Skip the plane next time. Before first class and private jets, the most stylish way to travel across America was by train. On luxuriously appointed cars, passengers enjoyed refined amenities and attentive service while taking in spectacular vistas that ranged from snow-covered peaks and dense forests to sandy desertscapes and the sparkling ocean . The beautiful surroundings remain-and, in some cases, via train is the best way to experience them. Amtrak Coast Starlight Stretching 35 hours from Seattle to Los Angeles, the Amtrak Coast Starlight route provides a stunning view of the West Coast, with jaw-dropping coastal scenery. The train, operating since 1971, hits many of the major West Coast cities, including Tacoma, Olympia, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara, with some of its best views including Puget Sound, iconic snow-capped Mount Rainier, and the dramatic cliffs and crashing waves along California's Pacific Coast Highway. Grand Canyon Railway Opened in 1901, this historic 8-plus-hour, 130-mile round-trip journey gives passengers breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon , with dramatically fewer crowds to experience this wonder of the world. Restored rail cars featuring six different classes of service-complete with live diversions from western musicians and entertaining cowboy characters-take you from the pine forests of Northern Arizona before moving through the desert, including Native American reservations. The round trip train departs 30 miles west of Flagstaff from Williams, Arizona, passing through a wide variety of landscapes-including Ponderosa and Pinion pine forests, the prairie, and the highest elevation in Arizona at San Francisco Peaks-before reaching the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park for a four-hour stopover. Amtrak Adirondack Once the leaves begin to change, it's time to hop aboard the Amtrak Adirondack -the 10-hour journey is an ideal way to see the Hudson River Valley's spectacular fall foliage. Beginning in New York City, the high-speed train takes passengers on a ride through upstate New York, including picturesque towns such as Croton-on-Hudson, historic Ticonderoga, Saratoga Springs, and Whitehall, before crossing the Canadian border and eventually terminating in Montreal. Along the way, the train skirts the banks of both the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, passing sights including the stone battlements of West Point Military Academy, the Bannerman's Castle ruins, and the majestic Adirondack Mountains themselves. Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Unlock North Carolina's green, rolling hills on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad . The railroad offers two scenic journeys: a 32-mile Tuckasegee River excursion-moving through the Smoky's green valleys and passing by the set of classic film The Fugitive before stopping for an hour-and-a-half in Dillsboro-and a 44-mile, four-and-a-half hour round trip Nantahala Gorge excursion, moving along the Tennessee and Nantahala Rivers, passing over Fontana Lake, and finishing in the Nantahala Gorge before returning to Bryson City. Families particularly love the rides, which include boxed lunches and offers some cars complete with Open Air Gondola and private attendants. Amtrak Cascades Bask in the full splendor of the Pacific Northwest on Amtrak's 10-hour, 25-minute Cascades route , stretching from Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver, British Columbia. Passing through Portland and Seattle, as well as smaller stops like Tacoma, Olympia, Salem, and Albany, the European-style train-with multiple departures each day and running since 1971-takes in awe-inspiring natural attractions such as Mount St. Helens, Puget Sound, the Columbia River Gorge, and the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges. Amtrak Empire Builder 2,206 miles and the Great Plains await passengers on Amtrak's Empire Builder , a 46-hour ride stretching between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, ending in Seattle. Along the way, passengers can expect to travel portions of Lewis and Clark's route, retracing the steps of pioneers going west. Other highlights include views of the Mississippi, the Gassman Coulee Trestle, Montana's Big Sky country, Glacier National Park, and the Columbia River Gorge. Amtrak Sunset Limited Running three times a week between Los Angeles and New Orleans, the 48-hour Amtrak Sunset Limited has operated since 1971, giving passengers a sneak peek at a diversity of Southwestern America scenery. Highlights include a trip through Louisiana's Bayou Country, the rugged plains and valleys of Texas Hill Country, and the golden deserts of the Southwest. Other sights include Arizona's Gila River Indian Reservation, the historic Wild West town of Yuma, California's desolate Salton Sea, and the windmills of the Coachella Valley, before running parallel to the mountains surrounding the City of Angels. Stops between NOLA and L.A. include San Antonio, El Paso, Tuscon, Phoenix, and Palm Springs. White Pass and Yukon Route Railway Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, Alaska's White Pass and Yukon Route Railway offers travelers a 40-mile, two-and-a-half hour round trip journey from Skagway Alaska to the Summit of the White Pass. Considered a marvel of engineering and an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the railway travels up to an elevation of 2,885 feet in just 20 miles, navigating two tunnels and passing such breathtaking sights as waterfalls, dizzying cliff drops, and towering trestles. From vintage train cars traveling the vertiginous route, passengers will see Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch, as well as the original Klondike Trail of '98, getting a sense of what it must have been like for gold rushers searching for their own gilded piece of the American Dream. Amtrak California Zephyr Since 1949, the Amtrak California Zephyr has ferried passengers across the Continental Divide on a 51+-hour journey through the heart of America, beginning in Chicago and ending just outside San Francisco Bay in Oakland, California. Retracing the route of pioneers who settled the American West, the route includes a trip through the Rocky Mountains outside Denver, passing through the Sierra Nevadas, along the Colorado River, and up close views of Utah's majestic red rocks before eventually steaming past Reno and into San Francisco Bay with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. To accommodate the exceptionally long journey, the train includes a dining car, lounge/cafe car, and sleeping car, with bedroom suites than can accommodate up to six. Amtrak Southwest Chief A 40+ hour ride from Chicago to Los Angeles, Amtrak's Southwest Chief is an ideal way to experience the majesty and splendor of the American West-a journey that practically takes you back in time. Spanning eight states and crossing the Mississippi River, the train allows passengers to take in vistas not visible from the highway, including stretches of wheat fields, adobe pueblos, jutting mountain peaks and great swaths of desert. Major cities along the way include Chicago, Kansas City, and Albuquerque-with stops at many smaller towns along the famed Route 66, including Flagstaff, Kingman, Barstow, and San Bernardino-ending at historic Union Station in Los Angeles. Cape Cod Central Railroad Coastal Excursion Offering scenic two- and three-hour New England journeys from the Cape Cod, Massachusetts towns of Hyannis and West Barnstable, the Cape Cod Central Railroad's Coastal excursion trains are an ideal way to see the windswept beauty of the Cape, passing through local terrain such as cranberry bogs, sand dunes, and salt marshes, with a one-hour stop at the Cape Cod Canal. Passengers can expect both an informative sightseeing tour and fine dining service while viewing hidden areas of Cape Cod only accessible by train. Amtrak Capitol Corridor Transporting Bay Area residents to the Golden State's capitol of Sacramento, this 168-mile train ride takes 3 hours and 15 minutes, going through the southwestern tip of San Francisco Bay-a protected wetland home to birds and wildlife-through the region's only ghost town Drawbridge, the rolling hills of Northern California, and finishing in the El Dorado foothills. Trains are comfortable, with wi-fi and a nice café car, and while commuters may rule, scenery junkies will love the views, too.


And it's heading for auction! The 1966 Pontiac GTO is a car that can swoon even the most critical of auto enthusiasts. It has one of the most recognizable front ends, and a long curvy silhouette that breaks necks when it passes by. It's not often that you see one that's been upgraded with a modern powertrain, like this example from Vicari Auction , but when you find one, you know you're getting the best of both worlds! By the time the 1966 year model of the GTO was designed, the popularity of the moniker was well instilled in the American car scene. Prior GTO cars had only been a trim level at this point, and in 1966, it finally became its own separate model under the Pontiac umbrella. The GM A-body was restyled with more curvaceous lines and a 'coke-bottle' look, with a subtly tunneled backend. While the car was bigger in size than the prior Tempest GTO, it managed not to gain any weight. Introduced on this model were the taller and more slender backseats with countered cushions and adjustable headrests - this was a factory first option. The 1966 GTO's instrument panel was designed with more integration than before. This particular car's owner picked up where Pontiac left off with the GTO. While there were different engine options offered, there was nothing like the current LS3 engine that sits in its engine bay now. Untouched, the LS3 is capable of churning out 430-horsepower, and that's sent into a Tremec five-speed transmission on this Pontiac. From there, the power is funneled into a Currie 9-inch Ford rearend - that's a serious setup! To handle the extra power, the GTO got a set of disc brakes at all four corners for safe stopping. It's also been upgraded with tubular A-frame front end with nylon bushings, traction control arms, and sway bars. Additionally, it has a newly installed A/C, and power steering, so this machine will be a breeze to drive! We can wait to witness it go up for auction as Motorious will be in the crowd when it's auctioned off next weekend at the June 28th-29th event in Atlanta. Read More... Barrett-Jackson Consigns the Vault Portfolio For Northeast Auction 1964 Dodge Polara Is A Red-On-Black Hardtop Beauty


Video by Sports Media Group AUBURN, Ala.   A teenager was arrested Monday as a result of the car accident that killed longtime Auburn radio broadcaster Rod Bramblett and his wife, Paula Bramblett. Johnston Edward Taylor, 16, of Auburn, was charged with two counts of manslaughter , according to a release from the Auburn Police Department. The crash occurred on Saturday evening, May 25, on Shug Jordan Parkway near West Samford Avenue. An investigation into the crash concluded that Taylor's vehicle "was traveling at an excessive rate of speed, well over the posted 55-mph speed limit, when the crash occurred." A toxicological analysis report from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences also confirmed the presence of marijuana in Taylor's system. REMEMBERING: Auburn has lost its voice, but memories of Bramblett will never be forgotten Taylor was charged as an adult (per Alabama Criminal Code 12-15-204) and taken into custody at his home Monday. He was transported to Lee County Jail, where he is being held on a $50,000 bond. Rod Bramblett, 53, a 1988 graduate from Auburn University, had been calling games for the Tigers since 1993, starting with baseball. He took over the late Jim Fyffe as the voice of Auburn Tigers football and men's basketball in 2003. You will not find a kinder, more unselfish sole than Rod. His love for Auburn, our student athletes and coaches is genuine and heard loud and clear. Praying for Rod, Paula and Bramblett Family https://t.co/XXdvs7oafX   Bruce Pearl (@coachbrucepearl) May 26, 2019 Paula Bramblett worked in the Auburn University IT department. They met in Valley, where they both grew up, and were married for nearly 30 years before their deaths in May. They had two children, daughter Shelby (a student at Auburn University) and son Joshua (a student at Auburn High School). Friends and family gathered inside Auburn Arena to celebrate their lives at a memorial service on May 30 . Follow Josh Vitale on Twitter at @JoshVitale This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn police charge teen with manslaughter in deaths of Auburn announcer and his wife


Notre Dame must be restored to exactly the way it was before a fire devastated the landmark , the French Senate said on Monday. Rebuilding the cathedral, which was damaged in a massive fire on April 15, has caused tension between traditionalists and those who see this as an opportunity to construct a new cathedral. Paris's Socialist mayor Anne Hidalgo has said she is in favor of an identical restoration , while Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has expressed interest in a more modern approach. The move to restore the landmark to its "last known visual state" is an attempt to stop a modern makeover. Last month, Philippe announced an international architects' competition to rebuild, and perhaps refashion, the fallen spire, which was added during a 19th-century renovation of the 850-year-old cathedral. It was nearly 300 feet tall and made of wood and lead. The restoration bill will allow work on the cathedral to be completed in time for the Summer Olympics being held in Paris in 2024, which falls in line with French President Emmanuel Macron's plan to have the structure rebuilt in 5 years. In April he said that when it is rebuilt, it should be "even more beautiful." Some have criticized the short time line as a political ploy. Restoration expert Frédéric Létoffé said he thinks it could take longer, at around "10 to 15 years." The latest version of the bill also removed a clause that would have given the government the power to override planning, environmental and heritage protection and public regulations. Since there were changes made, the bill cannot pass directly into law. The Senate and the National Assembly will have to come to an agreement on a version of the bill that will become law.


There isn't a set recipe for raising successful kids, but psychology research points to a handful of factors that could help. Much of it comes down to the parents. There isn't a set recipe for how to raise a successful child . However, research points to several factors that could help. Some of those factors might be totally out of your control: research has shown that being wealthier and a college graduate are two big influencers of your children's success. Most parents want their kids to stay out of trouble, do well in school, and go on to live successful lives as adults. And while there isn't a set recipe for raising successful children, psychology research has pointed to a handful of factors that predict success. Unsurprisingly, much of it comes down to the parents. Keep reading to take a look at what parents of successful kids have in common. Drake Baer contributed to a previous version of this article. They make their kids do chores "If kids aren't doing the dishes, it means someone else is doing that for them," Julie Lythcott-Haims , former dean of freshmen at Stanford University and author of "How to Raise an Adult " said during a TED Talks Live event. "By making them do chores - taking out the garbage, doing their own laundry - they realize I have to do the work of life in order to be part of life," she previously told Business Insider . Lythcott-Haims believes kids raised on chores go on to become employees who collaborate well with their coworkers, are more empathetic because they know firsthand what struggling looks like, and are able to take on tasks independently. They teach their kids social skills Researchers from Pennsylvania State University and Duke University tracked more than 700 children from across the US between kindergarten and age 25 and found a significant correlation between their social skills as kindergartners and their success as adults two decades later. The 20-year study showed that children who could cooperate with their peers, be helpful to others, understand their feelings, and resolve problems on their own were far more likely to earn a college degree and have a full-time job by age 25 than those with limited social skills. Those with limited social skills also had a higher chance of getting arrested, binge drinking, and applying for public housing. "This study shows that helping children develop social and emotional skills is one of the most important things we can do to prepare them for a healthy future," said Kristin Schubert, program director at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded the research, in a release . "From an early age, these skills can determine whether a child goes to college or prison, and whether they end up employed or addicted." They have high expectations Using data from a national survey of 6,600 children born in 2001, University of California at Los Angeles professor Neal Halfon and his colleagues discovered that the expectations parents hold for their kids have a huge effect on attainment . "Parents who saw college in their child's future seemed to manage their child toward that goal irrespective of their income and other assets," Halfon said . The finding came out in standardized tests: 57% of the kids who did the worst were expected to attend college by their parents, while 96% of the kids who did the best were expected to go to college. This falls in line with another psych finding: The Pygmalion effect , which states "that what one person expects of another can come to serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy." In the case of kids, they live up to their parents' expectations. They have healthy relationships with each other Children in high-conflict families tend to fare worse than children of parents that get along, according to a University of Illinois study review . A nonconflictual single-parent family is better for children than two-parent families with conflict, according to the review. But, conflict between parents before and after a divorce can affect children negatively. Another study in this review found that 20-somethings who experienced divorce of their parents as children still report pain and distress over their parents' divorce ten years later. They're educated A 2014 study from the University of Michigan found that mothers who finished high school or college were more likely to raise kids that did the same. Pulling from a group of over 14,000 children who entered kindergarten from 1998 to 2007, the study found that higher levels of maternal education predicted higher achievement from kindergarten to eighth grade. A different study from Bowling Green State University suggested that the parents' education levels when a child is 8 years old "significantly predicted" the education and career level for the child four decades later. They teach their kids math early on A 2007 meta-analysis of 35,000 preschoolers across the US, Canada, and England found that developing math skills early can turn into a huge advantage. "The paramount importance of early math skills - of beginning school with a knowledge of numbers, number order, and other rudimentary math concepts - is one of the puzzles coming out of the study," coauthor and Northwestern University researcher Greg Duncan said . "Mastery of early math skills predicts not only future math achievement, it also predicts future reading achievement." They develop a relationship with their kids A 2014 study of 243 children born into poverty found that those who received "sensitive caregiving" in their first three years did better in academic tests in childhood than those who did not receive the same parenting style. Those children also had healthier relationships and greater academic achievement. "This suggests that investments in early parent-child relationships may result in long-term returns that accumulate across individuals' lives," coauthor and University of Minnesota psychologist Lee Raby said . They value effort over avoiding failure Where kids think success comes from also predicts their attainment. Over decades, Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck has discovered that children (and adults) think about success in one of two ways.Over at Brain Pickings , Maria Popova says they go a little something like this: A " fixed mindset " assumes that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are static givens that we can't change in any meaningful way, and success is the affirmation of that inherent intelligence, an assessment of how those givens measure up against an equally fixed standard; striving for success and avoiding failure at all costs become a way of maintaining the sense of being smart or skilled. A " growth mindset ," on the other hand, thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of un-intelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities. Dweck's mindset theory has attracted valid critiques over the years, but the core tenant of believing that you can improve at something is important to encourage in children. The moms work According to research out of Harvard Business School , there are significant benefits for children growing up with mothers who work outside the home. "There are very few things, that we know of, that have such a clear effect on gender inequality as being raised by a working mother," Harvard Business School professor Kathleen L. McGinn, who led the study, told Working Knowledge . Daughters of working mothers went to school longer, were more likely to have a job in a supervisory role, and earned more money - 23% more compared to peers raised by stay-at-home mothers. The sons of working mothers also tended to pitch in more on household chores and childcare, the study found. But, working mothers aren't necessarily spending every waking minute outside of work with their children Women are more likely to feel intense pressure to balance child rearing with workplace ambitions. Ultimately, they spend more time parenting than fathers do. A 2015 study found the number of hours that moms spend with kids between ages 3 and 11 does little to predict the child's behavior, well-being, or achievement. In fact, the study suggests that it's actually harmful for the child to spend time with a mother who is sleep-deprived, anxious, or otherwise stressed. "Mothers' stress, especially when mothers are stressed because of the juggling with work and trying to find time with kids, that may actually be affecting their kids poorly," study coauthor and Bowling Green State University sociologist Kei Nomaguchi told The Washington Post . It could be more beneficial to spend one fully-engaged hour with a child than spend the whole evening half-listening to your kid while scrolling through work emails. They have a higher socioeconomic status One-fifth of American children grow up in poverty, a situation that severely limits their potential. It's getting more extreme. According to Stanford University researcher Sean Reardon , the achievement gap between high- and low-income families "is roughly 30% to 40% larger among children born in 2001 than among those born 25 years earlier." As social scientist Dan Pink wrote , the higher the income for the parents, the higher the SAT scores for the kids. "Absent comprehensive and expensive interventions, socioeconomic status is what drives much of educational attainment and performance," Pink wrote .


The NFL is one of our favorite pastimes, but it wouldn't be possible without the brave men and women serving every day to make our country safe. Today, both the Tampa Bay Buccanners and Bruce Arians' foundation sent a heartfelt message to all. To the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, we thank you. #MemorialDay pic.twitter.com/KAeWGbtjik - Arians Foundation (@AriansFF) May 27, 2019 We all know the story of former Arizona Cardinals linebacker Pat Tillman, who bravely gave up an NFL career to join the armed forces only to die while serving. To those who've served, are serving or have loved ones serving, thank you for all you do. Not all heroes wear capes. MORE: Danny Green helped Shaq extend this mind-blowing NBA Finals streak Ahead of Finals, Stephen Curry defends Kevin Durant against critics Oshane Ximines named Giants' most dangerous new weapon Stephon Tuitt wins Steelers steak cookoff Damon Harrison tired of repeated contract talks


It might be the end of the NHL road for Buffalo Sabres forward Johan Larsson , as according to Magnus Wahlman of Radiosporten in Sweden the 26-year old is heading back to Brynas for next season. Larsson played for Brynas before making the jump to North America in 2012 and is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this summer. Even if Larsson didn't return to the SHL, there is a chance that the Sabres would decide not to qualify him anyway. The defensive center posted just 14 points in 73 games this season and has 79 in his entire 331-game NHL career. With a 2018-19 cap hit of $1.475M and arbitration rights this offseason, the Sabres could decide to move on and open up some more minutes for their young forward group. In that way, his return to Sweden could be the best decision for both sides. Larsson never has been able to produce much offense at the NHL level, but previously dominated at the SHL and AHL levels. Selected in the second round nine years ago by the Minnesota Wild, he was part of the return for Jason Pominville in 2013. A key piece, he had scored 37 points in 62 games as a rookie for the Houston Aeros and made his NHL debut at the age of 20. The Sabres aren't exactly in a cap crunch, but freeing up another ~$2M could have an impact this summer for the team. They are still trying to re-sign top goal scorer Jeff Skinner and should have enough room to get involved in some of the bigger free agents if they so choose.


Albert Pujols is grateful for the standing ovations he received from Cardinals fans throughout the Angels' series against St. Louis at Busch Stadium. Pujols, 39, spent the first 11 years of his MLB career in St. Louis before joining Los Angeles in 2012. He was on the receiving end of cheers from the opposition this weekend throughout a series that began Friday. Cardinals fans celebrated every time the 10-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion and three-time National League MVP stepped to the plate. Fans in St. Louis chanted "ALBERT! ALBERT!" during Pujols' at-bat in the 9th pic.twitter.com/gqw9LrOcGQ   ESPN (@espn) June 24, 2019 "This is probably one of the best moments of my career," Pujols told reporters after the game, via The Associated Press . "I'm going to put it up there with the two World Series championships." Both Pujols' championships were won with the Cardinals, as were his MVP awards. Still, he said he was surprised by the fans' reactions. MORE : Yankees trade rumors: New York will only move Clint Frazier for pitcher with 'multiple years of control' | Mets apologize after Jason Vargas threatens, charges at reporter "I wasn't expecting this," Pujols said. "These fans are unbelievable. " The Angels are 39-40 and sit in fourth in the AL West. Pujols is batting .233 and has hit 13 home runs so far in his 19th MLB season. Related slideshow: The 2019 MLB season (Provided by imagn)


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. It's Jan. 21, 2021. Still a little bleary-eyed from inauguration festivities, President Pete Buttigieg sits down at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office and, with steely determination, signs an executive order lifting the sanctions reimposed on Iran by President Donald Trump in 2018, and recommitting the United States to the 2015 nuclear deal. At least, that's the scene that might have come to mind from the South Bend mayor's first major foreign policy speech on Tuesday. To enthusiastic applause, Buttigieg pledged to "rejoin our international partners and recommit the United States to the Iran nuclear deal. Whatever its imperfections, this was perhaps as close to the real 'art of the deal' as diplomatic achievements get." Buttigieg wasn't exactly going out on a limb. Nearly every major Democratic candidate has pledged to reenter the deal. It's an easy applause line: The deal is very popular , and pledging to reenter it is an easy way to draw a clear distinction with Trump's foreign policy. Unfortunately, it may not actually be possible. First of all, a lot can happen in the 18 months before a Democratic president can take office. For instance, it's possible that full-scale military conflict between the U.S. and Iran could break out. Or Trump could sit down with Iranian leaders to negotiate his own "new" deal. Neither scenario seems very likely right now, but neither can be entirely ruled out. But even if neither of those scenarios comes to pass, there may be no actual deal to rejoin. To refresh, under the 2015 agreement officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action negotiated with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany and the EU Iran agreed to restrictions and inspections on its nuclear program in exchange for relief from nuclear-related sanctions. For now, Iran is still holding up its end of the deal, but it may not be doing so for long. As the New York Times reported this week , international inspectors say that Iran is ramping up its production of nuclear fuel. On May 8, President Hassan Rouhani announced a 60-day deadline after which Iran will begin enriching uranium to a higher level than allowed by the JCPOA, unless the country receives additional sanctions relief. This, he said, would be followed by a series of 60-day deadlines after which Iran would discard the terms of the deal one by one. The next U.S. presidential term won't begin for another 590 days. This means that the next president can't just unilaterally lift the sanctions. He or she will need to negotiate with the Iranians to get them back into compliance. It's possible Rouhani is bluffing, or that some arrangement can be reached with him. European governments are currently trying to develop workarounds to allow their companies to do business in Iran despite U.S. sanctions. (These companies are understandably wary.) But even if the deal still exists in some form in 2021, it still may not be possible to just slide right back into the JCPOA. For one thing, if Iran keeps up its end of the deal until the end of Trump's term, while the U.S. doesn't, Iranian leaders might (justifiably) demand reparations for the three years of sanctions that were imposed on it. It's hard to imagine even the most dovish Democratic president agreeing to this, or selling it to the public. For another, the clock is ticking on the deal. Under the "sunset clauses" that were the target of much of the criticism of the JCPOA in the U.S., the U.N. embargo on conventional arms sales to Iran is due to lift in 2020, before the next election. By 2023, within the next presidential term, a ban on assistance to Iran's ballistic missile program will be lifted, as will a ban on its research and development of some types of advanced centrifuges. Additional sunsets will come into effect over the course of the next decade, until stringent inspection requirements end in 2031. (Normal monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency will continue after that.) During the debates over the JCPOA, its proponents defended these sunsets by pointing out that that the deal was not an endpoint. If Hillary Clinton, or perhaps even a Republican other than Trump, had been elected, they could have spent the past two years building on the work of the JCPOA to negotiate additional concessions from Iran on its nuclear program or other activities, such as its ballistic missile program or support for proxy militias throughout the Middle East before the sunsets went into effect. The next president, by contrast, will be starting from scratch with little time. "We're behind schedule in terms of making progress," said Suzanne Maloney, an Iran expert and deputy director of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, during a panel on Iran policy at the Center for American Progress on Tuesday. "What we need to be doing today is negotiating the successor to the JCPOA. If that wraps in a reentry to the JCPOA, wonderful, but we have to be looking to extend those timelines." It's also not clear that the Iranian government will be interested in restarting negotiations. By the time the next American president takes office, Iran will be a few months away from its own presidential election. Rouhani is barred by term limits from running again. It's quite possible the next president will be far less enthusiastic about improving relations with the West. Even if another "moderate" becomes president, he will be wary about agreeing to any additional concessions to the U.S. after Rouhani's experience. After all, what's to stop the next president from tearing up whatever agreement they reach? Ilan Goldenberg, director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, told me it's very doubtful the next president could just rejoin the JCPOA in its current form, but the Democratic campaigns' pledges to do so aren't merely empty rhetoric. "I think it's a proxy for saying, 'We're going to go back in to seriously engage on diplomacy, which is right and correct. But realistically, it's going to be a lot tougher. The opening position for a Democratic president should be, 'I would like to go back into the JCPOA, and I would also like to begin negotiating on other issues of concern.' " There is an admittedly optimistic but not entirely far-fetched scenario in which the arrival of a new U.S. president helps unlock the "better" Iran deal that Trump has repeatedly promised. Even before Trump's reversal, the JCPOA wasn't delivering the economic benefits that Iran had been hoping for, with many international firms wary of setting up shop amid an uncertain policy environment. And both the Iranian government and its foreign proxies are now feeling the pain from Trump's sanctions. It would be hard for the Iranian government to agree to concessions to Trump now, without it looking like surrender. But a new leader could allow for (dare I say it) a reset. Goldenberg suggests this could initially take the form of a short-term freeze in exchange for limited sanctions relief, along the lines of the 2013 Joint Plan of Action that preceded the final agreement. That could then set the stage for a new, more comprehensive deal. A lot still has to happen before this is even a possibility not the least of which is that a Democrat has to beat Trump. The only certainty is that the political reality of the Middle East will look far different than it does today, not to mention how it did in 2015. While I supported the intentions of the Iran deal, I've argued in the past that the Obama administration's single-minded focus on it caused Obama and his advisers to neglect other pressing priorities. The Trump administration, in its single-minded focus on undoing Obama's legacy, made the shortsighted decision to blow up the JCPOA rather than work to strengthen it. The next president can't make the same mistakes. He or she should absolutely work to restart engagement with Iran and undo the damage caused by Trump, but it won't be as easy as simply turning back the clock.


On Friday night in Las Vegas, everyone at NBA Summer League learned about something called a "foreshock." That's the term used to describe a smaller earthquake that precedes a bigger earthquake on the same fault line. I learned about foreshocks as I was checking Twitter while fans filed out of the Thomas & Mack Center. A 90-second earthquake  the second and larger of two quakes in two days  had just shaken the building and forced organizers to cancel the remainder of the Pelicans-Knicks game. All of this came during a night that also featured LeBron James and Anthony Davis sitting front row while Zion Williamson made his NBA debut in front of a sold out crowd of fans making the pilgrimage from all across the country. I figured an earthquake nightcap would be the craziest NBA event of the evening. Then Kawhi Leonard ended a five-day odyssey and signed with the Clippers, Paul George was traded to L.A. for two players and five first round picks, the Lakers filled out their roster with Danny Green and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Patrick Beverley was in the middle of a casino filming a video of himself with Lou Williams. "Don't. Talk. To. Us," Beverley said. "The prices just went up," Williams added. Video by Radio.com In the days to come there will be plenty of time to sort through what just happened and how it affects everyone involved, but for now, let's just start here: Friday night's Kawhi decision was the best possible outcome for the NBA. Partnering with Paul George in L.A. is better than Leonard returning to Toronto for a Raptors team that was unlikely to recapture the magic of the run we just watched, and it's better than joining LeBron James and Anthony Davis on a superteam that nobody needed. On the Raptors side of that spectrum: It was assumed by many that Kawhi returning to Toronto would make them the best team in the East. Are we sure about that? It took out-of-body performances from Fred VanVleet to survive the Bucks, and they needed one of the greatest buzzer-beaters in playoff history to beat the 76ers, a team that was playing with 60% of Joel Embiid this spring, and a team that just added Al Horford and Josh Richardson this summer. I would have enjoyed seeing Kawhi return to Toronto, and much of what's exciting about this new Clippers era would also have been true if the Raptors had also been his choice. But as perfectly as Toronto played its hand this year, the supporting cast is getting older, and has been for a while now. Those obstacles are part of what made this spring's run so satisfying, but it also makes the future harder to trust. If winning is the goal for Kawhi and entertainment is the goal for basketball fans, teaming up with Paul George, Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell is a safer bet than the idea of running it back in Toronto with Pascal Siakam and Kyle Lowry. As for the Lakers side of this: I spent most of the past week arguing with myself about whether Kawhi on the Lakers would be a good thing. All along, it was the audacity of that particular possibility that the most dominant player in the playoffs could win a title and immediately leave that title team to join forces with LeBron James and Anthony Davis that kept Kawhi's free agency at the center of sports news every single hour for the past 96 hours. Whatever he decided was always going to be a big story, but if Kawhi had been choosing between the Raptors and Clippers all along, there would have been roughly half the drama, and half the interest. It was that nuclear Lakers option that forced the entire world to pay attention and wonder about the possibilities. If Kawhi had actually signed with the Lakers, that energy was not going to disappear, and the next 12 months would have been fun in an anarchist sort of way. The AD/Kawhi/LeBron Lakers would have been heroes to some and an evil empire to many more, but everyone would have watched them navigate everything that came next. How would Kawhi fit next to LeBron? Would AD be turned into Kevin Love, or would LeBron delegate more than we've ever seen before? When things break down, who would be in charge? Pelinka? Rich Paul? Frank Vogel? Also, and maybe most importantly: if the Lakers were going to pay max money to AD/Kawhi/LeBron, who else would be on the roster? Or, alternately: Davis, Leonard, and James would have a decent claim as the greatest Big Three ever, or at least the most talented. Would the other pieces even matter? In any case, it's for the best that the NBA didn't go that direction. As much as I enjoyed the idea of the Lakers driving the entire NBA insane and then remaining vulnerable enough for a handful of teams to have a shot at beating them, it's important to acknowledge the reality that most regular people would find all of this annoying. LeBron raiding other teams for superstars is a story that we've seen before, and it's not one we necessarily needed again. As for superteams: they're fine in general, but we just lived through an era in which Kevin Durant took the concept to its extreme joined the nucleus of a 73-win team and rendered two straight playoff runs a formality. If there were ever a time to err on the side of caution and exercise some restraint, this is it. A super-charged Lakers team would have been a lot more complicated and more interesting than the KD Warriors ever were, but the founding principal and prevailing perception would be awfully similar. It wouldn't even matter that most people complaining would be overstating the inevitability of Lakers titles. Kawhi on the Lakers would have been a symbol of obscene excess and a valid reason for fans to roll their eyes at how the NBA conducts its business. This Clippers alternative is so much better. No one needed to spend the next 24 months sleepwalking through debates about whether the Lakers are bad for the NBA, but we were going to do it anyway. Instead, George and Kawhi and Beverley will create the most horrifying perimeter defense on earth, Kawhi and George will try to carry an elite offense, and there will be room for challengers. The Lakers aren't going to disappear, the Jazz are loaded, the Nuggets and Rockets will return almost everyone, the Warriors will be scary when Klay gets back, and the Bucks and Sixers will be waiting in the East all year. Even with the Clippers leading the pack of contenders, there will be at least eight teams who enter next season knowing they have a very real shot at the NBA title. It all began with Zion, LeBron, AD, a million draft picks going to OKC, and a literal earthquake. Now, as the dust begins to settle, this new landscape is refreshing. Related slideshow: 2019 NBA offseason moves (Provided by imagn)


LONDON (AP)   Boris Johnson was due to enter 10 Downing St. as Britain's new prime minister on Wednesday, vowing to lead the U.K. out of the European Union and unite a country deeply divided over Brexit. It's a tall order. Johnson has just over three months to make good on his promise to deliver Brexit by Oct. 31. He also must win over the many Britons opposed to Brexit and resistant to his blustering charms. In a sign he hopes to move beyond the largely white, male and affluent Conservative members who chose him as their leader, Johnson's office said his government would be a "Cabinet for modern Britain" with more women and a record number of ministers from ethnic minorities. Slideshow by Business Insider Many members of his administration will be strong Brexit supporters like Johnson, but he is also set to include some pro-EU politicians. Johnson, a former mayor of London and foreign secretary, is getting Britain's top job in politics after winning a contest to lead the governing Conservative Party. Famed for his bravado, quips in Latin and blond mop of hair, Johnson easily defeated Conservative rival Jeremy Hunt, winning two-thirds of the votes of about 160,000 party members across the U.K. He will replace Theresa May, who announced her resignation last month after Parliament repeatedly rejected the withdrawal agreement she struck with the 28-nation bloc. Johnson will take office in a day of carefully choreographed political drama. Departing leader May will attend the weekly prime minister's questions period in the House of Commons for the last time   a usually boisterous session that is likely to have a valedictory air. After saying goodbye to Downing St. staff, May will travel the mile (1.6 km) to Buckingham Palace to resign and ask Queen Elizabeth II to invite Johnson to form a new government. The 93-year-old monarch will then meet Johnson   the 14th prime minister of her 67-year reign   before the new leader stands outside 10 Downing St. to address the nation. Then the real battle starts. Johnson has vowed that Britain will leave the EU on the currently scheduled date of Oct. 31, with or without a deal on departure terms. The EU is adamant that the deal it made with May will not be renegotiated, and economists warn that a no-deal Brexit would disrupt trade and plunge the U.K. into recession. Johnson, whose personal brand is built on optimism   and, critics say, an ambiguous relationship with facts   promised in a victory speech Tuesday to deliver Brexit "in a new spirit of can do." "I say to all the doubters: 'Dude, we are going to energize the country, we are going to get Brexit done,'" he said. ___ Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit and the Conservative Party leadership race at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit


President Donald Trump's nominee to a key appellate court could be in jeopardy over Republican concerns about his judicial record and potential issues with his FBI background check. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a confirmation hearing Wednesday for Halil Suleyman "Sul" Ozerden, a close friend of White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. But his ability to get through the Senate is already in question. Republican senators are receiving individual briefings from judiciary staff about his FBI background investigation, which typically occurs when there's a potential problem with the nominee, according to several Senate sources who declined to discuss the matter on the record or in detail. It's unclear what exactly in his background check could be problematic. The Republican Senate has made approving Trump's judges a major priority ahead of 2020. Any roadblocks in that effort highlight divisions within the party and undercut one of Trump's top campaign talking points. Senators have also raised broader questions about his judicial philosophy and his prior rulings. Some senators are scrutinizing a 2012 opinion he authored as a federal judge in Mississippi centered on the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate. The case was brought forward by the Catholic Diocese of Biloxi and challenged the Affordable Care Act's requirement that insurance plans cover contraception. Ozerden granted the Obama administration's motion to dismiss the case in December 2012, noting that the lawsuit was not ripe for a formal decision because the regulation was in the process of getting amended. "I think the concerns that I have are the same concerns that maybe some of the other people have and it's more focused on the Obamacare birth control mandate," said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), one of two Republican women on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I have issues with that." Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee whose state is included in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, said that he is "aware of the controversy" surrounding the Obamacare case but needs to learn more about the nominee. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), another member of the Judiciary panel, said that his office is taking a look at the "net effect" of the ruling, as is Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who described the case as "certainly something I want to look at." Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also said in a brief interview that he too had concerns about the Obamacare ruling. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), who spoke with Ozerden about his judicial record over the weekend, responded "I don't know" when asked if the Senate will confirm Ozerden. Trump nominated Ozerden in June at Mulvaney's urging. Both Ozerden and Mulvaney attended Georgetown, and the acting White House chief of staff was even a groomsman at his wedding. A spokesperson for Mulvaney did not respond to a request for comment. Ozerden also has strong backing from Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi, his home-state senator. " I do fully support him, I think he is an excellent choice," Wicker reiterated Tuesday. "I think he would be a solid member of the conservative majority and the conservative movement." Wicker added that he remained confident Ozerden would be confirmed. Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who said he recommended Ozerden to serve on the federal judiciary with the late Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, also praised Ozerden's credentials. "He's an outstanding person, got a good education," Lott said, describing Ozerden as "highly respected in the federal judiciary." Lott added that nothing in Ozerden's record is of concern, but conceded that "you could comb through all those decisions and find some where you'd say 'why this, why that?'" POLITICO reported in June that Mulvaney pushed then-White House Counsel Don McGahn to nominate Ozerden despite concerns over the rate at which his opinions have been overturned on appeal, mostly from judges praised by conservatives. Conservative judicial groups also have not been friendly to Ozerden's nomination. Carrie Severino, chief counsel and policy director of the Judicial Crisis Network, which has spent millions supporting Trump's nominees, wrote in National Review last year when Ozerden's name was discussed that "Mississippi is as red a state as they come. It sure seems like we could do better than Judge Ozerden there." Ozerden is the latest White House judicial nominee to face scrutiny from Senate Republicans. Although most have sailed through the GOP-controlled Senate, which has made confirming Trump's nominees a top priority, some have run into obstacles. Most recently, Michael Bogren, who Trump nominated to serve on a federal district court in Michigan, withdrew his nomination amid opposition from Senate Republicans over a brief he wrote while defending the City of East Lansing. Burgess Everett contributed to this report.


"It's not me; it's us," President Trump told the adoring crowd of hundreds of young MAGA faithful Tuesday at Turning Point USA's conservative student summit. "It's a movement." But for those watching the president's 80-minute performance at the Marriott Marquis in Washington it was hard not to come to the opposite conclusion: It was all about Trump. From a 12-minute hagiographic video of his political rise to his boast that Britain had just named a prime minister in his own image to the high school student who told Trump he wears a "Make America Great Again" hoodie every day, the Turning Point event reflected a president who, 2 1/2 years into his tenure, is luxuriating in his own reflection while addressing his most rabid supporters. Subscribe to the Post Most newsletter: Today's most popular stories on The Washington Post "Mr. President, I do have one problem with you," said Hunter Richard, the hoodie-addicted teen from San Antonio who gained viral fame when his MAGA hat was snatched by a 30-year-old man last summer, "and it's that I only get to have you as my president for six more years!" The crowd cheered. The president beamed. "Boy, I'll tell you, that's what they're afraid of," Trump joked of his political rivals. For Trump, the outpouring appeared to be a balm after a week of intense criticism over his racists tweets targeting four Democratic congresswomen. He was in his element, airing grievances, settling scores and reliving his 2016 election upset over Hillary Clinton for an estimated crowd of 1,400 students. "Let's have a good time, right?" Trump began, taking the stage after the video concluded with embellished, computer-generated images of Marine One flying past the Lincoln Memorial to the White House as if from a sci-fi action film. He waited for 2 1/2 minutes as the crowd chanted "USA! USA!" and sang along to Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA," the president's campaign theme song, even though this was an official event. Gazing over the audience, the president, who has accused the four Democratic women of "hating our country," called his supporters "great American patriots." "They don't realize there's more of you than there is of them," Trump said in a warning to his political opponents. "They haven't figured that out yet." To Trump's critics, such performances smack of an elected leader who has eschewed traditional politics in favor of fostering a cult of personality, one that won him support of 87 percent of self-identified Republicans, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll this month. Christopher Hedges, an author and former foreign correspondent who has studied collapsed societies, said Trump has employed the tactics of demagogues to insulate himself from critics   Democrats, the media, Never Trump Republicans   who have sought to hold him accountable. "The old rules of politics don't work. It's almost inverted   so you have an enraged, disempowered, infantilized population that seeks in essence a cult leader, who presents himself as omnipotent, who is able to disregard and violate all the norms and rules of society, which appeals to this disempowered base," Hedges said. Democrats "still haven't figured out that Trump does not function as a political leader but as a cult leader," he added. "The more he flouts social convention, the more vulgar he is, the more openly he disregards the law, the more his base is enthused." Turning Point organizers scoffed at the notion that Trump has a cultlike appeal, even though a spokesman said the group arranged for the 12-minute biopic and that the president had no advance knowledge of it. The video opens on Trump's upbringing in Queens, touting his military academy education and his schoolboy athletic prowess, and asserting that he was "socially popular with men and women." Then it cuts a montage of Trump vanquishing his 2016 political opponents   including Republican Jeb Bush and Democrat Hillary Clinton   and proving his naysayers wrong. Text on the screen flashed: "Winning is what he does best." In March, after Trump gave a 2-hour address to the Conservative Political Action Conference, conservative writer Jonah Goldberg wrote a column saying he had declined an invitation to speak at the event. He argued that Trump's speech "shared many of the traits associated with demagogues who feed off a cult of personality" and suggested long speeches are a method of "proving dominance over an audience." He cited Russian President Vladimir Putin's five-hour news conference in 2013. "It frustrates me that this 'cult of personality' keeps being a thing," said a Turning Point spokesman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak bluntly. "You could have made the same comment about President Obama . . . I think Trump is a personality who inspires a passionate response on both sides. To this crowd of people, he's an inspiration because he's fearless, he's authentic." In March 2012, amid his reelection campaign, Obama unveiled a 17-minute video titled "The Road We've Traveled" narrated by Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks. The video, which has racked up more than 2.8 million views on YouTube, told the story of the nation's recovery from the Great Recession and the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Obama was painted as steely-eyed in making tough decisions, featuring interviews with his top White House aides. In 2017, Ronald Krebs, a professor of comparative politics at the University of Minnesota, conducted research that found Trump and Obama had employed self-reverential rhetoric far more often than had their predecessors. In their study , Krebs and co-author Robert Ralston determined that Obama used first-person pronouns such as "I" or "me" 69 percent more than the presidential average, and that Trump exceeded Obama by another 20 percent. In an interview, Krebs emphasized that there are "important differences" between the two, citing Trump's "faux narrative portraying himself as self-made, in contrast to Obama, who really was a self-made man." But he said that both presidents appealed to voters seeking strong leaders in an age of extreme political partisanship and polarization and noted that executive power expanded greatly under both of them. At the Turning Point event, Trump called Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), one of the four congresswomen he suggested in a tweet last week "go back" to foreign countries even though they are Americans, "a crazed lunatic." He lambasted the New York Times and Washington Post. He repeated a falsehood that many undocumented immigrants voted in California, some more than once, despite the fact that the Commission on Voter Fraud he appointed disbanded in January 2018 without finding any evidence. "Don't kid yourself," Trump said. "The numbers in California   they're rigged." Trump's critics said the willingness of his supporters to echo his false statements and conspiracy theories is more evidence of his cultlike appeal. At a rally in North Carolina last week, the crowd chanted "send her back!" as Trump railed against another of the four Democratic women, Rep. Ilhan Omar (Minn.), who was born in Somalia but is a naturalized citizen. "Obama triggered empathy; Trump triggers hate," Hedges said. He added that while some foreign leaders have played to the president's ego in a bid for geopolitical advantage, Trump's "followers are not trying to play him. You surrender to cult leaders." david.nakamura@washpost.com


Meteorologist Domenica Davis has the latest on Winter Storm Echo, bringing snow into the Northern Plains Wednesday and rain ahead of the storm and moving to the East.


She was the little kitty with a huge scowl. Grumpy Cat, whose real name was Tardar Sauce, catapulted to fame six years ago after her owner posted a photo of her on Reddit. She quickly became the perfect way to express frustration with an imperfect world through thousands of memes. Her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, said Grumpy Cat died of complications from a urinary tract infection on May 14. But the sourpuss' legacy lives on, off and online.


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. O n Friday, actress and liberal activist Alyssa Milano used Twitter to call for women to go on a "sex strike" to protest new abortion laws. Our reproductive rights are being erased. Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy. JOIN ME by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back. I'm calling for a #SexStrike . Pass it on. pic.twitter.com/uOgN4FKwpg   Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) May 11, 2019 No doubt, Milano believes that her idea here is a progressive one. The abortion laws in question are, after all, supported by Republicans, therefore any act of protest against them must in itself be liberal and progressive, right? Wrong. Although Milano may not realize it, her attempt at progressive activism was actually the opposite of feminist. Let me be clear: Calling for women to go on a "sex strike" isn't "woke" or cool, it is sexist and harmful. Why? Because it promotes the antiquated narrative that women have sex only as a concession or gift to men, not because they enjoy sex for its own sake. This is not feminist; it's patriarchal. All too often, we women grow up hearing things that suggest it is somehow wrong or bad for us to want sex. I remember a friend in college telling me that her mom had taught her, "It's the man's job to want it; it's the women's job to say no." These kind of colloquialisms can stick with a woman for a lifetime, making her feel dirty or wrong for wanting to engage in normal, healthy human behavior. We've certainly come a long way in terms of seeing women as being equal to men, but we are unfortunately still in a place where women who enjoy sex a lot are called "sluts," while the same kind of desires and behaviors are not only accepted, but also celebrated, when we're talking about men. It's stupid, it's unfair, and Milano is not helping. If Milano is really as concerned about women's "bodily autonomy" as she claims to be, then maybe she should start by not telling other women what to do with theirs. I mean, seriously   the irony is so obvious that I can't believe she somehow still doesn't see it and actually continues to defend her awful idea. Thankfully, we live in a country where we all have a right to peacefully protest   and any woman who has an issue with the new abortion laws should certainly feel free to do so, and yes, even to call on other women to do the same. The truth is, though, demanding that women surrender their sexuality when we're still fighting to have that same sexuality be accepted is about as stupid as it gets. I know that Milano sees herself as some kind of left-wing hero, but she missed the mark here. Her idea treats female sexuality not as something to be accepted and celebrated in itself, but as a cheap bargaining chip, as something that women only do begrudgingly to please or get something out of men. Suggesting, as she does, that you're an inferior feminist if you decide to have sex is no different from the typical, outdated Puritanical shaming that suggests you're an inferior woman if you decide to have sex. Both, after all, suggest that what a woman decides to do with her body sexually says something about her as a person   and that's not "bodily autonomy," it's the opposite. The truth is, the only thing we should be telling women about their sexuality is   to paraphrase Salt n Pepa   that it is no one else's business, that it belongs to them and them alone. Sexual decisions should be made by each individual woman for her own damn self, without feeling any pressure from any man (or any Alyssa Milano) to make a certain decision. So, Alyssa   I thought you were "woke" enough to realize this, but since you apparently aren't, I'll spell it out for you: Many women do enjoy sex for sex's own sake, they don't just do it to please or manipulate men, there is nothing wrong with that, and shame on you for suggesting otherwise.


Video by Time South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday hailed the third meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarised Zone as the result of an "astounding imagination" and thinking outside the box. All three held an impromptu encounter at the truce village of Panmunjom on Sunday when Trump became the first sitting US president to set foot in North Korea and agreed with Kim to resume working-level talks, which had been deadlocked since the collapse of their second summit in Hanoi in February. The gathering was proposed by Trump via Twitter a day earlier, offering to meet Kim at the border to "say hello", with the North delivering an unusually fast response. Moon -- whose administration had been excoriated by the North only last week and told it had "nothing to meddle in the dialogue" -- praised both men's actions. "That extraordinary proposal and bold response is the result of an astounding imagination that goes beyond common sense," Moon said. "This is unthinkable in the existing diplomatic grammar." The dramatic DMZ meeting was full of symbolism, and while it did not produce a formal communique both sides said afterwards that they would continue working-level talks to restart the stalled nuclear negotiations. It was a "de-facto declaration of an end to hostile relations and the beginning of a full-fledged era of peace", said Moon, who has long promoted engagement with Pyongyang. Moon was instrumental in brokering the landmark summit between Trump and Kim -- the first meeting between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader -- in Singapore last year which produced only a vaguely worded pledge about denuclearisation. Slideshow by photo services A second meeting in Vietnam in February collapsed after the pair failed to reach an agreement over sanctions relief and what the North was willing to give in return. Contact between the two sides has since been minimal -- with Pyongyang issuing frequent criticisms of the US position -- but the two leaders exchanged a series of letters before Trump issued his offer to meet at the DMZ. Analysts have been divided by Sunday's events, some saying they spurred new momentum into deadlocked nuclear talks, while others described them as "reality show theatrics". "Our President shouldn't be squandering American influence on photo-ops and exchanging love letters with a ruthless dictator," said Democratic presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren.


New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is an electrifying game-changer if there ever was one, and his 2018 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year performance proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. In 2019, Barkley will be running behind a revamped offensive line and looking to build upon his remarkable rookie season. Two pieces to that newly reconstructed wall are veterans Mike Remmers and Kevin Zeitler, who have only just recently got a taste of what Barkley brings to the table. And to say they're excited to block for him would be an understatement. "Very exciting," Zeitler said on Monday when asked about paving the way for Saquon. "I think everyone wanted him in the draft. You see the highlights from the year before. I think anytime he has a chance to touch the ball, there is a chance he can break it. So, it's on us to get it done so we can do that more often." While Zeitler has had a few weeks to take in what Barkley brings to the table, Remmers is still relatively new to the team and remains in awe of the team's potential on the ground. "I mean I love that," Remmers said about pounding the rock. "I love running the ball." If the Giants' revamped offensive line, highlighted by the Remmers and Zeitler additions to the right side, can play even average football in 2019, there's no telling how dominant Barkley can be. MORE: 7 reasons the Warriors are winning another title no matter who they play in the Finals Injury to Reuben Foster could help Chiefs, Redskins strike a deal Magic Johnson confirms rumor that Lakers want to sign Kyrie Irving Roundup: Great White Shark Tracked; James Holzhauer Wins Again; Donald Trump's Accounting Firm Browns players quickly start recruiting freshly cut DT Gerald McCoy


A paddle boarder had an incredible encounter recently with a blue whale off the coast of California. Stunning drone footage, which was filmed on April 25th off Long Beach, shows the whale surface right beside the boarder who is able to paddle with the marine giant for about 30 seconds.


Manchester United are poised to complete the signing of Crystal Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and expect to have a deal wrapped up by the weekend. The 21-year-old was immense for the Eagles last season, earning countless plaudits for his impressive displays in a breakthrough campaign. As a result, he has become one of the hottest property in English football, with several elite clubs regularly being linked with a move for the youngster. According to the Daily Mail , United will fend off competition from rivals and land their man for an enormous £50m - rising to £60m - potentially sealing the transfer in the next 48 hours. The London Evening Standard carry the story, too. Now, this is certainly a believable outcome. The switch has hardly come out of the blue, as the Red Devils are known to be long-term admirers of the defender. The Old Trafford outfit are also in need of a new full-back, having lost captain Antonio Valencia earlier in the summer, whilst they no doubt have the funds to finance such an expensive deal. Additionally, Palace would be foolish to reject an offer like that which United have reportedly made for a player who has only one year of Premier League experience behind him. So, the likelihood of this move coming to fruition seems quite high, with all interested parties standing to benefit in one way or another if Wan-Bissaka is indeed added to the Red Devils squad. Capturing the starlet also fits in with the approach manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer appears to be taking with regards to rebuilding and reshaping his stuttering United team. The Norwegian has been prioritising youth, focusing recruitment on younger footballers - like Daniel James - as well as ensuring there is a genuine pathway from the academy into the first-team setup. Even the time-frame of 48 hours that the Daily Mail have put on this deal's completion doesn't seem unrealistic. The Champions League quarter finalists will have been working on this transfer for a reasonable period, with the 'finer details' set to be discussed with Wan-Bissaka's representatives in the coming days.


The Washington Redskins have officially kicked off the 2019 season with training camp, being held in Richmond VA. The Redskins will practice from 9:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. ET, with a 4:40 p.m. walkthrough on Thursday, July 25 at the Bon Secours Training Center (2401 W. Leigh St., Richmond, Va. 23220). All official City locations are $10 to park, cash only. This fee will allow same-day re-entry with a parking pass. Follow along below for live updates from practice: A Twitter List by zacharycneel To view information about attending training camp practice, click here . To view the team's complete training camp schedule, click here. MORE: Mike Trout's perfect 98.6 MPH throw to home plate had everyone in awe Roundup: A-Rod Buys J-Lo a Porsche, PBR Hard Coffee, MLB Trade Deadline Bold Predictions Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Big Threes Packers GM explains reasoning for releasing DL Mike Daniels Amani Toomer: Giants QB Eli Manning still has it


If you follow regional high school softball, chances are you've already made your picks for this coming week. If not, here's a look at some noteworthy upcoming girls varsity softball games in and around Newark, selected using data from high school sports source MaxPreps . (Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Details like game dates/times and team records are based on data provided by MaxPreps and may be subject to change; the latest up-to-date information is available at the links below.) West Caldwell Tech vs. Tech The West Caldwell Tech Eagles (1-0) will play a nonconference game against the Tech Panthers (4-4) at home on Saturday, May 18. The game will take place at 620 Passaic Ave. in West Caldwell. Arts vs. St. Vincent Academy On Monday, May 20, the Arts Jaguars (5-2) face off against St. Vincent Academy (3-1) in a conference game on their own turf. The faceoff will take place at 4 p.m. at 550 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. Both teams will be looking to remain undefeated in conference play this season. Tech vs. Orange On Monday, May 20, the Tech varsity Panthers (4-4) have a home nonconference game against the Orange Tornadoes (1-3). The game will take place at 4 p.m. at 187 Broadway. Golda Och Acadmey vs. West Side The Golda Och Acadmey (0-0) are scheduled to play a conference game against the West Side Roughriders (3-2) at home on Monday, May 20. The matchup will take place at 1418 Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange. Neither team has won a conference game this season. Orange vs. Arts The Orange Tornadoes (1-3) have a nonconference game against the Arts Jaguars (5-2) at home on Tuesday, May 21. The faceoff is set for 4 p.m. at 400 Lincoln Ave. in Orange. Tech vs. St. Vincent Academy On Tuesday, May 21, the Tech Panthers (4-4) face off against St. Vincent Academy (3-1) in a home nonconference game. The game will take place at 4 p.m. at 187 Broadway. Belleville vs. East Side The Belleville Buccaneers (8-0) have a nonconference game against the East Side Red Raiders (7-4) at home on Tuesday, May 21. The game will begin at 4 p.m. at 100 Passaic Ave. in Belleville. Academy for Urban Leadership Charter vs. University The Academy for Urban Leadership Charter Jaguars (0-0) are scheduled to play a nonconference game against the University Phoenix (1-10) at home on Tuesday, May 21. The contest will take place at 612 Amboy Ave. in Perth Amboy. This story was created automatically using local sports data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Much of the major transfer news on Deadline Day came from north London, with Arsenal and Tottenham hogging the headlines with their comings and goings. Yet up on Tyneside, there was an equally captivating story brewing. More than eight years after departing Newcastle for a staggering £35m to join Liverpool, Andy Carroll has returned to St James' Park. Reaction to the move has been mixed, with many viewing it as a humbling moment for the 30-year-old, whose career has seemingly gone backwards after leaving for bigger and better things back in 2011, and a desperate choice for Newcastle who couldn't find any better than an injury-prone 30-year-old. I'm Coming Home!! pic.twitter.com/aEwYeDO9ti   Andy Carroll (@AndyTCarroll) August 8, 2019 However, there are others more optimistic about Carroll's homecoming, especially the player himself. Here's a look at why bringing Carroll back to Newcastle could turn out to be a shrewd piece of business. He Will Ease the Pressure on Joelinton Newcastle signed Joelinton for a club-record transfer fee last month, clearly believing that he will be the player to replace the goals of Ayoze Perez and Salomon Ronson to keep the side in the Premier League this season. That is a heavy weight on the shoulders of the 22-year-old, who has yet to play a competitive game in England. Prior to Carroll's signing, the back-up option for the Magpies was Dwight Gayle, a proven performer in the Championship, but someone who has struggled to replicate that form in the top flight. Then they brought in Carroll . The forward has played over 200 Premier League games, and in his last spell at the club in the first half of the 2010/11 season, he scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in just 19 appearances. He has already shown that he can shine in front of the Gallowgate End. If Joelinton is not firing, Newcastle now have a useful option from the bench. He Has a Point to Prove Perhaps the average 30-year-old striker would be seen as a little past their best with their career winding down. Some would be looking for where they can make the most money, knowing that they are unlikely to improve any more. For Carroll, it is different. Having been hindered by injuries throughout his time at West Ham, many have written him off. Will he ever return to the form that saw him earn a move to Liverpool and win nine caps for England? That remains to be seen. If he does not, it won't be through a lack of effort. Back at his boyhood club, Carroll has a point to prove. He will want to prove the doubters wrong. He will want to show that he can still dazzle on the big stage. With that kind of motivation driving him, there is reason to believe that he will still be able to offer Newcastle plenty this season. It's a Low-Risk Gamble No one knows how well Carroll will do this year. The last seven years of his career have seen his development stall at West Ham , largely due to a series of injuries. Tying him down to a long-term deal would have been a foolish move from Newcastle. Instead, they have taken the safety-first approach. Carroll has arrived on a free transfer on an initial one year deal. This means that if he does have another injury-hit season, he will simply leave the club next year having not cost a great deal. Yet if he plays well then the side benefit, Newcastle can look to extend his contract, and Carroll has re-established himself as a hometown hero. It's a win-win situation. Remember, Carroll Is a Good Striker This is easy to forget. You'd be forgiven for forgetting that Carroll is even still a professional footballer, given how much football he has missed in recent years. Of course he can look a little clumsy at times. He did not suit Liverpool's style of play so did not fit in there. Yet if you are looking for a target man, on his day there are few better in the Premier League. This is a player who terrorised defences when he was last at Newcastle, linking up superbly with Kevin Nolan and Shola Ameobi. He even showed glimpses of his best at West Ham, and who can forget his stunning header for England against Sweden at Euro 2012? As textbook a header as you will see. Put the ball into the box, and Carroll will attack it with everything. Sure, many of his career highlights are from years ago, and he may struggle to reproduce those moments. But what if he can? Then Newcastle really have a player on their hands.


Every year, Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal hosts a swanky dinner for advertisers, as the TV network-owner gears up for the spring's peak ad sales season. This year, there was a new wrinkle: Before they were served their fish and lamb at New York's Rainbow Room last month, some guests sat through a five-hour seminar titled "The Future of Content, Data & Technology." The talk laid out how marketers can use NBCUniversal's new data and analytics tools to target their ads more effectively on the company's shows. The technology makes it possible, for example, for a brewer's ads to air on shows watched by beer-buying households, or for a fast-food restaurant to target lovers of burger and fries. If it sounded to the gathered ad executives like the sort of high-tech pitch that might be given by Google or Facebook, that was the point. Marketers have been moving money, gradually but measurably, away from TV and into digital outlets that promise sophisticated ad targeting and the ability to reach audiences that are eschewing traditional television. Now, the TV empire is striking back. NBCUniversal, owner of channels including USA, Bravo and E!, along with Time Warner Inc.'s Turner Broadcasting and other media companies are touting new tools that they say close the gap with the online players when it comes to data and analytics. That will be a key feature of their pitches in "upfront" negotiations in coming weeks, when TV networks sell the majority of ad time for coming programming. Turner is offering a product called "Turner Audience Now." The network said it recently helped a yogurt company target heavy yogurt buyers across its shows using data from Nielsen Catalina Solutions, which merges shopper loyalty-card data a wealth of information with TV viewing. Both NBCU and Turner stress that the data they use for this ad tool is "anonymized" that is, the networks don't see the personal information of consumers. The two networks are seeking to sell up to 30% of their inventory, including upfront ad time, using the new data tools. NBCUniversal is pushing a new "Audience Targeting Platform." It taps into huge databases of information on what products people buy, and matches it against data from set-top boxes that tracks the programs people watch on TV. (NBCU said isn't using Comcast set-top box data for this ad product.) Networks are also making use of things like databases for movie-ticket sales and car buying. Advertisers "no longer have to choose between data-driven opportunities that digital gives them and the power and scale of premium video that NBCUniversal gives them," said Linda Yaccarino, NBCUniversal's chairman of advertising sales. Meanwhile, some TV executives are going on the offensive, reminding advertisers of the problems that lurk in the digital ad ecosystem. They point to bogus Web traffic boosted by computerized bots, and growing concerns over the lack of "viewability" of online ads that appear on parts of websites that make them undetectable to the human eye. Executives at CBS Corp. and Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN are among those that have been making this case, people familiar with the matter say. "What we are saying is ESPN's digital properties are clean and well-lit places that have great content," said Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN's ad sales. "That message is resonating right now because there clearly is some re-evaluating going on by advertisers and buyers because of what is going on in some parts of the digital ecosystem," said added. Michael Teicher, executive vice president of syndication ad sales for Twentieth Television said "the TV industry should be fighting back in unison to raise the flag on these flaws." (Twentieth Television's parent company, 21st Century Fox, was part of the same company as The Wall Street Journal until mid-2013.) For decades, TV networks allowed advertisers to target viewers based only on age and gender. And even with its new tools, TV doesn't know as much about viewers as the Web can divine from monitoring searches, where someone might be typing in "red high heels, size 9.5" or "fringed lampshades." However, TV executives want to offer better audience targeting while maintaining its chief advantage over the Web: to reach large swaths of the population. That's the reason at once. That breadth is $66 billion a year is still spent on TV advertising. For TV executives, counter-balancing the narrative that digital outlets have an inherent advantage over television is critical. TV networks across the cable dial are dealing with steep, double-digit declines in viewership.Analyst estimates suggest that the ad dollars marketers will commit during this year's upfronts could sink 7% to about $20 billion. Marketers including MasterCard Inc., Allstate Corp., Wendy's Co. and Mondelez International Inc. have begun shifting ad dollars from TV to digital platforms that can target users based on attributes ranging from their physical location to shopping habits. Digital outlets also point out that TV networks have their own version of "viewability" headaches. Viewers walk out of the room during commercial breaks, or skip through ads on their DVRs. Trying to talk down digital channels "ignores where people go for content," said Sherrill Mane, senior vice president for research, analytics measurement for the Interactive Advertising Bureau, an industry trade group that represents Web publishers. "We're not degrading digital's capability," said Michael Strober, senior vice president of client insights and innovation at Turner. "What we're saying is that there exists now new technology, new data and analytics approaches to television that didn't exist before." Sales executives are also reinforcing TV's ability to reach large audiences despite the ratings declines. During a meeting with ad buyers and advertisers earlier this month, NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt said one episode of "The Voice" delivered a larger audience than a month of YouTube viewership, according to people that attended the meeting. Over the past few months, the cable industry's trade group, the Cable Advertising Bureau, has been arming cable ad sales executives with information to help their case, according to people who have attended recent CAB meetings. One slide presented to network executives stated that ads were viewed 709.7 million times during all airings of Adult Swim's reruns of "Family Guy" in January of this year. To deliver roughly the same number of ad views during that time period on YouTube, an advertiser would have had to buy all views on YouTube's top 10 networks. YouTube declined to comment. It is unclear if the new approach by TV networks will help stop the flow of TV dollars to digital channels. "Is it likely going to change a lot of folks' minds about the balance of their media budgets? Yes. Do we know by how much? No, we don't," said NBCUniversal's Ms. Yaccarino. Write to Suzanne Vranica at suzanne.vranica@wsj.com and Steven Perlberg at steven.perlberg@wsj.com


David Wells and David Cone are best remembered for the pivotal roles the played as members of the starting rotation for the 114-win 1998 Yankees. They're also known for throwing down buckets of beer with impressive feracity. The two certainly had a history of partying during their tenure in the Boogie Down Bronx, as Wells was more than willing to sum up in a couple hilarious sentences on live television Saturday. David Wells on his drinking these days: "We've tamed it down a bit. Now it's two and done instead of 25 and done." Legend   Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) May 25, 2019 "We've tamed it down a bit," said Wells of he and Cone's drinking practices. "Now it's two and done instead of 25 and done." Truly an iconic quote from the 1998 ALCS MVP. It's a hilarious insight into the bond between the two pitchers who finished third and fourth in AL Cy Young voting back in 1998. (1998) 21 years ago today. "15 men in the history of organized baseball have ever thrown a perfect game. Only one of those men did it half-drunk, with blood shot eyes, monster breath and a raging, skull-rattling hangover. That would be me." - David Wells pic.twitter.com/CaSuQGebB0   Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) May 17, 2019 Wells definitely had his share of drinks during that 1998 season, and he unashamedly admits that he tossed his perfect game that year in a bit of a drunken stupor. If anything, that adds to just how outstanding Wells was that year. Not known as a strikeout artist by any means, Wells managed to completely shut down the Twins' offense for an entire game. Yet even as he's mellowed at the age of 56, Wells still has maintained his sense of humor. He and Coney have to do a game together soon, right? It would be amazing. Related slideshow: 2019 MLB season (provided by imagn)


The V12 could disappear, too. On paper, everything at Lamborghini and its Sant'Agata, Italy headquarters should be splendid. The Urus is a massive sales success. In the first half of 2019, the Urus helped the automaker nearly double its sales , which has put it on track to deliver more than 8,000 vehicles by the end of the year   a record. But while things are hunky-dory now, the company's future is uncertain. Automobile is reporting VW Group CEO Herbert Diess isn't happy with Lamborghini's financial performance, pointing toward Ferrari as the benchmark. Then there's the ongoing conundrum that is the Aventador's replacement, which has been pushed back even further. According to the report, the Lamborghini Aventador replacement is delayed again until 2024 with the next Huracán coming a year later. The reason? Audi, the company that owns Lamborghini within VW Group, doesn't want to spend the money to update the Aventador's V12 engine to Europe's new emission standard. Instead, the German automaker would rather invest in hybrid V8 engines for both supercar models, which would mean Lamborghini's flagship supercar might not feature a V12 engine. There's a good chance a Porsche-developed 4.0-liter V8 set to arrive in 2024 could be the new mill for the two. Lamborghini is one of the few remaining supercar makers not to embrace some form of electrification. Porsche , Ferrari , and McLaren have jumped on the electrified bandwagon, and it appears Lamborghini could be next. A report from earlier this year suggested the Italian company could electrify the Aventador's naturally aspirated V12 with three electric motors delivering at least 1,100 horsepower (820 kilowatts) from the plug-in hybrid system. The April report also noted the timeline for the Aventador's replacement had been pushed back from 2020 to 2022. If the Aventador replacement is delayed until 2024, which is rumored to be based off the Lamborghini Terzo Millennio Concept (above), it would mean the top-tier supercar would be on sale for well over a decade. Aventador production started in early 2011; however, while the company has found success with limited-edition models, extending the Aventador's life for another four years could be difficult. The company may have to invest in a mid-cycle refresh to keep the Aventador and Huracán competitive, and that takes money.


Looking to try the best bars in town? Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top bars in Worcester, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to venture when cravings strike. 1. Nick's Worcester Topping the list is Nick's Worcester . Located at 124 Millbury St., the bar and German spot is the highest-rated bar in Worcester, boasting 4.5 stars out of 76 reviews on Yelp. 2. The Sole Proprietor Next up is The Sole Proprietor , situated at 118 Highland St. With four stars out of 610 reviews on Yelp, the bar and sushi bar, which offers seafood, pasta and more, has proved to be a local favorite. 3. O'Connor's Restaurant & Bar O'Connor's Restaurant & Bar , a bar and Irish spot, is another go-to, with four stars out of 308 Yelp reviews. Head over to 1160 W. Boylston St. to see for yourself. 4. Victory Bar & Cigar Check out Victory Bar & Cigar , which has earned four stars out of 24 reviews on Yelp. You can find the bar at 56 Shrewsbury St. This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., seemingly accused Mark Morgan, the acting director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, of "[running] concentration camp systems" and hiding the nature of them. Despite fierce backlash, Ocasio-Cortez showed no signs of backing down Tuesday evening on her comparison of U.S. migrant detention centers with concentration camps. Retweeting an interview in which Morgan told Hill.tv's Saagar Enjeti that her comments were "flat-out wrong," Ocasio-Cortez wrote sarcastically, "Ah yes, because history knows that people who run concentration camp systems almost always acknowledge to the public what they're doing." Ah yes, because history knows that people who run concentration camp systems almost always acknowledge to the public what they're doing. https://t.co/HOX7HGNIrm   Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 18, 2019 Twenty minutes earlier, Ocasio-Cortez also hit at Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., for using the word "exterminate" to describe the systematic murder of Holocaust victims by the Nazi regime. She sarcastically accused Cheney of "defending concentration camps." Also @Liz_Cheney , the fact that you employed the horrifying word "exterminated" here (co-opting the language of the oppressor) tells us that it's *you* that needs to brush up on your reading. Hope you enjoy defending concentration camps. I won't back down fighting against them. https://t.co/OOfrrfa1Ew   Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 18, 2019 Earlier on Tuesday, the official Twitter account of the Auschwitz Memorial weighed in on a thread Ocasio-Cortez started, writing, "The history of Auschwitz is far more complicated than this as it combined two functions: a concentration camp and from March 1942 an extermination center. See our online lesson: http://lekcja.auschwitz.org/en_1/" The history of Auschwitz is far more complicated than this as it combined two functions: a concentration camp and from March 1942 an extermination center. See our online lesson: https://t.co/45MCqODtva   Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) June 18, 2019


If you can come up with $1,000 , you can definitely treat your family to a nice vacation this year. We've pulled together a list of five ways to have fun on a tight budget. Of course, how far you travel is a major factor, and one of your biggest expenses may be the cost of getting to your destination. That's one reason Hawaii will likely never be an affordable vacation destination, unless you live there, of course. So look for a travel spot that has cheap flights or is within driving distance, and then try one of these options. 1. Camp (or glamp) across the country Camping seems to stir mixed feelings. For some people, camping makes them think of dirt, sunburns and awkward summer camp experiences. Others equate camping with adventure, tranquility and an opportunity to unplug. If you fall into the first category, don't rule out camping all together. Today, you can stay in modern cabins at national parks or rent RVs at private parks that are outfitted more like resorts than campgrounds. This form of luxury camping, aka "glamping," will cost more than pitching a tent, but it's usually still an affordable way to vacation. Some places to try: Yosemite National Park (California) Gulf State Park (Alabama) Olympia National Park (Washington) 2. Midwest cities offer affordable fun If you want a big city vacation, skip the coasts and look to the Midwest instead. Chicago, of course, is the biggest city in the region, but it's also the most expensive. Instead of following the crowd, look for a midsized city that combines a vibrant downtown scene along with a mix of arts and cultural events. Midwest towns may seem a bit vanilla, but don't let the stereotype fool you. Depending on what state and city you visit, the region has award-winning chefs, countless craft breweries, art museums, zoos, long sandy beaches and more. Plus, the cost-of-living is typically lower, so your money will go farther than it would in New York, Chicago or LA. Some places to try: Grand Rapids (Michigan) Kansas City (Missouri) Minneapolis/St. Paul (Minnesota) 3. House swap to keep costs down After getting there, your next biggest expense while vacationing is likely staying there … wherever there may be. You can save money by finding a place to stay for free. You could try mooching some free accommodations from a friend, but a house swap may be a better way to keep both your finances and friendships intact. You could arrange a house swap on your own through Craigslist or a travel message board, but a house swapping website or club may offer you additional protection. These sites may vet users and provide reviews of potential swap partners. Using a website or club is more expensive than arranging a swap on your own, but the peace of mind is likely worth the annual or monthly fee. Still, do your research before deciding on a home swap vacation and tuck away your valuables if strangers will be staying in your house. Some websites to try: HomeExchange HomeLink Intervac 4. Low-cost cruises Just because some cruises are expensive doesn't mean all cruises are expensive. If you're flexible and don't mind booking at the last minute, you can get some deep, deep discounts. On the flip side, if you want your choice of a cabin at a decent price, booking seven-eight months in advance might be advisable. Once you find a cheap cruise, you need to keep your vacation affordable by understanding what you'll be paying for on-ship amenities. Limit paid beverages, skip high-priced excursion options and focus on the free or low-cost entertainment found on the boat or on the shore. Some websites to try: Cruise Critic The Cruise Guy Vacations to Go 5. Go almost anywhere in the off-season or shoulder season Finally, you can get a deal, and a $1,000 vacation, at countless destinations if you're willing to travel in the off-season. However, the off-season might not be ideal for you. Maybe the weather at your destination is more likely to be unpleasant or maybe the off-season conflicts with your kids' school schedule. In that case, look to book a vacation during a shoulder season. Shoulder season travel involves booking a vacation in the month before or after the peak travel season for your destination. The discounts won't be as deep as what you'd get in the off-season but you'll pay less for lodging, have fewer crowds to fight and probably still get decent weather. Some places to try: New Orleans (Louisiana) Aruba (Caribbean) Galveston (Texas)


MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO)   A structural engineer has determined that the building that most recently housed Lola's on the Lake is "unsalvageable" and will need to be torn down after an overnight fire earlier this week . The building, adjacent to Bde Maka Ska, caught on fire at about 4 a.m. Thursday. It took crews less than a half hour to put the flames out, but the damage was done. The pavilion opened in 1930. Long before Lola On The Lake existed, the restaurant was known as Tin Fish for more than a decade. Lola On The Lake just opened for the summer season earlier this month. The building will be torn down once an insurance assessment and investigation is complete. "First and foremost, we're grateful no one was injured in the fire. We're all sad at the damage to the beautiful building but park staff are working diligently to make sure that folks' enjoyment of Bde Maka Ska is not interrupted," Brad Bourn, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board president, said. WCCO's radar shows that there was cloud-to-ground lightning detected around the time the fire broke out, but firefighters aren't ruling out anything. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.


If you've got coffee and tea on the mind, a recent opening is need-to-know. Located at 432 Wabasha St. South in West Side, the fresh arrival is called Bootstrap Coffee Roasters . Bootstrap Coffee Roasters specializes in coffee drinks, with menu items ranging from espresso to cortados and lattes. With a five-star rating out of four reviews on Yelp so far, the fresh arrival has already made a good impression. Yelper Keith C. wrote , "Very good coffee." And Sammy S. wrote , "Bootstrap Coffee Roasters is probably my favorite coffee bean roaster in Minnesota!" Swing on by to take a peek for yourself: Bootstrap Coffee Roasters is open from 7 a.m. 3 p.m. daily. Want to keep your finger on the pulse of new businesses in Saint Paul? Here's what else opened recently near you . This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


Even though Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had arguably the second-best season of his career in 2018, Ryan dropped 40 spots to No. 69 in this year's NFL Top 100 list. The rankings are compiled from an offseason poll of players, and they are based on performance in the previous season. #NFLTop100 : "He came close to career-highs in TDs and passing yards." Also #NFLTop100 : *drops Matt Ryan 40 spots* pic.twitter.com/gt6I97OQ2z - Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) July 26, 2019 Everyone's a critic. MORE: UFC's Thiago Santos shares brutal update on injuries suffered in loss to Jon Jones Latest MLB Trade Rumors: Noah Syndergaard, Trevor Bauer, Shane Greene on the Move? Chad Johnson reminds the Giants he's available Instant observations from Day 2 of Patriots training camp Report: Browns work out free agent RB Akeem Hunt