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During the course of adding a child into their lives, there is always a time in which new parents think, "Well, why didn't anyone warn me about this?" Sure, we get oodles of really important information from all those parenting books that we study up on prekids, but some of the most crucial lessons I've learned about raising children have come from experience in the field. So ditch the baby instruction manuals and check out some of the need-to-know rules that you probably won't get from any parenting books. During the course of adding a child into their lives, there is always a time in which new parents think, "Well, why didn't anyone warn me about this?" Sure, we get oodles of really important information from all those parenting books that we study up on prekids, but some of the most crucial lessons I've learned about raising children have come from experience in the field. So ditch the baby instruction manuals and check out some of the need-to-know rules that you probably won't get from any parenting books. Follow us on Pinterest. If a milk-filled sippy cup is lost, drop everything and find it. Follow us on Pinterest. Never, ever leave a sharpie unattended. Follow us on Pinterest. Always assume it's poop. Follow us on Pinterest. If it's annoying at the store, it will be even more so at home. Follow us on Pinterest. Never serve rice (or shredded cheese or crackers) if you've just vacuumed the floor. Follow us on Pinterest. If he loves a certain food today, the same may not hold true for tomorrow. Follow us on Pinterest. The moment one child smiles is always the same moment another one blinks. Follow us on Pinterest. Locking the door is much easier than explaining what Mommy and Daddy are doing behind it. Follow us on Pinterest. Put folded laundry away immediately - it's easier than refolding it. Follow us on Pinterest. The later you go to bed at night, the earlier your child will wake up in the morning. Always carry lollipops. Don't expect your child to take you seriously when you say, "Just this once." Always kiss a boo-boo (even if there is no mark). Never leave scissors accessible. The moment you've realized your child has been quiet is a moment too late. "The Clean-Up Song" only works with one percent of children. Traveling spouses and sick tots go hand in hand. When your child says he "feels sick," you have 1.6 seconds to jump to action. The day you leave without any extra diapers is the day you will need them the most. If you say something bad about someone, your toddler will find an opportunity to tell that person. When it comes to your children, googling "it" never helps. Your child's nasty cold will magically cure itself as soon as he steps into the doc's office. Always pretend to eat the play food your child hands you. As far as birthdays are concerned, there must always be cake. Just because she refuses to try going potty doesn't mean she doesn't have to go. More Cheerios will end up on the floor than in their bellies. The later you are for something, the slower your kids will move. The pricier the purchase, the greater likelihood it will get lost. Never wear white after having children. If you need to run to the store really quick, don't bring your child. Spend more for fun shapes - they taste better. Bunk beds are great in theory and bad in reality. "Five more minutes" means anything but five more minutes. The minute you figure parenting out, everything changes.
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CHICAGO (AP) -- A cable TV ad salesman by day, Matt Smerge had hoped to join in the Chicago Cubs' smashing success this year -- the 19th selling his own, low-budget baseball magazine for $2 a copy right outside Wrigley Field. Nearly all the profits, he says, go into a college fund for his teenage son. But just as the Cubs won the right to go deeper into the playoffs -- boosting hopes for a first World Series victory in 107 years -- a judge ruled Smerge can no longer sell "Chicago Baseball" on the public sidewalk by the stadium. He was ordered to move across the street to a less traveled and, Smerge says, less profitable location. The dispute stems from a lawsuit Smerge filed against the city after a police officer ticketed him during the April home opener. It pits the one-man publisher against the city and Cubs, raising issues about free-speech rights and sports franchises' attempts to enhance their own profits. There are several Chicago ordinances city lawyers say should apply to Smerge, including ones restricting peddlers like him on the public sidewalk next to Wrigley Field because the pedestrian congestion they contribute to as 40,000 fans arrive and leave is a safety hazard. But the 41-year-old Smerge, whose magazine often contains criticism of Cubs management, argues he shouldn't be subject to ordinances designed for peanut or T-shirt vendors because his publication is subject to First Amendment protections. The team's billionaire owners, Smerge and his lawyer contend, have been pushing the city to enforce the ordinances to ensure the Cubs get exclusive access to fans' money not only in Wrigley Field but also in surrounding public spaces. "They have their kingdom and they want to protect it against a maverick seller trying to express his views on a public sidewalk," Smerge said. His attorney, Mark Weinberg, added: "The Cubs are essentially building a moat around Wrigley Field," because sports teams can reap millions of dollars in revenue by thwarting small-time vendors. The Cubs aren't named as a defendant in Smerge's lawsuit and team spokesman Julian Green declined to comment Friday. The Cubs-owning Ricketts family, however, has called previously for better enforcement of peddling ordinances. The setting of 101-year-old Wrigley Field poses unique challenges. It's on a three-acre plot hemmed in by bustling city sidewalks that the public has well-established rights to use. Newer stadiums nationwide often sit on 30-acre plots surrounded entirely by private property, which is unambiguously off limits to peddlers without team permission. U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso sided with the city last Monday -- two days before the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Wild Card game, ensuring a Division Series matchup against their longtime rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. Alonso said the city's safety concerns were legitimate and he saw no effort to stifle Smerge's free speech. Weinberg said he'll ask an appeals court Monday for an emergency ruling allowing Smerge to sell his magazines at least through the playoffs; the first game at Wrigley is Monday. On regular-season home game days, Smerge sold around 1,000 magazines, generating $2,000 at the prime sidewalk location; he'd expected profits to boom during the playoffs. Smerge, who remains a die-hard Cubs fans, said he's prepared to take the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. If he doesn't prevail, he may consider shutting down the magazine. But he'd rather ride along with the rising fortunes of the Cubs, long the lovable losers of baseball. "The Cubs are entering a golden age," he said. "We'd love to keep the magazine going ... with what should be a lot of playoffs and, eventually, that World Series."
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PASADENA, Calif. (AP) -- Paul Aguilar scored Mexico's second goal of extra time on a stunning volley in the 118th minute, and Mexico earned a berth in the 2017 Confederations Cup with a 3-2 victory over the United States on Saturday night Aguilar rocketed his shot past Brad Guzan after Raul Jimenez passed the ball over his head and into the penalty area, putting a thrilling finish on the latest chapter of this rivalry at the sold-out Rose Bowl. Oribe Peralta scored a tiebreaking goal in the sixth minute of extra time for Mexico. Bobby Wood evened it in the 18th minute of extra time for the Americans, who lost to Mexico for the first time in seven games under coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Javier Hernandez scored an early goal as Mexico beat the U.S. for the first time since the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup final. Cheered by a huge crowd of supporters, El Tri won the one-game playoff between the last two Gold Cup winners to earn CONCACAF's berth in the eight-team Confederations Cup tournament in Russia, a prelude to the 2018 World Cup. Geoff Cameron scored in the 15th minute for the U.S. Saturday was a double downer for the United States: A few hours earlier, the under-23 team lost 2-0 to Honduras, putting the American men in danger of failing to qualify for its second straight Olympics. A crowd of 93,723 created a crackling atmosphere under the lights at the 93-year-old stadium. It was the second-largest attendance to watch the U.S. team at home, barely surpassed by the 1994 Rose Bowl turnout for a World Cup game against Romania. Both teams appeared to be exhausted heading into extra time on a hot night in Southern California, but they were just getting started. Peralta slipped into the middle and banged a loose ball between Cameron's legs early in extra time, but the U.S., backed up by Mexico for much of the night, struck back with surprising precision. Substitute DeAndre Yedlin dribbled easily to the top of the penalty area and slid a pass to a crossing Wood, who buried an 8-yard shot with his right foot. Wood is building a remarkable history of dramatic late goals after winning friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands in June. But after Jimenez chipped the ball back against the run of play, Aguilar put a vicious volley past Brad Guzan and then celebrated by throwing himself into the signage boards lining the field. Mexico's vociferous Southern California fan base turned out impressively in Pasadena, filling the Rose Bowl's parking lots and stands with tricolor flags and raucous cheers on an unseasonably hot day. Mexico had a sizable fan advantage in the crowd, yet it was significantly more bipartisan than in the teams' last meeting at the venerable stadium four years ago. Mexico beat the U.S. 4-2 in the 2011 Gold Cup final that day, a loss that led to coach Bob Bradley's departure and Klinsmann's arrival. Landon Donovan was among the U.S. observers who considered this game to be a referendum on Klinsmann's four-year tenure. His team has endured an unsettling summer with its semifinal loss to Jamaica in the Gold Cup and two friendly losses, and Mexico controlled play before getting the late result. Mexico started with an impressive pace, and Peralta capitalized with a run through the U.S. back line to feed Hernandez for a low shot in the 10th minute. The goal was Chicharito's 42nd for Mexico, the second-most in team history, yet his first against the U.S. The Americans answered just five minutes later. Cameron burst between Peralta and captain Rafael Marquez to head home Michael Bradley's free kick for the defender's second international goal. Both teams slowed down late in the warm conditions, and Mexico steadily controlled possession. The U.S. got a bit of luck late as well: Defender Matt Besler appeared to get away with an uncalled handball in the box in the waning minutes. The U.S. and Mexico played overtime for just the second time in the rivalry's 65-game history. Mexico won 1-0 in a Confederations Cup semifinal at Azteca Stadium in 1999. Interim manager Ricardo Ferretti had a triumphant finish to his brief stint as the interim manager for Mexico, which fired Miguel Herrera in late July after an altercation with a reporter following the Gold Cup victory. Earlier Saturday, the Mexican Football Federation confirmed that Colombia's Juan Carlos Osorio has been hired as its new head coach.
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) -- Reggie Ragland and Alabama's swarming defense delivered crushing hits and big plays. Eventually, the offense struck, too. Calvin Ridley caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from Jake Coker late in the third quarter and No. 8 Alabama rode the defense to a 27-14 win over Arkansas on Saturday night after trailing at halftime. "This is when you find out who you are and how bad you want to do what you want to do," Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said. "The guys came out and responded really well in the second half. The big play from Jake to Calvin was a momentum changer in the game. "From that time on we dominated pretty well until they hit the scramble pass at the end." BOX SCORE: ALABAMA 27, ARKANSAS 14 Stymied by early mistakes, the Tide (5-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) scored 24 points over the final 17 minutes after trailing at halftime. The Razorbacks (2-4, 1-2) couldn't do more than flirt with the upset despite two interceptions and a pair of missed Alabama field goals. The Tide held Alex Collins to 26 rushing yards and added three sacks and an interception. "They're a strong, physical team and any time you've got to do that against a team like that, you've got to be grown men and physical," said Ragland, Alabama's hard-hitting linebacker. "My team did that." Coker was twice intercepted on deep balls in the first half but finished 24 of 33 for 262 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Derrick Henry ran for 95 yards on 27 carries and set an Alabama record late with a touchdown in his 11th consecutive game. The Razorbacks had allowed just 15 fourth-quarter points in their first five games. Ragland had a sack, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble to go with eight tackles. "Offensively, the story of the day was we just couldn't do anything with any consistency," Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said. "Couldn't run it, couldn't throw it, couldn't convert the third downs the way we needed to and that ended up forcing the hand on a couple of other issues." Alabama's defense had a little swagger during and after the game. "We are the best defense in the country, hands down," said safety Eddie Jackson. Alabama has won nine straight games against the Razorbacks and six in a row at home. This one didn't come without nearly three quarters' worth of anxious moments. Alabama's offense -- and Bryant-Denny Stadium -- finally came to life with one bomb dialed in by Lane Kiffin. That started a 17-point flurry over a 6-minute, 32-second span for an offense that had been repeatedly turned away shy of the end zone. Coker hit a wide-open Ridley, yards behind the nearest defender, with 1:39 left in the third quarter. The freshman receiver had caught two long passes a week ago against Georgia in a breakout performance and topped that. He had 140 yards on nine catches. Then Bielema tried to keep his offense on the field with a fake punt from their own territory. Alabama stopped it well short, and scored again. "A big play in the game was stopping their little fake punt thing, which we knew they had," Saban said. "We told them to watch out for it." Alabama got a third-down defensive holding call and a 15-yard scramble from Coker. Then Coker hit Richard Mullaney for a 3-yard touchdown on a play-action pass for a 17-7 lead. Jackson picked off Brandon Allen and returned it 20 yards to set up Henry's record-setting score. Allen added a long touchdown pass to Dominique Reed to improve his numbers to 176 yards on 15 of 32 passing. The Razorbacks gained just 44 yards on the ground after racking up 275 in a win over Tennessee behind Collins' third straight effort of 150-plus yards. The win set up a Tide road showdown with No. 9 Texas A&M, which had an open date to prepare. The Razorbacks didn't see the same dominating all-around effort Alabama produced in a romp at No. 19 Georgia but the Ragland-led defense held up its end.
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Washington State stunned Oregon in double overtime, their first win over the Ducks in Eugene in more than a decade. After the game, the Wazzu Twitter account trolled Oregon in incredible fashion, using a meme from the famous computer game Oregon Trail. Remember, Oregon wore Lewis and Clark, Oregon Trail-themed uniforms in tonight's game . #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/X4txXBLoqd WSU Cougars (@WSUCougars) October 11, 2015 Wow. I don't know if anything on Twitter is topping that tonight. Incredible.
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When LSU's Leonard Fournette said auctioning off his jersey for charity would be an NCAA violation, the Internet erupted. Fortunately, he was wrong.
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SN's Dirty Dozen: 12 players you want on your sideline Did you see what that guy just did? A handful of college football players have impressed with their physical dominance and their outright toughness through the first half of the season. Some have put up big stats. Some have helped others put up big stats. MORE: Saturday scoreboard | Week 6 photos | Cheerleaders Sporting News selected a dozen players (non-quarterbacks) who have been worth watching just a touch more than everybody else. Here's a look at our Dirty Dozen. 1 WR Corey Coleman, Baylor It's amazing to see the 13 receiving TDs in five games. He caught a pair of 11-yard TD receptions against Kansas, and the deep-threat receiver now averages 21.8 yards per catch. MORE: What we learned about the Bears 2 DE Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State The Oklahoma State defensive end has taken the next step as a game-wrecker. He entered Saturday's game against West Virgnia with 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The redshirt junior might be the key to the Cowboys' Big 12 championship hopes. 3 OLB Steven Taylor, Houston The Cougars' offense is getting a ton of attention, but Taylor remains a force off the edge. He's totaled eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss, and he's totaled 41 tackles. Taylor is always around the football. 4 RB Dalvin Cook, FSU Yeah, about that hamstring … Cook continues to power Florida State's run toward another ACC championship. He started Saturday with a 72-yard touchdown run against Miami. Cook is a tough runner who can put the Seminoles on his back. MORE: When it comes to offense, these teams have it 5 CB Jourdan Lewis, Michigan You could pick just anybody off this unit right now. Jabrill Peppers' impact on the defense is obvious, but Lewis has stepped up at cornerback since returning from a concussion suffered in Week 2. Lewis' pick six helped close out Northwestern in a 38-0 win Saturday, and he leads the Wolverines with eight pass breakups. 6 WR Josh Doctson, TCU Doctson showed out with eight catches for 155 yards and two TDs in a comeback win against Kansas State on Saturday. Through half a season, he has 50 catches for 877 yards and 10 TDs. Is there a better receiver with the ball in the air? MORE: Doctson was a pretty good basketball player too 7 OLB Joe Schobert, Wisconsin Schobert continues to be among the nation's leaders in sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (13.5), and he helped the Badgers score a key Big Ten West victory against Nebraska on Saturday. 8 DE Carl Nassib, Penn State Nassib moved his sack total to 10 with two more in a win against Penn State. He's emerged as a big-time weak-side defensive end, and that's put the Nittany Lions back in the mix in the Big Ten East heading into a showdown against Ohio State. 9 LB Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State McMillan averages more than 10 tackles per game for the Buckeyes, and he's living up to the five-star billing. The next step is joining that All-American tradition at the position for Ohio State. MORE: What we learned about the Buckeyes 10 DE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M He could be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in a few seasons. The sophomore already has 7.5 sacks, and he has at least seven tackles in three different games. He's a nasty player and a centerpiece in the Aggies' hopes to win the SEC West. 11 S Jeremy Cash, Duke Cash elected to stay in school, and that decision hasn't hurt his NFL Draft stock one bit. He does a little bit of everything for the Blue Devils. By that we mean 46 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. He also leads Duke with seven quarterback hurries. 12 RB Leonard Fournette, LSU He's the captain of this squad. Fournette added another 20 carries for 158 yards and a TD against South Carolina, increasing his five-game total to 1,022 yards and 12 TDs. There isn't a more explosive more in college football. There hasn't been a running back this fun to watch since ...
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7 Ways to fight marriage fatigue I often joke with my husband that our marriage is aging faster than a fine wine. No, we haven't been married for very long just five years, in fact. However, we both work at home together full time, which means we see each other about 40 more hours a week than most couples do. The thing is, I really like my husband. We were best friends in high school, and I was immediately drawn to him, not only physically, but because of how easily he made me laugh. So, we have fun. We've also had a few kids, which means we've settled into the harsh reality of real adult life. We're not cracking jokes in the back of chemistry class anymore. We're working together under the same roof every day, balancing our jobs with wiping toddlers. I love my perfect little family as much as anyone else, but it can really start to wear on you. Sexy ways to spice up your relationship that are totally realistic Here's a completely un-sexy little factoid that might surprise you: As detailed in both Slate and The New York Times, it's women, not men, who are quicker to experience bedroom boredom in a monogamous relationship. This doesn't necessarily mean that monotonous monogamy will lead ladies to cheat, but it does mean women are more likely to avoid sex in a relationship when things get predictable. A 2012 Good in Bed survey explored the phenomenon of bedroom boredom even further. Survey results indicated that commonplace boredom in committed relationships was caused by cohabitating in 15.6 percent of cases, having kids in 32.2 percent of cases and getting older in 38.5 percent of cases. There's no law that says you have to enter a committed relationship if you don't want to you can keep sex random and exciting as long as it works for you but if and when you decide to swim in monogamous waters, you may find yourself in the same boat as so many other couples in the U.S.: bored in bed. There are plenty of ways to approach this dilemma, but one of the quickest and most effective fixes is to challenge the monotony. If you find yourself dreading intimate time with your partner because it's become another chore to check off your list, here are a few proven ways to turn "on" your relationship: Act like a tourist If the thought of yet another Friday night dinner and a movie makes you want to claw your eyes out, I have just thing to pull you back from the edge. Bring back that element of surprise from the beginning of your relationship by pretending like you're a tourist in your own city, says Robyn D'Angelo, LMFT, " The Happy Couple Expert " in Southern California. She advises her clients to, "Take selfies at each point of interest. Learn about where you live, daydream about new places you could live or open a restaurant and make memories in your very own backyard. When you get home, put a photo collage together virtually or head on down to your very own 1-hr photo and actually print out some pics. Do you remember those ancient things paper photos?" Dig in his closet Depending on what you're into, cross-dressing can be hot in and of itself, but April Masini of AskApril.com says there's another big benefit to borrowing your spouse's clothes: Men are visual creatures. Even something as subtle as wearing your partner's clothes could translate into a treat for the eyes. Masini explains, "He will love it if you take one of his shirts from his closet and wear it to work or around the house with blue jeans on the weekend." She adds, "Wear a very sexy bra underneath." Do your own thing It may seem counterintuitive to hear that spending less time together can actually strengthen a relationship (and especially its sexual chemistry), but you can't discount the fact that absence makes the heart grow fonder. And there's nothing hotter than a woman (or a man) who has their own interests, friends and passions. "Want to have new things to chat about after a long day of work or juggling the kids? Keep your partner interested in you by staying interesting," says D'Angelo. "Go do something that you've always wanted to do but just didn't have the courage or make time to on your own. Then, talk to your mate about it. Fill them in I bet they'd be surprised and stoked on you all over again. It's fun when you see your spouse doing new and exciting things that pump them up. Do something competitive I know this one all too well once you add milestones like marriage and kids to a relationship, it's easy to become complacent because, well, you're just tired. Sarah Hosseini of Missguided Mama , a married mother of two, can identify with this depressingly familiar outcome. She tells SheKnows, "I have found that doing activities [together] that are novelties help spice up a marriage. Competitive sports also help. You can feel closer experiencing something new. And you can talk about it later. Participating in a competitive sport gets you both going and helps anticipation under the sheets. You should see my husband when I kick a soccer ball. Gets him goin' every time." Plan a surprise If we're honest with ourselves, we can admit that the one thing missing from our long-term relationship is the spontaneity of those early dating days. The good news is that love isn't dead. The bad news is that it's going to take more than mouth-to-mouth to revive it. When "stagnant" is the best word to describe your union, in and out of bed, Masini advises, "Throw him a surprise party even if it's not his birthday. After all, if you really want to surprise him, take him off guard. It can be a surprise party just because it's Saturday night, and you have olives, gin and vermouth! Martinis for everyone!" Play hooky Let's be real for most extra-tired parents of young children like myself, date nights past 7 p.m. just aren't going to happen. That's exactly why you need to insert this brand-new, magical word into your parenting vocabulary: daycation. A daycation is as lovely as it sounds: Drop the kids off at school, take the day off work, go to brunch and enjoy each other's company, says Danielle Faust , a life and wellness coach for busy women. "Doing day dates and daycations lets couples recharge and enjoy each other without the added stress of needing a sitter or having to get together at the end of a long day when you'll be tired and more inclined to postpone," Faust explains. Take a break Blame it on Adam and Eve, but that forbidden fruit tastes so much sweeter when you know you can't have it and so does sex. So just stop doing it and watch how the sexual tension builds after a few days of deprivation. Nicole Bermack, a hot yoga teacher at the 27th Street Studio in New York, often advises clients on how to increase sensuality in the bedroom. Bermack's number one "spice it up" tip is to be honest and explicit about sexual fantasies, combined with keeping your hands off for at least one to two nights. She tells SheKnows, "The reason this works so well is because it makes sex feel more forbidden for both parties, especially when they're talking about it with each other, and this leads to a lot of excitement. Usually, couples don't make it past the first night."
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In honor of National Coming Out Day, we're taking a look at how celebrities have come out over the years. In 2014, Ellen Page attended the Time to THRIVE conference in Las Vegas and came out during her speech, admitting that she was tired of lying by omission. The brave declaration came on the heels of actress Maria Bello's coming-out essay in The New York Times, as well as British Olympic diver Tom Daley's confessional YouTube video addressing his own sexuality, both of which made headlines at the end of 2013. Ellen, Maria, and Tom joined a growing number of stars who have paved the way for gay people everywhere by coming out, including Frank Ocean, Anderson Cooper, and Jodie Foster, who came out at the Golden Globes in 2013. Be inspired by these celebrities who've used magazines, talk shows, and their blogs to come out. - Additional reporting by Britt Stephens and Laura Marie Meyers Wentworth Miller Wentworth Miller came out in a letter in 2013, rejecting an invitation to the St. Petersburg International Film Festival in Russia because of the country's discriminatory laws. "As someone who has enjoyed visiting Russia in the past and can also claim a degree of Russian ancestry, it would make me happy to say yes," he wrote. "However, as a gay man, I must decline. I am deeply troubled by the current attitude toward and treatment of gay men and women by the Russian government." Sean Hayes Sean Hayes is best known for playing flamboyant character Jack on Will and Grace , but it wasn't until an Advocate interview in 2010 that he officially came out . He said, "I am who I am. I was never in, as they say. Never. I believe that nobody owes anything to anybody." Ellen Page Actress Ellen Page came out in February 2014 at the Time to THRIVE conference in Las Vegas. During her speech, she said, "I'm here today because I am gay and because maybe I can make a difference, to help others have an easier and more hopeful time. Regardless, for me, I feel a personal obligation and a social responsibility." Matt Bomer Matt Bomer came out at the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards in 2012 by thanking his partner, Simon Halls, and their three kids when he accepted an award for his work fighting HIV/AIDS. He said, "I'd really especially like to thank my beautiful family: Simon, Kit, Walker, Henry. Thank you for teaching me what unconditional love is. You will always be my proudest accomplishment." Ellen DeGeneres It was a whirlwind of coming out for comedian, actress, and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres in 1997. She came out publicly on The Oprah Winfrey Show , appeared on the cover of Time magazine with the quote, "Yep, I'm gay," and then had her character on the sitcom Ellen come out to her therapist, who was played by Oprah! Jodie Foster At the 2013 Golden Globes, Jodie Foster came out in her acceptance speech , alluding to the end of her relationship with ex-partner and coparent Cydney Bernard. She said, "Every celebrity is expected to honor the details of their private life with a press conference, a fragrance, and a primetime reality show. . . . I already did my coming out back in the Stone Age. In those very quaint days when a fragile young girl would open up to trusted friends and family and co-workers and then gradually and proudly to everyone who knew her - to everyone she actually met." Rosie O'Donnell At an ovarian cancer research benefit in 2002, Rosie O'Donnell didn't mince words when she came out , simply stating, "I'm a dyke!" Tom Daley In 2013, British Olympic diver Tom Daley came out with a video captioned, "This has been a hard decision to make, but I wanted you to hear this from me." In the video, he said, "Of course, I still fancy girls, but right now I'm dating a guy, and I couldn't be happier." T.R. Knight Soon after it came out that one of the Grey's Anatomy costars called him a gay slur, T.R. Knight told People in 2006 that he's gay. He said, "While I prefer to keep my personal life private, I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me." Neil Patrick Harris In 2006, Neil Patrick Harris told People he's gay , saying, "I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest." Raven-Symoné Raven-Symoné took to Twitter in 2013 to express her excitement over advances for the gay community , like the end of the Defense of Marriage Act and the dismissal of Prop 8. She tweeted , "I can finally get married! Yay government! So proud of you." In 2014, she told Oprah she didn't wanted to be labeled as "gay," saying, "I want to be labeled as a human who loves humans." Anderson Cooper In 2012, Anderson Cooper emailed his thoughts on his sexual orientation to The Daily Beast 's Andrew Sullivan, giving him permission to print the email in his column. In part, it read, "I've always believed that who a reporter votes for, what religion they are, who they love, should not be something they have to discuss publicly. As long as a journalist shows fairness and honesty in his or her work, their private life shouldn't matter. . . . Recently, however, I've begun to consider whether the unintended outcomes of maintaining my privacy outweigh personal and professional principle. . . . The fact is, I'm gay, always have been, always will be, and I couldn't be any more happy, comfortable with myself, and proud." Jim Parsons In 2012, The Big Bang Theory 's Jim Parsons was confirmed gay in a New York Times profile . In the piece, his sexual orientation was mentioned in passing, along with the fact that he's been with his partner for 10 years. Clay Aiken After the birth of his son, former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken came out on the cover of People in 2008, telling the mag, "I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasn't raised that way, and I'm not going to raise a child to do that." Maria Bello Actress Maria Bello came out in 2013 with an essay in The New York TImes , describing her friendship-turned-relationship with Clare, a woman she's known for years. "She is the person I like being with the most," Maria wrote, "the one with whom I am most myself." Jillian Michaels In an interview released in 2012, Jillian Michaels dropped three bombshells . For the first time, she came out that her partner is a woman, that this woman - Heidi Rhoades - had had a baby earlier in the month, and that they'd also recently adopted another baby. Zachary Quinto Known for his Star Trek and Heroes roles, Zachary Quinto came out in a New York magazine profile in 2011. He said, "In light of Jamey's [Rodemeyer] death - it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it - is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality. Our society needs to recognize the unstoppable momentum toward unequivocal civil equality for every gay lesbian bisexual and transgendered citizen of this country." Ricky Martin "Livin' la Vida Loca" singer Ricky Martin came out on his blog in 2010 , saying "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am." Heather Matarazzo Actress Heather Matarazzo told People in 2007 that she came out to the press when they kept hounding her about whether she'd found her Prince Charming. Her response? "No, but I have a Princess Charming." Meredith Baxter Family Ties actress Meredith Baxter came out on the Today show in 2009 , telling Matt Lauer, "I am a lesbian, and it was a later-in-life recognition. Some people would say, 'Well, you're living a lie,' and you know the truth is - not at all. This has only been for the past seven years." Dick Sargent At 61 years old, the Bewitched actor came out on National Coming Out Day in 1991. Sally Ride Sally Ride's obituary notes that she was survived by her partner of 27 years, Tam O'Shaughnessy, who happens to be a woman. The two met when they were 12 and started Sally Ride Science together. Sally's sister, who is also gay, then confirmed Sally was a lesbian . According to the obituary, Sally and Tam got together around 1985, when Ride was married to husband and fellow astronaut Steven Hawley. As for why Sally never spoke out about her sexual orientation, her sister said, "That wasn't her battle of choice - the battle of choice was science education for kids. And I just hope that all the different components of Sally's life go toward helping kids." Frank Ocean Singer Frank Ocean revealed his first love to be a man in a heartfelt Tumblr post. He avoided using the words "gay" or "bisexual" but wrote, "I was 19 years old. He was too. We spent that Summer, and the Summer after, together. Every day almost. And on the days we were together, time would glide. Most of the day I'd see him, and his smile. I'd hear his conversation and his silence . . . until it was time to sleep. Sleep I would often share with him. By the time I realized I was in love, it was malignant. It was hopeless." Victor Garber Alias and Titanic actor Victor Garber confirmed he's gay in an interview, even though he said in 2012, "My companion Rainer Andreesen and I have been together almost 13 years in Greenwich Village. We both love New York." Rainer accompanied Victor at the 2013 Golden Globes. Jenna Wolfe In 2013, Today show weekend anchor Jenna Wolfe came out and announced she was pregnant with her first child, a girl. In addition to those big milestones, she made her relationship with NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk public for the first time. She told People , "This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to us. But I don't want to bring my daughter into a world where I'm not comfortable telling everyone who I am and who her mother is." Ben Whishaw Skyfall 's Ben Whishaw came out in a statement to the UK Daily Mail , and his rep confirmed that he's in a civil partnership with composer Mark Bradshaw. "Ben has never hidden his sexuality, but like many actors, he prefers not to discuss his family or life outside of work," his rep said, adding, "Due to speculation, I can confirm that Ben and Mark entered into a civil partnership in August 2012. They were proud to do so and are very happy." Jason Collins NBA center Jason Collins made history in April 2013 when he became the first male US athlete in a major professional sport to come out as gay. He addressed his sexuality in an interview for Sports Illustrated , telling the magazine, "I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, 'I'm different.' If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand." Bob Harper The Biggest Loser trainer Bob Harper publicly came out on national television. He did so to help contestant Bobby deal with his own sexuality. While Bob had never talked about being gay on the show, he told Bobby, "When I came out, when I was 17 years old. It was one of those things where I realized that there was going to be so many obstacles, but being gay doesn't mean being weak. And being gay doesn't mean that you are less than anybody else. It's just who you are."
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The Day in Sports Photos Over the top New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, goes over the top of Los Angeles Dodgers' Chase Utley who broke up a double play during the seventh inning in Game 2 of baseball's National League Division Series on Saturday, in Los Angeles. IMAGES:2015 MLB PLAYOFFS Pulling it in Wide receiver Josh Doctson of the TCU Horned Frogs catches a touchdown pass over defender Danzel McDaniel of the Kansas State Wildcats during the first half on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan. The Chop Fans do "The Chop" as Florida State plays host to the University of Miami at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, in Tallahassee, Fla. Toe save! Carolina Hurricanes' Andrej Nestrasil has his shot blocked by Detroit Red Wings goalie Petr Mrazek on Saturday, in Raleigh, N.C. Hyped up Tennessee defensive backs Todd Kelly Jr. and Cameron Sutton celebrate Sutton's breaking up a pass for a Georgia receiver during the second half of an NCAA college football game, on Saturday, in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee won 38-31. Solo homer Michael Conforto of the New York Mets celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, in Los Angeles. Diving snag St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong makes a play on ball hit by Chicago Cubs' Dexter Fowler during the ninth inning of Game 2 in baseball's National League Division Series on Saturday, in St. Louis. IMAGES:2015 MLB PLAYOFFS Hook 'em horns Texas wide receiver Marcus Johnson steps into the end zone for a touchdown as Oklahoma linebacker P.L. Lindley (40) and safety Ahmad Thomas (13) watch in the first half on Saturday, in Dallas. Coming through! Edmonton Oilers left wing Rob Klinkhammer collides with teammate Mark Letestu on Saturday, in Nashville, Tenn. Celebrating and snapping Chicago Cubs fans celebrate the team's 6-3 victory in Game 2 of the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, in St. Louis. The Cubs' win evens the series, 1-1. Game faces Fans of the Florida State Seminoles during the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, in Tallahassee, Florida. Going, going, gone St. Louis Cardinals' Jason Heyward watches as Chicago Cubs' Jorge Soler two-run home run lands in the stands during the second inning of Game 2 in baseball's National League Division Series on Saturday, in St. Louis. Dexter Fowler, right, scored on the home run. Ice bucket celebration Texas head coach Charlie Strong is dunked by his team with a bucket of ice at the end of their game against Oklahoma on Saturday, in Dallas. Texas won 24-17. Can't get him Dalvin Cook of the Florida State Seminoles rushes for a touchdown during a game against the Miami Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, in Tallahassee, Florida. It's not your fault. Philadelphia Flyers goalie Steve Mason talks with center Claude Giroux after giving up four goals in the first period of a game against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, at BB&T Center. Ana crashes out Ana Ivanovic of Serbia reacts after losing a point to Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland during their women's singles semifinal match at the China Open tennis tournament on Saturday, in Beijing. Head-first fall A rider in the Junior 65CC Class falls during the RHL Weston Beach Race on Saturday, in Weston-Super-Mare, England. Ironman challenge Competitors start the swimming portion of the Ironman World Championship triathlon, on Saturday, in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Lights out John Thompson of The USA lies on the canvas after being knocked down by Liam Smith of Great Britain leading to the end of the contest during their WBO World Super Welterweight championship bout at Manchester Arena on Saturday, in Manchester, England. Balanced act Kumiko Maeda and Junya Watanabe of Japan skate during the junior ice short dance of the ISU Junior Grand Prix at Dom Sportova on Saturday, in Zagreb, Croatia. On a winning spree Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza hold the winners trophy after winning the doubles final of the China Open in Beijing, on Saturday. A judo wazari Matjaz Ceraj of Slovenia throws Valentino Volante of Great Britain for a wazari to win their 100kg match on his way to the gold medal during the 2015 Glasgow Men's European Open, on Saturday in Glasgow, Scotland, UK. Viva Mexico Mexico forward Oribe Peralta celebrates his goal scored against USA during extra time of the CONCACAF Cup at Rose Bowl, on Saturday, in Pasadena, CA. Team USA triumphs Members of Team USA pose after winning the Presidents Cup trophy following their one point victory against the International Team during Sunday singles matches at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Songdo IBD, Incheon City, South Korea. Winner's drink Stan Wawrinka pretends to drink a beer as he celebrates his victory over Benoit Paire of France after their men's singles final match at the Japan Open in Tokyo on Oct. 11. IMAGES PREVIOUS DAY'S PHOTOS
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At least 17 people are dead after an explosion in a restaurant in eastern China. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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It appears Apple is choosing to outright block its news app in China rather than implement a system to censor stories that would earn it the ire of Beijing. A source has confirmed to The New York Times that the company has blocked users in China from accessing Apple News, which offers an iOS-optimized way to read stories from around the web. China has proven to be a difficult market for many tech companies partly due to the Beijing's restrictions on content available to people in the country. Companies are typically required to censor the media available in their apps to hew to China's demands. If not, they risk being cut off by the so-called Great Firewall of China, like Facebook and Twitter. In this case, Apple, which sees China as a massive market for new iPhone sales, is itself blocking people in the country from accessing Apple News. (Image Credit: Larry Salibra ) Hong Kong entrepreneur Larry Salibra noticed the block on Apple News earlier this week when traveling in the mainland. He was able to deduce that Apple is blocking access to the app based on which carrier the phone connects to. Use a Chinese carrier, and the app is shut down, whether or not you have location services enabled on the phone. While Apple News has only launched officially in the US so far, those who have activated their phones with American localization are able to retain access while they travel. Now that Apple News is shut down in China, however, you'll have to get your news another way if you're vacationing on the mainland.
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Sure, you could "Netflix and chill," and it wouldn't cost a thing. But we think you and your significant other deserve better than a movie on your couch (again). This fall, there are plenty of enjoyable ways to spend a day or night with your special someone that don't include dropping a fortune on a five-course meal. Try these fun date ideas that will bring you closer, all less than $25! Follow us on Twitter. Have a Hometown Picnic Instead of heading to your local park, take a drive to one of your hometowns and pick up food from one of your old hangouts whether a café you always went to on weekends with your family or a deli with the best sandwiches around. Spend the afternoon chowing down under the changing leaves and get closer by talking about the place you grew up. Follow us on Twitter. Hang at a Jazz Bar Take a night off from your go-to neighborhood restaurant and head somewhere more romantic. Split a bottle of wine between the two of you and spend a few hours listening to (or, better yet, dancing to) good music in a dark, sexy room. Follow us on Twitter. Explore a Museum Whether you're just beginning a relationship or have been together for years, museums provide plenty of new things to talk about. Bonus: Admission tends to be inexpensive, so it's a cheap, fun way to spend a chilly fall day. Afterward, hightail it to the nearest coffee shop for hot chocolate and a recap of your favorite exhibits. Follow us on Twitter. Go for a Sunrise Hike If you're not exactly compatible when it comes to wake-up times, getting out of bed to watch the sunrise together is the ultimate romantic gesture (translation: major points for the late sleeper!) Pick an easy hike and sip your morning coffee as you stroll along, or go for a longer walk and pack orange juice and bagels for a true alfresco breakfast. Follow us on Twitter. Break a Sweat Together A workout date? Bear with us here. Introduce your guy to the bliss that is Savasana, or let him challenge you to a spin-off at his favorite studio. If the weather cooperates, you could even try paintball or laser tag (yes, both count as exercise!). When you're done, grab a couple of smoothies, and if you're really feeling nice, give each other neck and shoulder rubs to work out any sore spots! Follow us on Twitter. Bake Cookies From Scratch Getting messy in the kitchen with a night of baking is as sweet as it gets literally. One idea: Pick a basic oatmeal or chocolate-chip cookie recipe, then add whatever you want from your cabinet pretzels, almonds, dried cranberries, it all works. When you're done baking, cozy up together while eating your hot, gooey treats. Follow us on Twitter. Have a No-Phone Date Ditch your phones, and spend the day exploring new areas of your city without looking down to see who's texting you. If you really want to go retro, bring an old camera with film to document the day you can use the photos later to make a cute album as a personal gift! Follow us on Twitter. Hit the Local Pumpkin Patch Get into the fall spirit by picking out pumpkins, then head home and have a carving or decorating contest. You can pick a theme superheroes, scary characters, funny faces and then get to painting or cutting. Instead of throwing out the insides, use them to whip up a pumpkin pie it's known to be one of the most arousing smells for men and has even been shown to increase blood flow … ya know. Follow us on Twitter. Watch a Movie Under the Stars OK, so you're going to need sweaters and a warm quilt for this one but that's half the fun. Instead of watching a flick indoors, create a movie screen in your yard using a taut white sheet. Set up a projector, hook the sound up to a portable speaker (your computer speakers will work just fine!), make some popcorn, and voilà movie night just went to the next level. Follow us on Twitter. Go Indoor "Camping" Set up a tent in your living room (remember pillow forts when you were a kid? That totally works too), pull out your favorite board games, and make like you're having a night in the woods. One key ingredient? S'mores ! Set up all the supplies (chocolate bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows), then roast those marshmallows over your stove's burner and make sweet sandwiches to take back to your tent. Follow us on Twitter.
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Donald Trump says that he occasionally carries a concealed gun. In an interview with CBS' Face The Nation on Sunday, host John Dickerson asked Trump if he ever carried a concealed weapon. "Sometimes," Trump responded, according to a transcript. When asked about if more people should carry concealed guns in the wake of violent mass shootings, the current Republican presidential front-runner said that while it was up to people to make their own decisions, he takes comfort in carrying his weapon. "I will tell you, I feel much better being armed," Trump said. Trump has doubled down on his support for gun rights following a mass shooting at an Oregon community college earlier this month that left 10 dead. At a campaign rally last week, the real-estate magnate suggested that the victims may have survived if teachers were armed. "If you had a couple of the teachers or somebody with guns in that room, you would have been a hell of a lot better off," Trump said . Despite favoring popular gun control proposals in the past , the reality television star has throughout his presidential candidacy been one of the most vocal opponents to gun control efforts. Trump's gun rights platform contains no gun control measures, and suggests that the federal government should allow concealed carry permits to cross state lines. NOW WATCH: An Army veteran was shot multiple times protecting others students from the Oregon gunman
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Parliament in Nepal has elected a new prime minister, Khadga Prasad Oli, who faces a series of daunting challenges. Mr Oli received 338 votes of the 597-member chamber, the Speaker announced. Mr Oli told cheering supporters in parliament that he saw his appointment as "an honour and a challenge". The new leader will have to handle continuing protests over a new constitution, the rebuilding of the country after April's devastating earthquake and a fuel shortage. Mr Oli, who was backed by a coalition of royalists, Maoists and centrists, is the first prime minister to be elected under the new constitution, defeating the previous prime minister, Sushil Koirala. Some analysts say the conservative Mr Oli will be less able than Mr Koirala to reach out to the disaffected Madhesi community of southern Nepal who oppose the new constitution. BBC South Asia editor Charles Haviland Forty-five years ago, Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli was part of a short-lived, violent Communist uprising. That is distant history. Today he is a polarising figure within Nepal, which itself is deeply split on whether the new constitution is democratic enough. Despite the radical name of his Unified Marxist-Leninist party, Mr Oli's detractors accuse him of wanting to perpetuate the status quo of high-caste dominance. They say he has ignored the demands of the southern Madhesi and Tharu ethnic groups, who claim that the new constitution leaves them marginalised and under-represented. But his supporters see virtue in his bluntness and have greeted his victory as a snub to India, which they accuse of unofficially blockading Nepal to try and force change to the constitution that is backed by Mr Oli. The Nepali Times quotes him as saying on Saturday that he would "go all out" to address the genuine demands of Madhesis, Tharus and Nepal's many other excluded groups, as well as to "safeguard our nationality" and rebuild after the earthquakes. Modern Nepal has always had a rapid turnover of prime ministers and it is difficult to predict how long or short the latest incumbent's tenure may be. Madhesis have staged weeks of demonstrations which have hampered the flow of fuel and other goods from India. The fuel shortages have become so acute that traffic has been kept off the roads. Some in Nepal blame Delhi for blockading fuel supplies on the India-Nepal border because it supports Madhesi demands for changes to the constitution. But India argues that insecurity caused by protests has meant that trucks carrying fuel and other essential goods cannot enter Nepal. The new constitution was promulgated two weeks ago, but sparked protests in the plains, resulting in more than 40 deaths. Thousands of people lost their lives and thousands more were injured in a 7.8-magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that hit Nepal earlier this year.
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The Iraqi military says it struck a convoy carrying Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Anbar province, but a hospital says the IS leader was not among the dead. Nathan Frandino reports.
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A pregnant Palestinian mother and her toddler daughter were killed in an Israeli retaliatory air strike on Gaza Sunday, as violence between Israelis and Palestinians threatened to spiral out of control.
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People tend to think of salads as a tool for improving health or losing weight, but that doesn't mean a salad can't be a satisfying and filling meal. Salads have a bad reputation for tasting bland and boring lettuce, tomatoes, dressing . Simple salads are fine for a mid-afternoon snack, but they are by no means filling. Spice up boring salads with fruit, protein, seasonal vegetables, and tasty dressings. There are a slew of salad recipes to choose from that are both delicious and so filling that you won't need anything else. Slideshow: 10 Hearty and Delicious Salad Recipes to Make for Dinner Click here for 10 Hearty and Delicious Salad Recipes to Make for Dinner slideshow. Salad is a dish that can either be served warm or cold with a mixture of raw or cooked vegetables and grains, pasta, and meats can also be incorporated. Add flavor with dressings that include ingredients like buttermilk, citrus juice, or olive oil. Keep your salad hearty and healthy with grilled fish , chicken, or steak. Our Citrus Steak Salad recipe calls for thin slices of steak, strawberries, red onions, oranges, lettuce, and goat cheese tossed in a flavorful dressing made with olive oil, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, parsley, and honey. If you don't like steak, feel free to swap out the protein in favor of grilled chicken, fish, or tofu. If you don't have meat restrictions, grilled steak or chicken also work well as a side for orzo salad. Here are 10 options to make for dinner tonight: Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries Shutterstock Make this delicious chicken salad with fall fruit. Make the most of autumn's seasonal fruits with this delicious chicken salad with apples and cranberries. The salad can be served on crusty bread or rolls to create a sandwich, or alone on a plate garnished with additional apple slices. Kerri Barrett For the Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries recipe, click here. Citrus Steak Salad Shutterstock Enjoy this steak salad with a citrus dressing. Thinly sliced steak placed on top of crisp greens makes for a refreshing and citrusy salad. Taste of Home For the Citrus Steak Salad recipe, click here. Click here for more recipes.
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Some health problems are unavoidable, but numerous studies show a strong link between lifestyle choices such as exercising, drinking, smoking , and overall diet and the rates with which people develop cancer.. Avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly are all significant factors in preventing cancer, but so are the foods you choose to fuel your body. Slideshow: Lower Your Cancer Risk by Eating These 10 Foods Click here for the Lower Your Cancer Risk by Eating These 10 Foods slideshow. Whether or not there is a history of cancer in your family and even if you are currently taking other steps to lower your cancer risk, your diet can help you fight off the disease. Some foods will strengthen your immune system , giving you the ability to stay healthy and avoid illness. What you choose to eat and not eat will have a big impact on the strength of your body and how well it can combat a life-threatening illness. Focusing on whole and minimally processed foods foods will keep you healthy and, yes, can help you fight fend off diseases of many kinds, cancer included. Beets Shutterstock The vitamin C content of beets helps the body eliminate harmful toxins. "In addition to being full of fiber and essential minerals like potassium and manganese, beets are also high in vitamin C, which is proven to help eliminate toxins in the body and boost cancer-fighting immune systems," said Sophie Milrom, the creator of Eat Pops . "Beets also contain phytonutrients called betalains, which has been shown to provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory , and detoxification benefits. One type of betalain, called betanin, has been shown in some studies to slow tumor cell growth in breast, colon, stomach, lung, and prostate tumors." Blueberries Pixabay Blueberries are packed with disease-fighting benefits. "Represented by interesting names like anthocyanin, pterostilbene, and ellagitannins, these compounds naturally found in blueberries have shown promising results when it comes to protecting our health," said Bridget Bennett, nutritionist for Indie Fresh . Click here for more cancer-fighting foods.
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Ronde Barber and Chris Myers recap the Falcons-Redskins.
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Johnny Depp and Benedict Cumberbatch couldn't have been any cuter alongside their other halves at the London screening of their new film, Black Mass, on Sunday. The event marked yet another stunning appearance for Johnny and Amber Heard, and throughout the night, Benedict and Sophie Hunter shared loving glances on the red carpet. Johnny and Amber's latest outing comes on the heels of a busy couple of months for the pair. After making their way overseas for the Venice Film Festival in September, the couple jetted off to Toronto for the premiere of The Danish Girl, later flying to Brazil where things got emotional as they helped more than 200 Brazilians hear for the first time. Keep reading to see more snaps from the Black Mass premiere, then find out what Johnny recently revealed about his daughter's modeling career.
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The latest reports from USC indicate head coach Steve Sarkisian was drunk during the Trojans win against Arizona State on September 26th.
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These two adorable twin girl snow leopards made their debut at a Chicago Zoo this week.
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The head of Belarus' central electoral commission Lidiya Yermoshina announced Lukashenko's win in a televised news conference on Monday. Lukashenko, a former collective farm director in the former Soviet republic, has ruled the country since 1994, consolidating an image of strength and stability under his 21-year rule. His disputed win in the 2010 presidential vote prompted massive street riots, however. Sunday's vote saw the highest ever turnout for a Belarussian vote, pulling in 86 percent of the electorate. Thawing relations with the West The election could now see an easing of relations between Belarus and the West. Prior to the vote, the European Union (EU) said it might lift sanctions against Lukashenko after he freed political prisoners, as long as the election was deemed acceptable and not blighted by harsh crackdowns. Belarus' role in mediating Ukrainian, Russian and rebel forces this year - which resulted in February's Minsk peace agreement - has also been looked upon favorably by the West. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which monitored Belarus' election is to provide a report on Monday, after which the EU is expected to announce the lifting of sanctions. Despite efforts to rebuild trust with the West, Lukashenko has also maintained close ties with Russia in recent years. Moscow offers discounted energy prices along with favorable trade policies. The eastern European state, which was once described by former US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice as "Europe's last dictatorship," has also witnessed severe conditions for dissenters to the president's longstanding rule. Dissident journalist Svetlana Alexievich, who won the 2015 Nobel Literature Prize, warned of Western rapprochement with Lukashenko's regime. "Every four years, new European officials come to power and think they can solve the Lukashenko problem without knowing that he is a man who is untrustworthy," Alexievich said on Saturday at a press conference in Berlin. ksb/jm (Reuters, AFP)
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A couple in Tustin, California has crafted a Halloween haunted house so spooktacular, it requires signing a waiver to enter. The 17th Door, created by Heather and Robbie Luther, has been called "intense." "There's a lot going on, where it's very interactive and immersive and kind of invades your space," Heather Luther told KABC . "You will get touched and you might get wet." The haunted house is a 17-room extravaganza that is meant to take place inside the mind of Paula, a Gluttire University freshman who is on what Luther describes as "a downward spiral." Once inside, the only way to escape the horror is by using the safe word "mercy." Thus far, an estimated 350 visitors have opted out of the house by uttering the word. Roughly 800 people have been visiting a night, according to Luther. Weeks remain until Halloween, yet unusual and frighteningly life-like displays have been cropping up around the country. A front yard display in Parma, Ohio featuring creepy statues of humans hanging upside down-covered in blood and from a stake, among other things, has been ruffling feathers for being too realistic and for down the block from an elementary school, according to local station Pix 11 . As for The 17th Door, it's unclear whether the Luthers were inspired by a certain episode of comedian Nathan Fielder's hit comedy series Nathan For You , in which he attempts to make a haunted house so scary that visitors sue the joint, in turn ushering in press for the struggling house of horrors. Get More: Comedy Central , Funny Videos , Funny TV Shows
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Julia Roberts, Emma Stone & More Stars Honor Diane Keaton at Hammer Museum Gala In The Garden 20 See all the stars who came out to support actress Diane Keaton and artist Paul McCarthy at the 13th annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015, starting with Julia Roberts... Keep clicking for more A-listers on the red carpet at the glamorous annual event, which was sponsored by Bottega Veneta... Emma Stone arrives at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Salma Hayek arrives at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Matt Bomer arrives at the Gala in the Garden Sponsored by Bottega Veneta at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Elizabeth Banks arrives at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Selma Blair arrives at the Gala in the Garden Sponsored by Bottega Veneta at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Amanda Peet arrives at the Gala in the Garden Sponsored by Bottega Veneta at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Sarah Paulson arrives at the Gala in the Garden Sponsored by Bottega Veneta at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Will Ferrell and wife Viveca Paulin arrive at the Gala in the Garden Sponsored by Bottega Veneta at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Marisa Tomei arrives at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Elizabeth Chambers Hammer and Armie Hammer arrive at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Kiernan Shipka arrives at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Patricia Arquette and her boyfriend, artist Eric White, attend the Gala in the Garden Sponsored by Bottega Veneta at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. The evening's honoree, Diane Keaton, arrives at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Jane Lynch arrives at the Gala in the Garden Sponsored by Bottega Veneta at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015. Newly engaged couple Jimmy Iovine and Liberty Ross arrive at the 13th Annual Gala in the Garden at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 10, 2015.
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It's 2015 and we are currently living in a world where Kanye West could be president of the United States and the next "American Idol." He would be the first person to hold both titles, but surely no one man should have all that power. Shortly after receiving some great political advice from President Barack Obama , the rapper "auditioned" (we use quotes because, is this real life?!) for the Fox talent show on Saturday, where he reportedly performed a rendition of "Gold Digger." Ye clearly pleased the judges, including Jennifer Lopez -- who gets a shoutout in the rap track -- and earned himself a ticket to Hollywood . Host Ryan Seacrest and Ye's wife Kim Kardashian were there to congratulate the 38-year-old rapper when he came out of the audition with a huge smile on his face. Seacrest shared a snap of the moment on Instagram with the caption, "look who's going to Hollywood! #IdolAuditions #kanyewest." look who's going to Hollywood! #IdolAuditions #kanyewest A photo posted by Ryan Seacrest (@ryanseacrest) on Oct 10, 2015 at 5:49pm PDT Kim also shared an image from the audition on Instagram with the simple caption, "SURPRISE." SURPRISE! A photo posted by Kim Kardashian West (@kimkardashian) on Oct 10, 2015 at 6:12pm PDT Is this his idea of a beautiful, dark, twisted fantasy? We're not sure we're ready for it. Also on HuffPost: For a constant stream of entertainment news and discussion, follow HuffPost Entertainment on Viber .
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CINCINNATI (AP) -- Andy Dalton's fingerprints were all over one of the Bengals' greatest comebacks. BOX SCORE: SEAHAWKS 24, BENGALS 21 Playing like an elite quarterback, Dalton led Cincinnati from a 17-point deficit to a legacy victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Mike Nugent's 42-yard field goal in overtime bounced off the left upright, but went through for a 27-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks. This wasn't just any win. It matched the second-biggest comeback in team history and came against the two-time defending NFC champions -- a signature moment for the unbeaten Bengals. "For us to come back against a really, really good team is huge," Dalton said. Nobody came up bigger than him. Trailing 24-7 heading into the fourth quarter, Dalton threw for a touchdown, ran for another and led the Bengals (5-0) on a 69-yard drive with no timeouts to get Nugent's 31-yard field goal on the final play of regulation. Dalton is going through a growth spurt in his fifth season, leading the NFL in fourth-quarter passer rating. He went 13 of 15 for 135 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime on Sunday. "We imploded in the third quarter, but we righted ourselves and started putting one play on top of another and kept going," coach Marvin Lewis said. Seattle (2-3) punted twice in overtime, giving the Bengals a chance to pull it out. Nugent's deflected field goal ended it with 3:36 left in overtime, leaving Cincinnati 5-0 for the first time since 1988, the last time it went to the Super Bowl. It was the second time Cincinnati had overtime a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter and won, according to STATS. The Bengals also did it at Baltimore in 2004 for a 27-26 victory. Cincinnati overcame an 18-point deficit to beat Arizona 24-21 in the 1997 season. The 17-point collapse matched the biggest in Seattle history. The Seahawks also blew such games in 2003 against Baltimore and 2004 against St. Louis, losing in overtime as well. "The most frustrating part is we didn't finish," Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin said. "We're known for that and we didn't do that today." The Seahawks looked to be in good shape after scoring a pair touchdowns during a 2-minute span of the third quarter. Undrafted rookie running back Thomas Rawls ran 69 yards for a touchdown, part of a career-best 169-yard game. Bobby Wagner then returned a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown, handing a 24-7 lead to the NFL's second-ranked defense. Unlike Monday night, when Kam Chancellor stripped the ball from Detroit's Calvin Johnson to preserve a 13-10 win, it couldn't come up with the big play at the end. "We wanted to show that we've got a great defense and a great team," Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. "We overcame a lot of things in this game. Down the line, this will be motivation for us that we'll be able to look back on. We've been in this situation, and we've overcome it." Dalton was 30 of 44 for 331 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and a season-high four sacks. His 11-yard TD pass to Tyler Eifert on the game's opening drive ended Seattle's streak of 20 defensive possessions without allowing a touchdown. That was all the Bengals managed until Dalton started the big comeback. Russell Wilson was 15 of 23 for 213 yards with a touchdown, a tipped interception and four sacks. His 30-yard pass to Jermaine Kearse was the first touchdown the Bengals had allowed before halftime this season. Notes: The Bengals are one win shy of matching the best start in club history. They went 6-0 in 1975 and 1988. ... Wagner had a strained chest muscle, but finished the game. ... Wilson was sacked four more times, bringing the season total to 22. ... Earl Thomas got the Seahawks' first interception of the season. ... Cincinnati had a potential 72-yard TD pass to A.J. Green nullified by a holding penalty in the first quarter. Green had five catches for 65 yards in the first half, only one more for 13 yards the rest of the way.
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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Sunday that a monument to black civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is planned for the top of Georgia's Stone Mountain Park, home to a giant carving depicting three heroes of the pro-slavery Confederate States. The newspaper cited park officials who said the monument to King would feature a replica of the Liberty Bell with the inscription "Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia," a line from King's 1963 "I Had a Dream" speech.
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Adam Wainwright came out of the bullpen in Saturday's NLDS Game 2 between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, and things went well. After relieving Seth Maness in the seventh inning, Wainwright was treated to a loud, raucous greeting by the Cardinals faithful. It was his first home appearance since April 19 and first since his long journey back from an Achilles injury, and as one might expect the ovation was pretty special to him . He responded by throwing 1 2/3 innings of scoreless work. "You never, ever, ever forget those type of things," Wainwright told Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch after the game. "That was just so special. The crowd embraced me. Hair was standing up on my arms like crazy. Chill bumps. When the gate opened and they started going crazy, man, I was doing my very best to control my emotions. But they get to me sometimes." After Game 2 starter Jaime Garcia struggled and left early with what the team called a stomach virus, potential Game 4 starter Lance Lynn came in out of the bullpen. This created questions about the Cards' rotation for the rest of the NLDS, causing some to speculate as to whether Waino might be given a starting assignment. While manager Mike Matheny hasn't (yet) made any declarations about a Wainwright start somewhere down the line, the right-hander told Frederickson that he's more or less willing to see what happens: "I'm cleared for two or three innings now. That number could change as we go further into the playoffs. We will wait and see how my roll evolves. Maybe I keep throwing one inning. Maybe I get more. I don't know. I feel great. I could have certainly gone three tonight, no problem." As the Cardinals look for options as their NLDS battle with the Cubs continues, this will be something to watch.
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Iraqi military sources said ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was hit in an airstrike, yet previous reports like these have been false.
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Why didn't replay examine forward progress during Kansas City's defensive touchdown? Mike Pereira explains.
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ATLANTA With the game on the line, Robert Alford relied on lessons learned in his film study of Kirk Cousins' three-step drops. Then Alford ended the game. Alford returned an interception 59 yards for a touchdown, lifting the undefeated Atlanta Falcons to a 25-19 win over the Washington Redskins in overtime Sunday. BOX SCORE: FALCONS 25, REDSKINS 19 (OT) The Redskins had the first possession of OT and Cousins moved the team to midfield. On second and 8 from the 50, Ryan Grant slipped while trying to adjust to Cousins' pass. Alford was in perfect position for the interception before racing down the sideline for the touchdown. "I trusted my instincts and the film study," Alford said. "... I just jumped it, and it was there for me to make a play on. I looked back to see who was around me, and once there was nobody around me, it was off to the end zone." Near the end of his sprint toward the goal line, Alford held the ball high with both hands and did a high-step, Deion Sanders style. Atlanta's other starting cornerback, Desmond Trufant, wears the No. 21 Sanders made famous in Atlanta, but the Prime Time play of the day belonged to Alford. Cousins said he felt pressure from Atlanta's pass rush before trying to complete the pass to Grant. "I was hot off the left side and felt need to get rid of the football and not take a sack and kill the drive," Cousins said. "... I made the throw and the guy made the play and that was it." Alford had a pass interference penalty in the fourth quarter to set up a Washington touchdown. Grant was not available for postgame interviews. Atlanta trailed 16-12 before Devonta Freeman's 6-yard scoring run with 24 seconds remaining in regulation. The Falcons (5-0) are the first team to start 5-0 when trailing in the fourth quarter of four games. Freeman had an apparent 13-yard scoring catch ruled incomplete on a review two plays before his scoring run. Freeman had 27 carries for 153 yards and the touchdown. He is the first NFL player with seven rushing touchdowns in his first three starts. Dustin Hopkins' 52-yard field goal for Washington on the final play of regulation forced overtime. The Falcons overcame two interceptions and a lost fumble by Matt Ryan, who completed 24 of 42 passes for 254 yards with no touchdowns. The Redskins (2-3) were denied their first back-to-back wins in almost a year -- since Weeks 7 and 8 in 2014. "This is a tough one, man," said Redskins coach Jay Gruden. "We had an opportunity. ... Our receiver slips and falls and they get a pick six. Ryan Grant just slipped and fell. It's unfortunate." The interception was the second of the game for Cousins, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 219 yards with one touchdown. Matt Jones' 1-yard run midway through the final quarter gave Washington a 13-12 lead. Julio Jones, who began the day leading the NFL in catches, and Roddy White were held without a catch in the first half. Jones finished with five catches for 67 yards. White, who complained about his diminished role early in the week before meeting with coach Dan Quinn, had two catches for 23 yards. White's first catch of the day, a 16-yarder, moved the Falcons to the Washington 14 in the fourth quarter. Freeman ran for 11 yards and Atlanta again gave the ball to Freeman. He was stripped by defensive end Chris Baker near the 2 and the ball bounced into the end zone. Jones fell on the fumble for a touchdown. Ryan's pass for Leonard Hankerson on the 2-point attempt was incomplete. Washington had a quick answer. Following a pass interference call against Alford, Jones' 1-yard run gave Washington a 13-12 lead; Cousins' pass for Pierre Garcon was incomplete on the 2-point attempt. Cousins' first-quarter 7-yard pass to tight end Derek Carrier was the only touchdown for either team through three quarters. The Falcons tried to keep pace with field goals, but twice the uprights got in the way of the usually reliable Matt Bryant's attempts. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP_NFL
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Pete Rose gave his take on Chase Utley's slide.
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Amy Schumer pokes fun at gun control and the Kardashian family while hosting 'Saturday Night Live,'
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Discovering a once-in-a-lifetime shopping gem is great and all, but it's also helpful to have a short list of brands you can count on to hit it out of the park every time. That's where this list comes in. From trendy, affordable pieces to wear-forever staples, bookmark these 14 sites. Best Overall: Lane Bryant Its easy-to-wear yet super-chic pieces like this chiffon fringe skirt ($80) and even a knockout selection of shoes continue to make Lane Bryant a no-brainer. Best for Work: Eloquii Whether your office is business formal or straight-up casual, Eloquii's got you covered. Most of the pieces are transitional, too, like this pleated faux leather midi ($110) that can easily be spiced up for happy hour. Best for trends: ASOS ASOS in general has an extensive list of cool styles, much of which comes in extended sizes. Make this your go-to for everything from cotton tees to this flattering kimono-sleeve jumpsuit ($46). Best Denim: Torrid Torrid's wide range of cuts, washes and flattering fits (including inseams ranging from extra-short to tall) are in a league of their own. Put these zip-laden jeggings ($64) in regular rotation, stat. best coats: nordstrom While its entire plus-size selection is spot-on, Nordstrom's coat department is top-notch. This buffalo-plaid barn coat ($425), by Pendleton no less, will make you almost like winter. best prices: Forever 21 File under: Pleasant surprise. Forever21+ is a fantastic resource for trendy pieces, like this bananas cutout sweater dress ($20), that won't break the bank. Best Investment Pieces: Mei Smith Pretty pricey, yes. But for beautifully-designed minimalist pieces like this on-trend long vest ($150 on sale), PureWow favorite Mei Smith can't be beat. Best Cocktail Dresses: Simply Be For nights out, be sure to consult Simply Be, which has a full section devoted to special occasions, including this sequin bodycon number ($100). Best Basics: Ava & Viv Target's Ava & Viv line is a clutch pick for comfort basics at great prices. Stock up on this thigh-skimming cardigan ($28) in three colors. Best for the Gym: Old Navy Who says workout clothes have to be boring? Certainly not Old Navy, which offers sleek and super- comfortable options like these chic mesh-paneled leggings ($37). Best Lingerie: Addition Elle Model Ashley Graham's line for Addition Elle is super sexy and comes in sizes up to 42H. You can bet we'll be rocking this gorgeous lace kimono ($95) atop jeans and a tee by day. Best swim: Swimsuits for all Sure, summer's pretty far away, but it's never too soon to start thinking (dreaming) about your next beach trip. Especially when it involves this knockout high-waisted bikini ($78), which fits up to an F cup. Best Jewelry: fashion to figure Never be disappointed by a tiny bracelet width with Fashion to Figure, which offers larger accessories at killer prices, like this sleek cuff set ($15). ]]>
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(Bloomberg) -- Shaun Gindi brought a duffel bag stuffed with 1,000 twenty-dollar bills to open a checking account at his local Chase branch. He was successful. Until the branch closed the account a week later. "I've gone through at least eight banks," said Gindi, 38. As the owner of two marijuana shops and a weed warehouse in Colorado, where the drug is legal, Gindi is a pariah to banks, which face expensive compliance hurdles and uncertain legal consequences because ganja still violates federal law. Of the more than 7,600 banks and credit unions in the U.S., only 220 accept cannabis cash, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. Anthony Rivera says he has a solution: an American Indian banking system. Rivera, a Harvard Business School graduate who led the 1,940 members of the Acjachemen Nation in Southern California for nearly a decade, says native governments could legalize marijuana. His organization, CannaNative, is trying to link tribal leaders from the 566 sovereign American Indian nations with finance professionals and legal-marijuana businesses to use the expertise gained from decades of managing casinos. That way, he said, they can go where big institutions such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Wells Fargo & Co. fear to tread -- banking the legal-pot industry's estimated $3 billion in annual revenue. "The Indian casinos are basically small little banks," Rivera said. "They receive deposits in the form of gaming, and they manage that cash in a way which is highly regulated with commissioners and regulators." Running Casinos Rivera said CannaNative is emulating the casino model introduced in the 1980s by providing management services, with the help of existing cannabis companies such as Medical Marijuana Inc., for tribes hoping to set up financial institutions for the budding industry. "When Indian gaming became legalized, tribes didn't know how to run casinos, so many companies that knew how to run gaming operations became managers of the tribal enterprise until the tribe figured it out," Rivera said. "Then the tribe took it over." In October 2014, the U.S. Department of Justice opened the door for tribes to legalize marijuana for medicinal, agricultural and recreational use the same way individual states can. Jurisdictional issues can get complex because some tribal territories cross state lines. Problems will be addressed by lawyers on a government-to-government basis, the Justice Department said. "We look at the constitution and the laws of that certain sovereign nation and we do our best to find a way to pass legislation on the reservation to ensure that we can do this not only legally on the reservation but also compatibly with laws and regulations in the state and federally," Rivera said. Since 2012, Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for adult recreational use, and 23 states, D.C. and Guam have approved medical marijuana, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. For the tricky and sometimes dangerous business of transporting cannabis cash, CannaNative has signed on with MPS International, a unit of Medical Marijuana that provides security for the industry. Bags of Cash Employees of legal-weed companies resort to extreme measures to deal with the piles of cash they accumulate, said Michael Julian, MPS International's chief executive officer. Shaun Gindi's duffel bag bulging with twenties isn't uncommon. Julian said he knows of companies spending $150,000 to build their own high-tech vaults. Still, a lot of them need a way to move their money from their storefronts to the vaults, he said. "The federal government and these banking laws are making it so that people have to walk around with tens of thousands of dollars in their businesses, in their cars, in their homes, putting these people in danger," Julian said. CannaNative may have competition from applications such as Hypur, which aims to lessen the compliance paperwork for banks, said Aeron Sullivan, the CEO of Boulder, Colorado-based Tradiv, an online business-to-business marketplace for cannabis products. A bank's compliance officer might spend 20 hours on a cannabis-related account compared with just one hour on another type of account, making it nearly impossible for a bank to make money on a marijuana business, Sullivan said. With the right software, he said big banks could cut the time and lower the cost. In the meantime, Shaun Gindi's job will continue to involve duffel bags bulging with cash. "I don't want people out there to know that there is ever a large amount of cash in somebody's car," said Gindi, whose Louisville, Colorado-based business is called Ajoya. "We all just want to follow the rules." To contact the reporter on this story: Jennifer Kaplan in New York at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Nick Turner at [email protected] Bob Ivry, Kevin Orland
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ARLINGTON, Texas As he fixed his tie and threw on his jacket at his locker stall on Sunday evening, Tom Brady did not look like a man who was sacked five times. Actually, the New England Patriots star looked rather fresh after a 30-6 rout. No visible bruises. No limping. Barely a sweat. GQ stuff. BOX SCORE: PATRIOTS 30, COWBOYS 6 Guess this is the result of in-game adjustments. Brady was sacked five times in the first half, and zero times in the second half, as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels made some quick adjustments along the way and gave left tackle Nate Solder some help in dealing with Greg Hardy, and the Patriots figured out a counter plan to the surprising dime defensive scheme the Dallas Cowboys sprung on them at the start. Brady took the Cowboys' best punch and survived. Since he became a starter in 2001, he's been sacked five or more times just five times, and Sunday was the fifth occasion as Hardy the man who caused such a stir in the days before the game with his wisecracks that incorporated Brady's wife Gisele Bunchden demonstrated what a lightning rod he can be on the field. Hardy had two sacks and five hits on Brady. The trash-talking from Hardy last week represented some more new ground on the heels of Deflategate for the 16-year veteran to deal with. But he's been rather cool about it, at least publicly. HIGHLIGHTS: Patriots vs. Cowboys For a man who is so adept at compartmentalizing issues while keeping his focus, this too, was seemingly deflected with ease. "I've seen a lot," Brady told USA TODAY Sports. "Just like you have. You just try to focus on whatever you can for football." Yeah, I've seen a lot, and I've heard Brady tell me things like that repeatedly over the years, no matter what the buzz or crisis is at the moment. But there's another twist at work this season, with Brady who passed for two TDs and posted a 130.9 passer rating at Jerry World off to one of the best starts of his career. Through four undefeated games, he's fired 11 TD passes and zero picks, which is new territory, even for him. Sunday was the type of game that underscored Brady's resilience, which might be overshadowed by some of the more glamorous aspects of his job. When I asked Bill Belichick whether the game was an example of his toughness, the Patriots' lovable coach grumbled at me in his press conference. "Overlooked by who?" Belichick protested. Maybe the casual fan? Brady doesn't get enough credit for being maybe the best quarterback in the NFL on those quarterback sneaks and sure enough, he scored the Patriots' first touchdown Sunday on a 1-yard sneak but his image is built on his golden arm and Super Bowl wins. "I don't think anybody questions Tom's toughness," Belichick snapped, affectionately. "Tom's one of the toughest players in the league." At the end of his work day, he also came off as one of the most understanding players. When I mentioned to Brady that Belichick grumbled at my question, he laughed. He said. "We all have been there." Interestingly, this comes after an offseason dominated by the NFL's case against Brady and the Patriots over the matter of deflated footballs. Surely, this prideful competitor doesn't need any extra motivation to get going. But he's always struck me as the type of guy who will take it when he can get it. So far, he's having some hellacious revenge on the NFL, critics and naysayers. Playing with fully inflated footballs, he won the NFL's Offensive Player of the Month award for September, and is undoubtedly on the early short list of MVP frontrunners. Maybe he's not out for revenge and it's just about winning, as he'd tell you. But if that includes making a particular statement, he's on his way. On Sunday, he wore a black suit that fit a certain theme. Brady just made another stop on his Scorched Earth Tour. Next stop: Indianapolis. The whole Deflategate case was ignited when the Colts complained about the Patriots' footballs during the AFC title game. And now comes a rematch. When I mentioned the "Scorched Earth" theory to Brady, he flashed a big smile. Then he responded like Brady would. "I'd rather be 4-0 than 3-1," he said. Follow Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell . PHOTOS: Best of NFL Week 5
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It can be hard to make a marriage work, but these 15 athletes made it look even harder. All of them did something to ruin their marriage, which ended in divorce. It can be hard to make a marriage work, but these 15 athletes made it look even harder. All of them did something to ruin their marriage, which ended in divorce. Kris Humphries Humphries was a pretty bad husband to Kim Kardashian in the few weeks they were actually married. We all know this because he appeared on Keeping Up With the Kardashians and we saw it firsthand. He constantly ridiculed her career, and that helped end his marriage in the matter of months. Mike Tyson Tyson alleges that his first wife, actress Robin Givens, was just after his money. That may have been true, but he continually acted paranoid while operating under that assumption. This led him to despise his wife and treat her pretty terribly. Predictably, the marriage didn't last. John Daly Daly has been married four times, but all of them have ended because of some combination of his drinking, smoking, gambling and lying. Of course, none of those are good qualities in a husband. It's no wonder Daly hasn't been able to make anything last long-term with anyone. Tim Duncan Duncan married his high school sweetheart, Amy, but the relationship ended in divorce in 2013. It appears that Duncan suspected her of fooling around because he hired a private investigator to spy on her, but there's no word about what that turned up. No matter what those results were, it seems like the two had been drifting apart for awhile, probably no thanks to Duncan's travel schedule. That's the difficulty with being an athlete. Jason Kidd Kidd's spouse called for the divorce because he emotionally and physically abused her while also having multiple affairs. If any or all of these things are true, he doesn't deserve to have a wife. Luckily for him, because of his harsh treatment, he no longer does. Jeff Gordon Multiple cases of "misconduct" were cited by Gordon's ex-wife in filing for divorce, so that could mean a lot of things. At the worst, he was cheating on her; at the best, he was treating her poorly. Whatever the case may be, his wife didn't deserve to be subjected to the stress that he apparently added to her life. Shaquille O'Neal Shaq wanted to get a divorce because he didn't like the way his wife was handling their money, but she alleges things far worse. She suggested that he was a difficult man to get to stay loyal, which was a main complaint in her divorce filing. The big guy was an entertaining athlete, but he apparently wasn't a great husband. Alex Rodriguez A-Rod's ex-wife, Cynthia Scurtis, broke things off with him and for all the reasons you'd expect. She called him a narcissist who was never emotionally invested in the relationship. She also said he was clearly interested in someone else. He sure seems like a stand-up guy. No wonder almost nobody in the sporting world is fond of him. Tony Parker There are plenty of rumors that Parker, the San Antonio Spurs guard, cheated on his wife, actress Eva Longoria, but that has never been confirmed. If he did that, he surely dragged his marriage through the mud. If not, it still seems like he didn't quite do enough to salvage his marriage to a beautiful actress. Deion Sanders The end of Deion's marriage seemed to amicable, but his still-busy schedule and Hollywood-style ways may have led to some discord. Even though he's entertaining to watch, being that energetic, it likely didn't help with his marriage, which is a shame for him. Kobe Bryant Kobe and his wife decided to get divorced and then changed their minds, but that doesn't mean he didn't push their marriage to the brink. His very public sexual assault allegations certainly didn't help matters and his narcissistic attitude likely didn't help, either. Michael Jordan Michael Jordan gave up $168 million in his divorce settlement with Juanita Jordan. The couple started dating when he was at North Carolina and the break up seemed to be largely his fault. His gambling and ego seem like the two biggest factors in the divorce and they cost him a ton of money. Allen Iverson Iverson has always been seen as one of the NBA's bad boys and he didn't earn that reputation out of the blue. His ex-wife claims he was terrible with the children and had very little interest in them. He also has a history of violence with women, so that couldn't have helped matters much in the marriage. Floyd Mayweather Jr. In the span of 13 years, "Money" Mayweather has been involved in seven separate domestic violence incidents. He has no respect for women and that's why he can't make marriage work. When you're too busy abusing the woman you're with to notice anything about her, it's obvious why your marriage won't work at all. Tiger Woods Tiger had by far the most public unraveling of a marriage in the sports world, but he had what he got coming to him. He had an affair with multiple women, which forced his now ex-wife into an embarrassing situation where the entire world knows he cheated on her. There's no better way to undo a marriage than sleep with other women. Tiger knows that firsthand.
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There were reports a couple of weeks ago that Tiger Woods was interested in being a Ryder Cup assistant captain if he didn't qualify for the team. The possibility of that is starting to seem more likely. According to Golf Digest's Dave Shedloski, Woods called Fred Couples on Friday and asked to talk to Davis Love III as well. Couples and Love spent the week as Jay Haas' assistant captains at the Presidents Cup. Love is next year's U.S. Ryder Cup captain. "(Woods) was watching at home and he just had to call," Love said. "He was talking about all the things he thought we needed to do, and he had a lot of ideas. We're already doing a lot of planning for next year, and it's great. It's part of the whole process that started after Gleneagles. Everybody is thinking about it, which is great." Love hasn't named any assistant captains besides Tom Lehman.
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LOS ANGELES Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler is asking Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to stop using the power ballad "Dream On" at campaign events. Attorneys for Tyler sent a second cease-and-desist letter to Trump's campaign committee on Saturday. The letter says that Trump does "not have our client's permission to use 'Dream On'" or any of Tyler's other songs and that it "gives the false impression that he is connected with or endorses Mr. Trump's presidential bid." Tyler, who is a registered Republican, attended the GOP contenders' first debate in August. Attorney Dina LaPolt said in a statement that the letter is not a "political" or "personal issue with Mr. Trump," but it's one of permission and copyright. Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to request for comment.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- With so many key Bills sidelined by injuries, Buffalo needed someone to provide some kind of offensive boost. And quarterback Tyrod Taylor came through by doing a little bit of everything. Even catching a pass. Taylor threw a touchdown pass and ran for another in rallying the Buffalo Bills to a 14-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. BOX SCORE: BILLS 14, TITANS 13 "Quarterback's got the biggest heart," Bills coach Rex Ryan said of Taylor. "Man, it was tough sledding, but he's got guts, he's got heart. He wasn't playing great, but at the end of the day he's the reason we won the game." Ryan said Taylor may not be a great quarterback yet, but his QB has the characteristics giving him a chance to be great. Ryan said Taylor's teammates rallied behind the quarterback who won a three-man competition for the job, and linebacker Preston Brown agreed. "He's running for touchdowns, getting back up and throwing deep balls," Brown said. "He played outstanding for us today. You want to go out and fight for a guy like that." Taylor ran for 76 yards as the Bills (3-2) snapped a five-game skid against Tennessee. The quarterback started the comeback with a 26-yard run that was Buffalo's longest play, then capped the drive running for a 22-yard TD late in the third quarter. Taylor also scrambled for 24 more on third-and-23 from the Bills 7 jumpstarting an 80-yard drive he capped with a 2-yard TD pass to Chris Hogan. Taylor caught a 4-yard pass from Hogan to set up that TD. Stephon Gilmore intercepted Marcus Mariota's pass with 1:32 left to seal the win. The Titans (1-3) blew a second straight double-digit lead at home, this by 10 points. They have lost two straight by a combined three points. "We've got to get over that hump, we've got to win those games," Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "We're close, but we're not quite there." Tennessee outgained the Bills 279-209 and held the ball for more than 35 minutes. But the Titans settled for a pair of field goals by Ryan Succop and a 1-yard TD run by Antonio Andrews. The Titans also had four sacks and recovered a fumble on a punt return to set up their touchdown. The Bills played without wide receiver Sammy Watkins (calf) and running back LeSean McCoy (hamstring) for a second straight week with McCoy's replacement Karlos Williams also out recovering from a concussion. The Bills lost another running back to injury in the second quarter when Cierre Wood was carted to the locker room with an injured knee and did not return. Late in the third quarter, Taylor started running and brought the Bills back. "We found a way to win, so struggle or not, we found a way to win with the guys that we knew we were going to play with," Taylor said. Buffalo nearly had a great start to the game when Bishop Sankey fumbled the kickoff in the end zone, and the Titans recovered at the 2. But the Bills, who lead the NFL in penalties, had to kick again with Marcus Easley offside on Billy Cundiff's kick. After that, the Titans dominated, outgaining Buffalo 115-7 and forcing the Bills to go three-and-out twice. Tennessee's TD came after Titans rookie Jalston Fowler stripped Denarius Moore, who was signed Wednesday by Buffalo, of the ball at the end of a punt return. The Titans won a replay challenge and got the ball at the Bills 39. Notes: Mario Williams' sack of Mariota in the second quarter gave him 40 with the Bills in 53 games, making him the second-fastest to 40 sacks in Buffalo. Only Bruce Smith was faster with 40 sacks in 48 games. ... Bills RB Cierre Wood hurt a knee in the second quarter, was carted to the locker room and did not return. Ryan did not have an update on Wood. ... The Titans shut out an opponent in the first half for the first time since Carolina on Nov. 13, 2011, and for the first time at home since Oct. 30, 2011, against Indianapolis. --- Online: AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL --- Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker
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Five people, including two RAF personnel, have been killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. The Puma Mk2 helicopter crashed as it was landing at Nato's Resolute Support mission headquarters, Kabul. Nato has not released the nationalities of the other victims or the five left injured. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the crash was "an accident and not the result of insurgent activity". The families of the British victims have been informed, the MoD said. They have asked for a period of grace before their names are released. The two RAF personnel were from 230 and 33 squadrons, both of which are based at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, the MoD spokesman said. He added: "The helicopter crashed while landing at the headquarters of Resolute Support: the Nato train, advise and assist mission in Afghanistan. "The incident is currently under investigation but we can confirm that it was an accident and not the result of insurgent activity." British combat troops pulled out of Afghanistan a year ago after a conflict that lasted 13 years and in which 454 UK troops lost their lives. Nato's Resolute Support mission, which was launched after its combat mission ended, consists of more than 13,000 troops from 42 countries, including nearly 500 UK troops. It focuses on training and supporting Afghan security forces and institutions. The coalition aircraft crashed with 10 people on board, Resolute Support said in a statement. "The incident resulted in the death of five Resolute Support personnel and the injury of five others," it said. "It is Resolute Support policy to defer casualty identification to the relevant national authority. The incident is currently under investigation." The accident comes after a convoy of UK military vehicles was attacked in Kabul, the Afghan capital, on Sunday morning. Seven people were injured and there were no UK casualties, the MoD said.
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The Lions fell to 0-5 on Sunday after a 42-17 defeat to the Cardinals. Among the talking points after the game was the decision by Jim Caldwell to bench Matthew Stafford during the third quarter. Stafford struggled in the first half, throwing an interception on Detroit's opening drive of the game and another early in the second quarter, bringing his interception total for the season to seven. That was apparently enough for Caldwell, who told Stafford at halftime he would be benched if another pass found its way to the opposing team. Lions QB Matt Stafford said Jim Caldwell warned him at the half that he'd bench him if he threw another pick. He did, and he did. Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 11, 2015 On Detroit's first drive of the third quarter, Stafford threw a pass intended for Calvin Johnson that was picked off by Patrick Peterson, who returned it 40 yards the other way. As promised, Dan Orlovsky was under center on team's next series. Stafford finished the day 20-of-32 for 188 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Orlovsky completed 21 of his 38 attempts for 191 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Despite benching Stafford, Caldwell said after the game he would remain the starter going forward, using a baseball analogy. Caldwell on Stafford: "It's like a pitcher not having a very good day. If a pitcher comes out, obviously he's still the starter." Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) October 12, 2015 With the team winless, frustration is understandably high in Detroit. Perhaps no one feels it more than Caldwell, who felt the need to shake things up a bit on Sunday. We'll have to see how Stafford and the team respond next week when the Bears come to town.
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It's time for the Brandon Weeden experiment to come to an end in Dallas. He has proven time and time again that he just doesn't have the physical tools or smarts that are necessary to win ballgames in the NFL . He is now 0-4 as a starter for the Dallas Cowboys and the offense looks as listless as ever. In their matchup with the New England Patriots , Weeden showed no awareness in the pocket. He limited his throws to one side of the field, and he never gave his receivers a chance on any ball that was thrown farther than 10 yards. Defenses clearly don't respect his arm, so they are playing eight and nine man fronts close to the line, daring the Cowboys to try and beat them with the deep pass. Dallas just can't get their ground game going, repeatedly facing third and long situations. When you can't sustain drives as an offense, that means your defense is stuck on the field for way too long and they eventually wear down. The returns of Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain sparked this team for a bit, but after a while they simply ran out of gas. The Cowboys have a bye week coming up and are possibly only one game out of first place at this point in the season. It's time to make the switch to Matt Cassel. Jerry Jones decided to make the trade for him as a precautionary measure in case Weeden fell on his face. After losing three straight, I think it's safe to say that he has fallen flat on his face. The Cowboys' coaches need to make a move so that the team doesn't start to lose hope. This season will turn into a disaster rather quickly if the locker room becomes divided. The Cowboys need to use the extra few days they have to prepare a QB in Cassel, who has shown himself to be a proven winner in this league and hopefully save the season for the Cowboys.
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NAJAF, Iraq One of the most popular Facebook posts in Iraq's Shiite heartland is a Photoshopped image of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia dressed in the robe of a southern tribal sheikh. It was the American-led invasion in 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein and empowered Iraq's long-repressed Shiite majority. The United States also took the lead more than a year ago to assemble a coalition to conduct airstrikes in Syria and Iraq against the Sunni militants of the Islamic State. But with the struggle against the Islamic State largely stalemated, it is the naked display of Russian military power in neighboring Syria, and the leadership of "Sheikh Putin," that is being applauded by residents of this Shiite power center. Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter "What the people in the street care about is how to get Daesh out of Iraq," Ibrahim Bahr al-Ulum, a member of Iraq's Parliament, said, using an Arabic name for the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. "Now they feel Russia is more serious than the United States." As if to underscore that point, one widely viewed YouTube video shows Mr. Putin striding purposefully to the sounds of a patriotic Iraqi song, which hails him as a leader with the vision and determination to bring stability to Iraq. "We don't have to say his name; he knows himself well," the singer belts out in the video, which ends with a clip of Mr. Putin conferring with President Hassan Rouhani of Iran. Much of the popular fascination here with "Sheikh Putin" stems from the projection of sectarian politics onto the international stage. Russia's intervention in Syria has outraged Sunni Arabs in the region who see President Bashar al-Assad as a brutal oppressor of Syria's Sunni majority. But many Iraqi Shiites see Mr. Assad's Alawite-dominated government as a bulwark against Sunni extremism and are heartened that Russia has joined forces with Iran and the Syrian government. Further fueling Shiites' concerns is the perception that the American-backed campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq is moving too slowly and that the United States is no longer interested in being the dominant military power in the Middle East. At a seminar of journalists and civic leaders held here last week, Faris Hammam, the leader of the local writer's union, asked how many attendees were glad the Russian military was carrying out airstrikes in Syria. Most shot up their hands. "The Russian intervention is welcomed, not because they like intervention but because of the American failure," Mr. Hammam said. Few Iraqis are aware of the United States' assertion that most of the Russian strikes in Syria have been directed at opponents of Mr. Assad, not at the Islamic State. Those details have been overshadowed by the dramatic images of Russian planes blasting their targets below. "In the Middle East, what often counts is strength or at least the illusion of it," said Hayder al-Khoei, an associate fellow at Chatham House, a London-based international affairs research group. Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad, is not on the front lines. But the war with the Islamic State does not seem very far away. It was in Najaf that Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the spiritual leader of Iraq's Shiites, called in June 2014 for the Iraqi people to take up arms against the Islamic State after the Iraqi Army abandoned Mosul . At the Imam Ali Shrine, a golden-domed religious complex that draws millions of pilgrims a year, militia fighters fresh from their battles with the Islamic State to the north carry the wooden coffins of their slain comrades. Displaced Iraqi families from Falluja, Mosul and Ramadi cities now firmly under the grip of the Islamic State live in makeshift housing along the highway outside Najaf. The Imam Hussain Shrine in nearly Karbala was recently visited by Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, the head of Iran's paramilitary Quds force. American officials say General Suleimani went to Moscow in late July in an apparent effort to coordinate on the Russian offensive in Syria, and he is also spearheading the Iranian effort to assist Iraqi militias. Many Iraqis are uneager for the United States to send large numbers of ground troops back to their country, and the effort to rebuild the Iraqi Army has been hampered by Iraq's failure to recruit more volunteers. But an array of factors have shaped the perception of Russia's role. While sectarian tensions are clearly one element, many Iraqis also harbor resentment at the extravagant and unfulfilled expectations that the American occupation should have rebuilt Iraq. Steeped in conspiracy theories, some say that the Islamic State's persistence on the battlefield can only be a grand design of Washington. "The Americans have the technology to spot water on Mars," said Ahmed Naji, a professor at Kufa University. "So why can't they defeat ISIS?" For Iraqis who recall the American military juggernaut that toppled Mr. Hussein, the progress produced by the airstrikes and the United States' effort to advise and train the Iraqi Army seems inexplicably slow. Wary of being caught up in the fighting, the Obama administration has limited the mission of the approximately 3,500 American advisers and other military personnel in the country. The advisers, for example, do not go on the battlefield to call airstrikes for Iraqi troops a restriction a former United States commander in Iraq, David H. Petraeus, recently told Congress should be eased. Unhappy with the Islamic State's ability to control much of northern and western Iraq, some Iraqis would like the United States to strengthen its military effort by increasing the number of advisers, broadening their role and cracking down on the militants' supply lines from Turkey. "We have to put pressure on the United States to change their attitude and make more actions to help the Iraqi people," Mr. Bahrululoom, the Iraqi Parliament member, said. Mohammed Hussain Hakim, a prominent Shiite cleric, said that Moscow's new cachet said more about Iraqis' frustration with the pace of the joint American, allied and Iraqi campaign against the Islamic State than about support for Mr. Putin. "The war against ISIS was slow," Mr. Hakim said in an interview. "The Iraqi street wants effective, practical engagement against ISIS," he added. "It is not about Russian military intervention per se." Still, the groundswell of Shiite support for Russia's actions already appears to be influencing Iraq's Shiite-dominated government. The Russian transport planes that ferried weapons and equipment to the Kremlin's new base in Latakia, Syria, passed through Iraqi airspace without complaint from the Iraqi authorities. And the Iraqi military announced last month that it had joined a working group to share intelligence with the Russian, Iranian and Syrian governments. There appear to be limits, however, to Russian-Iraqi military cooperation. While Hakim al-Zamili, the leader of Parliament's defense and security committee, has gone so far as to suggest that the Russian-led coalition might one day supplant the American-led one in Iraq, there is nothing to suggest the government has such a plan. Still, with his eye on his public and possibly Russia's Iranian ally, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi of Iraq has been careful not to slam the door on cooperation with Moscow. "Inside Iraq, there are very dangerous guys, so I think to have the Russians on board will help me," Mr. Abadi told PBS NewsHour this month.
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Anderson Cooper, moderator of CNN's Democratic debate, previews his strategy for questioning Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and the other candidates.
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A technology glitch delayed hundreds of Southwest Airlines flights Sunday while the airline checked-in passengers manually at airports. "We're experiencing intermittent technology issues on Southwest.com, the Southwest Mobile app, and in reservations centers and airports across our system today," the airline said in a statement. The airline asked that fliers arrive at least two hours prior to their scheduled departures to help minimize delays. About 300 flights had been delayed as of early Sunday afternoon, the Dallas-based airline said. In Los Angeles, airport police tweeted a photo of long lines at the Southwest desks with the warning to "avoid delays arrive early." One passenger, waiting in line just before noon outside Nashville International Airport, tweeted that the Southwest line was "Crazy long can't even see the end! Hold flights plz!" At Denver International Airport, Emily Mitnick, said she missed her 10 a.m. flight to Detroit, even though she parked her car around 8 a.m. She estimated that about 1,000 people were online at the check-in for a boarding pass. "The clock was ticking and the flight took off," Mitnick told the Associated Press. The Southwest check-in line at McCarren International Airport in Las Vegas wrapped around the building and down the street, Ida Perez told NBC News. Perez said she waited in line for over two hours before finally making her flight. The technical glitch is the latest to disrupt the nation's airline service in recent months. American Airlines blamed a computer failure for halting flights to three major hubs for for a two-hour window on Sept. 17. And nine days earlier United Airlines' website crashed for more than two hours, forcing passengers to check-in via mobile apps or airport kiosks. A computer glitch in July grounded many United flights for nearly two hours, snarling the airline's schedule nationwide and creating long lines at airports. Southwest, which had 3,600 flights schedule Sunday, said it was working to fix its problem. "While teams work diligently to enhance the performance of our technology, our airport-based employees are working with customers on their individual itineraries and we apologize for the extra effort and delayed arrival of passengers and their baggage," the airline statement said.
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The world lacks a major museum about food, despite its vital role in human life. Yet by the end of this month two ambitious venues devoted to what we eat, and why, will be vying for global attention. After a decade of planning and fundraising, on 28 October a grand museum of food and drink is to open in Brooklyn, New York. Billed widely as an international first, it sets out to redress the balance between the universal interest in food and the absence of a venue looking at food culture. But before the Museum of Food and Drink (Mofad) can open its doors, London's own new food museum will beat it to it. The British Museum of Food (BMoF), in Borough Market, plans to pip New York to the post by welcoming its first visitors five days earlier, winning the title of the world's first food museum.
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Analyzing the records of nearly 1 million U.S. soldiers, researchers have developed a computer program that they believe can identify soldiers most likely to commit severe, violent crimes. The research, led by Harvard University psychologist Anthony Rosellini, drew on 38 databases containing information on 446 variables for each soldier who served between 2004 and 2009. During that period, a total of 5,771 soldiers committed murder, manslaughter, kidnapping, robbery or aggravated arson or assault, according to the study, which was funded by the Army. Domestic violence and sex crimes were not included in the study, because they are thought to follow risk patterns distinct from other offenses. Researchers created a risk model based on the soldiers' demographic characteristics, health histories, career details and other factors predating their crimes. For men, who accounted for the vast majority of soldiers and offenders, 24 factors were found to be at play. Those most at risk were young, poor, ethnic minorities with low ranks, disciplinary trouble, a suicide attempt and a recent demotion, according to the study published last week in the journal Psychological Medicine. The highest-risk group just 5 percent of the total population of male soldiers accounted for 36 percent of the crimes perpetrated by men, the researchers found. Each year on average, 15 of every 1,000 of those men committed a violent offense. That was more than seven times the overall rate for male soldiers. Using a slightly different algorithm, the researchers found the highest-risk female soldiers were responsible for 33 percent of crimes perpetrated by women, who overall were about half as likely as men to commit violent offenses. To test their model, the researchers applied it to a sample of 43,248 soldiers who served between 2011 and 2013. They found that the 5 percent identified as most at-risk were responsible for 51 percent of the violent crimes committed by the group. The tool gives the Army the ability "to identify high-risk soldiers without carrying out expensive one-on-one clinical assessments," Rosellini said. While violence-prevention training is standard for all soldiers, the algorithm could allow the Army to determine who should receive more intensive risk evaluations or interventions, the researchers wrote. If the new analytical tool can be validated in more tests, the Army will still have to figure out how to use it. There is still much debate about how to redirect people prone to violence. Even in the highest-risk group, most people do not become offenders. An intensive violence-prevention program "would make sense only if the interventions are shown to be highly efficient something that has not yet been demonstrated," said study coauthor John Monahan, a law professor at the University of Virginia. The study, part of a massive research effort funded by the Army, builds on a paper published last year that used the same method to create a tool for identifying soldiers at greatest risk of suicide. Ronald Kessler, a Harvard sociologist and coauthor of the more recent study, said the team is also working on an algorithm for determining who is most likely to commit sexual assault and who is at greatest risk of becoming a victim. "The military has extraordinary data systems," he said. "There is an ability to do this targeting in a way that can't be done anywhere else."
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Donald Trump says he was ready to go after Ben Carson for questioning his faith, but decided to hold back after his GOP primary rival apologized. "I was all set to go wild, now I can't go wild," Trump said on Fox News' "MediaBuzz" on Sunday. "I'm actually saying, 'I wish he had hit me.' No, he's very smart. I wish he had hit me." Carson said last month that he does not "deny" his faith like Trump, but withdrew the comment and said it was taken out of context. The Republican primary front-runner said he respects Carson, but isn't sure the retired neurosurgeon is the right man to negotiate with foreign powers on America's behalf. "I don't know that he's going to be the guy to negotiate with China, which I do all the time," Trump said. "By the way, the largest bank in the world from China is in this building right above us, they pay me a lot of rent. But I've made great deals with China." Trump also contrasted his business acumen with that of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), whom he said has "credit card problems." "What I'm saying is he has not handled his financial affairs very well," Trump said. "You look at his credit cards, you look at his problems, and I said he was a lightweight. But you have to remember this, he started with me, he was very nice to me, about two weeks ago he started hitting me, I said 'What's all this about?'" The real-estate mogul also offered critiques of various media outlets during the interview. He said Politico is a "very dishonest site," but praised The Washington Post's recent coverage of his campaign and said The New York Times is hit or miss.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. Jay Cutler spent the afternoon dodging Chiefs defenders behind a patchwork offensive line, trying to find somewhere to throw the ball without his top two wide receivers. It just made his fourth-quarter comeback even more impressive. Cutler led the Bears to two touchdowns in the closing minutes Sunday, the second an alert toss to Matt Forte with 18 seconds remaining, giving Chicago an 18-17 comeback win after Kansas City lost star running back Jamaal Charles to a potentially season-ending knee injury. BOX SCORE: BEARS 18, CHIEFS 17 "I knew we needed to make some plays in the fourth quarter. I trust the guys around me," said Cutler, who was making his second start after a hamstring injury. "I know all I've got to do is get the ball out to them and they'll do most of the hard work." Playing without wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal because of injuries, along with three starting offensive linemen, the Bears (2-3) trailed 17-3 early in the third quarter. That's when Charles went down while trying to make a cut, his right knee twisting at an ugly angle. The preliminary diagnosis was a torn ACL and Charles will have an MRI on Monday. With him out, the Bears quickly seized the momentum. After Robbie Gould's second field goal got them going, Cutler led an 88-yard drive that he capped with a 22-yard pass to Marquess Wilson with 3:05 left. The 2-point conversion came up short, but the Bears defense responded by forcing a quick three-and-out. With help from a pass interference call on Chiefs rookie Marcus Peters, the Bears quickly moved down the field. That's when Cutler took a snap from the shotgun, dropped the ball, picked it up and spotted Forte running past safety Husain Abdullah in the end zone for the go-ahead score. The Chiefs (1-4) tried a 66-yard field goal that came up short as time expired. It was the second heartbreaking defeat at home for Kansas City this season. AFC West rival Denver scored two touchdowns in the final 2:27 for a 31-24 victory last month. Making this one even worse was the injury to Charles, who was starting to get into a rhythm went he went down deep in Chicago territory. He immediately grabbed his right knee -- Charles tore the ACL in his left knee four years ago -- and was helped straight to the locker room. "It looks more like a torn ACL than anything else," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "We'll have an MRI on it tomorrow and we'll just see how that goes." That drive stalled, and Cairo Santos had his field-goal attempt blocked. The missed points wound up looming large in a game that Kansas City will remember for its missed opportunities. "We had so many opportunities to win this game," wide receiver Jeremy Maclin said, "and we blew it. We don't have anybody to blame but ourselves." Until Charles went down, everything was going splendidly for the Chiefs, who had jumped out to a comfortable lead thanks to a pair of surprising touchdowns. The first occurred on the third series of the game, when Cutler was sacked in the end zone by Jaye Howard and Allen Bailey. Cutler lost the ball before hitting the turf, and rookie linebacker Ramik Wilson jumped on it for a touchdown in his first NFL start. The Chiefs' second TD came when Alex Smith connected with DeAnthony Thomas with a 14-yard pitch-and-catch midway through the second quarter. Why so surprising? It was the second scoring reception by a Kansas City wide receiver since December 2013. But things went haywire for the Chiefs once Charles left, and the Bears began to chip into the lead. Cutler ultimately led them all the way back with poise down the stretch. "The passing game opened up for us a little bit," Forte said, "and our two-minute offense took over at the end for the second week in a row. It's just a testament to the coaches and practice. We practice that all during the week." Notes: Smith was 16 of 30 for 181 yards without an interception, but was sacked three times. He's been sacked 22 times already this season. ... Bears coach John Fox improved to 8-1 against Kansas City. Most of those wins came with Denver. ... Cutler needs three TD passes to surpass Sid Luckman (137) for most in franchise history. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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BALTIMORE (AP) -- It took a prolonged performance of historic proportions for the Cleveland Browns to finally win on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. Josh McCown threw for a team-record 457 yards and Travis Coons kicked a 32-yard field goal in overtime to lead the Browns to a 33-30 victory Sunday. BOX SCORE: BROWNS 33, RAVENS 30 (OT) Cleveland (2-3) had lost 13 of the previous 14 meetings in this AFC North rivalry and was winless in Baltimore since 2007. The final score of that game, by the way, was 33-30 in overtime. In this one, McCown rallied the Browns from a 12-point deficit to leave the Ravens (1-4) alone in the division cellar. "A little closer than you'd like," McCown said, "but the outcome certainly was fitting and we'll take it." Playing its second straight overtime game, Baltimore went three-and-out on the first possession of the extra period. McCown then used more than seven minutes to move 51 yards before Coons kicked his fourth field goal of the game with 6:43 left. McCown completed 36 of 51 passes with two touchdowns in becoming the first quarterback in Browns history with three straight 300-yard games. He broke the team record of 444 yards passing set by Brian Sipe on Oct. 25, 1981, against the Baltimore Colts. McCown knew for days that the Browns could take advantage of a porous Baltimore defensive backfield. "Wednesday," he said. "We love throwing the ball around. So we're ready to roll." The Ravens, on the other hand, are spiraling. Baltimore never before has been 1-4, and this marks the first time the Ravens lost their first two games at home -- both against division foes. "It's not going to be a matter of, `How do we handle this adversity of being 1-4?' We'll handle it," coach John Harbaugh said. Joe Flacco ran for two 1-yard touchdowns and threw for a score, but fell to 13-2 against Cleveland. After going to the postseason in six of the past seven years, Flacco and the Ravens are in a unique bind. "It doesn't feel too good," Flacco said. Baltimore went up 27-22 on a 1-yard run by Justin Forsett with 5:56 left, but the Ravens couldn't come up with the big play in the fourth quarter. McCown connected with Isaiah Crowell on a 22-yard touchdown pass with 3:03 remaining, and the 2-point conversion left the Ravens needing a field goal to tie. A personal foul against Donte Whitner on a third-and-6 incompletion led to a 32-yard pass from Flacco to Forsett, who hurt his right ankle on the play. He finished with 121 yards rushing. "I felt like if I went back out there I possibly could have damaged it more," Forsett said. After Forsett left, three plays inside the 10 failed to get the ball into the end zone. That left Justin Tucker to kick a 23-yard field goal with 25 seconds to go in regulation. Overtime belonged to the Browns after a wild fourth quarter. "You have wins that define things for you -- that can define a season or be a turning point -- and we hope that was this for us," coach Mike Pettine said. Down 21-9, the Browns rallied behind McCown to take a 22-21 lead with 12:23 remaining. First, he directed a 13-play, 75-yard drive that was extended by a hands-to-the-face penalty call against Jason Babin on a third-down incompletion from the Baltimore 15. Two plays later, McCown ran in from the 10. After a Baltimore punt, McCown needed only four plays to cover 79 yards and give Cleveland its first lead. Following a 56-yard completion to Andrew Hawkins, McCown lofted a pass toward the end zone that tight end Gary Barnidge and safety Will Hill each had an equal chance to catch. The ball glanced off Burnidge's left leg and rolled down to his left ankle as he pinned his legs together to control it. While on his back, he reached down and secured the ball for an 18-yard touchdown. It turned out to be merely the opening salvo of a wild fourth quarter. Notes: Ravens WR Steve Smith (back) and tight end Crockett Gillmore (calf) were inactives. They were ultimately joined on the sideline by linebacker Elvis Dumervil (groin) and defensive backs Lardarius Webb (thigh) and Will Davis (knee). ... Cleveland CB Joe Haden played with a broken right ring finger. He banged his head early in the fourth quarter and was kept out with a concussion. --- AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL
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WASHINGTON -- The head of the House Freedom Caucus that helped upend last week's planned choice of a new speaker predicted Sunday members of the rebellious group would "look favorably" on Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan for the top job. Ryan also won praise from more centrist representatives and even from a congressman who has announced his own campaign for speaker. But the 45-year-old chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, who spent the weekend with his family in Janesville, Wis., remained mum on whether he was willing to accept a role he had previously rejected. The public courting of Ryan spotlighted the search by House Republicans to regain their footing after Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., unexpectedly withdrew his name from contention at a session that was expected to choose him to succeed Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Even so, the demands by Tea Party-aligned forces in the House for more decentralized power and more confrontational tactics by GOP leaders were still in evidence. "If he gets in the race, I think our group would look favorably on him," Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said on Fox News Sunday . He called Ryan a "great communicator" and "the kind of messenger our party needs." The caucus, which has about 40 members, officially has endorsed Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., for speaker. On ABC's This Week , Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who is running for speaker himself, said Ryan "checks every box." Chaffetz called Ryan "a visionary" who "understand the institution." On CNN's State of the Union , Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., an ally of Boehner, said he hoped Ryan would decide to run. And Rep Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., a member of the Freedom Caucus, urged Ryan to accept the job. "Sometimes you just need to do it, right?" he said on CBS' Face the Nation . "The country needs you. The party needs you." He said Ryan went "right to the head of the list" of those who could unite warring Republicans. But in a sign of the challenges involved in the job, Mulvaney also said the deadline to raise the debt ceiling early next month should be used as an opportunity to reduce spending. The deadline to fund the federal government looms even earlier, at the end of October. Ryan, who was the GOP nominee for vice president in 2012, has said he wants to focus on the Ways and Means Committee, include a possible overhaul of the tax code, and has expressed concerns about the demands on his family if he were speaker. He has three school-age children. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the billionaire businessman who is leading the Republican presidential field, called Ryan "a very nice person" and then speculated about whether his protestations about not wanting the job were real. "I think he doesn't want it very badly, but you never know," Trump said on Face the Nation . "Maybe he's playing one of the great games of all time. It is speaker of the House -- I mean, it's a great position -- but he doesn't seem to want it. But I'll bet you that if it was actually offered to him, he would take it."
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Longtime NFL head coach and current NFL Network analyst Brian Billick asserted that kickers are not football players on Sunday, and Seahawks punter Jon Ryan had something to say about it. NFL Network's Twitter account shared Billick's remark, which was not at all complimentary of kickers. "Yes kickers are people too, but they're not football players." - @CoachBillick pic.twitter.com/gRupDi13k0 NFL Network (@nflnetwork) October 11, 2015 This attracted the attention of Seahawks punter Jon Ryan, who gave Billick a piece of his mind via Twitter. Here's @coachBillick 's stats as an NFL "football player" 0 games played 0 catches for 0 yards. Oh and 0 fg attempts https://t.co/lCsyvDQmtD Jon Ryan (@JonRyan9) October 11, 2015 Billick was drafted as a tight end in 1977, but never played in the NFL. It's unclear what, exactly, Billick has against kickers, but they're arguably more important than ever in today's NFL, particularly with the new extra point rules. A high quality kicker can be the difference between victory and defeat in a close game, as many NFL teams could attest. Saying they're not football players just seems ignorant. And as an added bonus, Ryan happens to be one of the funniest dudes in the NFL . Billick needs to cut the guy some slack.
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Visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak pledged Sunday to help Indonesia fight forest fires blanketing Southeast Asia in haze as foreign aircraft joined operations to douse the blazes. Najib began a two-day visit by meeting President Joko Widodo at the state palace in Bogor, West Java, to discuss a range of issues including the palm oil industry, environmental cooperation and the smog. The regional environmental crisis has caused flights and major events to be cancelled and forced tens of thousands of people in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore to seek treatment for respiratory problems. "We consider the haze a serious issue as it's a burden to Malaysians and Indonesians," Najib told reporters after the meeting. "Malaysia is prepared to increase our assistance in dousing the fires. The areas affected are widespread so certainly the challenges are very big," he said. The blazes flare annually during the dry season as fires are illegally set to clear land for cultivation on Indonesia's island of Sumatra and in the Indonesian portion of Borneo island. National disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said a Malaysian CL415 Bombardier capable of scooping up to six tonnes of water from the sea, and a Singaporean Chinook helicopter which can pour water from a huge hanging bucket, were among the 10 aircraft used for water-bombing in South Sumatra province. A Lockheed L100 Hercules Air Tanker with a 15-tonne capacity is expected to arrive in the coming days, he added. Jakarta has deployed about 25,000 personnel and aircraft but the firefighters have been overwhelmed by the extent of the blazes. The Indonesian government for weeks insisted it did not need international help before finally agreeing to accept the offers from several countries.
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Baylor is No. 2 and Utah is up to fourth behind No. 1 Ohio State in The Associated Press college football poll. The Bears have their best ranking ever. They reached No. 3 three times previously, including once last season. Voters spread first-place votes around to six teams in the Top 25 released Sunday. The Buckeyes received 27, down 11 (38) from last week. Baylor has 13 and Utah has 16. No. 3 TCU received three first-place votes and No. 5 Clemson and No. 9 Texas A&M each received one. Ohio State started the season a unanimous No. 1, but as the Buckeyes have sputtered support has slipped. Ohio State pulled away from Maryland in the second half Saturday for a 49-28 victory. Now, there isn't much separation in the top four. The Buckeyes have 1,411 poll points, 21 more than Baylor. TCU is four points ahead of Utah. POLL POINTS Ohio State is No. 1 for the 102nd time in the history of the AP poll, breaking a tie with Oklahoma for the most times on top of the rankings. Teams that have been No. 1 in the AP poll more than 60 times. 102 - Ohio State 101 - Oklahoma 98 - Notre Dame 91 - Southern California 73 - Alabama 72 - Florida State 70 - Nebraska 68 - Miami MOVING UP Utah has its best ranking since finishing No. 2 in final 2008 poll. The Utes previous best regular-season ranking was No. 5 in 2004. No. 8 Florida has its best rankings since 2012 and No. 12 Michigan has its best since 2013. GOING DOWN No. 7 Michigan State slipped three spots from No. 4, the second straight week the undefeated Spartans dropped after a close win against a losing team. No. 19 Oklahoma dropped nine spots after losing to Texas. No. 20 Northwestern fell seven places after being shut out by Michigan. OUT Southern California and Georgia both started the season ranked in the top 10 with what seemed like legitimate hopes to reach College Football Playoff. Six weeks into the season, both traditional powers are out of the rankings and likely out of the playoff chance. The Trojans flopped on Thursday at home against Washington and the Bulldogs blew a 21-point lead at Tennessee on Saturday. Georgia is out of the rankings for the first time since the end of 2013. IN With first-year coach Tom Herman, No. 24 Houston is ranked this week for the first time since the final 2011 Top 25. Those Cougars with coach Kevin Sumlin were 12-0, but lost the Conference USA title game. No. 25 Duke is back after making a brief appearance earlier this season. RANKED VS. RANKED No. 8 Florida at No. 6 LSU. The Gators could all but wrap up the SEC East against Heisman front-runner Leonard Fournette. No. 4 Michigan State at No. 12 Michigan. The Spartans have won six of the last seven but that was BH Before Harbaugh. No. 10 Alabama at No. 9 Texas A&M. The Crimson Tide is tough when it has no room for error. No. 18 UCLA at No. 15 Stanford, Thursday night. The Cardinal have won seven straight against the Bruins. No. 17 Iowa at No. 20 Northwestern. Huge Big Ten West matchup. ___ Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ___ AP college football website: collegefootball.ap.org
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An emotional US captain Jay Haas wept with joy as he watched his son Bill close out the final singles match on the last green to win the 11th Presidents Cup Sunday. "I don't know if I'm going to get through this. I can't," he said, voice cracking as tears welled in his eyes alongside the 18th green at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Incheon, South Korea. Moments earlier Haas junior, only in the team after being given a captain's pick by his father, had beaten local hero Bae Sang-Moon to secure a 15.5-14.5 victory against the International team. "Before Bill played 17, I said, 'Come on, Bill, win one for your mom here. Your mom deserves this'. "Oh, my gosh," he said as more tears fell. "When we put him out 12th, (we) had no idea obviously that was going to happen. But he played beautiful down the stretch. Couldn't even have dreamt this. I'm just real happy for the guys." Bae had a chance to grab a share of the trophy but fluffed a chip with his third shot. When he couldn't hole hisJaty next attempt the handshakes followed and the US had secured their sixth Presidents Cup in a row and ninth outright in the most dramatic circumstances. Jay Haas regained his composure later and told a news conference alongside his winning players what had been going through his mind. "I believe I would have been just as nervous no matter who was out there, but I was more emotional because it was Bill. - 'Suddenly, it's on me' - "We had a lot of red up on the board early. Then all of a sudden, some of the matches turned a little bit different. And I thought, 'Bill's match is probably going to matter'. "I was much more emotional than if it would have been anyone else on the team, but no less proud. They all are fantastic, I just can't say enough. I feel like, except for maybe Phil, they are all like my sons," added Haas to laughter, refering to Phil Mickelson, the oldest player in the team at 45. Bill Haas said it was the most nerves he had ever felt in his 11 years as a professional. "Those holes down the stretch were very difficult. I can't even imagine these Major winners up here, what they are feeling like down the stretch, having felt that," he said. Bill Haas had realised midway through the back nine that it might all come down to his match, and he said it had been a scary thought. "When I was on 13, I looked over at the scoreboard and I saw we were maybe up in two, down in two, all square in one. And I knew right then. I was like, man, it's definitely on -- all of a sudden it's on me." He revealed that some words from British Open champion and US team mate Zach Johnson had inspired him. Haas told Johnson on Saturday night after being drawn last out: "Man, I hope you guys go out and take care of business before it comes down to me." But Johnson was having none of it and told Haas to be positive. "He goes, 'You want that. That's what you want. You want to be in that position and you should go get it'," said Haas. "It feels really amazing now the way it all worked out. It was a very great moment for me and my dad."
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A 28-year-old mother in Nebraska has been charged with two felony counts of child abuse after her boyfriend bound her sons with duct-tape while forcing them to watch "Mommie Dearest."
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The report was commissioned by the prosecutor.
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VICE News The terror group ISIS made gains near Syria's largest city in the last 24 hours, indirectly aided by Russian airstrikes that drove other groups out. ISIS militants seized five villages on the northern edge of Aleppo, putting them within 1 mile of territory held by the Syrian regime, Reuters reports . Russian airstrikes in the area reportedly killed hundreds of anti-regime rebels, many of whom ISIS (also known as the Islamic State, ISIL, and Daesh) was also fighting. "Daesh has exploited the Russian air strikes and the preoccupation of the (rebel) Free Syrian Army in its battles in Hama, and advanced in Aleppo," one rebel commander told Reuters. Hassan Hassan, an expert on Syria who recently coauthored the book "ISIS: Insider the Army of Terror," told Business Insider that ISIS' gains near Aleppo are a "big win." "I'm sure ISIS has sleeper cells in Aleppo," Hassan said. "If they pushed, if they held their ground then that would be … a big win for them. "They could actually establish a foothold inside Aleppo, and it also helps them to make more progress in Hama," another key city in western Syria. VICE News So far, Russia's campaign against rebels in Syria has hit anti-regime fighters about 90% of the time while leaving ISIS strongholds untouched. And up until now, rebel groups have been successful keeping ISIS out of Aleppo. There are many factions fighting for control of Syria ISIS sometimes fights forces loyal Assad and seeks to gain as much territory as it can in Syria, but the group mostly fights nationalist rebels as well as other jihadist groups like the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in the country. VICE News Russia went into Syria claiming that its primary target was ISIS, but it seems that its real goal is to prop up Assad, who is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And as Russian airstrikes weaken the nationalist opposition and ISIS' jihadist rivals, ISIS is taking advantage of opportunities to move into territory it wasn't previously able to secure. Gains in Aleppo "would basically give them the ability to attack the rebels from different sides and take areas under the control of the rebels," Hassan said. "They will try this because they see the rebels at their weakest points and they want to fortify the front from different sides," he said. VICE News Furthermore, Russia has something to gain from leaving ISIS largely untouched. "The Russians are following the same script as the Syrian regime, which is basically to avoid ISIS as much as they can because ISIS is useful," Hassan said. "ISIS can attack the rebels. It's not in the heartlands, it's in areas that are farther away. ... If ISIS attacks the rebels in Aleppo, that's good news for the Russians and the regime." Consequently, Russia would hit ISIS harder only if the group creeps into regime strongholds. "The regime and Russians will focus on the heartlands Hama, Damascus, but not Palmyra," which is an ISIS stronghold, Hassan said. ISIS also reportedly killed a top Iranian commander in northern Aleppo this week, despite Russian airstrikes. Iran is allied with Russia and Syria while commanding proxies in the country. NOW WATCH: China has been upgrading its military and is now stronger than ever
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Road would get place near others named after Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez, about a mile and a half from Mormon headquarters Salt Lake City could soon have a street named after the pioneering gay rights leader Harvey Milk, an idea that reflects the progressive bent of the city that is home to the Mormon church and capital of a conservative state.
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GREEN BAY, Wis. Aaron Rodgers' remarkable run of mistake-free football at home is over. Green Bay, though, is still perfect this season. A relentless defense helped the Packers overcome an unusually average day from their MVP quarterback. Rodgers threw for two touchdowns and 241 yards, and the defense had three sacks and four interceptions to hold off the St. Louis Rams for a 24-10 victory on Sunday. BOX SCORE: PACKERS 24, RAMS 10 "Good team win today, start with the defense," coach Mike McCarthy said. "I thought they were clearly the key to our victory." Rodgers was 19 of 30 with long scoring strikes to receivers Ty Montgomery and James Jones for the Packers (5-0). But NFL-record streaks of 587 pass attempts and 49 touchdown passes at home without an interception for Rodgers ended in the first quarter on linebacker James Laurinaitis' diving pick of a tipped ball for the Rams (2-3). Rodgers threw another interception in the second quarter before losing a fumble in the third on a sack. "All of them," Rodgers said when asked which turnover bothered him the most. The Rams defense heeded coach Jeff Fisher's advice to get their hands on the football. "How long has it been since Aaron's thrown an interception here? Five-hundred attempts," Fisher asked. The Packers defense was still better. Relentless pressure on quarterback Nick Foles helped keep the Packers unbeaten. Foles' four interceptions were a career-worst, with two in the fourth quarter inside the Packers 10. "I've got to make better decisions to give my teammates an opportunity to make a play," Foles said. Rookie cornerback Quinten Rollins returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown for a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, and picked off another pass at the 7 with 23 seconds left. Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix intercepted a tipped pass in the end zone on third-and-goal at the 7. Greg Zuerlein was 1 for 4 on field-goal tries, hitting from 42 but missing his other three attempts, all coming from at least 50 yards. One kick in the second half was blocked by Datone Jones. The mistakes wasted another strong effort for Rams rookie Todd Gurley, who for the second straight week had his best production, with 159 yards rushing on 30 carries. He dented a defense that had held opposing starting running backs to an average of 36 yards on 11 attempts the previous three games. "We're running the football right now. We're 1-1 since Todd's got his opportunity, so we just need to keep improving," Fisher said. But a week after defeating previously unbeaten Arizona, the Rams couldn't repeat the feat on a warm fall afternoon in Green Bay. Foles was 11 of 30 for 141 yards and a touchdown. His longest completion came on a 68-yarder to Stedman Bailey late in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, the Packers' pass rush overwhelmed an inexperienced offensive line that lost veteran guard Rodger Saffold in the first quarter to a shoulder injury. The defense held up in spite of losing tackle B.J. Raji to a groin injury and linebacker Nick Perry (shoulder). Guard T.J. Lang also left in the first quarter with a knee injury. Star linebacker Clay Matthews set the tone with 1 1/2 sacks and several other trips into the backfield. Mike Daniels led the charge on the defensive line with eight tackles. Safeties Clinton-Dix and Micah Hyde more than made up for the loss of Morgan Burnett, who missed a third straight game with a calf injury. "It still is an offensive team, but it's nice when the defense can hold their own, especially in the last couple of weeks when opposition is having a big defense and maybe our offense isn't clicking," Matthews said. NOTES: James Jones' 65-yard TD catch at 12:41 of the third quarter was Green Bay's longest offensive play of the season and gave the Packers a 21-10 lead. .... The Packers had their first four-interception game since Sept. 13, 2012 in a game against Chicago. ... Laurinaitis finished with a team-high eight tackles. ... CB Trumaine Johnson had the Rams' other interception. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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It's not the first time children have been trained as soldiers.
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Urban Meyer said during the week leading up to Ohio State's game against Maryland there had been discussions about using J.T. Barrett as a red zone quarterback. What were those like? Starting quarterback Cardale Jones and offensive coordinator Ed Warinner explained following the Buckeyes' 49-28 win over Maryland on Saturday. "Our program is a very open and honest program," Jones said. "(Meyer) said he was going on his Monday walk or something like that and he was just thinking, and he decided to actually ask us about it to see how we feel about it and then let us think about it for a couple hours. He called us back up to the facility and we gave him what we thought about it. Like I said before, he was right." The first game trying the experiment with Jones playing most of the snaps and Barrett taking over as the team approached the goal line worked. They were six for six scoring touchdowns in the red zone with Barrett accounting for three of those touchdowns on the ground. Jones also had one of his best passing days, completing 21 of 28 passes for 291 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers. "I think it can work," Jones replied when asked about long-term viability of the plan. "Coach Meyer does an unbelievable job of managing it. He makes sure both players are prepared for each situation. For instance, the plan was to improve our red-zone offense, and we had to add an extra element with the quarterback run, and that's something (J.T.) is unbelievable at doing." Barrett was not made available for comment after the game, but according to Jones it all comes down to one thing for the quarterbacks, both of whom contributed to Ohio State's 2014 national championship but not at the same time. "We just want to win," he said. "We want to do whatever it takes to win. If that means sacrificing playing time or swallowing egos, that's no problem with us. That's a testament to how we were trained all year round." Warinner acknowledged managing such a situation can have its potential pitfalls. "It's always a concern because they're human beings, but they're so unselfish and they're such great guys," the veteran coach said. "We had conversations with them -- Coach Meyer had conversations with them about what we were thinking and we were reading what they say and how they react and how they respond and they were both great with just, 'Hey, we want to help this team win. What do you guys think? We'll do whatever.' So they're both really great people to work with." It might not hurt that Meyer has experience with playing a starting quarterback with another in a specialty role. He did so in 2006 at Florida with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow, but Warinner said that was not brought up specifically last week to him. "Well we all know he has that experience. but the discussions weren't really about Florida and those two guys, although they had a great run doing that," Warinner said. "It was just what can we do to improve our red zone offense? How can we get the ball in (the end zone)? How can we be more effective there? "And we brainstormed and with Coach Meyer's past experience I'm sure the helped trigger the thought maybe that's J.T's role to be the red zone specialist."
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Syrian troops backed by Russian airstrikes have advanced against fighters in the centre of the country as Russia's President Vladimir Putin defended Moscow's intervention in the conflict, saying it would aid efforts to reach a political settlement. Putin said his country's objective was to stabilise the Syrian government and create conditions for a political compromise. "When a division of international terrorists stands near the capital, then there is probably little desire for the Syrian government to negotiate, most likely feeling itself under siege in its own capital," he said in an interview with Russian state television broadcast on Sunday. Critics of Russia's intervention have argued that strengthening the government will only make compromise more difficult, and on Sunday the main Western-backed opposition group said the strikes would undermine any efforts to reach a settlement. The Syrian National Coalition also said it would boycott talks suggested by the UN envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, saying any political process must be based on "ending the Russian aggression" and reviving a roadmap adopted in 2012. Putin also called on other countries to "unite efforts against this evil". The fighting on Sunday was on multiple fronts in the northern part of the central Hama province and the nearby rebel-held Idlib province. A Syrian military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, told the AP news agency that troops has seized the northern Hama village of Tak Sukayk. Shaam News Network, a group of anti-government activists, said several rebel groups, including al-Nusra Front, have formed a joint operations room for activities in Hama and Idlib. The rebels seized almost all of Idlib earlier this year and hold territory in northern Hama and rural Latakia, a coastal province that is a major stronghold for President Bashar Assad and the Alawite religious minority to which he belongs. Cluster munitions Human Rights Watch meanwhile said that an advanced type of Russian cluster munition was used in an airstrike southwest of Aleppo on October 4, as part of what photographs and videos suggest is renewed use of the air-dropped and ground-fired munitions. The New York-based rights group said it could not determine whether Russian or Syrian forces were responsible for the apparent use of the munitions, which descend by parachute and are designed to destroy armoured vehicles, but can also pose a major hazard to civilians. Russia is a major arms supplier to Syria. Neither country has banned cluster munitions. There was no immediate comment from Russia's Defense Ministry. Moscow says its air strikes are mainly aimed at the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and other "terrorists," but its ground-and-air offensive is mainly being waged in areas controlled by "moderate" rebels as well as al-Nusra Front. US officials say Russia has directed parts of its air campaign against US-funded groups and other moderate opposition groups in a concerted effort to weaken them. The Russian military said on Sunday its jets had carried out 64 sorties in the past day, targeting 63 sites in the Hama, Idlib, Latakia and Raqqa provinces. Saudi talks Meanwhile, Putin met with Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday about the possibility of a political solution in Syria. The two held talks in Sochi and were joined by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Energy Minister Alexander Novak. "We have closely cooperated with Saudi Arabia for years on the crisis in Syria," Lavrov told journalists, according to remarks broadcast on television. "The two parties confirmed that Saudi Arabia and Russia have similar objectives when it comes to Syria. Above all, it is to not let a terrorist caliphate take over the country." "After today's talks, we understand better how to move toward a political solution," Lavrov said. Riyadh is one of the leading backers of rebels fighting to overthrow Assad. Putin also met with Abu Dhabi's crown prince the southern Russian city, where they attended a Formula One race.
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Tom Brady continues businesslike dominance over Cowboys ARLINGTON, Texas New England improved to 4-0 with a businesslike 30-6 win against Dallas at AT&T Stadium on Sunday. Tom Brady led the Patriots to another win with 275 passing yards and weathered pressure from a defensive line led by Greg Hardy, who picked up two first-half sacks in his return from a four-game suspension. The Patriots remain on the unbeaten track, while the Cowboys dropped a third consecutive game with Brandon Weeden as the starting quarterback. Here are five things we learned from Sunday's game. MORE: Worst of Week 5 | Must-see action images | Sunday scoreboard 1 Brady owns Dallas Brady improved to 4-0 in his career against Dallas, and the previous three wins were part of seasons in which the Patriots reached the Super Bowl. Brady helped New England take a 10-3 lead in the second quarter on a drive in which he completed 5 of 5 passes for 36 yards, then plunged in for a one-yard sneak. Brady ran to the back of the Dallas end zone and added an emphatic spike. He put the game away with a 59-yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman, releasing the ball just as he was hit by Hardy. 2 Lifeless Cowboys offense The Cowboys were 1 of 8 on third down in the first half in digging a 10-point hole, and Brandon Weeden converted 7 of 13 for 36 yards. Weeden finished 26 of 39 for 188 yards, but does it matter? The Cowboys have dropped three straight with Weeden as the starter. You can't really say Dallas "needs to" make a change, because the options are limited. The Cowboys have a bye week before a season-defining stretch against the Giants, Seahawks and Eagles. They could prepare another quarterback if they "chose to." Dallas won't win any of those games if the offense continues on this track. 3 Hardy makes impact The Dallas defensive end returned from a four-game suspension and made an immediate impact with two first-half sacks and three quarterback hurries. The Cowboys totaled five sacks in the first half, but New England made the right halftime adjustments to offset that pressure. Still, Hardy gives the Cowboys' defense a lift. 4 Check-down mate How did New England offset that pressure? Brady utilized running back Dion Lewis as a shifty check-down option. Lewis scored on a 10-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter and finished with eight receptions for 59 yards. Lewis is still sharing carries with LeGarrette Blount, a trend that should continue over the next few weeks. 5 Look out, Indy Remnants of 16-0 talk might filter in with New England now, and it should. Which unbeaten team has the best chance? The one that's done it before. The Patriots used a win against a much-better Cowboys team in 2007 and went on to a perfect regular season. This New England team travels to Indianapolis for Sunday Night Football in Week 6, their first meeting post-DeflateGate. If the Pats win this one and if they do, don't be surprised if it gets ugly then that 16-0 talk will gain a little more traction.
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Oil prices rose in early Asian trading on Monday after U.S. drillers cut oil rigs for six straight weeks, while traders awaited Chinese trade data to be published following the one-week National Holiday. U.S. drillers removed nine oil rigs in the week ended Oct. 9, bringing the total rig count down to 605, oil services company Baker Hughes Inc (BHI.N) said late on Friday. That total was the least since July, 2010. Drillers had cut a total of 61 rigs over the prior five weeks. Since hitting an all-time high of 1,609 during this week a year ago, weekly rig count reductions have averaged 20. "Another fall in the U.S. oil rig count helped support WTI price (but) the focus will be on the release of China's trade data, which will indicate whether low prices have kept import demand high," ANZ said bank. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures (CLc1) were trading at $49.79 per barrel at 0008 GMT, up 16 cents from their last settlement. Internationally traded Brent futures (LCOc1) were up 11 cents at $52.76 a barrel. Oil was also supported by a weaker U.S. dollar, since it makes imports for countries using different currencies cheaper. The U.S. dollar (.DXY) (EUR=) hit three-week lows against the euro as minutes from the Federal Reserve's September policy meeting showed the Fed in no rush to raise interest rates. Data from China in coming days is likely to point to further weakness in the world's second-largest economy, starting with import and export data to be published on Tuesday. Some investors fear the economy is at risk of a hard landing which could jeopardize an increasingly fragile international outlook, though most analysts forecast a slow deceleration, predicting that a raft of earlier support measures will gradually kick in. (Editing by Ed Davies)
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Despite Russian airstrikes in Syria and the failure of a U.S. program to train opposition forces, President Barack Obama said there would be no change in policy related to the war in Syria in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," which aired Sunday night. Obama maintained there were no "silver bullets" to solve the civil war in Syria. Obama said the U.S. would try to use diplomatic channels to work with both Iran and Russia to put pressure on Syrian President Bashar Assad for a "transition." Russia and Iran have backed Assad while the U.S. has called for his removal. "But … what we are not going to do is to try to reinsert ourselves in a military campaign inside of Syria," Obama said . The interview taped Tuesday featured tense moments. When it was suggested Russian President Vladimir Putin was "challenging" the American president's leadership, Obama responded: "I got to tell you, if you think that running your economy into the ground and having to send troops in, in order to prop up your only ally is leadership, then we've got a different definition of leadership." . @SteveKroft questions Obama on Russia's involvement in Syria, ISIS & the presidential race http://t.co/twavglvORP pic.twitter.com/fWAjKF8aSC 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) October 12, 2015 When asked if the U.S. knew Russia would begin airstrikes in Syria when the two leaders met in late September at the United Nation's General Assembly in New York, Obama said , "We had pretty good intelligence." The war in Syria has taken the lives of more than 200,000 people and displaced millions, creating a refugee crisis in both surrounding nations and Europe. Opposition forces on the ground have fought both Syrian government forces and the terrorist Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, which has captured territory in Syria and Iraq. A $500 million U.S. program to train Syrian opposition forces to fight ISIS was canceled last week. The U.S. said it would provide direct aid to existing groups on the ground instead. Obama told "60 Minutes" he had had doubts about the program before it began. There were unconfirmed reports Sunday moderate Sunni forces had joined with the Kurdish People's Defense Units to form a new group known as the Syrian Democratic Forces. Eight senior ISIS members were killed in an airstrike conducted by the Iraqi government Sunday. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the terrorist group, was not among those killed, Reuters reported . A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said the U.S. had not seen any information Baghdadi had been killed or wounded.
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The bomb blasts in Ankara which killed 97 people at a peace rally on Saturday have raised tensions in Turkey, three weeks before snap elections are due on November 1. In the predominantly Kurdish southeastern city of Diyarbakir on Sunday, demonstrators condemned the attack and called for peace. The same calls echoed in the capital. Saturday's attack came under three months after a suicide bombing blamed on ISIL, also against peace activists, in the town of Suruc on the Syrian border which killed 33 people. While the government blames Kurdish fighters or ISIL fighters for the attacks, there is growing anger at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for intensifying a crackdown on Kurdish groups. Erdogan issued a statement condemning the "heinous" bombings and cancelled a planned visit to Turkmenistan, but he has yet to speak in public since the attack that shocked the nation. Flags flew at half-mast across the country on the first of three days of national mourning declared by Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey's prime minister, as questions grew over who could have ordered the bombings. IN PICTURES: Turks mourn Ankara bombing victims The Turkish government has struggled to identify the two male suicide bombers it blames for the bloodshed. Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), one of the groups that had organised the rally, said it believes the death toll now stands at 128. At Sunday's rally in Ankara, thousands of demonstrators thronged the central Sihhiye Square, close to the blast site by the city's main train station, to pay tribute to the victims. Many of those gathered accused the government of failing to provide security at the ill-fated rally and several anti-government demonstrators shouted "Erdogan murderer" and "government resign!" Erdogan has been under immense political pressure after his Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost its overall majority in June 7 polls for the first time since it came to power in 2002. Coalition talks failed and Erdogan called new elections for November 1. Saturday's explosions Davutoglu's office said 97 people were killed when the bombs exploded just after 10am local time (07:00 GMT) on Saturday as leftist and pro-Kurdish activists assembled for the rally. It said that 507 people were wounded, with 160 still in hospital and 65 in intensive care in 19 hospitals. An AFP correspondent said the scene of the blast was littered with ball bearings, indicating the explosions were intended to cause maximum damage. In an emotional address to the mourners in Ankara, Selahattin Demirtas, HDP's leader, said that rather than seeking revenge people should aim to end Erdogan's rule, starting with the upcoming legislative elections. "We are not going to act out of revenge and hatred. But we are going to ask for [people to be held to] account," he said, adding that the elections would be part of a process to "topple the dictator". The Ankara death toll surpasses that of the May 2013 twin bombings in Reyhanli on the Syrian border that killed over 50 people, making the attack the deadliest in the history of the Turkish Republic. There has been no claim of responsibility yet for the twin bombings but Davutoglu said groups including ISIL, the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the far-left Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) were capable of carrying out such an attack. "Work is continuing to identify the corpses of the two male terrorists who carried out the suicide bombings," Davutoglu's office said in a statement late on Sunday. NTV television said the Suruc and Ankara attacks were similar both in style and the type of bombs used. The same forensic experts sent to Suruc are now working in Ankara. The Hurriyet and Haberturk dailies reported that the elder brother of Abdurrahman Alagoz, who carried out the Suruc suicide bombing, could be implicated in the Ankara blasts. The Suruc bombing triggered one of the most serious divides in Turkey in recent times, seeing the PKK accuse the government of collaborating with ISIL as it resumed attacks on security forces after a truce that had lasted more than two years. The military hit back, launching a "war on terror" against the Kurdish fighters. The PKK on Saturday unexpectedly announced it would suspend all attacks - except in self-defence - before the polls. But the Turkish army kept up its campaign with more air raids on southeast Turkey and northern Iraq, killing 49 suspected fighters over the last two days, the official Anatolia news agency reported. Two Turkish soldiers were also killed in clashes with the PKK in the eastern Erzurum region, reports said.
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Because itâs certainly not easy.
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Volkswagen has said it is recalling almost 2,000 cars in China as the fallout from the diesel emissions scandal continues. The country's environment ministry also announced an investigation into VW cars sold in China, after the German carmaker admitted installing software designed to cheat emissions tests. VW has said that 11 million vehicles are affected worldwide. The carmaker offered its "sincerest apologies" to its Chinese customers. It is recalling 1,950 cars, mainly Tiguan models, all imported into China. This represents a small fraction of the total number of VWs imported by the country. However, analysts said the recall comes at a bad time for the world's biggest carmaker. "I have so far seen little impact on consumers' confidence and trust in the VW brand [in China], but we need to continue to monitor that," said Yale Zhang from Shanghai-based Automotive Foresight. "Their sales are already weak this year thanks to the slowdown in China's general economy. "If sales took a further beating from the current emissions scandal, that would further complicate their position globally following the scandal." Investigation VW has already appointed a new chief executive and chairman after the revelations last month that its cars cheated emissions tests in the US. The company has launched a thorough investigation into the scandal, but new chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch warned last week that answers would take "some time". VW has set aside €6.5bn ($7.4bn; £4.8bn) to cover the costs of the scandal, but some experts believe the final bill could be much higher. Shares in the company recovered slightly last week but are still down more than 20% since the scandal broke in the middle of September.
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OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) -- Tomas Plekanec scored twice in the first period and Mike Condon made 20 saves in his NHL debut to help the Montreal Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators 3-1 on Sunday night. The 25-year-old Condon allowed only Jean-Gabriel Pageau's short-handed goal midway through the second period in the Senators' home opener. Torrey Mitchell added a goal for Montreal in the third period. Montreal improved to 3-0-0, while Ottawa dropped to 2-1-0. Matt O'Connor made 31 saves for Ottawa in his NHL debut. Plekanec opened the scoring at 9:41 of, beating O'Connor with a sharp angle shot. Plekanec added his third the season with 1:26 left, breaking in alone and beat O'Connor through the legs. Pageau pulled Ottawa with one in a 2-one-1 break with Curtis Lazar. Mitchell redirected P.K. Subban's shot from just inside the blue line at 5:41 of the third, leaving O'Connor with little chance. Notes: Senators owner Eugene Melnyk took part in a ceremonial opening faceoff with his two daughters. He had a liver transplant this year. ... Condon and O'Connor are the first goalies to make their first NHL starts in the same game since Oct. 14, 1967.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. With 9 minutes and 33 seconds left in the third quarter Sunday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid leaned over, inspecting his injured star. Behind him, seven players kneeled, clutching their helmets, wishing that was looked to be true, somehow was not. Running back Jamaal Charles, their beloved teammate, was down. He'd crumpled to the grass turf just moments before, his right knee appearing to give out on him with no contact on his 15th carry of the afternoon. It would be Charles' last of the day. The crowd of 75,799 at Arrowhead Stadium began applauding when Charles was hoisted to his feet and carried to the sideline, his arms clinging around the shoulders of head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder and star outside linebacker Justin Houston. Afterward, Reid said preliminary indications are that Charles likely suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, pending an MRI on Monday. That is a season-ending injury, both for Charles and, perhaps, the Chiefs especially considering the collapse that soon followed. With their season on the line against a struggling Chicago Bears team missing at least five starters because of injury, the Chiefs, who entered the game as nine-point favorites, proceeded to blow a 14-point second-half lead in a devastating 18-17 defeat that dropped them to 1-4 and sent them to their fourth straight loss. RELATED: Stunning turnaround gives Bears 1st road win "People saw, the whole time, what was going on," Reid said, when asked if the injury took the life out of his team. "You're put in a situation like this and somewhere, you've got to make plays. We didn't do that the second half." It marks the second time this season the Chiefs have blown a two-touchdown lead at home. The first came on Sept. 13, when they lost 31-24 to Denver. And while the Bears needed a 7-yard touchdown throw from Jay Cutler to running back Matt Forte with 18 seconds left to complete the comeback, things swerved off course for the Chiefs long before that, as they were outscored 15-0 from the point of Charles' injury to the end of the game. "Offensively, we went into a shell there for a little while, you know, and just didn't get anything done," quarterback Alex Smith said. Indeed, the offense shrank from the occasion without Charles, as the Chiefs were outgained 220 yards to 52 from that point on. The Chiefs still had the ball deep in Bears territory when Charles got hurt, but after two Alex Smith straight incompletions, kicker Cairo Santos' 27-yard field goal was blocked. "You can't come back and have a blocked field goal in that momentum swing," Reid said. "If it does (happen), for that moment, then you've got to change it, and we were never really able to do that." Some of that is also on the defense, which held the Bears to 108 first-half yards and scored a first-half touchdown on a Ramik Wilson fumble recovery but allowed Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to get hot in the second half. "You can't act like this is not a top quarterback," cornerback Sean Smith. "I know he's been streaky, but it's still Jay Cutler. You've got to respect the man's talent. He's capable of making all the throws." After the blocked field goal, Cutler, who finished 26 of 45 for 252 yards and two touchdowns, mounted a scoring drive that ended with a 30-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 17-6 entering the fourth quarter. And with the Chiefs' offense essentially playing dead it went three-and-out on three straight possessions after Charles' injury the Bears put together another scoring drive, this one capped by a sensational 22-yard touchdown throw from Cutler to receiver Marquess Wilson, who caught it right between cornerback Marcus Peters and safety Ron Parker on a corner route. "That was an amazing throw," Wilson said. "He put it exactly where it needed to be, right on the money. I don't think I've ever seen something like that. He threw that before I even got out of my break." Adding to the Chiefs' misery was that Peters appeared to come down with an interception on the play before, when Cutler was trying to hit tight end Khari Lee on a deep pass. Peters seemed to come down with the ball with both feet inbounds, but the referee waved it off. "I was told it wasn't (an interception) from the people upstairs," Reid said, when asked why he didn't challenge the ruling. It would not be Peters' last disagreement with the officials Sunday, but after the Bears' ensuing two-point conversion attempt failed, the Chiefs still had a chance to close out the game. Two runs by Charcandrick West, Charles' backup, yielded 4 yards, which set up third and 6 at their own 24-yard line with 2:15 left. Needing a big play, the Chiefs opted to go to receiver Jeremy Maclin, who was isolated alone on the right side of the formation against cornerback Tracy Porter. Smith tried to hit Maclin on a slant, but Porter deflected it away. "We got the one-on-one over there and didn't connect," Smith said. "It's a big play in the game, changes the game. Got to connect." This set up the final drive of the game for the Bears, who got the ball back with a little more than 2 minutes left. After Cutler moved his team to the Chiefs' 37-yard line, the defense seemed to rise to the occasion, as his deep pass to Wilson on third and 10 landed incomplete. The Bears, however, were spared by a penalty on Peters, who was whistled for pass interference, which gave the Bears the ball at the Chiefs' 13-yard line with 57 seconds left. "I didn't agree with it, but that's hindsight, it's over," said Reid, who added that he thought Wilson should have been whistled for a pushoff on Peters. Two plays later, Cutler lofted a gorgeous back-shoulder fade to Forte for a touchdown over safety Husain Abdullah with 18 seconds left. "They ran a rub route, a pick play," Abdullah said. "I tried to climb and make the play. I didn't." The Chiefs got the ball back and appeared to set up a 57-yard field goal attempt by Cairo Santos, thanks to two completions to Maclin. But the latter, a 9-yard gain, was ruled incomplete, as the referees said Maclin bobbled the ball. The Chiefs then attempted what would been an NFL record 66-yard field goal, as Reid said Santos has made kicks from that distance in practice. The kick, however, landed far short of the uprights, completing the shocking loss. Now the Chiefs, 1-4, have to prepare for a road test against the Minnesota Vikings, 2-2, who will be coming off a bye week. And, if early indications about Charles' knee are correct, they will have to turn the tide and save their season without one of their most important players. In 2011, when Charles tore the ACL in his left knee the second week of the season, the Chiefs finished 7-9. "For me, there are two choices," Alex Smith said. "You can get sidetracked, you can get distracted, you can make excuses. Or we can look internally, we can stay together and we can fight. We can try to get this thing turned around and focus on next week and not get ahead of ourselves. We don't need to be looking at anything beyond that."
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Check out the Top 5 MLB Plays from Sunday, including Lorenzo Cain, Kevin Pillar, Jason Castro, Troy Tulowitzi and Alex Gordon.
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WASHINGTON For just the third time in 40 years, millions of Social Security recipients, disabled veterans and federal retirees can expect no increase in benefits next year, unwelcome news for more than one-fifth of the nation's population. They can blame low gas prices. By law, the annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, is based on a government measure of inflation, which is being dragged down by lower prices at the pump. The government is scheduled to announce the COLA or lack of one on Thursday, when it releases the Consumer Price Index for September. Inflation has been so low this year that economists say there is little chance the September numbers will produce a benefit increase for next year. Prices actually have dropped from a year ago, according to the inflation measure used for the COLA. "It's a very high probability that it will be zero," said economist Polina Vlasenko, a research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research. "Other prices other than energy would have to jump. It would have to be a very sizable increase that would be visible, and I don't think that's happened." Congress enacted automatic increases for Social Security beneficiaries in 1975, when inflation was high and there was a lot of pressure to regularly raise benefits. Since then, increases have averaged 4 percent a year. Only twice before, in 2010 and 2011, have there been no increases. In all, the COLA affects payments to more than 70 million Americans. Almost 60 million retirees, disabled workers, spouses and children get Social Security benefits. The average monthly payment is $1,224. The COLA also affects benefits for about 4 million disabled veterans, 2.5 million federal retirees and their survivors, and more than 8 million people who get Supplemental Security Income, the disability program for the poor. Many people who get SSI also receive Social Security. Carol Mead of Montrose, Pennsylvania, said she and her husband were counting on Social Security COLA to help them with their finances. "My husband is working just so we can pay our bills," said Mead, a retired land-use administrator. "He's 70 years old, and he's still working in a stone quarry. He's told me a number of times that he thinks he's going to have to work until the day he dies." More bad news: The lack of a COLA means that older people could face higher health care costs. Most have their Medicare Part B premiums for outpatient care deducted directly from their Social Security payments, and the annual cost-of-living increase is usually enough to cover any rise in premiums. When that doesn't happen, a long-standing federal "hold harmless" law protects the majority of beneficiaries from having their Social Security payments reduced. But that leaves about 30 percent of Medicare beneficiaries on the hook for a premium increase that otherwise would be spread among all. Those who would pay the higher premiums include 2.8 million new beneficiaries, 1.6 million whose premiums aren't deducted from their Social Security payments and 3.1 million people with higher incomes. Their premiums could jump by about $54 a month, or 50 percent. Those with higher incomes would pay even larger amounts. States also would feel a budget impact because they pay part of the Medicare premium for about 10 million low-income beneficiaries. All beneficiaries would see their Part B annual deductible for outpatient care jump by $76, to an estimated $223. The deductible is the annual amount patients pay before Medicare kicks in. "This would affect all beneficiaries," said Tricia Neuman of the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. "This kind of an increase is unprecedented." Senate Democrats have introduced legislation that would freeze Medicare's Part B premium and deductible for 2016, but its prospects are uncertain. White House spokeswoman Katie Hill said, "We share the goal of keeping Medicare's premiums affordable, are exploring all options." By law, the cost-of-living adjustment is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W, a broad measure of consumer prices generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It measures price changes for food, housing, clothing, transportation, energy, medical care, recreation and education. The COLA is calculated by comparing consumer prices in July, August and September each year with prices in the same three months from the previous year. If prices go up, benefits go up. If prices drop or stay flat, benefits stay the same. The numbers for July and August show that, overall, consumer prices have fallen since last year. Fuel prices are down by 23 percent from a year ago, according to the August inflation report. But prices for some other goods and services, such as health care and housing, are up. Advocates argue that the government's measure of inflation doesn't accurately reflect price increases in the goods and services that older Americans use. "The COLA is determined by the buying power of younger working adults," said Mary Johnson of The Senior Citizens League. Many advocates for seniors want Congress to adopt an experimental price index that seeks to capture the inflation experienced by Americans 62 and older. The Social Security Administration estimates it would increase the annual COLA by an average of 0.2 percentage points which still might not be enough to generate a COLA for next year. Lee Marshall of Greenville, California, said the current inflation index isn't good enough. "They have a formula that they use that doesn't reflect the actual cost of living," said Marshall, 68, a retired laborer and casino dealer. "Just because the price of gas is going down, that doesn't mean anything." ___ Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report. ___ Follow Stephen Ohlemacher on Twitter at http://twitter.com/stephenatap ___ Online: Social Security Interactive: http://hosted.ap.org/interactives/2015/social-security/
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China's quality watchdog said on Monday it was "highly concerned" about the mechanism in Volkswagen AG's (VOWG_p.DE) diesel cars designed to trick emissions tests and would take appropriate follow-up measures. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) did not specify what action it would take beyond demanding that the problem be addressed as soon as possible. In a separate statement, the environment ministry also said it would launch an investigation into VW vehicles, without giving details. China is the world's largest auto market, and even though few diesel passenger cars are sold there, analysts said the scandal may impact the purchasing decisions of Chinese consumers. "I have so far seen little impact on consumers' confidence and trust in the VW brand (in China), but we need to continue to monitor that," said Yale Zhang, head of Shanghai-based consulting firm Automotive Foresight. "Their sales are already weak this year thanks to the slowdown in China's general economy. If VW sales took a further beating from the current emissions scandal, that would further complicate their position globally following the scandal," he added. AQSIQ said Volkswagen would recall 1,950 imported cars in China, predominantly imported Tiguan SUVs, with the software that gives misleading emissions results in laboratory tests. Volkswagen set aside 6.5 billion euros ($7.4 billion) in the third quarter to cover servicing and marketing outlays related to the scandal, which could contribute to an annual loss for the VW brand this year. Volkswagen's two Chinese joint ventures that produce cars domestically said last month the software that skirts emissions tests does not affect their cars. (Reporting by Jake Spring and Norihiko Shirouzu; Editing by Miral Fahmy)
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Check out Sunday's top stories, which include the Astros taking a 2-1 series lead, the Blue Jays avoiding the sweep, and the Bengals, Packers, Falcons, Broncos and Patriots staying unbeaten.
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Dean Chance, a two-time All-Star pitcher who as a 23-year-old won the 1964 Cy Young Award with the Angels, died Sunday. He was 74. Angels spokesperson Tim Mead confirmed Chance's death on Twitter, but did not disclose cause of death. Former Twins teammate Jim Kaat told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that Chance died of a heart attack. #Angels mourn passing of '64 Cy Young & 2015 Angels Hall of Fame inductee Dean Chance. Quality man with a deep passion for baseball & life. Tim Mead (@TMeadAngels) October 11, 2015 MORE: Notable sports deaths of 2015 Chance played 10 MLB seasons, making his debut in 1961 with the expansion Los Angeles Angels. He went 20-9 in 1964 with a 1.65 ERA and 207 strikeouts en route to winning the Cy Young, which at the time was given to only one player annually. He was also named AL Pitcher of the Year by Sporting News in the same year. In 1967, his first season with the Twins, Chance won 20 games for the second time and pitched a no-hitter against Cleveland on Aug. 25. Chance also played for the Indians, Mets and Tigers, before retiring in 1971 with a career record of 128-115 and a 2.92 ERA. Chance, born in Wooster, Ohio, had traveled to Anaheim in September where he was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame along with outfielder Tim Salmon and Mike Witt.
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Three days before you seal the deal on the purchase of your new home, your lender is required to provide you with a Closing Disclosure. It looks similar to the Loan Estimate you were given 3 days after applying for a mortgage. The Closing Disclosure gives you a thorough breakdown of your home loan and the terms that come with it. There are 5 pages: Page 1 summarizes the characteristics of your loan, including the amount, interest rate, monthly payment and how much money you'll need to complete the transaction (called the "cash to close"). Page 2 itemizes each cost related to the loan. Page 3 includes a table comparing the estimated closing costs listed on the Loan Estimate to the final costs. This gives you the opportunity to review what has changed since you applied for your loan. The page also includes a summary of the transactions that will take place to transfer ownership of the home from the seller to you. Page 4 has more details about your loan. It indicates whether your loan may be assumed by a future buyer, if your loan has a negative amortization feature and whether your lender accepts partial payments. You'll also learn about the late payment fee and whether your loan has an escrow account. Page 5 provides information about how much the home will cost you over the life of your loan, additional disclosures related to your contract and contact information for the parties involved in the transaction. If you agree to accept the mortgage, then you'll sign the bottom of this page. There are restrictions on how much the closing costs included on your Closing Disclosure can deviate from what you were projected to pay on the Loan Estimate. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says lenders are prohibited from imposing higher fees unless there is a legitimate reason. Use the 3 business days between the time you receive your Closing Disclosure and your scheduled closing day to scrutinize every cost and detail. Reach out to your loan officer to ask questions and clear up any concerns.
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If you feel like men have an unfair advantage when it comes to retirement, you may be on to something. Financial experts say women have a slew of factors working against them when it comes to saving enough money for retirement. "We're living longer, spend less time in the workforce and, on top of that, we have a gender pay gap," says Deborah Graver, senior advisor and partner at Signature Financial Planning in Pittsburgh. Those are just a few of the reasons women may have to work harder at saving for their retirement years. Here's a rundown of the factors that mean women should be putting away more cash as well as three strategies to put more money in the bank. 1. Women live longer than men. On the face of it, living longer seems like a good thing. However, more years means more time to run out of retirement money. Plus, as Graver notes, "When we're living longer, we're not necessarily living healthier." According to the Social Security Administration, a woman turning 65 today has an average life expectancy of 86.6 years, which is 2.3 years longer than a man of the same age whose average life expectancy is 84.3 years. That not only translates into 2.3 years more of living expenses, but it could also represent additional medical and long-term care expenses. A 2010 study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found women made up a higher proportion of nursing home residents, and they typically had longer stays than men. 2. Women may spend fewer years in the workforce. For many women, raising children or caring for elderly parents means taking time out of the workforce. A 2005 study from Harvard Business School estimated that 43 percent of women with children voluntarily left a job. Among all women surveyed, 44 percent said their decision was spurred by family obligations, such as the need to provide child care or elder care. More recently, a 2014 Pew Research Center analysis determined that 9 percent of highly educated women (defined as those with at least a master's degree) leave the workforce to care for children. "A lot of times, these are your prime income-earning years," says Keith Klein, certified financial planner and owner of Turning Pointe Wealth Management in Phoenix. Losing those high-paying years could result in lower Social Security payments in retirement. Taking time out of the workforce could also mean less money put into 401(k) accounts. Graver notes businesses often have vesting periods that require workers to remain employed for a certain number of years or months in order to keep employer contributions to retirement funds. "[Women] may be switching jobs and leaving money on the table," she says. 3. Women may earn less than men. The reasons behind the gender pay gap are up for debate, but the reality is women earn less, on average, than men. The American Association of University Women, using data from the American Community Survey, found that female full-time employees only earned 79 percent of the income pulled in by men last year. What's more, the Department of Labor found women in 2013 were almost twice as likely as men to work part time, an arrangement that undoubtedly leads to lower incomes. Regardless of the reason why, lower incomes mean less money for retirement accounts and smaller Social Security payments in retirement. 4. Women tend to be more conservative with their money. Plenty of studies have found that women are more risk averse than men. In other words, they are less likely to put their money in what could be considered risky investments. Graver says this means some women might be inclined to skip stock market funds and instead use investment tools such as CDs, which don't lose money but also don't gain much either. Fortunately, when women do invest in market-based funds such as 401(k)s and IRAs, their risk aversion may have a benefit. A 2001 study published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics found that men's aggressive investing style meant they initiated 45 percent more trades than women, a strategy that resulted in lowered returns. A more recent analysis of data from brokerage firm Fidelity found that women and men had almost equal returns over the past decade. 5. Women often end up being caregivers. A final reason women may need to save more for retirement is they may be likely to use their money for expenses other than retirement. "As women age, the biggest trouble I see is [they] care for everyone else except themselves," Klein says. The Family Caregiver Alliance estimates women account for as many as 68 percent of the nation's family and informal caregivers. Even women who aren't acting as caregivers may feel obligated to help adult children or others. "Competing financial responsibilities often complicate retirement planning," says Douglas Dubitsky, vice president of product management for Guardian Retirement Solutions. Money that should be used for retirement may instead get eaten up as a loan to an adult child or used to pay for the care of an elderly relative. 3 Ways Women Can Get More Money in the Bank The above reasons can place women at a disadvantage when it comes to having enough money for retirement. The solution is for women to simply save more. "Hands down, women need to start saving earlier and take advantage of the power of compounding assets," Dubitsky says. However, if time is not on your side and you're closer to retirement age than college age, these suggestions may help. 1. Start with a budget. The most important step is to have a plan in place for your money. Once you have a budget, you can identify where funds can be diverted for retirement. Klein says the key to doing so may be to adjust how you approach the issue. While his clients often agree they could get by on 80 percent of their income, they balk at the idea of cutting 20 percent of their expenses, even though both scenarios achieve the same goal. "It's all a matter of your point of reference in how you ask the question," he says. 2. Get good advice. Graver shares a story of a divorced client whose ex-husband told her she wasn't eligible for any of his Social Security benefits even though she was. "He lied to her basically," Graves says. The moral of the story is to not believe everything you hear or read about finances. Follow up with a professional to be sure you've exhausted all your options. 3. Consider working longer. Although it may not be some people's first choice, working longer is one way to make up for meager retirement savings. "More older workers are staying employed some by choice, some by necessity," Dubitsky says. "The longer you have income coming in, the greater your financial resources." As a bonus, you may be able to delay the start of Social Security which could lead to greater payments later. Trying to save more money when you earn less than your male co-workers can be difficult, but it's not impossible. "It's what you do with that money that matters," Graver says. "It's not about keeping up with the Joneses. It's about moving yourself forward."
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PANAMA CITY The directors of the Trump Ocean Club met July 28 on urgent business. They needed to fire Donald Trump. The building's residents and condo owners had invested in the namesake, a 70-story waterfront tower along Panama Bay, on the strength of Trump's reputation. But during the four years that Trump Panama Condominium Management LLC had managed the property, Central America's largest building, a team installed by the Trump family was accused of running up more than $2 million in unauthorized debts, paying its executives undisclosed bonuses and withholding basic financial information from owners, according to an Associated Press examination. The Trumps had done all of this through fine-print chicanery, the board said. A clause in many residents' purchase agreements prevented them from voting against the Trump company's wishes. That allowed the Trumps to install their top employee as chairman and the residents' representative on the board even though the Trumps' actual stake in the building's residential area was merely a storage closet on the 15th floor. The Trump Organization sent its response days later. "Your letter is a complete sham," wrote the Trumps' top lawyer, Alan Garten. He accused the board of ingratitude and criminal trespassing. After refusing to accept being fired, Garten declared that Trump's company was quitting and demanded a $5 million termination fee. Whether wheeling and dealing with Wall Street bankers, debating political rivals or running a condo association, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has advanced his interests by leveraging his outsized reputation, canniness and aggression. The Trump Organization's adventures in Panama provide a window into how these traits have filtered into his business empire and the style of management that could be expected in a Trump White House. Transparency and close attention to expenses are not strengths. Squeezing the most from contractual language is. Though Donald Trump lists himself as managing member in the Panama business in campaign financial disclosure documents, the company in practice is part of the Trumps' family business. In an interview, Trump's son Eric called the squabbling at Trump Ocean Club a minor aside in the story of how the family's affiliation with the building created "an amazing icon and, frankly, a great testament to America." The power struggle at the tower shows the powerful allure of Trump's name and the disenchantment and separation that sometimes follow. Even that is indicative of Trump's style: As the Ocean Club's board was trying to settle into the administrative offices, Trump's people cut off the office's Internet and phone service and repossessed the office copy machine. The Trump Organization acknowledged this to the AP, saying that disconnecting services was necessary for security and privacy concerns. Without Donald Trump, the development would not exist. But the grand ambition behind it belongs to Roger Khafif, a businessman with a prime waterfront parcel in Panama City and an aspiration to build a condominium, hotel, marina, casino and commercial center in the arcing shape of a wind-filled sail. What Khafif lacked was the long track record as a developer needed to lure international banks and construction firms for such an expensive project. "A lot of people were saying it was never going to be built," said Duncan McGowan, a real estate agent and property manager who has sold units in the Trump Ocean Club since before construction began. Bringing Trump aboard bolstered the project's credibility with potential buyers, too. "I am proud to develop this extraordinary high-rise," Trump said in a brochure, promising that the building would be a "landmark in Latin America and the Caribbean." In interviews and later legal filings, condo owners said Trump's record as a builder persuaded them to pay deposits on their units. But despite being listed as the Trump Ocean Club's developer in marketing materials, Trump wasn't. His formal role was limited to branding and promoting the project with his name, though Eric Trump said the Trump Organization regularly monitored construction to make sure it met quality standards. Even licensing Trump's name carried a huge cost. A 2007 bond prospectus pegged Trump's expected licensing fees alone at $75.4 million more than a third of the $220 million total raised. Despite a promising start to construction, cost overruns and the global financial crisis took a heavy toll. Four months after Trump joined Panama's then-president, Ricardo Martinelli, for the building's ribbon-cutting in July 2011, Khafif's company defaulted on its debt. Though the bankruptcy also affected Trump's licensing fees, court files indicate that Trump's total payout remained between $32 million and $55 million. Those profits make Trump the only party to the original deal to come out ahead. After emerging from bankruptcy just last year, Khafif is no longer in charge, and his former company is again failing to make debt payments. Current bond prices suggest that creditors are expecting to suffer significant losses on their bonds. And despite the building's iconic silhouette and amenities visitors can sip drinks next to a 65th floor edgeless pool that appears to float above the ocean most of the hotel condo units that remain under Trump's direct management still have not been sold. Khafif is no longer in charge of the development company that built the Trump Ocean Club and did not respond to a phone call and email seeking comment. But neither the developer's current management nor the project's bondholders begrudge the Trumps' success, said Rosella Viola, a commercial sales manager for the developer. "Buyers buy because of the brand," she said. Most of Trump's windfall in Panama came from licensing, but separate deals gave Trump a role after the project was up and running. One Trump company would run the project's 369 hotel rooms. Another held a much smaller contract to serve as the building's overall administrator. It was supposed to act under the guidance of the owners of the condos, office space, shops and other property in the Trump Ocean Club. Trump was essentially a condo manager, but not in the usual sense. His organization negotiated unusually broad authority, including power of attorney to represent all unsold hotel condo units and most absentee residential condo owners at building association meetings. Because many purchasers lived abroad, the proxy votes controlled by Trump's team gave his company a decisive say over condo affairs. Buyers learned they were granting their voting rights to Trump only when signing a lengthy final sales agreement, said Al Monstavicius, a retired Nevada doctor who bought a penthouse unit. "I shouldn't have signed that," Monstavicius said. "But there was nothing I could do because my money was committed. Trump's got smart attorneys, and he pays them well, and he takes advantage of that." One final move solidified the Trumps' clout. Their company took possession of a storage closet on the 15th floor. That physical presence in the building qualified the Trump's chief executive, Mark Stevenson, to serve as president of the owners' board. Trump's company was now in full control, though few residents saw that as a problem. "Most people were initially quite happy," McGowan said. "The idea was, a prestigious building should have a prestigious management team." But a conflict of interest loomed. Trump's management company was owned by the same people who ran the hotel, by far the most expensive part of the building to operate. Shuffling hotel expenses to the rest of the building would make the hotel look more profitable. Documents obtained by the AP show the Trump team charged to the common payroll hotel-specific expenses like bellhops' salaries and hotel room safe repair. Condo owners couldn't tell whether they were being shortchanged, because the Trumps didn't keep separate tallies. Although Trump's management team was contractually required to "establish and maintain segregated bank accounts" for each of the building's components, the team never did. Managing separate bank accounts would have added costs, the chief financial officer of the Trump Hotel Collection, Michael Straube, wrote in a 2012 letter rebuffing an owner who asked for them. Such bookkeeping transparency took on increasing urgency given the Trumps' failure to stay within the boundaries of its owner-approved budget. The building burned through its reserve funds two years after it began operation, incurring unapproved debts of more than $1.1 million in 2013 and again in 2014. Eric Trump said the overspending was the result of extraordinary expenses like a broken water main and rising local labor costs. "We made the budget, other than extraordinary things we can't control," he said. "We had an unbelievable team, and we managed to an internationally renowned set of standards." Malcolm Oscar, who bought a unit with the hope of retiring there, said: "There was always some type of explanation that was supposed to make things more palatable." Trump executives also appeared to award themselves mysterious bonuses. The building's unit owners still don't know the size of those incentives, and the Trump Organization has refused to disclose them, according to members of the board. Eric Trump told the AP the awards were appropriately authorized but did not provide specifics of how or when such authorization took place. Concerns about overspending and transparency boiled over at the owners' meeting in December, after the Trump administrators announced its second million-dollar deficit. Managers at the meeting also said they would shift a greater portion of future costs to the building's residential units. "It was like peeling back layers of an onion every layer you remove makes you cry," said McGowan, the real estate agent and property manager on the building's board. "That owners' meeting turned into a screaming match. Civility was lost." A rebellion brewed among the condo owners, sparked by the proposed $2.2 million special assessment that would hit them in the spring. The dissidents, helped by McGowan, contacted condo owners scattered around the world. If enough of the building's disparate owners designated someone other than the Trumps as their legal representative, the dissidents could overcome the Trumps' control over the owners' association. When the vote came in May, all but two of the owners representing themselves opposed the Trump team's special assessment. The building's developer and the casino operator lined up against it, too. Against nearly unanimous opposition, Trump's remaining proxy votes weren't enough. The day after residents delivered their rebuke, Stevenson resigned as both administrator and chairman of the building's board. Another Trump employee with a board seat followed a few weeks later. With Trump's top man in Panama now gone, Eric Trump and higher-ranking Trump Organization executives in New York stepped in. After negotiations to lower costs stalled, the building's newly restive board fired Trump's management company and the senior building administration staff who reported to it. The new administration estimates those cuts alone will save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Following a period of heated correspondence between the Trump Organization and the Trump Ocean Club's board, a tense cooperation has set in. The new administration has shifted scores of employees to the Trump hotel payroll, allowing the Trumps to manage the hotel as they see fit. "The hotel is something near and dear to our heart, something that does require real expertise," Eric Trump said, noting that the hotel management contract runs for 40 years. Despite the Trumps' $5 million termination fee claim, Eric Trump said the family does not intend to sue the building's owners collectively over what it still contends was an illegal firing. Likewise, board members such as Duncan McGowan say there is little interest in pursuing any claims against the Trumps or prolonging any feuds. The majority of the hotel condo units that went on the market in 2011 are still for sale, and it's in everyone's interest to get along. "The hotel management is still Trump, and the flag is still Trump we have no problem with Trump," said Viola. "We can't have international buyers thinking there are problems in the building." Even condo owners who expressed distaste for the Trumps' contractual power plays agreed. "He's a predatory businessman," said Monstavicius. But the Trump name stills holds allure. "It attracted me," he said, "and attracted a lot of other people."
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The white hickory tussock moth caterpillar is a recent Canadian immigrant to the U.S. that looks interesting and cuddly but it's full of venom contained in its hairs.
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The Blue Jays beat the Rangers 5-1 on Sunday to keep their playoff hopes alive. Troy Tulowitzki went 2-4 with a three-run homer and four RBIs in the win.
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If you're an opposing fan, be careful going to stadiums of these 15 teams who have very feisty fans. Los Angeles Kings The Kings are one of the nastier teams in the NHL and their fans aren't much nicer. It's an intense atmosphere in Los Angeles when the Kings take the ice and sometimes that passion boils over. Especially if L.A. is playing one of its rivals, expect some fights to break out in the stands. Seattle Seahawks Since they've been so good for the last few years, Seahawks fans have gotten a little cocky. That means when they actually fail at home, fans start to get restless. When Seattle is down at home, no opposing fans are safe because they're going to take their frustration out on someone. Chicago White Sox Disco Demolition Night began the history of White Sox fans fighting for no apparent reason. Since the team is normally unwatchable, there might be some alcohol involved. Despite that, nobody wants to be near a White Sox fan when they're looking to get in a scrum. Boston Bruins Boston is a passionate sports city, but when it comes to hockey, they're too passionate. They've come to expect excellence, so when they don't get it, they're not nice people to be around. You're probably better seeing your team play the Bruins at home rather than going to Boston for a contest. New York Knicks Who can really blame Knicks fans? Their team is terrible and the frustration is real each and every day. Try to feel some sympathy for fans of this terrible team and don't start anything in the stands with them. Since it's their primary source of entertainment at games, they're likely to fight you over anything. Montreal Canadiens Hockey fans are intense and fans of the Canadiens are some of the most intense of all. They're the league's winningest franchise in terms of Stanley Cups, so they've come to expect a title every single year. That hasn't happened in over 20 years, so all of that frustration comes out every night in Montreal. San Francisco Giants The Giants and Dodgers have an intense rivalry that gets way too serious sometimes. These fans always fight in the stands and AT&T Park is the host to half those fights. Fans in this rivalry really need to calm down after some serious incidents in recent years. Philadelphia Eagles Philly fans are absolutely out of their minds most of the time, as shown by the fact they threw snowballs at Santa Claus once. If they're throwing snowballs at St. Nick, what do you think they're going to do to you? Eagles fans just aren't very nice as a whole, and that leads to plenty of fights in the stands. Boston Celtics The Celtics are one of the most accomplished franchises in NBA history, so their fans are very entitled. Despite their recent downturn, Boston basketball fans still pick fights and flash their egos to opposing fans routinely. This is just one of the reasons people get annoyed with Celtics fans. Philadelphia Flyers It seems like nearly all of the Philly fanbases are on this list, doesn't it? That's because as a city, Philadelphia is pretty belligerent. It all comes from their passion for their teams, but everyone would be better off if they just calmed down every now and then. Oakland Raiders When you're looking at a fanbase that has a bunch of people dress up like actual Raiders, what else can you expect but a fight? Oakland fans are some of the most loyal in football, but they're also some of the most likely to fight you. Just don't make fun of the Raiders (which is pretty hard to do) and you should be fine. Vancouver Canucks Vancouver is famous for its riots following the Canucks' Stanley Cup Game 7 loss to the Bruins in 2011, but that wasn't an isolated incident. They're not even the most popular team in Canada, but Canucks fans have come to expect a lot from their team. When they don't get it, they go nuts. Detroit Pistons The fanbase that incited the Malice at the Palace is one of the most belligerent in all of sports. Stemming from the Pistons' Bad Boys days of the 1980s and 1990s, this fan base takes on the persona of its team. With little to root for the past few years, Pistons fans have carried on the tradition of having fights in the stands. San Francisco 49ers Recently, a fight turned serious at a 49ers game. Fans of the home team were viciously beating a Vikings fan in the parking lot for no reason. These incidents are becoming far too common in sports, especially in San Francisco. Increased security measures should be instituted at their games at the very least. Los Angeles Dodgers Dodger Stadium was the site of one of the most violent fan fights in recent memory as Dodgers fans beat on Giants fan Bryan Stow, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury. This sort of thing is absolutely ridiculous; these are games and are meant to be fun, not a matter of life and death. Dodgers fans should be ashamed of themselves for this ludicrous incident, which could've easily been avoided.
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If you're thinking of buying shares in Australia's biggest banks for their dividends, you might want to think again. According to some estimates, the dividend payout ratio from Australia's Big 4 banks could fall to a mere 50 per cent, down from their current range of between 70 per cent and 80 per cent, according to The Australian Financial Review . This is to allow the banks to increase their equity capital levels to meet tougher standards set by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB). And to ensure they're capable of withstanding a severe downturn in the Australian, or the global economy. The standards require the banks to hold more capital against every dollar of loans they write to customers. This enhances the strength of their loan books and protects taxpayers from potentially having to bale the banks out if conditions get too tough for them to handle. On the other hand, it isn't so great for shareholders of the banks. As highlighted by the AFR , Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimates that the banks have raised $27.3 billion of extra common equity tier one, or CET1, since June 2014 through share issues, asset sales and dividend reinvestment plans. Unfortunately, they're likely going to have to raise tens of billions more by relying on similar initiatives. Another path the banks will likely be forced to go down is cutting their current dividend payments. For a long time, investors have relied on the generous fully franked distributions that hit their bank accounts every six months, but that seems likely to change in the coming years. Let's assume for a moment that Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) maintained a dividend payout ratio of just 50%, instead of the 75.1% it achieved in the 2015 financial year. All of a sudden, its 420 cent per share full-year dividend becomes 280 cents per share, putting it on a fully franked dividend yield of 3.7% instead of 5.6%. National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) are all in a similar boat. Although they all maintain solid fully franked dividend yields today, there is no guarantee they will be as solid in the next few years. It needs to be remembered that the example regarding Commonwealth Bank provided above is only hypothetical, and the banks will likely record modest earnings growth over the next few years, but the point is clear. Investors should not rely too heavily on the banks' dividend streams, nor should they invest in the banks solely because of the yields on offer. In my opinion, there are plenty of other great dividend-paying companies that represent far better buys today.
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It looks like Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus has a new device in the works. Filings spotted with the Federal Communications Commission detail a new OnePlus model E1005, a 5.5-inch handset that from the preliminary picture included in the documentation at least strongly resembles an iPhone 4. It shows a black handset with metal edging, a camera situated on the back corner, and a micro-USB port. Presumably, as with other OnePlus phones, it will run modified Android Oxygen OS. OnePlus called its recently released OnePlus 2 a "2016 flagship killer." While not quite stellar enough to knock both this year and next year's slate of iPhones, Nexuses, and other big names off the table, the Chinese-made model was nonetheless a solid smartphone for a much cheaper price than many of its competitors. It's not yet clear how OnePlus' upcoming smartphone will shape up against the big players in the market, but the FCC filing says the E1005 will come with a 1.9GHz processor and will support LTE, Bluetooth, GPS, WiFi, and FM radios. Official documentation hasn't been revealed yet, but it's a good bet we'll find out more today OnePlus has an event scheduled in India.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. From the looks of it, the game was over. It had to be. With less than 8 minutes remaining Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, the Bears took possession at their 12-yard line facing a two-score deficit with a short-handed offense. The Chiefs led 17-6 and seemed to be administering an inescapable sleeper hold. On the Bears' first nine drives, their offense had given up more points (seven) than it had scored. And with a 26-0 loss in Seattle in Week 3 factored in, they'd tried 19 possessions on the road this season without a touchdown. In that context, it made sense that the upper bowl at Arrowhead had emptied, the parking lots encircling the stadium filling again with people as the Chiefs sauntered toward a pride-saving win. Where was the hope for the Bears? How could there have been any? Yet for those who stuck around maybe one-third of whom were Bears fans the highlights they carried back to the tailgating grounds proved difficult to comprehend. Two Jay Cutler touchdown passes in the final 3 minutes, 5 seconds. A missed 66-yard field-goal attempt by Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos at the final gun. An 18-17 Bears win. Wait. Really? BOX SCORE: BEARS 18, CHIEFS 17 Jubilance spread across a cramped visitors locker room. For the second consecutive week, the Bears pulled off a final-minute magic act. "There's a lot of fight in this team," Bears guard Matt Slauson said. "And we're going to keep on fighting and fighting until the clock says we can't fight anymore. I was so proud of this team for doing that. Because it was tough sledding for a solid three quarters. But nobody panicked or gave up. Which is completely different from the past. We would have packed it in a lot earlier." Officially, the Bears went ahead for the first time with 18 seconds left when Cutler found Matt Forte on a 7-yard touchdown toss. Cutler saw what he wanted pre-snap Forte facing man coverage in the slot from safety Husain Abdullah. And the Bears quarterback knew he'd be throwing that way as long as Forte could successfully loop behind Marquess Wilson on his route. Yet Cutler dropped a low snap from rookie Hroniss Grasu and had to scoop it off the grass and throw while Chiefs nose tackle Jaye Howard hung from Cutler's calves. "Jay put the ball where only I could get it," Forte said. A few minutes earlier, Cutler revived the rally efforts with four completions on an 88-yard touchdown march, the last going to Wilson for 22 yards on Cutler's most magnificent throw all day. Wilson, running a schoolyard corner route, got a step on defensive backs Marcus Peters and Ron Parker. And while Cutler's mechanics were off kilter in the face of a blitz, his throw dropped into Wilson's hands as he crossed the goal line. "Just perfect," Wilson said. Right tackle Kyle Long had a more chaotic view. "I'm out there trying to block Justin Houston," Long said. "Which is freakin' hard. But you see the ball's out. And you look up and you just see the ball drop from the sky right into Marquess' hands. I'm looking around like, 'Did anybody else just see that?' " Try to figure it all out, how a Bears offense that averaged 15 net yards on six first-half possessions, managed to chew through 155 yards on its final two drives. The Bears awoke from their lengthy slumber even with two starting receivers (Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal) inactive and two opening-day offensive line starters (Jermon Bushrod and Will Montgomery) out as well. And Cutler, who appeared anxious in the pocket at times, had to trust a group of young, green receivers to come through especially late. "I tried not to huddle," Cutler said. "I tried to keep them at the line so they're not thinking. Just keep 'em going, keep 'em going, keep 'em going." Rookie Cameron Meredith opened the winning drive with a 20-yard catch. Wilson finished a career day with six grabs and 85 yards while also drawing a pivotal 24-yard pass-interference penalty on the final drive. Coach John Fox called Sunday's triumph "a very gutsy, good football character victory." "It comes from inside, man," Forte said. "It's continuing to believe. And if you have all 11 guys that believe in that one thing, then no matter what happens in the game, eventually you're going to have a breakthrough." Sunday's breakthrough proved as heartening as it was improbable.
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Nothing can get in their way Turbo The small and mighty pup named Turbo was born without his front legs. Being legless, little Turbo needed some way to get around, so he was given some wheels and is now taking the world by storm. He gets around fabulously and always has a huge smile on his face, proving that he's a happy guy despite being a little legless. Follow us on Pinterest. Tuna Despite having an excessive overbite and recessed jawline, Tuna the Chiweenie has the life. He was rescued at a local Farmer's Market in 2010 when he was just four months old. Yep, he's a rescue pup! Tuna is well-known in the Instagram world, with over 1.5 million followers. His endearing looks and charming personality definitely contribute to his very large fan base. If there's anything to learn from Tuna, it's that beauty comes in all forms! Follow us on Pinterest. Toast Meets World This adorable King Charles puppy mill rescue lives a dream life, in spite of having a rough start to life. She has no teeth, making her tongue always hang out of the side of her mouth which we like to think adds to her adorable character. Her dad is Instagram star, @TheFatJewish , so she gets to go with her father all over New York to swanky hotels, functions, events and meet celebrities. Paws up for Toast! Follow us on Pinterest. Grumpy Cat Grumpy Cat always looks grumpy, but she's actually always happy! Feline dwarfism and an overbite attributes to her permanently grumpy face, making her extra cute and very famous. Seriously, everyone knows about this famous feline. She has been on TV numerous times and has over 8 million Facebook friends. Follow us on Pinterest. Chris P. Bacon It's not everyday you see a pig in a wheelchair, but when you do, it's heaven on wheels. Chris P. Bacon has a congenital defect that affects his hind legs, therefore needing a little wheelchair to help the little fella get around, making him extra adorable. He has become an Internet sensation, and his humorous name has definitely supplemented that. Follow us on Pinterest. Lil Bub Bub is one of the most famous Internet cats to date. She was the runt of a feral litter in Indiana, which unfortunately contributed to her many health issues. She's a perma-kitten, which means she will be small and remain kitten-like her entire life. She also has dwarfism, making her limbs disproportionately small compared to the rest of her body. Her teeth also never grew in, which is why her tongue is always out and about. Despite her differences, she's already accomplished so much; she has raised over $200,000 for animals in need, published a book, been on talk shows and even has her own award-winning documentary. Follow us on Pinterest. Honey Bee Being blind is no big deal for Honey Bee the cat! She enjoys doing all the typical cat activities, and even likes to go hiking with her human at her home in the Caribbean. Even though she is sightless, she is happy and content, making her one lucky dream-living feline. Follow us on Pinterest. Bella She's one lucky girl. Bella, the 12-year-old llama, was running out of steam on one of her hind legs, making it hard for her to move around. She had to get the leg amputated, which ended up saving her life. Bella's veterinarian suggested a prosthetic leg which undeniably changed her life . She started walking around like it was no big thing, making her one happy llama. Yay, Bella! Follow us on Pinterest. Gamera Gamera the sulcata tortoise started making headlines in 2011 after suffering a severe leg injury and needing to have his front left leg amputated. Thankfully, veterinarians attached a wheel to his shell, allowing him to maneuver and get around easily. Gamera took to his wheels immediately, and doesn't let anything get in his way. Follow us on Pinterest. Marnie We love Marnie's story. This adorable Shih Tzu was adopted as a senior dog, at age 10, from a shelter. She was originally found all matted and smelly on the streets of Connecticut, as well as blind in her left eye. Now lives in NYC with her loving humans and has garnered millions of fans across the Internet, advocate senior dog adoption, and she even has her own book ! And if you're wondering about Marnie's signature head tilt , it's nothing to be worried about. It's the residual effect of a short-lived illness she had called Vestibular Syndrome. She's a happy pup with a lot to look forward to. Follow us on Pinterest.
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A man was shot outside AT&T Stadium Sunday night after the Cowboys game against the Patriots, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram . The suspect in the shooting is in custody, the Arlington Police Department told the Star-Telegram. MORE: NFL needs a culture change, but its very nature is the problem | Vikings fan assaulted | Ranking all 31 stadiums Victim was flown to area hospital. He's alive, police said. Crime scene still taped off in Lot 10, near Collins Street. Ryan Osborne (@RyanOsborneFWST) October 12, 2015 The victim's name was not immediately available, but eye witnesses said the two men fought before the shooting . "I didn't think he was going to pull the trigger," witness Lester Peters told the paper . The incident occurred in one of the stadium's parking lots. A male victim in his early 50s was airlifted to an area hospital with serious injuries, authorities said. The suspect was injured while tripping over a retaining wall and was also taken to a hospital. The Texas Rangers' playoff baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays was also being played nearby, as the Cowboys were playing the Patriots.
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Oil prices rose on Monday as a decline in the U.S. oil rig count and the latest supply estimates from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries indicated major oil producers are ready to tackle the prolonged low prices. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in November rose 25 cents, or 0.5%, to $49.88 a barrel. November Brent crude on London's ICE Futures exchange rose 19 cents, or 0.4%, to $52.84 a barrel. Nymex crude last week saw the largest one-week percentage gain since the end of August, climbing 8.9%, while Brent registered a 9.4% increase. Baker Hughes Inc. , an industry group, last week reported a decline in the active U.S. oil rig count for the fifth straight week, dropping by nine, bringing the total count to 605, the lowest since June 2010. Rig count is an important gauge of future production. "Market confidence is up because we are hearing the same message from everywhere that market is rebalancing," said Barnabas Gan, an OCBC oil analyst, identifying Asia, particularly China, as the main demand driver in the near term. Oil prices have suffered a major blow due to oversupply. Moreover, reluctance of major oil producers to curb production to protect their market share has kept prices in the trough. Both Nymex and Brent prices are down by nearly half since last summer. However, recent talk of possible collaboration between members and nonmembers of OPEC has injected some optimism into the market. In its monthly oil report released on Monday, OPEC said oil supply from countries outside the organization should decline. "In terms of non-OPEC supply, the impact of lower oil prices on production has resulted in the supply growth forecast being downwardly revised to 720,000 barrels a day in 2015, some 600,000 barrels a day less than the initial forecast and well below the previous year," OPEC said in the report. Market participants are watching to see if Saudi Arabia and Russia, the biggest non-OPEC producer, will meet later this month to discuss the oil market, as some reports have indicated, said Stuart Ive, a client manager at OM Financial. He noted that Monday's trading volume would be small as the U.S. is closed due to a public holiday. Other data that the market is monitoring include China's September trade data, set for released Tuesday. ANZ Research estimates China's exports contracted last month, but the strong balance can offset the pressure of capital outflows. On Sunday, Qatar's energy minister, Mohammed Al Sada, said oil prices have bottomed out and supplies from non-OPEC countries will likely turn negative next year, while demand could reach 30.5 million barrels a day from 29.3 million in 2015. Such upbeat sentiment mirrors the latest projection by the U.S. Energy Department. Last week, the Energy Information Administration reported daily U.S. crude production will tighten to 8.86 million barrels a day from 9.25 million barrels this year, while the spot average price on the West Texas Intermediate is projected to rise to $53.57 per barrel from $49.53 per barrel this year. The agency also expects the Brent spot average to be $58.57 a barrel in 2016, up from $53.96 this year. Nymex reformulated gasoline blendstock for November the benchmark gasoline contract rose 1 cent to $1.43 a gallon, ICE gasoil for October changed hands at $482.50 a metric ton, up 75 cents from Friday's settlement.
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Week 6 saw some huge statements made with Iowa, Utah, and Washington all stepping up, and North Texas, Georgia Tech and Nebraska all struggling. Here's Who's Hot & Who's Not. Who's Hot Iowa It's not always pretty or worthy of a highlight reel, but Iowa is 6-0 for the first time since winning 11 in 2009. And that's cause for celebration, even on a weekend that DE Drew Ott was lost to a knee injury. The Hawkeyes have already captured the Cy-Hawk Trophy, held off a pretty good Pitt team and beaten Wisconsin in Madison. After getting a huge day on the ground from Jordan Canzeri in Saturday's win over Illinois, Iowa heads to Northwestern next for a matchup with major Big Ten West significance. The Penn State D Forget the style points. These Nittany Lions don't do style points. What they do do is put opposing offenses in headlocks. Penn State has quietly won five games in a row behind a defense that's allowed an average of 12 points during the winning streak. The Lions suffocated Indiana in Week 6, 29-7, behind linemen Austin Johnson, Anthony Zettel and Carl Nassib, who comprise one of the country's nastiest defensive front walls. Washington State QB Luke Falk The Cougars have quietly turned things around since losing the opener to Portland State. They've gone 3-1, losing only to Cal in Berkeley by six points. And Saturday's upset of Oregon at Autzen Stadium was a signature moment for head coach Mike Leach. Falk has been the sparkplug of the turnaround, singeing a gassed Duck defense for 505 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions on 50-of-74 passing. Alabama WR Calvin Ridley Ridley isn't Amari Cooper just yet, but he's begun to do a pretty credible impersonation of his predecessor. The blue-chip recruit from Pompano Beach, Fla. has played like a five-star gem the last two weekends, catching 13 balls for 247 yards and two touchdowns. And his 81-yard touchdown reception on a beautiful route helped wake up the Tide offense on a night that Arkansas was threatening deep into the second half. Washington Defensive Coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski Kwiatkowski has done a brilliant job with a Husky D that went through an offseason overhaul. The front seven was essentially stripped to the studs, yet every Washington opponent has been held below its season scoring average. U-Dub's maturation was in full bloom during Thursday shocking win at the Coliseum. USC managed just a single touchdown, as LB Travis Feeney spearheaded an all-out assault that included 12 stops for loss, five sacks and two picks. Upsetting the Trojans on the road was the signature moment second-year head coach Chris Petersen has been seeking. Utah RB Devontae Booker If not for the running of Booker, and six takeaways from the defense, the Utes would have lost at home to Cal. Bear QB Jared Goff's five interceptions will make the most headlines, but Booker delivered an MVP effort by rushing for two scores and well over 200 yards to keep Utah perfect and in the hunt for a playoff berth. He wore down the Cal defense, played keep-away from Goff and helped offset a middling overall night from his own quarterback, Travis Wilson. TCU QB Trevone Boykin Sure, he's had better games, with fewer mistakes. But Boykin was downright heroic at Kansas State, helping salvage the Horned Frogs' perfect season and playoff pursuit. The senior rallied TCU to five second-half touchdowns, throwing for more than 300 yards, including the game-winner with 1:10 left, and rushing for a team-high 124 yards and two more scores. Boykin is behind Leonard Fournette in the Heisman race, but no one is more valuable to his team than No. 2 in purple. Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs If the Volunteers start pointing in a northerly direction, they'll have Dobbs to thank for the change of course. Tennessee began the weekend 2-3, having dropped heartbreakers to Oklahoma, Florida and Arkansas. And after falling behind to Georgia, 24-3, UT was on the brink of sinking further into despair. But Dobbs stepped up with a memorable performance, accounting for 430 yards and five touchdowns, as the Vols rallied back for a critical 38-31 win in Knoxville. Michigan In the battle of Top 25 teams with Northwestern, only the Wolverines appeared worthy of being ranked on Saturday. Michigan became the first FBS team in two decades to pitch three consecutive shutouts with another stifling effort from front to back and wire-to-wire. The Wolverines allowed just 168 yards to the Wildcats, setting the stage for next week's monster visit from Michigan State and a chance to enter the playoff discussion in Jim Harbaugh's first season. Florida State RB Dalvin Cook Cook delivered one of the most memorable individual efforts in the storied history of the FSU-Miami rivalry. On a night when there was concern that the sophomore might be scratched because of a hamstring injury, he wound up beefing up his Heisman resume. Cook rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner, while catching three balls for 47 yards and another score. Mark it down as one of the five best performances of the first half of the season. Who's Not The disappointments from this week in the college football world. North Texas The Mean Green certainly isn't the only team this year to lose to an FCS opponent. In fact, Portland State defeated Washington State in the opener. But 66-7 to the Vikings? North Texas' performance and effort at home Saturday ought to disqualify it from FBS membership beginning in 2016. It has already disqualified as head coach Dan McCarney, who was fired at the conclusion of the embarrassing rout. NC State At some point, every schedule gets tougher. Some survive, while many others wilt. The Wolfpack fell into the latter category after suffering a second straight loss on Friday night to Virginia Tech. State, which piled up overrated offensive numbers in routs of Troy, Eastern Kentucky, Old Dominion and South Alabama, was limited to 13 points by the Cardinals and Hokies. And QB Jacoby Brissett, whose support has admittedly been tepid, has done little to elevate his teammates … or boost his NFL Draft grade. South Carolina Good news, games with Vanderbilt and The Citadel are still left on the schedule. Actually, the way the Gamecocks are playing at the midway point of the campaign, no game is safe. After being predictably gashed by LSU backs Leonard Fournette and Derrius Guice, South Carolina is now 0-4 in SEC play and increasingly likely to be out of the bowl picture. All that's left in 2015 is to size up how this disastrous season is going to impact the future of head coach Steve Spurrier. Georgia Tech Are the Yellow Jackets about to go from ACC Coastal and Orange Bowl champs to missing the 2015 postseason entirely? After handling two weak opponents to start the season, Tech has dropped four in a row. And there aren't any layups left, particularly the way Paul Johnson's kids are executing on both sides of the ball. This program used to be able to count on its running game, but after failing to rush for 100 yards in Saturday's flop at Clemson, even that sector of the team is a flashing question mark. The BC Offense No team in the country is dealing with a wider gap between its offense and defense than the Eagles. Boston College is nationally ranked on D, yet the offense has scored just 24 points over the last four games. BC is drowning in ineptitude, including inexperienced quarterbacks, slow skill players and overmatched blockers. In Saturday's 3-0 home loss to Wake Forest, the Eagles twice had the ball on the Deacon doorstep in the final 75 seconds, yet still failed to produce a single point. Heartbreak Huskers Nebraska has fallen four times in Mike Riley's debut, with one being more excruciating than the next. Remarkably, all four of the losses have come on the opponent's final offensive play. BYU broke Big Red's heart on Hail Mary, Miami won in overtime and Illinois rallied a week ago in the waning seconds in Champaign. And just when it appeared that the spell had been broken, Wisconsin PK Rafael Gaglianone crushed Nebraska's spirit one more time with a game-winning 46-yard field goal with four seconds left. Oklahoma How could you, OU? You let Texas, of all teams, spoil your perfect season. Yeah, it was a rivalry game, but the struggling Longhorns had no business beating the Sooners as a 16-point underdog. Texas dominated the line of scrimmage on Oklahoma, churning out more than 300 yards on the ground, while routinely harassing QB Baker Mayfield. The Sooners under Bob Stoops are good for one of these types of gags each fall. It's going to haunt OU, though, that the 2015 stumble came against an eminently vulnerable Longhorn squad. Georgia In a little over a week, the Bulldogs' season has taken a dramatic turn in the wrong direction. In Week 5, they were abused by Alabama, 38-10, in Athens. And this past Saturday, Georgia not only blew a three-touchdown lead at Tennessee, but it also lost star RB Nick Chubb to a serious knee injury. The Dawgs have backfield depth, but the curtain has been pulled back on their defense and their quarterback, Greyson Lambert, over the last two weekends. Oregon So this is what it's come to, huh? Autzen Stadium intimidates absolutely no one these days, including Washington State, one of the perennially weakest teams in the Pac-12. The Ducks lost for the second straight time in Eugene, blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before falling short in overtime. Oregon is the reigning league champ who came within a game of winning a national championship. Now, it might be the fifth best team in the North Division, a precipitous drop that no one saw coming in August.
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LOS ANGELES Football coach Steve Sarkisian, who has been under scrutiny since August for his sometimes erratic behavior, was put on indefinite leave Sunday, once again throwing USC's powerful program into turmoil. Athletic Director Pat Haden announced the move, saying he made the decision after calling Sarkisian when the coach failed to show up for a midday practice. "It was very clear to me that he is not healthy," Haden said of the conversation. "I asked him to take an indefinite leave of absence." The workout, in preparation for USC's game Saturday against Notre Dame, was the Trojans' first since Thursday's 17-12 upset loss to the University of Washington. USC, which started the season ranked eighth in the nation in The Associated Press media poll and as the favorite to win the Pac-12 Conference championship, dropped out of the rankings as a result. Sarkisian coached at Washington for five seasons before USC hired him to replace the fired Lane Kiffin. He took responsibility for the loss, saying he and his staff had not coached well enough. On Sunday, Sarkisian presided over an 11 a.m. team meeting, but he was not on the field for a 12:30 p.m. workout. Haden, who was on campus at a basketball event, called Sarkisian after learning he wasn't at practice, he said. Haden, speaking Sunday afternoon on the practice field, did not reveal details about the conversation, and he did not take questions from reporters. Attempts to reach Sarkisian were unsuccessful. Offensive coordinator Clay Helton has been named interim coach his second such temporary assignment since Kiffin was fired during USC's 2013 season. On Sunday, about 45 minutes into practice, J.K. McKay, a senior associate athletic director, arrived at the facility. Haden then arrived, followed by Steve Lopes, USC's chief operating officer. The officials huddled on the field. When practice ended, Helton instructed players to return to the McKay Center for a team meeting. Haden told players that Sarkisian would be taking a "temporary leave of absence and Coach Helton will be our interim head coach," said a player who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation. Another player said that Sarkisian "just didn't seem right" during the meeting before Sunday's workout. Others close to the program said the coach had also not seemed himself during a game two weeks ago, when USC defeated Arizona State. Less than two weeks before USC's season started, Sarkisian's behavior drew scrutiny at the annual "Salute to Troy" event. When Sarkisian spoke to the gathered Trojans faithful on Aug. 22, he slurred his words, insulted several opposing teams and shouted an expletive before the rallying phrase "Fight On!" Sarkisian appeared to be intoxicated, witnesses said. The event was closed to the media. A day later, Sarkisian issued an apology on USC's athletic department website, which also carried a statement by Haden. "Pat Haden talked to me after the event about my actions and I assured him this will not happen again," Sarkisian said. Said Haden: "I am confident he heard my message loud and clear." The following day, Sarkisian held a news conference and said the incident was the result of him mixing alcohol "not much" with medication he did not specify. He said he would seek counseling to see if he had a drinking problem. Haden, citing privacy issues, has declined to offer specifics. In a September interview with the Los Angeles Times, he said, "He understands he let us all down. It isn't the Steve Sarkisian I've known for a long time or certainly the guy I hired. ... The counseling he's gone through, from what I've heard I don't talk to counselors but what he's told me (is) he feels like it's gone well for him. And I think that's kind of where we are." Haden's decision not to discipline Sarkisian after the August incident drew criticism. It continued Sunday. Former USC linebacker Riki Ellison said in an email that the situation involving Sarkisian, and Haden's handling of it, was "an embarrassment to our University, our legacy, our tradition, our history, our players, our student athletes, our alumni. Inexcusable and complete inability to lead, let alone lead young men from the University of Southern California or any from any University, high school or professional organization. "Both are responsible, both need to have consequences and both should not be representing the University of Southern California. People responsible for the hiring and for the continuation of their employment need to have consequences." The situation involving Sarkisian had an immediate negative impact on recruiting, which is regarded as one of his strengths. Linebacker Daelin Hayes, a linebacker from Michigan who last month signed a non-binding financial-aid agreement with the Trojans, announced on Twitter that he was reopening his recruitment. Trevon Sidney, a senior receiver from La Puente (Calif.) Bishop Amat High, said the situation involving Sarkisian did not affect his verbal commitment to USC. "He is going through a lot right now, so I think it's just time for him to settle down and just get it together," Sidney said. Students on campus offered differing opinions about Sarkisian's leave of absence. "I was happy to hear it at first, to be honest, because based on what I've seen the last two games, I feel like most of our faults come from coaching errors," said Brian Powers, a freshman majoring in biomechanical engineering. Osagie Ero, a sophomore in computer science, cited Sarkisian's health. "I'm concerned for his well-being as a fellow Trojan," he said. "But I just wish he didn't have to step down." Helton, the interim coach, is no stranger to strange circumstances. In 2013, after Kiffin was fired, Ed Orgeron was named interim coach. When Haden announced he was hiring Sarkisian as Kiffin's permanent replacement, Orgeron left the program and Helton took over as interim coach, leading the Trojans to a victory over Fresno State in the Las Vegas Bowl to complete a 10-4 season. USC has had four head coaches since Pete Carroll left after the 2009 season. The Trojans enjoyed unprecedented success under Carroll but have not maintained those heights since USC was struck by NCAA penalties that were a product of that era. Kiffin and Sarkisian are both Carroll proteges. "Fortunately, or unfortunately, I've been in this situation before," Helton said, adding, "We'll take the approach as we did the last time we were in this. It's all about the kids, and it's all about the Trojan family." A USC player who asked not to be identified predicted older, more experienced Trojans players would not be affected by the coaching change. "We've been in this exact position before with Coach Helton," he said. "The locker room mood is shocked, obviously. But the locker room is focused on what we can kind of make this season into. Like the older guys were saying, this season could be a complete disaster, or turn into an epic run like we had in 2013." (Times staff writer Alex Shultz contributed to this report. Thiry is a Times correspondent.)
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So, like, which one of you is the dude?
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Opinions on Chase Utley's takeout slide of the Mets' Ruben Tejada continue to flood in, especially now that MLB has suspended Utley for Games 3 and 4 of the National League Division Series, pending Utley's planned appeal. The takes have been hot: Clean slide. Dirty slide. Hard baseball play. Bush league take down. MORE: Postseason oddities from throughout MLB history "Change the rule!" a loud contingent demands. "That's how the game should be played!" a equally passionate group responds. Meanwhile, those involved have said their piece, and now we wait to see how things go when they play Game 3 Monday in New York. Until then, here are eight quotes from the parties involved, translated for what they really mean. 1) Joe Torre, MLB chief baseball officer What he said: "After thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley's action warrants discipline. While I sincerely believe Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his Club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Rule 5.09 (a)(13)." What he really means: "While I sincerely believe Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, had this happened to Derek Jeter, we would be considering a lifetime ban of Mr. Utley from baseball and possibly throwing him into a vat of lava. At the very least, we would make Mr. Utley be Mr. Jeter's butler. But a two-game suspension is fine here." 2) Joe Wolfe, Utley's agent What he said: "A two game suspension for a legal baseball play is outrageous and completely unacceptable. Chase did what all players are taught to do in this situation break up the double play. We routinely see plays at second base similar to this one that have not resulted in suspensions. Chase feels terrible about Ruben Tejada's injury and everyone who knows him knows that he would never intentionally hurt anybody. We will be appealing this suspension immediately." What he really means: "Chase Utley has made me a lot of money. I want to keep making money off him. So we will be appealing by playing a video of takeout slides from the past 25 years that were never punished. We will win, and then Chase might get hit in the face with a fastball. That's how the game should be played." 3) The Dodgers What they said: "The Dodgers stand behind Chase Utley and his decision to appeal the suspension issued tonight by MLB. No further comment at this time." What they really mean: "We stand behind him because if we stand in front of him he'll break our leg. That's, like, his thing, right? Wait. ... Shhhh, he's coming!" 4) The Mets What they said: "The New York Mets completely support the decision made by Major League Baseball to suspend Chase Utley for two games and feel this was the appropriate course of action. With this decision behind us, the team and our fans can now focus on playing winning baseball." What they really mean: "The New York Mets completely support the decision made by Major League Baseball to suspend Chase Utley for two games and feel this was the appropriate course of action. Actually, we would support Major League Baseball suspending him from these places as well: Best Buy, Home Depot and the dagger, Chick-fil-A. We'd also like his Netflix and HBO Go accounts suspended. Take that ya big jerk. But whatever. We're focused on winning baseball. … Seriously, screw Chase Utley." 5) Don Mattingly What he said: "Our organization is proud of the way Chase plays. We love the way he plays. He's got a reputation for playing the game right, playing it hard, and we're behind him 100 percent." What he really means: "I passed my course in PR-speak. I say positive, vague, baseball-y words about our players and those words get written down and disseminated to the public. This is me doing that. I am speaking publicly about this matter." 6) David Wright What he said: "I have a problem with the play on a number of different levels, one being the slide itself. In my opinion, he wasn't anywhere close to the bag. With that being said, he never touched the bag. And I think the 'neighborhood play' is there to protect players. ... It definitely seemed like after that play we lost the momentum and they came up with some big hits." What he really means: "What the [redacted] is wrong with him?! That dirty, dirty [redacted]. He broke his [redacted] leg! I mean, [redacted], man! He never even touched the [redacted] bag! What in the actual [redacted]?! Also, what the [redacted], MLB?! That 'slide' caused us to get screwed. SCREWED! ... [Redacted]!" 7) Justin Turner What he said: "If you're not protecting yourself or you're not in good position when they come in hard like that, you have a chance of getting hurt." What he really means: "I don't think it's ever wise to blame the victim, but this was totally Ruben Tejeda's fault." 8) Chase Utley What he said: "You have to try and break up the double play. That's winning baseball." What he really means: "That's winning baseball. This is something we baseball players often say to justify questionable things. This way, it sounds like something that can't be questioned and I can create the false logic that if you disagree or don't understand, then you're ignornant about baseball or just hate the game. Say, why do you hate baseball? Also, why do you hate America? Also, why do you hate freedom? Ahh, I know: You never played the game. That last part is designed to shut you up."
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Researchers from the Florida Atlantic University have developed a new type of soft bionic finger that can move like the ones on your hand. In order to come up with the most authentic-looking design, they downloaded a CAD model of the human digit and used a 3D printer to create squishy inner and outer molds. Inside, they placed two actuators made of shape memory alloys (SMA), which can "remember" and return to their original shapes even after they get bent or deformed, so long as they're heated. The extensor actuator straightens up when heat is applied, while the flexor actuator curves. During the testing process, the team applied heat by passing electric currents through a conductor. However, that doesn't mean that they have this all figured out already. According to team leader Erik Engeberg, assistant professor at FAU's Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, there are still "challenges with this technology such as the lengthy amount of time it takes for them to cool and return to their natural shape." That's why the team has decided that the technology will be used for underwater robots first, as the environment enables rapid cooling. It might not be coming to bionic limbs anytime soon, but you can read the team's journal published on IOPScience . Florida Atlantic University , IOPScience Source: http://www.engadget.com/2015/10/11/3d-printed-bionic-finger/
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When you are in a long-term, serious relationship, you train yourself to behave a certain way - you're always in couple mode. So when the relationship ends, you have to relearn how to be single again. Things like flirting and giving off that "I'm available" vibe are no longer instinctual. To help you out, here are some of the solo behaviors that are tricky to pull off when you're getting back into the dating game. Now's the time to step up your single woman A game. 1. Turning that frown upside down. Do you walk around with a face that says, "I'm in a relationship, so don't even think about it"? It might take daily reminders to keep smiling after a rough breakup. One trick is to listen to upbeat tunes on your iPhone. Bonus: it improves your mood from the outside in! 2. Saying yes. When you have a significant other, you may be used to turning down happy hours and girls' nights out in favor of cuddling with your honey at home or date nights. Retrain yourself to start accepting those invites! You're not going to meet a rebound in your living room. 3. Keeping your eyes on the prize(s). Whether you're on the bus, in your office elevator, or out with girlfriends, you just never know when or where you might meet someone, so keep your head up and make eye contact. When you're paired up, you might have made it a habit to stare straight ahead or down at the ground so as not to encourage prospects. Well, times have changed! So keep those peepers peeled. 4. Flaunting what you got. Being in a couple is comfortable, and it may show in your clothing and makeup choices. Now that you're back in action, it's amazing what some liquid eyeliner, sexy pumps, and shaving your legs can do for your self-confidence. 5. Knowing when someone is interested. When you're in a long-term relationship, you tend to lose your "someone is hitting on you" radar - "What, them? No, they're just a friend." Being single again means sharpening those skills, and encouraging someone who's staring at you from the across the room with a smile and a "Hi." How about you? Any other single characteristics you had a hard time relearning after a breakup?
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The umpires got it wrong on Saturday night. On Sunday, Major League Baseball got it right. With its precedent-setting suspension of Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley for Games 3 and 4 of the NLDS against the Mets, the commissioner's office all but admitted that the umps erred by not ruling Utley out for his overly aggressive takeout slide in NLDS Game 2 that ultimately resulted in the tying run scoring and left New York shortstop Ruben Tejada with a broken right fibula. In the very first words of its statement announcing the suspension, MLB calls Utley's slide "illegal." Joe Torre, MLB's Chief Baseball Officer said, "After thoroughly reviewing the play from all conceivable angles, I have concluded that Mr. Utley's action warrants discipline. While I sincerely believe that Mr. Utley had no intention of injuring Ruben Tejada, and was attempting to help his club in a critical situation, I believe his slide was in violation of Official Baseball Rule 5.09 (a)(13), which is designed to protect fielders from precisely this type of rolling block that occurs away from the base." • Sports Illustrated's postseason coverage: Full recaps and results According to that rule, "A batter is out when ... a preceding runner shall, in the umpire's judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play." That rule also includes a comment, which reads: "The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, rather than trying to reach base. Obviously this is an umpire's judgment play." Utley will appeal the decision. The hearing is expected to take place before Monday's Game 3 and a ruling is likely to be made before first pitch at Citi Field, currently scheduled for no earlier than 8:07 p.m. ET. It's hard to imagine the suspension being overturned, though it's also hard to remember a previous player being suspended during the postseason for a play that was deemed legal on the field. All of that is of little comfort to the Mets, who should have been six outs away from taking a 2-0 lead in the series with ace Matt Harvey set to try and send them to the National League Championship Series in Game 3. Instead, they were left with the series tied and their starting shortstop lost for the rest of the postseason. Just how important was the Utley play? According to baseball-reference.com's data, it increased the Dodgers' Win Expectancy from 49% to 64%. That was the single biggest jump in the game aside from the two-run Adrian Gonzalez double two batters later that broke the tie and never would have happened had the umpires ruled correctly on Saturday. For all the debate the play engendered, this much is certain: This has become the most controversial play of this entire baseball season. One reason for that, perhaps the most perplexing one, is that the rules were already in place for the umpires to call Utley and, in turn, Howie Kendrick whose line drive over the mound ignited the chain of events out. For unclear reasons they were not followed, and when the umpires compounded the bizarre nature of the situation by ruling that Tejada never touched the bag awarding second base to Utley, who had not touched the base either and had by then had left the playing field completely it got even stranger. It was only fitting that Gonzalez and Justin Turner would follow with game-winning and game-securing hits, ensuring the Utley Slide would become as infamous as any play in recent history. The last time an on-field injury caused such heated debate it prompted a long-discussed change to the MLB rule book. In 2011, then-Marlins outfielder Scott Cousins barreled into Giants catcher Buster Posey, a budding superstar who the year before had won the NL Rookie of the Year while helping San Francisco win the World Series. Posey suffered a broken leg and torn ligaments in his ankle, and by 2014 the so-called Posey Rule banning home plate collisions had gone into effect. Not only have such plays vanished but so too has any nonsensical talk that they were merely "how the game ought to be played." That will undoubtedly be the result this time too, if only MLB will find a way to ensure that such collisions at second base, or any base for that matter, are outlawed. The fact that multiple rules already exist to govern such plays another would seem to be Rule 7.09(e) is irrelevant if they were ignored, but MLB now has an opportunity to at least make sure that they never happen again. Whether that takes place thanks to a new rule or by tweaking or enforcing those that are already on the books is not as important as ensuring the Utley play becomes as antiquated a part of baseball's past as the reserve clause. As it turns out, MLB was already exploring ways to do just that. Late Saturday night Torre revealed that MLB was planning on having the Arizona Fall League test a rule, currently in place in the college game, requiring players to slide in a straight line toward second base. If the Utley play hastens the rule change at the sport's highest level it will have had at least one beneficial outcome to someone who wasn't wearing a Dodgers uniform on Saturday. Whether or not Utley wears that uniform again he will be a free-agent after this season and if the Mets win the next two games the series, and perhaps the 36-year-old's career, will be over his impact on the postseason has been unmistakable and unforgettable. Utley is now a player of little value, one whose .212 batting average, .286 on-base percentage and .343 slugging percentage for the Phillies and Dodgers this season would have been in the bottom 10 in the majors in each category if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. For the season he was worth 0.4 WAR. His career resume is, of course, far more impressive. He is a borderline Hall of Famer for the body of work he compiled in parts of 13 mostly excellent seasons with Philadelphia, and it is unfortunate that his career now has this stain attached to it. But if there is any upside to what took place at Dodger Stadium it will come when his needlessly dangerous play officially results in his game being safer.
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Cats are excellent jumpers, as anyone who's come home to find their pet on top of the refrigerator can attest. So it's probably no surprise that scientists are trying to replicate their bouncy back legs so that robots, too, can acrobatically launch themselves onto the top shelf of your closet. In order to better study the way felines' hind limbs work, Japanese researchers built a robotic set of kitty legs. This legs-only robot's structure mimics the musculature and tendon structure of cats' hind legs, and it can jump 1.3 times its own height. (If this doesn't sound that impressive at first glance, think of a 6-foot-tall man jumping almost 8 feet straight up.) The 'bot can jump even on uneven surfaces without losing its balance or height. Robotic animals are all the rage these days. MIT's robotic cheetah can essentially compete in hurdling . Boston Dynamics' robotic dog Spot can act collectively with its robot-pack. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency hopes that these type of agile, fast robots inspired by the animal kingdom will one day be able to aid in combat, but in this case, the robotic half-cat can also help scientists better understand real animals. Having to recreate a cat's legs from scratch helps researchers figure out what exactly makes feline physiology work. [h/t: Co.Exist ]
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There has been a line drawn in the sand between pretenders and contenders around the NFL. It took five weeks for us to acquire an understanding, but some squads are now firmly out of the playoff race as we move on from the early part of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints all of whom entered the season with playoff aspirations are now 1-4 on the season. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys both find themselves under .500 through five games. On the other side of the ledger, the undefeated teams that did suit up on Sunday found a way to win. Three of them didn't put up great performances, but they remain in that elite group heading into Week 6. Here are your top-10 takeaways for Sunday's Week 5 NFL action. Undefeated teams find a way to win Kirk Cousins to Robert Alford. Walk-off pick six in overtime...FOR THE WIN! #WASvsATL http://t.co/aN5UdvEvnC NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2015 Whether it was the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons or Cincinnati Bengals, three of the four remaining undefeated teams that played on Sunday found a way to win despite less-than-stellar overall performances. Aaron Rodgers threw his first interception at home in nearly 600 pass attempts . He also lost a fumble in a 24-10 win over the St. Louis Rams. It's the second consecutive game that Green Bay's offense has struggled (scored 17 against San Francisco in Week 4). It's also the second consecutive game that its defense has stepped up big time, allowing a total of 13 points during that span. At 5-0 on the season, we know the Packers offense will be fine. Forcing four Nick Foles interceptions in another good performance from Dom Capers unit, it's the defense that is on the verge of making this the most well-rounded team in the NFL. Atlanta struggled big time on offense, scoring a total of three first half points against the Washington Redskins on Sunday. In fact, the Falcons didn't score a touchdown until less than eight minutes remained in regulation. However, the team's defensive picked it up big time in this one. After scoring two defensive touchdowns last week against the Houston Texans, it won in walk-off fashion after Robert Alford picked off a Kirk Cousins pass and returned it 59 yards for a game-ending score. In Cincinnati, it looked like the Seattle Seahawks were primed to hand the Bengals their first loss of the season. Scoring twice in less than two minutes early in the third quarter, the two-time defending NFC champions took a three-score lead into the final stanza. Instead of buckling under the pressure, Cincinnati picked up its game big time earning a hard fought 27-24 win. While Andy Dalton did his thing (331 yards) on offense, the Bengals defense stiffened up when it needed to the most. Seattle tallied a total of 39 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson was sacked four times and hit a total of 10 times in the game. With both sides of the ball taking over, Cincinnati found a way for the third 5-0 start in franchise history. Philadelphia Eagles make a statement in must-win game With the way the NFC East is shaping up this season, Philadelphia finds itself squarely in the division race following a 39-17 win over the suddenly hapless New Orleans Saints on Sunday. In reality, it was just a stellar overall performance from an Eagles squad that was reeling after losing three of its first four. Sam Bradford may have thrown two picks, one of which was in the end zone, but he responded big time as the game progressed. The much-maligned signal caller ended up completing 32-of-45 passes for 333 yards with two touchdowns. Six different Eagles receivers tallied 30-plus yards, including a team high 78 yards from second-year player Josh Huff. Meanwhile, DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews put up 156 combined yards and two scores on the ground. Defensively, the Eagles did yield nearly 400 yards. However, the likes of Jordan Hicks and Fletcher Cox helped this unit hold the Saints to 17 points, including a garbage time touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter. With both the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys losing on Sunday, Philadelphia finds itself tied for second place, one game behind the New York Giants. Not everything is resolved here, but it's most definitely a start. For the first time all season, the Eagles played like Chip Kelly envisioned they would. That's a positive sign. Some glaring issues remain for the Seattle Seahawks in late-game loss to the Cincinnati Bengals For the first time since 2004, Seattle blew a three-score fourth quarter lead on Sunday against the Bengals. Equally as disturbing for Pete Carroll's squad, Russell Wilson was hit on 10 of his 30 drop backs against a much-improved Bengals defensive line. Perception is everything here. Even with Seattle up by 17 heading into the fourth quarter, there was no real feeling that the game was over. Dumb penalties, missed tackles, issues with blitz packages and even some coaching blunders they all add up to a 2-3 team that doesn't look anywhere near as unbeatable as we have seen in the past. Back to the offense for a second. After being sacked four times on Sunday, Wilson has now gone down 22 times on the year. He's also been pressured nearly 50 percent of the time he's dropped back to pass. It's highly unlikely that any quarterback would have a ton of success in this situation, even someone with the escapability Wilson has displayed in his three-plus seasons with Seattle. Now under .500 heading into Week 6 for the first time since Pete Carroll's second season back in 2011, Seattle needs to turn it around in short order. Adding to the issues here, the Arizona Cardinals stand alone atop the division with a two-game lead over both Seattle and St. Louis. Season on the brink: New Orleans Saints Now 1-4 on the season following a 22-point loss to Philadelphia, the Saints find themselves a whopping four games behind the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South just five weeks into the season. To make matters worse, the Carolina Panthers are sitting at home on a bye sipping on Starbucks while enjoying a 4-0 record this season. There are just too many issues to count in New Orleans right now. Sure Drew Brees is racking up the passing yards (326 yards per game), but the Saints are averaging just a hair over 20 points per game in his starts. Defensively, the Saints are now yielding an average well over 400 yards per game after giving up 500-plus to what had been a struggling Eagles offense. The only question that remains here is where the Saints are going to pick at the top 10 of the 2016 NFL draft and whether they are going to consider using that selection on a quarterback. Stats aside, the soon-to-be 37-year-old Brees looks like a shell of his former self. That's the harsh reality of the situation. St. Louis Rams find a star in an otherwise ugly effort Nick Foles may have acted the part of a star for the Green Bay Packers, throwing four interceptions for his Rams on Sunday. As bad as the new Rams quarterback was, rookie running back Todd Gurley put up yet another outstanding performance. A week after tallying 146 yards on 19 attempts against the Arizona Cardinals, the talented young ball carrier was back at it. Accounting for nearly 50 percent of the Rams offensive yardage, Gurley gained 159 yards on a whopping 30 rush attempts. More than anything else, this is an indication that St. Louis has confidence in its top-10 pick to carry the team on his back after suffering a torn ACL last year at Georgia. Gurley has put up 305 yards on 49 attempts over the course of the past two games numbers that put him firmly in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation. That's utterly insane considering he attempted a total of six rushes prior to Week 4. Young quarterbacks shine as Tampa Bay Buccaneers break 11-game home losing streak Coming off a four-interception performance against the Carolina Panthers last week, Jameis Winston played a near mistake-free game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He completed 13-of-19 passes for 209 yards with a touchdown and zero picks in Tampa Bay's 38-31 win. Meanwhile, Blake Bortles put up the best performance of his young career. He threw for over 300 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. Flying under the radar for an otherwise lackluster Jaguars squad, Bortles is now on pace to throw for nearly 4,200 yards with 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Stats might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but the tape also shows a quarterback that has improved vastly from a season ago. These are two quarterbacks that entered the NFL with a ton of questions. They did so while being asked to save their downtrodden franchises. With so many issues remaining for both teams, it's nice to see the young signal callers play at a high level. Moving forward, it's going to be all about consistency for Bortles and Winston. Drama on the rise in Detroit with Matthew Stafford? Matthew Stafford benched for poor performance against the Cardinals http://t.co/9fkNblkTAW #MatthewStafford #ARIvsDET pic.twitter.com/FneD5Rq3xN Sportsnaut (@Sportsnaut) October 11, 2015 Midway through the third quarter of Detroit's humiliating 42-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday, head coach Jim Caldwell decided to bench the team's "franchise quarterback." This came right after Stafford threw his third interception of the game. Immediately after the game, Caldwell made sure to quiet any rumors of a quarterback controversy in Detroit: "Really, it's like a pitcher not having a very good day," Caldwell said, via the Detroit Free Press . "The pitcher comes out and the pitcher obviously, he's still the starter. He's still our starter, so there'll be no issues there. So there is no quarterback controversy or anything of that nature. But I know one thing, we got to get better. This was poor. Just not the kind of outing that we like to see around here." After throwing two picks in the first half, Caldwell told Stafford that the next one would get him benched: "He told me at halftime if I threw another interception, I'd be pulled out of the game," Stafford told the press following the disheartening loss. "Obviously, threw one. Wish I wouldn't have. Go from there." That last interception the final nail in the coffin for Stafford's day was a horrendous pass down the right sideline on third and long. At that point, it was obvious the struggling quarterback had crossed the line on the day. He was no longer prepared to help his team come back. With Dan Orlovsky as the only somewhat realistic option on the roster, Stafford will assuredly keep his starting job for the remainder of the season. But at 0-5 on the year and with no realistic expectations of improvement on either side of the ball, the question now becomes whether Stafford is still the long-term solution under center. This question will become more intense should the Lions earn a high pick in the upcoming draft. Oakland Raiders remain competitive, but still can't get over that hump Following a close loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Oakland has now dropped its past two games by a combined eight points. Jack Del Rio definitely has his team playing competitive football in his first season as its head coach. At 2-3 on the year, that's not necessarily translating to wins on the football field. Last week saw the Raiders go conservative and Latavius Murray fumble the football late in the loss to the Chicago Bears. Oakland, by virtue of a Derek Carr pick-six deep in the Broncos territory late on Sunday, found yet another way to blow a game it should have won. If you have been reading my takes on the Raiders since the draft, the emphasis has been clear. Del Rio and general manager Reggie McKenzie aren't going to turn this thing around in one season. Instead, it's all going to be a process. The positive news here is that Oakland is much more competitive than we have seen over the past several seasons. Baby steps, indeed. Arizona Cardinals are the best team in football #AZCardinals defense forces six turnovers, offense goes 5-for-5 in red zone during blowout. #AZvsDET https://t.co/ATVQwYPuHP Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 12, 2015 The Green Bay Packers seem a bit sexier on tape. The New England Patriots are the defending champions. And in reality, an argument could be made for both teams to sit atop the NFL hierarchy heading into Week 6. Despite losing to the St. Louis Rams in Week 4, the Cardinals have staked their claim as the best team in the NFL. Following a 42-17 win over the hapless Lions on Sunday, Arizona has put up 40-plus points in three of its past four games. Amazingly enough, it only took 15 first downs and 14 pass attempts from Carson Palmer for the Cardinals to put this one away. Heck, Lions fans were booing the home team as it headed to the locker room down 28-7 at the half. Great teams take it to their opponents. They don't back off when things are looking one-sided. Instead, they step on the gas and show the league who is boss. In two of their past three games, the Cardinals have done just this. And now at 4-1 on the season, they have a two-game lead in the NFC West to show for it. The Baltimore Ravens defense is a hot mess How in the world do you give up 457 passing yards to Josh McCown? Somewhere in the United States, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are putting on helmets and ready to suit up. A shell of its former self, Baltimore's defense has been absolutely atrocious this season. In losing 33-30 to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, the Ravens defense yielded 505 yards of total offense and 25 first downs. Four different Browns pass catchers tallied at least six receptions with a previously unknown tight end in Gary Barnidge going for 139 yards on eight attempts. When you are being destroyed by the likes of McCown and Barnidge, something just isn't right. Baltimore's horrendous play on defense has the team at 1-4 on the season and four games behind the division-leading Cincinnati Bengals. This is such a reversal of fortune for a unit that has been among the best in the NFL for nearly the past two decades. It also has Ravens fans thinking more about the 2016 draft than the remainder of this season.
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