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Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss will return next season, FOX Sports Insider Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday. Source: Walt Weiss will return as #Rockies manager. Under contract through next season. Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) October 7, 2015 After a last-place finish in the NL West with a 68-94 record this season, there was speculation that that Rockies would make a change. After meeting with Rockies GM Jeff Bridich on Tuesday, Weiss said he will return to the dugout next season. Bridich told The Associated Press that he and Walt "met for several hours today about the season and how we can get better with him back in 2016. It's going well and we will continue to meet." In three seasons with the Rockies, Weiss has a 208-278 record. Weiss joins the Boston Red Sox's John Farrell, Detroit Tigers' Brad Ausmus, Chicago White Sox's Robin Ventura and Cincinnati Reds' Bryan Price as managers whose futures were uncertain but who will return to their teams in 2016. However, the Washington Nationals' Matt Williams was relieved of his duties, and Miami Marlins manager Dan Jennings will leave the dugout and return to his GM role. San Diego Padres interim manager Pat Murphy also will not return. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Fans sitting in the lower bowl behind the benches at Amway Center obviously can afford the pricey seats to watch the Magic. Except they don't like paying big bucks for an obstructed view. It wasn't a pole some customers were stuck behind Saturday night. Heck, they'd opt for a pole instead of having to crane their necks around the broad back of Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford all game. "Sit down, coach! Please!" one fan yelled repeatedly. "If you're going to be on the court, put on a uniform!" said another. I not only heard these pointed demands, but I, too, was blocked by Clifford most of the night from my courtside perch. My guess is he's a 48 L. He should have been penalized for setting screens. Cliff's a terrific guy and was Stan Van Gundy's right-hand man here, but he needs a seat belt. He was barking instructions or blurting alignments to his assistants non-stop. If Clifford were in a movie theater, he'd have heard some blue language and felt boxes of popcorn careening off his head. I couldn't see some plays, although I'm pretty sure I didn't miss any of the times the Magic played defense. Basketball coaches have stood in sightlines for years, and I guess fans should be happy Chris Christie isn't stalking the sideline. There probably were few, if any complaints, from behind the Magic's bench. Scott Skiles mostly coached from his chair against the Hornets. Skiles is keenly aware of the paying customers in his mental rear-view mirror. "The people that really take the brunt of it are the people who sit in the front row right next to us," he said. "It depends on the game, depends on what's going on. I don't stand all the time. I don't sit all the time. "It's unfortunate if I'm standing up in somebody's view, but I can't let that affect how I coach." Thankfully, the NBA instructs its players to remain seated during games. It's not all on the coaches. Teams charge high prices to put fans closer to the action, creating tight, crowded quarters. If you don't have an elevated view, chances are you are seeing a lot of Clifford's backside. "When we have a time-out and we're sitting in a chair and the team's in front of us, and maybe a coach gets on a player or two players get into it ... there's literally fans sitting three feet away with their head in the huddle, basically listening and looking," Skiles said. "Look, it's the nature of the business." Billy Donovan usually had the courtesy to crouch or take a knee while at UF. But college coaches can be the worst human blockades, thinking they're invisible. Some are uptight and upright all game, yakking at the refs and flapping their arms like madmen. They're seemingly trying to justify their existence or playing to the cameras. It's as if they're doing Shakespeare in the park, which reminds me of a John Wooden motto: "Don't mistake activity for achievement." Wooden seldom left his chair. He sat there with a rolled-up game program, all prim and proper, like he was in church. Sure, the UCLA legend had Bill Walton and Lew Alcindor. With those stars, he could have sat in a recliner with a tall glass of tea. But Wooden figured all his work had been done beforehand in practice. Hey, I get it: Coaches have a job to do. The court is their office, their stage. Fans would occasionally like them to... please... be... seated during the show. [email protected].
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Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) said on Tuesday that America's violent culture is producing the nation's recent rash of mass shootings. "These acts of evil are a direct result of cultural rot, and it is cultural rot that we have brought upon ourselves," Jindal said in a statement . "We glorify sick and senseless acts of violence in virtually every element of our pop culture, and we have been doing that for at least a generation," he said. "We devalue human life, we have no regard for the sanctity of human life in any regard from the unborn, to the old and to every single person in between we devalue it and act as if we have almost no regard for humanity," the 2016 GOP presidential candidate. Jindal's criticism follows last week's bloodshed at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore. Chris Harper Mercer, 26, is accused of killing nine students and wounding nine others before committing suicide on Oct. 1. Jindal argued on Tuesday that the breakdown of traditional families in the U.S. is creating more and more people like Chris Harper Mercer. "Our families are a complete mess, and we have raised tens of millions of young boys who will never become real men because they have no values whatsoever, they have no truth in their lives and they have no regard for common decency," he said. Jindal then criticized Chris Harper Mercer's father, Ian Mercer, for calling for stricter gun control following his son's rampage. "He's a complete failure as a father [and] he should be embarrassed to even show his face in public," he said of Ian Mercer. "He's the real problem here." "Meanwhile, the shallow and simple-minded liberals will continue to blame pieces of hardware for the problem," Jindal said. "And they will long for the days before firearms were invented." "This mess is not nearly as complicated as we pretend," the Louisiana governor said of the UCC campus massacre and similar incidents. "It's the old computer axiom garbage in, garbage out," Jindal added. "We fill our culture with garbage, and we reap the result." President Obama has vowed he will "politicize" gun violence during his last term in office. He has harshly criticized Congress for its repeated inaction on the issue following last week's attack and others earlier on in his presidency.
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Fast food items in ads can look mouth watering but not as great when you get them in real life. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) compares ads from KFC, Wendys, 7/11, mcdonalds, wendys, dunkin donuts, pizza hut, taco bell and burger king.
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In this edition of the 120 Mixtape, a peewee football player shows off his dance moves and Shaquille O'Neal's sons play basketball.
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Not to be a Debbie Downer or anything, but losing weight can actually cause some very real issues in your life. While you might be more comfortable showing off your body and you're probably feeling healthier than ever before after dropping pounds, saying goodbye to your love handles can be more bittersweet than you think. To help prep you for the random side effects of achieving your goal weight, here are six strangely irritating things that you can expect to experience along with seeing the scale drop. 1. Your Breasts Become More Runway Model Than Pam Anderson... R.I.P. 34Ds. Looks like it's time to invest in a good push-up bra. 2. …And Your Butt Is Now Far From Its Former Beyoncé-Level Glory There go your dreams of being adopted by the Kardashians. Maybe it's for the best? 3. You Suddenly Have to Deal with Weird Backhanded Compliments "Did you lose weight? You look so much better!" Does that mean you were a complete troll doll before?! Oh, well, haters gonna hate (hate, hate, hate, hate). 4. Your Friends Haven't Quite Adjusted to Your New Lifestyle No matter how many times you suggest a group trip to the gym, they can't let go of the girls' night holy trinity of Ben & Jerry's, wine, and Netflix. But you're actually not that mad about it. You did eat primarily salads the rest of the week... 5. You Can No Longer Stand a Bunch of the Foods You Used to Love It's a sad day when you start saying no to Oreos because, well, you've moved on. Sorry, but you're not about that double-stuffed life anymore. 6. You Can't Stop Staring at Your Freakishly-Good-Looking Self Hey, who's that super-hot chick creeping on you in the dressing room? Oh, wait, that's you. Other people might find this one annoying, but you're actually kind of okay with it.
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1. On Your Spine The problem: Sitting curves your spine into a C-shape, and keeping it that way too long can cause cramped and aching muscles and smushed organs. The solution: Consider a recliner. It'll let your back keep the natural, better-for-you S-shape it has when you're standing, says Galen Cranz, a posture expert and professor at the University of California Berkeley. 2. On Your Quads The problem: You get soft. People who say they watch TV "very often" are 40 percent more likely than non-TV watchers to exercise less than one hour a week, according to a six-year study of more than 15,000 adults. The solution: Use Game of Thrones (or, heck, The Bachelor) as motivation. Seeing someone fit onscreen makes you more likely to want your body to look like his, says research from Boise State in Idaho. 3. On Your Gut The problem: Weight gain. A six-year U.S. study found that for every two hours of TV you watch a day, you're 23 percent more likely to become obese (and 14 percent more likely to develop diabetes). The solution: Avoid the Food Network. Studies show not shockingly that, say, hate-watching Guy Fieri makes you want to stuff your face, too. 4. On Your Brain The problem: You're a zombie (and not the cool Walking Dead kind). Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital recently found that a typical binge in front of fluorescent light (about four hours) before bed results in a harder time falling asleep, less REM sleep, and grogginess the next day, even after clocking eight hours. The culprit: The "blue light" TVs emit inhibits the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps you knock off. The solution: Limit your viewing to three hours after work. Daytime bingeing won't affect your sleep cycle. 5. On Your Lungs The problem: Sitting shrinks your lung capacity by a third, so you get less oxygen, which causes a decrease in mental focus the second your ass hits the couch. The solution: Sit in a chair with a pillow behind your lower back a position that helps open your lungs. 6. On Your Heart The problem: Your ticker will stop beating sooner. An Australian study of national health records found that, on average, every single hour of TV watching after age 25 reduces life expectancy by close to 22 minutes. The solution: Researchers have discovered little mortality risk for people who watch less than an hour a day. Pick a show that's intense (like Black Mirror), so you're more likely to need time between episodes.
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Itâs like âThe Hangoverâ in space!
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A 5-month-old infant was killed by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting in Cleveland, making her the third child to die from gunfire in the last month. CNN's Pamela Brown reports.
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The Cleveland Cavaliers will tip their season off in Chicago and will be presumably be much healthier than when the Wine and Gold last saw the Bulls. According to Cavs head coach David Blatt, power forward Kevin Love, despite missing Monday night's scrimmage , has been cleared to participate in three-on-three activities and should be in uniform on October 27 for Game 1 of the 2015-16 season. "[Love] played three-on-three yesterday," said Blatt. "This is a part of our progression to getting him back on the court to play live basketball. He has been with us since Day 1 participating in all of the drill work. Hopefully, this weekend, we'll be able to put him into practice in a normal fashion. "[Having him ready on October 27] would be fair and realistic" Love was injured in the first round of the 2015 Eastern Conference Playoffs in the series against the Boston Celtics. Undergoing surgery to repair his fractured shoulder , Love would go on to miss subsequent series against the Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and, ultimately, the Golden State Warriors. Recently listed at No. 20 in SLAM Magazine's countdown to the top NBA player, Love's floor-spacing style of play will be a welcomed addition to a team that is currently without its starting point guard in Kyrie Irving (knee) and reserve power forward Tristan Thompson (contract). Love recently signed a five-year, $110 million contract extension that will presumably keep him in Cleveland through the 2020-21 season. In his first year with the Cavs, he averaged 16.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
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Welcome to this week's Weekly Grind, bringing you the best of what's happening this week in the world of action and adventure sports. On tap for the week of Oct. 5? Pro surfer Josh Kerr tells us how he preps for the Quiksilver Pro France, and we tell you how the Pacific Paddle Games are changing the sport of competitive SUP racing.
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The accused said the girl jumped into his lap to escape a dog A man accused of molesting a girl has claimed he grabbed her as she jumped away from a yapping dog. Abu Dhabi Criminal Court was told on Tuesday that the Bangladeshi man touched the girl, aged under 14, in an inappropriate manner and also hugged her. Prosecutors said the incident took place last month when the man visited the girl's home in the capital. The man, who is the imam of a mosque located near the girl's home, denied the charge when he appeared in court. He claims that the girl had jumped in his lap because she was scared of a dog. He testified: "I was sitting with another man in the majlis that belonged to the girl's family when the girl walked in with her brother. And when she saw the dog coming towards the door, the girl got scared and jumped in my lap." He added: "Then I hugged her because she was scared of the dog. I did this only to comfort her." The man said the whole incident lasted less than a minute. "It doesn't make sense to accuse me and get jailed over this. I am a person of integrity and there is no way I could have done a bad thing to this young girl." He told Chief Justice Idris bin Mansour that those accusing him of molesting the girl probably misunderstood the hug. The accused said he had been an imam at the neighbourhood mosque for the past eight years and was a close friend of the girl's family. "I have known the girl's family for many years and I have on many occasions attended their events including parties and other gatherings," said the defendant. The trial adjourned and a verdict will be announced on October 28. [email protected]
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All parents know that oftentimes the feeding of children is practically the eighth circle of hell. And getting picky eaters to eat their veggies ? Forget about it. And this lack of veggie-eating has become a national problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that a whopping nine out of ten kids still don't eat enough vegetables. So how do we fix this? Well, scientists have discovered a simple trick that just may turn things around. Researchers at Texas A&M University were studying the food consumption of elementary school kids when they noticed a fascinating pattern. It appeared that the actual vegetables weren't the problem, it was the rest of the meal. If the veggies were served on the same plate with kid favorites like mac and cheese or chicken fingers , they often went untouched. But if they were served with something equally undesirable like a ham sandwich, more vegetables were eaten. The opposite is true too. If the vegetable is a starchy (aka kid-friendly), one like a potato paired with an entree, the vegetable is the one that gets eaten up first. The study notes that the pairings of entrées and vegetables are "an important consideration when assessing plate waste among elementary school children." A total "now why didn't I think of that" solution, right? Or maybe you have and the scientists are just that scientists and not harried parents who are about to tear their hair out at mealtime. Either way, it never hurts to try! Share this on Facebook?
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Jabari Parker was back in Chicago on Tuesday and is nearly back to playing for the Milwaukee Bucks. Parker, who helped Simeon capture four state championships and was a two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball winner, is nearing a return to the NBA after suffering a torn ACL on Dec. 15 that ended his rookie season after 25 games. Parker worked out twice at the United Center with the Bucks on Tuesday but did not play in the exhibition opener against the Bulls. "We're not going to put a timetable on it," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. "He's less than a year from the injury and he's doing a lot of good stuff. We want to make sure that when it is time for him to come back it's not where he's in and out (but that) he's back for the long haul." The No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 draft also declined to put a timetable on his return to game action, saying, "I just take it by day. I'll just play by ear. I have nothing but time to get ready. "It feels great," Parker added. "I'm very fortunate that I've taken steps forward. I'm just blessed that God has given me the opportunity." Parker said he has taken the positives out of injury. "I really looked at it as a good way to get prepared and a chance to take my time and learn so I can get ready to be productive as I want this year," he said.
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Volkswagen is accused of and has admitted to circumventing the emissions control system in about 482,000 vehicles sold in the United States since 2008 with the 2.0-liter diesel engine. As many as 11 million vehicles worldwide may be affected. In mid-September, the EPA issued a notice of violation to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group of America (collectively VW) for failure to comply with Clean Air Act regulations. The agency determined that certain Volkswagen and Audi models have been emitting more pollutants than legally acceptable, leaving in their wake potential environmental and health implications. Since the announcement, investigators have worked to learn how the illegal strategy came about, while the EPA has sought to close loopholes and ferret out any other potential cheaters. On the corporate side, executives have been terminated and shuffled, stock values have plummeted, and hands were wrung but few details have emerged about the tactical decision to willingly cheat the government, customers, and the environment. Meanwhile, consumers have been left with many unanswered questions. This fast-moving situation promises new drama and eventual recalls. For now, here's what we know so far. Impacted Models Volkswagen Jetta, Jetta SportWagen (2009-2015) Volkswagen Beetle, Beetle Convertible (2012-2015) Audi A3 (2010-2015) Volkswagen Golf (2010-2015) Volkswagen Passat (2012-2015) Volkswagen Golf SportWagen (2015) What is the Concern About Volkswagen Emissions? Federal clean-air standards are configured to become increasingly stringent over time, with clear steps when new, tighter requirements must be achieved for legal new-car sales. The rules are in place to improve air quality for both long-term environmental and health benefits. Although the cited Volkswagen models can meet the standards in a laboratory test, thanks to a sophisticated software algorithm that distinguishes testing from real-world driving, these vehicles were found to emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) at up to 40 times the standard when driven normally. NOx contributes to ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter. According to the EPA, "Exposure to these pollutants has been linked with a range of serious health effects, including increased asthma attacks and other respiratory illnesses that can be serious enough to send people to the hospital. Exposure to ozone and particulate matter have also been associated with premature death due to respiratory-related or cardiovascular-related effects. Children, the elderly, and people with pre-existing respiratory disease are particularly at risk for health effects of these pollutants." How Will This Affect Current Owners? For now, the cars are safe and legal to drive. No action is needed by today's drivers. There will be a recall to bring the existing models up to regulations. The fixes will likely be software updates for the newest models. Pre-2015 cars are expected to need additional components installed which may mean it takes longer to develop and deploy the solution. Can I Still Buy a New Volkswagen Diesel? Yes, but not a model with the 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine. The Touareg TDI, with a 3.0-liter diesel engine, is still available. Audi still offers the A6, A7, A8 L, Q5, and Q7 with the 3.0L engine. The EPA has not approved vehicles equipped with the 2.0-liter engine for the 2016 model year. Existing 2015 models at dealerships are subject to a stop-sale, meaning, they are not available for purchase. Can I Make VW Buy Back My Car? Not likely. We anticipate that Volkswagen will fix the affected vehicles, bringing them into compliance with regulations. However, it is possible that to do so may bring compromises in fuel economy, performance, and/or reliability. There already are multiple class-action lawsuits against Volkswagen that will try to gain monetary compensation for "diminution of value" (aka depreciation) of owners' cars. When Will There Be a Recall? This process is leading up to a recall to bring the affected cars into conformity with emissions regulations. When issued, the recall will come from Volkswagen, and the repairs will be performed at no cost to owners. The EPA will validate the fixes to ensure they work, with an eye to potential compromises. Consumer Reports has three VW diesels in our test fleet, and once the recalls are performed, we will re-evaluate their fuel efficiency and performance. It is expected that a software fix can readily bring 2015 models into line. However, VW might need some time to determine a proper solution for older models, which have different diesel-emissions systems. A company spokesman told us, "We are working with the relevant authorities to identify a remedy." In other words, stay tuned. What is Consumer Reports' Position on 'Dieselgate'? Volkswagen lied to us. Its 11 million "clean diesel" cars have been polluting the air at up to 40 times the federal standard for years. Worse: They installed technology to hide the problem from emissions tests. The company is being punished by the markets. But that doesn't compensate either its customers or the rest of us, and it doesn't stop this from happening again. Consumer Reports' President and CEO Marta L. Tellado, Ph.D., put it this way, "We need to make certain that the consequences for deceiving the public are severe, and that they bring justice to those who have been harmed." (Also read "Will Volkswagen's Penalty Be High Enough?" by Marta L. Tellado on CNN.com) Consumer Reports has put together a four point test by which to judge Volkswagen's response. How Do VW's Actions Affect Consumer Reports' Recommendations of VW and Audi? Based on the EPA notice of violation against Volkswagen for circumventing emissions testing guidelines, Consumer Reports has suspended its "recommended" Rating of two tested VW vehicles: the Jetta diesel and Passat diesel. These recommendations will be suspended until Consumer Reports can re-test these vehicles with a recall repair performed. Once the emissions systems are functioning properly, we will assess whether the repair has adversely affected performance or fuel economy. What Will the EPA Do Now? The EPA announced it will conduct sample tests on all diesel passenger car models to be sold for the new model year. Plus, the agency will add new tests to detect so-called "defeat devices" that can bend the rules in an automaker's favor; Volkswagen admitted to using software to serve this purpose, putting the cars in a special mode just for government emissions testing, then switching to an alternative programming for driving in the real world. The EPA will not release details on how it will seek possible cheaters, but it has notified all manufacturers of the general changes to its test program. The agency is actively collecting diesel cars from consumers and rental fleets to augment models culled from manufacturers. These cars will be put through a battery of tests. The EPA says the investigation into Volkswagen's actions is ongoing. When asked to speculate as to the penalties the German automaker might face, an EPA official says that the potential fine could be as much as $37,500 per vehicle, or $18 billion. Will My Volkswagen Fail Emissions Tests? Not likely. The so-called "defeat device" in the car is designed to make the car pass tests. The EPA has not seen a pattern of Volkswagens failing traditional inspection and maintenance emissions tests. Should I No Longer Consider a Diesel Car? Diesel cars and trucks typically deliver excellent fuel economy, and they provide power that can create an urgency to acceleration and/or aid towing large trailers. The Volkswagen scandal shines a negative light on diesels, especially concerning their emissions. However, the real lessons here are that an automaker cheated the system and that meeting increasingly stringent clean emissions standards is tough. But it is possible. In addition, the diesel's advantage may be diminished due to traditional gasoline-fueled cars making significant gains, the proliferation of hybrids, and the currently low price of regular fuel. Best advice for shoppers: Cast a wide net when starting your new-car research, considering all options and engine types, as you winnow the list down by focusing on road test performance, safety, reliability, packaging, and other factors that matter most to you. How Dirty Are the Volkswagen Cars? The EPA estimated that the cheating VW diesels polluted at up to 40 times the emissions standards for nitrogen oxides a pollutant connected with respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms and diseases. However, that estimate was measured under maximum vehicle load and throttle. Under normal operating conditions, the emissions were more in the range of 10 to 20 times over the federal limit. How Do I Voice My Concerns? There are multiple outlets, starting with the commenting feature below. Further, VW owners are encouraged to comment on Consumer Reports stories platform. You also can send a letter to the company, and you can contact the EPA. More from Consumer Reports: Learn more about the Tesla Model S Best cars for making it to 200,000 miles Best and worst three-row vehicles Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook
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These players are set to cash in during the offseason. 1. Zack Greinke, SP Greinke had a Cy Young-level season, leading all starters in ERA for the second time in his career. It's just in time to use his opt-out clause and cash in at age 32. 2. David Price, SP Price had another brilliant season pitching between Detroit and Toronto, and the best could be yet to come. He produced a career-best ERA and threw more than 220 innings for the second consecutive season. 3. Jason Heyward, OF Heyward got off to a slow start after being acquired from the Braves by the Cardinals, but eventually got his feet under him. He produced his best OPS since 2012 while playing Gold Glove-level defense again. 4. Justin Upton, OF San Diego paid a heavy price to acquire Upton from Atlanta, only to see him fail to produce an .800 OPS. Upton did hit 25-plus home runs for the fourth time in five seasons, and is just entering his prime. 5. Johnny Cueto, SP Cueto's streak of four consecutive sub-3.00 ERA seasons came to an end as a result of his struggles after joining the Royals. He struggled through elbow issues for part of the year, and couldn't keep the ball in the park after joining the AL. Still, no pitcher in the free-agent market has more upside. 6. Yoenis Cespedes, OF Cespedes' value went through the roof after his performance with the Mets, producing an OPS near .950. He hit 35 home runs for the first time, and looks more attractive as a cleanup hitter than ever. 7. Jordan Zimmermann, SP Zimmermann didn't do much to help his value in his walk season, producing the worst ERA since he returned from Tommy John surgery in 2011. He's still been durable over the last four years, and continues to show elite control. 8. Scott Kazmir, SP Kazmir revitalized his career over the past few seasons, and continues to get better. He produced an ERA near 3.00 between Oakland and Houston last season, and has been relatively durable in consecutive years. 9. Alex Gordon, OF The ultra-consistent Gordon missed significant time in 2015 with a groin injury, but still produced while on the field. He made his third consecutive All-Star Game and produced an OPS near .800 with great defense. 10. Chris Davis, 1B An elite power hitter, Davis his 45 homers for the second time in three seasons. He also had a career high in strikeouts, but his high walk rate and OPS near .900 should be sufficient for a huge contract. 11. Ian Kennedy, SP Kennedy's inability to keep the ball in the park has prevented him from Cy Young consideration over the past four seasons, but his great control and strikeout rate still show big upside for the right team. Further, Kennedy's durability should make him an attractive signing. 12. Hisashi Iwakuma, SP One of the most underrated pitchers in the game, Iwakuma has an MLB ERA near 3.00 in four seasons. His past durability issues are a concern, as is his age; he'll be turning 35 in April. 13. Howie Kendrick, 2B The Dodgers paid heavily for Kendrick last offseason, giving up Dee Gordon in the deal. He disappointed in his walk year, but still hit above .290. His consistency should earn him a nice contract. 14. Jeff Samardzija, SP Major league GMs will wonder which version of Samardzija they're getting - the one that produced a 2.99 ERA in 2014 or the one that produced in ERA near 5.00 this season. Either way, his upside and superior durability will be attractive. 15. Wei-Yin Chen, SP Chen had his best season, with a career-best ERA, WHIP and strikeout rate. He continues to have issues keeping the ball in the park in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball, but shows huge upside considering his success at Camden Yards. 16. Mike Leake, SP The consistent Leake has thrown nearly 200 innings in three consecutive seasons while producing a sub-3.00 ERA. He was comfortable after joining San Francisco at the trade deadline and could stick around. 17. Matt Wieters, C Wieters' return from Tommy John surgery didn't go as smoothly as hoped, but he still showed decent pop in the second half of the season. The three-time All-Star could settle for a pillow contract to rehab his value, though his defense and upside is regarded highly enough that a team might still be willing to break the bank. 18. John Lackey, SP Lackey apparently isn't over the hill, putting together one of his best seasons. He threw more than 200 innings for the first time since 2010, and produced an ERA below 3.00 for the first time. At age 37, teams will still be hesitant to give him more than two years. 19. Ben Zobrist, 2B/OF Zobrist is still a versatile power hitter, but the decline has occurred in his mid-30's. He no longer has the range to play shortstop, and isn't a threat on the basepaths. On the plus side, Zobrist produced an OPS above .800 again between Oakland and Kansas City. 20. Yovani Gallardo, SP Gallardo isn't the strikeout pitcher he was early in his career, but he's never stopped getting outs. He had a fine season for Texas, proving that he could pitch in the AL with a lesser fastball and posting the best ERA of his career. 21. Brett Anderson, SP The oft-injured Anderson settled for a one-year contract with the Dodgers last offseason, and managed to make 30 starts for the first time since his rookie season. He should get a multi-year deal after producing an ERA below 4.00. 22. J.A. Happ, SP Happ is a very intriguing addition after posting an ERA near 2.00 with the Pirates late in the season. He's shown additional velocity over the past two seasons, and showed the command of an ace in Pittsburgh. 23. Ian Desmond, SS Desmond had a disappointing walk year, fanning more than 180 times for the second consecutive season and showing the worst batting average of his career. He's still a capable power bat, but could settle for a short-term deal to rehab his value. 24. Gerardo Parra, OF A two-time Gold Glover, Parra had a strong offensive season between Milwaukee and Baltimore. However, his bat really slowed adjusting to the AL with a sub-.600 OPS with the O's. 25. Denard Span, OF Span performed well when on the field, but he managed to play only 61 games due to injury. Despite hitting above .300 for the second straight year, he could need to take a short-term deal. 26. Marco Estrada, SP Acquired by Toronto last offseason for Adam Lind, Estrada had his best season with a career high in wins and his lowest ERA. He's also shown great versatility in his career, pitching as a starter and relief. 27. Daniel Murphy, 2B Murphy could be out of place as a second baseman, but his bat makes him an asset. He hit above .280 for the fifth consecutive season and also had a career high in home runs in 2015. 28. Darren O'Day, RP O'Day has been nearly impossible to hit for his entire career, and could get closer consideration under the right circumstances. He produced the lowest ERA of his career in 2015, and a sub-2.00 ERA for the second straight year. 29. Mike Napoli, 1B Napoli saved his sub-par season with his performance with the Rangers late in the year, hitting above .300. After his second consecutive down year, it remains to be seen if a team will trust him with regular at-bats. 30. Doug Fister, SP Fister's season was terribly disappointing, eventually getting pulled from Washington's rotation. His strikeout rate has fallen sharply since joining the Nats in 2014, but he did have 16 wins and a 2.41 ERA in his first season with the team.
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This cockatoo has a real flair when it comes to whipping its head back and forth. The head banging bird dramatically throws its head around while its owner talks to it. This funny bird really knows how to dance.
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On Tuesday, Portugal's president urged politicians to set aside their bickering and find compromises after an election that threatens to bring a period of damaging instability, following years of austerity mandated by countries such as Germany. President Anibal Cavaco Silva urged the political parties to show a spirit of compromise in the coalition negotiations that will now begin. "It is fundamental that a stable and lasting government is formed," Cavaco Silva said in a televised address late Tuesday." He called on parties "to show openness to compromise, with a sense of responsibility, to ensure a solution for a sustainable government." On Sunday, Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho's right-wing coalition won 104 seats in the 230-seat parliament, well short of a majority, meaning that he will need to seek support from other parties to pass laws. The main opposition Socialists won 85 seats. The anti-austerity Left Bloc now holds 19 seats, and the Communist-Green alliance has 17. The outgoing government had pledged to reduce the budget deficit to 2.7 percent of gross domestic product this year. Though they had pledged to ease austerity measured, the Socialists had also promised to comply with the EU-imposed budget goals. 'International credibility' Though he has no executive power as Portugal's largely symbolic head of state, Cavaco Silva has played a central role in efforts to build a coalition. He spoke Tuesday after meeting with Passos Coelho. The president said politicians must "improve Portugal's standard of living and strengthen its international credibility" after the country underwent steep tax increases and cuts in pay, pensions and public services as part of the international austerity plan. Cavaco Silva has asked for a grand coalition before. Two years ago, he urged parties to reach unity after the Constitutional Court blocked efforts to cut some pensions and endangered the budget deficit goal, but the parties were unable to overcome their differences. The incoming government must attempt to seek parliamentary approval for new austerity measures intended to help Portugal's economy recover from a 78 billion-euro ($87 billion) loan in 2011 and the resulting three-year recession. mkg/jr (Reuters, AP)
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DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Grayson Allen is still getting used to all this attention. He burst into an overnight celebrity as the unlikely hero of Duke's latest national championship run. Six months later, the sophomore guard is adjusting to yet another role. He's a veteran hoping to lead the Blue Devils to title No. 6. Allen said Tuesday that he ''definitely got recognized a little bit more solely off those last two games in the Final Four.'' Allen barely played at times during the regular season, averaging about four points before breaking out on college basketball's biggest stage. He scored 16 points - and came up with the biggest hustle play of the night - in the victory over Wisconsin that delivered the program's fifth national title. Now comes the latest twist for Allen, a former McDonald's All-American who has gone from bench player to overnight sensation to voice of experience. Of the four players who made up Duke's talented freshman class last season, Allen is the only one who's still there. ''I think there's definitely a change in mentality, as far as the confidence you get as the year goes on last year,'' Allen said. ''Last year, when I was put into more situations at the end, it was because my confidence was up and I was playing better. So coming off of that, this year, when you go from being a guy playing limited minutes to playing big minutes off the bench, then your confidence goes up.'' The Blue Devils are counting on him for even more this year. Big man Jahlil Okafor is no longer around, having jumped to the NBA after one year. So did Justise Winslow and Final Four Most Outstanding Player Tyus Jones. Only four scholarship players are back from that team, and these Blue Devils won't or play much like their predecessor. Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski says the strength of this team won't be in the post - as it was last year with Okafor - but in its perimeter scoring and ability to drive to the basket. Not coincidentally, those are some of the things Allen does best. ''He wasn't a kid that averaged four points a game in practice - in other words, he had a really good ego throughout and it kept building,'' Krzyzewski said of Allen, who he says was propelled by ''the momentum of accomplishment.'' Allen's signature play came with the Blue Devils in deep trouble in that title game. He beat Traveon Jackson to a critical loose ball, and that sparked the rally that sent Duke to the title. Krzyzewski loved that play so much, he created a team award in its honor - the ''One Shining Moment Award,'' to be handed out only during a Duke championship season. The first recipient of that award was, obviously, Allen, and he isn't about to hustle any less this time around. ''I think the biggest carryover that I can control is just my mind and how I approach the game,'' Allen said. ''I'm definitely going to approach this year with the same aggression that I had toward the end of last year - that same confidence and that same attacking mindset.'' --- Follow Joedy McCreary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joedyap
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Individual performances tend to be magnified in the postseason, and that is especially true of pitchers. While 16-18 other players appear in the lineups and many others will have profound impacts on the outcomes of games over the next month, the starting pitcher will likely have more influence over the outcome of a single game than any other player. Everything is magnified in the playoffs from managerial decisions to clutch hits, errors, and great plays in the field, but starting pitching is perhaps most deserving of the increased scrutiny. By the end of the second inning, perhaps sometime into the third, the starting pitcher will have taken part in more plays than any position player during the entire game. In a winner-take-all game like the Wild Card, deserving players might be pushed to the background ahead of the game in favor of the pitching, but the matchup between pitchers will likely be the difference between the team that keeps playing and the team whose season is over. For those watching the Cubs take on the Pirates, they will witness one of the very best pitching matchups the playoffs have ever seen. In Jake Arrieta and Gerrit Cole , both teams will feature bona fide aces. Arrieta might have just had the best half-season of all time. Overall, he's pitched 229 innings with an ERA of 1.77 and a FIP of 2.35, giving Arrieta a 45 ERA- and a 60 FIP- over the full season after league and park are taken into account. He's in pretty rare company. Consider: since the end of World War II, these are the qualified pitchers with an ERA- below 50 and a FIP- below 65 over a full season. The only pitcher with better context neutral numbers in both ERA and FIP and more innings was Dwight Gooden in his amazing 1985 season. It is easy to see why so much attention has been given to Jake Arrieta this season and in this matchup, but the Pittsburgh Pirates's Gerrit Cole has had an excellent season of his own. Cole's 5.4 WAR is fifth in the National and ninth in Major League Baseball. Pitchers don't choose their opposition, leaving great matchups more to a question of chance than a complete reflection of their own skill, but the high level of both players heading into this game is something rarely seen in a game of this magnitude. A one-game playoff has been an incredibly rare event in MLB history. The advent of the Wild Card has created generally more playoff teams and more possibilities for ties at the end of the regular season, and the introduction of the Wild Card Playoff Game in 2012 has guaranteed a one-game playoff in each league every year. The games this season will be the 18th and 19th winner-take-all one-game playoffs in baseball history, the first having taken place in 1948 and the second not occurring until the New York Yankees played the Boston Red Sox after the 1978 season. Many remember the 1951 game between the Dodgers and Giants and Bobby Thomson 's home run, but that game was actually the final game of a three-game series, which the National League used for the last time in 1962, again while featuring the Dodgers and Giants. While quantifying which pitching matchup among these games is a very difficult task, the simplest solution is perhaps to look at single-season WAR as a measure of how well the two pitchers were doing during the year. Very good pitchers who were injured for much of the year, like Johnny Cueto in 2013, will not fare well this way, but overall this seems to be a reasonable method. If we take only the average of the two pitchers, we come up with the following the chart. While taking the average seems like a good idea, we have several games with great disparities between the two starters. Randy Johnson and Mark Langston carry the top spot due principally to Johnson's 9.5 WAR in 1995. As a result, like Dan Szymborski did in his piece on the greatest one-two rotation punch in history, I took the geometric mean ((WAR1*WAR2)^.5) to lessen the influence of one truly great pitcher. Switching to the geometric mean pushes Arrieta/Cole over the top. Below is a complete graph of the top one-game playoff matchups. While the Arrieta/Cole matchup is clearly impressive and historic, teams playing in a one-game playoff generally had to fight just to get to the playoff. Otherwise, they would not have ended in a tie to begin with, and this ends up with teams unable to set their best starters in these games. Expanding the field a bit can provide this duo more competition. Adding all winner-take-all games Game 7s in the World Series, Game 5s in the Division Series, etc. we can compare this matchup to every game in which both teams were confined to a win-or-go-home scenario. Including the two games about to be played, there are 108 pitching matchups to examine. Using the geometric mean once again, we come up with the following table featuring the top-10 such games. And that same thing, in graphic form: Matt Morris facing off against Curt Schilling is a surprising result mainly due to Morris' presence, but Morris was once one of the better pitchers in the game. After a nearly five-win rookie season in 1997, Morris suffered shoulder and elbow injuries, missing 1999 and much of 2000 due to recovery from Tommy John surgery. Morris came back strong in 2000 and 2001 before diminished velocity turned him into an innings-eater for the remainder of his career. In the Diamondbacks-Cardinals series in 2001, Morris went toe-to-toe with Schilling in Game 1 of the series, losing 1-0. The Cardinals almost ended the Diamondbacks' dream playoff run before it could get started as Morris and Schilling again dueled, this time in Game 5 for the series win. Morris and Schilling each gave up one run on solo home runs, but the Diamondbacks scored in the bottom of the ninth off the Cardinals bullpen for the walkoff win. The Arrieta-Cole matchup still sits comfortably in the top ten of dueling aces in winner-take-all games. Arrieta does have the edge in the matchup between the two pitchers, but the team with the better pitcher does not always win. In the 75 games in which one pitcher had at least a one-win WAR advantage, the better pitcher's team posted a 44-31 record. It is probably a little unfair that a 97-win team and a 98-win team have to face off in a one-game playoff just to make the Division Series, but it has produced one of the greatest pitching matchups of all time.
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Even when you've done your best to fight off the winter blues and miserable flus, it's likely everyone will get at least a mild sniffle at some point this winter. And even though being stuck at home with a fever does warm up our bodies which may sound nice when the temperature outside is below zero it's not exactly enjoyable. With flu season approaching, it's time to stock up on food and drinks that'll get you back to tip-top shape in no time. The Need-to-Know You know that old wives' tale: "Starve a fever, feed a cold"? Not true! The reality: When we're sick, the body needs more calories to function normally. "In fact, for every degree your body temperature is elevated, your metabolic rate is stimulated (or elevated) by seven percent," explains Douglas Kalman, Ph.D., RD, director of nutrition research at Miami Research Associates. "So one of the worst things to do if you have a fever is not eating, as your body needs the fuel to support the immune system." Additionally, it's important to stick to regular eating schedules when sick because consuming fewer calories than normal can restrict the body's ability to heal. In fact, studies suggest reducing calorie intake when sick not only increases susceptibility to the flu, but also worsens symptoms and lengthens the duration of illness. While a nasty cold or bad case of the flu might ruin your appetite, it's important to stay well nourished and hydrated. Eating smaller portions of food more frequently (and listening to your body to determine when you're actually hungry) makes it easier to steadily fuel ourselves through the recovery process. The best foods to eat will keep us hydrated and give our bodies extra energy and nutrients to stay strong (without aggravating upset tummies or clogged-up respiratory systems). Next time you're feeling under the weather, be sure to get plenty of rest and lots of fluids and try incorporating some of these foods into your diet to experience a quicker or at least more comfortable recovery. Best Foods for Cold-Like Symptoms The best way to kick a cold is to drink plenty of fluids and eat phlegm-fighting foods. Here are some of the best ones to pick. Broth-Based Soup Now this one isn't just an old wives' tale chicken noodle soup actually can help soothe a cold. The chicken contains an amino acid called cysteine, which helps thin mucus in the lungs, and the hot broth helps to keep nasal passages moist, prevent dehydration, and fight inflammation in the throat. Plus, chicken soup (or vegetable broth) may also help the body kick a cold by stopping congestion and inflammation in their tracks. Hot Tea Drinking tea (especially Chinese, Japanese, or American varieties) while you're under the weather can help the body fight off infections, thanks to natural bacteria-fighting compounds in tea. Plus, warm liquids can soothe a sore throat and alleviate congestion, so drinks like freshly-brewed green tea or hot water with lemon are ideal for staying hydrated while helping out that stuffy nose. Citrus Fruits While vitamin C, found in large amounts in citrus, can't necessarily cure the common cold, several studies suggest that it can help reduce the length or severity of colds. What's more, fruits like oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and limes contain flavonoids, which can help boost the immune system and are great for speeding recovery. 2 Popsicles Staying properly hydrated while sick with a chest cold can keep mucus thin and help lessen congestion. While it's generally better to eat whole fruit rather than drink it, popsicles are great as a different way to hydrate and are especially easy on the throat. Buy ones made from 100-percent whole fruit, and bonus points if you make your own healthy popsicle. Spicy Foods Spicy foods can make our noses run and our eyes water, but they're also effective natural decongestants. Eating chili peppers, wasabi, or horseradish can help relieve the symptoms of congestion. Best Foods for Stomach Symptoms When it comes to stomach issues (which can accompany the flu), eating bland foods that are easy to digest and staying hydrated are the best defenses for a quick recovery. Here are a few of your best bets. Crackers and Toast Plain, unsalted, or lightly salted crackers and toast are simple, bland foods that are easy on the stomach. These high-starch foods won't aggravate the stomach and can help with digestion and recovery after an upset stomach. Bananas Bananas are rich in potassium, which is often depleted during bouts of sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea. They're easy to digest (A+ for bland foods!) and can help replenish lost electrolytes. Ginger Research has shown that ginger is incredibly effective at preventing and soothing nausea and other gastric ailments (such as constipation, bloating, and vomiting). Drinking ginger tea or flat ginger ale (to avoid disrupting the stomach with carbonation) can help keep you hydrated while also soothing tummy troubles. Foods to Avoid Spicy and Acidic Foods While spicy foods might be good for nasal congestion, they can also be rough on the stomach. Same goes for citrus it may be beneficial for cold-like symptoms, but fruits like grapefruit, oranges, and lemons can also irritate your stomach lining and and cause more pain and discomfort. Steer clear of both if you're experiencing stomach upset. Sweets Studies show that a high sugar intake can suppress the immune system and cause inflammation so even though fro-yo sounds like a good idea, skip it when you're feeling sick. Fatty Foods Pass on the burgers and fries too: Foods high in fat can be more difficult to digest compared to carbs and protein, and can trigger stomach pains as a result. Dairy (maybe) The jury's still out on this one, but many people believe that consuming dairy can promote mucus production, which could worsen congestion when sick. However, current research indicates that this may actually be due to a placebo effect. But regardless of whether or not milk changes how much mucus we actually produce, drinking it can create the feeling of thicker mucus, so if that bothers you, it can't hurt to avoid milk while sick.
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Liverpool center back Mamadou Sakho has compared himself to a "caged lion" while missing out on first-team action. The France international fell out of favor with former Reds manager Brendan Rodgers after departing the stadium early ahead of the Merseyside derby with Everton in September 2014. Sakho continued to struggle to establish himself as a regular started until making his first appearances of the new season against Bordeaux in September, and has likened the experience to being locked away like an animal. "Let's say that during the short period when I was not playing, I was like a little caged lion who was not fed for a while," Sakho said in an interview with L'Equipe. "[Like a caged lion] when you open the door: he charges." Sakho also revealed the details of a congratulatory message received from former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard after wearing the armband in the Europa League meeting with Bordeaux. "He texted me to congratulate me. He said: 'Continue to fight like that, I'm proud of you.'," Sakho added. "It's always nice to receive such a message from a great player."
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Forests and oceans naturally suck carbon out of the air. Now, engineers are trying to copy Mother Nature.
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The stock market may not have gained much over the first six months of the year, but Wall Street's banks still posted their strongest first half since 2011, generating $11.3 billion in profits a 29 percent jump from 2014 levels, according to a new report by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Wall Street workers are doing well, too, as salaries have catapulted to record highs. The average salary, including bonus, jumped 14 percent in 2014 to $404,800, a new nominal record. Adjusted for inflation, those 2014 earnings were the third-highest ever. Wall Street bonuses reached an average of $172,900 a level surpassed only by the two years prior to the 2008 financial crisis. The average Wall Street salary was almost six times higher than the average across the rest of New York City's private sector, $72,300. As of 2013, nearly a quarter of Wall Street employees earned more than $250,000, while less than 3 percent of the rest of the city's workers made that much. At the other end of the income scale, 10 percent of securities industry employees earned less than $35,000, compared with 45 percent in the rest of the New York City workforce. After years of cutbacks and adjustment to new regulations, securities industry profitability has improved. It averaged $16.3 billion a year for 2013 and 2014, even as expensive legal settlements tied to the financial crisis ate into banks' bottom line. A drop in such legal expenses helped lift profits even higher in the first half of this year. As the securities industry continues to recover and adapt, it added jobs last year for the first time since 2011, growing by 2,300 employees. It was on pace to add another 4,500 workers this year before stocks dipped into a correction. According to estimates from the Office of the Comptroller, each job that's added in the securities industry leads to two more jobs in other industries in New York City and one more job elsewhere in New York State. The industry is still 9 percent smaller than before the recession, and DiNapoli warned that Wall Street's profits and hiring plans could be cut back by recent market turbulence and other factors. "After a very strong first half of the year, the securities industry faces volatile financial markets and an unsteady global economy," DiNapoli said. "After years of downsizing, the industry has been adding jobs in New York City, but it may curtail hiring to bolster profits." Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: 10 CEOs Who Make Way, Way, WAY More Than Their Workers Top 3 Reasons You May Have to Retire Before You're Ready Why Donald Trump Is Vladimir Putin's Favorite Presidential Candidate
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Invest a little and gain a lot. When it comes to sprucing up the home, millennials are just as likely to renovate their homes as other age groups to help increase the value. In 2014, 79 percent of millennial homeowners decorated, 62 percent renovated and 58 percent made repairs, according to a 2015 Houzz . Not only can remodeling get costly, but also more difficult than you might have thought. So that leaves you two choices: know when to call the pros or when to get your hands dirty and do it yourself. The most common mistake new homeowners make is that try to do home improvements when "they should really consult with someone," said Sandra O'Connor, a real estate agent with Allen Tate Realtors in Greensboro, North Carolina. So how do you know whether to call the pro or DIY? A lot of the answer has to do with your skill level. Taking on more than you can handle can end up to be a costly mistake. Here are three things you can do to help you decide: Create a budget. It will help whether you have a general contractor planning the renovation or if you are doing it on your own. Research home improvement projects on websites, such as and , so you have an idea of how long the project will take and how much it will cost you. O'Connor advised that "no matter how specific your budget is, it isn't uncommon to discover more expenses. So allow 10 to 15 percent allowance for unexpected surprises." Figure out when it is worth it to hire a pro. For instance, don't mess with plumbing and electrical projects, home improvement experts say. Hardwood floors are also one for the professionals. "Millennials prefer hardwood floors over carpeting. They think that refinishing the floor is a simple project, but it is actually more complex," O'Connor said. If you're new to home improvement, try doing decorative projects. Repainting, laying carpet, installing a newer front door, changing or adding shutters and landscaping are good beginner projects. Focus on the return on your investment. Studies show that remodeling your kitchen and bathrooms are at the top. According to the National Association of Realtors, the national average on a minor kitchen remodel costs $19,226 with an average payback of nearly 80 percent. The average bathroom remodel costs about $16,724 with an average return on investment of 70 percent. "Across all generations, kitchens and bathrooms are at the top of the renovation list," said Nino Sitchinava, the principle economist at Houzz.
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Maldivian authorities arrested two security personnel on Tuesday over an explosion aboard his boat that officials suspect was an assassination attempt, a minister said Tuesday. Yameen's security has been tightened in the wake of the September 28 blast that wounded his wife and two others, with a special security unit having been established to protect the president, Minister at the President's Office Mohamed Shareef told AFP. "We are now being told that it is likely to have been an attempt on the president's life," Shareef said by telephone. He said the two people taken in Tuesday had access to the vessel "in the line of their duty", but did not say if they had any direct role in the attempted killing. Shareef had last week ruled out any connection between the explosion and political unrest in the archipelago, where Yameen's predecessor Mohamed Nasheed was jailed for 13 years following a controversial trial in March. The minister's remarks mark a shift in the government account of the blast, from originally blaming mechanical failure to a suspected attempt on Yameen's life. Shareef's comments came days after the United Nations ruled that Nasheed's jailing was illegal and demanded his immediate release along with compensation. Shortly after the explosion, the Maldivian government sought help from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Australia, India and Sri Lanka to carry out an investigation. Shareef said he was not aware of the findings of foreign forensic experts involved in the inquiry. He noted, however, that new security measures were being taken to protect the president and other key dignitaries, including with the creation of a new presidential security division. Yameen and his entourage was travelling from the nearby airport island of Hulhule after returning from Saudi Arabia when an explosion rocked the boat. Yameen was unhurt. The Maldives is a popular upmarket tourist destination, but its image has suffered in recent years due to prolonged political unrest. The country has come in for tough international criticism over the jailing of Nasheed after a rushed trial that the UN said was seriously flawed. The charge against Nasheed relates to the ordering of the arrest of an allegedly corrupt judge when he was still president in 2012. Nasheed's international lawyer Amal Clooney has warned she will press for sanctions against the Maldives unless he is released.
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When I reviewed Microsoft's Surface 3 tablet earlier this year I simply concluded that Microsoft should make a laptop. I can't believe I'm typing this, but the Surface Book laptop now exists. I got a chance to take a closer look at the Surface Laptop during Microsoft's Windows 10 devices event in New York City this morning. It's gorgeous. Microsoft wants its Surface Book to be a MacBook Pro killer, and while it's too early to say whether it is, it's off to a great start. Like the Surface Pro 3 before it, Microsoft is using magnesium on the Surface Book. It's a laptop, but also a tablet. Like most laptops, it has a hinge. Microsoft's hinge is insane. It's like a snake and it folds into place to let you adjust the display viewing angle. The trick of the Surface Book is that everything, apart from the Nvidia graphics chip, is contained within the screen. That means you can hit a button and it magically detaches from the display. Microsoft has added a little prompt that is displayed within Windows to let you know when it's safe to lift off the display. It seems to work well, too. Once you click the display back into the base unit, it latches into place firmly and it just feels like a normal laptop. I lifted it up and it feels pretty weighty with the base attached, but the tablet part is incredibly lightweight. I literally held it with one hand for a few minutes and didn't strain my wrist at all. That's surprising given that it's a 13.5-inch display, but Microsoft has managed to make it thin and lightweight. Windows laptops have always had awful track pads, but Microsoft is breaking free from the pack. There's a glass track pad, and it feels as good as a MacBook one. We'll have to test it fully, but there's signs that the Surface Book might finally have a killer track pad. Microsoft has also added in special edge palm rejection, so it's not going to activate when you're using the keyboard. Speaking of the keyboard, it feels...strange. I typed for a few minutes and the keys aren't what I'm used to. This is because Microsoft is using similar keyboard hardware that's found in the new 12-inch MacBook. When you press down it feels more rigid and firm, so it might take some getting used to. While it's lightweight as a tablet, it feels like a monster laptop with the base unit. The new hinge leaves a visible gap down the entire Surface Book when it's closed, and the Surface Pen attaches with a magnet at the side. You can even reverse the display, if you want, to make it more like a Lenovo Yoga laptop where the keyboard sits beneath the display. I have a feeling most people will just pull the tablet part off, rather than reposition it like this.
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When most people think of music festivals, they think of big crowds and the summer sun, and for the most part, that image is correct. May through August is traditionally thought of as music festival season, but of course that doesn't mean that there are none of them around come fall. In fact, some of the most interesting (and some of the best) events are held after peak season, which could actually be considered a good idea. Every single weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day has at least one high profile festival scheduled, and breaking into the market during the busiest time of the year can be tough to say the least, and disastrous to a new brand. Having an event when there are few to none happening means that those looking to party have fewer choices, and the available talent pool opens wide up. If you haven't had a chance to visit a festival yet in 2015, or if you're just looking for one more to tide you over until next year, here are a few suggestions. Austin City Limits Six months removed from the city's other world famous music festival, Austin City Limits (or just ACL) brings just as many big names (and almost as many people) to what is quickly becoming one of America's most important musical cities. A few years ago, the event became so popular it expanded into two weekends, with almost the exact same lineup both times, so if you can't make the first staging (last weekend), you have another chance (the following). This year's lineup includes every genre imaginable, represented by acts like Foo Fighters, Drake, Florence + the Machine, The Weeknd, and Disclosure. CMJ Music Marathon Held every October in New York City, CMJ is a festival of massive proportions , even if you've never heard of it. If you know SXSW well, think of it as the Big Apple's version, though they aren't quite the same. Almost every venue in the city gets taken over by up-and-coming artists, all of which get their time and place to show what they've got. In between bouncing around the city from show to show to show, there are panels during the day that cover everything from how to make it as a baby band to what's happening in the tech world that could affect music. CMJ is simply a must for anybody in the industry. Voodoo Experience Just in time for Halloween, the Voodoo Experience turns New Orleans into quite the party city…well, turns it into a different kind of party city. The festival leans towards the electronic dance scene, but it isn't limited to just one genre. 2015's Experience is bringing everyone from Jack Ü (Skrillex and Diplo) to Ozzy Osbourne to Modest Mouse to the city for what has got to be one of the last great events of the year. America's Comeback Cities
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A United Airlines flight en route San Francisco was rerouted to Albuquerque, New Mexico, because the co-pilot was unconscious, CNN reported on Tuesday. The co-pilot was able to walk off the plane himself and was taken to the hospital, CNN said, noting that the incident came one day after an American Airlines pilot died in the cockpit during a flight. United Airlines is part of United Continental Holdings Inc. (Reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Susan Heavey)
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Peter King wonders if young kickers are responsible for the accuracy problems this year.
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Peter King was flabbergasted at the call late during the Lions/Seahawks tilt. Find out why.
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The UK is the best place in the world to die, according to a report comparing end-of-life care in 80 countries. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its rankings today and found that the UK's national policies, extensive integration of palliative care, and quality hospices contributed to its number one ranking. The best countries were mostly European, Asia-Pacific, and North American countries, with Australia nabbing the second spot, followed by New Zealand, Ireland, and Belgium. Taiwan was the highest ranking Asian country at number six, with Germany, the Netherlands, the U.S., and France rounding out the top 10 . What was it about the UK, though, that made it stand out? And why should other countries look to mimic it? "A very strong marker in our index is the availability of specialized palliative care workers and this is where the UK scores particularly well," Annie Pannelay, of EIU healthcare, told The Guardian . "The UK has a long history of providing treatment in palliative care. The other super strong marker is the way that the countries do have a plan for palliative care. That means they are on the dynamic measuring progress and improving." It's important countries that are not faring as well pay attention to the UK, since an end-of-life care system should be a concern not only for those that hope to pass away in a comfortable environment, but for relatives and the country as a whole. Taking a look at India and China (ranked 67th and 71st respectively), the researchers hypothesized why their system was failing, and what it could mean for the two countries. They write of China: "the impact of the one-child policy , often leaving individuals caring for two parents and four grandparents, will lead to even more demand for outside resources to provide support." Issues such as this are of particular interest to countries in Southeast Asia, whose populations are huge. Many countries are dealing with aging populations, and with a rise in non-communicable diseases like cancer, dementia, and diabetes. This will stretch resources, so a comprehensive plan for end-of-life care is becoming essential. More personal concerns include financial loads to patients and families, and the UK excels here as well. Eighty to 100 percent of end-of-life care services are paid for by sources such as charitable funding, rather than placing that burden on the patient's relatives. The report points out that attention from both public and private sectors is what makes the UK's palliative care system possible. "With a strong hospice movement much of it supported by charitable funding palliative and end-of-life care are both part of a national strategy that is leading to more services being provided in National Health Service hospitals, as the country works to integrate hospice care more deeply into the health care system," the report states.
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health
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An inmate who has spent nearly 25 years behind bars for the stabbing death of a Utah tourist is set to walk out of custody Tuesday after a Manhattan judge ordered a new trial. Johnny Hincapie, 43, began to sob uncontrollably when, in front of a courtroom packed with emotional family and supporters, the judge conveyed his decision after months of anticipation. Justice Eduardo Padro declined to grant Hincapie's actual innocence claim but said new evidence brought by his defense team was enough to grant a new trial and toss out the decades-old conviction. "The court does find that the defense has borne the burden of proof. The court is going to set aside the verdict at this time, the convictions, and the court is going to order a new trial on those grounds," Padro said. Hincapie testified at a hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court earlier this year that he was not on the lower platform of the W. 53rd St. and Seventh Ave. station on Sept. 2, 1990. Hincapie was one of eight people originally arrested for the horrific slashing of Brian Watkins, who was in the city with his family for the U.S. Open tennis tournament. Watkins, 22, was with his family as they headed to Greenwich Village for dinner following a match. Hincapie testified at proceedings earlier this year that his legal counsel at the time ignored his alibi in favor of a different defense. He had confessed to police at the time, when he was 18, but later said it was scripted and false. The Manhattan District Attorney's office is vigorously challenging Hincapie's appeal. "In the coming days, we will review the opinion to determine our appellate options. We remain committed to re-trying the case, if necessary," said Joan Vollero, spokesman for the DA's office. Hincapie will be released on his own recognizance pending the new trial. [email protected]
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news
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Juventus director Pavel Nedved has warned Paul Pogba he "cannot have everything" at such a young age and feels the time has come for less style and more substance in his performances. France head coach Didier Deschamps this week urged the 22-year-old to be more consistent in his displays and the former Czech Republic international is in full agreement. Pogba has one goal and no assists from his seven Serie A appearances this season and Nedved wants to see a player of his quality produce more of an end product. "You can't have everything when you are young," Nedved said at a Turkish Airlines event. "That is why I tell him to be less stylish on the pitch, but more concrete and decisive for the team." Juve picked up a much-needed 3-1 victory over Bologna on Sunday - only the second win of the new campaign having won the Scudetto for four consecutive years. Nedved acknowledges his side will not be leading from the front this time around, but feels the quality in the squad is there to launch a title bid from behind, as he experienced with Juve in 2001-02. "The team that has been built is a great team, the technical level is really high," he said. "We must stay calm and work on that, because we signed players that are very, very good. Everyone is calm at the club, as they are at the team. Our comeback in 2002 was beautiful, we won the Scudetto on the last day and I think we could do this now too. "But we must not think of it now, we know that the next game [against Inter] is going to be really difficult. We know we are behind and in trouble, but we also know how to react. No need to look at the standings now." Massimiliano Allegri's side is currently 10 points behind league leader Fiorentina.
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sports
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Omar Infante headlines the Bottom 5 Plays of the MLB season with a behind the back throw that sailed over first base. Also, Gregory Polanco's fall in right field led to a Cubs walk-off win.
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sports
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Caleb Logan Bratayley, member of the popular YouTube family the Bratayleys, died from an undetected medical condition, his parents confirmed. The 13-year-old was pronounced dead last Thursday after police responded to a medical emergency at the family's home in Maryland. The police suspected no foul play , telling People magazine on Monday, "Nothing appeared to be criminal, nothing was suspicious and there was no foul play." Initially, Caleb's mother Katie said he died from natural causes, but on Monday, the family revealed their son had unknowingly suffered from a medical condition. The family made the announcement on Instagram , writing, "Caleb's death has raised many questions about how and why this could happen to a seemingly healthy boy. Sadly, tests have confirmed today that Caleb passed away from an undetected medical condition." They did not provide explanation of what the condition might have been, but instead asked their followers to "celebrate his life instead of focus on his death." Caleb's death has raised many questions about how and why this could happen to a seemingly healthy boy. Sadly, tests have confirmed today that Caleb passed away from an undetected medical condition. We'll have more definitive answers in the coming weeks but ask that you help us celebrate his life instead of focus on his death. Due to an outpouring of support and people's hope to be part of his memorial, we have decided to live-stream the ceremony tomorrow at 8pm EDT. Additional information below. Thank you for all your kindness during this difficult time. Find the live-stream at: Periscope = @bratayley Facebook = Facebook.com/bratayley A photo posted by Annie Hayley Caleb Bratayley (@officiallybratayley) on Oct 5, 2015 at 5:30pm PDT Caleb's memorial service will be live-streamed on Periscope Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET so fans and supporters of the family can participate in the celebration of his life.
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entertainment
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Microsoft Corp unveiled on Tuesday a new line of Lumia smartphones and an updated version of its wearable fitness tracker, Microsoft Band, that will run on Windows 10, its latest operating system. The company was also expected to launch a new version of its Surface Pro tablet at an event in New York. Windows 10, launched in July, is part of Microsoft's push to win a bigger share of the market for tablets and smartphones, now dominated by Apple Inc and South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. Microsoft unveiled two phones, the Lumia 950 and 950XL, with prices starting at $549 and $649 respectively staring in November. The Lumia 950 includes a 5.2-inch display and a hexacore processor, while the larger Lumia 950 XL has a 5.7-inch display with an octacore chip. Both handsets also feature a 20-megapixel rear camera, have up to 32GB of storage, 4K video and use liquid cooling technology. The company said storage on the phones could be extended to up to 2 terabytes using a memory card. The Microsoft Band 2, which allows users to monitor their fitness and exercise regime, will be priced at $249 when it becomes available on Oct. 30. Unlike its predecessor, Microsoft's entry product in the wearable technology market a year ago, the new Band has a curved display, which uses the Corning Gorilla glass 3, and has a barometer sensor to track elevation. Microsoft, whose shares were up marginally in early trading on Tuesday, said there were 110 million devices running Windows 10. (Reporting by Abhirup Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Ted Kerr)
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news
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By Tripfilms filmmaker LuciWest. The Staten Island Ferry is one of the best New York City tourist attractions and locals' excursions - besides providing necessary public transportation between the boroughs Staten Island and Manhattan. First of all, the Staten Island Ferry ride is free! It provides fantastic views of Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, New Jersey, the harbor, Governors Island, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Manhattan Bridge. Especially, on a sweltering hot summer day, the open space of the water and the fresh breeze make you feel even better than the AC on the subway. And last but not least, I believe it to be the cheapest bar of New York City - no matter if you get a Fosters oil can or a bottle of Stella Artois. Now imagine taking the Staten Island Ferry around sunset, sunrise or under the twinkling stars. Ahhh... it's always worth a ride! So of course, I took my cousin Annick and her family on the ferry when we were in New York together during week 274 (after we had walked across the Brooklyn Bridge) and shot a quick video of the views. This video shows first some Staten Island Ferry views on the ride from Manhattan to Staten Island, then from Staten Island to Manhattan - giving you an overview of the whole round trip. The ferry runs 24/7 on the hour or half hour (depending on the time of day or night). The journey across takes about 25 minutes. Since 9/11 you can't stay on the ferry for the return trip. You have to get off one boat and then onto the next boat. The song in the video is called "Walk In The Park" and was written and performed by Jason Shaw of Audionautix. He has made this and many great songs available via a CC BY 3.0 license. Thank you very much, Jason! For links to more information, please visit MovingPostcard.com Personal blog Facebook Twitter Flickr Google+ Tumblr Instagram Pinterest Share your travel videos on Tripfilms.com!
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travel
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Kentucky officers rescue store owner getting crushed by 125-pound snake
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video
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Yovani Gallardo will start for the Texas Rangers in their ALDS opener Thursday, and ace lefty Cole Hamels will pitch for the AL West champions in the second game at Toronto. Manager Jeff Banister announced only the starters for the first two games Tuesday, when the team worked out at home before departing for Canada. Gallardo (13-11, 3.42 ERA) won both of his starts this season against the Blue Jays, the only Texas wins against the AL East champs. The right-hander threw 13 2-3 scoreless innings, as Toronto had six hits and batted .136 against him. The Rangers have won their past 10 games started by Hamels, including the regular-season finale Sunday with his complete game in a 9-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels to clinch the division title. Hamels is 7-1 in 12 starts since Texas acquired him from Philadelphia in late July.
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sports
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Doctors Without Borders accused U.S. forces Tuesday of "deliberately" bombing its hospital in the northern Afghan city of Kunduz and renewed its calls for an independent investigation into the incident that left 22 people dead. The international medical charity has launched a blistering attack against the U.S. military in the days since the Saturday morning airstrike. American officials have said three investigations are underway into the strike, which they said was requested by Afghan forces that were under fire from Taliban insurgents in the area. "Nothing can excuse violence against patients, medical workers and health facilities," Joanne Liu, the charity group's international president, said in a statement. "Under international humanitarian law, hospitals in conflict zones are protected spaces. Until proven otherwise, the events of last Saturday amount to an inexcusable violation of this law." A day earlier, the U.S. military changed its account of the incident, which also drew sharp criticism from the charity group. Initial reports by military officials said the airstrike was called to protect U.S. ground forces who were under direct fire from Taliban insurgents in Kunduz. Gen. John F. Campbell, the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, revised that account on Monday, saying the airstrike had been requested by Afghan forces, not Americans. U.S. officials have not explained how the main hospital building was hit several times with airstrikes while surrounding buildings were mostly unscathed, according to accounts from medical staff and residents. Liu and other Doctors Without Borders officials have said the facility was well known and its GPS coordinates had been repeatedly shared with U.S. and Afghan military officials before and during the attack. "This attack does not just touch MSF, but it affects humanitarian work everywhere, and fundamentally undermines the core principles of humanitarian action," Liu said, using the acronym for the group's French name, Medecins Sans Frontieres. "We need answers, not just for us but for all medical and humanitarian staff assisting victims of conflict, anywhere in the world." Fighting continued in the city Tuesday, five days after government forces first claimed to have regained control of the northern city, illustrating the resiliency of Taliban insurgents. The militant group seized Kunduz, a city of more than 300,000 people, on Sept. 28, marking the first time in 14 years it had captured a major urban center. Also Tuesday, Afghan officials said an overnight clash between Taliban fighters and Afghan security forces in Kabul, the capital, ended with all three attackers dead. Police officials said the assailants were killed by security forces, including Afghan special forces, around 6 a.m. Tuesday, more than 10 hours after the attack began in the Darulaman neighborhood of western Kabul. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which they said targeted a building belonging to the National Directorate of Security, the Afghan intelligence agency. Abdul Rahman Rahimi, Kabul police chief, said at least seven police officers were injured in the fighting. There were no immediate reports of civilian casualties. Times staff writer Bengali reported from Mumbai, India, and special correspondent Latifi from Kabul.
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news
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As U.S. attorney Preet Bharara unveils charges he says "we will be asking the question is bribery business as usual at the UN?" Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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video
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WASHINGTON Many Americans buying new cars these days are baffled by a torrent of new safety technology. Some features will automatically turn a car back into its lane if it begins to drift, or hit the brakes if sensors detect that it's about to rear-end someone else. There are lane-change and blind-spot monitors, drowsiness alerts and cars that can park themselves. Technologies once limited to high-end models like adaptive cruise control, tire-pressure indicators and rear-view cameras have become more common. The features hold tremendous potential to reduce deaths and injuries by eliminating collisions or mitigating their severity, safety advocates say. But there's one problem: Education on how to use them doesn't come standard. Bewildered drivers sometimes just turn them off, defeating the safety potential. "If people don't understand how that works or what the car is doing, it may startle them or make them uncomfortable," said Deborah Hersman, president of the National Safety Council. "We want to make sure we're explaining things to people so that the technology that can make them safer is actually taken advantage of." The council and the University of Iowa, along with the Department of Transportation, are kicking off an education campaign Wednesday to inform drivers on how the safety features work. The effort includes a website, MyCarDoesWhat.org, with video demonstrations. In a survey by the university, a majority of drivers expressed uncertainty about the way many of the safety technologies work. About 40 percent reported that their vehicles had behaved in unexpected ways. The least understood technology was adaptive cruise control, which can slow or speed up a vehicle in order to maintain a constant following distance. That technology has been available in some models for at least a decade. The features vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, from model to model, and from one options package to another. Joe Kraemer, 70, a retired accountant from Arlington, Virginia, said the first time he drove his wife's 2015 E-Series Mercedes he nearly jumped out of his seat. He was beginning to change lanes when suddenly there was a piercing "beep beep beep beep. ..." Now when that happens, his wife tells him: "Relax. It's just that you have somebody in your blind spot and you're about to kill us." Kraemer's wife, who has been driving for 50 years, has been back to the dealer twice for hour-long lessons on how to use the car's features. "She's really learning a computer," he said. But as the technologies become more available in lower-priced models, dealers may not be willing to spend as much time with drivers as Mercedes has with Kraemer's wife. Owner's manuals are also falling short, safety advocates say. They have become "documents written by lawyers for lawyers," said Clarence Ditlow, executive director at the Center for Auto Safety. "From perhaps a 50-page understandable document 20 years ago, they have gone to a 500-page opus that is intimidating to all but the most studious car buyer," he said. Some manufacturers offer CDs or DVDs on how to use safety systems, but "most of the time drivers don't actually take the time to review them," said Peter Kissinger, president of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. A study by the foundation of early safety technology adopters found that some drivers believed collision warning systems would brake to stop their vehicles for them, when actually the systems only alert drivers to an impending collision. It's still up to the driver to hit the brakes. "That's a dangerous scenario," Kissinger said. Some collision mitigation systems, increasing in availability, do more than warn, actually applying the brake if the driver doesn't act quickly enough. Ray Harbin, 67, AARP's state volunteer coordinator for driver safety courses in Montana, said the frustration seniors experience learning new-car technology is similar to what they feel when they are forced to adapt to software changes in computers like a new version of the operating system. "I'm confident that we're never going to get people to understand all the things their cars can do," he said. "It's just like buying a new computer. You're never going to understand all the capabilities of your computer. The cars are made now for the very best and most intuitive drivers, and we're not all that way." Tom Pecoraro, a retired police officer who owns "I Drive Smart" schools in California, Maryland and Virginia, said the state-required curriculums taught in driving schools are typically about 15 years behind the latest technology. Classes introduce students to anti-lock brakes and airbags but are unlikely to mention adaptive cruise control and automatic braking. "Most people don't even know how to get to their spare tire, let alone understand the technology," he said. "People want to get in their cars and drive. They want to turn the key and have it all work." ___ Follow Joan Lowy on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AP_Joan_Lowy
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finance
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USA Today Sports' Lorenzo Reyes breaks down which teams are climbing and which teams are falling entering Week 5.
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sports
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Dunkin' Donuts is apologizing for two separate incidents involving two young employees' treatment of local police officers. The incidents at Dunkin' Donuts restaurants in West Hartford, Conn., and Providence, R.I., in no way represent the "company's strong commitment to the fair treatment and well-being of all our guests," Karen Raskopf, Dunkin' Donuts Chief Communications Officer, told USA TODAY Network in a statement. The incidents sparked outrage on social media as some called for the employees' dismissal and others justified their actions. On Friday, a member of the Providence Police Department noticed that instead of his name, #blacklivesmatter was scrawled on his cup, GoLocalProv.com reported. A Providence police union said the Black Lives Matter movement was only fueling tension between police and the black community, CBS reported. "The negativity displayed by the #Blacklivesmatter organization towards police across this nation is creating a hostile environment that is not resolving any problems or issues, but making it worse for our communities," The Executive Board of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #3 said in a statement, CBS reported. "They are doing this by increasing tensions amongst police and the people they serve." The second incident involved a police officer in Connecticut, who was waiting in line on Saturday when an employee said, "We don't serve cops here," the Hartford Courant reported. Raskopf told USA TODAY Network that the "two young crew members exhibited poor judgment while serving local police officers who were guests in our restaurants." "While these particular incidents are isolated to two restaurants, we see this as an opportunity to work closely with all of our franchisees and their crew members across the country to reinforce our obligation to serve all of our guests with dignity and respect," she said. Follow @MaryBowerman on Twitter.
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news
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If you follow sports, you've likely seen dozens of advertisements for DraftKings and FanDuel, two companies that have pioneered a relatively new type of online gambling known as daily fantasy sports. This week, the sports world was rocked by revelations that a DraftKings employee with access to proprietary DraftKings data had won $350,000 in a FanDuel contest. That naturally led to speculation that his access to DraftKings data had given him an edge at FanDuel. DraftKings says that's not true ; the employee had finished choosing his money-winning fantasy sports roster before he gained access to the proprietary DraftKings data. It says it's just an unfortunate coincidence that the two incidents occurred on the same day. Either way, the revelations have prompted a broader conversation about the changing nature of fantasy sports. Fantasy sports began as an informal game played among friends, but it has evolved into a lucrative business that looks a lot like conventional gambling. And most online gambling is banned by federal law, so why is it legal for people to bet large sums of money on fantasy sports? Daily fantasy sports look a lot like online gambling Fantasy sports have been around for decades; it first became popular for baseball before spreading to other sports. And in the early days, fantasy baseball wasn't a big business, it was a game people would play with friends. It worked like this: at the beginning of the season, you would assemble an imaginary team a pitcher, catcher, shortstop, and so forth using the names of real, active players. Then over the course of the season, your fantasy team would rack up points based on the real-world performance of the players you've chosen. You might also be able to trade players in your lineup with others in your fantasy league midway through the season. At the end of the season, the contestant whose imaginary team earns the most points wins the league. The concept caught on first in baseball thanks to the wealth of statistics available about baseball games. As the internet made it easier to find information about other sports, the concept spread beyond baseball especially to football. In the last five years, a variant called daily fantasy sports has become popular. The basic concept choosing fantasy teams and racking up points based on players' real-world performance is the same. But whereas conventional fantasy sports provided fun, low-stakes entertainment for a group of friends, daily fantasy leagues have become a thinly disguised platform for sports betting. The daily fantasy market is dominated by two relatively new companies: FanDuel and DraftKings. Players pay as much as $25 to enter a contest and can win prizes as large as $1 million. Rather than just competing against a few friends, people compete with thousands of strangers from across the country. Both companies have raised millions of dollars in venture capital, and they say that they'll pay out more than a billion dollars in prizes in 2015. Fantasy sport sites enjoy a special loophole in federal law Major sports leagues lobbied for the ban on internet gambling Congress passed in 2006, that shut down internet poker and other online gaming. But they also convinced Congress to carve out an exception for fantasy sports leagues because they boost fan interest in watching sports. As a result, fantasy leagues are the only form of sports betting that's legally available to most Americans. Companies like FanDuel and DraftKings have taken full advantage of the loophole. Today's daily fantasy sites feel more like professional gambling operations than a friendly office pool. And at least one legal expert believes these sites are bumping up against the legal limit under federal law. In the process, these companies have created an awkward situation for the National Football League. In the past, it was easy for the NFL to argue that it should be in a different legal category than conventional sports betting. But daily fantasy leagues are blurring this line. A DraftKing employee's big win on FanDuel created a PR headache for the industry We recently learned that DraftKings employee Ethan Haskell did two things on Sunday, September 27: He released data earlier than usual on how many people had chosen each athlete for an upcoming fantasy contest. With thousands of contestants competing in each round, leagues allow many people to choose the same fantasy athlete. DraftKings normally keeps this information confidential until fantasy players have finished choosing their players for a particular game. He won second place in a fantasy contest hosted by DraftKings contestant FanDuel, winning $350,000. Naturally, a lot of people wondered if these events were connected. Because the payouts in daily fantasy games go disproportionately to the top players, data about which athletes are most and least popular among other fantasy players can help a contestant boost the odds of winning. And while Haskell didn't have access to any data about FanDuel users, the DraftKings and FanDuel contests are similar enough that data about DraftKing players' bets should provide a lot of insight about both sites. However, DraftKings insists that nothing of the sort happened . They say that FanDuel's deadline for choosing players was 1 pm, while Haskell didn't get access to DraftKings data until 1:40 pm so data from DraftKings couldn't have helped him assemble his winning FanDuel roster. And to be clear, the data Haskell released was not sufficient, on its own, to win money. Far from it. Winning requires choosing a roster of players who perform well in a particular set of games. No one can know that in advance. So even someone who has data about other players' rosters will only be able to win a small percentage of the time. But daily fantasy sports, like most betting, is a game of averages. Knowing how other users have bet can help a user stand out from the crowd. And even modest improvements in the odds of winning can add up over the course of many bets. The controversy is increasing public scrutiny of fantasy sports In a brief joint statement released Monday, DraftKings and FanDuel insisted that they have strict policies in place to prevent employees from cheating on fantasy games. They also temporarily banned employees from playing on competing sites (they were already banned from playing on their own sites). The big question is whether the publicity surrounding this week's revelations will lead to more unwanted scrutiny. Congress exempted fantasy sports from its online gambling ban at a time when fantasy leagues looked very different from conventional online gambling. But Congress could revisit that decision and impose new restrictions restrictions that could make these fantasy sites much less profitable. At least one member of Congress has questioned whether the line Congress drew between fantasy sports and other forms of sports betting makes any sense. Of course, that line of reasoning could lead in one of two directions. One option would be to narrow the fantasy sports exemption and more strictly regulate or ban altogether sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Or Congress could decide that online gambling really doesn't pose a threat to the republic and open up the market to other forms on internet betting.
| 3 | 90,745 |
finance
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Even in a one-game showdown for the chance to advance in the MLB playoffs, star players often rise to the occasion and come up big in the clutch. But unsung heroes also emerge. Aside from the notable headliners among the four teams in this do-or-die scenario, let's look at five players who are prime candidates to be key contributors. Carlos Beltran OK, so we don't expect him to go off like he did as an Astro rental during the 2004 postseason. But even at age 38, Beltran has a tendency for coming through with big hits. Not only does his .683 playoff slugging percentage and 16 home runs give the Yankees positive thoughts, he's also one of the few hitters to have found success against Houston starter Dallas Keuchel. The switch-hitting Beltran is 4-for-9 at the plate versus the lefty Cy Young favorite including a walk and a homer. Carlos Correa Just as October '04 vaulted Carlos Beltran into superstardom, Carlos Correa is a strong possibility for such treatment this year. The hyped rookie is living up to the expectations of a No. 1 overall pick so far just one of many youthful Astros helping turn around the franchise. What makes the Houston shortstop so vital in this one-game setting is the varied talents he can provide. He has pop (22 HRs in 99 big league games), defensive range and some speed (14 stolen bases) to spell the slowed Carlos Gomez. Dellin Betances Masahiro Tanaka's wonderful stretch drive earned him Tuesday's start. However, after hurting himself on a bunt play a few weeks back, his health remains a question and the ability to go deep into the contest remains in doubt. Fortunately, he's backed by the best late-inning bullpen combination in baseball. Many of Andrew Miller's saves have been preceded by strong Betances outings and this match-up plays right into Dellin's hands. He overpowered opponents with 131 strikeouts in 84 innings, and the Astros are one of the biggest swing-and-miss clubs (No. 2 in Ks). MLB leaders relief fWAR 1. Cody Allen 2.5 2. Aroldis Chapman 2.4 3. Dellin Betances 2.3 http://t.co/Id6CMMOoGm Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) October 3, 2015 Gerrit Cole "Overlooked" would be the best description for the newly minted 25-year-old ace of the Bucs. He'll get only slight consideration for the Cy Young Award, even though his 2015 resume (19 victories) is worthy of much more. And as he takes the mound for the Wild Card showdown with Chicago at his home park, he won't be the focus of the pitching match-up even if ERA against the Cubs this season is 2.13. However, by matching zeros with the historically hot Jake Arrieta, he'll rightfully get his share of the attention. Starlin Castro He's picked an ideal time to get hot both for his own sake and the teams. Before losing his starting shortstop job to Addison Russell on Aug. 6, he was batting .236 with five homers and 46 RBI. He then went on to his .327 for the remainder of the month. But he was just getting warmed up. In September, he hit five home runs and drove in 20 while posting a league-best .426 batting average during that span. Here's one more stat in his favor: he is 6-for-17 (.353) against Gerrit Cole.
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sports
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France's Prime Minister Manuel Vall condemns the "unspeakable violence" of Air France employees who stormed a work council meeting on Monday over job cuts. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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finance
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Philani Dladla credits his love of books with helping him overcome a drug addiction and getting him off the streets. Now, the man known in Johannesburg, South Africa, as the "pavement bookworm" has written a book himself. His aptly titled memoir The Pavement Bookworm will be released by South African publisher Jacana Media in late October. The book will share the story of how Dladla's love of reading transformed his life and led him to help others. "On my twelfth birthday, I was given the first birthday present I'd ever received," Dladla writes on his website . "It was a book from the man my mother worked for as a caregiver." That book, Dladla tells Nalibali.org , was a 175-page work of political nonfiction entitled The Last White Parliament . Even though most of it was difficult for 12-year-old Dladla to understand, he loved it and read it over and over until he could grasp its difficult language. When that same man died, he left his collection of 500 books to the young boy. From then on, Dladla says he always tried to keep a number of books on him wherever he went. Dladla followed his mother's footsteps and became a healthcare worker, until a series of bad choices landed him on the streets. "I got too comfortable and I started experimenting with drugs," he told Nal'ibali. "I suppose I did it to fit in with my new friends. Johannesburg is a tough place." Instead of panhandling, the young man offered book reviews to passing motorists to earn income, as documented in a series of YouTube videos by Tebogo Malope. When he was finished reading, Dladla would either sell his books to adults or give them away for free to children, "because they can still take this reading thing and turn it into a life long habit," he said in the video. "With some self-motivation and a lot of self-help books, I made the decision to stop taking drugs," he explains on his website. Eventually, Dladla was able to pay rent again and even earned extra income that he used to start a book club for kids in a local park. "I give them books on the condition that they come back and tell me what they learnt from reading it," he says. Since his incredible story gained international attention, Dladla established a website where people from all over the world can donate books or support a member of his reading club.
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lifestyle
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Late last week, workers at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant (KCAP) threatened a strike, prompting Ford to add additional shifts at its Dearborn Truck plant in the event of a strike. Thankfully, late Friday night, Ford and the UAW Local 249 reached an agreement to avert a strike, Automotive News reports. If an agreement was not reached, the strike would have started on Sunday. United Auto Workers Vice President Jimmy Settles only said the deal "meets the needs of the Local membership" without giving specific details. KCAP is one of Ford's largest plants and accounted for 19 percent of the company's total U.S. production output in August. The resolution to the Kansas City situation is just the beginning of Ford's dealings with the UAW this year. Along with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and General Motors, Ford will have to negotiate a national contract later this year with the UAW. Among the big issues facing all the Detroit Three is a pathway for tier-two workers to work their way up to wage parity with tier-one workers that were hired prior to the 2008-2009 auto industry crisis that forced General Motors and Chrysler into bankruptcy. A health care pool for UAW workers to improve coverage and lower costs will also be part of this year's talks. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook Source: Automotive News
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autos
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The strength of this mother-daughter duo is truly inspiring. A teen from Collierville, TN decided to honor his homecoming date in the best way possible by shaving his head to support her and her mother's cancer battles . Allie Allen was diagnosed with brain cancer two-and-a-half years ago, and she's been fighting ever since. Initially, she was treated and her scans came back clear. But unfortunately, the cancer reoccurred and she's currently battling her second round with the disease. "She had surgery and 33 rounds of radiation," her mother Debbi told WTVM.com . There's no cure or remission. We live kind of scan to scan." Life is clearly a challenge for the 17-year-old girl, who is a former dancer. She chronicles the struggle on her blog, Dancer with Cancer . "Its [sic] so hard going from being an active dancer, to not even being able to stand up long enough to brush my teeth some days," she wrote. In mid-September, Allen realized that her cranial spinal radiation treatments were making her hair fall out, so she decided to shave her head. Allen wrote of the experience on her blog: Last wednesday was my 10th round of radiation the middle of week three, when my doctor warned me my hair should be falling out. Wednesday afternoon i got out of the shower and brushed my hair and noticed my hair falling out. Of course i had a meltdown. Its easy for some people to say "it's just hair" but its hard when you're a teenage girl. I've always been attached to my hair- i would freak out if my hair dresser would cut off an inch too short. […]On Saturday the majority of my hair was falling out and it was just torture to watch. Sunday morning i woke up with about 2 chunks of hair left and i decided to pull a Britney Spears 2007 and shave my head. That was very hard for me to do but thats one thing i got over with and I'm not stressing over anymore. One of these pictures shows my scar now everyone can see it, but a scar is a tattoo with a better story right?? As if her family hadn't been going through enough, Allen's mother, Debbi , has also been diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in her lymph nodes. Allen's mother told WMC Action News 5, "I had eight rounds of chemo [...] right now I'm in the middle of my radiation. I just finished, I believe, 19, and I'll have 30 so Allie and I are kind of [neck and neck] in the treatment of radiation." Despite the loss of her hair, Allen remains optimistic and her homecoming date, Brayden Carpenter, recently supported her in the best way possible: By shaving his head too! Allen wrote on her blog: Everything about cancer sucks. Success is not guaranteed, but one thing I know that is guaranteed, is that every single one of my doctors are trying their very best to help me survive and hopefully one day I beat this. I am blessed to be a patient at the best children's research hospital in the world. […] I am confident that I can get through this. I know God has a plan for me (my favorite bible verse Jeremiah 29:11). And even though this will be very tough I am going to try my best to stay strong and positive.
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The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group's Yemen affiliate has claimed responsibility for an attack on an Arab coalition base that killed at least 15 troops, including four Emirati soldiers. The armed group made the claim through its affiliated accounts on Twitter on Tuesday, posting a series of photos depicting the bombings and pictures of the suicide attackers involved. "Four martyrdom operations targeted a gathering of Saudi, Emirati, and Yemeni offices," a statement released by the group said. The names of the attackers in the pictures suggested those involved were all Yemeni in origin. Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra said the claim of responsibility by ISIL marked the start of "strange scenario" in Yemen. "On one hand we have government forces and the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis, and now you have ISIL fighting the government and Houthi force," Ahelbarra said. "You'll have the (southern) secessionists fighting al-Qaeda, and ISIL fighting al-Qaeda at the same time...It will be a complete nightmare scenario in the near future." Emiratis killed The explosions hit a hotel housing Yemeni officials and a Gulf military base in Aden, a government spokesman and residents said, in the biggest attack on the government since it retook the city from its Houthi foes in July. Official news agency said of the dead, four were Emiratis and one was Saudi. The orphans of Yemen's war Members of the Gulf coalition have been providing security at the luxury al-Qasr hotel, and Yemeni government officials' presence there makes it a highly symbolic target for the rebels. Witnesses said the hotel was on fire and that there are ambulances at the scene. ISIL has previously attacked mosques belonging associated with Zaydi Muslims, the branch of Shia Islam the Houthis adhere to, but supporters have also carried out attacks in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In August, at least 15 people including Saudi soldiers were killed when ISIL operatives attacked a mosque used by Saudi special forces, in a region bordering Yemen. Yemen has been embroiled in fighting that pits the Shia rebels known as Houthis and forces loyal to a former president against the Saudi-backed and internationally recognised government. The Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against the rebels and their allies since March. The Emirates and other members of the coalition see Yemen's second-largest city of Aden as a key foothold in restoring Yemen's government to power as they and their Yemeni allies attempt to push the rebels from the capital, Sanaa.
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The Goldilocks of every cut and style, right this way. Hailey Baldwin's Breezy Bangs and Long Layered Shag Have no idea what to do with your grown-out bangs? Middle-part your hair and trim the center just a tiiiiiny bit to ease out the awkward phase. Rihanna's Half-Up/Half-Down Waves The soft curls are so feminine, and the pulled-back top half feels super polished. Dare we say it's the perfect hairstyle for literally every occasion? (Ariana Grande is off in a corner somewhere nodding her head in agreement.) Bella Hadid's Slick Center Part When you're feeling lazy, run a flat-iron through your hair a few times and tuck it behind your ears. A few hidden bobby pins will keep it in place for a sleek look. Mindy Kaling's Retro Over-the-Shoulder Look When it doubt, throw your hair over your shoulder and give it a quick curl. The layers will create a pretty spiral of goodness. Emma Watson's Tumble of Curls No layers to spiral? No worries, side-swept hair looks just as good with even ends. Kerry Washington's Perfect Pony May we all observe a moment of silence for this Platonic ideal of a ponytail. It is pretty, it is classic, it is girly. To recreate at home, slick back hair into a taut pony then gently tug at the hair above the elastic to loosen it and create height. Twist strands of the ponytail around a curling iron, brush out, and go forth into your dreamy, picturesque future. Emily Ratajkowski's Extreme Layers Get the effect of longer hair by adding feathered layers. Note: Having your hair stylist use a razor is a great trick for ends like this. Emily Blunt's Beachy Wave Pro tip for people who suffer from #StraightHairStruggles: Let your wet hair dry in a messy bun. Take it out, and you'll be left with loose waves that look totally natural. Katy Perry's Brushed-Out Curls So much volume, so little time. What did we do before the days of Dry Bar? We used hot rollers, let the hair cool so it could set, brushed it out, and spritzed with hairspray, that's what. Nina Dobrev's Bouncy Blowout Start layers at the shoulder for a look that adds crazy volume but keeps things sleek and chic up top. Miranda Kerr's Ran-Her-Hands-Through-Her-Hair Part In case her choker hadn't tipped you off, the '90s are back. This era-appropriate look modernizes the best hair trend of the decade that super casual "oh I'm just running my hands through my hair and letting it fall whichever way it pleases" vibe. Martha Hunt's Piecey Waves Don't worry, ladies with fine hair. Your locks will be just as bouncy as thick hair with well-placed layers. Start at the cheekbones and work your way down. Diane Kruger's Ringlets The good news: You can get a faux layered look with stretched-out ringlet curls. The bad news: You have to break out ye olde curling iron to do it. Rashida Jones's Long Bangs and Low Pony The best part about medium length hair is you can totally pull off a low ponytail. Extra points for giant, flaw-free bangs. Zoe Saldana's Chin-Level Crimp This cut couldn't be easier to maintain. Step one: Get your middle-part on. Step two: Throw in a few long layers. Step three: Use a curling iron or flat iron to create a little bit of a bend right at your chin. Step four: Morph into Zoe Saldana. Margot Robbie's Blunt-End Tousle We have a lot of feelings about blunt ends on medium-length hair, and all of them are good. Irina Shayk's Frizzified Waves Tragically, humidity leads to fluffy hair. When disaster strikes, pin one side back and you'll totally look like a casual mermaid / supermodel. Doutzen Kroes's Ear Tuck This versatile cut looks good everywhere from the yoga studio to dinner at Per Se. Also, by "the yoga studio," we mean sitting at home on the couch watching Netflix. Karlie Kloss's Floaty Soft Wave We're getting major Jennifer Aniston circa Friends vibes here. In conclusion, let's all get The Rachel because apparently it still looks fabulous. Suki Waterhouse's Straight-on-Top, Bendy-on-Bottom Ombré Enhance your ombré by curling the lighter tones and leaving the roots straight. Total game-changer. Lily Aldridge's Tight Curls Nothing goes better with ringlet curls than a deep side part. It's science. Kendall Jenner's Straight-but-Not-Flat Strands Probably the most classic medium length hair cut to get: a simple face frame. Rachel Weisz's Frizzed-Out Waves Proof that puffy can also be pretty. Jennifer Aniston's Face Fringe Yes, some Rachel-esque framing is going on here, but this cut also has the illusion of layers thanks to genius highlighting . Jessica Chastain's Mega Shiny Waves These loose cascading waves are catching the light in some kinda way. One more reason to purchase giant rollers. Natalie Portman's Polished Twist Look at that tiny curl. Who knew something so simple could completely define a look?
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Everything is magnified in the postseason. Every hit, every error, every wild pitch, every managerial decision seems to take on greater significance and carry greater consequences. Every MLB team has known the mood swings of the playoffs, and every MLB team, except one, knows what it's like to end a postseason series with a loss. MORE: Most iconic moment for every MLB team | MLB 2015 postseason TV schedule But some bad memories linger longer and sting hotter than others. Those are the worst. But a team's worst memory doesn't necessarily have to be a single moment, or even a single game, and it doesn't necessarily accompany an elimination. It's just something that, years or even decades later, still leaves the worst taste. Here is each MLB team's worst postseason memory, revisited. We apologize in advance. Arizona Diamondbacks: 1999 NLDS Game 4 The year-old Diamondbacks were a surprise contender in 1999 after a 97-loss inaugural season. But after 100 wins and a division title, they took on the Mets in the NLDS. After the teams split the first two games, the Mets took control and the D-backs found themselves on the brink of elimination in Game 4. With the game tied at 3 in the bottom of the 10th, Mets catcher Todd Pratt connected off Arizona closer Matt Mantei for a homer to dead center , just out of the reach of Diamondbacks center fielder Steve Finley, to send the Mets to the NLCS and end Arizona's feel-good story. But a better feel-good story would emerge for the Diamondbacks two years later. Atlanta Braves: 1996 World Series Game 4 With the Braves up 6-0 entering the top of the sixth inning in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series, it appeared they were poised to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series and claim their second-straight world championship. But the Yankees chipped away, leading to an eighth-inning matchup between Braves flame-throwing closer Mark Wohlers and Yankees backup catcher Jim Leyritz with the Braves ahead 6-3. With the count 2-2, Wohlers who routinely threw fastballs at 100 mph threw a hanging slider that Leyritz deposited over the left field wall to tie the game. The Yankees went on to win the game in 10 innings, and win the series in six games, birthing yet another New York dynasty. Dishonorable mention: The Great Infield Fly Game of 2012. Second dishonorable mention: Fredi Gonzalez leaves Craig Kimbrel in the bullpen as reliever David Carpenter gives up a go-ahead, two-run, series-clinching homer to Juan Uribe in the 2013 NLDS against the Dodgers. Baltimore Orioles: 1979 World Series Game 7 You probably thought we'd go with Jeffrey Maier because, man, that was terrible but many die-hard Orioles fans will tell you the team's meltdown in the 1979 World Series against the Pirates stings a lot more, even after 36 years. After failing to capitalize on a 3-1 series lead in Games 5 and 6, the Orioles still had a chance at home in Game 7 when they took a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning. But future Hall of Famer Willie Stargell ruined the mood with a two-run homer his third of the series to give the Pirates a lead they wouldn't relinquish as Pittsburgh won the title. Boston Red Sox: 'Game 6' It's almost impossible to top Game 6 of the 1986 World Series on the postseason misery index. You know the story: The Red Sox were up 5-3 with two outs in the 10th inning but just couldn't get that last out to win their first championship since 1918. Of course, that's a simplified way to tell it. The agony is in the details: The four times they were one strike away, the run-scoring passed ball (or wild pitch, depending on who's talking) and, of course, Bill Buckner's infamous error. Given the circumstances, the emotional shift that occurred in Boston over just a few minutes seems unlikely to be matched again. Dishonorable mention: Aaron Boone's walkoff homer in the 2003 ALCS. Chicago Cubs: 2003 NLCS We won't put it all on Steve Bartman, or even on Alex Gonzalez for botching a possible double play that would've sent the Cubs to the bottom of the eighth up 3-1 in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS against the Marlins. No, the final three games of the series can collectively be considered the team's worst postseason memory because of the team nature in which they lost. After going up 3-1 in the series, the Cubs were shut out on just two hits in Game 5, lost the 3-0 lead in the eighth inning of Game 6, then lost a 5-3 lead in Game 7. Offense, defense and pitching all share the blame. That the final two losses happened in the Friendly Confines makes it all the more unpleasant. Chicago White Sox: 1983 ALCS The Tony LaRussa-led White Sox had baseball's best record and best offense in 1983, finishing with 99 wins and scoring 800 runs. In the ALCS, they faced the Orioles, the eventual world champions, who were nearly an identical match, having finished with 98 wins and 799 runs. The Sox boasted four players with 20 or more homers, led by Rookie of the Year Ron Kittle's 35. Meanwhile, the Orioles had big power years from Eddie Murray and AL MVP Cal Ripken. But the battle of the top two offenses was decidedly one-sided. After winning 2-1 in Game 1, the White Sox scored just one run over the remaining three games and were outscored in the series 19-3. In the decisive Game 4, the White Sox were shut out despite collecting 10 hits. Overall, they were 4 for 30 with runners in scoring position in the series. Dishonorable mention: That whole 1919 thing. Cincinnati Reds: Roy Halladay NLDS no-hitter In the Reds' first postseason game in 15 years, any hope of ushering in a new era of championship-caliber baseball in Cincinnati was squashed quickly when Roy Halladay tossed a no-hitter in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS, allow just one baserunner. It was just the second postseason no-hitter in history so, yeah, not a good look for the Reds. It was the Reds' fifth straight playoff loss dating to 1995 and helped ease the Phillies into a tidy three-game sweep. Cleveland Indians: 1997 World Series Game 7 The Indians held a 2-1 lead against the Marlins and were three outs from their first World Series title since 1948. But Cleveland closer Jose Mesa couldn't keep those scrappy Marlins at bay, allowing them to tie the game and send it to extras. In the bottom of the 11th, with the bases loaded and two outs, Edgar Renteria lined a single up the middle off Charles Nagy to give the Marlins their first championship and send Cleveland reeling yet again. Colorado Rockies: Lance Painter, the last hope The Rockies were just 2 years old when they made their postseason debut in 1995. With the Braves leading 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth of Game 1 of the NLDS, the Rockies, with the bases loaded and two outs and inexplicably out of position players sent pitcher Lance Painter to the plate to face Braves closer Mark Wohlers, who struck Painter out on four pitches to end the game. The Braves eventually won the series 3-1 en route to the 1995 World Series championship. Yes, the Rockies would lose a World Series in a sweep 12 years later, but the Painter thing somehow seems worse. Detroit Tigers: 2012 World Series After sweeping the favored Yankees in the 2012 ALCS, the Tigers were just overmatched in the World Series against the Giants and found themselves on the other end of a sweep . The Tigers managed just six runs in the series and were shut out in Games 2 and 3 at the hands of Madison Bumgarner and Ryan Vogelsong, respectively. As it was an even-numbered year, not even still-in-his-prime Justin Verlander and about-to-become-awesome Max Scherzer could stop the Giants, who outperformed the Tigers in nearly every aspect. The sweep gave the Tigers seven straight losses in World Series games, dating to the 2006 World Series against the Cardinals. Houston Astros: 1986 NLCS Game 6 The Astros led 3-0 going to the top of the ninth and a win would've forced Game 7 at home with the dominant Mike Scott on the mound. But the Mets rallied to tie the game and send it to extras. The Mets took the lead in the 14th, only to have the Astros tie it in the bottom half on a Billy Hatcher homer off the foul screen. The Mets went ahead again with three runs in the top of the 16th, but the Astros came back with two runs in the bottom half. The marathon finally ended when Jesse Orosco struck out Kevin Bass with the tying run at second to secure a 7-6 win. Kansas City Royals: Chris Chambliss' ALCS walkoff homer The Royals and Yankees clashed often in the postseasons of the late-1970s, and the Yankees got the better of the Kansas City nine every time. But the most excruciating moment came in Game 5 of the 1976 ALCS when Chris Chambliss hit a walkoff homer to win the pennant. It was the first of two straight Game 5 eliminations for the Royals at the hands of the Yankees. But it was particularly painful because the Royals had tied the game in the eighth inning on a George Brett three-run homer that appeared to shift the momentum. But it wasn't to be. Los Angeles Angels: 1986 ALCS Game 5 They Angels were this close to the AL pennant. Seriously: This. Close. They entered the top of the ninth in Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS winning 5-2 against the Red Sox and holding a 3-1 lead in the series. After a one-out, two-run homer from Don Baylor closed the gap to 5-4, Mike Witt got Dwight Evans to pop out and send the Angels to the brink of celebration. Manager Gene Mauch then brought in reliever Gary Lucas to face Boston catcher Rich Gedman. But Lucas hit Gedman with his first pitch, and Mauch took him out for closer Donnie Moore, who faced Dave Henderson. With the count 2-2 and the Angels a strike away from their first World Series, Henderson homered on Moore's seventh pitch to put the Red Sox ahead 6-5 and send Anaheim Stadium into shock. The Angels tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, and had the winning run at third with one out, but still couldn't punch their ticket. Boston went on to win the game 7-6 in 11 innings, then flew home to take Games 6 and 7 against a still-shocked Angels team by a combined score of 18-5. Los Angeles Dodgers: 1952 World Series The Dodgers were a win away from finally beating the arch-rival Yankees in the World Series and were headed home to play Game 6 in 1952. They led 1-0 after six innings but Yogi Berra tied the game with a homer to lead off the seventh. The Yankees scored another run that inning to go ahead 2-1. A Mickey Mantle homer in the eighth added an insurance run, which proved critical as New York held on to win 3-2 and tie the series. The next day, the Yankees, aided by a Mantle go-ahead home run in the sixth inning, took Game 7 , prolonging the Dodgers' postseason agony. Dishonorable mention: 1956 World Series. After winning the first two games at home, the Dodgers lost three straight at Yankee Stadium, including Don Larsen's perfecto in Game 5. After eking out a 1-0, extra-inning win in Game 6 to force Game 7, the Dodgers got blown out at home 9-0. Miami Marlins: Well, this is awkward. The Marlins are the only team in MLB to have won every postseason series they've played, so it's hard to find a "worst" moment or experience. But we'll go with this: When Mike Mordecai flew out to start the top of the eighth in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS, the Marlins were five outs from elimination. The Cubs led 3-0 and Mark Prior was cruising. Things looked bleak. That was probably a rough time for the Marlins and their fans. Don't gloat, Marlins fans. You've still had to put up with 21 non-playoff seasons. Milwaukee Brewers: 1982 World Series Harvey's Wallbangers took a 3-2 series lead back to St. Louis for Games 6 and 7 of the 1982 World Series, poised to bring the city of Milwaukee its first World Series title since 1957. But future Hall of Famer Don Sutton was tagged for seven runs in just 4 1/3 innings in Game 6, leading to a 13-1 Cardinals win. The Brewers rebounded in Game 7, leading 3-1 in the sixth inning, but the Cardinals surged ahead in the bottom of the sixth, then added two more runs in the eighth, and hung on for a 6-3 win to claim the championship . Minnesota Twins: 2004 ALDS The 2004 ALDS was a story of missed opportunities for the Twins. After a 2-0 win over the Yankees in Game 1, the Twins lost three straight games in which they held the lead, including a 7-6 extra-inning loss in Game 2 that saw them blow a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the 12th. In Game 4, which also went extra winnings, the Twins led 5-1 headed to the top of the eighth, only to see the Yankees score four to tie before winning 6-5 in the 11th. The Twins had 12 hits for the third straight game but went just 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position. New York Mets: 1988 NLCS Game 4 With a 2-1 lead in the series, the Mets were up 4-2 at home in the top of the ninth against the Dodgers with Dwight Gooden on the mound and seemingly about to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. But after Gooden walked John Shelby the lead off the inning, Mike Scioscia hit Gooden's first pitch over the wall in right center to tie the game at 4. That score held until the top of the 12th, when Kirk Gibson who was 1 for 16 to that point in the series blasted a solo homer off Roger McDowell to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. The Mets tried to rally in the bottom of the 12th, even loading the bases. But Tommy Lasorda didn't mess around, and he brought in Orel Hershiser (who pitched seven innings the night before) to nail down the final out. The game turned the series, which the Dodgers won in seven games. Dishonorable mention: Kenny Rogers' walkoff walk in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS against the Braves. Second dishonorable mention: Carlos Beltran strikes out looking with the bases loaded to end the 2006 NLCS against the Cardinals. New York Yankees: 2004 ALCS The Yankees manhandled the Red Sox through the first three games of the 2004 ALCS, including a 19-8 thrashing in Game 3. But, of course, the Sox came storming back in dramatic fashion to take the next four games including back-to-back extra-inning affairs in Games 4 and 5 before taking Games 6 and 7 at Yankee Stadium to make the Yankees the first MLB team to blow a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series. Blowing that lead was bad enough, but that it happened against the Red Sox made it all the worse. Dishonorable mention: Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. Oakland A's: Gibson homers off Eckersley The A's were heavily favored going into the 1988 World Series against the underdog and weakened Dodgers, who looked to be without eventual NL MVP Kirk Gibson, who was dealing with injuries to both legs. A Jose Canseco grand slam put the A's in control 4-2 in the second inning and their lead held going into the bottom of the ninth. Dennis Eckersley, with his league-leading 45 regular season saves, easily got the first two out in the ninth before walking Mike Davis. That brought up pinch hitter Gibson, who took painful-looking swings during much of the at-bat before connecting on a 3-2 slider for his famous "I don't believe what I just saw!" homer that gave the Dodgers a 5-4 win. The homer changed the tone of the series so much that the Dodgers beat the A's rather easily in just five games. Philadelphia Phillies: 1993 World Series Game 6 The Phillies, having erased a 5-1 deficit, led 6-5 in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series and were three outs away from forcing a Game 7. But closer Mitch Williams lived up to his Wild Thing moniker and allowed two of the first three Blue Jays batters to reach base before Joe Carter sent a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left for a walkoff homer to give the Jays their second straight World Series title. The loss was extra painful because of Game 4, in which the Phillies led 14-9 after seven innings, then allowed the Jays to score six runs in the eighth for a 15-14 win. Had the Phillies held that lead, Carter's homer would've only forced a seventh game. Pittsburgh Pirates: 1992 NLCS Game 7 The Pirates' improbable NLCS comeback against the Braves was all but consummated. Just three little outs separated the team from overcoming a 3-1 series deficit on the road, no less and clinching their first pennant since 1979. But starter Doug Drabek faltered in the ninth, thanks in part to a tight strike zone and a critical Jose Lind error that ignited a Braves rally. Pittsburgh still had a shot, up 2-1 with two outs and the bases loaded, but Francisco Cabrera, the last available position player for the Braves, delivered a pinch-hit, two-RBI single to left off Stan Belinda to (barely) score speed-challenged former Pirate Sid Bream from second base with the winning run. The loss ripped we think that's the appropriate word the hearts from Pirates fans' chests, sending the Braves to the World Series and beginning an unholy drought for winning baseball in the Steel City. San Diego Padres: Gossage pitches to Gibson Though the Tigers were up three games to one when Game 5 came around, the 1984 World Series was closer than it looked to that point. The Padres trailed the Tigers 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth in Game 5, and if they could somehow rally for a win, the series would head back to San Diego for Game 6 and, if necessary, Game 7. But with runners at second and third and one out, future Hall of Famer Goose Gossage famously talked manager Dick Williams out of intentionally walking Kirk Gibson, citing "good success" against him. Well, Gibson hit Gossage's second pitch high into the right field seats for a three-run homer that gave the Tigers an 8-4 lead and put the game and the series away. San Francisco Giants: 2002 World Series Game 6 Before the Giants routinely won the World Series in every even-numbered year, they were just another franchise that ached for the sweet taste of ultimate victory after decades of futility. It looked like they were headed for glory in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series, when they led the Angels 5-0 in the seventh inning with a 3-2 series lead. But the Angels Rally Monkey'd their way to three runs in the seventh, followed by three more in the eighth , and held on to win 6-5 to force Game 7, which they also won extending the Giants' championship drought to 48 years. Now the Giants win the World Series too much. Seriously, it's too much. Seattle Mariners: 2001 ALCS The 2001 Mariners were far and away the best team in baseball, at least by record. The M's won 116 regular-season games but their performance in the division series against the Indians might've been a warning sign that things weren't as they seemed. Though the Mariners won that series, the 91-win Indians took them to the limit and outscored them 26-16. And when the Mariners faced the Yankees in the ALCS, it was never really close, despite a 14-2 outlier in Game 3. The Mariners held a lead for a total of 4 1/2 innings the entire series and the Yankees did away with them in five games perhaps allowing us to classify those 116 wins as misleading. St. Louis Cardinals: Jorge Orta called safe The Cardinals were up 1-0 and three outs from a championship in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series against the Royals. But Jorge Orta's bouncer to first turned into one of the more infamous plays in baseball history. Cardinals first baseman Jack Clark fielded the ball and threw to pitcher Todd Worrell covering first for the out, but umpire Don Denkinger ruled Orta safe . Replays showed Orta was clearly out, but there wasn't a replay rule in 1985. The play opened the floodgates for a Royals rally, culminating in Dane Iorg's walkoff single . The Royals trounced the Cardinals 11-0 in Game 7 to win the series. Tampa Bay Rays: 2008 World Series The 97-win Rays had their best season to date in 2008, but that year's World Series ranks as their worst postseason memory not so much because they lost, but the nature of those losses. Game 1 was a close one that they lost 3-2. After taking Game 2, they lost another one-run tilt in Game 3. In Game 4, they were blown out 10-2. The three losses provided different types of frustration, but frustration all the same. But the worst frustration came in Game 5, which started on a Monday, was suspended because of rain in the sixth inning with the score tied 2-2, remained suspended through all of Tuesday, then resumed Wednesday night in the bottom of the sixth, during which the Phillies took a 3-2 lead. The Rays tied it in the top of the seventh, only to have the Phillies take the lead in the bottom half. The 4-3 score held into the ninth, when the Rays had the tying run at second with two outs. But Phillies closer Brad Lidge fanned Eric Hinske to end the game and the series. Three one-run losses, a blowout and a nearly 48-hour weather delay. Not a pleasant week for the Rays. Texas Rangers: Game 6 of the 2011 World Series If this one doesn't remain the Rangers' worst postseason memory until the end of time, well, we shudder to think what it would take to supplant it. The Rangers were up 7-5 on the Cardinals in the bottom of the ninth in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, one strike from a championship. But David Freese's (misplayed?) two-out triple to deep right with runners on first and second tied the game. The Rangers shook it off quickly, though, when Josh Hamilton belted a two-run homer in the 10th to put them back on top 9-7. Again, though, the dream was denied. The Cardinals came back in the bottom half, again tying the game with two outs and again with the Rangers one strike away from a championship. The Cardinals finally won on a Freese walkoff homer in the 11th to even the series, then won Game 7 after the Rangers held the lead. Toronto Blue Jays: 1985 ALCS The Bobby Cox-led Blue Jays won 99 games in 1985 and looked every bit like the best team in the American League after the first four games of the ALCS against the Royals. Then they didn't. Up 3-1 in the series, the Blue Jays fell flat over the final three games, including Games 6 and 7 at home , and never even held another lead. A year earlier, the Blue Jays' three wins would've put them in the World Series. But 1985 was the first year of the best-of-seven playoff format, so the Jays have the distinction of being the first team to blow a 3-1 series lead in an LCS. To add to the misery, the Jays had an opportunity to avoid the meltdown all together: Their loss in Game 3 came after they had a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning. Had they held that lead, their win in Game 4 would've clinched the pennant. Washington Nationals: 2012 NLDS Game 5 Up 6-0 after three innings in the fifth and deciding game of the 2012 NLDS, it looked like the Nationals were poised to easily do away with the Cardinals and advance to the NLCS. Even after the Cardinals chipped away and trailed just 7-5 as the top of the ninth began, things still looked plenty good for the Nats especially after reliever Drew Storen appeared to have pitched around a leadoff double and got two outs with the 7-5 lead still intact. But then it all collapsed for the Nats under the weight of Cardinals Devil Magic . After two walks, Storen gave up a bases-loaded single to Daniel Descalso to tie the game. Then a Pete Kozma single put the Cardinals ahead 9-7. Just like that. It happened so fast. The Nats then went quickly and quietly in the bottom of the ninth, defeat snatched right from the jaws of victory. Sorry, Nats fans. It's still too soon, right?
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Lady Gaga Lady Gaga finds fame "isolating". The 'Pokerface' hitmaker admits it can be tough being in the spotlight all the time as she struggles to feel "normal". She shared: "I do know isolation because I'm famous and it's hard to go be normal all the time. And when you meet people in public, 99 per cent of the time, people aren't that interested in really getting to know me. There's sort of a wall between us that they think something of me that I'm not. I'm really just a human being that makes this ... stuff." But the 29-year-old star credits the cast and crew of 'American Horror Story: Hotel' for making her feel "happier" than she's ever been. She gushed to E! News: "I'm happier than I've ever been now. Because the people that I work with really, really care that my life is different and really, really work to make sure that I feel as normal as possible - so that I can have a great time and just be a normal girl but be a woman for Ryan on film. Or you know a haemophiliac ... "It's important to work hard, and making money is important to survive, but what's more important is that we support one another through the challenges of life."
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They're identical twins who married best friends, teach at the same school, call each other every night to wish each other "doubly pleasant dreams" and have a set of identical twins of their own. Now, for the second time, Kerri Bunker and Kelli Wall of Lindon, Utah, are each expecting twins, due you guessed it two weeks apart in March. "We're proof that good things come in twos," says Kerri, 36, who already has 4-year-old twins, Hallie and Kole (she also has a daughter, Sadie, 2), while Kelli is the mom of Madison and McKell, also 4. "For this to happen once was amazing enough. But twice?" The sisters, who both have fertility issues, became pregnant with their first sets of twins through in vitro fertilization, 11 months apart. In June, on the day Kelli learned she was pregnant again with twins through in vitro, Kerri says she kept thinking, "Wouldn't it be funny if I found out that I was again pregnant with twins, too?" On a whim, she took a home pregnancy test. "When it turned up positive, I was floored," she tells PEOPLE, "especially because I'd been told I would need treatments again to conceive. I called my husband and the rest of the family with the news and nobody would believe me. Everybody thought I was joking." It wouldn't have been the first time the sisters had pulled one over on everyone. "In junior high, we switched classes on April Fool's Day and I took a language arts test for Kerri and got 100 percent," recalls Kelli. "And people have never been able to tell our voices apart, even our parents. We've always fit the identical twin profile to a T." Because they are best friends who had never spent a day apart even in college where they were roommates majoring in elementary education it was difficult when Kelli got married first, to Dustin Wall, a 29-year-old diesel mechanic. "She cried and cried after I left," Kelli tells PEOPLE. "It was the hardest thing we'd been through." Kelli and her new husband soon found a way around the dilemma, though, by introducing Kerri to Dustin's best friend, Robert Bunker, a special education teacher. "We're all so close that people say we're in a love square, not a love triangle," says Kerri, who is now planning to build a house with Dustin next door to her sister's place. "Even though Kelli and I work together, we still call each other at 9:45 every night to say good night." "From the first moment I met Kelli, I was amazed me how close she and her sister were and still are," Dustin, 29, tells PEOPLE. "Many times, they end up wearing the same clothes even though they don't plan on it. And they're always finishing each other's sentences and know intuitively when something is amiss with the other one. They'll always be a major part of each other's lives." At Timpanogos Academy in Lindon, where Kerri teaches third grade and Kelli teaches fifth, new students often wonder, "'How did she get from one end of the hall to the other so fast?'" says Kelli. "And then when they realize there are two of us, they still mix us up." "They really think alike and are twins in every sense of the world," school principal Errol Porter tells PEOPLE. And now that the sisters are each pregnant with twins again, "the children they're bringing into this world are very lucky to have them as their mothers," he says. "It's an honor to know them and work with them." With Kelli's due date on March 10 and Kerri's on March 24, "There's a chance we might end up in the hospital on the same day," Kelli tells PEOPLE. She pauses and laughs. "But after nine months of pregnancy, it's a safe bet to say that I won't be looking to match Kerri's due date." Follow us on Twitter.
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lifestyle
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Peanut butter may be under assault but the aisle is exploding with alternatives. It branches further afield into all stripes of chocolately butters, helped by what one analyst call the "Nutella factor." WSJ's Anne-Marie discusses on Lunch Break With Tanya Rivero. Photo: Marko Metzinger for The Wall Street Journal; styled by Anne Cardenas
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WASHINGTON The State Department is leaning on former Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton to hand over any additional work-related emails sent or received using private accounts. In a letter made public in a court filing Tuesday, Undersecretary Patrick F. Kennedy asked Clinton's personal lawyer to once again affirm that all federal records in her possession have been provided to the agency. The Associated Press reported Sept. 25 that the Obama administration recently discovered a chain of 2009 emails between Clinton and former Army Gen. David Petraeus that were not included among the 55,000 pages she had handed over. Their existence challenges the Democratic presidential front-runner's claim that she has already provided all of her work emails from her tenure as secretary, which are the subject of several public records lawsuits. Clinton's lawyer, David Kendall, did not immediately respond Tuesday to a message left at his office. Republicans have raised questions about thousands of emails that Clinton says she deleted on grounds that they were private in nature, as well as other undisclosed messages that have recently surfaced from the home-based server she used while at the State Department. Clinton has said publicly that she has turned over all the emails she is required to, but several congressional committees are investigating. The emails Clinton has provided thus far begin on March 18, 2009 almost two months after she entered office. Before then, Clinton has said, she used an old AT&T Blackberry email account, which she says she can no longer access. The Petraeus emails, first discovered by the Defense Department and then passed to the State Department's inspector general, start on Jan. 10, 2009, with Clinton using the older email account. But by Jan. 28 a week after her swearing in they show she had switched to the private email address on her homebrew server. Kennedy urged Kendall to contact "any Internet service and email providers" who might have copies of additional emails not yet provided by Clinton. In a separate letter released Tuesday, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., raised the possibility that many of Clinton's emails, including some of those she withheld as private, may have been inadvertently kept by Datto, a Connecticut-based provider of email back-up devices and cloud storage. Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, wrote that Clinton purchased a Datto system in 2013 to provide on-site backup of her emails in case her home server failed. Though Clinton specifically instructed that copies of her emails not leave the devices under her control, Johnson's letter says his committee's investigation has determined that Datto's system may have automatically sent copies of Clinton's emails to cloud storage controlled by the company as recently as August 2015. Republicans contend that Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary put sensitive government information at risk of being accessed by hackers or foreign intelligence services. FBI Director James Comey confirmed last week that his agency is also looking into the security of Clinton's email setup. ___ This story has been corrected to show the date The Associated Press reported the chain of emails between Clinton and Petraeus was Sept. 25, not Oct. 25.
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The Fantasy Lunch Hour crew highlights the best wide receivers and tight ends that you can snag on the waiver wire going into Week 5.
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US authorities have charged a former United Nations General Assembly president with taking bribes from a Chinese billionaire. New York prosecutors said John Ashe "converted the UN into a platform for profit" as he helped real estate mogul Ng Lap Seng gain government contracts. Mr Ashe is accused of taking $1.3m, spending the cash on luxury goods. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "shocked and deeply troubled" by the allegations. "In return for Rolex watches, a basketball court and bespoke suits, John Ashe sold himself and the global institution he led," said US Federal Attorney Preet Bharara. "United by greed, they converted the UN into a platform for profit." Prosecutors say Mr Ashe used his position as permanent resident to the United Nations for Antigua and Barbuda and General Assembly head to introduce a UN document supporting a multibillion-dollar UN-sponsored conference centre that Mr Ng hoped to build as his legacy in Macau, where he lived. The conference centre was supposed to function as a satellite operation for the world body. The scheme unfolded between 2011 and 2014, including Ashe's tenure as General Assembly head, prosecutors said. Mr Ashe also set up meetings with government officials in Antigua and Kenya to help the real estate developers land big development contracts, Mr Bharara said. He is also said to have evaded tax on the bribe money he received and allowed the businesspeople pay for him and his family to stay at an $850-a-night hotel in New Orleans. Mr Ashe was arrested on Tuesday. Five others including Mr Ng are also being held. They include another diplomat, Francis Lorenzo from the Dominican Republic, and two naturalised US citizens who live in China who allegedly helped facilitate the scheme, who have been charged with offences including bribery of a UN official and conspiracy to launder money. Mr Bharara said the investigation was continuing and more arrests were likely.
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Affordable and Safe: 11 Vehicles that Earned the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ Rating Safety on a shoestring From sports cars to seven-passenger people movers, what are the safest vehicles on the market? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provides a comprehensive rating system that endeavors to give consumers some idea of how well the much-touted safety precautions would fare should the worst happen. When combing through their list of Top Safety Pick+ winners (some of the safest vehicles on the market), we compiled our own touching on some of the most popular segments, but we kept cost in mind. To earn that coveted + distinction, a vehicle must not only earn top marks in crashworthiness (acceptable or good in the small-overlap front category and good in everything else) but must also earn a rating of superior or advanced in front crash prevention. Although it's nice that these vehicles can survive a variety of crashes, it's even better when they can avoid them in the first place. Front crash prevention tests a vehicle's ability to detect and stop in low- (12 mph) and high-speed (25 mph) tests. Take a look here for the entire list of vehicles that earned a TSP+ rating. Smaller Crossovers: Honda CR-V Motor Trend's 2015 SUV of the Year is an excellent two-row crossover. It's the whole package, with great fuel efficiency, a versatile interior, and plenty more. Not all CR-Vs come with the nifty collision mitigation braking system that helped add the + to the rating, so if you're keen on getting the safest example possible, head straight for the Touring trim level. Related Link: Research the Honda CR-V Smaller Crossovers: Honda CR-V A 2015 Honda CR-V with FWD in the Touring trim retails for $32,525 including destination and handling. Honda includes a suite of advanced safety technology as standard equipment on the Touring model, meaning there's no additional cost over the trim level's base cost. How's that front crash prevention? The CR-V will stop on its own from 12 mph, but in the 25-mph test it reduced impact speed by 21 mph, meaning it'd give the car in front of you more than a love tap. Related Link: Research the Honda CR-V Smaller Crossovers: Mitsubishi Outlander Although a face-lifted Mitsubishi Outlander has just been released, the revised model hasn't been tested by the IIHS yet. For $31,145 the 2015 Mitsubishi Outlander rings up for a touch less than the Honda CR-V, but it prices the forward collision system separately with the $6,100 Touring package. The Outlander also gets a nice spread of equipment to go along with its IIHS TSP+ rating. Related Link: Research the Mitsubishi Outlander Smaller Crossovers: Mitsubishi Outlander We've seen a few of the redesigned Outlanders (pictured) running around, so we'd imagine the previous generation with the TSP+ rating and a generous options list would be going for less than invoice as dealerships try to move inventory. Like the CR-V, the Outlander does well when watching your back (or front, as it were) in low-speed situations; the IIHS testing showed that the Mitsubishi avoided a collision in the 12-mph test. At 25 mph, however, the Outlander failed to slow at all. Keep your eyes on the road in the Outlander. Related Link: Research the Mitsubishi Outlander Smaller Crossovers: Subaru Forester It should come as no surprise that the SUV of the Year from 2014 would also make the list. The 2015 Subaru Forester with the EyeSight suite of safety technology is not only the cheapest smaller crossover to earn the TSP+ distinction ($27,240), but it's also one of the safest. R elated Link: Research the Subaru Forester Smaller Crossovers: Subaru Forester In the front collision low- and high-speed tests the Forester was able to stop completely and avoided a collision in both cases. The Subaru Forester Premium with the base 2.5-liter flat-four engine pairs EyeSight with the All-Weather package for $1,295, making it a must-add. Related Link: Research the Subaru Forester People Movers: Honda Pilot Motor Trend's Scott Evans called the Honda Pilot a "walk-off home run." It's good. Really good. There's hardly an area where it doesn't excel, and indeed the IIHS agreed when it awarded the TSP+ rating. If you need to bring the whole family along, the 2016 Honda Pilot EX with Honda Sensing (the key safety technology) is the way to go, and for $34,310, it's only $1,785 more than the smaller CR-V. Told you it was good. Related Link: Research the Honda Pilot People Movers: Honda Pilot The Pilot does well in front crash prevention (it is a TSP+ winner, after all); the Pilot avoided a collision in the low-speed test but only reducing impact speed by 12 mph in the 25 mph high-speed test. Although we'd prefer if it stopped on its own, a 50 percent reduction in speed is certainly better than no reduction. No texting and driving on the freeway. Watch the Pilot get crash-tested! People Movers: Toyota Sienna For those who possess an ego that can handle driving a minivan, the 2015 Toyota Sienna is the absolute safest one on the market. Sure, the Honda Odyssey earned a TSP rating, but only the Toyota earned that coveted TSP+ distinction. That distinction, however, comes at a cost: $48,200. When it's all said and done, the Sienna Limited Premium with the $1,800 Limited Advanced Technology package and required $395 Blizzard Pearl paint, the seven-passenger minivan isn't cheap. For some, the cost of safety is justifiable. Note: The Toyota Sienna SE is pictured. Related Link: Research the Toyota Sienna People Movers: Toyota Sienna The front crash prevention systems (the best on any new minivan by far) verge closer to front crash mitigation systems, as they only reduced the impact speed by 9 mph in the low-speed test and 7 mph in the high-speed test. So don't let the vanload of people distract you. Related Link: Research the Toyota Sienna The Fun Ones: Subaru WRX The 2016 Subaru WRX is a longtime favorite of sporty-driving enthusiasts. The WRX packs lots of power into the compact Impreza chassis and has the enhanced grip afforded by an advanced all-wheel-drive system. The top-trim Subaru WRX Limited with the CVT can be optioned with a $4,095 package that includes a premium stereo, navigation, and the EyeSight suite of safety technology, bringing the total up to $36,485. Related Link: Research the Subaru WRX The Fun Ones: Subaru WRX The CVT, which is required to get the full package of safety tech, is far from disappointing from a performance standpoint. EyeSight is good, though, and aced both of the front crash prevention tests, stopping completely and avoiding a collision from both 12 and 25 mph. The 2016 Subaru WRX is the whole package, safe and fast. Related Link: Research the Subaru WRX The Fun Ones: Volkswagen GTI Starting to recognize a trend here? Motor Trend's 2015 Car of the Year, the Volkswagen Golf, also includes the fun GTI. Step up to the four-door 2016 Volkswagen GTI in SE trim with the DSG automatic transmission and check the Driver Assistance package box (a $1,495 option), and you'll spend a total of $32,040 for the latest and safest iteration of the sporty hatchback. Related Link: Research the Volkswagen GTI The Fun Ones: Volkswagen GTI In the low-speed test the GTI did better, reducing the impact speed by 10 mph and giving the theoretical other car a generous 2-mph love tap. The high-speed 25-mph test, however, yielded dismal results; only 1 mph was scrubbed before the collision. When the driving gets faster, be sure to keep your focus on the task at hand. Related Link: Research the Volkswagen GTI Fuel Efficient: Toyota Prius The Toyota Prius is best known as an efficient hybrid hatchback, but it's also one of the safest cars on the road according to the IIHS. The Prius already is a logical purchase for many, and the IIHS has provided prospective buyers with one more metric to go in the pros column of their spreadsheets: TSP+. The 2015 Toyota Prius Five, the top trim level, rings in for $35,160 with the required $4,320 Advanced Technology package that contains the pre-collision system among a few other niceties. Related Link: Research the Toyota Prius Fuel Efficient: Toyota Prius The performance in the front crash prevention tests leaves a bit to be desired, though, as the system only reduced the Prius' speed by 5 mph and 4 mph in the low- and high-speed test, respectively. Then again, if you're hypermiling the hatchback hybrid like you ought to be, you'll have plenty of time to stop. Related Link: Research the Toyota Prius Fuel Efficient: Lexus CT 200h The Lexus CT 200h is the hybrid for those who want efficiency and the trappings of luxury but don't want the questionable reliability reputation of a German or American automaker. Not only that, but it's also pretty darn good-looking, especially by hybrid standards. Related Link: Research the Lexus CT Fuel Efficient: Lexus CT 200h To get the same configuration that earned the CT 200h the TSP+ you need to add a moonroof, the Luxury package, the Lexus Display Audio package, and the $1,500 pre-collision system. Total price? $38,885. That $1,500 gets you what amounts to a firm tap on the brakes before hitting another car, with reductions of 7 mph in the 12-mph test and 6 mph in the 25-mph test. Related Link: Research the Lexus CT Compact Sedans: Scion iA Sedan Scion's new sedan, the iA, is actually quite the deal. Like the Scions of yesterday, the iA is available in a single nicely equipped trim level that retails for $16,495. That includes the low-speed pre-collision system that helped the little sedan avoid a collision in the low-speed test. Related Link: Research Scion's Latest Models Compact Sedans: Scion iA Sedan The same system, as suggested by its name, did not slow the iA at all in the 25-mph high-speed test. For the cheapest car to earn the IIHS' TSP+ rating, the Scion iA sure doesn't make you feel like you got ripped off. The subcompact iA is a far cry from the penalty-[econo]boxes we grew up driving, and makes a nice first car. Related Link: Research Scion's Latest Models Compact Sedans: Subaru Impreza Sometimes it's worth paying a little bit more. For $25,885 the Subaru Impreza is a decent bit more expensive than the diminutive Scion iA, but that extra $9,390 gets you a serious collision prevention system, Subaru's EyeSight suite of technologies, which allows the Impreza to avoid a collision in both the low- and high-speed tests. Related Link: Research the Subaru Impreza Compact Sedans: Subaru Impreza The bigger Impreza boasts more passenger space but less trunk space than the subcompact. For a system that more thoroughly watches your back on an affordable car, there is no substitute for EyeSight. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook
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Stars Cate Blanchett and Elisabeth Moss, hit red carpet for industry screening of political thriller "Truth". Ed Baran reports.
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Yemen's Prime Minister Khaled Bahah escaped unharmed after a rocket attack Tuesday on the hotel where he was staying in the southern city of Aden, a member of his government said.
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During its hardware event today, Microsoft unveiled its new Surface Pro 4 and showed off it's new Surface Pen, which it claims is the best stylus to date, going up against the Apple Pencil. While it looks very similar to the Surface Pro 3 Pen, the new Surface Pen has been substantially improved over its predecessor. The Surface Pen comes in five different colors and will come with interchangeable pen tips for different styles of writing and drawing. It comes with 1,024 points of pressure and is magnetized so it can be stored right in the top of your Surface Pro 4.
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INCHEON CITY, South Korea U.S. Presidents Cup captain Jay Haas took some heat when he selected Phil Mickelson with one of his two wild-card selections to fill out his squad. None of the dismay, however, came from his team. While charges of nepotism were not brought when he selected his son, Bill, who finished 11th on the points list, Haas was on the receiving end of attacks for taking Mickelson, who has played on every Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team since 1994. Mickelson finished 30th on the points list with the top 10 automatically making the team. Still, Haas went with the five-time major champion and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The pick of Lefty raised eyebrows since he hasn't won since the 2013 British Open, has fallen to No. 24 in the world rankings and has just four top-10s in his last 40 starts worldwide. Haas, the clamoring went, should have selected one of the many players who finished ahead of Mickelson in the points race, including J.B. Holmes, Billy Horschel, Brandt Snedeker and Brooks Koepka. "If anyone deserved the pick, it was Phil Mickelson," Haas said. Haas' decision was cemented after he talked with his assistant captains Davis Love III, Fred Couples and Steve Stricker and many of the charges he will lead, including Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth and Zach Johnson. "He is without question the leader of our team in the team room, and on the golf course," Haas said. "I think the guys trust him 100%. The guys on the team were adamant that Phil is the guy, and I think between the captains and team members, Phil was an overwhelming choice to be a pick. "He is somebody who we all respect and like I said, look up to, and I look for him to be a leader like he has been in the past. I can't wait for Phil to get over there. He's excited, I believe, to join our team." Mickelson said he desperately tried to make the team without needing to be a captain's pick, but his game, which he has said for months is "so close" to going to another level, was sporadic. He would play well in spurts but couldn't sustain quality play over four rounds. "I was extremely nervous (about making the team), because there were so many good players to choose from that could bring a lot to the team," Mickelson said. " ... To have it come from input from so many players and assisting captains wanting me means a lot to me that I couldn't put it into words. It's just a very special honor to be on the team." While his record in the Ryder Cup is 16-19-6 and the U.S. has been victorious just twice in the 10 matches he's played against Europe, Mickelson is 20-16-11 as the Americans have won eight and tied one in the 10 matches he's played in the Presidents Cup. (The only loss came in 1998.) Mickelson, 45, said he'll make a great partner in Fourballs action. "He's a great captain's pick for all the obvious," Johnson said. "He's played in every one of them. He's our team leader inside and out. And having a veteran is never a bad thing, especially a veteran who is a good putter." Spieth, who has seen Mickelson in the team room twice, first in the 2013 Presidents Cup and then the 2014 Ryder Cup, said there's nobody better there than Mickelson. "He's unbelievably positive," Spieth said. "He brings some adrenaline and excitement we don't normally see in people his age (laughter) in these team events. ... His stories, you guys have all heard plenty of them, his stories, his excitement, his positive nature, his ability to come up to you and tell you that he's certain he dreamt, he knows that you're going to win your match today before you even start. "It's great to have that guy who's seen a lot of rough patches in the Ryder Cup. He's seen a couple wins in the Ryder Cup and a lot of wins in the Presidents Cup. He's seen it all as far as these team events go. So you just have that ability to trust him, and we like that." Fowler concurred. "I know he's fired up and wants to bring the best game possible over there and to help win some points," he said. "He brings so much to the table, probably more so off the golf course. I don't question him one bit." Whether it's playing ping pong in the game room, telling stories and patting someone on the back, Mickelson said he'll do whatever Haas asks. "I am in everything I do, I'm very competitive and want us to do well, want us to win, want us to be the best we can be," Mickelson said. "This is the most excited I've been this late in the year because I'm looking forward to being on the team. It's meant a lot to me to be a part of that team, and I want to play well and I want to get some momentum. "Also, it gave me a little bit of a boost, and my game feels like it's been coming around and feels fairly sharp, so we'll see. But I'm more excited to be playing right now than I have at any time at this point in quite a few years."
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8 Things Every Man Must Purge From His Closet Now1000You know you own at least one of these.Esquire
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Newly released photos taken by a NASA spacecraft provide a real-world look at the Red Planet locales where much of the action takes place in the sci-fi epic "The Martian." NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has photographed a plain called Acidalia Planitia and the southwest corner of the 285-mile-wide (460 kilometers) Schiaparelli Crater, the landing sites of the Ares 3 and Ares 4 missions, respectively, in the " The Martian ." "The Martian," which hit theaters across the United States on Friday (Oct. 2), stars Matt Damon as NASA astronaut Mark Watney, who gets stranded on the Red Planet after a powerful dust storm. Watney must use his engineering know-how to stay alive by himself on Mars and get in touch with mission control, which thinks he is dead. The Ares 3 crew consists of Watney and five other astronauts. They touch down in Acidalia Planitia, a vast expanse in the northern mid-latitudes of Mars. "For the story's central character [Watney], Acidalia Planitia is within driving distance from where NASA's Mars Pathfinder, with its Sojourner rover, landed in 1997," NASA officials wrote Monday (Oct. 5) in a description of the newly released image of the area. Semi-spoiler alert: The proximity to Pathfinder is a key plot point in the movie, and in the novel by Andy Weir on which the film is based. The image of Schiaparelli Crater, which lies near the Martian equator, reveals a landscape covered by a layer of dust that's probably at least 3.3 feet (1 meter) deep, NASA officials said. While the future Ares 4 mission in "The Martian" is set to land there, NASA tends to avoid such dusty areas in real life because they exhibit significant temperature swings, and their geological potential is tough to discern (the bedrock is hidden), agency officials added. The newly released Acidalia Planitia and Schiaparelli Crater images were captured by MRO's HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera on May 17, 2015 and July 14, 2015, respectively. You can see more HiRISE photos of "The Martian" locales here: http://www.uahirise.org/martian/ Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+ . Follow us @Spacedotcom , Facebook or Google+ . Originally published on Space.com .
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Google's new Android 6.0 Marshmallow takes some of the best of its arch rival iOS, while Apple's latest takes the best of Android. WSJ's Joanna Stern attempts to broker peace between the two sides. Photo/video: Drew Evans/The Wall Street Journal.
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. The El Faro carried a crew of 28 Americans and five Polish workers when it sank in the Atlantic after losing engine power amid Hurricane Joaquin's 50-foot waves and 140 mph winds. One body has been sighted in the debris area, but the search continues for survivors. Here are some of the people who were on the ship: THE CAPTAIN: Michael Davidson, captain, has been described by colleagues as an experienced leader and calm under pressure. Davidson charted the El Faro's course before Hurricane Joaquin swelled into a Category 4 storm. Davidson radioed that the ship had lost power Thursday before officials say it sank in 15,000 feet of water. Davidson earned a captain's license before he ever went to college at Maine Maritime Academy. "He was a very squared-away sailor, very meticulous with details, very prudent, which is important when you're working on the water," said Nick Mavadones, a friend since childhood and general manager of Casco Bay Lines. "Mike loved the water. He was very high energy. He took working on the water and being a captain very seriously," Mavadones said. His home base remained in Windham, Maine, where his wife lives and where they raised two daughters, both students at the University of Southern Maine. Davidson's brother, Greg Davidson, said the family had no comment. ___ THE CREW: Danielle Randolph from Rockland, Maine, served as 2nd mate. Her mother, Laurie Bobillot, said Randolph was obsessed with the sea. "Since kindergarten, on the first day of school she said 'I don't want to go to school. I love the water,'" Bobillot said. Randolph also attended Maine Maritime Academy. ___ Mike Holland, a 3rd engineer aboard the El Faro, also attended Maine Maritime. His stepfather, Robin Roberts of Jay, Maine, said Holland was proud of his accomplishments at the academy, was a great engineer and always wanted to be a mariner. ___ Mariette Wright, 51, marveled at the things she experienced at sea, like a rogue wave and the Northern Lights, her mother Mary Shevory, said. "She always said, she liked her family, but loved the sea," Shevory said. Wright's title on her LinkedIn page was "able seaman." Shevory, of Massachusetts, said her daughter was brave, and a free spirit. "She's my mariner, my seafarer," Shevory said. ___ Frank Hamm III, a merchant marine on the El Faro, is married and has five children and three grandchildren, said Gordon Outlaw, the uncle of Hamm's wife, Rochelle. Outlaw describes Hamm, who grew up in Baltimore, as a responsible, family-oriented man. He has been all over the world in his job and this was supposed to be a relatively short journey to Puerto Rico. ___ Roosevelt Clark, 38, of Jacksonville was also aboard the El Faro, said Cynthia Hill, his aunt. She said he loved the sea. "That was his job. He loved his job." ___ Crew member Shaun Rivera lived in Jacksonville and was serving as a cook on the El Faro when it disappeared, according to Barry Young, his uncle. Young said his nephew was proud of his career and loved the life at sea, the good pay and quality of life. ___ El Faro crew member Dylan Meklin was also a graduate of Maine Maritime, according to a spokeswoman for the school. ___ Jeffrey Mathias of Kingston, Massachusetts, graduated from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, which confirmed Mathias was aboard the ship. He graduated in 1996 with an engineering degree. ___ Keith Griffin graduated from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in 2005. Griffin was an engineer on the El Faro, according to the school. He came from Winthrop, Massachusetts. ___ Howard Schoenly, who lives in Cape Coral, Florida, worked as a second engineer. His wife, Karen Schoenly, issued a statement published by Newsday and other outlets, saying she and Howard have been together 20 years. "He was the most vibrant, colorful person; so full of life. To imagine such a life is gone is unbearable," she wrote. ___ Contributing to this report: Jason Dearen from Jacksonville, Florida; David Sharp from Portland, Maine; Tony Winton from Jacksonville; Mark Pratt and Bob Salsberg in Boston; Sarah Brumfield in Washington, DC.
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Vice President Joe Biden is a possible contender for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016. Here's where he stands on gun control, the Islamic State, climate change and more.
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The stars joined host James Corden in the over-the-top parody.
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Pro dunker Jordan Kilganon showed off some serious hang time and ridiculous coordination on this impressive slam.
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Demi Lovato is using her media tour to promote more than just her album. She's tackling topics like body image and mental illness.
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There could be a new treatment for vision loss on the horizon, thanks to embryonic stem cells and University of Montreal Professor Gilbert Bernier. The researcher published findings Tuesday in the journal Development that detailed a new method of transplanting photoreceptors in the eyes. The transplantations offer a promising new treatment for a common form of vision loss called age-related macular degeneration (AMRD). AMRD: How It Works AMRD affects more than three million people in the U.S. every year and currently has no cure . It's also the leading cause of vision loss among those 50 and older. The common condition is caused by the degeneration of cells in the macula, a small but critical area of the retina at the back of the eye. The macula houses the retinal pigment ethelium (RPE), a tissue responsible for maintaining and repairing visual cells in the retina, and destroying the cells that are too worn out. Cones, the cells responsible for color visio n, are the photoreceptors affected by AMRD . We're born with a fixed number of cones, and when they're not maintained and repaired as much as they need to be, waste accumulates and forms deposits. This causes gradual vision loss, and is often first noticed as a blurred area near the center of vision. Over time, colors may not appear as brightly as they used to, and blank spots may pop up around a person's central vision. Though ARMD does not lead to complete blindness, the vision loss can interfere with everyday activities and quality of life. A New Approach Bernier's new treatment for ARMD has been a long time coming he has been interested in the genes that code for the retina during embryonic production since completing his PhD in 1997. "I developed the idea that there was a natural molecule that must exist and be capable of forcing embryonic stem cells into becoming cones," he said in a statement . Bernier's analytical approach led him to the idea of a little-known protein called COCO, described as a "recombinational" human molecule that's expressed during the development of photoreceptors. Several years of research allowed him to isolate just how COCO's molecular pathways are involved in photoreceptor development; he discovered that it systematically blocks all pathways that lead to the differentiation of other retinal cells. This discovery that allowed Bernier to begin producing photoreceptors. "Our method has the capacity to differentiate 80 percent of the stem cells into pure cones," Dr. Bernier explained. "Within 45 days, the cones that we allowed to grow toward confluence spontaneously formed organized retinal tissue that was 150 microns thick. This has never been achieved before." To be sure the technique worked, Bernier experimented on mice, injecting clusters of the retinal cells into their eyes. The transplanted photoreceptors worked as they were supposed to, naturally migrating within the retina of their host. "Cone transplant represents a therapeutic solution for retinal pathologies caused by the degeneration of photoreceptor cells," Bernier said. "To date, it has been difficult to obtain great qualities of human cones." This stem cell driven treatment offers a solution to the problem, lending hope that treatments can be developed for currently incurable diseases like ARMD. Bernier acknowledges that the research has a long way to go before human clinical trials occur, but that in theory, the treatment will eventually be able to treat countless patients. Aside from the clinical application, the research could also aid scientists in creating models of human retinal degenerative diseases based directly on a patient's own stem cell tissue. Source: Zhou S, Flamier A, Abdouh M, Tetreault N, Barabino A, Wadwha S, Bernier G. Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells into cone photoreceptors through simultaneous inhibition of BMP, TGFB and Wnt signaling. Development . 2015.
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McDonald's is rolling out all-day breakfast at every restaurant in the country. But can the boost in all-day McMuffin sales help the burger chain's stagnant sales?
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After being missing for two days, Ohio two-year-old Rainn Peterson was foud in the woods by volunteer Victor Sutton. Keri Lumm (@thekerilumm) shares Sutton's emotional 911 call.
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When I tell people that I have narcolepsy, they usually react one of two ways: One: They describe the "stereotypical" person with narcolepsy (PWN) seen in movies or on TV. "Do you keel over and pass out in the middle of speaking or eating?" Um, no. Two: Disbelief. "You don't have narcolepsy. Whatever. I'm tired too." Perhaps I should just "take a day to relax." Unfortunately, I could take a month to relax and I would still not feel completely rested. I will never feel completely rested. Ever. While medication has helped me tremendously, I am positive that for people without narcolepsy, their version of feeling "awake" is still much more satisfying than what I could ever hope to experience. I was officially diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy in 2010. (Cataplexy is an involuntary loss of muscle control that is often triggered by strong emotion 70% of PWN have cataplexy). At the time of my diagnosis, tremendous exhaustion plus the pressures of life as a working single mother pushed me to reach out for help. A local doctor who specializes in sleep disorders was recommended to me, and I enthusiastically scheduled an appointment. At my first appointment, I told the doctor that I had struggled with EDS (excessive daytime sleepiness) since adolescence. Most likely, I developed narcolepsy in my early teens around the same time that I developed another autoimmune disorder, Crohn's disease. In many ways, I was never the same after my first Crohn's flare up. During my high school and college years, I was often exhausted. I frequently found myself out at social events longing for my bed. Mornings were harsh. I would turn on the shower and catnap on the bath mat, wishing that I could go back to bed. In class, I would sit in the front row and participate often to keep myself focused and awake; because of this, my grades were thankfully not affected by my exhaustion. During high school and college, I didn't see my exhaustion as much of an issue; I figured I just liked sleep. And sleeping and napping when I was tired was something I just found time to do. And then I started having children. Being forced to adapt to a baby's sleep patterns was tortuous. The exhaustion I experienced made me physically ache. I was constantly stressed, sleepy, and because the degree of exhaustion was physically painful, I was not especially pleasant to be around either. My husband and I worked well together as parents despite other issues we were having; if I needed a nap, he would watch the baby, and vice versa. But in 2010, he moved out, and there was only me. I was teaching small children during the day, coming home and being Mom, taking care of all of the housework, and then expected to do paperwork at night after my daughter was asleep (which never happened I have no idea when I got anything done that year). At age 33, I finally realized that I needed to seek medical help, 20 years after my first symptoms began. My new doctor immediately scheduled me for a sleep study. It was not the most relaxing night of my life, by far. I don't even remember sleeping, to be honest. After waking, I was asked to take five 20 minute naps, 20 minutes apart. I fell asleep almost every single time. At my follow up appointment, I was formally diagnosed with narcolepsy. For most adults, upon falling asleep, they enter a period of NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. After about 90 minutes of this deep sleep, they then enter REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, where there is heightened brain activity and a person is more likely to dream. In my case, as a PWN, I enter REM sleep right away, thus missing out on vital NREM deep sleep. My doctor also told me that I unconsciously woke up an average of 37 times per hour during my sleep study, where a person without narcolepsy wakes up unconsciously less than 10 times an hour. This certainly explained why I could sleep for 12 hours and still not feel rested upon waking. My diagnosis has given me a tremendous sense of relief. I am now on medication which helps me feel more awake and energetic, and my mood is generally more pleasant as a result. My husband and I reconciled five months after my diagnosis; I have an inkling that my improved mood played a part in that. I have accepted that narcolepsy is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life, yet I feel fortunate that my case is not as debilitating as it can be for some people. I am able to work. I have access to medical care. I have a very understanding, loving husband and two beautiful, healthy daughters. Despite narcolepsy, I am truly blessed.
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The European Court of Justice delivers its ruling on a complaint about privacy on Facebook that has major implications for a data protection agreement between the EU and United States. As David Pollard reports, the ruling came as Facebook users in Africa welcomed news of a satellite launch by the social media group to extend internet provision across the continent.
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The US commander of international forces in Afghanistan has said that a hospital in the northern city of Kunduz was "mistakenly struck" by an American air strike. Gen John Campbell said that the US would never intentionally target a protected medical facility. At least 22 people were killed. He said that it was a US decision to attack the site. But medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres says it was not a mistake. It said statements from the Afghan government implied that the hospital had been deliberately targeted - and amounted to an admission of a war crime. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gen Campbell said that the airstrike was made within the American chain of command. "To be clear, the decision to provide aerial fires was a US decision, made within the US chain of command," he said.
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Discussing risks to U.S. earnings ahead, with David Kostin, Goldman Sachs chief U.S. equity strategist.
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For weeks now, McDonald's (MCD) has plugged all-day breakfast, one of its biggest initiatives in years. Now that it's finally here though, customers are realizing there is a catch. The extended breakfast menu that launched Tuesday offers a limited selection and varies by location. Just half of McDonald's 24 total breakfast items are available as part of the full-day menu. Several items like the Egg White Delight McMuffin or the McGriddles did not make the cut. For example, one Manhattan location is selling just nine breakfast food items, including McMuffins, as part of its limited menu. On social media, some Twitter users expressed disappointment about the limited menu. Only about 20 percent of markets, which are mostly in the Southeast, will serve biscuits all day while about 80 percent of markets will serve McMuffins. This means if you're a biscuit lover on the West Coast with a hankering for a bacon egg and cheese biscuit for dinner, you're likely out of luck. Hash browns also won't be available everywhere though, spokeswoman Lisa McComb notes the "vast majority" or about 90 percent will have them.
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On October 18, visitors will have one last day to view the Eero Saarinen designed terminal before it begins its next life as a hotel complex. The public will get a rare glimpse inside the Eero Saarinen designed TWA Terminal at Kennedy Airport on Sunday, October 18, when it will again be part of the Open House New York weekend. As scores of architectural landmarks open their doors to visitors, there should be even more interest in trekking out to JFK: This may be the last chance to go inside the TWA Flight Center before its transformation into a swanky hotel begins; it won't reopen again until late 2018. In fact, due to the uncertainty over the development plans, the TWA terminal does not appear in the official printed guide for the event, said OHNY executive director Gregory Wessner, who added that he was "thrilled" when he got late word that the building would be back on the program for the fifth time. He added that it's a popular fixture on the OHNY itinerary it drew about 3,000 visitors last year which includes hundreds of points of interest around the five boroughs. OHNY board member Dee Dunn, co-founder of the event's partner app Dsgnfix , said the TWA open house typically draws a throng of aviation enthusiasts and former airline employees in addition to the usual architecture buffs. "Some come dressed in mid-century airline uniforms," she said. "Lots of former TWA employees come and bring their families; some of them are crying. It's really an emotional experience." Built in 1962, the building was last used as a passenger terminal in late 2001, when it was shuttered after the then-bankrupt TWA was sold to American. Despite its prominence, the space couldn't be adapted to the demands of modern air travel and the building has remained mothballed since. Beginning October 6 and through the OHNY Weekend, the app will list all of the sites that are open to the general public, with information about location and visiting times. The terminal will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 pm. that Sunday. More from Condé Nast Traveler: The 2015 Friendliest and Unfriendliest Cities Around the World 100 Top Hotels & Resorts in the World 50 Things to Do in the U.S. Before You Die
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German TV channel ARD has denied broadcasting "anti-Islamic propaganda" after it aired a mocked-up image of Angela Merkel wearing Islamic dress. The image was shown in the background of a segment on refugee quotas in the channel's Report from Berlin programme. The programme has received heavy criticism from viewers, some of whom said the image resembled those used by anti-Islam movement Pegida. ARD said that the graphic was "designed to capture people's attention". "We welcome the many criticisms of the graphic in yesterday's Report from Berlin and we are sorry some disagreed with our portrayal of the chancellor or even misunderstood," the programme said in a statement published on Facebook. The statement said the graphic was intended as satire and reflected "the achievements of our Western society - freedom of expression, press freedom and equality". But viewers took to Facebook to accuse the channel of anti-Islamic propaganda, calling the report "manipulative" and "appalling". "This is not constructive journalism," wrote another. Some defended the report, saying the programme was entitled to freedom of expression and had asked "very reasonable questions". Many viewers compared the image to placards used by the Germany anti-immigrant protest group Pegida - which stands for Patriotic Europeans against the Islamification of the West. The group attracted tens of thousands to protest marches in cities around Germany earlier this year, with some waving placards displaying Ms Merkel, the German chancellor, wearing a headscarf. Pegida's protests have seen a resurgence in numbers recently after infighting led to cancellations and a dip in attendance. On Sunday, several thousand people attended protests in two towns - Plauen and Sebnitz - after a call to action by the group. Writing on Facebook, German journalist and author Jakob Augstein compared the ARD report to the tactics of the far-right National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD). "Don't the colleagues know the anti-Islamic propaganda of the NPD? I don't like the word but I consider it to be a scandal," he said. The ARD controversy comes at a time of heightened tension over immigration in Germany, which has said it is expecting 800,000 refugees and migrants to enter the country this year. But a report leaked to German media suggests officials have put the figure far higher - at about 1.5 million. Ms Merkel has come under growing pressure within the country to clarify official estimates and defend her open-door policy towards refugees.
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BLOOMSBURG, Pa. Three months to the day since she put three balls in the Japanese net in 16 minutes and turned the World Cup final into her own personal highlight reel, Carli Lloyd was on the move again Monday, riding in the back seat of a Lincoln Navigator, another installment in her freshly frenzied life. Departing her Mount Laurel, N.J., townhome at 9:15 a.m., Lloyd covered more than 300 miles in the rolling hills of a north central Pennsylvania, munching almonds and talking about how hard it has been to keep up with everything. "I'm not really a coffee drinker, but coffee has been my best friend these past few months," Lloyd said, smiling. "I've barely had time to brush my teeth." After speaking to some 500 kids in the Millville High School auditorium in an afternoon assembly, Lloyd packed close to 2,000 people in the theater of Bloomsburg University, then got a police escort to Interstate 80, heading west to Lewisburg, where she drew 600 more people, mostly girls in soccer uniforms, to yet another auditorium, thanks to the North Union United Soccer Club. She was greeted by chants of "Car-li, Car-li" and rousing cheers and hearty thanks from local organizers, who appreciated that she had made time for a small-town visit that was front-page news on the local paper. It is all part of Lloyd's post-World Cup world. It is what happens when you score the first hat trick in the annals of the Cup finals, and lead your country to its first Cup title in 16 years, an event watched by more than 30 million TV viewers at its peak. It is also what happens when you've scored the gold-medal-winning goals in the last two Olympics, and then outdo yourself on the biggest soccer stage of all. Carli Lloyd isn't just on a roll. She has morphed into a one-woman tsunami. In back-to-back victory tour games with the U.S. women's national team last month, she scored two more hat tricks against Haiti. Off the field, she recently signed an endorsement deal with VISA, a book contractand has several other major opportunities under discussion, according to Lloyd's agent, Josh Weil, who said inquiries about sponsorships, appearances and speaking engagements have come in by the hundreds. Weil declined to put a dollar value on Lloyd's three-goal barrage against Japan. "There's been a tremendous increase in interest overall," he said. It is pretty heady stuff for an attacking midfielder who has long been overshadowed by such teammates as Abby Wambach, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Sydney Leroux. And the perks show little sign of abating. See Carli Lloyd at the ESPYs, or on stage along with her teammates with Taylor Swift. See Carli Lloyd on HBO's Hard Knocks, or meeting the great Lionel Messi, when Messi visited Houston, where Lloyd plays for the Dash in the National Women's Professional Soccer League (NWPSL). See Lloyd and other top female players and their national teams, in EA's FIFA '16. On Thursday, Lloyd and team visit President Obama and family in the White House. "It's been an incredible journey," Lloyd said, and she talked about it at all three stops on Monday, emphasizing the power of dreaming and believing, and most of all, of hard work. She calls the practice field "my office," and made it clear that what goes on there is what drives everything. "The (World Cup) final wasn't won on July 5, 2015," Lloyd said. "It was won when nobody was watching." Just over 10 years removed from getting cut by the U.S. U-21 team and deciding briefly that it was time to abandon her dream of making the full national team, Lloyd completely embraces, and is driven, by the underdog mentality. She told her listeners that they are almost certain to encounter coaches who may not like their game, or teammates who might seem much more highly regarded. She talked about her own doubts and insecurities about not being good enough, and about the precious gift of honesty she got from the U-21 coach who sent her home, telling her she wasn't fit enough and didn't play hard enough. She left the meeting in tears, she said. And then she went right back to the office. "There's no room for giving up, no matter what happens," Lloyd said. Lloyd met with small groups of youngsters before each engagement, talking soccer and signing posters and shirts. Allison Diehl, 13, a 5-9 sweeper from Millville, looked almost spellbound after her audience with Lloyd. "It's almost surreal having her here," Diehl said. "It's just crazy." Earlier in the Millville presentation, Lloyd took questions at the end of her talk. One of them came from Jack Darrah, a 17-year-old senior, who wore a small hoop earring and a purple tee-shirt. "Would you come to Homecoming with me?" he asked. Lloyd laughed and so did everyone else. "What day is it?" she said. As he departed the auditorium, Darrah explained himself. "I just figured I'd give her the Millville welcome," he said. Later, Lloyd took a stand on gender equity regarding FIFA, the sport's troubled and corruption-ridden governing body, pointing out that Germany, winner of the men's World Cup, took home $30 million, and the U.S. women took home $2 million. Lloyd understands that worldwide sponsorship and TV revenue makes the men's tournament far more lucrative, but still ... "I'm not saying we're as good as the men . . . (but) that's still too big a gap," she said. She spoke optimistically of the future of women's soccer worldwide, especially if more money can be funneled to emergent nations, and also said she was heartened that the NWSL got a major attendance boost after the World Cup. Before the close of her final talk Monday night, someone asked Lloyd about her future. She talked about her marriage next year to her fiancé, a golf pro named Brian Hollins, and said wanted to play five more years, win two more Olympic golds and one more World Cup. "Then I'll be 38. It might be time to try something else," she said. Soon it was time to leave, and Lloyd was back in the Navigator, heading back to south Jersey. She arrived a few minutes before 11 p.m. The plan was to get some sleep, train in the morning, work on the book in the afternoon and head into Philadelphia for a speaking engagement at a women's conference Tuesday night. Carli Lloyd knows it won't always be like this. She was not complaining, at all. "It's been an amazing time," she said.
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We are living in the future as imagined in "Back to the Future Part II." Well, sort of. We're still waiting on those flying cars.
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If you're sick of being bombarded by daily fantasy sports content, we have good news: One major player is pumping the brakes, just a bit. On ESPN's "Outside the Lines," Bob Ley dropped some news into the start of a segment on recent "insider trading" DFS controversy. MORE: Data leak sparks insider trading debate "ESPN today continued running commercials for the two main daily sports fantasy companies, but has removed sponsored elements from within shows," Ley said, before throwing it to the panel for further discussion. ESPN's step back from the onslaught of DFS content in its programs comes on the heels of DraftKings employee Ethan Haskell making headlines for a data breach regarding player ownership percentages during Week 3. The news has sparked renewed concern over regulation in the DFS industry and how the rapidly growing sites are policing themselves. Haskell won big in Week 3 on FanDuel, earning second place in a contest that netted him $350,000. In large pool contests, having information regarding ownership percentages can be a critical leg up on the competition when differentiating your lineup. It should be noted that while ESPN has pulled back from sponsored segments, they're certainly not shy with those ads that Ley mentioned. they may be removing DraftKings from their shows, but their website is still littered with FanDuel ads @sporer pic.twitter.com/i6aeK71TSg Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) October 6, 2015 Ley added that Disney's equity deal with DraftKings had turned into a 2-year, $500 million exclusive ad deal that begins at the start of the new year. Reps from DraftKings, FanDuel and, yes, even ESPN, all declined to participate in the roundtable discussion that followed. Sporting News reached out to ESPN public relations for a statement and further information regarding how DFS will be covered going forward, but has yet to receive a response at the initial time of publishing. Disclosure: SN has its own relationship with daily fantasy sports site FanDuel and regularly creates content around its games.
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Wal-Mart (WMT) on Tuesday announced a series of initiatives to beef up its health and wellness offerings, at a time when low-price competitor Target (TGT) also has the segment in its crosshairs. On Saturday, the world's largest retailer will host what it's dubbed "America's Biggest Health Fair," at which it will provide free glucose, blood pressure and vision screenings at more than 4,400 of its U.S. stores. The retailer will also offer shoppers commonly needed seasonal immunizations, including the flu shot, for a fee. Separately, Wal-Mart announced that it will once again partner with DirectHealth.com, to help customers select and enroll in Medicare and public exchange programs from Oct. 15 through Jan. 31. In the past, Wal-Mart shoppers could only enroll in public exchange programs online and over the phone. And in November, roughly one year after launching its own health clinics, the retailer will open its 18th clinic, in Royse City, Texas. "We will simplify for our customers making access to health care easy and affordable," said Michelle Gloeckler, executive vice president of health and wellness and consumables for Wal-Mart U.S. Gloeckler said Wal-Mart's decision to focus on health care is the result of consumers' desire to lead healthy lifestyles, though she said it should also drive traffic to stores. Pharmacy shoppers tend to be valuable customers, as they often make frequent trips to pick up their prescriptions. The push also comes as competitor Target is making a play in the health and wellness category. Earlier this year, the bull's-eye retailer sold its pharmacy business to CVS Health (CVS) , which analysts said could result in millions of repeat customers. Moody's analyst Charles O'Shea said that while retailers tend to benefit from pharmacy shoppers' "sticky" behavior, it's tough to get someone to switch their prescription to a new place unless they relocate. Traditional pharmacies also have an advantage in terms of the ease with which consumers can pick up their prescriptions. "One of the things that I pay attention to on the pharmacy side is convenience," O'Shea said. "It's just easier with drive-thru pharmacies. There's just such a convenience and comfort factor." On Wal-Mart's most recent earnings call, U.S. chief Greg Foran said a lower-than-expected pharmacy reimbursements dented the company's gross margin. Still, the health and wellness category benefited from growth in prescriptions. Health and wellness accounted for 11 percent of Wal-Mart's U.S. business last year, second to grocery. In addition to health and wellness, Target and Wal-Mart are both working to improve their food and baby businesses .
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Despite some uneven relationships with his previous teams, Rajon Rondo's coaches have always credited him with being a basketball genius. The Sacramento Kings point guard has few peers in the way he sees the floor. And on Monday night in the Kings' first preseason game, coach George Karl leveraged Rondo's smarts to help the Kings secure an overtime victory. After the game, Karl was asked if he was impressed by the way Rondo and others on the bench stayed engaged and cheered on their teammates. In response, the head coach revealed that he let Rondo draw up the team's final play: "Rondo drew up the last play. I let him draw up the last play," Karl told reporters. "He said he had one. I said, 'What do you got?' and he said, 'Elbow,' and I said, 'Got it, go with it.' We don't have that -- that's not in our playbook. I think that's a play they ran for Paul Pierce a few times in Boston." "Elbow" plays generally involve a 3-man game on one side of the court, with the point guard often entering the ball to the power forward at the elbow -- the end point of the free throw line, where the stripe meets the key -- before working to the corner to either set or feign a screen for a wing. And yes, it's a type of play Doc Rivers has been rather fond of over the years, as Karl hinted. Against the Blazers on Monday night, it was Marco Belinelli playing the role of Pierce -- thanks to some innovation from Rondo. (h/t Uproxx ) MORE NEWS: Want stories delivered to you? Sign up for our NBA newsletters.
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Myles Jack, UCLA's star junior linebacker, has reportedly withdrawn from UCLA and will enter the 2016 NFL Draft. Jack, who was a two-way player, was sidelined for the season with a knee injury. Tuesday, it was reported he will apply for early enter in the upcoming NFL Draft. According to Jack Wang from the LA Daily News , UCLA head coach Jim Mora expressed some concern about that decision. Jim Mora, on Myles Jack declaring for NFL draft: "He's taken his chips and he's shoving them into the middle. We hope he draws a good hand." Jack Wang (@thejackwang) October 6, 2015 "Very risky to do this," Mora said. "There's going to be a lot of speculation as to exactly what he is and where he fits." During 19 career collegiate games, Jack recorded 187 tackles, 4 interceptions and 1 sack. He also added 387 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs. (h/t LA Daily News ) MORE NEWS: Want stories delivered to you? Sign up for our College Football newsletters.
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The Fantasy Lunch Hour crew highlights the best QBs that you can snag on the waiver wire going into Week 5.
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The Marlins will re-sign veteran outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, 41, to what is expected to be a one-year deal the team will announce Tuesday afternoon, MLB.com reported, citing an unidentified source. A source has confirmed Ichiro signing for 2016 with #Marlins Ichiro aims to reach 3000 hits in Miami Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) October 6, 2015 MORE: Every team's most beloved player | Yadier Molina's surprisingly weak Hall of Fame case He will enter the 2016 season, his 16th in the U.S. and second in Miami, with 2,935 hits in the majors. Originally signed for $2 million to provide depth in the outfield and as a pinch-hitter in 2015, Suzuki instead saw regular action after an injury to star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton. Suzuki's slash line in 2015 (.229/.282/.279) was far below his career MLB averages (.314/.356/.406) as he chases the 3,000-hit mark. With the 1,278 hits he had in Japan, he has 4,213 at the professional level, second only to Pete Rose 's all-time hits mark of 4,256. A 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, Suzuki arrived in the U.S. in 2001, making an immediate impact with the Mariners as the AL MVP and Rookie of the Year.
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President Obama celebrated the end to negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, Tuesday, during a meeting with business leaders and local government officials. He says the deal, if passed by Congress, would bolster the U.S. economy. (Oct. 6)
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Channing Smith, Capital Advisors, and Daniel Ives, FBR Capital Markets, discuss why Apple's stock is taking it on the chin in spite of record iPhone sales.
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Getting kicked to the curb by your employer can certainly be demoralizing. Getting kicked to the curb by your employer can certainly be demoralizing. But these successful people prove that what may initially feel like failure may just be the launching pad you need for success. From Steve Jobs to Jerry Seinfeld, here are 21 people who turned their termination into an opportunity. Vivian Giang and Alana Horowitz contributed to earlier versions of this article. Thomas Edison secretly conducted experiments in his office at Western Union that got him fired. Until one night in 1867, when he had a chemical accident at the Associated Press bureau news wire, according to " Famous Americans: A Directory of Museums, Historic Sites, and Memorials ." Edison worked the night shift so he could have more time to spend on his inventions and reading. One night when he was experimenting with batteries, Edison spilled some sulfuric acid that ate through the floor and spilled onto his boss' desk below. He was fired the next morning, but decided to pursue inventing full-time and received his first patent two years later for the electric vote recorder, according to Bio . Before heading to Yale, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was fired from her brief stint at a salmon cannery in Valdez, Alaska. The former New York Senator recounted on the "Today" show on Monday that after graduating from Wellesley College, she and some friends worked their way across Alaska washing dishes, and she eventually wound up working in a fishery scooping out salmon guts. "I was given a spoon and some boots and I was told to take out the insides of the salmon," she said . Clinton didn't last long in that role, however, noting that the Japanese workers who were taking out the caviar yelled at her for working too slowly. "So they literally kicked me out of that job," Clinton said. She says they then placed her on the line packing the salmon head to tail. But when she noticed the salmon were "green and black they looked horrible" and a peculiar stench, she questioned the man running the operation about the salmon's quality. "When I left, I came back the next day and the whole operation was gone," Clinton said. "So I think that was the equivalent of getting fired." During a previous inter viw on Letterman in 2007 , Clinton called her stint at the cannery her "favorite summer job of all time," noting its role in her future success: "Best preparation for being in Washington that you can imagine," she said. Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, the company he cofounded. His second act turned out to be bigger and better than the first. When Jobs was in his 30s, the very company he created fired him. "I was out and very publicly out," Jobs said in a 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University. "What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating." Jobs spent the summer of 1985 in a "midlife crisis" trying to decide what he wanted to do, from entering politics to becoming an astronaut, said Alan Deutschman, author of "The Second Coming of Steve Jobs." During his time away from Apple, Jobs cofounded computer company NeXT, which was later acquired by Apple, and launched Pixar Animation Studios. When he returned to Apple nearly a decade later, he brought the innovation of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Walt Disney's newspaper editor told the aspiring cartoonist he wasn't creative enough. In 1919, Disney was fired from one of his first animation jobs at the Kansas City Star newspaper because his editor felt he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas," according to " The Wisdom of Oz ." That wasn't the last of his failures. Disney then acquired Laugh-O-Gram, an animation studio he later drove into bankruptcy. Finally, he decided to set his sights on a more profitable area: Hollywood. He and his brother moved to California and began the Disney Brothers' Studio, eventually creating Mickey Mouse and Disneyland and winning 22 Academy Awards. Carly Fiorina was fired as CEO of Hewlett-Packard. The first female executive of a Fortune 500 company, Fiorina was forced to resign from HP after six years at the helm in 2005 after the controversial decision to buy Compaq in 2002 for $25 billion and subsequent lay off of 15,000 employees at Hewlett-Packard, International Business Times reports . While she's never held elected office, Fiorina announced her candidacy for president in May and currently is a frontrunner in the polls ahead of career politicians like Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio for the Republican nomination. "I was fired in a boardroom brawl. And you know why?" Fiorina told CNN in August . "Because I challenged the status quo. It is what leaders must do. And when you challenge the status quo, when you lead, you make enemies. It's why so few people lead." In the 1980s, Mark Cuban lost his job as a salesman at computer store. That was the last time he worked for someone else. One of Cuban's first jobs out of college was as a PC software salesman. However, he was more interested in cultivating new business than obeying his boss. Cuban wrote in Forbes that, after a few months on the job, he had to opportunity to make a $15,000 sale he just needed a coworker to cover him at the office and to get his boss's approval. After his boss told him not to make the sale, Cuban decided to go through with it anyway, and upon returning to the office with the check was promptly fired. "But being fired from that job was the determining factor in my business life," he wrote. "I decided then and there to start my own company." Shortly after his termination, Cuban started Micro-Solutions and has since earned an estimated $3 billion, according to Forbes . J.K. Rowling spent too much time at work brainstorming story ideas. Rowling worked as a secretary for the London office of Amnesty International, but she dreamed of being a writer. She secretly wrote stories on her work computer and daydreamed about a teenage wizard named Harry Potter. Her employers finally got fed up and gave her the boot, according to " Your Journey from Fired to Hired. " Her severance check helped support her over the next few years, when she finally decided to focus on writing. Today, she's the author of one of the most successful book series of all time . Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his severance check to start his own company. Now he's one of the richest people in the country. Bloomberg was a partner at investment bank Salomon Brothers. In 1998, they were bought out by the company that eventually became Citigroup. Bloomberg was let go , but not before receiving a hefty severance check, he writes in his autobiography, " Bloomberg by Bloomberg ." He used that money to start his own financial services company, originally called Innovative Market Solutions. The company, eventually renamed Bloomberg LP, aimed to make it easier for traders to wade through data and was worth $2 billion by 1989 . Today, the former New York mayor is work an estimated $38.4 billion, according to Forbes . Julia Child was fired from her advertising job for "gross insubordination." In the early 1930s, Child was the advertising manager of home furnishings company W&J Sloane's Los Angeles branch, according to Bio . She was fired for "gross insubordination" a few months after acquiring the position. "I don't wonder," she reportedly wrote on her résumé, according to " Julia Child: A Life ." "One needs a much more detailed knowledge of business ... than I had." Child went on to volunteer as a research assistant for a US intelligence agency during World War II; moved to Paris, where she developed a love for French cooking and attended the Cordon Bleu cooking school; adapted complex French cooking for everyday Americans with her acclaimed cookbook " Mastering the Art of French Cooking "; and become a television icon with her popular cooking shows like "The French Chef" and "Julia Child and Company." Colonel Harland Sanders was fired from dozens of jobs for his temper. According to KFC , Colonel Harland Sanders sold tires in the early 1920s and became the top salesman in Kentucky, but he was fired because of his temper. Times reports he was fired from dozens more jobs before closing his first restaurant and going broke at age 65. He was reportedly fired from two separate railroad jobs , once for insubordination and the other time for fighting a colleague , and as a country lawyer after assaulting his own client . After losing his restaurant, Sanders traveled across the US looking for someone to sell his fried chicken. It wasn't until 1964, when Sanders was 74, that the Colonel had more than six hundred franchised outlets for his chicken and he sold his interest in the company for $2 million to a group of investors, according to Bio . Anna Wintour was fired from her first job as a junior fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. The Vogue editor started her career in New York as a junior fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar. She made waves for her innovative shoots, but editor Tony Mazalla thought they were a little too edgy. She got canned after a mere 9 months . Getting fired was a great learning experience and never held back her style. "I recommend that you all get fired," she told fashion students . Shortly after leaving Harper's, she became a fashion editor at Viva, and in 1988 she was named Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, a job she has held for 27 years. Jerry Seinfeld didn't know he was fired until he showed up for a read-through and his part was missing from the script. In the early 1980s, before his hit show "Seinfeld," the comedian had a small role on the sitcom "Benson," but, according to the New York Times , Seinfeld and the show's producers clashed over the character's direction, and he was fired after only four episodes. Unfortunately, no one bothered to tell Seinfeld he'd been cut, according to " Jerry Seinfeld: Much Ado About Nothing ." Seinfeld showed up for a read-through of the script one day and found there was no copy waiting for him. The assistant director pulled him aside and told him that they had neglected to inform him he was no longer on the show. Seinfeld was humiliated, but he went right back to performing at comedy clubs. After one performance, a talent scout for the "Tonight Show" was in the audience. Seinfeld landed a gig on the show and his career immediately took off. Sallie Krawcheck, often called one of Wall Street's 'most powerful women,' was fired from Bank of America in 2011. Two years after hiring Krawcheck from Citi, Bank of America fired its former president of the Global Wealth & Investment Management division, Forbes reports . The decision came from Bank of America's struggle in reorganizing its C-level execs after merging with Merrill Lynch. "I got grateful when I got fired," Krawcheck said at the Third Metric conference in June 2013. "I said, 'How many people get to get fired, and it's on the front page of The Wall Street Journal?'" "If you asked me when it happened if I got fired from Citi because I'm a woman, I would have told you absolutely not," Krawcheck later told Fast Company . "But now I'd say, not exactly." "I was invited to leave because I had a fundamentally different business perspective than the powers that be," she said. In 2013, Krawcheck acquired women's networking group 85 Broads , which has more than 30,000 members in 130 countries, and renamed it Ellevate Network . The New Yorker gave Truman Capote the boot after he insulted poet Robert Frost. Capote dropped out of high school to become a copy boy for the New Yorker, according to "Capote: A Biography ." His lifelong dream had been to be published in the prestigious magazine. Two years later, Capote attended a reading by famed poet Robert Frost. Sick with a cold, Capote left in the middle of the meeting. Frost was deeply insulted, and knowing where Capote worked, he demanded that the magazine fire the boy. Getting fired didn't hurt his career. He began to submit short stories to magazines like Harper's Bazaar and Mademoiselle. A few years later, he published his first novel. Robert Redford was a lazy, sloppy manual worker. Turns out, his talents belonged elsewhere. As a teenager, Redford worked in the shipping yard at the Standard Oil refinery in El Segundo driving a forklift and cleaning tanks. According to " Fired Up! " when a supervisor found him asleep in an oil tank, instead of firing him, they moved him to the bottle-washing department in the chemical building. But when he smashed a load of glass bottles, he was terminated. Redford was fired from a number of other odd jobs after that. "I got fired from the jobs I should have been fired from," he said . "I took those jobs to earn money. The lesson I learned was that I wasn't meant to do any of those things. I was never meant to be in the labor market." It wasn't until Redford moved to New York to pursue acting that he found his career path. A Baltimore TV producer told Oprah Winfrey she was "unfit for television news." According to " Become Your #1 Fan ," Winfrey was fired from her evening news reporter gig with Baltimore's WJZ-TV because she got too emotionally invested in her stories. A Baltimore TV producer reportedly told her she was "unfit for television news." As a consolation, though, he offered her a role on a daytime TV show, "People Are Talking." The show became a hit, and Winfrey stayed for eight years, according to Bio . Winfrey eventually became the host of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which aired for 25 seasons. She's currently worth an estimated $3 billion, according to Forbes . Before being named NFL Coach of the Year, Bill Belichick was kicked to the curb by the Cleveland Browns. Since joining the New England Patriots in 2000, the head coach has led the team to six Super Bowl appearances and four wins. But in 1995, Belichick was fired from his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns by team owner Art Modell. Belichick was named NFL Coach of the Year for 2003, 2007, and 2010 seasons and is the NFL's longest-tenured active head coach. He is widely considered one of the best coaches in history, according to Bio . Madonna lost her job at Dunkin' Donuts for squirting jelly filling all over customers. According to " Madonna " biographer Andrew Morton, when the artist dropped out of college and moved to New York to find fame, she had a rough start. Strapped for cash, she took a job at Dunkin' Donuts in Times Square. She didn't even last a day. After squirting jelly filling all over a customer, her managers gave her the boot. The Material Girl went through several fast food and waitressing jobs before she was introduced to the city's punk rock music scene in 1979. Ford didn't want Lee Iacocca, so he brought his ideas to Chrysler. Iaccoca rose to the top of the Ford Motor Company, but he clashed with Henry Ford Jr., the company's then-CEO and chairman, according to " Iacocca: An Autobiography ." After a string of unused and bad ideas (including the Ford Pinto), Iacocca was let go. Iacocca was soon courted by Chrysler, which was in danger of going out of business. He took out a huge loan from the government and used it to revive the company. He brought several of his ignored ideas by Ford over to Chrysler, like the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager. He remained CEO of Chrysler until 1992 and is credited with helping the company achieve record profits, according to Bio . Right before they started Home Depot, cofounders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank were fired from their jobs. Marcus and Blank were working for Southern Californian home-center chain, Handy Dan, when a corporate raider fired both of them, Entrepreneur reports . The two men decided to start their own home-improvement store based on an idea they'd had while at Handy Dan: an entire store of discounts. They called it Home Depot. In less than a decade, they'd opened more than 100 stores and made over $2.7 billion in sales . Handy Dan shut down in 1989.
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finance
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Houston tween suffers from strange condition
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health
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After weeks of leaks, Microsoft is officially unveiling the Lumia 950 today. It has been 18 months since the last flagship Windows phone was announced, and the new Lumia 950 is here to help launch Windows 10 Mobile. Microsoft has opted for a 5.2-inch WQHD (1440 x 2560) OLED display on the Lumia 950, coupled with 3GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 808 processor. That makes it one of the more powerful Windows phones we've seen to date, and the first to make use of Qualcomm's latest processors. And it has liquid cooling. Seriously. Like previous high-end Lumia devices, Microsoft is focusing on the camera capabilities with the Lumia 950. A 20-megapixel PureView camera will serve as the primary camera, while a wide-angle 5-megapixel front-facing camera is available at the front. That will be useful for selfies, but Microsoft has also added an infrared camera to let Lumia 950 owners log into their phones with just their face. Microsoft is using the new Windows Hello feature of Windows 10 Mobile to bring face authentication to life. While we've seen similar features on Android devices, this is the first time a Windows phone has included this feature. Microsoft's mobile focus has shifted recently, and it's clear this particular handset was devised ahead of any decisions on the fate of Nokia's phone business within the company. The Lumia 950 looks a lot like Microsoft's previous range of Lumias, and doesn't really stand out as a unique or flagship Windows phone that you might expect to go head-to-head with the latest iPhone and Samsung offerings.
| 3 | 90,795 |
finance
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Prince William and Prince Harry are usually addressed as 'Your Royal Highnesses' during official engagements, but the brothers were given an unusual joint nickname 'Sausage' during their visit to the set of BBC network home improvement show DIY SOS in September . The show's host Nick Knowles told HELLO! that the down-to-earth brothers asked to be called by their first names during their day on the site. "I'd been told I should address them as Your Royal Highnesses, which I did as I welcomed them," Nick recalled. "Then I said: 'How should we do it from here?' and they told me: 'Just Wills and Harry will do.'" An electrician on the DIY SOS called Prince William and Prince Harry "Your Royal Sausage" But one member of the team broke protocol by addressing them with another name entirely. "Billy, our electrician, calls everyone on site 'Sausage', so he tried: 'Your Royal Sausage.' Harry said to him: 'Listen, if you're going to call me Sausage, it's going to be a very long day!'" In their own version of the Property Brothers, William and Harry joined forces to turn derelict houses in Manchester into homes for ex-service personnel on September 23. They joined the DIY SOS team for the final stages of The Big Build: Veteran's Special project, which renovates eight buildings, streetscape an entire street and rejuvenate the façades of 62 houses. William and Harry joined Nick Knowles on the set in September During the visit the Princes helped put the finishing touches to the houses alongside ex-servicemen and women, who are developing skills in a new trade. Both William and Harry have been busy in the public eye lately, including joining Kate Middleton at the Rugby World Cup . Prince Harry, who recently returned from a three-month trip to Africa, was spotted at the rugby competition with Kate's mom and dad , and this week also made quite a funny impression at the WellChild Awards in London.
| 6 | 90,796 |
entertainment
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Leonard Fournette, LSU: The sophomore running back had 233 yards in a win against Eastern Michigan in Week 5. Trevone Boykin, TCU: The senior quarterback threw for 332 yards and five TDs in a Week 5 win against Texas. Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State: The junior running back rushed for a career-high 274 yards in a Week 5 win against Indiana. Jared Goff, California: The junior quarterback threw for 390 yards in a Week 5 win against Washington State. Nick Chubb, Georgia: The sophomore running back had 146 yards in a Week 5 loss to Alabama. Josh Doctson, TCU: The senior 129 receiving yards in a Week 5 win against Texas. Derrick Henry, Alabama: The junior running back had 148 yards in a Week 5 win against Georgia. Shock Linwood, Baylor: The junior running back had 221 rushing yards in a Week 5 win against Texas Tech. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma: The junior quarterback threw for 320 yards in a Week 5 win against West Virginia. Seth Russell, Baylor: The junior quarterback threw for 286 yards and four TDs in a Week 5 win against Texas Tech.
| 1 | 90,797 |
sports
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Israeli forces demolish the homes of two Palestinian militants, raid home in the West Bank in a crackdown launched by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to curb further violence. Gavino Garay reports.
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news
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We rank the teams based SOLELY on Week 4 performance -- so keep that in mind, Patriots fans!
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sports
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