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This happened in the aftermath of the Ballon D'Or 2014 ceremony which saw the Real Madrid star win his third trophy | 1 | 7,400 | sports |
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Mike McCarthy assumed Richard Sherman would eventually follow Jordy Nelson to the left side of the field. Sherman had his own plan and effectively took away the entire right side. In the moments after the Green Bay Packers' Week 1 loss at Seattle, Sherman approached Aaron Rodgers and seemed to confirm his theory that the former NFL MVP quarterback avoided throwing his way. It seemed like a proud moment for the divisive cornerback, a sign of respect for Sherman's reputation and on-field work. But with the rematch set for Sunday's NFC championship game, Rodgers has no intention of limiting which areas of the field he throws to. "Just depends on who's open," Rodgers said. "It's always important to throw it to the right, and throw it to the left a little bit." The first matchup came at a time when the Packers still had Jarrett Boykin as their No. 3 wide receiver. Boykin played 49 of 62 snaps against the Seahawks and was on the field for a total of 63 percent of Green Bay's offensive plays in the first three games of the season. With only two catches for 17 yards in those games (plus two drops), Boykin was surpassed on the depth chart by rookie wide receiver Davante Adams. Boykin has only caught one pass for six yards in the past four months, while Adams has had 100-plus-yard games in recent wins over New England and Dallas. Having Adams in the third-receiver role rather than Boykin could help Rodgers work the entire field in the passing game, even if it means throwing in the direction of Sherman. "Well, I plan to throw it to the open guy," Rodgers said. "That's kind of been the way I've played for a number of years. So if the guy on the right is open, I'll throw it to the right. If the guy on the left is open, I'll throw it to the left. (I'll) go through my progressions the way I've always played." It wasn't like Rodgers didn't look at Boykin in Week 1. As he went through his progressions, it was obvious when looking to the right side that throwing to Boykin with Sherman in coverage wasn't a smart plan. "There was never a 'don't throw right' in the game plan," McCarthy said. It was the only game all season in which Sherman wasn't targeted. Eli Manning threw at Sherman eight times in Week 10. Peyton Manning, Tony Romo and Derek Carr each sent six passes to the receiver being covered by Sherman in their respective games. When Sherman was targeted, quarterbacks rarely won the battle. According to data from ProFootballFocus, Sherman gave up 33 receptions this season (playoffs included), while intercepting five passes and knocking away five others. The opposing quarterback rating on throws to Sherman was 44.2. To put that into perspective, no qualifying NFL quarterback had a passer rating worse than 69.5 for the entirety of the 2014 season. That's how difficult it was to complete passes near Sherman. Maybe Rodgers was onto something by just not throwing that direction. As the Packers' top receiver -- and a second-team All-Pro selection -- Nelson versus Sherman would be a fair fight. But that might not happen, at least not if Sherman once again opts to remain exclusively on the right side. "If we get matched up, yeah, obviously it would be a great challenge and a great opportunity, but I'm not going to go out of my way to go over there or anything," Nelson said this week. "We're just going to run our offense and do what we need to do to win the game." Nelson added that part of it is a product of Green Bay's no-huddle offense, and that once the offensive players go to one spot, they stay there for the rest of the drive. "I honestly really don't care," Nelson said of going up against Sherman. "I just want to win the game, whatever it takes." Tight end Andrew Quarless hopes the Packers do go after Sherman. "I don't think anybody is intimidated," Quarless said. "He's a great player. The secondary is definitely a great secondary. You have to give them their respect. But the whole 'Legion of Boom,' we'll see." It's that "Legion of Boom," starring Sherman, along with safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas, that few offenses have been able to succeed against. Their physical style presents a unique challenge to wide receivers, especially if the officiating crew is more lenient. "It depends how tight it's called with some of the emphasis on illegal contact and holding and pass interference on both sides, offense and defense," Rodgers said. "It'll be interesting to see how it's called on Sunday." Nelson believes the aggressiveness of Seattle's secondary "varies" from week to week. "Going back to Week 1, I don't think it was anything crazy," Nelson said. "But I think there have been times where it has been. So I think it is just going to depend on the game. Obviously there will be a lot of intensity in the game, a lot of energy. It's always an adjustment every game depending on how (defensive backs) decide to play and how the flow of the game is going to go." The Seahawks' defense held Rodgers to his second-lowest passer rating (81.5) and his second-fewest yards per pass attempt (5.7) of the season. With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, Green Bay has a big decision in how to approach Sherman. It could also very well require an in-game adjustment if certain aspects aren't playing out in the Packers' favor. Certainly what they tried in Week 1 wasn't the answer. But between Nelson and Randall Cobb combining for more than 2,800 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns, plus the emergence of Adams, Green Bay should be in a better position to test Sherman this time around. "We're playing better," Rodgers said. "(Nelson and Cobb) have obviously been featured players for us on offense. We spread it around well. We've had good balance. We ran the ball really well the past three weeks. The offensive line has been playing really well." Follow Paul Imig on Twitter | 1 | 7,401 | sports |
Over 5,000 pounds of supplies were just sent to the international space station. And while a lot of it was regular stuff like food, equipment, even christmas gifts for the astronauts, some unusual items also hitched a ride to space. | 5 | 7,402 | news |
Top 10 Horsepower-Hungry Cars From the Detroit Show This year's Detroit auto show was filled with high-performance debuts, including surprises like the Ford GT and the production version of the Acura NSX. And while there were definitely other noteworthy debuts, our attention couldn't help but be grabbed by the insane amounts of horsepower littering the show floor. We've gathered a list of the 10 most horsepower-hungry car debuts from the show. Which one would you like to take home? 2016 Acura NSX Acura rolled out one of the most anticipated production models in Detroit, and while the 2016 Acura NSX may feature slightly toned-down styling from the original concept, what its packing under the hood has us very excited to get behind the wheel. The new NSX will be powered by a twin-turbo 75-degree V-6 with three electric motors - two up front and one in the rear - to deliver upwards of 550 hp. According to Mike Accavitti, senior vice president and general manager of Acura, "It's just badass…in a luxury kind of way." 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Compared side-by-side, there aren't many differences between the Alfa Romeo 4C coupe and its drop-top counterpart. Thanks to its strong underpinnings, the 4C Spider gains a scant 22 pounds, which will barely affect the performance of the new model if at all. With the same 1.7-liter direct injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine that's found under the hood of the hardtop 4C, performance numbers for the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider should be relatively unchanged. Expect this convertible to pump out 237 hp. During the debut, the automaker threw out some performance numbers, including a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds and 1.1g lateral acceleration. 2016 Cadillac CTS-V While Cadillac may be thinning out the CTS-V family, the new 2016 Cadillac CTS-V sedan will more than make up for the disappointment. The new model will deliver 640 hp and 630 lb.-ft. of torque, helping it go from 0-60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. However, we feel that number may be a bit conservative. Its Corvette Z06-inspired powertrain has an Eco driving mode that features cylinder deactivation, letting the driver sip fuel like a four-cylinder when all the power isn't needed. Expect a top speed of 200 mph and a price tag around $80,000. Ford GT Perhaps one of the biggest debuts to hit Detroit was the Ford GT. We've been hearing rumors about this model for quite some time, and to see it in person delighted and shocked us. This supercar will be powered by a next-gen twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 that will produce over 600 hp. Not bad for the automaker that has lately been more concerned with fuel economy than power. The new mid-engine Ford GT also features a carbon fiber passenger cell with aluminum front and rear subframes and an active racing-style torsion bar and pushrod suspension to further the surpercar designation. We can't wait until this car goes on sale in 2016. Ford Shelby GT350R Like the Ford GT, the Ford Shelby GT350R turned heads when it burned out while driving onto the stage platform. Under the hood of this model you'll find Ford's first-ever production 5.2-liter V-8 with a flat-plane crankshaft paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Total horsepower? Over 500 ponies. The new Shelby GT350R features key carbon fiber accents in the rear wing and wheels. "Obviously the carbon-fiber wheels have been really exciting to work with," Ford VP of design Moray Callum told us. Unfortunately, the Ford Shelby GT350R will have a limited production run and will go on sale later this year. Infiniti Q60 Concept If the looks alone of the Infiniti Q60 Concept didn't get our blood flowing, what rests just under the hood sure did. The successor to the G37 Coupe will be powered by an all-new 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 that has been quoted by the automaker as offering "at least 350 horsepower," which we interpret to mean that it will actually be closer to 375 hp. The body is composed heavily of aluminum, with carbon fiber and chrome accents in an effort to improve straight-line performance and fuel economy. A production car is on its way. 2016 Lexus GS F Lexus has been expanding its F lineup, with models like the all-new RC F, and now, the automaker has revealed the new 2016 Lexus GS F. When we spoke to Lexus, it became clear that ride comfort and responsiveness take priority over pure horsepower when it comes to this model. But considering the new GS F shares the 467-hp 5.0-liter V-8 engine with the RC F, performance numbers should be close. We estimate the 2016 Lexus GS F to have a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds, which is slightly faster than the RC F. We'll have to wait and see when the GS F goes on sale later this year. 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG While the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 may only be a member of the AMG Sport Line and not a full-blown AMG model, it offers enough of the DNA to proudly wear the AMG badge. While powered by the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine found under the hood of the C400 4Matic, the C450 AMG delivers an upgraded 362 hp and 384 lb.-ft. of torque, propelling the new model from 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. The C450 AMG will also feature an AMG adaptive sports suspension, 4Matic all-wheel drive, selectable driving modes, and aggressive styling. 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE63 S Coupe 4Matic While we've seen previous GLE models, including the 333-ph GLE 400 and 362-hp GLE 450 AMG Sport Line model, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE63 S Coupe 4Matic is the star of the lineup. With power coming from a 5.5-liter V-8 engine paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission, the new model delivers 577 hp and 561 lb.-ft. of torque. In terms of 0-60 mph times, the GLE63 S can manage it in 4.2 seconds, targeting BMW's X6 M. Although the styling may not be as appealing as we would like, the power alone will have people lining up at dealers when it launches in August. Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS In celebration of the 911 Targa's 50th anniversary, Porsche decided to give a model the GTS treatment and introduced the Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS. Thanks to the 3.8-liter flat-six, the 911 Targa GTS hits 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds when equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, or 4.5 seconds with the seven-speed manual. To put these numbers in perspective, the Targa 4S needs 4.4 seconds with the PDK and 4.6 seconds with a manual to hit that 60 mph mark. We don't know how much this new model will cost, but we'd wager a guess that it will be upwards of $130,000. | 9 | 7,403 | autos |
13 of the World's Most Breathtaking Waterfalls The World's Most Breathtaking Waterfalls Waterfalls aren't just cascading tons of water over the edge of a cliff, they are an example of the power of nature, an earthly wonder and a reminder that something as seemingly dainty as water has the ability to erode something as tough as rock. Even when it comes to the remote falls of Venezuela or the Faroe Islands, these magnificent waterfalls are worth the trip. Nohkalikai Falls India Described by visitors as "magnificent and serene," Nohkalikai Falls is 1,115 feet tall, making it the tallest plunge waterfall in India. Though visitors today enjoy the calm pouring of water over the cliff, the falls are named for a morose legend. According to the tale, a woman named Likai was driven mad and ran off the edge of the cliff when she discovered her second husband had murdered and cooked her infant, then fed her the child's remains. Yosemite Falls California, U.S. At 2,425 feet tall, Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America and either the sixth or seventh tallest in the world. Set in the infamous Yosemite National Park, visitors can enjoy views of the falls from many spots around the park or they can hike one of several trails to get a better vantage point. The hike to the top of the falls is tough and will take all day, but another hike will bring you to the base of the falls, which is shorter and easier. Niagara Falls Between the U.S. and Canada Straddling the U.S.-Canada border, Niagara Falls is home to some of the best known waterfalls on Earth. Formed by receding glaciers at the end of the last ice age, this natural wonder is composed of three separate falls: Horseshoe Falls (which is the largest and most powerful of the three), the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. Horseshoe Falls is the most powerful waterfall on the continent. Bøssdalsfossur Falls the Faroe Islands One of the most remote waterfalls out there, Bøssdalsfossur Falls cascades off an archipelago that is set about halfway between Norway and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are an independent country, among the least populated in the world with less than 50,000 total residents to date the town near the falls was home to only 16 people in 2002. The Islands are best known for fresh fish, wildlife and stunning natural beauty and though the waterfall is one of many beautiful features on the island, it's one that people love to visit and photograph. Gullfoss Iceland Gullfoss, Icelandic for "Golden Falls," is a top tourist destination in Iceland. The falls that seem to drop directly into the earth have become so iconic that they have appeared on the cover of an album, in a novella and in a music video. Ban Gioc-Detian Falls Bordering China and Vietnam A subject of a longtime border dispute between China and Vietnam, Ban Gioc-Detian Falls is currently marked on China's side. The falls are teeming with history from serving as a crossing point in the Sino-Vietnamese War to hosting outlaws and their treasure in nearby tunnels and legend has it some of the treasure is still lying undiscovered in one of the gorges. Angel Falls Venezuela A UNESCO World Heritage site and the highest waterfall on Earth, Angel Falls stands at a breathtaking 3,212 feet tall. The falls are one of Venezuela's biggest tourist attractions, but getting there is no easy feat. Angel Falls is located in a jungle and is only accessible by river from June to December, when the river is deep enough for boat travel. Plitvice Falls Croatia Located in the stunning Plitvice Lakes National Park, a network of waterfalls winds down rock faces, into lakes and out onto rocks again. The intricate water features are a big draw for tourists, but those who have visited recommend seeing the upper lake in the morning for the best view of the falls. In the afternoon the sun dips behind the falls, which some say takes away from the amazing view. Iguazu Falls Bordering Brazil and Argentina The Igazu River splits Brazil and Argentina, just as the falls split the upper and lower portions of the mighty river. Iguazu Falls, which translates to "big water," is among the widest in the world and, like many other falls, associated with a legend. The story states that a deity was to marry a beautiful woman when she left him for a mortal. During their getaway in a canoe, the angry deity cut the river causing the waterfall that killed the lovers. Victoria Falls Bordering Zimbabwe and Zambia It may not be the highest or the widest waterfall in the world but Victoria Falls is classified as the world's largest sheet of falling water. The South African falls are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's said that during the wet season, spray from the falling water can be seen miles away. Sutherland Falls New Zealand Sutherland Falls has been called the mightiest waterfall in New Zealand, standing at 1,904 feet tall and fed by plenty of rain water. The falls are an incredible sight according to visitors, though the trip is far from easy you either need to book a scenic flight to see it from the air or sign on for a four day trek. Kaieteur Falls Guyana The powerful Kaieteur Falls is a major draw for tourists in Guyana, despite its undeveloped nature. Set in the center of the rainforest, the 822-foot-tall waterfall has been called both pristine and underrated and the experience of seeing it in person is said to be well worth the trip. Palouse Falls Washington, U.S. A whopping 17 feet taller than Niagara's drop, Palouse Falls begins cascading water 198 feet above the river below. The height of the falls attracted Tyler Bradt, a kayaker who paddled off the edge hoping to set a world record. Bradt made the drop and appeared in Sports Illustrated for his effort but was not able to officially claim the world record because of measurement discrepancies during the time of his decent some say the water level resulted in a shorter drop, closer to 175 or 180 feet. | 2 | 7,404 | travel |
The biggest shocks and famous reveals from past Detroit Motor Shows Detroit Auto Show: Biggest surprises over the years Detroit has suffered its fair share of automotive shocks over the years, from a city once booming to the beat of car factories churning out vehicles, Motor City suffered a heart attack in the 80s as car production tailed off. But the now resurgent traditional heartland of US car production still holds a major international motor show and with the 2015 North American International Auto Show in full swing, we take a look back at the shock new car reveals over the years in Motown. Lexus LS 1989 It's hard to believe the conservative Lexus LS was a shock, but back in 1989 when the first luxury Japanese saloon was revealed, it took America by surprise. A covert project by Toyota to make the world's best car, it was finally revealed at Detroit 1989, striking fear into the heart of Cadillac as the covers came off. Codenamed F1 'Flagship 1' it was quiet, refined and reliable, which ticked all the right boxes. Infiniti Q45 1989 It wasn't just Lexus looking to take a piece of the action in North America though. At the North American International Auto Show 1989 Infiniti also turned up with a large and luxurious sedan, the Q45. Two nails thudded into the Detroit car industry's coffin at the same time. Dodge Viper concept 1989 While the Japanese were encroaching from all angles, Dodge stuck to its guns with big-engined sports cars. In 1989 it released the whopping 8.0-litre V10 Viper concept at Detroit a metaphorical two fingers to anybody that doubted the U.S. could still do big and brash. It went into production a few years later and became an icon. Hyundai HCD-1 concept 1992 Who would have thought that in the early 90s Hyundai would have shown a concept that looked like this. Part Ferrari and part Dodge Viper in terms of its looks, the world collectively and audibly gasped as the covers came off in 1992. Hyundai got serious. The HCD-1 eventually went on to inspire the first Hyundai Tiburon. Jeep Grand Cherokee 1992 How do you launch a new American-built SUV in America if you're Jeep president Bob Lutz? Well, you drive Detroit mayor at the time, Coleman Young, from the plant where the car will be built to the Detroit show halls via police escort, up onto the stage and straight through a plate glass window to make a smashing and rather memorable entrance, that's how. Plymouth Prowler 1993 Could there be anywhere else other than Detroit to release a car like the Plymouth Prowler? If there is, we can't think of it. The looks today are shocking enough, so can you imagine the reaction it got more than 20 years ago? Porsche Boxster concept 1993 In a nod to the 356 and 550 Spyder, but a clear-sighted vision towards the future of the range and profit generation, Porsche showed off its view of a new, more accessible sports car model at the 1993 North American International Auto Show. It was a shock, as it wasn't rear-engined and it wasn't air-cooled. It went onto become the Boxster. Chrysler Atlantic 1995 The idea for the Chrysler Atlantic concept began with a sketch by company president Bob Lutz (he of window smashing fame) on a napkin in 1993. By 1995 it was being presented as a concept at Detroit. Inspired by a 1930s Bugatti Type 57S Atlantique, it was powered by an unconventional straight-eight engine made from two regular four-cylinder family car motors. Nobody saw it coming. Ford GT90 concept 1995 "The world's mightiest supercar" was unveiled to the world in Detroit during the mid 90s. Sporting Ford's 'New Edge' design direction that'd go on to influence the Focus compact car, the GT90 was more radical. Built in just over six months, nobody was expecting it in 1995, let alone the quad turbo V12 and ceramic tiles used on the space shuttle to insulate the car from the baking exhaust. Cool. Aston Martin Project Vantage 1998 In the same year Aston released its DB7 Dunhill model at Detroit, it also showed the Project Vantage a car that would later become the Vanquish, debuting a new method of construction for Aston that's still around today. It was a shock because it made the DB7 look so old, because it was so technologically advanced, and because it looked so good. Even James Bond later drove one. BMW X-Coupe 2001 Long before Mercedes-Benz and BMW produced hulking crossover SUV Coupes like the GLE and X6, there was this, the X-Coupe Concept. Styling-wise, it went on to inspire the 1 Series Coupe. When this BMW concept was launched at Detroit in 2001, it got some unusual reactions the start of the Bangle "flame surfacing" era had begun. Range Stormer concept 2004 Orange and gorgeous were two words that defined the 2004 Range Stormer concept at that year's Detroit Motor Show. With some stunning single-piece seats, scissor doors, and a chunky three-door body, it was the precursor to the Range Rover Sport. Range Rover Sport 2006 Which emerged in production form just two years later. It had two more doors, but the look was relatively similar less bulky than the full-size Range Rover, but still with Land Rover's go-anywhere capability. Not so much of a shock, but more of a reassuring return to slow the heart rates of anyone still reeling from the Range Stormer. Chrysler Aspen presentation - 2006 In this case it wasn't so much the car that was a surprise the Chrysler Aspen was merely a gussied-up Dodge Durango but its presentation. As Chrysler's first SUV was driven on stage, members of the media were blasted, full-force with an artificial snow storm by Slava's Snow Show. We were picking out fake snow from our gear for hours… Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - 2006 Chrysler was legitimately the talk of the show at Detroit in 2006. In addition to blasting the press with fake snow, it also pulled the plate-glass stunt once again to launch the four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. Clean up on aisle seven ... VL Destino 2013 Bob Lutz was back in 2013, with the VL Destino concept, based on a Fisker Karma from newly formed company VL Automotive. It was a shock to see the Karma (albeit in a different guise) back under the motor show lights, alright. Still no sign of a production car yet though. Toyota FT-1 2014 In the age of the internet, it's pretty damn hard to keep a brand new, exciting concept car debut quiet. But, in a PR coup, Toyota did just that, choosing not to release any information ahead of time on the FT-1 until it was revealed to the world in a shock unveil last year. | 9 | 7,405 | autos |
Snowboarding and skiing off piste, on ungroomed, natural terrain - that's Freeriding. The extreme sport is becoming very popular and now many European winter sports regions are catering to this group. One of the most trendy places right now is Kitzbuehel in the Austrian Alps where the "Freeride Weeks" are taking place. | 8 | 7,406 | video |
Need we say more? When There's No Crib in Sight ... ... my dog will do. Doggy Kisses The only kind of kiss that's better than Mom's. Look Ma, I'm Walking the Dog! Who's walking who here? Just Passing the Time ... We're dreaming of a white Christmas. Staring Contest Don't blink, or we'll miss Santa! Giddy Up! Who needs a pony when you've got a giant dog? Overprotective, Much? Just making sure you're still breathing. Just a Daily Checkup? He clearly doesn't like going to the doctor's office. A Boy and His Dog Musing over life's greatest mysteries together. Free Babysitting Now you can finally take that shower you've been putting off. | 4 | 7,407 | lifestyle |
Jeff Gordon attended Tuesday night's Wizards-Spurs game in Washington, D.C. to watch two of the NBA's better teams face off. Gordon was pulled out of the crowd after the first quarter to participate in a tricycle race against another fan. If you thought Gordon was going to take it easy, you were mistaken. The man was as competitive as ever. | 1 | 7,408 | sports |
We get you caught up with Wednesday's top stories, including Jack Del Rio's new job in the Bay, Marcus Mariota's decision to declare for the NFL Draft and the day's best NBA & NHL action. | 1 | 7,409 | sports |
The terror attacks on the French newspaper 'Charlie Hebdo' and the hostage-taking in a kosher supermarket in Paris have triggered a wave of international outrage. 17 people died at the hands of Islamist terrorists. Will the attacks polarize French society? | 8 | 7,410 | video |
Many Latvians are lovers of nature, and quite a few own a holiday home. Janis Gulbis turned his family's summer home from the 70's into a modern domicile. Now he and his wife live there year-round. Their 190 square meter house in the holiday resort Saulkrasti is big enough for his children and grandchildren to visit, and energy-efficient to boot. | 8 | 7,411 | video |
There are all sorts of pizza to be had in many countries worldwide, but it's origins are in Italy. The first Pizza Margherita, with tomatoe sauce, mozarella cheese and basil, was most likely made in Naples. In fact, the owners of the pizzeria Brandi in Naples claim the first pizza of this type was made in their restaurant, more than a century ago. | 8 | 7,412 | video |
Marshawn Lynch's one-answer news conferences have gotten him in trouble with both the media and the NFL. He's been fined $100,000 by the league over the last two seasons for refusing to talk to reporters. A new petition is seeking to prevent Lynch from being forced to talk. | 8 | 7,413 | video |
No one in Cleveland is happy with the Cavs performance this season and things seem to finally be boiling over. One fan even took a video of LBJ blowing off head coach David Blatt that proves it. | 1 | 7,414 | sports |
Dr. Marc Siegel weighs in | 8 | 7,415 | video |
2015 Detroit Auto Show: Motor Trend Editor Favorites 2015 Detroit Auto Show: Motor Trend Editor Favorites The North American International Auto Show was dominated almost from the outset by Ford and its GT supercar, Raptor pickup, and Shelby GT350R track car. But Acura and other automakers brought impressive vehicles and concepts. Ford GT at 2015 Detroit Auto Show As pure concepts go, Buick's Avenir stole my heart, primarily because it was such a surprise. But my favorite production car has to be the Ford GT. It's a pure race car with a carbon-fiber tub and body panels, fully inboard, active suspension, and a turbocharged 3.5L V-6 making north of 600 horsepower. Just look at the fuselage design, how it pulls in at the rear wheels; that's for the aerodynamics of racing. And make no mistake, you'll see this Ford GT racing -- likely at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016, the 50th anniversary of Ford's 1, 2, 3 finish in the original Ford GT40. - Ed Loh 2016 Acura NSX My favorite concept car of perhaps the last 25 years is Ford's scrumptious GT, which is about the only car imaginable that could reduce the Acura NSX sitting across the aisle from it to "that also looks nice, but …" status. Still, the technical director is fascinated by the NSX's unique three-motors-and-a-75-degree-V-6 take on bringing 550-plus horses' worth of "F1 KERS" technology to the street. I'm also quite willing to take it on faith that this NSX will give me that same feeling of being as one with the car as the original did. My inner geek will revel in feeling those petrolectric horses routing themselves from side to side and front to back as I tear up a twisty road, but my inner 5-year-old will be freaking out at an altogether more primal level if/when I first shinny under the wheel of that sexy GT. - Frank Markus 2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Specifically, the aluminum Raptor based off the new F-150. The Rapor has long been one of my personal favorite motorized machines, and I still claim its ability to perform 50-foot jumps fresh off the dealer lot makes it the most impressive production vehicle of all time. This new one looks to be better in every way. First of all, Ford's claiming that we'll see a 500-pound weight reduction. Some of that de-larding is due to the new Raptor's aluminum body panels, though a good chunk is from the sinking of the old boat anchor 6.2-liter V-8 in favor of a tuned up EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6. Ford was being oddly tight-lipped about the power output. That's probably because, like the GT, the 2017 Raptor is a ways away from being final. However, they're claiming more output than the current truck (411 horsepower, 434 lb-ft of torque). So you know, the current most powerful EcoBoost V-6 resides under the hood of the Lincoln Navigator and makes 380 hp and 460 lb-ft of twist. Whatever the final numbers are, all that grunt is routed through a 10-speed (yes Virginia, 10!) automatic transmission. With paddle shifters, too. There's six different driving modes and a whole bunch of stuff inherited from the new F-150. But I dig the looks. I've long said that all SUVs should either look like something Gen. Patton would ride in while invading Sicily or a moon buggy. The massively grilled Raptor fits the latter. Yes, I know it's a technically a truck but, come on, with the exception of the AMG 6x6 nothing else on Earth epitomizes the phrase Sport Utility Vehicle as well. I'm so looking forward to time in this handsome beast. - Jonny Lieberman Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang The Shelby GT350 is barely out of the bag, and Ford's already got an even more radical car. How cool is that? Unfortunately, it got lost behind the Ford GT announcement, and it deserves more attention than it's getting. Magnetic shocks, flat-plane crank V-8, less weight, better tires, better brakes, better aero, and on and on. This car is going to be fantastic, and we're truly blessed to be living in an era when manufacturers (plural!) are building cars like this. And seriously: carbon-fiber wheels! - Scott Evans 2015 Buick Avenir Concept Everyone likes surprises, and Buick pulled off the first big one in Detroit on Sunday night when they unveiled the Buick Avenir concept. It is a stunning sedan that you'd expect to see from Audi or Mercedes. Buick? No way. But there it was. A rear-wheel-drive big luxury sedan with long lines, big hood, and a very useable second row. It has the promise of something really special. While this will remain just a concept vehicle, I do hope it becomes the base for future vehicles. Another big surprise was on the Hyundai stand with its Santa Cruz Concept, the most recent attempt at an El Camino. Forever I have wanted to see a true small pickup return to America and have always thought Hyundai might be the brand to bring it. I still hope they do. - Scott Burgess Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible You don't see purple cars every day, and with Bentley offering 150 colors on the Continental line, the automaker didn't waste an opportunity at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show to go vibrant. And that's exactly what this Continental GT Speed Convertible does inside and out -- finished not in silver, white, or red like so many other show-floor cars, but in Azure Purple. - Zach Gale Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept Most trucks are big. Most trucks don't cost entry-level money. Most trucks are overdesigned for what many owners do with them. Enter the Santa Cruz, what you might call a baby Honda Ridgeline: a car-based, multi-use small pickup that will seat four adults. The heavy creases wouldn't make production, but a lot of people are already hoping this striking urban utility wagon will get built. - Chris Clonts 2016 Nissan Titan Dubya was getting re-elected the last time the Nissan Titan was eligible to compete for our Truck of the Year award. A long time coming, we're thrilled the (finally) completely overhauled Nissan full-sizer is going all anti-establishment with its tweener size and light-duty Cummins diesel V-8.-Benson Kong 2016 Toyota Tacoma I particularly liked the Tacoma because, even with new styling, it still looked like a Tacoma. Designers didn't get super crazy with the form, which is why it managed to look different while still looking the same. It looked beefier on the outside, while the inside was surprisingly nicer than what you'd expect in a midsize pickup. - Karla Sanchez Infiniti Q60 Concept The G37 Coupe is all grown up. The new Q60 concept features a much more aggressive exterior than its predecessor, and thanks to its aluminum and carbon-fiber body, it should provide a boost in performance and fuel economy. Better yet, we hear this concept is very close to the production model. - Kelly Pleskot 2016 Porsche 911 Targa GTS I've always loved Targa-topped 911s, especially the classic air-cooled models with the distinctive roll bar that disappeared starting with the 993 911. That classic look returned on the 991, and it's nice to see Porsche showing some love to the new Targa. This time around it's the 911 Targa 4 GTS, which gets all the familiar GTS goodies like more power (430 hp) and center-locking hubs. - Erick Ayapana 2016 Lincoln MKX Whether you're looking at it from afar or from behind the wheel, there's much to like about the 2016 Lincoln MKX. Lincoln has classed up the interior with premium features and materials, and it kept true to the original design of which we were fans. We can't wait to get behind the wheel and see what else this new model has to offer. - Megan Stewart 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel While the 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel isn't a direct competitor to the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor, it may be the most off-road-oriented Ram models offered -- even more than the Ram 1500 Outdoorsman. The Ram 1500 Rebel rides on 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 33-inch Toyo tires. Engine choices include the 305-hp Pentastar V-6 or 395-hp 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 backed by an eight-speed automatic and a 3.92 rear-end gear ratio. Oh, and who can forget about the bold new face, available two-tone paint, and red interior trim. Rebel indeed. - Jason Udy 2015 Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept Build it, GM! Why? Because it's been stuffed with the General's latest electric propulsion technology, it (hopefully) won't be prohibitively pricey and, plus, it's the size of a Trax. Hustling metropolitans abound will love it. And with an anticipated 200-mile range, they'll be more inclined to take in the countryside. - Nate Martinez | 9 | 7,416 | autos |
Readers' Choice: Most Popular 2015 Detroit Auto Show Cars Readers' Choice: Most Popular 2015 Detroit Auto Show Cars The 2015 Detroit auto show thrilled Motor Trend readers everywhere and had something for everyone. Chevrolet debuted the second-generation Volt, a car with lots to prove, and Ford and Acura served up mid-engine supercars. It was a good year for truck fans, too, with the 2016 Nissan Titan and 2016 Toyota Tacoma proving popular. But which vehicles were hot enough on MotorTrend.com to make this readers' choice list? Infiniti Q60 Concept The first Infiniti G35 coupe design was beautiful, and the successor to that car (one generation removed) is previewed in the form of the Infiniti Q60 concept. We're looking forward to seeing what the Q60 coupe looks like once it makes the transition from concept to production car. 2016 Lexus GS F The 2016 Lexus GS F isn't the most powerful performance-oriented midsize premium sedan around, but it could compete for the title of the most sonorous. With a naturally aspirated 467-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 under the hood, the 2016 GS F is an exciting edition to a segment a few lucky enthusiasts can afford. 2017 Ford F 150 Raptor The Raptor is back! Well, not until the 2017 model year, anyway, but that timing didn't stop Ford from unveiling the new F-150 Raptor alongside the new GT and Shelby GT350R Mustang. Buick Avenir Concept One of the few surprises of the 2015 Detroit auto show, the 2015 Buick Avenir concept suggests that the brand might one day have a true flagship sedan at the top of its lineup. 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel No, it's not a Ford F-150 Raptor-fighter, but the 2015 Ram 1500 Rebel is still really cool, not to mention the most intimidating model in the Ram 1500 lineup. See for yourself in our First Look article . 2016 Chevrolet Volt The 2016 Chevrolet Volt has big shoes to fill because the last-generation model debuted as the 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year. The 2016 Volt is armed with an available fifth seat, as well as far more EV-only range before the new gas engine kicks in. 2016 Buick Cascada Buick returns to the drop-top space with the 2016 Cascada, more than two decades after it last offered a convertible. The attractive Cascada joined the Avenir flagship concept sedan at the 2015 Detroit auto show. 2016 Acura NSX The first-generation Acura NSX shook the supercar market when it debuted years ago, and the automaker no doubt hopes the new one will do the same once cars appear in dealerships by the end of 2015. Ford GT Returns Just as we predicted a few months ago, a mid-engine Ford GT debuted at the 2015 Detroit auto show. We can't wait to drive the supercar, which is powered by an EcoBoost V-6 with at least 600 hp. 2016 Nissan Titan We've been waiting a long time for a new full-size truck from Nissan, ever since the automaker's deal with Ram fell through a few years ago. The 2016 Titan offers some interesting features for those who aren't afraid to look beyond Ford, GM, and Ram for their next truck. 2016 Toyota Tacoma The redesigned 2016 Toyota Tacoma gets a new V-6 and an angry-looking front fascia -- not to mention widespread attention on MotorTrend.com. The Tacoma is currently the best-selling vehicle in the midsize truck class by far, but will the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado -- the 2015 Motor Trend Truck of the Year -- put a dent in the Toyota's sales? That remains to be seen, but the 2016 Tacoma was the hottest debut at the 2015 Detroit auto show based on reader interest, so it's going to be fun to watch the market-share battle. | 9 | 7,417 | autos |
The National Park Service found a Winchester Model 1873 rifle in Nevada's Great Basin National Park. It has dated the rifle back to 1882. | 5 | 7,418 | news |
The Doctors discuss the tragic story of a 5-year-old child who died when her parents forced her to consume more than two liters of soda in less than two hours as a punishment. | 7 | 7,419 | health |
By Braden Gall The ink is barely dry on the 2014 season and Athlon Sports is continuing its too early look at what is assured to be another stellar season of upsets, broken records and historic storylines. Considering Marcus Mariota became the first preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy in more than a decade, here is a quick look at the potential frontrunners for the stiff-armed trophy in 2015: Championship Signal Callers Generally, quarterbacks win the Heisman Trophy. In fact, only twice since Ron Dayne in 1999 has a non-quarterback (aka, running back) won the Heisman Trophy (Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram). Of those 13 signal-callers, nine of them played in the national championship game in the same year. Odds are, the '15 Heisman winner will be in this category. Trevor Boykin, TCU '14 Stats: 3,901 yds, 33 TD, 10 INT, 707 rush yds, 8 TD With revamped play-calling and coaching on offense, the former wide receiver blossomed into one of the nation's most dynamic players. He nearly led TCU into the college football playoff and will return with a team that's expected to be the favorite in the Big 12 next year. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State '14: Stats: 3,449 yds, 27 TD, 11 INT, 986 rush yds, 14 TD Prescott announced his intentions to return to school in 2015 and has a chance to lead Mississippi State to an SEC West title. He already owns every major school single-season record and could easily be the best player in the best league next fall. Someone, Ohio State A quarterback is going to be a Heisman Trophy candidate at Ohio State but who that might be is still up in the air. Cardale Jones just led his team to a national championship, J.T. Barrett set school and Big Ten records before getting hurt and don't forget about Braxton Miller. Cody Kessler, USC '14 Stats: 3,826 yds, 39 TD, 5 INT, 2 rush TD The USC passer quietly posted one of the best seasons in college football and did it surrounded by freshmen and injuries. He plays a premium position at a school known for producing Heisman winners and Trojans could be a playoff team and Pac-12 frontrunner. Connor Cook, Michigan State '14 Stats: 3,214 yds, 24 TD, 8 INT, 2 rush TD The top challenger to Ohio State in the Big Ten in the third-year starter. He's an NFL prospect for a reason. He's efficient, he's a winner and he's a leader. He's 24-3 with 49 total touchdowns and just 14 interceptions in the last two years. Other QBs to Watch: Deshaun Watson, Clemson; Anu Solomon, Arizona; Brad Kaaya, Miami; Josh Dobbs, Tennessee; Christian Hackenberg, Penn State; Jared Goff, Cal; Seth Russell, Baylor; Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech; Marquise Williams, North Carolina; Kyle Allen, Texas A&M Year of the Running Back The only non-QB to win the Heisman since '99 was Bush in '05 and Ingram in '09 both of whom played in the national championship game on the best team in the nation. But with one of the greatest freshman running back classes in recent memory especially, for elite teams this could be the year a RB takes home the coveted Heisman Trophy. One look at the top returning rushers makes it easy to see why a RB could break through in '15. Never Appreciated Wide Receivers Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma JuJu Smith, WR, USC Pharoh Cooper, WR, South Carolina Tyler Boyd, WR, Pitt Nelson Spruce, WR, Colorado Corey Coleman, WR, Baylor KD Cannon, WR, Baylor Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado St William Fuller, WR, Notre Dame Speedy Noil, WR, Texas A&M Individual Defensive Players Scooby Wright, LB, Arizona Jalen Ramsey, DB, Florida State Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Ole Miss Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida Su'a Cravens, S, USC Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame Kendall Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech Myles Jack, LB, UCLA Zack Sanchez, CB, Oklahoma | 1 | 7,420 | sports |
From best supporting actress nominee Meryl Streep to best director nominee Wes Anderson, CNNMoney breaks down the biggest names and categories for you. | 8 | 7,421 | video |
Call us crazy, but one of our favorite things to do as beauty people is offer up product suggestions. It's for good reason we spend most of our days up to our ears in products, and our bathrooms are pretty much overflowing with liners and lipsticks a-plenty. So, whenever a friend calls us up and asks for a foundation recommendation, or a night cream that will turn their skin to gold, we always have a name in our back pocket. So, we decided that we'd take all of these handy suggestions and hand 'em out to you guys. The timing couldn't be more perfect, either. Now is the time that all of our favorite brands are rolling out their new-to-market buys of 2015. Everything from hair care to skin care is represented here, which means you can make your list and know you're going to dig the things you pick up. We wouldn't lie to you especially when it comes to something as important as your primp game. Click through to see the picks we're already loving for 2015. Your new BFF for the next 365 days may be hiding in there. Megan McIntyre, beauty director I'm going to go ahead and potentially hurt my beauty editor street cred by dropping this primping bombshell: I don't use lotion. I know, massive beauty fail on my part. I know I should, my skin knows I should, but yet I can never bring myself to put it on outside of the occasional coating here and there when I'm feeling virtuous. I just can't bring myself to stand naked and shivering in my tiny NYC bathroom, awkwardly bumping my elbow against the wall as I struggle to rub a greasy lotion into the small of my back. The struggle is real, y'all. So, imagine my delight upon discovering this little gem from Nivea. It's a body lotion you use in the shower No, not a hydrating body wash this is an actual in-shower lotion. You apply it to wet skin, right after you've washed off your body wash. Then you wash it off that's literally it. Each formula contains a nourishing ingredient like sea minerals, shea butter, or almond oil that instantly sinks into skin, locking in moisture without any stickiness or greasiness. I've been using it religiously for the past week and am feeling pretty smug with my newly hydrated skin. If you are the type of person who actually uses lotion, then you're going to notice that the hydration of this wash-off version is not nearly on the same level. Your skin won't feel as soft and supple as it does when you use your go-to body moisturizer. However, if you're like me, you'll definitely notice a big difference between using this and bare skin. Lotion delinquents take heart: Your skin no longer need feel neglected. Nivea Nourishing In-Shower Body Lotion, $5.99, available at Target . One of my go-to tricks for glowing skin is mixing a few drops of a liquid luminizer in with my moisturizer or foundation. It works gangbusters at adding a healthy luminescence to a fatigued face. Well, Shiseido has gone and stolen my stealth radiance move with their new SPF brightening moisturizer. The velvety cream features encapsulated vitamin C and a patented brightening ingredient, which helps breaks down existing dark spots and suppress melanin production. But, in addition to actually brightening pigmentation, it also has optical brightening effects. Infused in the cream is a micro-fine shimmer that helps illuminate dull, tired skin. It also has something called Light Fluorescent Powder, which releases a fluorescent light when exposed to UV rays to instantly brighten the skin. Add to that a lovely, easily blendable texture, SPF protection, and a non-pore-clogging formula and I've just found my new go-to moisturizer. Shiseido White Lucent All-Day Brightener SPF 22, $57, available in February at Shiseido . While sitting at a recent launch event for her eponymous line, the always fabulous makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury immediately captured the attention of a roomful of beauty editors when she introduced her new Beach Sticks by saying, "Who doesn't need a holiday 365 days a year?" That's the aim of these brilliant new cream blush/bronzers. Available in five shades, all named after beaches in her beloved Ibiza, what makes these sticks different that anything you've currently seen on the market is the addition of a smoothing filler called ceramidone. Says Tilbury, "My problem with a lot of creams is that they sit in pores and lines and feel tacky. Ceramidone rolles on top of the pores and lines fills them so that the color doesn't sit in them." She described the shade Moon Beach as "Gwyneth on the beach," which created such a covetable image of drinking Goop-approved mocktails while sitting under $700 Stella McCartney beach umbrellas in my head that I knew I had to try it. The rose-gold hue was the perfect complement to my sun-starved skin I feel like I'm one step closer to clinking glasses with Gwynnie at some remote Mediterranean resort. Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick, $45, available in February at Charlotte Tilbury . In the winter, I struggle with my base makeup. I find my usual BB creams don't go on as smoothly as they do in the summer, when my skin is naturally dewier. This leads to me having to apply a moisturizer before the BB, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the reaplace-all-your-products BB cream. Thankfully, Bare Escentuals' newest, Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream, is everything my skin has been missing and more. This ultra-hydrating cream feels lightweight on the skin and provides lightweight coverage like a BB, but, thanks to a formula enriched with squalane and mineral-infused water, it also provides some serious hydration to the skin. I apply this after my toner and take care of both my moisturizing and base makeup in one silky swipe. I also really like that it's sheer coverage, meaning it provides just enough evening out and warming up of my pallid winter complexion, without smothering my skin in a heavy, matte finish. Bare Escentuals BareMIneralsComplexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream, $29, available in February at Bare Escentuals . Side note: Why is everything I love launching in February? it is clearly the most magical time of year, at least if these lipsticks are any indication. Marc Jacobs is launching an entirely new lipstick collection to his line next month and I can barely contain my glee. Unlike his existing Lovemarc Lip Gel, the Lip Crème has a more buttery texture and boasts an incredible 10-hour longwear claim. I was impressed with the texture of the lipstick and how easily it glided on my lips. I also loved the feel of it it delivered really lush pigment without feeling heavy or tacky on my pout. And, those colors! Don't even get me started on the amazingness that is Blow, or how uniquely stunning Scandal and Magenta are. As for that 10-hour wear claim, well, let's just say it stayed put for as long as I needed it to, lasting through a donut delivery and an epic Thai food-fueled brainstorming session and ending the day as a lovely, lived-in stain which I loved almost more than I liked how it looked when I first applied it. All of the clapping emojis to your Marc, all of them. Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Crème, $30, available in February at Sephora . Up until very recently, my only real concern with my skin was acne. But, somewhere between dancing all night with my friends at some LES dive bar and thinking that a glass of red wine and Gilmore Girls on Netflix was an ideal Saturday night, my skin has started its slow, inevitable march downward. As we age, our skin becomes thinner and whole lot less resilient, which leads to that wonderful term, sagging. And, while at 31 I'm still a long way away from jowl town, I've noticed my skin could definitely use a little perking up. Enter Fresh's new Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask. The latest addition to the brand's stellar anti-aging line, this moisturizing treatment pulls double duty, hydrating parched skin and creating a "corset-like" effect on your complexion. Slather it on at night and wake up the next morning to firmer, more lifted skin or so says the brand. It has the same great tea smell, which I absolutely adore, as the rest of the line and feels super-hydrating on skin. When I woke up the next morning, my skin definitely felt great. I wouldn't say it was lifted, but my complexion was definitely perkier. Which at my age is all I was really looking for in the first place. The brand claims you'll see the best lifting results after one month of use, so I'm going to keep at it, alternating this with my usual acne-fighting night cream. Sorry jowl town, but I don't plan on moving in any time soon. Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask, $92, available at Sephora . Phillip Picardi, senior beauty editor Longwear foundations tend to scare me, mostly because, well, I'm a dude with a beard, and powdery, cakey formulas tend to give away my pretty little secret that I wasn't #bornwithit and that I didn't #wakeuplikedis. Then again, my days typically start at 6AM and end around 10PM, and I'd like to not have zits, redness, or foundation lines by my second drink with Eligible Bachelor #10,039. Thank you, Clarins, for creating a longwear foundation that allows the light of your skin to shine through. (Mix it with a bit of a liquid illuminator, like Koh Gen Do's, for extra glow factor.) Clarins Teint Haute Tenue+, $40, available April at Clarins . I am all about products that impart dew and moisture, which can be a pretty tricky thing considering I have an oily T-Zone and am pretty prone to mini breakouts. That's why Chanel's new serum is basically my dream in a bottle it contains micro-droplets of crazy nourishing Camellia Oil Extract which visibly plumps skin, except it comes in a water-light formula that doesn't make you feel like you're a total oil slick. Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Sérum, $110, available at Chanel . Master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian was inspired by Marie Antoinette and Le Petit Trianon for his latest, an unabashedly feminine scent that marries a May Rose absolute (consisting of 250 blooms!) and an essential oil comprised of 150 Damascena roses from Bulgaria. Translation: This is a whole lotta rose, my friends and it's beautiful. I wear it on days when I'm feeling damn unpretty. Francis Kurkdjian $245, available end of January at Neiman Marcus . In April, Murad is essentially poised to reinvent the entire game with their new invisible sunscreen a broad spectrum SPF 30 that acts as a makeup primer of sorts and doesn't leave behind any sort of weird, chalky white cast. It's a bit heavy, so I'm swapping it in place of a normal moisturizer and layering a hyaluronic serum underneath it, but its light-diffusing particles are great for underneath foundation, and I know I'm getting my daily dose of coverage. Murad Invisiblur Perfecting Shield, $65, available April at Murad . Just a kiss of pink is always my goal for the lips and cheeks something that looks as though I'm fresh and healthy and gorgeous, but not that I tried to look so. Enter the most luxe, beautiful, and weightless gel tint I've ever used. Dior Cheek & Lipglow, $37, available at Dior Maria Del Russo, beauty writerWhether I've overslept or stayed out way too late, the first place my sleepiness shows up is under my eyes which is why I typically keep a set of spoons in my freezer. (Yeah, I kick it old school). So, when I first spotted Benefit's Puff Off, with its adorable iron-shaped applicator, I knew I had to give it a shot. It looks like a gimmick, but works like a charm. The spout gets into your nooks and crannies, its metal-like applicator actually helps to cool, and the gel smooths away any lines or puffiness. Consider this your kitchy hangover miracle in a tube. Benefit Puff Off!, $29, available at Sephora . The plight of a gal who lives uptown but parties and dates downtown? Lots 'o makeup application in-transit. This used to mean forgoing a graphic eye look and leaning in heavily to the brows/mascara/lip combination. But, for giggles, I used Maybelline's Master Graphic on my way to drinks with a friend one day and pulled off an Alexa Chung-level cat-eye on the subway. Its chubby, angled felt tip makes applying a breeze, and I've since decided that this product is a miracle. It has taken up permanent residence in my makeup case. Maybelline Master Graphic, $6.94, available at Walmart . Forget finding my perfect red (I'm already an expert) my big feat is finding a nude that looks more cute than concealer. Luckily, Bite is releasing a line of nudes so beautiful, they look like a second-skin. My favorite is pecan a delicate, peachy nude that slides onto my lips and gives them a subtle, flushed color. It goes great with my subway cat-eye I've been rocking. Bite Beauty Butter Cream Bullet in Pecan, $28, available late January at Sephora . I'm not really one for a smoky eye. But, there is something seriously rad about sooty, jet-black, kinda-clumpy eyelashes. Think Nico from The Velvet Underground. That's pretty much the basis of my new-found obsession with Eyeko's Beatnik Black Mascara. The guitar-shaped brush (seriously, it was modeled after a guitar) distributes pigment over each and every lash even the baby ones. It leaves you with cool-girl eyelashes which weren't even a thing I knew were a thing until just now. Eyeko Beatnik Black Mascara, $28, available in March at Eyeko . I have a feeling that if my friends had to describe me, it would go something like, "Maria is great at a lot of things, but she is shit at nail art." It's true for all the lusting I do after geometric lines and ombré designs, I can barely get a solid color looking not-crazy on my fingers. So, NCLA's nail wraps are just up my alley. Their new Classics collection includes everything from the half-moon to the orbital mani (my favorite) in easy-to-apply nail wraps. Take that, friends. NCLA Orbit Ring Nail Wraps, $11, available at NCLA. One of my resolutions for this year? Learn how to braid my short hair. The only issue is, with my layers and hair texture, slippage is a serious issue (and, apparently, a technical term). That's why I'm so excited that Oscar Blandi's Thickening Gel came across my desk. It's a gel formula, which means it doesn't crunch or flake, and it adds instant thickness to my mane. That means everything that has to stay in place does. Heads up, though it's unisex, so you'll have to hide it from the men in your life. Oscar Blandi Thickening Gel, $25, available at Macy's . Taylor Bryant, production assistantBase makeup is notoriously annoying, and can be very much either a hit or miss. I typically don't even bother, because they're either too heavy, too cakey, or don't match my complexion. But, this foundation from Nars has completely transformed my opinion. It's an oil-free formula, lightweight, and leaves you with a natural finish. It literally melts into the skin (it actually sinks into my makeup blender rather than just sitting on top would recommend applying it with your hands instead) and stays on for up to 16-hours. Possibly the best part? It comes in a wide range of shades, which is an unfortunate rarity. All of this praise coming from a girl who is very much anti-foundation of any kind is saying a lot. NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, $48, available at NARS . Who out there actually likes deodorant? Don't raise your hands all at once. It's not only the least favorite part of my after-shower routine but I also have yet to find a stick that actually works to combat both the sweat and odor factor of my pits (tmi?), until I was gifted this glorious dry spray. Spray deodorant isn't necessarily anything new, but Dove has come out with a new formula that helps it stand out from all of the others. It sprays on your pits dry, so no more of the waiting for your underarms to air out while walking aimlessly around your room, and there's no more unpleasant white residue to be found. Hear, hear. Dove Dry Spray Deodorant, $5.49, available at Target . We've already included this standout product in one of our stories , but I felt it deserved and needed an extra shout out (ya know, in case you missed the first story). Their new fluid eyeshadow (which turns from liquid to powder right before on top of your eyes) is not only extremely easy to apply but, even for an oily-lid girl like myself, stays put for hours at a time while making your eyes look seriously glam. Ta-ta powdered shadows, you're presence is no longer needed here. Armani Beauty Eye Tint, $38, available at Giorgio Armani Beauty . I celebrated my 25th birthday this past weekend and these de-puffers were my saving grace. I had early brunch plans with my family Saturday morning after going a little too hard Friday night, so I popped these babies onto my dark circled eyes and they worked their magic by bringing them back to some semblance of normality. It helps that the ice cube formula includes boosters like green tea, caffeine, and aloe. The fact that they're freezing cold probably helps some, too. Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber De-Tox De-Puffing Eye-Cubes, $50, Sephora . | 4 | 7,422 | lifestyle |
An earlier version of this post ran on January 15th. We've updated with our favorites for tonight's awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees in all 24 categories of the 2015 Oscars last month, and it all comes to a head tonight. A handful of films have a big presence on this list in fact, just about every best picture nominee but Selma shows up in quite a few other categories. On the other hand, one of the year's most acclaimed films, Foxcatcher , receives a number of nominations but misses best picture. There are a handful of other notable nominations (or lack thereof) here. While the incredibly charming Lego Movie isn't on the best animated film list, its incredibly addictive title song does get a nod. Disney's animated Marvel superhero film, Big Hero 6 , makes it onto the animation list, as does Studio Ghibli's gorgeous Princess Kaguya. Netflix is represented on the list again, too, with Virunga in the documentary category. Laura Poitras' documentary on Snowden, Citizenfour , is also recognized. Finally, you'll notice that while Interstellar shows up in a few different categories, it and Christopher Nolan miss all the big ones. The nominees are as follows. Be sure to catch our coverage of the show, with the biggest wins and craziest moments, starting tonight at 8:30pm ET : Best picture The race for Best Picture is widely considered to be the closest in years. Richard Linklater's Boyhood raked in a number of trophies throughout awards season, but fierce competition from the likes of Birdman as well as the incredible box office performance of American Sniper have kept it from being a clear favorite. American Sniper Birdman Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Selma The Theory of Everything Whiplash Actor in a leading role This is a tough call, too. Michael Keaton has taken award after award for his performance in Birdman , and he'd normally be considered a shoe-in for the Oscar. However, Eddie Redmayne's affecting turn as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything did earn him a Screen Actor's Guild award, which has for years pointed directly toward a Best Actor Academy Award. We'll just have to see. Steve Carell Foxcatcher Bradley Cooper American Sniper Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game Michael Keaton Birdman Eddie Redmayne The Theory of Everything Actress in a leading role This award pretty much belongs to Julianne Moore. Apart from the fact that she plays a woman coping with early-onset Alzheimer's in Still Alice , she has the pedigree, having earned five nominations to date. Marion Cotillard Two Days, One Night Felicity Jones The Theory of Everything Julianne Moore Still Alice Rosamund Pike Gone Girl Reese Witherspoon Wild Actor in a supporting role As great as Ethan Hawke and Edward Norton were in their respective roles, J.K. Simmons is on most critics' shortlist for Best Supporting Actor. His out-of-this-world fury in Whiplash just can't be denied. Robert Duvall The Judge Ethan Hawke Boyhood Edward Norton Birdman Mark Ruffalo Foxcatcher J.K. Simmons Whiplash Actress in a supporting role Yet another unanimous favorite. Patricia Arquette's performance in Boyhood outshone most of the cast's, and she's considered the movie's only sure win. That said, Emma Stone might cause an upset. Patricia Arquette Boyhood Laura Dern Wild Keira Knightley The Imitation Game Emma Stone Birdman Meryl Streep Into the Woods Animated feature film It still makes absolutely no sense that The Lego Movie wasn't nominated for this prize, but what can we do? With an obvious contender out of the running, it's largely anyone's race. How to Train Your Dragon 2 earned a Golden Globe, but Song of the Sea, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, and Big Hero 6 all have a solid chance. Big Hero 6 The Boxtrolls How to Train Your Dragon 2 Song of the Sea The Tale of the Princess Kaguya Cinematography Birdman . For the film called a technical achievement across the board, this is an obvious choice. Birdman Emmanuel Lubezki The Grand Budapest Hotel Robert Yeoman Ida Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski Mr. Turner Dick Pope Unbroken Roger Deakins Costume Design This could very easily go to Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel . Every inch of the movie was so unique. Still, you never know when a fantastical movie like Into the Woods is on the list of nominees. The Grand Budapest Hotel Inherent Vice Into the Woods Maleficent Mr. Turner Directing Yet another incredibly close race between Birdman and Boyhood . Pundits have gone back and forth on who will take away the Best Director trophy for months. Those in Iñárritu's camp site the ambition behind his production. Those in Linklater's cite the story that took 12 years to tell. It's anyone's guess what direction the Academy will go in. Birdman Alejandro G. Iñárritu Boyhood Richard Linklater Foxcatcher Bennett Miller The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson The Imitation Game Morten Tyldum Documentary feature Laura Poitras' Citizenfour is pretty much poised to win Best Documentary Feature, since the Snowden film has already won award after award all season. However, Netflix's Virunga is a strong contender. Citizenfour Finding Vivian Maier Last Days in Vietnam The Salt of the Earth Virunga Documentary short subject HBO's Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 is getting bandied about by pundits as the likeliest choice, seeing as it follows the Veterans Affairs Office's many challenges. Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 Joanna Our Curse The Reaper (La Parka) White Earth Film editing Here we have a race between Whiplash 's beat-for-beat editing and the fact that Boyhood took 12 years to make. It will probably go to Boyhood for the sheer fact that it took dedication to make. American Sniper Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Whiplash Foreign language film Ida is the traditional favorite given the subject matter a black-and-white look at life and identity in Poland after World War II. If it wins, it'll be Poland's first Oscar in the category. However, Russia's Leviathan looks strong, especially since it took the Golden Globe. Ida Poland Leviathan Russia Tangerines Estonia Timbuktu Mauritania Wild Tales Argentina Makeup and hairstyle This will probably go to The Grand Budapest Hotel , because, once again, you cannot deny Wes Anderson's style. Foxcatcher The Grand Budapest Hotel Guardians of the Galaxy Music original score It's a two-way race between The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Theory of Everything , and even though Alexandre Desplat is nominated twice, it makes sense he gets the prize on clout alone. The Grand Budapest Hotel Alexandre Desplat The Imitation Game Alexandre Desplat Interstellar Hans Zimmer Mr. Turner Gary Yershon The Theory of Everything Jóhann Jóhannsson Music original song "Glory" has the cultural relevance, but "Everything Is Awesome" has the fun factor. It probably belongs to "Glory." "Everything is Awesome" The Lego Movie "Glory" Selma "Grateful" Beyond the Lights "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" Glen Campbell... I'll Be Me "Lost Stars" Begin Again Production design Do we really need to keep saying Wes Anderson has style? The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Interstellar Into the Woods Mr. Turner Short film animated The Dam Keeper is the odds-on favorite for Best Animated Short, but Feast is too adorable not to root for. The Bigger Picture The Dam Keeper Feast Me and My Moulton A Single Life Short film live action Critics point to The Phone Call for the Oscar. Aya Boogaloo and Graham Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak) Parvaneh The Phone Call Sound editing This is the first category where Interstellar is a serious contender regardless of how it was received but American Sniper uses sound to create such tension that it just can't be ignored. American Sniper Birdman The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Interstellar Unbroken Sound mixing For the same reasons as sound editing, this should likely go to American Sniper . American Sniper Birdman Interstellar Unbroken Whiplash Visual effects This should go to Interstellar , because it's obvious. Captain America: The Winter Soldier Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Guardians of the Galaxy Interstellar X-Men: Days of Future Past Writing adapted screenplay This award could go in so many directions. With Inherent Vice , you have Paul Thomas Anderson adapting Pynchon. The Imitation Game has been considered a frontrunner for some time, but The Theory of Everything earned some muscular awards this season. And then both Whiplash and American Sniper have both been such a powerhouses. If we had to guess, it might very well go to The Imitation Game , but don't be surprised if Whiplash walks away with an upset. American Sniper Jason Hall The Imitation Game Graham Moore Inherent Vice Paul Thomas Anderson The Theory of Everything Anthony McCarten Whiplash Damien Chazelle Writing original screenplay Even though Birdman and Boyhood are duking it out for Best Picture, The Grand Budapest Hotel has a chance to shine for Best Original Screenplay. And it really should. Birdman Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., and Armando Bo Boyhood Richard Linklater Foxcatcher E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman The Grand Budapest Hotel screenplay by Wes Anderson, story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness Nightcrawler Dan Gilroy Verge Video Archives : The Most Important People of 2014 - The Verge 50 | 6 | 7,423 | entertainment |
Show business satire "Birdman" and colorful caper "The Grand Budapest Hotel" led the nominees for Academy Awards with nine nods apiece. Rough cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 7,424 | video |
It's not a stretch to say that superstore Target met its kryptonite when it expanded into Canada: the segment prompted a 46% drop in company-wide profit during the third quarter of 2013, and a year later the division was still struggling, growing sales at a slower-than-expected clip and posting a $211 million decline in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Now, after an internal analysis showed that it would take at least 6 years for the Canadian division to turn a profit, Target has decided to discontinue its Canadian operations. Target announced Thursday morning that it will exit the Canadian market and is taking steps to do so immediately, having already filed for a court approval to begin the liquidation process. The news comes less than four years after Target first announced its plans to expand into the Great White North and less than two years after the company opened its first Canadian store. Target Canada currently has 133 stores and 17,600 employees across the country. In an effort to compensate workers for the store closure, Target said that it has applied for court approval to make a $59 million (70 million Canadian dollar) contribution into an employee trust that would ensure nearly all Target Canada workers receive 16 weeks of compensation. The company also said that stores will remain open during the liquidation process. "When I joined Target, I promised our team and shareholders that I would take a hard look at our business and operations in an effort to improve our performance and transform our company," Brian Cornell, who became Target's CEO in August, said in a statement Thursday morning. "After a thorough review of our Canadian performance and careful consideration of the implications of all options, we were unable to find a realistic scenario that would get Target Canada to profitability until at least 2021." Cornell went on to add that management was hoping efforts from the Target Canada team would lead to a stellar holiday season, but that they "did not see the required step-change in [their] holiday performance." As a result of the discontinued Canadian operations, Target says it expects to report $5.4 billion of pre-tax losses in its fourth quarter fiscal 2014 earnings report; it is projecting $275 million in pre-tax losses (from the discontinuation) in fiscal 2015. The company said its cash costs to discontinue the Canadian stores should be between $500 million and $600 million, most of which will occur during fiscal 2015. Target says it expects the Canadian closures will ultimately boost its earnings in fiscal 2015 and beyond and that the move will be accretive to the company's cash flow in fiscal 2016 and beyond. Alongside the Canada news, Target also provided an updated fourth quarter outlook, saying that it expects to report 3% same store sales growth (up from prior guidance of 2%) and between $1.43 and $1.47 in fourth quarter earnings per share. Following the announcement of the Canadian store closures, shares of Target initially popped 7% in Thursday's pre-market trading session; the stock has moved back to the earth as the morning went on, and shares are currently up 3.38%. Year-over-year, the retailer is up 20.74%. | 3 | 7,425 | finance |
The Swiss National Bank scrapped its minimum exchange rate of 1.20 Swiss francs to the euro. CNBC's Jim Cramer provides insight on the puzzling move. | 3 | 7,426 | finance |
The glut in oil is creating huge opportunities for tanker companies to profit by raising storage rates, said Anthony Gurnee, CEO of Ardmore Shipping. Gurnee added that his customers are traders seeking arbitrage opportunities and his business thrives on volatility. He said he expects oil prices to remain volatile over the course of 2015, eventually ending higher as it finds a bottom. Meanwhile, Gurnee said his fleet is currently comprised of 15 ships and he expects to finish the year with 24 tankers. Finally, he said large refineries will be added in the Middle East and India resulting in more refined products, rather than cruse, being transported by sea. | 3 | 7,427 | finance |
Flagstaff police release video captured on camera worn by slain officer Tyler Stewart | 5 | 7,428 | news |
Maroon 5 has been crashing actual weddings for a music video featuring their new song called "Sugar." | 5 | 7,429 | news |
Warm up with these three winter getaways to dream destinations. | 2 | 7,430 | travel |
92-year-old loses control of vehicle in Sacramento | 8 | 7,431 | video |
Remember the offseason arms race between the Patriots and Broncos? The winner was supposed to be declared this Sunday in the AFC championship game. Instead, it's been decided already. The Patriots are still alive for the Super Bowl, and the Broncos are swapping out their coaching staff and, maybe, the quarterback for whose benefit it all was done. MORE: David Steele's picks | Vinnie Iyer's picks | Colts believe in Luck, but is Indy convinced? Meanwhile, the defending champion Seahawks lost more free agents than they signed and are still in position to repeat, while their NFC opponent, the Packers, kept their spending to one aging pass rusher too expensive to stay at his old job. Last March, as free agency opened, the Patriots were looking to stack their defense to stop Peyton Manning after his record-breaking offense had knocked them out in the AFC title game in Denver. The Broncos were working not only to stay a move ahead of the Patriots, but also to build a defense capable of pushing Manning through the fast-closing Super Bowl window. At the time, Broncos president John Elway called it "kind of a fun arms race." Now, after a one-sided home-field loss to the Colts last Sunday, his reworked roster needs a new head coach, defensive coordinator and, likely, offensive coordinator, if not a new quarterback if Manning retires after the playoff loss to the Colts. Here is how that race ended: Patriots: Signed cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, wide receiver Brandon LaFell and safety Patrick Chung. Re-signed wide receiver Julian Edelman. Lost cornerback Aqib Talib, linebacker Brandon Spikes. Lost, then re-signed, running back LeGarrette Blount. Result: Revis had a bad game last week in the divisional round against the Ravens, and Browner wasn't a lot better. But LaFell caught the game-winning touchdown pass that advanced the Patriots to Sunday's title game. Broncos: Signed Talib, defensive end DeMarcus Ware, safety T.J. Ward and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. Lost wide receiver Eric Decker and linebacker Wesley Woodyard. Result: The loaded defense gave up 265 yards passing to Andrew Luck at home, and two devastating long drives in the second half that killed the Broncos' chances . Sanders and the offense were kept out of the end zone after their first possession. IYER: Broncos Super Bowl window with Manning slammed shut | Super Bowl rings Four of the marquee signings by the two teams made the AFC Pro Bowl roster: Revis, Ware, Talib and Ward. Sanders is an alternate, giving the Broncos an edge in individual regular-season accomplishments. On the scoreboard that counts, though, competing for the Super Bowl, it was essentially a shutout for the Patriots. Whether there is a Broncos' roster shakeup on the level of the coaching one that took out John Fox , depends on Manning's decision. For the two future NFC title game opponents, free agency was something of an anti-arms race. The Packers' biggest losses were wide receiver James Jones and tackle Evan Dietrich-Smith. Their biggest signing: outside linebacker Julius Peppers, who turns 35 Sunday and who was cut for cap reasons by the Bears. Used strategically, he had seven regular-season sacks, five takeaways and two touchdowns. Against the Cowboys, he sacked Tony Romo on their first possession, and later stripped DeMarco Murray on a momentum-changing play early in the second half. The Seahawks appeared to have the biggest offseason imbalance of all, yet are right back where they were a year ago. In the wake of their Super Bowl win, Browner, Walter Thurmond, Golden Tate, Clinton McDonald and Paul McQuistan all left as free agents. Their most notable signings, arguably, were two veterans: guard Eric Winston, cut at the end of training camp, and defensive tackle Kevin Williams, who has filled in well for the losses inside. Who the Seahawks re-signed had a far bigger impact they gave extensions to cornerback Richard Sherman, safety Earl Thomas and wide receiver Doug Baldwin. | 1 | 7,432 | sports |
When it comes to hat fashion, celebrities know how to play it up. From fedoras to furry head wear, they know how to keep it interesting. Krystin Goodwin (@krystingoodwin) has the best and most entertaining celebrity hat fashions! | 8 | 7,433 | video |
Molly Line reports from Boston | 8 | 7,434 | video |
Discussing the pressure being put on Best Buy by retailers like Amazon and Wal-Mart, with Henry Blodget, Business Insider editor-in-chief & CEO, and the "Squawk Alley" crew. | 3 | 7,435 | finance |
Buying a house before you're 30 (with money you have earned) is an impressive accomplishment, especially considering some of your peers are still living in their parents' basements. But these homes will make you wonder if it's not too late to make it in show business. Taylor Swift It would be so much easier to shake it off (all things, all the time) in Taylor Swift's $17.75 million Rhode Island mansion. But if being a pop-country hybrid music phenomenon isn't in the cards for you, then you can aspire to the next best thing: becoming one of her besties and getting invited to her celeb-packed and much-Instagrammed Fourth of July parties. Jennifer Lawrence J.Law is the latest of the revolving door of celebrities to occupy this Hidden Hills, California, home, which she purchased for $6.4 million. "It's Ellen's old house. It was Jessica Simpson's old house. It's like the neighbourhood whore," Lawrence has said. Robert Pattinson Former vampire for hire and current designer cologne god Robert Pattinson spent $2.2 million on this two-bedroom, two-bathroom Hollywood Hills "bachelor pad." (Note: We're pretty sure that anytime a single man or woman buys a home we are legally obligated to refer to it as a either a bachelor or bachelorette pad.) Iggy Azalea The Australian rapper has purchased fellow young celeb Selena Gomez's former home in Tarzana, California, for $3.45 million. I-G-G-Y bought the house with her boyfriend, L.A. Lakers player Nick Young, also known as Swaggy P. Bruno Mars The "Locked Out of Heaven" singer-songwriter managed to procure the keys to a piece of paradise in Studio City, California: a 7-bedroom, 8-bathroom home he purchased for $6.8 million. Lady Gaga Mother Monster plunked down $23 million on this five-bedroom, seven-bathroom European-inspired home in Malibu. We can only hope that she's invited Tony Bennett over for casual dinner parties and impromptu concerts. And bowling. Did we mention there's a bowling alley? Lena Dunham The "Girls" creator and best-selling author has upgraded from the $500,000 one-bedroom apartment she bought in 2012 to a stunning four-bedroom, $4.8 million condo in Brooklyn. Liam Hemsworth The "Hunger Games" star, Miley Cyrus ex and member of the absurdly handsome Hemsworth gene pool picked up this three-bedroom, $6.8 million in Malibu. Rihanna She might call herself Bad Gal RiRi, but Rihanna was (understandably) not OK with all the actual bad stuff happening at her home, like all the trespassers, stalkers, and would-be burglars arrested on or near her property. So, she put this Pacific Palisades stunner on the market for $14.995 million. Zac Efron The "Neighbours" star has sold his two-bedroom, three-bathroom party house in the Hollywood Hills for $2.77 million. Julianne Hough The triple-threat "Dancing With the Stars" alum nabbed a four-bedroom home in the Hollywood Hills for $1.9 million. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting The "Big Bang Theory" star and her husband have purchased Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom's seven-bedroom home in Tarzana, California for $5.49 million (nearly $1.5 million more than the asking price), a hefty profit for the now-divorced Khloe and Lamar, who bought the mansion for $3.49 million in 2009. Here's hoping things work out better for the new occupants! Lucy Hale The "Pretty Little Liars" star snapped up a pretty but not-so-little four-bedroom home in Studio City, California for $1.7 million. Drake The rapper-singer's $7.7 million home, which he's dubbed the "YOLO Estate" (that's "You Only Live Once," for you non-Millennials), has a pretty intense backyard pool situation, which includes an 80-foot water slide, a grotto with flatscreen TVs and flaming iron torches. Ellen Page The "Juno" actress bought this three-bedroom, two bathroom mid-century modern home in L.A. from tennis superstar Venus Williams for $1.7 million. Williams bought the house for $1.9 million in 2005, which means she sold it at a loss, which cannot have made the pro athlete happy. Keira Knightley The Oscar-nominated actress and mother-to-be, along with her husband, musician James Righton, have purchased a five-bedroom London home that was listed for $6.5 million. Jason Derulo The "Talk Dirty to Me" singer paid $1.75 million for this nine-bedroom, nine-bathroom South Florida mansion, which happens to be situated on a nature preserve. Hayden Panettiere The "Nashville" star and new mum has sold her L.A. home for $3.075 million, which she purchased for $2.635 million in 2008. She recently bought a home in Nashville, and she's engaged to boxer Wladimir Klitschko, who owns a penthouse in Hollywood, Florida. Gemma Ward The Australian model, who was once the youngest to appear on the cover of Vogue, put her three-bedroom Manhattan apartment on the market for $2.25 million. Maybe she needs more room now that she and her model boyfriend David Letts have a baby girl? Ashley Tisdale The "High School Musical" alum bought this three-bedroom home in Toluca Lake, California, in 2008, but the now-married star has put the house on the market, and she's dropped the price to $2.6 million, which is twice what she paid for it. Colbie Caillat The "Try" singer knows a little something about hard work given that she upgraded from the $1.6 million home she bought in 2010 to her new six-bedroom, $6.1 million home in Hidden Hills, California. Justin Bieber The singer, Calvin Klein underwear model, and part-time hooligan has taken up residence in this six-bedroom, seven-bathroom Beverly Hills abode known as the "Salad Spinner" house. Yes, he's renting it, but he's paying an unbelievable $59,000 per month. Kendall Jenner The model and "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star has purchased a two-bedroom condo in L.A. for $1.39 million. And she's a teenager. Kesha Singer and hair colour-enthusiast Kesha (that's not an error - she's dropped the dollar sign in her name) has acquired a 1920s Spanish-style bungalow in L.A.'s Venice for $1.65 million. Zosia Mamet The "Girls" star had planned to convert this four-story, 21-room Brooklyn buidling into a single-family home, but instead they put it back on the market for $1.6 million ($500,000 more than they paid for it) just a year after buying it. | 4 | 7,436 | lifestyle |
MINNEAPOLIS -- In an effort to shake things up with his struggling team, Gophers second-year coach Richard Pitino moved Minnesota's starting lineup around for Tuesday's game against Iowa. One of those moves was inserting freshman guard Nate Mason into the starting five while bumping senior DeAndre Mathieu to the bench to start the game. In his first career start, Mason thrived. Mason played a career-high 33 minutes and scored 17 points, his second-highest total of the season. And during a second-half run in which the Gophers turned a 17-point deficit into a four-point lead, Mason was one of two players leading the scoring charge. "I felt like someone had to step up big and try to will us to victory," Mason said after the game. In the end, Mason's 17-point effort wasn't enough to help Minnesota overcome the Hawkeyes, who stole a 77-75 win at Williams Arena. But Tuesday's performance reiterated the fact that Mason has been one of the bright spots in an otherwise disappointing first half of the season. Mason came to the Gophers from Decatur, Ga., as a three-star recruit. The hope was that he'd absorb plenty of knowledge from Minnesota's two senior guards, Mathieu and Andre Hollins. What has transpired through 18 games, though, is that Mason has emerged as perhaps the Gophers' most consistent guard -- and one of the school's most impactful freshmen in quite a while. After scoring 17 points Tuesday against Iowa, Mason is now averaging in double-figures (10.3 points per game). His 2.8 assists per game are second on the team, and he's also taking good care of the ball by averaging less than one turnover a game (0.9). Top put Mason's numbers into perspective, he's on pace to score more than Hollins did as a freshman (8.7 ppg). Mason could also become the first Gophers freshman to average double-figures since Kris Humphries scored 21.7 points per game for Minnesota in the 2003-04 season. "I think he's a really, really good player," Pitino said of Mason. "He does things that really good players do." In the loss to Iowa, Mason and Carlos Morris both caught fire during the same second-half stretch. After the Hawkeyes took a 51-34 lead early in the second half, that duo sparked a Gophers run to cut Iowa's lead to seven. During that stretch Mason scored 11 of his 17 points, while Morris chipped in eight. Mason didn't just do so by getting to the rim, but made a handful of jumpers. That included a 3-pointer to cut it to an eight-point game, and another jumper in which the freshman hung in the air before finishing the shot. He also hit a jumper from the free-throw line and found the rim for a layup while navigating through traffic. Mason's 3-pointer from the top of the key cut Iowa's lead to single digits and injected some life into the previously quiet Williams Arena crowd. "Nate was huge today," Mathieu said after Tuesday's loss. "He controlled the game." Tuesday was already the 11th time in 18 games that Mason has scored in double figures. Earlier this season he was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, becoming just the second Gophers player to earn that award (Joe Coleman did so during the 2011-12 season). The individual accolade was even more impressive considering Mason won it while playing in a conference that includes stud freshmen D'Angelo Russell of Ohio State, Maryland's Melo Trimble and Indiana's James Blackmon Jr. When Pitino asked who his most consistent player or players have been this season, Mason's name was the first name out of his mouth. "When you say consistent, I think I know what I'm going to get out of Nate," Pitino said. What the Gophers have gotten from the freshman guard is someone who has yet to look overwhelmed, regardless of the situation. Mason rarely panics in big moments and has continued to play with a calming confidence. Mason's steady play through his first 18 career games has earned him more playing time. Minnesota hopes it's a sign of more things to come from the team's top freshman. "When I'm thinking about adjusting the lineup a little bit, my biggest thing was I want to play him more," Pitino said. "Certainly, he was very, very good, made some big-time plays." Follow Tyler Mason on Twitter | 1 | 7,437 | sports |
The 50 Healthiest Snacks Snacks can be a dieter's best friend, if you choose the right ones. The list below offers 50 between-meal bites that will help you stay slim and satisfied. Those marked with an * contain protein, fiber, calcium or antioxidants to keep your body at its best. The rest will help fend off a craving without a lot of added fat, sugar or calories. No matter what you choose, you'll lose (weight, that is). Sate a salt craving 23 almonds (162 calories)* This is our top savory super snack because it offers fiber, heart-healthy fats and vitamin E, which may help your body bounce back post-workout . The nuts also pack alpha-linolenic acid, which revs your body's fat-burning ability. Sate a salt craving 5 olives (any kind) (45 calories) Sate a salt craving 1 small Martin's pretzel (50 calories) Sate a salt craving 2 oz Applegate Honey and Maple Turkey Breast wrapped around 2 bread-and-butter pickles (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1/4 cup hummus, 3 carrot sticks (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1 Wasa Multigrain Crispbread topped with 1 tbsp avocado and 1 tbsp hummus (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 6 steamed medium asparagus spears topped with 1 tablespoon toasted almond slivers (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1/3 cup 1/2-inch-thick potato slices tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil and a pinch of finely chopped rosemary, baked at 450 for 30 minutes (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1/4 cup black beans combined with 1 tbsp salsa, 1 tbsp cottage cheese and 1/2 tbsp guacamole; savor with 4 celery stalks (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1/4 cup 1/4-inch-thick cucumber slices, tossed with 3 oz nonfat plain yogurt, 2 tsp chopped cashews, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp finely chopped fresh dill (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1/2 slice whole-wheat toast brushed with 1/2 tsp olive oil, topped with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt and a mixture of 3 tbsp diced tomatoes with a pinch of chopped garlic and basil (80 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1 wedge of the Laughing Cow Light Swiss Original, 3 pieces Kavli Crispy Thin (85 calories)* Sate a salt craving One 1-oz package tuna jerky (90 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1 oz buffalo mozzarella, 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes (94 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1 bag Baked! Cheetos 100 Calorie Mini Bites (100 calories) Sate a salt craving 15 Eden's Nori Maki Crackers rice crackers (110 calories) Sate a salt craving 1 cup unshelled edamame (120 calories)* Sate a salt craving 25 Eden's Vegetable Chips (140 calories) Sate a salt craving 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Chili con Queso, 18 baked tortilla chips (140 calories) Sate a salt craving 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds in shell (143 calories)* Sate a salt craving 2 pieces (30 grams) prosciutto, 4 dried figs (154 calories)* Sate a salt craving 9 cashews (180 calories)* Sate a salt craving 1 Subway Turkey Breast Wrap (190 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 8 oz plain yogurt (110 calories, 0 g fat)* This get-skinny staple is the ultimate sweet snack. The mix of carbs and protein in lowfat yogurt keep blood sugar level, stave off hunger and helps your body store less fat. Add fresh berries for flavor and a punch of antioxidants. Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 Fla-Vor-Ice Lite Sugar-Free (5 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth 10 frozen grapes (20 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 package Nature Valley Original Apple Fruit Crisps (50 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth 10 strawberries rolled in confectioners' sugar (71 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 packet O'Coco's Mocha cookies (90 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 s trawberry frozen fruit bar (90 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 Jelly Belly 100-calorie pack (100 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth One 100-calorie pack Trader Joe's Chocolate Graham Toucan Cookies (100 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth One Balance Bar Mini 100-calorie energy bar (100 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 2 Raspberry Newtons (100 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino bar (120 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 package Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks (120 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth 1/2 banana rolled in 1 tbsp frozen semisweet chocolate chips (123 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 2 tbsp Better 'n Peanut Butter, 4 stalks celery (124 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 bag Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Butter Mini Bags topped with a spritz of butter spray and 1 tsp sugar (126 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 candied apple with coconut shavings (130 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1/2 cup sliced pears with marshmallow cream topping (139 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 24 Annie's Homegrown Bunny Grahams Chocolate Chip cookies (140 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth Half of a 1.08-oz container of M&M's Minis mixed with 1/3 cup lowfat granola (145 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth 3/4 cup Cocoa Pebbles with 1/2 cup skim milk (157 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 cup apple slices dipped in 2 tbsp caramel topping (160 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 4 Entenmann's chocolate chip cookies (160 calories) Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait (160 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 vanilla-almond shake: Blend 1/2 cup skim milk with 1/2 cup frozen yogurt and 1 drop almond extract (165 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 3/4 cup warm apple sauce (165 calories)* Satisfy a sweet tooth 1 cup lowfat chocolate milk* (158 calories) | 7 | 7,438 | health |
Droughts, animal activists and trade agreements are some reasons why you'll pay more for groceries in 2015. | 3 | 7,439 | finance |
CNN's Nic Robertson speaks with two soldiers who have faced off with Boko Haram about their fears and frustrations. | 5 | 7,440 | news |
En route to the Philippines, Pope Francis says "you cannot make fun of faith". Jillian Kitchener reports. | 8 | 7,441 | video |
Find out the only solo artist to perform the national anthem twice at a Super Bowl and how victory by an NFC team could make you rich. Mike Janela (@mikejanela) has more. | 8 | 7,442 | video |
The Seattle Seahawks will host the NFC Championship on Sunday, but what is Seattle's top priority when the Packers come to town? Our guys discuss what Seattle must do to win. | 8 | 7,443 | video |
University draws fire over accommodation | 8 | 7,444 | video |
WELCOME to the restaurant where all the waitresses openly carry fully-loaded guns. All of the waitresses at Shooters Grill in Rifle, Colorado, carry heat along with plates of delicious food to their hungry diners. Entrepreneurs Lauren and Jayson Boebert, 34, opened the gun-themed restaurant in May 2013. But only a month after launching, a man was killed outside the eatery, leading Lauren to start looking into getting a permit for a concealed weapon only to discover that she could already openly carry guns in her own restaurant. The menu includes items such as Bull's Eye Grilled Chicken - and with customers permitted to carry firearms, this is one restaurant that is unlikely to be targeted by armed robbers any time soon. Videographer / Director: Nathan W. Armes Producer: Liam Miller Editor: Joshua Douglas | 8 | 7,445 | video |
InTouch magazine has gone way too far by photoshopping Bruce Jenner into a woman on the cover of their magazine. | 8 | 7,446 | video |
Four top Secret Service officials are out of their jobs following months of scandal at the law enforcement agency, sources say. CNN's Michelle Kosinski reports. | 8 | 7,447 | video |
Girl Scout cookie season comes but once a year, so there's no time like the present to stock up on boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Do-si-dos. While we certainly won't discourage plowing your way through a sleeve or two, we've rounded up a handful of ways to play with your food and transform these cookies into treats like Thin Mint brownies. Scroll down for that recipe and more, including a handful of desserts that are inspired by the cookies (but don't use any) and can be made when this epic season comes to a close. (Or, keep things simple and try our recipe for homemade Thin Mints.) Source: Bakeaholic Mama Samoa Cupcakes Capture the essence of Samoas (aka Caramel deLites) with this cupcake recipe that marries chocolate, caramel, and coconut to tempting effect. Source: Everyday Reading Browse: Caramel recipes Thin Mint Brownies No, these aren't any run-of-the-mill brownies. Not only are they topped with a swirl of minty cream cheese frosting, but chopped-up Thin Mints are also added to the mix. Source: Bakeaholic Mama Awesome dessert recipes Samoa Popcorn What's even more snackable than a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies? Popcorn dressed up with chocolate, caramel, and coconut, a la Samoa cookies. Source: Top With Cinnamon Fun popcorn recipes Tag-a-Dos Mini Cheesecakes These peanut-butter rich cheesecakes count not one but two Girl Scout cookie favorites - Tagalongs and Do-si-dos - in their ingredient list. Source: First Look, Then Cook Wonderful nut butters and other flavored butters Mini Samoa Donuts It's completely socially acceptable to eat Girl Scout cookies for breakfast . . . that is, when they're donuts inspired by the coconut-caramel sweet. Source: Damn Delicious Browse: Donut recipes Thin Mint Truffle Pops Here's a little secret: these Thin Mint truffle pops might look (and taste) mighty impressive, but they're shockingly simple to make and no-bake to boot. Source: Love From the Oven Fun and cute cupcake recipes Samoa Macarons What's cuter than these Samoa-inspired macarons? Not much! Try, just try, to eat only one. Source: Barbara Bakes Browse macaroon and macaron recipes Samoa Rice Krispies Treats Combine two crowd-pleasers - Rice Krispies Treats and Samoa cookies - and you're bound to have a winner on your hands. Here, the classic marshmallow treat is glazed in chocolate, drizzled with caramel, and sprinkled with coconut. Source: Beantown Baker Browse fudge recipes | 0 | 7,448 | foodanddrink |
Dennis Gartman, The Gartman Letter, shed insight on the central bank's move to remove its minimum exchange rate against the euro. And Mario Gabelli, Gamco Investors chairman & CEO, weighs in. | 3 | 7,449 | finance |
Speaking at a fiscal summit on Wednesday, senior members of the Russian government painted a grim picture of the country's financial future one that includes across the board spending cuts, a likely downgrade of its public debt to junk status, and, perhaps most ominously, the specter of high-level government officials looking over the shoulder of executives at publicly held companies. Many of Russia's largest companies, including energy behemoths Gazprom and Rosneft, were assembled from government owned firms that were privatized in the late 1980s and 1990s. Because the government retained an ownership stake, many companies had senior Russian officials serving on their boards of directors until fairly recently. They were replaced with much more junior government figures in 2011, when then-Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev directed cabinet ministers and vice premiers to remove themselves from corporate boards as part of an effort to modernize the economy. No longer. "Now, we will apparently have to return them," Economic Development Minister Alexey Ulyukayev announced Wednesday, according to the state-owned media company ITAR-TASS. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already been pressuring large Russian companies that do business overseas to support the country's failing currency by converting income earned in foreign currencies to rubles. Now, when the directors of major Russian companies consider their financial strategies, they will have members of Putin's inner political circle at the table with them. Consider Treasury Secretary Jack Lew serving on the board of JP Morgan Chase, or Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on the board of General Electric. Related: Oil Drop Further Rocks Putin's Economy Ulyukayev also said that Russians should expect that their sovereign debt offerings would be downgraded to "junk" status by international ratings agency Standard & Poor's in coming days. The new addition to corporate boards comes at the same time that Russian Finance minister Anton Siluanov warned that, with the country facing a loss of as much as $45 billion in revenue this year due to declining oil prices, the government is planning 10 percent across-the-board cuts in spending, targeting virtually everything except the military and some infrastructure projects. That's a doubling of the cuts that Putin warned Russians, just last month, they should expect in the coming year. Worse still, from a fiscal perspective, the Kremlin apparently plans to start withdrawing money from its $88 billion sovereign wealth fund as part of its continued effort to prop up the ruble, which has lost nearly half its value against the U.S. dollar in the past year. Russia's central bank has spent a reported $76 billion in an ultimately failed attempt to support the ruble over the past year. None of this should suggest that Russia is in immediate danger of financial collapse. The country still has substantial foreign currency reserves, in the hundreds of billions of dollars, despite the fact that it has been spending them down as part of the effort to protect the ruble. However, Ulyukayev's recognition that international debt market are, for all intents and purposes, likely to be closed to the Russian government in the near future makes those reserves look a lot smaller. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times Mitt Romney v. Jeb Bush: The 2016 Fundraising Fight Has Started Why Democrats Are Pushing a $1.2 Trillion Redistribution of Wealth Why Wages Are Rising Faster Than You Think | 3 | 7,450 | finance |
Gary Patterson is still taking the high road even after his team was left in the ditch by the College Football Playoff committee. TCU's coach told reporters Thursday night that "there's never going to be a perfect system" to determine the national champion. Patterson spoke in Houston, where he accepted the Paul "Bear" Bryant College Coach of the Year award. MORE: Coaches: Hired, fired resigned or retired | Steele, Orgeron join LSU's staff Ohio State, which leapfrogged TCU after the Big Ten Championship Game, routed Oregon in the Jan. 12 CFP title game. TCU, which fell to sixth, pounded Ole Miss 42-3 in the Peach Bowl on New Year's Eve. Patterson said it was important not to turn negative after his team didn't make the CFP's final four. "I knew that if I didn't handle it right then my team wouldn't play well and our fans wouldn't handle it right. We just needed someone to be on the positive side. We just need to move forward," he told reporters, according to The Associated Press. The Horned Frogs (12-1) were named co-Big 12 Conference champions with Baylor even though TCU lost to Baylor in the regular season. Fans and media speculated the absence of a true champion caused the committee to keep out a Big 12 school. | 1 | 7,451 | sports |
Jan. 15 -- Kissinger Associates Vice Chairman Robert Hormats discusses Russia and the impact of low oil prices on the economy. He speaks on "Bloomberg Surveillance." (Source: Bloomberg) | 3 | 7,452 | finance |
John King, Nia-Malika Henderson and Ron Fournier discuss comments by News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch about the former GOP presidential nominee. | 5 | 7,453 | news |
Cardale Jones only has three starts under his belt as a college quarterback, but they are pretty impressive starts. Should Jones declare himself eligible for the NFL Draft or stay in college? | 1 | 7,454 | sports |
The 9 Worst Money Tips You'll Ever Get All advice is not good advice especially when it comes to money. Friends and family often try to give you well-meaning financial tips, but sometimes their money advice is just, well, wrong. So, when you hear the following 10 tips at your next family reunion or office party, nod your head, say "thanks" and then completely forget what you were told. After all, you don't want to fall victim to someone else's misguided notions about managing money . 1. Buy More to Save More Many people get carried away at stores like Costco and leave with a case of cereal instead of one box but that's not always the best idea. Buying in bulk might appear like an obvious way to save money at first glance, but purchasing something at 50 percent off is still 100 percent wasteful if you don't use it all. Plus, it's easy to use more of these items than necessary, rather than pacing yourself, just because they're right in front of you ultimately resulting in zero savings. Related video: A Creative Tip to Curb Overspending 2. You Can't Take It With You So Why Save Money? We've all heard this one before a spend-happy friend or family member might use this excuse to chastise you for being financially responsible. It's true that you can't take money to your grave, but that's simply an irrational reason for spending freely and worrying about the consequences later. After all, odds are your overspending habits will catch up with you long before you "cash out." And while you can't take your debts with you either, you can leave a mess behind for your loved ones to figure out. 3. It's Cheaper to Buy a New Car Every Few Years Than to Hold Onto an Old One Consumer Reports notes that over the first five years of ownership, the median car costs more than $9,100 a year to own. However, if you keep the vehicle for eight years, this cost can be significantly decreased to an average of $7,800 per year. So keep the clunker as long as you can until the repair bills outweigh the cost of a new car. 4. You Can Buy a House You Can't Afford Just Get Roommates Taking in a roommate or two can be a financially savvy way to save money, but never purchase a home if you can't afford to make the payments yourself. Roommates come and go, so you can't rely on them to pay off your home loan. Defaulting on a mortgage will ruin your credit and could result in foreclosure, making it hard for you to take out loans and buy another home in the future. 5. If You Can Finance It, You Can Afford It This terrible reasoning causes many people to fall deep into debt. Just because you can afford to make payments on a new TV, flashy car or other expensive item doesn't mean it's a good idea. When you finance something, you're agreeing to pay interest on it, which substantially increases the number on the price tag. Rather than wasting your money on interest, save up and purchase it outright. 6. Taking a 401(k) Loan is a Good Idea When you're really strapped for cash, it can be very tempting to borrow from your 401(k); after all, the money is there and it's yours. However, this is a very bad idea. There's a good chance your plan will ban you from making contributions to your account until the loan is repaid, putting your retirement savings on hold. You'll also be taxed twice to pay off your loan, as you'll pay taxes to withdraw the funds for the loan and then you'll pay taxes on the money again when you retire. If that's not bad enough, you'll also have to repay your loan in full within a few days or weeks of departure from your job, so if you get fired or laid off, you'll have to pay up and fast. Related: 7 Times It's OK to Dip Into Your Retirement Fund Early 7. You Don't Have Enough Money to Follow a Budget No matter how much or how little money you have, it's always important to be financially responsible. It's impossible to keep track of your funds if you don't know where they're going. Following a budget helps you monitor your finances regardless of the amount of money in your account. 8. It's Cheaper to Eat Fast Food Than Buy Groceries This ridiculous rationale is the mantra of those who hate to cook, but barring a few rare exceptions, it's simply not true. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, couples in the 19- to 50-year age range following a modest food budget spend approximately $143.10 per week on groceries, as of November 2014. However, the average fast food meal costs approximately $12.75 per person, according to The Christian Science Monitor. For eating out to be cost-effective, each person would only be able to have 5.6 meals per week not including tax and tip. 9. Take Out a Loan to Build Credit Don't take out a loan that you'll have to pay interest on to build credit. Instead, open a credit card and pay it off in full each month. This will allow you to establish credit without incurring any added fees. | 3 | 7,455 | finance |
Explore Japan's northern island of Hokkaido and its capital city Sapporo which features incredible snow-covered sculptural beauty in Moerenuma Park. | 2 | 7,456 | travel |
Don't let bad soil stop you from planting an edible garden. The solution? Raised garden beds. An effective and easy solution for less-than-ideal soil conditions, increase yield and reduce the work. It's no wonder raised garden beds are the kitchen gardener's secret weapon. Are raised beds the right solution for your edible garden? Read on for everything you need to know: Above: Not to be confused with garden planters or containers, raised garden beds have no bottoms. They are four-sided frames to hold above-ground mounds of soil in place. Open to the ground underneath, raised beds offer excellent drainage and don't prevent plant roots from stretching out underneath. What are the benefits of raised garden beds? Instant soil improvement . Faced with clay-ridden soil, or other less than-ideal conditions? Rather than spending many seasons trying to amend the soil, you can create a near-perfect growing environment instantly with raised beds. Place the bed right on top of the ground and fill the frame with a nutrient-rich soil blend. With loose and accessible soil, it is easy to maintain good growing conditions. Higher yields. Many gardeners say raised garden beds produce up to two times as much as ground beds. Why? Plants grow better in loose, rich soil in which roots penetrate easily. Good aeration and drainage are additional benefits. Raised beds prevent soil compaction and keep nutrient-rich soil amendments in place, concentrated on the plants they are meant to feed. This also enables dense planting, giving rise to more plants in a smaller area than in ground beds. Longer growing season . When soil is above ground it stays warmer and better drained. Add a cold frame and extend the growing season even more. Space efficiency . A great choice for the urban farmer, most raised beds are from 3 to 4 feet wide, good for small spaces and a size that enables you to reach plants without stepping in. Also, because the gardener works from adjacent paths, all the space in the bed can be devoted to planting. Plant protection. You plants are safe from the threat of wayward feet of people and pets. Pest barrier. Raised beds offer a strong defence against plant-eating pests such as slugs and snails. Tall sides thwart non-burrowing critters, and barriers such as hardware cloth can be placed underneath to keep burrowing, root-eating pests at bay. Fewer weeds. In densely planted beds, weeds have little room to grow. It is also common to place weed barrier fabric under a bed. And, if weeds do sneak into the raised bed neighbourhood, the loose soil makes it easy to remove them. Accessibility. Gardening above ground minimizes bending and, potentially, gardener's backaches. The bed's sides can be designed so you can sit on them while maintaining and harvesting crops. Aesthetics. An added architectural element, raised beds add an appealing geometry to a garden. They can be used to create symmetry, boundaries, and focal points. Is there an ideal size for a raised garden bed? Several factors dictate size, including soil conditions, space limitations, and considerations of physical comfort. Length and Width . When figuring the dimensions of the raised bed frame, first consider a garden's space constraints (don't forget to leave room to walk around the bed). Second, assess your reach. It is vital to be able to reach the centre of the bed from either side to avoid stepping on the bed, which compresses the soil. For most people, this means limiting the width to about 4 feet. If your bed is only accessible from one side, limit the width to a maximum of 3 feet. Length is limited only by the size of your garden and by building materials. Height . Most raised beds range from 6 to 12 inches, with some as high as 36 inches. In general, the worse the underlying soil, the deeper you will want a bed to maximize the amount of good soil available to plants. And, more depth means more room for roots to grow. Deeper beds hold more soil and, thus, more moisture, reducing watering needs. Remember that the taller the sides, the more pressure the weight of the soil places on them. You may need to compensate with thicker wood or cross supports to prevent the wood from bowing. What is the best material for raised beds? Raised beds are traditionally made using naturally rot-resistant cedar. But, honestly you can build the bed wall with almost any material that will contain the soil, including stone, woven willow, and concrete. For vegetable and herb gardens it is important to avoid using pressure-treated lumber, which can leach heavy metals into the soil. Untreated, naturally rot-resistant lumber is the gold standard of building materials. Can I make my own raised garden beds? A raised garden bed is an easy DIY project. Essentially it entails building a bottomless box. Google "DIY raised garden bed" and you will have pages of projects to choose from. A few of our favourites include: Martha Stewart's How to Build a Raised Garden Bed, and Organic Gardening's Five Raised Beds that offers instructions using a variety of frame materials from wattle to concrete to logs. Raised garden bed tips: To prevent compaction, don't step or lean on the soil in your raised bed. The best plants to grow in raised beds are those without deep roots: vegetables, herbs, annual and perennial flowers, berry bushes, and even small shrubs. To calculate how much soil you will need for your bed, consider that a 10-inch deep, 3-by-6 foot bed needs 15 cubic feet of soil. Revitalize your soil regularly with compost and soil amendments to keep its vitality. The nutrients upon which your crops thrive get taken up after a season or two. Planting cover crops and green manures when the bed is not in use also helps keep the soil fertile. Planting with close spacing over the entire surface is recommended. This creates a leafy canopy that shades the bed, moderating soil temperature and conserving moisture. It minimizes space for weeds to grow. Locate your raised beds to maximize sun exposure. If you have a choice, try orienting the long side facing south to ensure that the plants in the bed get equal amounts of sunlight. In larger gardens, when using multiple raised beds, pay attention to spacing. If you use a wheelbarrow, be sure to make the paths between beds wide enough. Same goes for lawn mowers. Consider spreading gravel, crushed shells, or wood chips over the paths between your raised garden beds and you won't track in dirt and mud after working or harvesting your beds. | 4 | 7,457 | lifestyle |
The Treasury will implement changes tomorrow loosening the sanctions on Cuba, reports CNBC's Michelle Caruso-Cabrera. | 8 | 7,458 | video |
RadioShack, BlackBerry and SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF are among stocks to watch. Barron's reporter Chris Dieterich has the details. Photo: Getty | 3 | 7,459 | finance |
Target Corporation announced Thursday that it plans to discontinue all operating stores in Canada, Jamie Yuccas reports (0:39).WCCO 4 News Jan. 15, 2015 | 3 | 7,460 | finance |
A Chinese woman wears a mask as she walks passed a billoard showing the city on a clear day during heavy smog in Beijing, China. Pollution levels soared in Beijing on January 15 to readings more than 20 times WHO recommended limits, as an annual bout of intense smog returned to haunt the Chinese capital despite government vows to address the plague. A Chinese woman wears a mask to protect herself against pollution as she and others perform Tai Chi with swords during morning exercise in Beijing, China. Visitors take a walk during a polluted day at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on January 15. A Chinese woman wears a mask to protect herself from pollution as she and others perform Tai Chi during morning exercise on December 9, 2014, in Beijing. A man wearing a mask rides his bicycle along a street in Beijing. A visitor is silhouetted at an observatory tower during a polluted day in Beijing. Buildings and cars amid heavy smog, from an observatory tower in Beijing. A Chinese man wears a mask as he waits to cross the road near the CCTV building during heavy smog in Beijing. A Chinese shepherd leads his flock in the haze in a Beijing suburb. A Chinese woman performs Tai Chi during morning exercise in Beijing. A woman and child wear masks as they walk on a polluted day in Beijing. A man wearing a mask makes his way during a polluted day at Tiananmen Square. Pedestrians wear masks against the pollution as they cross an overhead bridge over a busy highway in Beijing. Girls wearing masks walk through Beijing during heavy smog. Chinese workers weld at a construction site in heavy pollution in Beijing. A man monitors the smog levels from his phone in Beijing. A Chinese woman wears a mask to protect against air pollution as she walks on a foot-bridge in Beijing. A young Chinese couple wear masks to protect against pollution as they walk in a shopping area on a hazy evening in Beijing. Dogs sit in an alleyway as smoke billows from a coal fired power plant in Beijing. A man looks out of a bus on a hazy day in Beijing. | 5 | 7,461 | news |
NBA great Charles Barkley talks about the lesson he learned after being arrested for a DUI in Scottsdale, Arizona. Find out how it changed his life in this segment from The Seth Davis Show. | 8 | 7,462 | video |
Berlin, Germany A woman gathers with several thousand people in solidarity with victims of two terrorist attacks in Paris. Brno, Czech Republic Fans of legendary British comedy group Monty Python attend the celebration of the International Silly Walk Day on January 7, 2015. San Bartolome de los Pinares, Spain A man rides a horse with a child through the flames during the "Luminarias" annual religious celebration on the night before Saint Anthony's, patron of animals. Ketermaya, Lebanon A Syrian refugee girl stands behind a door at a makeshift settlement in the village of Ketermaya, south of Beirut January 8, 2015. A storm buffeted the Middle East with blizzards, rain and strong winds on Wednesday, keeping people at home across much of the region and raising concerns for Syrian refugees facing freezing temperatures in flimsy shelters. Antrim, Northern Ireland Pro surfer Alastair Mennie makes his way towards the beach at Portrush on January 14. Telford, U.K. Body art on display at Tattoo Freeze at The International Centre on January 11, 2015 in Telford, England. Copiapo, Chile Andrey Karginov, Andrey Mokeev and Igor Leonov of Russia for Team Kamaz Master compete during day 4 of the Dakar Rally on January 7, 2015 between Chilecito in Argentina to Copiapo, Chile. Germany A dog makes its way through the storm in Dagebuell on January 10. Iltsi, Ukraine Villagers gather at Holy Trinity Church to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas on January 7, 2015 in Iltsi, Ukraine. London, U.K. Morwenna Wilson captains a giant origami paper boat to mark the 50 day countdown to the annual The Big Bang Fair in London, England Jan. 14, 2015. Hwacheon-gun, South Korea Anglers cast lines through holes into a frozen river during the Hwacheon Sancheoneo or Mountain Trout Ice Festival on January 10, 2015. London, U.K. People take part in the annual "No Trousers on the Tube Day" event in central London on January 11, 2015. Dongying, China The fluorescence sea which might be caused by glowing microorganisms appears on 07th January, 2015 in Dongying, Shandong, China. Douma, Syria A man prays by his grandfather's gave at a graveyard covered in snow in the rebel-held city of Douma, northeast of the capital Damascus, on January 7, 2015. Somerset, England Thousands of starlings fly over marshes as they return to roost at dusk near Glastonbury on January 14. Sydney, Australia Roger Federer of Switzerland plays tennis with Lleyton Hewitt of Australia between speedboats on Sydney Harbour on January 12. Paris, France Demonstrators make their way along Boulevrd Voltaire in a unity rally following the recent terrorist attacks, on January 11. London, U.K. A model is seen backstage prior to the Agi & Sam show on day 2 of London Collections: Men Autumn Winter 2015 at Victoria House on January 10, 2015. Filzmoos, Austria A hot air balloon floats upwards during the International Balloon trophy on January 14. Krasnoilsk, Ukraine A man rests amongst some decorations as villagers celebrate the winter festival of Malanka on January 14, 2015. The holiday, which involves dressing in elaborate costumes and going from house to house as a group singing traditional songs, is celebrated on New Year's Day of the Orthodox calendar, a week after Orthodox Christmas. Washington, D.C. A Gorilla is seen in its enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. United States on January 07, 2015. Kreischberg, Austria A competitor in action during Women's Snowboard Cross training ahead of the FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships on January 13. Srinagar, India A Kashmiri boy plays on a swing on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015. Lalitpur, Nepal A worker stacks bricks on his head at a brick factory in Lalitpur January 12, 2015. Paris, France A security officer directs released hostages at a kosher market in Paris, Friday, Jan. 9, 2015. Sri Lanka Wind blows Pope Francis' mantle as he delivers his speech at Colombo's International airport on January 13. Antrim, Northern Ireland A man takes a picture with his mobile phone through heavy snow at the Dark Hedges on January 13, 2015 in Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Dark Hedges, named for its unusual tree formation has become a recent tourist attraction after the setting was filmed as part of the hit HBO television series Game of Thrones which is filmed extensively in the province. Columbus, Ohio Ohio State football players high-five fans outside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on The Ohio State University campus Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated Oregon 42-20 in the National Championship football game. London, U.K. A fox runs past the door of 10 Downing Street on January 13. Zhengzhou, China A man walks along a newly-built tunnel, consisting of rainbow colors on January 13, 2015. London, U.K. A man holds a pen aloft as people gather in Trafalgar Square to show their respect to victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris, on January 11. | 5 | 7,463 | news |
The Chapel is a small, colorful building on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. | 5 | 7,464 | news |
By Andrew Holleran Fletcher Sanders' love for the LSU football program is serious. So serious, in fact, that the 25-year-old Baton Rouge native opted to go to jail over potentially hurting the Tigers. Sanders, an employee at a Baton Rouge shoe store, sold on eBay a pair of gloves and game-worn cleats used by an LSU player during the Tigers' upset win against then-No. 3 Ole Miss in October. When Baton Rouge police asked Sanders to name the player whose gear he sold, the LSU fan kept his mouth shut. Selling your school-given gear is, of course, an NCAA violation for student-athletes. The police officers then arrested Sanders for not cooperating with their investigation. Via a report from The Advocate: Sanders told police that he sold the gear for an LSU football player. But when an investigator asked Sanders to name the football player, Sanders clammed up, according to the report. The officer, in turn, told Sanders that he would be arrested if he did not cooperate, the report says. "Do what you have to do," Sanders responded, according to the report. "I am not going to be responsible for ruining someone's career." So police followed up on their promise and booked him into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on counts of principal to theft and possession of stolen things. He was released Tuesday after posting $3,000 bail, booking records show. You have to respect Sanders' loyalty to the LSU football program and the player whose gear he sold. What percent of college football fans would go to jail to help their favorite team? The number is probably a lot higher than it should be. That crazed fandom is part of what makes the sport so awesome, though. | 1 | 7,465 | sports |
Three Minnesota brothers remove all the snow from their neighbors' yards and use it to create an impressive giant snow sculpture. Jen Markham (@jenmarkham) has the amazing video. | 8 | 7,466 | video |
The New England Patriots prepare to take on the Indianapolis Colts for the AFC Championship on Sunday, but what are their top priorities? | 8 | 7,467 | video |
Everyone's on the au naturel kick, but most of us need a little bit of makeup to cover up blemishes, dark circles, and pigmentation from time to time (or, if you're like me, every day). The dead giveaway that you've got a face full of makeup? When your foundation (or concealer) doesn't match your skin tone, creating a mask effect. I ventured to the Nars Boutique on Melrose in Los Angeles to chat with Phuong Tran, head makeup stylist at Nars. When it comes to finding the perfect foundation, Phuong spilled the technique everyone should use to get the most precise shade, including where you should be testing it (hint: it's not along your jawline!), plus tricks of the trade for keeping your foundation set without going overboard on powder. The foundation Phuong tested on me was Nars's new All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation ($48), which was just released this week on NarsCosmetics.com and in the brand's boutiques (and was what both Taylor Schilling and Claire Danes wore to the Golden Globes). I was clinging to my tinted moisturizers for a while, but I really fell in love with this foundation. It's very light - it doesn't feel like you're slabbing on a heavy foundation, which was half the appeal to me. However, the coverage is remarkable. All you need is one tiny pump of the foundation to cover your entire face. The pump only allows a small amount of product to be dispensed at a time, so you don't have to worry about going overboard. I've been applying a small dot to my nose, chin, and forehead and reserving a majority of the product for my cheeks, then blending outward toward my jaw and hairline. I don't use concealer with this foundation, which really speaks to the coverage it gives. If you have oily or combo skin, you'll love the oil-free formula. And for the person who's constantly on the go, it lasts a full workday (and then some). Plus, it comes in 20 different shades, so finding your perfect color includes testing several options. You can find Nars All Luminous Weightless Foundation everywhere else on Feb. 1. | 4 | 7,468 | lifestyle |
The Indians added some more competition to the bullpen on Thursday, signing Anthony Swarzak to a minor-league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training. The right-hander has spent his entire career in the Twins organization, including the past three at the major-league level. His 237 1/3 relief innings over the past three seasons are second in the majors. Last season Swarzak went 3-2 with a 4.60 ERA in 50 appearances, with four being starts. Two of those starts were against the Indians as he went 1-1. With the addition of Swarzak, the Tribe have 13 non-roster invites to spring training -- eight pitchers, two catchers, two infielders and an outfielder. Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 18 with the first workout two days later. | 1 | 7,469 | sports |
Never lose your luggage again with the suitcase of the future, because it lets you know if it didn't make it onto the plane! Pluggage will let passengers charge their phone, access their things with Fingerprint ID, and alert them if the luggage doesn't make it onboard. Sean Dowling (@Seandowlingtv) has the details. | 8 | 7,470 | video |
Brazil legend Ronaldo says he will come out of retirement to play for NASL side the Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 8 | 7,471 | video |
The North American International Auto Show in Detroit was the perfect setting for us to hand out our inaugural Truck Trend Pickup Truck of the Year award, which we decided should go to the 2015 Ford F-150 . Truck Trend Network Content Director Sean P. Holman was on site Monday to hand off the Billet Piston to Doug Scott, Ford's truck group marketing manager, and as you can see, Scott was pretty pleased to receive the award on behalf of the F-150. While many members of the judging staff were curious about the F-150's novel aluminum construction, what impressed us the most was how hard working and "normal" the new Ford felt. Some of us were expecting some kind of science experiment, but what we got was a genuine, capable truck. It wasn't without its faults, but the 2015's strong performance in a variety of situations impressed our judges enough for them to vote it to the top of the podium. In our testing, the F-150 led the pack in terms of highway comfort, instrumented performance testing, and everyday livability and took second place (to its big brother, the F-350 Super Duty) in towing and hauling. In addition, it made a strong showing in all other testing categories, proving that our tester was indeed a jack-of-all-trades among pickups. You can learn more about our very first Pickup Truck of the Year test, as well as detailed descriptions of each of this year's competitors, in the May/June '15 issue of Truck Trend . | 9 | 7,472 | autos |
Cardale Jones tweeted it was a "life-changing decision ," but Thursday's announcement he will remain at Ohio State is it's more a "program-altering statement." Jones is daring Ohio State NOT to start him in 2015. Why go through the motions? Why go back to Ginn Academy in Cleveland with high school coach Ted Ginn Sr. to announce you were coming back to Ohio State next season? That's quite a production. Then again, so was the last month. Jones had the most unprecedented three-games-and-change joyride of perhaps any third-string quarterback in college football history. He made sure Ohio State finished off Michigan. He led a 59-0 route in the Big Ten championship game. He beat the king of the SEC, and he delivered the program's first national championship since 2002. MORE: Ohio State clear No. 1 in 2015 | Recruiting schools to watch | The BCS as a four-team playoff Jones now is daring Ohio State coach Urban Meyer to start someone else. Jones said he met with Meyer before making his decision not to enter the 2015 NFL Draft. "It wasn't talked about so much, and he didn't make any promises," Jones said in front of a flock of reporters assuming this meant he was going to the NFL. "He told me what I have to do and what I have to improve on, and that was about it." The risk-reward standpoint for Jones also is a head-spinner. The upside to leaving for the NFL would be a possible second-round paycheck. The downside is returning to his seat as a third-string quarterback. Who knew it might be easier to start for the New York Jets than Ohio State in 2015? MORE: Big Ten shows SEC it's back | Cardale's happy roommate | Jones scouting report Jones at least sounds confident he will be the starting QB when the Buckeyes open their national championship defense on Sept. 5 at Virginia Tech. "With a full season of taking reps as a 1," he said. "It will help me be the best quarterback I can be." In other words, he's not backing down from a potential three-way competition with J.T. Barrett, who set the Big Ten record for total touchdowns (45) before breaking an ankle; or Braxton Miller, who is 28-8 as a starter at Ohio State. This move might prompt Miller to think about a transfer, considering LSU and Florida State are among the suitors. Jones might be the best NFL prospect of the bunch. He's a 6-5, 250-pound sequoia who says he can throw a football 80 to 85 yards. After watching throws he made against Oregon on Monday, you believe him. Miller and Barrett, however, played the majority of a Big Ten regular season and are more dynamic runners. Can Jones display consistency over a full season? GALLERIES: Jones in action | College Football Playoff championship game highlights This might be a nice problem to have, one Meyer now must handle in spring practice with a never-ending line of questioning. Who is the starter? Who had the best reps today? Cardale, J.T. or Braxton? There's no wrong answer, but there must be an answer. That will consume Columbus every day until September. Jones was supposed to eliminate a third of the equation on Thursday. Instead, he went on national television and indirectly yet directly staked his claim to the starting job. Look what I did over the past 40 days. Yeah, he's daring the Buckeyes NOT to start him. How can they say no with a straight face? | 1 | 7,473 | sports |
Dieting? There are a lot of foods marketed as 'healthy' that could be keeping you from reaching your weigh loss goals. Krystin Goodwin (@krystingoodwin) has a few foods you should avoid. | 8 | 7,474 | video |
If taking a pill that tricks your body into feeling full isn't appealing, how about some quick zaps instead? The FDA has approved a device that uses electrodes implanted in the abdomen to fool the brain, reports Bloomberg. The electrodes stimulate the hunger-controlling vagus nerve, which in turn tells the brain that the stomach is full, explains HealthDay News. The Maestro Rechargeable System will be available only to obese adults who have one other related condition, such as Type 2 diabetes, says an FDA release. The Wall Street Journal likens it to a "pacemaker for the stomach" and quotes a gastrointestinal surgeon who predicts the cost will be between $30,000 and $40,000, on par with gastric bypass surgery. The device's maker, EnteroMedics of Minnesota, must keep track of at least 100 patients for five years after surgery for a follow-up study. (Click to read why people tend to weigh less on Fridays.) This article originally appeared on Newser: Device Zaps Nerve, Tricks Body Into Feeling Full | 7 | 7,475 | health |
Oberhof, Germany Ice covered signs near Oberhof, central Germany, December 8, 2014. Cleveland, Ohio Ice-covered shore of Lake Erie near downtown Cleveland, Ohio, Jan. 7, 2015. Jackson, Mississippi Ice covered plants in Jackson, Mississippi, January 8, 2015. Hudson, New York Ice covered barge on the Hudson River near Hudson, New York, January 8, 2015. Budapest, Hungary Ice covered lamp post on Lake Balaton near Budapest, Hungary, December 31, 2014. Arundel, Maine Ice covered pine needles in Arundel, Maine, December 9, 2014. Srinagar, India Ice covered branches in Srinagar, India, January 2, 2015. Jilin, China Ice covered trees on the bank of Songhua River in Jilin, China, January 12, 2015. Sanliurfa, Turkey Ice covered stray donkeys in Sanliurfa, Turkey, January 8, 2015. Chicago, Illinois Frozen beach on Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois, January 7, 2015. Hessisch Lichtenau, Germany Ice covered trees on Hoher Meissner mountain near Hessisch Lichtenau, central Germany, December 2, 2014. Charlotte, North Carolina Frozen fountain in Charlotte, North Carolina, January 8, 2015 Chicago, Illinois Icy shore of Lake Michigan near Chicago, Illinois, January 7, 2015. Beirut, Lebanon Icicles on rocks in the mountains north of Beirut, Lebanon, January 9, 2015. British Columbia, Canada Undated photo of ice covered trees at Red Mountain in Rossland, British Columbia. Reichpolds, Austria Ice covered roadside shrine in Reichpolds, northern Austria, December 3, 2014. New York City, New York Frozen fountain in Bryant Park, Manhattan, January 8, 2015. Cleveland, Ohio Ice on a pedestrian walkway in Cleveland, Ohio, January 8, 2015. Jackson, Mississippi Frozen fountain pools in Jackson, Mississippi, January 8, 2015. Ashebourne, England Snow covered telephone box & an abandoned car after heavy snowfall near Ashebourne, England, December 27, 2014. Shenyang, China Ice covered building after a water leak in Shenyang, Liaoning province, January 7, 2015. Frankfurt, Germany Snow covered streetlamps on Feldberg mountain near Frankfurt, December 31, 2014. Chicago, Illinois Chicago skyline beyond icy Lake Michigan, January 5, 2015. Omaha, Nebraska Fire investigator examines an ice covered building in the aftermath of a fire in Omaha, January 13, 2015. Debrecen, Hungary Ice covered reeds at lake Latokep, Hungary, December 29, 2014. Chicago, Illinois Ice on North Avenue Pier in Chicago, January 7, 2015. Frankfurt, Germany Frozen trees on Feldberg mountain near Frankfurt, Germany, January 1, 2015. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh skyline beyond the icy shoreline at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers, January 8, 2015. Cleveland, Ohio Ice covered lighthouse in Cleveland, Ohio, January 8, 2015. | 5 | 7,476 | news |
Needed professional help to file your taxes doesn't always mean you need to pay for it. | 8 | 7,477 | video |
Seahawks safety Earl Thomas doesn't believe that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is actually hurt. Is Thomas on to something? | 1 | 7,478 | sports |
Reggie Wayne won't like this column. If the receiver sees this one float across his locker, he'll shove it aside and likely ask for it to be removed. I know this because I know Reggie Wayne. And he's not into these types of things. Not yet, at least. The 36-year-old wide receiver wasn't ready to talk about his legacy before the season started, or during the season, and he certainly isn't ready to talk about it now, just one game from his third Super Bowl in 14 years. This week is not about him. Truthfully, it never has been. A few days after the Colts' embarrassing 42-7 loss to the Cowboys on national television in Week 16, Wayne called a players-only meeting. Usually the details of such gatherings are leaked to the media and the guts spilled out in the following days. Not this one. Wayne spoke his piece, the young Colts listened intently, and Indianapolis rattled off victories in Week 17 versus the Titans and in the wild-card round against the Bengals, then shocked the world in Denver last week. Maybe the meeting has spurred the team, but we'll never know since the details and how the message was delivered remains unknown. At 36 years old, Reggie Wayne isn't the player he once was. His wheels aren't the same, as evidenced on a play in Week 17 when he was tracked down on what would have been a sure-fire touchdown in years prior. Wayne suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament last year, made it back for the start of training camp and has played in all 19 games this season despite battling a groin injury that has slowed him down considerably. He is no longer the focal point of an offense that led the league in passing yards, but that's fine. He's a realist. He knows the deal, and whatever the Colts have needed him to be -- fourth option, locker room leader, run game blocker -- he's been. "I'm just doing my job, waiting on my number to be called, and between there I'm still doing all the blocking, I'm still being that leader as much as I possibly can," Wayne said last week, after recording no receptions on just one target. "I felt like I was coaching more than I was playing," Wayne told the reporters after the win, with a chuckle. "But you know, it's just part of it, man. This is a team game. I just want to do everything I possibly can to help this team win." Though Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Jeff Saturday may be the names most associated with last decade's Colts, Wayne on Sunday will have played in more Indy postseason games (21) than Manning. And though Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Michael Irvin and Lynn Swann were all considered big-game performers, it's Wayne who's second on the all-time list of postseason receptions (93) to Jerry Rice. Wayne is not only the bridge connecting two distinct Indianapolis Colts eras but also the bridge from the old guard of star wideouts (Marvin Harrison, Mosses, Owens, etc.) to the new studs (Dez Bryant, Odell Beckham, Jr., T.Y. Hilton). Wayne is in the final year of his contract with Indianapolis but won't talk retirement or even let the word be uttered. He has an AFC championship game on Sunday versus the Patriots. Just like old times. Reggie Wayne is ready to do whatever is asked of him. *** Cheat Sheet Trivia Question of the Week No. 1 Prior to Julian Edelman's last Saturday night, who was the last wide receiver to throw a touchdown pass in a postseason game? Cheat Sheet Trivia Question of the Week No. 2 Including postseason games, Richard Sherman has 25 interceptions since entering the league in 2011. The players tied for the second-most interceptions since 2011 have intercepted 15 passes apiece. Who are the two players? Cheat Sheet Throwback Jersey of the Week I always love an excuse to talk about Bert Jones, the most underrated quarterback of his generation. Here's a classic Bert Jones Baltimore Colts throwback . And now, on to the games. 2015 playoffs record: 5-3 NFC championship game Green Bay at Seattle: I went back and watched the Week 1 game, and the Packers actually played the Seahawks a lot closer than the final score indicated. Both offenses are drastically different now from then, too. Seattle appeared to be invested heavily, if not fixated, in getting Percy Harvin the ball on a series of jet sweeps and quick hitters throughout the game. This seemed to be Darrell Bevell's main objective, with Harvin often being the first look throughout the game. Meanwhile, Green Bay's offensive line didn't have nearly the same chemistry that it has now, and that's understandable considering a rookie center was playing in his first career game on the same night tackle Bryan Bulaga left with an injury. Seattle vs. Green Bay has quietly become one of the league's better intra-division rivalries. There's good history there, from the Mike Holmgren ties to Matt Hasselbeck's "we'll take the ball and we're going to score" in the 2003 wild-card round to the "Fail Mary" from a few years back. If this is the next chapter, I'm pretty fired up for what's in store. I'm envisioning a classic, with the best players on the field -- Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Julius Peppers, and Earl Thomas -- all making big plays. I also sense an upset. Fully healthy or not, Rodgers can still sling it. He's also rarely the underdog. Remember, the last two times Green Bay was on the road -- in Buffalo and Tampa Bay -- Rodgers struggled mightily. He's heard the whispers that won't fly in the postseason. I think he saves his best for last. I may be on an island with this one, but I picked the Packers to represent the NFC back in August, and I'm not backing away now. I think they put up enough points and the defense does enough to stop the Seattle run game. Packers win and are Arizona bound. The pick: Packers 24, Seahawks 19 AFC championship game Indianapolis at New England: I also went back and watched first act between these two teams and find it plainly odd that Jonas Gray did what he did: 201 rushing yards, four touchdowns and a whole lot of making guys miss. Since that effort, Gray has run for just 80 yards and was a healthy scratch Saturday versus the Ravens. Sports Illustrated put Gray on its cover following the effort versus the Colts; now it could put him on the "Where Are They Now" issue, too. I'd be curious to see his whereabouts. Jonas Gray aside, this is a battle between two of the game's best quarterbacks and coaches. I love what Indianapolis has done this season up front, with an undermanned offensive line that nobody outside the locker room has had much faith in. Guys like Lance Louis, Joe Reitz, and Jack Mewhort are by no means household names, but perhaps they should be. All three have stepped up and joined Khaled Holmes and Anthony Castonzo in forming one of the better front fives of the postseason. All those high-priced free-agent acquisitions the Broncos signed to get Peyton Manning over the hump? They were silenced by this cast of castaways and young guns on Sunday. I don't expect that to stop. But I also don't expect Tom Brady to suddenly slow down. Indianapolis is on the cusp of greatness, and I won't be the least bit surprised if the Colts leave Foxborough with a win on Sunday night. I just don't see it happening. Not this year. And, oh yeah, I had the Patriots winning the AFC back in August, too. Not turning away now. The pick: Patriots 33, Colts 21 Reader E-Mail of the Week Peter, I saw you made a classless joke on Twitter about the Nationwide jingle advertisement that's running ("What tune is Peyton Manning humming now?"). Totally classless. I like your Twitter feed, most days, but you stooped to a lower level for a few cheap, classless laughs on that one. It was classless. I wish, at times, you'd remember it's better to be classy than clever. That tweet was a classless one. Peyton deserves a bit more respect than your pot shots. --Rhett, Longmont, Colorado Rhett, You're probably right, but I don't know, your E-Mail rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe because you used the words "classless" or "classy" five times in six sentences. Didn't love that. Mix it up next time. --Peter Cheat Sheet Trivia Answer of the Week No. 1 The last wide receiver to throw a touchdown pass was Pittsburgh Steeler Antwaan Randle El in Super Bowl XL. Cheat Sheet Trivia Answer of the Week No. 2 Tim Jennings (Bears) and Patrick Peterson (Cardinals) have each intercepted 15 passes since the start of the 2011 season. | 1 | 7,479 | sports |
Laundry is a never-ending cycle that can seem like intolerable, unavoidable drudgery, especially if you hate your laundry room. That's why we love these creative designs that integrate a hidden washer and dryer into unexpected spaces. Putting laundry appliances into the main living areas in your home might sound like a mistake, but solutions like these can be surprisingly unobtrusive. They can even lead to a better workflow and tidier work space by preventing dirty clothes from piling up. So whether tucked into bathrooms, behind closet doors, or even under the stairs, these clever laundry rooms deserve a second look. Click through our photo gallery to see if one of these secret laundry room ideas is just right for your home. Partition Off a Bathroom A stackable washer and dryer in the bathroom gives you a convenient place to tackle the laundry. Clothes can go straight from the bathroom hamper into the wash, and because this room already has plumbing, it should be a no-brainer for your contractor to install . The addition of a sliding barn door in this bathroom allows for privacy when clothes and people need to get clean at the same time. Related: Divide and Conquer 14 Room Dividers to Bring Order to Your Space Out of Sight, Out of Mind A laundry area tucked inside large, modern kitchen cabinets rescues your washer from the basement to give you easier access, but leaves your guests none the wiser. If placed strategically, the cabinets can serve as an island that's as perfect for dinner prep as it is for folding clean clothes. Behind Closed Doors Laundry is a dirty task that requires extra room for bottles , brushes, and more. Fortunately, the solution to this storage problem could lie just behind your closet door. Placing the washer and dryer in a closet is a great way to save space, and the back of the closet door offers an ingenious spot to store all your laundry essentials. Built-In Bliss Who doesn't wish they had a wall full of secret compartments in their living room ? This fabulous storage wall has contemporary built-ins that hide a variety of messy spots, including the washer, dryer, and laundry folding area. Nook Under the Stairs The space under this staircase is the perfect size for an out-of-the-way laundry room. White paint helps these appliances blend into the surroundings for a squeaky-clean look that doesn't need to be hidden behind a door. Related: 15 Clever Uses for the Space Under the Stairs Kitchen Corner Crisp white shutters hide a discreet laundry area just around the corner from a spacious kitchen. With the machines tucked away, a guest's only cue as to the purpose of this sly spot is the subway tile backsplash that spells it out: "LAUNDRY." Clean Blue Jeans No messy detergent spills here! Hidden behind high-gloss cabinet doors, a washer and dryer look right at home in this contemporary room with a rustic touch. A broad countertop provides plenty of space for folding favorite blue jeans. Related: 5 Fresh Laundry Room Storage Options Rinse Cycle Tall folding shutters allow laundry machines to hide right in the middle of a living room or entryway . A closet stocked with laundry baskets, soaps, and other necessities sits conveniently next to the stacked washer and dryer. Related: 10 Laundry Room Storage Ideas That'll Knock Your Socks Off | 4 | 7,480 | lifestyle |
With so much hyperbole today it's hard to make the following statement mean as much as it really does: The Ford GT40 was the most significant American racecar ever. Read on while we try to condense what whole books have been written about. The Ford GT40 beat the unbeatable Ferrari for the World Sportscar Championship of endurance racing in 1966 and 1967, as well as beating the Italians at LeMans four years straight from 1966-69. But the motivation for Ford going all in on European endurance racing was based in something more than "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" hype. Enzo Ferrari was interested in selling Ferrari in the early 1960s. Henry Ford II wanted it, and began due-diligence to acquire it. Abruptly Enzo backed out toward the end of negotiations, supposedly after being told Ferrari could not participate in the Indy 500. Hank "The Deuce" was livid. When he could not purchase Ferrari, he came back to the US and got his company in gear to slaughter Ferrari at LeMans, with a car largely built in England by a skunk works of ex-Lola and Aston Martin designers, with development and power by Ford for the 1966 season; and again in 1967 with a hot rod homegrown effort from the boys at Carroll Shelby's. Shelby taking on the Ford endurance-racing program meant the end of the Cobra, but look at what it wrought. America came out of nowhere and beat the Europeans at their own game, at their own tracks, becoming the World Champions two years straight. Ford went on to win LeMans four times consecutively from 1966-1969, running a 289 ci small block with a ZF 5-speed transmission in 1966, then utilizing the 427 spinning a Kar Kraft modified 4-speed for Sebring and LeMans in 1967, then with the small block running Gurney Weslake heads. These accomplishments washed over Ford and all of America for years, but glories fade and the business of building great cars continues. And that's where the next phase of the innovative spirit that rests within the DNA of the Ford GT appeared in the new millennium. In 2005 a totally new Ford mid-engine supercar loosely based on the original Ford GT40, debuted as part of Ford's centenary. Larger in every dimension, and powered by Ford's 5.4 Liter all aluminum Modular V8 with a Lysholm twin-screw supercharger, the Ford GT bristled with energy and telegraphed Ford's vision of where they saw themselves. Deliveries started late in 2004 and ended after a total of 4000 units were built in 2006 at a small hand assembly plant outside of Wixom, Michigan. Ford always promised another supercar would follow, enthusiasts just didn't think it would take almost 10 years for Ford to make due on that promise. With the debut of this latest Ford GT we could be seeing a return to Ford's mastery of endurance racing, which in this day and age means more to Ford than any time before as they continue maximizing platforms for world markets. | 9 | 7,481 | autos |
While promoting the new season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Charlie Day told Jimmy Fallon that Hall of Fame baseball player, Wade Boggs, told him that he once drank 107 beers during a cross country flight. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) investigates. | 1 | 7,482 | sports |
In boring towns you make up your own ways to have fun! | 8 | 7,483 | video |
The Beer Mile is a running event that takes strong legs AND a strong gut. A look at some the sport's best -- and maybe worst -- competitors. | 8 | 7,484 | video |
Aside from the occasional passersby stopping to ogle the Alfieri concept which first debuted at Geneva, things were quiet at the Maserati stand during the 2015 Detroit auto show. But there are plenty of wheels turning behind the scenes at Maserati, a company which saw its sales increase 136 percent from 2013 to 2014 globally, 110 percent in the U.S. alone. Maserati's growth in the entry-level segment with the Ghibli and soon-to-arrive Levante SUV will be echoed on the top end of the price spectrum with a production version of the Alfieri, as well as a next-generation GranTurismo. For a closer look at the rapid changes happening within the Italian automaker, we sat down with Maserati head Harald Wester . AUTOMOBILE : Have you noticed the new Maserati Ghibli in particular getting more people turned on to Maserati and into other vehicles? Harald Wester : Yes. Compare a brand like Maserati to something which starts just below $70,000. It's a real alternative to competitors, and if that's not a temptation, what is one? AUTOMOBILE : In that competitive market, what do you think buyers see in Maserati that they don't see elsewhere? What's bringing them in? Is it something based in the heritage? HW : No, I think it's less sophisticated than that. Look at the impact of the class, the elegance, the sound. Driving the other cars is like wearing a uniform. Who cares? Nobody sees you. If you come into your luxury high end neighborhood with your new black BMW, Mercedes or Audi, you'll need to raise a flag to let people know. AUTOMOBILE : How does Maserati accomplish that? What's the common vein through its products? HW : Doing everything differently, because it doesn't make sense not to. There's a huge portion in this business where it's more complicated because these uniforms, from the guys I mentioned earlier, are damn good uniforms. Close to perfect pieces of engineering. Good for us they have no soul. They're f***ing boring. They don't transmit anything. AUTOMOBILE : Where does Maserati's soul come from? HW : From a kind of adorable imperfection. From how it smells, how it feels. And adorable imperfection has nothing to do with non-quality. Ask your wife. Do you have a wife? AUTOMOBILE : No. HW : Lucky guy. AUTOMOBILE : No girlfriend either. HW : No girlfriend? That's bad. Well, industrially produced products like handbags, they're square, every stitch is just like the other, right? With a handcrafted product you see it, you hear it, you can smell it, you can touch it. Our dashboards are leather-wrapped. Imagine I bring you a regular dashboard in your garage, along with a piece of leather, and you wrap it. If it's an industrialized process where you apply the leather with a tool, they all end up looking the same. AUTOMOBILE : Is it difficult to build up that handcrafted quality to the larger scales Maserati is targeting? HW : It is. It's difficult because at the end of the day it's a thin line which separates this adorable handcrafted imperfection from non-quality. AUTOMOBILE : How does Maserati see itself within the larger Fiat-Chrysler umbrella, particularly with the rise of another Italian brand in Alfa Romeo? HW : A totally different story. There are three totally different brands separated by volumes which differ by an order of magnitude. Ferrari is 7,000 units, Maserati is 70,000, and Alfa we define by a volume of 400,000-420,000 units. Ferrari starts at $200,000, Maserati is between $70,000 and over $145,000, and for Alfa there will be some overlap with the entry level Maseratis. But for the time being I don't see a $150,000 Alfa Romeo. Premium is Alfa. Luxury is Maserati. Supercars are Ferrari. In my head there is no confusion at all. Different customers, different targets, different brands, different products, different industrial realities. AUTOMOBILE : Can you see the same quality for a $150,000 top-of-the-line Maserati trickling down to the bigger volume models like Levante and Ghibli? HW : Yes, absolutely. It's all the same. AUTOMOBILE : Have you seen the volume and the interest you projected for Ghibli. Is it going well? HW : Yes. This year, for the first year of full availability, I am sure we could have done better. And our objective is to further increase. But we are quite happy. AUTOMOBILE : How big of a story is Levante going to be? HW : We expect it to be at least as big as Ghibli, if not bigger. Product-wise it will be positioned somewhere above Ghibli. I'm excited. AUTOMOBILE : Can you envision a family household with a Levante on one side of the garage and maybe a GranTurismo on the other? HW : Perfect! Is there a third space in this garage? How about an Alfieri coupe ? Or convertible? That would be great. AUTOMOBILE : Anything else on your mind for next year as far as products or sales goals? HW : A lot. But I will not share. | 9 | 7,485 | autos |
Explore a center for mural's and other street art in Cuba, Hamel's Alley. | 8 | 7,486 | video |
From Marilyn Monroe to Jane Fonda, these luxury hotels have hosted the biggest names in Hollywood. Rosewood Hotel Georgia Where: Vancouver, British Columbia Over the decades, the legendary Hotel Georgia was the place in Vancouver to see and be seen, having hosted everyone from John and Ethel Barrymore, Marlene Dietrich (along with 40 suitcases), Laurence Olivier, John Wayne, and Gary Cooper. Legend has it that, in 1950, when Katharine Hepburn waltzed in for the first time, wearing her trademark pants, the feisty screen legend introduced late-night room service to the hotel, after she gave the manager her list of requirements. However, Cooper Tardivel, the charming head bartender at the hotel's Hawksworth Restaurant, offers up an even better story. Tardivel says that Bing Crosby had been fly-fishing in the Canadian interior for weeks when he descended upon Vancouver en route back to the East Coast in his waders and was turned away due to his disheveled appearance at what is now the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver across the street. Miffed, Crosby crossed the street to the Hotel Georgia where he was given a warm welcome and the keys to the Penthouse suite; Crosby quickly showered, suited up in black tie, and marched back across the street to inform the concierge at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver that he would tell all of his Hollywood friends to patronize to the more hospitable Hotel Georgia from that day forward. And so they did. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Vancouver Travel Guide The Carlyle Where: New York, New York The New York Times famously dubbed this discreet Upper East Side doyenne a "Palace of Secrets" (JFK is said to have routinely whisked Marilyn Monroe into the hotel for late-night trysts through The Carlyle 's underground passageways). Named for the Victorian essayist Thomas Carlyle, the Art Deco grand dame opened in 1930 with composer Richard Rodgers as its first tenant and Dorothy Draper as one of its interior designers. Audubon and Piranesi prints decorate the guest rooms, Marcel Vertes murals bedeck cafe walls, and prancing animals painted by the bar's namesake, and former Carlyle resident, Ludwig Bemelmans offer a playful counterpart to what some might deem snobbish sophistication. Other notables who've frequented The Carlyle over the years include LBJ, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, and Woody Allen (whose Eddy Davis New Orleans Jazz Band performs almost every Monday night at the Café Carlyle). Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's New York City Travel Guide The Drake Where: Chicago, Illinois During the 1920's, The Drake Hotel 's Fountain Court (now the Palm Court) hosted Chicago's social elite daily for afternoon tea. Walt Disney, George Gershwin, and Charles Lindbergh frequently stayed at the hotel and passed the time in The Gold Coast Room, where Herbie Kay could be heard many nights of the week. In 1952, newlyweds Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio carved their initials into the famous wooden counter in the Cape Cod Room at The Drake, and on December 6, 1933, Coq d'Or opened and was swarmed by enthusiastic drinkers, eager to purchase a shot of whiskey the day after prohibition was repealed. Other famous guests of the hotel include Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Princess Diana. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Chicago Travel Guide Claridge's Where: Mayfair, London Spencer Tracy once said he'd rather go to Claridge 's than to heaven when he dies. A single step inside the lobby of London's most glamorous hotel, with its Art Deco elegance, air of refinement, and seamlessly choreographed service, and it's easy to see why. Whether you fancy sipping champagne at Claridge's Bar, indulging in one of London's most lavish afternoon teas, or spending the night in a room with interiors chosen by the likes of CW Stephens (of Harrods fame), Diane von Furstenberg, or Guy Oliver, you're certain to be swilling the "Claridge's Kool-Aid" at check-out. During the Second World War, several exiled heads of state used Claridge's as a refuge, with the Kings of Greece, Norway and Yugoslavia actually living at the hotel for the duration. In 1945, at the request of Winston Churchill, suite 212 was declared Yugoslavian territory so Crown Prince Alexander II could be born in his own country; Churchill also stayed at Claridge's after losing his election. Throughout the '50s and '60s, stars such as Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, and Yul Brynner frequented Claridge's, followed by Aristotle and Jackie Kennedy Onassis in the '70s. The hotel still sustains its celebrity allure; supermodel Kate Moss held her 30th birthday party at Claridge's, where guests dressed up as characters from F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's London Travel Guide Round Hill Hotel & Villas Where: Montego Bay, Jamaica The fact that Ralph Lauren owns a cottage here and has loaned his aesthetic to the decor at the resort is proof enough that Round Hill has the luxury chops to satisfy Hollywood's elite. John Pringle, who built Round Hill, was a 26-year-old upstart when he happened to be seated next to Noël Coward on an airplane to New York in the 1950s. Ambitious and outgoing, the young Pringle regaled Coward with tales of how he was in the process of creating a colony of cottages and an upscale hotel on a former sugar plantation along a 100-acre peninsula near Montego Bay in the Caribbean. Coward became one of Pringle's first shareholders, and the rest is history. Shortly after Coward's cottage was built, friends like Bill and Babe Paley, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Hammerstein, Viscount and Viscountess Rothermere, Errol Flynn, and Ian Fleming followed suit. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Jamaica Travel Guide Hotel Excelsior Venice Where: Lido, Italy A favorite of movie stars who descend upon Italy yearly for the Venice International Film Festival, this elegant resort on the Venetian island of Lido is just a 15-minute boat ride from St. Mark's Square. Notable past guests include Jack Lemmon, Orson Welles, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Clark Gable, Giorgio De Chirico, and Italo Calvino. The 178-room hotel first opened in 1908 and has been known for more than a century as one of Italy's most luxurious stays. With its courtyard fountain, ornate interiors, and private pier, it's easy to see why this hotel is a magnet for the rich and famous. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Venice Travel Guide Hôtel Lancaster Paris Where: Paris, France Built as a private residence in 1889, Hôtel Lancaster in the heart of Paris still projects the warmth of a tastefully decorated home. In the 1930s, Marlene Dietrich lived in one of the hotel's apartments for three years, and today the lavish suite named after her boasts a gorgeous grand piano in the living room. Famous hotelier Emile Wolf searched for antiques in Paris' most prestigious auction houses to fill the hotel, and the striking collection still enhances its elegant ambience. And the interior garden boasts plants from five continents. It's not surprising that even today, stars like Jane Fonda, Emma Thompson, and Pedro Almodóvar call Hôtel Lancaster home when they're in Paris. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Paris Travel Guide Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah Where: Istanbul, Turkey This Istanbul landmark was built in 1892 to accommodate passengers traveling from Paris to Istanbul on the Orient Express. During World War I, allied forces used the hotel as their headquarters, and when the war ended, the British gave the "key of Istanbul" back to Turk nationalist (and later president) Celal Bayar at the hotel. Since then, famous guests have included Jackie Kennedy Onassis, King Edward VIII of England, Agatha Christie, and Greta Garbo, who stayed at the hotel in the 1920's. In fact, Pera Palace now has six rooms called the "Greta Garbo Corner Rooms" to pay tribute to the legendary screen siren. These high-ceilinged rooms all have a feminine air to them and views from private balconies over the Petit de Champs. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Istanbul Travel Guide Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Where: Los Angeles, California This beautiful boutique hotel , with the Hollywood Walk of Fame literally at its doorstep, was Marilyn Monroe's place of residence around the time of her first modeling shoot filmed at the Hollywood Roosevelt pool. A pillar of Hollywood glamour since its opening in 1927, the hotel boasts vintage bowling lanes, 1950's cabanas, and a statement-making Spanish Colonial lobby. The loft-like Marilyn Monroe suite overlooks the Tropicana Bar and Pool (Olympic-size), while the "Gable Lombard Penthouse" offers views of the Hollywood hills and beyond. Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Los Angeles Travel Guide | 2 | 7,487 | travel |
Cavs take Lakers Cavaliers forward LeBron James took on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers Thursday in Los Angeles. The Cavaliers won 109-102. IMAGES: 2014-15 NBA SEASON Zags hold on Pepperdine Waves guard Lamond Murray Jr. dives for a loose ball against Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Byron Wesley Thursday in Malibu, Calif. No. 3 Gonzaga held on to win 78-76. IMAGES 2014-15 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON An old rivalry heats up Boston Bruins center Chris Kelly, center, fights New York Rangers left wing Chris Kreider as a referee intervenes during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Boston on Thursday. IMAGES: 2014-15 NHL SEASON Just a couple of dads Former Seattle Supersonics teammates Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp watch their sons play each other during the Oregon State Beavers-Washington Huskies game Thursday in Seattle. The Huskies won 56-43. IMAGES: LOOK WHO'S WATCHING Larger than life Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo walks on the pitch in front of a giant banner with his image prior to their King's Cup round of 16 second leg soccer match against Atletico Madrid, in Madrid, Thursday. Ronaldo won the 2014 Ballon d'Or this week as the best player in international soccer. Does he really practice that shot? Switzerland's Roger Federer reaches to hit a ball behind his back during a practice session on Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park Thursday. The Australian Open tennis tournament begins on Jan. 19. Stardust on the sidelines (L-R) Melissa Forde, Rihanna and Jeffrey Katzenberg attend a basketball game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Thursday in Los Angeles, California. IMAGES: LOOK WHO'S WATCHING Cleaning the Shark tank San Jose Sharks ice girl cleans off the ice during the first period in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at SAP Center on Thursday in San Jose, Calif. IMAGES: NHL ICE GIRLS Wildcat winner Arizona forward Stanley Johnson shoots over Colorado guard Tre'Shaun Fletcher as Jaron Hopkins defends during the second half Thursday in Tucson, Ariz. The Wildcats won 68-54. IMAGES 2014-15 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON Really big shot Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland on the practice range during the first round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Thursday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Not ready for prime time Bode Miller of the USA skis during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill Training on Thursday in Wengen, Switzerland. Miller announced he was not fit enough to compete in Sunday's World Cup race. Company in the crease Vancouver Canucks center Shawn Matthias, center, gets his shot knocked away by Philadelphia Flyers goalie Ray Emery, left, as defenseman Nick Schultz, right, comes in from behind during the first period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday in Philadelphia. IMAGES: 2014-15 NHL SEASON Strategy conference Mima Ito (L) talks to her team-mate Miu Hirano (R) of Japan in the Women's Doubles during the day four of All Japan Table Tennis Championships 2015 at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Thursday in Tokyo. Taking the scenic route KTM rider David Casteu of France rides during the 11th stage of the Dakar Rally 2015 from Cachi to Termas de Rio Hondo Thursday. Becalmed The wind disappears altogether as the fleet struggles to make any progress towards Sumatra and the entrance to the Malacca Strait during Leg 3 between Abu Dhabi, UAE and Sanya, China. The Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 is the 12th running of this ocean marathon. High fives Novak Djokovic of Serbia (ANZ Ambassador) shakes hands with ANZ Hot Shots winner Anna Bishop, 8, after having a hit up on Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park on Thursday in Melbourne, Australia. Timeout entertainment Arizona Wildcats twirlers and cheerleader perform during the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at McKale Center on Thursday in Tucson, Ariz. IMAGES: COLLEGE CHEERLEADERS Stormy weather Runners in The Higos Insurance Services Somerton Handicap Hurdle Race make their way down the back straight at Wincanton racecourse on Thursday in Wincanton, England. Day in court Indianapolis Colts' Joshua McNary walks down a hallway for his initial appearance in Marion County Superior Court, Thursday in Indianapolis. The Colts put McNary on the commissioner's exempt list Thursday, less than 24 hours after prosecutors charged the backup linebacker with rape, criminal confinement with bodily injury and battery resulting in bodily injury. Ed Schrager, McNary's lawyer, issued a statement early Thursday saying his client denied the allegations. Tough drive #309 Christian Lavielle and Pascal Maimon of France driving for Overdrive Toyota Hilux compete during Stage 11 on day 12 of the Dakar Rally between Salta and Termas de Rio Hondo on Thursday near San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina. Can't run away Kenyan marathon runner Rita Jeptoo walks past photographers as she arrives at the Athletics Kenya headquarters after failing a doping test in Kenya's capital Nairobi, Thursday. Kenyan athletics chiefs have put in place strict rules to cut cases of doping including unannounced tests on elite athletes, they said last Friday. Jeptoo, winner of the Boston and Chicago marathons for the last two years, tested positive in December for a banned substance in a B sample taken after she failed an out-of-competition check in September. Blue morning Simon Eder of Austria in action during the IBU Biathlon World Cup Men's Relay on Thursday in Ruhpolding, Germany. Humble pie Japan Football Association (JFA) chairman Kuniya Daini bows to start his press conference on Japan's head coach Javier Aguirre's match-fixing scandal in the 2011 Spanish football season at the JFA headquarters in Tokyo on Thursday. Prosecutors in Spain allege that Aguirre and 40 others were involved in rigging a league match that saw Real Zaragoza defeat Levante 2-1 to avoid relegation. Victory Five-time German Olympic speedskating champion Claudia Pechstein smiles at the higher regional court in Munich, Germany, Thursday after she has won a major victory in her long legal battle with the International Skating Union, ISU, over a doping ban. The court allowed her to proceed with a lawsuit seeking damages from the ISU. Flying Japan's Noriaki Kasai soars through the air during the 17th World Cup Ski Jumping competition, in Wisla, Poland, Thursday. Swerving and surging Ben Kennings of Whangamata competes in the Open Men's Quarter Finals during the New Zealand Surf Nationals at Piha Beach on Thursday in Auckland, New Zealand. Scrambling for the ball Karim Benzema of Real Madrid heads the ball against Guilherme Siqueira of Atletico de Madrid during the Copa del Rey, round of 16 second leg match between Real Madrid CF and Club Atletico de Madrid at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday in Madrid, Spain. Grit and glory Anthony Fowler of British Lionhearts looks on after a blood injury stopped his Middleweight 69-75kg fight against Zhou Di of China Dragons during the World Series of Boxing between the British Lionhearts and China Dragons at York Hall on Thursday in London, England. Iran shows its colors A fan of IR Iran waits for the 2015 Asian Cup match between Qatar and IR Iran at ANZ Stadium on Thursday in Sydney, Australia. IMAGES: PREVIOUS DAY'S PHOTOS | 1 | 7,488 | sports |
This year's Detroit Auto Show was a big deal for the pickup truck segment, with two highly significant vehicles being unveiled: the 2016 Nissan Titan XD , a long-overdue update for Nissan's fullsize truck, and an advanced preview of the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor , the next-generation of one of the most popular off-road trucks in recent memory. Let's take a look at a few categories and see which truck came out on top. Significance: Titan XD There's no doubt the Raptor was a significant debut for Ford, as within minutes of the 2015 model's debut there was already speculation and chatter about the next Raptor. Raptor or not, the F-150 is the big dog in the fullsize truck market and would probably be the best-selling model with or without niche variants. However, relative to where the company stands currently in the truck market, and as symbolic of its ultimate aspirations, the Titan XD is far more significant to Nissan. Just a few years ago, many were publicly wondering if Nissan would pull the plug on the Titan altogether, with monthly sales often dwindling below 1,000 units. A few statements by Nissan executives emphasized the company's commitment to the fullsize truck market, with promises a new Titan would be #cumminssoon. The fact that it's going to be the first light-duty V-8 diesel, and the fact that it's a Cummins engine -- from one of the most respected diesel engine makers in the world -- underlines the fact that Nissan is aiming to make a bold statement with the new Titan and recapture much of its lost market share. Popularity: F-150 Raptor Despite the Titan XD out-pacing the Raptor by a nearly four-to-one margin in terms of page views on our website, we would probably say the Raptor has a broader appeal to a general audience than the somewhat niche Titan XD. Although we expect initial demand and sales to be strong for the Titan XD, when the new Raptor starts rolling off the line, we anticipate months-long waiting lists, five-figure dealer markups, and plenty of action-packed photos of it kicking up sand, blasting across lake beds, and jumping whoops online and in magazines. Let's face it, the Raptor is sexy in a way that the handsome, but comparatively staid Titan just can't quite match. Functionality: Titan XD This is somewhat of an unfair comparison, as the Titan XD is positioned squarely as a work tool, with its 12,000-plus pound towing capacity and 555 lb-ft of torque, whereas the only role the Raptor has to play is being a cool dirt toy. Although the top-rated F-150 has a comparable towing capacity to the Titan XD, we expect the new Raptor, like its predecessor, to sacrifice some ultimate capability for more suspension compliance and travel to better handle the aggressive off-road use it's likely to encounter. Look for a max towing capacity on the Raptor of between 8,000 and 9,000 pounds and a payload of 1,500 pounds or less. Still highly respectable figures, but ultimately, the Raptor is built less for work and more for play. Technology and Engineering: F-150 Raptor There's no disputing the offering of a Cummins V-8 turbodiesel, Aisin heavy-duty transmission (same as used on the Ram 3500), and HD-spec axles on the Titan XD raise the bar and expectations for the light-duty segment, but none of those technologies in and of themselves are really revolutionary or breakthrough. Now going into its fifth year of production, one could argue Ford's EcoBoost V-6 is starting to become old hat, but the debut of the Ford GT supercar with 600-plus horsepower and Ford's confident proclamation that the high-output 3.5L EcoBoost in the Raptor would make more power and torque than the outgoing 6.2L V-8 show there's plenty of potential still left in Ford's blown bent six. The Raptor will be the First F-150, if not the first fullsize truck, to get a 10-speed automatic, and it's clear the F-150's aluminum body isn't the only technological tour-de-force left in this truck. The Verdict: Tie Out of four categories, we have two wins each for the Nissan and the Ford. As is usually the case, each model has its fierce partisans ready to defend their favorite brand and shoot down any arguments in favor of the competition. We expect no different with this story, based on the volume and passion of the feeback we get through letters and social media. Now it's time to have your say. Which truck do you think had the bigger impact at the Detroit show? | 9 | 7,489 | autos |
Cats? Cats! CATS!!! | 4 | 7,490 | lifestyle |
The Arroyo Valley High School girls basketball team in San Bernardino, Calif., played the Bloomington (Calif.) High School girls basketball team on Jan. 5, and the result was, well, ugly. Arroyo Valley, one of the better teams in the region, beat winless Bloomington High 161-2. MORE: HS sophomore soars for monster dunk | Ohio school on both sides of blowouts That's right. 161-2. In response, Arroyo Valley's board suspended coach Michael Anderson for two games . Anderson will return to the sideline Jan. 19. Anderson had said he tried to keep the game as even as possible despite knowing that his team was far too good for the competition. "I didn't expect them to be that bad," he said, according to the Daily Bulletin . "I'm not trying to embarrass anybody. And I didn't expect my bench to play that well. I had one (bench) player make eight of nine 3s." Bloomington coach Dale Chung didn't exactly see it that way. "People shouldn't feel sorry for my team. They should feel sorry for his (Anderson's) team, which isn't learning the game the right way," Chung said. Arroyo Valley (15-1) used a full-court trap for the entire first half, which resulted in a 104-1 halftime score. The Hawks called off the dogs, so to speak, using a halfcourt trap in the second half, much to the chagrin of Chung. "I've known (Anderson) for about seven years," Chung said via the Daily Bulletin. "He's a great Xs and Os coach. Ethically? Not so much. He knows what he did was wrong." The coaches tried to implement a running clock in the third quarter, but high school rules state that a running clock can't be instituted until the fourth quarter, according to the Orange County Register . Anderson said he did approach the referees with about six minutes remaining in the third quarter to begin a running clock, but, in accordance with high school rules, officials did not use the running clock until the fourth quarter. He said he benched his starters at the half and instructed his players not to shoot the ball until the shot clock got inside of 7 seconds in the third and fourth quarters. The Hawks had scored more than 100 points twice before the 159-point blowout, but the backlash from the thrashing resulted in a two-game suspension for Anderson. In the first game without their head coach, the Hawks beat Indian Springs High School 80-19 on Jan. 14. The Hawks were coached by Anderson's 19-year-old son Nicholas. Anderson spent some of his time off scouting a league opponent. All but two of the Hawks' 15 wins this season have been by at least 30 points, and nine of them by 50 points or more. "It wasn't a good feeling (afterward)," Anderson said, via the Register. "It's not something I'm proud of. It's not something I would put on a mantel." | 1 | 7,491 | sports |
If you're Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, which quarterback do you start in 2015: Braxton Miller, JT Barrett or Cardale Jones? | 1 | 7,492 | sports |
Jay Glazer on the Raiders coaching moves. | 1 | 7,493 | sports |
Okay this story is all over the place- Kylie Jenner is reportedly pregnant, Kris Jenner is furious, and Kim and Khloe are jealous! | 8 | 7,494 | video |
Jason Pominville reacts to the Wild's 7-0 win over the Sabres to end a 6-game losing streak. | 1 | 7,495 | sports |
Debate continues over university controversy | 8 | 7,496 | video |
Jack Nicklaus still thinks Tiger Woods will break his majors record. Do you think Jack believes that or is he just being politically correct? | 1 | 7,497 | sports |
Although he's one of the more progressive Popes in recent history, he's still a Pope. | 8 | 7,498 | video |
CNN's Anderson Cooper speaks to Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson about being the first free climbers to reach the summit of Yosemite's El Capitan. | 8 | 7,499 | video |
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