Chevy vs. Ford ! Corvette vs. Shelby Mustang! Take another look at this classic comparison from December 2012, yet another story you'll only find at MotorTrend. "For the first time in its decade and a half of production, Chevrolet 's Corvette -- billed as 'America's only true sports car' -- is being challenged for the title." That's how Steve Kelly introduced our April 1967 comparison pitting the newly refined big-block Shelby GT500 against the Corvette Sting Ray 427. By way of explaining why Shelby's original GT350 wasn't deemed a worthy Corvette competitor, he described it as "a rough-riding, hard-steering Mustang fastback with Bunyanesque brake pedal and an engine which would outshout a John Deere tractor." Similarly, he noted, "There was a brief period when the [Shelby] Cobra was thought to be a fair and equal competitor to the 'Vette, but a too-high price and rather impractical design put it out of contention." On the surface, this comparison still looks lopsided, pitting a purpose-built fiberglass-bodied two-seater against an all-steel four-seater that shares underpinnings with the lowly Falcon. But, in fact, their performance was close, and a similarly equipped GT500 was priced within $250 of a Sting Ray. Carroll Shelby's star was indeed rising throughout the 1960s. The good-ol'-boy chicken farmer/car racer from Texas possessed sufficient raw driving talent to win the 1959 Le Mans race in an Aston Martin just seven years after his first race in a teetering MG TC. An angina diagnosis a year later prompted his untimely retirement from racing, but before long, he was shoehorning Ford engines into AC Aces that subsequently won enough races to attract the attention of one Lido Anthony Iaccoca. Lee wanted to build some racing cred for his gangbuster-selling pony, and when Ford's own efforts to homologate the Mustang for SCCA B/Production racing failed, he commissioned the Shelby American shop to get the job done. For its production classes, the SCCA allowed major engine or suspension modifications, but not both. Shelby decided to keep the K-Code 271-horse 289 small-block and focused on lowering and stiffening the suspension, beefing up the brakes, and installing a Detroit Locker axle, among other modifications. The formula worked. His 36 R-spec full-race GT350s won five out of six regional SCCA championships, with Jerry Titus winning the '65 B/Production championship against certain Corvettes and Sunbeam Tigers. Shelby's race shop, located in a hangar at LAX airport, received "knock-down" Mustangs -- minus their hoods, rear seats, and radios -- from Ford's San Jose plant. Shelby modified the suspensions, installed a scooped fiberglass hood, relocated the battery to the trunk, and tweaked a number of other items. Just 521 '65 GT350 street cars -- all Wimbledon White -- found buyers, so to broaden customer appeal for 1966, four new colors were added and the styling was better differentiated from the Mustang's by installing Plexiglas quarter windows in place of the side louvers, adding brake-cooling scoops, and polishing the Mustang's black horizontal grille bars. The rear seat also became optional, and the raucous suspension and exhaust were tamed somewhat, although a Paxton supercharger option boosted power to around 380 hp (at $700, it found only 11 takers). Sales jumped to 1365 retail street cars and another 999 sold through Hertz. Seeing that a little more differentiation and refinement had more than quadrupled sales, Shelby American figured that a heaping pile of it would really ring the registers. So, for 1967, a longer fiberglass hood with a wider scoop was matched to extended headlamp surrounds that also changed the grille shape, and quad headlamps replaced the Mustang's duals, with the middle two clustered near the center of the grille -- until it was discovered that several states' laws prohibited this arrangement, whereupon they were relocated outboard. Venturi-effect air-extractor scoops replaced the one-year Plexiglas quarter windows, and in back a fiberglass trunk and new quarter-panel extensions provided a ducktail spoiler effect. Full-width taillamps borrowed from the Mercury Cougar (but without the vertical chrome bars and sequential signaling), a Cobra logo fuel cap, and Magstar aluminum wheels or Thunderbird five-spoke wheel covers completed the exterior transformation. Inside were a wood-rimmed three-spoke wheel and a rollbar incorporating suspender-style shoulder harnesses like the ones on an airline flight attendant's jump seat. The inertia reel at the top was patterned after the belts in an F-4 Phantom fighter jet. The GT500 was the first production car to incorporate a rollbar and shoulder harnesses. The rear seat was standard, and A/C and AM/FM radio became optional. These were no longer race cars with license plates. The biggest news mechanically was the availability of the new GT500 model powered by a 428 Police Interceptor engine topped off with two 600-cfm Holley four-barrels (though it's doubtful this engine could possibly inhale 1200 cubic feet of air per minute without help). Output was rated at 355 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Ford installed these Shelby-only engines before shipping the cars to LAX. The same was true of the slightly stiffer springs, anti-roll bar, and Gabriel adjustable shocks fitted to GTs. Gone were the days of the race shop handbuilding a high-strung chassis -- the Shelby folks were now busy painting and installing fiberglass body parts and trim items. It would have been a lost cause anyway. The '67 Mustang grew so much and gained so much weight that Shelby knew he couldn't produce a racing version that would outrun his original '65 GT350, so he didn't even try. (He did, however, build the notchback Mustangs Ford raced in Trans Am that year.) Meanwhile, Chevrolet was in the final year of perfecting its C2 Corvette (actually, it was working overtime readying a delayed C3), so the '67 featured cleaner ornamentation and new seats with a proper handbrake between them. The 427-cube engine options entered their second year -- now covered by the beloved stinger hood design -- and four-wheel disc brakes had been in production since 1965. Naturally, for his king-of-the-American-sports-car-hill contest, our man Kelly selected a top-spec L71 solid-lifter tri-power 427 (435 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque) mated to a close-ratio four-speed transmission, though, oddly enough, it came mounted in a roadster instead of the more Shelby-competitive coupe. Kelly praised the GT500's roomier interior, sublime inertia-reel shoulder belts, civilized trunk, and quieter drivetrain, while knocking the more highly strung Corvette for being "ticklish to keep running at slow speeds in bumper-to-bumper traffic." The Corvette demonstrated better workmanship and clearer gauges, and its engines -- 327 and 427 -- were deemed better breathers with greater bandwidth for performance tuning than the Shelby's 289 and 428. But the 'Vette had an Achilles heel: its 7.75x15 rayon bias-ply tires. The aging bodywork lacked clearance to accommodate the GT500's lower-profile, more modern E70-15 Goodyear Speedway 350 tires, so grip at launch and when exiting turns suffered greatly by comparison. Nevertheless, the Corvette managed a 0.7-second advantage in quarter-mile acceleration (13.8 seconds at 104 mph versus 14.5 seconds at 101 mph) and a 9-foot advantage in stopping distance (135 versus 144 feet). Mr. Kelly signed off acknowledging that the GT500 needed more power to match the Corvette's performance, but he neglected to pick a winner. We can only assume that management scolded him and sent him back out to do the job properly, because, just one month later, in the May '67 issue, Kelly had rounded up both automatic and manual versions of the GT350 and GT500 to pit against an automatic 327/300-hp Corvette and another 427/435-hp four-speed, both coupes. This time around, he revealed a soft spot for the lazy, quiet demeanor of the C6 automatic-equipped GTs, noting that they accelerated to 60 more quickly than their row-your-own counterparts, though they trailed the four-speeds at the quarter mile. He was unimpressed with the two-speed Powerglide Corvette, which proved slower down the strip than both GT350s. Ironically, he found the refinement of the 327 Corvette matched that of the GT500, while the 427 was "as loud and hard to tame as the GT350." The Shelbys picked up a few more bonus points for spaciousness and lower maintenance and insurance costs, but at the end of this review, the Corvette's superior build quality ("The add-on fiberglass pieces of the GT aren't nearly as well finished or mated as any part of the entire Sting Ray body") and its performance advantage (Powerglide notwithstanding) ultimately led to his crowning the Corvette "the granddaddy of the sport-personal cars." Of course, 1968 brought revisions to both our American hero cars, especially the Coke-bottle-curvaceous C3 Corvette, so in March '68, we returned to the well, this time with ragtop versions of each. Shelby's styling didn't change much (the hood, grille, and front lighting were revised, and the convertible joined the lineup), but the company's structure changed a bunch. Shelby American had outgrown its LAX digs, so manufacturing was subcontracted by Ford to A.O. Smith in Michigan, with oversight by the newly spun-off Shelby Automotive Inc. (A.O. Smith didn't have much better luck matching the paint on the fiberglass bits.) By this point, Steve Kelly's institutional memory was fading, as he looked longingly back upon the true LAX-tuned '66 Shelbys as "much more of a sports car than the '67 and '68." But it was hard to argue with his assessment that "Shelby has sold out to the add-on and chrome-it establishment. The new cars are more decorated than the old and show strains of having too much ornamentation." The new fat-tired Corvette was widening its lead, with the GT500's acceleration falling between that of the 327 and 427 Corvettes, and 60-0-mph braking far behind them (155 feet for the GT500 versus 117 to 119 for the 'Vettes). Ditto the handling: "Steering is right out of Mustang land. At least the feeling of 'plasticity' is. Response is not at all like the Corvette's." Never much one for hyperbolically proclaiming comparison winners, Kelly wound up saying of the top-finishing Corvette, "Kinda wish we had one." We never bothered comparing the dramatically restyled '69-'70 Shelby following our initial drive report, which concluded, "Driving characteristics left much to be desired when compared to Shelby ancestors, as is evidenced in [its] severe understeer and body roll." For this reenactment of our recurring series, we rounded up two cars owned by inveterate Shelbyphiles. Corvette owner Colin Comer literally wrote the book from which much of the research for this piece was gleaned, "The Complete Book of Shelby Automobiles" (Motorbooks International), and has owned well over 50 Shelbys of various stripes over the years. But this 40,000-mile Corvette, resplendent in its original coat of Marina Blue paint, earned a spot in Comer's collection and sees frequent hard use in rallies like the Copperstate 1000. It's also equipped almost exactly as our April '67 car was. Craig Conley's Dark Moss Green GT500 is his prodigal Shelby. The original owner bought the car and a racing 427 short block and heads like those used on the Cobra, with the intention of making a true race-bred GT500 upon his return from Vietnam. Unfortunately, he never returned, and Conley bought the car and engine in 1977, but the realities of family life forced him to sell it in 1981 to buy his first house. The third owner completed the engine swap (mounting the 428's intake and carbs). Conley pestered the owner annually to sell it back to him, which he finally did -- five days before our photo shoot, during which time Conley fitted a Detroit Locker axle (a dealer-installed option in 1967). I start out in the Corvette and am impressed by its eagerness to fire after about a quarter of a revolution. The idle is a tad lumpy, as expected with a solid-lifter high-overlap cam, but the car is perfectly happy to motor around for photos, and a few brief dabs at the loud pedal evince no balkiness from the vacuum-operated front and rear two-barrels (as early reports on the L71 had complained about). This close-ratio box's short-throw chrome-ball shifter moves with the same sublime mechanical precision I recall from driving "The Last" 1967 Corvette (MTC November/December 2006). Modern radials provide oodles more grip than the early skinny bias plies, too, but probably compound the effort required to twirl the helm at maneuvering speeds. This higher-strung (12.5:1 compression) GT500 probably makes a better Corvette rival than the ones Kelly drove. Having just received the car, Craig has yet to fine-tune the carbs, which are running eye-wateringly rich. This undoubtedly compromises performance somewhat, but the sensation of big-lunged torque is unmistakable. The wood-rim steering wheel delights the fingertips as much as the Nardi wheel in any Italian GT, though I concur with Kelly's "plasticity" comment regarding road feel. Brake and clutch operation is also more pedestrian than the Corvette's (long-throw clutch, overboosted brake). Shorter gearing seems more tailored toward quarter-mile blasts than Le Mans duty, and the Detroit Locker axle makes an unholy racket in all but the gentlest of bends. But overall this particular GT500 seems to be trying to set the record straight in Motor Trend once and for all: I'm NOT so refined, I'm a rip-snorter like my '65-'66 forebears, now lemme at that Corvette! OK, point taken. And right about now we're more inclined than ever to forgive and forget Shelby's brief decline into "add-on-and-chrome-it-dom" in light of the recent introduction of Ford's 650-hp, 200-plus-mph Shelby GT500. But the top-dog Corvette was then, and remains now, the king of the Yankee-doodle sports cars. Which Shelby Engine to Choose? Of the two standard and three optional engines officially available to the prospective 1967 Shelby buyer, the most powerful was the special lightweight 427 racing engine lifted straight out of the GT40 Mk II. No horsepower or torque numbers are available, but the one GT500 that was built this way was sent to Goodyear for tire testing at speeds of up to 170 mph, and it averaged 142 mph for 500 miles to set a record. The price for this ultimate Shelby Mustang, dubbed Super Snake, was to be $7500. Long Beach dealer Mel Burns Ford envisioned selling an exclusive run of 50 such cars the way Pittsburgh's Yenko Chevrolet sold special 427 Chevelles and Novas, but the first one took forever to sell and no more were built. The next step down was the 427 medium-rise-intake engine from the Cobra (it actually displaces 425.8 cubic inches), which was conservatively rated at about 425 hp and 480 lb-ft. Its bigger-bore, shorter-stroke configuration allowed greater performance than the more square standard "428" (actually 427.0 cu in) 355-hp/420-lb-ft engine, but its $2000 option price found only two buyers. The base 289 GT350 traded its steel-tube headers for a stock cast-iron manifold while somehow maintaining its 306 hp and 329 lb-ft rating, but this engine was 277 pounds lighter -- a boon for handling. This suggests that maybe the ultimate canyon-storming option was the Paxton supercharged GT350, which added back only a fraction of that weight difference. It was advertised as boosting power by 46 percent (which would be 446 hp) based on the ideal mathematical effect of its 6.3 psi boost, but the realistic improvement was said to be perhaps 25 percent, or about 380 hp. Car Life test results reinforce that assessment, recording 6.2 seconds to 60 mph and a 14-second 92-mph quarter-mile run. Alas, priced about $500 more than a similarly performing GT500, only 35 1967 Shelbys were supercharged. 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray ASK THE MAN WHO OWNS ONE Colin Comer bought his first car at age 13 -- a damaged '68 Mustang ragtop, quickly sold before his parents found out. Today he is editor at large for Sports Car Market and American Car Collector magazines, has written three best-selling books on muscle cars and Shelbys, and restores and sells collector cars in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Why I Like It: "I love the originality of it, the great color combination, and its factory original side pipes and the L71 435-hp engine. I'm really not a big Chevy guy -- my collection is almost all Shelbys -- but who can ignore the importance of a 1967 427 Corvette?" Why It's Collectible: 1967s are the most valuable of the "mid-year" Corvettes, and only the aluminum-head L88 is more valuable than this L71, but they're not driveable because they're million-dollar cars, and their high compression demands racing fuel. Restoring/Maintaining: Most parts are widely available -- maybe too available. When you can buy all the parts, it becomes difficult to tell the originals. Beware: Original paperwork documenting the car's history is essential, and fake paperwork is easy to get. Track down and verify the chain of ownership, and consider having a museum authenticate the paper's age if all else fails, before buying. Expect to Pay: (coupe/convertible) Concours-ready, $139,675/$162,175; solid driver, $77,600/$90,000; tired runner, $42,675/$50,375. Join the Club: Corvette Club of America, America's Corvette Club, The National Council of Corvette Clubs, Inc. OUR TAKE Then: "For those rare individuals who want -- and can handle -- its potential, the 427 Turbo-Jet is a red-hot machine. But if it gets away from you, don't say we didn't warn you." -- Bob McVay, MotorTrend, March 1966 Now: Mid-year examples are the hottest-selling Corvettes at auction, especially the big-blocks, but the only way to guarantee maximum return on investment is to find an open road, drop the top, and listen to those side pipes sing. SPECIFICATIONS Engine: 426.9-cu-in/6996cc OHV V-8, 3x2-bbl Holley 3902355 (prim) & 3902353 (sec) carburetors Power and Torque (SAE gross): 435 hp @ 5800 rpm, 460 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Drivetrain: 4-speed manual RWD Brakes: front: vented disc, rear: vented disc Suspension: front: control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar: multi-link, transverse leaf spring, anti-roll bar Dimensions: L: 175.1 in, W: 69.6 in, H: 49.8 in Weight: 3366 lb Performance: 0-60 mph: 5.5 sec, quarter mile: 13.8 sec @ 104 mph, 60-0 mph: 135 ft (MotorTrend, April 1967) Price: when new $5733 1967 Shelby GT500 ASK THE MAN WHO OWNS ONE Craig Conley's business, Paradise Wheels Inc., started out refurbishing Shelby wheels, and today Craig is among the world's foremost independent experts at authenticating Shelby American automobiles. He's owned more than 50 Shelbys and restored, sourced parts for, and fettled countless others. Why I Like It: "What Shelby fan wouldn't like a 427 GT-500 four-speed California black-plate car with 28,000 miles on the clock? I bought it in 1977 and regretted selling it to buy my first house, until I was able to buy it back after it had covered only 6000 miles in 35 years. " Why It's Collectible: 1967s are considered the last of the Shelby-built GTs, and this unmolested original preserves all its original endearing flaws (like mismatched paint on steel and fiberglass pieces), making it highly desirable. Restoring/Maintaining: More parts are being reproduced to high quality today, and the high value of the cars means the Shelby-unique bits get circulated in any condition for people to put cars back together with original parts. Beware: The big-blocks run hot in this small chassis, so the cooling system needs to be in perfect condition. The dual Holley carbs run rich and, with today's ethanol-rich fuel, they need frequent service--especially if you let them sit. Expect to Pay: Concours-ready, $168,625; solid driver, $114,000; tired runner, $77,500. Join the Club: The Shelby American Automobile Club, Shelby GT 500 Club OUR TAKE Then: "With personal cars getting hairier all the time, it seemed likely that Carroll Shelby would do something to keep ahead of the pack. Sure enough, he introduced the Shelby GT500, a car so hairy as to make others look crew cut by comparison. " -- Unattributed, MotorTrend, January 1967 Now: The David versus Goliath aspect of this pairing is undeniably appealing, and had the GT500 in our April 1967 contest packed this race-bred 427 option instead of the milder 428, its slingshot stone might have felled the mighty Corvette. SPECIFICATIONS Engine: 425.8 cu in/6978cc OHV V-8, 2x4-bbl Holley 2804 (prim) & 2805 (sec) carburetors Power and torque (SAE gross): 425 hp @ 6000 rpm, 480 lb-ft @ 3700 rpm Drivetrain: 4-speed manual RWD Brakes: front: vented disc, rear: drum Suspension: front: control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; rear: live axle, leaf springs Dimensions: L: 186.6 in, W: 70.9 in, H: 51.6 in Weight 3794 lb Performance 0-60 mph: 6.2 sec, quarter mile: 14.5 sec @ 101 mph, 60-0 mph: 144 ft (MotorTrend, April 1967, original "428" 355-hp, 420-lb-ft engine) Price: when new $4576a


Rob Gronkowski somewhat surprisingly retired from the NFL this offseason after winning third Super Bowl ring. He playfully joked in the following weeks that maybe he wasn't fully retired, but he's remained out of football and it seems highly unlikely he returns in 2019. That belief was bolstered recently when a video of Gronkowski on the red carpet showed him looking significantly slimmer. Gronk mode on the carpet @RobGronkowski | #Edelman100 pic.twitter.com/zM7A9uekSX - SHOWTIME SPORTS (@SHOsports) June 27, 2019 Rams safety John Johnson was on NFL Network this week where he was asked whether Gronkowski could still put the weight back on and play in 2019. Needless to say, he has his doubts. "I wouldn't bet on it," Johnson said. "I don't think he can put that weight back on. If he does, it won't be good weight. It'll be overweight, you know, bad weight. So I think he should just live his life." Gronkowski is a massive human, standing at 6-foot-6 and playing at around 265 pounds when he was in the NFL. He hardly looks 265 now, seemingly losing some weight during the offseason. Johnson says it looks like Gronk has been out of the league for a few years rather than just a few months. "It looks like he's been done playing for two, three years. It looks like he didn't just win a Super Bowl," Johnson said. "Honestly, I can't really tell. With that brace on his arm, you can't really tell how jacked he is. Me in the Super Bowl, that was my first time actually seeing him in person, so he didn't really look too yoked-up, but he's definitely bigger than that picture. "I thought he was going to be a juggernaut out there. I thought he was going to be a juggernaut. He was big, but he wasn't a juggernaut." Gronkowski played a huge role in the Super Bowl, catching six passes for 87 yards, including a clutch grab in the fourth quarter to set up Sony Michel's tie-breaking touchdown with seven minutes to play. Johnson and the Rams probably wouldn't be upset if Gronkowski stayed retired and didn't come back to torment them again in a Super Bowl. MORE: Kevin Durant calls 'BS' on Stephen A. Smith's explosive claims on First Take Elfrid Payton: 'I feel we embody what New York basketball was about back in the day' Stephen A. Smith Says Kevin Durant Told Russell Westbrook He'd Stay in OKC, KD Says That's BS 9 quarterbacks who will improve in 2019 T.J. Edwards named the Eagles' most exciting undrafted free agent addition Related slideshow: Every team's most overrated player (Provided by Yardbarker)


Stock investors should look for these red flags. Here's how to identify a bad stock Value investors are perpetually on the hunt for stocks that are underpriced based on the underlying company's performance. However, sometimes traditional value investing metrics such as a price-earnings ratio don't paint the full picture of what's going on with a company. Former Kase Capital hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson recently outlined a number of traits that are hallmarks of "value trap" stocks. Tilson says not all value stocks are created equal, and failing to recognize all the subtle warning signs can devastate an investing portfolio. Click ahead for eight traits that help identify losing stocks. It has an unsustainable business practice Turnaround stories can be excellent investment opportunities. For example, by the end of 1998, Apple (AAPL) shares had declined nearly 80% from its 1992 high. Of course, the launch of the iPod and iPhone completely changed Apple s trajectory and paid off huge for patient investors. Tilson says investors should determine whether or not a company s business is ultimately doomed. Stocks like Eastman Kodak Co. (KODK) can remain profitable and seemingly undervalued for years as the underlying business slowly dies. All the value metrics and brand strength in the world couldn t save Kodak from the disruption of the smartphone. There is legal or regulatory scrutiny Tilson s most noteworthy short call of his investing career has been Lumber Liquidators Holdings (LL). Lumber Liquidators shares famously crashed from its all-time high of $115 in 2013 to $12 by August 2015 after Tilson was featured on a  60 Minutes  episode detailing illegal practices by the company. Tilson received a tip that Lumber Liquidators was using laminate tainted with formaldehyde in its China factories. After investigating the issue, he brought it to light on the  60 Minutes  episode, which tanked the stock. Companies exposed to legal or regulatory risks can be extremely difficult to accurately value given the uncertainty. It is exposed to technological disruption Sears Holdings (SHLDQ) is a great example of a powerful and valuable brand that relied on a business model that became outdated thanks to Amazon.com (AMZN) and the e-commerce revolution. Just because technological innovation threatens a company s business doesn t necessarily mean the stock is doomed. Netflix (NFLX) originally operated as a DVD-by-mail company. However, Netflix quickly pivoted to streaming video and thrived, whereas competitor Blockbuster went down with the DVD ship. Technology will always change the business world. Investing in companies that aren t keeping up is a losing strategy, no matter how cheap the stocks look at first glance. There is questionable accounting  Accounting  is one of the few single words that can immediately tank a stock just by appearing in a news headline. Enron and WorldCom are classic examples of outright accounting fraud. However, investors don t need to wait around for executives to be hauled off in handcuffs. When there s smoke, there s often fire. Even if a company is not committing outright fraud, those abusing accounting laws to deceive or mislead investors often make for bad investments as well. General Electric Co. (GE) stock is down 70% in the past three years due in part to its misleading accounting. New competitors entered the space When a company is the first to tap into a new market, it doesn t have to be perfect to capture a significant portion of the market share. However, while a so-called first-mover advantage is significant, a company must be able to fend off new competitors to survive. Tilson says Tesla (TSLA) investors may soon fall victim to this shortcoming. Tesla established a dominant early lead in the electric vehicle market. However, Tilson says legacy automakers with large-scale infrastructure and massive amounts of resources will soon be attacking Tesla from all angles with their own EV models. There is a one-time event P/E and price-sales ratios are typically calculated annually. If a company gets a temporary EPS boost in one quarter, the impact could improve its valuation metrics for a year. On the surface, the 2018 tax cuts generated impressive earnings growth numbers, but one-time tax cuts have nothing to do with underlying organic earnings growth. If a company reports a suspiciously high earnings number, do some digging to see what's actually behind the big number. An earnings boost from the launch of a new product is much more bullish than an earnings boost from a one-time asset sale. It could be part of a cyclical business Some businesses are prone to cyclical extremes. During market upswings, these stocks often trade at extremely low earnings multiples because investors are already anticipating the impact of the next downturn. Companies that rely on discretionary spending typically have earnings cycles closely tied to the U.S. economy. For example, airline stocks such as Delta Air Lines (DAL) and American Airlines Group (AAL) currently have extremely low earnings multiples. The airline business is booming in a red-hot economy, but airlines have struggled to stay profitable during past economic downturns. These stocks are valued with the expectation that peak earnings will not last. It could be part of a fad Looking back at family photos from 20 years ago can reveal some pretty embarrassing fashion and hairstyle choices. Buying into temporary investment fads on Wall Street can be just as embarrassing and much more costly. Snapple tea, Crocs (CROX) shoes and cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are three examples of investments that were red-hot when the fad was popular and then went ice-cold when the fad didn t last. Sometimes, it can be difficult to identify a fad from a new long-term market trend. However, fad companies typically have very limited product or service offerings that are easily emulated by competitors. Wayne Duggan has been a U.S. News & World Report contributor since 2016. He is an expert at the psychological challenges of investing and frequently reports on breaking market news and financial analyst commentary related to popular stocks.


The infamous transfer portal has a new name entered into the database as another week begins. This time it is Texas A&M fullback Ben Miles , who just so happens to be the son of Kansas head coach Les Miles . News of the latest addition to the transfer portal came via Cole Cubelic on Twitter . Texas A&M fullback Ben Miles, son of Kansas Head Coach Les Miles has entered the NCAA transfer portal.   Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) July 29, 2019 The younger Miles is no stranger to the transfer process. It was just a little over a year ago Miles transferred to Texas A&M after starting his college football career in the Big Ten with Nebraska. Miles sat out the 2017 season as a redshirt player with the Huskers. Miles was not able to appear in any games for the Aggies last season due to NCAA transfer rules. The good news is Miles won't have to sit out another full season before being eligible to play this fall if he lands at another FBS program because he has already sat out a season following his previous transfer. So, if we connect the dots, it would seem like an obvious move to see Miles join his father in Lawrence, Kansas as the Jayhawks begin the Les Miles era. There is nothing out there suggesting that will be the move for Ben Miles yet, however. Entering the transfer portal doesn't mean Ben Miles won't stay at Texas A&M. A player is free to withdraw his name from the portal at his leisure. Follow @KevinOnCFB


Aston Martin will bid for outright honours at the Le Mans 24 Hours with its Valkyrie hypercar from 2021. The British manufacturer has signed up for the new hypercar concept regulations confirmed on Friday at Le Mans for the 2020/21 FIA World Endurance Championship season. It has announced that it will run a minimum of two factory Valkyries in the WEC in the inaugural season of the new category in which road-based machinery such as the Aston will be pitched against lookalike hypercar prototypes. More news from Le Mans: WEC finalises 'hyper sport' rules for 2020/21 WEC reveals 33-car entry list for 2019/20 season LIVE: Le Mans Esports Series Super Final 1 The news comes on the 60th anniversary of Aston Martin's victory in the 1959 event with the DBR1 prototype shared by Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby. Aston Martin president Andy Palmer told Motorsport.com: "It seems somehow appropriate that in the 60th anniversary year of our 1959 victory we are saying that we are going back to have another pop at it. "We can look forward to being able to talk about 2021 in the future, and not only reflecting on 1959." Palmer explained that as well as a "certain appropriateness" to Aston's return to the top tier of the Le Mans grid that there were "commercial reasons" behind the decision. "In 2021 we will be launching our 003 [the so-called mini-Valkyrie] and the mid-engined Vanquish, so sometimes the stars align. "The concept of racing real hypercars is a compelling proposition that fits with our current business strategy   that is why we have thrown our hat in the ring." The entry into the top class of the WEC has been announced as a multi-year programme, which Palmer said would be "at least two or three years". Aston Martin is yet to reveal details of the team behind the development of the Valkyrie race car, but he said that Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Adrian Newey with which it is collaborating on the road car will be involved. "Naturally Adrian will be involved in the aerodynamics as he has been from the start of the programme," said Palmer. "We will have partners and that is part of the way I prefer to go racing   we will pull in the best brains because we don't have the big chequebook. "This has all been put together relatively quickly, we haven't signed all the contracts yet and we will announce the partners   quite compelling partnerships   shortly." The make-up of the team that will run the cars has also yet to be disclosed, but Palmer explained that it would be closely aligned with the group developing the race car. "I have always found that people who dedicate their lives to creating something need to be involved in racing their baby," he said. "Having that join-up between developing the car and racing the car is rather important." Aston's announcement makes no mention of whether the Valkyrie racer will be a hybrid like the road car, and Palmer stated that he was unable to confirm whether or not that car would be a hybrid. Such systems are optional in the new rules. "I am not ready yet to tell the exact configuration of the car for racing because frankly we haven't yet absolutely confirmed it," he explained. "We are at the rudimentary stages of concept engineering right now, but what I can tell you is that it will have a normally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12 engine that should sound absolutely glorious on the Mulsanne Straight."


Master a new skill to boost your career and earn more money. 96 Money-Making Skills You Can Learn in Less Than a Year Learning a new business skill is an excellent way to break into an industry, make yourself more attractive to employers or earn more money and responsibility in your current career. But between work, family and life, the thought of spending years in a classroom can be overwhelming. Fortunately, you don't have to. It's possible to learn many in-demand skills in less than a year   some in just a few weeks or months. Potential earning increases for adding new skills to your resume are wide-ranging, but the more skill you can bring to the table for an employer, the better your advantage over other candidates, the higher your value in your industry, and the more negotiating power you'll have when discussing your wage or salary. Here are 96 money-making skills and certifications to enrich your career and increase your paycheck . Click through to read about skills you can quickly learn that will help you earn more money . Touch-Typing and 10-Key Learning touch-typing or 10-key can improve accuracy when drafting documents and speed up productivity, skills that many employers consider major assets . Typing is necessary for data entry jobs, administrative jobs and writing jobs. The cost of improving typing skills ranges from practice you can do on your own for free to courses that cost a couple hundred dollars. Online learning marketplace Udemy , for example, offers several typing courses ranging from $20 to $200 to help you increase your typing speed in just a few days. In addition to data entry jobs, cashier jobs and similar roles typically require 10-key skills. If you want to work in retail or land a role requiring numerical data entry, you can learn 10-key number-pad typing skills using free online tools, such as through Typing.com or by taking an online course through a site like Lynda.com . Lynda subscriptions start at $19.99 for access to thousands of courses. Computer Programming You don't need a four-year computer science degree to learn basic computer programming and get entry-level jobs in information technology, such as roles related to website or software development or database management. Complete the Penn Foster Career School Programming Language Certificate Program in four months and learn programming skills as well as JavaScript, Microsoft Visual Basic and Access. The program costs between $499 and $589. Public Speaking Taking a public speaking course and learning how to communicate effectively can enrich your career, especially if you're seeking leadership or motivational speaking roles. Public speaking classes are taught online, at community colleges and at adult continuing education centers. Online training company The Leader's Institute , for example, offers two-day public speaking courses across the country for $995. Microsoft Office Suite Certification Obtaining a Microsoft Office Suite certification indicates proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. This is perfect if you're seeking jobs that involve preparing documents and spreadsheets, such as administrative jobs and research jobs. Complete free online tutorials at your own pace, or sign up for a course at an adult continuing education center. For example, Chesapeake Public Schools in Chesapeake, Va., has four-week Microsoft Word and Excel classes starting at $49 for residents and $93 for non-residents. Google Analytics Certification Google Analytics Academy for Beginners is a smart option if you're on the hunt for entry-level positions in digital marketing or advertising or if you're in the industry and need to improve your data gathering and analysis skills. It can be particularly helpful if you're switching from a non-digital role like print marketing to a digital role like website marketing. The online training is free through Google Analytics Academy. Courses   which can be completed in about four to six hours   help prepare you for the Analytics Individual Qualification certification test, which is also free to take. Google AdWords Certification Getting certified in Google AdWords is another valuable tool for digital professionals, especially if you're interested in search engine marketing and related web marketing or advertising roles. Register through Google's Academy for Ads and complete any of the hundreds of free training videos ranging from five minutes to more than an hour long at your own pace. Classes include Google AdWords certification, search marketing, dynamic search and AdWords display certification. CPR or First Aid Certification Being certified in CPR or first aid provides you with life-saving skills that can be used in a variety of jobs, from child care and lifeguard work to roles as a flight attendant or in construction. Typically, CPR training takes about one to three hours, and the cost ranges from local class providers offering courses for around $25 to the American Red Cross courses for $25 to $120. Driving for Rideshare, Taxi or Delivery Services Becoming a non-commercial driver doesn't usually involve specific training, with many companies only requiring a valid state driver's license and a good driving record. Opportunities include driving for a company like Uber or Lyft or becoming a delivery person or a private-hire driver. If you want to be a taxi driver, some companies require completion of a one-day training course. Costs can range from $60 to $175 at the NYC Taxi Limo Training Center in Manhattan to $100 to $255 at the San Francisco Taxi School, for example. Driving With a Commercial Driver License Driving a commercial vehicle requires training and a commercial driving license, but many commercial transport companies allow new employees to start their driving hours as they complete their training. Companies such as short- and long-distance delivery service providers, retailers and gasoline-shipping businesses employ commercial drivers. The training involves classroom instruction and hands-on experience. Training can take about six months to complete and costs between $3,000 and $7,000, according to truck driving industry resource AllTrucking.com. A Second Language Learning a second language not only can help you establish relationships with clients who don't speak English but also can make you a viable candidate for jobs that require international travel   from sales and business development to training and leading others on tours. You can also use this skill for call center jobs, telephone or online sales jobs, and customer service jobs with employers who need bilingual employees. Check out foreign language or American Sign Language classes at a community college or online. The University of Wisconsin-Madison , for example, offers an online, six-month Business Spanish Certificate Program starting at $720. Veterinary Assistance The training you receive as a veterinary assistant enables you to care for animals in a veterinarian clinic or animal hospital. You'll work under the guidance of a veterinarian. Training involves coursework plus hands-on experience during an externship. Penn Foster Career School's veterinary assistant program, for example, is about seven months long and ranges from $859 to $929. Entrepreneurship An entrepreneurship certificate is worth the investment if you're looking to start your own business . You'll learn skills for successfully managing a business, handling company funds, creating a business plan and marketing a business. Grantham University offers an 18-credit, eight-month online entrepreneur certificate program, for example, costing $265 per credit. Scholarship funds and financial aid is available. Human Resources Management A certificate program in human resources management is a powerful tool if you work in HR and you're looking to move into a management role. You'll learn a variety of skills, such as talent acquisition and workforce management. Online certificate program provider Villanova University offers a 12-week online HR management training course that costs $2,495. Online Marketing Companies with websites often need people knowledgeable in online marketing to increase traffic to their sites. Learning online marketing skills can help you snag a digital marketing job. Online marketing skills are also beneficial when launching your own business. Udemy has a 30-day Online Marketing Crash Course for $20 that covers basic online marketing strategy, social media, blogging and more. Other online education options include eCornell , which offers a two-month, $3,600 Digital Marketing Certificate Program. Real Estate Sales Real estate sales can be ideal if you're seeking a career change that doesn't involve going to   or back to   college. Use this skill to work as a residential or commercial real estate broker, property manager, land developer or a real estate counselor. Becoming an agent costs about $200 to $300 for the pre-licensing course and $100 to $300 for the licensing exam, according to Realtor.com. It is possible to complete the training in just a few weeks or months. Course hour requirements vary by state, ranging from 60 to 135 hours. Insurance Sales Opportunities in insurance sales include working for auto, life, health and home insurance companies, but insurance sales skills also can be helpful for roles in insurance underwriting, real estate, personal finance advisement and other jobs. Many insurance agencies offer on-the-job training in which you shadow an experienced agent. In most cases, you'll need to get licensed by your state. In Virginia, for example, A.D. Banker and Company's one-day pre-licensing course for property and casualty insurance can cost $245 to $357. Funeral Home Service Sales Being a funeral director or embalmer involves specific education and licensing, which varies by state. Working in funeral home sales, however, doesn't involve formal education   it entails customer service and selling funeral services. On-the-job training is typically provided. Some funeral homes require or prefer a certain number of years of commission sales experience. Private Security Private security guards are often needed by retailers, public and private schools, bank branches and other companies. Duties might include screening visitors and monitoring grounds for suspicious activity. You don't need any specific education for these jobs, and many companies hire people with little to no experience and offer on-the-job training. Experience in this role can be beneficial for careers in bodyguard work, private investigation and law enforcement, according to CareerBuilder. Firearm Handling Learning how to use a firearm properly can help you get a job as an armed security guard, border patrol agent, corrections officer, bodyguard or law enforcement officer. Classes cover safety and maintenance, legal requirements, and weapon handling and shooting skills for various types of firearms. NRA courses can take about five to six hours and cost about $150 per class. Yoga Instruction Gaining skills as a yoga instructor can help you find work as an instructor at yoga studios and fitness centers or as a private fitness instructor, or it can help supplement training for a role in physical education. It takes about 200 hours to 500 hours to complete certification, according to YogaFit Yoga Alliance and the American Council on Exercise, which is between three and six months. Training ranges from $500 to $5,000, depending on whether you sign up for a distant learning program or attend a school. Sport Coaching Learning coaching techniques can help you snag a coaching job at private or public schools, camps, city or state recreation programs, or private sporting organizations. The amount of time it takes to complete a coaching certificate varies. The American Coaching Academy's self-paced online coaching certificate, for example, can be completed within two to five days and costs $197. Notarizing A notary public witnesses and records the signing of important papers like mortgage closing documents and legal affidavits. In addition to notary public service providers like shipping service retail stores, real estate companies, banks and law firms also employ or use notaries. A notary public course takes about three to six hours to complete, and you'll have to pass a notary exam approved by your state. Training ranges from $100 to $200. Some employers cover or reimburse this cost. Cooking If you work as a prep cook or line cook, improving your skills can help you locate higher-paying jobs or pave the way for starting a cooking or catering business. Fortunately, completing a cooking course doesn't take a lot of time or money. For example, Penn Foster's gourmet cooking online certificate program starts at $679, and you can complete it in three months. Bartending Learning how to tend bar can help you earn extra money working at a bar, restaurant or private party. You can complete a 40-hour bartending or mixology course in one, two or five weeks. Training programs for bartending typically average between $200 and $400. Reading Comprehension Improving your reading comprehension skills can help you read faster and retain more information. This skill benefits educators, historians and editors, and can be helpful in almost any profession. Classes are available at adult continuing education centers or online. Reading Comprehension 101, offered by Universal Class , for example, costs between $50 and $75, and you can complete it in about 10 hours. Budgeting or Bookkeeping A basic bookkeeping course teaches you how to manage a company's financial accounts. Bookkeepers are employed in all types of industries, including healthcare, government, private businesses and retail. Penn Foster's online bookkeeping certificate program takes about five months, and tuition starts at $639. Photography With photography, you can explore your creative side and find opportunities in photojournalism or studio or commercial photography. Becoming a photographer doesn't necessarily require a degree . You can complete online classes from the New York Institute of Photography , for example, within six months to 12 months, and tuition ranges from $549 to $999. Mathematics A math certificate from a college or university's continuing education program can improve your job prospects if you're looking for work as a banker, financial advisor, economist or scientist. Completing a math certificate takes about two semesters, and the cost varies depending on the college or university. Project Management Project managers oversee various projects from start to finish. Project management skills are useful in many industries, including healthcare and information technology   and certification can increase your salary by up to 23 percent, according to the Project Management Institute. Udemy's Project Management Professional online course takes about 35 hours to complete and costs $200. Investing and Investment Management Enhancing your investing skills is helpful if you're working or pursuing a career in investing, banking, finance or financial advisement. Courses can help you become familiar with commodities, futures, stocks, bonds and other investments. Morningstar offers several free investing courses that can be completed in about 10 minutes. Tailoring, Dressmaking and Clothing Design Tailoring and dressmaking skills can help you find work with a custom clothes designer or do alterations to make money from home. Learning this skill doesn't require a formal education, but you can complete Penn Foster's dressmaking and design program in about seven months for approximately $749. Negotiating and Bargaining Negotiating skills are useful across several industries, including customer service, sales and tourism. Learning the art of negotiating and bargaining helps you close more deals and contributes to your career success. Several programs are available to improve your negotiating skills , including Emeritus Institute of Management's two-month online negotiating class that starts at $1,200. Teaching If you're proficient in history, English, science or math, getting a teaching certificate can take your career to the next level. Some colleges and universities have accelerated teacher certification programs for those who already have a bachelor's degree. For example, Old Dominion University offers its Career Switcher teaching program that lasts for seven weeks in the summer and 15 weeks in the fall. Tuition ranges from $500 to $4,600. Welding Welders work in the construction, infrastructure, transportation and marine industries. Becoming a welder doesn't require university or college training, but you'll have to attend a welding or vocational school. You can complete training in eight to 12 months, and fees range from $150 per class to $2,275 per course. Heavy Equipment Operation If you're a skilled laborer, the ability to operate heavy equipment can increase your job prospects. AIS Training Center , for example, offers six- to 10-week heavy equipment operator training programs that cost from $6,000 to $10,000. Training includes classroom instruction and hands-on instruction. Video Editing and Production Learning video editing and production can open the door to opportunities with marketing and promotional companies or help you land entry-level work in television and video editing. Training costs and program lengths vary. For example, the New York Film Academy offers 12-week digital workshops starting at $3,902. Basic and Professional Writing Whether you're working in healthcare, administration or business, excellent writing skills are essential for drafting emails and memos. Online writing courses help you hone these skills at little to no cost. Udemy's Becoming a Writer course , for example, is offered to help you improve your writing skills in just a few minutes per day and costs only $50. Singing Whether you're an amateur or intermediate singer, lessons can improve your pitch and breathing, help you sing better, and maybe help you land part-time singing gigs or acting roles. Schedule private singing lessons at your own pace   costs range from about $25 to $60 per hour for lessons. Carpentry and Basic Construction Skills If you have a construction background, learning specific carpentry skills can help you get into home remodeling or handyman work. Learn about bathroom and kitchen remodeling, flooring and other in-demand carpentry skills. Penn Foster offers an online carpentry training program that costs $649 and can be completed in five months. Blueprint Reading Learning how to read blueprints can lead to greater opportunities if you have a construction background or if you're thinking about entering the engineering field. Taking a blueprint reading workshop can sharpen your skills and keep you a step ahead of the competition. Professional training provider Zack Academy offers 28 hours of training and a certificate of completion for $595. Teaching English as a Second Language ESL certification can enable you to teach people who do not speak English as their first language. Opportunities include teaching English and providing online tutoring services through public or private schools and learning centers. You can complete the TESOL Core Certificate Program in six to 11 months for between $775 and $2,170. Translation Translators work in private and public schools, courthouses, hospitals and conference centers. Becoming a translator might be a great opportunity if you already speak and write in another language. The length of language translation programs varies but typically ranges from two to four months and costs between $200 and $1,500. Transcription Transcribing skills   listening to an audio recording and typing what you hear   can help you find hospital, financial, journalism and legal jobs. The Transcription Certification Institute offers online classes you can complete in 21 to 90 days for $399. Link Building Effective link-building strategies help increase website traffic. Link-building experts work with web development companies, internet marketing companies and any businesses that are looking to drive additional traffic to their websites and rank higher in search engines. Udemy offers a seven-hour course on link building for beginners for $175. Mac or PC Computer Skills The ability to use computer operating systems is beneficial no matter where you work. Knowing how to use a PC and a Mac is an advantage   almost every industry uses spreadsheets, documents, the internet, email and other applications on a daily basis. Lynda.com offers thousands of courses, including training for Windows and Mac computers. Course lengths range from one to three hours   learn as much as you want with a monthly subscription, which ranges from $19.99 to $29.99. Data Analysis Several industries use data analytics   including travel, energy, finance, education and health   to identify patterns and trends they can leverage for growing their businesses. Online learning center General Assembly offers 10-week, part-time data analytics courses for $3,950. Upon completing the course, you might be eligible to receive credit toward an online graduate program. Related: The Most Popular Online Degrees and How Much They Cost Nursing Assistant Certification Certified nursing assistants are in demand and complete a variety of tasks   including assisting patients with bathing, dressing and eating   in nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare facilities. It takes between two and 12 weeks to become a CNA, depending on the number of training hours your state requires, and fees range from $500 to $1,200. Emergency Medical Technician Certification To become an EMT, you must first complete a basic emergency medical technician course. EMTs work with hospitals and emergency departments to provide pre-hospital care in crisis situations. Completing a basic emergency medical technician course takes about three to 11 weeks   depending on whether you attend a full- or part-time program   and costs about $650. Cosmetology and Hairstyling If you're thinking about a career in cosmetology, a beauty program will prepare you to work in salons and barbershops. Program lengths vary but typically will take less than a year to complete. For example, full-time Empire Beauty School students can complete a course in 50 weeks for $18,850. Grants and financial aid are available. Consider These: 15 Odd Jobs That Pay Surprisingly Well Massage Therapy Massage therapy training can lead to opportunities in chiropractor offices, wellness centers, spas, hotels and massage clinics. You must complete training at an accredited school and pass the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork exam. Many states require between 500 and 600 hours of massage training before you can become certified, and tuition ranges from $6,000 to $10,000. Personal Trainer Certification Becoming a certified personal trainer qualifies you to work in fitness gyms and wellness centers to help beginner and advanced fitness enthusiasts transform their bodies. You can become certified in as few as 10 to 12 weeks at the National Academy of Sports Medicine , where fees range from $699 to $1,999. Physical Therapy Aid Skills Taking a course to become a physical therapy aid can help you secure work in a rehabilitation facility, nursing home or hospital under the guidance of a physical therapist. To become a physical therapy aid, you can enroll in Penn Foster's program and complete training in one month. You won't need licensing or certification, and tuition starts at $619. Sleep Technician Certification Becoming a certified sleep technician teaches you how to monitor patients for sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. As patients sleep, you observe their brain waves, breathing patterns and heart rates. Certification requires completing 80 hours of an accredited sleep technologist education program and nine months of on-the-job training. Training fees vary; the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology offers a course for $3,300, for example. Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Certification If you're an ultrasound tech looking to become certified in abdomen, breast, gynecology or fetal echocardiography, and you've completed an associate or bachelor's degree, you're eligible to take the certification exam by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. The exam fee is $100. You must complete at least 30 hours of continuing medical education within three years of certification. Travel Associate Certification If you have travel experience and want a career in travel, becoming a certified travel associate might be a good idea. The Travel Institute enables you to study at your own pace, as long as you complete the course in 12 months. Tuition ranges from $399 to $499. Auto Mechanic Certification Completing a six- to 12-month auto mechanic training program can help you secure work as an auto mechanic with dealerships and private auto shops. You'll handle inspections, maintenance and basic repairs. Penn Foster's online program, for example, costs between $749 and $829, and after you finish the course, you have an option to earn your Master Automobile Technician Certification through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. Cloud Computing Cloud computing technology is an excellent skill to learn because it's one of the fastest-growing businesses in the IT industry. Cloud Academy provides a wealth of ongoing training to help you learn cloud computing and prepare for Amazon Web Services certification starting at $79 a month. The course has no end date, and you can learn as little or as much as you like. Information Security Information security training paves the way for a career in cybersecurity. Work with government agencies, retailers and other businesses to protect sensitive information from hackers. Boston University , for example, offers an online certificate program in information security, which students can complete in eight months. Tuition is about $465 per credit, and scholarship opportunities are available. Financial Planning and Advising Certified financial planning certification is an asset if you work in banking, insurance, investing or another financial field. You must have a bachelor's degree or higher to complete a CFP Board-Registered Program and take the CFP exam. Program schedules vary, but you can usually complete training in less than a year. For example, you can finish the CFP education program at Barry University in South Florida in about 10 months   it costs $5,950 for seven courses. Electrician Skills Electricians are responsible for installing and maintaining electrical systems. You can complete a career training program in about a year at a vocational school or receive on-the-job training. If you continue your education, you can become state-licensed or become a licensed journeyman electrician. Penn Foster offers an online electrician training program starting at $799, for example. HVAC Technician Certification HVAC mechanics work in maintenance departments for commercial and residential buildings or find employment with heating and air-conditioning companies. Earning your HVAC certificate from a community college or vocational school can take six months and costs around $769. Plumbing Skills Plumbing experience creates opportunities to work in maintenance or construction. Plumbing courses are available through vocational schools and community colleges, and you can typically complete them in less than a year. For example, Ashworth College offers a four-month plumbing course that costs from $749 to $999, depending on whether you pay in full or make monthly payments. Paralegal If you're interested in legal work but don't want to attend law school, consider a career as a paralegal and work alongside lawyers. At Blackstone Career Institute , for example, you can complete paralegal studies in as few as four to 12 months. Tuition ranges from $1,214 to $1,442. Network Systems Administration Network systems administration training teaches you how to install, configure and troubleshoot problems within an organization's computer network. University of Maryland University College offers a computer network undergraduate certificate that involves six classes. Tuition per credit ranges from $250 to $499. Police Academy Training Police academy training prepares you for a career as a city police officer , which can be valuable for a long-term career in any branch of law enforcement or the military. Basic law enforcement training takes about four to six months. You'll also take courses related to firearm training, tactical defense and emergency vehicle operation. The cost of training varies. For example, the Weber State University Law Enforcement Academy training program costs $6,582 to $6,942, with the option of payment plans. CADD Program Certification Computer-aided drafting design skills are useful in different industries like interior design, civil engineering and surveying. A certificate can land you an entry-level drafting job or drafting assistant job. Penn Foster's AutoCAD Essentials training program takes about two months and costs $399. Quality Inspection Certification Quality inspector classes teach how to check products for defects and maintain quality standards in different industries, such as in manufacturing, engineering or construction. After completing an approved quality inspection training program or receiving a minimum of two years of on-the-job training, you might be eligible to take a quality inspection exam. Getting certified involves completing two exams that are about four hours long and cost $268 to $418. EKG Technician Certification Becoming an EKG technician qualifies you to perform electrocardiograms in hospitals and other medical care facilities. Some employers offer on-the-job training you can complete in four to six weeks, or you have the option of taking a one-year certification program. Completing a program isn't required but is advantageous because some medical facilities require certification. Length and prices of certification programs vary. For example, California School of Health Sciences offers a certification class for $290. App Developing and Programming Learning how to develop apps enables you to create your own web applications from scratch. You can work as an independent contractor developing apps for companies or get a job as an app developer. You can find several free and low-cost online training opportunities   edX offers a variety of app development courses that last about six weeks. Courses are free, but you'll have to pay $99 to become certified. Phlebotomy Technician Phlebotomy technicians are vital employees in doctor offices, hospitals and other healthcare facilities   they draw blood from patients. Becoming a phlebotomy technician is a relatively short process   programs last about 15 weeks or less. You can sign up at a vocational school or a technical college. For instance, a phlebotomy course at SUNY Orange costs $1,700. X-Ray Technician An X-ray tech certificate enables you to operate X-ray machines in imaging centers, hospitals and doctor offices. A basic X-ray technician certificate program takes about a year to complete. Modern Technology School's X-ray technician program with medical assisting lasts from 44 to 48 weeks and costs $18,970. Insurance Billing and Coding You can complete medical billing and coding courses at technical schools and community colleges in nine to 12 months. Acquiring this skill is a selling point when applying for jobs in a medical office because you'll have learned how to process insurance claims and assign codes to illnesses. The Andrews School Online Medical Billing Training program takes about four months to complete and costs $900. Insurance Claims Processing Learning how to process insurance claims can pave the way for working with insurance companies in their claims departments. You'll assess damage for auto and property claims and work directly with customers as their point of contact. Online training through the U.S Career Institute , for example, takes about four months and ranges from $979 to $1,279. Nonprofit Management Nonprofit organizations include charities, private schools and religious organizations, which differ from other types of companies. Learning how a nonprofit operates can help you obtain leadership and management positions with one. Portland Community College's online nonprofit management course takes about six weeks to complete and costs $109. Pharmacy Technician A pharmacy technician certificate qualifies you to work under a pharmacist in a hospital or drugstore. You're responsible for refilling medications, verifying information and assisting the pharmacist with other duties. You can complete pharmacy technician online training in four months at Ashworth College in Norcross, Ga., for example, which prepares you for the National Health Career Association's ExCPT Pharmacy Technician certification. Tuition ranges from $699 to $899. Tax Preparation Completing a basic tax preparation class is one way to make extra money during tax season. The course can also help you gain valuable tax experience if you're working toward becoming an accountant, certified public accountant or financial planner. The Income Tax School offers 10-week, online tax preparation courses starting at $497. Read: 10 Tax Loopholes That Could Save You Thousands 3D, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Programming Skills Consider a virtual reality certificate program if you want to learn basic VR programming and develop VR applications. Learning how to write VR programs opens the door to entry-level positions with software design companies. University of California San Diego offers a program of three six-week courses for a bundled price of $267.30. Salesforce Salesforce is a customer relationship management platform with cloud-based applications for sales, service and marketing. Because many organizations have adopted this technology, Salesforce certification can make you more attractive to employers. Classes for Salesforce training range from one to five days and cost between $600 and $5,200. Leadership, Mentorship and Employee Engagement Developing strong leadership skills can help you guide a team and is valuable if you are working toward becoming a manager, supervisor or director. ECornell offers a four-month leadership certificate program for people in executive roles that costs $4,800. OSHA 30 Certification OSHA 30 safety education training is a valuable resume addition if you work in the construction industry. Certification isn't required by every employer but many consider it an asset because it demonstrates an understanding of safety prevention and health hazards in the workplace. You can take this 30-hour course at your own pace, and it costs about $179. Business Forecasting Business forecasting is an invaluable tool in the world of sales and finance because it helps you identify when to take risks. The International Institute of Forecasters partners with universities to offer business forecasting certificates. Johns Hopkins University offers a four-course certificate program for $4,285 per course. Interior Design An interior design education lets you work from home as your own boss or find work with architects, hotels, home builders and home staging companies. You'll learn about interior style, space planning, color and design. The Interior Design Institute offers a 24-week online diploma program for $999. Lead Generation Lead generation is an excellent marketing skill for capturing customer interest and growing your sales. The course is beneficial whether you're a real estate agent, small business owner, or sales or marketing professional. Global marketing research firm Demand Metric offers a six-video module course that you can complete at your own pace in less than a year. Training costs $1,997 for non-members. Graphic Design Graphic design training lets you express your creativity and convey messages visually. Put your skills to good use as a freelancer or work for a web design company, internet marketing company, publisher or interior design company. Sessions College offers an eight-month, online undergraduate certificate graphic design program, for example, that costs $425 per credit hour. Productivity and Time Management Learning time-management skills helps you become a more efficient worker, which employers consider a strong point. When you know how to balance priorities your overall productivity improves. Learning Tree International offers an online time-management development course for $1,950. Search Engine Marketing and Optimization Becoming proficient in search engine optimization and search engine marketing helps you excel as a marketing professional and opens the door to opportunities in digital marketing and website development. With SEO knowledge, you can develop successful internet marketing campaigns and provide multiple industries with website content. The SEO course and certification from ClickMinded is $497 and three to six hours long. Business Banking If you are seeking employment with a financial institution, online business banking training will teach you the fundamentals of borrowing, credit, lending and financial statements. The American Bankers Association offers several online courses in business banking that take from four to 16 weeks to complete and cost between $215 and $1,795. See These: 13 Highest-Paying Bank Jobs Life Coaching Life coaching is a rewarding career if you want to help guide people through their major life transitions. You can run your own business helping people improve their personal and professional lives. The Coach Training Alliance based in Boulder, Colo., for example, offers a six-month, certified life coach program for $3,047. Tuition is payable in three, seven or nine parts. Retail Sales Leadership Developing retail sales leadership skills is essential if you're a store manager or a retail worker looking to advance in the industry. Learn how to nurture and motivate a sales team and get ahead. MOHR Retail , based in Ridgewood, N.J., offers a four-month, online, retail leadership and management program for store managers and supervisors that costs $250. Web Conferencing Leading an online conference can be intimidating, but receiving instruction in web conferencing can build your confidence and help you become a more efficient educator during meetings and trainings. Signing up for Lynda.com will give you access to multiple web conferencing training videos. Talent Sourcing and Acquisition Talent acquisition training is designed to strengthen your skills when you're seeking new recruits. If you're a recruiter, HR generalist or hiring manager, this training can improve your ability to recognize qualified candidates. The Human Capital Institute , for example, offers a two-day, online or in-person, Strategic Talent Acquisition Certification program for $1,995. Interviewing Learning how to conduct better interviews benefits business owners and people looking to move into a hiring manager role. Workshops and courses can help you polish your interviewing skills and make wiser hiring decisions. ZERORISK HR offers a two-hour, online, behavioral interview training program that costs $49.95. Decision-Making and Problem-Solving Problem-solving is a necessary skill for managers, supervisors, team leaders and business owners. Good decision-making also indicates strong leadership, which is key for applying to management roles in every industry from healthcare to business. To boost your skill level, Michigan State University offers an eight-week strategic decision making course for $1,980. Six Sigma Six Sigma certification indicates solid critical thinking and problem-solving skills and shows employers that you value quality. If you're applying for certain jobs like a warehouse operations manager, engineer or healthcare worker, this certification can boost your resume. Purdue University offers online, Six Sigma certifications that take from three to 16 weeks to complete and cost between $395 and $3,750. Optician Optician training teaches you necessary skills to work in an ophthalmologist or optometrist office. You'll learn about eye health and how to fit customers for glasses and contact lenses. You can complete Penn Foster Career School's online optician career diploma program in about seven months for between $999 and $1,179. ZBrush ZBrush is a type of artistry that can expand your visual design skills. You'll learn how to use digital sculpting and art techniques to design highly detailed characters. If you're a 3D artist, sculptor or character artist looking to strengthen your skills and find new opportunities, this could be a program you'll need to know. Udemy offers a five-hour, beginner course for $50 . Click to keep reading tips to change your career and land your dream job . More on Making Money and Careers How Do You Stack Up to the Average Income in Your State? These 11 Major Companies Allow You to Work From Home Here's the Highest Paid Job in Your State Watch: The Key to Negotiating a Higher Salary at Your New Job We make money easy. Get weekly email updates, including expert advice to help you Live Richer™ .


Editor's note: The opinions in this article are the author's, as published by our content partner, and do not necessarily represent the views of MSN or Microsoft. R eleased earlier this month, much to the chagrin of flatulent cows everywhere, was a proposal to commandeer and overhaul the world's largest economy and the infrastructure supporting it. Congressional progressives' resolution is a hodgepodge of diagnoses that purportedly all relate back to greenhouse gas emissions. Among the "crises" the resolution identifies that are tied to climate change are a supposed lack of access to clean water, a gender wage gap, and a stagnation of hourly wages since the 1970s, which is made less alarming when confronted with real income per capita average growth rate of 1.57 percent since 1970 . All of these, and more, are claimed to be byproducts of climate change. The solution, congressional progressives profess, lies in initiatives such as retrofitting all existing infrastructure, overhauling transportation methods with a focus on high-speed railways, and a national mobilization of the workforce to enable all this and more. The stated goal is to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Unironically, released along with the plan was a FAQ sheet justifying the net-zero target arguing that it might not be feasible to ground all air travel and exterminate all farting cows in 10 years. Not only that, but it specifies their desire to decommission every nuclear power plant, but is unsure that it can be done in a decade. Interesting that the self-proclaimed combatants of climate change want to eliminate a form of energy harnessing that emits zero greenhouse gases after its initial construction. The whole plan reeks of former President Woodrow Wilson's "moral equivalence of war" mentality, which is one that justifies centralization of power and mobilization of the population during times of war, only for issues that are not armed open conflicts. Even the most draconian implementation of the Green New Deal domestically would not affect any country other than ours, which only emits 15 percent of the worldwide production of greenhouse gas. Central planning of this type has been proposed to combat anything ranging from economic depressions, to poverty, and a Cold War. The Green New Deal's underlying motivation is no different. If the progressive diagnosis is even partially correct, history has shown their central planning prescriptions fail time and time again. The Great Society created perverse incentives like discouraging marriage for some and hindering self-sufficiency for others . Wilson's " war socialism " resulted in the jailing of political dissidents and broad censorship of fellow citizens. Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal put the great in Great Depression . If not central planning, what, then, can be done to address the problem? Hint: it's already being done. There are alternate initiatives being advocated that would address the climate change issue without falling back on central planning. One such organization is the American Conservation Coalition. The ACC is dedicated to the "promotion of free-market and pro-business environmentalism" in all facets of politics today. This mentality runs directly counter to the Green New Deal's grab bag of solutions. About the Green New Deal, Nick Lindquist, ACC's National Policy Director, stated, "[it] will drastically increase energy costs, impacting lower and middle-income families as well as small businesses the most." That cost burden is already being felt by industry and consumers alike, but pales in comparison to that which would accompany the Green New Deal. Free market innovations are already improving the way in which we harness energy. One such innovation that the ACC's energy research report features is carbon capture, a process that scrubs carbon from the air and is estimated to pull 14 percent of airborne carbon from the atmosphere by 2050, which is being used by one company to bottle carbon dioxide and then sell it to Coca-Cola for use in its soft-drinks. Another example is the switch from coal to natural gas, that has been spurred by the fracking boom which made it more cost-effective to burn natural gas for energy consumption. Coal not only became outdated as an energy source in terms of burn-cleanliness, but innovation made it more profitable for businesses to make the switch themselves. Change of this kind takes time, but it avoids the drastically negative consequences of enforced central planning. These are the exact innovations Lindquist has in mind when he says, "American enterprise is already leading us to a cleaner, greener future." Overcorrections occur often, and this Green New Deal is no different. Central planning is a mindset as old as time, and its track record remains abysmal. Progressive acolytes and bureaucrats alike fancy themselves grandiose innovators, as if they're not rehashing the same botched theory time after time. The real innovators are already in action, implementing reform that not only can stand on its own two feet, but will stand the test of time. Government hijacking will just get in the way, as it always has. Brad Johnson is an author in Cincinnati, Ohio.


There are only 20 players left on the NFL Network's Top 100 players of 2019. So far the Pittsburgh Steelers have had five players make the list but there is still a chance for two more before it's all said and done. Here are the Steelers who made it so far. LB T.J. Watt-93 DT Cam Heyward-88 RB James Conner-62 WR JuJu Smith-Schuster-47 QB Ben Roethlisberger-44 But there are still two names missing who have been a part of the list before. Center Maurkice Pouncey and guard David DeCastro have made this list before. DeCastro checked in at No. 44 last season and Pouncey last made the list in 2015 but is coming off perhaps his best season. Will he make it? Take Our Poll We know Pouncey is a longshot but as well as he played last year he really deserves to be on this list. DeCastro is a regular and it is more just a case of how far up will he land this year. MORE: CPBL pitcher tried to fool a batter with the weirdest hidden-ball trick Reaction to Jerry Jones' comments on Elliott, star backs, unwarranted Packers FB Danny 'The Muscle Man' Vitale could play key role in new offense Tom Brady disobeys Bill Belichick at practice, and suffers the consequences Andy Reid provides update on third-year DE Tanoh Kpassagnon


CHICAGO - In a bout that seemed to live up to the fans' expectations for a firefight, Tony Ferguson beat Donald Cerrone in what could have went down as an all-time classic - before it was halted for a cut. Referee Dan Miragliotta waved off the fight in between the second and third rounds after doctors looked at a massive cut near Cerrone's right eye. Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) got the TKO win over Cerrone (36-12 MMA, 23-9 UFC), and the fans booed what they deemed a disappointing end to a thrilling slugfest. In between rounds, Cerrone blew his nose - and it exacerbated the hematoma that already was under his right eye. And that led the doctors to shut things down. "I just asked if they could push the air back down. That's all I wanted," Cerrone told Joe Rogan after the fight. "That was the fight I think everybody wanted. I'm so sorry. I don't quit. I don't back down. Man, I just wanted to keep fighting. I was just asking, 'Can you just push the air back down?' You're right: I shouldn't have blown my nose. I'm a veteran, I'm old school, and I should've known that. But I did, and I humbly couldn't finish the fight, and I apologize." It wasn't the ending anybody wanted - including @TonyFergusonXT and @CowboyCerrone , as you can certainly see by their body language leaving the cage at #UFC238 . Full play-by-play: https://t.co/eWUXFzlMmm pic.twitter.com/b3btyEFs8Z - MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) June 9, 2019 The lightweight bout was part of the main card of Saturday's UFC 238 event at United Center in Chicago. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+. Cerrone kicked high right out of the gate, but Ferguson answered with one of the same. Cerrone tried to work a stiff jab when Ferguson tried to come inside, but Ferguson landed a jab of his own soon after. A strong left landed for Ferguson, but Cerrone worked through it and fired back. Cerrone pushed Ferguson back with a three-punch combo, then reset. Just 100 seconds in, they started trading big bombs, then settled down for a few seconds of leg kicks. Cerrone landed, but Ferguson answered with a body kick. Then Cerrone just missed up high with a head kick and followed it with two punches to the chin. Ferguson was unfazed and fired back. Ferguson nearly landed a spinning back elbow with 90 seconds left, and when they went back to the middle Ferguson was bleeding near his right eye. A big left landed for Cerrone with 25 seconds left near Ferguson's cut, and when the 10-second clapper went off the two threw with gusto to the fans' delight. Cerrone fired a big head kick early in the second, then seemed to be wobbled briefly by a Ferguson punch. Ferguson looked like he was finding his range with kicks, then a big jab, and Cerrone seemed like he was slowing down a minute into the second. But the two kept trading. When Ferguson popped Cerrone's head back, Cerrone just fired at him harder. Both were bloodied. Two minutes in, Ferguson threw a spinning elbow again, but Cerrone ducked under and landed a kick. Then Ferguson did land the spinning attack, but Cerrone stayed on his feet. They both kept landing, but neither went down. With two minutes left, Cerrone changed things up and landed a driving takedown. But Ferguson was back up quickly and they went back to swinging. Cerrone had a big mouse under his right eye. THey kept swinging and landing, but the biggest crowd response came when Ferguson landed a big right hand after the horn - though referee Dan Miragliotta hadn't stepped in to break them yet. With blood dripping down his chest from the massive cut under his eye, Miragliotta brought the cageside doctors in. They looked at his eye, and that wound up being all she wrote. For complete coverage of UFC 238 , check out the UFC Events section of the site. MORE: UFC 238: Cejudo vs Moraes and Shevchenko vs Eye Live Stream: Main Card, Start Time WATCH: Lonzo Ball pulls up to watch LaMelo make Drew League debut These 10 quarterbacks all have to prove something in 2019 Report: New Orleans likely to trade Anthony Davis to Celtics Andy Reid weighs in on WR Byron Pringle's offseason


Seasonal allergy symptoms aren't only about sneezing and wheezing. Sometimes the symptoms are more subtle. And that's trouble, because when they're less obvious, you either suck it up and keep feeling like crap or knock on the wrong doctor's door for treatment, delaying relief. There are tons of allergy treatments and symptom soothers, from nasal sprays to OTC meds, to prescription drugs to drops you can put under your tongue and nobody's favorite, allergy shots. So if you have a little (or a lot of) congestion or itchy or watery eyes and any of the following, you don't have to put up with it-but you might need a consult with an allergist to find the perfect way to make it all stop. Feeling tired all the time It's not just all the congestion that makes you feel out of it. Seasonal allergies themselves can drag your energy down, says Eugene Hurwitz, M.D., medical director of the Center for Allergy and Asthma of Georgia. When your body encounters an allergen, it releases histamine, and "histamine in your body can make you feel fatigued," he says. In addition, the inflammation that happens in your sinuses when you are allergic to something can cause sinus infections, which will also leave you feeling slow. Not sleeping well One study found that among more than 3,800 sufferers of allergic rhinitis, only 3.6 percent of them said they had 100 percent sleep adequacy, meaning they slept well and got enough shuteye. (But keep in mind that only about 19 percent of people without this problem had 100 percent sleep adequacy, so 3.6 percent is really low, but nobody else's sleep is perfect, either.) If you're congested and not breathing normally, it makes sense that you wouldn't sleep well, says Courtney Jackson Blair, M.D., owner of Allergy and Asthma Associates, P.C. in McLean and Sterling, VA. Brain fog Research has found that exam scores tend to be lower when exams are done in allergy season. "If we could measure work performance as easily as exam scores, we'd likely find something similar," says Dr. Blair. People come to her complaining of not being on their game, or struggling through doing what they need to do at home. It's possible that histamine release at some level might affect how the brain functions. "That's more theoretical," she says. "I think it ties mostly back to a lack of sleep." Low libido Scientists from the Head and Neck Institute at the Cleveland Clinic found that people with seasonal allergies saw a decline in sexual function. Which makes sense, since there's little about sneezing, wheezing, and watery eyes that register as "I feel really hot." Sudden allergies to fruits you were fine with before Certain fruits-like bananas and melons-contain compounds that are very similar to the pollens in trees or ragweed. So when you eat them, you may get the kind of reaction you get when you spend time in nature, says Hurwitz. In fact, when you're in allergy season and you have symptoms, "even non-allergens can be irritating, too," says Dr. Blair. "Perfumes, paint fumes, and even pollution can be harder to withstand when you're already inflamed with allergies." Constant throat clearing Congestion doesn't always stay put, and when it drips down the back of your throat, you can find yourself in a state of constantly trying to clear it out. In some people, throat clearing even turns into a habit. Bad breath When you're really plugged up with mucus and your membranes are swollen, it's hard for any fluid to drain out of your sinuses. That means bacteria can settle in there and thrive. Couple that with mouth breathing due to a stuffed nose and you have a recipe for bad breath. Loss of appetite All this talk of mucus isn't terribly appetizing, and your stomach doesn't much like the stuff, either. So if you have post-nasal drip and end up swallowing it, you may lose your appetite, because your stomach doesn't really know what to do with the mucus. Video: Allergy Sufferers Have FOMO and Would Give Up Crazy Stuff to Have No Symptoms


PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland   Rory McIlroy never could have imagined an Open at Royal Portrush when he grew up here in the 1990s, so he understands the significance of this event is far greater than just his pursuit of a fifth major. "Having The Open back in this country is a massive thing for golf, and it will be a massive thing for the country," McIlroy said Wednesday on the eve of the tournament. "Sport has an unbelievable ability to bring people together. We all know that this country sometimes needs that. This has the ability to do that." Though he grew up in Holywood, a coastal village just outside of Belfast, McIlroy said that he was "oblivious" to the conflict known as the Troubles that divided the country by political and religious beliefs. That Royal Portrush is hosting an Open for the first time in 68 years also signals to McIlroy that progress is being made. "It just means that people have moved on," he said. "It's a different time. ... It's such a great place, no one cares who they are, where they're from, what background they're from, but you can have a great life and it doesn't matter what side of the street you're from. "To be able to have this tournament here again, I think it speaks volumes of where the country and where the people that live here are now. We're so far past that. And that's a wonderful thing."