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If you were too hopped up on hot wing sauce to even notice that the 2016 Nissan Maxima made a cameo during the automaker's Super Bowl commercial, not to worry. The Japanese automaker just confirmed we'll be able to get a closer look at the newly designed full-size sedan when it makes its official debut at the upcoming 2015 New York International Auto Show in April. Nissan's "4-door sports car" first made a surprise appearance during Nissan's "With Dad" Super Bowl spot , which focused on the relationship between a professional Nissan race car driver and his growing son. The father is seen working throughout most of the son's childhood, racing cool cars like the GT-R LM Nismo prototype. That race car made a surprise appearance in the commercial, but it wasn't the only unexpected debut that day. The dad then surprises his teenage son by picking him up in a shiny new 2016 Maxima sedan. In the commercial, we could see that the Maxima's front end features the corporate "V-motion" grille design flanked by swept-back headlights. Two separate character lines are also new on the sides of the car, with a kink in the rear haunches and the same "floating roof" design of the Murano . We were also able to see the 2016 Maxima's rear end which displayed a "Platinum" badge along with taillights that look similar to the ones on the Sentra and Altima sedans. We'll get a much closer look when the 2016 Nissan Maxima shows its face at the New York show in a couple months. Source: Nissan | 9 | 6,600 | autos |
Meldon Von Riper Stultz III is a young, brash, street-savvy entrepreneur living outside Asbury Park, New Jersey. He incessantly tinkers with vintage bikes and cars, and holds down jobs doing bodywork and repairs in local shops all the while conjuring up ways to promote his brilliant racing ideas. In 2012, The Race of Gentlemen put Meldon and his Oilers Car Club on the map. The inaugural race (HRM cover story, Mar. 2013) was fueled by social media and word of mouth through the strong hot rod presence based on the Jersey Shore. The Race of Gentlemen was created to be a kick-in-the-chaps to bloated car shows where spectators lounge on lawn chairs and hover over their latest auction finds. It's a stripped-down, leaner, faster, and louder version of your typical car show a place where tradition is first and patina's not a dirty word. For the past two years, the kitschy summertime playground of Wildwood, New Jersey, has been the show's home. Stocked with cool, retro motels and a more than ample beachfront, the resort town has given Meldon and the Oilers the perfect real-estate option to hold their sandblasted event. Night of the Troglodytes Party Heading down the Garden State Parkway on Friday morning, we ran across several rodders as we rolled into town. By the afternoon, vintage unmuffled bikes were racing around the pin-straight byways that make up the roadway grid in Wildwood, and spontaneous parties sprung up in every neon-blazoned motel open for business. On Friday, the Oilers threw a "Night of the Troglodytes" party at the Surf Comber Motel. The road was closed out front, and an impromptu car show soon sprung up. Bikes packed the parking lot while bands played on the inn's upper deck. We got there in time to witness Andrew Kohler kickin' out the jams with his band, "The Telltale Signs." Saturday morning brought dark skies and a spittle of rain. As the tide receded, the contestants corralled their rides onto the surfside dragstrip, which was packed tight from the previous high tide. Like previous years, there was a smattering of contestants from all over the country. Mike Santiago once again cruised in from Washington with his single-seat speedster. The boys from Colorado were also in attendance: Scotty McCann and son Bryan from Deluxe Speed Shop, along with friend Willie Snyder all sporting Fords decked out with all sorts of speed goodies. Also back for another round was Mike Nicholas from the Hot Rod Hill Climb, driving Cal Kennedy's specially prepared Chevy roadster sporting a Wayne 12-port motor. There was definitely a horsepower upgrade over last year's event. Speed parts and locked rear differentials were far more common, meaning bigger starts, faster runs, and more rooster tails much to the crowd's delight. Unfortunately, due to the tide, racing was cut short by mid-afternoon on Saturday. Sunday morning greeted participants with blue skies and perfect race conditions. Viewers got their money's worth, watching traditional rods and bikes tear up the eighth-mile beach course. The race lasted from ebbing tide to incoming, and only quit once salty ocean waters engulfed the entire course. When it was all said and done, the feeling on the beach was electric; the drivers were having a blast and it showed. The races flowed well, and there was very little downtime. Many of the matchups showed heated racing from competitors. Racing on sand is truly a cool thing, but ultimately, it's the underground feeling of The Race of Gentlemen that makes this event. It's the sensation you're part of something so unique and so needed. The Race of Gentlemen is more than a rehash of times past, it tugs on those same heartstrings that made us love hot rodding for what it was and still is. | 9 | 6,601 | autos |
Most people don't think about their fertility until there's a problem. But the truth is, it's never too early to start thinking about it and preserving your fertility. Dr. Manny sits down with the authors of "The Whole Life Fertility Plan," Kyra Phillips and Dr. Jamie Grifo | 7 | 6,602 | health |
The judge presiding over the Aaron Hernandez murder trial has delayed proceedings to hash out separate issues surrounding evidence and one of the jurors. | 8 | 6,603 | video |
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy, the most searched city and the city with the best round-trip airfare from the U.S. and Canada on Kayak. Bert Kauffman / Flickr Skift Take: Don't expect to see tour busses en masse in Hartford, Connecticut in the near future, but these lists demonstrate how people travel beyond the cliches. Dan Peltier A Connecticut city and a southern Indian metropolis are among the destinations travelers yearn for the most, according to Kayak's data team. Kayak analyzed data from more than one billion searches conducted in the U.S. and Canada between November 1, 2013 to October 31, 2014 for travel occurring during that timeframe. As always, this year's lists of top places to visit from various travel media include some lesser trafficked cities that may never win name recognition like London or Paris and populate these one billion searches. Still, when Hartford, Connecticut and Hyderabad, India make it on the top 10 list of trending destinations worldwide this is something that cannot be ignored. Is it a fluke? Not so, says David Solomito, a spokesperson for Kayak. "While Hartford does have a solid mix of business and cultural activities, we believe the primary driver in its newfound interest has been the increase in direct flights added to Bradley International Airport which provides more options to those looking to fly in and out of the region," said Solomito. "Hyderabad is gaining popularity for its growing tech community and vibrant nightlife." Milan, Italy was the top trending destination during that period and also the top "deals" destination, or the city with the greatest drop in round-trip airfare year-over-year from the U.S. and Canada. Searches were up 105% year-over-year for Milan, which was also chosen as the number one place to go in 2015 by the New York Times for its " 52 Places to Go " list, although the search data preceded news of its top spot on that list. "Milan also completed a major urban renewal which could be a contributing factor along with the interest in the upcoming World Expo this year," said Solomito. "It should also be noted that Emirates has opened a popular New York City to Milan route." Airfare dropped 13% year-over-year for Milan, sitting at just over $1000 in December, while Hyderabad, the number two deals destination, saw its airfare drop 11% year-over-year to about $1500. Cities like Seattle, Portland, Oregon and Savannah, Georgia also made the lists, with Savannah making both the deals and trending lists. Kayak also found U.S. and Canadian travelers should book travel to Europe at least six months in advance for the cheapest round-trip airfares, the longest advanced booking time of any continent. Africa follows at two months and other continents and regions have recommended advanced booking times of only a few weeks before departure. Africa had the highest average airfare for round-trip flights from the U.S. and Canada for the period examined ($1,334), trailed by Asia ($1,275) and Europe ($1,132). Australia was not part of this data pool. Top 10 Trending Destinations on Kayak for Flight Searches from the U.S. and Canada, 2014 vs. 2013 Rank City % Increase in Flight Searches 2014 vs. 2013 1 Milan, Italy 105% 2 Rio de Janiero 49% 3 Portland, Oregon 45% 4 Hyderabad, India 42% 5 Athens, Greece 17% 6 Toronto, Canada 16% 7 Savannah, Georgia 15% 8 Nashville, Tennessee 15% 9 Hartford, Connecticut 15% 10 Montreal, Canada 14% Top 10 Destinations With Largest Average Decreases in Round-Trip Airfare from U.S. and Canada Rank City % Decrease in Avg. Round-Trip Airfare 2014 vs. 2013 1 Milan, Italy 13% 2 Hyderabad, India 11% 3 New Delhi, India 11% 4 Vancouver, Canada 10% 5 Guadalajara, Mexico 9% 6 Hong Kong 9% 7 Savannah, Georgia 8% 8 Toronto, Canada 7% 9 Bangkok, Thailand 7% 10 Lima, Peru 7% Source: Kayak | 2 | 6,604 | travel |
How old is your ride? According to the market research firm Polk, the average age of vehicles out on the road in 2014 hit 11.4 years, an all-time high. While you may love your 11.4 year-old cruiser, new data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that newer vehicles are dramatically safer than the older vehicles out on the road. No one is suggesting you are cruising around town in a death trap, but the fact is, safety features have made huge advancements in the last decade. "There's no question today's cars are dramatically safer than they were in 2003," says Joe Wiesenfelder, executive editor at Cars.com. "Apart from the proliferation of safety systems, automakers have improved the structural crashworthiness of their models." IIHS data show that the chances of dying in a crash in a late-model vehicle have fallen by more than a third in just three years. Even more impressive, nine vehicles from the 2011 model year hit the magic number: a driver death rate of 0. ( See how 2011 models compared .) We asked a number of experts about safety technologies that have emerged since that average car was made more than a decade ago. Airbags Even your 2003 vehicle has at least two front airbags, but even the cheapest new car available in 2015, the Nissan Versa, comes with side-curtain airbags in both front and rear and side airbags mounted in the seats as well. Availability and cost: Virtually every new car comes with front, side and side-curtain airbags standard. Some of the latest options include inflatable seat belts (Ford), front center (GM) and even a pedestrian airbag (Volvo) that pops over the windshield in case you hit someone crossing the street. What experts say: " Undeniably one of the most important passive-safety technologies of all time, second only to the seat belt," says Wiesenfelder. Anti-lock Braking Systems (ABS) This computerized system allows a driver to keep the brake pedal fully depressed while the system pumps the brakes automatically, keeping them from locking up and allowing the driver to steer. Availability and cost: ABS has been around for years and most vehicles have it; your 2003 car probably benefits from it. Technically, ABS is not federally mandated, but electronic stability control (ESC) systems rely on ABS and ESC was required on all vehicles as of 2012. What experts say: ABS has proved to reduce accident severity, and most insurers offer a discount for ABS. In fact, Florida, New Jersey and New York require a discount for this technology, says Penny Gusner, consumer analyst with Insure.com. Electronic Stability Control (ESC) ESC keeps your car on the road when you have lost control. The system checks 25 times a second if the direction your car is traveling corresponds to the steering input. If it detects a slide, it applies the brakes and reduces engine torque to straighten the car out. Availability and cost: Luxury vehicles were the first to benefit from ESC. Mercedes and BMW introduced the technology in the mid-1990s. By 2007, a full 22 percent of cars and 53 percent of SUVs and pickups came with ESC. As of the 2012 model year, all vehicles sold in the U.S. were required to have ESC. What experts say: ESC is considered a game-changer by most experts. "ESC is the most important safety feature most people have never heard of. It's up there with seat belts and airbags in its life-saving benefits," says Russ Rader, senior vice president at the IIHS. Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) This electronic system monitors the air pressure inside a vehicle's tires and reports to the driver via a gauge, a display or a low-pressure warning light. Availability and cost: Tire pressure systems were mandated as of the 2007 model year. The TREAD act was a direct result of the Firestone recalls in the 1990s, when over 100 deaths were linked to rollover accidents due to tread-separation. What experts say: Opinions vary on these systems. Michael Dash, with CarPartKings.com says, "TPMS is extremely effective in preventing blowouts, great for extending gas mileage." Wiesenfelder is not as impressed, "TPMS typically doesn't alert the driver until inflation is at least 25 percent below the rated specification. By that time, it's already unsafe and experiencing accelerated wear." Back-up cameras The name spells out what this safety feature does. When a car is put in reverse, a dashboard displays shows what is behind the vehicle. Some backup cameras include trajectory lines and distance readings. Availability and cost: The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently mandated that all passenger vehicles have a back-up camera by May 2018. Edmunds.com stats show 46 percent of 2014 cars had a back-up camera as standard equipment. What experts say: " This is a no-brainer," says Wiesenfelder. "Simply look at the price of the camera option versus the price of an insurance deductible, and the decision is made." Most drivers choose a collision deductible of $500, according to Insurance.com data. (See " What Drivers Like You Buy .") Back-up sensors A poor man's back-up camera. These are proximity sensors that audibly warn a driver that the car is getting close to an obstacle. Availability and cost: As back-up cameras become standard, sensors will become less important as a warning device, but carmakers will continue to integrate them into park assist (self-parking) features. What experts say: Dash does not consider them a real safety feature, but more of a luxury that prevents bumper damage. Wiesenfelder tends to agree. "For me, the best combination is a backup camera and front sensors," he says. Park assist (Self-parking) No need to worry about parallel parking anymore: Your car will do it for you. Pull up next to a spot, shift the car into reverse and it slips into a spot. Lexus was the first to offer this feature in 2006. Availability and cost: While this feature may come standard on some luxury vehicles, it is usually an upgrade. Prices vary between $350 and $600 or as high as $4,000 if it is only available as a bundled tech package. What experts say: While certainly a convenience, it's not going to keep you out of an accident. "I only recommend it if you're doing a lot of city driving and need to parallel park frequently ," says Dave Gourley of Findlay Auto St George. Voice control s While most cars will let your Bluetooth-connected phone call your spouse hands-free, cars equipped with voice control let you control other functions, such as climate control, navigation and even the windshield wipers. Availability and cost: Standard on many luxury vehicles, it is often part of an upgraded stereo or navigation system in more affordable cars. What experts say: Most advise that you give it a miss, for now. "It's more distracting than anything," says Gourley. Recent studies show voice control systems actually raise stress levels and often distract the driver unnecessarily. "Don't learn what works and what doesn't at 60 mph," says Des Toups, managing editor of Insurance.com. "Do it in the driveway first." Adaptive cruise control This safety features uses a radar unit to scan the road ahead. It automatically adjusts your speed if it detects a slower moving object in front of you. It accelerates back up to the set speed when the road clears. Availability and cost: While once reserved for luxury vehicles, it is making its way down the food chain. In most cases it is part of a technology package. On a 2014 Toyota Highlander this package cost a cool $1,400. What experts say: While a bit spotty at first, the technology has improved dramatically. "Great feature. Well worth the price, especially for people who regularly commute," says Gourley. Adaptive headlights These new-age headlights pivot with steering wheel input, illuminating the road in front of you. The technology has been shown to be highly effective, especially on dark corners. Availability and cost: Like most of the new safety features, adaptive headlights are slowly working their way into the vehicle inventory. According to IIHS, in the 2014 model year they were standard on 14 percent of models and optional on 22 percent. As a stand-alone option you can expect to pay $500 to $1,000 for this feature. What experts say: "If you live in a rural or deer-populated area, you quickly come to rely on them," says Toups. Blind-spot warning This system uses radar or cameras to monitor your blind spot. A dashboard icon will light up if a car moves into your blind spot; most systems will also hit you with an audible alert if you attempt to change lanes or even turn on your turn signal. Availability and cost: Much like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning is showing up in more affordable cars, usually on more upscale trim levels. Often bundled in a technology upgrade, prices vary dramatically. Expect to spend at least a $1,000 for the package that includes this feature. What experts say: Blind-spot warning gets mixed reviews. Complaints abound about false warnings. Others feel it has something to offer. "I recommend this feature for teen drivers or the older generation who could use extra help checking their blind spots," says Gourley. Lane-departure warning Cameras or lasers monitor lane markings. If your vehicle exits its lane without a turn signal activated, the systems sounds an alert. Some vibrate the steering wheel or seat to jolt you back into reality. Availability and cost: This is another safety system that comes standard on a few luxury cars but is working its way down the line. It is usually offered on more expensive trim levels or bundled as an upgraded technology package. What experts say: "The jury is still out on the effectiveness of lane departure," says Rader. Mixed reviews and less-than-stellar study results call into question its effectiveness. An IIHS study found that lane-departure-equipped cars were 10 percent more likely to be involved in an accident. Forward collision warning This groundbreaking system uses cameras, radar or lasers to detect vehicles ahead and alert the driver if they are closing in too fast. An audible alert or vibration of the steering wheel is used to get a driver's eyes back on the road. Availability and cost: Despite promising results, forward collision warning is still fairly rare. According to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HDLI), forward collision warning was standard on only 2 percent of 2013 model year cars. It was optional on 27 percent. The system can run upward of $1,500 as an option on many vehicles. What experts say: This technology could be a game-changer. In fact, the IIHS will no longer give a vehicle its top safety rating without this feature. "Research shows that front crash prevention systems are helping drivers avoid crashes, and lessening the impact on the crashes that do happen," says Rader. Forward collision warning with auto-braking This takes forward collision warning one step further. If you fail to heed the warning, the car automatically hits the brakes, bringing it to a stop before you have a collision. Availability and cost: Like standard forward collision warning, this system is still pretty rare but it is starting to trickle down. "This feature has proliferated in the affordable midsize sedan class and has appeared in some compacts, including the Subaru Impreza -- always as optional equipment," says Wiesenfelder. What experts say: If you are shopping for a new car, this is the one feature that you should consider according to many experts. "Among all the active-safety features out there -- blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, lane departure prevention -- this is the one that matters most," says Wiesenfelder. New or used, the crucial safety features Drivers choose a vehicle for a long list of reasons, from price to performance to gas mileage. Crash-test ratings may be one of them - but that doesn't measure the value of technology that prevents the crash. You certainly shouldn't choose a used car without electronic stability control, experts agree, especially for a teenager. "ESC doesn't save your life in an accident," Toups says. "But it prevents a lot of bone-headed moves from turning into accidents in the first place." On new cars, crash-prevention systems such as forward collision warning are widely seen as the must-have technology - so much that IIHS has reset the bar for its Top Safety Picks to exclude vehicles without them. Will safety features save you money on insurance? The older a technology is, the better chance a discount is involved. Insurers typically wait for reams of data before they feel a technology is ready for a lower premium. According to Gusner, only four of the safety systems listed typically qualify for a discount: air bags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control and adaptive cruise control. One insurer has made the leap for new technologies. "We offer discounts for adaptive cruise control, adaptive headlights, collision preparation systems, blind-spot warning and lane-departure warning," says Glenn Greenberg with Liberty Mutual. Discounts vary by coverage, feature and state, he advises. Others are watching closely. "We find these technologies very interesting and hope to offer a discount for some of them in the next couple of years," says Jeff Schroeder, product manager with Mercury Insurance. | 3 | 6,605 | finance |
BOSTON (AP) Boston Mayor Martin Walsh says the victory parade for the New England Patriots can't be pushed back again even though the city is still digging out from a snowstorm and the subway system is having weather-related service problems. Walsh announced Monday night that the parade would be postponed until Wednesday morning while Boston recovered from its second major winter storm in a week. He said Tuesday that many people have suggested postponing the parade again - this time until Saturday. He says the players will have scattered by then. The Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Sunday's Super Bowl. The mayor asked fans attending the parade not to perch on snowbanks because of the dangers involved and to dress appropriately for temperatures expected to be below freezing. | 1 | 6,606 | sports |
The 2015 Oscar Nominees Luncheon was held in Los Angeles on February 2, 2015, and was attended by top contenders including Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone and Felicity Jones. Take a look at what they wore to the event. Emma Stone Emma Stone, Best Supporting Actress nominee for her role in Birdman , wore a Michael Kors dress and paired them with shoes from Christian Louboutin. Michael Keaton Best Actor nominee Michael Keaton ( Birdman ) wore a sharp black suit to the event. Reese Witherspoon Nominated in the Best Actress category for her performance in Wild , Reese Witherspoon arrived in a Giambattista Valli dress. Rosamund Pike Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike, nominated for Best Actress, paired her lovely white Vionnet dress with Brian Atwood shoes. Common Recording artist Common, Best Original Song nominee, looked dapper in a black suit. Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey looked elegant in the fuchsia-coloured dress and paired it with a stylish bracelet. Robert Duvall Robert Duvall, Best Supporting Actor nominee for The Judge , attended the event in a classic black suit. J.K. Simmons J. K. Simmons, nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash , wore a suit to the luncheon. Julianne Moore Best Actress nominee ( S till Alice ) Julianne Moore looked stunning in red top and skirt combination by Prabal Gurung. Steve Carell Foxcatcher 's Best Actor nominee Steve Carell sported a blue suit paired with stylish spectacles. Edward Norton Birdman actor Edward Norton, nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category, cut a classic look in his blue suit. Patricia Arquette Best Supporting Actress nominee (for Boyhood ) Patricia Arquette's white dress featured an asymmetrical neckline that stood out along with her chic clutch. Eddie Redmayne The Theory of Everything star Eddie Redmayne, nominated for the Best Actor award, looked dapper in a Ralph Lauren suit. Marion Cotillard Best Actress nominee for Two Days, One Night , Marion Cotillard turned heads with her Dior Haute Couture dress and silver Dior clutch. Clint Eastwood Hollywood legend and American Sniper director Clint Eastwood wore a classic suit. Bradley Cooper American Sniper star Bradley Cooper, nominated for Best Actor, was class personified in his grey suit and checkered shirt. Felicity Jones Felicity Jones, nominated in the Best Actress category for her role in The Theory of Everything , wore a Dior dress and shoes from Jimmy Choo. Richard Linklater Best Director nominee (for Boyhood) Richard Linklater at the Oscar Nominees Luncheron. Laura and Bruce Dern Laura Dern, Best Supporting Actress nominee for Wild , came with her father Bruce Dern to the event. Neil Patrick Harris 2015 Oscars host Neil Patrick Harris looked stylish as ever in his shiny suit. | 4 | 6,607 | lifestyle |
Kate's maternity style The Duchess of Cambridge won praise for her wardrobe of beautiful, bump-friendly coats and dresses during her pregnancy with Prince George. With Kate starting to re-appear after a short hiatus, fashion fans and fellow mothers-to-be are keen to see how Kate styles out her pregnancy the second time around. Click through the images to check out the Duchess of Cambridge's pregnancy fashion choices. Duchess of Cambridge January 2015 : Kate stepped for a morning meeting with the volunteers and beneficiaries of a charity in London on January 19. She looked radiant in a green and blue Seraphine 'Florrie' floral print maternity dress, which retails for $150. The baby blue dress coat she wore over it is also by the same designer. Duchess of Cambridge in London January 2015: Wearing a brown Hobbs dress, Kate attended an event hosted by The Fostering Network to celebrate the work of foster carers in providing support to vulnerable young people at Islington Council in London, England on January 16. Duchess of Cambridge in London January 2015: The Duchess of Cambridge visited the Barlby Primary School wearing a dress by maternity brand Madderson on January 15 in London, England. Duchess of Cambridge in King's Lynn December 2014 : Duchess of Cambridge attends a Christmas Day church service at Sandringham on December 25 in King's Lynn, England. Duchess of Cambridge in London December 2014 : Duchess of Cambridge visited the 23rd Poplar Beaver Scout Colony in east London on December 16, to support the Scout Association's 'Better Prepared' campaign, which aims to help communities to deliver Scouting to two hundred locations across the UK, wearing a black UK Scouting hooded jacket with black skinny J Brand jeans and black boots. Duchess of Cambridge in New York December 2014 : The Duchess attended the St. Andrews 600th anniversary dinner at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, wearing a blue Jenny Packham gown and diamond and emerald earrings. Duchess of Cambridge in New York December 2014 : The Duchess of Cambridge visited the National September 11 Memorial Museum, wearing a pink Mulberry coat over a Seraphine dress and black heels. Duchess of Cambridge in New York December 2014: The Duchess visited the Northside Centre for Child Development, New York, wearing a black and white trimmed Washington coat by British label Goat. She teamed her dress with black gloves and heels. Duchess of Cambridge's first appearance in the US December 2014: The Duchess arrived in New York for a three-day official visit wearing a purple-burgundy custom boucle 'Marina' coat dress by Seraphine. According to Grazia , the label by French designer Cecile Reinaud is said to be the the "crown jewel of maternity fashion" and a hot favourite of Kate. She is expected to tour a NY child development center with the city's first lady, Chirlane McCray. The Duchess at a charity event in Kensington Palace November 2014: The Duchess of Cambridge was spotted in a pretty polka-dotted Hobbs black top and a Jenny Packham black skirt, as she welcomed guests to Kensington Palace for a reception and awards ceremony. Duchess of Cambridge at the Palladium Theatre November 2014: The Duchess arrived at the Royal Variety Performance with Prince William looking gorgeous in a Diane Von Furstenberg black gown with three quarter-length lace sleeves. She accessorised with a sparkly black clutch and hoop earrings by Kiki McDonough. The Duchess wears black for the annual Remembrance Sunday Service November 2014: Donning an Alexander McQueen flared wool coat and a structured Jane Corbett hat, the Duchess attended the annual Remembrance Sunday Service at the Cenotaph, Whitehall. Her choice of accessories included a silver 'Empress' necklace by Mappin & Webb and a pair of dangling sapphire and diamond earrings. The Duchess of Cambridge's visit to Valero Pembroke Refinery November 2014: The Duchess kept it classy in blue while visiting Valero Pembroke Refinery's 50th anniversary celebration. She opted for a double-breasted Matthew Williamson coat over her black separates. Kate's appearance at the gala dinner for Action on Addiction October 2014: The Duchess of Cambridge looked gorgeous in a paneled Temperley London black knee-length dress. Her look was completed with a shimmering matching clutch and suede black pumps. The Duchess at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards October 2014: The pregnant royal arrived at the 2014 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards wearing a daring wrap dress by Jenny Packham. She accessorised with a pair of Monica Vinader earrings and a shiny clutch. The Duchess's first appearance after the announcement of her second pregnancy October 2014: Kate opted for a tailored Alexander McQueen coat dress for her first appearance since the announcement of her second pregnancy. She completed her look with a Jane Taylor hat and accessories from Jenny Packham. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge at the Queen's birthday and trooping of the colours June 2013: Kate made her final public appearance before giving birth to Prince George at a trooping of the colour celebrating the Queen's birthday, looking incredible in a pale pink, custom-made coat by Alexander McQueen, styled with Annoushka pearl earrings and a Jane Corbett hat. Kate wears a Hobbs coat to the Royal Princess cruise ship naming June 2013: Her pregnancy may have been nearing its end when the Duchess of Cambridge attended the naming of the Royal Princess cruise ship, but her maternity style was showing no signs of slacking, with Kate wearing this Dalmatian print coat by high street store Hobbs. Unsurpisingly, the £169 coat sold out within minutes of Kate wearing it. Kate arrives at the Queen's Coronation 60th anniversary service wearing a Jenny Packham dress June 2013: Kate attended the Queen's coronation 60th anniversary celebrations in this pale pink Jenny Packham dress, with an A-line shape that sat just above her bump. She covered up with a matching pink coat and wore her trusty LK Bennett heels. Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace garden party May 2013: The Duchess attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace at the end of May wearing a gorgeous, canary yellow coat by one of her favourite British designers, Emilia Wickstead, completing her look with a Jane Corbett fascinator and pearl drop earrings. Duchess of Cambridge's maternity style April 2013: Looking every inch the beautiful blooming mother-to-be, Kate wore this peachy-keen £380 Tara Jarmon Cotton Twill coat over a nude-coloured dress on a visit to a children's hospice. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge leaves the designer dresses at home and opts for Topshop spots April 2013: For a visit to the Warner Bros Studios in Hertfordshire 'the Duchess effect' struck once again as this spotted number by high street favourite Topshop sold-out online in a matter of minutes. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge gets it spot on in pastel blue dress April 2013: The Duchess went coat-free for an engagement at the National Portrait Gallery, showing off her bump in this beautiful pastel blue dress by Emilia Wickstead. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge celebrates St George's Day in dress by British label April 2013: The Duchess celebrated St George's Day at a school in Manchester by wearing a printed dress by British label Erdem, costing a cool £1,065. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge wears favourite accessories to Windsor Castle April 2013: Another royal engagement, another great coat from Kate's maternity wardrobe. The Duchess is known for her support of British brands, as she demonstrated by wearing this mint green tweed cover-up by Mulberry to the National Review of the Queen's Scouts at Windsor Castle. Duchess of Cambridge's maternity style April 2013: On a two-day visit to Scotland with daddy-to-be William, Kate wrapped her bump up warm in this cheerful red Armani coat. Duchess of Cambridge's maternity style April 2013: On the same trip she also sported this blue and grey check coat by British label Moloh - very appropriate for bump's first trip to Scotland! Catherine Duchess of Cambridge wears green for St Patrick's Day March 2013: For an official engagement on St Patrick's Day, it was pretty appropriate that the Duchess opted to wear a smart green coat by one of her favourite desginers, Emilia Wickstead. She completed the look with black heels, tights, gloves and a John Locke hat. Duchess of Cambridge's maternity style March 2013: On an official engagement with Prince William, the expectant mother proved that she can mix designer with high street and still look fabulous, wearing this luxury cream Goat coat with a Topshop dress. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge March 2013: Pregnant Kate opted for a smart teal collarless jacket for a British family royal visit to Baker Street underground station, completing the look with black heels, gloves and a black hat. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge March 2013: The Duchess made a surprise appearance at the Cheltenham Festival in March, concealing her growing baby bump under a thick beige coat. Duchess of Cambridge March 2013: In early March the Duchess of Cambridge visited Grimsby. She covered up her bump in a brown coat by Hobbs, cinched with a waist belt. Catherine Duchess of Cambridge February 2013: We saw the first signs of a bump when the Duchess visited Hope House in London wearing a grey patterned wrap dress by MaxMara - a perfect pregnancy choice. Duchess of Cambridge January 2013: There was no sign of a baby bump in January when the Duchess attended the unveiling of her first official portrait, wearing a beautiful burgundy chiffon dress. Duchess of Cambridge January 2013: The Duchess' first official engagement after announcing her pregnancy was presenting the Sports Personality of the Year Award alongside David Beckham, with the mother-to-be looking lovely in a bottle green gown by Alexander McQueen. Duchess of Cambridge December 2013: The Duchess of Cambridge announced she was expecting early on in her pregnancy when she was taken to hospital with severe morning sickness. Kate picked a navy blue coat with flat knee-high black boots as she emerged from hospital after the news broke. | 4 | 6,608 | lifestyle |
Official sales figures for January 2015 won't be released until tomorrow, but already, the bowtie brand is claiming a victory with its new 2015 Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup. In just a few short months of being on-sale, Chevrolet claims the Colorado has already surpassed the Nissan Frontier as the second-best-selling midsize truck. While tooting your own horn about being "second best" may seem strange, it's a major accomplishment for the Colorado, which took a two-year production hiatus. The Toyota Tacoma still enjoys a dominant market share in the midsize segment, and overtaking the Tacoma will likely take the combined sales of the GMC Canyon and Colorado to ever have the chance of happening. But if early trends are any indication, Toyota should at least be a little concerned, as the Colorado's top-selling metropolitan market is Los Angeles, a market traditionally dominated by import brands in almost every segment. Strong performance in this import-loving region could signal sustained success for the Colorado. Related link: Research the Chevrolet Colorado The Colorado and Canyon won't have much time to rest on their laurels, however. The 2016 Toyota Tacoma was revealed at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, featuring all-new sheetmetal, a new interior, and a new 3.5L Atkinson-cycle V-6, which promises a dramatic improvement in fuel economy over the current 4.0L engine. You can bet Toyota is not going to give up the midsize truck sales crown without a fight. Source: General Motors | 9 | 6,609 | autos |
DENVER (AP) -- Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong hit two parked cars with an SUV after a night of partying in Colorado but agreed to let his longtime girlfriend take the blame to avoid national attention, police reports show. Aspen police cited Armstrong with failing to report an accident and speeding weeks after the Dec. 28 accident, but only after his girlfriend, Anna Hansen, acknowledged lying for him. Armstrong declined immediate comment on Tuesday. His attorney, Pamela Mackey, didn't immediately return a call. Hansen initially told police she had been driving home from an Aspen Art Museum party when she lost control of Armstrong's GMC Yukon on icy roads, hitting the cars. She said she drove because "Lance had a little bit to drink," according to the reports. A man who had been renting one of the damaged cars told a police detective that Hansen came running up to his house in high heels, apologizing and promising to pay for the repairs. "She said, `I'm Anna, we're the Armstrongs, my husband's Lance, he was just driving maybe too fast around the corner or something,'" the man, Thomas Van Allen, told police, according to the reports. Police say Hansen and Armstrong left the scene before police arrived. Detectives later interviewed Hansen, who eventually told them Armstrong was driving, but the couple had decided to let her take the blame. "We've had our family name smeared over every paper in the world in the last couple of years and honestly, I've got teenagers, I just wanted to protect my family," Hansen told police, the reports state. "I thought, gosh, Anna Hansen hit some cars, it's not going to show up in the papers, but Lance Armstrong hit some cars, it's going to be a national story." Failure to report an accident is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a fine of between $150 and $300. Driving too fast for conditions is punishable by a fine between $15 and $100. Hansen is not charged with a crime. The Aspen Daily News first reported the citation. Armstrong is scheduled to appear in court March 17. Armstrong won the Tour de France every year from 1999 to 2005. Those titles were stripped after a massive report by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency detailed the use of performance enhancing drugs by Armstrong and his U.S. Postal Service teammates. ------ Associated Press writer Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report. | 1 | 6,610 | sports |
Rasheem Green, the No. 23 national recruit according to the 247Sports Composite , committed to USC on National Signing Day, adding to an already impressive class for the Trojans. Green is a consensus five-star recruit who received a Composite rating of 0.9893 and is listed as the No. 5 defensive tackle in the nation. USC, Arizona State, Miami, and Oregon were listed as his finalists. Our experts expected him to sign with the Trojans . "I expect Green to be a part of the mega class that USC is putting together," says SB Nation recruiting analyst Bud Elliott. "I don't believe Miami or Arizona State has a real shot." USC is a good bet to finish with the country's No. 2 class , and maybe even push for No. 1. For much more on the Trojans, visit Conquest Chronicles . Green is a 6'5, 275-pound defensive tackle with a reported 40-yard dash time of 4.8 seconds. During his last two seasons at Junipero Serra High School in Gardena, Fla., Green racked up 47 tackles for loss and 20 sacks to help lead the Cavaliers to an 8-3 record. He took official visits to Miami and Oregon as well, but mostly limited his contact in the final month of the recruiting process to ASU and USC. Some Miami coaches did visit Green in January, however. He took official visits to both ASU and USC in the final weeks before National Signing Day. Green played five-technique defensive end at the high school level, but Derrell Warren said in a scouting report that he projects perfectly as a penetrating three-technique defensive tackle at the next level: Green has powerful, quick hands that he uses to execute a nice assortment of moves to beat offensive linemen. He flashes good overall movement at defensive end as he possesses the hip flexion to pivot and turn the corner in pass rushing situations. I am not quite sure it will translate quite as well versus bigger longer offensive tackles at the college level. On tape, Green has pretty good step quickness. He best projects as an interior disruptor so that's why he'd ideally line up a bit closer to the ball at the collegiate level. Shows the body control to 'get skinny' and slide through gaps and could function in a two gapping five tech but not sure that would make the best use of his talent. | 1 | 6,611 | sports |
It's probably not destiny. According to the research, love and attraction happen thanks to your hormones, your interests, and what your parents look like. We've scoured the studies and collected some of the weird psychological reasons someone might fall in love with you. This is an updated version of an article originally written by Maggie Zhang. If you're really, really alike Decades of studies have shown that the cliché that "opposites attract" is totally off. "Partners who are similar in broad dispositions, like personality, are more likely to feel the same way in their day-to-day lives," said Gian Gonzaga , lead author of a study of couples who met on eHarmony. "This may make it easier for partners to understand each other." If you look like their opposite-sex parent University of St Andrews psychologist David Perrett and his colleagues found that people are attracted to folks with hair and eye color like their parents and the age range they saw at birth. "We found that women born to 'old' parents (over 30) were less impressed by youth, and more attracted to age cues in male faces than women with 'young' parents (under 30)," the authors wrote . "For men, preferences for female faces were influenced by their mother's age and not their father's age, but only for long-term relationships." If you smell right According to a University of Southern California study , when women are ovulating, they prefer the smell of t-shirts worn by men with high levels of testosterone. This matched with other hormone-based instincts: Women also preferred men with a strong jaw line when they were ovulating. If you keep your hands and torso open Body language experts agree that posture speaks louder than words. Keeping your hands stuffed in your pockets and your shoulders turned inward sends the signal that you're not interested. But talking with your hands and standing in an open stance shows that you're available. If you have a higher or lower voice Your voice signals your interest. Women's voices go down when they're attracted to somebody, and men's go up. If you stare into each others' eyes for two minutes University of Massachussets psychologist Joan Kellerman asked 72 unacquainted undergrads to pair off and stare into each others eyes for two minutes. "They later reported they had increased feelings of passionate love and affection towards the other person," Scientific American reports . "This suggests that long periods of eye contact can connect you to someone and even ignite feelings of love inside you for that person you have never previously met." If you're tall Tall people especially men tend to make more money than everybody else. A 594-person study found that it's the same case for dating. "Taller men do enjoy a noticeable dating advantage," concluded author Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University psychologist Wayne E. Hensley. If you do something thrilling together In 1974, Donald Dutton and Arthur Aron wanted to test the connection between sexual attraction and anxiety. They put men into two conditions. They either walked across a high, shaky bridge or a low, sturdy bridge. Afterward, they met a female experimenter who asked a series of questions and gave the men her phone number "just in case." The men who met the woman after walking on the high bridge were more likely to call her than the men who met her on the low bridge. Psychologists call this phenomenon the "misattribution of arousal." The high bridge created a sense of arousal from the anxiety, but men mistakenly thought it was from the attraction to the woman. That's why doing exciting things like going for bike rides, riding a roller coaster makes for many first dates. If you literally 'warm' your date up Yale psychologist John Bargh performed an experiment in which participants held warm or cold beverages and had to rate whether someone's personality was warm or cold. Participants who held warm beverages judged the person to have a warm personality, because their minds were already primed to think that way. If you take someone on a coffee date instead of an ice cream date, they may feel more warmly toward you. If you live close to them It's not only important to be close to someone emotionally you should also strive to be close physically. According to an experiment at MIT, the proximity of students' dorm rooms increased how close they felt to one another. This is because they had more passive interactions, like brief meetings as they passed one another in the hallway, which made them feel more intimate. It's known as the mere exposure effect , which states that familiarity plays a huge role in attraction. If you live in a beautiful home We've all heard that women are attracted to men with nice cars. But men also appear more attractive if they are photographed in a luxury apartment. In a Cardiff Metropolitan University study , a man was photographed with a casual posture in a "high status" luxury apartment and a "neutral status" standard apartment context. The men with the luxury apartments were rated significantly higher for attractiveness when presented to the female subjects. Researchers determined that the illusion of status-linked property ownership had a high impact on attraction, and that context can make all the difference. If you own a dog In a University of Michigan experiment , women read vignettes about men. Whenever the story featured a person who owned a dog, women rated them with higher long-term attractiveness. This is because pet ownership signals nurturance and a tendency toward relationship commitment. It also makes you appear more relaxed, approachable, and happy. If you don't like them on your first meeting People are more likely to be attracted to someone who didn't find them appealing at first but eventually warmed up to them than someone who always liked them. This was revealed in a 1972 study by Jerome Tognoli and Robert Keisner about the gain-loss theory of attraction. Participants "accidentally" heard the experimenter describe them in either a positive or negative way. It turned out that participants liked the experimenter far more when they gave them an initially negative rating that later became positive. This shows that people find it more rewarding when they need to win someone over. If you match your walking pace with theirs In a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign study on walking speeds of people on a track, researchers found that males walk at a significantly slower pace to match females' pace when the woman is their romantic interest. Meanwhile, friends who were not attracted to one another did not adjust their walking speeds. If they are less or equally good-looking In a 1996 study , each participant was rated on physical attractiveness and then randomly assigned to date another participant. Then, participants were asked to rate their satisfaction with their dates. The participants who were more attractive were harsher in their judgments even if they were both equally attractive. The better looking someone was, the less satisfied they were likely to be. But this only applies to the really attractive people. For the rest of us, according to the matching hypothesis , we are more likely to love those who are equally as attractive as us. If you get Botox In a European study about facial age and attractiveness, researchers wanted to determine whether Botox actually does help women find partners . The women who went through facial procedures experienced a significant reduction in perceived age, and people rated them as much more attractive and healthy. The more treatments the women received, the more they were considered youthful, healthy, and attractive. If you smile a lot In two experiments , researchers in Switzerland examined the relationship between attractiveness and happiness. They found that people's evaluation of attractiveness was strongly influenced by the intensity of a smile expressed on a face. In fact, a happy facial expression compensated for relative unattractiveness. If you play music Researchers in France found that musical practice is associated with sexual selection . In an experiment, a young man holding either a guitar case or sports bag asked 300 young women on the street for their numbers. When the man held the guitar case, more women were willing to give him their number. If you wear the color red In a Slovakian research study , women who wore the color red were more successful in mating-game scenarios. This can be attributed to sexual signaling, because women use the color red to attract potential mates. Women are attracted to red on men, too, since like the Huffington Post argues , it signals status. If you have a certain type of facial hair In an Australian experiment , researchers found that women consider faces with heavy stubble more attractive than heavy beards, light stubble, and clean-shaven faces. Beyond attractiveness, researchers also found that facial hair affects perceived fertility as well. The more facial hair a man had, the more masculine a woman perceived him to be especially when she was in the fertile phase of her menstrual cycle. It seems that full beards indicate high parenting ability and healthiness. | 7 | 6,612 | health |
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced legislation to repeal ObamaCare, advancing a process that Republicans hope will place the legislation on President Obama's desk this year. The bill (S. 336) was introduced Monday with the support of 47 co-sponsors. At least six Democrats would have to side with Republicans in a repeal vote for legislation to advance to the White House. "The president will be faced with a clear choice: either listen to the American people, who have never supported this law, or ignore them, and ignore the disastrous harms to millions of families, young people, and the most vulnerable among us," Cruz said in a statement on the bill's introduction. The measure would eliminate ObamaCare after 180 days and allow Congress and the states six months to approve a replacement law. The bill's co-sponsors praised the legislation as important to the Republican Party, though it's unlikely the Senate GOP can muster enough Democratic votes to pass it. The House is poised to vote on its own repeal bill on Tuesday. The White House has threatened to veto the legislation, and Republicans are expected to move on to a series of smaller attacks on the healthcare law. | 5 | 6,613 | news |
More than a year after David Beckham swooped into Miami, the retired English soccer star has not yet secured a spot for his planned Major League Soccer team, but he and his partners are still searching, a spokesman said on Tuesday. "The Miami Beckham United team is actively looking at four or five sites," Tadd Schwartz wrote in an emailed statement. Beckham's group has remained mostly quiet since local officials last year rebuffed two attempts to secure land for a 25,000-seat bayfront arena in the city's downtown. A first push last year to build the stadium on an empty tract on a small island mostly occupied by the port of Miami was fought by a maritime group led by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. A second effort to tuck it in between the NBA Miami Heat's basketball arena and the city's art museum also failed. "You can't build a stadium overnight, so finding the right site, finding the right place in Miami is important for us. But it will all start coming together pretty quickly and everything will start happening pretty soon," Beckham told E! Online last month. Miami-Dade County lawmakers voted on Tuesday to allow the county to open negotiations with Florida International University for use of its stadium as a temporary home for Beckham's team in south Miami. "Right now, our focus is on identifying the location for a purpose-built stadium that will be the team's permanent home," Schwartz wrote. MLS Commissioner Don Garber has long emphasized the need for the club to have its own facility near downtown Miami. "If we can't get the right stadium, we can't go to Miami," Garber told Reuters in October. (Reporting by Zachary Fagenson; Editing by David Adams, Eric Beech and Will Dunham) | 1 | 6,614 | sports |
Linksys, D-Link, Netgear, and Belkin. Those are the brands that most consumers choose when it comes time to set up a home Wi-Fi network. But no matter which product you buy, getting wireless internet working in your home your entire home can quickly turn into a miserable experience. More often than not, it's an exercise in frustration; a test of your patience and resolve. That's assuming you're talking about an average-sized house or apartment. Throw some long hallways or brick walls into the mix, and suddenly all bets are off. You can buy any number of ugly boxes (Wi-Fi extenders) that claim they'll fix the problem, yet still end up with dead zones in certain rooms, or you'll constantly be pestered by Netflix's buffering screen even on the ultra-fast broadband connection you're paying the cable company fistfuls of money for. Put in enough work, and you'll ultimately get there. But why should building a seamless Wi-Fi network something so essential to our everyday leisure and productivity be so profoundly difficult? Today, a new company says it's found the answer and is here to stop the insanity. Meet Eero. This little white box exists to help us prepare for a world of 4K streaming. A world where dozens of devices and smart appliances will simultaneously be relying on your Wi-Fi to function 24 hours a day. A new way to Wi-Fi Yeah, it's a router. But Eero is probably one of the best-looking routers you'll ever see, though its founders don't want you to think of it in the same way as the throwaway D-Link box hidden beneath your desk. Eero is instead positioning itself as the world's first "Wi-Fi system" that promises to deliver reliable connectivity in every part of your home. Starting today, you can pre-order a single Eero for $125 (shipping begins this summer), but unless you're living in a closet-sized New York apartment, that's not a good idea. Eero claims its box can outperform any router from Apple, Asus, or other companies. Even so, the reality is that you'll almost definitely need more than one. Three is the magic number for most homes, according to Eero, and it's offering a three-pack for $299. That's going to strike most people as pretty expensive, and it's way more than some Netgear box from Best Buy. But in exchange, Eero claims it will deliver a mesh network that blankets every corner of every room with strong, robust internet connectivity. Is saying goodbye to Netflix interruptions worth $300? The mesh network is seen by your devices under a single name (no picking between 2.4GHz and 5GHz, for example), and it'll automatically hunt for the best frequencies and channels to cut out interference. Above all else, Eero is vowing that you'll never have to pull out the power cord or reset the hardware yourself. It's all automatic. Everything. The one router you'll never have to reset That all sounds great, sure, but the most broken part of setting up Wi-Fi is the setup process itself. Eero promises to make that dead simple. Plug the first unit into your cable modem, connect to it from your smartphone over Bluetooth, and then plug the others into power outlets throughout your house. They all communicate automatically. Name your network, pick a password, and you're pretty much done. Eero assists with common tasks like port forwarding, and even lets tinkerers wipe out its default firmware in favor of popular open-source options on the web. This looks like something Apple would make But back to everyday users. How do you know exactly where to place your other two Eero boxes? The company's smartphone app which is how you'll control the entire system will intelligently sense areas with weak signal and tell you to put a box there. And the Eero hardware, built in collaboration with Fred Bould (who designed the Nest thermostat, Roku's streaming boxes, and other nice things), won't be something you'll want to hide or cover up. It looks like something Apple would make, and that's about the highest praise we can offer. It's white and it's sleek without some unsightly antenna sticking out; it'll never attract unwanted attention on a shelf. Once you're set up and you've chosen a network name, Eero promises its devices will handle most everything else on their own. Each router regularly connects to the cloud to automatically download and install security updates. The network will even run its own speed tests (never while you're downloading something or streaming a movie) to gauge performance. If Eero detects an issue, it'll notify you with an alert to your phone. It'll work to fix whatever's wrong and will automatically reboot itself. That's what co-founder and CEO Nick Weaver recently told The Verge , anyway. Everything should be hands-off on the user's part until you feel like taking control yourself. We won't get to test how well all of this holds up until we get our hands on a review unit, but in concept, it obviously sounds promising. When you've got company, the Eero app can fire off a text message with login credentials so you won't have to memorize a complex, secure password or write it down somewhere in plain view. If visitors install the company's app, they won't even need a password; secure login happens instantly. Eero's smartphone app keeps you aware of what devices are connected to your Wi-Fi and how much bandwidth each one is hogging up. If a friend is using your FiOS connection to download a massive torrent, it'll be pretty obvious. Your days of troubleshooting hell could be over this summer Eero says it's set up to handle homes of any size; up to 10 boxes can be chained together to form a bulletproof network. But will consumers care? Today, "good enough" for most people means dealing with occasional buffering and a Wi-Fi network that falls short of the speeds written on the router box. Are you tired of being the IT expert for family and friends? Eero's whole promise is this: buy anyone in your life a three-pack, and you'll never be pestered with questions about Wi-Fi problems ever again. Apparently a lot of people believe in that promise. Eero's already raised $5 million in venture funding, and eventually you'll see it in retail stores. Once that happens, it'll be priced higher; a single box will cost $200, and the three-pack will shoot up to $500. Wi-Fi is already the foundation to most everything else we do at home. It's the life blood for Netflix, Spotify, your web browsing, Xbox Live gaming, those fancy Philips Hue lightbulbs, and who knows what else. And that's right now . Pretty soon, it'll need to handle even more without crumbling down and sending us into troubleshooting hell. Eero says it can obliterate the stress that would normally come with preparing for that future. We're looking forward to seeing if it delivers on those lofty ambitions (and is worth the serious investment) in the months ahead. | 5 | 6,615 | news |
Tom Brady just got done playing in his 14th NFL season and says he still has a lot of football left in the tank. How much longer do you see Brady playing in the NFL? | 1 | 6,616 | sports |
GALVESTON, Texas Jurors in a Houston-area man's capital murder trial heard from a doctor Tuesday that the 8-year-old boy the man is accused of setting on fire needed daily operations for months to treat his severe burns. Twenty-nine-year-old Don Collins was 13 when prosecutors say he doused the child with gasoline in 1998 and lit him on fire in Splendora, northeast of Houston. Robert Middleton was burned across 99 percent of his body and endured years of physical therapy before he died in 2011 from skin cancer blamed on his burns. A judge determined in March that Collins could be tried for murder as an adult, despite being a teenager at the time. Defense attorneys said in a Galveston County courtroom Tuesday that there were no witnesses to the attack and prosecutors are playing to the jury's emotions. "Do not expect the defense to bring an eyewitness to this tragedy because there is not one," the Houston Chronicle reported attorney E. Tay Bond as telling jurors. But prosecutors countered that witnesses will testify that Collins admitted to them that he poured gasoline on Middleton as the boy walked through woods near his home, according to the Chronicle. "Our case is based on the testimony of adults who have come forward and can tell you what this man did when they were children," Montgomery County prosecutor Kelly Blackburn said in his opening statement. Middleton named Collins as his attacker and the older boy was arrested in 1998. Collins spent several months in juvenile detention but was released after prosecutors said they didn't have enough evidence to pursue the case. Shortly before he died, Middleton gave a videotaped deposition in which he accused Collins for the first time of sexually assaulting him two weeks before the attack. The sexual assault allegation prompted investigators to reopen the case. Prosecutors charged Collins with murder in 2013, but they needed to move the case from juvenile to adult court to take him to trial. After a three-day hearing last March, state District Judge Kathleen Hamilton ruled that Collins could be tried for murder by an adult court. | 5 | 6,617 | news |
Talk yourself slim It's the name of a book and a weight-loss strategy promoted by hypnotherapist John Richardson, who believes that what you say to yourself subconsciously and aloud can help you prevent weight loss-sabotaging behaviors. For example, on a midnight fridge raid you might say to yourself, "What am I doing here? Is this really what I want?" It's a technique that Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab in Ithaca, New York, and author of Slim By Design: Mindless Eating Solutions to Everyday Life , has found to be strongly associated with losing weight. The problem is, many of us aren't willing to do it because it's, well, strange. But it's very much worth a try. "If you're faced with a snack and you're not hungry, say to yourself out loud: 'I'm really full, but I'm going to eat this anyway,' " he advises. "We've found that when people make that statement aloud, two-thirds of the time they don't eat the food. That's all you have to do, but you do have to say it aloud." Don't hang out in the kitchen All those 21st century fixtures of a comfy kitchen, like the computer, the kitchen TV, and the kitchen couches? They're making us pampered and fat. It's simple: "The more you just hang out in your kitchen, the more you'll eat," says Wansink. So if you want to lounge, head to the living room. Stash your Cheerios out of sight No matter how minute your cabinet space or how kid-friendly your kitchen, cereal boxes should always be stashed out of sight and never on your countertops. Why? Because if you have even one box of cereal on your counter, you're likely to weigh a startling 21 pounds more than someone who doesn't, concludes Wansink's research. And women, who tend to spend more time in the kitchen than men do, are especially vulnerable to cereal. "It has what we call a 'health halo'," says Wansink. "Its boxes are covered with phrases like 'contains whole grain' and 'now with 11 essential vitamins and minerals.' This implies it's healthy, so we underestimate the calories and overeat it to reward ourselves for being so healthy." And that's especially true if we see it every time we enter the kitchen. The only food Wansink recommends keeping in full view on your kitchen counter? Fruit. Avoid 'fat tables' when eating out Wansink and his team found that people who sat by a window or in a well-lit part of a restaurant tended to order healthier foods than those who sat at darker tables or in booths. And diners sitting within two tables of the bar drank an average of three more beers or mixed drinks (per table of four) than those sitting farther away. Additionally, the closer a person was to a TV, the more fried food he or she ordered. Whether or not these choices are causal remains to be determined, but it can't hurt to request a table by the window, right? Ditch your partner Conventional wisdom would suggest that teaming up with a diet buddy will ensure that you stick with your healthy-eating goals (and the easiest compadre to recruit would be your romantic partner). However, social psychologist Jennifer Jill Harman, PhD, associate professor of psychology at Colorado State University, recently surveyed people about how confident they feel about controlling their portion sizes while alone and also in the presence of others. She found that among 50 overweight, romantic couples who had resolved to lose weight, the more successful one partner was at restricting his or her diet and eating healthier, the less self-assured the other partner was about controlling his or her own food portions. "People feel less confident in their ability to achieve their goals when they see others succeeding at those same goals," says Harman. Which makes a weight-loss partnership tricky. So try something different: Set your own goals, alone. Create a diet station on Pandora You have a workout station and a driving station, so why not a dieting station? Background sound, research has shown, doesn't just set a mood, it can actually affect our perception of flavors. In a 2012 study by Unilever and the University of Manchester in England, blind-folded participants were fed an assortment of sweet and savory foods while listening to white noise and, at different times, background music they liked. The participants then rated the intensity of the flavors and how much they enjoyed them. The white noise appeared to dull the participants' perception of flavors they tasted both salt and sugar less intensely. Whereas appealing background music enhanced their perception of flavors. And when you can actually taste your food you tend to savor and enjoy it more, and your brain registers that you have eaten, ultimately making you feel fuller quicker and eat less. Weigh yourself a lot and always on Wednesdays Obsessing over the numbers on the scale is not your standard weight-loss advice for women. But new research out of Finland shows that it may be a spot-on suggestion, since the more often dieters weighed themselves in the study, the more weight they lost. In fact, dieters who went more than a week without weighing themselves actually gained weight. These findings, of course, aren't necessarily causal: The less frequent weighers may have been less serious about their diets to begin with. Or maybe they became less dedicated (and less interested in weighing themselves) only after they'd begun to gain weight. Regardless, according to Wansink, co-author of the study: "If you want to be skinny, do what skinny people do." And skinny people, within the context of this study, weighed themselves regularly anywhere from every day to once a week. A previous study by the same research team found that body weight naturally fluctuates throughout the week and that most people weigh the least on Wednesdays. So if you can't commit to weighing yourself daily, at least hop on the scale every Wednesday. Seeing low numbers will keep you motivated. Reach for spicy, strong-smelling food Just because you're denying yourself calories doesn't mean you should deny yourself intense aromas and flavors in fact, just the opposite. Research published in the journal Flavour found that stronger aromas, such as garlic- and onion-infused fare, lead to smaller bite sizes, and smaller bite sizes are often linked to the sensation of feeling fuller sooner. The study results suggest that enhancing the odor of the foods you eat could result in a 5 to 10% decrease in intake per bite. Together, amping up aroma as you tamp down on portion size could trick your body into thinking its fuller sooner. | 7 | 6,618 | health |
With so much buzz surrounding the show, we did some homework to prepare for the premiere of " Better Call Saul ," the highly anticipated spin-off of the hit AMC series " Breaking Bad ". "Better Call Saul" premieres Feb. 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on AMC. What is it about? Set six years before Saul Goodman meets Walter White, the story will revolve on how Jimmy McGill, a struggling Albuquerque lawyer, becomes the confident Saul Goodman. Incidentally, the title of the show is named after a "Breaking Bad" episode in season 2, wherein Goodman debuted on the show. Read the review from Variety . 'Breaking Bad' reunion Along with Bob Odenkirk in the leading role, "Breaking Bad" regular Jonathan Banks will reprise the role of Mike Ehrmantraut in the new series. Video: Why 'Better Call Saul' Is the Most Anticipated TV Spinoff Ever "It started as a joke" In this Q&A , Creator Vince Gilligan and Producer Peter Gould told HitFix that the idea started as a joke of sorts. The writers enjoyed writing the Saul Goodman character and would discuss the characeter in the writer's room. Said Gilligan: "And then we'd say, "You know, when we're doing the Saul Goodman show we'll be able to blah, blah, blah, blah." And we made that comment so many times that it started to dawn on us that it wasn't a lark; there was truth to it. It was not just a joke, but a potentially good idea." Read the rest of the interview here . The cast Michael McKean will play Saul's older brother, Chuck. At the L.A. premiere , McKean said, "It's a very complex relationship two brothers. In this case, suddenly the older brother ain't so good at taking care of himself anymore. It's a beautiful setup. It's very Vince Gilligan." Other key cast members include Patrick Fabian (as Howard Hamlin), Rhea Seehorn (as Kim), Michael Mando (as Nacho Varga), Julie Ann Emery (as Betsy) and Jeremy Shamos (as Craig Kettleman). Read more cast details: 'Better Call Saul' Cast, Creators Reveal Details of 'Breaking Bad' Spinoff Bryan Cranston as casting agent According to Variety, it was Bryan Cranston who informed McKean about the spin-off , and recommended him for the role of Chuck. Cranston and McKean had earlier worked together in the Tony-winning Broadway play All the Way. Read: 7 Things You Need to Know about 'Better Call Saul' Color coding Just like in "Breaking Bad", special significance will be paid to color. In the same Variety story Gould said , "We really thought about what the world looks like to Jimmy. There's a certain allure to criminals… so wouldn't it be cool to use hot colors to set those people apart?" Odenkirk will mostly be seen in brown. "Colorwise, (Jimmy's) already bridging those worlds a little bit", said Gould. Where's Walter White and Jesse Pinkman? Gilligan and Gould announced at the Winter TCA Conference that Walter White and Jesse Pinkman will not be making an appearance in the spin-off's first season. "We want this to stand on its own. We don't want to mislead people in expecting something that's not going to happen. But having said that everything else is on the table," said Gould. Read: 'Better Call Saul': No Walter Or Jesse In First Season: TCA L.A. premiere The cast and crew of the series had a glittering premiere in Los Angeles on January 29. Prominent guests included Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, R.J. Mitte and Betsy Brandt amongst others. (Pictured, L-R): Vince Gilligan, Rhea Seehorn, Bob Odenkirk, Michael Mando, Patrick Fabian, Peter Gould and Jonathan Banks at the premiere. "Better Call Saul" will air as a two-night premiere, on Feb. 8 at 10 p.m. ET/PT with the second episode airing Feb. 9 at 10 p.m. It then will settle into its regular timeslot, Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on AMC | 6 | 6,619 | entertainment |
By Joe Diglio Let's face it: college basketball polls are pretty meaningless. They're essentially hype machines, having no bearing on the season. So to poke fun at college basketball's incessant need to rank things, we'll re-rank the AP top 25 according to other criteria. If this past weekend is a blur to you, don't feel bad. There were too many great games to keep track of on Saturday, and before we could recover, a couple more were played just last night. I think there was even a football game played in between. With so many top teams playing and quite a few of them going down now is a great time to assess how everyone is feeling. So below you'll find this week's top 25 teams in order of how they're feeling after last week's events, from the least happy to the most ecstatic. Can We Get a Do Over? 25. VCU 24. Texas 23. North Carolina 22. Notre Dame Up one with under a minute to play, Jerian Grant kicked the ball out to Steve Vasturia, who hit a clutch corner three to help Notre Dame beat Duke on Wednesday. In a somewhat similar situation on Saturday against Pitt down one with seven seconds to play Vasturia received a pass from Grant again. This time he missed the shot, and the Fighting Irish went on to lose the most shocking game by any top 25 team from the weekend. Perhaps Vasturia would've been better off missing the former and making the latter; in our loss averse society, falling to Pitt negates beating Duke and then some. The problem for Texas is that, unlike Notre Dame, losses are quickly becoming less and less shocking. Isaiah Taylor is finally back up to speed, but the Longhorns have actually gotten worse, losing three in a row. Why? Defense. They've allowed 1.26 points per possession in their last three games. North Carolina should have no shame in losing to Virginia, but it only looks worse following the devastating collapse against Louisville. The Tar Heels were up 18 with 17:53 to play against the Cardinals and lost by 10 in overtime. They should get back on track against Boston College and Pitt ahead of their game at Duke, but both of those games are on the road. Of all these teams, VCU is in the worst position after the weekend. The Rams suffered injury in addition to insult, losing Briante Weber for the rest of the season to a torn ACL and MCL he suffered in the team's 64 55 loss to Richmond at home. Missed Opportunities 21. Utah 20. Maryland 19. Wichita State 18. Iowa State All three of these teams lost significant ground in their respective conference title races. And with Arizona standing in Utah's way, Wisconsin ahead of Maryland, and Kansas avoiding a tie for first with Iowa State, none of those three may sniff the top their leagues again. Wichita State's loss makes things really interesting in the Missouri Valley, where Northern Iowa is now in the driver's seat. The Shockers were streaky offensively, failing to score in three separate stretches of 4:34, 4:40, and 4:48 in the first half. Ron Baker and Darius Carter, Wichita State's two leading scorers, needed 21 shots to score 20 points. Fred VanVleet, the team's efficient, pass-first point guard, scored a third of the Shockers' 54 points and three assists against four turnovers. It was VanVleet's fifth game with at least four turnovers in 95 career games, and the first time he had more turnovers than assists in a game since March of 2013. Usually when VanVleet makes a head scratching play, it's because he did something so good I'm left scratching my head wondering how. But against the Panthers, he made many plays of the traditional head scratching variety. You know, the bad kind. A Win is a Win, But … 17. Georgetown 16. SMU 15. Butler 14. West Virginia 13. Oklahoma All of these teams won at least once this past week, but in unconvincing fashion. Georgetown and West Virginia blew out their respective conferences' bottom feeders in Creighton and Texas Tech, Butler needed overtime to get by Marquette, and Oklahoma had to overcome yet another slow start to beat Oklahoma State. The big question mark here is SMU. The Mustangs brought back 76.6 percent of their minutes from last year's team, which was arguably the biggest NCAA tournament snub in the country. However they began the season without Markus Kennedy, who was ineligible for the first semester. SMU also added Xavier transfer Justin Martin, however Martin was limited by a knee injury before ultimately deciding to forego the rest of his eligibility and turn pro . More recently, Keith Frazier lost his eligibility appeal , so he won't play any more this season either. And if that weren't enough, the Mustangs really haven't beaten anybody. They rank 22nd in both KenPom and RPI, but according to both metrics their best win is at Temple, which ranks 63rd and 46th, respectively. It'd be one thing if the Mustangs still had Martin and Frazier (and cough cough Emmanuel Mudiay cough cough), but the combination of them being at less than full strength and lacking notable wins makes it easy to doubt them going forward. Good, for Now 12. Baylor 11. Duke Both of these teams split two games against a pair of solid opponents last week. Three-point shooting was the big difference for Baylor, as the Bears shot just 30 percent in a loss to Oklahoma State and 54.5 percent in their rout of Texas. Duke, meanwhile, had an absolute roller coaster of a week. The Blue Devils celebrated Mike Krzyzewski's 1,000th win last Sunday, then followed Wednesday's loss at Notre Dame by announcing the dismissal of Rasheed Sulaimon, only to respond by handing Virginia its first loss of the season on Saturday. Going into the Virginia game I thought Jahlil Okafor was going to have to carry his team for the Blue Devils to have a chance, but it was Duke's other freshmen who led the way. Justice Winslow had 11 first half points while Tyus Jones added 13 in the second half, including a dagger three with 11 seconds left. Virginia did a great job of doubling Okafor in the low post, forcing him into five turnovers and limiting him to a relatively quiet 10 points. Duke closed out the game on fire, though, scoring more points (35) in the final 10 minutes than it did in the first 30 (34). The Blue Devils also threw a variety of zone looks (2-3 and 3-2) at Virginia, which contributed to their 11 0 run to close out the game. But that offensive efficiency against such a great opponent is what really stands out, and is why this team always has a chance. Business as Usual 10. Virginia 9. Villanova 8. Arizona 7. Wisconsin 6. Gonzaga These four teams have been cruising along recently as they have all season and should be in line for a one or two seed come March. Villanova and Arizona dominated inferior opponents as expected, but both should face tougher tests this weekend against Georgetown and Arizona State, respectively. Gonzaga did the same, except the Bulldogs won't be challenged again for a while. Virginia fans should be a little more relaxed after yesterday's win at North Carolina, particularly with London Perrantes' performance. He was a legitimate scoring threat for the first time in a month, hitting 6-of-10 attempts for 15 points, all while still comfortably running the offense to the tune of six assists against two turnovers. Losing to Duke isn't a major setback, but it does change the question about this team from "How close is it to Kentucky?" to "How close is the rest of the pack to it?" Wisconsin is one of those teams closing in fast on the Cavaliers, thanks in large part to Bronson Koenig. He hasn't missed a beat replacing Traevon Jackson, averaging 11.3 points in the four games since Jackson went down. Fist-Pumping Continuously 5. Kentucky 4. Ohio State 3. Louisville 2. Northern Iowa 1. Kansas Remember when conference play started and Kentucky looked legitimately vulnerable? Me neither. As for the Wildcats' instate rivals, here's all you need to know about their week: Ohio State has to be feeling good after its thrashing of Maryland put the Buckeyes in a 76-way tie for second in the Big Ten, but they're going to have to get more consistent production from their non-D'Angelo Russell players. No one is feeling better about themselves after last week, though, than Northern Iowa and Kansas. The Panthers handed Wichita State its first conference loss since 2013 and staked their claim as the best mid-major not named Gonzaga. But the Jayhawks take the top spot here for avenging their only conference loss so far against Iowa State in convincing fashion. After some early season concerns, the Jayhawks have navigated the nation's toughest schedule with a 19 3 record, and sit atop the toughest conference in the country with a 1.5-game cushion. In other words, order has been restored in Lawrence. | 1 | 6,620 | sports |
Publisher HarperCollins announced Tuesday that they will publish "Go Set a Watchman," a novel by "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee. In a press release issued by the publisher, Lee said, "In the mid-1950s, I completed a novel called 'Go Set a Watchman.' It features the character known as Scout as an adult woman, and I thought it a pretty decent effort. My editor, who was taken by the flashbacks to Scout's childhood, persuaded me to write a novel (what became 'To Kill a Mockingbird') from the point of view of the young Scout." This new novel will mark the first new work by Lee since "Mockingbird" was originally published in 1960. The original book, considered to be among the best novels of the twentieth century, follows a little girl named Scout as she tries to make sense of racial prejudice in her small Alabama hometown. According to the publisher's statement, in the new novel "Scout has returned to Maycomb from New York to visit her father, Atticus. She is forced to grapple with issues both personal and political as she tries to understand her father's attitude toward society, and her own feelings about the place where she was born and spent her childhood." Lee won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961 for "To Kill a Mockingbird." It was then adapted into an Academy Award winning film of the same name starring Gregory Peck. "Go Set a Watchman" will hit shelves in July 14, 2015. | 6 | 6,621 | entertainment |
Eddie Redmayne, Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis and the cast of science fiction film "Jupiter Ascending" express admiration for Wachowski siblings. Edward Baran reports. | 6 | 6,622 | entertainment |
Two leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Tuesday all children should be vaccinated, amid a recent measles outbreak that has led to the most cases in two decades in 2014 and infected more than 100 people to date. President Barack Obama this week urged parents to have their children vaccinated against preventable diseases such as the measles. But Republicans are split on whether parents should have more leeway to decide which shots their children need. "I don't know that we need another law, but I do believe that all children ought to be vaccinated," House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican, told reporters. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said at the Brookings Institution in Washington that she was sympathetic to parents' concerns, but that maintaining public health required that all children receive the necessary shots. Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, but the December outbreak that began in California has shone a spotlight on the so-called anti-vaccination movement. Debunked theories that once suggested a link between vaccines and autism have led some parents to refuse to have their children inoculated. Even though doctors say those fears are unfounded, many libertarian-leaning Republicans believe parents should have the freedom not to vaccinate their kids. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a Republican who is often mentioned as a potential 2016 presidential candidate, on Monday said parents needed a "measure of choice." His spokesman later said the governor believed kids should be vaccinated against measles. Two other possible Republican presidential candidates, both with medical backgrounds, diverged on the issue. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, an ophthalmologist, said in an interview with CNBC on Monday that he had heard of instances where vaccines caused "mental disorders" and said parents should have input on whether their children receive them. However, Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon and conservative pundit, said preventable diseases should not be allowed to return just because some parents object to "safe" vaccines, according to the Washington publication The Hill. (Reporting by Emily Stephenson; Editing by Will Dunham and Bernadette Baum) | 5 | 6,623 | news |
United States President Barack Obama pays tribute to the Los Angeles Galaxy, after welcoming the MLS Cup champions to the White House. | 1 | 6,624 | sports |
After an intense cardio workout or weight-training session, you might feel extreme exhaustion, muscle soreness, and nausea. This hit-by-a-truck feeling that you often wake up with the day after working out is called DOMS, which stands for delayed onset muscle soreness. Luckily, there are many preventative measures you can take to avoid it. Here's a quick list of 10 steps you should always take before, during, and after going to the gym. Drink a cup or two of caffeinated tea or coffee before working out to increase muscular strength and endurance and reduce the chance of soreness. Eat a pre-workout snack that is low-fat and high-carb with some protein. Warm up properly with a little cardio and dynamic stretching to prep your muscles and joints for your workout. Do not stop and start moving while exercising; instead, keep steadily moving so fresh blood will be sent to repair your taxed muscles. While you are working out, stay hydrated by drinking water every 15 minutes. If you are sweating a lot, it's important to replace lost electrolytes with a sports drink or other electrolyte-rich foods, because these essential salts regulate heartbeats, muscular contractions, and nerve function. After your workout, stretch and use a foam roller to massage out knots and increase blood flow to your muscles. Immediately after working out, eat a post-workout snack that has a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein to help restore the nutrients lost in the muscles during the workout. Try chocolate milk or a protein snack washed down with tart cherry juice, which has also been shown to reduce soreness. Consider getting a sports massage to increase circulation and break up major knots in problem areas that are always sore. Take a cold shower post-workout to reduce inflammation of the muscles. Or try an ice bath, which has been shown to reduce muscle soreness by 20 percent. | 7 | 6,625 | health |
One of the biggest gripes fans had with the initial "Jurassic World" trailer was that the CGI visual effects didn't look great . It wasn't a make or break scenario for movie fans since CG seen in early trailers isn't usually what viewers will see in the final film. "Jurassic World" isn't in theaters until June 12, so you can bet there's a bunch of post-production effects still being added to the movie. Proof of that came when a new 30-second teaser for the film debuted during the Super Bowl. You may not have noticed it, but there were a few big changes between the two ads. /Film and Wired first brought attention to some of the changes. We've highlighted a few major differences between the two trailers below. The ocean looks completely polished and less aquamarine in the new ad. Not only is the sky a different shade of blue here, but the shark on the right is incredibly more detailed. Look at his teeth. You can also see the water glistening off him more. One of the biggest changes you may have noticed was to the giant shark-eating dinosaur that pops out of the water at a park attraction. There are a lot of differences in these two images. Can you spot them all? In addition to the water change, the image on the right has an altered background. The monorail and mountains have disappeared and shifted, respectively. The splash has been reduced on the dinosaur to show off more of the beast. Another big change is the addition of even more dinosaurs. Remember this scene from the first trailer? It turns out the park attendees were running from pterodactyls. The new trailer also lightened up a few scenes that were really dark to watch beforehand like this one where the dinosaurs below are easier to make out. Most noticeable is the moment where Chris Pratt is riding his motorcycle alongside a small group of raptors. Here's the original "Jurassic World" trailer that was released back in Nov. Here's the new Super Bowl spot: | 6 | 6,626 | entertainment |
From the ends of February to mid-April, Instagram and Facebook news feeds are overcome with bikini posts, beer bong boasts and a series of other "untag" media. It's spring break , and after a cold winter, countless exams, work and internships... you get a vacation from your vacation. Sorry guys, college is your life vacation. So party up while you can. Make it count, at one of these top 10 spring break destinations: 1. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Five star hotels, exceptional seafood and unparalleled nightlife, Cabo is Mexico's most luxurious nightlife destination, with a Hollywood-meets-Barcelona feel. Water sports and recreation enthusiasts can also indulge in snorkeling, diving, jet skiing, sport fishing, sailing charters, whale watching, swimming with dolphins and more. Other popular daytime activities include ATV tours, zip lining through Baja Sur and visiting Cabo's award-winning spas. Conveniently within walking distance, you can check out El Squid Roe and Nowhere Bar. Don't miss the popular sunset booze cruises from the Marina. Don't get too wild at the college favorite: Jungle Cruise Tours. On a budget? Find affordable accommodation at Estancia Real. For a more luxurious experience, stay at the ultra-chic ME by Melia Hotel. 2. Las Vegas, Nevada Teased by warm weather, notorious pool parties and endless nightlife, the East Coast and Mid-West schoolies prep their flights in anticipation to Marquee, XS, Surrender and Hakkasan. Perhaps too many West Coast procrastinators fail to pre-organize a spring break trip, but it seems like everyone from California and Colorado spontaneously road trips to Sin City. "Vegas, again?" said no one ever. Regardless of why or how they get there, JusCollege reports 60,000-80,000 party-goers invade Las Vegas for Spring Break. With flocks of sorority girls, bachelorette parties and millennials from around the world, heterosexual men follow. It's no wonder. You'll find more than just spring breakers in Vegas. With countless promoters, complimentary beverages and the world's best DJs -- Vegas is easy. If you're a newbie, build you stamina dancing at the following day parties: Marquee Day Party at the Cosmopolitan Encore at Wynn TAO Beach at the Venetian Also check out Britney Spears at Planet Hollywood and Beacher's Madhouse at the Wynn. Any of said hotels are great, and yes... I've stayed at all of them. 3. ULTRA, Miami and South Beach, Florida An EDM festival so massive, they had to share it with the rest of the world. Now in South Africa, Europe, South America and Asia, the original home of the international phenomenon is in the good old American state of Florida. Coinciding with Miami Music Week, Ultra Music Festival is three days of fist-pumping to Tiesto, Avicii, Afrojack, Above and Beyond, Armin, Alesso, Hardwell, Nicky Romero, Steve Angello, David Guetta, Diplo... too many other DJs to count. If trance, techno, drum and bass, dubstep, and club music make you want to move your feet -- ULTRA is your dance drug of choice. But if you're going to immerse yourself in a crowd of 330,000 people... you might want to stay off those other drugs. 4. Panama City Beach, Florida All of the Florida babes (and respective neighbors), who aren't at ULTRA can be found on this jam-packed party central, sponsored in 2014 by Coors Light. PCB hosts the largest nightclub in the U.S. -- Club La Vela with Top 40 and electronic lights. Sharky's Tiki Bar is always free, and we're not just talking about the cover (or lack of). Harpoon Harry's, Sandpiper Beacon, Spinnaker Beach Club and Hammerhead Fred's also deserve an honorable mention for attracting the masses. For more thrilling activities, check out the massive inflatable water slide, parasailing, fly-boarding, kayaking, mopeds and snorkeling. Coors Light Free Rides made spring break safer March 1 - 21, with a shuttle looping through downtown bars. Their "put your keys on ice" campaign is an intuitive to reduce drinking and driving. 5. Cancun, Mexico Viva Mexico! Located on a 14-mile peninsula jutting into the Caribbean Sea, Cancun's oceanside mega-clubs and outrageous pool parties exceed expectations. Check out Señor Frogs water slides and Fat Tuesday's Bungee platforms. Jetskis, parasailing, beach volleyball, windsurfing and other activities along the Zona Hotelera will keep you busy. Alternatively, sip Coronas and sun-bake in serenity. You'll need some energy to explore Chichen Itza (one of the Seven World Wonders), and the Mayan Riviera's three major ecological theme parks: Xcaret, Xel-Ha and Xplor. Catch a nap on the beach before hitting the scene: The City, Dady'O and Coco Bongo, which feature an array of music, live performances and aerial artists. 6. Habitat for Humanity: Collegiate Challenge, Winston-Salem, North Carolina Celebrate 25 years of volunteers aged sixteen and older who spend a week working with families to re-build homes. They work with over 200 affiliates across the United States in an effort to eliminate housing poverty. 7. Daytona Beach, Florida Surf, boogie board, jetski, parasail or meet some people with beach volleyball. Splash all day, and dance all night. Check out Club 600 North, Ocean Deck Beach Club and Razzle's Nightclub. One of the more budget-friendly spring break destinations, it's known for it's wild parties and questionable morals. 8. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Crystal waters and the Caribbean coastline makes Punta Cana a spring break gem. Crazy with costumes, light shows and an outrageous club scene featuring Oro, Jewel Imagine and Ariento, Punta Cana is an international sensation. With bars inside the pools of most major resorts, snorkeling, windsurfing and pool parties, the D.R. holds down the day and nightlife. If you can leave your hotel long enough to experience a little culture, try tostones : sweet, fried banana bits and flan: a rich, creamy, gelatin-like dessert. 9. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada While most of us flock towards the beach, snow bunnies trek to the mountains for paradise on ice. Whistler is notorious for its massive terrain, attracting ski and snowboard enthusiasts from around the world. Also try Ziptrek Ecotours for zip lining over the white wonderland, Scandinave Spas to escape the cold, ice skating at Meadow Parks Sports Centre and bobsledding at the Whistler Olympic Park. 10. Lake Havasu, Nevada Boasts, boats, boats! Thousands of students congregate to get a little naughty cal. As most connect their vessels to houseboats along Sanbar Havasu, those without a boat seek new to make friends that have one.The Bridgewater Channel is the number one Havasu hot spot where singles consociate. It's the metta of warm weather and ongoing float festivities. After sunset, check out Kokomo and Martini Bay at LondonBridge. On a budget? Shamelessly pack too many people into one hotel room, you're in college -- it's not like you're expected to have a real job yet. ------------------- Spring Break is your time to literally, take a break off life -- celebrate your youth, and be a little a selfish. However, be weary of a culture that calls for binge drinking, dehydration and blackouts. According to Do Something , 2,600 Americans are arrested overseas on spring break each year. Know your limits, and consider organizing your vacation through professionals -- especially if you're headed abroad or out of town. Party pros such as JustCollege, SWAT and StudentCity can provide a safer social experience. Note to reader: I've booked with JustCollege in an unsponsored trip and would recommend them for Las Vegas, Florida or Mexico. I have also heard positive reviews from friends for SWAT and Student City. Original post via my blog, TRAVELBREAK Pictured: A bunch of then university students (myself included) at another university's spring event. This event has been discontinued to the dangers of alcohol consumption on the beach. Rage on responsibly, and check out 21 Tricks to Staying Safe Abroad Photo copyright TravelBreak. | 2 | 6,627 | travel |
Phil Jackson 's first season as the Knicks ' team president has been, well, a disaster. A complete and utter failure. Even he admitted it during a recent sit-down interview with The New York Times . "So far," he said of his time in New York City, "my experiment has fallen flat on its face." The good news, though, is that the Knicks can only go up from where they're at now. And if you read the entire New York Times piece on Jackson, you get the sense that he still believes his experiment will ultimately be successful. To hear him tell it, he's laying a foundation right now that will benefit the Knicks for years to come, and Knicks fans just need to be patient while he destroys and rebuilds the team from scratch. Outside of talking about the Knicks organization and more specifically, the triangle offense and the role it's going to play in the success of the Knicks Jackson also told the New York Times that he would actually be in favor of the idea of the NBA experimenting with a four-point line sometime in the near future. He's not a huge fan of the way that some NBA teams and players rely on the three-point shot right now, but he thinks it'd be a good idea if the league added a four-point line a few feet behind where the three-point line is at. Of course, Jackson says this knowing that he won't have to deal with J.R. Smith heaving 45-foot shots every single time he touches the ball. But what do you think about Jackson's idea? [ via The New York Times ] Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to [email protected] . | 1 | 6,628 | sports |
NEW YORK Mayor Bill de Blasio used his annual State of the City speech Tuesday to outline an ambitious plan to build hundreds of thousands of new affordable housing units in New York City. De Blasio said his plan, which would include building 160,000 market-rate apartments and building or preserving 200,000 affordable housing units, would be a big step toward fulfilling his campaign promise to narrow the divide between New York City's rich and poor what he called the "tale of two cities." "If we do not act and act boldly New York risks taking on the qualities of a gated community," de Blasio said. "A place defined by exclusivity, rather than opportunity. And we cannot let that happen." De Blasio hopes to achieve his goal to build denser, economically diverse, affordable residential communities through rules that would require developers to include affordable housing "not as an option as a pre-condition" in every major rezoning development. His plan calls for transforming whole neighborhoods from Staten Island to Brooklyn, creating a citywide ferry service to make some outlying neighborhoods more attractive to development. He also called for more affordable housing for artists and for programs that would protect New Yorkers facing displacement from rising rents and harassment. De Blasio has billed the program "the biggest affordable housing plan anyone's tried anywhere at any time at the local level in the history of the republic." Last year, the city saved and preserved more than 17,300 affordable units, enough to house nearly 42,000 people. Housing costs are exorbitant in much of the city, and for most New Yorkers, their monthly housing payment is their largest expense. | 5 | 6,629 | news |
A girl flips on a trampoline and falls. | 8 | 6,630 | video |
Richard Nixie should have stuck with hot wings and pizza. The DeBary man, 30, was arrested Sunday after admitting he caught and killed five small alligators and cut off their tails for Super Bowl dinner. Florida forbids possession of an alligator without a trapping license and a harvesting tag. "No one should have possession of a Florida alligator unless they are a state nuisance alligator trapper," said Greg Workman, a spokesman for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. He said nuisance trappers also must follow tagging rules. "It's not just a free-for-all," Workman said. Florida's alligator harvest season ended Nov. 1. Nixie, who was released from the Volusia County Jail after posting $500 bail, could not be reached at the phone number listed on the arrest report. It was unclear how FWC learned Nixie had gator on the menu. | 5 | 6,631 | news |
Oscars 2015: Red carpet gown predictions With 2015 Academy Awards not far away, The Independent has come up with the prediction of gowns from the collections showcased at the recently concluded Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2015 week that the leading ladies of Hollywood might choose to wear. Here's a look … Atelier Versace Prediction: Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez Atelier Versace Prediction: Angelina Jolie, Amy Adams Dior couture Prediction: Marion Cotillard Dior couture Prediction: Amal Clooney Giambattista Valli couture Prediction: Lupita Nyong'o Chanel couture Prediction: Kiera Knightley, Maggie Gyllenhaal Armani Prive Prediction: Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain Elie Saab couture Prediction: Reese Witherspoon Elie Saab couture Prediction: Diane Kruger Elie Saab couture Prediction: Catherine Zeta Jones Valentino couture Prediction: Rosamund Pike For complete list, click here . | 4 | 6,632 | lifestyle |
According to reports, Peyton Manning will "almost certainly" return with the Denver Broncos next season. Will Manning and Kubiak be able to get on the same page? | 1 | 6,633 | sports |
Ferrari 458 Italia replacement previewed ahead of Geneva Motor Show 2015 Ferrari 458 replacement It's happened - Ferrari's followed the likes of Ford by going down the smaller, turbocharged engine route. But this is no EcoBoost, though, this is the 458 replacement. And it looks like a corker. Power The Ferrari 488 GTB is powered by a new 3.9-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine. It's smaller than the 4.5-liter unit of its predecessor, but packs more punch - a mighty 100 hp more, in fact, coming in at 670 hp. Performance As a result, the 488 GTB will hit 62 mph in 3.0 seconds - exactly the same as the hot Speciale model of the 458. Fiorano Ferrari says its 488 GTB will hit 124 mph in 8.3 seconds and lap its Fiorano test track in one minute, 23 seconds. Aerodynamics This is a result of being more aerodynamic than any Ferrari that's ever left Maranello. It's also got a whopping 50% more downforce than the 458, thanks to a double front spoiler, new side intakes and a rear spoiler. It even features an aerodynamic underbody with "vortex generators". Electronic aids The Ferrari 488 GTB, despite being so incredibly fast and complex, has many electronic systems on it to flatter the driver. It's got an advanced version of its side-slip angle control, found on the 458, which detects when you're trying to drift and lets you have some fun before saving you if it starts to go too far. Sound It'll sound like a Ferrari, too. Don't worry - turbocharging doesn't mean any less drama. Engineers have paid great attention to making it an aural delight, says Ferrari. Interior Usability is the key word in the interior's design, says Ferrari. It's got new switchgear, but the multifunction steering wheel and wraparound seats remain. Prices and on-sale date We'll see the Ferrari 488 GTB in the metal for the first time at this year's Geneva Motor Show, ahead of sales starting later this year. Prices are to be confirmed. | 9 | 6,634 | autos |
WASHINGTON A federal regulator says Corinthian College students will be forgiven a total of $480 million in loans because the for-profit school used "bogus" job prospects to persuade them to pay tuition with expensive private loans. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says tens of thousands of students received the loans, though it's unclear how many will benefit from the forgiveness. More than 60 percent of Corinthian students with those loans defaulted within three years after being subject to interest rates that were roughly twice the rates for federal loans. "These consumers were lured into high-cost loans destined to default and then targeted with aggressive debt collection tactics," said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. He said the loan forgiveness should help current and former students. The troubled loans led the CFPB to file suit in September against Corinthian, which has operated a network of campuses under different names around the United States and Canada. The debt forgiveness deal announced Tuesday releases the new owners of Corinthian's Everest and WyoTech campuses, ECMC Group, from potential liabilities for the "alleged illegal activity." With the deal in place, ECMC Group finalized its acquisition of more than 50 campuses formerly run by Corinthian that enroll nearly 30,000 students. "Today, we begin delivering on our promise to transform the Everest and WyoTech schools we have acquired into first-rate career colleges where success is measured not by how many students we enroll, but by how many students complete their programs and get fulfilling jobs when they graduate," said David Hawn, president and CEO of ECMC Group, based in Oakdale, Minnesota. The CFPB and the federal Education Department worked with the new owner to give eligible students an immediate 40 percent reduction on their outstanding private student loans and removed negative information from their credit reports. ECMC Group will also refrain from operating a private student loan program for seven years. Still, the ECMC Group takeover has raised concerns among some college education advocacy organizations. The agreement provides no relief for Corinthian students with federal loans, besides giving ECMC Group a student debt collection agency responsibility for running a college, said Pauline Abernathy of the nonprofit Institute for College Access & Success. "ECMC programs will still cost many times more than higher-quality programs available at existing colleges and include many of Corinthian's worst-performing programs, some with default rates over 30 percent and graduates earning less than $17,000 per year," Abernathy said in a statement. The CFPB intends to provide full relief to Corinthian borrowers who relied on the private loans. Regulators have cracked down on for-profit colleges like Corinthian in recent years. The Obama administration announced in October a rule that would require career training programs to show that students can earn enough money after graduation to pay off their loans. The CFPB says Corinthian charged as much as $75,000 for a bachelor's degree and pushed students into private loans with interest rates of roughly 15 percent. | 3 | 6,635 | finance |
In a move wonderfully reminiscent of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Hasbro France announced that it will place actual euros into Monopoly sets to honor the iconic board game's 80th anniversary. Eighty of the 30,000 special anniversary sets sold in France will contain real money. One "jackpot" set will have all its game notes replaced with real ones good for €20,580 ($23,513). Ten sets will contain €300 ($343) and the 69 other sets will have €150 ($171). According to Newsweek, the scheme was hatched when Hasbro France conducted a survey to see what customers wished to find in their Monopoly boxes. Unsurprisingly, the most popular answer was "real money." Monopoly is the world's best selling board game, making over $400 million a year for Hasbro, according to data compiled by Euromonitor. The game, sold in 114 countries and translated into 47 different languages , has been bought over 275 million times and played by approximately a billion people, according to the company. Quartz reached out to Hasbro about whether it plans to extend the promotion in other countries and will update this post with any response. Sniffing out the winning boxes won't be easy. Patrice Wimmer, a bailiff tasked with handling the money, told Agence France-Presse that the boxes with real money weigh the same as the normal ones. "The difference is marginal, unless you turn up at the shop with precision scales," he said. However, the boxes with real money expanded slightly, according to Hasbro, because the real bills are thicker than Monopoly notes. Hasbro says this was an unforeseen complication, but it's one that could drive more sales, if consumers start buying up special edition sets in the hopes that they've spotted a slightly expanded box. This isn't Hasbro's first foray into experiential marketing. In 2013, the company saw an increase in sales after it allowed customers to vote in a Facebook poll for a new token piece. Fans elected to replace the iron token with a cat token, because the internet. | 3 | 6,636 | finance |
Your morning news update from around the web: Karl Lagerfeld has teamed up with French cartoonist Tiffany Cooper for a spring/summer capsule collection. The line will feature apparel and accessories decorated with quirky drawings of the designer and his pet (arguably the most famous cat in couture) Choupette. { WWD } Elsewhere in capsule news, Vivienne Westwood has paired up with Opening Ceremony to release a 20-piece collection of styles updated from her Worlds End boutique archive. Pirates, punks: this one's for you. { Style } Among those honored at the National Magazine Awards on Monday night , fashion bible Vogue was named Magazine of the Year, while Glamour snagged an award for its outstanding service and lifestyle sections. { WWD } Airlines with signature fragrances: a trend that's ready to take flight? Delta Air Lines has been spritzing its "Calm" scent for almost two years now, while United Continental, Turkish Airlines and Air Canada have also hopped on the bandwagon. { WSJ } This article was written by Julia Horniacek from Fashionista and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. | 4 | 6,637 | lifestyle |
Snow Days: Top 13 Rides to Take to the Slopes Snow Days: Top 13 Rides to Take to the Slopes It's winter, and that means a lot of people are heading up to the mountains for a little fun on the slopes. Driving up curvy mountain roads can be a nightmare if you don't have the right vehicle to haul all your gear, so we've narrowed down some roomy and sporty rides (excluding trucks) to get you up that mountain in comfort, style, and in swift time. Subaru WRX/STI A Subaru just doesn't look right without a ski/snowboard rack mounted on top, and the WRX STI is no exception. As long as you load your boards on the rack, there'll be plenty of space for four passengers in the cabin, and all other equipment such as boots, puffy jackets, etc., will fit in the surprisingly large trunk that offers 12.0 cubic feet of space. Related link: Research the Subaru WRX and WRX STI Subaru WRX/STI The main reason the STI is on this list, though, is because you're guaranteed to have a blast driving up the mountain with the STI's playful nature and rally-car roots. Related link: Research the Subaru WRX and WRX STI Land Rover Range Rover Sport Is there a blizzard in the forecast? No problem. The Range Rover Sport's esteemed off-road capability will get you through the sketchiest roads without a hitch. Related link: Research the Land Rover Range Rover Sport Land Rover Range Rover Sport Just make sure to turn the Terrain Response dial to the snow/ice feature, and you'll be breezing by all the other cars slipping and struggling to get up those steep, snow-covered roads. The new Range Rover Sport SVR is shown here. Related link: Research the Land Rover Range Rover Sport Ferrari FF This was a no-brainer. The FF is essentially a revolutionary redesign of the 612 Scaglietti aimed at rich outdoor enthusiasts, and with its controversial wagon body style, four-passenger layout, and four-wheel drive, it's sure to get the upper crust up to their ski chalets in true Italian style. Related link: Research the Ferrari FF Ferrari FF You probably won't need to worry about any critters suddenly jumping into the road, either, as they're likely to hear the FF's V-12 purr from miles away. Related link: Research the Ferrari FF Jeep Grand Cherokee Everyone knows Jeeps are perfect for exploring the outdoors. Although the Wrangler is meant to provide more of a rugged experience off the pavement, the Grand Cherokee aims to offer a more luxurious one, as well. Related link: Research the Jeep Grand Cherokee Jeep Grand Cherokee With soft touch points and available features such as heated seats and in-vehicle Wi-Fi, the long drive will likely be more pleasant. With the EcoDiesel model, vacationers will be able to travel up and down the mountain and then some, without having to stop by the pump. Related link: Research the Jeep Grand Cherokee Mazda CX-5 The resort parking lot might be full of compact crossovers such as the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and RAV4, but the CX-5 will stand out with its spunky Kodo-inspired appearance. Related link: Research the Mazda CX-5 Mazda CX-5 And the journey up those squiggly roads will be enjoyable thanks to the crossover's "zoom-zoom" DNA, though the trek might be slower since the most powerful SkyActiv engine puts out only 184 hp. More time to enjoy the scenery! Related link: Research the Mazda CX-5 Volvo V60 Cross Country The V60 Cross Country's low-slung profile will allow it to take those turns up the mountain with ease, and even though it's a wagon, it still has enough ground clearance to get it through some fresh snow. Related link: Research the Volvo V60 Volvo V60 Cross Country In addition, the Volvo's soft, supple leather seats will be perfect to lie on when you need to take a break from tearing it up on the slopes all morning. Turn the seat heaters on and you'll feel as though you're a hot knife melting into butter. Related link: Research the Volvo V60 Audi Allroad The Allroad is a packaging champ, nimble and easy to nip and tuck through urban traffic if you head up to the cabin on a Friday night. Although it feels like a small car, it's impressively roomy on the inside. There's a generous cargo floor in back, and with the flip of a few latches, the 60/40 split rear seats drop to produce a plentiful storage space (50.5 cubic feet) for skis or snowboards. Related link: Research the Audi Allroad Audi Allroad For those who prefer to keep their snow equipment out of the car, the standard roof rack will come in handy, though the ski carriers are extra. But hey, it's one less thing to have to worry about. Related link: Research the Audi Allroad BMW 328d xDrive Sport Wagon This 3 Series wagon is the ultimate snow driving machine for a number of reasons. With 280 lb-ft of torque, the D wagon has a strong midrange that will ascend steep inclines, and it has lots of cargo space with the seats folded down (53 cubic feet). Related link: Research the BMW 3 Series BMW 328d xDrive Sport Wagon It also maintains that sharp handling BMWs are known for and a capable all-wheel-drive system, which means you won't have to pull over and put snow chains on. Related link: Research the BMW 3 Series Toyota Sienna Although the Sienna won't provide the most exhilarating driving experience up the mountain, it will give you peace of mind since the kids won't be asking, "Are we there yet?" every 15 minutes. That's because they'll be sitting back and enjoying all the features the "Swagger Wagon" has to offer, including the rear split-screen entertainment system that can play a DVD movie on one screen while playing a different movie or a video game on the other. Related link: Research the Toyota Sienna Toyota Sienna In addition, the Sienna's second row pops out and stows in the cargo area so that you can hang out in the van and barbeque in the parking lot if you want to tailgate at the resort. Related link: Research the Toyota Sienna Lexus NX 200t The NX 200t's luxurious cockpit will have you feeling like you're getting up the mountain in a high-tech mini-spaceship. Related link: Research the Lexus NX Lexus NX 200t Its sporty handling will allow you to toss it around the curves, and even though you might have to squish everything into the smallish cargo space, at least the NX 200t will look pretty sitting in your cabin's driveway. Related link: Research the Lexus NX Chevrolet Tahoe When the entire family takes a winter vacation, the Tahoe offers up plenty of passenger space so everyone can ride in comfort. Related link: Research the Chevrolet Tahoe Chevrolet Tahoe If the driver isn't familiar with the windy roads, the Tahoe's height presents a commanding view of the road and the excellent outward visibility to inspire confidence. Even though the Tahoe seems like a lot of mass to move around, it handles well with good chassis response and aggressive turn-in and grip. Related link: Research the Chevrolet Tahoe Porsche Cayenne It's hard to imagine that a vehicle as luxurious as the Cayenne is also incredibly capable. It drives much better than anyone would expect of an SUV, and all that snow gear should be fairly easy to load since air suspension-equipped 2015 Cayenne models come with a new button in the cargo area that controls a kneeling function that drops the car's liftover height by 2 inches to 27.2 inches. Related link: Research the Porsche Cayenne Porsche Cayenne Opt for the 500+ horsepower Cayenne Turbo (pictured) or Turbo S and you'll fly by all those people stopped on the side of the road putting on their snow chains. Related link: Research the Porsche Cayenne Mini Countryman All4 Rally up the mountain in the Countryman All4. Its go-kart-like handling will urge drivers to rip through the canyon, and if something crosses your path at the last minute, the Countryman's quick reflexes will allow it to dart out of the way. Related: Research the Mini Countryman Mini Countryman All4 Its rapid acceleration (181 hp) will be helpful when trying to pass slower cars heading up the mountain. Related: Research the Mini Countryman | 9 | 6,638 | autos |
Porter Gustin is the latest to sign with USC. Porter Gustin Linebacker/Defensive end Salem, Utah (Salem Hills HS) Ht: 6'5" / Wt: 245 Porter Gustin , the number one linebacker recruit in the nation, committed to USC today, picking the Trojans most notably over national champion Ohio State, who appeared to be Gustin's runner-up. He is the 25th ranked high school player overall in the country. Although USC was always the favorite to land Gustin, his choice was still relatively up in the air until the announcement. Gustin was recruited by both Marques Tuiasosopo and Peter Sirmon, who coach the tight ends and the linebackers respectively. This could suggest the possibility that Gustin may be used on the offensive side as well, as he certainly has the size to play tight end. Here are some Porter Gustin highlights , which I will definitely be breaking down later this week. He is a really nice athlete with good size and straight-line speed. He was a two-way star for Salem Hills, playing quarterback on the offensive side. He also is a tough, physical kid, who clearly has some nastiness and enjoys contact. At the end of his senior season, he continued to play both ways despite injuring his throwing hand and playing with broken ribs. And because he was playing quarterback, he couldn't wear a full flak jacket to protect his ribs, so he played through the injury without full protection. Gustin recorded 230 tackles and 12.5 sacks on defense, in addition to 1,160 rushing yards and 4,073 passing yards on offense over his last two years of high school football While some teams recruited Porter Gustin as a defensive end, and he is projected to eventually end up at the position, he is probably too light to play there right now. USC has recruited him as a Mike linebacker where he'll compete with established veterans like Lamar Dawson and Michael Hutchings to fill the vacant shoes of Hayes Pullard . | 1 | 6,639 | sports |
Swiss watch exports swelled to a record high in 2014, customs data showed Tuesday, but the data doesn't augur well for the future as they slowed in December, in particular in the key Chinese market. Swiss watch exports last year ticked in at a historic 22.2 billion Swiss francs ($23.9 billion, 21.1 billion euros), the Customs Administration said. The 1.9 percent increase from 2013 matched the growth rate that year. After a sharp slowdown in 2009, Swiss watch exports have hit new heights year after year, with the sector long seeming immune to the economic and financial crises rocking the globe thanks to Chinese consumers' appetite for luxury goods. But after three years of double-digit growth, exports to China took a hit amid efforts to crack down on corruption in that country by banning extravagant gifts like prestigious watches to public officials. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FHS) noted that despite reaching a new record last year, 2014 closed on a negative note for watch exporters, "In December their monthly value was 1.8 billion francs, down 2.5 percent on the previous year despite one extra working day," the federation said. Exports to Hong Kong, a key market for Swiss watchmakers, fell 10.3 percent as the city continued to feel the impact of widespread pro-democracy demonstrations in the preceding months. "Hong Kong failed to get back on track after the month of November, indicating low levels of new stock in the wake of the autumn demonstrations," FHS said. And exports to the vital Chinese market meanwhile fell 27.2 percent in December. "Following over a year of destocking, there have been no major signs of improvement in Swiss watch exports, in particular into Greater China," Citigroup analyst Thomas Chauvet said in a note. The comparative weakness in December is at least partially linked to the Chinese calendar, since watch shops in the country were stocking up at the end of 2013 for the Chinese New Year, which fell on January 31 last year, he said. This year, the holiday will be celebrated later, on February 19, so the demand was lower at the end of 2014. The analyst meanwhile noted with concern that the FHS had not yet provided any outlook for exports in 2015. This year got off to a tough start for the watch industry, after the Swiss central bank suddenly decided to allow the Swiss franc to float, sending it skyrocketing nearly 30 percent against the euro in a matter of minutes. As exports account for most sales, this could hit Swiss watchmakers hard. They must now sell far more many watches or raise prices in euros and dollars to cover their costs at home. Investors, who have shunned many watchmakers since the central bank move, were enthused by Tuesday's news, with timepiece making giant Swatch seeing its share price jump 1.50 percent. Shares in luxury group Richemont, which counts Cartier and Piaget among its brands, soared 2.73 percent in midday trading. | 3 | 6,640 | finance |
3 craft beer makers share their recipes for success Talk about a beer buzz. America's craft brewers are riding a wave of success: ever-expanding craft-beer sections in supermarkets, craft-beer festivals in most major cities and even university programs in the art and business of making craft beer. In 2013, sales from craft brewers hit a record $14.3 billion an increase of 20% from the previous year, according to the Brewers Association, a trade group. (The pace continued in 2014, with 18% growth through midyear, according to the association.) Read: 10 things the beer industry won't tell you Still, craft brewers face their share of challenges. Like many small businesses, they're not big enough to benefit from certain economies of scale. Plus, they face challenges unique to their business, from dealing with federal, state and local laws governing the sale and production of anything alcoholic to fighting large-scale brewers for market share. (The major beer brands still control more than 90% of the U.S. beer market, as measured by volume.) With that in mind, we asked three prominent craft brewers how their business came to be and how they rose to the challenge. Here's what they had to say. Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins, Colo. Number of employees: 107 Year founded: 1989 Annual sales: Company doesn't release dollar figures but says it sold close to 100,000 barrels in 2014. How the brewery came to be: Odell started as a family affair and remains so to this day. Doug Odell was a home brewer; his wife, Wynne, was a "bored banker" (her words). They pooled their beer-making and business skills and started the brewery with Corkie Odell, Doug's sister, with an initial outlay of $135,000. The trio felt confident that the college-town location of Fort Collins would provide a good base. But it wasn't easy at first. "We had no distribution options other than delivering from our own Toyota pickup truck," Wynne says. A business challenge: The price of expansion is a big one, since breweries "are obscenely capital-intensive businesses," says Wynne. A case in point: A new German-made brewing system, installed in 2013, cost Odell $2.5 million. But it was a necessary purchase because it allowed the brewery to ramp up production beyond 80,000 barrels, and Odell had already made a commitment to expand into the Texas market in 2014, almost doubling its customer base. (Odell Brewing is in 11 states in all.) The plan for growth: Though the brewery is a mature business that has marked its 25th anniversary, the Odells still anticipate 20% annual growth in the near term. They are looking to add a new barrel room (barrel-aged beers are becoming hot) and bottling facility to keep up with demand. Jack's Abby Brewing Framingham, Mass. Number of employees: 25 Year founded: 2011 Annual sales: Company doesn't release dollar figures but says it brewed 14,500 barrels in 2014. How the brewery came to be: This is another family affair: Brothers Eric, Jack and Sam Hendler say they always planned to join forces in a business after having grown up alongside each other in their father and uncle's packaged-ice company. "We knew we wanted to work together. The beer part came later," says Sam. The trio benefited from Jack's beer knowledge he actually got a degree in brewing technology and pooled $1 million of family money to open Jack's Abby. (The name refers to Jack and his wife, Abby, but it is also a play on abbey, since some of the greatest brewers of all times were monks.) Jack is the trio's brew master, while Eric handles the business side and Sam takes charge of the sales. To complete the family picture, the business sources some of the ingredients in its beer from its 80-acre family farm, such as the pumpkins that go into the brewery's pumpkin lager. A business challenge: These days, it's particularly hard for craft brewers to find the best hops (the flowers that impart that signature bitter taste to beer). Hops "need to be secured with contracts multiple years in advance," says Sam and that's a major challenge when a business is expanding so rapidly that it can't predict what supplies it will need down the road. Since its inception, Jack's Abby is averaging 150% annual growth. The plan for growth: The company would like to expand beyond its current small base of three states (Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York). "Ultimately, we see ourselves as a regional brewer" throughout the Northeast, says Sam. The Commons Brewery Portland, Ore. Number of employees: 7 Year founded: 2010 Annual sales: $845,000 How the brewery came to be: Founder Michael Wright was an IT project manager by day and a home brewer by night. But his beer-making obsession got the best of him, so he gave up his job and pursued his dream. Mr. Wright started out by running the craft operation out of his garage and within a year, he was able to lease a 1,500-square-foot space and "become a legitimate small-production brewery," he says. He admits his initial investment was minuscule compared with that of other brewers just $85,000: "We had the minimum necessary equipment and space to produce small-batch beers….I didn't have more [money] than that, so it just had to work." A business challenge: Being in the business of making alcoholic beverages typically means dealing with a three-tier distribution system that's been in effect since Prohibition as in the brewery sells to the distributor, who then sells to the retailer. The process adds a middleman to the equation to theoretically keep business practices in check and curb abuses. But for craft brewers, it just makes things all the more difficult and costly, says Mr. Wright: "Getting product to market is complex." The plan for growth: Given that he purchased a $1.5 million building in June 2014 to expand the business and grew at a 30% clip in the past year, Mr. Wright feels that his trajectory is in place. He does plan on buying some new equipment in the next year. But he's hesitant to do anything with the support of outside investors or to sell The Commons altogether. "I'm enjoying this journey far too much to give it up," Mr. Wright says. | 3 | 6,641 | finance |
SAN JOSE, Calif. A study released Tuesday shows Silicon Valley's tech economy is continuing to boom, with 58,000 new jobs and 42,000 new residents last year and all indications the record growth will continue. The annual Silicon Valley Index released by Joint Venture Silicon Valley, representing businesses, government and the broader community, also shows record venture capital investment in technology. "The world's hottest regional economy keeps getting hotter," said Joint Venture President Russell Hancock, pointing to the highest growth rate since 2000. And unlike 15 years ago when the tech sector spiked and then crashed, this time economists say there's a solid economic base. "It's not bubblicious. We have grown into this and we've done this incrementally," Hancock said. Silicon Valley, home to Google Inc., Apple Inc., Facebook Inc. and many other tech companies, was the last economy to succumb to the recession and the first to emerge from it. The 1,900-square-mile region south of San Francisco also saw some of the highest income gains and housing prices in the country last year. The report shows that with the income and population growth, low-wage earners are being priced out of housing, roadways are increasingly congested, and public rail service is overwhelmed throughout the greater Bay Area. In addition, the income gap is the largest in the U.S., with world-class firms paying top wages to computer scientists while those who work for them, such as housekeepers, landscapers or caretakers, haven't seen significant wage increases. Thus almost one out of three households needs food or shelter subsidies. "The gap is growing, not because most people are doing worse here, but because people at the top are growing faster," said economist Stephen Levy, who directs the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy. At Buena Vista Mobile Home Park in Palo Alto, resident Alex Simangas, a cook at a local pizza restaurant, says there's no way he could afford rents that average $2,600 for an apartment in his hometown if he lived anywhere else. "I love Palo Alto, but it's expensive," he said. Simangas said he opts to live in a rundown mobile home he bought for $13,000 so that his two children can attend well-funded, high-achieving local schools. While the report focuses on Silicon Valley, it also shows San Francisco to the north is a major driver of the region's economic prosperity. New companies in San Francisco, including Uber, Dropbox, Lyft and AirBnB, received $7.2 billion in venture capital last year, about the same as Silicon Valley companies. | 5 | 6,642 | news |
Roquan Smith, a four-star outside linebacker who is ranked as the 47th-best prospect in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite ratings , committed to UCLA Wednesday morning. Ranked the fifth-best outside linebacker in the country and the fifth-best prospect in the state of Georgia, according to the composite ratings, Smith has a 0.9764 rating overall. Update: Hold on a minute here ... BREAKING: Despite announcing his commitment to #UCLA , 4* LB Roquan Smith tells me he has not reached final decision, has not signed LOI. Jake Reuse (@ReuseRecruiting) February 4, 2015 Just talked with Larry Harold. Roquan Smith has NOT sent his LOI in yet. The two are about to meet to figure things out. Ron Seibel (@RonSeibel) February 4, 2015 Keep an eye on this one. It came down to four teams for Smith, but he chose UCLA over Michigan, Texas A&M and Georgia. It truly was a national offer list for Smith, who also had offers from Alabama, Michigan State, Florida State, Wisconsin and USC. For more UCLA, visit Bruins Nation . He made his choice with flair, eliminating cards representing "Michigan University" and Texas A&M before holding up his UCLA gloves. He chose to take his official visits to USC, Georgia, Michigan, A&M and UCLA. The Bruins got the last official visit on the weekend before National Signing Day. Smith's high school career was filled with accolades, and he was invited to the prestigious Nike "The Opening" showcase. Smith is considered a very athletic outside linebacker, and he stands at 6'2, 205 pounds. Smith hails from Macon County High School in Montezuma, Ga. You can read Smith's scouting report from SB Nation's Bud Elliot , who raves about his speed and range: "Smith is one of the most athletic linebacker recruits in the country. And he needs to be, because at 6'2 and 201 pounds (Atlanta Nike Camp measurements), he is not very big. The first thing Smith will need in college is a lot of time in the weight room. He simply must get stronger at the point of attack. "But top schools that typically prefer bigger players are after Smith because he has the athleticism to make up for his marginal size. "Smith shows fantastic closing burst in the open field, chasing down ball carriers and either making the tackle, or turning them back inside to pursuit. It seems that players consistently underestimate his closing speed." | 5 | 6,643 | news |
Consumers are increasingly pressuring the world's most dominant lingerie brand to offer plus-size lingerie. Thousands of people have signed petitions in recent weeks for Victoria's Secret to offer larger sizes. Victoria's Secret controls a whopping 35% of the lingerie market, far more than any other retailer. The largest panty size it offers is XL, or equivalent to a size 16. The fashion industry defines plus-size clothing as sizes 12-24, though many retailers offer up to a size 28 to meet demand. Bra sizes are inconsistent. Some styles are offered up to a D, while others go up to a DDD. Still, many women feel they don't have a good selection at Victoria's Secret. The author of one petition, Dana Drew, said she loves her California Victoria's Secret store so much that she has a credit card there. She can't, however, buy lingerie there. "My money and my credit are good enough for them, but the fact that I can only buy items like perfume, lotion, and body spray sends the message that my body is not," Drew says . "Every year I watch the Angel fashion show and would love to purchase the items I see on my screen but can't because Victoria's Secret doesn't sell plus sizes." Other petitions are encouraging Victoria's Secret to show more diverse body types than the ultra-thin models at its annual fashion show. Victoria's Secret models like Doutzen Kroes and Lily Aldridge are known to work out for four hours a day in the weeks leading up to the show. The brand recently ignited controversy with an ad campaign portraying a series of stick-thin models with the tagline "The Perfect 'Body.'" While the phrase was a play on the brand's "Body by Victoria" bras, many people were offended by how models were portrayed. Victoria's Secret eventually ditched the campaign and changed the headline to "A Body For Every Body." But a recent petition on Change.org calling for curvier models suggests that the annual fashion show promotes unrealistic expectations for the average woman. "Victoria's Secret should consider their bottom line when making this decision," according to the petition. "There are over 100 million plus size women in the United States and we spent over 17.5 billion dollars on plus-size clothing last year." We've reached out to Victoria's Secret to ask if they plan to offer more plus sizes in the future. | 4 | 6,644 | lifestyle |
Biggest hitters, strongest arms & more Class of '15 superlatives Jarrett Stidham may be the third-ranked high school quarterback on the Scout 300 , but the Stephenville, Texas, star's arm strength is second to none earning him a spot on our list of 2015 recruits with special skills. Click through the gallery to see the biggest hitters, strongest arms, best two-way players and more. Biggest hitters Malik Jefferson (OLB), Mesquite (Texas) Poteet The Texas commit closes about as well as any prospect you will find and will lay quarterbacks out when he comes around the edge. Biggest hitters Fotu Leiato (OLB), Steilacoom (Wash.) With his hair flowing out of his helmet, Leiato reminds you of a smaller Troy Polamalu, who's also from the Northwest. Leiato's senior film went viral, with clips of him annihilating receivers, running backs and special teamers, and his recruitment took off as a result. See the full list of this year's 10 hardest hitters Strongest Arm Jarrett Stidham, Stephenville (Texas) Of all of the throwers in the Midlands his strong arm , combined with a quick release, may have the most NFL potential. Strongest Arm Brandon Wimbush, Jersey City (N.J.) St. Peter's Prep The Notre Dame commit flicks his wrist and throws the ball 65 yards , and he can rifle it into a small window and frustrate defensive backs who thought they had a chance for an interception. See the full list of this year's 10 strongest arms Two-Way Players Roney Elam, Newton (Texas) The Texas A&M commit is a ferocious hitter as a safety and then flips over and goes under center as the quarterback. Two-Way Players Kyonta Stallworth, Detroit King This Michigan State commit is a great blocker on offense, but showed this year that he could reasonably project to defensive tackle too if need be. See the full list of this year's 10 best two-way talents Instant impact Josh Rosen (QB), Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco The nation's No. 1 quarterback is walking in to a good situation at UCLA, with Brett Hundley leaving for the NFL early and the starting quarterback job up for grabs. Rosen graduated early and will have every chance to win the QB1 spot after the spring. See the full list of instant-impact players Instant impact Derwin James (S), Haines City (Fla.) James is the safest player in this class regardless of position and is one of the best safety prospects we have ever seen. Simply, James can do it all play in coverage and support the run. He's already enrolled at FSU. Barring injury he's a plug-and-play guy even at a talent-rich school like Florida State. Fastest Kendall Sheffield (CB), Missouri City (Texas) Marshall The Alabama commit is a world-class 110-meter hurdler who was named as the Gatorade Track Athlete of the Year. Fastest Ryan Davis (WR), St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood Davis is not the fastest recruit from Florida but he just may be the quickest of the big time recruits. This kid is electric in space with the ball in his hands. Now you see him … now you don't. See the full list of this year's fastest recruits | 1 | 6,645 | sports |
DOVER, Del. -- Attorneys are expected to file their closing arguments Tuesday in the no-contact order hearing involving NASCAR's Kurt Busch. The written summations mark the closing stages of an atypical hearing that heard testimony from Busch's ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, who alleged the driver smashed her head against the wall three times during a September race weekend in Dover, and from Busch, who claimed Driscoll was a trained assassin who could take him down at any moment. Busch's legal camp have long denied Driscoll's allegations and instead claimed she was a jilted ex-lover who was determined to ruin the driver's career. On the stand Busch contended that he never slammed her head, never grabbed her by the throat or pushed her head against the wall. Instead, he says he cupped her face and told her to leave. Driscoll who owns her own defense company and runs the Armed Forces Foundation has said Busch's claims that she was an assassin were ludicrous and were an attempt to destroy her credibility. Driscoll requested that Busch stay away from her and not contact her. She is also asking for Busch to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and be assessed by a certified domestic violence treatment agency, according to the court filings. The Dover Police Department closed its investigation into the incident last December and turned it over to the state Attorney General's office. The office has not yet announced a decision on the allegations. | 1 | 6,646 | sports |
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. Falcons owner Arthur Blank says he has seen enough of the NFL's investigation of fake crowd noise at Atlanta's home games to acknowledge wrongdoing. The NFL is trying to determine if the Falcons pumped artificial crowd noise into the Georgia Dome for home games the last two years. Apparently, the answer is yes. Blank told The Associated Press on Tuesday "I think what we've done in 2013 and 2014 was wrong." Blank says he expects the league to report its findings in two to three weeks. The Falcons could be fined or penalized with the loss of a draft pick if found to have added fake crowd noise during the opposing team's huddles when trying to call a play. Blank says the team has cooperated with the investigation. ___ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL | 1 | 6,647 | sports |
If you're looking for a gift to really impress someone significant in your life, there are a few innovative apps that will help you knock their socks off! Krystin Goodwin (@krystingoodwin) has the roundup of the best apps for gifting your Valentine. | 8 | 6,648 | video |
Like Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston has had his fair share of off the field issues. With everything going on with Manziel, will teams pass on Winston because of his personality? | 1 | 6,649 | sports |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Third baseman Mike Moustakas and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a $2.64 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. Moustakas would earn a $10,000 bonus under Tuesday's deal if he has 550 or more plate appearances. The 26-year-old hit .212 with 21 doubles and 54 RBIs last year, when he made $549,000. He had asked for $3.1 million in arbitration and had been offered $1.85 million. Five Royals remain in arbitration: pitchers Danny Duffy, Kelvin Herrera and Greg Holland; first baseman Eric Hosmer; and outfielder Lorenzo Cain. | 1 | 6,650 | sports |
DUBLIN (AP) Rory McIlroy and his lawyers held negotiations with his former agent Tuesday in a bid to reach a settlement in their multi-million-dollar court case. The two sides met for five hours at the High Court complex in Dublin, and the case was adjourned until Wednesday morning. The top-ranked golfer is suing Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management and its leading agent, Conor Ridge, claiming he was misled into signing a contract with the company. McIlroy initiated the case in 2013. Judge Brian Cregan said progress had been made between the two sides Tuesday and he agreed to allow further last-minute talks to try to avoid a long and costly trial. The case had been expected to last eight weeks. McIlroy was in court, along with business executive Barry Funston, who oversees the golfer's charity work, and his cousin, Brian McIlroy. Ridge was also in court. Wearing a dark suit and glasses, McIlroy arrived at the court on Tuesday morning for the start of proceedings. The case was quickly adjourned until the afternoon and then again until Wednesday as the two sides continued to negotiate. McIlroy has said in court papers that he signed the contract at Horizon's Christmas party ''in circumstances of great informality,'' and without having seen a draft of the agreement before it was given to him to sign. Horizon is counter-suing, claiming McIlroy owes it millions of dollars in commissions. McIlroy, who left Horizon to form his own management company in 2013, was expected to testify in court this week. The four-time major winner is coming off a victory at the Dubai Desert Classic last Sunday. Speaking before the tournament, McIlroy said he hopes the court case ''won't take that long, and we can get on with our lives.'' ''It's not something you want hanging over your head and it's not something I'd want anyone to go through, it's not a nice process,'' McIlroy said. ''It's a shame it's gone this far and that two sides see things completely differently. The only way to sort it out is to get a judge to come in and tell us what to do.'' | 1 | 6,651 | sports |
There's never a dull moment. | 8 | 6,652 | video |
INDIANAPOLIS Larry Bird isn't putting any constraints on Paul George's recovery. In fact, the Pacers president of basketball operations is hoping George will make it onto the court this season. Just six months after the two-time All-Star gruesomely broke his right leg in two places, Bird told reporters that if doctors clear George to play he should. "I always say if the player is ready to play, he's got to play," Bird said Wednesday. "We're not going to hold him back if he's able to go out there and play. I think it's important because when you're out like that, you lose something. He's going to get beat up, he's going to get knocked around, he's not going to look good, but I still think it's important, if he's able to play, he should be out there." Bird said doctors initially told him that it would take seven months for the leg bone to fully heal. If that timeline still holds, George could conceivably be ready for a return from the Aug. 1 injury sometime next month. Being cleared may not be enough. Coach Frank Vogel acknowledged that getting into game shape and getting back in sync with his teammates could add another month or two to the rehab process, possibly delaying George's return to next season as was the expectation all along. George is expected to talk with reporters on Thursday, his first formal news conference since late November. He has steadily increased his activity during practices, though Vogel declined to say what exactly George has been doing. He also has been traveling with his teammates on some road trips. While those are signs of progress, they are not necessarily an indication of an imminent return or whether George is anywhere close to his pre-injury form. "I think you've just got to be smart with it," Vogel said. "Like Larry said, if the doctors say OK, then I think he should be ready to go." Indiana (17-32) certainly could use George on the court. Though the Pacers are still ranked in the top third of the league defensively, they have been inconsistent. Offensively, the Pacers' struggles have been even worse and additional injuries have sapped Indiana of more scoring punch. Bird said he expected this team to come together by now. Yet they are just 4 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the East and still have playoff visions. George's return could help. "I want to win and that's been my goal, to try to get into the playoffs," Bird said. "Hopefully, down the road, we'll see where Paul's at. We still have no idea whether he's coming back or not, but it seems like every week he's getting better and better. If we do have an opportunity to get into the playoffs and he can get some games under his belt and get ready to go next year." George's absence and the Pacers' continual woes have prompted speculation that Bird could break up the core of the two-time Eastern Conference runner-ups before the Feb. 19 trade deadline. The two biggest trade chips Indiana has are veteran power forward David West and two-time All-Star center Roy Hibbert. Bird acknowledged he will listen to offers and will try to help improve the team upon George's return, whenever that is, but does not appear to be in a rush to make any moves. Vogel isn't pleading for changes, either. "I like the group that we have and I would love to come back with West, Hibbert, George (Hill) at the one, fill in a couple of spots and make another run at it," Vogel said. "Obviously, Roy and David have player options, but I'm pretty confident they'll be back." Which leaves just one question: When will George be back? "I have no clue whether he's going to play or not," Bird said. "But if he gets healthy and they say he can play and he wants to play, we'll put him out there." | 1 | 6,653 | sports |
Paris Hilton is expanding … maybe. The heiress has never been known to be, well, well-endowed in the chest department, but she's changing opinions with her latest selfie. In the latest image shows the blonde bombshell with a very open robe and makeup scattered about around her. It seems like there is more of Paris to love up top, if you catch our drift. She captioned the photo, "#GlamTime." She posted a similar cleavage shot in December. It's certainly plausible that Paris had some surgical enhancement. It's also possible that the girl just knows her angles. Paris has not commented on her photos or speculation that her breasts were enhanced. Paris Hilton: Showing, but not telling. | 6 | 6,654 | entertainment |
A Wyoming Sheriff's Deputy with 40 years of experience is hanging up his cowboy hat after his new boss decided to change up the once traditional western wear uniform. Buzz60's Leigh Scheps (@LeighTVReporter) has the story. | 8 | 6,655 | video |
Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho has signed a new contract with Liverpool, the English Premier League club said Tuesday. It has been reported that Coutinho, who joined the Merseysiders from Italian giants Inter Milan for £8.5 million ($12.8 million, 11.2 million euros), in January 2013 will now be staying at Anfield until 2020, with his original agreement due to have expired in 2018. "I'm really happy. It's a dream come true playing for this great club and being part of this squad," Countinho, 22, told liverpoolfc.com. "This club is great and the fans have always supported me, so I've been eager to sign this new deal since conversations started. Today is a very happy day." Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers added: "I'm delighted that Philippe has committed his long-term future to us; he is clearly going to be a big part of our story in the years to come. "The most exciting thing isn't just how good he is now, it's the further improvement he can make in his game. In terms of potential, he can still become even better. "He has shown resilience in adapting to the environment and has embraced everything we have asked of him," the Northern Irishman said. "It is my hope now that he continues with his improvement and development and becomes a figurehead for this exciting, vibrant, youthful squad of players, as we look to grow as a group and achieve success together." Coutinho, who has scored 10 goals in 81 Liverpool appearances, has been in arguably the best form of his Reds career recently and last weekend set up both goals, for Raheem Sterling and the returning Daniel Sturridge, in a 2-0 league win at home to West Ham. | 1 | 6,656 | sports |
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe may be allowed in to the European Union to attend high-level meetings in his new role as chairman of the African Union, despite a long-standing travel ban, the EU said on Tuesday. The 90-year-old Mugabe, one of Africa's most divisive figures, ascended to the rotating chairmanship of the AU last Friday, casting a shadow over the continental body's relations with the West. The 28-nation EU, which imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe in 2002 to protest reported human rights abuses and violations of democracy under Mugabe, has gradually scaled back sanctions over the last few years to encourage political reform. But it has kept Mugabe and his wife, Grace, under an asset freeze and a ban on traveling to the EU. EU spokeswoman Catherine Ray said the visa ban on Mugabe and his wife remained in place, but Mugabe could be granted an exemption to travel to Europe "in exceptional cases" for inter-governmental meetings that promoted the EU's goals of democracy, human rights and rule of law in Zimbabwe. Mugabe would still need authorization from EU governments under the exemption if he were to travel to Europe as chairman of the African Union. Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since it gained independence from Britain in 1980 and has frequently clashed with the West over his policies. EU states were divided in their response when Mugabe won a fifth term as president in a 2013 election that was endorsed as free by African observers but denounced as fraudulent by the opposition. The EU invited Mugabe to attend an EU-Africa summit in Brussels last April, but he stayed away because his wife was not invited. Following Mugabe's protest, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma also decided to stay at home. (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald and Adrian Croft; Editing by Larry King) | 5 | 6,657 | news |
With tablet sales slowing, Microsoft is looking to breathe new life in its Surface Pro 3 with a bit of a discount. Microsoft shoppers can now get $100 off the cost of the Surface Pro 3, the tablet the company also touts as a laptop replacement, until Feb. 7. But there's a caveat. The base model is excluded from the deal. So those on a budget will still have to shell out $799 to get their hands on the 64GB Intel i3 model of the Surface Pro 3. Beyond the base model, the discount continues to apply. So for $100 more, users can opt for the next model up, the 128GB with Intel i5 Processor at $899. In addition the discount, Microsoft is also offering a free sleeve for the tablet, until April 5. The deal is only available to Microsoft's retail and online stores and customers are limited to three tablets. Microsoft has aggressively marketed its line of Surface tablets, including a series of ads pitting the Surface Pro 3 against Apple Inc.'s MacBook Air. The firm also struck an exclusive deal with the NFL to supply teams with custom-built Surface Pro 2 tablets, which were on display during the Super Bowl . Despite the deal, Microsoft had an early setback when the tablets were deployed to NFL teams last year, with many announcers calling it an "iPad-like" device . And during the November 2014 elections, behind product placed Surface Pro 3's CNN commentators were seen on camera using their own iPads instead. Overall, the global tablet market has faced its first decline in the fourth quarter, with shipments falling 3.2 percent to 76.1 million, down from 78.6 million in the same period in the previous year, according to data from IDC . "Despite an apparent slow-down of the market, we maintain our forecast about tablet growth in 2015," Jean Philippe Bouchard, Research Director, Tablets, said. "Microsoft's new OS, a general shift towards larger screen form factor and productivity focused solutions, and technology innovations such as gesture interface that could be introduced in tablets will help the market maintain positive growth in 2015." | 3 | 6,658 | finance |
If you think saving for retirement is hard, wait until you start thinking about how to make the money last. It's a challenge that policymakers are focusing on more intently, especially since features like automatic enrollment are encouraging people to save more. Some 55 percent of workers in a 2014 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute were at least somewhat confident about having enough money for retirement, including 18 percent who were highly confident. That's an improvement from 2013, when just 13 percent were highly confident their nest egg was big enough. But many of those investors don't seem to have a handle on how much money they can and should draw down after they stop working. "So much of the attention in 401(k) policy has been in getting people to save. Now some people have done that, and now the issue is well, what do they do with the money when they retire?" said Richard Johnson, a senior fellow and director of the program on retirement policy at the Urban Institute. People seem to be either shortsighted or overcautious with their savings, Johnson added, but either way, they are not making optimal use of the money. "The traditional fear is that people will outlive their assets. But when we look at the data, the opposite is happening. People are so afraid they will run out of money that they don't spend down their 401(k) savings." Enter longevity annuities. These annuities, a type of deferred income annuity, allow investors to pay an upfront premium in exchange for a stream of payments starting at a later date, like when they turn 85. The initial cost of these annuities is much lower than an annuity that starts paying, or annuitizing, right away, and they enable investors to make sure they have income in old age and to define how long their other savings have to last. Longevity annuities have been around for a long time. Moshe Milevsky, an associate professor of finance at York University's Schulich School of Business, said that three centuries ago, governments in England and France were issuing this kind of contract to pay for government operations. But in the past year, longevity annuities have gotten a boost from policymakers. Last July, the IRS completed rules that allow people to put the lesser of 25 percent of their IRA assets or $125,000 into a so-called qualified longevity annuity contract, or QLAC. A QLAC starts paying out at a later date, like when the investor is 80 or 85, and investors do not have to factor in the assets in the QLAC when they calculate the minimum required distribution they have to take from their employer-sponsored retirement accounts. In effect, a longevity annuity that is structured to fit the QLAC rules can provide deferred income for later life, and reduce the amount retired investors have to take as annual taxable distributions from a 401(k) or similar account. Then last October, the Treasury Department and the IRS approved guidance making it clear that employers can offer deferred-income annuities in target-date funds that are used as default investments in retirement plans they sponsor. With assets in 401(k) plans at $4.5 trillion as of the third quarter of 2014, up from $1.7 trillion in 2000, the rule changes could lead to a sharp increase in the amount of money Americans set aside for very old age. But are longevity annuities right for you? It depends. With interest rates currently low, the payments from any annuity priced today are likely to be relatively modest, experts say. In addition, if interest rates rise, the price of a longevity annuity with payouts at today's levels will decline. There is also the risk that inflation will erode the real value of the payments you receive. While inflation is low right now, there is no guarantee that it will remain that way until your longevity annuity starts to pay out. In addition, because these contracts do not pay out for a number of years, there is a chance that you may die before the payments even begin, or the company issuing the annuity may go out of business. There is another factor to consider as well: gender. Current rules state that QLACs, the longevity annuities that get the more favorable treatment in employer-sponsored retirement accounts, are priced as a unisex product. That means the payments from the contracts will be based on an expected life span that is longer than a typical man's and shorter than a woman's. As a result, each payment could be smaller than what a man could receive on another type of deferred income annuity, and larger than what a women might get. That rule makes a QLAC as currently designed a somewhat questionable proposition for men, but relatively attractive for women. Women are "who it's ultimately going to be most important for," said Harold Evensky of Evensky & Katz Wealth Management. Between their longer life expectancies and typically smaller savings, "they are the ones most likely to need to get as much as possible from what little is available." Investors can reduce or eliminate many of these drawbacks by paying for added features. For example, investors can add a provision that payments are to increase by a fixed amount to offset the toll inflation may take, or a money-back guarantee to protect heirs against the chance that an annuity holder dies before payments start. But features like these will cut into the size of the payments investors can expect. And insurance companies are not required to reveal the direct cost of these add ons, according to Joseph Montminy of the LIMRA Secure Retirement Institute. Instead, they simply disclose the new size of the periodic payout. "They don't say 'it costs $10 for every $1,000 you put in," Montminy said. "The expenses are baked in." That means investors have to be vigilant when they shop around for longevity annuities. "Make sure you are comparing apples to apples, the exact same kind of payout," Montminy warned. Milevsky suggested using what he called "damaged money" to buy a longevity annuity and offset some of the risks. For example, if you take money out of bonds to buy the product and interest rates rise, the prices on annuities will fall but you will have saved yourself from losses on your bonds. In any case, he said, "this isn't an investment it's a hedge against longevity risk," the risk that you will outlive your financial assets. With very few QLACs yet created, the market for these longevity annuity contracts is just beginning to develop. But experts think the growth in the market could be significant if a number of big players develop products. For one thing, the market for deferred-income annuities in general has been expanding rapidly for several years as investors search for income protection in old age. Sales in 2011 were around $200 million, Montminy said, and for 2014 they are on track to reach $2.7 billion to $2.8 billion. As a result, even with the risks and drawbacks in QLACs and other longevity annuities, Montminy and others are watching closely. Evensky, for one, is not recommending these annuities for clients now because of the low interest rate environment. But eventually, he expects longevity annuities to be "an extraordinarily important vehicle." You may have only a 20 percent chance that you will live to 95, Evensky added. But if you do, and you have only planned financially to reach 85, "you will be eating cat food for a decade." | 3 | 6,659 | finance |
Super slow motion not only catches Adam's sword slicing an apple in mid-air, but Adam's face lighting up with glee as a result. | 8 | 6,660 | video |
BEAVER CREEK, Colo. Tiger Woods is in Colorado at the women's super-G as the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships begin to cheer on his girlfriend Lindsey Vonn. Woods was seen on the large video screen in Red Tail Stadium standing just outside the finish area wearing a black jacket, shades and a black hat. Unlike his recent visit to Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy where he witnessed Vonn's record breaking 63rd World Cup victory he is not incognito hiding his face behind a skeletal mask. At that race, Woods said he got a tooth knocked out when a photographer hit him with a shoulder-mounted camera. Race officials in Italy said they were unaware of the incident. The women's super-G has been delayed to 11:30 a.m. local time and moved to a lower start due to winds on the mountain. Vonn is among the favorites. On Friday, Woods missed the cut at the Phoenix Open , the first time in his career he missed back-to-back cuts in official PGA Tour events. This week he's playing in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, where he has won eight times as a professional, including the 2008 U.S. Open, his last major title. | 1 | 6,661 | sports |
A cute little girl shares a lollipop with her dog. | 8 | 6,662 | video |
They're all out there for the taking, a handful of elite recruits that will get USC to where it once was not so long ago. On paper, anyway. If we've learned anything since Pete Carroll left Southern California it is this: just because you land elite recruits doesn't mean you can develop elite recruits. And more important: win championships. MORE: 'Christmas' at USC on Signing Day? | Top 25 recuits | Best recruiters "Our future," says USC coach Steve Sarkisian, "is ridiculously bright." It was bright under Lane Kiffin, too. Heck, it was bright for two months while Ed Orgeron played caretaker. But understand this: for USC to become USC again; for the Trojans to be the program that can stand toe-to-toe with the sport's heavyweights and punish them again, it's going to take more than just another star-studded recruiting class. So when USC does what it has done for years now; when the Trojans close strong on National Signing Day and more than likely land four that's right four five-star recruits ( CB Iman Marshall , LB Porter Gustin ( committed to USC on Tuesday ), LB John Houston , DT Rasheem Green ) and vault past Alabama for the No. 1 class in the nation, remember what it really means. It means Sarkisian, an assistant under Carroll at USC, has to do what the guy before him couldn't and take advantage of all that talent. For the first time since Carroll left after the 2009 season amid looming NCAA sanctions, USC looks poised to be completely free of the collateral damage (see: depth, experience issues) from 30 scholarship losses over three years. Kiffin landed elite recruiting classes, but it couldn't translate to the field. Sarkisian landed a top 10 class before his first season an impressive pull despite limited relationships with players USC was recruiting and showed signs of the ability to develop that talent despite four losses. Adoree Jackson already has developed into one of the most dynamic players in the game, and JuJu Smith will be the Pac-12's best wideout in 2015. That 2014 class and this current class will be the foundation of what USC can be in the near future. MORE: Signing Day Central | Announcement schedule | Ranking 5-star QBs since 2005 It's one of the reasons star quarterback Cody Kessler stayed for his senior season. "What we're building here has the potential to be very unique," Kessler said. "We have everyone together, everyone pulling for the same thing. It's exciting. It's time for us to bring this program back to where it should be." That means no late, gut-wrenching losses to Arizona State and Utah, games where USC clearly had the most talent on the field. It means no more confounding losses to Boston College, a team that had no business beating the Trojans. And it means stopping a three-game losing streak to city rival UCLA. Losing to UCLA once was bad enough under Carroll. But three straight games, with little doubt as to who the better team was, is as unnerving as it is unacceptable. If you think that's galling, consider this for the program that, at one point last decade, was the most dominant of the BCS era. The last time USC won a championship of any kind, the Pac-12 was still the Pac-10 (2008). It has been 10 years since USC won a national title, and considering that championship was vacated because of NCAA violations, the Trojans are a 2003-04 AP national title away (AP titles mean nothing in the BCS era) from not winning it all since 1978. "There's no pressure to me," Sarkisian said. "I chose to come to USC to win championships, and that's the ultimate goal. Every time I come into the building, it's what am I doing to win a championship?" Something more than just a paper championship. | 1 | 6,663 | sports |
12 Foods You Used to Think Were Healthy Nutrition knowledge is evolving all the time. Still, it's pretty hilarious to take a look back at the things you really thought did a body good 10 or 15 years ago. Here, some of the products that fooled us the most. Granola (Ahem, Candy) Bars Now you know to look at the sugar and fiber content before you buy one of these ready-to-eat snacks. But back in the '90s... 100 Percent Fruit Juice It's kind of hard to believe you used to have a big glass of sugar sorry, orange juice with breakfast every single morning. Low-Fat Crackers These might have had a slight caloric edge on the regular version. But that definitely didn't mean eating half a box in one sitting was a smart idea, which is exactly what you did (at least if you were anything like us). Frozen Diet Meals They have fewer than 400 calories! And more than a quarter of your daily recommended intake of sodium. Health Drinks Whether it was instant breakfasts, weight-loss shakes, or vitamin-infused waters, now you know: H2O will always be the gold standard when it comes to hydration and real food is the best place to get your nutrition, not mixes or bottles. 100-Calorie Packs of Cookies As much as we hate to admit it, 100-calorie packs of sweets are still sweets...and that "less than one gram" of fiber, along with all of the sugar, leaves you hungry for another snack in no time. Muffins These cupcakes-in-disguise haven't fooled their last unsuspecting victim, but we're not falling for it anymore. Margarine And this was back in the days before they removed most of the trans fats from the faux butter. Rice Cakes Yeah, these don't have much in the way of calories...or nutrition. 'Real' Fruit Snacks Even straight-up candy (we won't name names) says on the package that it's "made with real fruit." You may have fooled us back in the day, fruit snacks. But now... Fig-Filled Cookies Again, still cookies... Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt Finally, you know these for what they really are: sugar bombs. | 7 | 6,664 | health |
From Rihanna to Gwyneth Paltrow, check out the A-listers who've suffered fashion fails during winter. | 8 | 6,665 | video |
Ben Stokes hits 151 off 86 balls and takes 3-51 for England Lions | 8 | 6,666 | video |
After months of speculation, Justin Timberlake confirmed that he and Jessica Biel are expecting their first child with this adorable Instagram shot. "Thank you everyone for the bday wishes!" he posted alongside the photo. "This year, I'm getting the greatest gift ever. Can't wait. #BoyOrGirl #YouNeverKnow #WeDontEvenKnow #WeAreTakingBets." While some celebs keep their pregnancies under wraps for as long as possible, others prefer to spread the news on their own terms, be it via social media or on stage. From Beyoncé's unforgettable VMAs performance to Busy Philipps's tweeted pregnancy test, take a look at how these 19 famous parents-to-be shared their exciting baby announcements with their fans. Source: Instagram user justintimberlake Busy Philipps Busy Philipps tweeted a photo of her positive pregnancy test with the message: "So this happened." Molly Sims Molly Sims shared her baby news via her website: "Today, I am absolutely, positively, downright over the moon to announce that we are pregnant! There are simply no words to describe the feeling . . . I finally get what they mean when they say pregnant women GLOW." Tori Spelling In March 2012, Tori Spelling posted an adorable photo of her baby bump - with three sets of little hands hugging it - on her website to announce her fourth pregnancy. Jessica Capshaw Jessica Capshaw tweeted the news that she and hubby Christopher Gavigan were expecting their third baby in January 2012. Gwen Stefani Back in December 2005, Gwen Stefani took to the stage to share the news of her baby on the way. "I want you to say it loud enough so the baby hears it," Stefani yelled to the audience at the final stop of her tour in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Beyoncé Who could forget Beyoncé's 2011 VMAs performance of "Love on Top," when she unveiled her baby bump to the public for the first time? Tina Fey In April 2011, Tina Fey announced the news of her second pregnancy during an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Jennifer Lopez "Marc and I are expecting a baby!" Jennifer Lopez exclaimed on stage alongside her then-husband in Miami during her 2007 tour. The baby, of course, ended up being twins - now 5-year-old Max and Emme. Rachel Zoe In November 2010, stylist to the stars Rachel Zoe confirmed her pregnancy news via Twitter. Hilary Duff A year after her marriage to ex-NHL star Mike Comrie, Hilary Duff posted news of her pregnancy to her website: "We also want to share the exciting news that . . . BABY MAKES THREE!!! We are extremely happy and ready to start this new chapter of our lives." Nicole Richie Nicole Richie's hubby, Joel Madden, announced news of the couple's second baby on his band Good Charlotte's website: "What's better than winning an Oscar? I am so happy to tell everyone that Harlow is going to be a big sister! God has truly blessed my family. Hope you're all feeling as good as i am right now . . ." Jessica Simpson "It's True! I'm going to be a mummy!" was Jessica Simpson's clever way of announcing her pregnancy on her website on Halloween. Jessica Simpson Jessica Simpson turned to Twitter again to announce her second pregnancy. On Christmas morning, she shared a vacation picture of little Maxwell sitting in the sand with the words "BIG SIS" drawn in front of her, while her tweet read, "Merry Christmas from my family to yours!" Fergie Pop star Fergie tweeted that she and husband Josh Duhamel were expecting their first child with the message "Josh & Me & BABY makes three!!! #mylovelybabybump" alongside this adorable photo collage (right) of the couple as tots. Josh tweeted a nearly identical message at almost exactly the same time. Doutzen Kroes Doutzen Kroes announced her second pregnancy via Instagram with a nude photo of herself baring her bump and the caption "This is not a #throwbackthursday this is now! So happy to share with you that we are expecting." Stacy Keibler Stacy Keibler announced her pregnancy in a tongue-in-cheek way - by Instagramming a photo of an actual bun in an oven and saying, "Look what we've got cooking! A Bun'dle of love!" Molly Sims To announce her second pregnancy, Molly Sims brought in her son, Brooks, and some chalkboard signs to show how far along she was. Blake Lively Blake Lively announced the news through her lifestyle website, Preserve, with an editor's letter celebrating "all the expecting mothers out there" and a photo of her growing baby bump. In the letter, she wrote:"Preserve at its core is about family.Family is the single word our founder, Blake built this home on.We have something for men, for women, for the old, but we realized, we don't have anything for the new.With family on our mind, we looked to the origin of it all-to the women in our lives who are right there, at that special moment; at the creation of family. Today we celebrate them. With food to fill their tummies (as if that needs more filling), presents to soothe their tired (and swollen) soles, toys to warm their baby's souls, projects to provoke them, and decorations to inspire creativity and merriment in all.We had too much fun with this. Because there's so much to share, we break up our first ever Preserve Celebration into multiple parts. In the upcoming days we will bring even more treats and fun. The entire next month will be sprinkled with highlights for women in this exciting chapter of their lives.Congratulations to all the expecting mothers out there." Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel After months of speculation, Justin Timberlake confirmed that he and Jessica Biel are expecting their first child with this adorable Instagram shot. "Thank you everyone for the bday wishes!" he posted alongside the photo. "This year, I'm getting the greatest gift ever. Can't wait. #BoyOrGirl #YouNeverKnow #WeDontEvenKnow #WeAreTakingBets." | 4 | 6,667 | lifestyle |
Oil had everyone on Wall Street excited on Tuesday. The commodity, bruised and battered for months by a supply-demand imbalance, extended gains in its longest rally since August and closed above $50 a barrel for the first time in a month. They took their time after a volatile start to the week but stocks finally noticed. The S&P 500 gained 1.4%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.7%, or 301 points, and the Nasdaq climbed 1.1%. The S&P 500 and Dow are just over 2% away from record highs. West Texas Intermediate surged 6.9% to $52.98 a barrel as BP joined several other oil companies in cutting capital expenditures in response to plunging oil prices. The oil giant said it would limit investment spending to $20 billion over 2015 from $22.9 billion in 2014. Earlier, China-based energy company CNOOC said it would cut capital spending by as much as 35% this year, while Chevron announced a 13% reduction to its capex budget. But economists remain conflicted as to whether the stock market rally is one that can be sustained. "There are competing narratives to explain the rally: bears chalk it up to a particularly violent short squeeze that will soon evaporate as the longer-term downtrend reasserts itself, while bulls point to the staggering drop in oil rig counts as a sign that supply is finally responding to the drop in price," said Matt Weller, senior technical analyst at FOREX.com. Energy stocks lead stock market gains on Tuesday. Exxon Mobil was up 3%, PetroChina gained 3.1%, Total added 3.6%, and Schlumberger increased 2.9%. The Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF climbed 2.7%. Solar stocks were partaking in the energy rally, too. First Solar , SunPower , JinkoSolar and Daqo New Energy were all spiking. Canadian Solar was nearly 25% higher after striking a deal to buy solar developer Recurrent Energy from Sharp Corp. for $265 million. An energy rally fueled optimism across the board with all S&P 500 sectors closing the day higher. Among the best individual stock performers, Staples shares rose 11.2% and Office Depot was up 21.5%. Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported the companies were in discussions to merge . Petrobras rallied more than 13%, partly due to rising oil prices but also on reports CEO Maria das Gracas Foster will resign soon in the face of the company's growing corruption investigation. Arch Coal surged 16.3% after reporting a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss. The coal miner decreased cost-per-ton expenses from a year earlier. The surge in oil overshadowed weaker-than-expected domestic data out earlier in the morning. U.S. factory orders for December fell 3.4%, a larger drop than the 2.4% fall anticipated. A day earlier, the January ISM Index dropped to 53.5 compared to an expected reading of 54.1. St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard said Tuesday that plunging oil prices had distorted inflation measures and to interpret them with a grain of salt until energy prices stabilize. Bullard reiterated his hawkish view that the central bank should raise rates sooner than later. | 3 | 6,668 | finance |
After a weekend of grilling, chances are you've got some leftovers in the fridge. Brisket, ribs, sausages, and steak aren't exactly ideal leftovers; reheating these dishes can dry out meat, or even worse, make it chewy and inedible. But don't discard your barbecued meat just yet - with a little creativity, you can transform it into a delicious new dish. Quesadillas: Shred or finely chop chicken drumsticks, and layer the meat between tortillas with cheese . Beans: Add to a pot of simmering beans . Enjoy the beans over rice with hot sauce. Hash: Sauté just-boiled potatoes with onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Throw in the leftover meat, and top with fried eggs. Pizza: If the meat was originally cooked with barbecue sauce, use it as a pizza topping. Try pulled pork with taleggio and arugula, or craft your own take on the classic BBQ chicken pizza . Salad: Toss beef strips with greens and leftover grilled vegetables for a hearty salad. What do you do with leftover meat? | 0 | 6,669 | foodanddrink |
A recent study from the Pew Research Center finds that 11 percent of adult Americans and 38 percent of singles have used an online dating website or app. While plenty of American women find love and connections on traditional dating sites, many have been subjected to misogynistic comments, hostility and even threats. Those anecdotal experiences mirror the results of a separate Pew study: That young women between the ages of 18-24 are far more likely to be stalked or sexually harassed online, compared with their male counterparts. The Takeaway's "Being a Woman Online" series aims to examine the creative connections and communities women have forged online despite the sexism many find on the internet. Susie Lee, co-founder and CEO of Siren, aims to do just that. Siren is a dating app now available in Seattle and Portland and will expand nationwide this year. The app operates with an asymmetrical model: Women and men do not have the same experience on the site. While women are always able to control who gets to see their profile, men are not. While Siren is primarily used by straight men and women, Lee is also exploring ways to open up and change the app based on focus groups in the LGBTQ community. Siren encourages conversation with a question of the day, a "water cooler" conversation where anyone can answer, and women can decide whether to make their profiles visible to specific people based on those answers. Lee explains that she wanted a dating app that avoided the "shopping mentality" prevalent on other apps. "There's a complexity of individuals that we wanted to explore," she says, "But our culture currently isn't really an 'and' kind of culture it's an 'or.'" She continues: "So even when women are presented online, they're either this or that, and the same goes with men." The other problem with current dating app models? According to Lee, it's algorithms. "A lot of current models think that chemistry can be determined algorithmically," she says. "Answer 50 multiple choice questions and ... some kind of computer program will be able to figure out what a perfect match is for you." She adds: "Probably most of us have [had] that relationship that looks great on paper," she says, "which oftentimes is pretty disastrous in real life." The Siren model allows for more conversation, particularly through the question of the day feature. Finally, Lee explores the double bind many women face in terms of mixing the personal and the professional. While online dating is "a potentially interesting way to meet people that are out of your social circle," Lee says, professional women have to navigate a particular balance. Here's one example: "If you are a female lawyer," Lee explains, "and your client sees you on this online space, suddenly you are faced with an awkward situation of somebody knowing something about you that's not really relevant to your professional dynamic and it still compromises the woman's identity, because she can't be easily a sexual person and a professional person." This story was adapted from an interview on the PRI news show The Takeaway. Join The Takeaway this Wednesday for an online Twitter chat on being a woman online. Get the details here. RELATED: This member of Congress has a plan to curtail revenge porn | 5 | 6,670 | news |
Revenge pornography websites are a reminder that preying on the vulnerable has long been big business . And while various laws protect people against scam artists, extortionists, manipulators, and other unscrupulous enterprises, the law has not been able to keep up with all malicious businesses. Those who distribute revenge porn rake in considerable profits while largely escaping the long arm of the law. Until now. Federal and state law enforcement is starting to treat companies that make money from the release of confidential communications as illegal enterprises. These actions send the message that businesses cannot encourage parties to breach promises of confidentiality without bearing responsibility for the resulting damage. The Federal Trade Commission announced last week that it has reached a settlement with the Craig Brittain , founder of the infamous revenge-porn site Is Anybody Down. Charges against Brittain focused on his website's solicitation of individuals' nude photos and contact information and the disclosure of that information to the public. (After the FTC announcement last week, Brittain posted an apology on the site .) The FTC argued in its complaint that it was unfair for Brittain to exploit personal information shared in confidence for commercial gain. The FTC also accused Brittain of tricking women into sharing nude photos with him by impersonating a woman and vowing to keep the photos confidential. In the settlement agreement, Brittain promised to get out of the business of revenge porn. He pledged not to disclose anyone's nude images online without first getting their express written consent. This is the FTC's first case against a revenge-porn operator. Which makes it a big deal for several reasons. Generally speaking, the law has struggled to address emerging privacy threats, including invasions of sexual privacy. Free speech objections have short-circuited legislative proposals limiting disclosures of truthful information. Online publishers also enjoy immunity from liability for user-generated content under federal law. For these reasons, the law has been unable to fully protect individuals from harmful invasions of privacy, such as revenge porn. However, one aspect of the revenge porn debate has been, up to this point, overlooked or minimized the confidential relationships in which intimate images are shared. The collection of personal information is not devoid of context. Personal information is often exchanged in the course of relationships. Those relationships engender responsibilities when serious harm results from their breach. Businesses cannot exploit nude images shared in confidence without running roughshod over confidential relationships. This is true whether entities sell access to private electronic communications in the case of cyber stalking apps or either violate a confidential relationship or contribute to a breach of confidentiality to obtain nude images for revenge porn sites. There is a budding movement, underscored by this recent FTC complaint, recognizing that information shared in confidential relationships deserves protection. California's Attorney General Kamala Harris is prosecuting revenge porn businesses exploiting confidential communications for financial ends. (Yesterday, the jury convicted revenge porn operator Kevin Bollaert on several charges of extortion and identity theft). Businesses are now on notice that it is illegal to exploit information shared in confidence and with an expectation of privacy. Stalking app providers and revenge-porn site operators should heed the warning: Repurposing confidential relationships, and the information shared in them, for commercial gain could prompt action by consumer protection agencies. Although the FTC's complaint against Brittain was the agency's first to involve revenge porn, the reasoning behind it has precedence. Deception is a long-standing cause of action in consumer protection law. Prohibited tactics include contacting financial institutions under an account holder's name to obtain information and requesting personal information from a consumer for so-called "verification" purposes in the guise of the consumer's bank. Brittain allegedly acted the same way when he impersonated a woman and promised confidentiality to obtain other women's nude photos to post on his site. The second theory of wrongdoing asserted against Brittain has roots in other prior decisions: unfairly inducing individuals to betray another's trust. Brittain purportedly did just that: he allegedly encouraged and solicited individuals to submit others' nude photos, names, dates of birth (or age), towns and state, Facebook profiles, and phone numbers. An emphasis on confidentiality allows individuals to trust one another with personal information. Confidentiality is crucial not only to the business of doctors, lawyers, therapists, bankers and other professionals, but also to facilitate intimacy and trust necessary to form strong social bonds. It allows people to share problems and desires with others. This is why the law has long prohibited breaches of confidence as well as the inducement to breach a confidence. Such protections do not transgress a commitment to free speech because what is penalized is the breach of an implicit or explicit agreement, not the publication of information. Theories of inducement similarly focus on acts, not speech. In other words, the publication of photos isn't restricted but inducing others to breach a trust that leads to publication is. Revenge porn operators sow the seeds of distrust; they solicit the breach of confidentiality to harmful ends offline stalking, lost jobs, ruined reputations, and humiliation . Similarly, stalking app providers enable private spies to secretly watch everything someone does with his or her phone in real-time. They destroy the legally protected privacy and confidentiality of cell phone communications. Stalking apps traffic in illegal behavior: the betrayal of the confidentiality of our electronic communications. The FTC and state attorneys general are taking bold steps to protect our ability to confide in others. Focusing on the integrity of relationships is a positive direction for privacy law and norms. We believe it will prove helpful to newsgathering, too the media wants their sources to feel safe in their assurances of confidentiality and these decisions demonstrate that their promises mean something. Sometimes it is easy to accept the illusion that the rules for our online and offline lives are different. Preserving confidentiality in either realm is a worthy goal. It is time that its promise was realized. This article was originally published at http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/02/the-decision-that-could-finally-kill-the-revenge-porn-business/385113/ | 5 | 6,671 | news |
Jeb was a high school stoner. Ted Cruz smoked pot as well. Rand Paul hasn't explicitly copped to it, but his old fraternity brothers seem to think he did. Marco Rubio won't say either way but hasn't denied having dabbled. A large chunk of the Republican primary field has admitted to using marijuana at some point in their lives, a sign the old politics of pot are going up in smoke, even within the GOP primary circle. Democrats, too, have had to face the question but are likely to face less backlash or scrutiny among their base For politicians of both stripes, gone are the days of Bill Clinton's "didn't inhale" excuse. Here's what each candidate has said about their past drug use. Jeb Bush The former Florida governor copped to puffing at prep school last week. "I drank alcohol, and I smoked marijuana when I was at Andover," Bush told The Boston Globe . "It was pretty common." Bush's buddy said they used to get stoned while listening to Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride." Ted Cruz The Texas senator's staff admitted on Tuesday that he smoked out as a teen. "Teenagers are often known for their lack of judgment, and Sen. Cruz was no exception," a Cruz spokesman told the Daily Mail . "When he was a teenager, he foolishly experimented with marijuana. It was a mistake, and he's never tried it since." Rand Paul Paul has refused to explicitly say he's smoked weed, though the Kentucky senator has taken shots at Bush for opposing medical marijuana and prison reform in light of his new revelation. "Let's just say I wasn't a choir boy when I was in college and that I can recognize that kids make mistakes, and I can say that I made mistakes when I was a kid," Paul said late last year. A frat buddy from Baylor University, a Baptist college, was more blunt when asked about it during Paul's 2010 Senate campaign. "Randy smoked pot," William John Green said in 2010. Marco Rubio The Florida senator and Wiz Khalifa fan has refused to say whether he's smoked weed, calling it "irrelevant" on multiple occasions. "If I tell you that I haven't, you won't believe me. And if I tell you that I did, then kids will look up to me and say, 'Well, I can smoke marijuana because look how he made it. He did alright so I guess I can do it too,' " Rubio said in early 2014 . "And the bottom line is that it is a substance that alters your mind. Now when I was 17 and 18 and 16, I made dumb decisions as is. I didn't need the help of marijuana or alcohol to further that." Chris Christie The former prosecutor harshed pot fans' mellows when he threatened to veto a New Jersey bill decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. But has he ever imbibed? "The answer is no," Christie tweeted when asked by a Willie Nelson-inspired pro-pot twitter handle in 2012. Ben Carson The former neurosurgeon hasn't said either way about his past. While he's defended medical marijuana, he warns against legalizing it for general consumption because it's a "gateway drug" and causes "hedonistic activity." Mike Huckabee The former Southern Baptist minister doesn't drink and even opposed dancing , when he was in divinity school. Rick Perry The former Texas governor has supported relaxing pot punishment laws but not out of any personal interest. "No, thank God!" he told Jimmy Kimmel when asked if he'd ever toked. "But does second-hand count? Because I think there's still some left in there where Snoop [Dogg] was." Hillary Clinton The former Democratic secretary of State's husband has owned up to smoking weed after his infamous "didn't inhale" dodge during his own presidential run. But Hillary never did. "I didn't do it when I was young, I'm not going to start now," Clinton said on CNN last year . Martin O'Malley The Democratic former Maryland governor signed a law legalizing small amounts of weed but hasn't said whether he's tried it himself. Bernie Sanders The self-declared socialist senator from Vermont has said he's smoked but wasn't no hippie. "My hair was long, but not long for the times. I smoked marijuana but was never part of the drug culture. That wasn't me," the possible Democratic candidate recently told New York magazine . | 5 | 6,672 | news |
CNBC's Jane Wells reports on Kentucky Fried Chicken's latest controversy. | 8 | 6,673 | video |
RENTON, Wash. (AP) When Russell Wilson took the snap with 26 seconds remaining in the Super Bowl, made his read and released the pass, he believed he was on his way to getting fitted for a second Super Bowl ring. He never saw New England's Malcolm Butler breaking, beating Ricardo Lockette to the pass and creating one of the most infamous plays in Super Bowl history. "When I threw it, I was like, `Touchdown, second Super Bowl ring, here we go,'" Wilson said. "And it didn't happen." The Seattle Seahawks cleaned out their lockers and headed into the offseason in a solemn, quiet fashion on Tuesday, two days after their dramatic 28-24 loss to New England. Some players were still at a loss to describe the emotion of Seattle getting to the New England 1-yard line with 26 seconds left only to see Wilson get intercepted by Butler. Normally talkative tight end Luke Willson seemed to sum up the feelings for everyone. "I don't know guys. I don't really have too many answers," Willson said. "Sorry. It is what it is." Seattle was on the verge of staging a final rally to cap a second straight title and put the Seahawks in position to be talked about as the first team in NFL history to win three straight titles headed into next season when Wilson was intercepted. Two days later, Wilson said he had no doubts about the decision to call for a quick slant to Lockette. Even in hindsight, he said he continues to support the decision to pass on second down from the 1, even though Marshawn Lynch had just run for 4 yards on first down. "It's one of those things, you trust what they called," Wilson said. "I had no doubt. I had no doubt in the play call. I still don't to this day. I just wish we had made the play." Wilson said when he took the snap, Lockette appeared to be open enough to score. He didn't see Butler breaking hard for the spot where the ball would be delivered. "He made a great play. It was one of those bang-bang plays. That's how it usually is in a goal line area, a red zone area," Wilson said. "The guy played a great game, honestly. A guy that I think was undrafted just made tons of plays. Play after play. You've got to give him a lot of respect. He won the game for them right there." Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell intimated after the game that Lockette could have gone harder after the ball. The play was also disrupted by New England cornerback Brandon Browner holding up Jermaine Kearse and not allowing any traffic to impede Butler's route to the ball. Wide receiver Doug Baldwin called Bevell's comments "harsh." "I would be lying if I said it didn't bother us," Baldwin said. "He's a coach and so you take that criticism or whatnot and you look in the mirror and figure out what you could have done with it. It's harsh. But in the reality of it, it's in the heat of the moment right after the game, people may say things or do things they may have changed or would like to be interpreted differently. However, at the end of the day, like I said, we're going to stick together and move forward so none of that matters now." Wilson had a similar take about trying to move beyond the lingering hangover of what happened, even though he said he'd watched film of the game "probably 12 times," since Sunday. The question hanging over Wilson will be his contract situation and whether Seattle can get an extension completed in the offseason so he doesn't enter 2015 playing under the final year of his rookie deal. "I haven't really thought anything about it," Wilson said. "You know, I obviously want to play in Seattle forever. That's my goal, and I want to be with this organization. I love this organization. I love this city. I love these fans, and I love winning here. We've won a lot of football games here, and that's the goal." ------ AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP--NFL | 1 | 6,674 | sports |
You want the bad news first, right? The 2016 Jaguar F-Type outfitted with a manual transmission is OK. Great? Naw. Adequate? Sure. I mean, it's a row-your-own H-pattern six-speed. How bad could it be? And it's not bad. It just sorta is. I'm not entirely sure what I expected from the addition of a manual transmission, but I'm always in the mood to be wowed. I wasn't, and I'll try and explain why. Bombing toward the extreme western edge of continental Europe -- a rocky outcropping near Sintra, Portugal, called Cabo da Roca -- it hit me that I'd held this particular stick before. But where? Then, on a quick 3-2 downshift where I missed second and the lever wound up banging against a dead spot I call a "ghost detent," it hit me. This is the same plug-n-play ZF unit used by BMW for the 335i. Ropey, rubbery, but mostly old-feeling, this particular manual is out of step with the otherwise contemporary Jaguar. The shifter's fine, and that's about the nicest thing I can say about it. See, people aren't buying manuals. Pick from the litany of reasons why not, but they just ain't. So why would Jaguar bother introducing a manual option into the lineup? Why does Porsche make a Targa? A convertible GTS with AWD, along with 20 (or so) other variants of the 911? Because it might sell a few. Keep casting that net wider and wider and you're sure to snare a couple more fish. Buying a sports car isn't exactly a logical decision to begin with, and making sure (wealthy) customers' every possible whim is satisfied makes good business sense. As AMG's Tobias Moers said to me about his company's upcoming GT variants, "[The 911 is] a good role model. Those guys know how the segment works." Therefore on the one hand, I think it's great that Jaguar's bothering with a manual F-Type. Even better, it will be cheaper than the eight-speed automatic version. But on the other hand … A fundamental mistake Jaguar makes with the F-Type manual is this: Who buys manual transmissions these days? Driving enthusiasts. What do (most) driving enthusiasts crave, besides a manual transmission? Power, and loads of it. You know what makes loads of power? The F-Type R's 550-horsepower, 500 lb-ft of torque, supercharged V-8. Can you get the F-Type R with a manual transmission? No, and therein lies the rub. Now, Jaguar's not totally alone here. The most powerful 991s are dual-clutch only affairs: the Turbo, Turbo S and GT3. Thing is, ZF doesn't make a manual transmission that can handle the power of the blown V-8. The only supplier that does is Tremec -- the TR6060 can handle a max of 600 lb-ft of torque, or slightly more for Hellcat duty -- and I doubt it could even fit in the F-Type. Plus, as you're about to read, all F-Type Rs will be AWD within a year, meaning that there's simply no way to bolt in an off-the-shelf unit. As Donnie Brasco advises, fuhgeddaboudit. But hey, if you want a coupe or convertible supercharged V-6 F-Type with a manual, happy days are here. One word of caution, tempered by the fact that I was driving an early build, pre-production unit: Under heavy throttle input the transmission slips. Dump the third pedal, floor it, and you can feel the clutch slipping against the engine's copious torque. You can smell the burning, too. Hopefully this is simply a pre-production issue, and doesn't mean the ZF box can't handle the instant supercharged torque. Now the good news. We also got to play with pre-pro versions of the AWD F-Type on the old Estoril F1 circuit. Job well done, Jag. I've been (ridiculously) lucky enough to have been assigned both of Motor Trend's long-term F-Types (the 380-horse V6 S convertible first, followed by our current Coupe R). Moreover, I've spent a good deal of time behind the wheel of the V8 S. For the first time ever I found myself fully able to bury the throttle without fear of massive, butt-first-into-a-tree oversteer. The sex cat now grips, and that equals confidence. Confidence leads to faster laps, part of what owning a sports car is all about. Four wheels driven will also help with acceleration. However, seeing as how we've clocked the Coupe R to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds at 122.3 mph, being quicker is hardly an issue. How does the new all-wheel-drive system work? Pretty much exactly how it works on the AWD XF and XJ. On the left side of the transmission there's a PTO (power take-off) that sends a relatively thin prop shaft (or as us Yanks say, drive shaft) forward to the front differential. There's an electronic clutchpack that in normal driving is open, allowing 100 percent of the torque to hit the rear diff. Then comes the black magic. Depending on conditions the central clutch can vary the amount of power sent to the front wheels. The max it can send is 50 percent (and I kid you not, it took a full 10 minutes for Jaguar to give us that answer), but it's complicated. Under launch conditions, the computer routes about 30 percent of the gumption to the front wheels. During cornering, maybe 20 percent. Maybe more, and maybe less. It's up to IDD (Intelligent Driveline Dynamics) to decide the appropriate amount, and the system makes that decision in 150 milliseconds. Basically, if you're sitting on patch of ice and floor it, the torque is then split 50/50. Also new for the 2016 F-Type is Jaguar's take on EPAS (electronic power-assisted steering). During the presentation we sat through a song and dance about how Jaguar has been working on EPAS for half a decade but hedged on releasing it until it was good enough. I interpreted that to mean until tightening emissions regulations forced their hand. Thing is, it's bloody good. If you take a gander at the XE First Drive story, I mentioned how that car's EPAS steering is particularly incredible. On the new F-Types, the new steering is just pretty good, not revelatory. At low speeds you can still drive over fairly major road imperfections and not feel the steering wheel budge. That's a lack of feedback that hydraulic-assist steering aficionados so desperately crave. On the track, the feedback is wonderful. Back to the track, specifically the wet track. Jaguar started us off on a compact, water-soaked autocross course. The cars were V6 models set in water/snow mode (essentially, that equates to a lazy throttle mapping) and everything was turned on. They also placed a driving instructor/snitch in the car to make sure we didn't change any of the settings. Still, the AWD proved very impressive. You could go nearly WOT out of corners and the car tracked straight and true. Sure, if you overcooked it then the back end would go all squirrely for a second before the nanny caught the car. As I mentioned, I've driven F-Types in wet conditions and they never previously behaved this way. Honestly, you can't even power out of corners in the dry. On to the main event, which was the big-dog R models on the main circuit. Yeah baby. I went on the launch of the F-Type Coupe in Spain where Jag stuck us on a racetrack in the then new RWD Coupe R. Not good. The back end was just all over the place and I found myself constantly babying the throttle post-apex. We ranked the Coupe R ninth place out of 10 contestants in last year' Best Driver's Car because of the fear of constant oversteer. Frank Markus describe it as "Carl Lewis in stilettos," one of the all-time most appropriate metaphors. The Salsa Red long-term Coupe R I have stewardship over is currently quarantined in our garage because after 13,000 miles the rear tires are so worn down that they no longer hold air. Obviously, something had to give. Jaguar never came out and admitted it, but the F-Type, especially in crazy powerful V-8 form, doesn't handle the way it should. It certainly doesn't handle as well as the Porsche 911 or the Chevy Corvette, the Brit's most obvious competitors. AWD cures this particular disorder and that's why starting with the 2016 model year, all Rs will be AWD. Notice I didn't just say all Coupe Rs, as the V8 S is no more. In 2016 the V-8 convertible gets the R badge and motor and all the (550) horsepower that entails. I got to drive both the hard and soft-top R models, as flat-out as I could on a track I've never been to before, and my conclusion is thus: Hallelujah! All-wheel drive is just what the doctor ordered, even though it adds 175 pounds of weight. Nissan's GT-R has shown us time and time again that worrying about lightness is overrated. As Randy Pobst is so fond of saying, the F-Type R finally "puts the power down!" Sure, smoky burnouts are a thing of the past, and maybe, just maybe, existing V-8 cars have a shot at becoming highly sought-after collectors' items. Hey, I said maybe! I should also mention that on the track, the carbon-ceramic (and quite expensive) brakes are noticeably better. Not just in terms of fade, but stopping power, too. Let's summarize: Come 2016 Jaguar will have 14 F-Type variants to sell you. Coupe and convertible V-6 models in two states of tune (340 or 380 hp), with either RWD or FWD, and your choice of a manual transmission, as long as you opt for the RWD V-6. You can also get the tarmac-stomping R model in either Coupe or Convertible form. That adds up to 10 variants. Meaning that similar to "Battlestar Galactica," there are four more to be revealed. My guess? Something akin to a GT3 competitor, similar to the XKRS-GT. Just a hunch. All F-Types are switching over to EPAS, which improves mileage and lowers the weight with no noticeable "feel" penalty. It's hard without the two versions side by side to say that one type of steering is better, but I can say it would be a hair-splitting victory either way. Also, the hood has been redesigned for pedestrian safety standards, and there are some new optional body kits called Sport Design Packs -- essentially a new front fascia, sills, and rear diffuser cover. They look pretty good. More importantly, the F-Type remains as gorgeous as ever. The real takeaway is that in regards to the F-Type, Jaguar has embarked on a path of continuous improvement. It seems unwilling to leave good enough alone. That's wonderful news, and similar to how that one car company in Zuffenhausen takes care of business. | 9 | 6,675 | autos |
Many say that winning an Oscar is every actor's dream--but is it really? | 8 | 6,676 | video |
In college, my stomach turned against me. Every day I suffered from an uncomfortable, bloated feeling, and I never knew if I was going to be constipated or, equally as bad, going to have to stay near a bathroom. My doctor sent me to a gastroenterologist, who ran a test for celiac, which came back negative. I saw a naturopath who told me - a vegetarian since 13 - to start eating meat (um, thanks, but no). Eventually I was diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowl syndrome), but no one had any solid advice for how to deal. Because all my friends were nature-loving vegans (and I was clearly lactose intolerant), I decided to go vegan, which helped, as did giving up gluten. I was a gluten-free vegan for six years, but because I wasn't eating enough protein and was downing tons of gluten-free junk, I gained a bunch of weight . So I went back to eating dairy, eggs, and gluten, and since I was eating a much healthier diet than my french-fry-loving vegan college days, I surprisingly felt almost 100 percent. Fast-forward to July 2014. After watching the documentary Vegucated , I remembered the reasons why I went vegan so many years ago, and I gave up dairy on the spot . At first, my digestion improved, but then a few weeks later, those same symptoms came back, and this time it was even worse. I took a mental note of how my diet had changed and realized that when I was eating dairy, I ate Greek yogurt as a daily morning ritual. So I started eating soy yogurt and boom! - I felt amazing within two days. I was in shock. Probiotics were the cure I needed all along! Nutritionist Willow Jarosh, RD, of C&J Nutrition explains that probiotics are good-for-you bacteria that live in our bodies, and more and more research is showing their benefit to general health, skin, weight control, and mood. "Certain strains of probiotics are especially gut-friendly, helping to reduce IBS-related symptoms like bloating, constipation, and diarrhea," she explains. Willow suggests taking a supplement or eating a food that has probiotics to help build up the numbers of good bacteria, so they can edge out the bad bacteria that could be detrimental to our health and cause unwanted symptoms. If you're dealing with tummy troubles, it's worth going the probiotic route, and yogurt is an inexpensive healthy choice. I eat one six-ounce container of soy yogurt (with some fiber-full berries, also great for the digestive tract) at least every other day, and my digestion has never been better. If you're not a fan of soy and still want to avoid any digestive issues that come with eating dairy, try yogurt made from almond milk or coconut milk. | 0 | 6,677 | foodanddrink |
Department store chain Macy's announced Tuesday that it will acquire cosmetics brand Bluemercury for $210 million cash. "Beauty is a core signature business for Macy's and Bloomingdale's and a continued platform for our company's profitable sales growth," said Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren in a statement on the acquisition. "With Bluemercury, our company can access a new channel to reach additional customers, add new dimensions to our product offering and apply our expertise in omnichannel retailing." Washington D.C. based Bluemercury has 60 locations in 18 states. The mostly urban chain was founded in 1999 has a boutique-like feel and stocks high-end offerings such as Estee Lauder and L'Oreal owned Kiehls, as well as its own skincare line M-61. Most locations include in-house spas. Bluemercury will continue to operate its standalone stores with its exciting management and retail teams. Macy's will also incorporate Bluemercury products and boutiques into some of Macy's 825 locations. Both Lundgren and Bluemercury founder and CEO Marla Beck flung around the term "omnichannel" in a release on the news. Last month Macy's announced a major restructuring plan built around this concept which is just a fancy term for the fact that people shop in stores, on their computers and on their phones. As FORBES retail contributor Barbara Thau wrote at the time : Both Macy's and Bloomingdale's, the department store's upscale sister chain, are restructuring their merchandising and marketing functions so that one unified merchandising and marketing organization a combination of store and online buying will support the entire Macy's business." Previously Macy's online and Bloomingdale's online operated separately from their brick-and-mortar counterparts. While Macy's shares are up 29% year-over-year the company took some heat for its restructuring plan which includes closing 14 locations and cutting 2,200 jobs. Shares of Macy's declined about 3% the day following that announcement. Following after-hours news of its Bluemercury acquisition Tuesday Macy's shares were down 1% to $65.50 range. The deal is expected to close by May. | 3 | 6,678 | finance |
1. Welcome to McDealer Americans are buying new vehicles again in a big way. Sales in 2014 sales were expected to reach at least 16.5 million units, the highest level since 2006. And the sales fervor is expected to continue this year: Cars.com projects 2015 sales will reach 17.1 million units, and sales surged in January, typically a slower month for the industry. But the buying boom dovetails with another key development in the industry namely, a shift in where Americans buy their cars and trucks. For decades, Americans shopped at independently owned dealers family-run places that typically bore the owner's name and were often seen as fixtures in their communities. But in recent years, a new kind of dealer has started to take root a corporate-driven one with dozens of locations, sometimes spread across many states. It's all part of a post-Great Recession consolidation since 2007, the number of new-car dealers in the U.S. has fallen from 21,200 to 17,665, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) as the industry looks for ways to become leaner and more effective. By having several dealer locations, a company can easily reduce back-office expenses per location. (Another contributing factor to the dealer-count decline: the fact many car brands that were around at the turn of the century from Oldsmobile to Saturn no longer exist.) How big is the corporate-dealer trend becoming? Big enough that Warren Buffett is joining the bandwagon. In October 2014, he announced that his Berkshire Hathaway company would acquire the Van Tuyl Group, a dealer group with more than 75 locations nationwide. (The purchase price was not disclosed.) Some industry insiders and analysts question whether corporate-driven dealers will be as ingrained in their communities as independently owned ones meaning they might not be as supportive of local charities and volunteer efforts. Moreover, they say car buyers might not be able to negotiate as good a deal with a dealer that's part of a larger group. "There's often no way around a fee that may come from the top down," says Melinda Crump of Sageworks, a financial analysis and information company that tracks car dealers and other industries. AutoNation , the country's largest dealer group, with 250-plus locations spread across 15 states, says it maintains a strong commitment to the communities where it has locations. The company points to the fact it raised or donated more than $2 million toward cancer-related initiatives, including many local ones, in the past year. Plus, AutoNation spokesman Marc Cannon says that even with the growth of major dealer groups, "there's always going to be competition out there," including from independent dealers, that will put pressure on dealer groups to offer customer-friendly pricing. 2. Those deals in our ads may really be too good to be true You know those dealer advertisements that tout deals that seem too good to be true? It turns out that's often the case, warns the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It advises consumers to be wary when it comes to ads that promise an incredibly low price ("What may be missing: The low price is after a down payment," the FTC says) or that promise very low interest rates. ("What may be missing: The low advertised annual percentage rate…may apply only to loans up to a certain amount," the FTC says.) The FTC pursues plenty of cases against dealers that practice such deceptive advertising. In early 2014, for example, it announced a 10-dealer "sweep," spread across six states, involving everything from a dealer that advertised contest prizes that failed to materialize to a dealer that hid "substantial fees" in its lease promotions. Is it any wonder that new car dealers ranked among the top five businesses to have complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau? Many dealers maintain that they adhere to the highest ethical standards and that the industry has cleaned up its act considerably in recent years. Duane Paddock, owner of Paddock Chevrolet in Buffalo, N.Y., says it's a "night and day" change since he entered the business more than 30 years ago, adding that "99% of dealers operate honestly…You can't afford not to." NADA "strongly condemns false advertising and the harm it can cause consumers," says Paul Metrey, chief regulatory counsel for the association. 3. The best deals aren't in our showroom Over the years, car buyers have been accustomed to getting a better price by haggling in the showroom. But these days, that's not necessarily the surest way to score a great deal. Increasingly, consumers are finding success by working through a middleman of sorts. A case in point: TrueCar, which negotiates discounts with a network of more than 9,000 dealers and says car buyers save an average of $3,221 off the manufacturer suggested retail price by shopping through its service. Buyers can also find success dealing directly with a dealer's Internet sales department. Increasingly, dealers are positioning sales staff to work with consumers online or by phone (or even text message) and they're offering some of their best pricing to buyers who go this route. The incentive for the dealer? Working with consumers this way is often quicker and easier, since there's none of the proverbial, time-consuming kicking of the tires. 4. We're selling you a car so we can sell you something else Americans may be happily buying new vehicles, but that doesn't mean dealers are profiting greatly from those transactions. In fact, the average dealer profit per vehicle in 2013 amounted to a mere $69, according to NADA and that's before commissions are paid out to sales staff. (The situation was even worse in 2006-2010, when dealers actually lost money per vehicle, according to NADA.) The profit margins have gotten so low in large part because of the Internet and the growing transparency in pricing consumers are able to drive a better bargain because they know what everyone is charging. But with such low margins, how can dealers make money? Increasingly they're looking to just about every other department in the dealership especially their service and parts department to drive revenue. The strategy seems to be working: In 2013, service and parts revenue was up 6.8% over the previous year, according to NADA. And as NADA pointed out in its most recent annual report: "During 2003-2013, net profit in the service and parts department has been higher than in the new- and used-vehicle departments." In other words, car sales are becoming something of a loss leader in the industry. Of course, car buyers should probably know that as much as dealers are depending on them to return for service, dealers might not be the cheapest game in town. Independent mechanics typically charge less for repairs and maintenance: A survey by AutoMD, a site that provides information about car repairs, found that car owners who go to independents save roughly $300 a year. Still, dealers maintain that they're the best source for service because of the manufacturer-specific knowledge and experience they bring to the table (er, service bay). 5. We'd much rather steer you to our used-car lot Don't be surprised if a dealer is a little more enthusiastic when talking to you about used cars. The reason is simple: There's more money in them. NADA reports an average dealer profit of $254 per used vehicle or more than three times the profit on a new vehicle. That's because used cars are very different animals: Buyers can't really comparison shop from one dealer to the next in the same way as with new cars because each used car is a unique case, with its own mileage, condition and history. That gives the dealer and the dealer's sales staff a better pathway to profit. To quote one car salesman's take: "Honestly, used cars are really where the money is made. I earned more on a used car with 95,000 miles than I did on many brand-new ones." The catch for car buyers, of course, is that dealers aren't necessarily the best place to shop for a used car at least from a price perspective. Consider that a well-maintained 2012 Honda Accord is likely to sell for around $16,300 at a dealership, according to the Kelley Blue Book car buying guide. But that same car is likely to sell for around $2,000 less through a private party. Still, Jack Nerad, executive editorial director for Kelley Blue Book, notes there are advantages to going through a dealer namely, dealers typically inspect used cars thoroughly, fix any major problems and offer some kind of warranty on top of that. By contrast, if you buy a used car privately, "You're buying as is and have no recourse" in case of problems, says Nerad. NADA points out that dealers also offer the option of buying a certified used vehicle, which typically comes with greater warranty protection and special financing offers. 6. We push options you may not need Dealers don't just try to sell you a car. They try to sell you options and plenty of them. Think rust protection (yes, the classic undercoating), fabric protection and extended warranties. They may even offer to fill your tires with nitrogen. The cost for such services isn't cheap an extended warranty (typically providing three to five years of coverage) can add an average of $1,214 to the purchase price, says Consumer Reports. But experts say these options may not be necessary or can be found cheaper outside the dealership. Edmunds, another car buying guide, points out that a $279 "appearance package" that one dealer charged amounted to nothing more than basic pinstriping. And as Edmunds adds: "We found that you can buy rolls of pinstriping tape for between $2 and $10 and have the project done by a professional for between $50 and $100." As for extended warranties, Consumer Reports says they rarely pay off, since they save car buyers only an average of $837 on repairs. "Based on a $1,214 average initial cost, that works out to a net loss of more than $375," Consumer Reports says. 7. Your final price is not always so final Many car buyers assume the deal is done when they've settled on a make and model and negotiated a final price. Imagine their surprise when they get the bill and sometimes see a hefty extra charge a "dealer fee" or "doc fee" that's intended to compensate the dealer for the time and effort involved in processing the purchase. In some cases, the fee can go as high as $2,000, according to Earl Stewart, owner of Earl Stewart Toyota in Lake Park, Fla., and a staunch critic of the practice (he calls the fee nothing more than "disguised profit"). In a survey, TrueCar found that the average fee varied greatly from state to state in Iowa, it's $146; in Florida, it's $610 but it and other fees still amounted to something that "can really inflate your 'out the door' price." Many dealers say the dealer (or doc) fee is legitimate because of the complex nature of the business and the paperwork that must be filed on behalf of consumers. (That said, the fee has nothing to do with the costs of registration and title charges themselves, which are determined by the state.) Either way, consumer watchdogs suggest the best way to deal with the dealer fee is to ask about it upfront and then factor it into the out-the-door price when price shopping from one showroom to the next. It's also worth noting that some states place a cap on the dealer fee. 8. Our 'veterans' haven't been around that long If it seems like every time you've shopped for a car at a particular dealer, a whole new staff greets you, it's probably not your imagination. The turnover rate for salespeople at new-car dealers in 2013 was 66%, according to NADA. That means a dealer with 15 salespeople parted ways with and likely replaced 10 during the year, NADA says. Why the constant revolving door? Experts say the feast-or-famine nature of sales commissions and the sheer demands of the job (for example, having to work weekend shifts) can lead to dissatisfaction and the parting of ways. "The professional salesperson who's going to sell for 20 or 30 years is a pretty rare thing," says Nerad of Kelley Blue Book. Still, as dissatisfied as some salespeople may be, it's car shoppers who often pay the real price for the turnover, experts say, since they can't build a continuing relationship with a salesperson. And in some instances, they may be dealing with beginners who are not as knowledgeable about model features and accessories as a veteran might be. Dealers and others connected to the industry say they are working to reduce turnover. They also say that regardless of a salesperson's years of experience (or lack thereof), dealer staff is prepared to help customers. "Dealers spend time and money ensuring salespeople are trained on the vehicles being offered in their shop," says Tony Argiz, chief executive of MBAF, an accounting firm that specializes in the automotive industry. As NADA points out, while turnover is an issue, it isn't one unique to the dealer industry. For example, the turnover rate for part-time retail workers in 2013 reached 74.9%, according to Hay Group, a management consultant. 9. Pardon our dust Car dealership or construction zone? These days, it's sometimes hard to tell the difference. That's because dealers have been on a remodeling kick of late. AutoNation estimates it's put $350 million into facilities nationwide over the last four years. Individual dealers are tackling overhauls that cost anywhere from $600,000 to several million, according to one published report. The drive to renovate is partly driven by dealers' desire to stay current, especially in a retail environment that puts a premium on a sleek, contemporary design (think Apple stores). But it's also coming from the auto manufacturers themselves in some instances, they are pushing dealers to do the costly upgrades, which can include such amenities as coffee bars and gift shops, to give their brands a consistent look. (And in some instances, manufacturers do help pay for the remodeling work.) In the short term, all this renovating and upgrading may mean the consumer is slightly inconvenienced. But in the long term, it could mean the car shopper winds up paying more. "These costs are passed on," says Mike Wickenden, founder of CarComplaints.com, a consumer-oriented site. Dealers counter that it's the consumer who benefits from newer and upgraded facilities, especially since some of the improvements are also aimed at speeding up transaction times. "It's absolutely about the customers," says Cannon of AutoNation. Cannon also insists that AutoNation does not increase prices to cover remodeling expenses. And NADA says if dealers want to stay competitive price-wise, they simply can't risk passing on such expenses. "Just because you invest millions of dollars in a facility doesn't mean you can charge more," says NADA chief economist Steven Szakaly. 10. Tesla is challenging our way of doing business Tesla has gotten plenty of attention in the auto industry for its pioneering electric cars. But in the dealer world, it's gotten just as much attention for its sales model which involves selling direct to consumers with no dealer involved. Tesla founder Elon Musk says the old-school dealer network is not up to the task of selling a car driven literally by such new technology. He also balks at the dealer model of selling service on top of selling cars. "It does not seem right to me that companies try to make a profit off customers when their product breaks," he has written. The Tesla model is naturally appealing to many consumers since, by cutting out the middleman, it could potentially spell lower prices (and less haggling). And Tesla is not alone in considering a more direct sales model GM has talked it up of late as well, albeit in a way that would still keep dealers in the loop. To some extent, dealers have little reason to fear Tesla and others touting direct sales, since state laws generally protect their business model and require that auto makers sell through a third party. Still, the Tesla situation clearly has dealers concerned. In fact, NADA has issued a position paper defending their franchise sales model. To quote NADA, franchised dealers "provide top sales and service experiences, allowing auto manufacturers to concentrate their capital in their core areas: designing, building and marketing vehicles." | 3 | 6,679 | finance |
Pretty Little Liars star Keegan Allen admits he wasn't exactly supposed to learn the identity of the show's mysterious "A" when he did. The actor stopped by our LA studios recently and admitted to uncovering the truth "by accident." He also told us fans of the show will learn who the real culprit is before their beloved PLL characters actually do. Watch our chat for more on why he thinks fans will be satisfied with the way the secret is revealed and to hear the story behind his new book of photography, life.love.beauty. | 8 | 6,680 | video |
We lovesleep, in case you couldn'ttell. Did you know that the amount of sleep you need varies depending on your age and lifestyle? Taking these factors into account, the National Sleep Foundation recently released its new recommendations for the amount of sleep we should each aim to get. Of course, there will be exceptions and differences based on your individual needs, but the non-profit foundation's experts recommend the following: School-age children (6-13): Since the last recommendations were released, the optimal sleep range widened by one hour to 9-11 hours. Teenagers (14-17): Similarly, the sleep range for this age group widened by one hour to 8-10 hours. Y ounger adults (18-25): For this new age category, the ideal sleep range is 7-9 hours. A dults (26-64): Sleep range did not change and remains 7-9 hours. O lder adults (65+): Optimal sleep range for this new age category is 7-8 hours. Previously, we've written about researchers finding the "perfect" amount of sleep based on correlations with the occurrence of different health issues and the number of sick days people took. The scientists called it at 7.6 hours for women and 7.8 for men. This seems mostly in line with these new recommendations, but might be on the low end for the younguns out there. Still, the consequences of not getting enough sleep can be devastating and not just for you. So, it's probably worth taking a minute to figure out how much sleep you need, the right time to head to bed, and how you can eliminate a few common causes of not getting those ZZZs. | 7 | 6,681 | health |
Jozy Altidore and Mike Hill discuss MLS and the US Men's National Team. | 1 | 6,682 | sports |
The European Central Bank (ECB) disagrees with a central part of the Greek government's plan to deal with its crushing debt problem, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis had suggested raising 10 billion euros in short-term Treasury bills, pending an agreement on proposed "smart debt engineering" to ease Athens' burden. But the ECB will not approve the 10 billion euro debt sale, refusing to go above an existing cap of 15 billion euros on such debt issuance, the Financial Times reported, citing officials involved in deliberations. Varoufakis is due to meet the ECB on Wednesday, the latest round of talks in a flurry of diplomatic activity after the radical Syriza-led government's election last month. At the high-stakes meeting the ECB is to consider whether to continue providing emergency funding to Greek banks, sources have told AFP. Stock markets rose across Europe on Tuesday after the radical new Greek government laid out its suggestions, which were taken as an indication that a unilateral debt cancellation was less likely. The coalition government led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party surged to power last month after vowing to ease unpopular austerity measures imposed by international lenders in a 2012 bailout agreement. | 3 | 6,683 | finance |
Apple is planning to release a new software update for the iPhone, iPad, and iPad Touch in March, so those products can support the Apple Watch, according to BGR . The update will bring some general fixes, but the update will largely focus on making sure Apple's devices are compatible with its watch. Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac previously reported that companion app for the Apple Watch would require iOS 8.2 , so it's not too surprising to hear that the update will focus on Apple Watch compatibility. Apple has also released a new beta version of iOS 8.2 , providing more evidence that the company is in fact readying its next big iPhone update. Other than adding Apple Watch compatibility, the update is said to fix a bug that prevented Facebook from working properly on some iOS devices. The update is said to roll out in the second week of March, but there's no solid release date just yet. The Apple Watch, meanwhile, is set to ship in April, Apple CEO Tim Cook announce d during the company's earnings call last week. NOW WATCH: Why Bethany Mota Has A Legion Of 10 Million Fans Waiting For Her Next YouTube Video | 5 | 6,684 | news |
10 Top Vacation Spots for Fitness Fanatics No matter what type of destination you're itching to visit, and no matter what your favorite way to work out is, you can easily combine your passion for both exploration and exercise at one of these top fitness-focused vacation spots. Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort Located about 45 minutes north of the Las Vegas Strip, this high-elevation resort (it sits 8,510 feet above sea level in Lee Canyon) provides exercise-loving guests with an array of outdoor activities to choose from, and not only during ski season. Popular outdoor activities include hiking in the nearby Spring Mountain National Recreation Area (home to 51 miles of trails) and disc golf games amidst Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. The first hole of this popular course has an elevation of 9,300-feet, and while there is a chairlift that will take you to the first tee, exercise enthusiasts are welcomed to hike their way up as well.skilasvegas.com Boracay in the Philippines Brendan Lee, creator of the travel blog Bren on the Road, recommends this island, which is world renowned for its pristine beaches, as a top-tier destination for martial arts training. "I trained at a martial arts gym called Legacy Gym, and the training was world-class," he said. "Some days we would start with sprints on the beach at 8 a.m., before the unforgiving Boracay sun came up." Even though it may sound like an experience for intense athletes only, Brendan says he encountered exercisers of all levels during his stay. "[There were] kids, men, and women of all ages and all levels of experience," he said. "Complete beginners were very common and they loved it."boracay.com Reebok Fitness Vacations: Montana Travel outfitter Austin Adventures recently partnered with Reebok to offer fitness fanatics travel opportunities that combine the best of adventure and fitness in one simple package. The program's Montana trip features a six-day itinerary which includes everything from backcountry yoga sessions and trail running to canyon paddle rafting and outdoor bodyweight workouts. All of these activities take place amidst the beauty of Montana's Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky, and Paradise Valley and each day's workout gets progressively more difficult so that you'll return home fitter and stronger than before.austinadventures.com Retreat in the Pines, Texas A health-minded escape doesn't have to involve high-intensity activities. For fitness lovers in search of a healthy destination with a more relaxing vibe, this Texas-based sanctuary offers a "journey to the beauty and stillness of the piney woods." Retreat in the Pines specializes in women's wellness and yoga retreats and describes itself as "a breathtaking oasis of nature with the comforts of home." A perfect destination for de-stressing from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, visitors here can rejuvenate and recharge in the resort's cozy cabins while soaking in the peacefulness of the surrounding nature.retreatinthepines.com Hiking at Machu Picchu "The trek up Salkantay and Machu Picchu is challenging, breathtakingly beautiful, and different trail elements provide additional fitness stimulation," says Amy Hendel, a health coach, nutritionist, and fitness expert. She recommends this active trip, which can be booked through REI Adventures, to everyone from kids age 10 and up to older adults in their 70s, so long as they're in shape. "We chose a six-night, seven-day climb allowing for a climb up Salkantay and then on to Machu Picchu," she said. "We [stayed] overnight in the lodges now built along the trek, though there are also groups that camp out, which I'm sure adds another physical element." A few things she mentioned to keep in mind: the lodges need to be booked many months in advanced, you should prepare for the high altitude with some light training, like hiking or on a stair climber machine, and a trip in late June or early July will allow you to enjoy the trek ahead of the area's rainy season.rei.com Glacier National Park A trip to one of the most beloved national parks in the U.S. offers exercise-loving travelers the opportunity to engage in a wide range of outdoor sports. Of particular interest are hiking, fishing, and rafting, all of which are the core focus for the park's exclusive guide service, Glacier Guides. Trip packages include everything from rugged 10-day camping excursions to a six-day "ultimate chalet tour," where hikers retreat to the park's historic backcountry chalets.glacierguides.com Colorado Rockies There's nothing like a challenging hike to get your heart rate up, and with more peaks above 14,000 feet than any other state, Colorado's Rocky Mountains are essentially a fitness fanatic's paradise. Timberline Adventures offer multi-day hiking and bike tours through the range, and to top it all off, nearby Boulder (America's fittest city) is basically a mecca for exercise enthusiasts.timbertours.com Lake Placid, Adirondacks, N.Y. According to the Lake Placid Visitors Bureau, this upstate New York resort village has been a premier destination for outdoor and exercise enthusiasts since the late 1800s. Summer and fall activities include everything from kayaking and golf to mountain biking and rock climbing. In the spring and winter visitors can go ice climbing, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding, and ice skating. Plus, the area is home to one of only two Olympic training centers in the U.S. and serves as home to several athletic events, including the Ironman Lake Placid, two marathons, the long-running Summit Lacrosse tournament, and Can Am Rugby.lakeplacid.com Turks and Caicos Business Insider recently named Turks and Caicos the "best island for health nuts," noting its many health and wellness retreats. But spa treatments and yoga aren't all that this island has to offer. This exotic escape includes opportunities for almost any activity you can think of, including snorkeling, kayaking, kitesurfing, stand up paddleboaring, running, and cycling. Also noteworthy: Turks and Caicos host two triathlon races every year, the Race for the Conch open water swimming race, and a 50-mile running race and 65-mile bike race on North and middle Caicos.turksandcaicosreservations.com Cycling Tours Why limit your enthusiasm for fitness to just one location when you can exert energy cycling from one location to the next? Of particular interest in the world of cycling tours, is the new "Hannibal Expedition" from Ride & Seek. This 26-day, 1,543-mile journey begins in Barcelona and ends in Rome, following the historic path of Carthaginian general, Hannibal through Spain, France, and Italy. The tour is broken up into four stages and covers about 60 miles per day. Riders can choose to participate in one or all of the stages, but the tour is designated as "advanced" and was not designed for beginner cyclers.rideandseek.com | 2 | 6,685 | travel |
What 12 legends of the 20th century would look like today if they hadn't died too soon Princess Diana The People's Princess was just 36 when she died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. Although many blamed the paparazzi chasing her, the accident was later attributed in large part to the recklessness of her chauffeur, who had been driving under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs. Here's what Princess Diana would look like if she were alive today. She would have been 54. Art by Chris Kim Marilyn Monroe Monroe was found dead in her Brentwood, Los Angeles, apartment in 1962 when she was 36. Her death from an overdose of prescription drugs was listed as "probably suicide" on the coroner's report, though some conspiracy theorists maintain that she was murdered. Today, the legendary actress would be 89. Montgomery Clift Clift died from a heart attack in 1966 at age 46, after years of drinking and abuse of prescription drugs. One book on Hollywood scandals described it as a "long suicide." Today, Clift would be 95. Natalie Wood Wood was 43 in 1981 when she drowned near Catalina during a boat trip with her husband, Robert Wagner, and fellow actor Christopher Walken. While no one saw her enter the water, The captain of the boat reported that Wagner and Wood had argued before her disappearance. Today, she would be 77. James Dean Dean was just 24 when he crashed his Porsche 550 Spyder en route to a sports car racing event in Salinas, Calif., in 1955. Today, he would be 84. John Belushi The original "Saturday Night Live" cast member was found dead by his trainer in his room at the Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles in 1982. His death, at age 33, was caused by a cocaine and heroin overdose. Today, Belushi would be 66. River Phoenix Phoenix suffered cardiac arrest due to "acute multiple drug intoxication" outside the West Hollywood nightclub the Viper Room in October 1993. He was just 23. This year, he would turn 45. Jayne Mansfield Mansfield died in a car crash in 1967 at age 34. She was on the way to New Orleans with her lover Sam Brody and three of her children when their car ran into the back of a tractor-trailer and slid underneath it. Only the children survived. Today, Mansfield would be 82. Bruce Lee Suffering from cerebral edema, the Hong Kong-American martial artists and action star died at 32, when his brain swelled from 1,400 to 1,575 grams. Lee would be 75 in 2015. Jean Harlow The original blonde bombshell died of kidney disease in 1937 at age 26. As a teen, she had suffered from scarlet fever, which may have contributed to her death. Today, Harlow would be 104. Sal Mineo In 1976, Mineo was stabbed to death by a pizza delivery man near his apartment in West Hollywood. The killer later said he did not know who the 37-year-old actor was. Today, Mineo would be 76. Freddie Prinze Deeply depressed after his divorce, Prinze shot himself in the presence of his manager Marvin "Dusty" Snyder in 1977 when the comedian was just 23. Today, Prinze would be 61. | 6 | 6,686 | entertainment |
Revenue for the first quarter of the Walt Disney Company's 2015 fiscal year jumped 9% as sales of merchandise from the hit animated film Frozen dominated the holiday season. Here are the key points from Tuesday's earnings report . What you need to know: Frozen remains one of Disney's DIS hottest properties more than a year after it became the highest-grossing animated film of all time. The film's merchandise lifted last year's U.S. retail toy sales and contributed to a strong quarter for Disney, which also saw steady growth from its television and cable networks including ABC and ESPN. Disney's first-quarter revenue improved 9% from the same period last year, to $13.4 billion, blowing past analysts' prediction of $12.9 billion. The company's profits of $2.2 billion, or $1.28 per share, represented a 19% increase. In a statement, Disney CEO Bob Iger bragged that the results "once again reflect the strength of our brands and high quality content and demonstrate that our proven franchise strategy creates long-term value across all of our businesses." Last year, Disney's board handed Iger, who Fortune recently profiled , a contract extension through 2018. In 2014, Disney extended its streak of record-breaking annual revenue to four straight years. Disney's stock jumped more than 3% in after-hours trading after the company released its latest earnings. The big number: The "Mouse House" reported a 22% bump in consumer product sales for the quarter, to $1.4 billion. Frozen merchandise sales drove the increase once again. Toys and other products related to the film, which was actually released in November 2013, sold well throughout 2014 and drove a 7% increase in full-year consumer product sales last year for Disney. Disney's largest and most profitable segment, its television and cable networks, posted first-quarter revenue of nearly $5.9 billion. That marked an 11% increase over the same period last year despite rising programming costs and a decline in advertising revenue at ESPN. Disney's $15 billion media rights contract with the NFL kicked in last year, leading to higher costs for ESPN. In October, the company also signed a new, $24 billion deal to air NBA games on ESPN and ABC that will drive up rights costs again in a couple of years. What you might have missed: Revenue for Disney's studio entertainment segment dipped 2% in the quarter, to $1.9 billion, because of lower box-office numbers in what was a down year overall for movie-ticket sales. Disney's quarterly decline came despite a strong performance from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy , which was the second-best grossing film released in 2014. The company said in its earnings release that the segment suffered from a difficult comparison to last year's first quarter, when Frozen performed well at the box office. Disney did manage to increase quarterly revenue at its theme parks and resorts by 9%, to $3.9 billion. That's despite California's Disneyland making unflattering headlines last month due to a measles outbreak that likely occurred at the end of the first quarter. Iger told CNBC on Tuesday that Disney has "not been able to discern any impact" from the outbreak. Disney is also reportedly delaying the opening of the $5.5 billion Disneyland Shanghai -- the company's first theme park in China -- until next year, according to The Wall Street Journal . Iger is expected to shed more light on the timetable for opening the attraction during the company's earnings call Tuesday evening. | 3 | 6,687 | finance |
Stocks fell Tuesday erasing an earlier advance, while the euro extended losses after the European Central Bank tightened the terms of Greece's bailout. Crude oil resumed its decline following a rise in American inventories. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index slipped 0.4 percent by 4 p.m. in New York after a two-day rally. Energy producers and health-care stocks led declines, while Walt Disney Co. surged to a record on better-than-expected earnings. West Texas Intermediate crude retreated 8.7 percent to $48.45 a barrel, after rallying 19 percent in four days. The euro dropped 0.8 percent to $1.1393. FTSE China A50 Index futures jumped 5.1 percent after China's central bank cut the bank reserve ratio. The ECB said in a statement that it had lifted a waiver on Greek government debt as collateral. During the 2010 debt crisis Greece met its obligations by issuing short-term bills to local banks, which pledged them to the ECB as collateral. Concern over the global oil glut re-emerged as data showed U.S. crude stockpiles rose to the highest level since at least 1982. Other reports indicated U.S. service industries expanded at a faster pace in January, while hiring fell more than forecast. "This happened sooner than expected and the market's a little shocked," Michael Block, chief equity strategist at Rhino Trading Partners LLC in New York, said by e-mail. "This is the ECB turning the screws, not going to let Greek banks die, but the clock is ticking. People thought the ECB would do this at the end of the month and that perhaps before then, a deal could be struck. I guess not." The S&P 500 rallied 2.8 percent in the previous two days, helped by a surge in energy stocks, and closed 1.9 percent away from a record high on Tuesday. In January, the index posted its worst month in a year as concern mounted that slowing growth overseas will hurt the American economy, while the plunge in crude oil and stronger dollar have shown signs of eroding corporate profits. The euro weakened as much as 0.9 percent versus the dollar and was down 1 percent against the yen. | 3 | 6,688 | finance |
When we think about art for the walls of our home, we immediately imagine paintings, prints, and photographs. But there's so much more that can be put in a frame. Found objects, flowers, and even books make for great home decor when framed the right way. So, look outside of the box or the frame to see what's right under your nose that you can turn into art. Shells Frame found natural objects like shells, wood, and pebbles for a simple piece of art. Simply mount them to a painted board with glue or epoxy, then slip into a frame or deeper shadowbox. If you choose materials from a vacation, you'll be able to reminisce every time you walk by. Related: 10 Easy Ways to Bring Beach Style to Your Landlocked Home Magazine Covers & Advertisements Magazine pages are often chocked full of vibrant art that can lend your walls style. Whether browsing a vintage issue or something new from your mailbox , look for colors and subjects you enjoy and don't discount unique full-page ads or timeless covers! Get a frame to compliment it, and you have instant art. Related: 7 Everyday Objects You Never Thought to Hang Tapestries Fine tapestries decorated castle walls of old , but they will make great decor in your own modern manor. Purchase a tapestry or simply a remnant of fabric that you love. Pick out a frame large enough to display the swatch and command the room. Related: 10 DIY Ways to Redo Your Wall Without Paint Maps Maps are not just practical pieces of paper. Filled with vibrant color and visual texture, they also make for a compelling focal point. Choose maps of significant places in your life, like your hometown, or where you met that special someone, and you can treat them as truly personal artwork. Related: Too Cool for School 9 Ways to Bring Home Classroom Style Book Covers Literature moves our minds and touches our hearts. Frame up the covers of your favorite books and let them continue to inspire you in your office, living room, playroom, or bedroom well past story time. Related: 5 Things to Do With... Used Books Your Bar Yes, frame your bar ! Give your liquor collection royal treatment by placing a large gilded frame around the open shelving that holds the cocktail mixers. You can even paint the wall behind a bold color, for an extra impact. Then, sit back and enjoy a double on the house. Related: 17 DIY Mini Bars to Mix Up Your Home Decor Dried Flowers Slip some dried flowers into a frame to create an everlasting arrangement on the wall. If you have a green thumb and the luxury of time, you can dry them from your own garden , or a store-bought dried bouquet will work just as well. Key Racks We can't promise that you'll never lose your keys again, but framing them is a good start. It will naturally draw your attention to the spot as you're on your way out the door . | 4 | 6,689 | lifestyle |
A librarian shares her top print and film picks for teaching children about the Civil Rights Movement Teach Them Young Although we have come a long way since the days of legal segregation, recent events such as Ferguson and the gay marriage debate have clearly demonstrated that America is still in need of action to protect the civil rights of all citizens. Raising our children to be open, accepting and tolerant is one way that we as moms can be active in the struggle.Black History Month is a great time for children of all races to learn about America's Civil Rights Movement. The following are a list of books and films that this librarian recommends about the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these books are award- winning and bring history to life with unforgettable characters that really connect with the reader. Hopefully they will spark conversation with your child and help you to discuss complex issues. The age ranges included serve as a general guide but you know your child's reading ability best.I have also included a few films that go along well with the selected books. The following books and films have a special place in my heart; I would love to hear from you (and your kids!) about other great titles on the subject of the Civil Rights Movement in the comments. So rev up your library cards, hide the Frozen DVD and get down to the task of teaching your children well. The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 This novel by Christopher Paul Curtis is the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and is a Newberry Honor book. The Watson family of Flint Michigan head down to Alabama to visit their maternal grandmother during a very dark moment in U.S. history. Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement this story is told from the point of view of Kenny and while a humorous story about family and love it really brings to life the history and readers ages 8-12 should find this an excellent and informative read. The Watsons Go To Birmingham This is a film adaptation of the book of the same name. It has a PG rating and the main violence in the movie is the bombing of the church in Birmingham. I recommend reading the book first. Bonus for adults who loved HBO's "The Wire": it's fun to see Avon Barksdale as an upstanding citizen. A Sweet Smell of Roses "After a night of soft rain there is a sweet smell of roses as my sister, Minnie, and I slip past Mama's door and out of the house down Charlotte Street." This beautifully illustrated picture book by Angela Johnson is appropriate for children ages 5-8 tells the story of two young sisters that participate in a civil rights march with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This is the Dream With both illustrations and collages, this beautiful book by Diane Z. Shore tells the story of segregation in the United States and the courageous acts of the Civil Rights Movement. It's a great book to teach young readers about this time in our history and especially perfect for kids ages 4-8. Through My Eyes Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges recounts the story of her involvement, as a six-year-old, in the integration of her school in New Orleans in 1960. Her account is accompanied by excerpts from newspaper articles, comments by her teacher, and a timeline that fills in the details and places her story within the context of the Civil Rights Movement. Appropriate for ages 8-12 but younger readers would benefit from reading this with a parent. Ruby Bridges (Movie) This Disney film is a great way to follow up the Ruby Bridges book, "Through My Eyes". We March Shane W. Evans' beautifully illustrated picture book with simple text (only 57 words) is perfect for young readers ages 4-8 and tells the story of the March on Washington in a first person plural narrative.MORE: 10 Picture Books to Empower Girls Child of the Civil Rights Movement Paula Young Shelton, daughter of Civil Rights activist Andrew Young, shares her memories of the civil rights movement and her involvement in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery. Simple text and Raul Colon's illustration make this picture book a great read for ages 4-8. Selma This Oscar-nominated film is for moms and dads, not kids (except older teens.) Not that there is violence and language, but it is a great historical film. Watching will serve as a reminder of why we must teach our children about the Civil Rights Movement and the struggles of black Americans and how it has impacted our society today. I Have a Dream This text of Dr. King's "I have a Dream" speech is beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson. "My father's dream continues to live on from generation to generation, and this beautiful and powerful illustrated edition of his world-changing "I Have a Dream" speech brings his inspiring message of freedom, equality, and peace to the youngest among us those who will one day carry his dream forward for everyone."- Dr. Bernice A. King ( Dr. King's daughter). Revolution This is the second book in Deborah Wiles' Sixties Trilogy. It's 1964 in Greenwood, Mississippi, and Sunny's town is being invaded by people from up north who are coming to help people register to vote. Appropriate for ages 10-13. The Help Based on the bestselling book of the same title by Kathryn Stockett, this film will appeal to tweens and teens. It's rated PG-13. Ron's Big Mission One summer day in 1959, nine-year-old Ron McNair, who dreams of becoming a pilot, walks into the Lake City, South Carolina, public library and insists on checking out some books, despite the rule that only white people can have library cards. This inspiring book by Rose Blue includes facts about McNair, who grew up to be an astronaut. Good for ages 6-8. One Crazy Summer In the summer of 1968, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters travel from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know who places them in the care of the Black Panthers summer camp. This outstanding novel by Rita Williams-Garcias is great for kids ages 8-12 but parents will it enjoy it as well. Glory Be In the summer of 1964 as she is about to turn twelve, Glory's town of Hanging Moss, Mississippi, is beset by racial tension when town leaders close her beloved public pool rather than desegregating it. This book by Augusta Scattergood is works well for children ages 8-12. freedom-summer In 1964, Joe is pleased that a new law will allow his best friend John Henry, who is colored, to share the town pool and other public places with him, but he is dismayed to find that prejudice still exists. This book by Deborah Wiles is a winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Coretta Scott King Award. The beautiful illustrations are a real stand out in this picture book for ages 4-8. Selma Lord Selma This Disney film captures the story of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery but with young protagonists and it's TV-PG. | 4 | 6,690 | lifestyle |
Talk about a change of course! It looks like the market has changed its mind in February and gone from straight up Walter White -style breaking bad to breaking good. At least, that's what Jim Cramer thought when he watched the averages rally on Tuesday. There were so many once-broken things that contributed to the market rally for the past two days that Cramer decided to review exactly what led to it. First is currency. Just last week, investors feared that the euro (USDEUR) would remain in free fall status for eternity and throw the industrial recovery of the U.S. into a panic. Just last Tuesday, the rumors were that the dollar would move another 10 percent higher and could happen overnight. That is exactly when the euro bottomed against the dollar and made a U-turn. Now the euro is killing the dollar for the past four days. What the heck caused this dramatic currency change? Cramer suspects that foreign currency traders were betting that the Greek elections would obliterate the euro and cause a "Grexit" and that didn't happen. The "Mad Money" host has even seen signs of an economic turn happening in Europe . What else explains the strong German auto sales? Or Manpower Group (MAN) 's claim that it sees very strong growth in Northern Europe? "Let's just say Europe's breaking good. You don't get this kind of currency rally unless it's backed up by something real," Cramer added. Second is oil. Just a week ago, there were concerns among investors that oil would not be able to find its footing. But now crude is up $10, a rapid transformation. Additionally, there have been a significant number of oil companies reporting and guiding down for the year. Now these stocks are flying ,despite number cuts and downgrades. In Cramer's opinion, this is exactly how a bottom is defined. And finally, something happened that Cramer never thought would occur copper rose from the dead. A week ago copper was dropping with no end in sight and was considered the barometer of Chinese growth. But just one week later, it is once again roaring! Perhaps China is making a comeback? All of these components to the rally in the past few days are significant, because these are precisely the exact reasons that companies cited for guiding down for the year. They claimed all of these things were breaking bad in the wrong direction, and now they are breaking good. So if this upturn trend continues, then Cramer thinks the downbeat guidance and number cuts won't hold, and there will be positive repercussions in February. "If all those companies that reported last month were to report now, you would've seen far more guide-ups than guide-downs. It's a gigantic do-over, and that's why the market is roaring," said Cramer. As of right now, it looks like we have found the bottom for oil, the euro, interest rates and copper. Even consumer spending is better than initially thought. Talk about a total reversal! So while January may have brought the gloom and doom of Walter White, it looks like February is changing course. Cramer thinks now is the time to make the best of this move. Read more from Mad Money with Jim Cramer Cramer Remix: Let me be clear on oil Cramer: This rare diamond is trouble Cramer: January's broken market gone? Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Vine Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? [email protected] | 3 | 6,691 | finance |
Which teams did the best bit of business in the January transfer window? Kevin Egan breaks down the best transfers. | 1 | 6,692 | sports |
Asian stocks rebounded from an almost two- week low, led by material and energy companies, after an advance in U.S. equities as oil entered a bull market. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index gained 0.8 percent to 140.97 as of 9:01 a.m. in Tokyo after closing yesterday at its lowest since Jan. 22. Brent crude, the benchmark for more than half of the world's oil, finished yesterday more than 20 percent above its Jan. 13 settlement on speculation that reduced investment will curb crude production. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose for a second day as energy producers rallied. "I don't think investors are getting ahead of themselves," Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, said on Bloomberg Television. "The key focus is what's going to happen with the European Central Bank and Greece. There's enough overlap of interest that they can come to a compromise. Nobody would win if Greece ended up defaulting." Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis retreated from a plan to ask euro-area countries to write down the country's debt, easing concern that the nation would defy its creditors. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index climbed 1.3 percent, heading for its highest close since May 2008. The Reserve Bank of Australia cut interest rates to a record low yesterday, joining a dozen global counterparts in easing policy this year. Japan's Topix index jumped 1.1 percent. South Korea's Kospi index added 0.6 percent. New Zealand's NZX 50 Index rose 0.3 percent. Markets in China and Hong Kong have yet to open. China Rebound China's Shanghai Composite Index climbed 2.5 percent yesterday, its first advance in six days. Prospects for monetary easing are growing after data signaled a manufacturing contraction in January, according to Dragon Life Insurance Co. HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics will release data today data on China's service industries. Futures on the S&P 500 Index slid 0.1 percent today. The U.S. equity benchmark index climbed 1.4 percent yesterday, rebounding from the biggest monthly drop in a year. Oil retreated today after yesterday's advance. West Texas Intermediate futures fell as much as 2.6 percent. To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan Burgos in Singapore at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sarah McDonald at [email protected] Tom Redmond, John McCluskey | 3 | 6,693 | finance |
Throughout 2014, many Republican strategists quietly worried about the prospect of Rand Paul winning the GOP presidential nomination, thanks to his unconventional foreign policy views. As the thinking went, he could prevail in a divided Republican primary thanks to his committed supporters and the GOP's renewed focus on fiscal issues where he's aligned with the party rank and file. Against Hillary Clinton, however, his noninterventionist ideology would be a nonstarter in a general election. But with the international stage turning more dangerous, Republicans may have unwittingly found a solution to their problem. As Paul aggressively prepares for a presidential campaign, his odds of winning the GOP nomination have never looked longer. With ISIS amassing territory in the Middle East, Russia remaining belligerent against Ukraine and the threat of a nuclear Iran growing, the public has taken a decidedly hawkish turn. The second-most-important issue for Americans is the defeat of ISIS, according to the latest NBC/ Wall Street Journal poll , jumping up in significance in recent months. Republicans, in particular, favor a more aggressive response to tackling terrorism. A 53 percent majority of Republicans told Quinnipiac they supported ground troops to fight terrorism in Iraq, even though 55 percent of voters overall were against it. The party ran on a muscular foreign policy in the 2014 midterms, and elected several outspoken hawks , including Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Joni Ernst of Iowa. Even in Iowa, a dovish state where Paul holds strong favorability ratings, the appetite for increased military interventionism against ISIS is high. In a new Bloomberg survey, nearly half of Republicans ranked "more aggressively pursuing terrorists" as a leading issue out of 10 tested, ranking a close second behind repealing Obamacare. But as the country is taking a hawkish turn, Paul has instead veered to the left. He's the only Senate Republican opposing the reimplementation of tough sanctions on Iran, cosponsoring a less-punitive alternative bill with liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer. He's one of the few Republicans to support President Obama's push to normalize relations with Cuba, making him the only Republican presidential candidate to take that position. When he spoke to an ostensibly friendly, libertarian-minded audience at the Koch-backed Freedom Partners summit last month, Paul received a cool reception for his foreign policy views while Sen. Marco Rubio's more-hawkish views received an enthusiastic response. Paul's positions have become so out-of-step with the Republican electorate that even those who agree with him on foreign policy are sounding bearish about his chances. "If we are being honest, the 2014 election re-empowered and reinvigorated the party's hawks," correspondent Michael Brendan Dougherty wrote in The Week . If the election was taking place in 2008, with a war-weary public, Paul's views might be getting more traction. Or if foreign policy was playing a secondary role in politics, as it did throughout Obama's first term, Paul's path to the nomination would be a little clearer. But even Paul understands the political reality of running as a dove in a hawkish party. Last September, he wrote an op-ed in Time magazine declaring he "was not an isolationist" in the wake of newfound terrorist threats saying he would have acted more "strongly and decisively against ISIS" than Obama. More recently, however, he's been abandoning the pose that his noninterventionism constitutes toughness. To be sure, there's a small but vocal constituency within the GOP that favors Paul's cautious positioning on foreign policy. Despite his heterodox views, Paul still holds strong favorability ratings among Republican voters. And in such a crowded field, a candidate who can build up a strong, reliable core of supporters will have a shot to win the nomination. He could conceivably get traction by pressing more-hawkish GOP candidates on whether they support sending troops to the Middle East a position that draws less support, but still majority backing among Republicans. Yet it's still telling how most of his Republican opponents aren't even hedging their bets on a more assertive American foreign policy. On ABC's This Week, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker bolstered his hawkish bona fides by declaring support for American troops being deployed into Syria if necessary to defeat ISIS. This week, Rubio led Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee hearings decrying the president's policy in Cuba. Jeb Bush has laid out a foreign policy vision that sounds awfully similar to his brother's, calling for sustained American engagement across the globe. It's hard to find any Republicans who don't sound like George W. Bush on the subject. In 2008, when the public's opposition to the Iraq War was near its peak and George W. Bush held record-low approval ratings, the Republican primary field barely broke with the president. John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson, and Mike Huckabee all toed the party line, with Ron Paul the lone outlier. And despite receiving outsized attention that year, Paul received only 5.6 percent of the overall presidential primary vote . Rand Paul is certainly running a more professional, mainstream campaign than his father, but he will still face a ceiling among GOP voters who won't support him over foreign policy. There was a time when Paul could have prevailed despite being out of step with his party on a key issue. It's a challenge, for example, that Jeb Bush faces on Common Core and Rubio faces on immigration. But with voters recoiling from rising terrorism overseas, it's a subject that Paul can't easily spin away or hope enough Republican voters will ignore. With Obama now receiving his lowest approval ratings on foreign policy, Paul risks being aligned with the president at a time when GOP voters want a dramatic course correction. | 5 | 6,694 | news |
Juan Mata, Marcos Rojo and James Wilson's goals gave Manchester United a comfortable 3-0 home win over fourth-tier minnows Cambridge United in their FA Cup fourth-round replay on Tuesday. United, fielding a side that cost $350.4 million to assemble, survived an early scare against a Cambridge line-up that had not cost a single pound when Tom Elliott shot against the post in the first minute. But first-half goals from Mata and Rojo put Louis van Gaal's side in control before Wilson added a third to rubber-stamp a win that sets up a fifth-round trip to Preston North End, who beat Sheffield United 3-1. "We have done what we had to," United manager Van Gaal told the BBC. "For the club, the fans and the coach and my staff, we want to win a title this year. The biggest chance is the FA Cup, but we still have to win four games to do that." Elliott found himself clean through on goal with just 45 seconds on the clock after an error by Daley Blind, who played the ball directly through to the former Leeds United trainee. Elliott showed poise to steady himself and advance, but could only steer the ball against the right-hand post as diving United goalkeeper David de Gea looked on aghast. It was hard not to imagine that would be Cambridge's best chance and although the hosts had started slowly, they took a 25th-minute lead through Mata. Angel di Maria's left-wing cross was headed down at the back post by Marouane Fellaini and Mata was on hand to flick the ball into the roof of the net from close range. Seven minutes later, Rojo made it 2-0 after Fellaini's shot was blocked and the rebound spun kindly for Robin van Persie. The Dutch international chipped in a cross for Rojo, who made no mistake with a strong header from six yards out to claim his first goal for the club since joining from Sporting Lisbon last year. - Sunderland survive Fulham scare - Either side of that second goal, Paddy McNair's ferocious drive had been deflected wide and a 20-yard strike from Di Maria had sailed just over. But their League Two opponents refused to be over-awed by the occasion and their 6,500 supporters, many of whom had been stranded in a motorway traffic jam, forcing the kick-off to be delayed by 20 minutes, remained in defiant voice. The replay generated an estimated £1 million for Cambridge, which chairman Dave Doggett mischievously suggested would be invested in new lavatories at their Abbey Stadium home, scene of the 0-0 draw in the teams' first encounter. But they had Old Trafford experience in their ranks in the shape of former United winger Luke Chadwick and showed their desire to make a game of it when Ryan Donaldson shot wide before the interval. The second half quickly settled into a pattern of relentless United attacks as the Premier League's third-place side coasted towards the fifth round. Van Persie spurned four decent chances, while Cambridge goalkeeper Chris Dunn saved from Wayne Rooney and Di Maria, before substitute Wilson found the bottom-right corner in the 73rd minute to seal victory. "I was really pleased with them second half," said Cambridge manager Richard Money. "I said at half-time: 'What's the worst that can happen? You get battered? But so what? So go and show what you can do.'" Sheffield United, who recently lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup semi-finals, took a 38th-minute lead at home to Preston through Jamie Murphy's low shot. But Preston scored three times in 10 second-half minutes, with Paul Gallagher claiming a brace and Paul Huntington also finding the net, to earn themselves a glamour tie with Van Gaal's side. In the night's other game, Sunderland came from behind to win 3-1 at second-tier Fulham, setting up a fifth-round trip to third-division Bradford City, conquerors of Chelsea in round four. | 1 | 6,695 | sports |
French League Cup holders Paris Saint-Germain moved to within one win of retaining the trophy as a first-half goal from defender Maxwell gave them a 1-0 semi-final victory at Lille on Tuesday. The French champions dominated affairs with the bulk of possession and mustered the only goal of the match on 27 minutes when Brazilian full back Maxwell blasted a fierce shot into the corner leaving Lille's Nigerian 'keeper Vincent Enyeama no chance. Laurent Blanc's side will play either Monaco or Bastia, who meet at the Louis II stadium on Wednesday, in the April 11 final at the Stade de France. "We're the Cup holders and we had the heart to defend that," said Blanc. "We had to win here (Lille) first and that's done but what pleases me most is not only the victory but also what we offered against a team that really dug in. "We didn't give them hope even if the score was only 1-0 and my team played some really good stuff which will serve us in good stead for the future but we still have to progress," added the former Bordeaux and France coach. The victory keeps PSG on track for a quartet of trophies with a Champions League last-16 tie against Chelsea on February 17 and a last-16 French Cup fixture against Nantes lying ahead. The capital club also have the chance to go top of Ligue 1 on Sunday when they attempt to overturn a two point deficit on Lyon when the teams meet at the Stade Gerland. "We have a lot of matches and it's going to be a marathon but let's hope it continues as long as possible. I hope that March will be complicated and the marathon continues into April and May which will mean we're advancing in all competitions." concluded Blanc. Rene Girard's Lille side were out of their depth against the star-studded PSG line-up who put a first choice team out including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Thiago Silva and David Luiz. The hosts hardly conjured up a second half opportunity as reserve 'keeper Nicolas Douchez, standing in for Salvatore Sirigu, enjoyed a relaxed evening in the away goal. Lucas and Cavani played a role in the winner with the Uruguayan marksman sliding the ball across to Maxwell who made no mistake from the edge of the penalty box. | 1 | 6,696 | sports |
Inside Man's Morgan Spurlock goes inside the world of zoos to find out if animals actually like living there. Watch CNN Thursday at 9pm ET for more. | 8 | 6,697 | video |
Porsche has dropped details on its higher-performance mid-engine coupe, the Cayman GT4 . The model benefits from many of the 911 GT3's upgrades , and will bow at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The Cayman GT4 slots above the GTS, and is powered by a 911 Carrera S-derived 3.8-liter flat-six making 385 hp. We previously reported that more than 400 hp was possible . Still, 385 hp is 45 hp more than the Cayman GTS, and within spitting distance of the 911 Carrera S' 400 hp. Acceleration from 0-60 mph is estimated by Porsche at 4.2 seconds, while top speed is 183 mph. Porsche says the GT4 lapped the Nüburgring's challenging Nordschleife in 7:40, matching a previous-generation 911 GT3. Unlike the GT3, however, a six-speed manual will be the only transmission available. Related link: Research the Porsche Cayman The Cayman GT4's chassis receives many goodies from the 991-generation 911 GT3, and features a 30-mm lower ride height. Porsche says the GT4 is the first Cayman to benefit from added downforce at both axles, with a large fixed rear wing at the back and three inlets in the front keeping the car planted. Though the braking system is already "generously sized," according to Porsche, a higher-spec Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) system is available. Also available is a custom Sport Chrono package with Track Precision app and bucket seats made of carbon fiber composite. Other interior highlights include standard sport seats upholstered in leather and Alcantara and a unique, compact sport steering wheel. The Porsche Cayman GT4 is priced starting at $85,595 including destination. Given that that's right around where a base 911 starts, it's unclear whether the GT4 will step on its big brother's toes when it arrives in dealerships this July. Stay tuned for more info on the most powerful Cayman yet as we get closer to the car's Geneva debut. Source: Porsche | 9 | 6,698 | autos |
Bhutan, the tiny Himalayan kingdom tucked between India and China, has but one international airport. Surrounded by 18,000-foot mountains. That airport is called "Paro," and like the rest of the mostly Buddhist kingdom, it is nestled among the Himalayas, which make getting there a tricky proposition. Obviously, however, it's easier to fly in than it is to walk. Partly due to an unusually short runway, takeoffs and landings are among the world's most difficult, and very few pilots are qualified to land there. But for those who can get their hands on a tourist visa, and handle their fear, a trip to Paro also offers breathtaking views of some of the world's most beautiful mountains, and one of the only ways to visit one of world's happiest countries . Bhutan has preserved much of its traditional Buddhist culture, a big draw for the tourists who come from around the world to explore its majestic mountains and centuries-old monasteries. [An earlier version of this post was written by Alex Davies.] The runway is short, with little space on either side. The Google Maps satellite view shows it is nestled among the Himalayan Mountains. One Google reviewer says there's one duty free shop and a small beverage counter, but "sweet and hospitable security and one of the most charming airport buildings ever." [Source: Google Review ] Many of the passengers who fly into Paro are tourists. [Source: The Daily Mail ] Monks use the airport as well, perhaps to visit Bhutan's monasteries. Or they are locals going away for a bit. Sometimes, the airport is used for more formal occasions. In April 2010, Bhutan hosted the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit. Here, the Indian prime minister arrives at Paro. [Source: Reuters] Until July 2011, the only airline using Paro was Druk Air. It is now open to a few more airlines, including private jet service. [Source: Travel Daily Asia ] As they come in for landing, pilots must navigate a series of quick turns, to avoid the tall mountains and get in position to land on the short runway. The airport is only used in good weather, but gusts of wind are an ever-present risk. [Source: The Daily Mail ] They can make landing and taking off quite scary. [Source: The Daily Mail ] Planes taking off seem to be on a collision course with a hillside. But they quickly gain elevation and bank right. If all goes well, they clear the peak and start their journey. These airports are easier to fly into but a lot more annoying... DON'T MISS: America's 15 Most Frustrating Airports | 2 | 6,699 | travel |
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