Sarah Kliff pointed out recently, while doctors have long known that antibiotics can't treat bronchitis, a staggering 71 percent of bronchitis cases continue to be treated with antibiotics. According to the journal Nature , the average American child has been given 10 to 20 courses of antibiotics by the time he or she reaches adulthood. That's one dose every one or two years. The best estimates suggest that fully half of antibiotic prescriptions may be unnecessary. Most of our antibiotics, however, are used on farms. Of the approximately 100,000 to 200,000 tons of the antibiotics made each year, about 80 percent are used on animals. This happens for two main reasons: farmers discovered that constantly giving low doses of the drugs to their animals causes them to grow more quickly, and using them for prevention allows animals to live in squalid conditions. While these practices have underpinned our cheap food supply, they also exacerbate the resistance problem. The confined and dirty conditions in which antibiotic-stuffed animals live create a perfect scenario for resistance: the low doses kill off the weakest bugs, while the strongest survive. 4) We're not making new, better antibiotics to treat superbugs One of the scariest features of the antibiotic-resistance crisis is that pharmaceutical companies aren't creating new drugs to address it. Antibiotics just aren't a great investment for drugmakers; they don't offer great financial returns. Unlike treatments for chronic diseases, people only use antibiotics for short periods of time. And we now know we need to use them even more judiciously than we ever have, which is not exactly an appealing business proposition for large pharmaceutical companies. For this reason, many lament the fact that the "drug pipeline is dry ." Only a handful of new antibiotics have come on to the market in the last decade , and health organizations such as the Infectious Diseases Society of America worry that progress on new drugs is "alarmingly elusive." 5) Big Food companies like McDonald's are stepping in but with big loopholes Food companies like Chipotle, Panera Bread, Applegate, McDonald's, and most recently Tyson Foods, have stepped in where governments have failed, taking stands on antibiotic overuse with various policies limiting the kinds of drugs their suppliers can use and when. But these policies don't always go far enough. McDonald's, for example, announced it will stop buying chicken that has been reared on human antibiotics within two years. Still, the chain will allow chicken suppliers to use ionophores, an animal antibiotic. While it's not used in people, overuse could potentially have an impact on human health, since we know resistance can cut across species and classes of drugs. Also the policy only applies to US restaurants, not the tens of thousands of global locations the company owns, and only to chicken not beef, a staple of the McDonald's menu. So it's a step in the right direction, but given that foodmakers are more concerned about their bottom line than about public health, it's not entirely surprising that McDonald's may cut corners. Even so, these foodmakers all say they were responding to consumer demand. Advocates like Congresswoman Rep. Louise Slaughter argue that consumers ought to continue pressuring Big Food by voting with their dollars: "We need to engage the American people to demand that they are not going to buy a steak soaked in antibiotics; that they don't want their chicken dipped in Clorox; that they want wholesome food for themselves and their children; that they want to save antibiotics for animals and people that are ill." 6) The agricultural industry is dead-set against reform which has left the US lagging in its policies In addition to the dry drug pipeline, we're failing to enact policies to conserve the drugs we have. Lawmakers in the US have repeatedly put forward bills to reduce antibiotic overuse. But industry has repeatedly blocked these efforts, which, so far, have yet to make it through Congress. For example, Rep. Louise Slaughter the only microbiologist in Congress has been leading the push to stop the overuse of antibiotics on farms through the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA). PAMTA has been reintroduced four times since Slaughter took it over in 2007, and it has died every time on the House floor. According to Slaughter, "We have 450 outside groups every consumer group, scientific group, and medical group you can think of supporting our bill. But 88 percent of the money spent lobbying on this issue lobbies against us." At the federal level, there have been other efforts to address the problem on farms, and the Food and Drug Administration has acknowledged since the 1970s that the way the drugs are used for food production is problematic. But these efforts have also been shaped and watered down by the agriculture industry, animal pharmaceutical companies, and Big Food businesses that want cheap product. Last December, for example, the FDA released guidance encouraging the judicious use of the drugs for growth promotion on farms but the guidance is voluntary. "Over the years I worked on this," said Rep. Slaughter, "I determined that the FDA will not protect us. Neither will the Agriculture Department, and neither will the White House." Researchers and lawmakers who worry about the growing problem of drug resistance have been trying to get the US agricultural sector to go the way of Denmark and other European countries, where farmers now only use the drugs to treat sick animals. 7) We know what we need to do to solve the antibiotic resistance crisis. We're just not doing it. To truly address antibiotic resistance, we need a global plan. Superbugs travel as easily as people can hop on planes. Acting globally will not only keep us all safe, but will also help minimize the cost of action by ensuring that restrictions on antibiotic use in animals affect all farmers equally around the world. As an editorial in the most recent issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization argues: "There is a clear role for a binding international legal framework to encompass the issues of access, conservation and innovation. When paired with strong implementation mechanisms, international law represents the strongest possible way in which countries can commit themselves to act." To tackle the problem, we need to conserve the current stock of antibioticsand create new ones. But while we have known this for more than a century, we have done terrifyingly little to curb the resistance crisis. We continue to abuse them in medicine, inject them into our food supply, and use them liberally in everything from yoga mats to sanitation products. Still, it's not all bad news. Last year seemed to mark a turning point, with a number of governments and global bodies promising to take action against superbugs. One researcher writing in the New England Journal of Medicine summed up some of those efforts: In April, the WHO declared that the problem "threatens the achievements of modern medicine. A post-antibiotic era in which common infections and minor injuries can kill is a very real possibility for the 21st century." In May, the World Health Assembly commissioned the WHO to deliver a global action plan on antimicrobial resistance. In June, the British public voted to dedicate a government-sponsored £10 million Longitude Prize to the best solution to the resistance problem. And in September, the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology released a report on antibiotic resistance linked to an executive order from President Barack Obama, who directed the National Security Council to work with a governmental task force and a nongovernmental advisory council to develop a national action plan by February 2015. The Obama administration also launched a $20-million prize for the creation of a new, point-of-care diagnostic test and requested a doubling in federal funding for research on drug resistance. There hasn't been similarly clear action here on the conservation side, even though other governments have already been conserving their antibiotics for decades. In 1971, for example, the UK banned the use in agriculture of several antibiotics for growth promotion. Following its lead, Denmark phased out growth promoters, and Norway and Sweden followed. By 2006, the European Union abandoned the use of antibiotics for growth promotion. Amazingly, these efforts did not impact production. According to one study in Denmark, while the agricultural sector there reduced antibiotic consumption in pigs by 50 percent between 1992 and 2008, it managed to improve productivity and sustain zero or minor increases in production costs. These lessons haven't been applied in America, where politics and economics continue to trump science. Only time will tell whether we do too little, too late.
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health
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Two weeks ago, we told you that the Secret Service was going to fly drones around Washington, DC the start of some mysterious "exercises" on which it provided few details. Today the Associated Press is reporting that the agency has been flying drones in the dead of night in an effort to study how they can be tracked, jammed, and knocked out of the sky. The surge in activity stems from a recent crash on the White House lawn . That drone was reportedly flown by an off-duty US intelligence employee, who no doubt is getting mercilessly teased in the break room. The Secret Service is looking into ways to detect a signal, for example a video stream being sent from the drone back to the pilot, and use that to follow its flight path. The agency also wants to experiment with jamming the radio and Wi-Fi signals used to control the drone. Spectrum warfare games over the US capital The current exercises were meant to help the Secret Service understand what impact this kind of signal interference could have on local internet and phone networks and what role surrounding trees, buildings, and monuments could have on its aerial defense systems. The major limitation of jamming just the signals used for the pilot's control is that many commercial drones can be programmed to autonomously fly a route using GPS waypoints. Breaking that system would be more complex, although not impossible. Working with Homeland Security, researchers from the University of Texas have successfully hijacked the GPS of a commercial drone .
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news
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An entire town gives their deaf neighbor an incredibly heartwarming surprise, without saying a word. Jen Markham (@jenmarkham) has the story.
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video
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ROSSVILLE, Ind. A central Indiana farmer jumped into a hot tub with a shivering baby cow to save the calf's life. Carroll County farmer Dean Gangwer tells WRTV-TV (http://bit.ly/1wcrUMk ) he thinks one of his cows gave birth in the snow and that he found the barely breathing newborn in a snowbank this week. The third-generation farmer says he decided the quickest way to warm up the calf, named Leroy, would be to use his hot tub. Gangwer says he "jumped in fully dressed and held Leroy up so he didn't drown." Gangwer then took the calf inside and wrapped him in electric blankets. Leroy is recovering and has started to nurse. Gangwer said Leroy is "done hot-tubbing" but "sunbathing is definitely in his future out in the grass."
| 5 | 10,803 |
news
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Olivia Merrion for Re/code Last month I conducted a tech test that made me consider something I never thought I would contemplate, after a few years of horrible service in the iPhone's early days: Switching back to AT&T from Verizon. When it comes to broadband, speed matters. And that's especially true for cellular broadband, since the smartphone is, for many people, their principle digital data device. Speedy cellular data connections make it easy to watch YouTube and Netflix, stream music, download large files and photos, and more. Slow connections can drive you crazy. So every once in a while I do an informal, unscientific cellular data speed test, focusing primarily on downstream speeds over LTE, the current standard for fast cellular data (also known as 4G). My latest was a 12-day, five-city matchup last month, on both coasts, between the country's two wireless giants, Verizon Wireless and AT&T. And the winner was … AT&T, by a strong overall average of 22 percent. Using identical iPhone 6 phones, and the popular Ookla Speed Test app, I found that AT&T averaged 15.89 megabits per second in download speed, and Verizon lagged with an average of 12.99 Mbps. In all my years of doing these tests, AT&T had only topped Verizon once before , in November 2013, and that was because of a ridiculously fast performance at one single spot in New York City. Typical Ookla speed test results This time, AT&T cleanly beat Verizon in four out of my five test locations: The Boston suburb of Medford, and three places in California San Francisco, the Los Angeles Airport, and a resort hotel in Dana Point, between San Diego and LA. Verizon's only win came in tests in and around my home base of Washington, D.C. The test results weren't all bad news for Verizon. It beat AT&T overall in upload speeds by more than 30 percent, at 7.8 Mbps versus 5.9 Mbps. And upload speeds are increasingly important, as people post videos and rich photos from their phones, and send business documents. Verizon's overall average speeds were better than its modest publicly promised speeds, left unchanged since it rolled out its LTE network in 2010. Those are 5-12 Mbps down and 2-5 Mbps up. AT&T says it doesn't have a promised speed range. I want to stress that this was a limited, nontechnical test, with only about 42 readings overall. Both networks' average download speeds were well above what's recommended for viewing most videos by Netflix and YouTube. Here's how I did my tests. In each location, at the same exact spot, and within the same few minutes, I ran the Ookla speed test app at least five times on each iPhone, then averaged the results. In the D.C. area, I did this in multiple spots in the city and suburbs. Then I averaged all the individual results to get the overall average speeds. Olivia Merrion for Re/code AT&T won my iPhone speed test. In general, AT&T's performance was more consistent. Its average downstream speeds in the five locations ranged between 10 Mbps in downtown San Francisco and 29 Mbps in the Boston suburbs. By contrast, while Verizon's average also topped 20 Mbps near Boston, it averaged a pathetic low of only about 1 Mbps at a Virgin America gate at the LA airport (AT&T's average there was over 11 Mbps). And in the southern California resort and downtown San Francisco, it came in at under 10 Mbps. So it's clear to me that at least in my testing Verizon is slipping. It was once the king of LTE, and the king of cellular speed. It was the first to widely deploy LTE, and still claims the largest network, covering more territory. And for years it delivered easily the fastest cellular data speeds to its customers. In addition to its possibly flukey loss in my 2013 faceoff, Verizon got edged out by T-Mobile in a smaller, shorter test I performed last summer. Meanwhile, AT&T is advancing. Its network coverage map is closing in on Verizon's. And its performance both in data and voice has improved mightily since the dark days when it was the exclusive carrier for the then-new iPhone and its network buckled under the strain. When I told Verizon about my test results, a spokeswoman noted that my test wasn't comprehensive, adding: "It's all about a consistent, reliable experience." She said Verizon isn't currently claiming to be the fastest network, though some test labs have claimed it is. AT&T, not surprisingly, was pleased by my results, but it also isn't touting speed per se, as much as something it calls "the nation's strongest LTE signal." The company says that means the ability to keep a steady, good signal, but it sounds like marketing-speak to me. It wasn't all that long ago that AT&T's cellular service was the butt of many jokes but that was more about dropped voice calls than data. While my tests weren't focused on voice calls, neither network dropped any during my test period. And streaming video, email and Web surfing worked okay on both, though in some places they were discernibly slower on the Verizon iPhone. Your mileage may vary, of course. The performance of cellular networks can be impacted by phone model, time of day, precise location and network congestion. And you may find better and more consistent performance with one of the two smaller carriers, Sprint and T-Mobile, which I chose to omit from this latest test, but have tested in the past. When AT&T's exclusivity deal for the iPhone ended in 2010, I jumped to Verizon as soon as I could. Next time, I just might go back.
| 5 | 10,804 |
news
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GREENACRES, Fla. A 32-year-old woman told police in Florida she got naked and sat outside a Dunkin' Donuts as a dare. The Palm Beach Post reports Shakara Monik Martin was arrested Sunday in Greenacres near West Palm Beach. According to a police report, Martin told authorities the dare was part of a pledge to a dance troupe, which wasn't identified. Witnesses told police Martin was offered clothes several times, but she refused to take them. She began apologizing when police arrived. She faces a charge of indecent exposure. Martin appeared in court Monday and was released on her own recognizance. It was not clear whether she's retained an attorney and a phone number wasn't available for her. ___ Information from: The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, http://www.pbpost.com
| 5 | 10,805 |
news
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Right before the San Antonio Spurs waived Austin Daye, it almost felt like he was beginning to find his way as an NBA player. On Jan. 10, he scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a huge win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Things were on the upswing. But one week later he was out of a job. Daye understands why San Antonio did what they did, but he still can't believe the team let him go. All in all, this was never a huge surprise. In two seasons with San Antonio, Daye appeared in just 40 games and shot 36.1 percent from the floor. But he's only 26 years old, nearly 7 feet tall and has a decent three-point stroke. It wouldn't be all that unusual if another team gives him a call sooner or later. (h/t: Project Spurs )
| 1 | 10,806 |
sports
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Amid the steel beams and industrial chic of a vast Chelsea Piers gym on the West Side of Manhattan, Rory McIlroy is right at home high-tech fitness shirt straining across his broad back, vein-popping forearms, sharply defined jawline, curly locks cropped close. Everything is sleek, strong and stylish. McIlroy is 25, and the mop-haired, slightly puffy, rosy-cheeked cherub who a few years ago couldn't stand on one leg for more than a few seconds is gone. McIlroy is in full workout regalia in one of his favorite cities not because he's meeting his sport scientist/ trainer, Dr. Stephen McGregor, for one of their intense 90-minute sessions, but because he's doing a photo shoot for the brand of headphones he endorses. But when an assistant brings a spray bottle to McIlroy to simulate perspiration, the world No. 1 politely declines before hopping on a spinning cycle to churn hard for a full five minutes. The moisture he raises could have been produced with a few well-placed spritzes, but McIlroy is pleased by the authenticity of his effort. With the same playful pride from the week before, when he tweeted a photo of himself lifting 280 pounds, accompanied by the message, Better never stops, he points to his damp shirt and says, "That's earned." There is no zealot like a convert, and these days McIlroy is willing to invest whatever sweat equity will get him to the highest reaches of excellence. Last year McIlroy got busy like no other time in his life, following the direction of McGregor, swing instructor Michael Bannon and putting coach Dave Stockton. Even more, McIlroy reawakened his passion for golf. "It's what I think about when I get up in the morning," he said after winning the British Open at Hoylake. "It's what I think about when I go to bed." RELATED: COMPARING RORY AND TIGER'S SWINGS That mind-set might have evolved slowly, but history will mark it as the moment McIlroy publicly broke off his engagement with Caroline Wozniacki May 21 at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Five days later, when he came from seven shots down in the final round to get his first win in Europe or America in 18 months, he appeared a new man. Even after the victory, McIlroy was understandably subdued. But it wasn't long before he set a new course. "After [the breakup], I thought, What else do I have in my life?" he says during lunch at the downtown Standard, High Line. "I have family and friends, but they're always going to be there. What else? That's when I decided, You know what, I'm just going to immerse myself in golf for a while. I spent more time at it, thought about it more, spent more time at the range and at the gym. Because that's all I had, and that's all I wanted to do." McIlroy takes a forkful of his Atlantic salmon with a side of Brussels sprouts, a meal approved by McGregor, and explains how as a golfer, he has become decidedly anti-slacker. "I've come across enough successful people now to know that the best in whatever walk of life, they're the ones who just work the hardest. I realized that if I want to be the best and fulfill my potential, I'm going to have to do the same thing. And for those who are lucky enough to be born with a gift and then choose to work the hardest I mean, that's the combination." RELATED: An In-depth Look at Rory's Swing Sequence AFTER A MONSTER 2014, BIGGER GOALS IN 2015 In 2014, the payoff was big: two major-championship wins, one grinded out on the links at Hoylake, the other won with a desperate sprint from behind in the PGA at Valhalla. In their way, both were more impressive and confidence-building than his eight-stroke victories at the 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 PGA, which were blinding blasts of pure talent that testify to McIlroy's ability to dominate when he's on. But those first two major victories did not truly test him in a final-nine crucible. For good measure last year, McIlroy administered a no-mercy 5-and-4 beating of friend and rival Rickie Fowler in Ryder Cup singles, a match in which McIlroy started six under through six holes. This year, the payoff target is even bigger: victory at the Masters, which would give McIlroy the career Grand Slam, his third major in a row, and a chance at the Rory Slam in the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. At first glance, McIlroy should be the favorite at Augusta. The kind of driving he exhibited at Hoylake and Valhalla where he led the fields with averages of 328 yards and 316 yards, displaying the best seen in back-to-back major championships since Tiger Woods won the 2000 U.S. and British Opens has been a key determiner at the Masters. McIl-roy dominated the PGA Tour last year in strokes gained/driving, and the player who finished second was Bubba Watson, who has ridden his driver to two of the past three green jackets. But there is evidence to support why McIlroy might not win at Augusta. In his six Masters, last year's T-8 is his best finish (see chart). In those 22 rounds, he has made an astounding 11 double bogeys and three triple bogeys. Just as amazing, considering McIlroy's length, his cumulative total on the par 5s is only 21 under. Although scattershot short irons have been responsible for most of his big numbers, McIlroy has had trouble on the iconic greens, consistently finishing in the bottom half of the field in putting. "A firm and fast Augusta, or a typical U.S. Open setup, is probably the most difficult test for me," he says. "It requires so much discipline and precision, and that's something I'm still learning. I won a U.S. Open, but it was much wetter than normal, and even Hoylake was soft for a links. So if Augusta is fiery, winning there would get me closer to being a complete player, because I don't think I'm there yet." That's a measure of how much better McIlroy believes he can become. Another wrinkle is the way he celebrates rather than squelches the memory of his worst day in golf, the final round of the 2011 Masters, which he entered with a four-stroke lead but shot 80 to finish T-15. "It was the most important day of my career, bar none," McIlroy said in January. "I learned what I shouldn't do when I'm in that situation again." Indeed, the next major, he won by eight strokes at Congressional, finishing with a 69. Read the full April Cover Story on Golf Digest.com. More from Golf Digest: TIGER WOODS VS. RORY MCILROY RORY MCILROY: PLAY GREAT THIS YEAR HOW TO CREATE A BORING GOLFER
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sports
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Like the thieves behind the crime, identity theft can take on many disguises depending on the information stolen. When identity theft goes undetected, these crimes can cost victims not only their money but also their health and well-being. It's nearly impossible to avoid identity theft, but awareness and vigilance are the keys to fixing the problem if you do get hit. Here are three particularly dangerous types of identity theft. 1. Child ID theft What makes it dangerous: Thieves often go after children's identities through stealing data from schools or even taking their relatives' information. Children will likely not know they were victims until they grow older and are denied for their first loan, credit card or even housing because of a poor credit history. This blemished credit report could cause them to be denied new lines of credit, which could stunt their financial wealth. How to avoid this identity theft: Check your child's credit by requesting a free credit report (you can get your own credit reports for free once a year ) and dispute and close any unauthorized accounts that were opened. Medical ID theft What makes it dangerous: Although consumers may think their medical information is not a target for cybercriminals, health care companies are becoming increasingly targeted. Data breaches in the health care sector could result in your information falling into the hands of thieves who could then use this data to take advantage of medical services. A report by the Ponemon Institute recently found medical identity theft rose 22% in 2014, resulting in patients' health information potentially being mixed up with thieves', which could lead to potentially deadly medical mistakes. How to avoid this identity theft: Always read the data privacy statement your health care provider gives you before agreeing to the terms and monitor your accounts in case of fraud. Tax ID theft What makes it dangerous: Tax fraud through identity theft is an easy way for criminals to make money. In 2013, the Internal Revenue Service gave out $5.8 billion in fraudulent tax refunds. How to avoid this identity theft: File your income taxes early each tax season and shred any and all documents with your personal information on it. More on MSN Money : 5 tips for negotiating lower medical bills 3 ways to raise your retirement income by up to 30% 24 things you need to know to build credit
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finance
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I They say to wake up before your children in the morning. You know. For a little quiet time. Time to prepare for the day ahead. Yeah. That's what they say. But unless I want to wake up at 5:14 a.m., it's just not going to happen. I'd rather get the extra sleep than have 10 minutes of alone time that will inevitably be interrupted by my children, who are possessed with "she's-awake radar." If I wake up, they will know it. And they will want things. And I'm just not up for that at 5:14 in the morning. So I will sleep as long as I can. And when they wake up, I will know it. My morning awakening is not intentional. It usually starts with a tap on the eyelid (Thank you. And now I'm awake), a kick in the back (if you are going to sneak in my bed, at least be graceful about it), or screaming (for the love of SLEEP I hear you child! Just give me 10 more minutes). So no. My morning awakening is not subtle or purposeful or gradual. It's a big fat kick in the arse: GET OUTTA BED MOM WE ARE UP AND WE NEEEEEED THINGS. Thing(s). With an emphasis on the (s). Okay. Okay. Let me just brush my teeee…. … no mom, my SOCK! My sock is not right and I need you to fix it. Okay let me just take a showe… …MOM!!!! Where is my SHIRT?! Is it cleaned? Where. is. my. shirt?! Scratch that let me just splash some water on my fa… …MOOOOMMMY!!! My show is NOT working and I neeeeeed lunch. I think you mean breakfast but, never mind, let me just find my yoga pa… …MOM! The baby just dumped cereal all over the floor and the dog is eating it hurry up mom! And it goes on. And on. And on. Until finally… STOP IT!!! EVERYONE JUST STOPPPP IT!!! Stop whining about your sock. Stop telling us that we are going to be late. STOP SPILLING THINGS AND…what the heck is that smell? Really? Did you have to poop RIGHT AFTER I JUST BUNDLED YOU ALL UP AND 30 SECONDS BEFORE WE NEED TO WALK OUT THE DOOR?! EVERYONE! JUST STOP!! But, mom. WHAT?! My sock? I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR SOCK! Either deal with it or get a new pair. And then cue the tears. And then cue the mom-insults. And then cue the thoughts about WHY do our mornings always end like this. Then cue a lecture about morning expectations on the way to the bus stop. And then a cold kiss goodbye. And then… wait for it… here it comes… Yep. There it is. Every single time. Cue that god-awful pit in the stomach as the bus pulls away. Friggin' bus stop guilt. Your eyes are screaming, "I love you and I'm sorry!" and your mind is wondering if he knows that. He must know that, right??
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lifestyle
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DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion likely will be sidelined for four-to-five days because of back inflammation. The two-time All-Star said he felt a little tightness after Sunday's game against Pittsburgh and had a precautionary MRI on Monday night. ''We're checking it today to see what I have,'' Encarnacion said Tuesday. ''It's something I want to make sure it's right. ... I want to do that before I continue my work.'' Manager John Gibbons expects the first baseman-designated hitter to return to the lineup in about a week. ''It's just irritation, you know, a lot of swings early in camp,'' Gibbons said. ''There's no damage in there.'' Encarnacion hit .268 with 34 homers and 98 RBIs in 128 games last season, hindered by a right quadriceps injury throughout the second half. He is hitless in six plate appearances in spring training.
| 1 | 10,810 |
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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Tuesday morning reported that its small business optimism index for February rose 0.1 point from 97.9 in January to come in at 98.0. The January reading dropped 2.5 points, after the index posted an eight-year high of 100.4 in December. The four "hard" measures of the index posted mixed results last month. The job creation component slipped two points to 12%, the job openings component rose three points to 29%, capital spending plans remained flat at 26% and inventory investment plans rose two points to 4%. Some 14% of small business owners plan to raise employees' pay in the next several months. That is up two points compared with January, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The report notes: The reported gains in compensation are still in the range typical of an economy with reasonable growth, and labor market conditions are suggestive of a tightening, which will put further upward pressure on compensation along with government regulations including the healthcare law. The NFIB's chief economist said: In spite of slow economic activity and awful weather in a lot of the country, small business owners are finding reasons to hire and spend which is great news. … Large firms have been powering the economic recovery since the Great Recession, but that may be shifting to the small business sector. February's data suggests there are fundamental domestic economic currents leading business owners to add workers and these should bubble up in the official statistics and support stronger growth in domestic output. The NFIB reports that 29% of business owners currently have positions open that they are unable to fill (up three points from January) and that 47% said there were few or no qualified applicants for the open positions. Business owners said their single most important problem is government regulations and red tape (21%), taxes (20%) and quality of labor (14%). The least important problems are inflation (2%) and cost of labor (6%).
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Taxi-driving is a male-dominated profession, but the ride-hailing app Uber is promising to put many more women behind the wheel. Uber announced on Tuesday that it plans to create 1 million driver jobs for women by 2020. The pledge came in the form of a blog post on Uber's website, with a statement written by Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the executive director of UN Women, which aims to economically empower women around the world. Only about 14 percent of Uber's 160,000 drivers in the U.S. are women. The safety of women who use Uber and other car services has been in the spotlight recently. An Uber driver last year was accused of raping a female passenger in New Delhi. In India and around the world, a number of companies have sprouted up recently to meet demand from women passengers for women drivers. In New York City, where nearly 99 percent of taxi drivers are men, a service called SheRides lets passengers use an app to request female drivers . Uber told Reuters that women passengers won't be able to specifically request a woman driver. In a promotional video on Uber's website, the company featured a number of female Uber drivers who touted the job as one that has given them flexibility and independence. A driver in Bogotá, Colombia, said she feels safe driving an Uber because it's a cash-free service.
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Parents who show love and affection raise kids with high self-esteem. But be careful not to overdo it: Parents who put their children on a pedestal raise narcissists. It's a fine line, but one that can define whether your kid will simply be pleased with herself, or she'll show derision toward others. That's according to a new study published in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers followed 565 children in the Netherlands between ages 7 and 11 for a year and a half, surveying the children and their parents every six months. They found that parents who overvalued their children transferred that effect, making the children think they were better than others. Those children both started at a higher level of narcissism and increased their narcissism at a significantly higher rate than kids whose parents showed them a more appropriate kind of love and affection, co-author Eddie Brummelman tells Quartz. What's wrong with a kid having self-worth, you ask? Well, narcissistic children think they're better than others, and tend to become aggressive when they don't get the admiration they want, whether or not they deserve it, Brummelman says. Narcissism is actually different from high self-esteem, and narcissistic children, especially those with low self-esteem, can be at a higher risk for depression and anxiety. "You can be very satisfied with yourself but not think you're better than others," Brummelman explains. "You can also think you're better than others, but not [be] satisfied with yourself." Predictors of narcissistic parenting start even at a child's birth. Parents raising narcissistic children tend to give them unique names, a sign that they're more special than everyone else. These parents also lavished praise, whether the child deserved it or not, and believed their child had a higher IQ than they actually did, Brummelman says. Researchers asked parents whether their children were familiar with a number of topics, including some they made up. The parents of budding narcissists were so confident in their children that they said their kids would be familiar with topics that didn't exist The Tale of Benson Bunny , for example. (That's not a real thing.) Fathers may need to work on changing their habits more than mothers. While mothers showed more warmth (the healthy kind of love), fathers were more likely to overvalue their children, the study notes. And overall, boys had both higher self-esteem and higher narcissism than girls. While parenting plays a role, narcissism is also a hereditary trait, Brummelman says. Still, parents can curb the behaviors by showing affection and appreciation for effort without unconditional praise, he says. So if your kid aces his next math test, don't tell him how smart or special he is, one of the study's other co-authors told NPR . Instead, praise him for how hard he worked to get there.
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NEW YORK ( MainStreet ) If you've left your previous employer, there is little reason to keep your cash in your old 401(k) . Instead you should roll it into an IRA . The benefits far outweigh the drawbacks, says John Lindsey, CEO of Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management in Westlake Village, Calif. Unless the expenses are significantly lower in the existing 401(k), there is no reason to leave your hard-earned money behind in that 401(k). "Let's say for example that Fidelity has the 401(k) plan for the company you work for, XYZ Co.," he says. "When you leave XYZ, the firm is going to work hard to have you keep your assets in the plan or roll them into an IRA at Fidelity, which is most often the case." Of course, many employees discover they don't know what the expenses are for their old 401(k) from a former employer, Lindsey says. The hidden fees are particularly egregious, and the lack of control over retirement savings can be detrimental to consumers. Hidden Fees Add Up Quickly The first set of fees are the ones assessed by the mutual funds, and 401(k) plans are "notorious for using very expensive mutual funds often because the plan sponsor or the employer receives a credit against the fees they pay to manage the plan," says David Twibell, president of Custom Portfolio Group in Englewood, Colo. "It's almost always a good idea to roll over your 401(k) funds into an IRA when you leave a job," he says. "You have more flexibility in how to invest, you aren't subject to lockouts and other annoying administrative issues and you can avoid the additional fees often associated with 401(k) plans." The fees " can eat up nearly 30% of your retirement savings over ten years, even a seemingly small annual fee such as 1.27%, which is the average U.S. mutual fund fee ," says Mitch Tuchman, managing director of Rebalance IRA in Palo Alto, Calif. "It benefits most investment firms and brokers to keep their customers blissfully ignorant," he says. A second category of fees are those that are passed through to the participants by the employer. They can vary quite a bit, because the company has wide latitude in deciding which fees to pass onto the employee participants, Twibell says. In some cases, the employer picks up all the fees, but more often than not the employee foots most of the bill. The two fees can really add up to erode the retirement savings sitting in your old 401(k). What's more, some employees end up paying more than 2% in additional management and administrative fees by keeping their money in their former employer's 401(k) plan ; that's $2,000 in unnecessary fees on a $100,000 retirement account each year. "Imagine someone who keeps their funds in their former employer's plan for a decade or two, which happens more often than you might think," he says. "Now we're talking as much as $40,000 in unnecessary fees. There aren't many people that can afford to throw away that kind of money for no real purpose." Greater Breadth of Investment Options The majority of 401(k) plans have few investment options, so why limit yourself to "20 to 40 options for your investments... when you could have the whole spectrum of investments for a portfolio," Lindsey says. Rolling your money into an IRA allows you to diversify beyond the limiting mutual funds offered in a 401(k) . "In a traditional IRA, you could have REITs , non-correlated investments, alternative investments and other assets to spread out your portfolio as opposed to having a very narrow field of what's offered in a 401(k)," he says. "If you're not working there any longer, your 401(k) shouldn't be there any longer either." If you simply want a "plain-vanilla 401(k) with buy and hold options," leaving the assets might be an option, says Matthew Tuttle, portfolio manager of the Tuttle Tactical Management Core U.S. exchange-traded fund in Stamford, Conn. With the current market instability, "investors need more to be able to navigate the volatility," he says. "The only way to access options like tactical strategies, smart beta and liquid alternatives are in an IRA ," Tuttle adds. Since the market crashes of 2002 and 2008, investors have become "sick of giving back all of their gains every time the market goes down," Tuttle says. To boot, many 401(k)s, he says, "don't have any options for protecting against that except for bond funds that get hurt when interest rates rise ." "Tactical and alternative options are the only things that have the ability to allow investors some or all of the upside while limiting or eliminating the downside," he says. Fewer Accounts to Manage for Retirement Not only is it easier to manage your money when you have fewer accounts, you can also benefit from the power of compounding, Tuchman says. When you invest money into a fund that provides a rate of return, your money grows by that rate. That rate not only applies to the original amount invested, but also to the amount your money has grown from it. "So, the more it compounds, the more you have," Tuchman says. "The more you have, the more it compounds. It's a beautiful cycle one that can actually increase your investment returns eightfold over 30 years. That's why it's often called the ' miracle of compounding .' But it's not really a miracle, it's just math." Forget-Me-Not More than the advantage of consolidating accounts for growth purposes, many investors prefer to have all of their retirement money in one location so they can avoid keeping track of multiple accounts at multiple providers, says Chris Battistone, a vice president of PNC Investments in Pittsburgh. "There have been many instances of individuals literally forgetting that they had money in their accounts and the prior employer is unable to find the owner, he says. "The accounts may be turned over to the state after a period of time." No Borrowing Options With IRAs -- But Potential Compromise Rolling your old, dust-gathering 401(k) into an IRA is not a flawless strategy for all consumers. One main drawback is that rollover IRAs do not allow you to borrow from them in case you need a sudden infusion of cash , unlike 401(k)s that let you borrow up to $50,000 or 50% of the balance, says Matt Markowski, a certified financial planner at Markowski Investments in Tampa, Fla. The loan is not taxed as long as it is paid back within five years, and the interest on the loan is paid back to your account and not a bank. If you need money from an IRA, you will be forced to take a distribution and pay the tax. Another 401(k) advantage? Leaving money in your 401(k) means you generally have "broader" creditor protection under federal law for lawsuits and bankruptcy, says Jake Loescher, financial advisor with Savant Capital Management in Rockford, Ill. If you rollover the funds to an IRA, the creditor protection still exists federally, but all the states vary on what funds can be considered in a particular judgment, he says. There's a compromise, though, to have the best of both worlds. A partial rollover can meet your retirement goals, especially if you need the income from your retirement savings immediately like one of Markowski's clients in Tampa who retired at the age of 57. She opted for a partial rollover after calculating how much money she would need during the next two years and left that amount in the 401(k). She was able to take distributions from that 401(k) with no IRS penalty, since a retiree can start taking distributions from a 401(k) starting at the age of 55. Once she turned 59.5 years old, she began to make withdrawals from her IRA to keep getting income. "Doing a partial rollover in this case helped the client take advantage of professional management and a wide range of investment options while avoiding IRS penalties," he says. Written by Ellen Chang for MainStreet
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This article was written by Oilprice.com , the leading provider of energy news in the world. Check out these other articles. No Real Oil Price Relief Until Q3 Could Oil Prices Plummet A Second Time? Predicting and diagnosing the trajectory of oil prices has become something of a cottage industry in the past year. But along with all of the excess crude flowing from the oil patch, there is also an abundance of market indicators that while important, tend to produce a lot of noise that makes any accurate estimate nearly impossible. First there is the oil price itself. The crash began last summer, and accelerated in November. Since then, predictions for oil prices for 2015 have been all over the map from Citigroup 's $20 per barrel, to T. Boone Pickens' prediction of a return to $100 per barrel. OPEC's Secretary-General even said prices could shoot up to $200 in the coming years as a result of overly drastic cutbacks and a failure to invest in new production. With those estimates at the extremes, most analysts think prices will continue to seesaw within a rough band of $40 to $70 for the rest of the year. Still that is quite a large range, highlighting the fact that everyone is merely guessing. Aside from oil prices, the weekly measurement of the number of rigs still in operation has become one of the most watched indicators out there. Weekly rig counts from Baker Hughes have sparked the Twitter hashtag #Rigcountguesses, to which energy analysts post their predictions. For the week ending March 6, another 75 oil and gas rigs were pulled from operation, taking the total down to 1,192. That is the lowest level in years, and 43 percent lower than its 2014 peak. While the rig count metric has garnered a lot of attention as a leading indicator of a potential cut back in oil production, it has also been criticized for not being an entirely accurate portrayal of output. Drillers have become more efficient, able to use fewer rigs for the same amount of production. So the notion that a falling rig count will necessarily lead to a fall in production may be a bit more complicated than it seems. A new metric that has popped up in recent weeks is the level of available storage. Excess oil has been stashed in storage tanks around the world, but government data suggests that storage space is starting to run low. The EIA says that about 60 percent of total U.S. storage is filled, a jump from 48 percent a year ago. Regional figures are higher, for say, the East Coast (85 percent). Oil storage is at its highest level in 80 years, and storage at the all-important hub in Cushing, Oklahoma could begin to run out of space this spring. Globally, the picture isn't any better Citigroup says Europe is at 90 percent, while South Korea, South Africa, and Japan may all be nearing 80 percent. The growing shortage of places to put oil has led to the creation of an oil-storage futures contract by CME Group. As storage begins to run out, the glut could worsen, sending prices way down. Another key number to keep in mind is the number of drilled but uncompleted wells out there. There are an estimated 3,000 wells that have not been completed as producers wait for prices to rebound. Instead of storing oil in tanks, simply holding off on finishing a well can allow drillers to "store" oil in the ground. Once completed, however, the backlog of wells will push down prices. The most important indicator for trying to figure out where prices are going is actual levels of oil production. In the face of spending cut backs, drops in rig counts, and ongoing price pressure, oil production continues to defy gravity. Output continues to climb. At the end of February, the U.S. was producing 9.3 million barrels per day, up 10 percent since prices began crashing in June 2014, and even up 2 percent since the beginning of 2015. Low prices have yet to cut into the trend line, but will have to at some point soon. One of the big unknowns is how oil demand will respond to low prices. Lower prices should push up consumption, but how quickly and how fervently consumers respond will go a long way to determining when the glut will subside. Overall demand is also largely determined by broader economic growth. With so much unknown about the rate of economic expansion around the world, demand projections are understandably all over the place. The IEA, OPEC, and EIA the three most-watched energy prognosticators have tinkered with their oil demand scenarios , but they haven't yet seen enough evidence to forecast a surge in demand. Finally, clouding the entire picture are fluctuations in currency markets. Fluctuations in currencies influence and are also influenced by fluctuations in oil prices. Most important is the U.S. dollar because oil prices are priced in dollars. Just to take a recent example, the U.S. posted very positive employment numbers on March 6. While that should theoretically put upward pressure on oil prices because a stronger economy should lead to more oil consumption, oil prices actually fell. Why? A stronger economic outlook also raised speculation that the Federal Reserve may increase interest rates, which would strengthen the dollar. Since oil is priced in dollars, a stronger dollar tends to push down oil prices. The set of indicators above is just a small selection of what energy prognosticators have to take into account when trying to predict oil prices. When you throw in geopolitics, technological advances, and changes in tax policy, for example, one quickly realizes that nobody knows which way oil prices are heading. How to invest in the technology fueling the U.S. energy boom As the price of oil plummets, savvy investors are looking for a way to invest in this new energy dynamic. And there's one high-caliber company in the oil-services sector using advanced technology to profit from the U.S. oil boom. Given the country's ongoing quest to extract more and more oil, I strongly urge you to claim your copy of our brand-new investigative report on this company helping fuel its boom. Simply click here for access . The article Everyone Is Guessing When It Comes To Oil Prices originally appeared on Fool.com. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com. Oilprice has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Twitter. The Motley Fool owns shares of Citigroup Inc and Twitter. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy . Copyright © 1995 - 2015 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
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Running back Frank Gore has officially signed with the Indianapolis Colts, as has free agent wide receiver Andre Johnson . Both deals are for three years. The two veterans wanted to reunite and play for the same team, according to Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. Gore became a free agent after spending his first 10 seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in all but two seasons and totaled 1,106 yards on the ground in 2014. The Eagles were previously thought to be the leaders for Gore , but the 31-year-old running back reportedly changed his mind and balked on the idea of a deal in Philadelphia. According to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports , Gore told a friend that he was concerned about Chip Kelly's intense and overbearing demeanor as well as offseason moves made by the Eagles. Gore's contract with the Colts will be similar to the one the Eagles offered. The three-year deal is worth $12 million, with $7.5 million guaranteed, per Adam Schefter . Johnson, 33, was released by the Houston Texans on Monday and visited the Colts the following day. According to Zierlein, Johnson got in touch with Gore, his former college teammate at the University of Miami, and the pair decided on the Colts together. Johnson signed a three-year, $21 million deal, per Ian Rapoport . The Eagles were also reportedly interested in bringing in Johnson, but the pair of Gore and Johnson elected to go elsewhere. Johnson owns every major receiving record in Texans history, while Gore leaves San Francisco as the all-time leading rusher for the 49ers. The Colts finished third in the NFL in total offense in 2014, but have holes that Gore and Johnson can fill. Trent Richardson was the team's leading rusher with just 519 yards and 3.3 yards per carry, and no team passed the ball more than the Colts. T.Y. Hilton was the team's leading wide receiver, but the receiving corps is now thin with the departure of Reggie Wayne.
| 1 | 10,816 |
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Whisper it, but if the trend at London's Wearable Technology Show is any indication then the future of wearables may not be in fitness. Yesterday, Apple announced a medical research platform in the form of Research kit and less than 24 hours afterward, the dominant theme is not about pleasing marathon runners. "There's a kudos in sport," says Smartlife's Martin Ashby -- one of the exhibitors at the show. "But the future of wearables is in health and wellbeing." It's a bold statement from the CEO of a smart sportswear company, but is it true that companies are looking to ditch fitness fans in favor of hospitals? If you're curious to read what others believe, keep reading. According to Ashby, the first generations of smart clothing, like the OMSignal and Hexoskin had to be unfeasibly tight to ensure a strong data connection. The latest iteration of Smartlife's product is a zip-up merino wool jacket that is designed to be not only a little more comfortable, but also to look slightly less ridiculous on non-athletic bodies. If you aren't a hardcore sprinter, then cloth sensors can monitor your heart rate without worrying about losing contact through exercise. That opens up the technology to hospital patients and the elderly, enabling facilities to offer rudimentary patient tracking and ECGs without the wires. Another startup at the show, Bainisha, has developed a prototype flexible sensor that can be stuck onto your spine. The measurements taken are then pushed wirelessly, enabling professionals to measure your posture. With these " digital tattoos ," users can then have their doctor study the way they stand over several days, offering helpful suggestions to reduce back strain. In addition, the company is offering its know-how to various companies, including one that's conducting research into the most aerodynamic way for performance cyclists to ride. Freelance research outfit Cambridge Consultants is also getting into the game, unveiling a smart insulin injector. The KiCoPen is designed with a tiny generator on-board that's capable of powering a Bluetooth radio over short distances. When a patient opens it up, it sends a transmission to their doctor, enabling them to keep track of their insulin usage. In addition, the company is working on an implantable sensor that can transmit monitoring signals on common wireless bands that could be used in medical environments. The company's Dipak Raval believes that we'll see a lot more of this over the next few years, and that Cambridge Consultants can "do a lot more than this" in the future. Activinsights isn't a name that you'll be familiar with, since its anonymous-looking hardware is handed straight to the medical profession. The hardware is then passed out to sick people for a week at a time, enabling doctors to get an accurate portrait of their lifestyle. The company's Stephanie Sargeant believes that it may not be necessary for users to always have a device strapped around their wrist to improve lives. Just a week of activity data offers "a lot of detail," enabling doctors to make a "low-risk intervention" to combat conditions like sleep disorders and obesity. That said, not every part of the industry is making a last-gasp sprint toward the doors of the emergency room. Atlas , a company that we first encountered when we took our live show to Austin last year, is doing its best to worm its way into the hearts of gym goers. Using algorithmic secret-sauce, the device can tell an extension from a curl, and can offer helpful insights to improve your weight-lifting technique. Yes, we've seen tech like that before, but the fact that Atlas is chasing such a specific niche shows that the ideas of a one-size-fits-all wearable device may be drawing to a close. Photography by Nicole Lee.
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Pope Francis, who marks his second year as leader of the Catholic Church this week, has garnered the type of favorability ratings that any leader would envy. In a Pew poll released last week, nine out of ten Catholics in America gave the Pope high marks nearly on par with the hugely popular Pope John Paul II's top ratings. Around the world, sixty percent of Catholic and non-Catholic respondents alike said they viewed Francis favorably. And his achievements have extended beyond popularity. As Francis's tenure reaches the two-year mark, the Pope can already look back on significant economic reforms at the Vatican, published a report condemning unbridled capitalism and fueled an evolving discussion on divorce and homosexuality throughout the Church (not to mention being named TIME's Person of the Year in 2013). So how has a relatively obscure Jesuit cardinal from Latin America become such a successful leader? Here are five lessons that Pope Francis's early tenure offer drawn from The Francis Miracle: Inside the Transformation of the Pope and the Church by John L. Allen, Jr. 1. Set an example The reformist Pope immediately set his sights on the Vatican's finances, aiming to clean up a regular source of scandal. For the Pope who took his name from the saint who devoted himself to a life of poverty financial reform was a priority because it brought "together the three vices that distress him more than anything else: corruption, exaggerated clerical privilege and indifference to the poor," Allen writes. But he also knew that ensuring clean books at the highest levels would set an example of good governance for the entire Church and clear the path for pursuing a wider agenda. "Today, perhaps the most audacious of all of Pope Francis's plans is to make the Vatican into a global model of best practices in financial administration not just as an end in itself but as a way of leading the Church at all levels to clean up its act," Allen writes. 2. Don't just hire your friends Australian Cardinal George Pell was an unlikely candidate for spearheading Francis's financial reforms. A staunch conservative, Pell was privately disappointed with the Pope's election, concerned that he would lead the Vatican down a liberal path. In size--he's a 6-foot-3 former Australian football player--and in personality, he also differed from the soft-spoken Pontiff. But Francis had heard Pell's rants against the status of the Church's finances and knew that his blunt style would be effective in pushing reforms through the traditional institution. At a meeting in March 2014 during which the two spoke Italian because neither was comfortable in each other's language, Francis asked Pell to become his finance czar. 3. Take advice seriously From the very beginning, Francis has demonstrated a willingness to listen to those around him. As his first substantial move in office, for example, he created a Council of Cardinal Advisers comprising eight members from around the global who hold ideologically diverse views. The group has since advised him on each of his major actions, and Allen calls it the "the most important decision-making force in the Vatican." Meanwhile, Pope Francis has given renewed significance to the Synod of Bishops, an advisory group that Pope John Paul II was known to occasionally sit through while reading a book. Francis, by contrast, attended one meeting almost entirely unannounced to join in the discussion (Allen compared it to a U.S. president walking into a meeting of a House committee), and he placed a heavy emphasis on the rare Extraordinary Synod that he convened to discuss family issues like divorce and remarriage. 4. But also be willing to ignore advice The Pope has also been willing to act unilaterally to ensure that his agenda moves forward, such as when he named Bishop Nunzio Galantino to be secretary-general of the powerful Episcopal Conference of Italy in December 2013. Galantino had a reputation of modesty that reflected Pope Francis's persona, eschewing, for example, formal titles and rejecting a secretary or chauffeur. But he was not terribly popular with the Italian clergy. When Francis asked for potential names to fill the role of secretary-general, nearly 500 Italian clergymen submitted their recommendations and Galantino received only a single nod. Francis chose him anyway. 5. Be accessible As the head of the Vatican, Pope Francis has plenty of headaches to deal with at home. But he's also the leader of nearly 1.1 billion Catholics, and he has made an impressive effort to connect with his followers. There's no better example of his outreach efforts than the cold-calls he makes to unexpecting people around the world. There was the call to Michele Ferri, the 14-year-old brother of a gas station operator who had been killed in an armed robbery; a call to a Vatican critic who was sick in the hospital; a call to an Italian woman who had beseeched the Pope in a letter to help her solve the mystery of her daughter's murder; and many more that have not been reported in the media. In one case that was reported, the Pope dialed (he does the calling, not an aide) a convent of cloistered Carmelite nuns in Spain to wish a happy New Year. When they didn't pick up, he left a message, jokingly asking, "What are the nuns doing that they can't answer?" (praying, according to a local media report) He later called back, and this time the nuns were gathered around the phone to talk with Francis on speakerphone.
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The New York Police Department's aviation unit Monday night arrested an unidentified man who was pointing a laser at planes during landings and takeoffs from LaGuardia Airport, the website NYPD News reported . Three pilots on two separate aircraft, including two police officers operating a helicopter, said they sustained injuries to their eyes because of the man's activity. Upon reports of the laser beams to the Federal Aviation Authority, police were dispatched to the city's Bronx borough, as the source of the beam had been pinpointed to an apartment there. They were invited in by the suspect's mother and discovered a black tubular device labeled "Laser 303" on top of the refrigerator. That particular model of laser pointer is strong enough to light matches at close and moderate range. The woman's 36-year-old son admitted to police officers during questioning that he owned the laser and had used the beam device that evening. The man was arrested and booked on multiple criminal charges, including assault on a police officer, felony assault, menacing a police officer, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a weapon. The incident is still under investigation, according to the news report. The injured police officers were removed from the aircraft and sent to the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai Hospital. They were in stable condition when they were treated, according to the report. The officers were later released. The injured pilot of an Air Canada commercial airliner also was removed from the plane and then sent to a hospital in Toronto for treatment. In June 2014, the FBI partnered with the FAA and launched a campaign to stop people from pointing lasers at airplanes and pilots, including a $10,000 reward for people who turned in anyone found guilty of doing so, according to U.S. News & World Report .
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Reports are indicating that Frank Gore has agreed to a deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
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First discovered in 2011, irisin was described as a hormone produced by exercise. Since its discovery, the founding scientists and others speculated it could be a perfect drug target for obesity and metabolic disease, while the media immediately hyped the "exercise hormone" with inflated adjectives like magical and powerful. Yesterday hopes were dashed, however, when an international team of scientists called all prior research into question with evidence against irisin's very existence. "Our data indicate that all previously published assays based on commercial ELISAs… were reporting unknown cross-reacting proteins," wrote the authors in their new research . Irisin, they say, may not even exist. The Harvard researchers who discovered irisin originally referred to it as a myokine a type of protein that aids communication between muscles and other tissues (including fat tissue). Triumphant, they named irisin after Iris, the messenger goddess in Greek mythology, and theorized it turns white adipose tissue (fat) brown, while transforming chemical energy into heat. For a few sunny years, the scientists were convinced their new exercise-hormone might decrease a person's susceptibility to obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Looking over the many studies prompted by the original, a thoughtful team of scientists hailing from Germany, Norway, the United States, and Switzerland developed a simple hypothesis. They wondered whether the laboratory test used to establish the presence of irisin was specific and sensitive enough. Is it possible the immunoassays could be reporting cross-reacting proteins and not irisin itself? Testing the Test An immunoassay (commonly called an ELISA or enzyme-linked immuno assay) is a widely used biochemical test that measures the presence or concentration of a macromolecule (in this case, proteins) in a solution. To perform this test, an antibody or immunoglobulin is needed this is what the protein in question will bind to and then be measured by the scientists. There's one big problem in using these tests to detect irisin, according to the authors of the present study. Potentially, the necessary use of antibodies might provoke cross-reactions with other proteins; the test, then, might detect the presence of unknown proteins and mistakenly interpret them as irisin. And so the team set to work investigating not the results of tests from prior studies, but the tests themselves. In particular, they examined four antibodies, three of which were used in ELISAs used in more than 80 published studies on irisin. They found the four antibodies had "prominent cross-reactions" with non-irisin proteins. Sadly, they conclude, "Our results provide experimental evidence for irisin being a myth." Finally challenged, this new and wonderful hormone mythical, powerful, unquestioned takes a dive. Source: Albrecht E, Norheim F, Thiede B, et al. Irisin a myth rather than an exercise-inducible myokine. Scientific Reports . 2015.
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"Zoolander 2″ is happening. How do we know? Derek Zoolander and Hansel stole the runway show at Valentino today at Paris Fashion Week to make the announcement. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson reprised their roles from 2001 cult-hit movie to announce the upcoming sequel. Looks like Stiller can still out-Blue Steel any model on the catwalk. #Zoolander2 coming your way and #OwenWilson and #BenStiller just strutted at #Valentino #pfw15 pic.twitter.com/jFBOjiyUR3 Valentino's reps divulged that they had been sworn to secrecy about the stunt the kind of antic one might have expected from a house like Moschino, known for its fashion show tomfoolery. The "Zoolander" team wanted to work with a more serious brand, though. Quite the juxtaposition. The Derek and Hansel walk came out before the finale when all the models make one last loop around. A jaded and exhausted audience of editors went bonkers and especially loved it when Wilson-as-Hansel flung his coat halfway' down the runway. "Let me show you Derelicte" "So hot right now." Oh and, there were some other clothes there too. READ MORE: Saint Laurent goes punk at Paris Fashion Week. Does luxury have a place for ripped stockings? Day 7: Stella McCartney, Hermes and Sonia Rykiel Days 5 and 6: Givenchy, Celine, Kenzo, Comme des Garcons and more shows from the weekend Celine goes maximalist, Givenchy tries foreplay at Paris Fashion Week Comme des Garcons and Undercover break all the rules, dazzle the eye at Paris Fashion Week John Galliano redefines Maison Margiela with Paris Fashion Week comeback Day 4: Christian Dior, Balenciaga, John Galliano, Isabel Marant Rick Owens, Dries Van Noten let individuality shine at Paris Fashion Week. But what's gone wrong at Balmain? Day 3: Rick Owens, Lanvin, Balmain, Carven, Roland Mouret New designers turn to nudity to make a splash at Paris Fashion Week
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lifestyle
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Some television weather forecasters put their forecasting accuracy on the line in a Toyota spot that's part sunroof ad, part weatherman revenge fantasy. Jen Markham (@jenmarkham) has the video.[oc]im jm on b60In this spot from Toyota Europe, the automaker custom-rigged the sunroofs of three Aygos for three prominent European television weather reporters. For one month, if the forecasters predicted good weather, the sunroof would automatically open, and if they forecasted poor weather, the roof would remain closed. The three would also have to dress according to their forecasts.[nat .57]"my weather forecasts are always perfect!"[vo]And when that's true, the three have nothing to worry about. A comfortable ride suitable to the elements:[nat 1.17] "otra recto!""je vous ai dit!"'previsione corretta!"[vo]But when they get it wrong, … well, …. what's French, Spanish and Italian for schadenfreude?[nat 1.32]sunroof opens"merde!!!"1.46 please close![vo]As with most viral marketing videos this likely involves more acting than reacting but with the weather, and inaccurate weather forecasts, effecting everyone, Toyota picked the perfect profession to pick on: [nat 1.51]"you're crazy!"[vo]And if this is the result?[nat 1.57]"so we expect sunny weather tomorrow. or possibly rain. who knows?"[vo]At least it'd be more honest.B60 NYKPIO
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video
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Adrian Peterson has taken the conversation about his future to the top of the Minnesota Vikings organization. The 2012 NFL MVP traveled Monday to New York, where Peterson met with New Jersey-based Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf and general manager Rick Spielman, the team confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. Peterson took a commercial flight from Houston to LaGuardia Airport for the meeting, a person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. It was a continuation of the discussion Peterson had last week with Spielman and Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, who huddled with Peterson for about 4 hours at his home outside Houston to discuss his future with the team. The Wilfs' involvement was inevitable. Peterson remains the face of the Vikings franchise -- a fixture in the community who shook hands at the state Capitol as the team was trying to secure public funding for their new $1 billion stadium and was at the groundbreaking the next year. Peterson, 29, has not publicly demanded a trade or release. But he has mused since November about the upside of resuming his career elsewhere and reiterated in a statement after last week's meeting he still has concerns about returning to Minnesota after last year's controversy. The way the running back market is panning out, with Marshawn Lynch and LeSean McCoy recently getting big guarantees on new deals, bodes well for Peterson's chances to cash in as well if given the opportunity to hit the open market or, more likely, renegotiate upon a trade. Peterson is scheduled to make $12.75 million in base salary and a $250,000 workout bonus in 2015 none of it guaranteed and all indications are he wouldn't consider a pay cut. His compensation is scheduled to rise to $15 million in 2016 and at least $18 million in 2017. The Vikings have made clear their priority is to bring him back and they have no plans to release him. However, rules permit the team to trade Peterson like any other player beginning at 4 p.m. Tuesday, when the new league year and free agency begin. The process of sorting out Peterson's future has accelerated since Feb. 27, when a federal judge vacated the arbitration decision that upheld his suspension in December, with reinstatement no sooner than April 15. The NFL appealed the decision and moved Peterson back from the suspended list to the commissioner's exempt list a status change that permitted direct communication with Vikings officials for the first time in months. The decision by U.S. District Court Judge David S. Doty to vacate the decision of appeals officer Harold Henderson could push the NFL and the union towards a settlement that would reinstate Peterson sooner than later. Peterson appeared in just one game last season, spending most of the year on the exempt list following his felony indictment for injuring his 4-year-old son while disciplining him with a wooden switch and subsequent no-contest plea to a misdemeanor. *** Follow reporter Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero
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sports
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PITTSBURGH A man whose fatal stabbing of a K-9 prompted Pennsylvania lawmakers to stiffen the penalty for harming police animals has been sentenced to up to 44 years in prison. A judge on Tuesday decided John Lewis Rush should serve a minimum of 17 years, nine months in prison and said he must also serve eight years of probation after being released. The 22-year-old Stowe Township resident was convicted in December of torturing a police animal, aggravated assault on the dog's handler and three other officers, and other offenses. Police say Rush stabbed the dog and wounded two officers trying to arrest him in January 2014 on warrants for violating probation and failing to register as a sex offender. Rush says he stabbed the dog in self-defense.
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news
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France mourned on Tuesday the deaths of three sports stars who were among 10 people killed when two helicopters collided in a remote region of Argentina during the filming of a reality TV show. Investigators removed the bodies of Olympic swimmer Camille Muffat, yachtswoman Florence Arthaud and boxer Alexis Vastine from the charred wreckage of the two aircraft, but said it was still unclear what caused the accident on Monday afternoon in the rugged western province of La Rioja. There were no survivors. Amateur footage taken from the ground showed the two helicopters flying in tandem at low altitude when one appears to deviate into the path of the other. Both helicopters then plunge to the ground. A second video showed dozens of people rushing through the heavy undergrowth toward the helicopters' burning wreckage. The accident occurred around 5.15 p.m. local time (2015 GMT) "The sudden death of our fellow French nationals is a cause of immense sadness," French President Francois Hollande's office said in a statement. As part of the show, other contestants were standing blindfolded on the ground a few hundred meters from the helicopters' flight path, French media reported. They ran to the crash site but could not extinguish the fire, an assistant to the contestants told French broadcaster RFI. A magistrate judge at the site said all 10 bodies had been retrieved from the helicopters' mangled ruins and were being taken to a morgue in the provincial capital. Two pilots and several members of the ALP-TV production company involved in filming the adventure show "Dropped" for private TV station TF1 were among the dead, officials said. A spokesman for Argentina's Air Accident Investigation Board said it was too early to determine if human error, mechanical failure or something else was to blame. France's BEA investigation office said in a statement on Tuesday it had dispatched two investigators to Argentina to gather evidence on the crash. OLYMPIANS "The whole of French sport is in mourning because we have lost three huge champions," Thierry Braillard, junior minister for sports, town and youth affairs, told RTL radio. "Florence Arthaud - we all knew her as the 'Fiancee of the Atlantic'," he said, referring to a nickname she earned through many daring voyages including a 1990 record for the fastest solitary crossing of that body of water. TF1 issued a statement expressing solidarity with the victims' families. French media said filming had been suspended and the crew and other contestants were heading back to France. "We have no details on the exact circumstances at the moment," TF1 Chief Executive Nonce Paolini said. "All I can say at the moment is that we are in a state of complete shock." "Dropped" involves contestants being left in the wilderness and using their skills to find their way back to civilization. The collision was the second time in two years that a reality show produced by ALP for TF1 had been hit by tragedy. In April 2013 the doctor charged with looking after contestants in the long-running "Koh-Lanta" endurance show committed suicide after one of the competitors died following one of the tests, complaining of heart pains. Arthaud, 57, was one of the first women to carve a place for herself in the top levels of sailing. She had a brush with death in 2011, when she fell off her boat into the Mediterranean. Rescuers whisked her out after she called her mother by mobile phone. Muffat, 25, won 400 meters freestyle gold at the 2012 London Olympics. Vastine, 28, won bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. "I am sad for my friends, I'm shaking, I'm horrified, I can't find the words," tweeted Sylvain Wiltord, an ex-footballer for English Premier League club Arsenal and a fellow cast member. Both pilots were military-trained, according to Argentine daily La Nacion. (Additional reporting by Jean-Philippe Lefief in Paris and Richard Lough in Buenos Aires; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Peter Galloway)
| 1 | 10,826 |
sports
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Since the darkest days of the financial crisis, stocks have been on an almost unconstrained tear to the top. The Nasdaq (.IXIC) has soared 285 percent, the S&P 500 (.SPX) is up nearly 210 percent and the Dow industrials (.DJI) have surged 172 percent since the market bottomed on March 9, 2009. That was when it looked like the world was ending and the stock market was little more than a black hole that countless dupes had shoveled money into. Since then, markets have rallied for a number of reasons, not the least being the Federal Reserve 's willingness to push nearly $4 trillion of liquidity into the markets and keep interest rates near zero as part of an easy monetary policy on a level never seen in the U.S. Gaudy as the numbers sound for the major indexes, some individual stocks have done even better. Some 32 stocks in the S&P 500 and another 13 in the Nasdaq have been what legendary investor Peter Lynch dubbed "ten baggers," or investments that increased by 10 times their value, or 1,000 percent, during the six-year bull market recovery, according to numbers from Bespoke Investment Group and FactSet. (No, Apple hasn't been one of them. The tech giant during the period gained 952 percent as of midday trading Tuesday.) The companies range from old-line firms like CBS (CBS) to surprises such as Sirius XM (SIRI) , which had been trading at 12 cents a share back in late 2008. No Dow 30 company made the cut, though many have turned in outsized performances. American Express (AXP) is up 657 percent, Walt Disney (DIS) has climbed 575 percent and United Health (UEEC) has surged 544 percent. A look at the "ten baggers" from the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, which on Tuesday marked the 15th anniversary of its historic peak: General Growth: 10,116% Regneron: 3,332% United Rentals: 2,904% Wyndham Worldwide: 2,817% Under Armour: 2,329% L Brands: 1,878% CBS: 1,850% Seagate Technology: 1,667% Gannett: 1,679% Priceline: 1,422%
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finance
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The chef signed a deal with the Sands China hotel group. Shouty chef Gordon Ramsay will soon open restaurants in Macau and Singapore. Last summer, Ramsay's flacks revealed that that his restaurant group was in "final discussions" with Sands China hotel group to possibly open restaurants in both locales. According to GGR Asia , the Gordon Ramsay Group and the hotel group have reached an agreement. There are few details about the restaurant in Macau, which will open within the Sands Cotai Central. There's no name, no opening date, and no concept. Additionally, a press release notes that Ramsay will open an outpost of his Bread Street Kitchen concept at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore next year. The restaurant will be "modelled after its London counterpart" and will offer a "British European menu with fresh seasonal produce" in an industrial space. Macau and Singapore are just the beginning of Ramsay's expansion plans: The chef noted last fall that he wants to open in Shanghai and Beijing , too. His business partner Stuart Gillies revealed to the Evening Standard last June that they hope to open 50 new restaurants "over the next five years." Most recently, Ramsay opened the doors to Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill in Atlantic City.
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foodanddrink
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Artist Maia Weinstock made the most awesome Barbie alternative ever.
| 8 | 10,829 |
video
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So what if there's already a female Ghostbusters movie in the works? Sony is planning to broaden the franchise by adding a second reboot. It would be a "counterpart" to Paul Feig's upcoming comedy, starring an all-female cast . The production company has formed a smaller company called Ghostcorps, which includes members and original Ghostbusters director and star Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd. Drew Pearce ( Iron Man 3 ) will write the film and Channing Tatum and his partners Reid Carolin and Peter Kiernan will produce. According the Deadline, Tatum may play one of the Ghostbusters , but it's not confirmed yet. Stay tuned for more information!
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entertainment
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FALL RIVER, Mass. - The first cellular phone contact that former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez had with Odin Lloyd was on June 6, 2013 - six days before Lloyd was killed, according to an AT&T Inc. representative who produced six months of phone records that the prosecution displayed Tuesday at Hernandez's murder trial. The testimony from AT&T's Christopher Ritchell supported prosecutors' assertion that Hernandez and Lloyd were no more than acquaintances when the 28-year-old from Dorchester was shot to death in a North Attleborough industrial park. It brought into question defense lawyers' contention that the former NFL player would not have killed Lloyd because the two men were such close friends. Bristol County Assistant District Attorney Patrick Bomberg showed the jury the AT&T cell records to establish that the first time the two men communicated via cell phone was on June 6, 2013. They were introduced, the victim's girlfriend has testified, after a Patriots game in August 2012. Lloyd's girlfriend, Shaneah Jenkins, is the sister of Hernandez's fiancee, Shayanna Jenkins. On June 12, 2013, five days before the slaying, the men started to communicate via text. Bomberg put Lloyd's phone on the courtroom projector because all the messages between Hernandez and the victim had been deleted from Hernandez's phone. "U do dat?" Hernandez asked. "Be all done tomorrow," Lloyd replied. It is unclear what the two men were communicating about. Lawyers from both sides agree that Hernandez and Lloyd bonded primarily over a shared interest in marijuana. Lloyd reportedly used to roll marijuana blunts for the former Patriots tight end, who is known to have failed drug tests for marijuana while at the University of Florida. The text exchanges displayed in court Tuesday reflect the two men making plans to go out in Boston on Friday June 14, two nights before the slaying. At midnight on the 15th, the victim gave Hernandez his address for what was apparently the first time. "Omw," Hernandez typed, shorthand for "on my way." "Bet exit 18. 10 fayston st. Dorchester," Lloyd wrote. Prosecutors argue that something occurred in Boston that night that caused Hernandez to want to kill Lloyd. The state has not been specific about the dispute, other than to say that it led Hernandez to feel that he was being disrespected. After visiting a nightclub in Boston, Hernandez and Lloyd brought two women back to an apartment the former Patriots tight end rented in Franklin. The men both spent the night at the apartment. The next morning, in a text to his fiancee made from Lloyd's phone, Hernandez expressed panic and concern about information he disclosed to Lloyd that night. Jenkins was saved in Lloyd's phone as "Boss Lady." "I f***ed up again and f*-I didn't mean to but got drunk and too f***ed up an O took care of me an somehow top him bout my other spot and I jus woke up buggin im sorry and on way home," Hernandez typed. Less than 48 hours later, Lloyd was shot to death. Ritchell also produced Hernandez's cell records from the days following Lloyd's 3 a.m. shooting. Hernandez sent a text to his fiancee after midnight on June 18 in which he told her: "Go in back of the screen in movie room when u get home an there is the box avielle likes to play with in the tub jus in case u were lookin for it!!!! Member how u ruined that big tv lmao WAS JUST THINKIN bout that lol wink wink love u TTYL....k," he typed. The prosecution says Hernandez was speaking in code, telling Jenkins, who was saved in his phone as "Mrs." about the location of weapons in the home. Avielle is their daughter, who was seven months at the time. "OK - that was awful...Perfect tv...Love u," Jenkins typed back. The murder weapon in the case was never recovered. Jenkins is accused or removing weapons from the home the next day. She has been granted immunity to testify against Hernandez, which prevents her from invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when she is called to the stand as a prosecution witness. Hernandez is on trial for murder and two illegal firearms charges. He faces two more murder charges in a 2012 double homicide in Boston - a case that may never have been solved were it not for evidence recovered in the Lloyd homicide investigation. The trial, which has been delayed by a string of snowstorms, is expected to last through the end of April. Ritchell is the 79th witness that prosecutors have put on the stand.
| 5 | 10,831 |
news
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NEW YORK A renowned psychiatrist testifying for the defense says the man suspected of killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979 is mentally ill. Dr. Michael First testified Tuesday that Pedro Hernandez has schizotypal personality disorder. He says the diagnosis is on the spectrum of schizophrenia. He diagnosed Hernandez after interviewing him three times. Hernandez confessed to police in 2012 that he choked the child in the basement of a New York City convenience store where he worked and dumped his body in the trash. A body was never found. Hernandez, who most recently lived in Maple Shade, New Jersey, also confessed to First. But he said there were 15 people in the basement with him, which First says clearly wasn't true. Defense attorneys are trying to show the confession is a delusion. Prosecutors say Hernandez' confession is sound.
| 5 | 10,832 |
news
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An organization called Vegetarian Calendar is predicting how many animals the average meat-eating person will consume over a lifetime. The answer may shock you, or not, depending how easily you're shocked. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) has more.
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video
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A man was fired because he didn't let his boss kill a raccoon. Gillian Pensavalle (@GillianWithaG) explains.
| 8 | 10,834 |
video
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Robbie Keane is hoping to extend his LA Galaxy contract by "a few more years." Keane was named the MLS MVP last year after racking up 21 goals and 11 assists as the Galaxy won their fifth MLS Cup. When asked by Irish TV channel RTE if he could return to his homeland with time running down on his Galaxy deal, Keane said negotiations to renew with LA were already in motion. "I've still got a year left at the Galaxy and we're negotiating another contract at the moment," he said. "So that will keep me there for a few more years." Keane picked up where he left off in 2014 on Friday, finding the net as the Galaxy opened their 2015 campaign with a 2-0 victory over the Chicago Fire.
| 1 | 10,835 |
sports
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Shareholders have a big plan for Apple. They want it to buy electric car company Tesla. At Apple's shareholder meeting, one shareholder told CEO Tim Cook, "I'd like to see you guys buy Tesla," according to FT reporter Tim Bradshaw . Cook's response: "We don't really have a relationship with Tesla. I'd love Tesla to pick up CarPlay. Was that a good way to avoid the question?" Then a second shareholder said to Cook : "I think there is something about you two companies." Cook's response: "Let me think if there's another way to do a non-answer." It seems like these are just two individual shareholders who don't have significant sway over what Apple would or would not do. Still, it's interesting to see them speaking up like this. Apple is reportedly in early stages of developing its own electric car . It has hired a number of employees from Tesla to work on the car. It's unclear if anything will come of Apple's work. But, if Apple is interested in developing a car, then it should explore the possibility of buying Tesla. Tesla's market cap is $24.3 billion. Apple has $178 billion in cash . It could buy Tesla seven times, and still have money left over. Tesla already makes a great electric car. It's led by a visionary in Elon Musk. Adding Musk to Apple would be worth a few billion on its own. In 2014, there were reports of Tesla and Apple meeting . Perhaps Apple was interested in buying Tesla, and Tesla turned Apple down. Maybe they were just saying hi. The two companies are similar in that they make high-end, disruptive products that they control from top to bottom. The Model S is the iPhone of cars, so it would make sense for Apple to buy Tesla. But, the companies have slightly different visions when it comes to pricing and distribution. Cook has repeatedly said he is interested in making the "best" products, not the "most" products. As a result, the iPhone remains a product that costs twice as much as an average Android phone. Apple is willing to give up on market share for profits. Musk has said that he wants to lower the price of Tesla's cars to make them affordable for everyone in the world. He has a missionary purpose to his company. He wants to kill gasoline cars and all the pollution and other negative impact that comes with them. Perhaps if he threw in with Apple he might not be able to make that happen since Apple tends to pursue high prices. Or, maybe Musk is having too much fun running his own company. It's hard to be the Next Steve Jobs if you sell your company to Steve Jobs' old company. NOW WATCH: 7 Reasons Why The New Tesla Is Such A Big Deal
| 3 | 10,836 |
finance
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DANBURY, Conn. A Connecticut father charged with causing his 15-month-old son's death by leaving the boy in a hot car has entered a plea. Kyle Seitz of Ridgefield entered a so-called Alford plea in which he didn't admit guilt but agreed the prosecution has enough evidence to convict him at trial. A guilty finding was entered on the record. Authorities say the 37-year-old Seitz forgot to take his son, Benjamin, to day care July 7 and unintentionally left him in the car for more than seven hours while he went to work. Temperatures that day hit the upper 80s. Seitz was charged with criminally negligent homicide. Seitz, who has two other children, has been free on bail. Sentencing is scheduled for April 9. The crime carries a maximum one-year sentence.
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news
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Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc is adamant that Zlatan Ibrahimovic will not wilt in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League last-16 second-leg match at Chelsea. The Sweden international has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the most feared strikers in world football. However, question marks have arisen at times over Ibrahimovic's impact in key matches, with critics pointing to a poor goal scoring record in the Champions League knockout stages. But Blanc believes that the former Barcelona forward, who played under the stewardship of Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at Inter, has the ability to score in any situation and stated he will be vital at Stamford Bridge as PSG looks to progress to the last eight with the tie at 1-1. "In terms of Ibrahimovic and his influence in knockout matches, regardless of who plays center back for Chelsea whether it's Gary Cahill or Kurt Zouma they will not envy facing him," Blanc said. "The good news for PSG is that Zlatan will play. He loves the big occasion, he can score at any time, in any venue. He'll be important for us." PSG arguably edged the first leg at the Parc des Princes, with Chelsea thankful to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for making a number of crucial saves. "He [Courtois] was very good in the first leg," Blanc added. "If I'm honest I say I hope he plays well [on Wednesday] because we will have created chances. But I want him to play less well. The goalkeeper is why they [Chelsea] go into the game as slight favorites. "If he plays well again PSG will have proved they played better than Chelsea."
| 1 | 10,838 |
sports
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A slew of new models and innovations will arrive in Audi's lineup over the next few years, Audi technical development chief Ulrich Hackenberg announced today during a speech in Ingolstadt, Germany. The automaker confirmed it will introduce two large crossovers -- including the Q8 and an all-electric model -- and has also outlined a very near-term plan for autonomous driving. Audi says that a new Q8 model will be offered as a sporty Q variant, slotting above the all-new Q7. In 2018, Audi will bring out an all-electric crossover that promises over 310 miles of range. It will be built on the automaker's second-generation MLB platform that can accommodate a variety of different drivetrains. We can expect much more information on this model by the end of this year. As fuel economy regulations tighten, Audi is also looking toward fuel-efficient engines in the future. Soon, models with TDI engines will come standard with electrically-driven turbocharging. Originally shown on the RS 5 TDI concept, the technology will eventually make its way to production cars and will improve performance and reduce C02 emissions. Audi is also committed to hydrogen, having introduced a fuel-cell A7 h-tron Quattro model that is now ready for series development. Related Link: Research the 2015 Audi Q7 Audi also claims that self-driving cars will become a reality much sooner than you may have thought. By 2017, Audi will introduce an A8 model with autonomous driving technology. The automaker says it will be the first model to transition from assisted to piloted driving, although it is unclear how many units will roll out. Currently, Audi is seeking political support for this technology and plans to test it out with the help of the German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who recently declared the Autobahn A9 as a test highway for these models. In the past, we've heard that Audi is cooking up a variety of other surprises. In late 2013, Audi confirmed an entry-level Q1 model is coming to market in 2016. We've also heard rumors of Q4 and Q6 models, although those cannot be confirmed as of yet. What we do know is that Audi plans to expand its portfolio from 52 to 60 products in the next five years. Source: Audi
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autos
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Nick Gordon was reportedly "volatile" during his interview with Dr. Phil. The 64-year-old psychiatric expert, who recently flew to Atlanta to stage an intervention for the 25-year-old star, admits Nick wasn't sober during their upcoming TV special, but he is now seeking treatment in a rehab facility. He also claims Nick is dealing with "an enormous amount of guilt and pain" as his girlfriend Bobbi Kristina Brown continues to fight for her life at the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after being found unresponsive in her bathtub on January 31. Dr. Phil joined Nick's mother, Michelle, to stage the intervention, which was captured on camera and is set to air on CBS in the US tomorrow (03.11.15), according to UsMagazine.com. Asked about how Nick is doing, he said: "[He was] clearly in an altered state of consciousness. I asked him if he was sober, and he said 'No.' " But he insists the meeting was successful, adding: "[It] got [Nick] safely tucked away and into rehab." Bobbi Kristina's aunt, Leolah Brown, recently slammed the upcoming TV show, claiming Nick is being investigated for "attempted murder" and it could interfere with police investigations. Writing on Facebook, she said: "Nick Gordon is under investigation for the attempted murder of my niece Bobbi Kristina Brown. "We have strong evidence of foul play. Until this investigation is completed by law enforcement, I would ask that you or anyone else not provide this individual a platform to spin this situation to his benefit."
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entertainment
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From the Ohio State practice facilities, Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples discusses the question on everyone's mind for the Buckeyes, which of their three star quarterbacks will start?
| 1 | 10,841 |
sports
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Senators who reached out to Iran's leaders to undermine President Barack Obama's nuclear negotiations probably broke the law, and they're going to get away with it. The law they probably broke, the Logan Act of 1799, allows for fines and up to three years in prison. The act bans U.S. citizens from engaging "without authority of the United States" in "correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government ... with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government ... in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States." Fortunately for Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and the 47 Senate co-signers of his open letter to Iran, the law is not enforced and is likely unconstitutional. "They probably were in violation of the act, yes," says Stephen Vladeck, a professor at the American University Washington College of Law. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, probably broke the law, too, by working with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to undermine the nuclear negotiations with Iran, he says. But Vladeck, co-editor-in-chief of the legal blog Just Security , says senators could argue they were indeed acting with the authority of the United States or more convincingly that the act violates the First Amendment. "The Logan Act is a vestigial and anachronistic holdover from a bygone era," he says. "There's never been a successful prosecution under the act, and the last indictment was in 1803." Jonathan Turley, a law professor at the George Washington University, says "if the Logan Act was ever enforced you would have to frog march half of Congress out the front doors and into a federal penitentiary." Turley compares the likelihood of a prosecution under the act to "the chances of being eaten by a Tyrannosaurus rex on Capitol Hill." "The Logan Act comes from a rather dark period in which this country imposed the Alien and Sedition Acts," he says. "The language of the Logan Act is sweeping and in my view facially unconstitutional." A spokeswoman for Cotton did not respond to a request for comment. The obscure, unenforced act periodically becomes a topic of conversation, such as when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in 2007, and likely will continue to do so until it's repealed. Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report
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news
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Mercedes says it will make more hardcore track-tuned Black Series models in the future, but it might be a while as the AMG division focuses on its core models in the meantime.There was a time when AMG only made one version of any given vehicle, but those times are long behind us. These days it's cranking out entry-level AMG Sport models, the main AMG line and the more potent S-models. But what about the Black Series? According to Autocar , which spoke with Mercedes-AMG boss Tobias Moers at the Geneva Motor Show last week, the Black Series is still in the cards... just not for the short term. Moers said AMG is currently focused more on "making the cars more sophisticated, more precise" than about making headline-grabbing horsepower and torque figures. "The Black Series name... will be necessary in the future, but for now the base cars are so good. The Black Series must be at the top of the hill, but I don't know when or on what model yet." The nearest possible candidate could be the more hardcore version of the Mercedes-AMG GT that's in the works to take on the likes of the Porsche 911 GT3, but Moers didn't say whether that model would warrant reviving the Black Series label. AMG previously applied the Black Series designation to extreme high-performance versions of the SLK, SL, SLS, CLK and C-Class coupe, carrying upgraded engines, suspension, rolling stock, brakes and aerodynamics to make them more track-focused.
| 9 | 10,843 |
autos
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In a stunning trade, the New Orleans Saints have agreed to ship star tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for a first-round pick and center Max Unger, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the players must pass physicals Graham, 28, gives the Seahawks another receiving threat for Russell Wilson as they try to load up for a third straight Super Bowl trip and balance an offense that leans on running back Marshawn Lynch, who just signed a new three-year deal. Meanwhile, the Saints get a two-time Pro Bowl center in Unger, but will have to replace another premier playmaker one year after trading away scat back Darren Sproles. They also get some needed salary cap relief in exchange for Graham, who has 386 catches for 4,752 yards and 51 touchdowns in five NFL seasons. As of Monday morning, the Saints were nearly $16 million over the 2015 cap the most in the league, according to NFL Players Association records. They began clearing space by releasing linebacker Curtis Lofton, and ESPN reported they restructured end Junior Galette's contract. Graham is due a $5 million roster bonus on Thursday and was set to count $11 million against the Saints' cap. Trading him now actually saves the Saints $2 million in cap space this year, as well as freeing up flexibility going forward. The Seahawks were nearly $22 million under the cap as of Monday morning, per the NFLPA. They'll be responsible for the $5 million roster bonus and Graham's $2.9 million guaranteed base salary. His base salaries in 2016 ($8.9 million) and 2017 ($7.9 million) aren't guaranteed. He also can earn a $100,000 workout bonus each season and is due a $2 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2017 league year. Graham sat out the 2014 offseason amidst a fight with the Saints over the value of the franchise tag before agreeing to a four-year, $40 million contract in July. He made $13 million in one season of that deal, finishing the year with 85 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns while battling through a right shoulder injury. Oddly enough, the Seahawks have had relative success shutting Graham down recently. They held him to three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown in a 34-7 blowout win Dec. 2, 2013, in Seattle and one catch for 8 yards in a 23-15 Seahawks playoff win there a month later. Before the playoff game, Graham got into a pregame shouting match with Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and also had an altercation with linebacker Bruce Irvin -- two players who will now be his teammates. The trade is the latest bold stroke by Seahawks general manager John Schneider, who traded first-, third- and seventh-round draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings in 2013 for receiver Percy Harvin. That move helped Seattle win the Super Bowl, but Harvin clashed with teammates and lasted less than two seasons before being traded again to the New York Jets. *** Follow reporter Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero
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A former executive of Brazilian oil firm Petrobras, mired in a corruption scandal which has ensnared dozens of politicians, told lawmakers Tuesday that the governing party received multimillion-dollar bribes. Police say dozens of politicians benefited from a scheme facilitating corruption and money laundering that saw an estimated $3.8 billion creamed off inflated contracts over a decade using a sliding scale of percentages. The investigation has fingered four dozen politicians, mostly allies of President Dilma Rousseff, whose coalition is now coming under intense strain. Among those suspected of involvement in the scam are 12 senators -- one a former president -- and 22 Congressmen, all under scrutiny after the Supreme Court authorized their investigation on Friday. "I received a share and the PT (Workers Party) another share, maybe $150-200 million," Pedro Barusco told a parliamentary investigative committee delving into Brazil's biggest graft scandal. Barusco highlighted the role of PT treasurer Joao Vaccari Neto, who has already been questioned and released and whom the former Petrobras executive believes received up to $200 million. "I don't know how Vaccari received it, if it was official donations, I don't know. There was a donations reserve (fund) for the PT. If he received it or the form in which he received it, I don't know," Barusco testified under oath. "We always dealt with Joao Vaccari for this kind of thing -- he oversaw it," stated Barusco, a naval engineer who joined Petrobras in 1979 and who has committed to returning $97 million that ended up in a Swiss bank account as part of a plea bargain. Vaccari says any money the PT received came from legal donations. According to Barusco, the graft scheme began in 2004, a year after the PT took power under Rousseff's mentor and predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and became an integral part of the way contracts were awarded. Rousseff herself chaired the company from 2003 to 2010 but denies any knowledge of the scheme and is not accused of wrongdoing.
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finance
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Google has announced that chief financial officer Patrick Pichette is retiring after about six years as one of the Internet titan's top executives. Pichette's pending departure from Google was disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing available online Tuesday. A date for Pichette's departure from Google had yet to be set and he "intends to assist in the search for a new CFO and ensure an orderly transition" which was expected by the company to occur within six months. Prior to joining Google in 2008, Canada-born Pichette worked at McKinsey and Company and Bell Canada. The Rhodes Scholar earned degrees from the University of Quebec in Montreal and from Britain's Oxford University.
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A new study found that when trying to foster high self esteem in children, parents may inadvertently be creating little narcissists. A new study on the origins of narcissism in children conducted by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that children whose parents tell them they are special are more likely to become narcissists. Parents who praise their children too much may be trying to foster high self-esteem, but the study showed that loving and emotionally warm parents are more likely to have confident kids. On the other hand, too much special treatment can also lead to narcissistic behavior. The connection between parental overvaluation and narcissism was still present even when the taking the narcissism levels of the parents into account, meaning that the trait is more than just genetic, it is environmental as well. "Children believe it when their parents tell them that they are more special than others. That may not be good for them or for society," Brad Bushman, co-author of the study and professor of communication and psychology at The Ohio State University, said in a press release. Bushman aided Eddie Brummelman, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, in conducting the study, which appears in an early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . Researchers studied 565 children from 7 to 11 years old and their parents. In four surveys, each completed six months apart, parents and children were asked to report how much emotional warmth parents showed by indicating how much they agreed with statements such as "I let my child know I love him/her" or "My father/mother lets me know he/she loves me." Parents were also asked to rank statements like "My child is a great example for other children to follow." The children were measured for levels of narcissism and self-esteem through statements suggesting that they were better than their peers and statements indicating that they were happy with who they were. "People with high self-esteem think they're as good as others, whereas narcissists think they're better than others," Bushman said. This study, as well as previous studies about parent-child relationships Bushman has worked on, caused him to alter his own parenting style. When he began his research he thought that children should be treated like they are special by their parents, but now he is careful not to follow that model. He said that interventions can help parents learn how to better support their children. "Parent training interventions can, for example, teach parents to express affection and appreciation toward children without telling children that they are superior to others or entitled to privileges," Bushman said. "Future studies should test whether this can work." A study conducted by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that warmth and love are better than compliments and special treatment in fostering high self esteem in children. Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor //images.csmonitor.com/csm/2015/03/CX147_10BC_9.JPG?alias=standard_900x600 This article was written by Rowena Lindsay from Christian Science Monitor and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
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You know those days when your phone battery doesn't even make it to dinner? And Facebook pings you 12 times about people you haven't cared about since sixth grade? And your printer fails so spectacularly that you just want to back over it with your car? We love technology, but this week we're shaking our fists at it for all the ways it annoys us. Instead of picking punching bags like Windows 8, we're focused on issues that tech companies still need to face. We made a long list of our pet peeves, then selected 12 issues big and small that frustrate us to no end: Neverending Notifications Buzz! There is a sale at Amazon. Buzz! Your third cousin's former colleague has a new job. Buzz! You have a meeting in 10 minutes. Buzz! Some band is finally on Spotify. Our lives are constantly being interrupted by notifications, and there's no good way to get just the important ones. Email services like Gmail and Outlook.com offer special social media alert filters, but that's largely to make up for the fact that the social networks themselves are getting increasingly spammy. In iOS, Apple allows you to specify contacts as VIPs, so only certain emails will trigger an alert. Google offers a similar person-specific notification feature in its latest Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. But as smartwatches enter the picture, we need new ways to separate the helpful notifications from the flood of irrelevant ones. Battery Life Is Too Short Charging is the party pooper of every mobile gadget. Yet phone-makers keep designing them thinner, hurting or at least not improving battery performance. Until wireless charging becomes common (or scientists perfect some alternative power technology), here's the solution: Make fatter phones. We won't mind a few extra millimeters if they could extend the life of a phone by a few hours. We don't need phones thin enough to slice cheese. We're already shoving the slenderest models into unsightly battery cases, or at least lugging power packs around. Updates Bog Down Old iPhones Hooray, new iPhone software! Oh wait, you may not want to install that. New versions of iOS have brought security updates and needed capabilities to older iPhones and iPads. But both iOS 7 and iOS 8 came out initially in versions that weren't tuned well to older phones, and caused owners to report slowed performance, overstuffed storage and shorter battery life. Is this planned obsolescence? Probably not. A few months after both releases, Apple came out with updates that it said sped things up for older devices. The company says its latest iOS is compatible with six different phones, and that the vast majority of its customers choose to install updates. But it's an approach that doesn't serve those who can't afford the latest and greatest hardware. If Apple can't tune things right from the start, why not just keep the previous iOS and its compatible apps available? Microsoft services older versions of Windows for years. Waiting for Android Updates The problem with Google's Android is just the opposite: Many Android phones never even get the latest version of Android. And if they do, it can take months. Right now only 3.3% of devices run the latest version, Lollipop, released nearly six months ago. The holdup? It's a combination of the phone-makers' usually none-too-helpful software additions and the fact that mobile carriers, at least in the U.S., have to test and distribute those updates. Samsung, HTC and others need to follow a company like Motorola, which gets Android updates to its users faster because it doesn't mess too much with the OS. Privacy as a Luxury The valuable information in our searches, email and even location is the real price we pay to use Google, Facebook and other vital services. Too many technology companies have made this privacy trade-off the core of their business models. Now they're creating a new conundrum: treating privacy like a luxury good. AT&T raised eyebrows last month when it said it would charge customers of its ultrafast Internet service an additional $30 a month just to avoid being tracked for marketing. AT&T says the tracking is a way to reduce the cost of the service. We'd rather see companies develop privacy tools that differentiate themselves from competitors. Privacy could become a trait of all popular products, not just something that belongs only to the elite. Printers Are Still Terrible Paper jams. Overpriced ink. Flaky wireless printing. The only thing you can really count on a printer to do? Break after a year or two. Why is it still like this? The contraption full of thousands of metal and plastic moving parts has to talk to multiple operating systems, and deal with uncooperative paper and messy ink. HP, the No. 1 printer manufacturer in the U.S., says it's constantly improving the technology and offering subscriptions for cheaper ink. But the entire process should be easier. Die, Passwords, Die Passwords are hard to remember, and not always effective at keeping things safe. To use them adequately, passwords need to be complicated. Password manager programs can help, but they feel like a stopgap measure. Now that we have fingerprint sensors and cameras that ID our faces and irises, why are we still punching in strings of text into laptops? Our computers should be smart enough to know who we are by now. This technology exists. It needs to be integrated widely. Kickstarter Isn't a Store Buyer beware: That 3-D-printed drone for dogs you shelled out for on a crowdfunding site probably will arrive late if it arrives at all. Sites like Kickstarter have let a thousand ideas bloom, bringing us tech like the Pebble smartwatch and Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. But they've also been home to many canceled projects and frustrated backers. A Wharton study from 2012 found that 75% of Kickstarters arrived late, yet the crowdfunding site doesn't think that's a problem. Most micro investors aren't in a position to judge whether a team has what it takes to deliver its product, let alone create a sustainable business. That risk used to be mainly on the shoulders of more experienced investors like venture capitalists. Kickstarter has upped the requirements for hardware fundraising, but still doesn't vet them. And backers only get their money returned if there's any money left…or if they sue. A Kickstarter spokesman says that it warns backers that it is not a store, and that backers enjoy being part of a project's development process. Inaccurate Fitness Biometrics "Your heart rate is 76 beats per minute. Wait, no, it's really 120…ish." "You walked 899 steps today. Well, at least we think you were walking." That's what fitness bands and smartwatches might as well be telling us. Our heart rates and step counts are measurable numbers, yet devices report only guesstimations. That's not acceptable. Companies like Microsoft, Basis and others say the optical technology being used for heart-rate readings from the wrist is getting better. Until these devices can be as accurate as chest-worn monitors, their makers should tell customers that all biometric readings are for novelty purposes only. App Addiction Mobile tech is like a drug. It offers too many apps designed to get us hooked on their stream of distractions. There's a phenomenon called Phantom Cellphone Syndrome, where people imagine their phones are vibrating. Doctors are just beginning to understand phone addiction, but one impact is already clear: Checking our phones 44 times a day is a drain on our limited time. Many apps make money selling our "engagement" to marketers. They're incentivized to invent reasons for us to keep checking in, rather than design efficient services. We're on to your game, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Candy Crush! Email: Older, but Not Wiser Email, now in its third decade of widespread use, refuses to fade away or reinvent itself. We wake up every morning to overflowing inboxes with everything from important messages from the boss to incessant Banana Republic sales chatter. Worse, we don't have tools that go beyond Reply, Reply All and Forward, which keep conversations going and going and going. There is no lack of companies trying to solve the problem of email overload. And services like Outlook.com and Google's Inbox deserve props for including essential email management tools. But what we really want is a fundamental change in email that matches the pace we do everything else online. Even harder: Once we recognize the tools that will help with this, we all need to start using them. Baffling Bills What takes longer to read: all the Harry Potter books or your monthly cellular or cable bill? The statements whether delivered via snail mail or email seem to be purposely confusing and lengthy. We're never quite sure where our money is going. Reading the fine print sends you down another rabbit hole. Some companies have attempted to make this easier with tutorials and videos, but that just underscores the problem. What they should do is streamline the bill into a basic summary without using that as an excuse to hide fees.
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Ever used a new scrub or moisturizer only to be left with red, itchy skin? The ingredients in your products could be to blame. "Most ingredients that exfoliate, cleanse, or strip the skin can be potentially irritating," says Ron Robinson, a cosmetic chemist and the founder of BeautyStat.com . What's more, some people are much more sensitive to certain allergy-inducing ingredients than others, says Dendy Engelman , M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. "It's nothing the patient is doing wrong," she says. "Most often it's genetics or what they were exposed to or not exposed to during their childhood." Before you try a new skin-care product, be aware of these common irritants. 1. Salicylic Acid "[This] acid is the same active ingredient in aspirin," explains Engelman. "And three to five percent of the population is sensitive to aspirin, too." Salicylic acid is usually used to treat blemishes, but it's possible to experience hives or inflammation from using it. Engelman recommends benzoyl peroxide to target acne control instead if salicylic acid irritates you. Arithmetic Acne Control Complex ($30, arithmeticproducts.com ) provides a low dose of benzoyl so it's perfect for sensitive skin. 2. Aluminum Aluminum is commonly found in deodorant and antiperspirant because it helps reduce sweating, says Engelman. But because it's a salt, it can cause redness, itching, and even swelling. "Another alternative is magnesium oil, which uses ninasium chloride to prevent sweating, or aluminum-free deodorants." We like Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil ($20, amazon.com ) or Desert Essence Natural Roll-On Deodorant ($5.75, desertessence.com ). 3. Glycolic Acid "This acid is so small that it's very good at penetrating into the skin," says David Bank , M.D., a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. "On the efficacy side, it's great. But that rapid entry can make it more irritating." The result is mild side effects redness and drying. "[A better option for sensitive skin] is lactic acid, [which is] physically larger so it releases more gradually over time." Try Philosophy Miracle Worker Miraculous Anti-Aging Lactic Acid Cleanser & Mask ($35, ulta.com ). 4. Sulfates "When people use the word sulfates, they're particularly referring to sodium lauryl sulfate," says Bank. "These detergents are found in cleansers and shampoos and cause redness and dryness on sensitive, eczema-prone skin." For a gentler treatment, he recommends sulfate-free products, like Aveeno Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($6.49, aveeno.com ) or any shampoo containing sodium laureth sulfate instead. 5. Retinol "Retinol still remains the gold standard for anti-aging, reversing sun damage, and stimulating collagen," says Bank. "The major drawback is that it can be on the drying and irritating side." However, he adds that there are rarely toxic reactions, but you may experience uncomfortable irritation. Lancer Younger: Pure Youth Serum ($275, lancerskincare.com ) is a gentler anti-aging alternative. 6. Preservatives "[These] are going to be in almost any product that contains water," says Engelman. The most common ones to look for on the label are parabens, imidazolidinyl urea, Quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, phenoxyethanoil, methylchloroisothiazolinone, and formaldehyde. These ingredients, of course, prevent bacteria buildup (making products last longer), but they can cause an allergic reaction swelling or hives in a small percentage of the population. If you find yourself allergic, opt for all-natural brands like John Masters Organics and Tata Harper . 7. Fragrances "Fragrances are the number one cause of allergies on the skin," says Bank. "Fragrance" doesn't actually refer to perfume, but chemical compounds that make products smell better. "Fragrances are in so many things nowadays," says Engelman. "Even if it says 'unscented,' they are included to mask the smell of the formulation." Those who are allergic may suffer from skin swelling, itching, and in severe cases, your eyes can even swell shut. Robinson recommends fragrance-free alternatives that not only promise 'no smell' but say on the label that they have no added fragrances. How to Treat a Reaction First off, play it safe. "If you think your skin is sensitive, apply a patch test to the back of your arm before using a new product on your face or body," says Robinson. "If no rash or redness appears after 24 hours, use the product as intended." If you still experience irritation, Engelman recommends mild topical steroids like cortisone, or oral anti-histamines, like Allegra or Zyrtec, to reduce swelling, redness, and itching. "If the reaction is more severe, oral steroids may be required to reduce the allergic response," she says. And if you ever experience any swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing, or hives, seek immediate medical attention.
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UNITED NATIONS Breaking her silence, Hillary Rodham Clinton conceded Tuesday that she should have used a government email as secretary of state, but insisted she was not violating any rules or seeking to hide her communications. "I fully complied by every rule I was governed by," Clinton said in her first public comments since it was disclosed last week that she exclusively used a private email and server for government business. In a 20-minute news conference, Clinton described her decision to rely on her private account as a matter of "convenience" and a way to avoid carrying two devices. She said she had never used her personal email to discuss any classified information. Clinton said her server would remain private. She also said she had discarded thousands of personal emails, such as communications related to her daughter's wedding or her mother's funeral, but she insisted she had given the State Department all relevant emails. "Everything that would be in any way connected to work is now in possession in the State Department," Clinton said. The controversy has upended Clinton's careful blueprint for the rollout of her 2016 presidential campaign. The clear front-runner for the Democratic nomination, Clinton had planned to spend March touting her work on women's issues and giving a handful of paid speeches before announcing her candidacy in early April. Clinton tried to stick to that plan in the days following revelations that she relied on her private email for government business and controlled her communications on her own server. But as criticism from Republicans mounted and Democratic allies started publicly pushing Clinton to address the matter, her team hastily arranged Tuesday's brief news conference. Clinton spoke shortly after delivering remarks at a women's empowerment event at the United Nations. She then made her way to a nearby hallway where dozens of reporters and photographers were awaiting her first formal news conference since leaving the State Department in early 2013. Before the question-and-answer session, Clinton's only comment on the matter had been a late-night tweet last week saying she wanted the State Department to the release her emails. Clinton served as the nation's top diplomat throughout President Barack Obama's first term. In late 2014, nearly two years after she left the administration, she turned over 55,000 pages of emails to the State Department in response to an agency request. The department says it will take several months to review the material. Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Tuesday that once the review is complete, the emails will be posted online for the public to see. Passages revealing anything from trade secrets to sensitive national security information could be redacted, in keeping with Freedom of Information Act guidelines.
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Healthy eating should be simple. But since we know it can be hard to keep up with what you should be eating now, we created a list of the 50 Healthiest Foods of All Time (With Recipes) . That list, comprehensive as it was, skewed toward foods you already know about. But we also came upon some super-healthy eats that will appeal to the more adventurous eaters out there. We asked registered dietitian Tina Ruggiero , author of the The Truly Healthy Family Cookbook to recommend 10 foods she loves that haven't yet had their kale moment. Some are harder to find than others, but each could be the next big thing on the grocery store shelf. 1. Limequat Limequats are just what they sound like: a hybrid of the lime and the kumquat. These nugget-size fruit are most often found in the market between July and November, and they're packed with vitamin C and fiber. They can be eaten as you would an apple rind and all or incorporated into a recipe. They make a tasty substitute for lemons or limes in recipes. How to eat: Add them into a marmalade or curd recipe. 2. Wakame Wakame is a seaweed, and while you may not have heard about it, you've probably eaten it: it's the soft, green sea vegetable in miso soup. Wakame, like other seaweed, is dense in micronutrients, packed with trace minerals, low in calories and a rich source of antioxidants. How to eat: It's tasty in soups or added to a sauté or salad. 3. Pu-erh Tea If you're a die-hard coffee fan for the morning pick-me-up, but want to like tea for its health benefits, try some Pu-erh tea, a very rich, full-bodied tea with hints of mocha. While it's reminiscent of black tea, it's not; it's in a class of its own, fermented and aged (interestingly, this tea can be aged for decades, like wine.) It can be found in loose leaf form or compressed into little cakes (called bing cha ). It is rich in polyphenols and has been associated with improved digestion, cholesterol reduction and weight loss. How to drink: Simply add to water and enjoy. 4. Pomelo Pomelos look like a green grapefruit, but taste like a citrusy melon. Grown in California, Florida and Texas, pomelos are harvested between fall and mid-spring, so buy one when you find it, and eat it as you would a grapefruit: peel, separate and devour. Pomelos are low in calories, high in fiber, a good source of heart-smart potassium and loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants. How to eat: Peel, and enjoy. 5. Pluot This speckled stone fruit is a hybrid of a plum and an apricot. There are more than 20 varieties of pluots with fun names like Emerald Drop, Flavor Grenade and Splash. Pluots are loaded with fiber, vitamins C and A. Having just 40 to 80 calories each, this naturally-sweet fruit is Mother Nature's treat. How to eat: Eat it fresh or add it to a salsa. 6. Hubbard Squash This winter squash is not known for its looks. Instead, its beauty lies on the inside, in the form of succulent, orange-yellow flesh that's rich in antioxidant vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber. How to eat: Try roasting it then pairing it with pasta and kale. It's also sturdy enough to stand out in a stew. 7. Celeriac This knobby root vegetable looks nothing like celery but it has a similar taste. It's loaded with vitamins B6, C and K as well as potassium and magnesium. Inexpensive and versatile, try peeling then grating the root in a salad with beets, apples and walnuts. How to eat: You can cook and mash celeriac as you would potatoes. 8. Teff Teff is tiny but mighty. The North African cereal grass is rich in manganese, iron, fiber, protein, B vitamins and zinc. Teff is gluten-free and a key ingredient in Ethiopian injera , a sourdough flatbread. Teff can also be cooked into polenta and enjoyed savory or sweet. One cup of cooked teff has nearly 40% of a day's worth of calcium and all eight essential amino acids. How to eat: Add it to porridge, oatmeal, pancakes or polenta. 9. Fenugreek Fenugreek is very versatile. It's been called an herb, a curry-scented spice and even a legume, but this plant and its many derivatives isn't a newcomer. It's been enjoyed for millennia and embraced for its culinary and medicinal properties. Fenugreek seeds are rich in minerals like iron, potassium and calcium, fiber and choline. How to eat: Leaves can be tossed into salads, and fenugreek extract adds a flavor-punch to marinades. 10. Purslane Purslane is a weed, like dandelion, and it's edible, nutritious and a very popular ingredient in Greek and Mexican cooking. It's rich in plant-based omega-three fatty acids, vitamins C and E, and it's a good source of pectin, a soluble fiber. How to eat: Its lemony flavor and crunchy texture make it a nice addition to pesto sauce, salads and sandwiches. More on MSN: 7 Things Your Gas Is Trying To Tell You 9 Things Your Hands Say About Your Health
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Animals in love Love knows no limitations and that's true for our friends in wild. Check out most adorable snaps of the tender moments in the animal kingdom. Shell we? A pair of snails in Sambas, Indonesia. Can't get enough of you A pair of red squirrels in Minsk, Belarus. Shape of my heart A pair of African swans. Passionate embrace Macaques bathe in hot springs in Jigokudani, Nagano-Prefecture, Japan. Picture perfect Greater flamingos on a freshwater lagoon in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Tall talk Two playful giraffes enjoy a sunny day at Walt Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando, USA. A chilly affair Polar bears appear to be hugging in Alaska. Love me tender Cats cuddle in an air-conditioned room at Sembawang Animal Station in Singapore. Nothing fishy about it Two Midas Cichlid fish appear to in a zoo in Munich, Germany. Look into my eyes Eclectus parrots nuzzle inside their cage at Flora and Fauna show in Jakarta, Indonesia. On a playful note Giant pandas enjoy themselves at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan Province, China. Glow of love A mare and a horse in Vallee d'Ossau near Laruns, France. Bunny love Two rabbits sit in the snow-covered bird park in Marlow, northeastern Germany. Hear me, please! A couple of parrots in their cage on the eve of Valentine's Day in Chandigarh, India. Royal love Lions cuddle in their enclosure at the Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg, Germany. Stripes of romance Two zebras nuzzle in a zoo in Cologne, Germany. Pure love African penguins interact with each other at the Toronto Zoo. Twist in tale Galapagos sea lions at a beach in Ecuador. Hold me Prairie dogs appear kiss and cuddle at Prague Zoo, Czech Republic. Colors my love A couple of blue-and-yellow macaws near the beach in Isla Coche, near Venezuela's Isla Margarita Big love Two elephants play in their enclosure in Nairobi, Kenya. Bear waltz Brown bears hug each other in an enclosure at a sanctuary in Zarnesti, Romania. Love and laughter Two bottlenose dolphins play in a lake in Honduras. In conversation Two koala bears on a branch in Lone Pine Sanctuary, Brisbane, Australia. Arm in arm Orangutans give each other a hug in Blackpool, Lancashire, Britain. Hug it out Meerkats embrace each other in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. That heady feeling Two Siberian tigers share a tender moment. Between us Komondors, traditional Hungarian guard dogs, play near Bodony, 130 kms northeast of Budapest, Hungary. Oh deer! Deers share a tender moment in Nara, Japan. Head to head Cows are pictured at a water trough at a farm in Auckland, New Zealand.
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US oil giant Chevron Tuesday said it plans $15 billion in asset sales through 2017 as it seeks to maintain a strong dividend for shareholders amid lower oil prices. The divestment program expands by 50 percent a previous target to sell $10 billion in assets through 2016, according to a presentation by Chevron chief executive John Watson. In 2014, Chevron divested $6 billion in assets, including the $1.3 billion sale of a stake in a Chad oil project to the Republic of Chad. The deal also comprised Chevron's interest in a pipeline system that transports oil from Chad to Cameroon. Watson said the company was on track to increase production from 2.57 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2014 to 3.1 million in 2017. Major projects ramping up include Texas shale ventures and natural gas developments in Australia and Angola. "We are well-positioned to manage through the recent drop in commodity prices and are taking several responsive actions, including curtailing capital spending and lowering costs," Watson said. Shares in Dow member Chevron plummeted 3.1 percent to $48.46 in late-afternoon trade. The move follows Chevron's January announcement of a 2015 capital budget of $35 billion, down 13 percent from last year. The company also halted its share buyback program, citing the big drop in oil prices. In recent months, Chevron has also withdrawn from exploration ventures in Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Ukraine. Other large oil companies, including ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell, have also trimmed spending in response to about a 50 percent drop in oil prices since June. Leading oil services companies, including Halliburton and Schlumberger, have announced deep job cuts.
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finance
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Oh, Russia, you land of unimpeachable manliness , you. Only would your largest municipality deign to offer low-income women not hourly repair services for their household fix-it needs, but instead hourly "husband rentals." " Moscow City Hall Takes Pity on Those Without a Russian Husband ," was The Moscow Times' headline on a piece about the recently announced social service, which will supplement existing municipal services that help with more "feminine" chores such as cooking and cleaning. "Husbands" will be free of charge for low-income households, and moderately priced for others. The Times writes: The hired "husbands" would be available to perform tasks traditionally viewed as a man's job in Russian households, such as replacing a leaky faucet or attaching shelves, deputy chief of City Hall's social protection department Andrei Besshtanko told Izvestia newspaper. As the article notes, "Rent-a-Husband" services already exist in Russia's private sector (as well as in the U.S. ). "You've just spent a long time in a store selecting a new light fixture for your hallway to perfectly match your new decor," one such Moscow-based (and woman-owned ) company states online . "But you're a beautiful woman with a killer manicure that was done only yesterday, and you're not ready to get intimate with a noisy and horribly vibrating drill. Who can come to your rescue in this case?" Maybe a broader definition of what women can do will miraculously swoop in and offer Russian women a true rescue from such patronizing talk. In spite of policies that support gender equality, gender discrimination is rampant in Russian society, and no small number of Russians are feeling stifled by their narrowly prescribed social roles. In a 2011 survey by the Russian political website Superjob.ru , only five percent of women reported that they considered life as a female to be "gratifying." And roughly one third of women reported they wish they'd been born male. Moscow city officials are reinforcing these narrow gender categories not to mention reflecting the country's divorce rate, possibly the highest in the world by putting the services they offer in such a rigid context. It could be great if the city instead subsidized YouDo , the Russian equivalent of TaskRabbit, instead. But "sharing economy" services in Russia have experienced cultural hiccups owing to a lack of trust between strangers and a high value on ownership, both leftovers from the collapse of the Soviet Union. It's a nice idea, though, for a city government to offer discounted chore services to those in need. Let's just leave the "pity" for the "manicured sex" out of it. Top image: Minerva Studio / Shutterstock.com
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news
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Although Joe Gibbs Racing has offered no timetable for Kyle Busch's return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the driver of the No. 18 Toyota is clearly on the mend. Busch, who suffered a compound fracture of his lower-right leg and a mid-foot fracture of his left foot in last month's NASCAR XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway, has ditched his soft casts in favor of walking boots. The driver's wife, Samantha, tweeted the news on Tuesday afternoon -- nearly 2 1/2 weeks after her husband was injured when his No. 54 XFINITY Series car slammed hard into an area of the DIS infield wall that was unprotected by a SAFER barrier. Busch was immediately transfered to a Daytona Beach hospital, where he underwent surgery that same day to repair the compound fracture. Busch missed the next day's Daytona 500 and remained hospitalized in Daytona until being transported the following Tuesday morning to a hospital near his Charlotte, North Carolina residence. He underwent surgery on his left foot in Charlotte on Feb. 25 and was finally able to go home on Feb. 27 . David Ragan has driven Busch's No. 18 Sprint Cup car the past two weekends , after reigning and two-time Camping World Truck Series champion Matt Crafton subbed for Busch in the Daytona 500. Before Tuesday's encouraging tweet from Samantha, the veteran driver had tweeted multiple times thanking his fans for their support during his time of recovery.
| 1 | 10,855 |
sports
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JUPITER, Fla. (AP) -- In a matchup of high-priced stars, Washington's Max Scherzer got Giancarlo Stanton to ground into a double play and then struck out the slugger in the Nationals' 2-1 loss to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. Scherzer, signed to a $210 million, seven-year deal as a free agent, allowed one run and six hits in three innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Dee Gordon led off the bottom of the first with a bunt single, stole second, advanced on wild pitch and scored on the first of Chrsitian Yelich's three singles. Stanton, signed to a record $325 million, 13-year-old deal, followed with a one-hopper that became a 4-6-3 double play. New baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred attended the game and watched the big-bucks stars face each other. ''It is an astounding set of numbers, I will give you that,'' he said. ''Numbers like that on player contracts I see as a reflection of the health of the game in terms of the revenues that were generated.'' Stanton struck out on a checked swing on a low-and-away pitch in the third. ''He's probably the best hitter in the National League,'' Scherzer said. ''I think Stanton is unbelievable, but Miggy's on another level,'' Scherzer added, a reference to former Detroit teammate Miguel Cabrera, the 2012 AL Triple Crown winner. Stanton also struck out against Taylor Jordan in the fifth and is 1 for 9 (.111) in spring training. He played down the big-bucks matchup. Washington tied the game in the sixth an RBI double by former Marlin Dan Uggla. Derek Dietrich hit a game-ending homer in the ninth off Bruce Billings. STARTING TIME Marlins: Dan Haren allowed one hit in three innings in his second outing, throwing 25 of 35 pitches for strikes. Nationals: Jordan Zimmerman is to make his second spring start on Wednesday when Detroit comes to Viera. Zimmerman allowed one hit in two innings during his spring training debut. TRAINER'S ROOM Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria is expected back in the lineup on Wednesday. Hechavarria has been dealing with what Miami has called a tired shoulder and hasn't played since Thursday. Miami pitcher Mat Latos, acquired in an offseason trade with Cincinnati, is scheduled to make his first start Friday. Latos had been scheduled to pitch on Monday, but threw live batting practice on a back field. HARPER TO CENTER? Washington manager Matt Williams said Bryce Harper could play some center field on occasion because Denard Span will miss the start of the season following core muscle surgery. Williams would prefer to have Harper get comfortable in right field. UP NEXT: The Mets' Matt Harvey and the Marlins' Henderson Alvarez start Wednesday at Roger Dean Stadium. Washington faces Detroit's David Price in Viera.
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sports
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First comes the shock, bliss and awe "OMG, I'm getting married!" Gradually it sinks in sans shock, bliss and awe: "OMG, I'm getting married. Big gulp!" Below, a few women share how they handled the transition from single to on-the-way-to-being-permanently-coupled. Marriage Is the "Natural Next Step," Yet... When Morgan Shepard got engaged two months ago she didn't expect a big impact as it felt like the "natural next step" after a six-year relationship. Yet, explains the 24-year-old, "The real moment of, 'Holy crap, I'm engaged and my life will never be the same hit me during the holidays. For the first time in my life I spent Christmas without my family." The realization that the rest of her life would involve splitting holidays , spending time away from her relatives and having to make compromises was an eye-opener. Morgan, whose wedding is set for May, explains, "For the first time the commitment felt real. Don't get me wrong. I had a wonderful time with my new family but suddenly I got that Bryan and I are really starting our own family." What Does Being Married Actually Mean? Saying "yes" when her boyfriend popped the question in September 2009 was the easy part for Gervase Kolmos. "I felt 100 percent confident he was the right partner." What she wasn't confident about was about how her identity as a strong single woman would jive with coupledom. "I felt like I was betraying my unmarried girlfriends and feminist ideals." The solving of this dilemma happened with "clear conversations" with her partner. What roles would change? What would stay the same? What potential struggles might they have down the road and did they agree on the best ways to overcome them? Gervase, married since September 2010, says happily, "As we methodically went through the list of what we wanted our marriage to look like, it became less overwhelming and way, way more exciting." The Relationship Is No Longer "Ours" For *Belle Jordan, the queasiness began when family and friends began flooding the couple with post-engagement exuberant congratulations. Belle, 36, confides, "We'd been together for years. Things were great. Suddenly I got a ring and it felt like everyone was shining a police light in our faces and shouting: 'This is life-changing! Woo hoo!'" Married two years, Belle says, "I didn't want our lives to change . Quite the opposite: I wanted our dynamic how we treat each other, what we are to each other to last forever!" Belle's nerves settled as she came to realize: "However people want to regard us is up to them. What Jim and I really share was and always will be beautifully private." *Name has been changed
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lifestyle
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DALLAS Called into a courtroom to testify, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones sparred Tuesday with an attorney for fans suing the NFL over a seating mess at the 2011 Super Bowl in his billion-dollar showplace stadium while acknowledging regret that some ticket-holders didn't have a place to sit. Jones spent about 2 1/2 hours on the stand Tuesday, the highlight of a federal trial made a little more dramatic by several terse exchanges between the talkative owner and plaintiffs' attorney Michael Avenatti. U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn had to intervene at one point, telling both men to quit talking over each other and later admonishing Jones by telling him to simply answer the attorney's questions and "don't figure out what he's implying." About 1,250 temporary seats were deemed unsafe hours before the game in which Green Bay beat Pittsburgh, forcing about 850 ticket holders to move to new seats and 400 others to standing-room locations. Seven fans sued, saying they didn't have seats or their seats had obstructed views. The lawsuit alleges the NFL breached its ticket contract and that settlement offers failed to fully compensate them. The NFL has said it fully compensated displaced fans. Commissioner Roger Goodell, who provided videotaped testimony last week, said the league was responsible for the issues. Jones, who is also team's general manager, smiled and looked directly at the eight-person jury early in his testimony just hours before the opening of NFL free agency. But when Avenatti started pressing him about whether he had a strong desire to set a Super Bowl attendance record, Jones grew agitated, frequently pointing at the attorney and talking even after being told to stop by the attorney and the judge. Avenatti showed several emails with references to Jones' interest in the Super Bowl attendance record of 103,985, set in 1980 at the Rose Bowl. The crowd for the 2011 game was 103,219. "Just answer my question," Avenatti said at one point as he asked Jones whether he had shared his desire to break the record. "You will not accept my answer," Jones replied after earlier referring to the fact that the stadium was designed to hold 111,000 people, though not all of them would be seated. "The record was automatically broken when we built the stadium." Avenatti shot back: "But people still had to have seats." Later, during a quiet moment, Jones turned to the judge and asked: "Is this fair?" Avenatti asked whether it was fair that people ended up without seats, and Jones said, "No. No. I regret that. I regret that." Jones said the NFL decided against his recommendation to sell standing-room tickets the same way the Cowboys do for home games. Temporary seats were constructed in the plazas of both ends zones and in some parts of the concourses in the 80,000-seat stadium. Installation of the seats didn't run on schedule, and officials were scrambling on game day to try to finish before the fire marshal declared several sections unusable. Jones said he believed the league was responsible for the seating problems, but said he had a stake in the issue "because no matter what happens there at the stadium, I would be accountable in the public eye." The Dallas owner was initially named in the lawsuit along with the franchise, but Lynn excluded both in one of her pretrial rulings. Jones tried to avoid testifying in a hearing attended by his attorneys last week, but the judge ruled otherwise. Jones repeatedly said he didn't recall conversations with NFL executives about seating issues in the days before the Super Bowl, and said he believed the league and the team did everything possible to finish the seats in time. Closing arguments were expected Wednesday in a trial that started last week.
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sports
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(Reuters Health) - A smoker trying to kick the habit may be better off alone than with a spouse or partner who also smokes, a new study suggests. "If your partner smokes, and you need to quit, it's harder to succeed than it would be if you were living alone," said Rachel Margolis, a sociology researcher at the University of Western Ontario. Margolis and her coauthor Laura Wright mined data from 5,250 smokers ages 50 to 85 who participated in the U.S. Health and Retirement Study between 1992 and 2010. Participants were interviewed an average of about six times, over the course of about 12 years. At the first interview, participants were on average about 56 years old and they typically smoked about 17 cigarettes a day, slightly less than a pack. Slightly more than half of the participants stopped smoking at some point during the study period. Those who got separated or divorced had the lowest success rate for quitting smoking: 51 percent. People who stayed with a smoker had a 52 percent success rate. About 60 percent of those who lived alone were successful at quitting. But the odds were highest, at about 68 percent, for people with a non-smoking partner or a partner who tried to quit at the same time. To be sure, not every marriage is the same, and the authors didn't have data on the quality of relationships or the many aspects of spousal behavior that might impact attempts to quit smoking. They also didn't have enough same-sex couples to compare their success to heterosexual peers, and they couldn't tell how cohabitation stacked up against marriage. Still, the study is part of an emerging field of research that is upending traditional notions of marriage as automatically beneficial for health, Margolis said. "The older research was really looking at marital status and health at one point in time and taking a picture that was way too simple for our social world," she said. "One of the things this study does is look at the fact that partnership is varied, and partnership is not static." There are many nuances to the relationships people have with their partners, as well as with friends and family, that can impact their ability to quit, said Mieke Beth Thomeer, a sociology researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. If they do quit, how well it sticks for people in relationships will depend a great deal on what's happening in the home, said Thomeer, who wasn't involved in the study. "There's a difference between trying to quit when your partner smokes in the house and when they can't smoke in your presence," Thomeer said. "It may be that if your spouse is the only person still smoking in your life that might not be as influential as if all of your other friends still smoke." More on MSN: In pics: 10 ways to give up smoking What giving up smoking could really save you Smoking in cars with children: £10,000 fine for lighting up in front of kids
| 7 | 10,859 |
health
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Jeremy Clarkson suspended by BBC The BBC has suspended Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson "following a fracas" with a producer. An investigation will now take place into the alleged incident and no one else has been suspended, the corporation said. It also said Top Gear would not be broadcast this coming Sunday. "The BBC will be making no further comment at this time," it added. Top Gear has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most-watched factual television program. It is currently broadcast in over 60 countries. This is far from Clarkson's only brush with controversy, as this gallery makes clear. Read the news story here Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Footage emerged in 2014 of Clarkson singing the nursery rhyme, "Eeny, meeny, miny moe" during filming. It was never aired on TV, but the clip appeared to suggest that Clarkson finished the rhyme with "catch a [racist epithet] by the toe." Clarkson later apologized for the incident and the BBC gave him a final warning. Burma special During the Top Gear Burma special in series 21, Clarkson described a bridge as having a "slope" on it a derogatory term used to describe an Asian who was crossing the bridge at the time. It landed him in hot water following a series of complaints. Mowing down bicyclists As a true gearhead, Clarkson has a disdain for pedal power which attracted fury in the wake of the London bombings in July 2005. He warned all those setting off on two wheels for the first time: "Do not cruise through red lights. Because if I'm coming the other way, I will run you down for fun, and do not pull up at junctions in front of a line of traffic. Because if I'm behind you, I will set off at normal speed and you will be crushed under my wheels." Drinking and Driving In 2007 the Top Gear team visited the North Pole in a modified Toyota Hilux pickup truck. Jeremy Clarkson was seen to be drinking a gin and tonic while driving across the ice. The show's producers claimed that they were beyond the jurisdiction of drunk driving laws and in international waters at the time, and Clarkson stated on the program that he was not driving but in fact "sailing." Nonetheless the BBC Trust later found that the scene could "glamorise the misuse of alcohol", and that the scene "was not editorially justified in the context of a family show pre-watershed." Argentina During filming for the 2014 Christmas special in Argentina, Clarkson upset locals by driving a Porsche 928 with the number plate "H982 FKL". After being chased from the country, Top Gear producer Andy Wilman defended Clarkson saying the car was bought with that number plate, and any reference to the Falklands War was a coincidence. Hyundai horror Jeremy has always been outspoken and it's been landing him in trouble for years. In 1998 the BBC had to step in when Hyundai UK claimed Jeremy made "bigoted and racist" comments at the Motor show in Birmingham. Jeremy allegedly told visitors to the Top Gear stand that the Korean company's staff had been eating dog and that the designer of the then new XG had probably eaten a Spaniel. The BBC said that: "Jeremy's colourful comments are always entertaining but they are his own comments and not those of the BBC. More often than not they are said with a twinkle in his eye." Americans are Brainless Jeremy has even managed to whip up protests on the other side of the Atlantic with comments in his column in The Sun about America's treatment of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. He said that: "Most Americans barely have the brains to walk on their back legs," and went on to claim that starving black people in New Orleans were being shot by helicopter gunships rather than being rescued. Punching Piers With his famously scathing turn of phrase he once said the Suzuki Wagon R should be avoided like "unprotected sex with an Ethiopian transvestite" Jeremy has no need to resort to violence. In fact only one man has been on the end of a Clarkson fist, Piers Morgan who, as the then editor of the Daily Mirror, published allegedly compromising pictures of Clarkson with a woman. Jeremy took such offence that at the 2004 British Press Awards he punched Morgan in the head several times; Morgan claims he still has a scar from a ring Jeremy was wearing. Morgan also claims that Clarkson deliberately spilt a glass of water on him during the last flight of Concorde in October 2003. Driving in a Protected Area Not content with ramming Toyotas into trees, Jeremy upset conservationists by driving a new Land Rover Discovery up to the top of Ben Tongue mountain in Scotland. Dave Morris, director of the Scottish Ramblers Association said: "We found Clarkson's stunt highly irresponsible. Driving to the top of a mountain over open ground is inevitably going to cause damage to the countryside. It is wrong of the BBC to promote such hare-brained and reckless behavior." Despicable dog walkers Jeremy infuriated dog walkers in October 2005 after he banned them from using a footpath crossing his land on the Isle of Man, claiming that they had killed his sheep. The footpath was a "permissive" one, meaning that walkers were allowed to use it with the owner's permission. But Jeremy withdrew his consent blaming "unpleasant and deeply militant dog walkers." He added: "You have these clots who just can't see it. They just think they have a God given right to trample around on somebody else's garden wherever they want and kill the sheep." We hate Jeremy Clarkson club Residents of Norfolk started this campaign in response to comments made by Jeremy implying that people living in the area were backwards. Jeremy claimed that in the 'flat and featureless' county people point and say: "Hey, look, it's a car!" whenever he drove past and that the government should tell people to avoid it unless they like "orgies and the ritual slaying of farmyard animals". Comments about Lincolnshire also got Jeremy lambasted by road safety groups for saying he drives "fast and recklessly" through Lincolnshire because it is so boring. Anti-Clarkson campaign Poor old MG Rover has often been the butt of Jeremy's jokes he compared the 75 to a "Vicar's elbow patch" and a letter to the Daily Telegraph blamed Jeremy for Rover's ills. Sacked MG-Rover employees were really incensed by his comments on the company's ultimate demise: "When I heard the news, my first thought was: 'good,'" prompting workers to hang a banner reading: "Anti-Clarkson Campaign," outside the defunct plant. "An Absolute Plonker" When Jeremy was set to be awarded an honorary degree by Oxford Brookes University, over 3,000 people signed a petition in protest, upset at Clarkson's claims that he had a 'disregard' for the environment. At the ceremony itself in September one protestor took rather more direct action, flinging a custard pie into Jezza's face. The man himself was unruffled, saying: "great shot" and posing for pictures. He also upset environmental group Greenpeace by saying he had 'wet dreams' about one of their ships sinking, prompting Ben Stewart of Greenpeace to brand him: "A class-A muppet and absolute plonker." Not a racist? Co-presenter of Top Gear James May said of Clarkson: "He is a monumental bellend and many other things, but not a racist." More on MSN Autos: Luxury Cars at Bargain Prices Need for speed: Cars in the 200mph club 14 Tips to Avoid a Lemon
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autos
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Now that daylight saving time has given us more sunlight and the weather up north has warmed up from being painfully arctic, we've got a case of mass spring fever on our hands (Sophia made the bold statement of going tights-free yesterday and I'm inclined to follow her lead). Never have I been more excited to open an email from Madewell packed with spring outfit ideas and tips from the gorgeous Constance Jablonski , who stars in the newest catalog. That's Constance, looking all leggy and fabulous in Argentina, and if the snap itself isn't enough to convince you that still-trending overalls can be positively alluring, she's got style tips! Out of everything she modeled for the shoot, this pair was her favorite item. "The fit was perfect, super cool, and sexy," she explained, referring to the skinny-leg cut and the way the waistband comes to where a high-rise jean would hit you (any lower can make you look heavier). "You can wear them with a nice white shirt or a T-shirt if you want it to be more casual." Other items on her spring shopping list include relaxed-fit jean shorts (like these ) and cool jewelry. Personally, I thought I'd ticked off all the items on my wish list, but now that I've seen these outfit ideas, I'm all like "ummm, I think I need that..." You can shop the Constance-loved overalls at madewell.com. Have you bought anything new for this spring? Share!
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lifestyle
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Toronto Blue Jays starter Marcus Stroman has suffered a torn left knee ligament and will miss the 2015 season, general manager Alex Anthopoulos announced, a devastating blow for the club that will change the complexion of the American League East race. Stroman, 23, tore his anterior cruciate ligament during fielding drills Tuesday morning. He made 20 starts in 2014 and won 11 games, striking out 111 in 130 2/3 innings, and figured to pitch near the top of the Blue Jays' rotation this season. The Blue Jays were already thin in starting pitching, and Stroman's loss means veteran Marco Estrada, rookie Daniel Norris and possibly non-roster invitee Johan Santana will account for the final two spots in their rotation. Stroman tweeted that he was "beyond devastated" over the injury. He will receive a second opinion from noted orthopedist James Andrews, but is not expected to avoid surgery.
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sports
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So let me get this straight: we've made groundbreaking change in how we crown a champion in college football, yet we still ignore the most important games of the season when voting for a Heisman Trophy winner. It's time, Downtown Athletic Club. Pack up all of your emotions and all that tradition and stuff it in a sack. Let's blow up the way we think about awarding the Heisman Trophy. MORE: All-time Heisman winners | 2015 Heisman favorites | Best Heisman voting classes "I've never understood why it's an award given out before all the games are played," said Houston coach Tom Herman. Two months ago, Herman was Ohio State's offensive coordinator. Two months ago, Herman was scrambling to find a way to win games with a third-string quarterback while heading into a potential three-game stretch that would define the season. The entire season . His plan was simple: "We had to lean on the best guy on the field." The best guy on the field in the last month of the season, in the final three games of the season, was Ohio State tailback Ezekiel Elliott . But because two of those three games (the College Football Playoff semifinal and final) weren't even part of the Heisman Trophy voting process, and another (the Big Ten Championship Game) was more than likely an afterthought, Elliott wasn't even on the Heisman radar. He didn't earn a single vote. The vote in early December was a landslide win for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. Had the vote been taken at the end of the season after voters had a chance to digest those three critical games and their impact on the season it could have been much different. Look, I understand the weight and burden of those at the DAC who are entrusted with the time-honored tradition of the Heisman process. It's the greatest individual award in all of sport, why change now? Because if it doesn't change now, the erosion of significance we saw this season will only continue until we can't tell one bronze statue from another. You say Heisman, I say Biletnikoff. But understand this: the Heisman can be even better by voting after all the games have been played, and (key point) be more representative of it's stated goal: "the outstanding college football player whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence." It's not like the FBS conference commissioners sat in all those meetings the last couple of years and flippantly decided on seismic postseason change. They were dealing with much more to lose than the Heisman could imagine. MORE: SN's Top 50 players | Top 25 QBs | RBs | Top 10 overall football programs Then, in a move none of them could have seen, their decision to change the postseason inadvertently marginalized the Heisman Trophy. The entire focus of the season is now on the College Football Playoff, and the week-to-week carnival of arguing about four spots. By moving the voting process back a month and not accepting votes until every game has been played, the Heisman again becomes a focal point of the season instead of a sideshow. You're not just playing for a national champion, you're also, in some years, playing for the Heisman. In fact, since the CFP has its own weekly show, why not one for the Heisman that piggybacks the CFP show? Take a handful of Heisman voters and have a weekly roundtable discussion (you're welcome, ESPN). How would Ezekiel Elliott have fared in Heisman voting last season if voting occurred after the playoffs? (Getty Images) Now, the problem: Tim Henning, publicist for the Heisman, says, "to the best of my knowledge, moving (the award) to a different date has never been discussed by the trust." Think about that: in this ever-changing sports world; in this social media-induced zero attention span society, the Heisman Trust has never thought about, you know, doing something different to further secure a brand that is suddenly stale with the emergence of the CFP. It's mind-boggling at best, reckless at worst. The best way to protect your brand is to strengthen your brand. We see it on the football field with fading programs ignoring what goes on outside their safe bubble (hello, Texas, Florida, Notre Dame) until they're staring at seven- and eight-loss seasons or embarrassing home losses to non-conference teams they've paid a million to come take a beating. Why would it be any different for the Heisman? Ignore the changing landscape long enough, and you're in danger of being eclipsed by it. Earlier this week, the Sullivan Award announced 16 semifinalists for the honor given to the nation's best amateur athlete in any sport. Elliott, who carried Ohio State to the national title but was ignored by Heisman voters, was named a Sullivan semifinalist. That, as much as anything, should be a red flag for the Heisman Trust. Elliott could be named the Sullivan best amateur athlete in all of sport for 2014 and not have earned one lousy vote for the most important individual award in the very sport he plays. That's more damage to the brand than any three extra games can bring.
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sports
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KANEVILLE, Ill. As neighboring suburbs have swelled with new subdivisions, fast-food chains and traffic just a few miles down the road, this tiny community of 488 people has fought to stay the way it has been for decades. Residents identify each other by which historic farmers' homes they occupy, like the Gramleys' or the Longs'. The town trumpets big events with plastic letters on a lighted message board on Main Street: "Good Luck at state Kaneland Wrestlers," or "Congrats Megan and Josh, It's a Boy." And everyone shops at Hill's Country Store, an old house painted purple in the town's center, where neighbors go to pick up pancake mix or lottery tickets and sometimes stay to chat for an hour. So when the much-loved store owner, Pat Hill, who is also village president, announced she had terminal cancer late last year it was deeply upsetting to residents, who voted in 2006 to incorporate Kaneville to prevent bordering suburbs from swallowing it up. They don't want Hill to die, just as they want their small town to live on. For almost two decades, Hill has scooped free ice cream cones for local baseball teams, and, over the summer, projected movies on the outside wall of her business so residents could watch and eat free popcorn. She cheers for truck drivers who get three numbers in Powerball and delivers home-cooked meals to elderly customers who seem to bring one too many TV dinners up to the store counter. Because of all this, Hill's cancer battle has become a villagewide concern, as residents desperate to help have organized fundraisers, dropped off batches of get-well cards from local schoolchildren and worn purple bracelets in her honor. "People like Pat Hill keep the town relevant," said Brian Johnson, boys basketball coach at the local high school, where his varsity team now wears "Play like Pat" T-shirts before every game. "We just want her to be OK, because she's just so important to so many people." Founded in 1836 by a farmer named Amos Minor, Kaneville 50 miles west of Chicago off I-88 has always been a simple community. Early settlers moved to town mostly to join other relatives who had settled in the area. Kaneville saw a slight boom from 1900 to 1920, when a train line from DeKalb to Aurora brought in farm supplies and tourists on their way to afternoon social meetings in bigger communities. But for the most part, the community that measures less than one square mile was never more than a single subdivision with a few staples a general store, blacksmith, library, post office, church and bank, said Lynette Werdin, vice president of the Kaneville Historical Society. "We're just a precious little town that has survived without any specialness, I guess," said Werdin. "But to me, it's very special. I've lived here all my life. It's a very caring town." It was that quaint feeling that appealed to Hill and her husband, Cliff, 20 years ago when they were looking for a place to raise a family. Hill, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Lisle in a family of eight children, wanted a home with a big kitchen, a fireplace and a yard where her two children could play and she could plant a garden. She fell in love with a brick ranch in the town's only subdivision, where they still live. "It reminded me of Mayberry," Hill said. "I couldn't believe it." Hill quickly found that for as many lifelong residents she met in Kaneville, there also were many others like her, who sought out a small-town lifestyle after living in busier areas closer to Chicago. Leanne Gramley, who grew up in Elk Grove Village, also a Chicago suburg, was in awe 12 years ago when her then-boyfriend, Stephen Gramley, a Kaneville native, took her on a date to the community's Memorial Day celebration. She loved the way residents decorated the community center gymnasium in red, white and blue, then sent a parade of local schoolchildren to the cemetery to lay flowers on veterans' graves. "It blew me away that they did that. … I just thought that was the coolest small town thing I'd seen in my whole life," said Leanne Gramley, who is now married to Stephen and serves as the chairwoman of Kaneville's Memorial Day program. "It's still possible," Gramley said. "You still can have a little farm town." Today, the village is home to a mix of farmers, tradesmen, retirees and corporate commuters. Those who love Kaneville are quick to mention the general store on the corner of Main Street and Harter Road, where residents can rent movies, buy a $3.99 sloppy Joe, chips and drink lunch special, or order a peanut butter pie for the holidays. Opened in 1892 as Shoellhorn's, the general store has changed hands more than a half dozen times as local families the Schlafers, the Bowers, and even the Menards, of hardware store fame took turns running it and adding their own touches. Hill began working at the store part time in 1998, after she was laid off from a job as an executive assistant in Elmhurst, Ill. Nine years later, when the store's owners put it up for sale, Pat and Cliff Hill scraped together enough savings to buy it. "I thought, if you're going to work the rest of your life, you might as well enjoy doing it," she said. "And I liked doing it. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it." Hill takes pride in offering customers what they need, accompanied by a smile and good conversation. She orders soda in glass bottles, because it tastes better, she said, and is happy to throw in a free cup of ice. There are juice boxes for moms who forget it's their turn to bring snacks to school, and windshield washer fluid for drivers about to hit the road. Her 24-year-old daughter, Alexa, is the store's co-manager and baker. On a recent afternoon, residents Kyle and Amy Reed stopped into the store with their two toddler sons, who immediately began rummaging through the candy aisle. When the mother scolded her older boy for scooping up a lollipop, Hill was quick to defend him. "It's OK, that'll be for your Valentine's Day present. But honey," she added, "ask next time." Hill was immersed in Kaneville activities when she bought the store she sat on the cemetery board, the historical society and the committee that organizes the annual Christmas in Kaneville celebration. She was one of the first trustees appointed after Kaneville became a village in 2006. Taking over the popular store made her even more visible. She began sponsoring local Little League teams, catering live auctions and organizing the Kaneville Fest Celebration in the summer. And in 2013, Hill was elected the first female village president in Kaneville history. "She's on every board; she is everywhere, and she does everything," said Leanne Gramley. "She rallies around us." So when doctors delivered the shocking news to Hill during a routine checkup that she had stage 4 breast cancer with cancer cells in her breast, bones and liver it didn't take long for word to spread. Kris Weiss, assistant principal at Kaneland Harter Middle School, got a knock on the door from a staff member who learned of Hill's diagnosis through her prayer circle. The news felt like a punch in the gut, she said. "I felt sad and frustrated that it would happen to someone who was so involved and so caring for her local community members," said Weiss, who had T-shirts designed in Pat's honor, which raised $500 to help Hill cover medical costs. Village residents quickly took action. One woman organized a meal train, which ensured that the Hills had a hot, multicourse homemade meal dropped off at their door every night for months. A handful of other old-fashioned fundraisers from a gift basket raffle to a live auction have raised more than $50,000. And Patti Southern, owner of Fisherman's Inn in neighboring Elburn, fielded dozens of calls begging for an extra ticket to a December fundraiser that had sold out in days. On the night of the event, Kaneville residents wept openly as they celebrated Hill and what she represented in their community, Southern recalled. "There were a lot of tears of happiness," Southern said. "She takes care of people all the time. Sometimes what goes around comes around." Those who have raised the money have told Hill to use it on medical bills, or to take a trip somewhere with whatever time she has left. Hill, who turned 51 last month, still hopes she'll get to see her daughter someday walk down the aisle, and her 18-year-old son, Tyler, fulfill his dream of becoming an orthodontist. Recent test results showed that six months of chemotherapy treatments have eliminated measurable traces of cancer in her body. Although her type of cancer is incurable and will ultimately return, for now Hill will continue with maintenance therapy, which includes a daily chemotherapy pill, among other treatments, said Dr. Perry Menini, her medical oncologist from Cadence Cancer Center at Delnor, Ill., now part of Northwestern Medicine. At the purple store, meanwhile, business is slower than usual. While Hill usually tries to keep the aisles stocked with three of everything, she can afford to keep inventory at only one of each, from toothpaste to aluminum foil. Hill, who has lost her hair and has bouts of nausea, said she plans to work behind the counter of her store as much as possible. On a recent afternoon, she greeted regular customer Mike Gee with her usual over-the-top warmth. "What can I get for you today? Do you want chili? A sandwich? Some soup?" she said. Gee, a DeKalb resident who grew up in Kaneville, purposely drives his truck back through the community each day to buy lottery tickets at the country store, and to linger for a while. "People get lost in urban life, but this is thriving alive and well," he said.
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You may question my opinion on marriage when you hear that I am divorced, but I often find that those of us who have tried something and failed bring a lot to the table in terms of perspective and advice. And after numerous rounds of marriage counseling, time spent thinking about why my marriage failed and what part both my ex and I had to play in this failure, I have a whole new way of looking at marriage than when I first said "I do." Despite everything, I still 100 percent believe in marriage and love. I see couples all the time that remind me that marriage can be lovely. And then I see couples that should be happy, but they're not. There are no major issues, but they seem to exist in misery. When you're unhappily married or having minor marital issues, you're not typically announcing it to people. It's like a dirty secret. Who wants to say that her happily ever after stinks? But here's the good news: while there are indeed quite a few people in hopelessly bad marriages, most are perfectly capable of happiness. And I am here to say as someone who lived through this that there is one costly mistake you may be making in your marriage that is causing friction. In fact, you may be doing this mistake without even realizing it. And you may be doing this even if you're in a relatively happy marriage. Do you find yourself nagging your partner a lot? Or do you find yourself saying how your partner never does X or always does Y? For example, does your husband never clean up after himself? Do you frequently vent about this issue, whatever it is? Is it a constant fight between the two of you? If you answered yes, that's the mistake I'm talking about. Too often, people focus on what their partners are doing wrong rather than what they're doing right. Even though it would be preferable and polite for your messy husband to pick up after himself, in the large scheme of things, is he doing things mostly right? Every single person in this world has flaws. When we sign up to marry someone, we're basically signing this invisible document that says, "When exchanging vows with person X, you must tolerate his or her flaws, and remember the good every day despite the fact that person X may be utterly annoying at times" - sign at the X. It's all too common that over time as people get comfortable and take each other for granted, these little tiny issues become large in our mind and we forget to savor what our partner does so well because we're focusing on that one thing he or she can't do right. Fixing this issue takes two steps. The first one is realizing you're doing it if you don't already. The second is how to stop and what issues are worth letting go . . . and what aren't. Are You Slamming Your Partner Too Much? How often do you point out to friends, co-workers, and maybe even family what your partner is doing wrong? Do you frequently get irritated with your partner? Are you nagging your partner constantly? Do you resent him over these flaws of his? Do you hold back sex or affection? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are most likely focusing on your partner's flaws too much. What Issues Are Not Worth Letting Go If your partner is abusive verbally, physically, or emotionally . . . you cannot let this slide! If he's cheating, reckless with money, or abusing substances . . . he's not a keeper! If he's mean to the kids and irresponsible with their care . . . you've got a real big problem. These are issues that should be taken seriously. Issues You Should Let Slide Is he messy (not a hoarder, but simply messy)? Is he bad with romance, planning dates, or just average in bed? (Yes, I said that.) Is he overwhelmed at times when handling the kids? Is he forgetful? Does the concept of folding laundry befuddle him? These are the issues you should let slide. Most likely, you knew he was this way when you said "I do." For all the times he left the clothes in the dryer, I bet if you focused on it, you could find another 50 times that he was there for you as your husband. How to Stop First, why are you obsessing over these small issues? Are you happy with yourself and where you two are as people and parents? I found that my ex and I tended to be harder on each other when we were feeling down about ourselves or our circumstances like money issues, unemployment periods, and pregnancy loss. The reality for both of us was that we were dissatisfied with situations in our life, and instead of placing accurate blame, at times we made each other the fall guy for our unhappiness. If you aren't happy with yourself, you may unintentionally pick at your partner. It's time to get yourself back to happiness, and that may mean seeing a counselor. Have you gotten too comfortable, or are you simply bored? Sometimes we take our partners for granted because like our favorite pair of yoga pants, he has been there forever. And in case you didn't get the memo, marriage can be utterly boring sometimes. It's not like when you were dating and dealing with the intense roller coaster of love. Perhaps you need to invest in some alone time with your man. Maybe it's time to even spice things up sexually a bit. Or why not try a new hobby or activity with your partner? We all get in marriage ruts from time to time. The trick is to snap out of it when it's happening. I tried to pull my ex out of the rut we got in, but he was resistant. Don't resist. Be open to change. Take five minutes a day to reflect on what your main squeeze does right, and tell him! If you start to share not only your complaints but also your compliments, imagine the return you will get from this. Consider these compliments as deposits in your marriage. Every time you have something good to say, you're investing in your partner. Every time you have something bad to say, you're withdrawing. Put nagging in the category of "something bad to say" as well. I nagged too much at times . . . when I should have let it go or not bothered to beat a dead horse. Nagging is often destructive and doesn't get your guy to do what you want. But when you share with your partner something great he did and focus on all he does bring to the table, I guarantee he will step up to the plate more and more. That was something my ex failed to do. I didn't get positive feedback, and it hurt me deeply until I started to withdraw. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy when we focus on the negative in our partner: the more we tell them these things, perhaps the more the person starts to believe he or she is bad, and possibly even "become" what we have envisioned. It's not good for your partner's self-esteem, and it's a negative place for you to be in. At the end of the day, marriage means waking up each day and saying, "Even if you drive me crazy, I love you too much to be without you, so I'll just let you make me slightly insane." Reflect on all the wonderful things your partner brings to the marriage, and I promise the small things won't seem so "big" anymore.
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Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said a letter from Republican senators to Iranian leaders on nuclear negotiations was "out of step" with tradition. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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Disney's Cinderella has inspired many different consumer collections, but our favorite around POPSUGAR Beauty is its collaboration with MAC Cosmetics. The whimsical collection comes with products like Royal Ball, flesh-toned pink lipstick, pressed beauty powder that's reminiscent of fairy dust, and Stroke of Midnight - a six-shade eye shadow palette that's just as wearable for meeting a prince as it is for the office. Not to mention, the packaging is precious to boot. Dare I say it's more of a collector's item than a glass slipper? Here's my take on the iconic Disney princess's look, featuring several products from the collection. MAC Cinderella Stroke of Midnight Eye Shadow x 6 ($44) MAC Cinderella Studio Eye Gloss in Lightly Tauped ($23) MAC Cinderella Fluidline in Macroviolet ($18) MAC Cinderella Studio Fix Lash in BoldBlack ($19) MAC Cinderella Beauty Powder in Mystery Princess ($28) MAC Cinderella Lipstick in Royal Ball ($18) On Kirbie: Gown by Xcite Disney Cinderella Forever Enchanted Collection
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Google CFO Patrick Pichette has announced his retirement plans, reports CNBC's Kate Rogers.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) There's a three-headed quarterback controversy brewing at Ohio State. For now, however, Urban Meyer doesn't want to even think about it. ''When you say, `How does it play out?' I don't know,'' he said Tuesday after the national champion Buckeyes' first of 15 spring practices. ''It's day to day, player by player. That's the focus - not what's going to happen and what we foresee.'' With only one of Ohio State's three starquarterbacks healthy right now, the volume has been muted about who will end up under center for the Sept. 7 opener at Virginia Tech. Cardale Jones, who quarterbacked the three stirring wins to close out a 14-1 campaign, was taking first-team snaps Tuesday. Braxton Miller, the three-year starter heading into last season, is limited by shoulder surgery in August. J.T. Barrett, who led the way through last year's regular season, was in uniform but is still recovering from a broken ankle. The rest of the Buckeyes aren't taking sides. ''I know we've got three good quarterbacks who can all play,'' offensive tackle Taylor Decker said. ''And whoever they throw in there, I know we'll be fine. That's for the coaches to figure out. I'll just do my job.'' Miller did some stretching and lower-body conditioning, but didn't throw. While Jones is clearly the No. 1 guy this spring, Miller and Barrett remained nearby and involved. There was speculation after the season that Jones - coming off a big postseason as a third-year sophomore - would make himself available for the NFL draft. There was also talk that Miller, a two-time Big Ten player of the year and now a graduate student, would transfer to avoid the logjam at the position. But none of those scenarios panned out. So the quarterback question figures to be an ongoing, and perhaps unwelcome, specter hovering over the Buckeyes. Meyer said he has never discussed the possibility with Miller of playing another position. Same goes for Jones and Barrett, last year's first-team All-Big Ten quarterback as a redshirt freshman. ''At some point there'll be some (stress) because of the respect I have for those three guys,'' Meyer said. ''If I disliked one or two of them, it would not be that hard. That's the only dilemma that I can see happening. But not right now.'' Currently, Meyer and his staff are most concerned with finding replacements for four graduated starters on each side of the ball. And also with maintaining the momentum from last season's remarkable 13-game winning streak which culminated in a 42-20 victory over Oregon in major college football's first playoff finale. Last year's success left its mark around the team's practice facility. There's a giant picture of the 2014 squad in the team meeting room. Then there's a huge image of the national championship trophy on a banner on the side of the indoor field. Also, a massive sign on the one end of the practice field that used to say ''The Chase'' has been replaced by one Meyer had made that says, ''The Grind.'' '''It's what our program's about,'' linebacker Joshua Perry said of that motto. ''You sharpen, you shape, you pulverize - it's a lot of friction. So, we like that. That's how you develop players and that's how you get the best out of people.'' About 75 reporters and cameramen watched the first 45 minutes of the workout. All-American defensive end Joey Bosa sprinted from one drill to the next, his arms spread wide as if he were pretending he was flying down the field. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who rushed for 696 yards in the last three games, wore a pink cast on his left wrist after postseason surgery. Several other Buckeyes are still recovering from injuries: center Jacoby Boren (ankle), H-back Dontre Wilson (foot) and safety Tyvis Powell (wrist). An acclaimed recruit, defensive end Dre'Mont Jones, injured his knee last week while playing basketball for St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. Meyer's biggest worry is complacency. He's been through this twice before, winning BCS titles at Florida after the 2006 and 2008 seasons. ''We're human beings, man,'' said Meyer, 38-3 in three seasons at Ohio State. ''I don't think last year we had that sense around here at all. This year I'm watching it. I don't feel it. If I do, we'd dive right into it.'' --- Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP
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I skipped my college graduation ceremony and unintentionally got pregnant instead. Welcome to the real world, said the real world. Here's a child. Of all the times to get pregnant! I had "dream job" interviews lined up in Manhattan, a depleted bank account (thank you, unpaid internships), and oh yes! I was just dropped from my parents' health insurance. (This was back in 2008; before the law was changed to accommodate the crippling recession I brought a child into. Timing!) It was stressful, for sure, but life has a funny way of working out. 1. Sleep deprivation If there's anything that rivals the sleep deprivation of new motherhood, it's the sleep deprivation of finals week. I was so used to being up all night studying (or partying), that having a new baby wasn't as jarring as it could have been. If I had spent the next 10 years adjusting to a healthy sleep cycle, those first few weeks would have been way harder. 2. Naps College students are well-versed in the art of napping. So while some new parents might find it hard to sneak in satisfying catnaps during the day, it was totally natural for me. I could fall asleep just about anywhere, anytime. Naps for everyone! I was in go, go, go mode from the jump, fully used to being run ragged. 3. Puking Morning sickness or a wicked hangover? I was used to it. 4. Living with strangers It's never easy to invite a new person into your living space, but I had spent the last four years moving in and out with roommates, adjusting to different living styles and making compromises. I had no routine to disrupt, no "alone time" to miss. 5. A fluid identity I was already in the midst of a massive life transition when I had my son, and my identity was in a very malleable place. To me, being an adult means being a mother I know nothing else. And all of the lessons I learned from pregnancy and motherhood, the appreciation for my body, the mind-bending experience of birthing a child, the deepening of my heart, all contributed to my brand-new adult identity. I think I'm a better person because of it. 6. Being broke The thought of having a baby without a job (or health insurance) was extremely stressful. The job interview process was even worse. (I had one job scramble for an excuse to un-hire me after I admitted I was "with child.") But bright side: When I started my full-time job and actually started making cash, the cost of a baby didn't feel like a loss. It was all progress. 7. Calming down inconsolable tantrums I lived with four girls in one dorm room, OK? 8. Having too much on my plate I went from juggling a full course load + an internship + double waitressing shifts, straight into the juggling act of motherhood. I was in go, go, go mode from the jump, fully used to being run ragged. That's the lifestyle I was used to. As it turns out, there's no "right" way to do this. Would I have planned to get pregnant when I was young, broke and unemployed? Absolutely not. But looking back, it's the best thing that ever happened to me.
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This makes me feel like a power ranger.
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lifestyle
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On the same day the Seattle Seahawks swung another bold deal for an offensive playmaker, one they traded away hit the unemployment line. The New York Jets announced Tuesday they have released Percy Harvin, whom they acquired from the Seahawks for a conditional draft pick in October after the volatile receiver wore out his welcome in Seattle. The release means Harvin, 26, will be looking for his fourth team in about two years despite the immense talent that made him the NFL's offensive rookie of the year in 2009. The Seahawks who acquired star tight end Jimmy Graham from the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday sent first-, third- and seventh-round picks to the Minnesota Vikings for Harvin in March 2013 and gave him a lucrative contract extension. They won the Super Bowl after that season with Harvin returning a kickoff for a touchdown in the title rout of the Denver Broncos. But Harvin's first season in Seattle was short-circuited by hip surgery and a concussion, and he clashed with teammates and pulled himself from multiple games last year before the Seahawks had enough and traded him to the Jets. That deal was swung by former Jets general manager John Idzik, who was fired along with coach Rex Ryan after last season. New Jets GM Mike Maccagnan apparently had no interest in paying Harvin the $10.5 million non-guaranteed base salary he was due in 2015. So, Harvin is on the street and can sign with any team. *** Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero
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Moments before they hit the Valentino runway, Zoolander 2's Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson got approval from Vogue's Anna Wintour on their runway walk. "Usually I go right, left, right, left, right, left, but today I'm going to start left in honor of how the sun rotates." Watch the video to find out their final decision.
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Eighteen years ago, Buffy the Vampire Slayer aired for the first time on The WB in a two-part debut. "Welcome to the Hellmouth" introduced viewers to Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), a likable, popular 16-year-old who just happened to have a destiny that included saving the world from the undead; while also introducing Buffy to Sunnydale, a small, run-of-the-mill California town that just happened to sit on a Hellmouth a portal of mystical energy that attracts demons, vampires, and other boogeymen. In many ways, Buffy was a conventional television heroine, in that she was pretty and blonde and perky, and she talked a mile a minute about clothes and homework like a normal teenage girl (as opposed to the theatrical soliloquies delivered by characters in The WB's next teen drama, Dawson's Creek) . But the show's subversiveness was spelled out by creator Joss Whedon in the opening scene, as a nervous blonde girl and a cocky, older-looking guy in a leather jacket break into Sunnydale High School late at night. The girl seems scared and keeps hearing noises. "We're just going to get in trouble," she tells him. "You can count on it," he replies, licking his lips. Finally, once she's certain there's no one else around, she reveals her distorted vampire features and sinks her teeth into his neck. In its first two minutes, "Welcome to the Hellmouth" establishes a universe, as the camera creeps slowly through a high school in the dark, lingering on skeletons in a classroom and shadows behind a door. But it also establishes a premise that this is a show about female power. The pretty blonde, a vampire named Darla, isn't a victim but a predator, just as Buffy has strength and acuity that belie her looks. At the end of "The Harvest," the second part of the two-episode debut, Giles (Anthony Stewart Head) watches Buffy and her friends walk away, cheerily discussing the ways in which she stands between the world and its total destruction. "The earth is doomed," he says, wearily. It's this kind of assumption that being young and frivolous and having profound influence are mutually exclusive that Whedon would go on to dispel throughout Buffy 's seven seasons. Buffy i s also unique in that, as much as Sunnydale is a Hellmouth, high school is hell. The monsters in the first season are literal manifestations of the demons that plague teenagers a controlling mother who's so intent on living through her daughter that she switches bodies with her, a pack of teenage boys who become uncontrollably feral, an Internet boyfriend who pretends to be a normal kid but whose real identity is much more complex (in this case, he's a demon called Moloch who got accidentally uploaded onto the Internet). In the episode "Out of Mind, Out of Sight," one of Buffy's classmates is ignored to the extent that she physically becomes invisible. In transmogrifying common teenage issues into actual, tangible villains, Buffy makes them seem important, and worth agonizing over. It also makes them seem conquerable. This sense of empathy for the complexity and horror of the high-school experience comes through as Buffy's characters defy their stereotypes to become fully realized people, with help from the Slayer. Willow, pigeonholed as a nerd, becomes confident and powerful (too powerful) throughout the course of the show, while Cordelia, the shallow and cruel Queen Bee, becomes much more sympathetic. But Buffy herself arrives in the pilot fully-formed smart, kind, sensitive, and aware of what she wants in life, which is mostly not to have to kill vampires every night and to just be a normal teenager. What she realizes along with the audience during the first season is that there's no such thing. Every kid has her own demons to slay some just have pointier teeth than others. Television has had lots of complex, admirable teenage heroines since Buffy, but it's hard to think of one so consistently empowered to take control of the circumstances around her, whether in the middle of a graveyard, surrounded by vampires, or in her bedroom, grounded. Buffy's super-strength is a physical attribute endowed by the forces of destiny, but it's also a state of confidence and competence that carries her through the varying traumas of having the fate of the world always on her shoulders. Joss Whedon's 2006 speech after being honored by the group Equality Now describes his frustration at consistently being asked why he writes strong female heroines. The real reason, he finally states, is because people are "still asking me the question." In a perfect world, Buffy at 18 wouldn't still seem so revolutionary, but if nothing else, it's another reason to appreciate it.
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entertainment
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Vodafone has introduced a mandatory minimum maternity policy that requires all 30 of its globally operating companies to offer at least 16 weeks of fully paid leave to expectant mothers, even in countries like the US that have no paid leave requirements. The kicker? For the first six months after returning from leave, women who work at the multinational telecommunications company will receive full pay for 30-hour weeks. "Too many talented women leave working life because they face a difficult choice between either caring for a newborn baby or maintaining their careers," said Vittorio Colao, the company's chief executive. Thirty-five percent of Vodafone's employees are women, but they comprise only 21 percent of senior leadership. The company hopes that this policy will aid in talent retention and allow working mother's to spend more time with their newborn and less money on child care. A report by KPMG , commissioned by Vodafone, estimates that global businesses could save up to $19 billion per year if they adopted Vodafone's policy. The firm said companies spend roughly $47 billion every year recruiting and training new employees to replace women who leave the workforce after giving birth. Offering 16 weeks paid maternity leave would cost only $28 billion a year, according to the report. "Supporting working mothers at all levels of our organisation will ultimately result in better decisions, a better culture and a deeper understanding of our customers' needs," Colao said.
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Rep. Donna Edwards ' Senate bid sounded the starting bell Tuesday for a competitive primary for her House Seat. "I think it's very likely that you could have a very crowded field," said former Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md., who represented the district for more than a decade until 2008, when Edwards defeated him. "It's a window of opportunity for another generation." Maryland Democrats are facing upheaval in the ranks following Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski 's decision to retire. Edwards and her colleague, Chris Van Hollen , D-Md., have announced bids for the rare open Senate seat, creating crowded and definitive primaries in their House districts. Edwards represents the 4th District, which includes Prince George's County and parts of Anne Arundel County. The district overwhelmingly votes for Democrats, and President Barack Obama won it with 78 percent in 2012. A majority of the population 54 percent is African-American. Approximately 75 perfect of the district's population is in Prince George's County, per 2010 United States Census, and candidates will have to perform well there in the primary to win the nod. Most of the potential candidates represent or have represented some part of Prince George's County. Based on conversations with Maryland Democrats and potential candidates, here's a list of potential congressional hopefuls for the district: Former State's Attorney Glenn Ivey Ivey, who worked in Prince George's County from 2003 through 2011, mounted a brief primary challenge to Edwards in 2012 before dropping out due to a lack of funds. A source close to Ivey told CQ Roll Call he will likely enter what is now an open-seat race. Former Lt. Governor Anthony Brown If he enters the race, he has the advantage of near universal name recognition in the district. Before Brown served statewide, he represented Prince George's County as a delegate. In his 2014 gubernatorial bid, he won it with 85 percent of the vote. A source close to Brown said he's strongly considering a run and will make his intentions known soon. But there could be lingering bad feeling toward Brown, whose 2014 loss gave the governorship to Republicans for only the second time since 1969. State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks Alsobrooks was the first woman to be elected to that role for Prince George's County. She is currently serving her second term in the post. She did not respond to CQ Roll Call's request for comment on the House race. Del. Michael Vaughn Vaughn, who represents part of Prince George's County, told CQ Roll Call Monday he was "having discussions with people in my inner circle." Edwards had not yet announced, but Vaughn confirmed, "I would have some interest in the seat in the congressional district." State Sen. C. Anthony Muse Muse has represented Prince George's County in the state Senate since 2007. He did not return CQ Roll Call's requests for comment. Former Del. Aisha Braveboy Braveboy represented part of Prince George's County in the House of Delegates until she left office in January. Braveboy told CQ Roll Call Tuesday the House seat is "something I've got to think through. But right now I'm just focused on" Edwards. Prince George's County Councilwoman Andrea Harrison Harrison has served in that body since 2008. She did not return CQ Roll Call's requests for comment on the House race. Former Prince George's County Councilwoman Ingrid Turner Turner served in that role from 2006 through December 2014. CQ Roll Call was unable to reach her for comment. Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk Peña-Melnyk represents a district that includes parts of Prince George's County and part of Anne Arundel County. She declined to comment Monday through a spokesperson. The list could get even longer. State senators, delegates, and councilmembers have a free pass to run for Edwards' House seat because they are not up for re-election until 2018. What's more, aspiring Maryland Democrats might have other opportunities. Reps. John Sarbanes , C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger , Elijah E. Cummings , D-Md., and John Delaney , D-Md., are also considering Senate bids. If any of them run, Maryland Democrats could endure huge turnover, creating even more opportunities for aspiring pols. Related: Democratic Floodgates Open for Maryland House Seat Edwards Makes Senate Bid Official Mikulski Will Not Seek Another Term Report: Donna Edwards to Announce Senate Bid Is the Senate Where It's At for Ambitious House Democrats? The Maryland Democrat Who Wants to Stay Where He Is The 114th: CQ Roll Call's Guide to the New Congress Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone .
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INDIANAPOLIS The Indianapolis Colts are reportedly close to striking a deal with San Francisco 49ers free agent running back Frank Gore. And now, things are getting really interesting. Rumors continue to swirl that former Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson, released Monday, could be Indy-bound as well. And it wouldn't be a coincidence. Gore and Johnson were college teammates at the University of Miami (Fla.) and have been competing against one another since playing for rival high schools in Miami. Their long history seems to be playing an important role in their common interest in joining the Colts. And the presence of coach Chuck Pagano and assistant Rob Chudzinski both once on the Miami coaching staff is no small factor, either. Neither player is a long-term answer. Age is a working against both (Gore is 31, Johnson is 33). But both have been productive and durable in recent years, and they both play positions where the Colts need a boost. Gore would give the Colts the sort of tough, between-the-tackles runner they were seeking to land when they traded for Trent Richardson in 2013. Gore has rushed for at least 1,000 in eight of his 10 NFL seasons. Now, consider this fact: The Colts have not had a 1,000-yard rusher since Joseph Addai ran for 1,072 yards in 2007. Meanwhile, Johnson would augment a very, very young group of receivers and would be considered an upgrade over another former Miami standout Reggie Wayne who the Colts on Friday said they would not re-sign. Houston would preferred to have kept Johnson. But the Texans could not find a financial solution that would have enabled them to do that. Johnson would have counted $16.1 million against the salary cap, a number the Texans just couldn't accept. Now, if Johnson does land in Indy he'll have other suitors, certainly he would be in position to play the Texans twice a season in the AFC South. *** Holder writes for The Indianapolis Star
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Everyone has fantasies , some of which are definitely worth turning into a reality. But there are others that, when you do try them out IRL, will make you wish you'd kept them confined to your head. Even the sexiest-seeming things can turn disastrous in a second. Let's chat about a few, and tell me below: Have any of these happened to you? 1. Shower sex: I so get the appeal. Really, I do. What could be hotter than rubbing up against the sudsy object of your affection? The issue is in the execution. First, you might get shampoo in your eyes. Then, all the extra water could actually dry out your nether regions when it matters most. And lastly, hello, there's the danger aspect! What if you slip, crack your head, and get a concussion? What if he slides, takes you down with him, and ends up with a bent member? To keep your shower sex from inspiring an episode of Sex Sent Me to the ER , your best bet is to put down one of those stabilizing bath mats and, just for good measure, avoid the super-slick products. 2. Public sex: So, you decided to experiment with getting it on outside the walls of your house . I'd pat you on the back if I could, but I'd also sternly take you by the shoulders, look you in the eye, and warn you not to get caught. Nothing will kill the sexiness like a hefty fine or pair of handcuffs placed on your wrists by a cop instead of your partner. 3. Adding a vibrator. Pretty much every woman should have at least one vibrator. If I could, I would pull an Oprah and shower people with them: " You get a vibrator! And you get a vibrator!" I'm a fan of any woman taking control of her pleasure and figuring out what will bring about the best orgasm possible. The only buzzkill is that sometimes guys feel insecure when you try to use one during sex. It's understandable if he needs some reassurance that you're not trying to subtly tell him he sucks in bed, but it's not cool if he feels so put-out that he refuses to embrace the good vibes. 4. Dirty talk. The entire point of dirty talk is to get both of you so excited that you just have to have each other. Dirty talk fails might make you want to go buy a chastity belt instead. 5. Crazy table sex. If the table is already empty, then go for it and pray it was sturdily made. But what are tables for if not holding things? There's always that movie scene when two passionate lovers sweep off a table's contents, sending cookware or paperweights clattering to the ground. I can admit it sounds super sexy in theory. Still, I'm not even type-A and I'd have to tamp down some annoyance about the mess. Have you tried any of the above? Or maybe something else, thinking it would be insanely sexy, only to prove yourself wrong?
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Whether you call them casseroles or hot dishes, there's no argument about the merits of these cozy, crowd-friendly recipes. We've rounded up the best options out there ranging from ultraclassic (think tuna noodle casserole) to creative spins (breakfast pancake lasagna). Source: My Name is Yeh, Half Baked Harvest, Damn Delicious, How Sweet It Is Kale and Wild Rice Casserole Gruyère, mushrooms, and caramelized onions add umami oomph to a kale and wild rice casserole . One-Pot Cheeseburger Casserole Not only does this cheeseburger casserole only dirty one skillet, but it also comes together in about 30 minutes. Brussels Sprouts Lasagna This hearty pasta bake packs in plenty of vegetables: shredded brussels sprouts, diced shallot, and two types of mushrooms. Tuna Noodle Casserole A roundup of casserole recipes isn't complete without tuna noodle casserole . Summer Squash Casserole A Southern recipe with a California twist, this squash casserole is seasoned with a meyer lemon gremolata and sourdough breadcrumbs. Breakfast Lasagna No need to choose between bacon and sausage or pancakes and scrambled eggs; this decadent breakfast lasagna combines all four into each bite. Mexican Casserole Though it looks mighty decadent, this Mexican casserole is actually relatively light, thanks to a generous dose of beans and vegetables. Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta Bake Pumpkin puree gives this autumnal casserole its golden hue and a subtly sweet earthy flavor. Lasagna For Two While casserole's crowd-friendly nature is usually a plus, it's a downside when cooking for two (leftovers lose their allure on day four). This scaled-down lasagna recipe is a great option if you don't have a large family to feed. Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole With Bacon and Pecans What's not to love about a bourbon-spiked sweet potato casserole topped with bacon and pecans? Butternut Squash Ricotta Casserole For a fast and easy weeknight fix, look no further than this butternut squash ricotta casserole . Butternut Squash Lasagna Vegetarians and omnivores alike will adore butternut squash lasagna . Cheesy Breakfast Casserole Casseroles aren't only a dinnertime thing; case in point: this eggy Italian sausage, potato, and bell pepper bake . Chicken Spaghetti To the uninitiated, chicken spaghetti is like Tex-Mex macaroni and cheese. Quinoa Risotto Casserole With Truffle Oil Imagine if lasagna and risotto had a baby and you'd have this cheesy baked quinoa casserole . Chinese Hot Dish Made with Asian ingredients including soy sauce, brown rice, scallions, and ginger, this Chinese hot dish is a cross-cultural mashup. Gooey Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole Two breakfast favorites - cinnamon rolls and french toast - combine forces in this cozy breakfast option . Mushroom and Leek Lasagna Like pretty much all Ina Garten recipes, this wild mushroom and leek lasagna is at once elegant and comforting. Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole With Caramelized Onions Shake things up next Thanksgiving with a Japanese-meets-American rendition of green bean casserole that boasts caramelized onions deglazed with mirin (Japanese rice wine) and a panko topper. Olive Garden's Lasagna Classico Re-create Olive Garden's lasagna classico at home.
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PHILADELPHIA A former madam whose black-market "body sculpting" led to a dancer's death says she's the ruler of her own "Madamic" kingdom and dreams of ruling the world. Padge-Victoria Windslowe made the claims in letters to a Philadelphia Daily News reporter (http://bit.ly/1wWuGWS) while under a gag order before trial in 20-year-old Claudia Aderotimi's death. A Philadelphia jury convicted the 45-year-old Windslowe on Monday of third-degree murder. Prosecutors say the self-proclaimed "Michelangelo of buttocks injections" used nearly a half-gallon of industrial-grade silicone on Aderotimi. She claims she did similar work on thousands of women. The newspaper printed excerpts of Windslowe's letters Tuesday. In them, Windslowe says she has a crush on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and on her prosecutor. She also says she would like to star in her own reality show. ___ Information from: The Philadelphia Daily News, http://www.philly.com
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The Cleveland Browns have signed former Dolphins WR Brian Hartline. To see more Browns videos download the Browns DeskSite.
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Foods That Whiten and Brighten Your Smile Make Your Smile Sparkle If you're ready to come back from your lunch break with a smile that's brighter than the one you left with, you're in luck, because we've consulted with experts to compile a list of foods that make teeth sparkle. Apples Eat an apple for shiny, white teeth. Or better yet, crush it up and brush with it, says founder of Organic Healthy Lifestyle Nancy Addison. "Apples and strawberries contain malic acid and vitamin C," Addison says. "The malic acid is like an astringent that helps remove surface stains, and the vitamin C helps remove plaque. You can brush with a little grated apple once in a while." Baking Soda There's a reason so many whitening toothpastes contain baking soda. Studies published by the National Institute of Health have proved that baking soda does lighten a tooth's "yellow hue" over time. Broccoli Eating a serving of broccoli will literally make your mouth water, which is good for your teeth, according to Lisa Cohn, medical nutritionist and owner of Park Avenue Nutrition in New York City. "Broccoli makes your mouth produce more saliva, which washes away debris and keeps bacteria and plaque down," Cohn says. Carrots Carrots are another of those mouthwatering foods, according to Cohn. Plus, their crisp texture acts as a natural exfoliant for surface stains. Cauliflower The crunch factor of cauliflower is a great way to brush stains away from the surface of teeth . Anything crunchy will also activate saliva production, which is good for washing away potential stains before they start. Celery Crisp celery naturally buffs teeth and adds to their pearlescence. "The natural fibers, those stringy parts, and crunchy, crispy texture make celery a natural toothbrush," Cohn says. "Chewing celery helps to remove what's stuck between teeth, helps keep gums healthy, and keeps tooth surface clean." Oranges While too much fruit juice can potentially weaken teeth, fresh oranges and even orange peel can polish teeth, stimulate gums, and increase saliva production, meaning that oranges not only whiten teeth but help prevent new stains from forming. Pears Pears are another great food for buffing away surface stains, according to Maddahi. "Pears whiten teeth because they scrub the top layer of enamel to remove stains," he says. Strawberries Strawberries are another good source of malic acid and vitamin C, which keep teeth gleaming and healthy. Yogurt Yogurt is high in calcium and easy to eat, so it can keep teeth and enamel strong and hard, meaning less potential for unsightly tooth decay.
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The desire to pair your Whopper or Big Mac with a Coca Cola was most likely conditioned into your habits and brain's pleasure system at a young age, when you were first introduced to packaged meals on the kids' menu complete with Chicken McNuggets deliciously matched with a mini soda. Now, Burger King is joining McDonald's and other fast food companies in an attempt to cleanse its meal packages and make them healthier by removing soda from kids meals. BK will substitute soda with low-fat chocolate milk, fat-free milk, and 100 percent apple juice, after a decision to pull sugary soft drinks from the kids' meal menus (though they'll remain as an option, they will no longer come in the packaged deal). The change goes along with the company's "effort to offer our guests options that match lifestyle needs," Alex Macedo, Burger King North America's president, told USA Today . Sugary soft drinks are a major source of calories for children and are one of the biggest contributing factors to childhood obesity. Obesity has doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . In 2012, over one-third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. Because of this epidemic, Michelle Obama and other health activists have attempted to trigger a systemic change that would cause fast food restaurants, grocery stores, and school cafeterias to pay more of a mindful heed toward what they're serving people. The big chains like McDonald's and Burger King have gotten the most pressure, and lately there's been a transformation: McDonald's, for example, has placed more fruit and salad options on its menu, as well as boasting a "Favorites under 400 calories" menu from which people can choose smaller meals. Meanwhile, activists who have been pushing Burger King to remove soda for the past two years believe that the action will jumpstart children to have healthier lifestyles. "It will help children eat better now, as soda is the leading source of calories in children's diets," Margo Wootan, the director of nutrition policy for Center for Science in the Public Interest (the advocacy group responsible for pressuring Burger King into the decision), told USA Today . "It also helps to set kids on a path toward healthier eating in the future, with fewer kids becoming conditioned to think that soda should be a part of every eating out occasion."
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) North Carolina sophomore Kennedy Meeks is likely out of the No. 19 Tar Heels' Atlantic Coast Conference tournament opener because of illness. Coach Roy Williams says Meeks is sick with a fever that kept him out of Monday and Tuesday practices. Williams says it's likely ''that he won't play'' in Wednesday's second-round game against Boston College. Williams says Meeks has been tested for mononucleosis and strep throat, though those results have come back negative. He says the team will have to ''wait and see'' on Meeks' status. Meeks is averaging 12 points and 7.6 rebounds with 27 starts for the Tar Heels (21-10), the tournament's No. 5 seed.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning smokers who are trying to quit that they may have trouble tolerating alcohol if they are taking Chantix. Reports made to the FDA and to Chantix manufacturer Pfizer include cases of patients who became more inebriated than usual, were uncharacteristically aggressive and had blacked out after drinking. "Until patients know how Chantix affects their ability to tolerate alcohol, they should decrease the amount of alcohol they drink," the FDA said in a statement issued this week. The agency also said that there have been "rare accounts" of seizures in patients taking Chantix. Some of these patients had seizure disorders that were previously under control; others had no history of seizures. Details about both of these side effects have been added to the Chantix drug label as "Warnings and Precautions." About 1.2 million people filled prescriptions for Chantix in 2013, according to data from IMS Health. The pill, whose generic name is varenicline, attaches itself to nicotine receptors in the brain so that they can't be stimulated by the nicotine in cigarettes. That way, if a patient has a momentary lapse and lights up, the experience won't be satisfying. Chantix also prompts the brain to release small amounts of dopamine, which helps alleviate symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. According to Pfizer, the most common side effects are nausea, trouble sleeping, and gastrointestinal problems like gas and constipation. Compared with a placebo, Chantix nearly tripled smokers' odds of success, according to a 2013 Cochrane Library review. That study also found that Chantix was 51 percent more effective than a nicotine patch and 72 percent more effective than nicotine gum. Since 2006, the FDA has received 11 reports of "decreased tolerance for alcohol" in people who were consuming amounts of alcohol that had never caused them trouble before they started taking Chantix. At least some of these events had serious consequences. In one case, a Chantix patient wound up with a "significant facial injury," according to the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System. In another case, a patient caused a motor vehicle accident and was arrested by police. The FDA also received 37 reports of aggressive behavior after drinking only a small amount of alcohol, including 22 incidents that resulted in "harm to a person or property." In 16 cases, Chantix patients had "no memory or impaired memory of their experience." Several patients also told Pfizer that they had memory problems after mixing Chantix and alcohol. On its Chantix website, Pfizer echoes the FDA's advice to limit drinking until patients see how they tolerate alcohol while taking the smoking-cessation drug. The company also acknowledges that Chantix users have "had changes in behavior, hostility, agitation, depressed mood, (and) suicidal thoughts or actions." Patients experiencing any of these problems should stop taking the medication and call their doctors right away, Pfizer said. Regarding seizures, the FDA said it was aware of 64 cases, including 37 in people who had never had seizures before. In 10 of those cases, the only risk factor for seizures was Chantix, according to the FDA. Typically, the first seizure occurred two to three weeks after patients began taking Chantix, the agency said. The FDA also addressed concerns that Chantix may cause neuropsychiatric side effects, including suicidal thoughts. This possibility was raised by the FDA in 2009, but studies conducted since then have not shown a conclusive link. Pfizer is conducting a clinical trial to find some answers, and the results are expected to be available later this year, the FDA said.
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American archaeologists have unearthed a pharaonic tomb from the 18th dynasty in Egypt's famed temple city of Luxor, officials said on Tuesday. The tomb, found at Al-Qurna archaeological site in Luxor, dates to the period of the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC) and its walls show scenes of celebrations and daily life at that time, the antiquities ministry said. The scenes "are records of daily life practices that prevailed in that era," Antiquities Minister Mamdouh al-Damaty said in a statement. Damaty said there were signs that the tomb had been looted as some scenes and inscriptions on its walls were erased. Last week a similar tomb was discovered at Al-Qurna. Luxor, a city of some 500,000 people on the banks of the Nile in southern Egypt, is an open-air museum of intricate temples and pharaonic tombs.
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With spring break just around the corner, many Americans are dreaming of lying on the beach or wandering the streets of some of the world's most charming cities. Some of us are also thinking ahead to our summer travel plans. Turning those daydreams into reality can be tricky, though, as even travel websites disagree on just when the best time is to book a flight and secure the best deal. If you're wondering if you're a tad too late to benefit from the best fares for a spring getaway or a little too early for the best summer vacation fares here's a roundup of the best advice out there. Related: The Hottest Travel Spots for Americans in 2015 Domestic Flights The advice from travel websites is all over the map, but the takeaway is pretty clear: booking somewhere between one and two months ahead of time is best. Every year, CheapAir.com looks at the top 15,000 markets where its customers live and like to fly to and watches fares between those cities for a full year. On average, the site now recommends booking your domestic trip 47 days in advance of departure , down from 54 days last year. Kayak.com suggests waiting a little longer and booking flights within North America between four and six weeks in advance. Meanwhile, FareCompare.com says the best time to buy an airline ticket on a domestic flight is between 30 days and three months before departure. Hopper.com is a little more vague. For spring break, it advises travelers to book at least two weeks in advance for the best deals. If you book only four to 14 days in advance, your ticket price will increase by at least 13 percent, it says. Related: What Air Travel May Look Like in 2039 Expedia found that for domestic flights, the lowest fares are found 57 days prior to departure . That's based on the report it released in December in partnership with the Airlines Reporting Corporation. International Flights The best deals for traveling out of the country require more advance planning. FareCompare.com found that for international flights, your best bet is to book as early as five-and-a-half months ahead. Kayak.com breaks down best booking times by destination: Europe: at least six months Africa: two months Asia: five weeks Central America: four to six weeks South America: three to six week Caribbean: two to four weeks Expedia says the lowest price for international routes was 171 days (or a little less than six months) prior to departure. Qualifying Factors Now that you've taken notes and marked your calendar for the best times to start searching for fares, keep in mind that many factors go into the final price. "As we have found in years past, the average is the average but there was a huge variance across all of the five million trips we looked at," CheapAir.com said in its February report. Related: Bad Weather Flight Cancellations Cost Americans $2.4 Billion "For individual trips, the best time to buy varies substantially depending on the destination, time of the year, and travel days. So think of 47 days as a guide, not an exact day you should book." CheapAir.com also noted that the risk of booking too late is generally much higher than the risk of booking too early. Although these numbers are mere indicators, they're a good reminder to start searching for plane tickets early. With airline consolidation and better use of technology, last-minute deals have largely become a thing of the past. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: 10 Surprising Tax Deductions in 2015 Apple Watch Could Be Apple's First Major Flop This Century 3 Privacy Alerts When Using Personal Email at Work
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Whether you call them casseroles or hot dishes, there's no argument about the merits of these cozy, crowd-friendly recipes. We've rounded up the best options out there ranging from ultraclassic (think tuna noodle casserole) to creative spins (breakfast pancake lasagna). Source: My Name is Yeh, Half Baked Harvest, Damn Delicious, How Sweet It Is Kale and Wild Rice Casserole Gruyère, mushrooms, and caramelized onions add umami oomph to a kale and wild rice casserole. Browse: Popular kale recipes One-Pot Cheeseburger Casserole Not only does this cheeseburger casserole only dirty one skillet, but it also comes together in about 30 minutes. Related: Super easy weeknight dinners for busy moms Brussels Sprouts Lasagna This hearty pasta bake packs in plenty of vegetables: shredded brussels sprouts, diced shallot, and two types of mushrooms. Related: 3 quick sauces Tuna Noodle Casserole A roundup of casserole recipes isn't complete without tuna noodle casserole. Also try: Tuna melt sandwiches Summer Squash Casserole A Southern recipe with a California twist, this squash casserole is seasoned with a meyer lemon gremolata and sourdough breadcrumbs. Watch: What is Kabocha squash? Breakfast Lasagna No need to choose between bacon and sausage or pancakes and scrambled eggs; this decadent breakfast lasagna combines all four into each bite. Browse: Popular breakfast recipes Mexican Casserole Though it looks mighty decadent, this Mexican casserole is actually relatively light, thanks to a generous dose of beans and vegetables. Browse: Popular Mexican cuisine Pumpkin Parmesan Pasta Bake Pumpkin puree gives this autumnal casserole its golden hue and a subtly sweet earthy flavor. Watch: Shapes & variations of pasta dough Lasagna For Two While casserole's crowd-friendly nature is usually a plus, it's a downside when cooking for two (leftovers lose their allure on day four). This scaled-down lasagna recipe is a great option if you don't have a large family to feed. Browse: Recipes for two Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole With Bacon and Pecans What's not to love about a bourbon-spiked sweet potato casserole topped with bacon and pecans? Browse: More recipes with bourbon Butternut Squash Lasagna Vegetarians and omnivores alike will adore butternut squash lasagna. Browse: More recipes with butternut squash Butternut Squash Ricotta Casserole For a fast and easy weeknight fix, look no further than this butternut squash ricotta casserole. Browse: More recipes with ricotta Cheesy Breakfast Casserole Casseroles aren't only a dinnertime thing; case in point: this eggy Italian sausage, potato, and bell pepper bake. Browse: More breakfast recipes Chicken Spaghetti To the uninitiated, chicken spaghetti is like Tex-Mex macaroni and cheese. Watch: Introduction to basic roast chicken Quinoa Risotto Casserole With Truffle Oil Imagine if lasagna and risotto had a baby and you'd have this cheesy baked quinoa casserole. Watch: Rice and grains for the risotto method Chinese Hot Dish Made with Asian ingredients including soy sauce, brown rice, scallions, and ginger, this Chinese hot dish is a cross-cultural mashup. Browse: Chinese cuisine Gooey Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole Two breakfast favorites - cinnamon rolls and french toast - combine forces in this cozy breakfast option. Browse: Popular cinnamon roll recipes Mushroom and Leek Lasagna Like pretty much all Ina Garten recipes, this wild mushroom and leek lasagna is at once elegant and comforting. Also try: Triple mushroom fettuccine Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole With Caramelized Onions Shake things up next Thanksgiving with a Japanese-meets-American rendition of green bean casserole that boasts caramelized onions deglazed with mirin (Japanese rice wine) and a panko topper. Also try: Fig, brie and caramelized onion pizza Olive Garden's Lasagna Classico Re-create Olive Garden's lasagna classico at home. Related: Top 50 cheap restaurants in every state
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WASHINGTON How Hillary Rodham Clinton's statements about her exclusive use of private email instead of a government account as secretary of state compare with the known facts: CLINTON: "Others had done it." THE FACTS: Although email practices varied among her predecessors, Clinton is the only secretary of state known to have conducted all official unclassified government business on a private email address. Years earlier, when emailing was not the ubiquitous practice it is now among high officials, Colin Powell used both a government and a private account. It's a striking departure from the norm for top officials to rely exclusively on private email for official business. ___ CLINTON: "I fully complied with every rule I was governed by." THE FACTS: At the very least, Clinton appears to have violated what the White House has called "very specific guidance" that officials should use government email to conduct business. Clinton provided no details about whether she had initially consulted with the department or other government officials before using the private email system. She did not answer several questions about whether she sought any clearances before she began relying exclusively on private emails for government business. Federal officials are allowed to communicate on private email and are generally allowed to conduct government business in those exchanges, but that ability is constrained, both by federal regulations and by their supervisors. Federal law during Clinton's tenure called for the archiving of such private email records when used for government work, but did not set out clear rules or punishments for violations until rules were tightened in November. In 2011, when Clinton was secretary, a cable from her office sent to all employees advised them to avoid conducting any official business on their private email accounts because of targeting by unspecified "online adversaries." ___ CLINTON: "I did not email any classified material to anyone on my email. There is no classified material." THE FACTS: The assertion fits with the facts as known but skirts the issue of exchanging information in a private account that, while falling below the level of classified, is still sensitive. The State Department and other national security agencies have specified rules for the handling of such sensitive material, which could affect national security, diplomatic and privacy concerns, and may include material such as personnel, medical and law enforcement data. In reviewing the 30,000 emails she turned over to the State Department, officials are looking for any security lapses concerning sensitive but unclassified material that may have been disclosed. ___ CLINTON: "It had numerous safeguards. It was on property guarded by the Secret Service. And there were no security breaches." THE FACTS: While Clinton's server was physically guarded by the Secret Service, she provided no evidence it hadn't been compromised by hackers or foreign adversaries. She also didn't detail who administered the email system, if it received appropriate software security updates, or if it was monitored routinely for unauthorized access. Clinton also didn't answer whether the homebrew computer system on her property had the same level of safeguards provided at professional data facilities, such as regulated temperatures, offsite backups, generators in case of power outages and fire-suppression systems. It was unclear what, if any, encryption software Clinton's server may have used to communicate with U.S. government email accounts. Recent high-profile breaches, including at Sony Pictures Entertainment, have raised scrutiny on how well corporations and private individuals protect their computer networks from attack. ___ CLINTON: "When I got to work as secretary of state, I opted for convenience to use my personal email account, which was allowed by the State Department, because I thought it would be easier to carry just one device for my work and for my personal emails instead of two. Looking back, it would've been better if I'd simply used a second email account and carried a second phone, but at the time, this didn't seem like an issue." THE FACTS: If multiple devices were an inconvenience in the past, they may be something of an obsession now. Clinton told an event in California's Silicon Valley last month that she has an iPad, a mini-iPad, an iPhone and a BlackBerry. "I'm like two steps short of a hoarder," she said. She suggested she started out in Washington with a BlackBerry but her devices grew in number. Smartphones were capable of multiple emails when she became secretary; it's not clear whether the particular phone she used then was permitted to do so under State Department rules. ___ Associated Press writer Calvin Woodward contributed to this report.
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Hundreds of US military vehicles have arrived in the Baltic states and are to stay in Europe, in a mission to reassure Nato allies unsettled by Russia's actions in Ukraine. The shipment coincides with the deployment of a US infantry division and Nato navy drills in the Black Sea. Although a ceasefire is in place in Ukraine, the conflict has heightened distrust between Russia and the West. Russia said on Tuesday it was pulling out of a European arms control pact. 'Escalating confrontation' The Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty, signed in 1990 as the Cold War was coming to an end, was originally aimed at limiting the numbers of tanks, combat aircraft and heavy artillery between the Atlantic Ocean and the Ural mountains in Russia. Russia had already suspended involvement in 2007, and the foreign ministry in Moscow said the practical work of the treaty's consultative group in Vienna had been almost entirely wound down. But the announcement came within hours of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov launching an attack on the European Union. "EU bureaucrats in Brussels are intentionally escalating confrontation between Russia and the EU," he said, complaining that they were trying to postpone the political terms of the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. He also singled out European Council President Donald Tusk, accusing him of apologising to US President Barack Obama for the EU not acting as swiftly against Russia as the US. The former Polish prime minister said in Washington that if the EU and US were united they would be able to "put a stop to the aggressive policy of Russia against her neighbours". Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Monday night that government forces had withdrawn most of their rocket and heavy artillery systems, while pro-Russian rebels had also "withdrawn a significant amount". However, there is widespread concern among the governments of the Baltic states at Russia's involvement in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin says its forces have not been directly involved in combat, but its denials have been rejected by Ukraine, the West and independent experts. UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Tuesday that President Vladimir Putin's actions "fundamentally undermine the security of sovereign nations of Eastern Europe". Lithuania is bringing back conscription and President Dalia Grybauskaite told the BBC last week that the threats to her country's security were "very real". She spoke of increased Russian military activity in the Baltic Sea and across the border in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Russian soldiers also took part in drills in the Pskov region that borders Estonia and Latvia last month. And last September an Estonian security service official was seized by Russian agents and taken to Moscow. Black Sea manoeuvres A US military official told the BBC that some 250 heavy vehicles, out of a total of 750 vehicles, were arriving in the Latvian capital, Riga, and in northern Germany, and would be "pre-positioned for deployment so we can more quickly react to crises". The hardware would be based in the Baltics and Poland for the 90-day Nato training exercise, but would then be spread throughout Europe in "controlled storage". Arrangements still had to be made with host nations, he said. A Nato naval exercise was also under way in the Black Sea on Tuesday, involving seven members of the Western alliance including Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey. Russia's annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine a year ago has alarmed Nato. Last week Russia began military exercises in several southern areas, including Crimea and the pro-Russian breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia.
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Christie Brinkley has learned a great deal about the beauty industry during her career as a model. Now, she's using her expertise to create Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare, a cruelty- and paraben-free line on sale through HSN and at Kohl's. Christie spoke to us about her inspirations for the line and her positive, sunny attitude toward beauty.
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video
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A recent investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration has revealed that many herbal or "all-natural" remedies for erectile dysfunction not only contain the same active ingredient found in Viagra, but in some cases have double the dosage a doctor would prescribe. As reported by BuzzFeed , in the past week as many as 25 "natural supplements" meant to treat erectile dysfunction were found to contain sildenafil citrate, the same active ingredient found in prescription drugs such as Viagra. Despite an obvious attempt at falsely advertising a prescription drug as an herbal remedy, the unregulated tainted supplements could cause serious harm and even death to those who unknowingly buy them. According to Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine at the Cambridge Health Alliance who specializes in the supplement industry, it's not just small amounts of the drug that the FDA is uncovering. "FDA doesn't say how much they've found, but whenever we've taken a look at this, these dosages are really significant," he said. "They can contain dosages twice as high as Viagra itself." Natural erectile dysfunction supplements are both one of the biggest sellers on the market for herbal treatments and one of the most likely to be tainted. It's suspected the FDA has only hit the tip of the iceberg regarding the current investigation into herbal erectile dysfunction, and that the same manufacturers are also counterfeiting other herbal remedies and even counterfeiting prescription drugs. The World Health Organization describes counterfeit drugs as a widespread problem, but it occurs most often in developing countries. For example, one study from 2012 found that around one-third of all available malaria medications sold in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa were counterfeit. A press release from the University of Michigan stated that counterfeit drugs kill around 700,000 people every year . The FDA declined to release details on the source of these supplements, such as whether they all came from a single shipment or are part of an in-depth counterfeit drug ring. Cohen told BuzzFeed that regardless of their origins, one thing's for sure: These contaminated sex-enhancement supplements seem to be on the rise. BuzzFeed also reported that it's likely the same factories producing counterfeit ED supplements are also creating dietary supplements. There is hope, though. Last year Pfizer made $1.7 billion off of Viagra sales. This large monetary stake that companies such as Pfizer have in prescription erectile dysfunction medication could be enough to push the regulation of fake drugs to priority level. According to Jezebel , drug-mogul Pfizer already has "vested interest in rooting out fake versions of Viagra."
| 7 | 10,892 |
health
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Hunger makes Belgians less charitable, Israeli judges more draconian, and Ohioans likelier to stick pins into voodoo dolls that represent their spouses. And, according to a paper published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , it turns Canadians into hoarders. For the study, called " Hunger Promotes Acquisition of Nonfood Objects ," the marketing researchers Alison Jing Xu, Norbert Schwarz, and Robert S. Wyer, Jr., asked sixty-three undergraduates not to eat for four hours. Then they treated half of them to as much cake as they fancied. All of the volunteers were subsequently presented with a three-quarter-inch binder clip from Staples, asked how much they liked it, and told to take as many more as they felt they needed. The members of the cake-deprived group were no fonder of the binder clips than their peers, but they went home with seventy per cent more. Later, Xu and her colleagues surveyed eighty-one shoppers exiting a department store, recording when and what they last ate and scanning their receipts. The researchers found, after controlling for the shoppers' moods and the varying lengths of time they had been in the store, that the hungriest among them had spent as much as sixty per cent more than their well-fed counterparts. Hunger, Xu and her colleagues concluded, "renders acquisition-related concepts and behaviors more accessible." In other words, the desire to grab something to eat becomes the desire to grab anything at all. Hunger seems like a simple phenomenon: the stomach rumbles until it's fed, then it's quiet until it rumbles again. Why, then, does it shape so much behavior that, at least on the surface, has so little to do with food? Part of the answer can be gathered from observations of other animals. For some of them, a little starvation seems to confer a survival advantage. In rodents, hunger appears to heighten sensory perception and speed up mental processing. Last year, researchers in Bordeaux, France, showed that the brains of food-deprived lab mice released endocannabinoids, which act on the same receptors as the psychoactive chemical in marijuana, stimulating the animals' olfactory cortexes and sharpening their sense of smell. Yale University mice showed similarly enhanced environmental awareness: when injected with ghrelin, the so-called hunger hormone, the mice navigated mazes more quickly than their satiated peers. (The hungry rats of Harvard University, meanwhile, ran further on their in-cage treadmills.) At the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, ghrelin was found to reduce depression and anxiety in mice, inuring them to tests for both "social defeat" (bullying by larger mice) and "behavioral despair" (swimming in an inescapable acrylic cylinder). In other animals, hunger leads to riskier but potentially more rewarding behavior. Two years ago, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, in Germany, showed that hungry fruit flies will tolerate elevated levels of carbon dioxide which, inhaled at sufficient concentrations, will knock them unconscious as long as the smell of food is also present. Similarly, in the Pacific Northwest, juvenile walleye pollock were observed to school in looser, less defensive formations when hungry. They huddled together only when their chopped-squid rations became more generous, which made dodging predators seem more important than finding food. These side effects of hunger intensified awareness, greater persistence, bolder risk assessments also exist in humans. Like walleye pollock, people seem to behave with a profitable recklessness when hungry. In a 2014 paper titled "Always Gamble on an Empty Stomach," researchers at Utrecht University, in the Netherlands, found that hungry subjects fared significantly better on a psychological challenge called the Iowa Gambling Task than did subjects who had eaten Greek yogurt beforehand. The task requires the gambler to draw cards from one of two decks. The first deck contains cards with very high and very low face values, which bring correspondingly extreme rewards and penalties. The other deck contains middling numbers and, it gradually emerges, more losing cards than winning ones. In several cases, the yogurt eaters failed completely to realize that choosing from the conservative deck would mean that they could never win. The researchers hypothesized that hunger may "leave people to rely on their gut feeling" in challenging situations. Of course, all the exquisite sensitivity and restless energy that hunger induces have a downside: crankiness. In 1946, a study known as the Minnesota Starvation Experiment documented the powerful connection between hunger and anger an early description of the mental state now popularly known as "hangry." In that experiment, thirty-six healthy young men were systematically starved for six months. Their suffering was meant to help clinicians come up with treatment recommendations for the liberated peoples of Europe. In a series of oral histories, gathered fifty-seven years after the study ended, the eighteen surviving participants clearly recalled the effects of long-term hunger: "noticing what's wrong with everybody else" and exploding with rage at the tiniest provocation. One of the participants, Marshall Sutton, remembered wanting to apologize to everyone around him at the end of every day, explaining to his interviewer that "we were impatient at waiting in line if we had to … and we'd get disturbed with each other's eating habits." When the scientists behind the experiment published their findings, in a guidebook called "Men and Hunger," they advised aid workers to "refrain from arguments" and loud noises, and to make sure to save cheerful activities for rainy days, which might otherwise prove overwhelmingly depressing for the starving civilians in their care. Most of the time, we can be glad that allaying our hunger no longer means prowling for wildebeests or foraging for berries. But the system that served our ancestors so well that gave them the drive to hunt and the good sense to gather turns out to be something of a liability in the modern world. An adaptation that's useful on the savannah doesn't necessarily help in the office cubicle or the dorm room. In places where food abounds, the hungry now prowl the department store and forage for binder clips, ready to snap until they get their cake.
| 0 | 10,893 |
foodanddrink
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A modified Mediterranean diet with local foods may be easier for some people to stick with and also result in weight loss, suggests a new study from Germany. People on a Mediterranean diet that used more familiar foods and portion-controlled sweets lost weight after 12 weeks and kept most of it off for one year, researchers report. They write in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition that Mediterranean diets high in olive oil and nuts help people lose weight and prevent heart disease. But some people, including those in Europe and outside the Mediterranean, may find it difficult to stick with such a diet, they add. To test a modified diet, Anja Austel from Gottingen University Medical School in Germany and colleagues randomly assigned 225 overweight or obese Swedish adults to follow the diet right from the start of the study, or to be added to a waiting list for 12 weeks and then follow the diet. Participants also received information about keeping off the weight they lost. Unlike the traditional Mediterranean diet's emphasis on olive oil and nuts, the modified diet substituted local flavors like neutral- and butter-flavor canola oil, walnut oil and walnuts. It also allowed for two portion-controlled sweets per day. The California Walnut Commission and the Taste of Sweden Deutschland, who manufactured the flavored canola oil, funded the study. Oil and walnuts were provided to the participants for free. After 12 weeks on the diet, participants lost an average of just over 11 pounds. The average waist measurement fell by almost two inches. By comparison, while they were on the waiting list, members of the control group lost an average of one pound, and had almost no change in waist circumference. After 12 weeks on the diet, participants also had a reduced body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight in relation to height. There was hardly any change in BMI while people were on the waiting list. About 72 percent of the participants complied with the diet during the first 12 weeks, and about half made it through the year - at which point they had kept off about nine pounds. Their cholesterol also improved. Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian with the heart and vascular group at the Cleveland Clinic who wasn't involved with the study, said she was impressed by the amount of weight lost during the study. "Typically what we suggest, just in general and as well as from a long term weight management standpoint, is if you lose about a pound a week you're more likely to sustain that weight loss," she said. Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, who also was not involved with the new study, told Reuters Health by email that the study was "well designed, and it adds to the potential transferability of the Mediterranean diet to other non-Mediterranean settings." Martinez-Gonzalez of the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, said the traditional Mediterranean diet does allow for some flexibility. He said the diet has six major beneficial components: olive oil (especially extra virgin olive oil), fruits and nuts, vegetables, legumes, cereals and whole grains and fish. Meat and dairy products are presumed to be detrimental and should only be consumed sparingly, and red wine can be consumed in small amounts. Zumpano thinks people can get the benefits of a Mediterranean diet even if they substitute different oils. "If you don't like olive oil, use walnut oil," she said. "I think peanut oil is fine, I think sunflower oil is fine any of your polyunsaturated fatty acids."
| 7 | 10,894 |
health
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Hillary Clinton said Tuesday that personal emails between her and her husband, former President Clinton, exist on a private account. But the former commander-in-chief's spokesman has said Clinton has only sent two email messages in his lifetime, and both were when he occupied the White House. The potential 2016 presidential candidate faced journalists Tuesday during a press conference at the United Nations to address a looming controversy over her use of a private email account on a home server while serving as secretary of State. "The server contains personal communications from my husband and me," Clinton told reporters, "and I believe I have met all of my responsibilities and the server will remain private and I think that the State Department will be able, over time, to release all of the records that were provided." But the ex-president's spokesman said in a Wall Street Journal story published prior to the news conference on Tuesday that Clinton doesn't use email. Paraphrasing the spokesman, Matt McKenna, the newspaper reported, "The former president, who does regularly use Twitter, has sent a grand total of two emails during his life, both as president." The newspaper added, "After leaving office, Mr. Clinton established his own domain that staff use @ presidentclinton.com . But Mr. Clinton still doesn't use email himself, Mr. McKenna said."
| 5 | 10,895 |
news
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The pace of new construction is one of many gauges of the state of the current housing market, along with home prices and the volume of sales. Moreover, the kinds of new homes under construction can tell us about the health of the housing recovery. The types of new homes presently being built suggest that housing growth continues, with initial signs of optimism for one of the market's key weaknesses in recent years: lack of first-time buyers. A persistent challenge for housing during the post-recession period has been reduced and delayed levels of household formation. This has had a particularly strong effect on demand for owner-occupied homes. Even when new households have formed among younger individuals and families, they are more likely to form and remain as renters for longer periods of time than prior generations . As a result, builders of new single-family homes have constructed homes for the demand that exists, which has been disproportionately higher-end buyers, who are more likely to have savings for a down payment and the income necessary to support a mortgage. This change in the market mix for new homes is clearly seen in Census data reporting the typical/median new home size. Coming out of the recession, the typical size of a newly built single-family home rose approximately 16 percent to 2,438 square feet (on a one-year moving average median basis) as of the fourth quarter of 2014. This increase occurred due to a shift away from entry-level housing. However, that rise in size appears to have ended in 2014. In fact, the typical newly built home in 2014 (2,414 square feet) was smaller than the 2013 estimate (2,460 square feet). It's worth repeating these changes in new home size are reflections of market mix, rather than significant changes in homebuyer preferences. Consequently, the 2014 data suggest a new dynamic may be on the horizon, with increasing numbers of entry-level buyers entering the market. As these prospective buyers appear in greater numbers, expect the median size of newly built homes to fall as the market mix shifts back to a more normal composition of buyers. A key subsector to watch as more of today's renters seek to make a new home purchase will be the townhouse market, often a source of supply for first-time buyers choosing new construction. The pace of townhouse starts picked up at the end of 2014 , coming in 12 percent higher than the final quarter of 2013. While the overall total of townhouse starts in 2014 (72,000) was only slightly higher than the prior year total, the post-recession trend has been one of growing market share of overall single-family starts. This will continue as more first-time buyers purchase new homes. Besides townhomes, for-sale multifamily apartments should be a source of growth as younger buyers come to the market. As with single-family construction, there are hints that developers of multifamily housing are expecting more first-time buyers in the near future. For similar reasons to the increase of new single-family home size after the recession, the median size of multifamily units fell in recent years as the apartment market became more heavily focused on rental housing. However, at the end of 2014 the average size of new multifamily units (on a one-year moving average basis) jumped 3 percent to more than 1,300 square feet. This was due to a particularly large increase for average new multifamily residence size in the final quarter of 2014 (1,355 square feet). It is likely that this increase was a result of more, for-sale multifamily being constructed. In fact, according to the Census data, the for-rent market share of multifamily fell from 93 percent of all starts in the third quarter of 2014 to less than 90 percent at the end of the year. An 80 percent rental share was the average over 1980 to 2002, so clearly the market remains tilted toward rental production, but 2015 could see more change to historical patterns. It is important to not form definitive conclusions from one quarter's worth of data, but when combined, the overall pattern of data for various construction submarkets from the end of 2014 suggest that we may see an expansion of the entry-level market in 2015. Ultimately, for the entry-level housing market to expand, the economy needs to continue producing new jobs. The labor market has been performing relatively well recently, with the last quarter of jobs data averaging 288,000 new positions a month and a headline unemployment rate of 5.5 percent in February. Income gains for younger households would also be a positive factor for the for-sale housing market in the year ahead. Mortgage rates remain low , but to benefit from low rates, one must be able to qualify for a mortgage. And because housing and real estate in general depends on the efficient operation of debt markets to finance purchases, policymakers should be aware of potential harm that could come from changes in finance and tax policy. For example, some analysts believe that business-focused tax reform could occur, or at least be seriously debated, in 2015. Among changes that have been debated as possible revenue raisers in tax reform would be elimination of interest deductions for businesses and the tax code's like-kind exchange rules. Elimination of either of these tax rules would restrict the development of new housing going forward, by raising the cost of financing for construction and restricting the flexibility of land markets to prepare lots for future construction . These changes in turn would increase the cost of home buying for entry-level buyers, just as the market is showing initial signs of expansion for this missing element of the housing recovery. Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report
| 3 | 10,896 |
finance
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Garages: indispensable for keeping your car out of the elements, doing messy projects without cleaning up after them, and for storing items out of sight and mind. But if you're dissatisfied with the dark, oil-stained outbuilding on your property, read on for simple additions that can help you get the most out of this utilitarian outpost. Work Table With all of the tasks that happen in and about the garage from woodworking projects to fixing a busted radio to repotting plants a sturdy work table is a must. Go the traditional route with a waist-height option, or position it so it's tall enough for you to stand and you won't even need to find room for a stool. Related: 7 Ways to Set Up Your Home Workshop Quality Door An easy-to-operate and stylish garage door invites the family to use the space. And the best thing about garage doors is that there are designs to suit any taste. Find one with windows if you want to maximize natural light. If you can't replace the door, a coat of paint and new hardware will make it look like new. Dialed-in storage However you use your garage, increasing storage is a must. Wall-mounted pegboard or slats keep your tools clean, organized, and easy to find. Whichever you choose, create a system to make sure everything ends up back where it belongs after use. For instance, draw tool outlines on pegboard with a paint marker so it's easy to spot a missing tool and hang it back in place, or create a system for your kids to remember to return their playthings before coming back indoors. Related: 15 "Neat" Garage Storage Solutions Stain-free flooring Oil spots, cracks, and stains moved into your garage? It might be time to upgrade to bright, clean, and easy-to-maintain floors. A self-leveling epoxy fills in cracks and creates a stunningly smooth surface, but can yellow with UV exposure. Alternatively, polyurethane coatings are flexible, UV-resistant, and less slippery but won't self-level so try a mixture of both for best results. Related: 8 Easy and Affordable Garage Floor Options Sufficient Lighting Many garages have a single flickering fluorescent fixture. That's not ideal they're slow to start when it's cold and the quality of light isn't sufficient for working. So swap it out with pendant or recessed lighting fixtures. If you don't want to hire an electrician , simply attach a few portable work lights to your work station. That way you'll have low-effort task lighting for any project, day or night. Related: How to Install a Light Fixture Climate Control A controlled climate is a must for any great garage. Whether you use the space for woodworking, car maintenance, or off-season storage, a comfortable temperature can help keep you comfortable and safe. But before you pump heat or cooling into the garage, ensure that it's properly insulated. Bonus: If your garage is attached to your house, additional insulation can save on your household energy costs . Utilities A slop sink in the garage can help you manage and clean up after almost any project and keeps you from tracking mud and dust indoors. In addition to adding in plumbing, consider maximizing your electricity. Extra outlets can help you keep a space heater running at the same time you're running a table saw. But no mater how many electrical outlets you have, learn its limits. You don't want to trip the breaker by overloading the system.
| 4 | 10,897 |
lifestyle
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BMW says it will not bring its 2 Series Gran Tourer and 2 Series Active Tourer to the U.S. The news comes after the automaker officially unveiled the 2 Series Gran Tourer at last week's Geneva auto show . In an interview with Automotive News , BMW stated that both front-drive 2 Series people movers are too small for the U.S. The three-row, seven-seat Gran Tourer is essentially a stretched version of the Active Tourer that first went on sale last year. The 2 Series Gran Tourer is 179.4 inches long, features multiple seating and cargo configurations, and has styling that's more akin to the Mazda5 MPV rather than a typical BMW crossover or wagon. Power comes from a number of turbo-four diesel and gas engines and xDrive all-wheel drive is also available. The Active Tourer and Gran Tourer are based on the automaker's new UKL front-drive platform, which also underpins the new Mini Cooper hardtop (and other future Minis). That said, it's possible BMW feared the 2 Series Active Tourer would cannibalize sales of a number of Mini models like the Clubman and the Countryman . The UKL platform, however, will soon make its way into more future BMWs. The upcoming 1 Series sedan, for example, will be a front-drive competitor to the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA, while the next-generation X1 crossover is also slated to switch to the new platform. Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)
| 9 | 10,898 |
autos
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BERLIN Here's how you know Russian politics are different from those practiced in the United States: On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave two of the country's highest awards to men who have been center stage in its most prominent murder cases: the weeks-old shooting death near the Kremlin of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov and the 2006 radioactive poisoning in London of a former Russian spy. The recipients were the Chechen authoritarian leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Andrei Lugovoi, who is wanted in the United Kingdom on accusations of using polonium to poison Alexander Litvinenko, a onetime Russian spy who became a journalist critical of Putin. Kadyrov has been a vocal advocate for the theory that Islamic radicals killed Nemtsov because of his support for those gunned down in January at the Paris office of the publication Charlie Hebdo, and he has heaped praise on the suspects Russian police have arrested in the murder. Nemtsov's daughter, Zhanna Nemtsova, said on German television this week that such an explanation lacked credibility, noting that her father only once, and as one among millions, voiced support for the victims of the Paris attack. On the other hand, she said, he had been a constant and longtime critic of Putin. Nemtsov was killed late on Feb. 27 in the highly trafficked and usually secure vicinity of the Kremlin. He'd just left a restaurant with his Ukrainian girlfriend and was crossing a well-lit bridge when a gunman ran up from behind and shot him. Nemtsov's supporters have noted that the area is one of the most policed areas of Moscow, suggesting that the attack couldn't have been the work of anyone without the support of the Putin administration. They've also said Nemtsov was preparing to release a report detailing the extent of regular Russian military involvement in the war in the southeastern Ukrainian region known as Donbas. The Putin administration has denied any involvement in the murder and has maintained that the fighting in Donbas is by pro-Russian separatists, perhaps aided by Russian soldiers on vacation from their usual duties. It was Putin who handed out the medals Monday: a Medal of Honor and a Medal for Service to the Fatherland. His spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, noted that such award ceremonies are months in the making, so the timing so soon after the Nemtsov murder is purely coincidental. He also said the awards had nothing to do with murder or murder plot allegations but with service to Russia. But the timing is difficult to ignore. Peskov said Kadyrov had received the honor in recognition of his professional success. Not long before receiving the Medal of Honor, Kadyrov had been praising one of the men arrested in Nemtsov's death, calling him "a genuine Russian patriot." Kadyrov said the suspect, a onetime Interior Ministry officer named Zaur Dadaev, had served Russia with distinction while at the ministry. He wrote on Instagram that Dadaev was "sincerely devoted to Russia, ready to give his life for the motherland." Dadaev reportedly has confessed to involvement in Nemtsov's death. Kadyrov's comment was in line with his previous remarks on Nemtsov's murder. He called another suspected plotter "a very religious man" and he called a third suspect, who blew himself up rather than be arrested, "a courageous warrior." Kadyrov, a staunch Putin ally, has been noted for co-opting Islamists in Chechnya with laws including mandatory head scarves for women, but he's best known for being on the fringe of, though never officially said to be involved in, high-profile murder cases. Before Nemtsov, talk about Kadyrov concerned the murder of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya. Politkovskaya, who had been highly critical of Kadyrov's brutal methods in running Chechnya, was shot to death outside her Moscow apartment in 2006. While two men were arrested and sentenced to life in prison for her murder, they appeared to be contract killers working on orders, though from whom hasn't been determined. And that case appeared to be echoed by the murder of Russian human rights campaigner Natalia Estemirova, another harsh critic of Kadyrov's rule. In 2009, she was kidnapped off the streets of the Chechen capital of Grozny and shot twice in the head. After the murder, her associates noted that she had previously been threatened by Kadyrov and been told that he considered her a "personal enemy." Monday's other notorious honoree, Lugovoi, remains a prime suspect in Litvinenko's murder. His medal was for Merits to the Fatherland, allegedly for promoting the Russian political system as a member of the Duma, the Russian parliament. Litvinenko was highly critical of Putin as well. After his death, British authorities found polonium 210, at amounts 200 times a lethal dose, in his body and were able to track the radioactive material to Lugovoi and another Russian suspect. Since 2007, the United Kingdom has requested that Lugovoi be returned to stand trial, a request that Russia has refused. Litvinenko had angered Putin with a book alleging that Russian secret services had staged bombings and terror attacks to create an atmosphere necessary to bring Putin to power. Nemtsov, 55 when he was murdered, was a longtime force in Russian politics. He was one of the architects of modern Russian capitalism, and he had served as deputy prime minister under former President Boris Yeltsin.
| 5 | 10,899 |
news
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