This article tells the stories of 30 courageous K-9 companions, using information collected from internet sources. Stacker used stories about military dogs, therapy dogs, police dogs, and pet dogs. Throughout U.S history, many courageous canines have accompanied their owners through the worst of times, fearlessly followed their handlers into war, or managed to become heroes all on their own. Most importantly, dogs have demonstrated over and over their ability to save, improve, and impact humanity in countless ways. There are currently about 2,500 dogs on active duty in the U.S. military, half a million service dogs in the country, and an entire branch of law enforcement that trains K-9 police dogs to serve and protect. When the World Trade Center fell to a terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001, more than 300 search and rescue dogs rose to the occasion, risking their lives to save victims from the rubble. Stacker scoured the internet for local news, personal stories, and historical accounts of canine companions who proved themselves to be loyal, patient, and brave in some of history's most trying moments. Whether on the battlefields of the Civil War or in modern living rooms , these dogs have helped make our country a better place. Cappy Cappy was a Doberman pinscher who saved the lives of more than 250 U.S. Marines during the Battle of Guam in 1944. Standing guard over the soldiers as they slept, he alerted them to a group of Japanese soldiers about to attack. Cappy was memorialized with a bronze statue on top of the World War II War Dog Memorial, and the first to be buried in the National War Dog Cemetery on Guam. Balto The lead dog in the final stretch of the seven-day serum run to Nome in 1925, Balto was one of the Siberian huskies responsible for getting the victims of an epidemic the medicine they needed. The famous serum run in which extreme weather conditions forced officials to rely on dog sleds to deliver diphtheria antitoxin to the town of Nome, Alaska is commemorated by the Iditarod Race. An animated film about Balto was produced in 1995 and a statue is dedicated to him in New York City's Central Park. Togo Like Balto, Togo had a massive impact on the life-saving serum run to Nome in 1925. Togo was the lead dog on the longest and most dangerous leg of the run, traveling 261 through below-zero temperatures and low visibility. While he was initially considered an underdog in his mischievous youth by his handler, the Siberian husky went on to become one of the dogs most responsible for saving the lives of thousands of people in the Alaska town. Rags When two U.S. soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division stumbled across a stray dog initially believed to a be a small pile of rags in the streets of Paris, they couldn't have known just how special that terrier mutt would become. Rags quickly went from being a simple mascot to becoming part of the infantry, functioning as an early warning system for incoming mortar attacks and delivering messages across enemy lines. Toward the end of World War I, both Rags and his handler, Jimmy Donovan, were injured in a mustard gas attack. Donovan never recovered, but Rags was there to comfort him when he died in 1919. Smoky A tiny 4-pound Yorkshire terrier found in the New Guinea jungle during World War II, Smoky wasn't a typical war dog. Nevertheless, she is credited with saving 250 soldiers and 40 planes by helping to run telephone wire through a pipe to get messages out. She also survived air raids, typhoons, and numerous combat missions with her owner Corporal William Wynne. However, her most important work was yet to come. After Wynne noticed the profound healing affect Smoky had on the other soldiers, he decided to train her to entertain and comfort, making her one of the first war therapy dogs in U.S history. Bretagne A rescue dog who worked to retrieve victims of the Sept. 11, 2011, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Bretagne spent her entire life helping people until her death at age 16. After the 9/11 rescue mission where she worked at Ground Zero for 12 hours a day for 10 days straight Bretagne continued to be a valued member of Texas Task Force 1 and the Cy-Fair Volunteer Fire Department. She also served as a rescue dog for victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Even after retirement at the ripe old age of 9, the golden retriever demonstrated search techniques at community events and worked at a local elementary school once a week to help children practice their reading. Stubby Known fondly across the internet as "Sgt. Stubby," Stubby was a mixed-breed who showed up on a Connecticut training field and somehow found his way to France on a military ship during World War I. He became the ultimate service dog to troops in the 102nd Infantry Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, running through trenches to warn soldiers about gas attacks, loyally sitting next to the wounded until medics arrived, and just generally brightening the mood during the horrific times of war. Stubby returned home to a hero's welcome, marching in parades, meeting three presidents, and eventually inspiring a 2018 animated movie. Bobbie Bobbie was a collie and English shepherd mix who incredibly found his way home over 2,500 miles away. The family dog went missing during a vacation in Indiana in 1923, and after searching and putting up fliers, his owners returned home heartbroken. Six months later, Bobbie showed up in his family's town of Silverton, Ore., having crossed the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide on paws in the middle of winter. Duke A mixed-breed rescue dog from Connecticut, Duke was credited with saving the life of his owner's 9-week-old baby after she stopped breathing in the middle of the night in 2012. His owners say the family pet woke them by jumping on their bed and shaking uncontrollably; they immediately knew something was wrong. After checking on the baby and discovering she wasn't breathing, the owners called 911. Paramedics came and revived the baby, and she made a full recovery. Midnight Midnight was brought to New York City as a Louisiana refugee of Hurricane Katrina and adopted by the superintendent of a 19th-century building. Years later, Midnight was again affected by a storm this time Hurricane Sandy which knocked out power and water to over 1,000 of her neighbors. The dog quickly became an essential part of a civilian team that carried water and food across the street to the people stuck in their buildings. Jake Jake was severely injured and completely alone when Mary Flood found him on the streets. A member of Utah Task Force 1, Flood was determined to turn the 10-month-old black Labrador stray into a world-class rescue dog. Jake became one of the 200 government-certified, full-time rescue dogs in the country, and spent the rest of his life rescuing victims of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, traveling the country to help train young rescue dogs, and doing therapy work at hospitals and senior homes. Chips In 1943, Chips became the only war dog to win a Silver Star, the third-highest medal of honor for bravery in combat in the U.S. military. (It was later taken away after controversy over whether a dog should receive the same decorations as humans.) He was also nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross and a Purple Heart. On July 10, 1943, during World War II, Chips charged into an enemy hut during a battle with Italian gun crewmen, forcing enemy soldiers to surrender. That same day, the mixed-breed dog helped sniff out and capture 10 more enemy soldiers, despite a severe injury. Sinbad Named after Sinbad the sailor, this small mixed-breed was smuggled aboard a U.S. Coast Guard ship by a young boatswain's mate. Sinbad was named chief dog of the USCGC Campbell and proved himself at sea through battles and attacks from German submarines, one of which left the ship damaged but still afloat. Sinbad remained on deck for the entire fight, and the ship remained safe throughout his tenure aboard. Dakota Not only was Dakota a valuable search and rescue dog, but she was also a hero for her breed. In 2003, when pit bull bans were becoming more common in the United States, Dakota was chosen by FEMA and NASA to serve her country during a recovery mission for the Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003. For 10 days straight, Dakota and her handler worked tirelessly to help bring home the remains of the U.S. astronauts who perished in the accident. Buddy In 1927, a man named Morris Frank learned of an American woman training the first seeing-eye dogs in Switzerland to assist blind veterans. Determined to bring the practice to the United States, Frank traveled to Switzerland to train his dog Buddy, a German shepherd who would become the first formally trained seeing-eye dog in the United States. Buddy and Frank worked to establish The Seeing Eye in 1929, the first official guide dog school and the oldest one in the country. Seaman The pet Newfoundland of Meriwether Lewis (of the famous duo Lewis and Clark), Seaman was a member of the first American expedition across the northwestern United States from 1804 to 1806. The most famous story describes Seaman saving the entire team by attacking a buffalo bull that had charged through the camp at night. He was the only animal to complete the trip acting as a guard and hunting dog throughout his adventures and is memorialized with statues across the United States from Illinois to Oregon. Owney Owney was the first official U.S. Postal Service dog and mascot. Throughout the 19th century, the mutt rode mail trains with postal workers and was considered a good luck charm, as no train he boarded ever crashed. Owney made his first international trip in 1895, traveling as a mail carrier companion from Asia to Europe by both train and steamship. His taxidermized body is on display in the National Postal Museum, and his likeness is featured on a Forever Stamp. Velvet In the middle of a snowstorm on Oregon's famous Mount Hood, three climbers were injured and became stranded after falling. Their dog, Velvet, a black Labrador, lay across their bodies while they slept, keeping them warm enough to survive the night. They were found by rescuers at 7,400 feet the next day and made a full recovery. Rescuers said the climbers probably wouldn't have survived without the warmth of Velvet, who also made it out alive. Nemo One night during the Vietnam War, Nemo who'd been stationed there by the U.S. Air Force in 1966 alerted his handler to nearby enemy soldiers. Though wounded by enemy gunshots, Nemo continued to fight the soldiers and protect his handler by lying on top of his body. A year later, the German shepherd became the first sentry dog to officially retire from active duty. Apollo Apollo worked in the Canine Special Operations Division for the New York Police Department from the time he was 2, eventually becoming part of the city's first K-9 Urban Search and Rescue team. On 9/11, the German shepherd and his handler arrived on the scene at the World Trade Center just 15 minutes after the South Tower collapsed. They continued to work 18-hour days for weeks, earning Apollo several medals of honor. Bella and Sadie After their owner suffered a severe stroke alone at home, Labrador retrievers Bella and Sadie ran across the street to find help. Within minutes, the two dogs were able to catch the attention of a neighbor who called 911, leading to the owner's survival. Everything was captured on the door bell camera, from the heroic dogs returning with the neighbor to the arrival of the paramedics. Chopper Boston terrier Chopper, aka Chopper the Biker Dog, is a therapy dog working in San Diego, Calif. He's known for showing up to hospital jobs on the back of his handler's Harley Davidson motorcycle, wearing a tiny biker vest. One of the most memorable stories about Chopper involves a car accident victim, who began to move and wake from a coma after several visits with the passionate therapy dog. Judge An arson K-9 from Pennsylvania, Judge is responsible for helping to lower arson numbers in his city of Allentown. Since the yellow Labrador began his service in the Allentown Fire Department, the number of arson fires has dropped by more than 50%. Judge has worked on over 275 fire scenes and participated in 500 fire safety demonstrations and programs. His biggest moment came when he found evidence that led to a criminal arson arrest. Ruby Ruby was taken back to the pound on four occasions and scheduled to be euthanized before the Rhode Island State Police adopted her in 2011. She was simply too much to handle for the average family, but a dog trainer who worked at the pound saw something special in her and recommended her for the K-9 training program. Fast forward to October 2017, and Ruby and her handler were assigned to a successful mission to find a missing teenager. It turned out to be the son of the trainer who'd recommended Ruby to the police force. Bud Nelson In 1903, a Vermont doctor became the first man to drive across the United States and he took his dog, Bud Nelson, along. Bud became the first dog to travel cross-country by car, braving vehicle breakdowns, dust, and dirt. (Cars were all open-air and not 100% mechanically sound back then.) When the trip started to gain attention, other car manufacturers joined in, making it a race to finish within 90 days. But Bud and his owner were victorious. Lex A bomb-sniffing Marine dog stationed in Iraq, Lex was caught in a mortar attack with his handler. Lex survived, his beloved handler did not, and the dog refused to leave his side; the German shepherd eventually had to be dragged away from the body by fellow soldiers. Lex was two years from retirement and had served two tours in Iraq, but his young handler's family fought to bring him home early, so he could retire and live the rest of his life in comfort with the family of his fallen soldier. Rin Tin Tin During the height of World War I, a U.S. soldier came across a destroyed dog kennel in the middle of a German battlefield. Inside was a dog that had somehow survived. The German shepherd came back to California with the soldier after fighting ended and went on to become Rin Tin Tin, the famous silent-movie canine actor and entertainer. Sallie Ann Jarrett The Civil War mascot who miraculously survived one of the bloodiest battles in American history, Sallie Ann Jarrett was as brave as she was special. During the infamous Battle of Antietam, soldiers tried to keep Sallie far from the front lines, but she refused to stay behind, choosing instead to bark bravely at the enemy. Sallie Ann Jarrett who was " a pug-nosed brindle bull terrier "   is memorialized with a bronze statue at the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry monument at Gettysburg, where she is depicted keeping guard at the feet of a soldier. Cairo A canine U.S. Navy Seal, Cairo was assigned to one of the most famous missions in recent history the raid that captured Osama bin Laden. The Belgian Malinois was responsible for securing the border of the house during the raid, with the added tasks of sniffing out bombs and attacking hostile enemies if needed. Equipped with a Kevlar vest and night-vision camera, Cairo proved himself a valuable member of the successful team. Zenit While serving with the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan in 2011, Zenit's handler was hit by an IED and required the amputation of both legs. The loyal German shepherd didn't leave his handler's side while he received medical attention, despite the threat of further explosives. The happy ending came years later when Zenit was reunited with the Marine to live out their retirements together.


Yemen's government on Sunday accused rebels of a "policy of deception" after they announced a pullout from a string of Red Sea ports in a long-delayed move agreed under a ceasefire deal last year. The docks serve as a lifeline for millions in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula country, which has been pushed to the brink of famine by more than four years of devastating war. According to the United Nations, the Huthi insurgents began to withdraw from the ports of Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Issa on Saturday. The pullback is considered a first step in implementing a hard-won truce agreement for Hodeida struck in Sweden in December between Yemen's Saudi-backed government and the Iran-aligned Huthi rebels. The flashpoint city is the main entry point for Yemen's imports and humanitarian aid. But government officials cast doubts over the handover process, saying it was unclear who was taking control of the ports, and experts said it was too soon to say if the move represented genuine progress. "The (Sweden) agreement is very difficult to execute because the lines are blurry and each side interprets it the way it wants to," said Yemen expert Farea al-Muslimi, a visiting fellow at the London-based Chatham House think tank. "Overall, the next two weeks will show if this is a handover or a yet another hangover," he told AFP. - 'Theatrical play' - Yemen's information minister accused the rebels of faking the pullout. "What the Huthi militia did is a repeated theatrical play of handing over control of the port to its own forces (in different uniforms)," Moammer al-Eryani tweeted on Sunday. "This shows its continued manipulation and evasion to implement the Sweden agreement... by adopting a policy of deception." The governor of Hodeida, Al-Hasan Taher, said Saturday the insurgents were merely reshuffling personnel. "The Huthis are staging a new ploy by handing over the ports of Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Issa to themselves without any monitoring by the United Nations and the government side," said the official, appointed by the internationally recognised government. "This is totally rejected by us, and the agreement must be implemented in full, especially with regards to the identity of the troops that will take over from the Huthis," he added. Sources close to the Huthis said the ports were handed over to coastguard personnel who were in charge before the rebels took over Hodeida almost five years ago. - 'Potential breakthrough' - According to Adam Baron, a Yemen expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, the Huthi withdrawal represents a "potential breakthrough". "That being said, it remains to be seen how significant it can truly be," he told AFP. "Trust between both parties borders on non-existent, something that continues to hamper any efforts toward deconfliction. "Even an implementation of the deal only signals progress on one part of the deal and one aspect of the conflict. It's key to remember that Yemen is not Hodeida and even amidst the relative calming there, the conflict continues to burn." The UN Security Council is due to hear a briefing on Hodeida on Wednesday -- a day after the rebel withdrawal is expected to be completed. Last year's deal was hailed as a breakthrough that offered the best chance so far of ending the war in Yemen, where a coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is fighting on the government's side. But although the violence has largely stopped in Hodeida, there have been intermittent clashes and the promised redeployment of the warring parties away from the front lines has failed to materialise. A peace deal for the rest of the country also remains elusive. "The agreement in Sweden only stopped the fighting in Hodeida, the challenge is to turn it into an all-inclusive national agreement," said Muslimi. The military coalition led by Riyadh intervened in March 2015 when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled into exile in Saudi Arabia after the rebels captured swathes of the country. Yemen's conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, many of them civilians, relief agencies say. The fighting has triggered what the UN describes as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with 24.1 million -- more than two-thirds of the population -- in need of aid.


Former MotoGP rider Scott Redding took his first victory in the British Superbike champion in the fifth race of the season at Donington Park. Redding had lined up second on the grid, but was initially only fighting for fifth as his Paul Bird Motorsport teammate Josh Brookes led the way. But as Brookes started to lose positions, he had a highside coming out of Goddards, leaving Tommy Bridewell and Tarran Mackenzie to fight for the lead. Redding, however, soon closed the gap and passed both riders to head the last five laps of the race and win by 0.824s over Mackenzie. Redding joined BSB after five years in MotoGP, his premier-class stint ending with a disastrous season with Aprilia. But the 26-year-old has enjoyed a competitive start to life in BSB with Ducati, finishing third on his debut and taking two top-five finishes at Oulton Park. With his win, Redding is now up to third in the championship, 19 points behind leader Mackenzie. Former World Superbike regular Xavi Fores celebrated his maiden podium in the series in the same race, while ex-MotoGP rider Hector Barbera finishing sixth on his Kawasaki on what was his series debut. BSB will hold two more races on Sunday, with Redding starting eighth in the former.


Talk to almost any business leader today and they will describe their companies as technology firms first and a provider of a particular product or service second. With that new reality, personnel offices are scouring all available sources of tech talent, from university computer programs in places like Ann Arbor and East Lansing to their current non-tech workers who wish to develop new skills. And to fill that gap, for-profit schools that teach software code writing have become an important new player in the field. A new one, Tech Elevator, just opened its Detroit school within the TechTown business center at Wayne State, where it's conducting its first classes this summer. Another coding school known as Grand Circus opened in 2013 with investment from businessman Dan Gilbert's Detroit Venture Partners; in a little over six years at its site in the Broderick Tower on Grand Circus Park, the school has graduated more than 1,500 students and now trains about 400 a year. The classes teach code languages like Java, JavaScript, and C# (pronounced C-sharp) in classes amount to a full-time job for about three months   eight hour days in class plus homework and team projects on top of that. It's a demanding schedule, and it's not cheap. Tech Elevator charges tuition of $15,500, while Grand Circus charges $9,750. Students pay in various ways, out of personal savings, with student loans, or in some cases getting scholarships. But the demand for tech talent is so unrelenting, and the financial rewards for tech workers increasingly lucrative, that coding schools like Tech Elevator and Grand Circus are easily filling their classes. "There is definitely a war on (for) technology talent," said Kristina Kolbas, senior vice president of technology for Quicken Loans, which fills hundreds of technology openings each year. "Our approach here at Quicken Loans is we try to diversify and explore many different avenues to find talent." Added Mike Malloy, Quicken's chief people officer: "We are constantly hiring. We are always looking for talent, particularly in the technology realm. These are very good paying jobs and run the gamut." Diverse backgrounds The classes attract students with many different backgrounds. Heidi Gray, 27, taking classes at Tech Elevator this summer, grew up near Flint where her father was both a farmer and an auto assembly line worker. Interested in film, she worked in Los Angeles for a few years as a production assistant on TV shows like "Top Chef" and "Biggest Loser." Dissatisfied with that field, she traveled the world for a year as a Christian missionary before finding her way back home and to Tech Elevator classes. "I think the problem I ran into was when I started out in the film industry, I didn't set goals for myself," she said. "My only goal was to make it, survive. After that I began to evaluate, is this what I really want? I found myself not really being challenged by it anymore. That's something that's very important to me. I always want to continue to learn and to grow in my industry." Jerry Yono, 28, was born in Detroit and now lives in Novi. Initially hoping for a medical career, he had some medical challenges that derailed him on that path. So he worked in real estate for awhile and became a high school admissions counselor. A brother who does software for the StockX sneaker exchange encouraged him to consider a tech career. Like Gray, he had felt somewhat adrift. "As I looked through my life, I had built up these intellectual skills I felt were not being utilized," he said. "And I saw tech as a way to both utilize those skills, to build a better life for myself and my family, and also use tech to help others." Both students say the arduous schedule is worth it. "We're putting in 12 hours a day, sometimes more," Yono said. "But it's exciting to see the improvement." More: Study reveals surprising results about Detroit gentrification More: The short life of the Palace of Auburn Hills represents colossal waste of resources Anthony Hughes, CEO of Tech Elevator, said that diversity of students is a signal that so many people are seeking a more fulfilling career. "We've had folks who were landscapers, bartenders, accountants, white-collar workers," he said. "The common attribute for all of them is that they recognized that their careers are flatlining. They see these opportunities in technology all around them. But there's this hurdle that they can't get over. So it's about acquiring technology skills and getting an on-ramp into the field. " Soft skills, too Learning code languages like Java, JavaScript, or C# is only part of the curriculum at schools like Grand Circus and Tech Elevator. Throughout their three months' training, students undergo coaching in the soft skills of interviewing and communicating with others. Nicole Choinski, who runs the career pathway program at Tech Elevator, helps students write resumes, touch up their Linkedin profiles, and go through mock interviews. She lines up companies like Duo Security, Quicken Loans, GE Aviation and others to meet with students. She hosts a matchmaking event at graduation for students to have a series of speed-dating job interviews with employers. "It's all about that soft-skill development," Choinski said. "From there, we see the offers start to come in." One of the strengths of the coding schools like Tech Elevator and Grand Circus is that they try to focus on current industry needs to ensure that jobs are out there for their graduates. "We try to organize the curriculum and the classes around where the jobs are," Damien Rocchi, CEO of Grand Circus, said. "We spend a lot of time with employers understanding what's in demand." Because of that, the career counseling and soft-skills training becomes as important as learning to code itself. "When you get into computer programming," Yono said, "one of the most important things is learning how to communicate with people. You can't just put your headphones in and just code for nine hours a day." Michigan's next direction Tech workers once toiled mainly at software or computer companies. But the demand for their skills is now all but universal. And that has important implications for a state like Michigan that is still redefining itself in the post-industrial era. "If you think about it, every company is an IT company," Damien Rocchi, CEO of Grand Circus, said. "If you look at the automotive industry you often hear them talk about themselves as IT businesses that make cars. The demand for IT or tech skills is just everywhere." So if coding schools like Tech Elevator and Grand Circus did nothing more than speed career changers like Gray and Yono on their new path, they would be delivering a valuable service. But Choinski of Tech Elevator says it goes well beyond individuals. Coding schools have become part of the answer to what Michigan itself does next. "Michigan had this brain drain issue and this skills-gap issue," Choinski said. "People are excited to meet someone who is doing something to rectify it." Contact John Gallagher at 313-222-5173 or gallagher@freepress.com . Follow him on Twitter @jgallagherfreep . Read more on business and sign up for our business newsletter . This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Coding schools in Detroit filling insatiable demand for tech workers


WASHINGTON   A relatively small number of citizens can grab a member of Congress's attention through social media, says a report released Wednesday. Less than 30 posts responding to a lawmaker's Facebook or Twitter communication is enough to cause a congressional office to take heed of the public feedback, according to 80% of congressional staffers who took part in a survey by the non-partisan Congressional Management Foundation. More than a third of the congressional aides surveyed said it would take less than 10 posts on social media for their office to pay attention to what people were saying about their boss's statements or actions on an issue. "The results are rather astonishing," said Brad Fitch, the foundation's president and CEO. "Most Americans think you have to be a special interest group with a big campaign involving hundreds of people to be heard by Congress. But this shows that a couple dozen people can make a big impact by weighing in on a member's Twitter or Facebook page." The results are not surprising to Sherri Greenberg, a former Texas state lawmaker now teaching at University of Texas at Austin who has done research on social media and Congress. "When I served in the Texas House of Representatives, I always told people, 'Your communication matters,' " said Greenberg. "If you take the time to participate, you will be heard. This is just a different medium." Part of the reason for social media's impact is the individualized nature of the communication, Fitch said. "There is an authenticity and immediacy about social media that is unique," he said, especially when congressional offices are used to getting thousands of identical emails pre-written by special interest groups. Greenberg said she often advised constituents to personalize their communications whenever possible. "Even if you just write something personal onto a pre-written email from a group you support, it adds something of value," she said. "It's not just another form letter." People who post on social media "have more power than other citizens," Fitch said. "But so does the citizen who goes to the town hall meeting or who happens to be in Piggly Wiggly with a member of Congress in line in front of them," he said. "Anybody who chooses to participate in the debate is going to have more power than those who don't." The people who get the most attention on social media are those who respond fastest to a post from a member of Congress about a vote, action or opinion, the survey results show. More than 50% of the congressional aides who responded to the survey said they review social media reactions for up to six hours after a lawmaker's original post on Facebook or Twitter. The level of interest dropped precipitously for reactions posted after 72 hours. "It plays into the whole 24/7 news cycle," Greenberg said. "The speed and ease of the communication is the whole point of Twitter and other social media." The biggest frustration for congressional offices is that it can be hard to tell whether a tweet or Facebook post is coming from someone who lives in a senator's home state or a House member's district. Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents said that most social media postings don't provide enough information for them to determine if the opinions are from a constituent. Lawmakers typically care more about feedback from their own constituents than they do from residents of other states or congressional districts. The results are based on two online surveys conducted in July and August 2014. One survey was answered by House and Senate communications directors while the other was answered by legislative directors and assistants. A total of 116 congressional aides took the survey. Most of them   83%   worked in the House, and 55% worked for Democrats.


Whatever your goals are, whether it's weight loss, becoming a faster runner or biker, or purely to look good in your jeans, the deadlift is one exercise you need in your workout routine. CSCS-certified trainer Audra Wilson, who also happens to be a registered dietitian, said, "I would recommend strength-training exercises that use major muscle groups for weight loss." She added that deadlifts not only target the legs and butt, but they're actually a compound move that also calls upon the back, abs, and upper body for support. "All compound exercises are excellent for fat loss. You will build muscle on your entire body , and your metabolism will increase in the long run," added ACE-certified trainer Rachel MacPherson. Eventually as you get stronger, you're able to lift very heavy weights when deadlifting, and Rachel said "the effort required to do this will increase your heart rate and metabolism and burn fat ." The basic deadlift is also a functional movement because there will be plenty of instances in life where lifting something off the ground safely is necessary, like rearranging your living room furniture for the umpteenth time, picking up a baby or a pet, or hoisting that case of Pellegrino wine off the palate and into your Costco cart . There are many variations of this functional exercise; check out these deadlift variations to see how the popular Romanian deadlift differs from the basic deadlift described below. If you're new to strength training, or you don't have access to a barbell, you can do deadlifts with dumbbells or holding a kettlebell . Whatever weight you use, focus on form first with light weights, then gradually increase the weight as you're ready. Deadlift Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Push your butt back as you bend your knees, grasping the barbell with your hands just outside the hips, with the shoulders slightly in front of the bar. Have both palms facing you, or if it feels more comfortable (or you're lifting very heavy), turn one palm facing out. Keep your back straight, not curved or arched. Your chest should be parallel with the floor. Stand up, raising the hips and shoulders at the same time, lifting the barbell off the floor so the bar moves over the middle of both feet. Keep the heels down and make sure to fully extend the hips and knees to straighten the legs. This completes one rep. (VIDEO) Having a desk job has led the average person to gain this much weight (Buzz60)


Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has admitted he would have considered stepping aside last month, had his side been able to win the Champions League final against Liverpool. Spurs brought an impressive season to an end as they contested first ever final in the competition against the Reds in Madrid, and were it not for a contentious early penalty decision and some first-class goalkeeping from Alisson Becker, it could easily have been Pochettino, and not Jurgen Klopp, who lifted the trophy. As it happens, the Argentine feels there is a job left unfinished in north London, but feels as if that had his side won the most prestigious trophy in club football, that may have changed his outlook - for the club's benefit and his own. "When you touch the glory, you behave differently, the players behave differently, the challenge becomes different," Pochettino said, as quoted by the BBC . "If the result had been different, maybe you can think it is a moment to step out of the club and give it a possibility for a real new chapter with a new coaching staff. "But, to finish like this? I am not a person who won't face problems or avoids difficult situations." When a reporter suggested that some coaches may take the opposite view, Pochettino added: "I agree with you, but I know Tottenham . It is not the same as another club. "Myself and the coaching staff are not the same, no better or worse, just different. That is a normal mindset but we are getting results with ours." Ultimately, it was another instance of flying too close to the sun for Spurs in Madrid, but having added new number 28 Tanguy Ndombele to their ranks, Pochettino will feel his side are well-placed to build on last season's 'dark horse' status and put up a fight on all fronts once again.


For the first time in several years, a first-round pick has accepted below the standard maximum of 120% of his rookie scale amount, tweets Jeff Siegel of Early Bird Rights. According to Siegel, No. 30 overall pick Kevin Porter Jr. will only earn 80% of his rookie scale amount during his first season before getting 120% of that amount in years two through four. The rookie scale amount this year for the No. 30 pick is $1,613,700, so Porter's expected salary for his rookie season would have been $1,936,440. Instead, he'll get just $1,290,960, according to Siegel. While this is just speculation, it seems likely that the Cavaliers would have checked in with Porter and his agent before drafting him to see if he'd be okay with that reduced first-year salary, given how rare it is. Porter, the final pick in the first round, will still earn significantly more than the rookie minimum of $898K that many early second-rounder selections will receive, while the Cavs, who are up against the luxury-tax line, will put themselves in better position to avoid potential repeater penalties. Here are more contract details from around the NBA, all courtesy of Siegel unless otherwise indicated: Terry Rozier 's three-year, $56.7M contract with the Hornets has a declining structure ( Twitter link ). It starts at $19.9M in 2019-20 before eventually dipping to $17.9M by 2021-22. The base value of Rudy Gay 's two-year deal with the Spurs is $28M, with $2M in annual bonuses to bring the potential total value up to $32M ( Twitter link ). DeMarre Carroll 's deal, meanwhile, only has a partial guarantee of $1.35M in the third year ( Twitter link ). The Spurs tacked on that third season when they pivoted to acquiring Carroll via sign-and-trade rather than signing him outright. Trevor Ariza 's two-year, $25M contract with the Kings only has a $1.8M partial guarantee in year two ( Twitter link ). Meanwhile, Sacramento's deal with Dewayne Dedmon has a base value of $40M over three years, with $300K in annual incentives ( Twitter link ). Blake Murphy of The Athletic provides details on a pair of Raptors contracts, tweeting that Patrick McCaw 's new two-year deal is worth $8M, while Matt Thomas ' three-year, minimum-salary contract is non-guaranteed in year three. Both of those deals will come out of Toronto's mid-level exception   Stanley Johnson 's might too, though if the team has plans in mind for the rest of the $4.36M on its MLE, Johnson could be signed using the bi-annual exception instead, notes Murphy.


Daniel Ricciardo says he doesn't share teammate Nico Hulkenberg's frustrations about a lack of progress at Renault, claiming that he feels he has made more personal progress this year than he would have staying at Red Bull. While Hulkenberg s aid ahead of the German Grand Prix that he had been disappointed that Renault had not made more gains over the three seasons he has been there, Ricciardo says that he still sees positives from the situation the team is in. For although he left Red Bull for the opportunity with Renault, he says the fact that his former team has won a race this year changes nothing for him. "I feel I would still be in the same position at Red Bull," Ricciardo said. "Even though on paper the results are better, whether I am getting podiums or whatever I am getting, it is still getting what I was getting the last few years. "At least here I have had to work already with new engineers. I've learned more about myself, and I've tried to get a more difficult car a little bit further up the grid. "From a personal level, I know I have got more out of myself this year than I would have at Red Bull where I guess I would have kept doing the same thing with same people." More from Hockenheim: Ferrari "doesn't deserve" qualifying disaster - Leclerc McLaren blames battery issue for Norris' Q1 exit Verstappen laments impact of Q2 power loss scare Ricciardo does concede that chassis improvements have not come as quick as he would have liked, but says there is no reason to be too upset about matters. "It is funny because in my years at Red Bull it was probably the opposite," he said. "The chassis would develop fairly quickly but then the power unit was behind. This year the Renault, from the power unit side, I've been really happy with the updates and the progress. "The chassis, we've found a few things since the start of the season but nothing big. For sure as a driver you always want more and until you see yourself at the top of the timesheets you are always going to want more. "The French upgrade we were definitely expecting more from it and didn't get as much, so there was a little bit of underachievement feeling through the team. "I don't want to sound too nice, but because I personally can't create a front wing myself or anything, I don't want to be like 'what the hell are you doing?' But hopefully the next batch of updates we get are a bit more significant." Asked if he could see Renault winning a race during the current period of his two-year contract, Ricciardo replied: "Current contract, yes. Current year, we all know this year is difficult… I do still have faith in this project 100%."


The Denver Nuggets suffered a difficult season-ending defeat Sunday to the Portland Trail Blazers, and a few of their players didn't perform when the team needed them most. Center Nikola Jokic went 11-for-26 from the field, missing several key shots down the stretch in the fourth quarter. Coach Michael Malone admitted after the defeat that Jokic took responsibility for the 100-96 loss in the locker room, but Malone refused to assign the blame to him. Michael Malone got emotional while saying Nikola Jokic took blame for the loss. Malone said it wasn't his fault.   Mike Singer (@msinger) May 12, 2019 In truth, Denver's defeat was a team effort. Jokic did not have a great shooting night, but Jamal Murray went 4-of-18 and failed to knock down any of his four three-point tries. Combine that with some huge moments from Portland's star players and you have a recipe for defeat. Related slideshow: 2019 NBA playoffs (Provided by imagn)


EVANSTON, Ill.   It has been nearly a year since Northwestern opened up its new $270 million athletic facility, the Walter Athletic Center , which is unquestionably the most lavish in all of college athletics. It has been long enough for Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald to bask in the serendipitous moments that have accompanied his players settling into their new home. In his first 12 seasons as Northwestern's coach, Fitzgerald offered recruits the opportunity to beat Ohio State , Michigan and Wisconsin with the physical trappings of a place like Kent State or Ball State . Certainly, the allure of the university's education and proximity to Chicago appealed to recruits, but that still required a maturity and foresight that doesn't always accompany four-star rankings. So when Northwestern opened Ryan Fieldhouse last year, Fitzgerald found himself cherishing much more than the panoramic views. He looked out his office window last summer during camp to see the offensive linemen using Lake Michigan as a cold tub. "They're all in the water," he recalled with a laugh, "looking like a bunch of elephants." With the location more central to campus and dorms than Northwestern's old musty home, Fitzgerald revels in the fact that the players voluntarily come back every day after class. "Our guys never leave," he said. "They got a pretty cool man cave." Suddenly, Northwestern has found itself the elephant in the recruiting battle, an unexpected presence among the Big Ten and national blue bloods. In the months that have followed the opening of the facility, Northwestern has found itself routinely competing with   and occasionally beating   a new caliber of competition for a higher-tier prospect. The early returns on Northwestern's 2020 class, the school's first full class with the facility open, has combined with Northwestern's historic Big Ten West championship last season to change the program's trajectory into a conference contender. "This is the rocket," Fitzgerald said, glancing out of the spaceship-like facility. "And that [division championship] is the fuel." While Northwestern isn't suddenly swiping five-stars from Alabama, they have begun to win regional recruiting battles against schools like Notre Dame and the Big Ten teams that they're attempting to leapfrog in the conference pecking order. Northwestern is ranked No. 17 nationally and No. 4 in the Big Ten in the 2020 class, behind the league's Big 3 of Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan. Compare that to ranking No. 50 overall and No. 11 in the league last year . ( The Wildcats were No. 60 and dead last in the conference two years ago.) Now there are a lot of ways to splice rankings, and academic schools like Northwestern are typically hurt in overall rankings because they have less turnover and inherently smaller classes. But the empirical evidence that Northwestern is in line for a talent upgrade comes with recruits like Peter Skoronski , a local four-star offensive tackle who picked Northwestern over Michigan, Notre Dame and Stanford. Josh Priebe , a three-star lineman from Michigan, picked Northwestern over Ohio State and Michigan State. (Offensive line is the program's glaring weakness right now.) Late in the recruiting cycle last year, Northwestern capped its class by dipping into Houston to beat out Notre Dame and Duke for receiver Genson Hooper-Price . "Recruiting," Fitzgerald said generally, "has been wild." The Wildcats are winning occasionally against the league's blue bloods, but perhaps more importantly they've begun to consistently beat Iowa, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Northwestern has beaten Michigan State three straight times on the field and won 11 consecutive games against division opponents, which has translated to the recruiting trail. The Wildcats also beat out a field of national contenders for former Clemson quarterback Hunter Johnson, who is widely expected to start this fall. Winning on the field shouldn't be overlooked in Northwestern's uptick, as the Wildcats have won three straight bowl games and gone 15-1 in their past 16 Big Ten games. Fittingly, Northwestern opens the season at Stanford, a team it'll be measuring themselves against both on the field and the recruiting trail for years to come. (Northwestern needs to show better than its winless non-conference slate last season, which included losses to Duke, Akron and Notre Dame.) Stanford's boom over the past decade began both with the hire of Jim Harbaugh and a much deeper financial and facility investment from the university. Northwestern has the coach it wants for the next 20 years, and now it has the unprecedented commitment to match. "It's eye-opening, the recruits gasp when they walk in," said Northwestern recruiting coordinator Lou Ayeni of the new facility. "It's a game-changer." Some recent staff shuffles have changed the Wildcats on the recruiting trail as well. Both the addition of Ayeni (running backs) and Tim McGarigle (linebackers), two decorated alums, in January of 2018 and the recent promotion of Kurt Anderson to offensive line coach have given them an uptick of energy. The recent promotion of 26-year-old Jonny Kovach to director of player personnel, combined with the experience of director of scouting Todd McShane, has given the entire recruiting operation under Cody Cejda, the director of football operations and strategy, a jolt. Fitzgerald is still guarded about changing the type of player that has defined his tenure at Northwestern   tough, cerebral and eager to tackle the academic demands at Northwestern. But he's thinking bigger, asking if the recruits can block the next Nick Bosa or cover the next Parris Campbell. The elephant is settling into a new room in the Big Ten recruiting hierarchy. And the early results of Northwestern's new spaceship have been clear   Northwestern built it, and the recruits are starting to come. More from Yahoo Sports: Joshua's shocking loss to Ruiz Jr. blows superfight vs. Wilder Bruins bludgeon Blues in Game 3 of Stanley Cup Final Jurgen Klopp vindicated in Liverpool's ironically dull victory Where have the 108-win, World Series champion Red Sox gone?


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As dozens of preschoolers made their way toward the massive red balloon sitting on the edge of the Passaic County Technical Institute Soccer Field, their eagerness to explore every inch could be felt. When asked, "Who's ready to go inside?" cheers erupted and almost every hand was raised. Kids entered in pairs, and then, all madness broke lose as they blissfully pranced around the inflated balloon. "This is so cool, I would definitely go up in a balloon one day," said Samuel Marconi, 5, as he ran around with his friends. The 50 preschool students from the Center For Family Resources in Wayne spent their Wednesday morning actively learning about and playing inside a 75-foot-tall hot-air balloon. "It's important to bring balloons to kids and give them an opportunity to learn about the magic of ballooning, said Howard Freeman, executive producer of the 37th Annual QuickChek New Jersey Festival of Ballooning. "The physics are easy -- hot air rises --but for them to walk around in the balloon and actually experience it is always awesome for them." The hot-air balloon, which is no longer used to fly, has been touring preschools in New Jersey and is used in PNC's "Grow Up Great" bilingual early education program. The program was started in 2004 to help bilingual kids under age 5 develop a passion for learning. "We're building on these kids' educations now to make them more successful in the future," said Peggy Iucolino, the client and community relations assistant director at PNC. "We believe learning at this early age means we'll only have better leaders later on." More: Bill would allow a few public schools to run day care centers More: Upper Saddle River students support kids with rare 'butterfly wing' disease The kids learned everything from what hot-air balloons were made of to how to pack them away; something they all enjoyed as they stampeded all over the balloon to deflate it. "This was so much fun," remarked Ahmad, 5, as he finished packing the balloon away with his friends. What's next This Friday, Freeman and his team of balloon experts will inflate "The PNC American Flag balloon," the world's largest free-flying American flag to launch the nation's Flag Day celebrations and honor female veterans. The ballooning events are being held in advance of the 37th New Jersey Festival of Ballooning, whihc will be held July 26-28, in Readington, NJ This article originally appeared on North Jersey Record: North Jersey preschoolers learn inside massive hot-air balloon


Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl looks set to leave Signal Iduna Park this summer after falling out of favour with Dortmund manager Lucien Favre. Both Arsenal and Paris Saint Germain have been linked with the 23-year-old who has been valued at around €30m (£27m) by his club. Weigl has been on the radar of many of Europe's top clubs ever since falling out of favour with Die Schwarzgelben after suffering a devastating ankle break in 2017. Prior to this injury, he had become the pivotal anchor in the club's midfield, but played just 18 times in the Bundesliga last season - often as a centre back. Unai Emery and the Arsenal hierarchy are on a mission solve the Gunners' defensive problems this summer but have to do so on a relative shoestring budget of just £45m. However, they may be given hope by the Daily Mail 's report which claims that BVB want only £27m for the one-time wonderkid. This would still take up a large chunk of Arsenal's reported war chest, after failing to qualify for the Champions League , but their budget for new arrivals could be bolstered by other stars leaving the Emirates this summer. One of the other clubs interested are PSG, who unlike Arsenal have little worries when it comes to their transfer budget and can also offer the 23-year-old Champions League football to look forward to.


Kevin Harvick is just as frustrated about his performance as his fans are. The 2014 Cup Series winner has yet to find "Victory Lane" this season and spoke about his struggles this weekend. "I am beyond all the frustration," he said, via NBC Sports . "To me, it is now a challenge just because I feel like this is very similar to 2014 and 2017." He continued: "Honestly, we just chose the wrong direction to start the year. Our cars weren't where they needed to be and everyone realizes that as a company." Harvick won eight Cup races last year including three of the first four to start the year. But this season he has yet to finish better than fourth in an event and has just three stage wins. His team probably had the best car at NASCAR's All-Star Race, but other than that week, he has been near the top in several events, but has never had the vehicle he needed to come away with a victory. "We had some situations where we were in position to win some races and had some things go wrong, whether it was my team or (Clint Bowyer). In the end, our cars just weren't fast enough," he said. "I think everybody has kept their head down and are looking at it as a challenge now. " He has been pleased with the way his cars have run in recent weeks though. "Aside from the second half of the Charlotte race, I think over the last month or so the cars are coming the right direction," he said. Harvick comes into the race at Michigan International Speedway this week as the defending champion. MORE : NASCAR at Michigan: Odds, prediction, sleepers, drivers to watch for FireKeepers Casino 400 | NASCAR starting lineup at Michigan: Joey Logano claims pole as Fords dominate qualifying Perhaps that will be enough to push him to his first win of the year, but until he proves he can run with Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott consistently, it's going to be hard to pick him to win.


President says Syrian intelligence have had "contact" with French officials regarding ISIL, slams US-led coalition. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said he invited Hezbollah fighters to fight alongside his regime but has denied the presence of Iranian troops in Syria in an interview with French television. Assad also said that French security officials had been in contact with the Syrian government regarding the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) armed group. Iran is Assad's main regional ally, and Tehran has acknowledged sending military advisers to assist his forces in their fight against rebels and ISIL, the AFP news agency reported. However it has denied accusations from opposition forces and Saudi Arabia that it has troops on the ground in Syria. "We invited Hezbollah, but not the Iranians, There are no Iranian troops in Syria and they have not sent any force," Assad told France 2 Television in the interview broadcast on Monday. Lebanon's Shia group Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, has helped Assad make gains against rebels opposing his regime. Assad said that French security officials had travelled to Syria for talks with intelligence officials. "We met with them, we met with some of your [French] security officials, but there's no cooperation," Assad said, according to a transcript of the interview published by the Syrian state news agency. He reiterated that it was France who requested the meeting. "We don't have anything to ask from the French intelligence. We have all the information about the terrorists," he said. In the wide-ranging interview, the Syrian leader also denied being behind alleged chemical attacks in northwestern Idlib province last month, and accused the United States of overseeing the creation of the ISIL. "The IS was created in Iraq in 2006 under the supervision of the Americans. The IS came from Iraq to Syria because chaos is contagious," he said, using a different name for ISIL. Coalition 'not serious' Assad was also scathing about efforts of the US-led coalition fighting ISIL saying the grouping was "not serious". "If you compare the number of air strikes carried out by the coalition composed of 60 states compared to those by our small state you will notice we sometimes strike ten times more than the coalition in one day. Is that serious? He reiterated denials of the use of barrel bombs or chemical attacks, which Syrian forces were most recently accused of using in Idlib province. "We haven't used chlorine gas and we don't need to," he said, referring to the attacks reported by Human Rights Watch on Idlib. More than 215,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011 that spiralled into a war after a regime crackdown.


Will the New York Giants go through a quarterback "controversy" this year? Probably not, since the wiring is basically on the wall that rookie Daniel Jones will succeed Eli Manning as the team's starter. At this point, it's not a question of if, but when. The quarterback room is a "healthy" one at the moment and everyone seems to know their place. Manning is cemented in as the starter for Week 1, but there's no long-term commitment to him. That belongs to Jones. "I think all of our jobs are to be ready Week 1, whatever the circumstances are," said Jones at Tuesday's OTA session. "We're taking it one day at a time, in that we're trying to practice the best we can here in OTAs, and with the season in mind and trying to all prepare ourselves for that first game. Like I said, we're focused on what we're doing here, making sure tomorrow's practice is as sharp as it can be and through the summer. It's been good so far and I'm looking forward to finishing strong." The Giants are giving Jones the second-team snaps at the moment and that might be due to the fact that Kyle Lauletta is recovering from a procedure on his knee and is not participating in full. Jones has hit the ground running and is throwing the ball fairly well. There doesn't seem to be any questions these days about his arm strength. He is fitting in quite nicely. "I think it's been great," Jones about his time with the Giants thus far. "I think we've got a great room and a great group of guys in there. He's been very helpful for me and I've certainly learned a lot. I think we've got a great relationship throughout the room with Alex (Tanney) and Kyle as well, I think we've got a great room, a lot of guys helping each other so it's been good." But it will be his relationship with Manning that onlookers will be focused on. Manning has not delivered the goods for the Giants the past few seasons - whether it be his fault or not - and head coach Pat Shurmur is looking for better play out of the quarterback position. It's only a matter of time before the Giants make a change. Jones is aware of that, but he isn't taking the bait. "I really haven't, to be honest," Jones said when asked if he felt awkward having to deal with the man he will eventually replace. "I think it's been, like I said, we've got a good room, and a lot of really good guys. We're certainly focused on every day here, making sure we're practicing at the highest level possible. That's the goal, and it's been good so far." That sounds a lot like what Manning would say, no? Jones is constantly being compared to Manning and those comparisons won't stop for some time, maybe never. Until then, Jones will use this time to learn from one of the most disciplined and dedicated professionals in the history of the NFL. "I think you can learn a lot from him on the field obviously, just from a scheme standpoint," said Jones. "Obviously, he has done it for a long time, he knows that stuff. To me a lot of it is in his routine and his daily preparation and how he prepares for practice, how he reviews practice and learns from practice. I think just that routine and just learning from that, being able to watch him every day to me has been the most helpful." Manning has a routine that is second to none. Like his brother, Peyton, Eli is meticulous and almost spartan in his approach to the job. "It's consistent, I think," Jones said of Manning's routine. "He does the same thing. The way he'll prepare with the script, the way he'll go through all his assignments and the way he'll will draw it out. After practice reviewing it, watching the film and just learning from it. I think all that stuff but just his routine is helpful." If Jones is wise, and it appears he may be, he'll follow in the footsteps of Manning and it will lead to a seamless transition. That's the Giants' plan, which has been heavily criticized, but it may just be the right one for them. MORE: Draymond Green to LeBron James' 14-Year-Old Son: "I'm at Your F--king Neck This Summer" Kyle Busch was so frustrated during Coke 600 that he told Joe Gibbs he quit Four potential Khris Middleton landing spots in free agency Report: The Celtics are no longer the favorites to sign Kyrie Irving Richie Incognito signing points to more power football for Raiders


Zach Ertz caught 116 passes for the Eagles last year and he thinks he may have even more room to operate in 2019. Ertz thinks the return of wide receiver DeSean Jackson to the team will mean "more space in the middle of the field" as defenses adjust to make sure Jackson doesn't beat them over the top. If that translates to another year of big receiving numbers, it may allow Ertz to reach one of his goals. Rob Gronkowski was considered the league's best tight end for most of his career, but Gronkowski has retired and Ertz would like to take his place. "I've said it since my rookie year, which I can't believe was seven years ago," Ertz said, via Philly.com. "I said I wanted to be one of the best to ever play the tight end position, not only in this organization, but anywhere. … People are saying there are one or two guys that are better than me . My goal is to be the best. So I have a huge chip on my shoulder going into this year." Catching a lot of balls might not be enough for Ertz to get that recognition as Travis Kelce and George Kittle edged him out in Pro Bowl voting last year, but it would likely work just fine for the Eagles.


Olga's returns to Detroit Four years after departing from the Compuware Building , beloved metro Detroit chain Olga's Kitchen is returning to the city with a new location at the MGM Grand Detroit. The casino outpost is expected to open in June inside the Breeze Dining Court. Customers can expect to find options like season curly fries, spinach and cheese pie, fried chicken Olga, and Olga's Snackers on the menu. Historic jazz club gets a new lease on life The Blue Bird Inn club, which hosted some of American jazz's most legendary performers, has been rescued from demolition by the Detroit Sound Conservancy, according the Metro Times . With help from a Kresge grant, the organization is preparing to cleanup and secure the site during MotorCity Makeover on Saturday, May 18. Roadhouse restaurant plans summer debut The Morrie is on track to open its second 8,000-square-foot outpost in Birmingham this summer at 260 N. Woodward. The restaurant, which was founded in Royal Oak by AFB Hospitality Group, will feature options like build-your-own salads, pizza, and burgers. The restaurant seats 260 people. Getting to know Eastern Market's most controversial landlord The Detroit News published a profile of Sanford Nelson , the developer who some have blamed for many of the recent business closures in Eastern Market, this week. In the piece, Nelson tries to tell his side of the story and vision for the properties his company FIRM Real Estate has been buying up in the popular food district. Nelson believes he has been unfairly targeted for some of the closures including Mootown Ice Cream , which he says was let out of its contract with three years left on the lease. He also alludes to two other restaurants that may be joining Jose's Tacos in Eastern Market. Rumor has it that one will serve fish and chips and the other is allegedly a hot dog concept. • All AM Intel Coverage [ED]


Clicker training is a popular dog training technique , but many people don't realize it's also one of the best ways to train a cat. Cats can quickly form a connection between a command and click, especially when rewarded with a tasty treat! With continuous practice and positive reinforcement of the desired trick, command, or behavior, you'll be able to effectively train and bond with your feline companion in no time. Here's how to get started. How to Start Clicker Training First, you'll need a clicker. A clicker is a small hand-held plastic or metal device that makes a unique clicking sound when you press it. If you don't own a clicker, you can use other objects that click instead a retractable pen, for example. Choose an enticing reward like a treat to use during training. The reward doesn't have to be food; instead, you can use playtime with a toy only utilized during training with the clicker or anything else your cat thinks is rewarding. Start by getting your pet used to the sound of the clicker and associating it with a reward. Each time you click, give the cat a treat. Your cat will love getting a treat just for hearing the click. While some cats will immediately make the connection between the sound of the clicker and receiving the treat, other cats may need you to repeat the process several times. Basic Clicker Training Commands Now that your cat is used to the idea that treats and clicks go hand-in-hand, it is the time to teach your cat commands. For instance, you may want to use the clicker to teach your cat to come to you when you call something most cats don't do readily or for litter box training . You may want to clicker-train your cat to go to a particular room in the house when you have guests or teach them to get off the kitchen counter. Clicker training is great for getting your cat into the carrier, too, which most cat owners struggle with. Whatever training you are trying to accomplish, the clicker makes it so much more doable. Start with a basic command like "come." Call the cat, then click and give it a treat once it comes to you. Repeat this for a few minutes (five to fifteen) at a time. Once your cat understands the command, you can discontinue use of the clicker. Verbal praise and treats are still encouraged, though! Teaching Cats to Do Tricks After covering some of the basic commands, some pet owners use a clicker to teach their cats tricks like sitting, standing on their hind legs, or giving a high five. Every cat is different with regard to what she is capable of being taught (or willing to do), but most cats are reward motivated, so keep at it. Clicker Train a Cat in 6 Easy Steps Keep in mind that it will take some time before your cat associates the training clicker with a desired outcome, but overall, cats require much shorter training times than dogs. Keep these best practices in mind: Aim for short cat training sessions (usually only a few minutes at a time) and stop if your cat appears uninterested. Never punish your cat as it stresses her and could lead to more behavioral problems. Never click more than once. Be sure to click as soon as you see the behavior you are trying to teach, not before or after it, so your cat knows exactly why they're being praised and rewarded. Once your cat learns the behavior, add a "command" or cue word. Click and treat when she does the behavior on your cue. Once your cat responds to your cue word, you can stop clicking. Clicker training is mentally stimulating for your cat , and when done correctly can be fun for her, minimize behaviors you don't like, and deepen your bond. Related: Perfect workout paw-tner: Energetic Australian shepherd joins owner in athletic workouts [Provided by Storytrender]


I am standing on a floating barge in the shadow of Paris 's Grand Palais and it's pouring. Beyond the sounds of rain, there's also hammers hammering and saws sawing. But Nicolas Laugero Lasserre, cofounder of the world's first floating art museum, wants me to come "listen to the noise of the beach." Dressed in at least four shades of gray Adidas shoes, jeans, a blazer, and a hoodie sweatshirt emblazoned with the word OBEY the street art enthusiast brings me down a few steps to a horseshoe-shaped section across from the entrance. Here, architect Gérard Ronzatti has designed a 15-foot-wide ramp onto which water crashes. "Hear that?" he asks, gesturing to the small waves hitting the side of the stainless steel structure docked on the Seine. "It's poetry." Indeed, at the moment it's perhaps the only art on display, but come June (on a date yet to be announced), Fluctuart  a cultural project four years in the making will open to the public with a permanent collection featuring signature work from the likes of urban artists including JR, Keith Haring, and Shepard Fairey, as well as a temporary exhibition from Brooklyn-based artist Swoon, who is famous for her lifesize wheatpaste portraits of humans. Related The World's Best Cities for Street Art Despite its raw state, it's easy to picture Laugero Lasserre's vision for the museum mostly because of his boundless energy and passion for urban art itself. "Since years and years and years, we've dreamed about a place for this movement," says the 44-year-old with a near 500-piece collection at home. "Street art, graffiti, urban art. It was a big frustration because everybody loves it, but we had no institution. We made the place we dream to have." Much of it can be attributed to Mayor Anne Hidalgo's " Reinventing the Seine " campaign, launched to find new ways of living, working, and moving on (or around) the river. But it's also the culmination of Paris having become a hub for public art be it a rotating mural wall on Rue Oberkampf in the 11th arrondissement or a 15-story permanent piece in the 13th. Despite the genre's growth, Laugero Lasserre claims it still wasn't getting the recognition it deserved, hence his pride over the boat's primo location in Paris's tony seventh arrondissement: "We have credible artists. It is time to show in an exceptional location." During a tour of the three-story structure, which will be free to the public and open seven days a week, Laugero Lasserre hopped up and down steps and over planks of wood, eager to explain its layout and purpose. Fluctuart is located adjacent to the Invalides Bridge. "The architects said, 'How can we build something more beautiful than this environment?' So, they put glass," he says, speaking of the boat's 13 windowed walls. "To live within the Seine, and the bridge, and the Grand Palais. It's harmonious with the elements nearby." The main level will house the permanent collection, a bookshop, and a bar. By day, the pieces will be displayed in the center on rolling panels. Grab a coffee from the bar and meander as you will. Come nightfall, trade the caffeine for a cocktail when the partitions are wheeled to the windows, allowing the museum to become a destination for socializing in style or, more simply put, "a party," says Laugero Lasserre. It will be open until midnight. You'll be able to roam around downstairs where the temporary exhibits will change every four months. Some will be solo, some will be collective, but all will give the visiting artists carte blanche to create site-specific pieces within the space. "Art is to share," says Laugero Lasserre. "They'll do what they want. It's their boat. It's an ever-evolving place for celebrating and discovering art." Finally, upstairs on the roof where you're practically parallel with the Invalides Bridge 20 feet away you can admire the weatherproof sculptures, the nearly perfectly placed mosaic by the French urban artist Invader across the way on the quai, or the hundreds of riverside strollers below, while taking advantage of the second bar and mini restaurant. In addition to offering a Sunday brunch, healthy dishes like crab and grapefruit salad or a smoked tuna with avocado and mango tartine will be available all day. Food will be served in specially designed compostable bento boxes art pieces themselves. The Louvre Pyramid Celebrates 30 Years With a Trippy Optical Illusion Fluctuart is a sure shot to be the hottest new scene on the Seine. "For centuries, it's been tradition that all the museums are in the center and on the Seine," adds Laugero Lasserre, listing them with his fingers: "The Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Palais de Tokyo, the Grand Palais. They're all on the river." But only one of them is practically in it. >> Next: Plan Your Trip With AFAR's Guide to Paris


The FOX Sports Live crew discusses what team might land Marcus Mariota.


Missed the the most recent top news in Pittsburgh? Read on for everything you need to know. Duquesne, Pittsburgh districts go door-to-door to lure students back from charters "If parents have choice, it's up to the school district to market ourselves and inform parents why they should send their child here..." Read the full story on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . East Pittsburgh residents worried about lack of local police Residents in East Pittsburgh are concerned about police response times following the disbandment of their police force. Read the full story on CBS Pittsburgh . Phils win in Pittsburgh on Hoskins' HR; fan walks to plate PITTSBURGH (AP)   A fan casually walked to home plate and approached Philadelphia hitter Brad Miller for a handshake before being apprehended, and the Phillies later beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1 Sunday on Rhys Hoskins' home run in the 11th. Read the full story on The Seattle Times . Pittsburgh police honor slain officer with end of watch ceremony In front of the Zone One Police Station on Pittsburgh's North Side, a police car blocked the entrance. Read the full story on WESA . Pittsburgh marks its 4th alligator sighting since May A baby alligator was found far from the tropics in the parking lot of a grocery store outside Pittsburgh on Friday morning, the fourth alligator discovered near the city since May. Read the full story on WRAL TV . 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.


When practices get underway at an NFL training camp, injuries are usually not far behind and the Bears are no exception to the rule. Following the first practice of training camp, coach Matt Nagy revealed rookie WR Riley Ridley suffered a hamstring injury and could not finish the session. #Bears rookie WR Riley Ridley left practice today with a hamstring injury. Nagy said the training staff will work with him to get him back quickly and added "things like that will happen". - Shae Peppler Cornette (@shaepeppler) July 26, 2019 Nagy, speaking to reporters, noted "things like that will happen" when talking about players returning to football activities following the offseason and didn't seem too concerned with Ridley's injury. Ridley will work with the training staff, but no timetable has been set for a return to the field. Ridley was selected by the Bears the 126th pick in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He played three seasons at the University of Georgia and tallied 43 receptions for 559 yards and nine touchdowns during his junior year before turning pro. The Bears hold their first open practice of training camp Saturday, July 27th beginning at 8:15AM at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. MORE: Pirates announcers called out the Cardinals for breaking a lame unwritten rule How signing Mike Daniels impacts the Lions salary cap Things starting as expected for 2 former Steelers Instant observations from Day 2 of Patriots training camp Dish/Sling TV Drops Fox Sports RSNs and MLB Pennant Race Viewing Will Be Affected


MONSEY - A Hasidic group is using a Jewish holiday to fight anti-Semitic sentiments tied to a measles outbreak. "We find the rise in anti-Semitism and anti-Hasidic language to be tied to the measles outbreak," said Rabbi Avraham Katz, the leader of the Monsey-Tosh group. Katz invited local lawmakers and politicians to tonight's Lag B'Omer bonfire as a show of solidarity and understanding amidst the measles outbreak primarily affecting the Orthodox Jewish community. The outbreak, which started when seven travelers from Israel visited Rockland, has reached 244 reported cases since it began last October. It led the county to issue an exclusion order affecting the Monsey and Spring Valley area that bans anyone infected with the measles from public places. MEASLES: New Square supports vaccinations VACCINATIONS: Will NY soon end religious exemptions amid measles outbreak? OUTBREAK: Anti-vaccination forum in Monsey draws crowd, condemnation Katz, whose Yiddish replies were translated by an assistant, said it is hurtful that the entire Hasidic community is targeted and lumped together with a small minority within the community that is anti-vaccine. "For me specifically, it isn't fair and doesn't make sense," he said. "As the head of a large Hasidic community, I support vaccinations, all of my children and grandchildren are vaccinated and I encourage anyone who asks me to do the same." Katz added: "Almost everyone in the Hasidic community today does in fact vaccinate and we hear and see how we're being talked about so we are grateful that the politicians are coming to show their support." Rockland County Legislators Phil Soskin and Aron Weider were invited to attend the 9:30 p.m. bonfire on Wiener Drive, as well as Ramapo Supervisor Michael Specht and Ramapo Councilwoman Brenda Logan-Charles. While most Hasidim choose an insular lifestyle, Tosh-Monsey has a diverse following of more than 750 families and individuals that engages people outside of the group. It is linked to the Tosh Hasidic movement, which began in Hungary prior to the Holocaust and was revived in Canada by Katz's father-in-law after the war. "Our goal with this evening's Lag Ba'Omer event is to spread light," Katz said. "We want to share the light with different groups within the Jewish community, with our local politicians and with the local secular community as well." Lag B'Omer is traditionally celebrated with bonfires, music, dancing and outdoor activities. "We are very appreciative of our local politicians who are coming to tonight's event to show their support and solidarity with our community," Katz said. Tosh-Monsey also runs a hotline where callers can ask rabbinic questions or receive blessings. Twitter: @ReporterRox This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Monsey Hasidic group battles Anti-Semitism tied to measles outbreak


A western silverback gorilla munched on paper stuffing from a pinata following a gender reveal at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, on May 15, local media reported. A male baby gorilla, weighing 2.22 kilograms, was born to 26-year-old Mbundi and 11-year-old Margaret on May 5, the zoo said. The zoo said it held the gender reveal event to honor the "Cinco de Mayo baby." The zoo livestreamed the event. This footage was filmed by Daniella Gonzalez, and shows Mbundi investigating the broken pinata. Credit: Daniella Gonzalez via Storyful


The Utah Jazz are one of the few NBA teams that choose to go by the state and not the home city. It's confusing - almost as confusing as a Utah team being called the Jazz. Still, in the midst of Wednesday's trade that sent longtime Grizzlies guard Mike Conley to the Jazz , the veteran guard took to Twitter to thank Memphis fans and express excitement for the move to Utah. He just made an unfortunate geographic mistake in the process. At the end of his tweet, Conley called Utah a city, which happens. Utah is a state. The Jazz play in Salt Lake City. It shouldn't be a huge deal. This probably would have been easily overlooked (aside from a few tweets in the mentions) had Jazz star Donovan Mitchell not called out a Twitter user for the exact same mistake a week ago. Imagine thinking Utah is a city ♂ #HateToSeeIt https://t.co/cNt1qQhE80 - Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) June 13, 2019 Mitchell even had the backing of the Jazz Twitter account. don't hurt 'em - Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 13, 2019 The timing made it a bit awkward for the newly revamped Jazz backcourt. I mean, the Mitchell tweet was a week ago. Fans still remembered it happening. the new Jazz backcourt is already doomed pic.twitter.com/7yzrR8HCxA - Rodger Sherman (@rodger) June 19, 2019 Conley eventually deleted the initial tweet and correctly mentioned Salt Lake City the second time around. What more can I say about my city! You guys made me the man I am today! Memphis is home. Always! ..Time for another chapter! Excited to give all I have to The Jazz and Salt Lake City! #LetsGetIt #GodsPlan #takenote - Mike Conley (@mconley11) June 19, 2019 That should avoid the awkwardness, I think. MORE: Four potential Kawhi Leonard landing spots in free agency Suspended NASCAR driver still found a way to race this weekend Three Potential Trade Destinations for Chris Paul Rams trading Tyler Higbee to Patriots would make sense for both teams Amari Cooper deal now more urgent for Cowboys than Prescott's Related slideshow: Ranking the top 50 NBA draft prospects (Provided by Yardbarker)


David Montgomery was an interesting prospect to study for the 2019 NFL draft. His critics took aim at his lack of field-flipping explosiveness, while his advocates pointed toward his elusive yet powerful running style. We're still quite a ways from knowing who will be proven correct, but so far this summer, Montgomery has been checking all the right boxes at training camp. "He's a tough out," Bears running backs coach Charles London said via the Chicago Sun-Times . "He's tough to bring down; he's tough to tackle. It's great to see his contact balance." Ah yes, that contact balance. Pop in any of Montgomery's game films during his time at Iowa State and you'll see rep after rep of his borderline rare ability to dismiss the first would-be tackler en route to a positive gain. Projecting whether a player's traits on the college gridiron will be effective in the NFL is what makes scouting such a tricky business. Oftentimes, it's the player's mental makeup more than his physical skill set that separates the productive guys from the washouts. Montgomery's already proven he has the mental makeup to be a long-time pro; and that's making all the difference right now. ''So far, he's translated to this level of ball,'' London said. MORE: 'Bachelor in Paradise' 2019 cast guide: Meet all 37 contestants Roundup: Dow Plunges; Lindsay Lohan; Hannah Brown Speaks Out; Ryen Russillo Leaving ESPN Quick hits, observations from Packers' first joint practice with Texans Browns release their initial preseason depth chart 5 takeaways from the Raiders' first depth chart of 2019 season


Newcastle United are looking to wrap up a deal for Sheffield Wednesday manager Steve Bruce this week, hoping the 58-year-old will be able to link up with the squad for their pre-season tour of China. The Magpies are on the hunt for a new boss after Rafa Benitez opted against signing a new deal at St. James' Park, instead taking up a new position with Chinese Super League outfit Dalian Yifang. Bruce is the most recent name to be linked with the vacant position at Newcastle , and The Telegraph report that the club are hopeful of appointing him as their new manager within the next 48 hours. But visa issues could hold up Bruce's ability to join Newcastle on their pre-season tour of China, even if he is appointed as their new boss. The 58-year-old, who used to manage Newcastle's bitter rivals Sunderland, has already asked Sheffield Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri for permission to speak to the club's hierarchy about a potential move to the north-east this summer. It's understood that Newcastle are still in conversation over a compensation package with Sheffield Wednesday, who only brought Bruce in at Hillsborough earlier this year as he helped the club secure a 12th place finish in the Championship. Steve Bruce was last appointed by a top-flight club over a decade ago, and left that job with a 29.6% win ratio. He is wanted by the club with the 19th highest revenue in Europe. Even by Newcastle United's standards, this is an abject lack of ambition.   Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) July 10, 2019 Bruce, a boyhood Newcastle fan, has turned down the job at St. James' Park twice during his managerial career, including one which was made behind the back of club legend and then manager Sir Bobby Robson. Pep Guardiola's number two at Manchester City Mikel Arteta and OGC Nice boss Patrick Vieira have also been considered for the position at St James' Park this summer.


A return to Africa is a priority for Formula 1 owners Liberty Media, and the Moroccan city of Marrakech has indicated an interest in holding a race, according to commercial boss Sean Bratches. Morocco hosted a round of the world championship on a single occasion as the finale of the 1958 season, on a road course in Casablanca. More recently the country has established a firm place on the international sporting calendar, with Marrakesh hosting street races for the WTCC from 2009 to 2017, and Formula E from 2016 to 2019. F1's most recent visit to the continent was in 1992 for the last of the 20 South African GPs to be staged at Kyalami. Prior to that the country's race was held in East London. Over the years there have been regular on-off attempts to bring F1 back to South Africa, with Cape Town in the frame at one stage. "We race on five continents and the last habitable continent that we don't race in is Africa," Bratches said at a sports industry event in London. "We've been having very productive conversations in South Africa and to a lesser extent in Morocco about bringing a grand prix. "We raced there before. I've been told that due to political considerations historically, that ceased. We're on it, and it's really important to us." Expanding afterwards on the prospects of both countries, he told Reuters: "It's a marketplace in which we would like to race. We are a global sport. "There's a historic circuit in South Africa, Kyalami. Toby Venter, who owns the Porsche dealerships in South Africa has purchased it, fully remediated it, garages, paddock. "Similarly to other markets around the world, we have been proactively approached by other areas such as Morocco, Marrakesh. There's a circuit there as well. I'm a little bit less familiar with the status, I suspect it's not a grade one circuit, but there is a high degree of interest." Bratches suggested that it was inevitable that public funding would be involved in a Morocco project. "Wherever you go in the world [our races] are economic engines for these countries, states, cities, principalities, municipalities. "The vast majority of our grands prix are underpinned by government and it's because it works. We shine a bright light on these cities, there's a lot of direct economic impact that comes in." Asked about a possible time frame, he said: "It's dynamic. We are looking in the short term, let's frame it up that way."


After yet another trip to the concussion injured list, Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli is calling it quits behind the plate. The 12-year MLB veteran told DKPittsburghSports.com on Sunday that he will be giving up his primary position after suffering the sixth reported concussion of his career. "That's enough," Cervelli said. "This time is different. I can't live like this." Big change for Cervelli's career Cervelli reportedly didn't say what position he intends to play, but moving away from catcher will put a lot more pressure on his bat to produce. The 33-year-old has long been one of the more dependable bats at the position with a career .358 on-base percentage, but he's hit only .193/.279/.248 in 123 plate appearances this season. In addition to 663 games played at catcher during his career, Cervelli has seen 13 games (10 starts) at first base, four games at third base and two games at second base. Cervellis has reportedly practiced fielding grounders and fly balls over the last few days, so he could also give the outfield a shot. Still on the IL for the next few weeks, he reportedly emphasized that the Pirates did not push him into this decision. "I'm ready to do anything," he said. "Wherever I am in the field, I'm still catching the ball, right?" Concussions still an issue for catchers While some of the most scary moments in baseball were eliminated once MLB banned the practice of trucking catchers during plays at the plate, concussions still remain a major threat for catchers due to, well, everything that can happen when a ball hurtles toward home plate at high speeds while a bat comes around to hit it. Cervelli sustained his latest concussion after taking a broken bat to the chin on May 25. San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, among others, also landed on the concussion IL this year after getting hit in the mask with a foul tip. Notably, Minnesota Twins great Joe Mauer had to give up the position after doctors told him another foul tip to the mask could cause even worse concussions than the one that caused him to miss months. Now, Cervelli is doing the same thing. There's not much MLB can do to address those injuries without changing the very fabric of baseball, but Pirates general manager Neil Huntington has advocated for one rule change that would allow players with a suspected concussion to exit games and re-enter after being cleared. Such a change would take away the risk of potentially hurting the team by exiting early for an evaluation that could turn out to be unnecessary. It might be too late to help Cervelli, but it could be a boon for athletes playing one of the most physically demanding positions in sports with only one backup in most games. More from Yahoo Sports: USWNT beats Netherlands to win fourth World Cup Americans confirm place as greatest women's team ever Masvidal needs just five seconds for UFC 239 KO Kawhi signing shakes up title odds in NBA