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If you lose out on a plum assignment or get passed over for a promotion, your first tendency might be to head to the mall or click over to Amazon for a pick-me-up in the form of some discretionary splurging. It's a common response, but a new study says it's not the best one. In fact, researchers warn that those purchases could leave you feeling worse about yourself, not to mention leaving a hole in your wallet as well as make you less resistant to future temptation. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research finds uncovers some interesting findings about how we cope with failures. A big personal or professional disappointment disrupts how we see ourselves, and we often respond unconsciously. Say you get passed over for a big promotion. You might go out and buy the luxury watch or designer handbag you were going to reward yourself with anyway, as if to say, "See? I don't need them to look successful," in an attempt to bolster your bruised ego. But there's a catch: The researchers suggest that, instead of cheering you up, anything you buy that's associated with whatever you're trying to forget actually just serves to remind you of that flub or failure. Instead of being a consolation prize, it acts as a trigger that makes you feel even worse, chips away at your self-control and even impairs your ability to focus on completing difficult tasks. In experiments, subjects were asked to think about a past intellectual failure, then choose a copy of brainy-sounding Scientific American magazine. Afterwards, they reported that selecting the magazine made them dwell on that past incident when they felt dumb. When researchers offered these subjects chocolate candy, they found that those negative feelings led to lower self-control, with subjects less able to resist the offer of junk food. "After experiencing a setback in one area of their life, consumers might be better off boosting their sense of self in a different area of their life," the researchers say. For instance (if you must indulge in retail therapy) they suggest following up an experience that makes you feel dumb with a purchase intended to make you feel better about your social standing rather than one aimed at make you feel better about your intellect. | 3 | 8,500 | finance |
Stock market volatility has returned with a vengeance. In the first 14 trading days of 2015, the Dow Jones industrial average fell or jumped by triple-digit amounts on eight occasions. Many commentators have attributed rising market jitters to the plunge in oil prices--surprising because cheap oil brings so many obvious benefits to the U.S. economy--and, more recently, to the decision by Switzerland's central bank to allow the country's currency to climb freely. Why are markets behaving so turbulently, and how should you react? What's behind all the volatility? One cause is simply a feeling that the U.S. stock market is overdue for a correction--or worse. The last bear market ended on March 9, 2009, so the current bull market is nearly six years old. From that date through January 21, Standard & Poor's 500-stock index has delivered a total return of 240% (or 23% annualized). And although stocks aren't as richly priced as they were in early 2000, just before a harsh bear market got under way, the market is trading at above-average valuations relative to historic norms . Then there's everyone's favorite economic guessing game: What will the Fed do? The Federal Reserve is expected to raise short-term interest rates later this year, which would be the first hike since 2006. Higher rates are generally considered negative for both the stock and bond markets. But the primary causes for the most recent anxiety are the plunge in the price of oil and the Swiss National Bank's decision to unshackle the franc. Because few Wall Street seers were able to anticipate these developments, investors and economists are having trouble arriving at a consensus as to whether these things are on the whole negative or positive. Why is there so much confusion and uncertainty? The impact of these economic events cascades over scores of other issues, from consumer spending and corporate profits to global politics and monetary policy. Identifying who and what might be impacted, how the impacted parties will react and whether that will cause a second cascade of reactions is complicated and prone to error. Consider the potential fallout from just one of the recent news events--the collapse in oil prices--to illustrate how complex the questions can be. Since last June, the price of a barrel of oil has plunged 55% because of oversupply and sluggish demand. That's a boon to U.S. consumers, who are likely to save an average of $750 each per year on fill-ups, according to the Energy Information Administration. More money in the hands of consumers could give the economy a welcome shot in the arm, as individuals spend more on clothing, appliances, cars, vacations and countless other things. Retailers and producers of consumer goods could respond by hiring workers to fire up factories and showrooms. Cheap oil could also save manufacturers, airlines and other transportation companies a bundle. The cost savings should help boost those companies' profits. The flip side of the oil bust is lower profits--or none at all--for energy companies, especially oil and gas producers that had created tens of thousands of jobs in recent years. That has already resulted in large layoffs in oil-rich states, such as North Dakota and Texas, and among companies that supply services and equipment to exploration companies. Moreover, energy companies have historically been big spenders on heavy machinery and equipment, accounting for nine of the nation's 20 biggest capital spenders, says economist Ed Yardeni, of Yardeni Research. Many of these companies have already put spending plans on hold in the wake of declining oil prices. Meanwhile, the collapse in oil prices is reverberating through both the stock market and the junk bond market. Energy stocks are 8% of the S&P 500 index, and debt issued by energy firms accounts for 16% of the U.S. junk bond market. From its peak last summer through January 21, the S&P Energy index has declined 22%, even as the S&P 500 advanced 5%. Over that period, the Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index lost 2.9%. If oil prices don't stabilize soon, many energy companies will have to revisit their generous dividend policies, and some could have trouble meeting their debt obligations, which could lead to dates in bankruptcy court. The oil rout also has global political implications. It puts pressure on oil-producing nations, including such U.S. adversaries as Russia, Iran and Venezuela. But it also hurts our allies in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. Switzerland is a relatively small player on the global stage. Why should we care about the franc? In truth, we care more about the euro, which crashed after the Swiss National Bank announced on January 15 that it was abandoning its policy of propping up the European currency. From that day through January 22, the euro has lost 3.5% against the dollar, bringing its decline since March 18, 2014, to 18%. The euro's fall makes U.S. exports more costly for European customers, which could make it harder for U.S. companies to sell their wares in Europe. Exports account for 13.5% of U.S. gross domestic product--and trade with Europe accounts for about 17% of that total, says Hugh Johnson, a money manager in Albany, N.Y. That means that European trade accounts for a little more than 2% of U.S. GDP. Moreover, the euro's drop is likely to hurt U.S.-based multinationals with operations in Europe. That's because the revenues and profits they derive in euros will translate into fewer dollars. How much that will impact earnings of big U.S. companies remains to be seen, but the uncertainty is adding to market jitters. One reason the franc is so much stronger than the euro is that Switzerland's economy is in much better shape than the eurozone's. In fact, much of western Europe is in such an economic funk that it's teetering on the brink of deflation--a bogeyman that's particularly difficult to defeat. What's so bad about deflation? Two things. First, when prices fall, both companies and consumers tend to delay major purchases because they expect lower prices in the future. But such behavior can turn into a self-perpetuating economic tailspin, with prices falling in the wake of lackluster demand and demand drying up as customers wait for prices to fall more. That stops companies from producing products and leads them to lay off workers, who then cut back on their spending and further fuel the downward spiral. Deflation also makes it harder for a central bank to boost an economy by cutting interest rates, says Johnson. In a normal, growing economy in which prices are rising modestly, dropping interest rates can stimulate growth because a cut results in lower after-inflation borrowing costs. But in an environment in which prices are falling, trimming rates does little to encourage more economic activity if consumers and businesses expect to pay less for goods and services in the future. All that said, the European Central Bank on January 22 announced a massive asset-purchase program designed to goose Europe's economies by lowering long-term bond yields. Stocks in the U.S. and Europe rose in response to the news, though the euro lost value against the dollar. The Dow industrials finished the day with a gain of 260 points, an increase of 1.5%. Do these deflation fears hasten the arrival of a bear market and put my investments at risk? We do not anticipate a bear market. With most parts of the U.S. economy humming, we are sticking with our forecast of low-double-digit percentage gains for the broad U.S. stock market in 2015 . Hank Smith, chief investment officer at Haverford Trust, reinforces our case: "Remember: Recessions kill bull markets--not geopolitical or exogenous events--and recession risk in the U.S. is low." Still, it does seem likely that U.S. markets will remain volatile--swinging wildly both up and down--for several months while the market mulls the longer-term impact of a strong dollar, weak oil prices and economic uncertainties in Europe. Should investors do anything differently in this environment? Because there are no certainties in investing, you want to make sure you have enough cash to handle any near-term goals. A prudent move is to review how much you have in cash-type investments, such as money market funds, bank accounts and short-term Treasury bills and certificates of deposit. If you don't have enough cash, consider raising some by selling some of your stock holdings. Additionally, having a bit of extra cash can allow you to capitalize on buying opportunities when shares of good companies get trashed in a short-term sell-off. If you employ stop-loss orders to manage risk in your portfolio, you should know that volatility makes them a risky proposition. That's because these orders tell your broker to automatically sell if prices dip below set thresholds, but in a volatile market that dip could be momentary. If you haven't reviewed your stop-loss orders lately, now is a good time to talk to your investment adviser about what makes the most sense for your particular situation. It may also be smart to prune your portfolio, says Paul Atkinson, head of North American equities at Aberdeen Asset Management. Atkinson thinks that some high-yielding utility and industrial stocks have gotten overvalued. He suggests you review your holdings, and if any of your shares seem overvalued based on fundamental measures, such as price-earnings ratios or P/Es relative to expected earnings growth, consider selling those holdings. Though interest rates are not likely to rise quickly or soon, they will edge upward as economic growth gets stronger. In that environment, the high-yielding stocks of the past are likely to look less attractive in the future, he says. What about bonds? If you own a high-yield bond fund, you might want to consider paring back. As mentioned, energy companies account for a disproportionate share of the junk bond market. Their ability to repay that debt is likely to hinge on how much debt they carry and what happens to oil prices. Otherwise, don't rush to make drastic changes in your bond holdings. The Fed remains on course to raise rates in the U.S. later this year, but it won't raise rates by a lot, and the first hike might not necessarily signal a lengthy regimen of increases. Moreover, short-term rate hikes engineered by the Fed don't guarantee that long-term yields, which are set by investors in the bond market, will rise in tandem. Copyright 2015 The Kiplinger Washington Editors | 3 | 8,501 | finance |
The days might still be short and gray in much of the country, but when it comes to money and finances, Americans today have a sunnier outlook than we have in a long time. A new Gallup survey on how Americans feel about our standard of living hit the study's highest-ever level since the organization began tracking the metric seven years ago. Every month, Gallup asks Americans if they're satisfied with their standard of living and if they think that standard is going up or down, then calculates the answers into a single-number index. In December, that number was at 50 an all-time high. By comparison, the index was at 14 back in October and November of 2008 when the Great Recession was at its worst. In another all-time high, 81% of respondents say they're satisfied with their current standard of living, a jump of 12 points since hitting a recession-era low in late 2008. And we're even more optimistic about the future. Today, Gallup finds more than six in 10 Americans say it's "getting better" when asked about their standard of living the highest-ever recorded in response to this question, and almost double the one-third of Americans who selected this answer back in October 2008, a record low. "People's outlook for their standard of living going forward has improved much more than their current satisfaction with it," Gallup says. In a second recent survey, the America Saves campaign finds that our collective willingness and ability to save is significantly higher than it was last year immediately after the holidays. "[This] suggests that Americans are now feeling better about their financial condition," Stephen Brobeck, a founder of America Saves and executive director of the Consumer Federation of America (the nonprofit behind America Saves), said in a statement. The America Saves data show this greater interest in and ability to save is driven primarily by households with an annual income of less than $75,000. "Our new data suggest that low- and middle-class Americans are feeling more optimistic about their financial situation now than a year ago," Brobeck says. In its analysis, Gallup suggests that freer spending, perhaps helped along by low gas prices, could be contributing to our collective optimism. The America Saves data offers clues that this could be the case: Compared to a year ago, the income bracket reporting the biggest jump in how effectively they're able to save money is households earning less than $25,000. "Instead of being distracted by heavy holiday spending and debts, they are . . . interested and active saving today," Brobeck says. | 3 | 8,502 | finance |
The loan system isn't quite as enticing to young players as the prospect of getting immediate game time with the first team, and that's what cost Chelsea the services of Andrej Kramaric, who turned turn a move to Stamford Bridge in favour of a switch to Leicester City earlier in the month. That's what everyone's been saying all along, of course, but here we have it from the horse's mouth: Chelsea is the biggest team in the Premier League, but I chose Leicester because I feel something good here. I think I will play much more here and I hope we will stay in the Premier League. The Premier League is the biggest league in the world with the most world-class players and I wanted to feel it. Source: BBC . If there's a flaw to the plan of stockpiling everyone under the age of 22 who might someday consider playing football, it's that they might want to play football for the team that they've actually signed for in the near future. I'm sure that the Kramaric situation plays out reasonably often, and that we just don't hear (unlike Arsenal) about all the times we nearly signed a youngster. It's hard to fault someone for turning down what was probably more money and definitely a more prestigious club so he can play more, so good luck to Kramaric up in Leicester. Unless it's against us. | 1 | 8,503 | sports |
TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Brown pelicans with slit throat poaches have been washing up this month in south Florida, triggering community outcry as authorities investigate what they suspect are serial slashings. About 10 birds have died, and another four were injured, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The culprit apparently used a knife to slit the large gullets beneath their beaks, spokesman Robert Dube said. The birds use the oversized poaches to swallow fish skimmed from the water. Once slashed, they can starve to death. "It's a slow, agonizing death for these animals," Dube said. The maimed pelicans have been turning up around the lower Florida Keys, located in the southernmost part of the state. State wildlife officers are seeking tips about the slayings, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is also investigating. While no longer endangered, brown pelicans are protected by state regulations and the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Perpetrators can face fines and even jail time for harming the birds. Local residents have been offering reward money since officials issued an alert last week about the deaths. Wildlife officers suspect teenagers or irate fishermen could be behind the attacks. During winter months, the region also sees many part-time residents from northern states, Dube said. "Right now we are at a loss," he said. "We love our critters down here in the Keys. It's caused a lot of concern." (Reporting by Letitia Stein; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Susan Heavey) | 5 | 8,504 | news |
LeBron James is healthy, Kyrie Irving is scoring and Kevin Love is again involved in the offense. Finally, the Cleveland Cavaliers seem to be clicking. Riding a winning streak that has seen dominant play on both ends of the court, Cleveland will look to complete a three-game season sweep of the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. The Cavaliers (23-20) downed Utah 106-92 on Wednesday for their fourth consecutive victory and fifth straight contest with at least 100 points - a mark they had failed to reach in the seven games prior. James had 26 points, Irving scored 18 and Love finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. The win also marked another strong defensive performance as Cleveland forced the Jazz into 20 turnovers and a 41.7 field-goal percentage after holding Chicago to 37.5 percent shooting in a 108-94 victory Monday. "Defensively, we've stepped it up," said James, who has averaged 30.6 points in five games since returning to the lineup following an eight-game absence. "When you have that, when everyone is in a good rhythm offensively, we're sharing the ball, defensively we're helping one another - the game is fun." Timofey Mozgov and J.R. Smith have also served as key contributors during the win streak. Mozgov has started six of seven games since he was acquired from Denver on Jan. 7, and he averaged 15.5 points and 13.0 rebounds in the last two. Smith has topped the 20-point mark three times since he was traded from New York on Jan. 6. Smith had 15 points and tied a season high with seven rebounds Wednesday. "I just play," Smith said. "When I get an open shot, I shoot. When I don't, I try to make a play for one of my teammates. The way we scramble, the way we hustle, it's my type of game. We play up and down. It just seems like a perfect fit." Charlotte (18-25) enters on a hot streak of its own, winning eight of nine after knocking off Miami 78-76 on Wednesday. Against James, however, the Hornets rarely prevail. James has won his last 19 matchups with Charlotte, including the playoffs, and he scored a career-best 61 points on March 3 while with the Heat. Charlotte fell to Cleveland 91-87 on Jan. 2 despite the Cavaliers being without James and having not yet acquired Mozgov or Smith. The Hornets shot 36.8 percent, with leading scorer Kemba Walker going 4 for 16. Walker returned Wednesday after missing two games because of a cyst on his left knee, but he produced a similarly poor 4-for-17 shooting effort. In his six games prior, Walker averaged 29.8 points. Walker has also played a key role on defense, as Charlotte leads the NBA with 95.3 points allowed per game. "Our communication has been great," Walker said. "We're constantly talking and in the right spots. It's been picture perfect." The Hornets are likely to face an even deeper Cleveland team as Iman Shumpert, acquired along with Smith, is expected to make his team debut after being sidelined since mid-December with a dislocated left shoulder. He averaged 9.3 points in 24 games with the Knicks. "We still have one 'gel piece' coming very soon that we are all excited about," James said. "Once he gets into the motion, then we can go from there." | 1 | 8,505 | sports |
DeMarco Murray seems to understand the Cowboys may not be able to keep both him and Dez Bryant. Ross Tucker gives his opinion on which one the Cowboys should choose. | 1 | 8,506 | sports |
Facebook Inc., which already has many more users outside the U.S. than within, is seeing users in emerging markets take the lead when it comes to accessing the social network through a mobile device. Indonesia is now has the world's top Facebook user base in terms of mobile access, research firm eMarketer said in a report on Thursday. "The percentage of Facebook users who access the platform via mobile phones is higher in Indonesia than in any other country we study," eMarketer said in an online post. Nearly 63 million Indonesians will check Facebook at least once a month on their phones, which is 92.4 percent of the total number of Facebook users in the country. That compares with 79.1 percent in the U.S. and 82.9 percent in India. India , which counts the second-most total Facebook users after the U.S., could soon surpass Indonesia in mobile access. The subcontinent will have more than 100 million mobile phone Facebook users for the first time this year, and by 2017 will have more mobile Facebook users than the U.S., the research firm said . Globally, almost 1 billion Facebook users will access the social network on a mobile phone at least monthly in 2015, according to eMarketer. Facebook's overall user base is set to grow from close to a billion people in 2015 to about 1.34 billion in 2018. In that time, the share of mobile users is expected to rise from about 70 percent this year to 75 percent in 2018. eMarketer estimates mobile advertising will rise from about 45 percent of Facebook's total revenues in 2013 to about 73 percent this year. Overall, there will be 1.58 billion mobile phone social network users worldwide in 2015, eMarketer said. This would include users of platforms such as RenRen, often called the Facebook of China , where the U.S. company is banned, and other local platforms in countries such as Russia. | 3 | 8,507 | finance |
It is an open secret that Manchester United would love to sign Gareth Bale. The Premier League giant has pinpointed the Welsh wing wizard as the superstar to bring back the glory days to Old Trafford and would be willing to spend over 100 million euros to get him. Bale currently has no interest in joining United, which attempted to buy him in 2013 prior to his world record move to Real Madrid. The winger is madly in love with the Blancos and is fulfilling his life-long dream in the Spanish capital. Despite recent criticism from fans, the club is delighted with Bale's form over the last 18 months 35 goals in 71 games and four trophies acquired - and president Florentino Perez has no intention of selling the wide man. But this is unlikely to deter United, which is now the second richest club in the world following the publication of the 2015 Deloitte Money League. In 2013-14, United increased revenue by a staggering €94.2 million from the previous season. Funded by a number of record-breaking commercial deals, it is only a matter of time until United overtakes Madrid as the richest team on the planet. Money is no object to the club's Chief Executive Ed Woodward, so if or rather when a blockbuster Bale bid is tabled, what should Madrid's response be? Perez's policy of signing an attacking superstar every summer means Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus is at the top of the presidential wish list for June. While the German has a release clause of €25 million, Perez will once again have to sell a marketable player in order to make way for the new Galactico just as Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria were offloaded in successive summers to create space for Bale and James Rodriguez. In purely footballing terms, if Madrid had to choose between selling Bale or Ronaldo to achieve this aim, it would make far more sense to sacrifice the latter. Granted, Ronaldo is undoubtedly the best footballer in the world right now having just collected a second successive Ballon d'Or and embarked on his best-ever start to a season statistically, with 28 La Liga goals from 17 games. But the Portuguese turns 30 in a fortnight. While Perez has told Ronaldo that his heroics since joining in 2009 entitles him to remain at the club for life, the passage of time draws closer his optimal selling point. Ronaldo may be the perfect professional and physical specimen perhaps the greatest athlete the sport has ever seen when it comes to combining speed, strength and stamina. "Ronaldo has an amazing fitness level and an incredible capacity to keep on working to improve himself," Carlo Ancelotti told France Football this week. But he is now in the age range where he must start slowing down. Former Ballon d'Or winners such as Michel Platini, George Weah, Rivaldo and Andriy Shevchenko were all at the peak of their powers in their 30th year. They too looked like they could go on forever, but it wasn't long before they abruptly lost their magical abilities. Bale, on the other hand, is just 25 and has yet to hit his peak. He showed in Ronaldo's absence in last year's Copa del Rey final that he is more than capable of being Madrid's leader and talisman scoring a stunning winner against Barcelona and proving decisive in a number of other big matches, including the finals of the Champions League and Club World Cup. "He has shown what he is capable of in finals - the goal that won us the Copa del Rey was one that only special players can produce," teammate Sergio Ramos told Goal. "Gareth has proved he has the qualities to win the biggest games on his own." If Bale was worth €100 million in 2013, his value can only increase over the next two or three years. Ronaldo's can only decrease so if Madrid wishes to make anything substantial back on the €94 million it paid Manchester United in 2009 then the club will have to sell in the next 18 months. Of course, Ronaldo is a commercial behemoth and he has already paid back his transfer fee selling an estimated €45 million worth of shirts in his first season in Madrid alone. He brings in €21 million a year in image rights although less than 40 percent goes to Madrid. But Bale is also an important marketing asset. Madrid makes around €4 million a year from his image rights and €2 million on shirt sales. Along with Ronaldo, he has helped Madrid secure lucrative sponsorships and tours in the Far East and he boosts the club's presence in English-speaking markets. Perez famously remarked after his arrival that Madrid would soon recoup the €100 million it paid for the Welshman: "Bale was cheap. Figo, Zidane, Ronaldo and Beckham gave us a huge revenue jump. If you invest in great players, you have more income." As it happens, Real Madrid has no financial need to sell Ronaldo or Bale, having just been named the richest club on the planet for a 10th successive year. But based on football alone, the Brit will be more important to Madrid's future than the Portuguese. This is particularly true from a tactical sense. Ancelotti faces the potential headache of trying to find a position for Reus. The German occupies the same left attacking role at Dortmund albeit in a 4-2-3-1 formation rather than a 4-3-3 that Ronaldo does at Madrid. While Reus is also flexible enough to switch to the right flank, his best position is on the left. Ancelotti has worked wonders in somehow fitting Ronaldo, Bale, James, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema into the same lineup. Unlike James, though, Reus cannot drop into a deeper role, nor can he excel as a center forward meaning either Ronaldo or Bale would have to take Benzema's striker slot to keep the three attacking Galacticos happy. So selling Ronaldo may not be the craziest move if Reus arrives. It remains a hypothetical proposal and one Perez is unlikely to sanction. But having been interested in re-signing the club's former hero before his contract renewal in 2013, United would certainly consider Ronaldo again if Madrid rebuffs its interest in Bale by offering the Ballon d'Or winner instead. It could be win-win for both sides. | 1 | 8,508 | sports |
The European Space Agency's Rosetta probe, which sent the Philae lander onto a comet's surface in November, has revealed unexpected details about these celestials balls of ice, dust, and rocky particles. In eight papers published in the journal Science on Friday, researchers describe what they have learned about Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko since the 100-kilogram (220-pound) Philae landed on it November 12 after a 10-year trek piggybacking on Rosetta. High-definition images taken by the spacecraft show how the nucleus consists of two lobes, connected by a neck region, which some have described as a "rubber-ducky" shape. The images have been combined to form a three-dimensional model of the comet and its topography where Philae landed. The shape of the comet may play a role in an unexpected seasonal variation in the comet's atmosphere of gas, which scientists have just discovered. Comets are known to they heat up and display visible atmospheres and tails as they approach the Sun. "From a telescope, images of a comet's atmosphere suggest that the coma is uniform and does not vary over short periods of hours or days. That's what we were expecting as we approached the comet," said Stephen Fuselier, lead co-investigator for the Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis Double Focusing Mass Spectrometer (ROSINA DFMS) instrument. "It was certainly a surprise when we saw time variations from 200 kilometers away. More surprising was that the composition of the coma was also varying by very large amounts. We're taught that comets are made mostly of water ice. For this comet, the coma sometimes contains much more carbon dioxide than water vapor." The surface of the comet also contains a diverse range of geological structures, resulting in erosion patterns that resemble sand dunes on Mars. After landing in a shadow, the Philae is currently in hibernation, but scientists hope it will reawaken when its solar panels come closer to sunlight. In the meantime, the Rosetta orbiter is continuing to conduct 11 experiments that will add to knowledge of how comets behave as they approach the Sun. The quality of its measurements and observations are expected to improve in February when Rosetta draws as close as six kilometers from the comet's surface. | 5 | 8,509 | news |
Eoin Morgan found himself at the centre of a foiled blackmail plot on the eve of this match, but England's one-day captain is confident the matter is now closed and will not prove a distraction to the team before the World Cup. The Irishman was out for a first-ball duck during his side's three-wicket Tri-Series defeat by Australia in Hobart. However, Morgan says the bizarre attempt to extort money from the England and Wales Cricket Board did not affect his performance. The ECB received a demand for £35,000 from a man threatening to reveal details of a relationship five years ago between the recently installed ODI captain and an Australian woman. The man, revealed as Hobart workplace safety consultant Nick Emery, is believed to have threatened to reveal embarrassing details of the liaison, including videos. Emery, who has since apologised after the ECB reported the incident to the Metropolitan police, said he was in possession of "sexually based" messages exchanged between his partner and Morgan. But having left the situation in the hands of the ECB's lawyers, Morgan believes the episode is over and will not interfere with preparation for the World Cup, which England start with a match against Australia on 14 February. "It hasn't been distracting at all," Morgan said. "I spoke with the ECB on Saturday and I was very happy for them to deal with it and they told me just to focus on the cricket 100% and I've done that. I was very comfortable with them looking after the situation. "I'm happy it's all been cleared and everything is over and I can get on with my cricket, which I managed to do today." Asked if the controversy had played any part in his first-ball dismissal to Australia's Gurinder Sandhu, Morgan, who scored a century in England's previous game against Australia in Sydney, said: "No. I don't think it was easy coming in. The ball was reverse swinging right throughout the innings. I nicked one. It happens." Ian Bell made 141, his highest score in one-day internationals, to help England amass a total of 303 batting first at the Bellerive Oval. The 32-year-old was moved back up the order to open on this trip and this latest innings follows the 88 he hit during England's nine-wicket Tri-Series win against India in Brisbane last Tuesday and 187 in a warm-up match against a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra the previous week. "Belly's been awesome," Morgan said. "Since we've touched down he's really showed his huge experience and his class. He's lead from the front in training and it's really paid off and is great to see." England paid the price for a disappointing final 10 overs of their innings, when only 59 runs saw them fall short of a total well in excess of 300. "We were very dominant in the first 40 overs and set ourselves up for a commanding total," Morgan said. "Somewhere around 340-plus would have been the score we were looking for but we didn't manage to get there. It is frustrating but it's still very early in the trip and we are making strides. Today is a learning curve for us." Steven Smith's fifth international century of the Australian summer saw the stand-in captain lead his side to their third successive win in this Tri-Series. The 25-year-old's 102 in 95 was the perfect way to mark his first match in charge of Australia's ODI team, the 25-year-old filling in for George Bailey who was banned for the slow over-rate against India. "I guess it's all going well at the moment," he said. "I know the game can change pretty quickly, I've got to keep trying to score as many runs as I can while I'm in this kind of form." Smith confirmed Mitchell Johnson is likely to play in Australia's next game against India in Sydney on Monday, the fast bowler having not played so far during the Tri-Series. | 1 | 8,510 | sports |
Circus fitness is a "different" form of exercise for your kids that can also be used as therapy. | 7 | 8,511 | health |
Howard Schultz, Starbucks president and CEO, discusses Starbucks' record quarter and how the company is distinguishing itself from competition in China. | 3 | 8,512 | finance |
Saudi Arabia buried King Abdullah Friday as foreign leaders gathered in the capital for the funeral of the ruler of the world's top oil exporter and the spiritual home of Islam. Abdullah, a cautious reformer who led his kingdom through a turbulent decade in a region shaken by the Arab Spring uprisings and Islamic extremism, died early Friday aged about 90. He was replaced by his half-brother Salman, who moved quickly to consolidate his hold on power and vowed to maintain a steady course for the conservative kingdom. Salman joined Gulf rulers and leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for a funeral service at Riyadh's Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque. Abdullah's shrouded body was borne on a simple litter by members of the royal family wearing traditional red-and-white checked shemagh head gear. The body was quickly moved to nearby al-Od public cemetery where it was buried. Citizens were invited to pledge allegiance to Salman at the royal palace. Another of the late monarch's half-brothers, Moqren, was named crown prince. In his first public statement as the new ruler, 79-year-old King Salman vowed to "remain, with God's strength, attached to the straight path that this state has walked since its establishment". He called in televised remarks for "unity and solidarity" among Muslims and vowed to work in "the defence of the causes of our nation". Moving quickly to clear uncertainty over the transition to the next generation, Salman named the interior minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, as second in line to the throne. He also appointed one of his own sons, Prince Mohammed, as defence minister. Officials did not disclose the cause of Abdullah's death, but the late king had been hospitalised in December suffering from pneumonia and had been breathing with the aid of a tube. Obama hails 'valued' ally Under Abdullah, who took the throne in 2005, Saudi Arabia has been a key ally of Washington in the Arab world, most recently joining the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. President Barack Obama was quick to pay tribute to Abdullah as a "valued" ally. "The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah's legacy," Obama said in a statement shortly after the monarch's death. Vice President Joe Biden said on Twitter he would lead a delegation to Saudi Arabia "to pay respect and offer condolences". Other tributes came in from foreign leaders, with French President Francois Hollande hailing Abdullah as "a statesman whose work profoundly marked the history of his country". British Prime Minister David Cameron said he was "deeply saddened" and that Abdullah would be remembered for "his commitment to peace and for strengthening understanding between faiths." As the top producer in the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia has been the driving force behind the cartel's refusal to slash output to support oil prices, which have fallen by more than 50 percent since June. But prices surged Friday, amid uncertainty over whether the new king would maintain that policy. The International Energy Agency's chief economist said he did not foresee major policy shifts. "I do not expect any significant change in the oil policy of Saudi Arabia and I expect and hope that they will continue to be a stabilisation factor in the oil markets," Fatih Birol told AFP in Davos, Switzerland. Royal family stalwart Saudi Arabia is home to Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, and its role as a spiritual leader for Sunni Muslims has seen it vying for influence with Shiite-dominated Iran. Tehran nonetheless offered its condolences, saying Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif would travel to Riyadh to take part in official ceremonies on Saturday. Behind his thick, jet-black moustache and goatee, Abdullah had a shrewd grasp of regional politics. Wary of the rising influence of Islamist movements, Saudi Arabia has been a generous supporter of Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi since the army's ouster of Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt declared seven days of official mourning for Abdullah. Saudi Arabia has also played a key role in supporting opposition to Iran-backed President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, allowing US troops to use its territory to train rebel fighters. Salman is widely expected to follow closely in Abdullah's footsteps, in foreign and energy policy as well as in making moderate reforms to the deeply conservative kingdom. Abdullah pushed through cautious changes while in power, challenging conservatives with moves such as including women in the Shura Council, an advisory body. He promoted the kingdom's economic development and oversaw its accession to the World Trade Organization, tapping into the country's massive oil wealth to build new cities, universities and high-speed railways. 'Insensitive to human rights' But Saudi Arabia is still strongly criticised for a dismal human rights record, including the imprisonment of dissidents. It is also the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive. "The Saudi regime seems insensitive to human rights and human dignity and unfortunately they are also protected by many Western countries because they have oil and because they are seen as allies in the fight against terrorism," Amnesty International head Salil Shetty told AFP in Davos. Salman is a stalwart of the royal family credited with transforming Riyadh from a backwater to a thriving capital during his half-century as governor. Since the death in 1952 of the kingdom's founder, King Abdul Aziz bin Saud, the throne has passed systematically from one of his sons to another. Abdul Aziz had 45 recorded sons. Abdullah, Salman and Moqren were all born to different mothers. Saudi Arabia has managed to avoid the social upheaval that has shaken many of its neighbours in recent years, thanks in large part to massive public spending. But the new king will face some major challenges, especially as falling oil prices cut into state revenues. | 5 | 8,513 | news |
Drinking coffee can lower your risk for malignant melanoma, according to a new study from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute in the US. Spring-boarding on evidence that suggests coffee could protect against non-melanoma skin cancers, the researchers set out to learn whether it has this effect against melanoma. They worked with a database of 447,357 non-Hispanic white subjects who in 1995 and 1996 responded to a questionnaire about their diet and provided follow-up information 10 years later, on average. At the start, all subjects were cancer-free and the research team determined their frequency of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays based on where they lived and adjusted the data accordingly. Subjects were also assessed for body mass index (BMI), age, sex, alcohol intake, smoking history and the amount of exercise they got and the study data was, again, adjusted. High coffee consumption -- at least four cups per day of caffeinated coffee, not decaf -- was associated with a 20 percent reduction in risk of malignant melanoma. The more coffee subjects drank -- starting at one cup a day until four or more -- the less at risk they appeared to be for malignant melanoma. It should be noted that the protective effect was observed only against malignant melanoma and not against melanoma in-situ and the researchers say their results are preliminary and may not apply to all populations. The study, which researchers say merits further research, was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. | 7 | 8,514 | health |
Take an emotive pop anthem, record it being performed by a children's choir, then refer to September 11th, and the result is the kind of uplifting pathos that causes Americans to experience a complicated, and perhaps even positive, feeling of connection to a corporate brand. That is what the makers of a new minute-long commercial for McDonald's seem to have been reaching for with their montage of real restaurant signs displaying patriotic messages "WE REMEMBER 9/11," "ALL OF US WEEP FOR THE COLUMBIA FAMILIES" backed by Fun's 2012 hit "Carry On," sung in the angelic registers of the Happy Meal crowd. The ad first aired during broadcasts of the N.F.L. playoffs and the Golden Globes, and the response has been mixed . (The ad was also quickly parodied .) People have complained that it is a crass attempt to cash in on the memory of national tragedies that McDonald's is using the feelings of solidarity that emerged in the aftermath of 9/11 and the Boston Marathon to sell burgers and fries. (And perhaps for a second time, since the signs themselves had been doing a version of the same thing.) Others argue that it is bitterly ironic for the ad to feature a pro-labor sign, "KEEP JOBS IN TOLEDO," at a time when McDonald's is locked in disputes with its own workers over allegations of discrimination and demands for increased wages and benefits . Others have pointed out that the commercial notably fails to show any of the company's food. McDonald's might be good for your soul, but its food is still bad for the rest of you. McDonald's, we're told, is struggling it is failing to connect to young people , and is losing market share to so-called "fast-casual" competitors like Chipotle and Panera . The company has launched a new marketing campaign intended to address these problems. Seen from that perspective, "Signs" is selling an idea of authenticity: that McDonald's is not a faceless global corporation but rather, at its heart, a local business. Most of the company's restaurants are franchises, owned and operated by people who live at least approximately nearby to their customers. The beef and potatoes may not be locally sourced, but the jobs are and, more important, so is the sentiment. The problem for McDonald's, and one reason why the ad irritated so many viewers, is that none of the specificity of this artisanal emotion is present on the restaurant's menu or in the experience of eating its food. You may be able to get a McVeggie in Delhi or tofu-and-fish McNuggets in Tokyo, but here in the United States a Big Mac is a Big Mac is a Big Mac; the oil in the fryolator better be set at precisely the correct corporate-mandated temperature, or else somebody is in trouble. This reliability (at best) or boring sameness (at worst) was one of the more significant factors in the company's expansion throughout the country. As Eric Schlosser writes in "Fast Food Nation," "Franchises and chain stores strive to offer exactly the same product or service at numerous locations. Customers are drawn to familiar brands by an instinct to avoid the unknown. A brand offers a feeling of reassurance when its products are always and everywhere the same." Truly unique experiences at McDonald's are most often bad ones an especially dirty bathroom or a uniquely disgusting Filet-O-Fish. The best Quarter Pounder, meanwhile, tastes like the last one. The emotional appeal of McDonald's, to the extent that it exists, is that every McDonald's looks more or less identical. The comfort comes not from specificity but ubiquity, the fact that the Golden Arches are just around the corner, wherever you live and wherever you go. They have always been there for most Americans, and always will be (even, as the ad notes, in the aftermath of floods and tornadoes). Yet familiarity is something different again from love. The "Signs" ad is cynical not only because of its manipulations of tragedy but because of its troubling, and perhaps even outrageous, subtext: that the local McDonald's has become a kind of secular church. It is all there in the signboard idea, lifted from the front lawns of churches everywhere, in the soaring choir ("When you're lost and alone, and you're looking for a home"), and in the messages themselves, one of which puts it plainly: "GOD PROTECT THE USA." The father, the son, and a side of fries. Amen. | 0 | 8,515 | foodanddrink |
A group that collects hotel Wi-Fi data around the world has come up with a ranking of the countries that offer the most reliable, high-speed connectivity and the cities where you're most likely to find free in-room Wi-Fi. When it comes to quality Wi-Fi connectivity, the hotel industry in South Korea has emerged as the world leader, while Cambodian hotels are more likely to offer free in-room connectivity, says Hotel Wi-Fi Test. For the purposes of the survey, analysts looked at the minimum requirements for real-world online activities. That is, a download speed of at least 3 Mbps (the Netflix recommendation for SD-quality streaming), and an upload speed of 500 kbps (the Skype recommendation for high-quality non-HD video calling). Take a look at the rankings and see how your travel destination checks out. Top 10 countries for Wi-Fi quality: 1. South Korea 2. Japan 3. Ukraine 4. Switzerland 5. Romania 6. Hong Kong 7. Sweden 8. Norway 9. Taiwan 10. Hungary Top countries for free Wi-Fi: 1. Cambodia 2. Norway 3. Sweden 4. Russia 5. US Top cities for quality Wi-Fi: 1. Stockholm, Sweden 2. Budapest, Hungary 3. Tokyo, Japan 4. Dublin, Ireland 5. Montreal, Canada 6. Portland, USA 7. Moscow, Russia 8. Amsterdam, Netherlands 9. Toronto, Canada 10. Kowloon, Hong Kong Top cities for free Wi-Fi: 1. Istanbul 2. Stockholm 3. Tie: Barcelona and Austin, Texas 4. Moscow, Russia 5. Portland, USA | 2 | 8,516 | travel |
Marshawn Lynch's took to Twitter to express his embarrassment of working for the NFL after they fined his teammate Chris Matthews in the NFC Championship. Is Beast Mode right? | 1 | 8,517 | sports |
MELBOURNE, Fla. For 48 Super Bowls, the traditional coin flip used to kick-off the game has produced a three-way tie of sorts. That changes with Super Bowl XLIX on Feb. 1. Consider: •24 times the call has been heads. •24 times it was tails. •And 24 times, the team that made the correct heads-or-tails call during the coin toss also won the game. At least one of those factors will change with the upcoming game, one of the world's most-watched annual sporting events. While most of drama for this year's Super Bowl so far has focused on whether or not the New England Patriots fudged the rules by de-inflating footballs, the Melbourne, Fla.-based Highland Mint is more concerned with expanding sales and bringing global attention to its operation. Of the 49 Super Bowls, Highland Mint has made the flip coin for 23 of them on behalf of the NFL. It's also licensed by the NFL to produce and sell exact replicas of the flip coin. "The Super Bowl is considered the single biggest sports event of the year, so it's fun to be able to say, 'The game doesn't start without us,' " said Michaell Kott, chief executive officer of The Highland Mint. "Being a part of this huge annual event with all its excitement and pageantry is very meaningful to us. Year after year, it never gets old." The flip coin, which is about the size of a silver dollar, ends up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. The remaining 99 coins of the first 100 coins pressed are given to players and NFL dignitaries. The rest about 9,900 are sold to the public for $99.95. The 24-karat gold-plated coins with silver overlay, usually sell out. On the coin front, or "heads," are logos of the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, plus the Vince Lombardi trophy. Tails features the University of Phoenix Stadium and the date of the game. The replica coin for sale to the public is protected in a capsule and presented in a four-inch by six-inch velour collector's booklet. Only 10,000 replica coins will be produced and they're priced at $99.99. The Highland Mint also puts together other memorabilia packages that might include game photos and other items for sale. Kott is a hesistant to say who he would prefer wins Super Bowl XLIX as it relates to faster sales. The best seller for The Highland Mint was Super Bowl XLV in 2011 featuring the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. "As a general rule, the matchups that make for the best sales of our Super Bowl flip coin are the ones involving teams that have not made it to the Super Bowl for a number of years," Kott said. "That's when some fans are the most eager to purchase collectibles commemorating the event. "While we don't have that exact scenario this time, there are many rabid fans of the Patriots and Seahawks who want to get their hands on a Super Bowl XLIX flip coin," he said, "as well as many other people across the nation and around the world who like to acquire this Coin year after year for their collections." | 1 | 8,518 | sports |
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is remaining coy on reports linking the Premier League leader with a January move for Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado. Reports in recent days have suggested that the Blues are willing to activate the 26.8 million pound release clause of the Colombian if either Mohamed Salah or Andre Schurrle depart Stamford Bridge this month. While Mourinho refused to guarantee that the out-of-favor duo will stay at Chelsea, he would not be drawn on whether Cuadrado is a January target. "There are no men marked [to come in]," he told reporters when specifically asked about a move for the Colombian. "He's a Fiorentina player. You ask me 20 names, if I don't know them, trouble. My son knows them! It's my job. "I think he fits well in Fiorentina squad, and Colombia squad, not in Chelsea squad." Asked if Andre Schurrle and Mohammed Salah would definitely be staying at the club, he said: "I cannot say that. Window is open. I like them, I need them, I trust them. "Salah is selected for tomorrow [versus Bradford]. Schurrle is the same. Selected for tomorrow." When pressed on Schurrle's situation, Mourinho responded: "The principle is we would like him to stay... the question is to have a phenomenal offer and player super keen to go." | 1 | 8,519 | sports |
Holly Firfer asks pharmacist Melanie Germany about spring allergies. | 7 | 8,520 | health |
Like many 16-year-olds, Chase Reed spends his days tied to his iPhone and Instagram account. But you won't catch his dad, Troy Reed, bugging him to get off social media anytime soon. That's because with each "like" the teenager acquires online, the father and son are seeing big dollars. The father and son have opened a pawnshop exclusively devoted to sneakers. Sneaker Pawn USA is based in an apartment in New York's Harlem where the two used to live and have converted into sneaker start-up central. The duo advertise on social media platforms and share their inventory. Sneakers fans from around the world visit their Harlem shop, and shoes can be purchased online. Chase works along side his father to buy, trade and sell Air Jordans and other brands in the store, which opened in June. Troy says his son still in high school runs the show. "I actually work for him, and it's probably the best job I've ever had," said Troy, himself a serial entrepreneur. His past ventures included barber shop. He now works full-time at the sneaker pawn shop. The pair got the idea for the business when Chase was 14. Troy, who is divorced, admits he indulged his son and allowed him to amass a basketball sneaker collection worth about $30,000. Troy then persuaded his son to sell the shoes to generate the cash for a physical store. "It was hard to let go of the collection because I was 14 years old with 200 pairs of sneakers, and all of the sudden you have to go back to zero," Chase said. "But it was just part of becoming a young man and an entrepreneur." In 2013, they sold Chase's shoes right out of the trunk of Troy's car on 125 th Street. But as word spread, they quickly realized they were onto a big trend. Mom-and-pop pawn shops are ubiquitous, but few if any are devoted to sneakers. The duo now have hundreds of pairs of sneakers in the store. The basketball sneaker market is booming. Market research firm Janney Capital Markets reports basketball footwear sales hit $4.2 billion in 2014 in the U.S., citing data from SportScan, a consumer insights firm. Janney forecasts sales will increase 12 percent to $4.7 billion in 2015. Once considered a fringe urban shoe trend, collecting basketball shoes reached a broader audience when Nike (NKE) released its Air Jordan I in 1984. The shoe was launched by Michael Jordan. Troy said the markup on previously owned sneakers can be anywhere from 100 percent to 800 percent given consumer demand. For example, Nike's LeBron James "Crown Jewel" sneaker originally retailed for $250. But they're selling the pair for more than $1,200 at Sneaker Pawn USA because of its limited edition status. "This is the new stock market these sneakers are commodities," Troy said. Troy and Chase won't disclose how much cash they're bringing in per month, but say they hope to attract a private investor in the next year to help them keep up with demand and expand into locations across the country. In just six months of being open, they say they're profitable. This year Chase is teaming up with a shoe manufacturing company, Relevant Customs in Mount Vernon, New York, and plans to release a high-end line of shoes. Styles will feature exotic leathers with price tags of $10,000 and higher. As for Chase's own private sneaker collection, it stands at around 50 pairs today. He has learned the art of looking cool, letting go and making money all before his 18 th birthday. "If I get a nice shoe in the store, I'll end up selling it rather than collecting it," Chase said. "I'm a businessman now." | 3 | 8,521 | finance |
British Coast Guard crew races against time to save fishermen from boat off coast of Scotland | 8 | 8,522 | video |
Anheuser-Busch, the world's largest beer company, is getting seriously crafty by scooping up another tiny rival, this time buying Washington-based Elysian Brewing Co. On Friday Anheuser-Busch BUD announced it was buying Seattle-based Elysian, which sold more than 50,000 barrels in 2014 with the Immortal IPA accounting for more than a quarter of the company's total volume. The brewing giant is gaining control of a brewery, as well as four Seattle brewpubs. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close at the end of the first quarter, weren't disclosed. "Elysian's story includes everything we look for in a partner," said AB's craft CEO Andy Goeler. "As the fastest growing brewer in Washington, their recipe is working." The acquisition won't move the needle much for AB, which reported more than 315 million hectoliters in global volume for the first nine months of 2013 alone. But the deal is the second notable acquisition by AB of a craft brewer since November, when it bought Oregon-based 10 Barrel . 10 Barrel was expected to sell about 40,000 barrels of beer in 2014, according to AB when it made that announcement. The craft beer industry is luring big players on the hunt for growth as overall beer volume has weakened in recent years. The craft industry, which has over 3,000 players in the U.S. today, now generates over $14 billion in dollar value and posted 18% volume growth in 2013 versus the total beer market's 1.9% decline. Neither Elysian nor 10 Barrel were large enough to make the Brewers Association's list of the top 50 U.S. craft brewing companies in 2013 , and both won't be in contention to do so in the future. The association requires that brewers need to be independent and with AB's ownership, both Elysian and 10 Barrel will not longer meet that criteria. Elysian, which has been around for nearly 20 years, said the sale to AB would help the brand grow even more. "With the support of Anheuser-Busch, we will build on past successes and share our beers with more beer loves moving forward," said Elysian CEO and co-founder Joe Bisacca. | 3 | 8,523 | finance |
My stay at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, MX, can be summed up in two words: fitness heaven. As a guest of the award-winning retreat, every day brought a slew of new classes to try - from hiking to kettlebells, there was something for everyone. While each class had its lasting benefits, weeks later, l still find myself going back to a simple tip mentioned during the Ranch's Ab + Cycle class. Feeling fatigued after an intense ride on our Spin bikes, the entire class seemed to be struggling with the Pilates portion of the class. There was grunting happening, people propelling themselves up with force, and more than a few necks being strained. Seeing the potential for back injuries, our instructor, trainer JayDee Cutting III, offered a simple tip that has had far-reaching effects on all of my workouts since: "Focus on the muscle, not the movement." JayDee went on to explain that if you solely focus on mimicking a movement, the integrity of an exercise can be compromised. Instead, think about which part of the body the exercise is targeting. For instance, if you're doing a squat and find that your glutes aren't fired up, rethink your form - doing so will ensure that your quads aren't overcompensating and your butt is getting the workout it deserves. JayDee also suggests that whenever doing ab work on the floor, start the first exercise by placing your hand on the muscle being worked. As you go into the exercise, keep your hand there to make sure the muscle is being activated. If you find that it isn't, regroup, engage the muscle, and perform the exercise at a slower pace to see the difference. You'll also find that when doing ab work, it only takes a small amount of movement to engage the core; something important to consider the next time you find that you're pulling yourself up by the neck. Focus on the core, and you can let go of this idea of getting your head as far up as possible. | 7 | 8,524 | health |
The glass is half full! If you need some solid science to excuse your drinking habit, new research should do the trick: A study recently published in European Heart Journal found that moderate drinkers are less likely to experience heart failure than people who abstain completely. In the study, researchers tracked nearly 15,000 people's drinking habits and health over a period of 25 years. After adjusting the results for variables known to affect risk of heart failure (like body mass index, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure), they found that women who drank up to 7 drinks per week had a 16 percent lower risk of heart failure than women who didn't drink at all. Guys who drank that much were 20 percent less likely to suffer from heart failure than abstainers. This isn't a license to drink unlimited quantities: The heart-protective properties of alcohol begin to peter out when you consume more than 14 drinks per week, and women who drank upwards of 21 drinks per week at the beginning of the study had an 89 percent higher risk of dying from any cause during the study. And oddly, former drinkers who then got sober had a greater risk of developing heart failure than people who never touched a bottle in the first place. Researchers don't know exactly how booze works its magic or why heavy drinking (or stopping cold turkey) could reduce its benefits. However, they're pretty confident that drinking alcohol in moderation does not increase the risk of heart failure (pro) and may even be protective (cheers!). Another thing: Because the participants in the study were middle-aged, no one knows whether the benefits apply to younger drinkers. This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com. Follow Elizabeth on Twitter . | 4 | 8,525 | lifestyle |
When starring in movies like "American Hustle" or "The Hangover," 40-year-old actor Bradley Cooper is able to stay at his normal weight around 185 pounds. But for his Oscar-nominated role as Navy SEAL Chris Kyle in "American Sniper," Cooper had to bulk up to play the 225 pound sniper. Kyle, who died in 2013 after being shot by a former Marine who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, had 160 confirmed kills under his belt from his time as a Navy SEAL sniper in Iraq. "I had to get to the point where I believed I was him," Cooper told Men's Health magazine . "At 185 pounds, it would've been a joke. His size was such a part of who he was... Chris wasn't ripped. He wasn't sinewy. He was just a bear." So Cooper enlisted the help of trainer Jason Walsh to help him gain more than 40 pounds in just ten weeks "with the least amount of damage to my body." Walsh put Cooper on a rigorous diet and workout regimen. Men's Health detailed how the trainer transformed Cooper's body in such a short period of time: They trained twice a day. In the first workout, beginning at 5 a.m., they focused on structural exercises like deadlifts and squats to build a foundation solid enough to hold the extra mass. The second workout, late in the afternoon, was more focused on traditional muscle-building exercises. Cooper needed both types of training to convincingly portray Chris Kyle. In addition to twice daily workouts, Walsh had Cooper eating more than 5,000 calories every day. "We had to force-feed him," said Walsh. "That was the hardest part." Cooper agreed, explaining: "It was a real shock to my body. If it's pizza and cake, that's one thing. Putting 6,000 calories a day in your body gets old quick." "American Sniper" writer-producer Jason Hall revealed to People magazine that Cooper "was eating about every 55 minutes" and that "he was determined to do it naturally, he didn't want to use any hormones or steroids or anything. He was just very systematic about it and took his trainer with him wherever he went." By the end of the 10-week training, Cooper achieved his goal of gaining 40 pounds of muscle to look like this: Check out those guns! Along with the massive intake of food and intense workouts, Hall told People that Cooper's preparation for the role also included twice-daily lessons with a vocal coach, as well as several hours spent watching footage of Kyle, whom he studied "over and over again." When it came to actually using a rifle, Cooper trained with a real Navy SEAL sniper Kevin Lacz , who served with Kyle and was a consultant on the movie. "He actually proved himself to be really good," added Hall. "The second day, in the morning, he went out there and was consistently hitting 800-yard targets the size of a teacup. So he took to it pretty quickly." After fully transforming his physical appearance and learning the new skill set, Cooper told Men's Health: "I knew this was going to be the way in to playing Chris, and it felt amazing. It's also nice to know it's possible to do it naturally, in that amount of time." But Cooper had to shed the weight quickly for his new role in "The Elephant Man" on Broadway. To help him lose the 40 pounds, the actor told Vanity Fair he would bring pumpkin soup to eat during rehearsals for his new play. Cooper has since slimmed back down to his normal 185 pound weight, showing off his trimmer physique at the "American Sniper" New York premiere in December: But the actor's transformation wasn't for nothing. "American Sniper" earned six Oscar nominations , including best picture and a best actor in a leading role nod for Cooper. The Clint Eastwood-directed film has broken box office records , earning over $154 million worldwide on a $58.8 million production budget . | 6 | 8,526 | entertainment |
Guns have long been a man's world. But as growth in the firearm industry slows down, gun makers are increasingly focusing on women to boost sales and that bet is starting to pay off. The number of women in the U.S. who practiced target shooting at gun ranges jumped 60 percent, to 5.4 million, between 2001 and 2013, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), an industry trade group. During that same time period, the number of female hunters rose 85 percent, to 3.3 million . The organization adds that more than 74 percent of its member retailers reported an increase in women customers from 2012 to 2013, the most recent data available. Firearms retailers estimate women made up 20 percent of their sales in 2013 (the most recent numbers available), up from 15 percent in 2010. Women who own guns are also often big spenders, according to the NSSF. The average female gun owner spends $870 annually on firearm purchases and another $405 on accessories, such as sights, targets and gun cleaning products, the group says. "The women's market is a force in our industry, and manufacturers, retailers and shooting ranges are making changes to their products and services to satisfy women's tastes and needs," said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF's director of industry research and analysis, in a statement. For gun manufacturers, the female market represents a new marketing challenge specifically, finding exactly how to appeal to these customers. "A lot of women struggle with the way a firearm feels in their hands," said Angelina Giudice, a marketing professional for Smith & Wesson (SWHC) . "It's not about the kick. It's not about the color. It's not about being pink or bedazzled. It's about how it feels." Women are the fastest growing market for Smith & Wesson (SWHC) , said Giudice. She noted that ten years ago the ratio of men to women customers was seven-to-one, and that today the ratio "has drastically shifted," but declined to cite specific figures. Beretta, too, is looking to increase its appeal to potential women gun owners, but has so far had less success. Kim Eveland, director of brand marketing for the company, concedes only a "very small percentage of the company's sales are to women today." The rise in firearms sales to women is largely tied to self-defense, said manufacturers. More women, especially younger ones, want to ensure that they're protected at all times. "Today's woman is very interested in being able to look out for herself and her family," says Eveland. Once the protection is acquired, though, many women expand their firearms interest into other areas, including target shooting and hunting. "After that initial purchase, they keep buying," said Giudice. "They discover there's so much more to it than 'I'm frightened and I need a gun.' People have realized that shooting is not just about defense. It's fun." Much to the delight of the industry, they're also sharing that enthusiasm, which is a big factor in the steady demographic shift. "There is a very passionate group of women who invite other women to join them at the range," said Eveland. | 3 | 8,527 | finance |
A Good Hoodie Call us old fashioned, but you don't need a technical warm-up jacket to go to the gym. In fact, the original reverse weave Champion hoodie suits us just fine. It's a true classic that looks great and lasts forever. Reverse weave hoodie ($44) by Champion, hanes.com A Stylish T-Shirt This T-shirt is the perfect intersection of function and tradition, combining modern technical materials with old school Ivy League styling into a package so cool you'll want to wear it straight to brunch after working out. Signature tech tee ($68) by Tracksmith, tracksmith.com A Fitness Tracker Measuring your heart rate and keeping track of calories burned is a lot easier when someone or something else is doing it for you, which is exactly why some smart people invented the FitBit in the first place. Go for sleek, understated black on this thing. Flex activity and sleep wristband ($99) by FitBit, fitbit.com Versatile Shorts Sure, some people might prefer ultra-light mesh shorts, but to us, the rugged nylon construction, multiple pockets, and subtle pattern on these Patagonia baggies are unmatched. And, they're even better now that they come in a longer 7" version, which means you don't have to fear showing too much leg when you're doing squats. 7" baggies shorts ($49) by Patagonia, patagonia.com Merino Wool Workout Socks Merino wool is actually the perfect year-round workout material. At its lightest, it's as soft and cool as cotton, while it naturally absorbs moisture, resists odor, and shields your feet from blisters. Perfect. Multisport ultra lite mini merino wool sock ($10.99) by Icebreaker, icebreaker.com Technical Shoes Unless you're hitting city streets or pounding the track, you don't need a running shoe to work out. In fact, a woven, technical basketball shoe will be lighter, more sophisticated, and provide superior support for lifting weights and hitting the exercise bike. As a stylish bonus, the woven uppers come from Italy. Air Jordan XX9 basketball shoe ($225) by Jordan, nike.com A Long-Sleeve T-shirt Winter workouts call for a little extra coverage sometimes. Go updated classic with this heather gray V-neck long-sleeve tee. Cotton baslayer V LS ($49) by Qor, qorkit.com Tailored Track Pants Unless you're hitting city streets or pounding the track, you don't need a running shoe to work out. In fact, a woven, technical basketball shoe will be lighter, more sophisticated, and provide superior support for lifting weights and hitting the exercise bike. As a stylish bonus, the woven uppers come from Italy. Anti-gravity pant ($98) by Lululemon, lululemon.com Good Earbuds Face it, you will listen to music on you phone when you work out, either for motivation or simple privacy. These elongated earbuds from Panasonic will stay in your ear and provide superior sound quality from warming up till shower time. RP-HJE355-W earbud ($39.99) by Panosonic, panosonic.com An iPhone Armband Face it, you will listen to music on you phone when you work out, either for motivation or simple privacy. These elongated earbuds from Panasonic will stay in your ear and provide superior sound quality from warming up till shower time. Sport-Fit Plus armband for iPhone 6 ($29.99) by Belkin, belkin.com Shower Shoes Public showers call for shower slides, and these classics from adidas look so good you might want to wear them home with socks after working out. adilette slides ($30) by adidas, adidas.com | 7 | 8,528 | health |
Make cooking healthy dinners easy with these low-calorie chicken recipes. White Wine and Mushroom Chicken White wine, juicy chicken, and meaty mushrooms are a classic combination that never gets old. Recipe: White Wine and Mushroom Chicken Browse: Healthy meal ideas Mediterranean Chicken Pitas These quick chicken pitas are bright and healthy! Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken Pitas Sicilian Chicken Breast with Zucchini A bright take on grilled chicken, this dish gets its kick from a mix of navel oranges, Kalamata olives, red onion and mint tossed with oil and vinegar and served atop baby arugula. Recipe: Sicilian Chicken Breast with Zucchini Related: Quick heart-healthy recipes Grilled Chicken Risotto Creamy Parmesan risotto is the perfect match to this zucchini and chicken dish. You can also add in peas and tomatoes for even more flavor. Recipe: Grilled Chicken Risotto Sweet and Spicy Chicken with Potatoes and Cherry Peppers When it comes to cooking with wine, theres one rule to follow: Only cook with something youd drink. And there's no need to break the bank for this recipe you can opt for an inexpensive white wine to simmer the sautéed new potatoes and chicken breasts in. Recipe: Sweet and Spicy Chicken with Potatoes and Cherry Peppers Browse: Recipes with cherry peppers Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Packed full of flavor, this slow cooker chicken recipe will transport you to Morocco. Recipe: Moroccan-Spiced Chicken Related: Garlicky Goodness: Great Garlic Chicken Recipes Tangy Chicken Cacciatore Slow cooking this classic dish creates a tender chicken leg that is completely infused with Italian herbs and flavors. Recipe: Tangy Chicken Cacciatore Watch: Tips to roast chicken Southwestern Chicken Stew Infuse your winter stew with the personality of the Southwest. This stew is brimming with bright, rich flavors and a subtle spice that will warm you up on the coldest winter nights. Recipe: Southwestern Chicken Stew Apple-Stuffed Chicken Apples are cooked right into the chicken breasts for a sweet and savory dish that's easy on your waistline. Recipe: Apple-Stuffed Chicken Related: Try stuffed butternut squash Orange-Ginger Chicken with Spinach This quick and easy chicken dish uses orange marmalade, fresh ginger, scallions, and garlic for the perfect balance of sweet and savory. Recipe: Orange-Ginger Chicken with Spinach Sweet Apple and Mustard Marinated Grilled Chicken Sweet apple juice and tangy whole-grain mustard are a pantry-friendly marinade for chicken. This recipe proves that a marinade doesn't need to take several hours. You're just 20 minutes away from more flavorful chicken. Recipe: Sweet Apple and Mustard Marinated Grilled Chicken Related: Time-saving techniques Chicken Soup with Smoked Sausage, White Beans and Greens White wine, juicy chicken, and meaty mushrooms are a classic combination that never gets old. Recipe: Chicken Soup with Smoked Sausage, White Beans and Greens Related: Fabulous Chicken Soup Recipes Chicken Osso Buco Though this dish is traditionally made with veal shank, this recipe shaves off a lot of fat and sodium by using chicken and just two teaspoons of olive oilallowing a heady mix of spices to do the work instead. Recipe: Chicken Osso Buco Browse: Recipes with veal Cuban Chicken and Vegetables This colorful and gluten-free recipe is bursting with bright flavors from the addition of orange juice and cilantro. Recipe: Cuban Chicken and Vegetables Balsamic Mushroom Chicken Lean chicken breasts get the savory treatment with a heady mix of sautéed mushrooms, Swiss cheese, dried thyme, and balsamic vinegar. Recipe: Balsamic-Mushroom Chicken Related: Everything you need to know about balsamic vinegar Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Our version of the ultimate feel-good food, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is chock-full of seasonal vegetables like leeks, carrots, celery, and onions. Slowly cooking a whole chicken, fragrant herbs, and fresh vegetables in chicken broth rather than water imparts a rich flavor to this soup. Recipe: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup | 0 | 8,529 | foodanddrink |
You finished playing with them a long time ago, and as you got older, so did they Barbie and Ken Barbie, Mattel's undisputed queen of toys, and Ken, her Prince Charming, have been inseparable since 1961 (other than Barbie's brief fling with an Erik Estrada "Chips" doll in the late-'70s). Now semi-retired, the happy couple split their time between Barbie's dream house in Malibu and Ken's more modest two-story condo in Boca Raton. So you can forget that gossip about Ken being gay. G.I. Joe G.I. Joe wants to make it perfectly clear he's not bitter. He wasn't bitter when Hasbro reduced him in size to better compete with Star Wars toys in the early '80s. He wasn't bitter when Channing Tatum played him in the movie version of his life, and despite rumors that have dogged him since the mid-'60s, the "real American hero" continues to insist, "I'm not a doll, I'm an action figure." Gumby and Pokey A sweet clay boy and his four-legged pony pal first came into our lives more than 50 years ago, and although Gumby and Pokey have since grown up, they still refuse to wear a stitch of clothing. "I have nothing to be ashamed of. I'm green, lumpy and the ladies love it," Gumby exclaimed. "He's delusional," muttered Pokey, after another Netflix night with his pantless friend. Mr. Potato Head Mr. Potato Head would like to thank all of you who wished him a speedy recovery from his recent surgery for tuber-ocular melanoma, more commonly known as potato-eye cancer. Troll Dolls The Trolls have seen better days. After more than a half-century of lurking under a bridge, time and hard living have taken their toll on these poor little creatures and signs of early dementia are readily apparent. Woody and Buzz Lightyear After "Toy Story 3," Woody and Buzz* struggled to find work in Hollywood (that's what happens when you're typecast). Today, the best friends can be found outside Mann's Chinese Theatre posing for photos with tourists for $1 a pop. *Although not technically toys we played with, Woody and Buzz were based on older cowboy and astronaut playthings, so please work with us here. Teddy Ruxpin Teddy Ruxpin is currently in litigation with the makers of "Ted" and, on the advice of his attorneys, refused to take part in this article. Contacted in Boston, Ted said, "Screw that fat ... never mind" before hanging up. Thomas the Tank Engine After numerous near-derailments (which he tried to pin on the Little Engine That Could), Thomas was honorably released from rail service. The beloved locomotive now rests permanently next to the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross Station Platform 9 3/4. My Little Pony Applejack, an original pony from the early '80s, was put out to pasture some time ago, and even though her mane has lost some of its luster, her hair is still fun to brush. But watch out, she bites! Matryoshka Dolls The Russian nesting dolls, around since the turn of the 20th century, have survived tsarist rule, revolutions and regime changes, to say nothing of the endless "stacked" jokes. Blame it on the vodka. Stretch Armstrong Sadly, the speculation swirling around the big fella since the mid-'70s proved to be true. This is what steroids can do to a body. Chatty Cathy Introduced by Mattel in 1960, Chatty Cathy originally spoke one of 11 different phrases when you pulled her "chatty ring." Over the years, she acquired more phrases, such as, "I love you, but I'm not in love with you," "Tell me a story ... and make it a really dirty one" and "Oh, my God! I have to pee more than Betsy Wetsy!" | 4 | 8,530 | lifestyle |
Why You Shouldn't Eat These Foods in Winter Avoid These Foods During Winter We've listed the top foods you should avoid during the winter months to give you a better idea of what to look for (and what to walk right past) in the grocery store. Click through our slideshow to benefit your health, wallet, and especially your taste buds. Browse: Recipes to try this winter Asparagus Some foods are best left to the spring, and fresh asparagus is one of them, according to Suzanne Lehrer, culinary manager at Plated. "Anything light green in the store is special to spring," says Lehrer. "Pick up anything dark green instead for winter kale, Swiss chard, and escarole." Make: Chef Tom Colicchio's Sautéed Swiss Chard Cayenne Pepper Reaching for the spicy stuff might help clear your stuffy sinuses, but it will wreak havoc on your stomach. Avoid hot foods if you have a cold or the flu. See all the recipes you can make with cayenne pepper Corn on the Cob Unless you live in Florida, where it starts coming in by late January, that corn on the cob you find in the supermarket in mid-February won't be as young as you think. According to Jackie Keller, founder of Nutrifit, "This plant simply doesn't produce in winter months," says Keller. "What you'll be buying, if you do find it anywhere, will be frozen or even leftover from the previous season." Find a new way to love corn this winter Dairy Milk, cream, and cheese can be your worst nightmare if you're fighting a bug. "If you feel you're on the cusp of a cold and feeling congested, dairy will only make it worse," says Lehrer. Not sick? Get your cheese fix here Halibut Believe it or not, fish are seasonal, too. "Halibut is out of season in winter months," says Keller. "This doesn't apply to farmed fish, but I encourage people to buy wild when possible. Avoid halibut until late spring." Put together a collection of halibut recipes while you wait for spring Heirloom Tomatoes Again, unless you live in Florida, fresh tomatoes simply won't taste as good in the winter. "Heirloom tomatoes in Whole Foods look tempting, but they just won't be particularly sweet or juicy in February," says Lehrer. "Use canned San Marzano tomatoes for sauces and stews to get your tomato fix instead." Watch: Choosing Tomatoes for Tomato Sauce (1:23) Peaches Frozen peaches are a better alternative to out-of-season fresh peaches. "Peaches don't travel well," says Keller. "They don't ripen once they're picked, and can be mealy and tasteless in the winter." When the time comes, you've got to try this recipe: Peaches Under Meringue Strawberries Your winter strawberries will probably be a little mushy, since they've traveled a long way to reach you. "The flavor and texture will be subpar, as your produce will likely coming from Mexico," says Lehrer. Be ready for strawberry season, browse strawberry recipes now Sugar Cold weather and hot chocolate go hand in hand, but many doctors believe that too much sugar can weaken your immune system. One study found subjects who had just consumed a lot of sugar weren't able to fight off bacteria as well as those who'd stuck to water. Sip: Nutella Hot Chocolate with Hazelnut Liqueur Watermelon Just because you can find winter watermelon, doesn't mean you should buy it. "While it may be available, it will likely have been shipped great distances and picked under-ripe," says Keller. "Skip it until summer." See all the clever ways to prepare watermelon Yellow Wax Beans These beans can taste downright awful if you don't wait until the right moment. "If you find them in the winter at all, they'll certainly be fibrous, tough, and expensive," says Keller. Make: Mixed Green and Yellow Beans Also try: Green beans | 0 | 8,531 | foodanddrink |
A few years ago, Travis Pizel and his wife, Vonnie, found themselves in crisis. The Rochester, Minnesota, couple had good jobs and lived well, eating out frequently, buying what they wanted and taking vacations to water parks with their two children. But a letter from their credit card company advising them of higher payments forced them to confront the truth: They had accrued $109,000 in credit card debt during their 13-year marriage. Despite a household income of about $100,000, they couldn't afford higher payments. "We had essentially been racking up credit card debt from the moment we said 'I do,'" Pizel says. "It was just a big snowball rolling down the hill that kept getting bigger and bigger." They're far from the only Americans who have found themselves faced with huge debts. Credit cards, student loans , auto loans, home equity lines of credit it's easy to discover that you've gotten yourself in over your head with numbers so large you don't even want to face them. That's the wrong approach, says Beverly Blair Harzog, author of "Confessions of a Credit Junkie" and "The Debt Escape Plan," which will be published next month. "The first thing you need to do is own the debt," Harzog says. That means telling yourself "I did this. I'm not a victim, and now it's my job to pay it off." The first step, she says, is writing down exactly how much you owe each creditor, with interest rates and minimum payments. The next step is to come up with a budget, determining how much it costs you to live and what expenses you can cut to find the money to pay off your debts. It's better to tackle debts sooner rather than later because consumers with solid credit have more options flexibility to negotiate lower interest rates or secure a balance transfer credit card than those whose debts have been turned over to collection agencies. "If they feel they're just one paycheck away from being in crisis, that's a good time to call," says Thomas Nitzsche, a financial educator in St. Louis for ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions. Pizel and his wife enrolled in a debt management (not debt settlement) program, which cost them $50 to start and $55 a month. They paid off the $109,000 in 55 months and estimate that the program, which negotiated lower interest rates on their cards, saved them $30,000 in interest charges. They also made some big changes to their lives, including communicating a lot more about money with twice-weekly consultations on spending, saving and finances. "We didn't really come to grips with how much we had to change our lifestyle at once," Pizel says. Dining out was curtailed, and vacations became fewer. They started planning meals and sticking to grocery lists. "We looked at every monthly bill," he says, asking one question: "Does that bring value to our lives?" What works for one person won't necessarily work for another, and most people need to experiment to find the best budget and debt-payoff method, says Harzog, whose new book focuses on helping people find the methods that suit their personalities. "You have to change your behavior, and that takes time," she says. "It's not going to happen overnight, where you have this epiphany and everything falls into place." Here are 11 strategies from Harzog, Pizel, Nitzsche and other experts on how to attack big debts. Calculate what you owe. List all your creditors, including the minimum payments and interest rates. Plan to attack one debt at a time, making minimum payments on all the others. Some advocate the "snowball" method, starting with the smallest debt. Others start with the debts that have the highest interest rate. Either way, you want to throw as much money as you can each month at your target account, then move to the next. Yes, there's an app for that. Jackie Beck at TheDebtMyth.com created Pay Off Debt, an app for the snowball method. Cut expenses. If you're lucky, you might be able to pay off your debt by cutting down on vacations, dining out, gym memberships and shopping. If that's not enough, you may need to consider moving to a smaller home, switching your kids from private to public school, selling your car or moving in with family. Make a budget. You can create your budget on paper or use tools such as Mint.com or YNAB.com (You Need a Budget). Some people like the envelope system, where you use cash for everything, creating envelopes for each expense category plus savings. Start by writing down every cent you spend. "If you can make yourself do this for three or four weeks, you'll be surprised at where some of your money's going," Harzog says. Earn more money. That could mean getting a new job that pays better, taking a part-time job on the side or freelancing. You may also be able to sell belongings to generate more cash. Quit using credit cards. Many clients are reluctant to give up credit cards because of the loyalty programs, Nitzsche says. But if you're paying 10 percent interest, the 2 percent cash back you receive is a net loss. Transfer balances to get a lower interest rate. This is a good option for people with solid credit, as long as you can pay off the balance during the introductory period. Take any balance transfer fees into account. While you can sometimes refinance your mortgage or take out a home equity line at a lower interest rate to pay off credit card debt, remember that failing to make those payments can endanger your home. Call your credit card company. If you're current or not far behind on payments, you may be able to negotiate a lower interest rate or smaller minimum payment. Ask to speak to the hardship department or a supervisor. "Take action quickly," Harzog says. "Don't wait until you're three months behind to call." Get counseling. Find a nonprofit company that is accredited by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, has positive customer reviews and a good rating from the Better Business Bureau. Most companies will provide a free initial consultation. After that, you can decide whether you need a credit management plan, in which the agency negotiates with your credit card companies, takes one payment from you and then pays your creditors. These nonprofit agencies, which used to be known as consumer credit counseling services, can also help with student loans and mortgage modifications. Consult an attorney. This is an especially viable option if you're considering bankruptcy or have been sued. A credit counseling agency may help you find one. Scrutinize medical bills. Medical debt makes up 52 percent of the bills sent to collections, according to a study last year by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Make sure your bills are accurate, and that the insurance company has paid its share. Once you've determined what you owe, ask for financial aid, a payment plan or a discount. "A lot of people don't know they can apply for financial aid with a hospital," Nitzsche says. Even if the answer is no, the hospital may offer a payment plan or write off some of the bill. Beware of debt settlement companies. These for-profit companies usually collect money upfront, tell you not to pay your bills and wait for the debt to become delinquent in hopes of negotiating a settlement. This may or may not work, and the result could be a lawsuit or a lien against your home. Many companies take customers' money and then disappear. "There are situations when settling a debt may be a good idea, but I don't recommend going to a debt settlement company," Nitzsche says. Start with a credit counselor, who may recommend other options to settle debts. | 3 | 8,532 | finance |
By Steve DelVecchio Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry has been named a starter for the Eastern Conference in the NBA All-Star Game, and Belieb it or not he may have Justin Bieber to thank. At the beginning of the week, Lowry trailed Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade by more than 100,000 votes. The margin seemed to significant too overcome, but then Bieber sent this tweet : "Toronto has been killin it and @Klow7 deserves to be an nba all star. Make sure to vote for him. #WeTheNorth. Good luck buddy." If you don't think that helped sway the vote in Lowry's favor, you have no idea how hardcore Bieber's fans are. The tweet was retweeted about 50,000 times and favorited the same amount. Of those 50,000 retweets, half were probably teenaged girls who have no idea what a Kyle Lowry is but did as Bieber told them to do. Heck, even one of our favorite women's tennis players probably voted for Lowry after Bieber's tweet. For what it's worth, Lowry is averaging 19.8 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. Wade is averaging 21.8 points, 5.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds. The numbers are very similar, so we all know what happened here. The difference came up Bieber. | 1 | 8,533 | sports |
New Saudi King Salman vowed to keep his conservative, oil-rich Muslim kingdom on a steady course and moved to cement his hold on power following the death of his half-brother King Abdullah. Abdullah, a cautious reformer who led the US-allied Gulf state through a turbulent decade in a region shaken by the Arab Spring uprisings and Islamic extremism, died early Friday aged about 90. In his first public statement as king, Salman, 79, vowed to "remain, with God's strength, attached to the straight path that this state has walked since its establishment". He called for "unity and solidarity" among Muslims and vowed to work in "the defence of the causes of our nation". Moving to clear uncertainty over the transition to the next generation, he named his nephew, Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, as second in line to the throne behind Crown Prince Moqren, 69. That helps to solidify control by his Sudayri branch of the royal family. Salman also appointed one of his own sons, Prince Mohammed, as defence minister of the world's top oil exporter and the spiritual home of Islam. World leaders praised the Abdullah as a key mediator between Muslims and the West, but campaigners criticised his human rights record and urged Salman to do more to protect freedom of speech and women's rights. Gulf rulers and leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif joined Salman for a simple funeral at Riyadh's Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque Friday. Abdullah's body, wrapped in a cream-coloured shroud, was borne on a simple litter by members of the royal family wearing traditional red-and-white checked headgear. The body was quickly moved to nearby Al-Od public cemetery and buried in an unmarked grave, in keeping with tradition. Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak arrived later to deliver condolences. In the evening hundreds of Saudis queued to enter a royal palace where they rubbed cheeks and kissed the hands of their new leaders, in a symbolic pledge of allegiance. Officials did not disclose the cause of Abdullah's death, but the long-ailing ruler had been hospitalised in December with pneumonia. - Obama hails 'valued' ally - Under Abdullah, who ascended the throne in 2005, Riyadh has been a key Arab ally of Washington, last year joining the coalition carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group. President Barack Obama was quick to pay tribute to Abdullah as a "valued" ally, and the State Department said Washington sees no indication that cooperation will change. Vice President Joe Biden said on Twitter he would lead a delegation to Saudi Arabia "to pay respect and offer condolences". Other foreign leaders also paid tribute. French President Francois Hollande announced a visit to the kingdom, hailing Abdullah as "a statesman whose work profoundly marked the history of his country". British Prime Minister David Cameron said Abdullah would be remembered for "his commitment to peace and for strengthening understanding between faiths." Cameron will travel to Saudi Arabia Saturday, when Prince Charles is also to arrive. As the top producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia has been the driving force behind the cartel's refusal to slash output to support oil prices, which have fallen by more than 50 percent since June. Prices surged Friday, amid uncertainty over whether the new king would maintain that policy, but the International Energy Agency's chief economist said he did not foresee major policy shifts. "And I expect and hope that they will continue to be a stabilisation factor in the oil markets," Fatih Birol told AFP in Davos, Switzerland. - Royal family stalwart - Saudi Arabia is home to Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, and its role as a spiritual leader for Sunni Muslims has seen it vying for influence with Shiite-dominated Iran. Tehran nonetheless offered its condolences, saying Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif would travel to Riyadh to take part in official ceremonies Saturday. Behind his thick, jet-black moustache and goatee, Abdullah had a shrewd grasp of regional politics. Wary of the rising influence of Islamist movements, Saudi Arabia has been a generous supporter of Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi since the army ousted Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt declared seven days of official mourning for Abdullah. Riyadh has also played a key role in supporting opposition to Iran-backed President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, and will allow US troops to use its territory to train rebel fighters. Salman is widely expected to follow closely in Abdullah's footsteps, in foreign and energy policy as well as in making moderate reforms. Abdullah pushed through cautious changes, challenging conservatives with such moves as including women in the Shura Council, an advisory body. He promoted the kingdom's economic development and oversaw its accession to the World Trade Organization, tapping into the country's massive oil wealth to build new cities, universities and high-speed railways. - 'Insensitive to human rights' - But Saudi Arabia is still strongly criticised for a dismal human rights record, including the imprisonment of dissidents. It is also the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive. Amnesty International head Salil Shetty told AFP that "the Saudi regime seems insensitive to human rights and human dignity". Salman is a stalwart of the royal family credited with transforming Riyadh from a backwater to a thriving capital during his half-century as governor. Since the death in 1953 of the kingdom's founder, King Abdul Aziz bin Saud, the throne has passed systematically from one of his sons to another. Abdul Aziz had 45 recorded sons. Abdullah, Salman and Moqren were all born to different mothers. Saudi Arabia has managed to avoid the social upheaval that has shaken many of its neighbours in recent years, thanks in large part to massive public spending. But the new king will face some major challenges, especially as falling oil prices cut into state revenues. Saud Mubarak, 24, a security guard, said he will miss King Abdullah but is confident that Salman can carry on the late monarch's work. "Everything is gonna be fine," he said. | 5 | 8,534 | news |
Staying at home and watching TV during a flu epidemic may actually reduce the spread of the disease, according to a new study of the 2009 "swine flu" epidemic. Researchers analyzed the television-viewing habits of people in central Mexico during spring 2009, when that year's H1N1 flu epidemic began. At that time, officials in Mexico City implemented measures to reduce people's contact with one another (a public health strategy called "social distancing"). They closed public schools and canceled large public events. The researchers used television viewing to estimate the population's amount of social contact when people are watching TV, they are generally at home, and thus have limited contact with others. In the first week after the city's social-distancing measures were put into place, television viewing in Mexico City increased to 20 percent above average, the study found. The increase was greatest for children and those with higher incomes, compared to other groups. The researchers also modeled what would have happened if people had not changed their behavior at all during the epidemic (meaning they had not taken measures to distance themselves from others). In this scenario, new flu cases would have more than quadrupled over about five weeks. But in reality, cases in Mexico City stabilized, and then decreased within that time period, the study found. "The swine flu outbreak that hit Mexico City in April 2009 could have been worse, but spread of the virus was reduced by people's behavioral response of distancing themselves from each other," Michael Springborn, an economist at the University of California, Davis, said in a statement . However, the researchers also found that there may be a limit to how long people are willing to stay cooped up at home, even during a flu epidemic . During the second week after schools were closed in Mexico City, television-viewing habits started to drop down from their initial high, and returned to normal around the same time that schools opened again, in mid-May. "This suggests that efforts to utilize social distancing to mitigate disease spread may have a limited window of efficacy," Springborn said. After that, pent-up demand for activities outside the home may take precedence. However, it's possible that people turned off their TVs but were still at home during this time period, doing other activities, the researchers said. The study is published today (Jan. 22) in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases. | 7 | 8,535 | health |
It may have taken longer than anticipated, but Box's debut as a public company is off to a rousing start. Shares of the cloud storage firm opened for trading at $22 Friday, a 57% pop from its $14 IPO price. The company sold 12.5 million shares to raise $175 million (underwriters led by Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and JPMorgan Chase have the option to purchase another 1.9 million shares to lift the total proceeds from the deal to just over $201 million). Box kept climbing after its hot start, reaching a high of $24.73. Chief Executive Aaron Levie, who did not sell shares in the offering, owns a 3.7% stake of 4.1 million shares, worth about $57 million at the IPO price but rapidly growing. The long-awaited offering comes after last year's aborted attempt at a public debut, when Box got caught up in the early spring plunge in so-called "momentum stock" that cut deeply into the rich valuations enjoyed by many tech companies. (See "The Box IPO: What Went Wrong The First Time." ) "Box moved just as multiples were plummeting," says Paul Bard, director of research at IPO-focused Renaissance Capital. "It's hard to go public in the face of contracting multiples in your sector; investors have a hard time benchmarking you." The hold-up , with Box burning through cash the whole time and mounting concerns about its expenses, prompted the company to tap the private markets for another round of funding over the summer, raising money at a $2.4 billion valuation. Demand proved strong, as Box priced above its $11-$13 anticipated range, but the dollar increase was hardly excessive as Friday's initial trading showed. Thursday's offering gave Box a $1.7 billion market capitalization, making the IPO a down round in terms of valuation, but the gap quickly evaporated as the initial rally pushed Box's market cap past $2.4 billion. Given the relatively small initial float just 10.5% of the company was sold in the offering the stock's initial surge is understandable, but will bear watching as more shares come free from lock-up restrictions. For all the investors who feared they might be catching a falling knife (and a money-losing one at that), there appeared to be plenty willing to bet they're getting in cheaply buying Box at or near the valuation of its last public round.. Follow @SchaeferStreet The IPO Class Of 2015 | 3 | 8,536 | finance |
1. Cuddling. When you're not in a relationship, even if you can't have sex, you can at least masturbate. You can't cuddle yourself though. That's strictly relationship territory. 2. Having someone to text throughout the day. It breaks up the monotony, and texting memes to someone else is definitely better than filling out paperwork all day. 3. Getting exposed to new things. Unless you're literally dating a clone of yourself (which raises all kinds of ethical questions), you're probably getting dragged along to things like bowling or even movies you never would have gone to otherwise. And you actually like some of these things. 4. Meeting new friends. Yo, your number of Facebook friends just doubled. 5. Going to a bar and not feeling like you have to embarrass yourself in front of strangers. There's nothing wrong with single life, but some of the pressures and awkwardness of trying to get a date are way too stressful. Being in a relationship means a bar becomes just a place you can grab a drink, instead of a building where you have to constantly be on point in case someone is watching. 6. Getting to go on fun dates pretty much whenever you want. Going to the movies or dinner by yourself is awkward for a lot of people, and you can't always force your friends to come along. You know who you can force to come along? Your significant other. 7. You get more presents on your birthday. This one is totally selfish but whatever. Extra presents source. 8. Couples vacations. Once you're at the age where spring break is no longer acceptable as a vacation, your only options are family vacations or vacations by yourself. Couples vacations mean you don't have to make vacation friends or go to the Grand Canyon with your dad. 9. You have someone to take care of you when you're sick. In this case "take care" means "bring me some Chinese food and a box of tissues on the way home from work." But that's huge . 10. You have another house to sleep at when your roommates are driving you nuts. Relationship? Boom, second house. It's like Monopoly. 11. You always have something to do. You might not have a lot of downtime, but it's nice that you almost always have something planned. Bonus: It makes you look a lot more popular than you really are. 12. Not freaking out about your appearance as much. Against all odds, you just convinced someone you're attractive. Time to stop obsessing over your abs/lack of abs. Follow Frank on Twitter. | 4 | 8,537 | lifestyle |
The year is only 23 days old, but it may already have its worst movie. We give you "Mortdecai," the "psychotically unfunny" anti-comedy starring Johnny Depp. Here's a visualization of what its like to sit through the 107-minute film: Needless to say, critics haven't been kind. "Mortdecai" currently sports a 10-percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes , a mark that would have placed it among the 10 worst-reviewed movies of 2014 . Ahead, the nine most scathing reviews of "Mortdecai." 1. "The badness settled over the audience like nuclear ash." -- David Edelstein, New York 2. "Depp is unbearable." -- Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger 3. "[Depp] has done a lot better than this forgettable piece of bargain-basement low art." -- Brian Truitt, USA Today 4. "'Mortdecai' might as well be called 'The Johnny Depp Movie,' because its preening star, wearing an ascot and a walrus mustache that becomes a tiresome running joke, is the whole show. And what a frantically dull spectacle this vanity project is." -- Stephen Holden, New York Times 5. "'Mortdecai' is mortdifying, a mortdal sin of a movie that's headed for the cinematic mortduary." -- Kyle Smith, New York Post 6. "This charmless farce ends up as another black mark on Depp's recent track record of patchy pet projects." -- Stephen Dalton, The Hollywood Reporter 7. "Johnny Depp has done so much for us. Let us now return the favor and pretend 'Mortdecai,' a disastrously misjudged career low, never existed." -- Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News 8. "Like the film as a whole, [Depp's] performance is such a spectacular miscalculation that it begins to generate a strange fascination in that you almost want to keep watching just to see how much worse it can possibly get before it finally comes to a merciful and long-overdue conclusion." -- Peter Sobczynski, RogerEbert.com 9. "[A] spectacular mess." -- Jon Lyus, HeyUGuys | 6 | 8,538 | entertainment |
How to marry function and style. Flexibility "Our tiny house calls for flexibility. These two small, nickel-plated, faux-bamboo tables from the 1940s fit the room perfectly but can be moved easily if we're having a party and need more space." Scot Meacham Wood Balancing Act "I like a balance of books and objects on my two-tone metal table. A coffee table needs to be pretty, but it should also say a little something about you." Barrie Benson Weathered Surface "The weathered, chipped surface of my Indonesian table means I can really use it without ever worrying about damage. And I love its informality among the Pierre Frey and Bennison fabrics in my living room." Schuyler Samperton Textures "I'm crazy about coffee tables that are a combination of bamboo or rattan and lacquer. The texture is wonderful dressy yet friendly and the design works in almost any setting." Libby Cameron Unique Design "This bird-shape table by François-Xavier Lalanne is one of my most favorite things! His wings fold down, and he's got a berry in his mouth, which to me symbolizes abundance and well-being. And those feet!" John Oetgen A Touch of Shine "The hammered-brass design, by my friend Alison Spear, adds texture and a touch of gilt glamour to my living room. It's handsome, sculptural, and functional a nod to Jean-Michel Frank and the perfect perch for cherished objects." Todd Klein The Right Height "A coffee table shouldn't be too low or too high somewhere from 16½ to 19½ inches feels right to me. I like to move things around on the tabletop, but I always have a small bowl of treats!" Kristen Buckingham Accents "I don't have many vices, but the top of my table will tell you that I'm addicted to books and fresh flowers. I find rectangular, taller coffee tables to be more comfortable than their low-slung counterparts." Paloma Contreras Storage "I designed this glass-and-brass piece out of a desperate need for chic storage for my ever-growing book collection. It's solid, but it looks light. And j'adore that lower shelf!" Madeline Stuart Rearrange "I rearrange the items on this mirrored table daily, except for the book, Helmut Newton's Sumo, which came with the Lucite base it's only moved for dusting. The feathers are the last remnants of an over-the-top floral arrangement." Scott Salvator | 4 | 8,539 | lifestyle |
By Joe Lucia We've nearly reached February, and James Shields is still out there, dangling in the wind on the free agent market. According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Shields wants to join a team on the west coast. That's all fine and dandy, but there's just one problem with his desires the ten teams in the two western divisions aren't exactly jonesing for starting pitching, and the ones that are wouldn't be too keen on spending the amount of money on Shields that he craves. Arizona Diamondbacks: Arizona was big on Shields this winter, but reportedly bowed out of the bidding after Max Scherzer's contract with the Nationals this week. It's a shame, because he'd be a good fit with the Diamondbacks. Colorado Rockies: Colorado could use Shields. But given the history of free agent starters at Coors Field, it might not be a worthy gamble. Their payroll is also close to being tapped out, and the team would need to clear some salary to make room for Shields. Houston Astros: Well, signing Shields *would* fit in with the rest of Houston's surprisingly busy offseason. But signing a pitcher long-term doesn't seem like it would fit with their philosophy, and I think the team would rather try to help its young starters grow rather than plugging a hole with a veteran like Shields. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The Angels' rotation appears to be set, even with Garrett Richards likely opening the year on the DL and Tyler Skaggs more than likely spending his entire season on the DL following Tommy John surgery in August. Never count out the insanity of Arte Moreno, though. Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers' rotation is also set. Signing Shields would force Brett Anderson into the bullpen, which would actually make sense given his injury history. Oakland Athletics: Maybe if the price for Shields drops to rock bottom prices, the A's will get involved. But right now, there's no chance in hell, no matter how much the A's might actually need him. San Diego Padres: Shields lives in San Diego, and would also fit the Padres' offseason "contend now" plan. They have some rotation depth, however, and Shields may be too much of a luxury for the Padres. San Francisco Giants: The Giants' rotation appears set as well following the team nearing an agreement to bring back Ryan Vogelsong. They had been tied to Shields earlier this offseason, but instead opted to bring back Jake Peavy. Seattle Mariners: The Mariners are legitimate contenders, and Shields could push them over the hump in the AL West. However, the team's payroll is maxed out, and they'd need to dump salary in order to afford Shields. Texas Rangers: Texas is quite an intriguing option. They could use another starter following the earlier acquisition of Yovani Gallardo, but already are hanging onto a probable sunk cost starter in Matt Harrison. Adding in Shields' salary would push their payroll to a record level, and while the team probably can afford it, they've got enough bad contracts on the books that the additional risk may not be worth it. So there you have it Shields wants to play on the west coast, but there aren't many great fits in MLB's two western divisions. | 1 | 8,540 | sports |
She's at her sartorial peak. July 28, 2015 July 13, 2015 June 28, 2015 June 17, 2015 June 16, 2015 June 10, 2015 May 30, 2015 May 29, 2015 May 28, 2015 May 27, 2015 May 26, 2015 May 26, 2015 May 8, 2015 May 3, 2015 April 19, 2015 April 18, 2015 March 10, 2015 March 10, 2015 March 9, 2015 February 17, 2015 February 17, 2015 January 17, 2015 January 3, 2015 January 1, 2015 December 31, 2014 December 31, 2014 December 26, 2014 December 24, 2014 December 20, 2014 December 19, 2014 December 19, 2014 December 15, 2014 December 12, 2014 December 10, 2014 December 8, 2014 November 17, 2014 November 14, 2014 November 13, 2014 November 12, 2014 October 28, 2014 September 16, 2014 September 15, 2014 August 14, 2014 August 13, 2014 August 12, 2014 August 6, 2014 August 1, 2014 July 30, 2014 July 24, 2014 July 22, 2014 July 21, 2014 July 18, 2014 July 14, 2014 July 12, 2014 July 9, 2014 July 7, 2014 July 2, 2014 July 1, 2014 June 20, 2014 June 17, 2014 June 15, 2014 May 17, 2014 April 29, 2014 April 24, 2014 April 23, 2014 April 23, 2014 April 16, 2014 April 15, 2014 April 12, 2014 April 10, 2014 April 9, 2014 April 3, 2014 April 1, 2014 March 28, 2014 March 27, 2014 | 4 | 8,541 | lifestyle |
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, Kingdom Holdings chairman, shares his thoughts on his uncle's legacy, and denies his country is punishing U.S. frackers. | 3 | 8,542 | finance |
Cheetos are basically turning into churros with their new cinnamon sugared Sweetos available for Easter. Sean Dowling (@Seandowlingtv) has the details. | 8 | 8,543 | video |
Bowing to an outcry over online privacy, the Obama administration reversed itself Friday, scaling back the release of consumers' personal information from the government's health insurance website. The administration made the changes to HealthCare.gov after The Associated Press reported earlier in the week that the website was quietly sending consumers' personal data to private companies that specialize in advertising and analyzing Internet data for performance and marketing. The personal details included age, income, ZIP code, tobacco use, and whether a woman is pregnant. That prompted lawmakers to demand an explanation, while privacy advocates called on the administration to make changes. Analysis of the website Friday by AP showed that the administration had made changes to reduce the outbound flow of personal information. Before that, the website was explicitly sending personal data to third-party sites. The site is used by millions to sign up for coverage under the health care law, or to merely browse insurance plans. The changes were confirmed by Cooper Quintin, a staff technologist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties group. Quintin called it "a great first step," but said the administration needs to do more. An administration spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. Officials of the Health and Human Services Department had at first defended their information-sharing practices, saying the outside companies only used the data to analyze the workings of HealthCare.gov and make improvements to the website that benefit consumers. There is no evidence that consumers' personal information was misused, they said. Created under President Barack Obama's health care law, HealthCare.gov is the online gateway to government-subsidized private insurance for people who lack coverage on the job. It serves people in 37 states, while the remaining states operate their own insurance markets. The privacy issue surfaced just as the president called for stronger Internet safeguards for consumers. Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, called it "extremely concerning" for consumers. Third-party outfits that track website performance are a standard part of e-commerce. It's a lucrative business, helping Google, Facebook and others tailor ads to customers' interests. Because your computer and mobile devices can be assigned an individual signature, profiles of Internet users can be pieced together, generating lists that have commercial value. Third-party sites embedded on HealthCare.gov can't see your name, birth date or Social Security number. But they may be able to correlate the fact that your computer accessed the government website with your other Internet activities. Have you been researching a chronic illness like coronary artery blockage? Do you shop online for smoking-cessation aids? Are you investigating genetic markers for a certain type of breast cancer? Are you seeking help for financial problems, or for an addiction? Google told the AP this week it doesn't allow its systems to target ads based on medical information. HealthCare.gov's privacy policy says in boldface type that no "personally identifiable information" is collected by these Web measurement tools. That is a term defined in government regulations, but other personal details were being allowed through. Privacy advocates say the administration needs to do more. The mere presence of third-party connections on the website even if they don't explicitly receive personal data should still be examined because of their ability to reveal sensitive information about a user. Quintin, the tech expert with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said the health site should disable third-party tracking services for people who chose to opt out by installing add-on software on their web browsers. "HealthCare.gov should meet good privacy standards for all its users," he said. | 5 | 8,544 | news |
WASHINGTON More Americans purchased homes in December, yet total sales slipped in 2014 as first-time buyers struggled to find houses. The National Association of Realtors said Friday that sales of existing homes rose 2.4 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million. But over the course of the entire year, sales fell 3.1 percent to 4.93 million. Only 29 percent of sales went to first-time buyers last month, compared to a historic average of 40 percent. Prospective buyers were priced out of the market due to rising home values and relatively stagnant incomes. Still, affordability has improved in recent months as mortgage rates have plunged, leading to the possibility of stronger sales in 2015. Median home prices increased 6 percent over the past 12 months to $209,500. There were relatively few listings in December, as the supply of homes on the market dropped to 4.4 months from 5.1 months in November, the Realtors said. Much of the gains in sales came from the West, with additional growth in the South. Sales slumped in the Northeast and Midwest. Home-buying appears poised to improve, however. Strong job growth over the previous year has added nearly 3 million new paychecks to the economy. Mortgage rates have fallen sharply, and home values are rising at a slower clip, giving prospective buyers some financial leeway. The Realtors expect sales will rise 8 percent this year to 5.3 million homes. Much of that growth will hinge on first-time buyers getting out of the rental market. Jed Kolko, chief economist at Trulia, predicts that much of the growth will occur in the suburbs. For starters, the suburbs are more affordable, with prices rising 5.7 percent per square foot last year, compared to an 8.1 percent surge in urban neighborhoods. Secondly, urban populations have risen in recent years because of what Kolko calls a "demographic jolt" from twenty-somethings renting downtown, a pattern that will soon reverse itself. "As millennials get older, many will follow a familiar path: They'll partner up, have kids, and move to the suburbs," Kolko said in a report released this week. Analysts expect the resilient U.S. economy to provide a tail wind this year, too. Employers added an average of 246,000 jobs a month last year as the unemployment rate dropped from 6.7 percent to 5.6 percent. While average hourly wages grew only slightly faster than inflation, the additional number of paychecks coupled by younger workers who are starting to move up the career ladder should put more first-time buyers in a better position. Borrowing costs have also plummeted. With growing signs of a weakened global economy, investors have sought to shelter their money in U.S. Treasurys. That has pushed down bond yields and mortgage rates. The average 30-year mortgage rate has fallen to 3.63 percent from 4.39 percent a year ago, the mortgage company Freddie Mac said Thursday. That decline translates into savings about $880 a year in mortgage payments for a $210,000 house. Rates have remained low even though the Federal Reserve in October ended its monthly bond purchases, which were meant to hold down long-term rates. A slowing rate in the growth of housing values will likely also help sales. Home values surged at a double-digit pace nationwide in 2013, pricing out many would-be buyers in 2014. Annual price growth has now slowed to 4.5 percent, as measured by the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index, allowing more buyers back into the market. | 3 | 8,545 | finance |
Sergio Garcia blew his chances of becoming only the first man to win consecutive Qatar Masters titles as four players shared the lead after the third round in Doha on Friday. Garcia shot a five-over par 77 in benign conditions at the Doha Golf Club - his aggregate of one-under 215 a whopping 12 shots behind the leading quartet of Bernd Wiesberger, Marc Warren, Branden Grace and Emiliano Grillo. The Spaniard, who had expressed his fondness for the Doha course before the tournament and had hoped to claim a slice of history by winning the event for the second time in succession, saw his dream vanish over the back nine as he shot two bogeys, one double bogey and a triple bogey on what was a perfect day for golf. Austrian Wiesberger and South African Grace were part of a trio that held an overnight lead of one shot, but on Friday were joined at the top by Grillo of Argentina and Warren of Scotland on 13-under par 203. That gave the four a two-stroke advantage over England's Eddie Pepperell, South African George Coetzee and Spaniard Alejandro Canizares, with first round leader Oliver Fisher a further two behind. It was a neck and neck battle among the leaders for much of the day, with Wiesberger managing to edge ahead by a shot after the 12th hole before a bogey on the 16th allowed the others to catch up. But it was Grace who produced the shot of the day after he drove the ball into the trees on the fifth hole. The South African, however, still managed to snap-hook a wedge within about six feet of the hole for a birdie on the way to a fine 68 and a 13-under par total. "I actually didn't hit that bad a tee shot. I thought I was just in the rough on the right and must have had a big bounce to the right. Where it finished, I thought, this is going to take some magic," Grace said. "I could only hit a big, snapping hook with a wedge and when I hit it, I couldn't see the ball. We heard the claps and next thing you know, managed to make a nice little five footer for birdie - that definitely got it kick started." Wiesberger said he was happy to stay in contention although he rued a bad swing on the 16th hole that led to a bogey. "It's nice to start the day in the lead and hang on to keep it," said the Austrian who has won two titles so far. "Everybody seems to be playing really well and I enjoyed it out there. It was just that bad swing on 16 which cost me a bogey there, so it's really a two shot swing on a short hole like that. I finished nicely with a birdie and it gives me a bit of momentum for tomorrow." Warren was also pleased with his effort. "The last few years I've shown a lot of progress again. Came close a couple times. Didn't quite go over the line and that was something that came quite easy, I suppose at the start of my career. Every time I was in contention, I seemed to win," said the Scot. "I'm confident in my ability to do that and it was nice to actually prove it again. It's one thing to be confident and to actually do it is another thing. Definitely a spring in the step." | 1 | 8,546 | sports |
US conglomerate giant General Electric on Friday reported a robust jump in profits for the fourth quarter as it shifts focus back to its core industrial roots. GE posted net income of $5.15 billion for the October-December quarter, a gain of 61 percent from a year ago. Operating earnings per share, which are closely tracked by Wall Street, came in at 56 cents, a penny more than analysts expected. That was 5.7 percent higher than in the 2013 fourth quarter. "GE ended the year with strong fourth-quarter industrial earnings and margin growth. The environment remains volatile, but we continue to see infrastructure growth opportunities," said Jeffrey Immelt, GE chairman and chief executive. For the 2014 full year, GE's net income was $15.2 billion, a 16.7 percent increase from 2013. Full-year revenues of $148.6 billion were up 1.7 percent from a year ago but slightly below analysts' $148.7 billion estimate. Shares in Dow member GE were flat in pre-market trading. | 3 | 8,547 | finance |
The Best Dry Shampoo For YOUR Hair Best For Thin Hair Since this dry shampoo is made without ingredients that can weigh your hair down, it's perfect for finer strands. Get ready for tons of instant volume!Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo, $7, drugstore.com Best For Thick Hair For super thick or curly locks, this dry shampoo is a total dream. It blasts your roots with an intense puff of white powder, which sounds scary for darker strands, but it gets through even the thickest head of hair. Leave it on for about two minutes, then brush out all the white residue disappears along with second-day oils!Water Killer Dry Shampoo, $25, evohair.com Best Natural Formula If you stick to an all-natural beauty routine, you're gonna flip over this awesome dry shampoo. Made with corn oil and talc, the powder shakes on and soaks up oils on every hair texture! It won't leave behind a yucky white residue on dark hair, and has an amazing citrus smell.No Drought Dry Shampoo, $13.95, lushusa.com Best For Dark Hair It's not just blondes who get to have all the fun! That slightly-gray look that some dry shampoos leave behind on darker strands is a total drag, but this one is customizes the amount of tapioca starch (the oil-absorbing ingredient that can leave a chalky residue), so it's virtually invisible on brown or black strands.Vidal Sassoon ColorFinity Dry Shampoo in Rich Darks, $3.99, drugstores Best Smelling Some dry shampoos have a weird, powdery scent, but not this guy! You might not need the "youth renewal" aspect for your strands, but the fresh, floral fragrance will have you hooked instantly. Nexxus Youth Renewal Rejuventating Dry Shampoo, $13.79, target.comMORE: Guy Celebs' Favorite Fragrances! Best For Styling If want to try a brand-new braid or crazy updo, freshly-washed hair can be too slippery to work with. This styling dust adds instant texture and grip that makes your strands easier to braid, twist, and style.OSiS Refresh Dust, $24.40, sears.com Best For Dry Hair Okay, this one is slightly different it's dry conditioner, not shampoo. But if your hair is super fried or if you just hate the matte finish dry shampoo leaves behind, you'll want to use dry conditioner, too. It contains argan oil that hides split ends and calms frizzies near your tips, so blast the end of your strands with it to add major moisture and shine! Meta Revive Dry Conditioner Nourishing Argan Oil, $25, sergenormant.com Best All Around After testing tons of dry shampoos, this one gets our vote for all-around favorite! It not only absorbs oil, but it actually leaves hair looking like you just got a blowoutno oil or gross, stiff residue in sight.Detox Dry Shampoo, $20, thedrybar.com | 4 | 8,548 | lifestyle |
Better to not waste the calories. Chips and Pretzels Salty snacks can make you feel hungrier since they're chock full of salt (a standard 1-ounce serving of potato chips packs about 170 milligrams of sodium), which can be pretty dehydrating and confuse your body into feeling hungry when it's really thirsty. And, salty snacks are typically protein- and fiber-less, which can quickly add calories without adding much by way of nutritional value. The fix: Swap traditional salty eats for homemade snacks, like sweet potato fries, parsnip chips , and kale chips, all of which have filling fiber and let you control the amount of salt. Bonus: You'll get an extra serving of veggies serving for the day. Diet Soda While research varies on the potential impact of artificial sweeteners on your weight , other studies have linked sugar substitutes to making you hungrier . How? Artificial sweeteners activate your brain's taste and reward system. But, when you don't eat the real thing, you get the taste and no actual "reward." In the end, when your body preps itself for satisfaction but doesn't receive it, you're still left craving cupcakes. The fix: Cap your sugar-free sodas at one 12-ounce can per day, ideally after lunch. That way you know you've had enough to eat and will less likely crave more soda. Plus, it's far enough away from bedtime to ensure a good night's sleep. Snack Bars Just like diet sodas, anything that's full of sugar substitutes can stoke hunger because you're tasting something sweet, but without the benefit of the actual reward. The fix: Since these bars contain one (or a combo!) of sugar and sugar substitutes, it's best to choose one that has a whole-food as the first ingredient, like whole grain oats or almonds. Next, make sure you pick something with at least 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein, and cap anything that's meant to be a snack at 200 calories per serving . Juice Don't be fooled. Even when it reads "no sugar added" or "fresh squeezed," juice is still just sugar. And when you fill up on too much, it raises your blood sugar levels too quickly, leading to a pretty hard crash and a famished feeling before you hit the bottom of the glass. The fix: Eat whole fruit instead. You reap the benefits of fiber and water, both of which will help make you feel satiated. Even better, when you combine fruit with a little protein (think an apple with a piece of part-skim string cheese or a pear with a tablespoon of nut butter), you'll stabilize your blood sugar and keep your over-eating in check. Can't stop drinking juice? Try pouring a dash into seltzer to satisfy your craving. Pasta Specifically the whiter-looking stuff. Unlike whole grain pasta, regular pasta a.k.a. refined grains is stripped of nutrients. And without that fiber to fill you up, the more you eat, the more you'll crave. The fix: Opt for whole grains that are fiber-rich to help fill you up. Try some of these super grains as bases for your pasta recipes: millet, buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth. Sushi Sushi is a hunger double-whammy: It's full of refined white rice (which has no fiber), and soy sauce, which is dehydrating, leaving you feeling thirsty (which often feels like hunger). Another problem: Despite its bite-size portions, sushi is surprisingly high in calories. Also, look out for tricky buzzwords like tempura (fried) and spicy (high-fat mayo) when ordering. They just add sneaky calories without making you feel any fuller. The fix: Start with a big salad and broth-based miso soup. When choosing a main, pick one roll and choose brown over white rice. Opt for low-sodium soy sauce, or skip it entirely. And remember: Go easy on that sake! Cocktails Not only can booze lower your diet resolve, but the more you drink, the more your hormone leptin tells you that you're hungry. On top on that yes, there's more! since alcohol is both dehydrating and lowers your blood sugar, you may find yourself feeling like a bottomless pit. The fix: Avoid sugary mix-ins as much as possible. Next, drink at least one glass of water or club soda for each alcoholic drink you have this will keep you hydrated and fill you up. And lastly, don't head out on an empty stomach. Make sure you have a protein- and fiber-rich snack of about 150 to 200 calories before you leave the house. Cereal Cereals are deceptive for two reasons: First, many are secret sugar bombs, especially if you aren't sticking to the suggested serving size. Second, because sugary cereals are sometimes low in fiber, they can leave you ravenous when lunch is hours away. The fix: Swap cold cereals for fiber-rich, unsweetened oatmeal. Add 1/2 cup of fruit plus a tablespoon of almond butter for bonus fiber and protein. But if you're really in the cold cereal mood, aim for 9 grams or less of sugar per serving, and make sure that the first ingredient on the list is a whole grain. You can also combine it with 1/2 cup of 0% Greek yogurt, to keep you fuller, longer. | 7 | 8,549 | health |
In today's Flip Side, the Tribune-Review's Rob Rossi tells CineSport's Noah Coslov that Sidney Crosby missing the NHL All-Star Game embarrasses the league and what must change immediately. | 1 | 8,550 | sports |
SOUTH CHICAGO HEIGHTS, Ill. Police say a 14-year-old boy stabbed his 16-year-old brother to death in the Chicago suburb of South Chicago Heights. South Chicago Heights Police Chief Bill Joyce says officers responded to the domestic violence incident Wednesday morning. The Cook County medical examiner's office says the 16-year-old boy was pronounced dead at his home. Joyce says the victim's 14-year-old brother was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon. He was later released into his grandfather's custody. A spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney's office said Friday that no charges have been filed against the 14-year-old boy. | 5 | 8,551 | news |
SkyMall, the companion of fliers for 25 years, has declared bankruptcy. Here's CNNMoney's roundup of the strangest products the in-flight catalog has to offer. | 3 | 8,552 | finance |
Diplo apparently knows Taylor Swift's "secrets," and he's scared. The "secrets" he is referring to are unclear in his interview with GQ for the magazine's February 2015 issue. The DJ was included in GQ's list of 19 Musicians That Matter . Diplo spoke about dissing Swift's booty back in November , and the subsequent smack-down from her best friend, Lorde. While he said the incident with Lorde was tongue-in-cheek, the response he got from the Swifties was a bit more intense. "It sucks for me, because now I have to not be as crazy as I am on the Internet," he told GQ. "Which totally sucks, because it's not going to be fun anymore. But the repercussions are really bad. Like, Taylor Swift fans are really crazy. They threatened to murder me and stuff. It's really bizarre, and disgusting. They're the worst people in the world." "She has like 40 million Twitter fans," he continued. "Forty million! Yeah. It's crazy. I'm a fan though. Her powers -- she's big. She's strong, bro. Taylor Swift is very strategic with her friends and enemies . And I know lots of secrets. I can't divulge, but I know a lot of stuff about her. And she's definitely, there's definitely scary stuff going on. And I'm scared. I'm scared for my life." Billboard noted that comments from Diplo about Swift that originally appeared in the article were removed and replaced by GQ, before the publication ran the producer's full interview. A rep for GQ told Billboard "the quote was removed because the full Diplo story provides context." After Diplo tweeted about Swift in November, Us Weekly surmised his insult stemmed from a connection to Katy Perry. Swift allegedly wrote "Bad Blood" about issues with her. | 6 | 8,553 | entertainment |
The Democratic Party will meet the week of July 25 next year to nominate its 2016 presidential contender, gathering one week after Republicans convene to pick their White House candidate. Democratic Party officials said on Friday they were still in final negotiations with three cities - New York, Philadelphia and Columbus, Ohio - to host the nominating convention. "We are still in discussions with three excellent cities and are looking forward to a diverse and inclusive convention that displays our party's values," Democratic National Committee head Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in announcing the dates. Republicans will hold their 2016 convention from July 18 to 21 in Cleveland, Ohio. Both parties will gather for their conventions a month earlier next year than the late summer time slots they used in 2012 in order to give their presidential nominees more time to raise money and campaign for the general election. (Writing by John Whitesides; editing by Andrew Hay) | 5 | 8,554 | news |
Because we at Cosmopolitan.com love everything about love falling in it, being in it, making it we asked readers what, precisely, made them fall in love with their partners. A handful of qualities that came up again and again:Most of the participants fell in love with funny people who have beautiful eyes, great smiles, listen well, and are caring and kind. So just find someone like that and you're set, I guess?Here are the 30 most beautiful "the moment I knew" stories from women ages 18 to 34: 1 . "My boyfriend and I were about to watch football so we had ordered a pizza. The pizza place was about three blocks from the house so he just walked to pick it up. After returning, we realized that my ranch didn't make it in the box. Not a big deal so I went to sit down in the living room. About 10 15 minutes had passed and my boyfriend finally comes to join me with ranch. Turns out, he walked all the way back to the pizza place in the freezing cold to get it for me. That was the moment I knew that I loved him." 2. "He asked, 'Are you busy for the next 80 years or so?' I said, 'Why?' He said, 'I thought we would hang out or something :)'. I knew at that point he loved me and I loved him. He understood my quirky sense of humor." 3. "We had been friends for about a year and at the time I was dating someone else. It was my 19th birthday and I had jokingly given him a hard time for not being the first person to wish me a happy birthday. At 11:59 p.m. he called me and said, 'I know I wasn't the first person to wish you a happy birthday, but I wanted to be the last.' Looking back, that's when I should have known and kicked the other guy to the curb!" 4. "We met at college, lived on the same floor. I didn't like him at all at first. I knew I loved him two months later when we were dating and I woke up at 2 a.m. to him rubbing my back because I had been coughing in my sleep because of my asthma." 5. "My boyfriend is constantly rolling his eyes at how much nail polish I own and is always saying I need to get rid of some (as if!). Okay, I'll admit, my collection is getting a little out of hand... One day, I glanced over at what he was so intrigued by on his phone and saw that he was looking at DIY videos on how to build nail polish shelves to hang on the wall. I knew right away that I was in love." 6. "We were neighbors in college. I was tanning on his roof one day and he was on his way to work. Before he left he stuck his hand out the window and handed me an iced coffee. That's pretty much all it took." 7. "I knew I was in love when I would catch myself watching him watch the movie instead of watching the movie itself." 8. "He came to my home town with me to go to an annual festival and we were lying together in a field on the Saturday night watching the fireworks. I just looked at him watching them and I knew. My heart felt like it would explode if I didn't tell him. It was just a perfect moment." 9. "We're both from Texas, and the second he told me he hates country music as much as I did, I knew it was love!" 10. "He lives over an hour away from where I go to school, so I only get to see him about twice a month. I had a really rough semester and when I went to Mississippi he took me to the beach, we sat on the dock, and he played a song he had written for me. I burst into tears. That's when I knew he was The One." 11. "It's one of those situations where 'you know when you know.' I know back in sixth grade. There is no definitive moment, but the little ones mean everything. But mostly, everything is easy with him. It's easy to be happy, it's easy to laugh, it's easy to be sad or frustrated or angry; not necessarily directed at him but he doesn't ignore or deny me these feelings in life even if they're for no reason. Life in general is honestly easier with him by my side." 12. "The moment he asked me to call him as soon as I was inside my house with my doors locked because calling him from my garage did not signify I was 'home safe.'" 13. "I was sitting at my computer doing some work, and he came over, touched my shoulder, and kissed the top of my head. I was overwhelmed by the amount of love I felt at that time. It was nice to have a simple gesture that he knew wouldn't distract me from what I was doing, but showed that he appreciated me." 14. "When he surprised me by driving two hours just to say 'I love you' (he said it first) and only being able to stay 15 minutes because he had to be back for work. We're still going strong after 11 years." 15. "When we first held hands. It was like a shock through my body. We didn't let go after that. Nine years later and we feel the same way." 16. "I met my husband at a wedding for a friend, and at the time, I was living 2,500 miles away in California. We talked via text, Facebook, and phone. I knew that it was true love when he asked me if I wanted to come back to Wisconsin and I said yes. I gave up my California life to go back to frozen Wisconsin. It worked out though; we got married six years later." 17. "He's the weirdest sleeper I know. He hates pillows and sheets, and usually sleeps in weird positions but now, every night, he pulls me toward him in his sleep whenever I roll away without even realizing it. The first time he did that I fell so hard." 18. "I was having a horrible day. Was fighting with my best friend and just wasn't feeling well. My boyfriend left his house, where he had his friends over for an important football game on TV, came to my house and took me for pizza. If that isn't love, I'm not sure what is." 19. "My mom has this book of 'porn for women' that we find hilarious, which is basically just pictures of men doing household chores in their underwear. One day, I went over to my boyfriend's house and he was vacuuming in his underwear and all I could think of was the book and that if I had a guy who was worthy of the book, how could I not want to keep him forever?" 20. "We were both studying for a major tests we had coming up. I remember looking up at him totally focused on what he was doing. I knew I could just be a nerd with him every single day." 21. "Honestly, it wasn't some fairytale moment and it wasn't on an extravagant date somewhere. We were sitting in his truck talking and I said something (I guess it was funny) and he laughed and then the way he looked at me was unforgettable. I knew right then I never wanted to go another day without hearing his laugh or seeing his face looking back at me." 22. "I had never drank before and I had way too much and threw up on him. He took it like a champ and just continued to hold my hair." 23. "I had gone to spend a weekend with him at school (he's still a senior in college) and I was nervous about meeting his friends there for the first time. But when I got there, they all knew so much about me! It was obvious that he was proud to talk about me all the time. The way he looked at me joking and laughing with his friends really did it for me." 24. "I fell fast and hard. But the moment I truly realized I love him was when both of us were on the couch, laughing until we both started crying hysterically. Even after the longest days at work, I know I will be happy when I come home." 25. "I have a pet peeve about fake accents. One time, a guy I was on a date with did a fake Irish accent and it took everything I had not to just walk out of the date on the spot. They are just horrifying to me. Anyways, we're sitting in his apartment and I made a comment that the guy in the movie we were watching was only sexy because of his accent. We had only been dating for a few months, but my boyfriend turned to me and made a comment in the same accent as the actor. I didn't cringe or feel the need to run out of the room. I actually laughed. That's just when I realized, things that drive me crazy in other people, I love when he does them." 26. "When he voluntarily gives up his plans for the day to go to one of my many doctor appointments with me to hold my hand." 27. "Strange story, but I'm crazy-afraid of vomit. I have the phobia and everything. Anyway, one night after drinking a lot, my boyfriend proceeds to throw up for HOURS. I stayed with him the whole night and the next morning, when he woke up, he was so thankful and knew what a big deal that was for me. So that's when I knew. You don't face your phobias for people you just sort of like." 28. "We had sex and the condom broke. Instead of panicking and running away from me, he took me to the pharmacy for Plan B, bought me takeout, and held me the entire day while I wasn't feeling good." 29. "My back got incredibly sunburnt on a vacation me and my guy took to Florida. He bought a ginormous bottle of aloe and gently applied it to my back every 30 minutes all day without a single complaint. In those moments, I discovered I was in love with that man. I like to say ... 'You had me at aloe.' Not exactly the love scene I imagined for myself when sobbing to Jerry Maguire , but it's my love story." 30. "In the middle of the night, when he thought I was sleeping, he gave me a little kiss on my forehead. That's when I knew I loved him because he showed me love even when I wasn't awake to see it."And one more bonus one because it's just so true:"When I was on my period and he let me yell at him and then buy me a pizza."May you all experience that kind of love with someone . | 4 | 8,555 | lifestyle |
The returning Asamoah Gyan struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Ghana kickstarted their Africa Cup of Nations campaign with a 1-0 Group C victory against Algeria in Mongomo on Friday. Gyan missed his side's opening 2-1 defeat to Senegal on Monday after contracting a mild bout of malaria, but he was brought back into the starting line-up by coach Avram Grant for a must-win encounter against the Algerians and snatched all three points in the second minute of injury time. His goal lit up what had been a dire contest on a bobbly surface and allowed Ghana to move level with Algeria and Senegal on three points in the group before the Lions of Teranga face pointless South Africa later. Along with the return of talisman Gyan, the only other change for the Black Stars at kick-off saw Afriyie Acquah come into the midfield. For Algeria, meanwhile, Madjid Bougherra came into the centre of the defence and took the captain's armband, while Ishak Belfodil was rewarded for an impressive showing from the bench in the win against South Africa with a start at the expense of Islam Slimani, who had a foot problem. Nevertheless, this was not a game for attacking players, with the first half in particular a scrappy affair marred by crunching challenges. Andre Ayew was caught above the ankle from one high tackle, while Algeria star Yacine Brahimi was himself the victim of a bruising interception in midfield. The Black Stars sought to take the game to their opponents after the restart, and Jordan Ayew dribbled into the box from the left only for his final shot to lack power and cause Rais Mbolhi in goal few problems. Harrison Afful then dug out a cross from the right which was headed across goal and wide by Gyan at the near post, before Jordan Ayew flicked a driven ball from his brother Andre just over from close range. Meanwhile, Algeria took 66 minutes to really threaten, Sofiane Feghouli breaking into the Ghana box from the left and drilling a shot across goal, only for the ball to flash wide of the far post. Both sides made changes in an effort to find the breakthrough in the closing stages, although Ghana coach Grant opted to leave the clearly tiring Gyan on. And Gyan rewarded his coach with the winner right at the death, latching onto a hopeful long ball downfield from Wakasu Mubarak and outpacing Carl Medjani before firing across Mbolhi and into the net from a tight angle. | 1 | 8,556 | sports |
For Dressing Up: Leather shoes ($170) by Florsheim Limited Forget wingtips. All those swirling perforations are enough to make a man dizzy. Instead, show some restraint with black cap-toe oxfords, as dark and slick as an oil spill. No fuss. No showboating. Just an understated classic. For Dressing Down: Leather sneakers ($495) by Bally Save the pumped-up kicks for the gym and think twice about tricked-out high-tops: Opt for one of the countless variations on the all-white leather sneaker in stores right now. Keep 'em clean and wear 'em everywhere. For the Hours In-Between: Suede boots ($158) by Banana Republic A good suede chukka boot, not quite high-top, not quite low-top, and in some variation of light khaki, is as versatile and refined as casual footwear gets. | 4 | 8,557 | lifestyle |
Back in August, Snapchat introduced the Story feature , allowing users to contribute snaps to a live feed for major events like the World Cup. That same month, details of the ephemeral sharing service's news and ad plans feeds also surfaced. Now, Digiday reports that not only will there be news, but the app is aiming to be a bit more ambitious. According to that site, when the newsy Discover feature goes live, it'll include original content from Snapchat on top of the posts from other media outlets (around a dozen, according to previous reports). In recent months, the company has nabbed writers and video producers formerly of MTV, News Corp and The Verge. The app is pushing animations for holiday to users' feed already, but the new project is said to bring videos that are several minutes in length. And what about those ads? The report claims they'll appear as both pre-roll content and Snapchat's usual disappearing messages. While there's not much info on what Discover will look like when it arrives, it seems all that new content will reportedly start to rollout this month. Digiday | 5 | 8,558 | news |
The Atlanta Hawks have found a novel marketing method to attract fans of all colors, creeds and national origins. It's called winning. "Winning" actually shortchanges what Atlanta is doing. On Dec. 27 the Hawks lost to Milwaukee by 30 points at home. They have not lost since, with wins of nine points over the Clippers, eight over Portland, 31 over Washington, 21 over Toronto and eight over Chicago. And before this 14-game win streak, Atlanta had won five straight, beating Cleveland, Houston and the Clippers. LATE TO BLOOM: At age 33, Kyle Korver proving he's an NBA star This is quite a reversal from September, when owner Bruce Levenson reported that he had sent an e-mail lamenting the relative scarcity of white fans at Philips Arena. He wanted more music that was palatable to a "40-year-old white guy," and he said that he thought black fans had scared away whites. He went on to call that "racist garbage," but he underestimated the readiness of all of us to speak frankly about such matters, and now he is selling the team. Add general manager Danny Ferry's unfortunate remark about Luol Deng, and there seemed little point in playing the season. They were 38-44 last season. Now they are 35-8. The Hawks are holding their opponents to an NBA-low 96.3 points. They're No. 4 in defensive field goal percentage, No. 3 in percentage of 3-pointers made. ANOTHER INJURY: How much longer can Kobe Bryant hold up? Kyle Korver with percentages of 53.6 from the 3-point line, 51.5 overall and 92.2 from the foul line, is a big reason for that. But mostly you notice the way Hawks players catapult themselves to get loose balls, or how they find each other for open shots.Through Tuesday, the Hawks had 1,090 assists on 1,592 field goals. According to NBA protocol, this can't happen unless you tear down your roster, take on expiring contracts, and hope to get free agents and lottery picks. You have to go from mediocre through real bad to get real good. But there are only seven first-round picks on Atlanta's roster, and Al Horford (No. 3) is the only pick higher than 15th who plays extensively. Korver and Paul Millsap were second-round choices. Is anyone noticing? Well, last year the Hawks averaged 14,339 fans at home. This year they average 16,266. And their only color is loud. Mark Whicker is a columnist for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. His work appears here on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Here is his full archive . | 1 | 8,559 | sports |
Coach K in front of John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, and Bobby Knight? Our hoops historian Michael Bradley ranks the top five court commanders in college hoops history. | 1 | 8,560 | sports |
Marvel Comics has been telling one main, ongoing story for the past 76 years. This story, called the Marvel Universe, involves countless characters ranging from cosmic beings to common people living in a shared space, interacting with each other and being shaped by small and large events, told through tens of thousands of episodes that are considered canon. It is an amazing creation and an important one in the emergence of comic books as a form of storytelling. And now it's all coming to an end , as the publisher announced early this week. Although we don't exactly what that means, the idea is that Marvel will abandon the idea of a single core universe and embrace the combination or simultaneous existence of many equally prominent universes, featuring different versions of characters. Many will be upset by this surprising development, y et for all the wonders of the MU, destroying it could be the smartest thing Marvel has done in years. After all, it's hard to tell the same story for so long and keep it interesting, especially when commercial interests limit how the story develops and what happens to characters. Thus the MU has turned into a mausoleum where little changes and similar stories get told again and again. America in the MU remains a slightly enhanced but not significantly different version of real-life America. Most characters today remain within a few years of their age at their comic debut. Popular characters almost never die and anyway few of them stay dead. When characters do change such as when Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, grew out of his nerdy high-school years and became a yuppie with a supermodel wife those changes can make a character less interesting or at least less marketable, and Marvel will often find a cheap plot device to revert them like when the devil made everyone forget that Parker was married . Another problem with having everything in one universe is when those popular crossovers come along, most series get ripped out of their ongoing story and are forced to join the spectacle. Another problem for the MU is its overwhelming complexity, which is a turn-off for many readers. One solution to the problem of canon is to create alternate universes, where radical storylines can happen with impunity, and Marvel has done this many times. But those alternate universes were mostly forgotten in time or remain on the brink of being eclipsed by the core MU. DC, which has developed its own epic shared universe, also struggled with the burden of canon. The other big publisher finally chose the nuclear option in 2011 when it initiated a total-brand relaunch. The New 52 did lead to a mild boost in sales, though the reception has been mixed, with some fans angry at seeing everything erased. And it's not clear how the relaunch will prevent the problems of canon from cropping up again (though DC's upcoming Convergence event may do something similar to Marvel's plan). And so we get to Marvel's epochal shift coming this summer. What we know is the heroes of the MU will fail to stop their universe from colliding with another universe or multiple universes, and the result will be an amalgam called Battleworld that contains patches of previously established universes including the formerly core MU (aka 616), the popular Ultimate universe featuring alternate versions of characters including a more diverse Spider-Man , the Age Of Apocalypse universe from the popular '90s crossover, the Days of Future Past universe referenced in a recent X-Men movie, a universe featuring Peter Parker reunited with Mary Jane and with a daughter, and many more. How all of these universes will fit together is, again, unknown; yet the publisher has promised this shift is permanent and many of these universes will get their own ongoing series. "The Ultimate Universe, the Marvel Universe, they're going to slap together," Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso said on Tuesday . "Imagine two pizzas: They're going to combine toppings, some toppings are going to drop off. And that is the Marvel Universe moving forward. It's more than the Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe, it's all the universes you can imagine. That is the Marvel Universe going forward." It looks like Marvel is embracing the ability to tell whatever story it wants without the need to protect and preserve a single canon storyline. That shift would make it easier to tell the stories that creators want to tell, jumping in medias res into past worlds or new ones, without worrying about how they all fit together. This would also be good for the business, opening the possibility of expansion in many directions, including universes and storylines related to those hit Marvel movies . It would laso make it easier for new fans to jump on-board. "You'll be shocked at the chances we're willing to take," Alonso said. That's exactly what comics need right now. | 6 | 8,561 | entertainment |
One of the best things boyfriends are good at is annoying you. Things that would be mildly irritating suddenly become the Krakatoa of annoying things once they're filtered through a boyfriend. It's not that we try to piss you off; we just have no clue stuff like this would get you mad. It's because most of these things would never bother us ever. Maybe. 1. Looking at other girls. It's not that we don't realize this bothers you so much as we don't always realize we're doing it. Our brain taps us on the metaphysical shoulder and says, "Yo, look! A girl's butt!" And we're just like, "Oh, what's up?" and before we realize it, we're looking. 2. Excessive teasing (or, if you prefer, "mean jokes"). Sometimes what we think is funny is apparently just "being mean" even if we were making a joke about how you have a giant head. Also, you don't have a giant head. That's why we joked about it. In fact, your head is abnormally small. Oh, great. Now we're in trouble again. 3. Not taking your side in a small argument. Yeah, couples should have each other's back, but when you're arguing against the sanctity of sacred institutions like the NFL, we just can't abide. 4. Not listening to everything you say. We get distracted. Like squirrels but with less of a grasp on the English language. 5. Not texting you back right away. We're very busy playing video games. Yes, that counts as busy. 6. Not getting you presents for a holiday when you say, "Let's not exchange presents." We tend to do this thing where we take what you say literally and then we go and do (or not do) that thing. 7. Choosing to hang out with the guys. Especially when we didn't realize you already had plans in mind. Sorry, but sometimes we just need to bro out. Every guy does, even your dad. Your dad bros out. 8. Mingling too much with other people at parties. We see you all the time, so we figured mingling was OK, since you know, like, three of the people here. You can talk to those people, right? 9. Not putting you in our profile picture. This picture of us making a ridiculous face while drinking a beer and flicking off the camera is way less embarrassing than a picture of us kissing. 10. Kicking off all the sheets in the middle of the night. Our legs get hot and also we're asleep, so it's not even our fault. Blame our subconscious. 11. When we make a mess of your room. Remember when you said, "What's yours is mine"? Well, this is how we treat stuff that's ours. 12. Not realizing you're angry in the first place. We are not good at picking up context clues. 13. Making fun of you for liking girly things. We don't understand the appeal of things like Pilates or the Kardashians. We probably Kardashian-shame you pretty hard, but we think it's in good fun. 14. Joking with other people about all the stuff you do to get ready to go out. Your boyfriend probably gets to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes of what you do to get ready, and he probably thinks it's funny to joke about it on group dates. We think we're just being fun when we laugh about how often we're late to the movies because you spent way too long plucking your eyebrows. Our bad. | 4 | 8,562 | lifestyle |
By Scott Sargent So, about that whole benching thing… The Cleveland Browns, who find themselves in one of the worst quarterback situations in the entire NFL, have reportedly reached out to impending free agent Brian Hoyer in attempt to gauge interest in re-signing with the team . From ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler: "We've left the door open both ways," said Linta from this week's Senior Bowl about his correspondence with the team. Hoyer, who led the Browns to a 7-6 record in games he started but struggled late in the year, is due to meet with general manager Ray Farmer and new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo in the coming weeks. … Talks between Hoyer's camp and the Browns could heat up closer to the NFL combine in late February. With the spectacle and allure of first-round draft selection Johnny Manziel waiting in the wings, the Browns spent much of the 2014 season winning football games in spite of some rough patches from Hoyer. The entire roller coaster came to a front during the team's Week 13 contest where Hoyer was pulled late in the fourth quarter and Manziel led the team down the field for a touchdown in his first drive against the Buffalo Bills. Hoyer would start the next week agains the Indianapolis Colts, but the game would be lost in the last minute after the Browns' offense completely stalled in the second half. Hoyer and the Browns had contract discussions over the summer that fell through, and negotiations were nonexistent during the year. In 13 starts and one relief appearance, Hoyer completed 242 of 438 passes for 3,326 yards, 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The team started 6-3 with Hoyer under center, but would go on to lose six of their final seven games. It's expected that the Browns will want Hoyer to agree to terms similar to a back-up quarterback while the veteran wishes to receive starting quarterback money. It was reported late this past season that there was little chance Hoyer would be back in Cleveland. In his initial address, new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo stated that the Browns' starting quarterback may not be on the team's current roster. | 1 | 8,563 | sports |
Last year, after extensive studies, the USDA found that a shocking 25 percent of all chickens sold in America contain salmonella, which sickens more than 1,027,000 Americans annually. Now the USDA is telling the U.S. poultry industry, "enough is enough!" and i s proposing changes to the salmonella and campylobacter verification testing programs, which would create brand-new, stricter standards and could prevent up to 50,000 illnesses per year. "Today, we are taking specific aim at making the poultry items that Americans most often purchase safer to eat," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. "This is a meaningful, targeted step that could prevent tens of thousands of illnesses each year." The new standards will allow contamination rates of no more than 25 percent in ground chicken, 13.5 percent in ground turkey, and 15.4 percent in chicken parts. To compare, former standards allowed contamination rates of upwards of 44 percent for ground turkey and chicken. The agency estimates that as a result of these tougher standards, more than half of all facilities producing raw poultry parts will not be able to meet these standards initially, and will have to make improvements quickly to avoid being shut down. "We look forward to reviewing the proposed new federal standards in their entirety and providing comments to the agency," said Ashley Peterson, National Chicken Council vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs in response to these changes. "Even though we've collectively made tremendous progress in reducing salmonella on raw chicken to all-time low levels, the fact is any raw agricultural product, whether its fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, or poultry, is susceptible to naturally occurring bacteria that could make someone sick if improperly handled or cooked. Our members are investing heavily in food safety research and are using the best science, research and technology available to break the chain of salmonella at every stage of production. Coupled with continuous USDA inspection and proper handling and cooking to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, chicken is safe to eat 100 percent of the time." | 0 | 8,564 | foodanddrink |
Three games came down to the final possession Thursday night. Relive Arkansas' Bobby Porter's amazing tip in, Washington's Andrew Andrew's pullup jumper and Portland's Alec Wintering's three from way downtown. | 1 | 8,565 | sports |
Surveillance video shows brazen robbery in Florida with dangerous implications | 5 | 8,566 | news |
Many states have been hurt by falling prices As gas prices continue to fall, some Americans believe that the federal government should raise its gas tax, which has been unchanged at 18.3 cents per gallon since 1993. Yet, despite a clear need to bolster transportation and infrastructure funding, which often comes from taxes on gasoline, Congress appears to have little interest in raising the fuel tax. With the federal government apparently disinterested in raising fuel taxes, some states have taken the lead in funding transportation. According to Michael Green, a spokesman for AAA, "Many states have taken it upon themselves to address the challenges associated with paying for roads, and other transportation projects." 24/7 Wall St. reviewed effective gas tax rates in each state, as summarized by the American Petroleum Institute. We then compared the state's tax rate against the average gas price in the state. The share of fuel prices that are paid in taxes and fees has risen as gasoline has gotten cheaper. In a few states, taxes make up 15% or more of the price per gallon, including accounting for more than 21% of the gas price in Pennsylvania. Still, taxes in eight states account for less than 10% of the retail price of gas. Not every state with a low gas tax, relative to the national average price, has a major incentive to increase the amount consumers pay. For instance, Alaska derives much of its tax revenue from oil production, and has historically had less use for a gas tax. However, in some states, the argument for a higher gas tax is likely more compelling. For New Jersey, which has the second lowest fuel tax and is constrained by substantial debts and pension liabilities, a gas tax hike could help it improve its infrastructure. In some instances, states may not have the ability to raise more revenues from gas taxes, however. New Yorkers already pay more than 45 cents per gallon in fuel taxes, and generally face one of the nation's highest tax burdens. Thus, even at current low prices, it may be politically difficult for the state to raise fuel taxes. One major complicating factor is that some states peg their fuel tax to the price of gas. As gas prices drop, the amount these states can collect will also fall, especially if the drop in prices substantially outweighs the extra amount Americans are willing to drive. Another complicating factor in deciding how to tax gas is that the market for gasoline differs substantially across the U.S. States in the Southeast, for example, are home to some of the nation's least expensive gas, Green explained, "because these are states that are near major refineries, and also those refineries have access to domestic crude oil." California, on the other hand, typically has higher gas prices because its refineries consistently run at or near capacity to meet demand for the state's specific, legally-required blend of gasoline. In order to identify the effective gas tax in each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed January 2015 data from the American Petroleum Institute. We also reviewed data on gas prices from AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report for January 14, 2015. Figures on state infrastructure are from either the Federal Highway Administration, or the American Society of Civil Engineers' Infrastructure Report Card. Figures on per capita taxes are from the Tax Foundation, while information on states' oil production, consumption and infrastructure comes from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Click ahead for a look at state gas taxes, from the lowest to the highest. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 1. Alaska > Tax as pct. of gas price: 3.9% (the lowest) > State fuel tax: 11.3 cents per gallon (the lowest) > Gas price: $2.91 (2nd highest) Alaskans pay just 11.3 cents per gallon in gas taxes, the lowest of any state, despite having the second highest gas price in the nation. The state's economy has historically been dependent on the energy industry, which also accounts for much of its economic activity and tax revenues. However, this also exposes the state to fluctuations in the oil price, including the commodity's current rout. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 2. New Jersey > Tax as pct. of gas price: 7.0% (2nd lowest) > State fuel tax: 14.5 cents per gallon (2nd lowest) > Gas price: $2.06 (22nd highest) New Jersey has the second lowest gas tax in the nation. The price of fuel, however, is relatively high due in large part to a statewide ban on self-service gas stations. Only Oregon has a similar law. While reform advocates argue that lifting the ban would lower gas prices, proponents of the ban argue that full-service stations are a critical source of jobs. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 3. South Carolina > Tax as pct. of gas price: 8.6% (3rd lowest) > State fuel tax: 16.8 cents per gallon (3rd lowest) > Gas price: $1.94 (12th lowest) Gasoline costs $1.94 per gallon in South Carolina, one of only a few states where gas is below $2 a gallon. As in most states, low gas prices are the result of low taxes. South Carolina has the third-lowest gas tax in the nation. Overall state taxes are quite low as well, in fiscal 2012, the state collected $1,710 per capita in taxes, less than all but two other states. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 4. Oklahoma > Tax as pct. of gas price: 9.4% (4th lowest) > State fuel tax: 17.0 cents per gallon (4th lowest) > Gas price: $1.81 (2nd lowest) Oklahoma levies 17 cents on each gallon of gasoline, the fourth lowest fuel tax nationwide. While the lower gas price is a boon for Oklahoma drivers, the state may have more trouble than others funding infrastructure projects. The state received a close-to-failing grade for its bridges and roads in 2013 from the ASCE, which noted that over 70% of funds from fuel taxes, registration fees and other vehicle-related sources "are diverted to non-transportation purposes." More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 5. Arizona > Tax as pct. of gas price: 9.5% (5th lowest) > State fuel tax: 19.0 cents per gallon (8th lowest) > Gas price: $2.01 (21st lowest) Arizona maintains relatively low gasoline taxes, charging just 19 cents per gallon, among the lowest gas taxes of any state. As a result, less than 10% of the price of gas goes to the state, well below the average nationwide. The lack of competing uses for oil may also help keep gas prices down. According to the EIA, seven of every eight barrels of petroleum used in the state are used for transportation, mostly in the form of gasoline and diesel fuel. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 6. Mississippi > Tax as pct. of gas price: 9.7% (6th lowest) > State fuel tax: 18.8 cents per gallon (6th lowest) > Gas price: $1.94 (10th lowest) Drivers in Mississippi, home to many of the poorest Americans, likely appreciate the low price of gasoline, which is taxed just 18.8 cents per gallon. The low gas tax in Mississippi means that the price of gas is less than $2 per gallon, as in only a few other states. Residents are close to major parts of the U.S. oil infrastructure, including the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 7. Missouri > Tax as pct. of gas price: 9.9% (7th lowest) > State fuel tax: 17.3 cents per gallon (5th lowest) > Gas price: $1.74 (the lowest) Missouri levies 17.3 cents in taxes on a gallon of gasoline, the fifth lowest nationwide, versus a national average tax rate of nearly 30 cents per gallon. Partly as a result, the price of gas in the state is the lowest in the country, at just $1.74 per gallon. Also helping to keep costs down, Missouri is a transportation hub for oil, thanks to shipments along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 8. New Mexico > Tax as pct. of gas price: 9.9% (8th lowest) > State fuel tax: 18.9 cents per gallon (7th lowest) > Gas price: $1.90 (6th lowest) The low price of gasoline in New Mexico is due in large part to the state fuel tax of less than 19 cents on the gallon the seventh lowest nationwide. The state was among the top crude oil producers in the nation in 2013, which may have also contributed to the cheap fuel available in the state. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 9. Delaware > Tax as pct. of gas price: 10.3% (9th lowest) > State fuel tax: 23.0 cents per gallon (18th lowest) > Gas price: $2.24 (16th highest) Drivers in Delaware pay an additional 23 cents per gallon in state fuel taxes. While this is one of the lower tax rates in the nation, the price of fuel was on the higher, at $2.24 per gallon. Unlike many other states, Delaware does not produce any of its own fuel. The state imports most of its oil via pipeline from outside sources. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 10. Louisiana > Tax as pct. of gas price: 10.3% (10th lowest) > State fuel tax: 20.0 cents per gallon (10th lowest) > Gas price: $1.95 (14th lowest) According to the EIA, Louisiana consumed more energy per capita than all but two other states in 2012, due in large part to industrial activity. The state is also a top refiner of oil only Texas had more refineries as of the beginning of last year. High output and high consumption among both residents and businesses likely contributed to the state's exceptionally low gas prices. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 11. Alabama > Tax as pct. of gas price: 10.6% (11th lowest) > State fuel tax: 20.9 cents per gallon (11th lowest) > Gas price: $1.97 (18th lowest) Consumers in Alabama spend just 20.9 cents on state gasoline taxes and fees, well below the national average of nearly 30 cents. In general, Alabamians face low tax burdens, paying just 8.3% of their incomes in state and local taxes as of 2011, according to the Tax Foundation. By comparison, the average American spent almost 10% of their incomes on such taxes. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 12. Texas > Tax as pct. of gas price: 10.6% (12th lowest) > State fuel tax: 20.0 cents per gallon (9th lowest) > Gas price: $1.88 (4th lowest) Texas is the largest producer of petroleum in the nation. The state's 27 oil refineries accounted for nearly 30% of the nation's crude oil refining capacity as of January 2014. Texas' economic dependence on the oil industry may partly account for the exceptionally low cost of fuel. Drivers in the state paid less than $1.90 per gallon, the fourth lowest gas price nationwide. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 13. New Hampshire > Tax as pct. of gas price: 10.9% (13th lowest) > State fuel tax: 23.8 cents per gallon (20th lowest) > Gas price: $2.20 (18th highest) New Hampshire's state government collected $1,674 per capita in taxes during fiscal 2012, the lowest nationwide. The absence of both a sales tax and a tax on earnings largely accounts for the friendly tax climate in New Hampshire. The fuel tax of 23.8 cents per gallon, however while among the lower figures reviewed was not low enough to bring the overall cost of fuel lower than most states. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 14. North Dakota > Tax as pct. of gas price: 10.9% (14th lowest) > State fuel tax: 23.0 cents per gallon (18th lowest) > Gas price: $2.11 (21st highest) Although North Dakota's oil boom has made it the second largest oil producing state, behind Texas, the state's gas prices are actually quite high. This is likely due in part to the state's distance from much of the nation's oil infrastructure. The state's pipelines and rail lines export most of its oil to other states to be refined and sold. Also there is just one refinery in North Dakota. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 15. South Dakota > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.0% (15th lowest) > State fuel tax: 22.0 cents per gallon (14th lowest) > Gas price: $2.00 (20th lowest) Drivers pay 22 cents per gallon in state taxes in South Dakota, one of the lower fuel tax rates nationwide. While this helped lower the overall price of fuel, the state may have more difficulty funding infrastructural projects in the near future if it does not raise the tax. The South Dakota Legislature is currently considering a bill that would raise fuel taxes gradually over the next decade. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 16. Tennessee > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.0% (16th lowest) > State fuel tax: 21.4 cents per gallon (12th lowest) > Gas price: $1.94 (12th lowest) Compared to other states, Tennessee is not a large producer of crude oil or natural gas.Yet, the price of gasoline remains among the lowest in the nation, largely due to low tax rates. Gas cost less than $2 per gallon, including the state fuel tax of 21.4 cents the 12th lowest gas tax rate in the country. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 17. Virginia > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.1% (17th lowest) > State fuel tax: 22.4 cents per gallon (17th lowest) > Gas price: $2.02 (23rd lowest) After Congress failed to pass a law allowing states to tax online retail sales, Virginia hiked its gas tax to fund transportation spending. Virginia's excise tax has both a fixed and a variable component, which depends on the gas price. Parts of the state also charge a sales tax on wholesale gas to fund transportation initiatives. The exact tax per gallon of gas therefore depends on both the gas price and the location of the gas station. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 18. Arkansas > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.1% (18th lowest) > State fuel tax: 21.8 cents per gallon (13th lowest) > Gas price: $1.97 (17th lowest) Arkansas levies fuel taxes and fees totalling just under 22 cents per gallon, on the low end when compared to most states. Gas prices in Arkansas demonstrate just how much relief Americans are getting at the pump. The price across the state recently fell below $2 per gallon of gasoline. By comparison, just 12 months earlier, gas cost $3.09 a gallon in Arkansas, at the time among the lowest average prices in the nation. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 19. Wyoming > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.2% (19th lowest) > State fuel tax: 24.0 cents per gallon (21st lowest) > Gas price: $2.15 (20th highest) Wyoming has no income tax and relatively low state sales taxes, in part because the state gets much of its revenue from taxes on mining and energy extraction. Yet, in 2013, the state hiked its fuel tax by 10 cents per gallon, to 24 cents, in order to better fund its transportation spending. Highway spending accounted for nearly 10% of state expenditures in 2013, among the highest shares nationwide. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 20. Iowa > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.3% (20th lowest) > State fuel tax: 22.0 cents per gallon (14th lowest) > Gas price: $1.95 (16th lowest) Iowa is the largest producer of ethanol, a component of almost all gasoline sold in the U.S.The state's large-scale ethanol production may have help lower the overall price of fuel. Gasoline is taxed at 22 cents per gallon, and the overall cost is less than $2 per gallon, both among the lower rates nationwide. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 21. Colorado > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.3% (21st lowest) > State fuel tax: 22.0 cents per gallon (14th lowest) > Gas price: $1.95 (13th lowest) Colorado charges a relatively low 22 cents in taxes per gallon of gasoline. Recently, The Denver Post's editorial board said that Colorado should raise its fuel tax, especially in the absence of a federal tax hike. The state received a nearly-failing grade from the ASCE for the quality of its roads.The state received a nearly-failing grade from the ASCE for the quality of its roads. According to the group, "Additional funding is needed to maintain and expand the roadway system." More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 22. Massachusetts > Tax as pct. of gas price: 11.7% (22nd lowest) > State fuel tax: 26.5 cents per gallon (24th highest) > Gas price: $2.28 (11th highest) Massachusetts, home to some of the nation's wealthiest Americans, also had relatively high tax rates. State and local governments levied nearly $5,000 per capita in fiscal 2011, versus a national average of $4,320. While the state's fuel tax was roughly at the midpoint for all states, at 26.5 cents per gallon, the overall cost of gas was $2.28 per gallon, one of the highest prices in the country. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 23. Utah > Tax as pct. of gas price: 12.0% (23rd lowest) > State fuel tax: 24.5 cents per gallon (23rd lowest) > Gas price: $2.03 (24th lowest) Utah's fuel tax rate and overall cost of gasoline, while not remarkably low, are lower than in most states. Utah also benefits from a number of refineries, all located in the Salt Lake City area, which are connected via pipeline to oil from Canada, Colorado, and Utah's own oil fields, among other states. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 24. Maryland > Tax as pct. of gas price: 12.1% (24th lowest) > State fuel tax: 27.4 cents per gallon (23rd highest) > Gas price: $2.27 (13th highest) State and local governments in Maryland levied $5,443 in taxes per capita in fiscal 2011, the seventh highest such figure in the country, and more than $1,000 higher than the national figure. The state's fuel tax rate, on the other hand, was slightly lower than the national rate of 29.8cents per gallon. Despite relatively low fuel taxes, gas costs drivers $2.27 per gallon, the 13th highest figure. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 25. Vermont > Tax as pct. of gas price: 12.8% (25th lowest) > State fuel tax: 32.0 cents per gallon (13th highest) > Gas price: $2.50 (5th highest) Vermont has one of the highest gas prices in the nation at $2.50 per gallon, or 40 cents above the U.S. average price. However, while fuel taxes are relatively high, they are likely only a minor driver of the state's high gas prices. The greater reason is probably the state's location far from most of the nation's oil infrastructure. There are no oil refineries or pipeline terminals in the state, according to the EIA, which means gas must be imported from other states or Canada via truck or rail. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 26. Georgia > Tax as pct. of gas price: 12.9% (25th highest) > State fuel tax: 26.5 cents per gallon (25th highest) > Gas price: $2.06 (23rd highest) Georgia state and local governments collected just over than $3,000 in taxes per capita in fiscal 2011, a lower tax burden than in most states. Still, Georgia 's fuel tax was only a few cents lower than the national average of 29.8 cents per gallon. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 27. Idaho 27. Idaho > Tax as pct. of gas price: 12.9% (24th highest) > State fuel tax: 25.0 cents per gallon (24th lowest) > Gas price: $1.94 (8th lowest) Nearly 78% of net electricity used in Idaho came from renewable energy sources in 2013. And a portion of the state's energy comes from geothermal sources. While this could mean a greater tolerance for higher fuel prices, gas costs less than $2 per gallon in Idaho on average, one of the lowest prices in the U.S. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 28. Kansas > Tax as pct. of gas price: 13.0% (23rd highest) > State fuel tax: 24.0 cents per gallon (22nd lowest) > Gas price: $1.84 (3rd lowest) Kansas has relatively low gas taxes, at just 24 cents per gallon, or nearly six cents below the U.S. average for state taxes and fees. The price of gas in the state is extremely low, at just $1.84 cents per gallon, the third lowest in the nation. The presence of numerous refineries and the availability of ethanol, which is blended into gasoline, likely help keep gas prices low. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 29. Nebraska > Tax as pct. of gas price: 13.2% (22nd highest) > State fuel tax: 26.5 cents per gallon (25th lowest) > Gas price: $2.01 (22nd lowest) Like several other midwestern states, Nebraska is among the nation's top producers of ethanol, which is blended with nearly all gasoline. Although the gas tax was about average, gas prices are relatively low. Gas costs roughly $2 per gallon, less than in a majority of states. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 30. Hawaii > Tax as pct. of gas price: 13.2% (21st highest) > State fuel tax: 45.0 cents per gallon (4th highest) > Gas price: $3.40 (the highest) Hawaiians pay some of the highest gas taxes in the nation at 45 cents per gallon. Yet, Hawaii also consumes less gasoline than most states. At $3.40 per gallon, the price of gas in the state was the highest in the country, which reflects the fact that petroleum must be shipped across the Pacific Ocean to Hawaii. This is also reflected in the state's extremely high electricity costs, as Hawaii uses oil to generate most of its electricity. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 31. Maine > Tax as pct. of gas price: 13.4% (20th highest) > State fuel tax: 30.0 cents per gallon (17th highest) > Gas price: $2.25 (15th highest) As in other northeastern states, the high cost of gas in Maine is largely due to the great distance the fuel must travel to reach consumers. Drivers in the state pay $2.25 per gallon, the 15th highest price nationwide. According to the EIA, Maine is actually extremely dependant on oil and not just for gasoline. The majority of households in the state use petroleum-based home heating oil to stay warm in the winter. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 32. Oregon > Tax as pct. of gas price: 13.5% (19th highest) > State fuel tax: 31.1 cents per gallon (14th highest) > Gas price: $2.31 (10th highest) At $2.31 per gallon, Oregon has the 10th highest average gas price, due in large part to the relatively high state fuel tax. The high price of gas is also affected by the state's requirement that gas stations provide full-service. Oregon is one of only two states that ban self-service stations. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 33. Kentucky > Tax as pct. of gas price: 13.6% (18th highest) > State fuel tax: 27.6 cents per gallon (22nd highest) > Gas price: $2.04 (25th lowest) Kentucky is hardly the most oil-dependant state; Coal accounts for the vast majority of energy both consumed and produced in Kentucky. Still, driver clearly benefit the recent drop in gas prices, paying pay an average of $2.04 per gallon of gas, slightly lower than the national average. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 34. Montana > Tax as pct. of gas price: 13.6% (17th highest) > State fuel tax: 27.8 cents per gallon (21st highest) > Gas price: $2.04 (25th highest) Montana has not raised its fuel tax in two decades. According to the ASCE, "It is estimated that $14.8 billion is needed to take care of Montana's roadway system and bridges, but projected funding can only meet 25% of those needs." However, the group also adds that Montana's highways are currently in fairly good shape. 35. Nevada > Tax as pct. of gas price: 14.3% (16th highest) > State fuel tax: 33.2 cents per gallon (10th highest) > Gas price: $2.31 (9th highest) Nevada has one of the the highest average fuel taxes in the nation. A major reason for this is that Clark County which includes Las Vegas and is home to nearly three-quarters of Nevada's population hiked gas taxes twice in 2014. The county is set to adjust the fuel tax for inflation until 2016. Voters will then decide whether to continue pegging the tax to inflation. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 36. Rhode Island > Tax as pct. of gas price: 14.6% (15th highest) > State fuel tax: 33.0 cents per gallon (11th highest) > Gas price: $2.27 (12th highest) Rhode Island's fuel tax of 33 cents per gallon is the 11th highest in the nation, yet the state is one of the lowest spenders on highways, measured as a percentage of its state budget. The reason for the gap in these values could be that Rhode Island has relatively few roads. Still, the state has major infrastructure problems, including the 56% of bridge surface area in the state that was found to be deficient in December 2013, one of the highest rates in the country. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 37. Ohio > Tax as pct. of gas price: 14.6% (14th highest) > State fuel tax: 28.0 cents per gallon (20th highest) > Gas price: $1.92 (7th lowest) Ohio overhauled its fuel tax in July of last year, instituting the petroleum activity tax. This tax charges suppliers 0.65% of gross receipts, or the dollar amount they receive for selling fuel. A part of the new tax, gasoline is excluded from Ohio's commercial activities tax, which is assessed on a business' revenues. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 38. Minnesota > Tax as pct. of gas price: 14.8% (13th highest) > State fuel tax: 28.6 cents per gallon (19th highest) > Gas price: $1.94 (9th lowest) Minnesota is one of only a few states where gas cost less than $2 per gallon. Unlike in many other states with low gas prices, however, the low price is not due to low taxes. The state's fuel tax of 28.6 cents per gallon was one of the higher fuel taxes. Instead, the low price of gas is likely due to other factors. For example, the state is among the nation's top producers of ethanol, which is a component of nearly all gasoline. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 39. Illinois > Tax as pct. of gas price: 15.0% (12th highest) > State fuel tax: 30.7 cents per gallon (15th highest) > Gas price: $2.05 (24th highest) Illinois' average fuel tax is driven up by local charges that a number of counties levy. In Chicago, residents must pay an extra 5 cents to the city, and an extra 6 cents to Cook County. Despite paying more than the majority of Americans in taxes, residents also benefit from the state's large refining capacity and its status an energy transportation hub. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 40. Indiana > Tax as pct. of gas price: 15.3% (11th highest > State fuel tax: 29.9 cents per gallon (18th highest) > Gas price: $1.95 (16th lowest) As one of the nation's top manufacturing states, fuel cost and taxation are perhaps greater concerns for Indiana's industries than for private consumers. Drivers in the state pay less than $2 per gallon, one of the lower gas prices nationwide. A number of factors may help keep gas prices down: Indiana's energy is largely derived from coal, the state is a major producer of ethanol, and BP's Whiting facility is the nation's largest inland refinery.The state tax, on the other hand, is among the higher figures. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 41. West Virginia > Tax as pct. of gas price: 15.3% (10th highest) > State fuel tax: 34.6 cents per gallon (9th highest) > Gas price: $2.26 (14th highest) West Virginians pay 34.6 cents per gallon in state taxes and fees, while the average American pays roughly 30 cents per gallon in such charges. The state' current gas tax rate actually marks a decline from past years. This is because the state calculates part of the tax based on wholesale prices, which have been declining recently. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 42. Michigan > Tax as pct. of gas price: 16.0% (9th highest) > State fuel tax: 30.3 cents per gallon (16th highest) > Gas price: $1.90 (5th lowest) Gas taxes in Michigan total 16% of what consumers pay at the pump, thanks in large part to the considerable drop in gas prices. However, the state recently passed a measure to overhaul the fuel tax structure, with the aim of increasing funding for infrastructure. Michigan voters will consider the provision as part of a package of new laws during a vote in May. According to the Detroit Free Press, "The overall hike in the pump price of regular fuel is estimated at about 7 cents a gallon, though the size of the tax would vary depending on the wholesale price of fuel." More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 43. Washington > Tax as pct. of gas price: 16.1% (8th highest) > State fuel tax: 37.5 cents per gallon (7th highest) > Gas price: $2.34 (8th highest) Washingtonians pay a high yet relatively straightforward gas tax of 37.5 cents per gallon a rate that has been in place since 2008. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has also taken a more novel approach to transportation funding, calling for a tax on polluters to help shore up funding for transportation as well as education. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 44. Wisconsin > Tax as pct. of gas price: 16.5% (7th highest) > State fuel tax: 32.9 cents per gallon (12th highest) > Gas price: $1.99 (19th lowest) Wisconsinites pay nearly 33 cents per gallon at the pump, accounting for 16.5% of the total they spend on gas. Yet, despite fuel prices having reaching extremely low levels Wisconsin's average gas price is $1.99 per gallon, down from $3.27 per gallon 12 months ago legislators have balked at the idea of raising gas taxes to improve transportation funding. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 45. Florida > Tax as pct. of gas price: 16.6% (6th highest) > State fuel tax: 36.4 cents per gallon (8th highest) > Gas price: $2.20 (17th highest) Florida's fuel taxes are among the highest in the country, although they vary considerably within the state. The state is a massive consumer of gasoline, thanks to both its large population and its appeal as a tourist destination. According to the EIA, "Nine-tenths of Florida's petroleum consumption occurs in the transportation sector" in the form of gasoline for cars and jet fuel for planes. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America 46. North Carolina > Tax as pct. of gas price: 17.2% (5th highest) > State fuel tax: 37.8 cents per gallon (6th highest) > Gas price: $2.19 (19th highest) North Carolina charges nearly 38 cents in taxes and fees per gallon of gasoline. The state also moved relatively quickly to hike the fixed portion of its gas tax by 1 cent by at the start of 2015. Yet, with gas prices expected to stay low, and part of the state's tax pegged to wholesale prices on a lag, the state's fuel tax could fall significantly in the coming months. More on 24/7 Wall St.: America's Most Hated Companies 47. California > Tax as pct. of gas price: 17.7% (4th highest) > State fuel tax: 45.4 cents per gallon (4th highest) > Gas price: $2.57 (4th highest) California's gas taxes are among the highest in the nation, with the state charging 45.4 cents for every gallon purchased. However, such high fees may well be justified as more than 29 billion vehicle miles were driven on California roads last October alone, the most of any state. Additionally, more than 36% of the state's bridge surface area was either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete as of 2013, more than in all but a few states. In all, California taxed nearly 10 billion gallons of gas in the first eight months of 2014, well more than any other state. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States With the Best (and Worst) Schools 48. Connecticut > Tax as pct. of gas price: 17.7% (3rd highest) > State fuel tax: 43.2 cents per gallon (5th highest) > Gas price: $2.44 (6th highest) Connecticut charges 47.4 cents in total taxes and fees for every gallon of gas, more than all but two other states. Yet, the state's gas taxes have been on the decline, as a portion of the taxes is based on gasoline prices. Currently, a gallon of gas costs $2.44 in Connecticut, among the highest gas prices in the United States, although far below the year ago price of $3.69 per gallon. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Poorest County in Each State 49. New York > Tax as pct. of gas price: 17.4% (2nd highest) > State fuel tax: 45.1 cents per gallon (3rd highest) > Gas price: $2.59 (3rd highest) New York charges more than 45 cents per gallon in taxes, among the highest tax rates in the country. Yet, although the state's taxes are extremely high, they are likely needed. As of 2013, more than 60% of bridge area in the state was deficient, the highest rate in the United States. Critics of the state's tax policy, however, could point to New York's extremely high state and local tax burden, which was the highest in the country as of fiscal 2011, at 12.6% of per capita income. More on 24/7 Wall St.: States Where the Middle Class Is Dying 50. Pennsylvania > Tax as pct. of gas price: 21.3% (the highest) > State fuel tax: 50.5 cents per gallon (the highest) > Gas price: $2.38 (7th highest) Pennsylvania has the nation's highest fuel taxes, at 50.5 cents per gallon. This is due to the state's relatively new gas tax, passed in 2013. The new tax is charged on fuel transactions and is based on the wholesale price of gas although the reference price used is locked in for roughly another two years and then becomes subject to an even higher minimum. The tax is designed to raise money for construction and necessary repairs for bridges and roads throughout the state. More on 24/7 Wall St.: The Most Dangerous States in America | 3 | 8,567 | finance |
After 14 seasons beguiling American League pitchers, Ichiro Suzuki will take aim at 3,000 major league hits as a member of the Miami Marlins. The 41-year-old outfielder has agreed to a one-year contract with the Marlins, according to multiple reports, giving Miami a veteran left-handed bat and Suzuki the chance to eclipse a significant milestone. Suzuki joins a Marlins team that has playoff aspirations and affords him the chance to occasionally bat in front of Giancarlo Stanton, the game's premier power hitter. His move to the Marlins comes in the twilight of a career that included nine dominant years in Japan's top league before winning the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year awards with the Seattle Mariners in 2001. Suzuki's agreement with the Marlins was first reported by Sirius XM Radio. Fox Sports reported that the deal is worth around $2 milllion. That 244-hit season began a run of 10 consecutive All-Star selections in Seattle. Traded to the New York Yankees in 2012, he's pushed his major league hit total to 2,844; combined with his Japan League production, Suzuki has 4,122 professional hits. In 359 at-bats with the Yankees in 2014, Suzuki batted .284 with a .324 on-base percentage. Just 16 of his 102 hits were for extra bases. | 1 | 8,568 | sports |
What's better than a wintry white wedding? Fur Throws What screams winter more than a luxurious fur throw, candles, and a hearty supply of rich red wine? Invite your guests to cuddle up with this cozy decor. Succulent Boutonniere If you're not a fan of your winter flower options, succulents are a fantastic alternative to shipping in overpriced out-of-season bouquets. Gold Glamour Gold and winter pair perfectly. Need proof? These elegant seating cards from Chrisse and Tommy's wintry Cape Cod wedding. Cookie Treats There's something about cookies and winter who doesn't love a delicious gingersnap on a cold evening? You could skip the cake, but why not double up and serve both? Pinecone Centerpiece This wedding centerpiece combines pinecones, a bark-like vase, and twigs to create a wintry arrangement that is far from overbearing. Antler Placecards We love everything about this wintry Mt. Charleston wedding, but most of all the table settings, with moose placecards and flower-filled faceted terrariums. Flower-Draped Trellis Brilliant idea: Hold your winter wedding in a conservatory, keeping guests warm but still enjoying the snowy weather outside. Bring a little of that winter white indoors with a flower-draped trellis. Tree-Lined Archway Everything about this archway and aisle seems dreamily cozy: The candle-filled mason jars lining the aisle, the birch trellis, the gauzy sheet draped with fairy lights. . Vintage Winter There are so many details to adore in this photo: The antique wooden door, the pinecone garlands, the thoughtful blankets draped over the chairs. Abandoned Backdrops A dark, abandoned cabin is the perfect contrast for a wintry fog and your wedding whites. No, they're not easy to find, but take advantage if you can. Great Views Why cordon off your guests from the spectacular winter views outside? For this wedding, they opened up the doors to the outside so no one could miss the stunning pine-filled view. Marshmallows & Cinnamon This Idaho couple went big, making a firepit and hot chocolate for their chilly guests. But make sure you've got all the accompaniments on-hand like these artful buckets of cinnamon sticks and marshmallows (for s'mores, of course!). Ringbearer's Basket Dress up your ringbearer's basket with deep reds and pine needles. It'll look great against the white snow and at the alter as you share your vows. Set the Stage What a background for your reception: The perfect cozy room, candelabras and all, with enough rustic accents to make Yellowstone jealous. Let's all get married in this room. | 4 | 8,569 | lifestyle |
Working within the rural vernacular, architect Vincent Van Duysen brings new life and a rigorous simplicity to a centuries-old farmhouse in the Belgian countryside Architect Vincent Van Duysen knows the Belgian countryside well. He was brought up in a rustic area between Ghent and Antwerp, surrounded, he recalls, "by hills, cows, and farmers working the land. It's part of my culture." In the living room of a house in Belgium designed by architect Vincent Van Duysen, the armchair and ottoman are by Huyghe Decoratie, the cocktail table and bench are by Christian Liaigre, the wood cabinetry is custom made, and the window blinds are by Brustor. So it was almost a case of returning to his roots when he was approached by a couple who had acquired a 19th-century farmhouse close to the French border. The pair, whom Van Duysen describes as "very entrepreneurial and cosmopolitan," work in the textiles industry and decided to escape urban living, not only to give their two sons a more carefree upbringing, but also to indulge in their love of horseback riding. The living room walls feature the same clay-plastered bricks as the exterior; the painting is by Pierre Alechinsky, and the floor is oak. Although just a 15-minute drive from the city of Kortrijk, the setting is distinctly rural, with woodlands, gently rolling hills, and fields. The property comprises six structures, including three outbuildings and two barns that had been left largely intact. One of the barns now houses a swimming pool, the other a stable and a garage. In the front entry, the bench and light fixtures are custom designs. The main farmhouse, however, had been badly renovated by one of the previous farmers. "It was all messed up," Van Duysen says. "In terms of original features, there was hardly anything left." The front door is painted in a color traditionally used in the region. Planning restrictions obliged him to keep the existing terra-cotta-tile roof, but virtually everything beneath it was demolished and rebuilt. For Van Duysen, it was important to respect the local architectural vernacular. The exterior brick walls were covered with a traditional clay-plaster treatment, or lime wash, called kalei, and the doors were painted an oxblood color that is distinct to the region. Yet he also sought to provide a more modern twist. The sofa in the family room is by Huyghe Decoratie, and a reed rug tops Belgian bluestone flooring. "I wanted to reinterpret the classic Flemish country house," he says. To that end, he designed huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows that frame views of farm fields and the pristine countryside beyond. The kitchen's corner window, for instance, looks out onto a windmill on the horizon. He also brought the kalei-coated brickwork inside, using it for many of the partition walls. A custom-made light fixture hangs above the kitchen island's bluestone countertop; the sink fittings are by Dornbracht, and the cooktop is by Gaggenau. The interiors are a study in restraint. Van Duysen opted for an open plan, with spacious, clean-lined rooms linked by sliding or pivoting doors. He then counterbalanced that rigorous approach with the generous use of tactile natural materials: aged bluestone for floors, vertical oak planks for walls, and reed rugs underfoot. The farmhouse, clad in bricks that have been coated with clay plaster, retains its original terra-cotta-tile roof. As with many of Van Duysen's other projects, furnishings are kept to a minimum. "The spirit is monastic," he admits. "This is not a house that requires a lot." The dining table and 1930s-inspired chairs are custom designs, and the reed rug is by Huyghe Decoratie. He installed light fixtures with naked bulbs, reupholstered Christian Liaigre pieces already owned by the clients in sober, monochromatic fabrics, and created custom designs like the solid-oak dining table and its painted-wood chairs inspired by a vintage model from the 1930s. In several rooms, the furniture is deliberately placed off-center. Sometimes it's to compensate for the asymmetrical roof structure, and sometimes Van Duysen simply wanted to shake things up. The furnishings in the master bedroom, which looks out onto farm fields, are by Huyghe Decoratie; the cabinetry is custom made, and the floor is oak. "You need these imperfections to surprise people, to make things not too predictable," he says. "That's the essence of this project. Once you step inside, it's anything but a conventional farm house." The poolhouse in a former barn features steel frames and original beams; the pool is sheathed with glass mosaic tiles, and the surround is Belgian bluestone. | 4 | 8,570 | lifestyle |
The top 10 games this weekend in order of watchability. All times Eastern. Kansas at Texas (Big 12) | Saturday, 2 p.m. CBS • About the Jayhawks (15-3, 4-1) : The Jayhawks fell for the first time in conference action in an 86-81 road loss to Iowa State on Jan. 17 but bounced back with an 85-78 home victory against Oklahoma. This will surely be the toughest path for Kansas, in quest of its 11th consecutive conference title, to beat out its league foes as the Big 12 boasts the most depth and parity it's had in the last decade. KU's three star freshmen Cliff Alexander, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Devonte Graham are starting to hit their stride. Their development and maturity will be pivotal for Kansas' title hopes. Veteran Perry Ellis had 19 points and 11 rebounds against Iowa State and then 16 points and eight rebounds vs. Oklahoma. • About the Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) : Texas had a much-needed statement victory, blitzing contender West Virginia by 25 points on Jan. 17 before routing TCU on the road by 18 points on Jan. 19. In both games, the Longhorns played with a signature toughness that was missing in two previous conference losses. When Texas is playing to its capability, it's using a smothering defense, which limited WVU to 24% shooting. The Longhorns ranks third nationally in field goal percentage defense (34.4%), second in rebounding margin (12.2) and second in blocks per game (7.7). • Star watch : Kansas forward Ellis (12.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and guard Frank Mason III (12.7 ppg, 4.0 apg). Texas guard Myles Turner (11.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and forward Jonathan Holmes (11.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg). • The pick : Texas. Excluding records, it's hard to argue against this being a matchup of the two most talented teams in the Big 12. If Kansas wants to win another title, it will have to beat the top-tier Big 12 teams on the road. And the Longhorns won't be easy to beat when playing on their home surface. Oklahoma at Baylor (Big 12) | Saturday, 6 p.m., ESPN2 • About the Sooners (12-6, 3-3) : Oklahoma has the pieces and potential to win the Big 12, but there are multiple teams in the league capable and this team has lost three of its last four. The Sooners have been hot beating Texas by 21 points Jan. 5 and cold losing by 21 to West Virginia Jan. 13, which is not a recipe for a conference championship. Buddy Hield is one of the best talents in the Big 12, evidenced by his 27-point performance in a win against Oklahoma State on Jan. 17. He also had 31 points in a loss to Kansas State on Jan. 10. • About the Bears (14-4, 2-3) : Baylor started off surprisingly strong with only one loss in non-conference action, and has played good enough in league play to beat Iowa State (Jan. 14). But the Bears have lost a share of close games that could have significantly bolstered their NCAA credentials falling by one point against Kansas on Jan. 7 and losing by two points at Kansas State on Jan. 17. Like previous successful Baylor squads, this team can rebound well, ranking fourth nationally in rebounding margin (11.1). Much of that production comes from Rico Gathers, who averages 12.2 boards per game. • Star watch : Oklahoma guard Hield (18.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and guard Isaiah Cousins (12.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg). Baylor forward Taureen Prince (12.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg) and guard Kenny Chery (11.2 ppg, 4.0 apg). • The pick : Oklahoma. In the first matchup between these two teams Jan. 3, the Sooners were able to push past the Bears at home thanks to a strong performance from Houston transfer TaShawn Thomas (24 points). Baylor used a 1-3-1 defense to offset Oklahoma's perimeter game in that clash. The Sooners could need a similar boost if the Bears stick with the same game plan. Duke at St. John's | Sunday, 2 p.m. Fox • About the Blue Devils (16-2, 4-2) : Duke picked up a much-needed road victory at Louisville on Jan. 17 and then handled Pittsburgh (Jan. 19), staying in the ACC title race after suffering back-to-back setback losses to N.C. State and Miami. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, on the verge of his 1,000th career victory, surprisingly used a 2-3 zone in the victory against the Cardinals and the switch shines light on this team's versatility with a big man like Jahlil Okafor roaming the paint. The player of the year candidate draws double teams on offense and clogs the paint well on defense. The 7-footer is a big reason why the Blue Devils rank ninth nationally in scoring (81.8 ppg) and sixth in field goal percentage (50%). Duke struggles in areas where Okafor can't assist stopping dribble penetration and altering perimeter shots, ranking 158th nationally in field goal percentage defense (42%). • About the Red Storm (13-5, 2-4) : St. John's is figuratively playing itself out of the NCAA tournament picture. Or at least it's heading in that direction with an ugly start in Big East play. The Red Storm had only lost one game in non-conference play against a very strong Gonzaga team (Nov. 28). But three consecutive losses to start conference action and a recent overtime loss at DePaul has stained a very good looking résumé in the span of three weeks. St. John's has a balanced offense, with explosive scorer D'Angelo Harrison leading four players averaging double figures. • Star watch : Duke forward Okafor (18.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and guard Quinn Cook (14.2 ppg). St. John's guard Harrison (19.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and guard Rysheed Jordan (13.7 ppg). • The pick : Duke. This is as good of a non-conference showdown that there will be in January, pitting one of the ACC's best against a Big East team in serious need of a victory. Duke could use a quality road win to bulk up its résumé and St. John's could certainly use the confidence boost of beating a team of Duke's caliber. Notre Dame at N.C. State | Sunday, 6:30 p.m., ESPNU • About the Irish (17-2, 5-1) : Notre Dame's once nation-leading offense has calmed down, but there's no mistaking this team as an ACC title contender. The Irish narrowly lost to league-leading Virginia on Jan. 10 and the only other blemish on this team's portfolio is a one-point loss to Providence Nov. 23. Notre Dame ranks second in the nation in a very vital category: Assist-to-turnover ratio (1.69), while ranking second in field goal percentage (52.8%). The key for this offensively gifted Notre Dame team is finding ways to win when shots aren't always falling, like it did against Miami on Jan. 17 in a 9-for-28 shooting night from three. • About the Wolfpack (13-6, 4-2) : North Carolina State almost did the unthinkable beating Duke and North Carolina within four days. The Wolfpack pulled off one upset, beating the Blue Devils on Jan. 11, but came up short against UNC on Jan. 14. Still, those scores indicate how good the Wolfpack have become, which was further evidenced in a road victory against Florida State on Jan. 17. One thing this team is underrated at: Shot blocking. N.C. State ranks 10th nationally in shot blocking (6.1 per game) spearheaded by Kyle Washington and Beejay Anya. In the team's win against Duke, the Wolfpack swatted away 10 shots. • Star watch : Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant (16.7 ppg, 6.4 apg) and forward Pat Connaughton (13.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg). North Carolina State guard Trevor Lacey (17.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.3 apg) and guard Ralston Turner (13.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg). • The pick : Notre Dame. The Irish beat a tough North Carolina team on the road on Jan. 5, and this might be the toughest road test since. North Carolina State is comfortably off the NCAA tournament bubble, for now. But if this team ever gets in hot water, a victory against Notre Dame would be huge. This might not seem like a big game now, but it'll matter in March. Wisconsin at Michigan (Big Ten) | Saturday, 7 p.m. ESPN • About the Badgers (17-2, 5-1) : The Badgers without Frank Kaminsky are hardly one of the best teams in the Big Ten, as we saw in a five-point loss to Rutgers on Jan. 11 when the player of the year candidate was sidelined. With Kaminsky, though, Wisconsin is one of the best teams in the country and the best team in the Big Ten. The Badgers will have to make up for the key loss of point guard Traevon Jackson by committee. The improved play of sophomore Nigel Hayes (12.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg) has gone relatively unnoticed, but now is the time of the season where his solid play becomes all the more vital. • About the Wolverines (12-7, 5-2) : Michigan suffered a devastating blow on Sunday when it found out leading scorer Caris LeVert will miss the rest of the season after suffering a left foot injury in the Wolverines' victory against Northwestern. How will the Wolverines keep their heads above water in a grueling Big Ten slate without their top producer? That will be the story line with this team going forward. If any coach knows how to get a team through perceived season-deflating adversity, though, it's John Beilein, who piloted Michigan to a Big Ten title and Elite Eight finish without then top player Mitch McGary. • Star watch : Wisconsin center Kaminsky (16.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and forward Sam Dekker (12.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg). Michigan guard-forward Zak Irvin (13.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and guard Derrick Walton Jr. (10.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.1 apg). • The pick : Wisconsin. The Badgers' defense ranks fifth best nationally (allowing 54.6 points a game) and should fluster a Michigan team attempting to redefine its identify with the loss of LeVert. Off the bench 6.) Kentucky at South Carolina | Saturday, noon, ESPN 7.) San Diego State at Colorado State | Saturday, 10 p.m., ESPNU 8.) Florida State at North Carolina | Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN 9.) Louisville at Pittsburgh | Sunday, 4 p.m., CBS 10.) Florida at Ole Miss | Saturday, 6 p.m., SEC Network | 1 | 8,571 | sports |
Two competing wings of the Republican party squared up for future control of the White House on Friday, as conservative presidential hopefuls gathered for a suddenly even more dramatic meeting in Iowa and as Florida senator Marco Rubio was reported to be the latest mainstream candidate preparing to seek the 2016 nomination. Rubio, who is said to be meeting potential donors on Friday and Saturday in Miami to crystallise his plans for a run, would join former governor and long-time mentor Jeb Bush in an unusually crowded offering from one state alone. Following Bush's announcement of a fundraising committee this month, his young protege's apparent decision to explore the presidency highlights a growing challenge for more business-friendly establishment candidates to cut through an increasingly crowded field with early but unofficial declarations to tie up key donors. Rubio is competing for many of the same corporate backers as Bush and the returning 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, who got together in Utah on Thursday for a long-prepared meeting to discuss "the future". The Florida senator plans to miss a busy upcoming week in the Senate by taking his fundraising tour to Beverly Hills, Texas and Chicago, according to a report from ABC News . Rubio's cross-country swing will be followed by a book tour starting in Des Moines, Iowa, on 13 February and taking in other key primary states such as New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada, an aide told ABC. But neither Rubio, Bush nor Romney will be present in Iowa this weekend for what is shaping up to the defining moment in the less well-advanced fight more than 21 months ahead of election day for support on the right of the party. Iowa congressman Steve King is hosting 10 top Republicans for a long-running event called the Freedom Summit, with support from Citizens United, the conservative lobbying group that succeeded in diluting US campaign finance limits in the supreme court five years ago this week. Guests include governors and former governors with their own 2016 aspirations such as Rick Perry of Texas, Scott Walker of Wisconsin , Mike Huckabee of Arkansas as well as Texas senator Ted Cruz and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who are all expected to burnish their conservative credentials with speeches to potential Iowa primary voters and other national activists. Most attention, however, will be on New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who has much less support from conservatives but is attending in the hope of rehabilitating his reputation following last year's scandal involving the closure of a bridge that was intended to punish political opponents. Despite that major setback, Christie has positioned himself as an establishment candidate who can still reach floating voters in Democratic states like New Jersey and work with liberals in Washington. But White House watchers maintain that it is crucial for Christie to shore up support on the right side of the Republican party if he is to progress in next year's primary race. Nevertheless, appearing in Iowa alongside outspoken conservatives such as King carries its own political risk for national politicians. The congressman fiercely opposes the immigration reforms that many still see as important for Republicans to address if they are to appeal to non-white voters in future national elections. He sparked controversy again this week by criticising Michelle Obama for bringing a "deportable" to the State of the Union address , a disparaging reference to a 20-year-old student who came to the US when she was one year old. Democrats are planning to highlight what they see as the Republican party's unpalatable views on immigration over the weekend, sending "trackers" to monitor the event in search of further gaffes from potential candidates. | 5 | 8,572 | news |
You got to give some style points to Zags' leading scorer. Check out how Kyle Wiltjer faked out the entire St. Mary's defense Thursday night as the Bulldogs won their 12th game in a row. | 1 | 8,573 | sports |
As a prisoner in Auschwitz, Eva Mozes Kor became sick after receiving multiple mysterious injections. Dr. Mengele, known as the angel of death, said she had weeks to live. Watch "Voices of Auschwitz" Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. | 5 | 8,574 | news |
Obesity has been steadily increasing in countries all over the world and as of 2014, more than half a billion adults worldwide are classified as obese. That is more than double what the rate of obesity was just 20 years ago. The World Health Organization has just released its Global Status Report , and created a few maps to help show the prevalence of obesity in males and females in different countries around the world. The maps shows red countries like the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and others that all have more than 25% prevalence of obesity in men aged 18 years and over. Most interestingly, in all WHO regions, women are more likely to be obese than men. "In the African, South-East Asia, and Eastern Mediterranean regions, women have roughly double the obesity prevalence of men," the report says . Here's how the women fared in world countries: The prevalence of obesity is highest in the Americas, with 61% overweight in both sexes. Obesity rates are low in the Southeast Asia Region, with only 22% overweight, making it the least obese region in the world. Around 3.4 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese, according to WHO . | 7 | 8,575 | health |
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The leading U.S. pediatrician group on Friday urged parents, schools and communities to vaccinate children against measles in the face of an outbreak that began at Disneyland in California in December and has spread to more than 80 people in seven states and Mexico. The American Academy of Pediatrics said all children should get the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella between 12 and 15 months of age and again between 4 and 6 years old. "A family vacation to an amusement park or a trip to the grocery store, a football game or school should not result in children becoming sickened by an almost 100 percent preventable disease," Errol Alden, the group's executive director, said in a statement. The California Department of Public Health has reported 68 confirmed measles cases among state residents since December, most linked to an initial exposure at Disneyland or its adjacent Disney California Adventure Park. Fourteen more cases linked to Disney parks have been reported out of state - five in Arizona, three in Utah, two in Washington state and one each in Oregon, Colorado, Nevada and Mexico. The outbreak is believed to have begun when an infected person, likely from out of the country, visited the resort in Anaheim between Dec. 15 and Dec. 20. The health department said others with measles are known to have visited Disney parks in January while infectious but did not elaborate. Among those infected are at least five Disney employees and a student from a local high school that has ordered its unvaccinated students to stay home until Jan. 29. The outbreak has renewed debate over the so-called anti-vaccination movement in which fears about potential side effects of vaccines, fueled by now-debunked theories suggesting a link to autism, have led a small minority of parents to refuse to allow their children to be inoculated. The Los Angeles Times blasted the anti-vaccination movement in an editorial last week for what it called an "ignorant and self-absorbed rejection of science." Asked if the anti-vaccination movement contributed to the latest outbreak in California, a spokesman for the state health department Carlos Villatoro, said in an email: "We think that unvaccinated individuals have been the principal factor." Barbara Loe Fisher, president of the National Vaccine Information Center, a group calling for "informed consent" for parents regarding vaccinations, said the Disneyland outbreak had touched off a "media frenzy." "There's a lot of name-calling going on rather than talking about substantive policy issues," she said. Homegrown measles, whose symptoms include rash and fever, was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000. But health officials say cases imported by travelers from overseas continue to infect unvaccinated U.S. residents. The sometimes deadly virus, which is airborne, can spread swiftly among unvaccinated children. There is no specific treatment for measles and most people recover within a few weeks. But in poor and malnourished children and people with reduced immunity, measles can cause serious complications including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhea, ear infection and pneumonia. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Additional reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Susan Heavey and Mohammad Zargham) | 5 | 8,576 | news |
When Sony launched its PlayStation Now service as a beta last year, the ridiculous per-game rental pricing structure stopped us from giving it any serious consideration almost immediately. Last week, though, the service graduated from beta with a more feasible all-you-can-play subscription plan . Suddenly this was an opportunity. Has the idea of running games on remote servers advanced at all since OnLive's ahead-of-its-time launch back in 2010 ? We've been kicking the tires on the service for about a week now, and what we've found is a surprisingly compelling addition to the pay-per-game ownership model of retail discs and downloads. If you have the bandwidth and a yearning to sample some PS3 classics among the service's somewhat limited initial selection on your PlayStation 4, PlayStation Now is well worth checking out. Performance When initially reviewing OnLive back in 2010 , running a game through the offering's remote servers was a noticeably worse experience than running that same game locally. Even with a 20Mbps FiOS connection, our reviewer "could tell that the game was not running natively" thanks to "framerate bumps, sudden resolution drops, and gameplay blips." Things have changed quite a bit in the intervening time. For one, we tested PlayStation Now on a relatively beefy (but still residential-level) 75 Mbps FiOS connection in the Washington, DC suburbs. At that speed, the streaming experience was practically indistinguishable from loading a disc on a local PS3. After about 30 to 60 seconds of start up (including a required connection test to confirm bandwidth), PlayStation Now games ran at a solid HD resolution. We saw a smooth, rock-steady frame rate and seemingly instantaneous responses to our controller inputs. The performance over this connection was identical over wireless and wired connections, and it didn't seem to dip even when someone was streaming video in another room. While pro-level players might be able to notice some dropped frames in a twitch-heavy game like Super Street Fighter IV , an intermediate player (including this reviewer) should see no apparent issues. If you set the PlayStation Now app next to a PlayStation 3 running the same game, we'd be hard pressed to tell you which was which. Of course, not everyone has such a healthy Internet pipe leading into their home these days (#humblebrag). To see how the service scaled, we went into our router settings and intentionally limited the bandwidth going to the PlayStation 4. Our throttle testing started with a limit of 5 Mbps of download speed, which Sony recommends as the minimum "for an optimal gaming experience." At that bandwidth level, the service usually wouldn't even start; instead, a pre-launch connection test told us that the connection simply wasn't good enough for PlayStation Now. The same error surfaced when bumping the bandwidth limit up to 6 Mbps. At 7 Mbps, we were able to start PlayStation Now reliably but with a significant performance hit. The image was noticeably grainier than it had been at full bandwidth. Sometimes we were able to get a relatively smooth frame rate at this bandwidth, but most of the time the frame rate stuttered, dipping noticeably up and down near constantly. A game like Super Street Fighter IV was technically playable at this level, and inputs seemed to register just fine, but the constant stuttering usually made it a frustrating experience. Before considering PlayStation Now, we'd recommend going into your PS4 settings and seeing what kind of download speeds you can register through the Connection Test option. If you consistently get numbers under 5 Mbps, you'll need to beef up your connection before being able to use the service reliably. With anything from 5 to 9 Mbps, you'll find PlayStation Now usable but probably not ideal all of the time. (Note that the PS4's connection tests can be pretty unreliable, and they may give different numbers over multiple tests. Also note that the PS4's reported bandwidth is usually a bit lower than your ISP's theoretical maximum, even without interference, and others using the same connection simultaneously may impact the available throughput to the PS4). If your PS4 can clock in for downloads above 9 Mbps, though, you're in for an impressively functional streaming gaming experience. It's all the more impressive when you consider that, four years ago, a 20 Mbps FiOS connection wasn't good enough for a solid OnLive performance in our tests. It seems Sony's 2012 purchase of streaming company Gaikai , along with the intervening wait for improvements in underlying Internet streaming technology, have paid off. Game selection So PlayStation Now works as advertised, provided you have a good enough Internet connection. The question then becomes if the subscription service provides enough value for the money in terms of its selection of games. The answer here will depend a lot on what you're looking for from the service. After a seven-day free trial, a PlayStation Now subscription costs $20 a month or $45 for a three-month pass (effectively $15/month). For that price, you currently get unlimited streaming access to a selection of 104 PS3 games. Be aware that many games which are available for individual rental through PS Now are not available to play through the subscription plan; IGN's Wiki has a handy list comparing the differing availability between subscription and a la carte rental. If you never owned a PS3, the PlayStation Now selection provides a pretty good introduction to a wide range of the system's offerings. That selection includes some unmissable exclusives like Uncharted , The Last of Us , and Shadow of the Colossus. There are also a few relatively recent big-budget titles from the last few years like Batman: Arkham City , Bioshock Infinite , X-Com: Enemy Unknown , and Super Street Fighter IV . You're not going to find many recent titles there doesn't appear to be a single 2014 release available for subscription streaming, for instance but it's not all old, bargain-basement trash either. The real value of the subscription, whether you owned a PS3 or not, is the random grab bag of deeper cuts from the PS3's legacy library. Suddenly having access to 100 such older games through a single subscription is a bit of an odd experience. We're generally a serial monogamist when it comes to games, staying devoted to a single title until finished or bored with the experience (perhaps to come back months or years later). A PlayStation Now subscription can be used that way, but the service isn't really efficient for one-game-at-a-time play unless you have a lot of free time to blaze through the back catalog quickly and serially. Instead, the design of PlayStation Now encourages more Netflix-style casual browsing. It encourages you to give 30 minutes to a game you remember hearing about at release but didn't feel compelled enough to buy at the time. It offers an easy opportunity to come back to a favorite that you sold long ago for an afternoon of nostalgic reminiscence (titles like Lumines: Supernova and Sonic CD were among these reminiscences, for us). PlayStation Now is also perfect for exploring the kinds of games that have always sat right on the line between "must buy" and "not even worth a try." When these games are included with a subscription and take so little effort to load up immediately, the value proposition changes. You're much more likely to at least give them a chance. Why not? A lot of the games you're motivated to try as part of the PlayStation Now subscription will end up being duds, but you'll likely find a few surprises if you're willing to dig. Personally, we found that the El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron was impossible to get into (some critical praise notwithstanding), but Red Faction: Guerrilla has been a major gap in our gaming history up until now. The Sly Cooper series didn't hold up as well as remembered, based on a trial run with Thieves of Time , but Ratchet & Clank remained as fun as ever, judging by the PS3 entries we initially skipped. If you were a PS3 owner over the past few years, you've likely already bought and played at least a few of the games meant to attract you to PlayStation Now. It's unlikely you've experienced every game worth playing from among the selection, though. If you haven't played underrated, well-crafted titles like Papo & Yo or Enslaved: Odyssey to the West , or sleeper hits like Guacamelee and Tokyo Jungle , then a PlayStation Now subscription is the perfect excuse. If not those titles, there's likely to be something else to hold your interest. The freedom to simply bounce around, picking and choosing intriguing games as the mood strikes without even the need to download a demo, is quite freeing. If you're the kind of gamer who knows what he or she likes and buys a single game in that wheelhouse every few months, to play for hundreds of hours, this idea may not appeal to you. But if you're the type who's willing to expand their horizons and look for new kinds of gaming experiences, PlayStation Now is perfect. Now... and forever? While PlayStation Now's current 100-or-so game collection is a good starting point, we hope the service doesn't remain static. For one, it's still kind of small. There's plenty to keep most gamers occupied for a few months, but a subscription service needs a wider selection to earn your money month after month, in perpetuity. Consider that Netflix has about 13,000 distinct movies and TV shows (not including individual episodes) for its $9 a month subscription. Even taking into account that games often provide more entertainment than movies (time-wise), the comparison makes PlayStation Now's selection look a little lacking. To its credit, Sony has already increased the size of PlayStation Now's individual rental library since beta launch, and we'd expect the same will happen for the subscription service. Even if that library doesn't grow in concrete terms, Sony could provide some more value by regularly cycling in new titles to replace some games that have been on the service for a while, offering a constantly fresh tasting menu of PlayStation's past. Sony also keeps making vague noises toward including titles from the original PlayStation, PS2, and even the PS4 in its PlayStation Now offerings. With those libraries opened up and new licensing deals signed with publishers, a PlayStation Now subscription could turn into a valuable library of Sony's console history that's available for easy streaming. The planned ability to stream games to a PlayStation Vita, PlayStation TV, or even directly to a Sony Smart TV will also improve the value proposition in the future. As it stands now, though, PlayStation Now is still definitely worth a try, if only to see the technical potential of streaming gaming with a halfway decent Internet connection. Plus, it's hard to pass up the opportunity to try out a few of the PS3 classics you probably missed the first time around. | 5 | 8,577 | news |
Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen continues to shake things up at GM's luxury brand. The executive announced at the Washington, D.C. auto show that Cadillac will ask around 700 dealerships to invest in "high-technology showrooms" and convert to smaller, boutique stores. Cadillac currently has 900 dealerships in its network, with about 200 flagship locations around the U.S. It's the remaining 700 that de Nysschen wants to bolster to better fit the brand's newfound serious luxury image. Among those dealers are many paired with Chevrolet or other brands. "I am definitely going to be in disagreement with dealers who think they can sustain the business for Cadillac by selling Cadillac out the backdoor of a Chevy store," de Nysschen told Automotive News in an interview. Those dealers would be asked to adopt a boutique concept with "exclusive Cadillac consumer touch points, highly trained sales staff, and luxury amenities." The spaces could also include a "virtual showroom" with interactive digital displays or holograms that allow customers to configure their Cadillacs in-store. Dealers that don't have Cadillac as their primary brand will be expected to invest in their facilities and make "upgrades to the customer experience," the executive said. In return, de Nysschen promises them an influx of new sheetmetal over the next several years, as the brand recently announced a $12 billion investment in product. Among the new products coming is the CT6 sedan , which could debut this April in New York, home to Cadillac's new global headquarters . Cadillac says that, in spite of the changes in store, it has no plans to reduce its dealer network. And though De Nysschen told AN that the size of the network is larger than he would like if he was starting from scratch, the executive admits that the expansive coverage can be an advantage over Cadillac's luxury competitors. Currently, the brand's reach extends to non-urban areas where Mercedes, BMW, and Audi have not yet spread. But the goal now is to improve the customer experience to make visiting your Cadillac dealer a more exclusive and premium affair. Another thing de Nysschen wants to improve is profitability across its dealers. As one of his first acts as Cadillac chief, de Nysschen last year vowed not to lower prices , despite slow sales. Instead, he cut production to raise exclusivity and curb incentives, which would normally be needed to move cars off lots. A new system will reward dealers who invest in facilities, redouble marketing efforts, and receive high marks in customer satisfaction. Source: Cadillac, Automotive News (Subscription required) | 9 | 8,578 | autos |
The sense of disbelief that swept Melbourne Park after Roger Federer lost to Andreas Seppi in the third round on Friday for the first time in their 11 meetings and the first time here before his 13 visits to the quarter-finals hardened into acceptance upon gentler reflection. Certainly, the 33-year-old Swiss has been playing magnificently, last year and in the early weeks of the new season but only in reaching the final at Wimbledon last year, when he lost a terrific five-setter to Novak Djokovic, has he threatened a serious return to his great days at the highest level. Yet at this tournament and in the preceding weeks, he had excited belief among the faithful that his gifts were so beautiful synced again that he could find a way through the toughest section of the draw to have another crack at Djokovic. As it happened he lost to a man he had beaten 10 times before, who had never even taken a set off him, who did not himself really believe he could beat Federer yet Seppi, ranked 46 in the world, grew in conviction as the match inched his way and, by the time they got to the second tie-break, he was playing without fear. His final thrust passed Federer at the net and, to the amazement of everyone in Rod Laver Arena but himself, stayed in and he'd won 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 in just under three hours. He'd shot Bambi. Now he was ready for a generational switch, the outrageously talented and confident Australian teenager, Nick Kyrgios, who beat the Tunisian Malek Jaziri 6-3, 7-6, 4-1. Later both players gave assessments that provided a balanced and informative picture of one of Federer's most surprising defeats."I knew how important that second set tie-breaker was," said the Swiss. "That hurt, losing that one. [He led 4-1 and 5-3 before giving up the final four points]. The end wasn't pretty. "The way he hits [the winner down the line] you think, 'his can't possibly land in'. You're like, 'No, I'm going to let it go'. As you're telling yourself that, you look behind you and you already know it's done. Because he was also running into the sun, I have to cover cross-court just in case. That's where everybody goes. It's clearly a big blow because I actually hit my forehand pretty good." Of their past and the scale of the defeat, Federer said, "We had some good matches. He hits a good ball, forehand and backhand, so I knew that on a quicker court where he gets more help on the serve it was potentially going to be more tricky." Then he added a curious insight: "I felt for some reason yesterday and this morning it was not going to be very simple today. Even in practice I still felt the same way. I was just hoping it was one of those feelings you some times have and it's totally not true and you just come out and you play a routine match. Yeah, it was a mistake." Federer's practical analysis of his performance was more prosaic: "When I maybe needed my serve the most, it wasn't quite there, because my baseline game wasn't there either. It went in phases. But at least I was able to iron out things a bit [in the third set] and able to play much more solid at the back end of the match. But it just broke me to lose that second set. And actually the fourth, I should win it, too. Just a brutal couple of sets to lose there ... I'm on the plane and he's not, so ..." As for the winner, his biggest challenge was absorbing the importance of what he had just done, then putting it behind him. "To beat Roger first time, especially in a grand slam, best-of-five, is a special moment for me," said Seppi. "Of course at the beginning I just went on the court to enjoy the match and to play my best tennis. But especially after the first set, then I felt, you know, I am there, I am hitting the ball very well. I start to believe that I can do more. "You don't play every day on centre court, full stadium in a grand slam against Roger. I was pretty calm, I have to say, from the beginning also in the important moments. Maybe it was the match where I felt more comfortable in my life also with my emotions." Perhaps that was the difference between them: the normally super-cool Federer going to court unsure of himself, for once, not feeling quite right about his game on the morning of the match, and Seppi, some times erratic under pressure, finding calmness for the few hours where it really mattered. He comes from the Alps, near the border, and his first language was German. So he does not fit the stereotype of the passionate Italian, perhaps. But in converting three of the five break opportunities that presented themselves way above his average success rate he was a rock, one that did not crack this time. Asked what Federer said to him at the net, Seppi replied, "I can't remember well. But I think he said, 'Unbelievable last point, congratulations,' something like that." | 1 | 8,579 | sports |
Ryan Gosling loves singing to his baby daughter. The 'Gangster Squad' actor is "infatuated" with four-month-old Esmeralda - who he has with girlfriend Eva Mendes - and is keen to encourage her to be interested in music while she is young. A source said: "Ryan sings to the baby. He loves it. Sometimes he'll make up his own songs and include her name in them. It's very sweet."Last weekend, the couple were seen on one of their first date nights since their little girl was born and insiders say they have finally been able to get out as the baby - who Eva is breastfeeding - is developing more of a routine. The source explained to E! Online: "The baby, who hadn't been sleeping well, is on more of a schedule. "That's why Eva and Ryan were able to go out the other night. They knew they had a few hours in between feedings" They loved getting out of the house for a bit and enjoying some alone time." The 40-year-old actress recently joked she has had "some of the wildest nights ever" since giving birth because she and Ryan, 34, were trying to care for Esmeralda without the help of a nanny. She said: "I'm doing it without a nanny for now but I'm open to the idea of having a nanny in the future. "Esmeralda has two amazing grandmothers and incredible aunties who come over and really help me. But as far as a nanny or a night nurse, for me that part of being a mother at this early stage is the struggle of not being able to sleep and not knowing what I'm doing and really going through it with her and battling out those nights." | 6 | 8,580 | entertainment |
(Bloomberg) -- A software developer in Johannesburg has taken the time-honored African tradition of paying a bride price into the tech age. He designed an app to calculate the woman's value. Anyone weighing up whether to ask for a woman's hand can enter her stats into 26-year-old Kopo Robert Matsaneng's Lobola Calculator and it churns out her value in the currency, the rand, and tells you how many cows that would equate to. The price can also be converted into pounds, euros and dollars on the app. The app considers the person's age, height, weight, waist size, and how attractive they are: ranging from "not at all" to "really hot." The prospective groom must also enter what qualifications the woman has, whether she has a job, whether she's been married before and whether she's got children. "This is a fun app to calculate how much lobola you're worth," Matsaneng says in the app's introduction. "It's simple, fun and meant to be playful, so enjoy." Lobola, known outside South Africa by other names, is a tradition practised in many parts of Africa, where a man's family approaches a woman's relatives to propose marriage and to negotiate a bride price. The custom symbolizes a coming together of the two families. Lobola was historically paid in livestock, a symbol of wealth, but now it often includes other goods and money. Cooking Skills While most users liked the app, some objected that it was not in tune with the true value of lobola, Matsaneng said on the app's site. "Some people are already too angry about the concept," he responded to queries requesting more valuation criteria such as cooking and alcohol intake. The app also maps out the average lobola values in South Africa's different provinces as well as in Lesotho and Swaziland, small neighboring countries. The highest is 100,000 rand ($8,757), or 12 cows, in Lesotho and Swaziland. The lowest is 35,000 rand, or 5 cows, in the South Africa's arid Northern Cape province. "A day without laughs is a day wasted," Matsaneng said in an e-mailed response to questions. To contact the reporter on this story: Franz Wild in Johannesburg at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at [email protected] Ana Monteiro | 5 | 8,581 | news |
10 Ways to Travel Healthier (and Smarter) in 2015 Ways to Travel Healthier (and Smarter) in 2015 January is a month of resolutions and while there's been a lot of talk about health and fitness and some big travel roundups too, it's not often that we consider the role of health in travel. To help your grand health and travel plans come together, we've put together a list of tips that will help you travel healthier and smarter. Take Advantage of Busses and Trains Whether it's the recirculated air in the plane or the germ-ridden surfaces, flying can be hazardous to your health. If you're planning on taking a short flight consider traveling by bus or train instead though there's always a risk you might get sick, the air system is different and you have the option to open a window (on buses) or move to a different car (on trains) when someone starts sneezing. Buses and trains are almost always cheaper and less of a hassle too. Use this great website, rome2rio.com, to find out which route is best. Don't Fly During the Day There are a handful of benefits to flying at night typically lower rates, less crowded airports and the potential to sleep through the flight but what many people don't realize is that there are also fewer delays during the morning and night. After analyzing 6 million flights, experts recommend avoiding flights between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. to dodge delays that get worse as the day goes on. Pack Light How do you avoid luggage fees, skip the line at the lost luggage counter and ditch the concept of toting two big bags around your destination? Pack one carry-on bag and don't check anything. Bring Your Own Pillowcase If you miss the comforts of home when you travel, have trouble falling asleep or just hate the idea of your face making direct contact with a hotel pillow case, then bring your own. A pillowcase from home barely takes up any space in your bag but it's a familiar comfort that can be invaluable on the road. Stay Hydrated From flying in an airplane with limited humidity to walking the streets of a foreign city for hours on end, travelers are prone to dehydration, often without even realizing it. Carry on an empty refillable water bottle and fill it once you're through security (and whenever it's empty) so you'll always have water handy. Just make sure the water you're using is safe to drink. Take Supplements Whether you prefer Airborne, Emergen-C or something a little more old school, keep supplements on hand to give your immune system a boost through the flights and long travel days. Speed Through Security TSA Precheck and other programs turn the airport security process from a total nightmare into an almost enjoyable experience. Keep on your shoes, belt and coat and make it to your gate that much sooner. Wake Up Early Most of us know not to waste our precious travel time sleeping until noon, but getting up extra early has some often overlooked benefits. Hitting typically busy attractions in the morning will help you beat the lines, you'll be able to capture better photos due to the soft diffused morning light and even dodgy areas are less dangerous in the morning when people are starting to open up shop. Plan Meals Wisely Some hotel bundles are overrated, but the deals that include breakfast are always a good choice. Having breakfast included in the hotel rate not only saves you money, but it helps start your day with a substantial meal and healthy options. Fill up at breakfast, eat a moderate-sized lunch and then a light dinner it's good for your health and budget. Cook Your Own Meals If you're staying in one spot for a while, find a place with a kitchen or kitchenette. You'll save money and can ensure you have access to healthy food. | 2 | 8,582 | travel |
10 Ways Exercise Makes You Happy It's not always easy to see, but exercise goes way beyond endorphins, losing weight, and looking good. It's about creating the one thing that almost everyone in this world is after, a happy life. Here's how exercise can help your pursuit. It keeps you healthy Let's start with the obvious: exercise is essential to good health; this likely isn't news to you, but sometimes it's easy to forget that health is essential to happiness. Remember, a daily workout routine can help to prevent cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's, type 2 diabetes, depression and many other diseases. It reduces stress Stress leads us to feel grouchy, frazzled, and even tired, but it definitely doesn't make us happy. Of course, everyone has to deal with stress, but exercise can help to lessen its effects. Plus, it contributes to poor health. Chronic stress is associated with conditions like cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, depression, anxiety, headaches, back and neck pain, and sleep problems. It can improve your body image A 2009 study from the University of Florida published in the Journal of Health Psychology found that exercising may help us feel better about our bodies, regardless of whether or not we accomplish appearance-based goals like losing fat or building muscle. "Body dissatisfaction is a huge problem in our society and is related to all sorts of negative behavior including yo-yo dieting, smoking, taking steroids and undergoing cosmetic surgery," the study's author, Heather Hausenblas, said in a UF news release. It can boost your confidence Exercise is empowering. It makes you feel strong, both inside and out. Laura Williams, founder of Girls Gone Sporty and an ACSM-HFS certified fitness professional, says these factors everything from improving your athletic performance and building muscle to losing fat and feeling more energetic work together to boost your confidence both inside and outside of the gym. It can increase your energy A 2006 study published in Psychological Bulletin found that a regular exercise routine can help increase energy levels and eliminate feelings of fatigue. Not only does this mean that exercising can help you generally feel better on a daily basis, but you'll also have more energy to do the things that make you happy. It can help you better handle life's challenges In addition to reducing stress, exercise may also improve our ability to deal with it. Published in The Journal of Neuroscience , a 2011 study involving mice found that regular exercise was associated with activity in areas of the brain that deal with emotional processing. Dr. Michael L. Lehmann, the study's lead author, told the New York Times that he believed it was exercise that improved the animals ability to better deal with the unpleasant situations they had been subjected to. It can make you more productive Many of the mental health benefits associated with exercise help to keep your mind clear and calm. This combined with the benefit of increased energy levels and alertness can help to make you more productive. And with so much of our time spent working, it's not hard to argue that what goes on in the office (or wherever your job might take place) definitely has an effect on our overall level of happiness. It can help you sleep better Almost everyone can agree, there's nothing like waking up feeling relaxed and refreshed after a good night's sleep. What's more, many studies have revealed that poor sleep habits can take a large toll on your health. Continually missing out on quality sleep is associated with weight gain and obesity as well as chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression. Although certain factors like what time of day and what type of exercise are still up for debate, much of the recent research regarding exercise in relation to sleep has found that a regular exercise routine can improve sleep quality and make falling asleep easier, too. It can provide a sense of purpose and accomplishment Keeping up with a regular exercise routine allows you to create goals to work towards. Accomplishing those goals, or even failing and having to start over, can elicit feelings of determination and pride, and in turn, create a greater sense of fulfillment in your life. It keeps you young No doubt, feeling young and lively is a key factor when it comes to happiness. In addition to keeping your body healthy and nimble, it's believed that exercise also has the ability to keep your mind sharp. A recent study published in The Journal of Physiology , which examined a group of cyclists, age 55 to 79, supported that physical activity likely helps the body to perform both mentally and physically more like a young person's. | 7 | 8,583 | health |
Saudi Arabia's elderly King Abdullah died on Friday and was replaced by his half-brother Salman as the absolute ruler of the world's top oil exporter and the spiritual home of Islam. Global leaders paid tribute to the late monarch, seen as a cautious reformer who led his kingdom through a turbulent decade in a region shaken by the Arab Spring uprisings and Islamic extremism. The royal court said in a statement that Abdullah, believed to be around 90, died at 1:00 am local time, expressing its "great sadness and mourning". Salman, 79, had been defence minister and previously governor of the capital Riyadh. Another of the late monarch's half-brothers, Moqren, was named the new crown prince. Abdullah will be buried later Friday following afternoon prayers, the statement said. Citizens will then be invited to pledge allegiance to the new monarch and the crown prince at the royal palace. The royal court did not disclose the cause of Abdullah's death, but he was hospitalised in December suffering from pneumonia and had been breathing with the aid of a tube. Under Abdullah, who took the throne in 2005, Saudi Arabia has been a key ally of Washington in the Arab world, most recently joining the US-led coalition carrying out air strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq. US President Barack Obama was quick to pay tribute to Abdullah as a valued ally. "As our countries worked together to confront many challenges, I always valued King Abdullah's perspective and appreciated our genuine and warm friendship," Obama said in a written statement shortly after the monarch's death. "The closeness and strength of the partnership between our two countries is part of King Abdullah's legacy." Other tributes came in from Japan, India and France, whose President Francois Hollande hailed Abdullah as "a statesman whose work profoundly marked the history of his country." As the top producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia has been the driving force behind the cartel's refusal to slash output to support oil prices, which have fallen by more than 50 percent since June. Oil prices surged Friday following Abdullah's death, amid uncertainty over whether the new king would maintain that policy. - Royal family stalwart - The kingdom is also home to Islam's holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, and its role as a spiritual leader for Sunni Muslims has seen it vying for influence with Shiite-dominated Iran. Behind his thick, always jet-black moustache and goatee, Abdullah had a shrewd grasp of regional politics. Wary of the rising influence of Islamist movements, Saudi Arabia has been a generous supporter of Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al-Sisi since the army's ouster of Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. It has also played a key role in supporting opposition to Iran-backed President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, allowing US troops to use its territory to train rebel fighters. Salman, the new king, is widely expected to follow closely in Abdullah's footsteps, in foreign and energy policy as well as in making moderate reforms to the deeply conservative kingdom. Abdullah pushed through cautious changes while in power, challenging conservatives with moves such as including women in the Shura Council, an advisory body. He promoted the kingdom's economic development and oversaw its accession to the World Trade Organization, tapping into the country's massive oil wealth to build new economic cities, universities and high-speed railways. But Saudi Arabia is still strongly criticised for a dismal human rights record, including the imprisonment of dissidents. It is also the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive. Salman is a stalwart of the royal family credited with transforming Riyadh during his half-century as governor from a backwater to a thriving capital. Recent years have seen concerns over his health after operations on his back, but Salman took on an increasingly high-profile role as Abdullah's own health issues forced him from the limelight. - Challenges ahead - Abdullah named Moqren as deputy crown prince last March, in an unprecedented move aimed at smoothing succession hurdles. Moqren, a former intelligence chief, was a trusted confidant of Abdullah with a reputation as a liberal. A former air force officer born in 1945, Moqren is the youngest son of King Abdul Aziz bin Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia. Since King Abdul Aziz's death in 1952 the throne has systematically passed from one of his sons to another. Abdul Aziz had 45 recorded sons and Abdullah, Salman and Moqren were all born to different mothers. The new king will face some major challenges, especially as falling oil prices cut into state revenues. Saudi Arabia has managed to avoid the social upheaval that has shaken many of its neighbours in recent years, thanks in large part to massive public spending. The country has amassed enormous financial reserves, but has already projected a huge deficit of $38.6 billion for this year. Many Saudis turned to social media to mourn the king. The broadcaster who read the announcement of his death wearing a dark robe and traditional shemagh head covering, Abdullah al-Shihri, said on Twitter it had pained him to break the news. "I did not wish to announce this news," he wrote. "May God have mercy on Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. Sincere prayers for his successor and crown prince." Another Twitter user, Shaima, said: "We didn't lose a king, we all lost a father". In a country where official media are tightly controlled, the Internet offers more opportunities for Saudis to communicate. But the kingdom's poor record on free speech was highlighted in the final weeks of Abdullah's rule by the case of Raef Badawi, a blogger sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in jail. Badawi's Twitter account retweeted a comment on Abdullah's death saying: "God forgive him and have mercy on him." Rights group Amnesty International said earlier that Saudi Arabia had postponed for a second time on medical grounds Badawi's flogging, which had been due to resume on Friday. He has already received 50 lashes. Campaigners for women's right to drive referred only in passing to the king's death, saying on their Twitter account: "For all creatures whether big or small -- nothing remains but your deeds and your grave -- and only God lasts forever". They posted a picture of the king but then followed it with photographs of Loujain Hathloul and Maysaa Alamoudi, two women's rights activists detained since early December. | 5 | 8,584 | news |
Sierra Leone on Friday lifted crippling nationwide restrictions on movement put in place at the height of the Ebola crisis, amid signs that the deadly epidemic was retreating. The nation of six million had restricted travel for around half its population, sealing off six of its 14 districts and numerous tribal chiefdoms in response to an outbreak which has killed more than 3,000 Sierra Leoneans. "Restrictions on movement will be eased to support economic activity. As such, there will no longer be any district or chiefdom level restrictions on movement," President Ernest Bai Koroma said in an address to the nation late Thursday. Koroma pointed to a "steady downward trend" in new cases in recent weeks, adding that "victory is in sight" but cautioning against complacency. The president said the travel bans would be removed from Friday and restrictions will be eased on Saturday trading hours in the hard-hit Western Area, which includes the capital Freetown. The move marks huge progress in a crisis which has seen commerce all but grind to a halt, with travel restrictions hitting the rural communities particularly hard and sparking warnings of a looming food crisis. Sierra Leone is targeting zero new cases by March 31 of the deadly tropical fever that has killed around 9,000 west Africans over the past year, according to official data, although the real toll is thought to be significantly higher. The country announced on Thursday that it would end "risk payments" to healthcare workers dealing with Ebola by that date and reopen schools, with teaching expected to resume in the third week of March. - 'We must not relent' - The World Health Organization said in its latest update that 8,626 people had died as of January 18, among a cumulative total of 21,689 cases. Liberia, which had a peak of over 300 new cases a week in August and September, registered just eight last week, while there were only 20 confirmed cases in Guinea last week against 45 the week before. The figure for Sierra Leone was 117 last week against 184 the week before, the WHO said, but added that the west of the country remained a problem area. Koroma stressed however that the crisis would not be over until all three countries had seen no new cases for 42 days. He vowed that anti-Ebola measures such as a ban on washing bodies of victims of the highly infectious virus would remain in place. "Our records show that this is now the greatest threat to our victory over the disease," he said. "Law enforcement agencies and chiefs are under instruction to ensure that the full force of the law is brought to bear on those who touch or wash dead bodies." He added that while victory over the epidemic was in sight, "we must not relent, we must continue to soldier on". - Liberia vaccine trials - British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said on Friday its candidate Ebola vaccine was expected to arrive in Liberia later in the day. The batch of 300 vials will be the first to arrive in one of the main Ebola-hit countries and will be used in trials led by the US National Institutes of Health in the coming weeks involving up to 30,000 people. Around 200 volunteers are already testing the candidate vaccine in smaller-scale trials Britain, the United States, Switzerland and Mali, with initial results showing it to be safe. "Shipping the vaccine today is a major achievement and shows that we remain on track with the accelerated development of our candidate Ebola vaccine," said Moncef Slaoui, chairman of global vaccines at GSK. "The initial phase I data we have seen are encouraging and give us confidence to progress to the next phases of clinical testing which will involve the vaccination of thousands of volunteers, including frontline healthcare workers. "If the candidate vaccine is able to protect these people, as we hope it will, it could significantly contribute to efforts to bring this epidemic under control and prevent future outbreaks." | 5 | 8,585 | news |
BMW and Volkswagen said they would help build more electric vehicle charging stations to support the new wave of demand for these types of cars. The plan was announced with great fanfare. What the companies did not headline was that the number of new stations would be below 100. That barely scratches the surface of the location count necessary to really help adoption. The managements of the two German manufacturers, along with their charging station partner ChargePoint, said: A goal of nearly 100 DC Fast chargers will be installed to support long distance and metropolitan electric vehicle travel with the BMW i3, Volkswagen e-Golf and other electric cars, along heavily trafficked corridors on both coasts, supported by Level 2 chargers. With more than 280,000 electric vehicles sold in the United States, EV owners need more charging flexibility while on the go. The express charging corridors will provide electric vehicle drivers access to DC Fast chargers along the most heavily populated and highly-trafficked regions on Interstate 95 on the east coast, from Boston to Washington, D.C., and on the west coast covering and connecting the metropolitan areas of Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The installations will occur both within and between relevant metro areas, strategically-spaced at a maximum of 50 miles apart, making it even easier to take long road trips in an EV. That leaves most electric car owners out in the cold, having to rely on charging their vehicles at home, or somewhere else where they can put their plugs. In theory, the decision helps Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) as it tries to prove the value of its cars by promoting a network of commercial charging stations. Electric car adoption will remain capped by three things. The first is the limited production capacity for the cars. The second is that charging stations are outnumbered by gas stations by probably 100,000 to one, a figure that cannot be calculated precisely. Finally, the demand for electric cars may be limited. Some analysts worry that the vehicles are nothing more than toys. Once a few "early adopters" purchase them, there will be no later adopters. Car buyers may prefer hybrids, or even gas-powered cars, now that gasoline prices have fallen below $2 a gallon in much of the United States. One hundred charging stations are not enough to affect the adoption of electric vehicles. The number may not matter if adoption has already come close to a peak. | 3 | 8,586 | finance |
There's no way to sugar-coat the news that came out of the Portland Trail Blazers camp yesterday. An MRI revealed a torn ligament in the thumb of All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge , sustained while defending DeMarcus Cousins in Portland's victory over the Sacramento Kings last Sunday. Aldridge is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair the tear. Coupled with injuries to Robin Lopez , Joel Freeland , and potentially Nicolas Batum, Aldridge's extended absence is enough to inject fear--and few gallons of sadness--into the hearts of the most stalwart Blazers fan. How will the team cope with their new reality? The first, and fairest, answer is that they won't. All season long we've been admiring Aldridge's stunning performances and how they've transformed this team. It's time to stop and acknowledge explicitly. His impact goes well beyond 23 points and 10 rebounds a game. Aldridge is the hub of Portland's offense. He's been the extra gear for their defense and rebounding as well. He's the leader of this squad, the veteran dealing the cards as the Blazers play their way to a 60-win clip. Everything the franchise has needed, he's given. Statisticians are going to argue with me, but I maintain it nevertheless: his influence is far more significant than it was 3 seasons ago, or really at any point in his career. He has proven himself not just a great scorer, not just a great player, but a winner. The Blazers cannot replace that. They can fill in for some of the stats. They can hope to coax great evenings out of young players. They can ride Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews , flexing their backcourt muscle in Aldridge's absence. It won't be the same. Not much has been secure--no rebounds, few shots, only scattered quarters--since LaMarcus left the floor. Up to this point that sense of security, predictable excellence, led the Blazers to their lofty perch in the conference. It won't be back until #12 is. This isn't a prediction of doom; the Blazers can and will win games without Aldridge. It's an acknowledgment of who LaMarcus is, how far he's come, and what he means to this team. That said, the Blazers can't just sit around saying, "We wish LaMarcus was here...sad face!" They'll need to adjust, and here's how they'll do it. Ride It Out A 30-11 record after 41 games can serve a couple of purposes. It can propel you to ultra-elite status if held through the rest of the season. Failing that, a super-hot start all but guarantees you'll make the playoffs even if you slump. The Blazers established one heck of a credit line in the first half of the season. If they have to draw on it now, so be it. Aldridge is only gone for 6-8 weeks. He'll be back for the end of the year and the playoffs. Today Portland's record stands at 31-13. Let's say LaMarcus misses a full 8 weeks and 26 games. If the Blazers go 9-17 during that stretch--one heck of a fall from grace--they'll still emerge with a 40-30 mark to build on down the stretch. Even in the West, that's a playoff platform. Because the conference is so stacked, seeding means less this year than it would in most. If the Blazers finished with 60 wins and got a Top 3 seed in the bracket, you might be confident in their first round matchup. On the other hand, maybe not. Oklahoma City, Houston, San Antonio, or the Clippers could all end up in that range. Home or away, no 7-game series would be secure against any of those opponents until the final horn had sounded. That story also works in reverse if the Blazers end up on the lower end of the standings. Portland won't be afraid to face anybody even if it's from the 7th seed. If you're concerned about losing seeding position, though, you need only circle one name: Oklahoma City. Division winners earn automatic upper-bracket seeds. No other team in the division is capable of beating out the Blazers and Thunder . Whichever of those two teams finishes ahead of the other is guaranteed a Top 4 spot in the West (though not necessarily homecourt advantage, which is determined by record in a given matchup). No matter what happens in the next 20+ games, the Blazers should be in position to dogfight with the Thunder as the season closes. If you're a worst-case-scenario person, let's go there just for you. If by some swing of ill-fortune the Blazers do miss the playoffs, in all probability they'll still end up bringing back the same starting lineup next year. Except now they'll be bolstered by either a lottery pick or a veteran they traded a lottery pick for. Bam. Bench bolstered. Neither the team nor its fans should be thinking that way, but if you're forced to think that way, the consequences aren't that bad. Stretch Their Wings All season long we've been waiting to find the limits of the constantly-emerging Matthews and Lillard. All season long we've been wondering if Nicolas Batum is getting enough touches in the offense. The throttle is about to go wide open on the first two. Presuming Batum's wrist injury is temporary, they'll need him too. We may see Batum get a new lease on life in the process. Getting Nic re-involved would go a long way in the playoffs. The big caution here would be the tendency to ride the same guys 42 minutes per game for extra wins. That scenario could domino a single disaster into a team-wide failure, draining Portland's ability to perform in the post-season. The coaching staff will need to get creative and show discipline to make sure "stretching" doesn't become "breaking". Ride the Young Guys The gap Aldridge leaves at power forward and in the scoring department will have a trickle-down effect on Portland's bench. Somebody's going to replace Aldridge in the starting lineup. The Blazers won't be able to cover all facets of his game with a single person but they can choose what they'd like to emphasize. If they need rebounding with a little defensive explosiveness, they'll go with Thomas Robinson. If they like size and shooting ability it'll be Meyers Leonard. If veteran presence is their druthers, Dorell Wright is the key. In certain situations they may even go with Batum, health permitting. Either way, their move will open up new possibilities for the rest of Portland's reserves. With more punch leaching out of the bench corps, the remaining players will be forced to step up. Offense-generators like CJ McCollum or Will Barton may be especially prized...more so if Batum is out. The Blazers will still run their system with the reserves but they'll experience more of an "anything goes" vibe in which all contributions are good contributions until the roster settles into normalcy again. The bench responded fairly well against the Celtics last night. Opportunity awaits for any player who can step up and seize it. Adjust the Offense Personnel choices will dictate which way Portland's offense heads for the next couple months, but they already know they can't just throw the ball to Matthews/Lillard and pray. As we've seen in the last couple games, defenses are wise to Portland's production potential and know to squeeze the only guys left on the roster with huge scoring averages. None of Aldridge's substitutes will provide the distraction power he commands, nor will they be able to post effectively in his normal court position, so the Blazers will need to run more intricate strong-side plays than usual. If Robinson sees heavy minutes we're looking at traditional pick and rolls. With Leonard the pick-and-pop should work fine. (Though Meyers also likes straight-away shots. One wonders about the old high post.) Wright spreads the floor, opening up drive-and-dish potential for Lillard. Any way you slice it, the Blazers will employ more men and more motion around the ball. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It could benefit the players involved while giving the offense new wrinkles to employ when those post-season series come around. Maybe this experience will leave the Blazers a little less predictable and a little less Aldridge-dependent...both good things. Make a Move Neil Olshey was correct when he affirmed today that any trades the Blazers make will be for the long haul, not responding to a current crisis. Employing permanent solutions to temporary problems doesn't make sense. If there's a trade out there that puts the Blazers head and shoulders above everybody, they'll do it. Without that kind of return, making a move just to look better in this year's standings would be foolish for the same reasons explained above. No matter how good you look, succeeding in the West this year will be a crapshoot. If the Blazers have been eyeing a move and waiting for the right time, though, this would be that time. They can use any sort of help available save maybe point guard. (And even then...) This is doubly true if they're thinking about signing a semi-retired veteran short-term. The cost is cheap; a return of even a couple more wins would justify it. Olshey might want to start stalk-texting Jermaine O'Neal anytime now. . In no way, shape, or form is losing LaMarcus Aldridge a good thing for the Blazers. In the context of a single season for a team with elite-level aspirations, it's a disaster. But this team's growth curve spans more than a single season and even the 2014-15 campaign encompasses more than an 8-week span. Portland's hopes haven't failed...not even this season's, let alone in a five-year window. The Blazers will need to deal with their new reality, maybe learn something in the process, and see if they can come out the other side with renewed strength and fresh ideas even if their record is ultimately worse than it would have been without this injury. Unless they melt down entirely, the Blazers will still make the playoffs. They'll still have roughly the same shot in the playoffs that they had before, plus or minus a game at home. If that single game turns the tide, especially in an early round, they probably weren't going to win it all anyway. As far as devastating injuries go, things could be worse. It's small comfort, but there you go. Even if the season didn't get any better, it just got a whole lot more interesting. This team is about to be stretched to its limits and beyond. Buckle up and let's see what happens. Hey folks...please help us send underprivileged youth, children, and chaperons to see Portland's March 30th game against the Phoenix Suns --and yeah, Aldridge could be back--by contributing tickets to Blazer's Edge Night. The cost of a ticket is low and the joy it brings into the life of a child who otherwise wouldn't get to see a game is immeasurable. We're looking to send over 1000 kids this year. You can find all the details here. --Dave [email protected] / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge | 1 | 8,587 | sports |
U.S. stocks fell Friday, trimming the first weekly advance of 2015, as disappointing results from United Parcel Service overshadowed optimism central bank stimulus will boost global growth. European equities rose with government bonds, while the euro sank to an 11-year low. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (SPX) lost 0.6 percent at 4 p.m. in New York, after rallying 1.5 percent Thursday. UPS slumped 9.9 percent, the most since 2006, while Starbucks Corp. surged 6.6 percent as earnings soared. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 1.7 percent for a seventh day of gains. The bond rally sent Italy's 10-year borrowing costs below 1.5 percent for the first time. The euro weakened 1.3 percent to $1.1221. Copper sank 3 percent after manufacturing contracted in top user China. The European Central Bank on Thursday unveiled a plan to buy 60 billion euros ($68 billion) a month in bonds through September 2016 in an effort to combat the threat of deflation. U.S. equities accelerated declines in the final 30 minutes of trading before the weekend and the euro's drop was exacerbated by concern an anti-austerity party will take power in Greece after elections Sunday. UPS plunged after saying an overexpanded program to handle a deluge of holiday shipments left its network underutilized on some other days. The Common Currency's Existential Crisis "The bigger picture is that we had a pretty sizable move in the market the day before," Kevin Caron, who helps oversee $170 billion at Stifel Nicolaus & Co. in Florham Park, New Jersey, said in a phone interview. "The market is still assessing the recent actions by the ECB, trying to figure out how much of that action was already priced into markets going into the meeting and what it might mean for markets going forward." Economic Data The S&P 500 gained 1.6 percent this week following two five-day slides amid tumbling oil prices and concerns that the global economy is slowing. The index ended the week about 1.9 percent below its all-time high reached Dec. 29. Global stocks rose Thursday as the ECB's expanded stimulus boosted optimism that Europe's economy will come back from the brink of recession and not disrupt growth in the U.S. Data today showed uneven growth. The Chicago Fed national index was minus 0.05 in December. A reading below zero indicates below-trend-growth in the national economy. The Markit Economics preliminary index of manufacturing cooled in January to a one-year low, while separate data indicated sales of existing homes rose less than economists forecast. The index of U.S. leading indicators increased in December, extending its rise to four straight months, as the world's largest economy expanded. Equities Movers UPS sank after saying preliminary 2014 earnings were lower than it previously forecast. Kimberly-Clark Corp. (KMB) dropped 6.2 percent after forecasting 2015 earnings that missed estimates. Starbucks Corp. jumped 6.6 percent to a record as new food and holiday drinks boosted customer traffic and sales. Ford Motor Co. and Kimberly-Clark are both taking fourth-quarter charges because of difficulties exchanging U.S. dollars for Venezuelan bolivars. Ford shares fell 0.8 percent. Of the S&P 500 companies that have reported quarterly earnings so far, 77 percent have exceeded projections after analysts reduced their estimates. Profit at S&P 500 companies climbed 1.1 percent in the last three months of 2014, analysts predict, down from an October estimate of 8.1 percent. "Obviously earnings will become more of a focus as well, but the key is we need follow through," Matt Maley, an equity strategist at Miller Tabak & Co LLC in Newton, Massachusetts, said in a phone interview. "ECB is still going to be at the forefront over the next few trading days. People are still trying to digest this bazooka blast." In Europe, the Stoxx 600 extended gains to a seventh day, the longest rally since April. The gauge climbed 5.1 percent this week, capping its biggest jump since December 2011 and extending a seven-year high. Strong Commitment "The strong commitment from Draghi to wipe out fears about the euro zone's sustainability is good news," said Pierre Mouton, who helps oversee $8 billion at Notz, Stucki & Cie. in Geneva. "Liquidity to the banking system should improve credit conditions, and thus economic growth. That will benefit equities. The ECB has given a time frame and the size of its QE is very helpful. Investors know they'll be helped by the ECB for the next 18 months at least." European stocks extended gains after ECB Executive Board member Benoit Coeure told Bloomberg Television in Davos, Switzerland, that policy makers are prepared to extend or expand the stimulus program if the impact on inflation isn't judged enough. Europe Stocks All western European markets except Austria and Iceland advanced. Spain's IBEX 35 Index added 0.7 percent, extending gains this week to the most since September 2012. Germany's DAX Index and France's CAC 40 Index rose at least 1.9 percent. The Swiss Market Index advanced 2 percent. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index advanced for a fourth day, rising 0.9 percent to the highest since Dec. 4. The gauge rallied 3.6 percent this week, the most since March. The Shanghai Composite Index added 0.3 percent, leaving it 0.7 percent lower over five days and ending a 10-week rally. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) of mainland companies listed in Hong Kong advanced 1.8 percent, sending the gauge to its first weekly gain in three weeks. The preliminary China purchasing managers' index from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics was at 49.8 in January, up from 49.6 a month earlier and exceeding the median estimate of 49.5 in a Bloomberg survey. Numbers below 50 indicate contraction. Bonds surged across the euro area on speculation the ECB will need to pay higher prices to convince holders of the securities to sell them. Bond Rates Germany's 10-year yield fell nine basis points, or 0.09 percentage point, to a record 0.362 percent while rates on the nation's 30-year debt approached 1 percent. Portugal's 10-year yield fell 14 basis points to 2.45 percent. The rally spread to debt markets around the world on bets the drop in yields on European bonds would push investors to seek alternatives overseas. Treasury 10-year note yields dropped six basis points to 1.80 percent. Greece's bonds also rose before a general election in the nation on Jan. 25. The three-year note yield dropped 70 basis points to 9.64 percent. Concern an anti-austerity party will take power in Greece exacerbated the euro's drop after the ECB widened its stimulus program. The currency fell to as low as $1.1115 and reached 74.28 British pence, the weakest level since 2008. Australia's dollar slid below 80 U.S. cents on rising speculation the central bank will cut interest rates next month. Oil erased gains in New York following the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia as his successor said policies won't change in the world's largest crude exporter. West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery settled at $45.59 a barrel in New York. Brent for March settlement advanced 0.6 percent to $48.79 a barrel in London. Copper for March delivery dropped 3 percent to settle at $2.5015 a pound in New York, capping a third weekly loss for the longest run of declines since October. The metal slid 4.4 percent in the week. | 3 | 8,588 | finance |
Rafael Nadal advanced into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday with a 6-1 6-0 7-5 victory over Israel's Dudi Sela, avoiding the fate that befell second seed Roger Federer who had earlier been dumped out of the tournament by Andreas Seppi. Third seeded Nadal had himself narrowly avoided an early exit when he needed five sets and more than four hours to beat American qualifier Tim Smyczek in the second round as he battled illness, but made no such mistakes on Friday. The Spaniard jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set and never looked back, despite some resistance from the 106th ranked Sela in the third set, to win in a shade over two hours. The 14-times grand slam champion will now meet 14th seed Kevin Anderson after the big serving South African beat France's Richard Gasquet 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(6). | 1 | 8,589 | sports |
Second seed Maria Sharapova sparked her flatlining Australian Open campaign back to life Friday, as rivals Eugenie Bouchard and Simona Halep limped into the fourth round. Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova brushed aside Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 6-1, 6-1, saying she had learned her lesson from a massive scare in her previous match, when she had to save two match points. But while the Russian veteran was re-asserting her authority, young guns Bouchard, the seventh seed, and third seeded Halep of Romania had to battle past against unfancied opponents. Sharapova, 27, was fired up after compatriot Alexandra Panova embarrassed her in the second round, saying she was determined not to be caught out again by another young up-and-comer in 31st seed Diyas. "After such a big challenge... you feel like you have another life," said Sharapova, who could seize the world number one ranking off arch-rival Serena Williams if she takes the title at Melbourne Park. "I started really focused, I knew I had a tough, long match previously, so I wanted to start off strong and finish strong, I think I did a good job of that." The Russian, the Australian Open champion in 2008, faces a round four showdown against China's Peng Shuai, who made the US Open semi-finals in 2014. - Bouchard stays calm - Canada's Bouchard, a semi-finalist in Australia last year, was forced to hang tough as France's Caroline Garcia launched an early onslaught, but rode out the storm and finished strongly in a 7-5, 6-0 victory. Cheered on by the "Genie Army", the 20-year-old it wasn't "the prettiest tennis" as her wobbly service game came under pressure from the world number 36, attributing the win to mental strength. "I just tried to stay calm," she said." I knew that I would hopefully find my groove at some point. I kept going... finally, it clicked a little bit and I was able to get on a roll." Bouchard, who followed up last year's Melbourne semi with appearances in the final four at Roland Garros and the decider at Wimbledon, faces Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu next up. Halep, another youngster tipped for Grand Slam success, also found the going tougher than expected against American world number 258 Bethanie Mattek-Sands. The 23-year-old looked set for a no-nonsense win after taking the first set and leading 5-1 in the second but was unsettled by the never-say-die Mattek-Sands before eventually triumphing 6-4, 7-5. "It was a tough match, it was very hot outside," a relieved Halep said, adding that the blip would not affect her title bid at the season-opening Grand Slam. "I have more confidence now during the Grand Slams and I believe I have my chance at every tournament," Halep, who is looking to build on a breakthrough 2014 which included an appearance in the French Open decider, will meet Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer in the fourth round. Wickmayer, a former world number 12 and US Open semi-finalist, knocked out 14th seeded Italian Sara Errani in three sets. Czech qualifier Lucie Hradecka, who upset fifth seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in the first round, fell 7-6 (8/6) 7-5 to Germany's Julia Goerges. Goerges faces a fourth-round match-up with Russia 10th seed Ekaterina Makarova, who defeated Czech 22nd seed Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-4. | 1 | 8,590 | sports |
The beer can is a lowly vessel. It is not the stuff of special treats and celebrating milestones; it is the stuff of chugging, drinking games, tailgates and house parties. It is the only contraption that will work in that practice known as shotgunning. The craft brewery trend has boosted beer to a higher-brow status in recent years, but the best of it seldom comes in cans. Something about the lightweight container, dense with fizz, just doesn't convey quality the way that bottles and kegs can. But when canned beer made its debut in the U.S. 80 years ago this weekend, it was stunningly popular. Brewers were looking to innovate after Prohibition's end in 1933, and packaging was one aspect ready for a makeover. It's not that no one had ever thought to put beer in cans before American Can Co. had been working on it since 1909 , but they couldn't figure out how to temper the carbonation so the cans didn't explode from the 80 lbs. per sq. in. of pressure. It took about two decades for them to figure out that lining the steel cans with the same lacquer-like material they used to line kegs would keep them intact. The folks at American Can knew they had a hit on their hands, but they needed to convince brewers to take a risk on the product, so they installed the necessary equipment for free at at the Gottfried Krueger Brewery. Cans of Krueger's Finest Beer and Krueger's Cream Ale hit shelves in Richmond, Va. on Jan. 24, 1935 and quickly sold out. Some new products find success because the consumer likes them better than the old alternative, and some because the producer does. In the case of the beer can, it was both. On the production end, flat-top cans made it easier to stack and ship a bulky and inexpensive product. On the consumer end, drinkers thought the brew tasted closer to draft beer than bottles, and believed that it was less likely to be "skunked" since light can't penetrate aluminum the way it can glass. Plus, cans required no deposit and could be discarded rather than returned to the store for a refund. In a focus group of 2,000 loyal Krueger drinkers, beer cans got a 91% approval rating. Canned beer did so well for one brewing company, Pfeiffer, that later that year it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. This was good news for management, as TIME reported in Sept. 1935 : Pfeiffer's president is William George Breitmeyer, nephew of the German brewmaster who founded the company. Shy and laconic at his desk but jovial away from it, Brewer Breitmeyer has a simple explanation for his own success: "I have only one hobby. I collect friends." An aid in this hobby is his stock of old German drinking songs, inherited from his uncle. Sadly, the Trinklieder only went so far: Pfeiffer is now defunct. But thanks to a few alterations over the years (lighter aluminum material plus easy-to-open pop tabs) the beer can lives on and prospers as of 2012 , canned beer sales held 53% of market share, compared to bottled beer's 37%. Convenience, it seems, trumps looks. We'll drink to that. | 3 | 8,591 | finance |
The United Arab Emirates shocked holders Japan and Iraq sent their arch-rivals Iran crashing out as a stunning night of upsets turned the Asian Cup on its head on Friday. A double-header of quarter-finals ended in two penalty shoot-outs in Canberra and Sydney, with UAE and Iraq surviving moments of intense drama to come out on top. Their stars shone with UAE wizard Omar Abdulrahman and Iraq's Younis Mahmoud, hero of their 2007 title run, both slotting outrageous "panenka" penalties in the shoot-outs. But Japan's leading lights Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa had a night to forget, and 10-man Iran were left cursing Australian referee Ben Williams. UAE's 5-4 win on penalties, after it finished 1-1 after extra-time, puts Mahdi Ali's men into a semi-final against hosts Australia in Newcastle. Iraq will play South Korea as they bid to repeat their astonishing 2007 win and bring joy to their homeland, where thousands of fans blasted celebratory gunfire on Friday. Iraq outlasted Iran 7-6 on penalties after a match of scarcely believable drama ended 1-1 on 90 minutes and 3-3 after the extra periods. Iran's coach Carlos Queiroz was incensed at Mehrdad Pooladi's first-half sending-off when he received a second yellow card from referee Williams for simulation. "Can he (Williams) sleep tonight? It's just a question," said Queiroz, who had to be restrained by his players after the dismissal. "If it's necessary I put my knees to the ground to show my respect and humble attitude to ask him how we understand this decision, you tell me." - 'Panenka' double - There was no sign of the fireworks to come when talented young striker Sardar Azmoun nodded Iran in front on 24 minutes. But sparks flew when Pooladi was cautioned for simulation, and then sent off when Williams realised it was his second yellow. A furious Queiroz, fined $3,000 for criticising Williams after Iran's win against Bahrain, had to be held back as the teams and officials came off at half-time. And the dismissal turned out to be critical as Iraq levelled through Ahmed Yaseen to force extra-time, and then went ahead via the head of captain Mahmoud. Iran levelled through Morteza Pouraliganji -- but the defender then conceded a penalty by clattering into Yaser Kasim, which Dhurgham Ismael dispatched. Iraq seemed to have it won, but Iranian substitute Reza Ghoochannejhad dramatically headed in at the death of extra-time to force penalties. Both sides missed their first kicks but then scored six each, including Mahmoud's brilliant "panenka", before Iran's Vahid Amiry hit the post and Salam Shakir smashed the winner. The later kick-off in Sydney got off to a sombre start with the UAE wearing black armbands to make the death of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, and Ali Mabkhout refused to celebrate when he opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Mabkhout walked away with his arms by his sides when he blasted home a fierce volley to give his side a shock lead against the four-time champions. Japan, looking leggy in their fourth game with an unchanged starting line-up, pressed without reward until the 81st minute, when substitute Gaku Shibasaki rifled in the equaliser. The Blue Samurai almost snatched the winner when Shibasaki's free kick flashed wide, but the UAE hung on to force the sudden death shoot-out. And while Abdulrahman chipped the second "panenka" of the night, Japanese stars Honda and Kagawa both missed before Ismail Ahmed thumped the crucial kick home. "I am very proud of my team's performance," said Japan's coach Javier Aguirre, who is battling a match-fixing claim from his time working in Spain. "We gave everything we had over 120 minutes. When the game goes to penalties, it is a 50 percent chance of winning." | 1 | 8,592 | sports |
The future Hall of Fame coach completely denied involvement in the "DeflateGate" scandal, pointing the blame directly at his golden boy. Both South Park and Saturday Night Live are going to have some new material after the Tom Brady press conference on Thursday. Brady repeatedly denied involvement in the alteration of any game balls, gave a shout-out to the extremist ISIS group and even Rick Santorum took a break from a potential 2016 presidential run to give his insights about the "DeflateGate" scandal. Suffice to say, the Brady press conference became a circus. The absurdity of the press conference, no doubt, was the result of an earlier press conference conducted by Brady's boss, head coach Bill Belichick. Belichick's presser, contrary to Brady's, was decidedly less jovial, as the three-time Super Bowl winner coach stoically, directly and forcefully denied any involvement in the deflation of 11 Patriots game balls prior to their AFC Championship victory over the Indianapolis Colts . "I have no explanation for what happened," he said. "I honestly never touched a game ball. It's not something I have any familiarity with on that. Again, I was completely and totally unaware of any of this that we're talking about in the last couple of days until Monday morning." Belichick's frankness means he has clearly drawn his line in the sand. He believes he's innocent and has nothing to hide, but his direct remarks would be very easy to prove false should the league determine Belichick was involved in the scandal. Belichick, however, failed to stop short of denying his own involvement, instead opting to throw Tom Brady's name into the controversy, effectively throwing his Hall of Fame quarterback under the bus. "Tom's (Brady) personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide," Belichick said. This suggestion led to Brady's press conference, originally scheduled for Friday afternoon, being pushed up to Thursday at 4 p.m. What followed was the aforementioned media frenzy, where a seemingly overwhelmed Brady was grilled by questions, left at a loss for words at times and conveyed every emotional response from lighthearted joking to an almost trance-like seriousness. Belichick's earlier press conference demonstrated his need to protect his own legacy, although he left himself in a tight spot. Even if Belichick is cleared of all wrongdoing, and his press conference seems to indicate some level of sincerity of ignorance, he still will have to face Tom Brady knowing he, more or less, threw the second half of the greatest player-coach combo of all time to the wolves. | 1 | 8,593 | sports |
He had a promising graphic designer job, plans to be a wedding videographer and was a star sportsman in his French town. So how did Youssoup Nassoulkhanov end up in an Islamic State group video praising the Paris attacks? The streets of Schiltigheim in the Alsace region of eastern France are not a terrorist breeding ground. Although the town has never quite recovered from the shuttering of factories in the 1980s, and a fifth of the population remains unemployed, it still has a quaint feel and is just 10 minutes from the charming, busy centre of Strasbourg. Until he disappeared last summer, the polite, hard-working 20-year-old working in the graphics department of the town hall didn't ring any warning bells. "We talked, we joked around, he was a good kid. He had no hatred for France or the French or non-Muslims," said Yann Lymand, who worked next to Nassoulkhanov for over a year. He says the person he knew is impossible to square with the bearded, Kalashnikov-wielding Nassoulkhanov in last week's video for the Islamic State group in Syria, praising the jihadists who killed 17 people in Paris this month. "There will be more and more of these operations in the whole of Europe, God willing," says Nassoulkhanov in the video. "To those brothers who can't come to Islamic State territory, do whatever you can. Kill them, slit their throats, burn their cars, burn their houses," he says. - 'It still hurts' - Nassoulkhanov, a Russian from the Chechen region who moved to France when he was 15, had worked at the local council since May 2013 on a trainee programme. For Lymand, who took him under his wing, prepped him for a full-time job and helped him through housing and personal difficulties, the video was a shock. "I can't watch it -- it still hurts me," he said, welling up. There are few clues to what drove Nassoulkhanov's radicalisation. He was frustrated at supporting his whole family and had fought with his father. There were rumours of a girlfriend not accepted by the tight-knit Chechen community. One Muslim colleague says Nassoulkhanov spent longer and longer hours at the mosque, sometimes four or five a day during Ramadan. But if he had radical thoughts, they were well hidden. He was highly skilled at "Street Workout", a strenuous form of gymnastics and acrobatics, and practised almost daily with youngsters from many different backgrounds in parks around the town. He was good enough to compete in national championships and appear in a TV news feature on the sport last year. He also loved video and filmed weddings for the Chechen community -- often travelling to Paris to do so. He was excited about plans to set up his own wedding video business. Then last summer, he just disappeared. - Poverty makes terrorists - Nassoulkhanov's story is a reminder that jihadists come from all walks of life, but his case is still relatively rare. A study by German intelligence, leaked last year, showed the vast majority who have left Germany to fight in Syria were uneducated and unemployed. Of nearly 400 jihadists investigated, only a quarter had finished school and two percent university. Barely one in 10 had a job. Two-thirds had a criminal record. "The median terrorist in Europe isn't doing well in life," said Thomas Hegghammer, a Norwegian expert on jihadists. "Poverty makes terrorists not because they are angry at being poor, but because it takes them into certain walks of life, such as prisons. It also makes people vulnerable to recruiters." The Paris attacks confirmed the stereotype: all three assailants were from deprived housing projects and broken homes. But examples still abound of people like Nassoulkhanov who give up promising futures to join a bloodthirsty global jihad. Dounia Bouzar, who runs an anti-radicalisation centre in Paris, says extremists are consciously targeting a wider cross-section of society. "They offer different types of dreams and utopias. They try to reach young people who might be in the second year of studying political science or medicine -- from stable, loving middle-class families." Experts have long since realised that chasing a definitive profile for a terrorist is a fool's errand. "Radicalisation research has stagnated," said Hegghammer. "We've come to the end of what we can do with the available information and there are no clear conclusions." A lack of data makes divining any specific psychological trait almost impossible. There is a wide range of factors that can push someone into violent jihad, and two people with the same disposition can go in radically different directions. "Some are action-seekers, some are trying to get clear answers to things, some just enjoy sub-cultures," said Hegghammer. The result is very little warning when a relative or friend suddenly disappears and then crops up in a video from Syria. "It's not like Youssoup didn't have anything in his life," said Lymand, back in Schiltigheim. "To see him like that in the video, it was impossible for me to believe." | 5 | 8,594 | news |
Inevitably at the beginning of each year, I overhear the diet-related resolutions people make. One of the most frustrating resolutions I hear is to avoid fruit. With sugar being considered the devil of food these days, fruit is getting caught up in the sweet mess. Here's a look at the fruit debate and why I'm a huge advocate for nature's candy. Is All Sugar Created equal? I recently gave a talk at my son's middle school where an attendee asked me to explain the difference between eating sugar from cookies versus an orange. People mistakenly assume that if sugar from a cookie is bad for you, then sugar from any food source isn't healthy, either. But there's more to the story that meets the eye or, in this case, the palate. Sugar is used as a flavor enhancer. When I taught nutrition at a culinary school in New York City, the chefs were always touting, "fat equals flavor." In the 1990s, when fat was deemed the bad guy and removed from many packaged foods, food manufacturers needed to add flavor to these products and many turned to sugar. But to get to the heart of the debate, you really need to look into the composition of a food and examine the nutrients the food provides. Let's look at a serving of chocolate chip cookies versus an orange. A serving of say, Chips Ahoy, is three cookies. It provides 160 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2 1/2 grams of saturated fat and 11 grams of sugar. It also provides 6 percent of the recommended daily amount of iron. An orange, on the other hand, is nicely packaged in its own single serve peel. It provides about 60 calories, 3 grams of fiber (13 percent of the recommended daily amount), 12 grams of sugar, vitamin C (116 percent of the recommended daily amount) and folate (10 percent of the recommended daily amount). It also contributes smaller amounts of five B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium and copper. Fruits like oranges also have a high water content, which counts towards your daily fluid requirements. Don't Forget the Phytochemicals Fruit is also filled with natural plant chemicals, called phytochemicals, which help fight and prevent disease. The research on phytochemicals is expanding, and there is a lot of exciting information already out there. Here's a rundown of some of the phytochemicals found in fruit: Anthocyanins: One of the most potent antioxidants around, anthocyanins help protect the blood vessels and nervous system. Research has found that anthocyanins may help ward off diabetes and lower the risk of several types of cancer. Find them in blueberries, blackberries, cherries, red grapes, cranberries, pomegranates and currants. Lutein and Zeaxathin: These related phytochemicals may help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causing of vision loss that occurs as we age. Both are also antioxidants and give fruit its bright, beautiful colors. Studies have found that they also may help protect against certain types of cancer. Find them in tangerines, papaya and persimmons. Lycopene: This antioxidant helps give some fruits their gorgeous red hue. Studies have found that lycopene can help lower the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer and macular degeneration. Studies have found that eating foods containing the phytochemical, as opposed to popping supplements, was more effective. Find it in watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, grapefruit and mango. The Recommendations How much fruit should you be eating each day? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's " My Plate ," men over 18 years old and women 19 to 30 years old should eat 2 cups daily. Women over 30 can have 1 1/2 cups. One cup of fruit is equal to: 1 small apple 1 cup of sliced or chopped fruit (raw or cooked) 1 large banana 1 medium orange 1 medium pear About 8 large strawberries 1 cup of 100 percent fruit juice 1/2 cup dried fruit The bottom line: The whole concept of sugar needs to be put in perspective. Although fruit does contain some sugar, it also provides the body with an abundance of good-for-you nutrients that many processed foods lack. Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report | 7 | 8,595 | health |
If you have a toddler or even a preschooler holding tight to their binky, you're not alone: pacifier weaning is a common challenge. While dental problems generally won't result from pacifier use unless the habit continues beyond age 3, many parents find that pacifier weaning is easier before a child reaches 2 years old. (If you're concerned, though, check with your pediatric dentist.) For a smooth transition, try these brilliant pacifier-weaning strategies from our readers. 1. Snip the Tip One of the most popular pacifier-weaning tricks is cutting off the pacifier's tip. After the ability to suck is removed, many children quickly lose interest. Try telling your child that the pacifier is broken, and let her throw it away. If the initial snip doesn't do the trick, moms like Christina M., a mother of one son, suggest gradually cutting off more of the pacifier: "I tried cutting the end of the pacifier off a little bit every few days until there was nothing for him to suck on, and then he didn't really want it anymore." Just be careful that your child isn't chewing off pacifier pieces, which could be a choking hazard. 2. Swap Soothing Items "Try replacing the pacifier with something else that can give her security," suggests Kate G. While a child may not instantly forget her pacifier, many moms found that alternative soothing items did eventually replace the pacifier. "I replaced the pacifier with a 'sleep blanket.' The first couple of nights/naps she would cry for about 10 minutes, but her blanket against her face kept her warm and happy eventually," says Angela C. 3. Gradually Reduce Use While some moms advocate a cold-turkey approach to pacifier weaning, others like Meredith Z. find that gradually limiting pacifier usage is successful: "First, we limited pacifier usage to inside the house, then only to sleep time, then only to overnight, and then we said 'let's try bedtime without your bink just for tonight,' and after the first night, he only asked for it once, and then he was totally fine. We just made sure we stuck to our rules, and let him be comfortable at each level before restricting bink usage more." 4. Get Help From the Pacifier Fairy Another popular pacifier-weaning tactic is to have a make-believe character reward the child for giving away their pacifiers. Sarah M., mother of two girls, shares: "Say that the Dummy Fairy will come and take them and give them to new babies that need them. Then you leave a special 'big girl' present in the basket for them when they wake up." Other moms, including Linnea F., use characters the kids already believe in: "My kids all gave theirs to the Easter Bunny for little ones who need binkies and don't have them. This would also work with Santa. We still had some withdrawal cries, but it didn't last." 5. Trade For Toys Instead of having imaginative characters bring a child a reward, some moms advocate openly trading the pacifier for a prize. "Take her to Toys 'R' Us and let her pick out a toy in exchange for the pacifier," suggests Janice D. "It worked for me two times. You may have a few days that are a bit rough, but then it will be fine." Other moms also had their child "pay" the cashier with a pacifier for th 6. "Lose" the Pacifier After Melissa C. misplaced her daughter's pacifier, she realized that simply pretending to lose it would be a good pacifier-weaning strategy. "Maybe if you somehow 'lose' yours and have him help you look for it and don't find it, it'll let him know that you care enough to help him, even if you can't fix it." Dawn D. says she used the same weaning tactic. "I just told her we lost it and we'd look, but then she was OK with 'we lost it' and in two weeks she forgot all about it." | 4 | 8,596 | lifestyle |
CNN's Richard Quest explores what the future of photo-sharing might look like, from holograms to interactive car windows. | 8 | 8,597 | video |
GENEVA - The known death toll in the Ukraine conflict that began last April now exceeds 5,000 and may be far higher, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday. Fighting has intensified over the past 10 days with the leader of pro-Russian separatists quoted on Friday as saying they would pursue a military offensive in Ukraine's east and not initiate ceasefire talks with the Kiev government. "The significant escalation of hostilities since January 13 has taken the toll to 5,086 individuals and we fear the real figure may be considerably higher," U.N. human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing in Geneva. The toll, based on official data on casualties collected by U.N. human rights monitors, includes 262 people killed in fighting between Ukrainian government forces and the rebels in the past nine days, "the most deadly period" since a ceasefire was declared on Sept. 5, he said. The truce did not take hold. Asked why the uncertainty over the real death toll, Colville told Reuters: "We don't necessarily get all the military casualties." He said the toll included civilians and fighters but full figures are not always available quickly. At least 10,948 people have also been wounded since April. The U.N. rights office was concerned about "the continuing presence of foreign fighters in the east, allegedly including servicemen from the Russian Federation, as well as the presence of heavy and sophisticated weaponry in populated areas under the control of armed groups", Colville said. Russia denies any direct involvement in the conflict. The U.N. refugee agency said that new Ukrainian government security regulations requiring special passes were hampering efforts to deliver aid to conflict zones in the east and making life harder for the displaced fleeing the fighting. It called for unimpeded access to eastern Ukraine. "These restrictions on movements within Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east of the country further complicates an already difficult situation for those forcibly displaced and made worse by the intensified fighting we have seen in recent days," UNHCR spokeswoman Karin de Gruijl told reporters. Asked to explain the obstructions, she said: "We have been stopped at checkpoints, sometimes for security reasons, sometimes for reasons that were not entirely clear to us." (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Mark Heinrich) | 5 | 8,598 | news |
Rafa Nadal advanced into the fourth round of the Australian Open on Friday with a 6-1 6-0 7-5 victory over Israel's Dudi Sela, avoiding the fate that befell second seed Roger Federer who had earlier been dumped out of the tournament by Andreas Seppi. Third seeded Nadal had himself narrowly avoided an early exit when he needed five sets and more than four hours to beat American qualifier Tim Smyczek in the second round as he battled illness, but made no such mistakes on Friday. The Spaniard jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set and never looked back, despite some resistance from the 106th ranked Sela in the third set, to win in a shade over two hours. The 14-times grand slam champion will now meet 14th seed Kevin Anderson after the big serving South African beat France's Richard Gasquet 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(6). (Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by martyn Herman) | 1 | 8,599 | sports |
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