Kyrie Irving on trade request, explained

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Kyrie Irving reportedly requested that the Cavaliers trade him this summer after six seasons in Cleveland. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that Irving made the request last week. NBA.com’s David Aldridge reports that Irving requested a trade to the Bulls so he could play with Jimmy Butler before the NBA Draft in June. (Butler has since been traded to Minnesota.)

This is a shocker with major ramifications around the league. Let’s explain the basics.

Why is Irving requesting a trade?

ESPN is reporting that Irving no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James, the four-time MVP and arguably one of the three best players in NBA history. Windhorst indicates that Irving is looking for an opportunity to be a focal point for an offense.

LeBron is only under contract through the end of the 2017-18 season, but has previously indicated he plans to finish his career in Cleveland. Irving is under contract through the 2018-19 season.

 Is Kyrie crazy?

It all depends on where your values lie.

As a Cavalier, he’ll be on national TV a million times and probably make the NBA Finals. He has a shot at winning a championship. But if Irving values personal excellence and becoming an all-timer under his own shingle over being LeBron’s top sidekick, that’s understandable.

Irving, like James, came in as an undisputed No. 1 overall pick with grand designs. Historically, those types of players willing to be sidekicks are in the minority. Most want to be the alpha dog.

Do the Cavaliers have to honor the request?

Since Irving is under contract for two more seasons, technically speaking there’s nothing forcing the Cavaliers from keeping Kyrie. But given that leaks have specifically singled out LeBron as the reason Irving wants to leave, it would seem highly unlikely Cleveland would be comfortable bringing him back for an awkward reunion without some sort of major sitdown between the pair. As such, you’d expect the Cavs to pull off a trade before training camp begins in late September.

Can the Cavaliers trade LeBron instead?

No.

LeBron has a no-trade clause, meaning he can veto any trade Cleveland proposes. The weird mix of his value, his contract situation (including the no-trade clause), and the extant likelihood he wants to remain in Cleveland makes it basically impossible to find a proper trade.
How good is Irving, anyway?

How dare you ask the question on the internet. Are you trying to start a war or something?
Sorry.

Here, read this piece I wrote during the NBA Finals about what a maddening riddle Irving’s career has become. The bit about LeBron’s barbershop comments takes on new life with Irving’s trade request.

How does LeBron feel about Kyrie’s request?

He is “devastated” according to ESPN.

Have any other Cavaliers responded?

Kevin Love, previously the subject of rampant trade rumors, had a hilarious tweet commenting on the situation in a typically Love-ian fashion.

What are the likely trade destinations?

Irving has given Cleveland four preferred choices, per Windhorst: the Spurs, Knicks, Heat, and Timberwolves. But, while Irving is likely to be traded, he has no real leverage on where he’ll be traded because he’s under contract for two more seasons. San Antonio would not appear to have the pieces to make a move for Irving in a straight-up deal — Cleveland doesn’t need LaMarcus Aldridge. Minnesota is too messy a trade partner at this point. Miami is flexible, and a New York trade would likely center on Carmelo Anthony.

Kevin Pelton suggests a win-win trade scenario with the Phoenix Suns, who would offer Irving the central role he desires while offering Cleveland a win-now piece in Eric Bledsoe (a friend of LeBron’s) and some youth. There are a few personal wrinkles here, too: Bledsoe is a Klutch Sports client. Klutch is run by Rich Paul, LeBron’s close friend and agent. Also, the Suns this week hired James Jones as vice president of basketball operations. Jones is LeBron’s longtime teammate and friend. There are a lot of personal strings to pull on here for both sides.

The Suns truly do seem like the most likely option at this point, barring a Melo trade.

Are the Warriors still going to win the 2018 NBA Championship?

Yes, probably.

Is LeBron’s NBA Finals streak going to end?

Possibly. The Celtics added Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum while losing Avery Bradley. Toronto swapped out Cory Joseph and DeMarre Carroll for C.J. Miles. All of the other high-end Eastern challengers stayed static or got worse. Odds are Cleveland will replace Irving with a major producer and remain the best in the East, but Boston, Toronto, or Washington could pull off an upset.

Does this all mean LeBron is leaving Cleveland next summer?

This has been one internet fever theory: that Kyrie saw the writing on the wall and tried to get out before LeBron bolts. To be honest, that makes no sense given the stated rationale for Irving’s trade request. Kyrie is going to be criticized for requesting a trade to escape LeBron’s shadow. If he were truly requesting a trade to be the first man off a sinking ship, his camp would have leaked that instead. It would sound better to the masses and create a distraction.

Unless the Cavaliers completely botch this thing, it’s unlikely Irving’s request will affect LeBron’s decision one way or the other. Some people think LeBron is totally bailing. Some people (including myself) think he’s finishing his career in Cleveland.

You said “unless the Cavaliers completely botch this thing.” What are the odds that the Cavaliers completely botch this thing?

Given how this summer has gone for Cleveland, the odds that they completely botch this thing are definitely non-zero.


Source:  https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/7/22/16014068/kyrie-irving-trade-request-explainer-cavaliers
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Descendants 2: Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson's Costume - Behind-the-Scenes

‘Descendants 2’: Behind-the-Scenes Look at Dove Cameron and Sofia Carson’s Costumes (Watch)

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Disney’s hotly anticipated film “Descendants 2” makes its grand debut Friday night across five networks, and aside from more-than-likely bringing big ratings, the whimsical sequel is sure to showcase larger-than-life costumes.

Stars Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, and China Anne McClain chat about the fashion of “Descendants 2,” along with costume designer Kara Saun who gives a behind-the-scenes tour of her designing space in this video, exclusively obtained by Variety.

“I knew coming back that we needed to come back bigger and brighter, more breathtaking,” Saun says. “There’s a lot more action, there’s a lot more dancing and physicality that you have to really take note of that when you’re designing the wardrobe.”

“Descendants 2” revolves around the offspring of Disney villains Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, Jafar, the Evil Queen, Ursula, Captain Hook, and Gaston.

Cameron, Carson, and McClain star with Cameron Boyce, Booboo Stewart, Mitchell Hope, Thomas Doherty, Dylan Playfair, and Anna Cathcart. Kenny Ortega is director, executive producer, and choreographer. Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon wrote the flick and exec produced with Wendy Japhet.

“Descendants 2” airs Friday at 8 p.m. on the Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime, and ABC.

Source: http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/descendants-2-costumes-video-dove-cameron-sofia-carson-1202503135/


The stars of Descendants 2 have descended upon Disneyland.

In between appearances at the D23 Expo in Anaheim, Calif., last weekend, Cameron Boyce, Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, China Anne McClain and Booboo Stewart left Auradon and the Isle of the Lost to surprise their fans at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park and the Disneyland Hotel—and now E! News has your exclusive first look at all the wicked fun they had.

Disguised as a PhotoPass photographer, Stewart snapped pictures of people posing with their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. It didn't take long for fans to recognize the actor, who plays Jafar's son, Jay, in the musical sequel. "Oh, my gosh! I know who that is!" a woman said. "That's Booboo!" Then, the younger guest's eyes lit up. "You're Jay!" she shouted. "You're my favorite!"


One family was so into their photo shoot with the Marvel superhero that they didn't recognize Stewart until he asked, "Have you guys seen Descendants?" The looks on their faces said it all, and before long they were taking photos with the actor. "Come on and give me a hug!" he said.

Source: http://www.eonline.com/news/868377/descendants-2-stars-cameron-boyce-dove-cameron-sofia-carson-china-anne-mcclain-and-booboo-stewart-surprise-fans-at-disneyland

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Kit Harington's rep denies report he and Rose Leslie are engaged

 

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Kit Harington and Rose Leslie reportedly being engaged is a bit like the HBO hit show where they met — you never know who to believe.

The couple got enaged this week after Harington supposedly popped the question to his "Game of Thrones" co-star and on-screen love interest over a cozy dinner, according to Life & Style. But hours later, a rep for Harington shut down the rumors, telling Metro UK, "They are not engaged."

But the details in Life & Style's report are right out of "Thrones" fans' fantasies.

"Kit recently cooked Rose a romantic candlelight dinner and proposed to her," the tabloid magazine reported. "She burst into tears and immediately said yes."

 The couple met while filming the hit HBO show in 2012 and finally announced their relationship after four years of speculation and an on-again, off-again courtship. Harington and Leslie, who had recurring roles in "Downton Abbey" and "The Good Fight," recently moved in together after purchasing a 15th-century home in East Anglia in the English countryside for $2.27 million. And even though Harington's publicist now says there's no engagement, the couple is clearly getting close.

“We are very, very happy,” Harington told Esquire in May.
The love affair stems from the pair's work together on the show. In Season 2 of "Thrones," Harington's Jon Snow takes wildling Ygritte (Leslie) captive as his prisoner, but the two end up falling in love. The subsequent sex scene is replete with nudity, animal skins and a blazing hearth deep in a secluded cave.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/kit-harington-rose-leslie-reportedly-engaged-article-1.3344968


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Sean Spicer Resigns as White House Press Secretary

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Update: July 22, 2017

 WASHINGTON — Sean Spicer fought on two fronts each day: With the press and with President Donald Trump.

On his first day as press secretary just over six months ago, things got off to a memorable start when Spicer accused the press of "dishonesty" in covering Trump’s inauguration, incorrectly claiming the president had "the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period." At Trump's behest, he labeled the media "shameful and wrong" — for reporting the facts.

That set the tense and sometimes ugly tone for the remainder of his short-lived tenure as White House press secretary.

 As the weeks and months went on, he was obviously out of step with his boss — both in substance and in style. At the outset, Trump reportedly didn't like Spicer's fashion sense, specifically bringing up his ill-fitting, light-colored suit jackets. The press secretary began sporting darker threads soon after.

The hits kept coming. Spicer insisted Trump’s legally challenged "travel ban" was not a ban at all. He found himself humbled after a briefing-room gaffe about Hitler overtook that day’s news cycle and required clarification and an apology. Spicer drew rebukes from female journalists and even Hillary Clinton after snapping at longtime White House reporter April Ryan to "stop shaking your head" during a heated line of questioning. And his mispronunciations of world leaders names, like Syria's Bashar Al-Assad, went viral.

 Spicer's manner, gaffes, and claims made him a household name. His briefings, filled with hostile interactions with reporters, were must-see TV. He was mercilessly spoofed on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," where the parody became a sensation. Melissa McCarthy’s "Spicey" had an explosive temper, a moving lectern, a hatred of The New York Times and other outlets, and wads of chewing gum. Suddenly Spicer was a household figure, an amusing symbol of the Trump administration's permanent combat with the media.

Perhaps he could have survived his duels with the White House press corps. But not with the president.

In the early-morning hours came the presidential tweets, frequently detonating whatever messaging Spicer’s communications team had carefully set for the day ahead. Long-planned and scripted "theme weeks" about infrastructure or jobs were often upended by the president’s tweets about the latest revelations in the Russia investigation or random over-the-top attacks on the media and critics.

It was only after Spicer had quit on on Friday that the president offered what was perhaps his strongest and most public praise of his former aide, calling him a "wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media - but his future is bright!"

That was a stark contrast for a president who often contradicted his own spokesman's statements, contributing to the erosion of trust between the White House and the media. The most glaring instance came in the days following the president’s surprise firing of FBI Director James Comey, when Trump's account of the reasons behind his fateful decision ran counter to what Spicer had told reporters the night before.

And Trump laid the blame for scrambled messaging and contradictory explanations about Comey at the feet of his communications team, prompting grumbling from the press about whether Spicer was in the know and further damaging his credibility. The enduring image from the Comey debacle was Spicer ending up in the bushes outside the White House to avoid reporters’ questions.

"That was so bad last night," a White House official told NBC News at the time.

Reporters and White House watchers saw clearly the central and ultimately insurmountable problem that Spicer faced: Speaking on behalf of a president who believes he is his best spokesman, who thinks that no one else is up to the task, and who isn't afraid to remind the staff of it.

 Post-Comey, Trump, according to sources inside and outside the White House, polled confidantes on their thoughts about Spicer’s job performance. And sources said Trump began to realize he had another option in then-Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who was named press secretary on Friday. That drove the president, as one person put it, "to consider whether or not it makes sense…to change the face of the administration."

And that face did begin to change. The White House more often banned cameras from the press briefings, sparking an uproar from the press. And Spicer was now infrequently at the podium, having been replaced by Sanders.

When he did make what turned out to be his final return to the podium earlier this week, a reporter commented: "We miss you, Sean."

"Well, I miss you, too," he pantomimed.

Traveling reporters knew that Spicer, a devout Catholic, had fallen from favor when he was excluded from the group of White House staffers given an audience with the Pope when the president was visiting Vatican City. Spicer's days seemed numbered. Trump was irked that the press briefings were getting such high ratings, and even that Spicer was portrayed by a woman on SNL. The question in the White House became not whether Spicer would be replaced, but when.

Spicer’s exit came after he had told confidantes that if Trump brought in Anthony Scaramucci as communications director, he would leave. Minutes after Spicer slammed the door in the face of a veteran reporter, news of his departure broke on Twitter.

Later Friday, Spicer appeared on Fox News to end his tenure much as he began it, complaining about media bias, accusing the press of being increasingly concerned with "their clip or their click than they are about the truth and the facts," and insisting, despite the distractions, that the White House had just had a "very successful" Made in America week.

Months in the wings watching Spicer’s follies paid off for Scaramucci, who gushed from the podium Friday about how much he loved and respected the president, how his policies were right for the country, and he preened about Trump’s media savvy and understanding of the voters. It was as if he’d learned the lesson that Spicer couldn't quite master: The person speaking to the American public and press on behalf of the White House is really playing to an audience of just one.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/how-sean-spicer-went-horribly-wrong-n785496

Date: July 20, 2017

WASHINGTON — Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, resigned on Friday after denouncing chaos in the West Wing and telling President Trump he vehemently disagreed with the appointment of the New York financier Anthony Scaramucci as communications director.

After offering Mr. Scaramucci the communications job Friday morning, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Spicer to stay on as press secretary. But Mr. Spicer told Mr. Trump that he believed the appointment of Mr. Scaramucci was a major mistake and said he was resigning, according to a person with direct knowledge of the exchange.

In one of his first official acts, Mr. Scaramucci, who founded the global investment firm SkyBridge Capital and is a Fox News contributor, joined Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mr. Spicer’s chief deputy, in the White House briefing room and announced that she would succeed Mr. Spicer as press secretary.

He said he had great respect for Mr. Spicer, adding, “I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money.” But he acknowledged the awkwardness of Mr. Spicer’s resignation. “This is obviously a difficult situation to be in,” Mr. Scaramucci said.

Ms. Sanders said Mr. Trump was grateful for Mr. Spicer’s service and that the president believes Mr. Spicer will succeed going forward. “Just look at his great television ratings,” Mr. Trump said in a statement read by Ms. Sanders.

Mr. Spicer’s rumored departure has been one of the longest-running internal sagas in an administration brimming with dissension and intrigue. A former Republican National Committee spokesman and strategist, Mr. Spicer was a frequent target of the president’s ire — and correctives — during the first few months of the administration.

His turbulent tenure as the president’s top spokesman was marked by a combative style with the news media that spawned a caricature of him on “Saturday Night Live.” He had hoped to last a year. He lasted six months and a day.

The resignation is a serious blow to the embattled White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, the former Republican Party chairman who brought Mr. Spicer into the West Wing despite skepticism from Mr. Trump, who initially questioned his loyalty. Mr. Scaramucci described his relationship with Mr. Priebus as a brotherly one where they “rough each other up.” He called Mr. Priebus a “good friend.”

Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has grown critical of both Mr. Spicer and Mr. Priebus, whom he regards as party establishment figures who operate out of self-interest.

Mr. Kushner also supported Mr. Trump’s decision to supplant Marc Kasowitz as his lead attorney on matters pertaining to Russia, according to people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Scaramucci was to meet with Mr. Priebus on Friday, according to a West Wing official — and applause could be heard in the second-floor communications hallway when Mr. Scaramucci was introduced. Mr. Priebus denied that there is friction with Mr. Scaramucci.

For his part, Mr. Spicer said it had been an “honor” and “privilege” to serve Mr. Trump.

Senior officials, including Ms. Sanders, Mr. Spicer’s top deputy, were said to be stunned by the sudden shuffle.

Mr. Spicer has agreed to stay on for two weeks to a month, and Mr. Trump has told his advisers he is open to rotating new people into the briefing room, including one of the president’s personal favorites, Sebastian Gorka, a blustery foreign policy official who has been accused of having ties to far-right groups in Europe.

During the transition, Mr. Trump had planned to appoint Mr. Scaramucci, a 52-year-old Harvard Law graduate from Long Island, as director of his office of public liaison, but the offer was pulled at the request of Mr. Priebus over concerns about Mr. Scaramucci’s overseas investments.

His appointment Friday came two months after the previous communications director, Mike Dubke, stepped down. Mr. Trump was frustrated with Mr. Priebus over the slow pace of finding a replacement, according to a half-dozen people familiar with the situation.

Mr. Trump made the appointment over the objection of Mr. Priebus, who thought Mr. Scaramucci lacked the requisite organizational or political experience. But the president believed Mr. Scaramucci, a ferocious defender of Mr. Trump’s on cable television, was best equipped to play the same role in-house, and he offered him a role with far-reaching powers independent of Mr. Priebus’s.

Mr. Spicer flatly rejected the president’s offer of a position subordinate to Mr. Scaramucci, according to two administration officials familiar with the exchange.

The appointment of Mr. Scaramucci, a favorite of Mr. Trump’s earliest campaign supporters, was backed by the president’s daughter Ivanka, his son-in-law and adviser Mr. Kushner and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the officials said.

Ms. Sanders will inherit one of the toughest public relations jobs in modern political history. The job of press secretary, once regarded as among the most coveted slots in Washington, a steppingstone to fame and a big post-government payday, has lost much of its allure under a president who tweets his opinions and considers himself to be his best spokesman.

Mr. Spicer, according to several people close to him, was tired of being blindsided by Mr. Trump, most recently this week when the president gave a lengthy interview to The New York Times in which he questioned his appointment of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He was also weary of the daily dressings-down and instituted the highly contentious practice of holding off-air briefings, less so to snub reporters than to avoid Mr. Trump’s critiques of his performance, according to one of Mr. Spicer’s friends.

Shortly after Mr. Spicer’s resignation became public, the White House press office announced Ms. Sanders would hold the first on-air briefing since June 29.


Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/us/politics/sean-spicer-resigns-as-white-house-press-secretary.html

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British Open Leaderboard: Spieth, Koepka and Kuchar Tied at the Top

SOUTHPORT, England — The wind off the Irish Sea pushed away the rain clouds and bathed Royal Birkdale in sunshine, Stars and Stripes.

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The British Open began Thursday with an All-American flavor.

Jordan Spieth, chomping away on gum as he watched one putt after another pour into the center of the cup, worked some bunker magic late in the round to keep his card filled only with birdies and pars for a 5-under 65.

Brooks Koepka, with no competition and barely any practice since winning the United States Open a month ago, ran off three straight birdies and holed a tough shot from a pot bunker for eagle on the par-5 17th hole for his own 5-under 65.

Joining them at the top of the leaderboard was Matt Kuchar, who first endeared himself to these British fans as a 19-year-old amateur in 1998 at Royal Birkdale. He tied the course record with a 29 on the front nine, only to fall into a routine of pars the rest of the way. He still shot 65, his best score ever in a major.

They had a one-shot lead over Paul Casey and Charl Schwartzel on a day that started nasty and ended with 39 players breaking par. The biggest question after a long day on the links was what was in store for Friday, when high wind and occasional showers were in the forecast.

“I thought today’s round was extremely important, as they all are,” Spieth said, atop the leaderboard at a major for the first time since last year’s Masters. “But given the forecast coming in, I thought you really needed to be in the red today. You can certainly make up ground in a round tomorrow, and we’ll see it happen. But being able to kind of play with shots, or play a little more conservative because you don’t try to do too much on a day like tomorrow, that’s nice and very helpful.”

Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy fall into that category.

The top-ranked Johnson, who has not played the weekend at a major since the British Open last year, managed only one birdie on a decent day for scoring and shot 71. McIlroy also shot 71 and was relieved. Coming off three missed cuts in his last four events, he was five-over through six holes when his caddie gave him a pep talk. McIlroy closed with three birdies over the last four holes to stay in the game.

Phil Mickelson failed to make a birdie, the first time that has happened in a major in five years, and shot 73.

Kuchar was the only one at 65 who played in the afternoon. The wind remained strong, though the course was manageable for everyone who holed putts and stayed out of bunkers and deep grass.

“I watched some of the golf this morning on TV, ” Kuchar said. “It looked awfully challenging. It looked like anything under par was going to be a good score. Seemed like the later your tee time, the better draw you got.”

Charley Hoffman had the best start of all, holing out from the rough on the daunting opening hole for an eagle. He was poised to join the leaders when he reached five-under with a birdie on the 15th, only to drop shots on the next two holes. Hoffman shot 69 and was in a group that included Ian Poulter and Rafa Cabrera Bello.

The defending champion, Henrik Stenson, who played with Spieth, had a 71. Stenson also played with Spieth the first two rounds of the 2015 Masters, which Spieth won wire-to-wire.

“He was rolling it superbly that week, and I don’t think it was that far behind today,” Stenson said.

But Spieth’s best shot was with his feet in the sand. He was in thick rough to the right of the 16th fairway when his shot crept into the back of a pot bunker. Not only was the ball on a slight slope, the rake marks left his ball between two ridges.

“This is dangerous,” Spieth said to his caddie.

He aimed to the right of the hole to avoid it going off the green on the other side and into another bunker, and it came off perfectly about 10 feet away.

“That was awesome,” were Spieth’s next words to his caddie.

He made the par putt. He followed with a two-putt birdie on the 17th and narrowly missed a 7-foot birdie putt on the last. It was his best start in a major since he shot 66 at the Masters a year ago. Spieth rated it among the top five or six rounds he has ever played in a major, not bad for someone who came close to the Grand Slam two years ago.

“I couldn’t have done much better today,” he said.

Royal Birkdale was much more kind than it was nine years ago in raging wind and rain. The 146th Open began in cool temperatures, a light rain and a strong wind. Mark O’Meara, a winner at Royal Birkdale in 1998 who is playing in his last British Open, hit the opening tee shot.

And then he hit another one.

O’Meara’s first shot was lost in the gorse, he made a quadruple-bogey 8 and was on his way to an 81. His threesome required 18 shots to play that hole. But the weather settled down a few hours later, and the scorecards filled up with plenty of birdies and eagles.

Just not for McIlroy until late in the round, or Johnson and Mickelson all day.

“With the weather we’re expecting tomorrow, I still feel I’m in the golf tournament,” McIlroy said. “If I can go out and play a good, quality round of golf in the morning and try to get in the clubhouse somewhere around even par, under par, I’ll still be around for the weekend.”

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/20/sports/british-open-first-round-leaderboard.html

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Chester Bennington: Linkin Park vocalist - Killed Himself

Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington has died aged 41, LA County Coroner says.

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Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington has died aged 41, LA County Coroner says.

The coroner said Bennington apparently hanged himself. His body was found at a private home in the county at 09:00 local time (17:00 GMT) on Thursday.

Bennington was said to be close to Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell, who took his own life in May.

Formed in 1996, Linkin Park have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.

The band had a string of hits including Faint, In The End and Crawling, and collaborated with the rapper Jay-Z.

The album Meteora topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2003 and is regarded as one of the biggest indie rock records of all time.

The band had been due to begin a tour next week.

Voice of a generation: By Steve Holden, BBC Newsbeat

For a generation growing up in the early 2000s, it would have been hard not to find someone who didn't own a copy of the band's debut album Hybrid Theory.

It's sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and remains one of the biggest selling albums released since the start of the millennium.

Linkin Park's successful trick was to fuse elements of metal and rock with rap and hip-hop to shape the nu-metal genre on songs such as Crawling, In The End and Numb.

Arguably their biggest asset was Chester's powerhouse voice. He had a huge, raspy vocal which suited their stadium-filling, singalong anthems.

Whilst his vocal persona could be described as angry and harsh, in person he was warm, articulate and funny.

The band's most recent album, One More Light, saw a different direction as they worked with prolific pop songwriters Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter - and collaborated with UK grime artist Stormzy.

He leaves a wife, and six children from two marriages.

The singer is said to have struggled for years with alcohol and drug abuse, and has talked in the past about contemplating suicide as a result of being a victim of abuse as a child.

    The story behind Linkin Park's collaboration with Stormzy
    Linkin Park: New album raw and dirty

Who was Chester Bennington?

•     Born March 1976 in Phoenix, Arizona, son of a police officer
•     Performed with Phoenix post-grunge band Grey Daze 1993-98
•     Joined Linkin Park in 1998; Hybrid Theory was released two years later
•     Fronted the Stone Temple Pilots between 2013 and 2015
•     Also performed with supergroups Dead by Sunrise and Kings of Chaos

Bennington wrote an open letter to Chris Cornell on the latter's death, saying: "You have inspired me in ways you could never have known... I can't imagine a world without you in it."

Cornell would have celebrated his 53rd birthday on Thursday. He hanged himself after a concert in Detroit on 17 May.

Band member Mike Shinoda confirmed the news of Bennington's death on Twitter: "Shocked and heartbroken, but it's true. An official statement will come out as soon as we have one."

Tributes to Bennington flooded in soon after news of his death.

The band Imagine Dragons tweeted: "no words, so heartbroken. RIP Chester Bennington."

Grime artist Stormzy, who collaborated with Linkin Park earlier this year, tweeted: "Bruv I can't lie I'm so upset serious."


Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40676530

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Funny man Kevin Hart to perform in Shreveport - get your tickets now!

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Actor Hart says writing his memoir - "I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons" - was "therapeutic." AP

Comedian and entertainer Kevin Hart will perform in Shreveport at the Municipal Auditorium at 7 p.m. Oct. 21.

Tickets start at $45 and are on sale beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 19. Tickets are available at the Shreveport Convention Center Box Office, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,at all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com and livenation.com, or charge by phone 800-745-3000. All tickets subject to applicable service charges and fees.

2017 has already been a banner year for Hart, his memoir I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons debuted at number one on the New York Times Bestseller list and has remained on the list for five consecutive weeks. The book also topped records on the Audible platform, selling over 100,000 copies in the first five weeks.

Also this year Hart voiced a title character in "Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie." To close 2017, Kevin will appear in the Sony reboot of the classic film "Jumanji" alongside Dwayne Johnson and Jack Black.

Entertainment: Shreveport cover band is shaking up '90s tunes

Hart’s newest business venture is his digital platform the LOL NETWORK - Laugh Out Loud, the comedy brand and multi-platform network founded by Hart in partnership global content leader Lionsgate. The streaming video service will launch on Aug. 3 featuring a slate of original scripted and unscripted comedy series, stand-up specials, licensed programming, and live broadcasts.

Hart’s recent movie projects include the animated film "The Secret Life of Pets"(Illumination Entertainment) and the live action comedy "Central Intelligence" (New Line Cinema and Universal Pictures), Universal’s "Ride Along 2", which grossed over $100 million worldwide, Screen Gems’ "The Wedding Ringer" and Warner Brothers’ "Get Hard."

Source: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/2017/07/19/funny-man-kevin-hart-perform-shreveport/492191001/

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John McCain Has Brain Cancer, His Office Says - Hoping for Fast Recovery

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WASHINGTON — Senator John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee known for his independent streak over more than three decades representing Arizona in the Senate, has brain cancer, his office disclosed Wednesday night in a statement from the Mayo Clinic.

The statement said the medical condition was discovered after Mr. McCain, 80, who was re-elected to a sixth term in November, underwent surgery to remove a blood clot above his left eye at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix.

“Subsequent tissue pathology revealed that a primary brain tumor known as a glioblastoma was associated with the blood clot,” the statement said. “Treatment options may include a combination of chemotherapy and radiation.”

Medical experts said his condition was extremely serious. Eugene S. Flamm, chairman of neurosurgery at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, said that “a glioblastoma is the most common and most malignant of brain tumors.”

The median survival is about 16 months, he said. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, died in 2009 from this kind of aggressive brain tumor, which almost always grows back even after chemotherapy and radiation.

The illness of Mr. McCain, a former Navy pilot who was captured and held as a prisoner during the Vietnam War, had implications this week for the health care debate. His absence caused Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, to postpone a floor fight until Mr. McCain returned to Washington.

The diagnosis shook the Senate, where Mr. McCain is a popular figure despite his occasionally heated disputes with colleagues in both parties. About a dozen lawmakers who on Wednesday night were gathered in the Dirksen Senate Office Building to explore a health care compromise asked Senator James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican who is a Baptist minister, to lead them in prayer for their colleague.

“It was very emotional,” said Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota, who was present. He said finding a solution to the health care impasse was “more challenging without him.”

Mr. McConnell called Mr. McCain a hero to both Senate Republicans and the nation at large.

“He has never shied from a fight, and I know that he will face this challenge with the same extraordinary courage that has characterized his life,” Mr. McConnell said Wednesday night. “We all look forward to seeing this American hero again soon.”

The disclosure on Wednesday suggested that Mr. McCain’s condition was more serious than initially believed, although the statement said that “he is recovering from his surgery ‘amazingly well,’” according to his doctors, “and his underlying health is excellent.”

President Trump on Wednesday night issued a statement urging Mr. McCain to quickly recover.

“Senator John McCain has always been a fighter,” Mr. Trump said.

As the Republican health care bill teetered in recent days, Mr. Trump referred affectionately to Mr. McCain as a “crusty voice” in the capital. But their relationship has been fraught. In July 2016, during the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump denigrated Mr. McCain’s military record, saying he was considered a war hero only because he was captured. “I like people who weren’t captured,” Mr. Trump said in a comment that many suggested had gone too far. Mr. McCain, who at the time was facing conservative opposition in his re-election to his Senate seat, remained a supporter of Mr. Trump throughout the campaign.

However, Mr. McCain has pressed for a deep investigation into any interference into the presidential campaign that was conducted by Russia, which he considers an adversary. On Tuesday, and despite his condition, Mr. McCain issued a statement warning about Russian intrusion in Ukraine and calling for new sanctions against Moscow.

On Twitter, former President Barack Obama, who defeated Mr. McCain in the 2008 election, called the senator a “hero & one of the bravest fighters I’ve ever known. Cancer doesn’t know what it’s up against. Give it hell, John.”

Mr. McCain, who had failed to win his party’s presidential nomination in 2000, faced an uphill battle in 2008 given public discontentment with the United States-led war in Iraq and overall fatigue with the administration of President George W. Bush. Mr. McCain picked Sarah Palin, then the governor of Alaska, as his vice-presidential running mate in an effort to reinvigorate a flagging campaign with a woman on the ticket.

A crucial moment in the race occurred in late September 2008 when he suddenly suspended his campaign and returned to Washington for an economic summit meeting at the White House that was also attended by Mr. Obama, then a Democratic senator from Illinois. Mr. McCain’s 11th-hour effort to focus on the economy was generally considered a lost opportunity, and the financial collapse helped propel Mr. Obama to the presidency.

Mr. McCain currently leads the Senate Armed Services Committee and is a top proponent of using military force overseas. The Senate is preparing to take up the annual Pentagon policy measure produced by the committee.

In Congress, he is probably best known for his efforts to champion changes in campaign finance laws over the fierce objections of some of his Republican colleagues, particularly Mr. McConnell.

Mr. McCain’s office said he “appreciates the outpouring of support he has received over the last few days.” The statement added: “He is in good spirits as he continues to recover at home with his family in Arizona. He is grateful to the doctors and staff at Mayo Clinic for their outstanding care, and is confident that any future treatment will be effective. Further consultations with Senator McCain’s Mayo Clinic care team will indicate when he will return to the United States Senate.”

The standard of care includes surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible, and then radiation and chemotherapy. In the past, radiation sometimes diminished patient’s brain function, but techniques have improved so that more healthy brain tissue is spared and patients fare better, said Dr. Mitchel S. Berger, a neurosurgeon and glioblastoma expert at the University of California, San Francisco.

Senator Jeff Flake, the junior Republican senator from Arizona, acknowledged the seriousness of Mr. McCain’s diagnosis in a still-hopeful Twitter post. “Tough diagnosis, but even tougher man,” Mr. Flake wrote.

 Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/us/politics/john-mccain-brain-cancer.html

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2017 Mazda CX-5 - Mazda first drive review

7 Mazda CX-5 first drive review: Will more tech, quieter cockpit match Audi, BMW?

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The second-generation Mazda CX-5 compact crossover / SUV stands as the best choice for driving enthusiasts who need an affordable crossover to haul gear or family members. The 2017 CX-5 is also emerging as the category’s technology champ with a head-up display, smart blind spot detection aler t, full-range adaptive cruise control, standard LED headlamps, and an intelligent all-wheel-drive system. Mazda makes a fair claim that the CX-5 has “class above” technology more in line with what Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz offer. “We know we’re already better than [Honda] CR-Vs and such, so we benchmarked upscale,” Mazda’s chief engineer proclaims.
To appeal to mainstream buyers who’ve made Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 each outsell Mazda 3-1 last year, Mazda has worked on sound-damping, improving ride quality, adding rear seat heaters, upping the quality of the audio system, and adding rear seat USB jacks. Nobody’s perfect and in Mazda’s case there’s still no performance engine for enthusiasts. For mainstream buyers, there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto offered, no satellite radio except on the costliest CX-5, and those rear seat heaters are an option on the costliest CX-5. Overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

Second generation, looks like the first generation

Mazda says there are big changes inside and out, as there have been almost every since the first-gen CX-5 arrived as a 2013 model. For 2017 (lower image above), there’s a sharper nose, a black egg-carton grille (no horizontal strakes now), and a side body character line that sweeps down instead of up as it moves rearward. It’s still 179 inches long, right in the sweet spot for compact SUVs. There’s one engine choice, a 187-hp normally aspirated (no turbo) four-cylinder engine, rated at 23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, 26 mpg combined for all-wheel-drive, 24/31/27 for front-drive. The transmission is a six-speed automatic.
Mazda said new features appealing to mainstream buyers are an available power liftgate, a second-row seat that reclines (slightly) and also folds fully flat, and improved NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) without degrading handling. See the slideshow below for the 10 tech improvements that make the CX-5, as Mazda says, punch above its weight, including full-range adaptive cruise control, G-Vectoring, more USB jacks, a head-up display that includes blind spot information, and traffic sign recognition.
Ten tech features make the 2017 CX-5 stand out:

Full-range adaptive cruise control (ACC)

Among Mazda's 10 coolest, class-above features: Mazda Radar Cruise Control (Mazda's term) for 2017 goes all the way down to stopped and back up to speed. It's a big advantage in metro areas with stop-and-go highway commuting. It's also less abrupt then 2016's system. ACC is still not common on mainstream compact SUVs; here, it's offered on all but the entry trim line.

On the road

I test-drove the CX-5 in San Diego and eastward along the US-Mexico border (lots of border patrol agents, no sign of the wall). In comparison with the 2016 Mazda CX-5 I’ve been driving the past half-year, the new one is indeed quieter and a bit less bouncy on rough roads. Mazda attributes this to more welds, acoustic laminated glass in front, extra door seals, and more sound insulation in the floor.
The adaptive cruise control was smoother; the older one sometimes locked on to a car ahead and then a few seconds later braked firmly, enough to make the passengers look up. The head up display was a great addition, particularly since it put the blind spot warning in the HUD (as well as in the side mirrors). When a car shows up in your blind spot, three sonar-looking waves turn orange on the left, right, or both. If you’re thinking about changing lanes, you have to shift your vision to the side mirror for a couple hundred milliseconds; with the HUD, you just glance down, all the while keeping your eyes on the road ahead. The steering wheel has even bigger buttons this year.
The engine is basically the same: Mazda’s high-tech SkyActiv inline-four with low emissions and adequate pickup for merging onto expressways. The mileage is decent, but you’ll probably be in the high 20s in combined driving; you need a light foot to pass 30 mpg. Thus my interest in seeing how peppy and economical the 2.2-liter SkyActiv diesel will be this fall.
Navigation is adequate; there are better and worse from competitors, but it gets the job done. The new Bose audio with 10 speakers sounds better. It’s great having USB jacks for back seat passengers. I’ve grown to like the Commander control wheel in the console. A nearby button to fetch audio presets (you scroll to the one you want) gives you as many as you want, but it’s not as direct as having six or eight dedicated presets right under the center LCD.
The back is still roomy especially for a small car. Four adults can travel all day in comfort, and even more so with back seat HVAC vents and the improved ride.

Where Mazda isn’t yet class-above

Mazda wants to be compared with the big boys: Audi Q3 and Q5 (the CX-5 falls in between in size), BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and the two Japanese crossovers that are 1-2 in premium SUV sales: Lexus NX and Acura RDX. Fair enough. Here’s where Mazda comes up short.
Blind spot detection doesn’t offer haptic feedback, meaning a steering wheel or seat vibration that only alerts the driver. The beep is only a second long, which makes it only halfway annoying. Lane departure warning does offer a vibration now, along with either a beep or a rumble strip sound through the speakers (pick one).
Not having Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in 2017 is starting to look dated. We understand that adopting them puts a small automaker at the mercies of Apple and Google. At least it’s in the works. Satellite radio is only offered on the costliest CX-5, the Grand Touring. It needs to be on every trim line.
Some, not all, class-above competitors offer side window screens (the CX-9 does, too) and it’s great for long trips. The CX-5 also lacks surround vision cameras, automated parallel parking, and factory-installed rear parking sonar (as a dealer accessory, it’s costly). Campers and boaters would wish for 3,500-pound towing capacity, not just 2,000 pounds; it’s rare in affordable compact SUVs (Toyota offers a special RAV4 that tows 3,500 pounds), but not uncommon among higher end competitors.
Mazda as yet offers no telematics package like GM OnStar. It will become more and more useful to get real-time updates on road conditions, detours, and restaurant and hotel information. Mazda at least gets current speed information by reading roadside speed limit signs (also stop signs and traffic lights).
There are also little things: BMW and Audi have roller wheels on the steering wheel for adjusting volume or audio choices, which is faster, smoother, and cooler than up-down buttons. It also costs a bit more.
The interior leather trim is either off-white or black; a medium brown or chestnut would be a good in-between choice. For Mazda, the challenge is that every time it offers another choice, there’s more complexity in finding exactly what you want in stock. (Although it’s zero percent now if you want a tobacco-color leather.)
Mazda doesn’t lose all the comparisons. Mazda has LED headlamps standard; BMW offers LED headlamps on the X3 for $1,900. Advantage, Mazda.

Mazda CX-5 pricing: $25,000 to $34,000 all-in

Mazda pricing is on par with most other mainstream compact crossovers. There are three trim lines, or model variants.  The technology builds with each trim line.
CX-5 Sport. $24,985 (including $940 freight), $26,285 with all-wheel-drive. Standard equipment includes LED headlamps, Smart City Brake Support, backup camera, two USB jacks, phone and audio Bluetooth, 7-inch dash mounted LCD, AM/FM/HD radio, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Seats are manual with cloth trim. There are no options packages other than Soul Red Crystal paint: $595 for a dazzling red.
CX-5 Touring. $26,855, $28,155 with AWD. It adds blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, keyless entry, two rear USB jacks, leatherette heated front seats with “lux suede” inserts and six-way power driver’s seat, auto-leveling LED headlamps, six-speaker audio, rear center armrest, and rear HVAC vents. The $780 Preferred Equipment Package adds 10-speaker Bose audio, a moonroof, a power liftgate, navigation, auto-dimming mirrors, Homelink (garage door opener), and auto on/off headlamps. The Touring i-Activsense package, $625, adds lane departure warning, automatic high beams, lane keep-assist, stop and go adaptive cruise control (“radar cruise control”), and smart brake support. Machine Gray Metallic paint is $300, and Snowflake White Pearl is $200.
CX-5 Grand Touring. $30,335, $31,635 with AWD. In addition to the Touring’s standard and optional features, it adds steerable headlamps, LED fog and tail lamps, satellite radio, rain-sensing wipers, heated outside mirrors, eight-way power driver’s seat, leather seats, and 19-inch alloy wheels. The $1,830 Grand Touring package includes a true head up display (“Active Driving Display”) with traffic sign recognition, power front passenger seat, heated outboard rear seats, heated steering wheel, and windshield wiper de-icer.

Is this the compact SUV to buy?

Mazda makes a strong case that its compact crossover has the most features offered at a competitive price. If marriage and a baby make you trade your sports sedan for a small SUV, this is hands-down the best crossover for enthusiasts who don’t want to pay BMW X3, Audi Q5, or Mercedes-Benz GLC kinds of money. A loaded CX-5 is a couple thousand less than a stripped Lexus NX or Acura RDX, the two sales leaders among premium compact SUVs, and about $6,000 less than an zero-options X3. Comparably equipped, a premium compact SUV will be $10,000-$15,000 more, although they’ll likely have better resale value, meaning attractive lease rates.
With the tweaks in the 2017 model, you’ll find the new CX-5 more palatable for passengers who don’t like a firm ride. The interior is upscale. The exterior lines are crisper. The Soul Red Crystal paint is to die for (at almost $600, you might feel a small twinge). The sum of the technology is best-in-category against the CR-V, RAV4, Nissan Rogue, Ford Escape, and Chevrolet Equinox, the five compact SUVs that sold 242,000 (Chevy) to 357,000 units (Honda) last year versus Mazda’s 112,000.
If you value technology, the 2017 Mazda CX-5 is your car. The case for the 2017 CX-5 is best if you’re looking at the very top trim line, the Grand Touring with the Premium package. It shows the most changes from the outgoing 2016.5 CX-5, particularly the adaptive cruise and HUD. The bang-for-the buck CX-5 is the CX-5 Touring with the two options packages that give you lane departure warning, automatic high beams, lane keep-assist, stop and go adaptive cruise control, the power liftgate, premium audio, and the sunroof: just under $30,000, all in.
If you’re not a fan of new technology, then you should also look at leftover 2016 models, making sure that your spouse/partner goes along for the test ride so your both comfortable with how it feels on smooth and bumpy roads. Mazda indeed punches above its weight.

Source: https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/245417-will-tech-quieter-cockpit-put-2017-mazda-cx-5-par-audi-bmw

Snap Stock - Shares in Snapchat maker fall below initial trading price and falling

Snap Inc.’s stock market debut last week has been celebrated as a success in the tech world as its share price surged in their first two days on the market. But that optimism doesn’t necessarily extend to Wall Street, where analysts remain doubtful of the company’s current value.

Shares of Snap Inc. opened at $28.17 on Monday morning, up about 4% from their price at the close of market Friday and up 66% from the $17 price paid by investors in Snap’s IPO last week. But they fell just below $24 — Snap’s initial trading price — when the session ended.

That’s still above what Wall Street analysts believe Snap shares are worth. Of seven analysts surveyed by FactSet who cover the stock, none has issued a “buy” rating for Snap, and all have set their fair value estimate or target price between $10 and $23.

“It’s overvalued,” said Brian Wieser of Pivotal Research Group, a financial analysis firm. “That’s the simple answer.”

Wieser set the year-end target price for Snap’s stock at $10 and gave it a “sell” rating based on his estimates of the company’s future profitability. “To get to the [current] valuation requires willful optimism about the fundamentals,” he said.

In a report on Snap last week, Wieser pointed to the company’s high costs — which include hosting, serving and creating content, as well as sharing revenue with content partners — and its “sub-optimal corporate structure” with relatively inexperienced managers at the helm.

Analysts were also concerned about Snap’s ability to grow and to compete successfully with Facebook, which has 1.2 billion daily active users compared with Snapchat’s 158 million.

Laura Martin, an analyst with Needham & Co., said Snap’s narrow target demographic and bandwidth-intensive app limit its potential audience to young people in first-world countries. She estimated the total size of that audience to be about 650 million, compared with the 3.6 billion for each Google and Facebook.

And even within its core demographic, Snap faces competition from copycats, Martin said.

“If you’re a Snap shareholder, you get hit with all the failures as they experiment and then when they have a win, Facebook copies it,” she said. “They have no protection.”

Instagram, for example, launched its own version of Stories, a Snapchat feature in which users can post a sequence of photos or videos that are available for viewing for 24 hours, last August. Snap’s growth slowed sharply in the fourth quarter of 2016.

“The major risk for Snap is the possibility that its coveted demographic of younger users finds Facebook’s collection of apps more appealing than Snap’s and migrates over,” wrote Victor Anthony, an analyst at Aegis Capital Corp., in a report initiating his firm’s coverage of Snap last week.

Adopting Snap-like features doesn’t just mean Facebook can retain or attract young users. Advertisers, too, will stick with the platform.

“Large advertisers still view Snap as experimental,” said Anthony in an interview by phone, but they feel more comfortable with Facebook. “It’s a platform they know whose return is proven,” he said.

That’s a problem for Snap, which, like other social media companies, makes its money from advertisers, not consumers. The bulk of Snap's $400 million in revenue last year came from selling ads that appear on the Snapchat app, and ads are expected to be the main revenue driver for the foreseeable future.

So how come the stock is still trading far above its $17 offering price?

“There’s a lot riding on the success of the Snap IPO,” said Anthony. After a drought of technology IPOs in recent years, investors are hoping this one will succeed and open the floodgates to other tech IPOs, Anthony said.

On top of that, most of the investors who have thus far bought Snap shares are institutional investors — big funds and corporations, such as NBCUniversal, which purchased about 15% of the shares available in last week’s IPO. Many of these investors have committed not to sell their shares for at least a year, Anthony said, meaning there’s a limited supply available, which drives up the price.

And all the buzz around Snap’s IPO may be tempting small and individual investors to buy, said Anthony, pushing up demand.

Though he expressed concerns about Snap’s ability to grow and the formidable competition it faces from Facebook, Anthony said he surveyed several advertisers and found they are eager to get in front of Snap’s coveted demographic.

“We see Snap as a sustained ad share gainer over the next two year,” he wrote. “That alone should lead to share price performance this year.”

Source: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-snap-stock-20170306-story.html

Dancing With the Stars 2017: Season 24 celebrity cast and partners revealed on 'GMA’

‘Dancing With the Stars’ 2017: Season 24 celebrity cast and partners revealed on 'GMA’

 The cast of season 24 of the hit reality TV show "Dancing with the Stars" was announced live on "Good Morning America" today.

This year's lineup of stars features decorated Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, legendary figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, and the "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Erika Jayne, among other celebrities from music, television and sports, who will all be hitting the dance floor to battle each other for the mirrorball trophy this season.

Biles, who will be dancing with partner Sasha Farber, joins the cast the season after her Olympic teammate, Laurie Hernandez, took home the trophy last season. Hernandez said winning the Mirrorball brought her the "same joy" as winning her Olympic medals. Val Chmerkovskiy, Hernandez's champion partner last season, is back this year, teaming up with "Fifth Harmony" singer Normani Kordei.

The season 24 premiere is the 400th episode of the hit show, and many fan-favorite dancing partners will also be returning to the show, including Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd, who welcomed their first child together just this year. Veteran dancer Kym Herjavec is also back this season, after she took a hiatus following her marriage to her former "DWTS" partner Robert Herjavec.

The celebrities and their partners appeared live on "GMA" today.

The new season of “Dancing With the Stars” premieres on Mon. March 20, 2017 at at 8 p.m. ET.

'Dancing With the Stars' 2017: Fun facts about the new celebrity cast

'Dancing' stars Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd to return to next season of the show

'DWTS' winner Laurie Hernandez had 'same joy' winning mirror ball as she did Olympic medals

Simone Biles with Sasha Farber
The four-time gold medalist will be dancing with partner Sasha Farber.

Simone Biles will compete with pro Sasha Farber on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Simone Biles will compete with pro Sasha Farber on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Bonner Bolton with Sharna Burgess
The professional bull rider and model will be dancing with partner Sharna Burgess.


Bonner Bolton will compete with pro Sharna Burgess, left, on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Bonner Bolton will compete with pro Sharna Burgess, left, on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Charo with Keo Motsepe
The "Chuchi-Chuchi" girl will be dancing with partner Keo Motsepe.


Charo will compete with pro Keo Motsepe on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Chris Kattan with Witney Carson
The "Saturday Night Live" veteran will be dancing with partner Witney Carson.


 Chris Kattan, right, will compete with pro Witney Carson on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Chris Kattan, right, will compete with pro Witney Carson on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

David Ross with Lindsay Arnold
The two-time World Series champion, and the show's first baseball star, will be dancing with partner Lindsay Arnold.


David Ross, right, will compete with pro Lindsay Arnold on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
David Ross, right, will compete with pro Lindsay Arnold on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Erika Jayne with Gleb Savchenko
The dance club musician and "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star will be dancing with partner Gleb Savchenko.


Erika Jayne will compete with pro Gleb Savchenko on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Erika Jayne will compete with pro Gleb Savchenko on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Heather Morris with Maksim Chmerkovskiy
The "Glee" actress will be dancing with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.


 Heather Morris will compete with pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Heather Morris will compete with pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Mr. T with Kym Herjavec
The former professional wrestler and actor will be dancing with partner Kym Herjavec.


 Mr. T, right, will compete with pro Kym Herjavec on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Mr. T, right, will compete with pro Kym Herjavec on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Nancy Kerrigan with Artem Chigvintsev
The former Olympic figure skater will be dancing with partner Artem Chigvintsev.


 Nancy Kerrigan will compete with pro Artem Chigvintsev on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Nancy Kerrigan will compete with pro Artem Chigvintsev on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Normani Kordei with Valentin Chmerkovskiy
The "Fifth Harmony" singer will be dancing with partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy.


 Normani Kordei will compete with pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Normani Kordei will compete with pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Rashad Jennings with Emma Slater
The NFL player will be dancing with partner Emma Slater.


 Rashad Jennings will compete with pro Emma Slater on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Rashad Jennings will compete with pro Emma Slater on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

Nick Viall with Peta Murgatroyd
The Bachelor will be dancing with pro Peta Murgatroyd.


Nick Viall will compete with pro Peta Murgatroyd on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC
Nick Viall will compete with pro Peta Murgatroyd on the new season of "Dancing With the Stars."

The new season of “Dancing With the Stars” premieres on Mon. March 20, 2017 at at 8 p.m. ET.

Charo will compete with pro Keo Motsepe on the new season of Dancing With the Stars.Craig Sjodin/ABC

Source:  http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/dancing-stars-2017-season-24-celebrity-cast-partners/story?id=45767534

6 things you probably didn’t know about Birthday boy Justin Bieber

After being discovered by a talent manager through his YouTube videos covering songs in 2008, Justin Bieber has gone on to become one of the most notorious and successful musicians of our times. The baby-faced teenager who sprung on to the scene with his debut single 'Baby', has delivered four multi-platinum albums over the course of his career. Much is known about his eccentric habits, relationships and breakups, but here are 6 things that you probably didn't know about the artist who turns 23 today.

1. Birthday boy Justin Bieber loves to watch the re-runs of his favourite sitcom 'Friends':
Even though the show ended its ten year run on TV screens in 2004, Beebs is a big fan of the 62-time Primetime Emmy Awards nominated show. The popstar apparently likes to catch up on re-runs of his favourite show whenever he can.

2. Bieber, who spends $750 on a haircut, once auctioned his cut hair online for $40,668:
A lock of his freshly-chopped locks, which Justin gifted to chat show host Ellen DeGeneres in a signed box after his much talked about buzz cut was put to auction in 2011. The bidding went up all the way to $40,668 and the proceeds were donated to charity.

3. Justin Bieber was born in Canada, today he boasts of more Twitter followers than the population of Canada:
J-Beebs has a current follower count of over 92 million on Twitter, while the population of his home country Canada is 35.15 million according to their 2016 census.

4. Justin can solve the Rubik's cube in less than two minutes!:
In a TV show appearance, JB went on to solve the Rubik's cube in under two minutes. He flaunted his skills again in a recent episode of 'The Late, Late Show with James Corden.'
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5. Birthday boy Justin Bieber is counselled by Will Smith on a weekly basis:

However unlikely it may seem, but his mentor is one of Hollywood's greatest (and most famous) actors. We don't know how the two got connected, but clearly they have a lot in common. On a red-carpet appearance, Will said that he'll be available for the young musician whenever he calls on him for help.


6. The music sensation feels that denim shorts and a tank top is the sexiest thing a woman can wear:

Justin told a popular magazine that he thinks "attitude" is the hottest thing about a girl. The singer also said that he likes when girls wear "booty shorts" and tank tops.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/english/music/news/6-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-birthday-boy-justin-bieber/articleshow/57412313.cms