Ninth Circuit bars federal prosecutions for state-law-authorized medical marijuana

A thriving marijuana plant is seen at a grow operation in Denver, Colorado December 31, 2013. (Reuters/Rick Wilking/File Photo) This is big. Starting in December 2014, Congress has provided that “[n]one of the funds made available … to the Department of Justice may be used … to prevent [various] States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana” (§ 542 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act). Today, the Ninth Circuit held (in United States v. McIntosh) that federal judges should enforce this law by stopping prosecutions for conduct that is authorized by state medical marijuana laws: Appellants complain that DOJ is spending funds that have not been appropriated by Congress in violation of the Appropriations Clause of the Constitution. See U.S. Const. art. I, § 9, cl. 7 (“No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law ….”)…. [I]f DOJ were spending money in violation of [§ 542], it would be drawing funds from the Treasury without authorization by statute and thus violating the Appropriations Clause. That Clause constitutes a separation-of-powers limitation that Appellants can invoke to challenge their prosecutions…. Thus, in order to decide whether the prosecutions of Appellants violate § 542, we must determine the plain meaning of “prevent any of [the Medical Marijuana States] from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.” … “[I]mplement” means: To “carry out, accomplish; esp.: to give practical effect to and ensure of actual fulfillment by concrete measure.” Implement, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed. 2003); “To put into practical effect; carry out.” Implement, American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed. 2011); and “To complete, perform, carry into effect (a contract, agreement, etc.); to fulfil (an engagement or promise).” Implement, Oxford English Dictionary, www.oed.com. In sum, § 542 prohibits DOJ from spending money on actions that prevent the Medical Marijuana States’ giving practical effect to their state laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana…. [By prosecuting state-authorized medical marijuana users,] DOJ, without taking any legal action against the Medical Marijuana States, prevents them from implementing their laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana by prosecuting individuals for use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana that is authorized by such laws. By officially permitting certain conduct, state law


In case you missed it: Looking back on Day 11 in Rio

Elsewhere on the track, Americans Tori Bowie and Deajah Stevens qualified for the women’s 200-meter final, Dalilah Muhammad and Ashley Spencer advanced to the women’s 400-meter hurdles final and Kerron Clement did the same for the men’s version. Day 11 saw the end of the line, though, for high school sensation Sydney McLaughlin, who failed to make it out of the 400-meter hurdle heats. Devon Allen made the final in the men’s 110-meter hurdles but finished fifth, with his Oregon football teammates cheering him on. Now, the Ducks’ receiver is ready for some football. Perhaps the most disappointing track and field result was posted by Erik Kynard, who brought home a high jump silver for the U.S. in the 2012 Games but finished sixth this year. However, arguably the most touching moment came when American Abbey D’Agostino and New Zealander Nikki Hamblin tripped over each other in a women’s 5,000-meter heat, then helped each other finish the race in a stirring display of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Abbey D’Agostino, left, and Nikki Hamblin share a moment after finishing their women’s 5,000-meter heat. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Shakur Stevenson The U.S. women’s basketball team had a much tougher time with Japan than the 110-64 score would indicate, but it still reached the semifinals. Falling in the semifinals, though, was the American beach volleyball duo of Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross. It was the first loss on an Olympic beach for Walsh Jennings (she was also a member of the fourth-place U.S. indoor volleyball team in 2000), and it ended her quest for a fourth straight gold, but she will have a chance to add a bronze to her collection. “It’s a terrible feeling,” Walsh Jennings said of her loss, and Russia’s Ilya Zakharov can more than feel her pain. The defending Olympic champion in the three-meter springboard, Zakharov saw his dive in Tuesday’s semifinals turn into a brutal belly flop — and a score of zero. On Day 12, Adam Eaton hopes for smooth sailing as he begins his quest for a second straight gold in the men’s decathlon. Things haven’t gone very smoothly of late for the heavily favored U.S. men’s basketball team, but it will take any kind of win over an old Olympic nemesis, Argentina, in quarterfinal action, while Walsh Jennings and Ross will try to salvage their Rio showing with a bronze against top-seeded Brazilians Talita and Larissa.


Panda performance review: Which of the National Zoo’s pandas earned their fruitsicle this year?

Bao Bao, now 160 pounds, was once just a little cub. (Smithsonian) On Saturday, the National Zoo will celebrate the birthdays of all four of its giant pandas with fruitsicle cakes for the pandas and Chinese noodles for zoo visitors. None of the pandas in this big, happy family were actually born on Aug. 20, but zoo officials promise that they don’t mind the combined celebration. “They’re happy to get treats any day,” zoo spokeswoman Devin Murphy says. Have all four pandas all earned their treats this year? You decide. Bei Bei Bei Bei is bigger now, but just as cute. (Smithsonian) Age Health: Training: Adorableness: Bao Bao Bao Bao will return to China to breed before her fifth birthday. (Smithsonian) Age: Health: Training: Adorableness: Tian Tian Tian Tian isn’t adept at making new pandas. (Smithsonian) Age: Health: Training: Adorableness: Mei Xiang Age: Mei Xiang has proven to be a good mother. (Smithsonian) Health: Training: Adorableness: Bei Bei chooses his destiny At 8 a.m. Saturday, before the panda area opens to the general public, Bei Bei will participate in a traditional Zhuazhou ceremony, during which he will be presented with three banners. The one he ambles up to first foretells something about his future. Tune in for live coverage at facebook.com/washingtonpostexpress.


Is projecting a message onto the wall of a building a trespass? A nuisance?

Instead, the argument strikes me as a syllogism based upon superficial pseudo-science, and I am not sure that the outcome of this case ought to be governed by this kind of approach. As an initial observation, the science relied upon by the Respondents appears to be wrong, or at least incomplete. If one really wants to get into the physics of the question, light has the properties of both a wave and a particle. Scientifically speaking, light sometimes has the qualities of a particle and sometimes has the qualities of a wave, and, to make things even more complicated, it can have both qualities at the same time. So the scientific answer to whether light is a particle or a wave is that it is both; therefore, following the Respondents’ syllogism, sometimes light is arguably physical and sometimes it is clearly not. If this is our inquiry, then we are dealing with nothing more than an exercise in subjectivity, something akin to a Rorschach ink blot in which any judge can find a trespass, or not, depending on his or her personal predilections because both conclusions would be supported by the underlying science of the matter. But as a method of legal analysis, that gets us nowhere fast. More fundamentally, technical merit aside, scientific analysis and legal analysis are two different modes of inquiry designed to accomplish very different goals. In science, data-based objective truth is all that matters. In law, courts care about the “truth” in the sense of achieving a just (or “right”) result in a particular case; but they also care about other things and can sometimes sacrifice individual truth in order to achieve other important policy goals, such as making the law predictable, consistent, stable, and clear even if not well-matched to the facts of every individual case. Consequently, even if it were unequivocally true that a quantum physicist would think of light as formed of particles, that conclusion alone should not govern whether we should find a trespass here as a matter of legal analysis and underlying public policy. There is a place for science in drafting and interpreting the rules that govern human conduct, but determining what scientists may think about a matter in legal dispute is not the ultimate goal of what courts do. Properly framed, I think the question before us is not whether light is tangible or not, but instead: what


The Daily 202: What Trump’s latest shakeup says about his flailing campaign

JFK Airport. (AFP/Brigitte Dusseau) -- New York Magazine reporter David Wallace-Wells gives a terrifying, first-person account of the JFK Airport shooting scare: One scene: Huma Abedin (Seth Wenig/AP) -- Vogue got a surprising amount of access to Huma for a profile --> “Huma Abedin On Her Job, Family, and the Campaign of a Lifetime,” by Nathan Heller: HOT ON THE LEFT “This Region Is Twice Flint’s Size—And Its Water Is Also Poisoned,” from Mother Jones: “In two of California's most productive farming regions, at least 212,000 people rely on water that's routinely unsafe to drink, with levels of a toxin called nitrate above the federal limit. And even if the pollution source could be stopped tomorrow, these communities—representing a population more than twice as large as that of Flint, Mich.— would endure the effects of past practices for decades. That's the takeaway of a major new assessment by researchers at the University of California-Davis. The toxin in question is nitrate, which leaches into aquifers when farmers apply synthetic nitrogen fertilizers … Nitrate-laced water has been linked to a range of health problems, including birth defects, blood problems in babies, and cancers of the ovaries and thyroid.” HOT ON THE RIGHT “What Do American Schools Teach About Islam? PC Or Nothing,” from The Federalist: “Jenny McKeigue’s youngest child enters seventh grade this fall, and she plans to excuse him from a world history class requirement to recite a Muslim conversion prayer called the shahada. McKeigue spent four years attempting to convince her school board in Olmsted Falls, Ohio, to alter some lessons and replace history textbooks after her oldest son in 2012 showed her a reality TV episode his teacher had played in class. [In it] … an imam tells a Christian man … that Muslims and Christians worship the same god. The Christian struggles with that idea but ultimately accepts it. Independent reviewers McKeigue requested also found errors in the district’s textbooks such as listing eleven biblical commandments.” DAYBOOK: On the campaign trail: At the White House: On Capitol Hill: QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I am committed to doing whatever it takes to win this election, and ultimately become president.” –Trump in the press release announcing his shake-up D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier greets friends and colleges after announcing her resignation. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU LIVE IN D.C.: -- D.C. police chief Cathy Lanier


Why perceived inequality leads people to resist innovation

appeals to fundamental moral values that define who we are as humans. Many of the emerging technologies are ready for commercial deployment faster than governments can figure out how to regulate them. In some cases governments are making early decisions not to regulate emerging technologies. For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it will not regulate fitness trackers and wellness apps. This hands-off approach is a signal that the government will not unduly stand in the way of innovation. But the public could construe such a decision as government abdication of its duty to regulate new technologies. This is problematic as people traditionally look to government to ensure that advancements in industry protect the public interest and promote social goals, such as equity. Even better regulation may not address the deep-seated perceptions that new technologies could lead to inequities. The imagery of “superhumans” and human “robots” painted in the Pew Research survey reveals concerns about capability divides in society that give unnatural advantages to certain groups. The way forward lies in bringing our fractured societies in line with human aspirations and technological possibilities. Much has been said about preparing future generations by strengthening their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. This is only half the equation. STEM education without deeper appreciation of what makes us human is futile. Many of the business models that glorify “disruption” seek to unravel the social tapestry that humanity has over time woven together around incumbent technologies. The rise of sharing businesses such as Uber, Lyft and Airbnb offers great benefits to consumers, for example, but their disruptive business models are generating disquiet in incumbent industries and changing our views of car- and homeownership. Conversely, engaging in social and political discourse without an adequate understanding of the technology exposes our ignorance. We need a balance between the two. Rather than returning to the days of “natural philosophy,” education today requires a more enlightened approach that integrates the study of technology and the humanities. The integrated education addresses this perception of inequity in two primary ways. It gives innovators greater awareness of how their inventions impact people at all levels of society, from those who adopt technology early to those who often get left behind. And those impacted by innovation are more likely to embrace new technologies when they are developed in an environment that is sympathetic to their social needs.


A day after her ‘Olympic spirit’ went viral, reality hits with runner’s knee injury

a complete tear of her right anterior cruciate ligament, a strained medial collateral ligament and a meniscus tear. D’Agostino and Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand became inextricably linked in Olympic lore by the chain of events that began when they collided and seemed to sacrifice any chance to win an Olympic medal, The Post’s Rick Maese wrote, to help each other to the finish line, “picking each other up, urging each other to continue, pushing each other to the finish.” D’Agostino was clearly in pain after her right knee gave out and, after she and Hamblin finished the race, both were advanced to the final by track officials. “There was about 2k to go, I was still feeling controlled, and was mentally preparing to focus and maintain contact with the lead group for the final grind,” D’Agostino, who is from Topsfield, Mass., said Wednesday morning in a statement. “Then in a split second, there was a woman on the ground in front of me, I tripped on her, someone behind me tripped on me, and I was on the ground. “Although my actions were instinctual at that moment, the only way I can and have rationalized it is that God prepared my heart to respond that way. This whole time here he’s made clear to me that my experience in Rio was going to be about more than my race performance — and as soon as Nikki got up I knew that was it.” The two runners were unacquainted — until Tuesday’s fall. “That girl is the Olympic spirit right there,” Hamblin said later. That was a message that D’Agostino was focused on Wednesday, too. “By far the best part of my experience of the Olympics has been the community it creates, what the Games symbolizes,” she said in the statement. “Since the night of the Opening Ceremonies, I have been so touched by this — people from all corners of globe, embracing their unique cultures, yet all uniting under one celebration of the human body, mind, and spirit. I just keep thinking about how that spirit of unity and peace is stronger than all the global strife we’re bombarded with and saddened by on a daily basis.” It was unforgettable for viewers and for Hamblin. “I’m never going to forget that moment,” she said. “When someone asks me what happened in Rio in 20 years’ time, that’s my story.”


Watching Team USA has LeBron James hinting at a 2020 Olympics return

LeBron James is shown celebrating a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) LeBron James opted out of playing for Team USA basketball at the Rio Olympics, but it sounds like he’s not entirely at peace with that decision. In fact, the Cavaliers superstar hinted at the possibility of returning to play for the United States at the 2020 Games. “Every time I watch ’em I wish I was out there,” James told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “I did not retire from Team USA. I just did not play this summer. So I still left the door open.” James sat for the ESPN interview Wednesday morning, before Team USA’s dominant, 105-78 win over Argentina in the Olympic quarterfinals. Given how underwhelming the squad of NBA stars had looked in its previous three games prior to Wednesday, James’s comments could have been construed as a feeling that his leadership skills and/or playing abilities were sorely missed. After starting the tournament with laughers against China and Venezuela, the U.S. was nearly upset by Australia before hitting some late free throws and winning by 10 points. Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Co. then followed that up with three-point wins over Serbia and France, hardly looking like the massive favorites for the gold medal everyone expected, before righting the ship against the Argentines. James certainly had his reasons for sitting out these Games, including the need for some “rest,” as he said in June. At that time, he was coming off of leading the Cavs to an unprecedented comeback from a 3-1 deficit to the Warriors to win the NBA title in his sixth straight appearance in the Finals. In addition, James played for Team USA at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Games, winning two golds and a (le)bronze. He had held the record for most points among U.S. men’s Olympians until Anthony passed him this year. When 2020 rolls around, James will be 35, which is long in the tooth for any NBA player, let alone one with aspirations of being among the select few chosen for Team USA. However, if he has proven anything in his 13 professional seasons, it is that “King James” is not your average athlete, and even if some of his athleticism fades over the next four years, he will still have imposing size and court savvy. James’s comments on the Olympics weren’t the only interesting tidbits


In case you missed it: Looking back on Day 12 in Rio

In the women’s 200 meters, American Tori Bowie got a bronze, while Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson got the gold to go with her 100 meters triumph. Earlier in the day, Evan Jager brought the U.S. its first medal in the 3,000-meter steeplechase since 1984, a silver that constituted the highest finish for any American in the race since 1952. Meanwhile, Ashton Eaton made it halfway to repeating as the gold medalist in the decathlon, taking a 121-point lead over Germany’s Kai Kazmirek. Day 12 wasn’t entirely about medals and good feelings for the U.S. track and field team, though. Justin Gatlin, the silver medalist in the men’s 100 meters, failed to qualify for the 200-meter final. The gold medalist in that event, a Jamaican guy named Usain Bolt, had no such trouble Wednesday, serving notice that he has every intention of sweeping the sprints for an unprecedented third straight Games. Kerri Walsh Jennings came to Rio with three straight golds in women’s beach volleyball, but a loss Tuesday relegated her and her partner, April Ross, to the bronze-medal match. Neither American showed any disdain for the moment, however, as they stormed back from a first-set deficit to beat Brazil’s Larissa and Talita for the hardware. It was a rough night for the Rio crowd at the beach, as Brazil’s Agatha and Barbara proceeded to lose to Germany’s Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst in the gold-medal match. Kerri Walsh Jennings also jumped for joy. (Petr David Josek/Associated Press) The U.S. women’s water polo team locked up a spot in its gold-medal match by beating Hungary, 14-10. A U.S. squad expected to do nothing less than win it all, the men’s basketball team, looked much better than it had in its previous three games by routing Argentina, 105-78, to set up a semifinal game against Spain. For Argentina hoops legend Manu Ginobili, the loss Wednesday represented an emotional end to his decorated international career. American boxer Claressa Shields took another step toward repeating as a gold medalist, soundly defeating Russia’s Iaroslava Iakushina in the middleweight quarterfinals. That came on the same day several boxing judges and referees were sent home from Rio, following a number of controversial decisions. Speaking of controversy, the story involving Ryan Lochte and some fellow U.S. swimmers being robbed at gunpoint took a few twists and turns as Day 12 moved along, including a dramatic development when two of


Deodoro is the poor cousin of Rio’s Olympic venues

Athletes from Spain warm up on the Olympic field hockey pitch as a wildfire burns in the nearby hills of Deodoro, Brazil. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images) RIO DE JANEIRO — At the Rio Olympics, thousands of world-class athletes are straining to do their utmost while millions watches on computers, cellphones and television. Here in the Deodoro Olympic Park, the men’s field hockey semifinal between Germany and Argentina felt more like a football game at a country fair. The pitch was shiny and blue, and the players were performing at a high level, while a few thousand Argentine and German fans noisily sang encouragement. But just one stand was full in this temporary arena and another two, mostly empty in the baking sun. Not far away, a squad of Coca-Cola sellers hid in the shade of some trees, and gossiped for want of anything to do. A big screen showing Usain Bolt’s 200-meter qualifying heat had an audience of three people. Deodoro is a military base that for the Games has become a second Olympic hub for a mix of sports, including canoe slalom, shooting, rugby and BMX, but it is the poor cousin of Rio’s Olympic arenas. Unlike in the main Olympic Park, arenas here are spread out over a large area. Work on Olympic facilities did not start until July 2014 — three years later than planned. Stands were erected beside ones that already existed in this sprawling military complex — most of which are spartan, concrete and utilitarian. Everything else is in tents, containers or temporary structures. There are portable metal fences, covered in Rio 2016 banners. Budget cuts and Brazil’s recession have made this the cheap and cheerful Olympics, a reality nowhere more evident than here in Deodoro. A child runs under a bridge in the Vila Uniao favela of Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 12. (Nacho Doce/Reuters) The Deodoro "Military Village" is a long drive down a busy expressway called Brazil Avenue that roars out from central Rio, into the concrete and brick suburbs that form Rio’s West Zone. To get here, many Olympic tourists take the train. They ride past endless favelas, as the poor communities made of roughshod brick and concrete houses are called. There are green hills beyond them in the distance. Violence regularly explodes in these favelas in Rio's outer suburbs. A man was killed in a police operation in Acari favela, not


British Olympic officials warn athletes against going out at night in Rio after robbery at gunpoint

added that the athlete was safe. Details of the robbery, which took place Tuesday night, are sparse. Two U.S. swimmers on their way home were pulled off an airplane late Wednesday to answer a Brazilian judge's questions about their own story of being mugged at gunpoint in the early hours of the morning on Sunday. The judge said there were inconsistencies in their story, and Brazilian media have questioned whether the swimmers were covering up for some other kind of incident. The British letter, obtained by the Guardian, urged athletes to avoid local taxis and rely on official TeamGB transport instead. "Do not go out of the village wearing TeamGB kit or carry anything of value unless absolutely unavoidable — this makes you too big a target for theft/crime,” the Guardian quoted the letter as saying. “You MUST inform a member of team management if you are leaving the village and planning on staying out overnight — please do this BEFORE you leave.” The letter stopped short of issuing a curfew or confining British athletes to the vast Olympic Village where all participants in the Games are housed. About 85,000 soldiers and police are guarding the Olympics, but a string of incidents since the games began has kept participants on edge. There was a gun battle in a North Rio neighborhood between the airport and the Olympic Park, and a bus carrying journalists had its windows shattered by what authorities described as "projectiles." Three Swedish tourists were also mugged by gunmen, and on Aug. 6, Portugal's education minister was robbed at knifepoint. Crime had actually been on the decline in Rio and its huge complex of low-income neighborhoods known as favelas that surround the city after police started a program in 2008 to install police stations inside the neighborhoods. In the run-up to the Olympics, however, crime rose again, and there have been more gun battles between police and gangs in many of these favelas. According to the letter from British Olympic officials to the athletes, other teams have already instituted curfews. Athletes were urged to think long and hard before taking part in the customary post-competition celebrations. “Rio is NOT a safe environment, and the level of crime has spiked in the last few days,” the letter stated. “Think very carefully about whether it is worth the risk of leaving the village to celebrate after you have finished competing."


British Olympic athlete robbed at gunpoint in Rio

Brazilian soldiers patrol the Olympic Village in a photo taken Aug. 4. (Gregorio Borgia/AP) A member of Britain’s 366-member Olympics team was robbed at gunpoint early Tuesday, and British track and field officials warned athletes that it is not worth the risk of going out “given the current climate in Rio.” A spokesman for the British team confirmed an “incident of theft,” but the athlete’s identity and gender and the location of the incident were not revealed. According to the Guardian, the victim was held up while out on the town. “All members of our delegation, including the individual concerned, are accounted for, and are safe and well,” the spokesman told the Guardian on Wednesday evening. The incident came to light Wednesday, as inconsistencies arose in claims by United States swimmers Ryan Lochte, James Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger that they were robbed over the weekend in Rio. Conger and Bentz were removed from their plane and detained by Rio officials investigating the swimmers’ story of being robbed at gunpoint by bandits dressed as police officers. Feigen, according to the San Antonio Express-News, remains in Brazil; Lochte is back in the United States. In a letter to athletes obtained by the Guardian, British track and field officials reminded them not to wear team outfits or valuables outside the Olympic Village and not to take local taxis. In addition, they were told they “MUST inform a member of team management if you are leaving the village and planning on staying out overnight – please do this BEFORE you leave.” (Emphasis theirs.) The letter ends by warning athletes that it’s safer to not venture out in Rio. “Rio is NOT a safe environment, and the level of crime has spiked in the last few days,” it says. “Think very carefully about whether it is worth the risk of leaving the village to celebrate after you have finished competing – BOA/UKA [British Olympic Association/United Kingdom Athletics] staff cannot guarantee your safety when away from the village/British School/British House. Our strong advice is that it is simply not worth the risk given the current climate in Rio.”


Scientists are talking about a fifth force of nature. What are the other four?

put something into space, like a star, its mass changes the behavior of the field. In other words, the star’s presence sends a message at light speed, updating the instructions for everything in space. The main instruction for gravity is simple: If something is heavy, move toward it. Gravity is most prominently felt by big, heavy masses, as in the case of Earth and the sun. (giphy) Fields are also useful for describing electromagnetism, another of the four forces. Rather than mass, an innate property called “charge” determines how things should behave. This property can be a positive or negative number. If you create something with electric charge, that charge updates the electromagnetic field instructions: Positive charges start moving away from positive parts of the field, flocking to negative charges, while negative charges do the opposite. Electromagnetism is more prominent than gravity at the lengths of space where humans experience life. Think about how electric charge can move up a wall to power your lights, even though Earth's gravity is fighting against it. Electromagnetism has something else that scientists have never observed in gravity: a particle that carries the force’s instructions, called a photon, otherwise known as a boson. Bosons, like fields, are things scientists use to explain phenomena in nature. Their effects are real; photons are the smallest piece into which we can break light, and we see photons with our eyes and in experiments. However, the laws of quantum mechanics say that below a tiny distance, we can’t measure how fast something is going and what it looks like at the same time — so you can’t take a video of a boson buzzing through space. When physicist Albert Einstein said light travels in photons, what he meant was something like: "The math that explains the universe makes the most sense if we treat the smallest packet of a force field’s effects like a particle delivering instructions as it moves between two things.” Those force particles even have properties and identities we can detect and measure. With that caveat, we’ll treat the next two forces like the exchange of messenger particles, rather than as fields, even though they’re fields the same way that gravity and electromagnetism are. The difference is that the effects of these fields are felt only on tiny distances, such as those between protons inside an atom. The weak nuclear force If you’ve gotten this


Walmart outperforms Target, and the difference might be groceries

Shoppers push carts through the grocery department at a Walmart in Chicago. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg) Walmart’s business improved on two key fronts in the most recent quarter: Traffic was up 1.2 percent at its U.S. stores, the big-box chain reported Thursday, and e-commerce sales growth picked up after a long stretch of deceleration. The retailer said its stores were busier due to ongoing efforts to make them tidier and better-stocked. Executives added that the business likely got some help in the quarter from low gas prices, which may have left shoppers feeling flush, and ultra-hot weather, which often spurs them to buy seasonal items such as fans or pool toys. Walmart also offered a sunnier outlook for the rest of the year, bumping up its earnings forecast. In this latest quarter, it pulled down $120.9 billion in revenue, a 0.5 percent increase over the same period last year. (Adjusting for currency fluctuations, revenue rose 2.8 percent to $123.6 billion.) Online, Walmart saw sales growth of 11.8 percent, a reversal after several quarters in which growth was slowing down. Walmart has been investing heavily in building out its network of fulfillment centers and has been rapidly expanding its grocery pickup program, in which shoppers can buy their groceries online and pick them up at their local store. Brett Biggs, Walmart’s chief financial officer, told reporters Thursday said the better online sales performance is a sign the chain is starting to see the fruits of those efforts. Plus, it helps that Walmart is simply selling a much wider array of goods through its digital marketplace, which includes third-party sellers. In January, the site offered 8 million different items for sale; today, that’s up to 15 million. Growth in the online business can’t come fast enough for Walmart, a distant second to Amazon.com in the e-commerce race. Walmart last week announced a a major gamble to build its digital muscle, saying it agreed to spend $3.3 billion to buy upstart Jet.com. The big-box chain also plans to install Jet’s founder, Marc Lore, as chief executive of Walmart e-commerce, a move that would put Lore’s fingerprints throughout its business. In remarks to investors and reporters Thursday morning, Walmart painted a different picture of the recent retail landscape than its rival, Target, had put forward a day earlier. After a disappointing quarter, Target executives spoke of great week-to-week volatility in sales and patchiness in business geographically,


6 beer parties to check out this weekend

Brookland Pint celebrates its birthday with rare beers and a moon bounce on the patio. (Photo by Fritz Hahn/The Washington Post) Is the heat making you thirsty? Fear not: This weekend is filled with plenty of opportunities to enjoy a few delicious local beers. Thursday, Aug. 18 Brookland Pint Second Birthday Extravaganza: History and Hops at the Heurich House: Friday, Aug. 19 Flying Dog Pizza Eating Contests at Pizzeria Paradiso: Coffee Co-Lab #1 Release Parties: Saturday, Aug. 20 Kegs and Corks Fest: Sunday, Aug. 21 City Tap House Dog Days of Summer:


California arrested nearly half a million people for pot over the past decade

Vendors and growers prepare their displays for medical marijuana patients attending Los Angeles' first cannabis farmer's market on July 4, 2014. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP) California residents will decide whether to fully legalize the recreational use of marijuana this November in a vote that's likely to have a major influence on marijuana policy in other states regardless of which way it goes. One of the more nuanced arguments against legalization in California is that for all intents and purposes, marijuana is already legal there for people who want to get it. The state's medical marijuana law, Prop. 215 enacted in 1996, is written broadly enough that patients can receive physician recommendations to take marijuana for just about any ailment. The state furthermore decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana in 2011, making possession of up to an ounce of the drug a minor infraction akin to a parking ticket. "Since Prop 215 (The Compassionate Use Act) was enacted in 1996, California has devolved into de facto legalization," writes Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana, one of the more strident voices against California's legalization measure. A recent op-ed in the San Diego Union Tribune argues that "Californians no longer face the issue of teens or young people getting put in jail for minor marijuana possession, and we haven’t for decades." But a new report from the Drug Policy Alliance, a group that favors liberalizing drug laws, shows that far from "de-facto legalization," tens of thousands of Californians are still getting arrested for marijuana infractions each year. The report finds that "between 2006 and 2015, there were nearly half a million marijuana arrests in California," citing data from the California Department of Justice. It further finds that while misdemeanor arrests plummeted following the passage of marijuana decriminalization in 2011, thousands of people are still arrested on marijuana misdemeanors each year, and thousands more arrested for marijuana felonies. As you can see, following decriminalization in 2011 misdemeanor arrests dropped precipitously. But there are still a few thousand misdemeanor arrests each year, for things like possessing marijuana concentrates, keeping quantities of marijuana greater than an ounce, or giving marijuana away to others. As you might expect, felony arrests have been more constant over the same period. Growing pot or possessing it with intent to sell outside of the existing medical framework have always qualified as felonies. Under the proposed legal regulation on the ballot in November,


Ethiopia doesn’t want you to know these things are happening in the country

in the world it is simply called cholera. But not in Ethiopia, where international humanitarian organizations privately admit that they are only allowed to call it AWD and are not permitted to publish the number of people affected. The government is apparently concerned about the international impact if news of a significant cholera outbreak were to get out, even though the disease is not unusual in East Africa. This means that, hypothetically, when refugees from South Sudan with cholera flee across the border into Ethiopia, they suddenly have AWD instead. In a similar manner, exactly one year ago, when aid organizations started sounding the alarm bells over the failed rains, government officials were divided over whether they would call it a drought and appeal for international aid. Hundreds of protesters on Saturday clashed with police in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa after campaigners called for nationwide protests due to what they say is an unfair distribution of wealth in the country. The narrative for Ethiopia in 2015 was a successful nation with double-digit growth, and the government did not want to bring back memories of the 1980s drought that killed hundreds of thousands and left the country forever associated with famine. “We don’t use the f-word,” explained an aid worker to me back in September, referring to famine. Like many of its neighbors in the region, Ethiopia has some issues with freedom of expression and is very keen about how it is perceived abroad. While the country has many developmental successes to celebrate, its current sensitivity suggests it will be some time before this close U.S. ally resembles the democracy it has long claimed to be. Ultimately, the government recognized there was a drought and made an international appeal for aid. The systems put into place over the years prevented the drought from turning into a humanitarian catastrophe — for which the country has earned praise from its international partners. In the same manner, even though it doesn’t call it cholera, the government is still waging a vigorous campaign to educate people on how to avoid AWD, by boiling water and washing their hands. Yet this sensitivity to bad news extends to the economic realm as well. Critics have often criticized Ethiopia’s decade of reported strong growth as being the product of cooked numbers. The government does seem to produce rosier figures than international institutions. After the drought, the International Monetary


Someone is wrong on the Internet. That’s where I come in.

messages that have accumulated in the past hour. I spot a question that I’d like to answer: Can you get sexually transmitted diseases from a tanning bed? The query seems straightforward enough, although some of the most innocuous-seeming questions can unearth a treasure trove of things to research. Strange medical stories are a lot of fun to write, especially as a change of pace during an election cycle; I’ve also looked into whether there’s a correlation between hand size and penis size (there isn’t, but there is a correlation between the relative lengths of fingers and penis size) and whether you can get tattoos on your eyeballs (you can). In the tanning-bed case, I don’t know. It seems possible, doesn’t it? I start sifting through medical studies about the ability of viruses to survive on glass, get stuck on one particularly dry paper and call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see whether I can get any leads. Someone there, acting as if they get calls like this all the time, refers me to another person. I leave a message and return to my studies. Success! I’ve found proof that catching any kind of sexually transmitted disease from a tanning bed, even a dirty one, is extremely unlikely. I start writing up the data I have pulled together as I keep one eye on social media, one ear on the headlines and another ear on my phone’s scanner app — which alerts me to higher-than-normal activity on police scanners throughout the United States — while I edit articles as our writers submit them. The CDC gets back to me with a quote further confirming what I’ve found, so I work that into my story as well. Sometimes, breaking down stories to their bare facts is satisfying in its own right; it’s the thrill of the hunt. We all love to do research and find the nugget of truth beneath the veneers of shock, delight, outrage — whatever makes a story worth passing around. But even when it’s too obvious to be thrilling (it doesn’t take any digging to determine that Queen Elizabeth is not a “lizard person”), this work is a social good. In addition to the hate mail, we receive a lot of frightened mail, from people who aren’t certain about their place in an increasingly scary world, where danger seemingly lurks around every corner. Times are


A movie about two real-life people who are thinking about becoming suicide bombers

we are dealing with, our enemies are dealing with too.” Qaswara speaks in the beginning of the film about growing up comfortably in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He had air conditioning, a car and plenty of food. But two years ago, he said he began to feel that this life was “unfair while my Muslim brothers were being killed and bombed.” So Qaswara left his pregnant wife and young child to come to Syria, where he waits on the long list to blow himself up in an explosive-packed vehicle at a government checkpoint. Though the vast majority of Muslims, of course, do not believe that suicide missions lead to some sort of paradise, Qaswara and others like him feel that there is great honor in performing these missions, which are known as “Dugma.” One scene in the film depicts a man testing a young boy about the benefits of martyrdom. The child lists several reasons — Allah forgives all the sins you have committed, and will commit; Allah’s generosity towards the martyr; the women you will meet in paradise — as the man nods proudly. Unlike the Islamic State, which routinely sends boys packed with explosives into highly populated areas, al-Nusra mostly targets pro-Assad forces. The missions are carefully planned and can sometimes be weeks apart. As a result, the wait for jihadists to perform this act can be a year or two long. “Dugma” is unique in its ability to humanize a group of people that rarely, if ever, gets portrayed in a nonthreatening light. In one instance, a 2015 film about Islamic extremists in Mali titled “Timbuktu” was pulled from numerous film festivals after opponents decried the movie to be an apology for terrorism. In “Dugma,” Refsdal hardly portrays these jihadists as heroes, but he does work hard to show the personality of his subjects. Qaswara cranks up the car radio to sing Arabic tunes and giggles on the phone as he tries to get his mother to figure out Skype. He has never met his 1-year-old daughter but grins widely as he sees her take her first steps on a home video. Abu Basir, the British-born fighter, speaks passionately about the Koran and the Hadith, shaking his head in disbelief as he reads articles on his computer about American foreign policy. But as he contemplates his place on the list, he can’t help but think about his wife,


A new survey shows that Pakistanis penalize candidates for religious piety

esteem and high office, rather than a genuine and heartfelt devotion to one’s faith. Yet, even after taking this initial evaluation into account, survey respondents were still significantly more likely to punish the nominally pious candidates for engaging in behavior perceived as untrustworthy or corrupt, compared with candidates who make no such claims. We term this finding a “hypocrisy effect,” because we believe that invoking a candidate’s claim to personal piety cues voters to expect higher standards of conduct. What do these findings tell us about politics in the Islamic world? The conventional wisdom is that political Islamists have an advantage over secular opponents in winning the hearts and minds of the electorate in Muslim-majority countries. Some argue that invoking religion resonates with Muslim voters because it is easily understood by them or is seen as more culturally legitimate. Others point to the relative success that Islamic organizations have had in providing social services such as charity or jobs on the ground; people who receive these services then vote for Islamist politicians out of gratitude or from the belief that they can get things done. Perhaps appeals to religion and personal piety serve as a convenient mental shortcut or heuristic that communicates something memorable and positive to voters who are unfamiliar with the quality of individual politicians or their policy positions. Factors such as organizational capacity, service delivery and ideology therefore serve to build up Islamists’ reputation as leaders who are honest and effective. Ultimately, it is this perception that allows them to stand out in a region where status quo politics is all too frequently associated with venality and corruption. But as our empirical study demonstrates, precisely because this advantage rests on being seen as “competent, trustworthy and pure,” Islamist politicians pay more dearly than their secular opponents when they fall short of voters’ expectations for proper behavior. Despite the near-daily invocations of religion in Pakistani public discourse, Islam’s place as the official state religion and the long-standing participation of Islamist parties in the country’s elections, we found evidence of a public disenchantment with bringing religion into the political arena. Our survey respondents were generally suspicious of those who sought to mix religion and politics. Even though they almost all claimed high levels of personal religiosity in terms of mosque attendance and ritual observance, only 1 in 6 considered Islamist parties better than non-religious parties. Almost 3 in 4


Maryland open houses August 20-21

Warfield Pl #104 12263 Bare Bush Path 5236 Running Brook Rd #102 10606 Stray Camel Way 21045 9243 Moonfire Pl 5456 Wild Lilac 6259 Dawn Day Dr 5110 Penfield Rd W 7218 Dockside Lane 9497 Good Lion Rd 8411 Glad Rivers Row 21046 6417 Belleview Dr 9506 Red Rain Path 9702 Deep Smoke COOKSVILLE 21723 1929 Sycamore Spring Ct ELKRIDGE 21075 7305 Brookview Rd #205 5841 Bonnie View Lane 6052 Rock Glen Dr 7725 Patuxent Oak Ct ELLICOTT CITY 21042 3094 Greenhaven Ct 3979 Ducks Foot Lane 10165 Green Clover Dr 9117 Waycross Rd 3950 View Top Rd 9709 Briarcliffe Lane 9318 Frederick Rd 0 Rivercrossing Ct 9894 Carrigan Dr 4004 Arjay Cir 3609 Macalpine Rd 9741 Riverside Cir 13363 Ridgewood Dr 21043 6lot Old Montgomery Rd 6lot Old Montgomery Road 8lot Old Montgomery Rd 8lot Old Montgomery Rd 8lot Old Montgomery Rd 7652 Coachlight Lane #a-U 7968 Old Montgomery Rd 7966 Old Montgomery 7930 Brightmeadow Ct Parcel 564 Montgomery Rd 4937 Lee Farm Ct #73 792 Hollow Rd 5167 Talbots Lndg 4631 Hale Ct 9250 Spring Valley Rd 4927 Lee Farm Ct #68 8386 Governor Run 3125 The Oaks Rd FULTON 20759 8671 Reservoir Rd GLENELG 21737 14910 Triadelphia Rd 14254 Triadelphia Rd GLENWOOD 21738 3620 Clear Drive Ct JESSUP 20794 9305 Spring Water Path 8306 Wades Way WOODSTOCK 21163 10710 Hillingdon Rd 1682 Woodstock Road 10719 Old Court Rd 2120 Ganton Green #d-202 2120 Ganton Green #d-105 MONTGOMERY COUNTY ASHTON 20861 515 Ashton Rd 17708 New Hampshire Ave BETHESDA 20814 5225 Pooks Hill Rd #808n 5225 Pooks Hill Rd #413s 5916 Rossmore Dr 7710 Woodmont Ave #512 5307 Danbury Rd 5307 Danbury Rd 7710 Woodmont Ave #418 7710 Woodmont Ave #1004 5606 Forest Pl 4603 Highland Ave 7500 Woodmont Ave #s213 8911 Battery Pl #31 7500 Woodmont Ave #s803 5605 Forest Pl 20816 6416 Dahlonega Rd 5302 Iroquois Rd 6847 Tulip Hill Ter 5700 Ridgefield Rd 4907 Fort Sumner Dr 6422 Brookes Lane 20817 9006 Ewing Dr 9513 Seddon Ct 6207 Hollins Dr 6517 Goldleaf Dr 9814 Fernwood Rd 7501 Democracy Blvd #b-213 6406 Lone Oak Dr 6404 Camrose Ter 10004 Mayfield Dr 5508 Oak Pl BOYDS 20841 15422 Conrad Spring Rd 12812 Old Baltimore Rd BROOKEVILLE 20833 2040 Brighton Dam Rd CABIN JOHN 20818 2 Russell Rd CHEVY CHASE 20815 4620 Park Ave #201w 6403 Connecticut Ave 3305 Brooklawn Ter 7304 Summit Ave 7504 Summit Ave 6711


The Daily 202: Clinton and Trump cave to pressure

pay more than $10,000 to a Brazilian charity to leave the country. Lochte remains in the U.S., having left Rio on Tuesday, and teammates Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were cleared to leave last night. -- What really happened? The police chief confirmed a guard had produced a firearm to “contain” the swimmers so they could not leave without paying damages. A surveillance video posted on O Globo’s website appeared to show the four swimmers being led away from the bathroom at a gas station and then, via a different surveillance camera, forced to sit on the ground with their hands raised. -- “Brazilians have reacted with anger and indignation at an apparently false crime report that only served to boost the perception of Rio de Janeiro as a lawless, chaotic city that was unprepared to host an Olympics.” -- The Post’s Sally Jenkins eviscerates Lochte as “the dumbest bell that ever rang” in a spot-on column: -- How it's playing in the tabloids: TOMORROW'S COVER: Ryan Lochte is everything the world hates about Americans https://t.co/A5wvURF54Y https://t.co/WqNpI8wKOd DAY 14 IN RIO: -- One of the things that makes the Lochte mess so frustrating is that it overshadows the amazing performances by the upstanding Americans who keep crushing it on the field. The U.S. has now reached TRIPLE-DIGIT MEDAL STATUS. Allyson Felix attempts to hand the baton to English Gardner in the Women's 4 x 100m race. (Franck Fife/Getty) -- The U.S. women’s 4x100 relay team got a second shot at advancing to the gold-medal round, after filing a protest over a dropped baton between sprinters Allyson Felix and English Gardner. -- Kerron Clement won gold for the U.S. in the men’s 400m hurdles. And Dalilah Muhammad did the same for the women’s team – becoming the first American female to ever win gold in the race. -- Helen Maroulis became the first American woman to earn a wrestling gold medal, beating out a legendary three-time Olympic champion from Japan. -- University of Virginia runner Robby Andrews qualified for the men’s 1500m finals – but was subsequently disqualified – after he stepped off the track. -- USAIN BOLT soared to victory in his last individual race of the Rio Games Donald makes his way off stage after his rally last night. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images) THE DAILY DONALD: -- Ivanka Trump’s brother-in-law will NOT vote for Trump, according to a new Esquire


legal trouble. U.S. prosecutors charged Firtash in 2013 with money-laundering and bribery … In another business venture, Oleg Deripaska, a Russian aluminum magnate, accused Manafort in a court in the Cayman Islands of taking nearly $19 million intended for investments, then not accounting for the money.” Manafort insisted he had cut his ties with his Ukrainian client in 2014. But former colleagues however, say he continued to work for the party, and was seen in the country as recently as October. -- "Ukraine Releases More Details on Payments for Trump Aide,” from the New York Times: -- Trump advisers waged covert influence campaign,” by the AP's Jeff Horwitz and Chad Day: “The emails appear to contradict the assertion that the nonprofit's lobbying campaign operated independently from Manafort's firm. Stephen K. Bannon in Cleveland last month (Ben Jackson/Getty Images for SiriusXM) MORE FALLOUT FROM THE BREITBART-IZATION OF THE GOP: -- Former Breitbart News spokesman Kurt Bardella slammed Stephen Bannon for regularly disparaging minorities, women and immigrants -- Bannon’s ascension to the post of Trump campaign CEO represents a dangerous seizure of the conservative movement by the alt-right, another ex-Breitbart employee, -- Reacting to Trump bringing on Bannon, Stuart Stevens (Mitt Romney’s chief strategist in 2012) told Bloomberg: “This is the bunker scene in ‘Downfall,’ only the Trump crowd won’t tell Hitler the truth. -- Bannon is already making an imprint: -- A secretive donor has more sway than ever over Trump’s orbit. WHEN IN DOUBT, BLAME THE MEDIA: -- In Charlotte last night, Trump said the media created some of the controversies that have dogged him. -- In New Hampshire yesterday, Mike Pence said the press – not Trump – is to blame for the ticket’s slide in the polls. BUT AT WHAT COST? -- An important factor in the rise of Trump: -- “We’ve basically eliminated any of the referees, the gatekeepers,” Sykes said. There’s nobody. Let’s say that Donald Trump basically makes whatever you want to say, whatever claim he wants to make. And everybody knows it’s a falsehood. The big question of my audience, it is impossible for me to say that, ‘By the way, you know it’s false.’ And they’ll say, ‘Why? I saw it on Allen B. West.’ Or they’ll say, ‘I saw it on a Facebook page.’ And I’ll say, ‘The New York Times did a fact check.’ And they’ll say, ‘Oh, that’s The New


The butt of Olympic jokes today, race walking used to be an American favorite

matches — filled a void for people. It became quite popular quite quickly.” Algeo writes that people would come from all over to watch men (women didn’t participate in race walking until a century later) compete in races that lasted hundreds of miles, often in large arenas or stadiums. “They were on the track almost continuously,” he told NPR. “They’d have little cots set up inside the track where they would nap a total of maybe three hours a day. But generally, for 21 hours a day, they were in motion walking around the track.” A New York Times article from 1876 that Deadspin dug up in 2012 explains the intensity of the sport at the time. Talking about a race in progress that saw two men each race more than 1,000 miles, the paper describes one of the participant’s conditions: “On Sunday last, according to the time-keeper, [John] DeWitt was quite ill, and reeled about while walking, like a drunken man, and at times, when ‘time’ was called, seemed unable to comprehend the word, or to hear it, and the time-keeper was obliged to go to him and take hold of him in order to stop him.” As for the other guy, Peter Goulding, he “was taken sick on Thursday of the week before last, the result, as he claims of the effects of some drug mixed with a small quantity of brandy which he swallowed at that time.” The men kept going, however, partly because of another reason the sport became a favorite in America in the late 19th century. The racer’s “backers,” mentioned by the Times, who kept wagering more money on them, demanding that they didn’t quit. “Gambling was a big part of the allure, no doubt about it,” Algeo told NPR. “You could bet on who would be the first pedestrian to drop out of the race, who would be the first pedestrian to, say, achieve 100 miles in a race. There were so many different ways you could gamble on the walking matches.” By the turn of the century, “pedestrianism” became so popular that it was added to the 1904 Olympics as part of the decathlon. Not satisfied, race walkers finally got their own event in 1932, but it was a far cry from the thousand-mile races of the past. The event was only (and, I use that word relatively) 50 kilometers. A second


Japan in Africa

teamwork and the “kaizen” approach, the process of workers onsite continuously brainstorming ideas to improve productivity, have enabled Japan to create high-quality products. Japan has long believed that highly-skilled human resources hold the key to economic diversity in Africa. Demand from African countries in this area is growing, and Japan is ready to share its experience and expertise. TICAD drives Japan’s ongoing efforts to empower young Africans through human resource development programs. To cultivate a strong human network between Japan and Africa Tokyo-based KOYO Corporation participated in the ABE Initiative for the first time this year, hosting five interns from Nigeria, Mauritania, Tanzania, Mozambique and Burundi. The interns visited the company’s mega solar power plant in Tochigi, about 60 miles north of Tokyo, and were tasked with presenting reports about potential opportunities in their home countries for the technology they observed. Mr. Mansour Diagne of Senegal, Manager of KOYO’s International Division, praised the program. “As an African, I do appreciate the ABE Initiative because it allows more Japanese companies to know about Africa. And it gives participants the opportunity to learn about the Japanese way of doing business. In particular, the attention Japanese firms pay to customer service and their commitment to follow-up and after-sales service. The ABE Initiative interns have built relationships that will allow them to become bridges between Africa and Japan, both at government and private-sector levels.” At TICAD V, The Centre de Formation Professionnelle et Technique Senegal-Japon (CFPT) is a role model for these hubs. Founded in 1984 by the Japanese and the Senegalese governments, the CFPT is one of the leading vocational and training centers in West Africa. More than 2,500 intermediate and advanced engineers, as well as around 300 trainers from 16 French-speaking African countries have completed training at the CFPT. At the beginning, training content was heavily influenced by Japanese experts’ insights. With time, various innovations were created to cultivate homegrown technical training systems with local instructors. This is in line with the center’s original concept that Senegalese trainees would best thrive under their own leadership and principles. The CFPT’s focus on empowering Africans to take ownership of training programs is completely in line with Japan’s approach to development programs and the TICAD process. In partnership with government agencies, By offering 14 courses to entrepreneurs and businesspeople, the academy is building an educational system that meets a diverse range of needs, continually developing


Race walker collapses on course with apparent gastrointestinal problems, but finishes race

Yohann Diniz of France competes in the men’s 50-kilometer race walk event on Friday. (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) A French race walker who was a favorite to win the men’s 50-kilometer event on Friday collapsed on the course after suffering what appeared to be severe gastrointestinal problems. Race walker Yohann Diniz of #FRA collapsed, but heroically managed to finish the race. https://t.co/5qbXjgsAm1 https://t.co/IaHfnK0AH1 Yohann Diniz, who was in the lead for much of the race, went down 2 hours 22 minutes into the event, which was slated to take about four hours. It is unclear what caused the collapse, but the athlete did not appear well for much of that time and complained of stomach pain. Just 15 kilometers into the event, the 38-year-old was spotted shoving sponges down the back of his shorts to soak up a brown substance running down the back of his legs. The weather also may have played a role. It is currently 81 degrees in Rio de Janeiro, with a humidity percentage of 65 percent. The two-kilometer loop has water mists set up, but athletes have been using at least as much water to dump over their heads as they have for drinking. Despite the issues, Diniz didn’t stay down for long. With the help of race officials, the Frenchman who holds the current world record in the event, got up and resumed racing. He hadn’t recaptured his lead by the 40-kilometer split, however. Diniz was in eighth place, about two minutes behind new leader Jared Tallent. Diniz would eventually finish in seventh place after the third-place walker Hirooki Arai was disqualified for bumping into Canada’s Even Dunfee, who would then take bronze. Slovakia’s Matej Toth won the gold. Tallent finished in second place. The sole American in the race, John Nunn, finished in 42nd place.


Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson’s bizarre month just won’t stop

through the timeline. Because since then, we have had tens of thousands of soldiers that have been lost. One million wounded." These numbers are grossly exaggerated. According to the Defense Department, 5,313 troops have been killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Trump campaign co-chairman Sam Clovis appeared on CNN on Aug. 4 and assured that Pierson spewing incorrect facts "won't happen again." But it did. June 27: Trump's proposed Muslim ban didn't ban Muslims "I know the news media was reporting that the initial ban was against all Muslims, and that simply was not the case,” Pierson said on CNN about Trump's oscillating proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States over security concerns. But the campaign's news release from Dec. 7, 2015, which still appears on Trump's website, is quite clear. "Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on," it said at the time. Feb. 22: Questioning Rubio's eligibility During a time in which some, including Trump, were questioning whether Canadian-born Ted Cruz was eligible to serve as president, Pierson went a step further and questioned whether American-born Marco Rubio was eligible. "The question here: Is he a naturalized citizen?" she said. "Now we know that his parents were not citizens at the time — that makes a huge difference with regards to eligibility.” SE Cupp OWNS Trump SPOX Katrina Pierson in Debate over Rubio's Eligibility CNN host Jake Tapper quickly clarified that Pierson was flat wrong. "It actually doesn't," he said. "If you’re born in the United States, you're a natural-born citizen. That’s pretty much just the law." Pierson responded, "Well, that's the anchor-baby law, yes," using a derogatory term for birthright citizenship. That line didn't come out of nowhere. Just a few days earlier, Trump had re-tweeted a supporter who said that neither Cruz nor Rubio were eligible, natural-born citizens. And a day or so before Pierson's interview, Trump offered much the same response to ABC's George Stephanopoulos: STEPHANOPOULOS: You're really not sure that Marco Rubio is eligible to run for president? You're really not sure? TRUMP: I don't know. I've never looked at it, George. Honestly, I've never looked at it. Somebody said he's not, and I retweeted it. In other words, Pierson had just echoed her boss's comments. Like many of her statements, her


Paralympics dramatically scaled back due to budget crisis

conference on Friday. “Never before in the 56-year history of the Games have we faced circumstances like this,” IPC President Sir Philip Craven said. There are two issues that have converged to create the Paralympics’ budget problem. The first — and by far the biggest issue — is the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee did not deliver all the funding it promised to the Paralympic Games. The city was supposed to provide $85 million in funding, but a judge ruled Aug. 12 that the Brazilian government and the city of Rio could not afford the cost, according to NPR, citing Reuters. On Thursday, a judge ruled the organizing committee can use up to $46.5 million in government money. Part of the funding in question includes grants that were slated to go to athletes to aid in their traveling to Rio. Several countries’ teams now worry whether they’ll be able to attend. “It wouldn’t be fair to an athlete to miss the games because the funds didn’t come in time for them to purchase a plane ticket to get to Rio,” Martin Richard, chief of communications for the Canadian Paralympic Committee, told Canada’s Global News earlier this week. The second major concern has been lackluster ticket sales. As of Wednesday, only 12 percent of the tickets to the Paralympic Games had been sold, organizers said. The IPC did not go into the exact ways in which the budget cuts will affect the Games, but according to BBC reporter Dan Roan, Deodoro Stadium will not remain open after the Olympics end on Sunday. The stadium housed the Olympic rugby competition, as well as several equestrian events. Despite the cuts, Craven attempted to stay positive on Friday about the upcoming Games — focusing much of his statement on the athletes instead of the budget. “I am fully confident Rio 2016 will be the best Games ever in terms of athletic performance. You only have to look at some of the achievements from Para athletes over the last two years to realize that we will witness some truly spectacular sport,” he said. “I believe the performances of the Para athletes will act a a catalyst for social change.” He continued: “It’s in our Paralympic DNA to see obstacles as an opportunity to do things differently and that’s what we are doing here. We are problem solvers by nature and fight for what we believe in.”


Donald Trump’s trip to Louisiana is the perfect opportunity to talk about climate change, which he won’t

higher temperatures increase the rate of evaporation, which leads to things like massive droughts. It also means more moisture in the atmosphere. A warmer atmosphere can also hold more moisture before it falls. For every 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit the temperature of the atmosphere increases, the moisture-holding capacity of the atmosphere increases 7 percent, according to the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in the United Kingdom. That's why climate models predict two seemingly contradictory trends: The world will get drier as the number of extreme precipitation events increases. A government report on the anticipated effects of climate change in the Southeast shows how extreme precipitation events in the region have slowly increased as the world has gotten warmer. (NOAA) It explains the why and how: Click for larger version. (NOAA) It can be seen that the frequency of extreme precipitation events has been increasing across the Southeast region, particularly over the past two decades. Five of the top ten annual values of this extreme precipitation index have occurred since 1990. Increases in extreme precipitation events are most pronounced across the lower Mississippi River Valley and along the northern Gulf Coast This trend in more intense precipitation events is seen in many other places around the world and may be tied to a warming atmosphere, which has a greater capacity to hold water vapor and therefore has the potential to produce higher rates of precipitation. These increased precipitation events could be expected to lead to "an increased risk of flooding in urban areas of the region." Or, put in terms of what's happening now in Louisiana: Donald Trump, who toured the area Friday (against the wishes of Louisiana's Democratic governor), doesn't accept the science behind climate change. In the past, he has regularly tweeted about how climate change isn't real and how "they" changed the name from "global warming" to "climate change" because the original name "wasn't working." (That's not what happened; Republican pollster Frank Luntz recommended the GOP use "climate change" to reinforce purported questions about the science behind it.) Trump once said China invented the idea to get the United States to add new controls on greenhouse-gas emissions. On the campaign trail, he has regularly mocked the idea and argued that the production of American coal — burned in power plants, releasing carbon dioxide gas — should be increased. (In 2009, Trump's name appeared in an ad calling for action


Baltimore terminates contract with government lawyer accused of past neo-Nazi ties

American Eagle Party: Vaccines_ Good or Bad? (Above: Glen Keith Allen introduces a video about vaccines. Allen, a contract attorney for Baltimore City, had his contract terminated Thursday.) A lawyer for Baltimore with apparent longtime ties to neo-Nazi groups had his contract terminated by the city Thursday after some of his past activities were exposed Wednesday by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Then on Friday afternoon, the top Baltimore city lawyer who hired him suddenly stepped down, and it was not clear whether he too was terminated by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake or whether he decided to retire. Glen Keith Allen, 65, had been involved in defending Baltimore police in civil litigation over at least one wrongful prosecution case, court records show, as a member of the city’s Litigation and Claims Practice Group. Baltimore’s law department has gained renown for fighting such lawsuits all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, often costing taxpayers more in fees to outside counsel than the actual payments to victims of police misconduct. But the city apparently was unaware of Allen’s history with groups such as the white supremacist National Alliance in years past, and more recently, with the American Eagle Party, deemed an offshoot of the racist American Freedom Party by the SPLC, which monitors American hate groups. In a post Wednesday, the SPLC posted receipts showing that Allen made a $500 contribution to the National Alliance in 2003 and paid to attend a 2007 conference discussing denial of the Holocaust. More recently, he was listed last October as vice chairman of the American Eagle Party and posted a YouTube video that month introducing an AEP-sponsored debate on the viability of vaccinations. The revelation of a man with seeming white supremacist ties on the city’s payroll, in light of the city’s tense racial climate and last week’s scathing report on discriminatory Baltimore police practices by the U.S. Justice Department, created another setback for Baltimore’s attempts to achieve some sort of racial harmony. And his hiring, by a former colleague, apparently cost the city’s top attorney his job too. Allen said in an interview Friday that he was not a white supremacist, but that he agreed with Baltimore’s decision to end his contract. He said the article could influence a judge’s rulings against his clients because “that judge didn’t like you. So now I just have to deal with it … I was helping


In case you missed it: Looking back on Day 14 in Rio

draped their medals around Coach Adam Krikorian’s neck one by one. Krikorian’s brother unexpectedly died two days before Rio’s Opening Ceremonies. Boxer Claressa Shields stayed on track to make her own history Friday. The defending Olympic gold medalist earned a unanimous-decision victory against Kazakhstan’s Dariga Shakimova in her semifinal bout. Shields boxes in the finals Sunday to become the first woman to repeat as Olympic middleweight champion. Team USA Basketball did its part in advancing to the gold-medal game as well after a rockier start to the tournament than most fans were used to. The U.S. defeated a Pau Gasol-led Spanish team, 82-76, in the semifinals behind standout performances from Klay Thompson and DeAndre Jordan, who tied a Team USA single-game record with 16 rebounds. The heavy gold-medal favorites move on to play a Serbian team that gave the U.S. some trouble during pool play. Despite that sigh of relief, Team USA suffered its fair share of loss on Day 14, none of which was more heartbreaking — and surprising — than Jordan Burroughs’. The wrestler, far and away the most dominant American in his sport the past few years, came to Rio a heavy favorite to defend his gold in the 74-kilogram weight class with a 130-2 record in international competition. On Friday he lost twice, didn’t even make it onto the podium and wept through anguished post-match interviews. The U.S. men’s volleyball team also lost, in their semifinal matchup against Italy. The Americans were three points away from advancing to the finals when Italy came back to force a fifth set and ultimately won, 30-28, 26-28, 9-25, 25-22, 15-9. The U.S. will play for bronze on Sunday morning. The women’s soccer tournament wrapped up Friday — Canada claimed bronze in defeating Brazil, 2-1, in an emotional loss for the host country and Germany beat Sweden, 2-1, for the gold medal. Finally, the biggest sports news of the day didn’t involve anyone winning a medal in Rio. It started with an Instagram post from Ryan Lochte. Five days after claiming he and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed at gunpoint, Lochte posted an apology on his Instagram account for “not being more careful and candid” about the situation, which Brazilian police said Thursday was a lie. The story snowballed from there, until Friday morning the final American swimmer involved in the incident was allowed to leave Brazil after paying


Not done yet: American sprinter Justin Gatlin plans to come back stronger, faster

(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) RIO DE JANEIRO — As he has been since returning from a doping ban in 2010, Justin Gatlin found himself lost in Usain Bolt’s huge shadow Friday night. Bolt won his ninth gold medal and repeated his promise that the Rio Games would be his last Olympics. Next year’s world championships in London could be Bolt’s final major competition. Gatlin’s own future has been less certain, though he provided some clarity Friday night, not long after the U.S. 4×100 relay team was disqualified and lost out on bronze medal. Asked by a reporter how he felt here at his last Olympics, Gatlin quickly responded, “I never said it was my last.” “This Olympics has made me hungry for world championships last year. I’m gonna rest well, start my process of training, getting stronger, hopefully getting faster,” he said. “I’m 34 — you guys are like, oh, he can’t be this fast at 34. But 35, I plan on running even faster. That’s my plan.” With three events on his schedule, Gatlin had high hopes coming into these Rio Games, his final chance to swipe Bolt’s crown on the sport’s largest stage. While he picked up a silver in the 100-meter race, he failed to reach the final of the 200 and on Friday night the 4×100 relay team was disqualified for a bad baton pass and saw its third-place finish wiped from the books. “It was the twilight zone,” Gatlin said. “It was a nightmare.” So just like London four years ago, he leaves here with just one new medal. He’s not yet ready to definitively say it will be his last, even though he’ll be 38 when the Tokyo Games roll around in 2020. For now, Gatlin says he’s taking everything year by year, and he can safely say he’ll still be on the track next year. “Come back stronger and faster, that’s what I plan to do,” he said. “I plan to get some rest, get together with family, have some fun and get ready for next year.”


A U.S. soldier learned he lost a silver medal on live television — and then got it back

fifth after two medalists were disqualified, would lose the bronze he had suddenly won. Chelimo waited for 20 minutes until finally the IAAF reinstated him. “That was the longest wait of my life,” Chelimo said. “I’ve been working out for this. It’s been sweat, blood and tears. What went down behind the scenes in practice, this was just icing on the cake. … I just can’t express myself right now. I’m happy. It’s all about hard work. They didn’t take my 13:03 personal best. I really wanted that 13:03. It shows I’m in the top level right now.” Chelimo grew up in Iten, Kenya, and moved to the United States in 2010 to run track in college. He joined the World Class Athlete Program, in which he serves in the army but has flexibility to train for the Olympics. The training, he said, helped him during a rough-and-tumble race. Determined to compete, Chelimo grabbed an inside position. Just ahead of him, Chelimo said gold medalist Mo Farrah of Great Britain and Ethiopian Hagos Gebrhiwet aligned against him. “They kept blocking me,” Chelimo said. “They were working as a team. They kept blocking me, because I think he knew I was a factor. That was his game. He was trying to make sure I don’t get a chance. He was trying to destroy me mentally. But the army has taught me to be physically and mentally tough.” Chelimo openly admitted it was a physical race, but he was still stunned at the initial ruling. He said he could not remember a 5,000 finishing with disqualification. Bumping and defending positions is part of the event. “There was a lot of pushing back and forth, people coming from behind and pushing and shoving, passing on the outside,” Chelimo said. “So it wasn’t like an easy race, you could just sit there and expect to medal without fighting.” Chelimo had to keep fighting until long after the race ended. In the end, his heartbreak turned back to joy. “I thank all the people who fought for me to try to get me back,” Chelimo said. “I’m really happy because right now, this is for my soldiers, for my soldiers out there who work really hard. Thank God they didn’t take my silver medal, because I worked out for all my soldiers. We work out together every day. I represent them, and they represent me.”


An Ethiopian medalist just led a protest that could land him in jail

As marathoner Feyisa Lilesa won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics, he crossed the finish line with his hands above his head in an "X." Lilesa was protesting the Ethiopian government’s treatment of the Oromo tribe, Ethiopia's largest ethnic group. NAIROBI — When he crossed the Olympics marathon finish line, Feyisa Lilesa put his hands above his head in an "X." Most of those who watched Lilesa's spectacular silver medal performance didn't know what that meant — or just how dangerous a protest they were watching. Lilesa was protesting the Ethiopian government's killing of hundreds of the country's Oromo people, the country's largest ethnic group, which has long complained about being marginalized by the country's government. The group has held protests this year over plans to reallocate Oromo land. Many of those protests ended in bloodshed. According to Human Rights Watch, more than 400 people have been killed since November. For months, Oromos have been using the same "X" gesture that Lilesa, 26, used at the finish line. At a news conference following the race, he reiterated his defiant message. "The Ethiopian government is killing my people, so I stand with all protests anywhere, as Oromo is my tribe," Lilesa said. "My relatives are in prison, and if they talk about democratic rights they are killed." It was a remarkable turn of events — within seconds, Lilesa had gone from a national hero to a man who might not be able to return to his home country. In addition to those killed, many Oromo protesters are currently languishing in prison. In Ethiopia, the state broadcaster did not air a replay of the finish. Lilesa was conscious of the danger. He immediately suggested that he might have to move somewhere else. "If I go back to Ethiopia, maybe they will kill me. If not kill me, they will put me in prison. I have not decided yet, but maybe I will move to another country," he said. It wasn’t the first time an Ethiopian athlete had considered defecting after competition. In 2014, four of the country’s runners applied for asylum in the United States after disappearing from the international junior track championships in Eugene, Ore. The plight of the Oromos and the Ethiopian government's use of force against civilians have received some attention recently, but nothing as prominent as Lilesa's defiance. Earlier this month, the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa


‘We defy the Irish government’: Two women live-tweet their trip to Britain for an abortion banned at home

large on lists of countries with some of the world’s most restrictive abortion laws, next to nations like Iran, Nigeria and Brazil. The law is enshrined in the country’s eighth constitutional amendment, which gives the same rights to a fetus as its mother, and is supported by the current prime minister, Enda Kenny. “Thanks @EndaKennyTN” the women tweeted, repeatedly tagging him in their tweets and pictures. Once on the ground in the U.K., the women sat “with bated breath” in the first waiting room before learning the procedure was “more than originally anticipated.” Whizzing through the streets in a taxi, one of the women typed, “Hit us back the taxi fare @EndaKennyTD?” Once in their second clinic, the women met other compatriots during the wait. Forced 2 leave Ireland, @EndaKennyTD joined by more Irish in waiting room,waiting for our loved ones #twowomentravel https://t.co/19FNUacPJD After the procedure, they thanked their growing supporters. “Our love to you all. @EndaKennyTD failed us. You did not.” In June, the United Nations Human Rights Committee proposed that Ireland “should amend its law on voluntary termination of pregnancy” following a case brought by Amanda Mellet, an Irish woman who, after being told that her fetus would not survive her pregnancy, traveled to the United Kingdom for an abortion. While the committee doesn’t have legal authority, it marked the first time it has found Ireland’s abortion laws to be in conflict with the U.N. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Opinions are shifting as well. Polls taken since 2013 indicate that a majority of people favor loosening the country’s restrictions to allow for abortions under certain circumstances, like rape and fetal abnormality. Kenny promised to convene a Citizens’ Assembly, made up of 100 representatives, to review proposed changes to the constitution, including the eighth amendment. It is due to meet in October 2016, although Kenny has been vocally pessimistic about the hopes for a repeal. “My view is that if we were to decide to have a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment in October, it would not be passed,” he said, according to the Irish Times. @TwoWomenTravel, however, vows to fight on. “We defy the Irish government to ignore us and we defy our Taoiseach [prime minister) Enda Kenny to avoid this conversation. We have done this to bring to light the reality of our journey to our sisters, mothers brothers, fathers, friends, colleagues and


What we’ll remember from the Rio Olympics — and what we should remember

Ryan Lochte. At least his fabrications about being robbed at gunpoint and subsequent, mealy-mouthed apology gave Post columnist Sally Jenkins several chances to describe him in ways such as “the dumbest bell that ever rang,” as well as someone who “made a convenient self-promotional vehicle out of a city tortured by crime and poverty.” Brazilian authorities say Ryan Lochte and several other U.S. swimmers fabricated their story about being robbed at a gas station on Aug. 14. Here's why. If any U.S. athlete actually benefited from Lochte’s fish tale, it was Hope Solo. After making herself a target for boos from Brazilian fans with pre-Games comments and social media posts about the Zika virus, the goalkeeper played inconsistently, if not poorly, in Rio and then displayed petulance after a stunning quarterfinal loss by calling the victorious Swedish side “a bunch of cowards.” Of course, Solo was hardly the only person concerned about Zika, and that was just one of the many issues that seemed to pose grave challenges for the Games’ organizers in the run-up to the Olympics. Other widely publicized problems included pollution, shoddy infrastructure, high crime and political turmoil. Oh, and then there was this headline: “‘Welcome to Hell,’ Rio police tell visitors, as body parts wash up on Olympic beach.” Lochtean lies aside, there were credible reports of athletes getting robbed, not to mention a media bus being hit with either stones or bullets, but overall, the Games ran reasonably smoothly. However, organizers suffered a black eye, while water polo players complained of burning eyes, when two pools turned green. The form of Americans Sam Dorman and Michael Hixon looked good, even if the pool didn’t. (Reuters/Antonio Bronic) Katinka Hosszu might describe some of the skepticism aimed at her dominant performance, including three gold medals and a world record in the 400-meter individual medley, as competitors being green with envy, but she was dogged by suspicions of performance-enhancing drug use. Amid that ongoing story, NBC announcer Dan Hicks earned criticism for referring to Hosszu’s husband/coach, Shane Tusup, as “the man responsible” for her recent success. In terms of doping notoriety, though, no one could match the Russians, many of whom were barred from Rio altogether. Those who competed did so under a cloud of mistrust, including swimmer Yulia Efimova, who was painted as a villain, fairly or not, by American rival Lilly King and many others. Another


A ‘restaurant recession’ sounds scary. Are we really on the brink of one?

growth for the year, saying factors such as high consumer confidence drove the decision. And then there’s the fact that some retailers have seen shoppers coming out in full force. Home Depot recorded a 6 percent increase in revenue this quarter, and sales were up 8.1 percent of items that cost more than $900. TJX Cos., the parent of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, saw total sales soar 7 percent. Within the restaurant industry, Domino’s Pizza and Papa John’s had a solid quarter. Theory 2: Grocery shopping is looking like a good deal right now. Executives from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Jack In the Box each mentioned this pattern on their most recent earnings calls because they believe the wide gap in prices was a challenge to their sales in the most recent quarter. And it indeed seems plausible that some shoppers saw such good comparative value at the grocery store, they might have backed off from eating out. Plus, big chains such as Whole Foods Market are making a push around prepared foods, which offer more direct competition to quick-service and fast-casual restaurant players. Theory 3: These earnings reports aren’t capturing the full picture. But that doesn’t necessarily mean things are looking rough out there. It just means business is tough for those particular mega-brands. It doesn’t tell us much about how regional players or independent outposts are faring. Think about these dynamics in the D.C. area: Local favorites Sweetgreen and Cava Grill have been opening shops rapidly across the region. When you started adding one of those spots to your regular lunch or dinner rotation, it probably came at the expense of dollars you used to spend somewhere else — Chipotle, perhaps, or Panera Bread. “Ultimately, consumers are spreading their purchasing across a broader range of brands,” said Darren Tristano, president of restaurant research firm Technomic. And then there’s the customers who are lining up at Bad Saint or scrambling to get a reservation at Pineapple & Pearls. The earnings of the big restaurant companies do little to illuminate what is going on with these experience-oriented consumers, who are dining out almost as a hobby. Making a restaurant reservation has become easier with web services like OpenTable. But when they are too easy to make, sometimes diners don't show up. New services, like pre-paid tickets, are looking to innovate the dining industry and guarantee patrons follow through on their reservations.


The Daily 202: Clinton’s struggle to find a Trump stand-in underscores difficulties of debate prep

Hillary Clinton illness. Take a look at the videos for yourself." – Rudy Giuliani on Fox NEWS YOU CAN USE IF YOU LIVE IN D.C.: -- The high humidity is finally beginning to fade away! The -- The Nationals lost to the Braves, 7-6. -- A Washington Post poll finds that 53 percent of Virginia voters approve of Terry McAuliffe’s performance as governor Six in 10 Virginians support the governor’s effort to restore voting rights to more than 200,000 felons. -- “Efforts to choose a successor to D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier, who is retiring next month, are beginning with an early focus on the department’s assistant chiefs, including one just promoted to that position this month,” -- United Bankshares will purchase Cardinal Financial for $912 million. -- D.C. rapper Swipey, an 18-year-old who had risen to local prominence and performed alongside big-name acts such as Wale and Fat Joe, was fatally shot on Sunday in Prince George’s County. -- Wonder how Facebook targets ads to you? VIDEOS OF THE DAY: The National Zoo celebrated Bei Bei's first birthday: Smithsonian’s National Zoo Celebrates Giant Panda Bei Bei’s First Birthday Here's another clip: The National Zoo's panda cub Bei Bei decided to take a nap instead of celebrating his first birthday with a frozen cake. His mom, Mei Xiang, enjoyed the 100-pound treat instead. Surveillance footage shows Australian men breaking into a high school and releasing three crocodiles: Authorities are searching for four men who were captured on CCTV footage early on Aug. 21 breaking into a high school in the Northern Territory town of Humpty Doo and releasing three saltwater crocodiles. An Olympic contender stopped mid-run when he heard the U.S. national anthem 2nd LT Sam Kendricks stops mid-run to stand at attention when he hears the national anthem🇺🇸 https://t.co/9yoosVTGNC https://t.co/aNohNvGWxN Usain Bolt sealed his triple sweep of sprint titles: Jamaica's Usain Bolt's win in the 4 x 100 meter relay clinches him a ninth Olympic gold medal, and a triple sweep of the sprint titles in Rio. Watch as a regular guy tries to race an Olympic swimmer: A Regular Guy Tried To Race An Olympic Swimmer There is a funny parody of an Irish commentator talking about sailing during the Olympics but having no idea what he's talking about. Watch here. Finally, here's 25 years of the Internet in 25 memes: Much memes. So web. Such wow.


11 of the biggest political moments at the Rio Olympics

Sixteen days, 300 events, 200 countries. Earlier this month, more than 11,000 athletes flocked to Brazil to compete in the Olympic Games. The goal of the Olympic Movement is to "contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play." Now that the Games are over, here's a quick look back at some age-old disputes and modern dramas that stole some of the limelight, though there were a few small breakthroughs as well, our colleagues reported. South Korean gymnast Lee Eun-Ju, right, and North Korea's Hong Un Jong on Aug. 7, after their competition during the women's qualification for the artistic gymnastics at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. (Yonhap/AFP/Getty Images) 1. The two Koreas: First, some good news The Korean Peninsula may technically still be in a state of war, but two gymnasts made a little peace. North Korea's Hong Un Jong and South Korean rival Lee Eun-Ju posed for selfies together — a rare event that the IOC president called a "great gesture." — Adam Taylor U.S. fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad at the Olympic media summit on March 9 in Los Angeles. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post) 2. U.S. politics: A message to Trump Before Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first American woman to win an Olympic medal wearing a hijab, she had some words for Donald Trump: "I think his words are very dangerous,” the fencer told CNN. “I’m African American. I don’t have another home to go to. My family was born here. I was born here. I’ve grown up in Jersey. All my family’s from Jersey. It’s like, well, where do we go?” — Cindy Boren 3. Israel and Lebanon: And they're off ... On opening night: The Israeli team was prevented from boarding a bus filled with Lebanese athletes and heading to the Opening Ceremonies. Israel described it as a hostile act, but Lebanon's chef de mission said it was "only a small problem” that was soon resolved. — Associated Press 4. U.S. and Russia: The Chilly War This dispute had some drawing parallels to the Cold War rivalries of the past: First, Lilly King pointed out that Russia's Yulia Efimova had failed two blood tests. Then, King beat her in the 100-meter breaststroke, "a feat she celebrated by slapping the water in Efimova’s lane then adding a bit of


Four ways innovation shaped the Rio Olympics

The Olympic Games that came to a close Sunday in Rio had no shortage of memorable moments. The two-week competition provided an endless montage of shots, kicks, flips, dives and rides that make these events such an inspiration. But behind all of the impressive athleticism were technological innovations that enhance nearly every aspect of the Olympic experience — such as how the athletes prepare and how you watch at home. Here’s a look at four ways innovation shaped the Rio Olympics. Lea Davison competes in the women’s cross-country cycling race. (Paul Hanna/Reuters) Training The stellar performances in Rio were no doubt the result of the years athletes spent preparing for the games. More than ever, that training incorporates a wide variety of gadgets that run advanced algorithms and spit out reams of data. These are far more advanced than the wearables the average consumer uses to count steps and calories. For example, U.S. cyclists wore Solos smart glasses, which offer a heads-up display that allows them to track their time, speed, elevation, heart rate, cadence and other information in real time. Over in the boxing ring, fighters got sensors of their own. Montreal-based Hykso produces chips that, when embedded in boxing gloves, measure the speed and intensity of each punch. The devices were being used by boxers representing the United States and Canada before the Rio Olympics. Issoufou Alfaga Abdoulrazak of Niger competes against M’bar N’diaye of France during a preliminary round of the men’s taekwondo competition. (Issei Kato/Reuters) Judging Half the battle for most Olympic viewers is figuring out exactly how an event is scored. Swimming and track are easy: Who touched the wall or crossed the line first? Gymnastics, with its difficulty and (persnickety) execution scores, is more of a black box. Thus, judging each contest involves varying degrees of human involvement. The time-honored sport of taekwondo got a technical assist in scoring at the Olympics in Rio. For the first time, fighters donned headgear equipped with sensors that record every kick to the head. Those are worth three points apiece. That innovation comes after vests fitted with sensors were added during the 2012 London Games. Each body shot is worth one point. If that already sounds futuristic, just wait for the 2020 Tokyo Games. In May, the Japan Gymnastics Association and Fujitsu announced plans to develop a scoring system that uses 3-D lasers to monitor a gymnast’s


The NFL really needs to shorten its increasingly irrelevant preseason

for investigations, said in October 2014 that independent investigations by the NFL would face potential obstacles. “The down side of running an investigation while law enforcement is going on is you may not have access to all the evidence that you would like to have,” she said then. “I mean, I was a prosecutor for 28 years. I know what I could get with law enforcement, and not just because of subpoena power. Because the alleged victim came in to talk to me. The alleged victims may not always come in and talk to a parallel, independent investigation if they’re going through a law enforcement process. The alleged perpetrator may not speak in that kind of investigation because there’s potential criminal liability. “So there are some pros and cons in what you’re doing and your ability to access enough evidence to come to a fair conclusion.” The NFL said when the revised policy was put into effect that the suspension for a first-time domestic violence offender could be shorter or longer than six games depending on circumstances. Brown was arrested in May 2015 but the charge was dropped soon after, reportedly because of insufficient evidence. The NFL said it become aware of Molly Brown’s allegations about previous domestic violence incidents but was unable to corroborate those accusations. “In the course of the League’s investigation, our investigators became aware that his wife had filed a statement with the county court alleging previous altercations between the spouses,” a written statement issued last week by the league said. “However, despite multiple attempts to speak with her about this incident and her previous statements, she declined to speak with us. We understand that there are many reasons that might have affected her decision not to speak with us, but we were limited in our ability to investigate these allegations. “Over the course of the 10-month investigation, we also made numerous requests–as late as this spring–to local law enforcement officers for information on the case and previous allegations. They declined those requests for information. “As a result of these factors, our investigators had insufficient information to corroborate prior allegations. In addition, no criminal charges were brought forward regarding the incident in question or prior allegations. The NFL therefore made a decision based on the evidentiary findings around this one incident as provided to us by the District Attorney.” The statement said the NFL found Brown