Kia Soul concept to gain electric AWD system, off-road styling at Chicago show

The Korean company will unveil an off-road concept,based on the Kia Soul, at the upcoming Chicago motor show in early February. Kia isn’t saying too much about the concept car at this stage, except that it will sport an “advanced and capable electric all-wheel drive” system. From the teaser image above we can see that [...]

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2015 Lexus NX200t pricing and specifications

Pricing for the 2015 Lexus NX200t has been announced, with the Japanese brand’s first turbocharged model coming in cheaper than the NX300h hybrid. CarAdvice brought you the news that the Lexus NX200t – which is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine – could be positioned as the most affordable model in the range back in July [...]

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Tesla Model S : Software update to make P85D even quicker; Turnbull tours factory

An over-the-air software update is about to make the Tesla Model S even quicker off the mark than it already is. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted just a few hours ago that the 0-60mph (0-96.6km/h) acceleration of the flagship Model S P85D will “improve by ~0.1 second” thanks to an update to the inverter algorithm [...]

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Audi A3 Cabriolet Review LT1

Day 1 When it comes to cars that scream summer, convertibles are top of the list and while the Audi A3 Cabriolet is one of them, it also has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it stand out from other drop-tops. It’s late December and the Audi A3 Cabriolet is joining the CarAdvice garage [...]

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2015 Hyundai Sonata pricing and specifications

The 2015 Hyundai Sonata mid-sized sedan has returned to Australian shores with a starting price of $29,990 plus on-road costs and rivals such as the Mazda 6 and new Subaru Liberty firmly in its proverbial crosshairs.  The seventh-generation version of Hyundai’s longest-serving nameplate in Australia — though the previous iteration was sold as the i45 [...]

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2016 Porsche Panamera : Sleeker second-gen sedan spied in the snow

CarAdvice’s spy photographers have captured the most revealing images to date of the 2016 Porsche Panamera. Seen here undergoing cold-weather testing in icy Sweden, the lightly camouflaged Panamera prototype shows off the sleeker lines of the second-generation luxury five-door grand tourer, which is expected to launch towards the end of next year. The German sports [...]

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2015 Holden Ute Review : SS V Redline

The updated 2015 Holden Commodore started arriving into showrooms in October last year. With that, it was time to bloke up, drop two doors, add a tray and jump behind the wheel of the newest Holden Ute. Easy to spot in newly available ‘Jungle Green’ (a $550 paint option), our 2015 Holden Ute – dubbed [...]

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Toyota Yaris WRC car marks return to rallying in 2017

Toyota has announced it will return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2017 with a new dirt-spec Toyota Yaris set to take the stage. Under the guidance of Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda – the man behind the push to make cars that are more exciting, and one of the fathers of the Toyota 86 sports [...]

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And A Baby Makes Three! Justin Timberlake And Jessica Biel Are Preggers

A little while ago, Justin Timberlake posted an amazing announcement to his Instagram: He and Jessica Biel are expecting their first child together! Biel just gave Timberlake the best birthday gift ever, as he turned 34 years old today. She is estimated to be approximately five months pregnant. All rumors have now officially been put to rest because […]
And A Baby Makes Three! Justin Timberlake And Jessica Biel Are Preggers

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42nd Annual Annie Awards Live Blog

There’s a lot on the line tonight for the Best Animated Feature nominees at the 42nd annual Annie Awards. The champion should be considered the favorite to win the Oscar next month, as nine of the 13 winners since the Best Animated Feature Oscar category was introduced also took the top prize at the Annies. That includes last year, when Disney’s juggernaut Frozen claimed both prizes.
This year's toon Oscar race is considered wide open in the wake of the snub for presumed…

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ADG Awards Winners — Updated Live

The Art Directors Guild’s 19th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards are being presented tonight from the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. We’ll be posting the winners live, so check here for the complete list. Refresh for the latest …
Television Movie or Mini-Series
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW: "Massacres and Matinees"
Production Designer: MARK WORTHINGTON
Half Hour Single-Camera Television Series
SILICON VALLEY: "Articles of…

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ADG Awards Live Blog

The Art Directors Guild's 19th Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards are being presented tonight from the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Comedian Owen Benjamin is host of the awards that honor the best in production design in 11 categories for theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials and music videos. As previously announced, Christopher Nolan will receive the Guild's Cinematic Imagery Award. Production Designer Jim Bissell, Senior…

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‘Birdman’ Dominates Australian Academy’s AACTA International Awards

Birdman landed four wins including Best Film tonight at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts’ fourth annual AACTA International Awards for film in Los Angeles. Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu’s film, which went in with a leading seven nominations, also won Best Direction, Screenplay and Lead Actor, for Michael Keaton. Still Alice‘s Julianne Moore was named Best Actress.
The ceremony was part of the G'Day USA Gala at the Hollywood Palladium, which also honored T…

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‘Me And Earl And The Dying Girl’ Takes Top Dramatic Honors At Sundance; Is It The Next ‘Whiplash’? – Winners List

UPDATED with details and quotes: The Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony tonight in Park City saw a dramatic dual decision and strong political voices to put a cap on a hot-deals festival. Like last year, when Whiplash took both the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award on its way to an Best Picture Oscar nomination, the much-sought Me And Earl And The Dying Girl took both this year.
"I want to dedicate this to all the young filmmakers in my hometown of…

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UFC 183 Results: Tate Defeats McMann in Exciting Bout

Miesha Tate and Sara McMann put on one of the most exhilarating fights of the...
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UFC 183 Results: Alves Comes Back in Round 2 and TKOs Mein

Jordan Mein did a fantastic job in the opening round at controlling the fight and...
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UFC 183 Results: Leities Makes Boetsch Pass Out in Round 2

Thales Leites went to his bread-and-butter when he submitted Tim Boetsch with the arm triangle...
The post UFC 183 Results: Leities Makes Boetsch Pass Out in Round 2 appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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UFC 183 Results: Iaquinta Earns Rough TKO Win Over Lauzon

Al Iaquinta picked up the technical knockout victory against fan favorite Joe Lauzon in an...
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UFC 183 Results: Woodley Outlasts Gastelum and Earns Decision Win

Tyron Woodley picked up a huge victory over Kelvin Gastelum in the co-main event of...
The post UFC 183 Results: Woodley Outlasts Gastelum and Earns Decision Win appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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Weekend deals on wheels

It’s the end of January — a particularly good time for buying a new car, given a number of brands are clearing out 2014-plated stock.  Okay, buying an MY14 model will obviously affect your resale later, and you should keep that in mind. But if getting the sharpest deal on an un-driven car is priority [...]

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2015 Mazda MX-5 will feature 96kW 1.5-litre direct-injection engine

The Hiroshima-based car maker has confirmed the power and torque figures for the 1.5-litre version of its all-new Mazda MX-5 roadster. Derived from the 1.5-litre engine fitted to the Mazda 2, the MX-5′s 1.5-litre mill has been not only been turned around for a longitudinal mounting, but has also been specially tuned for the roadster. [...]

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Lexus LF-LC GT Vision Gran Turismo dreams of being a Super GT racer

The LF-LC concept has been given a racing makeover as the Lexus LF-LC GT Vision Gran Turismo, which will debut in the next few months in the PlayStation 3 racing game Gran Turismo 6. Designers from Toyota have taken the svelte LF-LC coupe concept and transformed it into a vehicle that could conceivably participate in [...]

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Audi S1 v Renault Megane RS275 Trophy v Volkswagen Golf R : Comparison review

The hot-hatch genre may be moving at exceptional pace across all price points, but circa-$50,000 fast hatchbacks are also defying stereotypes that used to be a given. Five years ago the Renault Sport Megane was crowned the undisputed king of a segment that stuffs an energetic engine under the bonnet of a relatively small car. [...]

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UFC 183 Results: Alcantara Picks Up Split Decision Win Over Moreira

Ildemar Alcantara and Richardson Moreira had a style clash in the octagon that brought the...
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UFC 183 Results: Natal Impressive in Decision Win Over Watson

Tom Watson and Rafael Natal kicked off the Fox Sports 1 portion of UFC 183...
The post UFC 183 Results: Natal Impressive in Decision Win Over Watson appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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UFC 183 Results: Lineker Beats McCall in His Last Flyweight Bout

John Lineker put on an impressive performance inside the octagon in his final flyweight bout....
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UFC 183 Results: Brunson TKOs Herman in 36 Seconds!

Derek Brunson brought the crowd to life with his quick knockout victory over Ed Herman!...
The post UFC 183 Results: Brunson TKOs Herman in 36 Seconds! appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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Tony Stewart Just Bought a Dirt-Track Sprint-Car Racing Series—Here’s Why He Did It

So, Tony Stewart has purchased the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car Series. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. It’s just the latest investment in the Tony Stewart Retirement Plan. There’s a method to Stewart’s dirt-track madness, and grassroots racing is better for it. And it probably won’t end with the All Stars. Consider this: Although […]

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Daily Picdump #1293

Daily Picdump #1293






























Continue to Daily Picdump #1292 >>>


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2015 BMW X6 pricing and specifications

The all new 2015 BMW X6 is now available in Australia and while prices have increased across the range, specification and features is up on all models. BMW are aware that X6 buyers are more interested in luxury and performance appointments than their X5-buying counterparts, so the full X6 range has been tweaked to reflect [...]

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Are speed cameras killing us? The stats say yes

Speed kills. Speed cameras save lives. We have heard it all before. But, two-hundred and forty-nine people people died in fatal traffic accidents on Victoria’s roads last year — a 2.5 per cent increase from 2013′s figure. This is despite a record number of fixed and mobile speed cameras deployed on roads in Victoria and around Australia. [...]

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2015 BMW X6 Review

The latest version of BMW’s brutish SUV crossover coupe, the X6, has launched in Australia with a fresh look and spec for the updated F16 model range. Based on the F15 X5 SUV that launched last year, the 2015 BMW X6 is available initially in three model variants, xDrive 30d, xDrive 50i and the range-topping [...]

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Tesla Model X spied on video during testing in San Francisco

A vigilant skateboarder has captured the first footage of the Tesla Model X undergoing evaluation prior to its release later this year. YouTube user Juan del Real was at a skate park in Alameda, an island on the opposite side of the bay to San Francisco proper. There, on a runway at the now closed [...]

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UFC 183 Results: Hettes Ruled out of Bout with Brandao

Jimy Hettes has been ruled out in his bout against Diego Brandao. The bout was...
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UFC 183 Results: Santos Lands Liver Shot on Enz, Gets 1st Round ‘W’

Thiago Santos brought the crowd to life with his first round stoppage over Andy Enz!...
The post UFC 183 Results: Santos Lands Liver Shot on Enz, Gets 1st Round ‘W’ appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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‘Constantine’ & ‘Shark Tank’ Ratings Down, ‘Glee’ Even & ’20/20′ Jumps As ABC Wins Night In Demo

The first Friday of the February sweep saw ABC taking the top spot of the night with a 1.5/5 rating among adults 18-49 and CBS snagging No. 1 with total viewers and an audience of 10.31 million. For the most part, that's the Friday pattern this season. And accordingly, for the 14th consecutive first run this season, Shark Tank (1.9/7) was the highest rated show of the night even though it dropped 13% from its last original of January 16. Blue Bloods (1.3/5) was, as it is…

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Fox’s Lines Up Super Bowl Ad For ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ – Video

Here’s a look at the spot for Fox’s Kingsman: The Secret Service that will air during pregame for Sunday’s Super Bowl. The stylishly comic espionage actioner follows a veteran secret agent (Colin Firth) who leads a young protege (Taron Egerton) into the shadowy business. The kid gets into the agency's ultra-competitive training program just as a twisted tech genius threatens the world. Samuel L. Jackson also stars.
Fox shifted the release date a few times before settling o…

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‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 5 First Looks – Photo Gallery

In anticipation of the upcoming Season 5 premiere of Game Of Thrones on April 12, HBO today threw out not only a trailer but also some visual breadcrumbs to keep fans of the blockbuster series guessing about what's next. Click on the photo to launch our gallery.
The photos don't really reveal what’s in story for Arya Stark and Sansa Stark — both of who were in some very new situations, to put it mildly, at the end of last season — but we know they still have a role to…

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‘The Loft’ Review: Pete Hammond Says Thriller Fails To Elevate

As I say in my video review above, The Loft has had a long build-out since Erik Van Looy’s thriller debuted in his native Belgium in 2008, stopping over for a remake in the Netherlands in 2010 before its latest remodeling job in the U.S. for Open Road Films, which picked up the pic after Universal let it go.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t travel well. Van Looy is back to direct, and this one features a solid cast including Karl Urban, Wentworth Miller, James Marsden, original…

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U.S. And Israel Teamed Up To Assassinate Hezbollah Chief With A Tire Bomb

In 2008, the CIA helped Israeli intelligence blow up a Hezbollah chief with a hidden explosive.

















Undated portrait of slain Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyah.


Mohamed Azakir / Reuters














Imad Mughniyah was the head of Hezbollah's international operations and had been hunted for decades. On Feb. 12, 2008, as he walked away from a Damascus restaurant and approached an SUV, a bomb went off. According to reports that followed his death, the blast incinerated him.

The new report from The Post cites five unnamed U.S. officials who say the CIA helped orchestrate that blast.

The report explains that the bomb had been planted in a spare tire. Mossad agents in Tel Aviv triggered the explosion, which sent shrapnel in a tight radius that was designed to eliminate collateral damage, the Post reported.

The U.S., however, spent months working with Mossad, Israel's spy agency, to monitor Mughniyah and figure out where to plant the bomb. When the time finally came to take action, the CIA actually built and tested the explosive device to make sure it worked.

"We probably blew up 25 bombs to make sure we got it right," an unnamed official told the Post. American officials also reportedly had the authority to call off the operation.

According to the newspaper, the operation was approved by an array of U.S. officials including the attorney general, director of national intelligence, and a member of the Justice Department. President George W. Bush may also have signed off on the action.

The U.S. has never official acknowledged it's role in Mughniyah's killing.

The Hezbollah chief was responsible for bombings of U.S. embassies that date back to the early 1980s. Officials also say Mughniyah was responsible for the kidnapping of a U.S. Marine colonel in 1989. Mughniyah's terror attacks continued through the 1990s and according to the Post he was ultimately implicated in the deaths of hundreds of U.S. citizens.




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This Woman Left Her Husband Of 60 Years A Note To Find After She Died

This is a story of true and forever love. Shortly after Billie and Jimmy Breland celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, Billie, a public school teacher, fell ill. This month, at 83 years old, she passed away. Her husband Jimmy, who was a Baptist student minister, had stuck by her side throughout her illness. During her life, […]
This Woman Left Her Husband Of 60 Years A Note To Find After She Died

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Colorado Wants To Give Its Extra Weed Money Back To Its Residents

Colorado was one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, and the move has become so successful the state is thinking of giving its excess tax money back to its residents. According to High Times, Colorado’s constitution says if the state rakes in a certain amount of taxpayer money, it must give a portion […]
Colorado Wants To Give Its Extra Weed Money Back To Its Residents

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ABC Picks Up 4 Drama Pilots

ABC added four more drama pilots: medical advocate drama The Advocate, from Sheldon Turner; Boom, the story of a modern energy boom in North Dakota, from producer Tony Krantz; The Adversaries, a legal soap from ER veteran David Zabel; and Kingmakers, a murder mystery from Revenge producer Sallie Patrick.
ABC also picked up seven comedy pilots tonight, including the NBA project, Dr. Ken starring Ken Jeong, Delores & Jermaine, The King of 7B, The 46 Percenters, The Brainy Bu…

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Johnny Knoxville, Jermaine Fowler Projects, NBA Buddy Show Among 7 ABC Comedy Pilot Orders

ABC made the bulk of its comedy pilot orders tonight, giving the green light to seven half-hour projects. Two, the untitled NBA project and The King Of 7B, come from one of ABC Studios’ top writer-producers, Galavant creator Dan Fogelman. The pilots also include an autobiographical coming-of-age comedy from Johnny Knoxville and Victor Fresco and a half-hour starring comedian Jermaine Fowler and co-written by Danny Chun (The Office) in an odd couple story based on his…

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Starz’s ‘Black Sails’ Ratings Steady In Season 2 Debut

There certainly was some breeze at the back of the Treasure Island prequel when it returned on January 24 – a Scottish breeze, some might say. The Season 2 debut of Starz’s Black Sails at 9 PM that night was preluded by a hyped sneak peek look at the April 4 return of Outlander. While it wasn't a viewership gale, the 1-minute glimpse of the time-traveling romance helped bump up the Black Sails S2 opener to 860,000 total viewers. That's about 2% better than the first…

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Bryan Cranston & David Shore’s ‘Sneaky Pete’ Civil Rights Crime Drama From Rene Balcer Get CBS Pilot Orders

CBS is rounding out the pilot pickup activity tonight with two drama orders, to Sneaky Pete, written and executive produced by Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston and House creator David Shore, and civil rights crime drama For Justice, from Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal's Tribeca Productions, Law & Order veteran Rene Balcer and best-selling author James Patterson. Sneaky Pete had a production commitment; For Justice, a put pilot commitment.
Sneaky Pete hails from Sony…

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ACE Eddie Awards Winners – Updated Live

The 65th American Cinema Editors Awards are being handed out tonight at the Beverly Hilton. Hosted by Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), the ACE Eddies will recognize the year's outstanding editing in 10 film, TV and documentary categories. This year’s field is notable for a tie that resulted in six nominees in the marquee Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic) race: American Sniper, Boyhood, Gone Girl, The Imitation Game, Nightcrawler and Whiplash. This is the only second time the…

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Gun Used To Kill Argentinian Prosecutor Had Only His DNA On It

Alberto Nisman was killed Jan. 18, but new test results from the gun only turned up his DNA.




















Natacha Pisarenko / AP














Alberto Nisman was found shot to death in his apartment on Jan. 18. His death came just hours before he was going to testify before congress about allegations that President Christina Fernandez protected Iranians accused of orchestrating a 1994 car bombing. The bombing happened at Jewish center in Buenos Aires.

Investigators tested the gun, but announced Friday that they only found trace amounts of Nisman's own DNA, Viviana Fein said, the Associated Press reported. Investigators also said Friday that a security camera in Nisman's building was not working at the time of the shooting.

















Investigators looking into the death initially said "all signs point to suicide." That conclusion was met with skepticism, and the investigation came under scrutiny when it was revealed that Security Secretary Sergio Berni arrived at Nisman's apartment before police.

Then last week, President Fernandez called it "the suicide that (I am convinced) was no suicide." The government later said it suspected the death was the work of rogue agents from its own intelligence services.
























Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez on Dec. 17, 2014.


AP Natacha Pisarenko




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Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington moved to co-main event status at UFC 184

The highly anticipated octagon debut of former world boxing champion Holly Holm (7-0 MMA) will...
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‘Wonderboy” forced out of UFC FIght Night 60 headliner with Brandon Thatch

The injury bug has struck again! This time it’s UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson who has...
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REPLAY! ‘UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz’ Weigh-Ins (Full)

If you missed BJPENN.COM’s live broadcast of today’s ‘UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz ‘weigh-ins event,...
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STAREDOWNS! ‘UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz’ Edition

Earlier today, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, the UFC 183 fighters...
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Kelvin Gastelum: ‘Beating Woodley Is First Step Towards The Title’- Exclusive

  UFC 183 is Saturday and the excitement is at an all time high for...
The post Kelvin Gastelum: ‘Beating Woodley Is First Step Towards The Title’- Exclusive appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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Mayweather Agrees To Fight Pacquiao — Deal’s Done!

The boxing mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao appears to be locked! TMZ Sports...
The post Mayweather Agrees To Fight Pacquiao — Deal’s Done! appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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Gastelum, Lineker Fined 30% For Missed Weight

Good news, bad news, for Kelvin Gastelum and John Lineker. After missing weight at today’s...
The post Gastelum, Lineker Fined 30% For Missed Weight appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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2015 BMW X6 M – First Drive Review

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Industry Supplier ZF Gives Us Its Take on Lightweight Suspensions, Eight-Plus-Speed Transmissions

These days, it’s almost impossible to write about a new car without using “ZF” somewhere in the text. It’s not for our lack of proper noun skills, but for the overwhelming fact that ZF–short for Zahnradfabrik, or literally “gear factory”—has its 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission in nearly every automaker’s portfolio. But ZF Friedrichshafen, on its […]

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Civic Pride: A Visual History of the Honda Civic

The Honda Civic has been on sale in the U.S. for more than four decades. Take a look back at how the model became what it is today.

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2015 BMW X6 M First Drive: Defying Logic—and Physics—Yet Again

When the M versions of the BMW X5 and X6 first appeared in 2009, they represented multiple heresies for the M brand: They used turbocharged engines, they had all-wheel drive, and they were—oh no!—sport-utility vehicles. Since then, BMW’s M division has pretty much brushed aside notions of what does or doesn’t constitute heresy. The new […]

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Flashback Friday: You Can Buy LL Cool J’s “Pink Cookies” BMW 8-series

Looking for a cool car that ladies will love? One with a provenance that includes perhaps rap’s most convoluted sexual analogy? Feast your eyes on LL Cool J’s 1991 BMW 850i, yours for a mere $14,000. Yes, LL’s sleek big-body coupe is on the market in Illinois. Sharp-eyed fans who remember the 1990s will recognize it […]

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Rothenberg Ventures’ First Virtual Reality Accelerator Emphasizes Health And Education

 VR could enlighten and heal, not just entertain. Its immersiveness could distract us from pain, help us face our phobias, or give us first-hand training. “We have a belief that VR will disrupt every industry. And it’s global. So we made efforts to find companies in every different industry and that are global” Rothenberg Ventures’ founder Mike Rothenberg about the… Read More

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CrunchWeek: Apple’s Huge Quarter, Snapchat Discover, And Newsweek’s Cover Fail

 Today’s episode of CrunchWeek is a very special milestone for us here at TechCrunch, marking the 100th time we’ve met up to casually talk about the week’s most interesting news. Read More

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Microsoft confirms 2016 launch for Windows Server

In a blog post, Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Server and System Center will not launch until 2016. The move is a departure from Microsoft's historic strategy of launching its server platform alongside the general consumer release of Windows. As it stands, Windows 10 will launch this year, and Windows Server won't be finalized until 2016."Our next preview is planned for the spring of 2015. Windows Server will continue to share the same core technology as Windows and we will continue working together on solutions for our customers," Microsoft's server and cloud team announced. " In fact, the next version of System Center Configuration Manager, which delivers support for Windows 10, will ship in a timeframe that aligns with Windows."Though Windows Server won't officially debut until 2016, Microsoft will continue to launch preview builds for the platform through 2015. The first preview build of Windows Server was released in October alongside the preview of Windows 10. "We're already busy building the next version of Windows Server and System Center, making it easier to implement hybrid by taking our learnings from running Microsoft Azure at hyperscale to Windows Server and System Center."Prior to the official announcement, there had been speculations that Microsoft may delay Windows Server's launch."When I spoke to Mike Neil, General Manager of Windows Server at TechEd Barcelona in October, he told me the plan of record was to make the next public preview available in "early 2015," so something changed between then and now," ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley states.Microsoft has not elaborated on why it has pushed back the release of the next public preview from early 2015 to spring 2015. Read our review of Windows 10.

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Google Now is getting some help from Pandora, Lyft and other apps

Google Now up to this point has been a useful tool that's limited by its ability to pull and show information only from Google apps.That's changing today with the introduction of third-party app cards in Google Now, as detailed in a Google blog post.Can the iPhone 6 compete?"Starting today, the Google app on Android can help you keep up with all the good stuff in 40 different apps at a glance," wrote Google Director of Product Management Aparna Chennapragada.The post gives a ton of examples, from Google Now cards with the latest news from The Guardian to cards with your daily language lesson from Duolingo.Other apps Google calls out specifically include Instacart, Pandora, Airbnb, Lyft, and more than 30 others.These new third-party Now cards will arrive on Android "over the next few weeks," Chennapragada wrote.What's the best Android phone? TechRadar rates the top chocies

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Sony Unlimited Video is also being rebranded as a PlayStation service

Sony this week announced that it will shut down Music Unlimited in March in favor of the Spotify-powered PlayStation Music service, but there was no word of Video Unlimited - until now.Like Music Unlimited, Video Unlimited will be rebranded and revampe...

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HTC is missing its own 90-day update deadline for Lollipop

HTC usually sticks to its goal of getting new OS updates out within 90 days of their release, but that deadline for Android Lollipop is about to arrive - and many HTC devices will miss it.February 1 was HTC's own self-imposed goal, and the company's Vice President of Product Management, Mo Versi, has take to HTC.com to explain why it will come and go with no Lollipop for many.The LG G4 is shaping up nicely"We've been working hard in the labs with Google and our carrier partners ever since the code release and are making great progress so far, but if you've been following the progress of this rollout you will know that Google has had to address several issues with this release," he wrote."We've been diligently working to fix some of them on our end and incorporating Google's fixes as quickly as possible, but despite everyone's best efforts some carrier versions of the HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) will not meet our 90 day goal, which is February 1st," he continued. "While we are committed to delivering within this time period, we are even more committed to ensuring these updates result in an even better experience with your device because that is what the updates are intended to do."He said that HTC is trying to get the updates out as soon as possible, but that their quality is more important than hitting the deadline.At least we know Motorola isn't the only one having trouble getting Lollipop out. You can keep track of HTC's progress at the company's updates hub, so keep checking back if you're getting sick of KitKat on your HTC One.Is the Moto 360 the best-looking smartwatch out there?

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The Race Is On For 2016 Republicans To Land Romney's Most Valuable Aide

Spencer Zwick was the architect of Romney’s groundbreaking 2012 fundraising operation. Now he’s on the market.

















Spencer Zwick


Brian Snyder / Reuters














Within 30 minutes after Mitt Romney concluded his Friday morning conference call informing donors and aides that he would forego a third presidential campaign, Spencer Zwick received phone calls on behalf of two different prospective 2016 candidates. A third shortly followed, and Zwick eventually had to put his cell phone on silent as he set off for Manhattan's Harvard Club, where Ann Romney's nonprofit was holding a luncheon.

The phone calls aren't likely to stop anytime soon.

The 35-year-old architect of Romney's groundbreaking fundraising operation is widely viewed as one of the most valuable operatives in the world of GOP political money. Not only is he the gatekeeper to the former nominee's sprawling network of donors — which contributed more than $1 billion in 2012 to the campaign and assorted pro-Mitt groups — but he is credited with developing an innovative strategy that amassed more cash than any other Republican candidate in history. Now he's on the market.

Zwick said in an interview Friday afternoon that his reputation in some GOP circles is "completely overstated," but he confirmed, "I've heard from several of the likely candidates, both before Gov. Romney said he was thinking about running, and after. Of course, it's an honor to be asked."

It's an open question whether Zwick — who runs a $700 million private equity firm in Boston alongside Romney's son, Tagg — will be willing to press pause on his finance career to join a campaign he's less passionate about. A devout Mitt loyalist and fellow Mormon, Zwick has worked for Romney since the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, when he was only 22 years old.

"He would be a huge force multiplier for any campaign, [but] Spencer's career in private equity has really taken off, so it will likely take a lot to get him back into the arena for a candidate not named Romney," said Robert O'Brien, a California-based donor who was on Romney's 2012 foreign policy team.

A top Republican strategist with ties to a likely 2016 candidate said, "I'm sure every campaign would love to have him — I also assume he will play hard-to-get for a while."

Asked about his future political plans, Zwick was cagey, saying he thought it was important for candidates to build their own teams from the ground up, rather than simply raiding the last guy's staff. But he also pledged allegiance to his party and said he wouldn't rule out joining another campaign.

"I care about the party, I care about the future of the country, and I care about making sure we have someone who can win," Zwick said. "To the extent that I can be helpful, I will be."

Zwick was heavily courted after the 2012 campaign ended, as ambitious Republicans eyeing 2016 filled his voicemail and trekked to his Newbury Street office. He met personally with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and Sen. Rand Paul. He also took meetings with members of Sen. Marco Rubio's political team and spoke with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal over the phone.

But even as would-be candidates lined up to make their pitches and get his advice, Zwick was fixated on persuading his longtime hero and mentor to give it one last go. Now that the Romney 2016 dream is officially dead, Zwick is left to weigh his options and assess the field.

He said he hasn't made up his mind about who he might support, but when asked which candidates he found interesting, he named two: Rubio and Christie.

On Rubio: "I think Marco's got some real opportunity ahead."

As for Christie, who many Romney fans have never forgiven for taking part in presidential photo ops during a hurricane the week before the election, Zwick offered absolution.

"He and I have had our differences over the years... but I think you have to look forward in politics; you can't keep looking back. When the endorsement mattered for Mitt Romney, he was there."

He also had kind words for Kasich, who many in Republican circles believe Zwick is leaning toward.

"I don't know this, but I would imagine that [Kasich] would consider running," Zwick said. "You've got to think that he's somebody who could pull the support together, plus he's from Ohio."

Paul's libertarian leanings and antiestablishment political heritage would make him a more unconventional choice for a Romney Republican like Zwick — but he said that when he hosted the Kentucky senator at a meeting of donors in Boston last year, there was plenty of interest.

"He surprised a lot of people in the conference room," Zwick recalled. "They didn't know much about him, but he left and everyone kind of sat around the table and thought, 'Huh, wow, he was impressive.'"

Zwick wasn't handing out trophies to everyone in the field, though. Asked about his meeting with Bush, he said flatly, "That was a long time ago."

And he reserved his sharpest criticism for Jindal, who went on TV shortly after the 2012 campaign ended and bashed Romney more harshly than many other Republicans.

"Bobby Jindal, I don't think has a chance," Zwick said. "I think it's more likely he builds a campaign to become a cabinet secretary for whoever wins the presidency."

In the end, Zwick joked, he might just skip the cycle altogether.

"Maybe I should devote my time to getting the Olympics in Boston," he said.

And, perhaps, getting Mitt Romney to run them?

"Exactly."




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Ohio Will Have No Executions In 2015

Due to ongoing litigation and in order to give state officials time to implement a new execution protocol, Gov. John Kasich’s administration moved all 2015 executions to 2016.

















Ohio Governor John Kasich


Steve Marcus / Reuters














WASHINGTON — All Ohio executions scheduled for 2015 were moved to 2016 on Friday, according to information released by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

The move by Gov. John Kasich's administration was made, according to the department, in response to pending orders in ongoing federal court litigation over the state's execution protocol, to allow the department time to adopt and implement the state's new execution protocol, and "to provide DRC adequate time to secure a supply of the new execution drugs."

Ohio has not conducted an execution for more than a year, since Dennis McGuire's execution on Jan. 16, 2014. Witnesses to McGuire's execution — the first of three in the U.S. in which complications were detailed in 2014 — said he "appeared to be gasping for air for 10 to 13 minutes," as CNN reported at the time.

At the time, the state used a two-drug combination: midazolam and hydromorphone.

Midazolam was also in use during executions with complications in Oklahoma and Arizona and is at the center of a pending Supreme Court case out of Oklahoma.

In addition to the ongoing litigation before U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Frost, inmates also filed a new lawsuit in December, challenging a new law that makes elements of the execution process in Ohio secret.

























































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Airbnb Hires Former Say Media SVP Alex Schleifer As Head Of Design

 Airbnb has always been pretty design-oriented, but today it’s announcing that it has hired former Say Media exec Alex Schleifer to head its design organization. He’ll lead the user experience and content design teams, as well as working with the production design team Read More

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Vine Introduces Vine Kids

 Vine is today introducing a new layer of the app called Vine Kids. It’s meant to be a safe, kid-friendly space for a younger audience to play around with the app and watch vines. The feature pulls from the millions of Vines being created on the platform and chooses ones that are appropriate for children. The interface of the Kids section of the app has also been tailored to be more fun… Read More

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“Zombie” Apps On The Rise – 83% Of Apps Not On Top Lists, Up From 74% Last Year

 With the app economy showing no sign of slowing, the iOS App Store, too, continues to grow, and has now reached over 1.42 million apps, according to a new report out this morning from app analytics firm adjust. One interesting metric the report uncovered is just how many of the apps are effectively invisible to consumers – something adjust lovingly refers to as “zombie… Read More

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Epson Home Cinema 3500 Projector Review

 Epson’s Home Cinema 3500 is a mid-range home projector that’s designed to provide bright, clear 1080p (and 3D) video without breaking the bank. It’s a big step up in size and embedded tech from the Epson PowerLite 2030, another projector I’ve recently tested, but does it justify the considerable extra expense? With the Super Bowl right around the corner, it’s… Read More

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U.S. GDP Rises At A 2.6% Annual Rate

The slight slowdown in the growth rate caps off the strongest year for the economy since the 1990s.




















Bureau of Economic Analysis / Via bea.gov














The U.S. economy continued to grow in the fourth quarter, althou...

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McDonald's New Promotion: We'll Trade Our Fries For Your Love

After pushing back against reports of a new “Lovin’ Beats Hatin’” advertising slogan, McDonald’s has released its lovin’-themed marketing campaign.




















McDonald's














Love might not be able to conquer all, or save ousted McDonald's CEO Donald Thompson's job. But for a limited time, it will be accepted, occasionally, as legal tender in exchange for a burger and fries at McDonald's outlets.

In late October, the Wall Street Journal reported McDonald's would soon roll out a new advertising campaign built around the slogan "Lovin' Beats Hatin', a play on (but not a replacement of) its long-running "I'm Lovin' It" line. A Super Bowl ad would help kick off the campaign, the report said.

The internet responded with a healthy round of ridicule, and McDonald's claimed there had been some degree of "misreporting" around the story, without fully denying it.

"It's highly speculative and premature to talk about Super Bowl ads and future campaigns," a McDonald's spokesperson said at the time.

But it's no longer highly speculative: Here's the McDonald's Super Bowl ad. There's no Lovin' Beats Hatin' tagline, but it's all about the lovin', most specifically a cloyingly sweet central premise involving giving people free food in return for them showing some love to the people closest to them.



























youtube.com














Starting Monday, Feb. 2, McDonald's will be randomly accepting a new form of payment. Customers who enter participating McDonald's restaurants* across the US at randomized, predetermined times between Monday, Feb. 2 and Saturday, Feb. 14 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time each day will be selected to participate to Pay with Lovin'. Once a selected customer has completed his or her order and presented a method of payment, the restaurant Guest Service Manager or Lovin' Lead will explain that McDonald's is doing something special that day, and the customer will be given the option to pay for his or her order with an act of Lovin' instead. For instance, breakfast might cost a friendly fist bump to the crew member on duty, lunch could be paid for with a call to a loved one and dinner could go for a compliment.







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Shake Shack Is Now A $1.7 Billion Company

The gourmet burger chain had a huge opening day on the New York Stock Exchange, with shares rising more than 130%. Will the good times last?




















NYSE / Valerie Caviness














Shake Shack, the gourmet burger chain that started out of a hut in New York City's Madison Square Park, is now a $1.7 billion company — all based on just 36 restaurants in the U.S. and another 27 overseas.

Celebrity restauranteur Danny Meyer's lauded fast casual hotspot held its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange Friday, and the response from investors suggested much confidence that the chain will eventually grow into a major presence across the U.S. Aggressive trading led to the opening price spiking to $47 per share, more than double Shake Shack's pricing of early shares at $21 each the night before.

After Meyer and his team rang the NYSE's opening bell, which included chanting and cheerleaders throughout the exchange's cavernous trading floor, the air of the room filled with anticipation as the trading price for shares of Shake Shack rose into the high $20s, then through the $30s and approached the $50 mark. By 3p.m., the stock was up by 130%, an opening day rally more reminiscent of a late 90s tech company than a burger chain.

Meanwhile, the street outside the exchange filled with the smell of Shake Shack's beloved burgers, which it was serving to the public free of charge out of a pair of food trucks it had lined up on Exchange Place. The trucks would later roam the city handing out free burgers to celebrate the IPO.

Inside the exchange, reporters and NYSE employees toasted the Shake Shack crew with burgers and cups of frozen custard as traders negotiated the stock's opening price. As the numbers on trading monitors grew higher, multiple IPO attendees remarked on the stock's huge "pop", or spike in price.

"This is insane!" one trader exclaimed. "It's like the GoPro of burgers!"

(Last June, GoPro went public on the Nasdaq with the stock popping by a more modest 31% on opening day.)

A frazzled assistant ran a cup of custard over to Meyer, who was beyond thrilled with the day's events, especially after the stock's huge pop netted him an estimated $400 million windfall. Shares of Shake Shack have continued to stay in the $48 dollar range throughout most of Friday and into the afternoon.










































All morning, the floor buzzed about how high Shake Shack had climbed ahead of and even after its $47 per share opening. Some worried about a crash later in the day, as shares had climbed to unsustainable heights ahead of opening. Indeed, a buzzy restaurant brand declining in value after a manic opening day is not out of the realm of possibility — other names in the space, like Noodles & Company and Potbelly, have failed to maintain their high opening day share prices after only a few days or weeks of trading.

As for what's next in the fast casual food business, one restaurant industry analyst told News that after Chipotle and other ethnic food concepts like Zoe's Kitchen and Noodles & Company, burgers represent only the tip of the iceberg.

"These concepts continue to grow very strongly," said Bonnie Riggs, restaurant industry analyst at consultancy NPD Group. "They've done an outstanding job in satisfying consumers need to place your order and get freshly prepared, good tasting food that they feel is reasonable and affordable."

Investors can now buy shares in fast casual food covering categories including Mexican, sandwiches, burgers and noodles, but many other popular concepts have yet to hit the markets. Riggs said craze for high-end salad places like Chopt and Sweetgreen is getting plenty of attention, and is likely to produce a public company at some point — although a fast-casual pizza business could come first. "After burgers, now, we're starting pizza," she said. "Then we'll start on freshly prepared healthy food, like salad, that's a bit healthier for you."







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How Preet Bharara Became The Southern District's Million Dollar Man

How do you become fearless and financially secure enough to make enemies of New York’s wealthy and politically powerful? A seven-figure check from Amazon certainly helps.




















Getty Images Spencer Platt














Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has jailed a hedge fund billionaire, taken one of the most successful hedge fund traders of all time out of the money management business, extracted multibillion settlements and guilty pleas out of global megabanks, and is now in the midst of an investigation of New York state powerbrokers that's already garnered an indictment and arrest of Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver.

He's a man who, many believe, gives few fucks. But while a righteous, fearless, take-many-prisoners philosophy of law enforcement may be the central motivation for his lonely crusade, there's another factor worth taking into account. It's easier to make enemies of the rich and powerful when you are already financially secure, and in 2011 Preet Bharara became a dotcom millionaire.

But only just. Bharara was an early investor in Quidsi, the parent company of Diapers.com, which was co-founded by his brother, Vinit. When Amazon acquired the company for $545 million in 2011, Bharara earned his cut. The number has not been previously reported, but was "a little over one million" in cash, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office told News.

Bharara has typically demurred when asked by reporters to disclose just how much he made, saying at a conference hosted by The New York Times' finance site DealBook that he is not independently wealthy "compared to the people in this room." He also said that when he goes out to eat with Vinit, his younger brother picks up the tab, since he "came into a little bit of cash."

For a financial disclosure covering 2010, Bharara listed his shares as being worth between $1,000,000 and $5,000,000. His total profit from the investment can't be determined because it's not known how much he put in initially. On a 2009 questionnaire he filled out in connection to his appointment, he said his net worth was $1.65 million. That same questionnaire put the value of his 42,949 shares at $206,000. Bharara has three children and has earned a government salary for most of his professional life. In 2000 he started as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District, and in 2005 he became Democratic senator Charles Schumer's chief counsel.

In a 2013 financial disclosure, in which Bharara was not required to list his net worth, he listed a number of assets, none of which were individually valued at more than $500,000.

Bharara has shown no sign of slowing down his high-profile public corruption investigations, saying in a press conference following the Silver arrest to "stay tuned." Bharara has repeatedly said that he doesn't have ambitions beyond his U.S. Attorney job, despite frequent speculation that he has his sights set on higher office. One avenue for advancement was blocked when his neighboring U.S. Attorney, Loretta Lynch of New York's Eastern District, was nominated to replace Eric Holder as Attorney General.
Bharara told the Times in August that he has no interest in elected office. "My concern is I'm not sure I have a taste for anything but this."

Luckily, It's a taste he can afford, for now.




















Bharara's confirmation questionnaire from July, 2009 (via Main Justice)
























Bharara's financial disclosure covering 2010











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The Bootstrapper’s Guide To Bitcoin Remittances

 There’s a lot of rhetoric about bitcoin and its impact on the $430 billion international remittance industry. One of the cryptocurrency’s most obvious uses is, after all, sending money across the planet with roughly the same effort as sending an email. The potential effect on emerging markets — savings in aggregate that are larger than most countries’ education… Read More

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13 Questions With Mark Cuban

 Welcome to 13 Questions, a series aimed at bringing a human face to notable figures in the world of startups, hardware, and tech. Ever wonder how your favorite designer learned to love tech? Curious what’s on your favorite VC’s bucket list? Want to see the person behind the media hype? 13 Questions is here.
This week Mark Cuban talks about his upbringing and road to becoming an… Read More

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This Week On The TC Gadgets Podcast: Apple iPhones, Samsung Smartphones, And Legos!

 It’s earnings season, which means we get a deeper look into the true popularity of the various gadgets on the market. This week, all eyes were on Apple as the company announced record-breaking quarterly results, including the sale of ~75 million smartphones. Turns out, Samsung showed similar sales figures by unit but at a lower margin per device, yielding lower overall sales.… Read More

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Google Now Gets Upgraded With Cards From Your Favorite Apps

 Google Now, Google’s service focused on bringing you real-time information to your mobile device – including things like traffic updates, scores, stock changes, travel times, your flight status, and much more – is getting a notable update today. The company says that, going forward, the Google app will show users updates from their favorite apps, too.
At launch, Google is… Read More

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Review Of Uber’s Privacy Policy Shows Positive Signs, But Still Room For Improvement

 Uber today released the results of a review of its privacy policies, which it had commissioned from independent law firm Hogan Lovells. The firm found that Uber had appropriate policies and disclosures in place and that it had invested significan...

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Will Uber Convertibles Run Out Of Gas?

 Uber just completed a $1.6 billion, six-year convertible debt raise via Goldman’s private wealth group. “But Robbie,” you say, “how do you even put a value on a convertible bond if there isn’t any stock to convert the bond into?” A great question, and one that has a number of significant implications. Since we’re all friends here, let’s go ahead… Read More

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‘Ten Thousand Saints’ Sells To Screen Media – Sundance

Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s Ten Thousand Saints has been sold to Screen Media Films at the Sundance Film Festival, where it had its world premiere a week ago in the Premieres section. No deal details on this one, but the 1980s-set drama will get a late-summer 2015 theatrical release in 25 markets day-and-date with VOD.
Asa Butterfield, Ethan Hawke, Emily Mortimer, Julianne Nicholson, Hailee Steinfeld and Emile Hirsch star in the pic, set in New York City…

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Sundance Docu ‘Fresh Dressed’ Sells To Samuel Goldwyn & StyleHaul

Samuel Goldwyn Films and StyleHaul have acquired North American rights to first-time filmmaker Sacha Jenkins' Fresh Dressed, the documentary about the importance of fashion in NYC hip-hop culture that premiered last weekend at the Sundance Film Festival. It is a Mass Appeal production in partnership with CNN Films, and the cable news network already plans to air it later this year after a theatrical release.
The companies also said there will be an exclusive transactional…

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‘Reversal’ Sells To IFC Midnight – Sundance

IFC Midnight said it is acquiring U.S. rights to Dark Factory Entertainment's Reversal. The revenge thriller is directed by JM Cravioto and stars Tina Ivlev and Richard Tyson. The pic, written by Rock Shaink Jr. and Keith Kjornes, centers on a young woman who fights back and manages to escape a malicious abductor. After discovering she may not be the only victim, she decides to turn the tables on her captor.
Reversal is its first film for Daniel Posada’s Dark Factory…

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Busy Philipps Joins HBO Comedy Series ‘Vice Principals’

With Cougar Town wrapping its six-season run, the comedy’s co-star Busy Philipps has joined Vice Principals, HBO's 18-episode comedy series from Eastbound & Down creators Danny McBride and Jody Hill. Vice Principals tells the story of a high school and the people who almost run it: the vice principals, Neal Gamby (McBride) and Lee Russell. Philipps will play Gale Liptrapp, ex-wife of Neal Gamby and loving mother to his child who has remarried and has no tolerance for…

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What (Some) Silicon Valley Women Think Of Newsweek

 Tech has some issues. You read trade pub stories about sexual harassment and assault allegations so often its absurd. Newsweek, which just discovered there are only a few women in tech, sent accomplished author Nina Burleigh to investigate tech gender politics. She did an adequate job in her piece, “What Silicon Valley Thinks Of Women.” Read More

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10 Powerful Habits Of The Super Successful (Infographic)

Habits are the key cornerstones to uber success. Habits are those little energy bolts of action that propel you closer to your goals. A majority of the super successful high achievers in the world credit the daily habits they implemented towards their success. So what are the top success habits? We decided to flip one of our articles: 10 Powerful Habits of The Ultra Successful and turn it into an easy to read and visually appealing infographic. Please feel free to share this Infographic, just make sure that credit the link back to Addicted2Success.com.  

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How to Turn your Adversity Into Triumph – Jack Delosa

We recently interviewed Aussie Multi-Millionaire, Entrepreneur and Investor Jack Delosa on the Addicted2Success Podcast, to find out how he made $25 Million by the age of 27 and how he managed to build an empire around aspiring Entrepreneurs who are eager to learn about starting their own businesses in Australia. Today I’d love to share with you the following video by Jack Delosa where he shares his advice on how to effectively turn your adversities into triumphs.   Turning Adversity into Triumph   Questions to really think about… What was the most challenging period of your life? What was the hardest, most difficult time in your journey? Is it possible that this event was the best thing that ever happened to you?  

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Peter Neufeld, Broadway Manager Turned AIDS Activist, Dead At 78

Peter Neufeld, a Broadway general manager and producer who with business partner R. Tyler Gatchell sailed through the ’70s and ’80s on New York productions of several Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, has died. Neufeld was 78 when he died Jan. 27 at the Actors Fund home in Englewood, N.J. after a years-long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
He leaves a legacy that includes some two decades of AIDS activism and service. He was also one of the most public and beloved off-stage…

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George Lucas Slams Hollywood & “Circus Movies” At Sundance Panel

"I really have no interest in science fiction at all," said Star Wars creator George Lucas today at the Sundance Film Festival. Needless to say, the almost incredulous line got a big laugh coming from the man who is credited with bringing sci-fi to the mainstream to the tune of billions in big screen profits.
At the same time Thursday, Lucas was ruthless on the state of modern Hollywood."A lot of movies you see today are circus movies," the man who sold his company and…

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‘Parenthood’s Jason Katims On Tear-Jerking Series Finale: “I Didn’t Want It To Be Sad”

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details of tonight's Parenthood finale.
Kleenex sales are bound to slide in the near future, as fans of NBC's Parenthood cried their last tears tonight during the finale "May God Bless and Keep You Always," written by the show’s executive producer Jason Katims and directed by Lawrence Trilling.
Parenthood, developed by Emmy winner Katims and loosely based on the 1989 Ron Howard Imagine film, followed the Braverman family — patriarch Zeek…

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Anna Gunn Joins ‘Criminal Minds’ Spinoff

Breaking Bad alumna Anna Gunn is set as the female lead opposite Gary Sinise in CBS' Criminal Minds planted spinoff. The proposed spinoff will air as an episode of the mothership series this season written by Criminal Minds executive producer/showrunner Erica Messer.
The spinoff follows FBI agents helping American citizens who find themselves in trouble abroad, with Sinise playing their boss, Jack Garrett. Gunn will play Ally Lambert, an international law expert and…

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Suge Knight “Person Of Interest” In ‘Straight Outta Compton’ Fatality, Sheriffs Say

UPDATED, 8:09 PM: LA Sheriff’s deputies at the scene of today’s hit and run tell Deadline that Suge Knight is a “person of interest” in the case. They also said the car involved in the accident is registered to the Death Row Records founder, but officials don’t know if he was driving. Law enforcement is negotiating with Knight’s attorney about him coming in for questioning. The incident took place in the parking lot behind Tam’s BurgersSheriff’s deputies will hold a news…

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ISIS Wing Claims Responsibility For Egypt Attacks That Left 26 Officers Dead

Militants struck more than a dozen targets simultaneously on Thursday. The attacks came as protesters continued to commemorate four years since the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak.





























A dozen attacks in Egypt's ...

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Balloon Pilots Break World Record Crossing The Pacific Ocean

A two-man crew on Thursday beat the 5,209-mile record set in 1981 for gas balloons, crossing the Pacific Ocean from Japan in the process.





















instagram.com














The pilots — Troy Bradley of Albuquerque a...

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ISIS Operative: This Is How We Send Jihadis To Europe

News’ Mike Giglio speaks to an ISIS operative in Turkey about the group’s efforts to smuggle fighters to the West.

















A small vessel loaded with 353 refugees fleeing Syria off Cyprus' coast in 2014


Cypriot Defence Ministry / Via AP














ANTAKYA, Turkey — An ISIS operative traveled across the Syrian border late last year, settled in a Turkish port city, and began work on a mission to sneak jihadis into Europe. It has been successful, he said, in an interview near the Turkey-Syria border: "Just wait."

The operative, a Syrian in his thirties with a close-cropped black beard, said ISIS is sending covert fighters to Europe — as did two smugglers who said they have helped. He smuggles them from Turkey in small groups, he said, hidden in cargo ships filled with hundreds of refugees. He said the fighters intend to fulfill ISIS's threat to stage attacks in the West. He views this as retaliation for U.S.-led airstrikes against the group that began in Iraq last summer and Syria last fall. "If someone attacks me," he said, speaking with News on condition of anonymity, "then for sure I will attack them back."
Western governments worried even before the airstrikes that ISIS would find ways to get its battle-hardened fighters across their borders. The operative is the first ISIS member involved in these plans to discuss them with the press. He detailed a scheme that takes advantage of the worst humanitarian crisis in a generation, which has sent 3.8 million refugees fleeing Syria's civil war, pouring more than 1.5 million into Turkey alone.
From Turkish port cities like Izmir and Mersin, many thousands of these refugees have ventured across the sea, aiming mainly for Italy. Then they often make for more welcoming countries like Sweden and Germany, turning themselves over to authorities and appealing for asylum. The operative said he worked with smugglers to slip fighters into this chaotic human tide. "They are going like refugees," he said.
Two refugee-smugglers in Turkey said they helped ISIS send fighters to Europe in this way. One put more than 10 of them on his ships, then got cold feet when asked to send more, he told News last fall. Another said he'd been sending ISIS fighters for months and continues to do so. "I'm sending some fighters who want to go and visit their families," he said in an interview in southern Turkey, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Others just go to Europe to be ready."

Among his colleagues in the port city where he works, the smuggler has a reputation for transporting fighters. News contacted him after meeting the ISIS operative, seeking to investigate the operative's claims. At first he denied that he smuggled fighters at all; then he said he needed "permission" to discuss the issue with a journalist. Soon after he revealed that he worked for the ISIS operative, who confirmed this and allowed the interview.
The smuggler said some fighters were Syrian. He could tell from their accents that others hailed from elsewhere in the Middle East, while still others spoke Arabic poorly, or not at all. Some told him they were from European countries, he said, and a few claimed to be from the U.S.
Despite crackdowns from Turkish authorities, ISIS continues to move its fighters across a porous, 565-mile border that has long been a transit point for jihadis traveling to and from Syria's war. Those who need them are given fake Syrian passports, the smuggler said, which can be relatively easy to obtain. After he receives the fighters, the smuggler said, he puts them up in a hotel, waiting for the passenger list for the refugee ship to fill and the weather to be right. They leave Turkey like any refugees: on small boats that steal them away to cargo ships anchored in international waters. The smuggler said he had 10 fighters waiting in one port city, "and we will send them on the next ship."
The ISIS operative said this method of moving fighters was important to the group because Western governments, along with Turkish authorities, have stepped up efforts to track jihadis returning from Syria, which makes plane travel from Turkey risky. The scrutiny promises to increase as Western capitals work to prevent terrorist attacks like those that struck France this month, leaving 17 dead. ISIS has more than 20,000 foreigners in its ranks, according to one recent estimate, with more than one-fifth of them citizens or residents of Western European countries. If these jihadis return to Europe in refugee ships, they can travel home via open land borders that receive far less scrutiny than airport security. The ships could also land Syrian or other Middle Eastern fighters in Europe amid the confusion of a refugee crisis that worsens by the day.
Two senior members of the U.S. Senate told News they had knowledge that ISIS is smuggling fighters to Europe on refugee ships — the first confirmation from U.S. Congressmen that this scenario is underway. "I think it's safe to say that that goes on. To what degree, I'm not sure we know," Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr said in an interview on Tuesday.
"We've heard that," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, adding that as the war in Syria grinds on, refugees and ISIS fighters alike will continue to use Turkey to transit in and out of the region.
"If you don't stabilize Syria, you'll never get a handle on this," Graham said. "You're going to have this dilemma of how do you tell a legitimate refugee versus a jihadist going someplace else."
The ISIS operative, a former member of the Syrian security forces, joined the opposition early in the civil war and led a rebel battalion under the banner of the U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA). He pledged himself and his men to ISIS a year ago, compelled by its vision of building a hardline caliphate. He continued to work as a commander, battling both rebels and the regime, before moving to a role he described as "security," which involved assassinations. In Turkey, he said, he monitors rival rebel groups along the border in addition to his work sending fighters overseas. "It's our dream that there should be a caliphate not only in Syria but in all the world, and we will have it soon, God willing," he said.
He is a wanted man among his former rebel allies. One FSA commander said he had been hunting for the operative, echoing the details of his defection to ISIS and providing photos of the operative to confirm his identity. "He has killed a lot of FSA leaders," the commander said.
The operative agreed to be interviewed at the urging of a former rebel who fought alongside him early in the war. Sitting at a restaurant in southern Turkey, he had two associates monitor the entrance from a car outside and received calls on his cell phone at 30-minute intervals to confirm that he was safe. He said he had received permission for the meeting from his superior in ISIS — an official referred to internally as an "emir." "There are some things I'm allowed to tell you and some things I'm not," the operative said.
Reached later by an intermediary with established connections to ISIS officials, the emir declined to speak with News but confirmed that he had approved the meeting with the operative.
At the restaurant, the operative claimed that ISIS had sent some 4,000 fighters to Europe. Given international efforts to clamp down on the group, the number seemed improbably high, and he may have cited it as an attempt to boost the group's stature and spread fear. His other comments suggested a more modest effort in which ISIS struggled to keep ahead of Turkish and Western authorities. "We need to smuggle them quickly," he said of the fighters. But smugglers insisted on waiting until their ships filled well past capacity, the operative said, sometimes with as many as 700 people. "We can't pay for all the refugees just to have enough to send the ship," he said.
The operative said he was forced to move his work from city to city in response to Turkish efforts to crack down on refugee-smuggling. And he worried about being caught. He said he had been advised by his emir to pose as a refugee while in Turkey and to consider finding a regular job as a front.
He said several times that "the whole world" is fighting ISIS, in reference to the international coalition involved in the airstrikes, and said he hoped ISIS attacks in the West would break the coalition's resolve, getting the strikes to stop. He also said he believed any attacks would target Western governments, not civilians — though even if he was sincere, it's something over which he would have no control.
An official with the Turkish foreign ministry said in an emailed statement that authorities were working to combat refugee-smuggling generally. He pointed out that Europe accepts relatively few refugees through legal channels — a fact that likely increases the demand for smuggling. "Illegal migration has been an important issue and Turkey is effectively fighting against it," said the official, who declined to be named. "Of course the most effective way to put an end to all these problems would be immediate action by the international community to solve the Syrian conflict."
The official said Turkey's government was unaware of ISIS smuggling fighters to Europe in refugee ships. "We do not have that particular intelligence," he said.
He added: "Turkey has been taking very tight measures against [ISIS] with all the capabilities the government has."
A prominent refugee-smuggler based in the coastal city of Antalya, who said he did not deal with jihadis, told News that Turkish authorities had recently questioned him on the subject.
The same smuggler who said he works with ISIS fighters now said authorities grilled him about it too. "I told them no," he said. "All the intelligence agencies around the world are following us and trying to catch us. But if someone asks me if I send fighters, I will say no, I only send refugees to help them find a better life."With additional reporting by John Stanton in Washington, D.C.




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Nick Diaz And Anderson Silva Staredown

UFC 183 headliners Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz faceoff at media day before taking the...
The post Nick Diaz And Anderson Silva Staredown appeared first on BJPENN.COM.

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Binge Watching Linked To Depression, Loneliness – Study

A new study sheds some light — or darkness — on the modern habit of binge-watching. Researchers at the University of Texas found that the more lonely and depressed a person is, the likelier he or she is to sit through a marathon of their favorite TV show.
The study, titled “A Bad Habit For Your Health? An Exploration Of Psychological Factors For Binge-Watching Behavior,” asked 316 people ages 18-29 how often they watch TV; how often they had feelings of loneliness…

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New Line Sets ‘How To Be Single’ Cast

New Line has locked Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, Dan Stevens and Leslie Man in How To Be Single, the Christian Ditter-directed comedy. Spanning a multi-year period, How To Be Single suggests it is not our relationships, but our single times in between, that truly define us. The film will give an honest portrayal of both the female and male views of singlehood. Additionally, the film will look at relateable issues such as; online dating, the debate about how…

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Sam Reid Makes Time For ‘2:22′ With Michiel Huisman, Teresa Palmer – Berlin

EXCLUSIVE: Aussie up-and-comer Sam Reid has joined the Paul Currie-directed 2:22 alongside Michiel Huisman (Game Of Thrones, Wild) and Teresa Palmer (Knight Of Cups, Point Break, ). Good Universe is selling in Berlin. The romantic thriller has gone through some casting changes, but now looks set with principal photography beginning on February 2 in Sydney.
Reid, whose feature credits include Belle and ’71, also had a role in TV mini Hatfields & McCoys and plays John Glen…

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Office Comedy Starring Kevin Connolly, College Comedy From Weezer Frontman & ‘Psych’ Creator Get Fox Pilot Orders

Two high-profile Fox comedy projects have received pilot orders: Fantasy Life, starring Entourage alum Kevin Connolly, and DeTour, from Psych creator Steve Franks and Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo. Both come from Fox sibling 20th Century Fox TV and had put pilot commitments.
The multi-camera/hybrid Fantasy Life was written by Tim McAuliffe (The Office) based on Fantasy Life: The Outrageous, Uplifting, And Heartbreaking World Of Fantasy Sports From The Guy Who's Lived It,…

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‘Expelled’ Fast-Tracked Film With Cameron Dallas, Other Online Stars Heads To Netflix

EXCLUSIVE: The whirlwind life of Expelled, a teen comedy feature starring Cameron Dallas and other online notables and produced by AwesomenessTV, continues to whirl as it heads to a Feb. 1 debut on Netflix, its fourth distribution platform since being greenlit just five months ago.
Besides Dallas, the film also features online stars Andrea Russett, Marcus Johns, Lia Marie Johnson, Michelle Glavan and Teala Dunn. Among the show’s principal cast members, only Matt Shively…

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Michael Cuesta To Direct ‘Frankenstein’ Fox Pilot

Michael Cuesta is set to direct Fox drama pilot Frankenstein, written and executive produced by Crisis and Life creator Rand Ravich and executive produced byHomeland and Tyrant executive producer Howard Gordon. This marks a reunion for Gordon and Cuesta, who also directed the pilot for Homeland and served as an executive producer on the Showtime drama’s first two seasons.
Described as a grounded sci-fi drama that takes inspiration from the basic Mary Shelley mythology of…

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With $1.75M In Funding, MaestroIQ Promises Smart Recommendations For Mobile Marketers

 When you talk to ad tech and analytics companies, one thing you hear over and over again is the promise to deliver recommendations that marketers can act on, rather than overwhelming them with data and graphs. MaestroIQ is the latest startup to m...

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Social Shopping App Depop Raises $8M, Hires Ex-Reddit GM To Break Into US Market

 While eBay tries to get more social and local, and Pinterest deepens is position in e-commerce, a new mobile app out of London is building out a platform that combines all of those experiences together natively. Depop, a mobile app for iOS and An...

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In Communications, Privacy And Security Are Illusions

 President Obama has tried for three years to persuade Congress to pass a cybersecurity bill. The president went so far as to highlight his cybersecurity proposals to a prime-time audience during his recent State of the Union address. And in the w...

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Video: Young Elon Musk Takes Delivery of McLaren F1 in 1999

Today, Elon Musk is a multibillionare whose name is synonymous with spaceships, solar panels, and high-performance electric cars. But way back in 1999, Musk was just a 28-year-old millionaire flush with money from the dot-com boom. It was an achievement he celebrated in fitting fashion: by buying a $1-million McLaren F1. Valleywag dug up this profile of a […]

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2015 Ford F-150 vs. 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2015 Ram 1500, 2014 Toyota Tundra – Comparison Tests

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Lo, A Unicorn is Born: Volkswagen Debuts Sporty GTD Diesel Station Wagon

It’s by now a well-established cliché that automotive journalists have some peculiar ideas about the perfect vehicle—and it ain’t a Ferrari or a Porsche. It is a car that combines car-like driving dynamics; space to haul the family; and reasonable fuel economy with excellent power. Yep, we’re talking about a diesel-powered station wagon, one just like this new GTD […]

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2014 Porsche 911 Targa 4S – Instrumented Test

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Tesla Model S P85D to Get Even Quicker with Over-the-Air Update

One of the more impressive things about the 691-hp Tesla Model S P85D—aside from the face-melting acceleration of its dual motors and 864 lb-ft of torque—is the car’s ability to receive over-the-air software updates. (This applies to any Model S.) Whenever Tesla and its engineers decide to implement an improvement, they send it through the ether to your car, the same way […]

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2014 Porsche 911 Targa 4S Test: Laughing in the Face of Compromise

It was never Porsche’s first choice to build the original 911 Targa. Porsche planned to develop an open-air 911, but back in the 1960s, the future of the convertible was under threat by impending U.S. regulations, so the company came out with the Targa, an almost-convertible with a permanent roll bar. READ MORE ››

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22 Teen Queens Of The 2000s

They were in every teen magazine you subscribed to. There was no escape.













Hilarie Burton



From MTV VJ to One Tree Hill's most tortured soul.


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Brittany Snow



Does anyone else miss American Dreams?


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Kristin Cavallari



When you really think about it, Kristin was never really the bad guy on Laguna Beach. She was dating Stephen, Lauren was flirting with her boyfriend, and Stephen was really shady, but we made her the villian.


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Mischa Barton



Marissa Cooper may have been the most doomed character ever. She couldn't leave her house without something horrible happening to her.


Getty Images Vince Bucci




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21 Times Tom Hiddleston Almost Killed Us

If looks could kill.













That time he sat on a motorcycle.






Getty Images Jason Merritt

















That time he looked at us and seemed like he wanted to say something.






Getty Images Jason Merritt











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61 Oprah Winfrey Reaction GIFs For Any Occasion

To commemorate her 61 fabulous years of life.




















Harpo Studios / reddit.com
























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Oprah / Via connect.everythingzoomer.com




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Behold A Preppy Zac Efron In All His Gelled-Hair Glory

It’s not the Zac we are used to, but it’s still the Zac we love.













Zac is filming a new movie which requires him to be of the ~preppy~ variety.






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Side parts, loafers, colored pants that accentuate his thighs and all.






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And as Manuel from So Little Time would say, I DON'T HATE IT!!






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Am I right or am I right?






Patriot Pics/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES




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What Is Olivia Pope's Most Badass Quote On "Scandal"?

“It’s handled.”













After a long, brutal hiatus, Gladiators can finally rejoice — Scandal is back. Which mostly means we get to see queen Livvie kick ass once again.






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Nearly every line that leaves her lips is inspiring enough to make you also want to go run a country — because Olivia encourages you to believe, gives you hope, makes you feel strong.






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11 Celebrity #TBT Photos You May Have Missed This Week

A young Joe Biden and Michelle Obama kick off this week’s #Throwback Thursday.













































Cindy Crawford took us back to the early '90s, when she and her fellow supermodel, Naomi Campbell, walked the runway for Thierry Mugler.







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Debra Messing looked back at the "Rachel"-inspired haircut she had on Seinfeld.










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Senate Democrats Leave Door Open To Skip Netanyahu Speech

Only one senator asked by News — Sen. Ben Cardin — said he’d definitely go.




















ASSOCIATED PRESS Susan Walsh














WASHINGTON — When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress in March, it is unclear whether everybody invited will actually show up.

Democrats have criticized House Speaker John Boehner for circumventing the administration when he invited Netanyahu to speak, and the White House has already said Obama will not meet with him when he's here.

News asked several Senate Democrats whether they planned on skipping the speech or not. Most said they either hadn't thought about it or they hadn't decided. But there were no hard answers in the negative. Only one senator definitively said he would go.

Sen. Tim Kaine, who serves on both the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees and recently traveled to Israel, said it's "too early" to decide whether he'll attend or not.

"It is not the norm to do this right before an election and it is being widely reported in the Israeli press as the U.S. expressing some kind of a preference," Kaine said.

Sen. Chris Murphy expressed a similar sentiment.

"I'm sick about the fact that protocol has been violated, but you know, I'm always eager to hear what he has to say," Sen. Chris Murphy said. "It's not something that I have thought about one way or the other."

A Democratic aide said their office was only informed of the scheduled date on Thursday and it was unclear if "anything's been discussed at this point by anyone in the Senate."

Netanyahu's arrival will come at a tense time. He's up for re-election in mid-March and many have said they are uncomfortable having him make a political speech to Congress so close to that vote. The U.S. is also in talks with Iran over its nuclear program.

Netanyahu is slated to address Congress on March 3.

When asked whether he'd attend, Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson said he'd "figure that out later."

Sen. Chris Coons, who serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, said, "I'll be weighing what's the best thing to do."

"I remain hopeful that his address would be delayed until after their election," the Delaware Democrat told News.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein declined to comment. Sen. Ed Markey referred News to his press office.

Sen. Ben Cardin, a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee, was the lone senator who said he would attend no matter what.

"I'd be more than happy to meet with opposition leaders if they want to meet with us, give them opportunities, etcetera," Cardin told News. "But if the Prime Minister of Israel addresses a joint session of Congress, I would be there."

Speaking at the Democrat retreat in Philadelphia Wednesday night, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi warned of the effects a visit from Netanyahu could have on the Iran talks.

"In terms of invitations to speak to Congress — the Prime Minister has spoken two times. The only person who has spoken more is Winston Churchill," Pelosi said. "One of the times, my father was in the room; Dec. 26 — the day after Christmas — 1941, right when we were going into World War II. It's a serious, big honor that we extend. That it should be extended two weeks before an election in a country, without collaboration among the leaders of Congress, and without collaboration with the White House, is not appropriate. It is not appropriate."

Kate Nocera contributed to this report.




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In Depth: OS X Yosemite Spotlight: 7 handy search shortcuts

Spotlight has gotten better over time, such as when when Quick Look made it possible to preview files selected within Spotlight results. OS X Yosemite brings more changes to the feature's functionality and visual design. Instead of a drop-down menu anchored to the OS X menu bar, Spotlight now opens in the center of the screen. And most importantly, Apple has greatly expanded the scope of what Spotlight can search for, and has even added a few fun tricks.You can fine-tune Spotlight using the Spotlight System Preferences pane. Select the Search Results tab and you'll see a list of categories Spotlight can find results for. Use the tick boxes to enable or disable categories according to your preferences, and drag the categories up or down to change the order in which they appear in search results.To get started, press Command + Space (or the Spotlight icon in the menu bar), and Spotlight opens up center screen. As you type, it will provide suggestions. To accept one, tap the right cursor key. You can add to your search term. Pressing Return will launch the top hit.Now let's take a look at all the cool stuff Spotlight can do!1. Navigate and launchSpotlight is a great way to quickly launch apps, especially ones not in your Dock. Type an app name, and if it appears as the top hit, press Return to launch it. If it's not the top hit, continue typing or use the up/down arrow keys to choose another.2. Preview itemsSearch for images, PDFs, and text documents, then use the cursor to select a file and Spotlight will show a preview. When previewing text, you should be able to make a selection and copy it to paste elsewhere. Also, hold Command to see the selection's path.3. Access recent filesFor some apps, you can access recently opened files from Spotlight, with the files displayed in the preview area. Press the Tab key, then the up/down arrow keys to select, or just click one to launch the app and the document.4. Perform calculationsIn Yosemite, Spotlight can now perform conversions. Type "50 yards" and you get conversions in meters and other units; type "60F" for the temperature in Centigrade and Kelvin; type "$10" for the equivalent in other currencies.5. Find things onlineIf you're looking for information, type a search term and you'll get a Wikipedia link and synopsis; depending on the term, Spotlight may provide suggested URLs and Bing search results. Click the item to open it in Safari.6. Search iTunes StoreSearches for media will return results for content on your Mac, and links to the iTunes Store – usually faster than searching iTunes itself. For example, type "R.E.M." and you get a link to the band's page; click a result to open it in iTunes.7. Get something to eatTry typing the name of a cuisine and then "food" into Spotlight (such as "Indian food"). You should get a few local restaurants; details and direction buttons will be provided in the preview area. Famous locations may also pop up as results. Read our iOS 8 review!

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Microsoft reportedly investing big in giving Android users more control

For years CyanogenMod has been a popular alternative among Android users, and now Microsoft is reportedly investing big in the startup.Microsoft is investing $70 million (about £46m, AU$90m) in Cyanogen, which would leave it a minority shareholder, reports The Wall Street Journal.Microsoft already makes plenty of money off of Android thanks to complex licensing fees, so this probably isn't a cash grab.Android 4.4 was top cookie for a long timeRather, the idea is apparently to help wrest control of Android away from Google, as Cyanogen describes its mission.Taking controlMicrosoft desire to get in on this could stem from Google's insistence that phone makers include Google apps and search by default, which cuts into Microsoft's - and others' - ability to get their own apps featured on Android devices.The underdog Android alternative Cyanogen, which claims it has thousands of volunteers working on it, sidesteps that issue and others, making it a popular choice among certain users and companies.Yet it's still weird that Microsoft would flush a competitor with cash when its own mobile operating system - Windows for phones, no longer Windows Phone - is so up in the air.But Cyanogen is reportedly now working on deals with hardware makers to have its version of Android installed on devices by default rather than Google's, and it's obvious how Microsoft might benefit from that.What's the best Android phone?

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The Pit Bull-Dachshund Mix Is The Cutest Dog You Never Knew Existed (Photos)

In the past, purebred dogs were de rigueur. Crossbreeds or “mutts” were, for some reason, considered less desirable than their single-breed brethren. Fortunately, those days have far since passed. Perhaps times changed because we learned that purebred pups fall sick more easily than those with mixed genes. Perhaps we just realized how damn adorable the little […]
The Pit Bull-Dachshund Mix Is The Cutest Dog You Never Knew Existed (Photos)

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Girlfriend Falls Off Cliff Moments After Her Boyfriend Proposes To Her

She promised to spend her life with him just moments before the end of it. A happy day ended tragically for Dimitrina Dimitrova, 29, who accepted her boyfriend’s proposal Tuesday on the cliffs of Cala Tarida, Ibiza before stumbling over the edge. Jumping up and down in celebration, the woman reportedly lost her balance and fell […]
Girlfriend Falls Off Cliff Moments After Her Boyfriend Proposes To Her

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Scientists May Have Discovered A New Important Cause Of Depression

The results of a new study suggest that depression is caused in part by inflammation in the brain, potentially changing the way the disease will be treated in the future. Researchers at the University of Toronto’s Center for Addiction and Mental Health scanned the brains of 40 people, according to the Huffington Post. Half had been […]
Scientists May Have Discovered A New Important Cause Of Depression

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Couple Building Family Of Snowmen Ends In Surprise Proposal (Video)

When spending a snow day with a significant other, there are two very important things you must do. First, build a snowman. Second, well, you can figure the second out yourself. Anyway, following the epic winter storm that pummeled most of New England earlier this week, one couple — joined by their playful dog — […]
Couple Building Family Of Snowmen Ends In Surprise Proposal (Video)

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Coolest Astronaut Ever Posed With His Dogs For Official NASA Portrait

In the 25 years astronaut Leland Melvin has been with NASA, he has logged over 565 hours in space, headed the Vehicle Health Monitoring team for the X-33 space shuttle successor and run NASA’s office of education and outreach program. Suffice it to say, he’s a successful man. But Melvin’s biggest accomplishment is neither his […]
Coolest Astronaut Ever Posed With His Dogs For Official NASA Portrait

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Cheers! Scientists Say Beer Could Actually Keep Your Brain Healthy

New research has discovered that a compound found in beer might be able to protect the brain from numerous degenerative disorders. Hops (the ingredient that gives beer its bitter flavor) contains the compound Xanthohumol, an antioxidant previously proven to strengthen the heart and fight cancer. Diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are said to begin when […]
Cheers! Scientists Say Beer Could Actually Keep Your Brain Healthy

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You Can Literally Make Over $13,000 A Year Just By Pooping

Your frozen poop could save a life and earn you thousands of dollars. It’s not a punchline, but rather an innovative medical donation system that began helping the sick in 2012. Thanks to medical resource nonprofit OpenBiome, fecal matter can be put to good use instead of being flushed down the toilet. The samples go […]
You Can Literally Make Over $13,000 A Year Just By Pooping

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Gunman Takes Dutch TV Station Hostage, Gets Arrested Live On Camera (Video)

A man carrying a pistol came into the studio of a Dutch news station on Thursday and demanded to go on the air. Staff members of NOS were evacuated immediately after he arrived while police surrounded the building. The news channel then broadcasted the message, In connection with circumstances, no broadcast is available at this time. […]
Gunman Takes Dutch TV Station Hostage, Gets Arrested Live On Camera (Video)

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