Hundreds of Google staffers met on Friday and discussed what activists allege is a frequent consequence of criticizing the company: Retaliation. Two leaders of recent company protests said they've been mistreated by managers and collected similar stories from other workers at the world's largest internet company. The claims of retaliation are the latest in a series of internal upheavals over issues ranging from the use of artificial intelligence for military purposes to executive misconduct and the rights of contract workers. Alphabet Inc.'s Google set the standard in Silicon Valley for employing and retaining scores of highly-trained computer scientists. But the recent troubles have hurt its reputation. Employees registered a decline of faith in Google's executives in recent internal surveys. Several software coders refused to work on a project for the Pentagon last year, spiking the contract, and some resigned in protest. In November, several employees organized a company walkout over payouts to executives facing sexual assault allegations. Around that time, the activists gathered 350 accounts of employee concerns. On Monday, two of those organizers, Meredith Whittaker and Claire Stapleton, wrote an email saying Google had punished them because of their activism. The two asked staffers to join them on Friday to discuss the company's alleged actions, and during the meeting they shared more than a dozen other stories of internal retribution that they had collected over the past week. Like many meetings at Google, participants could watch via a video live-stream and submit questions and comments. High Stakes "Now more than ever we need to reject retaliation, and reject the culture of fear and silence that retaliation creates," read an email from the event organizers, which Bloomberg News viewed. "The stakes are too high." "We prohibit retaliation in the workplace and publicly share our very clear policy," a Google spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. "To make sure that no complaint raised goes unheard at Google, we give employees multiple channels to report concerns, including anonymously, and investigate all allegations of retaliation." Whittaker is a researcher at Google specializing in artificial intelligence. She co-founded a research group, AI Now, that is affiliated with New York University. Whittaker wrote to her colleagues in an email that she was told she would have to "abandon my work on AI ethics." Stapleton, who works in the marketing department at YouTube, alleged that she was informed she was being demoted and later told to take a medical leave she didn't need. After she retained a lawyer, Stapleton said, the company "walked back my demotion, at least on paper," but "the environment remains hostile and I consider quitting nearly every day." Sick Leave In the email, Stapleton said that she arranged a meeting with Google's human resources division after flagging changes to her job. She was told to go on sick leave. When she replied that she wasn't sick, Stapleton wrote, the HR director said: "We put people on it all the time." On Friday, Whittaker and Stapleton shared additional information about their situations in an internal post to colleagues. Whittaker said that her manager, whom she did not name, told her that her AI ethics work "was no longer a fit." The manager said Google's cloud division had plans to massively increase sales by "being everywhere Lockheed is," according to Whittaker. That's a reference to the defense company Lockheed Martin Corp. Google's work with the U.S. military was the subject of employee protests last year. A Google spokeswoman declined to comment on the mention of the cloud business. Whittaker tried to get transferred to another Google AI team, a move she said was supported by Jeff Dean, the company's head of artificial intelligence. Soon after, Whittaker was involved with another protest: an employee petition against the appointment of Kay Coles James to an AI ethics counsel organized by Google. The company ended up scrapping the group. Two weeks after the petition, Whittaker said she learned that her planned transfer had been canceled and that her role at Google would be changing. "Continuing my work at AI Now and my work in AI ethics was not on the table," she wrote. Oona King, Google's director of diversity strategy, rejected at least one of the employee's claims. "I can genuinely say when I've looked at the details of one of the cases, it isn't as it appears here," she wrote, according to a message viewed by Bloomberg News. #NotOkGoogle Executives at YouTube and Google Cloud sent messages to staffers earlier this week disputing the accounts of Stapleton and Whittaker, according to a person who had seen them. Several current and former employees took to Twitter on Friday to register complaints using the hashtag #NotOkGoogle, a riff on the company's virtual assistant product. "This is just the tip of the iceberg," wrote Alex Hanna, a member of Google's cloud division. "I am grateful that I quit Google," wrote Liz Fong-Jones, an engineer and outspoken critic who left the company earlier this year. "This is a pattern, these are systemic issues, and we will change it only by speaking up and acting together," Stapleton wrote in the email. Google management publicly endorsed the employee walkout in the fall, giving the blessing for staff to vent frustration. But as dissent continued to rise inside Google, the company's lawyers urged the U.S. government to give companies more leeway to reign in rebellious employees from organizing over workplace email. NLRB Complaint Google made that argument in an ongoing case before the National Labor Relations Board involving alleged retaliatory discipline against an employee. On Monday, a new complaint was filed with the agency accusing Google of retaliating against staff for discussing and protesting working conditions. The filing alleges that within the last six months, one or more employees suffered transfer, demotion, or "other adverse action," and that the company acted "in order to discourage employees from engaging in" the type of collective action that is protected by U.S. federal law. The identity of the person who made the filing was redacted in the copy obtained by Bloomberg News via a Freedom of Information Act request. The matter has been assigned to the NLRB's regional office in New York. (Updates with information on NLRB complaint at end.) To contact the reporters on this story: Mark Bergen in San Francisco at mbergen10@bloomberg.net;Josh Eidelson in Washington at jeidelson@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Emily Biuso, Virginia Van Natta For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com ©2019 Bloomberg L.P.


The Astros have activated righty Joe Smith for the first time this season, per a club announcement. He'll take the spot of Cy Sneed , who was optioned down. To create 40-man space, shortstop Carlos Correa was bumped to the 60-day IL. Correa will not be eligible to return before the end of the month, though he was not expected to be ready by that point anyway. He's said to be nearing a rehab assignment as his fractured rib recovers. Smith has been sidelined all year after suffering an Achilles tear over the offseason. It's anyone's guess what he'll be able to contribute, but the 'Stros have good cause to find out. The 35-year-old sidearmer is due $8M this season. He was a solid contributor in 2018, when he turned in 45 2/3 innings of 3.74 ERA ball with 9.1 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9.


When Rihanna stepped onto the Met Gala red carpet in a jaw-dropping yellow gown, the fashion world pretty much came to a stand still. But who was the genius behind the epic creation? That honor belongs to Chinese couture designer Guo Pei. The Bejing-based designer, 45, has been designing for 26 years. According to the The Straits Times , Pei took up fashion studies at the Beijing Second Light Industry School, then specialized in ready-to-wear in a women's fashion company, Tian Ma. She started Rose Studio, a bespoke clothing business, in 1997. The newspaper reports Pei "worked on her first couture dress in 2005, after a trip to Paris where, on a visit to the Musee de l'Armee or the French Army Museum, she was so inspired by Napoleon Bonaparte's regal military uniforms that she created a ballgown spun entirely from gold thread. It took a whole year to complete, with up to 100 workers embroidering the garment." The designer has been compared to everyone from Alexander McQueen to Coco Chanel Pei has two pieces in this year's Costume Institute exhibit: "Magnificent Gold was my design 12 years ago. It is displayed in one room in the Met and it takes up the whole room, just one dress," the designer told NY Mag . "At the time of designing it, I really did not know the concept of haute couture." She continued, "My other dress is called Blue and Porcelain  as you know, china's name comes from China, porcelain." Magnificent Gold apparently took 50,000 hours to make, while Blue & Porcelain took 10,000. Pei plans on launching a ready-to-wear collection this year. "Too many people around me say they love my dresses but cannot afford them. That makes me sad because I am not a designer for the minority," the designer told The Straits Times . Check out one of Pei's fashion shows here. See all the looks from the Met Gala!


NEW YORK   A banker who prosecutors say tried to buy himself a senior post in President Donald Trump's administration by making risky loans to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort pleaded not guilty Thursday to a financial institution bribery charge as his lawyer said he's done nothing wrong. Stephen M. Calk, 54, was released on $5 million bail after making a brief appearance in Manhattan federal court. Calk, who lives in Chicago where The Federal Savings Bank is headquartered, was told by Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman to have no contact with bank employees except for his brother until prosecutors next week submit a list of individuals he cannot communicate with. The small bank where Calk was CEO when he allegedly carried out the scheme said in a statement that Calk already had no involvement with the bank and is on a leave of absence. In a statement, Calk attorney Jeremy Margolis said Calk will be exonerated on the "baseless isolated charge." He called the arrest a "travesty." He said the bank his client founded and Calk were "victims of Mr. Manafort's ongoing fraud. Mr. Calk did not commit any offense with him." Another defense lawyer, Daniel Stein, said outside court: "These loans were simply not a bribe for anything." "The Special Counsel and a federal judge have determined that The Federal Savings Bank was a victim of Mr. Manafort's crimes," the bank said in a statement, adding it isn't accused of "any wrongdoing." Federal prosecutors described the charge in a release, saying Calk abused his bank position by approving $16 million in high risk loans that were ultimately downgraded by the bank's primary regulator. William F. Sweeney Jr., head of New York's FBI office, said Calk "went to great lengths to avoid banking violations in an attempt to secure a senior position in a presidential administration." "His attempt at petitioning for political favors was unsuccessful in more ways than one   he didn't get the job he wanted, and he compromised the one he had," Sweeney added. If convicted, he could face up to 30 years in prison. Manafort lobbied Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to consider Calk for Secretary of the Army, according to emails from the weeks leading up to the 2016 election shown to jurors at Manafort's tax evasion and bank fraud trial last year. Prosecutors said while Manafort's loans were pending approval, Calk gave Manafort a ranked list of government positions he wanted, starting with Secretary of the Treasury, followed by Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of Defense, as well as 19 ambassadorships similarly ranked and starting with the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy. According to trial evidence, Manafort passed along Calk's resume to Kushner in a Nov. 30, 2016, email, along with two other names of people he said "should be a part of the Trump administration." Manafort wrote that the individuals would be "totally reliable and responsive to the Trump White House." He also said Calk was "strong in defense issues, management and finance." Kushner responded, "On it!" Calk was formally interviewed for the position of under secretary of the Army in early January 2017 at the Presidential Transition Team's Trump Tower offices, prosecutors noted. But Calk never got an administration post, though he did approve Manafort's loans. Manafort received a $9.5 million cash-out refinance from Calk's bank on November 2016 and an additional $6.5 million construction loan on a Manafort property in New York in January 2017. Prosecutors said Calk began in July 2016 to exploit his position as head of the bank and its holding company, knowing Manafort urgently needed loans to avoid foreclosure proceedings on multiple properties he and his family owned. Calk himself was not summoned by federal prosecutors to testify in Manafort's case. Instead, executives who worked under Calk at The Federal Savings Bank testified he began green-lighting more than $16 million in loans after he expressed interest in joining the Cabinet if Trump won the 2016 election. Testifying under an immunity agreement, James Brennan, who was a vice president of the bank at the time, said Calk overruled bank executives who rejected Manafort's loan for "inconsistencies." The loan "closed because Mr. Calk wanted it to close," Brennan said. The federal jury was unable to reach a verdict on the bank fraud charge related to Calk, but Manafort was convicted on eight other counts in the case. Manafort later acknowledged guilt in all the bank-related charges as part of a deal with the special counsel's office. Manafort is serving a 7½ year sentence after his convictions on 10 charges alleging multiple crimes, including bank and tax fraud, misleading the government over his foreign lobbying work and encouraged witnesses to lie on his behalf. He also faces an indictment in New York charging him with state crimes , including a residential mortgage fraud scheme. ___ Associated Press Writer Stephen Braun in Washington contributed to this report.


Classic and sweet two words that describe both bourbon and your dad. These recipes showcase the sweetest and meatiest ways to bring bourbon's smoky flavor into a Father's Day meal. (Hot tip: as long as you're cooking with bourbon, you might as well make dad a drink.) The Best Fried Chicken Sandwich A bourbon-buttermilk dredge gives this chicken sando smoky, sweet, tangy, unbelievable flavor. See recipe. Pecan-Orange Baklava Pie Bourbon-honey syrup and fragrant orange zest add rich flavor to this perfect Father's Day dessert. See recipe. Cheese Fondue With Beer and Bourbon When just Bourbon isn't enough, add beer. Babybel cheese keeps the molten mixture from separating, and its unassuming flavor lets the Gruyère shine. See recipe. Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Sour Cream Topping The caramelized flavor of bourbon and the tang of sour cream add balance to the rich, spiced filling of this cheesecake. Chopped pecans add a nutty dimension to the graham cracker crust. See recipe. Bacon-Latticed Apple Pie This pie is both sweet and salty, which is my favorite dessert combination. The smoky bacon, mingling with the spiced apples and bourbon crust, is heavenly. See recipe. Insanity Burger A bourbon-flecked "special sauce" is the cap in this monstrously good burger. See recipe. D.I.Y. Apple Mille-Feuille Sandwiching the puff pastry between two baking sheets ensures that the pastry rises perfectly even. See recipe. Bourbon Sugar and Pretzel Truffles We can think of lots of uses for the bourbon sugar that coats these pretzel-studded bites: use it to top crème brûlée, stir it into your afternoon tea, or sprinkle it over berries and serve with whipped cream for an easy dessert. See recipe. Beef Bourguignonne Pot Pie Treat this as a weekend project (quick it's not) and Father's Day dinner will be off the charts. See recipe. Apple Jack Stack Cake Instead of the spongy cakes we're used to today, these layers are more like cookies firmer, so they slowly soften beneath liberal applications of apple butter and cooked apples. See recipe. Sorghum-Bourbon Pecan Pie A pecan sandie crust, sweetness from sorghum, and a smoky warmth from bourbon. Yes, this bourbon pie doesn't mess around. See recipe. Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Peach Glaze This juicy brisket features bourbon in two ways: in both the peach glaze and in the meat's braising liquid. Every bite is smoky, fatty, and getting you ready for the next bite. See recipe. Buttered-Pecan French Toast with Bourbon Maple Syrup I was never much of a fan of French toast until I discovered the wonders of brioche. It turns out that this dish, usually made with half-stale whole-wheat sandwich bread, is a very different thing when it's made with fresh, buttery, eggy brioche! I added the Southern-inspired buttered pecans and bourbon maple syrup, because this is the delicious world I live in. See recipe. Peach-Bourbon Jam This simple jam is full of fresh peach flavor with hints of vanilla and bourbon. See recipe. Sticky Maple and Bourbon Pork Ribs Skip the same old boring barbecue sauce and opt for a sticky malt vinegar, bourbon, and maple syrup glaze to slick up these boiled-and-baked pork ribs. See recipe. Sorghum-Glazed Baby Carrots Try sorghum syrup in place of honey with a splash of smoky bourbon to make these simple glazed carrots. See recipe. Deep-Dish Maple-Bourbon Cream Pie Whoever dreamt up pouring bourbon into a pie filling was thinking right. This custardy pie combines maple syrup, caramelized sugar, and plenty of bourbon's rich smoke flavor in one rich pie. See recipe. Apple Fritters with Bourbon Ice Cream Another delicious thing about this addictive dessert? The fritters can be fried up to two hours ahead, then rewarmed just before serving. See recipe. Bourbon and Brown Sugar Glazed Turkey Separate cooking techniques for breast and legs in this recipe ensure that the different cuts reach their most delicious potential. See recipe. Mixed Grill with Sweet and Spicy Bourbon Sauce Bourbon sauce adds depth and a little extra smokiness to the grilled meat. See recipe. Triple Chocolate Tart with Boozy Whipped Cream This triple threat dessert offers three distinct textures and flavors: A nutty, crumbly crust is filled with a dark chocolate pudding enriched with bittersweet chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate stout, then topped with a billowy bourbon whipped cream. See recipe. Cherry-Bourbon Ice Cream Use a pre-made custard as your base and paddle in a sweet-and-boozy cherry and bourbon topping. See recipe. Peach Lattice Pie with Bourbon Caramel Peach lattice is a beautifully classic summer pie. A drizzling of rich, buttery bourbon caramel over each slice heightens the naturally lush sweetness of ripe peaches. See recipe. Country-Style Pork Ribs with Bourbon and Coke BBQ Sauce Tender, tangy, and accented with just a hint of bourbon, these slow-cooker cooked ribs are messy, saucy, and perfect for devouring over Father's Day weekend. See recipe. Chocolate Fudge with Bourbon Sugar The exceptional texture and glossy sheen of this fudge result from the way you mix it. Make sure the chocolate and condensed milk are barely hot. See recipe. Bourbon-Butterscotch Pudding This recipe claims you can use Scotch in the custard instead of bourbon. But we all know the truth: bourbon makes it better. See recipe. Cherry-Bourbon Pie Your dad will love this crumble-topped pie that stars the flavors of an Old Fashioned cocktail. See recipe. Bourbon and Brown Sugar Barbecue Sauce There's no better way to amp up a Father's Day cookout than with a homemade sauce. This one has a little bit of everything (from ketchup to Worcestershire), but where it really wins is in the addition of smoky bourbon. See recipe. Bourbon Bread Pudding For dads who like dessert. Squishy and rich brioche gets soaked in a bourbon-infused custard and baked until golden brown, sweet, and smoky. See recipe. Bourbon Balls The brilliant thing about the after-dinner treat: it's dessert and nightcap all in one. See recipe. "Burnt" Carrots and Parsnips Got some burned bits? Great job! The natural sugars in the root vegetables, along with the brown sugar and a generous dose of bourbon, will caramelize, giving you a little bitterness to counter all that sweetness. See recipe. Bourbon-Sea Salt Caramels Take a rich and deep caramel even deeper with the flavor of bourbon. Serve these as dessert or bag up a few to send to dad on his special day. See recipe. Bourbon-Glazed Baby Back Ribs The honey-hoisin-bourbon glaze on these ribs make them sweet, smoky, and award-worthy. See recipe. Pecan Praline Semifreddo with Bourbon Caramel Creamy, crunchy, and just a little smoky. See recipe. Pecan Fig Bourbon Cake Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon will make your Father's Day the best ever. See recipe. Pecan, Bourbon, and Butterscotch Bread Pudding Begin soaking the bread in custard a full day ahead that'll give plenty of time for the smoky bourbon flavor to sink in. See recipe. Bourbon-Brown Butter Pecan Pie How do you make a pie dad won't forget? Put shortening in the dough and bourbon in the filling. See recipe.


Upgrades to the Belle Isle museum include a kayak launch and riverfront event space Construction has begun on major renovations that will bring $4.9 million in upgrades to the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle. The Detroit Historical Society, which runs the museum, has raised $1.9 million of the necessary funds. Many of those renovations concern improving the visitor experience by the addition of landscaping with seating, signage, and lighting, as well as upgrades to some of the museum exhibits. Bike racks and a cycle service station will also be installed. Along the cove next to the museum, a kayak launch will be constructed, making the Detroit River accessible from the museum for the first time in its history. The museum will also be adding a riverfront patio space in order to make it a more enticing rental location. Once completed, it will be the only location on the south side of the island with private water access for events. The museum, which will be open during construction, says it's already booking weddings for 2020. The renovations are expected to be completed in 2021. The Dossin Great Lakes Museum opened in 1960 to showcase the region's maritime history. According to the museum, attendance has doubled over the last five years, necessitating the upgrades. Entry is free with admission to the park.


The house in Chattanooga, Tenn., was the perfect venue for the quiet wedding the two men were planning for August. They would hold the ceremony in the glass-clad sunroom of the house, set on two acres that backed up to the woods. They started to write their own vows. The owner of the house, the couple's friend Gabriel Biser, agreed to officiate. But then Mr. Biser, 36, got bad news that brought his friends' plans, and those of many others in Tennessee, to a halt. On May 21, Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed a bill that amended state law to prevent ministers ordained online from solemnizing weddings, starting July 1. Sign Up For the Morning Briefing Newsletter "It's summertime in the South," Mr. Biser, a minister who was ordained online in 2015, said. "In the evening, we get fireflies. It is kind of a magic time for us. It was going to be a very intimate ceremony. Then we found out about this law." So Mr. Biser, two other ministers ordained online and the Universal Life Church Monastery, the nonprofit organization that ordained them, filed a lawsuit in federal court last month that alleges the new legislative action violates their rights of expression and religion. On July 3, a judge blocked the law' and ordered a trial to be held later this year, court documents show. On Friday, lawyers for the five defendants   four county clerks and the state attorney general, Herbert H. Slatery III   met with the plaintiffs' representatives to set a tentative trial date in November or December. Critics say the law restricts citizens' ability to personalize marriage ceremonies that are unconventional. Online ordinations are often procured by friends of gay couples and by those who are officiating at bilingual weddings or weddings that are interfaith, not religious or not affiliated with traditional churches, they say. "This is a backdoor attack on the L.G.B.T. community, impeding our ability to be legally wed," said Mr. Biser, who has officiated at ceremonies for four gay and straight couples, all of them friends, since he was ordained. "After doing a few of these myself, there is a certain intimacy about having somebody you already know officiate. They always say, 'We could not imagine this day without you being part of it.'" Couples who want low-cost "backyard weddings" or who plan to customize their ceremonies will also be affected, said Lewis King, the executive director of American Marriage Ministries, which ordains ministers online. The organization quickly dispatched a team to Tennessee to conduct ordinations in person after hearing about the law. "Look at the groups of people who are negatively impacted by this law," he said. "L.G.B.T. couples, now if they want to get married, they have to go to a government office and maybe get married by someone who does not respect who they are. Courthouse weddings are going to be in English. These groups are completely sidelined by this law." But the state argues that by explicitly banning online ordinations, the new law, Public Chapter 415, does not significantly alter Tennessee law, which has always required ministers to be ordained after "considered, deliberate and responsible" preparation. An ordination that takes little more than a "click of a mouse" is not sufficient to authorize a person to solemnize marriages, Mr. Slatery, the attorney general, argued, according to court documents. State Representative Ron Travis, a Republican, said it was impossible to determine online whether a person had the "care of souls," as the law states. "Just because you pay $50 and get a certificate doesn't mean you're an ordained minister," Mr. Travis said, according to WATE-TV . The opposition in Tennessee reflects a clash with a growing trend in the United States to privatize marriage and personalize weddings by distancing them from the state or established religions. Ministers ordained online can officiate at weddings in 48 states , with the exception of Virginia and some parts of Pennsylvania, according to the Universal Life Church Monastery, which says it has ordained more than 20 million ministers nationwide. But rules can vary by county, as in New York State . Tennessee had not explicitly ruled out online ordinations before Public Chapter 415. Mr. Slatery's court rebuttal to the lawsuit said that online ministers could still officiate at weddings, but that the couple would still need to "have their marriage solemnized in the state." Lucian T. Pera, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said that step placed an extra "burden" on the online minister and the couples they had married. Among the other officials authorized to solemnize a marriage are mayors, judges and the governor. People who are ordained online have been able to officiate in Tennessee for years, because county clerks issue the marriage license and receive it once it has been signed, without being required to challenge the credentials of the person who files it. But questions about the validity of such marriages have arisen in cases involving divorce, custody or inheritance proceedings, said Mary Neill Southerland, the lawyer for William K. Knowles, the Hamilton County clerk and one of the defendants. Ms. Southerland said the county had never denied Mr. Biser a license because of his online ordination. "We should not even be in this," she said of the lawsuit. Donna Flores, who was ordained by American Marriage Ministries, said her plans to officiate at eight bilingual or fully Spanish-language weddings from July through October were thrown into question. As one of the state's few ordained ministers who is fluent in Spanish, she also conducts counseling. "That is a major hit when they are saying, 'You can't do this,'" she said of the law. Many of the couples she is scheduled to marry do not belong to a church or know people who do premarital counseling, she said. "There is a big, wide range of areas here that is affected." Mr. King said American Marriage Ministries had ordained more than 13,000 ministers in Tennessee since 2009. Thousands of people had weddings planned for the summer, he said. "Let's say I want my minister to dress up as a stormtrooper," he said. "You are going to be hard pressed to find a minister like that from a mainstream church." "It feels like a consolidation of power," he said of the new law. "Bringing religion back to the mainstream brick-and-mortar churches."


Los Angeles-based hospitality and wine and spirits company Winc has secured $10 million in Series B funding, according to company database Crunchbase , topping the city's recent funding headlines. The cash infusion was announced July 23 and financed by Cool Japan Fund. According to its Crunchbase profile, "Winc, formerly Club W, is the first customized, subscription-based site for wine. They are an online community of wine enthusiasts committed to taking the hassle, guesswork and pretentiousness out of enjoying a great bottle of wine at a reasonable price. For far too long buying wine has been a one-way street with experts using overblown wine jargon to tell people what to drink." The eight-year-old company has raised six previous funding rounds, including a $17 million Series B round in 2016. The round brings total funding raised by Los Angeles companies in food and beverage over the past month to $22 million, an increase of $17 million from the month before. The local food and beverage industry has produced 35 funding rounds over the past year, securing a total of $168 million in venture funding. In other local funding news, food and beverage company Ready, Set, Food! announced a $2.2 million pre-seed round on July 19, led by Amplify.LA. According to Crunchbase, "Ready, Set, Food! makes it easy for parents reduce their baby's risk of developing peanut, egg and milk allergies by up to 80% with our gentle, daily system." The company also raised a $1.4 million pre-seed round in 2018. This story was created automatically using local investment data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.


CAPE MAY, N.J.   The Coast Guard is searching for any survivors after a small plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey. The Federal Aviation Administration says the single-engine Mooney M20J crashed Wednesday morning about 1,200 feet (365 meters) from the Cape May Lighthouse. State police say that the plane is in about 18 feet of water and that a recovery is being attempted. Plane owner Lisa Campbell of Air-Mods Flight Training Center at the Trenton-Robbinsville airport says it left the airport, more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) from the crash site, around 8 a.m. She says the male pilot's credentials and the aircraft were "all in order." She says the pilot was a regular customer who flew recreationally. Police say it's unclear whether there were any passengers.


In advance of the 2019 season, we took a deep dive into the FBS record book and identified some records and historic achievements that we think could be broken and accomplished this season . Now we're going in the opposite direction. Which records are so impressive that we don't think they'll ever be broken? Here they are. Most all-purpose yards gained in a quarter Record-holder: 305 yards, Corey Dillon, Washington vs. San Jose State (1996) The incredible part of this record isn't just the total, but it's the fact that it's not inflated by a couple of long kick or punt returns. Plus, it came in the first quarter, so Dillon was sitting at 222 rushing yards and 83 receiving yards entering the second quarter. At that point, what do you even tell your unit if you're a defensive coordinator? So if this record is ever to be broken, it would probably be accomplished by a player (likely a running back who's also a returner on special teams) running back a kickoff 90-plus yards and having another one or two return opportunities   on top of having a really productive quarter as a rusher and receiver. Essentially, it would take three explosive plays of at least 50 yards and probably 10 to 15 touches in the quarter to surpass Dillon's mark. That's why we don't think it'll be broken. Most consecutive passes completed for touchdowns Record-holder: 6, Brooks Dawson, UTEP vs. New Mexico (1967) The fun fact about this record is that Dawson set this record to start that game. So at one point, Dawson's stat line was 6-for-6 with six touchdowns. Those are video game numbers. Most consecutive passes intercepted Record-holder: 4, Denard Robinson, Michigan vs. Notre Dame (2012) Four interceptions in a game is a huge number and a total that could lead to a temporary benching if not a permanent change at quarterback. Now imagine not just four interceptions in a game and not just four interceptions on consecutive possessions but four interceptions on consecutive attempts. Odds are a quarterback gets pulled after the third one, right? Not if you're Denard Robinson, who set this notorious record against the Fighting Irish back in 2012. Most punt yards in a game Record-holder: 1,318 yards, Charlie Calhoun, Texas Tech vs. Centenary (LA) (1939) Calhoun punted 36 (!) times in Texas Tech's game against Centenary. It's unlikely in a given college football game that a team will even possess the ball half that number of times, and it's even more unlikely that all those possessions would end in a punt. Luckily for TV execs and fans of the sport, football has evolved where this record will likely never be in danger of being broken. Longest punt Record-holder: 99 yards, Pat Brady, Nevada vs. Loyola Marymount (1950) Beyond the near-impossible physics regarding the difficulty of punting a football 99 yards, there's no way for a punt to travel more than 99 yards without being a touchback, so this is a rare record that has been maxed out. It can (theoretically) be tied, but it can't be topped. Consecutive games with a kick return touchdown Record-holder: 4, Ashlan Davis, Tulsa (2004) Returning four kickoffs for a touchdown over the course of a college career is pretty admirable for a kick returner. Returning four in a season likely sends a returner to first-team all-conference honors on special teams and maybe even All-American status. Scoring on a kick return in four consecutive games is rarified air for return men, and there's a good chance that after a streak gets to two or three games, opposing kickoff specialists will start kicking away from the returner or electing to go with a squib kick. But it didn't stop Tulsa's Ashlan Davis in the early aughts. Scoring a touchdown on your team's opening kickoff in two consecutive seasons Record-holder: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (1987-88) Barry Sanders was a different kind of special and this is a record that only someone of his legendary status could have on his resume. The fact that both kick returns were 100 yards makes it even more impressive. Imagine it's the day of your season opener, and after months of training camp, spring practice and offseason weight training, you take it to the house the first time your team gets the ball. Now imagine doing that two seasons in a row. That's what Barry Sanders did. Most combined fumbles in a game Record-holders: 27, Wichita State (17) vs. Florida State (10), 1969 27 fumbles in a matchup is more than there are in a typical game of greased watermelon polo in a community swimming pool on the 4th of July. It's what happens if you adjust your "Madden" settings so that the fumble slider is on 99. It's like playing "NFL Street," but the defense always has Gamebreaker activated. OK, you get the point. We will never see a game with 28 fumbles. Fewest first downs by a winning team Record-holder: 0, NC State vs. Virginia (1944); Michigan vs. Ohio State (1950) It's hard to even imagine how NC State beat Virginia 13-0 or Michigan defeated Ohio State 9-3. Actually, it's pretty tough to fathom Michigan beating Ohio State at all . Jokes aside, imagine scoring on one or two big plays, or using great field position from a turnover or long return to score with a short field, but your team's offense never moves the chains. Not once. Not even from a penalty! Like several records on this list, it can be tied, but it can never be topped. Fewest pass yards allowed Record-holder: -16, VMI vs. Richmond (1957; two completions) This is pretty self-explanatory. It's not just a defense hounding the opposing quarterback and forcing a high percentage of incompletions, but for the net yardage to be minus-16 is pretty incredible and given the way football has embraced the passing game since VMI's defensive performance against Richmond in 1957, it's unlikely that a team will ever have fewer passing yards in a game. Most combined punts in a game Record-holders: 77, Texas Tech (39) vs. Centenary (LA) (38) (1939) We already referenced this game with Charlie Calhoun's 1,318 single-game punting yards record. Well guess what, Calhoun's 36 punts didn't even make up half of the number of total punts in the game. Here's how this one happened, according to the FBS record book: The game was played in a heavy downpour in Shreveport, Louisiana. 42 punts were returned, 19 went out of bounds, 10 were downed, 1 went into the end zone for a touchback, 4 were blocked and 1 was fair caught. 67 punts [34 by Texas Tech and 33 by Centenary] occurred on first-down plays, including 22 consecutively in the third and fourth quarters. The game was a scoreless tie. And there you have it. Imagine the state of football in the '30s (as well as the state of weather in Shreveport that day) that both coaches decided it was a tactical advantage to punt on first down and the two teams simply traded punts on 22 consecutive plays in the second half. Yikes. Fewest points allowed per game Record-holders: 0.0, Duke (1938; nine games); Tennessee (1939; 10 games) Here's yet another record that can't be broken because a scoring defense can't get any better than zero points per game over the course of a season. It's almost impossible to imagine a team coming even close to this record   say, within six or seven points   in the modern era of college football. Clemson, the reigning national champion whose defensive line was full of future NFL players, led the country with a 13.1 points allowed per game average last season. In the last 10 seasons, 2011 Alabama has the best scoring defense at 8.2 points allowed per game, so even a historically great defense will allow more than a touchdown per game, on average. Most consecutive passes caught for touchdowns Record-holder: 6, Carlos Carson, LSU (1977; first receptions of career); Gerald Armstrong, Nebraska (1992) It feels like it would require someone in a role like current Tennessee Titans Head Coach and former New England Patriots LB Mike Vrabel to break this record. Vrabel occasionally lined up on offense for the Patriots on the goal line, catching 10 of his 14 targets in his career for 10 touchdowns (postseason not included). Those 10 receptions were for a total of 14 yards, so he had a very specific role on offense. While there's no questioning the elite play-making ability of returning wide receivers like Alabama's Jerry Jeudy, Oklahoma State's Tylan Wallace and Purdue's Rondale Moore , it's highly unlikely they'd be able to pull off this feat. So it might actually be more likely that a non-wide receiver would break one of the most impressive receiving records as a player who's used in a Vrabel-esque goal line or red zone role where any reception would almost certainly be for a touchdown. MORE: Who Will Be College Football's Next First-Time National Champion? The post No One Will Ever Break These College Football Records appeared first on Stadium .


Chris Paul's storied career is heading toward the twilight period - he's certainly not done yet, but it's clear at 34, his prime is behind him even though he's still more than capable of being a star point guard. But one of the great PGs of all time is still without a ring. And that's what makes a report this week from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski kind of depressing. He says the Oklahoma City Thunder - who acquired him in the Russell Westbrook deal - have "parked" their discussions to deal him elsewhere and it looks like he'll start the season with the rebuilding franchise. That's kind of sad. "Don't panic." - @JalenRose 's advice to Chris Paul pic.twitter.com/twbiMygz7l - Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 18, 2019 It's not like the Thunder are the worst team ever. They'll have Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams and Dennis Schroder, a good enough core to compete for a playoff spot … if they were in the East. But they're not. And that could leave CP3 out of yet another shot at a ring, with another year added to his career. It's not like this is the end of dealing Paul. The hope is something happens after mid-December, when anyone who signed a free-agent deal is eligible to be traded. Perhaps by then, a contending team can finagle its way into getting Paul, who would be the perfect third option in this point of his career to attach to one of the elite tandems that formed. I did like the idea of the Miami Heat finding a way to get him to pair with Jimmy Butler (that's a tough defensive duo to deal with), but the Thunder obviously don't want to use one or some of the first-rounders they've acquired to entice a team like Pat Riley's to take on Paul and his mammoth contract. That's the right move for them, but it's a bummer for Paul (for now). It's just a reminder that he's fallen short so much during his career - the Lob City Clippers never quite put it all together. The pairing with James Harden was thisclose to a Finals in 2018 … and Paul was injured and didn't play in the famous 7-for-44 from beyond the arc Game 7. There's also the "what if" of epic proportions: What if David Stern allowed the Hornets to trade Paul to the Lakers in 2011 that would have made him teammates with Kobe Bryant? None of that matters now. Here's hoping Paul gets at least one more shot before he leaves the NBA behind. MORE: Tiger Woods grimaced after his opening tee shot and golf fans started panicking Ranking the Packers' position groups from weakest to strongest News: Cowboys' $100 million men underpaid, and more dangerous in 2019 Roundup: Hustlers Trailer, El Chapo Getting Supermax Prison, Dan Patrick on Ben Simmons The top 100 players in the NFL today Related slideshow: 10 best moves of the 2019 NBA offseason (Provided by Yardbarker)


Former Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is back in the news for all of the wrong reasons. Wilkerson, 29, was arrested and charged with DWI in Washington Heights early Saturday morning. According to police , Wilkerson ran a stop sign and was pulled over just after 3:30 a.m. Officers on the scene noticed that Wilkerson's eyes were bloodshot and he smelled of alcohol. Wilkerson was then subsequently arrested, charged and released on bond. A former first-round pick out of Temple in 2011, Wilkerson emerged as one of the premier defensive ends in football early in his career. In 2015, Wilkerson was a second-team All-Pro selection. He also made Pro Bowl appearances in 2013 and 2015. Wilkerson's dominant play led to a massive five-year, $86 million contract extension featuring $53 million guaranteed and a $15 million signing bonus in July 2016. From there, his time with the Jets went downhill. After returning from a broken leg suffered in the final week of the 2015 season, Wilkerson started 14 games and made only 58 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2016. Wilkerson often appeared disengaged, and the motor that made him a force on the defensive line was gone. Things got worse for Wilkerson in 2017. Not only did his production tail off even further (46 tackles, 3.5 sacks, four passes defensed and an interception in 13 games), he became a problem off the field as well. In Week 15, Wilkerson was scratched after showing up late for a team meeting during the week. Wilkerson was also inactive in weeks 16 and 17 as reports that he showed up late for team meetings four times in three years surfaced. At season's end, the Jets had seen enough and released Wilkerson only two seasons into his contract extension. Wilkerson caught on with the Packers in 2018, but Green Bay elected not to re-sign him after a severe ankle injury brought a premature end to his season. He is currently a free agent. With the arrest, Wilkerson is subject to suspension by the NFL for violating the league's personal conduct policy. MORE: Boxing fans, including Conor McGregor, react to Anthony Joshua's stunning loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. Report: Suns, Bulls offering lottery picks for Lonzo Ball Kyle Shanahan on the cutting edge with 'positionless' offense Uncertainty with Ben Watson should push Patriots to trade for Kyle Rudolph Anthony Joshua Shocked In TKO Loss To Andy Ruiz Jr.


Liverpool are looking a long shot for a Premier League and Champions League double this season, but Liverpool City Council are getting ahead of the game, and already have plans in place for two potential victory parades in Merseyside. The Reds host Wolves on Sunday, and will win the Premier League with a victory should Manchester City drop points at Brighton, while a draw would not mathematically rule Liverpool out - but would require City to lose by five goals. The #PL title race is certain to go to the final day... pic.twitter.com/eexu6jqrCC   Premier League (@premierleague) May 4, 2019 As per BBC , in the event of Liverpool lifting a first top flight trophy since 1990, a parade is planned through the city on Monday 13 May, beginning at 16.00 BST at Allerton Maze, to the south of the city. While a Premier League victory is still well within the realms of possibility, Liverpool's most realistic chance of silverware comes via the Champions League . They famously overcame a 3-0 deficit to knock Barcelona out and reach the final and will face Spurs in the final in Madrid - with Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino both vying for their first major honours in charge of their respective club. Should Liverpool win their 6th Champions League title, a similar parade will take place on Sunday 2 June, one day after the final. It is believed that the advance planning is due to the 'major logistical challenges' the parades pose - partly down to the huge number of fans who would turn out to celebrate. Liverpool have one of the most passionate supports in the country, and the fans are starving for a major trophy, having last lifted anything back in 2012. Their last Champions League success came in 2005, while 1990 was the last time they emerged victorious in the top flight, with thousands of fans flooding the streets on each occasion.


Here's a fun fact from Monday's record-smashing Home Run Derby in Cleveland : Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit more home runs during the nearly three-hour telecast than the Detroit Tigers have this season. Did I say fun? I meant, gut-wrenching? Kidding, of course. Kind of. Guerrero's record Derby performance was one for the ages (but not good enough for the win). And if not for him blasting 29, 40 and 22 home runs mostly off the scoreboard at Progressive Field, we wouldn't be talking about, well, scoreboards. Guerrero hit 91 homers on Monday, setting the record for a single round at 29 and then 40 (he ran out of gas in the finals and finished runner-up to Pete Alonso of the New York Mets ). The Tigers, who are on pace to lose 100-plus games, hit just 77 homers in the first half of the season. To be fair, the Tigers weren't the only team Guerrero bested on Monday. The Miami Marlins, who at 33-55 have the worst record in the National League, only hit 68 homers in the first half . The Kansas City Royals only have 87, and the San Francisco Giants 88. Still, the Tigers have the second-worst record in baseball at 28-57, and while that could produce the franchise's second No. 1 overall pick in three years, it doesn't ease the sting of what's quickly becoming a laborious rebuild. And neither did Guerrero's moonshot homers on Monday. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just set a Home Run Derby record with TWENTY-NINE homers in a single round 😳 (via @Sportsnet ) pic.twitter.com/EcLZCLsclx   Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 9, 2019 Contact Chris Thomas at cdthomas@freepress.com This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. tops Detroit Tigers' homer total in Home Run Derby Related slideshow: Best Photos of the Home Run Derby (Provided by imagn)


Little things we do from one day to the next can make us look older or contribute to long-term health issues that make us unhealthy beyond our years. 17 Surprising Habits That Make You Age Quicker Humans have always been obsessed with looking and feeling younger . We obsess over every new worry line, stress over every grey hair, and revamp our wardrobes to create the impression that we're not as old as we actually are. But in many cases, it's not the finer points of our appearance that contribute to aging, but the habits we maintain on a regular basis. For example, little things like slouching over our phones and sleeping on sub-par pillowcases can make us appear older and contribute to long-term health issues that age us beyond our years. And while some bad habits are obvious (for example, smoking and sunbathing are not on this list), others are far more surprising. Read on to learn which habits you'll want to look out for. And for the anti-aging tricks to avoid, check out the 27 Common Anti-Aging Tips You Should Forget Immediately . 1. You neglect your friendships. When you think of the things that can boost your chance of a long, healthy life , you probably default straight to diet and exercise. But it turns out having good friends is also key. Kate Milne , founder of Cardea Health Consulting , a firm conducting healthy living research for older adults, points to a 2010analysis of social health studies published in PLOS Medicine . For the review, researchers looked at data from nearly 309,000 individuals over the course of 7.5 years. "Those with strong social relationships were 50 percent more likely to survive during the study period than those with poor quality relationships," says Milne. "This health effect could be compared with quitting smoking and has a bigger impact than other well-known interventions like reducing obesity." The findings remained consistent across age, sex, initial health status, and cause of death, meaning that, no matter your health concerns, strong relationships can help slow down your body clock. 2. You bounce from one fad diet to the next. Those worried about living healthier often start by eating healthier . But jumping on the latest fad diet can have the exact opposite result, especially since a diet that involves serious changes to your eating habits usually doesn't stick and often just leads to the next fad diet."Yo-yo dieting can contribute to a loss of fat-free mass (muscle and bone) long-term," explains Milne, pointing to a 2011 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . "Loss of fat-free mass can lead to poor mobility, increased fall-risk, and lower overall strength," Milne says. "In studies of those whose weight-cycled, a higher ratio of fat compared to fat-free mass was found when participants regained some or all their original weight." And for more ways to feel your best, check out the 100 Anti-Aging Secrets for Looking and Feeling Younger Than Ever . 3. You drink from water bottles. No, this doesn't have anything to do with the chemicals that can leach off of plastic bottles (though that's something to consider, too). According to Anthony Youn , MD, a holistic beauty specialist and author of The Age Fix: A Leading Plastic Surgeon Reveals How to Really Look 10 Years Younger , drinking regularly from water bottles can cause wrinkles . How , you ask? Well, according to Youn, "drinking from water bottles causes us to purse our lips repeatedly, and even though the water hydrates our skin, some doctors believe that the repeated lip pursing causes our lips to wrinkle more."Youn says the solution is to "drink from wide-mouthed bottles, or, if you need to use a small-mouthed bottle, then squirt the water into your open mouth." And for more anti-aging secrets, check out the 33 Foods That Fight Aging from the Inside Out . 4. You hold grudges for longer than you need to. Your emotional life can significantly influence your physical life. And, it turns out, one of the most common ways you can damage yourself emotionally is by holding onto past events or arguments. "The body holds onto stress and traumas through clenched jaws, permanent frowns or furrowed eyebrows, and slumped shoulders," says Heather Larivee , a corporate wellness consultant and the founder and CEO of Sparkflo, LLC . Christine Scott-Hudson , a psychotherapist and the owner of Create Your Life Studio , agrees that resentment can prematurely age a person."Letting go of old hurts frees up space for new energy in your life," she says. "If you are having trouble getting over a slight, try imagining letting go of a balloon. Picture releasing the balloon of resentment and watch it float away from you." And if you're rounding the corner on middle age, here are more of the 40 Ways Your Priorities Should Change After 40 . 5. You get "text neck" when you look at your phone. Text neck is when you tilt your head down to look at your phone . Since the average head weighs between eight and 12 pounds, getting into this habit can have major effects on your health. "Text neck puts an incredible amount of force on our neck and spine, causing undue strain on the neck," says Larivee. That can lead to headaches, neck and shoulder pain, decreased range of motion, and a visible hump in the spine. Larivee recommends holding your phone at eye level. Doing so will also help strengthen the muscles in your upper body. 6. You sit for more than four hours a day. You've probably heard that sitting is the new smoking  but you might not realize just how much it can affect the aging process. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Aging Research found that those who were sedentary for more than four hours a day were associated with lower odds of "aging successfully," due to a combination of physical, psychological, and social health. Those who were sedentary for fewer than two hours a day were 43 percent more likely to age successfully. That's because sitting for extended periods can decrease oxygen intake and atrophy your muscles. These factors contribute to weight gain and inhibit your body's production of feel-good endorphins, such as dopamine. And for more information on why you should take a walk at least once an hour, check out our guide on What Happens to Your Body When You Sit All Day . 7. You slouch at your desk. While sitting itself is bad for you, theway that you sit can also impact aging. Bad posture can lead to kyphosis, also known as Dowager's hump, the abnormal curvature of the spine that's common in the elderly. "It's becoming more and more common in younger people too due mostly to poor posture sitting at their desks hunching over a computer," says Monica Lam-Feist , an ACE certified personal trainer and fitness lead at AlgaeCal, a calcium supplement company. "This habit rounds your upper back and can weaken your spine by placing constant stress on it. This can lead to pain, arthritis and, of course, the physical change of a curved, rounded spine." 8. You have a soft spot for heavy earrings. It may sound strange, but your earlobes could be a dead giveaway that you're getting up there in age. And if you're in the habit of wearing big, heavy earrings, that could be even more accurate."As we get older, our earlobes droop (like everything else in our body) and we get stretched and elongated earlobes," says Youn. "For women, it's even worse than for men, since heavy earrings can weigh down an ear and cause it to stretch over the years. Ear piercings also weaken the earlobe and can stretch and tear." He suggests a simple solution: Lobe Wonder support patches, which attach to the back of the earlobe to support it and counteract the weight of the jewelry. (Good news: They cost just $6 for a pack of 60 .) Along with ginormous earrings, you'll also want to avoid the 40 Worst Accessories for Women Over 40 . 9. You don't manage your stress. Numerous studies support the fact that stress (both short-term and long-term) can cause premature aging. That's because when you're stressed, your body produces cortisol, which can damage your telomerase and telomeres (the caps at the end of each strand of DNA). "Wrinkles, grey hair, and a weakened immune system may be associated with shortened telomeres," says Lam-Feist. "So by giving yourself a simple attitude adjustment or participating in stress-reducing activities (such as meditation, breathing, and yoga, etc.), you could combat aging." 10. You don't pay attention to the ingredients on your skin care products. The skin care products you use every day could be hiding some seriously scary ingredients. "On average, women use beauty products that contain more than 120 chemicals per day," says Alissia Zenhausern , MD, a naturopathic physician at NMD Wellness of Scottsdale . She notes that many of those chemicals have been linked to or are suspected to cause hormonal imbalance and disruption, which can lead to premature aging. Lorraine Miano , an integrative health coach and author of The Magic of Menopause: A Holistic Guide to Get Your Happy Back , seconds this idea. "Our skin is our largest organ and what you put on it is absorbed into your body," she says. "Many beauty and skin care items contain hormone-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, parabens, pesticides, and plastics. These chemicals can mimic hormones, destroy others and cause internal signaling issues, leading to premature cell death." Your dermatologist will be able to help you decode these labels and recommend the safest products. And for more skin care tips, check out the 20 Face-Washing Habits That Are Aging Your Skin . 11. You drink too much dairy. Sure, calcium is good for you. But a glass of milk every day may not be all that healthy."Dairy is pro-inflammatory to the gut which means that if you are consuming dairy on a daily basis, you are increasing your risk of gut inflammation," says Zenhausern. "With our gut as our major organ of not only digestion but also detoxification, a lack of proper detoxification can lead to skin that appears older. Proper gut health is what provides us with young, fresh, glowing skin." 12. You exercise too much. While exercise is key to a long and healthy life, there can certainly be too much of a good thing. Miano says that when you exercise too hard or too frequently, it can make it so your muscles never have time to fully recover. "This can lead to inflammation, poor sleep, and a compromised immune system," says Miano. "Especially for women as they age, the stress caused by excessive exercise can raise cortisol levels and lead to hormone imbalances." Depending on your age, you'll want space your workouts anywhere from 24 to 36 hours apart. 13. You overbook your schedule. Packing your days too full can cause all kinds of problems that will sap your youthful energy, says Lydia Noyes , a health and wellness expert for lifestyle website HighYa.com . For example, shorting yourself on sleep can lead to hardened arteries and lackluster skin. Likewise, too much stress from feeling overworked can manifest itself physically as wrinkles and grey hairs.Instead of booking yourself from the time your alarm clock blares to the time you hit the hay, be sure to block in some downtime. 14. You only do cardio. Cardio is great, but don't ignore the weight room at the gym. Anyone trying to keep the body of their youth should strength train at least three times a week, says Jill Brown , a certified health and nutrition coach , functional strength coach, and group fitness instructor in Beverly Hills. "Sarcopenia [loss of muscle tissue] can begin as young as 25 to 30 years old," Brown says. "If you don't exercise enough to make muscle, and maintain what you've built, you may begin to lose as much as 3 percent to 5 percent [muscle mass] per decade after the age of 30." And to get in even better shape, learn these 100 Easy Ways to Be a (Much) Healthier Woman . 15. You live in a high-pollution area. This may be more a lifestyle choice than a habit, but if you tend to prefer cities with high levels of air pollution, it could accelerate the aging process. "Studies have been done in urban areas, where there are high levels of particles and chemicals in the air, that show that living around such high levels are associated with increased visible signs of aging such as age spots and wrinkles," says Emilia Javorsky , MD, co-founder and chief scientific officer of skin care company Sundaily . 16. You don't have a functional sleep routine. Sleep plays a huge role in our health and our aging. Getting regular, deep sleep can make the difference between looking bright and chipper in the morning and appearing 10 years older than you actually are. Scott-Hudson emphasizes that it "ages you faster to be chronically underslept." She adds: "People tend to snack mindlessly when they are tired. You won't be on top of your game at work if you are exhausted. We make more mistakes when we are tired." 17. You sleep on a crummy pillow. Sleeping on your face or side can create creases in your cheeks that can progress to permanent sleep wrinkles, says Youn. This is exacerbated if youuse a rough pillowcase, like one made of polyester. His solution? "Sleep on your back, or if you can't, then change your pillowcase to a silk or satin pillowcase." And for more ways to get your best sleep ever, you'll want to know the 40 Ways Your Sleep Changes After 40 . To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life, click here to follow us on Instagram!


Shailene Woodley electrified the 2019 CFDA Fashion Awards red carpet. Shailene Woodley electrified the 2019 CFDA Fashion Awards red carpet. Just a week after appearing at the Big Little Lies season two premiere with a sexy '60s beauty look , the actress took the fun fashion event as an opportunity to try out one of this season's most daring makeup trends: neon eye shadow . Makeup artist Tyron Machhausen contrasted Woodley's slicked-back ponytail and otherwise minimal makeup with a cat-eye strip of neon orange eye shadow, which appeared to be more pigmented on the eyelid and became softer as it reached the outer eye area. With each adventurous look, Shailene is quickly becoming a star to seek for beauty inspiration. See photos of her CFDA Awards appearance ahead, and shop similar orange eye makeup so you can re-create the trend at home. NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Brights Crème Color NYX Professional Makeup Vivid Brights Crème Color ($10) Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Palette Huda Beauty Neon Obsessions Palette ($29) Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner ($25) Nars Pure Pops Single Eyeshadow Nars Pure Pops Single Eyeshadow ($19) Make Up For Ever Artist Color Eye Shadow Make Up For Ever Artist Color Eye Shadow ($17) MAC Art Library: It's Designer Eyeshadow Palette MAC Art Library: It's Designer Eyeshadow Palette ($48)


The world's most mysterious places are shrouded in secrecy or feature shocking natural phenomena, making them must-visits for curious travelers. 40 most mysterious places in the whole entire world Planet Earth is a wondrous place that never ceases to amaze with its majestic wonders of nature and jaw-dropping man-made marvels. But our planet isn't without its fair share of mystery, either. If you're fascinated by places that will give you goosebumps , you'll certainly be intrigued by these enigmatic spots around the world. Area 51 (Nevada) The Air Force facility commonly known as Area 51, located within the Nevada Test and Training Range, has captured the imagination of both conspiracy theorists and Hollywood for decades. The top-secret military base (which is still operational) is surrounded by barren desert, and the secrecy surrounding its Cold War-era stealth aircraft testing led to rumors of aliens, wild government experiments and even a staged moon landing on the premises. Curious civilians can explore the area around the base, which has become a bizarre tourist destination , but they obviously aren't permitted inside. The Bermuda Triangle The Bermuda Triangle is perhaps the most famous mysterious place in the world. This area of about 500,000 square miles sits in the Atlantic Ocean between the island of Bermuda; Miami, Florida; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. More than 20 planes and 50 ships are said to have mysteriously vanished into thin air or crashed without explanation. Though vessels manage to pass through the area with ease every day, there's still a lot of mystery behind those unexplained accidents. Blood Falls (Antarctica) The coldest and driest place on the planet has a blood-red waterfall slowly trickling down an icy white surface. While Blood Falls in Antarctica may look like a murder scene, scientists finally determined in 2014 that the color comes from iron oxidizing within a briny saltwater pool buried deep beneath a glacier. While Antarctica might seem like a remote, otherworldly destination, it's actually a great place to take an epic cruise . Coral Castle (Homestead, Florida) Eccentric Latvian immigrant Edward Leedskalnin single-handedly built Coral Castle in Florida over the course of 25 years, up until his 1951 death. Without the use of large machinery, Leedskalnin cut, moved, carved and sculpted more than 1,100 tons of coral rock. How exactly he managed this feat of engineering is still a mystery (he built it in a remote location and didn't allow anyone to witness its construction), especially since he only had a fourth-grade education. Crooked Forest (Poland) This Polish forest lives up to its name, with hundreds of whimsically wonky pine trees. Approximately 400 pines were planted there around 1930 and grew with an almost 90-degree bend at their base. Some believe that a technique or human tool was actually used to make the trees curve this way, while others speculate that a winter snowstorm could have given the trees their interesting shape. Devil's Bridge (Kromlau, Germany) There are multiple places around the world that have been named "Devil's Bridge," due to some sort of supernatural connection, but the most famous one is located in the German town of Kromlau. Known as Rakotzbrücke in German, the parabolic bridge was commissioned in 1860. It forms a perfect circle with its own reflection in the water below, a feat only deemed possible in a fairy tale   or with some otherworldly assistance. Devils Tower National Monument (Wyoming) Devils Tower is a dramatic geologic feature that juts out of the rolling prairie surrounding the Black Hills region in Wyoming , and it became the first national monument in the country in 1906. This site is considered sacred to multiple Native American tribes, and its mythical quality led to it being featured in the sci-fi movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." It's still the setting for Native American ceremonies as well as a popular destination for rock climbing enthusiasts. Door to Hell (Turkmenistan) Almost 50 years ago, a gaping, fiery crater opened up in the desert of northern Turkmenistan. The Darvaza Crater, also known as the Door to Hell, is still burning today, and at night its glow can be seen from miles away. The crater is thought to have been created by a Russian natural gas drilling mishap in which engineers set the area on fire to stop the spread of dangerous gases, unaware of how long the fire would burn. Easter Island (Chile) This isolated island in the Pacific Ocean was once populated by the Rapa Nui civilization, who erected almost 1,000 giant stone statues known as moai approximately 900 years ago. These towering figures, which stand an average 13 feet tall and weigh 14 tons apiece, captivated European explorers who first landed on the island in 1722. No one knows for sure why these ancient Polynesians carved and placed the statues across the island, though one recent theory hypothesizes that they were placed as markers of freshwater sources. Eternal Flame Falls (Chestnut Ridge Park, New York) If you follow the route to Shale Creek in New York's Chestnut Ridge Park, you'll find a strange orange-red light glowing behind a waterfall that looks like something out of a fairy tale . This Eternal Flame burning behind the water is fueled by methane gas escaping through cracks in the rock. The water sometimes extinguishes the flame, but visitors often start it up again with a lighter to keep the magic alive. Fairy Circles (Namibia) Millions of circular patches dot the desert landscape in the African country of Namibia. These eerie ovals are known as "fairy circles" because their defined shape and pattern look as if they've been created by small spritely creatures. While scientists have many theories, including sand termites, radioactive soil or toxins , there's no official explanation for their creation. Giant's Causeway (Northern Ireland) Giant's Causeway is a natural wonder on the coast of Northern Ireland that deserves a spot on any bucket list . It features 40,000 interlocking, hexagonal basalt columns that were created by a volcanic eruption. The location is also the subject of a charming Gaelic legend about a giant named Finn McCool, who threw chunks of the coast into the sea to create a stepping stone path to Scotland. Great Blue Hole (Belize) The Great Blue Hole is quite straightforward in its name and yet still overwhelming in size and beauty. This massive, remote marine seahole off the coast of Belize is more than 1,000 feet across and 400 feet deep. Scuba divers flock here to experience its hypnotically crystal-clear waters and marine life. The Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt) The Great Pyramid of Giza has been captivating mankind for thousands of years. The only one of the seven wonders of the ancient world that's still intact, it continues to be one of the most visited tourist attractions on Earth. Visitors and scholars alike are still baffled by how the 455-foot-tall pyramid (and its two neighbors) were created without modern tools, although a leading theory asserts that they were constructed using wet sand and internal ramps. Island of the Dolls (Mexico City, Mexico) Isla de las Muñecas, Spanish for Island of the Dolls, is an island located in the canals of the Xochimilco neighborhood of Mexico City. As the legend goes, the island's caretaker became haunted by guilt after he was unable to save a little girl who tragically drowned there more than 50 years ago. He hung dolls around the island as a tribute until mysteriously drowning himself in the exact same spot that she did. The unsettling dolls with severed limbs, decapitated heads and empty eye sockets still remain there, and some people claim they can hear the dolls whispering to them. Kawah Ijen Lake (Indonesia) Kawah Ijen Lake and volcano are both terrifying and breathtaking because of a rare natural phenomenon that occurs here. Sulfuric gases burst through the rocky surfaces around the lake, combusting when they hit the outside air. This creates flames that shoot 16 feet into the air! The fires appear to burn blue and liquid sulfur streams down the mountain like electric blue lava. Lake Abraham (Alberta, Canada) In warmer months, Lake Abraham is simply a lovely turquoise manmade lake and reservoir in Alberta, Canada . But in the winter, the frozen water gets filled with suspended white orbs that look like snowballs. It might look like Christmas magic, but these ice bubbles are actually dangerous pockets of flammable methane gas formed when organic matter at the bottom of the lake decomposes. Lake Hillier (Australia) With its bubblegum-pink waters, Lake Hillier might perhaps be the most puzzling lake in the world. It sits right next to the Pacific Ocean, which makes its natural color really pop in comparison. It has plenty of fish living in its waters and is even safe for swimming, although tourists aren't allowed in the water. The reason for Lake Hillier's color remains a mystery, but it's most likely caused by algae, bacteria or chemical reactions. Lake Maracaibo (Venezuela) Over this inlet in the Caribbean sea in northwestern Venezuela, lightning storms take over the skies almost every night of the year. This phenomenon is known as Catatumbo lightning, named for the river that flows into the lake. Lake Maracaibo sees more lightning than anywhere else on Earth thanks to a combination of heat, humidity and air currents. There can be up to 280 lightning bolts in an hour here. The ability to see an intense natural show makes it a truly unique place to spend the night . Lake Natron (Tanzania) Lake Natron in Tanzania is also known as Petrifying Lake because is has the power to turn birds to "stone." The water temperature can reach 140 degrees Fahrenheit and its pH level is 10.5, nearly as high as ammonia. The water is so caustic that it can burn the skin and eyes of animals that aren't adapted to it. Its high levels of sodium carbonate also act as a preservative, leaving birds, bats and other animals that die in its waters mummified. The lake is, however, a safe breeding place for a flock of flamingos. Loch Ness (Scotland) Loch Ness is a large, deep, freshwater loch, or sea inlet, in the Scottish Highlands. This loch is famous for sightings of its titular Loch Ness Monster, a mythical serpent-like creature affectionately nicknamed Nessie. Nessie's existence has never been proven, but it's become just as famous as Bigfoot. Even if you don't see any evidence of a monster, the area is gorgeous and worth a trip. Scotland is considered by some travelers to be the most beautiful country in the world . Magnetic Hill (Ladakh, India) Magnetic hills, or gravity hills, are optical illusions in which a road that looks like it's sloping uphill due to the surrounding landscape is actually sloping downhill, so cars, buses and other vehicles appear to roll uphill in defiance of gravity. Local superstition held that the road led people to heaven, while others believed the hill had a magnetic force that would also interfere with passing aircraft. There are examples of this phenomenon all over the world, but one of the most famous magnetic hills is located near the city of Leh in Ladakh, India. Marfa Lights (Marfa, Texas) Ghosts, UFOs, fairies   for more than 100 years, onlookers have tried to identify the twinkling lights that appear at night outside of the hip, tiny West Texas town of Marfa. Appearing as bright, colorful orbs pulsating or darting through the dark and wide Texas skies, the Marfa Lights have captivated everyone from cowboys to actor James Dean, who saw them while filming the movie "Giant." What the lights are and how they are created remains a mystery, but the town celebrates them every year at its annual Marfa Lights Festival. Michigan Triangle (Lake Michigan) Did you know that Lake Michigan has its very own Bermuda Triangle? Many people associate shipwrecks with the wild waves of the open ocean, but there is a history of sunken ships, plane crashes and disappearances of vessels and entire crews within an area in Lake Michigan created by drawing lines connecting Benton Harbor in Michigan, Manitowoc in Wisconsin and Ludington in Michigan. Supernatural forces are a leading explanation for the frequency of these documented disasters. Moeraki Boulders (Koekohe Beach, New Zealand) The Moeraki Boulders formed about 65 million years ago before settling on Koekohe Beach near Moeraki on New Zealand's Otago coast. These surprisingly spherical stones weigh several tons each and stand more than 6 feet tall. Some people believe they are ancient alien eggs, while according to Maori legend, they are food baskets washed ashore from the shipwreck of the canoe that brought their ancestors to the South Island of New Zealand. The Nazca Lines (Peru) More than 2,000 years ago, the ancient Nazca people of Peru carved giant designs of more than 800 humans, animals, plants and mythical creatures into the desert plain using only primitive tools. Some of them are as large as 30 miles across. They've long captivated people because their intricate designs are best viewed from above, and they're very difficult to discern from ground level. Despite being studied by scientists for almost 100 years, their function is still unknown. Papakolea Beach (Hawaii) The world is full of amazing, vibrant beaches with sand colored by various minerals and chemicals. One of the most striking "rainbow beaches" is Papakolea Beach on the Big Island of Hawaii . Also known as Green Sand Beach, this beach was carved out of the side of a volcano, and its sandy shores are the same hue at the surrounding grass due to olivine crystals created during an ancient volcanic eruption. Pine Gap (Australia) Essentially the Area 51 of Australia, Pine Gap is a satellite surveillance base jointly operated by the U.S. and Australian governments in the middle of the Outback. When it was opened in the '70s at the height of the Cold War, the public was told it was a space research facility instead of a spying operation. Thus, it became linked with many conspiracy theories. There are also legends of alien sightings near the base, which is still operational today. Plain of Jars (Laos) Thousands of large ancient stone jars spread for miles across the Xieng Khouang plain in the highlands of Laos. Some stand 10 feet tall and weigh tons. Archaeologists estimate the jars are 2,000 years old but their purpose is unclear. The most common theories are that they were used as funerary urns or for food storage. Local legend has it that they belonged to an ancient race of giants who used them to brew celebratory rice wine after winning battles. The Racetrack (Death Valley National Park, California) Located in a remote valley between the Cottonwood and Last Chance mountain ranges, the Racetrack is a place of haunting beauty and mystery . The Racetrack is a playa (a dry lakebed), best known for its strange moving rocks that look as if they're being pushed or dragged by some mysterious force through the valley, leaving a trail behind them. Scientists recently discovered that the rocks are moved by the wind during brief windows when the ground is covered with ice. Richat Structure (Mauritania) Also known as the mythical-sounding Eye of the Sahara, the Richat Structure is a 30-mile-wide circular feature that looks like a bull's-eye in the middle of the desert. Its central dome is surrounded by concentric circles of ridges and valleys. Richat was initially theorized to be a meteorite impact site but is now believed to have been created by erosion. Its distinctive shape can be seen by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Roanoke Island, North Carolina The lost colony of Roanoke Island is a captivating mystery that many Americans learn about as schoolchildren in history class. An entire colony of people seemingly vanished in the 1580s, a few years after the first permanent European settlement in North America. The only remaining clues they left behind were the word "Croatoan" carved on a post and the letters "CRO" scratched into a tree trunk. Various theories abounded, including that they were killed by Native Americans, Spaniards or an outbreak of disease, but there's some evidence that the settlers assimilated into different Native American communities. Roswell, New Mexico Roswell, New Mexico, has become synonymous with the search for aliens after a UFO supposedly crashed there in 1947. A ranch worker made headlines when he claimed he found debris from a flying saucer crash. The U.S. government explained the incident away as a crashed weather balloon, though some people didn't buy this explanation. Tens of thousands of people from around the world descend on Roswell, which today has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek, for the city's annual UFO Festival. Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia) The world's largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia extends for more than 4,000 square miles. Its extreme flatness and dryness, clear blue skies and lack of plants or animals helps create a dreamy mirror-like reflective surface during the wet season. In the dry season, the plain becomes adorned with a fascinating pattern of polygonal cracks that look like floor tiles, making it one of the most mesmerizing places on Earth . Sea of Stars (Vaadhoo Island, Maldives) Known as the Sea of Stars, the waters around Vaadhoo Island, part of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, put on a magical nighttime display. When disturbed, billions of bioluminescent microorganisms called dinoflagellates in the water emit a bluish glow, much like aquatic fireflies. When the conditions are right, these floating lights can rival the splendor of a spectacular fireworks show . Skellig Michael (Ireland) This mystical island, which sits 8 miles off the coast of Ireland, was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. There are several Celtic and Christian legends about the rocky island, which rises 715 feet out of the water. A group of monks settled there and built a settlement in the sixth century that still stands today. Fans of Star Wars might recognize the island as Luke Skywalker's home in the most recent "Star Wars" films. Slope Point (New Zealand) At the southernmost point of New Zealand's South Island, the constant, fierce winds blowing up from Antarctica are so strong that they've bent the trees growing there into surreal, permanent shapes. The trees were planted by a local sheep farmer to help protect his flocks from the wild weather. Spotted Lake (British Columbia, Canada) If you visit Spotted Lake, located in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, in the spring or winter, it will look like an ordinary, lovely body of water. In the summertime, however, as it gets hot and water starts to evaporate, the lake recedes into many tiny colorful pools. These funky yellow, blue and green spots are caused by a high concentration of different minerals in each pond. The indigenous Okanagan Nation believed that the different circles had various healing properties. Stone Spheres (Palmar Sur, Costa Rica) Also called the Stone Balls, the Stone Spheres of Costa Rica remain one of the biggest mysteries in archaeology. The more than 300 spheres, which are almost perfectly round, were unearthed by workers clearing a field in the 1930s. They range in size and weigh up to 16 tons. They are apparently man-made, and though no one really knows how or why they were made by an ancient indigenous culture, it is suspected they were used as decorative status symbols. Visitors can see many of the original stones at the museum and archaeological site in Palmar Sur. Stonehenge (England) The prehistoric monument from more than 5,000 years ago is such a famous landmark that people might not think of it as mysterious anymore. But how and why these massive stones in England were made and arranged over the course of 1,500 years has captivated researchers, historians and curious visitors for years. While there's consensus that is was built as a sacred temple and burial ground, how Neolithic people managed this massive architectural feat is still unknown. If you're fascinated by historic locations, check out these 50 must-visit American destinations for history buffs .


Audi sport chief Dieter Gass has said that differences in sporting regulations need to be ironed out before the manufacturer can commit to Japan's Super GT Championship. Gass has identified the open-tyre rules in Japan and the testing restrictions in the DTM as potential obstacles for adding a Super GT programme with the RS5 DTM. That is despite the aligning of the technical regulations between the DTM and Super GT, which means that Japan's three Super GT manufacturers will compete in the DTM finale at Hockenheim this October, before the DTM squads visit Japan for a 'match race' at Fuji in November. All Super GT races are streamed live and for free on Motorsport.tv . Audi is currently represented in the secondary GT300 class of Super GT, with the Hitotsuyama Racing squad running an R8 LMS GT3 car, but Gass said that Audi top brass in Japan are keen to add a GT500 attack with the DTM machine. But while the DTM runs on control Hankook tyres, Super GT features a tyre war between Yokohama, Bridgestone, Michelin and Dunlop. "First of all I'm very much looking forward to the races this year [against the Japanese] already," said Gass. "I do notice quite a good interest from the Japanese importer as well, and personally obviously I would love to do it. "But we need to have more discussions and see as well what the budgets are and what the possibilities are, because still there are a few differences in the regulations. "I think the major worry before you could commit to run in the Japanese championship is to see what the tyre situation is. "You have the tyre war and that means if you want to go there and compete at a competitive level you need to see what the tyre situation is, and potentially you need to do quite some significant testing as well, which then again puts us in a difficult situation with the German regulations, because testing is not allowed. "So there's a few open questions that need to be fixed before we can really think about that. "But the interest is there   in terms of performance that is the biggest point. "There's a few differences in the engines, but that's easier to be fixed."


Just hours before presidential candidates will pitch themselves to Iowa Democratic activists in the first-in-the-nation caucus state, a new poll of likely caucus-goers is rattling the race - and hinting that a formidable front-runner is not as invincible as he might appear. The Iowa Poll , conducted by veteran pollster Ann Selzer for the Des Moines Register and CNN, found former Vice President Joe Biden leading the Democratic field with 24 percent of the vote. The race for second place is a statistical tie between Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), at 16 percent; Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), at 15 percent; and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 14 percent. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is the only other candidate who registers significant support. She clocked in at 7 percent of the vote. Six percent of voters said they were not sure who they would choose on caucus night. Eight months before voters head to their caucus sites, though, the poll shows movement within a Democratic primary that is still wide open. Here are six takeaways from the Iowa Poll: Biden't support is shaky In December, months before he even entered the race, nearly a third of Iowa voters said they backed Biden. Today, about six weeks after he announced he would run, Biden's support has fallen by a third. Biden's declining support came even before this week's controversy over his flip-flop on the Hyde Amendment , which came after Selzer began fielding her poll. In December, 82 percent of Iowa Democratic voters said they saw Biden favorably; this month, that number is down to 72 percent of Democratic voters, a 10-point drop. His unfavorable ratings are up nine points. And Biden's backers are less enthusiastic about their chosen candidate than supporters of other candidates. Just 29 percent of Biden's supporters say they are extremely enthusiastic about backing the former vice president. An average of 43 percent of Sanders, Warren and Buttigieg supporters say they are extremely enthusiastic about backing their chosen candidate. Sanders has a ceiling Three years ago, Sanders came within a handful of votes of achieving a stunning upset over front-running former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Today, almost every Iowa Democrat has an opinion of Sanders; only 5 percent of likely caucus-goers say they do not know enough about him to have formed an opinion, a lower number than everyone but Biden. But Sanders also has one of the highest unfavorable numbers among Democratic candidates; a quarter of state Democrats say they view him negatively, about the same percentage as those who see Biden unfavorably. The dichotomy between Sanders's high name recognition and his relatively low poll numbers suggest Sanders fans from 2016 are looking elsewhere this year - and that the 77-year old self-avowed Democratic socialist has a ceiling through which he cannot break. As Warren, Buttigieg, Harris and the others introduce themselves to voters and earn more support, they are likely to pull from a population that backed Sanders over Clinton in 2016. The high unfavorable ratings that Sanders and Biden suffer aren't the worst in the field. More than four in 10 Iowa Democrats see New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unfavorably. Warren is on a growth trajectory Selzer is considered a one of the most skilled pollsters when it comes to surveying Iowa's electorate. What makes her especially effective is that her surveys consistently illustrate who's on the move, up or down. And, though it is eight months before the caucuses, Warren is the candidate on the move. She has a higher net-favorable rating of any candidate in the field; 71 percent see her favorably, while just 17 percent see her unfavorably. That's a better ratio than Biden, Sanders and Buttigieg. An equal number of Democratic voters, 61 percent, say they are actively considering or backing Warren and Biden, the highest rates in the field. That's five points higher than those who say Sanders is on their ticket, and nine points higher than both Buttigieg and Harris. Warren has been more aggressive in laying out detailed policy proposals than any other candidate. She has hired more staffers in Iowa than any other candidate, and she has spent more time in Iowa - more than two weeks - than any other front-runner. In terms of sheer growth, no one has improved more than Buttigieg, who wasn't even included in the December survey. Buttigieg scored just 1 percent support in the March survey, fielded about a week before his first CNN town hall, where he captured the Democratic electorate's attention and vaulted from also-ran to top contender. The Beto bust? No one is in a deeper slump than former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas). In December, a month after O'Rourke narrowly lost a spirited challenge to Sen. Ted Cruz (R), 11 percent of Iowa Democrats said he was their first choice, and another 12 percent said he would be their second choice. In this month's poll, only 2 percent of Iowa Democrats say Beto is their first choice, an 80 percent drop. Just four percent say he is their second choice. The number of Iowa Democrats who say they view him unfavorably stands at 21 percent, almost double the number who said they saw him unfavorably back in December, while his favorable rating - 54 percent - is up only a single point. O'Rourke has held 52 events over 17 days, according to a tracker maintained by the Des Moines Register , but all that hard work isn't paying off. Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) haven't gained any traction either. In Selzer's March poll, Booker and Klobuchar each claimed 3 percent of the vote; this month, Klobuchar is at 2 percent and Booker is at 1 percent, tied with the likes of former Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang (D). The best news for Booker: He's the second choice candidate for 6 percent of Iowa Democrats, a level of support that puts him in the conversation. A tough field to poll What's harder than keeping an Iowa voter on the phone while a pollster reads a list of all two dozen candidates running for the Democratic primary nomination? How about accounting for the two different kinds of elections Democrats will run next February? The Iowa Democratic Party for the first time plans to hold what they are calling virtual caucuses - events in which voters who can't attend their polling places in person on February 3 can still make their preferences known. Party rules say those who participate in virtual caucuses will be given the power to decide 10 percent of the delegates allocated during the caucuses, regardless of how many people show up in person or by phone. About 28 percent of likely Democratic caucus-goers said they would participate in the virtual caucus, making their votes worth about a third of those who actually show up in person. That has forced Selzer to ask Iowa Democrats not just who they plan to support, but how they plan to participate - and to weight support accordingly. "Those who say they are likely to choose the virtual option are younger, more moderate, and more likely to be currently registered as 'no party,' which of course they must change to participate in the Democratic Party caucuses. They are also less committed to caucusing than those who say they intend to show up on caucus night," Selzer wrote in an explanation of her methodology. Biden's support is higher among those who plan to caucus virtually, 33 percent, than those who plan to caucus in person, 23 percent. Buttigieg and Sanders fans disproportionately plan to show up in person. Warren's supporters are about evenly split, while Harris backers are more likely to say they will caucus virtually. The new virtual caucus, meant to allow more voters to participate in the process, is likely to expand the universe of those who get to make their voices heard - and it's also going to make the process of measuring those voters all the more difficult. Iowa Poll has clout The Iowa Poll will be the lead story in tomorrow's Des Moines Register. It is already playing across CNN, the poll's other top sponsor. And it comes just as Iowa Democratic activists head to Cedar Rapids for the state party's annual Hall of Fame dinner, where 19 out of 24 presidential hopefuls will speak. Selzer's poll will be the talk of the afternoon - so many candidates are speaking that the state party will kick off the event at 2 p.m. Central time. And it won't go unnoticed among state Democrats that the front-runner Biden is the only top contender who won't show up to woo the activist class.


A man was shot and killed at an apartment complex in Matthews early Saturday morning, police said. Matthews Police responded to Paces Pointe Apartments just after 1 a.m. Saturday regarding reports of a man shot. When officers arrive to the scene they found 20-year-old Jonathan Swierski unresponsive, suffering from a gunshot wound. Police said Medic arrived and pronounced Swierski dead at the scene. Matthews Police report the shooting was an isolated incident that stemmed from an argument between known parties. Police did not release any suspect information and at this time no charges have been filed. This is an active investigation. Anyone with any information regarding this case is asked to call Matthews Police at 704.847.5555. MORE STORIES ON WCNC.COM: Man arrested, one person killed at SC Walmart CMPD: 4 shot in McDonald's parking lot in east Charlotte Saturday morning Southern California rattled by biggest quake in 20 years


The Golden State Warriors are undergoing a massive change in their roster makeup. Gone are Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala and incoming are D'Angelo Russell and Willie Cauley-Stein. Russell was acquired as part of the Durant sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets and with Klay Thompson expected to miss the majority of the season, he is expected to slide into the backcourt spot next to Stephen Curry. With both guards having a similar type of game, there was a question around Summer League about whether Russell will fit in with the Warriors . "I don't know what the fit's going to be like, but they got something back that has value that they can trade down the line," said one GM. In the past, the move might have been wholly judged by the former consideration, for instance, whether the "fit" works. In the new, wild, asset-conscious NBA, the game isn't quite the game anymore. It's now about something more akin to arbitrage in the finance industry. It matters more that Russell fits somewhere than that he specifically fits for the Warriors. To that point, there were reports that the Warriors were interested in sending Russell elsewhere, but general manager Bob Myers shot down those rumors recently . It remains to be seen what the Warriors will do with Russell as the season draws nearer, but if he does stay in The Bay then he and Curry could possibly do some major damage. MORE: Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson share rehab photos 5 possible landing spots for former Cowboys WR Dez Bryant Phil Simms: 'Multiple' teams were set to take Daniel Jones before No. 17 Excitement surrounding Derrius Guice returns to the surface Jags nearly crack a top-10 spot in Touchdown Wire's NFL power rankings Related slideshow: 2019 NBA offseason moves (provided by imagn)


An Amber Alert for a 14-year-old girl from Lincoln, Nebraska, has been canceled after the girl was found safely in Highlands Ranch, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Lincoln Police Department (LPD). LPD initially responded to a runaway report in the 2500 block of South 74th Street in Lincoln and said they were concerned the girl had been the victim of a child enticement scenario. She was seen getting into a red SUV about 5 p.m. Friday and had been corresponding with an adult man in Texas, LPD said. LPD said they will offer more details about the situation at a press conference Monday. Lincoln is about 485 miles northeast of Denver. SUGGESTED VIDEOS | Local stories from 9NEWS