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Katy Perry is finally copping to that cryptic Mean Girls tweet she sent out that everyone assumed was about Taylor Swift. Turns out, everyone was right. | 8 | 5,000 | video |
Roger Goodell held his annual State of the NFL, and the main talking points were Deflate-Gate, Marshawn Lynch's interaction with the media and the NFL's future in Los Angeles. | 1 | 5,001 | sports |
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Auburn coach Bruce Pearl doesn't bother pretending that his return to Tennessee is just another game. Pearl, who led Tennessee to NCAA tournament appearances in each of his six seasons as the Volunteers' coach, is coming back to Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday to coach against his former team for the first time since his 2011 firing. ''From the minute I walk in that building and get off the bus, there's going to be a camera in my face,'' Pearl said. ''It'll walk me into the bathroom. That's just how it is. ... They're going to want to know every time I scratch my nose or every little emotion that's going through me. I understand that.'' There should be plenty of emotion for those cameras to catch. Although he was fired amid an NCAA investigation that landed Tennessee's program on a two-year probation, Pearl remains so popular in Knoxville that fans circulated an online petition last season to bring him back as the Vols' coach. ''I'm not Dick Vermeil, but I can get watery,'' said Pearl, who is holding a charity fundraiser in Knoxville on Friday night. ''I can't control it. It just happens.'' Pearl returns to Knoxville three months after former Vols football coach Lane Kiffin came back to Tennessee as Alabama's offensive coordinator. When Kiffin returned to town, banners around campus criticized the man who had left Tennessee for Southern California. Pearl figures to get a much warmer reception. Kiffin ''left on his own will and he kind of left us in the lurch after one year,'' said Michael Turner, a board member of the Big Orange Tipoff Club and a season ticketholder for over two decades. ''Pearl was forced to leave. ... The fact (is) he did so much for basketball here, and so many people are so thankful for that. For most people, that was the heyday of Vol basketball.'' Pearl went 145-61 at Tennessee and led the Vols to an NCAA regional final in 2010 and regional semifinal appearances in 2007 and 2008. Pearl received a show-cause penalty from the NCAA in 2011 that kept him away from coaching for three seasons before Auburn hired him in March. Tennessee coach Donnie Tyndall, who has his own cloud hanging over him as the NCAA investigates his tenure at Southern Mississippi, says he'd be ''shocked'' if Pearl doesn't receive a ''great ovation.'' ''Everything coach Pearl did here - from winning games to playing for championships to going to the Elite Eight, all those things should (be) and need to be recognized,'' Tyndall said. ''In fact, we sell a lot of those things in our recruiting. I think people will be excited to see him.'' Pearl, who didn't coach any of Tennessee's current players, isn't sure how fans will react. ''First of all, when they go, `Bruce,' some will be booing and some will be `Bru-ing,' '' Pearl said. ''I don't know which one it's going to be.'' Pearl's showmanship helped make Tennessee basketball an event around town. The Vols' home attendance soared from 12,225 the year before his arrival to a peak of 20,483 in 2008-09. He's having a similar impact at Auburn, where home attendance is up 32.4 percent. ''I think he's going to enjoy being back and seeing everybody from the arena managers to former trainers to ushers,'' said SEC Network analyst Dane Bradshaw, who played for Tennessee from 2003-07. ''Anybody who was around Bruce felt like he was a good friend and (that they) could approach him. If anything, he'll have to probably try to make sure he spends enough time with his team in the locker room before the game versus hugging and shaking hands with a bunch of old friends.'' Pearl is trying to sort out those emotions as he prepares for a game that neither team can afford to lose. Tennessee (12-7, 4-3 SEC) is seeking to end a two-game skid. Auburn (10-10, 2-5) has dropped three straight. ''From the minute we get in that huddle to start playing, there won't be any different emotion as it relates to coaching, as it relates to the game,'' Pearl said. ''My preparation prior to (it) has been the same. It's been consistent. ''I'm sure that in the moments leading up to tip, that it'll be difficult.'' --- AP Sports Writer John Zenor in Auburn, Alabama, contributed to this report. | 1 | 5,002 | sports |
Kate Hudson, Sophia Bush, and Katy Perry all get an F on this week's Fashion Offenders hosted by Wonderwall's Kirby Kristen. | 8 | 5,003 | video |
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti remained upbeat despite Cristiano Ronaldo's two-match suspension, believing it will provide an opportunity for the star forward to overcome any niggling injuries. | 1 | 5,004 | sports |
Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been given a three-match ban by the FA, after a review of video evidence showed he stamped on Liverpool's Emre Can. | 1 | 5,005 | sports |
A California state appeals court on Friday denied Michael Jackson's family its latest attempt to reverse a jury's decision that cleared concert promoter AEG Live of negligence in the singer's death. The three-judge panel ruled that Jackson's mother and children did not have standing for a new trial after their attorneys argued last week that AEG Live was liable for Jackson's treatment, and that jury instructions were confusing and not wide enough in scope. A Los Angeles jury in 2013 cleared privately held AEG Live, the organizer of Jackson's ill-fated 50 "This Is It" comeback concerts in London, of negligently hiring cardiologist Conrad Murray as Jackson's personal physician. The sensational five-month trial offered a glimpse into Jackson's private life and final days in which Murray administered surgical anesthetic propofol to the "Thriller" singer as a sleep aid. The child star turned King of Pop, who set the world dancing but whose musical genius was overshadowed by a bizarre lifestyle and sex scandals, died in 2009 at age 50 in Los Angeles from an overdose of the powerful anesthetic. The lawsuit against AEG Live was filed by Katherine Jackson, 84, and the singer's three children. The Los Angeles Superior Court jury found that Murray was sufficiently qualified for the job he was hired to do as general practitioner. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 for Jackson's death and served half of his 4-year sentence in a Los Angeles prison. (Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Alan Crosby) | 6 | 5,006 | entertainment |
North Carolina head coach Roy Williams put to bed any questions about whether or not freshman guard Joel Berry II might be back in the lineup when the Tar Heels face Louisville on Saturday. "He hasn't done anything contact-wise yet," Williams told the media. "He will not play tomorrow and [I'm] 99.9 percent sure he won't play Monday." Berry hasn't played in a game since UNC defeated the Cardinals on Jan. 10. Three days after that Tar Heel victory he aggravated a groin injury during practice. In the first meeting with U of L, Berry scored 3 points on 1-of-3 shooting from the field 13 minutes. For the season, he is averaging 3.2 ppg, 1.2 apg and 0.8 rpg. Berry will join fellow freshman Theo Pinson in street clothes. Pinson is has missed UNC's last two games and is still out indefinitely after after breaking the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. Pinson played 15 minutes and had 3 rebounds but did not score a point in the win over the Cards. He was averaging 3.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game before his injury. | 1 | 5,007 | sports |
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) By stocking up on tons of upcoming draft picks and young talent, the Florida Panthers are trying to set themselves up for a bright future. The future might arrive a little ahead of schedule. Often a playoff long shot at this time of year, the Panthers find themselves right in the mix of the Eastern Conference postseason race this season. The Panthers are six points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East, still in the chase despite just enduring a five-game losing slide that ended with a 3-2 win over Columbus on Thursday night. ''We still have some growing to do,'' Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said. ''But we're close. It's getting exciting because we see the future and we see that we're not far off.'' Led by a combination of savvy veterans - like goalie Roberto Luongo and defenseman Willie Mitchell - playing alongside a young core that includes rising star defenseman Aaron Ekblad, center Nick Bjugstad and winger Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida has probably exceeded many expectations already. A year ago at this time, the Panthers were 15th in the 16-team East. Now, some of the players are already checking scoreboards around the league on a nightly basis to see what the playoff standings look like. ''We've got a good team,'' said Huberdeau, the No. 3 overall pick in 2011 who hasn't sniffed an NHL playoff chase before. ''It's cool. The games are way more important when you're looking at a playoff spot. It's big for us. We don't want to miss our chance this year and we've got some veterans reminding the young guys who haven't been there to take advantage of that chance.'' Florida starts a three-game, four-day swing through the New York metropolitan area on Saturday, with road games against the Rangers, Islanders and Devils. The Rangers are the team that was immediately atop Florida in the standings entering Friday, and the Islanders seem poised to grab one of the East's best playoff seeds. It might be a critical stretch, but the road hasn't been unkind of Florida of late. The Panthers have emerged with 13 of a possible 20 standings points in their last 10 road games. ''This is a huge road trip,'' Luongo said. Florida's playoff history - or lack thereof - is well-known. The team hasn't won a playoff series since its run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, and has reached the postseason just once since 2000. Nonetheless, there's still confidence inside the Panthers' locker room. And if nothing else, at this time of year, that represents some progress. ''It's such an important time of the season right now,'' said Sean Bergenheim, who had the gamewinner on Thursday on a play where he was simultaneously taking a high stick to his face. ''It's a good feeling but we're learning at the same time. We haven't played the way we have to play in a lot of games lately to be a successful team. But you've got to believe. And we do.'' | 1 | 5,008 | sports |
Processing lines at some U.S. hog slaughterhouses are moving too fast for inspectors to adequately address contamination and food safety concerns, according to an advocacy group that says it has obtained affidavits from four government meat inspectors. In the affidavits, released Friday by the Government Accountability Project, a "whistle-blower protection" organization, the inspectors detail experiences inside pork-processing plants participating in a pilot program engineered by the USDA to speed up lines while improving food safety and trim inspection costs. The inspectors, three of whom currently work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture while the fourth recently retired, allege they have seen practices that increase the risk of salmonella contamination of meat on the processing line. They also noted an increased level of contamination of meat with "cystic kidneys" and "bladder stems" from the slaughtered animal carcasses. Joe Ferguson, a USDA inspector with 23 years at the agency who retired last year, said in one affidavit that the program is giving too much control over food safety to private industry. The USDA program is a pilot program being conducted in five pork-processing plants. A similar program is in place at U.S. poultry plants, and the labor union representing U.S. poultry inspectors has been battling the USDA in federal court, claiming the new program jeopardizes food safety. Under the program plant operators take on more responsibility for carcass inspection while government inspectors verify the effectiveness of the company's work. Hormel Foods Corp. operates or contracts with three plants piloting the government program, and the GAP group's Food Integrity Campaign said it was launching a petition drive urging Hormel to slow down its processing lines and conduct closer inspections. Hormel said that food safety is a top priority and it has found the government program allows for more efficient and effective oversight. Hormel's facilities meet or exceed USDA standards, the company said. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service also states that the new model is more efficient and provides enhanced food safety protection. In November, the USDA issued a report about the hog slaughter inspection program that concluded the plants in the program are performing as well as those not in it. USDA spokeswoman Catherine Cochrain said the USDA has not yet determined whether or not it will expand the program beyond the five pork plants. (Reporting By Carey Gillam; Editing by Alan Crosby) | 5 | 5,009 | news |
Manchester United has completed the signing of defender Sadiq El Fitouri from Salford City while Ben Amos has joined Bolton Wanderers on loan. El Fitouri - who spent some of his teenage years with Manchester City - only made his debut for the non-league outfit in early January but impressed during a trial at Old Trafford. Former United stars Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Gary Neville and Phil Neville own Salford and were reportedly instrumental in his move to the 20-time English champion. "This is honestly a dream come true for me and I have to thank Salford City for the chance, as well as the faith they have shown in me," El Fitouri told United's official website. "I am really looking forward to what happens next and to be given the opportunity to do so at Manchester United is unbelievable." Amos, meanwhile, joins Bolton on loan to help cover for Adam Bogdan after he suffered an ankle ligament injury in training. The 24-year-old has previously enjoyed loan spells at five other clubs including Hull City, but has fallen down the pecking order after Victor Valdes's signing. He could make his debut against Wolves on Saturday, though he is not available for the Trotters' FA Cup replay with Liverpool on Wednesday. | 1 | 5,010 | sports |
Jurors hear opening statements in the trial of the 1979 kidnapping and murder of Etan Patz, a boy whose disappearance from a New York street ignited a national movement to find missing children. Linda So reports. | 8 | 5,011 | video |
Someone get Chuck Hagel a frame for his government ID card. If some members of Congress get their way, that might be the only official portrait taxpayers will pay for. This week the Senate introduced not one but two new bills that would ban federal spending on traditional oil portraits for cabinet-level officials. On Thursday night, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) reintroduced the Responsible Use of Taxpayer Dollars for Portraits Act, which would cap federal spending on oil portraits at $20,000 and limit such portraits to those in line for the presidency. Several hours after Shaheen announced her legislation, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced a bill that would ban taxpayer spending on all oil paintings for anyone in Congress and the executive branch. "Tax dollars should go to building roads and improving schools -- not oil paintings that very few people ever see or care about," said Cassidy in a press release. Federal agencies for decades have commissioned portraits of department heads, but the practice has faced increased scrutiny in recent years. In 2008, the Washington Post reported that an official portrait can carry a hefty price tag, sometimes up to $50,000. And when the Washington Times tried to photograph one, they were told that the portrait was unavailable for public viewing . "Taxpayers shouldn't pay for a portrait that costs more than many Americans make in a year," said Shaheen in a press release. Similar bills have been proposed in the past. Cassidy sponsored his Eliminating Government-Funded Oil-Painting Act (or "EGO" for short) as a member of the House in 2013. That legislation passed but went nowhere in the Senate. Shaheen's bill didn't even make it out of committee when it was first proposed two years ago. But those failures haven't stopped Congress from restricting portraiture, as the last two federal budgets have specifically barred federal spending for portraits of executive branch officials. The lack of public funding has meant that officials have had to turn to other funding sources for their portraits. The president's portrait is paid for by generous private donors, as are the portraits of House committee chairs that continue to adorn the walls of (some) committee chambers, looking down on their successors and occasionally inspiring awkward feuds . | 5 | 5,012 | news |
LeBron James is expected to miss the next three games for the Cavs against the Kings, T-Wolves and 76ers. Is LeBron really dealing with a sore wrist, or just resting against bad teams? | 1 | 5,013 | sports |
ATLANTA Danny Ferry can only watch from afar, surely with plenty of satisfaction at the juggernaut he created, undoubtedly offset by a sense of melancholy that he's not along for the ride. Make no mistake, the Atlanta Hawks are Ferry's baby. He acquired nearly every player on a team that stunningly has the best record in the NBA. Even one of his harshest critics, who led the protests against Ferry after the general manager's racially charged comments about Luol Deng, gives credit where credit is due. "Clearly, Danny Ferry is largely responsible for putting together the winning team that we are enjoying here in the Atlanta community," the Rev. Markel Hutchins told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Friday. That said, there is essentially zero chance of Ferry returning to the team he created. Not this season. Not ever. "I certainly hope that Danny Ferry gets a job as a general manager somewhere else," Hutchins said. "He has expressed what I believe is sincere repentance off the court. Nobody should be condemned forever. He deserves restoration. But," he quickly added, "that should not happen with the Atlanta Hawks." Ferry went on indefinite leave in September, just a few days after the scandal broke, and has been in limbo ever since. He's apologized through public statements, met with civil rights leaders in private, and paid a huge price for repeating bigoted comments about Deng that someone else wrote in a scouting report. Now, nearly five months removed from the initial furor, Ferry has clearly suffered enough for his sin. "I would welcome him with open arms," said Hawks forward DeMarre Carroll, one of many players Ferry brought to Atlanta. "I don't feel he's a racist. I think he genuinely learned from his mistakes." The reality is, there's no impetus for the Hawks to bring Ferry back, not with the team holding a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference and extending its franchise-record winning streak to 18 in a row with a 105-99 victory over Portland on Friday night. His return would undoubtedly lead to renewed protests and create an unnecessary distraction. Besides, the Hawks are up for sale, so this can of worms will get kicked down the road to the next owner. Yet, in this greatest of seasons for the Hawks, that's the elephant in the room. There will be some huge decisions to make this summer, especially with free-agent-to-be Paul Millsap and what is expected to be plenty of salary cap flexibility. No one knows exactly who will be making those calls. Whoever it is, that person will face the enormous challenge of following in Ferry footsteps. He completely rebuilt the roster after taking over as general manager in 2012, while maintaining a competitive team that still went to the playoffs the last two seasons. Ferry defied the NBA's conventional logic, which held that major overhauls had to be accompanied by lots and lots of losses (see: Philadelphia 76ers). "He did it a totally different way," said Kyle Korver, who bought into Ferry's vision right from the start. "I think there's a whole lot of owners who would rather do it that way, rather than lose for five years and hope their draft picks turn out at the end of the day. Danny is going to have another job. There's not any doubt about that." The only Atlanta holdovers from the pre-Ferry era are All-Stars Al Horford and Jeff Teague, and even Teague would have been out the door if Ferry had not matched a four-year, $32-million offer sheet from Milwaukee in 2013. Some wondered if Teague, who had been highly inconsistent to that point, was worth the money. Now, he looks underpaid. He's not the only one. The Hawks have a lower payroll than all but four teams. Check out these bargains: Millsap will be making his second straight All-Star appearance since signing a two-year, $19-million free-agent deal with the Hawks. Nondescript in Utah, he's now recognized as one of the NBA's best all-around players. Korver, a backup most of his career, was acquired from Chicago for cash and a trade exception, then re-signed with the Hawks for four years at $24 million. He's one of the best if not the best shooters in the league. Carroll had bounced around to four teams until he landed in Atlanta for a two-year deal costing a mere $5 million. A defensive standout, he's improved offensively and hasn't met a loose ball he wasn't willing to dive for. Thanks to Ferry, the Hawks are also one of the league's deepest teams. The draft produced Dennis Schroder and Mike Scott. Thabo Sefolosha and Kent Bazemore were below-the-radar free agents. Pero Antic was plucked out of Europe. Shelvin Mack initially came aboard on a 10-day deal. Almost as impressive was the list of players Ferry sent packing. Shortly after taking over as GM, he somehow persuaded Brooklyn to take Joe Johnson's max contract and Utah to accept the greatly overpaid Marvin Williams. In addition, Ferry didn't make much of an attempt to re-sign longtime Hawks stalwart Josh Smith, who was such a flop in Detroit that he got cut this season. And, of course, Ferry passed over better-known coaches to hire a little-known assistant from San Antonio. Mike Budenholzer could very well be the NBA's coach of the year. Under different circumstances, Ferry would be a lock for executive of the year. At the very least, he deserves another chance. It just won't be in Atlanta. ___ Paul Newberry is a national writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at [email protected] or www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 | 1 | 5,014 | sports |
When my now-husband Chris and I first met, I was a poor grad student who waited tables to make ends meet. My rent was ridiculously cheap, and thank goodness, because I had negative dollars to my name. I eventually got a full-time office job, but the salary was so bad I had to work at a coffee shop on weekends to pay my bills. While I was working my way up the ladder, Chris already had a successful career as a chef and his salary reflected it. He wasn't rolling in it, but he was definitely making more money than me. He never made a big deal about it, he just chipped in a little more than me sometimes on things like rent and utilities. Eventually, my career grew. I got promotions and new jobs and the salary boosts that came with it. My salary surpassed Chris's before we got married and continued to grow. His grew, too, but not at the same rate since chefs, unfortunately, make a fraction of what they deserve. RELATED: Why Being Married to a Chef Isn't As Glamorous As It Sounds Now, between career advancements and side projects, I make significantly more than he does. For the most part, it's awesome. I've always wanted to make money for my family, and I love being able to make a decent impact on my family's finances. But there are definitely some drawbacks. For one thing, I feel pressure to make a certain salary in order to maintain our family's status quo. If my career suddenly went to hell, we'd have serious financial issues. If Chris's did, we'd have to tighten our belts, but we'd still be okay. That doesn't mean his job is less important it's just the reality of the situation. For the most part, Chris could care less that I make more, and he's always been supportive of my career. But occasionally he'll say things like "my job is important, too" when we're discussing something like who has to take time off when our son is sick and has to stay home from daycare. It breaks my heart that he would even think he has to say that. Chris is incredibly talented, and he absolutely deserves all of the success he's had. But I've caught myself feeling a little jealous that he's been able to take certain jobs that he's wanted for less money, while it just wouldn't make sense for me to do the same. And that's the thing: I know it wouldn't make sense, but sometimes being practical is kind of lame. I don't doubt that if I suddenly demanded that he make more, Chris would work his butt off to find a career that would give him a big salary boost. But I'd never do that he loves his job, and I couldn't ask him to make that sacrifice for me. I'm not alone. I'd say about 35 to 40 percent of my female friends are in the same boat, which reflects the national average (according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data for 2012, 38 percent of wives earn more than their husbands). Like our husbands, we don't really care that we make more. But sometimes…little gripes come out. "I just once want to go out and spend a crap-load of money on something silly, like designer boots," one investment banker friend of mine said. "If my husband made the same salary, I could. But I can't. I live like I make less money to balance out his lower salary." RELATED: Does Your Husband Really Need to Be Your Best Friend? One friend confessed to me that she's dreamed about what kind of life she'd have if her husband made the same or more than she did. "I could be a stay-at-home mom not that I want that, but it would be nice to at least have the option." While the concept of wives making more than their husbands attracts some attention, this income imbalance is really nothing new for couples. Men have been making more than their wives for ages, and we're hypocrites if we suddenly feel like more of the money is ours because the roles have been reversed. That's not what a marriage is, and we would be livid if our husbands did that. Psychiatrist Gail Saltz, M.D. says as a whole, men now are more comfortable than ever with having a high-earner wife. Still, some aren't especially if his feelings of self-worth are tied into being the primary breadwinner. Since many men were raised to think that they need to financially provide for their family, they can feel a little disappointed that they're not able to contribute more to the bottom line. She says it's incredibly important to not lord it over your partner that you make more that's just asking for serious trouble. But contributing to the family isn't just about money. "If you feel resentful you are earning the majority of the income, look at what your partner is contributing monetarily or otherwise," says Saltz. "If it's too one-sided, then discuss another division of labor." The reality is, Chris does a ton of stuff that I can't be bothered to do. He takes care of all of our bills, car maintenance, and issues that pop up around the house without thinking twice. If it was left to me…we'd be in trouble. That alone is worth a ton of money. I used to wonder sometimes what it would be like to be married to someone who made more than me. My life would be different we'd have a bigger place to live, eat out more, and travel a ton. We'd probably still live in Brooklyn, which we left in order to actually be able to afford to buy a place and not spend an entire paycheck each month on daycare. But that's not my reality. The thing is, I didn't marry for money. I knew what I was getting into when I married a chef, and I'd do it again in an instant. As long as we're comfortable enough to keep our son happy, fed, and in diapers while supporting my juicing habit, I'm good. Chris set a great example for me years ago on how to treat your partner when you earn more money. I can only hope I'm doing it justice. RELATED: 6 Marriage Milestones That Will Make or Break a Couple -- Korin Miller is a writer, SEO nerd, wife, and mom to a little one-year-old dude named Miles. Korin has worked for The Washington Post , New York Daily News , and Cosmopolitan , where she learned more than anyone ever should about sex. She has an unhealthy addiction to gifs. | 4 | 5,015 | lifestyle |
IndyCar officials still had not received official confirmation from the Brasilia Federal District that its scheduled March 8 series opener there was canceled, but CEO Mark Miles told USA TODAY Sports on Friday the series is ''very concerned'' about the government dynamic in the South American country. Miles said anecdotal evidence of political maneuvering all but confirms the doom of the race in Brazil, a country in economic upheaval, for the calendar year. Such is the quandary for IndyCar as it attempts to broaden its appeal while balancing itself economically in the United States in the shadow of NASCAR and internationally in the shadow of powerhouse Formula One. Strong television ratings, corporate involvement and a heritage of exemplary drivers bolster Brazil's standing as a burgeoning market. The presence of popular veterans Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan have long provided a natural hook for IndyCar. But losing a season-opener because of a supposed financial dispute between the federal and Brasilia state governments forces the series to be wary regarding Brazil, Miles said. "We know there is demand," he told USA Today Sports. "And we have good relationships commercially. At this point our relationship with Bandeirantesis is strong and they are an important media conglomerate, so the market is there. There are business interests that we have a relationship with. "But to have everything go well and to have some sort of negative dynamic between the national government and the state government cause this result is very concerning. The demand is there, but we're not ready to talk about the future until we sort out what has happened this time around." The Brasilia race promoter has contacted IndyCar through an intermediary attempting to broach the possibility of re-scheduling the event, Miles said. "We've said it's too early to talk about that," he said. "We want to understand what has happened here fully before we would be willing to have any conversation about what might happen going forward." Band TV's announcement on Thursday that the Brasilia government had cancelled the event has been the only word on the subject. IndyCar had raced in Sao Paolo the previous four seasons. The 2011 and 2012 races boasted 9.6 and 10.9 ratings shares on BAND, respectively. Miles says he has been told that the Brazilian government had begun defunding projects and programs in Brasilia and that it had been deemed imprudent, locally, to stage the race. Numerous Brazilian cities, including Brasilia, were the scene of mass protests preceding the 2014 FIFA World Cup over, among other things, public expenditures on soccer stadiums. The Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet -- the site for the what was to be the IndyCar opener -- is adjacent to the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha World Cup stadium. In August 2016, Rio de Janeiro will host the Summer Games. Ganassi Racing's Kanaan, the 2004 series champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner who was raised in Sao Paolo, told USA Today Sports in an email: "It's unfortunate and very sad that we're not going to be racing in front of the Brazilian fans this year. I was excited about the opportunity of racing again at my home country, but now it's time to turn the page and focus in St. Pete for the season opener." IndyCar will not lose money on the cancellation, Miles said, noting that it will not impact the Leader's Circle incentive program for fulltime teams. The Brasilia cancellation marks the series' second recent event in a foreign market undone by local politics. Former IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard had landed a race in Qingdao, China scheduled for August 2012, only to have a new mayor balk at the prospect of his city hosting the event in conjunction with the International Beer Festival. This last debacle is certain to further the suggestion that IndyCar fielding races beyond North American markets is not wise, but, Miles said, "It's a real disappointment, but I don't think it means we can't pursue this strategy." "I think there's an important market on a limited basis for IndyCar internationally and we have to be smart about it," he said, "but I think at this juncture, it continues to be part of our strategy." And the series, he said, has international prospects that re-affirmed interest since the Brasilia situation became public. Miles did not say where these prospects are. "I don't think for them or their prospects in their country that they view this as damaging," Miles said. Zak Brown, founder of Just Marketing International, which has clients in various forms of motorsports, told USA TODAY Sports: "Local challenges aside, Brazil is an important global market with a strong passion for motorsport and sport in general. It is important to balance the risks with the potential for growth and providing broader reach for the Verizon IndyCar Series's stakeholders." Now, IndyCar will look ahead to St. Petersburg, Fla., which becomes the season lid-lifter, on March 29. IndyCar's only other international event this season is scheduled for June 14 in Toronto. The question remains whether the cancellation of the IndyCar opener and nebulous prospects for a return, at least to Brasilia, will jade a fan base in a country that produced legends such as Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet and Emerson Fittipaldi. Maybe not, said Brazilian Gil de Ferran, the 2003 Indianapolis 500 winner. "I'm sure it's not a positive impact. But how negative it will be over the fan base is hard for me to fathom in the moment," he told USA Today Sports. "Because IndyCar became popular in Brazil without even having a race over there for many, many years. I don't know how big it will be for the fan base versus not having guys like Tony and Helio on the grid." Follow James on Twitter @brantjames | 1 | 5,016 | sports |
CHARLOTTE Bill Elliott concludes an incredible week for his family Friday night as he joins four other new inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. A former Sprint Cup champion and one of the most popular drivers to compete in stock car racing circles, Elliott was set to be inducted into the hall one day after the announcement that his 19-year-old son, Chase, will step into a top Cup ride at Hendrick Motorsports in 2016 , replacing Jeff Gordon. Also set to be honored Friday night in a ceremony beginning at 8 p.m. ET at the Charlotte Convention Center were Fred Lorenzen, Rex White and the late Joe Weatherly and Wendell Scott. Friday night's ceremony is being held against a hazy backdrop as the NASCAR Hall of Fame, located in downtown Charlotte adjacent to the convention center, continues to wrestle with challenging finances. Hall attendance has been less than half of the 400,000 annual visitors projected by the facility when it opened in 2010. Bank of America and Wells Fargo agreed recently to forgive $17.6 million in construction loans owed by the hall in exchange for a $5 million payment. The hall, owned by the city of Charlotte, lost $1.4 million in the fiscal year ending June 2014. Charlotte won the bid among five original cities including Daytona Beach, Fla. where NASCAR got its start with races on the beach; Richmond, Va.; Kansas City, Kan.; and Atlanta. Elliott, who easily led voting for the 2015 hall class, won 44 times in the Sprint Cup Series, claiming the championship in 1988. He owns the NASCAR qualifying record a lap of 212.809 miles per hour logged in 1987 at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. In a driving career that lasted 37 years, Elliott won the Daytona 500 twice and the Southern 500 three times. Fans voted Elliott the sport's most popular driver 16 times, a run that ended only when Elliott removed his name from consideration for the award. Scott, who died of cancer in 1990 at the age of 69, scored the only Sprint Cup victory by an African-American driver. He won a short-track race in Jacksonville, Fla., in 1963, the highlight of a 13-year career in NASCAR's major series. He logged 495 starts in Cup. Perhaps most significant about Scott's career, however, is that he raced regularly during a time of blatant segregation, and he and his family were denied entrance to hotels and restaurants in some towns along the NASCAR trail. Weatherly won Cup championships in 1962 and 1963 and totaled 25 victories in NASCAR's top series. He drove for South Carolina team owner Bud Moore in 1962 but raced for nine different teams in scoring the '63 championship. Weatherly and fellow driver Curtis Turner, who has been nominated for the hall but not elected, were fast friends, both known as hard partiers and practical jokers. Weatherly died in a race crash at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway in 1964. White, 85, won the Cup title in 1960 and is the oldest surviving champion. He started racing in the mid-1950s and became a short-track star at NASCAR's highest level. Only two of his 28 career wins came on tracks longer than a mile. White finished in the top five in almost half of his 233 Cup races. Lorenzen, who is attending Friday's ceremony despite declining health, was one of the sport's most popular drivers in the 1960s. A native of Elmhurst, Ill., he became a NASCAR superstar, one of the first from outside the traditional Southeastern heartland of the sport. Lorenzen had his best season in 1963 as he scored six wins and 21 top fives in 29 starts, finishing third in the point standings despite running barely half of the races. | 1 | 5,017 | sports |
As football fans make the drive to Arizona's University of Phoenix Stadium for the Super Bowl, they will see two 48- by 14-foot digital billboards featuring a couple of buff men in a locker room, holding footballs. The first ad is on the highway leading up to the arena, with the second directly next to the stadium in the parking area. At first glance, the ad seemingly could be for many things: T-shirts, sports gear or, given the company's name, Scruff, perhaps even shaving equipment. The ad, however, is a bit more risqué than that: Scruff is a dating app for gay men athletic men in particular that has 7 million users worldwide, and its message reads, "Play on our team." Scruff spent $3,500 for the billboards during Super Bowl week, and it appears likely to see an impressive return on the investment. About half a million people are expected to be exposed to the ads, and already Scruff has seen a 20 percent increase in new profile creations in the Phoenix area, compared with the same period last year, spokesman Daniel DeMello told Newsweek . Since the first of the year, the app has generated more than a million logins since in Arizona. "While the oversized cultural statement is obviously an attempt to attract more members, it's also a nod to brave athletes like Michael Sam and Kwame Harris, begging the question: What does 'gay' look like?" the company said in a statement. For some attending the Super Bowl, the ads may shift the focus to another team besides the Seahawks and the Patriots. | 5 | 5,018 | news |
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Tiger Woods, his game sliding from bad to worse, shot a 11-over-par 82 Friday and failed to make the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The 82 was his worst score as a professional. Woods' 2015 debut on the PGA tour effectively ended when he double-bogeyed the 14th hole (his fifth hole) and then hooked his drive into the water on the 15th and ran up a triple bogey. He soared to a 44 on the front nine, then shot 38 after he made the turn. He missed an 11-foot putt for par on his final hole. "Not a very good day from the very start to the end, but I fought all day," he said. "We all have days like this. Even on bad days, you keep fighting." Woods' problems were on display before a big crowd gathered on the 18th hole, his ninth. Woods smashed a terrific drive down the middle but then botched an easy approach, with his shot landing well short of the green and in a bunker. He made a nice shot out of the sand to within about seven feet of the hole. But he misjudged the line and hit the putt too softly, missing badly for a bogey. Woods shot 2-over 73 in the opening round on Thursday. The projected cut Friday was at even par, so he would have needed to shoot a 2-under 69 to make the cut. Instead, he finished 11 over for the round and 13 over for the tournament. His chipping was particularly poor as he seemed to have little feel for his short game. "It's mental to an extent," he said, "but I need to physically get the club in another spot." He said his surgically repaired back "feels fine. That's not an issue anymore." He has pointed out he is in the middle of a swing change and that this was just his second tournament in six months. Woods had not played at TPC Scottsdale since 2001; and, after his disappointing showing this week, fans are worried he may never return, thinking he showed up this year mainly because the Super Bowl is in the area. But Woods said he's skipping the Super Bowl to return home to Florida, where he'll practice daily. "I'm going home right now." He also praised the huge crowds that were pulling for him, calling the support "fantastic." "Obviously, it's a very raucous crowd," he said. "To have the support we've had the last two days is incredible." NOTES: Eleven players had to finish their first round early Friday because play was suspended because of darkness at 5:45 p.m. Thursday. Among those finishing Friday morning was Daniel Berger, who shot 6-under 65 to enter the second round tied with Bubba Watson and Keegan Bradley for second place. Ryan Palmer entered Friday with the lead at 7-under 64. ... Woods opened his brief news conference by joking, "I'm just doing this so I don't get fined" -- a reference to Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch's much-parroted Super Bowl Media Day phrase. ----------------------------------------------- | 1 | 5,019 | sports |
One of South Africa's most notorious apartheid mass murderers, Eugene "Prime Evil" de Kock, was granted parole after 20 years in jail. Duration: 01:03 | 8 | 5,020 | video |
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning said Friday he has yet to decide if he'll play in 2015, but he doesn't anticipate himself being in limbo much longer. 'I'm not interested in making this a lingering thing," Manning said after receiving the NFL's Bart Starr award in Scottsdale, Ariz. "I'd like to make a decision soon." Manning, who will turn 39 in March, must take a physical before the new league year begins on March 10. If he is on the Broncos' roster on March 9, his 2015 salary of $19 million becomes guaranteed. Though the five-time MVP played through a strained quadriceps muscle over the final month of the 2014 season, he doesn't believe he will have any trouble passing the physical, nor will the results of the check-up play a major factor in his decision. "I think something that's important to me is not whether I can physically do it for myself, (but) can I physically do it to help the team? I've always wanted to be part of the solution to helping and never a problem," Manning said. "It's one thing to play and have a uniform and be on the roster. It's another thing to truly be able to contribute and help. That's the only way I've ever known to play football." Manning has already spoken with new Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who was hired to replace John Fox earlier this month. However quarterback and coach did not speak much about actual football. Kubiak has long run a different style of offense than what Manning has been accustomed to in Denver and, previously, with the Indianapolis Colts. Working together could require some changes for both of them, though Kubiak has expressed optimism for tailoring a playbook to Manning's strengths. "If I choose to come back, I feel pretty comfortable aside maybe from Tubby Raymond's Delaware Blue Hen Wing T offense I feel pretty comfortable playing in any offense," said Manning. "I really do. So I don't see that being really a factor." *** Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones | 1 | 5,021 | sports |
Bloomberg and the Des Moines Register just released the first tidbit from their new Iowa Poll -- timing! -- and the result says plenty about why Mitt Romney announced Friday that he won't run for president again. While Romney's favorable rating among likely Iowa GOP caucus voters in October was 65 percent, compared to 30 percent unfavorable, that split became narrower in the months since. The newest poll shows 57 percent of Iowa Republicans view Romney favorably, compared to 40 percent who view him unfavorably. That 40 percent unfavorable rating, we would emphasize, is among Republicans . You simply don't often see that kind of resistance to a member of your own party -- especially your party's most recent presidential nominee! -- unless he or she has real liabilities -- like a scandal. (The poll also showed 45 percent of people said they didn't want Romney to run again; but we think that actually says less than the 40 percent figure above.) No, Iowa was never Romney's strongest state -- or anything close to it -- and he was only able to compete there in 2012 because the field was so crowded and the winner took less than 25 percent of the vote. But the new Iowa Poll is symptomatic of Romney's biggest problem heading into a 2016 bid: He still wasn't popular. As we noted earlier this month, almost every public poll conducted in recent months showed Romney's personal image didn't get any better since 2012 . And almost every one showed his unfavorable rating higher than his favorable rating. And, that was just as Romney was first dipping his toe back in the presidential waters. What followed was plenty of second-guessing as to why the GOP would nominate Romney again (especially with Jeb Bush running) and incredulity over Romney saying his new campaign would be focused on poor people and on making Romney appear more "authentic " -- perhaps his two biggest problems in 2012. Romney's strength was always his popularity among the GOP establishment, which saw far more potential than their candidate displayed in 2012. Bush's entry, though, severely cut into the desire for Romney to run again. From there, he had to believe there was a real desire among grassroots Republicans to nominate him again. And while some early polls showed him leading a bunch of lesser-known Republicans, Romney's poor image was always going to be tough for him to overcome. Which seems to be what he came to realize. | 5 | 5,022 | news |
In a speech to House Democrats, President Barack Obama stretched the facts to underscore political points about national security and the improving economy. Obama quoted a Republican as saying it's "not the end of the world" to "have the Department of Homeland Security not functioning." Actually, the congressman said Homeland Security would still function even if Congress fails to meet a funding deadline, so it would not be "the end of the world" to miss the deadline. Obama also boasted that "there is no economic metric by which we are not better off than when I took office." Here are a few: The number of long-term unemployed has risen, as has average duration of their joblessness; the number of Americans receiving food stamps is up; and the rate of home ownership is down. The comments came during a short speech Obama delivered at the House Democratic Issues Conference in Philadelphia on Jan. 29. 'End of the World'? For weeks, Republicans have been threatening to hold up Homeland Security Department funding as a means to thwart President Obama's executive action to halt some deportations. The immigration plan announced by Obama on Nov. 20 provides a temporary relief of three years from the threat of deportation to parents who are in the country illegally but who have children who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents a plan that is estimated to apply to 5 million people . In his speech in Philadelphia, Obama chastised an unnamed Republican congressman for downplaying the consequences of allowing a Feb. 27 funding deadline for Homeland Security to lapse. Obama, Jan. 29 : I disagree with any Republican who says letting funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapse is "not the end of the world." That's a quote from one of them. I tell you, these are the guys who are always saying they're concerned about the borders. These are the folks who say they're concerned about terrorism. Well, who do you think helps monitor our borders? What do you mean, "It's not the end of the world"? That's all you've been talking about. And now, suddenly, because you want to make a political point, you think that we can afford to have the Department of Homeland Security not functioning because of political games in Washington? The quote in question came from Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, in a story published by Politico, and it was taken out of context. Obama says the congressman said it's "not the end of the world" to "have the Department of Homeland Security not functioning," but Diaz-Balart was clearly making the point that Homeland Security would continue functioning, even if the funding deadline is missed. Politico, Jan. 28 : Lessening the urgency, in some minds, of passing a Homeland Security funding bill is the fact that DHS's operations wouldn't necessarily shut down if funding expires after Feb. 27. In the October 2013 federal government shutdown, roughly 85 percent of DHS employees continued to work because their jobs were considered essential. However, their paychecks were withheld until the shutdown was over. "In other words, it's not the end of the world if we get to that time because the national security functions will not stop whether it's border security or a lot of other issues," Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) said, though he stressed that Congress shouldn't ignore that deadline. "Having said so, I think we should always aspire to try to get it done." In the event of a funding lapse , DHS employees whose jobs are deemed "necessary for safety of human life or protection of property" are expected to continue working. That includes people responsible for criminal law enforcement operations, cargo inspections, counter-terrorism watches and intelligence gathering. A Congressional Research Service report published on Oct. 24, 2013, found that during the shutdown three weeks prior, "While an estimated 31,295 employees were furloughed, roughly 85 percent of the department's workforce continued with their duties that day, due to exceptions identified in current interpretations of law." On the day of the shutdown, Gillian Christensen, press secretary at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, assured that immigration enforcement would continue unimpeded. "ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, as well as ICE Homeland Security Investigations will remain operational under a government shutdown because they have been deemed law enforcement necessary for the safety of life and protection of property," she said in a statement . It was precisely because those essential, national security functions would not stop in the event of a funding lapse that Diaz-Balart said missing the Feb. 27 deadline was "not the end of the world." Economic Metrics At one point in his speech, Obama fired off a shotgun blast of statistics about improvements to the American economy, but it was the very last one that caught our attention. Obama, Jan. 29: We've seen 11 million jobs created, best job growth since the '90s, best job growth in manufacturing since the '90s; steepest drop in the unemployment rate in 30 years; deficit cut by two-thirds; over 10 million people with health insurance that didn't have it before. We've seen reading scores go up, high school graduation rates go up, more young people attending college than ever before. We're number one in oil production; number one in natural gas production; doubled clean energy production; solar power up tenfold; wind power up threefold; carbon pollution down. There is no economic metric by which we are not better off than when I took office. Our latest " Obama's Numbers " piece in January includes a number of positive indicators for the economy under Obama. As we wrote, the economy has now gained nearly five times more jobs under Obama than it did during the presidency of George W. Bush; the unemployment rate has dropped to just below the historical average; real weekly earnings are up 1.7 percent, thanks in part to a plunge in gasoline prices; corporate profits have nearly tripled; and stock prices have soared. But Obama went too far with the boast that, "There is no economic metric by which we are not better off than when I took office." As we noted in our story, "The number of Americans receiving food stamps remains 45 percent higher than when the president first took office, and the rate of home ownership has dropped by 3.2 percentage points, to the lowest point in nearly 20 years." And while the official figures show that the U.S. had 6,371,000 more people employed in December than it did when Obama took office in 2009, there are nearly 2.8 million people suffering from long-term unemployment which is defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as being out of work for 27 weeks or longer. That is 86,000 higher than it was when Obama entered office. And the average number of weeks that the unemployed have been without work is 32.8 weeks which is 13 weeks longer than the average duration of joblessness when Obama took office. As for Obama's claim that we are seeing the "best job growth in manufacturing since the '90s," that's true if measured since January 2010. The U.S. has seen an increase of 777,000 manufacturing jobs between then and now, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But there has been a net loss of manufacturing jobs during the president's time in office. Republicans also have been quick to point to a decrease in the civilian labor force participation rate , which has now declined by 3 percentage points since Obama became president, to the lowest point since 1978. But that's not entirely due to " discouraged workers " dropping out because they believe no jobs are available, as those Republican critics suggest. As we noted when we wrote about this trend last year, other labor-force dropouts include members of the baby-boom generation who are retiring in droves . They also include disabled workers gaining Social Security disability benefits (a number that has doubled in the past 17 years, and is up 20 percent just since Obama took office). Also, the declining participation rate trend predates Obama and is expected to continue after he leaves office. The rate declined 1.4 percent under Obama's predecessor, and a Labor Department economist, looking at current demographic trends, predicts further declines through at least 2022. But no matter the causes of these trends, no one could credibly argue that the economic metrics mentioned above are "better off" under Obama. Robert Farley | 5 | 5,023 | news |
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is not expecting to make any signings in the January transfer window, and confirmed that Darren Fletcher is close to joining West Ham United. | 1 | 5,024 | sports |
The all natural look is back with a vengeance thanks in part to celebrities posting make-up free selfies and the Spring 2015 runways embracing minimalistic beauty. The key is faking a flawless complexion with subtle enhancements. The no make-up, make-up look is the easiest way to create a youthful glow and it adds an effortless look to any outfit. | 8 | 5,025 | video |
Easy ways to make the start of your day, the best part of your day Set a Simple Routine (that everyone can follow) Your morning routine will be different from your toddler's, your husband's or your teenager's, but making sure everyone knows what is expected before they head out the door keeps them on track. Don't get too detailed, but spell it out, (literally) if you have to; charts with stickers work great for little ones. Lemon Water First thing: Drink a glass of room temperature or warm water mixed with lemon slices and the juice of 1/2- 1 lemon then wait 15-30 minutes before eating breakfast. Lemons are packed with vitamin C (boosts the immune system) and potassium (necessary for heart health and brain function). Lemon water also helps freshen breath, loosen phlegm, and cleanses the liver. Make Breakfast Doable Having a cupcake pan full of eggy breakfast cups is one way to jump start the day. Get the kids involved: Let them choose and assemble the ingredients they want in their morning breakfast cup, then watch them devour their creation. Prioritize and Stick to it Yes, 1,052 things need to happen between 9pm and 7am, but you can't do them all. You simply can't. Prioritize, be realistic, trim away the fat and learn the difference between what would be perfect and what's the bare minimum to get you out the door. For instance, I've got four daughters who need to leave for school by 7am. The only things they are expected to do in the morning is: Get up, get dressed, brush hair and teeth, eat breakfast. Beds are NEVER made during the week and PJs sometimes remain on the floor until they get home from school. I've learned to shut their bedroom doors. Pack a Bento Box the Night Before Opening up a bento box at lunch is like opening a bunch of presents -- It makes lunch FUN (and it's not just for kids)! Get kids involved in the packing; They get a (controlled) say in what they take and you get help in making lunches. Give them good choices (whole wheat wraps, nut butters, lean meats, cheeses, cut up vegetables and fruit, quinoa, pasta or whole grain salads, pretzels, dried fruits, etc). Store in the fridge, wait to add the cooler pack until the morning. Pack School Bags the Night Before Children are surprisingly responsible, when they are expected to be (and praised for it). The first thing my children do when they get home from school is unpack their book bags, clean out their lunch boxes and look through their homework folder. They don't have to do their homework at that time, they just need to know what will be coming later that day/evening. Before going to bed, they pack up their book bag with everything except lunch, which is packed, but remains in the refrigerator until morning. Ready, Set, Charge! Just before going to bed, shut down and charge all electronics, so that they are ready to go in the morning. Also, set your car keys next to your charging phone, so there won't be searching in the morning. Look Over Tomorrow's Schedule Whether you work outside the home or not, you will have things to do tomorrow. Look at your schedule the night before to get a handle on what is coming up. Use the power of positive thinking as you imagine the events of the next day. Make Dinner for Tomorrow Night, Tonight Okay, this one will make your evening a little easier, but because you make it the night before, you won't have to worry about what's for dinner in the morning. This recipe for slow cooker chicken tacos is great. Mix up the seasoning and chicken broth the night before, then in the morning pile fresh chicken breasts (never put frozen meat into a slow cooker) and seasoned broth in, set on low and cook all day. Serve with tortillas, store bought guacamole, shredded cheese and salsa. Go to Bed Earlier and Wake Up Earlier Look, with the exception of being on a lazy beach vacation alone, waking up in the morning is hard-- no matter what time that is. If your alarm normally goes off at 6:30am, set it for 6:15am (without hitting snooze an extra time) and wake the kids up slightly earlier, too. Don't get sucked into thinking 'I have a few extra minutes, I'll do a few extra tasks-- keep your routine simple and streamlined. You may be surprised what those few extra minutes can mean to easing morning angst. | 7 | 5,026 | health |
Having guests over? Make one of these so-easy low-cal dips that'll feed a crowd. Edamame Hummus Swapping chickpeas for edamame gives your go-to party dip a new flavor twist and a festive green hue while still packing in plenty of filling fiber and protein. See the recipe The Skinny: 188 calories per 1/4 cup hummus, 3 pita triangles and 3 pepper strips, 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 22 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 8 g protein Feta-Dill Dip Up the creaminess factor but not the fat by mixing feta with nonfat yogurt for this dip. Just six ingredients! See the recipe The Skinny: 56 calories per serving, 3 g fat (2 g saturated), 2 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 5 g protein Creamy Beet Dip Beets add filling fiber to this pretty recipe. A clean-up tip: Scrub your cutting board ASAP with hot, soapy water to avoid stains. See the recipe The Skinny: 62 calories per serving, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 10 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein Guilt-Free Guacamole A guac under 100 cals per serving? Now that's something we can get behind. And you'll never guess the secret ingredient that helps keep the cals down (oh, fine, we'll spill: It's asparagus!) See the recipe The Skinny: 77 calories per guac serving, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 7 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 3 g protein Tropical Salsa The bright flavors of mango and pineapple get a creamy kick from avocado in this sweet mixture. The colors will pop on your tablescape. See the recipe The Skinny: 130 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 18 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 2 g protein Pomegranate Salsa Here's an instant cocktail-party conversation starter: Pomegranates can help you drop pounds by revving your calorie burn and curbing cravings. See the recipe The Skinny: 189 calories per serving, 7.9 g fat (1 g saturated), 29.4 g carbs, 6.7 g fiber, 3.3 g protein Sun-Dried Tomato and Artichoke Dip These Italian favorites get whirled up with decadent cream and goat cheeses for a tantalizingly tasty app. Serve with whole-grain crackers. See the recipe Crudites and Yogurt Dip In this three-ingredient recipe, you'll get about four servings of veggies, plus vitamins A and C, which help your immune system fight against germs (it is cold season, after all). See the recipe Eggplant Dip For only 72 calories per serving, this dip will give you nearly 30 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A, plus 4 grams of fiber. So dig in!See the recipeThe Skinny: 72 calories per serving, 3.9 g fat (0.6 g saturated), 8.8 g carbs, 4.3 g fiber, 1.9 g protein Cucumber-Mint Dip Mint, Worcestershire and garlic powder liven up Greek yogurt (a superfood!) in this mild dip. Try it with these spicy sweet potato fries . See the recipe The Skinny: 28 calories per serving, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 3 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 3 g protein Roasted Broccoli Hummus So much cooler than store-bought hummus, this white-bean-based version will have your guests talking. Water helps get the right consistency and keeps the calorie count low. See the recipe | 7 | 5,027 | health |
Plunged into chaos just hours after entering this world, nine babies found alive after a gas blast in a Mexican maternity hospital underwent DNA tests on Friday in a bid to reunite them with their parents. Thursday's blast devastated the hospital on the western edge of Mexico City, sending a fireball into the air and killing a nurse and two infants. But dozens of people, including mothers and newborns, who were inside at the time survived, many cut by broken glass. "We have nine DNA tests pending," Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said. "There are parents who have identified their children, but as the babies did not have bracelets on, we have to follow a protocol to identify them." Mancera said several babies survived because their mothers sheltered them with their own bodies during the blast. A leak in a hose from a gas truck, which was fueling the hospital's tanks, was believed to have triggered the explosion, officials said. Many areas of Mexico City have no mains gas supply and rely on deliveries from gas trucks. Mancera said the gas truck company involved had been working in Mexico City since 2007. (Reporting by Liz Diaz and Anahi Rama; Writing by Simon Gardner; Editing by Leslie Adler) | 5 | 5,028 | news |
Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins opens about Texas Tech, the Seattle Seahawks, and his fashion advice for our insider Geoff Coyle. | 1 | 5,029 | sports |
A Oklahoma cop gives it his all in a 'Frozen'-themed recruitment video that will have you both cringing and ready to join the force. Jen Markham (@jenmarkham) has more. | 8 | 5,030 | video |
The Red Sox have been searching for a way to add another right-hander to their bullpen while also looking for some major-league starting pitching depth that could keep them from dipping into their prospects too soon in 2015. They appear to have found both of those things with one pitcher, as Ken Rosenthal reports that Boston has agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million major-league deal with former Rangers pitcher Alexi Ogando. There are another $1.5 million in incentives for Ogando as well, so this could end up being his highest-earning season. It's a one-year deal, but Ogando is actually only in his second year of arbitration eligibility, so the Sox have him under control for 2016 as well, at an as of now undetermined price. That extra year could end up being significant, too, as Ogando was a high-quality pitcher before 2014, when injuries and ineffectiveness brought him to a 6.84 ERA in just 25 innings. In the four seasons and 381 innings before that, however, Ogando struck out 2.6 times as many batters as he walked while posting a 139 ERA+. Like with former Rangers teammate Robbie Ross, who is also on the Red Sox now, Ogando could be a difference maker if he's healthy and can recapture his past glories. Ogando misses more bats in relief, with 8.6 career strikeouts per nine in his 135 relief appearances, and just 6.5 per nine over 48 starts. He is a fly ball oriented pitcher, and he's had some issues with the long ball in the past, but it's not like Fenway is an amazing place for homers. The 30-year-old Ogando missed 104 games with a sprained UCL in his pitching elbow in 2014, which likely accounts for his sudden hittability and lack of control. If the elbow is fine in 2015 -- and it checked out during offseason workouts, in which he was pitching with his usual velocity -- then the Red Sox will have themselves the swingman and righty relief piece they've been hoping for. And if he's healthy and someone like Joe Kelly struggles in a full season against AL lineups, or Justin Masterson or Clay Buchholz just aren't right, Ogando is there to fill in as necessary. The Red Sox have a full 40-man roster, so a corresponding move will need to be made to open up a space for Ogando. The most likely candidates are Drake Britton, who is out of options anyway and struggled in 2014, or maybe Zeke Spruill, who will have to relieve at Triple-A Pawtucket and isn't considered a real prospect. Steven Wright could always be designated for assignment as well, but the Sox probably wouldn't want to take away any possible starting depth in the system. The other thing that could come of this is Brandon Workman heading back to Triple-A to work out of the bullpen. Of course, if the Red Sox make another trade and send a reliever out, then there is room for Workman once more in Boston. | 1 | 5,031 | sports |
Former world number one Tiger Woods fired his worst score as a professional, an 11-over par 82, to miss the cut at the US PGA Phoenix Open on Friday. Woods stood last at 13-over 155 for the tournament, his first tour event since last August after recovering from a back injury, and said he was healthy but simply needs more tournament work to try and recover his top form. "I've still got a lot of work to do," Woods said. "I've got to continue with the process. I've got to keep things in perspective. Sometimes it's difficult. No doubt about it." Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the record 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, is assured of missing the cut for only the 13th time in his pro career. He will have missed the cut at least once in each year since 2008, when he won his most recent major title at the US Open at Torrey Pines. Woods is set to play a tour event next week at Torrey Pines, where he has won eight times but last year struggled and missed a secondary 54-hole cut. In his first event since turning 39 last month, Woods opened with a 73 Thursday but struggled almost from the time he began Friday off the 10th tee. After a bogey at 11, Woods made a double bogey at the par-4 14 and triple bogey at par-5 15, then took back-to-back bogeys at 17 and 18 to make the turn 8-over, the 44 matching the worst nine holes of his career. "Just keep fighting, just keep grinding each and every shot," Woods said of his thoughts as the woeful holes wore on. "It was not a good day from the very start. I was fighting all day." Woods parred the next three holes before a double-bogey at the par-3 fourth. His first birdie of the day came at the fifth but he followed with back-to-back bogeys before a birdie at eight and a closing bogey that made it the worst round of his pro career. An 81 at wind-whipped Muirfield in the third round of the 2002 British Open was the only other time Woods had failed to break 80 since his amateur days. The only event Woods had played since the PGA Championship last August was his charity event last month, where he shared last in his comeback from a four-month back injury layoff, an injury that nagged him all of last season. Woods said part of his problem is in his head even as he works to change his swing and improve his short game, his chipping letting him down greatly on Friday. "It's mental to an extent," he said. "The physical patterns are different so the confidence in them is not there." Woods entered the event ranked 47th and is projected to tumble from the top 50 for the first time since his fall to 58th in late 2011 in the wake of injuries and his infamous sex scandal. That was his lowest point since becoming world number one for the first time in 1997. | 1 | 5,032 | sports |
Valentine's Day is a time for giving love and tasty treats. Fitness and nutrition expert John Basedow (@JohnBasedow) offers up low calorie, diet friendly holiday options, including chocolate-covered strawberries, dipping sauce fondue, hot chocolate, hot tamale candies and red-colored fruits, so you can feel the joy and still fit into your jeans. | 0 | 5,033 | foodanddrink |
Drinking more than two alcoholic beverages per day in middle age could increase the risk of stroke more than the well-known culprits of having high blood pressure or diabetes, according to a new study. That alcohol consumption increases one's risk of stroke is well known, but the current study is the first to identify a difference based on age. "We now have a clearer picture about these risk factors, how they change with age and how the influence of drinking alcohol shifts as we get older," says Pavla Kadlecová, M.Sc., a statistician at St. Anne's University Hospital's International Clinical Research Center in the Czech Republic. In the study, 11,644 middle-aged Swedish twins were followed for 43 years and the research team set out to compare if a person's level of drinking made a difference concerning stroke risk. Having more than two drinks per day was considered "heavy drinking" by the researchers while drinking less than half a drink daily was considered "light drinking," and middle age was considered to be the 50s and 60s. The team concluded that heavy drinkers had a 34 percent higher risk of stroke than the light drinkers. Those who drank heavily in mid-life were likely to have a stroke five years earlier than the light drinkers no matter what kind of genes they had and no matter what their health history and behavior was like in early life. The findings only apply to midlife, however, for around the age of 75, blood pressure and diabetes overtook drinking as the most influential factors increasing risk of stroke. The American Heart Association recommends limiting alcohol intake to two drinks per day for men and one for women, which converts to eight ounces of wine for men and four for women. Regular heavy drinking can raise blood pressure and lead to cardiac problems such as irregular heartbeats and heart failure in addition to the risk of stroke. The study was published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke. | 7 | 5,034 | health |
International Business Machines Corp brought back annual performance bonuses for its chief executive and her top lieutenants for 2014 despite falling profits and a tumbling stock price, a regulatory filing showed on Friday. The technology company, which has posted lower profits for 11 quarters in a row as it struggles to transform itself into a cloud-based software and services company, withheld annual bonuses in 2013 at the executives' own request. The bonuses returned as a feature of IBM's executive compensation for 2014, according to a document filed with securities regulators on Friday, despite the fact that IBM's net profit from continuing operations fell 7 percent last year and its stock shed about 14 percent. IBM CEO Virginia Rometty will get a $3.6 million annual incentive payout for 2014, according to the filing. Chief Financial Officer Martin Schroeter and three other executives or advisers were also listed as getting smaller annual incentive payouts. Rometty is slated to receive a base salary of $1.6 million for 2015, a target annual incentive award of $5 million and a long-term stock payout worth $13.3 million, according to the filing. The company last year withdrew its long-term plan to hit $20 per share in operating earnings for 2015, as it faltered in its move away from hardware to focus on higher-margin businesses such as security software and cloud services. IBM has been divesting underperforming businesses in an attempt to move into the new era of cloud computing, a struggle shared by other established technology leaders. Earlier this week the company dismissed a report it was planning massive layoffs. (Reporting by Bill Rigby, editing by G Crosse) | 3 | 5,035 | finance |
Congratulations, once and future hotel guests: Marriott International and the hotel industry withdrew their request Friday for FCC approval to block some personal Wi-Fi hotspots on their properties. Marriott and the hotel industry had asked the FCC for permission to block Wi-Fi hotspots on their properties because of what they said were concerns about hacking. Marriott clarified its request recently, saying that it wouldn't block guests from using their own Wi-Fi hotspots in hotel rooms, but would like to block them in convention or meeting spaces. That argument didn't appear to convince a lot of people, who assumed instead that the hotel industry was more interested in protecting the revenue they receive from offering wireless Internet service than snuffing out rogue hotspots. Earlier this week, two senior FCC officials blasted the hotel industry's plan and the agency issued a warning to hotels and others that blocking wireless hotspots is illegal. "It is clear that the petition is not achieving this goal, and that we must work in other ways to resolve this issue of consumer safety and cybersecurity," the American Hotel & Lodging Association said in a statement announcing the withdrawal of its request. In a separate statement, Marriott said, "We thought we were doing the right thing asking the FCC to provide guidance, but the FCC has indicated its opposition. As we have said, we will not block Wi-Fi signals at any hotel we manage for any reason." | 5 | 5,036 | news |
Denver Broncos QB Peyton Manning expected to make a decision in the coming months on whether he will return to the NFL. To see more Broncos videos download the Broncos DeskSite. | 1 | 5,037 | sports |
PHOENIX NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted Friday that the league's tumultuous 2014 season has led to "a lot of soul searching." But despite heavy criticism about his job performance following an investigation into his handling of domestic violence incidents involving players, Goodell said during his annual state of the NFL address preceding the Super Bowl that he had no plans to resign. Nor would he say if he deserved a pay cut, saying that's up to his bosses, the NFL owners. "Listen, it has been a tough year. It has been a tough year for me personally. It's been a year of I would say humility and learning," Goodell said. "We obviously, as an organization, have gone through adversity. But more importantly, it's been adversity for me. That is something where we take that seriously. "It's an opportunity for us to get better. It's an opportunity for us and for our organization to get better, so we've all done a lot of soul searching, starting with yours truly. We have taken action." Goodell spoke for 48 minutes and took questions on a variety of topics, including several queries about the Deflategate investigation into the New England Patriots' use of underinflated footballs during the AFC Championship Games. He also addressed potential relocation of teams to Los Angeles, the international popularity of the NFL, and even Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch, who made headlines again this week for his lack of participation in Super Bowl week media sessions. Some of the highlights from Goodell's Q&A session: On the Deflategate investigation: "Ted Wells and our staff have been hard at work, conducting a thorough investigation. We take seriously anything that impacts the integrity of the game," Goodell said. "We are focusing on two questions: Why were footballs used in the game that were not in compliance with the rules, and was this a result of a deliberate action? We have made no judgment on these points, and we will not compromise the investigation by engaging in speculation." Goodell was asked about the demand made earlier this week by Patriots owner Robert Kraft that the league issuehis franchise an apology should the Deflategate investigation absolve the team of any wrongdoing. "This is my job. This is my responsibility to protect the integrity of the game," Goodell said. As for Lynch, the commissioner said the league has not yet determined if the running back will be fined for wearing an unlicensed hat during his mandatory media interviews this week. Regarding Lynch's decision to not answer questions, Goodell pointed out that every other player from the Seahawks and Patriots is "cooperating" this week. Goodell did not agree with a question about a perceived conflict of interest created by the league's hiring firms and attorneys to conduct investigations even though they had league connections. "I think we have had people who have had uncompromising integrity," Goodell said. "Their integrity is impeccable." Goodell drew a few snickers from reporters in the audience when he said that he is "available to the media almost every day." Earlier this week, outspoken Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman suggested that Goodell be required to hold media sessions every week, just like players are required to do. Goodell was asked about Sherman's allegation earlier this week that the league likely would not punish the Patriots because of Goodell's close relationship with Kraft. "It's not unusual that I work closely with ownership," Goodell replied, noting Kraft is on many high-profile ownership committees, "since he knows me so well and knows that I am not going to do anything to compromise the integrity of the league." *** Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones | 1 | 5,038 | sports |
A prominent Manhattan judge who quit a Justice Department advisory panel in protest has changed his mind after the department reversed course and agreed to review a proposal he backed concerning defendants' access to scientific evidence before trial, a spokeswoman said on Friday. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff, a frequent thorn in the side of the Justice Department, rescinded his resignation after what departmental spokeswoman Emily Pierce described as a "friendly conversation" on Thursday with Sally Yates, the acting deputy U.S. attorney general. Rakoff had quit the National Commission on Forensic Science on Wednesday night after the Justice Department determined that the commission was not permitted to make recommendations about changes to discovery, the process by which parties exchange evidence prior to trial. Saying he "had no choice," Rakoff castigated the department in a letter to the commission for preserving "strategic advantage over a search for the truth." The commission advises the Justice Department on how to use forensic evidence in a fair and consistent manner. Rakoff, 71, has been an outspoken critic of U.S. authorities for what he views as an inadequate effort to pursue Wall Street for financial crisis-era misdeeds. The current dispute stemmed from an October proposal by a commission subcommittee, co-chaired by Rakoff, that prosecutors go beyond existing federal criminal rules and provide defendants with additional details about scientific expert witnesses' data and methodology in preparation for trial. The recommendation, according to Rakoff, would essentially require prosecutors to follow the more stringent standards that currently govern civil lawsuits. Yates, however, said the commission's duties did not extend to discovery matters, according to Rakoff's letter. On Thursday, Yates told Rakoff she would welcome an opportunity to receive a copy of the subcommittee's proposal, though she said the department might ultimately disagree with the recommendations, according to Pierce, the spokeswoman. Rakoff did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) | 5 | 5,039 | news |
Make sure those hands are washed before going for these Artichoke Fritters with Green Goddess Dipping Sauce By now you're probably tired of all the Super Bowl-themed food blogs (which city has better bread? better oysters? better beer? ). Me too. Especially since my team, the Atlanta Falcons, blew it in the NFC Championship. I'd rather just forget about football until next season. But duty calls, so allow me one more blog post and this may be the most important of all. It's got to do with the rules. No, not football rules. I'm talking about something way more important: dipping rules. Or, to be more Shakespearean about it, to double dip or not to double dip ? I take football games seriously. Ditto dips and chips. Combine the two and you've a got serious evening of America's greatest pastimes. So when you gather this Sunday with family and friends, surround by heaping bowls of guacamole, salsa, celery sticks, ranch dressing, and, my favorite football snack, pimiento cheese , keep these oh-so-crucial dipping etiquette rules in mind: I shouldn't have to write this, but I do: Wash your hands. When you're at a party, act like a surgeon and wash your hands before you go to work…on the chips. Don't hover over the food. No one likes the guy who's sole purpose appears to be to finish every last carrot stick. Grab some snacks and move on. If plates are an option, use them. If spoons or forks are an option, use them to scoop some dip onto your plate. Use dip accordingly. Don't dip like you're digging to China. Remember, dip-to-chip ratio is key. Double-dipping is absolutely not allowed. If you see someone doing it, politely offer them a plate…or the door. Having said that, double-dipping is allowed when the party is confined to very close family members and as long as everyone has agreed to it beforehand. Cousins are not close family members. Moms, dads, brothers, and sisters are. If you're on a boat and someone goes overboard, don't you save that person? Same thing goes for a chip that's lost in the dip. Don't abandon it, grab a spoon and fish it out. Double dipping is not allowed, but "flipping" is. After you've dipped, say, a carrot in blue cheese dressing, it's fine to flip the carrot around to the unbitten end and re-dip. Yes, your hands touched it but you washed your hands, right? If the guacamole has turned brown or the pimento cheese has hardened, it's time to look for something else to eat. Or better yet, perhaps it's time to go home. | 0 | 5,040 | foodanddrink |
Seminoles' commit Deondre Francois found himself at the center of a recruiting storm when he appeared to de-commit from Florida State on Twitter. Scout.com's Allen Trieu joins Campus Insiders' Shae Peppler with the latest update on the quarterback's commitment status. | 1 | 5,041 | sports |
Michelle Obama is defending "American Sniper," saying the film "touches on many of the emotions and experiences" of military veterans. "I had a chance to see 'American Sniper' this week on that long flight we took," the first lady, who just returned from a trip to India and Saudi Arabia, said Friday. "While I know there have been critics," Obama continued, "I felt that, more often than not, this film touches on many of the emotions and experiences that I've heard firsthand from military families over these past few years." Obama's remarks came at an event with Got Your 6 at the National Geographic Society in Washington. The non-profit, which works to promote positive portrayals of service members in the media, announced the launch of a certification program that would award a "6 Certified" label to projects that "positively contribute to the overall cultural narrative around veterans." The star of "American Sniper," Bradley Cooper, also appeared at Friday's event with Obama. Cooper plays real-life late Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, the deadliest sniper in American history. "Now, I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it," Obama told the audience, "but this movie reflects those wrenching stories that I've heard the complex journeys that our men and women in uniform endure. The complicated moral decisions they are tasked with every day." The Clint Eastwood-directed film, which is up for an Academy Award for Best Picture, has been at the center of a media firestorm following criticism from some high-profile detractors. Former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean was the latest public figure to make headlines when he said Americans who see the movie "are very angry." He later apologized to veterans for the comment, but said he was not offering a mea culpa to "right-wing nutjobs" who attacked him for the remark. "Fahrenheit 9/11" director Michael Moore had called snipers "cowards" in a tweet earlier this month. He later wrote in an online post that he was not referring to the blockbuster flick. "American Sniper" has continued to break records since its nationwide release in early January, reportedly raking in more than $200 million. "Just look at the latest box office numbers," Obama said Friday. "The number-one movie in America right now is a complex, emotional depiction of a veteran and his family." | 5 | 5,042 | news |
Join Adam as he plays a Doom level that exactly matches a real-life Doom level. | 8 | 5,043 | video |
The sister of a human rights activist sentenced to flogging is hopeful the new Saudi government will spare her brother. CNN's Nic Robertson reports. | 8 | 5,044 | video |
HILO, Hawaii A friendly bet between a high school coach and a wrestler has led to a suspension and a police investigation in Hawaii. Carla Fontes hadn't cut her hair since intermediate school, but her coach at Waiakea High School, Stan Haraguchi, thought the locks flowing below her waist were interfering with the sport. They bet if she lost a match, he would cut her hair. After a 3-0 start, Fontes lost her first match last week. She allowed the coach to cut her hair at a team meeting Monday, even though Fontes' mother had expressly forbidden it. Fontes said she didn't relay that information to Haraguchi. The coach has been suspended, said Donalyn Dela Cruz, spokeswoman for the state Department of Education. Arlette Fontes was furious when her 15-year-old daughter came home with shoulder-length hair. "I'm shaking," the mother told Hawaii Tribune-Herald (http://is.gd/DswSSq ). "My daughter's hair went all the way down her butt before. Now it looks like a rat has been nibbling on it. That's a piece of her, gone. A piece of her body." Carla Fontes said she loves wrestling and wants the sport to lead to a college scholarship. "It lets me take some of my anger out," she said of wrestling. She said she wishes that her hair wasn't cut, "but it is what it is." Haraguchi declined to comment. "In any educational situation, it is always best practice to receive parent consent before making any decision that directly affects a student, especially in a situation like this," Principal Kelcy Koga said in an email. Arlette Fontes said she will pursue charges against Haraguchi. Hawaii County police said the department started an investigation Tuesday. ___ Information from: Hawaii Tribune-Herald, http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/ | 5 | 5,045 | news |
According to Tina Muir , an elite runner for the Saucony Hurricanes, a 2:45 marathoner, and third place 10k finisher at the 2012 Great Britain Olympic Trials, the number one nutrition mistake that most runners make is failing to refuel properly after a workout. "Make sure you refuel within 45 minutes of finishing your run," she said. "So many people neglect this and put it off, but to start the recovery process, your body needs those carbohydrates, protein and fats." If she can't get to a full meal right after a tough workout or race, Muir says she turns to a protein drink or bar during that 45-minute recovery window . Her favorite post-run meal, though, is pancakes. "I have a healthy Greek Yogurt Pancake Recipe on my blog that is great for refueling, and gives everything your body needs to start the recovery process," she said. "As for drinking, I make sure to have lots of water to rehydrate, and spray some EnduroPacks electrolytes into my drink." Muir is an EnduroPacks sponsored athlete and says that while she was skeptical about supplements at first, she was surprised to find what a difference they made. "Honestly, I was shocked just how much of a difference [it] made to my training," she said. "I was very skeptical, and I did not expect to notice any changes, but I did." She said that using the supplements really helped to speed up the recovery process for her, which led to an overall improvement in her training. "If you do not recover and try to run hard, that is when you risk injury," she said. In addition to improper recovery , Muir mentioned a few other nutrition mistakes that runners should avoid. She suggests centering your diet around healthy whole foods and said that she focuses on "eating the rainbow." In other words, incorporate lots of color in your diet by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. "You hear it a lot, but that really means you get a variety of nutrients, which help you run faster," Muir said. "And I don't mean eating fruit loops." All jokes aside, Muir also mentioned that in her experience, many runners don't eat enough foods that provide healthy fats. She suggested making sure to also incorporate foods like avocados, nuts, salmon, and olive oil. Another common nutrition mistake that she mentioned (and one that she admitted to struggling with herself): snacking. No, snacking isn't bad, but Muir says you should make sure that you're not snacking too much or with the wrong foods. "Snacking can be my downfall, especially as I am at home all day," she said. "I find that keeping lots of healthy snacks in the house helps me stay on top of my fueling and not overeat." She says that she likes eating her carbohydrate-rich meals after her running workouts and that she keeps her house stocked with high-protein and high-fiber snacks like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, fruits and vegetables. "That way, if you do end up grazing, at least it is with high-protein or high-fiber foods that keep you fuller for longer," she said. The final nutrition mistake Muir mentioned (which is one that every runner has probably made at least once in their career) pertains to race day. Muir says to never experiment with a new type of food or meal right before a race. "On race day, stick to what you know, and keep it very bland," she said. "My go to pre-race meal is 1/2 cup oatmeal made with 1/2 cup almond milk and 1/2 cup water, a banana, and some animal crackers or pretzels. The complete opposite of 'eating the rainbow.'" | 7 | 5,046 | health |
Cup of joy Serena Williams of the U.S. poses with her trophy after defeating Maria Sharapova of Russia in their women's singles final match at the Australian Open 2015 tennis tournament on Saturday. IMAGES: AUSTRALIAN OPEN That moment Serena Williams of the US celebrates after victory in her women's singles final match against Russia's Maria Sharapova on day thirteen of the 2015 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on Saturday. IMAGES: AUSTRALIAN OPEN Hawks fly over Blazers Hawks forward Paul Millsap shoots against the Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge Friday in Atlanta en route to a 105-99 victory. The Hawks' winning streak is now 18 games. IMAGES: 2014-15 NBA SEASON Prickly lie Tiger Woods reaches into a cactus while searching for his ball Friday on the 14th hole during the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Woods shot a career worst 82 and missed the cut. IMAGES: TIGER WOODS THROUGH THE YEARS Meeting of the minds Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick participate in a news conference for NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Friday in Phoenix. IMAGES: SUPER BOWL WEEK Overtime ender A puck shot by Penguins defenseman Simon Despres scores on Devils goalie Cory Schneider as Pittsburgh beat New Jersey 2-1 during overtime Friday in Newark, N.J. IMAGES: 2014-15 NHL SEASON Eyes on the target LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against DeMarcus Cousins #15 of the Sacramento Kings on Friday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. IMAGES: 2014-15 NBA SEASON Hair-raising win Pelicans cheerleaders perform in the second half against the Clippers in New Orleans Friday. The Pelicans won 108-103. IMAGES: NBA DANCERS Losing the handle The Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving loses control of the ball under pressure from the Kings' Ben McLemore Friday in Cleveland. The Cavs won 101-90. IMAGES: 2014-15 NBA SEASON Not so sunny Arizona Fans cheer for Tiger Woods despite the rain on the 16th hole Friday during the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. Dancing to a gold Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France skate their free dance to win gold medals at the European Figure Skating championships in Stockholm, Sweden, on Friday. Blocked at the basket Oregon State guard Malcolm Duvivier blocks the shot by Arizona guard T.J. McConnell Friday in Tucson, Ariz. No. 6 Arizona won 57-34. IMAGES 2014-15 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON Pointing the finger Shaneah Jenkins, who was dating Odin Lloyd, points to former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez when asked by a prosecutor to identify him in the courtroom during Hernandez's murder trial, Friday in Fall River, Mass. Hernandez is charged with killing semiprofessional football player Odin Lloyd, 27, in June 2013. Flying Fernandez Javier Fernandez of Spain skates during his free program at the European Figure Skating championships in Stockholm, Sweden, on Saturday. Fernandez took the gold medal. Friends in high places President Barack Obama and former NBA basketball player Kareem Abdul Jabbar are seen in the East Room of the White House, Friday in Washington, after the president spoke about calling for an investment to move away from one-size-fits-all-medicine, toward an approach that tailors treatment to your genes. A taste for competition Molly Schuyler eats chicken wings during Wing Bowl 23 on Friday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Skating with friends Skaters participate in the 124 mile speed skating race in the Carinthian village of Techendorf Friday. Techendorf is hosting the Alternatieve Elfstedentocht Weissensee (Alternative Eleven City Races Weissensee) races, a traditional Dutch series of speed skating events for both professionals and amateurs with some 5,000 participants, until January 31, 2015. Welcome to the hall Former Houston Astros player Craig Biggio and wife Patty look at World Series rings during his orientation visit at the Baseball Hall of Fame on Friday in Cooperstown, N.Y. Biggio will be inducted to the Hall in July. IMAGES: SIGNIFICANT OTHERS No. 1 takes the lead Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland tees off on the 17th hole during the second round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on the Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club on Friday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. McIlroy shot a 64 to take a one shot lead. Long and winding road The pack ride during the second stage of the 24th Mallorca Challenge a 149 Km ride from Andratx to Mirador es Colomer, Friday. Thrill of victory Miriam Kolodziejova of the Czech Republic and Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic celebrate winning their final doubles match against Katharina Hobgarski of Germany and Greet Minnen of Belgium during the Australian Open 2015 Junior Championships at Melbourne Park on Friday in Melbourne, Australia. IMAGES: AUSTRALIAN OPEN He's a handball wizard Ivan Sliskovic of Croatia scores a goal against Germany during the placement round of the Men's Handball World Championship on Friday in Doha, Qatar. It's a stretch New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11), quarterback Tom Brady (12), running back LeGarrette Blount (29)and running back Shane Vereen (34) stretch during practice Friday in Tempe, Ariz. IMAGES: SUPER BOWL WEEK Free wheeling Anna Meares of South Australia congratulates Kaarle Mcculloch of New South Wales after winning the Women's Sprint during the 2015 National Track Cycling Championships at DISC Velodrome on Friday in Melbourne, Australia. Olympian faces doping ban In this Monday, Aug. 6, 2012 file photo, Russia's Yuliya Zaripova carries her national flag as she celebrates her win in the women's 3000-meters steeplechase during the athletics in the Olympic Stadium at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London. Zaripova faces losing her gold medal in the 3,000 steeplechase from the 2012 London Olympics after being banned for doping on Friday. Year of 'soul searching' NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell participates in a news conference for NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Friday in Phoenix. IMAGES: SUPER BOWL WEEK Remembering a fallen colleague VfL Wolfsburg players observe a minutes silence for their late teammate Junior Malanda, who was killed in an accident two weeks ago, prior to their German first division Bundesliga soccer match in Wolfsburg Friday. Scrapping for the puck Bo Horvat #53 of the Vancouver Canucks scores on Matt Hackett #31 of the Buffalo Sabres with Zemgus Girgensons #28 and Nikita Zadorov #51 of Buffalo joining Shawn Matthias #27 of the Vancouver Canucks in the crease during their game at Rogers Arena on Friday in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. IMAGES: 2014-15 NHL SEASON Basking under the sun Pavel Krotov, of Russia, trains for the men's freestyle World Cup aerials, Friday, in Lake Placid, N.Y. IMAGES: PREVIOUS DAY'S PHOTOS | 1 | 5,047 | sports |
Hip-hop superstar Jay Z wants to expand his music empire by buying a Swedish streaming music business, one that will put him in direct competition with Spotify and Apple (AAPL) 's Beats. A company owned by Jay Z Project Panther Bidco began negotiations with Swedish streaming company Aspiro (ASP-SE) in December. According to a statement released Friday morning, the company's board has recommended that all shareholders accept the Project Panther's takeover offer of $56 million. Aspiro, which is publicly traded in Sweden, operates streaming music subscription services WiMP and Tidal. The acceptance period of the offer runs from Feb. 19 to March 11. In addition to Sweden, WiMP is available in Norway, Denmark, Germany and Poland. Tidal, which was launched last year, is available in the U.S. and U.K. It offers about 25 million songs and 75,000 music videos to about half a million subscribers, a fraction of the 15 million paying subscribers to Spotify. Tidal prides itself on offering higher-quality audio and music videos than rivals, but at higher subscription costs. A representative of Jay Z's S. Carter Enterprises told CNBC that Aspiro represents the "forefront of the ongoing redefinition of music consumption." Project Panther plans to use Aspiro's streaming services for "global expansion," the representative said. The offer has received pre-acceptance from the majority shareholder Streaming Media, controlled by Schibsted, which owns about 76 percent of Aspiro, according to spokesman Fredik Bjorland. Bjorland said: "Based on the positive responses from the media and investor community, there are good reasons to believe" Project Panther will secure shareholder approval of the takeover bid. | 3 | 5,048 | finance |
At the end of 2014, it seemed all but certain that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in the first half of this year. But thanks in part to an escalating currency war and recent flair-up in Europe over Greek debt, those plans have been shelved. The central bank said on Wednesday that it will keep short-term interest rates between 0% and 0.25% despite its opinion that "economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace." Importantly, the Fed said that its assessment of when to raise them will take into account "readings on financial and international developments." While the bank didn't offer details about what "international developments" it was referring to, there can be little doubt that the dollar's strength plays a pivotal role. Since last July, the value of the dollar has soared by 15% versus the world's major currencies, making U.S. exports less competitive in global markets. The impact from this has become increasingly clear as American companies report earnings for the final three months of 2014. "The rising dollar will not be good for U.S. manufacturing or the U.S. economy," Caterpillar's CEO Doug Oberhelman told analysts and investors Tuesday. Procter & Gamble said its fourth-quarter sales struggled against a "five percentage point headwind" from foreign exchange. And even Apple's shockingly strong quarter "would have been even stronger, absent fierce foreign exchange volatility." The dollar's strength is being fueled by multiple factors. Lower oil prices have caused currencies in Russia, Mexico, and other energy-dependent economies to fall precipitously. Since the middle of last year, for instance, the Russian ruble has lost roughly half of its value versus the dollar. Monetary policy by the European Central Bank is also playing a role. In an effort to jump-start the continent's ailing economies, the ECB announced earlier this week that it would follow in the Federal Reserve's footsteps by buying 60 billion euros in government bonds each month over the next year and a half. Because this expands the number of euros in circulation, anticipation of the news pushed the euro's value to its lowest point vis-a-vis the dollar in more than a decade. Finally, actions by central banks in Canada, Singapore, Japan, and other countries suggest a deliberate attempt to manipulate exchange rates in a broadening currency war. Most recently, Canada cut its benchmark interest rate last week by a quarter of a point, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore said this week that it would take measures to slow the appreciation of the Singapore dollar. The net result is that the Federal Reserve has little choice but to delay an increase in interest rates. Doing otherwise would only further drive up the value of the U.S. dollar given that higher rates would attract international capital, and thereby boost the demand (and thus price) for dollars. John Maxfield has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple. 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 . Related Links Social Security: 5 Facts You Must Know Warren Buffett Tells You How to Turn $40 Into $10 Million Social Security: 3 Things to Know Before Taking Benefits Early | 3 | 5,049 | finance |
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever," said Mahatma Gandhi. Hailed as the father of the nation in India, Gandhi's struggle for independence inspired civil rights movements across the world. On the 67th anniversary of his death, here are a few vintage and rare photos from his days as a law student to the time he breathed his last breath. Indian lawyer, activist and statesman, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, addresses a farewell meeting in South Africa before leaving for England in July 1914. It was at this time that the honorific 'Mahatma' was first applied to him. A young Gandhi pictured around 1883. Gandhi with his brother, Laxmidas in India, 1886. Gandhi when he was practising as an attorney in South Africa. He sits in front of a window bearing his name, accompanied on the left by H.S.L. Polak, his clerk at the time, and a Russian woman, Miss Schlesin. In this picture dated February 18, 1908, Gandhi is shown recuperating after being severely beaten on February 10 as he was making his way to a registration office in South Africa. Gandhi with his wife Kasturba Gandhi, 1922. 1924: Mahatma Gandhi with Young Priyadarshini (Indira Gandhi), who went on to become India's first woman prime minister. Gandhi pictured sleeping on April 23, 1930, at an unknown location. Gandhi walking with followers on the Salt March towards Dandi, with the intention of breaking the English-backed salt laws. Gandhi with film star Charlie Chaplin in London on September 23, 1931. Gandhi is seen leaving the St James's Palace in London in 1931. Gandhi visits the Opera Nazionale Balilla, an Italian fascist youth organization functioning as an addition to school education on December 15, 1931, in Italy. Mahatma Gandhi at Boulogne station with Mrs Sarojini Naidu, on the way to England to attend the Round Table Conference as the representative of the Indian nationals in 1931. Gandhi during his hunger strike in India in March 1933, which was undertaken in an effort to bring the British government to sign a decree that would relieve the fate of the Untouchables. Mahatma Gandhi disembarking a ship during the 1930s. Mahatma Gandhi at Marseille station in France, 1934. Pacifist Mahatma Gandhi dictates a peace treaty in Delhi, in 1934. Gandhi visits an agricultural exhibition in London, in 1934. The picture shows him with a goat that he had acquired. Gandhi walks with people from an unknown village, in the 1930s. Gandhi leaves the home of Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876 - 1948, left), founder of the Muslim League, en route to the Viceroy's Lodge in Delhi, on November 24, 1939. Gandhi at a railway station in Rome, Italy, during the 1940s. Mahatma Gandhi in a train in Rome, Italy, during the 1940s. Gandhi receives a donation in a train compartment in 1940. Acharya Kripalani and Radhakrishna Bajaj are looking in through the window. Gandhi on the phone at Sevagram Ashram, in 1941. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Madan Mohan Malaviya (1861 - 1946) at Varanasi, in 1941. Gandhi observes a leprosy bacteria through a microscope at Sevagram Ashram, circa 1942. Gandhi with his wife Kasturba at Sevagram Ashram, Maharashtra, in January 1942. Gandhi arrives in Bombay on October 5, 1944, for talks with Mohammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the Muslim League. Circa 1945: A smiling Gandhi is caught off-guard during a light moment at a time when the Indian Independence struggle was at its peak. Gandhi speaks after the evening prayer in Bombay on March 20, 1946. Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru participate in a 'charkha' demonstration held at the Bhangi colony in New Delhi, on April 19, 1946. Mahatma Gandhi with Governor of Bengal Frederic Burrows, in Calcutta on May 11, 1946. Mahatma Gandhi with Netaji Subash Chandra Bose on September 13, 1946. Viscount Mountbatten (1900 - 1979), the new Viceroy of India, and his wife Edwina (1901 - 1960) with Gandhi at the Viceroy's house in Delhi, on March 31, 1947. In this January 22, 1948 photo, Gandhi is seen addressing a prayer meeting in New Delhi, during the second day of his fast to force communal peace in India. Gandhi at an Indian Congress Committee meeting, with Maulana Azad and Acharya Kripalani in London on July 15, 1948. Gandhi waiting for a car outside Bifla House, Bombay, on his return from Rajkot. Among the group with him are Nehru (left) and Vallabhai Patel (right). Gandhi leaving Maor Ville, his Shimla residence, during the Leaders Conference. He is helped to his car by his doctor Sushelia Nayyer (right) and Susila Ben (left) and accompanied by his private secretary Piare Lal. The funeral procession of Mahatma Gandhi, in 1948. He was assassinated in New Delhi by Nathruram Godse a man from a Right wing Hindu group. February 1948: The funeral procession of Indian statesman and advocate of non-violence Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi. | 5 | 5,050 | news |
Beirut, Lebanon - Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has warned that his group was ready to respond to any attack by Israel at any time and in any place, insisting that rules of engagement no longer applied between the Lebanese movement and Israel. In a televised speech on Friday during a rally held to honour the six Hezbollah fighters and one Iranian general killed in an Israeli airstrike in Syria's Quneitra on January 18, he said, "We in Hezbollah are no longer concerned with anything called the rules of engagement. It is our right, our legal right and our moral right, to confront the aggression at any time, any place and in any form whatsoever." Hezbollah responded to the strike on Wednesday with a military operation against an Israeli convoy in the Israeli occupied Shebaa Farms on Wednesday, killing two soldiers and wounding several others. Nasrallah also addressed the Syrian people, the Syrian opposition, the Palestinian people, and the Arab world more broadly, alleging that Israel is directly aiding the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front in the Golan Heights." [In the Golan Heights] we have al-Nusra Front; thousands of fighters who have tanks, all kinds of weapons, and military positions," he said. "It is the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda...and the Israelis provide them with air cover, open the border for their wounded and treat them in Israeli hospitals." Heavy celebratory gunfire could be heard across Beirut prior to his speech, which was attended by thousands in Beirut's southern suburbs. Detailing the Hezbollah operation in the Shebaa Farms on Wednesday, which killed two Israeli soldiers, he pointed out how it was conducted in the same manner in which Israel conducted its strike in Quneitra, highlighting that the war between them is now tit-for-tat. "They killed us in broad daylight, we killed them in broad daylight. They killed us around 11:30 am, we killed them at 11:30 am. They targeted two cars, we targeted two cars. They had killed and wounded, we too had martyrs." At the end of his speech, in what seemed like a message to the Lebanese people, he concluded that the party did not want to enter into a war with Israel, but it is ready for it if it came to them. "We don't want a war. This is not weak talk. But we are not afraid of war." | 5 | 5,051 | news |
Cell phone video of explosion at children's hospital | 8 | 5,052 | video |
Sen. Richard Blumenthal isn't convinced the National Football League is doing everything possible to address domestic violence. The Connecticut Democrat is particularly skeptical of the way the NFL plans to allocate $25 million over five years to back groups that fight domestic violence. Some of that money will come in the form of "promotional support" to entities such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline, according to a letter to Blumenthal and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, from Commissioner Roger Goodell. Aside from the dollar value seeming small compared to the NFL's multibillion-dollar revenues, Blumenthal sounds dubious of the promotional elements, and he fired off a response letter to Goodell on Friday. "Even at the current level of commitment, when it comes to clear terms for timing and action, the NFL has hedged and dodged. The letter implies that some of the $25 million would be used for promotional support, which may include public service announcements," Blumenthal said. "These supposed 'public service' ads may also be self-serving promoting the NFL's public image as much as raising awareness. Insofar as they raise public awareness, they are likely to substantially increase call volume to the Hotline as well as requests for service without actually bolstering resources for local service providers that struggle every day to help survivors rebuild their lives." There is a significant additional commitment for public service announcements from the League, Goodell wrote in his letter. "During the past regular season, the NFL donated its institutional media time during game broadcasts to run PSAs featuring celebrities, as well as current and former NFL players, that were produced in conjunction with the advocacy group NO MORE," Goodell wrote, valuing the commitment at about $50 million, running through the Super Bowl. Blumenthal's response also highlights the potential for a legislative response. "Regardless of financial commitment, the NFL so far has not articulated how it will ensure that its athletes are genuinely good role models to fans a step that only the NFL can take towards truly shifting the culture," he wrote. "Taken in totality, I believe that the NFL's handling of its response to public outcry over the league's role in domestic violence is a clear indication of why additional oversight of professional sports leagues is necessary. I plan to reintroduce the SPORTS Act to make sure that Congress and the public have the ability to periodically and formally review the appropriateness of the antitrust exemptions." Related: 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 . | 5 | 5,053 | news |
LONDON (AP) Chelsea striker Diego Costa will miss Saturday's crucial English Premier League game against title rival Manchester City after being handed a three-match ban for stamping on an opponent's leg. The Spain international contested the English Football Association's decision to charge him with violent conduct for treading on the right ankle of Liverpool's Emre Can during the second leg of the League Cup semifinal on Tuesday. The FA's independent commission rejected the appeal on Friday and Costa, the Premier League's top scorer, will be suspended for Chelsea's next three league games - starting with the visit of second-place City to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea will pull eight points away from City with a win. Costa will also miss an away game at Aston Villa and a home match against Everton. His next game is likely to be the Champions League last-16 first leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Feb. 17. The incident involving Costa and Can wasn't seen by match officials but was caught on video. A charge followed as part of the FA's fast-tracked procedures. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said Costa's movement toward Can was ''absolutely accidental,'' saying his player ''puts his foot there when he's looking to the ball.'' Mourinho, who was fined this week for saying there was a ''campaign'' against his side, canceled his regular pre-match media conference on Friday. The absence of Costa, who has 17 league goals in his debut year at Stamford Bridge, is a huge loss for Chelsea, with the striker adding a cutting edge that was lacking in the team last season. Mourinho will likely start veteran striker Didier Drogba up front against City. | 1 | 5,054 | sports |
Asa Mathat To an outsider, Amazon's fourth quarter results seemed pretty ho-hum, if not disappointing. A smaller profit than a year earlier. Slightly weak on revenue. And a worse-than-expected outlook for the first quarter. But instead of punishing Amazon, investors have pushed the stock up 11 percent since the close of the stock market on Thursday. What gives? The easiest explanation is that analysts had been expecting Amazon's earnings per share to come in at 17 cents, and Amazon blew that number away with 45 cents. But there's a lot more going on beneath those numbers, as some analysts noted after the call and in research notes this morning. For one thing, analysts loved that Amazon's North American revenue in its electronics and general merchandise category grew 27 percent in the quarter, well ahead of RBC Capital's estimate of 22 percent. This category includes apparel and consumer staples things like deodorant and soap and diapers and generally includes all the stuff Amazon Prime members would be ordering on a frequent basis. So why such fast-paced growth? RBC Capital's Mark Mahaney previously told Re/code that any surprising growth in this category could be a signal that the investments Amazon is making to get goods to customers faster adding perks to Amazon Prime and introducing same-day delivery in a bunch of cities is resulting in customers ordering more from Amazon than they did in the past. In short, some see it as a sign that Amazon's focus on getting stuff to people as quickly as possible does lead to more purchases. That's big. Analysts are also enthusiastic about Amazon's gross profit and operating margin trends. Gross margins increased 3 percent in the quarter to 29.5 percent and the company's operating margin of 3.5 percent while tiny for many companies far exceeded analysts' expectations of 2.2 percent. North America's operating margin of 5.4 percent the best in three years was a positive surprise, too. Analysts like Mahaney and Suntrust's Robert Peck think we may be seeing a turning point where Amazon's aggressive warehouse buildout is finally setting the company up for margin growth going forward. Investors and analysts also applauded the news that Amazon will begin breaking out results for its AWS unit. AWS sells cloud services to Web companies, including Netflix and a host of popular startups. AWS results have previously been lumped into Amazon's "Other" category, along with advertising. This category posted the largest growth by far of any Amazon category in the fourth quarter at 43 percent. Lastly, analysts took two vague data points as a positive sign. While Amazon didn't disclose specific Prime membership numbers as I had hoped , the company did say membership grew 53 percent in the last year on a base of tens of millions of subscribers. Amazon execs also said, in their own special version of corporate speak, that the company may be focusing more closely on cutting certain unspecified expenses than it has in the past. One exec spoke of "driving fixed expense and variable expense productivity" and mentioned "other efficiency projects." Yay. | 3 | 5,055 | finance |
The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Friday his group did not want war with Israel but was ready for one, and reserved the right to respond to Israeli attacks any time, anywhere. "We do not want a war but we are not afraid of it and we must distinguish between the two, and the Israelis must also understand this very well," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said. Nasrallah was speaking at an event to commemorate the deaths of six Hezbollah fighters and an Iranian general killed by an Israeli air strike in Syria on Jan. 18. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah hit back on Wednesday with a rocket attack that killed two Israeli soldiers on the frontier with Lebanon. The violence has raised tensions between Israel and Hezbollah to their highest point since they fought a 34-day war in 2006, but both sides have appeared to back away from further escalation. Branded a terrorist organization by Washington, the Shi'ite Hezbollah movement has both a military wing and a political party that is part of the Lebanese government. Addressing a hall full of supporters via video link, Nasrallah said it would hold Israel responsible for the assassination of any of its leaders or fighters. "We have the right to respond in any place and at any time and in the way we see as appropriate," Nasrallah said. The speech was broadcast live on Arabic news channels and greeted by heavy celebratory gunfire in Beirut. Israel had no immediate comment after Nasrallah's speech, but shortly beforehand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the upsurge in violence on Hezbollah's Iranian sponsors. "We are under continued assault orchestrated by Iran, let there be no doubt about it. Iran is trying to uproot us, they won't succeed," Netanyahu told soldiers wounded in Wednesday's attack, now convalescing in hospital. He has previously said those behind Wednesday's attack would "pay the full price". Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, campaigning in the occupied Golan Heights for Israel's March 17 parliamentary election, said: "We ought to respond in such a way that nobody would think twice again about attacking Israel." IRANIAN LINK Attendees at the Hezbollah event included visiting Iranian official Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee. He was shown with tears in his eyes as Nasrallah spoke about the men killed in the Jan. 18 Israeli helicopter attack in the Syrian Golan Heights. The dead included a Hezbollah commander and Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of the group's late military leader, Imad Mughniyeh, who was assassinated in Damascus in 2008. The Iranian general killed, Mohammad Allahdadi, had been a senior figure in Tehran's military effort to support the Syrian government in its battle against insurgents trying to topple President Bashar al-Assad. Hezbollah is also fighting alongside Syrian government forces and allied militia in the civil war. One of the top figures in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Qassem Soleimani, visited the grave of Jihad Mughniyeh the day after his funeral, a Lebanese source said. A picture of Soleimani, head of the Quds Force, praying at Mughniyeh's grave was broadcast by Lebanese television channel Al-Mayadeen. Soleimani had become a father figure to Jihad Mughniyeh after his father's death, the source said. Soleimani also met Nasrallah during his short visit to Beirut. Nasrallah said Hezbollah, which launched the attack from the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms, had gone into the operation "ready for the worst possibilities." "What happened in the Shebaa Farms was more than vengeance but less than a war," he said. (Additional reporting by Dahlia Nehme and by Allyn Fisher-Ilan in Jerusalem; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) | 5 | 5,056 | news |
If you notice any of these symptoms it's time to see your doctor Signs it could be cancer Men are notoriously bad at going to see the doctor. While it's tempting to ignore worrying health problems, the following 15 symptoms should be checked out immediately. The earlier cancer is found, the more treatment options are available, and the better your chances of recovery. Lump in the breast Breast cancer doesn't just affect women. Although it's not common it men, it does happen. If you notice a lump in the breast area, get it checked out. Signs to watch for include skin puckering, nipple retraction, redness or scaling of the nipple or skin, and nipple discharge. Changes in the testicles Testicular cancer is most common in men aged 20 to 39. Regularly examining your testicles and feeling for changes, such as growth or shrinkage, could save your life. If you notice swelling, a hard lump, or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum, see your doctor immediately. Some testicular cancers can develop very quickly. Swelling in the lymph nodes If you notice a lump or swelling that seems to be getting progressively larger in the lymph nodes under your armpit or in your neck or any other area of your body it's time to see your doctor. Lymph node swelling is usually the result of something other than cancer but it can also be caused by lymphoma and leukemia. Unexplained fever Fever is most often a sign of infection but it can also indicate cancer. Blood cancers, such as lymphoma or leukemia, are associated with fever, though many others cancers can cause fever, particularly as the tumor spreads from its original site to other parts of the body. Unexplained weight loss If you've lost weight without trying recently (you haven't changed your diet or exercise routine) it can be cause for concern. If you've lost more than 10% of your body weight within three to six months, make an appointment to see your doctor. Abdominal pain and depression The medical world has been aware of a link between depression and pancreatic cancer for some time. If you experience severe pain in the stomach and are feeling depressed, it's worth going for a check-up. Pancreatic cancer can also cause jaundice, gray stools, dark urine and itching over the entire body. Fatigue Fatigue can be caused by a wide variety of illnesses, including stress, as well as lifestyle factors. It can also be an indicator of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, fatigue can be an early sign of leukemia, colon cancer and stomach cancer. Persistent cough A persistent cough that lasts for three weeks or more, or a change in cough, shouldn't be ignored especially if you're a smoker. A severe or prolonged cough may signal chronic bronchitis or it could be lung cancer. Your doctor will be able to run tests to confirm. Problems swallowing Difficulty swallowing can be a sign of cancer of the throat or esophagus. If you gag, cough, or choke when trying to swallow, or have pain or feel like food is stuck in your throat, see your GP who can run tests. Changes to a mole A change in the size, shape and colour of a mole, the development of a new mole, or changes in skin pigmentation (such as excessive scaling or bleeding) are signs of skin cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, men are mostly affected on the trunk 38% of cancerous moles appear here, followed by the face (22%), the arms (17%) and the legs (15%). Unexplained blood If you notice blood where it shouldn't be, see your doctor immediately. Coughing or spitting up blood and blood in the stools or urine should never be ignored. Don't assume blood in the stools is caused by hemorrhoids it could be colon cancer. Changes in the mouth The appearance of white patches inside the mouth and white spots on the tongue are both signs of leukoplakia, a pre-cancerous area that can progress to oral cancer. See your doctor, especially if you smoke or chew tobacco. Changes to urination As men get older, they need to urinate more frequently, especially at night, and feel greater urgency to urinate. If the symptoms get worse, see your doctor as you may have an enlarged prostate which may be benign or caused by cancer. Worsening indigestion Bad indigestion isn't just confused with heart attacks. It can also be a sign of cancer of the throat, esophagus, or stomach. If your indigestion lasts for several weeks or is getting worse, see your doctor. Persistent pain Most aches and pains are not caused by cancer, but persistent pain can be an early symptom of some cancers, so it's wise to get checked out. | 7 | 5,057 | health |
PHOENIX -- An NFL head coach cannot last unless he continually learns to speak the language of his players. That connection is always evolving, a give-and-take where the coach digs deep to touch the essence of the man while prodding the production of the player. This task is more challenging today than ever with younger NFL players. Often their high school games are televised, they announce to the world with fanfare their college choices, their college games are big business and they strut through the NFL door expecting instant recognition of who they are and what they bring. Often their music choices are brutally harsh, their penchant for social media is strong and their quest for individually is stronger. How does a 60-something-year-old NFL head coach connect with that? Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll have in different but effective ways. Both are here in Super Bowl XLIX having solved the language puzzle. Belichick, 62, does it leaning on his brain and banking on his success, by being blunt and direct with his players while still managing to stroke them with his belief that they are the game, that they make the game. Carroll, 63, accomplishes it with an all-in approach, a hug a minute, a completely open dialogue, an insistence that their individuality shine but within his boundaries. Belichick has watched Carroll and Carroll has watched Belichick. They have taken a bit from each other through many years of crisscrossing. This head-coaching matchup of philosophies and personalities reflected in their respective teams is one of the most compelling in Super Bowl history. They began their coaching careers in the early '70s and have taken notes from each other on team building and player development while always focusing on what works now. Their longevity and success as coaches influences their teams playing fast and smart, physical and enduring. They do it all with an enviable ability, after all of these years, of speaking the language of their players. "I haven't had a whole lot of one-on-one conversations with Coach Belichick," said Patriots rookie offensive lineman Cameron Fleming, 22. "But he makes it very easy to follow his lead. I work for him. I know he is a very focused coach. He makes it very clear he wants this football team and each of us to be as great as we can be. That's all I need." Patriots receiver Brian Tyms, 25, in his second Patriots season, said that Belichick is "almost like a grandfather who cracks jokes we sometimes don't get, and that makes them even funnier." Tyms said younger Patriots instantly recognize the beauty and clarity of his voluminous football mind. "Coach Belichick has been coaching for nearly twice as long as I have been living," said Patriots second-year cornerback Ryan Logan, 23. "But he still comes to work every day with the plan to be the best coach in the building. He gets the social media thing mixed up. He told us about being careful on it and was talking about My Space. We don't even use that. That was really funny. But I love that he has one standard for every player no matter your age or where you were drafted or even if you were drafted. That is something younger players can buy into." Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears has coached with Belichick for 16 years. Fears says the language Belichick speaks with his players is simple. "Bill is not a phony," Fears said. "He may not be into Facebook but he is into communication. These guys know they can talk to him, relate to him. But they also know they have to listen. When you have the chance to be around someone as successful as him, you have to listen. Bill has locker room support and leaders in there in guys like Tom Brady and Vince Wilfork to get his messages solidly home. He has us coaches. But here is what he has with young players and all players: He has the history, he is direct with them and he cares about them. When you know where a coach is coming from and you know where he is going and you know he cares, that is the universal language for a football player." Tom Cable, Seattle's offensive line coach, says Carroll tells his players the truth and demands the truth from them. "Pete is getting these young men ready for games but he is also getting them ready for life after football," Cable said. "He lets them be individuals, he encourages that, but he has boundaries that people sometimes don't see or recognize. I tell you what Pete has tapped into with his players as their coach -- he understands that men are human. He understands that men have fear. Fear keeps you from rising. His approach attacks that kind of fear. When a player gets that kind of instruction, that kind of teaching, the player gives you loyalty. The player creates structure. You will always have exceptions. But Pete has shown it is his belief and a formula that works." Many Seahawks players call him, simply, "Pete." He tirelessly exhibits hearty enthusiasm that encourages players to love their jobs more than view them only as jobs. "He gets so jacked out there on the practice field that he looks like he wants to play," said Patriots receiver Jermaine Kearse, 24, in his third season. "He keeps it loose and he keeps it real. He makes you want to play for him." Belichick and Carroll identify players who fit their model. They examine players' talents and put them in situations where what they do best is what is required. In different ways, they help mold and shape players. In different ways, they excel at speaking their language. | 1 | 5,058 | sports |
When I first retired I was not sure exactly what I should be doing. For 30 years my life was pretty much dictated by my career. I went to work Monday through Friday, and then tried to catch up with the rest of my life during fast-paced weekends. Raising a family, paying the bills and trying to put aside a little for the future was a full-time undertaking. Then I retired . Over the past few years, I have learned some valuable lessons and survived a handful of surprises I had not foreseen prior to the transition. I am very happy with the experience and where I am today, but there are some things I might have done differently. If I were to start my retirement over again, I would focus on these key areas. Control the pace of your day. Along with your newfound freedom to do whatever you want comes the responsibility to fill your day with activities and meaning . Initially, I was happy doing nothing. After three decades of working a little downtime was well deserved. I became pretty good at going with the flow and sustaining a leisurely pace through the days. But after a while I began to tire of having nothing to show for those hours. I was used to achieving goals and getting things done and found the abrupt end to my productivity somewhat disturbing. Eventually I learned the importance of creating balance and found a happy midpoint between relaxation and making things happen . With a routine that typically gets me out of bed by seven, I keep occupied until early evening. Part of that time is dedicated to my hobbies and personal goals. But I also set aside time to relax, contemplate and maybe take a nap. I do things when I want to, whether working out, reading, writing or snoozing. When I have had enough, I move on to the next option. I decide what and when to take my next steps. All of this is done at a pace that suits me for that particular day. It feels nice to be in control. Break your retirement future into shorter periods. Attempting to plan what you will do for the next 20 years in retirement can be an intimidating chore. That is a long time. I sometimes find it challenging to see ahead to next month. What can help is to focus on smaller chunks of time. Instead of deciding what you will do for the next two decades, try focusing on the next two years. A bite size plan is easier to wrap your mind around. Should you find yourself part way there and decide you would rather do something else, you have only expended a small portion of your overall retirement. You may even find your interests will change ten years from now. There is plenty of time to take a different direction. You don't have to figure it all out right now. Be proactive. I have a favorite aunt who is 73 and maintains a level of activity that puts most of us to shame. She hikes, travels and socializes with a wide group of friends and family. Joining her in a recent hike through a local vineyard, my wife and I were hard pressed to keep up with her energetic pace. And the winery hike was her idea. She does not sit back and wait for life to come to her. My aunt is forever in search of the next new thing, adventure or cool event she might undertake. Inspired by her enthusiasm, I am learning to look beyond my familiar and well worn lifestyle. I am beginning to step outside of my comfort zone. It is certainly comfortable to hang out at home. There are no traffic jams or crowds and whatever you need is right there. But there is so much more if you are willing to look for it. And the Internet and social media makes it easier than ever to find something that fits your individual tastes. Whether you want to flaunt your cooking skills with an eggplant parmigiana recipe, find a group of local spelunkers or throw in with a square dancing troupe, access is only a few keystrokes away. Staying active and engaged has kept my aunt younger than her years. By following a similar game plan my wife and I hope for the same success. Dave Bernard blogs at Retirement-Only The Beginning . Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report | 3 | 5,059 | finance |
Before the 2014-15 winter break, Real Madrid won 22 matches in a row. The club was the champion of the world, top of La Liga, winner of Champions League Group B and about to face Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey round of 16. Fast forward to Jan. 7 and Real had lost its first two games since the restart of the Spanish domestic season - in La Liga to Valencia (2-1) and in the Copa to Atletico (2-0). A win against Espanyol followed and, while Los Merengues are now back on track, performances have been anything but convincing, typified by the scrappy 2-1 victory at Cordoba last weekend that saw Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed and later suspended for two matches. It all went wrong in late December when Madrid traveled to the Gulf for the Dubai International Sports Conference. This trip saw members of the squad attend the Globe Soccer Awards (Dec. 28-29) and was followed by a mid-season exhibition match against AC Milan on Dec. 30. While hardly a thunderous, physical affair, Madrid's 4-2 defeat to the Italians preceded a poor run on the club's return to action in January. Only a blip for Barcelona at Real Sociedad maintained the team's place on top of the league. It wasn't just the losers who suffered from that desert storm. Milan's victory in Dubai was followed by a horrendous sequence of results. While the team had already limped into the Christmas break, its January record of one Serie A point in four matches was the worst start to a New Year in 74 years. In addition to slumping into the bottom half of the league, with qualification to next season's Champions League now a distant dream, the Rossoneri also exited the Coppa Italia to Lazio. That alarming slump could cost Pippo Inzaghi his job as coach. It has also raised questions about the stewardship of Silvio Berlusconi and Adriano Galliani. Probably the most surprising post-gulf hangover was felt by Manchester City, which suffered a shock 2-0 home defeat to Championship side Middlesbrough in the FA Cup - just three days after a match against Hamburg in Abu Dhabi. City doesn't even have the luxury of a winter break due to Great Britain's tradition of piling up the fixtures over the Christmas period. The 2-0 win over the Germans at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium came in midweek, three days after a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal. City boss Manuel Pellegrini denied that the team's school night vacation played a part in the loss to Boro. "It is very easy to say it is about Abu Dhabi," said Pellegrini. "I don't think that is the reason." So why are these Middle Eastern money-spinners causing problems for elite teams? It's not as if the matches or conditions are particularly grueling. However, the travel flights from Europe take approximately eight hours each way depending on the point of origin and the interruption to training and recovery plans are not ideal at the highest level, where marginal gains and losses are felt most acutely. The impact of these games varies by a team's schedule and resources. For Madrid, the extended period in the Gulf clearly disrupted a winter break already shortened by the Club World Cup in Morocco. However, the size and quality of the squad means it will probably be little more than a blip in a season destined for success. For Milan, the problems run far deeper and will probably extend into the next few years. For City, any errors are amplified by the strength of Chelsea which, incidentally, also went out of the FA Cup but has reached the League Cup final and goes into the weekend Premier League clash as a favorite over the defending champion. One club yet to be punished for a Middle Eastern holiday is Bayern Munich, which have long used its lengthy winter break as an opportunity to enjoy warm weather training camps. The German break is a mammoth six weeks in length Bundesliga leader Bayern only returns to competition on Friday night, when it visits second-placed Wolfsburg. Bayern played three matches between Jan. 13 and 23 but, crucially, had nearly a month to recover and train before returning to non-competitive action. The friendlies against Qatar All Stars, Al-Hilal and Vfl Bochum served as opportunities to regain match fitness after a genuine rest period. Madrid, Milan and City were inconvenienced by theirs. Motivation for these games may have a part to play those punished by their trips entered into ventures of a strictly commercial nature, whereas Bayern build these warm weather camps into its wider season planning. But with Arabian money increasingly influential in European football, and with Financial Fair Play forcing teams to justify their income, such commercially-minded trips will only become more common. The key for their protagonists is how to incorporate them into the micromanaged world of elite performance. Follow Reda Maher on | 1 | 5,060 | sports |
Bob Doll, Nuveen Asset Management, discusses how low oil prices and a strong dollar is impacting earning and prompting market volatility. And Doll explains why the Fed needs to raise interest rates. | 3 | 5,061 | finance |
Tiger Woods continued his struggles into the second round of the Phoenix Open while Ryan Palmer kept a one-stroke lead after the opening round's completion. Former world number one Woods, a 14-time major winner and in his first US PGA event since last August's PGA Championship due to a back injury, opened with a two-over 73 on Thursday and was three-over through five holes in his second round on Friday. Woods, who began on the back nine, made a bogey at the 11th hole and a double bogey on the 14th and fell five strokes off the projected cut line. Palmer opened with a seven-under 64 and remained atop the leaderboard after the final nine players who did not finish Thursday due to darkness completed round one Friday. His big threat, fellow American Daniel Berger, made pars on his final two holes to finish on 65. AFP | 1 | 5,062 | sports |
Chevron Corp (CVX.N), the second-largest U.S. oil producer, said on Friday its quarterly profit fell 30 percent due to plunging crude prices (CLc1). The company posted fourth-quarter net income of $3.47 billion, or $1.85 per share, compared with $4.93 billion, or $2.57 per share, in the year-ago period. Foreign currency conversion charges dented earnings by $432 million, Chevron said. Production between the quarters held steady at 2.58 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd). Shares of the San Ramon, Calif.-based company are down about 22 percent in the past six months, closing Thursday at $103 per share. | 3 | 5,063 | finance |
Last October, Google announced that it was working on magnetic nanoparticles that would seek out cancer cells in the bloodstream and report back to a smart wristband. Now, if this didn't sound bizarre enough, it turns out the search giant is also using synthetic skin to develop the technology. the nanoparticles will talk to the wristband using light When Google first announced the project they didn't discuss how the nanoparticles would relay their findings. But, in a video from The Atlantic , employees explain that they'll be using light signals to talk to the wristband through the superficial veins on the underside of the wrist. Of course, shining lights through the skin means factoring in a range of skin types and colors, and so Google's scientists have built fake arms with "the same autofluoresecence and biochemical components of real arms." Thus the fake skin. The video itself is well worth a watch and offers a tantalizing glimpse into the goings-on at Google X. Andrew Conrad, the head of Google's Life Sciences department, also has a good response to those who might object that it's weird having nanoparticles floating through your body constantly tracking you. "It's way weirder," says Conrad, "to have cancer cells floating through your body that are constantly trying to kill you." | 5 | 5,064 | news |
Happy meal? From those "scary" Happy Meals to the recurring "pink slime" questions to the cheap shots at vegetarians neither consumers nor investors are lovin' what's been going on at McDonald's ( MCD ) over the past year. But winds of change may be blowing. On Wednesday, the company, whose shares have dropped from $104 a share last May to around $88 currently, has pulled the plug on the three-year tenure of Chief Executive Officer Don Thompson, who will be replaced on March 1 by Steve Easterbrook. Hopeful investors pushed shares higher Thursday. Domestic sales for the onetime king of burgers have been falling for two years. A 21% earnings drop in the December quarter, worse than forecast, was paired with a warning on January sales and an expression of caution over a challenging first half of the year. "Our business," CEO Thompson said on Jan. 23, "continues to face meaningful headwinds." One of those headwinds? Those famed two all-beef patties ... and even, actually, the chain's single-patty options. In July, a Consumer Reports survey named McDonald's burgers the worst in America, ranking two notches below those of archrival Burger King. Fighting back in an increasingly competitive burger marketplace marked by a rising hunger for options perceived as more gourmet or more upscale McDonald's introduced "Create Your Taste" in late December and has said it will expand it to 2,000 locations in 2015. While McDonald's has a lock on global reach with its billions and billions served it may have a thing or two to learn about burgers, and the incoming Easterbrook may want to start by sneaking a bite of these five juicy rivals because, really, the question must be asked: Does anyone buy a Big Mac for the taste? Related on MSN Money: Investors gorge on Shake Shack IPO Franchisees place urgent order with new McDonald's CEO I wish I knew how to quit you. The best burger you've probably never heard of was ranked No. 1 in that Consumer Reports survey. The California-based burger chain Habit Burger Grill has locations in Arizona and Utah and New Jersey is set to get its second location soon, with Florida and Vegas on the way. For Habit Burger ( HABT ), the pitch is that it's all about respecting the burger: "The burger is an American icon. You don't fry an American icon. You put it on a pedestal. You chargrill it over an open flame. You top it with fresh-cut lettuce, ripe tomatoes, caramelized onions and melted cheese. You wrap it neatly in paper and serve it alongside crisp, hot fries. That's what we do at the Habit Burger Grill. Because we respect our customers. And we respect the burger." They lettuce wrap it, too. Habit went public last November, and shares have more than doubled from the listing price of $18. What the West Coast can't do without. East Coasters are constantly asking West Coasters what the In-N-Out Burger fuss is about. But the chain came in second place on that Consumer Reports survey, and Californians have been flocking to the place since founder Harry and Esther Snyder introduced the first drive-through hamburger stand in 1948. So far, Arizona, Utah, Texas and Nevada are the only other places you can get such offerings as the Double-Double Animal Style (two patties, two slices of cheese) and a shake, with hand-cut fries. The company, run by the only grandchild of the Synder's, Lynsi Torres, has resisted going public. Twitter is testament to its fan base, and, the closer a shop is to Hollywood, the more it's also a celebrity-spotting shop, having drawn the likes of the late comic Bob Hope, the British chef Gordon Ramsay and the walking provocation Miley Cyrus, reports the Orange County Register. What the East Coast can't live without. The positive feelings the West Coast has for In-N-Out, many on the East Coast direct to Shake Shack . The company, which went public today -- Jan.30 -- can be found in 11 states and several overseas regions, but it's predominantly found in hometown New York. Shake Shack started as a Sabrett-style cart in Madison Square Park in 2001, carving out a place in New Yorkers' hearts though it didn't even place on that Consumer Reports survey, even if the looming IPO is putting it on the map. The draw for diehard fans? Burgers that are "100-percent USDA-certified organic, grass-fed, free-range beef." Contrast that with the Big Mac tagline: "100% Pure USDA Inspected Beef; No fillers, No extenders." Also see: Timing is right for Shake Shack and its IPO as Americans are rediscovering their love of burgers Not without my Five Guys. At Five Guys Burgers and Fries , it's all about the customized burger. At more than 1,000 locations across nearly all U.S. states and in Canada, plus a location in Covent Garden, London (where neighbors include yep Shake Shack), Five Guys offers up burgers cooked to order, a huge amount of fries and barrels of all-you-can-eat peanuts in a fast-casual atmosphere. CEO Jerry Murrell started the chain with his wife and five sons so, uh, six guys? and decided early on to feature the freshest ingredients and the best bacon available and cook only in peanut oil, he told USA Today in an interview two years back. On the Consumer Reports burger taste test, Five Guys ranked third. I said, 'Whataburger!' While you could probably manage a Big Mac in one hand, you can't say that of the Whataburger which brags of being a two-hand affair, just as founder Harmon Dobson intended 60 years ago when he started with a stand in Corpus Christi. The company even has an biennial burger Olympic competition for employees, even as the number of chain locations has risen to 700 all across America. There are said to be 36,000 different ways to create your very own Whataburger. It's also nailing social media via @whataburger . Like the tweet that trolled media-averse Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (h/t San Antonio Express-News). | 3 | 5,065 | finance |
Campus Insiders' basketball analyst Digger Phelps tells Shae Peppler that Friday night's matchup with Oregon State is all about vengeance for Sean Miller's Wildcats. Plus, who will win the battle between Kennedy Meeks and Montrezl Harrell in the North Carolina-Louisville contest? | 1 | 5,066 | sports |
Jay Z's company, Project Panther Bidco, makes a $56 million offer to buy Swedish music streaming company, Aspiro. | 3 | 5,067 | finance |
A look at some of the weird and wacky facts from this year's Super Bowl. | 8 | 5,068 | video |
Yolande Knell reports on hopes for the safe return of pilot Lt Moaz al-Kasasbeh who was captured by the Islamic State group. | 8 | 5,069 | video |
New Sampdoria signing Samuel Eto'o wants to be an example to his younger team-mates after being unveiled by the Serie A club | 1 | 5,070 | sports |
With the latest measles outbreak spreading fast, you may be surprised by the state with the best child vaccination rate in the country. | 8 | 5,071 | video |
DE QUEEN, Ark. There was disorder in the court when 30 bats flew inside an Arkansas courtroom during a trial. The Texarkana Gazette reports ( http://bit.ly/15OQpDa ) that several people ducked, screamed and ran from the room Thursday as the bats swooped into the room at the Sevier County Courthouse in De Queen. One bat tried to bite a deputy who caught it and held it by the wings while onlookers took photos. The bats calmed down after the lights were turned off and court was moved elsewhere. Circuit Judge Tom Cooper said hundreds of bats live at the courthouse and that their excrement is everywhere. The county's chief administrative officer, Greg Ray, said hundreds roost in an elevator shaft. A pest control expert has been asked to visit the courthouse Monday to propose solutions. ___ Information from: Texarkana Gazette, http://www.texarkanagazette.com | 5 | 5,072 | news |
Apple's (AAPL) stock just hit a new a all time high. Shortly after the opening on Friday the company's share price traded above $120. It's previous high had been $119. On Tuesday the company posted record breaking earnings and blew past analysts' estimates when it reported $3.06 cents per share on revenue of $74.6 billion. Apple sold a 74.6 million iPhones last quarter, more than any other quarter in its history, and made $18 billion in profit, which is more than any other company has ever reported in a single quarter. It's worth nothing that before the company had posted its earnings James Ramelli, a trader at KeeneOnTheMarket.com, told CNBC that he saw Apple's stock hitting $120 by the end of the week. And it looks like his prediction was correct. High demand for Apple's iPhone in China has been a key growth driver for the company. And Tim Cook said in an earnings conference call on Tuesday that he continues to see big growth in the region. Sales in greater China, which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, came in at $16.14 billion for the quarter, up 70 percent year over year. Some analysts also see China as a growing opportunity, but also have other reasons for betting on Apple's stock to keep going higher this year. Read more about why they say Apple's share price could continue to grow. By CNBC's Cadie Thompson. Follow her on Twitter @CadieThompson . | 3 | 5,073 | finance |
Q&A with Dr. Manny: Is it true that going to the gym when you're sick can be good for you? | 7 | 5,074 | health |
Aaron Hernandez murder trial A court officer places handcuffs on former NFL player Aaron Hernandez, center, after a guilty verdict was returned his murder trial at the Bristol County Superior Court on April 15 in Fall River, Mass. Ursula Ward, mother of victim Odin Lloyd, reacts to Aaron Hernandez being found guilty of murder. Aaron Hernandez listens as the jury finds him guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of Odin Lloyd. Terri Hernandez, mother of former Aaron Hernandez, reacts as the guilty verdict is read during her son's murder trial. Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh instructs the jury before deliberations in the murder trial for former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez on April 9. Television cameraman Robert Cusanelli, from Boston station WHDH-TV, testifies in the murder trial for former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez. Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez smiles during a conversation with his defense lawyer Charles Rankin during his trial on April 6, 2015. William Zane, of the Massachusetts state medical examiner's office, points to a mannequin while testifying about the location of bullet wounds in the body of Odin Lloyd during the murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez on April 2, 2015. Alexander Bradley describes a gun he saw with former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez on a trip to Florida during Hernandez's murder trial on April 1, 2015. Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez is led into the courtroom for his murder trial on April 1, 2015. Prosecutor William McCauley questions Robert Kraft during the murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez at Bristol County Superior Court in Fall River, Mass. Shayanna Jenkins, fiancee of Aaron Hernandez, cries as she testifies in court during Hernandez's murder trial. Aaron Hernandez beside his lawyer Charles Rankin during the murder trial of the former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez sits during his murder trial. Witness Herbert Hedges of Nike, testifies during the murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez. Former NFL player Aaron Hernandez takes notes as surveillance footage is seen during a motion regarding jail phone recordings in his murder trial. Marsha Martin, a cousin of the Lloyd family, rubs her eyes during the murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez. A Massachusetts State Police Trooper holds up clothing from the body of Odin Lloyd. Shaquilla Thibou, sister of Odin Lloyd, wipes her eyes during the murder trial. Shaquilla Thibou and Ursula Ward, sister and mother of Odin Lloyd respectively, hold hands during the murder trial for former NFL player Aaron Hernandez on Feb. 20, 2015. Former NFL player Aaron Hernandez looks at his attorney as security footage is seen on a monitor on Feb. 20, 2015. Hernandez bought gasoline, gum and a cigar at a Massachusetts gas station shortly before prosecutors say he killed an associate, a clerk from the station testified. Timothy Woods, of the Mass. State Police Forensics Laboratory, examines an evidence bag containing a scale and dish. Aaron Hernandez listens during his murder trial at the Bristol County Superior Court in Fall River, Mass. on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015. Hernandez is accused in the June 17, 2013, killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating his fiancÈe's sister. Terri Hernandez, mother of Aaron Hernandez, watches during her son's murder trial. Aaron Hernandez sits with his attorney Charles Rankin during his murder trial on Feb. 13, 2015. Massachusetts State Trooper Stephen Gallagher holds a picture of a small handgun found in a wooded area near the crime scene. Shaneah Jenkins, second from left, the girlfriend of Odin Lloyd, listens during former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez's murder trial. Ursula Ward, right, the mother of Odin Lloyd, listens during former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez's murder trial, Friday, Feb. 13, 2015. Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, left, listens as a photo of a small handgun found in a wooded area near the crime scene was displayed during his murder trial, Friday, Feb. 13. Shayanna Jenkins, former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez's fiancee, attends his murder trial. Ursula Ward, Odin Lloyd's mother attends former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez's murder trial. Media members and police officers stand near a bus sitting in front of the home of former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, during a site visit by the jury in his murder trial. Massachusetts Superior Court judge Susan Garsh, left, and a court officer, right, depart the the North Attleborough, Mass. home of former Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, at the conclusion of a site visit by the jury in his murder trial. A court officer passes by the yellow home, center, where the late Odin Lloyd lived in Boston, during a site visit by the jury. A State Police car sits on the street in front of the North Attleborough, Mass. home of former Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez during a site visit by the jury in his murder trial Friday, Feb. 6. North Attleboro police department Captain Joseph DiRenzo is sworn in to testify during the murder trial of former NFL football player Aaron Hernandez at Bristol County Superior Court on Feb. 4, 2015. Shaneah Jenkins looks at a transcript of her grand jury testimony given to her by defense attorney Charles Rankin during the murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez at Bristol County Superior Court on Feb. 4, 2015. Ursula Ward, mother of Odin Lloyd, wipes her eyes after looking at a photograph from the medical examiner's office of her dead son during the murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez at Bristol County Superior Court on Feb. 4, 2015. Shaneah Jenkins points to former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez when asked by a prosecutor to identify him in the courtroom during Hernandez's murder trial on Jan. 30, 2015. Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez attends his murder trial at Bristol County Superior Court on Feb. 3, 2015. Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez views one of the exhibits on the screen during his trial on Jan. 30, 2015. Judge Susan Garsh addresses the court during the murder trial of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez at Bristol County Superior Court on Feb. 3, 2015. Matthew Kent, right, is show a photograph by assistant district attorney William McCauley as he testifies during the murder trial for former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez on Jan. 29, 2015. Terri Hernandez, center, mother of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, watches during the murder trial for her son on Jan. 29, 2015. Assistant district attorney makes an opening statement during the murder trial for former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez on Jan. 29, 2015. Former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez, center, listens during his murder trial on Jan. 29, 2015. Superior Court judge Susan Garsh instructs the jury during the murder trial for former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez on Jan. 29, 2015. Hernandez is accused of murdering semi-professional football player Odin Lloyd. REUTERS/Steven Senne/Pool (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL CRIME LAW) ORG XMIT: FAR207 Defense attorney, Michael Fee, makes an opening statement during the murder trial for former New England Patriots football player Aaron Hernandez. | 1 | 5,075 | sports |
If the National Restaurant Association is right their track record is spotty you can expect to be eating more arcane cuts of pork and breeds of salmon this year, along with more plant-based entrées and quick-serve pasta. Those are the highlights of the organization's recently released annual forecast . But some entrepreneurs aren't riding the obvious trends they're pushing into unknown territory in hopes of finding a food craze that's still under the radar, where they could get in on the ground floor and cash in big. What are entrepreneurs putting their effort behind? Here are ten of the most interesting new food ideas emerging in 2015, along with my take on their chances: 1. 3-D Printed food When you want an unusual dessert, soon your chef may grant your wish by stepping into the kitchen and over to his 3-D food printer. The first food-safe printers were unveiled this month at the Consumer Electronics Show. 3D Systems' CocoJet (a collaboration with Hershey) and ChefJet machines enable entrepreneurial chefs to print out designs in chocolate or sugar. A 3D printing pioneer, 3D Systems plans to open its first Digital Kitchen "3D printed food experience" in Los Angeles later this year. And 3D Systems is bringing its machines to the Culinary Institute of America, which recently announced the first training program that will teach chefs to print confections. This should spread the trend to many new, innovative eateries in the next year or two. Outlook: Sky's the limit. Put the 3D printer out where customers can see it, and this has the "wow" eatertainment factor that's sure to draw crowds…until the technology becomes commonplace. As 3D printers improve, hopefully we'll eventually hit the Star Trek instant-food level. This will rock. 2. Bugs & reptiles This trend started to be seen last year, with insects showing up in snack bars and smoothies. This year, interest is already growing in unusual forms of protein, which can go a long way in setting a restaurant chain apart from the pack. Witness the franchised soup-salad-sandwich chain Zoup!, which has 60 locations, and introduced rattlesnake stew to its menu this month. The chain reported early reaction to the dish ranged from "yuck!" to extreme interest. Industry trade journal Fast Casual reports this isn't a limited-time offer, either rattlesnake stew is joining Zoup!'s regular, rotating menu. No doubt there's a rattlesnake farm somewhere that's hustling to breed more snakes. Outlook: Adventurous eaters will love it, but the 'eewww' factor will persist. Expect this one to be a viable cult niche, but not seeing mass acceptance in the near term. 3. Healthy candy Entrepreneurs have been experimenting with this idea for years, but 2015 may be the year it breaks out of health-food stores and goes mainstream. Healthy candy company U-Be-Livin-Smart saw its olive-oil based, protein-and-fruit packed Pocket Treats soar to over 10,000 distribution points last Halloween, including 400 Walmart locations. The three-year-old Toronto company also makes natural vitamins and healthy "Karmaffins" in four flavors. Then there's Zollipops , the candy that is supposed to help prevent tooth decay. The brainchild of 9-year-old inventor Alina Morse of Wolverine Lake, Mich., Zollipops are already on shelves at Whole Foods Market. Made with Xylitol and stevia, the candy treat aims to raise your mouth pH, neutralizing acid and preventing the growth of bacteria. Outlook: Strong. Moms are always trying to keep kids from eating junk, so the market for this category could be set to explode, as word of mouth spreads. 4. Fat-burning drinks It's the holy grail of the food and beverage industry a product that helps you lose weight. Celsius Holdings has been at this for 11 years, quietly selling its research-backed, fat-busting drinks in GNC, Shaw's, Ralphs, 24 Hour Fitness gyms, and other chains. Revenue shot up almost 50 percent in its most recent quarter, though Celsius is still struggling for profitability. Soon, the company could get a visibility boost from a big competitor Nestlé shared its research on fat-burning drink formulas last summer and is in the process of trying to formulate a beverage that will stimulate your metabolism and help you burn more fat. Outlook: Could be huge, if Nestle rolls out a product and it really works. Even without, existing products will likely continue to gain market share. 5. "Gastro-fast" dining Chipotle ramped up the quality of food diners could expect delivered to them fast. But in the coming year, watch to see the fast-dining concept extend one step further. Miami gastro-pub Buns & Buns is pioneering bringing faster speed to fine dining, promising fine-dining quality food for $20 in 20 minutes. The eatery calls its process for rushing those chili-infused shrimp and spinach poofs to you promptly "gastro-fast," as the restaurant recently demonstrated to Foodable TV . Outlook: Slow going. Delivering gourmet, restaurant-quality food instantly is a major challenge. Many chefs who try this likely won't succeed, but those that do could birth hot new restaurant chains. With more and more people pressed for time, this could be the future of fine dining. 6. Halal food Many franchise chains have some kosher locations, most notably Subway and Dunkin' Donuts. And most of Baskin Robbins' ice cream is kosher, too. But until now, finding food certified under the Islamic halal system has been tougher to find. Enter The Halal Guys , a New York City chicken and gyro concept. Currently, it's just two restaurants and four carts around the city that have operated quietly since 1990, but this budding chain is set to grow fast through franchising. Earlier this month, Halal signed a 50-unit development deal for restaurants in southern California, and another one for 10 stores in Washington, D.C. Other deals will bring multiple units to Houston and the Philippines. Outlook: Mixed. There could be blowback in light of recent Islamic terrorist actions in France, but Islam is prevalent in many countries. International expansion could be huge. 7. Meal replacements Busy diners are increasingly eating on the go. One hot startup is catching buzz for its drink that claims to give you 100 percent of your daily nutritional needs. Maybe it's the name: Soylent. The Los Angeles-based company currently sells only from its own website, but is raising money for growth at a $100 million valuation . Backers include Andreesen Horowitz, which has been diversifying its investments beyond tech. Its 2013 crowdfunding campaign set out to raise $100,000, ended up raising over $3 million. Outlook: Mixed. This could become a huge craze, especially with boomers for whom the product name's similarity to a cult-classic 1973 movie title grants instant recognition. On the other hand, people could figure out it's not that different from Ensure and other meal-replacement shakes already on the market. 8. New takes on pizza Pizza is one of the most popular foods on Earth, so food innovators are always looking for ways to give us a fresh take on it. Here's a fun one which, for extra cred, actually comes from Italy: Cone-shaped, lower-calorie pizza. Kono Pizza was introduced in 2004, and quickly spread across Europe. Its first U.S. unit opened in New Jersey in 2013, and now franchising is spreading the concept across the U.S., with agreements signed for units in California, Florida, North Carolina, and Iowa. The company plugs its low-cal crust as offering a healthier alternative to the typical overstuffed American pie. Outlook: Good. There's seemingly no end to how much pizza we'll eat, and variety is always a good thing. Also, cone-shaped pizza has the advantage of being more easily consumed while you drive, an activity Americans seem to be doing more and more, to the dismay of fine dining purists. 9. Savory pies Pie is a no-brainer. We love it! Now, Australian company Pie Face is teaching diners that pie is more than dessert with its savory pies. The first store opened in the U.S. in 2012, and now there are six New York City locales, and plans to open at least 100 Pie Face stores around the Middle East, through a development partner. Outlook: Fair. Pie is an easy sell, but will diners unused to the idea be willing to consider it their entrée? We'll see. 10. Single-food restaurants Last year's craze was eateries devoted entirely to grilled cheese sandwiches, with several entrepreneurs betting that could be the next big franchise chain. In 2015, we'll see startups trying other single-food concepts. Two promising new entrants are build-your-own potato dish startup Potatopia and the gourmet ice-cream sandwich shop Cream . Targeting malls for starters, 3-year-old Potatopia is expanding via franchising from four locations in New York and New Jersey, expanding locally while also looking at Toronto and London as possible markets. Berkeley, Calif.,-based Cream began in 2010, and is growing through franchising as well. The startup expects to see 50 locations open around the U.S. this year. Outlook: Mixed. Restaurant offering only one food choice drive some customers away. Of course, ice cream should be an easy bet, since consumers are used to standalone stores that only sell ice cream. But it's notable that Cereality , the cereal store that opened with a splash in 2003, didn't take off, has closed most of its stores, and now has just two units, in Dallas-Forth Worth and in Richmond, Va. The key to success in this type of novelty restaurant is a super-high traffic location, combined with a winning concept. What food trends do you think will take off in 2015? Leave a comment and share your favorite. Kono Pizza photo: Masaru Kamikura | 0 | 5,076 | foodanddrink |
The US economy grew at its fastest pace in four years in 2014, outpacing all of the other major developed countries as consumers gained confidence helped by sinking oil prices. But a slowdown in the fourth quarter bared some of the persistent challenges -- like the strong dollar -- to locking the world's largest economy into higher gear. While the halving of fuel prices clearly gave American consumers the power to spend more at the end of the year, businesses slowed investment and the government cut back on spending, especially for defense, dragging down momentum. The Commerce Department reported Friday that US gross domestic product grew at an annual 2.4 percent pace last year, up from 2.2 percent in 2013, as the United States distanced itself from the sagging economies of Europe and Japan. The firming recovery from the Great Recession of 2008-2009 was marked by improved consumer confidence, the best year of job creation since 1999, and a surge in business profits. By comparison, Japan and the eurozone continue to battle with recessionary pressures; China -- the other key motor of global growth -- is slowing more than expected; and other emerging economies are also struggling with slumping activity, partly because of the crash in commodity prices. That has put the US on a divergent policy course with the others: while their central banks are implementing measures to stimulate demand and head off deflation, the US Federal Reserve is moving to tighten monetary policy and raise interest rates in the coming months. - Strong dollar a challenge - Even so, the Commerce Department's first estimate of fourth-quarter activity showed the United States is not completely in the clear. Following a bristling 5.0 percent pace of expansion in the third quarter, GDP grew at a 2.6 percent rate in the October-December period, slower than the 3.2 percent expected by economists. On the positive side, consumer spending accelerated as shoppers took advantage of the savings on cheaper gasoline to spend elsewhere. On the other hand, businesses -- likely including companies in the oilfield -- pulled back in the October-December period and government spending contracted, especially on defense. Moreover, the dollar, which has gained about 15 percent against a basket of currencies over the past year, likely spurred a pickup in imports and held back exports, a negative for GDP growth. "There is a clear dichotomy between consumers, benefiting from cheap gas and a strong dollar, and businesses, suffering from cheap oil and the strong dollar," said Chris Low of FTN Financial. Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington called the slowdown predictable. "Third-quarter growth was driven in part by a 16.0 percent jump in military spending. Military spending is highly erratic and sharp swings are usually reversed," he said. On the other hand, he added, "Trade was a major drag on fourth-quarter growth and will continue to be if the dollar stays high." Deutsche Bank economist Joseph LaVorgna said in a client note that the opposing forces will persist in moderating, but not stifling, growth. "The economy should continue to be buffeted by near-record low interest rates and plunging energy costs. This should offset any further tightening in financial conditions emanating from a stronger dollar." He pointed out that there were no new flags that would push the Federal Reserve to accelerate plans for increasing interest rates, expected sometime around mid-year. The GDP data showed inflation tame, and a separate report on employee compensation showed no wage pressures. "The key issue for policymakers is whether a further tightening in the labor market will engender a pickup in wage pressures by mid-year such that the process of interest rate normalization can commence. In this regard, the Q4 employment cost index suggests the Fed can remain 'patient'." Wall Street stocks, on edge over a mixed bag of corporate earnings, closed sharply lower, the S&P 500 losing 1.28 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average 1.39 percent. The dollar was little-changed, rising to $1.1289 per euro, and slipping to 117.45 yen. | 5 | 5,077 | news |
Martin Brodeur had nothing to prove to the hockey world in 2013. He was already cemented as one of the best goalies to ever live. He already won multiple Stanley Cups and Olympic gold medals. He was 40 years old, injured, a shell of his former self. But, after missing a month of action with a pinched nerve, he returned on March 22, because he's not wired to sit out when he can stand between the pipes. Regardless of what the critics thought -- and many of them thought he was done -- he marched right back out there, logic be damned. Surely he understood why people thought he should quit. The evidence was right there in the stat sheet. He just wasn't ready. I was fortunate to cover his first game back from IR, a contest against the Hurricanes at PNC Arena. It turned out to be a memorable one. New Jersey Devils blog In Lou We Trust | St. Louis Blues blog St. Louis Game Time A little less than four minutes into regulation, Patrick Dwyer danced around Ilya Kovalchuk and fired a shot, drawing a penalty in the process. Brodeur made the stop, and Dan Ellis left the opposite crease for an extra attacker. Jordan Staal got ahold of the puck and tried to sweep it out of harm's way. However, his clearing attempt bounced off the boards and slid into the Canes' vacant net. The last Devil to touch the puck: Brodeur. It was his third career tally -- the most all-time among NHL goaltenders. 1-0 New Jersey. The Devils scored three more and won 4-1. Not a bad way for an old man to get back on the saddle. About 10 minutes after the final horn, a large media contingent assembled outside the Devils' dressing room. Eventually, Brodeur came out for a quick TV interview, but before jumping in front of the camera, he paused, looked around at many of the journalists who doubted him and asked, "Anything else you [expletives] want?" His question drew a few chuckles; a couple heads shook. Meanwhile, he smiled from ear to ear and gaily paraded over to the makeshift broadcast . Here was Brodeur in a nutshell: dominant on the ice, refreshingly humorous off it. *** Contrary to what many believed, Brodeur had a lot more in the tank. Even though his skills continued to diminish, he helped propel New Jersey to an Eastern Conference title that season. Then he played 2013-14 with the Devils and joined the Blues for a brief stint this winter. On Thursday -- satisfied, exhausted or some combination of the two -- he officially retired as the winningest goalie in NHL history. Many believe it was long overdue. It's unlikely he shares this sentiment. "Yeah, 691 [wins]. It's not too bad," he said. "It would have been nice to be at 700, but it is what it is. I wish I could have played more games." And then, his sense of humor emerged once more. "It's all these lockouts," he added with a grin akin to the one flashed in Raleigh. "I got killed on it." Vintage Marty. Lots of people have questioned Brodeur's choice to join the Blues instead of riding off into the sunset last year. Why leave the only franchise you've ever known? Why bring your stats down? His reluctance to hang up the skates shouldn't be viewed in a negative light Yes, it would have made more sense to drop the curtain after 2013-14 and begin preparations to raise No. 30 to the Prudential Center rafters. Yes, in an age when loyalty is often neglected, it would have been nice to see an illustrious athlete remain with the same team from start to finish. But, again, he isn't wired to think this way. Common sense isn't one of his greatest strengths -- and that's fine. As was the case in 2013, he didn't need to prove anything to anyone other than himself. Not the fans; not the writers; not those he played for, with or against. While people have searched for some unique motive behind Brodeur's return, it's actually quite simple: he missed playing hockey, and he wanted to take every opportunity to enjoy the game he loves. His reluctance to hang up the skates shouldn't be viewed in a negative light; rather, we should commend him for pushing himself in spite of his declining abilities. Still, some fans will inevitably think Brodeur tarnished his legacy over the past few weeks. Think of it in another way: if he never had this powerful, irrational drive in the first place, he would have never been good enough to create such a stir. | 1 | 5,078 | sports |
During an interview this week on FOX Sports 1 , UFC president Dana White backed off a bit from his earlier statements that Anderson Silva would, like, totally get a title shot if he beat Nick Diaz - a welterweight on a two-fight losing streak - in the main event of UFC 183 this Saturday . White is still pushing the ridiculous notion that "The Spider" is somehow the number one contender (despite disqualifying inactivity and two straight decisive losses to the champion) to Chris Weidman's belt, but he's at least taking a wait-and-see attitude to pushing his big draw into another title fight. "I think that on Saturday night, we'll see where he's at," White said. "He's an absolute professional, he's done everything he needs to do to prepare for this fight. He's back in shape, I think it's just a mental thing, he has to get out there and see how he feels." Silva himself has said that he expects he'd need several fights to reach the point where he would be considered a viable title contender again and where he would be ready for another title fight. After all, he's coming off of two straight stoppage losses, a year off due to a horrible injury, and he'll be forty years old in a couple months. White, disagrees but says he'll defer to Silva. Which is interesting, as Silva has said he'll defer to Dana. "I don't think he needs 3-4 fights to get back to the title," White said. "But if he feels that way, he's the number one ranked guy in the world, he can fight Jacare Souza, he can fight Lyoto Machida, Vitor Belfort, Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero." Of course, Silva is not the number one ranked middleweight in the world in any credible rankings. Historically, serious rankings suspend fighters who have been inactive for a year or more, as Silva has. Also, as a general rule, losing streaks - even against the best - are not as helpful in legit rankings as say, the types of winning streaks that the likes of Luke Rockhold, and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza have going at this point. But, Silva is a huge star, and the UFC's bottom line suffered a great deal last year, in large part due to the absence of their biggest names like Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Nick Diaz, competing. So, it is understandable that White wants to get and keep Silva in the biggest fights possible, now that he's returned. Silva has said recently that he'd like to avoid fighting more of his fellow Brazilian countrymen for a title, from now on. However, he's also said that he's upset with the likes of former friends and training partners Lyoto Machida and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, for saying publickly that they'd be willing to fight him. If Silva is ever to return to campaigning against real and top middleweights, not fighting Brazilians would certainly seem like an obstacle. "He starts getting very limited when he doesn't want to fight Brazilians or other guys," White rightly said. "Three of the top guys in the world are Brazilian. Anderson always has some crazy things to say before the fight." True, he does. But so does Anderson's promoter. To make sure you catch all of the action from UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz check out our viewing and schedule guide for everything going down in Las Vegas. | 1 | 5,079 | sports |
As a mother who works part-time, there are days I have time for the Internet and days I don't. Most days I wonder, where do people get that time? I love Twitter, but it can annoy me to even open it, knowing I don't have any time to read the links. At a glance I can tell if something is happening, news-wise, but that's about it. When I'm home and doing chores while my toddler plays, I can get in a rut of checking Facebook every five minutes. Surely everyone does this, but at home, it seems especially pathetic. I irritate myself when there's nothing new on Facebook. I get superjudgmental about how dumb the links are and whose vacations hopefully tank. Yet, while moving through the day with kids, my phone is sometimes the only thing I feel like I have time for, time to get a break, to read that post (dammit!) or to say hi to a friend, to make someone laugh. I send text messages. We'll FaceTime with a grandparent. I'll upload a kid pic to Instagram. And then the day gets going, a kid comes home from school, etc., and I lose track of where my phone is until dinnertime. I didn't have a smartphone when my first daughter was born. Not until she was 18 months old. I remember the first two apps she played with - Itsy Bitsy Spider and Tozzle Puzzle - and what a miracle it was. With my second daughter, born in 2013, I have had many more moments of consciously choosing between attention or my phone. My 5-year-old says now, "Mom! Take a picture!" as if the phone is just a part of my hand. There are times when my phone needs attention - a call, a reply - but for the most part, it doesn't. And then there is nap time. It can be just long enough to clean up lunch, take care of one or two things that need to be done, and sit down. Feed myself. Maybe write an email. Maybe read one article. That's it. But say I get a long nap. Say I get two hours! I may read the whole time. I may do work. But if I end up on the Internet, my habits are predictable as sin. I read some fashion, sports, news, and literature. If I'm looking not to read, I usually end up with interiors and haircuts, because such posts abound. I specifically avoid Pinterest. I used to be satisfied by the beauty the Internet presented. That house. That room. That table. And then I got a house and realized how stressful and costly it is to look at others' better spaces - both IRL and emotionally. The things you thought were purely beautiful turn out to be, on an afternoon at home with your toddler, in the midst of a real mess, just oppressive. Things I wish the Internet would stop showing me: Beautiful Scandinavian interiors. They are white. That's about it. Lists. (Ha.) The lists are attractive, even compelling, but the constant advice can be tiring. Antlers on side tables, antlers on walls, nontrophy animals on walls. It has become a ridiculous Internet cliché. Kids making beautiful crafts. If your kids' craft is Internet beautiful, Pinterest-worthy, then you did it. Not them. Kids with careers. WTF? Videos of animals I must see. The wacky behavior may be funny, but it only reminds me how weird my child is. Moms with beautiful blogs. Can we reinvent this whole category? More ugliness please. Bloggers in France. See above. We all go looking for beauty in these images, I think, to please us. To make parenting at home feel less solitary and more adult. And yet as I've grown accustomed to what's there and what's not there, I increasingly crave a kind of bare ugliness. A certain uncute humanity. Something less curated, and damn that word, too. The less perfect. What do you look for? What do you find? | 4 | 5,080 | lifestyle |
On Thursday night, Emily Bell , who runs the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia, tweeted out this question: What are the odds on Hillary not running ? I replied that it was roughly 10 percent. Others -- like Politico's Ben White -- said it was more like .1 percent. The question -- and the back and forth over it -- got me to thinking what would happen on the very small chance that Clinton did decide not to run. After all, she herself has only hinted at her interest publicly, and has yet to take the steps -- leadership PAC etc. -- that would indicate clear interest. Virtually everything we know about Clinton's plans come from staff movements and quotes to reporters from "those in the know" who demand anonymity to share their knowledge. I wrote about this possibility roughly a year ago and concluded that if Hillary stayed out the result would be a crowded field with a nominal frontrunner in Vice President Joe Biden. And that Republicans' chances to win back the White House would immediately improve. There's a different dynamic at work now -- particularly if Clinton waits another few months to make clear exactly what she is going to do in 2016 . We are rapidly approaching the point of no return for Clinton. That is, if she were to suddenly take herself out of the race in, say, two months time, there would be a massive sense of doom within the party. The shock of the decision would reverberate for weeks -- and maybe even months -- making it hard for anyone looking to fill the void she left behind. Now, that doom would eventually be followed by a wild scramble among the Bidens, Martin O'Malleys and, yes, even Elizabeth Warrens of the party for the donors, activists and staffers that had all been assumed to be part of the Clinton machine. But, doing things in a hurry with what would widely be regarded as Democrats "B" or even "C" team would be deeply problematic. Simply put: For Clinton to pass on the race -- and especially if she waits until summer to make her decision public -- would be absolutely disastrous for her party's chances of holding onto the White House next November. She and her budding team have to know that and it's hard for me to imagine that she would have let things go this far -- there is, literally, an entire campaign and outside group world already in place for her -- if she had any serious or lingering doubts about whether she was going to make the race. And, as has been true since day one, if she runs in 2016, she is an extremely heavy favorite to be the Democratic nominee. Below we've ranked Clinton and the six other people who either will or could conceivably run for president against her. 7. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.): Sanders appears serious about running, which is why he's on this list. But while he'll probably get real support from more liberal quarters of the party, his appeal is what you would call limited. Still, he'll mix it up, and this week he questioned whether Clinton would be "bold" enough as president in an interview with the Washington Post. (Previous ranking: 6) 6. Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb : As C NN's Dan Merica pointed out recently , Webb is running his campaign -- he has formed an exploratory committee -- largely via Twitter. Given that Webb has less than 5,000 followers , this may not be the most sound political strategy. (Previous ranking: 5) 5. California Gov. Jerry Brown : Bear with us for a second here. Brown is a popular governor of a notoriously difficult state to run, he has run for president before, and he's not exactly friendly with the Clintons. And, he's super-popular! He's also 76 years old (even though he doesn't look it or act it) and there's little indication he's seriously looking at running. But if he did… (Previous ranking: N/A) 4. Vice President Joe Biden : Biden assured us recently that he is serious about running for president in 2016 probably because folks like us are increasingly dubious and because he hasn't actually done much of the legwork to put a team in place. Even if he did run, we still have a hard time seeing him catch fire. He's entertaining, yes, but "entertaining" ain't "presidential." (Previous ranking: 3) 3. Former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley : If there's anybody who can conceivably beat Clinton by running to her left and might actually run it's O'Malley. He's got lots of liberal bona fides from his time as Maryland governor, and he checks lots of other boxes even as he didn't really leave office on a high note. But we would stress this is all on-paper, and O'Malley would still face very long odds. (Previous ranking: 4) 2. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren : The drumbeat for Warren to re-consider her past refusals to consider running in 2016 has died down a bit in the last few weeks. That said, Warren backers commissioned a poll released Friday that showed significant unhappiness with Clinton among Democratic voters. Warren has the liberal profile and fundraising ability to be a serious problem to Clinton if she ever decided she wanted to be. (Previous ranking: 2) 1. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton : See above. (Previous ranking: 1) | 5 | 5,081 | news |
This year, let's do better than a box of chocolates. We enlisted the help of our female contingent Details editors Laura Bolt, Eliza Florendo, and Antonina Jedrzejczak to find out what women really want when Cupid comes calling. APC Half-Moon Bag APC Half-Moon Bag ($435) The perfect bag for both a casual day and a date night out. The Leica D-Lux Digital Camera The Leica D-Lux Digital Camera ($1195) For the photography lover who appreciates classic design and unbeatable quality. Garrett Leight Venezia Sunnies Garrett Leight Venezia Sunnies ($340) Just in time for a spring break vacation in the sun. Midwinter Rough Diamond Solitaire Ring Midwinter Rough Diamond Solitaire Ring ($155) An edgy take on the classic diamond ring. Smythson The Boss' Wafer Notebook Smythson The Boss' Wafer Notebook ($60) Because your boss needs a place to write down her thoughts. PELLE Soap Stones PELLE Soap Stones ($96) Beautiful in design and scent, these are perfect for a steamy shower together. Rablabs Kiva Platter Rablabs Kiva Platter ($470) For all of those romantic dinners for two. Kiki de Montparnasse Boudoir Silk Robe Kiki de Montparnasse Boudoir Silk Robe ($618) For dressing and undressing, or both. Equipment Lillian Pajama Set Equipment Lillian Pajama Set ($388) 100% silk, this pajama set looks both comfy and sharp. Horchow Faux Fur Throw Horchow Faux Fur Throw ($195) A luxurious throw practically made for spooning. Lonely Lulu Softcup Bra Lonely Lulu Softcup Bra ($85) A sexy little thing for your sexy little thing. Ladies & Gentlemen Maru Hand Mirror Ladies & Gentlemen Maru Hand Mirror ($325) A freestanding mirror with a gorgeous copper handle makes a perfect makeshift vanity. Catbird Cashmere Boy Shorts Catbird Cashmere Boy Shorts ($136) Black cashmere is equally parts sexy and cozy for lounging at home. Clare V Margot Calf Hair Clutch Clare V Margot Calf Hair Clutch ($200) A classic clutch to carry the essentials is always great, especially in a pleasingly tactile calf hair fabric. Ladurée Box of 6 Macarons Ladurée Box of 6 Macarons ($18) Chocolate is for amateurs macarons are a better twist on the sweets option. Get them from the best (Ladurée has been making them since 1862-and they deliver). Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg's Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg's Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus ($16) The 1969 classic between one of the coolest couples in music sounds even better remastered on vinyl. The Hour Mercury Base Snifters The Hour Mercury Base Snifters ($160) These mid century glasses would be the perfect addition to any bar cart. Each set is unique, but The Hour has a huge selection of interesting options for any vintage taste. Nasomatto Narcotic V Nasomatto Narcotic V ($185) Jasmine and spice are at the heart of this sexy fragrance from this Dutch brand whose packaging is as stunning as their fragrances. Melissa Joy Manning Uncut Sapphire Earrings Melissa Joy Manning Uncut Sapphire Earrings ($400) Rough cut and raw, these uber cool sapphire earrings are perfect for the anti-Tiffany's girl. Dealtry Nights Crossing Modal Cashmere Scarf Dealtry Nights Crossing Modal Cashmere Scarf ($119) A beautifully simple geometric scarf in a super soft cashmere blend perfect for snuggling up any time of year. Love Adorned Vintage Yellow Gold and Lapis Ring Love Adorned Vintage Yellow Gold and Lapis Ring ($3400) Gold with some history trumps fresh-from-the-box diamonds any day. Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli Parker Duofold Lapis Lazuli ($350) If you're jewelry-shy, we'll take lapis and gold in this iteration too. Pointy Snout Caviar Ossetra Pointy Snout Caviar Ossetra ($1100) Whether you go for the 500 gram tin or the 50, too much is never enough. The Master and Margarita The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov ($8) One of the greatest love stories ever written. Best delivered with flowers. Haptic Lab Sailing Ship Kite Haptic Lab Sailing Ship Kite ($40) Sail away, fly away...just have some fun with it. Ferragamo French Wallet Ferragamo French Wallet ($595) For the more practically minded a beautiful, understated classic guaranteed to make her think of you every day. Eight Emperors Stochastic Eight Emperors Stochastic ($150) You weren't really thinking to go with hearts, were you? Isabel Marant Stripe Slub Jersey Kenton T-Shirt Isabel Marant Stripe Slub Jersey Kenton T-Shirt ($175) The perfect linen top to dress up her weekend look. A Stay at the Palace Hotel in Hvar, Croatia A Stay at the Palace Hotel in Hvar, Croatia ($148/night) Stepping on sea urchins together on the beaches of one of Croatia's chicest islands is a lot more romantic when you're crashing at this place. Richard Brendon Blue Band Teacup & Saucer Richard Brendon Blue Band Teacup & Saucer ($55) Who says love can't be as simple as a cup of tea? | 4 | 5,082 | lifestyle |
George documented what happened to his body as he drank 10 12-ounce sodas a day for 30 days in an effort to draw attention to the health dangers of sugar. | 7 | 5,083 | health |
NFL head of officiating Dean Blandino confirmed Thursday that the NFL did not log the exact PSI of each football in the AFC Championship. Are the Pats getting away with Deflategate? | 1 | 5,084 | sports |
By Steve DelVecchio DeMarcus Cousins has been patiently waiting for five years to call out Clay Travis, and the Sacramento Kings center finally got his opportunity on Friday. Five months before Cousins was taken by the Kings with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Travis predicted that the former Kentucky star would be arrested within the next five years. In fact, he guaranteed it. "There is a 100% chance that DeMarcus Cousins is arrested for something in the next five years. 100%," Travis wrote at the time. "Write it in stone." Cousins took note. Travis made the remark on Jan. 30, 2010. Boogie shared a screenshot of the tweet on Jan. 30, 2015. Good for Cousins. The 24-year-old has certainly had his fair share of issues on the court. Cousins has punched opposing players in the groin and thrown temper tantrums on officials , but that's not the same as getting in trouble with the law. Travis' tweet was unfair and it obviously bothered Cousins. You can understand why he squatted on it for five years. | 1 | 5,085 | sports |
Before heading to Barcelona to drive the new, fourth-generation 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata (which coincides with the car's 25th anniversary) I drove a current example for reference. The night before it was to be returned, I climbed in to drive home, and then paused. Which way? Then I gazed down. Robert Frost's advice to "take the road less traveled" might as well be embroidered on Miata steering wheels right at the factory. I wasn't likely to encounter any diverging roads in the wood, but was sure open to something less traveled than the impacted 405 freeway… and I really needed a long drive anyway. You win, Robert. I unlatched the convertible top's header and shoved it back. Years ago, when I owned a series of British sports cars, Frost used to win these debates on a regular basis -- figuratively riding along with a broad smile and his crazy white eyebrows peeled back by the wind. The poet of wayward pavement. I hadn't seen the old buzzard for quite a while, but suddenly there he was. "I've been waiting for you, Kim. Let's head south this time." South meant Palos Verdes, a fat thumb of coastland protruding into the Pacific. And in particular, a stretch where old landslides have made its terra not so firma, resulting in some terrific roller coaster yumps near Portuguese Bend. Related link: Research the current Mazda MX-5 It was dark, and the heater's blast was in a stalemate against the chill ocean air washing through the cockpit. Looking up, stars dusted the inky blackness. Benny Goodman's haunting "Moonglow" softly played from the speakers (remember the scene in "The Aviator" - Howard Hughes and Katherine Hepburn aloft over nighttime Los Angeles?) I heel-and-toed into a corner and snicked the shifter down a gear on the only transmission in the world 'snick' actually describes. The exhaust rapped, and we romped through another dipping bend. A Miata isn't so much a car as it is a giant mechanical driving glove you wear and flex your fingers in to make proper sense of. And yet the evening's drive also worried me a bit. Was the next Miata about to fumble moments like these? Mazda readily confesses that for the past quarter century it's been the world's unlikeliest caretaker of the DNA of the classic British sports car. Whereas Volkswagen and BMW have appropriated the factories and planning rooms of Bentley and Rolls-Royce, Mazda has been preserving the vital formula for an entire genre of British automotive history. Sort of a sports car seed vault in Hiroshima. That contains a single seed. Throughout the Miata's first three generations, Mazda has had to keep one eye on the growing list of expected features, a second on ever-mounting safety standards, all while glancing worriedly whenever the car rolls up on the scales. Invariably, the needle's been ticking clockwise, having now risen upward of 400 additional pounds. So for the car's big silver anniversary -- a occasion of reinvention for many -- Mazda decided to just trash everything and reimagine the much-loved 1990 Miata through the clear lens of 2015 technology (and shed some of those damn pounds while they were at it). What's most obvious when I walked up to the new 2016 Miata in Barcelona is that it's way smaller. Flanked by its predecessor, the new Miata is 3.4 inches shorter, 0.2 in lower, and 0.4 inches wider in all, a noticeably more diminutive package (in fact, it's even 1.4 in briefer in length than the 1990 original.) Yet its outer dimensions are just the rough starting point, because the car's been rethought straight down to its architectural core. The engine (we'll get to that) has been recessed into its bay, sinking 0.5-in, and drawn 0.6-in aftward (by relocating the vacuum pump wedged between it and the firewall). Together with a lower, pedestrian-absorbing pyrotechnic pop-up hood, the nose of the car now plunges to the asphalt in an almost chisel snout. (A look I like, though the sheetmetal cascade more prominently displays the hood's shut line.) Taking advantage of that lower cowl, the driver's seat has dropped too, in part by replacing the usual support springs with thin synthetic netting that varies in tension (taut in the lumbar area for support, more lax in the shoulders for movement.) It saves weight and allows for a little recline angle, too. And while the driver's longitudinal position in the 2016 Miata is about the same, the focus on the driving experience is seriously enhanced by first scooching both occupants closer to the car's centerline (benefitting side-impact safety), perfectly aligning the steering wheel and pedals before the driver (nothing's offset), finagling the car's pitch axis to be just about behind your shoulder blades (rattling your head less and making it easier to keep your eyes trained on a visual target), and contouring the smooth door tops to spill air (when the top's down) onto your torso (good) and not your head (buffeting). I was amused to hear Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the car's program manager, explain why the steering wheel is slightly raised and there's no passenger-side glove box: Since 1990, drivers have grown 2 cm (about 0.8 in) taller but it's been almost entirely in their 'leg lengths' he said. Politely, he didn't mention that these legs' thicknesses are probably greater, too. Small bins behind the seats now provide for glovebox knick-knacks. Unfortunately, all the Japanese-spec 2016 Miatas on hand were fitted with non-U.S., 131-hp 1.5-liter engines (and all Mazda had to say about the 2.0-liter Mazda-based mill we'll be getting is that it produces 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque; lower than the current 167 but still with a roughly 5 percent better pound-to-horsepower ratio due to weight savings). Either way, smack in front of the driver is a big tach (8-grand for this 1.5-liter engine with a 7500-rpm redline), while to its right is the speedo, and to its left, a circular digital display that combines fuel level, coolant temp, and various messages. And above the center stack comfortably stands an infotainment screen (including navigation, if it's opted for) that's nicely sized for reading on the fly while keeping out of your driving sight lines. But let me bring you back to the driver's seat again. A large start button fires the 1.5-liter engine, which if you rev it, produces a pleasantly familiar, if not particularly engaging sound. Actually, a lot has been done to make it sing better, including aluminum lumps added to the differential's supporting structure that resonate during the engine's mid-range revs, vibrating the aft structure into a sympathetic rort. The usual wrist-twist shift-motion feels Miata-great though I thought the detent through neutral was a bit more noticeable than necessary (keep in mind these were pre-production cars). And accelerating away now seems more liquid, as the engineers have considerably dialed-back the throttle action's early-loading. Still, you need to watch it with the right foot; the first time I stabbed it out of a corner, the tail swept sideways (even with its defeatable stability control left on). "Wow, these guys aren't playing it safe, are they?" I chuckled while flicking a correction. And well, there's was lots more chuckling after that, too. Braking into a corner, the go-slow pedal is firm and linear, but as was later explained to me, unexpected attention has also been paid to making it more linear as you slowly step out of it while dialing-into a corner. From the driver's seat, the distinct peaks of the 2016 Miata's left and right fenders represent subconscious visual markers (notice it if you get a chance). Turning to the right, the dip of the left one tells you about body roll and its closely related lateral g level; the right peak doesn't rise or fall but acts as sort of a gunsight helping to target your path. The whole front of the car is sort of a visual reference device. Steering while mid-corner has all the positives you'd expect: great feel, delicate effort, a mild but believable sensation of load build-up, good reflexes, a touch of lively vibration. What's a bit odd to me, though, is actually the peculiarities that aren't there. Mazda has gone to some lengths to erase instances of clunky engineering one being to relax the angle between the steering column's two halves so the U-joint between them introduces less wonkiness as it rotates. Probably so. But after decades of sports cars constantly chit-chatting their eccentric mood swings, a car that has having virtually no weird stories to report through its steering wheel left me listening especially closely with my hands. And listening more, the hands heard nothing. Just honest feedback. It'll take awhile to get used to this sort of near-perfection. Later, Program Manager Yamamoto unrolled a long scroll he's kept, documenting the car's gestation and development. He stopped at a market-analysis they'd conducted with consumers who rated the performance attributes of several cars; on the left were the best-ranking ones, and among them, the Porsche Cayman had the highest scores (smart drivers). On the right was one with a bunch of zeros and ones. I looked at what car that was; let's just say it was from a company we'll call 'T' and a model starting with 'P'. "Why include that?" I asked. "We needed something that would represent zero to them." Ouch. Three supporting actors in the steering's award-worthy performance are the car's stiffness, its roughly 220 pounds of shed weight, and just as significantly, its reduced polar moment of inertia (the arms-in, arms-out, twirling ice-skater thing). Beyond the previous car's aluminum hood, trunk lid, and drivetrain truss, the fourth generation car has added aluminum front fenders, bumper support structures, a portion of the unsprung weight, its folding top hardware, and the bulkhead behind the seats (notice that much of this is targeted at the extremities of the car). Add a considerable dose of high-strength steel to the backbone ladder frame and door sills and you've got a foundation that's both solid yet easily rotatable. And one more weight-saving nuance: while the car's suspension is fundamentally the same, its load paths have been finessed to reduce the stress on their pick-up points, making those regions even lighter. The parade of higher grade materials under the 2016 Miata's skin are reflected in a richer, and visually more complex interior environment. Compared to the profoundly spare, almost primitive Gen 1 (NA) car, the Gen 4 (ND) Miata is a high-style show inside and out. But it also has a very different visual personality than Gens 1 through 3: in profile, its set-back A-pillars, compact folding roof, and tall tail (yielding a much bigger, but spare-tire-less trunk) gives the car a BMW presence. Stroll past its stern and its pinched rear overhang (and even its taillight motif) could make it a baby Jaguar F-Type (though Mazda insists theirs was penned first!) Every single part you touch, and facet you glimpse, looks and feels as if it's from a more mature, more sophisticated (and more expensive) car. The consequence is that it also has an air of greater maturity and sophistication. On my way back to work the day after my Palos Verdes detour in the outgoing Miata, I had to ditch that imaginary passenger of mine and take the road most traveled in order to meet the guys who would pick up the car. On the way north, I started trying to count the sports cars going the other way on the 405. A friend of mine who's a traffic scientist later calculated that I'd probably scanned about 16,000 cars between Costa Mesa and El Segundo, 40 miles north. Not only did I not see a single one, I didn't even spot any convertible at all with its top down (as mine was, naturally). When I was a teenager in Southern California, sports cars were a regular part of the scene. But it's been 25 year since the 1990 Miata, which itself was most importantly, a reliable interpretation of those (unreliable) British sports cars 25 years prior to itself. There are simply fewer of us left still telling each other funny stories of Lucas wiring fires and un-sych-able SU carburetors. The new Miata has evolved for a generation that doesn't laugh at the Prince of Darkness line because they don't understand it. Which is perfectly okay. And when we finally get a chance to evaluate the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata with its U.S.-spec, 2.0-liter engine, I'm sure my imaginary Robert Frost will direct me south after work again, and we'll probably have more fun than before. Though we're going to have to learn new jokes about twin-clutch transmission foibles and Bluetooth connection errors. 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata 1.5L Japan-Spec BASE PRICE $25,500 (U.S.-spec car est) LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD, 2-pass, convertible ENGINE 1.5L/131-hp/111-lb-ft I-4 TRANSMISSIONS 6-speed manual; 6-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 2,200 lb (mfr est) WHEELBASE 91.1 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 154.1 x 68.1 x 48.6 in TIRES 195/60R -16 0-60 MPH 7.0 sec (MT est) ON SALE IN U.S. Summer 2015 (U.S.-spec car) | 9 | 5,086 | autos |
When it comes to selecting kitchen countertops, classic white marble remains the top choice for many homeowners. It's no surprise the surface has been attracting fans for millennia. "It's a natural material with great variety, depending on which species you select and how it's cut," says AD100 architect S. Russell Groves. "It creates a really lovely natural pattern, which you don't get with a lot of artificial materials." "You won't find anything as white in nature as white marble," adds Evan Nussbaum, a vice president at Stone Source in New York. "You just don't get that color and kind of figuring in any other type of natural stone." But it's not a perfect product. While good-quality marbles, such as the world-famous products from Carrara, Italy, are dense and relatively nonporous which makes them durable and stain-resistant they also have weaknesses. A nonfoliated metamorphic rock, marble is generally composed of calcium carbonate (the same ingredient used in antacids such as Tums) or magnesium carbonate, which react to acids. An acidic kitchen liquid like lemon juice or vinegar will etch marble, leaving a dull, whitish mark where it has slightly eaten away the surface, even after the marble has been sealed. But as long as you choose carefully, know what to expect, and care for marble countertops, they can be a beautiful, functional choice that lasts a lifetime. Varieties Although many people automatically think of creamy, white stone when they think of marble, "there are hundreds of varieties," says Jason Cherrington, founder and managing director of the U.K.-based stone company Lapicida, including types that are taupe, green, gold, red, and black. For kitchen countertops, however, Nussbaum generally recommends sticking with white. Because acid etching leaves a whitish mark, it is much more noticeable on colored marble than on white marble. "We put a thousand caveats on any dark marble or nonwhite marble being used for kitchen countertops," he says, "but it's a personal choice." While classic Italian white marbles like Calacatta and Statuario are generally excellent quality, Nussbaum points out that equally high-quality marbles are available closer to home, including Vermont Danby and Colorado Yule. Selecting slabs Every stone slab is slightly different, so it's ideal to select the exact pieces of stone that will be used for your countertops. "There's an art to marble selecting the slabs and understanding where the veining is going to be located on the countertop," says Groves. "You want to artfully place the markings so that it's almost like a painting." At the same time, it's important to consider how different pieces come together. "The longer the piece you can get without any seams, the better," says Groves. "If you do have seams, it's always nice to book-match the marble," so adjacent pieces have a mirrored appearance. Veining Every quarry is different, but it's possible to cut certain types of marble blocks two different ways to achieve unique veining patterns. Cross cut, or fleuri cut, results in stone slabs with "an open flowered pattern," says Nussbaum, which looks fairly random and is ideal for book-matching. Vein cut, or striato, slices the block the other way to achieve a linear, striped appearance. "Designers have used both cuts to create some fantastic looks," says Cherrington. "They may use vein cut on the wall and cross cut on the floor." Related: 19 Stylishly Sleek Modern Kitchens Finish "The whole stone industry has been going through a massive wave of technology, and it's transforming the product," says Cherrington, noting that there are now more ways than ever to finish stone, including different brushing and polishing techniques. An orange-peel-like texture is possible, he notes, which "might be called a leather, brushed, or river-wash finish." But the most popular choices remain polished, which looks glossy, or honed, which appears matte. For homeowners concerned about acid etching, Nussbaum recommends a honed finish. "On a polished finish, etching is going to turn it dull and be more visible," he says. "With honed, you're dulling an already dull finish, so it disguises it." Details Besides its natural beauty, there's a reason marble has historically been so popular for sculpture: It's easy to work with tools. Add modern computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines to the equation and almost anything's possible. There are countless edge profiles to choose from, but Groves prefers a simple eased edge, which takes the sharpness off a straight 90-degree corner. Cherrington points out that a bull's nose, which has the profile of a half circle, is also a timeless favorite and functional winner. "Hard stones like marble are brittle, so if you hit a 90-degree corner with something hard, it will chip," he says. "With a curve, it's highly unlikely that it's going to chip." To give thin ¾-inch stone the look of a thicker slab, Groves says it's possible to use a miter joint at the edge of the countertop to add a thicker face with an almost seamless appearance. "You can build up a really nice thick-looking piece without having to use a thick slab," he says. It's even possible to engrave the edge of a marble countertop with a pattern of your choosing, says Cherrington, noting that Lapicida has developed marble tables featuring a carved brogue pattern on the edge in collaboration with designer Bethan Gray. Maintenance Finishing marble countertops with a penetrating sealer is essential for long-term performance, says Nussbaum, "but not a magic bullet." Acids will still etch the surface. Fortunately, if the countertop has a honed finish, an etched mark can usually be removed by scrubbing with a Comet paste using a Scotch-Brite pad, he says. If it's a polished surface, it will require different abrasives and technical skill, which might best be left to a professional. If the marble does get a stain, it can often be removed with an alkaline poultice that gradually pulls the offending material out of the stone as it dries. But any of these interventions will also strip the sealer, he notes, so it needs to be reapplied after the repair. "The good thing about marble is that you can always sand it down or polish it again," says Groves. "With a lot of other materials, once you damage it, you can't do that." However, the best way to live with marble countertops may simply be to accept that they will patina over time. "If you've been to an old bakery or pizza shop and seen how white marble patinas, and like it," says Nussbaum, "then it could be the perfect material for you." | 4 | 5,087 | lifestyle |
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) praised Mitt Romney on Friday after the former Massachusetts governor announced he would not launch a third White House bid. "Mitt Romney has been a leader in our party for many years. There are few people who have worked harder to elect Republicans across the country than he has," Bush, a likely presidential contender, wrote in a Facebook note. "Mitt is a patriot and I join many in hoping his days of serving our nation and our party are not over. I look forward to working with him to ensure all Americans have a chance to rise up," he added. Romney, the 2012 GOP nominee, announced earlier on Friday morning that he would not seek the Republican nomination for president in 2016. In a call with supporters, Romney said "it is critical that America elect a conservative leader to become our next president." "I believe that one of our next generation of Republican leaders, one who may not be as well known as I am today, one who has not yet taken their message across the country, one who is just getting started, may well emerge as being better able to defeat the Democrat nominee. In fact, I expect and hope that to be the case," Romney said in remarks first published by the Hugh Hewitt radio show. Bush and Romney would have been primary rivals if both jumped into the presidential race, as they are each popular among establishment Republicans and share a similar donor base. The two talked last week in Salt Lake City in a meeting scheduled before Romney's surprise announcement early this month that he was seriously considering another White House bid. Romney was active on the campaign trail for many Republicans during last year's midterm elections and many will eye who he supports for the Republican nomination. The former governor and another top GOP candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, are set to break bread together on Friday evening, The New York Times reports . "Though I'm sure today's decision was not easy, I know that Mitt Romney will never stop advocating for renewing America's promise through upward mobility, encouraging free enterprise and strengthening our national defense," Bush said Friday. "Columba and I wish Mitt, Ann and their entire family the very best." That sentiment was echoed by another likely Republican presidential contender, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, who wished Mitt and Ann Romney "the best." "We have gotten to know them over the last few years and deeply respect their family and Mitt's service," Paul wrote on Facebook. "I hope to work together with him to grow our party and lead our country forward." Paul repeatedly ribbed Romney's potential bid over the past few weeks, earlier this month describing a third Romney bid as the "definition of insanity." As recently as Thursday afternoon, Paul lumped Romney among Bush and presumed Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton as "the same old candidates" who may run for president. | 5 | 5,088 | news |
The operator of one of the Internet's sleaziest revenge porn websites has been banned from publishing any more nude images of people without their explicit permission under an agreement settling charges that he violated federal law. Craig Brittain, the man behind IsAnybodyDown, is also required to permanently delete all images he collected, according to a release published Thursday by the Federal Trade Commission. As Ars reported almost two years ago , Colorado Springs, Colorado-based Brittain used a variety of deceitful tactics to obtain nude photos, mostly of women, which he then posted on his site without permission. Alongside the images, he posted names, birthdates, and Facebook profiles of the people portrayed. According to the FTC, Brittain once boasted that his site was superior to other revenge porn destinations because it produced a "higher level of hatred." In all, he earned about $12,000 from IsAnybodyDown and included photos from more than 1,000 people. At the same time that Brittain published the photos, according to the FTC, Brittain owned and operated two content removal services that could delete people's images and content from IsAnybodyDown in exchange for a payment of $200 to $500. Critics claimed that e-mails sent from the two services "Takedown Hammer" and "Takedown Lawyer" used the same IP addresses as Craig Brittain's e-mails, but Brittain denied the connection. Brittain employed several tactics to obtain nude photos. One was to pose as a woman on Craigslist who wanted to exchange nude photos with other women. During the correspondence, according to at least one woman stung under the fraud, Brittain asked for her birthdate and phone number. A few days later, both the nude images and personal information were published on IsAnybodyDown. Brittain also solicited anonymous photo submissions from visitors to his site. The FTC alleged that Brittain offered bounties of at least $100 in exchange for other users finding pictures and information about a specific person. Many of the women whose images and personal details were posted to IsAnybodyDown asked Brittain to remove the content. They cited the potential harm to their careers and reputations and unwelcome contact from strangers. In many cases, according to the FTC, Brittain didn't respond. Under terms of the settlement, Brittain didn't admit to or deny any of the allegations. Interestingly, while IsAnybodyDown is no longer dishing up nudes and personal information, the site continues to live on in the Internet Archives. The FTC action is laudable, but it's likely not enough to make victims whole. | 5 | 5,089 | news |
One celebrity reportedly sprays her food with window cleaner to prevent over-indulging at restaurants. The Doctors discuss why the trick is a diet fail and offer more healthy ways to control your eating. | 7 | 5,090 | health |
Kentucky man accused of multi-state crime spree with his 13-year-old girlfriend | 8 | 5,091 | video |
Super Bowl Sunday is nothing if not a celebration of excess. Consider: -- 184 million Americans age 18+ plan to watch that's three-quarters of the adult population. -- Average ticket prices have surpassed $7,500 . -- Advertisers are spending as much as $4.5 million for 30 seconds of airtime. -- More than $100 million will be wagered at Nevada sports books, and perhaps 40 times that will be gambled informally. -- Fans will devour 1.25 billion chicken wings and 27 million slices of pizza the latter from Pizza Hut and Domino's alone . That's before we even get to the game itself, a contest for athletic immortality waged by impossible-sized men, their girth somehow matched only by their grace as they ricochet around a 360-by-160-foot plot of grass with the chaotic harmony of a New York City rush hour. Like a family driving their SUV to get double bacon cheeseburger combos, everything about the day is wholesale, venti, XXXL. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Americans are expected to spend $14.3 billion as they watch the Seahawks battle the Patriots in the big game's 49th iteration. It's the nation's second biggest eating day, a huge weekend for big-screen sales and routinely the record-setter for all-time TV ratings . Of course, the premise of these gaudy statistics, delivered dutifully by industry trade groups, is that Super Bowl is a powerful economic stimulus; the hope in hyping them is to create an irresistible, almost patriotic, momentum to spend, spend, spend. But don't buy it. The numbers are as staged as the halftime show. That's because Economics the science, not the marketplace gives us three concepts that will deflate those figures faster than a New England football. If you're not the details type, here's the quick summary. You should doubt the much-hyped Super Bowl spending spree because: 1. It's trivial in the context of the U.S. economy 2. It reduces other types of spending, and 3. It'll even out soon enough. Concept No. 1 is marginal value . In many situations, what matters is not the total amount of a certain thing, but how that thing is changing. Suppose it's late in the fourth quarter and the Patriots are losing by four points with the ball at the Seahawks' 15-yard-line. Bill Belichick calls a passing play. At that moment, he doesn't care whether Tom Brady has thrown for 50 yards or 500 for the game; the only thing that matters is those next 15 Brady's marginal gain. Concept No. 1 is marginal value . Suppose it's late in the fourth quarter and the Patriots are losing by four points with the ball at the Seahawks' 15-yard-line. Bill Belichick calls a passing play. At that moment, he doesn't care whether Tom Brady has thrown for 50 yards or 500 for the game; the only thing that matters is those next 15 Brady's marginal gain. Put slightly differently, we're making the distinction between the base (total yards) and the increment (yards on that play). Sometimes, our interpretation of the outcome depends on an additional step: Evaluating the increment relative to the base. If Brady's pass results in a touchdown, the Patriots gain six marginal points. Since they were down by four, that's a big deal it's the difference between victory and defeat. If they had been winning by 30, one extra touchdown wouldn't matter so much. It's the same with Super Bowl spending. In the abstract, $14.3 billion sounds like a lot. But U.S. consumers will spend about $12 trillion this year. In that context, $14.3 billion is a rounding error. If we want to be a bit more charitable to the NRF, we can step down to the daily level, where the impact is more noticeable but still surprisingly small. On an average day, American consumers spend about $32 billion. Let's say Super Bowl spending is spread out over five days (it takes time stock up on nachos and beer ). During that time, fans' $14.3 billion will be subsumed by the $161 billion in spending that regularly takes place. Even if we (unrealistically) assume Super Bowl spending is pure gravy not interfering with regularly scheduled spending by, say, keeping a family from going out to dinner that same evening it's a boost of only 9 percent. Not nothing, but not exactly huge. And the fact is that the Super Bowl does displace other activities. Which brings us to our second concept: opportunity costs . Time and money are finite. For every choice you make, there is an alternative. The most valuable of these alternatives is what economists call an opportunity cost. Think of the Seahawks facing 4th-and-1 at the goal line. If Pete Carroll elects to kick a field goal, Seattle will almost certainly gain three points. But they are giving up the chance of going for a seven-point touchdown (assuming a successful extra point). Even if the probability of success is only 50 percent, that implies the Seahawks are missing out on an expected 3.5 points the opportunity cost of the field goal. Bad decision. (And, actually, NFL teams are successful more than half the time on 4th-and-1's, even from the goal line .) Watching the Super Bowl also has opportunity costs and they have an economic effect as well. Restaurants are one business that are particularly hard hit. According to the NRF, just 5.5 percent of Americans plan to watch the game at a bar or restaurant. How does this compare to a typical Sunday? As it turns out, restaurant industry data is fairly hard to come by. But using data from the American Time Use Survey , I estimate that 29 percent of Americans eat out on a typical Sunday (this includes snacks as well as meals, and places like food courts as well as sit-down restaurants). But on Super Bowl Sunday, the number drops to just 15 percent. A loss of this many patrons is a big deal to restaurateurs. Using data from the Economic Research Service and the Agricultural Research Service at the Department of Agriculture, I estimated that the average cost of a meal out per adult is about $11, which, when multiplied across the 33 million adults who would have eaten out if not for the Super Bowl, comes out to about $367 million. Restaurants are not the only losers, either. For example, on a typical Sunday during the last three years, Americans spent $35 million on tickets to that week's top 10 movies. But on Super Bowl Sundays, box office sales plummeted 66 percent, to just $12 million. When you scale up to all movies (the top 10 represent about 88 percent of ticket sales) and include concessions (which constitute about a third of movie revenues), the total hit to theater operators is about $35 million. Given that movies represent about a seventh of household entertainment spending, this implies a $238 million loss across the industry. It's a great day to be a pizza delivery guy or a Best Buy investor. But it's a bad day to be in pretty much any business that doesn't involve watching football from your couch. Then again, it's only one day. And that's concept three: intertemporal substitution . It sounds fancy, but really all it means is that people can swap things between time periods. Think of it as a law of gravity applied to consumer spending. Given fixed incomes, what goes up must eventually go down. If you buy a new big-screen TV today, as many people do for the big game, chances are that you aren't going to buy one tomorrow or for quite a few days after that. (This also goes for chicken wings: If you stuff your face with 25 during the game, it's a good bet that you'll probably avoid spicy-sauce-slathered flying appendages for a while.) Like other big occasions, the Super Bowl influences the composition and timing of our spending, but it does not much alter its overall volume. To see this in action, take a look at the figure below, which charts monthly retail sales , from 2011 to 2014, adjusting for inflation, population size, and the number of days in the month. Compared to the average month, December averages 13 percent greater sales, a gain of $54 billion. But January is its mirror opposite, with sales 12 percent less than normal. Take the two months together and everything evens out. Gifts given in December are not given in January. The holidays don't create economic growth; they alter spending patterns. What goes up must come down. What's more, for all the attention consumption gets, it actually has quite little to do with economic growth . While demand for products is crucial in recoveries from recessions, spending is often as much a reflection of a healthy economy as it is a cause of it. As economists have long demonstrated, the true determinant of long-run growth in productivity is saving , not spending that is, investment . Eating pizzas will make us happy today; delaying gratification and saving for better roads, faster Internet networks, and more accessible college educations will ensure we can eat more pizzas for years to come. Or, to put it more simply, when the stimulus in question involves large numbers of people sitting on the couch eating junk food and watching TV, chances are its economic value is anything but super. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Economic Freedom in U.S. on the Rise: Study History's 'Sons of Liberty': The American Revolution Goes Gangster The Secret Scams Behind State Lottery Winnings | 3 | 5,092 | finance |
Nigeria's presidential challenger Muhammadu Buhari pledged to cheering crowds in opposition stronghold Lagos that he would tackle the country's three greatest ills -- insecurity, inequality and corruption. Africa's most populous nation votes on Feb. 14 for either Buhari of the All Progressives Congress or President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling People's Democratic Party. It will be the former military ruler's fourth attempt at the presidency, but this time he enjoys much broader support than before. As head of the military government between 1983 and 1985 he was seen as tough on corruption and in his dealings with rebellions and armed criminals. The race is expected to be the most closely fought since the end of military rule in 1999, and the majority ethnic Yoruba southwestern states, which voted for Jonathan last time, are seen as crucial swing states. Civilian rule has since been dominated by the PDP, so its loss at the ballot box would signal an unprecedented shake up of the country's fledgling democracy. Jonathan was earlier viewed as an easy victor but the momentum has shifted to the opposition in the last few months, with Buhari drawing appeal from a mix of middle class intellectuals fed up with corruption, jobless youths, and growing numbers from all walks of life worried about insecurity. "The APC has identified three fundamental problems ... One, insecurity, two, concentration of the economy (in few hands) and three, bribery and corruption," Buhari told thousands of supporters in a packed stadium, many of them wearing T-shirts or traditional, vibrantly colored robes depicting his face and that of running mate Yemi Osinbajo. Many supporters were bussed to the venue in APC decorated vehicles also with the beaming faces of the duo splashed over them. NEW BROOM? Before the candidate's speech, each speaker yelled "APC, APC!" and waved a rustic straw broom, the party's symbol, while a plane flew overhead dragging a banner with the words "I have decided to vote for Buhari". Buhari, a northern Muslim, said he would first tackle the insurgency in the northeast of the country, where Sunni jihadist group Boko Haram has killed thousands in its attempt to carve out an Islamic state in Africa's biggest economy. Jonathan has been criticized for not doing enough to protect civilians from Boko Haram and for failing to defeat the insurgents. It is a sign of how under siege Nigerians feel that so many of them regard a military strongman who trampled over civil liberties as the answer to their problems. "He's a military man with experience of these tough situations. Only a man like that can tackle Boko Haram," said Umar Ali, a Lagos food trader originally from Bama, one of the towns worst affected by the insurgency. His brother was shot dead in a militant attack there three weeks ago. Boko Haram now controls swathes of territory, mostly in Borno state, leading to much criticism of Jonathan as commander in chief of the army, which seems unable to quash the group. The president, a Christian and former zoology lecturer from the oil producing Niger Delta, blames his predecessors for starving the military of funds for fear it might stage a coup. Buhari said he would focus on increasing the number of jobs for young people at a time of high youth unemployment, and that his administration would reinvest the money saved from cracking down on corruption into revamping education. He blamed Nigeria's lack of a national railway, airline and shipping lines and particularly the unreliable power grid on years of graft. Jonathan has achieved the sell-off of the moribund state power company, but the impacts of this success have yet to be felt on the grid. (Editing by Giles Elgood) | 5 | 5,093 | news |
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden warned House of Representative Democrats on Friday that Republicans are trying to take credit for a strengthening economy and urged his party to tout the stimulus, auto bailouts and health care reforms engineered by the Obama administration. Biden, speaking at a Democratic policy retreat in Philadelphia, said that unless Democrats explain how these policies helped the economy, Republicans will persuade Americans in an "orchestrated effort" that their election victories last November sparked a stronger wave of growth and hiring. "This is our story, the Democratic party's story," Biden said. "It's about how government policy can and did change America. And people are attempting to steal that story." New Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell earlier this month said a recent uptick in the economy "appears to coincide with the biggest political change of the Obama administration's long tenure in Washington: the expectation of a new Republican Congress." Biden said that if Democrats let Republicans take credit for recovery, they will have less credibility to push their future policies, such as new spending on education and infrastructure. "The point here is that Democrats have to stand up," he said. "You've got to embrace what we did. Explain it, be proud of it, stand up for it, defend it. We can't let the Republican party rewrite history." Obama on Monday is releasing his fiscal 2016 budget plan, which will seek to boost both domestic and military spending by easing automatic budget constraints known as "sequestration." (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Leslie Adler) | 5 | 5,094 | news |
With two weeks left in Obamacare's open-enrollment season, congressional Republicans are creating a group of top legislators to draw up a replacement for the still controversial health-care reform law and deal with potentially serious fallout from a pending Supreme Court case. The move comes as Republicans have been repeatedly questioned about what they will do if the Supreme Court this June rules that billions of dollars in tax credits given to millions of Obamacare customers are illegal. Politico reported Friday that three top House members, among them former vice presidential contender and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, will head up a "working group" that will craft an alternative to Obamacare and "develop a strategy" for dealing with a possible outcome of the Supreme Court case. The other members will be Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton of Michigan and John Kline of Minnesota, who heads up the Education and Workforce Committee, Politico reported. The GOP has been criticized for their continued opposition to President Barack Obama's signature health law without offering a serious alternative to the program, which is credited with significantly reducing the number of uninsured Americans last year. But the pending Supreme Court case, due to be argued in March, has spurred what could turn out to be serious action by Republicans. Republican leaders have said they hope the Supreme Court renders the subsidies illegal in 37 states served by the federal HealthCare.gov. Should that happen, a recent public opinion poll showed strong support for the idea that Congress should legalize those tax credits . Plaintiffs in the case argue that tax credits to help customers pay their premiums and out-of-pocket health costs can only be given to the customers of the 14 state-run exchanges, not to customers of a federally operated exchange. While most people are unaware of the case, it could have significant fallout. If the subsides are taken away, millions of people could drop out of Obamacare, leading to much higher premium prices for the remaining customers. The Wall Street Journal on Friday reported that Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said that a court decision against the HealthCare.gov subsidies "opens the door to come up with some laws that will make up for the mess that we're in." The Journal report also noted how Democrats planned to blame the Republicans for destroying the subsidies if the subsidies go away. "What you're going to see is the Republican party with all their clothes off," said Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., according to the Journal . "They're standing over there naked as a jaybird and they are going to have to stand up and explain, 'Well, now we got rid of it, now what do we do?'" Read the Politico story here . Read the Wall Street Journal story here . | 3 | 5,095 | finance |
Showing your love on Valentine's Day doesn't have to mean spending all your savings on dinner and gifts. Morgan Manousos (@MorganManousos) has the best ways to save on the romantic holiday. | 8 | 5,096 | video |
If it were up to us, we'd print these real-life, real-love phrases on Valentine's conversation hearts More Zzzs, Please That snooze button just doesn't get the workout it used to since you had kids. Full Tank Anytime you can save your honey an extra (and chilly!) trip is totally appreciated. Binge Watch Downton Abbey marathon it is! (You know you can't wait to relive every dramatic, austere moment.) Puppy Love Even if he's often the third wheel in your bed. Picture Perfect As everyone this side of the 21st century knows, just one emoji can speak volumes. Movie Night Rhett and Scarlett are always welcome to join you on Valentine's Day. Babysitter Secured Quick! Find the take-out menus and set out the fancy dishes! Laundry Day Bonus points for folding later. You Wash (and Dry) Because nothing gets you in the mood faster than an empty sink and the comforting hum of a dishwasher. Latte Love The way to a girl's heart requires pumping her veins with caffeine. | 4 | 5,097 | lifestyle |
If you want to live longer, move somewhere extremely warm or extremely cold. At least it seems that way, according to a new report from 24/7 Wall Street. The site crunched the numbers from the Centers for Disease Control to figure out which states have the longest life expectancies. The report also took into consideration several factors that are important to living a long, healthy life. These include access to health insurance, obesity rate, percentage of smokers, and average income. Hawaii took the top spot with a life expectancy of 81.3 years. Along with all those palm trees, Hawaiians have the second lowest obesity rate in the country, and the fifth lowest poverty rate. Plus, they have a low smoking rate and a high rate of health insurance coverage. But the second-best state was quite a bit chillier: Minnesota. Their life expectancy was 81.1, thanks to a high rate of health insurance coverage, low obesity, and low drug-related deaths. The states with the shortest life expectancy were all in the South. Mississippi had the dubious honor of the shortest life expectancy, at 75 years. That's due to a high obesity rate, and the highest poverty rate in America. Here are the 10 states with the longest life expectancy. 1. Hawaii 2. Minnesota 3. California 4. Connecticut 5. Massachusetts 6. New York 7. Vermont 8. New Hampshire 9. New Jersey 10. Utah Originally published by Good Housekeeping. | 4 | 5,098 | lifestyle |
Famous folks who have attended the big game over the years. Kanye West The hip-hop superstar was in attendance at Super Bowl XLIX, but he wasn't all that thrilled to take a selfie with some Seahawks fans. Chrissy Teigen "The supermodel was on the field prior ro Suber Bowl XLIX to watch her husband John Legend sing 'God Bless America'." Aaron Paul The Emmy Award-winning 'Breaking Bad' actor was at Super Bowl XLVIII to see the Seahawks demolish the Broncos. Jennifer Garner The 'Alias' star got her selfie game on with Warren Sapp at Super Bowl XLVIII. Jamie Foxx The Oscar winner hung out on the sidelines before Super Bowl XLVIII. Hugh Jackman Wolverine himself was in the house at Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. Kevin Costner The 'Dances With Wolves' actor showed up at the 2014 Super Bowl with this wife, Christine Baumgartner. Denis Leary Comedian Denis Leary laughed it up on the sidelines at last year's Super Bowl. Pat Riley The man who knows a thing or two about putting title teams together was there at the Battle of the Harbaughs in 2013. Will Ferrell A mustachioed Will Ferrell was in the house in 2013 to witness the Harbaugh Bowl. David Arquette The 'Scream' actor and former WCW World Champion watched the Giants upset the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. Donnie Wahlberg The Boston native's support wasn't enough to get the Patriots a win over the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. Owen Wilson The Dallas-born Wilson was in his hometown to see the first Super Bowl at the new Cowboys Stadium in 2011. Lea Michele The 'Glee' star was in Arlington, Texas, to perform in 2011 as part of the pregame festivities. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas The Hollywood power couple was in attendance to see the Packers defeat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Quinton Aaron The actor from 'The Blind Side' threw his weight behind the Packers during the 2011 Super Bowl. Chuck Lidell The UFC fighter was feeling a bit green at Super Bowl XLV. Ashton Kutcher Wannabe shutterbug Ashton Kutcher took some shots at Super Bowl XLIV while then-wife Demi Moore looked on. Rob Lowe Colts fanatic Rob Lowe was there to witness his team's loss to the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. Condoleezza Rice and Spike Lee The former Secretary of State and the acclaimed director were spotted together during the pregame of 2010 Super Bowl. Hilary Swank and Harry Connick Jr. The 'Boys Don't Cry' actress and the New Orleans crooner hung out pregame in 2010 when the Saints defeated the Colts in Miami. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Brangelina were in Miami in 2010, with son Maddox, who is apparently a Saints fan. Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony J. Lo and then-hubby Marc Anthony didn't perform at Super XLIV, but they were in attendance. Venus Williams The tennis superstar took some time out to watch other elite athletes perform at Super Bowl XLIV. Hoda Kotb The 'Today Show' host was in Miami to watch the Saints defeat the Colts. LL Cool J Rapper turned actor LL Cool J was in Miami in 2010 as well. Kris Jenner and Kourtney Kardashian The matriarch of the Kardashian clan graced Super Bowl XLIII with her presence in 2009, as did her daughter Kourtney. Maria Menounos Menounos was at Super Bowl XLII to cheer for her Patriots, who lost to the Giants and failed to complete a perfect season. Kate Hudson and Kurt Russell The 'Almost Famous' actress was at the big game in 2008 with her mother Goldie Hawn's longtime partner, Kurt Russell. Jim Belushi The Chicago-born Belushi was in attendance as Peyton Manning handed Da Bears a loss in rainy Miami. Will Smith Few celebrities are as synonymous with their city as Will Smith is with Philadelphia, and the Fresh Prince was there to see his team's only Super Bowl appearance this century in 2005. Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush Two former presidents were there in 2005 as the Patriots defeated the Eagles in Jacksonville, Fla. Tom Arnold Tom Arnold did some correspondent work at Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, Fla. Rudy Giuliani Just a little over four months after 9/11, the NYC mayor was in New Orleans for Super Bowl XXXVI. Jack Nicholson and Jesse Jackson You may have thought Jack Nicholson only went to Lakers games, but he was also there for Super Bowl XXVII to see the Cowboys defeat the Bills. Dyan Cannon Nicholson wasn't the only fixture from Lakers games to make the trek to the 1993 Super Bowl. Marlee Matlin and Garth Brooks The Academy Award winner provided the sign language translation for Garth Brooks' national anthem in 1993. John Travolta The 'Look Who's Talking' actor was at the 1993 game between the Cowboys and Bills. LeRoy Neiman The famed artist was on hand in 1988 to draw sketches of the game between the Redskins and Broncos. Danny Thomas Actor and comedian Danny Thomas was spotted at a Super Bowl way back in 1973 when the Redskins took on the Dolphins. Lyndon B. Johnson Just days before leaving office in 1969, LBJ took in the sights and sounds at Super Bowl III. Ted Kennedy and Joe Kennedy The Kennedy family was also well-represented at Super Bowl III. Bob Hope In what is perhaps the first celebrity sighting at the Super Bowl, Bob Hope was on the sidelines for Super Bowl III to watch the Joe Namath and the Jets upset the Colts. | 1 | 5,099 | sports |
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