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EU states have backed an action plan for Turkey, which it is hoped will ease the flow of migrants to Europe. Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, many of them travelling from Turkey. The deal - reached at talks in Brussels - links concessions on Turkish demands regarding links with the EU to stemming the flow of migrants entering the bloc. Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, said he felt "cautious optimism" over the deal. Meanwhile a migrant thought to be Afghan was shot dead by a Bulgarian border guard after entering the country from Turkey late on Thursday. Bulgarian President Boyko Borisov left the Brussels talk on hearing the news. Thursday's summit in Brussels, European leaders agreed to: accelerate visa liberalisation for Turks wanting to visit the EU's borderless Schengen area - if Turkey complies with certain criteria "re-energised" talks over Turkey joining the EU Read more The pull of Europe: Five migrant stories Merkel under pressure: Chancellor's migrant policy faces criticism at home Focus on Turkey: Why the EU views Syria's northern neighbour as key Crisis in graphics: Migration numbers explained Turkey had also asked for €3bn (£2.2bn, $3.4bn) in aid, something German Chancellor Angela Merkel said EU states were considering. Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, said talks over the aid would continue with Turkish officials over the coming days. Mrs Merkel will travel to Turkey at the weekend. "There is still a huge amount to do," Mrs Merkel said. "But you cannot say that we've achieved nothing." EU sources had said several countries were cautious about coming to an agreement with Turkey too quickly. Among them were Greece, Cyprus and France. Analysis - Chris Morris, BBC Europe correspondent, Brussels If a deal with Turkey sticks, and if it really does help stem the flow of migrants to Europe, then this is an important moment. Those are a couple of big "ifs" though. Turkey wants an additional €3bn in aid, but that figure has still to be agreed, and there is concern about its effect on the overall EU budget. Further concessions to Turkey - on visa-free travel to Europe, and on re-energising long-stalled EU membership talks - can best be described as preliminary. Turkey will still have to meet certain criteria to make progress. It will also take some time to find out whether it really has either the will or the ability to stop migrants travelling to Europe. But the very fact that the EU is paying Turkey so much attention looks like a big boost for the country's President Tayyip Erdogan - a couple of weeks before Turkey holds another general election. Earlier on Thursday, Mrs Merkel said all EU countries must be prepared to send security staff to the bloc's external borders. She said it would be unfair to ask EU countries seeing the majority of initial migrant entries to secure borders as well. "It's quite obvious that only a few countries today take the majority of refugees and if these countries now are asked to secure the external borders on top of that, I don't think it would be what we could call a fair distribution of effort," Mrs Merkel said. She described the current situation as "very disorderly". In other developments: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said his country would decide whether to close its border with Croatia on Friday EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called for member states to address the causes of migration by providing more money for Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey and for development in Africa Five members of a Lebanese family have drowned after a boat carrying them from Turkey to Greece capsized, relatives say. Another four are missing. Turkey is hosting some two million migrants, most of them fleeing the war in neighbouring Syria. Turkey has also called for the establishment of an international "safe zone" for refugees inside northern Syria - but Mr Tusk said Russia's involvement in Syria made the idea more difficult. Also in Brussels, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said he would present four main demands for change in the EU in November. It comes ahead of a promised referendum on the UK's membership of the EU in 2017. Mr Tusk welcomed Mr Cameron's announcement, adding that the "real negotiations" could start after early November. | 5 | 95,700 | news |
Kate Hudson caught one of her most embarrassing moments on camera on Tuesday night and posted it online for all to see. The star suffered a wardrobe malfunction during a trip to the restroom at the 50th anniversary celebration of La Mer skincare and needed help from her celebrity pals. Hudson realized at the last minute her floral-print Yanina gown was tricky to get out of when you need to visit the ladies room and friends had to help her get the dress over her head. | 8 | 95,701 | video |
Asian equities came off the day's highs by late-morning trade, after staging a rally earlier on in the session following an impressive lead from Wall Street. Major U.S. averages rallied more than 1 percent overnight, thanks to a jump in financials and soft economic data that bolstered the case for a delay in the rise of U.S. interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI) and S&P 500 (.INX) recovered to close above the psychologically key levels of 17,000 and 2,000 respectively. The Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC) jumped 1.8 percent on Thursday. Mainland stocks nudge up Share markets in China narrowed advances near the end of the morning trading session, with the Shanghai Composite just 0.3 percent higher. The CSI300 Index also ticked up by the same margin, while the smaller Shenzhen Composite turned negative, down 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index charged up 0.5 percent. Bucking the uptrend, Wynn Macau (1128-HK) shares receded as much as 5 percent after the casino and hotel operator announced a fall in profit for the three months to September. Wynn attributed the decline in net income to a sharp slowdown at its Macau operations. Nikkei up 1.2% Japan's Nikkei 225 (.N225) index extended gains amid a broad-based rise on Friday, thanks to fresh weakness in the yen (OSEJPY=) . Blue-chip exporters such as Sony (6758.T-JP) and Canon (7751.T-JP) climbed 2.6 and 1.7 percent respectively, while automakers Toyota (7203.T-JP) , Nissan (7201.T-JP) and Suzuki Motor (7269.T-JP) also attracted buy orders, up between 1.6 and 2.2 percent. Suntory Beverage & Food (2587.T-JP) will unwind its joint venture with Tsingtao Brewery amid stalling sales in the fiercely-competed Chinese market, the Nikkei business daily reported. Shares of the beverage conglomerate advanced 1.7 percent. ASX rises 0.7% Australia's S&P ASX 200 (.AXJO) index hovered near its highest levels since August 28. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA-AU) and National Australia Bank () rose 1.8 and 1.4 respectively, while Australia and New Zealand Banking (ANZ-AU) gained nearly 1 percent. The gains come despite the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) issuing a warning in its biannual Financial Stability Review that lending standards for home loans had been looser than first thought, adding to the risks of an eventual downturn in the housing market. Aditya Birla Minerals soared 31 percent, thanks to a surprise takeover bid from Perth-based Metals X . Rio Tinto (RIO-GB) pared gains to slide 0.9 percent, after the global miner announced a 17 percent rise in third-quarter iron ore shipments to 91.3 million tonnes and said it remained on track to meet full-year guidance of 340 million tonnes. Shares of BHP Billiton (BLT-GB) edged down 0.5 percent, tracking a fall in its U.S. ADR on the back of falling iron ore prices. Kospi slips 0.2% South Korea's Kospi index swiftly reversed a higher open, with heavyweight components among the biggest drags on the bourse. Samsung Electronics (593-KR) dropped 0.7 percent. Automakers were sold-off; Hyundai Motor (538-KR) skidded 1.2 percent, while sister firm Kia Motors (27-KR) tumbled 3.5 percent, while Pharmaceuticals outperformed, with Hanmi Pharmaceutical leading gains by surging 5.8 percent. The sub-index widened gains to 2.5 percent by mid-morning trade. Taiex sheds 0.3% Taiwan's weighted index also fell below the flatline, weighed down by a slump in the shares of large-cap Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (2330-TW) . Shares of TSMC plummeted 1.8 percent after the world's biggest contract chip maker reported its first quarterly earnings decline since 2012 on Thursday. TSMC also projected lower revenue for the fourth quarter and cut its capital spending estimate for this year. Rest of Asia Singapore's Straits Times (.STI) index bounced up 0.3 percent after September exports unexpectedly rose from a year earlier. The country's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) gained 0.3 percent on-year, beating expectations for a 3.6 percent decline. This unexpected rise comes on the back of an 8.4 percent slide in August and 0.7 percent slip in July. "While the NODX data showed a month-on-month bounce, helped by a stronger rebound in exports to Japan, the global backdrop for exports remains difficult due to the slowdown in China and the weakness of global emerging markets," Rajiv Biswas, Asia-Pacific chief economist for IHS Global Insight, wrote in a note issued early Friday. "The regional impact and further shockwaves to Singapore's economy depends on how much and how fast China's economy slows down with IHS assessing the risk of a China hard landing at around 25 percent probability," Biswas added. Singapore narrowly avoided a technical recession on Tuesday, when third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) showed the Southeast Asian economy expanded 0.1 percent on-quarter . Malaysia's FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (.KLSE) added 0.1 percent ahead of the announcement of September inflation numbers at noon. | 3 | 95,702 | finance |
Book your flight, ladies! Hawaii has a fungus that's proven to give women instant orgasms. No joke. | 8 | 95,703 | video |
In late May 2014, President Barack Obama laid out his timetable for withdrawal. Nearly all American troops were scheduled to pull out of Afghanistan by the time he left the White House at the end of 2016. Fewer than 1,000 US service members would remain in the country to staff a security liaison office in Kabul. Two weeks after Obama's announcement, Iraq nearly collapsed. The country's security forces evaporated in the face of advancing "Islamic State" (IS) militants. Washington intervened with airstrikes later that summer, halting the militants push toward Baghdad. The White House is now engaged in an open-ended air campaign in Iraq and Syria without any additional congressional authorization. "It's generally acknowledged that it was a mistake to have invaded Iraq [in 2003]," James Dobbins, who served as the United States Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told DW. "But having invaded Iraq, having created a mess, having created the conditions that led to regional imbalance and increased radicalization, it was a mistake to have just walked away from it," Dobbins said. "Wars aren't over because you say they're over." Dobbins and others in the United States are concerned that Afghanistan faces a similar future should Washington withdraw prematurely. In late September, Afghan forces defending the city of Kunduz collapsed and the Taliban captured a provincial capital for the first time since the 2001 US-led invasion. Afghan forces ultimately recaptured the city with the support of US advisers and airstrikes. One of the strikes hit a hospital staffed by Doctors Without Borders, killing 22 civilians and injuring another 37. "Kunduz really represents a new aspect of the war for the Taliban," said Thomas Johnson, an expert on the war in Afghanistan at the US Naval Postgraduate School. "This has been a rural insurgency throughout, and the Taliban now taking it to a provincial capital is really a sea change in their strategy." 'Islamic State' in Afghanistan Citing this fragile security situation, Obama effectively tore up his timetable for withdrawal on Thursday. Nearly 10,000 American troops will remain in Afghanistan through 2016. The number will be reduced to 5,500 by the time Obama leaves office in January 2017. The US troops will advise Afghan forces and conduct counterterrorism missions. "What he's doing is leaving the door open for the next commander-in-chief to have the option of maintaining troops, removing troops, doing what he or she sees fit," said Scott Smith, director of the Afghanistan and Central Asia program at the United States Institute of Peace. According to Johnson, the threat of "Islamic State" has changed the minds of many in Washington about the US troop presence in Afghanistan. IS recruiters are present in 25 of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, the United Nations reported in September, citing Afghan government sources. "This new ISIL dynamic is quite troubling and they have their eyes toward Central Asia," Johnson said, using an alternative acronym for the terrorist group. "You're seeing a lot of congressmen that are saying we can't let what happened in Iraq happen in Afghanistan." Mission impossible? But the force levels the White House has decided to keep in Afghanistan aren't sufficient, Johnson continued. Too many of the US troops are focused on training Afghan security forces. "It's not going to be able to improve the Afghan national security apparatus that we've now been trying to train for 14 years and there's still major problems with them," he said. Instead, more US forces should be devoted to counterterrorism, specifically rooting out "Islamic State" militants, according to Johnson. Given the unpopularity of the war in Afghanistan among the American people, it's unlikely that additional forces will be deployed. "Afghanistan is an unwinnable war," Johnson said. "We've spent near a trillion dollars, we've lost 2,500 people, we spent an awful lot of blood and treasure and the country is still dysfunctional." Have something to say? Add your comments below. Discussions are closed after 24 hours. Author: Spencer Kimball, Chicago Editor: Martin Kuebler | 5 | 95,704 | news |
Courting Hispanic voters in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, Hillary Clinton suggested that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro is on her list of potential running mates should she secure the Democratic presidential nomination. Speaking at a U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce meeting, Clinton said she would "look really hard at him for anything, because that's how good he is." Castro, a former mayor of San Antonio, appeared alongside Clinton at a "Latinos for Hillary" rally later in the day, where he gave her his endorsement, telling the crowd: "the difference between her and the Republican candidates is that she respects the Latino community." Castro is the second member of the Obama administration to formally endorse Clinton, after Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. His twin brother Joaquin, a congressman, has also endorsed her. At the rally, Joaquin Castro told BuzzFeed that his brother's endorsement was meant to draw a visible contrast with the anti-immigrant vitriol emanating from the Republican camp. "[I]t will be helpful to Hillary to have somebody out there who is a countervailing force," he said, "somebody who can vouch for her, but also stands as a symbol of the American dream for millions of Hispanics." Clinton's stop in San Antonio was part of a cross-country tour that began in Nevada and will also take her to New Hampshire and Alabama. The former first lady is clearly looking to build on her momentum after her solid performance in Tuesday night's Democratic debate. Latinos are, of course, a key constituency for Democrats, especially in emerging swing states like Nevada and Colorado (as well as the linchpin of the Democratic dream of a purple Texas). Clinton doesn't have to worry too much about winning their support, though: she outperformed Barack Obama among Latino voters in 2008 and a recent poll found that 73 percent of registered Hispanic Democrats intend to vote for her. | 5 | 95,705 | news |
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Capitals bounced back from a miserable performance with a gem of an effort against the Chicago Blackhawks, who are having difficulty scoring as they begin defense of their Stanley Cup title. Braden Holtby stopped 26 shots, Alex Ovechkin contributed a goal in his return and the Capitals cruised to a 4-1 victory Thursday night. BOX SCORE: CAPITALS 4, BLACKHAWKS 1 John Carlson, T.J. Oshie and Matt Niskanen also scored for the Capitals, who welcomed back Ovechkin following a one-game disciplinary absence. Ovechkin was benched Tuesday night against San Jose after missing practice that morning. He said he overslept after accidentally setting his alarm for 8:30 p.m. instead of 8:30 a.m. Without him, the Capitals lost to the Sharks 5-0. They stewed about it for a day, then came out energized against Chicago from the first drop of the puck. "We were ready to play, we were ready to skate, we were on the same page," Holtby said. "I think the other night was a pretty good wakeup call for us." Chicago, on the other hand, improved only marginally from their previous outing -- a listless 3-0 loss to Philadelphia one night earlier. In this one, the Blackhawks trailed 3-0 before Viktor Svedberg got his first goal of the season at 3:13 of the third period. That ended a scoreless drought of 107 minutes, 46 seconds. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville took consolation in his team's 17-shot second period. Midway through the stanza, Andrew Desjardins missed an open net from the left side at the end of a 2-on-1 with Andrew Shaw. For Chicago -- which has only 10 goals in five games -- coming close counts for something. "Certainly, the second period we were fine," Quenneville said. "We had some great chances at an empty net and missed. Not sharp around the net." It isn't time to panic, but the Blackhawks can't pretend this scoring drought doesn't matter. "I mean, we're not happy with how we played the last few games," center Marcus Kruger said. "All of us have got to get better and take responsibility." Although the Blackhawks finally broke through with a goal in the third period, they took only five shots over the final 20 minutes. After Svedberg scored, the Capitals took over. "That was the first time this year that we recognized the key moment," Washington coach Barry Trotz said. "That was a moment we needed to respond. We killed their enthusiasm a little bit." Ovechkin sealed the victory at 14:18, scoring from the left side of the net after a back-and-forth with teammate Evgeny Kuznetsov. The Capitals were obviously delighted to have their franchise scoring leader back on the ice, but they still had to do without center Nicklas Backstrom, who has yet to play this season while recovering from hip surgery. Backstrom led the NHL in assists last season and tied for third with 33 points on the power play. Oshie gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 8:48 of the first period with a shot from between the circles, his first goal with Washington since being traded from St. Louis in July. Chicago was 9-for-10 on the penalty kill before Oshie connected. Carlson scored from just inside the blue line at 3:09 of the second period while Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling was screened by Marcus Johansson. Niskanen made it 3-0 at 2:32 of the third period. Svedberg answered less than a minute later, ending Holtby's bid for his 21st career shutout. The Blackhawks are just over halfway done with a peculiar eight-game run against Eastern Conference foes to start the season. Chicago (2-3-0) has never opened with this many successive out-of-conference games, and hadn't gone through a stretch like this at any point in the season since 1984-85. Chicago has lost five straight in Washington since January 2006. Notes: Chicago's Patrick Kane was held without a point after collecting three goals and three assists in his first four games. ... The Capitals recalled 21-year-old C Chandler Stephenson from Hershey of the AHL. The 2012 third-round pick played nearly nine minutes in his NHL debut but did not register a point. ... Chicago didn't take its first shot on goal until 9:17 of the first period and took only five over the first 20 minutes. ... Kuznetsov played in his 100th NHL game, all with Washington. | 1 | 95,706 | sports |
Steve Spurrier may have left the world of college football coaching, but his legacy will certainly live on through coaches like Auburn's Gus Malzahn -- who's also known for sporting the visor look. In the wake of Spurrier's resignation announcement on Tuesday, Malzahn decided to pay tribute to the former South Carolina coach during Auburn's game vs. Kentucky on Thursday, going "Visor free for the HBC" in Lexington. The visor Malzahn would have worn will instead be autographed and auctioned off in an effort to help victims of recent catastrophic flooding in South Carolina. . @CoachGusMalzahn is visor-free tonight to honor Coach Spurrier. http://t.co/9LIAkS8e2t pic.twitter.com/JShvTWmyXG SEC Sports (@SEC) October 15, 2015 "Coach Spurrier is one of the all-time greats, and his influence on me and my coaching style goes back to my days as a high school coach when I started wearing a visor," Malzahn said . "I'm very appreciative for everything he's done for me and the game of football. He's played a large role in making Southeastern Conference football what it is today and will be missed. Going visor-free for tonight's game is a small way to pay respect to Coach Spurrier and help raise money and awareness for a great cause." MORE NEWS: Want stories delivered to you? Sign up for our College Football newsletters. | 1 | 95,707 | sports |
Should've left it pending. | 8 | 95,708 | video |
If you think your credit score is beyond repair, think again. It's possible to rebuild a sagging score, even if the culprits were bankruptcy or foreclosure. | 3 | 95,709 | finance |
Behind Daniel Murphy's two RBIs, the Mets notched a 3-2 win over the Dodgers on Thursday. The Mets will face off against the Cubs in the NLCS. | 1 | 95,710 | sports |
Neill Sheridan, an outfielder in the old Pacific Coast League who supposedly hit the farthest home run in history, died Thursday in Antioch. He was 93. Mr. Sheridan died peacefully while surrounded by family members a month after suffering from pneumonia, said his granddaughter Tami Hopkins. In his 12-year pro career in the '40s and '50s, Mr. Sheridan played mostly in the PCL, including several stints with the San Francisco Seals and one with the Oakland Oaks - and played two games for the 1948 Boston Red Sox, striking out in his only major-league at-bat. "Ted Williams and I were talking, and Joe DiMaggio comes out and asks me if I'd like to meet Babe Ruth," said Mr. Sheridan, reminiscing about a day in spring training for a Chronicle story published in January 2014. A Sacramento native, Mr. Sheridan grew up in Berkeley, played football at USF and joined the Seals in 1943, playing for legendary manager Lefty O'Doul, who Mr. Sheridan called "Mr. San Francisco." His best PCL season was 1947 when he hit .286 with 16 homers and 95 RBIs, which prompted a trade to the Red Sox. He met Ruth in the spring of 1948, shortly before the Babe died, and got called up late in the season. "Regrets? No. Quite a thrill, really," Mr. Sheridan said of his short big-league experience. In 1953, while playing for the Sacramento Solons, Mr. Sheridan hit a ball 613.8 feet, as legend has it, the longest homer in history up to that point. According to accounts in the Sacramento Bee and Sacramento Union, a man said he had found the ball in the back seat of his car with the rear window smashed. A parking lot employee claimed to have heard glass break at the time of the homer. The Solons measured the distance at 620 feet and hired a local surveying company for a more precise reading: 613.8 feet. Mr. Sheridan's career ended a year later. He worked at an Orinda grocery store and Pleasant Hill liquor store and lived with his wife Irene in Pleasant Hill more than 60 years. "He was so humble," Hopkins said. "He met Joe DiMaggio and so many great ballplayers but wouldn't go around saying who he was. Two days ago, he got fan mail. "When I'd go to Giants games, I'd wear his Seals jersey, and old-timers would come up and talk about the PCL or say he coached their sons' football team or basketball team or say they worked with him in a grocery store. "It's amazing how small the world is." Mr. Sheridan is survived by his wife, one child, three granddaughters and five great grandchildren. A service will be at Christ the King Church in Pleasant Hill on Nov. 14. John Shea is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: [email protected] | 1 | 95,711 | sports |
Heather Duquette always dreamed her father could walk her down the aisle on her wedding day, but unfortunately, due to her dad's leukemia, that seemed impossible. What Heather didn't know though was that her dad, Ralph Duquette, had trained with a physical therapist months before the wedding, working to regain his strength and walk her down the aisle on her big day. Their story will move you to tears. | 8 | 95,712 | video |
NBA star Lamar Odom remains hospitalized in Las Vegas following a series of strokes, after collapsing at a Nevada house of prostitution. Nathan Frandino reports. | 8 | 95,713 | video |
Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said he played tentatively in last week's loss at Cincinnati because he wasn't ready to play. Earl Thomas with startling admission of CIN loss: "I was playing timid because I wasn't fully prepared" #Seahawks @thenewstribune Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) October 15, 2015 "I didn't give our defense a chance because I was playing a little timid because I wasn't fully prepared," the four-time Pro Bowl selection told reporters per the Seattle Post-Intelligencer . When quizzed by the media as to why he wasn't prepared, Thomas didn't have an answer. "I don't know," he said. Thomas recorded two tackles and an interception in the contest against the Bengals, who rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter before prevailing in overtime. He added that preparation affects his entire approach to the game. "I feel like when you're prepared you're fully confident," Thomas said. "You can challenge everything. You're your best and you can really trust what you're doing out there." MORE NEWS: Want stories delivered to you? Sign up for our NFL newsletters. | 1 | 95,714 | sports |
A Los Angeles doctor returning from her honeymoon ended up delivering a baby on an overseas flight when a fellow passenger went into early labor. (Oct. 16) | 8 | 95,715 | video |
When the Kansas City Royals last visited Toronto, the Blue Jays quite literally changed before their very eyes. The four-day weekend series spanning July 30 to Aug. 2 included the trade deadline, when Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos wrote the pilot script of Extreme Makeover: Ballclub Edition. While shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins had been acquired a few days prior, Toronto's trades for starter David Price, left fielder Ben Revere and reliever Mark Lowe all happened on Friday, July 31, with Revere and Lowe making their Jays debuts on Aug. 1, with Price first appearing in their dugout that day, too. In all, 20% of Toronto's roster turned over, to remarkable results: the Jays were 50-51 at the time of the Tulowitzki deal and finished 43-18, an improvement from sub-.500 ball to better than .700 propelling them to this evening, when the Royals host the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. RELATED: Royals start Volquez, Blue Jays go with Estrada in ALCS The Royals entered that series 10 games ahead of the Blue Jays in the standings but lost three of the four games and ultimately only clinched home field advantage over Toronto on the regular season's final day. "It was a hard-fought series," K.C. manager Ned Yost said. "They had just gotten Price and Tulowitzki and they were just starting to make their move." Furthermore, in the Sunday finale, the benches cleared following a hit-by-pitch retaliation. Jays reliever Aaron Sanchez struck Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar in the leg following many inside pitches to Toronto third baseman Josh Donaldson earlier in the game, including one that hit him. "We'll pitch inside aggressively," Yost said. "That's a power-laden club over there. We're going to formulate a really good game plan and try to go out and execute." The Royals' starter that day, Edinson Volquez, told reporters about Donaldson, "He's a little baby. He was crying like a baby." Volquez, who will start Friday's Game 1, said he doesn't expect any carryover. "No, it's over with," he said. "We've got to move forward." "It was two good teams really going at it," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "And there was a little bit of tension, especially that last game. I don't know if that galvanized us, because we just really took off from there. But we'd been playing pretty good up until then, I think, too." From that point forward, Toronto markedly improved its defense with Revere in left and Tulowitzki at short joining incumbent elite defenders like center fielder Kevin Pillar, second baseman Ryan Goins and catcher Russell Martin. One advanced metric, Baseball Prospectus' park-adjusted defensive efficiency, favors the Jays as baseball's best defense; another, Fielding Bible's defensive runs saved, puts the Royals atop the AL. Other than the stout defenses, these are diametrically opposed clubs. The Jays led the majors with 891 runs and 232 homers a quick-strike and righty-heavy lineup perfectly suited for play at Rogers Centre where the ball travels well to left field. "They've got tremendous power, their offensive guys really study hitting," Yost said. "They don't miss mistakes. They can put runs on the board in a hurry." The Royals, meanwhile, employ a more piecemeal offensive approach, stringing together a series of base hits and stealing bases whenever possible a style well matched for the expansive outfield at Kauffman Stadium. "They're probably the best team in baseball at least I've seen in the American League manufacturing runs, because most of the guys can steal bases, and if they can't, they're very good baserunners," Gibbons said, adding, "They like that speed, because you hit balls in the gaps, doubles and triples. They really get to taking the extra base." Their pitching staff have backwards compositions, too. Toronto's strength is typically its rotation. Since acquiring Price at the deadline, the Jays shaved a run off their rotation ERA, dropping from 4.33 to 3.32. Price fared poorly last series but could win the Cy Young after a regular season in which he went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA. Stroman, since returning from his ACL tear, has a 2.25 ERA in six combined regular- and postseason starts. The bullpen, however, could be a weakness with the injury to Brett Cecil and the uncertainty surrounding Aaron Loup, who missed the final two ALDS games to tend to a family matter. Kansas City, on the other hand, unquestionably has the league's best bullpen with Wade Davis (0.94 ERA), Kelvin Herrera (2.71) and Ryan Madson (2.13) dominating the late innings. The rotation, however, has been combustible with top talents Johnny Cueto and Yordano Ventura as likely to give up five runs in as many innings as to hurl seven shutout innings. The Royals' rotation had the worst ERA, 4.34, of any playoff team. It's largely a contrast in styles except in emotions and talent. | 1 | 95,716 | sports |
Flipagram Flipagram, the mobile storytelling app that has attracted some of the biggest names in venture capital, has laid off more than 20 percent of its staff in a restructuring, Business Insider has learned. The axe fell October 1 when 17 employees were told they were being let go, a former employee who attended the meeting said. Flipagram is a mobile "storytelling" app that lets users stitch together photos, videos, and music into short 30-second stories. The social network took off with more than 120 million users and more than 300 million videos. "It looked to us like a monster," investor and board member John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins said in a Bloomberg interview . "On the order of an Instagram." Sequoia Ventures founder Mike Moritz is also on the board. The company had 33 million monthly active users in 2014, its CEO Farhad Mohit told Business Insider in July, but there's no new numbers from the company for 2015. User growth had stalled, but it didn't sound like it was a make or break situation, a former employee said. A source inside the company called its initial growth "unsustainable" but in a vein similar to Facebook and Twitter's early days as well. Meanwhile, the company had hired too fast (and is still hiring), but it hadn't increased its efficiency alongside its headcount, according to an inside source. Part of Flipagram's virality is being able to match hit music to your videos and photos. The startup worked hard to obtain licensing deals from music giants like Universal, Sony, and Warner so its users could legally add the music as a backdrop to their photos. It incurred large legal fees as a result, but sources close to the company said that it was only a fraction of the venture capital raised. In July, Flipagram announced a $70 million funding round from prominent investors, including Moritz and Doerr, and the pair joined the board together. The last time they did that, they were on the board of Google. However, that round actually took place in February 2014. Flipagram still has money in the bank, according to a person familiar with the company. A company spokesperson told us: Flipagram has grown at a pace very few companies have experienced. At this pace, we continuously need to evaluate our organizational structure and processes. We recently reorganized to give greater responsibility to leaner engineering, product and design teams, so we could be more nimble and iterate faster. That said, we care for all who were affected and are working to ensure a smooth transition for them. Meanwhile, Flipagram continues to hire world-class talent to support our growth. NOW WATCH: The oven of the future can send high-quality photos straight to Instagram | 3 | 95,717 | finance |
Wildcats wide receiver Garrett Johnson is drawing all sorts of comparisons to former UK star Randall Cobb. Watch as he does his best Cobb impression with this incredible one-handed catch. | 1 | 95,718 | sports |
I'm so glad I didn't buy HSBC Holdings (LSE: HSBA) and Standard Chartered (LSE: STAN) three or four years ago, when both were riding high on my watch list. I saw these global banks as a safe and solid way to play the emerging markets boom, from the safety of these well-regulated shores. Half the FTSE 100 was piling into China and Asia at the time in a bid to offset falling revenues at home. It didn't work out so well for them. Now it looks more case of jumping out of the developed world frying pan and into the emerging market fire. Burn, Baby, Burn Both banks are now suffering nasty burns. HSBC is down nearly 15% over the last year alone, Standard Chartered is down 30%. They had been struggling for some time, but the Black Monday market crash in August poured more gasoline on the flames. HSBC generated nearly 70% of its first-half profits from Asia, giving it massive exposure to the China meltdown. As Western banks flee China in fear of its build-up of bad debts, HSBC swims against the tide as it looks to build its position as financier of choice for global businesses. This means it is on course for stormy waters. I think China will continue to slow. We can't rule out the possibility of a crash. Gulliver's Troubles Group chief executive Stuart Gulliver is banking on more accommodating monetary conditions to stabilise China. Growing urbanisation, infrastructure development and evolving capital markets should continue to drive growth, despite short-term market volatility. The region is paying off for now, with strong revenue across HSBC's Asia business driving increased first-half profits, up a healthy 10% year-on-year to $13.6bn. If HSBC can survive the current conflagration it should find itself the dominant global bank in Asia, just in time for the ageing population to start buying retirement products. Success isn't assured, but given its prospects HSBC is nicely priced at 11.64 times earnings. Better still, it is forecast to yield 6.4%, decently covered 1.6 times. And with a healthy core equity tier 1 ratio of 11.6, its balance sheet looks strong enough to survive what China throws at it next. My Friend STAN Alas, Standard Chartered. I had high hopes for this stock but thankfully, not quite high enough to buy it. That was pure luck: I had no idea, like almost everybody else, that it had such high exposure to bad loan stock. Or that it was busting US sanctions on Iran and other rogue states. Or that the dividend would be halved as new chief executive Bill Winters fought to bolster the balance sheet. Targeted annual cost savings of $1.8bn are a good - if predictable - way for Winters to turn investor discontent into glorious summer. Trading at 7.90 times earnings it is certainly cheaper than HSBC, but the yield is now much lower at a forecast 3.8%. Standard Chartered's share price has shown some signs of life lately, as investors get excited about the prospect for 1,000 job cuts. Investec warns that the excitement has been overdone. It reckons consensus revenue and earnings forecasts are too high, and Winters' job cutting strategy is implicit recognition of this fact. Core equity Tier 1 capital is at 11.5%, so like HSBC, the balance sheet is strong enough to survive China. Thriving is a different matter. For me, HSBC has the stronger prospects in Asia, and with less risk. Buying established companies in troubled times is one way to make big money from the stock market. But there may be better strategies. This FREE Motley Fool report 10 Steps To Making A Million In The Market sets out how investing in stocks and shares over the long-term can help you build your long-term family wealth. You might be surprised to discover how ordinary people can become astonishingly wealthy by investing in stocks and shares . This report shows stock markets could make you seriously rich, step-by-step. To find out more, click here now . Harvey Jones has no position in any shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK has recommended HSBC Holdings. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. | 3 | 95,719 | finance |
It can take a long time to reach some of our bucket-list destinations, so once we're there, we want what we traveled for -- namely, national monuments, iconic sites, and natural wonders -- right at our fingertips once we arrive. Well, that's possible at these 20 hotels around the world. Whether you want to wake up to the Eiffel Tower in Paris or California's Yosemite National Park, you'll be able to find just what you're looking -- right out your window -- at these stunning properties. 1. Yosemite National Park, Ahwahnee Hotel Nestled deep amongst the pine trees, cliffs, and canyons of Yosemite Valley is the 123-room Ahwahnee Hotel . The impressive stone and wood structure, built in 1927, is considered a National Historic Landmark. Rooms with views of the Half Dome and El Captain summits are filled with wood and rich tapestries of Native American design. Highlights here include the Great Lounge with 24-foot-high ceilings and a large stone fireplace along with the light-flooded dining room. This hotel is on the expensive side -- and parking is limited -- but the prime location and views are worth the price tag. 2. Eiffel Tower, Hotel Lutetia The Hotel Lutetia -- in all of its Art Deco glory -- is a sprawling historic property on the Left Bank in the center of Saint Germain-des-Pres. This Jazz-era hotel offers meeting rooms, two restaurants, a bar, spa, fitness center, and even a smoking lounge. The hotel recently underwent renovations and rooms come in a variety of sizes: superior and deluxe rooms, or junior and signature suites with varying themes. For example, the Parisian Suite was once the residence of the Opera House Director and has direct views of the Eiffel Tower. The two restaurants include a classic brasserie and the gastronomic restaurant "Le Paris" reminiscent of cruise liners in the 1930s. The Piano Bar for live jazz is a musn't-miss. For "matin," a breakfast buffet is served for a steep price and can elicit long wait times. A better idea is to try the many neighborhood cafes or jump on the metro across the street. 3. Milan Cathedral, Boscolo Milano Boscolo Milano is truly a one-of-a-kind luxury design hotel under the management of Marriott, with one of the most fashionable addresses in Milan. Previously a bank, the property was transformed into a design hotel in 2009 by the same architect who renovated the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. In-the-know locals and sophisticated international travelers (families may not be comfortable here) book design-forward rooms, some of which have views of the Duomo from private balconies. A rooftop terrace, champagnerie (is that even a word in English?), and luxe spa are just a few of the features on offer. Breakfast, bike rentals, and Wi-Fi are free. Oh, and if you don't travel without your pup -- he or she is welcome here, free of charge. Compare rates at the nearby five-pearl Bulgari Milano if you prefer a bit more seclusion and the same level of luxury. 4. The Pitons, Jade Mountain Resort Romantic? Undoubtedly. Unique? Absolutely. Expensive? For sure. Through an innovative, open fourth wall, each of Jade's 29 enormous suites overlooks the sea from its chromatherapy-lit whirlpool tub, canopied bed, and private infinity pool. Getting to Jade Mountain can be tedious, even nauseating, but its organic cuisine, doting service, unwavering silence (no TVs, radios, or children), and extraordinary design make the long journey worthwhile. 5. White House, The Hay-Adams Quite possibly the most famous hotel in the capital, and deservedly so. The Hay-Adams draws powerbrokers from around the world with its impeccable service, great bar and restaurant, and elegant rooms, some of which overlook its famous next-door neighbor. P.S. It's where the Obamas stayed before the inauguration. (If it's good enough for the President ...) 6. Red Rocks, Best Western This 65-room mid-range property is a Best Western , but before you think "motel," think again. With stunning views of Oak Creek Canyon's red rocks, two pools, and a gorgeous little stretch of Oak Creek to explore, this Best Western has more to offer than you might expect. It sits in Uptown Sedona, within easy walking distance of shopping and dining. The free breakfast, Wi-Fi, and parking add value, and rooms are bright and clean, if generic. 7. Acropolis, A for Athens A 35-room designer hotel in the middle of the historic center, A for Athens , located across from the Acropolis and next to the Monastiraki metro station, is a value choice for travelers who want to be in the midst of everything -- it's a five-minute walk to the nightlife of Psirri, Monastiraki, and Plaka. But the convenience comes with a great deal of noise from the busy street outside, and the roadside musicians in Monastiraki Square below. While the hotel's spectacular rooftop bar is a popular nightlife spot for non-hotel guests, it also also adds noise. 8. Central Park, Trump International Hotel and Tower An ostentatiously luxurious hotel with a supremely well-trained staff, and huge, elegant rooms designed by Ivanka Trump herself. The location (overlooking Central Park at Columbus Circle) can't be beat. Trump International Hotel and Tower also has two highly regarded restaurants, a great spa, and an in-house pool. 9. Bosphorus, Ciragan Palace Kempinski Formerly the palace of an Ottoman Sultan, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski is the grand dame of Istanbul. It wows guests at every turn, from the sprawling, manicured grounds, to the heated infinity pool right on the Bosphorus, to the refined suites. The dining options are extensive and exceptional; the spa is lovely; and the meeting space housed in the original palace building makes an ornate setting for a business function or wedding. It's arguably the city's top luxury option, but it's far from the popular tourist sights in Sultanahmet. 10. Florence Cathedral, Il Salviatino Il Salviatino is an updated 15th-century villa, located on top of a hill just two miles north of Florence, offers five-pearl luxury in a stunning setting. There are beautiful views of Florence and the Tuscan countryside from many rooms, and 19th-century frescoes and antique furnishings. The food from chef Carmine Calò gets high marks. This Renaissance-era property is a splurge. 11. Diamond Head, Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach It's location over luxury at the 524-room Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach , located in the heart of the action on one of Waikiki's best beaches. The oceanfront guest rooms also feature clear glass lanai railings for unobstructed views of the ocean. While the nearby Sheraton Waikiki's features are a notch above Outrigger, there's something for everyone here, from daily kids' activities to tons of amenities for adults, including surfing and ukelele lessons, a full-service spa, and a fitness center. All in all, it's a decent pick for location if you don't mind the crowds. 12. Lake Geneva, Hotel President Wilson The Hotel President Wilson is a beautiful luxury hotel with an even more beautiful location overlooking Lake Geneva. Its proximity to international organizations and government buildings makes it popular with business travelers, but all travelers can appreciate its many on-site amenities; there are six restaurants and bars, a luxurious spa by La Mer, a 24-hour business center, a seasonal outdoor pool, and a modern fitness center. The 228 rooms are decorated in contemporary style with a brown-and-white color scheme, and feature Bang & Olufsen flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi; most also have Nespresso machines and iPod hookups. Bathrooms have green and tan marble tile; many have shower/tub combos, but some have soaking tubs and separate walk-in showers. 13. Colosseum, Palazzo Manfredi Palazzo Manfredi stands out for its incredible views -- guests can take in the nearby Colosseum from the rooftop restaurant and lounge, as well as from their rooms (these view rooms cost a bit more). The 16 rooms themselves are quite spacious for European standards and have modern decor, flat-screen TVs and dim lighting (that's almost too sexy to be practical). The rooftop restaurant, Aroma, offers fine dining and spectacular views -- and serves a free American-style buffet breakfast daily. All in all, it's a great option for luxury and romance -- but it's pricey, and aside from the Colosseum (which is across the street), there aren't many sights or restaurants in the immediate area. 14. Blue Mosque, Hotel Ibrahim Pasha Hotel Ibrahim Pasha is one of the most charming boutique hotels in Sultanahmet, with an unbeatable location just off the Hippodrome. The cozy lobby and library both have wood-burning fireplaces -- a real treat in the cooler months -- and the roof terrace has a jaw-dropping view of the Blue Mosque and the Bosphorus. The free breakfast is perfectly adequate if not as extensive as the offerings elsewhere, and free tea and coffee are served all day upon request. Standard Rooms are diminutive but adorable, with flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, robes, Molton Brown toiletries, and rainfall showerheads. For what you get, it's a great value, though prices do spike up in peak season. 15. Hotel des Invalides, Hotel de l'Empereur The Hotel de l'Empereur is a 31-room boutique with jaw-dropping views of the imposing Hotel del Invalides. Elegant rooms are tastefully decorated with patterned wallpaper and dramatic drapes. This hotel was renovated in 2010 and now offers modern bathrooms with walk-in showers, as well as air-conditioning. Some rooms have balconies, and all have free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. The wonderful location is within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower, and the breakfast room has some outdoor seating. While there are no minibars, and breakfast isn't included in the nightly rate, the location, views, and classic decor make this hotel a solid mid-range pick. 16. Golden Gate Bridge, Cavallo Point This historic property under the Golden Gate Bridge offers sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay skyline. Located in a state park in Sausalito, across the bay from San Francisco, Cavallo Poin t feels removed from the hustle and bustle of the city even though it is still accessible -- the hotel operates a free shuttle to the ferry terminal. Originally built as an army base in the late 1800s, the hotel has retained many charming historical details in its two main buildings as well as in its Historic Rooms, which were all formerly officers' residences. Contemporary Rooms, on the other hand, were built into the hillside, and have great views, gas fireplaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel also features an acclaimed spa with a pool and fire pits, a Michelin-starred restaurant serving regional cuisine, an on-site cooking school, and many outdoor activities such as morning yoga and hiking. But heavy fog can block the views Cavallo Point is most known for and persistent fog horns have prompted the hotel to include ear plugs in every room. 17. Lake Como, Borgo Le Terrazze Borgo Le Terrazze is a 22-room boutique located in the small village of Bellagio on picturesque Lake Como. The views from every room are the most raved about feature of this property -- and the prime reason why guests choose this particular hotel for a romantic getaway or a family vacation. The pretty (albeit small) pool is another highlight. A free shuttle to and from the town center and waterfront restaurants is available. However, breakfast isn't included in the price of the room, which is standard at various small hotels in the area. | 2 | 95,720 | travel |
A few months after a Geely subsidiary purchased Miller Motorsports Park, another bidder is suing the county that made the sale possible. This other bidder, Center Point Management, is complaining that Tooele County, Utah sold the park to the company with the lowest bid. In August, Miller Motorsports Park went into the hands of Mitime Investment and Development Group for a price of $20 million. This Chinese company is a subsidiary of Geely, which owns Volvo. "In terms of cash consideration, Mitime's bid was the lowest of all bids received," Center Point's lawsuit says. "But the County, moved by Mitime's stated intentions and goals for future development, declared Mitime the winning bidder." Lawyers for the plaintiff say that future benefits can't be considered when picking a winner. The lawsuit uses Tooele County Code 1-10-2 to say that the county unlawfully sold the park to Mitime. The document points to part of the code that says that the disposition of county property "shall not be for less than full and adequate consideration unless otherwise permitted by the law." However, the same section also specifies that "consideration may be other than monetary," which could give the county grounds to favor a lower bidder. Now that Mitime has taken over, Miller Motorsports Park will serve as a campus for new and existing Geely drivers, track personnel, and mechanics. During the sale, Mitime had plans in place to add an oval test track, a drag strip, and even a hotel to the property. Tooele County officials say the move will add billions of dollars to the local economy over many decades. Source: KUTV Salt Lake City Follow MSN Autos on Facebook | 9 | 95,721 | autos |
LOS ANGELES Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier shouted at manager Don Mattingly in the bottom of the third inning of Game 5 of the NL Division Series on Thursday night. After Justin Turner led off the inning with a double, Ethier followed with a popup to left. Ethier returned the dugout and began yelling at Mattingly while simultaneously walking away from him. Mattingly followed, and twice Ethier turned toward Mattingly and yelled at him while gesturing angrily with his arms, pointing twice at the field and twice directly at Mattingly. "He was mad about the ump's call," Mattingly said. "I was trying to settle him down. I didn't want him thrown out of the game, and Andre's pretty emotional. It was nothing more than trying to settle him down." After the Dodgers' 3-2 loss, which ended their season, Mattingly said he didn't think Ethier was angry with him. "He's maybe yelling at me because I'm trying to settle him down, but it was nothing between us," Mattingly said. | 1 | 95,722 | sports |
WASHINGTON (AP) Just as Democrats were starting to count him out, Joe Biden sent a clear signal through his political team that not only might he enter the presidential race soon, he has a strategy prepared that he thinks could win. After months of growing calls for him to run, the vice president's tide began turning this week after the first Democratic debate, which softened concerns about front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton while obscuring any obvious rationale for Biden to run. But in a letter to former Biden staffers late Thursday, one of Biden's closest advisers traced the contours of the argument Biden would make, and suggested a decision to run could be imminent. "If he runs, he will run because of his burning conviction that we need to fundamentally change the balance in our economy and the political structure to restore the ability of the middle class to get ahead," former Sen. Ted Kaufman said in an email to a list of "Biden alumn." The letter was obtained by The Associated Press. Kaufman, who served as Biden's chief of staff for two decades before replacing him in the Senate, has been at the vice president's side for months, brought back into the immediate fold after Biden's son died in May. He and two other aides have formed a protective and tight-lipped ring around Biden as he ponders a 2016 campaign. "If he decides to run, we will need each and every one of you yesterday," Kaufman said, alluding to the breakneck speed at which Biden would have to ramp up a campaign after waiting this long to enter. Kaufman said he was confident Biden understood "the practical demands of making a final decision soon." Although Biden's small team has been drafting a campaign blueprint and screening likely staffers for months, the letter to Biden's former Senate, White House and campaign aides marked the most direct call to date for support for a potential campaign. It came as a growing number of Democratic leaders, including Clinton's campaign chairman, expressed frustration with Biden's delays and questioned whether it was already too late. Yet even in the face of such skepticism, Biden has remained actively engaged in feeling out a potential campaign, placing calls this week to key Democrats in early primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire, said several individuals familiar with the conversations. These individuals weren't authorized to comment publicly and requested anonymity. Still, they insisted that Biden had not yet made a final call. In the letter, Kaufman didn't identify specific policies Biden would propose if he ran. But in describing the approach the vice president would take, the letter drew an implicit contrast with Clinton, who has been criticized by some as a candidate for appearing calculated or overly choreographed. "A campaign from the heart. A campaign consistent with his values, our values, and the values of the American people," Kaufman said. "And I think it's fair to say, knowing him as we all do, that it won't be a scripted affair after all, it's Joe." "He believes we must win this election," Kaufman added, previewing a likely argument that Biden represents the best chance Democrats have to protect President Barack Obama's legacy. "Everything he and the president have worked for and care about is at stake," Kaufman said. Biden hasn't spoken publicly about his deliberations in weeks, dodging shouted questions from reporters during public events this week. Kaufman said Biden's top consideration was "the welfare and support of his family," a reference to doubts Biden expressed in September about whether he and his family were emotionally ready to run while still grieving the death of former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. It was unclear whether Biden's renewed signal of interest would be enough to keep his name in serious contention or for how long. The first filing deadlines for primary states are about two weeks away, and Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders both raised more than $25 million in their last three-month stretch, illustrating Biden's immense disadvantage. "The indecision becomes a problem for people," said Sam Tenenbaum, a Biden supporter and longtime Democratic donor in South Carolina. "They're sympathetic, but I think you've got to make up your mind." ___ Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP | 5 | 95,723 | news |
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins found an interesting way to practice no-look catches. | 1 | 95,724 | sports |
The NFL is committed to breast cancer awareness and prevention, hoping its very large and public platform will help save women from the dreaded disease. So long as it's on the league's terms. The NFL showed its worst and crassest side this week, telling Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams and defensive end Cameron Heyward that they can't pay tribute to the parents they lost to cancer because it would violate the league's "uniform policy." That's rich considering the edict comes as the NFL is coating everything it can get its hands on in pink or covering it with a breast cancer awareness ribbon. The padding around the goal posts is pink. Pink ribbons are painted on the field and on game balls. And oh, hey, look at this! The players and coaches' uniforms have been altered to incorporate pink, too! Pink cleats. Pink towels. Pink wristbands. Pink hats on the sidelines. All of which are available for purchase at NFLshop.com or your local stadium. Don't get me wrong, the NFL's efforts to promote breast cancer awareness are admirable, and any attention or money "A Crucial Catch" generates can only help fight a disease that still claims far too many women and men. The NFL says that 100% of proceeds from its pink products go to the American Cancer Society. But the campaign smacks of being more than a little disingenuous when players who want to further that cause are told no and even fined in Heyward's case when the only notable difference between the efforts is that the NFL is no longer the one getting credit. And it's outrageous that the NFL chooses to focus on something as trivial as this while going deaf, dumb and blind to Greg Hardy's misogynist remarks, to say nothing of the autopsy report that showed a 26-year-old former player had CTE. The NFL won't comment on Williams or Heyward, but it has extensive rules prohibiting "personal messages" by players. Five sentences and 218 words worth. Which is understandable if it relates to preventing players from turning themselves into billboards, or promoting a cause or company that runs counter to the NFL brand. But Williams and Heyward are trying to further a cause that's near and dear to the NFL's heart, and Williams wants to do it by extending the league's own campaign. Williams lost his mother and four aunts to breast cancer, and he was one of the driving forces in getting "A Crucial Catch" launched in 2009. All he asked was that he be allowed to continue wearing something pink for the entire season. It didn't have to be conspicuous. His wristbands, maybe, or his cleats. Just something that might remind or encourage someone to get tested. "One time, a lady came up to me and said she was going to get examined just because she saw me wearing pink cleats during a game," Williams wrote in an essay for The Monday Morning Quarterback after his mother died in May 2014. "I walked away thinking, `Wow, pink is really so much more than just a color. It's a lifesaver. It's awareness. If we reach one, we reach millions. If we reach millions, we're doing our job and getting closer to finding a cure.'" Heyward's father, Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, died of brain cancer in 2006. As a tribute, the younger Heyward wore eye black with the words "Iron" and "Head" during Pittsburgh's game against San Diego on Monday night. Honoring a loved one while drawing attention to a disease that has touched us all in some way, shape or form isn't selfish or subversive, it's commendable. But the NFL wouldn't budge for either though it was happy to showcase Williams in an ad promoting its "Crucial Catch" campaign. The NFL has made a lot of money by being obsessive to detail. But in this case its focus on something so small only shows the league has lost sight of the big picture. The league has some very real problems to address. A player wearing pink cleats all season isn't one of them. | 1 | 95,725 | sports |
Getting Mustang enthusiasts to agree on what the perfect ponycar buildup is would be impossible. There are just so many great ideas, so many great examples, and so many different purposes to build that you'd have a hard time nailing down "the one." But even with more than 50 years of hot rod 'Stangs in the wild, there are still a few cars that stand out. The guys at Total Cost Involved Engineering (TCI) in Ontario, California, have assembled a 1967 Mustang fastback with the intent to do just that. Ed Moss, owner of TCI, purchased his fastback in Bend, Oregon, with the objective of building it into a quick street car, but he admits to having set up the car for some pretty aggressive autocrossing and road racing. After three years of preparation and as Ed confesses, "too much money," invested the finished result shows his commitment to the outcome. Built For Battle As a two-time participant in the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational, the car's guts have all be hardened and optimized for running on the track. Beneath the bulging hood is a Smeding Performance 427ci Windsor with a 4.125-inch bore and a 4-inch stroke capable of producing 546 hp and 540 lb-ft of torque. The 7.0L Ford is backed by Tremec T56 Magnum six-speed, and a QuickTime bellhousing shelters the McLeod RST dual-disc clutch and McLeod flywheel. A Currie Track 9 axle is used out back to hold a 31-spline Truetrac limited-slip differential. The Ford's factory suspension was completely scrapped in favor of a short-long arm (SLA) coilover front end with rack-and-pinion steering and a torque-arm rear suspension. Both suspension systems were developed on this car, and TCI now sells these parts to the public. The car's ride height was significantly lowered (4 inches up front and 3 inches in the rear) using RideTech TQ coilovers with Hyperco springs. Not all of Ed's attention went into the suspension and drivetrain. With the help of Danny Davis from Danny's Paint Shop, Ed reworked the car's classic lines to cover the massive new rubber and improve the car's aero. It Still Comes Down to Ford vs. Chevy While the Mustang was built to showcase his company's products, Ed's a real Ford lover and needed this car to egg on a rivalry between him the his company's general manager, who's a diehard Chevy guy. Ed wanted the car to prove that Fords were superior. Did he? Well, that feud has yet to be settled, but Ed did mention that soon he plans an inter-company competition at California Speedway. Rest assured that regardless of whether Ed or his general manager wins that battle, TCI customers will benefit from the performance feud. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook | 9 | 95,726 | autos |
Given enough time, you can build a sizeable amount of wealth. Here are some tips to help you get there. | 3 | 95,727 | finance |
The Stars defeated the Lightning 5-3 on Thursday. Tyler Seguin scored his first goal of the season while Steven Stamkos netted two goals in the loss. | 1 | 95,728 | sports |
There are plenty of ways you could find yourself with an extra $5,000, including a bonus from work or an inheritance. What will you do with it? | 3 | 95,729 | finance |
LAS VEGAS Anthony Jackson sat on the sidewalk by a busy Sin City street on Thursday afternoon, shaking his head and remembering a time when Lamar Odom didn't have Hollywood, tabloid attention, or his life hanging in the balance. "They won't let me up there," Jackson said, looking over his shoulder at the nondescript walls of Sunrise Hospital, where Odom, the former NBA player, lay comatose behind one of the tinted windows. "Lamar is up there and all he has around him are the new people. What he needs are the old people." Jackson is 58 and retired, a former minor league baseball player and construction worker but back at the turn of the millennium was part of a regular group of athletes who would congregate at Darby Park in Inglewood, Calif., for fiercely contested games of streetball. That is where he first met Odom, then a gangly 20-year-old with a killer smile that stayed in place even when he was dishing out the kind of trash talk that accompanied every play in frenetic battles. "Back then he looked like he didn't have a care in the world," Jackson told USA TODAY Sports. "But Hollywood got into him and it took him away from where he felt comfortable." Jackson and Odom did not have a friendship of particular tightness, more one of familiarity. Yet Jackson went down to the medical facility, where Odom was moved to on Tuesday following a three-day binge allegedly involving cocaine and sexual-performance enhancers, on behalf of a community of Los Angeles-based ballers to whom the now-stricken 35-year-old was just one of the guys. While outside the hospital, Jackson fielded calls and messages from California, as rumors hardened that Odom's condition was worsening. It would be both difficult and callous to criticize the Kardashian family's handling of the situation and Jackson himself appreciates that the surrounding media circus made a restrictive policy on visitors necessary. "You just don't know what is going to happen," he said. "But I know that it is a shame that there is no one up there who ran with Lamar at Darby Park or was his friend before everything crazy happened in his life and he got wrapped up in showbiz. "If I could get up there I would speak for everyone back in L.A. Just give him some straight talking, just like we always did if someone had messed up. That's what he will need to hear if he gets out of this thing, not people just saying 'yes' all the time. But he's got to make it first." PHOTOS: Lamar Odom through the years | 1 | 95,730 | sports |
The NFL typically enjoys one-stop shopping in its unrelenting search for new players. The talent pipeline goes straight from NCAA college programs to the league, and it very seldom deviates from that path. In the future, though, it might take a detour through Brooklyn. The Fall Experimental Football League, which is currently in the midst of its second season a total of six games, half of which are played at Coney Island's MCU Park isn't trying to replace college football. It could, however, supplement player development while providing the NFL with a new arena to train officials and experiment with new rules. Currently, the NFL is finding less common ground with the NCAA because collegiate teams are implementing an array of oversimplified offenses that don't exist at the professional level. This schism is particularly wide for quarterbacks, only seven of which were taken in the 2015 NFL Draft, the fewest since 1955. "The college game isn't preparing pro quarterbacks," said NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young. "The college game is getting further away from what the pro game is because of…the simplicity." According to Young, who played in the United States Football League before catching on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, there is talent in professional football beyond the NFL. "Honestly, the football I played with the L.A. Express was better than the football I played in Tampa Bay," he said. But without lower leagues like the defunct USFL and NFL Europe, much of that talent is going underdeveloped. Even in the NFL, backups are losing reps because practice time has been reduced under the terms of the league's collective-bargaining agreement. That's why FXFL commissioner Brian Woods says he has had informal meetings with the 32-team NFL, which he hopes will ultimately become affiliated with his three-team outfit. The NFL declined requests to comment. Even without a formal partnership, the FXFL has already cultivated a symbiotic relationship with its bigger brother in its first two years. Around 95% of its players arrived for the season in September after being cut from NFL training-camp rosters. Since the FXFL season ends in November, after the NFL's trade deadline, players have the chance to catch on with an injury-ravaged NFL roster. And unlike in the Canadian Football League, where players sign one-year deals with a team option for a second season, FXFL players are free to leave for the NFL whenever they want. Moreover, other professional leagues, like the CFL and the Arena Football League, operate under drastically different rules, making them ill-equipped to help the NFL or its aspirants. "Those other leagues, they're not looking to develop you to pass you on," said Bolts offensive lineman Stephen Goodin, who was previously on the Giants' active roster and has since signed briefly with the Cowboys and Vikings. "It's for themselves. It's a big difference. That's why I wanted to come here." The FXFL has yet to produce an NFL star. But following last year's inaugural season, nearly 30% of its players found their way to NFL teams, typically on a futures contract. "That place-kicker of ours went all the way down to the final decision with the Redskins," said Brooklyn Bolts coach Terry Shea, after watching Ty Long hit a 48-yard field goal at practice. "This punter [Cody Webster] had a great training camp with [the Pittsburgh Steelers]." The players' compensation is at most $1,000 a game. But aside from meals and housing the entire Bolts roster lives in a Brooklyn hotel the real currency of the league is game tape. That is what made the Bolts' rain-soaked, 29-6 season-opening loss to the Florida Blacktips so disappointing. "There were gusts up to 40 mph," Long said. "It was crazy." The few fans who stuck around to watch witnessed something that just barely resembled football. Bolts quarterback Josh Freeman, a former NFL first-round pick, fumbled five times while completing just nine of 16 attempts for 32 yards. Whereas the NFL prides itself on playing through just about any weather calamity, the FXFL is useless if it can't provide its players ideal performance conditions. Shea and Woods agreed that the game should have been postponed. "It was a horrendous environment, so we pushed that game out the window, because that tape isn't gonna show much of anything," said Shea, a longtime NFL quarterbacks coach and former head coach at Rutgers. Players aren't the only thing the FXFL believes it can help the NFL develop. It also wants to serve as a incubator for referees and changes to the rule book. In its inaugural season, the FXFL moved the extra point to the 17-yard line in an effort to make the kick more challenging. This year, the NFL followed suit, pushing its kick back to the 15-yard line. The FXFL also thinks offensive linemen shouldn't be allowed to block defenders below the knee at the line of scrimmage, the sort of rule that could aid the NFL in its effort to make the game safer. Longtime Jets special-teams coordinator Mike Westhoff helped with many of the finer points in the FXFL's rule book. "Every defensive lineman in the National Football League would take me out to dinner for the rest of my life if they knew I could get this passed in the National Football League," he said. In other ways, the FXFL is encouraging the NFL to rethink its tactics for making the league safer. Before the 2011 season, the NFL moved its kickoffs from the 30-yard line up to 35 in an effort to reduce returns and the collisions that often ensue. However, more touchbacks has meant fewer balls in the hands of NFL kick returners some of the league's most exciting players. The FXFL tries to encourage kick returns without risking player safety. The ball is kicked off from the 25-yard line, and the return team is required to place a minimum of eight players between its own 35- and 45-yard line. "This all but eliminates the possibility of a touchback because you're asking the kicker to kick the ball 85-plus yards," Woods said. "And by putting [the receiving team's players] closer together at the point of attack, you have now reduced the chances of a high-impact collision." Of course, none of this will matter if the FXFL goes the way of so many other pro leagues. Like many young businesses, the league lost money in its first season. To help offset costs this season, it folded the Ohio-based Mahoning Valley Brawlers, leaving the league with just two home stadiums (the Florida Blacktips don't play any home games). It helps that the Bolts and Fort are joined with minor-league baseball teams, which can handle ticketing and merchandise. "They're not looking for a gigantic crowd," Westhoff said, "just a decent crowd." According to Woods, the FXFL relies heavily on local and national sponsorships in addition to subscription fees from any NFL team that wants to scout the league's game film. "[Woods's] vision was to show people that we could function for several years and play a high brand of football, play consistently, and that maybe the NFL would embrace it," said Shea, who avoids offensive trickery in an effort to provide his players with useful game film for NFL scouts. That chance at an NFL career, which is increasingly difficult to find, is why the FXFL exists. "You're out there practicing, you're in pads, you're learning how to be coached," Westhoff said of FXFL players. "And you're getting better and keeping yourself alive. You're giving yourself a chance." | 3 | 95,731 | finance |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Every year, it seems there are certain players who are able to raise their games in the playoffs and propel their teams to victory. Let's take a look at which members of the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays could have a significant impact on the outcome of this year's American League Championship Series. SS Troy Tulowitzki, Blue Jays One of Toronto's key acquisitions at the trade deadline, Tulowitzki has battled injuries and struggled at the plate (.239/.317/.380 slash line) since joining the Jays. He was even worse in the Division Series, going 2-for-21 (.095) with a homer and four RBI. "I haven't been (much of) an offensive player since I came back, but at the same time I try to contribute," the two-time Gold Glove award winner said Thursday. "I said that since I was acquired by the Blue Jays I would help us win any way I can and I think I've done that defensively." Tulowitzki's career .297/.369/.504 slash line shows he can be a huge asset on offense. If he starts hitting, it could make the majors' most potent offense almost unstoppable. 3B Mike Moustakas, Royals One of last year's postseason heroes, Moustakas hit five playoff homers after totaling only 15 during the regular season. The momentum carried over into 2015 as he set career-highs in batting average, home runs, RBI and runs scored in earning his first All-Star berth. However, things went south in the Division Series as Moose turned from the hunter into the hunted. Against Houston, he had two hits in 18 at-bats (.111). The Royals can't expect their pitching staff to throttle the Jays' bats completely, so more production from Moustakas is critical. RP Aaron Sanchez, Blue Jays The Royals bullpen was a deadly weapon last postseason and it's been just as effective this season (despite the injury to closer Greg Holland). One way for the Jays to prevail is for their bullpen to match zeroes with the Royals in the late innings. But will Sanchez have the stamina to do it, especially with lefty setup man Brett Cecil out for the rest of the playoffs with a torn calf muscle? Sanchez pitched in all five games of the Division Series vs. Texas and didn't allow a run over 5 1/3 innings. He usually serves as the bridge to 20-year-old closer Roberto Osuna, who was fantastic during the regular season (2.58 ERA, 20-for-23 in save opportunities) and has tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings in the playoffs. SP Yordano Ventura, Royals In order for the Royals to be successful against the Jays' predominantly right-handed hitting lineup, their pitchers need to gain control of the inner half of the plate. Manager Ned Yost even said as much on Thursday. "We'll pitch inside aggressively," he noted. "That's a power-laden club over there. We're going to formulate a really good game plan and try to go out and execute." The pitcher with the best chance to do that is Ventura, who had the highest average fastball velocity of all qualified major league starters this year at 96.3 mph. He also hit nine batters this season, which tied for the most on the team. He's also very emotional on the mound, which can sometimes get on opponents' nerves. After a benches-clearing incident the last time these two teams met because of batters getting hit, Ventura may need some help navigating the rough waters. C Russell Martin, Blue Jays While Toronto looks to overpower the opposition with extra-base hits, Kansas City prefers to take a small-ball approach. The Royals have by far the lowest strikeout rate in the majors (15.9% of all plate appearances) and they like to steal bases (104, second in the AL). In addition, Royals manager Ned Yost has maximized the speed on his roster in the postseason, including speedsters Terrence Gore, Jarrod Dyson and Paolo Orlando as reserves in the Division Series. That puts the pressure on Martin, who threw out a major league-best 44% of the baserunners attempting to steal on him this season. If Martin can help control the Royals running game, those runs saved could be the difference. However, the Jays have had success with Game 1 starter Marco Estrada throwing to backup catcher Dioner Navarro. So look for Navarro to get the start in the series opener. DH Kendrys Morales, Royals His three-run homer in Game 5 of the Division Series was the dagger that sent the upstart Astros packing. It was just another piece of an incredible comeback season for the 32-year-old. Staying healthy was the biggest key as Morales drove in 106 runs in a career-high 158 games and gave the Royals some unexpected power from the DH slot. He's hit both left-handers and right-handers equally well and his home/road splits are almost identical. While center fielder Lorenzo Cain has been the team's MVP, Morales has been its most pleasant surprise. However, he has to be in the lineup to be a difference-maker and Yost has shown a tendency to remove him late in games for a pinch-runner, even when there seems to be little strategic benefit to i | 1 | 95,732 | sports |
HEIDENAU, Germany For the Syrian refugee family, one reprieve from crushing boredom in the asylum center is short walks to a lake. But in a town teeming with neo-Nazis, the excursions can bring more distress than relief: A man recently stormed out of a coffee shop and screamed at two women of the Habashieh family to take off their hijabs "because we're in Europe!" Another time, people inside a car yelled: "Auslaender raus!!" Foreigners Out!! Fear and frustration, however, have been tempered by kindness. A volunteer from nearby Dresden has befriended the Habashiehs, who fled Syria's civil war and arrived in Germany last month after a perilous journey from Damascus. Julius Roennebeck helps the family Khawla Kareem, 44; her 19-year-old daughter Reem; sons Mohammed, 17, and Yaman, 15; and 11-year-old daughter Raghad with practical things such as getting warm blankets, juice and aspirin, and has bought them German-language books. More than anything, the family appreciates how Roennebeck, who plays French horn at Dresden's famed Semper Opera house, has driven the family to outings in Dresden and the nearby medieval town of Pirna. "Julius is just wonderful," Reem says of the tall German musician. "He has been so kind to us." For Roennebeck, the kindness doesn't feel like a chore: "I just really like this family so much, they're great people." The outings with Roennebeck are an oasis in a desert of misery that has left the family except for little Raghad depressed and listless. Most of the family gets up late in the morning, because they hardly sleep at night in the hall crammed with 700 other asylum seekers. Next to them is a new family with a little baby screaming for hours. Sometimes the young men get cabin fever so badly they start playing soccer inside the former home improvement center in the middle of the night. The officials turn off the light at 11 p.m., but the sounds of hundreds of people whispering in countless foreign languages echo through the building, creating a deafening buzz. When it finally quiets down in the early morning hours, most of the family drifts into a deep slumber. But for Khawla Kareem, it's time to get up. Facing Mecca, she kneels down for the dawn prayer, and spends her day agonizing about their situation. Sitting on her narrow cot in their little curtained-off space, she often regrets taking her children away from their familiar life in Damascus. Desperate to shield them from the war, Khawla Kareem handed the family savings to traffickers who took them across the Mediterranean in a rubber boat, guided them on hidden trails across the Balkans, and eventually sped them in a minibus to Berlin. Back home in Syria, Khawla Kareem, whose husband died three years ago, was the boss of the household. Now she feels powerless. "She had to make all the decisions herself, she worked as an elementary teacher, raised us kids, cleaned the house every day," says Reem. It was a tough life, especially keeping the children safe from war but here, Khawla Kareem's inability to speak German makes her feel as if she's lost control of her destiny. She can't send her kids to school, giving her a sense that they're wasting their lives. It upsets her to watch Raghad spend her days running around with other refugee kids, while her boys play cards with Syrian men all night long. The bathrooms are so dirty, she doesn't even want to use them. It's the limbo that's the hardest on the mother. After two weeks in Berlin and a month in Heidenau, the Habashiehs still haven't been able to file their asylum application. On Tuesday, Khawla Kareem checked the center's blackboard for their names in vain. Again, the family had not been called up for any of the procedures, not even the initial health check. The examination, which includes an X-ray for tuberculosis and checks for itching and lice, is also a precondition to collecting weekly pocket money of about 30 euros per person. The reason for the months-long delay in processing the asylum applications is the huge crush of people seeking refugee status. In September alone, some 164,000 people were pre-registered as asylum seekers; for all of 2015 the German government is expecting about a million newcomers. Despite the cold autumn weather, thousands are still trekking across the Balkans and entering Germany via the Austrian border. German authorities are hiring additional staff to speed up the procedures. Still there's a backlog. Some experts estimate it may take up to a year for Syrian refugees to receive asylum status. Syrians will most certainly be allowed to stay in Germany in contrast to many applicants from countries like Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo or Albania, which the government considers safe. But there's not much they can do while awaiting a decision. They're not allowed to work for their first three months in Germany, and they are not allowed to leave the county they are placed in until they are granted asylum. Often schools are too far away for children to attend on a regular basis. Reem has been shouldering much of the responsibility for the family since arriving in Germany. She keeps up a brave face, knocking on officials' doors every other week to make sure the family's papers didn't get lost, and talking to medical staff if one of them falls ill. The pretty young woman with big hazel eyes rarely allows herself a weak moment, but she, too, is sinking under the strain. "Since last week, I'm not my active self anymore," she admits. "I even couldn't make myself get out of bed in the morning." Only little Raghad stays in high spirits. She gives her mom hugs and kisses when she cries, and spends hours roller-blading in front of the shelter. She seems to be mastering German better than the rest of the family. And she has made lots of new friends, especially among security staff. "There are Kevin and Frank, and there's a female guard with blue eyes and another one who recently dyed her hair pink, but now it's black again they all are my friends," she chatters away, waving to a grim-looking guard. He breaks into a smile. "I've made two more friends, a Kurdish girl and another Syrian, and we ride bicycles or play hopscotch," Raghad says, pulling a big gray hat with silver sparkles down her head, shivering on a gray October day. "But really, I miss studying and school more than anything." Suddenly, she runs over to her guard friends to show off the new German words she has learned: "Es ist sehr kalt in Deutschland!" It's very cold in Germany. ___ Follow Kirsten Grieshaber on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/kugrieshaber | 5 | 95,733 | news |
Palestinians torched a site revered by Jews in the West Bank overnight, Israeli and Palestinian sources said Friday, amid calls for fresh protests after more than two weeks of deadly unrest. Video showed what looked like an extensive blaze at the site in the northern city of Nablus known as Joseph's Tomb, and the Israeli army called the attack "a despicable act" of desecration. Palestinians have called for a "Friday of revolution" against Israel and Jerusalem police barred men under 40 years of age from attending the main weekly prayers at the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque, seeking to keep young protesters away. Israeli security forces have deployed massively in Jerusalem after two weeks of Palestinian attacks in the city and across Israel. "Police and border police forces will act with determination and without compromise against any attempt to disturb order or public safety," a police statement said late on Thursday. The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting at Jordan's request on Friday to discuss the upsurge of violence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday reiterated his willingness to meet Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, while accusing him of inciting and encouraging violence. "It's time that president Abbas stops not only justifying it, but also calling for it," Netanyahu told reporters. US Secretary of State John Kerry also warned the Palestinian leader not to incite violence. "President Abbas has been committed to non-violence. He needs to be condemning this, loudly and clearly," said Kerry, who plans to travel to the region "in the coming days" to try to calm tempers. Abbas has called for peaceful protest, but frustrated Palestinian youths have defied attempts to restore calm. Israel is to deploy some 300 soldiers from Sunday to reinforce police stretched thin by the unrest. The last time soldiers deployed in such large numbers was in 2002, during the second intifada, according to a security source. - 'Burning and desecration' - Joseph's Tomb, inside a compound in the Palestinian refugee camp of Balata in Nablus, has been the scene of recurring violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Many Jews believe it to be the final resting place of the biblical Joseph, while Muslims believe that an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yussef (Joseph) Dawiqat was buried there two centuries ago. The shrine is under Palestinian control and off-limits to Israelis except on escorted trips organised by the army. The military said it would make the repairs necessary to allow visits to continue. "The burning and desecration of Joseph's tomb last night is a blatant violation and contradiction of the basic value of freedom of worship," spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner said. "The Israel Defence Forces will take all measures to bring the perpetrators of this despicable act to justice, restore the site to its previous condition and ensure that the freedom of worship returns to Joseph's Tomb." On a main road in Jerusalem, border police were boarding and searching every bus on Thursday. There has been a spate of stabbing attacks and violent protests have swept the Palestinian territories. Seven Israelis have been killed and dozens wounded. At least 30 Palestinians have also died, including alleged attackers, and hundreds more been wounded in clashes with Israeli forces. In the first two Palestinian intifadas, or uprisings, in 1987-1993 and 2000-2005, thousands of people were killed and many more wounded in near daily violence. Israel's best-selling newspaper, Yediot Aharonot, carried photographs on Thursday of Jews arming themselves with even broomsticks and rolling pins, as gun sellers said demand had skyrocketed. - Stabbings defy security crackdown - On Wednesday, police began setting up checkpoints in parts of annexed east Jerusalem, including a neighbourhood which is home to three Palestinians who carried out gun, knife and car-ramming attacks this week. The move followed a decision by Netanyahu's security cabinet authorising police to seal off or impose a curfew on parts of Jerusalem. Netanyahu has come under immense pressure to halt the violence. Abbas again called on Wednesday night for peaceful resistance, but young people fed up with Israel's occupation and the lack of progress in peace efforts have grown tired of his leadership. The attackers seem to be mostly acting on their own. With no mastermind to pursue, that poses a major challenge to security forces. While the attacks have fanned Israeli anger and fear, online video footage of security forces shooting dead alleged assailants has fed Palestinian anger, with protesters seeing some of the killings as unjustified. The violence began on October 1, when a suspected cell of the Islamist movement Hamas murdered a Jewish settler couple in the West Bank in front of their children. Those killings followed repeated clashes at east Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound in September between Israeli forces and Palestinian youths. | 5 | 95,734 | news |
Robert Kraft never received the apology he demanded from the NFL, but the New England Patriots owner apparently can still stand being in the company of Roger Goodell. The relationship between Kraft and the NFL Commissioner he has staunchly supported over the years was a key subplot of Deflategate which included Kraft publicly ripping the league office but, according to several league sources, it now apparently is back in working order. In the name of NFL business. "The relationship is not what it was, but it's not bad," an NFL owner told USA TODAY Sports, under the condition of anonymity. The owner did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the topic. Goodell didn't attend New England's season opener last month, sensing that his presence at Gillette Stadium would be a distraction. Given all the venom aimed in his direction as the NFL threw the book at the Patriots including a four-game suspension for star quarterback Tom Brady until it was vacated by a federal judge that was a smart move. And Goodell won't be at Sunday night's nationally-televised game at Indianapolis, where the Patriots and Colts will engage in a rematch of the AFC title game … which ignited the most bizarre investigation in NFL history, revolving around the Patriots' use of deflated footballs. Yet last week Goodell was seen cordially chatting with Kraft during NFL owners meetings in New York, a spirit that several executives maintain also existed behind the scenes. They also attended a dinner the night before the meeting, with other owners in attendance, after hours of committee meetings at league headquarters. Whatever hard feelings may exist for Kraft over Deflategate and there were many, as detailed in the team's written rebuttal and amplified by Kraft during a summer press conference where he declared he has "lost faith" in the league office have been put aside as the NFL strategizes to grow a business than exceeds $11 billion annually in revenues. In other words, Kraft is done putting logs on the fire. "I think the partnership is strong," Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay told USA TODAY Sports. Irsay might be the last person you'd expect to weigh in about Kraft and Deflategate. After all, it was Irsay's team that turned in Kraft's team to launch the investigation for the ages. But Irsay insists that his relationship with Kraft hasn't changed. Both are members of the NFL's finance committee. While they have worked through typical issues and challenges, Irsay said they have yet to have a discussion about Deflategate. "I know it may sound shocking, but there are other issues that go on," said Irsay. Still, when the Deflategate documentary comes years from now, some of the most striking footage will be the venting from Kraft, who has contended his team was punished, excessively, on the basis of circumstantial evidence. When the Patriots arrived in Arizona for Super Bowl XLIX, he tried to set a tone for the week by maintaining his faith in Brady and Bill Belichick, while also expressing his wish for an apology when the Patriots were exonerated. Instead, the NFL found that Brady was at least "generally aware" of an alleged scheme to deflate footballs. The Patriots were fined $1 million and docked two draft picks, including a first-rounder next spring discipline that Kraft reluctantly accepted. Brady's punishment, still pending an NFL appeal, was harsher because he didn't fully cooperate with the investigation. In Kraft's summer press conference, it's also notable that rather than personally admonish Goodell, Kraft directed his most pointed ire at league attorneys, and presumably general counsel Jeff Pash. In the meantime, he has carried on as one of the league's most active owners, wielding powerful influence as a member of ownership committees that address crucial matters such as the league's plans to relocate a team or two to Los Angeles, its broadcasting deals and global expansion. Yet Deflategate isn't over yet, with the NFL appealing to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. "There are a couple more sensitive times on this issue, but time will go by," Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told USA TODAY Sports. Kraft's decision in May to accept the NFL's punishment handed down by executive vice president Troy Vincent, and supported by Goodell was an indication that he was not poised to go rogue. Fighting the NFL's punishment could have meant Kraft suing his partners, as late Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis did multiple times. Even so, Kraft came off as a man scorned when Goodell upheld the Brady suspension. I'm guessing that he felt by accepting the team penalties, the Commissioner would lighten the penalty on Brady. Kraft isn't the first one to take it on the chin when it comes to NFL discipline. That point was hammered by other owners, including John York of the San Francisco 49ers, in expressing their support for Goodell throughout the process. Kraft was also said to be upset with owners, including Jones, who vehemently supported the commissioner. Jones said he has talked it through with Kraft, one of his closest friends among owners, but added, "We've probably not finished the talks. We haven't talked enough." Over the years, Goodell has disciplined Jones hard for salary cap violations and for violating a gag order. "And before he was commissioner, he wasn't exactly 'Sweet Roger' in some of the negotiations I had with the NFL," Jones said. "It's like the old adage, 'If they'll bite as a puppy, they'll bite as a dog.' I knew he would bite." And Kraft has barked enough. Follow NFL columnist Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell | 1 | 95,735 | sports |
LAS VEGAS Nevada regulators have ordered daily fantasy sports sites like DraftKings and FanDuel to shut down, saying they can't operate in the state without a gambling license. The decision comes amid growing backlash by investigators and regulators over the sites, which have grown in popularity in the past year. The sites insist they are skill-based games and not chance-based wagers, and are therefore not subject to gambling regulations. Customers pick daily lineups of players in professional football, basketball, hockey and more, and they compete with other players to earn the most points and win money in some cases more than $1 million. The state's Gaming Control Board issued a notice Thursday saying the sites must stop offering their contests to Nevada residents effective immediately. Operators face felony fines and 10 years in prison. Regulators say the sites can apply for licenses. | 3 | 95,736 | finance |
A nurse passed out from exhaustion while driving her SUV and crashed into a lake. She was rescued by first responders. | 8 | 95,737 | video |
Tom Brady talks friendship with Trump and shrugs off Greg Hardy's comments about his wife, model Gisele Bundchen. (Oct. 15) | 8 | 95,738 | video |
The family of millionaire murder suspect Robert Durst's first wife took the first step Thursday in pursuing a wrongful-death civil suit against the eccentric real estate heir. Kathleen Durst's brother, James McCormack, filed a petition in New York Surrogate's Court asking for authority over his sister's estate. Durst, 72, is in federal prison in Louisiana on gun and drug charges and awaiting trial in Los Angeles for the 2000 killing of writer and friend Susan Berman. "The reason James McCormack wishes to be appointed administrator at this time is to commence a possible wrongful death action against the decedent's husband, Robert Durst," the papers state. Kathleen Durst disappeared Jan. 31, 1982. Robert Durst called police four days later and told them his wife had taken a New York City bound Metro-North train from the Katonah train station, near the couple's Westchester home. Durst was suspected but, due to a lack of evidence, was never formally accused or tried. FEDS SAY ROBERT DURST LOSES RIGHT TO PRIVACY OVER USING PHONY NAME, IDS AT NEW ORLEANS HOTEL Kathleen Durst was declared legally dead in 2001. "He killed her and we can prove it," said McCormack's lawyer, former Manhattan prosecutor Alex Spiro of Brafman & Associates. The LAPD reopened its Berman investigation earlier this year, bolstered by new evidence in the HBO documentary by Andrew Jarecki, "The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst." Durst appears to make a chilling confession in the final episode of the six-part series when he says off-camera while his mic is still live "What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course." Prosecutors suspect Durst rubbed out Berman to keep her from talking to cops about the disappearance of his first wife. Durst denies playing any role in her disappearance, but to avoid investigators he high-tailed it to Texas and started dressing like a woman. The cross-dressing creep was acquitted in 2003 of the grisly murder of his neighbor in Galveston, Texas, despite admitting that he dismembered the man. Thursday's filing, 33 years after Kathleen Durst's disappearance, was also a result of the oddball confession on HBO, according to her family. "That, sadly, was the closure we've been chasing after for years and years," McCormack told New York Magazine. "After 33 years of hell really, there's no other way to describe what our family has been through we decided it's time to sue." | 5 | 95,739 | news |
MIAMI Tropical Storm Olaf has formed in the eastern Pacific ocean, but currently poses no threat to land. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Friday night that Olaf was located about 1,485 miles (2,385 kilometers) southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving west at 14 mph (22 kph). Forecasters say strengthening is likely and the storm could strengthen into a hurricane by Sunday. There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect. | 5 | 95,740 | news |
These Chocolate Lab puppies enjoy their new food dishes, which are like mazes for their food. The dogs circle their bowls, trying to get to their food, while constantly bumping into each other. We just hope they don't get too dizzy before the meal is over. | 8 | 95,741 | video |
RENTON, Wash. Look around the Seattle Seahawks locker room, and so many names and faces are the synonymous with a burgeoning NFC dynasty. Russell Wilson. Richard Sherman. Marshawn Lynch. And yet, watch the Seahawks on the field through the first five weeks of the season, and too often, it looked like a completely different group, especially while relinquishing a 24-7 fourth-quarter lead last week in Cincinnati. Where was that defense that used to put a stranglehold on teams in the fourth quarter? Where was the late-game magic from Wilson? Now that the Seahawks are 2-3, heading into Sunday's game against the 4-0 Carolina Panthers, it might finally time to truly be concerned about the state of Seahawks. "I would say we're not going to panic. But we know there is some urgency to get our stuff together," wide receiver Doug Baldwin told USA TODAY Sports. "We've been in every game we've played, we've played hard, we've just had some minor mistakes. Easily correctable mistakes." It isn't an entirely unfamiliar situation for Seattle, who was 3-3 after six games last year, including consecutive losses in Weeks 5 and 6 to the Dallas Cowboys (at home) and St. Louis Rams. The Seahawks rebounded from that to reel off nine wins in their final 10 games. "It shows you can do it," Wilson said. "But the challenge is still there." But there are several significant problems the Seahawks must fix, and fix quickly, to make a similar midseason run this year. Offensive line struggles Wilson has been sacked 22 times in five games, tied for the most in the league with the Kansas City Chiefs' Alex Smith. "It is unacceptable," left tackle Russell Okung told USA TODAY Sports. "We can't get the quarterback hit that much. I definitely take a lot of blame for it. That's because I'm the left tackle, and it's because I'm part of this offensive line." Okung, the longest tenured member of the line, is responsible for two of the sacks, and two additional hits, according to stats from Pro Football Focus, so the issues are clearly bigger than just blindside protection. The Seahawks have a line that includes two starters who played defensive line in college (center Drew Nowak and right guard J.R. Sweezy), a left guard who played right tackle last year (Justin Britt) and a former college tight end (Garry Gilliam) at right tackle, and the group wasn't finalized until late in the preseason. Seattle Seahawks Passing Performance Per Game in 2015 | PointAfter Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said this week he thinks that group played its "best game to date" against the Bengals. But when they still surrendered four sacks in that game, it shows plenty of room for improvement. Wilson said Thursday he feels some of that burden himself, to deliver the ball more quickly and to make smart decisions when scrambling and not take unnecessary hits. Even though Wilson has proven to be exceptionally durable, that sort of beating eventually could catch up to him. "You've got to continually trust those guys. You can't really say, OK I got hit on this last time, I'm going to get hit again. You just have to say, I trust them," Bevell said. "You have to continually remind yourself that that's not happening every play, and it's just communicating and talking about it." Legion of Boom lapses Seattle's secondary doesn't seem to be terrifying opposing offenses at least not the good ones like it once did. That was evident last week in Cincinnati, when the Bengals found two weak spots in pass coverage to exploit repeatedly: strong safety Kam Chancellor in coverage against the tight end, and cornerback Cary Williams. Williams proved to be such a liability against A.J. Green early in the game that the Seahawks had to switch their coverage scheme mid-game and assign Sherman, who rarely ever leaves his post at left corner, to shadow Green from left to right and in the slot. There have been technique issues defensive coordinator Kris Richard said Williams in particular had some breakdowns last week against the Bengals and communication problems on the back end between safeties and corners that Richard described as "critical errors." "We weren't really relentless like we've been in the past. We weren't fighting for everything. We weren't really just giving it everything we had, it my eye," free safety Earl Thomas said. The Seahawks still have the NFL's No. 7 pass defense, but some of the aura is missing, especially after the loss to Cincinnati. If Andy Dalton isn't afraid to fire passes down the seam against Chancellor or target Green even when he's covered by Sherman, what's going to scare off future opponents like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals later in the year? The defensive issues have been especially glaring in the fourth quarter, an issue that dates back to February, when the Seahawks couldn't close out the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. They also relinquished late leads this year to the St. Louis Rams and Green Bay Packers before last week's collapse in Cincinnati. "Concerned? It's disappointing more than concerned," Richard said. An ineffective Jimmy Graham The biggest knock on the Seahawks offense last year was the lack of a big-time, red zone target for Russell Wilson. It seemed like the Seahawks fixed it with the mega-trade for all pro tight end Jimmy Graham in March. And yet five weeks into the season, he has just 21 catches and two touchdowns. His catch total ranks him eighth among NFL tight ends, but he's only second on his team in catches (behind slot receiver Doug Baldwin) and third in yards (behind receivers Jermaine Kearse and Baldwin) hardly the transformative effect anyone envisioned for a player with 26 touchdowns in the previous two seasons. The Seahawks offense is never going to resemble New Orleans' spread passing game that Drew Brees used to run so well and that gave Graham so many passing opportunities, but the onus is on offensive coordinator Darrell Bevel to figure out new ways to get Graham involved, rather than just hoping he can fit into the Seahawks run-first scheme. Jimmy Graham Career Receptions and Average Reception Distance | PointAfter "We need to find ways to get him more involved, but not force it," Wilson said. "He's a special player. He's one of a kind, so we've got to find that." The Seahawks in 2013 orchestrated a major trade for another unique offensive player, receiver Percy Harvin. For many on- and off-field reasons that trade didn't work out, but the Seahawks cannot afford for this Graham move to be a bust too. Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones . PHOTOS: Week 6 games ranked by watchability | 1 | 95,742 | sports |
Jeb Bush is leading the U.S. presidential campaign by at least one measure: financial support from Wall Street. The former Florida governor who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination received more financial backing than any competitor - Democrat or Republican - from employees of the major Wall Street banks between July and the end of September, campaign filings released on Thursday show. Employees from Bank of America, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and UBS gave Bush a combined $107,000. He also received the maximum-allowed $2,700 from billionaire hedge fund manager Leon Cooperman. The sums are miniscule compared to Bush's total haul for the quarter of $13.4 million. But his popularity among financiers is starkly different from his standing in the multitude of national polls. Bush, seen as a moderate in the crowded Republican field where 14 candidates are competing for the nomination, trails Donald Trump, Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina, three candidates who have never held elected office, in every major poll. The second most popular candidate on Wall Street according to giving patterns is Democratic front-runner and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She took in nearly $84,000 from employees of the same banks. No other candidates came close to Clinton and Bush. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, another establishment Republican, raised more than $25,000, while Texas Senator Ted Cruz took in $17,000. Seth Klarman, the Boston-based billionaire founder of the Baupost Group, gave Rubio $2,800 but his support wasn't exclusive. He almost gave twice as much to Fiorina. Upstart candidates on both sides won very little support from Wall Street. Employees at the banks gave $4,843 to Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Clinton's closest rival and a self-described democratic socialist. Carson took in just over $8,000 from Wall Street. Rubio got a look from another hedge fund billionaire, Paul Singer, who sent in $2,700 to the candidate. But it's not clear Singer truly went all-in: in the same quarter, Rubio sent him $2,700 back. (Reporting By Emily Flitter; Editing by Michael Perry) | 5 | 95,743 | news |
Heavy rains have triggered flash floods and mudslides across parts of southern California. | 8 | 95,744 | video |
Hit the pumpkin patch and prepare to carve! Krystin Goodwin (@krystingoodwin) highlights some of the creepiest jack o'lantern creations posted to Instagram. | 8 | 95,745 | video |
CNBC's Dominic Chu checks out the week's top gainers and loser; First Data's IPO, and provides an update on earnings. | 3 | 95,746 | finance |
Kia is recalling 377,000 of its Sorento crossover SUVs because the transmission can shift out of the "park" position on its own. The recall applies to 2011 to 2013 Sorentos, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The filing says if excessive force is applied to the gear shift lever, the brake-shift interlock mechanism may chip or crack. If that happens, the transmission can shift out of the park position on its own without the brakes being applied. Kia is going to notify owners to bring in their SUVs to have the brake-shift interlock mechanism replaced. | 3 | 95,747 | finance |
MILAN Calling hunger "a terrible injustice," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon marked World Food Day with a visit to the Milan Expo World's Fair, which is focusing on food security and nutrition. Ban on Friday called for "food security for all the people around the world to build a global movement to end hunger." Italian officials presented him with the Milan Charter, signed by more than 1 million people during the six months of the fair, recording individual commitments to help secure food and water for the world's growing population. The document hopes to boost one of the U.N.'s sustainable development goals, agreed upon by world leaders last month at the U.N. General Assembly, to eliminate hunger by 2030. It also aims to be an Expo 2015 legacy. | 5 | 95,748 | news |
Wendy's is working hard to turn itself around. Over the last 10 years, the S&P 500 has substantially outperformed an investment in Wendy's. This year could be a make or break year for the restaurant company and its shareholders. Last quarter Wendy's posted underwhelming results as it continues to struggle. Upside to the stock has remained elusive. Investors had felt good after a February analyst meeting but the company hasn't delivered on its promises fast enough. At that meeting management outlined progress: It "recapitalized" its balance sheet (i.e financial engineering). The recapitalization resulted in more debt and a billion-dollar stock buyback program. Like other competitors in the quick serve category, Wendy's has been trying to shed company-owned outlets, sell all of its 540 company-owned restaurants and move to an "asset-light" model similar to Dunkin Brands . The Dunkin' model is really popular now: Get rid of all company-owned locations and focus your efforts on selling napkins and paper bags to the franchises all the while collecting a percentage of their revenue as royalties. So Wendy's management expects the sale of 240 restaurants to close sometime in the second half of the year. By mid-2016 the company is trying to get to a franchise mix of 95% versus the current 85% (franchisee vs company-owner stores). Because the company has sold off its bakery operations and is shedding restaurants, total revenue is projected to decline from $2.4 billion in fiscal 2011 to $1 billion by 2017. But because the company has fewer moving parts, Wendy's would get more profitable. Restaurant margins would go from 14% in 2011 to as high as 20% by fiscal 2017. Likewise, Ebitda margins would climb from 13.9% to 33%. Of course, that's assuming Wendy's is able to successfully execute its plan. Wendy's has an aggressive stock buyback plan that has added debt to the balance sheet. Back in July, the company announced the results of a Dutch auction that lead to the repurchase of 55.8 million shares at $11.45 per share. The company spent $639 million for the stock. Wendy's will also purchase 18.4 million shares from activist investor Nelson Peltz' Trian. In total, the company will repurchase 20% of its outstanding shares for $850 million. After all the dealing, the company will still be able to spend another $400 million on share repurchases. If Wendy's is able to achieve its goals, the stock could be higher over the course of the next two years. But I think it could be a rocky journey simply because some of Wendy's most powerful competitors, such as Chipotle , control most of their stores and don't depend on franchisees to do all the heavy lifting. The new wave of quick-service restaurants controls everything from start to finish to provides a superior product and outstanding service. Customers have noticed and flocked to these hot new eateries. This "asset-light" and financial-engineered approach may work for Wall Street, but it remains to be seen if it works for customers. | 3 | 95,749 | finance |
A thief took an Uber away from his robbery attempt which made it very easy for the police to get him. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) explains. | 8 | 95,750 | video |
Oct 16, 2015; 9:00 AM ET A woman in Leona Valley, California was forced to leave her car when her vehicle was disabled in muddy storm waters. Her car was almost underwater. She was able to walk out of the area without help. | 8 | 95,751 | video |
INCHEON, South Korea (AP) -- Lydia Ko took advantage of Sung Hyun Park's struggles to take the lead Friday in the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship. The second-ranked Ko made an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke lead over Lexi Thompson. Park followed her course-record 62 with a 74 to drop two shots behind. "I thought I played really solidly and made a lot of good putts," Ko said. "When I was in trouble, I got a little fortunate, got a good lie in the rough." The South Korean-born New Zealander moved into position to regain the No. 1 spot in the world from South Korean star Inbee Park, one of her playing partners Friday. Ko would take the top spot with a victory and also could move up under other scenarios depending on where Inbee Park finishes. Inbee Park replaced Ko atop the list in June with the first of her two major victories this year. "The closer we get or if there is a switch, the media is going to talk about it," Ko said. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to try and ignore you guys. I think that's the best way. Because when I'm out there, I'm just trying to hit a good shot and put myself in good position. If I thought about the rankings, the awards, it's just way too much. It's hard enough just trying to hit the ball straight out there." Ko had a 10-under 134 total on Sky 72's Ocean Course. She tied for second last week in the LPGA Malaysia after winning her previous two starts in Canada and France, where she became the youngest major champion. Inbee Park was tied for 25th at 3 under after a 72. She's tied with Ko for the tour victory lead with four. Thompson birdied three of the final four holes for a 67 on the course made more difficult by some tough pin positions. "There were a few that were tucked on some ridges and that were just hard to get to," the American said. "I think there's going to be even harder ones tomorrow." Sung Hyun Park took a four-stroke lead into the round and was seven shots ahead of Ko. "I think it would be a lie to say that I didn't feel any pressure because of the record that I set yesterday," Sung Hyun Park said. Still four strokes in front after birdies on Nos. 4 and 5, she bogeyed the next three holes to drop into a tie for the lead with Ko. The 22-year-old South Korean player, making her first LPGA Tour start, missed a 3-foot putt on No. 6 for her first bogey of the week, had a 4-footer circle the cup and stay out on No. 7 and missed from 6 feet on No. 8. She birdied the 10th, but bogeyed the 12th and 18th. "It was very difficult to read some of the putting lines," she said. "I think I missed a couple of putts that I could have made. That's kind of lingering on my mind at the moment." South Korea's Yoon-Ji Cho also was 8 under after a 68. Taiwan's Yani Tseng, the 2011 winner, and South Korea's Mirim Lee were 7 under. Tseng shot 67, and Lee had a 69. England's Charley Hull, playing alongside Sung Hyun Park and U.S. Solheim Cup hero Gerina Piller in the final group, pulled within a stroke of the lead on the seventh hole, but dropped five strokes on the next six holes and finished with a 74 to drop into a tie for 19th at 4 under. Hull four-putted for a double bogey on No. 8, made a bogey on No. 10 and had another double bogey on the par-5 13th after hitting into the water. Piller also was 4 under after a 74. American Jessica Korda, the Malaysia winner, was 1 under along with Michelle Wie and U.S. Solheim Cup captain Juli Inskter, the oldest player in the field at 55. They each shot 72. Ko and Inbee Park attracted a large gallery. "It's great to play in front of big crowds," Ko said. "I think they are as excited as us, even a little bit more. ... Last year was the first time playing in Korea, and I've been noticing even more and more how much they love the LPGA and how much they love golf. I think the numbers are only going to go up. I think it's going to be pretty crazy on the weekend." | 1 | 95,752 | sports |
The Day in Sports Photos Mets top Dodgers Jacob deGrom, above right, catcher Travis d'Arnaud, left, and other Mets players celebrate a 3-2 win over the Dodgers in Game 5 of Division Series on Thursday in Los Angeles. IMAGES: 2015 MLB PLAYOFFS Swell of emotion Mets fans celebrate the 3-2 victory against the Dodgers following game five of NLDS at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. IMAGES: 2015 MLB PLAYOFFS Point blank shot Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo makes a save on a shot by Buffalo Sabres right wing Brian Gionta as left wing Jussi Jokinen defends in the first period at BB&T Center on Thursday. IMAGES: 2015-16 NHL SEASON All hail the touchdown Benjamin Watson of the Saints scores a touchdown during the third quarter of a game against the Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Thursday in New Orleans, Louisiana. Not being serious A New Orleans Saints fan cheers during a game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday in New Orleans. Under pressure Auburn Tigers running back Peyton Barber (25) dives for a touchdown against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second half at Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday. Auburn defeated Kentucky 30-27. IMAGES: 2015 College Football Season Stretching it Andy Murray returns a shot against John Isner during the men's singles third round match of Shanghai Rolex Masters at Qi Zhong Tennis Centre on Thursday in Shanghai, China. Big shot Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Frys.com Open on Thursday in Napa, California. Awaiting an encore Daniel Murphy of the Mets reacts after he hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Dodgers in game five at Dodger Stadium on Thursday in Los Angeles. IMAGES: 2015 MLB PLAYOFFS Fallen star Dallas Stars left wing Curtis McKenzie lays on the ice after a hit from Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Nikita Nesterov during the second period of an NHL hockey game on Thursday in Tampa, Fla. IMAGES: 2015-16 NHL SEASON Red Hot Flea Musician Flea dances on the dugout in between innings while the Dodgers takes on the Mets at Dodger Stadium on Thursday in Los Angeles. Sliding in to third Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner steals third in the third inning against the Mets in game five of NLDS at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. IMAGES: 2015 MLB PLAYOFFS Can't dodge the sadness Two Dodgers fans watch the Mets celebrate their 3-2 victory in game five at Dodger Stadium on Thursday in Los Angeles. IMAGES: 2015 MLB PLAYOFFS Air defense Delvin Breaux #40 of the Saints defends a pass intended for Julio Jones #11 of the Falcons during a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Thursday in New Orleans, Louisiana. Former Saint honoured Former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason is given the PFWA's George Halas Award before an NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons, on Thursday in New Orleans. Spreading the cheers Saints cheerleaders perform before an NFL football game between the Saints and the Falcons, on Thursday in New Orleans. Thinking about it Paula Creamer of the United States prepares to line up a putt on the 18th green during the first round of the KEB Hana Bank Championship golf tournament at Sky72 Golf Club in Incheon, South Korea on Thursday. Riding the wave Adriano De Souza (BRA) surfing during the quarter-final of Quiksilver Pro France on Thursday in Rion-des-Landes, France. Up in the air Richard Jefferson of the Cavaliers dunks against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Dazed and confused Izuabge Ugonoh knocks out Ibrahim Lebaran during the Interim WBA Oceania Heavyweight bout at The Trusts Arena on Thursday in Auckland, New Zealand. Let the games begin Teens sit on a new sign reading 'Cidade Olimpica' (Olympic City) in the historic port district on Thursday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Catch of the season Stanford Cardinal receiver Francis Owusu catches a 41-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter while defended by UCLA Bruins safety Jaleel Wadood at Stanford Stadium on Thursday. IMAGES: 2015 College Football Season Uncrowned king Kei Nishikori reacts after missing a point to Kevin Anderson during their Shanghai Masters tennis tournament in Shanghai, China, on Thursday. Riders of the sun Michael Walker riding Criterion as the sun rises above the horizon during a trackwork session at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Thursday in Melbourne, Australia. Beyond a save Rodriguinho of Corinthians scores their third goal during the match between Corinthians and Goias for the Brazilian Series A 2015 at Arena Corinthians stadium on Thursday in Sao Paulo, Brazil. High Heel Race Participants of the Sarenza High Heel Race 2015 compete during a party of the online shoe store, in Paris, on Thursday. Competitors in teams of three girls race wearing shoes with more than 8 cm-high heels. Race leathers Three sets of motorcycle race leathers hang on a fence to dry and air in the sun at Phillip Island Race circuit ahead of the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, Australia on Thursday. Political Maneuvers A combination photo shows (clockwise from top L) London's Mayor Boris Johnson falling down after he collided with 10-year-old Toki Sekiguchi during a game of Street Rugby with a group of Tokyo children, outside the Tokyo Square Gardens building on Thursday. The game was held with the attendance of school children, Nihonbashi, Yaesu and Kyobashi Community Associations and Street Rugby Alliance to mark Japan hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2019. IMAGES PREVIOUS DAY'S PHOTOS | 1 | 95,753 | sports |
Week 5 of the NFL season featured five upsets. The Colts started things off by beating the Texans on Thursday night, and Pittsburgh finished off the week by shocking San Diego with quarterback Michael Vick starting under center on Monday. Week 6 looks to provide just as many opportunities for a few underdogs to defy the odds and emerge victorious. Based on the listed odds from Sportsbookreview.com , here are five potential upsets for this week: Chicago (+3) at Detroit Oddsmakers haven't totally given up on the winless Lions, but it's growing increasingly difficult to understand why. Detroit ranks 30th in scoring offense (16.6 points per game) and point differential (-55), 26th in scoring defense (27.6) and dead last in turnovers committed (15). The Lions are also coming off an embarrassing 25-point home loss to the Cardinals, in which head coach Jim Caldwell was forced to pull quarterback Matthew Stafford (who now leads the NFL in interceptions with eight) early in the second half of the game. The Bears are gaining some confidence under new head coach John Fox, having come from behind to beat the Raiders and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks. These two teams are trending in opposite directions. Miami (+1) at Tennessee Never underestimate the power of making an in-season coaching change, especially for a team with as much talent as the Dolphins have. Sunday will be the first game for interim head coach Dan Campbell, who has had the better part of two weeks to both correct Miami's many issues and reunite a torn-apart locker room. The change could provide the spark needed for the Dolphins coming off the bye week. Meanwhile, the Titans have lost three straight games, including the last two at home. Quarterback Marcus Mariota could have a long afternoon if the Miami defensive line suddenly comes alive under Campbell. The rookie has thrown three interceptions with a passer rating of 77.4 over his last two games. Baltimore at San Francisco (+1.5) These two teams allowed 1,030 total yards combined in Week 5, including 863 passing. Making the Ravens a slight road favorite likely has to do with favoring Joe Flacco over Colin Kaepernick at quarterback. But don't sleep on the 49ers at home, especially defensively. In two games at Levi's Stadium in 2015, San Fransisco has allowed just 20 total points, with eight sacks. The Ravens have already committed six turnovers in three road games this season. More importantly, Kaepernick finally showed some signs of life in New York, throwing for 262 yards and two scores against the Giants in Week 5. Baltimore ranks 25th in passing yards allowed, and Josh McCown torched them for 447 a week ago. Carolina (+7) at Seattle Two important factors give the unbeaten Panthers a chance to go on the road and upset the Seahawks in CenturyLink Field. For starters, Carolina fields a defense that ranks fourth in the NFL in points allowed (17.8 per game). The unit will also get the benefit of having All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly on the field, as he had missed the last three games with a concussion. Quarterback Cam Newton provides the second factor. He's accounted for nine touchdowns and over 1,000 yards of total offense during Carolina's 4-0 start. The Panthers are averaging 27.0 points per game despite Newton throwing to a group led by Greg Olsen and Ted Ginn. A team capable of limiting points on defense and receiving productive quarterback play on offense can win anywhere, even Seattle. New York Giants (+4) at Philadelphia Why is there no love for the NFC East-leading Giants? New York has won three straight games, including primetime victories over Washington and San Francisco. Quarterback Eli Manning has been red-hot during the streak, throwing eight touchdowns and possessing a passer rating of 107.2 over the last three games. And while the Eagles are coming off a blowout win over the Saints, the Philadelphia defense is still ranked 26th against the pass. Manning can still have a big game even if go-to receiver Odell Beckham Jr. can't play. The Giants have six players with at least 10 catches and a touchdown this season. Another important factor to consider: New York's defense ranks second in rushing yards and first in yards per attempt through five weeks. Manning plus a strong run defense is more than enough for the Giants to go on the road and win on Monday night. | 1 | 95,754 | sports |
Norway is speeding past other countries in the electric car race. The trick, it seems, is setting high vehicle taxes and offering generous exemptions. By stripping electric cars of a 25 percent sales tax and a registration tax that averages more than $12,000 depending on a vehicle's weight and polluting fossil fuel emissions, the Nordic country has zoomed past its original projections for swapping out its gas-burning fleet for electrics, according to a report published Friday in The New York Times. Norway expected 50,000 of the country's 2.5 million registered private vehicles to run on electricity by 2017. Instead, it hit 66,000 last month, in addition to 8,000 gasoline-electric hybrids. But what's most impressive is how Norway powers those electric vehicles: gushing rivers. Over 95 percent of the country's electricity is produced by hydropower, according to 2011 data from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, a government agency. As David Jolly wrote in the Times: That makes Norway's electricity cleaner and relatively cheap -- a further impetus for adopting e-cars. (A country where much of the electricity is generated by coal-fired power plants would not see as many environmental benefits from switching to electric vehicles.) And all that despite the fact that fossil fuels have enriched Norway. The country -- which is not part of the European Union and uses its own currency, the krone -- is the world's seventh-largest producer of oil and third-biggest natural gas exporter. The issue with electric cars in the United States is they suck energy from a grid powered by burning fossil fuels. That increases their carbon footprint. Considering electric cars are meant to reduce global emissions and combat climate change, that's a problem. In contrast with Norway, hydropower made up just 6 percent of U.S. electricity production last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration . Coal accounted for 39 percent, and natural gas hit 27 percent. | 3 | 95,755 | finance |
Discussions have been taking place since 2003 on the need for a permanent African force that can intervene swiftly whenever and wherever a crisis arises. The force known as the African Standby Force (ASF) should have been ready five years ago but numerous deadlines came and went. The new date for the force to be fully operational is December 2015. The ASF will be made up of some 25,000 soldiers and is intended to form the backbone of Africa's Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). It will be comprised of five brigades, each coming from one of Africa's major regional groupings ECOMOG in West Africa, SADC in southern Africa, ECCAS in central Africa, EASF in the east and NARC in the north. "The primary task of these groups is to train and keep the troops ready at any time when they are called to serve," said Teferra Shiawl-Kidanekal, Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Research in Addis Ababa and an expert on African security policy, in an interview with DW. "If the United Nations or the African Union require a number of battalions, they will send a request to the countries concerned and the countries will draw from these trained and ready forces to be deployed into that mission area," he said. Amani Africa Two Hallelujah Lulie, a security analyst and AU expert, sees the regional division of the force as a major advantage, as it should then be able to go into action in the shortest possible time, and also because "the forces would mostly be deployed in their own region or neighboring countries where they know the political or cultural context." On Monday the regional contingents will meet in South Africa for the first time. Exercise director, retired Nigerian Major General Samaila Iliya, is optimistic that the exercise called Amani Africa Two will mark the real beginning of the ASF's ability to respond swiftly to crisis situations. "The forces will be on standby and can be assembled at any time to intervene on the orders of the AU's Peace and Security Council," he told DW. That may be the theory but international practice looks very different. The UN dissolved its Standby High Readiness Brigade (SHIRBRIG) after 13 years and a single peacekeeping operation. Battle groups of the European Union, which reached full operational capacity in January 2007, have yet to see any military action. Castles in the air? The ASF could also turn out to be a costly unfulfilled dream. Germany and the EU have provided generous financial and technical support for the project for more than a decade. According to German security expert Sebastian Gräfe, 27 million euros ($30.6 million) have so far come from Germany and 1.1 billion euros from Brussels. A further 750 million euros have been earmarked for the force. According to Gräfe, "There is no lack of money coming from Europe what is lacking is a strategical discussion about how the money can best be used." Ethiopian security analyst Hallelujah Lulie is also skeptical about the force's financial independence. "There is a huge dependency on the money that comes from the European Union and individual member states. There are strong concerns not only from members of the African Union but also from civil society, from the media and citizens pressurizing the AU to find ways to fund its own activities," he told DW. Frustrated by the snail's pace with which the ASF is taking shape, in 2012 a number of West African states (alarmed by the Mali crisis) set up a parallel crisis resolution mechanism the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC). This has not exactly helped the image of the fledgling ASF. AU also looking at other options It is interesting to note that a recent AU study shows that the Union is itself moving away from the concept of a standing intervention force in favor of more flexible models. The recent establishment of a West African intervention force to combat Boko Haram shows the urgent need for action, Gräfe says. The circumstances under which the first exercise will take place have also given critics plenty of ammunition. The training should originally have been held in Lesotho but was cancelled due to political upheavals in the small mountain kingdom. Lesotho's larger neighbor, South Africa, jumped in to fill the breach. Even before the exercise is completed, AU expert Lulie doubts whether the force will indeed be operational in the next year or two "because of the regional differences and imbalances." At the end of January 2016, at a summit of the African Union, AU Commission chairperson Dlamini-Zuma is to make a statement specifying when the African Standby Force will be operational all five brigades. Author: Ludger Schadomsky/sh Editor: Mark Caldwell | 5 | 95,756 | news |
AD asks Catherine Bailey and Robin Petravic of Heath Ceramics five creative ways to use tile to dazzling effect. Employ variations on a shade to create a solid. To Catherine Bailey and Robin Petravic of the California-based Heath Ceramics , tile is drastically underused as a decorative element. Take a tile that lends itself to one pattern and change it up. "There are so many patterns you can make out of the half hex," Bailey explains. "You can design things that are really unique." Designer Christina Zamora's loft in Oakland, pictured here, uses half hex tiles to create two different patterns. Use tile as art. "In architect Alan Wanzenberg's house (shown here), tiles are used as a decorative element," Petravic says. "It's a beautiful material; it doesn't always have to have a function. Here it's used in a kitchen nook in between wood that's painted this putty color." Highlight an architectural feature. "When you use tile to cover the entire geometry of a feature, it really integrates it into the architecture," Bailey says. "Try a fireplace or a section of the home's exterior." At MAD House in Vancouver, Canada the clean, rectangular fireplace is covered in a melange of brightly-colored tiles. Break up a large space. "In Gio Ponti's Parco dei Principi Hotel in Italy, he used tile like rugs to break up the floor," Bailey says. "We did something similar in our showroom: We have a concrete floor, but we tiled an area that was more of a lounge. It's a great way to divide a larger space." Many of the tiles shown here were inspired by leaves and the moon while others were made in collaboration with sculptor Fausto Melotti. | 4 | 95,757 | lifestyle |
Volkswagen is hiring a Daimler executive to lead a new post devoted to integrity and legal affairs, giving an outsider a high-profile role in cleaning up the company's emissions scandal. The German automaker said Friday that Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt would became its new board member for integrity and legal affairs as of Jan. 1. She has been in an identical role at Daimler, which agreed to terminate her contract early at Volkswagen's request. She held several positions in Germany's judicial system before taking the Daimler job. Volkswagen took the unusual step of lauding its German rival, saying "compliance is now firmly anchored at Daimler and in its corporate culture." "We are delighted that Dr. Hohmann-Dennhardt has agreed to take on this responsible task and that we can build on her outstanding competence and experience," Volkswagen chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch said in a statement. "At the same time we would like to thank Daimler AG for agreeing to our request to the early termination of Dr. Hohmann-Dennhardt's contract." The new role puts Hohmann-Dennhardt at the center of a global crisis that has enveloped Volkswagen in the wake of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's disclosure that the company had installed manipulative software on diesel cars to fool regulators into believing the vehicles met emissions standards. The cheating software affects up to 11 million cars worldwide, including nearly 500,000 in the U.S. On Thursday, Volkswagen ordered a recall of 8.5 million vehicles in Europe the first concrete step in fixing cars. Volkswagen is already the target of numerous investigations, including a U.S. Justice Department criminal probe and European inquiries. The company has also hired law firm Jones Day to conduct an independent investigation of its actions. It's unclear whether Hohmann-Dennhardt will have any role in those matters. | 3 | 95,758 | finance |
Whenever the big auctions begin in places like Monterey, it's hardly a surprise to hear about classic Ferraris or other exotics crossing the block for a few million dollars. But, the record sale price last year for the "Captain America" bike from Easy Rider is just a small sign that there's a growing market to own a piece of motorcycle history, as well. To answer this demand, vehicle insurance and valuation company Hagerty is now including vintage bikes in its price guide. The most expensive cycle there is a 1903 Harley-Davidson Single with a value pegged at an eye-watering $15 million for an example in No. 1 condition. You don't need to be a multi-millionaire to buy a vintage bike, though. If there's an old cycle you're eyeing or there's one already in the garage, you can check what Hagerty thinks it's worth on the company's website, now . The database includes 61 motorcycle makers and 9,200 models from 1894-1996. The pages also have a ton of useful details, including a price history for four conditions. According to Hagerty, the market for classic bikes is up over 50 percent since 2010, and more of them are showing up at auction, as well. The vintage cycles with the biggest demand are Harley-Davidson FLHs from the '60s and '70s. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook Hagerty Launches Motorcycle Valuation Tools Motorcycle Market Demand Drives Creation of Database Covering Everything from $15 Million Harley-Davidsons to $1,500 Yamahas TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN (October 14, 2015) Hagerty, the world leader in collector vehicle insurance and valuation tools, is pleased to announce the Hagerty Price Guide now includes motorcycles. The motorcycle guide, published on the Hagerty Valuations Tools website, includes 61 makes, 9,200 individual motorcycles built from 1894 -1996, and pricing for four conditions. Like its vehicle car and truck valuation guides, Hagerty's comprehensive motorcycle guide features model histories, images, current and historic pricing, and recent auction sales. "Motorcycles are one of the fastest growing segments in the collectible vehicle market," said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. "The recent interest is inspiring enthusiasts to pull their bikes out of long-term storage to enjoy again and share with the next generation. From a collecting standpoint, motorcycles are very approachable because many can be purchased for less than $10,000, and they take up very little space in your garage." The number of motorcycles offered at collector vehicle auctions has nearly doubled compared to last year, and demand for vintage motorcycles is up more than 50% from 2010. While bikes from the 1920s have increased dramatically in value over the past five years, bikes from the 1970s and 1980s remain relatively flat in their average quoted values during the past five years. Demand in the market has increased the most for Harley-Davidson, Honda, BMW, Triumph and Yamaha, with the most popular collector motorcycle models being 1960s and '70s Harley-Davidson FLHs. The most valuable motorcycle in the price guide is the 1903 Harley-Davidson Single with a #1 condition value of $15 million. The most expensive motorcycle ever sold at auction is the "Captain America" Harley-Davidson Panhead from Easy Rider, which sold for $1.62 million in October 2014 (by Profiles in History Auctions). | 9 | 95,759 | autos |
Who are the top five college football players to keep an eye on in Week 7? Our guys take a look at the matchups on Saturday and weigh in their players to watch for. | 1 | 95,760 | sports |
Have you ever wondered what happen if the moon just disappeared? Danielle Banks has the details. | 8 | 95,761 | video |
Hosting overnight guest can be extremely stressful, but so can staying in an unfamiliar home. According to a recent survey by mattress company Dreams' , 50% of houseguests feel that the accommodations offered to them are far from luxurious. What's most alarming, though, is that it's some of the most basic host rules that are being overlooked. 40% of visitors are being forced to sleep on dirty sheets (ew!) and another 40% say the host's entire home could use a quick clean . Once you've got these basic necessities down, it's easy to sweep overnight visitors off their feet. Offer up extra pillows , keep a few spare toothbrushes on hand, and don't make them have to hack their way into your Wi-Fi . In short, add a touch of luxury to your guest room . But a pleasant stay is all on the host. Being a polite, low-maintenance houseguest is key especially if you're hoping to be invited back. 31% of those surveyed agree that the worst visitor habit is leaving belongings all across the house. Another big no-no: Don't show up unannounced. 30% of people agree it should never be done. But if you do, bring a gift for your host; women prefer flowers. h/t Visualistan | 4 | 95,762 | lifestyle |
Fire severely damaged Jewish holy sight | 8 | 95,763 | video |
Federal and state prosecutors delivered an unmistakable shot across the bow of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry this week amid mounting concern that soaring drug prices are posing risks to the health of many Americans and blowing a hole in the budgets of federal and state health care programs. Two of the worst offenders, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International and Turing Pharmaceuticals, were presented with subpoenas or letters by prosecutors investigating their pricing practices and other aspects of how they do business During a Senate hearing last summer, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) questioned former Valeant CFO Howard Schiller about the company's February 2015 decision to increase the price per vial of Isuprel, a drug used to treat cardiac arrest, from $215 to $1,346. That same month, Valeant boosted the price of the Nitropress, a blood pressure medicine, from $257 to $805 per vial. Last month, Hillary Clinton called out Turing for boosting the cost of Daraprim, an older drug used to treat infections, from $13.50 to $750 a pill. Donald Trump called the company's 32-year-old CEO, Martin Shkreli, a "spoiled brat." Now the eye-popping markups in the price of both old and new drugs is drawing intense interest from federal and state prosecutors. The controversy is turning into a perfect storm for the drug industry, with both politicians and state and federal prosecutors demanding justification for their drug pricing policies. "I think what's happened is that some of these companies … in a remarkable feat of poor political timing stuck their heads way, way out of the foxhole and raised prices seemingly unaware that we're in the midst of a presidential election where there's a lot more sensitivity about all of these things," Joseph Antos, a health care specialist with the American Enterprise Institute, said in an interview on Thursday. Related: Drug Company Profits Soar as Taxpayers Foot the Bill "And if you would like to be made a subject of an investigation, this would be a great year to do that," he added. Few have done more to arouse public and government hostility to the pharmaceutical industry than Shkreli, a cocky former Wall Street hedge fund manager who purchased Turing and then jacked up the price of Daraprim by more than 5,000 percent after acquiring the rights from Impax Laboratory. Shkreli, who once worked as an intern for TV personality Jim Cramer, exuded arrogance and a healthy disregard for the well-being of sick Americans in numerous tweets on social media and appearances on television. Shkreli ultimately announced that his firm would reduce the price of Daraprim, but without saying by how much. Roughly three weeks after making the promise under pressure from Clinton, Shkreli told Business Insider this week that it wasn't clear when he would lower the drug and that he wasn't paying attention to requests by government officials for more information about the drug's price. This week, the New York Attorney General's office said in a statement to the New York Times that it had launched an investigation into Turing's operations. However, the probe wasn't necessarily about price gouging per se which is legal under current law but for possible anti-trust violations that discouraged competitors from making a generic version of the drug. "While competition might ordinarily be expected to deter such a massive price increase," antitrust bureau chief Eric J. Stock said in its letter to Turing, "it appears that Turing may have taken steps to prevent that competition from arising." "Turing completely undercut the image of the industry as public spirited, and changed the political equation," said John Rother of the National Coalition on Health Care. "Now there is little effort to defend abusive pricing like that, so [it] opened the door for federal action." The Wall Street Journal reported late Wednesday that Valeant had received two federal subpoenas seeking information on its pricing, distribution and patient support practices in which the company sometimes helps patients make their copayments. The subpoenas were issued by the United States attorney's offices in Manhattan and Massachusetts. Valeant said in a statement that it was reviewing the subpoenas and "intends to cooperate with the investigations." Valeant sent a letter to McCaskill on Wednesday, noting that it had spent $544 million on patient assistance last year and anticipated spending $630 million this year. McCaskill, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Senate Aging Committee, complained yesterday that Valeant CEO Michael Pearson "repeatedly failed to answer questions" about his company's dramatic hike in the price of lifesaving drugs. "It appears obvious to me that Valeant has been anything but responsive or transparent it refused to take any action until served with federal subpoenas, and is still refusing to provide answers to many of the questions I've asked," she said. "I look forward to continuing my investigation of drug pricing and plan to further explore Valeant's inadequate response." Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Here's the U.S. Missile That's Altering the Battlefield in Syria Millions Face a 50 % Medicare Premium Hike If Obama and Congress Don't Act 14 Deadly Weapons Russia Has Sent To Syria | 3 | 95,764 | finance |
At least a dozen more people were subjected to waterboard-like tactics in CIA custody than the agency has admitted, according to a fresh accounting of the US government's most discredited form of torture. The CIA maintains it only subjected three detainees to waterboarding. But agency interrogators subjected at least 12 others to a similar technique, known as "water dousing", that also created a drowning sensation or chilled a person's body temperature sometimes through "immersion" in water, and often without use of a board. New lawsuits, recently released documents and the Senate's landmark torture report indicate that at least 13 men in total experienced "water dousing".Those familiar with their cases and an interrogator cited in the Senate report consider water dousing's departure from waterboarding to be "a distinction without a difference". Water dousing, however, added an element of hypothermia. Some detainees reported their CIA captors dousing them with "cold or refrigerated" water, then wrapping them in similarly frigid sheets of plastic, keeping their temperatures low. "CIA cable records often describe the detainees as naked after the water dousing, while other records omit such detail," the Senate report states. Lawyers for some of the detainees said they were prevented by classification rules from discussing the treatment of their clients, a limitation they said helps the CIA in continuing to define waterboarding narrowly. Even beyond the dousings, there is some evidence to suggest that the CIA performed more waterboardings than it has thus far admitted. Laura Pitter of Human Rights Watch, who has investigated torture for the group, said the CIA was being "entirely disingenuous" in claiming it only waterboarded three people. "First, more than three people were waterboarded," she said. "But second, the CIA used water to torture detainees in a variety of ways that cannot escape classification as torture. Whether on a board or on the floor, they induced near suffocation using water. And whether you call it 'waterboarding' or 'water dousing', that's torture plain and simple." 'A form of waterboarding' Suleiman Abdullah Salim was water-doused. 'Flashbacks come anytime, so much they make you crazy,' he said in a video published this week by the Guardian. The CIA maintains that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Abdel Rahim Nashiri and Abu Zubaydah are the only men it waterboarded. Mohammed was subjected to both "water dousing and additional waterboarding sessions", according to a March 2003 CIA document cited by the Senate intelligence committee . That official account is complicated by internal CIA documentation cited by the intelligence panel. A CIA interrogator cited by the committee said the dousing "can approach the effect of the waterboard". Some cases, the committee found, indicate that agency interrogators even performed the dousing "on a waterboard". According to recently released documents and lawsuits, five detainees Walid Bin Attash, Suleiman Abdullah Salim, Majid Khan, Gul Rahman and Mohamed Ahmed Ben Soud, also known as Mohammed Shoroeiya were not strapped to a board for dousing during their brutal interrogations. A lawsuit filed this week by Ben Soud and Salim described the dousing that the two men experienced as "a form of waterboarding". Related: CIA torture survivors sue psychologists who designed infamous program Additionally, accounts from the Senate intelligence committee's 2014 report indicate that another seven men Asadullah, Mustafa al-Hasawi, Abu Hudhaifa, Abu Yasir al-Jaza'iri, Suleiman Abdullah, Abu Ja'far al-Iraqi and Abu Hazim, also known as Khalid al-Sharif were subjected to the dousing. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed accounts for the 13th known case of water dousing. Two interrogators stated to the CIA's inspector general that al-Hasawi "cried out for God" as the dousing occurred. (Ben Soud, for unexplained reasons, is referred to as Abd al-Karim in the Senate report.) McClatchy noted the discrepancy between the dousing described in the report and the agency's waterboarding claims in December. With more information about the dousing now released, detainee attorneys cast new doubt on the depiction of relatively limited waterboarding provided by the CIA. "I don't know if the CIA is lying about the number of people it waterboarded," said air force major Michael Schwartz, a military lawyer for Bin Attash, who faces a military tribunal for the 9/11 attacks. "I do know that if I were allowed to tell you about the specifics of Mr bin Attash's torture, you would laugh the next time you heard the government try to minimize its wrongdoing by drawing a distinction between waterboarding and other forms of water torture. "Is there a distinction for purposes of discussing victim impact? Medically, yes. Is there a distinction for purposes of discussing the lawfulness of the CIA's conduct, and the question of accountability? No." A 'shower' Bin Attash described the role of water-based interrogation techniques to an interviewer from the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to an account leaked in 2009. "[O]n a daily basis during the first two weeks I was made to lie on a plastic sheet placed on the floor which would then be lifted at the edges. Cold water was then poured on to my body with buckets," Bin Attash said . "I would be kept wrapped inside the sheet with the cold water for several minutes. I would then be taken for interrogation." Interview notes with CIA detainee turned cooperating war-crimes tribunal witness Majid Khan, released in June , record Khan's claim that CIA interrogators held his head repeatedly under water, causing him to believe, as with waterboarding, that he would drown. Khan claims he was suspended from a wooden beam and submerged into a tub of ice water, and also that his captors doused his nose and mouth with water and ice from a bucket. Whether the CIA's water-based techniques employed a board "is a distinction without a difference", said Wells Dixon, an attorney for Khan. "A high degree of skepticism is appropriate about what the CIA says about what happened in its torture program." Rahman, an Afghan, is the only detainee known to have died in CIA custody, of hypothermia. A footnote in the Senate report cites a CIA linguist, quoted in an agency inspector general study, describing Rahman's dousing, referred to as a "shower". "Rahman was placed back under the cold water by the guards at [redacted CIA officer]'s direction. Rahman was so cold that he could barely utter his alias. According to [the on-site linguist], the entire process lasted no more than 20 minutes. It was intended to lower Rahman's resistance and was not for hygienic reasons." Furthermore, an attorney for the youngest man formerly detained at the US military facility at Guantánamo Bay, Omar Khadr, has said Khadr was waterboarded , although Khadr was not in CIA custody and there are no confirmed cases of waterboarding at Guantánamo. Both the CIA and the Pentagon deny the allegation. More waterboardings? While there has been comparatively little attention paid to CIA water dousing, the few accounts that exist describe it as similar to waterboarding, and are bolstered by other non-dousing indications that waterboarding itself went further than the CIA has thus far admitted. In a case that the Senate committee said "approximated waterboarding", a CIA linguist told the agency inspector general that "when water dousing was used on Abu Hazim, a cloth covered Abu Hazim's face and [redacted CIA officer] poured cold water directly on Abu Hazim's face to disrupt his breathing. [The linguist] said that when Abu Hazim turned blue, Physician's Assistant [redacted] removed the cloth so Abu Hazim could breathe." The inspector general noted that he could not find evidence corroborating the claim. According to the Senate intelligence committee's 2014 report, an interrogator cited by the committee expressed doubts that the "water dousing" was functionally different from waterboarding. "I have serious reservations about watering [detainees] in a prone position because if not done with care, the net effect can approach the effect of the water board. If one is held down on his back, on the table or on the floor, with water poured in his face, I think it goes beyond dousing and the effect, to the recipient, could be indistinguishable from the water board," a CIA interrogator emailed in November 2003. At a "black site" believed to be in Afghanistan, the Senate inquiry found, "detainees were often held down, naked, on a tarp on the floor, with the tarp pulled up around them to form a makeshift tub, while cold or refrigerated water was poured on them". The CIA inspector general found that the dousings at the site reflected "guidance" from attorneys at the agency's Counterterrorist Center and its Office of Medical Services . According to a footnote in the study, no waterboarding is confirmed to have taken place at the Afghanistan site, which the Senate inquiry gave the pseudonym "Detention Site Cobalt". Yet the Senate committee found what it describes as a "CIA photograph of a wooden waterboard" there. "The waterboard device in the photograph is surrounded by buckets, with a bottle of unknown pink solution (filled two thirds of the way to the top) and a watering can resting on the wooden beams of waterboard. In meetings between the Committee staff and the CIA in the summer of 2013, the CIA was unable to explain the details of the photograph, to include the buckets, solution and watering can, as well as the waterboard's presence at Detention Site Cobalt," the footnote states. The CIA did not ask the Justice Department for approval to use water dousing until summer 2004, two years after the torture program began. The description of the technique provided to department attorneys "made no mention of cold water immersion, which was used on CIA detainees and taught in CIA interrogator training", according to the Senate report. The agency's official response to the Senate report noted that headquarters officials provided "guidance" on water dousing "as early as March 2003" and classified the dousing, "considered the most coercive of the standard interrogation techniques in use until early 2004", after which the agency classified it as an "enhanced" technique. The response continued: "While it is reasonable to question the propriety of the water dousing with cold water at the [redacted] facility where Gul Rahman died, likely due to hypothermia, it is important to note that the technique was employed after the first few months at [redacted] in rooms heated to a minimum of 65 degrees in order to prevent possible harm." CIA officials did not address questions from the Guardian as to why the agency considers the difference between waterboarding and water dousing to be substantive. CIA officials would neither confirm nor deny the Guardian's tally of detainees subjected to water dousing. "CIA's 2013 response to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) Study acknowledges that the program had shortcomings and the agency made mistakes," said CIA spokesman Dean Boyd. "The most serious problems occurred early on and stemmed from the fact that the agency was unprepared and lacked the core competencies required to undertake an unprecedented program of detaining and interrogating suspected terrorists around the world. In carrying out that program, CIA did not always live up to the high standards that we set for ourselves and that the American people expect of us. CIA has owned up to these mistakes, learned from them and taken numerous corrective actions over the years." • This article was amended on 16 October 2015 to clarify the CIA's comments regarding the Guardian's tally of detainees subjected to water dousing. | 5 | 95,765 | news |
Autoblog Senior Editor Greg Migliore drive the all-new 2016 Chevy Camaro in Detroit, Mich. | 9 | 95,766 | autos |
Fun and creative Halloween costume ideas for the expecting moms who aren't afraid to take advantage of their bellies. Angeli Kakade (@angelikakade) has the story. | 8 | 95,767 | video |
BEIRUT/ANKARA, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Turkey shot down a drone on Friday in an incident highlighting the dangers of multiple air combat operations over Syria, where government troops and their allies backed by Russian jets have launched an offensive against rebels near Aleppo. The army offensive south of the city, backed by Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, further expands its 10-day-old counter-attack in western Syria against insurgents battling to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. The army campaign has been coordinated with Russian jets, which began air strikes in support of Assad on Sept. 30, and Syria's own air force. A U.S.-led coalition of Western and Arab forces has been flying combat missions over Syria for more than a year, while Israeli jets have also struck targets in Syria during the four-year-old civil war. That has left Syria's airspace crowded with warplanes from rival, or even hostile powers, pursuing competing military strategies, heightening the risk of aerial confrontation. Turkey's military said its jets shot down an unidentified drone in Turkish air space near Syria on Friday. A U.S. official said Washington believed it was of Russian origin, but the Russian defence ministry said all of its planes in Syria had safely returned to base and that all its drones were operating "as planned". NATO said Turkey was investigating where the drone came from. The Turkish military said the aircraft it shot down had continued on its course despite three warnings, in line with Turkey's rules of engagement. Broadcaster NTV said it had come 3 km (2 miles) into Turkish air space. Turkey has already complained of Russian warplanes violating its air apace along the border with Syria earlier this month. The Russian Defence Ministry said later on Friday it had established direct contact with the Turkish military to avoid incidents with flights near the border, Interfax news agency reported. Russia had set up a hotline between a base used by its air force in Syria and the Israeli air force command centre to coordinate on Syria flights. The ministry also said it had agreed the technical details for an agreement with the United States on flight safety over Syria and a final memorandum would be signed soon. ALEPPO ASSAULT Russia's air strikes in Syria appear to have struck mainly foreign-backed rebels rather than the Islamic State fighters which Moscow say are the target of its campaign. On Friday, Russian warplanes hit areas in support of the army's offensive south of Aleppo, which lies around 35 km (20 miles) from the Turkish border. The assault means the army is now pressing insurgents on several fronts near Syria's main cities in the west, control of which would secure Assad's hold on power even if the east of the country is still held by Islamic State. Control of Aleppo, still home to two million people, is divided between the government and rebels. Friday's offensive appeared to be aimed at an area south of Aleppo, rather than the city itself. "This is the promised battle," a senior military source in Syria said of the offensive backed by hundreds of Hezbollah and Iranian forces, which he said had made some gains on the ground. It was the first time Iranian fighters had taken part on such a scale in the Syrian conflict, he said, although their numbers were modest compared to the army force. "The main core is the Syrian army," the source said. Senior regional sources said this week that Iran had sent thousands of troops to Syria to bolster an offensive already underway in Hama province and ahead of the Aleppo attack. Iran says it has sent weapons and military advisers to support its ally Assad, but has denied providing troops. The Syrian army said in a statement its forces were fighting in areas including Joubar and Harasta town near the capital Damascus, Homs and Aleppo provinces. "Military operations against the terrorist groups continue along with intensive air strikes carried out by Syrian air force and benefiting from the results of Russian strikes," it said. Rami Abdulrahman, director of UK-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said there were heavy clashes near the Jebel Azzan region, about 12 km (8 miles) south of Aleppo city. The area that the army and Russian jets were targeting was close to a main road heading south towards the capital Damascus, Abdulrahman said. The army had recaptured the village of Abtin from rebel fighters, he said, as well as a tank battalion base close to Sabiqiya village. Both villages lie close to Jebel Azzan. Rebels had hit one army tank with a U.S.-made TOW anti-tank missile. The military source said the rebel fighters were mainly from the Islamist group Ahrar al-Sham and al Qaeda's Syrian wing, the Nusra Front, as well as the Suqour al-Sham and Failaq al-Sham insurgent groups. The head of another rebel brigade, Fursan al Haq, which is backed by Assad's foreign opponents and operates under the umbrella of the Free Syrian Army, said his fighters had sent more TOW missiles to the Aleppo area to try to stem the attack. "The battle is ongoing, and the resistance is stronger than the attack," Fares al Bayoush, told Reuters. Since Russia launched air strikes in support of Assad, the army has waged offensives against several insurgent-held regions in western Syria, starting with areas of Hama, Idlib and Latakia provinces taken by the rebels over the summer. (Additional reporting by Robin Emmott; Writing by Dominic Evans; Editing by Giles Elgood) | 5 | 95,768 | news |
The Anti-Narcotic Force burned huge piles of drugs worth over $2 billion and steamrollered thousands of alcohol bottles around the country. | 8 | 95,769 | video |
Traveling solo or with a friend can be fun, but it can also be expensive. A budget-friendly solution to consider before hitting the road is traveling with a group. Affinity group travel, which typically consists of 10 or more like-minded people heading to the same destination, is often cheaper than traveling alone or with just a few people. Using their collective bargaining power, group members can receive discounts on tickets and lodging, plus gain access to advantages such as flexible travel arrangements. Groups can also often get last-minute flight and accommodation deals, whether booking through a travel agency or independently. 1. Save on Flights. Members of a travel group can save on airfare when flying together to a common destination. While some airlines offer special group fares, many provide group members a standard discount, usually between 5 and 10 percent, as long as 10 or more people book the same flight. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, for instance, offer a 5 percent group travel discount on published fares. Southwest Airlines grants one round-trip airfare free of charge for every 30th passenger in a group, plus special discounts off published fares. JetBlue does not guarantee a discount but may offer one for groups of 20 or more. Special rates and discounts vary according to the type of travel group, time of year, and destination, and not every airline offers a deal. 2. Save on Trip Packages. In addition to organizing the group's trip, travel agencies can score discounts and special ticket rates for a larger group. Liberty Travel finds the cheapest airfare for groups in addition to offering payment plans for group travelers, a perk that's not usually extended for travelers who fly by themselves. 3. Save on Road and Rail Travel. Bus and train tickets can also be cheaper for group travelers. Amtrak discounts fares for travel groups of 20 or more, giving those who travel together to the same destination a 10 percent discount on their train tickets. Follow MSN Travel on Twitter 4. Save on Lodging. Travel groups booking several rooms in the same hotel on the same night can get a generous discount on each room booked. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts offers a discount to groups needing multiple rooms per night, though discounts can change depending on the season and number of rooms booked. Group travelers can also cut lodging costs the old-fashioned way -- by sharing rooms or suites. 5. Other Perks. Many people join a travel group for the money-saving perks but also a host of other reasons, such as safety or companionship. Travel groups help travelers reach and explore a destination without having to worry about logistics or language barriers. The organizers also take care of accommodations and itineraries, allowing travelers to enjoy themselves stress-free. 6. Joining a Travel Group. There are travel groups for almost every interest and type of traveler, including groups for women, students, and different nationalities, many with their own websites. Travelers can also connect through Meetups and online matchmaking services for solo travelers. Many clubs require membership dues, which cover the costs of meetings and other expenses. Some travel groups also require each member to have travel insurance, which can cover emergency medical care and any expenses resulting from lost luggage or a stolen passport. As with all insurance policies, rates for travel insurance vary according to destination, total cost of the trip, trip duration, and the traveler's age. Follow MSN Travel on Twitter | 2 | 95,770 | travel |
OPATOVAC, Croatia/LJUBLJANA, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Migrants streaming across the Balkans reached Slovenia on Saturday, diverted overnight by the closure of Hungary's border with Croatia in the latest demonstration of Europe's disjointed response to the flow of people reaching its borders. Hungary's right-wing government declared its southern frontier with Croatia off limits to migrants, blocking entry with a metal fence and razor wire just as it did a month ago on its border with Serbia. Croatia began directing migrants west to Slovenia, which said some 300 had arrived and would be registered before continuing their journey to Austria and Germany, the preferred destination of the vast majority, many of them Syrians fleeing war. But their movement had slowed visibly, with dozens of buses lined up at Serbia's border with Croatia through the night and into Saturday as Croatian police controlled their entry, a Reuters reporter said. Slovenia suspended rail traffic with Croatia. Aid agencies are concerned about backlogs of migrants building in the Balkans, battered by autumn winds and rain as temperatures drop before winter. Hungary said it had reinstated border controls on its frontier with Slovenia, effectively suspending Europe's Schengen system of passport-free travel. Both Slovenia and Hungary are part of the Schengen Area while Croatia is not. A government spokesman said Budapest had taken the step because "migrants appeared" on the Slovenian side of the border. Slovenia, a small country of two million people, says it can accommodate up to 8,000 migrants per day. Both Ljubljana and Zagreb say they will not restrict the flow so long as Austria and Germany keep their doors open. 'DOMINO EFFECT' Hungary says it is duty-bound to secure the borders of the European Union from mainly Muslim migrants threatening, it says, the prosperity, security and "Christian values" of Europe. Budapest is among several ex-Communist members of the EU that oppose an EU plan to share out 120,000 refugees among its members. That is only a small proportion of the 700,000 migrants expected to reach Europe's shores by boat and dinghy from North Africa and Turkey this year, many of them fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. At a summit in Brussels on Thursday, the EU offered Turkey a possible three billion euros ($3.4 billion) in aid and the prospect of easier travel visas and "re-energised" talks on joining the bloc if it would help stem the flow of migrants across its territory. But Hungary said this fell short of Budapest's demands, which include formation of a common force to protect the borders of Greece, where most migrants arrive across the Aegean Sea from Turkey before heading north through Macedonia and Serbia. Asked what would happen if Germany was to close its doors, Croatia's interior minister warned of a "domino effect". "It will be a lot of trouble for all countries and I cannot predict what will happen in this situation," Ranko Ostojic, speaking in English, told reporters at a migrant camp in the eastern Croatian village of Opatovac. "They are risking their lives and nobody is able to stop this flow ... without shooting." (Additional reporting by Fedja Grulovic in BERKOSOVO, Serbia, Marton Dunai in ZAKANY, Hungary and Krisztina Than in BUDAPEST; writing by Matt Robinson; editing by Jason Neely) | 5 | 95,771 | news |
On Wednesday's episode of The Tonight Show , Selena Gomez revealed a deep secret: she believes in ghosts. So much so that she has downloaded an app, Ghost Hunter M2 , so she can detect if there are any supernatural presences near her at any time. It's an app that the Daily Dot described as "the Cadillac of ghost hunting equipment" in a comprehensive review of ghost hunting apps last year. And if Selena Gomez has the Cadillac of ghost hunting equipment, I have to have the Cadillac of ghost hunting equipment. . @SelenaGomez = Tonight Show ghost hunter 👻 https://t.co/4ul4wdzGhI pic.twitter.com/hmKnzNBtVX Fallon Tonight (@FallonTonight) October 15, 2015 Ghosts, presumably, are all around us. If you believe in them, the sheer number of dead people versus living mean that we're breathing about 40 percent ectoplasm at any given time. So instead of going to knowingly haunted sites, I wanted to see what this app could detect in my everyday life. For a highly calibrated piece of equipment, Ghost Hunter M2 sure does scare you with fake thunder sounds a bunch. The app offers a slew of different features, each described in such detail that you may need a PhD in paranormal studies to decipher just what it is they do. The Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) instrument presents words detected through an "advanced and proprietary computational phonetic pattern." The Fast Fourier Transform Visualizer (FFT-V) analyzes audio signals through the "acoustic to electric transducer system." The Sensor Sweep gives you visual representation of potential nearby paranormal activity, the closest thing the app has to a Look, a ghost! feature. The Sweep, EVP, EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) and Audio features are all represented on a basic dashboard, which is your best shot at catching a ghost in your vicinity. Here's what I found in my neighborhood. Jaya Saxena My Apartment I live in a prewar apartment building, and at least two tenants have died since I've been here, so if ghosts exist, I'm pretty sure there would be one around. I started with the Audio feature, which I think picks up supernatural voices. I had my phone's volume all the way up, and was startled when a robotic voice shouted what sounded like "YOU'RE THE BOY" at me as I was trying to answer an email. I switched to the EVP feature, and after it warmed up, presented me with a collection of words that painted a picture of a very specific ghost. Cancer, cellar, chain, ankle and finally Brian . My apartment building was haunted by Brian, who had cancer but apparently was shackled to the walls of the laundry room. A cursory web search showed two Brians have lived at my building's address. I do not know if they are alive. Later, I made myself eggs, and as I went to the fridge the EVP feature shouted out "left." Sure enough, the eggs were on the left of the fridge. Thanks, Brian! The laundry room My first stop was my best guess for this "cellar" where Brian obviously lives (resides? deads?). My building's laundry room has always been pretty spooky to me. The EVP brought up the words sing and receive , and I listened for a singing voice. Or was I supposed to be the one singing? It's quite annoying that ghosts can't use their words. Jaya Saxena The liquor store When I left the house I switched to the dashboard feature to get the full experience. My first stop was the liquor store for some white wine I was going to cook with for lunch ( spooooky.) No words appeared, but the Sensor Sweep brought up a blip on the screen. "The strength of the anomaly will be indicated by color," says the app, with blue being the weakest, then green, yellow and red. I noticed a yellow dot, and walked toward it. Then, a blue dot appeared behind me, and then a green one to my side. A presence was apparently circling me, but I felt nothing. C'mon ghosts, show yourselves! I grabbed the cheapest bottle and left. The grocery store My grocery store is in the middle of a renovation, so surely the construction had rattled some spirits from the beyond. But the Trade Fair was a dead zone for paranormal activity, even by the butcher. At least give me the ghost of a chicken or something! I got shallots. The bank As I sat waiting for a representative to help me activate my new debit card, two words jumped out in quick succession: minister and Harmon . Was the bank built on some forgotten grave? Was a local minister horribly murdered while on his way to deposit a check, and now he haunts the ATM? A quick web search shows that a minister Harmon was murdered in Brockton, MA in 2013, so maybe he's just down for a visit. The boutique pet store Ghosts aside, this is probably the creepiest place in my neighborhood. What's stranger than a holistic spa for dogs? Things were about to get even weirder, because this place was crawling with paranormal activity. From the moment I stepped in the door, the dashboard was on fire. Two presences, one green and one red, appeared to be on the street just outside, and the EVP flashed the words rumor, ear and blood . "What the hell happened at the pet spa?" I wondered. There's a big part of me that wants to believe in ghosts, for all the reasons you'd expect. I want comfort in knowing that death is not the end. I want to know what happens to all our energy when our bodies give out. I want to be able to make someone dance to Harry Belafonte and then grow shrimp hands like in Beetlejuice . But mainly, I sort of want to know that someone is always there. A friend grew up in what was reported to be a haunted house: Everyone who had ever lived there experienced some sort of activity. My friend and her family remember the ghost as helpful, opening cabinets and pulling out bowls when needed and flinging car keys to a visible spot when they were difficult to find. I want my own ghost friend. I've kept the Ghost Hunter M2 dashboard on as I've written this, hoping that it'll give me more clues about Brian if Brian ever really existed. It's said both sing and singer , so perhaps that was his profession. I think he might have been from Canada . The last word it said to me before I finally ran out of battery was aim . What do you want me to aim for, Brian? What would direct me to you? Jaya Saxena I'm fairly certain none of this is real. Fluctuations in electromagnetic fields are probably not ghosts, and even if they are, they probably can't be measured all that well by my iPhone 4S. But right now, the logic of knowing this is an app with a goofy font that cost less than a dollar is at odds with my wanting to believe this is real. I want to feel a chill down my spine and look down to see a yellow presence on the Sweep. I want to believe that when my cats run across the apartment for no reason, it's because they felt something. I want to know that when my plants die it's because they're possessed, not because I'm terrible at keeping plants alive. There are dozens of ghost finding apps in the iTunes store, which suggests that I'm not the only one who feels this way. We already use our phones to feel less alone, whether it's through Tinder or Instagram. Why should that be limited to the living? Illustration by Max Fleishman | 4 | 95,772 | lifestyle |
Turkey's air force shot down an unidentified aircraft that had entered Turkish airspace near the Syrian border, Turkish armed forces said in a statement. | 5 | 95,773 | news |
What a cheesy tribute. The rodent caught on video struggling to carry a slice of pizza down the subway stairs in the East Village last month was honored Thursday with an authentic-looking street sign in Brooklyn. The green "PIZZA RAT BLVD" sign was seen attached to a pole at Franklin and India Aves. in Greenpoint. It was unclear who was behind the tribute to the viral video star, which had disappeared by Thursday evening. ECKSTEIN: A SUBWAY PIZZA RAT SAYS HIS PIECE The hungry little rodent has inspired sexy Halloween costumes and even received a nod from Miley Cyrus during her recent "Saturday Night Live" appearance . The city Department of Transportation did not respond to a request for comment. | 5 | 95,774 | news |
Nestle (NESN.VX), the world's largest packaged food company, lowered its full-year outlook on Friday, as a Maggi noodle recall in India knocked sales and undercalculated U.S. Skin Health rebates weighed on the Swiss company's profits. Sales dropped 2.1 percent to 64.9 billion Swiss francs ($68 billion) in the nine months through September, missing analysts' average forecast of 65.9 billion in a Reuters poll. Organic or underlying growth, adjusted for currency swings, acquisitions and divestitures, slowed to 4.2 percent in the period from 4.5 percent in the first half, sliding further behind its 5 percent target for 2015. The company cut its 2015 outlook to around 4.5 percent, below its long-term model calling for 5 to 6 percent growth. "The shortfall comes from pricing, as Nestle does not seem to have been able to pursue its pricing actions as hoped, and more importantly the issue seems to be again the Asia, Oceania, Australia region, with sales down in the third quarter," Barclays analysts wrote in a note. Chief Executive Paul Bulcke said: "After a good performance in the first half of the year, we were impacted in the third quarter by exceptional events, with Maggi noodles in India and a rebate adjustment in Nestle Skin Health." Maggi noodles were subject to a recall in India over safety concerns. In the United States, frozen food sales began improving after a revamp of Nestle's Lean Cuisine brand, but this contrasted with lagging sales in China, which showed a slower sales recovery, Bulcke said. SIGNIFICANT IMPACT India's Maggi noodle recall continued to have a significant impact on growth in the South Asia Region, Nestle said. In its Skin Health division, Nestle's U.S. prescription drug rebates exceeded what it had set aside for this purpose, resulting in an additional one-off charge in the third quarter. Despite prospects that Europe's hot summer would have consumers grabbing ice cream out of freezers, sales at the group's milk products and ice cream unit fell 350 million francs year-on-year to 11 billion. Water, however, achieved 7.1 organic growth through September, second only to confectionery at 7.8 percent. Nestle earlier this month confirmed it was in advanced talks to merge its international ice cream business with R&R Ice Cream, in its latest effort to refocus on other, higher-performing brands and advance its goal of becoming a "nutrition, health and wellness" company. Unilever (ULVR.L)(UNc.AS), the global number one in ice cream, on Thursday posted third-quarter underlying sales up 5.7 percent, thanks in part to a strong summer. But the Anglo-Dutch group said it expected sluggish global markets to keep weighing on performance. Nestle stock trades at around 21.4 times 12-month forward earnings, above Danone (DANO.PA) and Unilever, according to StarMine, which weights analysts' estimates by their track record. ($1 = 0.9522 Swiss francs) (Editing by Michael Shields and David Holmes) | 3 | 95,775 | finance |
Pakistani authorities destroy thousands of tonnes of illicit drugs and alcohol worth billions of dollars. Rough cut (no reporter narration). | 8 | 95,776 | video |
Since the start of the U.S.Open, Novak Djokovic has won 15-straight matches, including the titles in New York and Beijing, as well as his current semifinal run in Shanghai. But it's not the winning streak that's proving most impressive, it's the sheer and utter domination Djokovic has left in his path, starting with the back half of his U.S. Open finals match against Federer. Here are the scores of each set Djokovic has played since losing the second set to Federer in last month's Open final: 6-4, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (6), 6-1. That's 18 sets (and not in featherweight matches either: six of the nine matches were against top 20 players). Take away the two against Federer and, starting with the next match, he won 14 sets in a row by a score of 6-3 or better. (That was snapped in Friday's first-set tiebreak against Bernard Tomic.) He dropped a breadstick (6-1) in five of those sets. Thirteen of the 18 sets had a score of 6-2 or better. He was only just recently pushed to a seventh game or a tiebreak, but then followed that up with a 6-1 closer. Some other dominant stats: 1. Djokovic is 29-0 in the Beijing tournament, winning 58 sets and dropping just three. 2. He's 22-3 in Shanghai, making him 51-3 overall in China. 3. The world No. 1 has won 34 of his past 35 matches in China, with the only loss coming to Federer in last year's Shanghai final. 4. Djokovic has made 12 straight finals since before the Australian Open, going 8-4 in those matches. 5. Add up the rankings points of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, John Isner and Nick Kyrgios and you still wouldn't pass Djokovic. 6. And we've saved the best for last (via Andrew Burton ): In 2007 in Miami, Novak Djokovic won his first Masters 1000 title. Since then, no player younger than Djokovic has won one of those titles. The Djoker is the youngest of the Big Four (Murray has him by a week) and in those eight years, no one else has risen to the challenge. How long ago was that? Just as a frame of reference, Rafael Nadal was still dressing like a pirate in capris. | 1 | 95,777 | sports |
No matter how you slice it, online dating is daunting. With an overwhelming number of digital dating platforms and an endless stream of prospective partners, how will you ever stand out? The Huffington Post caught up with Ryan Jakovljevic, an award-winning relationship expert and couples therapist , to learn the do's and don'ts of online dating -- suited for the average straight man. So keep these tips and tricks in mind next time you find yourself swiping away. 1. Know what you're looking for. Tinder Before diving into the online dating sea, Jakovljevic says you should be aware of what type of relationship you're after. Whether it's a no-strings-attached rendezvous, casual dating or a serious relationship, pick one and create your profile with that in mind. For casual hook ups, Jakovljevic recommends Tinder for straight guys (or Grindr for gay guys). If you're in search of a serious partner, Jakovljevic suggests eHarmony or Match.com since paid sites tend to filter out the not-so-serious people. 2. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential match. To take your online dating game to the next level, try putting yourself in your prospective partner's shoes. For example, to gain insight into a woman's perspective, Jakovljevic suggests creating a female profile for a day and observing how men talk to you. "Most women are getting dozens of messages, only a few of which stand out. It can be a real eye-opener," says Jakovljevic. 3. Show, don't tell. The number one mistake guys make is writing about their traits rather than demonstrating their traits, Jakovljevic says. There's a difference between saying "I'm a really funny guy," and sharing a hilarious story on your profile. "If someone tells you they're really cool, one thing you can be sure if is, they aren't," he advises. Think about what you want to communicate, and show that instead of flat out saying it. It's also helpful to ask yourself, "What kind of introduction would I want to keep on reading?" Steer clear of eliminating prospective dates, e.g. "must be down for a good time" or "have to be adventurous before swiping right." The last thing you want is to come off as critical or bossy. Keep it positive. 4. The best type of profile picture may not be what you think. You may be surprised, but the worst picture you can post if you want women to respond is one of you smiling and looking at the camera, according to Jakovljevic. The best performing photos show a guy l ooking away from the camera, and not smiling. "Women love to see a man's sense of focus and intensity. Imagine a shot of you in action playing pool, focusing on making a shot," he says. For optimal results, add a photo of you in a social setting and another showing you doing something interesting. The key for the latter is to spark curiosity and create topics of conversation. Good photos, for instance, will show you backstage with a band or in a remote area less traveled-to. You want your prospective match to wonder, "How did he pull that off?" or "What was he doing there?" 5. Personalize your greeting. A photo posted by Unspirational (@tindernightmares) on Sep 21, 2015 at 8:42pm PDT Ditch the generic "hey, what's up?" and opt for sending a personalized message. Putting thought into your initial greeting shows you're interested and that you've taken time to read through her profile. According to a study by dating site OKCupid, messages that include the phrase "you mention" along with an interest listed in her profile , or messages that suggest you have a common interest, have a much higher chance of getting a response. 6. Converse as you would in real life -- in complete words, in good taste. A photo posted by Unspirational (@tindernightmares) on Aug 12, 2015 at 11:15am PDT When exchanging messages, it's important to avoid text speak and physical compliments, Jakovljevic says. Poor grammar and incorrect spelling are also a huge turn-off and make an awful first impression. So while you may think phrases like "ur hot" and "omg so sexy" flatter the receiver, Jakovljevic says women read these types of messages all the time. If you want to stand out, get more creative and address their interests over their looks. And while this may be obvious, it's worth repeating: Do not go straight for the "nudes?" message, and for the most part, refrain from asking for sex at the initial stage. It's one of the worst ways to start a conversation, Jakovljevic says. 7. If you like her, ask her out. If you're feeling a connection, Jakovljevic recommends making a concrete plan to meet up. Don't just ask for her digits as a next step. Why move potentially awkward conversation from one platform to another? Getting to the point and meeting up to see how you jive IRL is much better than waiting for the nerve-wracking iMessage ellipsis . 8. Don't play games. Online dating is a different experience for everyone, but there's one rule Jakovljevic encourages his clients to follow: Don't play games. No one wins. "If you don't like someone, be mature enough to tell them you aren't interested. If you're interested, don't try to be unavailable or hard to get," he says. "If you're honest and straight up and it doesn't work, that's okay -- you're filtering out people who don't fit what you're looking for." Also on HuffPost: You may also like ... 5 Dating Apps That Aren't Tinder And Are Still Worth Trying 24 Single Dads Share Their Challenges And Triumphs 21 Stereotypes About Latino Men That Latino Men Want To Dispel | 4 | 95,778 | lifestyle |
Hugh Jackman Hugh Jackman has admitted some of the 'X-Men' and 'Wolverine' movies have failed to match expectations. The 47-year-old actor has starred as the fictional superhero in various Marvel movies and as he prepares to reprise the part for the final time, Hugh has also offered an honest assessment of the films. Asked if he hesitates before returning to the part, the award-winning actor said: "If I was hesitating I wouldn't do it. "I ... I don't think all the 'X-Men' and 'Wolverines' have been great, and I'm not going to pretend ... the intention was always there and everyone worked super-hard and all of that." Despite this, Hugh is looking forward to his final appearance as Wolverine, promising fans that the new movie will be "fantastic". He told the Guardian newspaper: "I do think we're in a really great place with the character. This next one, from what I'm hearing, is going to be fantastic. "I would love to go out where I felt we were really doing something new and interesting and valid, and I don't know how much longer I can contribute to that. I'm sure there are other people who can." | 6 | 95,779 | entertainment |
The best flea-market finds are unexpected, special, and spark inspiration as soon as you lay your eyes on them. But we're not just referring to the ornate, antique mirror that now hangs in your living room or the gently loved fringed leather jacket in your closet. A lot of the time, our fellow flea-goers catch our attention as much as the merch itself. So together with ALDO, we compiled some of the coolest outfit inspiration we gleaned from the treasure hunters at the Brooklyn Flea. It's no surprise that those with a knack for seeking out the unique also excel when it comes to personalizing their sartorial POV. Ahead, 10 street style looks that could change your wardrobe no price haggling required. You can still get away with some bare extremities during the last leg (see what we did there?) of warm fall weather especially when you double up with a coordinating jacket. . This look shines for incorporating multiple micro trends in one: bandana neckerchiefs, page-boy caps, and suede jackets. . Super-oversized, tortoise-printed circle frames: a seasonless sunnies trend that always makes a power statement. . All-white monochrome adapts for fall weather with multiple layers of the crisp shade. When the temps continue to take a dive, simply slip into the sweater instead of tying it around your waist and add a thick, textured overcoat in the same shade. . Winterize your accessories before you do your clothing with felt hats and bright, reflective lenses liken to ski goggles. . In deep hues, even some of the most unexpected colors can mesh together harmoniously marigold and purple for starters. . Coat commitment issues? Start by just draping it over your ensemble. . Pair your Canadian tuxedo with a loafers-and-quirky-socks combo. . Is it a graphic print that tones down the elegance of a damask pattern, or does her coat dress up this jeans-and-tee combo? . Chunky sweaters and overalls are the new crop tops and overalls. Sorry, summer. . | 4 | 95,780 | lifestyle |
Gaming's crown prince PewDiePie is king of YouTube celebrities. The video-game-playing bro, who's birth name is Felix Kjellberg, is the world's highest-paid YouTube star, having earned $12 million over the past year and thereby topping Forbes magazine's first-ever ranking of the top-paid stars on the Google video platform. The 25-year-old Swedish gamer has nearly 40 million YouTube subscribers and earns the bulk of his income from advertisements on his channel. PewDiePie also topped Variety 's list of Famechangers , the digital world's 12 most influential stars. The duos of Smosh Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla and the Fine Brothers Benny and Rafi Fine were runner-ups with $8.5 million. "Smosh" recently starred in the aptly titled film "Smosh: The Movie." Chanteuse Lindsey Stirling came in fourth with $6 million. The violinist also made our Famechangers list . Comedians Rhett and Link aka Rhett McLaughlin and Charles Lincoln Neal III and video game commentator Olajide Olatunji known as "KSI" tied for fifth with $4.5 million. Self-taught make-up artist Michelle Phan was seventh at $3 million. Comedian Lilly Singh called "Superwoman" prankster Roman Atwood and chef Rosanna Pansino came in eighth with $2.5 million each. Here's the full list : 1. PewDiePie: $12 million 2. (Tie) Smosh and Fine Brothers: $8.5 million 4. Lindsey Stirling: $6 million 5. (Tie) Rhett & Link and KSI: $4.5 million 7. Michelle Phan: $3 million 8. (Tie) Lilly Singh, Roman Atwood and Rosanna Pansino: $2.5 million | 6 | 95,781 | entertainment |
"Now, when it comes to Wal-Mart, there's no two ways about it: I'm cheap," wrote Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton in his 1992 memoir "Sam Walton: Made in America." If the notoriously cheap Walton were alive today, he would probably be surprised that his pioneering profit formula -- keep costs low so that prices are as low as possible and customers buy more -- is now virtually impossible to maintain. Full blame for that can be pinned on employees demanding higher wages and the rise of e-commerce giants such as Amazon , which are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Perhaps the retail legend saw some of this on display from up above on what was a dark day in Wal-Mart's history on Wednesday. Wal-Mart's usually stable stock price tumbled 11% as the company said at its annual investor day that higher wages for associates will dent profits by about $1.5 billion in the 2017 fiscal year, following a $1.2 billion hit this fiscal year. For years, Wal-Mart has had the upper hand with its employees, paying them state minimum wages, offering basic healthcare plans, and using computerized systems to control their hours. But with the rise of social media and the internetgiving employees a free platform to express views, and the rising cost of living causing state governments to push through higher minimum wages, Wal-Mart has had to change with the times. As a result, it has lost a key element of its business model put in place by Walton that has supported the company's profits since its founding. Further, rising employee costs are arriving as online shopping is also limiting the ability of Wal-Mart to raise prices at all to help deliver sustainable profit growth. Wal-Mart added on Wednesday that it expects earnings per share to decline between 6% and 12% next year. Wrote Sterne Agee analyst Charles Grom in a note to clients on Wednesday : "What's surprising to us is that the new outlook is incorporating roughly $20 billion in share buybacks in the next two years, which implies significant margin contraction along with modest sales growth," Employee costs aren't the only line item on the income statement Wal-Mart is battling to control. Wal-Mart's investments in e-commerce and digital initiatives are expected to total about $1.1 billion in the 2017 fiscal year. This year, Wal-Mart is projected to shell out $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion on e-commerce and digital. These investments are a necessary evil to stay competitive with Amazon , as well as with Best Buy and Target , which are continuing down their own paths to reduce prices, improve checkout speeds and offer a range of delivery options. When Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas in 1962, though, it's unlikely he foresaw a day when a sweater could be purchased off a handheld device. Today it can be, however, and to make it happen seamlessly and at the lowest cost is proving to be a major profit headwind for the once mighty Wal-Mart. Even with such enormous investments in digital, however, Wal-Mart still sees sales as being under pressure. Wal-Mart said it now expects net sales growth for the current fiscal year to be relatively flat, down from a forecast of between 1% and 2% in February. Excluding the impact of currency exchange fluctuations -- mostly the stronger dollar -- net sales growth is estimated to be about 3%. "New guidance reflects that Wal-Mart's competitive edge -- historically largely assortment and price -- has faded relative to purveyors of extreme value (warehouse clubs, hard discounters) or extreme convenience (dollar stores, hard discounters), as e-commerce has neutralized the impact of selection," pointed out Goldman Sachs analyst Matthew Fassler in a note on Wednesday. The deterioration of Walton's pioneering business model has been playing out for some time in Wal-Mart's numbers. According to Bloomberg data, Wal-Mart's operating profit margins, which takes into account its costs to run stores and pay for wages and healthcare, has fallen from 7.1% in 1987 to 5.6% in 2015. From 1988, Wal-Mart's return on assets -- an indicator of how profitable a company is relative to its total assets -- has gone from 13.7% to 8.0% in 2015. The alarming downtrends in these measures, partly fueled by investments to compete online and compensate workers better, have been overlooked for years by Wal-Mart's investors who have focused on the retailer's healthy dividend and relative stability. But the stock's nosedive on Wednesday, and an 11% drop for the year prior to that point, suggests Walmart's investor base is growing concerned that the retail giant's business is broken. Wrote Stifel analyst David Schick in a note, "the market is reacting to meaningful evidence that Wal-Mart has substantially over-earned." In other words, Wal-Mart is now being forced to play catch up on investments it neglected to make in the past to keep the profits flowing. And if Wal-Mart's business model is broken, profits are likely to stay under pressure for some time, and future dividend hikes may not be as robust as in years past. Now, Wal-Mart has to find a way to channel Walton and become cheap once more. Indications have emerged that it may be willing to take drastic actions to return to some sense of frugality . "We are more than open to re-shaping our portfolio," said Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon at the investor event. McMillon added the company continues to "evaluate its portfolio" of assets, and pointed to Wal-Mart's history of exiting non-strategic assets and closing underperforming stores. For example, the retailer exited Germany in 2006 and took a $1 billion hit to profits as a result. By shedding assets such as Sam's Club or lagging international operations, Wal-Mart would also be shedding costs related to employees and maintaining physical stores. In turn, those savings could be used to offset the investments being made in core assets such as the online business and Wal-Mart U.S., or simply be brought to the bottom line to appease investors. "You can make a lot of different mistakes and still recover if you run an efficient operation -- or you can be brilliant and still go out of business if you're too inefficient," wrote Walton. Words of wisdom from beyond the grave for McMillon and the execs tasked with turning around the largest ship in retail. Wal-Mart did not respond to request for comment for this story. | 3 | 95,782 | finance |
LeBron James could sit out the remainder of the Cleveland Cavaliers' preseason, coach David Blatt said Thursday. James has been benched in Cleveland's last two games, and has not played since Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies. He has scored 22 points in 48 minutes over two games this preseason. The star forward is healthy, but Blatt wants to limit his playing time heading into the regular season. LeBron James Career Stats | PointAfter "We're really happy with how LeBron came into camp. Came in great shape," Blatt said. "We want to take good care of him for the start of the season. As you know in his great and storied career, he has amassed a lot of miles. We're trying to keep those preseason miles to a minimum. ...We'll see what happens at the beginning of next week. I certainly don't expect him to play both games and I don't know if he'll even play one. We'll see." The Cavs, who are 0 5 in preseason play, have two games left against the Toronto Raptors and the Dallas Mavericks, before beginning their regular season against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 27. • MAHONEY: Growing NBA middle class forces teams to do balancing act - Erin Flynn | 1 | 95,783 | sports |
These cars do it with ease. 25 of the Fastest Road Cars Ever Made As cars have advanced, so have their top speeds. Not too long ago, surpassing the 200 mph mark was unthinkable. These next 25 cars do it with ease. In choosing the list, we stuck with cars from manufacturers that aren't one hit wonders or super tuners, so no SSC Ultimate Aero or Hennessey Venom. If a top speed isn't verified (sorry Koenigsegg One:1), we didn't include it. Also, we included the fastest version of a car, so if there was a model with a top speed 2 mph lower than the one we included, it's not on here. Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook Porsche Carrera GT Top speed: 205 mph Strip away traction control give a light body a crazy V10? You get a Carrera GT, Porsche road going race car. Horrible cars of the last four decades Porsche GT2 RS Top speed: 206 mph A lightweight body that produced 620 hp meant that the GT2 RS could do over 200 mph and not even break a sweat. 50 supercars you've (probably) never heard of Mercedes SLR McLaren Top speed: 207 mph The long nose and scissor doors on the SLR McLaren keeps it modern-looking, despite it being over 10 years old. The Greatest Concept Cars of All Time McLaren MP4-12C Top speed: 207 mph McLaren announced its intention to return to building road cars again in 2011. The MP4-12C, despite its long name, topped out at 207 mph. The 10 Most Unusual Engines of All Time Ferrari 599 GTO Top speed: 208 mph Ferrari's previous front-engined V12 grand tourer was also able to put down a top speed of 208 mph. The Top 10 Animated Cars of All Time Ferrari FF Top speed: 208 mph With AWD and seats for four, the FF is definitely high speed luxury. Top 15 motorcycles of all time Lamborghini Diablo GT Top speed: 210 mph The Diablo was a visceral and raw Lamborghini experience that used a 5.7 liter V12. America's Best and Worst Car Brands Ferrari F12berlinetta Top speed: 211 mph Ferrari's current front-engined V12 grand tourer, the F12berlinetta is comfortable and really damn fast. And the upcoming F12tdf might be even faster. Worst Car Names Ever Porsche 918 Spyder Top speed: 211 mph With an electric motor driving the front wheels and an gas motor driving the rear, the 918 Spyder produces over 800 hp. 100 Ugliest Cars of All Time Lamborghini Murciélago LP670-4 SV To p speed: 212 mph The Murciélago SV was the fastest version of Lamborghini's big bad supercar. If you had the smallest wing on it, it also went 212 MPH. Movie cars: 20 best of all time Jaguar XJ220 Top speed: 213 mph Jaguar only made 275 examples of the XJ220, so your chances of seeing one are pretty slim. Most Extravagant Cars of All Time Bugatti EB110 GT Top speed: 213 mph Before Bugatti was making Veyrons, it was making and setting records with this: the EB110 GT. The 51 Coolest Cars of the Last 50 Years McLaren P1 Top speed: 217 mph As McLaren's next flagship after the F1, the P1 doesn't quite achieve the F1's top speed, but is no less impressive. The crazy and colorful world of Art Cars Ferrari LaFerrari Top speed: 217 mph Ferrari's current flagship uses a clever hybrid system to achieve maximum power, but it's still one mph behind its predecessor. The 100 Hottest Cars of All Time Ferrari Enzo Top speed: 218 mph The Enzo's goal wasn't outright top speed, but 218 is not too shabby. The 25 Greatest Car Designers of All Time Lamborghini Aventador SV Top speed: 220 mph Lamborghini's current flagship supercar whose posters adorn bedroom walls everywhere. The world's motoring record-breakers in pictures Pagani Zonda Top speed: 220 mph The Zonda came with enough versions to make your head spin, but the later versions, such as the Tricolore , were easily able to top 200 mph. Best Tailgating Vehicles For The 2015 Football Season Aston Martin One-77 Top speed: 221 mph Aston only made 77 of these mid-engined beauties, and they cost over $1 million each. Top 10 Greatest American Cars of All Time Lamborghini Veneno Top speed: 221 mph The chances of you seeing one of these in person? Probably zero, because Lamborghini only built three coupes and nine roadsters. The 15 Most "Bro" Cars Pagani Huayra Top speed: 230 mph A 720 bhp twin-turbo AMG V12 and active aero suspension help the Huayra achieve its top speed. 10 Things You Didn't Know About Tires Koenigsegg CCR Top speed: 241 mph Fast, and rare: Koenigsegg only made 14 examples of the CCR. Koenigsegg also says that the CCR's successor, the CCX, has a top speed in excess of 248 MPH, but that hasn't been verified. 12 Ways to Get Better Gas Mileage McLaren F1 Top speed: 243 mph (with rev limiter taken off, 240.1 with rev limiter engaged) Gordon Murray's ultimate road car is this, the McLaren F1. It was never even intended to hold the top speed record, that was just a side effect of the aero design and power that the car had. The 10 coolest Lamborghinis ever made Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Top speed: 254.04 mph What other car can boast a 254 mph top speed and a super luxurious cabin like the Veyron's? The 20 Best Cars That Ford Ever Made Koenigsegg Agera R Top speed: 260 mph With a twin-turbo V8 that produces 1,140 hp, it's no wonder the Agera R can smash its way up to 260 mph. 14 Ugly But Great Cars, Trucks, SUVs Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Top speed: 267.9 mph No one has officially beaten the Super Sport's top speed (the Hennessey Venom has run 270 MPH +, but that wasn't officially official) record yet. With the Chiron coming soon, Bugatti might just beat itself. The Cars of 1960 Explain Why Your Grandparents Drive Differently | 9 | 95,784 | autos |
It's not often that owners of a vehicle that hasn't had a major recall file a class action lawsuit against a manufacturer, but according to The Truth About Cars , a group of Corvette owners is doing exactly that. Nineteen owners have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against General Motors. They're not upset about the current Z06's engine failure problems, though. Instead, they're suing because they claim the previous generation Corvette 427 and Z06 suffered from valve-guide wear issues that lead to engine failure and great sadness. Allegedly, GM knew about the issues with excessive valve-guide wear but didn't do anything about it since fixing the problem would have cost too much money. If this lawsuit moves forward, it has the potential to inspire current Z06 owners to file a similar suit, as well. As TTAC points out, a number of outlets have had issues with test models behaving poorly. Fox News reporter Gary Gastelu had the engine go out in the Z06 he was reviewing, and when Motor Trend tested the Z06 for its Best Driver's Car test earlier this year, the engine ran badly enough to earn it a "DNF." GM blames bad gas and improperly broken in engines, recommending that owners change their oil at 500 miles to hopefully ensure sure their engines don't experience the same problems. Hopefully. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook | 9 | 95,785 | autos |
It even works on spiral staircases | 8 | 95,786 | video |
Coffee futures fell the most in seven months after Colombia announced measures that will increase exports, spurred by the plight of farmers in the country who are dealing with drought conditions linked to the El Nino weather pattern. The National Committee of Coffee Growers will relax restrictions on purchases from growers to boost exports, it said late Thursday in a statement. As much as 18 percent of the current crop is lower quality, compared with a typical level of about 10 percent, it said. The nation is the third-largest coffee producer, behind Brazil and Vietnam. Brazil and Colombia are the biggest exporters of arabica beans, which are brewed by companies including Starbucks Corp. Robusta is used in instant coffee. The extra supply of Colombian beans "will compete with others in Central America and other areas," Hernando de la Roche, a senior vice president for INTL FCStone in Miami, said in a telephone interview. "As a roaster, you'd prefer buying lower grades from Colombia than competing qualities, or even some robusta." On ICE Futures U.S. in New York, arabica coffee for December delivery tumbled 5.9 percent to close at $1.2585 a pound, the biggest drop for a most-active contract since March 3. The price has slumped 24 percent this year as the Brazilian real's plunge against the dollar boosted the appeal of exports priced in the greenback. Arabica posted the largest decline among 22 raw materials in the Bloomberg Commodity Index. In London, robusta coffee for January delivery fell 2.5 percent to $1,619 a metric ton (73.44 cents a pound) on ICE Futures Europe. The price has dropped 16 percent this year. The arabica premium to robusta plunged 10 percent to 52.41 cents a pound, the biggest drop since March 3. That value has tumbled 34 percent this year. | 3 | 95,787 | finance |
At the culmination of the 2014 15 season, a pair of teams in the Eastern and Western Conference vying for the No. 8 seeds finished with identical records. The Nets and Pelicans edged out the Pacers and Thunder, respectively, based on their head-to-head matchups. It's worth noting, though, that the Pacers and Thunder were both without their biggest stars for huge chunks of the campaign. With Paul George and Kevin Durant back healthy, their odds of attaining a playoff berth will grow exponentially. Of course, Indiana and OKC aren't the only teams poised to improve. A number of lottery teams in each conference positioned themselves well for 2016, but which could be postseason-bound after finishing in the lottery a season ago? • MORE NBA: Growing middle class could cause balancing act Western Conference Shakeup? Oklahoma City Thunder Last season's record: 45-37 A Jones fracture in Durant's right foot limited him to just 27 games a season ago. OKC went 18 9 in those contests, and finished a lackluster 27 28 when KD didn't suit up to play. It's not at all surprising that the Thunder were a superior offensive team with Durant on the floor, given his former MVP status and spot as one of the best players in the sport. But the on/off numbers are still remarkable. Losing Durant for more than half the season clearly crippled OKC's chances, but his wingman point guard Russell Westbrook performed admirably in his absence. From late February through early March, Westbrook collected six triple doubles (including four straight) over an eight-game span. Despite his dominance, though, Oklahoma City went 4 4 in those eight contests and ultimately missed out on the playoffs by the slimmest of margins. Neither Westbrook nor Durant can carry this team alone. But together especially when paired with the offensive firepower of Enes Kanter and Serge Ibaka this is undoubtedly a playoff team. Before missing the postseason a year ago, OKC had made it in five consecutive seasons with a winning percentage above 61% each time. Barring another devastating injury, the Thunder will be back in the playoffs and are likely to be a top-four seed. Utah Jazz Last season's record: 38-44 Evaluating the Jazz strictly by their 38 44 record and 11th place finish in the Western Conference a season ago would be shortsighted. In fact, Utah was one of the best teams in the NBA following the All-Star break. After All-Star festivities, the Jazz finished the year 19 10 with a league-best 94.8 defensive rating . In terms of win-loss record, only six teams were better than Utah in the second half: Warriors, Clippers, Spurs, Cavaliers, Rockets and Celtics. Only Boston missed the playoffs out of that group. Perhaps the biggest reason both literally and figuratively for the turnaround was Rudy Gobert. The skyscraping center, who took over after Enes Kanter was traded to OKC, became a dominant defensive force and anchored Utah on the less glamorous end of the floor. Gobert's emergence was a welcome sign for the Jazz, but their biggest advantage this season might be tied more closely to general continuity. As Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal broke down in August, continuity of a team's roster is a pretty reliable indicator of team success. Generally speaking, teams that return most of the same players tend to rack up respectable winning percentages. Provided that Utah is essentially returning the exact same squad that experienced such a great post-All-Star run, there's a lot to like about the Jazz even though they play in the ruthlessly tough Western Conference. Many expect the Trail Blazers to fall out of the playoff picture after losing four of their five starters during the offseason. But with Utah appearing primed for a breakout, don't be surprised if its young core makes a strong push toward postseason play and knocks another team (Dallas, perhaps?) out of the picture as well. • MORE NBA: Who will be NBA's flop team next season? Eastern Conference Experience Miami Heat Last season's record: 37-45 To be clear, the Heat have a lot of areas they can stand to improve. For instance, Miami ranked dead last a season ago in both rebounds per game (39.1) and assists per game (19.8). Finishing at the bottom of the totem pole in two fundamental basketball categories is never going to bode well for your playoff chances. It's no surprise then that the Heat didn't reach the playoffs a season ago. A nice mix of youth and veteran leadership could lead to greener pastures in 2015 16. Both Dwyane Wade and (a hopefully healthy) Chris Bosh are the captains of the ship. Luol Deng is another seasoned leader who can set the tone, but the spry trio of Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and rookie Justise Winslow is ultimately the X-factor. If Bosh and Wade can stay relatively healthy while Dragic, Whiteside and the incoming rookie help shoulder the load, Miami will have more than enough depth to compete in the East. Indiana Pacers Last season's record: 38-44 Indy is going with a brand new look this season after carving out an identity as a defensive powerhouse with Roy Hibbert protecting the rim. The additions of Monta Ellis, Jordan Hill and incoming rookies Myles Turner and Joseph Young hint that the Pacers are serious about playing at a swifter pace and scoring more points. Included in this cocktail is Paul George potentially playing the bulk of his minutes as a small ball power forward a move he doesn't seem too thrilled with , per USA Today's Sam Amick. Nevertheless, Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird has held firm that he wants George to play at the four spot. "Well, he don't make the decisions around here," Bird said, per CBS Sports' Matt Moore . "I [played power forward]. I loved it after I did it. I just think offensively it's going to be one of the greatest feelings he's ever had. I'm not going to get in a battle with Paul George on where he wants to play." Indiana is implementing an intriguing blueprint. We've yet to see whether the small-ball lineups with George and Ellis will display enough offensive firepower to vault it back into the playoff picture. • MORE NBA: Which teams own league's best bench rotations? The Undervalued Wildcard New York Knicks Last season's record: 17-65 One team that NBA fans might already be writing off as a result of their atrocious record a year ago is the New York Knicks. They posted the worst season in franchise history during Derek Fisher's first stint as a head coach, but there's little chance that ineptitude repeats itself. New York didn't make any headline-grabbing off-season moves, but Phil Jackson slow-played his summer like a seasoned poker pro winding up with Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Kyle O'Quinn and Derrick Williams. All of those guys can make an impact as steady role players. Their reasonable price tags have to be ruled a win for Jackson's off-season. Of course, merely discussing the free-agent acquisitions omits the potential of No. 4 overall pick Kristaps Porzingis and rookie point guard Jerian Grant. There's a chance neither will move the needle much this season as they adapt to the pros, but both possess the talent to at least have some bright moments. I wrote recently about New York's chances to return to playoff prominence, but the biggest variable standing in the team's way is continuity. Unlike the Jazz, who are essentially returning the exact same roster, the Knicks saw a lot of turnover. Even if the new pieces play well, each moving part has to jell into a cohesive unit. Often that takes time to develop, and I'm not sure Fisher is experienced enough yet as a coach to get this new machine firing on all cylinders within the first couple of months of the new season. Can the Knicks go from last place to playoff-bound in the span of six months? Absolutely, but it will require phenomenal play from Carmelo Anthony and quick adaptions from new additions to become a reality. On that basis, New York should still be seen as a discounted underdog. More from Ben Leibowitz: Every NBA Team's Biggest Draft Bust in History NFL Beer Prices from Cheapest to Steepest The Biggest Dead Weight Gone from Every NBA Team PointAfter is part of the Graphiq network, a data aggregation and visualization website that's collected all the information about the Utah Jazz and the New York Knicks and put it all in one place so you don't have to go searching for it. Join Graphiq to discover contextually-rich data visualizations spanning NBA players , NBA teams and thousands of other topics. | 1 | 95,788 | sports |
Cats may be adorable, loving house pets, but sometimes they can be real jerks! Kids are cute, fun filled bundles of joy, but when they are around, you better watch your back! In this hilarious compilation, fire fights fire when adorable babies go head to head with sweet little kitties. It looks like the cats are the front runners in this classic kid and cat compilation. | 8 | 95,789 | video |
Starting an online business begins with filling a need and building credibility, but the factors that go into making your online business a smashing success don't stop there. While the barriers for setting up a company are low, the majority of people starting an online business fail largely due to mistakes that seem obvious in hindsight -- such as overestimating profits or trying to be too many things to customers from the onset. But there are many more mishaps business owners experience. To enhance your shot at success, try and avoid these 10 common mistakes when starting an online business. 1. Not having a plan of attack. You don't need to have a formal business plan -- but you still need a plan. "People regard the business plan as homework they don't want to do but planning helps me -- whatever my success is," says Tim Berry , chairman of Palo Alto Software , which produces business-planning software and author of The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan . While the big-format business plan is growing obsolete, Sujan Patel , vice-president of marketing at the software company When I Work and the founder of several SaaS startups, says, "You don't need a formal 20-page business plan to successfully plan a business. You need to know who your customers are, what you are selling and what people are willing to pay for your product or service." In addition, work out how much cash you've got and how long it will last. 2. Focusing too much on the little stuff. "First, you need to get your business off the ground," says Steve Tobak , founder of Invisor Consulting , a business strategy firm, and author of Real Leaders Don't Follow: Being Extraordinary in the Age of the Entrepreneur . While this directive may seem obvious, new business owners can get really bogged down by the details. Don't do this. By getting sidetracked focusing on things like how your business cards look or the design of your logo, founders are wasting valuable time. Instead, concentrate on tasks that will help propel your business to the next level. 3. Not worrying about money. Be optimistic -- just not about money. "There's a very good chance that your company will run out of money before it makes any," cautions Tobak. "Know how much cash you've got to run your business, what your burn rate is and make sure that you have a plan to try to get more before you run out." Too often business owners scramble to raise funds when it's already too late. Instead, founders from the get-go should create a financial plan, detailing milestones and how much money it will take to reach these goals. 4. Undervaluing what you're selling. Whether you're selling a product or service, set the price at what it needs to be to make a worthwhile profit. Cynthia Salim, the founder and CEO of Citizen's Mark , a line of ethically-sourced professional blazers for women, set the starting price for her product at $425 after considering the labor and material costs for her line. "The price is what it needs to be," Salim says. Patel also points out that "as your business evolves continue to adjust your price points." 5. Ignoring customer service. With so many of our business transactions happening over the Internet, it's easy to forget that customers are people who are way more likely to return to your website if they have a good experience. "Make sure you have some way of interacting with the people visiting your site," Tobak says. "Whatever domain -- through live chat, survey, email or phone." Also, monitor social-media sites for brand sentiment and check out review sites like Yelp to see who isn't happy with his or her experience and reach out. 6. Giving away too much and getting nothing in return. Before you've established credibility as a seller or an expert, offering something for free can turn into a conversion and long-term customer, especially for those entrepreneurs focused on offering services. However, the cost of free product can add up, so think of offering something useful and intangible in exchange for a customer's email address, such as a free ebook, recipe, instructions, webinar, guide or checklist, advises Joel Widmer, the founder of Fluxe Digital Marketing , a content-strategy firm. 7. Spreading yourself too thin on social media. When you're starting off with marketing and building your brand, test out one or two main social audiences where you know your audience is and can build a customized audience with a small budget. Don't blow your advertising budget at the start. As a general rule, Facebook and Pinterest tend to be better for product sales. LinkedIn is a better field for a business personality trying to build his or her own brand, explains Widmer . LinkedIn is also a good place for repurposing content. 8. Skimping on early hires. Entrepreneurs rush the hiring process to quickly fill positions in order to scale their business. But by going down this route, founders run the risk of issues down the road, including a mismatch in skillset and business needs, a personality that doesn't bode well with the culture or a lack of commitment to the company's mission. So, when hiring look for people who have the skills you don't and embody the qualities you respect. "The first five hires will set your company's temperature for the rest of its existence," Patel emphasizes. 9. Underestimating the obsession and drive it takes to succeed. You've read a lot about the importance of work/life balance -- forget about it. (At least for the first year or two.) "Don't worry about time," Tobak says. "Big ideas do not come when you are trying to manage every minute of your time. They don't come when you are multitasking. They come when you are focused on one thing. Let everything else fade to black." 10. Thinking that everything is one size fits all. Just because a product or strategy has worked for one company doesn't mean it will work for you. Have a healthy degree of skepticism about what you read and see successful elsewhere, Patel recommends. If you can test your product using minimum financial and resource risk, then do so. | 3 | 95,790 | finance |
Mariah Carey, Neil Patrick Harris and Ricky Martin share photos of their twin kids on Instagram on this week's Celebs Gone Social, hosted by Wonderwall.com Editor Jessica Wedemeyer. | 6 | 95,791 | entertainment |
Bruce Macaulay/Fox There wasn't a lot of change in the show standings for this week's ratings roundup, but networks started making decisions anyway. Fox's "Minority Report," which takes place after the 2002 Tom Cruise film, could only hang out in last place for so long before the network had to make a decision on it. Late last Friday, Fox confirmed it had cut its 13-episode order of the Steven Spielberg-produced drama to 10 episodes. Effectively, this makes "Minority Report" the first canceled series of the season. The decision also sends star Meagan Good back to the unemployment line with her third canceled series in a couple years. Bruce Macaulay/FoxEarlier today, Fox announced it had given Morris Chestnut's "Rosewood" a full season order . That pilot was terrible, but the show has been in the top 5. That was the bad news (depending on how you look at it), here's some good news: NBC gave "Blindspot" a full season order . So, viewers can watch without fear as the series picks a new tattoo off Jaimie Alexander's body. This was of course expected, since it has been the highest-rated show of the fall (thanks to a strong lead-in by "The Voice"). ABC's "Quantico," hanging strong in the season's top 5, also received a full season order . Like "Blindspot," "Quantico" has a complicated plot, so this full season order should give fans the confidence needed to continue watching. Looking ahead, fans of NBC's "The Player" and ABC's "Blood & Oil" may want to start evangelizing for those programs. Their ratings could mean they're not long for this world. Take a look at this week's ratings rankings below: 1. "Blindspot" (NBC) 2.65 rating/9.31 million viewers (4 weeks on-air)* 2. "Life in Pieces" (CBS) 2.07/9.18 (4 weeks) 3. "The Muppets" (ABC) 1.95/5.99 (4 weeks) 4. "Rosewood" (Fox) 1.90/6.14 (4 weeks)* 5. "Quantico" (ABC) 1.82/6.62 (3 weeks)* 6. "Limitless" (CBS) 1.75/9.30 (4 weeks) 7. "Best Time Ever With NPH" (NBC) 1.66/5.49 (5 weeks) 8. "Heroes Reborn" (NBC) 1.59/5.12 (4 weeks) 9. "Dr. Ken" (ABC) 1.39/5.72 (2 weeks) 10. "Scream Queens" (Fox) 1.37/3.38 (4 weeks) 11. "Code Black" (CBS) 1.29/7.46 (3 weeks) 12. "Grandfathered" (Fox) 1.21/4.13 (3 weeks) 13. "Blood & Oil" (ABC) 1.16/5.18 (3 weeks) 14. "The Grinder" (Fox) 1.12/3.55 (3 weeks) 15. "The Player" (NBC) .92/4.46 (3 weeks) 16. "Minority Report" (Fox) .85/2.45 (4 weeks)** Yet to premiere: "Truth Be Told" (NBC, 10/16) "Supergirl" (CBS, 10/26) "Wicked City" (ABC, 10/27) "Angel from Hell" (CBS, 11/5) *= Full season order ** = Canceled Note: Shows will be added on as they premiere. These numbers are based on live ratings through October 16 and do not count delayed viewing. NOW WATCH: Hugh Hefner's son has a plan to redefine the Playmate | 6 | 95,792 | entertainment |
We get it: When you're a beginning lifter , you want muscles, and you want them right away. We were there too once. And while the routines you see on this site and in the pages of Muscle & Fitness will put you on the fast track to a ripped, powerful body, all the willpower and work ethic in the universe won't completely overcome your genetics and the physiology the human body was designed with so it's important to maintain realistic expectations of your progress. Here are four hard truths about what it takes to build hard biceps and abs, and tips to make the best gains possible . No. 4: Strength Comes Before Size When you first start training, or you try a new program that's much different than what you were doing before, you may not see growth in the mirror for the first few weeks. "But you'll get dramatically stronger," says Bryan Krahn , a trainer and online fitness coach in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. That's because your central nervous system adapts to training before your muscles do, recruiting more muscle fibers to complete the work you're now asking of it. When it realizes it can't lift the weights you're imposing on it with the muscle it has now, the body will call for the muscles to get bigger. "You should see noticeable gains within a month," says Krahn, "depending on how much body fat you carry." Strength Tip : Drop your reps on main lifts like the squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press to sets of five, rather than the conventional eight to 12. Using heavier weights recruits more muscle fibers and trains the nervous system so you gain size and strength. No. 3: Pure Muscle Comes Slowly You may put on 10 pounds in a month, but that doesn't mean it's all solid muscle. Yes, the scale may be going up, but much of that weight is water, glycogen (the carbohydrate stored in your muscles for energy), and, despite your best efforts, fat. This is still great progress, but if you don't look as dry and hard as you'd like, that's why. Age is also a factor in making gains. A beginner in his teens up through his 30s can expect to add two to four pounds of pure muscle for the first two to three months he's training "it's called 'newbie gains,'" says Krahn. At that point, the body slows the rate to maintain homeostasis (as carrying more muscle requires more of its energy), and additional gains take longer. At that point, expect to add less than a pound per month, and eventually, learn to be satisfied with only about two pounds per year. That may not sound impressive, but Krahn says to head to your local butcher for a visual. "Look at a pound of steak and imagine two of those added to your body. If I could gain two pounds of raw beef a year, I'd be ecstatic. That would be 20 pounds in a decade, and that would make your physique look completely different." Muscle Tip : Eat one gram of protein per pound of your body weight, 0.4 grams of fat per pound, and two grams of carbs per pound, as prescribed in the Muscle & Fitness Food Pyramid . Designed with the help of several top nutrition coaches, it's the best plan out there for eating your way to more lean muscle as quickly as possible. No. 2: Fat Loss is Easy Most guys who want to look muscular would be better served by getting leaner than trying to bulk up, as just a few pounds less of fat reveals great definition. Fortunately, losing fat can be done much more quickly and with less effort than gaining mass. As long as you control your calories with your diet, your body can't help but break down fat for energy. "One pound of pure fat per week is a good target," says Krahn, although the number on the scale may drop faster than that as a result of water loss. The amount you lose is also dependent on your size. "A 300-pound person can get to 250 in three months," says Krahn. "But a lean 215-pound dude who wants to get to 195, that's a lot harder. The closer you get to where you want to be the tougher it gets." Stay on your diet and give yourself time. Fat Loss Tip : Stick with the M&F Food Pyramid but reduce your carbs to one gram per pound of your body weight. Lowering your carb intake lowers insulin levels, reducing the amount of fat your body can store. No. 1: There is No Perfect Program Even when a lifter is making good progress, there's a tendency to think that there's a "perfect program" that he just hasn't tried yet that will get him bigger, stronger, and leaner all at once. There isn't. "When you look at any program, there should always be a method of progression," says Krahn. As long as you can add weight to your lifts over time, add reps, add sets, reduce the rest periods, or do more work in the same time, you'll supply enough of a stimulus to see gains. Hopping from program to program before you've let your body adapt to it neutrally (see truth #1) or had a chance to try and progress it ensures that you'll never get the most out of it. And any program that works is as good as another. Training Tip : Look for a program that features basic exercises like presses, squats, pullups, and rows. Compound exercises like these, which work muscles at more than one joint, support the hormonal changes that need to take place to gain muscle (i.e. more testosterone and growth hormone) and activate the most muscle mass. Fancy lifts done on machines or that isolate muscles should make up a small part of your program, if you do them at all. More on MSN: 7 Foods that Are Making You Bloated 5 Foods that Will Put You in a Rotten Mood 30 Ways to Lose Weight if You're a Milennial | 7 | 95,793 | health |
We take a look at the 2016 Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo Concept Car alongside 3 of Bugatti's designers: Achim Andscheidt, Sasha Selipanov, and Etienne Salome. It's not an often case when you can speak to a Bugatti designer, let alone three of them. Achim Andscheidt, Sasha Selipanov, and Etienne Salome constitute 75 percent of the four-strong brand's design team, tasked with creating the successor to the legendary Veyron. Before it'll be released next year, Bugatti took a chance to warm us up with something extraordinary even by its own standards: a Vision Gran Turismo concept car tailored for the Gran Turismo game series. Despite all the fantasy accompanying most of the concepts from this project, the mega-Bug is surprisingly realistic: It's a fully functional car made in cooperation with top racing specialists, bearing hints of future Bugattis styling. The Bugatti design team isn't what you'd expect. They seem to maintain a far more laid-back, family spirit within the team than, let's say, their colleagues from the VW design studio. They're by no means less serious or committed, though. The head of the team, Achim Anscheidt, is a massive car enthusiast at heart, owning a stripped-out, Kevlar-bodied classic Porsche 911. He was with Bugatti from the rebirth and observed the whole life cycle of Veyron and its growth to that legendary position. Sasha Selipanov is responsible for the exterior design. He graduated in transportation design in California and made his way through many of the Volkswagen Group brands, recently being involved in the design of the Lamborghini Huracan. Etienne Salome, on the other hand, is 100 percent French he's absolutely passionate about Bugatti history. Follow MSN Autos on Facebook The design team's mission is best summed up by Achim Anscheidt himself: "Bugatti Design Team has to be fairly specialized. It's not a big brand; we have only one product. The cars we do, though, are tailored specifically for their needs. Vision Gran Turismo is more proof of that. This project was a thinking exercise showing what do we want to say about the Bugatti brand. It's a part of the Vision Gran Turismo project, but while many of the concepts coming for this game are loosely connected with reality, our car is, well, it's hard to say this one is a down-to-earth project, but it's more realistic than most of the rest." Sasha elaborated: "For us it was always clear that if we did such a project, it'd be as authentic as possible. We're not a brand that makes science-fiction statements; we're very serious about engineering and technology. We didn't want to quote outrageous numbers and claim the car can fly to the moon; We wanted to be very honest and professional and yes, indeed, down to earth to some extent. We have a strength for which our car is known, which is its incredible top speed, so we wanted to play up our strengths and create a car that showcases our brand's values to the maximum in a very realistic way. The Veyron was designed with a 'beauty and the beast' approach. This project is all-out beast. We plan to elaborate this theme on our future projects, so you can indeed see this as a preview, a teaser of the next Bugatti." As Achim confirms: "We'll shift that balance little more to the dynamic side." So what are the key points to look for? Sasha explains: "Each of the main views of the car the front, the rear, the side, and the top represent a future design statement. The front of the Bugatti starts with a horseshoe grill. That was always the case. It's an icon we'd never want to deviate away from. But even if we still keep it, it can change its role: Now it is an aerodynamic device that holds the front wing. The car has a beastly, very focused and aggressive look that comes through the eight eyes. The LED lights further develop our DNA. The side of the car has a performance-driven enhancement, which is the Bugatti signature line. It may look very artistic and desirable, but is actually driven by function: The engine needs very effective cooling. The rear view has a cut-off back end, divided by a simple, clearly defined horizontal line. Bugatti has always been known for center-line accentuation. Look at Type 35 with its boat-tail or Type 57 Atlantic with the riveted roof. On this car, we tried to reinterpret that theme by an aerodynamic stabilizer fin and a DRS actuator for the rear wing, which all tie in nicely for the centerline philosophy. Etienne takes over talking about the interior: "That center line was carried over to the cabin, establishing a visual bond between the exterior and interior. It's a race car, meant to be driven with a helmet, in extreme race conditions, so the dashboard had to be made very intuitive. It's a car meant to raced today, not in 20 years, but we strived for some thought-provoking innovation. We introduced a curved screen on the steering wheel (a first in the automotive industry) and mounted a bigger one on the steering column, which can display the view from the three rearview cameras merged together in one picture. Steering wheel, seats, and door handles are made from the same leather as is used for the Formula 1 driving shoes, so it's very thin and strong." Making this car real was a completely different challenge compared to the Veyron. First, it's not aimed at a strictly select small group of multimillionaires, but a multimillion nation of PlayStation gamers from all around the world. Secondly, it's a competition race car, which is something totally different to a road car on its own. Etienne: "We made calculations together with Dallara that show that the car would pass the 400-km/h (248.5-mph) mark four times a lap at Le Mans, finishing it with the same time as the LMP car." Sasha cools down our expectations: "We didn't want to signal the start of a racing campaign by that, though. We just wanted to showcase our performance expertise. We agreed to take part in the project, as we're big Gran Turismo fans. In exception to our old guy [Sasha points at Achim], we're all in our early thirties, so for us a car for the younger generation is a no-brainer. All we had to do was basically think of what we like, as a Bugatti and Gran Turismo fan." | 9 | 95,794 | autos |
Anyone who lives in a small space can attest that it's easy to feel like you're doing it wrong. Is the furniture too big? Are patterns a poor choice? Should everything that isn't essential be eliminated, Marie Kondo-style, so as to make strategic use of every square inch? Rest easy: Not all of the prohibitive "rules" you've been hearing are true. Here, interior experts debunk six popular myths about diminutive dwelling decor. Good news: (almost) anything goes! Rule: Stick To Small Furnishings "Keeping pieces small-scale just because your square footage is modest doesn't necessarily make your space look bigger in fact, it can make it look outdated," says New York-based interior designer Jenny J. Norris. "Bigger pieces are grounding. Unless a piece of furniture is literally too large to get through your front door, skip 'apartment-sized' versions and go for the real deal." Rule: Small Space, Small-Scale Art "Totally not the case," says artist and textile designer Caroline Z. Hurley. "I love hanging massive paintings and textiles on my walls, and I like to change them up often so I don't get bored. In my mind, disproportionately large artwork looks amazing in small spaces." Rule: Purge, Purge, Purge "A space should feel curated," says designer Kiel Wuellner of Even Kiel. "Don't be afraid to collect things that speak to you, and to layer new, store-bought pieces with vintage or salvaged items. Your space should reflect you." Ultimately, though, he says, "the rule I disregard the most is 'play by the rules.' I like an element of the unexpected. I like a space that doesn't look like a page out of a catalogue." Rule: Keep It Light Says Tyler Karu of Landing / design, "Dark paint can add drama and architectural interest to spaces that lack those characteristics to begin with. And, besides upping the cozy factor, using a dark tone makes for a bold backdrop for furniture and accent pieces that might otherwise have seemed like an afterthought." Sheena Murphy of Brooklyn's Sheep + Stone agrees, adding: "The color of the ceiling actually makes more of an impact on how big or small a room feels. Keep the ceiling light to create a sense of height when using darker tones on the walls." Rule: Pare Down Patterns "The beauty of a small space is that you can achieve the bohemian, layered effect we often see and love in loft spaces with less," say Danielle Walish and Jessica Stambaugh, founders of Brooklyn's Decorative Traces. "Don't be afraid to layer textiles and patterns on furnishings or on the walls. We absolutely love using wallpaper in smaller spaces and upholstering furniture in contrasting patterns." Rule: Rule Out Rugs "Rugs can actually provide the illusion of having more space by helping to mark off different areas of a room," Sheena continues. "In the end, they can help make it feel like there are actually several 'rooms' in one." | 4 | 95,795 | lifestyle |
Roughly 4,550 people have paid more than $23 million over the past two years to scammers claiming to be employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to a news release from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The Treasury Inspector General, J. Russell George, reports that while progress has been made in the investigation of "the largest of its kind" scam, the case is still underway and taxpayers are urged to remain on "high alert." Related: FBI Warns of a New Student Loan Scam According to the release, a scammer calls an individual and claims to be from the IRS. The scammer tells the person that they have unpaid taxes and threatens him or her with a criminal violation, immediate arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver's license unless they settle the fees via a debit card or a wire transfer. In order to feign legitimacy, the scammers use tactics such as using a robocall machine, knowing the last four digits of the individuals Social Security number or sending fake IRS emails. "The increasing number of people receiving these unsolicited calls from individuals who fraudulently claim to represent the IRS is alarming," George says. "At all times, and even after the tax filing season, we want to make sure that innocent taxpayers are alerted to this scam so they are not harmed by these criminals." Related: The Tax Refund Scam That's Surging in 2015 George advises to hang up immediately if you receive a phone call from somebody claiming to be from the IRS demanding immediate payment. An estimated 736,000 people have reported receiving these calls since October 2013. Over the summer, one of the ringleaders of the extortion scam was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Sahil Patel helped organize the U.S. side of the fraud, which is run through "call centers" in India. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: 20 Outrageous Political Scandals from the Last 25 Years Millions Face a 50 % Medicare Premium Hike If Obama and Congress Don't Act What a Debt Ceiling Disaster Could Mean to You | 5 | 95,796 | news |
Smart habits and wise compromise are the keys to staying (together) power. Smart habits and wise compromise are the keys to staying (together) power. Fifty years ago, marriage looked pretty different: The average age for saying "I Do" was lower (20 for women and 23 for men in 1965, versus 27 and 30 today) and the percentage of people getting hitched was higher (70% to our 50%). But the fact that sharing a life together is both challenging and rewarding hasn't changed. Here's how a few still-going-strong couples have made their love last. Follow us on Facebook. Talk to each other, don't vent to friends. Sure, Jean and Daniel Terry have gotten irritated with each other during their 55-year marriage, yet the duo don't gripe to pals. "People, in my belief, get too much advice and generally the wrong advice," he says. "Other people just tie your problems up in knots and make them bigger. It's best to work things out among yourselves." Follow us on Facebook. Never stop creating shared memories. Even though the Terrys married young (they were both 18), Jean says Daniel "never went off with the guys to do things. What we did, we always did together." When they traveled, she says, "We went together, not separately. I think that's important." Follow us on Facebook. Kids makes marriage stronger. Jean was 19 when she and Daniel, now 73, welcomed the first of their three children. (And the second followed just 13 months later!) "I've never been sorry for raising the kids when we were young," says the now 72-year-old grandmother of seven. "Now, we're fortunate that our kids all live within 30 minutes of us so we can have get-togethers often." Follow us on Facebook. Give each other personal space. "I credit still being married to living in a big house," says Maureen McEwan of the Maine couple's staying power the last 50 years. "I need space. I need to know that I can be by myself and [have room to be] artistic." On the other hand, her husband, Tom, is "happy with 10 books a week in a leather chair." Follow us on Facebook. Marriage is not always 50/50. Often, one person has to compromise or live outside their comfort zones. For Maureen, it was getting to be the "social person" she is despite her husband's more introverted nature. "I had lots of kids over all the time," says the 73-year-old mother of three, who met Tom on a group blind date, with another man. "For years, I filled the house with people and kids and whatever else and I don't think he's always been totally comfortable … but he put up with it." Follow us on Facebook. Make an effort to look your best. Growing up as family friends, Sherri and Charlie Sugarman have gone through nearly every life stage together. (This photo was taken when she was 4 and he was 5!) Now 71 and 72, respectively, Charlie says, "It's important for couples to maintain sense of vanity" and take care of themselves as part of a happy marriage. "It's nice if you can stay in shape," he adds. "Then you stay attractive to each other and stay healthier." Follow us on Facebook. Embrace your individuality. That whole "better half" idea? Ditch it. "It's important to be your own person," says Sherri of her 51 years of marriage to Charlie. "You want to compliment each other and bring interest to the conversation." Follow us on Facebook. Don't overlook small family moments. Sherri loves cooking dinner especially for Charlie. "It's a time where we sit down and really talk together," explains the mother of two, who adds they work to be off their phones. "In the age of technology, I think it's really important to take the time to be a good listener." Follow us on Facebook. Get professional help when you need it. "I'm not Cinderella, and he's not Prince Charming," says Sherri. "Glitches along the way are normal because it's hard to live together all these years. We went to a marriage counselor at one point because we were going in different directions and needed professional help. You always have to keep working on relationship." Follow us on Facebook. Expect that there will be crises. "Life is going to hit you with curve balls," insists Evelyn Brier, whose husband, Alan, started out as a childhood friend. They married when they reconnected after college. "But you have to stick it out. People give up too soon, too easily. It's how you handle those lows together that makes the difference in life. There will be strains, yet it gets easier, and in many ways, better." Love means being a team. "I know Alan is there for me," Evelyn, 76, says of her 78-year-old husband. "I was sick with breast cancer four years ago, and he was right there. It was important, and satisfying, to know that there's someone who genuinely cares about my wellbeing. That's what love does." Never stop showing affection. Fifty-three years after they walked the aisle, the Briers still grab each other's hands. "If you continue holding hands and you're content, that's what's important," says the mother of four. "Is the sex going to be what it was when you first got married? No, it changes and is replaced with things just as satisfying and fulfilling." Talk out issues in person. Texting, emailing, and messaging don't make couples' communication any clearer, says Judy Terry. Before smartphones, "you either said something or you didn't," when conflicts came up. So the mom of four and husband Harold speak up because hashing out problems via keyboard is taking the "easy way out rather than talking about it face-to-face." Have a standing date without the kids. "When you have children and everything revolves around them, you see a lot of divorces once they leave home," says Judy, 72, who goes out on a breakfast date every Friday morning with Harold, 75. "We don't let anything interrupt that. It gets us started that day, then mostly we do everything together afterward." The outing is special, she adds, "Because it's a time for us to talk and feel close together." History doesn't have to be repeated. "I came from a divorced family and didn't want that to happen to our kids," says Judy, who has been married to Harold for 55 years. The Lakewood, Colorado, parents of four were neighbors and tied the knot when Judy was an 18-year-old high school student. "So I think from that perspective you try a lot harder because you don't want your kids to go through what you did." Pick your battles. "Learning the limits you have with each other, and not trying to change someone, is important so you know when to let things go," says Judy Terry of what she's learned in marriage to Harold. "You can't be right all the time, and pushing someone too much only causes problems. It's easy to spend way too much time working on all the small stuff." | 4 | 95,797 | lifestyle |
US stocks pushed higher Friday, extending the prior session's rally following a solid earnings report from General Electric. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 74.22 points (0.43 percent) to 17,215.97. The broad-based S&P 500 rose 9.25 (0.46 percent) to 2,033.11, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 16.59 (0.34 percent) to 4,886.69. Analysts said investor sentiment remained upbeat on increased confidence the Federal Reserve will not hike interest rates in 2015. Dow member GE rose 3.4 percent as it reported higher industrial earnings and chief executive Jeff Immelt gave an upbeat appraisal of the global economy. Honeywell International, another large industrial company, lost 1.5 percent as it slightly topped profit forecasts but came up short on revenues and lowered its full-year revenue outlook. United Continental lost 3.1 percent on news that newly installed chief executive Oscar Munoz had been hospitalized after a reported heart attack. Twitter climbed 4.9 percent as former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer disclosed he took a four percent stake in the microblogging company. Google shares rose 0.1 percent after a US appeals court upheld a ruling in a long-running case that said the company's project to digitize the world's books does not violate copyright law. Bond prices dipped. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose to 2.03 percent from 2.02 percent Thursday, while the 30-year advanced to 2.88 percent from 2.86 percent. Bond prices and yields move inversely. | 3 | 95,798 | finance |
A little common-sense etiquette goes a long way at the office--and it could affect whether you get a raise, a promotion or even just a new work buddy. Here, the 18 phrases you should never utter while on the clock: 1. "Guh. I'm so hungover." Just say you've got a cold, OK? 2. "Hey, can you proofread my résum é ?" Surely you have trusted pals outside the office. 3. "How much do you think Melissa makes?" Salary talk is between you and your boss. Period. 4. "I heard Melissa's getting fired." Just say no to unfounded rumors. 5. "I heard Melissa really isn't coming back after maternity leave." Just say no to pregnancy discrimination. 6. "I can't believe you're eating that." Don't shame a co-worker for giving in to the stale cupcake in the conference room. 7. "Got a sec?" And don't interrupt her when she's done with her cupcake and ready to get back to work. 8. "That was my assistant's fault." As her manager, it's your job to take responsibility. 9. "You bringing anyone to Steve's barbecue?" Did Steve for sure invite everyone? 10. "This place is a joke." You know what else is a joke? That promotion you've been gunning for. 11. "I'm too good for this." We're sure your mom would agree. Probably no one else. 12. "I'm too old for this." Do you know how to operate a computer? Good, then you can figure out the new CMS interface. 13. "Nothing personal." Except you're talking to a person. 14. "&#@!" Yes, some offices are more obscenity-filled than others. But on the whole, lose the potty mouth. 15. "Sorry, but…" Atone when you make an actual mistake. 16. "I heard he sleeps with all the interns." Office gossip is so fun. But if you want to be a leader, you need to rise above it. 17. "Thanks, Hon." Save the endearments for your poodle and respect your colleagues by using their names. 18. "Who wants popcorn?" No one wants to hear that you're about to make the entire office smell like a movie theater. | 4 | 95,799 | lifestyle |
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