Senin, 29 Februari 2016

Van Gaal is heading for a fall but Manchester United boss could have pulled another rabbit out of the hat

Van Gaal amused United fans on the touchline against Arsenal

Fall guy Louis van Gaal has picked himself up off the floor and another piece of personal theatre could be just what United and the Dutchman needed.

It was an emotional moment and in no way a pre-planned publicity stunt but the Reds manager's comical collapse in front of fourth official Mike Dean couldn't have been better timed.

Yet again an amusing public incident has won him much needed brownie points with the Reds support. The 64-year-old has a penchant for both off-the-cuff moments that prove to be huge vote winners.

His stock has been falling with the Reds support, but as well as results picking up, reconnecting with disenchanted fans has been vital for Van Gaal.

And a rare venture into his technical area and comic dive to illustrate a point had Old Trafford rocking with laughter. Louis Van Gaal the character was back.
In February 2015 Van Gaal was narked by the then West Ham manager Sam Allardyce's criticism of his perceived United long ball tactics.

The Reds boss stunned the media when he emerged at his next press conference to preview the Burnley Premier League match armed with a raft of stats sheets to disprove Big Sam's theory.

The media were invited to take photographs of the evidence to use. It was an unusual approach but again the fans lapped up his eccentricity.

Last May was his most famous small screen performance at United's end of season Player of the Year gala dinner. The famous eight minute tub-thumping speech went viral on social media with Reds fans hailing Van Gaal's performance on stage. After a season that had been not over enthusiastically greeted it was a key evening.

Van Gaal was a hero to the fans once more and new belief coursed through their veins.

Back in August United's winning start to the campaign was halted with a 0-0 home draw against Newcastle and an away defeat at Swansea.

But questions about the mini slump were dismissed in typical LVG style when he again n shocked the assembled press and went into his “Louis Van Gaal's army” fist pumping rendition of the Stretford End chant to emphasise that the support were still well and truly behind him. It was lapped up.
His Christmas rant at the media and “Enjoy your wine and mince pies” dig before walking out once more earned him sympathetic support.

Nothing calculated about any of it in terms of searching for approval exercises but they certainly hit the mark.

Sunday's hilarious show of emotion was comic genius. Significantly Old Trafford brought the 'Louis van Gaal's red and white army' refrain out of cold storage which said it all.

The fall guy might just be back on his feet.

Pique explains why he'll NEVER sign for Manchester City

Once a Red always a Red

Gerard Pique has shut the door on a return to Manchester to team up with his former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola at City because of his affection for United.

The 29-year-old Barca defender has been linked with a move to the Etihad to join up again in the summer with Guardiola with whom he won two Champions League medals and three La Liga titles.

When Guardiola officially becomes the new City boss the club will be already working on his wish list and Pique ticks the boxes for strengthening the Blues back line.
But Spanish World Cup winner Pique's formative years were at Old Trafford and he was a member of the 2008 Premier League and Champions League double-winning squad under Sir Alex Ferguson.

But coming back to Manchester is a no-go for Pique.

“My love for Manchester United is too great for me to sign for City, even though Pep is a great coach,” he says, “I’m very happy in Barcelona. United are my second club, but my future is at Barça. I’m very proud to play at Barcelona. I think it’s the best club in the world.

“I would like to try a different league when I’ve got a few years to go before retiring. I don’t know if it will be Colombia, I’d like that for (pop singer wife) Shakira, but nobody can predict the future.”

Priyanka Chopra Doesn't Want to ''Screw Up Someone's Name'' While Presenting at the Oscars 2016: ''I'm Definitely Gonna Mess This Up!''

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra is a little nervous about messing up at the Oscars 2016 on Sunday.

The Quantico actress revealed to Ryan Seacrest on E!'s Live From the Red Carpet at the 88th Annual Academy Awards that she doesn't want to "screw up someone's name" while presenting during the show.

"Have you practiced the names?" Seacrest asked Chopra.
"Yes I did," Chopra told Seacrest. "Thank God that yesterday I pre-recorded all the names for the nominees because I was like, 'Oh my God I'm definitely gonna mess this up!' But I don't think that's gonna happen because it's pre-recorded and all done."

The actress, who looks stunning in Zuhair Murad, also revealed to Seacrest that she's very hungry!
"I'm starving and I have a flight tonight to Miami," she explained. "I start filming a movie tomorrow morning so I don't know what I'm gonna eat!"

Chopra also dished about what we can expect from Quantico, which comes back in March.
"It's gonna get bigger, better and it'll just mess your mind up about who is this terrorist!" she revealed.
Quantico will be back on March 6 at 10 p.m. on ABC.

'Deadpool' Does It Again, Topping The Box Office With Another Record-Breaking $31.5 Million Weekend

'Deadpool' Does It Again, Topping The Box Office With Another Record-Breaking $31.5 Million Weekend


Three weeks on, and it seems there is no stopping the Marvel juggernaut – it's now been confirmed that the movie has smashed records yet again, earning a colossal $31.5 million for the third consecutive weekend since its release.

By comparison, it seems that Deadpool even surpassed The Matrix Reloaded as one of the highest-grossing R-rated movies in the history of Hollywood. Pretty impressive, right? The superhero flick also overtook a series of newcomers this weekend, most notably the greatly anticipated Gods of Egypt, which reportedly cost approximately $150 million to make. Sadly, it only raked in half of what Deadpool made this weekend alone – $14 million.

Needless to say, I'm sure the team behind the movie are over the moon. The studio already embraced their unparalleled success last week with a bangin' party complete with chimichangas, a mariachi band and blow-job shots, so who knows how exactly they will celebrate this time round?

90-Year-Old Woman Chooses Trip of a Lifetime Over Cancer Treatment

Norma, who is nearly 90-years-old, is seen here in a picture posted to her Facebook page titled, "Driving Miss Norma."


At 90 years old, a woman from Michigan named Norma is living life to the fullest on a road trip across the United States.

Just two days after Norma’s husband of 67 years passed away, she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Doctors gave her the options of surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. She decided she would forgo any treatment, telling the doctors, “I’m 90 years old, I’m hitting the road.”
Norma’s son, Tim, and daughter-in-law, Ramie, are full-time RVers. Since Norma couldn’t live at home alone without her husband, they invited her to join them on the road. Six months later, the three of them, along with their poodle Ringo, are enjoying the trip of a lifetime.

Ramie, who spoke for the family, said that Norma is a set of fresh eyes on this indefinite road trip.

“She’s very quiet and humble, and then she has this streak of adventure that surprises us.”

Adventure is right. After leaving Northern Michigan in August, their first big stop was Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota. From there, they traveled to Yellowstone National Park and then onto the Rocky Mountains. All the while, they've been documenting their adventure on the Driving Miss Norma Facebook page.

They’ve experienced the amazing views at the Grand Canyon, they’ve run around Disney World, and they’ve gone whale watching in Florida. Norma’s favorite activity was riding in a hot air balloon in Florida, a Christmas gift from Tim and Ramie. Ramie told ABC News that Norma is feeling better than ever. “She continues to surprise us on this trip," she said. "She’s getting healthier, I think, from eating well and being outside a lot. She’s breathing fresh air and getting to see new things all the time.

“She’s with her loved ones and that’s really important,” she added.
The trio hopes that Norma’s story will help other families to start conversations about end-of-life plans.

“Everyone has different ideas about how they want the end of their life to work," Ramie said. "As a planet, we need to have this conversation.”

Norma, Tim, Ramie, and Ringo are currently exploring the state of Florida. Where to next? That’s up to Norma.

Kate Winslet's Reaction To Leo Winning An Oscar Shows What True Friendship Is All About!

Kate Winslet's Reaction To Leo Winning An Oscar Shows

As you may and or may not know, Leonardo Dicaprio has finally won an Oscar for his performance in the film, The Revenant.
Once Leo was done with his victorious speech without shedding a tear, guess who was the first to leap out of their seat to cheer in applause. No prizes for guessing.

Her happiness and support is just another reason why friends are the best things one can ever have.

Oscars 2016: Leonardo DiCaprio wins best actor for The Revenant

Leonardo DiCaprio Finally Wins Best Actor at the Oscars for His Unforgettable Role in The Revenant


As sure as the Sun, the Moon, and most basic laws of modern physics, Leonardo DiCaprio has won the Academy Award for best actor for his work in The Revenant. Presenter Julianne Moore, who won best actress at last year's awards, waited a respectable amount of time before announcing DiCaprio's name, as if to see if she could make time itself pause briefly in anticipation.

Born in 1974 without a statuette, Leonardo Willhelm DiCaprio has starred in over two dozen films, including Gangs of New York and The Basketball Diaries. He once had an uncredited role as Darlene's classmate in a 1991 episode of Roseanne. To date, DiCaprio has won over 40 awards and has been nominated six times for an Oscar. This is his first win. The curse is broken.

Following an extended applause, DiCaprio thanked fellow nominees, the cast and crew of The Revenant (including best director winner Alejandro Iñárritu), and even past collaborators like Martin Scorsese.
Other nominees in the category, who may or may not have even bothered to write acceptance speeches, include Bryan Cranston for Trumbo, Matt Damon for The Martian, Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs, and Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl. And now, with Leo's quest at an end, it's time to start looking for the next perpetually snubbed performer to memeify.

Sabtu, 27 Februari 2016

India vs Pakistan: Gracious Virat Kohli congratulates Mohammad Amir for fiery spell

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: After guiding India to a 5-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan in a topsy-turvy Asia Cup game, Virat Kohli hailed opposition bowler Mohammad Amir for bringing world class bowling in the tournament on Saturday.
Kohli played a patient 49 off 51 deliveries after Amir toyed with other Indian batsmen. The vice-captain's knock helped India reached the target of 84, but he was impressed the the bowing of Amir.
Amir, who is making a comeback to cricket after serving a prolong suspension, started Pakistan's defence with an unplayable first over. He sent back both Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane in a space of two deliveries, to reduce India to 2/2.
Kohli admitted that it was tough batting against Amir. But the 27-year-old was happy that he got to play against a top bowler.
"It wasn't an easy wicket to bat, I wasn't happy with myself in the last game, where I went too hard at the ball, I had to respect the conditions, I made mistakes in the last innings but I dug in this time ..."
Amir continued terrorising Indian batsmen with a perfect display of seam bowling, moving the ball either way and landing his deliveries in the perfect areas.
"I would like to congratulate Mohammad Amir for the way he bowled, I actually congratulated him while he was bowling. It was amazing to play such a spell. Counterattacking is the game I play, that's why I bat at no.3 but sometimes you have to respect the conditions and play that way. It is very important to be able to change your shot at the last moment in such conditions ... you need to be switched on mentally, stay calm and relaxed," Kohli added.
The 23-year-old then accounted for Suresh Raina in his second over, thus allowing Pakistan to have a go at India. His figures of 4-0-18-3 was not certainly the best today, but his spell will be remembered for its class.
For the record, early in Pakistan's innings, Indian youngster Hardik Pandya registered a figures of 3.3-0-8-3.

Hillary Clinton Wins South Carolina Primary

Hillary Clinton addressed supporters Saturday after being projected to win by a large margin


Drawing overwhelming support from the African-American voters who deserted her here eight years ago, Hillary Clinton won her first resounding victory of the 2016 campaign in South Carolina on Saturday, delivering a blow to Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont as their fight turns to the 11 states where Democrats vote on Tuesday.

After supporting Barack Obama in 2008, African-American voters, who will be the dominant force in the coming Southern primaries, turned out in droves for Mrs. Clinton here. They supported her over Mr. Sanders by more than 6-to-1, and white voters narrowly favored her as well, according to exit polling.

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Mrs. Clinton assiduously cultivated the support of black voters, not least by showing her devotion to President Obama and by promising to build on his legacy. She capped off months of campaigning here with stops on Friday at a popular soul food restaurant and bakery in Charleston and a rally at a historically black college in Orangeburg, alongside black surrogates including the television personality Star Jones and the state’s longtime representative, James E. Clyburn.
“I don’t think President Obama gets the credit he deserves for digging us out of the ditch Republicans put us in,” Mrs. Clinton said, a line she often used in South Carolina, where Mr. Obama defeated her by 29 points in 2008.

This time it was Mrs. Clinton who emerged from the first southern primary with a clearer path to the nomination. With early exit polls showing Mrs. Clinton winning by more than 35 percentage points, The Associated Press called the primary for her shortly after polls closed at 7 p.m. State officials projected that turnout was modest compared to the 532,000 ballots cast in the Clinton-Obama primary race here in 2008, and well below the record 743,000 votes cast in South Carolina’s Republican primary last Saturday, which Donald J. Trump won.

The rout was both politically and psychologically meaningful for Mrs. Clinton after she barely defeated Mr. Sanders in Iowa, lost to him by 21 percentage points in New Hampshire, and eked out a 5.5 percentage point victory last week in Nevada.
Beyond delivering momentum, the win also extends Mrs. Clinton’s lead over Mr. Sanders in delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination; the exact allocation of South Carolina’s 53 delegates will be known once all the votes are counted.

The results also helped Mrs. Clinton extinguish any doubts among Democrats about her ability to appeal to black voters, with black women, in particular, enthusiastically backing her candidacy in South Carolina and in the Nevada caucuses last week.


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That reservoir of support will serve as the biggest roadblock to Mr. Sanders’s chances for a surge in the weeks ahead. Clinton advisers believe she will trounce Mr. Sanders in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee and Virginia, which have contests on Tuesday, and, in doing so, move even further ahead of him to capture the 2,383 delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination.

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Under party rules, most delegates are awarded proportionally to Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders based on their shares of the vote in congressional districts. The most Democratic-leaning districts are accorded the most delegates; in many places these are majority black and Hispanic districts, and Mrs. Clinton is far more popular with those voters than is Mr. Sanders.

“Support from African-Americans is going to be the key for Secretary Clinton across the South, and South Carolina is a good indication of that,” said former Gov. Richard Riley, who was the secretary of education under President Bill Clinton and is a supporter of Mrs. Clinton. “She has supported President Obama in a very serious way, and worked all out for him as secretary of state, and that matters a lot to many Democratic voters.”

Moments after the polls here closed, Mrs. Clinton expressed her gratitude on Twitter, writing, “To South Carolina, to the volunteers at the heart of our campaign, to the supporters who power it: thank you.”
Mr. Sanders, who was campaigning on Saturday in Texas and Minnesota, which will vote on March 1, also quickly put out a statement thanking supporters.

“Let me be clear on one thing tonight: This campaign is just beginning,” Mr. Sanders said. “Our grass-roots political revolution is growing state by state, and we won’t stop now.”
As if already looking past South Carolina, which had for months heavily favored Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Sanders addressed big crowds at two rallies in Texas on Saturday. His aides believe Mrs. Clinton remains vulnerable and that Mr. Sanders will pick up delegates on March, 1, known as Super Tuesday, when states including Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, and his home state of Vermont will hold nominating contests.

Mrs. Clinton edged ahead of Mr. Sanders among white voters, although he prevailed with white men, according to exit polls by Edison Research. Mrs. Clinton lost among white voters in the last two states, New Hampshire and Nevada, but South Carolina allies like former Gov. Jim Hodges had said they were confident that her message about creating economic opportunities would appeal to white voters even though it was often targeted to black voters.

In interviews last week, several white Democrats said they did not trust Mrs. Clinton, chiefly because of her use of a private email account and the American deaths in Benghazi, Libya, when she was secretary of state. While exit polls showed Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders running evenly among voters who valued honesty and trustworthiness more than any other candidate qualities, some Clinton allies are deeply concerned that she could struggle with white voters, particularly white men, in the general election, and Republicans like Mr. Trump have made clear that they intend to sweep white Americans.

The senator had tried to make inroads among African-American voters, including highlighting a grainy black-and-white photo published in The Chicago Tribune that showed a young Mr. Sanders being arrested in Chicago in 1963 while protesting segregation.

Ku Klux Klan rally in Anaheim erupts in violence; 3 are stabbed and 13 arrested

Ku Klux Klan rally in Anaheim erupts in violence.


Three people were stabbed, including one who was critically wounded, and 13 were arrested when a Ku Klux Klan rally in Anaheim erupted in violence Saturday, police said.
A small group of people representing the Klan had announced that it would hold a rally at Pearson Park at 1:30 p.m., police said. By 11 a.m., several dozen protesters showed up at the park to confront the Klan.

About an hour later, several men in black garb with Confederate flag patches arrived and were escorted by police around the edge of the park.

Violence erupted and some of the protesters could be seen kicking a man whose shirt read "Grand Dragon." At some point, a protester collapsed on the ground bleeding, crying that he had been stabbed.
A Klansman in handcuffs could be heard telling a police officer that he "stabbed him in self-defense." Several other people were also handcuffed.

Witnesses said the Klansmen used the point of a flagpole as a weapon while fighting with protesters.

Two other people were stabbed during the melee, said Sgt. Daron Wyatt of the Anaheim Police Department. One of those was a protester but the identity of the other victim was not clear.
Six Klansmen and seven protesters were arrested following the fracas, Wyatt said.

Kobe Sato, 18, of Anaheim said a crowd swarmed the KKK members when they arrived at the park and began to display Confederate flags.

Brian Levin, director of CSU San Bernardino's Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, said he was standing next to the man in the Grand Dragon shirt when a crowd of protesters carrying weapons swarmed the Klansmen.
A brawl broke out and one of the Klansmen was knocked to the ground and kicked. Levin said he later saw the man's arm bleeding.

Levin said he pushed the Klan leader away as the violence continued and a protester was stabbed.

Levin said he asked the man, "How do you feel that a Jewish guy just saved your life?"

"Thank you," the man replied, according to Levin.
A large crowd gathered at the park, with many demanding to know why Anaheim police did not have a larger presence at the scene before the violence broke out.

Levin was also critical of the lack of police presence prior to the melee.

"There were no police officers here when this started happening," Levin said.

The Klan has a long and troubling history with the city. Klansmen were once the dominant political force in Anaheim, holding four of five City Council seats before a recall effort led to their ouster in 1924.

At the height of the group's power in Orange County, nearly 300 Klansmen lived in Anaheim, patrolling city streets in robes and masks. A large KKK rally once attracted 20,000 people to the city.
KKK activity nationwide has decreased dramatically in recent decades, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which estimated the group has between 5,000 and 8,000 members across the country.

The group's activities have been sporadic in Southern California in recent years. Last summer, at least 100 residents of Whittier and Fullerton awoke to find packets containing KKK fliers, rife with racist rhetoric, and candy in their driveways. A Santa Ana neighborhood was also blanketed with KKK fliers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day last year, police said.

An eight-foot cross was burned outside the home of a black man in Anaheim Hills in 2003, and the FBI investigated the case as a hate crime, but police did not specifically link that case to the KKK.

Anaheim, home to Disneyland and Orange County's largest city, is now more than 52% Latino and about 28% white, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

HEAT Signs Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson


MIAMI, February 27 – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed seven-time NBA All-Star Joe Johnson. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Johnson is one of only five players in NBA history to record at least 18,000 points, 4,500 assists, 4,000 rebounds and 1,500 made three-point field goals. With his addition to the HEAT roster, Miami now features 38 total All-Star appearances, the most in the NBA.

Johnson has appeared in 1,119 career games (1,049 starts) and averaged 17.0 points, 4.2 assists and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 44.1 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from three-point range and 80.1 percent from the foul line. Earlier this season, he hit the game-winning three-point shot in a 105-104 win vs. Denver on February 8, and has now hit the game-tying or game-winning shot nine different times in his career (with one second or less remaining), the third-most by any player since he entered the league, fourth on that list is Dwyane Wade with seven. Additionally, Johnson and Wade now become the only active players in the league to each score at least 18,500 career points on the same roster.

Johnson appeared in 57 games (all starts) with the Brooklyn Nets this season averaging 11.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 33.9 minutes while shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 37.1 percent from three-point range and 85.2 percent from the foul line. He led the team in three-point field goals made (85) and finished second in three-point field goal percentage. The 15-year veteran has appeared in the playoffs 10 times over his career, totaling 87 postseason games (81 starts) averaging 17.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 42.6 percent from the field, 34.9 percent from three-point range and 77.3 percent from the foul line.

Panicking Mitch McConnell Says GOP Will Help Hillary Beat Trump If He Wins The Nomination

In the most surreal moment in modern American politics, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told panicking Republicans that the GOP would actively destroy Donald Trump’s election chances if it came to that. That rush of warm air you feel on your face? It’s the wave of radiation from the Republican Party’s nuclear meltdown. We’re witnessing the death of a major political party.
Things are getting truly desperate in conservative camps and the grim acceptance that this isn’t a bad dream and that Trump is almost surely going to win the nomination has begun to set in. It’s led to an odd plan. In a stunning report by the New York Times, Republican sources confirm that party leadership is planning to destroy Trump and give Hillary Clinton the win rather than let him have control of the GOP.

To rally depressed Republicans, McConnell has hatched an unthinkable tactical retreat: Let Hillary Clinton win and focus on maintaining control over the Senate.
Did you catch that? Mitch McConnell floated the idea of tanking his party’s own candidate for president over sandwiches at lunch.

McConnell’s thinking is this: If Republicans accept that Trump will never win the general election, they can devote their energy towards running against Clinton at the senate level. If that sounds insane, then welcome to the Republican Party in 2016.

The saddest part in this scheme is that McConnell’s plan probably won’t even work – at least not in the way he hopes. For one thing, Trump has run his entire campaign on being anti-everything the current “establishment” Republican Party stands for. If his rabid supporters catch wind of the fact that loathed senators like Mitch McConnell are lining against him, that will only make him more popular. Trump’s been saying the party is against him all along. This only confirms it.

Making matters even more dire, McConnell’s tenure as Senate Leader has been defined by such egregious levels of obstructionism that Republican lawmakers are roughly as popular as athlete’s foot. In just the last few weeks, sources leaked McConnell’s plan to literally do nothing during this year’s legislative session. If that “do nothing” strategy is shameful, he only made it worse by following it up with the announcement that he would be blocking President Obama’s Supreme Court Justice nominee to score political points. Neither decision was popular with Democrats or Republicans.

As a result, polls suggest McConnell is leading Senate Republicans into an epic defeat on election day. Having destroyed Trump to save the jobs of Senate Republicans, he will be left with nothing to show for it. A fitting end to a Republican Party that rushed so fast to the bottom that they didn’t realize they had jumped off of a cliff.

Jumat, 26 Februari 2016

First Uterus Transplant Performed in U.S.

The nation's first uterus transplant was performed this week, according to the Cleveland Clinic


The nation's first uterus transplant was performed this week, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Staff that included transplant and gynecological surgeons worked for nine hours Wednesday to transplant a donor uterus into a 26-year-old woman. The organ was from a deceased donor, according to the Ohio medical center.

The operation was the first in a study that started last fall. The women who were considered for the procedure are unable to carry a pregnancy to term because of uterine factor infertility, which means the uterus had abnormalities that included fibroids, scarring, genetic malformations or that it never developed.


“Women who are coping with UFI [uterine factor infertility] have few existing options,” Dr. Tommaso Falcone, an obstetrician-gynecologist and Cleveland Clinic Women’s Health Institute chairman, said in a statement last year. “Although adoption and surrogacy provide opportunities for parenthood, both pose logistical challenges and may not be acceptable due to personal, cultural or legal reasons.”

While the operation was a first in the United States, other uterus transplants have occurred in Sweden and Turkey. Four births have occurred in Sweden after nine uterus transplants, according to a previous statement by the Cleveland Clinic.

Although the procedure could be some women’s only chance to carry their child to term, it is not without serious difficulties. To undergo the process, a woman will have her eggs retrieved via in vitro fertilization and frozen.

After undergoing an operation, the woman has to remain on immune system-suppressing drugs so that her body does not reject the organ. She’ll also have to under monthly biopsies.

Any infant conceived will have to be delivered by Caesarian section and after, at most, two children, the uterus will be removed so the woman does not have to face a life time of medication.

“Unlike any other transplants, they are ‘ephemeral,’” said Cleveland Clinic lead investigator Dr. Andreas Tzakis said in a statement last year. “They are not intended to last for the duration of the recipient’s life, but will be maintained for only as long as is necessary to produce one or two children.”

The hospital did not identify the recipient of the first uterus transplant in the United States.

Report: Getting Out Of Bed In Morning Sharply Increases Risk Of Things Getting Even Worse

Report: Getting Out Of Bed In Morning Sharply Increases Risk Of Things Getting Even Worse


WASHINGTON—According to a report published Thursday in the Journal Of Applied Psychology, the act of getting out of bed in the morning dramatically increases the risk of things becoming even worse. “No matter how bad things were upon waking up, the very moment our trial subjects pulled off the covers and stepped out of bed, things spiraled even further downward for them in roughly 92 percent of all cases,” said lead researcher Alison Chaudhary, who added that her research team observed no instances in which rising from one’s bed and beginning to go about one’s day improved things for any of the test participants.

“In addition, we discovered that the chances of everything going completely and irreversibly downhill rose even higher should one subsequently get dressed and head toward the front door. After that point, once one has left their home, the likelihood of avoiding being weighed down by steadily mounting misery, pain, and humiliation was quite close to zero.” Chaudhary noted that the only guaranteed way to ensure everything doesn’t fall apart right in front of your eyes is to stay in bed, pull a blanket up over your head, and remain there indefinitely without moving.

KELLY CLARKSON BRINGS 'IDOL' JUDGES TO TEARS

KELLY CLARKSON BRINGS 'IDOL' JUDGES TO TEARS

Kelly Clarkson full-on broke down -- not once but several times -- during her incredibly emotional return to the "American Idol" stage ... an appearance that brought the judges to tears.

Kelly sang her song, "Piece by Piece" -- a song about her dad abandoning her and how she would never do that to her child. Kelly, who's 9 months pregnant, couldn't handle it and had to stop mid-song.

The first 'A.I.' winner had turned her back on the show that made her famous. For many years she tried to shake the show off her back, but in its final season she's embracing it again

Trump leads post-debate online polls

Trump leads post-debate online polls


Donald Trump was the resounding winner of Thursday night's Republican presidential debate in Houston, according to two online surveys.

According to a Drudge Report survey that has attracted more than 120,000 votes, 63.8 percent said Trump won the debate, followed Ted Cruz, at 17.9 percent, Marco Rubio, at 12.8 percent, John Kasich, at 3.6 percent, and Ben Carson, at 2 percent.

A Time magazine online poll of 17,000 people found the billionaire businessman taking 71 percent, followed by Rubio, at 18 percent, Kasich, at 6 percent, Cruz, at 4 percent, and Carson, at 2 percent.

Trump has mopped up in most of the post-debate online polling this cycle.

The surveys aren’t scientific but can gauge online enthusiasm for the candidates

Kamis, 25 Februari 2016

Senate Republicans Lose Their Minds on a Supreme Court Seat



Following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, Senate Republicans apparently believe they can profit by creating a political crisis that the nation has never seen before. On Tuesday, the leadership doubled down on its refusal to take any action on any nominee from President Obama to replace Justice Scalia.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader who seems to have lost touch with reality and the Constitution, accused Mr. Obama of plunging the nation into a “bitter and avoidable struggle” should he name anyone to the court.

Forget an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. Top Republicans are pledging not to hold hearings or even to meet with a nominee.
Mr. McConnell said that Mr. Obama “has every right to nominate someone,” and “even if doing so will inevitably plunge our nation into another bitter and avoidable struggle, that is his right. Even if he never expects that nominee to actually be confirmed but rather to wield as an electoral cudgel, that is his right.”

Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the majority whip, said, “We believe the American people need to decide who is going to make this appointment rather than a lame-duck president.”

These statements are so twisted that it’s hard to know where to begin. Let’s take them one by one.

First, Mr. Obama is not a “lame-duck president.” The lame-duck period is broadly understood to run from after the November election until a new president is inaugurated in January. November is more than eight months off. Based on the average number of days it has taken the Senate to act on previous Supreme Court nominees, the seat could be filled by this spring.

Second, no matter how often Republicans repeat the phrase “let the people decide,” that’s not how the system works. The Constitution vests the power to make nominations to the court in the president, not “the people.” In any case, the people have already decided who should make this appointment: They elected Mr. Obama twice, by large margins.

Third, it is preposterous to accuse Mr. Obama of causing a “bitter struggle” by nominating someone who will not be confirmed. The only reason a nominee would not be confirmed is that the Senate has pre-emptively decided to block any nominee sight unseen. Mr. Obama is once again the only adult in the room, carrying out his constitutional obligation while Senate Republicans scramble to dig up examples of Democrats trying to block nominees. But those examples show only that Democratic senators have pushed hard for Republican presidents to pick ideologically moderate nominees. Until now, neither party has ever vowed to shut down the nomination process entirely, even before it has begun.

Only two Republican senators, Mark Kirk of Illinois and Susan Collins of Maine, were brave enough to say that they would vote on President Obama’s nominee. This is what passes for moderation in today’s G.O.P.: simply stating a willingness to do the job you were elected to do.
Unfortunately, for too many Republicans moderation now equals apostasy. These Republicans have stubbornly parked themselves so far to the right for so many years that it is hard to tell whether they can hear how deranged they sound.

The truth is they are afraid — and they should be. They know Mr. Obama has a large pool of extremely smart and thoroughly mainstream candidates from which to choose a nominee. They know that if the American people were allowed to hear such a person answer questions in a Senate hearing, they would wonder what all the fuss was about.

So Mr. McConnell and his colleagues plan to shut their doors, plug their ears and hope the public doesn’t notice. The Republican spin machine is working overtime to rationalize this behavior. Don’t be fooled. It is panic masquerading as strength.

Signed Lionel Messi shirt makes Afghan child's dreams come true

Murtaza Ahmadi


The youngster pictured wearing a striped plastic bag with Lionel Messi's name and number on it is now the proud owner of a real Messi shirt -- thanks to the soccer superstar and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

Murtaza Ahmadi -- found in Afghanistan earlier this month after his picture became an internet sensation -- was given two autographed shirts and a signed football from the iconic player by UNICEF workers, his father Arif Ahmadi told CNN.

Arif said it was "one of the happiest moments" of the five-year-old's life.

His son's only regret, he said, was that Messi -- who scored twice for Barcelona as they beat Arsenal in the Champions League in London on Tuesday -- was not able to have been there.

But Arif said Murtaza, unfazed by that, had been wearing one of the shirts and playing with the football ever since the gifts arrived.
Earlier this month, the Afghan Football Federation told CNN that Messi's charitable foundation was trying to set up a meeting between the five-time world player of the year and Murtaza.

Messi's club Barcelona informed CNN it would be willing to help, but stressed that any such meeting would be down to the player and his management.

"I love Messi -- I love him very much," Murtaza told CNN from the family's farm in Jaghori, southwest of Kabul.

Asked about becoming an internet sensation, he added: "The whole people in the world know me now."
His father, who said the impacts of reports about his son from around the globe had "inspired me," added that his dream was "to have a football stadium in our district."

He explained that the plastic bag jersey had come about when he told his son "that we were living in a poor village far from the city and it was impossible for me to get him the shirt."

Arif added: "He kept crying for days, asking for the shirt, until his brother Hamayon helped him make one from the plastic bag to make him happy. He stopped crying after wearing that plastic bag shirt."
Internet users began searching for the mystery boy in mid-January when a Messi fan account on Twitter posted an image of him wearing the plastic bag Messi shirt.

The picture showed him only from the back -- a small boy with a buzz cut wearing a brown knitted sweater -- with a caption that read: "A kid in Iraq ..." and included an emoji of a breaking heart.

The Iraq reference turned out to be false, and a Twitter user who wrote that the boy was from the city of Dohuk in northern Iraq later admitted that he had made that up.

Claims by a television station in Kurdistan that they had found the boy in Dohuk were also false.

"I feel very happy that he is famous now," Arif said. "He is really excited that his pictures are everywhere now. He wants to become a football player in the future, and go to school."

Last month, Messi reclaimed his title as the world's best player when he won his fifth Ballon d'Or at a lavish ceremony in Zurich.

'Idiocracy' writer: I never expected my movie 'to become a documentary'

'Idiocracy' writer: I never expected my movie 'to become a documentary'


The man behind the 2006 cult sci-fi film “Idiocracy” is lamenting that his fictional movie appears to have become reality.

"I never expected #idiocracy to become a documentary,” tweeted screenwriter Etan Cohen in an apparent jab at the 2016 presidential race.
Together with "Beavis & Butt-head" creator Mike Judge, Cohen co-wrote the time-travel comedy. The plot revolves around the misadventures of a man who wakes up in a futuristic America only to discover that everyone around him, including lawmakers and government officials, is an idiot.
"I thought the worst thing that would come true was everyone wearing Crocs,” Cohen told his Twitter followers.

“Idiocracy" star Terry Crews, famous for his role as President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, also used the satirical film to take a shot at the surreal election cycle.

“All y’all need to stop tripping,” Crews tweeted in character. "Chill the F out, ‘Merica.”

Adele Announces Her Support For Kesha In Brit Awards Speech



Adele won Best Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards on Wednesday and used her acceptance speech to show support for fellow female artist, Kesha.

After acknowledging the other nominees in the category and thanking her management, the "Hello" singer said she "would also like to take this moment to publicly support Kesha."
Kesha has been involved in a lawsuit against her manager, Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald) since 2014 and has accused him of sexual assault and battery. Last Friday, a judge denied her motion to be released from her contract with Sony and Kemosabe Records, a production company that is run by Dr. Luke.

In addition to Adele, countless celebrities like Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Lorde have voiced their support for the "Warrior" singer. Taylor Swift donated $250,000 to Kesha to help with her financial needs, according to a statement from her rep.

Jack Antonoff offered to make music with the singer and leak it until she was free from Dr. Luke, whom he refers to as "that creep."
Zedd also offered to produce a song for Kesha, though she's currently not allowed to make music with anyone other than a producer at Sony.

Kesha thanked her fans for their support in an Instagram post on Tuesday, her first public statement since her court date last week.

"I am beyond words in gratitude. thank you is not enough but it is all I have," said the 28-year-old. "The support I have received has left my face swollen from tears. I love you all so much."
She followed up her thanks with an emotional Facebook post on Wednesday:

"I think about young girls today -- I don’t want my future daughter -- or your daughter -- or any person to be afraid that they will be punished if they speak out about being abused, especially if their abuser is in a position of power," Kesha wrote. "Unfortunately I don’t think that my case is giving people who have been abused confidence that they can speak out, and that’s a problem."

Rabu, 24 Februari 2016

G.O.P. Senators Say Obama Supreme Court Pick Will Be Rejected

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with other members of the Senate G.O.P. Leadership on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.


WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leaders said Tuesday that there would be no confirmation hearings, no vote, not even a courtesy meeting with President Obama’s nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, all but slamming shut any prospects for an election-year Supreme Court confirmation.

Together with a written vow from Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee that they would not hold any confirmation hearings, the pledge was the clearest statement yet from the Senate’s majority party that it would do everything it can to prevent Mr. Obama from shifting the ideological balance of the nation’s high court. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, urged Mr. Obama to reconsider even submitting a name.

“This nomination will be determined by whoever wins the presidency in the polls,” Mr. McConnell said. “I agree with the Judiciary Committee’s recommendation that we not have hearings. In short, there will not be action taken.”

Continue reading the main story
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Their first full day back at the Capitol since Justice Scalia’s death afforded Senate Republicans the opportunity to unite around a message and strategy to thwart Mr. Obama. Huddles in Mr. McConnell’s Capitol suite and a lunchtime conclave appeared to stem any wavering and push Republican troops into line. And they had the ammunition they needed in a June 1992 floor speech by Joseph R. Biden Jr., then a senator, urging President George Bush against any nomination to the Supreme Court until after that year’s presidential election.

The forceful moves that followed, even before Mr. Obama put forward a choice for the court, has the Senate into unprecedented territory: Senators meet with high-court nominees as matters of courtesy and cordiality, but even that tradition has been rejected.

“I don’t know the purpose of such a visit,” Mr. McConnell said. “I would not be inclined to take that myself.”

Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican and a member of the Judiciary Committee, concurred. “I don’t see the point of going through the motions if we know what the outcome is going to be,” he said.

Battles over the Supreme Court have grown increasingly contentious since the 1960s, when Republicans and conservative Democrats blocked President Lyndon B. Johnson’s nomination of Justice Abe Fortas to become chief justice, congressional historians said. But the refusal to grant a nominee any consideration was a startling turn.

“What is remarkable is the opposition is not to a particular candidate or even to the notion Obama will only nominate someone too extreme, but that he should not have any right to have a nomination considered,” said Julian E. Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University.

“This is not even like the drawn-out confirmation process that President Wilson faced with Louis Brandeis,” Professor Zelizer said. “This is the argument that nothing should even be considered.”

The White House on Tuesday warned that the Republicans were risking an extraordinary escalation of partisan rancor in a process that should be free of it.

“This would be a historic and unprecedented acceleration of politicizing a branch of government that’s supposed to be insulated from politics,” said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, who said on Twitter that every Supreme Court nominee since 1875 had received a hearing or a vote.

Senate Democrats lashed out but seemed powerless to force Republicans to alter course.

“The Senate, the world’s greatest deliberative body?” the minority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, asked, railing against the Republicans. “They’re not going to deliberate at all.”

Mr. Reid asserted that Senate Republicans were taking direction from the party’s leading presidential candidates — “It’s what Donald Trump and Ted Cruz want.” He also took aim at Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who has the power to hold confirmation hearings but signed the letter to Mr. McConnell on Tuesday, along with every other committee Republican, saying no such proceedings would take place until a new president is in the White House.

“It appears that Senator Grassley’s going to follow through on this plan,” Mr. Reid said. “He will go down in history as the most obstructionist Judiciary chair in the history of our country.”

While Democrats said they had so far not come up with any parliamentary tactic that might force Mr. McConnell’s hand, they began laying the groundwork for an aggressive effort to keep public attention focused on the court fight, at least until Mr. Obama announced a nominee.

The Republicans’ refusal to even meet with a candidate raised the prospect of some dramatic confrontations as Democrats usher a nominee through the halls of Congress.
But Republicans seemed emboldened in large measure because of Mr. Biden’s 1992 floor speech, which has become a staple of their talking points.

Mr. Biden, now the vice president, said his words were taken out of context, and he issued a statement boasting of his record in confirming federal judges while the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Aides to Mr. Biden also insisted on Tuesday that he had been warning against filling a vacancy created by a voluntary resignation of a justice, not by an unexpected death. In any event, no such vacancy occurred.

Told that Democrats were asserting that such past statements were irrelevant, Mr. McConnell and other Republican leaders laughed.

Mr. Obama “has every right to nominate someone,” Mr. McConnell said Tuesday on the Senate floor. “Even if doing so will inevitably plunge our nation into another bitter and avoidable struggle, that certainly is his right. Even if he never expects that nominee to be actually confirmed but rather to wield as an election cudgel, he certainly has the right to do that.”

Mr. McConnell added: “But he also has the right to make a different choice. He can let the people decide and make this an actual legacy-building moment rather than just another campaign roadshow.”

As Republicans made their intentions clear, the White House was digging in for what could be a long fight, tying the coming confirmation battle to other issues on which Congress has stymied Mr. Obama’s agenda.

“There is this emerging trend in Congress that has worsened in just the last few weeks, where Congress isn’t simply in a position of just saying ‘no,’ Congress is actually refusing to engage,” said Mr. Earnest, the press secretary. He cited Republicans’ refusal on Tuesday to consider the president’s plan for shutting the United States military prison at Guantánamo Bay, their inaction on a new authorization for military force against the Islamic State, and their unwillingness to convene the customary annual hearing on the president’s budget plan.


“They’re doing just about everything, except for fulfilling their basic constitutional responsibilities,” Mr. Earnest said.

Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, said he had urged the White House to select a centrist candidate with impeccable credentials for the court. He urged Republicans to allow the process to move forward, and said he feared the breakdown that could result should they ultimately refuse.

Holding a confirmation hearing “shows respect and deference to the constitutional role of the presidency,” he said. If Republicans refuse, he continued, “it would be just one more reminder to the average American and to the world that our carefully constructed constitutional framework is at risk of failure.”

Correction: February 24, 2016
An earlier version of this article included a quotation by Mitch McConnell, based on prepared remarks, in which some words were omitted or transposed. His comments about President Obama’s right to nominate a justice have been updated to reflect his precise language; the meaning remains the same.

CELINE DION Breakdown in Vegas DON'T WANNA BE ALL BY MYSELF

THE EMOTIONAL PERFORMANCE


Celine Dion lost it during her Vegas concert -- the first time she's performed since her husband's death.
Celine was performing "All By Myself" when she broke down.
Celine added a tribute to Rene Angelil to her show.
It's tough to watch, but the crowd helps her through it ... it ends on a high note.

Facebook's new 'Reactions' buttons are here! Do you 'like' the emojis?

Facebook's new 'Reactions' buttons are here!


How the Reactions buttons work:

Starting on Wednesday and rolling out across all platforms in the coming days, you can add one of the new Reactions by holding down like on mobile or hovering over it on desktop in order to see the Reactions images. Then you just tap or click on the one you want to use.
Why Facebook made the change:

Facebook analyzed how people are commenting on posts and the top stickers and emoticons that they were using as reactions in order to come up with its group of five emojis.
The changes come after Facebook tested the new feature in Ireland, Spain, Chile, Philippines, Portugal, Colombia and Japan starting in October 2015.
"Love" was the most common reaction used in all the test markets.
In Spain, the amount of Reactions being used daily more than doubled since they debuted in October.

"Reactions gives you new ways to express love, awe, humor and sadness,'' Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post when the testing began on Oct. 8.

"It's not a dislike button, but it does give you the power to easily express sorrow and empathy — in addition to delight and warmth."
Zuckerberg also spoke in a town hall event on Sept. 15 about how the "Reactions" help users express emotions for situations where hitting "Like" doesn't feel appropriate.

"Not every moment is a good moment and if you are sharing something that is sad, whether it's something in current events, like the refugees crisis that touches you or if a family member passed away, then it may not feel comfortable to like that post,'' he said. "But your friends and people want to be able to express that they understand and that they relate to you, so I do think it's important to give people more options than just like as a quick way to emote and share what they're feeling on a post."

Robbins: It's over; Trump is going to be the Republican nominee

Trump on protester: I'd like to 'punch him in the face'


It's over. Donald Trump is the Republican nominee.

He just added Nevada to the growing list of caucus primary wins, and while he needs more delegates to clinch it, who the heck can stop him now?

He is leading in national polls and in many state polls; he's succeeded in upending rivals such as Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and Ben Carson; and there's no one in sight who can stop him. The only question is when will the GOP embrace him? The answer: no time soon.

The establishment doesn't like him because it can't control him. Yet he's the only conservative candidate who stands a chance against Hillary Clinton. The polls may reflect Marco Rubio doing well as a conservative uniter, but no one will hammer Clinton's biggest weakness better than Trump, and that's Clinton fatigue.
Sorry, Bernie fans, the Democratic nomination is hers to lose.

Bush has limped away from the race in a manner that validates almost every insult Trump had flung at him (these are just from the past two weeks):
"Total disaster," "had to bring in mommy to take a slap at me," "zero communication skills," "weak candidate," "spent a fortune of special interest money on a Super Bowl ad," "desperate," "failed campaign," "Not a leader!" "by far the weakest of the lot," "Jeb failed as Jeb," "gave up and enlisted Mommy and his brother," "Weak," "no chance."

At least Jeb had the guts to face the truth and withdraw. John Kasich is a nice guy, and he gives good hugs, but under what scenario does he actually win? Carson is just as surprised as you and me that he's still on stage, which means he doesn't belong there.

Staying in the race is delusional at this point. It's time they pack their bags and turn their loss into a win on the speaking and publishing circuit.

That leaves Rubio and Cruz. Neither one of them can beat Clinton, or Trump for that matter. Yes, Cruz captured Iowa, but he is too scary for moderate Republicans and independents. And the GOP "establishment" can hope that with Jeb gone, Rubio will scoop up enough non-Trump votes to cruise to a victory, but that's not happening either. After Cruz and Trump grab their share of the undecided, there won't be enough left to give Rubio the bump he needs to pass Trump.
Last summer, I gave you five reasons why so many Americans loved Trump and why he would go the distance. Notice, four of the five points cemented his path to the Republican nomination. At the time, the seasoned political commentators and pundits just rolled their eyes at me. Now they're predicting a win.

1. He's real.

2. He doesn't care what you think.

3. Many Americans hate Washington.

4. It's early (null).

5. You want to see him debate.

(As I mentioned in that piece, in full disclosure, I know Trump. I've delivered keynotes for his company, spoken at the same leadership events, chatted in green rooms and interviewed him on camera.)

Also notice Trump's campaign hasn't changed one bit in eight months, either. If anything, Trump has just doubled down on the tone, the temper and the tactics.

In July 2015, this is how Trump put it to a crowd in Sun City, South Carolina: "We are tired of being pushed around and led around by stupid people ... we need smart leadership, we need great leadership. We need to make America great again." There was no policy then, and there isn't policy now. And it doesn't seem to matter.
Even back then, Trump was telling the media he didn't see Jeb "as a factor," and he was right.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus reportedly told Trump to tone done his rhetoric last summer. Yet he's only turned the volume up.

In September, the world was up in arms over his loose tongue at the mic and Twitter rants. No one could believe it when he called Lindsey Graham "a total lightweight ... idiot," and barked that Rick Perry wears glasses so "people think he's smart," and Obama's administration officials are "dopes." Carly Fiorina's face bothered him, Megyn Kelly had blood coming out of her "whatever."

That hasn't slowed down either. In fact, who hasn't he offended at this point? Basically, no one. Trump's targets:

The Pope
George W. Bush
Women
Mexican immigrants
Fox News
Refugees
Muslims
The Koch brothers
Washington
Apple
Luckily, CNN and The New York Times have amassed lists of Trump's insults.

He even said he could shoot one of his supporters and he'd still win. Sadly, he might be right, assuming he wasn't arrested and jailed for it. On Monday, he said he missed the "good old days" because he wanted to punch a protester.
The GOP establishment has been wrong at every turn, and Trump has been right. In business, there's an explanation for this: disruption. That's what Trump has done -- he's disrupted politics as usual and changed the rules entirely. As I argued in January, once disrupters such as Amazon, Uber and Airbnb get out front, they become nearly impossible to beat.

That's why the establishment hates him. Not only has he changed the rules, he has upended the hierarchy. The GOP has been snubbed. It's sort of like that moment a few weeks ago, when Paul McCartney was turned away from a Grammy after party. McCartney used to own the industry, but now he isn't relevant enough for insider access.

That's why, for Thursday's final debate before Super Tuesday, we will all be tuning in -- to see what Trump does. And I can tell you exactly what will happen.
He's been 100% consistent since he jumped into the race last summer. He'll tell us he plans to make America great again. He'll remind us that we've got lousy deals with China and Iran. And he'll go on the attack.

The only thing that's shocking about all this is the fact that while Trump is always on the attack, no one has been able to land a direct hit back.

Trump is blowing up conservatism -- can he be stopped?
Donald Trump is blowing up conservatism
And consider this: Trump hasn't even begun insulting Rubio yet. Trust me, it's coming. And so is a negotiation trick he's been using this entire time: lowering the perceived power of his opponent.

Mark my words, just as Trump pushed Jeb out of the race by calling him "weak" and "low-energy," he'll push Rubio out of the way by referring to him as a decent choice for "VP."

For all Trump haters, that's not good news.

If you are still crossing your fingers hoping for a Rubio surge, I advise you, don't waste your time. The race is over. It's time for the GOP establishment to decide if it wants to continue the identity crisis or elect a president.

The Republican nominee is Donald Trump.

Something Truly Beautiful Is Happening At This Animal Shelter



It might be impossible for any one person to adopt every pet in need of a good home, but these kids are doing the next best thing — by bringing shy shelter dogs out of their shells.

An innovative new idea, called the Shelter Buddies Reading Program, is already making a huge difference for animals at the Humane Society of Missouri.

The idea is simple: train kids to read to dogs as a way of readying them for forever homes, all while instilling a greater sense of empathy in the youngsters, too.
"We wanted to help our shy and fearful dog without forcing physical interaction with them to see the positive effect that could have on them," program director Jo Klepacki told The Dodo. "We launched the program last Christmas, but now we offer it once a month."

Kids age 6 to 15 can sign up for the program online, after which they are trained how to read a dog's body language to tell if they are stressed out or anxious. Those pets, say Klepacki, are the ones most in need of special attention.
The young volunteers are then encouraged to sit in front of a shy dog's kennel with a book and read to them — a simple gesture that can go a long way.

"Ideally that shy and fearful dog will approach and show interest. If so, the kids reenforce that behavior by tossing them a treat," said Klepacki. "What this is also doing is to bring the animals to the front in case potential adopters come through. They are more likely to get adopted if they are approaching and interacting, rather than hiding in the back or cowering".
The more timid dogs aren't the only ones benefiting from the program. High-energy dogs, too, have shown improvements from being read to.

"Hearing a child reading can really calm those animals," Klepacki said. "It is incredible, the response we've seen in these dogs."
Once a child has completed the 10 hour training program, learning to work with the animals under supervision, they can then come back with their parents any time to sit and read to the dogs.

But while the added practice is no doubt beneficial to them as students, they're getting something even more important out of it.

"It's encouraging children to develop empathy with animals. It's a peaceful, quiet exercise. They're seeing fearfulness in these animals, and seeing the positive affect they can have," said Klepacki. "It encourages them to look at things from an animals perspective. That helps them better connect with animals and people in their lives."
Though the reading program has only recently been launched, Klepacki says it's been successful in helping dogs find forever homes.

Best of all, kids in the area are as excited as anyone about getting involved; sign-ups have been through the roof.
If all goes well, Klepacki hopes to expand the reading program to all of the Humane Society of Missouri's shelters — and to cats as well.

"I'm really excited about this program," she said.

We are too.

Joey and Rory Feek Earn No. 1 Album: 'This Is God's Record,' Says Terminally Ill Singer

Joey and Rory Feek


Even as Joey Feek braces for her last breath, she is celebrating new firsts.

This week, the 40-year-old singer – half of country gospel duo Joey+Rory with her husband Rory Feek – learned their new album Hymns That Are Important to Us is debuting at No. 1 on Billboard's country and contemporary Christian charts and No. 4 on the top 200 chart.

"When the label called to give us the news I immediately took the phone in to Joey," explains Rory, 50. "This recording was 'hers' from the beginning. This is one that she has always wanted to make, and she's worked so hard to make it happen, in spite of the difficult circumstances she is facing. As I congratulated her, she responded through tears: 'No, honey, this is God's record.'"

The album – a deluxe version of which is available at Cracker Barrel – is inspired by Joey's enduring faith, which she has relied on while battling terminal cancer in her hometown of Alexandria, Indiana.

"I pray that one morning I just don't wake up," she shared in her emotional interview with The Tennessean last year. "But I don't fear anything because I'm so close to God and we've talked about it so many times. I know he's close. And I know he loves me. I'm really at peace."

While preparing her family for life without her, Joey has made the most of the time she has left. Earlier this week, she made dinner from her hospital bed for Rory and their daughter Indiana, 2.

Rory shared a photo of the bittersweet moment via Instagram, writing, "When a mother can't get to the kitchen to help make her family dinner ... you bring the kitchen to mama."

J&J must pay $72 million for cancer death linked to talcum powder: lawyers



Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) was ordered by a Missouri state jury to pay $72 million of damages to the family of a woman whose death from ovarian cancer was linked to her use of the company's talc-based Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for several decades.

In a verdict announced late Monday night, jurors in the circuit court of St. Louis awarded the family of Jacqueline Fox $10 million of actual damages and $62 million of punitive damages, according to the family's lawyers and court records.

The verdict is the first by a U.S. jury to award damages over the claims, the lawyers said.

Johnson & Johnson faces claims that it, in an effort to boost sales, failed for decades to warn consumers that its talc-based products could cause cancer. About 1,000 cases have been filed in Missouri state court, and another 200 in New Jersey.

Fox, who lived in Birmingham, Alabama, claimed she used Baby Powder and Shower to Shower for feminine hygiene for more than 35 years before being diagnosed three years ago with ovarian cancer. She died in October at age 62.

Jurors found Johnson & Johnson liable for fraud, negligence and conspiracy, the family's lawyers said. Deliberations lasted four hours, following a three-week trial.

Jere Beasley, a lawyer for Fox's family, said Johnson & Johnson "knew as far back as the 1980s of the risk," and yet resorted to "lying to the public, lying to the regulatory agencies." He spoke on a conference call with journalists.

Carol Goodrich, a Johnson & Johnson spokeswoman, said: "We have no higher responsibility than the health and safety of consumers, and we are disappointed with the outcome of the trial. We sympathize with the plaintiff's family but firmly believe the safety of cosmetic talc is supported by decades of scientific evidence."

Trials in several other talc lawsuits have been set for later this year, according to Danielle Mason, who also represented Fox's family at trial.

In October 2013, a federal jury in Sioux Falls, South Dakota found that plaintiff Deane Berg's use of Johnson & Johnson's body powder products was a factor in her developing ovarian cancer. Nevertheless, it awarded no damages, court records show.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX.TO) now owns the Shower to Shower brand but was not a defendant in the Fox case.

The case is Hogans et al v. Johnson & Johnson et al, Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, Missouri, No. 1422-CC09012

Cristiano Ronaldo Is the First Athlete with 200 Million Social Media Followers



Love him or hate him, no one can doubt Cristiano Ronaldo's vast popularity...or his influence.

The Portugal and Real Madrid superstar became the first athlete to reach 200 million total followers through his various social networks on Tuesday.

Kapil Sharma's new show to air on Sony TV, confirms the channel's CEO

Putting an end to all the speculations, Sony Pictures Networks India CEO NP Singh has confirmed that Kapil Sharma's new show will start airing on Sony TV in a couple of months.


It's official. Kapil Sharma fans will get to see him in a brand new avatar, in a brand new show on Colors' rival channel Sony TV. Sony Pictures Networks India CEO NP Singh has confirmed that the ace comedian will make a comeback in a few months' time on their channel.

"You will see Kapil soon on Sony TV in a few months' time," Singh told Indiantelevision.com.
According to Indiantelevision.com, the weekend show is slated to launch in May. Frames Productions and Kapil's K9 will produce the new show. Earlier reports said that the show would be announced on March 1, and the promotions would start thereafter.

As per buzz, Shah Rukh Khan will grace the first episode of the show to promote Maneesh Sharma's next Fan; Arjun-Kareena, Virat Kohli and Saina Nehwal have also been finalised as guests. It is being said that Kapil will not be part of the promo shoot as the channel doesn't want to reveal his new avatar so soon.

Kapil's CNWK team members, Sunil Grover, Ali Asgar, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sumona Chakravarti and Kiku Sharda, will join him on his new show.

Selasa, 23 Februari 2016

Warriors Ground the Hawks

Dubs Overcome Atlanta's Dominant Third Quarter and Regain Control Behind Bogut's Dominant Defense


Dubs Overcome Atlanta's Dominant Third Quarter and Regain Control Behind Bogut's Dominant Defense.

The Warriors saw a 23-point advantage turn into a four-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but timely scoring from the Splash Brothers and Andrew Bogut’s defensive dominance helped the Dubs regain control in Monday’s 102-92 win in Atlanta. With the win, the Warriors improved to 50-5 on the season and became the fastest team in NBA history to reach 50 wins.

It ended up a 10-point win, but the path to get there was interesting to say the least. The Warriors played a near flawless first half. They hit 10 3-pointers to Atlanta’s three, they held the Hawks to 39 points and Stephen Curry had 19 points and seven assists at the break. But it all fell apart in the third quarter, when Atlanta quickly erased a 23-point deficit.
A 33-6 run by the Hawks had the home team up four early in the fourth quarter, but then the momentum changed once again. It started with Klay Thompson hitting a three-pointer to end the Hawks’ dominant run, and that was a sign of things to come. Thompson would hit another triple and had 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry also finished strong to tally 36 points and eight assists on the night, but the Warriors wouldn’t have won this game without the paint protection provided by Andrew Bogut. On a day in which the Dubs added a veteran center in Anderson Varejao, their regular starting big man finished with 11 rebounds, five blocks and four assists. He was especially dominant during a crucial stretch in the fourth quarter, blocking three shots that helped guide the Dubs to a 16-5 run that was the difference in the game.

Now armed with 50 wins for the third straight season for the first time in franchise history, the Warriors, will look to keep the momentum rolling as they continue their road trip on Wednesday in Orlando.

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