How to downsize like a pro How to downsize like a pro Downsizing can be downright overwhelming and no one understands this more than tiny house dwellers. The tiny home movement is sweeping the world and now, thanks to Marie Kondo, living a minimalist life has become equally as popular. Yet while downsizing can be a cathartic experience, clearing out the clutter isn't always easy. To help you ease the burden, tiny house owners from around the world share their secrets for success. Take 10 Hari Berzins is the eco-warrior behind Tiny Home Family, a blog dedicated to simple living. Hari lives in a tiny house with her family and has helped 250 people get on the path to becoming mortgage free. Hari s top tip is to commit 10 minutes every day to sorting your stuff out:  It's overwhelming to imagine the work involved in sorting, evaluating and then letting go. It feels like too much. If you look at the tiniest shelf in your house and start there, you'll get started," she says. Take inventory It might sound like a simple place to start but begin with a list. Meseidy of The Noshery downsized in stages, from a 2,800-square-foot home to a 1,800-square-foot home, to the 350-square-foot camper van pictured here, in which she now lives with her family. Her top tip for success is to grab a notepad and categorize your items into the following:  must-have ,  can live without  and  can replace . For the latter, assess what can be swapped for a smaller version   like your 50-inch TV, for example! Collect knowledge Instead of collecting items, collect knowledge. This is the advice of tiny house pioneer, Dee Williams, author and founder of PAD Tiny Houses. Dee built one of the first tiny homes on wheels in 2004 and has been living small ever since. She suggests studying, reading everything you can on the downsizing process, finding a community in which to seek support and guidance, and watching YouTube videos to aid your downsizing journey. Confront clutter hot spots When you're decluttering your home, it can often seem like an endless battle, something that Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist really understands. In 2008, he and his family decided to intentionally live with fewer possessions, starting his blog to inspire and assist others. His best piece of advice? Look out for clutter hot spots around your home and work at keeping these areas tidy and clutter-free. "This will set a precedent for the rest of the house," Joshua explains. Tackle one item per day Ethan Waldman of The Tiny House has plenty of brilliant ideas for downsizing your life and your home. If you're finding the process overwhelming, Ethan suggests getting rid of one item per day. This way, you can take your time to consider what you do and don't want in your life. He suggests starting with simple items that you're keen to be rid of, then when you gain confidence, you can tackle larger items with more sentimental value. Host a packing party Since 2009, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus have helped millions of people declutter their lives. The duo's advice-led website, The Minimalists, suggests one key thing   host a packing party. Invite your friends and family around for a night of drinks and nibbles as you pack your belongings up as if you were moving, carefully labeling boxes as you go. Then, spend the next few weeks unpacking only what you need. The rest you'll be free to give away, sell or recycle! Marie Kondo your closet When it comes to decluttering, ask yourself what Marie Kondo would do! Despite the fact that Marie isn't a tiny home dweller, she is the queen of minimalism. The Japanese organization consultant has several top tips for change. First, deal with one room at a time. Next, hold each item in your hands and consider whether it brings you joy. If not, thank it for its service and place it in the 'to go' pile. Finally, carefully fold your clothes to free up space in your closet. Go backpacking Meag and Ben of The Wild Drive have been on the road in their handmade tiny bus since January 2018, so this couple knows how tricky living in a tight space together can be. So, in order to prepare, they suggest packing essentials into a backpack and heading out for a few days of camping: "Nothing trains someone better in resource management than having to carry everything they need for survival on their back," says Meag. Take note Laura LaVoie lives in a cabin with her partner Matt and their cat, Piglet. Laura's blog, Life in 120 Square Feet offers plenty of tips for tiny house living, one of which is something she read in Shay Salomon's book, Little House on a Small Planet . Place a post-it note on every door of every room in your current home. Each time you enter that room, write down the reason why you went in. You will soon understand which spaces you don't use, and which can be combined in your new, smaller home. Rid yourself of multiples Tiny house dweller, YouTuber and author of Live a F.A.S.T. Life, Jenn Baxter knows exactly how to downsize and declutter, and now teaches courses on living minimally. She suggests that we need to rid ourselves of duplicates. We often have multiple kitchen utensils, numerous bottles of shower gel and handfuls of almost identical jeans. Cut down to one of each item and you will instantly free up bags of space. As for clothes and shoes, keep things down to what you actually need. Don't let toys take over Andrew and Crystal Odom were struggling to maintain their expensive Brooklyn lives, deciding to build their own tiny house to free themselves from debt. Their Tiny r(E)volution blog reveals how they transitioned. For this couple, clearing out their child s toys was their biggest challenge. They suggest you ask yourselves three questions: Do they love it? Do they need it? Do they use it? Transition to gifts that matter and work with your children on a twice-yearly toy clean-out. Invest in multitasking appliances Tiny homer and Rowdy Kittens blogger, Tammy Strobel, moved into a smaller home to lead a simpler life, which saw her cut her belongings down to just 72 items. Tammy is a firm believer in having an organized kitchen and suggests investing in multipurpose appliances and ditching single-use items. There are also plenty of clever gadgets out there   including the pot lid that doubles as a strainer   and small-scale travel versions of electricals such as irons and kettles. Leave materialism behind At the age of 24, Tom Duckworth decided to leave materialism behind and built a 72-square-foot home on the back of a former army lorry. Tom now travels around in his mobile home and offers an insight into how he did it. "We need a lot less then we think. A dependency on material goods will prevent everyone from enjoying life fully," he explains. When you let go of consumerism and realize that you can live with only a few key items, your downsizing dream will become much easier. Take on the unshopping challenge Billy Ulmer, author of Life in a Tiny House has learned a lot during his time exploring what 'home' really means. Billy was keen to understand his own buying and hoarding habits, so took on an 'unshopping challenge', where he committed to buying nothing new, except consumables, for a whole month.  When I m already having strong, mixed feelings about my relationship to material life, what better time to learn from it?  Billy asks. He also states that trying is the first step to success. Electrical detox The Minimalists, Joshua and Ryan, also point out how we all hoard technology over the years. From having televisions in various rooms to drawers filled with outdated mobile phones and DVD players that we no longer use, we all own electronics that are obsolete. Consider whether you need your old VCR machine, your video games consoles, or your giant desktop computer. If not, clear it out and free up some space. Take your time Jen Fuis was a self-confessed hoarder and decided to cure herself by decluttering and moving into a tiny home. Her Tiny Dreamer YouTube channel now educates people on how they can do the same. Jen explains that she spent a year prepping for the move, researching, selling her stuff and keeping a note of everything she learned, to better enable her. Take your time, rather than rushing into a move totally unprepared. The longer you take, the easier your move will be. Re-purpose sentimental items Over time we acquire items that hold sentimental value. Meag and Ben of The Wild Drive understand that there isn't always space in a tiny home for these things, but they've figured out a way that you can bring them with you: "The secret to the items we imbue with sentiment is that they don t lose their power if they re made into something else." For example, turn your first skateboard into a bench! Use sites like Pinterest to gain inspiration on how to re-purpose something that's special to you! See more amazing upcycling ideas to try at home. One in, one out Macy Miller and her family built a 196-square-foot tiny home in 2011, before downsizing again in 2017, to an 84-square-foot vintage camper van. The family now travel the world and write about their experiences on their blog, Mini Motives. Macy s greatest tip is to initiate the  one in, one out  policy. If you buy a new pair of shoes, for example, get rid of an old pair. This way you will never end up with too much stuff again! Downsize in stages Rob Greenfield lived in a three-bed apartment and one day decided to move into the biggest room in his house. He then switched to the smallest room, eventually moving into a six-foot-square closet. While extreme, it highlights how gradually downsizing can ease the process. Try moving to increasingly smaller rooms or properties until you feel ready to commit. Plus, each time you move, you'll find yourself taking less with you. Rob now travels the world educating people on tiny living. Go digital Another top tip from Joshua and Ryan of The Minimalists, is to digitalize your belongings. Just think about how much space your CD, DVD and music collections take up! Well now, thanks to modern technology, you can move all of these things into cyberspace. Scan your photos and documents, burn your disks and download your favorite music and books. Don't forget to back up your PC or upload to the cloud, to keep your new-found digital world safe. Purge your pantry Try It Tiny is a blog dedicated to connecting tiny house enthusiasts with the tools they need to lead a tiny lifestyle. Their top downsizing tip is to purge your pantry. Remove any items that don t belong, that are expired or that you haven t used in a long time. They also suggest considering bulk storage in clear containers, which will take up less space and prepare you for having to work in a small kitchen, just like this one from the tiny home dwellers @wonderrigs. Be sure to check your cupboards before you go shopping too, to avoid duplicates. Everything in its place Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell lives in 480-square-foot tiny pad and wrote a book, Living Large In Our Little House, to help others successfully downsize. When she made the move, Kerri followed eight simple steps, one of which was adopting the  a place for everything and everything in its place  motto. Simple storage tricks and organization can save bags of space in a tiny home and allow you to find everything you need, when you need it. Know what you own and know exactly where it lives. Try before you buy In 2012 Ethan Waldman built a miniature mobile dwelling, before writing a book and starting The Tiny House blog to inspire others. One of his many tips for downsizing success is to temporarily move into a smaller property or vehicle, taking with you only a handful of items. Spend a few weeks or months living this way, to discover whether this way of life is right for you.  Don't just dream about being a minimalist; try being one. If it makes you miserable, maybe it's not for you,  says Ethan. Repeat the cycle Andrew and Crystal Odom of the Tiny r(E)volution have another top tip   repetition. Andrew explains:  Understand now that you are never done. As human beings we are hard-wired, I think, to want more than what we have.  He suggests that we just need to press forward and keep reminding ourselves of our downsizing goals, in order to succeed at leading a simpler life in a smaller home. Get clever with storage Jenna Spesard of Tiny House Giant Journey quit her job and built a tiny dwelling on wheels, deciding to dedicate her life to helping others live small! Jenna suggests finding creative ways to store your possessions and personally loves browsing Pinterest for inspiration! Utilize the inside of cupboard doors, the space above window frames, the gap underneath your bed, to give yourself room for things you thought you might need to leave behind.


Our wait for Kawhi Leonard 's free-agent decision appears likely to extend until at least Saturday. According to Cris Carter of Fox Sports 1 ( Twitter link ), Leonard remains undecided and doesn't plan to finalize or announce his decision today. Interestingly, Carter also adds that Leonard is expected to sign a long-term contract with whichever team he chooses. There had been some speculation that he might sign a one- or two-year deal in order to potentially line himself up for a larger maximum-salary contract in two years, when he has 10+ years of NBA experience. Carter suggests that's not the plan. The NBA's July moratorium will end on Saturday at noon eastern time, at which point teams will be able to finalize the free-agent deals and trades that they've agreed upon over the last week. While that doesn't exactly represent a deadline for Leonard, the Raptors, Clippers, and especially the Lakers will presumably be hoping a decision comes in by then. The Clippers and Lakers each have $32M+ in cap room that they could commit to other players if they don't land Kawhi. The Lakers would lose some of their room if they finalize the Anthony Davis trade with the Pelicans right away when the moratorium lifts, since their $32M cap-space figure relies on signing free agents first, then completing the Davis deal. So if Leonard's decision extends beyond the end of the July moratorium, they'll want to wait a little longer to finalize that trade. However, the Pelicans have a subsequent trade with the Hawks that hinges on getting that No. 4 pick from the Lakers, and Atlanta will flip one of the picks involved in that deal in another trade, and so on. Several teams   including the Wizards, Sixers, and Pistons, who are also all linked to the series of moves   will be anxious to complete those trades to get their draftees into Summer League action in Las Vegas. Other free agents, including Danny Green , could also be impacted by the wait for Leonard, since their options will be impacted by which teams still have cap space. NBA free agency appears to be a little stuck at the moment as everyone waits on Kawhi   no deals have been agreed upon since Wednesday night.


Beijing has a host of options to retaliate against the latest the hike in U.S. tariffs on China imports, experts said on Monday. The latest round of trade talks between American and Chinese negotiators concluded on Friday without a trade agreement. Those negotiations fell under the shadow of U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to more than double the tariff rate to 25% on $200 billion of Chinese goods   which he made good on just after midnight ET on Friday. China's Commerce Ministry said immediately after those new rates came into effect that it would take countermeasures against the American move. It did not announce what its response would entail but said it "deeply regrets" the turn of events. Experts told CNBC that Beijing's response could end up combining several ways to hurt the U.S. "I expect that China will retaliate and they will do it in as commensurate a way as they can, and that will include not just imports," said Susan Shirk, former deputy assistant secretary of state during the Clinton administration. "I think our farmers and our farm exports to China will be targeted because that's what President Trump cares about politically," She added that she expects added pressure on American firms operating in China, potentially including a slowdown in approvals for banks and checks on imports. "Really anything could be fair game, and I would be extremely surprised if there were no retaliation," said Shirk, who is now the 21st Century China Center chair at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy. Another option for Beijing's retaliation could include currency depreciation, analysts said. That is, a drop in value for the yuan would give Chinese exports a trade advantage and potentially offset the impact of U.S. tariffs. "We think the currency is one area in which Beijing has a clear advantage over Washington," Bo Zhuang, chief China economist at research firm TS Lombard, said in a note on Friday. He said China's shrinking current account balance, and the tariffs re-escalation "will create an opening for the ( People's Bank of China ) to accept further market-driven depreciation" of the yuan in the second half of this year. "Note though that, while the People's Bank of China may tolerate more yuan depreciation, they may be wary of using it as a retaliatory tool. As well as inciting Trump's wrath, a weaker currency would also risk triggering capital outflows and damage efforts to open China's economy," Seema Shah, senior global investment strategist at Principal Global Investors, cautioned in a note. Many have cautioned that China could dump its more than $1 trillion worth of U.S. debt in retaliation, but one expert told CNBC on Monday that such a move would ultimately not be in the country's best interest. "The largest holder of U.S. Treasurys in the world is China, and so they hurt their own balance sheet as much as they incrementally hurt the U.S. and the losses that they would be forced to recognize are very, very real," said James Sullivan, head of Asia ex-Japan equity research at J.P. Morgan. Yet despite the array of options available to Chinese President Xi Jinping for retaliation to the American tariff hike, he doesn't necessarily have the upper hand. "I think there are workarounds, but this public chicken game between President Trump and President Xi is very, very difficult for President Xi to work his way out of," said Shirk.   CNBC's Jacob Pramuk, Everett Rosenfeld, Eustance Huang and Reuters contributed to this report.


Read on for the most recent top news you may have missed in Denver. Mom of boy found encased in concrete pleads guilty Caden McWilliams' body was found encased in concrete in a Denver storage unit in December 2018. Read the full story on KHOU 11 News . Denver Cruisers ride honors recently slain cyclists at candlelight vigil In what feels like an inflection point, Denver has been racked by two high profile manslaughters of bicyclists. Read the full story on DenverWestword . Fangio coaches after kidney stone issue, Denver wins Hours after visiting a hospital because of a kidney stone, Vic Fangio won a football game. Read the full story on CBS Denver . Denver proposes rebuilding a campus that was the site of a controversial school closure Officials are exploring building a new high school in the Montbello neighborhood, but it won't be the comprehensive high school some community members want. Read the full story on Denverite . This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle , then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


The Toronto Maple Leafs don't have to, but if they want to move on from defenseman Nikita Zaitsev , it might be beneficial to trade him before July 1 when his 10-team no-trade clause kicks in. While Zaitsev has requested a trade as well, making it easier for Toronto to unload the five years remaining on his contract at $4.5 million, there are likely to be several teams interested in acquiring the 27-year-old. In fact, The Athletic's James Mirtle (subscription required) looks into the teams that would be the most likely clubs to acquire the blueliner, and the Edmonton Oilers find themselves at the top of the list. Zaitsev could be paired with one of Toronto's forwards, either Connor Brown , Kasperi Kapanen or Andreas Johansson , to acquire either Matt Benning or even Adam Larsson in the right deal. The Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks round out the top three teams that would make the best bets, but there are quite a few other candidates as well. The Boston Globe's Nick Kelly writes that Bruins forward Marcus Johansson was non-committal Friday when asked about whether he wanted to return to Boston next season. An unrestricted free agent and a key contributor throughout the playoffs (four goals and 11 points in 22 games), the 28-year-old may have priced his way out of Boston. However, Johansson said he did enjoy his time with the Bruins and will speak to them first before looking at his other options. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that the Ottawa Senators locked up backup goaltender Anders Nilsson to a two-year, $5.2 million extension, which many thought would be the end for Mike Condon . The 29-year-old, who lost the backup job early last season, still has one year remaining on his contract at $2.4 million and seemed like a prime buyout candidate. However, general manager Pierre Dorion said the Senators will not buy him out and intend to bring him in to camp in the fall before determining what to do with him. Condon made just two appearances, allowing eight goals and had a .800 save percentage. He was sent to Belleville of the AHL for one game before he opted to sit out the rest of the year with hip inflammation. He hopes to be healthy for training camp. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman notes that he spoke recently to Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon , who told him that he expects goaltender Roberto Luongo to make a decision about his future soon, in fact, before the draft next Friday. The Panthers need to know whether Luongo intends to come back next season. Florida is expected to sign one of the top goaltenders on the market with Sergei Bobrovsky at the top of their list. However, if Luongo opts to return (he still has three years remaining at $4.53 million average annual value), the Panthers will have to find a way to move out James Reimer .


Democratic primary challengers in House races in 2020 are starting to press incumbents on impeachment as a host of progressives look to take out more moderate and establishment members of Congress. The push toward impeaching President Trump is particularly strong from candidates looking to take out House leaders such as Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) as they attack the lack of action from the chamber so far on impeachment proceedings. The new attack lines come as progressives are feeling increasingly emboldened to challenge centrist Democrats after the surprise primary victories of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) in the 2018 midterm elections. Yet whether such attacks can catch on as a key campaign issue in 2020 remains to be seen. Challengers in more centrist districts have shown reluctance to pursue an issue that is seen as divisive, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has been wary on impeachment even as more than 60 Democrats have voiced their support for initiating proceedings. "I find it unacceptable that my leader in Congress is unwilling to be courageous enough to undertake impeachment hearings immediately," said Lindsey Boylan, one of three Democrats challenging Nadler. Photo gallery by Tribune News Service "He's been on record saying that impeachable offenses have been committed in terms of obstruction of justice," she continued, referring to the 15-term Democrat, whose committee would handle any impeachment proceedings. "He's just too concerned about the politics of the moment to do something about this and in my view, there's something much bigger at stake, and it's the heart of our democracy to have public trust in our system of governance." Nadler has reportedly pushed behind closed doors for a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump, but he has not come out publicly in support of the move. His office did not comment on the issue to The Hill. The push toward impeachment by some challengers comes after special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election cleared Trump's campaign of collusion with Moscow but could not determine whether obstruction had taken place. Since the release of the report, enthusiasm for impeachment by progressives has grown at a time when the Democratic Party is moving to the left on key issues such as "Medicare for All" and climate change. But impeachment has proven a particularly divisive issue. Pelosi has long expressed caution about starting proceedings, saying she believes the country is not ready for it. Instead, she and fellow Democratic leaders like Hoyer have backed continuing multiple avenues of House investigations while using strong language against Trump to mollify progressives. Pelosi has also argued the House gains in 2018, when Democrats retook control of the chamber, were built on key victories in more moderate suburban districts like in Virginia and New Jersey and a focus on bread-and-butter issues such as health care. The caution, however, is frustrating to some progressive Democrats. The majority of the more than 20 Democrats running for president also back impeachment proceedings, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), with the notable exception of former Vice President Joe Biden, the current front-runner in the race who has taken a more nuanced stance. "My stance is that impeachment proceedings should begin immediately," Mckayla Wilkes, one of two candidates challenging Hoyer in the primary, told The Hill. "I continue to believe that he and the Democratic leadership as a whole are wrong in their decision not to move more quickly on this issue," she said. Briana Urbina, who is set to formally launch another primary challenge against Hoyer this month, also told The Hill she backs impeachment proceedings. But Hoyer's office told The Hill the House leader was committed to unearthing more facts before moving on impeachment. "Congressman Hoyer has repeatedly stated that the American people deserve all the facts, and that we will follow the facts wherever they lead," Hoyer's press secretary, Annaliese Davis, told The Hill in a statement. Though national polls have generally been split on impeachment, others show support starting to grow among Democrats A new poll released by Politico-Morning Consult on Wednesday showed 67 percent of self-identified Democrats believe lawmakers should begin the process to oust Trump - an 8 point increase since April. And the number of House Democrats supporting impeachment is growing. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) became the second freshman Democrat from a swing district to back the opening of an inquiry into impeachment. She follows Rep. Tom Malinowski (N.J.), who has also endorsed moving toward impeachment. "Members of Congress swear an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. The greatest threat to our country is a domestic one, it's in the White House," Shahid Buttar, who's challenging Pelosi, told The Hill. "Every member of Congress swore an oath essentially to pursue impeachment at this point in time," he continued. "Saying it's off the table is basically like not showing up for work." Pelosi's campaign did not return a request for comment from The Hill. But not all challengers are backing impeachment proceedings. And even those who back impeachment and attack House Democrats for inaction acknowledge impeachment alone is unlikely to deliver them victories in their long-shot campaigns against incumbents. Wilkes, who's challenging Hoyer, attacked the 20-term congressman for not doing more on impeachment. But at the same time, she acknowledged her campaign would also need to focus on issues impacting Americans. "Democrats should focus on the massive issues facing everyday Americans, like housing, health care and climate change," she said. "But there's no reason our representatives can't do multiple things at once. And there's no reason for them to be so cowardly on this issue," she added.


SPARTA, Ky.   Kurt Busch posted the fastest lap in the opening Cup practice session Friday at Kentucky Speedway. Busch led the way with a lap of 183.742 mph. He was followed by Aric Almirola (183.542 mph), Daniel Suarez (183.100), Jimmie Johnson (182.722) and Kyle Busch (182.549). Click here for results from opening practice Chase Elliott ran the most laps in the session at 51. He was 14th on the speed chart with a top lap of 181.165 mph. There were no incidents in the 50-minute session. Final Cup practice is scheduled to be held from 1:35   2:25 p.m. ET on NBCSN.


Yardbarker's Ryan Fowler runs down the top favorites to take home the 2019 NFL MVP award. The NFL quarterbacks' MVP dynasty Two gifted running backs   Shaun Alexander and LaDainian Tomlinson   won the Associated Press NFL MVP Award in consecutive seasons, 2005-2006. Since then, 11 of the past 12 MVPs have been quarterbacks, including 2018 top dog Patrick Mahomes who earned 41 of the 50 first-place votes. Fellow quarterback Drew Brees finished second. So Adrian Peterson's 2012 season   less than a year removed from a torn ACL   remains the last time somebody other than an NFL quarterback hoisted the NFL MVP hardware. Spoiler alert: Based on the favorites to win the 2019 MVP, don't expect this trend to change anytime soon. Odds via Bovada Cam Newton Odds: +2,500 2018 Stats: 3,395 pass yards, 24 TDs and 13 INTs | 488 rush yards and four TDs A shoulder injury may have cost Newton the final two games on paper, but anybody who watched the Panthers quarterback grind out the 2018 season knows it cost the team much more. Carolina started the season 6-2 and in a prime position to reach the playoffs. However, the severity of Newton's shoulder injury prevented him from throwing balls down field and allowed defenses to cheat up and play the underneath routes. After the hot start, the Panthers lost seven of their last eight games. Newton had offseason surgery to repair the shoulder, and he's expected to be back at 100 percent by the start of the season. His MVP chances ride on improved play of DJ Moore, Jarius Wright and a healthy Greg Olsen. The veteran tight end has missed 16 games over the past two seasons due to injury, but when healthy he's Cam's most trusted target. If Olsen misses time, running back Christian McCaffrey's MVP odds could be just as high as Cam's. Philip Rivers Odds: +2,000 2018 stats: 4,308 pass yards, 32 TDs and 12 INTs Rivers may be the NFL equivalent of MLB's Cal Ripken. The Chargers ironman has not missed a game for 13 consecutive seasons. While the league has gone to great lengths to protect the quarterback, the fact Rivers hasn't sustained a serious injury over the past 208 games is nothing short of a miracle. Led by Keenan Allen, his receiving corps remains intact and receives a slight upgrade with the full-time return of tight end Hunter Henry who missed the 2018 regular season with a torn ACL. The one constant who is missing as of press time is Melvin Gordon. The Chargers starting running back is holding out in hopes of a new contract. If Gordon's holdout lingers into the regular season, Rivers' odds of winning the 2019 MVP should take a notable hit. Jimmy Garoppolo Odds: +3,300 2018 stats: 718 pass yards, five TDs and three INTs (in only three games due to torn ACL) The saying goes, "we don't know what we don't know," and when it comes to Jimmy G. what we don't know outweighs his elite hype. Garoppolo has yet to play in more than six regular-season games and missed the final 13 games of the 2018 season with a torn ACL. So the 2019 season will be a fresh canvas on which to either paint a masterpiece and fill in those unknown gaps OR post pedestrian stats as he has through his first nine games as the 49ers quarterback: 12:8 TD:INT ratio. If you're looking for a reason to back this long shot, Kyle Shanahan's offensive schemes will benefit   not hurt   Jimmy G's shot at the 2019 MVP. Matt Ryan Odds: +3,000 2018 Stats: 4,924 pass yards, 35 TDs and seven INTs Ryan was one of only four quarterbacks last season to finish with more than 600 pass attempts. Aside from a pass-first offense, the primary reason his pass attempts reached a three-year high is due to a host of injuries on the defensive side of the ball, which turned the secondary into Swiss-cheese city, and opponents racked up early leads. So Ryan, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley (10 TDs as a rookie) and others spent most of the game in rally mode via the pass. If the defense can stay healthy, the Falcons are one of those squads that could flip the script and qualify for the playoffs one year after missing them. Ryan is as consistent as they come and despite turning 30 years old, Jones will go down as one of the top targets in NFL history. Ben Roethlisberger Odds: +3,000 2018 Stats: 5,129 pass yards, 34 TDs and 16 INTs Without Le'Veon Bell last season, Roethlisberger led the NFL in completions (career-high), attempts (career-high), passing yards (career-high) and pass yards per game. The loss of both Bell and Antonio Brown will no doubt change the Steelers' offensive dynamic, but don't sleep on wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster to fill Brown's shoes as Big Ben's primary receiver in addition to a healthy running game of James Connor and Jaylen Samuels behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines. While many believe the AFC North torch has been passed to Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns, an MVP season by Roethlisberger would mute any chance of that happening. Deshaun Watson Odds: +2,000 2018 Stats: 4,165 pass yards, 26 TDs and nine INTs | 551 rush yards and five TDs The good news for Watson is that he'll probably compete for an NFL MVP one day. The bad news is that unless his offensive line play improves 1,000 percent, he won't be among the 2019 MVP finalists. Remember: Despite mobility that rivals Russell Wilson, Watson was sacked a league-high 62 times. To be fair some of those sacks were no doubt Watson's fault. However, as of early August, head coach Bill O'Brien admits he still doesn't know who will start on the offensive line. How does this not get addressed in the offseason? Forget Watson's MVP chances. The Texans could find themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time. Mitch Trubisky Odds: +2,000 2018 Stats: 3,223 pass yards, 24 TDs and 12 INTs The Chicago Bears 2018 defense ranked first in points allowed and against the rush, third in turnover differential (+12) and seventh against the pass. Its pass offense ranked outside the top 20. So the obvious question becomes where can Trubisky improve in his third year when the top three receiving targets remain the same and the Bears front office elected to shake up the running back depth chart after averaging 121 rush yards per game last season (11 th )? It's a loaded question. Despite an above-average arm and 421 rush yards and three rush TDs last season, it's hard to fathom Trubisky making enough of a statistical leap toward MVP when the most valuable players   plural   on the team likely reside on the defensive side of the ball. Russell Wilson Odds: +2,500 2018 Stats: 3,448 pass yards, 35 TDs and seven INTs Because the Seahawks averaged a league-leading 160 yards per game last season, Wilson's passing totals were the lowest since 2014. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for the Seahawks to make another Super Bowl run, the offense needs to find a consistent passing game aside from Wilson running for his life on third and long. Wilson was sacked 51 times last season, but that total could have been higher if not for his elite mobility out of the pocket. So the offensive line play must improve, and Pete Carroll needs to find lighting in a bottle with second-round draft pick DK Metcalf. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound receiver out of Ole Miss is a polarizing brand, but Wilson has no choice but to embrace the rookie because without Doug Baldwin, No. 3's primary target is 5-foot-11, 175-pound speedster Tyler Lockett. Carson Wentz Odds: +1,200 2018 Stats: 3,074 pass yards, 21 TDs and seven INTs (11 games) Wentz's 2017 season was cut short due to an ACL tear, and he missed the final three games of the 2018 season with a stress fracture in his back. The knock of Wentz is that these annual ailments date back to high school. However, when you place the injury history on the back burner and assess a potential 16-game campaign for the Eagles quarterback, it's evident he has the talent and players around him to make a run at an MVP and Super Bowl title. One guy who will help him reach those goals is DeSean Jackson. The speedy, downfield receiver returns to Philadelphia at age 32 and should allow for Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor to enjoy softer coverages this season. Also, the arrival of Jordan Howard should improve the Eagles 28 th -ranked running game of a season ago, which should also boost Wentz's MVP odds. Tom Brady Odds: +1,600 2018 Stats: 4,355 pass yards, 29 TDs and 11 INTs When it comes to the Patriots offense, Brady has been forced to make chicken soup out of chicken droppings several times throughout his career. However, with Rob Gronkowski retired and Julian Edelman the only reliable commodity within the Patriots pass offense, the now 42-year-old may have to cook up the best stew of his life. Brady truly contending for an MVP this season may come down to the play of first-round draft pick, N'Keal Harry. The 6-foot-4 receiver out of Arizona State racked up 2,230 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons. New England needs to find a way to stretch the field and give Brady a downfield threat a la Gronk or the Pats offense becomes one-dimensional. Baker Mayfield Odds: +1,100 2018 Stats: 3,725 pass yards, 27 TDs and 14 INTs (14 games) If preseason hype equated to wins and losses, the 2019 Cleveland Browns would already be 16-0 and Baker Mayfield's statue would be erected outside First Energy Stadium before Week 1. Odell Beckham Jr.'s production on the field will ultimately determine whether or not Mayfield remains an MVP favorite throughout this season. It's imperative that Mayfield and OBJ connect early and often, because for Mayfield and, in turn, the Browns to take those next steps towarda the playoffs and ultimately the Super Bowl, this quarterback must complete better than 63.8 percent of his passes as he did last year. Drew Brees Odds: +1,200 2018 Stats: 3,992 pass yards, 32 TDs and five INTs At 39 years old, the 2018 NFL MVP runner-up set career highs in completion percentage (74.4 percent) and quarterback rating (115.7). With top wide receiver Michael Thomas content with his new contract and hybrid running back Alvin Kamara lurking in the backfield, Brees has plenty of talent around him to make another run at the league's MVP. However, this now 40-year-old quarterback is more likely to be focused on NFC championships and Super Bowl opportunities. So he'll sacrifice some statistical eye candy if it means the Saints are still playing this February. Aaron Rodgers Odds: +1,000 2018 Stats: 4,442 pass yards, 25 TDs and two INT Considering he played through injury for most of the season, behind one of the league's most inferior offensive lines while losing one of his top receivers all within Mike McCarthy's system, perhaps Rodgers deserves more credit for merely surviving the 2018 season. With McCarthy gone, the hope is Rodgers has more autonomy at the line to check off and find creative ways to get the ball to Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison, whom he lost to a season-ending injury early last season. The front office also worked to upgrade the offensive line via the draft and free agency so that Rodgers doesn't end up on the turf 49 more times this season. Andrew Luck Odds: +600 2018 Stats: 4,593 pass yards, 39 TDs and 15 INTs After missing the entire 2017 season due to a shoulder injury, Luck picked up right where he left off and then some last season. His 98.7 quarterback rating was a personal best, and 39 touchdowns came one shy of a single-season high set back in 2014. Luck was sacked 41 times in 2016 (seco nd -most) but only 18 times last year. It's amazing what an efficient offensive line will do for a) your health and b) your MVP chances. Patrick Mahomes Odds: +550 2018 Stats: 5,097 pass yards, 50 TDs and 12 INTs After starting his sophomore season on fire, Mahomes cooled off somewhat toward the end. His 66 percent completion percentage ranked 16 th among fellow quarterbacks below Matthew Stafford and just above Eli Manning. The good news for his back-to-back MVP campaign is that aside from Kareem Hunt, most of the skill position players around him return.


A New Haven teacher learned she is a very lucky person. Rochelle Villano, of East Haven, won $30,000 twice by playing CT Lottery's 30X Cash game . Villano claimed a $30,000 top prize in the game's fifth edition just weeks ago on June 3. On Wednesday, she claimed another $30,000 prize in the game's sixth edition. As one might expect, Villano, who just finished her 24th year of teaching in New Haven, was ecstatic about her second $30,000 win. "I don't get paid in the summer, so this (prize) is perfect," Villano told lottery offcials. Villano purchased both top prize-winning tickets at Shell Food Mart at 1183 Townsend Ave. in New Haven. A 30X Cash game ticket costs $30. The retailer will receive a $300 bonus for each win from the CT Lottery. CT Lottery said there have already been 113 winners of the top $30,000 prize in the 30X Cash game.


Bradley Beal is going to make $27.1 million in 2019-20. He'll make $28.8 million the year after that. Then his contract with the Washington Wizards is up, so there's a possibility he leaves the organization once his deal is done, making him a valuable trade asset - someone the Oklahoma City Thunder could perhaps target as they look to move Steven Adams and possibly others. But it turns out Beal doesn't have any interest in playing for the Thunder at this juncture. Well, it's not just the Thunder. Beal isn't looking to play for anyone but the team he's spent his entire NBA career with. It turns out, the Wizards aren't looking to trade him either, based on Beal's comments to reporters after he received the NBA Cares Community Assist Award at the 2019 NBA Awards show in California, per Ben Golliver of The Washington Post . They've been very transparent, and that's been great. They're not keeping me in the dark about anything, even about the trade rumors. . . . It's great having that peace of mind. That works out for Beal because he's not looking to go anywhere else just yet. I still have two years left. We just drafted Rui [Hachimura], and I want to see what we do in free agency before I make the ultimate decision. I haven't even been offered it officially. Until that happens, I'll wait and think about it. I'll have an ample amount of time to process everything and make a decision when the time is right. He continued: I'd be naïve to say I wouldn't be [interested in extension talks]. Washington is where I've been the last seven years, going on eight. It would be great to play in one place forever. But at the same time, you want to win and make sure you're in a position to do so. I'm definitely going to evaluate who we hire as the GM and who we pick up on the team. All that plays a factor. MORE: This perfect Shaq impersonation at the NBA Awards show had fans in tears NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players 3 adjustments the Raiders should make on offense in 2019 Raven Greene looks like a top player to watch at Packers training camp Kemba Walker is a Perfect Fit With the Dallas Mavericks


Northwestern 's logo makeover should've been one step: One clean rip-off-the-Band-Aid makeover. Instead, the Wildcats ripped half of the Band-Aid, and we can still see the bloody, pussy remnants on the pad. In 2012, after three decades of the horrendous Wildcat "N," they removed the Wildcat and simplified the "N." Improvement but not a finished product. It's 2019, and you're a solid Big Ten program. Start acting like it. Northwestern needs a logo makeover, as do these seven teams: Arizona State I love marshmallows. In hot chocolate, on s'mores and atop sweet potatoes. I do not, however, want a plate of marshmallows for dinner. Marshmallows = Sparky the Sun Devil's pitchfork. For 30 years, Sparky's pitchfork was a key piece to one of the best logos in college football. It was the marshmallow to my s'more. In 2011, Arizona State shoved a plate of pitchforks down my gullet. The pitchfork worked because it was Sparky's complementary piece, not the main dish. Hawai'i I have no issue with Hawai'i's logo. In fact, the green, black and silver Warrior logo is excellent and has aged well since its 1998 introduction. However, I'm willing to sacrifice the Warrior logo to the Warrior Gods in exchange for weekly rainbow uniforms. Their logo doesn't need a makeover but we do need the rainbow uniforms. Memphis Memphis' logo was ahead of its time when introduced in 1994. That time has since passed. With the most common nickname in the FBS (five Tigers), it's time to stand out as they did in 1994. The "M" can stay. The leaping clip-art tiger must go. Mississippi State There's good simple (e.g. Oregon, Miami, Tennessee) and bad simple. Mississippi State is bad, boring, have-some-self-respect simple. If their "M" banner logo was introduced in 1930, sure, keep the classic look. It wasn't; it replaced the intertwining "MSU" logo 15 years ago and has no longstanding tradition. MORE: Redrafting Each No. 1 Pick Since 2000 Northern Illinois Amateur. Hour. It was adequate in 2001, mostly because...it was Northern Illinois. Eighteen years later, Northern Illinois is averaging more than nine wins over the last nine years as one of the most consistent Group of Five programs. They don't run an amateur-hour football program. They shouldn't have an amateur-hour logo overloaded with a mascot, acronym and nickname. Oregon State "This rebranding is about 3 things. 1. Recruiting 2. Recruiting 3. Recruiting." then-Oregon State Mike Riley declared in March 2013 when the Beavers unveiled a new logo and uniforms. It didn't work. And the logo still sucks. Now, like in 2013, I still applaud the effort. Oregon State took a leap with a dramatic change that pushed the boundaries of Power Five logos. They misfired. Texas Tech No other Power Five problem has had consistently terrible logos. Texas Tech's refusal to upgrade their stacked "TT" is baffling, especially for the only "Raiders" in the FBS (and only Red Raiders in any level of college sports). Like Mississippi State, take inspiration from the alternate masked rider logo. NEXT: Buyouts for Hot Seat Coaches Related slideshow: Ranking the 10 best college football mascots (provided by For The Win)


Can those planning to storm Area 51 expect to see another Zlatan Ibrahimovic? No. Almost two million people have RSVP'd to a Facebook event to "Storm Area 51"   a classified US Air Force training base in Nevada which conspiracy theorists believe harbors information about extraterrestrial life. A disclaimer in the Facebook event claims it is all a joke, but it has not stopped #StormArea51 from taking the internet by storm. When LA Galaxy superstar Ibrahimovic spoke with the media Wednesday, he was asked what might be in Area 51. "What's in Area 51?" @Ibra_official : "Not another Zlatan. That's for sure." pic.twitter.com/ePIUSR7oFX   LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) July 17, 2019 "Not another Zlatan. That's for sure," Ibrahimovic joked with reporters. Asked if they would let Ibrahimovic into Area 51, former Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona striker Ibrahimovic replied: "I have my own area 51." Ibrahimovic has enjoyed another fine season in MLS, with 13 goals for the Galaxy. MORE : Barcelona signs Antoine Griezmann from Atletico for $135M The 37-year-old's goals have helped the Galaxy to third position in the Western Conference, 12 points adrift of leaders Los Angeles FC after 20 games.


Stocks staged a massive reversal Friday after President Donald Trump said conversations with China over trade will continue and his relationship with President Xi remains strong. The Dow finished the day 114 points higher at 25,942, roaring back from a 358-point loss earlier in the session that came in the wake of a tariff increase by the U.S. effective just after midnight. The S&P 500 eked out a 0.37% gain to close at 2,881 and the Nasdaq rose 0.08% to end at 7,916 after stocks rallied from their lows. Stocks hit session highs after Trump's late Friday tweet and closed near those levels. The president also noted that the trade talks with China were "candid and constructive." Trump said the new tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods "may or may not be removed" in the future. Major averages began paring some of their losses midday after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said China trade talks were "constructive." Chinese Vice Premier Liu He also said the talks went "fairly well," according to reports. Despite Trump's tweet, Mnuchin later told CNBC no official talks are planned as of now. "It's really likely that it gets resolved and if it does, you've got to believe we'd be back at highs very quickly," said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at The Leuthold Group. "Because around it, there's a good story   a lot of green shoots, rates are staying low and better earnings." While a Trump tweet pushed stocks higher into the close, it was an earlier tweet by the president that helped send the market to its low of the session. Trump said in a early morning Twitter post there's "absolutely no rush" on a trade agreement with China. The comments came after he slapped higher tariffs   from 10% to 25%   on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. Apple, which has growing China revenue exposure for the iPhone, was still down 1.4% on Friday. The president added that tariffs will make the United States much stronger and that "China shouldn't renegotiate deals with the U.S. at the last minute." Trump's "bark is worse than his bite a lot of the times," said Arian Vojdani, investment strategist at MV Financial. "We might see him try to come down a little hard, but ultimately people really don't think we are going to see that drastic trade war play out ... The administration is very keen on markets and they don't want to see pain." Companies that are hinging on a trade resolution remained under some pressure. Friday's drop in Apple brings its weekly loss to nearly 7%. Chipmakers took a big hit on fears of an escalated trade war as the VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF posted its worst week of the year and longest losing streak since October 2018. Ride-hailing giant Uber began trading on the New York Stock Exchange Friday at $42 per share, after pricing at $45 per share. The stock finished the day 7.6% lower. Still time for a deal? Some market participants are holding onto the hope that the new tariffs are not applied to Chinese exports that are already in transit before the deadline, so that provides some additional time for the two sides to reach an agreement. "A 'grace period' was included on these tariff increases, so that goods currently in transit to the U.S. from China aren't subject to the new 25% tariffs, just the old 10% tariff," Tom Essaye, founder of Sevens Report, said in a note on Friday. "That grace period was not included in previous rounds of tariffs and is likely an olive branch of sorts to the Chinese side. Given shipping times, goods sent from China today will take two weeks or so to reach the U.S., so if a trade deal is stuck in that time frame, the pain of the 25% tariffs will never be felt," he added. Yet some believe the trade battle is poised to drag on longer. "We continue to expect the two sides to reach a trade deal eventually, but this is unlikely to happen in the short term as the war is not painful enough for either side," Zhiwei Zhang, Deutsche Bank's chief Asia economist said in a note on Friday. "China is not likely to give in quickly. The damage to China's economic growth is around -0.2% on an annualized basis, which is manageable." Trump started this week's market turmoil with two tweets Sunday evening, threatening to hike tariffs on more Chinese exports as Beijing tried to renegotiate. CNBC's Eustance Huang and Kate Rooney contributed to this report.


A 26-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for slugging WWE legend Bret "The Hitman" Hart in the face as he was making a Hall of Fame speech at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York , police said. As Hart was accepting induction for the second time   this time as part of the tag team The Hart Foundation, along with the late Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart   a fan rushed into the ring and punched him. The live broadcast on the WWE Network was interrupted as several people, including many wrestlers, rushed in the ring to pull the man away from Hart, who was alongside Neidhart's daughter, Natalya. Natalya, who is a WWE wrestler herself, was also slung to the ground during the skirmish. "An over-exuberant fan surpassed our security at ringside and made his way briefly into the ring," WWE later said in a statement obtained by ESPN. "The individual has been turned over to the proper authorities." Security held down the unidentified man until police arrived and took him into custody. He was taken to the 78th Precinct, just blocks from Barclays Center, and charges are pending. Hart, 61, was able to finish his speech. Wrestlemania, WWE's biggest event of the year, will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday night.


Carbs aren't the only cause of belly fat , but if you eat a lot of them, they can certainly play a role . "If you eat any type of macronutrient in excess, you will gain weight," Robert Milanes, MD, founder of Luminary MD in Irvine, CA, told POPSUGAR. Still, the way carbs are digested makes them particularly risky when you're trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain. "Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which may be used as an energy source by our cells, tissues, and organs," Aastha Kalra, DO, founder of Weight Zero MD , told POPSUGAR. When eaten in excess, "glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver," Dr. Milanes added, which can be converted back to glucose and used for energy when few or no carbs are consumed. The real trouble begins when even your glycogen stores are at maximum capacity. "When we eat carbs, insulin levels rise," Dr. Kalra said. Insulin is tasked with taking glucose from the bloodstream to areas of the body that need energy, but it's also a fat storage hormone. Dr. Milanes explained that, if you eat too many carbs and there are no areas of the body that need energy, the glucose has nowhere to go and will be stored as fat instead. How to Eat Carbs Without Gaining Weight There are two types of carbs: simple carbohydrates (found largely in processed foods), which are made up of simple sugars and digested by the body quickly, and complex carbs , which are high in fiber and digested more slowly. Complex carbs keep you feeling fuller longer, but they also keep insulin levels stable, which encourages energy burning and prevents fat storage. While you can't spot-reduce fat from your midsection, eating more complex carbs - especially cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts - can also help kick-start weight loss. At the beginning, you may need to monitor your total carb intake, including grains and sugary fruits, in order to reduce the amount of insulin in the body, Dr. Kalra explained. That means eating a low-carb diet (this meal plan can help get you started) until you can shift to a weight maintenance stage, when you can add some more complex carbs, such as whole grains, to your plate. Video: You're unlikely to lose stubborn belly fat if you eat these 5 foods (Buzz60)


ART Grand Prix driver Nyck de Vries has admitted to losing sleep over Luca Ghiotto's Formula 2 Barcelona feature race pace, before taking honours in the sprint race. De Vries said Ghiotto was "35 seconds quicker, that's almost a second a lap" on Saturday, as the Italian fought from the back of the grid to finish fourth, one spot ahead of de Vries. "If you start analysing from that point it's a long evening I can tell you that, my sleep wasn't great," the Dutchman told Motorsport.com after winning Sunday's race . "You have to keep the faith and today proved there is no magic, anyone can do the job. I'm happy and proud of that." De Vries, who replaced current Williams Formula 1 driver and reigning F2 champion George Russell at ART this season, added that the team "didn't turn the world upside down" in terms of set-up changes for Sunday. The ex-McLaren F1 junior passed early leader Anthoine Hubert and streaked to a comfortable victory, taking the team's first win since Russell triumphed in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2018. "This category is so difficult and you have to be so precise," added de Vries. "We didn't turn the world upside down, just little changes and little changes make one big change. "You always have to keep the faith and even if one day looks bad, things can turn around for the next day. I'm especially relieved for that. "I always trusted in the team and our potential together. I'm very happy and proud to show we can turn things around in the weekend." UNI-Virtuosi driver Ghiotto made a poor start from pole in Saturday's feature race, and then dropped to the rear after he was hit by Dorian Boccolacci on the opening lap. From there the Italian was able to salvage fourth place, and he said he was "afraid" his pace would end up destroying his tyres. After scoring second in the sprint race on Sunday, Ghiotto said: "The team is doing a great job, everybody in the paddock is trying to understand why we are so quick. "The others did a better race today than yesterday and If I had a better start it may have been easier to move forward. But after yesterday we still have to be happy with the weekend." Ghiotto lies second in the points after Barcelona, 26 behind Saturday race winner Nicholas Latifi, while de Vries is a further four points back in third.


FOX 8 I-Team: Woman killed on Cleveland`s east side was mother of serial killer Michael Madison


Ever heard of "new relationship energy"? It's a phrase sex nerds love to throw around known and it refers to that intoxicating emotional state we all fall into during the early stages of a relationship. We get happy. We get horny . We can't keep our hands off each other and have a lot of great sex in a lot of different locations . Unfortunately, all that is new eventually becomes not new. Sure, love is patient and love is kind, but love and marriage and sex also require a great deal of work to maintain over the years. If you don't put in the effort to prioritize intimacy in marriage , bad things happen. Frustrations occur and phrases like sexless marriage start to creep in. So, what does the work look like? We talked to variety of couples who have been married for more than 10 years about what they do to keep their marriage happy and sex life alive. Don't Ignore The Urge There's no time like the present. Most of the time, when we say we're going to have sex later, it doesn't happen. Maybe we've had a large meal, the kids are around, or we end up too tired. But if it's worth bringing up in the first place, shut the door and get down to business.   Andi, 35 Be Vocal About Your Desires It comes down to exploring what you like in bed together and delivering pleasant surprises. Not every romantic gesture should be a surprise, of course. Consent is incredibly important. Make sure your partner is comfortable first. In a long-term relationship, you should be able to express your sexual fantasies openly, and always respect what they're comfortable with. You may be surprised yourself; some people with the most otherwise conservative personalities have the kinkiest minds.   Alex, 46 Make it An Adventure Studies show that people who have adventures together enjoy richer, more enduring, and satisfying relationships. Adventuring deepens bonds and provides a kind of reservoir of common experience that can feed the relationship for years in the form of memory. Think about how people tend to have more sex when on vacation. It's not just because they are away from the stresses of home: it's because they are sharing an adventure. We make it a point to have adventures together, both sexual and otherwise.   Mark, 59 Keep 'em Guessing Experimentation is great when you and your partner are both comfortable with it, but it's certainly not necessary. Trying new things can be intimidating and put a lot of stress on your relationship. The key is to explore slowly and talk through it at every step.   Brad, 52 Get. On. A. Schedule. Sometimes, we put sex on a schedule . We'll make it a point not to eat too much, drink coffee, and occupy the kids with some TV. Sure, we may not be romantically in the mood, but that can change pretty quickly.   Grant, 44 Always Nurture the Emotional Connection My best advice to maintaining intimacy comes way before you even get into the bedroom. It's called maintaining an emotional connection, which does require attention, time, talking, and listening . Stay connected with your partner. The trouble usually seems to start when one or both members of the couple feels an emotional disconnect. Then the physical intimacy will tend to suffer.   Jeannie, 47 Make an Effort to Stay Open Communication is crucial for us to share our likes and dislikes, as well as to relieve any potential jealousy in a way where we can appreciate our individuality. It feels great to have someone with whom you can tell or share anything without being judged. I want my wife to stay with me because she wants to, not just because we're married. I make an effort for her to want to stay.   Matt, 49 Focus on the Positive We have a gentle ritual for our lovemaking that involves our taking about a half hour to create strong orgasms for both of us, that are usually within a minute or two of each other. As we embrace after the orgasms, we observe that our love is strong, our life is very good, and we are so glad for that. For us, great sex is as much about our loving acknowledgment of each other and our gratitude for our lives together, as it is about pleasure.   John, 75 Stay Spontaneous After 18 years, our romance and sex life are still spectacular. In the early years of our marriage romance was easy to come by. Now, having grown into a family and becoming more relaxed in our relationship, the best way to keep the romances is with committed communication and the occasional pleasant surprise. Using surprise gestures of appreciation , love, and sexuality are a big part of keeping our relationship exciting, fun, and spontaneous.   Sam, 52 Related video: ''Marriageology'- tips for a long-lasting marriage Related Articles: Latest 'Lion King' Reviews Say Disney Has Gone Too Far with Live-Action Remakes Here's Your Chance to Be Drawn Into 'Rick and Morty' 57 Beautiful Middle Names for Girls That Go With Everything Bronny James Pulle Off His Dad's Signature Windmill Dunk The post How Avoid a Sexless Marriage: 9 Tips From Happily Married Couples appeared first on Fatherly .


The New England Patriots lost two defensive play callers this offseason, with Brian Flores leaving for the Miami Dolphins and Greg Schiano stepping down after a very brief stint as defensive coordinator. That has left a void of responsibility. And while Bill Belichick has hired a handful of assistant coaches to help with the turnover, the coach may also take on the play calling duties , according to The Boston Globe's Ben Volin . Safety Duron Harmon doesn't seem worried about Belichick being rusty as a defensive play-caller. "I mean, coach Belichick, he's coach Belichick," Harrmon told reporters last week at Gillette Stadium . "If he's calling the plays, we're going to be all right." Harmon wouldn't officially confirm that Belichick is calling plays, however. But if he is, Harmon seems supremely confident. "This man was calling the defense for the Giants and they won two Super Bowls and coached Lawrence Taylor and stuff. I think if he's calling the plays, I think he'll be all right," Harmon said. Belichick may have had great success in New York during the 1980s, as Hamon mentioned, but he also called defensive plays for the Patriots in 2010. At that point, New England was transitioning between Dean Pees and Matt Patricia at defensive coordinator. MORE: This photo of Kyler Murray led to more speculation about his height Patriots will prove Super Bowl LIII shutdown defense was no fluke Breaking down Darnell Savage's skill set and fit in Packers defense Ex-Jets coach wonders what Adam Gase earned, thinks Gang Green took 'dunce' hat back from Giants NBA Free Agency 2019: The top players


There are few things for which people seem to share a universal passion. There are few things for which people seem to share a universal passion. Most people are likely to have at least some firmly held opinions about athletic teams, films, music or fashion. But there are few topics that elicit more zeal among enthusiasts than automobiles. People often become enchanted with automobiles after watching a movie featuring one of the most iconic cars in film history . And within that large community of car zealots is a sizeable subset of people who are obsessed with speed, which is why makers of some of the world s most exclusive driving machines are constantly pushing that envelope. The first road-legal production cars to hit speeds over 200 mph emerged in the mid-1980s ; today, all of the top 20 fastest road-legal sports cars in the market hit speeds well over that limit. These highly exclusive, often finicky, outrageously expensive, completely impractical, and downright dangerous supercars are so advanced that they re approaching   and sometimes exceeding   the limits of what tires can handle. Last year, Michelin said it s close to releasi ng a tire rated to 300 mph, but for now supercar top speeds are bound not by the limits of engines, body design, and materials, but rather current tire technology. Some cars, such as the Bugatti Chiron , are so fast that they re electronically speed-limited for safety purposes. Though these cars often gain worldwide acclaim as incredible feats of engineering, the danger and exorbitant prices associated with these vehicles make them inaccessible to the common man and keep them out of the pantheon of the most iconic cars in history . The following is a list of the top 20 fastest road-legal supercars that have been produced, tested and sold to (extremely wealthy) customers. We excluded supercars that have yet to be released, such as the Hennessey Venom F5 and the SCC Tuatara. Also excluded from the list are variations of the same model. For example, this list doesn t include the Koenigsegg CCX because the faster Koenigsegg CCXR is a tweaked successor of the CCX. Top speed may not be the best measure of what makes these cars so super   there are other factors, like aerodynamics, design, weight, torque, engine size, electronic innovation and acceleration   but being among the fastest road-legal sports cars is undeniably an elite, cherished space. Continue reading in the gallery above. 20. Lamborghini Aventador > Top speed: 217 mph The slow-poke of the world's fastest road-legal cars is also Lamborghini's current flagship supercar and second-fastest after the Veneno. While the Veneno took a bold style pivot, the Aventador is closer to the company's distinct design language. While it's slower than other speed racers, it's been praised for its corner-hugging performance and rear-steering system. 19. Ferrari Enzo > Top speed: 218 mph The Ferrari Enzo has the same top speed as the newer LaFerrari, but it takes longer to reach 60 mph. First released in 2002, the Enzo was the last Ferrari to forgo a thick layer of electronic controls that characterizes what's under the hood of the typical modern supercar. The car is named after the company's founder. ALSO READ: Most Iconic Cars in Film 18. Ferrari LaFerrari > Top speed: 218 mph Ferrari's fastest, most oddly named (literally translated as Ferrari TheFerrari) road-legal racer may not be the fastest on the list, but it has been described by Car and Driver as a "carefully orchestrated system of technologies" working together to produce a pristine road-hugging beast. It's also the Italian automaker's first hybrid, with its massive V12 engine working in harmony with a horsepower-boosting electric motor. 17. Aston Martin One-77 > Top speed: 220 mph Aston Martin's fastest road-legal car ties in top speed with the Apollo Arrow, but with significantly slower 0-60 acceleration -- 3.5 seconds compared to the Arrow's 2.9 seconds. But what the One-77 lacks, relatively speaking, in acceleration is more than made up in styling and interior comfort. ALSO READ: Most Iconic Cars From History 16. Apollo Arrow > Top speed: 220 mph The Apollo Arrow was made possible by a group of Hong Kong investors who in late 2015 purchased Gumpert, the supercar maker founded by Audi engineer Roland Gumpert. The company went bankrupt in 2013 and was rebranded to Apollo. Some estimates put the Arrow's top speed at 224 mph, but 220 mph is more commonly cited. 15. Lamborghini Veneno > Top speed: 221 mph Released in 2013 to much fanfare during Lamborghini's 50th anniversary, the Veneno is not just the fastest Lambo but also one marking a significant design departure from its predecessors. Veneno, which means "venom" in Spanish, is named after one of the fastest bulls in Spanish bullfighting history, one that killed a famous bullfighter in 1914. ALSO READ: Cars Americans Don't Want to Buy 14. Gumpert Apollo > Top speed: 224 mph The brainchild of former Audi engineer Roland Gumpert, the Apollo has been described as a no-frills supercar designed by inured engineers uninterested in supercar hype and vanity. The Apollo set a lap time record for road-legal racers in 2009 at the famous Nurburgring motorsport complex in Germany. Gumpert's company went bankrupt in 2013 and emerged under new ownership as Apollo. 13. Noble M600 > Top speed: 225 mph Dubbed the "Brit Bugatti Veyron beater" by BBC's "Top Gear," the Noble M600 is likened to the Ferrari F40 (top speed 201 mph) and the McLaren F1 (top speed 240 mph) in terms of performance and handling. Notably, the M600 has been praised for having race-car performance with simpler, more forgiving handling, at least by supercar standards. ALSO READ: 25 Most Expensive Cars to Insure 12. Zenvo ST1 > Top speed: 233 mph This Danish supercar may be one of the most exclusive on a list containing highly exclusive supercars. Since work began on Zenvo's first hypercar in 2007, only 15 of the cars had reportedly been produced by 2016. A newer version of the car, the TS1, has since been unveiled with the same top speed. 11. Pagani Huayra > Top speed: 238 mph AMG, the Mercedes' division of hand-built high-performance engines, provides the punch to this Italian-Argentinian (but mostly Italian) supercar decked out in weight- saving carbon fiber and titanium. The Huayra is the faster successor to the Pagani Zonda. ALSO READ: Cars So Hot They're Out of Stock 10. McLaren F1 > Top speed: 240 mph In 1998, the McLaren F1 became the world's fastest road-legal sports car. The British supercar has since dropped in the ranks but it still maintains a reputation for immense power and style. Famous McLaren F1 owners or former owners include Tesla Inc. co-founder Elon Musk, fashion icon Ralph Lauren and the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah. 9. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo > Top speed: 248 mph Racer-turned-businessman Steve Saleen followed up his Saleen S7, which debuted in 2000, with a more powerful twin turbo version in 2007. The top speed of the S7 TT rockets past the top speeds of Lamborghini's and Ferrari's fastest road-legal sports cars. The slower S7 (top speed 220 mph) was featured in the 2003 film "Bruce Almighty" starring Jim Carrey. ALSO READ: Most Iconic Cars in Film 8. Koenigsegg CCXR > Top speed: 249 mph The CCXR is the slower of the two Koenigsegg supercars on this list, and faster than the CCX version with its superior engine and aerodynamic tweaks. The CCX is no pushover, with a recorded top speed of 241 mph, but it seems a little unfair to include both versions on this list. 7. Aston Martin Valkyrie > Top speed: 250 mph Aston Martin's road-legal supercar is its fastest and most aerodynamic, designed to maximize stick-to-the-road downforce. The car was developed with the help of Adrian Newey, the renowned Formula One engineer. ALSO READ: Most Iconic Cars From History 6. SSC Ultimate Aero TT > Top speed: 256 mph From 2007 to 2010, Shelby Supercars wore the top-speed crown with its SSC Ultimate Aero Twin Turbo after beating out the Bugatti Veyron's top speed of 253 mph. The SSC Ultimate Aero TT based its customized engine on a on a Corvette 5.7 liter V8, producing over 1,000 lb-ft of torque and over 1,100 horsepower. 5. 9ff GT9-R > Top speed: 257 mph The German tuning house 9ff built just 20 GT9-Rs in 2008 before facing financial problems in 2013. The GT9-R is a modified Porsche 911 with a 1,120 hp mid-engine for better weight distribution and a lower roof to help keep the car stuck to the road. ALSO READ: Cars Americans Don't Want to Buy 4. Bugatti Chiron > Top speed: 261 mph Bugatti made a decision that proves top speed isn't the only factor in building a high-performance car. The German automaker electronically limits the Chiron's top speed to 236 mph, or 261 mph in "Top Speed Mode." The car is believed to be able to run at speeds near or over 300 mph -- though there does not seem to be a street-legal tire that can accommodate such speeds. 3. Bugatti Veyron Super Sport > Top speed: 268 mph In 2010, German supercar maker Bugatti reclaimed its title as the builder of the fastest street-legal sports car when its 1200 hp Veyron Super Sport hit an average of 267.8 mph in back-to-back runs in opposite directions. Unlike startup supercar manufacturers, Bugatti benefits from ownership by auto giant Volkswagen Group, providing the company access to immense resources. ALSO READ: 25 Most Expensive Cars to Insure 2. Hennessey Venom GT > Top speed: 270 mph In a 2014 run, the 1244 hp Hennessey Venom GT proved it was slightly faster than the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which was the fastest road-legal car at the time. Even though the car did eclipse 270 mph, the Guinness Book of World Records never considered the Venom the world's fastest road-legal car because of the way the speed test was conducted. 1. Koenigsegg Agera RS > Top speed: 278 mph In 2017, the 1360 hp Swedish-made Koenigsegg Agera RS raced to the top of the list of fastest road-legal cars when a driver hit an average 277.9 mph based on two consecutive runs in opposite directions: one run peaked at 284 mph and the other touched 272 mph. Both speeds were faster than any other car on this list. ALSO READ: Most Iconic Cars From History


Video by CBS Denver An 8.5-million-pound rock that fell from a ridge onto a Colorado highway will be turned into a landmark, Gov. Jared Polis announced. The rock will remain on Highway 145 between Cortez and Telluride, and the road will be rebuilt around it. The boulder, which is the size of a two-story building, tumbled from a cliff 2,000 feet above the roadway, CDOT officials said. Another smaller boulder also smashed into the road, carving a deep trench across the highway. The smaller rock has been blasted, and its fragments were carried away. The new landmark boulder will be dubbed "Memorial Rock," in honor of Memorial Day Weekend, when it fell, officials said. Leaving the boulder where it fell will save taxpayers around $200,000 in blasting and cleanup costs, Polis said. The Polis administration was filing federal paperwork for the landmark designation.


The mayor of Sandwich resigned Monday after he was one of nine people charged in a police investigation into soliciting a prostitute in LaSalle County last week. Mayor Rick A. Olson, 66, was charged Friday with solicitation of a sexual act in connection with a March 14 incident, according to online court records. City Clerk Denise Ii said she received his resignation but it still needs a notary to authorize his signature. Ii said the resignation letter will be read at Monday night's city council meeting at 7 p.m. Ii said the council will appoint a mayor pro-tem to run Monday's meeting. The city does not have a vice mayor. "Other than that, I don't know what we're going to do," Ii said. "I would venture to say they will call a special meeting and put their heads together." Olson was mayor since 2013 and before then served as the city's police chief for 16 years. His term expires in 2021. The investigation began after three women were arrested in December 2016 for prostitution, police said. The investigation lead to a second phase that targeted men who seek services using an undercover informant. "This investigation was aimed at deterring both parties involved in prostitution and highlight the dangers prostitutes and 'johns' face when they engage in such activity," LaSalle County Sheriff Tom Templeton said in a statement. "This undercover investigation focused on the link between prostitution and the use of illegal drugs in this area and the crimes that are directly related to it, such as robbery, battery, homicide, etc." The incidents took place March 14 and April 4 in Ottawa and Peru through an informant, police said in a news release. The men were interviewed and subsequently released on those dates. The nine men were each mailed a notice to appear in court May 31. The La Salle County sheriff's office and Tri-DENT Drug Task Force worked together with Ottawa and Peru police departments. Other people charged included a Peru hospital executive and a Putnam County public defender. Olson could not be immediately reached by phone or email. mejones@chicagotribune.com Twitter @MeganA_Jones


See that diaphanous cylinder of gas above? That's the Veil Nebula -- the supernova remnant of a star that exploded 5,000 to 8,000 years ago -- as captured by the Hubble telescope . This shot of the gossamery structure looks a lot more detailed compared to previous attempts, thanks to Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3, which used six fields of view for magnification. That's the same camera that was attached to the space telescope during its last servicing mission in 2009, and the same one used to take a clearer, haunting photo of the Pillars of Creation earlier this year. Each color represents a different type of gas (the hues were added during post-processing), with the blue parts being the hottest areas. The wispier, fainter filaments are also older than the brighter, sharper ones. Note that what you're seeing here is actually just a teensy portion of the supernova remnant in a region known as the "Witch's Broom Nebula," and the whole thing is actually much, much larger than this. Hubble Space Telescope


HOUSTON (AP) After missing a couple of chances to put the game away Sunday, the Houston Astros felt fortunate to finally close it out in the 10th inning. George Springer hit a game-ending, RBI single in the 10th and the Astros beat the Angels 11-10 Sunday after a violent collision at home plate knocked Los Angeles catcher Jonathan Lucroy out of the game. The Astros' Yuli Gurriel hit a grand slam to homer in his fifth straight game, and All-Star Ryan Pressly (2-1) allowed one hit in a scoreless 10th for the win. Josh Reddick led off Houston's 10th with a double off Taylor Cole (0-1) before Springer hit a ball to the right-center gap with one out to give Houston the victory. ''We left a lot of guys on base, but at the end of the day, we found a way to win it,'' Springer said. Mike Trout homered twice for the Angels, who watched Lucroy get carted off in the eighth inning after being bowled over by Jake Marisnick. Lucroy was taken to a hospital, and the team said he would get a CT scan and be evaluated for a concussion and nose fracture. ''It certainly didn't look like a clean play,'' Los Angeles manager Brad Ausmus said. ''I don't know what actually happened, but it looked like Marisnick took a step to the left and bowled into him with his arm up. The call was right. Really, I think Major League Baseball should probably take a look at it. Consider some type of suspension, quite frankly.'' The Astros loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Hansel Robles struck out Tyler White to send it to the 10th. There were runners at second and third with no outs in the eighth when rookie Yordan Alvarez sent them both home with a single to center to tie it at 10. The bases were loaded with one out when Marisnick attempted to score on a flyout by Springer. Marisnick crashed into Lucroy as he attempted to field the throw, and the catcher immediately fell on his back. He didn't move for a few seconds before struggling to sit up. Marisnick tagged home and then leaned over Lucroy to see if he was OK. He lifted his head off the ground a few seconds later as blood dripped from his nose. Angels players rushed to the plate as trainers checked on him. He was lifted to a sitting position after a couple of minutes and held a towel to his nose. He was then helped to a cart and taken off the field while clutching a bloodstained towel. Marisnick was called out for colliding with Lucroy and the call was upheld after a crew chief review to end the inning. ''I watched the play again and it looks - he just drops right in front of me and once I kind of made a decision it was too late,'' Marisnick said. ''It was a bad play and I hope he's OK.'' Trout has an American League-leading 28 home runs and set a franchise record for home runs before the All-Star break. Trout had a solo shot in the sixth before Gurriel's slam in the bottom of the inning tied it at 8. ''Yuli has been incredible,'' manager AJ Hinch said. ''I know he needs a little bit of rest at this break, but man I want to put him in the lineup tomorrow. He's doing such a good job of being clutch and getting good pitches to hit.'' There was one on in the eighth when Trout connected off Will Harris to straightaway center field to put Los Angeles on top. Trout, whose previous high before the break was 26 home runs, has hit six homers in the last five games. Ausmus marveled at what Trout's production in the last few weeks with he and the team dealing with the passing of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who was found dead in his hotel room on Monday. ''Considering what happened this week, it's kind of remarkable that he's been able to focus that much in the batter's box and be that hot,'' Ausmus said. Shohei Ohtani added a two-run home run for the Angels in a five-run third inning that gave them the lead. The Angels led by four after Trout's home run in the sixth inning. Gurriel has hit nine homers in his last 11 games to give him 14 this season after he finished with 13 last year. Tony Kemp put Houston up early with a two-run homer in the second. Lucroy had an RBI triple in the fifth to make it 7-2. TRAINER'S ROOM Angels: OF Justin Upton sat out for a fourth straight game with a tight quadriceps muscle, but he is expected to return after the All-Star break. Astros: RHPs Joe Smith (Achilles' tendon) and Brad Peacock (shoulder soreness) are both expected to make rehabilitation starts during the break and both could return soon after that. UP NEXT Angels: Los Angeles will resume play after the break on Friday in the opener of a three-game series against Seattle. Astros: Houston starts the second half on Thursday in the first of four games at Texas. --- More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports


Both the 49ers and Joe Staley realized this offseason they wanted to pursue an extension. The 49ers did so after watching the left tackle's 2018 film, while Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes Staley   once on the fence about playing into another decade   also decided he wanted to keep going. " We went back and watched it (Staley's film) in the offseason ," John Lynch said, " and it was even more impressive than we thought, so he earned it, first and foremost, by that. I think Joe is the perfect guy to say, 'Hey, we're also about taking care of our own.' We just had to have some of our own that we had that opportunity with, and when we've turned over the roster, we haven't had many opportunities. But Joe was one of those, and probably nobody deserves it more than him ." Talks accelerated last week, Maiocco adds, and although Staley's two-year extension was announced Wednesday night, the 34-year-old lineman agreed to a new deal on Monday. So any Mike McGlinchey -to-left tackle plans will be tabled for the foreseeable future. Here is more from the NFC West's warmer climates: The Rams recently made a positional adjustment. Before he went down with a season-nullifying torn ACL last summer, Morgan Fox was working as an outside linebacker. But the Rams are moving him back to defensive end, Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic tweets . Fox played 16 games in 2017, registering 2.5 sacks, and the Rams were intrigued by the prospect of the former UDFA as a rotational pass rusher. He'll now rejoin the defensive line group. No word has emerged from Los Angeles about the Rams working on a Jared Goff extension, and Albert Breer of SI.com expects the team to wait a year. The Rams are interested in extending Goff , however, and it would behoove them to do an extension before a near-$23M fifth-year option kicks in next season. It would also cost the Rams upwards of $30M in 2021 to tag their two-time Pro Bowl quarterback. While the Rams do have big expenses on this year's payroll   with Aqib Talib , Marcus Peters and Dante Fowler in contract years   the quarterback landscape will look different a year from now. Carson Wentz and the Eagles are moving toward a deal , and Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes may well be attached to long-term contracts by this time next year. Assuming he does not regress after making significant strides in 2018, Goff's price figures to go up. It might not be a great idea for late-round fliers on Cardinals tight ends in fantasy drafts. The Kliff Kingsbury-designed offense will use "a ton" of 10 personnel   four wide receivers, one running back   this season, Bob McManamon of the Arizona Republic notes . Texas Tech tight ends caught just four passes in 2018. The Cards still have Ricky Seals-Jones and added both Charles Clay and Maxx Williams this offseason. Arizona drafted three wide receivers, and if this is to be a modern-day version of some of the NFL's early-1990s run-and-shoot teams, it will be interesting to see if they keep three tight ends on their active roster.


Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man, sold roughly $2.8 billion worth of Amazon stock last week, securities filings show . Amazon's founder and CEO sold 1.5 million shares in the company from July 29 to Aug. 2, at a pace of about 200,000 to 320,000 shares per day. As he sold the stock, Amazon's share price fell about 6% over the course of last week. Amazon slipped another 3% yesterday, alongside a broader drop in the market after Donald Trump accused China of currency manipulation. Bezos didn't sell anywhere near that much in 2018, topping out at a sale of about 40,000 securities on Nov. 28. The greatest number of shares he's ever sold on a single day was about 1.85 million on Feb. 15, 2008, but of course Amazon is worth much more now. That sale in 2008 netted Bezos about $135 million, at a price of $73 a share. To cash out an equivalent amount today, Bezos would have to sell only about 7,600 shares. Although he has sold fewer shares recently, the transactions have generated far more cash for Bezos than before: It's unclear what plans Bezos has for his stock sales, and Amazon declined to comment to CNBC . One possibility is that Bezos is selling his sales to finance his space business, Blue Origin. Bezos said in 2017 that his "business model" for the company was to sell $1 billion worth of Amazon stock each year to fund it. Last year, Bezos reiterated that $1 billion-a-year commitment, telling Business Insider , "The only way that I can see to deploy this much financial resource is by converting my Amazon winnings into space travel." (Asked about any guilty spending pleasures, Bezos mentioned an "amazing trip" to celebrate the birthday of recently ex-wife MacKenzie Bezos. Plans change!) Another possibility is that Bezos will put some of that cash toward the Bezos Day One Fund, the charitable venture he announced in September 2018. Or, maybe he just needs cash to pay the bills. Bezos spent about $80 million on three apartment units on New York City's Fifth Avenue in June, the Wall Street Journal reported . Meanwhile, his divorce from MacKenzie, finalized in early July, shaved $38 billion off his personal fortune. That was enough to make her one of the richest women in the world, without threatening the Amazon CEO's position at the top of the rich list, with a fortune currently valued at around $110 billion. Related video: Amazon is 25 years old today, here's how much has changed for Jeff Bezos (provided by CNBC)


San Antonio has no rain in the forecast for the next few days, with light rainfall expected later in the week, according to the seven-day forecast from drone-powered weather service Saildrone . Sunday's forecast shows the highest chance of rain at 71 percent, with predicted rainfall of 0.04 inches. The next few days will also bring hot temperatures, expected to last through Wednesday. The weather will bring a high temperature of 99 degrees on Friday. Skies will be cloudy today and partly cloudy Friday through Saturday. Winds will remain fairly calm over the course of the week, with the highest speeds on Wednesday at only 11 mph. This story was created automatically using Saildrone's local weather forecast data, then reviewed by an editor. We also incorporate historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


White House trade advisor Peter Navarro said China plans to devalue its currency   and if it does, the U.S. will respond forcefully. "Clearly, they are manipulating their currency from a trade point of view," Navarro told CNBC's "Closing Bell " on Friday. "They're going to, and we're going to take strong action against them." Earlier this week, China allowed its currency to drop against the dollar to a key level unseen since 2008. The Trump administration later labeled Beijing a "currency manipulator. " Navarro said China was taking actions to deal with the effects of tariffs. "China has devalued its currency by over 10% with the express purpose of neutralizing tariffs, full stop," Navarro said. Last week, President Donald Trump abruptly ended a cease-fire with China by announcing 10% tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, claiming China failed to buy U.S. farm goods as it promised. The trade war continued to boil over this week as China announced it would stop buying American agricultural products in retaliation for Trump's surprise tariffs threat. Navarro said that every American farmer will be "made whole" and "will not be hurt by China." He also insisted that China, not U.S. consumers, will suffer financially because of tariffs. "China will bear virtually the entire burden of that through the currency manipulation and by slashing prices," he said. "China is the one that suffers far more harm than what might be inflicted on us." Over the next couple of months, Navarro said White House officials plan to have Chinese negotiators back to the U.S. for trade talks. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.


The Golden State Warriors are in a 3-1 hole heading into tonight's NBA Finals Game 5 in Toronto. The Warriors - who came up short in their attempts to beat the Raptors in the regular season even once with Kevin Durant - have been lost and out of sorts, struggling to contend without him. Durant hasn't played since the semifinals series against the Houston Rockets when he went down with a calf strain that turned out to be more serious than originally thought. He missed the rest of the Rockets series and all of the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. Finally, he was healthy enough to attempt a scrimmage on Thursday, but it reportedly did not go well . Yet, what a difference four days make. According to Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle and Monte Poole of NBC Sports, Durant is expected to play tonight, with Letourneau confirming that "Durant is expected to be a full-go." Poole, meanwhile, reported that the Warriors are continuing to list Durant as a "game-time decision," but that "multiple league sources" confirmed to him Durant will be "a full go." No surprise here, but I can confirm that Durant is expected to be a full-go https://t.co/Y49dh1O2rq - Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) June 10, 2019 The Warriors certainly need Durant's services to have a chance against the ferocious Raptors who now can taste blood and are poised for the kill and their franchise's first championship. Can the Warriors muster the magic of old to keep their three-peat chances alive in hostile territory? Game 5 tips off from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto just after 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC. MORE: NHL fans weren't impressed with Mike Milbury's questions for Pam from 'The Office' Bears believe Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a better player than Adrian Amos Brian Gaine's failure in Houston has a lesson for the Lions and Bob Quinn TE Darren Waller has the most to gain during Raiders' training camp Bears believe Clinton-Dix is an upgrade over Amos


One of the leading contenders to replace Theresa May as Britain's next prime minister has admitted to using cocaine two decades ago. Environment Secretary Michael Gove, who is among the frontrunners to succeed May after she resigned as Conservative Party leader on Friday, said he regretted it. "About 20 years ago before I was married, I did take drugs," he told the Daily Mail, adding it happened "on several occasions at social events". "It was something I deeply regret. Drugs damage lives... it was a mistake." The 51-year-old Tory MP said he was "a young journalist" when he decided to take cocaine, and that he had not envisaged going into politics at the time. "I look back and I think, 'I wish I hadn't done that.' But I don't believe that past mistakes disqualify you," he added. "Obviously it will be for my colleagues in parliament and members of the Conservatives Party to decide now if I should be leader." May stepped down as Conservative leader on Friday and formally triggered the race for a successor -- currently being contested by Gove and 10 other MPs -- but will remain prime minister until a new leader is chosen. The leader of the party, which won the most seats at the last general election in 2017, automatically becomes prime minister. The battle is expected to conclude by the end of next month, with former foreign secretary Boris Johnson the bookmakers' favourite to emerge victorious. Johnson, an ex-London mayor, has previously suggested he may also have tried to use cocaine, but later denied he had actually taken the drug. Several other candidates, including current foreign minister Jeremy Hunt and ex-Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, have owned up to using cannabis in their younger days.