FORGET VIDEO GAMES: Here's What It's Like To Put On A Costume And Go Live-Action Role Playing | ||
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Live-action role-playing (or LARPing) was born on the fringes of American pop culture, a descendant of much-maligned hobbies like Dungeons and Dragons and other table games. In LARPing, players spend their weekend dressing up in costumes, adopting elaborate personae, and inhabiting a complex imagined world. The hobby, like most of "nerd" culture, has become increasingly mainstream. Across the US, Canada, and Europe, LARPing groups are everywhere. There are more than 30 LARPing organizations in the US, each of which has tens of chapters and thousands of members. A few weeks ago, we visited Alliance, one of the oldest live-action-role-playing groups in the country, in central Pennsylvania, to figure out what LARPing is all about. Faire Play, Alliance's headquarters, is a massive barn in Central Pennsylvania. We arrived early Saturday morning just as the LARPers at Alliance were waking up. The players were shaking off a long night. Most had arrived in costume on Friday night and played until nearly dawn. Most of the players were filing into the "tavern," a large room built into the center of the barn. Everyone was waiting in line for eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee. Players pay $60 to spend the weekend at Alliance, which covers lodging and meals. The Alliance headquarters is located on a sprawling 42-acre property. In addition to the tavern, the central barn has bedrooms for players and a backroom full of costumes, weapons, and other assorted LARPing detritus. The back lawn serves as the main battleground and is sprinkled with cabins for players to sleep in. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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13 Apps For Transforming Your Phone Into The Ultimate Toolkit | ||
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The best utility apps are designed to make your hectic life a little bit easier, and maybe even more enjoyable. From apps that makes budgeting beautiful to ones that let you know the exact minute it's going to rain, there's something for every lifestyle. We've collected the best of the best in this unique mix, and we tossed in a few lesser-known surprises to show what modern apps can do.
Dark Sky tells you exactly when it's about to rain (or snow). Dark Sky does one thing very well: It tells you exactly when inclement weather, like rain or snow, is going to happen. The app is beautifully designed and features a precipitation timeline that lets you know minute-by-minute predictions for when you can expect rain. Price: $3.99 (iOS) Level Money helps you budget your spending in an easy and elegant way. Level Money links to your bank account to help you know how much you can spend today, meaning you never have to manually input your purchases. It takes into account your income, monthly spending habits, and how much you're trying to save. If you spend more than you should on a given day, the app will adjust and tell you to spend less the following day. FlyCleaners lets you choose when to have your laundry picked up and dropped off. FlyCleaners is great for when you're just too busy to find time to do your laundry. The app lets you choose when to have you laundry picked up, and your first time they provide free bags. Your laundry is then whisked away, and you can set a time on the app to have it dropped off when it's finished. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Twitter Acquires Photo-Sharing Website Twitpic's Domain And Photo Archive | ||
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It looks like the Twitpic saga is finally coming to an end. Photo-sharing service Twitpic announced today an agreement had been reached with Twitter which will give Twitter ownership of the Twitpic domain and its expansive photo archives. Twitpic founder Noah Everett announced the news in a company blog post. We weren't able to find a way to keep Twitpic independent. However, I'm happy to announce that we have reached an agreement with Twitter to give them the Twitpic domain and photo archive, thus keeping the photos and links alive for the time being. Twitter shares our goal of protecting our users and this data. Also, since Twitpic’s user base consists of Twitter users, it makes sense to keep this data with Twitter.
The Twitpic archive will be read-only, however, and while Twitpic users can still easily download their photo collections, they will be unable to upload new pictures. The announcement of Twitter's acquisition of the Twitpic domain and photo archive follows what has been a chaotic two months for Twitpic. Last month, Twitpic announced it would be shutting down due to a trademark despite with Twitter regarding the name "Twitpic." Weeks later, Twitpic announced it had been acquired and would continue its service, but the acquisition talks fell through, leading to Twitpic to backtrack and announce its impending closure shortly after. Twitpic founder Noah Everett used today's announcement as a final farewell, stating in his blog post that "I want to say thank you for allowing me to be a part of your photo sharing memories for nearly seven years. It has been an honor." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Movies Of The Past That Correctly Predicted The Technology We Have Today | ||
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Movie makers have been creating visions of the future that include incredible technology and scientific breakthroughs seemingly far ahead of their time. But in today's world, many of the advanced tech gadgets we saw on the big screen can actually be seen in real life. Watch below for a quick guide to movies that have correctly predicted the future. Produced by Daniel Goodman. Originally published in August 2013. Follow BI Video: On Facebook NOW WATCH: Here's The Dirty Little Secret IMAX Doesn't Want You To Know Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Everything You Need To Know About Google's New Product Kingpin | ||
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Google made some big changes to its executive structure yesterday. Google CEO Larry Page is going to be stepping back to focus "on the bigger picture," according to Recode, and former Android and Chrome head Sundar Pichai is stepping into a larger role as a result. Pichai will now be in charge of Google's core products including search, maps, research, Google+, Android, Chrome, infrastructure, commerce and ads, and Google Apps. It's an impressive portfolio for Pichai, but many are still unfamiliar with Google's new product kingpin, who first joined Google in 2004 and eventually worked his way up to be Page's right-hand man. Originally from Tamil Nadu, one of India's 29 states, Pichai studied at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he received a Bachelor of Technology. He then received a M.S. from Stanford and obtained an MBA from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Pichai was honored as a Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar. Before his first job at Google, Pichai worked at Applied Materials as an engineer and then at McKinsey & Company in management consulting.
Pichai quickly began to receive more responsibility, however, taking on involvement with various Google search products including Firefox, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search, Gadgets, and Google Gears and Gadgets. In September 2008, Pichai oversaw the successful launch of the Chrome web browser, and less than a year later, the web-based Chrome operating system for netbooks and desktop computers. Pichai added another Google division to his portfolio in 2012 after Google Apps head Dave Girouard departed to start his own company, Upstart. A year later, Pichai was put in charge of Android after Android co-founder and CEO Andy Rubin stepped down in March 2013. Throughout his time at Google, Pichai has developed a sterling reputation for being well-liked, leading Recode's Kara Swisher to call his recent promotion "a definitive case of nice guys finish first." Former Google product manager Chris Beckmann spoke highly of Pichai in a recent Quora post, praising Pichai's ability to helm difficult projects while building a strong team. "He recruited, mentored, and retained a great team," said Beckmann. "Sundar's team of product managers had a reputation as being among the best of the best, similar to the reputation of the software engineers within Search Quality." Beckmann also mentioned that Pichai "avoided making enemies" in the midst of Google's workplace politics and "navigated those politics to make his team succesful while inflicting the least possible damage on any other team." Pichai demonstrated his team devotion while working under Marissa Mayer, who then was a key executive at Google. According to The Information's Amir Efrati, Pichai "used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores." In addition to his team management skills, Efrati notes that Pichai has also been known to throw his weight around when necessary. At his year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly "told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to 'walk away' from its enormous phone partnership with the company." Pichai's impressive track record at Google caused him to be approached by Twitter to potentially lead Product at the social network, but Pichai ultimately declined. In addition to Twitter's interest, Pichai's name was also mentioned as a potential front-runner for the position of Microsoft CEO after Steve Balmer announced his resignation in August 2013. As Google's new product czar, Pichai will be one of Google's most powerful executives next to CEO Larry Page. SEE ALSO: CVS And Rite Aid Remove Apple Pay Support Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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In 2004, How Sundar Pichai Took Over Google | ||
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A big shakeup at Google was reported Friday. CEO Larry Page will be stepping back and focusing on "the bigger picture," shifting more responsibility to his right-hand man, Sundar Pichai. It's a big promotion for Pichai, who will now be in charge of Google's core products including search, maps, research, Google+, Android, Chrome, infrastructure, commerce and ads, and Google Apps. Formerly, he was head of Android and Chrome. Former Google product manager Chris Beckmann offered an insightful answer in February. He wrote:
We still don't know exactly what led to the latest changes at Google, but it's easy to see why Pichai ended up on top again. Originally from Tamil Nadu, one of India's 29 states, Pichai studied at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he received a Bachelor of Technology. He received a M.S. from Stanford and obtained an MBA from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Pichai was honored as a Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar. Before his first job at Google, Pichai worked at Applied Materials as an engineer and then at McKinsey & Company in management consulting. In 2004, Pichai joined Google as its vice president of product management, where he led the team working on Google's Chrome browser and operating system. Pichai quickly began to receive more responsibility, however, taking on involvement with various Google search products including Firefox, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search, Gadgets, and Google Gears and Gadgets. In September 2008, Pichai oversaw the successful launch of the Chrome web browser, and less than a year later, the web-based Chrome operating system for netbooks and desktop computers. Pichai added another Google division to his portfolio in 2012 after Google Apps head Dave Girouard departed to start his own company, Upstart. A year later, Pichai was put in charge of Android after Android co-founder and CEO Andy Rubin stepped down in March 2013. Throughout his time at Google, Pichai has developed a sterling reputation for being well-liked, leading Recode's Kara Swisher to call his recent promotion "a definitive case of nice guys finish first." Pichai demonstrated his team devotion while working under Marissa Mayer, who then was a key executive at Google. According to The Information's Amir Efrati, Pichai "used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores." In addition to his team management skills, Efrati notes that Pichai has also been known to throw his weight around when necessary. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly "told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to 'walk away' from its enormous phone partnership with the company." Pichai's impressive track record at Google caused him to be approached by Twitter to lead Product at the social network, but Pichai ultimately declined. In addition to Twitter's interest, Pichai's name was also mentioned as a potential front-runner for the position of Microsoft CEO after Steve Balmer announced his resignation in August 2013. As Google's new product czar, Pichai will be one of Google's most powerful executives next to CEO Larry Page. DON'T MISS: Is Google search business in trouble? SEE ALSO: Google has a new app to reinvent email Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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CVS Stores Reportedly Shut Down Apple Pay Support | ||
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Apple Pay has been around for less than a week. While the new way to pay using your iPhone 6 is easy to use, recent reports indicate that CVS stores have already removed Apple Pay support, according to MacRumors. Earlier this week, Rite Aid pharmacy shut down its unofficial Apple Pay support, asking customers trying to pay with the new system to instead use their credit cards. Multiple people are reporting that CVS has followed suit, shutting down the technology responsible for allowing Apple Pay to work, which is called NFC, or near field communications. Without NFC support, both Apple Pay and Google Wallet won't be able to work at the pay terminals at CVS. It also appears that CVS has sent an email to CVS stores detailing the removal of Apple Pay support, according to multiple reports on Twitter and the MacRumors forums.
While other pharmacy chains such as Walgreens fully support Apple Pay, both Rite Aid and CVS belong to Merchant Customer Exchange program, which will be introducing its own mobile payments solution next year. Business Insider has reached out to Apple for comment and will update this post when we hear back. | ||
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Look Inside The Stunning New Cafe Where Apple Employees Eat Their Meals | ||
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Like many other big tech companies in Silicon Valley, Apple is known for serving its employees some pretty amazing food. In addition to its main cafeteria — which is open to the public — Apple operates a number of smaller, more exclusive, cafes near its Infinite Loop campus. In June, the company opened a gorgeous new cafeteria designed by Foster + Partners, the architectural firm behind Apple's upcoming "spaceship" headquarters. The new building is located at the corner of Bandley and Alves Drive in Cupertino. It's gorgeous, with lots of steel-and-glass details that are reminiscent of an Apple store. Only Apple employees are allowed in here. The new Caffe Macs at Alves opened in Cupertino in June 2014.
The 21,468-square-foot building was a long-time coming; Cupertino's Planning Commission approved the project in April 2012. A sharp-cornered roof makes it look a lot like an Apple store.
And huge walls of glass give you a good view to what's going on inside.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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This Mesmerizing Map Of The Internet Lets You Explore The Web's Tiny Connections | ||
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It can be tough to visualize the internet. Web traffic companies like Alexa do a good job of showing the relative ranking of websites, but what about the connections between websites? What do those look like? The Internet Map is an online project that seeks to visualize metrics like web traffic and linking between sites, and the result is a beautiful landscape of the web today. Here's how a website's physical shape and placement on The Internet Map was determined. Mathematically speaking, The Internet map is a bi-dimensional presentation of links between websites on the Internet. Every site is a circle on the map, and its size is determined by website traffic, the larger the amount of traffic, the bigger the circle. Users' switching between websites forms links, and the stronger the link, the closer the websites tend to arrange themselves to each other. Right now, The Internet Map includes over 350,000 website from 196 countries, with each circle corresponding the color assigned to that particular website's country. In the US, it's no surprise that Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, and Wikipedia rank among the largest, but the real fun starts once you zoom in and explore the neighboring websites nearby. Here's a closer look at Google and Facebook's dominant circles.
Here you can see that both WordPress and Deviant Art, an online community for sharing artwork, are often linked with Facebook as people seek to share their work. While Facebook and Google see plenty of international traffic demonstrated by the different colors of the websites orbiting them, Twitter seems to be largely linked to US-based websites. Below, you can see how Twitter sees plenty of links from The Next Web, Gizmodo, Lifehacker, Nike, Slashdot, and Quora. To check it out for yourself, head on over to The Internet Map, where you can type in your favorite website or explore the internet's open waters on your own. Just don't forget to zoom in. SEE ALSO: 13 Apps For Getting What You Need, Fast Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Amazon's Crashing Stock Price Is Going To Be A Big Problem For The Company — Podcast (AMZN, GOOG) | ||
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Here's this week's episode of the "Jay and Farhad Show." As usual, it's New York Times tech columnist Farhad Manjoo and myself running through some of the biggest stories in tech this week. We record this podcast on a weekly basis. You can subscribe to it in iTunes here. You should definitely subscribe. Here's an RSS link to the show. We use SoundCloud as a host, so you can listen to the show over there, too. This week we talk about Amazon's stock falling after weaker than expected earnings. Manjoo makes the case the the falling stock is going to hurt Amazon when it comes to hiring. We also kick around Ben Thompson's "Peak Google" analysis. Basically, he argues that search advertising has been a wonderful business, but there's a chance it's about to be surpassed by a new, more dynamic form of advertising called "native advertising". And finally, we talk about Google Inbox, Google's new email app. I do not like it. Enjoy! Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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The One App You Need On Your Résumé If You Want A Job At Google (GOOG) | ||
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Google has more than 50,000 employees right now, and they earn great salaries. Average pay at Google is $141,000. It's relatively easy to get a job at Google, too. The company is so large and has such a massive need for talent that hiring for Google is something of a headache, so if you have the right skills, Google is really enthusiastic to hear from you. Especially if you know how to use MatLab, a code and data analysis and management tool. On Thursday night, Google's former svp/product management Jonathan Rosenberg was in London with chairman Eric Schmidt to promote their new book "How Google Works." During a Q&A at the University of London, Rosenberg said he once had to give a speech in front of a room full of Rhodes scholars (about 70 people receive the scholarship each year). He offered them all jobs at Google right there on the spot — and even compared their airfare to San Francisco. A few of them took the offer. The fact that Google is willing to hire an entire room of bright people, sight unseen, tells you how desperately the company needs smart workers. If, on the off chance, you're not a Rhodes scholar, Schmidt had some more down-to-earth advice. Google really needs data analytics people and folks who have studied statistics in college, he said. Big data — how to create it, manipulate it, and put it to good use — is one of those areas in which Google is really enthusiastic about. And then Rosenberg said something really interesting. If you want to work at Google, make sure you can use MatLab, he said. We had never heard of MatLab, so we asked Rosenberg what it was. For the uninitiated, MatLab lets developers code and arrange data and algorithms so that results are visual. (Yes, it's complicated). The key here is that data is produced visually or graphically, rather than in a spreadsheet. Here is an example:
This is a Matlab surface 3-D plot of a two-dimensional unnormalized sinc function (obviously!). We got it from Wikipedia. The point is that being a master of statistics is probably your best way in to Google right now. Rosenberg told Business Insider after the event: "My quote about statistics that I didn't use [last night] but often do is, 'Data is the sword of the 21st century, those who wield it the samurai.'" You can download Matlab's various apps and products here.
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The $5 Billion Startup Club: The 9 Highest Valued Startups That You Should Definitely Keep An Eye On | ||
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But in recent years, there's been so many of them that billion-dollar valuations are almost starting to feel routine in tech. So we've raised the bar and narrowed down WSJ’s “The Billion-Dollar Startup Club” list to companies that are valued at more than $5 billion. These startups are transforming our lives and they're definitely worth keeping an eye on moving forward. #9 Pinterest: “A visual discovery tool” Valuation: $5 billion CEO: Ben Silbermann Founded: 2008 What it does: Pinterest allows users to share/store stuff online by “pinning” images and content. Total funding: $762.5 million Notable investors: Andreessen Horowitz, Bessemer Venture Partners, Rakuten #8 Square: “Start selling today” Valuation: $6 billion CEO: Jack Dorsey Founded: 2009 What it does: Square is a mobile payments company that allows stores to accept credit/debit cards on their smartphones and tablets. Its business has expanded to online invoicing and deposits as well. Total funding: $590.5 million Notable investors: KPCB, Khosla Ventures, Citi Ventures, Sequoia Capital #7 Jingdong (JD.com) Valuation: $7.3 billion CEO: Qiangdong Liu Founded: 2004 What it does: Jingdong is one of the largest e-commerce sites in China. It used to be named 360buy.com. Total funding: $2.2 billion Notable investors: Tiger Global Management, Bull Capital Partners, Digital Sky Technologies See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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There used to be a time when a $1 billion valuation was considered a massive success for tech startups. This New Feature Could Make ‘Super Smash Bros’ The Game Of The Year | ||
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There’s no better game to play with friends than “Super Smash Bros.” And it’s about to get even better. Nintendo on Thursday announced the newest iteration in the franchise, “Super Smash Bros. for Wii U,” coming Nov. 21, will support up to eight players simultaneously. Not just four. Eight. This is an insane development for one of the most chaotic multiplayer games ever created. Playing with four characters in past games was crazy enough. Players are punching, kicking, jumping, and throwing fireballs at each other, beating the stuffing out of Nintendo's classic mascots as items drop onto the stage. Items-wise, you can toss bombs and banana peels at each other, hurl your friends off the stage, freeze them in place while you clobber them, or hit them with a fan or a baseball bat. Your friend can open a Pokeball and the entire stage will get filled with creatures trying to attack you. Stages occasionally change and even fight back. It’s a crazy experience that needs to be seen — and preferably played — to be believed. Check out this video for a taste of what you might experience with just four players: Nintendo says eight-player “Smash Bros.” will be limited to a handful of stages and game modes, but this can be a game-changer, particularly for big living room parties where previously only a small number of people could play at once. However, there are also some limitations as far as how you can play an eight-person game of “Smash Bros.”
So get some controllers, round up your friends, and maybe buy another couch. “Smash Bros.” is going to be bigger and more inclusive than ever before, and that’s a good thing. SEE ALSO: 10 Reasons To Buy A Wii U Right Now SEE ALSO: 7 Of The Coolest Secrets In The Game 'Destiny' And How To Find Them Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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13 Apps For Getting What You Need, Fast | ||
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Let's face it, sometimes you don't want to leave the house. Luckily, it's never been easier to outsource thanks to our smartphones, and Product Hunt has curated a collection for when you need something brought to you, and fast. We've chosen our favorites and added a couple of own. From your own private security guard to a bottle of wine, you'd be surprised what you can get delivered. Bannerman lets you get your own private security guard for any occasion. Throwing a party? Bannerman lets you hire your own private security for the flat rate of $35/hour. All security guards are trained professionals and have been trained in Powers to Arrest, Crowd Control, Emergency Procedures. Just tell the app where, when, and how many guards you'd like, and you'll be greeted by your own security in as fast as 30 minutes. Price: Free (iOS) Minibar will delivery your favorite alcohol right to your door. If you're 21 or older, Minibar is a great way to keep the party going without leaving the house. With a wide variety of wine, liquor, beer, and mixers, it's easy to find what you're looking for, and your order is delivered in under an hour. Push For Pizza lets you summon pizza with the push of a button. Hungry for a slice, but feeling too lazy to fill out order forms? Push for Pizza has your back. The first time you use the app, just plug in your credit card, address, and pizza preference. After that, all you'll need to do is push the pizza button and wait for the doorbell. Even the tip has been taken care of. Price: Free (iOS) See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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The PlayStation TV Might Not Be An Apple TV Killer, But That's Not The Point | ||
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It can also read games from a memory card or from the Vita's game cards. It can't stream Netflix. Or Hulu. Or YouTube videos. You can download those apps, but they don't work. And it doesn't look like Netflix will ever be available for the device. "We have no current support plans for Netflix on PS TV," Netflix reps told Gizmodo. But that isn't the point of the PlayStation TV. The point is playing games. And in that respect, it seems to do a good job. Rather than a streaming device that plays games, think of the PS TV as a Vita that hooks up to your TV. It's $99 for the system itself. You'll also need to buy a DualShock controller, which must be purchased separately and costs about $40. Or for $139, you can a bundle that includes a controller and a Lego game, as well as an 8GB memory card.
It doesn't play every game that Sony offers, only the ones on this list. Some of the Vita games aren't compatible yet, but that could be fixed with a system update. It's still a huge bevvy of games, and having the option to play old PS One classic games is a win. It's similar to what Nintendo does with the Virtual Console on the Wii U. But its killer feature is something called Remote Play, which is where you can sync it with a PlayStation 4 and play PS4 games on another TV in the house. That's great news for families or roommates who want to share the PS4 but not all the time. The one caveat is that in order to have a really smooth playing experience, both the PS4 and the PS TV should be connected via an Ethernet connection. Still, that might be a small price to pay for essentially a second PS4 in a different room. Microsoft doesn't have a set-top box or a "remote play" feature with the Xbox One. The PS TV isn't for everyone. Renting games through PlayStation Now can be expensive and complicated. And $99 seems pricey for a little box that doesn't stream. Sony has hinted that it's working on a subscription plan for PlayStation Now, however. But for people already in the PlayStation universe, or for people just entering the gaming world (and who don't want to drop $600 on a full-on console), the PlayStation TV might be a sure bet. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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The PlayStation TV, which was released last week, is a small set-top box that you can hold in your hand. It allows
That might seem crazy to release a $99 device that doesn't have a controller. But keep in mind that many people buying the PlayStation TV are probably already in the PlayStation ecosystem and probably already own at least one controller. Here's What It's Like To Work With Tim Cook (AAPL) | ||
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Apple CEO Tim Cook is known for his secretive personality. But Cook interacts with plenty of people every day, who have shared some of their experiences working with him on Quora. One person who described himself as one of Cook's direct reports noted his insane attention to detail. "No one knows the detail of their business better than Tim," the person said. "And you'd better know the detail of your part of his business as well." That insider also echoed a common complaint about working at Apple: the lack of a work/life balance. It would appear this is especially true at the executive level. "Your life is your work," the person said. "Your work is your life. There is no such thing as work/life balance." In "Steve Jobs," Water Isaacson delivers a vivid portrait of Cook's confident demeanor in the C-suite. "Cook commanded situations with a calm demeanor, a soothing Alabama accent, and silent stares," he wrote. Isaacson illustrated Cook's emotionless managerial style with this vignette: At a meeting early in his tenure, Cook was told of a problem with one of Apple’s Chinese suppliers. “This is really bad,” he said. “Someone should be in China driving this.” Thirty minutes later he looked at an operations executive sitting at the table and unemotionally asked, “Why are you still here?” The executive stood up, drove directly to the San Francisco airport, and bought a ticket to China. He became one of Cook’s top deputies. While both Steve Jobs and Tim Cook have been demanding of their lieutenants, Cook seems to lack some of the abrasive energy that his predecessor was known for. He's also apparently less hands-on than Jobs was, according to a New York Times profile of the CEO: Lower-level employees praise Mr. Cook’s approachability and intellect. But some say he is less hands-on in developing products than his predecessor. They point to the development of the so-called iWatch — the “smartwatch” that Apple observers are eagerly awaiting as the next world-beating gadget. Mr. Cook is less involved in the minutiae of product engineering for the watch, and has instead delegated those duties to members of his executive cabinet, including Mr. Ive, according to people involved in the project, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to press. Cook does have one important trait in common with Jobs: his tendency to start working before dawn. "Tim wakes up really early and is very well capable of expecting you to reply back before the sun comes up," said one anonymous insider. "But I don't think there is a difference there. When Steve used to be on a roll a couple of years back, you'd rather not go home to sleep, [and] forget about an early morning e-mail." SEE ALSO: Christian Bale Will Play Steve Jobs In Sony's Next Biopic Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Here's What Successful People Eat For Breakfast | ||
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How the rich and famous start their day. Produced by Sam Rega. Follow BI Video: On Facebook NOW WATCH: BI Original Video The Truth About 'The Most Interesting Man In The World' Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Whisper Responds To Damaging Accusations And Places Employees Involved On Leave | ||
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Anonymous secret-sharing app Whisper has placed some of its employees on administrative leave following a report that called some of its business practices into question. Last week, The Guardian published an exposé on Whisper, alleging that the app tracks some of its users, even when they've opted out of its geolocation tool. It was alarming because Whisper prides itself on being completely anonymous: a community where it's safe to share any secret, however deep or dark. Further, The Guardian alleged that Whisper sometimes shares user location information with authorities when it deems necessary. The Guardian reporters initially traveled to Whisper's Santa Monica headquarters as part of a journalistic partnership. But while they were there, they say they saw and heard things that contradicted Whisper's mission to have a completely anonymous and safe application. When The Guardian's report first came out, Whisper's Editor-in-Chief Neetzan Zimmerman was quick to deflect the story on Twitter as "full of lousy falsehoods." A five-page email, which Whisper says was sent to The Guardian before it published the expose, denied many of The Guardian's allegations. Whisper hasn't said which employees are on leave; however, Zimmerman has hardly sent any public messages on Twitter in a week. Now, Whisper is being called before the Senate commerce committee to discuss privacy concerns that were reported by The Guardian. The Guardian asked Whisper to answer 10 questions for the committee, such as: "How did Whisper obtain the broad location of some users who opted out of geolocation services?" "We share the Senator's interest in protecting consumer privacy and will respond shortly," Heyward wrote in a statement given to Business Insider. "We welcome the discussion and opportunity to correct the record." Heyward also says Whisper is launching an internal investigation into The Guardian's report. From his statement: "I wrote last Saturday that we welcome the current discussion around Whisper, and are grateful to those who have shared thoughtful feedback with us. We care deeply about our users, and will continue to communicate openly about how we operate. In that light, it's important that the facts are presented clearly and honestly. An article posted yesterday continues to misrepresent how we operate. Below I have annotated the story, in the interests of getting the facts straight. As I have said, we strive to do right by all our users, and we continue to look into the unattributed quotes in the Guardian's stories. We have placed members of the editorial team involved with the Guardian’s visit on leave, pending the results of our internal review. Neetzan’s reaction to the Guardian's allegations has taken away from the substance of the issue, which is that much of the Guardian's reporting on this issue has been highly misleading or just plain wrong. Michael Heyward Here are all of Heyward's answers to The Guardian's questions, below. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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15 Brilliant Quotes That Show The Genius Of Box CEO Aaron Levie | ||
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Since its founding in 2005, Box has raised over $564.1 million in funding, which now values the company at roughly $2.4 billion. Box is expected to go public by early next year. Although there’s been some concerns around Box’s delayed IPO, there’s no question that Levie’s vision and leadership have made his company one of the hottest startups in the Valley. We rounded up some of his best quotes from interviews, tweets, and other sources, which will help you better understand his genius mind. On speed and efficiency: "I'm obsessed with speed. I'm always asking myself, 'Why can't we do things faster? Why can't it happen more efficiently? Why is this requiring three meetings instead of one?'" On Box’s working culture: "One of our core values is 'Get s*** done.' We have a very execution-oriented culture. … Another one of our values is 'Take risks. Fail fast.' If we fail fast, we can correct mistakes quickly." On cloud technology: “There are phases in technology. Mainframe to PC, PC to cloud, to cloud and mobile. These things come around every 10 to 15 years, and we’re in one right now.” See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Box CEO Aaron Levie’s idea to turn an ordinary file-sharing software into the next big collaboration enterprise platform has made him one of the most-watched Valley CEOs in recent years. Elon Musk Thinks Sci-Fi Nightmare Scenarios About Artificial Intelligence Could Really Happen | ||
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk isn't the biggest fan of artificial intelligence, an initiative he called "our biggest existential threat" in comments at the MIT Aeronautics and Astronautics department's Centennial Symposium on Friday. Musk, who called for some regulatory oversight of AI to ensure "we don't do something very foolish," warned of the dangers. "If I were to guess what our biggest existential threat is, it’s probably that. So we need to be very careful with the artificial intelligence," he said. "With artificial intelligence we are summoning the demon." Artificial intelligence (AI) is an area of research with the goal of creating intelligent machines which can reason, problem-solve, and think like, or better than, human beings can. While many researchers wish to ensure AI has a positive impact, a nightmare scenario has played out often in science fiction books and movies — from 2001 to Terminator to Blade Runner — where intelligent computers or machines end up turning on their human creators. "In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like yeah he’s sure he can control the demon. Didn’t work out," Musk said. The symposium wasn't the first time Musk raised concerns. In August, Musk tweeted: "We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes." NOW WATCH: 7 Reasons Why The New Tesla Is Such A Big DealJoin the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Here Are Some Of The American Adults Who Started Live-Action Role Playing And Never Stopped | ||
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A few weeks ago, I visited Alliance, one of the oldest live-action role-playing (or LARPing) groups in the US, where I met people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s who've made LARPing a central part of their lives. The LARPers included both diehards and the newbies. Every year, Pennsylvania-based Alliance sees around 50 to 100 new faces. According to Todd, a higher-up in Alliance, new players tend to be college-age or recent graduates. These players usually stick around for three or four years before dropping the hobby, but about 10% become “lifers” — people whose dedication can be measured in decades, not years. For the lifers, LARPing becomes their main social outlet. According to Michael Ventrella, a founder of Alliance, dating is common among LARPers and there have been more than a few weddings of people who met there. Some of the veterans have been around for so long their kids sometimes come to events. While visiting Alliance, I met players who work in biomedical engineering, tech, insurance, cybersecurity, law, healthcare, and accounting. Here are few of the people I met: Joe, Technologist
Joe is a character even without his costume, prone to a mischievous smile, a high-pitched cackle, and a sense of humor that amounts to asking yourself constantly, “Is he messing with me?” He’s coy about his profession, though he says he’s a technologist who works on government contracts in the Washington, DC area. When asked if that means cybersecurity, he shrugs and says, “You could call it that.” At some LARPs Joe attends, every player is an IT professional with government security clearances. Others are dominated by college students. Lauren, Safety Professional
When I introduce myself to a woman named Lauren who works at a major tech company, she tells me, “I wear pretty things and hit my fellow nerds.” Lauren grew up in Pennsylvania and attended nearby Binghamton University. At college, Lauren was heavily involved with Humans vs. Zombies, a popular live-action game played at colleges across the US. Humans vs Zombies is basically a complicated, weeks-long version of tag that spans an entire campus. It's kind of like entry-level LARP, allowing players to act out a zombie takeover using sock balls, marshmallows, and foam-dart guns. “Humans vs. Zombies was huge at Binghamton," Lauren says. "Everyone gets involved, even the police. One time, we had a police officer get out of his car and tell us to try to make him a zombie. We were like, 'Should we try? We might get arrested.'” After college, Lauren met a few guys who told her about Alliance while attending an anime festival in Baltimore. “Grown men and women fighting in a remote woods … what could go wrong?” Lauren jokes. In a short time, Lauren was hooked on the game, making fast friends and constructing elaborate characters. She met her boyfriend Colin at Alliance. Scott and Tim, Insurance Analyst and Warehouse Supervisor
Both have arguably nerdy pasts. Scott originally played "Dungeons and Dragons" in high school and college before a cousin introduced him to LARPing. Meanwhile, Tim found out about LARPing from coworkers at a gaming store. He was initially skeptical but quickly got hooked. “There’s nothing like being in character the whole time. You get fully immersed,” Tim says. Both Scott and Tim have since convinced their wives to join in on the fun, after years of trying to get them to play games like "Dungeons and Dragons." “My wife always thought 'Dungeons and Dragons' was really boring," Tim said, "but when she realized what LARPing actually was — playing a part, sneaking around, fighting and trading, having fun — she was like, ‘This is something I could get into.’” For Scott, Alliance has helped him learn skills he uses every day. “I’ve learned leadership skills, resource management, and public speaking,” Scott says. “Before I started playing, I hated public speaking, but my character was a Duke. I had to make speeches. Public speaking quickly got way more comfortable.” Akiva, Graduate Student at Binghamton
“I played 'World of Warcraft,' 'Dungeons and Dragons,' read sci-fi books, but when I heard about LARPing, I knew I wanted to do it. It’s a chance to play the game in real life,” Akiva says. Although Akiva has attended Alliance for several years, like many other students, he saves money by being a non-playable character — someone who attends for free in exchange for being a cast member for the game designers. “Every time I come, people ask me, ‘When are you going to make a character?’ I give them the same answer every time. When I get a job,” Akiva says. It's expensive to create a character, according to Akiva, who says a costume can cost thousands of dollars. “You have to buy in-period clothing, armor, nice boots, bracers, greaves, chain mail, weapons, scabbard, belts, pouches. It all adds up.” SEE ALSO: We Spent A Weekend Live-Action Role-Playing And It Was A Surreal Experience Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Joe has played the same character at Alliance for 20 years. He has played in so many different LARP “systems” — from medieval to sci-fi — that “it intimidates other players,” he says. In addition, he participates in Revolutionary War reenactments, playing a drum major in the British Army..jpg)
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Scott (right) is an insurance analyst who has been playing for nearly 20 years, and Tim is a warehouse supervisor who's been playing for about eight. .jpg)
Akiva is a graduate student at Binghamton University, studying Healthcare Systems. He’s been playing since his freshman year of college when he helped start the college’s LARPing club. Before he started the LARPing club, he said, he had “the typical nerd background.” Microsoft's PR Boss Had A Funny Response To Google's Big News (MSFT, GOOG) | ||
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Google dropped some big news to employees Friday. Sundar Pichai, the executive in charge of Android and Chrome, got a promotion that makes him the boss of all of Google's core products: search, Google+, apps, advertising, Android, Chrome, and so on. The news of Pichai's promotion leaked late in the afternoon when Re/code's Kara Swisher and Liz Gannes obtained an internal memo to Google employees announcing his new role. One Google rival, Microsoft's PR boss Frank Shaw, reacted to the news with a subtle jab on Twitter: To be fair, Google will probably make a formal, public announcement about Pichai's new job soon. And Microsoft doesn't exactly have the best track record with releasing news when people are around to pay attention. It announced the Nokia acquisition late in the evening at the end of the long Labor Day weekend last year, likely frustrating some reporters who just wanted to go to bed. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Meet The Investor Funding Game-Changing Startups Run From College Dorms | ||
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| Peter Boyce II, an associate with General Catalyst Partners, and co-founder of Rough Draft Ventures, was recently interviewed by OneWire CEO Skiddy von Stade. In the interview, he explained how he got into the startup business by founding Rough Draft, a company that seeds student startups. When he was studying applied math and computer science at Harvard, he noticed his friends struggled to find funding for their great startups. They basically had two options. One was to enter a small business competition to win whatever was offered, even as little as $500. The other was to try and raise so much money that it made sense to drop out and run the business full-time. There was nothing in-between these two. That's why he co-founded Rough Draft, to scout for students running potentially game-changing startups from their dorm rooms, and expose them to the resources they need to grow. "There’s the $500 business plan competitions that you can enter into and win, then there’s the 'raise a million dollars and drop out of school,' but there’s really nothing in between and there’s really no network of students that were able to empower other students to pursue creating startups. That’s really what we created with Rough Draft Ventures. We have a team of students that basically helps identify and empower entrepreneurs at the university level, something that we’re insanely excited to do, something that we’re increasingly seeing - folks are going to continue to build amazing companies in their dorm room. Boyce also runs the New York office of General Catalyst Partners and is expanding its footprint here. He's convinced that he's in the right city too. In the raging debate on the better coast for tech startups, he's Silicon Alley all the way. "We’ve staked our careers here in New York, voted with our feet in a way. But I think from a diversity perspective of just being able to interface with so many different industries, whether that's banking, marketing, fintech, I think there’s a lot of really great industries and a lot of great entrepreneurs that are going to build companies that [are] technology, that's going to empower and change these existing industries. And New York has been the epicenter for a lot of these industries for a long time ... I’m personally very biased towards this eco-system here in New York." Watch the full interview above and subscribe to the Open Door series to receive upcoming interviews. SEE ALSO: This Multibillion Dollar Fund Manager Looks For Three Things When He's Hiring Employees SEE ALSO: A Wall Street Exec Explains What Instantly Turns Him Off When He Sees A Resume Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Larry Page Is Taking A Step Back At Google To See The 'Bigger Picture,' And Sundar Pichai Is Getting A Lot More Responsibility (GOOG) | ||
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Google is reorganizing its executive structure. Former Android and Chrome head Sundar Pichai will lead all of Google's core products. CEO Larry Page taking a step back to focus on the "bigger picture," Re/code's Kara Swisher and Liz Gannes report. Google sent an internal memo to employees this afternoon to explain the changes. Pichai will now head up research, search, maps, Google+, commerce and ads, and infrastructure, in addition to Android, Chrome, and Google Apps. The six executives leading each of those product areas will now report directly to Pichai instead of Page. YouTube, run by Susan Wojcicki, will not be under Pichai's domain. Re/code's sources say that this switch-up seems to come from Page's concern that Google is becoming less innovative as it gets older. He wants to focus on the "bigger picture" and didn't feel like he could do that with so many direct reports and duties. This is a big promotion for Pichai, but certainly not his first. He's been a rising star at Google and Page's right-hand man for a while now. Originally, he only managed Chrome, but took over Google Apps in 2012 and Android in March 2013. He first started working at Google in 2004. NOW WATCH: We Put iPhone's Time-Lapse Video To The Test — With A Sleeping BabySEE ALSO: A Google Exec Just Beat The World Record For Highest-Altitude Jump From The Stratosphere Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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CHART OF THE DAY: Cell Phone Bills Are Up 50% Since The iPhone Was Invented | ||
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Despite some recent company efforts to help pay for customers' phone bills through promotions and subscription programs, the telecommunication industry largely relies on customers using more phone data each year — through new applications and innovations — to keep its sales growing, according to The Wall Street Journal. And this is no more apparent than when you see how cell phone bills have risen since the dawn of the smartphone. Based on data from the Labor Department charted for us by BI Intelligence, US households are spending 50% more on their phone bills than they did in 2007, the year the iPhone launched and Google introduced the Android operating system for mobile devices. Households spent an average of $913 on phone bills in 2013 — and a fifth of those households spent more than $1,400 that year. According to Verizon Wireless, the average monthly phone bill is about $161.24, which is a 3.5% rise from last year.
SEE ALSO: CHART OF THE DAY: Amazon's Growth Is Waning SEE ALSO: This One Chart Explains Why eBay Is Spinning Off PayPal SEE ALSO: CHART OF THE DAY: Half Of All iPad Owners Have A Tablet That's At Least Two Years Old Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Gear shift needed to meet climate pact deadline: observers | ||
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Bonn (AFP) - Nations will have to roll up their sleeves and make important compromises to meet the deadline, just 14 months off, for a global pact on curbing climate change, observers say. Worrying signs of obstinance emerged from six days of UN talks in Bonn which ended Saturday. Experts said those discussions fell short of their goal to set parameters for a ministerial-level drafting meeting in Lima in December for a deal to be inked the following year. "There are some danger signals about the way we're coming out of here. We're not as far along as I'd hoped we would be," Alden Meyer of the US-based Union of Concerned Scientists told AFP. "Some of those visions that are on the table, quite frankly, are not compatible... two opposite views of the world. Choices are going to have to be made." The six-day talks in the former West German capital ended with nations still divided loosely along developed-developing country lines on the most fundamental aspects of who will be required to do what to halt the march towards dangerous levels of climate change. They agree the best tool is to curb Earth-warming fossil fuel emissions, which requires an expensive shift to less-polluting energy sources. But poorer nations, many of them facing the highest risks from a predicted increase in climate change-induced sea-level rise, floods and droughts, insist the developed world must bear greater responsibility given their longer history of emissions dating back to the Industrial Revolution. Rich countries, in turn, point the finger to countries like India and China, which are now among the major emitters as coal powers their economic development. And these are issues many wished had been resolved by now, so that actual bartering can start on the text of the agreement that must enter into force by 2020 to meet the goal of limiting warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels. "The talks here can't fairly be called negotiations. They were discussions, sharing of views, but no actual elbows on table dealing with text. I can't see how they'll pull the elements together if they continue like this," said Meena Raman of the Third World Network NGO. - Missed opportunity - The most anticipated outcome from Bonn had been progress on detailing what information nations will have to provide when they pledge emissions curbs -- things like which gases must be cut, by how much, and over what period. A deadline for pledges, the building blocks for the Paris pact, has been set for the first quarter of 2015, for those countries that are able to do so. Many felt that a draft negotiating text adapted during the course of the Bonn negotiations represented a step backwards, however, watering down a reference to the need to assess whether national pledges, combined, were sufficient to meet the 2 C goal. "This draft completely changes the purpose of INDCs (intended nationally determined contributions) from being the contribution of each country to meet the ultimate objective... to what each country could minimally do," commented the Climate Action Network of NGOs. "Everything is left to the objectivity of countries." In terms of the Paris pact, which Bonn negotiators were also meant to start fine-tuning, countries remain divided on such fundamentals as what should be in it, whether it would be internationally binding, and whether the same rules would apply to all. "Governments... missed an opportunity to shift gears in negotiations towards the global Paris agreement on climate change due at the end of next year," said Mohamed Adow of Christian Aid, a development charity that closely follows the talks. The meeting's co-chairman Artur Runge-Metzger urged negotiators Saturday to "redouble" their efforts, and announced two additional meetings for next year, besides the usual June gathering in Bonn, to prepare for Paris. The first will be held in Geneva from February 8-13, and the other in the second half of the year. Many negotiators and observers believe the very format of negotiations should change from posturing in big, joint gatherings, to smaller, informal groups hammering out details. "I think if they continue doing everything in this one group, they're literally going to run out of time. There are so many different issues and so many different options on the table," Meyer said. Added Raman: "Many developing countries have been calling for text-based negotiations since March this year -- it needs to happen now. They need to break out and get their pens out and actually cross out text or scribble new text in the margins." Developing nations also argue that a breakdown in trust can be repaired, at least partly, by rich countries putting money on the table at a pledging conference of the Green Climate Fund in Berlin in November. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Medical establishment also a casualty of Ebola crisis | ||
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Paris (AFP) - Beyond the human tragedy of the Ebola epidemic unfolding in west Africa, the crisis is claiming a collateral victim: trust in the medical order. The biggest casualty is the reputation of the UN's World Health Organization (WHO), which analysts fault for foot-dragging and misjudgements. Also under assault are Big Pharma, the West's aid policies in Africa and public faith in the rich world's lavishly funded health systems. "Failures in leadership have allowed a preventable disease to spin out of control, with vast harms to social order and human dignity," a commentary carried by The Lancet said on October 7. "If the Ebola epidemic does not spur major reforms, it will undermine the credibility of (the) WHO and the UN, and enable the conditions for future crises to persist." Patrick Zylberman, a historian of medicine at France's National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), said the WHO had been slow to heed warnings from frontline groups such as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF, Doctors Without Borders). "Everyone agrees there was a delayed response, which is partly responsible for the scale of the epidemic today," Zylberman said. It took the WHO until August 8 to press the global alarm button, when it declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, or PHEIC. That was 20 weeks after the first suspected cases emerged in the world's worst outbreak of haemorrhagic fever -- "a terrible delay," Zylberman said. Always running to catch up, the WHO in April estimated needs to tackle Ebola at $4.8 million, which in July it raised to $71 million before hiking it to $490 million in August. A few weeks later, the UN launched an appeal for $988 million. Zylberman said the WHO could plead mitigating circumstances -- it is just the sum of the nation-states that oversee it. Staffing in its infectious diseases department has fallen from 95 to 30 people, partly because of a decision to shift resources to non-transmissible diseases such as cancer, he said. Its operational budget is just a third of that of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And just 30 percent of the funds are controlled by the WHO itself. In 2011, the budget was cut by nearly $600 million, causing a reduction in the WHO's emergency response units, and some of its epidemic control experts left. The WHO has promised to carry out a full review of its handling of the Ebola crisis after the epidemic is under control. Another failure, say critics, has been priorities for drug research. Big Pharma pours billions into exploring cures for obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol, Alzheimer's, impotence and even baldness. But, with the exception of military-funded projects, there was negligible interest in Ebola, which struck rarely and claimed few lives -- all of them in poor tropical Africa. "Ebola Vaccine At Least 50 White People Away," the satirical US news site The Onion headlined on July 30. Vaccines are now being rushed into trials at unprecedented speed and will be rolled out if they are deemed safe and effective. If things go wrong, the medical establishment may have another nightmare on its hands. - Dud strategy? - Public health experts also say Ebola spread in part because of inadequate or misdirected aid. Lacking basic resources -- even gowns, masks and latex gloves -- Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea were sitting ducks. Because of porous borders and jet travel, Ebola became a global scare. The final bill may far outstrip what it would have cost to stop the outbreak at the onset. "In the last decade, less than two percent of international aid dedicated to health in Liberia has been provided for basic health infrastructure, training health workers and public health education," said Sebastian Taylor at Britain's University of East Anglia. "Stronger investments in building basic health capacity in countries like Liberia will be key to containing the risk of similar outbreaks in the future." In Europe and North America, only a handful of Ebola cases have surfaced. Yet several fumbles and dread of the disease have chipped away at public confidence. A Pew Research poll conducted among more than 2,000 US adults between October 15 and 20 found that 54 percent had little or no concern about getting Ebola. In early October, that figure was 58 percent. Seeking to shore up confidence, US President Barack Obama has appointed an Ebola "czar," hugged a nurse who recovered from the disease, and urged the public to remain calm and be "guided by the science -- the facts, not fear." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Pellegrini defiant despite Hammer blow | ||
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London (AFP) - Manuel Pellegrini has insisted it is too early to write off Manchester City's chances of retaining the Premier League title after their 2-1 defeat at West Ham United. Saturday's loss at Upton Park was City's second league defeat of the season and meant they missed out on the chance to reduce what was Chelsea's five-point advantage at the top of the table ahead of the leaders' match at Manchester United on Sunday. City's reverse in east London capped a bad week for Pellegrini's side, who days earlier had squandered a two-goal lead in a draw away to CSKA Moscow that left their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League in the balance. But City manager Pellegrini insisted his men were unfortunate to lose at West Ham and denied he was feeling any extra pressure after an inconsistent start to the campaign. "We are just starting the season, we have 80 points left to play for. So it is early. We will continue fighting because there is no title being handed out at the moment," Pellegrini said. "We always try to start as best as we can but you can’t always do that. We have a point more than we had after nine games last season." The Chilean added: "I feel pressure exactly the first game as this one. The pressure I put on myself is the most important thing for me. "We are continuing to have a chance in the Champions League so we are not leaving any important things. We just had a really undeserved defeat today," said Pellegrini before his side were leapfrogged into second place by in-form Southampton's win over Stoke. West Ham secured a first-half lead through Morgan Amaltifano before Diafra Sakho scored for a sixth successive league game midway through the second period. David Silva reduced the Hammers' lead but Pellegrini's side paid the price for a host of missed opportunities, with Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure both hitting the woodwork. "In the first half we did not play with enough intensity, I thought they would be more tired in the second half and we would be able to move the ball easier which we did but in the end we couldn't take our chances," Pellegrini said. "I don't think it was a fault of our team for the performance in the first half, it was more about the intensity of West Ham and you must credit them for that." - Outstanding Song - This result saw West Ham remain fourth in the table -- a position few would have forecast for them before the season started. Hammers manager Sam Allardyce praised the work of forward pair Sakho and Enner Valencia and well as midfielder Alex Song, three of the club's pre-season signings. "Song has been in the shadow a little bit because of Valenica and Sakho but this lad has outstanding quality. "He goes along the style of Fernando Hierro and Jay Jay Okocha who I had in my teams before," added former Bolton manager Allardyce. "His passing and also his protection of the back players is excellent. "When you've got quality players, quality players look forward to the big games when the players of lesser quality get a bit anxious and think 'oh look who I’m playing against today'. "But Songy's led us as a team today and the rest of the lads have responded to that." Allardyce, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, added: "I don't think Valencia and Sakho really know what they have done yet. I don't think they really know how good they've been. "They've just come here, they want to play football and I don't think they realise what such a big impact they have made. "But also, the players that have stayed with me for the last two or three years are playing much better as well." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Giants steam-roll Royals to level baseball World Series | ||
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San Francisco (AFP) - The San Francisco Giants piled up runs relentlessly in an 11-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday to level the 110th World Series at two games apiece. With the win, the Giants gained some much-needed breathing room, ensuring that Major League Baseball's best-of-seven championship showcase will return to Kansas City for game six on Tuesday. Before then, the Giants will have a chance to regain the Series lead at home when they host game five on Sunday. The Royals, back in the post-season for the first time since they won their only World Series crown in 1985, had won two games straight to put the Giants under pressure. But the Giants, seeking their third title in five years after snapping a 56-year title drought in 2010 and winning again in 2012, insisted there was no reason to panic. They showed no sign of doing so as they remorselessly pounded out 16 hits -- 13 of them singles. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval knocked in the go-ahead runs with single in the sixth inning, and the Giants added three more runs in the sixth and four in the seventh. Joe Panik hit two of their three doubles, driving in two runs. Hunter Pence had a double among his three hits for three runs-batted-in. Gregor Blanco singled twice and scored three times. The Giants set the tone by scratching out a run in the first inning. Royals starting pitcher Jason Vargas walked Gregor Blanco to open the game. Blanco took second base on a wild pitch, stole third and scored when Hunter Pence beat a throw to first to break up a double-play bid. Kansas City struck back in the third with a four-run rally featuring run-scoring singles from Omar Infante and Salvador Perez. The outburst ended the night for Giants starting pitcher Ryan Vogelsong, who departed after 2 2/3 innings having given up four runs on seven hits. But the Giants chipped away, pulling back a run in the bottom of the third and knotting the score at 4-4 with two runs in the fifth. On Sunday, the Giants will send game-one winning pitcher Madison Bumgarner to the mound against the Royals, who give the ball to ace James Shields. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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US strikes pound jihadists as Iraqi Kurds prepare to join fight | ||
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Mursitpinar (Turkey) (AFP) - US-led warplanes have bombarded the Islamic State group with new air strikes as heavily armed Iraqi Kurdish fighters were on Sunday readying to reinforce the besieged Syrian border town of Kobane. Kurdish forces, backed by US air power, have been holding out for weeks against an IS offensive around Kobane, which has become a high-profile symbol of efforts to stop the advance of the jihadists. The Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq unveiled plans on Friday for up to 200 well-trained peshmerga to join Syrian Kurdish forces defending Kobane in the coming week. Kurdish news agency Rudaw said the first contingent could head to the town as early as Sunday, but there was no immediate confirmation of that timetable. Since Turkey conceded to US pressure to allow vetted reinforcements into Kobane to prevent IS winning the prominent battle for the town, the jihadists have made repeated attempts to cut the border before any help can arrive. Before dawn on Saturday, IS fighters hit Kurdish forces defending the Syrian side of the border crossing with mortar and heavy machinegun fire, an AFP correspondent on the Turkish side reported. The heavy mortar fire around the Mursitpinar crossing prompted the Turkish army to order the evacuation of nearby hilltops from where the world's press has been watching the battle for the town. The US-led military coalition fighting IS launched 22 air strikes in Iraq and one in Syria on Friday and Saturday, the Pentagon said. Eleven of the bombings in the heavy barrage targeted IS units, buildings, positions and vehicles near Iraq's strategic Mosul Dam.
- Advance guard ready -
Kurdish forces backed by US air strikes on Saturday retook the town of Zumar northwest of Mosul from IS after weeks of fighting, a senior officer said. IS still holds significant areas in northern Iraq and elsewhere in the country, as well as swathes of neighbouring Syria. The Kurdish news agency said an initial peshmerga contingent of 150 was ready to leave for Kobane and would be headed by Sihad Barzani, brother of Iraqi Kurdish regional president Massoud Barzani and head of its artillery brigade. It cited peshmerga officials as saying that an additional 1,000 Iraqi Kurdish fighters would follow. Rudaw quoted a senior peshmerga officer as saying that the Iraqi Kurdish forces would deploy with heavy weapons, but that undertakings had been given to both Ankara and Washington that they would not be handed over to Syrian Kurdish forces. "Our enemies in Kobane are using heavy weapons and we should have heavy weapons too," he said. The main Syrian Kurdish fighting force in Kobane has close links with the outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has fought a three-decade insurgency in southeastern Turkey. Ankara has been adamant that no heavy weaponry should fall into its hands. Turkey has tightly controlled the flow of both fighters and weapons to Kobane, and has accepted only Iraqi Kurdish or Syrian rebel reinforcements for the town. Washington delivered light weapons to the town's Kurdish defenders last weekend, but was forced to do so by air after Ankara refused deliveries by land. The Turkish government has been one of the leading supporters of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) in its more than three-year civil war with the Damascus regime, and has proposed allowing in 1,000 of its fighters into Kobane. But Syrian Kurdish officials inside the town have expressed reservations about the Turkish plan, saying that any deployment must have their approval and that FSA forces would be better used opening new fronts against IS elsewhere.
- Pilgrimage threat -
Washington has expressed new confidence that Kobane's fall to IS can be averted, but has cautioned that in neighbouring Iraq a major fightback against the jihadists is still months off. Iraqi government forces have come under renewed attack by IS south of Baghdad, with troops battling on Saturday to secure the route used by hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims headed for the shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala. Eight soldiers were killed in the assault by IS militants which began in the Jurf al-Sakhr area on Friday, officers said. Senior US administration officials and military commanders acknowledged in recent days the Iraqi army is months away from any sustained counter-offensive that could roll back the IS from its strongholds in Iraq's western and northern provinces. Pilgrims taking part in Ashura commemorations, which mark the death of Imam Hussein, one of the most revered figures in Shiite Islam, are often targeted with bombings during the annual rituals, which take place this month. But this year's march to Karbala is set to be more dangerous than most, with militants from IS holding territory along the way.
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War-scarred Ukraine votes for pro-Western future | ||
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Kiev (AFP) - War-weary Ukrainians vote Sunday for a powerful new parliament in which a likely alliance of pro-Western and nationalist forces will confirm the ex-Soviet country's historic but bloody break from Russia's domain. The snap general election is also expected to reveal the level of trust in President Petro Poroshenko's bid to hold on to the separatist east through talks with pro-Russian rebels and their alleged puppet masters in the Kremlin. But the trauma of the nearly bankrupt state's loss to Russia of Crimea and the subsequent deaths of 3,700 people in six months of warfare in the east has set a grim backdrop to a vote meant to celebrate last winter's pro-democracy street revolt. Three days of carnage in Kiev that claimed the lives of more than 100 demonstrators in February were followed by the flight to Russia of Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovych and the start of the most intense East-West standoff since the Cold War. May presidential election victor Poroshenko -- an affable chocolate baron who sees Ukraine's European future guaranteed by a US security pledge -- then called an early parliamentary vote to sweep out the last remnants of the old regime. Voters will primarily be passing judgement on a hotly disputed truce deal Poroshenko struck with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September after a string of battlefield defeats. "No criticism, no matter how acute and painful, will stop me from finding a peaceful way out of the current situation," Poroshenko stressed on the eve of the vote. But fears that Poroshenko is effectively caving into the Kremlin by offering rebels limited self-rule in return for peace have spurred the hopes of nationalist parties that reject talks with Russia. - Nationalist resurgence- The new parliament will have broad new powers that include the right to name the prime minister and most of his cabinet. Poroshenko's party is expected to come in first but fall short of a majority and be forced into a coalition with nationalists. That may mean having to adopt a much tougher approach to Russia. Three or four groups that view Russia as either an existential threat or a foe to be treated with more caution than that shown by Poroshenko are each expected to pick up around 10 percent of the vote. The more militant and unpredictable ones include the Radical Party of the populist Oleg Lyashko and former defence minister Anatoliy Grytsenko's Civil Opposition group. Poroshenko would instead much prefer to strike an alliance with the People's Front of current Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk -- an ally instrumental in securing a $27 billion rescue package designed to cut Kiev's economic dependence on Moscow. The vote also marks the first time that Ukraine's Russian speakers -- nearly five million of whom live in occupied Crimea or rebel-held eastern regions that will boycott the polls -- will have no separate representation in parliament. Yanukovych's old ruling party has re-branded itself as the moderate Opposition Bloc focused on social issues. Some of his associates have also joined the small Strong Ukraine group of Sergiy Tigipko -- a one-time Russian ally who now backs closer EU ties. The veteran Communist Party may fail to clear the five percent threshold for winning seats under proportional representation, which fills half the chamber, for the first time since the Soviet era. A handful could still win individual seats in the first-past-the-post constituency races that fill the other half of the chamber. Sunday's election will be followed a week later by a rival leadership vote in rebel-held regions that Poroshenko has unsuccessfully urged Putin to denounce. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Quarantined US nurse says 'made to feel like a criminal' | ||
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New York (AFP) - An American nurse published a scathing account of her treatment after being put in isolation in the United States following a stint caring for Ebola patients in West Africa, saying she was made to feel like "a criminal." Kaci Hickox was the first person to enter mandatory 21-day quarantine for medical staff returning to parts of the United States who may have had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa, the epicenter of the outbreak that has killed nearly 5,000 people. The new rules took effect in New York and New Jersey on Friday, the same day Hickox returned. "This is not a situation I would wish on anyone, and I am scared for those who will follow me," Hickox wrote in The Dallas Morning News, saying she was showing no symptoms when she arrived back in the United States. "I am scared about how health care workers will be treated at airports when they declare that they have been fighting Ebola in West Africa. I am scared that, like me, they will arrive and see a frenzy of disorganization, fear and, most frightening, quarantine." Hickox, who landed at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport after working with Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Sierra Leone, will be monitored at a hospital for 21 days, the known incubation period of Ebola. Her account recalled the ordeal that began with her "grueling" two-day journey from Sierra Leone back to the United States. Then, at the airport's quarantine office in immigration, "one man who must have been an immigration officer because he was wearing a weapon belt that I could see protruding from his white coveralls barked questions at me as if I was a criminal," Hickox said. - 'No one in charge' - Despite feeling "tired, hungry and confused," Hickox said she tried to remain calm during the three hours that passed in the office. "No one seemed to be in charge. No one would tell me what was going on or what would happen to me," she said. "I wondered what I had done wrong." Hickox's temperature was initially a normal 98 degrees Fahrenheit (37 Celsius). But four hours after she landed, a forehead scanner found it to be 101 degrees, suggesting fever. "The forehead scanner was recording an elevated temperature because I was flushed and upset," Hickox said, adding that she was left to languish alone in the room for another three hours. No less than eight police cars then escorted her to the hospital, she said. "Sirens blared, lights flashed. Again, I wondered what I had done wrong," Hickox wrote. "I had spent a month watching children die, alone. I had witnessed human tragedy unfold before my eyes. I had tried to help when much of the world has looked on and done nothing." At the hospital, her temperature was again normal, and an initial blood test came back negative for Ebola. "I sat alone in the isolation tent and thought of many colleagues who will return home to America and face the same ordeal. Will they be made to feel like criminals and prisoners?" Hickox wrote. "We need more health care workers to help fight the epidemic in West Africa. The US must treat returning health care workers with dignity and humanity," she wrote. - 'Lack of clarity' - Doctors Without Borders said it was "very concerned about the conditions and uncertainty she is facing." Sophie Delaunay, executive director of MSF, added: "There is a notable lack of clarity about the new guidelines announced yesterday by state authorities in New York and New Jersey." The two US states ordered mandatory quarantine for returning medics after a doctor, Craig Spencer, 33, on Thursday became the first confirmed case of Ebola in New York. He was immediately placed in isolation and on Saturday his condition had deteriorated slightly, but health officials stressed that was the "next phase" of the illness and was expected. "The patient is awake and communicating," a hospital statement said. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Brazil set to vote after bruising campaign | ||
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Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - After the most contentious election race since the end of military rule in 1985, Brazilians will Sunday choose their next president, weighing a decade of social progress against a yearning for economic revival. Final opinion polls Saturday showed leftist incumbent Dilma Rousseff narrow favorite with a four- to six-point advantage over center-right business world choice Aecio Neves in the race to lead the world's seventh-largest economy. A former guerrilla jailed and tortured for fighting the country's 1964-1985 military regime, Rousseff -- Brazil's first woman president -- has needed all her battling qualities to claw back the advantage on Neves. Sunday's vote is widely seen as a referendum on 12 years of government by her Workers' Party (PT) -- eight under working-class hero Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and four under Rousseff, who has presided over four years of anaemic growth culminating in recession. The PT has endeared itself to the masses though, particularly in the impoverished north, with landmark social programs that have lifted 40 million people out of poverty, increased wages and brought unemployment to a record low 4.9 percent. But after Brazil benefited from an economic boom during the Lula years, the outlook has darkened since Rousseff won the 2010 election, the year economic growth peaked at 7.5 percent. Rousseff, 66, has overseen rising inflation and a recession this year. She also faced massive protests last year against corruption, record spending on the World Cup, and poor services, notably education, healthcare and transport. - Trading punches -
She has further been battered by a multi-billion-dollar embezzlement scandal implicating dozens of politicians -- mainly her allies -- at state-owned oil giant Petrobras. Rightwing news magazine Veja on Friday quoted a suspect in the case as saying Rousseff and Lula personally knew of the scam. She roundly denied the claim and threatened to sue. Before the October 5 first-round vote, Rousseff fended off environmentalist Marina Silva, who initially surged in opinion polls with her vow to become Brazil's first "poor, black" president having dramatically entered the race after running mate Eduardo Campos died in a plane crash. No sooner had the PT electoral machine dispatched Silva -- who exited the contest with 21 percent to Rousseff's 42 percent and Neves's 34 percent -- than the incumbent had to beat back Neves, who having ousted Silva then opened a brief lead in surveys. With the candidates fighting for every vote in this sprawling country of 202 million people, the campaign took on a level of animosity not seen since the return to democracy. Rousseff accused Neves of nepotism as governor of Minas Gerais state, then played up a report he once hit his then-girlfriend in public. And she suggested the Social Democrat was driving "drunk or on drugs" when he refused to take a breathalyzer during a 2011 traffic stop. Neves, a 54-year-old senator and the grandson of the man elected Brazil's first post-dictatorship president, responded in kind, accusing Rousseff of lying, incompetent economic management and "collusion" in the Petrobras kickbacks. - Middle class key -
Brazil's 142.8 million voters enter election day divided along social lines. "Yet in reality, the two candidates don't have widely differing policies -- four years is quite a short time to turn the ship around," Lia Valls, an economist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation specializing in Brazilian trade, told AFP. While the poor back the PT, Brazil's elite are exasperated with interventionist economic policies such as gasoline price controls and high taxes. The key battleground is for votes in the industrialized southeast, the cradle of the million-strong protests last year where a growing middle class is making growing demands. They are torn between voters loyal to the PT's transformative social policies and those frustrated on the economy. "The country is divided, and whoever wins will need to reach out to the opposition," said Lourdes Casanova, an emerging markets specialist at Cornell University in New York state. Voters are also electing governors in run-offs in 14 states where no candidate took more than 50 percent in the first round. Polls open at 8:00 am (1000 GMT in Rio) and results are expected shortly after the 5:00 pm close, thanks to a sophisticated electronic voting system. Voting is compulsory in Brazil, Latin America's largest democracy.
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Republicans poised to snatch US Senate in mid-terms | ||
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Washington (AFP) - Republicans appear increasingly likely to win back the US Senate in November 4 mid-term elections, a move that would heap misery on President Barack Obama in his final two years in office. The more conservative of the main American parties already controls the House of Representatives, and no one seriously predicts Democrats will retake it this year. Republicans are capitalizing on stubbornly persistent frustration with Obama and his policies, particularly in battleground states Democrats must successfully defend if they want to hold the Senate. Despite polls showing Democratic gains in some rollercoaster races, the math favors Republicans in their bid to win the six net seats they need to control the Senate. "It's not going to be a wave election, but it will bring a majority for the Republicans," predicted American University professor James Thurber, who founded and directs the school's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies. Forecast models by FiveThirtyEight blog and The New York Times say Republicans are between 62 percent and 64 percent favorites to seize the Senate majority. The Washington Post's Election Lab puts Republican chances at 91 percent. In one of several signs the GOP is tightening its election grip, the University of Virginia's Center for Politics on Thursday shifted the key Arkansas Senate race from "leans Republican" to "likely Republican." "Republicans are hopeful that they've put this one away, and the trend line for Democrats is not good," UVA wrote about Arkansas in its "Crystal Ball" report.
- More gridlock ahead -
What would a full Republican takeover of Congress mean for the Obama administration? More gridlock and polarization, according to Thurber. "It will be even worse with a Republican majority, and very little will get done on Obama's legislative agenda," which includes immigration reform, he added. Republicans would likely take steps to dismantle or at least stop funding Obamacare, the president's landmark health care reform law. However, Democrats are not admitting defeat just yet. Incumbents are holding their ground in New Hampshire, as well as in North Carolina, where a flood of money from outside groups is pushing the cost of that single Senate race to a record $100 million. Complicating the election map, Republicans are vulnerable in traditionally deep red states Kansas and Georgia, both of which are too close to call. Popular Kansas independent Greg Orman is neck and neck against veteran Senate Republican Pat Roberts, and has injected drama into the national picture by saying that if he won he would caucus with whatever party wins the majority. Reflecting the fluid nature of races in the final weeks, Democratic groups pulled funding for Kentucky Senate candidate Allison Lundergan Grimes, only to acknowledge they are going back up with campaign ads there following her better-than-expected polling against five-term incumbent Republican Senator Mitch McConnell.
- Obama 'not relevant' -
Republicans have had various degrees of success in tarring their rivals as rubber stamps for the president. "In these finals days, the decision Americans face is becoming even clearer: a vote for a Democrat is a vote for the Obama agenda," Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said Thursday. But Democrats like Alaska Senator Mark Begich reject the accusation they are in Obama's back pocket. "The president's not relevant. He's gone in two years," Begich told the Washington Examiner. Overall, Democrats maintain some advantages in 2014. They poll better than Republicans on traits like honesty and willingness to compromise. And Republican favorability among voters is 39 percent against 55 percent unfavorable, while Democrats fare better, at 47 percent against 48 percent, according to Pew Research. With control of Congress at stake, Democrats have called in two political superstars -- former president Bill Clinton and potential 2016 frontrunner Hillary Clinton -- to sway undecided voters. Both have lent their political celebrity at several Democrats' campaign stops, but it is unclear if their support will move the needle. "The Clinton magic is not enough in my opinion," Thurber said. When the sun rises on November 5, there is a good chance the fate of the Senate could still be undecided. Louisiana and Georgia, where several Senate candidates are on the ballot, require runoffs if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote. With neither Senator Mary Landrieu nor her main Republican rival Bill Cassidy close to that threshold in polling, a December 6 runoff in Louisiana is a foregone conclusion, experts say. A January 6 runoff in Georgia would mean control of the Senate might not be decided for a full two months after election day.
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Everyone Wants To Know Who The Mystery Woman Is In 'The Avengers' Sequel Trailer | ||
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After the "Avengers: Age of Ultron" trailer hit the web late Wednesday evening, fans have been obsessively rewatching the teaser for clues and hints about the upcoming movie. Almost immediately, eagle-eyed viewers honed in on a scene at the 37 second mark in which the camera pans over the group of "Avengers" plus a few extra women.
It's easy to discern most of the characters. Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow is next to Bruce Banner. Former Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. member Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) is rising out of a seat in front of Captain America. Here's an annotated version of the scene.
And then there's this mystery woman standing to the left of Thor. Who is that? The immediate conclusion of many was to suggest it was Thor's girlfriend Jane Foster played by Natalie Portman in the "Thor" films.
Portman hasn't been confirmed for the sequel yet so it would be an unexpected big cameo, but one that makes sense. At the end of "Thor 2," we see the superhero return to Earth to spend his time with Foster so it wouldn't be a stretch for Portman to make an appearance. However, a closer inspection of the photo has many believing it's another actress. Cinemablend and Newsarama believe the mystery woman may be Korean actress Kim Soo-hyun, also known as Claudia Kim.
Several months ago, it was reported Kim joined the film as a doctor or scientist who works with Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Then, Kim tweeted an image with "Age of Ultron" director Joss Whedon along with a chair prominently displaying her name on what appears to be the film set. Our take: We initially thought the woman standing next to Thor was Portman. It's not certain how much longer Portman will be a part of Marvel's cinematic universe. We wouldn't be surprised if the "Avengers 2" resulted in the death of her character to make way for future storylines. After all, what else could get Thor so angry that he goes after Tony Stark (other than for creating a killer robot army)?
However, the closeup image just doesn't look like Portman. It's much more likely to be Kim. Still, we wouldn't be surprised to see Portman pop up in the sequel. "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" will be released May 1, 2015. SEE ALSO: Marvel had the best response to #TheAvengers sequel trailer leak AND: How Marvel prevents footage from leaking at Comic Con Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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FORGET VIDEO GAMES: Here's What It's Like To Put On A Costume And Go Live-Action Role Playing | ||
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Live-action role-playing (or LARPing) was born on the fringes of American pop culture, a descendant of much-maligned hobbies like Dungeons and Dragons and other table games. In LARPing, players spend their weekend dressing up in costumes, adopting elaborate personae, and inhabiting a complex imagined world. The hobby, like most of "nerd" culture, has become increasingly mainstream. Across the US, Canada, and Europe, LARPing groups are everywhere. There are more than 30 LARPing organizations in the US, each of which has tens of chapters and thousands of members. A few weeks ago, we visited Alliance, one of the oldest live-action-role-playing groups in the country, in central Pennsylvania, to figure out what LARPing is all about. Faire Play, Alliance's headquarters, is a massive barn in Central Pennsylvania. We arrived early Saturday morning just as the LARPers at Alliance were waking up. The players were shaking off a long night. Most had arrived in costume on Friday night and played until nearly dawn. Most of the players were filing into the "tavern," a large room built into the center of the barn. Everyone was waiting in line for eggs, bacon, pancakes, and coffee. Players pay $60 to spend the weekend at Alliance, which covers lodging and meals. The Alliance headquarters is located on a sprawling 42-acre property. In addition to the tavern, the central barn has bedrooms for players and a backroom full of costumes, weapons, and other assorted LARPing detritus. The back lawn serves as the main battleground and is sprinkled with cabins for players to sleep in. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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SpaceX returns to Earth loaded with lab results | ||
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Washington (AFP) - SpaceX's unmanned Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday carrying a heavy load of NASA cargo and scientific samples from the International Space Station that experts hope could yield significant results. A boat was ferrying the spacecraft to a port near Los Angeles, where NASA said the haul of 1.5 tonnes of experiment results and other materials will be removed and returned to the space agency by late Monday for scientists to pick apart. Dragon also carried crew supplies, hardware and computer resources. The investigations in the cargo could help develop more efficient solar cells and semiconductor-based electronics, as well as grow plants better suited for space and improve sustainable agriculture, according to NASA. "This mission enabled research critical to achieving NASA's goal of long-duration human spaceflight in deep space," said Sam Scimemi, director of the International Space Station division at NASA headquarters. Dragon, which spent a month at the space station, will later travel back for processing to SpaceX's test facility in McGregor, Texas. Astronauts at the ISS had manipulated the orbiting lab's robotic arm to detach Dragon on time, at 1357 GMT, in what NASA called a "very clean release." The capsule splashed down five-and-a-half-hours later, at 1939 GMT, near the Mexican coast, slowed by three enormous parachutes. - Space traffic - The SpaceX vessel is the only spacecraft currently capable of returning from the ISS with cargo. Its last mission to the space station was in April. Then it delivered cargo including freeze-dried meals, 20 live lab mice and a 3D printer, in its fourth contracted mission to the ISS. The lab mice were the first live mammals to hitch a ride aboard a commercial cargo ship, and they are enclosed in a NASA-made research cage for studying the effects of weightlessness on their bodies. The 3D printer is the first of its kind to demonstrate how the technology can be used in space, even without gravity to assist the process. The Dragon return kicks off a week of heavy traffic to and from the orbiting science lab. Late Monday, Orbital Sciences is scheduled to launch its unmanned Cygnus capsule from the Wallops Island space center, on the coast of Virginia, and should arrive November 2 at ISS at the same dock that held Dragon. And on Wednesday, the Russian cargo ship Progress is set to take off for the ISS, replacing a sister vessel due to break away from the orbiting station and return to Earth on Monday. Three of the six ISS crew members are also preparing to leave the lab after 165 days in orbit. They are set to ride in a Russian Soyuz craft on November 9. Their three replacements, a Russian and two Americans, should arrive on November 23. NASA lost its ability to reach the space station alone when the shuttle program ended in 2011 after 30 years. The US space agency has helped fund private companies in the race to restore US access to the ISS. In 2010, SpaceX became the first private company to send a spacecraft to the ISS. The company is run by Internet mogul Elon Musk, who built his fortune by co-founding PayPal. He also heads Tesla Motors. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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13 Apps For Transforming Your Phone Into The Ultimate Toolkit | ||
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The best utility apps are designed to make your hectic life a little bit easier, and maybe even more enjoyable. From apps that makes budgeting beautiful to ones that let you know the exact minute it's going to rain, there's something for every lifestyle. We've collected the best of the best in this unique mix, and we tossed in a few lesser-known surprises to show what modern apps can do.
Dark Sky tells you exactly when it's about to rain (or snow). Dark Sky does one thing very well: It tells you exactly when inclement weather, like rain or snow, is going to happen. The app is beautifully designed and features a precipitation timeline that lets you know minute-by-minute predictions for when you can expect rain. Price: $3.99 (iOS) Level Money helps you budget your spending in an easy and elegant way. Level Money links to your bank account to help you know how much you can spend today, meaning you never have to manually input your purchases. It takes into account your income, monthly spending habits, and how much you're trying to save. If you spend more than you should on a given day, the app will adjust and tell you to spend less the following day. FlyCleaners lets you choose when to have your laundry picked up and dropped off. FlyCleaners is great for when you're just too busy to find time to do your laundry. The app lets you choose when to have you laundry picked up, and your first time they provide free bags. Your laundry is then whisked away, and you can set a time on the app to have it dropped off when it's finished. See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
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Twitter Acquires Photo-Sharing Website Twitpic's Domain And Photo Archive | ||
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It looks like the Twitpic saga is finally coming to an end. Photo-sharing service Twitpic announced today an agreement had been reached with Twitter which will give Twitter ownership of the Twitpic domain and its expansive photo archives. Twitpic founder Noah Everett announced the news in a company blog post. We weren't able to find a way to keep Twitpic independent. However, I'm happy to announce that we have reached an agreement with Twitter to give them the Twitpic domain and photo archive, thus keeping the photos and links alive for the time being. Twitter shares our goal of protecting our users and this data. Also, since Twitpic’s user base consists of Twitter users, it makes sense to keep this data with Twitter.
The Twitpic archive will be read-only, however, and while Twitpic users can still easily download their photo collections, they will be unable to upload new pictures. The announcement of Twitter's acquisition of the Twitpic domain and photo archive follows what has been a chaotic two months for Twitpic. Last month, Twitpic announced it would be shutting down due to a trademark despite with Twitter regarding the name "Twitpic." Weeks later, Twitpic announced it had been acquired and would continue its service, but the acquisition talks fell through, leading to Twitpic to backtrack and announce its impending closure shortly after. Twitpic founder Noah Everett used today's announcement as a final farewell, stating in his blog post that "I want to say thank you for allowing me to be a part of your photo sharing memories for nearly seven years. It has been an honor." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Movies Of The Past That Correctly Predicted The Technology We Have Today | ||
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Movie makers have been creating visions of the future that include incredible technology and scientific breakthroughs seemingly far ahead of their time. But in today's world, many of the advanced tech gadgets we saw on the big screen can actually be seen in real life. Watch below for a quick guide to movies that have correctly predicted the future. Produced by Daniel Goodman. Originally published in August 2013. Follow BI Video: On Facebook NOW WATCH: Here's The Dirty Little Secret IMAX Doesn't Want You To Know Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Clashes in Jerusalem but flashpoint Palestinian funeral delayed | ||
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Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli police clashed with Palestinians across east Jerusalem Saturday ahead of a potentially explosive funeral that was delayed for a day and tight security conditions imposed. Relatives of Abdelrahman Shaludi, the Palestinian driver who ploughed into a Jerusalem crowd on Wednesday, killing an Israeli baby, were told to be ready to bury him Sunday night, their lawyer said. The internment, near Jerusalem's Old City walls, will take place at 11:00 pm (2100 GMT) and must be finished by midnight, only 20 mourners will be permitted to attend and they will have to submit their names to police in advance, attorney Mohammed Mahmud said in a statement. Police branded as a "terror attack" the incident Wednesday in which Shaludi, 21, from east Jerusalem's flashpoint Silwan neighbourhood drove at high speed into a crowd of Israelis. Three-month-old Haya Zissel Braun was killed and six others injured. Shaludi was shot dead by police as he fled on foot. He was first to have been buried on Friday evening but Israeli media said security authorities wanted to impose draconian security conditions, fearing violence. Tensions have been running high since the incident with nightly clashes across Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem. As evening fell, violence again erupted there Saturday. Silwan residents stoned a sanitation vehicle sent to clean up debris from Friday's stone-throwing, and police responded with "non-lethal means of dispersal," spokeswoman Luba Samri said, using a term generally alluding to tear gas or stun grenades. In Al-Tur on the Mount of Olives, masked Palestinians blocked the road with garbage bins, and threw stones and petrol bombs, police said. Near the Shuafat refugee camp stones were throne at the Jerusalem light railway, a frequent target. Police said a carriage window was damaged but no one hurt. With tensions further stoked after the army shot dead a West Bank teenager Friday, there were also reports of stoning of Israeli vehicles on roads around Ramallah.
- US urges calm -
Relatives of the dead 14-year-old, Orwa Hammad, said his funeral would take place on Sunday, to allow his father time to travel from the United States where he is a resident citizen. They said the teenager was also a US national, as was the baby girl killed Wednesday. The army said Hammad had been about to hurl a petrol bomb at Israeli motorists near Ramallah when he was shot by troops on a stakeout in the village of Silwad to protect a road frequently used by Jewish settlers. "The forces fired immediately to neutralise the danger... and confirmed a hit," a spokeswoman said. Palestinian officials said Hammad was shot during a stone-throwing protest against troops, a regular occurrence in Silwad, which lies close to the Jewish settlement of Ofra. Washington expressed its "deepest condolences to the family of a US citizen minor who was killed by the Israeli Defence Forces". State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki called for "a speedy and transparent investigation" into the teenager's death. "We continue to urge all parties to help restore calm and avoid escalating tensions in the wake of the tragic recent incidents in Jerusalem and the West Bank," she added. Hardline housing minister Uri Ariel has informed Israel's Shin Bet domestic security service that he is considering moving into Silwan, Israel's Channel Two TV reported late Friday. It cited security sources as saying that such a move was likely to further inflame feelings in an already volatile spot. On Monday Palestinians hurled petrol bombs at a Silwan apartment building hours after it was taken over by Jewish settlers. Ariel, deputy leader of the far-right Jewish Home party currently lives in the West bank settlement of Kfar Adumim. His talk of a move to Silwan was meant to test Prime Minister Benjamin's assertion that Jews have the right to live anywhere, the TV said. It would also be a symbolic challenge to the US administration, which has expressed "deep concern" over settlement building in mainly Arab east Jerusalem, Channel Two added. Israel seized Arab east Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, in a move never recognised by the international community. Some 200,000 Israelis live there alongside about 300,000 Palestinians. Israel regards the entire city as its "undivided capital" and does not see construction or the purchase of houses in the eastern sector as settlement activity. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Egypt's Sinai in lockdown after bomb kills 30 troops | ||
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Cairo (AFP) - Egypt imposed a state of emergency Saturday across parts of the Sinai Peninsula as the military pounded suspected jihadists after a suicide car bombing there killed 30 soldiers. Friday's bombing was the deadliest attack on security forces since the army deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last year, to the fury of his supporters. The state of emergency in the north and centre of the Sinai will remain in place for three months, the president's office said. A curfew is in force from 5:00 pm to 7:00 am. Egypt also announced it would close the Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip, the only entry to the Palestinian territory not controlled by Israel. Witnesses told AFP that new security checkpoints were erected in Rafah and the north Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid. "The army and police will take all necessary measures to tackle the dangers of terrorism and its financing, to preserve the security of the region... and protect the lives of citizens," a presidential decree said. Despite killing or arresting many militants, the army has so far been unable to eradicate them in a massive operation involving attack helicopters and tanks. The military launched fresh air strikes Saturday in northern Sinai, killing eight suspected militants, security officials said. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the army chief who toppled Morsi and was later elected head of state, chaired a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces Saturday. "A committee comprising senior army officials was formed to examine the latest terrorist attacks in Sinai... in order to reinforce the struggle against terrorism," a statement said. And the government announced a bill that would bring under the jurisdiction of military tribunals "matters of terrorism... linked to attacks on army and police installations and personnel, as well as vandalism and the blocking of roads." After the meeting, Sisi said Friday's attack was carried out with "external support" in order to "break the will of the Egyptian people and army." Security officials said the soldiers were killed when a suspected jihadist rammed his explosives-packed vehicle into a checkpoint in El-Arish, the main town in north Sinai. Medics said 29 others, including a senior army officer and five others, were also wounded. On Saturday, the body of a soldier who disappeared after Friday's attack was found riddled with bullets, security officials said. Gunmen also shot dead an officer and wounded two soldiers Friday at another checkpoint south of El-Arish, security officials said. - Tourism hit - Jihadists in the peninsula have killed scores of policemen and soldiers since Morsi's overthrow to avenge a bloody police crackdown on his supporters. The violence has dealt a further blow to a tourism industry already reeling since a 2011 uprising that overthrew long-time president Hosni Mubarak. While south Sinai is dotted with tourist resorts on the Red Sea -- a popular destination for scuba divers -- the lawless north is a base for militants who have launched a wave of attacks, mostly targeting security forces. The peninsula's southern coastline has been largely spared the violence rocking the country since 2011, partly thanks to security checkpoints in the region. But it has not been completely untouched by the militants. In February, a suicide bomber killed three South Korean tourists in an attack on a bus in the south Sinai resort of Taba that was claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, the most active militant group in Egypt. After Friday's attack, Sisi announced three days of national mourning. - International condemnation - The European Union and United States both denounced the latest incident, with the State Department saying "a prosperous and dynamic Egypt requires an environment of security and stability." It was the latest in a string of bloody attacks against security forces in Egypt. In August 2013, just weeks after Morsi's overthrow, gunmen opened fire on two buses transporting police, killing 25 of them. In July this year, 22 border guards were killed in the western desert near the Libyan border, and attacks have also extended to Cairo and other parts of Egypt. Many have been claimed by Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which tried last year to assassinate the interior minister in Cairo. The group has expressed support for Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in Iraq and Syria, although it has not formally pledged its allegiance. The latest bombing came after an Egyptian military court sentenced to death seven members of Ansar Beit al-Maqdis Tuesday for deadly attacks on the army. Since Morsi's ouster, more than 1,400 of his supporters have been killed in a crackdown by the authorities. More than 15,000 others have been jailed, including Morsi, and over 200 sentenced to death. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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This Is The Quintessential Banksy Work | ||
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Everyone's talking about Banksy yet again, after the celebrated graffitist's clever rendition of Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring" on the side of a building. If you're struggling to understand what Banksy is about, consider this image of his 2010 work on the side of a building in San Francisco's Mission District:
Arguably one of his most important works, "This'll look nice when framed" ironically points to Banksy's philosophy that art can exist outside of traditional venues like museums, galleries, or displays in people's homes. It can be found anywhere in our busy world. In the photograph above, two people are relaxing on the roof beside Banky's stencil. As far as we can tell, they just happened to end up next to this work of art, rather than going out of their way to view art in a formal setting.
The stencil's punchline is that it's not for sale. It will never look nice in a frame because it cannot be framed. In further irony, however, even this stencil has been manufactured into prints that people have put up for sale. Now click here to see 24 more of Banksy's cleverest works »Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Everything You Need To Know About Google's New Product Kingpin | ||
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Google made some big changes to its executive structure yesterday. Google CEO Larry Page is going to be stepping back to focus "on the bigger picture," according to Recode, and former Android and Chrome head Sundar Pichai is stepping into a larger role as a result. Pichai will now be in charge of Google's core products including search, maps, research, Google+, Android, Chrome, infrastructure, commerce and ads, and Google Apps. It's an impressive portfolio for Pichai, but many are still unfamiliar with Google's new product kingpin, who first joined Google in 2004 and eventually worked his way up to be Page's right-hand man. Originally from Tamil Nadu, one of India's 29 states, Pichai studied at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he received a Bachelor of Technology. He then received a M.S. from Stanford and obtained an MBA from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Pichai was honored as a Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar. Before his first job at Google, Pichai worked at Applied Materials as an engineer and then at McKinsey & Company in management consulting.
Pichai quickly began to receive more responsibility, however, taking on involvement with various Google search products including Firefox, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search, Gadgets, and Google Gears and Gadgets. In September 2008, Pichai oversaw the successful launch of the Chrome web browser, and less than a year later, the web-based Chrome operating system for netbooks and desktop computers. Pichai added another Google division to his portfolio in 2012 after Google Apps head Dave Girouard departed to start his own company, Upstart. A year later, Pichai was put in charge of Android after Android co-founder and CEO Andy Rubin stepped down in March 2013. Throughout his time at Google, Pichai has developed a sterling reputation for being well-liked, leading Recode's Kara Swisher to call his recent promotion "a definitive case of nice guys finish first." Former Google product manager Chris Beckmann spoke highly of Pichai in a recent Quora post, praising Pichai's ability to helm difficult projects while building a strong team. "He recruited, mentored, and retained a great team," said Beckmann. "Sundar's team of product managers had a reputation as being among the best of the best, similar to the reputation of the software engineers within Search Quality." Beckmann also mentioned that Pichai "avoided making enemies" in the midst of Google's workplace politics and "navigated those politics to make his team succesful while inflicting the least possible damage on any other team." Pichai demonstrated his team devotion while working under Marissa Mayer, who then was a key executive at Google. According to The Information's Amir Efrati, Pichai "used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores." In addition to his team management skills, Efrati notes that Pichai has also been known to throw his weight around when necessary. At his year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly "told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to 'walk away' from its enormous phone partnership with the company." Pichai's impressive track record at Google caused him to be approached by Twitter to potentially lead Product at the social network, but Pichai ultimately declined. In addition to Twitter's interest, Pichai's name was also mentioned as a potential front-runner for the position of Microsoft CEO after Steve Balmer announced his resignation in August 2013. As Google's new product czar, Pichai will be one of Google's most powerful executives next to CEO Larry Page. SEE ALSO: CVS And Rite Aid Remove Apple Pay Support Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Fifth of eurozone banks fail ECB health check: report | ||
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London (AFP) - Some 25 eurozone banks have failed a health check by the European Central Bank, reports claimed Saturday, citing leaked documents. Nearly one in five of the 130 banks surveyed failed the stress test, the Wall Street Journal and the Daily Telegraph said, ahead of the publication of the official results by the ECB on Sunday. The unprecedented health check of eurozone banks comes before the ECB assumes the role of the bloc's banking supervisor next month. The Frankfurt-based institution takes on its new watchdog role on November 4. It hopes that a "comprehensive assessment" -- made up of a so-called asset quality reviews and a "stress test" -- will uncover any potentially nasty surprises beforehand. Citing a draft memo seen by Bloomberg, the Telegraph report said only 10 of the 25 banks which failed the stress tests would be told to raise more cash. The failing banks were thought to be in Ireland, Italy, Greece and Austria and will have until November 10 to fill in capital shortfalls, the paper reported. The banks were already given a preliminary indication of their outcome on Thursday. One of the failing banks is being to be the Austrian lender Volksbanken AG, which the country's Finance Minister Hans Joerg Schelling said was no surprise, as it had already said it would wind itself down. An ECB spokesman said its results had not yet been finalised and dismissed reports in the meantime as "speculation". "The results will not be final until they are considered by the Governing Council of the bank on Sunday, after which they will be published. Until that time, any media reports on the outcome of the tests are by their nature highly speculative," he said. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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How Sundar Pichai Took Over Google | ||
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A big shakeup at Google was reported Friday. CEO Larry Page will be stepping back and focusing on "the bigger picture," shifting more responsibility to his right-hand man, Sundar Pichai. It's a big promotion for Pichai, who will now be in charge of Google's core products including search, maps, research, Google+, Android, Chrome, infrastructure, commerce and ads, and Google Apps. Formerly, he was head of Android and Chrome. Former Google product manager Chris Beckmann offered an insightful answer in February. He wrote:
We still don't know exactly what led to the latest changes at Google, but it's easy to see why Pichai ended up on top again. Originally from Tamil Nadu, one of India's 29 states, Pichai studied at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, where he received a Bachelor of Technology. He received a M.S. from Stanford and obtained an MBA from Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. At Wharton, Pichai was honored as a Siebel Scholar and a Palmer Scholar. Before his first job at Google, Pichai worked at Applied Materials as an engineer and then at McKinsey & Company in management consulting. In 2004, Pichai joined Google as its vice president of product management, where he led the team working on Google's Chrome browser and operating system. Pichai quickly began to receive more responsibility, however, taking on involvement with various Google search products including Firefox, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search, Gadgets, and Google Gears and Gadgets. In September 2008, Pichai oversaw the successful launch of the Chrome web browser, and less than a year later, the web-based Chrome operating system for netbooks and desktop computers. Pichai added another Google division to his portfolio in 2012 after Google Apps head Dave Girouard departed to start his own company, Upstart. A year later, Pichai was put in charge of Android after Android co-founder and CEO Andy Rubin stepped down in March 2013. Throughout his time at Google, Pichai has developed a sterling reputation for being well-liked, leading Recode's Kara Swisher to call his recent promotion "a definitive case of nice guys finish first." Pichai demonstrated his team devotion while working under Marissa Mayer, who then was a key executive at Google. According to The Information's Amir Efrati, Pichai "used to wait for hours outside her office to make sure that she gave his team solid work-performance scores." In addition to his team management skills, Efrati notes that Pichai has also been known to throw his weight around when necessary. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Pichai reportedly "told Samsung's mobile-products leader that Google was willing to 'walk away' from its enormous phone partnership with the company." Pichai's impressive track record at Google caused him to be approached by Twitter to lead Product at the social network, but Pichai ultimately declined. In addition to Twitter's interest, Pichai's name was also mentioned as a potential front-runner for the position of Microsoft CEO after Steve Balmer announced his resignation in August 2013. As Google's new product czar, Pichai will be one of Google's most powerful executives next to CEO Larry Page. DON'T MISS: Is Google search business in trouble? SEE ALSO: Google has a new app to reinvent email Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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US students fight for lives after latest school shooting | ||
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Los Angeles (AFP) - Two teenage US girls were fighting for their lives Saturday after they were both shot in the head by a schoolmate during a deadly attack at a Washington state high school a day earlier. The girls, both 14, are among four victims who were hospitalized after Friday's bloodshed that left one student and the young shooter dead in yet another US school attack. Joanne Roberts, a doctor at Providence Regional Medical Center in the city of Everett, 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Seattle, said both girls had undergone surgery for head wounds. "The next three days are going to be crucial," Roberts said, explaining the surgery aimed to relieve brain swelling. The shooting unfolded Friday morning when 14-year-old Jaylen Fryberg, a popular first-year student at the Marysville-Pilchuck High School, opened fire in the school cafeteria, classmates and officials said. "I could see Jaylen standing up with a gun, and he started shooting," fellow student Josiah Gould, 14, told the Seattle Times. "They were sitting down and he was behind them shooting. After that I just ran." The gunman shot four students before killing himself, police said. The student that died was a girl, though authorities did not immediately release her name. The wounded also included a male student, shot in the head and in critical condition, and a 15-year-old boy, in serious condition after he was shot in the jaw. Both boys were being treated at Harborview Medical Center. A student identified as Austin told KING 5 television how the shooter was initially quiet before opening fire. "He was just sitting there. Everyone was talking. All of a sudden I see him stand up, pull something out of his pocket," he said. "At first I thought it was just someone making a really loud noise with like a bag, like a pretty loud pop until I heard four more after that, and I saw three kids just fall from the table like they were falling to the ground dead." - Social media anguish - Many in the community were baffled by the shooting. Fryberg was a popular student who had played on the football team and had been named a homecoming prince just a week ago, local media reported. "When I saw him, I was like, oh my gosh, that's Jaylen. I would have never expected it would have been him out of all people," student Rachel Heichel said. Fryberg, a Native American, had left a series of tortured posts on Twitter, suggesting a teenager used to handling guns, and hinting that a failed romance may have triggered the shooting. One post on Instagram showed him brandishing a hunting rifle. "Probably the best BirthDay present ever! I just love my parents!!!!," he posted in a message accompanying the photo. In his final post on Twitter on Thursday, Fryberg had stated ominously: "It won't last...It'll never last...." Earlier, in August, he had issued threats to an apparent love rival: "Your not gonna like what happens next." The shooting, just the latest in a long line of such rampages in the United States, erupted in Marysville, 35 miles (55 kilometers) north of Seattle. Authorities said the gun used in the shooting was legally acquired, and a law enforcement source told CNN that Fryberg used a .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun that belonged to his father. Friday's attack is likely to renew arguments over gun control, a topic already being considered by voters in Washington state, with competing measures on next month's ballot. One aims to tighten background checks on firearms purchases, the other aims to limit them. Previous mass shootings, like that which killed 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012, have triggered intense debate about America's gun laws. Marysville police chief Rick Smith said the shooting should be a wake-up call. "It's time for us to act, and not just talk anymore," he said. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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MINI Has Finally Made The Car We've All Been Waiting For | ||
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Barca beaten by Real Madrid on Suarez debut | ||
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Madrid (AFP) - Luis Suarez's Barcelona debut ended in defeat as Real Madrid cut the gap on the La Liga leaders to just a point as they came from behind to win El Clasico 3-1 on Saturday. Playing for the first time in a competitive game since being handed a fourth month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, Suarez's Barca career had got off to a flying start as he set up Neymar to slide home the opening goal after just three minutes. However, Real responded like European champions as Cristiano Ronaldo levelled from the penalty spot before second-half goals from Pepe and Karim Benzema handed them a deserved ninth consecutive victory in all competitions. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
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Why Chipotle Will Never Replace McDonald's | ||
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Chipotle executives believe that traditional fast food, such as McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's, are "going away."
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