text
stringlengths 5
144k
| label
int64 0
9
| id
int64 0
100k
| label_text
stringclasses 10
values |
|---|---|---|---|
Discovering a secret town? Well that's one way to get off the beaten path. We've seen a few hidden towns in our day (mostly in America ), but never one quite as beautiful as the town of Monemvasia, Greece . Perched on an island off the east coast of the Peloponnese , Monemvasia's name means "single entrance" in Greek. The "hidden" spot boasts a massive Byzantine fortress (hence the nickname "fortress town"), but one thing is definitely in plain sight -- the huge selection of nearby beaches , open to tourists and locals alike. Poet Yiannis Ritsos once called Monemvasia "a ship of stone," and those who have visited rave about "rugged, salt-of-the earth beauty" that provides "a refreshing escape" from the real world. If you need to unplug, hide out on the island and spend your days looking for traces of Byzantine, Frankish, Venetian and Ottoman influences in town , which mean there's impressive architecture and history nearly everywhere you turn. Though if you're in for a bit of adventure, the best attraction on the island is the Kastania Cave . Described as a must-see attraction by tourists, the cave took millions of years to form and is packed full of rare geological wonders . And right next door, you'll find a cafe and a church that was once visited by pirates. Sign us up! Experts say Greece is great in the winter , meaning now is a perfect time to go. Escape crowds, indulge in the delicious Mediterranean cuisine, and explore the ancient history of Monemvasia. You can reach Monemvasia by cruise or bus, and a ferry is available during the summer months . We'll see you there! (h/t Reddit )
| 2 | 9,900 |
travel
|
Breaking up is hard to do, especially around Valentine's Day. A breakup or a divorce can be an extremely stressful time. During this time of high anxiety and stress, many folks turn to high-calorie comfort foods such as fried chicken, gooey macaroni and cheese, and massive ice cream sundaes. Instead of letting these foods get the best of you and your waistline, alleviate some of the stress by including these five foods in your diet. 1. Salmon Fatty fish like salmon help keep you calm by managing adrenalin levels. Omega-3 fatty acids also help with healthy hair and skin, which can help make you look and feel great perhaps for your next love interest! Other foods to try: tuna, sardines, walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, tofu 2. Almonds A breakup or divorce can lead to high levels of stress . To help boost your immune system, almonds provide the antioxidant vitamin E and zinc. Almonds also have a nice amount of B vitamins, which also help your body cope with anxiety and stress. An ounce of blanched almonds contains 163 calories and 12 grams of fat (mostly the healthy, unsaturated kind), so enjoy in small portions, like a small handful. Other foods to try: walnuts, pistachios 3. Greek Yogurt When you are stressed out, your stomach may get funky. You may experience bellyaches or bouts of diarrhea. The live and active cultures found in Greek yogurt can help keep your tummy from acting up and many also contain probiotics to help keep your digestive system in order . Greek yogurt also provides a boost of protein and calcium with every luscious spoonful. Other foods to try: traditional yogurt, some frozen yogurt, kefir 4. Dark Chocolate Studies have linked dark chocolate to lower levels of stress hormones. Dark chocolate also contains sugar (a type of carbohydrate), which stimulates the release of the mood-improving hormone serotonin. Be careful not to overindulge in chocolate, however, as it contains around 150 calories and 9 grams of fat per ounce. Instead, enjoy in moderation by eating 1-ounce portions no more than once a day. 5. Whole-Grain Cereal Many people turn to high-carb foods to make them feel better. This is because after eating foods high in carbs, the brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin. But many people tend to overdo it when it comes to carbs. Instead of forgoing all carbs (and the good-for-you nutrients they provide!), choose whole-grain cereal. The Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend making half of your grains whole. So you can eat healthier and alleviate stress all in one bite. When your stress levels are high, enjoy a relaxing bowl of whole-grain cereal with low fat milk one of my favorite easy-to-make dinners, too! You can also tote whole-grain cereal, so you can munch on it any time of day. Whole-grain cereals to try: Grapenuts, Erewhon Raisin Bran, Kashi GOLEAN and GOLEAN Crunch!, Barbara's Original Puffins and Cinnamon Puffins, Cascadian Farms Hearty Morning and Multi-Grain Squares Complementing these foods with regular physical activity can help reduce stress levels even more. It's Also About How You Eat Many people plop on the couch with a bag of chips and finish the entire package without realizing it. Many folks also like to eat while using multiple electronic devices, which makes them oblivious to what food is going in their mouths. Being aware of the environment you eat in is just as important as the healthy food choices you make. This concept is known as mindful eating , and is important because it can help decrease overall stress, which can keep calories in check especially if you are a stress eater (or overeater). Here are three things you can do to eat more mindfully: Assess your hunger. Many people confuse stress with hunger. Rate your hunger on a scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the most hungry) and think about the last time you ate. If you are truly hungry, then fix yourself a bite to eat. If it is the stress talking, then go out for a run , take a hot bath or let off steam some other way that is not associated with food. Create a serene environment. Turn off all electronic devices for the duration of your meal. Those emails, texts and tweets can wait 30 minutes. Enjoy a pleasant meal with family or friends and enjoy good old conversation. Make time for meals and snacks. The worst thing is to eat while on the run . It just makes for a high-stress environment. Set aside 5 to 10 minutes for a quiet snack and 20 to 30 minutes for a meal. Take the time to enjoy your food and savor every bite. Editor's note: Toby Amidor is a spokeswoman for Kashi. Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report
| 0 | 9,901 |
foodanddrink
|
Christopher Lahr, 32, of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, is happy with the medical results he got this week. Last March, he had borderline high blood pressure, and instead of starting him on medication, his doctor recommended the DASH Diet . Although DASH, which Lahr had never heard of, involved a complete overhaul of his eating lifestyle, he went for it. Today, his blood pressure is normal, his once-high cholesterol and borderline glucose tests are "perfect" and he feels "fantastic." Oh, and in the space of a year, Lahr lost 115 pounds. Change in Approach The name DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, was coined in the 1997 New England Journal of Medicine study that started it all. Until then, dietary approaches had mainly focused on cutting salt and alcohol and weight loss. In this study, researchers instead looked at overall eating patterns, testing three types of diets, with similar sodium levels in 456 people. One was a "typical" American diet. The second and third diets were rich in fruit and vegetables. In addition, the third "combination" diet was slightly higher in protein and calcium, and reduced in fats. It worked best of the three in reducing blood pressure. The results were especially impressive in participants with hypertension, according to Lawrence Appel, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and one of the study's lead investigators. Besides reducing blood pressure, other studies show DASH helps the heart by promoting healthier cholesterol and triglyceride levels. And the DASH approach is in line with American Diabetes Association guidelines. But there's been one drawback: Few people follow it. A 2008 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests less than one-fifth of Americans with high blood pressure adhere to DASH-style eating. Because DASH isn't a commercial diet, there's no industry marketing behind it. And since it involves an overall dietary pattern, Appel says, "It's hard to get somebody particularly engaged when it's not patentable." On the other hand, he adds, "If this was a pill, there'd be people making billions." Good Diet, No Gimmicks For the past five years, an expert panel has rated the nation's top diets for U.S. News , and each year, DASH ranks as the Best Diet Overall . It's also the Best Diet for Healthy Eating , and ties for first among Best Diets for Diabetes for 2015. In the Best Weight-Loss Diets category, DASH tends to fall somewhere in the middle. That's probably not surprising unlike top-ranked Weight Watchers , DASH was developed to reduce blood pressure, not weight, although it can be adapted that way. And attaining a healthy weight is a likely DASH byproduct as people change the way they eat. Even so, DASH is "obscure," U.S. News' panel of experts note. It doesn't feature meat-devouring cavemen or butter-infused coffee. And with its roots in government research, DASH doesn't have a team of marketers out spreading the word. "Things tend to catch people's interest when there's something radically new," says Marla Heller, a dietitian and author of several books on DASH. But awareness may be rising, adds Heller, who's hearing more feedback like, "My doctor's telling me I need to go on the DASH Diet." Still, Sharon Richter, a dietitian based in New York City, doesn't hear much about it from clients. "I feel the DASH Diet is kind of an older diet it's not as popular," she says. "People tend to think it's [just for] high blood pressure; it's for senior citizens." Young adults tend to be more into trendy diets and juice cleanses, Richter says. However, she believes eating a balanced diet and exercising work best in the long run. "All these things that are very dramatic are never going to be permanent," she says. What DASH Entails The DASH eating plan "is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat, and emphasizes fruits, vegetables and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products," the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explains. It also includes whole grains, fish, poultry and nuts while cutting red meats, sweets and added sugars. Richter notes that portion sizes are important in DASH. She says it's meant to be "a diet rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium, using sodium-free products." Heller, whose latest book is "The DASH Diet Younger You," says the more veggies, the better. "Fill half your plate with colorful vegetables and have a side dish of salad," she says. "So that you're actually having a lot of vegetables at a meal. And then use your fruits for satisfying your sweet tooth." She says being smart about satiety incorporating meals and snacks featuring lean protein keeps people from filling up on high-calorie foods DASH Journey For Lahr, DASH represents more than a diet. When he decided to start, he was in what he describes as "a very dark place." Two months earlier, his wife unexpectedly died at 29 following a surgical procedure. Lahr felt he had two choices: "Do nothing and just fall into a dark hole and try to get through my days," or "Get out and do something to improve my life," as he is certain his wife would have wanted. Incorporating DASH helped keep his mind occupied and gave him focus. That started with researching the diet online, where he came upon Heller's books and online support groups . Soon, he was sitting down each weekend and planning out the next week's menu before heading to the grocery store. Rather than entirely give up the potato chips he used to munch on, he switched over to multigrain tortilla chips made with brown rice flour, quinoa and several types of seeds. "I literally bought scales," Lahr says, and each evening he'd weigh out his evening snack an ounce of chips and an ounce of hummus. Finding that "it's not cheap to eat healthy," he countered by doing his own gardening, growing peppers, tomatoes, green beans, corn, broccoli, sweet peas and hot peppers, and he plans to add asparagus this summer. Like many diets, DASH encourages exercise. "I started working in some easy exercise over the summer, and then this fall I started going to the gym and getting into a routine," Lahr says. Let Them Eat Cake Sticking with DASH "definitely takes willpower," Lahr says, and while it took a month or so to get into the routine, it's since become second nature. Now, his father jokes that he's a "food snob," but Lahr says healthier eating habits are actually rubbing off on his parents. Lahr's workplace is Actuated Medical, a medical device company. "We have about 25 people, and we always do birthdays for everybody," he says. "There's always birthday cake. And I laugh because I go with a little cup of yogurt and eat and watch while everyone else eats cake." On his birthday? "They gave me a fruit tray." Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report
| 7 | 9,902 |
health
|
Diane Swonk, Mesirow Financial, dissectd the nonfarm jobs data and zero in on wages and labor participation rate. Millennials are finally spreading their wings, says Mesirow.
| 3 | 9,903 |
finance
|
K.L demonstrates how to create a simple and festive Lunar New Year makeup look. Products: NYX 612 Jumbo Gold, Etude House Play Pencil 101, Etude House Bohemian Soul Palette, BH Cosmetics #BMW02, RMK Brow Pencil #02, Lorac Cobra Mascara, Modster Pale Yellow Pencil, Benefit Coralista, Nake Palette Naked Flushed, Maybelline Vivid Colors #Neon Red.
| 4 | 9,904 |
lifestyle
|
BATA, Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea's football federation was fined $100,000 on Friday after at least 36 people were injured when angry home fans threw bottles and rocks and clashed with riot police during their team's semifinal loss at the African Cup of Nations. The Confederation of African Football also ordered Equatorial Guinea to pay for the treatment of all the people injured in the ugly scenes on Thursday at Malabo Stadium. The match was halted for over 30 minutes late in the second half as Ghanaian fans fled the missiles being thrown at them, forced open a gate, and ran onto the field to huddle for safety behind one of the goals. Riot police fired tear gas at quatorial Guinea fans, and a helicopter hovered dangerously low over the stands, whipping up debris as authorities tried to restore order. The Ghana fans were escorted out of the stadium by security for their own safety. Of the 36 people injured, 14 were taken to the hospital, CAF said. One person required "close monitoring," but CAF gave no more details. Although the Ghana players and officials were also targeted with bottles when they left the field at halftime, there were no reports they were among the wounded, which were believed to be mainly supporters. Still, the Ghana Football Association said the stadium became like "a war zone" for its fans, players and officials. Ghana dominated and won the semifinal 3-0, while host Equatorial Guinea's biggest ever soccer match ended up being a major embarrassment for the small, oil-rich Central African country. It was praised for stepping in at the last moment to host the African Cup after Morocco pulled out over Ebola fears. However, the violence with fans later running from baton-wielding riot police has completely overshadowed the tournament. A third punishment for Equatorial Guinea forcing it to play its next home game without any fans was suspended, CAF said in a statement following a meeting of its disciplinary committee in Bata. That means Equatorial Guinea's rowdy supporters will be allowed to return to Malabo Stadium for Saturday's third-place game against a wary Congo team. "If they're throwing this at players, Eq Guinea, you can have 3rd place, I love football but prefer to live," Congo player Gabriel Zakuani wrote on Twitter on Friday. His tweet was in response to photographs posted by a British reporter of a rock, a broken plate, and a large jagged piece of broken glass found on the Malabo field after Thursday's chaos. "We are, of course, disappointed," CAF spokesman Junior Binyam said. "Nobody was expecting such an outcome yesterday. We hope ... to improve security aspects and to be sure that, for the third-place game and the final, we won't have any issue." CAF said it was not going to ban fans from Saturday's game, "to promote a spirit of fair play and brotherhood" at the tournament. CAF said in the same statement that the fine for Equatorial Guinea was because of the fans' "aggressive behavior," and for them being "repeat offenders." CAF had already warned Equatorial Guinea over the conduct of its supporters and fined it $5,000 after there was trouble in the stands in the quarterfinals, a contentious 2-1 win over Tunisia at Bata Stadium last weekend. The problems there were sparked by a hotly contested penalty given to Equatorial Guinea in the last minute of extra time, causing Tunisian players and officials to react furiously. Related to that, CAF also announced on Friday it suspended Tunisian federation president Wadie Jary after his federation refused to apologize for suggesting CAF and its referee showed bias to the host nation by awarding that contentious late penalty, keeping Equatorial Guinea in the tournament. CAF extended a deadline for the Tunisians to apologize, and said if they now did not by March 31, the country would be thrown out of the next African Cup in 2017. ___ Gerald Imray is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP
| 1 | 9,905 |
sports
|
FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Friday warned Qatar against trying to form an imported team for the 2022 World Cup they will host and labelled the foreign team it used at the world handball championships as an "absurdity". "The nation of 2.2 million faces the huge challenge of forming a competitive national football team by 2022. However, this cannot be achieved by quickly naturalising players," Blatter said in a commentary for the FIFA Weekly journal. He said that football's world body does not allow this, unlike the International Handball Federation. According to Blatter, Qatar's players, who reached last weekend's final at the handball world championships "contradict the spirit of a national team". The Qatar squad included players born in Bosnia-Hercegovina, France, Spain, Cuba and Montenegro. Several had played for other national teams prior to the tournament but handball allows players to play for more than one country. "The fact that sport builds social bridges and brings cultures together cannot be stressed often enough," said the FIFA president, who is campaigning for a new term in May's election. "However, what happened at this year's men's world handball championship in Qatar stretched this notion to the point of absurdity," he said. Under FIFA rules, a player has to have been born in the country he represents or his parents have to have been were born there. Otherwise, the player must have spent at least five years living there to qualify.
| 1 | 9,906 |
sports
|
It's been a long road, spanning more than two years of adversity, but Ubuntu finally has a smartphone to call home. It's called the Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition and is built by Spanish company BQ. This little-known manufacturer of tablets and e-readers is adapting one of its Android handsets to run Ubuntu and selling it for €169.90 (just over $190) in a series of flash sales across Europe. It's an unusual way to release a phone: followers of the @ubuntu and @bqreaders Twitter accounts will be the first to be alerted any time the Aquaris E4.5 UE becomes available to buy. The modest price is matched by this first Ubuntu phone's barebone spec sheet. The 4.5-inch display has only qHD resolution (540 x 960), the processor is a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek chip, there's no LTE option, and the onboard storage is limited to 8GB. To offset these restrictions, the Aquaris allows memory expansion via a microSD card and also has two micro-SIM slots for added flexibility. If there's one spec indulgence here, it's the 5-megapixel front-facing camera, which BQ highlights as a major feature on the Android variant of this phone. Though obviously aimed at the budget-conscious phone buyer, the Ubuntu phone faces tough competition from cheaper alternatives like the excellent Moto E on Android and Microsoft's latest Lumia devices running Windows Phone. Canonical, the company in charge of Ubuntu, believes it has a unique proposition to offer with its concept of Scopes . It eschews the traditional app-based interaction model in favor of "a new UI paradigm, designed to deliver content and services directly to categorised home screens, giving users a rich, unfragmented experience." This sort of content aggregation serving web videos from YouTube and Vimeo as well as your own recorded media on the same screen has been tried previously and never really succeeded. Canonical is therefore embarking on a highly ambitious project, but that's to be expected from the company that once sought $32 million to build the Ubuntu Edge smartphone that never materialized. "We're not coming out with yet another iOS or Android clone." At the outset, The Aquaris E4.5 Ubuntu Edition will feature Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Time Out , Yelp, and Cut the Rope among its best-known partners, with Spotify, SoundCloud, and Grooveshark also being integrated via their web APIs. The Ubuntu phone "supports mainstream HTML5 beautifully," says Canonical, and the company's categorical that it's "not coming out with yet another iOS or Android clone." What you'll get is something altogether different, a fresh experience built around screen-edge interactions and tailored Scopes that aim at "reversing the hackneyed status quo." It's a bold set of promises, though it's likely to find a receptive audience in its first buyers, who will necessarily be Ubuntu fans already. There will be no retail availability of the Aquaris. It will be on sale via sporadic flash sales over the coming weeks, recruiting early adopters and trying to build up into a viable mobile platform. The climb toward that goal looks as long and hazardous as Ubuntu's mobile struggles to this point, but today marks an important milestone along the way.
| 5 | 9,907 |
news
|
On a recent flight from Dallas to New York, I noticed that the airplane bathroom was equipped with several "no smoking" signs as well as a convenient ashtray. My first thought was that I was on a really old plane since smoking has been banned from US domestic flights since 1990. Curious, I asked a flight attendant about the ashtrays I'd seen. "If somebody did decide to light up and then put their cigarette in the trash, well, the trash is all paper products so the ashes could start a fire," Debbie an American Airlines flight attendant told me. Turns out that all airlines are required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to attach an ashtray to the bathroom door of every plane. The FAA categorizes bathroom ashtrays as part of each plane's "minimum equipment," meaning that a broken ashtray must be reported and replaced within 3 days. In 1973, 123 passengers died on Varig Flight 820 traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris when the cabin of a Boeing 707 filled with smoke from a fire started by a cigarette. The cigarette was thrown away in the the trash receptacle of the airplane bathroom causing a major fire in the rear of the jet. Forty-two years after the Varig Flight 820 tragedy, here is another reminder of not to dispose of cigarettes in the trash receptacle. NOW WATCH: This Flying Car Is Real And It Can Fly 430 Miles On A Full Tank
| 5 | 9,908 |
news
|
A dad who spent his night high on narcotics woke up in a California prison and remembered he left his sons locked in his truck, police said, sending cops on a frenzied rescue mission to save the boys. Merced police found the 3-year-old and the 10-month-old in their car seats they were unharmed, but cold "like popsicles" after spending the night in the freezing car, Sgt. Bob Chapman told KFSN. Officers arrested their dad, Joshua Jaboneta of Las Vegas, Tuesday night. The 34-year-old was breaking into houses and vandalizing cars while high on narcotics, police said. At one home, he grabbed a sleeping woman, then dropped her, saying she wasn't the person he wanted. He didn't mention the kids he left behind, and cops booked him into jail for the night. The next morning, a now-sober Jaboneta realized he was behind bars and told police his kids were still in his car. "He had been on some kind of a narcotic. When he was coming down off of it, he realized he didn't know where his children were and that he was in jail," Chapman said. A worried out-of-state family member also called police to ask where the kids were, the Los Angeles Times reported , adding to the search's urgency. Cops scoured the neighborhood where Jaboneta had been arrested. They quickly found his red pickup truck with both boys inside. The toddler and the baby had been inside the car with the windows rolled down for nearly 12 hours, police said. The low in Merced was 27 degrees that night. "They were in good condition, but they were extremely cold, and they were like popsicles when we touched them," Chapman said. "We were so elated that they were in the car and that they were alive and that they were well." The two boys were treated for hypothermia at a hospital, but were otherwise fine, police said. They will be turned over to Child Protective Services. Jarboneta was charged with burglary, vandalism, trespassing and being under the influence of narcotics as well as child endangerment. It's not clear why the Nevada dad was in California. ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH VIDEO HERE. [email protected]
| 5 | 9,909 |
news
|
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) The autobiography of prairie author Laura Ingalls Wilder, which gives a grittier view of frontier living than her popular "Little House" series for children, is proving to be a blockbuster for the South Dakota Historical Society Press. "Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography," edited by Pamela Smith Hill, was released in November by the small state-owned publishing house. The memoir, written for an adult audience, was the No. 1 best-seller on Amazon.com in late January and was still in the Top 10 on Friday, at No. 6. "This is a definite blockbuster," publishing house director Nancy Tystad Koupal told the Rapid City Journal. "I'm surprised, delighted and excited that Laura Ingalls Wilder's work still has such resonance with readers." Wilder wrote her autobiography in the early 1930s. By then, she had been settled on her Missouri farm for decades, but her early life took the Ingalls family on a journey that includes what today is Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota. The initial print run of the book was 15,000 copies. A second run of 15,000 copies was made, and a third run of 45,000 copies is on the press. A fourth run is now being considered, according to Tystad Koupal. "We have no cause for complaint, but just keeping up with the pace of it can be hard," she said. "We have no more staff than we had before, so it means everybody is working double time." Sioux Falls native Katie Franke received "Pioneer Girl" as a gift from a co-worker and is displaying it on the coffee table in her Burnsville, Minnesota, home, while she reads it. "Growing up in South Dakota, Laura Ingalls is kind of a topic you can't escape," Franke told the Argus Leader.
| 6 | 9,910 |
entertainment
|
Even though the current-generation Acura MDX has been on sale for only two model years, significant changes arrive early for the 2016 model year, which is available now. Biggest among them is a shift from a six-speed automatic transmission to a new nine-speed. Based on our experience with an Acura TLX V6 AWD, we're not sure this new transmission is an improvement. Shift smoothness with the nine-speed in our tested TLX was disappointing, with frequent bumps and indecisiveness at selecting gears. We hope that more time to fine-tune the transmission calibrations for the MDX will bring refinement. Top-trim MDX Advance models will now come with idle stop, which shuts off the engine to save fuel when the car is stopped. In our TLX, this start-stop system was slow to fire the engine back up when it was time to pull away, eventually launching the car with a sharp jolt when it was finally ready. The new MDX nine-speed also comes with an electronic shifter, which replaces the conventional shift lever.With the electronic shifter, you select from an array of buttons mounted flat on the console. Doing this by feel alone is very difficult, and we found it easy to confuse the parking brake switch with the one for reverse on our TLX. The TLX was recalled because this shifter could indicate that the car was in Park when it really wasn't. Significant improvements in fuel economy would help counterbalance these transmission hassles. But both the 2015 and 2016 MDX AWD (without idle stop) are rated at 21 mpg overall by the EPA. Oddly, highway fuel economy dropped from 27 to 26 for the 2016 MDX. More gears sometimes bring acceleration improvements, but then again, the six-speed MDX was no slouch. On the plus side, the AcuraWatch suite of high-tech safety gear is now available on all MDXs, including the base model without the Technology package. This $1,200 option adds active cruise control, forward-collision warning with automatic braking, and lane-departure mitigation. Other improvements include added equipment, such as Siri capability (Apple), and reduced weight from the lighter transmission and redesigned rear differential. Other than bragging rights in the "how many gears" contest among luxury brands and the added safety gear, we're scratching our heads to see how the MDX is improved. For now, if you had your heart set on a 2015 MDX, we don't see any good reason to wait for the new one, especially if you can negotiate a more favorable price. As for Consumer Reports, we'll buy a 2016 Acura MDX to measure exactly what the new transmission brings to this popular luxury SUV. Tom Mutchler More from Consumer Reports: Worst cars of 2014 in Consumer Reports' tests 5 best used cars for teen drivers Best & worst car values Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.
| 9 | 9,911 |
autos
|
Professor reported killed in shooting
| 8 | 9,912 |
video
|
The Detroit Lions are stuck in a bind. All-Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is slated to hit free agency after his rookie deal voided on Friday, leaving the Lions with a few options. Detroit can either slap Suh with the franchise tag, sign him to a new deal at any time, or allow him to hit free agency and hope for the best. No other team can sign Suh before March 10, when the new NFL league year begins. Until then, the Lions have exclusive negotiating rights with the four-time Pro Bowler. Normally, Suh would be the ideal candidate for the franchise tag at the projected defensive tackle price of $9.65 million. However, Detroit would have to pay Suh $26.89 million with a tag along with $9.7 million in dead money being tacked on. Ultimately, Suh would have an outrageous $36 million cap hit , the highest in the league. In 2014, Suh also had the highest cap hit at $23.2 million. Should the tag be applied, Detroit would have more than half its projected salary cap tied up in Calvin Johnson , Matthew Stafford and Suh. Yet, general manager Martin Mayhew told Kyle Meinke of MLive.com that this remains an option. "We want him back and we are willing to franchise him, transition him, whatever," Mayhew said. Lions team president Tom Lewand stated last week that Detroit has every intention of keeping Suh, despite the financial ramifications, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press . "We've had a good chunk of our salary cap tied up in three players over the last few years," Lewand said. "Matthew (Stafford), Calvin (Johnson) and Ndamukong have all had very lucrative contracts under the old rookie system, and even as Matthew and Calvin have done their extensions. So we've done that, we've lived in that environment. There's no reason we can't continue to live in that environment." Detroit has time to figure out its plan of attack. The franchise tag can't be applied until Feb. 16 and the deadline for doing so is March 2, allowing for a two-week window. If the Lions try to sign Suh to a long-term deal, it is expected to cost somewhere around $100 million over five or six seasons, with half of that money guaranteed. Over at NFL.com, Chris Wesseling has Suh listed at the very top of the free-agent list. Suh paced all defensive tackles with 12 quarterback hits and 37 hurries. He also finished with 8.5 sacks, third-best at the position.
| 1 | 9,913 |
sports
|
Thanks to cheaper gas, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) is now the richest elected official in America, Forbes reports. Haslam's net worth has more than doubled within 6 months from $980 million to an estimated $2 billion. Haslam, 56, is heir to the the truck stop chain Pilot Flying J and currently own 15% of the company which made $38 billion in sales, according to Forbes. Naturally, roadside gas stations earn better profit margins during lower oil prices since more people are filling up their tanks. In comparison, Haslam's wealth also surpasses the combined wealth of all of Tennessee's 9 federal lawmakers: Haslam's wealth also exceeds that of California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, who is the richest member in Congress, with a net worth of $357 million, according to Roll Call . Pilot Flying J reportedly came under fire in 2013, when the FBI investigated whether the company shortchanged trucking firms on gasoline rebates. Haslam's older brother Jimmy, who is the owner of the Cleveland Browns, was CEO of the company at the time. Pilot Flying J ultimately struck a deal with the Department of Justice to pay $92 million in fines to avoid criminal charges. NOW WATCH: What Happened When A Bunch Of Young Boys Were Told To Hit A Girl
| 3 | 9,914 |
finance
|
Mark Jackson's situation with the Warriors was a twisted pretzel of drama and ego. It was unique in its way, but its resolution lends us some light to other coach vs. front office battles brewing in cities with high expectations. Like, for instance, Chicago, where rumors of a front office rift continue to hound Tom Thibodeau. Thibodeau, of course, has been wildly successful in the regular season in his Bulls career. He has one of the top 10 winning percentages in NBA coaching history, despite running a team that has struggled to keep its one-time MVP on the court consistently along with a front office reluctant to exceed the luxury tax line. Thibodeau has racked up a sterling record without a team of superstars, instead relying on a brutal defense and good-enough offense to claim the No. 1 seed twice in four full seasons. His defense has been adopted by much of the league. But there have been numerous, well-documented hiccups between Thibodeau and the front office, culminating with the dismissal of key assistant Ron Adams in 2013. Adams is now a part of the Warriors' Dream Team bench, fittingly enough. Thibodeau is under contract through 2016-17 and he makes a competitive rate based on when he signed. Yet, Chicago's front office is known to be weird and the team's franchisee Jerry Reinsdorf is noted as a man who doesn't like to pay his managers tons of dough. (You'll recall the contract spats with Phil Jackson.) There's also the question of how Thibodeau's apparent lack of people skills impacts that relationship, as well as the coach's relationships with the local media and perhaps his players. He's a classic grumpy coach in the Van Gundy mold: he does his job very well, and wishes his bosses would a) butt out and b) give him more resources. President of basketball operations John Paxson is not known for butting out, and the Bulls are not known for spending like the Knicks, Lakers and Celtics. Hence the problem. If the question is whether Thibodeau is worth it, the answer is obvious: yes. That leaves alone the question, though, of whether teams ought to prioritize hiring coaches that the front office can get along with easily. Is the trait of being easy-going increasingly important for head coaches? Jackson, for instance, was not tactician that Thibodeau has been. That's not a knock -- I'm not sure any coach other than Erik Spoelstra or Rick Carlisle can compete with Thibs on those terms -- but it serves to suggest that Jackson's record of performance on the sidelines, as difficult as that is to grade, is not equal to that of Thibodeau. And like Thibs, Jackson had some hiccups in dealing with the front office, especially when it came to control of his bench. Jackson's grumpy coach act absolutely impacted his continued employability with the Warriors. Chances are it will affect his future employment prospects as well. But then consider Stan Van Gundy, who returned to the league fully on his own terms. He got fired in 2011, sat out a few years and landed a job with personnel control. And he's the grumpiest coach working today. SVG's pros vastly outweigh his cons. I surmise that to some team, Jackson's will as well. Golden State was a uniquely bad fit because of who signed the checks and because of the way its front office works. Thibodeau will certainly be considered worth the trouble by many teams; his agent will get 15 calls from GMs within 15 minutes of the Bulls firing him, if they ever do. It's all relative. It does seem, however, that crankiness and a divergent vision are increasingly considered dealbreakers. Michael Malone got fired by the Kings not because of a lack of performance, but because his success came outside the vision the front office had for the team. It's quite possible that the new generation of NBA leadership -- of which Golden State's Joe Lacob and Sacramento's Vivek Ranadive are a part -- will place a higher premium on buy-in from the coach. The unspoken wall between the front office and the bench, as much as it may have existed over the decades, might be crumbling. That could impact the value of guys like Thibodeau, the old school types who would prefer the guys who sign the checks do little else and the guys who draw up the contracts bite their tongues. It's worth noting that Thibodeau interviewed for a lot of jobs before he landed one. At least in Sacramento, where Thibs had interviewed twice, his lack of people skills had been cited as a serious ding in the rumor mill. If shared vision and friendliness become more desirable among NBA head coaches, that will necessarily impact the Van Gundy types. In theory, like Thibs, they'll need to be even better than their nicer colleagues to get the best jobs. Of course, coaches have been clashing with their bosses and their players throughout sports history. This is nothing particularly new. It's just changing in subtle ways. It'll be interesting to see how those changes morph the platonic NBA head coach of the new generation.
| 1 | 9,915 |
sports
|
This time last year, Chris Christie was dealing with the fallout of the Bridgegate scandal that prompted a federal investigation into his office. Now, the New Jersey governor is facing another potential embarrassment that could hurt his image going into 2016, courtesy of a county attorney who says he was wrongfully fired. Bennett Barlyn, a former Hunterdon County assistant prosecutor, said federal investigators interviewed him this week about the Christie administration. On Thursday, Barlyn told NJ Advance Media that he was fired because he objected to Christie officials' dismissal of indictments against several of the governor's supporters in 2010. Investigators from the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey approached him to discuss his allegations and "those people who were witness to the events in Hunterdon." Barlyn also told ABC News about the federal criminal investigation, and said he has "provided the investigators with names of people I thought could furnish firsthand information." Neither Christie's camp nor the U.S. Attorney's Office have confirmed such an investigation, and the governor's office has previously denied Barlyn's accusations. The former prosecutor has a pending whistle-blower lawsuit against the Christie administration over his firing. In 2010, a Hunterdon County grand jury indicted several people in the county sheriff's office on charges of official misconduct. Soon after, the state Attorney General's Office intervened and had the indictments thrown out, despite claims from several members of the grand jury that the evidence against the Christie allies was "deeply persuasive." Barlyn's latest comments have brought attention to a February 2014 interview he gave to ABC News, in which he said that "there's simply photographic evidence" of Christie "associating with these individuals" whose indictments were thrown out. More from that interview: Barlyn's renewed allegations bookend a rough week for Christie, who received a spate of bad press for his comments on vaccinations , and for his lavish lifestyle as governor. A potential federal investigation on top of all that may not bode well for Christie's likely presidential campaign.
| 5 | 9,916 |
news
|
Although January unemployment claims rose in the U.S., strong job growth was still seen. PIMCO's Richard Clarida discusses the economic signals this sends for 2015. Photo: Getty
| 3 | 9,917 |
finance
|
The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday struck down a ban against doctor-assisted suicide, while suggesting that it should be available only for competent adults suffering from an incurable disease. Its decision, however, was suspended for one year to allow lawmakers an opportunity to enact new rules surrounding the divisive issue. A legal challenge to the existing law was brought by the families of two women in westernmost British Columbia province who have since died, and was supported civil liberties groups. One of the women, Gloria Taylor, died of an infection after suffering from a neurodegenerative disease. The other, Kay Carter, traveled to Switzerland, where she was allowed to commit doctor-assisted suicide, saying before she died that she was terrified at age 89 of "dying inch by inch." The court's decision reverses a 1993 ruling in the case of Sue Rodriguez, a pioneer in the fight for the right to die in Canada. The court at the time expressed concern over protecting vulnerable persons, but in its new ruling pointed to changed social values.
| 5 | 9,918 |
news
|
Everyone knows that you want skinny jeans tucked into your boots. Ten years ago everyone knew that you wanted boot cut jeans to go over your boots. But how does everyone know these things? How does one option out of all the possible alternatives get chosen as the standard and then reach universal acceptance? The origin and emergence of social conventions has long beguiled cognitive scientists, sociologists, linguists, and philosophers. Prominent ideas have assumed that institutionalized mechanisms like a centralized authority or incentives for collective agreement are required for shared conventions to become prevalent. Newer social evolutionary ideas, by contrast, have suggested that networks of locally interacting individuals can spontaneously and unintentionally self-organize to produce global coordination, even in the absence of formal institutions. This sort of self-organization has been very difficult to demonstrate, especially on any meaningful scale. Now, a mathematician and a sociologist have teamed up to show that global social conventions can in fact emerge spontaneously from local interactions, even though the people involved have no idea that they are coordinating anything. There's just one condition: the people have to be hyperconnected. The researchers recruited people from the Internet to play The Name Game. Participants were seated in front of a computer screen and shown a photo of a blond woman, and they had to give her a name within twenty seconds. They were paired with a partner about whom they had no knowledge. If the two partners agreed on a name for the woman on their screens, they each got fifty cents; if they didn't, they were each docked a quarter. Then they went on to a new round with a new partner. Although they were rewarded for coordinating locally, they had no incentives for or information about any sort of global consensus. A standard game was thirty rounds. Three types of social networks were tested. One was a spatial network, in which partners were chosen only from neighbors or next-nearest neighbors; another was a random network, in which partners were not restricted spatially but were limited to the same four degrees of separation as the spatial network; the last was a homogenous network in which all bets were off anyone could be partners with anyone else. Participants knew nothing about the structure of the network they were in. Participants in the spatial and random networks formed groups of agreement early on, but the results were limited. By the end of the game, the most popular name was used by at most forty-five percent of participants, while a maximum of seventy-five percent of partners reached agreement. Success was slower to come to the homogeneously mixed network, but when it arrived it was more robust. Since people in this network were less likely to interact with the same partner repeatedly, insular "neighborhoods" that used a particular name couldn't form. This local failure only served to spur global coordination; one name always became universally accepted in this network, usually by round twenty-two. Partners who had never even interacted by this point were still able to get it. And this result held true, on the same time scale, when this network size was doubled to ninety-six participants. The authors think that their results "will be of interest to researchers investigating the effects of online connectedness on the emergence of new political, social, and economic behaviors" and think it will be interesting "to explore the practical implications of the unintended effects of increasing social connectedness on the homogenization of behaviors and beliefs among large numbers of individuals who do not even know that they are implicitly coordinating with one another." And that's how we'll know which style of jeans to buy next year. PNAS , 2014. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1418838112 ([About DOIs](http://arstechnica.com/ science/news/2010/03/dois-and-their-discontents-1.ars)).
| 5 | 9,919 |
news
|
THE ARCTIC CIRCLE Trade Aruba for the Arctic Circle and you'll have a chance to spot narwhals and polar bears, witness the night sky painted green with the Aurora Borealis, or bask in the midnight sun. While other cruises to the region (detailed below) generally make stops in one or only a few countries, Arctic Circle cruises tend to visit a greater number and variety during the voyage (and really, how many times will you find yourself in the region?). Ports of call can include destinations within any of the eight countries that are located in the Arctic Circle, including Alaska, the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and far eastern Russia. Quark Expeditions offers the rare chance to visit the North Pole on a 14 or 15-day expedition, which includes visits to Finland and Russia. If the bragging rights of standing at 90 degrees north aren't postcard-worthy enough, the cruise includes helicopter and hot air balloon excursions as an added bonus. Peak season: June to September ALASKA Cruises to Alaska offer many of the same sights as other cold-weather cruises icebergs, penguins, the Aurora Borealis but with slightly more forgiving temperatures (highs can reach the 60s on a good day). Popular ports of call include Skagway, Ketchikan, and Valdez. You'll also likely find yourself disembarking to explore Glacier Bay National Park just west of Juneau and passing by the South Sawyer Glacier and fjords in Tracy Arm. Disney Cruises offers a weeklong trip from Vancouver with activities for the whole family, including gold-mining excursions and dog sledding. Celebrity Cruises has a variety of Alaska-destination options, which include 24 ports of call and more than 40 excursions to choose from. The 7-night Southern Glacier Cruise will have you hopping a seaplane in Ketchikan before heading out on a tour of Misty Fjords National Monument and you just might witness a massive block of Hubbard Glacier breaking off into the ocean. Peak season: May to September ANTARCTICA A cruise to Antarctica takes you to the end of the earth (literally), and past some of its most pristine landscapes along the way. Trips typically start in Buenos Aires, where you'll catch a flight to Ushuaia; ports of call can include distant locales like the Falkland and South Georgia Islands (pictured). It's an excellent trip for nature-lovers: Passing through the Drake Passage, you may spot albatross above or whales in the waters below; once you're in Antarctica, crowds of the continent's coastal inhabitants (such as penguins and leopard seals) might greet you. Despite the remoteness of the route, there are a good number of cruise lines traveling to Antarctica. National Geographic Expeditions has a 14-day tour that includes stops in Antarctica's Paradise Bay, Petermann Island, Neko Harbor, and Port Lockroy. Abercrombia & Kent offer several themed cruises, including Climate Change Challenge led by renowned researcher Dr. James McClintock, which has cruisers delivering equipment to aid in climate change research at the Palmer Research Station. Peak season: December to February GREENLAND AND ICELAND Snow and ice-filled Greenland has plenty to offer as a cruise destination not least of which being that it's often coupled with a visit to Iceland, either during the trip or as its starting point. Despite cruising during the summer months, your trip through these polar waters and Arctic locales isn't likely to have temperatures that exceed 40-50 degrees. Ports of call are scattered around Greenland and include excursions to Greenland National Park , the world's largest and least visited national park. Hurtigruten offers a 12-day photography-focused cruise with visits to both countries and camera workshops in between stops led by cinematographer Darren Perkell. Peak season: June to October SCANDANAVIA A cruise through Scandinavia is truly a tour de fjord. As you sail through archipelagos and past Stockholm's beautiful waterfront, you'll be treated to a more verdant cruise (particular when compared to snowy destinations, such as Antarctica). Helsinki is one common point of departure, but ports of call will vary based on cruise line, with most itineraries making multiple stops between Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Some routes even venture into the Arctic Circle all the better for possibly seeing the fjords and the midnight sun. Viking and Silja are two cruise lines that tour Scandinavian waterways, but there is no shortage of options with a number of other providers. Peak season: May to August See more about cold weather cruises on CNTraveler.com More from Condé Nast Traveler The Best Cities in the World 15 Places You Won't Believe Exist How Not to Look Like a Tourist in Paris
| 2 | 9,920 |
travel
|
Authorities raided billionaire Eike Batista's mansion in Rio de Janeiro this morning, impounding seven vehicles, his mobile phone and 90,000 reais in cash, among other assets, according to a police spokesman. The action came after Brazilian federal judge Flavio Roberto de Souza this week ordered the seizures of financial assets of Batista, two of his sons, his ex-wife and the mother of his third child in his trial for alleged insider trading and market manipulation. The police raid comes as the 58-year-old struggles to pay down debt he owes to banks and sovereign-wealth fund Mubadala Development Co. and threatens to plunge the fallen magnate further into the red. Four of the startups he founded as part of his EBX group have gone bankrupt, beginning with its flagship OGX -- now known as OGPar -- in October 2013, followed by shipbuilder OSX, miner MMX and energy firm Eneva, formerly known as MPX. Batista, whose fortune peaked at $35 billion in 2012 before his commodity and logistics empire collapsed, is $1.2 billion in the hole, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, giving him the rare distinction of being a "negative billionaire." "All he has left now is debt," said Marcelo Battisti, a former credit manager at Banco Itau who now heads his own consulting firm. "In normal conditions, becoming a negative billionaire is almost impossible, because most billionaires don't tend to take on a lot of debt. Do you think Bill Gates has a mortgage?" Personal Guarantees While Donald Trump boasted of having a net worth of "minus $900 million" in the 1990s, few erstwhile billionaires have fallen as low as Batista. On his way to becoming the world's eighth-richest person, Batista promised to pass Mexican Carlos Slim to become its wealthiest. He told the daily Folha de Sao Paulo in September that he was $1 billion in the red. Batista personally guaranteed $1 billion in loans from state development bank BNDES to his publicly traded companies in 2012. He sold shares in MMX, Prumo and closely held AUX to help pay down debts with banks and Mubadala, the latter of which converted its equity investment into debt in 2013. Souza said on Feb. 4 that he ordered the seizure of all financial assets in Brazil, as well as real estate worth as much as 1.5 billion reais ($542 million), belonging to Batista, his sons Thor and Olin, former wife and carnival queen Luma de Oliveira, and lawyer Flavia Sampaio, the mother of his third son. Souza said the current and former members of the Batista clan had benefited from gifts by the former billionaire. Boats, Planes The judge also ordered the seizure of Batista's boat and airplanes, and demanded information on the contents of his bank accounts, according to a copy of the ruling obtained by Bloomberg News. The action expanded the seizure of Batista's assets after Souza went after his bank accounts in September, and froze at least $50 million he held in a fund. Authorities showed up at Batista's Rio mansion this morning to execute Souza's order. Federal police posted a photo of Batista's Lamborghini being hauled off with a statement on its website about the operation. Spokespeople for Batista's EBX Group Co. and the federal court in Rio de Janeiro declined to comment. Sampaio and lawyers for Batista didn't immediately respond to phone and e-mail requests for comment. Batista has been accused by the country's securities regulator of insider trading over his sale of shares in the oil company before its downfall. His lawyers said he sold the shares to pay back creditor Mubadala, not because he anticipated project failures, according to court documents. Daily Expenses Sergio Bermudes, a civil lawyer who says he's coordinating Batista's judicial affairs, said in September that the allegations are "groundless." Bermudes said in an interview at the time that Batista only had enough in his accounts to cover "day-to-day expenses." Souza suspended a second hearing of Batista's trial set for December to consider combining the case with a similar accusation filed against Batista in the state of Sao Paulo. In that case, prosecutors allege the magnate's projections of OGX oil production were based on false information about the potential of its reserves. Batista has denied any wrongdoing. While a guilty verdict could make Batista the first person in Brazil to serve jail time for crimes in the capital markets, the trial hasn't stopped him from seeking new ventures. South Korean pharmaceutical company C.L. Pharm announced a development agreement with Batista's EBX for $12 million on its website last year. The company specializes in dissolving oral film products that can be used for freshening bad breath and treating erectile dysfunction. Buddhist Monk The arraigned magnate has ridden ups and downs of the markets before, once leading Toronto-based TVX Gold to become one of the world's 10 biggest gold companies in the 1980s, peaking at $722 per share before imploding. Batista sold his position at 27 cents. "He's showed that he can get rich, crash, and then do it all over again," said Battisti, the consultant. Between business meetings in South Korea last year, Batista sought out a Buddhist monk for advice on doing deals in the country, according to "All or Nothing," a biography by author Malu Gaspar released in November. The guru told Batista that he was born to lead. Batista would become the world's richest man, the guru said, but not until 2017. --With assistance from Juan Pablo Spinetto in Rio de Janeiro. To contact the reporter on this story: Blake Schmidt in Sao Paulo at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Peter Newcomb at [email protected] Matthew G. Miller
| 3 | 9,921 |
finance
|
The best decorating ideas for a reading nook, whether they're in bedrooms, living room corners, entryways, daybeds, or chaises. Built-In Daybed The owners of this Massachusetts house outfitted their son's room with a built-in daybed and bookshelves. The trim is painted Van Courtland Blue by Benjamin Moore. Snug Space The owner of this California home turned a 15-foot-wide section of hallway into a snug spot for reading with the help of Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue paint and an antique tobacco leather club chair. For a personal touch, she hung family photos in mismatched frames. Bellhop Style To up the hospitality factor, the owner of this colorful Texas home brought in a vintage hanging rack. She stows away extra linens in antique suitcases. Comfort in Carolina A crab trap side table and a lamp both from a local boutique bookend this sitting area's Shabby Chic chaise lounge. Sunny Corner The sap bucket next to this built-in daybed in this New Hampshire home holds three types of sunflowers, including a pale-yellow variety that the owner bred himself, named Reggie's Mix. The beadboard is painted in Benjamin Moore's Guacamole. Arkansas Sitting Area A friend of the owner's sewed the linen slipcover for the sitting room's chaise lounge in this Arkansas home, purchased new at nearby boutique Vintage Cargo. The curtains are from Pottery Barn. A Striped Seat A tufted ticking-stripe armchar sits beneath framed vintage butterfly specimens. The owners of this Catskills home bought the brass hurricane lamp at a garage sale down the road. Lounge Around The owner of this Texas cottage was inspired to turn $10 cow-feed sifters found at the Round Top Antiques Fair into artful sconces with burlap fringe. Her husband fashioned the frame of the daybed using a $25 flea-market door and pallets. The pillowcases are made from old grain sacks. Calming Colors Blue and white pillows and a custom roman shade (made with Christopher Farr fabric) reinvented an entryway as a reading nook in this Massachusetts home. Repurposed Decor In the living room of this circa-1970s New York farmhouse, John Robshaw throw pillows help cushion a radiator-obscuring bench and turn it into a relaxing spot. The insect photos, by Linda B. Horn, hang on a wall painted White Dove by Benjamin Moore. Charming Accents Found at a flea market, a pair of cast-iron owl andirons nest in the fireplace of this California home's bedroom corner. Plus: 97 beautiful bedroom design ideas » A Place to Rest The owners of this Washington estate assembled a nonfunctioning clock with $23 of rope and plywood, plus leftover paint and hands cut from scrapwood. A burlap T.J. Maxx pillow, only $10, contrasts with a leather armchair scored on Craigslist. Punch of Patterns The owner of this Kentucky retreat built this daybed, which wears a Home Goods gingham sheet and pillows from Pottery Barn (the green and one and the striped bolsters) and Home Goods (the large patterned square). Funky Corner Decorator Sasha Emerson reupholstered her armchairs in cotton ticking and fashioned the window shades from linen chintz. Tweaking those traditional fabrics? An ad for a French furniture store, bought at Vintage European Posters in Berkeley, and a resin elephant table from the 1960s. Luxe Library This Atlanta loft's iron daybed, draped with an antique cotton quilt, is more than 100 years old. The midcentury metal floor lamp came from a photo studio. The coffee table's a West Elm bargain. A Modern Spin In this Massachusetts cabin, an Ikea sheepskin softens a 1970s bentwood rocker, which belonged to the owner's father. The tin B was part of a gas station sign. Room with a View Designer Sarah Richardson relied on natural textures and colors to add warmth to her reading nook. Bold and Bright In this Georgia lake house, the owner's collection of vintage tramp-art mirrors hangs above a custom settee enlivened by a Utility Canvas quilted blanket in the master bedroom. Westbrook sourced the carpet, sewn with Turkish flour sacks, from Sullivan Fine Rugs. Shades of Blue A comfy featherbed softens a circa-1810 chaise in the master bedroom of this New York home. A hand-painted folding screen from the 1950s stands behind the structured chair. Reading Space Textile whiz Thomas Paul customized a Ballard chair, upholstering its cushions with Pendleton throws, to create a sweet spot in our 2012 House of the Year guest bedroom. Room to Spare In this Nantucket cottage, a former pantry morphed into the "Ship's Room," where a built-in berth beckons guests to curl up with a good book. Reading Nook In this beach house's master bedroom's sitting area, a pair of chairs covered in cotton matelassé swivel to face the harbor. Simple and Spare A secondhand chair and footstool from Goodwill make up a calming reading nook in this North Carolina home.
| 4 | 9,922 |
lifestyle
|
Intuit (INTU) has halted the transmission of all state e-filing tax returns on worries of rampant fraud, the company said. During the current tax season, Inuit said that the company and some states have noticed an increase in "suspicious filings" and attempts by to use stolen information to file fake state tax returns, and then claim resulting tax refunds. Although the company said it did not believe its systems had been compromised, it said it took a "precautionary step" on Thursday by pausing state return e-filings. "We understand the role we play in this important industry issue and continuously monitor our systems in search of suspicious activity," Brad Smith, Intuit president and chief executive, said in the release. "We've identified specific patterns of behavior where fraud is more likely to occur. We're working with the states to share that information and remedy the situation quickly. We will continue to engage them on an ongoing basis in an effort to stop fraud before it gets started," he added. Minnesota said Thursday that it would no longer accept tax returns submitted through Intuit's TurboTax program because it had noticed potential fraud. The state's department of revenue said that some taxpayers filing through the platform had encountered a message that they had already submitted tax returns, despite having not yet done so. "Due to this potentially fraudulent activity, we have stopped accepting tax returns submitted using TurboTax," the department said in a release, adding its "priority is maintaining the security of private taxpayer data and preventing fraudulent activity within our system." Tax returns from other Intuit products including Lacerte, Intuit Tax Online, and ProSeries will still be accepted, the department said. The revenue department said its systems had not been breached. CBS Minnesota reported that the department is currently looking at approximately 2,000 TurboTax returns, and that it has also heard about potential problems in other states. Intuit said in a statement that it is working with state agencies to address "growing concerns over state tax fraud." The company said it worked with third-party security expert Palantir to determine that the fraud likely did not result from a security breach of Intuit systems, and that the information used to file the false returns was likely "obtained from other sources outside the tax preparation process."
| 3 | 9,923 |
finance
|
In many ways, foundation is similar to armor. It covers where needed, protects from outside elements, and shields our imperfections from the world. But, what if we told you that the complexion-perfector you've been faithfully using to shield your skin was actually doing you more harm than good? Sounds like a sick joke, we know. The key to finding a foundation that fits all your needs and rocks your world is to solve the enigma that is your skin type. For example, if you battle acne and clogged pores, you should choose something lightweight that's easily buildable, so you can customize your coverage. As beauty junkies who are constantly testing out new products, we know better than anyone that the wrong foundation can come with irritating consequences from breakouts to allergic reactions. (Yes, we're sadly speaking from experience.) So, to further our knowledge and pass it along to you, we turned to celebrity makeup artists Andre Sarmiento , Jamie Greenberg , Sage Maitri , and Katey Denno , who kindly shared their foundation favorites for every skin issue, along with the ingredients to look for before buying. If you have a hunch that your current foundation could be harming your skin, ditch it and try one of these awesome picks instead. And, if you've found one that's perfect for your skin type, we'd love to hear about it in the comments. Acne-Prone Acne sufferers know that finding products that won't cause new bouts of blemishes to erupt can be frustrating. "You have to be really careful when dealing with acne-prone skin," says Greenberg. "A lot of foundations can cause even more flare, so you want to find a foundation that isn't too dry, and you want the texture to cover the problem without drawing attention to it." For this, she swears by Cover FX Natural Finish Oil Free Foundation, which is free of irritants like fragrance, parabens, and mineral oil. "This stuff rocks the house," she says. "It contains anti-redness properties and vitamins to help the skin while it covers." Oh, and did we mention that the shade range is incredible? If you want to kill two birds with one stone, go for a base that will treat your blemishes as well as disguise them. According to Sarmiento, foundations with salicylic acid or any type of exfoliating ingredient can work for acne-prone skin. "I'm a big fan of the Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup," says Sarmiento. "It works to heal the acne, reduce redness, and control oil while providing good, but natural-looking, coverage." We can get down with that. Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup, $27, available at Sephora . Dull/Sallow The winter months tend to suck the glow out of our complexions. To counteract this, Sarmiento suggests looking for a mixture of moisturizing ingredients and light reflectors. "The moisturizing ingredients work to enliven the skin and create a natural radiance, while the light reflectors work to blur imperfections," he says. Greenberg's favorites are the Ellis Faas Skin Veil and Dior Star Fluid Foundation SPF 30, a weightless formula infused with hollow silica beads that capture and diffuse light across the complexion. See ya later, dull skin. Dior Star Fluid Foundation SPF 30, $50, available at Dior . Dry When your skin is parched, extra hydration is as essential as layering is on a frigid day. Greenberg recommends looking for hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring compound in the body that provides powerful doses of moisture when applied topically. Greenberg speaks highly of the Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint, which she says is perfect for extra-dry skin. Sarmiento is a huge fan of Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation , which is packed with skin-softening ingredients like jojoba oil and squalane. Hourglass Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint, $55, available at Hourglass . Oily On the opposite end of the skin spectrum, oily skin has its own needs. "Oil-free and mattifying foundations with long-wearing properties tend to be the best for oily skin," says Sarmiento. "The foundation should have much more powder in the formula to absorb the excess oil and keep it from showing up on the surface of the skin." Maitri's number-one pick for shiny skin is NARS Sheer Matte Foundation, which she says is superior in fighting oil, but still looks like skin yes, please. Greenberg prefers cream to powder. Her favorites are the NYX Cosmetics Stay Matte Powder Foundation and Chanel Mat Lumière Extrême , both of which control sebum production and help minimize pores. Sensitive/Rosacea-Prone If you struggle from ultra-sensitive skin, choosing the right foundation is crucial, as many harsh chemicals and fragrances can trigger reactions. According to Sarmiento, your best bet is to reach for the simplest formulas ones free of synthetic oils, silicones, parabens, or fragrances. Sound overwhelming? Fear not. Denno and Sarmiento both swear by RMS Beauty products, because they're some of the simplest and most natural out there and they're straight-up gorgeous. Denno highly recommends the RMS "Un" Cover-Up, which is chock-full of coconut oil and other nourishing ingredients. "It has pretty great coverage, and it's easy to apply with your fingers, a brush, or a sponge," she says. Another amazing option is the Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Luminous Foundation , which contains antioxidants and vitamin E to soothe and protect skin. Fun fact: It was formulated by a woman with rosacea, so clearly she knows her stuff. RMS Beauty "Un" Cover-Up, $36, available at RMS Beauty . Scars Facial scars can be incredibly challenging and annoying to conceal. That said, choosing the correct foundation can make a world of difference. For any kind of scarring, Greenberg recommends Dermablend above anything else. "I'm obsessed with it," she says. "It has amazing coverage and looks super-natural." Its Cover Crème foundation was specifically formulated to camouflage scarring and create a flawless, velvety finish. Dermablend Professional Cover Creme, $38, available at Dermablend Professional .
| 4 | 9,924 |
lifestyle
|
Yemen's Shiite Huthi militia dissolved parliament Friday and created a "presidential council" to fill a power vacuum, drawing Washington's rebuke and protests at home against what demonstrators called a "coup". The militia, which controls Sanaa, said it would set up a 551-member national council to replace the legislature in the violence-wracked country, a key US ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda. A five-member presidential council will form a transitional government for two years, the Huthis announced in a "constitutional declaration" which also mentioned a "revolutionary council" to "defend the nation". Sunni tribes in the eastern, oil-rich province of Marib cried foul and hundreds of people took to the streets of Sanaa in protest. "We reject the authors of this coup in Sanaa," a spokesman for the influential Marib tribes, Sheikh Saleh al-Anjaf, told AFP. Youth activists, who played a key role in the 2011 uprising that forced out veteran president Ali Abdullah Saleh, released a statement saying they "reject the hegemony of the Huthi militia". Hundreds of people protested around Sanaa university to denounce the Huthis, but the militiamen fired into the air to disperse them and arrested six people, witnesses said. In Taez, Yemen's third-largest city, protest tents were pitched outside the local government building against what anti-Huthi demonstrators called "the coup d'etat", residents said. Protests also erupted in the western city of Hudeida and in Aden, Yemen's second city in the south where the governor, Abdel Aziz bin Habtur, called the Huthi declaration "a plot against the constitution". Yemeni female Nobel Peace prize laureate Tawakkol Karman said the declaration was "null and void" and expected the people to rise against the Huthi "coup and liberate the capital which they occupy". A senior US official, speaking in Munich after Secretary of State John Kerry met leaders of Yemen's Gulf neighbours, said the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council "don't agree" with the Huthi "presidential council". The heavily armed Huthis swept into Sanaa from their northern stronghold in September, seeking greater influence in running the country. Last month they seized the presidential palace and key government buildings, prompting President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and Prime Minister Khalid Bahah to tender their resignations. - 'Necessary measures' - The Huthi declaration bore the signature of Mohammad Ali al-Huthi, a relative of militia chief Abdel Malek al-Huthi described as "the president of the revolutionary council". The council "will take all the necessary measures to defend the sovereignty of the nation, ensure its stability and security and guarantee the rights of citizens," the declaration said. It came after a Wednesday deadline set by the militia for political parties to resolve the crisis passed with no agreement, and after UN envoy Jamal Benomar had left the country. Yemen has been riven by instability since the Arab Spring-inspired uprising that forced the autocratic Saleh from power in 2012. He has been accused of backing the Huthis, who are from the same Zaidi sect of Shiite Islam, as has Shiite-dominated Iran. The fall of Hadi's Western-backed government has sparked fears that impoverished Yemen -- strategically located next to oil-rich Saudi Arabia and on the key shipping route from the Suez Canal to the Gulf -- would plunge into chaos. Hadi said when he stepped down that he could no longer stay in office as Yemen was in "total deadlock". Formerly Saleh's deputy, Hadi took office in 2012 under a UN- and Gulf-backed peace plan, emerging as a consensus figure. Yemen is a country awash with weapons where powerful tribes hold sway, but Hadi, unlike Saleh, had no popular or tribal base to fall back on. The situation escalated last month when the militia seized one of Hadi's aides in apparent protest at a draft constitution that would have divided Yemen into six federal regions which they oppose. In the formerly independent south, where separatists are demanding autonomy, officials have vowed to defy Sanaa following the resignation of Hadi, a southerner. Yemen is an important power base for Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which claimed responsibility for last month's deadly attack on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Sanaa has allowed the United States to carry out repeated drone attacks on Al-Qaeda militants on its territory. On Friday Al-Qaeda said it attacked the Huthis' Saada stronghold in the north, when regional governor Mohamed Jaber Awadh survived a bomb attack on his convoy, official media said.
| 5 | 9,925 |
news
|
By Shawn Anderson A day after "The Tonight Show" thrilled the world by reuniting most of the cast of "Saved by the Bell", the Brooklyn Cyclones revealed their plans to host a "Salute to Saved by the Bell" night June 24. That's right, the New York Mets Single-A affiliate will be donning some special uniforms when they take on the Tri-City ValleyCats. And, suffice it to say, they've got a slew of things planned as well. Pre-game "Sprain" Dancing Competition A.C. Slater's Sitting Backwards Musical Chairs I'm So Excited Fan Cam Mr. Tuttle's Learner's Permit On-Field Obstacle Course Screech Powers Chess Tournament on the Concourse Level Kiss Cam complete with the usual "WOOOOOOOOOOOW" sounds since our game will also be taped in front of a live studio audience Anyone named Johnny Dakota is banned from the ballpark because we "Say Nope to Dope" Oldest Cell Phone in the Ballpark Competition Friendship bracelet station on the concourse…singing "Friends Forever" will be optional. Zack Morris TIMEOUT Race Around the Bases kids will race around the bases, but most stop in their tracks every time they hear TIMEOUT. After the game, fans with perms or wearing stonewashed jeans will be allowed to run the bases. There's no word yet as to whether or not any of the former cast members of the hit Saturday morning show will be in attendance, but it's hard to imagine a night like this going down without at least one of them being there. It's unknown what other promotional stunts are being planned for 2015, but so far … this one is the early winner.
| 1 | 9,926 |
sports
|
A loaded barbell being hoisted might be an impressive sight (Google: " Jackman, Hugh, dead lift "), but one-dimensional moves don't belong in your workout. Barbells and dumbbells are static sandbags, on the other hand, fight back. Though they appear to be one of the least-threatening tools in the gym, they can humble even the most avid exerciser. "The sand moves around in the bag as you lift it," says Valerie Waters , who trains Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper . "It's like the difference between picking up a 50-pound dumbbell and a 50-pound kicking, screaming, writhing child." (Which isn't recommended for your home workout.) Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee recently found that doing a given workout (equivalent weight, exercises, sets, reps) with a sandbag instead of dumbbells resulted in a significantly higher heart rate and a 10 percent higher calorie burn. And don't be surprised if you feel it in your abs. "All of your muscles especially your core have to work harder, because you're stabilizing the weight," Waters says. "It's amazing how intense a workout you can get with just one bag." Steve Holiner, trainer to Broadway's leading men at Mark Fisher Fitness in New York City, explains what to do when you pick up the bag. • • • 1. Rotational Lunges Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold a handle in each hand, palms facing each other. Step back with right foot. As you bend knees, swing bag outside of left knee, resisting the weight (keep torso facing forward). Reverse, then repeat on other leg. That's 1 rep. Do 3 sets of 8 reps. 2. Clean to Push Press Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width in a hinge position over the bag. Hold a handle in each hand, palms facing each other. As you straighten legs explosively, bend elbows, flipping bag tight to chest and allowing it to rest on fists. Then press overhead. Do 3 sets of 8 reps. 3. Shoulder Carry Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and bag lengthwise between feet. Bend knees and hinge forward to grab bag by its middle. Straighten legs explosively and hoist bag onto shoulder. Walk forward for 30 seconds, then switch shoulders and walk back. Repeat 3 times. • • • ALSO ON DETAILS.COM: The 24 Rules for Looking (and Feeling) Better in 2015 The Truth About Lactic Acid and How It Affects Your Workout The Busy Man's Fitness Guide
| 7 | 9,927 |
health
|
It's no surprise we're in the midst of a river cruise golden age. With far fewer passengers, elegant uncrowded decks (no waterslides or putting greens here), thoughtfully designed cabins, and intrepid new itineraries, the river cruise seems designed to coax even the most determined cruise skeptic aboard. From pioneers to new contenders, here are a few of our favorite small ships, each offering truly once-in-a-lifetime journeys. The Nile, Egypt Gliding up the Nile on one of Nour el Nil 's four dahabiyas is undeniably majestic, with their red-and-white-striped twin sails, pine decks lined with daybeds and cane armchairs, Victorian-style salons lit by chandeliers from the flea markets of Alexandria, and light-filled cabins decorated with portraits of Ottoman sultans. Originally built to carry royal families and popular among late-nineteenth-century travelers (both Gustave Flaubert and Florence Nightingale journeyed through Egypt by dahabiya ), these sleek 16- to 20-passenger wooden boats, with interiors by French designer Eleonore Kamir, sail at a leisurely pace from Luxor to the ancient city of Aswan and because of their shallow-bottomed hulls, they can drift into waters larger ships can't. Over the six-day itinerary, you'll pass ancient villages carved into stone cliffs, 3,000-year-old temples, cartouches covered in hieroglyphics, and riverbanks dotted with grazing buffalo ( nourelnil.com ; six days from $1,400 per person). Lindsay Talbot The Amazon, Peru Few ships offer better or more eco-conscious access to the Amazon rain forest than the Delfin II . The luxurious 14-cabin barge, made of polished local wood and thatched palm, plies the waters of the five-million-acre Pacaya Samiria Reserve, near Iquitos in northern Peru. From November through May when water levels rise because of runoff from the Andes, guides lead kayak expeditions to see pink Amazon river dolphins frolicking among the flooded treetops. Perhaps the biggest luxury of a three or four-night trip is the chance to spot howler monkeys, iguanas, and caimans from your glass-walled cabin or from a deep white-cushioned armchair on the open-air deck. Until recently, this kind of up-close Amazon experience was possible only via dugout canoe. Now you can do it with a pisco sour in hand, knowing that your fare will help fund Delfin's multiple educational and environmental initiatives ( delfinamazoncruises.com ; five days from $2,950 per person). Alice Newell-Hanson The Irrawaddy, Burma Belmond, which has been operating in the region for years, recently launched the Belmond Orcaella , a 50-passenger wooden riverboat that cruises the northern reaches of the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers. Still largely unexplored by foreigners, these stretches can be reached only by vessels like the Orcaella, which has an especially shallow draft. During its 8 to 13-day trips, you'll rarely encounter any river traffic apart from the skiffs of local fishermen. What you will see, however, are the golden temples of Bagan, rural villages, and remote monasteries and forts many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (And at Gwechaung Fort, on the Irrawaddy's eastern bank, you can disembark to dine with villagers.) On board, while away afternoons by the pool on the observation deck a canopied haven of white wooden fretwork and potted palms or catch a lecture on Burmese culture given by the onboard crew of photographers, journalists, and local experts ( belmond.com ; 13 days from $5,500 per person). A.N.H. The Volga, Russia The Golden Ring a handful of ancient towns northeast of Moscow is one of Russia's provincial treasures, but it isn't easily accessed (heavily trafficked, potholed roads make driving from the capital almost impossible). A far better option is the "Waterways of the Tsars" tour, a 13-day sailing from Moscow to St. Petersburg on the Volga and Svir rivers. All 102 staterooms on both ships, renovated in 2013, offer river views, and from the panoramic windows you can see colorful domed churches and monasteries in towns like Yaroslavl and Uglich. The itinerary even allows for three full days each in Moscow and St. Petersburg ample time to take in imperial sights like the Kremlin and the Hermitage ( vikingrivercruises.com ; 13 days from $5,100 per person). Molly Elizade See more about river cruises on CNTraveler.com More from Condé Nast Traveler The Best Cities in the World 15 Places You Won't Believe Exist How Not to Look Like a Tourist in Paris
| 2 | 9,928 |
travel
|
Like many 11-year-olds in Texas, Ethan had to build a model of the Alamo as a school project. Often, students make their dioramas out of paper mache or popsicle sticks, but Ethan's teacher gave him permission to build his project in Minecraft, the popular sandbox software game in which players build structures out of blocks. With his dad's help, Ethan recorded a video tour of his scale model of the fort, complete with explanatory signs, and posted it on YouTube. A few minutes into the tour, it started raining unexpectedly over Ethan's diorama, but Ethan noted, "This is exactly what happened during the battle of the Alamo it rained." To his dad and, presumably, his teacher this comment revealed Ethan's familiarity and knowledge with the subject matter that he might not have had otherwise shown. With more than 18 million downloads to date, Minecraft is the best-selling computer game of all time; the game's free-form structure has made it popular with kids and adults alike. But little by little, teachers, parents, and students have discovered that the game can be used for educational purposes, too. Former teacher Joel Levin and his colleagues founded a startup called TeacherGaming that aims to bring Minecraft into classrooms everywhere, helping students and teachers of all disciplines use their creativity to design projects, free from the kinds of limitations they would face using traditional methods. "Teachers already want to use these games in the classrooms," Levin said. He and his colleagues work to make the software more intuitive and suited to their needs so that teachers and students can use the games in classrooms and have fun while they're at it. Levin, now 40 with a sandy beard, glasses, and ponytail, first played an early version of Minecraft with his 5-year-old daughter in 2010. He was amazed at how much his daughter was learning from Minecraft; she solved problems on her own, developed a spatial understanding in the game, and accelerated her reading and writing skills because she wanted to be able to interact with other players, he said. At the time, Levin was teaching technology classes at a private elementary school in New York City, so he decided to try out some Minecraft lessons with his second graders. As a self-identified "gamer" who worked with an Internet service provider before the dot-com bubble burst, Levin saw that teaching with Minecraft combined his interests perfectly. The segment that involved Minecraft was intended to last a week, but Levin used the game for the rest of the semester, teaching students to type by allowing them to communicate with each other in the game and showing them how to do online research by trawling the vast Minecraft forums for specific information. But getting there wasn't easy; Levin spent a lot of time customizing the game to fit his instructional needs. Minecraft is an open-ended game with a never-ending landscape and digitally rendered resources. In certain game modes, players have to gather resources to craft shelter, tools, and armor to meet basic needs and survive battles with one another. But the part that players seem to enjoy the most is the construction element, in which they build entities like functional computers or reconstruct landscapes such as the entire country of Denmark . Given how versatile the game is, it's understandable that Levin wanted to restrict some of these capabilities to give his students a safe, age-appropriate experience. He modified the code so that kids weren't able to fight with one another in the game, and he limited some of their geographic range so that they could find their way back to a central location where they had a building just for their class to use. He wasn't yet plugged into the online community where teachers were sharing similar modifications to the game, so he coded it all himself. But it was worth it. Levin's students learned more than just the hard skills he had intended for them to they pick up they were also having profound discussions about topics that were notoriously challenging for teachers to communicate effectively. "It led to conversations in the classroom about how we treat these virtual spaces that we all find ourselves in, especially the young people that are coming into this complicated world of social networking," Levin said. "Are we going to treat our class' Minecraft world as an extension of our classroom? Do the rules that apply in the school building also apply on our Minecraft server? What happens if someone breaks those rules?" These were lessons in what Levin calls digital citizenship, which were typically being taught in middle school, once students were already deeply embedded in social networks, but not yet in elementary school when they were just starting to use them and the lessons would be most useful. "There was just so much to do and the game was so malleable that I kept being able to bring in all the things I needed to teach in the game," Levin said. He started a blog to share his experiences with other teachers, and it went viral, making its way to the front page of Reddit. Though he had heard of game-based learning and knew he was "kind of doing it," Levin was unfamiliar with the research emphasizing the educational value of some video games. Studies published over the past two decades support the idea that video games can increase students' spatial knowledge, improving their aptitude for math and science. And video games can help give students the hard skills they will need to function in a digital world, such as physical dexterity with keyboards and touch screens, an understanding of algorithms and search engines, and even basic programming. "Games are also uniquely suited to fostering the skills necessary for navigating a complex, interconnected, rapidly changing 21st century," Alan Gershenfeld , the president of videogame publisher E-Line Media, told Scientific American . Levin knew that he had stumbled onto something great by bringing Minecraft into the classroom, so when Finnish educator and gamer Santeri Koivisto found his blog and approached him about founding a company to make a version of Minecraft for educators, he couldn't say no. Three years since its inception, TeacherGaming now has nine employees that have worked to create MinecraftEdu, which has been sold to schools in 42 countries and six continents. TeacherGaming licenses Minecraft from Mojang , the small Swedish company that created the game and is now owned by Microsoft, and sells the educational version that incorporates many of Levin's original modifications. MinecraftEdu also has some new elements based on teacher feedback and beta testing, like the ability to freeze students mid-play. But Levin and his colleagues knew that, for MinecraftEdu to make its way across the curriculum, they had to lower the technological barriers, replacing complex code with intuitive check boxes or in-game tools designed for teachers to use even if they're not hardcore programmers. Levin noted that TeacherGaming sells about half its software to technology classrooms, but the other half is evenly distributed across other subjects. This is where Levin has seen incredible displays of teachers' own creativity, especially from those who try to use MinecraftEdu to fulfill Common Core standards , the universal math and reading benchmarks for students at each grade level. Though MinecraftEdu is a great tool, Levin admits that the game doesn't perfectly align with many of these standards, so innovative teachers have developed new ways of using the software to satisfying the requirements. "TeacherGaming does have curriculum, we have Minecraft 'worlds' that you can download and use in your own classroom, but teachers didn't want to download what we were making they wanted to make their own experiences," Levin said. History teachers make Minecraft dioramas, English teachers have kids act out Shakespeare plays in a model of the Globe Theater, and art teachers let students recreate famous works of art in the game. Now, Levin says that teachers have created 98 percent of the downloadable "worlds" in the MinecraftEdu forum. Most of the teachers that I spoke to are part of a Google group for educators using MinecraftEdu and were unanimously enthusiastic about what they had been able to accomplish with students using the software. Sara Richards , an instructional technology specialist in Round Rock, Texas, began her interest in the game after talking with a parent about how to help a student with some learning disabilities. "We thought it would be fantastic if we could harness the excitement of Minecraft into an educational setting, especially to help bolster children who might not always be successful in a traditional school setting," Richards said. In the 13 months since then, Richards has seen second graders build elaborate digital communities, helped students recreate a scene from A Cricket In Times Square, and watched third graders quickly grasp the mathematical concepts of area, perimeter, and volume. Diane Main teaches a high-school computer-science class at the Harker School in San Jose, California. She has been using MinecraftEdu with her students for the past two years and has been consistently impressed by what her students have created in the game, especially when they are given the flexibility to follow their own interests, figuring out how to do the desired actions in their own way. "When you have opportunities for creativity and more open-ended situations, it allows kids to figure out that they can try things, they can do things differently there's not one formulaic way to do well in this class," Main said. "A student told me after the class that he learned that first option [to solving a problem] isn't always the best option. And that's something you can't teach kids they need to have the opportunity to experience it themselves." In the past year TeacherGaming has expanded to include another game called Kerbal , which is more focused on math and engineering than Minecraft is. As TeacherGaming makes educational versions of more games, its founders hope to continue to give teachers the creativity and ability to present their students with new challenges. "I'm really proud that we've been able to be a vehicle for experimentation in different types of progressive education," Levin said. This article was originally published at http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/02/teaching-in-the-age-of-minecraft/385231/
| 5 | 9,929 |
news
|
NEW YORK TurboTax, the country's most popular do-it-yourself tax preparation software, halted processing state tax returns for about 24 hours because of a spike in fraudulent filings. State agencies have reported a rise in filings with stolen personal information, Intuit, the company behind TurboTax, said Friday. Most victims found out that a fraudulent tax return was submitted in their name when they received a rejection notice after filing their returns, said Intuit spokeswoman Julie Miller. There haven't been issues with federal returns to date because the Internal Revenue Service has implemented stronger fraud detection policies, Miller said. Intuit said it resumed filing of state returns at about 6 p.m. Eastern time Friday with increased fraud protections, a day after it halted them. The company is working with security company Palantir to investigate the problem. So far, there has been no security breach of Intuit's systems, the company said. Instead, it believes personal information was stolen elsewhere and used to file returns on TurboTax. Miller linked the problem to recent security breaches at large companies. Just this week, Blue Cross Blue Shield insurer Anthem Inc. said hackers gained access to the Social Security numbers, names, addresses and other personal information of about 80 million people. It follows other security breaches at JPMorgan Chase and several retailers, including Home Depot and Target. "You have a pretty rich pool of data out there in the world," Miller said. Intuit said state tax returns already filed when the halt began on Thursday will be transmitted as soon as possible. TurboTax processed 30 million tax returns last year, Miller said. Rival H&R Block Inc., which also sells tax preparation software, did not respond to a request for comment. Another tax preparer, Liberty Tax Inc., said it is letting TurboTax customers file state returns for free at its more than 4,000 locations around the country. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service also said TurboTax customers who were unable to file their state returns could file for free through its online service. Shares of Intuit Inc., based in Mountain View, California, fell $3.88, or 4.2 percent, to close at $87.83 Friday.
| 3 | 9,930 |
finance
|
What we lack in money, we apparently make up for in stress. Despite a long bull market, an improving economy, heightened consumer confidence and more encouraging news, concerns about money and finances remain the most significant source of stress in people's daily lives, according to the latest edition of the annual "Stress in America" survey, released this week by the American Psychological Association. Also see: The #1 reason so many Americans are so stressed out Money issues have been the biggest stressor for Americans since 2008, the second year of the study and the epicenter of the last financial crisis, and while stress levels, in general, are down throughout the country, that relief really hasn't been extended to people living in lower-income households. You can't call them the "have-nots" when it comes to stress, because they have plenty of it. "What we have seen consistently is that money tops the list of things that stress out Americans, regardless of age group," said Dr. Katherine Nordal, executive director for professional practice for the American Psychological Association. "We've had ups and downs in the market, and other aspects of the economy and, wow, the gas prices are really great right now but the real reality is that many Americans still feel very, very crunched. " Nordal noted that since 2007, wages have grown at a rate that has lagged behind inflation, "so even though we see some better things in the marketplace like lower gas prices, many families are still feeling very, very stretched." Among the study's key findings: -- Nearly two-thirds of Americans reported that money is a "somewhat or very significant" source of stress, but that number rises to roughly three-quarters of the population of parents and people aged 18 to 49. Some 72% of Americans reported feeling stressed about money at least some of the time during the past month, with 22% saying the stress was extreme. -- More than one-quarter of adults reportedly feel stressed about money most or all of the time, which perhaps isn't surprising since more than half of adults report having "just enough" or not enough money to pay their monthly bills. -- Nearly 60% of adults said their stress level remained the same in the last year, but 29% said their tension level was up. -- Women report higher stress levels than men and are more likely to feel stress about money most or all of the time. Roughly half of women say that paying for essentials is a somewhat or very significant source of stress, compared with 38% of men. -- Financial concerns create other worries, notably about health. Health concerns were the fourth-biggest stressor (behind money, work/job concerns and family responsibilities), but nearly 20% of Americans said that financial concerns caused them either to miss or consider skipping visits to the doctor when they needed health care. The APA has previously produced research showing that stress has a profound effect on health status and longevity, and the group cited research which has shown that financial struggles burden individuals' cognitive abilities, which can lead to poor decision-making, which can exacerbate health problems. -- Almost a third of adults with partners report that money is a major source of conflict in their relationship. Aside from the lower overall stress level, the one bit of good news here is that tension levels including financial concerns -- tend to decrease as someone ages, most likely because older people can focus more on themselves than on their families, and because life experience has taught them to relax a bit. Of course, we'd like to believe that there's a simple solution to financial stresses, and that it boils down to "Make more money." For many people, however, that's about as likely or possible as the second obvious solution "Win the lottery" and it doesn't really address an individual's stress level. Adding a job or taking on more work or even hitting the jackpot -- can ease the financial burden, but add pressure to a person's life. Ultimately, according to Nordal, much of reducing financial stress comes down to planning, whether professional or personal. I have long said that the real job of a financial adviser is to provide "emotional discipline" that gives an investor the courage to stick with a plan. But Nordal noted that the study showed that people with "emotional support" tend to report lower overall stress levels. "Having someone to talk to, to plan with, definitely helps people," she said. "Whether you get that support from a friend or a family member or a financial planner, the point is to have someone to talk with, to help you make decisions and to support you through the tough times." Further, the planning process is designed to provide peace of mind, even if that comes at the cost of maximizing gains or enjoyment. Building an emergency fund, for example, means setting aside moneys that could be invested or spent elsewhere, with the goal of protecting against events that increase stress. It's peace-of-mind money. Likewise, in retirement, many people would be wise to consider products like annuities that generate a consistent income stream, not because they are "the best deal" because they typically aren't but because of the tranquility people get from knowing that a big chunk of income is secure. Accepting extra work, cutting spending and making moves to reduce financial stresses is smart, but they go hand-in-hand with setting goals and targets. One reason why financial stress levels tend to decline with age is that several lifetime objectives raising the kids, paying for college, building a base for retirement are in the rearview mirror. "When people can see an end in sight and know there's a goal to achieve, it makes the situation much more workable and helps to mitigate the extra stresses brought on by doing what you may have to in order to work through your financial problems and issues," Nordal said. "If you focus on making progress and see yourself taking steps in the right direction, it won't eliminate your stresses, but you'll feel like you are under less pressure, and that's going to make your life better."
| 3 | 9,931 |
finance
|
Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed by police on the side of a road in 1934 after police flipped a member of their gang. Hard times for the Mafia began about three decades later when a trusted member of La Cosa Nostra told U.S. Attorney General Robert Kennedy everything he knew. A similar story can now be told about Ross Ulbricht, who -- despite operating an online drug market with all the best anonymity software the 21st century has to offer -- was convicted of operating the Silk Road in large part because of the same police techniques that have been used to catch criminals throughout history. Ulbricht, 30, will be facing 20 years to life in prison when he's sentenced in federal court May 15. Appeals aside, it will be his last stop on the Silk Road after six men and six women found him guilty Wednesday of a range of drug and conspiracy charges, as well as engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise by operating the site under the pseudonym Dread Pirate Roberts, or DPR. The high-profile case not only creates a precedent for online drug crimes, but also proves informants and undercover officers continue to play an integral role in combating digital crime. "That's how they roll," said Alex Winter, the film director whose documentary "Deep Web" about the Ulbricht case will be released this spring. "The Silk Road case, because of the drugs, had every three-letter agency working on it. There were undercover agents who were working with the FBI, IRS, you name it. This was a massive, massive dragnet." Ulbricht operated his site within the Deep Web , the area of the Internet that's accessible only with the anonymity software known as Tor. The software hides a user's location by redirecting the Internet signal through connection points, making it almost impossible to determine where a user is physically located. While staying on public Wi-Fi networks, Ulbricht also forced all Silk Road users to conclude all deals with the relatively anonymous cryptocurrency known as bitcoin. All of these precautions became pointless when he got sloppy. Ulbricht told multiple close friends about his involvement with the Silk Road. Investigators found a detailed diary of his crimes in which he expresses regret over his decision to tell a girlfriend about his activity online. "I hated working for someone else and trading my time for money with no investment in myself," Ulbricht wrote of his work editing scientific papers part-time. He later expressed frustration he had to keep a secret that "I am running a multimillion-dollar criminal enterprise." A former college friend testified Ulbricht peppered him with coding questions before ultimately revealing he needed help programming the Silk Road site. "Criminals make mistakes all the time," Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Howard said during the government's closing arguments Wednesday. "That's how they get caught." But they also get caught when trusted associates quietly begin working on behalf of law enforcement. In 1934, Texas Rangers learned that bank robber Henry Methvin had taken up with Bonnie and Clyde, whose gang was then the subject of a nationwide manhunt. Lawmen started leaning on his father, Ivan Methvin, promising to keep his son out of the electric chair should he provide information about the gang's whereabouts. Whether the younger Methvin was aware of the arrangement is unclear, but it was Ivan Methvin who was used to distract Bonnie and Clyde when Texas Rangers opened fire on their car. Turning an informant was by then a trusted method to apprehend a criminal, and it has remained so in the more than 80 years since. Ulbricht found this out after he was arrested, when he learned one of his subordinates, employed as a Silk Road customer-service representative, was actually an undercover investigator with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. By the time Jared Der-Yeghiayan took over the customer-service account, "cirrus" was already a name trusted by both Silk Road users and the Dread Pirate Roberts himself. Der-Yeghiayan assumed cirrus' duties, though, as he snapped screenshots of his interactions with DPR and quietly collected two months' worth of evidence that would eventually be used against Ulbricht at trial. It was Der-Yeghiayan, as cirrus, who helped put Ulbricht under physical surveillance and orchestrate his arrest in San Francisco by determining when Dread Pirate Roberts was logged on. The arrest was a cooperative effort of the Department of Homeland Security, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service and FBI. Working undercover is the "bread and butter" of policing, the documentarian Winter said, and others considering drug sales online should expect similar cooperation between agencies, mostly because high-profile drug cases are a major source of funding for law enforcement. "It's very common for them to use big juicy sexy cases like this -- drugs, murder, dark Internet -- to set the precedent for everybody else," Winter said. "There's a huge institutional motive to have the Silk Road guy's head on a platter." The vigorous investigation leading to Ulbricht's conviction is already having a ripple effect on the administrators of the Silk Road 2.0, the copycat site that was launched when the first Silk Road was taken offline. The FBI has arrested two men alleged to be top administrators: Blake Benthall, a former SpaceX employee who allegedly bore the name "Defcon," and Brian Farrell, who's accused of using the name "DoctorClu." Many expect the Silk Road case to be remembered as the one where investigators proved they could pursue online drug crimes with the same ferocity as in the real world. "The huge motivator is that this is the kind of audacious, law-flaunting crime that has to be stomped on in a very public way, and their zeal to make it simple and have a clear villain was very important to them for this arrest," Winter said. "We should be looking at the fact that the Silk Road has kicked a door down that will never be closed again."
| 3 | 9,932 |
finance
|
The world's biggest oil companies can't endure current prices of $50 a barrel. At least not in their present form. If oil prices don't climb, these giants will shrink, first in people some 30,000 layoffs have already been announced across the industry then in production volumes. Big Oil was already finding it hard to grow during these last few years of high prices. Exxon Mobil has barely been able to eke out 1% annual growth despite a capex budget averaging $35 billion a year. What happens if you cut that capex? Oil flows will start falling rapidly. Among CEOs announcing a depressing round of quarterly earnings in the past week or so, BP's Robert Dudley sounded the most pessimistic in stating that he needs to "reset the whole cost base" of BP and that oil prices will stay low for at least a year. BP in recent years had been assuming $80 oil when evaluating the economic viability of new projects. This week BP reduced its planned 2015 capex to $20 billion from $25 billion. It's already cut 900 workers in the U.S. France's Total said last year it had deferred indefinitely the development of two Canadian oil sands projects which would have cost $18 billion. Total's new CEO Patrick Pouyanne said recently that the French giant will cut capex 10% or $2.6 billion, divest $10 billion of assets, and chop exploration spending 30% to less than $2 billion. Hess Corp. generated surprisingly deep losses in the fourth quarter. BG Group had a disastrous quarter and had to take $9 billion in impairment charges for oil and gas fields that no longer have any economic value at these prices. And all this was in a quarter when oil prices averaged $74. I shudder to think how bad the results will be for the first quarter of 2015. At these prices there's just not a lot worth investing in. "You can't do much new today," says Peter Robertson, former vice chairman at Chevron, now managing director of Deloitte's oil and gas consulting group. "The cost of new production is higher than today's prices." Wood Mackenzie, the consultancy, figures that total world oil and gas upstream capex will decline 16% this year from 2014 levels, to $526 billion. That's probably still too optimistic. The good news: "I think we've seen the bottom," says Deloitte's Robertson. "The question is not how low it's going to go but how long." What makes him so sure? Because the current supply overhang will get worked down and supplies will have to be refreshed. "Just to balance out natural declines you've got to find and turn on 4 million new barrels per day every year. And to meet demand growth you need another 1 million bpd every year," says Robertson. Credit Suisse analyst Thomas Adolff worries that the supermajors might go too far in cutting back during the downturn and end up kicking themselves upon oil's ineveitable recovery. BP's reserve replacement rate in the fourth quarter was 62%. Royal Dutch Shell's was only 26%. Anything less than 100% means the company is pumping and selling its reserves faster than it can replace them. Low reserve replacement ratios, Adolff wrote this week, "really shows how the majors should be using this trough oil price to pick up some cheaper barrels before the window closes." Bold companies will keep investing through the downturn, at least as long as their balance sheets hold up. But there's limits to what shareholders want to endure. Shareholders have rightly grown wary of the exploding costs of megaprojects like Kazakhstan's Kashagan field, where a Big Oil consortium including Exxon and Total has invested more than $50 billion to develop the field and start it up last year only to find that highly corrosive oil had already eaten through their pipelines. After another $5 billion to fix the problem, they might restart "Cash-all-gone" next year. Chevron's investors are already exhausted by years of cost overruns on the $60 billion Gorgon LNG project in Australia. That project might finally start up at the end of this year, after first breaking ground in 2008 . Also underway in Australia is Chevron's $30 billion Wheatstone LNG project. According to an analysis by Ed Westlake at Credit Suisse, in 2017 Chevron needs a minimum $75 a barrel oil price if it is to generate enough cash flow to cover its presumed $25 billion capex budget and $8 billion dividend. If oil prices don't cooperate Chevron could always take on debt, reduce capex as low as possible, or cut the dividend. The broader point: even at $75 oil ($20 a barrel higher than where we are now) Big Oil's balance sheets face deterioration. No wonder Chevron's investors are nervous about its plans to expand the giant Tengiz field in Kazakhstan to produce an additional 1 million bpd. The price tag: $40 billion. What makes more sense for the supermajors than tying up tens of billions in Kazakhstan? Buying America's miracle shale oil fields and managing their growth for the long term. Yes, the tight oil plays like the Bakken, Eagle Ford and Permian don't look to be particularly economic at current prices. What's more, shale has been troublesome for some of the majors. ExxonMobil spent $40 billion to acquire XTO Energy in 2010 and is still waiting for it to pay off. Shell has been losing money on its Lower 48 operations for years , with a $1.3 billion loss in the fourth quarter. BP has found it so difficult to assimilate shale plays into its system that last year it announced plans to hive off its Lower 48 business into a separate company. So why would these guys want more of it? Because when considered over the longer term, these tight oil fields are perfect assets for the supermajors: big, long-lived, oily. It might cost a little more to get the oil out, but (at the right price) the fields make up for that by offering lots of optionality and flexibility for dialing that capital spending up and down. What's more, with oilfield service costs coming down and technology getting ever better, the economics of shale oil will look much better in a couple years than it does now. Shale oil offers supermajors a flexible antidote to their far-flung megaprojects. In tight oil plays operators can dial their spending up or down quite easily. As long as the acreage is held by production, they're not forced to drill anything they don't want to. A tight oil well in the Bakken or Eagle Ford will take a few weeks and about $8 million in capex from start to finish, and then will come online at about 1,000 barrels a day. Yes the volume will decline by 50% in six months and gradually fade out from there over many years, but these wells are repeatable. In simplified terms, if oil prices are still where you like them, you can just drill another one. If oil prices have fallen below your threshhold, you stop drilling for awhile. With the low cost Saudis making it clear (for now at least) that they intend to just keep on producing their 10 million barrels a day, they are effectively abdicating their role of market-balancing swing producer. That role will be assumed by America's tight oil frackers. Indeed, the flexibility of shale drilling could easily end up complicating any oil price recovery. As soon as prices clear a certain threshhold of profitability, those tight oil guys will ramp up drilling. Which will suddenly put a big new slug of oil onto the market enough to dampen prices again. Deloitte's Robertson says because of this flexibility in shale, if producers are too quick to start drilling again it "could nip the recovery in the bud." Nipping the bud could mean a more drawn out, undulating bottom to this oil bust. That will tend to grind the dumb money out of the industry. In time, "the fringe players that invested late at high prices will have to sell," says Deloitte oil and gas M&A analyst Melinda Yee. Is that when Big Oil will buy? Not necessarily. The weakest shale players won't be appetizing to the majors because they have crummy acreage that no one wants regardless of price. Instead, if deals do get done, it will be for the stronger companies with the most acreage in the best plays and plenty of drilling locations perfect for recycling capital. Those would include EOG Resources (Eagle Ford), Pioneer Natural Resources (Permian Midland Basin), Concho Resources (Permian Bone Spring), Devon Energy (Permian, etc), Continental Natural Resources (Bakken, Springer). Make your move before the big guys do.
| 3 | 9,933 |
finance
|
Kendall Jenner bares her booty and goes topless for 'Love' Magazine. As John Basedow (@JohnBasedow) reports, the 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star is following in big sister Kim Kardashian's butt-bearing footsteps and doing her best to 'break the Internet' as well.
| 8 | 9,934 |
video
|
Back pain sends more patients to doctors than any condition other than the common cold. It's the fifth most common reason for hospitalizations and the third most common cause of surgery. And 56% of people with lower-back aches say symptoms disrupt their daily routines, including sleep and sex. Talk about a pain in the...back. There are many possible causes of back pain, which means there are also many non-invasive solutions, according to Todd Sinett, a chiropractor and coauthor of The Truth about Back Pain . "Back pain is rarely one catastrophic event," he says, "but several situations combining to create pain." And it turns out that some seemingly insignificant everyday habits can take a big toll on your back over time. Here, the top 14 mistakes that may be causing your aches and how to correct them for good: 1. You have a long commute. Hunching over a steering wheel can tighten chest muscles and cause your shoulders to round. Slumping posture can zap energy and make you look heavier, not to mention cause back and neck problems. Back pain is the number one complaint of the patients of Darran W. Marlow, DC, director of the chiropractic division at the Texas Back Institute, and he advises them to first think about their driving posture. Fix it: "Be sure you sit at a 90-degree angle, close to the wheel so you don't have to stretch," he says. "Extending your leg puts your back in a compromised position, but many people don't even realize they're doing:. 2. You're a desk jockey. Photo by Morsa Images/Getty Images Did you know that sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing? But let's be honest: Maintaining proper posture is probably the last thing you're thinking about when under a work deadline. And on a jam-packed day, regular stretching breaks may not seem like a wise way to spend your time. But skipping these habits may cause your back to suffer. That's because back muscles will weaken if you don't use them; inactive joints lose lubrication and age more quickly. Fix it: Sitting at a 135-degree angle can reduce compression of the discs in the spine, so lean back slightly every now and then. Do it when you take a phone call or a coworker stops by to chat, Sinett recommends. Make sure your office chair supports the curve of your spine, he says: Your lower back should be supported, and your head should be straight not lurching forward when you look at your computer screen. Get up and walk around for a couple of minutes every half hour take trips to get water, use the bathroom, or grab papers off the printer. 3. You don't veg out. It's not all in your head chronic or acute stress can directly trigger back pain. When you're under the gun, your whole body clenches up, including the muscles in your neck and back. But muscles that contract need to relax eventually, says Sinett. If you're stressed all the time and those muscles stay tight, it can eventually cause major pain. Fix it: Sometimes even just realizing that stress may be at the root of your pain can help, says Sinett. Then you can prioritize ways to calm down each day, be it through exercise, laughing with a friend or partner, reading a good book, etc. One particularly helpful therapy, research shows, is listening to music. In an older Austrian study of 65 people who had herniated disks, researchers found that a combination of music and relaxation imagery significantly reduced lower-back pain. Everyone got standard medical care (painkillers, physical therapy), but half also listened to music and performed relaxation exercises every day. After 10 days, the music group reported less pain while climbing stairs, getting out of bed, and even sleeping. After 21 days, the music group's overall pain was more than 40% less than the nonmusic group. "Music helps reduce stress hormones and muscular tension," says researcher Franz Wendtner, a psychologist at the General Hospital of Salzburg. 4. You skip the gym. Photo by Youra Pechkin/Getty Images Get moving to alleviate aches and pains and fix back pain faster . Research shows that 40% of people become less active after back pain strikes a strategy that's likely to delay healing or even make their condition worse. Fix it: In fact, most sufferers would benefit from more exercise particularly frequent walks, which ease stiffness, says spine surgeon Raj Rao, MD. For instant relief, he recommends stretching your hamstrings and hips. 5. Your mattress is really old. Can't remember the last time you replaced it? Your back may be in trouble. A good mattress lasts 9 to 10 years, according to the National Sleep Foundation, but consider replacing yours every 5 to 7 years if you don't sleep well or your back throbs. A study at Oklahoma State University found that most people who switched to new bedding after 5 years slept significantly better and had less back pain. Fix it: When you do replace your mattress, take a Goldilocks approach: Pick one that's not too squishy or too hard. Very firm mattresses can increase pressure on the spine and worsen pain, say Spanish researchers. A study of 313 people revealed that those who caught Zzzs on medium-firm mattresses were more likely to report pain improvement than those on firmer ones. To help ease nighttime discomfort even more, tuck a pillow under your knees if you sleep on your back, between your knees if you're a side sleeper, or beneath your stomach and hips if you snooze on your belly. 6. You don't do yoga. Photo by Sporrer/Rupp/Getty Images By improving circulation and lowering stress, just about any kind of exercise promotes back pain recovery. But yoga may be best. University of Washington researchers say yoga eases lower-back pain faster than conventional exercises. In a different study, 101 patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The first group took weekly yoga classes and practiced at home; the second group participated in weekly exercise sessions developed by a physical therapist, plus practiced at home; and the third group received a self-help back care book. After three months, the yoga group had better back-related functioning, compared with the other two groups. And after 6 months, patients who took yoga reported less back pain and better back-related functioning. Because it promotes deep breathing and relaxation, as well as stretching and strength, yoga may help with both emotional and structural triggers of back pain. Fix it: You can find yoga classes everywhere at gyms, YMCAs, and local studios. Make sure to tell the instructor about your pain so she can help modify certain moves for you. 7. You're a crunch addict. Sit-ups and crunches may actually cause more back pain than they prevent, according to Sinett. We hear all the time how a strong core protects your back, which is true. But crunches don't work the ab muscles that stabilize your back. In fact, they can contribute to pain by causing what Sinett calls core imbalance, "a condition of excessive compression, which results in the spine curving forward in a C-like shape." Fix it: You don't have to ditch crunches entirely, but you should do them slowly and use proper form. Include them as part of a broader core workout that also strengthens your transverse abdominus. This muscle is particularly important for a strong, steady core that supports your back, and the best way to strengthen it is with (non-crunch!) exercises like these . Added bonus: you'll whittle your middle and beat hard-to-torch belly fat while improving posture and relieving back pain. 8. You're not the best eater. Research shows that eating habits that are good for your heart, weight, and blood sugar are also good for your back. Finnish research found that people who suffered from back pain were more likely to have clogged arteries to the spine than healthy control subjects. Healthy circulation brings nutrients to the spine and removes waste, says Sinett. If this doesn't happen, inflammation can result, and inflammatory chemicals in the back can trigger nerves to send pain signals to the brain. Fix it: A back-healthy diet is one that reduces inflammation, according to the The Truth about Back Pain . The book's plan advises avoiding excess caffeine and processed foods (read ingredient labels for the following: hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, enriched wheat flour, words ending in -ìose, and additives that end in -ìates or -ites), and eating more whole grains, soy, nuts and seeds, protein (chicken, fish, lean meat), vegetables, and fruit. 9. Your entire life is in your purse. A stuffed-to-the-gills handbag may cause back damage that's comparable to a sports injury. When you tote a heavy bag, your shoulders become imbalanced, says Sinett. Your body elevates the shoulder carrying the bag, which throws your spine off-kilter. Doing this every day can cause back muscles to ache over time. Fix it: First, carry the lightest bag possible. The American Chiropractic Association recommends that your bag when fully loaded weigh no more than 10% of your body weight. Alternate which shoulder you carry the bag on from day to day, and consider splitting your stuff between two bags (one for each arm), which will painproof your load by distributing it more evenly. 10. Your bike isn't quite right. Do you routinely get a sore back after even a leisurely bike ride? You may need to adjust your equipment. Anywhere from 30 to 70% of bike riders experience some form of back pain, according to Jennifer Chu, MD, an associate professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. You don't need to give up on this great form of exercise, but you should make sure your bike is properly fitted for you, advises says former US Olympic cycling coach Ed Burke, PhD, of Colorado Springs, CO. Fix it: Try this quick test: When you straddle a road bike or hybrid, the bar should be about 1 to 2 inches from your crotch. On mountain bikes, allow 3 to 6 inches. As for your seat height, your down leg should be fully extended when the heel of that foot is on the pedal in the 6 o'clock position. Now put the ball of that foot on the pedal; there should be a slight bend in your knee in the down position. You should be able to keep a slight bend in your elbows and not feel stretched out when holding the handlebars. If your bike isn't adjusted properly, check with a local bike shop or bike club to find someone who can properly fit it for you. Another tweak that can help: Tilt the front tip of your saddle down about 10 to 15 degrees. This simple adjustment takes pressure off your lower spine and pelvis, research shows. When researchers made this adjustment for 40 recreational cyclists who had back pain, the pain went away in 72% of the group and another 20% reported significant reduction in pain. 11. You love high heels. Photo by YuriF/Getty Images Or flip-flops. Both lead to foot instability, which can in turn affect your back. High heels force you to arch your back, making your spinal muscles work harder. Backless shoes like sandals cause your feet to move from side to side, according to Sinett, which distributes your body weight unevenly and can cause pain. Fix it: You don't have to forgo trendy footwear just don't walk long distances in them. Commute in comfy flats or supportive sneakers, and consider adding cushioning inserts to uncomfy shoes. When Lehigh University researchers gave back-pain sufferers lightweight, flexible shoes with simple cushions, 80% reported significant relief within a year. 12. You ignore the pain. Trying to block out pain could make it worse, finds research from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. A better approach: Let yourself consciously experience the hurt. In a standard pain test, psychologists had 68 back-pain sufferers plunge their hands or feet into ice water. When the volunteers were instructed to suppress the shock of the icy water, a key muscle in the back clenched. In contrast, the muscle didn't tense up when volunteers thought only about the shock. Over time, an increase in muscle tension intensifies pain, says lead researcher John W. Burns, PhD. Fix it: Accepting pain may be the best way to mentally cope. "Try thinking about the sensory details of the experience, not the negative emotions," says Burns. "If you have a back spasm, describe the pain to yourself if it's burning or throbbing and remind yourself that it will pass." 13. You watch too much TV. Photo by Newton Daly/Getty Images Parking yourself in front of the tube for hours and hours a day doesn't make your back very happy. In one Norwegian study of teens, those who sat in front of TV or computer for 15 hours a week or more were three times as likely to have lower-back pain as their more active counterparts (the average American teen watches three hours of telly a day). "They sit with the low back flexed really hunched over for hours," explains lead researcher Astrid Noreng Sjolie, PhD, a physiotherapist at Hedmark University College in Norway. Fix it: Limit TV to shows you really want to watch, instead of idly channel surfing. And instead of fast-forwarding through commercials, do some stretches or strength moves during the breaks, which will prevent muscle strain from sitting still too long. If you have a kid complaining of back pain, make sure he walks at least one mile daily; this can cut back pain in half and give his still-developing spine a chance to stretch out. 14. You hold a grudge. To err is human. To forgive could make your aching back feel simply divine. When researchers at Duke University Medical Center studied 58 women and men with chronic lower-back pain, they found that those who practiced forgiveness experienced less anger, resentment, depression and aches. "Our emotions, muscle tension, and thoughts can directly influence the strength of our pain signals," says researcher James W. Carson, PhD. Fix it: Forgiveness isn't a once-and-done act; it involves choosing, again and again, to replace anger and resentment with understanding toward someone who has done you wrong. Try this: First imagine someone you love. Think, May this person be at ease, happy, healthy, safe, and secure . Repeat, imagining yourself, then someone you don't know personally. Finally, bring to mind someone for whom you don't have good feelings.
| 7 | 9,935 |
health
|
Morocco were kicked out of the 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Friday while Equatorial Guinea were punished for the unrest in Thursday's semi-finals in which 36 fans were injured. Morocco were also fined $1 million (€8.8m) and ordered to pay just over €8 million ($9m) in compensation after they refused to host this year's event due to fears over Ebola. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee also announced that Equatorial Guinea, who stepped in to host the 2015 event, were being fined $100,000 after violent scenes in their 3-0 semi-final defeat to Ghana. Meanwhile, Tunisia's soccer chief was banned from all African football activities for claiming his team was cheated out of a quarter-final win against the hosts. CAF refused to accept Morocco's reasons for pulling out of hosting the 2015 event. "The CAF executive committee considered that, contrary to what the Royal Moroccan Football Federation cited, force majeure cannot be accepted for the benefit of the federation," said CAF. "CAF decided to suspend the national team of Morocco from the next two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, 2017 and 2019, and to impose on the federation the regulatory fine of $1 million. "...they decided by a separate measure to be borne by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation the sum of eight million and fifty thousand euros in compensation for all material damage sustained." 'Repeat offenders' Despite disturbances blamed on Equatorial Guinea fans in Thursday's semi-final defeat to Ghana in Malabo, supporters will still be allowed into the country's third-place playoff against Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday. CAF meted out the fine to the Nations Cup hosts "for aggressive behaviour and being repeat offenders" for crowd trouble, said a confederation statement. An order to play Saturday's third place playoff behind closed doors was suspended "to promote a spirit of Fair-play and brotherhood during the AFCON2015". But CAF made it clear that if there was more unrest then it would "automatically impose the sanction of playing behind closed doors the Equatorial Guinean team's next official match". Saturday's playoff is being held at the same 15,000-seater stadium in Malabo where Equatorial Guinea's supporters pelted Ghanaian fans with plastic bottles and chairs on Thursday night. The game was halted for over half an hour with Ghana eventually winning 3-0 to set up a final on Sunday with Ivory Coast in Bata. As the missiles rained down, the 500 visiting Ghana fans poured onto the pitch and play was halted eight minutes from time as security officials battled to regain control. The Ghana Football Association (GFA) described the scene as a "war zone." After the match, the Ghanaian supporters were kept at the stadium for several hours while further chaos ensued outside the ground. Equatorial Guinea supporters broke street light poles and overturned vendors' tables. The Ghana team were escorted to Malabo airport for the short flight from the island city to Bata on the mainland. Equatorial Guinea's governing Democratic Party blamed the country's "eternal enemies" for Thursday's violence in Malabo. It hit out at "the acts of provocation designed to create the disorder... perpetrated by the eternal enemies and detractors of our people and by their agents who wanted to disturb the peace". Unfairly treated Tunisia football chief Wadie Jary was banned from all CAF activities on Friday following claims his side were unfairly treated during their defeat to Equatorial Guinea. CAF ordered Jary and the Tunisian federation to apologise or provide evidence to back up their complaints before midnight on Thursday. However when no apology was forthcoming, CAF suspended Jary until an apology materialised. Tunisia were warned they also face the same fate as Morocco and will be banned from the 2017 Cup of Nations if they fail by March 31 to supply either an apology or proof of bias. Tunisian tempers flared after Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn awarded the hosts a dubious stoppage-time penalty which resulted in the equaliser in their quarter-final clash. When the final whistle sounded after Equatorial Guinea won 2-1, riot police had to protect the match officials from furious Tunisian players. CAF banned Seechurn for six months and dropped him from the elite referees panel.
| 1 | 9,936 |
sports
|
One estimate says medical errors kill 210,000 Americans every year. That's the equivalent of 10 jumbo jets crashing every week.
| 7 | 9,937 |
health
|
A 1-year-old infant girl died in Springfield, Mass., over the weekend when her family attempted a home remedy for head lice, MassLive reports . A spokesman for Springfield Police said the matter is being investigated by detectives, though no charges have been filed. Police officers found the girl had suffocated after relatives slathered mayonnaise on her hair and scalp and then placed a plastic shopping bag over her head. Several hours passed during which the girl was left unattended. When the family discovered she was not breathing, they called the police. A small boy in the house also had head lice; in his case, the family shaved his head. All children have been removed from the house, the police spokesman said, and now are in the care of relatives. Generally, doctors recommend over-the-counter treatments , such as Nix or Rid, for eliminating head lice. These are widely available in pharmacies. In some cases, prescription treatments may be used. These are known to be both effective and safe, causing no skin reaction even in very young children with sensitive skin. When expense is an issue, some families turn to home remedies, though in many cases, the cost will end up being about the same. Most home remedies, including the mayonnaise treatment used by this family, depend on some version of smothering the lice. They all work more or less the same: Slather peanut butter or olive oil or mayonnaise on the hair and then wrap the head with plastic wrap. Usually, a shower cap is recommended for children because it is safest. Other home remedies include using a combination of essential oils and combing. The most effective oil is tea tree oil, though lavender oil, neem oil, clove oil, and eucalyptus oil are also quite good. Healthline recommends mixing 15 to 20 drops of the selected essential oil with either 2 ounces of olive oil or 4 ounces of rubbing alcohol. The mixture should be applied to the scalp and hair and left on the head for at least 12 hours. After the time has elapsed, the hair needs to be carefully combed and shampooed twice. To comb, separate the hair into small sections, and then repeatedly work the comb through the section. Rinse the comb with hot water often and when done, wash all the towels used and clean the lice comb thoroughly by either boiling it in water for 10 minutes or soaking it in bleach or vinegar for at least half an hour. The entire procedure must be followed every day for a week, and then for the following two weeks the hair must be combed every night to make sure the lice remain gone.
| 7 | 9,938 |
health
|
Attention, die-hard craft beer drinkers: This Bud's not for you. After several years of losing ground to craft brewers, Anheuser-Busch, the country's biggest brewery, seems to be conceding that its flagship brew may not fly with fans of fancy suds. Rather than try to woo them to toss back a Budweiser, Anheuser-Busch is aiming its latest marketing at its core consumers, the folks who likely wouldn't reach for a craft beer in any case. And they're doing it with a playful wink and nod that says, "We didn't want their fancy-schmancy beer anyway." That was Anheuser-Busch's playbook for the Super Bowl, when they ran an ad that calls Budweiser a "macro beer" a reference to the microbrews of the craft market that "isn't brewed to be fussed over." Relaunched this week in wider play, the ad shows a mustachioed man drinking beer from a fancy glass and mocks, "Let them sip their pumpkin peach ale. We'll be brewing us some golden suds." "A prevailing misperception in beer is that small must be good, and big must be bad. This spot, if you like, is us saying we categorically don't accept that," Brian Perkins, Budweiser's vice president of marketing, said in an interview. "This is about us owning who we are without apology." The ad left a sour taste with some in the craft beer world, who took to social media with parodies and taunts, including a video in which members of Ninkasi Brewing in Oregon chugged Budweiser and asked: "If you aren't drinking a beer for taste, what are you drinking it for?" But Perkins called the ad a "gentle poke" and said, "The only people who misread the spot, frankly, probably weren't drinking Budweiser anyway ... I've lost them already. They're not my consumer." And he is right they're not. Budweiser remains the No. 3 beer in the U.S. and Bud Light ranks at the top. Still, Budweiser's volume fell more than 6 percent annually between 2008 and 2013, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Meanwhile, craft brewers such as Colorado's New Belgium, California's Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams maker the Boston Beer Co. grew more than 7 percent annually over the same period. Overall sales of craft beer rose about 17 percent to hold a 14 percent dollar share of the $100 billion U.S. beer market in 2013 despite a nearly 2 percent drop in overall beer sales, according to the Brewers Association, a Colorado-based trade group that represents most of the nation's 3,200 breweries. Big beer also is losing ground to hard liquor. Drawing a line in the sand between Budweiser and the craft beer market makes sense, says Euromonitor analyst Eric Penicka. "They're acknowledging that the typical craft beer consumer is definitely not going to go out of their way to buy Budweiser," he said. "The product itself is hard for (Budweiser) to push outside of the core group who is already consuming it. And I think it makes sense for them to do that. ... For them to try to push Budweiser into the craft consuming market, which would be primarily younger, more educated, financially more well-off, is not really going to strike a chord." Not that it's a complete surrender. The U.S. arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, a Belgian company that is the world's largest brewer, has bought several smaller craft brewers, including Chicago's Goose Island and Seattle's Elysian Brewing, the latter of which also makes a peach pumpkin ale and includes the tagline "Corporate Beer Still Sucks" on one of its labels. The beer giants also have been bulking up "craft-like" brands, such as Anheuser-Busch's Shock Top, which has its own seasonal pumpkin beer, as noted by many who took offense to Budweiser's ad. Anheuser-Busch's biggest competitor, MillerCoors maker of Coors Light, Miller Lite and Blue Moon has taken a similar approach with a portfolio of both craft and mass market beers, and isn't ready to write off dedicated craft beer drinkers. MillerCoors spokesman Jonathan Stern says his company sees plenty crossover with consumers happily drinking both styles of beer. The issue, he says, is that big beer's core consumer just isn't choosing mass market beers as often as they used to, and smart marketing to millennials is needed to turn that around. Budweiser's campaign isn't about "running scared," as some have implied, but simply owning its place as a big beer brand that's enjoyed by many, Perkins said. "In order to talk about who we are, sometimes you juxtapose it with what you're not," he said. "Kudos to the brewers of peach pumpkin ale and other flavor variations. That's their thing and they're great at it, but meanwhile, we'll stick to who we always have been."
| 5 | 9,939 |
news
|
Denver Broncos' fans ask if the team will begin giving backup QB Brock Osweiler more playing time as Peyton Manning's career begins to come to a close. To see more Broncos videos download the Broncos DeskSite.
| 1 | 9,940 |
sports
|
One of the biggest misconceptions about cruise ships is that they're germ incubators that you can't escape. But the likelihood of catching a stomach bug on a seven-day voyage is less than 1 percent which is about a third the risk of getting infected in your day-to-day life back home, says Dr. Carter Hill, a Seattle-area emergency-room physician who specializes in cruise-ship medicine. Here's the catch: If someone onboard does succumb to a nasty virus, it can spread quickly across the ship because it's a closed environment where many people share many things. When a sick passenger with poor hygiene touches a water pitcher, doorknob, or poker chips, other passengers may fall ill, too. To avoid the flu virus, stomach bug, or any other infectious condition, stick with the following strategies: 1. See a travel medicine specialist before your trip. If you think a bellyache or throat tickle is unpleasant, you certainly do not want to know what dengue fever feels like. A doctor or nurse specially trained in the area of travel will be tuned into the latest updates for vaccines in the areas you're docking, and can advise you on what's recommended and what's absolutely required. 2. Pack your own hand sanitizer and travel-size disinfectant. While reputable cruise lines train their staff stringently on cleanliness, it doesn't hurt to be extra cautious and wipe down especially germy parts of your cabin, such as the phone, doorknob, and remote. You can also compare ships according to how they scored in their latest inspection by the Centers for Disease Control Vessel Sanitation Program , but even the best-scoring ships are vulnerable all it takes is one highly infectious individual to step on deck and change things. 3. Avoid common serving utensils. Cruise lines often minimize self-serve buffets for at least the first two days of trip, so that sick passengers can be identified and quarantined before germs spread. Given that passengers can expose themselves to bacterial and viral infections every time the ship docks, the risks continue throughout the trip. To be extra safe, avoid self-serve options entirely. Not an option? If a fellow passenger in front of you in the buffet line offers to pass along a plate or silverware, decline and help yourself to your own. 4. No sharing. Unless you trust whomever you're traveling with to be as careful as you are, don't share plates or sample her cocktail. A person can be infectious without showing symptoms. 5. Wash your hands obsessively. Rubbing them in warm soapy running water for about 30 seconds is more effective than using sanitizers, says Aron J. Hall, an epidemiologist on the CDC's viral gastroenteritis team. Dry your hands with a paper towel and use it to turn off the faucet and exit the door. A gel with at least 60 percent alcohol is helpful for on-the-spot use: after using handrails, door handles, and other frequently touched items, like pens, ATM machines, elevator buttons, golf clubs after all, you never know when you might touch your face and infect yourself without even realizing it. 6. Eat your foods cooked. You're likely fine eating salads, fruit, and raw seafood on reputable cruise lines they have strict guidelines for keeping foods clean but avoid them when you're dining on land, particularly in less developed regions. The high cooking temperatures kill off bacteria and viruses that can make you sick; food poisoning is not a fun addition to any cruise. 7. Skip unpasteurized foods. Besides norovirus, there are many other microbes (salmonella, listeria, and campylobacter, for instance) that can cause gastro-hell, and they can lurk in unpasteurized dairy or eggs. If a flan or other egg-heavy dish catches your eye, ask if the eggs are pasteurized. Watch out for unpasteurized cheese as well. 8. Use your own restroom. Public restrooms on reputable ships (usually) have frequent, thorough cleanings by ship staff but if you don't need the facilities urgently, why take the risk? 9. Report sick travelers immediately. There's no way to put this delicately: If you see someone vomit, get a member of the crew to clean it up as soon as possible, and stay away. Crew members are trained to take care of the mess quickly and thoroughly, but in the off-chance that doesn't happen, it's safest to hang out elsewhere: Droplets of vomit have been reported to aerosolize and travel short distances in the air and settle on nearby surfaces. Stay away from an incessant cougher or sneezer, too, and tell a crewmember if you spot one. That way, the staff person can furnish the passenger with a mask, and keep his possibly infectious droplets from spreading, says Hill. 10. Use bottled water. The tap on board a reputable ship is generally safe. But to avoid getting sick should a rare incident of contamination occurs, drink and brush your teeth with bottled water. This goes for when you're on-shore in a developing country, too. 11. Do your laundry well. Norovirus can remain on contaminated garments that are not washed sufficiently. The launders on, again, reputable ships should deliver, but if you decide to do your own laundry in public machines, always wash and dry for the longest time possible and at the highest temperature possible, says Hall. 12. Get adequate sleep and stay hydrated. While this may not prevent you from a viral or bacterial attack completely, it will build up your immune system so that you can fight it off more efficiently. See more health tips for cruises on CNTraveler.com More from Condé Nast Traveler The Best Cities in the World 15 Places You Won't Believe Exist How Not to Look Like a Tourist in Paris
| 7 | 9,941 |
health
|
One of the most extreme coping tactics employed by individuals who experience childhood trauma is to psychologically remain "forever young." These individuals will go to great lengths to make their adult life mirror the safety and security of childhood. For the most part, their behavior is harmless, but one Mexican teen's obsession with remaining not only young in spirit but also in body became a serious health risk. A 14-year-old boy in Mexico has become the youngest person to be diagnosed with gerascophobia a "phobia of aging." This condition is one of many rare phobias, and has only been diagnosed twice before, and both times in adults, LiveScience reported. One of the most troubling symptoms of the boy's phobia is his fear of physical growth. In the past, after learning that food contributed to body growth, the boy had been observed to restrict his diet so much that at age 11 he lost a total of 26 pounds. He slouched in an effort to appear smaller and adopted a falsetto vocal pitch to sound more childlike. The boy also appeared to be particularly preoccupied with putting off his sexual maturity and has been found searching the Internet to learn how to not ejaculate. "Every time he notices a physical change that indicates that he is growing, he feels fear and anxiety, to the point that [he] has considered undergoing multiple surgeries to hide it," the researchers wrote in their study , published last month in the journal Case Reports in Psychiatry. The teenager's phobia is believed to be the result of early childhood trauma. The study reads that at age 5, he was diagnosed with separation anxiety, at 6 he was sexually abused by a neighbor, and in grade school he was subjected to near daily bullying by his peers. This association with childhood trauma and the compulsion to childish behaviors later in life is not an isolated occurrence. In TLC's reality show " My Crazy Obsession A Real Life Adult Baby ," we hear from Stanley, who believes that his obsessive compulsion to spend up to eight hours a day role-playing as a baby stems from early childhood trauma. "It's a feeling of being safe, something I didn't have growing up. There was child abuse going on at the time and being an adult baby became my way of coping with the world and my own problems," Stanley explained on the show. Unlike Stanley's obsession with acting like a baby, it seems that the Mexican teen's childlike behavior takes roots in a genuine fear of aging. "He also believes that once he reaches [adulthood], he is more likely to get sick and die, all of which are very overwhelming," the report read. Of course, not every individual who experiences a traumatic childhood will go on to adopt infantile characteristics. Researchers believe there are other underlying psychological issues which have contributed to the teen's gerascophobia. He has since received family therapy, psychotherapy, and has been prescribed antidepressants all of which have been reported to drastically improve his state. The teen has gained weight, now stands upright, and has even begun speaking in his natural tone of voice. "He is able to imagine the future, living on his own and working as an actor, and this is an idea he likes; however, he continues to express a fear of commitment and responsibilities that he feels will be required of him in adult life," the researchers added. Source: L Perales-Blum, Juarez-Trevino M, Escobedo-Belloc D. Severe growing-up phobia, a condition explained in a 14-year-old boy. Case Reports in Psychiatry . 2014.
| 7 | 9,942 |
health
|
MONTPELIER, Vt. A Vermont student's proposal for a state motto in Latin drew a burst of Internet fire from people who apparently confused the Romans' language with Latin America, but the teenager is taking it in stride. Sen. Joe Benning, a Caledonia County Republican, filed a bill on behalf of St. Johnsbury Academy ninth-grader Angela Kubicke, who proposed that Vermont add to its English-language motto, "Freedom & Unity," one in Latin: "Stella quarta decima fulgeat." That means "The 14th Star Shines Bright," honoring Vermont's history as the 14th state to join the Union following the original 13 colonies. When television station WCAX did a story about the proposal, its website's comment section lit up with vitriol, with many seemingly linking the Latin motto to the immigration debate. Those comments were followed by others trying to deliver a combined lesson in language, history and geography. Kubicke is scheduled to join other Latin students from around Vermont in testifying about the proposed motto before the Senate Government Operations Committee next week. Benning said his young constituent was responding to the fuss with "grace and fortitude." As for his own thoughts on the Internet debate, Benning recalled the motto of his law school newspaper: "Res ipsa loquitur" or "The thing speaks for itself." Kubicke called the Internet reaction "a little bit appalling. It's a lack of knowledge. I think that's why this motto is very important. It sheds a light on the classics." She added with a laugh: "Maybe people will learn the difference between Rome and Mexico."
| 5 | 9,943 |
news
|
I hate to break it to you, but the universe seems to have an expiration date. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) explains 3 examples of how the universe could end. None are really exciting.
| 8 | 9,944 |
video
|
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Florida coach Billy Donovan has one of his worst teams in years, a near-.500 group that doesn't do anything particularly well. Kentucky's John Calipari has one of his best, a deep, talented and undefeated crew that's shown few, if any, weaknesses all season. It looks like a major mismatch. Donovan sure feels that way. ''Oh, I think there's a huge discrepancy,'' Donovan said as the Gators (12-10, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) prepare to host the top-ranked Wildcats (22-0, 9-0) on Saturday night. ''How much of a gap? I don't know how you would evaluate that. But I would say their talent level is better than anybody in the country right now, with the number of guys they have. ''But I wouldn't say it's just our team. It's everybody.'' Florida matched up with Kentucky better than anyone last season, winning in Lexington, in Gainesville and in the SEC tournament championship game. Both teams advanced to the Final Four and could have met in the title game, but eventual national champion UConn ended both team's seasons. The Wildcats and Gators have gone in different directions since. Kentucky returned nearly everyone, added the nation's top recruiting class and quickly figured out how to play together. The Cats have won 18 of 22 games by double digits. ''A friend called me this morning and said, `Someone went on one of the shows and said Kentucky is not that good offensively.''' Calipari said. ''Really? We're like ninth in the country in efficiency. We have 100 more assists than turnovers. We're leading our league in 3-point shooting, or were. We have great post presence. Not always great. ''But here's the thing that's hard for people to deal with: We're not perfect. We're not shooting 88 percent, 99 from the free-throw line. We don't rebound every missed shot, which is crazy. I don't know why we don't. I'm on these guys about it. You need to be perfect. You're Kentucky. Be perfect. We're ninth in offense efficiency and that's our issue. Wow, I'm happy if that's our issue.'' Florida has plenty of issues. The Gators have been erratic on both ends of the court - a significant change from last year's senior-laden team - and have gotten little from highly touted sophomores Kasey Hill and Chris Walker. They have dropped four of six since a three-game winning streak to open conference play, and the two wins easily could have been losses. The Gators' effort ''has to be a lot better, no matter who we're playing,'' Florida forward Jake Kurtz said. ''That's got to be better if we want to beat anybody. It's a mindset that we have to buy into as a team, `This is what we're going to do.''' Florida became the first team in SEC history to go 18-0 in league play last season, and Kentucky surely hasn't forgotten its failed attempts to end the run. ''I don't even think that's in anybody's head, for real,'' Kentucky forward Willie Cauley-Stein said. ''I just thought about it now, just with you saying it. But honestly it's about going and playing against ourselves. We're not really playing against nobody else. We're trying to compete against ourselves and do what our team goals are and stuff.''
| 1 | 9,945 |
sports
|
LONDON (AP) Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has broken his 10-day silence in a tetchy news conference in which he made regular digs at England's Football Association for its treatment of him. Mourinho hasn't spoken in public since last week, when he was fined 25,000 pounds ($38,000) for claiming there has been a media-driven campaign against his team and when his star striker, Diego Costa, was handed a three-match ban for stamping on an opponent. An unhappy-looking Mourinho chose not to discuss the Costa incident Friday, saying jokingly ''maybe I'm punished to reflect. Maybe they (the FA) can read my reflection and (that) I don't want.'' Mourinho said new signing Juan Cuadrado was available for Saturday's match at Aston Villa ''unless the Premier League or the FA say there are some rules to stop him.'' In another gripe at the FA, Mourinho referred to an incident this season when he was pushed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in the technical area during a game. ''You know, the only surprise I had in relation to that was to be punished when I was pushed by another manager,'' Mourinho said. ''Apart from that I can expect everything.'' Mourinho labelled himself the ''Happy One'' when he made his return to Chelsea in the summer of 2013 for a second spell as manager. But his outlook has changed somewhat in recent months, despite his team having led the Premier League from the start of the season. He has constructed a siege mentality around his squad, perceiving that it is being targeted by referees, authorities and the media. Mourinho said he was only attending the pre-match news conference to avoid getting another fine. ''You know why I'm here,'' the Portuguese coach said, ''so you cannot expect that I'm super happy to be here.'' On his recent silence, he added: ''If you want, you can make a silence very noisy. Depends what you want to do. You could make noise with my silence, because you know the reason for my silence.'' Chelsea holds a five-point lead heading to Villa Park, where central midfielder Cesc Fabregas is fit to play after a hamstring injury. Costa misses out as he serves the second game of his ban. Mourinho is looking for a first win at Villa Park - one of only two Premier League grounds, along with Newcastle's St James' Park, where he is yet to triumph. Asked the reason for the winless record, his answer summed up his current mood. ''Because,'' he replied, ''the opponents score more goals than us and sometimes the same number of goals as us.''
| 1 | 9,946 |
sports
|
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane will undergo left shoulder surgery and be out of the lineup for four to six months. Coach Paul Maurice made the announcement Friday. Kane has 22 points in 37 games this season, but was a healthy scratch for Tuesday's game against Vancouver. Entering Friday's game, the Jets held the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, two points up on the Canucks.
| 1 | 9,947 |
sports
|
Standard and Poor's downgraded Greece's credit rating on Friday to B-, just one notch above the range indicating vulnerability to a default, warning Athens had limited time to reach a deal on its massive debts with creditors. "In our view, a prolongation of talks with official creditors could also lead to further pressure on financial stability in the form of deposit withdrawals," the ratings agency said, adding that "in a worst-case scenario", it could lead to "the imposition of capital controls and a loss of access to lender-of-last-resort financing, potentially resulting in Greece's exclusion" from the eurozone. The downgrade came the same week members of Greece's hard-left government toured European capitals to win support for Athens' demand that terms of the country's 240-billion-euro ($275-billion) EU-IMF bailout be eased. Not only did those appeals fall on largely deaf ears in its eurozone partners, however, but on Wednesday the European Central Bank moved to restrict Greek lenders' access to a key source of cash by rescinding the right of Greek banks to use government debt as collateral for loans. The result was the creation of an atmosphere of a stand-off in which creditors and eurozone partners were holding Greece to the strict terms of the bailout, even as Athens repeated its determination to renegotiate the nation's debt commitments. With a February 28 deadline looming on Greece's current bailout arrangement looming, the increasingly tense game of financial chicken between cash-starved Athens and its international creditors figured heavily in S&P's downgrade decision. "The downgrade reflects our view that the liquidity constraints weighing on Greece's banks and its economy have narrowed the timeframe during which the new government can reach an agreement on a financing programme with its official creditor," the S&P statement said -- adding its rating of Greek bonds could be nudged up amid evidence Athens had worked out a viable agreement with creditors to end the stand-off. "Conversely, we could lower our ratings on Greece if we perceive that the likelihood of a distressed exchange of Greece's commercial debt has increased further because official funding has been curtailed, government borrowing requirements have deteriorated beyond our expectations, or Greece's external financing has come under greater stress," it also noted.
| 3 | 9,948 |
finance
|
Give some students a 3D-printer , some solar panels and about a year's worth of time, and what do you get? No, not a solar-powered bong (though good idea) -- solar race cars , that's what! Engineering students from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have built 3D-printed solar electric car prototype, the NTU Venture 8 (NV8), and plan to race it in Shell's Eco Marathon Asia event later this month. The team was originally looking at a supercar design, but decided to go with "a sensible cute micro-car with vertical opening doors" that can run at up to 60 km/h (37 mph). The students said that the vehicle "is Singapore's first and probably Asia's first 3D-printed concept car," with the cockpit fabricated from 150 lighweight plastic parts. The design maximizes interior space thanks to a strong honeycomb design, and its slightly translucent skin "is a sight to behold," according to the team. The NV8 was printed in part at NTU's recently opened $5 million Additive Manufacturing Center , built to allow students and staff to pursue 3D-printing research projects. While the NV8 will run in the "urban concept" category, the team also developed a carbon fiber three-wheeler to race for the prestigious prototype prize. They went for broke on that design, making the vehicles as cutting-edge as possible using hand-made, curved solar panels and a leaning function to allow for quick cornering -- not unlike Toyota's iRoad EV concept . NTU
| 5 | 9,949 |
news
|
Costco or Sam's Club? Debating whether to join Sam's Club or Costco ? Consumers sizing up the two big players weigh a variety of factors, including price. Cheapism.com found that members can save up to 30 percent by shopping at one store over the other; the right choice depends on what you put in your oversize cart. Cheapism priced out more than 30 like items, from grocery products to TVs, at each warehouse club. To make direct comparisons between different package sizes, each price was broken down into unit cost (per ounce, pound, etc.). Cheaper at Costco: Medications At Costco, even a basic individual membership comes with pharmacy discounts. At Sam's Club, consumers must join at a higher membership level to claim this benefit. Both pharmacies offer flu shots for $14.99 and extend the service to nonmembers, but Sam's Club ups the charge to $20 without a membership card. In a 2013 Consumer Reports survey of more than 200 pharmacies, Costco came out the cheapest, totaling $167 for five commonly prescribed generic drugs. Sam's Club's total was far higher, at $376. Cheaper at Costco: Frozen Veggies Sam's Club sold mixed frozen vegetables under its Daily Chef brand in packages of six 12-ounce bags (a total of 72 ounces) for $5.98. Costco's similar Kirkland Signature house-brand vegetables came in one big bag that weighed in at 5.5 pounds (88 ounces) and cost $6.49. The difference in price per ounce was more than 11 percent, with Costco coming out the cheapest. Cheaper at Costco: Toothpaste At Costco, Crest Pro-Health toothpaste was packaged in four 7.8-ounce tubes (for a total of 31.2 ounces) while Sam's Club sold four 6-ounce tubes (a total of 24 ounces). The price at Costco was $11.99, or 38 cents an ounce, and the cost at Sam's Club was $9.78, or 41 cents an ounce. That made Costco more than 5 percent cheaper. Costco was also offering a coupon that brought the total price down to $8.49, for a savings of more than 30 percent over Sam's Club. Cheaper at Costco: Disinfectant Wipes The two stores didn't carry the same brand, but they offered comparable products. Costco was selling a pack of 480 Lysol disinfectant wipes for $13.59, while Sam's Club was selling 390 Clorox disinfectant wipes for $13.48. Although the total prices were almost the same, Costco came up the winner based on unit price, 18 percent cheaper than Sam's Club. Cheaper at Costco: Diapers Diapers are a big reason many families with young children consider memberships to warehouse clubs. The two stores again didn't sell the same brands; Cheapism compared the cost of size 2 Pampers at Sam's Club and Huggies at Costco. The Pampers, a box of 162 diapers, cost $39.98, while 228 Huggies cost $38.99. That's right -- Costco had a lower price on a bigger box of diapers. Cheaper at Sam's Club: Membership. The cost of joining Sam's Club starts at $45 for an individual or business membership; Costco charges $55. The terms are roughly the same, although individual members have access to optical and pharmacy discounts at Costco but not Sam's Club. A Costco business membership allows up to six add-on members and Sam's Club allows eight (at the same $45 or $55 rate). The highest membership levels include annual cash back rewards: $10 for every $500 spent at Sam's Club, up to $500, and 2 percent back at Costco, up to $750. Again, the Sam's Club membership is $10 cheaper, at $100 for a Sam's Plus card vs. $110 for an Executive membership at Costco. Cheaper at Sam's Club: Digital SLR Camera For consumers deciding between Costco and Sam's Club, the purchase of a big-ticket item such as a digital SLR camera may help sway the decision. The two warehouse stores carried an identical camera bundle: a Nikon D5300, two lenses, a case, and a 32GB SD card. It was about $150 cheaper at Sam's Club, where it cost $1,149. Cheaper at Sam's Club: Bath Tissues At first blush, Sam's Club appeared to have the best prices on both tissues and toilet paper. The store's Member's Mark tissues ($11.98 for 12 boxes) were 19 percent cheaper per box than Costco's Kirkland Signature brand, and toilet paper ($16.87 for 45 rolls) cost about 30 percent less per roll. However, the Sam's toilet paper had 190 sheets per roll compared with 425 sheets at Costco. Considering cost per sheet, Costco takes the crown. Cheaper at Sam's Club: Chicken Breasts Frozen chicken breasts presented a considerable difference in price between the two warehouse clubs. Sam's Club sold a 6-pound bag for $11.98, while Costco sold a 6.5-pound bag for $17.99. That's about 28 percent off frozen chicken breasts when you buy from Sam's Club. Cheaper at Sam's Club: Greek Yogurt Both warehouse stores carried Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt -- a 32-ounce tub at Sam's Club and a 95.4-ounce size at Costco. The Costco price comes to 15 cents per ounce, while at Sam's Club the price was 13 cents per ounce, saving customers almost 11 percent over Costco.
| 3 | 9,950 |
finance
|
By Jason Rowan There's a time and a place for attempts at humor, a murder trial likely isn't either of them. James Sultan, attorney for former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez for the murder trial related to the 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, was rebuked on Friday by the judge presiding over the case after the lawyer cracked a joke about Deflategate during testimony the previous day. Sultan was questioning a state trooper about tire inflation when he asked if the officer ever had any "training in football deflation devices" in a joking manner. According to an Associated Press report ( via the New York Post ), Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh wasn't impressed with Sultan's conduct. She reportedly informed Herandez's attorney on Friday morning that the trial was a serious matter and that she didn't expect to hear any more wisecracks. Sultan reportedly agreed, then expressed regret over the misstep. As proceedings resumed Friday morning, WBZ-TV's Christina Hager reports that Sultan said "in hindsight, that was a mistake." "We are here on very serious business," Judge Susan Garsh reportedly stated, to which Sultan responded, "I apologize to the court." The attempt at humor of course was in reference to the Patriots' Deflategate scandal that exploded following the team's victory in the AFC Championship Game over the Indianapolis Colts that became one of the most heavily discussed topics heading into Super Bowl XLIX. But just because something is topical - and tangentially relevant, given Hernandez's onetime affiliation with the Patriots - doesn't make it acceptable fodder for jokes, especially during, you know, a murder trial.
| 1 | 9,951 |
sports
|
GOP senators unveiled a new replacement for ObamaCare this week, but few conservatives are rallying around it. The same week the GOP House voted for a fourth time to fully repeal ObamaCare, the party remains divided over what would come next. Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the latest proposal from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and other key Republicans would be one part of the conversation on replacing ObamaCare hardly a ringing endorsement. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not make any public comments on the plan and declined to comment to The Hill through a spokesperson. Even Hatch and the plan's other sponsors House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.). acknowledged the difficulty in uniting their party. In an interview with Fox News late Thursday, Burr said he did not believe that Republicans would rally around a single alternative before the presidential election. "I think that there are going to be a lot of ideas not only in Congress but around the think tanks here in Washington and around the country," Burr told Fox News' Brett Baier. The GOP has been scrambling for a replacement plan for years, though the clock is now ticking with the looming Supreme Court case, King v Burwell, that could dismantle much of the law. The court's decision, which will be argued March 4, will likely come down in June. The legislation approved by the House asks several committees to get to work on a replacement plan. But it includes no deadlines for their work, signaling no new option is expected quickly. With a crowded field of prospective 2016 GOP candidates for the White House, it's possible there could be a number of competing Republicans plans. While multiple groups of Republicans have worked on replacement options since the passage of ObamaCare in 2010, none have evolved into a bill drawing attacks from Democrats. "My Republican friends have had five years and they still haven't produced actual legislation," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told reporters Thursday as he condemned the new GOP plan. Hours before the Republican trio officially unveiled their plan, a group of Senate and House aides stressed to reporters that creating a full replacement bill would be a long process. "Will this whole thing happen before 2017? I find that hard to believe, but we're going to prepare for 2017," an aide for the senators said. "What we are doing is putting a very credible idea out there because what our bosses were sick and tired of hearing is the Republicans have no ideas." One of the plan's only endorsements came from Rep. Bruce Poliquin (R-Maine), who was facing pressure after bucking the party on the ObamaCare repeal vote earlier in the week. But he too said that he wanted to consider all the options. "There'll be several other plans put on the table over the coming weeks. I look forward to evaluating each of them," Poliquin said in a video released by his office.
| 5 | 9,952 |
news
|
Velveeta processed cheese has been around since 1918, but it's popularity has been waning as America look for healthier food options --and products, like its single-serve cheese sauce were just sitting on shelves at traditional grocery stores. Kraft was about to yank the product, but that all changed when Kraft turned to dollar stores, when executives discovered the smaller packets of sauce are being gobbled up by hungry consumers, reports Reuters. "We're in the business of feeding all American families, and that's where consumers are going," Tom Lopez, vice president of growth channels at Kraft, told Reuters. Dollar stores have seen a boom in single serve package food items priced between usually priced between $1 and $10. Kraft noted an 8 percent rise in sales of its products at dollar stores, drug stores and big box retailers in the first eight months of last year. And it's not just Kraft. General Mills, for example, in response to an increase of baby boomers at dollar stores looking for smaller quantities, started putting its Fiber One brand on the shelves of dollar stores, and have seen sales spike. According to Reuters, companies Kraft, General Mills and Campbell Soup all carry several brand named items in these stores. "They [Kraft] have been for a very long period of time this kind of staple of the middle class," Robert Passikoff, president at Brand Keys, a brand consultant in New York, told Reuters. "That doesn't really seem to be the case anymore. If people are not flocking to those brands, you need to be able to look for other audiences and other distribution points." Even with an improved retail strategy, Kraft will still have to work to appeal to conservative spenders who strapped for cash. The company has been testing new products in its in-house kitchen that they believe will appeal "budget conscious" consumers. "There is no room for waste," Robin Ross, director of Kraft Kitchens, told Reuters. "There is no room to choose products and recipes that won't go over well in our families. We know that in some of these households there might be higher propensity to buy canned foods or vegetables because there is more of a guarantee that those products won't go bad before it's time for use." While packaged and canned goods reduce waste risk, industry experts believe budget retailers will also be making a move to stock their shelves with more natural, organic, or gluten-free products that are desired by American families at all income levels.
| 0 | 9,953 |
foodanddrink
|
As Queen Elizabeth II commences her 63rd year on the throne, CNN's Max Foster looks back at her reign.
| 8 | 9,954 |
video
|
Finally, millennials are flying the coop and contributing to the U.S. economy. Diane Swonk, Mesirow Financial's chief economist, told CNBC's " Squawk on the Street " on Friday that January's jobs numbers show more millennials are joining the workforce. "If you see these numbers with what we saw in household formation at the end of the year, we're starting to see millennials spread their wings and fly," she said. "We saw household formation at the end of 2014 surge at 1.7 million units after being below 400,000 for much of the recovery. … Household formation is key to getting more spending in the U.S. economy." The Bureau of Labor Statistics said Friday the economy created 257,000 jobs in January, beating estimates by about 23,000. Unemployment was 0.1-percent higher than expected at 5.7 percent, though. "Although the quantity of jobs is high and the percent of quality isn't necessarily high, there are more high-quality jobs in there as well," Swonk added, referring to post-college jobs within business and financial services, among others. She also said the U.S. labor participation rate increase indicates a boost in 35-to-40-year-olds rejoining the workforce. "They did begin to throw their hat in the ring, and what we're looking for is the tipping point of more people rejoining the labor force," Swonk said. "Unfortunately, some of the participation was really heavily concentrated in low-education categories."
| 3 | 9,955 |
finance
|
Your smartphone is your new organizational best friend Timeful Timeful is a personal calendar and list manager that constantly analyzes the way you make use of your time, which would be a little creepy if it wasn't so helpful. The app uses algorithms to learn your behavior and habits, then makes suggestions to help you be more efficient based on the time you have available, your location and even your most productive times of the day. To buy: iTunes , Free Artkive Is your home stuffed with stacks of your kids' drawings and paintings that you can't bear to throw away? Artkive allows you to store, share, print and preserve your children's art or other projects. Just take a picture of the art with your phone, and it's backed up and added to your collection. You can keep the collection digital or even make printed books of them, all using the Artkive app. To buy: iTunes , $5 Mint Bills This is for those of us who always have a nagging feeling in the back of our minds that we've forgotten to pay something, to someone, somewhere. Mint Bills is a highly secure app that organizes and tracks all of your bills, bank accounts and credit card accounts. You'll always know what's due when, be warned about potential bank overdrafts before they happen, and be able move money and pay bills either instantly or at a scheduled time in the future. To buy: Mint , Free Carrot If you find typical to-do lists and day planners boring, maybe Carrot is for you. Carrot is a to-do list meant to make getting things done both fun and addictive. Not for the easily offended, Carrot has plenty of personality and is on a mission to keep you motivated. Slack off and Carrot will get angry and berate you. But work hard to accomplish your to-do lists, and Carrot will reward you with praise and a (virtual) kitten .To buy: Carrot , $2 Boomerang Boomerang for Gmail organizes your inbox through features your email account doesn't already include. For instance, Boomerang allows you to write emails and then schedule them to be sent at a specific time in the future. You can also set reminders to follow up on emails if you haven't heard back from the recipient in a certain time frame. And perhaps the coolest feature of Boomerang is the snooze feature, which allows you to hide a message from your inbox temporarily until a set time when it's ready for attention. This means that elusive "zero inbox" may be attainable, at last! To buy: Amazon , $5/month after a free 30-day trial Checkmark 2 If you feel like you spend more time running around town than actually getting things done, Checkmark 2 might be your new hero. It's a calendar and day planner that offers location-based reminders. Receive alerts and reminders to accomplish tasks when you're in certain locations or even at set times after you've arrived at a location. For instance, Checkmark 2 can remind you to start the oven preheating 10 minutes after you arrive home from work. Another cool feature is that you can sort your to-do list by distance from your current location. No more criss-crossing town while running errands! To buy: iTunes , $4 Cozi With color-coded individual schedules for each member of the family that are completely sortable and customizable, Cozi is a family calendar for the busiest of families. Cozi can also let all members of the family instantly contribute to things like grocery lists and will send reminders about upcoming events or have an email agenda sent to everyone for the upcoming week. To buy: Cozi, Free Evernote Evernote has been around for a while but is still one of the best organizational apps out there because it keeps improving with every update. This versatile app works across multiple devices and can be used in many different ways depending on your life. Whether you need a simple to-do list, a way to organize your research project, help with long-distance collaboration on a project, or you're simply planning a vacation, there are tools within Evernote to help. To buy: iTunes , Free Shoeboxed Shoeboxed is an app that makes it incredibly easy to keep track of receipts, mileage and other expenses. Just snap a picture of a receipt with your phone, and Shoeboxed will help organize and archive your expenses. Shoeboxed can be used to archive other important paperwork as well, and can even be set to track your mileage using your phone's GPS. To buy: iTunes , Free Wunderlist Wunderlist is a manager for your to-do list that makes it easy to connect with other people, whether it's coworkers in your office or members of your family. This app works across multiple platforms and can help organize anything from grocery lists to large creative projects containing a variety of file types. You can even delegate items on your to-do list to other people, which is possibly the most satisfying feature of Wunderlist. To buy: iTunes , Free
| 4 | 9,956 |
lifestyle
|
Although it's been on sale since the 2010 model year, the Chevrolet Equinox remains popular in the crowded compact crossover segment. In fact, the Equinox was the fourth best-selling compact crossover last year, behind the Honda CR-V , Ford Escape , and Toyota RAV4 . A new teaser image released on the automaker's Facebook page and Twitter account suggests the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox is due for an update. From the teaser image, we can see that the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox receives new headlight housings with projector headlights and a new foglight design. We will have to wait to find out if those features are standard or part of a trim level or package upgrade. Other than a redesigned fascia to accommodate the reshaped headlight housings, few other details about the updated Equinox can be gathered from the teaser including whether or not this is a mid-cycle update or an all-new vehicle. Related link: Best-selling SUVs of 2014 The current Chevrolet Equinox is offered with a base 182-hp, 172 lb-ft of torque 2.4-liter four-cylinder or an available 301-hp, 272 lb-ft 3.6-liter V-6. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Front-drive is standard, while all-wheel-drive is available. The 3.6-liter engine replaced a less powerful 3.0-liter V-6 (264 hp, 222 lb-ft) as the optional engine upgrade for the 2013 model year. We will have more details on the new 2016 Chevrolet Equinox as they become available. Source: Chevrolet via Twitter
| 9 | 9,957 |
autos
|
Tiger Woods is reaching right now. Reaching for solutions to his short game issues. Reaching for ways to stay healthy. Reaching for rational explanations that frame his broken swing and dodgy back as simple, solvable problems that are, when you think about it, not all that bad. For the third time in the last twelve months, Tiger withdrew due to injury at a tournament on Thursday . His back the same back that underwent major surgery last March tightened up, and he limped off the course after 11 holes. In the parking lot after his round, he gave a convoluted explanation for what happened. He said his glutes "deactivated" during the fog delay that push back his tee time two hours. "It's just my glutes are shutting off," he said. "Then they don't activate and then, hence, it goes into my lower back. So, I tried to activate my glutes as best I could, in between, but it just they never stayed activated." This deactivated glutes theory is now the talk of the golf world, and he's being openly mocked for it . Here's the full transcript of his interview ( via ASAP Sports ): Q. When did the back start acting up? TIGER WOODS: I guess between those two suspension. When we had that break. It just never loosened back up again. And when we went back out, it just got progressively tighter. Q. Did you consider not playing? TIGER WOODS: What's that? Q. Did you consider not playing? TIGER WOODS: No. Q. How frustrating is this for you, considering everything that you've been through with your back? TIGER WOODS: It's frustrating that it started shutting down like that. I was ready to go. I had a good warm-up session the first time around. Then we stood out here and I got cold, and everything started deactivating again. And it's frustrating that I just can't stay activated. That's just kind of the way it is. Q. Is this new for you since your comeback? TIGER WOODS: Yeah, very. This is -- usually don't have to wait like this. When I'm at home practicing I keep going, keep going, this is different. Q. Same pain or a different pain? TIGER WOODS: It's just my glutes are shutting off. Then they don't activate and then, hence, it goes into my lower back. So, I tried to activate my glutes as best I could, in between, but it just they never stayed activated. Q. When did you first feel it? TIGER WOODS: Whenever we were standing there on the putting green to see if we were going to go play or not. And I tried to activate it before we went back out, but it just never did. This is a silly explanation, sure, but I'd argue that it's not just semantics. Right now Tiger Woods has some of the most serious issues a golfer can have. He has a bad back that can apparently flare up at any time, knocking him out of a tournament for no rhyme or reason. According to Brian Wacker of PGATour.com, his back also tightened up a few months ago when he was playing a recreational round with another pro and stopped to each lunch after nine holes. This is real. If his back can't hold up to a fog delay or a lunch break, how is he supposed to compete professionally on any consistent basis? But if you read between the lines on Tiger's glutes explanation, you can see that he's fighting against the conclusion that something is seriously wrong. It's not that he has a bad back that can turn on him at any moment, it's that these specific muscles didn't activate properly in this specific instance in this specific way as a result of this unusual circumstance. He's convoluting himself, reaching for a way to rationalize withdrawing because of a back issue without acknowledging that this back issue is an inherent problem that's not going away. It's hard to watch Tiger struggle with his swing and his health, and harder still to see him pull out explanations like this, because it means that there is no other optimistic explanation. Even the golf media, which is pulling for Tiger along with everyone else who cares about golf, is baffled by the whole activated glutes thing: This is where we are in the trajectory of Tiger's career. NOW WATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing a wig and glasses, surprised a young fan on the streets of Madrid
| 1 | 9,958 |
sports
|
Just when you thought the world news of 2015 had already proved the human race to be absolute trash, we appear to have reached a nadir with the arrival of BRAG Selfie , an app designed purely as an orgy of narcissism. BRAG Selfie (that all caps branding is also not endearing), created by Brag Ventures Inc. (again, not helping) has been designed to allow selfie obsessives and not-so-humble braggers a 24/7 outlet. App designers Amanda Nieto and Derek Witte say they have designed the app because we're all terrified of being "that person". One might argue that the best response to "those people" the over-sharers, the front-facing camera aficionados, the like addicts wouldn't be to create a whole app to encourage their behaviour, but rather to distribute free copies of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray and organise support meetings in town halls where members would retell the cautionary tale of Ovid's Narcissus . However, the idea of consigning all of social media's worst offending braggers to one space is tempting indeed. A pointillist nightmare of thousands of selfies, and a cacophony of cries from video clips of newborn babies uploaded by proud mothers, the BRAG app should leave more mainstream social media cleaner and sparser, allowing the rest of us to post at acceptably spaced out interludes about the poor lighting situation in the BBC's Wolf Hall . Here are the type of people we'll be glad to see the back of: Selfie saturater The "selfie" as a concept isn't new; people have been staring at themselves and taking pics in reflective surfaces since for ever, and self-portraits came into existence in the early 15th century, way before photography was invented. We've always been massive egotists. It's just that, back in those days, nobody would have developed repetitive strain injury from scrolling past a million snaps of Rembrandt pulling duck-face on Instagram. The humble bragger Humblebrag , a word added to the Oxford English Dictionary: An ostensibly modest or self-deprecating statement whose actual purpose is to draw attention to something of which one is proud: There's even a Twitter account for some of the best ones. Perfect parent Every parent thinks their child is the most amazing child to have ever walked the earth; even children who can't actually walk yet. A child is born; immediately Facebook feeds are filled with statutes the equivalent of Rafiki holding Simba aloft on Pride Rock. Do we really need to be kept abreast of a kid's every milestone? Think about it, do you actually need to change your profile picture to a baby scan? The globe-trotters The proud owners of Instagram accounts filled with snaps from every corner of the globe, including a high prevalence of pics that could feature on the Hot Dogs or Legs Tumblr. There is truly nothing more depressing than flipping through the feed of a person who doesn't even need to use the Amara filter, like ever, because the light is already perfect. Of course it is, because St Lucia. Right-on broadcasters Donating money to charity or giving to the homeless and not tweeting about it is the modern day version of a tree falling in the woods and nobody hearing it. Truly good people just do good; the rest of us have to broadcast to the world the fact that we just let a woman skip ahead in the Pret queue because otherwise she would have missed her train. Eat your heart out, Gandhi. Fitness fanatics Posts a picture of a set of abs, ribbed like a radiator, with the following caption: "BETTER GO FOR A RUN GETTING A BIT TUBBY HAHAHA!!!!! lololol." Also has a Twitter feed consisting only of automated updates from a Garmin GPS watch, and a countdown of personal bests up to whenever the next half-marathon is. The praise retweeter I'm not saying we haven't all wanted to at one time or another, because let's face it; we have, but know that every time a bit of praise is retweeted, sniggering smogs the atmosphere and, somewhere, a kitten dies. How did all of this bragging become socially acceptable? What happened to good old-fashioned self-deprecation and quiet humility? We have become a global society of ravenous self-promoters and swaggering boasters. And that, my friends, is nothing to brag about.
| 5 | 9,959 |
news
|
Facebook and LinkedIn want to boost dwindling numbers of women studying engineering and computer science with a collaborative initiative announced Friday that they hope will eventually fill thousands of lucrative Silicon Valley jobs long dominated by men. In an exclusive joint interview with The Associated Press, Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg and LinkedIn CEO Jeffrey Weiner said they're launching mentoring and support programs at colleges to get more women involved in studying technology in general, but also as future employees for their companies. Fifteen percent of Facebook Inc.'s employees working in tech jobs and 31 percent of all employees are women, according to diversity figures the company released last year. At LinkedIn Corp., women comprise 17 percent of its tech employees and 39 percent of employees overall. Most Silicon Valley companies have similar demographics. Telle Whitney, president and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute, which is a partner in the initiative, said diversity brings greater innovation in technology. "Think about it," Whitney said. "If everybody who creates a product looks the same, you know the results won't be nearly as interesting. We want for the sake of our future to have women involved in all the projects that will change our lives." Sandberg launched an international conversation about the dearth of women in positions of power with her 2011 book L ean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead . She has pressed to bring about change through her nonprofit LeanIn.org, which will provide a platform for the support groups. "A lot of our consumers, at least half, sometimes more, are women. We build a product that gives people a voice. We know we can't build a product for the world unless our teams reflect the diversity of the people who use the product," she said. But the talent pool is shrinking: The percentage of people enrolled in undergraduate computer science programs who are women peaked at 35 percent in 1985 and is now down to about 17 percent. Weiner said LinkedIn needs gender equity to better serve users. "To limit the perspective of the people building our product and services, if that's too narrow, it's going to lead to suboptimal outcomes," Weiner said. The executives would not disclose how much of a financial commitment they are making, but the investment is different in that it's more focused on peer groups and a mentoring process already established through Lean In Circles. They hope it will go global, with groups at public and private universities. Stanford University computer science student Lea Coligado, 21, said she and her female colleagues could use the support and mentorship. "There's so few of us, so we definitely stick together," she said. "I think there's a stereotype. It's understated and people don't want to say it out loud, but it's there the idea that women are just not very good at computer science and some use that to justify why our numbers are so low. It's flabbergasting." Coligado is not only good at programming, she loves it. "Programming teaches me a very distinct way of thinking," she said. "If I have a problem, I break it into chunks and conquer it." Paige Rogalski, a senior at Santa Clara University studying computer engineering, said she saw the already scarce number of girls in her program leave in their first year. "I think it was because of the intimidation factor," she said. "Computer science has been a male-dominated field." She said that while she's been mentored and largely supported, she also hears sexist comments and jokes, and was once told that her appearance was a factor in why she was hired. "It still bothers me that as a woman I have to overcome prejudice and the sexualized view of women in order to be taken completely seriously," she said. "On the other hand, this comment has pushed me to work harder and have my effort and my work stand out and be what I'm known for."
| 5 | 9,960 |
news
|
Tunisia could be expelled from the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, while the country's football federation president Wadie Jary has been issued a ban pending a letter of apology over suggestions of bias. The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) aimed the accusations in the direction of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following its controversial 2-1 AFCON quarterfinal defeat to host Equatorial Guinea on Saturday. Equatorial Guinea was staring down the barrel of defeat until Mauritian official Seechurn Rajindraparsad awarded a penalty in second-half stoppage time when Hamza Mathlouthi was penalized somewhat harshly for a foul on Ivan Bolado. Players and officials from Tunisia, including Jary, confronted Rajindraparsad on the pitch at full time and there was unrest in the stands at Estadio de Bata. CAF subsequently banned Rajindraparsad for six months and removed him from its elite panel of referees, while an apology was demanded from the FTF. AFCON officials met in Malabo on Friday and have now opted to ban Jary from all CAF activity until an apology is made, while warning that the FTF must meet certain criteria set by CAF's Disciplinary Panel by March 31 in order to participate in the tournament in two years' time. "At its meeting in Malabo, the Organising Committee for the Orange Africa Cup of Nations dealt with the behaviour of Mr. Wadie Jary, president of the Tunisian Football Federation, during the match between Tunisia and Equatorial Guinea on 31 January 2015 in Bata," read a statement from CAF. "Thus, the AFCON Organising Committee decided to suspend with immediate effect the President of the Tunisian Football Federation, Mr. Wadie Jary, from all activities related to CAF until he submitted a letter of apology or presented a letter with irrefutable, tangible evidence to substantiate claims of CAF bias against the Tunisian team. "The Executive Committee of CAF, which met on Friday, 6 February 2015 in Malabo, took note of the suspended sentence. The Committee also decided to give the Tunisian Football Federation until March 31, 2015 to comply with the recommendations of the Disciplinary Panel and the Organising Committee, otherwise the Executive Committee of CAF will disqualify Tunisian national team from the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017."
| 1 | 9,961 |
sports
|
Vice President Biden will not attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of Congress. Biden's office confirmed Friday the vice president is expected to be traveling abroad on March 3, when Netanyahu is expected to deliver his widely anticipated speech. "We are not ready to announce details of his trip yet, and normally our office wouldn't announce this early, but the planning process has been underway for a while," Biden's office said in an email. The address has infuriated the White House and congressional Democrats since Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) had arranged the speech with the prime minister without informing Obama administration officials, announcing the speech the day after the president's State of the Union. Democrats have said it's a violation of protocol, and a handful of lawmakers on Capitol Hill said they will not attend the speech. The vice president would normally attend the speech in the House chamber and sit with Boehner just behind Netanyahu as part of his duties as president of the Senate.
| 5 | 9,962 |
news
|
There are worse things in life than throwing away a Super Bowl on the goal line. You could be a Cleveland Brown. Since Nov. 23, when the Browns won in Atlanta and moved to 7-4, life has been a series of body shots. They lost their last five games. Receiver Josh Gordon is already suspended for all of 2015. Johnny Manziel is in rehab. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan got out of his contract and took the same job in Atlanta, after he reportedly gave management a 32-point list of why he wanted to leave. Beyond all that is the NFL's investigation of the front office, particularly general manager Ray Farmer, for sending texts to the Browns' sideline during games. Most of the texts were ex post facto critiques of play-calling, and evaluations of players that head coach Mike Pettine was expected to follow. GORDON GONE: Browns' receiver suspended for entire year, without pay The league could remove a first-round draft pick for that, although the Browns obviously can't handle the ones they have. Last year they took cornerback Justin Gilbert with the No 8 pick, which hasn't worked out, and then Manziel with No. 22, when Derek Carr and Teddy Bridgewater were available. Noted thumb-rubber Manziel thumbed his nose at the Browns. He wasn't ready to play when called upon, and when he landed on injured reserve he threw a Friday night party that led to Gordon missing a team meeting. Brian Hoyer got most of the starts at quarterback but now is a free agent, after Petine benched him for Manziel. The only QB on the current roster is Connor Shaw, who completed 14-of-28 passes in his lone game last year after going undrafted out of South Carolina. GETTING HELP: Johnny Manziel enters treatment facility Tight end Justin Cameron, an unrestricted free agent, has reportedly made it clear he's intent on leaving this wasteland as well. So it's likely the Browns will have their fifth quarterback in five years, and certainly they will have their third offensive coordinator in three. Pettine was the Browns' fourth coach in six years.He is expected back, but who knows? The city sighs as owner Jimmy Haslem unleashes his third, or fourth, Grand Plan, for a franchise nicknamed after the most visionary and consistent coach in NFL history. Paul Brown doesn't live there anymore. Neither does the last guy to coach Art Modell's version of the Browns, a fellow named Belichick. Mark Whicker is a columnist for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. His work appears here on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Here is his full archive .
| 1 | 9,963 |
sports
|
People who have seen Clint Eastwood's hugely successful American Sniper will be allowed on the jury for the trial of Eddie Ray Routh the man accused of murdering Chris Kyle, the sniper of the film's title. As the trial's start date approaches, Texas judge Jason Cashon told potential jurors that it did not matter if they'd seen the film, as long as they could put aside "pre-trial hearsay and media reports". But Routh's defence lawyers are concerned the film could prevent their client from having a fair trial, the Telegraph reports. American Sniper tells the story of Kyle, the most lethal sniper in US history with 160 confirmed kills across four tours in the Iraq war. After returning to the US, he met Routh, taking him to a gun range as the pair tried to work through post-traumatic stress disorder that Routh was suffering from, following his career as a marine. Routh is alleged to have shot and killed Kyle and his companion Chad Littlefield on the range, before fleeing in Kyle's vehicle. The incident is not portrayed in American Sniper, which ends as Kyle meets Routh, though it is mentioned in a postscript. Related: American Sniper: an old-fashioned western in military uniform Some jurors have already been rejected for saying their minds were already made up about the case, including a schoolteacher who had followed initial reports of the shootings on Fox News. A reported 800 potential jurors are currently being whittled down to 12, ahead of the trial beginning on Wednesday next week in Erath County, Texas. Routh is pleading not guilty, by reason of insanity. American Sniper has become the highest-grossing war film at the box office, and the most successful of Eastwood's directorial career, with $324m (£211m) worldwide so far. It is nominated for six Academy Awards including best picture and best actor for Bradley Cooper's performance as Kyle.
| 5 | 9,964 |
news
|
RadioShack Corp (RSHC.PK) will use a $285 million debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from DW Partners LP, a credit-focused fund manager, to back its operation during Chapter 11, according to a company statement. The troubled electronics retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday saddled with $1.38 billion in debt, according to court documents. RadioShack said it has $1.2 billion of assets, according to the same documents. The DIP financing includes a $15 million subfacility for new letters of credit. It also rolls up the company's prepetition revolver and first-in, last-out facility. It has $20 million of incremental borrowing capacity. RadioShack's prepetition debt includes a $535 million credit facility due in 2018 with approximately $250 million outstanding. Radio Shack originally lined up the 2018 credit agreement with a $535 million asset-based revolver, also provided by DW Partners, and a $50 million asset-based term loan in December 2013 with a lenders group led by GE Capital. According to court documents, the lenders sold their interests to Standard General LP on October 3, 2014. At that time, the credit agreement was amended, splitting the $535 million revolver into a $275 million term loan, a $120 million letter of credit facility and a $140 million revolving facility. Cantor Fitzgerald served as the administrative agent. This credit agreement is secured by a first-priority lien on the current assets and second-priority lien on the fixed assets, intellectual property and equity interests of subsidiaries. RadioShack also has a $250 million term loan dating back to December 2013. This agreement is with Salus Capital Partners LLC and Cerberus Capital Management. It is secured with a second-priority claim on current assets and a first-priority lien on fixed assets. In addition to the loan debt, RadioShack has $330 million outstanding of 6.75 percent unsecured notes due May 15, 2019. Hedge fund Standard General is acting as the stalking horse bidder for the purchase of up to 2,400 stores. RadioShack is proposing an expedited sale process that would be completed within 45 days. Standard General has separately reached an agreement with Sprint to form a "store within a store" in up to 1,750 of the Radio Shack locations.
| 3 | 9,965 |
finance
|
On Wednesday, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams made a formal apology for repeating a story of his getting shot down in a helicopter in Iraq. It didn't really happen. "I made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago," Williams said, adding , "I want to apologize. I said I was traveling in an aircraft that was hit by RPG fire. I was instead in a following aircraft ... I don't know what screwed up in my mind that caused me to conflate one aircraft with another." Regardless of how this ultimately affects Williams' career , the saga brings up some uncomfortable questions about the nature of memory. Is it even possible to misremember being shot out of the sky? To believe that it happened when it didn't? The research says: maybe , thanks to the fact that we're terrible at remembering. Writing for the New Yorker, Maria Konnikova reports on a group of Emory University students who were in school at the time of the Challenger shuttle explosion and completely misremembered their experiences. Konnikova tells the story of one of the students involved, given the name R. T.: R. T. first heard about the Challenger explosion as she and her roommate sat watching television in their Emory University dorm room. A news flash came across the screen, shocking them both. R. T., visibly upset, raced upstairs to tell another friend the news. Then she called her parents. Two and a half years after the event, she remembered it as if it were yesterday: the TV, the terrible news, the call home. She could say with absolute certainty that that's precisely how it happened. Except, it turns out, none of what she remembered was accurate. The day after the explosion, she showed up to her psychology class lead by Ulric Neisser, a cognitive psychologist and memory researcher. R. T. and other students filled out a detailed questionnaire: " Where were the students when they heard the news? Whom were they with? What were they doing?" Two and a half years later, Neisser and his colleagues checked in with the students. As Konnikova reports, the differences in recall were staggering: In the fall of 1988, two and a half years later, the questionnaire was given a second time to the same students. It was then that R. T. recalled, with absolute confidence, her dorm-room experience. But when Neisser and Harsch compared the two sets of answers, they found barely any similarities. According to R. T.'s first recounting, she'd been in her religion class when she heard some students begin to talk about an explosion. She didn't know any details of what had happened, "except that it had exploded and the schoolteacher's students had all been watching, which I thought was sad." After class, she went to her room, where she watched the news on TV, by herself, and learned more about the tragedy. Neisser published his findings in a 1992 paper titled "Phantom flashbulbs: False recollections of hearing the news about Challenger." "The most noteworthy outcome of this study is that over 40% of the informants were clearly inconsistent across the two occasions," Ulric writes . "These results bring the accuracy of flashbulb memories into question." The students' memories of the Challenger explosion "were vivid, clear and wrong," Konnikova says. "There was no relationship at all between confidence and accuracy." So, at least in theory, there may be a scientific explanation for Williams' journalistic snafu: One can be totally convinced of how a traumatic episode unfolded in one's life, but be completely wrong about what actually happened. The mis-remembering shows the brain isn't a computer it's an organ, and a bewildering one at that. NOW WATCH: What Happened When A Bunch Of Young Boys Were Told To Hit A Girl
| 6 | 9,966 |
entertainment
|
Jordanian Interior Minister Hussein Majali tells CNN's Becky Anderson that Jordan is the spearhead of the war with ISIS, not the U.S.
| 8 | 9,967 |
video
|
Travel + Leisure magazine has released their 10th annual editors' choice awards, picking 43 properties they deemed to be 'transformative hotels' for 2015. Hotels that made the cut fit into tidy categories such as "Far-flung Fantasy," "Style setter," "Instant Classic," and "Design Star." Among the stand-outs is the Pikaia Lodge on the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, the only property singled out for being an "Eco-Pioneer." Located on a plateau on top of two extinct volcano craters, the lodge boasts rights to being called the archipelago's first carbon-neutral five-star resort and offers sweeping views of the Galapagos islands. Rooms are modern and spacious and activities include island expeditions by boat, snorkeling, scuba diving, and mountain biking. If you want to roll like an "A-Lister," meanwhile, The Brando, in French Polynesia, is the place to go. The remote, secluded resort is a 20-minute flight from Tahiti and features 35 ultra-private villas, all built to respect the local environment as well, with seawater-powered air conditioning, and the use of local, recovered wood. The resort is the fruition of late actor Marlon Brando's lifelong dream. Another interesting find is Cape Weligama, classified as a "Far-Flung Fantasy" for being located on the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka. Forty private terracotta-tiled retreats overlook the Indian Ocean and offer private butler services, gardens, dining and spa facilities. And in the category of "Indie Darling," a boutique hotel in a quaint, but sleepy part of Ontario, Canada, Prince Edward County, is given nods for generating buzz and attracting creative, urban professionals to the rural area. It helps that the Drake Devonshire Inn was opened by the same folks who run the Drake Hotel, a hipster hotel and Toronto hotspot. The county is known for producing some of the best Pinot Noirs in the country. For the full list, which appears in the March issue of Travel + Leisure magazine, visit http://www.travelandleisure.com/slideshows/it-list-the-best-new-hotels .
| 2 | 9,968 |
travel
|
If you have the dough, you may want to roll the dice and see if your returns grow If you're looking to gamble and place your bets on a high-roller investment, who better to talk to than a financial advisor based in Vegas, baby? "As an investor, looking at situations where the risk-reward possibilities are dramatically in your favor can result in some potentially lucrative results," says Yale Bock, founder and president of YH&C Investments in Las Vegas and a manager of two portfolios on Covestor, an online investment management platform. Note the words "can result." Bock and other investment mavens caution that there's never a sure thing when it comes to big returns. But if you have the stomach for rolling the dice, you might just reap returns that are nice really nice. Here are 10 investments primed to either rock your portfolio or sink it like a stone in 2015: 1. Liberty Broadband (symbol: LBRDA) This spinoff of Liberty Media has a 25 percent stake in Charter Communications, and that's where it gets interesting. "Charter has an agreement with Comcast to buy and swap cable assets, as long as Comcast's buy of Time Warner Cable gets regulatory approval," Bock says. "If it goes through, Charter will eventually become the second-largest cable company in the U.S., and their subscriber numbers will nearly triple." If it doesn't go through, Bock thinks Charter may look for another acquisition opportunity, but it will also face the risk of erosion in its core cable business. 2. Energy-related junk bonds The bonds of many exploration and production companies are selling at huge discounts, says David Twibell, president and founder of Custom Portfolio Group in Englewood, Colorado. "Buying these bonds now at discount prices not only locks in their high yields, but provides an opportunity for capital appreciation when oil prices recover. Don't expect energy bonds to recover overnight. You'll likely need to hold onto these for a year or more. But for capital gains that could top 10 percent, along with a similar yield for the duration of the bond, that's not a bad bet." 3. Bet the dollar against the yen Foreign exchange is always trickier than it looks. But the Japanese currency is in crisis, says John O'Donnell, chief knowledge officer of the Online Trading Academy, based in Irvine, California. "I think the yen is going to decline, so I want to be short on the yen and long on the dollar," he notes. "Japan's in deep, deep financial trouble. They've been in and out of serious deflation pockets for 24 years. Their total debt as a percentage of [gross domestic product] is a disaster. We're now at about 115 yen to the dollar, and I see no reason why we won't go to 200. The Japanese economy is a bug in search of a windshield." 4. Bet the dollar against the euro The hot news is that the European Central Bank will begin quantitative easing . And that presents a hotter opportunity, says Jeff Sica, founder, president and chief investment officer of Circle Squared Alternative Investments in Morristown, New Jersey. "With the U.S. already finished with its own easing program, I expect the dollar to gradually strengthen, especially versus the now-weakened euro," he says. As for the time frame, "I see this short of the euro working now and throughout 2015," Sica says. 5. Gold, silver and platinum These precious metals are already conducting a stealth rally in 2015, says Paul Irvine, the Kleinheinz endowed chair in international finance and investments at Texas Christian University's Neeley School of Business. "As 'permabear' [and Swiss fund investor] Marc Faber puts it, he'd like to short central banks in 2015 but can't do that directly. The best way to short central banks is to own gold, silver or platinum. You should already be positioned," Irvine says. 6. Alibaba (BABA) The $25 billion initial public offering of China's biggest online commerce company made history in 2014 as the largest on record. But there's more history to be made, says Ron Weiner, founder, president and CEO of the RDM Financial Group in Westport, Connecticut and Boca Raton, Florida. "Alibaba is the next Amazon on The Street, without having inventory," Weiner says. While it's a mid-term investment, he still thinks Alibaba could see "returns in excess of 30 percent over the next 12 to 24 months, and there could easily be more." 7. Seventy Seven Energy (SSE) When you're making a gamble, it's hard to resist betting on sevens. Heavy insider buying of stock in this oil field supply and services firm is the key here, according to Jim Osman, CEO of The Edge Consulting Group in London and New York. "Insiders continue to accumulate SSE at lower levels," Osman says. "But the market is valuing SSE more in relation to the steep fall in the crude oil prices and expectation of even lower prices in the near future." His advice is to ignore the naysayers and trust the insiders, who've paid as little as $6.18 a share in December for a stock he predicts could hit $16.37. 8. Classic cars Who says high-rolling can't be fast-rolling, too? "Classic cars are a passion investment likely to produce enormous returns," says Paige Stover Hague, a principal in Crowninshield Consulting in Boston. Data from the Historic Automobile Group International shows that "rare historic" cars appreciated by nearly 16 percent in 2014. "This large appreciation rate is thought to be due simply to supply and demand. The amount of classic car investors is on the rise, and the amount of collectible cars is staying pretty much the same," she says. 9. Biglari Holdings (BH) Do you like Steak 'n Shake or Cracker Barrel? You may want to take a bite out of this San Antonio company, which owns all of the former and 20 percent of the latter. "The interesting part of this position is you're aligning with CEO Sardar Biglari, who has built a very good short-term record with undervalued companies," Bock says. "But many investors don't like his compensation structure and his absolute control of capital allocation." Characterized as combative and controversial his move to standardize Steak 'n Shake menus prompted lawsuits from some franchisees, for example Biglari is also a Warren Buffett acolyte. So perhaps some of that Omaha Oracle pixie dust will supercharge his holdings, which also include Maxim magazine. 10. Contemporary art You don't have to be an art lover to fall for the potentially enormous returns. Hague points out that the market came off a record-breaking stretch in 2012 to 2013, when sales rose 33 percent. Over the last 10 years, the market has seen a 1,078 percent increase, according to Hague, who cites Artprice's Annual Global Index report for 2013-2014. But you have to be very wealthy to afford the work of established artists such as Jeff Koons. That could mean speculating on lesser-known names. "Just as with any form of investment, good decision-making requires a great deal of research and consultation with key people who have their finger on the pulse of the market," Hague advises.
| 3 | 9,969 |
finance
|
ISIS is claiming that a Jordanian airstrike killed an American female hostage.
| 8 | 9,970 |
video
|
The Oregon Ducks mascot, Puddles, has officially joined the dating app Tinder. You now have a chance to be his date to Sunday's men's basketball game vs Washington State. Would you date Puddles, the Oregon Duck?
| 1 | 9,971 |
sports
|
Breaking up is hard to do, especially around Valentine's Day. A breakup or a divorce can be an extremely stressful time. During this time of high anxiety and stress, many folks turn to high-calorie comfort foods such as fried chicken, gooey macaroni and cheese, and massive ice cream sundaes. Instead of letting these foods get the best of you and your waistline, alleviate some of the stress by including these five foods in your diet. 1. Salmon Fatty fish like salmon help keep you calm by managing adrenalin levels. Omega-3 fatty acids also help with healthy hair and skin, which can help make you look and feel great perhaps for your next love interest! Other foods to try: tuna, sardines, walnuts, flaxseeds, canola oil, tofu 2. Almonds A breakup or divorce can lead to high levels of stress. To help boost your immune system, almonds provide the antioxidant vitamin E and zinc. Almonds also have a nice amount of B vitamins, which also help your body cope with anxiety and stress. An ounce of blanched almonds contains 163 calories and 12 grams of fat (mostly the healthy, unsaturated kind), so enjoy in small portions, like a small handful. Other foods to try: walnuts, pistachios 3. Greek Yogurt When you are stressed out, your stomach may get funky. You may experience bellyaches or bouts of diarrhea. The live and active cultures found in Greek yogurt can help keep your tummy from acting up and many also contain probiotics to help keep your digestive system in order . Greek yogurt also provides a boost of protein and calcium with every luscious spoonful. Other foods to try: traditional yogurt, some frozen yogurt, kefir 4. Dark Chocolate Studies have linked dark chocolate to lower levels of stress hormones. Dark chocolate also contains sugar (a type of carbohydrate), which stimulates the release of the mood-improving hormone serotonin. Be careful not to overindulge in chocolate, however, as it contains around 150 calories and 9 grams of fat per ounce. Instead, enjoy in moderation by eating 1-ounce portions no more than once a day. 5. Whole-Grain Cereal Many people turn to high-carb foods to make them feel better. This is because after eating foods high in carbs, the brain releases the feel-good chemical serotonin. But many people tend to overdo it when it comes to carbs. Instead of forgoing all carbs (and the good-for-you nutrients they provide!), choose whole-grain cereal. The Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend making half of your grains whole. So you can eat healthier and alleviate stress all in one bite. When your stress levels are high, enjoy a relaxing bowl of whole-grain cereal with low fat milk one of my favorite easy-to-make dinners, too! You can also tote whole-grain cereal, so you can munch on it any time of day. Whole-grain cereals to try: Grapenuts, Erewhon Raisin Bran, Kashi GOLEAN and GOLEAN Crunch!, Barbara's Original Puffins and Cinnamon Puffins, Cascadian Farms Hearty Morning and Multi-Grain Squares Complementing these foods with regular physical activity can help reduce stress levels even more. It's Also About How You Eat Many people plop on the couch with a bag of chips and finish the entire package without realizing it. Many folks also like to eat while using multiple electronic devices, which makes them oblivious to what food is going in their mouths. Being aware of the environment you eat in is just as important as the healthy food choices you make. This concept is known as mindful eating , and is important because it can help decrease overall stress, which can keep calories in check especially if you are a stress eater (or overeater). Here are three things you can do to eat more mindfully: Assess your hunger. Many people confuse stress with hunger. Rate your hunger on a scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the most hungry) and think about the last time you ate. If you are truly hungry, then fix yourself a bite to eat. If it is the stress talking, then go out for a run , take a hot bath or let off steam some other way that is not associated with food. Create a serene environment. Turn off all electronic devices for the duration of your meal. Those emails, texts and tweets can wait 30 minutes. Enjoy a pleasant meal with family or friends and enjoy good old conversation. Make time for meals and snacks. The worst thing is to eat while on the run . It just makes for a high-stress environment. Set aside 5 to 10 minutes for a quiet snack and 20 to 30 minutes for a meal. Take the time to enjoy your food and savor every bite. Editor's note: Toby Amidor is a spokeswoman for Kashi. Copyright 2015 U.S. News & World Report
| 7 | 9,972 |
health
|
The Disneyland measles outbreak , which has continued to spread, made me realize we haven't talked about vaccinations and other travel-related health issues in a while. If you plan to visit another country, not only does it make sense to be protected against prevalent diseases, sometimes it's also a condition of entry. To use one example, China requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for any traveler over nine months of age arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission, even if you only transit the airport in that country. In other words, it's not always a choice to skip a shot if you want to travel. But beyond the question of choice, let's consider some facts as they pertain to measles. Before there was a vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 3 to 4 million people got the measles each year in the U.S. and 400 to 500 died. By the mid-'90s, the number dropped to fewer than 1,000 cases per year, and in some years fewer than 100, with zero to two deaths. What caused the reduction? As much as some still believe the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine is unsafe and ineffective, the study often quoted to make the case was debunked long ago. In fact, not only was it erroneous, it was proven fraudulent in 2011 . Even Jenny McCarthy backtracked on her anti-vaccine views , albeit awkwardly. The drop in measles cases coincides with the use of the vaccine. Given the numbers, that's not a coincidence. If you don't believe in the effectiveness of vaccinations and choose to avoid them, please don't travel. You're more likely to contract a preventable disease and either infect someone in another country, or return with new bugs in your own veins and infect someone in your own neighborhood. If, on the other hand, you recognize that vaccines are effective, listen to the CDC. First, it recommends you are up to date on routine shots, including MMR, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, chickenpox, polio, and a yearly flu shot. And here's what it has to say about them: "Why are routine vaccines important for travelers? "Because of good vaccine coverage of children in the United States, some of the diseases prevented by routine vaccines rarely occur here. However, these diseases can be much more common in other countries, even in areas where you wouldn't normally worry about travel-related illnesses. For example, in 2011, there was a large outbreak of measles in Europe, and many unvaccinated American travelers were infected. Some even brought it back home and spread it to other unvaccinated people in their communities. Being up-to-date on your routine vaccines will give you the best protection against these illnesses." If you believe that organizations like the CDC and the World Health Organization are doing their best to improve and protect our health, then it stands to reason that you should follow their recommendations for vaccinations and other preventive measures when traveling, aside from the requirements issued by the respective governments themselves. The CDC includes a great tool on its website that allows you to select the country you plan to visit and quickly check boxes about the type of traveler you are e.g. traveling with children, going on a cruise ship, mission/disaster relief, etc. It then takes you to a page about the country with specific sections titled, Vaccines and Medicines, Stay Healthy and Safe, Healthy Travel Packing List, Travel Health Notices, and After Your Trip. It even has a Clinician View option for doctors seeking recommendations for their patients. It's not always a choice to skip a shot if you want to travel. If you want even more info, or if you like to double-verify, you can review the International Travel and Health section of the WHO website. And for a quick primer about some of the more common diseases, check out Dr. Richard Dawood's recommendations from our own pages, where he describes How to Deal with Pricks . And speaking of those sometimes terror inducing needles, here's a little helpful information from my father-in-law, Dr. Phil Goscienski, who is a retired pediatric infectious diseases specialist: Needle technology has advanced in the last couple decades. Vaccination needles tend to be thinner and sharper than they used to be and less painful, so you don't have to feel as bad when it's time for your kids or you to get a shot. See more travel health tips on CNTraveler.com
| 2 | 9,973 |
travel
|
Checkpoints Race, a virtual running competition that's calling itself the "world's first social running league," is redefining what it means to participate in a race with the introduction of its "social, digital, and connected challenge." According to a news release about the "event," the competition will take place across a five-month period from May to September 2015. Runners from the US, the UK, and France will compete in teams of five, and the top 50 teams with the most points will win a "ticket to the final race" an all-expenses paid trip to the French Alps where the "Grand Finale Relay Race" will take place in September. Here's how it will work: Start by simply using your favorite run-tracking apps to record your workouts. When you download and open the Checkpoints app, all of your running data will synchronize this earns your team points. You can earn more points for your team by completing Checkpoint Race challenges. Half of your team's points will come from you and your teammates' running performance, and the other half will come from your "supporters." According to the Checkpoints Race website, "The more your supporters run for your team, the more points you score." The end goal is to score as many points as possible, boost your team's ranking, and rise to the top so you can qualify for the Grand Finale Relay Race. The project stands to serve as a platform for runners from all over the world to connect, share their goals and achievements, and motivate each other to keep moving forward. Oh yeah, and then there's the chance that you could win a trip to France, too. Imagine how motivated we'd all feel if all exercise activities ended with a chance to win a free vacation. Learn more at checkpointsrace.com .
| 7 | 9,974 |
health
|
Technology companies such as Google are unlikely to become mass car manufacturers, even if they have the potential to disrupt an industry increasingly focused on software and automated driving, the head of German carmaker Daimler (DAIGn.DE) has said. In recent years, automakers and Silicon Valley companies have grown increasingly inter-dependent because next-generation cars need advanced software and sensors, shaking up the traditional pecking order among carmakers and their suppliers. While Google (GOOGL.O) unveiled an advanced self-driving car last year, Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche said the U.S. company's objective was probably to better understand how cars are used, rather than to become a manufacturer in its own right. "Google and the likes want to get involved, I don't think in the first place to build vehicles," Zetsche told analysts, adding that Google was studying the home, the office and the car as places where people spend time. "We have to understand that, and then to find our roles, to which extent they are complementary, to which extent we become dependent, to which extent we are competitors," he added. Daimler, which owns the Mercedes-Benz brand, will put great emphasis on controlling data from self-driving and other cars. "When we talk about high safety with Mercedes, it does not apply specifically for protection from accidents, but this means safety of their personal data as well. To be able to provide that, we have to keep control, and we can't do that when it is collected by Google," Zetsche said.
| 9 | 9,975 |
autos
|
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) Gonzaga, one of the original mid-major noisemakers, made a big splash two years ago by reaching No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 and earning a top seed in the NCAA tournament. This year's team, up to No. 2 in the latest poll, has a chance to be even better. These Bulldogs may not have athletic big men like Kelly Olynyk and Elias Harris, but they are deeper, have more ways to score and have been through the grinder that comes with facing their opponents' best shot every night. ''This team has guys who can score in different ways,'' senior guard Kevin Pangos said. ''There are not so many role guys, as guys who can do everything.'' Gonzaga (23-1, 11-0 West Coast) has five players who score in double figures and the production barely drops off when the starters come out. Everyone on the roster, it seems, can score and do a little bit of everything. Another difference from the 2012-13 squad is experience. Being No. 1 and the pressure that comes with it was all new to the Bulldogs two years ago. This year's team knew the expectations were coming and embraced them, in part because four of the players had been through it before: Pangos, Gary Bell Jr., Kyle Dranginis and Przemek Karnowski all played on the 2012-13 team. ''It was a bit surreal,'' Pangos said, referring to the end of that season. ''We expected it going into this year.'' And they have a shot to get to the top spot again. Gonzaga is the bully of the West Coast Conference, a lightly regarded league of private schools that the Bulldogs are once again dominating. Critics often point to a soft league schedule as an advantage for Gonzaga, one that teams from power conferences do not have. Gonzaga is listed eighth in the latest RPI. Virginia, which had been No. 2, lost to No. 4 Duke last week to clear the way for Gonzaga to move up from No. 3 this week. Top-ranked Kentucky is more likely to lose in coming weeks than are the Bulldogs, who went undefeated and largely unchallenged through the first half of the WCC slate. Gonzaga has eight regular-season games left, all against teams it has already beaten in what is turning out to be a down season for the league. Gonzaga's only loss was in overtime at then-No. 3 Arizona on Dec. 6. Since then they've won 16 straight. Their closest league win was 78-76 at Pepperdine. Coach Mark Few said his team has a great ability to focus on the present. ''We haven't really let our guard down,'' Few said. ''We've gotten sloppy at the end of some games. Pepperdine, it was just missing free throws and a pretty poor defensive effort in the second half. But we have four more games on the road against inspired teams in front of sell-out crowds. So that's to be continued.'' Gonzaga's top offensive weapon this year has been Kyle Wiltjer, a transfer from Kentucky who leads the team with an average of 15 points per game. The 6-foot-10 Wiltjer is effective inside but is also shooting 44 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free throw line. Pangos, a Wooden Award candidate, averages 12 points and is shooting 46 percent from 3-point range. He's also dished out 115 assists against only 30 turnovers. Karnowski, a 7-1 center from Poland, is averaging 11 points and 6 rebounds per game. Byron Wesley was last year's leading scorer and rebounder for Southern California, but transferred as a graduate student to Gonzaga for his final season so he could make the NCAA tournament. He's averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds. Freshman Domantas Sabonis, son of Arvydas, is the fifth player averaging double figures at 10 points per game. He leads the team with seven rebounds per game despite coming off the bench. Overall, Gonzaga averages 80.9 points per game while allowing opponents just 60.2. The 2012-13 team finished 32-3 after losing in the NCAA tournament to Wichita State. Olynyk became a lottery pick and Harris played briefly with the Los Angeles Lakers and now plays in Germany. A big difference this year is the emergence of Wiltjer, Few said. ''He just adds a different dimension with that skill package he brings,'' Few said. ''The way we're moving the ball is vastly different than (2013), although that team was extremely efficient on offense, too.''
| 1 | 9,976 |
sports
|
Former Rep. Wes Cooley, R-Ore., who served one term in Congress, died Wednesday at the age of 82. KTVZ, a Bend, Ore., television station reported that Cooley's wife, Rosemary, sent an email to friends notifying them Cooley had died at St. Charles Medical Center-Bend. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., who managed Cooley's 1994 campaign and currently represents Cooley's former district, released the following statement Friday: "My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Wes Cooley during this difficult time of loss. Despite his various legal issues over the last 20 years, I know he cared deeply about the rural West and the country." Walden is referring to the scandals that plagued the Oregon Republican, which helped lead to his demise in Congress. Cooley was elected to Congress in 1994 after serving in the Oregon Senate. But he dropped out of his 1996 re-election bid amid allegations he falsely claimed that he served in the Korean War. In 1997, he was convicted of lying on an official document about his service. But Cooley would face other legal troubles in the coming years. According to The Oregonian , he was indicted for money laundering and tax evasion in 2009, and was sentenced to one year in prison in 2012 for investment fraud. He was reportedly released from prison in September 2013. While in Congress, Cooley garnered negative media attention for some of his outbursts. He famously gave Sierra Club demonstrators the middle finger at the Capitol, which was captured by a photographer. In 1996, Cooley also mistakenly took an April Fools Roll Call article seriously, referring to it at a meeting. When a Portland Oregonian reporter asked to speak to him about a mix up in the Speaker's Lobby, Cooley stormed out and angrily confronted her. A 1996 Roll Call article detailed the incident, noting Cooley shouted, "The only thing that is saving you from getting your nose busted is that you're a lady." Cooley's office issued an apology, saying he was frustrated by "relentless assaults on my character, my record of military service, and frankly, on my duties as a congressman." The article noted, "Cooley's reputation for unorthodox behavior began as soon as he arrived on Capitol Hill." Cooley's decision not to run for re-election also made Roll Call's front page. In a statement announcing his decision, Cooley acknowledged that his embattled reputation was giving Democrats an advantage in the race. Cooley said, "The chance that a liberal politician could win the 2nd District is a risk that I'm not willing to take." The 114th: CQ Roll Call's Guide to the New Congress Get breaking news alerts and more from Roll Call in your inbox or on your iPhone .
| 5 | 9,977 |
news
|
A Food Lover's Guide to New Orleans New Orleans is known for many things: jazz music, Mardi Gras celebrations, its beautiful architecture. But the city is perhaps best-known for its food, including legendary local dishes (gumbo, beignets, and other delicious things); an abundance of classic, white-tablecloth restaurants (including Commander's Palace); its history as an originator of cocktails like the Sazerac and the Vieux Carré; and as an incubator of up-and-coming, innovative chefs. If you're not sure where to start, this guide provides a handy introduction to the New Orleans food scene, both old and new. Browse: Cajun and Creole cuisine The iconic foods you must try There are many in this city: gulf oysters, particularly at the venerable Casamento's, along with their famous oyster loaf; a po'boy, at Parkway Bakery & Tavern or perhaps Verti Marte; and then there's gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, muffuletta, and red beans and rice. On the sweet end of things, there's the beloved beignet (best sampled at Cafe du Monde) and snowballs from Hansen's Sno-Bliz. Where to get a boozy lunch The concept of "Friday lunch" is a New Orleans thing, and the place to experience this local tradition is Galatoire's. Be sure to dress to impress, and prepare to wait for a table at the downstairs dining room, which is often crowded with both locals who may have their own regular waiter and tourists. (Out-of-towners probably won't have a regular waiter, but that's okay.) Enjoy the requisite pre-meal cocktail, bask in the boisterous atmosphere, gleefully tip back champagne, and linger into dusk. An upscale dinner date John Besh is one of the city's best-known and most respected chefs, with restaurants that run the gamut from a cozy pizzeria to a spirited taqueria. But Restaurant August, the chef's flagship eatery, is extra special. It's located in a 19th-century building in the Central Business District, and serves a hybrid French-Creole menu, with specialties like foie gras, oysters, and roasted duckling. The hottest ticket in town Originating and headquartered in NOLA, Dinner Lab is a members-only, pop-up supper club that has taken 20-plus cities by storm. Co-founded by Brian Bordainick, the concept works to makes dining out more about the experience. Interaction is encouraged with communal seating and after-dinner scorecards, and dishes from up-and-coming chefs are served in charming warehouse-like digs. The best food neighborhoods The Central Business District (CBD) is home to Donald Link's Cochon (get the bubbling rabbit dumplings dish served in a cast iron skillet), along with Besh's Domenica and Lüke, both known for humming happy hours. Head to Bywater for Maurepas Foods, Bacchanal, and Elizabeth's for brunch. For a sweet-tooth fix Executive chef Tariq Hanna and his pastry chefs at Sucré dessert boutique make innovative and seriously stunning sweets. From delicate French macaroons to regal rows of elegantly crafted chocolates and scoops of silky gelato, the Magazine Street outpost is a bustling must-stop for any dessert lover. What you might not know about the New Orleans food scene The city has a thriving Vietnamese community as a result of a mass immigration to New Orleans in the 1970s. Since, New Orleans has been a hotbed for crusty banh mi sandwiches and steaming bowls of fragrant pho, at spots like Lilly's Cafe and Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery. And a final reason to pack your stretchy pants… New Orleans has fantastic fried chicken. Willie Mae's Scotch House, Dooky Chase's, Coop's Place, and Jacque-Imo's all make a mighty mean bird. See more great food in New Orleans on CNTraveler.com More from Condé Nast Traveler The Best Cities in the World 15 Places You Won't Believe Exist How Not to Look Like a Tourist in Paris
| 0 | 9,978 |
foodanddrink
|
The 2014 season was full of surprises. Kevin Harvick won the Chase in his first season with Stewart-Haas Racing. Ryan Newman finished second in his first year with Richard Childress Racing. Joey Logano finally became a star and emerged as a legitimate championship contender. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had his best season since 2004, winning four races. MORE: Why first-year teams succeed | Stewart ready to race | Kurt Busch update | Danica wants new contract Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski mixed things up on and off the track, and Jimmie Johnson had the worst points finish of his career. And NASCAR's new Chase delivered, producing a thrilling, down-to-the-last-lap championship race that erased all doubts about more changes to the playoff format. What does 2015 have in store? Which drivers will excel in Season 2 of the new Chase era, and which teams will step up and challenge Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas? Here's a look at our preseason Power Rankings. 1 Kevin Harvick It's very difficult to repeat as champion unless you're Jimmie Johnson but Harvick seems poised and determined to do it. "He's not one of those guys who is content winning one of anything," teammate and boss Tony Stewart says. As quickly as they clicked last year, Harvick and crew chief Rodney Childers should have no problem adapting to the new rules. And they clearly solved their pit crew problems late last year. With everything in tact, Harvick enters a season for the first time as the favorite. 2 Brad Keselowski Keselowski was as wild and aggressive as ever during the Chase, and don't expect that to change just because his girlfriend is expecting a baby. Keselowski won a series-high six races last year and should be just as fast and aggressive this season. His biggest worry might be other drivers not cutting him any slack on the track or off after the trouble he stirred up last season. MORE: Keselowski not backing down 3 Jeff Gordon Gordon will be the sentimental favorite to win the championship in his final full season and if he gets the right breaks, he could do it. The four-time champion won four races and scored more overall points than any driver last year and came within one point of advancing to the championship round. He had the fastest car at Homestead and might have won it all had he advanced. The Chase format has prevented Gordon from winning at least three more championships. It would be a fitting if he finally won it in the final year of his career. MORE: Gordon doesn't want No. 24 retired 4 Joey Logano Logano, 24, made huge strides last year and finally is living up to the high expectations that followed him to Cup. His five wins were a career-high and he advanced to the championship round of the Chase. If not for a bad pit stop late in the race, he might have won it all. Logano showed tremendous maturity last year and got married during the offseason. He appears to be developing into a championship driver. If he gets a few breaks in the Chase, he should be in the title hunt again. 5 Jimmie Johnson Johnson had one of the worst seasons of his career last year, getting eliminated in the second round of the Chase and finishing a career-low eighth in the standings. But he still won four races and led 1,310 laps. That's a career year for most. Johnson has two things going for him this year. He rarely has two off years in a row, and his team is better than most at adapting to new rules and big changes. Johnson desperately wants to win a record-tying seventh championship. He will turn 40 this year, so his chances are dwindling. He will be motivated to get it done. 6 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt is coming off his best season in 10 years, winning four races and advancing to the second round of the Chase. But he enters 2015 without the crew chief who orchestrated his career resurgence. But that might not be a bad thing. Earnhardt is raving about new crew chief Greg Ives and believes he will be at least as good this season. If Ives is as good as advertised, Earnhardt might make a serious run at his first championship. MORE: Junior not thinking retirement | Earnhardt doesn't need cheerleader anymore 7 Carl Edwards Edwards made what he calls the most difficult decision of his career, leaving Roush Fenway Racing, where he started, for Joe Gibbs Racing. Now we'll see if it pays off with his first championship. It's not a stretch to think that Edwards and crew chief Darian Grubb could do what Harvick and Childers did last season, winning the title in their first season together. Grubb led Tony Stewart to the 2011 title, beating Edwards, so he should be able to work the same magic with his new driver. But Edwards faces two big challenges. Sometimes an organization struggles when it expands to a fourth team. It happened to Richard Childress Racing, and, except for Harvick, the rest of Stewart-Haas struggled as an organization last year after adding a fourth team for Kurt Busch. And, if JGR is on top of its game again, Edwards' top competition might be his own teammates. MORE: Edwards anxious, nervous after move 8 Matt Kenseth Kenseth suffered a big letdown after his seven-win 2013 season, going winless last year and stumbling in the Chase. But he is the only Gibbs driver who has his whole team still intact after wholesale crew chief changes during the offseason. That should help the team adjust quicker to the new rules package. If Gibbs improves its cars, gains some horsepower and adapts quickly to the new aero rules, Kenseth and crew chief Jason Ratcliff could regain their 2013 form. 9 Ryan Newman You could make a strong case that Newman should be ranked higher after finishing a career-high second in points last season. But there still is that small matter of him not winning a race. Still, Newman came on strong at the end of his first full season with RCR and nearly stole the title. With a year under their belts, he and crew chief Luke Lambert should have plenty of momentum entering the season. The aggressive approach created by the new Chase also plays right into Newman's hands. He shoved Kyle Larson out of his way just to make the Chase last year. He should win races this season and don't be surprised if he's pushing and shoving his way back into championship contention. 10 Denny Hamlin Like Newman, Hamlin also made a surprise run in the Chase last year, but his prospects are much harder to gauge. He's been up and down and inconsistent each of the past two seasons, and now he has a new crew chief in Dave Rogers, who spent the past five seasons with Kyle Busch. If he and Rogers click, Hamlin could have another big season and find himself in championship contention twice. He's nearly won it with Mike Ford and Darian Grubb so a third new crew chief might be the charm. 11 Kyle Busch Busch had another frustrating season in 2014, winning just one race and getting eliminated in the second round of the Chase. He was up and down all season and, as usual, didn't hesitate to voice his displeasure with the direction of his team or the organization. He and crew chief Dave Rogers appeared to grow stagnant last year, so now he's paired with Adam Stevens, who led Busch to numerous Nationwide Series wins. Steven is faced with a big challenge, though, adjusting to a tougher series and a brand-new rules package. Busch also raced conservatively at times last year, particularly in the Chase. That's not his style. A return to his "Rowdy" ways might serve him better. MORE: Busch says Gibbs needs more help from MWR 12 Kyle Larson Larson was impressive as a rookie, scoring eight top-five and 17 top-10 finishes and scoring the eighth-most points overall. The only thing missing was a win, and he practically guarantees that will happen this season. It will be interesting to see what happens when Larson finally does win. Does he quickly explode into the next big star, like some think? The second-year driver is a good bet to make the Chase in his second season and believes he can make a run at the championship. 13 Tony Stewart You couldn't blame Stewart if he hung it up and walked away from racing after what he has been through the past two years, suffering a broken leg and then being involved in the sprint-car accident that killed young driver Kevin Ward Jr. last year. But that's not Stewart. He's a racer's racer and he's not about to walk away from the most important thing in his life. Stewart is determined to put the setbacks from the last two seasons behind him and return to form, and it would be foolish to bet against him. Stewart appears driven and focused again, and that could lead to a big season and perhaps his fourth championship. MORE: Stewart refreshed, ready to race 14 Kasey Kahne Kahne is another driver who is hard to handicap. He struggled most of the season last year and barely made the Chase, winning at Atlanta on Labor Day weekend to earn a spot. He continued to struggle in the playoffs and wound up 15th in the final standings, lagging far behind his Hendrick teammates. Now he is without longtime crew chief Kenny Francis who had been with him his whole career and will work with former engineer Keith Rodden. Having just received a new three-year contract, Kahne needs to take a big step forward this season at Hendrick. 15 Greg Biffle Despite making the Chase, Biffle had one of the most disappointing seasons of his career, failing to win a race and getting eliminated in the first round. He should be poised for a bounce-back season, however. Roush Fenway Racing has made big changes during the offseason, bringing in engineers from RCR and Joe Gibbs Racing to restructure the operation and help improve the cars. If the changes work, Biffle should be the biggest benefactor as the veteran driver and most accomplished racer in the organization. Biffle should win again and could be poised for a deep Chase run if Roush can turns things around. MORE: Roush looking for resurgence | Why Biffle stayed 18 Clint Bowyer This is a big year for Bowyer after two disappointing seasons. After winning three races and finishing second in points in 2012, he hasn't won a race in two seasons, or a span of 77 races. Michael Waltrip Racing took a step back last season after going from three teams to two and both Bowyer and Brian Vickers struggled. If MWR can right the ship, Bowyer could be a serious contender again. If not, he could start thinking about moving on, and he would be in high demand on the free-agent market. MORE: Bowyer says Gordon feud not over 19 Kurt Busch Despite winning a race and making the Chase, Busch struggled most of last year. He was 21st in points at the end of the regular season and struggled during the Chase, finishing 12th in the final standings. He showed progress, however, after being paired with veteran crew chief Tony Gibson at the end of the season. Busch finished 11th or better in each of his three races with Gibson and seemed comfortable with the old-school crew chief. Busch faces a big question and potential problem entering the season, however. The Delaware Attorney General is still trying to decide whether or not to charge him with domestic violence for an alleged incident with his ex-girlfriend. If he is charged, Busch likely would be suspended by NASCAR, ruining his season and putting his future and career in doubt. If he avoids charges, Busch could get off to a fast start and become a serious contender again. MORE: Busch: She lied | Driscoll: Busch has 'domestic violence' problem 20 Jamie McMurray Team owner Chip Ganassi referred to McMurray as a "big-game" hunter for his knack for winning big races. He did it again last year, winning the Sprint All-Star race. That didn't earn McMurray a Chase berth, however, as he missed the playoffs for the 11th straight season. With teammate Kyle Larson emerging as a potential star, you have to wonder where that leaves McMurray. He needs to score another big win this season to finally make the Chase and secure his future. 21 Austin Dillon Dillon had a solid rookie season in 2014 but was hoping for much more than four top-10s and 20th in points. RCR proved it has fast cars with Newman's surprising run in the Chase. Dillon needs to show progress this season, producing more top-10 runs and perhaps contending for a win. 22 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse has had two disappointing seasons in Cup and took a big step backward last year, finishing 27th in points. Most believe, however, that he was a victim of Roush Fenway's struggles. If the Roush cars are better, Stenhouse should make big progress this season. He got off to a slow start in the Nationwide Series, too, and turned things around to win back-to-back championships. If he can be half that good in Cup, he could still have a bright future. MORE: Roush looking for resurgence 23 AJ Allmendinger AJ Allmendinger surprised everyone last season when he won at Watkins Glen to make the Chase with single-car JTG Daugherty Motorsports. Now he must prove he's not Marcos Ambrose and contend for wins on the oval tracks. 24 Aric Almirola Almirola followed in the footsteps of David Reutimann and Joey Logano, winning a rain-shortened event for his first Sprint Cup victory. Reutimann is no longer in the series, while Logano has developed into a star and championship contender. Which one is Almirola? He is handicapped somewhat by Richard Petty Motorsports, a mid-pack team that has struggled to field two competitive cars. But another good showing by Almirola could not only help the organization but perhaps create better opportunities for him. 25 Paul Menard Based on his past history, Menard will run well early, score four or five top-five finishes, nine to 12 top-10s and finish somewhere between 16th and 20th in points. He needs to prove that his 2011 win at Indy was no fluke and that he can be better than that. 26 Trevor Bayne Bayne entered the sport with a bang, winning the 2011 Daytona 500 in just his second Cup start. He hasn't done much since, though, running a partial Cup schedule for Wood Brothers Racing. He finally gets his big chance this season, running a full schedule with Roush Fenway Racing. The question is, will Roush be good enough to give him what he needs to succeed? 27 Martin Truex Jr. Truex has gotten bad breaks almost everywhere he has raced. He got off to a fast start in 2006-07 with Dale Earnhardt Inc., only to watch that organization slip into decline. Then, after he scored his second career victory and became a contender at Michael Waltrip Racing, that organization got caught cheating (in an attempt to get Truex into the Chase) and his team lost its sponsor and folded. Truex moved last year to Furniture Row Racing, which had made the Chase in 2013 with Kurt Busch. But the single-car team struggled and Truex had his worst season, finishing 24th in points. Hopefully, 2015 is better for a driver who has proven he can win if he can only get a break. The best of the rest Other drivers who could crack the Top 25 this year: Brian Vickers, Danica Patrick, Sam Hornish Jr., Casey Mears and Ryan Blaney. MORE: Danica wants new contract | Is Blaney next rising star?
| 1 | 9,979 |
sports
|
Taiwan's aviation safety council says TransAsia Flight 235 lost power in both engines. CNN's Rene Marsh reports.
| 8 | 9,980 |
video
|
THE RUMOR: The Phillies are willing to trade Cliff Lee as soon as spring training if he proves he's healthy. REPORTED BY: Jayson Stark, ESPN THE DETAILS: The 36-year-old left-hander was shelved in late-July due to a flexor pronator strain in his pitching elbow. He was able to avoid surgery and was instead receiving platelet-rich plasma injections. LAST SEASON: Lee posted a 3.65 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 72/12 K/BB ratio over 81 1/3 innings. SN'S TAKE: Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr., said in January that Lee has already thrown off a mound three or four times this offseason and is progressing quicker than anticipated. Lee joins fellow starting pitcher Cole Hamels on the Phillies' trading block. Philadelphia would prefer catching prospects for any potential deal. Two in particular are Red Sox prospect Blake Swihart and the Padres' Austin Hedges. Lee is guaranteed roughly $48 million through the end of next season, so though the Phillies will almost certainly have to eat at least some of the contract, the best move for their situation would be to trade the former Cy Young Award winner. The Dodgers, Padres, Rangers, Cardinals and Red Sox among teams who have expressed varying degrees of interest in Hamels , so it would be no surprise if Lee lands on one of those rosters.
| 1 | 9,981 |
sports
|
From heavy dinners to decadent desserts, Valentine's Day can be one of the biggest calorie consuming times of the year. Fitness and nutrition expert John Basedow (@JohnBasedow) offers helpful diet tips, including healthy low cal appetizers, restaurant dining tricks and simple food substitutions, so you can enjoy the holiday without packing on pounds.
| 8 | 9,982 |
video
|
KINGSLEY, Mich. Authorities say a Michigan man confessed he was drunk and bored when he called 911 more than 100 times in the span of about a month. The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports (http://bit.ly/1v5YhGA ) the 25-year-old from the Grand Traverse County community of Kingsley in northern Michigan was arrested Thursday evening at his mobile home. Sheriff's deputies say they found about a half-dozen phones used to call 911 since January and a hand-held police scanner. Capt. Randy Fewless says the man didn't say anything until his last call, but started "upping the ante" by "laboring his breathing" in successive calls when he police didn't come to his home. On the Thursday call, investigators say the man said he'd been hurt and needed help. ___ Information from: Traverse City Record-Eagle, http://www.record-eagle.com
| 5 | 9,983 |
news
|
It may seem like plane crashes are becoming more frequent, but that's not what the statistics show.
| 2 | 9,984 |
travel
|
NEW YORK Brad Pitt will star in a romantic thriller to be directed by Robert Zemeckis for Paramount Pictures. The studio announced the untitled film on Friday, revealing scant details of the plot but calling it a "sweeping" epic. The screenplay is by Steven Knight, who penned "Eastern Promises" and recently directed the acclaimed indie "Locke." The film marks a continued run of live-action dramas for Zemeckis, the director of "Forrest Gump," the "Back to the Future" films and "Cast Away." After a series of animated movies last decade, Zemeckis made 2012's "Flight" with Denzel Washington and is currently in post-production on "The Walk," about high-wire artist Philippe Petit. Pitt recently finished shooting "By the Sea" with his wife Angelina Jolie, who also directed the marital drama.
| 6 | 9,985 |
entertainment
|
Give your boobs a proper home
| 8 | 9,986 |
video
|
Netflix (NFLX) may be in the process of scooping up one of the most popular video game franchises ever. The video streaming company has started to develop a live-action series based on the wildly popular "Legend of Zelda" games, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a "person familiar with the matter." Netflix is looking for writers to pen the show, which the media company describes as a family-friendly version of HBO's "Game of Thrones," the Journal said. The Nintendo (7974.T-JP) franchise, which includes many elements of the fantasy genre, features a boy named Link who fights villains to rescue the titular princess and save a land called Hyrule. The Japanese company has released more than 20 'Zelda' titles on various platforms since the late 1980s. The series is far from becoming a done deal, as it is in the "early stages of development," the Journal wrote. Nintendo has allowed very few adaptations of its vast intellectual property in the past. Netflix on Wednesday announced that it would roll out services in Japan this fall. The streaming company has expanded its original programming in recent years with popular shows like "House of Cards," "Orange is the New Black" and a resurrected "Arrested Development." Read the Wall Street Journal report here.
| 3 | 9,987 |
finance
|
Do you walk into work skipping every morning? Of course you don't. You are not a Disney cartoon. But if you roll out of bed Monday through Friday and kinda, sorta don't mind that you have eight hours of your job ahead of you, you might want to thank your coworkers: According to a new survey by Virgin Pulse, the Virgin Group's employee-wellness software program, nearly 40 percent of employees say that their work colleagues are the top reason they love their jobs. What's more, workers with an office best friend are seven times more likely to be engaged with their job. The survey, titled "Labor of Love: What Employees Love About Work & Ways to Keep the Spark Alive," included 1,000 workers in the United States and Canada. In addition to having their overall work happiness influenced by coworkers, more than half of those surveyed said that their strong relationships with colleagues lowered their stress levels, and two thirds said those relationships also made them more productive. Other key considerations: 53 percent of participants said that "interesting and challenging" work is critical to loving the company they work for, and 38 percent said the company's mission is the top draw. In other words, people like to work with nice people, they value being valued, and they want to believe in what they're doing. Rocket science it ain't, but it can't hurt to confirm the hugely important role mutual respect and positive energy play in creating (or maintaining) a successful work environment. "The results of this survey reinforce something we've long known true showing employees some love and making it clear your company cares, boosts their engagement, and wins them over for the long haul," said Chris Boyce, CEO of Virgin Pulse, in a news release. The survey found that employers can show workers they care by "supporting work-life balance." There's clearly room for improvement: Almost 40 percent of participants said that they wanted their employer to show more concern in this area. Mostly, employees want flexible work arrangements, such as the ability to work from home 44 percent said that this would be the benefit they'd most like to have. Almost a third of survey takers also want employers to offer free wellness programs. Surprisingly, more employees are gunning for a saner life than a raise: 28 percent of respondents said that their physical, mental, and social well-being is most important to their overall happiness, while only 22 percent cited financial stability. What do you think of the survey results? Are your coworkers a big reason you love your job? What would make you love the company you work for even more?
| 4 | 9,988 |
lifestyle
|
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen reports that out of 310 research chimps promised retirement, only six have actually been allowed to leave research facilities.
| 5 | 9,989 |
news
|
Should you put your money in a Roth IRA? Mad Money host Jim Cramer helps investors understand the best place to save their money.
| 3 | 9,990 |
finance
|
Actor, comedian, producer, and all-around nerd Seth Green is celebrating the big 4-1 on Feb. 8. And we mean nerd in a good way -- come on, he even got married at Skywalker Ranch, how awesome is that?
| 8 | 9,991 |
video
|
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan (AP) Wayne Gretzky figures there is no photograph fans ask him to sign more often than the one of him as a smiling preteen beside his Gordie Howe, who is playfully hooking a hockey stick around youngster's neck. ''Every time I look at the picture or sign the picture, it's nothing but great memories,'' Gretzky said Friday as he and several hockey great paid tribute to Howe in his hometown. ''He was nicer and better ... when I met him than even what I thought he was going to be.'' The photo was taken in 1972 in Gretzky's hometown of Brantford, Ontario. Gretzky savors every detail. ''We were standing there, Gordon grabbed his stick, actually put it around my throat,'' Gretzky recalled. ''It went on to be one of the most popular pictures I've ever signed.'' Gretzky, Bobby Hull, Brett Hull and Howe's sons Mark and Marty shared their memories at a news conference Friday leading to a celebrity dinner in honor of Mr. Hockey. The 86-year-old Howe was expected to attend the dinner despite two disabling strokes late last year. His family says his health has improved after stem-cell treatment as part of a clinical trial in Mexico. ''He hadn't walked in two months,'' Marty Howe said, adding his father gained 21 pounds since the experimental treatment. ''His back is bothering him a little bit now, so he shuffles his feet,'' he said. ''But I guarantee when he gets to that thing tonight he's going to walk to where he needs to go. His blood flows hockey.'' Gretzky said Howe helped pave the way for him and others. He said idols sometimes don't live up to their reputations, but this wasn't the case with Howe. ''You're always going to remember him as a great player, a wonderful person and a tremendous family man,'' Gretzky said. Howe's 801 career goals rank second in the NHL to Gretzky's 894. Howe also holds NHL records for games (1,767) and seasons (26). He won the Stanley Cup four times with the Detroit Red Wings. Brett Hull said when he played in Detroit, he often chatted with Howe about hockey, sports and life in the locker room before games, conversations he'll treasure. He said it's hard to imagine playing for as long as Howe did. ''Being productive at that age is a remarkable feat and it's hard to fathom that he could really do it,'' Hull said. Bobby Hull is thrilled to be part of the Howe tribute. ''I go back to when I was 10 years old,'' he said, adding that he stood in the sleet and rain to watch a game at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens. He was in awe watching Howe play. ''My dad looked at me and said `Robert, when you can shoot the puck like that you can play in this league,''' he said. Hull said eight years later he played against Howe, and it was a ''wonder'' to share the ice with him. Howe's sons both talked about the family values their father holds dear. ''He's just a special person,'' Marty Howe said. ''He treats everyone the same.'' Gretzky said Friday's dinner is a chance to thank Howe for what he has done for hockey. ''I don't think there's any question that if it wasn't for Gordie, and if it wasn't for Bobby Hull jumping to the WHA in 1972 that I might not be standing here today,'' Gretzky said. ''So they definitely laid a path for guys like Wayne Gretzky to become professional athletes.''
| 1 | 9,992 |
sports
|
It's no coincidence that the Chicago Bears announced Thursday they had hired Ohio State assistant Stan Drayton as running backs coach. Thursday was the day after National Signing Day, when young players sign what are essentially non-negotiable contracts with a school. In this particular case, Drayton had been recruiting running back Mike Weber up until Wednesday morning. Chances are, the Bears had been recruiting Drayton for weeks, but Signing Day loomed. Drayton had a commitment to Urban Meyer and Ohio State. His job was to get Weber to commit to Meyer and Ohio State. Weber, who's from Detroit, had previously committed and then de-committed from Michigan when it became clear Brady Hoke and his staff would be fired. He sweated his Ohio State decision up to the final hour before announcing he'd picked Ohio State -- and then signing -- on Wednesday. Players are recruited by coaches. They commit to coaches; to head coaches who are CEOs and to position coaches those players and their families believe will make them better people, better players and eventually get them to the NFL. Then those players sign with schools and are held to those contracts. And those coaches can tear up their contracts, depending on the wording, just about whenever. If this sounds like a one-way street, it is. The player is always the pawn. Now, Weber's high school coach, Thomas Wilcher, is saying his player was misled by Meyer. The coach isn't blaming Drayton for taking a better job -- he's a coach, too, you know -- but said in a Friday radio interview that Meyer showed his player "no respect" and recruited him "under false pretenses." Meyer is one of the best coaches there is, one of the best recruiters there is, a guy who knows the rules and the system and uses every advantage he has. Nobody thinks Meyer is the Dalai Lama. But none of this makes him the worst person ever, either -- even if what Wilcher is saying is right. Meyer came to Ohio State to win national championships -- one is in the books -- and wouldn't come until he got bigger salaries for his assistants and promises he'd continue to get the best resources to recruit the best players and develop them. In the last 13 months, four Meyer assistants have bolted for other jobs. Two of those moves came out of nowhere; two didn't. All four were recruiting players until their final hour on the job. In the mega-million dollar football business, players get used all the time. There's no such thing as a guaranteed contract in the NFL. The NCAA is going to four-year guaranteed scholarships but there's no stopping a coach -- a new one or one who's been around -- from changing his mind about a player. A high school player who commits to a college program doesn't have a guarantee that program really wants him until his letter of intent arrives. It's a brutal business. But this stuff happens every year, at every level. Those who don't like it are free to try baseball or soccer -- or to not sign on the first day of the signing period. Under this system, that's the only leverage they have. The Weber-Drayton saga is getting attention because it's the most recent case, and because it involves Ohio State and Michigan. Weber's high school coach is a former Michigan player. Weber is the second player in the last two years to go from Wilcher's program to Columbus. If Meyer didn't have Ohio State rolling the way he does, Ohio State wouldn't even get a call back from the best high school talent in Michigan. If Meyer didn't have Ohio State rolling the way he does, he wouldn't have seen two assistants leave for head-coaching gigs and two more go to the NFL. Meyer's job is to keep the machine rolling. He could release Weber from his letter and go to Michigan, but that would require slowing that machine for at least a second. Don't count on it happening. Chances are, it wouldn't happen if the schools involved weren't Ohio State and Michigan. A healthy Ohio State - Michigan rivalry is good. A kid getting deceived is not. But Weber is neither the first, nor the last, to have a sour recruiting experience, to feel empty or misled, to enter a situation with a position coach who didn't recruit him. Why do college coaches who flirt with NFL vacancies or bigger, fancier, higher-paying college jobs work like crazy to keep those flirtations secret? Recruiting. Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program. Recruiting starts too early and too often ends ruthlessly. It happens every year. At every level. Blame the business. Blame the rules. But don't blame Meyer. It's his job to go get the next star recruit. Follow on Twitter FSOhioZJackson
| 1 | 9,993 |
sports
|
Captain Risky is back in a hilarious new ad for Australian insurance company, Budget Direct, doing all sorts of risky things: like jumping into a hot tub surrounded by electrical cords. Sean Dowling (@SeanDowlingTV) has more details.
| 6 | 9,994 |
entertainment
|
NEW YORK A bit of good news for Seth Rogen: His "Neighbors" is getting a sequel. Universal Pictures announced Friday that it will release a follow-up to the hit 2014 comedy in May next year. The film will return Rogen and Rose Byrne, who played new parents forced to live next door to a fraternity led by Zac Efron. In the sequel, which also will be directed by Nicholas Stoller, a sorority moves in next door to the young family. Efron will again co-star. "Neighbors," which earned $268 million worldwide, was produced by Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the duo also behind Sony Pictures' "The Interview." They are also producing an animated comedy for Sony titled "Sausage Party."
| 6 | 9,995 |
entertainment
|
Cute little boy doesn't care that daddy's home
| 8 | 9,996 |
video
|
According to a recent study released by the American Psychological Association, here's the profile of the most stressed-out person in the United States: a woman in her 20s or 30s who is a parent and makes less than $50,000 a year. Waaaaait a second. I know plenty of women who fit this description. Does that profile sound familiar to you too? Perhaps the most important thing to come out of the study which found that women are more stressed than men, parents are more stressed than nonparents, people in their late 20s and early 30s are the most stressed age group, and households earning less than $50,000 a year are the most stressed of all is that the ways people have of coping with stress are really worrisome. According to the report, Americans deal with stress by: · Surfing the Web · Watching TV · Smoking While these activities may have some impact on stress levels by making people feel more at ease, they actually do very little for stress in the long run especially stress impact on health. If you're feeling stressed, check out some of our tips on how to cope with stress and maybe go for a run to burn off that steam, spend time with friends, meditate, have a laugh, go for a walk, or even talk to a professional. How do you cope with stress?
| 4 | 9,997 |
lifestyle
|
A growing number of top Democrats plan to skip next month's Capitol Hill speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Reps. James Clyburn (S.C.), the third-ranking House Democrat, and Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), are just the latest lawmakers to indicate they won't attend the March 3 address before a rare joint session of Congress. The Democrats join other leading Capitol Hill liberals including Reps. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the civil rights hero, and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), head of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in protesting the speech by vowing to steer clear of it. And the White House re-entered the fray on Friday, announcing that Vice President Biden will also miss the speech as a result of travel abroad. The uproar surrounding the address has taken on a life its own; the speech is scheduled to come near the end of delicate negotiations between the Obama administration and Iran over the future of the Iranian nuclear program. One Democratic aide lamented that the debate has evolved in such a way that lawmakers risk the perception of being forced to choose between their support for Israel and that for the White House. "We want to support both," the aide said, "and there's no way to attend this speech and do that. Several other liberal Democrats, including Reps. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Gregory Meeks (N.Y.), also intend to boycott the address. The Democrats' criticisms of the speech are three-fold. First, they object to Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) decision to invite Netanyahu without first approaching the White House or Democratic leaders in Congress, a move they say bucks the tradition of consulting across the aisle before bringing heads of state into the Capitol. Second, the Democrats contend Netanyahu's speech is ill-timed because it comes just a few weeks before the Israeli prime minister faces a tough reelection contest in Israel. To use the Capitol as a campaign prop, they charge, is an inappropriate "exploitation" of the U.S. Congress, in the words of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). And third, the critics fear Netanyahu's message which is expected to feature calls for tougher sanctions on Iran could undermine the multilateral nuclear disarmament talks being led by the Obama administration, which opposes new sanctions while the negotiations are ongoing. "When nuclear security and Middle East stability hang in the balance, no member who cares about peace and Israel should participate in this effort to undercut our president," Blumenauer wrote in a recent Huffington Post column decrying the invitation. Neither leaders in the Black Caucus nor those in the Progressive Caucus are whipping members to join them in skipping the speech, saying the decision is a personal one. With that in mind, it's unclear how many other Democrats will ultimately choose to protest the speech by refusing to go. A number of liberals in both the CBC and CPC have declined to weigh in, while a number of others including Reps. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the co-chairman of the Progressive Caucus say they're still on the fence while they push for a postponement. "A lot can happen between now and the proposed speech in March," a Johnson spokesman said Friday. Still other Democrats are already signaling an intent to attend. Pelosi, for instance, said she thinks that, "as of now," she'll be in the audience. And the office of Rep. David Scott, a CBC member, said Friday that the Georgia Democrat will also be there. Boehner, for his part, has defended the invitation, saying Netanyahu's voice deserves America's ear considering the heightened threat that Islamic terrorism poses to Israel and the West. "It was a very good idea," Boehner said Thursday. "There's a message that the American people need to hear and I think he's the perfect person to deliver it." This story was updated at 6:35 p.m.
| 5 | 9,998 |
news
|
Bolivia
| 2 | 9,999 |
travel
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.