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Most Overlooked Tax Breaks for the Self-Employed Because federal tax law reaches deep into all aspects of our lives, it's no surprise that the rules that affect us change as our lives change. This can present opportunities to save or create costly pitfalls to avoid. Being alert to the rolling changes that come at various life stages is the key to holding down your tax bill to the legal minimum. Have you recently gone into business for yourself? Check out these six ways to make tax law work for you. Home-Office Deductions Whether you are fully self-employed or do some freelancing in addition to your job as an employee, if you work at home the government might subsidize what are generally considered personal expenses.The key to the home-office deduction is to use part of your home or apartment regularly and exclusively for your money-making endeavor. Pass that test and part of your utility bills and insurance costs can be deducted against your business income. You can also write off part of your rent or, if you own your home, depreciation.Many work-at-home taxpayers skip this break, either because they don't know about it, are afraid claiming it will trigger an audit, or are put off by the recordkeeping hassle necessary to back up the deduction if challenged. In recent years, though, the IRS has come up with a simplified method that allows taxpayers to deduct $5 for every square foot that qualifies for the deduction. If you have a 300-square-foot home office (the maximum size allowed for this method), your deduction is $1,500. You get this tax-saver every year you have a qualifying home office. Health Insurance Premiums Although medical expenses are deductible, relatively few taxpayers really get to deduct them. First, you have to itemize to get this break (and most taxpayers do not); second, you get a deduction only to the extent your expenses exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income (7.5% for those age 65 and older). But there's a big exception for the self-employed. You can deduct what you pay for medical insurance for yourself and your family whether or not you itemize and without regard to the 10% threshold. You don't qualify, though, if you are eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance through your job (if you have one in addition to your business) or a spouse's job. Medicare Premiums We break this out from the previous slide because it is so easily overlooked.If you continue to run your businesses after qualifying for Medicare, the premiums you pay for Medicare Part B and Part D, plus the cost of supplemental Medicare (medigap) policies or the cost of a Medicare Advantage plan, can be deducted as health insurance premiums for the self-employed.That means you don't have to itemize to claim this deduction and you don't have to worry about the 7.5%-of-AGI test that applies to itemized medical expenses for folks age 65 and older. Social Security Taxes You Pay This doesn't work for employees. They can't deduct the 7.65% of pay that's siphoned off for Social Security and Medicare. But if you're self-employed and have to pay the full 15.3% tax yourself (instead of splitting it 50/50 with an employer), you get to write off half of what you pay. That deduction comes on the face of Form 1040, so you don't have to itemize to take advantage of it. Retirement Tax Shelters Once you start working for yourself, the door opens wide to tax-sheltered retirement plans. Unlike employees, whose options are pretty much limited to whatever their employer offers and an IRA, self-employeds can contribute pretax money to a simplified employee pension (SEP) or a solo 401(k), both of which have higher annual limits than regular individual retirement accounts. (Oh, and you can still have a regular IRA, too.) Expensing When you buy equipment for your business, you have two choices of how to share the cost with Uncle Sam.The first is to depreciate the cost, deducting the expenses over the number of years the IRS figures is the "life" of the equipment. A computer has a life of five years, for example, so you can write off the cost over five years. But it's not as simple as claiming 20% of the cost each year. For that computer, for example, you'd deduct 20% of the cost in the year you put it into service, 32% in year two, 19.2% in year three, 11.52% in year four, 11.52% in year five and the final 5.76% in year six. (Don't ask why it takes six years to write off five-year property.) Expensing (also known as the Section 179 deduction) lets you deduct 100% of the qualifying cost in year one. Is there any wonder why it's the choice of many self-employed taxpayers? For 2014, up to $500,000 worth of equipment is eligible for the immediate write-off of expensing. (The limit for 2015 is currently $25,000, but Congress is likely to act to restore it to $500,000.) | 3 | 7,600 | finance |
They had faces then but making the most of them sometimes required a little work What Makes a Star Do you think of plastic surgery as a recent phenomenon? Think again. Even during the golden age of Hollywood, actors were having work done to jump-start or extend their careers. And word has it they include the following screen legends, some of the biggest stars of their day. Marilyn Monroe Doctors' records unearthed last year indicate that Marilyn Monroe had a cartilage chin implant. Inserted in 1950, it began to dissolve over time. Monroe is also believed to have undergone a rhinoplasty. Rudolph Valentino From a 1930 article in Photoplay Magazine: "'Flop ears' sent Rudy Valentino to the plastic surgeon. Before the operation, they stuck out like a mad elephant's. The surgeon pinned them back, and Rudy became the great sheik." Ann-Margret The '60s sex kitten underwent massive reconstructive surgery after she fell from a 22-foot stage scaffold during a 1972 performance. The fall resulted in a broken jaw, a concussion, a fractured left arm and five fractures of facial bones. Burt Lancaster From a biography of the actor: "Lancaster revealed to the director [Bernardo Bertolucci] that so much work had been done on his face, his teeth, his body … that 'the most real thing on my face are my eyes.'" Marlene Dietrich Dietrich denied rumors that she'd had her molars pulled out to accentuate the hollows of her cheeks. According to another report, she had her nose narrowed. John Wayne The Duke, a paragon of Old Hollywood masculinity, is said to have had a neck lift, a face lift and upper eyelid surgery. Rita Hayworth Late in her career, the actress known as the Love Goddess reportedly had a facelift. When she was just starting out, she endured extensive hairline electrolysis and dyed her dark locks red, a color that would become her signature. Dean Martin The King of Cool allegedly underwent a rhinoplasty at 27, before he teamed up with Jerry Lewis, who would often joke with Martin about his "old nose." Lana Turner In her early 60s, Turner reportedly took a photo of herself at 27 to a plastic surgeon, Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, and said, "This is what I want to look like." Mary Pickford One of the biggest stars of the '20s, Pickford is said to have had one of the earliest facelifts, which left her "unable to smile." Gary Cooper It's said that Cooper had a facelift to smooth out deep lines and eliminate a double chin. His daughter Maria broached the subject in 2001 when she told the Daily Mail: "The fantasy of Hollywood was that these are perfect, beautiful people who are perfect and beautiful always … and perfect people don't go and have plastic surgery, because they're perfect already." Joan Crawford After undergoing cosmetic surgery in 1953, the year of her MGM comeback, Crawford was quoted as saying, "The face and boobs are new, only the ass is the same." Gloria Swanson According to fellow actress Mamie Van Doren, Swanson had "everything" done in preparation for he role as Norma Desmond in "Sunset Boulevard." Swanson told Mike Wallace in 1957: "I think it's the male who has done this to the woman made her self-conscious about a wrinkle here and there." More on Life Reimagined | 6 | 7,601 | entertainment |
Motor City Exotics: The Gallery at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show Motor City Exotics: The Gallery at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show Although new product and concept reveals get much of the attention at car shows, the 2015 Detroit auto show also featured a gallery of exotic vehicles many people don't seem every day. We rounded up some of the top cars from the Detroit auto show's Exotics Gallery. Check out these exotics and a few details that make them special. Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster The Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster is the open-top version of the V12 Vantage S. So it comes as no surprise that it's powered by the same naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V-12 producing 565 hp and 465 lb-ft mated to a seven-speed Sportshift III automated manual transaxle. Aston Martin claims that the Roadster can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and that it has a top speed of 201 mph. The same luxury appointments apply, as well, but with the option of a lowered roof. Aston Martin Rapide S Although the Aston Martin Rapide S is the lone four-door in the automaker's stable, it still features the same coupe-like profile as its two-door brethren. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V-12 producing 550 hp and 457 lb-ft mated to a rear-mounted eight-speed Touchtronic III transmission. This rear-wheel-drive car pampers its occupants with lots of leather, though rear exit and entry can be difficult and headroom might be a bit tight for some adults. Aston Martin V12 Vantage The Aston Martin V12 Vantage S is the British automaker's smallest coupe with its most powerful engine: a naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V-12 producing 565 hp and 465 lb-ft mated to a seven-speed Sportshift III automated manual transaxle. With an engine compartment designed around a 4.7-liter V-8, the large V-12 takes up most of the underhood real estate. Lots of hood venting keeps the powerful engine cool. Inside, the V12 Vantage S features high-quality leather throughout the cabin. Aston Martin Vanquish Volante The Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is the open-top version of the automaker's most expensive GT. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 5.9-liter V-12 producing 565 hp and 465 lb-ft. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a rear-mounted eight-speed Touchtronic III transaxle. Inside, the carbon-fiber and aluminum-intensive Vanquish Volante features high-end leather and available metal and carbon-fiber bits. The automaker claims the convertible can run to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 201 mph. Bentley Continental GT V8 S Convertible The Bentley Continental GT V8 S Convertible is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 making 521 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed automatic sends power to all four wheels. The Continental GT wraps its occupants in copious amounts of wood and leather and real aluminum trim, and sunshine fills the cabin when the roof is stowed. Bentley claims the V8 S model can reach 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 191 mph. Bentley Flying Spur Sedan Despite being the most affordable Bentley sedan, the Bentley Flying Spur sedan still pampers its occupants in high-quality leather and has real wood and metal interior surfaces. Available powertrains include a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 with 500 hp and 487 lb-ft or a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12 with 616 hp and 580 lb-ft. An eight-speed auto sends power to all four wheels. Bentley claims the V-8 can reach 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and has a top speed of 183 mph, and the W-12 can reach 60 mph in 4.3 mph with a top speed of 200 mph. Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Although we'd seen the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 prior to the Detroit show, there is something exciting about a 650-hp American supercar. The supercharged 6.2-liter LT4 V-8 also makes 650 lb-ft of torque. Power is routed to the rear wheels via a seven-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transaxle. The high-powered supercar is also available as a convertible. The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 can play with cars costing several times its price. Falcon F7 Michigan-based Falcon Motorsports builds this low volume mid-engine supercar. The Falcon F7 is powered by a mid-mounted GM 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 modified to 620 hp and 600 lb-ft a huge improvement over the 505-hp, 481 lb-ft LS7 found in the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 and C6 Corvette Z06. The carbon-fiber/Kevlar-intensive Falcon F7 weighs just 2,850 pounds. Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes are standard. Ferrari 288 GTO Originally built for Group B race series homologation, each of the 272 Ferrari 288 GTO coupes remained street cars after the series was disbanded. The Ferrari 288 GTO was based on the 308 GTB but with a twin-turbo 2.8-liter V-8 in place of the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V-8. The 288 GTO's longitudinally mounted engine made 400 hp and 366 lb-ft compared to the GTB's 240-255 hp from a transverse engine. Ferrari California T Along with its mid-cycle refresh, the Ferrari California convertible's naturally aspirated V-8 was replaced by a smaller V-8 augmented with a pair of turbochargers. The Ferrari California T convertible's 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 makes 557 hp and 557 lb-ft, or 69 hp and 185 lb-ft more than the previous 4.3-liter V-8. A seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle sends power to the rear wheels. Ferrari claims the California T can reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and will top out at 196 mph. Ferrari Enzo Before hybrid hypercars were all the rage, the Ferrari Enzo was the Italian automaker's halo car. The Enzo's naturally aspirated 6.0-liter V-12 made an impressive-for-the-time 651 hp and 485 lb-ft. A six-speed automated manual sent power to the rear wheels. Stopping power came from 15.0-inch carbon-ceramic rotors at all four corners. Other than air conditioning, the Enzo offered few amenities. It was a carbon-fiber race car wrapped in a street body. Jaguar F Type Project 7 Although the Jaguar F-Type is a modern interpretation of the vaulted E-Type, the F-Type Project 7 takes some styling cues from the D-Type racer. The Project 7 builds off the standard F-Type convertible with a front splitter, chopped down windshield, molded-in fin behind the driver, fixed rear wing, and lowered suspension. The 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 gets a small bump to 575 hp, and torque remains at 502 lb-ft. The number 7 refers to the D-Type's Le Mans wins. Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Despite being the baby Lambo, the Lamborghini Huracan still makes more than 600 hp. That's right. Its naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10 makes 602 hp and 413 lb-ft. Peak power is made at a dizzying 8,250 rpm. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sends power to all four wheels. The Italian automaker claims the Huracan can reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.2 seconds. Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR With 550 hp and 502 lb-ft, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR is the quickest SUV around Germany's famed Nurburgring's challenging Nordschleife. That power comes from the same 5.0-liter supercharged V-8 found in the 2015 Jaguar F-Type Coupe R. An eight-speed auto routes power to all four wheels. The Range Rover Sport SVR can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and has a top speed electronically limited to 162 mph, according to Land Rover. Better yet, it hits these performance marks while still ferrying occupants in complete luxury. Local Motors 3D Printed Car Although still a production feasibility study, the Local Motors 3D Printed Car is the world's first car built by a 3D printer. Local Motors envisions building the first 3D Printed Cars with an electric powertrain. In fact, the company is already taking reservations on its website. Could this be the manufacturing process of the future? Local Motors Rally Fighter The Local Motors Rally Fighter may not be as luxurious as many of the cars on the list, but it is an extremely capable off-road vehicle built by you. Roughly the size of a Chevrolet Camaro, the Rally Fighter is powered by a GM sourced 6.2-liter V-8 with 430 hp and 424 lb-ft. The Rally Fighter offers a two-position ride height (61.25 inches or 69.25 inches) and up to 18.0 inches of front suspension travel and 20.0 inches of rear suspension travel. Maserati Ghibli The Maserati Ghibli arrived in 2014 to slot below the larger and redesigned Quattroporte sedan. Power comes from a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 making 404 hp and 406 lb-ft backed by an eight-speed automatic. The Ghibli can be had in rear- or all-wheel drive. Italian luxury included. Maserati Granturismo Convertible What better way to enjoy the back roads than in a four-place Italian convertible? The Maserati Gran Turismo convertible may be just the car. Power comes from a 4.7-liter V-8 making 453 hp and 383 lb-ft. A six-speed automatic sends power to the rear wheels. Maserati claims the Gran Turismo convertible can reach 62 mph in 4.9 seconds and has a top speed of 180 mph. McLaren 650S Spider At first, the McLaren 650S Spider seems to be a warmed-over 12C with a facelift, but the new front end inspired by the P1 hybrid hypercar improves aerodynamics without affecting drag. The 650S is also more powerful with its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 boasting 641 hp and 500 lb-ft to the upgraded 12C's 617 hp and 443 lb-ft. And of course who can forget the open driving experience. Porsche 918 Spyder Although the Porsche 918 Spyder isn't the German carmaker's first hybrid, it is the most powerful. Power comes from a 608-hp naturally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8, a 156-hp electric motor on the rear axle, and a 129-hp electric motor on the front axle. Total power output is rated at 887 hp and 944 lb-ft. Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid The Porsche Panamera S E-Hybird combines a supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 with 333 hp and 325 lb-ft and a 95-hp, 219 lb-ft electric motor for a combined system output of 416 hp and 435 lb-ft. A 9.4 kW-hr lithium-ion battery pack can be charged in 2.5 hours from a 240-volt power source. Porsche claims the hybrid sedan can reach 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and has a top speed of 167 mph. Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II At around 17 feet 8 inches long (212.6 inches), the Rolls-Royce Ghost is the smallest Rolls-Royce sedan available. The Ghost is powered by a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-12 making 563 hp and 575 lb-ft. An eight-speed automatic sends power to the rear wheels. Despite its smaller size, the quality of materials and workmanship matches that of the larger Phantom sedan. Rolls-Royce Wraith Built off a shortened version of the Rolls-Royce Ghost sedan's chassis, the Rolls-Royce Wraith coupe is the sportiest model in the ultra-luxury marque's history. The large coupe is powered by a more powerful version of the Ghost's 6.6-liter twin-turbo V-12 (624 hp and 590 lb-ft versus 563 hp and 575 lb-ft) and is backed by an eight-speed automatic. SRT Viper GTS With an 8.4-liter V-10 producing 640 hp and 600 lb-ft under the long hood, the SRT Viper GTS has one of the largest and most powerful naturally aspirated engines on any production car. Despite its fire-spitting power figures, the GTS trim is the most luxurious of Viper models and comes with leather and Chrysler's 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system. | 9 | 7,602 | autos |
Improve your creditworthiness by adopting the strategies used by those with high credit scores. Six Habits of People With Excellent Credit Scores Without even knowing it you might be doing things that are damaging your credit score, which affects your ability to get credit and the interest rate you pay when you do get credit. A 2014 survey by Credit.com found that consumers sometimes don't understand which actions will and will not help them improve their credit scores. To take the right steps to boost your score, you need to start by understanding the basics of credit scores. The FICO credit score is the most widely used score in lending decisions and ranges from 300 to 850. A FICO score of 750 to 850 is considered excellent, and those with a score in that range have access to the lowest rates and best loan terms, according to myFICO.com, the consumer division of FICO. A score of 700 to 749 is good, and those with a score in this range will likely be approved for loans but might pay a slightly higher interest rate. A score of 650 to 699 is considered fair, and those with a score in this range will pay higher rates and could even be declined for loans and credit, according to myFico.com. The three credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - also have created the VantageScore, which ranges from 501 to 990, and the VantageScore 3.0, which ranges from 300 to 850 (to mimic the FICO range). The VantageScore is growing in popularity among lenders but still isn't as widely used as the FICO score. No matter the name, scores can vary by credit bureau depending on when the score was calculated and what specific method was used to make the calculation. Each credit bureau has its own formula. You can get a free VantageScore 3.0 and a credit score from Experian through Credit.com . Credit Karma provides a free VantageScore and a TransUnion credit score with its credit report card. And Quizzle offers a free VantageScore 3.0 from Equifax. Or you could pay $19.95 per FICO score from each of the three bureaus at myFICO.com . Once you know your score, you can start taking the right steps to improve it. To do so, follow these six habits of people with excellent credit scores. 1. Pay on time Payment history is the top factor in most credit scoring models, says Gerri Detweiler, director of consumer education at Credit.com. So payments that are 30 days or more late can quickly drag down your credit score. And one late payment is enough to hurt your score, she says. According to myFICO.com, 96% of consumers with a credit score of 800 pay credit accounts on time; 68% of those with a score of 650 have accounts past due. Even if you can only afford to pay the minimum, always pay on time because that will have a bigger impact on your score than the amount you pay, Detweiler says. Set up automatic bill pay through your credit account or bank account so you don't miss a payment. 2. Minimize use of available credit Usually the second most important factor in your credit score is how much debt you have compared with the amount of available credit you have, Detweiler says. Those with a credit score of 800 use only 7% of their available credit, on average, according to myFiCO.com. But most consumers with a score of 650 have maxed out their available credit. You can see a significant increase in your credit score shortly after you pay down highly utilized credit accounts, Detweiler says. If your credit cards are maxed out and you can't pay them off quickly, she recommends consolidating your balances with a personal loan from a bank because the so-called credit utilization ratio (total credit balance divided by total credit limit) for those loans isn't calculated in the same way and doesn't weigh heavily on your score. 3. Maintain low or no balances People with excellent credit almost always keep low balances on their credit cards, and often don't pay interest because they pay their balances in full every month, says Jason Steele, a credit card expert for CompareCards.com . In other words, they only use cards for things they can afford to pay off with cash, he says. To become disciplined with credit and avoid racking up balances, Steele recommends logging into your credit account online after making a purchase to pay it off. If you're already carrying a balance, see How to Pay Off Your Credit-Card Debt in a Year for steps to pay off what you owe. 4. Have a lengthy credit history Those with a credit score of 800 have an average account history of 11 years (with oldest account opened 25 years ago) versus an average account history of seven years (with the oldest account opened 11 years ago) for those with a score of 650, according to myFICO.com. So opening several new accounts at once can shorten the average age of your credit history, Detweiler says. And closing old, inactive accounts also can hurt. This move can increase your credit utilization ratio since closing an account means you no longer have access to that available credit. 5. Only apply for credit when necessary It's important to have a healthy mix of lines of credit, including credit cards, auto loans, mortgages and even personal loans, Steele says. This shows that lenders are willing to trust you with their loans. And the more available credit you have, the lower your credit utilization ratio will be, he says. But that doesn't mean you should apply for every line of credit you're offered. Multiple inquiries from lenders for your credit reports in a short period can trim your score, especially if you don't have many credit accounts or you have a short credit history. Be especially careful when car shopping because Detweiler has heard lots of complaints from consumers whose scores dropped when they had several dealers pulling their reports for financing options. Rather than let a dealer shop your credit, choose a lender you like beforehand and get pre-approved for a loan. 6. Choose credit cards carefully People with excellent credit usually get the best credit card offers. But they're smart about the cards they choose. For example, even though retailers often offer discounts on purchases when you sign up for their credit cards, these cards often have low credit limits, which can hurt your credit utilization ratio if you carry a balance on those cards. Cards with annual fees also should be avoided, Steele says, unless they're packed with benefits -- such as cash-back rewards and miles that can be redeemed for travel - that outweigh the fee. Those who are smart with credit look for cards that waive that fee for the first year then re-evaluate the card in the second year to see if the benefits outweigh the fee, Steele says. It's also smart to look for cards that offer a 0% interest rate for the first year, he says. Copyright 2015 The Kiplinger Washington Editors | 3 | 7,603 | finance |
A Disney Magic cruise came to the rescue of a 22-year-old man who fell overboard from another cruise ship. | 8 | 7,604 | video |
Parents frequently hear that it's important to teach children about money , and it's hard to imagine any mother or father arguing the point. But obviously you're rushing things if you're trying to explain revolving credit to a 5-year-old. So if you're wondering what concepts kids can grasp and by what age, here are guidelines to get you from kindergarten to college. Your child is in kindergarten As you've observed, your child knows plenty about money. Every time you go through the grocery store checkout aisle, he probably demonstrates that he understands there are cool things to buy if only he can convince you. But what specifically should young children know about money? According to the Money As You Grow website (moneyasyougrow.org), launched by the President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability, a kindergartner should grasp four key concepts: 1. You need money to buy things. 2. You earn money by working. 3. You may have to wait before you can buy something you want. 4. There's a difference between things you want and things you need. How to teach your kindergartner: Even some grownups have trouble with that last part. But the best time to begin teaching kids about money is when they are young, before they become preoccupied with digital devices and other distractions. "Five-year-olds are inquisitive, they want to learn," says Diana Webb, an assistant professor of finance at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. So how can parents begin to lay a solid financial foundation in young kids? Along with finding teachable moments in your everyday routine, buy your child a piggy bank, suggests Brenda Nayonis, a senior vice president at Rockford Bank & Trust in Rockford, Illinois. "This helps them become more financially aware," she says. If you're so inclined, she adds, you can even bring the money they save to your bank, which probably has a savings program designed for children. Feeling really ambitious? You can also set savings goals for your kindergartner, says Rakesh Gupta, a business professor at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, who teaches a personal finance seminar for college freshmen. Then, when your kid meets his goals, you could deposit "interest" in the piggy bank, and explain what interest is, he says. Your child is in sixth grade By now, according to Money As You Grow, children should understand the concept of saving, including what compound interest is. Conversely, they should understand that credit cards are loans, not free money, and that if bills aren't paid in full within a month, you'll wrack up interest, paying more than you originally spent. They should also recognize that putting personal information, such as bank account or credit card details, on a website can be risky because someone could steal it . How to teach your sixth grader: If your child doesn't already have an allowance, it's time, Gupta says. He even thinks opening a bank account for your kid is a good idea by this age provided you help him use it and teach him to keep track of incoming and outgoing money. And while it may seem premature to give your children a bank account and an allowance, Webb says, "kids will have a far better understanding of money if they realize nothing is given to them without effort." Your child is a freshman in high school Not only should your teen be thinking about college and how much it could cost , according to Money As You Grow, she should also understand that if she won't have the cash to pay for something within the next month, she shouldn't pay for it with plastic. Ted Gonder, co-founder and CEO of Moneythink, a Chicago-based nonprofit specializing in educating inner-city high school students on financial literacy, says freshmen should also recognize how money can either help or stand in the way of achieving their dreams. "They should have goals in mind for their lives and understand that money is inextricably linked to those goals' fulfillment," Gonder says. How to teach your freshman: This can be hard. After all, you're the parent of a teenager. You don't know anything. "Try to get in touch with your kid's perspective his or her needs and desires," Gonder suggests. "Rather than sitting them down and saying, 'You're 14 now, let's talk about retirement,' or telling them, 'That pair of shoes you bought is a complete waste of money,' instead help them understand how tools like saving and spending mindfully can help them get what theywant." In other words, you may not like what your teen spends her money on, but as long as what she buys isn't an affront to your values, you'd be better off using that new pair of sneakers or video game as a teaching tool. If your teen buys what she wants but in the process learns how to manage her money , you both win. Your child is a senior in high school If teens have a job, Gupta says, "they should be given responsibility for paying some of their bills, such as a phone and credit card." Ideally, by this age, your teen's knowledge of money management should have significantly matured, so that he knows almost as much as you do about several financial concepts. Your teen, according to Gonder, should be prepared to enter his 20s with a sold understanding of: The difference between a grant and a loan The implications of fees and interest rates The dangers of alternative financial services like check cashers and payday lenders How to get and keep a job After all, this is the time when teens may start making financial decisions that could "determine the financial trajectory of their 20s and beyond," Gonder adds. How to teach your senior: Try an exercise Webb administers to college freshmen taking her personal finance class. It could work well for any high school senior who spends freely, she says. Webb asks her students to keep track of every single cent they spend for the duration of the eight-week class. She instructs them to avoid vending machines and ask for a receipt every time they make a purchase. After eight weeks, they assess how they're doing and look for spending patterns. "I then ask them to define want from need. This simple project gets them in touch with how they are spending money," Webb says. "Young adults get it." | 3 | 7,605 | finance |
Anything that can go wrong, will -- at the worst possible moment. | 8 | 7,606 | video |
QVC host Shawn Killinger and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi got into a head-scratching debate over whether the moon is a planet or a star. | 8 | 7,607 | video |
Written by Charlotte Campbell Hutchison For those who aspired to be the next Michael Jordan , Babe Ruth or Danica Patrick and couldn't quite cut the mustard, take a look at some wacky sports and contests you may be skilled enough to try your hand at. AIR GUITAR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Approaching its 20th year, this annual championship ( where is it held ?) hosts participants from all over the world, who compete to be crowned the world's best imaginary electric guitar player. Contestants are judged on their originality, stage presence, technical merit, artistic impression, "airness" and ability to be taken over by the music. The 2014 champ, Nanami "Seven Seas" Nagura from Japan, trampled over reigning champion Eric "Mean" Melin by wowing judges with her heavy head-banging and by riffing while bending backward. BING: WATCH THE 2014 WINNER Beer Mile Who says running and drinking can't go hand in hand? The beer mile consists of downing 12 ounces of beer before each full lap around the track. The fastest beer mile ( how fast ?) was recorded in April of 2014 by James Nielsen . BING: WHAT WAS HIS BEER OF CHOICE ? Bog Snorkeling When competing in the annual World Bog Snorkelling Championship in Wales, contestants submerge their bodies in the dirty, rank-smelling, six-foot-deep trenches of the Waen Rhydd peat bog and dog paddle 60 yards back and forth ( watch clips of the sport ). The current world record time is 1 minute, 22.56 seconds. BING: WHO IS THE WORLD RECORD HOLDER ? Buffalo Chip Toss Derek Noe of Harlingen, Texas, flung the dung the farthest during the 2014 World Championship Buffalo Chip Toss, recording a distance of 125 feet, 1 inch to win the male 18-and-older competition. The winning throw for the women's winner clocked in at 88 feet, 9 inches. BING: WHO IS THE WOMEN'S CHAMPION ? Cheese Rolling Thousands of competitors from all over the world flock to the top of a steep hill near Gloucestershire, England, to race after a rolling seven- to nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester hard cheese during the Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake competition. The winner of the contest is allowed to keep the cheese, a benefit that didn't excite last year's champion Josh Shepherd ( see his photo ) because he doesn't like cheese. The contest has become so popular it has spread to Whistler, Canada (pictured). BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE COMPETITION Chessboxing Just as the name suggests, this sport combines the mental strategy of chess with the physicality of boxing by incorporating alternate rounds of each, totaling six rounds of chess and five rounds of boxing ( who is the heavyweight champion ?). Each round totals three minutes, separated by 60 second breaks. The sport is primarily popular in Russia, Germany, Great Britain and India. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE SPORT Christmas Cracker Throwing In the name of crazy festive fun, more than 200 competitors congregate in Tiverton, England, to see who will be crowned the World Christmas Cracker Throwing Champion . The rules of the competition are simple contestants must throw from a standing position, no crumpling of crackers is allowed and only one hand can be used to throw. The 2014 record throw was set by 8-year-old Elliott Hurrell ( how far did he throw ?). BING: MORE ON THIS WACKY SPORT Chuckwagon Races Enthusiasts set up camp every Labor Day weekend at Dan and Peggy Eoff 's Clinton, Arkansas, ranch to duke it out Western-style for silver belt buckles and a portion of $20,000 in prizes. The Eoffs started the race in 1986 as something to do among friends. Over the years, the weekend event has grown to include more than 100 teams and 20,000 spectators. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF RACES The Color Run Color Run founder Travis Snyder wanted to create a non-traditional event that infused fun and excitement into a traditional 5K, so he came up with the brilliant idea of dousing runners with colored powder made of cornstarch along the course. Because the purpose of the run focuses on fun rather than competing, race participants are untimed, so there are no winners or prizes. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE RUN Cow Fighting This long-standing Swiss sport began in the 1920s and is often witnessed by as many as 50,000 spectators. Drawing from a particular breed of cattle 's natural instinct to dominate the herd, hundreds of farmers enter their best animal in hopes it will be crowned the queen of queens. The fighting is more peaceful than it appears due to the cow's horns being blunted to prevent injury. The last cow standing is crowned the winner. BING: WATCH COW FIGHTING CLIPS Extreme Ironing Championships Here's another quirky invention by the Brits ( the alleged founder ?). The "sport" is described by the Extreme Ironing Bureau as "The latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt." Some of the wackiest places competitors have been caught ironing include atop a mountain, the bottom of a lake, and ironing while bicycling, wakeboarding and hang gliding. BING: SEE PHOTOS OF EXTREME IRONERS Ferret Legging This test of endurance is said to have been popularized by British coal miners. Contestants place five live ferrets down their pants and whoever keeps the animals inside their trousers the longest is crowned the winner. Competitors' pants are secured at the waist and ankles so that animals cannot escape, and to make this wacky sport a little more interesting, underwear is not allowed ( what is the world record time ?). BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE CONTEST Greasy Pole Climbing Competition The name alone is enough for you to visualize what competitors are up against. Since 1931, the American competition has taken place during St. Peter's Fiesta in Gloucester, Massachusetts, ( who was the first winner ?) and involves straddling a horizontal pole propped 200 feet above the harbor ( who has the most wins ?). In Canada and many other parts of the world, contestants must climb up a vertical pole. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE COMPETITION Mobile Phone Throwing Championship This international event began in Finland in 2000 and entails four competitive categories that test the strength, style and technique of participants. The original and traditional categories mandate an over-the-shoulder throw ( who holds the world record ?), while the freestyle allows for more creativity in the realm of phone-launching. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE CONTEST Muggle Quidditch The sport made popular in the wizardly world of Harry Potter has made its way to college campuses and communities around the globe. Surprisingly, no magic is required, but with the many intricate rules and activities required to be declared the winner, some newbies may think it best to simply disappear. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE SPORT Mullet Tossing A local musician came up with the idea of creating a contest around tossing the unpopular saltwater fish after witnessing the popularity of the cow chip toss. Thirty years later, the event draws tens of thousands of people to the beaches of the Alabama-Florida state line. Dubbed the "adult spring break," the event has grown to include a triathlon and golf tournament. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE CONTEST Ostrich Racing This race is common in Africa and is one of an American Southern state's ( what state ?) oldest pastimes, beginning around 1890 as a tourist attraction. Contestants can opt to ride the ostrich bareback or with a cart and reins. The lanky birds have been known to reach speeds up to 45 miles per hour. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF RACES Pillow Fighting Except for a few rules, the arena venue and a time limit, this women-only sport ( governed by ?) is played in much the same way it is among children. Fights have a five-minute time limit and are won by pinning your opponent, surrendering, or referee stoppage. Leg drops, punching, clotheslines and other tactics are allowed as long as a pillow is used. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE COMPETITION The Redneck Games The cigarette flip, seed spitting, armpit serenade and bobbing for pig trotters are just a few of the events held at this unorthodox competition in East Dublin, Georgia. What began as a sarcastic reaction to the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics drew thousands to the small Southern town. Lackluster participation over the past two years has led to the event's cancellation, but locals are hopeful organizers will regroup and reboot soon. The sport wasn't all about fun and games. A portion of proceeds from the event went to support a national children's charity . BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE GAMES Rock-Paper-Scissors Championship The first recorded mention of the game dates back to the Chinese Han Dynasty . To date, the simple hand gesture has morphed from being a decision-settling tool to a world-wide competitive phenomenon. In 2014, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized the largest ever rock-paper-scissors tournament ( how large ?) at Gen Con in Indianapolis. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF TOURNAMENTS Shin Kicking Now, this doesn't sound at all fun. In fact, it sounds downright painful, but at least contestants are allowed to fill their pant legs with straw for padding ( who's the 2014 winner ?). BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE SPORT Wife Carrying The 2014 competition was a race to the finish with only a half-second separating the first and second place winners ( who won the race ?). Male contestants navigate a 278-yard dry and wet obstacle course while carrying a female teammate weighing at least 108 pounds. To the victor goes the spoils, or in this case, the female's weight in beer. BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE CONTEST World Beard and Mustache Championships The wackier the better appears to be the mantra of this hairy contest. Portland, Oregon, hosted the 2014 competition that drew 300 contestants vying for medals in 18 categories. Bigger isn't always better. According to event organizer Phil Olsen , judges seek the contestants whose facial hair "best enhances their overall appearance, style and personality." BING: SEE PHOTOS OF CONTESTANTS Worm Charming This unusual contest wormed its way into the mainstream in 1980 when local Willaston, England, ( where's that ?) resident Tom Shufflebotham wowed onlookers by charming 511 worms out of the ground in 30 minutes. Techniques vary, but all methods involve vibrating the soil to coax worms to the surface ( who holds the world record ?). BING: WATCH CLIPS OF THE CONTEST | 5 | 7,608 | news |
The future of driving Dwelling on the future of driverless cars has become something of a cottage industry among technology and automotive gurus. Everything from when the vehicles could finally be available for consumers to the insurance implications have steered the national conversation in lively directions. What we know, at this point in the evolution, is that it's going to take much more research and testing before autonomous vehicles are seen as safe enough to satisfy transportation officials and attract a mass-market. Google, Tesla Motors and some of the traditional automakers are busy with their own prototypes and routinely talk about how fast everything is progressing. Sergey Brin, Google's co-founder, recently predicted, perhaps optimistically, that his company could unveil a commercial vehicle as early as 2017. Mercedes-Benz has mentioned 2020 as a more realistic date. Tesla's Elon Musk has the target even further out, around 2023, according to news reports. The car insurance impact could be enormous if such vehicles mean much fewer accidents. As insurers balance their actuarial tables to reflect a drop in liability costs, analysts say they'd likely have to pass savings to policyholders. And who could be held responsible for any problems caused by self-driving cars? Manufacturers -- including those behind the complex technology at the core of these bold new machines -- would probably become, at least in part, the focus of lawsuits. But all this is speculation. And some of the speculation heads in very interesting directions. Here are a few of the more dramatic predictions of what could happen in a world brimming with robot cars: 1. They may be used for terrorism and help criminals Some researchers, including IHS Automotive, have warned that the technology of autonomous vehicles could be hacked by criminals to override safety features. Most alarming was a report in the Guardian detailing how the FBI fears terrorists might try to hijack the cars and use them as weapons. In the report, which was based on unclassified but restricted documents, the Guardian said the FBI worries that terrorists could fill a vehicle with explosives and guide it toward a target. "Autonomy … will make mobility more efficient, but will also open up greater possibilities for dual-use applications and ways for a car to be more of a potential lethal weapon than it is today," according to an assessment attributed to agents working in the FBI's Strategic Issues Group. Beyond terrorism, everyday criminals would have more freedom to shoot at police pursuers if they didn't have to navigate getaway vehicles, the report noted. On the plus side, the FBI believes these vehicles could lower the high number of accidents in which first responders are involved. "The risk that distraction or poor judgment leading to collision that stems from manual operation would be substantially reduced," according to the report. Further, the bureau suggests that tailing suspects should be improved with driverless cop cars. "Surveillance will be made more effective and easier, with less of a chance that a patrol car will lose sight of a target vehicle," the report states. 2. They may bankrupt cop budgets Police departments across the country, especially smaller ones, often depend on the income they gather from ticketing motorists. In fact, about 41 million people a year are hit with speeding tickets, with more than $6.2 billion in fines, according to statistics gathered by the U.S. Highway Patrol. But if self-driving cars don't make highway mistakes -- developers expect them to be able to eventually detect stop lights, speed limits and other road warnings -- then tickets for running red lights and going too fast could become obsolete. It's unclear how this could fully affect law enforcement, but there have been various reports over the years linking a department's budget to ticket revenue. In a well-publicized case last year, a local television news station reported that Atlanta officials tied pay raises for police to the amount of ticket income officers could generate. City officials denied the claims. 3. Glitches may turn them into zombie cars There's always the chance that a glitch in the vehicle's complex sensors could lead to accidents, deaths and other problems. A malfunctioning robot car could end up lurching down a highway aimlessly or, worse, plow into another vehicle or pedestrians. James Anderson, a senior behavioral scientist at the non-profit Rand Corporation, said in a recent study that manufacturers will need to design systems that recognize when a sensor is not transmitting correct information or no information at all. Besides eliminating bugs - not easy to do -- fail-safes will have to be in place to prevent disasters, he added. 4. People will trick them out to be hotel suites on wheels The Rand report also poses that once the fatigue of driving is erased from the equation, people may opt to travel farther - and with all the comforts of home. "Autonomous cars may shift users' preferences toward larger vehicles to permit other activities," says the report. "In theory, this could even include beds, showers, kitchens or offices." 5. Kiss car romance goodbye - no one will love them Americans have always put their cars on pedestals, admiring and pampering them. But if robot cars are mass-produced under strict performance and design guidelines, each one looking just like the next, then where's the lyricism, the romance? Automotive analysts have long pointed out that many car lovers find one or a few models to obsess over, with their infatuation growing stronger over the years. Would they be so devoted to driverless vehicles that are more likely to be as anonymous as they are autonomous? Jason Siemens, a southern California collector of older Ford Mustangs who frequently exhibits them at local car shows, just laughs at the notion. "I love Mustangs because they have character and history and are very fun to drive," he says. "The way you describe one of these (autonomous) cars, they just sound boring. I like that they may be safer, but I have absolutely no interest in them." 6. They will kill the classic road trip genre The fabled "road trip" may also lose its special appeal when friends who usually share time behind the wheel are expected to become passive passengers in a driverless universe. Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" doesn't sound as charismatic re-imagined as "In the Backseat," suggests the Rand report. "The lures of the open road are very different if no driver is necessary. For example, the frenetic power of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" depends, in part, on the epic cross-country drives that it chronicles. The book may lose some of its emotional power if driving becomes a rarity, pursued only by the eccentric or poor." 7. People won't own cars anymore Some industry watchers believe autonomous cars will provide a new model of transportation that will give people little incentive to own their own vehicle. "Under this 'Uber' like scenario, the same autonomous vehicle could be called upon for the morning commute by a number of individuals with laddered arrivals, while the vehicle could remain 'on duty' for errands during the day as needed by others," says Vincent DeAugustino in his Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst report. Benefits of this futuristic model include more car-pooling, less traffic and emissions. "In our view, these are great societal benefits if Americans can stomach a new definition of car ownership and the freedom it affords," writes DeAugustino. "Urban Millennials are displaying some willingness to migrate away from this cultural American hallmark, so there's some viability to this thesis, which would significantly reduce the role of personal auto insurance." | 3 | 7,609 | finance |
New US trade and travel rules covering Cuba have come into effect, allowing the use of credit cards and ending a ban on Cuban cigars. | 8 | 7,610 | video |
MILWAUKEE -- Marquette knew exactly what it was getting when Matt Carlino came to the Golden Eagles as a graduate transfer in April: Streaky, but also capable of carrying the offensive load on any given night. And that's exactly the player he's been. Carlino's first 16 games with the Golden Eagles have been a microcosm of his collegiate career. There have been moments like his 38-point game against Georgia Tech or his game-winning shot to beat Creighton, but he's also disappeared at times when Marquette's lackluster offense could have used a jolt. "I've had my ups and downs," Carlino said. "But I look to be playing my best basketball at this time of the year." After his 19-point night against Creighton, Carlino is Marquette's leading scorer at 12.7 points per game, down one full point per game from last season at BYU. Carlino is actually attempting nearly three fewer shots per game this season than he did as a junior with the Cougars, which likely has more to do with pace of play than anything else. BYU is consistently in the top 10 nationally in possessions per game, while this season Marquette is 228th in pace. While the Golden Eagles don't have the scoring threats around Carlino as the Cougars did, more possessions meant more scoring chances with BYU. "It has been a little bit different coming to a new team and finding my role," Carlino said. "I've played more off the ball than I ever have in my career, but I'm getting used to it." Carlino is shooting just 39.3 percent from the field but is fifth in the Big East in 3-point percentage at 39.5. He's hit just 28.6 percent of his 3-point attempts in conference play, but that includes a 1 for 10 night from beyond the arc against DePaul in the Big East opener. "I think the DePaul game really reflects the bad shooting numbers," Carlino said. "I know I'm going to knock down shots. I just have to keep shooting and be confident in myself, which I am." As the lowest scoring team in the Big East at 68.3 points per game, Marquette is in need of consistent offensive play from Carlino in order to win enough games to have a shot at the postseason. His scoring average has jumped to 14.0 in conference play and he's attempting 12.3 shots per game, up from the 8.4 attempts he averaged in Marquette's 12 nonconference games. The Golden Eagles are 8-2 this season when Carlino shoots 40 percent or better from the field, while they are 2-4 when his field-goal percentage is under 40 percent. "I think Matt has been a really key player for us," Marquette coach Steve Wojciechowski said. "A lot has been on his shoulders. There's no question that when he's playing at his best that our team can be really good. At times when he hasn't played as well, our team struggles. He's a very important player. "Matt's head and heart have always been in the right place. He's been a team guy. He cares about winning. For us to have an experienced guy like that is good." Adding Carlino was appealing to Wojciechowski for more than just his playing ability. Juan Anderson and Derrick Wilson were named as captains, but neither brought the experience of having played a major role on an NCAA tournament team. Being able to speak from experience has helped Carlino reach some of the younger players on Marquette's roster. "The best advice I have received was from Matt," Marquette redshirt freshman guard Duane Wilson said. "Just the other day he was telling me that it is always hard when you are a freshman and playing a lot of minutes. "You want to do well so bad that sometimes you don't as well because of that. He has told me, 'Let the game come to you and keep playing hard, because if you let the game come to you, it is more likely you are going to play better.'" While BYU is likely on its way to another NCAA tournament berth and Marquette is in the midst of a transition year, Carlino seems to have no regrets regarding his decision to spend his final collegiate season with the Golden Eagles. "Not to knock the WCC, but the Big East is one of the best conferences in the country," Carlino said. "It is definitely different, just the physicality and the size. I think it is good. That's what I came here for. I want to play against the best." Follow Andrew Gruman on Twitter | 1 | 7,611 | sports |
Local Motors has been making a splash at shows such as SEMA and Detroit by 3-D printing its Strati EV on a Cincinnati Inc. BAAM (Big Area Additive Manufacturing) 7-by-12-foot-bed 3-D printer right on the show floor. Downstairs at Detroit I got a ride in the first-gen Strati just as the company was announcing a mid-cycle refresh (revised headlamps, taillamps, windshield mounts, and the like). What are we, six months into the development of Gen 1? Welcome to the world of 3-D-printed cars: Tweak the design, hit send, print the face-lifted model. The ride was EV-fun, as the carbon-fiber-reinforced ABS plastic body/chassis weighs just 1,100 pounds, and it gets its 16-hp electric drivetrain (and its suspension) from the tiny Renault Twizy electric quadricycle, so it sprints around as quickly and nimbly as you'd expect. With precious few body/chassis parts to be joined, it feels ultra-rigid. A 6.1-kW-hr battery provides a claimed 62-mile range and tops out at 50 mph. It's envisioned as a kit-car neighborhood electric vehicle and will sell for $18K-$30K. At its Detroit press conference, Local Motors announced it will open two microfactories, one in Knoxville, Tennessee, and one in National Harbor, outside Washington, D.C. These small operations will be set up to produce some 3,000 vehicles, tailored to local needs. For example, the one near D.C. might build small electric shuttle-type vehicles for a real estate developer. The Knoxville plant will reportedly produce a more mainstream four-seat all-weather vehicle that will be unveiled at the New York International Auto Show in April. The technology for printing this carbon-fiber-reinforced ABS plastic was developed by Oak Ridge National Labs. The Printed Cobra Oak Ridge was also on hand during the press days, showing off its own 3-D-printed car. This one was conceived, designed, 3-D-printed, milled, painted, assembled, and driven in just six weeks. Yes, an entire drivable car was created from thin air in six weeks. The team decided on a Cobra in large part because the computer math for its iconic surface is available in the public domain and because parts such as the windshields, lamps, mirrors, and so forth are all easily sourced. They also did it in part to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Shelby's manufacturer championship win. This demonstration project has the full blessing of Shelby American. A rolling chassis was quickly designed to accept a Mustang front suspension and a Cadillac ATS rear suspension (metal mounting points can be easily encapsulated in the 3-D-printed material) and to house a front-mounted A123 15-kW-hr electric battery, a rear-mounted TM4 Inc. 134-hp drive motor, and GKN single-speed transaxle. Packaging this hardware required the bodywork to be widened slightly, which was easily accomplished using the computer model. The design phase lasted only a week. The body was formed in three sections, using a smaller "printer head" than the one printing the Strati (2/10ths of an inch versus 3/10ths), with some executed in a single spiral motion, creating the body section vertically, resulting in a Cobra-shaped tube that was later trimmed. Printing the body and chassis took another week, and it weighed 450 pounds -- not bad at $5/pound. The result was sanded smooth and gel-coated to a perfect class-A finish, and the oak-leaf shape on the hood is clearcoated to show off the layers of plastic. The finished product was driven six weeks after the project started. Weighing 1,550 pounds total, it's said to be capable of accelerating to 60 mph in 5.0 seconds. You can't buy this or any other ORNL vehicles. The point of this exercise was to demonstrate the speedy development cycle allowed by the tech. The real payoff will be with rapid prototyping. A mold for a fiberglass hood was sitting nearby. It had been printed, milled, polished, and gel-coated in two days. Creating such a tool by conventional means is a weeks-long, $100,000-plus undertaking. This one cost a few thousand. Now that's one heck of an enabling technology. Don't miss our comprehensive 2015 Detroit Auto Show coverage RIGHT HERE , with plenty of photos from the auto show floor. | 9 | 7,612 | autos |
Dear Cancer (June 21-July 22), you have got so much opportunity for financial success this year, Astrology Zone's Susan Miller sees money "falling out of the sky" for you. Ask for that raise and make it happen! See what else to look forward to in 2015 in love, work, and friendship with your extended Glamourscope. | 4 | 7,613 | lifestyle |
Coloring your hair can be damaging, but if you're a color junkie, there are a few must-have products that will keep your locks in shape! Krystin Goodwin (@krystingoodwin) has the best hair care products for dry or colored hair. | 4 | 7,614 | lifestyle |
An X-ray video taken by the BBC for its 'Wild at Heart' series shows how hamsters aren't just built for food hoarding, they're built for food smuggling. Jen Markham explains. | 8 | 7,615 | video |
Most Overlooked Tax Breaks for New Parents Because federal tax law reaches deep into all aspects of our lives, it's no surprise that the rules that affect us change as our lives change. This can present opportunities to save or create costly pitfalls to avoid. Being alert to the rolling changes that come at various life stages is the key to holding down your tax bill to the legal minimum.Got a new bundle of joy in your household? The key to tax breaks for your child is a Social Security number. You'll need one to claim him or her as a dependent on your tax return. Failing to report the number can trigger a $50 fine and tie up your refund until things are straightened out. You can request a Social Security number for your newborn at the hospital at the same time you apply for a birth certificate. If you don't, you'll need to file a Form SS-5 with the Social Security Administration and provide proof of the child's age, identity and U.S. citizenship.Read on for 10 opportunities to cut your tax bill as you grow your family. Dependency Exemption Claiming your son or daughter as a dependent will shelter $3,950 of your income from tax in 2014, saving you a quick $987.50 if you're in the 25% bracket. (The value of the exemption is reduced if your adjusted gross income exceeds $254,200 if you're single or $305,050 if you file a joint return.) You get the full year's exemption no matter when during the year the child was born or adopted. There's a big catch here, however: If you're subject to the alternative minimum tax, exemptions don't count ... at all.For 2015 tax returns filed in 2016, the exemption amount will rise to $4,000. $1,000 Child Tax Credit A new baby also delivers a $1,000 child tax credit, and this is a gift that keeps on giving every year until your dependent son or daughter turns 17. You get the full $1,000 credit no matter when during the year the child was born.Unlike the exemption that reduces the amount of income the government gets to tax, a credit reduces your tax bill dollar for dollar. So, the $1,000 child credit will reduce your tax bill by $1,000. The credit is phased out at higher income levels, beginning to disappear as income rises above $110,000 on joint returns and above $75,000 on single and head of household returns. For some lower-income taxpayers, the credit is "refundable," meaning that if it exceeds income tax liability for the year, the IRS will issue a refund check for the difference. Increase Your Take-Home Pay Because claiming an extra dependent will cut your tax bill, it also means you can cut back on tax withholding from your paychecks.File a new W-4 form with your employer to claim an additional withholding allowance. For a new parent in the 25% bracket, that will cut 2015 withholding and boost take-home pay by about $83 a month. You can also take the child credit cited previously into account on your W-4, pushing withholding down even more. Head of Household Filing Status If you are married, having a child will not affect your filing status. But if you're single, having a child may allow you to file as a head of household rather than using the single filing status. That would give you a bigger standard deduction and more advantageous tax brackets. To qualify as a head of household, you must pay more than half the cost of providing a home for a qualifying person and your new son or daughter qualifies. Earned Income Credit For a couple without children, the chance to claim this credit which offsets federal payroll and income taxes for low- and moderate-income workers and ranges from $496 to $6,143, depending on your income and how many children you have disappears when income on a joint return exceeds $20,020 in 2014. Having a child, though, pushes the cutoff to about $43,941 for 2014 returns. The income cutoff is even higher if you have two or more children. Child-Care Credit If you pay for child care to allow you to work and earn income for the IRS to tax you can earn a credit worth between $600 and $1,050 if you're paying for the care of one child younger than 13, or between $1,200 and $2,100 if you're paying for the care of two or more children under 13. The size of your credit depends on how much you pay for care (you can count up to $3,000 for the care of one child and up to $6,000 for the care of two or more) and your income. Lower-income workers (with adjusted gross income of $15,000 or less) can claim a credit worth up to 35% of qualifying costs, and the percentage gradually drops to a floor of 20% for taxpayers reporting AGI of more than $43,000. The next slide explains how you might combine this tax break with a child-care flex plan. Child-Care Reimbursement Account You may have an even more tax-friendly way to pay your child-care bills than the child-care credit: a child-care reimbursement account at work.These accounts, often called flex plans, allow you to divert up to $5,000 a year of your salary into a special account that you can then tap to pay child-care bills. Money you run through the account avoids both federal income and Social Security taxes, so it could easily save you more than the child-care credit. Some workers steer clear of reimbursement accounts because of the use-it-or-lose-it rule that requires you to agree to set aside a certain amount of money for the account at the beginning of the year and, if you fail to spend every dime on qualifying costs, you forfeit any balance at year-end. However, it should be fairly easy to pinpoint your expected child-care costs. Plus, the tax benefits are so powerful that you can come out well ahead even if you wind up forfeiting some of your set-aside. You can't double dip, by claiming a child-care credit against funds paid for with flex-plan money. But note that while the limit for flex accounts is $5,000, the credit can be claimed against up to $6,000 of eligible expenses if you have two or more children. So, even if you run $5,000 through a flex account, you could qualify to claim the 20% to 35% credit on up to $1,000 more. Although you generally can only sign up for a flex account during "open season," most companies allow you to make midyear changes in response to certain "life events," and one such event is the birth of a child. Adoption Credit There's also a tax credit to help offset the cost of adopting a child. The credit is worth as much as $13,190 in 2014. This credit phases out as adjusted gross income in 2014 rises from $197,880 and is completely phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $237,880 or more. Saving for College It's never too early to start saving for those college bills. And it's no surprise that Congress has included some tax goodies to help parents save.One option is a Section 529 state education savings plan. Contributions to these plans are not deductible on the federal tax return, but earnings grow tax-free and payouts are tax-free, too, if the money is used to pay qualifying college bills. (Many states give residents a state tax deduction if they invest in the state's 529 plan.) Coverdell education savings accounts (ESA) offer another way to generate tax-free earnings to pay for educational expenses. Regardless of how many people contribute, there is a $2,000 limit on how much can go into any beneficiary's account in one year. There is no deduction for deposits, but earnings are tax-free if used to pay for education expenses. You can use the money tax-free for elementary and high-school expenses, as well as college costs. Kid IRAs You may have heard about kid IRA and the fact that relatively small investments when a child is young can grow to eye-popping balances over many decades. While that's true, there's a catch. You can't just open an IRA for your newborn and start shoveling in cash. A person must have earned income from a job or self-employment to have an IRA. Gifts and investment income don't count. So, you probably can't open an IRA for your newborn (unless, perhaps, he or she gets paid as an infant model). As soon as your youngster starts earning some money by babysitting or delivering papers, for example, or helping out in the family business he or she can open an IRA. The phenomenal power of long-term compounding makes it a great idea. Although a child must have earned income to have an IRA, the child's own money doesn't have to go into the account. It's fine for a generous parent or grandparent to give the child money for the account. Contributions are limited to $5,500 a year, or 100% of the child's earnings, whichever is less. | 3 | 7,616 | finance |
One win doesn't change much. It doesn't change the fact the Timberwolves are 6-31 and firmly in the Western Conference's 16th and last standings spot. It doesn't magically grant the NBA's worst defense magical powers that aid its stopping ability. It doesn't change the fact they're on the way to an 11th straight season that ends with Game 82. And it doesn't improve the club's league-low attendance rating. Just don't tell that to anyone who was in the Bankers Life Fieldhouse's visiting locker room Tuesday night after Minnesota's 110-101 victory. "You're trying to win every game, and the losses keep piling up, it's frustrating," forward Robbie Hummel said afterward. "But when you do finally snap it, it feels like such a weight off your shoulders. Everybody was happy and laughing and smiling. We haven't seen that in a while." Said coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders: "It's been a long stretch to go through. Guys have put in a lot of hours, a lot of time." And point guard Mo Williams, who had a franchise-record and NBA season-high 52 points Tuesday: "Hopefully this is a step in the right direction." Before Tuesday, Minnesota hadn't won on the road since the day after Thanksgiving. It had just one home win in that time. Its 15-game skid tied the third-longest in club history. Starting with Phoenix (23-18, eighth in the West) Friday night, the Wolves have three more road games to try and keep moving in a more positive trajectory. Shooting guard Kevin Martin and center Nikola Pekovic -- both of whom have been out since mid-November with injuries -- are expected back soon, and point guard Ricky Rubio isn't far behind. "Reinforcements are coming," Saunders said. So while the overall portrait of 2014-15 hasn't changed, the vibe has. At least for the moment. "We haven't won in a while," center Gorgui Dieng said after Tuesday's win. "We've been (saying) the past month we're getting better and better. I think it's just going to motivate us more to work harder." After two days of practices in Arizona, Minnesota faces a Suns team it nearly knocked off last week at the Target Center. Then comes road matchups with Denver (18-20) and Charlotte (15-25) to close out a trip that takes Minnesota all over the map. If they can overcome the jet lag, muster some semblance of defense and get Martin or Pekovic back at some point, the good energy just might persist. "Guys have gotten better," Saunders said. "It's nice that they can get some positive reinforcement, knowing if they do things the right way and work hard, you can have some success." That's been the theme of a rebuilding season since its outset. Wolves brass expected a significant step back after trading Kevin Love but never this kind of irrelevance -- and, symbiotically, poor fortune -- so fast. A few pieces to the long-term puzzle are taking shape, though. Minnesota has the West's only rookie of the month this year in Andrew Wiggins, who's averaging 20.9 points per game during his last 11. Dieng has been a force inside despite being the only available center. Second-year swingman Shabazz Muhammad has been one of the league's most improved players, though his outer oblique strain that'll keep him out at least until next week is a setback. This season was, is and will be about selling hope for the future. After Tuesday, the Wolves have an iota more to offer themselves and fans. "Through this streak, guys have kept a positive attitude and kept on working to get better," Saunders said. "It's nice that they're rewarded for their hard work a little bit." Follow Phil Ervin on Twitter | 1 | 7,617 | sports |
14 Things to Know Before You Start Running Whether you're running just for recreation or you have goals to break personal bests, success (however you may define it) will require some trial and error; figuring out what does and doesn't work for you. This applies to everything from your training program and apparel to nutrition and recovery techniques. That said, there are also some universal running truths; rules or guidelines that, for the most part, are essential for successful running. And unfortunately, many runners don't learn these lessons until long after they've been involved in the sport. Ask any runner what they wish they had known before they started running and these are a few of the answers you might hear. Be patient Whatever your goal is, it's going to take time to get there. Especially if you're just starting out as a new runner, you're probably going to have to deal with some soreness and the first few weeks of running probably won't feel so great, but don't let it discourage you. Every runner was once in your shoes. A few things to keep in mind: increase your mileage slowly and gradually and don't run too fast. Eventually your body will be able to handle longer distances and speedier workouts, but when you're just getting started, taking it slow and steady is of most importance. It's OK to walk As previously mentioned, for the first few weeks running probably isn't going to feel so great. If you're out on a run and feeling particularly winded, don't be afraid to take a walking break. Try a few workouts where you alternate between bouts of walking and running to help build up your cardiovascular endurance. Be consistent Speaking of building up your cardiovascular endurance, in order to do so you'll need to be consistent with your running workouts; three to four sessions a week is a good place to start. Unless you need to rest because of an injury or illness, avoid long gaps of time without running in order to build and maintain both muscular and cardiovascular strength and endurance. Rest Rest is just as important as consistency, so don't forget to build recovery days into your training plan. Aim to allow for at least 24 hours of recovery time between running workouts. It's during the time that we're resting when our muscles repair and grow, which means that recovery is required if you want to make improvements. Also, don't be afraid to take an extra rest day if you feel like you need it. If something feels off or you're feeling particularly tired you're better off playing it safe. One extra day off to allow your body to heal is definitely better than having to take off weeks or months because of an injury. Eat well Think of your body like a car. The food you eat is like gas. Whole foods (fruits, veggies, lean protein, whole grains) will serve as the best type of fuel. Supplementing your running with a nutritious and balanced diet will help to improve your performance. Sneakers are important, but they're not everything Finding a pair of shoes that are comfortable will definitely make your running experience better. But don't be fooled into thinking that an expensive pair of sneakers will instantly make you an incredible runner. A good pair of shoes is only one piece of the puzzle and performance gains will only come if you put in the work. Eventually add some cross training to your routine Once you get into the swing of things and are starting to feel more comfortable with running, it's a good idea to add some cross training to your routine. This means including one or two weekly workouts that aren't running. Cross training will help to increase your strength and prevent injury. Try exercises that will build muscle strength and also improve your joint range of motion, like swimming, weight lifting, or yoga. Run with music Music is especially helpful when you're in need of some extra motivation. In fact, some research has found that it might even help you to run faster. Run without music On the other hand, there are benefits to running without music, too. Even if you feel like boredom would get the best of you, you should try running unplugged every now and then. It will help to improve your awareness by forcing you pay more attention to things like your breathing and your footsteps. Make friends with a foam roller Other than an actual massage, nothing will relieve the pain of sore muscles better than a foam roller. It's an essential recovery tool because it can help to increase your mobility and flexibility by breaking up tight, knotted muscle tissue. Shake things up This tip first serves as a technique for avoiding boredom. Running will get old really fast if you run the same route for every single workout. Second, it's also a technique for avoiding injury. Stay healthy by balancing your training with different types of workouts. Aim for just one or two faster-paced sessions a week. The rest of your training should be done at a moderate or easy level of intensity. Never judge a run by the first mile It takes a little bit of time for your body to warm-up and on some runs it will take longer than others. Sometimes the first mile of a run will feel downright awful, so much so that you'll probably consider giving up on the workout. Don't throw the towel in, though. Give your body a chance to adjust. Chances are you'll find that comfortable running groove if you just hang in there for a little while longer. Only run fast sometimes If you run too fast, too often, you greatly increase your risk for injury. Your body can only handle so much exercise at intense levels. As mentioned earlier, to improve your speed you only need one or two fast-paced workouts a week. Additionally, you should incorporate one weekly "recovery run" into your routine. This workout should be completed at a slow, easy pace. For every rule you learn about running, there's usually always an exception Every runner is different. Part of the process is figuring out what does and doesn't work for you. In their September 2013 issue Runner's World featured a story titled, "Break the Rules: Five outliers prove that to run well you don't have to follow all the laws all the time." It told the stories of runners who found success even though they didn't "follow the rules." Like one who never incorporates cross training and another who ran every single day, never incorporating time for rest and recovery. "[Rules] work for most people most of the time," the article explained. "Often, scientific evidence backs them up. But as with almost any other endeavor in society that doesn't involve criminal activity, running rules can sometimes be broken- or at least bent- without the world coming to an end." | 7 | 7,618 | health |
To help inspire women to get moving without the fear of being judged, Sport England's campaign shows women of all ages and sizes proving physical activity is for everyone. Jen Markham (@jenmarkham) explains. | 8 | 7,619 | video |
If popcorn wasn't already on your list of favorite snacks, these recipes are sure to get you addicted to the crunchy, light popped snack. Coconut Caramel Corn Get the recipe Party Popcorn Get the recipe Garam Masala Popcorn Get the recipe Sweet Popcorn Get the recipe Peanut Butter Popcorn Get the recipe Snackin' Popcorn Get the recipe Chili Caramel Get the recipe Truffle and Parmesan Popcorn Get the recipe Chocolate-Toffee Popcorn Get the recipe Cookies and Cream Popcorn Get the recipe Honey mustard popcorn Get the recipe Poppin' Popcorn Brittle Get the recipe Popcorn with Chili Oil Get the recipe Caramel and Chocolate Popcorn Get the recipe Rocky Road Popcorn Get the recipe Smoky Bacon Popcorn with Burnt Sugar and Sea Salt Get the recipe Spicy Cheddar Popcorn Mix Get the recipe Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls Get the recipe Caramel Corn with Smoked Almonds and Fleur de Sel Get the recipe Movie Star Popcorn Get the recipe | 0 | 7,620 | foodanddrink |
Award season just keeps getting better! On Thursday night, Michael Strahan kicked off the 2015 Critics' Choice Awards by bringing the heat with a red hot strip tease to prep for his role in Magic Mike. As for awards, Boyhood continues to sweep up awards taking home four including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Young Actress and Golden Globe winner Patricia Arquette snagged Best Supporting Actress. Check out the video to get the scoop on this year's Critics' Choice Awards! | 8 | 7,621 | video |
As Boko Haram continues its reign of terror across Nigeria, CNN's Nic Robertson speaks with some of its youngest victims. | 8 | 7,622 | video |
Don't take your aching, tight back lying down! Fight back with the gentle yet effective power of yoga. Relief could be as simple as increasing flexibility in your spine, and this yoga sequence will help to stretch and elongate the muscles in the torso. Becoming more bendy not only eases pain, but it also improves your posture, making your tummy look trimmer. Complete these 14 poses once on the right side and then on the left. Relaxed Down Dog This easy version of Downward Facing Dog allows you to target the back more than the hamstrings. Come onto your hands and feet in Downward Facing Dog.Bend your knees, lift your heels off the mat, and allow your spine to arch, pressing your navel toward your thighs.Stay like this for five breaths. Arching Three-Legged Dog This variation of Three-Legged Dog involves bending the knee of your top leg, increasing the flexibility in your hip flexors, spine, and hamstrings. From Relaxed Down Dog, step both feet together so your big toes are touching. Keeping the left heel on the mat, raise your right leg in the air coming into Three-Legged Dog, and then bend the knee. Actively squeeze your right heel in toward your hip, lifting the knee high. Lift your head up and turn to look over your left shoulder, arching the spine. Think about drawing your head and foot toward each other (if your spine is extremely flexible, your foot and head will touch).Hold here for five breaths, keeping the belly still and breathing into the chest. Wild Thing Strong and poised like a ballerina, this pose is an advanced version of Extended Tabletop . From Arching Three-Legged Dog, keep your left foot where it is. Bring your right knee into your chest, raise your left hand up, and simultaneously rotate your torso 180 degrees so your belly is pointing up toward the ceiling as you plant your right foot on the ground about a foot and a half to the right of your left foot.Deeply arch the spine, and reach your left fingertips toward the floor.Actively press into your feet and right hand to lift the hips as high as you can, breathing here for five breaths, gazing at your extended hand. Wild Thing Continue working the same muscles as you flip around and flow into Wild Thing on the other side. Keep your left foot planted firmly, and plant your left hand on the mat in Down Dog position.Raise your right leg into the air, coming back into Arching Three-Legged Dog with the right knee bent, and then allow it to gently fall to the floor behind you.Extend your right arm into the air, arch, and reach your fingertips toward the floor. Actively press into your feet and left hand to lift your hips as high as you can, staying here for five breaths, gazing at your right hand. Arching Pigeon Open hip flexors are a must for spinal flexibility, so here's a pose that will target the front of the hips as well as offer a nice stretch for the front of the body. Lift your right foot and arm into the air, and rotate your torso 180 degrees, pivoting on your left foot. Plant your right hand in Down Dog position, and bring your right knee between your hands, coming into Pigeon .Plant your palms beside your hips, and gently arch back, releasing your head between your shoulder blades.Enjoy this pose for five breaths. Revolved Pigeon This pose will continue to open the hips as well as offer a deep spinal twist. From Arching Pigeon, release your left elbow to the mat in front of your right knee, palm facing down. Raise your right arm into the air and hold your right hip or for a deeper twist, hold onto your right toes. Actively draw your right shoulder back as you gaze over the top shoulder.Breathe here for five breaths. Camel A classic backbend, Camel also helps open tight shoulders. From Revolved Pigeon, untwist the torso, plant your palms on the mat in front of you, and step your left knee forward, coming to stand on the shins. Make sure the knees are hip-width distance apart. Lean back and place your hands on your heels, arching back, and allowing the head to fall between the shoulder blades. Continue to press the hips forward, enjoying this pose for five breaths. King Pigeon This pose is similar to Cobra , but bending the knees will help to deepen the stretch. Rise up from Camel, place your hands on the mat in front of you, and come to lie on the belly. Walk your hands in toward your hips, coming into Cobra.Actively press into the palms, bend both knees, arch back, and try to touch your toes to your head.Stay here for five deep breaths. Half Bound Squat This hip-opening squat variation offers a nice lower back release as well as a deep stretch for the chest and shoulders. Release King Pigeon Pose and hop your feet forward, coming into Wide Squat .Bring your right arm between your knees. Lower your right shoulder as far under your right knee as possible, so you hug your knee with your armpit as you reach your right forearm around your back with your palm facing away from your body.Reach your left arm up as high as you can, bend your elbow, and bring the back of your left palm to your lower back.Try to have the right fingers through the left. If they're close enough, hold your left wrist with your right hand, with the left palm facing behind you.Stay here for five deep breaths. Come back to Wide Squat for one complete breath to release the pose and repeat on the left side. Then return back to Wide Squat. Half Wheel Another classic backbend, this is a prep for Full Wheel Pose that'll open the shoulders as well as the muscles in the front of the body. From Wide Squat, sit down on the mat and slowly roll backwards, resting on your spine. Bend both knees and plant the soles of the feet on the mat directly under the knees. Try to keep the feet parallel. Interlace the hands in a double fist, and gently rock the upper torso from side to side to bring the shoulder blades closer together. Actively press into the feet to lift the pelvis, holding here for five breaths. Then lower the hips and hug the knees into the chest. Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose Here's an advanced backbend that targets the upper spine. After hugging the knees, plant the soles of the feet on the mat so the heels are close to the hips. Plant your palms on the mat above your shoulders so the fingertips are pointing at the feet.Press into the palms and feet, lifting the head off the floor for a brief moment, but then release the crown of the head to the ground. Lower your elbows to the floor and interlace the fingers so the palms cup the top of the head (as if doing Bound Headstand ).Slowly walk your feet away from you, straightening the legs.Hold here for five breaths. One-Legged Inverted Staff Here's a more challenging variation of Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose that'll help to strengthen the upper legs. From Two-Legged Inverted Staff Pose, walk the feet toward the head as far as you can, and then raise the right leg in the air. Hold here for five breaths, lower the right leg, and then raise the left leg, holding for another five breaths. Release the left foot to the floor. Wheel The most basic backbend , this challenging pose not only increases flexibility in the spine, it also strengthens the upper body. From Two-Legged Inverted Staff, release your clasped hands and plant the palms on the floor in front of the face.Press into the palms to lift the head off the floor. Walk your hands and feet as close as you can toward each other.After five strong breaths, release the hips to the mat and hug the knees into the chest. Eagle Twist Here's a relaxing way to increase side-to-side spinal flexibility. After hugging the knees into the chest, cross your right knee in front of your left knee. Wrap your left toes around the back of your right ankle, just like in Eagle Pose .Extend your arms out in cactus position with your elbows at right angles, palms facing up.Slowly lower both knees to the left. Rest them on the ground, and turn your head to the right.Hold here for at least five breaths, feeling your spine lengthen and twist. You may even hear some "cracks."Use your abs to lift your knees back to center. Uncross your legs and cross them the opposite way, with your left knee on top. Slowly lower both knees to the right, and look over your left shoulder.After five breaths, lift the knees back to center. Uncross the legs, sit up, and work your way back to Downward Facing Dog, repeating this sequence on the left side. | 7 | 7,623 | health |
Long vests make for great season to season transitional pieces because they can be worn over anything from dresses to pants. Jennifer Lawrence tried the trend with a black and white vest accented with an asymmetrical lapel and black pants. Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell put a fun twist on the menswear style by layering a tux-inspired vest over a dress. This sleeveless coat is a great alternative to the blazer and is polished enough to take you from an office meeting to after work cocktails. | 8 | 7,624 | video |
Even the owner of my hotel had the good sense not to be where I was. In a couple of weeks, he said as I checked in at the Whaleback Inn, he and his wife would head to Florida to begin a weeklong Caribbean cruise. "Winter gets long here," said Scott Koehler, who has run the Whaleback for 15 years. "The ice melted on the lake (last) year in April." It was a sentiment I heard often: Leelanau Peninsula winters are long. Very, very long. Last year, it was as much as 265-inches-of-snow long. (By comparison, Chicago had 82 inches.) While that might be a fair argument not to live on the peninsula, it's no argument not to visit in winter; sometimes being in the right place at the wrong time is all the reason to be there. Such is the case for the Leelanau Peninsula, a spit of land stretching into Lake Michigan like the pinkie on the back of the left hand that is Lower Michigan. For much of the year - especially summer and fall - Leelanau attracts the masses who seek a gentle, pastoral Midwest: rolling landscape, glowing sunsets, twisting rural roads and two dozen wineries. But in winter? Not so much interest. It's understandable. The landscape that is verdant in summer turns brown and bland, then icy and white. Sunsets are swallowed by steely winter skies. Half the businesses are shuttered until spring. Single-digit temperatures are not uncommon. There was a ski area, Sugar Loaf, that once attracted winter visitors, but it has been closed since 2000, which leaves few obvious reasons to visit Leelanau after the leaves drop from the trees. Leelanau doesn't quite shut down in winter, but it doesn't exactly stay open either. As that hotel owner told me, many places just aren't winterized. Many do, however, open their doors for at least some of the winter - wineries in particular, which is quite helpful in the deep north Michigan cold - which makes the peninsula still worth visiting, albeit beneath five layers of clothing. Winter in Leelanau is always sort of in transition. For instance, Martha's Leelanau Table, a restaurant in the town of Suttons Bay, is experimenting for the first time with staying open this winter: Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday brunch. The night I happened in, the specials were geared toward their winter experiment, including a cassoulet and turkey pot pie. "The pot pie has a cheesy biscuit top," my server said. "Very wintry," I said, and looked around. Only one other table was occupied. "Do you expect to have enough customers to make staying open during winter worthwhile?" "We'll see," she said. The next morning I peeked through the hotel blinds to spy a steely gray sky - like most winter mornings here - and Lake Leelanau lightly crusted with ice and snow. Bare tree branches quivered in a 33-degree breeze that felt much colder. A storm was on the way. I walked up the road to embrace winter the best way I know - on foot. Just down the road from the Whaleback sits the Whaleback Natural Area. A sign at the trailhead showed a photo of a man on the trail surrounded by green grass and thick trees on a sunny day. That wouldn't be me. Instead I hoofed across a trail matted with ice and snow atop a bed of crunchy brown leaves. What can best be described as a "wintry mix" soon began to fall. It wasn't rain and it wasn't snow; it was more of the tiny ice pellets that make a crackly static sound on your hood. Except for my own steps and breath, there wasn't another sound. For much of the walk, I was able to grab views of green-gray Lake Michigan through the spiny trees that, in summer, would have been flush with leaves. Somewhere beyond the pines, I could hear large waves beating the shore. I took my sweet time on the 2-mile trail, savoring the quiet, trying not to slip and appreciating the absence of another human for who knew how far. The wintry mix picked up and became a wet, heavy snow, the kind good for a perfect snowball. I packed a couple and checked out my aim on some trees. Back at the hotel, I climbed into my car to tour the peninsula; up its western edge to the northern point, then back down the east shore before crossing back over. I would be traveling about 50 miles, which could have been done in an hour or so. But between the snowy roads and lazy speed that a trip through the heart of winter demands, it took five or six hours. I created a weather-appropriate playlist of slow and hazy songs (named, of course, "Wintry Mix") and pointed my car north. I stopped less than a mile down the road, at the town of Leland, which I recognized from a previous trip when the sidewalks were teeming with shorts- and T-shirt-clad visitors. Today it was quiet and still, and I took stock of a town that was half open (Trish's Dishes restaurant, Hullabaloo party-supply store) and half closed (Main Street art gallery, Tampico Imports jewelry shop). I wandered into Leelanau Books, on the town's short main strip (called Main Street, naturally), and bought a postcard showing something close to the scene outside: a few boats in the Leland harbor, everything caked with snow and ice below a stilted gray sky. It turned out the woman working the register had taken the photo. "Someone asked how I got the sky to look that steely gray," Lori Wegener said. "I told him that's just what it looks like here in winter - every day." She said she's lived on Leelanau for 42 years, then added, "Come February, you say to yourself, 'And we live here because ...?'" Yet she stays. "If we get sunshine, no matter what, it's a beautiful day," she said. On I went up pine-hugged Michigan Highway 22, in a slow-spinning snow, until reaching a restaurant that a local had recommended as both a peninsula staple and likely open in late December: Fischer's Happy Hour Tavern. The restaurant is indeed quintessential upper Midwest: a dim, low-ceilinged room with a pool table at its center that's easy to imagine during a Friday night fish fry in summer, pool balls clacking, cold beers on a server's tray and the din of a packed, sun-burned room. Instead, the only thing stirring was a solitary woman behind the bar who said, "Yes - we're open!" It was indeed hard to tell. I took a seat at the bar and she asked, "How are the roads?" "Not bad if you're not in a hurry," I said. Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" swirled in the speakers above. The woman behind the bar was Kristi Fischer, who was about to become a third-generation owner of a restaurant that has been in the family for 44 years. They would be closing from New Year's Day to Valentine's Day, but I was lucky to have caught her in an empty restaurant in December. "You bleed money in the winter up here," said Fischer. "You have to pay your staff, and business is hit or miss." Last winter was an unfathomable hit. Due west of Fischer's Happy Hour Tavern, just a couple of thousand feet through the woods, a remarkable collection of ice caves formed on Lake Michigan in mid-February. As word spread and downstaters came to check out the natural wonder, Fischer's became packed every day at noon. Most winters the most they hope for is a smattering of decent business from the snowmobile crowd. Without another soul in the restaurant - I was the fifth customer of the day, which Fischer blamed on the snow - I could monopolize her attention and ask about Leelanau in winter. "I like it, but I grew up in it," she said. "I cross-country ski and snowmobile and snowshoe. It's our time to play and relax." After a turkey Reuben, Fischer directed me toward one of her favorite places to play: Leelanau State Park, 1,300 acres of shore and woods at the peninsula's northern tip. That includes 8 1/2 miles of incredibly well-marked hiking trails, which prompted my second wintry walk of the day, this time toward a long, narrow beach. After several hours of snowfall, the world gleamed with 3 inches of white. I slowly worked my way to the great sand dunes overlooking Lake Michigan, where the lakeshore looked like a layer cake: white (snow), beige (sand), greenish-blue (water), icy gray (sky). As dusk fell, I headed back south, with enough time for one drink to warm me up. I remembered a cider maker, Tandem Ciders, housed in what looks like an old barn in a quiet bend on a quiet road in the middle of the peninsula. With its dark wood bar and deep red walls, the tasting room feels as much like a rural English cottage as a cidery in rural Michigan. I took a seat and ordered a blend of Tandem's sweeter cider, Smackintosh, blended with a tart, purplish plum cider. A couple of locals sat at the bar, one of whom ordered his usual: a blend of Smackintosh and a dry, mouth-puckering cider made from crab apples called The Crabster. "Mostly Smack?" the bartender asked, referring to the man's usual preference. "Nah," he said. "Two-thirds Smack, one-third Crab." The bartender paused, briefly thrown by this change in routine toward a heartier blend. "Well," he said. "I guess it is winter." [email protected] Twitter @joshbnoel If you go Leelanau Peninsula is about 320 miles from Chicago by car up Michigan's west coast; a car is essential for exploring the area. American and United airlines fly nonstop to Traverse City from O'Hare International Airport; book far enough ahead, and fares can be less than $300. Several hotels close for some portion of winter in Leelanau Peninsula, though Whaleback Inn (1757 N. Manitou Trail, Leland; 231-256-9090, whalebackinn.com) and Korner Kottage Bed and Breakfast (503 St. Joseph Street, Suttons Bay, 231-271-2711, kornerkottage.com) remain open. Restaurants can be hit and miss, though the larger towns - Suttons Bay, Leland, Glen Arbor and North Port - should have something open. Most of the wineries (lpwines.com) maintain some winter hours, though it's best to check the website for details. Winter activities include ice fishing, snowshoeing and hiking on the many trails spread across the peninsula. More information: leelanauchamber.com. | 2 | 7,625 | travel |
Meteorologist Tom Sater looks at the approach Typhoon Mekkhala towads Tacloban, Philippines, where the Pope is scheduled to hold a mass for 160,000 people. | 5 | 7,626 | news |
Golfer Webb Simpson changed changed from an anchored putter and is adjusting quite well. Simpson has a share of the lead at the Sony Open after 36 holes. | 1 | 7,627 | sports |
Two golfers decided to shoot the worst trick shot video ever created. | 8 | 7,628 | video |
A mother to-be with cancer refused chemo to help her unborn daughter. Now, the child is one and the mom's health is deteriorating. Stephanie Elam reports. | 8 | 7,629 | video |
There's a lot more to Denmark than its wonderful capital, Copenhagen: It's time to give other places a look, too. Take Aarhus . It may be one of the country's oldest cities (founded by Vikings in the late 8th century) but it's also one of the most forward-looking, with a youthful, buzzy vibe and a reputation as a cultural powerhouse. It's been sprucing itself up in recent years, and in the run-up to its role as one of the European Capitals of Culture in 2017, the changes are continuing apace. GET A ROSE-TINTED VIEW The perfect way to start off a trip to Aarhus? Go to ARoS , the main art museum, and head straight up to the top floor. Here you'll find Olafur Eliasson's 'Your Rainbow Panorama', a circular glass skywalk that offers 360-degree views over the city in every color of the rainbow. You can get your bearings and put a smile on your face at the same time what's not to love? Once you've worked your way through the spectrum, there's plenty more to discover on the floors below the museum has an impressive collection of paintings, sculptures, installations and other artworks, including Ron Mueck's famous 'Boy', a giant sculpture of a crouching child. STEP BACK IN TIME Walking round an open-air museum of urban history might not immediately sound like the most fascinating way to while away a few hours but Den Gamle By (it means "the old town") definitely earns its place on the Aarhus must-do list. A collection of historical buildings gathered from around Denmark and re-erected here, it offers a taste of life in three different eras. The 19th-century bit is all Hans Christian Andersen charm, with pretty half-timbered houses, horse carts and wandering geese, and the 1927 neighborhood comes complete with an ironmonger, bookstore and soap shop. In the 1970s section, you can visit several recreated apartments, including one where a magic mirror allows you to view yourself wearing a range of '70s fashions. DITCH THE CAR Aarhus is an eminently walkable city, with all the main attractions within easy strolling distance. But if you want to head a little further afield, do as the Danes do and jump on a bike you can hire them for DKK 110 a day from Cycling Aarhus . Head south of town and in no time at all, you can be following shady trails through forests of beech and birch, or whizzing along the coast soaking up the sea views. They also do guided group tours. HEAD OUT TO SEA Take a sightseeing boat trip with Aarhus Sea Rangers , and not only do you get a different perspective on the city and the chance to see how the new waterfront district is developing, you also get to whizz over the waves at speed, whooping as the salt spray plays havoc with your hair. Along the way you pick up a few fascinating facts about the local marine life, too like the fact that you can see seal pups in spring, and the water's so clean it's home to lobster. SHOP FOR DANISH-CHIC HOUSEWARES Aarhus has a good reputation for shopping, and it doesn't disappoint, especially if you fancy picking up ceramics and other homewares. At every turn you'll find plenty of appealing little boutiques and studios guaranteed to relieve you of your krone, particularly if you wander around Frederiksbjerg or stroll through the quaint cobbled streets of the Latin Quarter. Try KÄHLER and friends (M.P. Bruuns Gade 41) for covetable ceramics, view the work of dozens of Danish designers at Designer Zoo (Badstuegade 19), or just stumble across your own little shopping find. HIRE A VIKING A former railway freight yard isn't normally high on any city's list of tourist attractions but then Godsbanen isn't your average freight yard. What was once an industrial site has now become a new creative and cultural hub, with an alternative vibe and a strong eco angle. The redeveloped buildings house workshops, studios, stages and project rooms that anyone can use for a fee so if you want to do a bit of woodwork or metalwork, use a sewing machine or print photos, but don't have the facilities at home, you can come and do it here. There's also a skate park, a roof with a view and a gardening place that plants up boxes of herbs and vegetables for local businesses to adopt. Oh, and a local Viking group where, should the need arise, you can rent a Viking for a day. VISIT THE IRON AGE A brand new state-of-the-art museum filled with ancient artefacts that's what you'll get at Moesgård Museum , which opened in October 2014. The building itself is impressive enough, an angular, grass-roofed affair set into a hillside just outside town, with light-flooded interiors clad in noise-softening ash (walls) and soft grey Norwegian slate (floors). But the exhibits also promise to dazzle the museum designers are planning some innovative ways to bring the past to life and display their permanent collection (which includes Grauballe Man, a perfectly preserved Iron Age bog body). In April 2015 there will be a special exhibition of China's Terracotta Army, including some artifacts that have never been out of China before. JOIN THE PARTY They do like a festival in Aarhus. A big student population means it's a lively destination at any time of year but come during one of the big annual shindigs and you'll find the city on particularly good form. Favorites include NorthSide (a live music festival) in June, the Aarhus Jazz Festival in July and the Food Festival in September, but biggest of the bunch is the Aarhus Festival , with performances, events and installations taking place all around town over a 10-day period in late August/early September. Another to bookmark for next year is Sculpture by the Sea , a biennial event that sees dozens of al fresco artworks strung out along the beach to the south of the city. DRINK COFFEE If you've got a serious coffee habit, you're in luck - the city is full of great little coffee houses and you're never far from a quality caffeine fix. Duck through an archway halfway along Klostergade, for instance, and you'll find Great Coffee , where they slow roast their own pure Arabica beans and the multiple-medal-winning owner offers barista training courses. Look out, too, for Emmerys , an organic bakery and coffee shop with several branches around town, and Street Coffee, which has one outlet on Brammersgade and another on Vestergade. STAY IN STYLE Opened last summer, Comwell Aarhus , in the rapidly developing area to the south and east of the central train station, occupies the first 12 floors of the city's second tallest building. Every aspect of the interiors, from the carpets to the coat hangers to the staff uniforms, has been overseen by Danish design house HAY, so naturally enough there's not a frill or a flounce in sight. Expect simple, clean-cut, 50s-influenced Scandi style. | 2 | 7,630 | travel |
Anaheim winger Jakob Silfverberg had two goals in Anaheim's 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils. Also, Cory Schneider left the game with an upper body injury and wouldn't return. | 1 | 7,631 | sports |
Jack Nicklaus sat down with Holly Sonders to remember his storied career and the state of the game today. | 1 | 7,632 | sports |
Make your inner thighs burn in just 60 seconds with this gate swing challenge. This functional and full-body exercise targets the inner thighs nicely. First we will teach you how to do gate swings, then we'll lead you through the challenge. Lace up your sneakers, and press play to start the timer. | 7 | 7,633 | health |
French skier Candide Thovex shot one of the coolest ski videos that you'll ever watch. | 1 | 7,634 | sports |
Tony Stewart through the years Tony Stewart, born May 20, 1971, in Columbus, Ind., is a three time NASCAR Cup Series champion (2002, '05, 11), the 1997 Indy Racing League (IndyCar) champion and the 1995 USAC Triple Crown champion. Tony Stewart during driver introductions prior to the 2015 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Kevin Ward Jr. was struck and killed by a car driven by Tony Stewart during an Empire Super Sprints race at Canandaigua (N.Y.) Motorsports Park on August 9, 2014. On Sept. 24, 2014, the Grand Jury completed its investigation and announced no criminal charges would be filed against Stewart. Tony Stewart signs autographs for fans during practice for the 2014 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Tony Stewart poses with a Texas Motor Speedway rifle after winning the pole for the 2014 Duck Commander 500 in Fort Worth. Tony Stewart told reporters at a Sept. 3 newsconference, "I've damn near passed out at every doctor visit I've been to so far," because there was so much skin damage. Tony Stewart gets wheeled into a press conference on Sept. 3. Stewart fractured his tibia and fibula in a sprint car crash in Iowa on Aug. 5, 2013. Tony Stewart, not visible, is checked over by medics after being involved in a four-car wreck at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. Mark Martin, left, talks to Tony Stewart during the drivers' introductory lap before the Sprint Cup race in Fontana, Calif., in 2013. Tony Stewart, above, stars in a Mobil 1 commercial with Formula One driver Jenson Button. Jeff Burton, left, says he's come to like and respect Tony Stewart, right, quite a bit over the years. Three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart plans to drive over 100 races at smaller venues this season. Stewart Haas Racing expanded to three cars in 2013, adding Danica Patrick as a full-time driver in Sprint Cup. Stewart endures yet another photo shoot, this one in his Nationwide Series suit. "Nice, nice!" shouts a director. "You're a pro. That was bad ass." The team owner says of balancing the demands on his time: "I've got more stuff asked of me every week. But I drive a race car for a living. … Life's good." Stewart throws his helmet at Matt Kenseth's car after the two collided racing for the lead on lap 333 during the 2012 Irwin Tools Night Race in Bristol, Tenn. Tony Stewart celebrates winning the 2011 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Stewart drives the No. 14 Chevrolet during the Feed the Children Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway on June 6, 2012 in Rossburg, Ohio. Stewart bought Eldora Speedway in 2004. President Barack Obama (right) talks with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart during an event to honor him and the other 2011 Sprint Cup Series drivers at the White House on Tuesday, April 17, 2012. Danica Patrick (left) talks with Stewart during practice for the 2012 Daytona 500. 2012 was Patrick's first season as a driver for Stewart's team, Stewart-Haas Racing, Stewart and his crew push his midget car to the track before he competes in the 2012 Race of Champions at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Okla. Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, celebrates in after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford 400 and the 2011 Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20, 2011 in Homestead, Florida. The title was Stewart's third Cup series championship, having previously won in 2002 and 2005. Stewart celebrates his third Sprint Cup title with his mother Pam Boas at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2011. There always is a media crush around the three-time Sprint Cup champion, shown here at Daytona Speedweeks in 2010. After driving for Joe Gibbs Racing for 10 years, Stewart became a team owner and driver with Stewart Hass Racing in 2009. Stewart, an Indiana native, kisses the bricks after winning the 14th running of the Allstate 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July of 2007. Stewart shows his frustration after a last lap crash during the 2007 Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Tony Stewart, left, shown with Ryan Newman in November 2005. Stewart would later become Newman's boss when he ran his own team. Stewart celebrates his first Brickyard win by climbing the fence at the finish line with his team on Aug. 7, 2005. Stewart (right) celebrates atop the flag stand near fans at Daytona International Speedway after winning the 2005 Pepsi 400. According to National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), Stewart is one of the Top 10 most popular drivers in NASCAR. Stewart won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July 2005 for the first of four wins in the summer race there. Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. talk after the first session of practice for the Bud Shootout in 2004. Stewart signs a car for Philip Simons in May 2003. Stewart drives through the first turn at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the final practice session before the 85th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2001. Stewart occasionally raced in the IZOD IndyCar series from 1996-2001. Tony Stewart (20) flies through the air after an accident during the 2001 Daytona 500. Despite winning three Cup championships and racking up 47 career wins, Stewart has yet to win a Daytona 500. Stewart (20) passes Jeff Gordon (24) en route to winning his first Winston Cup Series race at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va., Saturday, Sept. 11, 1999. Stewart sits in his car in the garage area at Pocono International Raceway while talking with crew chief, Greg Zipadelli. The photo, taken in 1999, is from Stewart's rookie season in the Cup series. | 1 | 7,635 | sports |
Watch as Dirk Nowitzki interrupts Chandler Parsons' interview after the Mavs' win over the Nuggets. | 8 | 7,636 | video |
World number one Rory McIlroy hit a hole-in-one for the first time in his young career on Friday at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. McIlroy aced the 177-yard, par-3 15th hole using a 9-iron. "It never left the pin," McIlroy said after achieving yet another great moment in his golf career. | 8 | 7,637 | video |
There's no love lost between the Blackhawks and the Jets, and they took it out on the ice in the Jets 4-2 win Friday. | 1 | 7,638 | sports |
In his first game against his former team, Capitals head coach Barry Trotz lost a heartbreaker to the Predators. The Preds would score two goals in the final four minutes to steal a 4-3 victory. | 1 | 7,639 | sports |
We give 120 Seconds of Glory to Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who is profiting off some of his own catchphrases. | 1 | 7,640 | sports |
Floyd Mayweather Jr. was sparring on Friday night, this time verbally from his courtside seat at Staples Center. Mayweather engaged in trash talking directed at Clippers forward Matt Barnes during the game against the Cavaliers at Staples Center, and it wasn't the kind of friendly trash talking you sometimes see between celebrities and athletes. Mayweather shouted things at Barnes, and Barnes directed words back at the boxing champ. Things got intense while there was a stoppage in play for free throws. Barnes grabbed a body part while directing words at Mayweather, and Mayweather yelled back. Mayweather continued to yell things at Barnes while he was running up and down the court. It's unclear what the argument was over. Asked about the incident, Barnes said: "I'm trying to talk about basketball. I don't give a (expletive) about no one off the court." Reminded that this happened during the game, Barnes said: "I don't care. You want to talk about basketball? We talk about basketball. I'm not talking about nobody off the court. We talk about basketball or I'm not talking." Beyonce and Jay Z also were sitting courtside as Barnes scored 17 points and had eight rebounds in the Clippers' 126-121 loss to Cleveland. To even the playing field, Barnes should go to one of Mayweather's prize fights and yell at him from ringside. And shouldn't Mayweather not engage in trash talking with anyone until he agrees to fight Manny Pacquiao? At the Lakers game on Thursday, some fans were yelling "Fight Pacquiao!" to Mayweather's entourage. Mayweather often makes a scene when he sits courtside at Clippers and Lakers game because of the "The Money Team," personal security who travel with him. At halftime, these huge men stand behind his courtside seat, making it impossible for many to see over them and watch the halftime show. But Mayweather, who interestingly enough expressed interest in buying the Clippers before Steve Ballmer bought the team for $2 billion, made sure there was a sideshow to this game. Asked about his reaction to the heated debate between Barnes and Mayweather, Clippers coach Doc Rivers said: "That's fine. I mean, I don't like it, obviously. Matt played well. It didn't distract him. I didn't see it, so I don't want to comment on it." | 1 | 7,641 | sports |
We get you caught up with Friday's top stories, including Russell Westbrook's triple-double, James Neal's game-winner for the Predators and the latest action from the Sony Open. | 1 | 7,642 | sports |
The 2015 Critics' Choice Movie Awards sure was exciting to watch and you can thank Michael Strahan for that. The NFL Hall of Famer, who hosted the show, kicked things off by stripping down to his boxers and showing off that incredible physique of his during his opening monologue. | 8 | 7,643 | video |
New for 2015 The 2015 Honda CR-Z is unchanged. Vehicle Summary The 2015 Honda CR-Z is a small front-drive hybrid hatchback sold in base and EX trim levels. It is available with a 1.5-liter I-4 making 130 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque when paired with the six-speed manual transmission. Cars equipped with the continuously variable transmission (CVT) make 127 lb-ft. A navigation system is available but only for the EX variant. Overview Despite Honda marketing the 2015 CR-Z as a sport hybrid, it prioritizes fuel economy first with manual-equipped models rated at 31/38 mpg city/highway while opting for the CVT raises those numbers to 36/39 mpg. For those looking for more performance, Honda offers a host of upgrades including a sportier suspension setup, exhausts, a limited-slip differential, and 18-inch wheels. A supercharger kit is also available for the 2015 CR-Z but only on cars equipped with the six-speed manual. This increases the hybrid engine's total system output to 197 hp but requires owners to use 91 octane fuel or higher. Interior space is acceptable for two adults while cargo room is small with a maximum capacity of 25.1 cubic feet. The 2015 Honda CR-Z has a four-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA (out of a possible five stars). UPDATE: In IIHS evaluations, the 2015 CR-Z received a Good score in four categories (Good is the highest possible score). What We Think The 2015 Honda CR-Z remains a niche player among affordable sporty compact cars with its fuel efficient hybrid drivetrain. In a 2012 comparison test of six fun and relatively inexpensive compact cars, the pre-facelift Honda CR-Z took second place due to its confident handling and quick steering, allowing it to "attack corners with gusto." You'll Like Good fuel economy Available Honda performance upgrades Confident handling You Won't Like Useless rear seats Small trunk Lack of power Key Competitors Mini Hardtop Scion tC Hyundai Veloster Kia Forte Koup Fiat 500 Rating 4 star | 9 | 7,644 | autos |
A Winchester rifle was found standing up against a tree in Nevada's Great Basin National Park and as Mara Montalbano (@maramontalbano) tells us, it created a mystery park officials are trying to solve. | 8 | 7,645 | video |
Stress and depression run rampant in today's fast-paced world. Fitness and nutrition expert John Basedow (@JohnBasedow) has some of the best mood elevating foods including salmon, walnuts, legumes, seaweed, saffron, coconut and dark chocolate, that help increase 'feel good' brain chemicals. | 8 | 7,646 | video |
Trains, toilets, there's no limit to where they'll nap. | 8 | 7,647 | video |
The Chicago Bears hire former Denver Broncos' Head Coach John Fox. To see more Bears videos download the Bears DeskSite. | 1 | 7,648 | sports |
The secret to sculpting a firm, toned and strong body is constantly varying your workouts so your muscles and mind won't get bored. And now is the ideal time to refresh a tired fitness routine, kick-start a new training program and explore new workouts classes. To help you ease into your new fitness groove, we've rounded up everything you need so you don't feel like the only new kid in class. The Inspiration: Powerhouse celebs including Ellie Goulding and Hilary Duff are bosses when it comes to working up a serious sweat. They crave the intensity of a tough boot camp workout, and their defined physiques are proof of their hard work. The Tips: Prepare for anything. Boot camp workouts extend beyond the typical "military-style" class. Sure, you're going to see plenty of push-ups, squats and lunges, but this fitness workout pulls from traditional calisthenic exercises, bodyweight moves, sprints, sports drills and plyometrics. Classes can be anywhere (indoors, in a park, on the beach) and may include buddying up with classmates for partner exercises. Expect to feel breathless. The workouts are designed to push your cardiovascular limits, build strength and improve agility. Most classes incorporate intervals, so while your heart rate will spike, you'll also have time to recover. The instructor is there to challenge you, but remember you can always modify movements and take breaks as needed. Go for time or reps. Class styles vary greatly but there tends to be two main formats (similar to overarching program designs you'll see in CrossFit workouts). The first is a time-based workout: for example do as many rounds of 10 squats, 10 burpees, 10 push-ups as you can in 20 minutes. The second is rep-based, which looks more like: do 10 rounds of 10 squats, 10 burpees, 10 push-ups as fast as you can. With either style there's only one thing to keep in mind: keep good form at all times. The Moves: The 24-Minute At-Home Boot Camp 9 Ways To Amp-Up A Push-Up All-Over Toner: Boot Camp Buffers Your 4 Move, No-Equipment Circuit Firm Up Fast The Gear: Wear: Classes feature a variety of exercises lateral jumps, squats, high knees so you need a pair of sneaker that's ready for anything. Look for training sneakers instead of running shoes as they tend to have extra traction built into high-impact areas such as below the ball of your foot. When it comes to your apparel, think comfort and avoid cotton as the material will begin to feel heavy when drenched with sweat. Use: Foam rolling will help ease muscle tightness, so you can bounce back from tough workouts faster. Try: Whether you're exercising at home or at your favorite studio, you're going to sweat. Keep a water bottle handy to help you stay hydrated. Credits: Ultimate Racerback (Kira Grace, $68); Free To Play Crop (Yogasmoga, $84); Women's Limited Edition Harley Pasternak Zero (New Balance, $89.99); GRID Foam Roller (TriggerPoint, $39.99); Green With Envy (S'well, $45). | 7 | 7,649 | health |
By Steve DelVecchio Eleanor Miriam Gallagher of Nanticoke, Pennsylania passed away on Wednesday at the age of 81. According to her obituary, the Pittsburgh Steelers may have shortened Gallagher's life. More specifically, Gallagher's family feels that the team's disappointing exit from the playoffs coupled with the departure of defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau was too much for her to handle . Eleanor was a devoted Pittsburgh Steelers fan, and the family firmly believes that the recent separation of Dick LeBeau and the Steelers' poor performance this season might have inadvertently contributed to her demise. We know a Kansas City Chiefs fan who knew exactly how Eleanor felt . It isn't easy being a sports fan. | 1 | 7,650 | sports |
High school hockey in Massachusetts is serious. Serious enough to wrestle and bite a referee after the game. William C. Kenney III, an assistant hockey coach at Taunton High, allegedly chest-bumped the referee Wednesday night after Taunton lost to King Philip Regional High School, 9-1. The referee then pulled Kenney's jersey over his head before the two men wrestled on the ice. The referee came away with a bitten and bloody finger, according to the Boston Globe . According to the referee, Kenney was angry over an icing call in the first period and taunted him the entire game. As Kenney approached the referee, he allegedly said he hadn't had his workout that day and he would "kick (the referee's) a " as his workout. A police lieutenant working the game and Attleboro Police Chief Kyle Heagney broke up the fight. "I was absolutely befuddled that I was witnessing it, from start to finish. Instinctively, my law enforcement training kicked in and I assisted [a Foxborough police] lieutenant, but I was utterly embarrassed for Taunton High School," Heagney, who is also the head coach for the Norton High School varsity hockey team and was waiting for his team to play, said. "I've never seen it in 20 years." As Kenney was escorted off the ice and arrested, parents from Taunton reportedly got upset and yelled at the officers. "It was like a mob mentality," Heagney said. "The Foxborough Police Department should be commended on their response." Kenney resigned Thursday morning and, in a brief hearing, was released on personal recognizance after pleading not guilty to charges of assault and battery and disorderly conduct. Kenney, 46, was ordered to stay away from the referee and all youth sporting events. "When kids see this, it sends absolutely the wrong message," Heagney said. "His conduct was extremely unbecoming. He's supposed to be a role model for these young student athletes." Neither Kenney nor the referee commented on the incident. | 1 | 7,651 | sports |
By Joe Boland As I'm sure you all know, the NCAA reached an agreement with Penn State University to restore the wins that were vacated for the Penn State football team and the late head coach Joe Paterno. In addition, Penn State will be allowed to spend that $60 million fine in-state on " activities and programs for the prevention of child sexual abuse and the treatment of victims of child sexual abuse ." As far as the history books are concerned, this turn of events reinstates Paterno as major college football's all-time winningest coach at 409 victories. That's wonderful news for the Paterno family and all the zealots out there. It also lends credence to the repeated arguments from both Penn State supporters and Penn State haters that the NCAA far overstepped its bounds and acted impulsively and improperly when handing out punishments it may or may not have even had jurisdiction over. Seeing as all the sanctions minus the fine have officially been overturned, it's been proved that the NCAA handled things inappropriately. But in all honesty, for most people, this news doesn't mean a damn thing. For the people who view Paterno as an enabler and false prophet, this decision doesn't erase the crimes of omission the late head coach committed, and it shouldn't. Joe Paterno did not do enough in the entire scandal , and he even seemed to admit as much before his passing. He should not be let off the hook for allowing a criminal to hang around his program after being given disturbing news, and he most assuredly should have been on top of seeing that the horrible actions that were conveyed to him by Mike McQueary were followed up on. He didn't, and we shouldn't forget that. For the people who view Paterno and Penn State as pristine and the molder of men, a coach just as dedicated to classwork as field work, they believed Paterno was the all-time winningest coach the whole time, NCAA be damned. As an alumnus who grew up idolizing Paterno being half-Italian and raised Catholic certainly didn't hurt in that regard I still view the end of his tenure as tragic and disappointing, while respecting the legacy he had built before the fall. I still think Paterno deserved to be dismissed , and I still believe he should have done more and deserved all the criticism in the world for not. He was the man who built the "Success With Honor" edict, which meant even until the end that he was beholden to live that creed. He didn't in this situation, which makes him hypocritical at worst and naive at best. Either way, if he was too old to understand the seriousness of the situation, he was most definitely too old to be the head football coach and face of a university. Yet, I also still believe that deep down, Paterno wanted to do and mostly did good. That doesn't excuse his behavior at the end, but the end also should not define an entire lifetime. It's a tricky situation, and truthfully, while I will always admire a lot of what Joe Paterno did and stood for, I lost a lot of respect and admiration for him because of all this, respect and admiration that will never be restored. Frankly, none of that matters either. What matters is, now, finally, perhaps we as a university can move on. I say we because I am a member of the alumni association, and I love Penn State as much as I love anything else in this world outside of my family and friends. I was raised on Penn State and attended Penn State University Campus for four years, graduated from there. And I was raised on Penn State University, not just Penn State Football. That means I care about the university, and now, I hope the leadership will care about the school as a whole, not just the legacy of its most famous employee. Truth be told, the board of trustees at my alma mater and the agenda some of its members had to restore Paterno's wins and his name always bothered me. Who were they doing this for? A deceased man who couldn't care less? It was not the job of the university to clear Joe Paterno's name. That cause, if anyone wanted to take it up, was the duty of the Paterno family, not Penn State. Penn State's board of trustees were and are supposed to look out for the university and for the current and future students. That's board members' job, not trying to defend the deceased. This entire effort always seemed pointless to me. The university should have moved on and now hopefully can move on and look at how it can become the best Penn State it can be for the students it is tasked with educating. Along the way, the fanatics overtook the noise and made an entire university look bad, look like it had its priorities misplaced and its reasoning blinded. As a member of the Penn State family, that infuriated me. We're not all mindless drones, taking up pitchforks and joining the mob to demand the wins and good name of Joe Paterno restored. Yet it sometimes felt that way, driven often by the board of trustees. Well, in the end, they got what they wanted. The wins have been restored, and Joe Paterno is once again at the top of the NCAA football mountain. And it doesn't mean a damn thing. The wins never mattered. Joe Paterno's name never mattered. What mattered in all of this is that a terrible thing happened, and while most people all agree it was terrible and more should have been done, the focus was always on football on wins and scholarships and bowl bans and a deceased head coach's name. That's not what any of this ever should have been about. It should have been about the victims and the crime and the horrible culture of child abuse, both sexual and beyond. It should have been about making sure something like this never happens again, about starting a conversation, about making the world a better and safer place. It should have been about more than a football program and a football coach. Yes, Joe Paterno is back as the all-time winningest coach, and Penn State gets to bring those wins back. But it doesn't really mean a damn thing. It never did, and it never will. Sadly, for some people, that seems to be the only thing that ever mattered. And that just proves we really haven't learned much at all. The NCAA may have conceded defeat, but when it's all said and done, no one has truly won. | 1 | 7,652 | sports |
It was a week of sibling love in the world of celebrity families. We saw celeb parents post pictures of their tots hugging it out, goofing around, and just having fun together. From Kourtney Kardashian's sleepy siblings and Rachel Zoe's serious boys to Tori Spelling's snuggly brood and Tiffani Thiessen's soon-to-be big sister, celeb tots couldn't hide their love for each other. Click through to see this week's cutest celeb-tot candids - all shot by Mom or Dad - and don't forget to follow POPSUGAR Moms on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter! Beyoncé sparked pregnancy rumors after sharing this photo of herself with Blue. Luca Comrie waited in his teepee for a "monster" to arrive. Ivanka Trump's cuties - Arabella and Joseph - visited their mom and grandpa on the set of Celebrity Apprentice. Mason and Penelope Disick got tangled up while sleeping in their mom's bed. Skylar and Kaius Berman had a brother-to-brother meeting that looked like a lot of fun. Three of Tori Spelling's tots - Stella, Hattie, and Finn - took a mock sleigh ride through the snow. Josh Kelley's littlest one, Adalaide, showed off her musical talent in a perfectly sized piano. Soleil Moon Frye's little Lyric enjoyed his music class. Michael Bublé looked prepared for his flight to Shanghai with Noah. Willow Hart was ready to help her dad in the workshop. Sarah Jessica Parker and her son, James Wilkie, had a mother-son date on the subway. James Knight made the cutest little Batman! Elsa Pataky and India Hemsworth fed some cute little kangaroos in Australia. Tori Spelling cuddled up with her four tots for a family movie night. Molly Sims's son cheered on his dad's favorite team while playing with his Legos. Tiffani Thiessen announced that Harper will soon be a big sister with this beautiful photo. | 4 | 7,653 | lifestyle |
Whether you're shopping around for Valentine's Day or you just love yourself a good heart, you will fall head over heels for these gift ideas. All kinds of love-filled items will make perfect presents for your BFF or even better - yourself. Check out our ideas and get ready to fall hard. Heart Print T-Shirt And Short Set ($38) Holika Holika Heartful Silky Lipstick ($12) River Island Heart Sunglasses ($11) Love Heart Cross Body Bag ($23) Heart Pillow ($20) Skinny Neon Leather Waist Belt ($23) Socks With Sheer Heart Design ($8) Sam Ubhi Heart Earrings ($72) Heart Ankle Strap Wedge Shoes ($66) You Complete Me Jigsaw Puzzle ($17) I Love You Heart Candy Box ($10) Marc Jacobs Heart Notebook ($18) Sequined Cushion ($18) Heart Cutting Board ($24) Kate Spade Heart Watch ($175) Me + You Heart Frame ($8) Heart Wall Clock ($30) Compania Fantastica Heart Print Belted Trench ($129) Rachel Pfeffer Designs Druzy Sweetheart Ring ($124) Heart Print Hair Brush ($4) Floral Heart Print ($12) Eyes For You Soap ($12) Heart Print Beauty Bag ($7) Konjac Sponge Facial Puff ($17) Foil Heart Balloon ($4) Heart Mug ($15) Ruby Heart Posts ($388) Scattered Hearts Scarf ($148) Comme des Garcons Converse High Tops ($105) Lolita Sunnies ($40) Eat Me Heart Lollipop Brooch ($12) Heart Necklace ($10) Ribbon Heart Plate ($498) Heart Applique Thong ($8) Heart Pizza Tank ($24) Hearts Art Print ($16) Heart-Shaped Makeup Sharpener ($2) Meh Tote ($4) Heart Makeup Sponge Set ($4) Puppy Print Cosmetic Bag ($7) Heart Cutout Phone Case ($7) Heart Print Compact ($4) Woke Up Like This Mug ($15) Candy Hearts Crew Socks ($4) Kate Spade Heart Dish ($20) | 4 | 7,654 | lifestyle |
Incredible ways people around the world use toy blocks Fish Tank Once you get over the fact that there are Legos in a fish tank, check out the fact that the fish are playing a game of Quidditch. Prosthetic Leg This girl created a functional prosthetic leg made of Legos. An incredible construction and a way to step on Legos with no pain. Wall Repair What an awesome combination of old and new. The colorful Lego blocks juxtaposed with the old stone is incredible. Key and Cord Holder You'll never lose your phone cord or your keys ever again. A little Lego figurine holds your important cords, while another brick grabs your keys for you. Gift Box Forget getting Legos as a gift, this box (made of Legos) is the gift. "Ferris Bueller" Scene Lovers of the 1986 movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" will love this diorama of a famous scene from the film. Tallest Lego Tower Lego constructors have achieved what we had always dreamed of: creating the world's tallest Lego tower in Budapest, Hungary, at 114 feet. Lego Nails We're nail art fanatics who love Legos, so we're crazy about these Lego nails featuring the block's signature raised appearance. Hand Soap Forgetting to wash will be a thing of the past when you fill your hand soap dispenser with a few blocks. They look so cool suspended in the soap. Lego Wedding If you're a Lego lover looking to bring your favorite bricks into your big day, check out this image from a Lego-themed wedding! Keyboard This keyboard featuring bricks as the keys is fully functional and looks awesome. Chess Board Checkmate! This is a Lego chess board made completely of the toy bricks. The creator decided to make the pieces as penguins so clever. Cellphone Holder This use of Legos is particularly genius it's a cellphone stand that's ideal for watching videos or reading recipes on our phones. Iron Man Mosaic This mosaic of Iron Man made from Legos features 10,000 pieces. We're amazed. Prosthetic Arm A prosthetic arm made of Legos is an amazing use of the building blocks. | 4 | 7,655 | lifestyle |
Lions WR Golden Tate has come out and denied rumors that he had an affair with Russell Wilson's ex-wife which led to their divorce. Tate leaving the Seahawks for the Lions sparked the allegations. | 1 | 7,656 | sports |
New for 2015 After a significant refresh for the 2014 model year, the 2015 Honda Odyssey is unchanged. Vehicle Summary The 2015 Honda Odyssey is a minivan sold in five grades. Its sole powertrain is a 3.5-liter V-6 with 248 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. Top of the line Touring Elite models come with the HondaVAC, a built-in vacuum cleaning system that operates on the Odyssey's 12-volt electrical system. Overview The 2015 Odyssey is an ideal family car due to its seven- to eight-passenger seating capacity and cavernous interior. Cargo space is generous with up to 148.5 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded down. Innovative available features such as the HondaVAC built-in vacuum cleaner and the Cool Box distinguish it from the rest of the segment by gearing towards families and their needs. However, these options come at a price since they are only available on the higher trim levels. The availability of leather seating, 10-way power driver's seat with memory, tri-zone climate control, and heated from seats on upper trim levels make the Odyssey feel luxurious. The 2015 Odyssey possesses impressive performance with sedan-like driving dynamics and good handling for a minivan that weighs over two tons. Fuel economy is also notable with the EPA rating the 2015 Odyssey at 19/28 mpg city/highway, making it one of the most frugal minivans on sale. Safety is another strong suit of the 2015 Odyssey with many available passive and active driver aids such as Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning on the top three grades. UPDATE: Additional safety aids available in higher trim levels include blind spot warning, lane departure warning, and forward collision alert.The 2015 Honda Odyssey has a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA (out of a possible five stars) and is considered a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, earning a Good score in five categories (Good is the highest possible score). What We Think The 2015 Honda Odyssey remains one of the best choices for minivan buyers due to its cavernous interior and the availability of family friendly features such as the HondaVAC and the center console-mounted Cool Box. However, we said in a 2014 First Test review that these features, like the majority of tech and convenience options, come at a price because they only come in the EX-L, Touring, and Touring Elite grades, which are the most expensive versions of the Odyssey. Additionally, Honda's packaging of each trim level means there are no stand-alone options except for dealer-installed accessories. You'll Like Cavernous interior Eight-passenger seating Good driving dynamics for its size You Won't Like HondaVAC and cool box only available on higher trims Decently equipped models are pricy Everything is bundled into packages Key Competitors Toyota Sienna Chrysler Town & Country Kia Sedona Nissan Quest Ford Transit Connect Wagon Rating 4 star | 9 | 7,657 | autos |
The NFC Championship will be kicking off at 12 PM on the west coast, which will be the earliest a game in Seattle has ever kicked off. Will the early start have any impact on the Seahawks? | 1 | 7,658 | sports |
Make learning fun for your baby with these 10 playful activities Made You Look! Developmental Stage: 0-3 months Did you know that at birth, the world to most babies looks fuzzy and gray? Newborn vision takes time and practice to develop. A fun game to help your baby reach his first visual milestones is also a very easy one: Hold a brightly colored small object, such as baby rattle or squeaky toy, about a foot over your baby's face. Gently shake it to get his attention, then slowly move the toy from side to side and up and down. See how your curious little one tracks the object? Now slowly lift the object higher and lower to his face so he can see it moving from near to far. Watch your baby's eyes open wide in wonder as the object comes closer. This is what learning looks like! Diaper Change Game Developmental Stage: 0-6 months Turn changing time into play time! Stimulate your baby's language development and growing sense of self by pointing out his body parts as you get him dressed. Say, "I love your nose, nose, nose, nose," then kiss your baby on the nose. Say, "I love your tummy, tummy, tummy," then kiss your baby's tummy. Name other parts of his body head, eyes, hands and kiss them, too! Don't be surprised if this game elicits your little one's first giggles and squeals of baby babble. Roll, Reach and Grab! Developmental Stage: 0-6 months Your baby's first movements are involuntary, which is why rolling over a voluntary movement that requires quite a bit of coordination and muscle strength is considered such an important milestone. To help your baby practice rolling, sit behind her while she is lying on her back and hold a squeaky toy over her head. Once you have her attention, move the toy slowly to one side, encouraging her get it by rolling over. Practice makes perfect, so whether or not she successfully rolls and reaches for the toy (reaching/grabbing is another emerging skill), offer lots of verbal praise and the reward of placing the toy in her hand. Bubble Trouble Developmental Stage: 6-12 months Once your baby is sitting up, give her a workout in visual tracking and hand-eye coordination by going outside and blowing bubbles. All that's required on your end: Take a deep breath and keep the bubbles coming. Your baby will watch, reach out and if she's lucky grab some bubbles, only to see them mysteriously disappear in her hands. Consider it frustrating fun. Isn't that the best way to learn something new? Peek-a-Boo Times Two Developmental Stage: 6-9 months Peek-a-boo teaches babies the concept of object permanence (i.e., that objects remain when covered up) with lots of giggles and belly laughs. Want to step the game up a notch? For a lesson in object permanence and self-concept, add a mirror. Sit on the floor with your baby in front of her activity mirror. Show your baby her face in the mirror, then cover it with a towel or burp cloth. Ask out loud, "Where's my baby?", then lift the cloth and say, "There she is!" Do this again, and see if she starts batting at the cloth or takes it off all by herself. The prize? That great big smile you see in her reflection. What Goes Up ... Developmental Stage: 6-12 Must come down! Gather together some silky or gauzy scarves and throw them up in the air one by one. As each starts to fall down, ask your baby, "Can you catch it?" Watch as your baby hones his hand-eye coordination and gross and fine motor skills in his attempts to nab a scarf. The secret to this game? Find the floatiest material you can to give baby enough time to get in position. Busy Hands Developmental Stage: 6-9 months Between the ages of 6 and 9 months, most babies go from batting and grabbing at items to more coordinated handling and grasping of objects. To help your baby practice his skills, the next time he is sitting in his high chair, place two blocks on the tray. Draw his attention to them and encourage him to pick them up (or place them in his hands.) Once he is holding the blocks, place a third block on the tray and ask him to pick that one up. You just might be rewarded with a look of true concentration as your baby contemplates how to accomplish this task. Releasing one block (the skill of "hand release") before picking up the third is the goal. Memory Developmental Stage: 9-12 months A big part of cognitive and language development relies on the ability to remember. Brush up your baby's skills by sitting on the floor together with two or three large pictures/photos spread out around you. (Tip: make sure the pictures are of a familiar person or object.) One by one, turn each picture away and encourage her to find it again by asking, "Where is the picture of [insert name]?" What do you need to remember when playing this game? Always reward your baby with a hug when she tries match or no match! Baby's First Puzzle Developmental Stage: 9-12 months Fine motor skills, cognitive development, hand-eye coordination … this baby-friendly puzzle game has it all! To play, place a clean muffin pan on the floor and next to it place an assortment of small toys. Show your baby how to pick up an object and place it in the cup. Now it's his turn! Can he fill up the muffin pan? Once your baby gets the hang of completing the puzzle, you can add different rules, like only put in toys that are blue, or take turns. Pour Me Another Developmental Stage: 9-12 months Encourage development of your baby's motor skills and hand-eye coordination with a fun game that also comes with the built-in bonus of being a snack! With your baby seated in his highchair, place one small paper cup filled about halfway with Cheerios and one empty paper cup on his tray. Show your baby how to pour the cereal from one cup to another, and then ask him to give it a try. The sound of the cereal as it pours is exciting, isn't it?! Once your baby has poured back and forth a few times, scoop up the cereal that's fallen on his tray. Voila! It's time for a snack. | 4 | 7,659 | lifestyle |
Troy Aikman joins America's Pregame to look ahead to the Seahawks' battle against Green Bay. | 1 | 7,660 | sports |
Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch will wear custom gold cleats against the Packers on Sunday. The cleats will feature 24-karat gold paint worth more than $1,000. | 1 | 7,661 | sports |
Written by Charlotte Campbell Hutchison Have you ever wondered what career path some of your favorite entertainers may have chosen if they had never become famous? Check out what these brainy celebrities studied at their Ivy League alma mater. TATYANA ALI HARVARD The former " Fresh Prince of Bel-Air " actress has fond memories of her time at Harvard, stating, "This is something that people don't know about Harvard. There's actually a pretty substantial population of students of color. There are signature black events at Harvard like Apollo Night, for example […] black students are throwing it, but everybody comes and everybody performs." The actress also raved about her stint as a member of her class's step team, though she vowed her days of showing off those moves were long gone. BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Elizabeth Banks UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA On her first day at the university, she met her famous future husband ( who ?), who popped the question ten years later. The " Pitch Perfect " actress and producer graduated magna cum laude with a major in communications and a concentration in theater arts in 1996. BING: WHAT SORORITY DID SHE PLEDGE ? Angela Bassett YALE The " American Horror Story: Freak Show " actress earned an undergraduate degree ( in what ?) from Yale in 1980 and continued at the university to receive a Master of Fine Arts from the school of drama. It was there she met her husband, "State of Affairs" actor Courtney B. Vance . BING: WHO WAS HER FAMOUS CLASSMATE ? Julie Bowen BROWN UNIVERSITY The " Modern Family " actress asserts she did not study theater at Brown because she was too intimidated by the department, but her chosen major did require she spend a lot of time in Rockefeller Library. She recalled, "I lived in the Rock […] I did everything all students have ever done, but I did it in the Rock. Why would you go anywhere else? You were a flask away from an academic party." BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Connie Britton DARTMOUTH COLLEGE In an interview on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," the "This is Where I Leave You" actress revealed she not only shared the same major ( what ?) with a current U.S. senator ( who ?), the two also shared a room in Beijing as part of a college summer program. BING: SEE A THROWBACK PHOTO OF THE PAIR Dean Cain PRINCETON UNIVERSITY After turning down seven college athletic scholarships, the " Hit the Floor " actor opted to attend Princeton, where he was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity and the Cap and Gown Club. The 1988 graduate majored in history and managed to snag a famous model and actress as a girlfriend ( who ?). BING: ON WHAT TOPIC WAS HIS SENIOR THESIS ? Anderson Cooper YALE UNIVERSITY One would think spending summer interning for the CIA, rowing on the crew team and being inducted into the university's secret senior Manuscript Society would make for an exciting four years, but not according to Anderson Cooper. When the " Anderson Cooper 360° " anchor and 1989 graduate was asked what class he found most useful in life, he recalled, "I don't want to badmouth Yale, but no, there was nothing [...] I think, if that was the best four years of my life, just shoot me in the head!" BING: WHAT DID HE STUDY ? Whitney Cummings UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA The " Two Broke Girls " co-creator counts her time living in Philadelphia as the best time of her life, stating, "Going to Penn was just amazing. It was like the best school […] but it's also not isolated, like a bunch of white people from Connecticut, you know? It had so much diversity, it had so much creativity there is such a counterculture there it was so inspiring." BING: WHAT DID THE '04 GRAD STUDY ? Art Garfunkel COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY The Grammy Award-winning singer ( listen to him perform ) initially enrolled as an architecture major, and after a brief hiatus, reenrolled and graduated in 1965 with a degree in art history. The singer was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity and kept busy by participating in tennis, skiing, fencing and bowling. He stayed put to earn his master's degree in mathematics and began work in a doctoral program in mathematics education at the height of his duet success ( with whom ?). BING: HOW HE HONED HIS TALENT IN SCHOOL David Alan Grier YALE UNIVERSITY The actor and comedian ( watch him perform ) trained in Shakespeare while a student at Yale, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts from the School of Drama in 1981. Shortly after leaving Yale, he landed a role in the Broadway musical "The First," which earned him a Tony Award nomination. BING: FOR WHAT ROLE WAS HE NOMINATED ? Rashida Jones HARVARD UNIVERSITY The " Parks and Recreation " actress and daughter of musical legend Quincy Jones initially planned to study law, but ventured into a completely different direction. While enrolled she served as musical director for the Harvard Opportunes and belonged to Hasty Pudding Theatricals, Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club, Black Students Association and the Signet Society. On her time at Harvard, she said, "I had a hard time when I first got there it's so different from the West Coast; it's weird that it's not a different country because it kind of should be. I loved it; it just took some time to adjust. Socially, it was very different. There's this whole kind of legacy history thing that I wasn't really down with." BING: WHAT DID THE '97 GRAD STUDY ? Mindy Kaling DARTMOUTH COLLEGE The creator, producer and star of " The Mindy Project " graduated from Dartmouth in 2001. While there, she joined the school's a capella and comedy troupes, wrote for its humor magazine the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern and created the comic strip "Badly Drawn Girl" in the school paper. During her sophomore year, she interned for one of her comedic influences ( who ?). BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Ellie Kemper PRINCETON UNIVERSITY The star of the upcoming Netflix series " Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt " graduated from Princeton in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in English. Kemper refined her comedic talent as a member of Quipfire!, an improv comedy group, and the Princeton Triangle Club, a touring musical comedy theater troupe. She also participated on a national championship sports team, which she eventually quit to focus on theater. BING: WHAT SPORT DID SHE GIVE UP ? John Krasinski BROWN UNIVERSITY The former " The Office " actor kept busy in college with multifaceted activities including coaching a youth basketball team and performing in the sketch comedy group Out of Bounds. The funnyman graduated with honors as a playwright in 2001 with a thesis entitled "Contents Under Pressure". BING: WHAT DID HE STUDY ? John Legend UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA The 1999 graduate and Grammy Award-winning singer ( watch him perform ) left his musical mark on the school and the city of Philadelphia by serving as president and musical director of the jazz and pop a capella group Counterparts and landing a spot playing piano on a hit-making artist's debut solo album. Legend studied English with an emphasis on African-American literature and held memberships in the Sphinx and Onyx senior societies. BING: WHO WAS THE HIT-MAKING ARTIST ? Jane Lynch CORNELL UNIVERSITY Before she portrayed tough high school cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester on "Glee" ( watch her perform ), she was a student and 1984 graduate of Cornell, where she received a master's degree. BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Dean Norris HARVARD UNIVERSITY The " Breaking Bad " star and high school valedictorian was the first in his family to attend college, where he graduated in 1985. He wasn't a theater major, but always knew acting was in his blood. He recalled, "Investment banks started recruiting at Harvard back in the day, and they'd fly me down to New York City and I was so poor so I would take advantage of the free flight, the per diem, the hotel. And then I would go audition for stuff." BING: WHAT DID HE STUDY ? Lupita Nyong'o YALE UNIVERSITY While the Oscar winner ( in what film ?) attended graduate school at Yale, she appeared in several stage productions and in 2012 took home the Herschel Williams Prize for acting students with outstanding ability. The following year, she landed her award-winning role. BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Conan O'Brien HARVARD UNIVERSITY The late-night host ( watch clips ) graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1985 with a degree in history and literature. During his junior and senior years, O'Brien fine-tuned his comedy skills at the Harvard Lampoon, where he served as president. BING: ON WHAT TOPIC WAS HIS SENIOR THESIS ? Keith Olbermann CORNELL UNIVERSITY At the age of 16, the sports and political commentator ( watch clips ) enrolled at Cornell, graduating in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in communication. While in college, he served as sports director at a student-run commercial radio station. BING: HIS GENEROUS GIFT TO HIS ALMA MATER Natalie Portman HARVARD UNIVERSITY When " Where the Heart Is " wrapped, the actress vowed to put her acting career on hold to attend college, stating in an interview "I don't care if [college] ruins my career. I'd rather be smart than a movie star." She kept her word save for a previous commitment to film the Star Wars prequels over summer break. As a student, the 2003 graduate was the research assistant for a prominent law scholar. BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Maury Povich UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA The talk show host ( watch clips ) recently made a generous donation to his alma mater, where he graduated in 1962 with a degree in television. He recalled, "I was an undistinguished graduate. It only took me five years, and a summer to graduate. I had been in a single-sex school for many years, and I had never seen girls before I came to Penn." BING: HOW MUCH WAS HIS GIFT TO UNIVERSITY ? Jimmy Smits CORNELL UNIVERSITY The former " Sons of Anarchy " actor refined his acting chops while a graduate student at Cornell, where he graduated in 1982. While speaking to students during a campus visit, he said, "I think the most important thing I got from my work here at Cornell was I was able to do a variety of different work. And that gave me, in a lot of ways, the tools to kind of formulate my technique." BING: WHAT DID HE STUDY ? Leelee Sobieski BROWN UNIVERSITY She had already had a few movies and a miniseries under her belt ( watch her perform ) before stepping foot on campus. And while most thought school was a waste of time given her success, the actress felt differently. "There were some people who said, 'You're nuts, you don't have time for school.' But it's very important to me. There are always two or three more movies. But this time in my life will never come again, and I want to have a college experience." BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Julia Stiles COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY The " Out of the Dark " actress once wondered if taking a break from her career to attend Columbia would be career suicide. "I definitely worry about that. I think about it all the time because that's the way Hollywood thinks. It's all about momentum and keeping your name out there, and college certainly takes you away from that. But, if I look at it in the longer term, it's so worthwhile." Since graduating in 2005, the actress has continued to land starring roles, and in 2010 received a John Jay Award given to alumni for professional achievements. BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? Aisha Tyler DARTMOUTH COLLEGE The comedian and co-host of " The Talk " graduated from Dartmouth in 1992. While a student, she co-founded and sang in the school's all-female a cappella group, the Dartmouth Rockapellas, and was a member of co-ed fraternity The Tabard. BING: WHAT DID SHE STUDY ? | 6 | 7,662 | entertainment |
Little cat takes on a pack of adorable puppies and wins! | 8 | 7,663 | video |
The Heat and Rockets are reportedly both interested in Nets center Brook Lopez. Which squad would be a better fit for Lopez? | 1 | 7,664 | sports |
These golfers think they have game…we think they're all washed up! | 8 | 7,665 | video |
Little boy has figured out a loophole so he can keep both desserts! | 8 | 7,666 | video |
This little dog can't seem to tell the difference between a real cat and a fake cat! | 8 | 7,667 | video |
The Clippers stared into the eyes of the Eastern Conference version of themselves on Friday night. The Cleveland Cavaliers -- if you throw out their 1-8 record without superstar LeBron James -- have had an oddly similar season to the Clippers. Both teams were lauded with lofty preseason expectations -- they were Finals favorites, depending on where you looked -- but have yet to live up to them. The Clips and Cavs have also failed to cultivate defensive identities, largely because of their limited personnel on that end, and generally rely on their otherworldly offensive firepower to wear down opponents. That was the case on Friday night, as neither team could seemingly muster consecutive possessions of sound defense, yet both scored with relative ease. The Cavs ultimately prevailed, 126-121, as the Clippers (26-14) dropped another winnable home game in the newly acquired guard Austin Rivers' debut. "We could not get stops," Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said. "They scored 7 times in a row one time. That makes it hard for us to get a rhythm." The Cavs ultimately caught fire at the right moments in the fourth quarter, withstanding a furious Clippers rally, and Cavs stars Kyrie Irving and LeBron James (69 combined points) outperformed Blake Griffin and Chris Paul (49 combined points). "They made a lot of shots," Doc Rivers said, "but we can also be a better defensive team than that." Here are five takeaways from tonight's game: The first impression Analysis of the biggest pre-game story: Austin Rivers underwhelmed in his first game as a Clipper, to say the least. "He struggled tonight, clearly," Doc Rivers said. Austin Rivers added: "I just felt too tentative tonight. I was trying to fit in instead of just playing." Austin Rivers never found his groove offensively, and struggled keeping up with Irving defensively. He finished 0-for-4, with a couple bad misses, and generally played within the team's schemes on both ends -- almost to his detriment. It's difficult to play worse than Jordan Farmar was playing, but Austin Rivers' first game was awful. Can't keep up with Kyrie For the first time this season, an opposing point guard scored 30-plus points against the Clippers. Paul -- an All-NBA defender for most of his career -- normally locks down opposing floor generals to well below their season averages, but had trouble keeping up with the nifty ball-handling and quick footwork of Kyrie Irving (37 points, 12-of-18 shooting). Irving split traps out of pick and rolls, crossed over defenders, and sliced his way to the rim rather effortlessly, where his deft touch usually led to a basket, foul or assist. Paul's athleticism has noticeably declined this season, and his off-night against Irving further supports that notion. Watch the throne The primary challenge for the Clippers' defense this season has been containing penetration, especially against elite wing scorers. LeBron James fits the prototype of the oversize small forward that gives L.A. fits -- if we're being honest, no team can really "guard" LeBron -- and despite solid efforts from Matt Barnes, Griffin and Dahntay Jones, LeBron pretty much had his way against the Clippers' defense late in the game. Doc Rivers' odd decision to bench DeAndre Jordan over the game's final minutes proved costly, as James was able to attack and find open teammates without much resistance. Basketball at its finest Despite the disappointing outcome -- at least from a Clippers perspective -- tonight's game was as beautiful of an offensive performances as you'll see. Irving's dancing with the ball, LeBron's bulldozing drives, Griffin's post moves, Paul's meticulous decision-making -- it was a true joy to watch. There wasn't much defense, and the flow of the game was mucked up towards the end of the third quarter, when the Cavs resorted to intentionally fouling DeAndre Jordan. But otherwise, this was one of the better games of the season. As it stands... At the midway point of the season, the Clippers continue to be the most confusing team in basketball. In some games -- most recently in Portland, and then against Golden State on Christmas -- they look like the best team in the West. In others, they look like a team primed for an embarrassing first-round exit. Tonight was somewhere in the middle, and that's not a surprise; the Clips are all over the place. Their bench continues to be a major minus, quite possibly devolving into the worst among West playoff hopefuls. Things aren't as bad as they may seem at times, but there is cause for concern. | 1 | 7,668 | sports |
Best Beer to Drink While Watching the Super Bowl This Year Best Beers to Drink While You Watch the Super Bowl This Year These are the beers you'll want to be drinking when the wings hit the table. Negra Modelo Negra Modelo is interesting enough to surprise guests but still well-known enough not to intimidate them. It has structure enough to stand up to strong flavors like hot jalapeños and heavy cheeses. Strong bubbles help lighten things up so you can make it past the first quarter without going into a food coma. Guinness Extra Stout Make the stout lover that shows up at every game day event happy and have a couple six-packs of Guinness on hand. It's a big beer with loyal fans and it pairs surprisingly well with just-as-big meat and potato dishes. Order up some loaded potato skins and shepherd's pie, and save room for a chocolate dessert; the coffee and cocoa notes present in the stout will make the meal-ender that much better. Dale's Pale Ale Even anti-canned-beer snobs will line up for Dale's . The award-winning pale ale delivers floral hops with a balanced flavor that pairs nicely with BBQ, burgers, sauced-up wings and sausage. Eager to set out a halftime showstopper? Try making a beer can chicken using a can of Dale's, natch. Shiner Bock Dark Lager If you're serving up an order of pig while the pigskin is passing hands on TV, then make sure to have some Shiner Bock on hand. Monks actually used to drink Bock to sustain themselves during the 40-day Lenten fast because of its nutritional value. Despite its heartiness, it pairs well with pork, game meats, and heavier meat dishes like chili. Amp it up a level and use Shiner Bock to flavor your chili, too. Bud Whether it's Bud, Bud Lite, or one of Bud 's lime-spiked concoctions, have something from the brand on ice. Bud may not be the most sophisticated beer you've ever had, but chances are it's the first one you tried, so it screams Americana, just like the Super Bowl. No one will hate you if you set up a White Castle Crave Case of sliders right near the cooler, either. New Belgium Mothership Wit Wheat beers are easy drinkers, but that doesn't mean they should be boring. The organic Mothership Wit is brewed with wheat and barley malt, coriander, and orange peel spice, and has flavor notes of clove and banana that manages to be spicy, herbal, and citrusy sour all at the same time. This is a refreshing brew, so it will play nicely with rich dips like hummus. Fuller's London Porter Fuller's London Porter is a modern version of a classic porter-style beer. Fuller's award-winning take is smooth and rich with flavors of coffee and chocolate. It's one that will showcase the flavors of steak perfectly, so if steaks, steak tacos, steak sandwiches, and the like are on your menu, Fuller's London Porter should be, too. Legend Brown Ale If you've got a crew that is new to craft beer drinking, Legend Brown will be a great intro beer for them. It's got loads of flavor (caramel, toasted nuts, coffee, molasses) and pairs well with the bread/meat/cheese combos that are so popular on game day. It's the brewery's most popular beer and one that could wind up being a fan favorite. Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter Funky Buddha's popular Maple Bacon Coffee Porter is back in stock again at Florida's Funky Buddha Brewery on January 15, so get your plane tickets or credit cards ready to order up a storm of this stuff. The name says it all this beer is a perfect balance of maple syrup, bacon, and coffee. None overwhelm, but all are present like the perfect diner-style breakfast. Beer Here Mørke Pumpernickel Porter Shock and awe your guests with Mørke's Pumpernickel Porter. The Danish brewery set out to create a beer that was as lush and dark as the bread it's modeled after and tastes as savory and sweet. It's a fun finger-food beer created by Christian Skovdal Anderson, former brew master at the award-winning Ølfabrikken. His motto is "Don't waste your thirst," and you won't with this food-friendly brew. | 0 | 7,669 | foodanddrink |
10 Best Restaurants for Chinese Food Outside China From London to Vancouver, these are some of the best Chinese restaurants you'll come across outside of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. #10 Yum Bun, London While chef Lisa Meyer was more inspired by David Chang's American eatery Momofuku than she was traditional Chinese cuisine, her steamed buns are making a big splash in London . Since 2010, she's been serving traditional street fare, like pork belly in hoisin sauce, along with more modern spins on the steamed bun, such as portabello mushrooms with a miso glaze. Londoners can't get enough, naming Yum Bun both People's Choice and Best Snack at the British Street Food Awards. #9 Kirin Restaurant, Vancouver If you don't think of Canada when you think of Chinese cuisine, think again. Nearly one-fifth of Canada's population is now of Chinese descent, and cities like Vancouver are booming with delicious, affordable Chinese cuisine. Kirin is a real crowd-pleaser, having recently taken home three of Huffington Post's Critic's Choice Awards for their crispy fried chicken with minced prawn, two preparations of geoduck, and smoked lobster with mushrooms. #8 Chez Vong, Paris This Parisian staple isn't the fanciest restaurant in the city you'll find it nestled comfortably on a rundown side street but the Michelin-starred food is worth the journey off the beaten path. From the frog's legs in five perfumes to the sea bass in coconut sauce, the Cantonese cuisine at Chez Vong is some of the best and most authentic in town. #7 Lao Sze Chuan, Chicago Chicago's Chinatown is bustling with great options for Chinese food, but few spots are as celebrated as Lao Sze Chuan, which was given "three forks" by the Chicago Tribune, calling it "one of the best" Chinese restaurants in town. The small, inexpensive spot also won Michelin's coveted "Bib Gourmand" award in 2012 and 2013. #6 S&W Pepper House, Vancouver The Vancouver Sun called this small but delicious restaurant the "single best culinary reason to fly to Vancouver." Culinary tourists and publications, including Condé Nast Traveler , agree. The restaurant's Guizhou-style tilapia with cilantro and chili sauce is not to be missed. #5 Yank Sing, San Francisco San Francisco has a reputation for having some of the best Chinese food outside of China, but even in a city known for Chinese food, Yank Sing , which has two locations, remains a cut above the rest. The casual dim sum spot won a James Beard Award in 2009, and even the 2014 Michelin Guide had nothing but raves for Yank Sing's pork soup dumplings, which it deemed "near mythical." #4 Sense, Tokyo It may seem strange to go to Japan in search of Chinese food, but CNN named Sense its favorite Chinese restaurant in Japan. Food expert Melinda Joe raved about the restaurant's tender spare ribs braised in Chinese rice wine, saying it is "like something your Chinese grandmother would make for your birthday, if she had a Michelin star." #3 Yam'Tcha, Paris Paris isn't known for its Chinese food, but this chic hot spot in the heart of the 1st arrondissement is seeking to change that. Chef Adeline Grattard is a rising star in the culinary world, and she spent two years in Hong Kong mastering the art of Chinese cooking. The New York Times raves about her Chinese offerings with a hint of French flair and urges readers to catch a meal at Yam'Tcha before accolades make the place unaffordable. #2 Xi'an Famous Foods, New York New Yorkers are notoriously picky about their Chinese food, yet Xi'an Famous Foods consistently ranks among the best in the city. Though you may have to wait in line to get a meal at three cramped locations in Flushing, Queens; the East Village; or Chinatown, The New York Times swears that the lamb burgers and hand-pulled noodles are well worth the wait. #1 Hakkasan, London This Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant has 12 locations worldwide, including Shanghai, but the London storefront started it all. Chef Tong Chee Hwee has been honored at the Tio Pepe ITV Restaurant Awards where he was named the "London Chef of the Year." He remains the only Chinese chef to have ever won the honor. | 0 | 7,670 | foodanddrink |
Tired of fighting with your closet to find the blue scarf that you wore just the other day? Or your other brown shoe? In the spirit of a new year, it may be time to take a new look at an old mess… the closet. Closets can be one of the most cluttered and disorganized places in the house after all, it's just so easy to stuff things behind closed doors when unexpected guests arrive. But the good news is that there are some very easy and surprisingly affordable closet organization and storage solutions that can help create order out of chaos. Flip through for 10 products that will tame that cluttered closet, each for less than $100! Give 'Em The Boot! Boots can pose a substantial storage problem. They're often too large for conventional shoe racks , and when they do fit, their tops flop over. Meet your snowy footwear's new best friend: The Whitmor Boot Organizer stores up to three pairs of boots, maintaining their shape while at the same time helping them air out between uses. Available on Amazon ; $29.99. Just a Little Loopy Keep scarves, ties, or belts on view and easily accessed with the InterDesign Axis 18-Loop Scarf Holder. The sturdy steel hanger includes loops of varying sizes to fit even the chunkiest of scarves, and its sleek design deters snags. But the best part? This unit hangs on a standard-size closet rod with the rest of your hangers. Available on Amazon ; $6.99. Divided and Conquered Store more, and store more neatly, by stacking your stuff between InterDesign Classico Shelf Dividers. Sold in sets of two, these handy wire dividers slide right over standard shelving and require no special tools or mounting hardware. Available on Amazon ; $14.99. A Real Hang-Up Stash any combination of accessories purses, shoes, shades quickly and compactly inside the fabric cubbies of a Kennedy Home Collection Hanging 16-Shelf Organizer. The Velcro tabs wrap easily and firmly around a closet rod and let it all hang out. Available on Amazon ; $24.99. Issue a Retraction When space is at a premium and, really, even when it's not this handy Spectrum 35000 Hanger Holder can help you maximize your hanging storage. This wall-mounted system closes up vertically when not in use, and holds empty hangers when folded or a variety of items (up to 12) when fully extended. Available on Amazon ; $6.69. Customize Your Closet Create a custom shoe storage unit to exactly fit your space with this easy-to-assemble VonHaus Interlocking Shoe Storage Organizer. The 16 individual compartments can be fit together to form a square, rectangle, cross, or even a pyramid to fit under the stairs . Available on Amazon ; $74.99. Create Something from Nothing Stuck without a closet altogether? Enter the Whitmor Double Rod Freestanding Closet. This freestanding black metal unit is not so bad on the eyes if you need to leave it out in the open, or it can slide into an existing closet for extra organization. Leave your toolbox behind: no tools are required to assemble the unit, which features two hanging bars and five wire shelves. Available on Amazon ; $41.99. Basket Case Tidy up sewing supplies, craft items , or other small articles without a home using this attractive Southern Enterprises Over-the-Door 3-Tier Basket Storage Unit. Its three rattan baskets probably match the ones you use to corral stuff elsewhere in the house, but these hang conveniently on the back of any closet or bedroom door. You can never have too many baskets. Available on Amazon ; $54.99. Cascade Effect Create space in crowded closets with Closet Complete Magic Cascading Hangers. Each cascading hanger can hold five items and we don't just mean T-shirts. Each one is sturdy enough to hold a family's worth of winter coats . This set of 10 can fit up to 50 garments in the same space that a dozen hangers might fill. Available on Amazon ; $8.25 for 10. Jewel Box Like a mirrored medicine cabinet for your closet, the Mirrotek Over-the-Door Jewelry Armoire organizes jewelry and accessories neatly behind a full-length mirror. Hang this cabinet over a door or mount it to a wall, and you'll gain space for up to 36 necklaces, 48 pairs of earrings, 96 rings, and more. Available on Amazon ; $99.76. Related: Mirror Magic 10 Ways of Using Mirrors to Your Design Advantage | 4 | 7,671 | lifestyle |
Maybach is far from done with its lineup. Not only did Mercedes revive the nameplate in the form of the Mercedes-Maybach S600 , but it is also planning a new SUV under the ultra-lux nameplate. Speaking with Auto Express , Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche responded that Maybach would "most likely" build an SUV when asked about the topic. If it does happen, the Maybach SUV would compete against the likes of the Maserati Levante and the yet-to-be-revealed Bentley Bentayga . Other ultra-luxury carmakers are also eyeing a piece of the growing segment, which was created by the Porsche Cayenne over a decade ago. Rolls-Royce will reportedly decide one way or another on building an SUV this year, and if earlier reports are correct, it could share a platform with the newly announced BMW X7. Lamborghini has introduced the Urus SUV , although that model isn't supposed to go into production until at least 2017 . So far, Mercedes' most extravagant SUV is the $115,000-plus G-Class, which will differentiate itself from the Maybach with its off-road prowess and tank-like stance. The GL-Class, soon to be renamed GLS, could serve as the basis for a Maybach SUV. No word yet on when a potential Maybach SUV would hit the market, but based on Zetsche's willingness to answer the question, we wouldn't be surprised if there was an announcement in the not-so-distant future. Source: Auto Express | 9 | 7,672 | autos |
A central Florida mall was being cleared "store by store" Saturday after reports of a shooting, police said. | 8 | 7,673 | video |
Rainbow reigns supreme! When it comes to this season's hottest trend, everyone's flocking to bright pastels as their Spring hair colors of choice. Aren't visions of Jem and the Holograms and Rainbow Brite running through your head? Katy Perry and Kristen Stewart have sported green and orange, respectively, while Nicole Richie settled on a cool shade of lavender. Nicole's colorist, Daniel Moon of Andy Lecompte Salon, discussed with me what it was like getting the last-minute text to color her hair, which was inspired by a photo that was altered by social media. (Something I had a little fun with too!) Plus, he explains the four-step process of going bold with your color - including the essential product you need to maintain your color at home. On Kirbie: Raoul dress | 8 | 7,674 | video |
The Doctors share an old Hollywood secret to get envious eyelashes in a pinch. | 7 | 7,675 | health |
Pope Francis braves the elements to visit survivors of deadly Typhoon Haiyan to hit the Philippines in 2013. Gavino Garay reports. | 5 | 7,676 | news |
Hear from Xavier coach Chris Mack after the 62-58 win over Marquette. | 1 | 7,677 | sports |
The good news is that the Indians don't have to spend the next month negotiating or preparing for an arbitration hearing now that all six of their eligible players have agreed to deals. For those hoping that means this can possibly free something up for a right-handed bat, there's hardly anything on the free-agent market. With a little more than a month remaining until spring training, the Tribe has accomplished their major offseason goals of adding some power in the middle of the lineup and getting a veteran starter to offset some of the youth in the rotation. It hasn't been a flashy offseason like the White Sox but it also hasn't been as tumultuous as the Athletics. For the most part, things have gone according to plan. Jason Giambi was the team's only free agent and there were plenty of in-house candidates for bullpen coach when Kevin Cash got the manager's job in Tampa Bay. The fact that things have been pretty much sedate at the corner of Ontario and Carnegie might also not be a bad thing considering the Cleveland sports scene the past four months. Any goodwill the Browns generated with a 7-4 start evaporated in December while everyone remains flummoxed on the Cavs being at the .500 mark midway through the season. While nothing gets fans heart rates up like change, it doesn't necessarily translate to results. "I feel good about the group of guys that we have and if there is an opportunity to try to improve we will be open to doing that," general manager Chris Antonetti said. When it comes to that right-handed bat, the only name that jumps out is former Red Ryan Ludwick and that is only if you can get him on a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. After hitting 26 home runs and driving in 80 runs in 2012, Ludwick has seen his power numbers dip the past two seasons (11 home runs, 57 RBI) after he suffered a shoulder injury on opening day the following year. Rickie Weeks hit .302 against lefties last season, but is mainly a second baseman and outfielder Jonny Gomes, who has a .277 career average against lefties, is tough to project where to fit. Signing a right-handed bat to a minor-league deal would be similar to the move earlier this week when the Indians added some bullpen competition with Anthony Swarzak. Financially, Antonetti said there is some wiggle room to make a deal but that might be better served toward an extension for Corey Kluber. Coming off a Cy Young and now the ace of the staff, it would be better served to get an extension done before opening day instead of trying to get something done next offseason, when the right-hander becomes arbitration eligible. | 1 | 7,678 | sports |
Dr. Marc Siegel weighs in | 8 | 7,679 | video |
Stress isn't just bad for our physical and mental health -- it may also inhibit our ability to empathize with others, according to new McGill University research. The study, recently published in the journal Current Biology, found that a drug that blocks stress hormones can increase the ability of both humans and mice to "feel" others' pain. The researchers studied the phenomenon known as "emotional contagion of pain," a key component of empathy which has to do with our ability to experience the pain of strangers. Previous research by the same team has shown that both mice and humans have this ability, particularly when the person in pain is somebody they know. That research also showed that stress levels rose in mice and humans when they were around strangers, inspiring the researchers to investigate a potential link between stress and empathy. In the first part of the experiment, the researchers gave mice metyrapone, a stress hormone blocker, which caused the mice to react to strangers in pain the same as they responded to cagemates in pain -- thereby suggesting a boost in empathy. Another test found that when the mice were put under stress, they showed less empathy towards their cagemates. The researchers explained that biochemical changes related to stress seemed to be preventing emotional contagion in the mice. "We found what in some sense might be thought of as the 'secret' to empathy; that is, what prevents it from occurring more often between strangers," says Jeffrey Mogil of McGill University in Montreal. "The secret is -- quite simply -- stress, and in particular the social stress of being in close proximity with a stranger." In a second test on humans, students were paired with either a friend or a stranger, as asked to evaluate the pain of their partner when holding their hand in ice water. When the undergraduates were then treated with the stress hormone blocker, they showed a greater empathy towards strangers -- they both reported a greater experience of pain, and also showed more pained facial expressions and bodily movements when witnessing their partner's pain. The findings suggest that the stress response may play an important role in dictating how we respond to social situations. "It is quite intriguing indeed that this phenomenon appears to be identical in mice and humans," Mogil says. "First, it supports the notion that mice are capable of more complex social phenomena than is commonly believed. Second, it suggests that human social phenomena might actually be simpler than commonly believed, at least in terms of their organizing principles. This is an emerging theme of much research currently ongoing in my lab; when it comes to social behavior, 'mice are people too.'" However, while this study didn't note any gender differences in empathic response, previous research has shown that stress has a different effect on empathy and prosocial behavior for men and women. Earlier this year, Italian researchers found that while stress undermines empathic abilities in men, but boosts these abilities in women. Namely, their research showed that stress rendered men more self-centered and less able to distinguish their own emotions from those of other people. "To be truly empathic and behave prosocially it's important to maintain the ability to distinguish between self and other, and stress appears to play an important role in this," lead researcher Giorgia Silani said in a statement . | 7 | 7,680 | health |
Temperatures have dropped below freezing in North America, which means that it's time to think about heading south for a warm weather vacation We recently ranked the Best Caribbean Islands, but it can still be difficult to determine which island is best for you. From family-friendly locales to romantic island getaways, here are the best Caribbean islands for every type of traveler. Best For A Romantic Getaway: Martinique Martinique combines the romantic sensibilities of the French with the natural beauty of the Caribbean. The French island has secluded white sand beaches, luxury resorts, and enough privacy to make it an ideal honeymoon spot. Best For Families: The Bahamas Just south of Florida, the Bahamas are one of the most accessible island countries from the US. They're also one of the most family-friendly countries, with tons of all-inclusive resorts. The most famous resort is The Atlantis , which has its own water park, aquarium, movie theater, kids' club, game room, and dolphin cay Best For Singles: Puerto Rico Old San Juan is one of the best places for nightlife in the Caribbean, which means that it's great for singles. Nightlife in the historic walled city starts late: The clubs start hopping with salsa, Latin, or rock music after people emerge from their late dinners. But many of the big hotels around San Juan, and the rest of Puerto Rico, have their own hot restaurants, clubs, and casinos Best For Foodies: Anguilla The British territory of Anguilla is home to the CuisinArt resort , a luxury resort owned by kitchen appliance company CuisinArt. In addition to housing several fine restaurants, the resort offers gourmet cooking classes, wine tastings, and its own hydroponic herb garden. But the small island also has laid-back bbq joints, like Smokey's at the Cove , which serve fresh seafood, ribs, and burgers. Best For Budget Travelers: Dominican Republic The all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic regularly offer such great deals that the country has become a budget destination. Punta Cana and Puerto Plata are both full of all-inclusive resorts that have everything from water sports to evening shows, and of course food and beverage, that are included in the price. Best For History Buffs: US Virgin Islands The US Virgin Islands St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix were a prominent shipping port and slave trading post in the 1600s. Slaves were freed in this area in 1848, after which time the local economy declined. The US purchased the islands from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million, and since then the USVI has turned into a popular tourism destination. Today, you can still visit many historic sites, like the St. Thomas Reformed Church and St. Thomas Synagogue, Fort Christiansvaern, as well as the ruins of several sugar and rum plantations Best For Golfers: Bermuda While it's not technically in the Caribbean, Bermuda is an honorary Caribbean Island that's part of the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ). It's one of the best golf destinations in the world, with eight world-class courses, including the Port Royal Golf Course and Mid Ocean Club, with gorgeous views over the Atlantic Ocean Best For Divers: Curacao Curaçao is the destination for serious divers, who will love exploring Curaçao Underwater Marine Park or several underwater wrecks, like the Superior Producer and Tugboat. But don't worry: non-divers will also love the remote white-sand beaches that abound here. The nearby island of Bonaire is also a world-class diving site. Best For Boaters: British Virgin Islands The British Virgin Islands Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke are best explore by boat. The best way to get around the chain of British islands is by sailboat, which allows you to explore the hidden cays and beaches around the islands. Tortola is the main island, but Virgin Gorda has some of the most luxurious hotels in the Caribbean. Best For Millionaires: St. Barths The luxury set and celebrities love Saint Barthélemy, a small French island that just oozes sex, money, and beauty. Celebrities like Beyonce and Jay-Z, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Gwen Stefanie spend their vacations here, while regular, non-famous folks also love to sail around the coast, sunbathe on the island's nude beaches, or relax in a luxury villa. It's expensive though the average hotel room costs over $300 per night Best For Music Lovers: Jamaica Jamaica is the birthplace of Bob Marley and reggae, so it goes without saying that the island has a strong music scene. But that scene has morphed into something new today, with hot new artists creating a new spin on reggae and Dancehall songs. Music is all over the island, from the dance halls of Kingston to street musicians wandering the beaches. Best For Shoppers: Cayman Islands This British Territory, which is comprised of three islands Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman is famous for its duty-free shopping, meaning that bargain hunters can score a great deal on jewelry, watches, and luxury goods. But there are also craft markets where you can find local goods, like art and crafts. After hitting the malls and markets, check out world famous Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman. Best For Health Nuts: Turks and Caicos Turks and Caicos is home to several amazing health and wellness retreats, like the Parrot Cay and Como Shambhala Retreat and the Gansevoort Turks and Caicos, which is home to Exhale Spa. Here, guests can unwind and escape with yoga, pilates, spa treatments, and private villas. Best For Outdoorsy Types: Dominica Dominica is one of the most unspoiled, natural islands in the Caribbean. It doesn't have tons of beaches, but it does have gorgeous rain forests, waterfalls, dive sites, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails. The few beaches it does have are black sand beaches, but that doesn't deter the outdoorsy types who love hiking, kayaking, swimming, and exploring the lush "Nature Island." Best For Kitesurfers: Aruba The steady trade winds make Aruba the best place to go kitesurfing in the Caribbean. Kitesurfers from all over the world head here to hit the waters on their boards, which means that the sea is always dotted with bright sails from kitesurfers. But non-kitesurfers will also love spending time here, either just relaxing on the beach, windsurfing, or dining in one of the island's hot restaurants. Best For Beach Bums: St. Maarten/St. Martin This island, which is divided equally into two countries St. Maarten (Dutch) and St. Martin (French) has 39 gorgeous white sand beaches and nearly 60 kilometers of coastline. One of the most famous beaches here is Maho Beach, which is directly next to the airport, meaning that beach-goers get an up-close experience with aircraft landing nearby. Don't worry though: The rest of the beaches on the island, like Orient Beach or Pinel Island, are much calmer. The 25 Best Caribbean Islands, RANKED » | 2 | 7,681 | travel |
The #4 Duke Blue Devils snapped their two-game losing streak with a convincing 63-52 win over #6 Louisville on Saturday. Amile Jefferson led the Blue Devils with 19 points while freshman Jahlil Okafor scored 18 points and collected 7 rebounds. Duke held Louisville to just 30 percent shooting on the day, the 2nd-worst shooting performance by the Cardinals this season. | 1 | 7,682 | sports |
THE RUMOR: Even though several teams have shown interest in Ichiro Suzuki, the Marlins have intensified their pursuit of the outfielder. REPORTED BY: Jerry Crasnick of ESPN THE DETAILS: Suzuki, who is 41, has also drawn interest from the Orioles and the Blue Jays. The Marlins already have Giancarlo Stanton,Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna in the outfield, so they would most likely use Suzuki in rotation. LAST SEASON: Suzuki batted .289/.324/.340 with one home run, 22 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 143 games for the Yankees. SN'S TAKE: At this point in Suzuki's career, he can't be extremely picky. Given his age and and life expectancy within the MLB, he might have to cede his wish to constantly start for a team and settle for rotating in the outfield. Even though Suzuki had an impressive season last year and is 166 hits shy of 3,000, what the Marlins have to offer might be his best shot in getting some play time. Unless the Orioles or Blue Jays step up and offer a better deal, Miami might be the way to go for the veteran. | 1 | 7,683 | sports |
In the new episode of "Inside Man" Morgan Spurlock gets some dating advice from a professional wingman | 4 | 7,684 | lifestyle |
I feel fortunate to work at a company Good Eggs, a farmers' market-meets-online grocery where breaking for lunch isn't just another startup perk it's a daily ritual that's built into the fabric of our company culture. Every day, we prepare and cook a family-style meal from scratch (for a team of 100+ employees) made with ingredients from our community of local farmers and food producers to showcase our producers and their product.Cooking for a large group certainly has its challenges, especially in our kitchen, which is barely 150 square feet. We're also a lean team, with just three of us to prep and cook six to seven high-end dishes that require multiple steps and ingredients, in just four hours. All of this means that we have to be savvy with our space, ensuring that it's set up for maximum efficiency.You may not be cooking for a large crowd, but if you're cooking in a small kitchen, you'll probably also find space savers welcome. From our kitchen to yours, click on for five hacks to give your space an organizational boost. I feel fortunate to work at a company Good Eggs, a farmers' market-meets-onlinegrocery where breaking for lunch isn't just another startup perk it's adaily ritual that's built into the fabric of our company culture. Every day, weprepare and cook a family-style meal from scratch (for a team of 100+ employees) made with ingredients from our community of local farmers and food producers to showcase our producers and their product.Cooking for a large group certainlyhas its challenges, especially in our kitchen, which is barely 150 square feet.We're also a lean team, with just three of us to prep and cook six to seven high-end dishesthat require multiple steps and ingredients, in just four hours. All of thismeans that we have to be savvy with our space, ensuring that it's set up formaximum efficiency.You may not be cooking for a largecrowd, but if you're cooking in a small kitchen, you'll probably also findspace savers welcome. From our kitchen to yours, click on for five hacks to give your space an organizational boost. Illustrated by Mallory Heyer. Pots aren't really your storage problem: Pot lids are. They slip and slide and are always getting in the way. We cook for a team of 100+ people in a home-sized kitchen, so we have to be smart about how we use our space. Our trick? Use sauté pans as your lids, or aluminum foil if you need a tight seal for the oven. You'll be amazed how this simple hack can free up so much drawer space. Illustrated by Mallory Heyer. Knife blocks are the mainstay of every home kitchen, but let's be honest: You don't really use all eight of those knives. You can pretty much do everything you need with a really good chef knife. The MAC 8.5" chef knife is a good, easy-to-find, affordable option. My personal knife of choice is the Masamoto 10" western-style, if you're willing to spend a little more up front. Add bread and paring knives to the mix, and you're set! Illustrated by Mallory Heyer. If you're short on cabinet space, then a cast-iron pan may be your saving grace. If you take the time to maintain it and keep it in good condition, this versatile cookware also doubles as a non-stick pan, making it ideal for just about anything searing chops, baking cornbread, or crisping up potatoes. The possibilities are endless in the world of cast iron. Illustrated by Mallory Heyer. It's so easy to fall down a rabbit hole when it comes to kitchen utensils, but there's really no need to have one for every single thing. In most cases, you're just adding clutter versus utility. This hand-held slicer won't break the bank and makes for a great all-purpose utensil that basically does the work of a lemon zester, cheese grater, and garlic press combined. Your kitchen drawers will thank you. Illustrated by Mallory Heyer. Full-size food processors are great, but they're too big for most home-cooking chores. For a quick pesto or a dead-simple vinaigrette, try a mini food chopper instead. It's small, light, and will save you on prep time an added bonus! | 0 | 7,685 | foodanddrink |
Conor McGregor and Dennis Siver go face-to-face at the weigh-in. | 1 | 7,686 | sports |
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser joined a group of youth attending public schools Saturday to watch the civil rights movie "Selma" as part of the White House initiative, "My Brother's Keeper." | 8 | 7,687 | video |
Teams of the Cricket World Cup With Cricket World Cup 2015 approaching, we take a look at how the teams shape up for the tournament. Afghanistan (Pool A) Captain : Mohammad Nabi Star man : Mohammad Nabi 2011 performance : N/A Best WC performance : Debut Afghanistan's rise in international cricket has been nothing short of remarkable. After only being granted ICC membership in 2001, the team will make its World Cup bow in Australia and New Zealand after finishing runners-up in the ICC World Cricket League Championship. Australia (Pool A) Captain : Michael Clarke Star man : David Warner 2011 performance : Quarter-finals Best WC performance : Winners (1987, 1999, 2003, 2007) Playing in their own backyard, the Australians are favourites to add to their four World Cup wins. Their cause is helped further by form of batsmen David Warner and Steve Smith, while their bowling attack will be spearheaded by ICC cricketer of the year Mitchell Johnson. However, there is uncertainty over fitness of captain Michael Clarke who is set to miss first match of the tournament. Bangladesh (Pool A) Captain : Mashrafe Mortaza Star man : Shakib Al Hasan 2011 performance: Group stage Best WC performance : Super Eight (2007) Bangladesh have shown their ability to surprise since they made their World Cup debut in 1999 memorably beating Pakistan that year and edging out India in 2007. However, they have been not been able to live up to the promise shown since then. England (Pool A) Captain : Eoin Morgan Star man : Moeen Ali 2011 performance : Quarter-finals Best WC performance : Finalists (1975, 1987, 1992) England have had a grim 2014 - especially in the one day game. They have lost five of the last six one-day international series. However, with Alastair Cook being replaced by Eoin Morgan and the return to fitness of bowlers Stuart Broad and James Anderson England will now be hoping to turn their fortunes around. New Zealand (Pool A) Captain : Brendon McCullum Star man : Brendon McCullum 2011 performance : Semi-finals Best WC performance : Semifinalists (1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007, 2011) New Zealand are consistent performers in World Cups, having made it to semifinals on six occasions. However, they have never been able to make it to the final. With home advantage on their side, plus the emergence of young talents like Kane Williamson, they'll be eager to correct that statistic. Scotland (Pool A) Captain : Preston Mommsen Star man : Matt Machan 2011 performance : N/A Best WC performance : Group Stages (1999, 2007) Scotland have been part of the World Cup twice before and on both occasions were not able to go beyond the group stage. Coached by former England player Paul Collingwood this time round, Scotland will be looking to spring in a few surprises. Sri Lanka (Pool A) Captain : Angelo Mathews Star man : Kumar Sangakkara 2011 performance : Final Best WC performance : Winners (1996) Over the last five tournaments, Sri Lanka are one of the most consistent teams, reaching three finals winning once in 1996. At the heart of any success is likely to be Kumar Sangakkara, the scorer of 1,256 one-day runs in 2014 (averaging 46.51) and undoubtedly the best batsman of the last year. India (Pool B) Captain : MS Dhoni Star man : Virat Kohli 2011 performance : Winners Best WC performance : Winners (1983, 2011) After clinching the World Cup in 2011, the defending champions will be looking for a repeat performance Down Under. The team is packed with explosive batters like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni but their bowling has been a cause of concern, especially after their dismal performance in the recent test series against Australia. Ireland (Pool B) Captain : William Porterfield Star man : William Porterfield 2011 performance : Group stage Best WC performance : Super Eight (2007) Ireland, like Bangladesh, have shown flashes of brilliance beating Pakistan in 2007 and England in 2011 but their performances have largely been inconsistent. They're also sweating on the fitness of key pace bowler Tim Murtagh. However, the team still has potential to spring in a few surprises. Pakistan (Pool B) Captain : Misbah-ul-Haq Star man : Shahid Afridi 2011 performance : Semi-finals Best WC performance : Winners (1992) Pakistan won the World Cup last played in Australia and New Zealand back in 1992. At the time, they were armed with Imran Khan and Wasim Akram how they'd like that duo in their squad this time around. With premier spinners Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez still suspended from bowling, Pakistan will look to their skipper and Afridi to lift the fortunes of the team. South Africa (Pool B) Captain : AB de Villiers Star man : AB de Villiers 2011 performance : Quarter-finals Best WC performance : Semifinalists (1992, 1999, 2007) South Africa will be coming to Australia as one of the firm favourites to lift the World Cup. With an experienced batting-line up featuring Hashim Amla and captain de Villiers and a world-beating bowling unit led by the imposing figure of Dale Steyn, the Proteas will be looking to get rid of their 'chokers' tag with a first World Cup win. United Arab Emirates (Pool B) Captain : Mohammad Tauqir Star man : Mohammad Tauqir 2011 performance : N/A Best WC performance : Group Stages (1996) The United Arab Emirates will be playing the World Cup for first time since 1996. Under the mentorship of former Pakistan fast bowler Aaqib Javed, UAE will be looking to make a mark in the tournament. West Indies (Pool B) Captain : Jason Holder Star man : Chris Gayle 2011 performance : Quarter-finals Best WC performance : Winners (1975, 1979) The West Indies are the only team besides India and Australia who have won two or more World Cups. The team's preparations have been hit by the controversial exclusion of potential star players Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard who were involved heavily in the team's pay dispute in October 2014 a move that top batsman Chris Gayle described as "victimisation". Their new captain, 23-year-old Jason Holder, has his work cut out. Zimbabwe (Pool B) Captain : Elton Chigumbura Star man : Prosper Utseya (pictured) 2011 performance : Group stage Best WC performance : Super-Six (1999) Despite beating Australia in August 2014, the preparations of the Zimbabwe team leading up to World Cup have been nothing short of disastrous. Following a 5-0 whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh in the ODI series in November and December, coach Stephen Mangongo was replaced by Dav Whatmore and five of the regular squad were dropped for the World Cup. Prosper Utseya, a spinner and one of their better bowlers has had to alter his bowling action after being hauled up by the ICC for suspect action. Though he has also been included in the squad, h e can now only bowl medium-pacers due to ICC restrictions. | 1 | 7,688 | sports |
It took 3 overtime periods but Wyoming was able to survive upset minded Fresno State with these clutch shots by Larry Nance Jr. and Charles Hankerson Jr. | 1 | 7,689 | sports |
Because nothing says "I love you" like a posting embarrassing pics of your boo. | 4 | 7,690 | lifestyle |
Will the Patriots and the Seahawks be the two teams who survive Sunday's playoff games and advance to the Super Bowl? The crew discusses. | 1 | 7,691 | sports |
In four career games against the Colts, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has scored five touchdowns. Will Indianapolis be able to contain Gronkowski on Sunday? #120Talk | 1 | 7,692 | sports |
It was a two point game...then Jameel McKay went beast mode, throwing down two dunks to bring down the house. | 8 | 7,693 | video |
Don't Make These 7 Diet Mistakes Every January, it seems that more people than not are vowing to eat well for the New Year. For most, it's a matter of weight loss and determination that this will be the year the pounds start to whittle away. The problem, though, is that many people haven't learned from their mistakes and by February, they have returned to their poor eating habits. Here are the most common dieting mistakes I've seen over the years. Not eating enough protein with breakfast This is probably one of the most common mistakes I see. A person decides to eat healthy and chooses a bowl of cereal with non-fat milk and a banana; one hour later he or she starts complaining of hunger. People who make this mistake are definitely moving in the right direction, but if they are truly watching their serving sizes, the eight grams of protein from the milk is most likely not going to keep them full until lunchtime. Consequently, they wind up over-snacking until then or eating a lunch that's too big. Adding a healthy fat to the cereal mix, such as slivered almonds, or having a little extra protein like a hard-boiled egg, can make a very big difference in their satiety level. Having a snack This is a tricky one. Sure, I recommend having a midday snack just like most nutritionists. And for that matter, if it's going to be more than four hours between breakfast and lunch, I recommend a mid-morning snack. But what I have seen happen too often is people misjudging the size of their snack and creating another actual meal. A 1-ounce serving of almonds is not the same as a 2-ounce serving. Remember, a snack is a mini-meal, and I recommend it be less than 200 calories. Plus, it should contain protein, healthy fat or both, or you will most likely be hungry one hour later. In other words, don't just grab a piece of fruit. And guess what? If you aren't really hungry, there is probably no need for a snack at all. Not counting the calories from alcohol You would think this would be a no-brainer, but too many people I know sabotage their weight loss efforts by their cocktail consumption. Don't get me wrong: I am not saying that cocktails need to be avoided, especially since I am fierce martini lover. However, what I'm saying is that you can't expect to drink like a fish on the weekends and reach your weight loss goals, no matter how well you eat during the week. And watch the size of your weekday pour a 6- ounce glass of wine doesn't have the same calories as a 12-ounce glass. Eating a salad for lunch I love when patients tell me they're eating salads for lunch, as if they think they are following the No. 1 weight loss guideline. Here's the thing: Some salads are healthy and some salads not so healthy. If you're piling your salad with everything but the kitchen sink then it's closer to the latter. Croutons, bacon bits, lots of cheese and a creamy dressing can be just the tip of a diet disaster. Too much chicken, too much avocado and too much olive oil can push it over the edge. So just because you are eating all of those healthy greens, you need to make sure all the other ingredients follow suit. And trust me no one ever said that a sandwich is off-limits just like with a salad, it's important to know how to build a proper one. Leaving the carb off the dinner plate This is a really popular mistake. Believe it or not, you can lose weight and enjoy carbs with dinner actually, I usually recommend it. Too many people think more protein on the plate is far better than adding a carb; however, if we did the math it doesn't usually work out in the protein's favor. For example, a plain 8-ounce chicken breast is around 375 calories, but if you were to eat a 4-ounce serving and add a half cup of brown rice, you would save about 78 calories. A small baked potato (topped with salsa) can save you 105 calories, if you stick with a 4-ounce serving of broiled salmon versus an 8-ounce. And besides the calories saving, you will be getting fiber, which overall may help with weight loss. Avoiding your "bad" foods This is probably the No. 1 diet mistake. The first question I always ask patients is, "What do you love to eat?" Not what they think they should be eating, but rather what they think they should avoid. Typically, these are the foods I want to make sure they continue to eat. Sound crazy? Truthfully, whenever someone completely avoids the foods they love, it is inevitable that they will feel deprived and give up on healthy eating. The key is to find a way to keep the favorites in the mix without sabotaging weight loss goals. For example: Occasionally having a slice of pizza for lunch with a side salad, so you don't wind up wanting to sit down for an entire pie. Enjoying French fries with your burger, but losing the bun. Sharing dessert at a restaurant when dining out, while consciously passing on the breadbasket. Trying the next fad diet I'm sure you know about this one, but I feel it would be irresponsible of me to leave it off the list. If you hear about a diet that promises quick weight loss, run. If you hear about a diet that eliminates food groups, run faster. And if you think trying yet another diet instead of attempting to make lifestyle changes is the answer, think again. | 7 | 7,694 | health |
The NFL on FOX crew preview the NFC Championship between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. | 1 | 7,695 | sports |
AMES, Iowa -- The Jayhawks got, well ... Jayhawked. The rock went the other way, time and again. The rafters shook. Steals turned into dunks. The rafters shook. Swats turned into dunks. The rafters shook. Treys fell like cold rain, one after the other. The rafters shook. Again. Everything a Kansas basketball team does, everything a Bill Self team hangs its hat on, Fred Hoiberg's 11th-ranked Cyclones did better. Post defense? Iowa State racked up seven blocks; the No. 9 Jayhawks, Team Big Man, Post U, collected just three. Transition buckets? The hosts netted 21 fast-break points; the Jayhawks had 10. "They outplayed us," KU coach Bill Self said after his team fell in Big 12 play for the first time, 86-81, at Hilton Coliseum. "But that was the biggest difference in the game." "I mean, we were trying to send three back," forward Perry Ellis said. "I'm not sure why we weren't (getting back)." "We didn't think (that would happen)," point guard Devonte' Graham said. "That definitely wasn't in our game plan. We didn't do a good job of getting back, so we weren't really prepared (for their speed)." Nor were they prepared for Iowa State forward Jameel McKay, another one of those magic Hoiberg transfers (this one from Marquette) who turns into the perfect puzzle piece. A 6-foot-9 closer with length and speed to burn, the Wisconsin native turned the game on its head midway through the second half. During a stretch that started with 9:17 left in the contest and the Jayhawks down four and ended with 4:08 to go and KU down 11, the 215-pounder was three for three from the floor with a dunk, two layups, a free throw and two blocks. He accounted for seven points during a 17-10 Cyclone run capped by a Naz Long layup that pushed the cushion to 74-63. "I think our inability to get back to a spot or talk led to easy baskets," Self mused, "that they didn't have to earn." McKay is a jolt and muscle off the bench, more or less Iowa State's version of Cliff Alexander. And yet Alexander played only two minutes, total, in the second half, despite six points and six rebounds in 12 minutes in the first period. Hmm. "I didn't think his motor was good enough," Self explained. Well. Alrighty then. While the Jayhawks' best rim protector and finisher in the post sat, McKay wound up with 11 points and three blocks in 21 minutes. Alexander and Jamari Traylor combined for six points (all Alexander) and two blocks in 29 minutes. "He can really run," Self said of the Iowa State forward. "More than anything else, he really ran the floor and I thought he did a good job protecting the rim. "He gives them a taller athlete. They've got athletes, no question; he gives them a taller athlete." More than that, he helped to give the Jayhawks pause -- on several levels. The silver linings were twofold, if small: As they did at Baylor, KU scrapped and clawed enough to make it interesting over the final 70 seconds. And Ellis (19 points) got a little of that old mojo back and was the Jayhawks' best -- and, in a reversal of form, most aggressive -- offensive option early, draining his first three attempts from the floor, including a nifty dive into the lane, with seven of KU's initial 11 points. Of course, the Wichita native picked up his second foul roughly six-and-a-half minutes into the first period, getting caught on the wrong side of transition defense. Just like everybody else in blue. KU turned the ball over eight times in the first 15 minutes of the tilt, finishing up with 15 giveaways. Self and Graham admitted that the famous Hilton Coliseum crowd, more rabid than usual -- "Before the game, I couldn't even hear," said Hoiberg, who played in this building and knows it as well as anyone -- sped them up mentally and emotionally. And not for the better. "The crowd definitely had a big part in their momentum and stuff like that," said Graham, who wound up with 10 points and two steals. "It kind of messed with us a little bit." It messed with the standings, too. There's another first-place showdown in the Big 12 early next week in Ames, and it doesn't involve KU at all. On Sunday morning, Kansas State (4-1 Big 12, 11-7 overall) will wake up in first place, all by itself, atop the best major-college basketball conference in the country. The Wildcats visit Ames on Tuesday night and yes, it's early and yes, there are many, many miles before this particular party sleeps. In the meantime, the Jayhawks would be wise to try and find themselves again. And a long, hard look at what the Cyclones did up and down their backsides Saturday night would make for a pretty good start. You can follow Sean Keeler on Twitter at @SeanKeeler or email him at [email protected] . | 1 | 7,696 | sports |
Saint Mary's' Brad Waldow was too much to contain on his way to 18 second half points and a team high 24 points and 14 rebounds as the Gaels beat the Cougars 82-77 | 8 | 7,697 | video |
Pope Francis hears emotional life stories from some Filipino youth in Manila and urges them to "learn to love". Yimnig Woo reports. | 5 | 7,698 | news |
The Hurricanes travelled to South Bend to take on the #12 Fighting Irish and it was Notre Dame who came out victorious 75-70. Sheldon McClellan led Miami with 17 points, but Jerian Grant was too hot to handle, with 23 points, as ND improves to 17-2 on the season. | 1 | 7,699 | sports |
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