text
stringlengths 5
144k
| label
int64 0
9
| id
int64 0
100k
| label_text
stringclasses 10
values |
|---|---|---|---|
Ahead of the release of the live-action "Cinderella" film on March 13, MAC, the cosmetics giant for all ages, all races and all sexes brings us breathtakingly beautiful peachy lips, shimmering eyes and glittery skin -- fit for a Disney princess. Not any old Disney princess, Disney's favorite fairytale heroine! The 17-piece range is presented inl sky-blue packaging embossed with the official gold Cinderella movie lettering. "Free as a Butterfly" nude lipstick, "Happily Ever After" and "Glass Slipper" lipglass, "Evil Stepmother" Studio eye gloss, pigment and a 6-color "Stroke of Midnight" eyeshadow palette are just some of the products which will be available in stores starting March 5 -- a few days before the Disney remake of the Cinderella film comes to theaters. The range inspired by ethereal fairytale beauty goes on sale online on February 26. Other of this season's latest collections by M.A.C. include a range of color-popping Bollydoll make-up bags and a super-sexy hot pink lipstick and matching lipglass with sparkling pearl shimmer as modelled by new Viva Glam ambassador Miley Cyrus.
| 4 | 9,800 |
lifestyle
|
Drinking water is boring, but there are a things you can do to get motivated to stay on top of consumption. Krystin Goodwin (@krystingoodwin) has the details on how to tackle hydration!
| 8 | 9,801 |
video
|
A BABY faced Qatari businessman indulges his passion for luxury vehicles at his very own supercar events. Filmed in 2013, the footage shows car fanatic Mohammed Al Kubaisi, 26, discussing his extravagant wealth and his love of life in the fast lane. The young petrol head's previous cars include a Bentley Continental GT ($235,000), a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ($221,000) and a Ferrari 458 Italia ($240,000).His current ride is a powerful Rolls Royce Ghost, which costs $270,000. Videographer / Director: David Jeffery Producer: Nick Johnson Editor: Kyle Waters
| 8 | 9,802 |
video
|
Danica Patrick would have turned countless laps at some vacant track this offseason in an effort to improve entering her third full Sprint Cup season, developing the No. 10 Chevrolet and her rapport with new crew chief Daniel Knost at Stewart-Haas Racing. But a NASCAR offseason test ban precluded that opportunity. So she got away, got bored and then got excited, she told USA TODAY Sports. And that, she said, was very much needed, after an odd 2014 season marked by heartening gains but numerous frustrations. Beginning 2015 with scant testing and a nascent working relationship with Knost figures to make the season a challenge at the outset. "I suppose it is harder," she said. "Definitely, we want to hit the ground running, and a relationship definitely takes time. But there is also potential that comes with it, too. I think I saw some good potential at the end of last year, and then there were also things we need to work on. I think the time off also gives the crew chief and the guys time to work on their stuff, work on their cars, make them really good." THREE REASONS SHE COULD WIN IN 2015 1. Restrictor-plate racing: Patrick reaffirmed herself as a credible driver in the draft-dependent form of racing that dictates outcomes at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. After winning the pole and finishing a gender-best eighth in the 2013 Daytona 500, she was eighth in the summer race there last season. And she raced among the leaders last fall at Talladega. The regimen has often delivered first-time or surprise winners and gives her four legitimate chances for victory each season. 2. Middle management: Patrick finished a then-career-best seventh at Kansas Speedway in the spring and bettered it by finishing sixth at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the fall. Her average finish of 23.7 on the 1.5-mile tracks that make up much of the Cup schedule was nearly three places better than in 2013. 3. Starting off: After starting an average of 30th in 2013, Patrick improved nearly an average of eight spots last season. Having more cars in the mirror is always welcome, no matter the lap. THREE REASONS SHE PROBABLY WON'T 1. No-mentum: The familiar and increasingly successful working relationship Patrick had built with Tony Gibson was lost when the crew chief was reassigned to Kurt Busch with three races left in the season. 2. Offseason: Crucial interpersonal moments in a long season the first huge disagreement, breakthrough moment, inside jokes and jabs remain ahead. The brief stint together at the end of 2014 was not particularly fruitful, as Patrick and Knost finished no better than 18th. 3. New car: NASCAR will deploy a Sprint Cup car with less horsepower and downforce, ostensibly making it more drivable, but much is left to learn about the model. For Patrick, continuing to learn her trade with a consistent package would have been beneficial. Follow James on Twitter @brantjames
| 1 | 9,803 |
sports
|
NEW YORK The head of the National Basketball Referees Association is defending official Lauren Holtkamp after "personal and unprofessional comments" by Clippers guard Chris Paul. Paul was critical of Holtkamp after the Clippers' 105-94 loss in Cleveland on Thursday. He received a technical foul from one of the league's two active female officials, for reasoning he later called "ridiculous." Paul, who is president of the NBA Players Association, added: "If that's the case, this might not be for her." The 34-year-old Holtkamp is in her first full season as an NBA referee. The referees' union says it reviewed the calls made by Holtkamp and "deems them fully justified." General counsel Lee Seham says in a statement the union "deplores the personal and unprofessional comments made by Chris Paul. She belongs."
| 1 | 9,804 |
sports
|
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Pitcher Danny Duffy has agreed to a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals worth $2,425,000, avoiding a salary arbitration heading. The 26-year-old left-hander was 9-12 with a 2.53 ERA in 25 starts and six relief appearances last year for the AL champions and held opponents to a .209 average. He won the AL Division Series opener against the Los Angeles Angels, when he pitched a scoreless 10th inning. Duffy can earn $25,000 in performance bonuses under Friday's agreement: $10,000 for 20 starts and $15,000 more for 25. He would get a $50,000 bonus if he's an All-Star. Duffy made $526,000 last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time. He had asked for $3 million when proposed arbitration figures were exchanged last month, and the Royals had offered $1.75 million. Kansas City has three players remaining in arbitration: relievers Greg Holland and Kelvin Herrera, and first baseman Eric Hosmer.
| 1 | 9,805 |
sports
|
LOS ANGELES The Roots hadn't had their traditional pre-Grammy, late-night jam session since 2012, so this year they made up for it with four nights of music as eclectic as the hip-hop band itself. Thursday night was the last concert at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood, where the "Tonight Show" house band had held court since Monday, jamming with acts ranging from Ed Sheeran to Miguel to Cee Lo to T.I. On their last night, the band played host to a lineup that included Meek Mill; a singing and rapping Queen Latifah; gospel rapper Lecrae,; Nick Jonas, singing his hit "Jealous;" Prince protege Liv Warfield; and Jamie Foxx, who sang a bit when introducing legends Kool and the Gang. The celebrity crowd included Aisha Tyler, Zoe Kravitz, and Brandy, who had performed earlier in the night at Essence magazine's Black Women in Music Event. That event also had a varied lineup, including performances by Chaka Khan, MC Lyte, and Lianne La Havas, and a crowd that included Prince. The night was a salute to Jill Scott, who had the audience shouting in appreciation as she boomed through songs like "The Way."
| 6 | 9,806 |
entertainment
|
An Ohio State fan got a way too realistic tattoo of Urban Meyer on his arm. Are fans getting out of hand with team tattoos?
| 1 | 9,807 |
sports
|
We now know Richard Sherman played through Super Bowl XLIX with a torn UCL. Dr. Peter DeLuca lets us know what kind of recovery Sherman will have to go through.
| 1 | 9,808 |
sports
|
The New York Rangers said Friday that that they "had no update at this time" on Henrik Lundqvist after a New York Post report said the star goaltender will miss a month or more. Lundqvist was hit in the throat by a puck on Saturday but continued to play the game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He also played an entire game on Monday. The Rangers announced that he was unavailable for Wednesday's game, and Cam Talbot stepped in and beat the Boston Bruins. The team said at the time he was day-to-day with a neck injury. The Post , citing sources, said that Lundqvist was having intermittent headaches that weren't concussion-related but would need four weeks or more to clear up. However, Rangers coach Alain Vigneault told reporters Friday that the team didn't have all the information it needed yet, but confirmed Lundqvist wouldn't play against the Nashville Predators on Saturday. Talbot will be the go-to goalie for however long Lundqvist is out. He is 5-4-1 with a 2.14 goals-against average and .924 save percentage this season.
| 1 | 9,809 |
sports
|
Many Americans feel hopeless when it comes to chronic knee pain. But a new, non-surgical option is offering relief
| 7 | 9,810 |
health
|
By Anna Fogel Chris Pratt and Chris Evans made some kids in Boston very happy Friday afternoon. In the days leading up to Super Bowl XLIX, the two actors made a pretty great wager over the game that called for the loser to visit the winner's charity of choice while dressed in their superhero garb. Well, with the New England Patriots besting the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 thanks to Malcolm Butler's late-game heroics, it was Pratt's time to make good on the bet. The "Guardians of the Galaxy" star visited children at Christopher's Haven in Boston , an organization that provides housing for families with kids battling pediatric cancer, while dressed as Star-Lord. The bet also stated Pratt would have to wear a Tom Brady jersey for the duration of his visit, and Evans didn't forget that part of the wager. Evans followed Pratt around with the Super Bowl MVP's No. 12. Despite winning the bet and the big game Evans recently announced he'll stop by Seattle's Children's Hospital dressed as Captain America in the coming days.
| 1 | 9,811 |
sports
|
You'll be hearing from the staff at FOOD52 every week in Too Many Cooks , our group column in which we pool our answers to questions about food, cooking, life, and more. Here at Food52, we all have cookbook collections -- and we are not talking about those dainty stacks that our New York apartments were designed to hold. If you are anything like us, there are books toppling out of the shelves, placed sneakily under the toaster, and covering the coffee table. And even with no space left, you're still eyeing those Piglet contenders . While these extensive libraries are packed with beloved books, even an equal-opportunist cookbook lover has favorites. Which is exactly why we asked the staff here at Food52: Which books have you been holding onto, cooking from, and buying up? Do you still make recipes from the first cookbook you received for Christmas 25 years ago? Are you scrambling to find room for all the Piglet nominees? Share with us in the comments below? Hillary : My oldest cookbook is probably Mouse Cookies , a childhood classic of mine from back when I had a mouse obsession. And I am glad to say I no longer cook from it. My newest cookbook is (surprise!) Plenty More and I'm in love with it. My most loved one is a binder full of magazine and newspaper recipes that my mom and I compiled when I was a kid. While I don't cook much from it anymore, it contains gems like a misspelled "Apitizers" section and this insanely rich lemon linguine . There is also an entire dessert binder because I have my priorities. Amanda S : My oldest is The Pear Tree , a spiral-bound cult-classic from 1984, published by the Junior League of Knoxville, Tennessee. I think it was the first one they ever published, and my copy (gifted to me by my mom only when I proved to be a half-decent cook) is splattered, dog-eared, and much beloved. You don't want to know what's in these dishes when you eat them (from mayo to Crisco to margarine), but they are always crowd-pleasers. Leslie : My oldest cookbook is one my grandmother gave me before I could even read, let alone cook -- a "self-published," carefully-bound collection of her own recipe cards that included classics like Deep-Fried Love Knots and a lot of Crisco. My most loved , right now, is Gabrielle Hamilton's Prune , and I have been steadily cooking my way through it, one extremely large batch of vinaigrette at a time. Lauren L : My oldest and most loved is my grandmother's copy of Kate Aitken's Canadian Cookbook for so many reasons. Especially the inscription from my grandfather below. My grandmother was an admittedly terrible cook and on this birthday thought she was getting a new necklace. My newest , which I'm still obsessed with, is Japanese Farm Food . "...with best wishes, hopes, some fear and lots of love" Heather : My oldest is The California Heritage Cookbook produced by The Junior League of Pasadena in the 70s. My mother-in-law was so excited to send me a battered copy she came across in a used bookstore. It's in this cookbook that she found the recipe for "Tahoe Brunch," an insanely rich breakfast casserole of white bread (which my M.I.L. calls "rubber bread"), pounds of spicy Italian sausage, and enough butter to make Julia Child blush. It is a holiday tradition that no one is allowed to question. In fact, I'm fairly certain if her sons didn't wake up to the smell on Christmas morning it would cause a riot. My newest is Prune ! My weeknight standby is Jeanne Kelley's Salad for Dinner . Lindsay-Jean : My oldest is Better Homes & Gardens Salad Book from 1958. My newest is Nigel Slater's Tender . My most loved is Vegetable Literacy . (Clearly I have a thing for vegetables.) Hannah P : My oldest is Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking . I had always coveted my mom's set, so when I found a pair at a vintage store I snapped them up. I have been using the amazing pie crust recipe ever since. My newest is North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland ; let's just say I have a thing for Scandinavian food. My most worn is Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World , which I have been using since I moved away to college and became a vegan. I no longer abstain from meat, but I still turn to this cookbook for easy-to-make cakes that don't require a mixer -- only now I use dairy. Channing : I'm answering in honor of my father, Food52 lover and impart-er of endless food wisdom that he is. My most loved is Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen , as we eat from it far more than any family probably should. The cover has always made me uncomfortable (a laughing man surrounded by piles of indistinguishable brown meats?), but, man, NO ONE does Cajun/Creole cooking like PP. Runner up goes to The Thrill of the Grill . It is the Davisson family's essential summer cooking bible. Erin : My oldest is a book I found in a stack of books on a library cart next to the dumpster when I was in school -- it was chock-full of gems, but my favorite was The Grocer's Encyclopedia , published in 1911. It has some great information, which is, surprisingly, not horribly outdated. Best of all, it has these crazy detailed drawings of all kinds of meat, fish, produce, nuts, etc. My most loved is a really tattered old copy of Stocking Up , my mom and grandma's favorite canning book. Also Great Pies and Tarts by Carole Walter. It was my first bible when it came to fruits nestled in flaky crusts and is completely spattered with strawberry juice. Katherine : My newest is Flour + Water , a cookbook about making your own pasta that I got for Christmas. I'm still waiting for the day I feel gutsy enough to tackle the recipes and the pasta maker that came with it. My most loved cookbook, the one I will treasure, the way my mother treasures The Joy of Cooking , is Amy Chaplin's book, At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen . Everything from her nourishing and delicious recipes to the way she tells her story resonated with me so much. If I'm not cooking with it, I'm reading it! Stephanie : My oldest and most worn is Klutz's Kids Cooking . It came with teaspoons and Santa brought it to me in kindergarten. I've talked about it before , but my mom let me make anything I wanted from that book and it's led to a lifetime of weird kitchen experiments. It's also my most-worn book. I don't use the recipes much anymore, but it's been through a lot. The recipe for playdough is covered in dried playdough bits. My newest is Toronto Cooks . It's way cooler than I thought it would be. (And just between us, it avoids some of Toronto's most annoying showboating when people try to pretend we're as good as NYC. We're not.) What are your oldest, most worn, and newest cookbooks? Share with us in the comments below!
| 0 | 9,812 |
foodanddrink
|
Few people make it to midlife without having watched someone close to them "wage war against" cancer. We believe our angry, ass-kicking vocabulary gives us power against a relentless disease, but these pervasive metaphors ("fight" and "battle" are among the top 10 verbs used to describe cancer) shape the way we think about illness, says new research from the University of Michigan. Bellicose language may make us less likely to take sensible steps that prevent cancer in the first place, says David Hauser, a Ph.D. candidate in social psychology at the university, and lead author of the research. "The bulk of cancer prevention behaviors, which include curbing the consumption of alcohol and salty foods and not smoking, involve limitation and restraint," he tells Life Reimagined. "None of them fit with an enemy metaphor that promotes power and aggression." When 300 participants read one of two stories about colon cancer one with a handful of warlike metaphors, the other without those who read the militarized version said they were less likely to limit their red meat intake or curb their drinking. What surprised Hauser most is how "small differences in words were enough to change the way people thought about cancer prevention behaviors. In all of our studies, when we wanted people to think about cancer as an enemy, we only included a few extra words that related to the enemy metaphor. Those few extra words were enough to nudge people to think about cancer as if it was an something that they had to fight, and see limitation-related prevention behaviors as being less effective." Besides trying to curb the hostile vocabulary, Hauser thinks more education is the answer. "Much of what people know about cancer fits with the enemy metaphor, so naturally, that sticks around," he says, but it contradicts much of what experts now recommend, such as "watchful waiting" for some cases of prostate cancer. "The more things that people know about cancer that don't fit with this metaphor, the less likely people are to think about illness as an enemy." While Hauser's work focuses solely on cancer, in theory, he says he would expect the same results might apply to other health problems. So whatever your health situation, the answer might be to focus a little less on fighting it, and a little more on understanding it. MORE: Life Reimagined is your first step in rediscovering what's truly important so you can finally start doing what you really want to. Click here to get started.
| 7 | 9,813 |
health
|
A woman uses a selfie stick to take a picture in Times Square in New York City. Skift Skift Take: Even without the stick, tourists will continue to take selfies at museums around the world. Samantha Shankman Locals used to be able to spot tourists by the thick guide books that they kept their noses in. Next it was smartphones that visitors stared at while navigating unknown streets. Finally travelers are looking up, but it's now towards a camera. But some of New York City's most respected visitor attractions are now taking a stand against selfie stick , which is simply a long expandable rod that holds users' smartphones so they can take better individual or group selfies, background and all. The selfie stick is a relatively new arrival on the global travel scene, debuting on the mass market in early 2014. It's popularity took hold immediately. Selfie sticks starting popping up at the Eiffel Tower, on top of the Empire State building and in front of the Taj Mahal. They began causing havoc both due to the street sellers pushing them on people passing by and excited tourists sticking dozens of them in the air, ruining private moments and creating a sea of elevated sticks. Hard proof of their growing popularity came during the holidays: Nordstrom carried a model of the selfie stick in 118 stores starting in late November and had to reorder the item twice before Christmas. It then sold out of all selfie sticks by the new year. It's estimated more than 100,000 sticks were sold in December alone. The Museum of Modern Art , The Guggenheim , and the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum are three of the museums that have confirmed their restrictions on the social media helpers. Others including the Metropolitan Museum of Art confirm that they're considering it. Some museums are grouping them in with the category of "additional equipment or devices other than handheld cameras" that they've long restricted. Museums have cited both safety and distraction as reasons for the ban.
| 2 | 9,814 |
travel
|
In 2013, Google expanded its Hangouts video conferencing service into a commerce platform called Helpouts , where people buy and sell services like cooking or technical advice via live video. Now Google is transplanting a free version of that into its own business to help with sales of its products. It is now running a live video chat service for would-be buyers of Google smartphones, tablets and Chromebooks (but not Nest products) to ask Google Device Experts questions and chat about the products before sealing the deal. We were tipped off to the service by some of the people working on the project, and Google has confirmed some of the details. "We're always improving features to help our users," said a spokesperson. "We're in a limited trial of an experimental support feature and gathering feedback, so we aren't ready to share full plans yet." Our sources provide some more information. The service, which went live quietly in November, is initially being run as a test through the Devices channel of Google Play, but Google wants to extend the idea to more places, both virtual and physical. "They are also planning to go into retail stores with a virtual help desk to enhance the shopping experience," a source tells us, who described the bigger project as "Google's virtual Genius Bar," referring to the Apple Retail in-store operation where Apple employees, lined up behind a bar, offer in-person technical support on Apple devices. It's not clear yet how far along Google is in implementing this concept of a virtual help desk in retail locations. It also bears a resemblance to Amazon's Mayday service , the company's tech support system introduced in 2013 that currently works only on Kindle Fire HDX, Kindle Fire HDX 8.9″, Fire HDX 8.9, and Fire Phone devices and in a limited number of countries. The feature for now is only live between 6am and 6pm Pacific time, and to get to it, you navigate through the online Google Play Store to the Devices category. There, you select the help icon in the upper right corner, and if you indicate you are interested in buying a device, you are given the option of making a video call to ask more questions. In my test of it, my call was answered within seconds. The smiley woman at the other end of the Hangout knew I was calling from the UK, and was happy to answer any and all of my questions about Google devices and to show me more details if needed on a second video demonstration screen. Also, she didn't seem disappointed at all when I told her I wasn't really buying anything, and was just a journalist trying out the service. Google Device Experts is being run within Google but with contractors from an external company called Milestone Technologies . Milestone also partners with Apple, Cisco, Palo Alto Networks and others and provides various services like IT support, contact center services, and professional services. Developing a service like this pulls together different businesses and strategies for Google in its move to diversify away from its core business as a search engine. It emphasizes its cloud-based, live video technology. It's aimed at driving more sales of its hardware. And (potentially) it brings Google deeper into the physical retail commerce. It would be interesting to see if Google, in its growing suite of enterprise services, eventually offers some part of a service like this to other businesses. We'll provide updates on the service as and when we learn more.
| 5 | 9,815 |
news
|
Police say a Missouri 6-year-old endured an emotional, four-hour ordeal during a kidnapping staged by family members who thought he was too nice to strangers.
| 8 | 9,816 |
video
|
After taking some time out to care for her baby daughter, the Latina actress is back to work as the face and creative director of a new color cosmetics brand from the Maesa Group. Launching at the end of the month, the low-cost, professional make-up range will go on sale at Walgreens stores across the US, as well as at walgreens.com and drugstore.com. Items in Circa's first old Hollywood glamour-themed line are priced between $8 and $15 and are designed to work across a wide range of skin tones. "As a Latin woman, it was important to me that we create a line of products that work for all women and is accessible without compromising quality," said Mendes. Shoppers at Walgreens can catch a glimpse of the screen diva as she is scheduled to make some in-store appearances to launch the first Circa collection. Circa will also cater to make-up artists, offering an online shop where they can buy products at a discounted rate.
| 4 | 9,817 |
lifestyle
|
A Washington state man's obituary jokingly blames his "untimely demise" on the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl loss, which many exasperated football fans chalked up to botched play-making. Michael Vedvik died at his home south of Seattle a few hours after the Seahawks' 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots in the NFL championship game on Sunday. Vedvik's family and many fans criticized the team's decision to throw a low-zipped pass from the one-yard line, which was intercepted in the final seconds of the game, rather than handing the ball to powerhouse running back Marshawn Lynch. "We blame the Seahawks' lousy play call for Mike's untimely demise," the 53-year-old's family said in an obituary published in the Spokesman-Review newspaper on Thursday. The obituary for the small business owner and Spokane native was a tongue-in-cheek gesture to a man with a sense of humor, the newspaper reported separately. Vedvik was said to have loved, among other things, "the Seahawks and life." He never actually watched the game, having recorded it for later, according to the paper. He died on Monday. His sister wrote the obituary and his brother-in-law slipped in the line on the Seahawks, the Spokesman-Review said. "My husband would have thought it was hysterical," Vedvik's wife, Stephanie, told the newspaper. "If I had read this obituary to my husband about somebody else, he would have had a laugh." (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Emily Stephenson and Susan Heavey)
| 5 | 9,818 |
news
|
Like the real world, professional sports has its share of sexists. I'm giving Chris Paul the benefit of the doubt that he is not one of them. In case you missed it, the Clippers standout was hit with a technical against the Cavaliers Thursday night by rookie referee Lauren Holtkamp. The team was tagged with five overall. Paul had this reaction after the game: "The tech that I get right there was ridiculous. I don't care what nobody says. I don't care what she says; that's terrible. There's no way that can be a tech. … That's ridiculous. If that's the case, this might not be for her." Was Paul saying that because she was female? Or was the comment because of her rookie status? If there was anything in Paul's history to suggest bigotry in this regard, then his comment is fair game. If there is, I can't find it. He is widely regarded as one of the most community-minded players in the NBA. He speaks warmly of his upbringing and of parents who have been happily married for 30-plus years. He has a daughter. While none of this is a sure-fire recipe for open-mindedness, it does at the least lay the foundation for a respect for women. I look forward to hearing more from him today. And I have no trouble with the overreaction either. We have yet to arrive at a level playing field in society when it comes to matters of equality. We need watchdogs. If anything, this should be a reminder to some broadcasters to watch their words. I have heard references to "the lady ref" a few times. Why do that? You wouldn't say "the black ref." Singling out someone by race or gender suggests a lack of equality. That's not the direction we should be heading. Paola Boivin writes for the Arizona Republic.
| 1 | 9,819 |
sports
|
New for 2015 The 2015 Chevrolet Sonic gains some minor updates including an available Wi-Fi hotspot with 4G LTE connection via GM's OnStar Service and a new exterior color. All LTZ-grade Sonics now come standard with the turbocharged 1.4-liter I-4 producing 138 hp and 148 lb-ft or torque. Vehicle Summary The 2015 Chevrolet Sonic is a subcompact car sold in four grades and in hatchback or sedan body styles. Overview In addition to the turbocharged 1.4-liter I-4 , the 2015 Chevrolet Sonic is available with a 1.8-liter I-4 with 138 hp and 125 lb-ft paired to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic. This powertrain offers decent fuel economy at 26/35 mpg city/highway with the manual and 25/35 mpg with the automatic. The turbocharged 1.4-liter I-4 is the better of the two powertrain since it has the same horsepower but has more torque and achieves the best fuel economy with six-speed manual models rated at 29/40 mpg and 27/37 mpg with the automatic. Handling is one of the 2015 Sonic's strong suits, with a confident chassis as well as quick and accurate steering. Ride quality and refinement are exceptional for a subcompact car with little wind and road noise. RS models improve handling even more with a stiffer, lower suspension, and rear disc brakes. However, the turbocharged 1.4-liter I-4's output remains unchanged despite the improvements in the car's handling. The car's heavy curb weight, which ranges from 2690 to 2847 pounds, means it's heavier than most subcompacts, causing the engine to work harder. Interior space is generous in both 2015 Sonic models with the hatchback offering up to 47.7 cubic feet of cargo room with the rear seats folded down (19 cubic feet with the seats up and 14.9 cubic feet for the sedan). Seating is good for four passengers but tight for five due to the car's tight rear center position. Available tech features include Chevrolet's MyLink system, which allows owners to link their smartphones via Bluetooth or USB port to gain access to a host of apps including Pandora and Stitcher. The BringGo navigation app is also available for $50 and can be shown on the car's seven-inch touch screen when the driver's smartphone is paired with the car. The 2015 Chevrolet Sonic has a five-star safety rating from the NHTSA (out of a possible five stars). UPDATE: In IIHS evaluations, the 2015 Sonic received a Good score in four categories and Marginal in the small overlap front crash test (Good is the highest possible score). What We Think The 2015 Chevrolet Sonic is an excellent subcompact car that has great driving dynamics, terrific fuel economy, and a host of connectivity options through the MyLink infotainment system. In a 2012 Comparison Test , we said that the car had "a well-composed suspension" and "effective noise insulation." The turbocharged 1.4-liter I-4 was also notable since it had a lot of mid-range torque compared to the buzzy-sounding 1.8-liter. RS models improve the Sonic's handling even more but its lack of power means it lags behind the Ford Fiesta ST and Fiat 500 Abarth, both of which are priced around the low-$20,000 range to start and are more powerful. You'll Like Good ride and handling Practical hatchback body style Excellent fuel economy You Won't Like RS models could use more power Buzzy 1.8-liter I-4 Heavy for a subcompact car Key Competitors Ford Fiesta Honda Fit Kia Rio Nissan Versa/Versa Note Hyundai Accent Rating 4 star
| 9 | 9,820 |
autos
|
NFL Pundits Look at Several Possible Different Scenarios for the New York Jets. To see more Jets videos download the Jets DeskSite.
| 1 | 9,821 |
sports
|
2015 Australian Open champion Serena Williams tells CNN what it means to win a 19th grand slam title as she celebrates her latest victory
| 8 | 9,822 |
video
|
Big Ag can't feed 10 billion and magical technologies won't appear Global food poisoning? Yes, We're maxing out. Forget Peak Oil. We're maxing-out on Peak Food. Billions go hungry. We're poisoning our future, That's why Cargill, America's largest private food company, is warning us: about water, seeds, fertilizers, diseases, pesticides, droughts. You name it. Everything impacts the food supply. Wake up America, it's worse than you think. We're slowly poisoning America's food supply, poisoning the whole world's food supply. Fortunately Cargill's thinking ahead. But politicians are dragging their feet. They're trapped in denial, protecting Big Oil donors, afraid of losing their job security; their inaction is killing, starving, poisoning people, while hiding behind junk-science. The truth is, America, Big Ag worldwide farm production can't feed the 10 billion humans forecast on Planet Earth by 2050. Can we wait till 2050 for the fallout? No. The clock's ticking on the Peak Food disaster dead ahead. We're at the critical tipping point, the planet is boiling over. Conservative Greg Page, executive chairman of the Cargill food empire, has that great can-do spirit of capitalism: At $43 billion, Cargill is America's largest privately held company, launched during the Civil War with one grain warehouse. An unabashed optimist, Page was sounding a loud battle cry in Burt Helm's New York Times op ed, "The Climate Bottom Line:" Page is a powerful leader, optimistic, realistic, experienced ... admits he "doesn't know ... or particularly care ... whether human activity causes climate change ... doesn't give much serious thought to apocalyptic predictions of unbearably hot summers and endless storms." Page wants action, results. Yes, he's no left-wing environmentalist. Far from it. This is business, jobs, profits, because it's a fact, climate's already damaging huge sectors of America's agricultural business ... dust bowls in the heartland, in California's bone dry central valley, all over ... Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, all farm economics are affected. Meanwhile, our politicians dilly-dally, drifting, dragging their feet, in denial, playing petty ideological games. For Cargill's boss, this really is just business, because in the long run climate change could easily and irreversibly wreck Cargill's as well as America's nearly $10 trillion annual agricultural sector that employs over 2.5 million, about one in six Americans. What if no magical new Big Ag technologies will feed 10 billion people? Yes, Page's Big Ag food company has billions at stake. He cannot risk being wrong, losing. Listen to the future he sees coming: "Over the next 50 years, if nothing is done ... crop yields in many states will most likely fall ... the costs of cooling chicken farms will rise ... and floods will more frequently swamp the railroads that transport food in the United States" ... he wants American agribusiness to be ready. But what if Cargill's scientists are too optimistic, when arguing America's agriculture sector is "well prepared to adapt to changes." Maybe not. Former New York mayor, billionaire Michael Bloomberg, was skeptical of Cargill. The Times reported Bloomberg asking Page: "Do the technologies exist? Or are you saying they will someday, 'as in, we know there will be a cure for cancer, but we have no idea when or how'?" Ouch! Cargill, Big Ag, the entire global food industry may just whimsically go on thinking short-term profits living in a fantasy world, hoping that someday, maybe they'll get bailed out by some magical technology that just may not be there when they get there. Bottom line: Cargill's Page is convinced "adaptation was more a matter of execution for the food industry, not research and development." Unfortunately, as things get worse and Peak Food starts descending rapidly down the other side of the peak, all that optimism, the magical technology, all the promises of capitalist solutions will still be little comfort for the more than one billion people worldwide who already live in extreme poverty. Skepticism rapidly poisoning the steep Peak Food slope Yes, food is one of the biggest problems in the world: We already have trouble feeding the 7.3 billion people already here today. And it's virtually impossible to feed another 3 billion by 2050, warns Jeremy Grantham, whose firm is an investment manager for $120 billion, and also funds the Grantham Research Center at the London School of Economics. Bill Gates caps population at 8 billion people. Columbia University's Jeff Sachs, head of the Earth Institute and a key adviser to the UN Secretary General, warns that five billion is the max Earth can sustain. Yet, at today's trajectory, it's 10 billion, a disaster waiting to happen. The Bush Pentagon already warned us that by 2020 the planet's "carrying capacity" will be so drastically compromised America's war machine is already preparing military defense systems for the coming "all-out wars over food, water, and energy supplies." Feed the 7 billion people already on Earth today plus another 3 billion by 2050? Feed 10 billion? If we must, we can't wait till 2050 to start. The clock's ticking. Now. We're already at the tipping point. We better start planning now, if we want even a fighting chance. World's biggest survival task is food ... We cannot feed 10 billion Unfortunately, Grantham is not as optimistic as Page. Just the opposite, he reinforces the Pentagon's worst fears, warning of an "inevitable mismatch between finite resources and exponential population growth" with a "bubble-like explosion of prices for raw materials," plus commodity shortages that are a major "threat to the long-term viability of our species when we reach a population level of 10 billion," making "it impossible to feed the 10 billion people." Bad news: the planet's "carrying capacity" cannot feed 10 billion people. So that constrains all technological optimism., forcing Grantham conclusion: "As the population continues to grow, we will be stressed by recurrent shortages of hydrocarbons, metals, water, and, especially, fertilizer. Our global agriculture, though, will clearly bear the greatest stresses." Get it? Agriculture is the world's biggest problem for the commodity sector. Agribusiness has the "responsibility for feeding an extra two to three billion mouths, an increase of 30% to 40% in just 40 years. The availability of the highest quality land will almost certainly continue to shrink slowly, and the quality of typical arable soil will continue to slowly decline globally due to erosion despite increased efforts to prevent it. This puts a huge burden on increasing productivity." An impossible equation for Cargill. 5 reasons Peak Food is world's No. 1ticking time bomb Grantham believes "humans have the brains and the means to reach real planetary sustainability," But "the problem is with us and our focus on short-term growth." Our "human ingenuity" can even solve the energy problem, even shortages of metals and fresh water. Even solve the population demand problem without starvation, diseases and wars. But agriculture is facing a huge loss of nonrenewable resources that technology cannot solve with unsubstantiated promises of future magic. So here's why agriculture is the world's No. 1 time bomb. And why American politicians damn well better start to deal with Grantham's five constraints: -- We're "running out completely of potassium (potash) and phosphorus (phosphates) and eroding our soils … Their total or nearly total depletion would make it impossible to feed the 10 billion people ... -- "Potassium and phosphorus are necessary for all life; they cannot be manufactured and cannot be substituted for ... -- "Globally, soil is eroding at a rate that is several times that of the natural replacement rate … -- "Poor countries found mostly in Africa and Asia will almost certainly suffer from increasing malnutrition and starvation. The possibility of foreign assistance on the scale required seems remote. -- "Many stresses on agriculture will be exacerbated … by increasing temperatures … increased weather instability … frequent and severe droughts and floods." Grantham is skeptical of solutions based on the usual short-term thinking will work in the future: "Capitalism, despite its magnificent virtues in the short term, above all, its ability to adjust to changing conditions, has several weaknesses." Capitalism "cannot deal with the tragedy of the commons, e.g., overfishing, collective soil erosion, and air contamination." Just the opposite, unregulated free markets just makes things worse. And yet in today's culture of science denialism, the "finiteness of natural resources is simply ignored, and pricing is based entirely on short-term supply and demand." In short, the next few decades challenge a fundamental tenet of capitalism: That the public good is best served by the "invisible hand" of competing individuals, acting solely in their own separate special interests. No cooperation, no global solutions, it's everyone for themselves, no restrictions. Unfortunately that's a dead-end for everyone, a time bomb soon to explode.
| 3 | 9,823 |
finance
|
ORANGEVALE, Calif. Firefighters in Northern California rescued a horse that got stuck in an outdoor bathtub. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Capt. Michelle Eidam says the horse was dancing around in her stall to protect the bathtub used as her food trough when she suddenly fell in Wednesday. The horse, named Phantom, was stuck in the bathtub for about 25 minutes with her feet up in the air. Her owner saw the horse fall and called the fire department. Between firefighters and the owner's family, they were able to prop the bathtub on its side and pull Phantom forward onto her feet. Phantom, a Palomino/Appaloosa mix, was not injured.
| 5 | 9,824 |
news
|
Hide your supercars because Koenigsegg is about to unleash a "megacar" called the Regera. And if that weren't enough, it's also going to unveil an Agera RS. All this is set to go down at next month's Geneva auto show . The Swedish supercar maker isn't releasing details just yet, though it was generous enough to tease us with the cars' badges. Koenigsegg even saved us the trouble of dusting off our dictionaries and provided us with the definition of Regera, a Swedish word that means to reign (over) or rule (over). Last September Koenigsegg was caught at the Nürburgring lapping what was rumored to be an Agera One:1 and an Agera R, so it's possible that engineers were instead testing an Agera RS prototype. Testing came to an unfortunate end when the purported Agera R mule crashed and sent both the driver and the passenger to the hospital. The Agera R makes an insane 1150 hp and 885 lb-ft of torque from a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V-8. Running to 60 mph takes just 2.9 seconds, while completing a 0-186-0-mph run happens in 21.19 seconds. Koenigsegg will undoubtedly have insane performance estimates for its upcoming cars when they debut at the Geneva auto show. Source: Koenigsegg
| 9 | 9,825 |
autos
|
If you're counting down to a warm-weather vacation or wedding or just want to look your best all year round, now's the time to get the weight-loss formula right. We spoke to Tracey Mallett, founder of The Booty Barre , for her simple tips on losing weight and feeling your best the smart way. Read on for her advice. Make it a mix: Once and for all, don't avoid those weights if you want to lose weight. "The best way for people to want to lose weight is a combination of cardio and strength training activity to increase muscle mass," advises Tracey. Gaining muscle will help shrink your body even faster as you increase your metabolism. You don't even have to lift weights - these 25 body-weight exercises will sculpt muscles fast. Start slow, but be consistent: When you're not used to a workout routine, you could be setting yourself up for burnout if you take on too much too soon. "What happens with people is that when they want to lose weight, they go, go, go, and then they overburn, and then they give up," Tracey explains. She recommends new exercisers start by sticking to a schedule of three to five times a week. "The more consistent you are, the more calories you're burning," she says. Clean up your diet: Exercise is important, but Tracey says it's the smaller part of the weight-loss formula: "80 percent of what goes into the body is what you look like, and then 20 percent is exercise." However, "even though exercise seems like a small percentage, it's really not, because you don't want to be skinny and fat; you want to have muscle mass, so it's important you do both." Stick to whole foods like vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and lean protein, Tracey recommends, making sure you watch out for starchy carbs, added sugars, and too-big portions. Don't go too fast: You shouldn't be losing any more than one to two pounds a week, Tracey says, so make sure you're eating enough to fuel your new workout routine. "The max is two pounds a week, and really, that's a lot," Tracey warns. Read More: 12 turnoffs that kill your sex life Read More: Do these exercise for upper body strength Read more: 8 snack ideas that help you lose weight
| 7 | 9,826 |
health
|
Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard, and Scarlett Johansson all get an F on this week's Fashion Offenders hosted by Wonderwall's Kirby Kristen.
| 8 | 9,827 |
video
|
WASHINGTON As the U.S. economy has steadily recovered from the Great Recession, the critical missing piece has been a painful lack of pay raises for many Americans. Their pain may be easing. Friday's jobs report signaled that raises have finally begun to flow through an economy in which, once you factor in inflation, most people earn less than when the Great Recession struck in 2007. The average hourly wage jumped 0.5 percent between December and January the sharpest monthly gain since 2008 the government's survey of businesses found. The average has now risen 2.2 percent over the past 12 months to $24.75, comfortably above inflation. So if you've gone without a meaningful raise, should you expect one? Skeptics still have doubts. But the quickening rate of hiring provides reason to hope. The government's figures don't pinpoint which occupations have benefited most from rising pay. Wages have risen at a slightly slower pace for non-managers, indicating that bosses are pocketing much of the gains. Still, corporate announcements and job postings indicate that wage growth has been extending to a broad range of industries and professions. Job listings on Indeed.com, for example, show stronger demand for truckers, health care professionals and technology workers, all of which points to higher wages, said Tara Sinclair, chief economist at Indeed.com and a professor at George Washington University. "America is really getting back to work, and that's the first step to getting better paychecks," Sinclair said. The pace of hiring has accelerated 34 percent since 2013. That growth has reduced the number of job seekers and made it harder for employers to find talented employees. The trend, the theory goes, has finally forced companies to loosen their grip on pay to attract and keep the best workers. Employers have added 3.2 million jobs over the 12 months including 257,000 in January, 329,000 in December and a sizzling 423,000 in November. Some economists note that pay figures tend to be volatile from month to month and that January's blowout average increase might be unsustainable. Still, each additional job increases the number of paychecks in the United States, which drives greater consumer spending. And that tends to fuel further hiring and higher wages. Ford Motor Co. has announced that up to 500 of its lowest-paid factory workers will receive a 48 percent pay raise to $28.50 an hour. Only 20 percent of its employees can be in the lowest tier, so Ford had to raise wages to hire 1,550 workers to make pickup trucks in Missouri and Michigan. Other major companies, including Aetna and the Gap, have also announced pay increases. Some smaller firms are enjoying a level of growth that has begun to deliver year-end bonuses and raises. Christopher Falcone is among the beneficiaries. Falcone, 32, has been working as an accountant at a Chicago real estate investment company for the past six months. He said he just received a 3.5 percent salary increase and a 4 percent cash bonus enough to plan a visit to Disney World to celebrate with his family. "It's our 10-year wedding anniversary," Falcone said. "We got married there, so we're going back and we're taking our kids." Other workers are negotiating higher salaries after reviewing the pay levels advertised on job sites. David Castaneda felt that the 3 percent raise he recently received didn't fully value his performance as a financial analyst at a cemetery and mortuary outside Los Angeles. So the 27-year-old Castaneda researched other job opportunities and presented the findings to his boss. The result? A 31 percent pay increase to $85,000. "The opportunities are out there and wages are being pushed up," Castaneda said. "If everyone were to do this, they would get it. But most people are afraid that their boss would say no and let them go." Many Americans, of course, have yet to enjoy pay bumps regardless of a tightening labor pool. The wage figures from the Labor Department are averages. So even when the averages improve, millions of workers continue to endure stagnant incomes and rising expenses. For example, in the mining and logging sector of the economy, which has been pummeled by plunging oil prices, average wages actually fell in December. Economists also note that average wages can gyrate from month to month. Wages had dipped in December, leading Dean Baker of the liberal Center for Economic Policy and Research to conclude that there's "no real evidence" of accelerating pay. Wages generally rise at a pace of more than 3 percent in a healthy economy. Still, the year-over-year average wage increase of 2.2 percent can feel a lot better than it might sound given today's historically low inflation. Thanks to sinking prices at the gasoline pump, consumer prices have edged up just 0.8 percent over the past 12 months. That means wages have risen a solid 1.4 percent after inflation. "That's a step in the right direction," said Bill Hampel, chief economist at the Credit Union National Association. Hampel stressed that job growth must continue at the current solid rate for a couple more years to make up for the plunge in incomes that accompanied the recession and then persisted during most of the 5-½-year-old recovery. Even so, some younger Americans who clung to their jobs during the meager recovery are now enjoying a novel experience: a promotion. Mark Andre, a designer at the commercial architecture firm LSM in Washington, just received a 15 percent raise after being elevated to a new position. "It was rough through 2011 and 2012 in the architecture industry," said Andre, 28. "It's encouraging to see the numbers are coming back."
| 3 | 9,828 |
finance
|
The White House on Friday defended President Obama's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast after he was widely lambasted by conservatives for bringing up acts done in Christianity's name amid a discussion of modern-day terrorist threats. Americans should hold themselves "up to our own values and our own standards," deputy press secretary Eric Schultz said aboard the president's flight to Indianapolis, where Obama is speaking at a community college, according to the pool report. Obama believes that "when we fall short of that, we need to be honest with ourselves," Schultz said, noting Obama's "belief in American exceptionalism." "The president believes that America is the greatest country on earth, not only because of our military or economic prowess or because we serve in a unique leadership role amongst the international community," he added. Conservatives widely panned Obama's remarks Thursday at the Washington Hilton, in which he referenced historical events to contextualize violence committed in the name of religion, most recently on the part of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). "Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ," Obama said. "In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ." "Mr. President, the Crusades were 800 years ago and the Inquisition 500 years ago. What's happening right now is not Christians on the march, it is radical Islam," columnist Charles Krauthammer said on Fox News on Thursday, calling the remarks "astonishing." Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), a potential 2016 presidential candidate, also criticized the speech, saying in a statement, "While Christians of today are taught to live their lives as the reflection of Christ's love, the radicals of ISIS use their holy texts as a rationale for violence." "To insinuate modern Christians the same Christian faith that led the abolitionist movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and global charitable efforts fighting disease and poverty cannot stand up against the scourge we see in the Middle East is wrong," Santorum added. Former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R-Va.) called the remarks "the most offensive I've ever heard a president make in my lifetime," the former Republican National Committee chairman added that Obama "has offended every believing Christian in the United States." Schultz said he had not spoken with the president about reaction to his remarks at the prayer breakfast. "But I know that there is a failed presidential candidate and an RNC chairman from the past who have criticized us," Schultz said. "But I don't have a response to either of those two people."
| 5 | 9,829 |
news
|
Joseph Randle's since-removed tweet this week noted that he's 'Learning the value of a good lawyer each day.' If his ex-girlfiend and mother of his child is telling the truth, Randle's assessment of his legal situation is correct. While sources tell FOX Sports Southwest that the Dallas Cowboys' investigation of the situation leads them to believe domestic violence was not involved in a police call to a Wichita, Kan., hotel that led to the backup running back being listed on the police department's "arrest" list, Dalia Jacobs tells a story involving violence and gunplay. Jacobs tells KWCH-TV: "Joseph puts his gun up. He walks back to the car, he looks in it, and then he just punches it with his fist. Glass splatters everywhere. There's glass in my son's hair. It hit him and that's when he starts crying." The incident, which resulted in a 3 a.m. call to the police, is still being investigated. Ronald's agent, Erik Burkhardt, insists his client was "ticketed" rather than "arrested." But that's a semantic difference that seems immaterial if Jacobs is accurate in her description of the meeting both sides was arranged so Randle could see his infant son. The report says situation led Jacobs to file a protection from abuse order, and that the state is now intervening to get Randle, the Cowboys backup running back scheduled to make $585,000 this year, to pay his child support. MORE FROM FOX SPORTS SOUTHWEST: - Five-star recruits who were never stars in college - Ranking NFL quarterback salaries - Oldest player on every NBA team - Famous Dallas Cowboys fans
| 1 | 9,830 |
sports
|
Long story short, we're pretty new around here.
| 8 | 9,831 |
video
|
WASHINGTON Spencer Zwick may be the most sought after man in Republican politics. A Boston-based venture capitalist who led the operation that raised almost half a billion dollars for Mitt Romney's last presidential campaign, Zwick has spoken with five Republican presidential prospects in person or by phone in the week since Romney announced he would not make a third run for the White House. Deeply disappointed by Romney's decision, Zwick says he's not in a rush to join another campaign. But he will, and soon, along with a small group of former Romney aides who are the subject of an intense chase among the crowded 2016 Republican field for some of the nation's top political talent. "I think there are some interesting candidates out there," Zwick told The Associated Press. "I'm going to watch that with great interest. And at some point, I'll be working for one of them." In the past week, Zwick has heard directly from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. The suitors represent most of the top tier of likely Republican contenders, a group that in most cases spent the past several months building political teams and national finance operations. But Romney's exit escalated the behind-the-scenes scramble for his senior team, who were largely waiting on his final decision about the race before entertaining offers from others. Lanhee Chen, Romney's chief policy adviser in 2012, has been in touch with at least eight prospective campaigns with follow up meetings set for the coming weeks. "It's likely that I will get involved in the primary," said Chen. "I just haven't figured out for whom or in what capacity." Other former Romney aides contacted by multiple campaigns include Eric Fehrnstrom and Beth Myers, strategists at the heart of Romney's inner circle, as well as political director Rich Beeson, deputy campaign manager Katie Packer Gage, general counsel Katie Biber Chen, finance director Mason Fink, digital director Zac Moffatt and director of advance Will Ritter. "Gov. Romney's decision gives us the chance to continue the conversations we're having with the potential 2016 campaigns," said Ritter, now a partner in a Republican advertising firm. "It will be a matter of weeks, not months, before the bulk of the best operatives are signed up." Those on the free-agent list report calling each other furiously in recent days to share information and insight about which candidate has the strongest chance to emerge from the GOP's crowded field of White House prospects. They are considering multiple factors as they eye new employers, although a clear path to victory is paramount. "I want to win, first and foremost," Zwick said. "To win the presidency, I feel like you almost have to catch lightning in a bottle," he said. "So as I look at the field, I say, 'Who can do that? Who is the right candidate for this time?'" Bush's campaign is a likely landing spot for many Romney loyalists, although others acknowledge having serious discussions with Christie, Walker, Rubio and Paul. Romney's team is largely bypassing the more conservative candidates, such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, while some continue to harbor ill will toward Christie, whom they blame for not helping Romney enough in the closing days of the 2012 campaign as Superstorm Sandy ravaged the New Jersey coast. Former Romney donors began moving aggressively in Bush's direction before he formally bowed out of the 2016 contest, although Romney's most loyal aides were less willing to defect while there was still a chance he would launch a third bid. One exception is Romney's longtime Iowa operative, David Kochel, who committed to Bush just before Romney got out of the race last week. Romney's top New Hampshire aide, Jim Merrill, said his phone, text and email lines started to "pop pretty actively" after the announcement. "I've been with Mitt for a long time so it's difficult, but I am listening and considering opportunities with other campaigns," he said. "I don't want to drag this out. My hope is to come to a final decision here in the very near future." ___ Follow Steve Peoples on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/sppeoples
| 5 | 9,832 |
news
|
Minnesota Wild forward Matt Cooke underwent successful sports hernia surgery, the team announced Friday. The 36-year-old veteran was operated on by Dr. L. Michael Brunt at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., and should make a full recovery, according to Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher. Cooke, who missed 22 games from Oct. 30-Dec. 17 with a hip injury, is expected to return to action in about six weeks. While battling injuries, Cooke has four goals and four assists in 27 games this season. Last year, he led the Wild in hits and had 28 points (10 goals) in 82 games. With Cooke out, the Wild could decide to make a move. The NHL trade deadline is March 2.
| 1 | 9,833 |
sports
|
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has praised Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino's willingness to bring through young players, ahead of the North London derby on Saturday.
| 8 | 9,834 |
video
|
If you hate doing your housework, you're not alone, but as it turns out, you have a lot of options for how to get your unwanted tasks off your plate. Instacart will match you up with someone to bring you groceries. Washio will find someone to pick up, clean, and deliver your laundry. Shyp will pick up and mail packages for you. Postmates will deliver food. Taskrabbit will find a workers to do any number of errands, from assembling Ikea furniture to making CVS runs. And there are dozens of others. Most of these follow one of two systems: either pay a set fee for your task of choice or say what you're willing to pay. Willing workers will do your task, and the company that matched you takes a cut. While the rise of these services means extra cash for people doing odd jobs, they also point to deeper, unsettling trends going on in the US economy. 1. The middle is falling out of the job market T he New York Times' Farhad Manjoo wrote in May that Instacart and services like it could "redefine how we think about the future of labor." That sounds great in an era when technology replaces cashiers with self-check-out machines and automates assembly-line jobs out of existence. But the growth of TaskRabbit and other similar firms could mostly mean yet more job growth at the lower end of the spectrum. These low-skill jobs have made up the bulk of job growth over the last decade or so, as the Dallas Fed showed in a recent paper. While jobs fall out of the middle, new jobs are created at the top and bottom. And those jobs at the bottom tend to be "nonroutine manual" jobs: those that require few skills and little problem-solving. Many of these errand jobs fit this bill perfectly, involving deliveries and other rote tasks. These new errand jobs can feature high pay Instacart, Manjoo noted, can pay $30 an hour. But a major problem is finding steady work no grocery run takes eight hours. Journalists who have tried the Taskrabbit life themselves have written that trying to cobble together enough jobs to make a real living can be virtually impossible. (That said, TaskRabbit has experimented with making some workers full-time temps.) 2. A tough climb up? Performing odd jobs also largely means doing work that doesn't boost a person's resume much. It is possible to get work that's more medium-skill on these websites administrative work or proofreading, for example and some services, like Washio, do say that some of these workers can after a while get jobs within the company. But many of the errand jobs still involve simply carting goods around or doing other simple manual tasks. Grocery-fetching may be a good way to earn money, but if the wave of the future looks like delivering goods, not to mention renting out rooms on Airbnb and giving people Lyft rides, the question is whether those earners accumulate enough new skills, knowledge, and training to eventually help them find new jobs and, ultimately, boost the economy. 3. Dwindling free time One reason people are buying these services is because they want more time on their hands. The Labor Department's American Time Use Survey shows that as Americans get more educated, they have less leisure time. That wasn't always the case. As The Atlantic's Derek Thompson showed in May , more education has only in the last few decades become synonymous with less leisure time. And more education tends to mean more income. "If you look at who is working more, the same, and less over the past few decades the trend is towards increasing hours at work by more educated and affluent workers," says Chuck Darrah, professor of anthropology at San Jose State University and author of Busier than Ever, a book about American families' time use. "The total hours of everyone else has not significantly increased, although there is a rise in non-standard hours, especially among many workers paid less precisely the ones doing the drudgery chores [for companies like Taskrabbit and Washio]," he says. This is not to say that all of these new errand-running workers are low-educated; in fact, most of Taskrabbit's have college degrees. As The Verge reported in 2013, 70 percent of the company's workers have at least a bachelor's degree. It seems that many people taking these jobs either have fallen on hard times or just want a little money on the side. But what may be happening with these new errand services is that those time-strapped, richer Americans who still have jobs have found a way to buy a bit of extra time. And they're buying it from the people who most need jobs those with no work and lots of time on their hands. All of these factors combined have made it possible to buy the sort of help that previously would have been out of reach. Though those higher-educated Americans likely to earn far more than their least-educated peers, many don't have the money for a full-time housekeeper. Being able to spend $30 a week to get laundry done, however, is much more doable, and technology has made that transaction possible. Services like Washio and TaskRabbit exploit the intersection of these trends. The rise of errand-service companies may be a classic example of companies popping up that create demand that customers didn't even know they had. The question is how much that demand will translate into a demand for unsteady, low-skill labor.
| 3 | 9,835 |
finance
|
Despite his struggles on and off the golf course, Tiger Woods is still the biggest money-maker in golf, earning $55.1 million in winnings and endorsements in 2014 according to GolfDigest.com . Woods is still the top golfer in earnings despite only playing in seven PGA Tour events in 2014. Of course, most of Tiger's earnings came off the course, which is where the world's richest golfers make their real money. Arnold Palmer was the fourth-highest paid golfer in 2014, taking in $40.0 million, all in endorsements. Overall, Tiger has taken in $1.37 billion in his career, with $1.21 billion coming off the course. But as we see in the chart below, those earnings have dropped quickly in the last five years and there are signs that is going to change anytime soon. NOW WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing a wig and glasses, surprised a young fan on the streets of Madrid
| 1 | 9,836 |
sports
|
FALL RIVER, Mass. Jurors in the murder trial of former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez have spent about 45 minutes touring his home. The former NFL player is accused of the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating his fiancée's sister. Jurors were taken on a bus on Friday to several sites in Massachusetts along with a heavy police escort. Hernandez's home in North Attleboro is not far from the industrial park where Lloyd's body was found. Jurors could be seen getting back on the bus, led there by the judge and court officers, who were holding ceremonial poles that were about 7 feet tall. Hernandez was not allowed on the tour, but lawyers for both sides attended.
| 1 | 9,837 |
sports
|
Virginia coach Tony Bennett gushed this week when talking about No. 9 Louisville and its defense, saying the Cardinals are ''as good of a defensive team as I've seen in quite a while.'' It turns out the No. 3 Cavaliers have something to do with that. Louisville's Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino was unimpressed earlier this season with how his team played help defense, so he went to the videotape - of how Virginia players help each other on defense. ''About two months ago I showed our team that we were not helping right defensively. We were playing on the ball, we were on what I call our strong-side defense, playing very well. We didn't play weak-side defense,'' Pitino said this week. ''I showed them clips of Virginia and the way they play the ball. Five guys play the ball.'' The results have been impressive. While the Cavaliers and No. 1 Kentucky, the Cardinals' in-state rival, have taken turns leading the country in scoring defense all season, Pitino's team is 20th. Virginia is leading the way, allowing 50.8 points per game; the Cardinals give up 58.8 points. ''They're exceptional defensively,'' Bennett said. ''Their scheme is unique. They mix it up and it's impressive. They win with their defense a lot and they certainly have some playmakers that do things offensively. They challenge you to take care of the ball when they're pressing and then when they're not, going against their halfcourt man-to-man, zone, matchup.'' The Cardinals sometimes press, and while Virginia had great success when it faced the 94 feet of pressure No. 18 VCU employs earlier in the year, Louisville is more athletic. ''It's as good of a defensive team as I've seen in quite a while,'' Bennett said. The Cavaliers (20-1, 8-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) will finish a stretch of three games against ranked teams with Hall of Fame coaches - Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, North Carolina's Roy Williams and Pitino - in Saturday night's meeting at sold-out John Paul Jones Arena. Not that Bennett hasn't impressed in his own right. Pitino said his team (19-3, 7-2) will be facing ''one of the bright young coaches in the game.'' Said the Cardinals coach: ''He's got staying power because his teams execute so well.'' Louisville has won four in a row, including a victory against No. 12 North Carolina in which it erased an 18-point deficit in the last 18 minutes of regulation, then won easily, 78-68 in overtime. Virginia will be looking for its second straight victory. The Cavaliers won at North Carolina on Monday night, their first victory on the road against a ranked Tar Heels team since 1981. It came two days after Duke ended Virginia's 21-game home winning streak with a come-from-behind, 69-63 victory. As Bennett noted, the Cardinals present defensive challenges, primarily with a backcourt duo of Terry Rozier (18.5 ppg) and Chris Jones (13.7 ppg). Louisville also has a dangerous big man in Montrezl Harrell (15.4 ppg, 9.2 rpg). Bennett is most familiar with Harrell, having coached him last summer on Team USA in the FIBA Under 19 World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. The Virginia coach envisions a compelling matchup with Harrell and the Cavaliers' front line trio of 7-foot Mike Tobey and 6-8 forward Darion Atkins and Anthony Gill. ''He is a warrior between the lines,'' Bennett said of Harrell. ''He's motivated by that. The bigger the game, the bigger the setting, he seems to thrive on that, so that's what impresses me about him.'' --- AP sports writer Gary B. Graves in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report. --- Follow Hank on twitter at: http://twitter.com/hankkurzjr
| 1 | 9,838 |
sports
|
It looks harmless, but give it a poke and it turns into the stuff of nightmares. Hate spiders? Then you'll want to look away as it makes a grown man scream.
| 8 | 9,839 |
video
|
ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders have hired Seattle linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. as their new defensive coordinator. Coach Jack Del Rio announced Friday that his former teammate with the Dallas Cowboys will join his staff to run the defense in Oakland. Del Rio and Norton were teammates in Dallas for two seasons. Norton also played with the San Francisco 49ers before beginning his coaching career at his alma mater Southern California in 2004. Norton spent six years with the Trojans before following Pete Carroll to Seattle. Norton has been linebackers coach for the Seahawks for five seasons, helping them win the Super Bowl last season and make it back this year. --- Online: AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
| 1 | 9,840 |
sports
|
A bill proposed by a Florida lawmaker would punish transgender men and women for using their bathroom of choice. Rep. Frank Artiles' measure wants to make violators subject to criminal charges if they knowingly use a single-sex facility. It could leave property owners of public buildings, offices and businesses liable to civil lawsuits if they even promote gender cross over in their bathrooms. The Miami Republican claims in House Bill 583 it's a matter of safety, fearing sinister results of assault, rape and voyeurism. "The way the law is written now, I could go to LA Fitness and walk in to the women's locker room and showers and I wouldn't be arrested," Artiles wrote on Facebook Friday. Though the bill does not directly address transgender people, the bill's wording would limit the transgender community's access bathrooms even after gender reassignment surgery. Advocacy group Equality Florida called the legislation "absurd" for attempting to dehumanize transgender people. "The Transgender Discrimination Bill is mean-spirited and underscores the vital work we are doing to pass a statewide non-discrimination law that protects our community in employment, housing and public accommodations," Equality Florida wrote in an email to supporters. His sponsored bill would override local laws that already have policies in place banning discrimination on gender identity. Artiles' bill would only allow people to enter bathrooms designated for their biological sex at birth. The bill defines single-sex facilities as fitting and locker rooms, but it does not apply to unisex, family bathrooms or bathrooms with only one toilet. If approved, the bill would go into effect July 1. [email protected]
| 5 | 9,841 |
news
|
Australia captain Michael Clarke remained coy when quizzed over whether he would recover from his hamstring injury in time to line up against England in their opening World Cup game on February 14.
| 8 | 9,842 |
video
|
MONTGOMERY, Ala. A longtime friend who visited "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee the day before the world learned she would release a sequel says she was feisty but didn't mention her new book. Historian Wayne Flynt, a friend of the famous author, said he believes Lee was capable of giving permission for the previously unpublished manuscript to be released. "This narrative of senility, exploitation of this helpless little old lady is just hogwash. It's just complete bunk," historian Wayne Flynt said in an interview with The Associated Press. Flynt visited with Lee on Monday at the assisted-living facility where she lives in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. That was a day before a division of HarperCollins Publishers announced the publication of "Go Set a Watchman." The publisher said Tonja Carter, an attorney who practiced with Lee's sister, found the manuscript, which will be released in July as a sequel to the beloved novel. She did not mention the "Mockingbird" sequel that was about to make international news during the visit. Flynt said he believes Lee might have planned to tell him about her new novel, but didn't get the chance because he monopolized the first part of the conversation by showing her that "To Kill A Mockingbird" was still on the best-seller list more than 50 years after its first publication. She was "deeply touched" and surprised by that fact, he said. They then talked about their families. Flynt said Lee is capable of giving consent, although he acknowledges he doesn't know what the consent looked like. Lee is hard of hearing and uses a magnifying machine to enlarge print so she can read. "I don't know whether it was, 'Nelle, you need to do this,' or 'Nelle, what do you think?' or 'Nelle, sign this because it's going to be financially wonderful for you.'" "No one is ever going to know no reporter, not me, what was said in that room," Flynt said. He added, however, that he had no reason to doubt Carter's integrity. Lee is severely hard of hearing, which is why some people likely think that she is cognitively impaired. "She's 88 years old," Flynt said. "She has a profound hearing problem. You have to get right next to her right ear and shout. You may have to shout it three or four times." For example, he said, during a January visit, he saw that she was reading a collection of works by C.S. Lewis and asked her about him. "Bluish, who's bluish?" came the reply. After, a couple of tries, Lee was able to hear him. "Oh, C.S. Lewis, the greatest Christian apologist of the twentieth century," she replied and then rattled off the names of his books. "'The Screwtape Letters.' I love it," Lee said of the satirical novel that chronicles a veteran demon's attempts to tutor a protege in the art of tempting humans. Flynt said he also once gave her a tape of Monty Python actor John Cleese narrating "The Screwtape Letters." "She roared," Flynt said. The news of the unexpected sequel was met with excitement in Monroeville. Monroe County Probate Judge Greg Norris said publication of "Go Set a Watchman" helps solidify the county's reputation as the "Literary Capital of Alabama." "I've talked to somebody who's read it; I can't say who," said Norris. "But he or she said it's unreal." Lee remains feisty despite her age and medical ailments, Flynt said. He said a statement Carter gave to the publisher that quotes the author as saying she is "happy as hell" about the new book is "vintage Harper Lee." Flynt said he recently told Lee a story about his 4-year-old granddaughter, also named Harper. He recalled how he pointed to a large postal truck being driven by a woman, and asked the girl if she wanted to grow up to become a mail lady. "I'm no lady. I'm Harper Flynt," he said the girl replied, with narrowed eyes. "She roared with laughter, and said, 'You tell Harper that she's just like me. I'm no lady either,'" Flynt said.
| 5 | 9,843 |
news
|
There are a lot of people out there concerned about whether or not Better Call Saul is going to be any good, but Bob Odenkirk is not one of them. The star of the Breaking Bad spinoff, which premieres Sunday night at 10 p.m. on AMC (followed by a second episode in its regular time slot Mondays at 10 p.m.), admits that most actors following in the footsteps of Walter White and the legacy of the beloved AMC series would feel a lot of pressure. "I should be sweating in my boots, but I'm not," Odenkirk told Bio while chatting with TV critics last month in Pasadena. Here's why: "I think that the star of the show is [creators] Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould and their writing," Odenkirk explained to us. "In the end, when people talk about these shows that they love, they're talking about the story and the characters." This story and these characters are indeed in very good hands, and after having seen the first three episodes of Better Call Saul , I can tell you that this series should be able to stand on its own just fine and emerge from the shadow of its hulking predecessor. It's good. And just like Breaking Bad did in Season 1, Saul needs some time to grow (and it will AMC already gave it an early Season 2 renewal), but it's off to a well-balanced and engaging start. Set six years before Breaking Bad takes place, Better Call Saul is a prequel that gives us the backstory of everybody's favorite sleazy lawyer Saul Goodman, the whipsmart, morally questionable attorney who quickly became a breakout character after debuting in BB's second season. But Saul, as we know him, doesn't exist yet. As we dive back in time to Albuquerque 2002, we meet Jimmy McGill (Odenkirk), a down-on-his-luck public defender who's barely scraping by on $700 paychecks, working out of a makeshift office, driving a crappy car, with a phone that isn't exactly ringing off the hook. While Saul provided much of the comedic relief among the Bad world of Heisenberg and Co., Jimmy McGill is a much sadder sack. This Saul's tone will still feature the dark humor that fans love about the criminally clever lawyer, especially as we witness his gradual transformation from Jimmy McGill into Saul Goodman, but there are some gloomier moments as viewers get a glimpse of who is he behind the façade. "There are some emotional scenes but I still get to be funny," Odenkirk told us. "We talked about making him more of a sympathetic character," Odenkirk continued. "I was surprised how many people liked him in Breaking Bad . Why? He's a shifty guy who's out for himself," he laughed, "but I thought there had to be more dimensions to him now and clearly Vince and Peter agreed." A good example of that is his relationship with one of the new characters introduced: Michael McKean, who plays Jimmy's older brother Chuck, a wealthier, more successful attorney whom Jimmy helps take care of after he's plagued by an as-yet-to-be-revealed health issue. Familiar faces abound as well, most notably future "fixer" Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), featured here as the parking lot attendant at the courthouse, who, for now, is McGill's daily nemesis. There's another surprise Breaking Bad connection revealed in the final seconds of the premiere episode that I won't spoil, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled. To that end, with Gilligan and Gould at the helm, of course, the show naturally gives a few winks to its heritage with occasional sly nods to Breaking Bad subtly embedded here and there for sharp-eyed fans to pick up on (take note of the location of Saul's seedy "law office" for one). That begs the one big question BB fans surely have: Are Walt and Jesse going to show up at some point? Gould gave a frank answer to reporters in January: "Walt and Jesse don't show up in Season 1," he confirmed, saying he didn't want to mislead viewers. "Having said that, everything else is on the table." Added Gilligan with a grin: "A big part of the fun for us in setting the series as a prequel six years earlier is that all the characters who are deceased when Breaking Bad ends could theoretically show up." Even Saul Goodman himself is eager for the day when he might get to meet Walter White again. Or, for the first time, rather. "Every time I come in the office on this show I say, "Has Walter White called yet?" joked Odenkirk. Better Call Saul premieres with a two-night event, beginning Sunday, February 8 at 10 pm on AMC. A second episode airs Monday night at 10 p.m. in what will be its regular time slot.
| 6 | 9,844 |
entertainment
|
Great occasions do not always produce great games but England will long remember this frantic, nail-biting outcome. Under the Friday night lights this was as tense and breathless an occasion as any in recent memory, a classic example of why the Six Nations retains its allure. If it is an indicator of what lies in store for the rest of the tournament it is going to be some ride. When Wales and England meet in their World Cup pool game in September, Twickenham will certainly struggle to supply a more frenzied atmosphere. A pre-match stand-off in the tunnel set the tone and the edge never diminished as both teams hurled themselves at each other. There was precious little in it but for Stuart Lancaster this was an absolutely priceless start to 2015. While Lancaster, prior to kick-off, had won 12 of his previous 15 Six Nations games in charge this was as welcome a success as any of them. There were several notable English performances, not least from Jonathan Joseph in the centre. Lancaster's teams have struggled for midfield fluency but the 23-year-old Joseph oiled the hinge cleverly all night and scored the crucial try early in the second-half that altered the course of the contest. James Haskell and Anthony Watson were also conspicuous, the former coming close to wrapping the game up when he smashed through to the Welsh goalposts and, but for the padding, would surely have scored. Ford's subsequent penalty and the sin-binning of Alex Cuthbert, however, put Wales behind for the first time in the game and, with another potential English try from Dave Attwood ruled out for obstruction, the last quarter proved as suffocatingly taut as everything which had preceded it. It is not impossible to start the Six Nations poorly and still lift the trophy. Wales did exactly that two years ago, crawling out of the blocks at home to Ireland before winning their next four matches. Both Gatland and Lancaster will also be aware the coming year is destined to contain all manner of twists. Reputations, ultimately, will hinge on what happens this autumn, not early February. Listening to Bread of Heaven blasting out moments before kick-off, however, it was hard not to be reminded of Wales's 30-3 victory two years ago. It was cold, too, funeral-parlour cold, a cauldron of icy hostility. How would England react? All the extra clothing and training ground music in the world will not entirely prepare you for the full-on Millennium experience, whether it be an indoor one or not. It was predictably noisy, although the Welsh Rugby Union's decision to engage DJ Spoony to supply "bespoke" musical content to accompany the pre-match fireworks must rank among the worst, most superfluous bookings in sporting history. What element of passion could he possibly hope to add amid all the massed choirs and soaring anthems? A Wales-England game in Cardiff needs "wooden" Spoony about as much as Twickenham needs more corporate punters. Thank heavens for the rugby. And what a start, to quote the late, great Cliff Morgan. Inside the first couple of minutes Leigh Halfpenny had landed a splendid penalty from wide right, punishing Jonny May for not rolling away quickly enough. By the time the game clock had reached nine minutes, Wales already had a 10-point lead, Rhys Webb having nipped around the outside to score a try that will have infuriated England's front row. Seconds earlier they had been surging forwards, threatening to take a key defensive scrum against the head, only for a retreating Toby Faletau to perform a muscular pirouette that took him past Haskell and gave Webb just enough room to outwit May down the blindside. The open roof dissipated some of the stadium din but England did not need to hear the roar that greeted Halfpenny's conversion to know they required a swift riposte. Luckily for the visitors it came almost immediately, Brown's little grubber kick down the right being collected by a speeding Watson for a wonderfully sharp try on his tournament debut. Elementary it was not. Wales, though, spent longer periods in the ascendancy, looking the settled team they currently are. Eleven of this Welsh XV have represented the Lions, compared to only two Englishmen, and composure-wise it occasionally showed as Wales heaped pressure on the visiting half-backs. Another Halfpenny penalty extended his side's advantage and England were grateful to Jamie Roberts tackling May without the ball, allowing Ford to reclaim a welcome three points. It seemed Robshaw and company might wriggle clear again when Halfpenny, uncharacteristically, missed the target from what is normally his bread and butter range. It was not to be, Biggar knocking over a handy drop-goal that stretched Wales's interval lead to 16-8. At this level, against such an experienced Welsh defence, it left England with the rugby equivalent of Snowdon to climb. Step forward the fast-rising Joseph. England had been battering away for almost 20 phases without necessarily looking certain to score until the ball reached the Bath centre with Biggar in front of him. One soft-shoe shuffle later and the fly-half was left flat-footed, his hesitation compounded when Joseph opted to cling on to the ball and twisted out of North's grasp to score his first Test try. For those worried that modern rugby is no longer a place for subtle, quick-thinking centres it was timely reassurance. England might even have surged ahead had Ford, having added the conversion, not missed a subsequent kickable penalty as Wales struggled to get to grips with their revitalised opponents. On a night when every point increasingly counted double it simply ratcheted up the tension even more. Heaven knows what it will be like when these sides meet again at Twickenham for the game of their respective lives on 26 September. Wales: Halfpenny; Cuthbert, J Davies, Roberts, North; Biggar, Webb (Philllips, 69); Jenkins (James, 60), Hibbard, Lee (Jarvis, 72), Ball (Charteris, 69), A Jones, Lydiate, Warburton, Faletau. Tries: Webb; Cons: Halfpenny; Pens: Halfpenny 2; Drop goal: Biggar England: Brown; Watson, Joseph, Burrell (Twelvetrees, 75), May; Ford, B Youngs (Wigglesworth, 69); Marler (M Vunipola, 55), Hartley (T Youngs, 55), Cole (Brookes, 62), Attwood, Kruis (Easter, 72), Haskell, Robshaw, B Vunipola. Tries: Watson, Joseph; Cons: Ford; Pens: Ford 3 Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France); Attendance: 73,815. More on the Six Nations: Experts preview the tournament (Telegraph) Kockott handed first start for France against Scotland (Reuters) Austin Healey's guide to the venues (Telegraph)
| 1 | 9,845 |
sports
|
Warner Bros.' $175 million "Jupiter Ascending" is in theaters this weekend. Bad reviews aside, there's one thing we can't deny. The costumes in the film, especially the gowns worn by Mila Kunis' character, are pretty gorgeous. According to InStyle, more than 1.3 million Swarovski crystals were used to create 34 costumes in the film. Production notes say it took nearly two years to create costume concepts for the sci-fi movie before principal photography even started on "Jupiter Ascending." The work shows. The most elaborate dress in the film, a red and white gown worn by Kunis is comprised of hundreds of handmade flowers and is covered in Swarovski dew-drop crystals that are sewn onto the fabric. Here it is from the back: In addition to the many crystals, the dress above was also partially 3D printed. Here's a quick list of some of the other uses for the Swarovski crystals in the film. - a "few hundred" Swarovski stars were strewn across a field - a necklace and earrings seen in the film - Much of the wardrobe worn by actors who play the Abrasax including Douglas Booth and Tuppence Middleton, below. - And a water-themed dress worn by Middleton.
| 6 | 9,846 |
entertainment
|
Super Bowl weekend meant lots of family time for celebrity parents and their tots. We spied Kate Hudson cheering on her favorite team with her son, Jamie Lynn Sigler's tot getting prepped for the game, and Gisele Bündchen's son celebrating with his MVP-winning dad. But that wasn't all! From relaxing breastfeeding sessions to trips to the zoo, the week was all about family bonding. Click through to see this week's cutest celeb-tot candids - all shot by Mom or Dad - and don't forget to follow POPSUGAR Moms on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter! Tom and Benjamin Brady got ready for the New England Patriots' victory parade in Boston. Elizabella Bugliari sweetly clasped her hands during a nursing session with Alyssa Milano. North West visited an Arizona zoo with her parents, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, before the Super Bowl. North West made for one cute ballerina with her teddy bear. Arabella Kushner played sous chef for Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's Super Bowl party. Luca Comrie showed off his precious smile for his mom, Hilary Duff. Doutzen Kroes nursed baby Myllena in a family photo shoot for Dutch Vogue. Beau Dykstra got ready for the Super Bowl with a snowy game of catch. Mia Hager was in awe of the snow that fell in the Northeast. Jaime King showed off her favorite family photo with James and Kyle Knight. Brooks Stuber took in the warm LA day with rocket pops and family. Sasha and Tristan Hemsworth traveled hand in hand. Kate Hudson and Ryder Robinson cheered on the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Danielle Jonas celebrated Alena's first birthday with a sweet photo. Shakira shared a first glimpse of baby Sasha.
| 4 | 9,847 |
lifestyle
|
The 2015 Ford Edge Sport will be the most powerful Edge yet after the automaker announced official horsepower numbers and EPA estimates for the entire lineup. The automaker also revealed pricing, with the base 2015 Edge (with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4) starting start at $28,995 including the $895 destination charge. Powered by a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, the 2015 Ford Edge Sport produces 315 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. That's a 10-percent improvement in horsepower and a 25-percent jump in torque compared to the 2014 model equipped with the 3.7-liter V-6. With the smaller engine, the 2015 Ford Edge Sport gets an EPA-estimated 18/27/21 mpg city/highway/combined for the front-wheel drive model, while the all-wheel drive model comes in slightly less at 17/24/20 mpg city/highway/combined. Meanwhile, the new 2.0-liter EcoBoost serves as the base engine and makes 245 hp and 275 lb-ft. Its EPA-estimated numbers are 20/30/24 mpg city/highway/combined in front-drive configuration, while the all-wheel drive model is estimated to return 20/28/23 mpg. Also available is a 3.5-liter V-6 that will make 280 hp and 250 lb-ft. It's EPA estimated numbers for the front-drive version are 18/26/21 mpg, while the all-wheel drive model gets 1 mpg less in all three figures. In terms of styling, Ford updated the exterior of the 2015 Edge with more athletic lines and standard LED taillights and signature lighting, along with three new exterior colors, Electric Spice, Bronze Fire Metallic, and Magnetic. Inside, leather-trimmed sport seats feature perforated suede inserts, while metal-plated accents run throughout the cabin. Ford engineers gave the new Edge Sport a unique suspension with stiffer front and rear antiroll bars, along with a larger, monotube damper and stiffer coil springs.The 2015 Ford Edge Sport will hit dealer floors with a starting price of $38,100, a $500 increase over the 2014 model. All models are slated to go on sale this spring. Source: Ford Related Link: Research the 2015 Ford Edge
| 9 | 9,848 |
autos
|
You're not exactly shy, but you wouldn't be caught dead making out in front of ten serious-looking dudes with clipboards and lab coats. When Alfred Kinsey began his ground-breaking research into human sexuality, he and his colleagues observed real-live couplings, solo ahem performances, and untold number of bizarre inclinations. Kinsey got down and dirty with his subjects (sometimes even his co-workers), and his study of human sexuality changed the landscape forever. Now, anyone can participate in the Kinsey Institute's ongoing work in sexology (yes, that's a real term) through a free app called the Kinsey Reporter , a joint project between the Kinsey Institute and the Center for Complex Networks and Systems Research (CNetS). Individuals or couples can report sexual thoughts, activities, fantasies and more through the app, which identifies only a date-stamp and geo-location of the person or people submitting the information. You might think that the app is designed to amass information about sexual behavior only. It also allows researchers to gather information on important yet notoriously elusive issues such as the prevalence of unreported sexual violence in different parts of the world, or the correlation between various sexual practices like condom use and the cultural, political, religious or health contexts in particular geographical areas. What's fun about the Reporter app is that you can be completely uninhibited describing your sex life and also be privy to the vast amount of sexual information being aggregated from across the globe. It's a fascinating look at who's getting busy, how and when. So go for it! Who knows, you might even discover some new tricks to try during your next romantic rendezvous.
| 4 | 9,849 |
lifestyle
|
Tip your hats to a tippler's town Cocktails are king in New Orleans, and this city has been serving up old-school tipples long before Mad Men-style sips became cool. From the effervescent French 75 to a silky Brandy Milk Punch, here's what to drink and where to drink it while in the Crescent City. Related: A Food Lover's Guide to New Orleans Browse: Cajun and Creole cuisine Sazerac In 1838, apothecary Antoine Peychaud created what became known as the Sazerac, a cocktail combining rye, a sugar cube, Herbsaint, and Peychaud's bitters named, yes, for the man himself. The best place to try the iconic drink is at the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel, a handsome, historic space with a long mahogany bar and murals by modern artist Paul Ninas on the walls. Make your own Sazerac French 75 Although it wasn't created in New Orleans, this champagne drink has since become strongly identified with the city, even inspiring the name of a bar attached to Arnaud's Restaurant. It originated at Harry's Bar during World War I and was named for a 75-mm French artillery gun. Many versions nowadays are made by combining champagne, gin, and lemon juice, but the iteration you'll find at the French 75 bar uses Courvoisier instead. Get recipe for French 75 . The Vieux Carré Named for the French Quarter, or "old square" in French, this drink was invented at The Carousel Bar & Lounge in the 1930s and can still be had at the iconic revolving bar inside the Hotel Monteleone. It's swirled with a potent combination of rye, Benedictine liqueur, cognac, sweet vermouth, and Peychaud's and Angostura bitters. Serve it with Creole Fish and Corn Stew Hurricane Trying a potent Hurricane is a rite of passage for many tippling tourists. The boozy drink was born at Pat O'Brien's Bar in the French Quarter, where the barmen created it as a way to use excess amounts of rum. An elevated version of the drink can be found at cocktail hot spot SoBou; there, the Gatorcane is made with local rum, passion fruit puree, lime, and ginger syrup, with a plastic gator floated in the icy beverage. Browse: Hurricane recipes Brandy Milk Punch Like a Bloody Mary, the Brandy Milk Punch is a classic brunch drink that often serves as a hair-of-the-dog hangover cure. The silky, sweet beverage is made with brandy, simple syrup, vanilla, milk, and nutmeg. Find the drink being sipped by those in seersucker at Brennan's, which has been serving this "eye opener" cocktail come early morning since 1956. Make Brandy Milk Punch by following these step-by-step directions. Best neighborhoods for drinking The Quarter is where you'll find the classics, but head to the Bywater, a revitalized, creative neighborhood that's often referred to as the Brooklyn of the south, for a more authentic and low-key experience. Here, one can bike around for stops at Oxalis, Bacchanal, and Sentiments Wine and Cheese Dive. Not a cocktail fan? While cocktails reign supreme, drinks of all sorts are done well in this city. If you're in the mood for wine, head to Bacchanal deep in the Bywater, which has become a cult favorite. The mellow bar houses a retail shop in front and a romantic al fresco courtyard in the back (with live jazz, to boot). Barrel Proof, on Magazine, offers whiskey any which way, and owner Liam Deegan (formerly of Sylvain, and a big fan of beer and brown booze) serves a prodigious list of imported and international whiskeys. Try a flight if you want to sample more than one of the many varieties on offer. Related: A Food Lover's Guide to New Orleans Where the local bartenders drink Abigail Gullo, bar chef at SoBou, says that even on her days off, she tries to keep up on her craft. When she's at the New Orleans Athletic Club, she can be found in her comfy clothes having "recovery drinks" in the bar at the gym. She also recommends visiting the backyard at Bacchanal. The Best Seat in the House Is Closest to the Liquor If you're in the mood for a dive Head uptown to Snake and Jake's Christmas Club Lounge. It's dark, dingy, cheap, and a bit smelly so basically, everything you'd ever want in a dive bar. The decades-old bar has hosted its share of characters, including Anthony Bourdain, who, when asked by HBO about the craziest thing that happened to him in New Orleans, replied, "I can't remember. But it probably happened at Snake and Jakes." Related: A Food Lover's Guide to New Orleans
| 0 | 9,850 |
foodanddrink
|
The leaders of Russia, Germany and France agreed during late-night talks in Moscow to draw up a plan to end fighting in Ukraine as rebels wage a deadly offensive in the country's east, officials have said. A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said that more than four hours of talks that wrapped up early Saturday saw the leaders agree on the drafting of a blueprint that would also include proposals from Ukraine's Petro Poroshenko. "They were substantial and constructive," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters of the talks, adding that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande left swiftly afterward. "Work is under way to prepare the text of a possible joint document to implement the Minsk agreements," said Peskov, referring to a widely flouted truce from September. A French official also called the talks "constructive and substantial" and said work was being done to pull together a document aimed at implementing the September truce. The three leaders, who did not address the media after the meeting, are to discuss the effort with Ukrainian President Poroshenko by telephone on Sunday. The European pair's talks with the Kremlin strongman were seen an attempt to prevent the 10-month conflict in east Ukraine from spilling out of control as Washington considers whether to supply weapons to Kiev. The visit was Merkel's first to Moscow since the start of the Ukraine crisis while Hollande had made a brief stopover in December. Ahead of the talks, Merkel played down hopes of a rapid end to the fighting that has claimed more than 5,300 lives since April. Merkel and Hollande first flew to Kiev on Thursday for discussions, when US Secretary of State John Kerry also visited the Ukrainian capital. Kerry is set to meet Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov at a security conference in Munich this weekend, with the high-level diplomacy seeking to resolve the worst East-West crisis since the end of the Cold War. 'Russia cannot redraw map' On Friday, US Vice President Joe Biden said Ukraine was battling for survival in the face of escalating Russian military involvement. "We, the US and Europe as a whole, have to stand with Ukraine at this moment," Biden said in Brussels. "Russia cannot be allowed to redraw the map of Europe. "President Putin continues to call for new peace plans as his troops roll through the Ukrainian countryside, and he absolutely ignores every agreement his country has signed in the past," Biden said. The West and Kiev accuse the Kremlin of sending troops and sophisticated weapons across the border to bolster separatists in Ukraine. Moscow has insisted it is not a party to the conflict. Observers have warned that if the United States gets involved militarily the regional conflict could reach a dangerous new stage and become a proxy war between Russia and the West. Russia is already under heavy Western sanctions over its alleged actions in Ukraine, and European Union officials said Thursday that the bloc would blacklist more Russian individuals. The sanctions already in place along with low oil prices have dealt a blow to Russia's economy but have failed to force Putin to change tack over Ukraine. Ahead of the talks, Hollande said a ceasefire should be "the first step" on the path to a comprehensive settlement. Kerry voiced support for what he called a "helpful" Franco-German plan. "President Putin can make the choices that could end this war," he said. - Evacuating civilians - Rebel and Ukrainian forces on the ground agreed a ceasefire for several hours Friday around the battleground town of Debaltseve to allow civilians to leave, both sides said. An AFP journalist in Debaltseve said some 25 city buses sent by both the rebels and the Kiev government left the shattered town to take civilians out, although only one separatist bus was full. The sound of sporadic shelling could be heard in the distance but mortar bombardments in the town itself had halted after days of fierce fighting. Hundreds of civilians have been killed over recent weeks in east Ukraine as fighting spiralled after insurgents ignored the earlier truce deal and pushed into government-held territory. One civilian and two soldiers were killed Friday and 25 wounded in fighting over the past 24 hours, a government official said.
| 5 | 9,851 |
news
|
Maybe the most persistent myth about Washington, D.C., is the one that "explains" why there's no Metrorail stop in Georgetown. As the legend has it, residents rejected a Georgetown station because they didn't want the poors pouring into their neighborhood. Not terribly charitable to Georgetown and not true at all. As far as urban legends go, that one's pretty sticky. It's right up there with the one about how an Illuminati shadow cabinet of puppet-masters runs the government based on a secret Masonic scheme cooked up by our Founding Fathers (that old chestnut). Wake up, sheeple! That's the simple message at the core of the National Capital Area Skeptics ' mission. To help them diffuse urban legends local and global, founding skeptic Chip Denman launched a Google map compiling all of Washington's secret histories in one place. Denman came up with the map a few years back to plot out an NCAS walking tour. But as board members and others from the 150-skeptic-strong association continued adding sites, it became something larger. Now it includes pins about astrology, UFOs, Scientology, the Garfield and Lincoln assassinations, Houdini, the Hope Diamond, and other tales of bunkum. There's even a pin explaining the history of "bunkum" (and its derivative, "debunk"): The word stems from a paranoid, hysterical speech given by Felix Walker of Buncombe County, North Carolina, on the steps of the Capitol on February 25, 1820. Note that the NCAS doesn't endorse the pentagram underscoring major sites in downtown Washington. That drawing is at the heart of conspiracy theories about ulterior Masonic motives in the L'Enfant Plan. Nor is there anything all that shadowy about the life of Shirley MacLaine, who grew up in the D.C. area, even though she features prominently in the map. Those pins are just related to the fact that she's a major New Age writer (or as Denman puts it, "newage"). "Dupont Circle is a rich area for connecting the dots," he says. The best pins relate to the truly local legends, like the dread Bunny Man , an ax-murdering, well, bunny man. Or the things that aren't supernatural at all. Those are the truly urban legends such as the stubborn belief that there's no J Street In D.C. because Pierre L'Enfant had some beef with John Jay ( nope ) or that a "hoof code" tells how the figures memorialized by the city's equestrian statues died ( sorry ). The District's got more Masonic architecture than most cities, but not necessarily more urban legends. Pittsburgh's Green Man is kind of like D.C.'s Bunny Man (or vice versa_. The story about General Motors wrecking L.A.'s mass transit system or Mrs. O'Leary's cow starting the Great Chicago Fire or the 1:1 ratio between rats and people in New York are foundational myths for those cities. But there are so many more neighborhood-level legends that people only ever hear about by living in a place for years. And even then, residents don't always recognize these stories as fiction. There are so many bogus stories about cities out there that it's hard to even catalog them all, much less debunk them. A map is an ideal tool for separating the wheat from the chaff, but Denman says he isn't aware of a skeptical guide to any city beyond D.C. Every city could benefit from one. "I think you could stretch this [map] out across the country and create a quilt of scrutiny," Denman says.
| 2 | 9,852 |
travel
|
VATICAN CITY Rome's homeless are about to get some TLC. The Vatican said Friday it had finished renovations on public restrooms just off St. Peter's Square that will include three showers and a free barber shop for the city's neediest. Each "homeless pilgrim," as the Vatican called the clients, will receive a kit including a towel, change of underwear, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, razor and shaving cream. The showers will be open every day but Wednesday, when the piazza is full for the pope's general audience. Haircuts will be available Mondays. Barbers volunteering on their days off - Rome's barber shops are closed Mondays - as well as students from a local beauty school will be donating their time, as well as some sisters from religious orders and other volunteers. The bathrooms were made with high-tech, easy-to-clean materials to ensure proper hygiene, the Vatican said in a statement. The walls are grey, with white washbasins and a high-tech looking barber chair. Francis' chief alms-giver, Monsignor Konrad Krajewski, has said the project is needed since homeless people are often shunned for their appearance and smell. The initiative is being funded by donations and sales of papal parchments sold by Krajewski's office. Francis has stepped up the role of the Vatican "elmosiniere" as part of his insistence that the church look out for the poorest. In addition to small acts of charity, Krajewski's office handed out 400 sleeping bags to the homeless over Christmas, distributed 1,600 phone cards to new migrants on the island of Lampedusa, and this past week gave away some 300 umbrellas that had been left behind at the Vatican Museums to help the homeless cope with days of heavy rain in the capital.
| 5 | 9,853 |
news
|
Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross is expected to be out for three weeks after suffering a back injury in last weekend's 3-1 victory over QPR. The center back was brought off in the 42nd minute of Saturday's clash at the Britannia Stadium. He will now sit out Sunday's Premier League match at Newcastle United, as well as the subsequent home game against Manchester City and an FA Cup fifth-round match versus Blackburn Rovers. "Unfortunately Ryan will be missing now for a couple of weeks," Stoke manager Mark Hughes told the club's official website. "That is a big disappointment for us because he is obviously an important player for us and the captain, so he will be a miss. We do have other players who are capable of filling in though so it is a chance for them to come in and make a mark, just as they have done in the past." Marc Muniesa replaced Shawcross against QPR and partnered with Philipp Wollscheid in the heart of Stoke's defense. Hughes who will again be without left back Erik Pieters this weekend is hopeful striker Jonathan Walters will be able to feature at Newcastle despite a knee complaint. Walters scored his first Premier League hat trick in Saturday's triumph over QPR but has not trained since. "Jon hasn't trained since the game because of a little problem with his knee, which we are trying to manage at the moment," Hughes added. "Hopefully that will have settled in time for the game on Sunday we are hopeful of having him available to us."
| 1 | 9,854 |
sports
|
It's dog-eat-dog and highly competitive in the world of creative dog grooming!
| 8 | 9,855 |
video
|
5 signs it's time to settle a car accident (and 5 that it's not) After a serious accident, car insurance is a financial lifesaver, whether you face mounting medical bills or major car repairs. But after a minor fender-bender, some drivers prefer to leave insurance companies out of it and instead work something out with one another. Generally you must notify the insurer promptly about how, when and where an accident occurred if you want the company to cover your losses. But you're not legally required to file a claim and tell your insurer about every ding and dent. The circumstances have to be just right, though, to go it alone without insurance and end up with an arrangement that satisfies everyone involved. No matter what, exchange insurance information at the scene of the accident even if you think you want to handle things on your own. That way you have the information in case the other driver doesn't return your calls the next day and you decide to file an insurance claim after all. Here are five signs you might consider settling an accident without car insurance, followed by five signs to steer clear of a private settlement. 1. The accident is minor. Only accidents without major damage or injuries should be considered for handling outside the insurance system, says Penny Gusner, a consumer analyst for Insure.com. You might be able to handle it on your own if you scratched a car while backing out of a parking space, for instance, but not if you T-boned a car in an intersection. If the accident is your fault, get a mechanic's estimate for repairs first, before you decide for sure to pay out of pocket. Set a limit for how much you'd be willing to pay before getting the insurer involved. You might think you barely dented a car, but hidden damage could lurk under the exterior and cost a bundle to fix. 2. The accident is your fault, and you've already made a claim or two in the last couple of years. The main reason a driver wants to work out an arrangement without involving the insurer is to prevent a car insurance rate hike. If you already have an at-fault accident on your recent record, you might come out ahead paying for minor damage yourself versus using your auto insurance. Settling the claim privately benefits only the at-fault driver. You're not at risk for a premium increase if you didn't cause the accident and you make a claim, either on your own collision insurance or through the other driver's liability coverage. 3. You ran into your garage door - no one else was involved. There's no point in filing a collision claim if the cost for repairs is less than or only slightly more than your deductible. Pay out of pocket for minor damage you cause yourself and save insurance for the big stuff, Gusner says. 3. You ran into your garage door - no one else was involved. There's no point in filing a collision claim if the cost for repairs is less than or only slightly more than your deductible. Pay out of pocket for minor damage you cause yourself and save insurance for the big stuff, Gusner says. 4. You trust the other person to be reasonable and fair. "It's a lot less risky to settle without insurance if you know the person than it is to agree to settle with a total stranger," Gusner says. If your responsible and trustworthy nephew backs his car into your pickup and offers to pay for the damage himself instead of filing an insurance claim, chances are you'll consider it. But be careful about accepting the private arrangement deal with a stranger just to be nice. The trust issue goes both ways. If you're the one at fault, agree to do a private deal only with someone you trust not to make unreasonable demands and take advantage of the situation. Imagine, for instance, a car owner who wants you to pay for older damage you didn't cause or spring for fancy custom parts versus the standard parts that were damaged. 5. The at-fault driver has the money to pay for the damage. Understandably the at-fault driver wants to avoid a hefty rate increase. But does he really have the money to pay for the repair? If you're the at-fault driver, can you follow through on your promise to make the other driver whole? Now consider the other side of the coin. Here are five signs that settling without insurance is a bad idea. 1. The damage is extensive. Keep in mind that extensive is a relative term. If the other car is clunker, then it might not take much for the car to be declared a total loss. If you're the one paying for repairs, you shouldn't be on the hook for paying for more than the car is worth. If there's any chance the car is totaled, get the insurance company involved, Gusner advises. A totaled car raises too many complex issues to handle on your own, as does serious damage that runs into the thousands of dollars. 2. Someone is injured. Injuries are complicated -- avoid a nightmare and call the insurance company."Medical bills can pile up quickly," Gusner says. "Also the chance that someone would share their private medical records with you is slim." If you're the injured party, you risk not getting all of your medical bills paid, and if you're the at-fault party, you risk paying for treatment for fake injuries or huge medical bills for legitimate injuries. 3. The other driver wants to fix the car himself or force you to go to his mechanic. Walk away from a private arrangement if the at-fault driver insists you take your car to a certain repair shop or, worse, wants to tinker with your car himself. "You want a real mechanic who can fix the car and give a warranty for the work," Gusner says. Likewise if you're the at-fault driver, keep in mind that you should let the other driver choose the repair shop. 4. The other driver offers cash without getting an estimate. Don't take the deal if someone offers a quick cash settlement before you know the extent of the damage. Get the driver's information and call the insurance company. 5. The at-fault driver dodges your phone calls. "Shady behavior like that from the get-go should raise a red flag," Gusner says. Act quickly and contact the insurance company. Don't let the situation drag on and risk losing coverage because you didn't contact the insurer promptly enough.
| 3 | 9,856 |
finance
|
Netflix is making a show based on the popular "Legend of Zelda" video game, The Wall Street Journal reports . The show is in early development, according to the report. Netflix and Nintendo have not made a formal announcement about the project yet. Netflix has been developing a lot of original shows and documentaries in recent years in an effort to compete with services like HBO GO and traditional cable networks. The company released "Marco Polo" a few months ago. It was one of the most expensive shows ever produced. It's had other hits like "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black." NOW WATCH: Why Bethany Mota Has A Legion Of 10 Million Fans Waiting For Her Next YouTube Video
| 6 | 9,857 |
entertainment
|
A century-old Seattle house that was featured in a marketing stunt to publicize Walt Disney Co's balloon adventure movie "Up" because it is wedged in the middle of a modern development could be sold at auction next month, media reported on Friday. Edith Macefield drew national media coverage when she refused in 2006 a $1 million offer for her 1,000-square-foot house from an investment company that eventually developed a 131,000-square-foot retail and office center around the home. She died in 2008 and willed her house to a construction superintendent she had befriended. He sold the house in 2009. The company that now owns the boarded-up house owes nearly $186,000 and, unless the debt is paid off, the property will be auctioned on March 13, newspaper website Seattlepi.com reported, citing a foreclosure notice. Publicists in 2009 tied a cluster of balloons to the little two-story bungalow in Seattle in a marketing stunt for "Up," about a curmudgeonly old man who refuses to sell his home and flies off in the house tied to balloons. The display fell flat, however, as many of the balloons popped after being driven into surrounding walls by winds and it never achieved its intended aesthetic, Seattlepi.com reported. The movie, by Disney-Pixar, made more than $700 million at worldwide box offices and won an Oscar for the best animated movie in 2010. Newspaper photos from earlier this week show the home wrapped in a graffiti-streaked fence wedged between the soaring modern building.
| 6 | 9,858 |
entertainment
|
Maybe it's five years' worth of New Yorker magazines, every macaroni art project your child ever produced, or a spouse's collection of vintage typewriters. Experts say these piles of possessions don't just take up space in our homes, but in our brains, too. And that can prevent us from moving on to the next big thing. You don't have to be a hoarder for that to happen. My husband and I learned this the hard way last year, as we prepared to sell the house and move into a camper for what turned out to be a five-month adventure. While we agreed to put some of our stuff in storage, we committed to radically paring down, a process that involved dozens of trips to the dump and Goodwill. As we testily sorted through what would make the final cut, it was easy to see why so many couples avoid such conversations indefinitely. "Maybe we should just stay here until we die," I joked one night, after we agonized over the elimination of 80 percent of our books, rooms full of not-our-favorite furniture, and my late mother's good china. "Then the kids can deal with it all." Turns out being at least a little shackled by your stuff is 100 percent normal, says Simon Rego, director of psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York, and an associate professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "We all have some clutter. And it's not so much about the stuff as it is our appraisal of the stuff." Letting go of office clutter, for example, might mean shedding part of our professional identity; eliminating kid-related clutter makes an empty nest more real. Hoarders (a bona fide mental disorder that, mercifully, affects only about 2 percent of men and women) and true packrats, of course, have special problems. For them, clutter can "cause emotional despair or distress," he says. "It's a problem if you are unable to use a guest room or garage for its intended purpose, for example." But your stuff can also erect a mental barrier against any kind of change. If the logistics of what to do with belongings loom too large, it's much harder to objectively assess your next step. Obviously downsizing, relocating or reconfiguring a home requires managing your stuff. But figuring out (and dealing with) the emotional content of your possessions can help you move forward with other life changes too. Should you dump those letters from the ex you truly loved because they keep you from accepting a new partner in your life? Is that pile of pricey gardening tools you never really used stopping you from diving into a new hobby you adore? Finding the strength to weed out your stuff can build confidence and set you up to tackle a seemingly unrelated life change. To get started, Rego suggests these basic questions: Do you have the space? People with cavernous basements and storage barns can afford to keep more than those in tighter spaces. If you've got the room to box stuff up and leave it, there's no problem. What emotional purpose does your stuff serve? Maybe you keep books because you remember the way they made you feel thrilled, excited, scared, sad. Or clothes from college because it was a happy, carefree time. Often, Rego says, our stuff resonates with us on many levels. Can you live without it for a few months? If getting rid of anything causes anxiety, Rego says it can be helpful to box it up and put it somewhere safe an attic or a storage unit. These baby steps give you time to imagine you've thrown it out, and process the emotions. "Often, anxieties decrease and soften as people come to terms with what that particular stuff symbolizes. It's easer to let go in stages." Do you need help? For many people, there are no emotional ties sometimes clutter is just clutter. If that's the case and you're overwhelmed, start small, perhaps one drawer a day. But don't overlook using professional organizers, who can help develop a realistic plan. And if your reluctance feels deeper, psychologists can help, too. Finally, Rego says, while facing clutter is "absolutely part of midlife, it's worth keeping that old truism in mind: You really can't take it with you." MORE: Life Reimagined is your first step in rediscovering what's truly important so you can finally start doing what you really want to. Click here to get started.
| 4 | 9,859 |
lifestyle
|
Rob Gronkowski and three others involved in the last-second Super Bowl brawl have been fined. On the Patriots side, Gronkowski and Michael Hoomanawanui were both fined $8,268 for unnecessarily striking the opponent, while the Seahawks' Michael Bennett was charged $8,268 for the same offense. Seattle linebacker Bruce Irvin, who was ejected, was fined $10,000, according to NFL Network. PHOTOS: Must-see images from Super Bowl XLIX In case you missed it, after the Patriots sealed the game with a last-minute interception at the goal line, they took a knee to kill the clock with a four-point lead. The Seahawks tried to push through the line, and punches were soon being thrown. While Irvin apologized for his role in the fourth-quarter melee, Gronk bragged about about his on late-night television. "I got pushed or something, and it was the last game of the year, and I was like, 'Screw it, I'm throwing some haymakers,' " Gronkowski said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Monday.
| 1 | 9,860 |
sports
|
Sports Weekly takes an in-depth look at each major league organization during the offseason, from the major leagues to the farm system. We start with teams with the worst records and move up. *** Rebuilding has never seemed like a part of the New York Yankees' agenda, and the club has managed to mostly stay competitive over the last two decades by patching holes and covering up inadequacies with big-ticket free agent acquisitions that have perennially kept its payroll among the highest in the majors. But with smaller-market teams appearing more competitive in free agency thanks to lavish TV contracts and more clubs locking up young stars to long-term contract extensions, free agency seems like an increasingly poor way to build a winner. The Yankees will enter 2015 with an opening-day lineup that likely will feature at least eight players on the long side of 30, many of whom have missed time or been rendered ineffective by injuries in recent seasons and nearly all of whom will earn eight-figure salaries for their contributions. Manager Joe Girardi's club went 84-78 and finished second in the American League East in 2014 despite being outscored by 31 runs for the season a differential that suggests they should have finished well below .500. Derek Jeter is gone, but the bulk of last year's roster will return one year older. There are reasons to think several veterans can bounce back. Carlos Beltran strung together three consecutive healthy and productive seasons before being plagued by elbow woes that ultimately required surgery in his first year with the Yankees. Mark Teixeira will be another year removed from the wrist surgery that ruined his 2013 campaign. CC Sabathia says he feels healthy after a right knee injury limited him to eight largely unsuccessful starts in 2014. Although the case could be made the Yankees would be best served trading nearly every veteran they can put on the market and stockpiling prospects with an eye on contending in 2017 and beyond, general manager Brian Cashman has quietly added potentially valuable young major leaguers over the last couple of offseasons with trades for shortstop Didi Gregorius and starter Nathan Eovaldi and the acquisition of Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka in free agency. Still, none of them appears likely to carry the Yankees into the postseason if all the veterans can't perform somewhere near the levels they showed in their primes. And while it's impossible to predict a full-blown implosion, it's equally hard to imagine the Yankees' aging roster will prove immune to the devastating effects of time. *** POSITION-BY-POSITION (*prospect): Catcher: Brian McCann started more than 100 games behind the plate and hit 23 homers in his first season after signing a five-year free agent deal with the Yankees last winter. But McCann mustered a measly .286 on-base percentage in 2014. A 31-year-old catcher, he'll likely require some time in the crowded designated hitter mix to take strain off his lower body. McCann has a reputation as a great receiver and likely benefits the pitching staff whenever he's behind the plate, though, and sturdy career norms suggest he'll be a better hitter than he was in his first turn in the Bronx. Depth chart: McCann, Austin Romine, J.R. Murphy, *Gary Sanchez. First base: Teixeira enjoyed a decent first half in his return to action after wrist surgery limited him to 15 games in 2013, but he fell apart after the All-Star break hitting .191 with a .573 on-base-plus-slugging (OPS) in his final 50 games of the season. Teixeira blamed his struggles and nagging maladies on an offseason workout regimen that was delayed two months as he recovered from the procedure. But Teixeira will turn 35 in the second week of the season, and his age and injury history suggest he'll never again be the elite hitter he was in the Yankees' 2009 World Series championship run. Garrett Jones, added in an offseason trade with the Miami Marlins, should back up Teixeira. Depth chart: Teixeira, Jones, Alex Rodriguez, *Kyle Roller, *Gregory Bird. Second base: Stephen Drew joined the Yankees in a rare deadline trade with the Boston Red Sox and finished off the worst season of his career by sporting a .150/.219/.271 slash line (average/on-base-percentage/slugging percentage) in the Bronx. That line didn't stop the Yankees from re-signing him on a one-year deal this month, and the club hopes he can return to the form that made him a valuable part of the Red Sox's 2013 championship team. Drew's defense could be strong enough to carry his bat even if he can't match his solid career rates at age 32. And if Drew falters again, Jose Pirela or Robert Refsnyder could step in. Depth chart: Drew, Brendan Ryan, *Pirela, *Refsnyder. Third base: Despite the pending return of Rodriguez from suspension, the Yankees signed Chase Headley to a four-year, $52 million free agent contract in December to be their third baseman in 2015 and beyond. Headley is 30 and a good all-around player who impressed in his 58-game stint in 2014 after joining the Yankees in a trade in July. Outside of a 31-homer 2012 season with the San Diego Padres, Headley has never provided a ton of power. But that should change as he gets more opportunities in Yankee Stadium's cozy confines. Depth chart: Headley, Rodriguez, Ryan, *Jonathan Galvez. Shortstop: Cashman sent 26-year-old starter Shane Greene to the Detroit Tigers in a three-team deal that netted the Yankees Gregorius, who will take on the unenviable task of replacing Jeter after spending two seasons fighting for playing time with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Gregorius, 24, comes with a reputation for good defense, a strong prospect pedigree and a career .805 OPS in Class AAA ball, but he has yet to turn his tools into prolonged success at the game's highest level. Slick-fielding utility man Ryan will serve as Gregorius' primary backup. Depth chart: Gregorius, Ryan, Drew, *Pirela. Left field: Though he can't boast the name recognition of many of his teammates, Brett Gardner has quietly been one of his team's best players for most of his career thanks to strong on-base skills, excellent baserunning and remarkable range in the outfield. Gardner signed an extension last winter that should keep him in pinstripes through at least the 2018 season. He hit a career-high 17 home runs in 2014. At 31, he's unlikely to improve, but he should remain one of the club's most valuable players in 2015. Fourth outfielder Chris Young should spell Gardner against tough lefties. Depth chart: Gardner, Young, *Pirela, *Eury Perez. Center field: Jacoby Ellsbury didn't perform up to superstar caliber that might be expected of a player in the first season of a seven-year, $153 million contract. But he played in more than 140 games for the second time in five years and managed a solid .747 OPS that likely was hampered by a career-low .296 batting average on balls in play. At 31, Ellsbury likely will at least repeat his 2014 season, adding value with good defense in center field and great instincts on the basepaths. He hits left-handed pitching well, but Young will be in the mix to play center if the former Gold Glover hits the disabled list again. Depth chart: Ellsbury, Gardner, Young, * Perez, *Mason Williams. Right field: The future looked grim for Beltran after he missed most of the 2009 and 2010 seasons with a series of knee injuries, but the chronically underrated outfielder revived his career with a bounce-back 2011 campaign and two fine, healthy seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals before he signed a three-year deal with New York. But in his first with the Yankees, Beltran looked all of his 37 years, suffering from a bone spur in his elbow that sapped his offensive abilities and required season-ending surgery. Beltran will turn 38 in April and likely will need time in the DH spot to keep his legs fresh, but he represents perhaps the Yankees' best shot at offensive improvement in 2015. Depth chart: Beltran, Young, *Refsnyder, *Tyler Austin. Designated hitter: The Yankees presumably would love to be out from under the remaining three years and $60 million-plus they owe Rodriguez, but until they find a way to do that, he's probably going to see a lot of time at DH. If that happens and if Rodriguez wasn't ruined by a year away from the game in his late 30s, he might help the club's lineup. Even in his diminished condition in 2012 and 2013, Rodriguez far outperformed the .230/.290/.372 line posted by Yankees designated hitters in 2014. But with so many aging players in need of rest, he should have some competition. Depth chart: Rodriguez, Jones, Beltran, Teixeira, McCann. Starting pitchers: There's plenty of talent slated to start the season in the rotation but also a huge amount of risk. Tanaka lived up to his billing in his first year stateside, but he hit the disabled list in July with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament and made two starts in the second half of the season both in late September. Sabathia says he'll be fully healthy in time for spring training after he had knee surgery, and he will try to reverse a trend in which he has grown increasingly ineffective as the velocity on his fastball has slipped. Michael Pineda has been good when healthy in his career but has made only 13 starts since 2011. Eovaldi, acquired in a trade with the Marlins, has tantalizing stuff but has yet to capitalize on it for sustained success. Depth chart: LHP Sabathia, RHP Tanaka, RHP Pineda, RHP Eovadi, RHP Ivan Nova (recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery), LHP Chris Capuano, RHP Bryan Mitchell, RHP Chase Whitley, LHP Jose De Paula, RHP *Luis Severino. Bullpen: Setting up David Robertson, Dellin Betances emerged as a dominant force last season. Robertson left in free agency, but Cashman replaced him with left-hander Andrew Miller, who likely will pair with right-handed Betances in the closer's role. Newly acquired left-handers Justin Wilson and Chasen Shreve will vie for middle-inning opportunities along with right-handed holdover Adam Warren. The Yankees have enough relief arms under control to fill out a strong bullpen. Depth chart: LHP Miller, RHP Betances, RHP Warren, LHP Wilson, LHP Shreve, RHP Esmil Rogers, RHP Chris Martin, RHP David Carpenter. *** PROSPECTS TO WATCH RHP Luis Severino: The 20-year-old right-hander blew through three minor league levels in 2014, thanks to a lively fastball, a good changeup and precocious control. Severino crossed the 100-inning threshold for the first time as a professional, and there is concern that his small frame won't hold up over a full season as a starter. But with Severino's gaudy minor league strikeout numbers (9.1 per nine innings) and ability to keep the ball in the park, he could see the majors before the end of 2015. OF Aaron Judge: Judge, 22, made his professional debut in 2014 and promptly hit .308 with a .419 on-base percentage across Class A. A patient approach and tremendous strength should help him hit for more power as he develops. His 6-7, 230-pound frame has earned him comparisons to Giancarlo Stanton, though Stanton advance at an earlier age. Judge appears likely to start the year in Class AA and on track to debut in the majors in 2016. 2B Rob Refsnyder: Refsnyder became a popular prospect among Yankees fans in 2014, when he posted a .318/.387/.497 (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) line across Classes AA and AAA. Before re-signing Stephen Drew, general manager Brian Cashman suggested Refsnyder, 23, would compete for a starting job in spring training, and Drew's one-year deal shouldn't prevent a young, homegrown player from emerging as a long-term regular. C Gary Sanchez: Long a fixture on Yankees prospect lists, the 22-year-old continued his slow march toward the big leagues with a solid but unspectacular 2014 campaign in Class AA. Few doubt Sanchez's power or throwing arm, but he needs to improve his contact skills and receiving ability to become the first-division catcher some think he can be. Sanchez seems ticketed to start the year in Class AAA but could get a big-league opportunity in 2015.
| 1 | 9,861 |
sports
|
Beyoncé's reign over the GRAMMY Awards began nearly 15 years ago as a member of Destiny's Child. Since then the Queen Bey has raked up an impressive 17 GRAMMYs and 52 total nominations, including six more this year, making her the most-nominated woman in GRAMMY history! ET has been there for every flawless step along the way.
| 8 | 9,862 |
video
|
DALLAS (AP) Rajon Rondo won't return before the All-Star break as the Dallas point guard recovers from breaking the orbital bone of his left eye. The Mavericks said Friday that Rondo would miss the remaining three games before the break, starting Saturday night against Portland. He will also miss games against the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah. Rondo also broke his nose when he was inadvertently kneed in the face by teammate Richard Jefferson while getting up after tripping over the leg of Orlando's Elfrid Payton early in a game Jan. 31. In 21 games since being traded to Dallas from Boston, Rondo has averaged 9.2 points and 6.5 assists per game.
| 1 | 9,863 |
sports
|
A lawyer for RadioShack on Friday said the bankrupt electronics chain would accept all kinds of bids for its assets, including from liquidators, although any transaction would require court approval. RadioShack, which filed for Chapter 11 protection on Thursday, has a tentative deal to sell as many as 2,400 of its 4,100 stores to an affiliate of hedge fund Standard General, its lender and largest shareholder. As part of that deal, wireless company Sprint Corp would operate within those stores. But any better bids, which RadioShack lawyer David Fournier said could include liquidation offers, may trump that deal. "We don't know exactly where we're going to end up," Fournier said at a hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware. RadioShack, which posted 11 straight quarterly losses after failing to transform itself into a destination for mobile phone buyers, hopes to avoid the fate that plagues many bankrupt retailers: liquidation. U.S. bankruptcy law, which gives companies in Chapter 11 just 210 days to decide whether to break or reject leases, makes it hard for retailers to formulate turnaround plans. A court hearing on procedures for bidding on RadioShack's assets is set for Feb. 20, with a final sale hearing tentatively scheduled for March 12. RadioShack in court papers said it hoped to expedite the process due to strict timeline milestones in the Standard General deal. Separately, RadioShack has said it will close more than 1,700 stores, a process it hopes to largely complete by the end of this month to avoid paying an estimated $7 million in March rent. Judge Brendan Shannon on Friday said RadioShack could begin taking initial steps to close those stores over the weekend, but any further measures will require additional approval. The company is expected to seek that approval at a follow-up hearing scheduled for Monday. A proposed $285 million bankruptcy loan from a lender group led by DW Partners will also be addressed on Monday. Any deal to liquidate or sell stores could face objections from stakeholders. A lawyer representing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said at Friday's hearing that his office might have concerns over whether the Standard General sale would protect consumer privacy. RadioShack's unsecured creditors are expected to form a committee later this month, adding another key voice to restructuring negotiations. The case is In Re RadioShack Corp, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware, No. 15-10197. (Reporting by Nick Brown; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)
| 5 | 9,864 |
news
|
CARSON, Calif. (AP) Instead of sitting on the Sunderland bench during the English winter, Jozy Altidore is soaking up sun and getting into form with the U.S. national team in Southern California. ''It's not dark every day, which is nice,'' he said with a laugh. Altidore was eager for a fresh start when he joined MLS's Toronto FC last month, and he believes this U.S. training camp is only the beginning of a revitalizing year for a striker who hasn't been terribly striking lately. ''It's the best time to be a national team player, and it's the best time right now in our league,'' Altidore said. ''I felt like this was a good time to take the jump.'' The U.S. men play their second exhibition of the year on Sunday against Panama at StubHub Center, the suburban Los Angeles home of the MLS champion LA Galaxy. Altidore hasn't lived full-time in North America since he was a teenager, and he seems overjoyed to be home. Born in New Jersey and raised in Florida, he left the New York Red Bulls in 2008 for a tour of six European clubs over seven years, excelling with AZ Alkmaar and struggling everywhere else. Last year was particularly painful: Along with his well-documented struggles at Sunderland, the World Cup was a disaster for Altidore, who was carried off the field in the Americans' opening game in Brazil after injuring his hamstring. ''It's good to get back to playing, because I haven't played in a while,'' he said. Altidore accomplished little in his 18 months at Sunderland, managing just three goals in his entire tenure while struggling with little quality service in the Black Cats' counterattacking style. His scoring drought was just one manifestation of a rough stretch for the club, and he left with frustration. ''I think Sunderland fans would be the first to tell you it's just not been good enough,'' Altidore said. ''It's not like ... I was the cause of all the terrible things that happened. I just don't think we fit. I don't think I fit Sunderland, and they certainly didn't fit me. Sometimes that happens. I tried to play in different ways, but it didn't fit. I'm a certain player, and they play a certain way. Sometimes it just doesn't work out.'' When he decided to move late last year, Altidore attracted interest from Lille and Stuttgart, among other continental destinations. But he had been thinking seriously about MLS since the World Cup, when U.S. teammate Michael Bradley took a break from stretching to suggest Altidore should join him in Toronto. Despite enthusiastic fan support in a major market, the Reds have never made the MLS playoffs or finished higher than 11th on the overall table in their eight seasons of existence. ''Toronto is just unique,'' Altidore said. ''You've got a good nucleus there, and I thought that was a really cool challenge, to kind of help try to flip a franchise that has incredible support, incredible amount of backing from the corporate side.'' Altidore is returning to a league that has grown in every way since his departure seven years ago. He was blown away by Toronto's training grounds, recalling the Red Bulls' lack of even a gym when he played in New York. ''I wanted to go to a place where the team still mattered,'' Altidore said. ''I'm looking forward to whatever challenges we face ... and I'm excited to live in this part of the world.''
| 1 | 9,865 |
sports
|
Several top investors in Twenty-First Century Fox Inc are pressing for the right to swap their voting shares for ordinary shares, which are trading at an unusual premium, even though the move could hand even more control of the company to Rupert Murdoch, according to people familiar with the matter. Fox's dual-class share structure already gives the 83-year-old media mogul control over 39.7 percent of voting rights, even though he and his family hold only a 12 percent equity stake. Several Fox investors, which collectively own 8 percent of voting rights, have been unhappy about the relative performance of their shares since the company delisted from the Australian stock exchange last May, the people said. Historically, the voting shares had traded at a premium. In the five years before the delisting, the Class B shares, which carry voting rights, traded at an average premium of 6.2 percent over the ordinary Class A shares. But the delisting caused some Australian institutional funds to sell their B shares (FOX.O), which now trade at a 3 percent discount to the A shares (FOXA.O). Frustrated with the gap, several top Fox shareholders have met with management in recent months to press for amendments to the company's charter to allow voting shares to be convertible into ordinary shares, according to the people, who requested anonymity as the discussions are private. They said the investors, which include major hedge funds, believe conversion rights would push up the value of the B shares, pointing to CBS Corp (CBS.N) and Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O) as examples. The voting shares of both companies can be converted and they trade at a premium to ordinary shares. Some of the Fox investors plan to take their proposals to the next annual general meeting, expected in the fall, said the sources familiar with the matter. Changing Fox's charter would require approval from a majority of shareholders with voting rights. It is unclear how much support there would be for this campaign. A Fox spokesman declined to comment. At least two major institutional investors said they had no desire to convert their shares and lose voting rights. Other shareholders may be wary that conversion would leave Murdoch with an even bigger share of the remaining voting shares. In the past, some pension funds and shareholder proxy advisors have criticized Murdoch's command over his media empire, and pushed to separate his chairman and chief executive roles, among other things. Fox, which owns the Twentieth Century Fox film studio as well as broadcast and cable television networks, was spun off from News Corp (NWSA.O) in 2013 amid shareholder pressure surrounding the phone hacking scandal involving Murdoch's newspapers in Britain. (News Corp's voting shares are also not convertible into ordinary shares.) Following the split, Fox chose to delist from the Australian stock exchange, in part to cut compliance costs and consolidate trading on the Nasdaq to boost liquidity in the U.S. market. The move forced Australian institutional funds that are not permitted to own foreign-listed securities to wind down their positions in Fox. That process is still going on, and has taken longer than some investors expected, people familiar with the matter said. Adding to the pressure, the voting shares have not so far been accepted on any S&P Dow Jones indices, whereas the ordinary shares have. S&P Dow Jones said the voting shares will be indexed in September, which would open them up to index mutual funds, exchange traded funds and index portfolios - that could help the voting shares rebalance. Fox's ordinary A shares have risen 3.8 percent over the past six months to $33.58, while the voting B shares have gained 2.7 percent to $32.57. The average A share trading volume per day is about 12 million shares, versus the B share volume is 4 million shares. There are 1.4 billion A shares and 800 million B shares. Some top Fox investors are willing to give up their voting rights because Murdoch already holds a controlling stake, the sources said. Even if Murdoch's voting rights increase, these funds believe it would not change the way the business is run. "Once you own the controlling block that he does, the vote is not worth a terrible lot," said one of the sources. As for ordinary shareholders, the prospect of convertibility could be an overhang on the common shares, said Eddie Best, a lawyer specializing in capital markets at Mayer Brown LLP. Class B "shareholders are unlikely to exercise their conversion rights if they don't have plans to sell," he said. As for ordinary shareholders, "they might not love it but they might not have a choice," Best said.
| 3 | 9,866 |
finance
|
The Walking Dead comes back with more episodes this weekend, but if you can't wait for its return and have a hard time waiting for new footage between weeks, we can help you. Watch to find out where and how online you can feed your addiction to the AMC hit!
| 8 | 9,867 |
video
|
Vice President Biden is heading to the early presidential caucus state of Iowa next week to tout President Obama's economic policies, the White House announced Friday. Biden's speech at Drake University in Des Moines on Thursday marks his fourth visit to the Hawkeye State since the 2012 presidential cycle, including most recently last October to campaign for a pair of Democrats. That trip came just days after presumed Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton paid a visit to the state, also fueling 2016 speculation. While many predict Biden will stay on the sidelines in the 2016 cycle, he still hasn't ruled out launching his own presidential bid. Last month he told ABC News's "Good Morning America" that "there is a chance" he would run. "But I haven't made my mind up about that," he added. "We've got a lot of work to do between now and then. There's plenty of time." In that interview he praised Clinton as a "really competent, capable person and a friend" and said he did not think he needed to decide on his own White House intentions until the summer. Should he launch a bid, Biden would have to start chipping away at Clinton's lead in places like Iowa. A Des Moines Register /Bloomberg Politics poll released earlier this week showed Biden as the first choice among just 9 percent of Democratic caucus-goers, compared to Clinton's 56 percent and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)'s 16 percent. Similarly, a CNN/ORC poll released in December showed Biden drawing just 9 percent support among left-leaning voters, trailing the 10 percent for Warren and 65 percent for Clinton. During his trip, Biden will also participate in a discussion at a local community college, highlighting Obama's push for free tuition. News of Biden's trip was first reported by The Des Moines Register .
| 5 | 9,868 |
news
|
When politicians talked vaccinations during the recent measles outbreak, late-night hosts Jon Stewart, Jimmy Fallon and Conan O'Brien just had to chime in.
| 8 | 9,869 |
video
|
The headline was Wall Street's version of "Man bites dog." Richard Handler, one of the top executives on Wall Street and head of investment bank Jefferies, earlier this week turned down a $2.2 million bonus. The move was voluntary. Handler qualified for the bonus but told his board no thanks. Handler's move follows a similar decision by another CEO , long-time timber executive Richard Holley, who gave back a $2 million bonus. Humility is rare in the corner office, especially on Wall Street. So Handler's move seemed worthy of praise. Perhaps, it seemed, even CEOs were starting to get that their pay has gotten out of whack. But before we go and hail Handler as a hero in the CEO pay wars, consider this: He probably shouldn't have qualified for the bonus that he turned down in the first place. Jefferies had a terrible 2014. Revenue plunged. And a risky bet on the debt of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac contributed to a $45 million trading loss for the firm. In all, profits at Jefferies fell by 25%. The firm had to admit that a commodities trading business that Handler acquired less than three years ago isn't working out and may have to be sold. On top of that, Jefferies' reputation on Wall Street took a major hit in 2014, as allegations surfaced that there was widespread drug use at the firm. Handler responded by taking a drug test and forcing others at his firm to do so. He declared himself and others at the bank clean. But the bizarre publicity move seemed to add some validity to the claim, and certainly added to the snickering about the firm. Shares of Leucadia, which owns Jefferies, and of which Handler is also the CEO, dropped 21% in 2014. But here's the thing, and the real problem with CEO pay: All that can happen, in one year, to the same firm, and its CEO can still qualify for a $2.2 million bonus. In its financial filings, Leucadia sets out the performance measures that Handler and the company's other executives have to meet to get a bonus. According to its latest proxy filing, Jefferies has to earn at least $386 million a year in pre-tax profits for Handler and the others to earn at least a portion of their $12 million potential bonus. Fair enough. But here's the rub: When the company set that goal in late 2012, Jefferies was already on track to earn nearly $492 million that year. So as long as Jefferies' profits didn't plunge by more than $106 million by the end of 2014, Handler was entitled to a portion of his "performance" bonus. Handler didn't end up clearing that bar. Jefferies' 2014 pre-tax profits came in at $316 million, or $70 million less that what the company had to earn for Handler to get a bonus. And yet Handler still ended up qualifying for a $2.2 million payout. How? Leucadia's proxy filing says that even if the company's profits plunge by more than $106 million, the board can still give Handler a discretionary bonus, which is "not tied to to any financial metric, formula or result," including the company's stock price. That gives the board the ability to give Handler $2.2 million based on nothing, and then he can hand it back and look like a great guy. Even among Wall Street's overpaid executives, Handler has been one of the most generously compensated. In 2012, for instance, Handler raked in $45 million, about double the pay of Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and four times what JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon got that year. That must have made it quite painless for Handler to hand back $2.2 million in a year when he clearly didn't deserve it. Just another sign of how well CEO pay works.
| 3 | 9,870 |
finance
|
Americans are an optimistic bunch, and the notion of America as the land of opportunity remains a powerful one in the public's mind. A new study about opinions of economic mobility by two Cornell psychologists found that most Americans believe it is easy for those in the lowest economic rungs to move up or easier, at least, than is really possible, based on past research. They also think it's hard for people in the highest rung to move down. The report , authored by Shai Davidai and Thomas Gilovich, was recently published in the journal Perspectives in Psychological Science . The study is based on surveys of 3,300 Americans in different income brackets. The surveys also found that poorer people believe there is more mobility than rich people do and that political conservatives believe the economy is more dynamic (allowing for more upward and downward movement) than liberals do. The authors note that the real income of the top 1 percent has risen 86.1 percent during the last two decades, citing the influential work of economists Emmanuel Saez and Thomas Piketty. In contrast, the income of the remaining 99 percent of the population has increased only 6.6 percent. Related: Why Democrats Are Pushing a $1.2 Trillion Redistribution of Wealth "Americans as a whole do not seem as concerned as you might expect about this increase in income inequality," Davidai and Gilovich wrote. They note that in 2010 the United States had almost 650,000 homeless people and 46 million people living below the poverty line, a 50 percent increase since 1980. "A strong faith in the possibility of upward mobility (along with relatively little concern about downward mobility) may dampen people's reactions to prevailing economic inequality," wrote Davidai and Gilovich. These survey results come at a time when income inequality and stagnant wage growth have become hot-button political issues and they might suggest that politicians pushing those buttons could find them less effective on the campaign trail than they hope. "People have a deep desire to believe the economic system is fair, legitimate and just," says Davidai, a doctoral candidate in the field of psychology. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: How Wall Street Is Fighting to Rip Off Your Retirement Money 10 Tax Facts the IRS Doesn't Want You to Know Obama's About-Face on 529 Plans Could Save the Middle Class a Bundle
| 3 | 9,871 |
finance
|
Nearly a million illegal immigrants received work permits in the first six years of the Obama administration, the Center for Immigration Studies said in a report . Among the illegal immigrants who obtained work permits were those who were denied asylum, suspected of using fraudulent documents or were stowaways, the conservative research group said. "I was astonished at the huge number of work permits that are being issued by the Obama administration outside the legal immigration system through executive discretion, especially at a time of high unemployment and stagnant wages," Jessica Vaughn, the center's director of policy studies, said in a statement. "Besides the effect on the American worker, it encourages and rewards more illegal immigration." U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said the findings by CIS , which obtained the data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "unearthed the operation of a shadow immigration system previously unknown to the American public" and warrants a "full investigation." "This massive increase in the labor supply has occurred simultaneously with a steep drop in family incomes and a sharp rise in the number of Americans pushed out of the workforce. All jobs gains since the recession have gone to foreign workers, while the slack labor market has depressed median family incomes almost $5,000 in that time," he said in a statement . Of the 5.5 million new works permits given to immigrants from 2009 to 2014, about 982,000 were issued to illegal aliens or "aliens unqualified for admission" to the U.S., according to CIS. Most of the permits, or 957,000 of them, were doled out to people who illegally crossed the border, the group said. Another 1.7 million work permits were given to those "whose status was unknown, not recorded by the adjudicator, or not disclosed by USCIS," the report found. "This should be a concern; work permits are gateway documents to driver's licenses and other benefits, and if the government agency issuing them does not know or will not disclose how the bearer arrived in the country how can others rely on the authenticity of an individual's identity?" the group said. "It is equally disconcerting if the government does know and chooses not to disclose it." About 67 percent of the 1.8 million new work permits given to people with temporary visas were issued to those who aren't eligible to work in the U.S., according to the group. About 470,000 permits were given to people on tourist visas and 532,000 were doled out to foreign students, according to CIS data. The children or dependents of guest workers were also given some 156,000 work permits even though they also are not eligible to work in America.
| 3 | 9,872 |
finance
|
Uber is launching a "panic button" and other safety features for users in India, following news that Mumbai was readying a ban on the ride-sharing service. The move also follows concerns about Uber's practices in the wake of rape allegations against a driver in New Delhi last year. Uber said in a blog post that starting February 11 riders in India would have an "in-app panic (SOS) button that allows a rider to alert the local police at the push of a button in case of an emergency." Riders will also have a "safety net" feature allowing them to share their trip details and real-time location with up to five friends and family members. A spokeswoman for Uber said these initiatives were "specific to India." Uber said it faced "some misconceptions" about its safety initiatives in India. It noted that it already conducts background checks on driver applicants and this week launched a "third party driver screening program" which goes beyond the standard transport licensing process. The California-based startup which operates in more than 50 countries said that it had established in India "a dedicated team and process to manage emergencies" if anyone uses the panic button. The team will be available 24 hours a day and can notify police. Uber said it is not recommending physical panic buttons, saying they "cause confusion and are prone to wear and tear, but will allow independent drivers to install them with safeguards. "We have expressed willingness to install physical buttons provided that... there is only one physical panic button per car... (and) pressing the button calls the local police directly, since they are best positioned to react to a law and order situation." Uber has faced regulatory issues in many locations as it expands to over 200 cities, but claims it offers choices for consumers who face a taxi sector protected by regulators.
| 5 | 9,873 |
news
|
Eyeliner is one of the most important tools in your makeup bag - just a few simple strokes can dramatically transform your look from no-makeup perfection to late-night disco excellence. But knowing how to wield the proper liner can be a challenge. Luckily, our beauty editor Lauren Levinson recently had the opportunity to chat with Barneys New York beauty guru Jason Ascher, who shared his secrets for perfectly lined eyes.
| 4 | 9,874 |
lifestyle
|
Tuesday marks 89 years since Queen Elizabeth II was born! She's been queen for more than six decades, and throughout that time, she's witnessed much change across the world and within her own family, while always remaining a constant herself. This is a particularly exciting week for the queen, as her grandson, Prince William, is set to welcome his second child with Kate Middleton any day now. To celebrate the queen's birthday, take a look at some little-known facts that will help you get to know Queen Elizabeth II, then check out things every die-hard fan of the British royal family should know, plus our guide to the queen's many faces! Her Nickname Is Lilibet Princess Elizabeth is called "Lilibet" by close family, a nickname she got because she couldn't pronounce her own name. Her father, King George VI, used to say, "Lilibet is my pride. Margaret is my joy." She Applies Lipstick in Public The queen goes nowhere without her handbag. Inside it she keeps her trusty lipstick, which she's not afraid to reapply in public. Frist Lady Laura Bush once did the same in DC, and said, "The queen told me it was all right to do it." She Text Messages Her Grandchildren With her own YouTube channel, Facebook page, and Twitter handle, the queen is a modern monarch. But according to Sally Bedel Smith, she also started using a cell phone to text message her grandchildren. She Spoke to Her Mother Every Day After her father died in 1952, Queen Elizabeth's mother, known as the Queen Mother, lived a lively life as a widow for 50 years. Until her death at age 101, the charming Queen Mother shared her daughter's love of horse racing and offered her someone to confide in. She Was 10 When She Became Heir Presumptive "Does that mean you will have to be the next queen?," Princess Margaret asked her older sister Elizabeth after their father unexpectedly became King in 1936. "Yes, someday," replied Princess Elizabeth. "Poor you," declared Margaret.For the first 10 years of her life, Queen Elizabeth would have been just like today's Princess Beatrice, a distant heir to the throne. But when her Uncle, King Edward VII abdicated, she had the weight of duty placed on her little shoulders. She Worked as a Mechanic During World War II During World War II, then Princess Elizabeth got her hands dirty, joining the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1945. As "Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexander Mary Windsor" she trained as a mechanic and driver. It looks like military men Prince William and Prince Harry take after her. She Married Her Cousin Princess Elizabeth fell in love with Prince Philip, her third cousin and a Greek prince. They shared the same great-great-grandparents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were first cousins themselves! She Became Queen in Kenya On February 6 1952, then Princess Elizabeth was in Kenya on royal tour when her husband, Prince Philip, broke the news that her father had died. The 25-year-old princess was reportedly atop an African fig tree at the moment her father died, the moment she became queen. In this picture, she is seen arriving back in England to mourn her father and assume her duties. She's Obsessed With Horses Many know Queen Elizabeth loves her corgis, but she's also very passionate about horses. She rides, breeds, and races them, and even held a private audience with the Horse Whisperer. Here she is riding with then President Ronald Reagan. She Never Flinches When a man fired six blank shots during the 1981 Trooping of Colour, the queen, who was at close range on horse back, kept control and barely flinched, winning her much praise. And in 1982, when an intruder entered her bedroom, she remained calm, having a conversation with the derranged man until the police arrived seven minutes later. She Cried When Her Ship Was Decommissioned The royal yacht Britannia was the royal family's floating country home for four decades. The queen and her family would take it on royal tours around the world, and Princess Diana and Prince Charles used it for their honeymoon. When it was decommissioned in 1997, the queen wiped away tears at the ceremony. It is now open to visitors. She Showed Her Support For Charles and Camilla Prince Charles's marriage to his longtime mistress Camilla was tricky for the queen, but she showed her support. At their wedding reception, she toasted them with a reference to her beloved horse racing, "Having cleared Becher's Brook and the Chair [tough racing obstacles] the happy couple are now in the winners' enclosure."
| 4 | 9,875 |
lifestyle
|
(Bloomberg) -- The world's 400 richest people added $74.7 billion to their collective wealth this week as the U.S. labor market capped the biggest three-month jobs gain in 17 years. Much of the gain was fueled by oil. Brent crude climbed more than 9 percent, adding to an 8.6 percent gain last week. It's still about half the price it was in June. Oil's rise pushed the combined net worth of Charles and David Koch, the billionaire brothers who run Wichita, Kansas- based Koch Industries Inc., to $100 billion as the commodity headed for its biggest two-week rally since March 1998. "They're probably feeling a sense of relief that we didn't go below $40 a barrel," Andrew Lipow, president of Houston- based energy consultant Lipow Oil Associates LLC, said in a phone interview. "They're hopeful that prices will begin to recover over the course of this year." The political network overseen by the Koch's aims to raise almost $1 billion in the run up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The fundraising goal of $889 million was announced on Jan. 26 at a Koch-organized summit of 450 wealthy donors and small-government activists in Palm Springs, California. The brothers are the 5th- and 6th-richest people in the world. The net worth of Harold Hamm, founder and chief executive officer of Continental Resources Inc., rebounded after falling $5.7 billion last year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. With Continental stock up 22 percent for the year, Hamm's fortune has swelled by $950 million to $11.6 billion. Biggest Gainer The week's biggest dollar gainer was Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s Warren Buffett. The world's second-richest man added $2.9 billion to his fortune. The 84-year-old's Omaha, Nebraska-based company was up 4.2 percent for the week, elevating his net worth to $73.5 billion. Bill Gates remains the world's wealthiest person, controlling a $83.5 billion fortune. The 59-year-old donated $1.5 billion of Microsoft Corp. stock to the Gates Foundation Asset Trust, according a foundation spokeswoman. The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation was part of a group of new pledges that committed $7.5 billion to Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, the world's biggest funder of vaccines for developing countries. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index takes measure of the world's wealthiest people based on market and economic changes and Bloomberg News reporting. Each net worth figure is updated every business day at 5:30 p.m. in New York and listed in U.S. dollars. --With assistance from Brendan Coffey in Boston. To contact the reporter on this story: David De Jong in New York at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Peter Newcomb at [email protected] Matthew G. Miller
| 5 | 9,876 |
news
|
Brian Williams has apologized publicly for what he claims was a faulty memory that he was in a US military helicopter under attack during the Iraq War. Some vets say the mistake can be forgiven war can affect your memory while others are appalled. The controversey began after NBC Nightly News' Brian Williams reported on a public tribute for a retired solider at a New York Rangers hockey game last week. Williams told viewers that the solider was one of several who were with him and his camera crew during the Iraq War. In the broadcast, he said he was with the 159th Aviation Regiment, in a Chinook helicopter that was struck by rockets and firearms in March of 2003. But several soliders from the regiment told the military paper Stars and Stripes that Williams was in another helicopter, approximately one hour behind the aircraft that was actually hit. So was Williams lying or simply mistaken? "I think it's both those things," says David J. Morris, a former Marine infrantry officer and a journalist during the Iraq War. "I think [Williams] is misrepresenting the facts and the motivations behind that are kind of interesting." On one hand, he says, "Reporters, particularly broadcast reporters, have this really strong desire to associate themselves with the heroism of the US military. And the US military is one of the most respected institutions in the country, according to some recent polling." So, he says, "there's a lot to be gained for a public figure like Brian Williams a news anchor like him to be as closely associated with the veteran experience and to be seen as publicly supporting them in a very poignant, emotional way." On the other hand, Morris says memories do change after experiencing trauma. He did research on memory during military deployment and wrote The Evil Hours: A Biography of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder about his own experience with PTSD after surviving an IED (improvised explosive device) explosion in a southern neighborhood of Baghdad. "A near-death experience in general, is impossible to forget," he says. "Although, in my research into post traumatic stress disorder, and even with my own experiences, that memory in a sense is a living thing. It does change and evolve." Morris says his memory of the IED explosion back in October 2007 wasn't always clear. "I remember most of the events and details surrounding it, but it took me a long time to remember the exact armored infantry battalion I was with for some reason," he says. PRI's The World's community of veterans told us what they think of Brian Williams and his "mistake" and if they trust reporters covering war. We've lightly edited their comments for clarity. "To be fair to Brian Williams, I feel like he has made extensive efforts to put himself in the story and sometimes I think the desire to have 'street cred' can cloud memory and judgment when reporters try to demonstrate that they understand issues. Reporters just need to be aware that we don't necessarily depend on them to represent the story their telling but to be thoughtful and fair about how they tell it." -Azza Deterding from Fayetteville, North Carolina "One lie, or mistake, does not discredit a reporter's entire body of work. When I listen to, or read, what is being reported I remind myself that no one has all the information." -Chuck Pace from Los Angeles, California "Generally no, I don't trust reporters covering the war. In my experience, most reporters seem to have their own agenda, which sometimes is very different than what is actually happening. A reporter from Frontline lied to a friend of mine in order for him to gain access to some video of our missions my friend had taken. That being said, reporters are like everybody else, some are worthy of trust, while others are not. And I really think it has a lot to do with the individual reporter and the relationship you build with them." -Matthew Cowell from Brighton, Missouri "Due to the political status mainstream news agencies are now endowed with, they are not trustworthy. ... The sad reality is also that this leads to news persons, like Mr. Williams, feeling as if they have to embellish or flat out lie to make themselves relevant. The fact that he is being allowed to pass this off as a mistake is the saddest part. As a person who has seen my fair share of combat and what it does to people, it is less than likely that Mr. Williams "forgot that he wasn't on an aircraft that was shot down." He should be ashamed of himself and he should be fired. His apology was a slap in the face to all war veterans and unfair to the people who "trusted" him to be an honest broadcaster." -Andrew Milone from Fayetteville, North Carolina "That wasn't a mistake. I don't know what is going on in his mind. He reminds me of Mante Teo when he made up the story about his girlfriend. People are after glory stories to portray a certain image. People will respect you more if you are honest. When it comes to war situations, I feel that it is a touchy subject and disrespectful to Soldiers about making up fake stories like that. He lost credibility with me and it makes me question other reporters' credibility now." -Jerry Stuart from Tacoma, Washington "I trust reporters in war zones, but I suppose an inclination to embellish a story is temptingly human. A 'false narrative' should be identified as such and filed under the rubric of fiction, however. It may be a bit of a stretcher when a television personality reports that he "misremembered" the ultimate denouement of his visit to Iraq." -Paul Zabala from Milwaukee, Wisconsin "I think this incident has less to do with accurate reporting of the war and more showcases the romanticism of war that has found its way into our society. Somehow it has become cool to be involved in firefights and battles. Like it somehow gives your word more clout because you've 'been there.' Look at the incredible response to modern warfare video games and movies. To me, most broadcast television news stations rely on sensationalism to bring in ratings anyway; so I can only assume that Brian thought he needed to say these things to be taken seriously that he was actually in war. I've seen this same sort of thing with Marines before. They feel left out if they don't get involved in as many incidents as their fellow brothers in arms. They end up fabricating or sensationalizing events so that American society will think more of them." -Matt Turner from Santa Barbara, California
| 5 | 9,877 |
news
|
NASA's defunct space shuttles have found homes around the US and the 747s that brought them there have also been put to pasture . With no more shuttle carrier aircraft (SCAs), the agency has no more use for the Kennedy Space Center mate-demate facility used to pull the spacecraft off them. The 150-foot long, 10-story high truss structure was used to separate the craft when the shuttle landed anywhere other than Florida. (A similar facility was demolished earlier at Edwards Air Force base in California.) The net result was 844,700 pounds of scrap metal, but you can still see the shuttles at the Smithsonian Air & Space museum , New York City's Intrepid Museum , the California Science Center and, of course, the Kennedy Space Center itself. To see the sad remains of the demount facility, check below. NASA
| 5 | 9,878 |
news
|
10 New Healthy Foods to Eat This Year From fiber-rich kale burgers to detoxifying juices, these nutritious foods will cleanse your system, satisfy your cravings, and help you lose pounds or maintain your current weight. Stock up for your healthiest year yet! Dr. Praeger's Kale Veggie Burger This new take on the veggie burger is packed with fiber and vitamin A, not to mention quinoa, brown rice, kale, carrots, spinach, and other nutrient-dense vegetables. It's also gluten-free, GMO-free, and completely without artificial flavors or colors. Klio Greek Mountain Tea Olive oil, fish, yogurt we've acquired many healthy eating habits from Greece. This year, try sipping Klio's organic green mountain tea, a delicious and healthy herbal infusion known for high levels of antioxidants, essential oils, and phyto-nutrients. Naturally caffeine-free, it's subtle and smooth, and hints of dried herbs, lemon, and mint add a slight earthiness. Wonderful Pistachios A daily handful of pistachios makes for a tasty and nutritious snack that will satisfy your salty cravings without ruining your resolution to eat healthier. Enzymedica's Enzyme Nutrition Multivitamins You're already making the effort to eat healthy, but no diet is perfect. Make sure you get all the nutrients you need by adding a supplement to your daily routine. Enzymedica's multivitamins are made from superfoods like beets and grapefruit, and are packed with minerals, enzymes, and probiotics. They're also easily digestible, non-GMO, and vegetarian. Urban Remedy's Metabolism Kit Think of Urban Remedy's metabolism kit as a cleanse 2.0 that's designed to kick-start a wellness plan and keep you on track with your eating habits. After three days of nutritious juices, snacks, and meals (think teas, salads, and zucchini pasta), you'll feel great without going hungry. Garlic This super-powerful little bulb is one of the strongest detoxifying foods. It helps your liver create enzymes that keep your GI tract balanced and healthy. Garlic is easily incorporated into many savory dishes: Add sliced garlic to a stir-fry or minced garlic to a homemade salad dressing for an easy flavor-boost. In the Raw Try replacing sugar with zero-calorie Stevia in the Raw, which gets its sweetness from a leaf extract. This sugar alternative is a wholesome way to help sweeten your coffee (or anything else) without the unnatural chemicals found in many artificial sweeteners. Three Bridges Gluten-Free Pasta If you're determined to cut out gluten in 2015 but still crave delicious pasta dishes, look no further than the Three Bridges line of gluten-free pastas. With options like five-cheese and butternut-squash ravioli, the brand's ready-to-cook pasta ensures that you'll have a mouthwatering meal in just minutes. Level Foods Level Life's ready-to-drink shakes are low-glycemic and gluten-free, making them ideal for anyone looking for a quick hit of nutrition minus lots of carbs and sugar. Barlean's Olive Leaf Complex Olive leaves have been used medicinally since ancient times, and no wonder: They are high in antioxidants and contain anti-microbial properties that help prevent flus, colds, and other infections. To boost your immune system, take one tablespoon of this healthy oil a day either straight up or in a glass of water or juice.
| 7 | 9,879 |
health
|
Turning 30 is a big milestone in your life. You're making your goodbyes to young adulthood and slowly coming into your own. With age comes great responsibilities, and at the top of your list should be taking charge of your money. Our finances play a huge role in our lives - money is always one of the top stressors , and it causes the biggest discord among couples. To help you get on track, here's what you ideally should have achieved by age 30. You should already have an emergency fund. Experts generally recommend six months' worth of living expenses, but some say a year's worth is a better buffer to account for things like medical emergencies or unemployment. You should be anticipating, preparing, and saving up for big expenditures. For example, you should factor in your wedding , a house, children, a pet, and other similar major expenses. By planning for these events, you'll be adjusting your lifestyle to afford your future expenses and avoid going into debt for these items. You may want to budget a realistic amount so you don't have to go into debt. Another thought is to forgo some of these expenses - really question if it's a necessity. You should have mastered the art of automating. Sending a chunk of your cash automatically to your savings every month means you're paying yourself first. You should know how to live within your means but enjoy life at the same time. You should be able to prioritize what's worth spending on and save in other areas so you can enjoy your guilty pleasures. Even if it's daily lattes, you should indulge yourself as long as you're aggressively cutting costs on other items. Remember, what other people skimp on may not be what you would want to give up. You should be maxing out (or, at the very least, meeting your employer's match for) your 401k. You should be investing in a Roth IRA . You should have prepared a will . You should be paying off and prioritizing your high-interest debt. During your 20s, you should be trying to raise your credit score . You should already have some practice with negotiation - with salary, with service providers, and more. Fidelity recommends having a retirement fund that's equivalent to your annual salary by age 35. At age 30, you should be on track for that. You should already have read a couple of personal finance books. To start with, check out Your Money or Your Life ($9) and Total Money Makeover ($15).
| 3 | 9,880 |
finance
|
The National Basketball Referees Association came to the defense on Friday of a rookie female referee excoriated by Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul after she slapped the eight-time All-Star with a technical foul. The technical came in the third quarter of the Clippers' 105-94 loss to Cleveland on Thursday when Paul tried to rush an inbounds pass and referee Lauren Holtkamp would not allow it. After a brief exchange, the 34-year-old Holtkamp assessed Paul with his 79th career technical foul. "After review, the calls made by Ms. Holtkamp are fully justified," the NBRA said on its Twitter account. "We deplore the unprofessional comments made by Chris Paul." After the game, Paul said the technical foul was a "terrible" call. "We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court, and when we did that, she said, 'Uh-uh.' I said, 'Why, uh-uh?' And she gave me a tech," he told reporters. "That's ridiculous. If that's the case, this might not be for her." Many took Paul's remarks as a slap at her gender. NBRA general counsel Lee Seham said in a statement the union "deplores the personal and unprofessional comments made by Chris Paul. She belongs." Holtkamp has been a referee at many levels of basketball, including the NBA Development League and the WNBA. She is one of two current full-time female officials in the NBA. (Reporting by Steve Ginsburg; Editing by Sandra Maler)
| 1 | 9,881 |
sports
|
When Wolfgang Puck threw his first Academy Awards afterparty in 1983, he rescued the Oscars and Los Angeles from a bland, boring culinary existence. In the pre-Puck 1980s, the LA food scene hit an all-time low as celebrities shunned cheese, red meat, sugar, and alcohol. Hollywood considered Diet Coke the It drink. Celebs maintained their figures with dismal offerings like lightly dressed endive and asparagus salad, steamed vegetables, and baked potatoes. In 1994, the Academy asked Wolfgang to cater the official Governors Ball, the elaborate feast that celebrities attend after the Oscars. The chef reintroduced rich comfort foods to the scene, including his signature mini Kobe beef burgers, smoked salmon Oscars, and chicken pot pie with black truffles. Twenty-one years later, and the chef continues to dazzle and delight the palates of A-listers with his classics. Though we may never step inside the Governors Ball, we can dine like the stars! Read on to find out how to re-create these eight signature dishes at home. Buffet Style Up until 2012, the Governors Ball was a formal, sit-down dinner. However, Wolfgang recognized that celebrities wanted to socialize and move around, so he restructured the event to include lavish buffets of bite-size dishes. Browse recipes from Wolfgang Puck Smoked Salmon Oscars One of Wolfgang's signature appetizers is Oscar-shaped matzo crackers topped with dill cream, smoked salmon, and beluga caviar. Get the recipe: Smoked Salmon Oscars To make this easier at home, substitute Carr's crackers for the matzo. Watch: How to test salmon for doneness Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame Miso Cone Each year, Wolfgang serves up 3,500 miso cones filled with a spicy tuna tartare. Get the recipe: Spicy Tuna Tartare in a Sesame Miso Cone To make this easier at home, serve the tartare with ready-made chips or crackers. Related: What is tobiko? Baked Macaroni and Cheese With Black Truffles Ten pounds of Winter black truffles are imported from Burgundy, France, to adorn dishes like Wolfgang's baked macaroni and cheese. Get the recipe: Baked Macaroni and Cheese With Black Truffles To make an easier version (that doesn't call for fresh truffles), try our truffle mac. Chicken Pot Pie With Shaved Black Truffles This might be the most decadent chicken pot pie ever. Wolfgang serves them up in miniramekins and garnishes them with freshly shaved black truffle. Get the recipe: Chicken Pot Pie With Shaved Black Truffles Browse: Popular pot pies and other savory pies Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes Even the potatoes are gold at the Oscars! Wolfgang's team will wrap up 1,500 Yukon gold potatoes in gold foil - but here's the best part: the toppings are crème fraiche and caviar. Get the recipe: Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes With Crème Fraiche and Iranian Osetra Caviar Smoked Salmon Pizza With Dill Cream and Caviar Have you seen a lot of caviar on the menu? Wolfgang's team uses about 11 pounds of the delicacy! The most famous instance is his smoked salmon pizza with dill cream and caviar. Wolfgang accidentally developed this recipe when he ran out of bread one night during service and had to improvise. The salmon pizza is beloved by celebrities and always makes an appearance at the Governors Ball. Get the recipe: Smoked Salmon Pizza With Dill Cream and Caviar Mini Kobe Burgers With Aged Cheddar and Remoulade Wolfgang offers no shortage of American classics. His mini Kobe beef burgers are always a hit. In fact, each year, the chef bakes up 6,000 mini brioche buns to satisfy the demand for his cheeseburgers! Get the recipe: Mini Kobe Burgers With Aged Cheddar and Remoulade Gold-Dusted Chocolate Oscars Many of the confections receive a generous dusting of gold dust, most famously the mini chocolate Oscars. Five thousand are served in one night, and it takes about 10 pounds of edible gold dust to make them simmer like the real statues. Browse: More recipes for the ultimate host Desserts in 3D Wolfgang constantly reenvisions his dessert table, too. He served up his desserts with a set of 3D glasses in 2012. He designed the entire dessert table to pop out in 3D when guests wore the glasses. Re-create your own 3D dessert with these Oscar statue cookies.
| 0 | 9,882 |
foodanddrink
|
By Vincent Frank Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush is now being linked to the ongoing Darren Sharper case involving the spiking of drinks. One of Sharper's co-defendants told investigators that he saw Bush spiked drinks with 'molly', an illegal party drug. Brandon Licciardi originally told investigators that he saw Bush spike the drinks before recanting and indicating that Bush told him he was doing it. Here's Licciardi's statement via the Advocate : OK, um, I was in Vegas about three years ago and um, Reggie Bush put Molly in Champagne. He was handing out Molly on the dance floor to girls. Handing it out. Like giving it to them. When pressed about how he knew what Bush was doing, Sharper's co-defendant indicated that he saw it with his own yes. Licciardi later recanted his original statement to investigators. Reggie, yeah. No, I didn't see him put it in the drink. He told me. And he said he was handing it to people, in Vegas," Licciardi said, adding, "He asked me if I wanted some. And I was like, I don't do that stuff. Bush has not been linked to any wrongdoing in the case, but an FBI agent close to the situation did indicate that further investigation would be forthcoming. At the very least, this has to be worrisome to the Detroit Lions organization. Anyone linked to Sharper's alleged activity will be prone to questions regarding just how much involvement took place. Sharper an alleged serial rapist was indicated on federal rape charges back in December. These current charges in which Bush is potentially linked to stem from a federal case regarding allegations that Sharper drugged the women before sexually assaulting them .
| 1 | 9,883 |
sports
|
Tax season is bad enough without getting caught in a tax scam.
| 3 | 9,884 |
finance
|
The Seattle Seahawks made it as far as a team can make it without winning the Super Bowl this year, coming so close that the game was up in the air even in the final minutes. Coming off a Super Bowl-winning season, this year won't be looked at as much of a success given the bar that was set, but most people not currently reeling from the loss will point to the Seahawks as a stable, well-run team that's right where it wants to be. And it needs to stay a stable, well-run organization for them to get back to the big game. The Seahawks are an organization that had very little real controversy or off-the-field problems this year, they're an organization that's generally without unhappy players and coaches, and they're an organization that wins. They've taken steps to keep the core of the coaching staff and roster intact in recent seasons, and whatever happens, they're always playing their style of football. They have an identity. What's important now is that they recognize just how close they came to winning that game and don't try and change that identity in any significant way. The Seahawks are fine, and will be one of the best teams in the league next year, clearly favored in a tough NFC West if they accomplish a few tasks and keep the trend of strong offseasons going. Following their Super Bowl victory last year, we had a post on what they had to do to keep it going . Among the things we listed were retaining guys such as Doug Baldwin and Michael Bennett (and Golden Tate , who went to the Detroit Lions and had a career year), while trying to keep the coaching staff intact. Both Baldwin and Bennett were big contributors this year, and the Seahawks did manage to keep their coaching staff largely intact thanks to the majority of coaching searches wrapping up before the Super Bowl. This year the focus for Seattle is very similar: keep the nucleus of the roster together. Free agents Byron Maxwell Though the least-heralded member of the "Legion of Boom" secondary, Byron Maxwell has provided the Seahawks with quality play opposite Richard Sherman. Maxwell intercepted two passes and defended 12 passes. Quarterbacks had just a 78.5 passer rating when throwing in his direction, according to Pro Football Focus. The question for Seattle is whether it can replace Maxwell. The team successfully moved on from two starting corners to leave in past seasons -- Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond -- but the corners below Maxwell on the roster have concerns. Tharold Simon played dismally during the postseason, allowing 16 receptions, 198 yards and four touchdowns. Jeremy Lane is more reliable, but he fits best in the slot and could struggle on the boundary. The Seahawks experimented with converted safety Eric Pinkins , but he has yet to see the field. Given the present alternatives, re-signing Maxwell makes a lot of sense. At the same time, Seattle's salary cap is going to be heavily strained over the next few years with many extensions taking up more resources. Perhaps the best avenue for the Seahawks is to let Maxwell walk and find his replacement in the draft. Kevin Williams When Brandon Mebane went down in November, the Seahawks shifted veteran Kevin Williams into his spot with little drop off. Williams, of course, was a member of the feared "Williams Wall" that made Minnesota's defense so menacing during the mid-2000s. Though not nearly the same caliber of pass rusher at this point in his career, he remains a viable spot starter and valuable reserve. Mebane returns in 2015, but the Seahawks still have room for Williams if the price is right. He earned a hair over $2 million last season. The team would greatly benefit from returning him on a similar deal. Malcolm Smith Most fans remember Malcolm Smith as the unexpected MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII. In that game, Smith recorded 10 tackles and took back a Peyton Manning pass for a touchdown. However, Smith served as a reserve player in 2014. He served as the primary backup to starter K.J. Wright . In his limited role, Smith had 37 tackles and two forced fumbles. Though a useful piece, he is hardly indispensible to Seattle. Smith certainly could return if he finds little interest on the open market. However, there is no reason to expect the Seahawks to extend a sizeable offer to a backup when there are much larger concerns elsewhere on the roster. James Carpenter Since the Seahawks tabbed James Carpenter as their first-round pick in 2011, the former Alabama Crimson Tide has provided mixed returns. He hasn't become a mauler in the run game and he doesn't provide consistent pass protection. Still, he's a starting quality offensive lineman who won't turn 26 until March. The market will dictate whether the Seahawks make a serious push to retain Carpenter. If a team flush with cap space such as the Oakland Raiders decides to throw money at him, then Seattle will certainly move on. However, if his price stays reasonable, the team might well keep him around. Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner Neither Russell Wilson nor Bobby Wagner will hit free agency in 2015. However, both just finished their third year in the NFL, the threshold under the new CBA for players to begin discussing new contracts. And neither will come cheap. After taking his team to back-to-back Super Bowls, Wilson is due a massive pay raise. He made under $1 million in 2014, by far the lowest among any quarterback ranked in the top 20 by passer rating. His next deal projects to land more in line with those signed by Aaron Rodgers , Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco . As for Wagner, he's proved himself as valuable as perhaps any middle linebacker in the league. With the top players at his position earning between $9-10 million annually, Wagner should expect to receive a massive raise on his next deal. For Seattle, there's plenty of incentive to get these deals done before next season. If both hit free agency next year, the team can only use the franchise tag on one. More importantly, both players will have more leverage in negotiations a year from now. Instead, the Seahawks can save some money by inking new contracts now. NFL draft Few teams are less predictable when it comes to the NFL draft than the Seahawks. Their 2012 class was panned on draft day , but produced a number of star players including Wilson. General manager John Schneider prefers to accumulate picks and take more chances, a strategy that has consistently paid off for the team. There's no guarantee that Seattle sticks with the 31st pick, but if they do, Dan Kadar of Mocking the Draft sees them taking Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams. Williams is a top-flight athlete for the position and can provide Seattle with a dynamic playmaker over the middle. Coaching Most teams that make it to the Super Bowl avoid losing their assistants as the added weeks allows the vacancies to fill up ahead of time. However, the Atlanta Falcons waited for the chance to snap up Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who took assistant Marquand Manuel with him. While the Seahawks' defense is fairly simple from a schematic standpoint, it takes special coaches to develop the young talent that has made it work. Replacing Quinn will prove quite the challenge. *** The Seahawks have lost their most important assistant this offseason and could lose more in free agency. Still, this is a young, talented team that should be expected to compete for the title again in 2015.
| 1 | 9,885 |
sports
|
PITTSBURGH The mother and grandparents of a 7-year-old boy who was so malnourished that one doctor said he looked like a Holocaust survivor pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated assault for failing to seek timely medical attention for him. The boy's mother, 28-year-old Mary Rader, and grandmother, 48-year-old Deana Beighley, acknowledged "recklessly causing serious bodily injury" to the boy, who weighed 25 pounds when child welfare workers took him from his home in Greenville in June. The boy lived there with the three adult defendants and his three siblings. Mercer County Judge Christopher St. John ruled this week that the boy's step-grandfather, 59-year-old Dennis Beighley, wasn't directly involved in the boy's care. The judge dismissed more serious charges against Dennis Beighley, who pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. District Attorney Robert Kochems had argued the adults purposely withheld food from the boy at his grandmother's urging because she didn't like him. His siblings were well-fed and healthy, the DA said. The boy was removed from the home after a neighbor saw him outside and reported a "walking skeleton" to authorities. He was taken to Greenville Medical Center, where a doctor reported: "The young man is so emaciated he looks like a Holocaust survivor," police said. Another doctor said the boy was one month from dying. But Deana Beighley's attorney, Neil Rothschild, said the adults loved and cared for the boy and blamed his condition on a growth hormone problem. "The factual basis for the plea is the boy lost a good bit of weight due to some health problems and eating issues, and they neglected to get him medical attention because they feared, correctly, that if he saw a health care professional, he'd be removed from the home," Rothschild said. The step-grandfather's attorney, Matthew Parson, said his client "probably, in the end, realizes he could have done more by at least calling the doctor or the hospital." Parson said the man cares about the boy and regrets not doing more. The attorney for the boy's mother didn't immediately return calls seeking comment Friday. At a preliminary hearing in August, a district judge had ordered all three to stand trial on charges including conspiracy to commit attempted murder. The DA said the prosecution hasn't budged from its theory despite agreeing to dismiss the attempted murder conspiracy charges and others in crafting a plea bargain at Friday's pretrial conference. The adults had been scheduled to stand trial next month. Kochems said Deana Beighley faces five to 10 years in prison when the defendants return to court April 27. That's the same sentence she would have faced if convicted on the attempted murder charge, Kochems said, explaining why he was comfortable dropping that count. Rader likely faces a minimum sentence of three to 4 1/2 years in prison, while Dennis Beighley could get less than two years in prison and serve his time in county jail instead of state prison, the attorneys said.
| 5 | 9,886 |
news
|
The January jobs report showing a gain of 257,000 positions and a slight rise to 5.7 percent in unemployment had no weak spots, leaving Republicans scrambling for a new angle to attack the economy under President Barack Obama . The increase in the jobless rate came from a slight uptick in the size of the labor force a positive sign so the GOP could not leap on that as a warning sign. In addition, wages grew 0.5 percent, reversing December's decline. The annual rate is still just 2.2 percent but the trend is once again in the right direction. Many economists expect wage pressure to pick up fairly quickly, meaning the Federal Reserve may move to start raising rates by midyear. One Republican line is that the recent increase in job gains is a direct result of the GOP taking control of the Senate. This is a patently ridiculous argument given that revisions released Friday showed a November gain of 423,000, the strongest of the recovery. Unless employers had a crystal ball or spent time poring over Senate polling data the November elections had absolutely nothing to do with faster pace of job creation. The smarter Republican line now is that while the job gains are indeed good, the full picture is nowhere near as strong as it could be. The labor force participation rate is still at a 30-year low and median incomes remain stuck in the mud. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan took this approach on Friday, using the jobs report as a pitch for both corporate tax reform and trade deals in the 114th Congress. "This report is welcome news," Ryan said in a statement. "Still, this recovery is too fragile for far too many. And in the long-term unemployed there's a lot of potential that we are still not tapping. That's why the Ways and Means Committee is focused on ideas for durable long-term economic growth, like expanding American exports and reforming our broken tax code." These two areas, in fact, are the ripest for possible deals between the White House and Congress. Corporate tax reform may prove too complicated and get mired in debates over the total revenue impact and specific deductions targeted for elimination. But Obama very much wants trade promotion authority to close a big trade deal with Asian nations. And the GOP Congress may well give it to him over the objections of more liberal Democrats. Ryan's main job now is convincing Republicans whose main operating ethos is to oppose anything Obama wants that giving him trade promotion authority to nail down major deals is a good thing. If he can't, then an odd coalition of hard-right and hard-left could coalesce to beat back TPA and the Asian trade deal. In terms of the broader political outlook, the jobs numbers and underlying trend should be welcome news for Democratic nominee-in-waiting Hillary Clinton . Because the more wages start to pick up and the closer we get to full employment by 2016, the less pressure she will face to tack left and base her campaign on a populist rejection of the centrist "New Democrat" policies embraced by her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton has already stumbled repeatedly in trying to raise the populist banner of Sen. Elizabeth Warren , D-Mass., and struggled to distance herself from Wall Street. If the uptick in wages continues, general attitudes about the economy are likely to rise rapidly. That means Clinton would come under much less pressure to pitch higher taxes on the rich and business as a solution to growing economic inequality. Not that the larger issue of the biggest gains accruing to top earners will evaporate as an issue heading into 2016. It certainly won't. But it could recede to a secondary concern if jobs reports like the one we saw in January with solid gains across all industries coupled with rising wages become the norm throughout 2015. If that happens, Clinton could more easily slide into a centrist campaign that would suit her far better than a pitchfork-wielding appeal to the Occupy Wall Street movement. By Ben White. White is Politico's chief economic correspondent and a CNBC contributor. He also authors the daily tip sheet Politico Morning Money [ politico.com/morningmoney ]. Follow him on Twitter @morningmoneyben .
| 3 | 9,887 |
finance
|
When Dale Earnhardt Jr. learned then-crew chief Steve Letarte was leaving at the end of the 2014 season the search for a replacement was underway immediately. But Earnhardt had very specific instructions on what he wanted in a crew chief. He didn't want someone young and experienced that would grow into the job over time. Forty-years-old and coming off one of the best seasons of his career, Earnhardt wanted to maintain that level of performance, which saw him win four races and emerge as a championship contender. "I told Steve, one of the things you are responsible for is to put me in a better situation than I am in right now," Earnhardt said. "I didn't want to do a lateral move, I didn't want to drop down and wait on a guy to develop. "I said, 'Steve, I need you to comb the sport and give me some names of guys who can make us better.'" That search quickly centered on Greg Ives, a crew chief in the Xfinity (formerly Nationwide) Series for the team co-owned by Earnhardt, JR Motorsports. Ives' pedigree suggests Letarte made the right recommendation. Previously Ives was the lead engineer on Jimmie Johnson's team that won five consecutive championships from 2006-2010. He moved to JRM in 2013 to serve as crew chief for Regan Smith, who won twice and ranked third in points. Last season Ives worked with rookie Chase Elliott, guiding him to three wins and the Xfinity title. Similar to Letarte, Ives shares a close relationship with Chad Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, which will allow the teams to continue its strong rapport. Earnhardt describes Ives as a "details guy" and lauds his engineering ability. That attention to detail was evident at a recent photo shoot when Earnhardt thought the show car they were posing with was too high off the ground. As he and Ives began working to lower it Ives noticed other changes he wanted to make. "While we were doing that, Greg made a list of about 25 other things wrong with the show car and gave it to the guy who's in control of the show car program," Earnhardt said. What's going to take Earnhardt some getting used to is the differentiating leadership styles of Letarte and Ives. Whereas Letarte was more of a cheerleader and continually offered encouragement, Ives is more low-key and cerebral. "Greg is truthfully opposite of Steve Letarte," Johnson said. "Steve was always chatting away ... he was very focused on the energy of his people, the camaraderie on the team, having fun, very outward. Greg is much different. He's a details guy, an engineer. It's going to be a change for Junior and for that team." A NASCAR wide testing ban has prevented Earnhardt and Ives from working with one another and developing their chemistry at the track. As a substitute they have become frequent dinner guests where they try to learn each other's terminology. "I think it's going to be great," Earnhardt said. "There may be a little time for us to learn how to communicate and get the jargon down to handle how he talks and how I explain the car. But once we get that done, I think the cars will have the speed. I'm excited. "Regan was so impressed when he worked with him. He told me I was just going to love it and I'm already seeing that and we haven't even got to the racetrack yet."
| 1 | 9,888 |
sports
|
It's pretty easy to find local restaurants using Google Maps, but figuring out if they're any good or not? Most folks turn to Yelp or TripAdvisor, which have larger, more hardcore user communities. But Google has just done a makeover on its City Experts service, by switching the name to Local Guides and making it a lot more like Yelp's Elite Squad . The idea is still to encourage local reviewers to sign on, but there are now four expert levels instead of one. As soon as you hit 50 reviews, you'll also get a badge and be highlighted as a top reviewer on Google Maps for Android and iOS. Top reviewers can also participate in private Google+ communities and local meetups, not unlike Yelp's bashes . They can also check their review counts and ratings on Maps or Google+. Current city experts are enrolled automatically, and if you're willing to "write high-quality reviews and be yourself," you can sign up on the Local Guides site . Google
| 3 | 9,889 |
finance
|
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) Former Major League Baseball player Ted Lilly has accepted a plea deal in a California insurance fraud case that will allow him to avoid jail time. The San Luis Obispo Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1C50wiF ) Lilly did not appear in court on Thursday, but his attorney entered a plea of no contest to a misdemeanor count of insurance fraud. Two other charges were dropped. Lilly will pay a $2,500 fine, serve two years of informal probation and perform 250 hours of local community service. The charges stemmed from allegedly false insurance claims filed last year connected to his damaged recreational vehicle. The 39-year-old left-hander was a two-time All-Star who pitched for Montreal, Oakland, Toronto, the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and the Dodgers. He retired in 2013 after 15 seasons. --- Information from: The Tribune, http://www.sanluisobispo.com
| 1 | 9,890 |
sports
|
ISIS released video that appears to show Islamic schooling taking place within its strongholds.
| 8 | 9,891 |
video
|
When his neighbor had a heart attack while shoveling, Gary Heard kept him conscious and got through the snow to an ambulance.
| 8 | 9,892 |
video
|
At a prayer breakfast on Thursday, President Obama discussed the crusades and slavery, saying many terrible things were done in the name of Jesus Christ.
| 8 | 9,893 |
video
|
When Tesla is looking for new talent, it often looks to Apple -- more than any other company -- to fill its ranks, according to a report from Bloomberg . To date, at least 150 of Apple's staffers have been poached by Tesla to fill various roles in the 6,000 employee motor company, from engineering to legal. Among those hires was Doug Field, who oversaw the design of Apple's MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac from 2008 to 2013, before he was recruited by Tesla to take on the role of VP of Vehicle Programs. Even earlier than Field was former Apple VP Real Estate, George Blankenship , hired in 2010 to create the retail experience for Tesla's stores. So what's attracting the former Apple employees to the electric car company? Former Apple employees working at Tesla told Bloomberg that they chose the automaker for the vehicles as well as Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, who "relishes" in comparisons between him and Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs. But Apple has attempted to fight back. The tech firm has been doing some poaching of their own from Tesla, with offers of a $250,000 signing bonus and a 60 percent salary bump. But unlike Tesla's results it has only been able to recruit a few, Musk told Bloomberg. However, in other industries, such as fashion and luxury products, Apple has found more success. Some of those hired in the past two years include former Burberry CEO, Angela Ahrendts , and former LVMH executive, Patrick Pruniaux.
| 3 | 9,894 |
finance
|
New commissioner Rob Manfred said he's open to discussion of legal sports betting and what it could potentially mean for Major League Baseball. The topic that has long been considered taboo in MLB. "Gambling in terms of our society has changed its presence on legalization, and I think it's important for there to be a conversation between me and the owners about what our institutional position will be," Manfred said Thursday on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" . Manfred's opinions on wagering aligns with recent sentiments expressed by NBA commissioner Adam Silver. "I understand the arguments that Adam made, and I think the most appropriate thing for me at this point ... is to wait until I've had a chance to deal with the owners on this topic," Manfred said. The league has long been rooted in anti-betting policies. Baseball, along with NBA, NFL and NHL, has endorsed fantasy games as an acceptable form of gaming in which they derive revenue. Silver told ESPN the Magazine that he has talked to other commissioners about the issue. The American Gaming Association estimates that $138.9 billion is betted illegally on sports across the U.S. Nevada's legal sports books state that $725 million was gambled on baseball alone.
| 1 | 9,895 |
sports
|
LATE one Friday afternoon at a leading consulting firm, a last-minute request came in from a client. A female manager was the first to volunteer her time. She had already spent the entire day meeting with junior colleagues who were seeking career advice, even though they weren't on her team. Earlier in the week, she had trained several new hires, helped a colleague improve a presentation and agreed to plan the office holiday party. When it came time for her review for partner, her clear track record as a team player combined with her excellent performance should have made her a shoo-in. Instead, her promotion was delayed for six months, and then a year. This is the sad reality in workplaces around the world: Women help more but benefit less from it. In keeping with deeply held gender stereotypes, we expect men to be ambitious and results-oriented, and women to be nurturing and communal. When a man offers to help, we shower him with praise and rewards. But when a woman helps, we feel less indebted. She's communal, right? She wants to be a team player. The reverse is also true. When a woman declines to help a colleague, people like her less and her career suffers. But when a man says no, he faces no backlash. A man who doesn't help is "busy"; a woman is "selfish." In a study led by the New York University psychologist Madeline Heilman, participants evaluated the performance of a male or female employee who did or did not stay late to help colleagues prepare for an important meeting. For staying late and helping, a man was rated 14 percent more favorably than a woman. When both declined, a woman was rated 12 percent lower than a man. Over and over, after giving identical help, a man was significantly more likely to be recommended for promotions, important projects, raises and bonuses. A woman had to help just to get the same rating as a man who didn't help. Not long ago, a female senior executive we know was sitting at a board meeting next to several more junior male colleagues when the board chairman asked her to fetch him a soda. The Harvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter observed that women do the lion's share of "office housework" administrative tasks that help but don't pay off. Someone has to take notes, serve on committees and plan meetings and just as happens with housework at home, that someone is usually a woman. Joan C. Williams, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of the Law, finds that professional women in business, law and science are still expected to bring cupcakes, answer phones and take notes. These activities don't just use valuable time; they also cause women to miss opportunities. The person taking diligent notes in the meeting almost never makes the killer point. When men do help, they are more likely to do so in public, while women help more behind the scenes. Studies demonstrate that men are more likely to contribute with visible behaviors like showing up at optional meetings while women engage more privately in time-consuming activities like assisting others and mentoring colleagues. As the Simmons College management professor Joyce K. Fletcher noted, women's communal contributions tend simply to "disappear." Having people help both behind the scenes and in public is essential to organizational success. Research shows that teams with greater helping behavior attain greater profits, sales, quality, effectiveness, revenue and customer satisfaction. But doing the heavy lifting can take a psychological toll. In an analysis of 183 different studies spanning 15 countries and dozens of occupations, women were significantly more likely to feel emotionally exhausted. In their quest to care for others, women often sacrifice themselves. For every 1,000 people at work, 80 more women than men burn out in large part because they fail to secure their own oxygen masks before assisting others. Just as we still need to rebalance housework and child care at home, we also need to equalize and value office housework. This means first acknowledging the imbalance and then correcting it. Most organizations regularly assess individual accomplishments. Why not track acts of helping as well? Assigning communal tasks evenly rather than relying on volunteers can also ensure that support work is shared, noticed and valued. For women, the most important change starts with a shift in mind-set: If we want to care for others, we also need to take care of ourselves. One of us, Adam, has conducted and reviewed numerous studies showing that women (and men) achieve the highest performance and experience the lowest burnout when they prioritize their own needs along with the needs of others. By putting self-concern on par with concern for others, women may feel less altruistic, but they're able to gain more influence and sustain more energy. Ultimately, they can actually give more. In the consulting firm, the female manager who was passed over for a promotion found more efficient ways to help. Instead of meeting one-on-one with dozens of junior colleagues, she began inviting mentees for group lunches. This saved her time and created a support network for them to help one another. Rather than handling questions reactively in time-consuming phone calls, she wrote a manual of F.A.Q.s and shared it with colleagues. And when clients made unreasonable requests, instead of saying she was too busy, she explained that it would stretch her team past the breaking point. By explaining that she was protecting others, she was able to say no but still seem giving and caring. After making these changes, she was promoted to partner. Men can help solve this problem by speaking up. In our previous article, we observed that men have a habit of dominating meetings and interrupting women. Instead of quieting down, men can use their voices to draw attention to women's contributions. Men can also step up by doing their share of support work and mentoring. At a recent event we attended, 30 chief executives gathered around a dinner table for a conversation about closing the gender gap. With an even mix of men and women in the room, we expected the office housework to fall to a woman. But the one person who took notes the entire time was the founder of the Virgin Group, Richard Branson. It's often said that no good deed goes unpunished. It doesn't have to be that way. We can all benefit from encouraging both women and men to help, and rewarding them equally when they do. We hope you'll take some steps in this direction and share your experiences in the comments section here or on Facebook. This is the third in a series on women at work.
| 3 | 9,896 |
finance
|
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said the people of his state are crazy. Perry was responding to recent comments made by Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), who called Texas a "crazy state" during a committee hearing on the Affordable Care Act on Monday. "He called Texans crazy. He is right," Perry said at an American Principles Project event Thursday night. "We're crazy about jobs. We're crazy about opportunity… And we're particularly crazy about the Second Amendment and the 10th Amendment. What we're not crazy about is a government that taxes too much, borrows too much, spends too much." Hastings said Texas was a "crazy state" because "one of their cities has a law that says that women can only have six dildos, and the certain size of things." "And if that ain't crazy I don't know what is," Hastings said. Hastings may have been referring to a law that was struck down in 2008 restricting the sale of sex toys. Perry also hinted about his 2016 plans while speaking on Thursday. "There is nothing wrong with America that can't be fixed with a change in leadership. The next two years are about hope and revival," he said. "When we look at 2016, we need to remember we're not electing a critic in chief. We're electing a commander-in-chief," Perry added.
| 5 | 9,897 |
news
|
Rob Cotter sits in his small office on a side street in Durham, North Carolina, in a baseball cap and sweatshirt, as the sounds of incessant drilling and people yelling "horn check" followed closely by a tinny beep press on around him. Bright green and orange ovoid frames stand on the floors and hang from ceilings all around the workshop, where tiny pedal-driven, solar-powered vehicles called ELFs are being built late into the evening. Cotter seems remarkably down-to-earth for someone who's planning to take over the world. Two years ago, Cotter launched Organic Transit , a startup that designs, builds, and sells the ELF, an "electric, light, and fun" vehicle that's essentially an enclosed recumbent tricycle . With an optional electric- and solar-powered motor, the ELF can go up to 30 miles per hour. Though it comes with headlights, turn signals, a cargo space that fits more than a dozen bags of groceries, a roof, and (soon) doors, it's legally a bike. Though it comes with headlights, turn signals, a cargo space, a roof, and (soon) doors, it's legally a bike. The ELF requires no driver's license and can travel on bike paths or lanes and in any weather. Perhaps most importantly, the company estimates that one ELF can prevent as many as six tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually, if it's used in place of a car. "There is nothing more polluting than driving our cars each day," Cotter says. "As individuals, we are limited as to what we can effectively implement, but we can change how we behave. Getting out of your car and using your body along with a solar assist is the most powerful thing you can do." Article Continues Below A standard ELF costs $5,500, though with add-on features, the average price is around $7,200. Organic Transit has sold about 450 ELFs since it launched one of those to car aficionado Jerry Seinfeld, Cotter admits with a smile. The other 449 are all over the map. Some ELFs have been sold to individuals who use them to commute to work, to drive to farmer's markets to sell their wares, or to exercise. Others are sold to companies or corporations: Nearby Duke University bought several for use by the campus police, and about 20 other universities around the country are using ELFs on campus. Restaurants use them for delivery. A nurse service uses them to visit patients. Google has three on its campus in Silicon Valley. Currently, ELFs are only manufactured in Durham, but within the next year, Organic Transit says, ELFs will be built and distributed in Fiji, New Zealand, and Belgium. Closer to home, the company aims to open assembly and distribution centers in Palm Springs; San Jose; Naples, Florida; and Seattle. Soon, Cotter hopes to be producing and selling 1,200 ELFs a year nearly tripling the output of the past two years combined. "We want millions of these to be all over the planet," he says, and there's no doubt in his mind it will happen, especially as Organic Transit expands its offerings. This year, the company will release a new cab-and-chassis ELF model called the Ox. Larger than a standard ELF but still three-wheeled and still a bike the Ox can function as a pick-up truck that can hold 800 pounds or as a taxi holding up to three passengers. "We are really filling that space between a bicycle and a car," Cotter says. Also in the works are prototypes for a four-wheeled ELF, a cargo-focused van, an aerodynamic sport model with higher horsepower, and a three-wheeled, all-electric motorcycle model that will seat three, have a 250-mile range, and go up to 100 miles per hour. "We are really filling that space between a bicycle and a car," Cotter says. "How many different types of vehicles, how many different purposes, how many intentions can we find solutions to and not use a car anymore?" But with the ELF's relatively steep price tag, it might not be so easy to build a society where everybody drives one. After all, the environmentally conscious can and do ride bikes at a fraction of the cost and don't have to worry about leaving their bikes outside. And while it can replace a car in some ways, an ELF poses a challenge when it comes to longer distances or highways. It seems likely that ELFs will continue to sell, but unlikely that they'll be lined up in private driveways at least not right away. Using ELFs in bike-sharing fleets or at transit stops seems like a logical first step and a reliable solution to the problem of the "last mile," when commuters who take a train or bus must still get from their final stop to their front door. In fact, Cotter anticipates that more than half the ELFs that Organic Transit sells will be to companies or as parts of fleets. The company is also developing an app called ELF Share that Cotter hopes can revolutionize the way we get around. ELF Share aims to connect a network of about 30 people, with each network having access to one ELF. Members of the network coordinate the ELF's usage, maximizing its potential and minimizing their own carbon footprints. Using ELFs in bike-sharing fleets or at transit stops seems like a logical first step and a reliable solution to the problem of the "last mile." Organic Transit hopes to deploy an ELF Share program in Durham soon, as well as in the nearby Research Triangle Park, where a new residential community is being built for employees of surrounding tech and medical corporations, which would sponsor the local ELFs. Jeffrey Miller, president and CEO of the Alliance for Biking & Walking in Washington, D.C., says he's "a little skeptical that something like [ELF Share] can be widely adapted enough that there's a dent in the freight loads of this country." Nevertheless, "I think the ELF can be a wonderful thing in many instances, and we certainly welcome it," he says, mentioning that he has friends who are happy ELF owners. One of them is Dick Chase, who lives in Damariscotta Mills, Maine. Chase, who is 70, says it used to upset him to run quick errands by car because of the fossil fuel toll, and as he got older, biking with cargo seemed less than appealing (or safe). "As soon as I learned about the ELF I knew it was just what I wanted … It is just perfect for my situation and I use it for all my erranding for most of the year," he says.
| 5 | 9,898 |
news
|
These cheerful sunroom decorating essentials will transform your space from dreary to bright. Brighten Up for Spring With bright colors, fun patterns, and floral accents, transform your sunroom just in time for spring. Pretty Seating: We used 9.5 yards of blue fabric (turquoise linen, $27/yard; avisa fabrics.etsy.com ) to cover a plain settee ($899; ballard.com ). Patterned Pillows: Floral ($195; biscuit-home.com ) + buffalo check ($23/yard; calico corners.com ) + geometric ($139; rebecca atwood.com ) = the perfect perk-up combo. Potted Plant: Easiest way to revitalize a room? With something green, like this fragrant lemon tree. Textured Table: Made from an old pigeon basket, this woven piece is a conversation starter. ($770; bungalow classic.com ) Bohemian For a bohemian update, add earthy accents and bold patterns. Pretty Seating : Suitor Loveseat ($1,199; cb2.com ) Patterned Pillow: Dots Gold Square Pillow ($42; unisonhome.com ) Textured Table: Largo Jaipur Coffee Table ($496; wayfair.com ) Potted Plant: Fern ($15; glass houseworks.com ) Classic To keep your sunroom looking classic, go for sleek furniture and minimalist accents. Pretty Seating : Stocksund Loveseat ($579; ikea.com ) Patterned Pillow : Eames Floral Pillow in Green ($55; 11main.com ) Textured Table: Seagrass Coffee Table Ottoman ($599; potterybarn.com ) Potted Plant : Gardenia ($12; ikea.com ) Romantic Pale pinks and soft patterns add a romantic touch to any room. Pretty Seating :Niles Settee ($599; home decorators.com ) Patterned Pillow :Leaf Pillow Cover in Coral ($68; serenaandlily.com ) Textured Table: Mughal Coffee Table ($599; wisteria.com ) Potted Plant : Primrose ($9/2.5 quart; lowes.com )
| 4 | 9,899 |
lifestyle
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.