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On the heels of Orioles third baseman Manny Machado charging the mound Tuesday night, Yahoo Sports reports that the Kansas City Royals are looking to trade pitcher Yordano Ventura. | 1 | 99,000 | sports |
"Can we talk?!" Joan Rivers broke a lot of glass ceilings not only in the comedy world, but also in the fashion world. Rivers transitioned her over 40-year-long career in standup and late night comedy to a place where no comedian ever dared to go before: the red carpet. While viewers, fashion insiders and Hollywood's A-List were busy worshipping questionable red carpet looks simply because they were "designer or couture," Joan was fearless in calling it like it was. In honor of what would be the Queen of Comedy's 83rd birthday today, we're remembering all of her best red carpet insults from the last decade. 1) On Kanye West wearing a Céline women's blouse at Coachella 2011: "I thought it was beautiful and everyone's making a fuss,'Oh a woman wore it on the runway,' but what is the big fuss about that? Khloe Kardashian has been wearing women's clothes for years!...He's wearing a woman's shirt and he's wearing a woman's necklace but you know his maxi pad is all man." 2) When she commented on Justin Bieber becoming the new face of Calvin Klein: Justin Bieber is going to be the new face of Calvin Klein underwear. We've gone from Marky Mark to Douchey Douche. - Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) August 2, 2014 3) On Princess Beatrice's headpiece at the royal wedding: "She is so f*cking desperate to get married but she's wearing an IUD on her head, I mean enough!…The hat looks like she's trying to make funnel cakes." 4) Who wore it better, Paris Hilton or Lady Gaga? "I haven't seen that many safety pins on one woman since I changed Betty White's diapers. Paris is wearing it correctly but she is so over. She starts every day looking in the mirror saying, 'Why couldn't I have been born Armenian? I'm sorry, but Paris looks better. The only thing I'd do differently with Paris is I'd drop a piano on her." 5) When she compared grandchildren to supermodels: "Grandchildren can be f*cking annoying. How many times can you go 'And the cow goes moo and the pig goes oink'? It's like talking to a supermodel." 6) On Miley Cyrus's Dior lingerie: Miley Cyrus bought $20,000 in Dior lingerie after wearing it at a shoot. She loves it so much, she might start wearing panties every day. - Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) July 28, 2014 7) On Heidi Klum's lace-up gown: "I always use shoe laces to hold my tits in. (Only my laces are actually in my shoes when I do it.)" 8) On Angelina Jolie's leg pose at the 2012 Oscars: "Everyone took her to task with that photograph with the leg out, but to me it looked as if she had a terrible yeast infection and she was trying to air it out." 9) Critiquing Queen Elizabeth II's style : "Gowns by Helen Keller. Nice looking. Not at all like her stamp. Wears her watch over the glove, though-tacky." 10) On Kim Kardashian's 2012 Halloween costume: "She spent 2,000 dollars on that wig. It's human hair. From Khloé's back. The saddest thing about this is that Jessica Simpson thinks she went as Chicken of the Sea." 11) On Kate Winslet's headpiece: "The nice thing about this hat is that it covers up the head wound that made her think it was a good idea to wear it in the first place." | 4 | 99,001 | lifestyle |
When will they ever learn? Kyle Larson will race at Michigan this weekend without his crew chief, who is suspended. Reason? Larson's car was found to have an improperly installed lug nut. MORE: Michigan schedule | Pocono results | Keselowski-Gordon snit Chip Ganassi Racing will not appeal the suspension of Chad Johnston, according to a team representative. Expect a replacement chief to be named in the next couple days. Johnston also was fined $20,000 and placed on probation the remainder of the year, NASCAR disclosed Wednesday in its weekly penalty report. He is the fourth crew chief suspended since NASCAR began its crackdown on lug nuts at May 1's Kansas race. Before then, teams were running races with four and sometimes three nuts tightened on wheels. It was a dangerous situation and a problematic one as well, as drivers reported wheel vibrations during races and had to pit for correction. Tony Stewart assailed NASCAR for its lax regulations of an important safety matter and received a $35,000 fine for criticizing stock car racing's governing body. And then, NASCAR agreed with Stewart , implementing the lug nut rule and leaving Stewart's punishment in place. Last week, two teams had replacement chiefs in place at Pocono . NASCAR banished Tony Gibson from Kurt Busch's team for a race Busch won. Also suspended at Pocono: AJ Allmendinger crew chief Randall Burnett. Larson, by the way, was 11th at Pocono. Busch won the rain-delayed Pocono race on Monday, with Johnny Klausmeier filling in for Gibson. Adam Stevens was the first in the recent crew chief penalty parade, sitting out the Dover race while his team and Kyle Busch took part. NASCAR made very visible its crackdown on lug nuts starting with the Sprint All-Star race, when all cars were stopped on pit road including winner Joey Logano after the race for inspection. Stevens was nailed at the following week's Coca-Cola 600. NASCAR's penalty report also disclosed: Jamie McMurray, Larson's Ganassi teammate , and his No. 1 car team received a written warning after their No. 1 car failed pre-race laser inspection twice. Aric Almirola's No. 43 car team of Richard Petty Motorsports, warning, laser inspection. Regan Smith's No. 7 car team of Tommy Baldwin Racing, warning, laser inspection. This was the team's fourth warning, and it will forfeit pit stall selection at Michigan. Danica Patrick's No. 10 car team of Stewart-Haas Racing, failed pre-race template inspection twice, warning. Matt DiBenedetto's No. 83 team of BK Racing, warning, laser inspection. No. 95 car team, which will have Ty Dillon driving at Michigan, warning, pre-race template inspection. | 1 | 99,002 | sports |
[Question]This McDonald's item has more than 1,000 calories, when served with hot cakes.[/Question] [Answer]Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Big Breakfast[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Steak, Egg & Cheese Biscuit[/Answer] [Answer]Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles[/Answer] [Question]This meal at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers contains more than 3,500 calories.[/Question] [Answer]Prime Chophouse[/Answer] [Answer]Whiskey River[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]A1 Peppercorn[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Royal Red Robin[/Answer] [Question]This Wendy's specialty, made of 100 percent North American ground beef, has 1,090 calories.[/Question] [Answer-Correct]Dave's Triple[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Son of Baconator[/Answer] [Answer]Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger[/Answer] [Answer]Double Stack[/Answer] [Question]This KFC item, full of chicken in a savory sauce, contains 790 calories.[/Question] [Answer]Famous Bowl[/Answer] [Answer]The Big Finish[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Pot Pie[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Doublicious[/Answer] [Question]Stuffed with meat and cheese, this foot-long Subway sandwich has around 1,160 calories.[/Question] [Answer]Rotisserie-Style Chicken[/Answer] [Answer]Black Forest Ham[/Answer] [Answer]Meatball Marinara[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Chicken & Bacon Ranch Melt[/Answer-Correct] [Question]Which IHOP dish has more than 1,700 calories?[/Question] [Answer]Bacon Temptation Omelette[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Fried Steak and Eggs[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]T-Bone Steak & Eggs[/Answer] [Answer]Big Steak Omelette[/Answer] [Question]This dish at The Cheesecake Factory has almost 2,610 calories.[/Question] [Answer-Correct]Crispy Chicken Costoletta[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Chargrilled Coulotte Steak[/Answer] [Answer]Chicken Bellagio[/Answer] [Answer]Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake[/Answer] [Question]Which Johnny Rockets burger has more than 1,750 calories?[/Question] [Answer]Smoke House Double[/Answer] [Answer]Rocket Double[/Answer] [Answer]Houston[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Bacon Cheddar Double[/Answer-Correct] [Question]This side dish at Taco Bell has around 970 calories.[/Question] [Answer]Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Volcano Nachos[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Pintos 'N Cheese[/Answer] [Answer]Chips and Pico De Gallo[/Answer] [Question]This large creamy shake at Sonic has almost 2,170 calories.[/Question] [Answer]Caramel[/Answer] [Answer]Dulce de Leche Creamery[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Peanut Butter Caramel Pie[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Hot Fudge[/Answer] [Question]This large vegetarian sandwich at Quizno's has about 1,060 calories.[/Question] [Answer-Correct]Veggie Deluxe[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]The Traditional[/Answer] [Answer]Honey Bourbon[/Answer] [Answer]Classic Italian[/Answer] [Question]A 20-piece serving of which White Castle side dish contains around 1,130 calories?[/Question] [Answer]Mozzarella Cheese Sticks[/Answer] [Answer]Loaded Fries[/Answer] [Answer]Fish Nibblers[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Chicken Rings[/Answer-Correct] [Question]Served with gravy, this Dairy Queen item has more than 1,350 calories.[/Question] [Answer-Correct]Chicken Strips[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Crispy Chicken Wrap[/Answer] [Answer]Turkey Wrap[/Answer] [Answer]Chili Cheese Dog[/Answer] [Question]This Burger King favorite has more than 1,000 calories.[/Question] [Answer]Angry Whopper[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Triple Whopper[/Answer-Correct] [Answer]Rodeo[/Answer] [Answer]Double Stacker[/Answer] [Question]Which frozen beverage at Dunkin' Donuts has approximately 730 calories?[/Question] [Answer]Caramel Coffee Coolatta[/Answer] [Answer]Dunkaccino[/Answer] [Answer]Vanilla Bean Coolatta[/Answer] [Answer-Correct]Mocha Coffee Coolatta[/Answer-Correct] [End] [/End] | 4 | 99,003 | lifestyle |
Hillary Clinton's win yesterday in the California primary, combined with the Democrats' notably undemocratic system of superdelegates boy, is Reince Priebus wishing somebody on our side had thought of that means that Hillary has pretty definitively wrapped up the Democratic Party's nomination for president. It is not exactly their finest hour. Some of us have been sardonically congratulating the Republican Party for nominating a candidate who is "everything your enemies ever accused you of being." But if that's true for the GOP and Trump, it's just as true for the Democrats and Hillary. She is the living embodiment of a whole set of stereotypes about the cynical, corrupt mandarins of big government. Let's count down the ways she takes this cardboard cut-out cartoon caricature and conforms to it. 1) Buying votes by pandering to pressure groups. Sure, every politician does this. It's basically in the job description. But Democrats do this by promising government largesse and protection in order to buy the votes of various party constituencies. Hillary Clinton's distinction is that we know it's all pandering that it's not a matter of ideology or core values because she's previously taken the opposite side when it was convenient to her. Nowhere is this clearer than on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would expand free trade with Asian countries. Embracing free trade was one of the ways in which her husband turned to the Right in 1990s, pushing through the North American Free Trade Agreement as part of his reluctant accommodation with markets and capitalism. But there is still a strong anti-free-trade constituency within the Democratic Party basically, the labor unions so Hillary Clinton has come out against the TPP, even though she actually negotiated the agreement as secretary of State. So how to square that circle? Get the State Department to delay the release of her official communications on the TPP until after the election. After all, government has to be all things to all people, and you can't let your record get in the way of making those kinds of promises. 2) The cynical use of identity politics. Did you know that Hillary Clinton is the first woman to be nominated as the presidential candidate of a major political party? Of course you did. If you didn't, believe me, she's not going to let you forget it. (Nor are her water-carriers in the press .) It's all about "making history," and if there's one lesson Hillary Clinton took from her loss to Barack Obama in the 2008 primary, it's that Democratic voters just love to "make history" and vote for the historic first in whatever racial and sex category remains. It's going to get even lamer once they've ticked off all of the big ones and start going for the minor categories. But it's all cynical, because Hillary Clinton has a less than pleasant history with women who get in her and her husband's way. She was the lead person in dealing with his "bimbo eruptions" and trying to discredit women who said he made unwanted advances or assaulted them. But you have to understand the Left's mentality. The welfare of women as a collective which is automatically assumed to require a lot of government programs is way more important than the well-being of actual, individual women. 3) Corruption and special favors. When Bill Clinton left the White House, Hillary famously declared that they were "broke." In the decades since, they have made nearly a quarter of a billion dollars by getting paid ridiculous sums of money to give speeches full of political clichés and by "consulting" for big investment firms that just happened to need their political contacts. Then there is the Clinton Foundation, which served as a slush fund for the family while raising money from dubious sources that had business interests affected by Hillary Clinton's State Department. This is exactly what the Founding Father feared about a big and powerful federal government: that it becomes a preserve for special favors and corruption. It starts with a lot of talk about using power for "the people" but ends up using power for the benefit of people with the right connections. 4) Indifference to national security. Compared to Trump, Hillary looks like the responsible adult on foreign policy. But that's a pretty low bar to clear. On her own terms, she looks like exactly what we tend to expect from a Democrat on foreign policy: someone who is naive, feckless, preening, and just not interested in the serious work of securing America's interests abroad. The sort of person who makes a lot of noise about a "reset" with Russia then lets the Russians bulldoze our interests in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The sort of person who congratulates herself for championing a "humanitarian" intervention in Libya but drops the basic follow-up needed to prevent the country from collapsing into chaos, or even to protect our own ambassador there. The sort of person who champions a deal with Iran that solves the problem of nuclear proliferation, not by preventing it, but merely by taking it off the administration's agenda. It's almost like everything in foreign policy is just a feel-good photo op, not a serious long-term policy. That is exactly what we feared. 5) She's the ultimate 'limousine liberal.' The classic caricature of the "limousine liberal" is that they think money is the root of all evil when other people have it. But when it's your family's turn to cash in, well, it's no less than they deserve, right? So she's the type of bleeding-heart welfare-statist who fights for the little guy while getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars at a crack giving speeches for Wall Street firms . She rails against privilege, while her daughter has a $3 million wedding and gets paid an extravagant salary at a make-work job all while telling us she doesn't care about money . She gives a speech railing against inequality while wearing a $12,000 Armani jacket . The common theme of Hillary Clinton's career is an arrogant sense of entitlement and a belief in power above all. The caricature she really fits is that every policy or ideal is just a pose and that the underlying impetus is merely that people like her should have the power to impose their will on others. I happen to think there's a lot of truth in that view of the Left. But if I were a Democrat, I would be eager to counter-program against it by nominating someone with a little bit of modesty, a little more integrity, and a lot more earnest idealism. Then again, they kind of tried that. But Bernie Sanders is just a different kind of lefty stereotype: the woolly-headed washed-up hippie who still thinks Communism is an untried ideal and wonders why everybody can't just have everything for free, man. His family has still enjoyed its time at the trough . That's the problem when the only kind of "idealism" you have to offer is loyalty to a failed and corrupt system like socialism. Alas, this year I can't say the Republican Party has a better alternative. We passed up on some better options to nominate our own negative caricature. That is kind of instructive, in a way. It's interesting that we have a year in which both major parties have lived down to the worst expectations people have of them. Perhaps this is an indication that traditional attitudes of both parties Hillary's reactionary defense of the big-government establishment and Trump's reactionary anti-PC posturing are playing themselves out into a dead end. Follow Robert on Twitter . | 5 | 99,004 | news |
Can Maria Sharapova come back from this? Those inside tennis are unsure. Sharapova was issued a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation on Wednesday for using the banned drug meldonium. The suspension is backdated to January, meaning Sharapova who said she will appeal is out until January 2018. She'll be nearing her 31st birthday by then, and for a player who has dealt with myriad injuries in her career, working with a body that is prone to break downs. Chris Evert, the former world No. 1 and ESPN commentator, thinks that's it. This is the end for Maria. "I don't think she can do a two-year ban. I don't think she can come back," Evert told USA TODAY Sports in a phone interview. "The players are only getting better. The workload, the training is only harder. She has been on tour for 15 years. You just wonder." Evert added, "I would be very surprised. I would be surprised to see her come back." But Evert's ESPN colleague, Pam Shriver, a former world No. 1 in doubles, sees the time off as most important for Sharapova in a sport that continues to get older. "I think a lot depends how she spends that year and a half," Shriver said in a phone interview. "She is going to be 30 when the suspension is over. If you think of all the tennis players are playing great tennis from 30 to 35, it's an era of tennis when you're still in your prime at that age. A two-year absence is devastating in so many ways for Maria, but what I want to know is how they are going to spend that time? Is she going to compete in tennis events outside of this jurisdiction?" Sharapova released a statement on Wednesday that her team plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Highest Paid Female Athletes of 2015 | Graphiq Professor Dionne Koller, director of the Center for Sport and the Law at the University of Baltimore, told USA TODAY Sports that the two-year ban is typical in cases like these and that a reduced sentence is unlikely for Sharapova. "It's tough to say," said Koller. " The reason why I would say she doesn't have a great deal of chance to have it reduced is because she didn't have any great reason for taking the drug. She tried to argue that is was for therapeutic use or that she should get exempted, and that didn't hold up with the panel. She did not fall in the meldonium grace period that WADA gave; the drug was found in her in a remarkable level." "It's hard to read the tea leaves, but I don't think she can get it cut down or that she'll get it cut down by much," Koller continued. "She didn't have any excuse. She is taking the drug and it was found in her system. That's a two-year ban. I think they will uphold the two years or something very close to it." Koller said the CAS appeal hearing could happen in the next few weeks, if not months. "The idea of CAS is to move quickly," she said, "so it could happen in the matter of weeks once they have filed." Evert remains shocked that Sharapova did not check the updated banned list on Jan. 1 to learn that meldonium had been added. "She is one of the most organized professionals out there," Evert said. "To not even check the drugs that… I'm speechless. This is a woman who is all about control both on and off the court. I don't get it. It's a tough way to go out for her." Shriver said that Sharapova, who is known for her meticulous planning, needs to utilize that skill should she want to make a comeback. "Sharapova at age 85 will be competitive, she has it in her DNA," she said. "This offers her a total rest and ability to recover in ways that she hasn't before. When you're competing, even in your time off you always feel pressure, you feel that you're under the gun. If I was her camp and they have failed her miserably in so many ways they need a smart plan of attack." Regardless of a comeback, Evert said this will no doubt follow Sharapova for the rest of her career. "I'm afraid it will. It will follow her around," she said. "That will be her introduction: The five-time Grand Slam champion that tested positive. It's really sad in a way, but it happened and she can't change it." MARIA SHARAPOVA IN PICTURES | 1 | 99,005 | sports |
VIDEO: These "hobbits" stood only 3'7" tall. | 8 | 99,006 | video |
Predicting PGA Tour events is impossible. We didn't need any more reminders of that this past week, but Will McGirt provided one with his breakthrough win at the Memorial. A little inside info from golfers, though? That could help. Unless, apparently, that inside info is coming from Will Wilcox. The man who famously aced the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass last month has been trying to give fantasy golf help to his followers this week. Unfortunately, it's made things even more confusing ahead of the FedEx St. Jude Classic. Here's a look at Wilcox's timeline: Sounds promising, right? But there's more: OK. . . Hmm. . . Well, that solves it. Guess we shouldn't expect much from Will this week. Or should we? Thanks anyway, Will. RELATED: Our fantasy picks for the FedEx St. Jude Classic More from Golf Digest: The Hottest PGA Tour Wives and Girlfriends How Tiger's Swing Has Changed This Weekend's Best Golf Instagrams | 1 | 99,007 | sports |
This makes total sense. | 8 | 99,008 | video |
Six years of "cleaning bathrooms" later, this janitor got his dream role as an opera performer. | 8 | 99,009 | video |
The cozy-burrows part isn't true, but J.R.R. Tolkien got it partly right: hobbits really did walk the Earth. According to many scientists, a species of miniature beings distantly related to Homo sapiens once lived on the Indonesian island of Flores. Now, in a find that has intrigued and surprised scholars, an international team has unearthed fossils of the hobbits' ancestors fossils that may point to a radical explanation for why hobbits, officially known as Homo floresiensis, were so small. The fossils suggest hobbits descended from much bigger forebears who "experienced extreme dwarfism on the island of Flores," team member Gerrit van den Bergh of Australia's University of Wollongong told reporters Tuesday. Their height "was reduced to two-thirds of ancestral body size, and brain volume shrank to half the size." That explanation is already sparking debate, but there's little dispute that Flores's hobbits, discovered in a cave in 2003, were astoundingly small. The most complete hobbit skeleton found in the cave suggests adults were far shorter than the average American kindergartner. From that specimen and others at the cave, scientists have pieced together a portrait of a small-brained species that made crude stone tools and resided on Flores from at least 50,000 to 100,000 years ago. The new fossils, discovered in 2014 at a site called Mata Menge, are a whopping 700,000 years old and just as tiny as the hobbits from the cave, the team reports in this week's Nature . A partial jawbone found by van den Bergh's team "would fit in the palm of my hand," says Debbie Argue of The Australian National University, who was not part of the study team. Van den Bergh and his colleagues say the Mata Menge hobbits are closely related to the younger cave hobbits and might be the same species. But the Mata Menge hobbits also show similarities to yet another species: much larger hominids a category that includes modern humans and our ancient relatives who turned up on the island of Java more than a million years ago. The researchers think bigger hominids from Java or nearby locales made it across the sea to Flores. Once there, the new arrivals were subjected to "island dwarfing," the tendency for some species marooned on islands to shrink. Never before have hominids been known to succumb to island dwarfing. "No one predicted this … would happen to our own human relatives," says the University of Iowa's Russell Ciochon, who was not part of the Flores team. Debate over the hobbits of Mata Menge has already kicked off. Argue questions whether the new hobbits are dwarfed descendants of larger hominids who floated to Flores. She notes, for example, that scientists have found no fossils of these bigger hominids on Flores. Other researchers are skeptical of the idea that the cave hobbits and the Mata Menge hobbits are closely related. Traits of the Mata Menge fossils show "minimal" overlap with the description of the cave hobbits, say Robert Eckhardt of Pennsylvania State University and Maciej Henneberg of Australia's University of Adelaide. More bones may help settle the matter, and scientists continue to dig on Flores in hopes of finding hominids a million years old or more. "We want to know what the very, very first hominids to set foot on the island looked like," Adam Brumm of Australia's Griffith University, a co-author of the new research, told reporters Tuesday. "The search is ongoing." | 5 | 99,010 | news |
The web's most loyal shoppers are becoming even more devoted. For the first time in a survey's five-year history, "avid" online shoppers defined as those consumers who make two or more purchases on the web in a typical three-month period said more than half of the purchases they made during that timeframe were done online. The results, published as part of UPS' annual Pulse of the Online Shopper Study, were based on a comScore survey of more than 5,000 U.S. online shoppers. Although the findings are skewed toward consumers who already gravitate toward the web, and exclude the $602 billion bricks-and-mortar dominated grocery store industry, they nonetheless represent the latest in a steady climb over the past few years, as consumers become more comfortable buying items on the web. Still, other findings from the report indicate that the store's role remains important to shoppers, as more choose to pick up their digital orders at a physical retail location. "The industry is changing at an incredibly fast rate," said Teresa Finley, chief marketing officer at UPS. According to the report, 51 percent of purchases by "avid" online shoppers over the past three months, excluding groceries, were made on the web. That compares to 48 percent in 2015, and 47 percent in 2014. Though traditional retailers are contributing to this growth, much of the acceleration can be attributed to a well-known foe: Amazon (AMZN) . A separate report from Forrester Research recently found that Amazon's U.S. retail business accounted for roughly 60 percent of total online growth between 2014 and 2015. And with its subscription Prime service, it's understandable that a paying member would lean toward using the service when buying replenishment or other items. Indeed, as online sales continue to grow share, trends at major retailers including Wal-Mart (WMT) and Macy's (M) have slowed. Yet UPS' report emphasized the importance of these companies' competitive advantage: their store bases. Half of the survey's respondents said they have used retailer's ship-to-store option over the past year, up 2 percentage points over 2015. Of that 50 percent, nearly half said they made additional purchases when they went to pick up their item. The survey also found an uptick in the amount of purchases being made on smartphones, in line with external data. According to the study, 44 percent of respondents used their smartphone to make a purchase, up 3 percentage points from 2015. Although online shopping continues to steal share from physical stores, it accounted for just 7.8 percent of total sales during the first quarter, according to preliminary data from the Commerce Department. | 3 | 99,011 | finance |
Instagram is the second largest social network site and app, according to the most recent data AdWeek has compiled. Facebook, of course, comes in first with over 1.5 billion users. But Facebook-owned Instagram comes in second (although a distant second) with 400 million users. Snapchat is third, followed by Twitter. But let's get back to Instagram. The service went from obscure iOS app to the must have tool for tweens and people obsessed with sharing lunch pics to a social media network that is now in the mainstream. Chances are more and more of your friends are on Instagram today than even just six months ago. But what about you? Do you want to be an Instagram king or queen? We've scoured the internet to find the best tips and tricks to kick your Instagram skills into overdrive. Here's what we've found: Send pics to only select people This tip comes from Hongkiat and is something many users don't know Instagram is capable of. Using the Direct feature of Instagram you can send pics to only people of your choosing (up to 15 of them, anyway). "To use Instagram Direct, choose Direct when you're at the 'Share To' page," the site says "It's located at the top next to 'Followers'. Then select your recipients by tapping the circle next to their names or by typing their names in the 'To' space. Finish off by hitting Send. To view your messages, go to the tray icon at the top right of your home page." View your photos on a map This is one of my favorite features of Instagram. The app allows you to view a map full of the locations where all your pics were taken (that is, provided your enabled location services and geolocation for the pics). To view your Instagram snaps on a map go to your profile and tap the map icon (it look like an upside-down guitar pick). User popular hashtags to attract more followers If you're an Instagram user who wants to have a massive following, you're going to need to attract people. To do that, you usually need to be a popular star, brand, or very pretty girl. However, you can also leverage the use of popular hashtags to get more followers. A simple Google search for "popular Instagram hashtags" will let you know what's currently trending. Just only use the hashtags that are appropriate to your picture, however. Make your account private But perhaps you aren't a person who wants the whole world following you. Did you know you can make your Instagram profile private? This ensures that only people you choose can view your stream, because you need to approve them when they request to follow you. To make your Instagram account private go to your profile, tap on settings, and then enable Private Account. Change the layout of photos Did you know you can change the layout of photos in Instagram? Well, you can, as Pocket Lint points out: "Layout not only lets you easily combine multiple photos into a single image, but also create one-of-a-kind layouts by remixing your photos. When uploading from your Library, you'll see the Layout app symbol in the far right of the bottom of the image. Tap it and you can continue selecting images, followed by the layout you want." Create hyper lapses and Boomerangs Instagram actually makes a few third party apps that allow you to upload short movies and GIFs to your stream. The first app is called Hyperlapse and lets you record time-lapse photography from your iPhone. It also has other tools that smooth out shaky video. When you're done, use the app to upload to your Instagram feed directly. Their second app is called Boomerang, and allows you to record, edit, and share mini video clips right on Instagram. Embed your Instagram pics on the web Instagram has a great app but only a rudimentary website that not many people visit in their desktop browsers. So what happens if you want people to view your Instagram pics on the web? The best thing to do is just embed them on your personal website. To do this go to www.instagram.com and log into your account. Click on the pic you want to embed then click on the three . . . button, then click embed and copy and paste the HTML code into your website. Tag people in your pics Oddly, not a lot of people know you can tag your friends in your Instagram pics. Tagging someone means your pic will show up in their profile feed and it also lets them know you've shared an image with them in it. To tag someone when you're uploading a new picture, tap on the person you want to tag and then enter their Instagram username or their real name. | 3 | 99,012 | finance |
Cerebral palsy didn't stop this little girl from participating in her school speech meet! | 8 | 99,013 | video |
Gregg Rosenthal has the latest on which signal callers are emerging as minicamps roll on. | 1 | 99,014 | sports |
CLEVELAND Kevin Love did not play in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night because he remains in concussion protocol, and he might have played his last meaningful game with the Cleveland Cavaliers. So the question in Boston is whether the Celtics should make a play this summer to acquire Love when his stock is perhaps at the lowest of his career. If the Cavaliers are blown away in this series against the Golden State Warriors, and they lost the first two games by a total of 48 points, it's a certainty management will shake up the roster. Love, acquired by the Cavaliers to be a primary piece of their championship puzzle, has been a poor fit in his two seasons in Cleveland. Once considered the game's premier rebounder he once grabbed 31 in a game Love has been reduced to a stretch power forward who is constantly exposed on defense. It would seem feasible for Cavaliers general manager David Griffin to look to unload the final four years and nearly $94 million on Love's contract. That sounds like a boatload of money, but with the NBA's salary cap on the rise, a $20-plus million contract won't be considered outrageous for an All-Star-caliber player. Love's value in Cleveland would seem to be tepid at best. He appeared to be an outsider with last season's club that reached the NBA Finals, and his season came to a crashing halt because of a shoulder injury after that infamous tangle with the Celtics' Kelly Olynyk in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. In his eighth NBA season, Love averaged 16 points and 9.9 rebounds for the Cavaliers in 31 minutes per game. His best statistical year came in 2011-12 when he averaged 26 points 13.3 rebounds with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 39 minutes per contest. Has Love lost some of his prowess? Or has his role in Cleveland limited his ability to rebound and score in the post? Would a change of scenery bring back the Minnesota Love, the player the Celtics became enamored with a few years ago? It's obvious the Celtics need to make a major splash this summer. And while president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will dutifully pursue Kevin Durant with Legal Sea Foods pitching in with free crab legs for life, seriously Ainge has to be more reasonable in his goals. Love, at the very least, has to be a consideration, with the Celtics owning several first-round picks a valuable commodity and a crowded backcourt that needs thinning. And it's plausible that the Kevin Love in Boston, under the tutelage of Brad Stevens who loves players who can stretch the floor will be a better version than the one who stood near the 3-point line and waited for passes in Cleveland. Early on in Game 3 Wednesday, it didn't help his case to stay in Cleveland when the Cavaliers scored 33 points in the first quarter without him. The Cavaliers recorded 10 assists on their 15 field goals and shot 71.4 percent in jumping to a 33-16 lead. They looked like the more confident and assertive team in the opening quarter, with Love still recovering from a concussion and 35-year-old Richard Jefferson in the starting lineup. While the acquisition of Love seemed like a grand idea two years ago to give LeBron James some extra help in his title quest, Love has never been a suitable fit in their offense. And the Cavaliers' early Game 3 explosion will make it difficult for coach Tyronn Lue to place him back in the starting lineup if he's cleared to play in the pivotal Game 4. The Celtics made what was called a "low-ball" offer for Love before the trade deadline but two things have changed since February: 1) Love's trade value will be considerably lower this summer, and 2) the Celtics will have more of a sense of urgency to make a major move with the Eastern Conference being open and those draft pick assets reaching a shelf life. Ainge can't hold on to these first-round picks for another couple of summers. It's time for the Celtics to make a significant move to upgrade their roster. The team's brass will have to examine whether Love is the right choice, but there might be no better time to pursue him and bank that Stevens, a new environment, and a new role will help resuscitate his career. The Cleveland experiment has hardly been a success, and the Celtics could capitalize on the Cavaliers' desire to appease James and upgrade their roster. | 1 | 99,015 | sports |
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Chris Tillman has transcended his role as the ace of the Baltimore Orioles. BOX SCORE: ORIOLES 4, ROYALS 0 Unbeaten since April 14, and riding a seven-game winning streak, the right-hander has earned the right to be considered among the best pitchers in the American League. Tillman pitched effectively into the eighth inning, Ryan Flaherty drove in two runs and the Orioles extended the Kansas City Royals' losing streak to seven games with a 4-0 victory Wednesday night. Tillman (8-1) allowed eight hits over 7 1/3 innings, matched his career high with nine strikeouts and walked none. He is unbeaten in 10 starts since April 14, 6-0 at home and tied for second in the AL in wins. ''I think fastball command from the get-go was pretty spot on,'' Tillman said.'' I felt pretty good in the bullpen coming in and I was able to carry it over.'' In equaling his career high for successive wins, Tillman lowered his ERA to 3.01. A year ago, he finished 11-11 with a 4.99 ERA. ''You can make a heck of a living going 11-11 in the big leagues,'' manager Buck Showalter said. ''But Chris wants to be better than that because he knows he's capable of it and wants to bring what the club needs.'' Showalter believes the 28-year-old Tillman now understands what it takes to win. ''It's a certain maturity factor. It's tunnel vision toward that day you pitch,'' the manager said. ''Everything you do is leading into that. That's where he is now. He relishes the day he gets to do his thing.'' Brad Brach got the final five outs to earn his second save and help the Orioles complete their first three-game sweep of Kansas City since May 2011. Baltimore has won four straight and seven of eight. The Orioles took control with a four-run fifth inning against Edinson Volquez (5-6). Flaherty had the key hit, a bases-loaded double that broke open a 0-0 game. Adam Jones followed with a sacrifice fly and Hyun Soo Kim capped the uprising with an RBI single. Salvador Perez had two hits for the Royals, who have been outscored 42-8 during a skid that's dropped them from first place to third in the AL Central. The defending World Series champions have scored four runs over their last six games and been blanked twice. ''Tillman was pretty darn good tonight, I'm going to tell you that,'' manager Ned Yost said. ''Guys were having trouble picking up his fastball.'' The last time Kansas City lost seven straight was in August 2013. ''It's very frustrating because I know we're all capable of playing a lot better,'' center fielder Lorenzo Cain said. ''We're all struggling. We have to find a way to get it going.'' Volquez was exceptionally sharp over the first four innings, retiring 12 of 13 batters and allowing just one hit. The trouble started after he got the first out in the fifth. Two walks and a single preceded the key hit by Flaherty, who began the game batting .213. There was no extension of the hostility created Tuesday night, when the teams emptied their dugouts in a fray that started when Kansas City's Yordano Ventura hit Manny Machado with a pitch. ''It was water under the bridge as soon as we left here last night,'' Brach said. ''Guys came here ready to play.'' Orioles first baseman Chris Davis was given the day off, his first of the season. Although Davis is in a 3-for-29 slump, Showalter said the break was designed to allow some bumps and bruises to heal. ROSTER MOVE The Royals made an adjustment to their bench, calling up utility INF Christian Colon from Triple-A Omaha and optioning No. 3 C Tony Cruz to the same affiliate. TRAINER'S ROOM Royals: Yost said no one on the team was injured in the bench-clearing fray. Orioles: RHP Yovani Gallardo (shoulder tendinitis) said he experienced ''normal soreness, nothing crazy'' after his second rehab start. If his bullpen session Thursday goes well, Gallardo could come off the DL next week. UP NEXT Royals: After taking Thursday off, KC opens a three-game series on the road against the White Sox. Ian Kennedy (4-4, 3.44 ERA) will seek his first win in six starts. Orioles: Tyler Wilson (2-5, 4.39) starts in Toronto on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series against the defending AL East champs. | 1 | 99,016 | sports |
Rochelle and Nate tied the knot in a quaint apple orchard in Maine, and it was, according to Katherine of KAngell Photography, "a breathtaking event." PHOTOS: A Stunning, Apple Orchard Wedding Rochelle and Nate tied the knot in a quaint apple orchard in Maine, and it was, according to Katherine of KAngell Photography, "a breathtaking event." "The weather was perfect for their special day, and things went so smoothly," she said. "The scene was straight out of a storybook - green fields, rows of trees speckled in the reds and greens of plump, fresh Maine apples. As the sun went down on their special day, the soft glow of fairy lights could be seen coming from within. The sound of clinking glasses and infectious laughter was a testimony to the stock that both of these special people have come from and the allure of a love that could be sincerely felt." Overall, Rochelle and Nate's apple orchard wedding "will be remembered by many for years to come." See the phenomenal pictures ahead! Vendors Photographer: KAngell Photography // Dress Store: David's Bridal // Other: KAngell Photography // Jewelry: Kay's Ring // Transportation: Lily's Limousine // Tuxedo and Men's Attire: Men's Wearhouse // DJ: Mike Jones DJ // Cake Designer: Nancy Olson Cakes // Bridesmaid Dresses: Renz Rags // Event Venue: Thompsons Orchard // Submitted via Two Bright Lights | 4 | 99,017 | lifestyle |
It's still a Cadillac, but that's where the similarities end.The Ghostbusters reboot is coming, ready or not. And along with a gender swap between the 'busters and their secretary, the team's trusty chariot, Ecto-1, is getting a refresh . It's still a specialized Cadillac , but that's where the similarities end, judging by the new featurette you see above. Instead of a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Ambulance, 2016's Ecto-1 is a 1982 Cadillac Deville . And instead of being built to keep people from dying, the new car is meant to transport the dead. Yep, it's a hearse. It's hard not to find some kind of hidden meaning there, but this video doesn't mention it. What we have learned here is that the way the new Ghostbusters acquire their vehicle is a little bit different than it was in the original film. In the 1984 version, Dr. Ray Stantz, played by Dan Aykroyd, bought the 1959 ambulance for $4,800 the equivalent of $11,000 today despite a litany of problems. It was clear in the film that Ecto-1 was dilapidated long before the Ghostbusters breathed life back into it. But in the new film, the team acquires Ecto-1 from the uncle of Patty Tolan Leslie Jones' character. And based on the film featurette, it looks like it's in solid shape before the team adds its distinctive livery and logo. You can learn more about the car, see parts of the build process, and hear the cast and crew talk about it in this two-minute featurette. Ghostbusters hits theaters on July 15. Related Video: | 9 | 99,018 | autos |
"It's terrifying and I'm in a tiny parking lot." | 8 | 99,019 | video |
It'll be the purrfect place for cat and coffee lovers alike Although there have been a series of cat cafe pop-ups over the years , cat lovers felt a little left out when LA's first permanent dog cafe opened in March . Well now fans of furry felines will have their own cuddly cafe when Crumbs & Whiskers opens this fall. The concept comes out of Washington D.C., where a reservation to the cafe is $15 per person for 75 minutes of time, plus the cost of food and beverages. Walk-ins can score 15 minutes of kitty time for $5.50. Taking over a former waxing shop on 7924 Melrose Avenue just one block west of Fairfax, the central location should be the perfect place to de-stress over cat cuddles and a cup of joe. Beverages and snacks will come for a yet-to-be determined local cafe. Cattucino, anyone? Crumbs & Whiskers 7924 Melrose Avenue Los Angeles | 0 | 99,020 | foodanddrink |
Members of the British parliament learned about a very unpleasant reality many female students while discussing the topic of sexual violence in schools this week: Apparently, many students have resorted to wearing shorts under their skirts for fear of harassment from their male peers. The oft-discussed issue of uniforms came up in meeting held by the U.K.'s Women and Equalities Committee , which was created in 2013 to examine gender equality issues. In April, the committee started looking into the safety of young girls in schools, the Telegraph reported. A group of six experts, including policymakers, organization leaders, and educators, were summoned in a roundtable format to address members of parliament and discuss their findings on Tuesday. Apparently, the committee attributes online pornography, a culture of victim-blaming, and a systemic misogyny prevalent in society (that would be difficult to address unless wider cultural attitudes are tackled) as reasons why young girls might feel threatened or vulnerable in a skirt at school. The investigation is certainly timely, given data from recent years regarding sexual harassment in the U.K. and recent conversation (and controversy) surrounding uniform policing across the globe. Between 2011 and 2014, there were 5,500 sexual offenses reported in British schools, according to a 2015 report from the BBC . A Girlguiding survey, also released last year, revealed that 75% of young women have felt anxiety over the possibilities of facing sexual harassment in their everyday lives, with a shocking 90% of 13 to 21 year olds agreeing that schools should do more to address sexual harassment in classrooms. "We've heard from girls who tell us you don't leave school as a girl without being called a slut, that to wear shorts under your skirt to prevent boys revealing your underwear in the playground is just normal behavior," Sophie Bennett, co-director of U.K. Feminista , an organization that campaigns for gender equality, told the committee. "There is that sense of a normalized culture of sexual harassment in schools where girls don't feel able to report it and instead change their own behavior, such as wearing shorts under their skirts." This echoes the response the Women and Equalities Committee received in April, when it spoke with 300 "young people" in the U.K., prior to launching its official investigation, in order to gauge how people in that demographic felt about the issue of sexual assault in schools, the Huffington Post reports. Back then, those surveyed told the committee that officials and teachers were not only dismissing incidents of harassment that were brought to their attention, but they were also downplaying the pressures of bullying that students can face. In turn, survivors feared being reprimanded for coming forward, according to the report. The committee agreed that sexual harassment is indeed an issue students face every day in school and that those in positions of power (i.e., principals or teachers) don't necessarily know how to recognize and address it. Susie McDonald, chief executive officer of Tender , a U.K. charity devoted to anti-abuse, explained to the Committee that despite a "seismic shift" towards teachers feeling emboldened enough to report harassment, there still exists a "fear that if they're reporting sexual violence, what it will do to their reputation and how it will impact Ofsted checks." (The latter is an organization that helps regulate the quality and care of students in schools.) A representative for Ofsted told the BBC that it takes into account how a school's leadership address concerns of harassment as part of its inspections. McDonald added that after talking to a group of female students in London about how to combat harassment, she felt that allowing girls to wear pants is a nice idea, but it won't actually put any emphasis on changing boys' attitudes towards their classmates. The issue of whether skirts are "distracting" to male peers has been a hot topic as of late. When we talk about uniforms, this is often used as an excuse by school administrators to justify female students being sent home for dress code violations in the U.K. , in New Zealand , and beyond. Other points raised during the committee meeting included the lack of proper sexual education that, according to Jo Sharpen from Against Violence and Abuse , leads some students to learn about sexual conduct through porn and subsequently having "unrealistic and harmful attitudes about gender, sex, and consent" a point seconded by Marai Larasi of Black feminist organization Imkaan . However, Dr. Fiona Vera-gray , a research fellow at Durham University, argued that isolated case studies were of little use and that the problem runs far deeper. "To fix what's going on in schools, we also need to think more broadly about changing attitudes in the general population," she said. It might take decades for a social sea change in attitudes towards young women's bodies. In the meantime, perhaps gender-neutral uniforms might be the best solution. | 4 | 99,021 | lifestyle |
Former Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez will be represented by a new high-profile team of lawyers to sort through his remaining legal matters. Jose Baez, the noted Florida attorney who defended Casey Anthony in 2011, announced Wednesday he has been retained to serve as lead counsel for Hernandez during the former NFL star's double-homicide trial. Other members of Baez's group include Harvard Law professor Ronald S. Sullivan Jr., forensic science counsel Linda Kenney Baden and criminal defense attorney Alex Spiro, who has represented NBA players Thabo Sefolosha and J.R. Smith in recent cases. MORE: Images from Hernandez investigation "Mr. Hernandez strongly maintains his innocence, and I plan to establish that before a jury of his peers," Baez said in a statement. "I have fully committed myself to ensuring a fair and just trial for Mr. Hernandez. "We understand that numerous reports of our client's alleged activity have been published, but we ask the public to afford Mr. Hernandez the presumption of innocence and let the facts unfold in a court of law." Hernandez is serving a life sentence at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Mass., for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd Jr. Baez will take over Hernandez's pending appeal of the Lloyd verdict and represent him when he stands trial for the 2012 killings of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado. MORE: Disgraced athletes: Where they went wrong Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to charges he killed the men in a drive-by shooting after an encounter in a nightclub in Boston's South End. A date for the trial has not been set. Hernandez also faces a witness intimidation charge for the 2013 non-fatal shooting of Alexander S. Bradley, described as a friend of Hernandez's who had made a remark about the double-murder, prosecutors say. Hernandez spent millions on his previous legal team, which included a who's who list of Boston defense attorneys, led by James Sultan. It's unclear what led Hernandez to request a change. | 1 | 99,022 | sports |
Kentucky Wildcats basketball coach John Calipari is slightly biased when it comes to his former players. That said, Calipari dropped a bombshell in an interview with ESPN's Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg . The coach says the Philadelphia 76ers like Kentucky product Jamal Murray more than LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram. "That's who they want more than those two, and that's all I can tell you," Calipari said of Murray. He also delved into why Murray is more desirable than Simmons or Ingram. "His ability to score, stretch the defense, play the point guard position, play off the ball because the NBA is going to position-less, and flat-out shoot the ball, which is where the NBA is going," Cal said. "He's physically ready. He's one of the great kids of all-time. It's not like he's got a body that may or may not work in that league, and it's not like he's not a great kid who can lead your locker room, so all of the sudden he gets consideration for the 1 pick." All signs have pointed to Philly taking Simmons at No. 1 overall. General manager Bryan Colangelo has spoken at length about his comfort level with Simmons , who he's known for some time due to his relationship with the young man's father. At this point, it seems like the only way the 76ers would consider taking Murray is if they traded the top pick. But that's something Colangelo shot down emphatically recently ( more on that here ). All that being said, surprises at the top of the draft happen often enough that it wouldn't be overwhelmingly shocking if Colangelo did select Murray. Anticipation is building with each passing day as the 2016 NBA Draft approaches. It's going to be an exciting night when they start calling out names on June 23. >" style="position:static;vertical-align:top;margin:0 auto;display:block;width:600px !important;max-width:100%;min-height:590px !important;max-height:none !important;border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="600"> Jamal Murray - 2015-16 Kentucky Wildcats | PointAfter | 1 | 99,023 | sports |
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) Notre Dame coach Mike Brey has hired former Fighting Irish forward Ryan Humphrey as an assistant. Humphrey was a member of Brey's first team in 2000-01 and helped the Irish earn their first NCAA Tournament berth in 11 seasons, averaging 14.1 points and 9.0 rebounds. He averaged 18.9 points and 10.9 rebounds the next season and was a first-round draft pick, playing for Orlando and Memphis. Humphrey spent the past two seasons as Northwestern's director of player development. Brey said last month when Martin Ingelsby left to become Delaware's head coach and Anthony Solomon left for an assistant's job at Georgetown that he wanted to hire former players to fill the jobs. Brey described Humphrey as a class act, a winner who will add great energy. | 1 | 99,024 | sports |
For many in the NBA last year, Kristaps Porzingis was the great unknown in the draft. The 7-3 skilled big man was highly regarded by some teams, but others weren't as convinced that the lanky Latvian would pan out. New York Knicks president Phil Jackson recently said he never had a doubt about Porzingis, so much so that he warned the Los Angeles Lakers not to pass up on him. "We knew that [Porzingis] had a lot of talent, Jackson said in experts obtained by the New York Post from an MSG Network special airing Wednesday. "We saw that even in the workout with him shooting, and I had some fun with one of the Buss guys and I told him after [our] workout, 'You guys are going to be sorry if you don't pick up Porzingis with the second pick.' They didn't, we did." In the special, Jackson was responding to a remark ex-Lakers coach Byron Scott made last month, when he said Los Angeles passed on Porzingis because he looked out of shape during his workout with the team. "Watching him in the summer league, we thought he was really competitive, that's what we wanted to see in the tapes study we did,'' said Jackson, who guided the Lakers to five titles as a coach. "But when we saw that he had the stamina to play 28 to 32 minutes, well, we thought maybe he was going to be a 20-to-22-minute guy because of his strength and his lack of size or weight. But we knew how competitive, and what an athletic talent he was, really to be able to have that stamina.'' Jackson sounds very confident now, but there was much debate leading up to last year's draft as to where Porzingis would eventually be taken. The Timberwolves took Karl Anthony-Towns with the No. 1 pick, and the Lakers opted to address their backcourt, taking D'Angelo Russell at No. 2. The Sixers went big, selecting Jahlil Okafor with the next pick, leaving the best player available on the board -- Porzingis -- for the Knicks with the fourth pick. Porzingis became almost an immediate sensation for the Knicks, whose fan base began calling him "Godzingis" and "Porzingod." Porzingis averaged 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds and finished second to Towns in rookie of the year voting. Russell, who finished ninth in rookie voting, struggled for consistent minutes with the Lakers but started to show signs of improvement late last season. | 1 | 99,025 | sports |
An airport built on a remote South Atlantic island by the coalition government at the cost £285m of public money cannot be used because planes landing there are blown off course, Whitehall's spending watchdog has found. Related: Aid money used as 'payback' for Tory donor Lord Ashcroft, Labour claims The development on St Helena was approved in 2010 by the then development secretary Andrew Mitchell and was one of the biggest single government investments ever made in a UK overseas territory. The cliff-top landing strip was due to be opened last month as part of a plan to end the island's dependency on UK government subsidies. A report by the National Audit Office has found that safety concerns relating to windshear and turbulence have led to the mothballing of the airport. Windshear is a sudden powerful change in wind direction that can destabilise large aircraft and has been responsible for crashes around the world. The NAO said the Department for International Development (DfID) had subsidised St Helena with £28m in 2015-16 and was expected to hand it a total of £667m by 2043, when subsidies are due to end. However, the airport delay could add to those costs, the report released on Thursday concludes. Auditors are concerned that without an airport the island will not be able to attract enough tourists to make it self-sufficient. Responding to the report, Diane Abbott, the shadow international development secretary, said: "It is extremely concerning that such a huge investment has been mismanaged by this government … ministers must urgently clarify the additional impact of the delay on St Helena." Tim Farron, leader of the Lib Dems, questioned why the government had failed to commission studies on windshear before the money was spent. "This is a serious misuse of the aid budget which is meant to be helping the poorest in the world, and will present an open goal to those who looking for cynical opportunities to criticise international aid," he said. Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said the financial stability of the island would depend on a number of factors including tourist numbers and how much they spend. "The airport's planned opening date in May 2016 has been postponed as outstanding safety concerns are addressed, potentially adding to the project's cost and delaying its benefits," he said. The island, which is home to around 4,000 people and is located 1,200 miles west of Angola, is known for being where Napoleon was exiled in 1815 after his defeat at Waterloo. He died there in 1821. It can only be reached by sea and has relied upon the ageing Royal Mail ship St Helena which is soon to be retired. The NAO said the overall success of the scheme depended on attracting sufficient tourists to the island as well ensuring that they spent enough once they were there. While the island had enough hotel places for the numbers projected to visit during the first six years, the island government had admitted that it needed to improve the accommodation's quality. DfID and St Helena's government are looking at the options for dealing with the problem caused by the wind conditions but have yet to agree on a solution. The former Tory party treasurer Lord Ashcroft, who was a vocal supporter of the airport in 2010, wrote on the ConservativeHome website last week that he was forced to abandon a planned visit to the island because of "serious concerns that the airport is too dangerous to use". The Tory-led coalition approved the scheme with £250m from the development fund the largest single investment it has made in overseas territories. A DfID spokesperson said that some planes had been able to land on the island, including an airplane which successfully evacuated a sick child to Cape Town on Saturday. "As the report points out, the UK supports its overseas territories in line with international law," she said. "We are helping St Helena overcome the challenge of being one of the most remote island communities in the world so it can develop its tourism industry and become financially self-sufficient, making it less dependent on aid." | 5 | 99,026 | news |
Re-creating her idol Taylor Swift's most iconic looks has given this teen with a neurological disorder a newfound confidence - and a budding fashion career! | 8 | 99,027 | video |
For the ultimate Western experience, joyride along U.S. 89, which connects six of the country's greatest parks, winding through a landscape of fire and ice. We show you the best spots to savor the mythical, the weird, the glorious The greatest road on earth Here's something we can all agree on: This country deserves to have its very best places protected and enjoyed. That's what happened on August 25, 1916, when the National Park System was born. The first two parks, Yellowstone and Yosemite , were established in the West. In fact, our region is so rich in national parks that one road, U.S. 89, connects six of them, each a world unto itself. The 1,400-mile stretch, bookended by the ice-carved peaks of Montana's Glacier National Park and the symphonic chasm of the Grand Canyon , is a highway of epic proportions. Glacier National Park Look up at the peaks of Montana's Glacier National Park Mt. Gould, Mt. Grinnell, Going-to-the-Sun and they are snaggle-toothed, beautiful, terrifying. Testimony to the sculptural power of ice. Glacier's glacier story is complicated. The park has glaciers, 25 of them, which were at their best 500 years ago. The mountain-sculpting work was done by long-vanished Ice Age glaciers from 2 million years ago. Spend time in the park, and you pick up the names for the formations they created. Moraine: an untidy slope of boulders pushed down a mountain by a glacier. Arête: a knife-sharp ridge of rock. A park carved by brute force has an aura. Glacier is the edgiest of national parks, the moodiest. On a sunny summer morning, it shines with such alpine loveliness, you half-expect to see Maria from The Sound of Music tripping across a meadow. Ten minutes later, thunderclouds have massed and the world goes gray, grim, thrilling with menace, as if Maria had wandered into Game of Thrones. Glacier is also the park where you see clearly that national parks aren't as timeless as we want them to be. At the visitor center in Logan Pass, a ranger gives an impromptu talk about Glacier's current glaciers. They are shrinking, thanks to a warming planet, and may be gone by 2030. Glacier will still be wild and still be beautiful. But it will be different. Hit the water One of the best ways to experience the park is by boat . A ferry glides you across Swiftcurrent Lake (pictured), then it's a five-minute walk for a skip across Lake Josephine on a different ferry. It's an ideal intro to Glacier's ice-shaped world: Swiftcurrent and Josephine are glacier-made paternoster lakes, so-called because they're like two rosary beads. You'll remember that fact for a few days. You'll remember the boat ride forever. Hit the trail Grinnell stands out as the most impressive and easiest to see among the park's shrinking roster of glaciers. After ferrying across the lakes, follow the 3.6-mile trail to Grinnell Glacier Viewpoint. Heads up: This is the heart of grizzly country, so join a ranger-led hike or go in a group. Hit the road Props to the workers who spent 23 years blasting, tunneling through, and dangling off cliffs to build Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 50-mile park drive that climbs up the Rockies to the Continental Divide, then climbs down the other side. Most spectacular drive in America? Oh, yeah. Your challenge: Pay attention to the road and not to scenery. There are lots of turnouts. Stop at them all. Glacier vitals Established: May 11, 1910 Gateway town: East Glacier Park , famous for its huckleberry ice cream, located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The lodge: On the shores of Swiftcurrent Lake, Many Glacier Hotel (pictured, with its vintage limo) is like a Swiss chalet on steroids. The meal: Sautéed Montana trout with lemon and capers at Many Glacier Hotel. Critter watch: Canada lynx looks like a mountain lion wearing snowshoes. Yellowstone National Park Remember how in end-of-the-world disaster flick 2012 that crazed loner Woody Harrelson awaits the planet's doom in Yellowstone National Park ? (Admit it, you saw it.) It's here, he predicts, the apocalypse will start when the giant volcano beneath the park explodes. "I have goose bumps, people," he shouts as the ground shudders beneath him. And then … well, let's just say we don't see Woody again. Okay, calm down. It's true that the world's first national park sits atop the Yellowstone Super Volcano, one of the largest volcanoes on Earth. And that 600,000 years ago, it exploded, covering half of North America in ash. And that it could explode again … any minute. But that probably won't occur while you visit. Really. The Super Volcano happens to be responsible for Yellowstone's most spectacular glories the elegantly spraying geysers, the burbling mudpots, the gilded Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Spend time here and geology becomes as thrilling as this summer's blockbuster with special effects that include the world's greatest concentration of hydrothermal features. Will Yellowstone give you goose bumps? You bet. Be punctual Pay homage to the world's most famous geyser, Old Faithful, still performing between every 64 and 94 minutes. From there, stroll the rest of Upper Geyser Basin for spectacles like Beehive (pictured) and Fan. Get trippy Drive to Midway Geyser Basin to see Grand Prismatic Spring (pictured), a psychedelically colored hot spring and a good name for an indie rock band. After that, hit nearby Lower Geyser Basin for Great Fountain Geyser and Fountain Paint Pot. Get geeky Explore the park with instructors who can make concepts like hydrothermal alteration entertaining. You'll learn firsthand the difference between a hot spring and a fumarole. And if you're traveling with kids, the five-day Yellowstone for Families programs are great. Yellowstone vitals Established: March 1, 1872 Gateway town: West Yellowstone , a four-block knot of coffee and souvenir shops and restaurants. The lodge: Old Faithful Inn has been going strong since 1904. The meal: The carnitas taco plate at Taqueria Las Palmitas, a converted school bus parked in West Yellowstone. Critter watch: Bison (pictured), bull elk . Bryce Canyon & Zion National Parks Not all red rocks are created equal. Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks less than 75 miles apart in southern Utah and often visited together are streaks in that crimson blur people like to call red rock country. But while Zion is a landscape painting come to life, solemn as a sermon, sandstone cliffs shooting 2,000 feet above the Virgin River, Bryce is a red rock rave. From the rim, you look down into an amphitheater, where thousands of orange and pink hoodoos (pictured, the coolest name of any geological formation) poke up to create a labyrinth of limestone towers 30 million years old. The landscapes couldn't be more different, yet, strangely, more complementary. And if you think you have time for only one of these parks, here's our tip: Find more time. Hit the slots There are canyons big and small in Zion and Bryce , but none more beloved than the slot canyon. You'll know one when you see it these slits, formed by rushing water, are deeper than they are wide. Exploring one might mean turning sideways and sucking in your gut. Access a bunch on Zion's Riverside Walk as it leads up the North Fork. You'll be boulder hopping until you hit The Narrows (pictured), a stretch where 1,000-foot cliffs enclose a gap just 20 feet across. It's a challenge, so avoid during rainstorms. Ascend arches Start with sandstone, add rain, wait 50,000 years … presto, it's the perfect arch. At 287 feet across, Zion 's Kolob Arch is the second longest freestanding natural arch in the world. Only problem? Getting to it requires a brutal 14-mile trek. A more manageable 5-mile up-and-back on Taylor Creek Trail delivers Double Arch Alcove (pictured), which doubles down on the sandstone magic to reveal two separate bridges being carved, grain by grain, out of a 1,700-foot rock wall. Master the mesa This is the flat part of a steep geological formation, sort of like a roof. In Zion , the valley may be a riot of sheer red cliffs, but the mesas reveal a world of cream-colored domes and forever views. And there's none eerier or more breathtaking than Checkerboard Mesa (pictured), near the park's east entrance. The cone-shaped formation actually an ancient hardened sand dune is covered in horizontal furrows and vertical fractures that give it a crosshatched look and make it fun to scramble up. Behold the hoodoos In Bryce , they take on various forms: a totem pole, giant sea anemone, E.T.'s head. According to Paiute legend, the spirelike formations came from the remains of an ancient people who were turned to stone after angering the gods. Geologists explain the phenomenon as a pattern of alternating hard rock and soft rock like Phil Collins's career. Stroll along the Navajo Loop Trail to witness a dreamscape of magic: spooky, surreal, and like nothing you've ever seen before. Bryce Canyon vitals Established: February 25, 1928 Gateway town: Panguitch, Utah . Time it right and you can hit up its rodeo or summer hot-air balloon festival. The lodge: Your front-row seat to hoodoo central is at The Lodge at Bryce Canyon , built by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1925. The meal: Barbecue chicken pizza at The Pizza Place in the Bryce Canyon Inn. Critter watch: Pronghorn antelope . Don't blink; it's the fastest land animal in the Western Hemisphere and can run up to 60 mph. Zion vitals Established: November 19, 1919 Gateway town: Kanab, Utah . So Old West looking that Hollywood shot such classics as The Lone Ranger and Stagecoach here. The lodge: Canyon views for days at Zion Lodge , and each suite has its own wet bar. The meal: Mushroom-stuffed sweet-potato tamales at Bit & Spur Restaurant and Saloon, in Springdale. Critter watch: The Zion snail , the world's smallest, lives in the park's hanging gardens. Pick a rim The North and South Rims are only 10 miles apart as the crow flies but you're no crow. By road, you're looking at a 4-hour drive, without traffic. So you'll need to choose. The good news: They're both life-alteringly awesome, the South Rim for its culture (museums, architecture), the North Rim (pictured) for its extensive trail network. Don't be a Griswold You didn't come this far to snap a few pictures, stamp your park passport, and disappear, like Clark and the clan in National Lampoon's Vacation. Get below the rim. The Bright Angel Trail (pictured) gives you a taste of the canyon's scale and steepness (it's a 1,000-foot climb back to the rim). And farther down, Indian Garden is a no-joke hike 9 miles round-trip with a 3,000-foot climb but perfect for anyone looking to experience the canyon from the inside up. Meet Mary Colter The architect designed six structures in the park, using local stone and timber. Each one blends into the epic setting, from the Pueblo-inspired Hopi House to the rustic Hermit's Rest. The Watchtower at Desert View resembles a 1,000-year-old Native American structure, while Lookout Studio appears carved straight out of the Kaibab limestone cliffs on which it sits. See several of them in one shot in Grand Canyon Village. Love a lodge First-timers grouse that the dining room at the 1905 El Tovar Lodge doesn't have much of a canyon view. But park pros know it's all about the interior, with vaulted pine ceilings and Native American murals by Hopi artist Bruce Timeche. It's where the same bow tie clad waiters have been serving the same creamy polenta corncakes (with prickly-pear pistachio butter) and salmon tostadas for a decade. It's called tradition open your eyes. Watch it all go down Many a sunset money shot has been snapped from the terrace of the North Rim's Grand Canyon Lodge. The Adirondack chairs aren't especially comfy, but kick your feet up on the stone wall and take in the view Grand Canyon 's finest and you'll have no complaints. And the show doesn't end when the sun goes down: The terrace's big fireplace flames brightly and the canyon begins to glow with the moonlight. Grand Canyon vitals Established: February 26, 1919 Gateway town: Cameron , on the Navajo Reservation. Go for the handmade rugs, jewelry, and Navajo tacos. The lodge: Bright Angel Lodge honors the park, from the limestone façade to a fireplace that features every type of rock found in the canyon. The meal: Smoked brisket and baked beans served chuckwagon-style at the Grand Cookout Experience, the park's version of dinner theater. Critter watch: The endangered California condor . | 2 | 99,028 | travel |
Futures pointed to a mixed open for Asian markets on Thursday, after a higher finish in U.S. stocks that saw the Dow and the S&P near 52-week intraday highs. The Dow Jones industrial average (.DJI) up 66.77 points, or 0.37 percent, at 18,005.05; the S&P 500 (.SPX) up 6.99 points, or 0.33 percent, at 2,119.12 and the Nasdaq (.IXIC) composite added 12.89 points, or 0.26 percent, at 4,974.64. Australian SPI futures were up 0.2 percent at 5,383, compared to the ASX 200 (.AXJO) 's last close at 5,369.97. Nikkei (.N225) futures in Chicago were near flat at 16,805, while Osaka futures were lower by 0.71 percent to 16,730. The Japanese benchmark index finished at 16,830.92 on Wednesday. Markets in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are closed Thursday for the Dragon Boat Festival. Early Thursday the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept its official cash rate unchanged at 2.25 percent. In its policy statement, the central bank said its decision was influenced by modest recovery in commodity prices and "financial stability concerns" over house price inflation in Auckland and other regions. The bank did not rule out further policy easing, stating they may be required to ensure future average inflation "settles near the middle of the target range." Angus Nicholson, a market analyst at spreadbettor IG, said the major concern for the RBNZ continued to be worryingly low inflation. "We thought this may have overridden other concerns and led them to cut again today (after a pause at their last meeting), but it looks like the thinking is to wait until 2Q CPI comes out on 18 July and then cut in Augus," he said. The New Zealand dollar (NZD=) strengthened against the greenback after the decision, trading at $0.7086 compared to its last close at $0.7003. The Bank of Korea is expected to announce its monetary policy decision at 9 a.m. HK/SIN. | 3 | 99,029 | finance |
Authorities in Thailand discovered four tigers at an isolated, fenced-in property they believe to be a slaughterhouse used by the nearby tourist destination Tiger Temple. Large freezers, empty cages and knives were discovered when soldiers, police and national park officials who raided the multihouse compound Tuesday, the Bangkok Post reported . A planned DNA test could link the property's tigers, ages 1 to 10, to the temple, police Col. Montri Pancharoen told the Post . Tiger keepers found on the site claimed the animals belonged to Thawat Khachornchaikul, the property's owner. "We believe it was used by the Tiger Temple to hold live tigers before slaughtering them for their skins, meat and bones to be exported outside the country, or sent to restaurants in Thailand that serve tiger meat to tour groups," Montri said, according to the Guardian . Police last week removed and relocated 137 tigers from the controversial Buddhist temple where 40 dead tiger cub carcasses were found in a freezer. The remains of 20 more cubs were found in jars, per the Wall Street Journal . Besides advertising itself as a destination for tourists to cuddle with big cats, authorities claimed the temple also traded live and butchered tigers and made talismans from their parts, the Post reported. Last Thursday, police found 700 amulets made from tiger parts in a truck leaving the temple. All tiger species remain endangered, but Thailand has garnered a reputation as a center for illegal wildlife trade. Montri also said the suspected slaughterhouse, in the Kanchanaburi province west of Bangkok, may have served as as transit place in the trade of tigers. The property is located 30 miles from the Tiger Temple, per the Guardian . Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter: @joshhafner | 5 | 99,030 | news |
While most competitive sports have an inherent risk of injury, few things are more dangerous than having a flammable liquid involved. A new video shows what happens when a mechanical malfunction causes the engine of a NHRA Funny Car explode during a drag strip run . The Infinite Hero Dodge Charger funny car driven by Jack Beckman experienced said mechanical issues during the third qualifying session at the 2016 NHRA New England Nationals. The engine explosion happened around the eighth-mile mark of the quarter-mile dragstrip at New England Dragway. Despite having his helmet visor covered in oil, Beckman was able to hold the car in its lane as the parachutes helped bring the car to a stop. From the video, we can see the explosion rip the majority of the body off the frame. Only the front clip, which was split lengthwise just to the left of the centerline, remained on the chassis. The video also shows the massive roots-type supercharger case split from the lower intake manifold and fly toward the driver compartment. Check out the first video to see the explosion and stick around for the second video to hear Beckman talk about the incident. Source: NHRA via YouTube | 9 | 99,031 | autos |
U.S. women's national team goalkeeper Hope Solo has been denied a request to have her June 2014 assault charges dismissed, according to Seattle-area media . That means the case should move forward to trial, although Solo does have the option to appeal to the state Supreme Court. No trial date has been set, but the latest developments will surely renew concerns among U.S. soccer fans about Solo's availability, worries that never came to pass during last summer's World Cup, which the U.S. won with Solo playing every minute. Solo won the Golden Glove, recording a tournament-high 15 saves. The U.S. women will head to Rio in August for the Olympics, where they will attempt to become the first country to ever win a Women's World Cup and an Olympic gold medal in back-to-back years. To do that, they will surely need Solo, unquestionably the best goalkeeper the U.S. has ever had. She sits just one clean sheet away from becoming the first U.S. goalkeeper to hit 100 shutouts. But her consistent form for the U.S. has also been something of a double-edged sword, especially in light of the possibility her legal troubles could affect her availability. She has continued to start in unimportant friendly matches, leaving the U.S. backup goalkeepers with precious few international caps and coach Jill Ellis without a strong contingency plan. Of the USA's 22 matches since the Women's World Cup, Solo has started in all but four and she has 196 caps for the Americans. Meanwhile, backup goalkeepers Ashlyn Harris and Alyssa Naeher have just eight and six U.S. caps, respectively. Up next on the schedule, the USWNT faces South Africa on July 9 in Chicago. Fortunately for the U.S., up to this point, Solo's legal troubles have largely avoided important tournaments such as the World Cup and Olympic qualifying. But Solo was suspended last year in the lead-up to the World Cup after her husband was arrested for driving a U.S. Soccer van after he had been drinking and while Solo was in camp with the team. She missed two friendlies against France and England as a result, a loss and a win. Solo's charges for fourth-degree domestic assault -- allegedly a drunken fight with her sister and nephew in June 2014 -- were dismissed in January 2015 on procedural grounds when the alleged victims did not cooperate with court orders to be interviewed. But city prosecutors took a rare and unusual step to appeal the dismissal and have the misdemeanor case reinstated, which a higher court granted in October. It is unclear when the judge will set a new trial date or how soon trial would start, but it's a safe bet that fans of the U.S. women's national team are ready for the matter to be resolved soon. | 1 | 99,032 | sports |
A robber whose break-in caused a Maine woman's fatal heart attack last year was indicted for murder on Tuesday, police said. Carlton Young gained entry into the home of 62-year-old Connie Loucks on two straight days in March 2015, according to the Wells Police Department. A York County grand jury added charges of murder to Young's existing rap of burglary and theft in the indictment Tuesday. "The felony murder is based on the fact that the burglary led to the death of Connie Loucks," state Attorney General's Office spokesman Timothy Feeley said in email to the Portland Press Herald . "Ms. Loucks suffered from heart disease and her home was burglarized by Mr. Young and others on one day and then they returned the following day, when she was home and she suffered a heart attack and died." Feeley told the newspaper that state prosecutors have been speaking with lawyers for other defendants in Young's case and declined to comment on that part of the investigation. Investigators initially said Young, 24, and at least one other person broke into the home in the coastal town 30 miles south of Portland on March 24, 2015 as part of a burglary ring in southern Maine. Loucks wasn't there that day, but she was at home when the burglars came back again, authorities said. "Mrs. Louks died as a direct result of that burglary being committed," Wells police Lt. Kevin Chabot told WGME-TV . "There's a lot of stress, undo stress that gets put on somebody when they're in the middle of being victimized in a burglary. And that's a foreseeable consequence." Louks moved to the area with her husband after her retirement from her longtime job in customer service with New York Telephone, according to her obituary . She is survived by her husband of 42 years and her daughters Kelly and Sarah. "She enjoyed the beach, country music, taking walks, raising her children, being a grandmother, and being the loving wife of Brian," the obituary said. "She was always willing to help people any way she could, anywhere, anytime." Young's lawyer Amy Fairfield said her client denies the allegations. "My heart and my sympathies go out to the victim and her family and friends," Fairfield told the TV station. "And that also comes from my client. I spoke with him today. He's very clear about that. He's also very, very clear about his innocence." The felony murder charge carries up to 30 years in prison, and Young remained in York County jail on a $30,000 bail. He has been incarcerated since his arrest last year. With News Wire Services. | 5 | 99,033 | news |
A Chinese naval ship sailed into waters surrounding disputed East China Sea islands for the first time early Thursday, prompting Tokyo to summon the Chinese ambassador to protest, the Japanese government said. Russian naval ships were also seen in the area around the same time, according to local media. "Around 00:50 am (1530 GMT Wednesday), a Chinese naval vessel entered our nation's contiguous waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands," the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement. Japan administers the uninhabited isles under that name while China also claims them and calls them the Diaoyu islands. Relations between Japan and China deteriorated in 2012 when Tokyo "nationalised" some of the islands. Since then, the two largest Asian economies have taken gradual steps to mend fences but relations remain tense. Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki summoned Chinese ambassador Cheng Yonghua around 2:00 am to lodge a protest. Saiki "expressed grave concerns and protested, while demanding the ship immediately leave our nation's contiguous zone," the ministry statement said. Japanese diplomats and defence officials could not be reached immediately for further comment. During his meeting with Saiki, Cheng claimed the Chinese frigate was allowed to sail in the waters, Kyodo News said, citing an unnamed source. The frigate left the zone at about 3:10 am, according to major Japanese media, including Kyodo and national broadcaster NHK. Chinese coast guard vessels routinely travel around the disputed islands, but this was reportedly the first time a Chinese navy ship has been spotted. Three Russian military vessels were also seen in the waters around the disputed islands around the same time, Japanese media said. The Russian ships entered the area around 9:50 pm Wednesday and left around 3:05 am Thursday, Jiji Press said, adding that Russian naval ships have entered the waters before. | 5 | 99,034 | news |
YARNELL, Ariz. Calmer weather eased the intensity of a brush fire near an Arizona community where a 2013 blaze killed 19 members of an elite firefighting crew, officials said Thursday. The fire burned about 2 square mile of brush and grass and light winds of 5-10 mph Thursday were blowing it away from town, said Dolores Garcia, a Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman. The size estimate is double the previous one from Wednesday night but Garcia said it mostly reflects more accurate mapping. Firefighters have a perimeter around 10 percent of the fire and the weather forecast calls for favorable conditions over the next several days, said RobRoy Williams, the incident commander. "We're looking very good," he said. How the fire started isn't known but Williams said a human cause is suspected. The flames broke out Wednesday, leading 250 to 300 people evacuating their homes near Yarnell, about 60 miles northwest of Phoenix. Calm winds and cooler conditions with higher humidity overnight helped slow the fire, allowing firefighters to get some rest, said Dolores Garcia, a Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman. Winds of 15-20 mph late Wednesday "did prove challenging," she said. There have been no reported injuries. No homes were reported destroyed but the fire burned three structures such as sheds. About 200 personnel, including four firefighter crews, were assigned to the blaze. They were supported by fire engines, air tankers and helicopters. The 19 firefighters killed in June 2013 were members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots trapped by flames in a canyon the deadliest U.S. tragedy for wildland firefighters in several decades. Officials said brush clearing and other preventative work done in the community since the 2013 fire helped firefighters keep the latest fire out of the town by connecting areas already cleared of brush with new fire lines and burnout areas. Without that work, "we would not have been successful," Williams said. News video Thursday morning showed the fire burning in several areas of desert brush east and north of Yarnell. A long reddish stain from fire retardant dropped by a large air tanker late Wednesday was visible between those areas and the town itself. The Red Cross said 14 people spent Wednesday night at a shelter at a college in nearby Prescott. State Route 89 through Yarnell was shut down because of the fire. Williams said Thursday morning that the stretch of highway might be reopened Thursday afternoon but Garcia said fire managers later decided to leave it closed through the heat of the day to avoid hindering the movement of firefighting equipment. | 5 | 99,035 | news |
Billionaire investor George Soros has become more involved in trading at his family office, concerned about the outlook for the global economy and the risk that large market shifts may be at hand, according to a person familiar with the matter. Soros, 85, has been spending more time in the office directing trades and recently oversaw a series of big, bearish investments, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. Soros Fund Management LLC sold stocks and bought gold and shares of gold miners last quarter, anticipating weakness in various markets, according to a government filing. A New York-based spokesman for Soros declined to comment in an e-mail to Bloomberg News. The octogenarian and philanthropist, who built a $24 billion fortune through savvy wagers on markets, has taken a dim view of the world economy and particularly of China. In April, Soros said China's debt-fueled economy resembles the U.S. in 2007-08, before credit markets seized up and spurred a global recession. Most of the money that banks in China are supplying is needed to keep bad debts and loss-making enterprises alive, Soros said at the time. In January, the former hedge-fund manager said a hard landing in the Asian nation was "practically unavoidable," adding that such a slump would worsen global deflationary pressures, drag down stocks and boost U.S. government bonds. His bearish view prompted him to pare back his U.S. stock investments by more than a third last quarter, betting against the equities while banking on gold. The value of Soros Fund Management's publicly disclosed holdings dropped by 37 percent to $3.5 billion at the end of March, according to a government filing in May. Soros's former chief strategist, billionaire investor Stan Druckenmiller, echoed Soros's view on gold, saying last month that the yellow metal is his largest currency allocation as central bankers experiment with the "absurd notion of negative interest rates." The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that Soros had become more involved in the firm's trading. | 3 | 99,036 | finance |
PHILADELPHIA - Despite the even division of practice repetitions for all three quarterbacks, Sam Bradford moves closer every day to total command of the Philadelphia Eagles. This has nothing to do with how the other two are playing, either. Bradford simply has not given rookie head coach Doug Pederson a reason to pull the plug on the master plan he devised shortly after learning the Eagles had acquired the No. 2 pick in this year's NFL Draft with the intention of obtaining Carson Wentz. After getting over his initial reaction to the trade with the Los Angeles Rams that put the team in position to draft Wentz, Bradford returned following a self-imposed, two-week exile and picked up as if nothing had happened. The team played right along with it too. Flash forward to Wednesday and the second of three mandatory minicamp practices the Eagles are holding this week, and everything is pointing to Bradford once again being the quarterback. Only this year, two key variables have changed: The ability to get out of trouble before the snap and a full offseason with no restrictions following surgery the year before. Bradford talked about both before Wednesday's practice, in which he continued to show he was the best and most polished of the three. "There is a lot of freedom [for the quarterbacks]," Bradford said of Pederson's West Coast offense. "But with that freedom comes responsibility. You're in charge of getting into the right play, getting out of a bad play. You're responsible for really everyone out there. "Last year, obviously trying to play at the tempo that we did, it was hard to really do that. We chose tempo over that freedom, and I think there's benefits to each, but it is nice knowing that when you get to the line of scrimmage, if you immediately know, 'Hey, this is not a good play into this look, this is a bad play for this coverage,' that I have the ability to get us into something better. So hopefully with that freedom, they'll be less negative plays." What former coach Chip Kelly was trying to stress with his fast-paced attack was adjustments after the snap. But after a record-setting year by Nick Foles in 2013, Foles and the other Eagles quarterbacks never enjoyed that kind of success again, which was a big reason why Kelly was let go last December. Still, Bradford's completion percentage of 65 and yards per attempt average of 7.0 were career bests. He also threw for a career-high 3,725 yards despite missing two full games and part of another - all losses - with a shoulder injury. That came after an extremely limited offseason following surgery to repair an anterior cruciate ligament that was ruptured two years in a row. As a result, Bradford missed the second half of the 2013 season and all of 2014. Going by his comments on Wednesday, he played all of last year at considerably less than 100 percent. "I would say that, lower body-wise, it's starting to get back to that strength level before the injuries," Bradford said. "I don't think it's all the way back there. Obviously coming off two ACLs, it's tough to get back there, but compared to where I was last year, it's not even close. "I thought I would be ready [for last season]. The way things had gone in the spring, I'm not sure I was 100 percent. I was telling myself that I was going to be ready for it, but I think even some of the trainers and [director of high performance] Shaun Huls will tell you that they were probably a little skeptical after watching me go through some of the workouts I did." Not only is Bradford all in for this year, but his teammates are fully supportive. "Sam's a very smart guy," wide receiver Jordan Matthews said, "and I can tell that he's really taking pride in it. He loves being able to come up ... switch plays out, say, 'OK, Jordan, we've got this. I'm giving you a look like I'm coming to you.' So we've been having fun with this." Wide receiver Chris Givens, a free-agent addition who used to play with Bradford in St. Louis, might not have even signed with the Eagles had Bradford not already been here. He knew what Bradford was capable of before Matthews even came into the league. "Sam's a really smart guy," Givens said. "He sees things sometimes before they happen. So when you have a quarterback like that who's always going to make good decisions, and him knowing he has that control, it probably gives him a little more confidence." For now, Bradford doesn't seem bothered that even though he's been identified as the clear No. 1 quarterback on this squad, he continues to share the reps evenly with Wentz and backup Chase Daniel. At some point, perhaps not until the third preseason game, Pederson suggested Wednesday, that will change. Either way, Bradford already has done more on the field than he did all of last summer leading up to the start of the season. His health and confidence are there, along with the trust of his teammates and coaches. All that's left now is to go play. nick.fierro@mcall.com 610-778-2243 Sam Bradford Career Passing Yards and TDs | PointAfter | 1 | 99,037 | sports |
The Braves took out the Padres 4-2 on Wednesday. Julio Teheran struck out eight and helped his own cause with an RBI single. Wil Myers hit two home runs in the loss. | 1 | 99,038 | sports |
Nicole Kidman was on hand to support husband Keith Urban at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville on Wednesday evening. The couple - who will be celebrating their 10-year wedding anniversary later this month - flashed sweet smiles upon their arrival and even stopped to take a few photos with fans. Inside, the couple mingled with a slew of country stars, including Luke Bryan and Tim McGraw, and Keith took the stage alongside Brett Eldredge and Maren Morris for a special performance of his new single "Wasted Time." Just a few days prior, the duo stepped out at the NYC premiere for Genius looking like their usual lovey-dovey selves. | 6 | 99,039 | entertainment |
The number of automakers embroiled in fuel economy or emissions scandals continues to grow, and Suzuki was the latest to come forward about its involvement in deviating from fuel economy testing methods set by the Japanese government. In light of this, CEO and Chairman Osamu Suzuki announced today that he will step down. Not only is Osamu Suzuki stepping down as CEO, Executive Vice President Osamu Honda will retire. Suzuki will stay on as Chairman. Currently there are no definitive replacements for these two roles, and both leaders will officially step down on June 29, after approval by shareholders during the company's annual general meeting. Last month when Suzuki came forward about the improper testing, the company stated that it tested individual components as its proving ground in Sagara, Japan, which is susceptible to extreme weather. Osamu Suzuki apologized for the results, but also claimed that his company didn't cheat or manipulate its data. In the wake of the scandal, Osamu Suzuki will have his monthly compensation cut by 40 percent for six months starting in August, while his son, President Toshihiro Suzuki, will see a 30-percent cut. Directors will also waive their bonuses for 2015, and senior managing officers and managing officers will only get half their bonuses. Currently, the automaker is creating a plan to introduce improvements to its engineering team, like better training and encouraging whistle-blowing. The company will also push to better its mileage testing systems. Source: Automotive News (Subscription required) | 9 | 99,040 | autos |
This guy knew he'd have a blast at prom with Super Smash Bros. Melee by his side. | 8 | 99,041 | video |
The city of Pittsburgh is (smartly) making advanced preparations in case the Penguins clinch the first championship within city limits since 1960 with public safety precautions. From worthyfeed.com City leaders are preparing for the "what ifs" in the event the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup on Thursday night at Consol Energy Center. "We want to see people having a good time. We don't want to see craziness," Chief Operations Officer Guy Costa said Wednesday. "If we see craziness, those people will be dealt with accordingly." If the Pens defeat the San Jose Sharks in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final , they will be the first Pittsburgh team to win a major sports championship at home since the Pirates in 1960. Large numbers of excited fans would likely hit the streets afterward. Costa said the city will allow a 90-minute window after the game for street celebrations "as long as things are under control. If they get out of control, all bets are off. And then we'll ask people to go home nicely." Out of respect for the captain, they should have made it 87 minutes. Either way let's hope that there is cause for celebration and that everyone keeps it fun and not too dangerously, injuriously crazy. | 1 | 99,042 | sports |
The NFL is announcing rule changes for the 2016 season. As usual, they're focused on the really important things like banning James Jones' hoodie. Players may not wear exposed undergarments with an exposed hood hanging outside the collar of the jersey. Hello Green Bay. Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) June 8, 2016 That seems like an awfully specific rule to target James Jones a man not even under contract with any NFL team at the moment. It's good to see that the NFL is focused on such serious matters instead of something like, actually defining a catch . Really, who needs to know what that is as long as we know where hoods can and cannot be exposed? But if we're talking about something as apparently trivial as hoods, it does raise an interesting question. If hoods are banned, why are players still allowed to wear their hair well outside of their helmets? Exposed hoods don't hang as long as some players' hair, and Jones was the only player last year to use a hood. Personally, I don't care if players wear long hair or hoodies. That's a personal choice that's really nobody's business but the player in question. But if we're talking about injury risks, hoods and long hair are certainly comparable. It shouldn't be surprising, though. The NFL is not only the "No Fun League," but is too often "Not For Logic." >" style="position:static;vertical-align:top;margin:0 auto;display:block;width:600px !important;max-width:100%;min-height:520px !important;max-height:none !important;border:none;overflow:hidden;" width="600"> James Jones Career Receptions & Avg. Distance | PointAfter | 1 | 99,043 | sports |
DENVER Western Colorado has 40 times more natural gas than previously thought, but an immediate boom is unlikely because of low gas prices, government and industry experts said Wednesday. The U.S. Geological Survey said the Mancos Shale formation in Colorado's Piceance Basin holds about 66.3 trillion cubic feet of gas, up from 1.6 trillion estimated in 2003. USGS cited data from commercial drilling companies and new research for the revision. A trillion cubic feet of natural gas is enough to heat 15 million homes for a year, the U.S. Energy Department says. David Ludlam, executive director of the West Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said he doesn't expect a rush to drill in western Colorado because current natural gas prices are too low. If prices rise significantly, companies would likely begin drilling, he said. The U.S. also needs more facilities to export natural gas to Pacific nations to help make the Colorado gas competitive, Ludlam said, citing the proposed Jordan Cove Liquid Natural Gas terminal at Coos Bay, Oregon. The Piceance Basin, which spans much of western and northwestern Colorado, already has multiple well sites, pipelines and processing plants in place from a previous round of drilling in a shallower formation, Ludlam said. Much of the basin is federal land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and getting approval from the BLM to drill is often more difficult than getting private landowners to agree, said Kathleen Sgamma of the Western Energy Alliance, an industry group. "I hope with this reassessment the government understands that indeed the Mancos Shale is an important formation that should be developed responsibly," she said. Neither BLM nor USGS officials immediately returned calls Wednesday. The new estimate could mean the Piceance Basin has the second-largest natural gas reserves in the country, after the Marcellus Shale formation in Pennsylvania and neighboring states, Ludlam said. USGS says the Marcellus has 84 trillion cubic feet of gas. More important than the volume of the reserves is the cost of extracting them, said Porter Bennett, an energy analyst and president of Ponderosa Advisors in Denver. Bennett said the Piceance Basin has traditionally had high drilling costs, but Ludlam said the next wave of energy companies with leases in the area likely would have lower costs than previous operators. Drilling companies will use hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to recover the gas from the Mancos Shale, Ludlam said. Fracking uses a mix of water, sand and chemicals under high pressure to force open underground formations and release oil and gas. Opponents say fracking poses a risk to public health and the environment but the industry says it is safe. ___ Follow Dan Elliott at http://twitter.com/DanElliottAP. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/dan-elliott. | 5 | 99,044 | news |
Luna Simone is one busy baby . John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's 2-month-old daughter has officially met her paternal grandparents, and great-grandmother. On Wednesday, Legend shared a photo of his mother, Phyllis Stephens, holding Luna as she slept. "My beautiful mother came this weekend to meet her 9th grandchild!" the 37-year-old singer wrote. My beautiful mother came this weekend to meet her 9th grandchild! A photo posted by John Legend (@johnlegend) on Jun 8, 2016 at 12:52am PDT The "All of Me" singer's father, Ronald Stephens, posted a couple of adorable snaps of Luna too, including a shot of him gazing at his "lovely and very beautiful granddaughter." My lovely and very beautiful granddaughter, Luna Simone. A photo posted by Popz Topz | H A T S (@popz_topz) on May 30, 2016 at 11:50am PDT Representing 4 generations of family. A photo posted by Popz Topz | H A T S (@popz_topz) on May 31, 2016 at 4:40am PDT Teigen, 30, and Legend (whose birth name is John Stephens) welcomed Luna Simone Stephens in April, and she's already super popular on social media. The first photo of Luna snagged more than 600,000 likes on her parents' respective Instagram accounts. Aside from being super cute, Luna has also been giving her dad musical inspiration."I have some new stuff from the next album that I sing to her," Legend recently told ET at the New York City premiere of the off-Broadway show Turn Me Loose, which he co-produced. | 6 | 99,045 | entertainment |
This usually never happens, but during a coin flip before the Colombia-Paraguay soccer game, the coin managed to land right on the edge. | 8 | 99,046 | video |
Brad Keselowski spent most of the day Wednesday on a race simulator preparing for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. The Rochester Hills, Mich., native was coming off a third-place finish and a controversial day at Pocono on Monday. Keselowski, the Team Penske ace, will fly into the Irish Hills area Thursday and attempt to score his first-ever Cup victory at MIS over the weekend. "How sweet would that be?" said Keselowski of the thought of winning Sunday at his home track. "It would be huge." Keselowski is currently third in series points. He has two wins this season and has finished in the top 10 on nine occasions in 14 races. Not a bad performance from the 2012 Sprint Cup champ, right? "We've been good, we've been consistent, we've been strong, but we want more wins," said Keselowski, who drives the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford. "It would dramatically change everything if we won at Michigan on Sunday. We have so many seconds and thirds at the track. We just keep knocking at the door." In his ninth season, Keselowski has tallied 19 Cup victories and 12 poles in 245 Cup starts. He is enjoying his racing more than ever, he said. "It's great," said Keselowski, who grew up racing on short tracks across the state and at Toledo. "Driving for Penske is an honor." On Sunday Keselowski and his fellow Cup drivers will run a newer low down force package at MIS. NASCAR has designed it to slow the cars down and improve the racing, hoping for more passes and lead changes. What is Keselowski expecting on the two-mile oval? "We'll find out," said Keselowski, 32, who became a dad for the first time last May with the birth of his daughter Scarlett. "It is supposed to promote side-by-side racing. Michigan will be another bite out of the apple in NASCAR's experiment." At Pocono on Monday, in a rain-delayed race, Keselowski was penalized for a body slam on his car by the team's jack man during a pit stop. NASCAR felt the hip check was a deliberate attempt by the crew to dent the side of the car and improve its aerodynamic performance and speed. Keselowski was ordered into the pits, his crew instructed to repair the dent and he take a drive-through. Fox Sports NASCAR analyst and former four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon called it cheating. Keselowski's thoughts a few days on? "No doubt it was a hip check," said Keselowski. "I don't think there was any performance advantage for us. But rules are rules. There was nothing to fix when I came in. We served the crime." Mike Brudenell writes for the Detroit Free Press , part of the USA TODAY Network. | 1 | 99,047 | sports |
Tease: Officer Caesar Goodson, the Maryland cop who was driving the van in which Freddie Gray suffered a fatal broken neck injury in 2015, heads to trial this week where he faces the most serious charge of the six officers accused in the case: depraved-heart murder. WSJ explains the term. | 5 | 99,048 | news |
The Denver Broncos played dirty in their negotiating tactics with Von Miller, and now the linebacker may resort to hardball to get his way. According to Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson, it's possible that Miller will sit out the season over his unhappiness regarding his contract situation. Miller received an exclusive franchise tender from the Broncos this offseason but was hoping to sign a long-term deal with the team. He reportedly was seeking to become the highest-paid defensive player in the league , but the now-fiscally responsible Broncos do not seem willing to go to such extremes to get him signed. The two sides were recently said to be as much as $4 million per year apart on the terms of a deal. The kicker came on Wednesday when reports said the Broncos had pulled their offers after Miller seemingly rejected them. That is viewed as information that was leaked by the Broncos with the intention of making Miller look bad. In response, Miller may have to resort to extremes to get what he wants. Robinson says that the issue where the two sides differ is on guaranteed money. Even though the Broncos' offer to Miller was publicized as for six years at $114.5 million, Robinson says it amounted to little more than a two-year deal for less than $40 million because the Broncos would have had options to cut Miller. The amount of guaranteed money in the contract is really where Miller's side has a problem, as the Broncos are offering much less than not only Ndamukong Suh got last offseason, but also what Olivier Vernon received this offseason. Robinson believes Miller's options are to accept the tag and unsatisfactory contract terms; take the Josh Norman route and ask for the franchise tag to be rescinded; or sit out the season, which would force the Broncos to use a non-exclusive franchise tag on him next season. That move would allow him to sign with other teams and the Broncos to receive compensation in the form in draft picks if they do not match. The Broncos already showed with their Brock Osweiler and Colin Kaepernick contract talks that they have firm financial terms for which they are unwilling to make exceptions. The two sides have just over a month to get a long-term deal done before Miller must sign the franchise tender. As of now, it's not looking good, and the previous report that things could get ugly between the sides appears to be coming to fruition. Von Miller Games Played and Missed in Career | PointAfter | 1 | 99,049 | sports |
Britain's Vodafone Group Plc (VOD.L) on Thursday announced an effective takeover of leading New Zealand pay TV provider Sky Network Ltd (SKT.NZ) in a NZ$3.4 billion ($2.42 billion) merger combining digital platforms with entertainment content. Under the complex deal, loss-making Sky will acquire all of the shares in Vodafone NZ for that sum in cash and shares, giving Vodafone Group a 51 percent stake in the combined group and a cash consideration of NZ$1.25 billion, to be funded through new debt. The new Sky shares will be issued at NZ$5.40 per share, representing a 21 percent premium to Sky's last close. The shares jumped 20 percent to NZ$5.35 at Thursday's open. "This is a significant and positive step in Sky's evolution as a premium entertainment company," Sky Chief Executive John Fellet said in a statement. "The combined group will offer exciting new packages with Sky's premium entertainment content, Vodafone NZ's communications and digital services of the future." Vodafone NZ has more than 2.35 million mobile connections and more than 500,000 fixed-line connections in New Zealand. Sky has over 830,000 subscribers. The combined group will be one of the largest companies listed on the New Zealand stock exchange and will have forecast pro-forma revenue of NZ$2.9 billion. "It's a very big deal for Sky TV and the market is going to take some time to digest it and work through the impact," said Forsyth Barr Investment adviser Adrian Vance. Vance noted that Spark (SPK.NZ) is under some pressure, down 6.7 percent on the uncertainty of the impact of this combined company. Sky said it expected shareholders to vote on the deal at a meeting in early July. (Reporting by Rebecca Howard. Editing by Jane Wardell and Stephen Coates) | 3 | 99,050 | finance |
SAMMAMISH, Wash. - Golf has had a testy relationship with the Olympics so far. Even putting concerns over the Zika virus aside, many golf fans (and players) simply aren't interested in watching their sport in the Olympics. That's not a mindset Lexi Thompson can understand. She is well and truly all-in for the Olympics, and speaking on Wednesday at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, she didn't mask her excitement: "I think it's amazing. I think it shows how much golf is growing as a sport. Once I heard that golf is back in the Olympics after such a long time. It's an amazing experience to be able to say you're an Olympian ... It's an honor to represent your country in any tournament, for that matter, but to be an Olympian is the highest honor." Then she was asked about the number of athletes who are skipping the Olympics because they don't think it's important. "Well, it's their decision. Everybody has a different outlook on every decision that they make. But to me I've always said growing up, anytime I can represent my country it's the highest honor. Growing up I wasn't able to say I could be an Olympic golfer. Now that I can, it's a dream come true. I don't understand why people don't get that. Winning a gold medal would be higher than anything, any win, anywhere." It was a sentiment echoed by Shawn Johnson, a four-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics, when she was asked if golf is worthy of being an Olympic sport. She spoke about the golf's involvement in the games during the KPMG Women's Leadership summit that same day: "I would say you have three people who have won Olympic medals, if you put us on a golfing range, we would barely be able to hit the ball, it would be so frustrating. I mean golf is a true talent and a true skill. You invest thousands of hours trying to perfect it. In the Olympics you're talking about people who have mastered the art of a specific sport. So a thousand percent it should be [in the Olympics]." How can you not be at least a little excited after reading that? Go Lexi! U-S-A! U-S-A! | 1 | 99,051 | sports |
When ice cream and cake layer together, the result is a dessert you'll gladly want to present at any Summer festivity. These ice cream cakes go above and beyond, though. Some are hacks involving ice cream sandwiches (for the type who would rather fry an egg on concrete than turn on their ovens during the summertime). Others are for the more adventurous and involve homemade cakes, uniquely flavored ice creams, and drizzles . . . you can't forget the caramel and chocolate drizzles. No matter the ice cream cake you are searching for, these recipes guarantee you'll need to stick your head in the freezer, because you will melt over the sight of them all. No-Bake Winter Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: no-bake Winter ice cream cake Birthday Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: birthday ice cream cake Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: peanut butter cup ice cream cake Giant Ice Cream Sandwich Cake Get the recipe: giant ice cream sandwich cake Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake Roll Get the recipe: neapolitan ice cream cake roll Fruity Pebble Crunch Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: Fruity Pebble crunch ice cream cake Vegan Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: vegan mint chocolate ice cream cake 5-Ingredient Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: five-ingredient chocolate and peanut butter ice cream cake Krispie Treat Ice Cream Pie Get the recipe: Krispie Treat ice cream pie 5-Ingredient Birthday Ice Cream Cake Bars Get the recipe: five-ingredient birthday ice cream cake bars Easiest Ever Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: easiest ever ice cream cake Sweet and Salty Ice Cream Terrine Get the recipe: sweet and salty ice cream terrine Cookie Dough S'more Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: cookie dough s'more ice cream cake Toblerone Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: Toblerone ice cream cake Founder's Favorite Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: Founder's Favorite ice cream cake Salted Caramel Popcorn Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: salted caramel popcorn ice cream cake Chocolate Crunch Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: chocolate crunch ice cream cake S'more Brownie Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: s'more brownie ice cream cake Easy Ice Cream Sandwiches Cake Get the recipe: easy ice cream sandwiches cake Black and White Cookie Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: black and white cookie ice cream cake Cookies and Cream Oreo Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: cookies and cream Oreo ice cream cake Chipwich Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: chipwich ice cream cake Homemade Carvel Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: homemade Carvel ice cream cake Individual Mini Ice Cream Cakes Get the recipe: individual mini ice cream cakes Buckeye Ice Cream Cake Get the recipe: buckeye ice cream cake | 0 | 99,052 | foodanddrink |
Bellator 149: "Shamrock vs. Gracie 3" took place Feb. 19, 2016, at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Between the main event of Ken Shamrock vs. Royce Gracie and co-main event of Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000, the show averaged a record-setting two million viewers for on Spike TV , peaking at 2.5 million during Slice's fight. The co-main event wasn't without controversy, though, as both fighters seemed to be working in slow motion for 10 minutes; in fact, Dada 5000 was in such bad shape after a third round technical knockout that he left the cage on a stretcher . His health problems would only get worse from that point on. The story was not over though after Slice unexpectedly passed away earlier this week , which made countless fight fans and mainstream onlooker alike questioning how Slice could have been medically cleared to fight earlier this year and then literally be on death's door in need of a transplant just a few months later. Bellator officials, speaking to TMZ Sports , insist that all necessary medical testing was done and that Slice had to pass both an EKG and EEG to be cleared before he stepped in the cage, neither of which indicated a such a serious heart condition existed. "If there was ANY sign that Kimbo was not healthy enough to fight, we would NOT have allowed him to fight." Bellator also went on the record as saying all of the relevant paperwork was on file with the Texas Dept. of Licensing and Regulation if anyone had doubts that Slice had a clean bill of health going in. To check out the latest Bellator MMA-related news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive news archive right here . | 1 | 99,053 | sports |
SAMMAMISH, Wash. One by one they come to the media center at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship to tell their stories of sports success, athletes most of us don't know, but certainly should. Tell me, sports fans, do you know the name Lydia Ko? She has been the No. 1-ranked player in the world in women's golf for 33 consecutive weeks. Golf fans must know her. But the casual sports fan? How about Lexi Thompson? She could win the Olympic gold medal for the United States in women's golf in Rio in two months. Please tell me you've heard of her. Ariya Jutanugarn? Stacy Lewis? Inbee Park? How about Nancy Lopez? That was a trick question. Of course you've heard of Nancy Lopez. But if she's the female golfer you know best, we've got some serious problems here. Lopez, 59, retired from regular tournament play in 2002, when Ko was 5. A massive disconnect exists between what we should know about the LPGA Tour and what most of us do know. Today is the greatest day in the history of the LPGA Tour -- until tomorrow. The prize money has never been higher, $63.1 million, up from $40.5 million five years ago, and almost nothing 30 years ago. There are more tournaments (33) than there have been in eight years. The tour has more of a presence on network TV (seven events) than it has since the '90s. Yet almost no one knows this. Why? I'll give you one idea: Tiger Woods, that's why. For 20 years now, Tiger has blocked out the sun on the LPGA Tour. He has been a riveting draw for the PGA Tour, and men's golf overall, but not the women's game. As the mainstream sports media flocked to him, it virtually ignored the LPGA. It's sad but true: I covered much more of the LPGA in the 1990s than I have since. It's not right, but it's a fact. Where Tiger went, reporters followed. Something interesting is happening now, however. Tiger has turned 40 and is unable to play, and while the men's game still is a very big deal, there just might be an opening for something new on the world golf stage. Ironically, while Tiger brought lights and cameras to the game, he didn't bring participants. Well, he did initially. There were 24.7 million golfers in the United States in 1995 golfers being defined by the National Golf Foundation as people age 6 and over who played the game on a golf course at least once during the year. (A rather generous definition, wouldn't you say?) In 2005, the number reached 30 million. By 2014, all the new people were gone. The number had fallen back to 24.7 million. Growth, this is not. Interestingly, a vast untapped market of prospective golfers does exist. It's not white men. Golf surely has maxed out on them. It's women, millions of women who have grown up in sports due to Title IX and are now looking for new challenges in their 20s and 30s. Has golf put out the welcome mat for these women? Grudgingly and slowly. This is a sport in which a sizable portion of older men still don't want women around them when they play the game. (Muirfield, that's you.) Golf isn't the only place where sexism has trumped capitalism for decades, but it is rather amazing that this has occurred with the greatest capitalists among us. But a new day just might be dawning. This is the second year that the major formerly known as the LPGA Championship has been spiffed up and put on as a partnership of the PGA of America and the LPGA, with KPMG footing the bill. It makes you believe that almost anything is possible, maybe even a woman running for president from a major U.S. political party someday? | 1 | 99,054 | sports |
This comes just a week after the department said the investigation had exhausted all efforts. | 5 | 99,055 | news |
OKLAHOMA CITY Paige Parker pitched a complete game to help Oklahoma defeat Auburn 2-1 on Wednesday night for its third national softball title. Parker put the Tigers down in order in the seventh to improve to 5-0 at the Women's College World Series. Auburn's Emily Carosone, the star of Tuesday's comeback win with a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth, couldn't follow it up. In the bottom of the first, she committed an error on a grounder by Shay Knighten, and Caleigh Clifton scored for the Sooners (57-8) when Carosone lost control of a throw to first. Knighten then scored on a slow-bouncing infield single by Fale Aviu to make it 2-0. Auburn (58-12) loaded the bases with no outs in the third, but Parker struck out Carosone, then the Sooners turned a double play to get out of the inning unscathed. Jade Rhodes' solo shot in the top of the fourth made it 2-1, but Parker regained control. Oklahoma won its first two titles in 2000 and 2013. The Southeastern Conference had won three of the previous four, with Oklahoma interrupting. Oklahoma coach Patty Gasso was questioned about the decision to rest Parker during Game 2, when Auburn rallied from an early 7-0 deficit to beat the Sooners 11-7 in eight innings. Parker was the winner in Game 1, a 3-2 decision, and Gasso felt it would have been unfair to Parker to start her on Tuesday. Parker came back refreshed. She threw 107 pitches, struck out five and walked one. Carosone went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and two errors. Auburn, which was seeking its first national title, snapped Oklahoma's 31-game win streak on Tuesday to force Game 3. The Sooners hadn't lost since April 2. The Sooners went through Alabama, Michigan, LSU and Auburn to win the title. ___ Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CliffBruntAP . | 1 | 99,056 | sports |
By Heather Somerville The website for LendingClub Corp, the online lending company which recently admitted to fraud, went down Wednesday afternoon. The company tweeted at about 4 p.m. Pacific time (2300 GMT)that it was "working to resolve a data center outage" and would be "back up and running soon." Lending Club representatives did not respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Heather Somerville in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Olivia Oran in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler) | 3 | 99,057 | finance |
SAN FRANCISCO With no uptick in their pitching from 2015, you have to give the Red Sox kudos for being one of the best teams in the American League. After all, they signed David Price to a $217 million deal and traded for Craig Kimbrel, giving up four pretty good prospects (outfielder Manuel Margot and shortstop Javier Guerra in particular) to the Padres, plus assuming Kimbrel's $37.5 million contract. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski also traded innings-eater Wade Miley to Seattle in a four-player deal that netted Carson Smith and lefthander Roenis Elias. Elias has been in Pawtucket for the most part, while Smith has not been a plus or a minus, and is now out for the season after Tommy John surgery. In terms of position players, the Sox spent $13 million on a two-year deal for fourth outfielder Chris Young, and that was it. Yet the offense has improved dramatically over the pitching, which is why the Sox were 34-24 heading into Wednesday's night's game against the Giants. Boston finished 25th in team ERA in 2015 at 4.31. Entering Wednesday, the Sox ranked 21st, with an ERA of 4.35. After 58 games last season the Sox had allowed 264 runs, compared with 270 this season. The offense, however, has scored 341 runs this year, compared with 221 at this time a year ago. The Red Sox have the majors' top-ranked offense, but ended last season sixth with a .265 average, compared with .292 this season. The Red Sox' offseason goal was to bolster their pitching, but it's been stagnant. Is the current discrepancy between their pitching and offense sustainable? Price entered Wednesday's start 7-2 with a 4.88 ERA. The Red Sox were 8-4 in his starts, which is fine, but the record is due mostly to strong run support. Price hasn't been the dominating force in the rotation, but he's won games. In fact, you could make the argument that Steven Wright has been the ace of the staff. Dombrowski decided soon after taking over that the Red Sox needed an ace. But the addition of Price hasn't made a huge difference in terms of Boston's overall pitching. At least not yet. One can assume Price will keep getting better, but he entered his 13th start not at the level one would expect from Price, who worked out some early mechanical issues, slightly increasing his velocity. Beyond Wright, the rest of the rotation has been unpredictable. Rick Porcello had seven good starts (3.11 ERA) to begin the season, but his last five have been mediocre, and he's up to 4.04 overall (though the team is 8-4 in his starts). Clay Buchholz was demoted to the bullpen. Joe Kelly made three starts after returning from the disabled list, and the last two got him sent back to Pawtucket. Eduardo Rodriguez has returned from the DL to make two starts, with mixed results. Currently, the Sox have a four-man rotation because of three offdays in the span of eight days. On June 18 they'll need a fifth starter, and we'll see if Buchholz reemerges. The Sox' depth in starting pitching has disintegrated before their eyes. They were once nine deep, but Henry Owens hasn't pitched well, Brian Johnson is out while being treated for anxiety, Sean O'Sullivan came and went, Elias has started to pitch well, and we've noted Kelly and Buchholz. The bullpen has also had its good and bad moments. Koji Uehara's work as the setup man hasn't been as consistent as the Sox would have hoped. Kimbrel had his problems early but has settled in. Junichi Tazawa was very good early, had a slip-up or two a week ago, but seems to have righted things. Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree, and Robbie Ross Jr. have been decent. Despite the added dollars devoted to pitching, the return hasn't been game-changing. It doesn't mean that won't change, as pitching often changes with each snapshot. The first 58 games, however, haven't yielded the desired impact. The feeling that adding an ace would create a domino effect with the rest of the rotation hasn't come to pass, which likely means Dombrowski is going to address both the rotation and the bullpen with outside additions. As we've mapped out in previous columns, the starting rotation will be a difficult fix because of the dearth of available impact starters. The bullpen will be a little easier to add to, but the player acquisition cost could be higher than Dombrowski is willing to spend, and he's also lost a couple of potential chips in catcher/left fielder Blake Swihart and Pawtucket first baseman Sam Travis to injuries. But manager John Farrell sees positive trends. "What's included in those numbers to date is one month of David Price vs. the current Price," Farrell said. "That's going to improve our pitching. We have to get our fifth spot straightened out, that's clear. Having Eddie Rodriguez coming back gives us a more known commodity and more dependability. There are some things that are happening that are moving in a positive direction. We've had a couple of guys [Barnes, Hembree] emerge in the bullpen that are helping overall depth and keeping guys fresh." Overall, Farrell thinks the Red Sox' pitching is better than it was a year ago, even if the numbers don't say that yet. "David [Price] got off to a slow start, but we've been able to cover some of that with offense," said Farrell. "We're not going to be able to rely on it and score six-plus runs per game. We've got to continue to improve." The Red Sox probably don't have to be in the top 10 in pitching to make the postseason. If they are just above average, with their hitting they could do what the Royals have done the past two seasons. "No reason we shouldn't be in the top 10 in baseball," insisted Farrell. "I think we have that talent and type of depth coming back to us. We're capable of getting better and reaching a higher level." Being "capable of" and getting there can often be a disappointing journey. Farrell is probably right. Having a premier ace and premier closer should help Farrell's projection. If it doesn't, it proves that money can't fix everything. | 1 | 99,058 | sports |
LeBron James threw down a beast alley-oop slam dunk in the third quarter of Game 3 on Wednesday night. First, James forced Steph Curry to turn the ball over and stumbled down the court with the ball barely in his hands. #StriveForGreatness . pic.twitter.com/sHA8BvJYaS - Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) June 9, 2016 Then, James nearly fell over and turned the ball over himself, but he kept the ball bouncing, got up and dished a short pass to Kyrie Irving. Irving quickly looked to get it back to James, and the resulting play was incredible. STRENGTH, no weakness! #NBAVine #NBAFinals https://t.co/YTNA6wILFw - NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2016 | 1 | 99,059 | sports |
CLEVELAND If it seems as though Richard Jefferson has been playing in the NBA forever, well, there's ample reason. Jefferson, who turns 36 on June 21, launched his professional career in 2001 and suited up for the Warriors as recently as three years ago. He also found himself in the starting lineup of an NBA Finals game Wednesday night. Jefferson replaced Cleveland teammate Kevin Love , who missed Game 3 after taking an inadvertent Harrison Barnes elbow to the back of his head Sunday night in Game 2. Jefferson finished with nine points and eight rebounds and played strong defense in 33 minutes as the Cavs rolled to victory. "I just like his physicality," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said before the game, in explaining his choice of Jefferson. "He moves well without the ball, and he really played well in Game 2." Jefferson had 12 points and five rebounds in that game. His presence in Wednesday night's lineup moved LeBron James to power forward and gave the Cavs more speed and better defense, despite Jefferson lacking Love's size (6-foot-7 versus 6-foot-10) and outside shooting ability. As for Love's absence, Lue said, "You have to go through the concussion protocol. Kevin is eager to play and he's frustrated he's not able to play, but that's how we're trying to protect our players in the NBA." Kerr on Rooks: Warriors head coach Steve Kerr , before taking questions in his pregame news conference, offered emotional and heartfelt words about former NBA center Sean Rooks . Kerr and Rooks, who died unexpectedly Tuesday at age 46, were college teammates for one season at Arizona in the late 1980s. Their sons, Nick Kerr and Kameron Rooks , also were teammates last season at Cal. "Sean has been revered and beloved by generations of Arizona players, and all the NBA players he played with during his career," Steve Kerr said. "He was a gentle giant and he always had a smile on his face. I'm devastated for his family." Barkley on Curry: TNT analyst Charles Barkley , in a conference call to promote next month's celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, supported Stephen Curry 's decision to skip the Olympics and said Curry has earned the respect of other NBA stars. "I mean, the guy is playing in the NBA Finals for the second year in a row and he's got a bad knee. I can understand," Barkley said of the Olympics. On whether Curry gets enough respect from his peers, Barkley said, "It's interesting to me, sitting back and watching guys trying to make up stories that guys don't like Steph or they're jealous of Steph. "Man, it's a competition. You're not going to kiss up to anyone when you're competing against them. I think guys respect what he's accomplished. The guy has won two MVPs in a row, and he won 73 games. "I don't know what fans want. It's a competition. We're not out there to kiss anybody's ring finger or kiss them on the feet. We're out there trying to kick his butt. That's sports. But guys clearly respect each other." Briefly: Warriors center Anderson Varejao , who spent the first 12 years of his career in Cleveland, received a smattering of boos when he touched the ball soon after entering the game in the third quarter. … NBA players voted Memphis guard Vince Carter as the recipient of the 2015-16 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, recognizing the player deemed the best teammate. Staff writer Rusty Simmons contributed to this report. Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. | 1 | 99,060 | sports |
CHICAGO (AP) -- The first hint of boos came after James Shields walked the game's second batter. They gained intensity after each of the three home runs and reached their peak after he was yanked in the third inning. BOX SCORE: NATIONALS 11, WHITE SOX 4 The Chicago White Sox's big addition couldn't stop their stunning slide. Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run homer in the first to set the tone in Shields' miserable White Sox debut, Max Scherzer threw seven scoreless innings and the Washington Nationals routed reeling Chicago 11-4 on Wednesday night. ''You never want to come into a new team and expect to do that,'' Shields said Zimmerman's homer in a four-run first inning was followed by consecutive shots by Stephen Drew and Danny Espinosa to lead off the second. Everyone in the Nationals lineup reached base safely at least once in two-plus innings off Shields (2-8), who couldn't command his fastball and gave up seven runs and eight hits in his first start since being acquired from San Diego. ''I didn't give them a chance,'' Shields said. Instead of jump-starting a club once 23-10, Shields failed to get out of the third inning for the second straight start. The White Sox lost for the 20th time in 26 games to fall under .500 for the first time. ''Maybe he came in here pressing to try to impress,'' Chicago manager Robin Ventura said. ''We know he's going to pitch better, but the first inning probably got to him somewhat.'' Scherzer (7-4) allowed five hits for the Nationals, who have scored at least 10 runs in three straight games. Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer off David Robertson in the eighth as the Nationals pounced on Shields for their seventh win in nine games. ''We scored early and that was big,'' Washington manager Dusty Baker said. ''Shields wasn't that sharp today. He threw a bunch of pitches early and we capitalized on it.'' Shields, who helped Tampa Bay and Kansas City reach the World Series in recent years, has fallen on hard times since signing a four-year, $75 million deal with San Diego before last season. Padres executive Ron Fowler called his performance ''an embarrassment'' after he allowed 10 runs in 2 2/3 innings last week. He was traded to the White Sox four days later, and had command issues again. Zimmerman crushed a belt-high 90 mph fastball to left in the first, before the lefty-hitting Drew and Espinosa pulled off-speed pitches. ''It seemed like everyone was comfortable and seeing his ball well,'' said Ben Revere, one of four Nationals with three hits. The crowd cheered sarcastically when Shields struck out Bryce Harper after four straight hits in the second. Fans jeered when Shields was yanked after Anthony Rendon's leadoff single in the third. Scherzer retired the first nine batters, struck out six and walked one. The White Sox scored four in the ninth to avoid being shut out. ''We haven't had a whole bunch of games like this when I haven't had to manage much,'' Baker said. ''It's the kind of games that you like.'' TRAINER'S ROOM Nationals: RHP Matt Belisle (calf) remained on his rehab assignment at Triple-A Syracuse despite an overworked bullpen. ''We didn't even talk about (bringing in another arm),'' Baker said. White Sox: RHP Zach Putnam (elbow soreness) replaced Shields and allowed two hits in the third inning. An MRI cleared Putnam after he was unavailable for two games. HARPER SLIPS, SHINES Harper dropped to second behind Cubs OF Dexter Fowler in the latest All-Star fan voting on a busy night. He pushed a bunt toward third for a hit against the shift in the first, threw out Jimmy Rollins at the plate from right field to end the fifth, doubled in the sixth and finished 3 for 6. POSITION PLAYER PITCHING White Sox OF J.B. Shuck, who pitched at Ohio State, allowed a run in the ninth in his big league pitching debut. He gave up one of Washington's 18 hits. CATCH A DRAFT The White Sox hold the 10th and 26th picks and the Nationals have the 28th and 29th selections in Thursday's draft. ''One of our big things this year is we want to start getting more true baseball players in our system,'' said Nick Hostetler, Chicago's director of amateur scouting. UP NEXT White Sox RHP Miguel Gonzalez (0-1, 3.93 ERA) replaces Carlos Rodon (neck) in the series finale Thursday night. LHP Gio Gonzalez (3-4, 3.94) starts for the Nationals. | 1 | 99,061 | sports |
The Mets beat the Pirates 6-5 in 10 innings on Wednesday. Wilmer Flores hit the go-ahead single in the top of the 10th inning. Starter Jameson Taillon made his MLB debut for Pittsburgh. | 1 | 99,062 | sports |
June 8 -- Before the Republicans invade in July, Bloomberg Politics' John Heilemann visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Greg Harris, the Hall's president and CEO, discussed the upcoming GOP convention and showed him a piece of the Berlin Wall. | 3 | 99,063 | finance |
Donald J. Trump has some advice for panicked Republicans in Washington who are melting down over his most incendiary statements: Man up. "Politicians are so politically correct anymore, they can't breathe,"Mr. Trump said in an interview Tuesday afternoon as fellow Republicans forcefully protested his ethnically charged criticism of a federal judge overseeing a lawsuit against the defunct Trump University. "The people are tired of this political correctness when things are said that are totally fine," he said during an interlude in a day of exceptional stress in the Trump campaign. "It is out of control. It is gridlock with their mouths." Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter Even as he chastised Washington's political class for a lack of backbone, Mr. Trump exhibited modest signs later on Tuesday that he was getting the message that some remarks such as questioning the fairness of Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel because of his Mexican heritage crossed a line. While he did not apologize, he issued a statement that his comments on Judge Curiel had been "misconstrued." In a final Republican primary night victory speech, he struck a more conventional tone at least for him giving a more disciplined address using the teleprompter he has mocked while promising to make the Republican Party proud in the general election campaign. But anyone thinking that Mr. Trump is going to suddenly adopt a more cautious, strategic approach yearned for by election-conscious congressional Republicans is likely to be disappointed. He wrinkled his nose in disgust at the mere mention of the word "pivot," though he conceded he wants to get on to broader discussion of the economy. In his view, it is clear that his way has worked and the establishment's has failed. After all, he vanquished every senator, governor or former governor who challenged him for the party's nomination. "I disagree with a lot of things I've watched in politics over the years, that's why I'm running," Mr. Trump said over a meatball lunch he barely touched in the restaurant of Trump Tower. "And that may make me less popular with politicians. But I have to be honest. I didn't get there by doing it the way a lot of these people do it." Back in Washington, congressional Republicans were in a fever, with Speaker Paul D. Ryan, a reluctant Trump convert to begin with, calling Mr. Trump's comments about the judge "the textbook definition" of racism . Senator Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican and majority leader, denounced Mr. Trump's crusade against Judge Curiel as stupid and urged him to apologize. Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois withdrew his endorsement, and others were pondering it. Mr. Trump, arms crossed tightly across his chest during lunch, was aggrieved and considered some of the Republican pushback inappropriate and unhelpful though he did not want to address specific critics. He insisted that he is anything but a racist and, with his usual rebuttal by the numbers, stressed that voters have rewarded his outspokenness with a record haul of primary votes while Washington is held in dismal regard. "People want people to represent them who are going to stick up for what they believe in," Mr. Trump said. "Politicians have been very weak and very ineffective over the last quite long period of time." Mr. Trump is also unhappy with the media, and noted that he is nearing the ability to reach 20 million people by himself through his personal Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, providing an alternative way to reach the public, even if it's largely a one-way conversation. His is a campaign like no other, conducted out of a luxury office tower in Manhattan named for its most prominent occupant, the presumptive nominee himself. A few floors below his personal office with a Trumpian view of Central Park is unfinished space being leased to his campaign team, a relatively skeleton crew of 80 or so running a national campaign. He is flabbergasted by critiques that he is woefully undermanned compared to the hundreds working for Mrs. Clinton, many just over in Brooklyn. "To me, that is smart," Mr. Trump said about his lean team, though he says he will soon increase his work force. As the primary season came to an odd close with him under Republican fire in the nation's capital an unheard-of spectacle in the last half century of presidential politics Mr. Trump took some time to huddle with his campaign team. His daughter Ivanka, a trusted adviser, was close at hand, as was his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, his press secretary, Hope Hicks, and his special counsel, Michael Cohen. As he headed to the Trump Grill for lunch, tourists and workers hailed him, congratulated him and urged him on as they lined up to take photos with their phones. He posed with some women and looked back at a reporter to point at the women and boasted "Hispanics!" Afterward, he bragged: "They say 'We love you, Mr. Trump. We're from Mexico.' " After he was seated, the Secret Service erected a temporary partition to shield him from other guests. "Look," he said, amused, "we put up a wall!" The uneasy relationship he has with Republicans in Washington not to mention the antipathy for him among Democrats may have worked for him during the primary campaign. But in the White House, like them or not, he will need them to deliver on whatever agenda he would pursue. Mr. Trump, who has for years contributed to and glad-handed politicians from around the country, believes he can be successful. "I think I will get along with the politicians actually," he said. "We will get the government moving. I've done a lot of work on the other side of politics and I've always gotten what I want." "We will see how it shakes out but I think it is going to shake out very well. I think people are tired of what is going on." Even as they express alarm over his tone and positions, Mr. Ryan and Mr. McConnell have yet to abandon Mr. Trump despite pressure from some Republicans to do so. The two congressional leaders say they still share more with Mr. Trump's ideology than with Mrs. Clinton's. So how does it feel to be the lesser of two evils? "I don't think I am, for many people," Mr. Trump said. "Maybe for some politicians." Clearly, the real estate merger between Trump Tower and the Capitol is going to take more time. Follow The New York Times's politics and Washington coverage on Facebook and Twitter , and sign up for the First Draft politics newsletter . Follow Carl Hulse on Twitter @hillhulse . | 5 | 99,064 | news |
Bristol Palin is officially married. The 25-year-old daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin married her on-again, off-again beau, Dakota Meyer , reported Entertainment Tonight's Desiree Murphy. "Life is full of ups and downs but in the end, you'll end up where you're supposed to be," Palin and Meyer told ET. "We are so happy to share with loved ones the wonderful news that we got married!" "Hard work and God's grace are the foundation of our new life together, and with the love and support of our family we know we can get through anything," they added. The newlyweds, who are currently on their honeymoon, also gave ET a close-up look at their rings Meyer's jewelry is all black, while Palin's features stunning diamonds. Speculation that the pair had secretly tied the knot began on Tuesday when Meyer posted a telling photo to his Facebook page. In the pic, Palin was sporting an engagement ring and a second band on that finger, seemingly indicting the two said "I do." "On one hand, we know that everything happens for a reason, and there are no mistakes or coincidences," Meyer, 27, captioned it. "On the other hand, we learn that we can never give up, knowing that with the right tools and energy, we can reverse any decree or karma. So, which is it? Let the Light decide, or never give up? The answer is: both." Meyer and Palin announced their engagement in March 2015, but called off their wedding just one month later. Rumors that the two had reunited began three months ago when they both started sharing pics of each other and their five-month-old daughter, Sailor Grace . (Palin is also mother to a seven-year-old son, Tripp, with ex Levi Johnston.) "Baby daddy bff," Palin captioned a pic captured during a recent family trip. Meyer also recently shared a photo of the two, writing, "Had an amazing time halibut fishing with @bsmp2 yesterday. #lifecouldntbebetter." | 5 | 99,065 | news |
When Hillary Clinton swept onto the stage at her victory rally Tuesday night, the thunderbolt of history struck many Americans, no matter their love or loathing for her: A woman could be the next president of the United States. But like so much about Mrs. Clinton, her speech, which lit up televisions and smartphones and social media all day Wednesday, produced conflicting emotions. For some, it was an inspiring moment that brought home in a visceral way that Mrs. Clinton is the first woman to become the presumptive nominee of a major party. For others, there were chills and discomfort that this next step forward in our national story was unfolding with this particular woman. "It's undeniably historic," said Margaret Saadi Kramer, 48, who works in the Los Angeles music industry and is an ardent backer of Mrs. Clinton's Democratic rival, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. "I think it's incredible. No matter who you're voting for, you have to give it up for her tenacity and her work ethic." Still, she added, "As qualified as she is and she is very qualified I don't think ethically she's the best." Sign Up For NYT Now's Morning Briefing Newsletter For Mrs. Clinton and her allies, the Brooklyn rally was carefully scripted and precisely executed, right down to the debut of a three-minute introductory video that interspersed images of the candidate with pictures of Gloria Steinem, Rosa Parks, Sandra Day O'Connor, and suffragists and protesters over the last two centuries. The goal was to cast Mrs. Clinton in the euphoric glow of trailblazing women, with the hope that people would reconsider who she is or, at least, take a measure of pride in her achievement. "There's an assumption that the whole country knows her and that she can't do anything to change their view, good or bad, of her, but I think that's not true," said Hilary Rosen, a Democratic political strategist who has close ties to the Clinton campaign. "When you are all of a sudden a nominee for president of the United States, you get a different look. People will give you a second look." But interviews with several dozen people around the country on Wednesday indicated that Mrs. Clinton's achievement had intensified feelings that many Americans already held about her. Many of her admirers were ecstatic, while those torn about her sounded ever more ambivalent. "There was a thump, thump," said Jackie Stern Bellowe, 58, a Denver doctor and enthusiastic Clinton supporter, referring to her own heart. "I'm a physician who has spent an awful lot of time in big meetings with a lot of men. And there is a huge glass ceiling in medicine." Yet Judy Kowal, 71, a Chicago retiree and Sanders supporter who said she would vote for Mrs. Clinton in November, sounded unmoved. "I think it's wonderful" that a woman will be at the top of the ticket, Ms. Kowal said. "I just wish it was a different woman." And in a year in which presidential politics has taken an extremely negative turn with both Mrs. Clinton and the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald J. Trump, viewed unfavorably by most Americans some voters, even those who back Mrs. Clinton, were left feeling dispirited. "I think that if she does win, as the first female president, she will kind of represent all women, and she has her flaws, as we all know," said Nicole Lee, 22, a painter and waitress from Richmond, Va., who voted for Mrs. Clinton in her state's Democratic primary. "It's also sad that her reputation kind of entails everything that happened with her husband, which is a bummer. And of course that would only happen to a woman." Before Tuesday, many admirers of Mrs. Clinton were perplexed that the prospect of the first female president had not caused anything like the national soul-searching, cultural heat or political exhilaration produced by Barack Obama eight years ago. But unlike Mr. Obama, who catapulted onto the national stage as a virtual political unknown in 2004 and snatched the party's presidential nomination from Mrs. Clinton four years later, Mrs. Clinton has been in the spotlight for more than two decades and is the most scrutinized woman in American politics. On Wednesday, comparisons between the two were inevitable. "Eight years ago, I thought that would be the greatest moment," said Shakila Forbes, 25, a recent graduate of Clark Atlanta University, who is African-American. "But now I feel like Hillary Clinton running for president is the greatest, and it's just like, what is there to come after this? America just keeps surprising me." But Vicki Hutchins, an Atlanta insurance agent who is black, said she found more meaning in Mr. Obama's achievement. And like many voters, she lamented a campaign consumed more by sound bites and quarrels than by policies, people and history. On Twitter, some black women adopted a hashtag to express their ambivalence: #GirlIGuessImWithHer . "I think people are excited about a woman being nominated, but I think politics right now has become very circuslike, and it has taken away from the sanctity of it," said Ms. Hutchins, who gave her age as "40-ish." Of Mr. Obama's election, she said, "That was one for our race and one for all that our people have faced in history." Despite her strong support among older women, Mrs. Clinton is not universally seen as a transformative figure for her gender. Some voters regard her as a Clinton first, a perennial politician second and a woman third. The novelty of a female president is also not what it once was. The election of women as presidents and prime ministers in Britain, Germany, India and other countries decreases the impact of Mrs. Clinton's candidacy, and many younger American women were raised to believe that they could achieve anything and that a woman was sure to be president someday. And some supporters said there was fear that focusing on Mrs. Clinton's gender could be politically dangerous, possibly alienating some men and handing a weapon to Mr. Trump. "The worry has been, don't discuss the 'first woman president' idea because it might provoke a backlash," said Donna Brazile, a veteran Democratic strategist. "It's almost like we're in a no-praise zone, and it's weird, because we've had 230 years of presidential history and no one can say that Clinton's candidacy isn't historic." For many women who never thought they would live to see a female president, Tuesday may have been a night for celebrating, but the true test will come in November. Some said the moment's import was amplified by the fact that Mrs. Clinton's opponent is Mr. Trump, a candidate with a combative alpha-male style who has already attacked her husband's sexual history , mocked women's looks and engaged in acerbic feuds with women from Rosie O'Donnell to Megyn Kelly. "To me, the White House is still the ultimate treehouse with a big sign on it that says, 'No Girls Allowed,' " said Patricia Schroeder, a former Colorado congresswoman who considered a run for the Democratic nomination in 1988. "If we could pull down that sign, it would make such a difference." And for women who have been dissected and debated in the public spotlight for years, there is undeniable excitement. Barbra Streisand, the singer, actress and longtime Democrat, wrote in an email that as Americans focused on the stark contrast between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Trump, she was confident that "the pride in electing the first woman president of the United States will be recognized as the historical milestone it will be." Polls show that most Americans believe the nation is ready for a female president. In March 2008, 61 percent of registered voters thought the nation was "ready to elect a black president," according to a CBS News poll, while this February, a CNN survey of registered voters found that 80 percent believed it was "ready for a female president." Outside the White House on Wednesday, Buck Johnson, 26, a Republican from New Jersey who leads tours in Washington and called himself "kind of a feminist," said it had felt historic when Mr. Obama became the first black president. "I think that African-Americans have been persecuted a lot more," said Mr. Johnson, who is white. "Whereas I guess, a woman president, it just seems I don't know, women are 50 percent of the population." Surveys have also shown that most voters do not view Mrs. Clinton's candidacy as special. A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll in April found that 71 percent of voters thought it would not be long before other women became major-party presidential nominees, while only 24 percent said it was unlikely to occur again soon. Still, Nichola Gutgold, a professor of communications at Pennsylvania State University who writes about women in politics, saw significance in this moment. Walking around campus Wednesday, Professor Gutgold said she kept bumping into people who wanted to talk about it. "I think there is this little bit of exuberance," said Professor Gutgold, who, in a stroke of good timing, is signing her new children's book, "Madam President," on Saturday at a bookstore that Mrs. Clinton frequents in Chappaqua, N.Y. "Even from people who won't support her, I still think people are saying, 'It's about time.' " Correction: June 8, 2016 This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: Contributor information with an earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of a reporter. He is Alex Vadukul, not Vadakul. | 5 | 99,066 | news |
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HONOLULU (AP) Identical twin sisters Alexandria and Anastasia Duval always lived together, played together and worked together, operating what were once two of the hottest yoga studios in the Palm Beach, Florida, area. They called the business Twin Power Yoga. They would finish each other's sentences, and while they had boyfriends, their sibling relationship seemed to come first. But after a reality TV project fell through, the two descended into a cross-country spiral of business failures, debts, arguments and drunken run-ins with the law that all came to a tragic end last week, when their SUV plunged off a 200-foot cliff on Maui's rocky shore during what was described as a hair-pulling fight over the steering wheel. Anastasia, 37, was killed, and Alexandria was arrested and jailed on a second-degree murder charge, accused of deliberately causing her sister's death. On Wednesday, however, a judge ordered Alexandria's release after determining there was no probable cause for a murder charge. "We will have to see what other evidence we can find by furthering the investigation," Maui Prosecuting Attorney John Kim said when asked what prosecutors plan to do next. Despite the judge's ruling, defense attorney Todd Eddins said he was trying to bail her out Wednesday evening. He said she was still jailed because of charges related to a previous arrest involving disorderly conduct. She's eager to get to upstate New York in time for her sister's funeral, Eddins said. "She's grateful but she's still traumatized by the whole series of events," he said. Leslie McMichael, who became the sisters' spiritual adviser after meeting them at a Kabala center in Florida, called the crash a horrible turn of events. "They were beautiful twins with so much life. They were so funny. They were such a machine together that people would stop and watch them," she said. Authorities said Alexandria was behind the wheel of a Ford Explorer on May 29 when witnesses saw the sisters arguing on Maui's Hana Highway, a perilously narrow, twisting route along a scenic stretch of coastline. A witness cleaning a family gravesite on the highway shoulder told police that he heard a woman screaming in the vehicle and that the passenger was pulling the driver's hair and the steering wheel. The SUV accelerated, made a hard left turn and crashed into a rock wall, then went over the cliff, authorities said. Anastasia was pronounced dead at the scene. Alexandria was hospitalized in critical condition but appeared in court Monday with her arm in a sling. The twins had been fighting and drinking earlier on the day of the crash, Federico Bailey, Anastasia's boyfriend, told the Maui News. He said they had gone camping together for the Memorial Day weekend. The sisters' relationship involved distrust and constant fighting but also love, he said: "When they drink, their personalities change." Eddins disputed the allegations against her, saying she "did not try to harm herself or the person she most loved and was closest to in the world." He called it a "heart-shattering" tragedy for the sisters' family. Before they changed their names from Alison and Ann Dadow, the twins ran two popular Twin Power studios in Palm Beach County, Florida, from 2008 to 2014. Brett Borders, a former student of theirs, said they held the best yoga classes he has ever taken. "They were very good at picking and training yoga instructors. They were very consistent. The best teachers around. It was just very high quality," he said. The sisters were living large, with fancy cars, before they suddenly closed the studios and bolted town, leaving behind bewildered customers and friends and many debts. Employees and vendors complained they hadn't been paid, and customers' memberships were rendered worthless. McMichael said their downfall began after they were approached by reality television producers who wanted to feature them on a show. They had outgrown one of their studios, in well-to-do Palm Beach Gardens, but instead of annexing a neighboring storefront as planned, they were persuaded by the producers to lease space on the priciest, trendiest street in West Palm Beach, McMichael said. They were banking on the TV income to make it work, but then the show fell through and they were stuck with a lease they couldn't afford, she said. "They were all but in. They had set up their lives around" the show, McMichael said. "When it didn't happen, they were in too much debt." The sisters moved to Utah and opened a yoga studio in the high-end ski town of Park City in 2014. They had several run-ins with the police during the two years they lived in the state, and faced charges including drunken driving, intoxication and leaving the scene of an accident. In January 2014, they were kicked out of a restaurant when their drinking got out of hand, according to police. Officers said the twins fought with each other and with police who arrived after their car slid into a ditch. Hair-pulling was also involved. The sisters had a close bond but struggled with alcoholism as their Park City studio floundered, said Utah lawyer Craig Chlarson. They never mentioned their success in Florida, but never seemed like they'd purposely hurt or take advantage of anyone, he added. The twins legally changed their names in Utah in 2014 to write a book together, according to court documents. Both women filed for bankruptcy around the same time and reported around $150,000 in debts each, including two 2013 Porsche Boxsters. Looking for a new start, they moved to Maui in December and planned to open yoga studios, according to Alexandria's attorney. But they were soon charged with disorderly conduct and terroristic threatening over a Christmas Eve incident. Their rowdy behavior doesn't tell the twins' full story, said McMichael, the spiritual adviser. Referring to them by their previous names, she described Alison (later Alexandria) as outgoing with a "big, dominant personality" and a tendency to drink too much sometimes, and called Ann (Anastasia) "the sweetest, kindest, most level-headed person you would ever meet." McMichael said the pair, whose mother had died when they were 5, always lived together and put their relationship ahead of their boyfriends. "They realized that love was not in their future because they were so co-dependent," she said. "I would joke that the only people who would understand them were a pair of male twins who would understand that they needed to be together." | 5 | 99,068 | news |
JERUSALEM Two men wearing suits and ties entered the Max Brenner chocolate restaurant on Wednesday night, ordered dessert, and sat down. But it wasn't long, restaurant staffers told The Daily Beast, before they jumped up and started shooting, leaving four dead and six injured in and around Tel Aviv's popular Sarona food market. "Without touching the food they got up, pulled out their weapons, and opened fire on pedestrians near the restaurant and in streets adjoining the food market," said a member of staff Yousef Jabari of Umm al-Fahm. As gunshots rang out throughout the facility, which is near Israeli military headquarters , diners fled their tables in a rush to get away from the shooters, both described as Palestinian . Ambulances rushed to the scene as the wounded stumbled out of the food market. Avraham Liber had been sitting at Max Brenner eating ice cream with friends. He was facing the shooter. "I saw him," he told The Daily Beast. "It looked like he was sitting in a chair at the cafe and he had a rifle in his hand. He was just shooting point-blank at people. He didn't say anything." Meital Gonen, who manages a nearby clothing store, said victims sought shelter with her amid the gunfire. "We heard gunshots and then we saw people running into our store, and they said that there was a terrorist 'Please open the door!' They were screaming and yelling, and there was a lot of blood and people dying. "We opened the door to let people in to make sure they were safe." Seven wounded were evacuated to Ichilov hospital, where one died, and another was taken to Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv. Four remain in serious condition, and two are in fair condition. Tel Aviv police chief Chico Edri told reporters that one of the shooters was caught and arrested, while the other was shot and wounded, and was undergoing surgery. Later, Israeli authorities said the shooters, both 21, whose names have yet to be confirmed, were two Palestinians from the same family, possibly cousins, from Yatta, south of Hebron in the occupied West Bank. Soon after midnight, Israeli forces conducted a raid on the town. The attack, the third shooting attack in Tel Aviv this year, is the worst in eight months of violence that has claimed the lives of 32 Israelis, two Americans, and about 200 Palestinians, most of them attackers. Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh praised one of the shooters, calling him a hero. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu landed at Ben Gurion Airport from Moscow soon after the attacked and headed to the Defense Ministry for consultations with newly appointed Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman , Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, police chief Roni Alsheich, Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman, and other officials. "We're going to take the necessary steps to attack the attackers and defend those that need defending," Netanyahu told reporters. Nikolay Mladenov, the U.N. special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, immediately condemned the shooting attack. "All must reject violence and say no to terror," he said in a statement. "Our prayers are with the families of those killed. I am also shocked to see Hamas welcome the terror attack. Leaders must stand against violence and the incitement that fuels it, not condone it." In Paris last week, representatives from 28 countries, the Arab League, the European Union, and the United Nations met to discuss ways of restarting the Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. Negotiations came to a standstill in April 2014 . | 5 | 99,069 | news |
Most public employees would never dream of driving a BMW -- at least on the job. But that's what going to be happening in Los Angeles, thanks to deal to lease 100 of BMW's small i3 electric cars in a bid to enhance the city's sustainability efforts. The Los Angeles Police Department has taken out a three-year lease on the the fleet. It will pay $387 per month per car, including maintenance. It gets cheaper yet: Since they are electric cars, there will be no gasoline costs and as part of the deal, a company called Greenlots is supplying chargers. Even though the leased i3s are BMWs, city and BMW officials went to lengths to dispute that, at least in this case, they would be considered luxury cars. Related video: Chinese Cars Copy Audi, BMW Compete in Global Market "Other car manufacturers competed, they couldn't beat the price," said Vartan Yegiyan, director of police transportation for the police department, at a press conference near police headquarters to show off the fleet."So BMW did do their homework and they wanted to sell the cars." The cars will be driven by detectives and police staff, often for follow-ups to criminal cases. Those workers still expect to get plenty of use from the cars, up to 10,000 miles per car a year. They won't be used as black-and-white patrol cruisers. And they say they're hoping to get electric-powered patrol cars in the next few years. "In the next three to four years, we will learn from the technology and use the opportunity to work with car manufacturers and design a robust high-performance patrol electric vehicle," says Yegiyan "That's our aim." BMW has announced that for the 2017 model year, the i3's range will be expanded from 85 to 115 miles on a single charge. Company officials are looking forward to the opportunity to partner with the LAPD, to demonstrate the reliability of electric vehicles. "These cars were designed specifically for urban environments," says BMW spokesman David Buchko, "even large ones like L.A...These cars are perfectly suited to that sort of environment." The car's level of sophistication goes beyond just being electric powered. The police department will be able to receive data directly from the cars to monitor their performance. The department anticipates it will be help managers keep tabs on the fleet more efficiently. "We're developing a web tool specifically for them to be able to track in near-real time what's going on with the vehicles as well," said Jennifer Reed Banando, an electric vehicle marketing executive for BMW. | 3 | 99,070 | finance |
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook . | 3 | 99,071 | finance |
NEW YORK -- If there is one explanation for Donald Trump's success it is this: Unlike most Republicans, he fights back. He may not have the late Muhammad Ali's finesse, but he sees himself as more than capable of dealing a "knockout" punch to Hillary Clinton in November. That ought to be the goal of any GOP presidential nominee. During an interview in his Trump Tower office Monday, I asked about his temperament, a subject often raised by critics. Hillary Clinton recently said he shouldn't be trusted with the nuclear codes and that he is so thin-skinned he might start a war. Trump said, "She's the one who raised her hand for the war in Iraq and I'm the one who has been fighting it from the beginning ... (Hillary) is the one who has a terrible temperament ... she's weak ... she has a hair trigger and it's just the opposite with me. I have a strong temperament. ... I couldn't have built the strong companies I've built if I didn't have a strong temperament." Well, yes, and many considered Teddy Roosevelt just as brash and his likeness made it onto Mount Rushmore. What about the references to race and ethnicity that have brought criticism from leading Republicans? I suggested that most Americans don't care about the civil lawsuit against Trump University (which alleges the university is a scam), the ethnic background of U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is presiding over the case or whether Trump is being treated "fairly." What Americans care about are jobs, the economy and terrorist threats. Does Trump plan to pivot from such things and start focusing on what resonates with most voters? "Yes," he said, "it's starting very soon." In a statement released Tuesday, however, Trump addressed the Curiel issue one more time. "It is unfortunate that my comments have been misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage. I am friends with and employ thousands of people of Mexican and Hispanic descent. ... I do not feel that one's heritage makes them incapable of being impartial..." He then vowed not to speak about the matter again. In our interview, Trump noted he has received more votes than Ronald Reagan. Yes, but primaries are but a small percentage of the larger number of people who will vote in November. A considerable number of them will vote for Hillary Clinton; some conservatives and Republicans will refuse to vote for Trump. Trump says his formula for making America great again begins with putting the country first: "I hate to use the word 'change,' because Obama used to use that word ... but (people) are hungry for real change; they're hungry for making things right." He's right and both parties share the blame for the dysfunction. Trump's plan for reforming Social Security and Medicare, the main drivers of our debt, consists of eliminating "waste, fraud and abuse" and growing the economy to a point where there will be sufficient money to sustain these programs for decades to come. He promises that the list of judges provided to him by The Federalist Society and The Heritage Foundation will either be the ones he nominates to federal benches, "or people exactly like them. In fact, I'm going to expand the list by four." Trump rejects the notion of a "living Constitution," preferring the view of the late Justice Antonin Scalia that the document means what it says. He favors school choice, especially for minority children in failing public schools, a position he thinks will help get him African-American votes. He says President Obama, not him, has divided the country, pitting rich against poor and blacks against whites. "I had hoped Obama would be a good cheerleader for the country. He's really brought the opposite in spirit to the country. He's a very negative force." He adds, "If we have four years of Hillary I don't know if we can ever come back." If Donald Trump does adopt a positive view of America that is inclusive of all Americans, he might be able to resonate with a majority of voters. Will he? We're about to find out. (Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com .) | 5 | 99,072 | news |
Memo to those reading this article on their smartphones while at work: You're part of a growing problem. A survey of 2,186 hiring managers and 3,031 full-time workers released today by CareerBuilder showed how these wonders of modern technology were becoming a nuisance for many businesses. A majority -- 55 percent -- of employers considered smartphones to be the biggest killers of workplace productivity. That's hardly surprising given that more than eight in 10 workers (83 percent) own the devices and 82 percent keep them within eye contact while at work. Interestingly, only 10 percent of smartphone owners say the devices hurt their job performance, even though 66 percent admit to using them several times a day. "While we need to be connected to devices for work, we're also a click away from alluring distractions from our personal lives like social media and various other apps," said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder, in a press release. "The connectivity conundrum isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it needs to be managed." Not surprisingly, the biggest distracting use of the devices is for personal messages (55 percent), followed by weather (51 percent), news (44 percent) and games (24 percent). The consequences of smartphone-related slacking off, though, are no joke. Nearly half of employers said they diminish the quality of work. Another 38 percent found that their overuse lowered morale because employees were forced to do work that others failed to complete. Twenty-eight percent said smartphones had an adverse impact on the boss-employee relationship. Another 27 percent noted that deadlines were missed, 26 percent said their business lost revenue and 20 percent reported that client relationships were harmed. Companies are trying to counter the allure of personal devices during the workday with several strategies including blocking certain Internet sites (32 percent), banning personal calls or cell phone use (26 percent) and monitoring Web usage (19 percent). Though employees wasted time at the office long before the Internet-connected phones, they can now be driven to distraction more efficiently than ever. In the end, though, managers have to strike a balance between business needs and employees' morale. According to Haefner, honesty is the best way to address these issues. "Have an open dialogue with employees about tech distractions," she said. "Acknowledge their existence and discuss challenges and solutions to keeping productivity up." | 3 | 99,073 | finance |
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Wilmer Flores didn't exactly crush his winning single. BOX SCORE: METS 6, PIRATES 5 He and the New York Mets didn't really mind. Flores' pinch-hit blooper with the bases loaded in the 10th inning drove in the go-ahead run in a 6-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night. Yoenis Cespedes and Neil Walker opened the 10th with consecutive singles off Cory Luebke (0-1), and James Loney sacrificed. Asdrubal Cabrera was intentionally walked, and Flores hit a flare into center field. ''I wanted to stay up the middle against him but the ball got up on me a little bit,'' Flores said. ''Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.'' Michael Conforto's two-run homer, an eighth-inning drive off Jared Hughes, tied the score 5-5. The Mets won for just the fourth time in 11 games and stopped a nine-game losing streak to the Pirates that dated to 2014. ''It was definitely a big win for us with all things that have been happening and going on,'' said Flores, who has been playing third base regularly with David Wright on the disabled list. ''To come in and win this game is huge for us - we stayed in the game and we kept pushing, and we got a result.'' Addison Reed (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings, and Jeurys Familia pitching a shaky ninth to convert his 35th straight save chance, including 19 this season. He walked three batters around Sean Rodriguez's double-play grounder, then threw a called third strike past David Freese to end the game with runners at the corners. Cespedes had three hits, and Conforto drove in three runs. Mets rookie infielder Ty Kelly hit his first career home run. The two-run drive tied the score 2-2 in the fourth against Jameson Taillon, who made his major league debut. ''It was exciting,'' Kelly said. ''I was happy to just get a hit in the first place, but it was a bigger deal because of the score and everything. That was the first thought that went into my head was, `Just tied it up,' which made it that much more fun.'' Taillon, a well-regarded 24-year-old right-hander, gave up three runs and six hits in six innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Pittsburgh lost for the eighth time in 12 games despite sweeping the Mets in a doubleheader Monday. Taillon was the second overall pick in the 2010 draft, chosen after Washington's Bryce Harper and just before Baltimore's Manny Machado. Taillon sat out the last two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery and a sports hernia. ''It was fun,'' Taillon said. ''I tried to take a step back and take it all in. It was really amazing. The stadium was beautiful. The whole experience was beautiful. Obviously, it's something I'll never forget.'' Mets starter Noah Syndergaard allowed three runs - two earned - and seven hits in six innings. He matched his career high with five walks. TRAINER'S ROOM Mets: OF Juan Lagares (partially torn left thumb ligament) did not play for a fourth consecutive game but manager Terry Collins said he is gaining strength in his hand. Pirates: LF Starling Marte (bruised left ankle) did not start for a second game in a row after being removed from the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. He pinch hit in the eighth and lined out. KEEPING ORDER Plate umpire Alan Porter ejected the Pirates' Matt Joyce for arguing a called third strike that ended the seventh inning. He warned both benches in the eighth after Hughes threw a pitch behind Cespedes' back after Conforto's home run. METS BRING BACK JOHNSON The Mets acquired utilityman Kelly Johnson from the Atlanta Braves in a trade for minor league right-hander Akeel Morris, and Johnson is expected to join the team Friday night in Milwaukee. As part of the deal, the Braves will pay the Mets $450,000 on Aug. 1 to cover part of the $1,267,760 remaining of Johnson's $2 million salary. The Mets also acquired Johnson from the Braves last season on July 24, and he helped them win their first NL pennant since 2000. PARTCH SENT DOWN The Pirates optioned right-handed reliever Curtis Partch to Indianapolis to open a roster spot for Taillon. Partch was recalled from the same club Saturday but did not appear in a game. UP NEXT Pirates: LHP Jeff Locke (5-3, 4.28 ERA), who has won four straight starts, is scheduled to face Colorado RHP Chad Bettis (4-5, 5.58) on Thursday as Pittsburgh takes a one-day trip to Denver in the middle of a nine-game homestand to make up a game postponed April 28. Mets: RHP Bartolo Colon (4-3, 3.27) is scheduled to start against Brewers RHP Jimmy Nelson (5-4, 3.43) on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Milwaukee. | 1 | 99,074 | sports |
An Oregon man has died after authorities say he slipped into a hot spring in Yellowstone Park. | 5 | 99,075 | news |
Adam schein discusses the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback situation. | 1 | 99,076 | sports |
Universal Studios holds a boot camp for wannabe 'Walking Dead' as it prepares to open a new ride based on the hit television show. Rollo Ross reports. | 8 | 99,077 | video |
Where will he go next? Anthony Bourdain arrived in Houston earlier this week, and his travels throughout the city have taken him to the suburbs. Thanks to a hawk-eyed tipster, Eater can report that Bourdain spent the afternoon enjoying killer dosas in Sugar Land. Yesterday, Bourdain headed to what looks to be an outpost of Udipi Cafe . One tweet shows Bourdain interviewing a man over what looks to be a delicious spread of vegetarian fare, and our tipster passed along a photo of him (above) posed with Sathish Rao, the owner of Udipi Cafe. Scope out the evidence for yourself: Anthony Bourdain interviewing my dad for his show "Parts Unknown" in Houston - #Pics pic.twitter.com/Y8vZSftcqp ev0 (@EvoHans) June 8, 2016 Bourdain could have also been visiting London Sizzler , which is located just steps from Rao's Udipi Cafe. Eater has reached out to Rao for more details, and will update this post as they become available. Considering Bourdain's choices thusfar a Montrose farm staffed by Congolese refugees and a killer Indian cafe he's already doing a great job of showing off Houston's wildly diverse culinary scene . If you spot Bourdain in your 'hood, give us a shout via Twitter. | 0 | 99,078 | foodanddrink |
What's the best way to shake off an injury? Dabbing, of course. Take a look at a ballplayer's ridiculous move after getting hit by a pitch. | 1 | 99,079 | sports |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Even as another Democratic state lawmaker called for an investigation of a campaign donation given by Donald Trump to Attorney General Pam Bondi, questions arose Wednesday about who would conduct such a probe. State Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, wrote to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking the Department of Justice to look into the matter. "There have been many questions surrounding claims of fraud at Trump University," Bullard stated. "There is even a greater concern of whether a quid pro quo exists within the office for favorable treatment in exchange for campaign assistance." But no one, so far, is heeding calls for an investigation. Bondi's fellow Republicans control the Legislature and are unlikely to set up an independent panel to look into the matter. Gov. Rick Scott has referred reporters' questions to the Trump campaign. There are few other avenues to investigate Florida's top law enforcement official. The Tampa Bay Times reported Wednesday that J. Whitfield Larrabee, a Boston lawyer, filed three complaints alleging the donation violated state ethics laws, state election laws and the Florida Bar's code of conduct for attorneys. They could trigger a probe by the Florida Commission on Ethics or the Florida Elections Commission. Those boards have little power to impose penalties beyond fines, however. The Trump campaign has said that his charity, the Trump Foundation, made a clerical error in giving $25,000 to And Justice for All, a Bondi political committee, on Sept. 17, 2013. That admission came after the Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed an IRS complaint against the foundation, since political donations by charities are prohibited. Four days earlier, the Orlando Sentinel reported that Bondi's office was considering whether to join a class-action lawsuit in New York against Trump University after receiving complaints from customers its real estate investing seminars were worthless and the school bilked them for thousands of dollars. Bondi's office later opted not to join the suit, telling complainants to search for lawyers online or join the New York suit. Bondi's office did not return calls for comment from the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday or Wednesday. On Tuesday she provided a statement to some news outlets saying stories suggesting a quid pro quo between the donation and the decision not to investigate were "misleading." This week, The Associated Press reported she personally solicited the donation from Trump in the weeks before it was given, and that her political committee tried to return the contribution but was rebuffed by the Trump Foundation. Democrats said they aren't relenting in pushing for Bondi to provide a clearer explanation of the donation, though they wouldn't talk Wednesday about how they might force a probe. "If it looks like a law may have been broken which we'll never know then that's a problem," said Florida House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford of West Palm Beach, who along with the Democratic Party called for an investigation of the donation on Tuesday. The scandal has resurfaced in recent months amid Trump's bitter campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. His former rival, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, pointed to the Trump University lawsuit regularly during stump speeches. Bondi was among the first elected officials in Florida to endorse Trump and is scheduled to appear with him Saturday at a rally in Tampa. | 5 | 99,080 | news |
The newest kid on the LPGA tour's block might just turn out to be the best one in the neighborhood. Ariya Jutanugarn, 20, owned the month of May by winning all three of the tour's events, finally showing the world what her peers knew was coming. With power, precision and soft hands on and around the greens, Jutanugarn won the Yokohama LPGA Classic, then the Kingsmill and finally the inaugural Volvik Championship, where she didn't hit her driver once but managed to get around by hitting her 3-wood 270 yards. After taking last week off, the No. 10-ranked player in the world is one of the favorites to win the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. "She's Laura Davies with a putter. She's Michelle Wie without a swing thought. She's Lydia Ko with length," Golf Channel analyst Jerry Foltz said. "She's unbeatable when she's on, or even close to being on." "There honestly hasn't been a player like her in my generation," added Christina Kim, 32, who finished second in the Volvik. Jutanugarn has long been on the radar, qualifying for the 2007 Honda LPGA Thailand at 11. She was a top-ranked junior and was starting to make noise on the LPGA tour before injuring her right shoulder in 2013 after tumbling down a hill chasing her sister at the Wegmans LPGA Championship. She had surgery to repair a torn labrum but was slow to recover. Last year she missed 10 consecutive cuts. A turning point came in April in the ANA Inspiration, the tour's first major. She led after 69 holes but finished with three bogeys to lose by two. Instead of being crushed, she was inspired. "I didn't know how to control (myself) when I got really nervous," she said. "I got a lot more confident after ANA because I feel like I'm good enough to win, so after that is just getting more and more confident." She's overflowing with confidence. She is the first player from Thailand to win on the LPGA tour, and she's the first to win her three initial career victories in consecutive appearances. Now she's eyeing her first major title. And she is within reach of the record of five consecutive wins in tournaments played held by World Golf Hall of Fame members Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam. "She's going to be unstoppable," Kim said. "It's such an exciting time for the LPGA and for the game of golf. I could be her mother, you know, she's so young, but she's just such a remarkable young woman." | 1 | 99,081 | sports |
Graham Price is lucky to be alive and it's all thanks to some quick-thinking teenagers. The London man was trapped in a submerged car when the teens jumped into action. | 8 | 99,082 | video |
A wrap up of the day in sports Putting a lid on it Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James dunks the ball against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 120-90 but trail the series 2-1. One head is better than two Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, vies for the ball with Estonia's Nikita Baranov during their friendly soccer match at Benfica stadium on Wednesday in Lisbon. Ronaldo scored two goals in Portugal's 7-0 win. Spin cycle Jason Finlay of New South Wales performs an air during the 2016 Shark Island Challenge off South Cronulla Point on Wednesday in Sydney. Parmlee slides safe New York Yankees first baseman Chris Parmelee (26) slides home safe past Los Angeles Angels catcher Carlos Perez (58) on Wednesday in New York. The Yankees won 12-6. Catching on New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall makes a catch during NFL practice on Wednesday in Florham Park, N.J. Cavs flying high Kyrie Irving, left, of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 120-90 but trail in the series 2-1. On track Belmont Stakes hopeful Brody's Cause works out at Belmont Park on Wednesday in Elmont, N.Y. Brody's Cause will compete in the 148th running of the Belmont Stakes horse race on Saturday. Going through their paces San Francisco 49ers offensive linemen Norman Price, left, Joshua Garnett, center, and Colin Kelly perform a drill during an NFL practice on Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif. Brazil thrash Haiti Willian of Brazil and Reginal Goreux of Haiti fight for the ball during a match between Brazil and Haiti on Wednesday in Florida. Brazil won 7-1. A melee Golden State Warriors' Harrison Barnes, left, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, rear, battle with Cleveland Cavaliers' Richard Jefferson, second left, and Tristan Thompson, right, for a rebound during the first half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 120-90 but trail in the series 2-1. Tee time Defending champion Chris Wood, of England, tees off on the fourth hole during a practice round for the Lyoness Open at Diamond Country Club on Wednesday in Atzenbrugg, Austria. Stealing underneath Billy Hamilton #6 of the Cincinnati Reds slides into the legs of Jhonny Peralta #27 of the St. Louis Cardinals while trying to steal third base on Wednesday in Ohio. The Cardinals won 12-7. Final touches Grevin employees Marjorie Pichon, left, and Emilie Charbonnet, right, give the final make up touch on the life-size wax figure of Barcelona's Lionel Messi, center left, and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, during its presentation at Grevin Museum on Wednesday in Paris. The Grevin Museum, founded in 1882, one of the oldest wax museums in Europe, will re-open its bar with video screen to watch the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. Gearing up Denver Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez throws during an NFL practice at the team's headquarters on Wednesday in Englewood, Colo. Just about Shahid Afridi of Hampshire goes close to being run out by Sam Billings of Kent on Wednesday in Canterbury, England. Zobrist scores Chicago Cubs' Ben Zobrist, right, scores past Philadelphia Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp on Wednesday in Philadelphia. The Cubs won 8-1. Hands up Kai Haefner of Germany in action during the international handball friendly between Germany and Russia at SAP Arena on Wednesday in Mannheim, Germany. Russia won 27-25. Stage winner Astana's Italian cyclist Fabio Aru celebrates as he crosses the finish line at the end of the fourth stage on Wednesday in Tournon sur Rhone, southeastern France. Thundering them down Emily Appleton of Great Britain during the match against Alexandra Stevensson of the United States on Wednesday in Surbiton, England. Too high Chris Young of the Boston Red Sox cannot catch a home run hit by Mac Williamson of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday in San Francisco. The Giants won 2-1. Warrior fan A fan poses prior to Game 3 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in Ohio. Heading for victory Oregon's Devon Allen, center, clears a hurdle on his way to winning a semifinal in the men's 110-meter hurdles, between Alabama's Tony Brown, left, and Houston's Isaac Williams at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships on Wednesday in Eugene, Oregon. Getting out of trouble Charley Hull of England plays a bunker shot during the LPGA Tour Player Showcase prior to the start of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Wednesday in Sammamish, Washington. Maeda on the mound Kenta Maeda of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in California. The Rockies won 1-0. Perfect landing Georgia's Karl Saluri competes in the long jump event in the decathlon competition at the NCAA track and field championships on Wednesday in Oregon. Loose ball Nathan Brown, left, and Travis Cloke compete for the ball during a Collingwood Magpies AFL media opportunity on June 9 in Melbourne, Australia. | 1 | 99,083 | sports |
Jim Harbaugh can certainly give it on Twitter. Can he take it? We're about to find out. Harbaugh and his Michigan coaches were in Mississippi Wednesday, along with Dan Mullen and Mississippi State. After the camp, Mullen took a nice swipe at Michigan, posting a picture of the team's 2011 Gator Bowl trophy. The Bulldogs blew out the Wolverines in that game, 52-14. Spending time with @CoachJim4UM and the Michigan football coaches today brought back some good memories. #HailState pic.twitter.com/5SBt6A7A4G Dan Mullen™ (@CoachDanMullen) June 8, 2016 We don't think a rematch would go quite the same way. Jim Harbaugh's Michigan is a different animal than Rich Rodriguez's Michigan. Rodriguez was fired less than a week after this embarrassing Gator Bowl loss, so this game might not actually sting Michigan fans quite as much as your "normal" 38-point loss. | 1 | 99,084 | sports |
Bristol Palin has married the father of her second child, Medal of Honor winner Daktoa Meyer. Bristol is the daughter of the 2008 republican vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. The family attorney for the Palins pointed to an "Entertainment Tonight" story that announced the 25 year olds marriage to Meyer. She and Meyer have one child together, Sailor Grace Palin, and Palin has a son, Tripp Johnston, from a previous relationship. | 6 | 99,085 | entertainment |
Captain America: The Winter Soldier star Sebastian Stan got the surprise of a lifetime when a fan turned a photo-op into a wedding proposal! North Carolina natives John Felix, 33, and his girlfriend Natasha Marrero, 23, traveled all the way to the Wizard World Philadelphia fan convention over the weekend after Stan was announced as a guest for the event. After taking a joke picture with Stan, featuring Marrero in an embrace with the actor as Felix pretended to sulk in the corner, Felix shocked everyone by getting down on one knee and presenting Marrero with an engagement ring. The whole thing was captured on camera and posted on Marrero's Tumblr. http://watersofglasscosplay.tumblr.com/post/145410297069/today-i-met-my-favorite-person-in-the-world "Needless to say Sebastian was as shocked and excited as I was since he took out his phone and recorded everything," Marrero wrote. "This could not have been a more perfect trip!" In a later post, Marrero continued to gush that Stan is her favorite celebrity. http://watersofglasscosplay.tumblr.com/post/145468862874/before-i-tell-this-story-i-would-like-to-give-my "Sebastian Stan is one of the most genuinely kind people I've ever met, who is truly appreciative of his fans," she wrote." He was scheduled to do autographs at 3:45 today. While on break walking around, he saw a bunch of his fans in line already waiting around 1:45, so he came up and said, 'You guys want some autographs?!' and sat down with no security guard or staff around. He remembered us from yesterday and got super excited, hugged us both and congratulated us after we told him he's invited to the wedding." The day also happened to be Felix and Marrero's one-year anniversary! | 6 | 99,086 | entertainment |
Israeli police say at least four people were killed and several more wounded after two gunmen opened fire on a popular area for locals and tourists in Tel Aviv. CBS News foreign correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti joins CBSN with the latest. | 5 | 99,087 | news |
ORLANDO, Fla. -- This was a 7-1 scoreline Brazil could enjoy. Philippe Coutinho scored his first international hat trick, Renato Augusto had two goals and Brazil routed Haiti 7-1 Wednesday night in the Copa America. Coutinho scored in the 14th and 29thminutes to build a 2-0 lead, then added a goal on a 20-yard drive in the second minute of second-half stoppage time. The Liverpool midfielder's only previous goal for Brazil was against Mexico in an exhibition on June 7 last year. Gabriel Barbosa and Lucas Lima also scored for Brazil in a scoreline that matched the devastating defeat for the Selecao in the 2014 World Cup semifinals against Germany at Belo Horizonte. "We have been encouraging Coutinho during training to be the player he is in Liverpool, take advantage of his opportunities and he did that for us," Brazil's coach Dunga said. "He has been acquiring more trust and belief in himself and taking more risks. That is what we wanted." Brazil leads Group B with four points and completes group play Sunday against Peru, which opened with a 1-0 win over Haiti. Ecuador, which tied Brazil 0-0, met Peru later Wednesday. Dunga said his team is relaxed now. "It's not just important for Brazil to win, but for us to be the best players on the field in every game," he said. "This was a good game. We did many of the things in the game that we worked on in training, but we are always seeking perfection." Coutinho's first goal was from just outside the penalty area and his second came from 6 yards out after a three-touch sequence. Dani Alves crossed, Jonas outfought two defenders to control the ball in front of goalkeeper Johny Placide, then slid it across the goalmouth for Coutinho to tap in. Alves looped a cross onto Augusto's head 10 yards out for the third goal. Gabriel Barbosa entered for Jonas at the start of the second half and made it 4-0 with an 18-yard left-footed shot and Alves crossed for Lima's header. Marcelin beat Brazil goalkeeper Alisson on a rebound after Max Hillaire's initial effort. "We knew they were better than us. I'm just happy we scored a goal," Marcelin said. Brazil, which had control of the ball 64 percent of the game and had 15 shots on goal to just five for Haiti, didn't let up in the final 20 minutes. Augusto got his second goal in the 86th minute and Coutinho finished off the scoring in stoppage time. | 1 | 99,088 | sports |
Must watch: Pat Dickert, a player on Colby College's basketball team, pulled of a major dunk from behind the free throw line. | 8 | 99,089 | video |
The Yankees beat the Angels 12-6 on Wednesday. Chris Parmelee hit two home runs in the win for New York. | 1 | 99,090 | sports |
With 325 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque, the all-wheel-drive 2017 Ford Fusion Sport is a stunning performance bargain at $34,350.It used to be that heavy horsepower and torque figures demanded an absurd premium. The days of 350-horsepower Chevrolet Corvettes and Porsche 911s are long gone, and the new Ford Fusion Sport is the latest example of that fact. Stats? 325 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque (on 93 octane). From a Fusion . Yes, the Fusion is finally worthy of its Sport badging, thanks to its 2.7-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 . That's five more horsepower and 50 more pound-feet than a BMW 340i . And it's a hell of a lot more than the naturally aspirated V6 from the Toyota Camry SE or turbocharged fours of the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima . Unlike its mainstream competition, Ford paired the Fusion's six-speed automatic transmission to a standard all-wheel-drive system, so it should be easy to put all that power down. Ford hasn't published performance figures yet, but if the Fusion Sport takes more than around five seconds to hit 60, it'd shock us. But power isn't the Fusion Sport's only trump card there's also the price. At just $34,350, it's a staggering performance bargain. It's not a BMW, but the starting figure is just a smidge more than the $34,145 320i that's the base 180-hp model and it's $12,445 less than the 340i. Things are even better when you start ticking option boxes, because a well-equipped Fusion Sport navigation, adaptive cruise control, vented seats, 19-inch wheels, and dual-zone climate control is available for less than $40,000 ($39,855, according to the online configurator). Now, let's not be silly we don't realistically expect the Fusion Sport to match the 340i in every dynamic metric. But if all you care about is straight-line grunt (and that's probably enough for most Americans), the Ford is a hilarious bargain. So yes, the Fusion Sport is set to cause all manner of headaches for both premium and mainstream competitors. But it's also going to cause problems for Ford. After all, when you can snag a 325-hp, 380 lb-ft Fusion for under $35,000, is there really an incentive to buy the all-wheel-drive, 400-horsepower Lincoln MKZ for $43,575? We'd argue not really, especially since you can load out the Fusion and still save a few thousand bucks compared to the hot-rod Lincoln. It's a similar story with the aging Ford Taurus SHO. The Fusion is more affordable than the $41,150 Taurus , and the power sacrifice is even smaller than it is with the MKZ . Oh, and if you're still having a hard time wrapping your head around the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6's power output, think about it like this the last Fusion Sport, from 2012, had a naturally aspirated V6 with just 263 hp and 249 lb-ft of torque. What's more, with ratings of 17 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway, the new turbo Sport is slightly more fuel efficient. It is a wonderful time to be alive. The 2017 Fusion Sport will arrive in dealers at the end of this summer. Related Video: | 9 | 99,091 | autos |
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Stephen Curry's only basket in the first 30 minutes came off a broken play. He found himself in foul trouble again. His jumper was nowhere to be found until it was essentially too late. So much for that NBA Finals sweep. So much for this looking like an easy repeat title for the Golden State Warriors, too. BOX SCORE: CAVALIERS 120, WARRIORS 90 The MVP's struggles were of the epic variety, the best regular-season team in NBA history found a way to fall to 0-4 in Game 3's during this postseason, and suddenly it's a series again. Down by 20 at one point in the opening quarter, the Warriors never fully recovered and lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-90 on Wednesday night. "Nothing about my preparation for tonight, mentally or physically, was different," Curry said. "Just didn't go out and execute the way I wanted to." Golden State still leads the series 2-1, and Game 4 is Friday in Cleveland. "We weren't tough enough," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "We weren't strong enough with the ball. We were soft tonight." Curry scored 19 points, the third straight time in this series that he's been held under 20. It's the first time he's had three consecutive under-20 games since March 2015, and matches the second-longest "slump" -- such as it is -- that he's endured in the last four years. By the time Curry got going, the game was all-but decided. He had 13 points in the third quarter after managing just two in the first half. He was struggling so much at one point that Kerr asked him "You all right?" when he arrived in the bench area during a stoppage in play. Curry, who missed time earlier in these playoffs with ankle and knee injuries, nodded quickly. "I'm fine," he insisted later. His play at times suggested otherwise. Out of sorts on one second-quarter possession, Curry was making a cut off the baseline when he apparently never saw a pass that bounced off him and sailed out of bounds. In the third quarter, the game still somewhat in the balance and with the Warriors on a break that could have gotten them within 12, Curry chose not to lead Klay Thompson with a pass that would have set up a layup. Instead, he wound up leading Thompson toward the 3-point line. Thompson got set and fired. Clank. Neither sequence cost Golden State the game -- an inability to guard Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith was far bigger than any botched possession -- but neither was also the sort of play one would expect from the first unanimously selected MVP, either. And that's especially so on a night when the Warriors got to face a Cleveland team that scrambled to change its lineup because Kevin Love was sidelined by a concussion. What the Cavs wound up deciding to do worked: They went big at times, really big (playing Channing Frye and Timofey Mozgov together briefly) at others, and dictated play from the opening seconds. "We will have an edge tonight," Kerr predicted Wednesday afternoon. "We're going to come out and be ready to play. We want to bring our best stuff and if we can get it done tonight we're in a great spot." There was no edge to be found. Nothing like their best stuff, either. And the spot they're in now is far from great, so much so that Kerr was asked if he would consider lineup changes. "We just lost one game," Kerr said, smiling. "Change the starting lineup? We weren't ready to play. They punched us right in the mouth." The "Splash Brothers" -- Curry and Thompson, arguably the NBA's best backcourt -- have yet to post a single 20-point game in this series between them. Thompson had to leave briefly with a thigh bruise after taking a hard hit from Mozgov, a play that Thompson said afterward "seemed kind of dirty." They'll face a resurgent Cavaliers team again on Friday night in a building where LeBron James and his mates are now 8-0 in these playoffs, most of the games not close. "Our team has done a great job of being aware of where Steph and Klay are," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. Sure, the Warriors still have home-court advantage and lead the series and are two wins from back-to-back NBA titles. And losing Game 3's against Houston, Portland and Oklahoma City earlier in these playoffs obviously didn't become knockout blows, either. But getting routed for the third time in eight games is not at all what Curry and the Warriors expected. "Law of averages: It'll all even out," Thompson said, as Curry sat to his right and nodded. "Just got to keep the confidence high." NBA Finals - Game 3: Warriors at Cavaliers Complete Game Stats | PointAfter | 1 | 99,092 | sports |
Checking the progress online of your home-delivery pizza is so 2006. Now you're being tracked, too. Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd., Australia's largest pizza company, will on Monday start using satellites to follow customers as they approach stores to pick up orders. By tracking pizza-lovers on the street, Domino's can wait until the last moment to start cooking and ensure orders stay fresh, the company said Thursday. The fast-food surveillance measure comes a decade after Domino's started to let customers track their own orders. The stock has soared more than 17-fold in 10 years, giving Domino's a market value of A$6 billion ($4.48 billion). The company is also testing delivery robots and high-speed ovens. "Time is the enemy of food," Chief Executive Officer Don Meij said Thursday at a news conference in Sydney to announce the company's latest technology projects. "The longer it sits on the rack, the lower the quality of that pizza." Meij started his three-decade career at Domino's as a delivery driver. From next week, customers in Australia who use smartphones to order pick-up pizzas can choose to be followed by Domino's tracking system. They can also specify whether they're coming on foot, on bike or by car. Cooking starts when the map shows customers are within range, the company said. Three-Minute Pizza: Domino's Recipe to Extend an 800% Stock Gain Customers are only tracked for the period of the order and aren't followed for any other purpose, Chief Digital Officer Michael Gillespie said. Domino's Pizza Enterprises, which is based in Brisbane, is the biggest franchisee outside the U.S. for the takeaway brand owned by Domino's Pizza Inc. In addition to outlets in Australia and New Zealand, it also operates chains in Japan and some European nations. | 3 | 99,093 | finance |
Should Steph Curry's poor NBA Finals performance thus far garner the same criticism we hear regularly when LeBron James struggles? Bill Reiter joins Ryan Bass to discuss whether the league MVP should be more heavily scrutinized. | 1 | 99,094 | sports |
JERUSALEM Israel on Thursday suspended most special permits for Palestinians to visit Israel during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, and beefed up police patrols in Tel Aviv, after two Palestinians carried out a shooting in Tel Aviv Wednesday night that killed four Israelis. COGAT, an Israeli defense body, said 83,000 permits for Palestinians in the West Bank to visit relatives in Israel during Ramadan had been frozen. Israel considers the Ramadan permits a goodwill gesture toward Palestinians. The special Ramadan permits were also suspended for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including permits to visit relatives in Israel, travel abroad and attend prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, COGAT said. In addition, the military has frozen Israeli work permits for 204 of the attackers' relatives, and is preventing Palestinians from leaving and entering the West Bank village of Yatta, the attackers' home village. COGAT said entering or leaving will only be permitted for humanitarian and medical cases. In Tel Aviv, extra police units have been mobilized, mainly around the city's central bus station and train stations, said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. Israelis quickly returned to routine: the outdoor cafe area where the shooting took place was open to customers on Thursday morning. Two Palestinians opened fire near a popular open-air market in central Tel Aviv on Wednesday night, killing four Israelis and wounding nine others, in one of the deadliest attacks in an eight-month wave of violence. The shooting occurred at the Sarona market, a series of restored buildings that have been transformed into a popular tourist spot filled with crowded shops and restaurants. The complex is across the street from Israel's military headquarters and is often filled with tourists and young soldiers in uniform. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his defense minister and security leaders shortly after the attack and then traveled to the scene. He called the attack a "cold blooded murder by despicable terrorists," according to a statement from his office. Hamas, the Islamic militant group that rules Gaza, welcomed the attack but did not claim responsibility for it. Hamas official Mushir al-Masri called the shootings a "heroic operation" and the group later issued an official statement promising the "Zionists" more "surprises" during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. | 5 | 99,095 | news |
Three-year-old Hudson is always excited to see Sacramento, California, garbage man Angelo Bunac. | 8 | 99,096 | video |
As the undisputed face of the NFL's lone Wisconsin-based franchise, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a figure beloved by die-hard "Cheeseheads" nationwide. But as the two-time NFL MVP works to lengthen his already prestigious career, he's been forced to commit a bit of betrayal. In an ESPN feature published Monday , Rodgers announced that in an effort to lose weight and stay healthy entering the later years of his career, he has cut all dairy products from his diet. "I just wanted to get healthier," Rodgers told ESPN. "I've done a lot of research and talked with Adam Korzun, our [team] nutritionist, and some other friends around the league about how I can extend my career and how I can be and feel healthier." Rodgers' newfound efforts are by no means arbitrary, as the 32-year-old had a minor knee procedure after the team's epic overtime playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals in January. As a whole, the 2015 season saw Rodgers have his lowest completion percentage (60.7), yards per pass attempt (6.7) and passer rating (92.7) since earning the team's starting job in 2008, meaning that one can't blame Rodgers for wanting to make some changes. And according to the ESPN piece, the new efforts have paid off so far. Rodgers' estimated weight of "218-ish" pounds is his lowest since replacing Brett Favre as the Packers' starter. Rodgers claims to have reached as heavy as 230 pounds before making the dietary adjustment. "I would like [to] play between 218 and 220. I think that's how I can extend my career if I can eat a little bit better," he told ESPN. "Because it carries over not just in the offseason, but what you're eating the night before the game and what you're eating in the morning and the afternoon -- if it's a night game -- just how that it affects your performance." Rodgers' career has already seen him begin to enter the short list of "greatest of all-time" contenders his career passer rating of 104.1 is the highest of any NFL quarterback in history, as is his career TD:INT ratio of 3.95 and he cited one other popular G.O.A.T. candidate as inspiration for his new nutrition method. "To be honest, Tom Brady is an influencer there because of the stuff he talks about, and how healthy he is," Rodgers told ESPN, referencing Brady's famous nutrition habits that have allowed him to remain among the league's best quarterbacks into his late 30s. "The more where you are aware of what you put in your body and how it affects your performance, the better opportunities you have. And that's what I'm trying to do." Rodgers, who has claimed that he wants to play approximately six to eight more years in the NFL, will begin his 12th season and ninth as a starter this fall. More Chompions: -- Eater's Guide To New Vikings Stadium: Go Hungry -- LeBron James Goes Undercover To Serve Pizza -- Target Field Unveils Absurd Bloody Mary And We Give It The Taste Test | 1 | 99,097 | sports |
More than three in four STD-negative patients received antibiotics for chlamydia or gonorrhea, new study finds. Gonorrhea and Chlamydia are two sexually transmitted diseases that can be treated with antibiotics either orally or by injection. Obviously treatment should only be administered if tests show patients have one of these diseases or if they have been exposed to them, but new research published in the American Journal of Infection Control found that more than 75 percent of patients treated with these antibiotics actually tested negative for these diseases. Researchers from St. John Hospital and Medical Center conducted a study of emergency room patients with symptoms of gonorrhea or chlamydia to identify the extent of unnecessary antibiotic use. They looked at the records of more than 1,103 patients who underwent STD testing in the emergency department to see how many STD-negative patients received antibiotics without a confirmed diagnosis. Of the patients examined, 40 percent received antibiotics for gonorrhea and/or chlamydia. However, 76.6 percent of these patients ultimately tested negative for having the STD. Meanwhile, of the 60 percent who went untreated, only 7 percent tested positive for either or both STDs. "As a former ER nurse, I knew that antibiotic prescribing for suspected, unconfirmed STD infection was probably pretty high," Karen Jones, a former ER nurse who led the study, told Medical Daily. "I was surprised to see that the number of patients not testing for true disease was over 75 percent." These surprising stats may have less to do with the carelessness of medical staff in the emergency department, although that may play a part, and more to do with time. For example, emergency department patients who exhibit signs and symptoms of STDs usually have their genital cultures collected. However, results from these cultures aren't immediately available, taking usually 48 to 72 hours for results. During that time, antibiotics may be prescribed without a confirmed diagnosis of an STD, leading to unnecessary antimicrobial use. More than 50 percent of all people will contract an STD, making it an undoubtedly serious public health concern in the U.S. What's more, just last year the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia were shooting up with reported chlamydia cases up 2.8 percent and gonorrhea up 5.1 percent between 2013 and 2014. There were 1.4 million cases of chlamydia in 2014, up 2.8 percent from the previous year, and 350,062 reported cases of chlamydia, up 5.1 percent between the years. With scary statistics like these, there's an inclination to cure these STDs before they spread. However, over prescribing antibiotics for these diseases may cause more harm than good . "Using any type of antibiotic can lead to resistance. Antibiotics should certainly be used when appropriate (as when there is true disease). Resistance to antibiotics will make it more difficult to treat infections in the future," Jones said. "There is a tricky balance between not furthering antibiotic resistance by over-prescribing, but also still getting people treatment for STDs they might have." In fact, a strain of drug-resistant gonorrhea surfaced in Leeds . Since March 2015, there have been 16 confirmed cases of "super-gonorrhea," and now doctors are concerned that this strain of the disease may become untreatable. Azithromycin and ceftriaxone are two drugs used in combination to cure the STD, but super-gonorrhea has developed a resistance to azithromycin, and doctors are worried that it won't be long until ceftriaxone becomes ineffective at treating it as well. In other words, overprescribing these antibiotics makes it more likely for a STD, or any disease for that matter, to resist powerful drugs that used to be effective against them. One way to reduce overprescribing is to pay close attention to the symptoms patients present to assess their likelihood of having an STD. For the current study, Jones and her colleagues also looked at how certain symptoms were associated with STD cultures. They found that in male patients, 60.3 percent with penile discharge and 57.5 percent with inflammation of the urethra tested positive for gonorrhea and/or chlamydia. Meanwhile, 25 percent of female patients with inflammation of the cervix and 27 percent for whom cervical examination was painful tested positive for gonorrhea and/or chlamydia. Thirty-five percent of patients who disclosed they had more than one sex partner also tested positive for gonorrhea and/or chlamydia. "Looking at certain predictors that our study found to have a greater association with infection may help to guide clinicians when deciding to prescribe or not prescribe antibiotics," Jones explained. Otherwise, this could lead to antibiotic resistance, unnecessary costs and complications or side effects related to antibiotic use. Source: Jones K. Antimicrobial Stewardship in Emergency Departments: Improving Treatment Accuracy for Suspected Sexually Transmitted Diseases. American Journal of Infection Control. 2016. | 7 | 99,098 | health |
Forces aligned with Libya's new unity government advance on the outskirts of the Islamic State stronghold of Sirte, security sources say. Natasha Howitt reports. | 5 | 99,099 | news |
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