Vicki Denton, who on vacation to Orlando from Ohio, perused items in the gift shop at Hollywood Studios when the alleged incident occurred in 2016.
A woman who contends she was injured after being run over by another Walt Disney World visitor on a motorized scooter at the theme park has filed a lawsuit against the company.
While on vacation from Ohio, Vicki Denton perused items in a Hollywood Studios’ gift shop when the alleged incident occured in 2016, the lawsuit said.
The action, filed earlier this month against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts in Orange Circuit Court, is seeking more than $15,000 in damages.
The woman on the scooter tried to go in reverse but mistakenly moved forward instead. She hit Denton, pinning her against a checkout counter, and Denton fell over the scooter, said her Orlando attorney Michael Sanchez.
Denton was taken to the hospital, said Sanchez, who declined to release details about her injuries, although the lawsuit said they were permanent in nature.
He pointed to a 2015 lawsuit filed by his Orlando firm where a visitor was allegedly hit by a scooter in the line for Magic Kingdom’s Splash Mountain ride in 2013. The alleged incident broke the man’s femur, the lawsuit said. It is still pending.
In response, Disney released a statement saying, “Both of these lawsuits center on incidents from several years ago between guests, and both involved personally owned motorized scooters. We will respond to the allegations as appropriate in court.
“Our focus is on providing a safe environment for our guests and cast members,” the statement added.


Islamabad: Effective tourism strategies can contribute a lot to strengthen Pakistan’s economy and improve its international image and the key industry players are taking steps for it.
This was stated by CEO of the Serena Hotels for South and Central Asia Aziz Boolani ahead of the Pakistan Travel Mart (PTM) slated to take place from October 2 to 4 at the Expo Centre, Karachi.
The event is a travel and tourism expo meant to connect all stakeholders of mobility in Pakistan including travel, tourism and hospitality. It will offer visitors an opportunity to explore various options related to travel and lodging facilities and introduction to hotel properties.
Aziz Boolani said the Serena Hotels would participate in the PTM to promote tourism, demonstrate the award-winning services and facilities at their properties and showcase the incredible natural beauty and heritage venues across Pakistan.
He lauded the PTM initiative saying it will help realise the immense tourism potential of Pakistan by bringing together all stakeholders, including airlines, tour operators, travel agencies, technology partners and government officials.
“Pakistan is blessed with numerous tourist attractions, from civilisations of antiquity, unique heritage, diverse topography from mountains to beaches and religious sites. We need to project the right image of the country to the outside world and at the same time the Government needs to improve the basic infrastructure including the road network, water and sanitation, safety and security," he said.
Aziz Boolani said the tourism sector had the potential to become the main economic driver for the country as was the case for many countries.


Buddhadev had written a strong letter of protest to Manmohan Singh objecting to Mulford's behaviour.
Taking serious exception to US Ambassador David Mulford writing directly to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee for his remarks against the American President, the CPI-M on Friday said the party expected a response from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
"The US ambassador does not seem to understand how to behave in this country. An ambassador has to behave according to certain norms," CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters at the end of the two-day politburo meeting of the party in Kolkata.
In a letter, Mulford had objected to the Chief Minister's description of US President George Bush as a leader of the "most organised pack of killers" at an election rally in Kolkata on January 8.
Mulford had also said such remarks would be detrimental, especially in inviting US investors to West Bengal.
Karat said the CPI-M had earlier demanded Mulford's recall following his comment on the Left parties' stand on FDI in retail trade.
He said the ambassador had no business to write to the chief minister directly.
Bhattacharjee, he said, had written a strong letter of protest to Manmohan Singh objecting to Mulford's behaviour.
"The Prime Minister has got the chief minister's letter by now. We expect a response from him," Karat said.


Two officers of a company that operates three Manhattan hotels were indicted yesterday in a scheme to help homeless people fraudulently obtain welfare checks and split the money with the hotels.
District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau of Manhattan, who announced the indictments, said they resulted from a study of the three hotels announced last December by the city. He said his office was delayed in moving more quickly on the case because of difficulty in finding the welfare recipients involved in the purported scam.
Although the investigation found that each of the hotels was receiving about twice as many welfare checks as it had occupied rooms, Mr. Morgenthau said the difficulty in tracking down homeless people believed to be involved in the purported scam resulted only in charges involving the Barbour. None of the 10 welfare recipients who were located in the search were charged because they are aiding the prosecution by giving testimony, officials said.
City welfare regulations require a person to provide a rent receipt to qualify for welfare, but officials at the city's Human Resources Administration said welfare recipients have never been formally referred by the agency to any of the three hotels.
Indicted yesterday were the vice president of the operating company, Zisla Nikelsberg, 49 years old, of Brooklyn, and the secretary, Larry Heller, 27, of Staten Island. Both were charged with second-degree grand larceny and could face up to seven years in prison. The Hotel Barbour Operating Company was also charged with grand larceny. It faces a fine of up to $24,000 if convicted.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty yesterday in State Supreme Court in Manhattan before Justice Harold J. Rothwax and were released on their own recognizance, pending a hearing on May 14.


In their first game since dropping out of the top five, the Irish delivered a redemption performance against Boston College, picking up a 50-point win over the Eagles while simultaneously moving one step closer to cementing Arike Ogunbowale’s legacy, as the senior guard passed current associate coach Beth Cunningham on the list of all-time scorers in the program.
No. 6 Notre Dame (23-2, 10-2 ACC) wasted no time in the opening quarter, taking an 8-0 lead in the first 1:21. However, the Eagles (14-11, 3-9) responded with back-to-back layups to cut the deficit in half before senior forward Jessica Shepard poured in four points of her own as well as a steal to spark another Irish run. With two minutes left in the quarter, Boston College knocked down four-straight free throws and a jumper to bring the deficit within single digits. While the second quarter proved to be more of the same, as the Irish outscored the Eagles 29-11, the real show came after halftime, when the Irish found their offensive rhythm, recording 37 points, while maintaining lockdown defense to hold Boston College to seven points in the quarter. Irish head coach Muffet McGraw liked how her team was able to energize the offense through opportunities in transition.
Irish senior guard Arike Ogunbowale dribbles down the court during Notre Dame’s 97-70 win over Florida State on Feb. 10 at Purcell Pavilion.
Returning to the court, the Eagles did their best to match the Irish, who outscored them 9-5 in the first three minutes. However, the real damage came in the remaining seven minutes, as Ogunbowale and co. went on a 26-2 run. This offensive performance saw all five starters contribute, as well as freshman guard Abby Prohaska. The reserve guard stepped up in the absence of fellow rookie guard Jordan Nixon, who injured her hamstring during warmups. Prohaska finished with four points, two rebounds and two steals.
McGraw credited this impressive performance in part due to the absence of Boston College junior starting guard Taylor Ortlepp, who was out of the lineup with an ankle injury. Although Ortlepp only contributed three points in the Eagle’s 29-point loss to the Irish on Jan. 20, she has proven to be a solid leader, averaging 11.6 points per game to go along with her 35.6 percent shooting from long range.
Having built a 59-point lead, the Irish lost some of their momentum in the final frame, allowing 18 points — as many as they did in the entire first half combined. However, it did show glimmers of what’s to come for the Irish in the years ahead, most notably in the form of Prohaska and sophomore forward Danielle Patterson, who tallied six points, seven rebounds — four of which were offensive — and a steal on the night. All five starters finished in double digits, led by Ogunbowale’s 23 to go along with her seven assists and three steals, all while only committing two turnovers. Those 23 points brought her career-total to 2,324, just 34 points short of passing 2013 graduate Skylar Diggins-Smith.
McGraw didn’t seem surprised by this achievement, saying it wasn’t even on their radar when Ogunbowale returned at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
With only four games remaining in the regular season, the Irish will take the weekend off before heading on a road trip to Raleigh, North Carolina, to take on No. 12 North Carolina State on Monday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.


DPR members Jim Ragsdale, Diane Kane, Angeles Liera and pro tem chair Mike Costello discuss condo conversion projects.
During the Jan. 10 meeting of the La Jolla Development Permit Review committee (DPR), board members voted unanimously to form a research subcommittee that will look into the consequences of condo conversion in the neighborhoods south of Pearl Street.
“The issue with the condo conversions in this particular neighborhood is that you’ve got two units on a lot and the proposals we’re getting are essentially lot-splits that put an imaginary line across the lot, making two smaller lots that don’t comply with what is zoned in the code for that area,” said board member Diane Kane during her presentation on the topic.
In the past year, DPR members have reviewed three condo conversions of existing dwelling units, two of them in the area south of Pearl Street (7432-7436 Fay Ave. and 7435-7437 Eads Ave.) and a third in WindanSea, the second area where trustees have identified the problem (247-249 Kolmar St.). A fourth condo conversion heard by the board in the last 12 months was a map waiver for 7569-7571 Hershel Ave. (just north of Pearl), a three-apartment building under construction at the time, with which trustees had no problems.
The 7435-7437 Eads Ave. map waiver project received DPR’s approval in December, but it was pulled from the La Jolla Community Planning Association’s agenda and it will be heard in full review 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2 at the Rec Center, 615 Prospect St.
Applicants Sarah Horton and Tim Golba explain the details of the Caplan Residence project to DPR members.
“The question I asked is why these were condo conversions and not a lot-splits,” Kane continued, adding the answer is that the lots in question are 5,000 square feet, and the minimum size for a lot in the zone is 3,000 square feet, so they can’t be split in two.
Kane said she has concerns about the applicability of the condo conversion map waiver in these cases. “This planning tool is totally legitimate for single buildings, multi-unit apartment buildings that are being turned into condos or for larger multi-family units where you have common area. But when you only have two units on a lot, and they are separate, and they share no property in common, it doesn’t seem to meet the requirements for a condo. So, why is the City allowing the condo conversion process to be used for this particular situation?” she elaborated.
The City has mechanisms in place to keep affordable housing within the Coastal Zone, but those can be waived by a contribution of an in-lieu fee to the San Diego Housing Trust Fund, and most developers in La Jolla pay rather than give up units for low- or medium-income families.
With the added concern of residents, DPR members agreed that something has to be done to better serve the community when reviewing condo conversion projects. Trustee Liera proposed perusing the San Diego Municipal Code for requirements “dangling around” in different sections and making a checklist for applicants, so they’d know what to bring in when they present to DPR.
The committee unanimously approved a motion to form a condo-conversion research subcommittee whose ad-hoc members are trustees Kane, Liera and Brian Will. The issue will be discussed further in upcoming DPR meetings.
Architect Tim Golba’s presentation about a demolition and construction of a 4,302-square-foot, two-story single-family residence at 1418 Park Row received unanimous approval from DPR. After a preliminary review on Dec. 20, the applicant granted some of the committee’s requests, such as replacing the rooftop stucco band for a rail, lowering the front fence to three feet tall, redoing the driveway and adding glass to the garage door.
— DPR next meets 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14 at the La Jolla Rec Center, 615 Prospect St.


Everybody knows the parable of the man who built his house on sand. When the storm came, all his hard work and investment was washed away.
If the gospel were being written today, perhaps it would be called the parable of the man who built his house on riparian land.
The images we have seen of expensive buildings being knocked down and cleared away are certainly shocking. It seems such a waste.
And of course, in the parable, it is slightly different, for it is the forces of nature that come and wash away the man’s house, not the forces of some government agency as has been seen in recent times.
Couldn’t they be made to pay a fine instead? Couldn’t the building be repossessed or nationalised? Could this situation have been avoided?
Well, perhaps. The truth is that this situation could have been avoided - by not building on riparian land without permission.
It’s as simple as that. No one just starts building without some sort of plan.
Now the Government has shown us very clearly that plans have to be legal, or they won't be very good plans.
It is indeed a pity to destroy perfectly good buildings. But destroying them is the simplest way to enforce the rule of law and make sure illegal constructions do not happen again.
People need to know that when they break the law, it will cost them more time and money in the long run.
The parable of the man who built his house on sand is designed to make you think about the difference between making sure you have the right foundations in place and simply taking shortcuts through life.
Some of these enthusiastic riparian land builders would do well to read it.
People who built without the correct permissions were taking shortcuts and building on poor foundations.
And that is the reason their buildings are now tumbling down, one after the other. They have only themselves to blame.
Sometimes in emergencies, you just have to get on with whatever needs doing, whether you have the paperwork or not.
But when it is just a case of chasing profits or saving a bit of time, I’m sorry; you either follow the rules or don’t complain when your house comes crashing down.
The State is there to be the rock on which citizens build. And whenever you cheat it, you turn it into sand. We should endeavour to make the State a gift that every generation receives from their elders.
To do that, we need to make sure that the State is a rock we can rely on. And that is why the illegal buildings needed to come down.
This parable about building a house is not just true for a literal house or a dream or a project, but it is even more true for building our Government and public institutions.
For many people, particularly the young, we think of these institutions as already fixed, and more dead than alive. But the truth is, our public institutions are made of people. People who are alive, People like you and me.
And therefore they are fluid and always capable of change and progress, and adapting to new ways of thinking and living. But for this to happen we need to be engaged citizens and to hold them to account.
We have a unique chance right now in the war on graft. Public opinion is strongly in favour of the anti-corruption drive that President Uhuru Kenyatta has pursued. But the moment will pass.
We need to make the most of this moment of goodwill and public attention to put the foundations in place and make sure that we are building on a solid basis for the future, no matter who is in power.
We have a moment right now to get behind reforms to make sure that this cleansing of certain corrupt individuals is not just a surface pruning that allows the graft to grow back even stronger next year.
We need to make sure the structures are in place so that zero-corruption becomes the norm, the expectation and the easy route for everyone in public life because that is the number one route to improving our economy and making our country live up to its full potential.


The rules in soccer are pretty clear-cut: When a player removes his shirt during a goal celebration, it is an automatic yellow card. The rationale is that doing so is considered "unsporting behavior.
But what about when a player removes his shirt to reveal a touching tribute for a lost loved one?
Guilherme Biteco, an attacking midfielder for Parana, lost his brother Matheus in the Chapecoense plane crash last year. So when he scored this weekend, he wanted to pay tribute to his brother.
Its an incredibly emotional moment as Biteco sobs and displays pictures of his slain brother but the referee followed the letter of the law and booked the player for the display.
Its not exactly a banner moment for the world of soccer refereeing, but its something that comes up time and time again. Who can forget Edinson Cavani being yellow-carded for a tribute for Chapecoense only days after the crash?
Referees should learn or be allowed to acknowledge the difference between the spirit of the law and the letter of the law. But until that happens, we'll see more harsh yellow cards like this one.


Unfortunately, Sir James Robertson’s plan succeeded partly because leading southern politicians, especially Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, failed to put in abeyance their personal egos and radioactive Igbo-versus-Yoruba rivalry in order to present a united front against Robertson and Balewa. That said, as Premiers of their respective regions, Dr. Azikiwe, Chief Awolowo and Alhaji Ahmadu Bello (whose tenure as Premier of the northern region was tragically terminated during the first military coup in January 15, 1966) performed creditably by implementing programmes that benefitted a significant percentage of the population.
But Azikiwe and Awolowo were by far more attuned to the institution of democracy than the jihadist-oriented Sardauna because of their exposure to solid western education and secular democratic values, whereas Ahmadu Bello was hampered by his limited academic credentials, serious educational disadvantage of the northern region generally as well as by his fixation to outdated Islamic weltanschauung and way of life.
Indeed, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the most powerful northern politician of the First Republic, never really believed in the concept of a united democratic Nigeria. He single-mindedly pursued a northernisation agenda such that that he preferred filling vacant positions in the northern region’s civil service and educational institutions where qualified northerners were unavailable with foreigners on contract basis rather than employ southerners, particularly the Igbo. His narrow negative triumphalist approach to nation-building is evident in an address he delivered to his caliphate constituency less than two weeks after independence. In it, Bello insisted vehemently that Nigeria “should be an estate of our great-grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo also articulated a rational philosophical roadmap for Nigeria. In projecting his vision of secular democracy for the country, Awolowo emphasised the pursuit of “…equal opportunities for every Nigerian; equality under the law; extermination of ethnic hegemony; dethronement of mediocrity wherever it exists; guaranteeing for every Nigerian no matter his place of birth or state of origin equal access to the good things of life.
We can succeed provided we allow ourselves to be guided by this great principle: ‘The glory of a ruler is the welfare of every one of his people.’ ” From the foregoing, it is evident that by amalgamating the predominantly Muslim population of northern Nigeria with the south where Christianity and western education had made tremendous impact on the various peoples there, the prospects of democracy were not encouraging. Historians of Nigerian politics tend to neglect the fact that Islam, the dominant religion of northerners, is fundamentally incompatible with democracy and human rights.
This point needs to be brought to limelight for a proper understanding of the challenges in entrenching viable democratic institutions and also the democratically aberrant dispositions of leading northern Muslim politicians since the creation of Nigeria as a geopolitical entity by Britain. Islam has never really favoured democratic tendencies, a fact King Fahd of Saudi Arabia frankly acknowledged some time ago when he affirmed that the democratic system is not suitable for the Muslim-dominated middle-east, that the system of free elections is not suitable for his country.
The political system the British met on ground in the northern region was the rustic emirate system in which politics and Islam were blended together to form a theocracy headed by the Sultan of Sokoto. In the south, particularly in the defunct eastern region sometimes misleadingly described as “acephalous,” most of the autochthonous communities had evolved some kind of Republican political systems anchored on key cultural groupings, whereas traditionally the Yoruba operated a kind of monarchical arrangement that had checks and balances alien to the emirate system in the north.
Now, for members of the core northern political establishment, the democratic doctrine of separation of religion and state is a western concept which has no legitimacy in the Holy Koran and sharia law. Additionally, pious Muslims believe strongly, as a matter of religious conviction, that legitimate authority comes from Allah alone, and the ruler derives his power from Allah and the holy law, not from the people. The individual owes absolute obedience to the ruler because of the divine right of kings. Hence, a typical northern politician cannot really genuinely espouse democratic values unless he or she pays lip service to or jettisons the totalitarian principles in the Holy Koran and sharia law.
As devout Muslims, Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa must have felt the essential tension generated by their commitment to Islam and the need to operate according to the requirements of democratic governance in a modern nation-state. It is in this light that one can understand why, at the initial stage, they were very reluctant to embrace the concept of democracy under the umbrella of “One Nigeria” and also why northern leaders regularly resorted to threats of secession during the constitutional conferences convened to fashion out an appropriate constitutional framework for post-colonial Nigeria.
Democracy is “government of the people, by the people and for the people,” which means that representatives of the citizens in both the executive and the legislature derive their legitimate authority from the people, not from a certain deity believed to exist whose commands believers must obey unquestioningly.
Therefore, although pioneer frontline Nigerian politicians inherited parliamentary democracy from Britain, that inheritance was deeply flawed partly because the British handed power over to the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), whose leaders, as devout Muslims, were wedded more to the rigidities and insularity of Islamic theocracy than to the tenets of modern democracy, unlike their Christian southern counterparts whose political outlook were shaped by a deep appreciation of democratic culture and values.
The implications flowing from the dissonance in political consciousness between Sir Ahmadu Bello and his cohorts in the north and Dr. Azikiwe and other leading southern politicians on the democratic trajectory of post-independent Nigeria are obvious. As we observed earlier, Dr. Azikiwe and Chief Awolowo envisaged for Nigeria a democratic political system or arrangement that would cater for the welfare of all Nigerians without discrimination; but their northern counterparts were more interested in replacing external British colonialism with a pernicious internal Fulani caliphate version by subjugating the middle-belt and the south. The antagonism between these contrasting political outlooks constitute both a remote and proximate cause of the political problems that led to the eventual collapse of the First Republic.
A plausible case can be made that British colonial administrators deliberately structured Nigeria, with the co-operation of the dominant northern political elite, to ensure that the north dominates the south after independence. That is why they configured the country lopsidedly such that the north constituted over two-thirds of Nigeria’s land mass. Henry Bretton in his work, Power and Stability in Nigeria: The Politics of Decolonisation, affirmed that “the very construction of the northern region, in the form in which it entered the era of independence, represents one of the greatest acts of gerrymandering in history.” Naturally, the overriding intention of British imperialism for Nigeria was to protect the economic interest of Britain; it had nothing to do with the creation of a viable democratic country.


Investors in Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. saw new options become available this week, for the May 18th expiration.
Investors in Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (LXRX - Get Report) saw new options become available this week, for the May 18th expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the LXRX options chain for the new May 18th contracts and identified the following put contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $8.00 strike price has a current bid of 20 cents. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $8.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $7.80 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of LXRX, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $8.36/share today.
Because the $8.00 strike represents an approximate 4% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 64%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 2.50% return on the cash commitment, or 17.55% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example above is 118%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 252 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $8.36) to be 44%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.


Donald Bren, chairman of the Irvine Co.
Job: Sole owner, chairman of The Irvine Co.
Bio: He is the wealthiest U.S. real estate mogul, with a fortune valued by Forbes at $15 billion. He’s also one of the most generous philanthropists. Bren has controlled for nearly four decades a huge slice of south Orange County real estate and, all told, holds 500 office properties, 40 shopping centers, and nearly 50,000 apartment units, primarily in California. Lives in Newport Beach.
Why he’s an influencer: Bren’s decision to retain ownership of much of the commercial property on his land gives him lasting influence. In 2014, he donated 2,500 acres of Anaheim Hills land to the county, a major boost to the county’s open space; opened for sale the long-dormant Orchard Hills community in Irvine, the first new high-end community in the county in a decade; finished his second new office tower at Fashion Island and started a third, next to Irvine Spectrum; and added $1 billion to his worth, by Forbes’ accounting.
Inspiration: The chance to mold the city of Irvine and the vast open spaces of The Irvine Ranch.
Can’t do without: His love of Mediterranean architecture.
What’s next: Bren’s major focus lately has been on the red-hot Silicon Valley real estate market. But Irvine Co. will continue to build and fill up housing, retail and office properties in and around Irvine.


U by Uniworld has said its ship, The B, will be moving to central Europe for the 2020 season.
With increasing demand for the region, where sister ship The A also resides, The B will cease operation on the Seine river and resume cruising in the 2020 season with brand new itineraries.
“Being the first means that we’re not only inventing an entirely new sector of the industry, but we’re quite literally in ‘unchartered waters’.
“As a brand, U will always stay true to its ethos as a chic, fun, never-before-seen cruise experience, but we also want to remain open to consumer trends and feedback.
“That is how brands move from concepts to success stories,” said Ellen Bettridge, president of U.
“As we look forward, the demand is, overwhelmingly, pointing towards central Europe, where guests can experience a new city – and sometimes a different country – each day, which simply isn’t feasible on the Seine.
In 2020, The B will sail from Brussels to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to Frankfurt, while The A will sail from Nuremberg to Vienna and Vienna to Belgrade.
Additional details for the new 2020 itineraries will be announced in the coming weeks.


Here's some of what's happening this morning in entertainment headlines: Selena Gomez drops an F-bomb; Meredith Baxter marries; and more.
starring David Duchovny, which will premiere in April, will be the last.
It seems like every few years Macaulay Culkin resurfaces to let us know he's still around. Most of the recent news hasn't been positive, but his latest venture – a Velvet Underground cover band he formed called the Pizza Underground – may keep him in the news for a while.
Frustrations with the sound system during the Jingle Ball concert caused Selena Gomez to utter an F-bomb in front of hundreds of fans.
Bob Barker, who hosted the 'Price is Right' for 35 years, returns for a special guest appearance to celebrate his 90th birthday on Thursday's broadcast. Barker's appearance is also in conjunction with National Pet Adoption Week.
, widely known for her role as Alex Keaton's mom, Elyse, on the long-running sitcom 'Family Ties,' has married her longtime partner Nancy Locke.
'SNL' alum Tim Meadows lashes out about not being included in the 'Bill Brasky' sketch which aired this past weekend featuring Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell.


Did van Gogh cut off his ear because his brother was engaged?
AMSTERDAM - New evidence has bolstered a theory that Vincent van Gogh's psychotic break on Dec 23, 1888, may have been set off by the news that his brother, Theo, had become engaged to be married.
Author Martin Bailey writes about the findings, based on a thorough examination of family letters, in his new book, Studio Of The South: Van Gogh In Provence, which will be published on Thursday (Nov 3) in Britain.
The artist cut off most of his ear during a psychotic episode about 12 hours after he learned of the engagement, which is "not something you would do if you welcomed the news, by any means", Bailey said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
In the past, most scholars have credited the mental breakdown to a fight van Gogh had that same day with painter Paul Gauguin, a friend of his. Bailey believes the engagement news to be a much more significant disturbance than the fight, and said van Gogh's fears of abandonment may have been stirred.
"Vincent feared that he would then 'lose' Theo, his closest companion," Bailey wrote in the book. "He was equally worried that his brother might withdraw the financial support which had enabled him to devote his life to art. All this was threatened by the unexpected appearance of a fiancée."
Bailey, a London-based art correspondent for The Art Newspaper and an independent curator who has mounted van Gogh exhibitions at the Barbican Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Scotland/Compton Verney, previously posited his theory in an article for The Art Newspaper in 2009 and in his 2013 book The Sunflowers Are Mine: The Story Of Van Gogh's Masterpiece. But his new book provides more evidence, he said, based on an analysis of previously unpublished family correspondence.
"I'm even more convinced that he did indeed know about the engagement on the morning of Dec 23," he said.
Other van Gogh experts are circumspect about the evidence. Ms Nienke Bakker, a curator of van Gogh paintings at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam - which owns the largest collection of the artist's works - said that it's impossible to know whether Bailey's theory is correct, because the letter that van Gogh received on Dec 23 doesn't exist any more.
"It might have contained the news of Theo's engagement, but this cannot be proven," she wrote in an email. "It is equally possible that Theo only informed Vincent of his marriage plans when he visited his brother in hospital - thus after the ear incident."
Mr Sjraar van Heugten, a van Gogh expert and the author of several books about the artist, said, "It seems fair to me that this may have played a crucial role, but it came on top of the increasingly difficult situation with Gauguin." He added: "I give more weight to that, but the dramatic events were probably the result of several tensions."
Scholars have been puzzling over the details of van Gogh's time in Arles, in Provence, for the 126 years since the artist's death, because while he was living there from February 1888 to May 1889, he experienced both the peak of his artistic career and the beginning of his mental decline. He had his first significant psychotic breakdown there, according to a recent conference by physicians and art historians in Amsterdam earlier this year to discuss the case. It is also where he was hospitalised for the first time.
Bailey observes that, just a half day before van Gogh cut off his ear, he received a letter from Paris that may have contained the news that Theo was engaged to Johanna Bonger, known as Jo. Although he could not confirm the precise contents of that letter, which has been lost, he was able to find evidence that Bonger received a telegram of congratulations on Dec 23 from her older brother Henry - which confirmed that Henry had received the news of the engagement - shortly after receiving the announcement letter from Bonger.
Because Vincent and Henry were both older brothers of the betrothed parties, and had the same social standing within the family, it would seem customary to inform them both at the same time, Bailey reasons.
Even if van Gogh had heard about the engagement on that day, however, Ms Bakker of the Van Gogh Museum said: "The question would remain as to whether it played any part in his self-injury. It is a matter of speculation that cannot be proved one way or the other."


Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., plans to use a procedural tactic to force a floor vote on a bill that would punish any doctor who fails to provide medical care to a child born alive after an abortion, The Hill reports.
Under the bill, the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, "any infant born alive after an abortion or within a hospital, clinic, or other facility has the same claim to the protection of the law that would arise for any newborn, or for any person who comes to a hospital, clinic, or other facility for screening and treatment or otherwise becomes a patient within its care."
The Senate in late February voted to block consideration of the measure, with all but three Democrats voting against a procedural mayor.
Scalise next week plans to move forward with a discharge petition, which would force a vote on the bill. He needs 218 signatures to do so.
"Next week, on April 2, next Tuesday, I will be formally filing the discharge petition on the Born Alive Act," he told reporters during. "Ann Wagner will be my first signator and there are a lot of members that want to sign that, and frankly we're going to find out real soon which Democrats truly are pro-life."
Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., sponsored the bill.
Opponents of the bill said it would criminalize doctors and was unnecessary since laws already exist to protect an infant in the extremely unlikely scenario of a live birth after an abortion attempt.
Planning to use a procedural tactic, Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., intends to force a floor vote on a bill that would punish any doctor who fails to provide medical care to a child born alive after an abortion, according to The Hill.


Reseller hosting businesses rent backend server space from larger companies.
2 Can You Make Money Being a Web-hosting Reseller?
Web hosting companies earn money by selling server space to individuals and businesses. While some hosting companies own their own servers, many new hosting ventures begin by renting server space from another provider. This is known as "reseller hosting." Typically, the larger company provides "backend" service that is not visible to the end user, and a reseller hosting business re-brands and sells the available server space.
Create a general business plan for the hosting business. Decide which market niche the hosting services will fill. For instance, some hosting companies compete by offering basic hosting at very low prices, while others offer website building services or specialized software support. Establish a list of services and prices that will be offered by the company. If many different services will be offered, split them into several different packages and pricing levels.
Determine what technical support options the company will offer. Around the clock customer support via phone can be attractive to customers, but requires more staff members than basic e-mail technical support. Decide if the reseller hosting business will use in-house tech support personnel or if support from an outside contractor is required instead.
Form a legal business entity for the hosting company. Choose from a sole proprietorship, limited liability company or corporation. The first option is the easiest to create, while the last two options offer better liability protection. Visit the local Secretary of State or County Clerk’s office to fill out the appropriate forms for the business entity.
Select a backend hosting provider that offers reseller packages. Check the websites and available packages from several different companies, and find one that meets the needs of the general business plan. Compare the available storage space and bandwidth numbers from different companies. Check to see if the hosting provider will offer technical support to your end users, or if you must provide this directly. New hosting businesses usually start with a small and relatively inexpensive reseller hosting package, and expand to a larger package once the company begins to grow.
Choose a payment processing solution for the new hosting business. Compare the costs and features of a bank merchant account, and internet-based payment processors. Verify that the payment service is able to process several different brands of credit cards, and is able to support recurring customer billing for monthly subscribers.
Create an internet presence for the new hosting company. Register a domain name that is unique and easy to remember. Build a website to be placed on this domain or hire a design service to create the site. Many backend hosting service providers provide customizable site templates for this purpose or offer professional design services. Present the available hosting packages and prices on the site, using the general business plan as a guide.
Market the new hosting business. Contact local businesses and offer the hosting services for their website; use a discounted trial rate as incentive. Network with local web design companies, freelancers and marketing companies to offer hosting to their clients. Advertise in publications such as newspapers, or using online pay-per-click advertising on search engines such as Google and Yahoo.
Monitor and administer the reseller hosting business to prevent site downtime and keep customers satisfied. Use the backend hosting control panel to check bandwidth and storage amounts frequently and upgrade to a larger package with the hosting provider if needed. Respond quickly to customer questions or complaints, and consult with the backend hosting provider to solve any technical issues promptly.
Aries, Benjamin. "How to Run a Reseller Hosting Company." Small Business - Chron.com, http://smallbusiness.chron.com/run-reseller-hosting-company-25300.html. Accessed 21 April 2019.


It recently dawned on me that it has been nearly nine long years since my wife and children moved back to India. Living on my own hasn’t been easy. While mundane, everyday issues like food had understandably been the first and foremost concern, there are a myriad of things that you miss when you find yourself suddenly divested of the emotional support system that loved ones offer, especially in times of distress.
I nearly went crazy in the beginning. Waking up on my own and getting ready for work in the deafening silence of an empty house and being greeted by a deserted, lifeless home on return had been incredibly depressing.
I would stay up late at night as I found it impossible to sleep. My old problem of insomnia got progressively worse. If I somehow managed to doze off, I found it hard to wake up in the morning for work.
Over time, I somehow managed to come to terms with my splendid isolation, repeatedly telling myself to pull myself together. However, without my realising it, the new ‘bachelor’ lifestyle had begun to take its emotional and physical toll on my health. I really piled on the pounds as I sought to find comfort and solace in food and ate junk that Indian and Pakistani hotels usually serve.
Perhaps you never recover from the emotional shock and sense of loss – although in my case it was supposed to have been a temporary separation. My children needed to move to attend college. They were supposed to come back soon.
However, I realised shortly as well as they did that it was not going to happen anytime soon. They had not left the nest to return. Initially apprehensive and nervous, my children have come to love and enjoy the freedom, and the hustle and bustle of life back home. Now whenever they come to visit me in Dubai, they appear bored and cannot wait to go back.
The same goes for their mother. She is seemingly at peace with herself and enjoys the chaotic certainty of life in India, with its myriad challenges as well as small pleasures. Meanwhile, I have found myself feeling increasingly lonely and depressed, and like a stranger at home whenever I visit India.
I have never been very social by nature. Far from it. I love my “me time”, as they say in the West, and like spending time with myself. I hate the company of the endlessly blabbering kind. However, even solitary, shy animals like me do miss and pine for the warmth of human company and kindred spirits. There’s a void and emptiness in and around me that nothing seems to fill.
I have tried keeping myself busy. I watch TV – indeed too much of it, I must admit. Having been a voracious, compulsive reader all my life, I know there is nothing like a good book to beat ennui and loneliness. Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience, said Mark Twain, are key to an ideal life.
However, diversions like reading, TV and music may temporarily help the lonely, but they can never truly be a substitute for that priceless gift called human company, especially of those who you love. Besides, you know what Albert Einstein thought of reading after a certain age? Reading diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking, said the genius.
There can never be “too much” reading. But, yes, it is not possible to argue with Einstein’s point about being too dependent on the “received wisdom” of giants like him and not thinking for ourselves. This is perhaps why the Quran repeatedly implores us to think and contemplate on the world around us, where we came from, and where we are headed.
Returning to the issue at hand, hopelessly missing my family and wallowing in self-pity, I often wonder how my son must be dealing with his own share of blues and homesickness. He moved to the US a couple of years ago to pursue his dream of a foreign university degree.
Living all by himself on the other side of the world– he needs to change at least three flights from Hyderabad in India to get to his destination in the American South – the experience couldn’t have been easy for him. Especially for someone as painfully shy and introverted as him.
Growing up, he was so emotionally attached to me that he would stand right next to me, shoulder to shoulder, even in his teens whenever we prayed together in the mosque. Now, he is all grown up to face the world on his own.
I guess these are the rites of passage that we all must negotiate on our own. Each one of us must carry his own cross. In the words of the Quran, “No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another”. Being the protective parents that we are, we worry ourselves sick about our children, without realising that they are perhaps emotionally stronger and better equipped to deal with the world.
Come to think of it, it is not just me who has to battle these “existential dilemmas”. There are millions and millions like me in this part of the world living thousands of kilometres from home, toiling daily so their families and loved ones back home have the shot at a better life than they had.
I know of people who have spent more than 30 to 40 years in the Gulf – more than two-thirds of their lives – and yet remain strangers in their adopted countries. Some of them arrived by ships and even by traditional dhows when the Gulf El Dorado was still in its infancy.
Many of them spend all their lives diligently saving their dirhams and dinars, often at a great cost to themselves. They live in shared apartments, sometimes six to eight in a room, dreaming of going home “soon”. Many of them have missed seeing their children grow up in their crucial formative years, sharing small, everyday pleasures of life with their families. All this to ensure that their families back home live in comfort.
In many cases though, their hard-earned money is squandered without a thought to the sweat and blood spent in earning it. Many of these valiant soldiers die far from their loved ones and without their dreams ever being realised.
It is their sweat and blood that have literally built the rich petrodollar economies of the Gulf, not to mention the colossal and seldom-acknowledged contribution their remittances have made to the economies back home in South Asia and elsewhere.
The heaven-kissing towers and high-rises of Dubai, Doha and Jeddah wouldn’t have been possible without the sheer hard work and dedication of multitudes of humble men, the overwhelming majority of them from the Subcontinent.
This is why I have always believed that the extraordinary lives and struggles of my fellow travellers are nothing short of a noble jihad. If jihad means striving for a noble cause and putting your life on the line for a higher purpose, then these men and women have been doing just that.
Who says I am alone? I am surrounded by noble and selfless men and women. I am in the presence of greatness.
The writer is an award-winning journalist and editor.


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We've spent a lot of time covering IK Multimedia's line of iOS accessories for guitarists. And with good reason: the original iRig for the iPhone and iPod Touch was one of the first dedicated music accessories for the mobile musician, helping to launch a whole cottage industry of hardware and apps that transformed iOS devices from consumption to creative devices. And with the recently released iRig Keys, IK has extended that line to keyboardists as well.
The iRig Keys is a 37-key mini keyboard and MIDI controller. It works as a Core MIDI device for iOS and a USB class compliant for seamless use with any app or software which supports MIDI devices on both Mac and PC. The device is complete with wheels for modulation and pitch bend and has an input jack for a sustain pedal, along with various buttons for changing octaves or volume. All of the keys are velocity-sensitive, meaning that a lighter touch will result in a softer notes while the opposite is true when hammering out chords.
I tried out the iRig Keys on both my iPad Mini and Mac. Using the Lightning adapter worked great and the Garageband App detected the keyboard, no problem. I pulled up a previous project and started playing with the pianos, organs and other MIDI instruments Garageband offers. It was a truly plug and play experience that let me focus on making music and, again, brought out the fun that Garageband is capable of. The velocity sensitivity wasn't as good as on full-sized keyboards, and certainly those with fully weighted keys, but those complaints must be taken with a grain of salt; there is plenty of variability for making expressive performances.
IK Multimedia also publishes two great apps that serve as companions for the iRig Keys. The first is SampleTank which contains over 500 instruments over 16 categories including drum samplers, a wide range of electronic and orchestral instruments. SampleTank is free with various instrument packs unlockable with in-app purchases. The second app is the iGrand Piano, which has the most faithful piano samples I've ever heard on iOS. With pianos ranging from Classical and Grand Pianos to various uprights and even a fun Saloon piano, the app offers an incredible amount of range. Each piano is customizable with options for adjusting volume, ambience, and lid position and the automatic release of keys when not using an expression pedal are phenomenal. Both apps are compatible with the iRig Keys along with a dedicated iOS-compatible MIDI adapter called the iRig MIDI, so you can bring your own MIDI keyboard if you'd like.
Overall, I feel that IK Multimedia has a home run on their hands with the iRig Keys and the supporting apps they've created. They're smartly designed, work well together and they sound incredible. Any keyboardist who's been jealous of all of the products out there catering to their guitarist friends finally have an equally portable solution for practicing, writing and performing.
Wired: Extremely portable and feature rich with velocity-sensitive mini keys and convenient buttons to activate features in equally rich first-party apps. Flexible use with both iOS and Mac or PC.
Tired: All plastic construction has some flex and feels a bit cheap. Unlocking the full potential of the apps is relatively costly. Separate iPhone and iPad apps.


I imagine that Ellis would find this reaction delightful. That it is uttered by a purebred coastal elite with a crush on A.O.C. and a refrigerator full of overpriced organic produce would make it all the more delicious.
Because here is the caricatured target of Ellis’s new book: a millennial who borrows many of his cultural opinions from woke Twitter; who experienced something close to shell shock when Robert Mueller’s report was finally completed and impeachment proceedings did not immediately commence; and who — sin of sins, as far as the author is concerned — confuses aesthetic differences with moral failing.
Ellis has been a public bad boy since 1985, when his debut novel, “Less Than Zero,” was published while he was still a college student. In those days, the author’s vices were obnoxiousness and large quantities of cocaine. Now he is sober. And the obnoxiousness has migrated, naturally, to a podcast and a Twitter feed.
Now, at least in theory, snowflakes on both coasts in withdrawal from Rachel Maddow’s nightly Kremlinology lesson can purchase a whole book to inspire paroxysms of rage. “White” — even the title is a trigger — is a veritable thirst trap for the easily microaggressed.
It’s all here. Rants about Trump derangement syndrome; MSNBC; #MeToo; safe spaces. He thinks “Moonlight” only won the Oscar for best picture over “La La Land” because voting for it could be seen as a “rebuke to Trump.” He thinks that Black Lives Matter is a morally significant movement, but says its “lurching, unformed aesthetic” is why it never reached a wide audience. Had the “millennial mess” mimicked the look of the Black Panthers, he suggests, it would have taken off. I’m not exaggerating. Speaking of Black Panthers — yes, you guessed it — the author thinks that movie was insanely overhyped. It will not escape reader notice that the author of a book called “White” happens to be particularly fixated on black culture.
Ellis recently told The Times that “this is kind of a book for a Bret Easton Ellis completist.” Perhaps he is right that superfans will love to hear him go on for pages about “American Psycho” being transferred from page to stage, where it closed after two months and lost $14 million. I did not.
But one suspects that his editor must be one. Nothing else justifies seven pages on Charlie Sheen’s 2011 breakdown. Ellis summons more detail and color about Alex Gibney’s 2015 HBO documentary about Frank Sinatra (three pages) than he does in the two paragraphs he dedicates to snorting coke and talking about race with Jean-Michel Basquiat on a random October afternoon at the Odeon in 1987 — an anecdote that any person with a pulse would be interested in.
Ellis told The Times Literary Supplement that this book was “a lament from a disillusioned Gen X-er” and I think to read it as anything more than a sustained wail would be a waste of energy.
That is not to say that I don’t share some of Ellis’s bugbears.
I think those writers who boycotted PEN for honoring the surviving staffers of Charlie Hebdo are moral midgets. I think it’s a very bad sign about where we are as a culture when friendships are unable to survive elections or the appointment of Supreme Court justices.
Indeed, many of the topics Ellis blithely skates over in this ranting, stream-of-consciousness book would be rich fodder for a real analysis of the Great Awokening and its excesses. On the face of it, it would seem Ellis would be the ideal person to write it.
He was canceled decades before canceling became a thing. It was November 1990 and Simon & Schuster was set to release “American Psycho,” Ellis’s anticipated third novel, until it caved in the face of criticism, much of it internal. “The noise from the offended was too loud,” Ellis writes of the episode — a concise phrase diagnosing our current cultural malady.
Back then, outrage had not yet become our dominant mode. A more prestigious publishing house swooped in within 48 hours and “American Psycho” became a best seller. Today, young-adult novels deemed politically or culturally insensitive are pulped before they are even put out.
And one of the earliest casualties of our fun-deficient, conformist age (Ellis is entirely right about this) has been the intellectual gadfly. Ellis is one of them.
Yet he refuses to own the role he has chosen. “I was never good at realizing what might offend someone anyway,” he writes. And you want to throw the book across the room because you know that the very reason it was written was to offend.
An earlier version of this review referred incorrectly to “American Psycho.” It was Bret Easton Ellis’s third novel, not his second.
Bari Weiss is an Op-Ed staff editor and writer at The Times.
272 pp. Alfred A. Knopf. $25.95.


MANCHESTER UNITED stars Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher and Chris Smalling followed up their Champions League loss to Olympiakos in midweek with another humiliating defeat... to Super League trio Kevin Sinfield, Ryan Bailey and Rangi Chase in a Foxy Bingo sponsored cross-bar challenge.
Foxy Bingo signed a two-year extension to its sponsorship deal with the First Utility Super League and celebrated by having mascot Foxy coach Sinfield, Bailey and Chase to victory over United's finest.
Giggs famously played rugby league as a youngster, even representing Wales at youth level and showed his prowess with the oval ball from 10 yards out.
But Fletcher and Smalling couldn't match their elder and United fell even further behind from greater distances before closing the gap to 4-3.
The footballers were then forced to look on as Foxy presented the rugby league stars with the silverware.
And given the way United's season has gone up to this point, it is a feeling that the trio may have to get used to.


Job sectors that experienced the most gains statewide from September to October were retail trade, education, health care, professional and business services, state and local public schools, leisure and hospitality, technology, construction, financial services and manufacturing.
Manufacturing specifically was up 700 jobs, although year-over-year there have been 10,500 positions generated in that sector, Butler said.
Overall, since October 2011, the state has added 68,000 jobs.
“Our labor force has grown consistently over the past year, indicating that Georgians are more optimistic about finding a job, and fortunately, we’ve had the job growth necessary to put these people to work,” Butler said.
Another employment barometer — initial jobless claims filings — actually rose in Georgia by nearly 12,000 in October. First-time filings for the state are down nearly 4,400 from a year ago, however.
Metro area data released today showed Columbus losing 700 jobs over the past year, its workforce slipping to 118,800 in October. Augusta, with 3,500 jobs lost, and Dalton, down 2,400, were the only other metro areas to see drops in their workforce totals. Atlanta has added 33,700 jobs over the last 12 months.
Nearly 1,400 Columbus residents submitted claims for unemployment benefits for the first time in October, up about 200 from a year ago. The only other metro areas to see an increase in initial filings during that period were Athens and Savannah.
The jobless rate in Columbus in September was 8.7 percent. Metro area figures are expected to be released next week.


This free, weekly program shows students in kindergarten through 5th grade how to make unique items from upcycled materials.
FORT PIERCE — Beat the summer heat at the Lakewood Park Branch Library’s Make & Take Crafts program running Fridays at 2 p.m. from June 15 through July 27 (excluding July 6).
Designed for students in kindergarten through 5th grade, this free, weekly program allows participants to make unique items from upcycled materials such as designer pencils and decorative journals.
Each week features a different craft that students can take home with them. Space is limited to 25 participants.
For details, contact pasizorp@stlucieco.org or 772 462-6870.
The Lakewood Park Branch Library of the St. Lucie County Library System is located at 7605 Santa Barbara Dr., Fort Pierce, in northern St. Lucie County. For additional information, visit www.stlucieco.gov/library.


Consumers purchasing IBM PCs will soon get their computers pre-configured for free Internet access from Juno Online Services.
The companies today announced a multiyear distribution agreement, with IBM bundling Juno connection software with new computers beginning in mid-August. The Internet service will be installed on IBM's Netvista and Aptiva desktop models, as well as on i Series ThinkPads.
Juno shares soared on the news, closing up $1.19, or 24 percent, at $6.12.
"Juno is attempting to embellish their distribution channels and get the first shot at customers," said Frederick Moran, an Internet analyst with Jefferies & Co. "If customers like the Juno service, they will likely stick with it."
Juno is not the first Internet service provider to strike deals with a computer manufacturer to increase distribution. America Online, for example, has a similar arrangement with Gateway.
ISPs are eager to reach new Web users first, as many consumers are believed to stick with the first service they use.
"Most every PC purchase today is made to get Internet access," Moran said. "The best chance to get a subscriber is when he first takes the PC out of the package."
Juno said it is the nation's third-largest dial-up ISP after AOL and EarthLink Network, with 3.38 million subscribers.


Photos by Brett Luke | The Journal Gazette Angelia Ware Grundy pays respect Sunday afternoon to victims of unsolved homicide cases, including her grandsons Shawn Ware and Donta Grundy.
People at Sunday’s Justice, Accountability & Victim Advocacy event hold candles outside the Allen County Courthouse to remember homicide victims.
Brett Luke | The Journal Gazette Davion Ware, left, and Drevon Ware write the names of victims Shawn Ware and Drevon Grundy in chalk outside the courthouse Sunday afternoon during the vigil held by the “Justice Accountability Victim Advocacy” group.
Amy Davis of Justice, Accountability & Victim Advocacy leads a prayer Sunday outside the courthouse.
Brett Luke | The Journal Gazette Victims with unsolved cases have their names written on crosses and displayed by year at the “Justice Accountability Victim Advocacy” vigil Sunday afternoon outside of the courthouse.
A few dozen people gathered Sunday afternoon in the shadow of the Allen County Courthouse to pay tribute to the city's homicide victims, whose chalk-written names covered the sidewalk alongside pleas for justice.
Family of the slain shook with emotion and struggled to speak as they shared their experiences, including the horror of discovering their beloveds' lifeless bodies.
“I asked God, 'Why? I'm a woman of faith,'” said Timika Bonner, whose 18-year-old son was killed in October 2012.
Recently formed group Justice, Accountability & Victim Advocacy, or JAVA, spearheaded the brief event. Organizers plan to hold monthly tributes as well as monthly meetings featuring speakers and connecting families with resources, spokeswoman Amy Davis said.
There have been 34 homicides in Allen County this year. There were 41 in 2017, making it the third time in five years the county had more than 40. The deadliest year was 2016 with 49 homicides.
When asked about Sunday's turnout, Davis said it is uplifting to see those affected by a homicide support each other.
It doesn't, however, ease the pain of losing a child, attendee Ruth Cox said. A portrait of her slain son, Michael Wilcher, was in her arms.
Wilcher, 51, was found beaten on Huffman Street last September. He died from blunt force injuries to the head. A poster at the event encouraged witnesses to come forward.
Before leaving her house Sunday, Cox looked at a family photograph featuring her six children. She tried to picture the image without Wilcher.
Melissa Deputy attended in remembrance of three people and an unborn child who were killed on Holton Avenue two years ago. She described one of the victims as her stepson.
“They were all so full of life,” Deputy said.
Davis, who mourns a nephew, led those gathered in prayer. Along with comfort and love, she prayed for community leaders to solve the crimes.
Elected officials must be held accountable, fellow JAVA member Nasim Walker said, noting families can't have justice when killers remain free. She urged attendees to vote.
“They're supposed to protect us,” Walker said.


These are turbulent times for the travel sector.
Climate change is likely to bring blistering summers to Britain, which will encourage more people to find their own answer to Majorca in resorts like Scarborough and Bridlington.
This is great news for traditional UK seaside resorts, but it’s a very unwelcome development if your business model is built around encouraging millions of Britons to flee the country for a couple of weeks each summer in search of a tan.
Peter Fankhauser, the chief executive of Thomas Cook, a household name in the sector, must have opened his window every day from June to August and prayed for rain. The scorching summer has been blamed for sending the company’s share price plummeting.
The hot weather meant many traditional Thomas Cook customers spent June and July enjoying the sunshine at home instead of booking holidays abroad. Mr Fankhauser said the company’s recent trading performance was “clearly disappointing” and investors shared this glum assessment.
Thomas Cook makes all its profit in the summer when its customers in northern Europe, including Britain, Germany and Scandinavia go on holiday, mainly to warmer destinations in southern Europe such as Spain, Turkey and Greece.
So Thomas Cook’s perfect British summer is damp and dreary. Historically, Britain has a pretty good track record in serving up dismal summers that make millions of people beat a path to the travel agent.
However, as the climate changes, Britons may get used to sweltering summers and become less inclined to travel abroad.
Climate change is a terrible thing, but we must acknowledge that, unless drastic action is taken, our summers are likely to get warmer and this will affect consumer behaviour.
Throw the uncertainty caused by Brexit into the mix, which is likely to shake consumer confidence, and the long term prospects for traditional travel firms become distinctly foggy.
British coastal resorts should be well-placed to undergo a renaissance. Why head to the airport if the temperature in Scarborough is the same as the Costa Brava?
If we can fix the woeful public transport system and improve the road networks, we will have a chance to revive the British seaside experience which was so popular with our parents and grandparents.
Meanwhile, bosses at Thomas Cook must be hoping that the British summer of 2019 turns out to be gloomy. Dull weather across northern Europe will mean more travellers head to sunnier climes.
There are signs that many businesses and consumers are tightening their belts in response to the uncertain political environment.
Travelodge has reported rising sales and profits in the first half of the year as more consumers and businesses opt for budget hotels due to the UK’s economic slowdown.
The firm pointed to “economic uncertainty” in the UK, which has helped drive up demand for budget accommodation among consumers and businesses.
However, Travelodge bemoaned the impact of “significant” cost increases, citing the National Living Wage and operational burdens, although it added that it has successfully navigated these challenges.
Consumers who are keeping a tight grip on spending, could beat a path to Yorkshire..
It’s a chance to revive the lost art of holidaying at home.


If you're a regular commuter or tourist in New York City, here's some exciting news: Earlier this week, MTA officials discovered that three N trains were infested with bedbugs.
The New York Daily News reports that two of the trains were taken out of service while a third was sent for fumigation.
"When we found them, we exterminated them," Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Adam Lisberg told the Daily News. At least some of the bugs were found in the cabs used by the trains' motorman and conductors; it's not clear if any were discovered in the passenger area.


Whoa! Barbara is lashing out at Selena in a new interview! She’s blaming the ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ star for all the drama that surrounds their twisted ‘love’ triangle with Justin Bieber!
Barbara Palvin is not happy with Selena Gomez. In a new interview, the model blames Selena for all the “ridiculous” stories that have been written about her and Justin Bieber.
“You know how the drama started — Selena retweeted the picture,” Barbara told Celebuzz on Jan. 12.
Selena, 20, posted a photo of Justin, Lil’ Twist and Barbara together with just, “…” on Nov. 8. It was clear that Selena was mad at Justin for hanging with the model.
“I’m okay to talk about it because I know there’s nothing. It’s ridiculous how this got to the news,” Barbara said to the website.
Barbara claims she was just “hanging out” with Justin, 18, during the Victoria’s Secret fashion show on Nov. 7.
“hey everyone. please calm down. he is all yours!!” Barbara wrote on Twitter on Nov. 9, in response to fans getting angry with her.
Romance rumors started when Justin was spotted on Nov. 8, catching a showing of The Lion King on Broadway — with Barbara!
What About Her Visit To Miami?
Fans were in a frenzy yet again when Barbara posted a picture on Twitter of herself in Miami on Dec. 8, allegedly standing in front of Justin’s tour bus. However, Barbara says that was NOT Justin’s bus.
“We didn’t hang out, that’s the funny part,” she said.
“It was so funny when I read we were hanging out in Miami and I was also wearing his t-shirt. Dude, that’s my t-shirt!” Barbara added.
Now that Justin and Selena have broken up, yet again, perhaps Barbara and Justin will finally have a chance at a real romance. What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers?
Justin Bieber Smokes Pot To Get Over Selena Gomez?


FAIRVIEW, W.Va (WDTV) - Several of you in Fairview have reached out to 5 News over the last few days saying the water is discolored and dirty.
Some said it's pink, and others called it brown.
"I don't feel safe right now," said Rachel Toothman. "Not after what I saw on Friday night."
"It's not right because we pay for that water," said Rachael King. "We should be able to use that water without any kind of fear of being sick or ill, or it turning our clothes different colors."
These people tell us discolored water has been flowing into their homes.
"It's almost, at least on a monthly basis, where somebody is saying 'hey, I have brown water, does anybody else.'"
Kelley says two of her children came home from school on Friday and noticed the problems there, as well.
"None of my fellow students would drink it because it was a weird color," said Aubrey Hamilton.
"It looked disgusting," said Audrey Hamilton.
5 News reached out to the principal at Fairview Middle School, who told us it was discolored late in the day Friday, the system was flushed Monday morning, and all is back to normal.
Since late last week, Kelley says the water in her home has been somewhat back to normal. However, this is an ongoing problem.
"I have animals, and I don't want to have to go somewhere else to purchase water," Toothman said.
"It's either becoming more of an issue, or we're becoming more aware of it because of social media and people actually asking questions."
5 News also made calls to town water officials, but no calls were returned. We also stopped in the Town Hall, and we were told there wasn't anybody there who could speak to us.


CLEVELAND (AP) � Asdrubal Cabrera hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to lift Cleveland to an 8-7 comeback win over the Kansas City Royals after the Indians� Jim Thome hit a solo shot for his 602nd career homer.
Cabrera connected on a 1-1 pitch from Louis Coleman (1-4) to give the Indians their 21st last-at-bat win and 32nd comeback triumph overall.
Joe Smith (3-3) got the final out in the eighth for the win, and Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his 29th save in 33 chances. Perez threw out a runner trying to go to third on a sacrifice bunt then fanned two Royals to strand a runner at second.
Thome celebrated his 41st birthday with a solo homer in the sixth in his second game back in Cleveland to tie it at 4.
Then Alex Gordon, who had three hits, belted a three-run homer in the seventh off reliever Tony Sipp to put the Royals ahead 7-4. Sipp replaced Fausto Carmona (6-13) with runners on first and third in a lefty-against-lefty matchup but yielded Gordon�s 18th homer of the season.
Cabrera�s RBI single pulled Cleveland to 7-5 in the seventh.
In the eighth, pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall singled with two outs and Kosuke Fukudome walked. Cabrera followed with his 21st homer into the right-field seats.
Thome got a rousing standing ovation as he slowly rounded the bases with his 335th homer in a Cleveland uniform, a line shot into the seats in left-center that extended his club record. It was Thome�s first homer for Cleveland since Sept. 28, 2002, off the Royals� Jeremy Affeldt.
Thome needs seven homers to tie Sammy Sosa for seventh on the all-time list.
For Kansas City, Danny Duffy struck out seven over 51/3 innings, allowing four runs and six hits.


The rate of babies who die during their first year of birth has improved nationally in the last decade, but in recent years, improvement in this key public health metric has plateaued.
New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows there was no change in the national rate of infant mortality between 2014 and 2015, the most recent years for which it has published numbers.
South Carolina has a middling rate overall, compared to other states. The Palmetto State came in at 16th worst of 50 states and Washington D.C., with 6.74 infants dying each year before they reached 1 year old.
The infant mortality rate is considered an important community health measurement and is widely accepted as a key public health metric. The lower the rate, the better. The worst rates in the world are found in African countries, which reach nearly 90 deaths per 1,000 babies in the Central African Republic, according to the World Health Organization.
The report echoes data from the Department of Health and Environmental Control released in late 2017, which also highlighted a racial divide fueled by poor maternal health and other challenges. On average, black babies fared worse than their white peers, the CDC reported.
The infant mortality rate for black babies in South Carolina was 10.52, about half a point lower than the national average for the demographic. White South Carolina babies scored less than half that rate, at 4.98.


You long for someone to return your affection, but it just isn't happening. Instead of going into an emotional tailspin, do something nice for yourself. Plan a holiday, play your favourite sport or go to a concert. When you treat yourself well, your self-esteem will bounce back. At that point, you'll attract an admirer who is worthy of your affection. Are you in a romantic relationship that has grown stale? Instead of complaining about the situation, have a heart to heart discussion with them.


Omri Barzilay is a co-founder of Propcy.
The real estate rental market is a highly localized, relationship-based industry driven largely by individuals living and working in their own cities, causing many to acknowledge the longstanding difficulty of streamlining disruption to this market.
In recent years, however, that hasn’t stopped a multitude of innovators from seeking novel ways to improve the process’s efficiency.
If early innovators like Zillow and Trulia primarily entailed bringing real estate data online, newer innovators harness data not only to improve analytics for landlords, but also to improve efficiency for apartment seekers. This becomes more important as New York City, for instance, begins to see the start of an expected surge in rental apartments — more than 38,000 market-rate rental apartments, mostly in Brooklyn and Queens, are expected to be completed over the next three years.
With the advent of new technologies, the market has begun to shift nearly every aspect of the rental process, from leasing applications to communications with landlords and agents to payment processing.
As rentals become commoditized and fewer people are satisfied being tied down to static assets, a number of players have sought to empower potential renters in new ways. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is enabling rental without a broker. New York-based real estate startup Oliver, for example, launched in 2015 to serve as a platform that cuts out the middleman and seamlessly connects renters with apartments.
What this means in practice is that by aggregating real-time rental inventory directly from property managers and landlords, rather than through third-parties, the Oliver app enables renters not only to browse and filter listings as could be done on other platforms, but also to schedule showings at the tap of a button using an in-app calendar feature. Rezi, an earlier-stage New York startup, also saves time by automatically scheduling multiple apartment visits to fit its users’ schedules.
Others have invested resources in improving the process for brokers themselves. Nestio, a residential leasing and marketing platform, streamlines the leasing process using cloud-based software, which enables listings to be shared, leads to be tracked and clients to be managed in one easy-to-use platform.
An increasing number of startups, both small and large, are empowering renters.
Earlier this year, Naked Apartments, a website that optimizes how brokers can proactively approach potential and current clients with appropriate, targeted listings, became Zillow’s fifth consumer-brand acquisition, with the shared goal of using data analytics to bring transparency to New York’s real estate landscape for brokers.
As agents spend less time at their desk and more time closing on rental deals via mobile applications, DotLoop has also focused on automating more redundant tasks by allowing agents to upload important documents, negotiate transactions and get bank-approved e-signatures in a single platform.
Others are playing matchmaker in different ways: by connecting potential roommates to each other. Roomi, which raised $4 million in seed funding led by DCM Ventures and already boasts more than 375,000 users in North America, as well as smaller market players like EasyRoommate, make it simpler for renters to find and connect with compatible roommates, whether renting an extra room in an apartment or searching together for an apartment.
Other startups are seeking to disrupt the traditional corporate housing and long-term stay marketplace. Startups like HomeSuite, an online marketplace that removes the hassle from finding furnished housing, aggregates not just long-term but also short-term inventory, geared toward individuals who might previously have focused their searches on more standard month-to-month property managers. In doing so, they are filling the grey area between Craigslist and Airbnb, serving the needs of individuals looking for something more permanent than a vacation rental yet more transient than a typically longer lease commitment.
Disruption hasn’t been limited to the search process. Even payment solutions and mobile are being integrated into newer platforms by companies like RadPad, an end-to-end photo-based rental marketplace aiming to become an A-to-Z platform for renters and landlords alike.
RentPayment similarly reduces the hassle of paper checks and improves the rent payment and collection process by serving as a platform for renters to pay their leases directly to their property managers by credit card, debit card or e-check.
As lead-generation platforms begin to focus more on empowering with complex data analytics those involved in the rental process, an increasing number of startups, both small and large, are empowering renters with more flexible co-living options, capitalizing on the trends toward both optimized roommate matching and pre-furnished apartments.
WeWork, the international co-working startup valued upwards of $16 billion as of March 2016, announced in January that it has begun to convert some of its spaces into fully furnished, flexible apartments. “WeLive replicates the security and comfort of a suburban neighborhood, but with the energy and vigor of a major city,” said the company in a statement, highlighting the company’s strategy to provide residents with private and semi-private housing accommodations alongside community events like fitness classes and potluck dinners, as well as a digital social network. Common, another co-living startup, also offers what it calls “flexible, community-driven housing,” and, in doing so, is revolutionizing the way apartment rental is traditionally done.
As more user-friendly startups begin to steal market share from Craigslist, the value of disruptive innovation that reduces rental-market opacity has become ever clearer, and speaks to the expectations that renters, agents and landlords now have around enabling the rental process, primarily offline in years past, with new technologies. Even more incremental changes, from video walk-throughs to new ways of slicing community rental data, have begun to play significant roles as startups cram into the real estate market, hoping for even a small slice of a huge pie.


Aside from its thematic strengths and its delightful characters, if there’s one thing Steven Universe is known for, it’s having a killer soundtrack, jam-packed with powerful, toe-tapping songs. Last night’s episode was no exception, with a chill track that rivals some of the show’s very best musical moments.
Last night’s “Mindful Education” was all about Steven and Connie learning how to deal with their emotions while they train together as their fusion, Stevonnie. The importance of any fusion in Steven Universe is emotional cohesion and focus—something the duo were struggling with, as Connie was distraught over a bad incident that had happened to her at school.
This is unrelated, I just wanted to put a gif of Stevonnie fighting in here because it’s *rad*.
It makes sense to draw comparisons, considering “Stronger Than You” was another Garnet song. Both songs are emotionally resonant with the character’s nature as a bonding between two individuals into a new self, but they speak to that relationship in fundamentally different ways.
“Stronger Than You” is about a declaration of feelings: it’s a triumphant rallying cry for everything Garnet is and stands for as a character—championing her self-worth as a relationship defined by romantic love. It’s high-tempo, high-emotion, loud and bold and proud.
“Here Comes a Thought” on the other hand, is much more about inner reflection, and has a more calming tempo. It’s still about openly accepting the emotions you feel—“the little things that matter so much”—but it’s about tempering those emotions with focus so they can be channelled healthily, a theme that sits at the core of Steven Universe. It might not be as anthemic as “Stronger Than You,” but it’s equally potent and important for the show, thematically.
And like all of Steven Universe’s songs, it’s a damn good foot-tapper. When the hell is this show getting a soundtrack release?