WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate the anonymous author of a New York Times opinion piece that criticized the president as reckless and amoral.
Trump has demanded that The New York Times disclose the author of the essay, described by the newspaper as a senior administration official. The writer said aides had been working to thwart decisions by the president they deemed misguided. Trump said revealing the writer’s name was in the interests of national security.
“I think Jeff should be investigating who the author of that piece was, because I think it’s national security,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Trump said the senior administration official probably has a security clearance and has access to high-level meetings on national security strategy. “I don’t want him in those meetings. We’re looking at it very strongly from a legal standpoint,” he said.
Asked to comment, Justice Department press secretary Sarah Isgur Flores said the “department does not confirm or deny investigations.”
Trump also renewed his call for Congress to pass stricter libel laws – something that has historically been governed by state law.
“I think it’s a disgrace that somebody can do that and I think it’s more disgraceful that The New York Times would do it, but that somebody is allowed to do that, it’s a very sad commentary,” he said.
“I don’t mind criticism. I handle it and I fight back, if you didn’t notice over the years, but here is criticism where you can’t fight back because you have somebody doing it anonymously,” he said.
Angry protesters have stormed the Iranian consulate in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, setting a fire inside as part of ongoing demonstrations against lack of services and jobs that have turned deadly in recent days.
Demonstrators on Friday attacked the building, which is located in the southern part of Basra, prompting security forces to open fire to quell the protests.
At least two protesters have died over the past two days, taking the death toll to 11 since the weeks-long unrest escalated on September 3.
Crowds have attacked the offices of the state-run Iraqiya TV and set fire to the headquarters of the ruling Dawa Party, the Supreme Islamic Council and the Badr Organisation, whose leaders are all vying to form Iraq’s ruling coalition.
Protesters also torched the offices of a powerful Shia armed group, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and those of the Hikma Movement, and stormed the house of the acting head of the provincial council.
Rights activists have accused security forces of opening fire on the demonstrators, while the government has blamed provocateurs in the crowds and say the troops were ordered not to use live rounds.
Public anger has grown at a time when politicians are struggling to form a new government after an inconclusive parliamentary election in May.
Residents of the south complain of decades of neglect in the region that produces the bulk of Iraq’s oil wealth.
The easiest way to make working out more fun? A fitness tracker.
Disclosure
Every product here is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our work.
Exercise, am I right? Whether you’re reading this because you genuinely love working out or because Instagram models and your love for pizza force you to exercise, one thing’s for sure: A fitness tracker that fits your needs is a necessity.
One problem: The wearable fitness market grows by the month. No longer are hardcore athletes the only ones keeping up with their calories and mileage — these babies continue to take over the lives of us regular folk more and more by the year.
And with this surge to the everyday consumer, it seems like not a day goes by without a new wearable fitness tracker hitting the market. Oh, there’s a new Fitbit (again)? There’s a fancy ring that tracks your steps and calories? Because of course, why wouldn’t there be?
We’re not complaining, though.
We all have those days where we need an extra sprinkle of motivation to get up and get going — even the biggest fitness junkies wanna stay on the couch sometimes. Plus, when you can’t tell how much working out or running is actually helping, it’s kind of hard to stay excited about the whole fitness thing.
Good news: Nothing says motivation like the perfect fitness tracker. Fitness trackers can help you slay your personal goals and prove to yourself that your hard work is actually paying off.
Fitness trackers aren’t just for fitness junkies. Tracking your calories, steps, sleep, and heart rate are features that most trackers have, and these are seriously handy when it comes to keeping track of your general health.
Our top pick for the best fitness tracker right now is the Fitbit Charge 2: No, we didn’t just pick it because it’s the name everyone knows — it’s genuinely a top-tier piece of arm candy. While Fitbit has a ton of high quality models, the Charge 2 is absolutely the best bang for your buck. It’s not the cheapest of the lot (priced at $149.95 or $119.95 on sale), but its slim, stylish look, OLED color screen, and personal cardio fitness scores on top of the traditional features make it a steal for the price. There’s a reason it’s Fitbit’s #1 best-seller, y’all.
Don’t worry, newbies — there are fitness trackers for every skill level, most of which are super simple to use without a steep learning curve. Check out our list of what’s on the market and the basics of different trackers, as well as combination fitness trackers and smartwatches.
Affordable • Real-time audio coach • Phenomenal battery life • Range of colors
No GPS • Cheap-looking design • No smartphone notifications
A perfectly low maintenance tracker to ease you into the world of exercising.
The fitness tracking world doesn’t have to be intimidating — the award winning makes everything chill and easy, which is exactly what you need if you’ve psyched yourself out about exercising. At $59.95, it’s one of the cheaper trackers on our list, but that low price doesn’t make for shitty quality: Aside from the expected step and sleep tracking, it also , with real-time audio feedback as well as detailed running, cycling, cardio boxing, and super advanced swimming data, all stored in the Moov smartphone app.
Made for training, Moov Now also shows you how to work out in proper intervals for the fastest, safest #gains. The only thing it doesn’t have is GPS — but it is waterproof with a battery life of six months, so we’ll let the GPS slide. Choose from eight colors and get yours for $59.99 .
Move reminders • Automatic workout recognition • Interchangeable bands • Range of colors
A great general purpose tracker with virtually no learning curve.
If you’re set on getting a Fitbit but need an easy way in, the is a good, no-intense place to start. We like to think that the “Flex” in the name means “flexible.” Designed as a more general-purpose tracker, the Flex 2 is thin, light, subtle, and what Fitbit refers to its “most iconic and customizable tracker ever.” This is because the actual tracking piece can be removed to fit into numerous bands, bangles, and necklace pendants, making it flexible enough to fit any lifestyle, style preference, and outfit. Really, it’s perfect for anyone and everyone who wants to get more serious about fitness — even if you’ve never worked out a day in your life.
It tracks the usual steps, calories, and sleep, and will remind you to move if you’ve been sitting for too long, but the stand-out feature is that it’s Fitbit’s first swim-proof tracker. (It can also get call and text notifications like a smartwatch would.) Though it does benefit from SmartTrack for automatic workout recognition, it doesn’t have a screen (only uses an app) and is much less advanced than its siblings, making it a perfect first Fitbit or a tracker for kids or people who don’t want to squint to see a small screen. Get the Flex for $76.99 .
The mother of all Fitbits, the Charge 2 combines rare health and fitness features that we usually only see in smart watches.
Or maybe you’re set on a Fitbit but want to skip the baby steps and get the arm candy with all of the best of all features combined. The affords all of the traditional features you’d want plus extras and a color OLED screen (rare for tiny trackers like this one) without the bulk that you’d expect. It has the usual step, calories, and sleep tracking, etc., and is also equipped with PurePulse to monitor your heart rate and get alerts for an abnormalities, guided breathing, as well as a VO2 Max rating to give a personalized cardio fitness score and an idea of your overall cardiovascular health.
For those who have trouble staying motivated, the Charge 2’s personalized fitness score is the perfect way to track your progress and see how much you’re improving without the confusing doctor language. Plus, the battery lasts up to five days on one charge, so you’re set for a week of workouts without worrying about charging. If you want the best of all worlds, get the Charge 2 for $149.95 . (The Charge 3 has a few minor upgrades and will officially be released in October 2018 — preorder it here.)
All-day stress tracking • Always-on touchscreen • Smartphone notifications and weather updates • Decent price for all it does
No GPS • Could be more user-friendly
If you don’t care about GPS, the Vivosmart 3 offers comforting stress tracking and fitness scores for those who get pysched out easily.
The Garmin Vivosmart 3 is the thinnest (and best looking IMO) of the brand’s line, but there’s a lot packed into this little device that makes it helpful for people who aren’t runners or gym-goers. The Vivosmart 3 isn’t just a fitness tracker, but a stress tracker as well (AKA it will be ace to wear at work or while traveling). The heart rate monitor measures your heart rate while it’s resting to give you a stress score, with a guided breathing feature designed to lower stress when the score is too high.
The Vivosmart 3 also gives a VO2 max fitness score, your fitness “age,” monitors strength training by tracking sets, reps, and rest times that can be reviewed on the app — a feature that many trackers don’t have. The Vivosmart 3 automatically syncs to your phone and uses Move IQ to know when you’ve started a workout, making the process pretty seamless. You’ll see all of that on a gorgeous color touch screen, which is always a bonus. Get the Vivosport 3 for $79 here or wait a few weeks and get the classy Vivosmart 4 here. (For runners really itching for that built-in GPS, you can snag the Vivosmart HR+ for $95.99 here.)
Phone-free music • GPS • Impressive battery life • Comes with waterproof headphones
Limited color options • No smartphone notifications
Built-in music, GPS, and stellar battery life let you leave your phone at home and exercise in peace.
There are two types of people in this world: Those whose smartphones are a third limb, and those who take days to text back and leave their phone untouched whenever possible. If you’re part of the latter group, the TomTom Spark 3 Cardio+Music could be the tracker for you. Not only does it have built-in GPS (for new route exploration and, uh, not getting lost) but also has a built-in music player — AKA you don’t need to awkwardly carry your phone while running. Finding a fitness tracker with built-in music is rare — , but it’s pricey (like over $400 pricey). Anti-phone people no longer have to choose between necessary workout jams and keeping both hands free. This puppy has an impressive battery life of three weeks if you turn GPS off — but we’re guessing you don’t want to do that. Even with it on, the device is said to last 11 hours on one charge, which is still stellar compared to competitors.
Music can be stored locally on the tracker or paired via Bluetooth if you do bring your phone — except you can also set up smartphone notifications on your TomTom, so a phone is seriously not necessary. Aside from the cool built-in stuff, the TomTom Spark 3 tracks your distance, speed, calories, sleep, swimming, and can differentiate between indoor and outdoor workouts. The bundle also comes with a pair of Bluetooth headphones, because TomTom is nice like that. Get it for $234.99 here.
Unique fitted ring design • Multi-day battery life • Stores data without phone syncing • Works with Alexa
Not Android compatible • Only two colors
Complete with Alexa compatibility, the Motiv Ring is the fitness tracker for people who hate wearing fitness trackers.
If you really can’t stand the look and feel of bracelet fitness trackers (no matter how sleek or inconspicuous they are) that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck or have to clip something nerdy9your shirt. The is a tiny metal band you’ll actually want to wear. It tracks activity, sleep, and heart rate, and it can be worn 24/7 — even in the shower or while swimming. Motiv’s battery can last up to three days on a single charge, can store your data for up to five days without being synced to a phone, and uses a super nice-looking smartphone app to tell you about your progress. (The Android version used to only be beta, but now it’s official.) And, if you download the Motiv skill on your Echo device, you can ask Alexa about your progress, data from previous days, and can even help you find your lost phone.
We’re really not kidding about the 24/7 thing, by the way. Aside from being waterproof, you can pretty much ensure that your ring won’t fall off or slip and slide around during high movement activities. Before you receive your actual ring, Motiv will send you a sizing set to find your size, allowing you to choose the finger that would be most comfortable for your ring to sit on. It is slightly larger than a traditional ring, but if you’re used to wearing a ring every day anyway, you probably won’t even notice that it’s there — and it’s certainly less noticeable than an arm band fitness tracker. Get your Motiv Ring for $199.99 .
Fitness trackers that double as actual smart watches
Looking for something a little more all-encompassing? These smartwatches have all of the fitness tracking features you’re looking for, plus all of the connected capabilities of smart tech, such as phone and social media notifications.
Indoor and outdoor settings • GPS and GLONASS mapping • Intense focus on running
Pricey • Occasional confusing app navigation
Garmin has truly outdone themselves with the new-and-improved 235, featuring ultra-accurate GPS and four running settings.
If running is your thing (or the thing of the person you’re gifting to) the is a beast of a device made for those who take running very seriously. I mean, there’s a reason “runner” is in the name: With Garmin Connect, runners can choose from four running settings (including indoor and outdoor running) and customize their workouts and goals to match their skill level. And don’t worry, Garmin’s impressively fast GPS and GLONASS mapping is able to keep up. For indoor treadmill running, the built-in accelerometer comes in handy to keep track of distance and pace without the need of an extra device on your whoe. Garmin’s Elevate heart rate technology is also notable to track workout intensity, with a colorful gauge that lets you know your rate in real time to let you know if anything wonky is up.
Aside from running settings, this Amazon’s Choice tracker acts like a traditional activity tracker by counting calories, steps, and sleep, and also reminds you to move if it senses that you’ve been sitting for over an hour. Get the Forerunner 235 for $249.99 .
(Hardcore runners who are easily bothered by extra accessories on their arms should check out the : A tracker that hangs onto your shoelace and through tracking cadence, stride length, ground contact, foot strike, rate of impact, leg swing, and total shoe mileage in addition to the more traditional wearable metrics like pace, steps, and calories burned.)
Super lightweight • Spotify built in • Tracks calories eaten and burned • Personal fitness coach
Limited color options • Crappy for iPhone users • No LTE like the S3
Enjoy fitness tracking and diet tracking features as well as Spotify playback, control of smart devices, and more.
If you’re looking for something more than a fitness tracker but less intense than an Apple watch, the new Samsung Gear Sport may be for you. It features water resistance up to 50 meters, built-in GPS, automatic workout recognition, stretch reminders, activity and calorie tracking (eaten and burned) and acts as a personal fitness coach on your wrist. If you’re stubborn when it comes to healthy eating (raises hand), have trouble committing to a diet, or are on a wonky sleep schedule, the Gear Sport wants to act as your motivation to keep up with your goals.
The powerful device also falls into the smartwatch category: Enjoy receiving and responding to calls and texts, Spotify playback, real-time control of compatible smart devices like appliances, locks, and lights, and access to all of your favorite apps like Twitter or the Pear personal coaching app. This is all compiled into a compact device that actually looks like a classic round watch, and it weighs next to nothing. Get it for $249.99 .
Guided runs and in-ear coaching • LTE support • Calling and texting
Apples blows the competition out of the water thanks to calling, texting, in-ear coaching, and more. We’d expect nothing less from Apple.
The new Apple Watch Series 3 with Nike+ is pretty much the ultimate combo of smartwatch and fitness tracker. It sports a sleek, rectangle design and looks less like a traditional round watch, with smartwatch features like LTE support, calls and texts, music streaming, and phone notifications. As a fitness tracker, the Series 3 has a super accurate heart rate monitor and alerts you of any abnormalities. (There’s also an FDA-approved that can run legit EKGs without going to the doctor.) Nike+ takes running to the next level with guided runs, motivational notifications, and in-ear coaching — perfect for newbies or people who need an extra push to get up and going.
Though the Apple Watch does not automatically recognize that you’ve started an exercise, you can simply launch the workout app (or any other third-party app). The expected GPS, water resistance, and distance tracking are also present, and there’s actually a slightly less expensive version of this Apple Watch Series 3 that is GPS only (no LTE) . Get the Apple Watch with Nike+ for $429 .
Listen, the fact that you’re even reading this is a step in the right direction to a healthy lifestyle. These trackers won’t do the work for you, but they can at least take the “I can’t even tell if it’s working,” doubts that a lot of us having about our progress. When you can see your results paying off in the numbers and how you’re improving week to week, you’ll be more inspired than ever to crush the hell out of your fitness goals.
1 of 27 20th Century Fox Television; Columbia/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock; John P. Johnson/HBO
True Blood premiered on September 7, 2008, and in honor of the show’s 10-year anniversary, we’re taking a look back at all of the sexy beasts in Hollywood.
Advertisement
<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="scott-howard-teen-wolf" data-slide-index="2" data-headline="Scott Howard (Teen Wolf)” readability=”7″>
<div class="component lazy-image lazy
no-upscale
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/sija053_ec110.jpg" data-alt="Michael J. Fox starred as the titular Teen Wolf in the first film (Jason Bateman played the hairy teen in the sequel). Who wouldn’t be attracted to someone that good at basketball?
" data-title="Scott Howard (Teen Wolf)” data-shop-image=”false”>
2 of 27 Everett Collection
Scott Howard (Teen Wolf)
Michael J. Fox starred as the titular Teen Wolf in the first film (Jason Bateman played the hairy teen in the sequel). Who wouldn’t be attracted to someone that good at basketball?
<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="remus-lupin-harry-potter-series" data-slide-index="3" data-headline="Remus Lupin (Harry Potter series)” readability=”7″>
<div class="component lazy-image lazy
no-upscale
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/c167-22.jpg" data-alt="David Thewlis’s werewolf teacher from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was hot enough that we’d voluntarily spend time in detention with him.
" data-title="Remus Lupin (Harry Potter series)” data-shop-image=”false”>
3 of 27 Murray Close/Warner Bros.
Remus Lupin (Harry Potter series)
David Thewlis’s werewolf teacher from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was hot enough that we’d voluntarily spend time in detention with him.
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/df-14011.jpg" data-alt="Who cares if he sparkles in the sun? Robert Pattinson defined “heartthrob” even if his heart didn’t actually, you know, beat.
" data-title="Edward (Twilight)” data-shop-image=”false”>
7 of 27 Kimberley French/Summit
Edward (Twilight)
Who cares if he sparkles in the sun? Robert Pattinson defined “heartthrob” even if his heart didn’t actually, you know, beat.
We weren’t going to forget #TeamJacob. Taylor Lautner’s protective, loving werewolf would have made a great match for Bella, if you forget the whole “falling in love with her infant child” thing.
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<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="elena-the-vampire-diaries" data-slide-index="9" data-headline="Elena (The Vampire Diaries)” readability=”7″>
<div class="component lazy-image lazy
no-upscale
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/nina-tvd.jpg" data-alt="Elena does become a vampire, even if she also becomes human again, so she definitely counts.
" data-title="Elena (The Vampire Diaries)” data-shop-image=”false”>
9 of 27 Tina Rowden/The CW
Elena (The Vampire Diaries)
Elena does become a vampire, even if she also becomes human again, so she definitely counts.
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/pennydreadful_201_2736-r.jpg" data-alt="Look, he’s made of decomposing corpses so he’s not perfect. But Frankenstein’s monster (Rory Kinnear) has that pale skin and dark hair of a Byronic hero, plus he loves poetry.
" data-title="The Creature (Penny Dreadful)” data-shop-image=”false”>
10 of 27 Jonathan Hession/Showtime
The Creature (Penny Dreadful)
Look, he’s made of decomposing corpses so he’s not perfect. But Frankenstein’s monster (Rory Kinnear) has that pale skin and dark hair of a Byronic hero, plus he loves poetry.
Advertisement
<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="spike-buffy-the-vampire-slayer" data-slide-index="11" data-headline="Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)” readability=”7″>
<div class="component lazy-image lazy
no-upscale
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/t8dbuth_fe001_h.jpg" data-alt="The ultimate bad boy with a heart of gold. Only James Marsters could pull off that bleached blonde look. The British accent probably helped.
" data-title="Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)” data-shop-image=”false”>
11 of 27 Everett Collection
Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
The ultimate bad boy with a heart of gold. Only James Marsters could pull off that bleached blonde look. The British accent probably helped.
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<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="elijah-the-vampire-diaries" data-slide-index="12" data-headline="Elijah (The Vampire Diaries)” readability=”7″>
<div class="component lazy-image lazy
no-upscale
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/vd208b_0273b.jpg" data-alt="Unpopular opinion: Elijah (Daniel Gillies) is… hotter than Damon. No, really, think about it. Elijah looks like someone you could actually spend a nice Saturday afternoon having a picnic with without fear of being impaled by a jawline.
" data-title="Elijah (The Vampire Diaries)” data-shop-image=”false”>
12 of 27 Quantrell Colbert/The CW
Elijah (The Vampire Diaries)
Unpopular opinion: Elijah (Daniel Gillies) is… hotter than Damon. No, really, think about it. Elijah looks like someone you could actually spend a nice Saturday afternoon having a picnic with without fear of being impaled by a jawline.
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/fn-112.jpg" data-alt="Colin Farrell played the dangerous neighbor with a deadly secret in the 2011 remake of Fright Night, and he looked good doing it.
" data-title="Jerry Dandrige (Fright Night, 2011)” data-shop-image=”false”>
13 of 27 Lorey Sebastian/DreamWorks
Jerry Dandrige (Fright Night, 2011)
Colin Farrell played the dangerous neighbor with a deadly secret in the 2011 remake of Fright Night, and he looked good doing it.
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/jb-028.jpg" data-alt="Megan Fox starred in the criminally underappreciated Diablo Cody satire about a high school girl who becomes a literal man-eater.
" data-title="Jennifer (Jennifer’s Body)” data-shop-image=”false”>
14 of 27 Doane Gregory/Fox
Jennifer (Jennifer’s Body)
Megan Fox starred in the criminally underappreciated Diablo Cody satire about a high school girl who becomes a literal man-eater.
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/msdbeet_ec007_h.jpg" data-alt="With the plaid shirt and wire-rim glasses, Alec Baldwin’s Adam Maitland looks like he could totally be a modern-day Brooklyn hunk. Plus, look at that peek of chest hair. And he’s total dad-material.
" data-title="Adam Maitland (Beetlejuice)” data-shop-image=”false”>
19 of 27 Everett Collection
Adam Maitland (Beetlejuice)
With the plaid shirt and wire-rim glasses, Alec Baldwin’s Adam Maitland looks like he could totally be a modern-day Brooklyn hunk. Plus, look at that peek of chest hair. And he’s total dad-material.
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/htra223_vv187_h.jpg" data-alt="Sure, the side effects for immortality are going to hit eventually, but until then, Meryl’s narcissistic actress Madeline has looks to kill for.
" data-title="Madeline Ashton (Death Becomes Her)” data-shop-image=”false”>
20 of 27 Everett Collection
Madeline Ashton (Death Becomes Her)
Sure, the side effects for immortality are going to hit eventually, but until then, Meryl’s narcissistic actress Madeline has looks to kill for.
Advertisement
<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="damon-the-vampire-diaries" data-slide-index="21" data-headline="Damon (The Vampire Diaries)” readability=”7″>
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/tcdpedr_ec101.jpg" data-alt="There’s a reason everyone who meets her falls in love with her. Billie Piper’s Lily is smart, calculating, seductive and fully gorgeous, even if she’s a resurrected corpse.
" data-title="Lily Frankenstein (Penny Dreadful)” data-shop-image=”false”>
22 of 27 Everett Collection
Lily Frankenstein (Penny Dreadful)
There’s a reason everyone who meets her falls in love with her. Billie Piper’s Lily is smart, calculating, seductive and fully gorgeous, even if she’s a resurrected corpse.
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/000118236hr.jpg" data-alt="The ultimate zombie with a heart of gold, we’d let Nicholas Hoult play Romeo to our Juliet any day of the week, alive or dead.
" data-title="R (Warm Bodies)” data-shop-image=”false”>
24 of 27 Jonathan Wenk/Summit Entertainment
R (Warm Bodies)
The ultimate zombie with a heart of gold, we’d let Nicholas Hoult play Romeo to our Juliet any day of the week, alive or dead.
Advertisement
<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="jack-skellington-the-nightmare-before-christmas" data-slide-index="25" data-headline="Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)“>
<div class="component lazy-image lazy
no-upscale
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/000114772hr.jpg" data-alt="Impossible to deny: the Pumpkin King has BDE. Maybe it’s his confidence, or his moments of introspection, or the childlike way he goes after what he wants. Or maybe it’s just that he’s super tall. Even if Sally deserves better, Jack is still hot.
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25 of 27 Disney
Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
Impossible to deny: the Pumpkin King has BDE. Maybe it’s his confidence, or his moments of introspection, or the childlike way he goes after what he wants. Or maybe it’s just that he’s super tall. Even if Sally deserves better, Jack is still hot.
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<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="the-beast-beauty-and-the-beast" data-slide-index="26" data-headline="The Beast (Beauty and the Beast)“>
Don’t @ us, but he’s hotter as a beast than he is as a human.
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<div class="vertical-slide" data-hash="the-fish-monster-the-shape-of-water" data-slide-index="27" data-headline="The fish monster (The Shape of Water)“>
<div class="component lazy-image lazy
no-upscale
" data-src="https://ewedit.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/shapeofwater.jpg" data-alt="You saw his abs right? And thanks to a helpful demonstration, we know that his goods are also there.
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27 of 27 Fox Searchlight
The fish monster (The Shape of Water)
You saw his abs right? And thanks to a helpful demonstration, we know that his goods are also there.
WASHINGTON – Previewing his midterm campaign message, former President Barack Obama kicked off a speech on Friday by directly speaking about President Donald Trump and telling college students they are coming of age during a time when the powerful and privileged are pushing back on America’s ideals.
“It did not start with Donald Trump,” Obama said at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “He is a symptom, not the cause. He’s just capitalizing on resentments that politicians have been fanning for years.”
Obama warned of the consequences of voter apathy.
“As a fellow citizen, not as an ex-president, I’m here to deliver a simple message and that is that you need to vote because our democracy depends on it,” he said.
Obama said it’s not an exaggeration to say the midterm elections are the most important in his lifetime.
“Just a glance at recent headlines should tell you this moment really is different, the stakes really are higher, the consequences of any of us sitting on the sidelines are more dire,” he said.
Obama is speaking to a packed auditorium with an audience of about 1,100 students, faculty and community members.
After his remarks, Obama will be presented the Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government in a ceremony at the university president’s residence on campus.
The speech comes ahead of his first midterm campaign events, beginning Saturday, in the political battleground of Orange County, Calif., where he will stump for several Democratic House candidates.
“Democrats need all hands on deck to take back the House, and we could not be more honored to have President Barack Obama’s inspirational voice and unifying message on the campaign trail, with his first stop in Southern California,” Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Steve Stivers said Friday that Obama’s campaign events will help Republicans.
“For three cycles President Obama fired up Republicans like nobody and I’m happy if he wants to do it again,” he said at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast in Washington.
Obama will head to Cleveland on Sept. 13 to campaign for Ohio Democratic gubernatorial nominee Richard Cordray. He will also campaign this month in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and will headline a fundraiser for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee in New York City.
Last month, Obama released a first round of endorsements – 81 candidates up and down the ballot – and there will be a second round of endorsements and additional campaign activity in advance of the midterms, according to his office.
Katie Hill, Obama’s communications director, said Obama hopes to use his standing across the country to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
Obama’s re-emergence comes as both parties are girding for a November election widely seen as a referendum on President Donald Trump. The outcome will decide control of Congress and three dozen gubernatorial contests.
Analysts say Obama’s post-presidential star status among Democrats will help drive turnout among African-American, Latino and young voters in key suburban House districts and cities. They also said he is better positioned than almost anyone else in the party to raise huge amounts of campaign cash.
Obama left office with a 57 percent approval rating, and like most presidents, his standing has only improved since departing the West Wing. More than six in 10 respondents to a Gallup poll released in February said they approved of the way Obama handled the job.
“My father taught me that voting is a sacred responsibility, one that none of us can take for granted,” she tweeted last month. “And #WhenWeAllVote, we can make our voices heard.”
My father taught me that voting is a sacred responsibility, one that none of us can take for granted. And #WhenWeAllVote, we can make our voices heard.
Hurricane Florence weakened to a tropical storm overnight but continues to creep closer to the United States is expected to regain strength as it nears the East Coast. USA TODAY
Florence, which weakened to a tropical storm overnight, is forecast to restrengthen back into a major hurricane as it approaches the U.S. East Coast next week.
Where and when it might strike remains a mystery.
The storm is almost 1,600 miles from the Outer Banks of North Carolina and is still as much as a week away from a potential U.S. landfall, according to the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center.
As of 11 a.m. ET Friday, Florence had winds of 65 mph and was moving to the west at 8 mph. The storm’s center was located about 935 miles east-southeast of Bermuda.
After the current weakening trend, it’s forecast to restrengthen into a powerful Category 4 hurricane with 130 mph winds as it nears the United States.
“Regardless of Florence’s eventual track, large swells will begin to affect Bermuda later today and portions of the U.S. East Coast this weekend, resulting in life-threatening surf and rip currents,” the hurricane center said Friday morning.
It is too soon to determine what, if any, other impacts Florence could have on the U.S. East Coast next week, the hurricane center added.
However, a pair of top computer models from the United States and Europe both indicate a major hurricane landfall in the Carolinas next week, said weather.us meteorologist Ryan Maue.
AccuWeather meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said that “while it is too early to change plans, all interests in Bermuda and along the East Coast of the U.S. should closely monitor the movement of Florence over this weekend and next week.”
If the storm did hit the U.S., it would be an unprecedented event: Since 1851, 33 named storms have been within 100 miles of Florence’s current position, and none of these storms made U.S. landfall, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach.
He added that Florence does not appear to be taking a track similar to any historical hurricanes.
Beyond Florence, two other systems are gathering strength in the Atlantic Ocean. Both are forecast to become named tropical storms or hurricanes within the next two days, the hurricane center predicts. The next two names on the list are Helene and Isaac.
“With so much focus on Florence, great attention should be made for potential Helene over the coming days,” said Weather Network meteorologist Erin Wenckstern. She added that a hurricane landfall is possible for the Lesser Antilles, an island chain in the Caribbean.
In the Pacific Ocean, while Tropical Storm Norman is not expected to hit Hawaii, Hurricane Olivia could hit the islands next week, potentially as a tropical storm, the hurricane center said.
Towards the end of last season, the editor of Football Focus received an email from a viewer saying they had seen me on TV and noticed I had a bit of dark skin on the left side of my face.
Their message was I needed to get rid of it, or at least get it checked out urgently.
I was already aware of the blemish and was planning to get an appointment about it but, like a typical 60-year-old bloke, I had been putting it off rather than sorting it out.
I would urge anyone with any similar doubts about a mark on their skin not to wait, and to do the same.
People can be very stubborn and ignorant, thinking ‘well it is not going to happen to me’, but of course it does.
I never found out who the viewer was who contacted the show, but we are trying to track them down now.
I would love to be able to get in touch to thank them, and hopefully this article will help that to happen.
‘Waiting to see if it had spread was the worst part’
When the viewer’s email was passed on to me, I immediately went to my medical centre to tell them and I got to see a specialist that day.
He had a look at the blemish through the special instrument they use and said he needed to send me to Ormskirk Hospital to get it taken out.
I had that operation at the start of June. The guy at Ormskirk who did it, a Mr Boyle, joked he was in a bit of a rush because he was going to see the Rolling Stones at Old Trafford that night, so there was no messing around.
He was in, done, and had sewn me up in a matter of minutes and what he took out was sent away to be tested.
You get the news a few weeks later. I looked at the woman who told me and thought, ‘is it malignant or benign that I want?’
She kind of read my thoughts and said: “Mark, you want benign but you have got malignant – but don’t worry about it.”
That is when I got sent to Whiston Hospital for another operation in August, and the specialist – Mrs Harper-Machin – told me she would have a good root around and check my lymph nodes, which are like the conductors of your body, to see if it had spread.
That was the worst bit because you have to wait for about a month to find out but, in all honesty, I was just thinking that, whatever the outcome, I could not change it.
The people who knew what was going on said I seemed very cool and calm about it but I kept saying that until I knew what was happening, I couldn’t do anything about it.
‘It was hard to decide what to tell my children’
I carried on working as normal over the summer, firstly at the World Cup in Russia, and then since the start of the new season. I have not done anything differently since that first diagnosis.
My scar, which is fading away every day, was very prominent in the first couple of weeks because of the glue that Mrs Harper-Machin had put on the dissolving stitches.
I have had two bits of plastic surgery done, but the problem is they are both on the same side of my face. I asked if I could have the other side done as well, to give that a bit of a tuck, but unfortunately they couldn’t arrange it.
People were asking me what I had done and you cannot really say it is nothing because it looked like I had been in some kind of brawl.
But I did not make it news for everyone. The hardest decision was what to tell my children – my son Sam, who has just turned 19, and my daughter Ruby, who is 15.
As soon as you mention the word ‘cancer’ then that is obviously very frightening for them so I had to decide what information I gave them as things developed.
An agent I know rang me at one point and said he had somebody on from a national newspaper, saying they had been told I had a brain tumour.
But I said ‘no, I have not quite gone down that road yet’ and I am pleased that I have been able to tell the story about what has happened myself.
‘I was looked after by a Liverpool fan and an Irishwoman’
Waiting for the verdict was like having the Sword of Damocles hanging over my head, until I went in on Wednesday to get the results.
I have been in that situation before, when my sister Lisa was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in 2003, and I expected the worst when I walked into the room.
Mrs Harper-Machin started by saying ‘it’s good news’, which is all I wanted to hear.
Then she was explaining what they had done and all of that, but I was not listening – she could have said that I owed her a couple of million pounds and I would not have been bothered because I had the news I wanted.
I tweeted about it on Thursday because they were brilliant to me in Ormskirk and Whiston hospitals. If I had gone private, I could not have had better care.
I have had my heart, blood pressure, everything all checked out. As one of the nurses, a little Scouser, said to me: ‘Hey, you’re having an MOT mate – look on the bright side.’
Mark Lawrenson thanked those who had cared for him, after having a cancerous blemish removed from his face
It was strange who ended up looking after me too.
Mr Boyle is a Liverpool supporter and a massive Kenny Dalglish fan, so I was thinking ‘he is not going to slice me too badly, is he?’
And Mrs Harper-Machin is Irish, so she was always going to look after me too.
I was thinking at the time that could this be the man upstairs saying to me: “You’ll be all right – I’ve got a Liverpool fan and an Irishwoman to sort you out.”
I really appreciate all the messages I have had since I put that tweet out, from ex-team-mates to colleagues and further afield.
To be honest I have never had such a positive response from the Twitterati before – even from Everton and Manchester United supporters – but I know it will probably only last until my next set of predictions go out.
Mark Lawrenson was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
Patrons of a Los Angeles Drybar salon received a big surprise when Ellen DeGeneres and Cher took over the reins as beauticians.
The two kicked off their outing as hairstylists by turning up at the salon unannounced (and sporting chef’s aprons) much to the shrieking delight of guests.
As Cher begins working on a woman’s hair, DeGeneres flips through a book of the singer’s wildest looks and teases that she should emulate her. It isn’t long before the pair proves comically inept at providing beauty treatments.
Somewhere between weaponizing blow dryers and exchanging raunchy jokes, the two manage to pull off some unconventional makeovers.
The segment was part of a special, hour-long interview the music icon filmed for TheEllen DeGeneres Show.
During the candid sit-down, Cher discussed her turn in the recent smash Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, which marked her first on-screen role since 2010’s Burlesque, and how it almost never happened.
“I almost turn everything down,” she said before revealing Ron Meyer, vice chairman of NBCUniversal, and her former agent essentially accepted the role on her behalf.
“He called me and said, ‘This is good for your career, you’re doing Mamma Mia 2’ and hung up,” Cher recalled.
During the segment, Cher performed “SOS,” a track which appears on her forthcoming album of ABBA covers Dancing Queen.
Despite having a farewell tour 15 years ago, she is set to go back on the road for a series of new shows in Australia and New Zealand at the end of September. And during the interview, the star announced the tour will include dates in the U.S.
WARNING: Video contains graphic language. Youth coach Charlie Rogers threatens an 11 year old player in a profanity laced voicemail to a parent Stephen Edelson and Ryan Ross, Asbury Park Press
Just hours after a USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey report disclosed a profanity-laden voicemail by former NFL player Charlie Rogers to the parent of an 11-year-old youth football player, St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel fired him as its offensive coordinator on Thursday.
St. John Vianney president Joseph Deroba confirmed the move on Friday morning.
“We have parted ways,” DeRoba said, declining to make further comment on the matter.
Rogers, 42, left the 44-second voicemail message on Aug. 25 for Chris Schuster, whose son left Matawan American Youth Football, where Rogers is a coach, to play for the East Brunswick-based Saint Bart’s Buffalos. At one point, Rogers declares, “we are going to blitz every (expletive) play until your guy comes out of the game.”
St. John Vianney, which lost its season-opening game to Red Bank Catholic with Rogers on the sideline plays at Rumson-Fair Haven on Friday at 7 p.m.
The Jersey Shore AYF, of which Matawan and Saint Barts are members, had a hearing concerning Rogers on Thursday night, although it is unknown if any action was taken by the league.
A statement released by Jersey Shore AYF states: “NJ AYF will be following its bylaws and policy and proceures to the letter of the law. From our bylaws, 2.8.3 reads `Hearings, rights of the accused: Franchises or persons charged with violations of these titles shall be presumed innocent until such time as a finding against them. All evidence, testimony or information arrising out of a hearing is confidential and is not to be divulged to the public.’ ”
Rogers is still listed as a coach on the Matawan AYF website. Matawan and Saint Bart’s are scheduled to play on Oct. 7.
Rogers, who played for and coached under current St. John Vainney head coach Joe Martucci at Matawan High School, played five seasons as a return specialist in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. Martucci is on the board of directors of the Matawan AYF.
St. John Vianney released a statement on Thursday, although it did not mention Rogers specifically.
The statement read: “Saint John Vianney High School strives to provide a positive and encouraging environment for all of its students, parents, and staff members, in keeping with all aspects of its school mission. The administration always acts decisively to protect the best interest of its stakeholders.”
In the voicemail message, which you can listen to by clicking on the video at the top of this story, Rogers says: “Hey Chris, this is coach Charlie, dog. I’m telling you right now, today in the summertime before we’ve even started a game yet, right, we are going to blitz every (expletive) play until your guy comes out the game. So don’t bring him to the game.
“You know I’m pissed off about this (expletive) right here. And I’m telling you, I swear to God, we are going to blitz, we don’t care if we give up a badge or not, we’re blitzing everybody. We are blitzing every single (expletive) play. And (inaudible) that it’s a bad (expletive) move, and I don’t like it, and it’s a stupid move and we are going to blitz every single (expletive) play. Hang that (expletive) up, Hill … every play!”
Stephen Edelson: sedelson@gannettnj.com; @SteveEdelsonAPP
heart rate technology is also notable to track workout intensity, with a colorful gauge that lets you know your rate in real time to let you know if anything wonky is up.
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